My 2017 Best of Books

Number of Books You Read: 55
Number of Rereads: 2 Sarah Dessen books and like 7 Fear Streets
Genre You Read Most From: YA Mystery/Contemporary

1.  BEST BOOK YOU READ IN 2017:

• A List of Cages by Robin Roe- Best YA Contemporary
• Bad Girls with Perfect Faces by Lynn Weingarten- Best "ME" Book
• Fragments of the Lost by Megan Miranda- Best YA Mystery

2.  BOOK YOU WERE EXCITED ABOUT & THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO LOVE MORE BUT DIDN'T?

• Beautiful Broken Girls by Kim Savage- I really loved After the Woods, so I was expecting BBGs to be a ME book... sadly, that wasn't the case.  I am super excited to try her 3rd book In Her Skin though!
• My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, & Jodi Meadows- I had heard how hilariously funny and joyful this book was, so I was fully expecting to laugh and be joyful.  Turns out??  Maybe I'm just not that joyful?
• Renegades (#1)by Marissa Meyer- I did like this book, but I definitely didn't LOVE it like I thought I would.  It was too LONG and really not original enough.

3.  MOST SURPRISING (IN A GOOD WAY OR A BAD WAY) BOOK YOU READ?

• The Forgetting (#1) by Sharon Cameron- I don't usually read Dystopians or Sci-Fi, so loving this book was a HUGE surprise for me.
• Follow Me Back (#1) by A.V. Geiger- I really hadn't heard a lot about this book when I decided to pick it up, but I was wary because I'm not the biggest romance person.  OMG, I ended up being OBSESSED with it.  It was such a bright spot in my reading year!

4.  BOOK YOU "PUSHED" THE MOST PEOPLE TO READ (AND THEY DID)?

• Bad Girls with Perfect Faces by Lynn Weingarten- I've been telling EVERYONE I know to read this book, and I will continue to tell people-- like right now, GO READ THIS BOOK!!

5.  BEST SERIES YOU STARTED IN 2016? BEST SEQUEL OF 2016? BEST SERIES ENDER OF 2016?

• The Forgetting (#1) by Sharon Cameron- I can't wait to read the 2nd book in the series, The Knowing!!
• I'm a terrible series reader anymore and didn't read one single sequel or ender in 2017!!

6.  FAVORITE NEW AUTHOR YOU DISCOVERED IN 2016?

• Stephanie Oakes
• Natasha Friend

7.  BEST BOOK FROM A GENRE YOU DON'T TYPICALLY READ/WAS OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE?

• The Forgetting (#1) by Sharon Cameron- Dystopian is not my usual, so I wasn't sure I would like it.  I definitely LOVED it.
• All Rights Reserved (#1) by Gregory Scott Katsoulis- Again, Dystopian, so I was surprised by how INTO it I got.
• I think maybe Dystopian is a new fave genre now???

8.  MOST ACTION PACKED/THRILLING/UNPUTDOWNABLE BOOK OF THE YEAR?

• Bad Girls With Perfect Faces by Lynn Weingarten- YES!!!  I was hooked on this book.
• Follow Me Back (#1) by A.V. Geiger- This book has romance and darkness and intensity and secrets.  It was unputdownable for sure!!
• Ready Player One by Ernest Cline- I loved all the action in this book.

9.  BOOK YOU READ IN 2016 THAT YOU ARE MOST LIKELY TO RE-READ NEXT YEAR?

• Bad Romance by Heather Demetrios- I related personally to the story in this book, so it's definitely going on my "Reread Someday" list.

10.  FAVORITE COVER OF A BOOK YOU READ IN 2016?

• In Some Other Life by Jessica Brody- This cover is just adorable and fun.
• Bad Girls with Perfect Faces by Lynn Weingarten- I love the unexpectedness of the flies and think it's unique and edgy looking.

11.  MOST MEMORABLE CHARACTER OF 2016?

• Adam from A List of Cages by Robin Roe- Adam!!  He's too good.  I'll definitely remember how he made me want to be a better person.
• Flora from The One Memory of Flora Banks by Emily Barr- Flora's situation was heartbreaking in many ways, but also SO inspiring.  Flora was strong and brave and completely endearing.

12.  MOST BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN BOOK READ IN 2016?

• Foolish Hearts by Emma Mills- Reading the words Emma Mills writes is effortless.
• Violent Ends by Various YA Authors- I just think it's beautiful when so many authors can come together to write a singular story that also explores individual experiences.

13.  MOST THOUGHT-PROVOKING/ LIFE-CHANGING BOOK OF 2016?

• The Other F-Word by Natasha Friend- This book made me think a lot about family, which isn't something I give a ton of thought to.
• The Gatekeepers by Jen Lancaster- I didn't think this book was perfect, but reading it made me think a lot about what it's going to be like when my child is a teen and the things he's going to encounter.

