The 5 Worst Books of 2016

This year brought us some fantastic reads — but you can’t have the good without the bad, so naturally, we ran into a few cringe-inducing books along the way, too. Check out the worst of the worst, so you know what not to buy — or what to gift to that cousin you never really liked.

We’ve been skeptical of the Olympian since she dated Tiger Woods (ugh), but after giving her memoir nearly the same title as Snooki’s (Strong Is the New Sexy) and Khloé Kardashian’s (Strong Looks Better Naked), we’re really rolling our eyes. You couldn’t try a little harder?

If you’re unaware of Henry, here’s a primer: An alleged clairvoyant, he stars on a TV show called The Hollywood Medium With Tyler Henry — yet feigns ignorance about the actual Hollywood stars who appear on his show. Forgive us for not wanting to experience that icky, fake feeling on the page, too.

When you’re reading a thriller, an unreliable narrator can be sexy and cool. For a serious work of nonfiction? Not so much. Talese’s reliance on foggy (and un-fact-checked) memories is just irresponsible.

The Apprentice winner (and husband of E! host Giuliana Rancic) tries — and fails — to beat Nicholas Sparks at his own game with this plane-crash-survival romance with a twist so obvious it’s practically visible from the flight. Let’s hope First is also Rancic’s last.

When the current political stage is stranger than fiction, you can’t exactly blame us for wanting to avoid a terrorism novel by a politician (and, er, his coauthor, Pete Earley). The only Newt we’re interested in hearing from these days has a magic wand and a suitcase full of fantastic beasts.