Best Books of 2016!!

Before I get started, I figure I should make a quick disclaimer: these books may not have been released in 2016, but I read them in 2016, therefore, they are my Best Books of 2016. There. That may not be how everyone does this, but I'm me. And, well, that's how I'm doing it.

I waited until the second-to-last day of this year to allow myself to finish one last book, just in case it dropped into my list. While that didn't happen, I have plenty of great ones that snagged my heart. Now, the books I love don't have to be stories with some deep political message to grab my attention. What all of these do have in common is that they are well-paced, with three-dimensional characters whom I feel I could literally meet on the street. So, in no particular order, let's go.


-MUD VEIN by Tarryn Fisher: www.amazon.com/dp/B00JHVUQ70
2016 will forever be known as the year I discovered Tarryn Fisher, one of my new favorite authors. Her books are all very different, with themes of romance, darkness, humor, revenge, emotion (all the emotions), etc etc, depending on which one you pick up. F*CK LOVE became one of my favorite books of all time due to her humor, but what I've come to appreciate most about Tarryn is her darkness, or her "mud vein."

This book, with its tortured characters and compelling story line, sucked me in like a black hole I don't ever want to come out of. It's a bit of a suspense; the main character (Senna Richards) putting clues from her past together to free herself from a remote cabin. Only, addressing her past hurts, and I loved the pace at which it all unfolded.

Tarryn is a master of character development. All of her characters have intricate pasts, and likes and dislikes that bring them to life and give reason to their actions and decisions. I was able to relate to Senna Richards, the leading lady, a reclusive writer in her thirties who rarely allows anyone to get close to her, because of how well she was written. Her relationships were all incredibly realistic, which is a must for me. I can't love a book that's all sunshine and rainbows, with far-fetched situations I could never imagine happening. I can understand why some people would feel the draw to something like that in this day in age, but Tarryn's books aren't like that, and that's what I love about them.

This story made me feel EVERYTHING. It felt like I actually got punched about a thousand times, but in a good way.


-BRIGHT SIDE by Kim Holden: www.amazon.com/dp/B00LJKT64Q
Pssst, this one is FREE for Kindle Unlimited members (users?)!

This was my first introduction to Kim Holden, and it sailed straight to my heart. While most of it is pretty light and easy to read, it contains the depth necessary to capture and hold my attention. (Remember, I appreciate some darkness.)

Kim created a character I think we could all strive to be, or would appreciate as a best friend. Kate, our protagonist, is someone who forever looks on the bright side of things, despite not having been dealt the best hand in life. But don't make the mistake of thinking that makes her naive or immature. There are a few moments in this story where we get a glimpse of some of Kate's more negative thoughts and feelings, and though they were rare, that anchored everything for me, making it more real and less sunshine and rainbows. I loved her loyalty and her willingness to stick up for those who find it difficult to stand their own ground. Kate is the friend we all want and don't always deserve. She fights for every one of her relationships in this book, and I think that is something that will stick with me always.

Aside from the heavy stuff, the dialogue is absolutely hilarious, and there were literally moments where I snorted with laughter while reading. This is also a good one if you crave great character development. I believed that what these characters said and did was completely true to their nature, because it felt like I knew them all personally.


-ME BEFORE YOU by Jojo Moyes: www.amazon.com/dp/B0089EHWQE
Gosh, where to begin? I don't think all of the great things in the world would be enough to say about this book. First off, I'm not usually one to race off to purchase a book just because it's being made into a movie. This was different. I bought it immediately after the trailer first came out, and it was definitely worth it. This was a book that made me both laugh out loud (literally) and cry . . . (literally).

I'm not even sure if I'm capable of choosing one favorite aspect of this book, but I can safely say that Jojo Moyes created my absolute favorite fictional character: Louisa Clark. She is bubbly and real and hilarious, and she is wrapped up completely in the safety net of her familiar hometown, preferring to stick with what's familiar rather than traipse into the unknown. Umm, are you speaking directly to me, Jojo Moyes? Because I think you are. Louisa is someone I totally relate to.

And then comes Will.

The plot centers around the unlikely friendship and romance between two very different people--the wheelchair-bound quadriplegic, Will, and Louisa, who becomes his caretaker--but Jojo made their story completely believable. However, I don't want you to go into this thinking it's all about mushy gushy romance. What touched me most was Louisa and Will's genuine concern for each other's well-being. They each challenge the other to step out of their comfort zones in their own unique ways, without having a care in the world what anyone else thinks. I appreciated how easy it was to forget sometimes that Will was paralyzed. He is a person (fictional, but still) who is so much more than his wheelchair, and I think that is an important, and necessary, reminder to us all.

What was a rare experience for me was that these characters actually reached out and inspired me to go out and do the things I've always put off. Will gave me a kick in the ass and Louisa made me laugh out loud while he did it. For that, Jojo Moyes, I thank you.

I'm not even the slightest bit ashamed that I've already re-read this book twice this year. It's that entertaining, and it doesn't become less humorous or enchanting each time I read it. If you're like me and you can't get enough of Louisa Clark, you're in luck. THERE'S A SEQUEL, and it's just as captivating as the first book.


-IT ENDS WITH US by Colleen Hoover: www.amazon.com/dp/B0176M3U10
While IEWU wasn't my favorite of Colleen's books, I think it's the story that was most necessary to tell (and that's not to say that it was of lesser quality that any of her others, CONFESS just holds a really special place in my heart). It's the book that I needed to read, it's a book that you need to read, it's a book that men and women alike would do well to read.

