Mentionable Reads from 2016

(It's going to be a short post, I'm mostly typing with one hand due to a fractured elbow. :P Much obliged to Goodreads for the awesomeness of their book lists!)

Devotional: 
My latest read: Legacy of Faith, by Lydia Brownback. I also love her short devotionals. I have read Contentment, Trust, and Joy.)


Highest rated on Goodreads: (For good reason, too!)
Out of Time #2: A Time To Speak, by Nadine Brandes. I liked these just as much as, or maybe more than, Hunger Games and the Divergent books.These fall under the Christian Speculative Fiction genre which I have only recently discovered. Basically, Christian Spec Lit is just fantasy/ sci-fi (or in this case, dysotopian) literature with a Christian perspective. I'm really excited about discovering this genre recently, as it's something I've always known was possible but never knew anyone had actually dove into it!
*(I don't consider C.S. Lewis an early Christian Spec writer, because Narnia is considered allegorical.)


Most popular: 
Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury. A classic worth reading, and mulling over. Rather short and easy to read.


Of worthy mention: (highly recommended by myself!)
Blades of Acktar #2: Defy, by Tricia Mingerink. I am in the midst of this one, and on the edge of my seat wondering what Brandi is thinking, and how will Leith and Renna escape!? I better stop typing now so that I don't give spoilers away for anyone. Destroy, book #3.5 is set to be release on kindle only in just two days! (12/30/16). #4, Deliver, does not yet have a release date. I love the western feel of these books, it's very unique and I'm impressed with the vastness of the world of Acktar.


Meh: 
Wings, by Aprilynne Pike. I was not over-excited about this series. It was imaginative, but I would never have been relatable to me in high school, ever. I was surprised at how much freedom Laurel has at some times, and others she has very little. It was confusing and inconsistent. I also found the love-triangle a little odd, because Tam felt possessive to me. I get that he had a friendship with Laurel before she lost her memories, but I'm personally quite over the arguing boyfriends plot-line in literature. Cliche. I'd like more YA literature with young adults making lifelong friendships, not just serious (or worse, not-serious) relationships.


Most unique fairy-tale: 
Uprooted, by Naomi Novik. After reading the notes in the back, I learned this is a re-telling of a Polish fairy-tale, actually. I loved that about it. I love fairy-tale re-tellings, but there are very few truly unique and original ones out there. (Mercedes Lackey has a few in the Elemental Masters series.) I would note, however, that there were a few paragraphs I skipped.


And finally, yes, I did read Harry Potter & the Cursed Child on top of all the rest. If you're a Potter fan, read it. But don't expect the same magical story-telling of the other 7 novels. To me, this one felt quite incomplete. To avoid giving away spoilers and dampening your hopes, I will say no more here.
(No, the script did not bother me- I thought it would, though.)