There was so much hype surrounding this book, and recommendations to "go in blind." So I did. I knew next to nothing about the plot, and once I finished, I definitely agreed that it was the best way to go about it to receive maximum feels (yep, I said it). Without revealing too much, the story revolves around Lily, a motivated twenty-something who becomes involved with a neurosurgeon named Ryle, and the complications that arise when she has a run-in with a man from her past named Atlas.

I don't know if I can adequately describe to you what reading this book was like--after all, I do want you to experience it for yourself--but it was a little like driving in the middle of the night then being blindsided out of nowhere and knocked off the road. Lily is put into a tough situation that I could completely empathize with. When that happened, it was like a physical blow to the chest for me as the reader. It was what I least expected, and it was an important lesson to learn. That's why I say this book is a must-read.

This book taught me something no other book has. It was an experience. And I thoroughly enjoyed growing with Lily through it all.

***

That about wraps up my list for 2016. I felt like I read about a thousand books this year, but the ones listed above were the stories that held on and refused to let go. I'm interested in finding out which ones did the same for you. Let me know!

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--Holly

Get to Know Me!

First off, FOREVER GRACE is now available in paperback form! There was no need to preface that statement, it just had to be said straight-up. I for one am stoked at the prospect of having a legit book in my hands with a front and back cover and real pages. Get it here.

Secondly, I figured that, at some point, readers will stumble across this page who don't personally know me. For some reason, knowing random things about the authors that write some of my favorite books just makes me love those books that much more. So, here are some random things you probably don't know about me, taken from some question surveys I found on the web, and if you actually do know me (and you're still reading this post), maybe you'll learn something new.

-When did you start writing?
I've written for as long as I can remember. I started out writing stories about horse racing and showing, because I was obsessed with the Thoroughbred series by Joanna Campbell. I wrote all through college as a way to get things off of my mind and procrastinate my other assignments, but I never fully developed and finished story until earlier this year!
-Where did you get the idea for your book?
I woke up with the idea for Forever Grace and had a lot of the details figured out in my head within about ten minutes. The other projects I'm working on haven't happened like that.
-Hometown?
I grew up in a few places but will always consider a tiny tiny town in east Texas as my hometown. It's where I attended high school and spent the years that I think made me into the person I am now.
-What did you want to be when you grew up?
Veterinarian, jockey (self explanatory after question number 1), Victoria's Secret Angel. Yep, quite the variety of far-fetched occupations, I know. Little Holly dreamed big, but I never considered writing to be something I could do as a job, because I thought of authors as these super humans that weren't real people. I still believe that. (I mean, JK Rowling is a goddess.)  
-Pets?
None currently, but I love animals and had just about every pet you could imagine growing up.
-Coffee or tea?
Give me all the coffee.
-What's the weather like right now?
Bipolar. Thank you, Texas. I want winter.
-What countries have you visited?
 Australia, Mexico, England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales.
-How many siblings do you have?
Four older brothers. It was like growing up in the middle of Fight Club, 24/7. And it was awesome.
-Favorite movie?
I could never just choose one. Friday Night Lights, Just Friends, the Lord of the Rings series, Just Married, and Nightmare Before Christmas.
-And of course, favorite books?
The books I can read over and over are the Harry Potter series, F*ck Love by Tarryn Fisher, Me Before You by Jojo Moyes, Divergent by Veronica Roth

Feel free to ask anything you want to know in the comments! And thank you for all of the support thus far. It's been surreal to take the first step toward making dreams come true.

Holly

FOREVER GRACE IS LIVE!

After months of writing, rewriting, brainstorming, and editing, Forever Grace, a contemporary romance, new adult novel, is finally available on Amazon for just 99 pennies! You can find it here.

Here's the blurb: 

Due to her desire to bury a traumatic event in her past, Twenty-six-year-old Blake Kendall has found it easier to all but swear off relationships. However, her resolve is not as strong as she thinks when she meets the enigmatic, captivating owner of a charitable bookstore called Forever Grace. Landon Farrar is callous and blunt, and shows just as much reluctance to share anything about his past as Blake does. As much as he pushes her away, Blake is drawn to him for both obvious and unexplainable reasons. And despite Landon's hesitance to grow close to anyone, a physical connection soon develops between them. As fate would have it, their connection runs more than just skin-deep.

As Landon reveals more and more about his past and Blake realizes just how alike they are, she's torn between the decision of whether to come clean or to stay quiet and salvage the semi-relationship they've found. Turns out, you can't control fate, the past doesn't always stay in the past, and the things that connect two people can often tear them apart. 

I was working on another novel when the idea for this one came to me and I couldn't get it out of my head. It isn't perfect, but I'm super proud of this step I've taken. I've written stories for as long as I can remember, but I've never had the patience to fully develop and finish a story line. Until now! To anyone who stumbles across this page by some miracle (first of all, welcome!) and takes a chance on this novel by an unknown, aspiring novelist, I hope you love it. It was a joy to write, and I look forward to finishing my next project.

--Holly

The Calm

Ahh . . . the calm before the storm. What storm, you may ask? Well, no storm yet. I am an unknown, aspiring writer with big dreams. That may sound cliche, but at least it's accurate. Also, I'm writing to nobody at the moment. I have no fan base and no readers. It's just me, as of now. See what I mean about the calm?

I just created a cover and am currently putting the final touches on my debut novel, which happens to be the third I've written. I'm not quite satisfied enough with the others to release them into the world. It's a scary prospect, releasing your creativity into the world to be judged and critiqued by others. I want to keep them safe to myself, but what's the point of that? It might be a few days, but keep an eye out. I'll get brave enough to upload my little words and then we will see what happens! In the words of the Starks, "Words are coming." I mean winter . . . winter is coming.

If you are reading this, congratulations! I'm not sure how you made it here, but I'm glad you did. I hope you enjoy my words as much as I do.

Until next time,
Holly