14.  BOOK YOU CAN'T BELIEVE YOU WAITED UNTIL 2016 TO FINALLY READ?

• Ready Player One by Ernest Cline- If you know me, you know I LOVE nostalgia!!  Now, I'm really more of a 90's gal than an 80's one, but still.... I can't believe I didn't read this sooner!

15.  FAVORITE PASSAGE/QUOTE FROM A BOOK YOU READ IN 2016?

• “When you're a stupid girl in love, it's almost impossible to see the red flags. It's so easy to pretend they're not there, to pretend everything is perfect.” ~Bad Romance by Heather Demetrios

16.  SHORTEST & LONGEST BOOK YOU READ IN 2016?

• Shortest- 16 Ways to Break a Heart by Lauren Strasnick
• Longest- Renegades (#1) by Marissa Meyer

17.  BOOK THAT SHOCKED YOU THE MOST?

(because of plot twist, character death, left you hanging with your mouth wide open, etc.)

• Be True to Me by Adele Griffin- The last 1/4 of this book was like 😱.
• Final Girls by Riley Sager- I was on-board for the first twist, but the 2nd and 3rd twists defintiely got me.

18.  OTP OF THE YEAR (YOU WILL GO DOWN WITH THIS SHIP!)

(OTP = one true pairing if you aren't familiar)

• Two people I won't say because SPOILERS, but I LOVED them-- Fragments of the Lost by Megan Miranda
• Nadia & Gray-- The Forgetting by Sharon Cameron

19.  FAVORITE NON-ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP OF THE YEAR

• Claudia & Iris-- Foolish Hearts by Emma Mills

20.  FAVORITE BOOK YOU READ IN 2016 FROM AN AUTHOR YOU'VE READ PREVIOUSLY?

• Bad Girls With Perfect Faces by Lynn Weingarten- I was a fan of Lynn's from reading Wherever Nina Lies and Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls, but after reading this book, I am now a superfan.
• 16 Ways to Break a Heart by Lauren Strasnick- Lauren Strasnick just writes "me" books.

21.  BEST BOOK YOU READ IN 2016 THAT YOU READ BASED SOLELY ON A RECOMMENDATION FROM SOMEBODY ELSE/ PEER PRESSURE:

• The Forgetting by Sharon Cameron- Thanks to Cassi, I read this book and LOVED it.
• Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett- Thanks to Andi for book pushing and lending me this adorable book.

22.  NEWEST FICTIONAL CRUSH FROM A BOOK YOU READ IN 2016?

• Max from Fragments of the Lost by Megan Miranda

23.  BEST 2016 DEBUT YOU READ?

• Grit by Gillian French- I loved the setting and feel of this debut.  It also has a super-relatable main character in it, so I'm down to read more from Gillian.
• A List of Cages by Robin Roe- I can't believe this was a debut!!  It was PERFECTION.

24.  BEST WORLD BUILDING/ MOST VIVID SETTING YOU READ THIS YEAR?

• The Forgetting by Sharon Cameron- The city of Canaan and the world that Nadia lives in is so well described.  I would love for this to be made into a movie.

25.  BOOK THAT PUT A SMILE ON YOUR FACE/ WAS THE MOST FUN TO READ?

• The Bakersville Dozen by Kristina McBride- Okay, so I know saying that a murderous thriller put a smile on my face makes me seem kinda creepy, but hear me out.  This book made me happy because it reminded me of the mystery/thrillers that I read growing up-- and I really missed those types of books!
• Foolish Hearts by Emma Mills- This book is sunshine and happiness and rainbows and butterflies.

26.  BOOK THAT MADE YOU CRY OR NEARLY CRY IN 2016?

• A List of Cages by Robin Roe- UGHHHHH ugly-crying sobfest.
• The One Memory of Flora Banks by Emily Barr- I didn't think I would cry while reading this book, but it got me in the end.

27.  HIDDEN GEM OF THE YEAR?

• The Arsonist by Stephanie Oakes- This book SO didn't get the props it deserved.

28.  BOOK THAT CRUSHED YOUR SOUL?

• 16 Ways to Break a Heart by Lauren Strasnick- This dark romance made me feel a little ill and slightly icky in the end.  LOVED IT!!
• When I Am Through with You by Stephanie Kuehn- Stephanie Kuehn's characters will always crush your soul.

29.  MOST UNIQUE BOOK YOU READ IN 2016?

• A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares by Krystal Sutherland- This book tried really hard to be different-- and it succeeded.
• Violent Ends by Various YA Authors- I've never read an anthology book that told a singular story before.

30.  BOOK THAT MADE YOU THE MOST MAD (DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN YOU DIDN'T LIKE IT)?

• Vigilante by Kady Cross- This book started out great... but then it took a turn into ridiculous-ville and didn't look back.
• After the Fall by Kate Hart- There was a THING that happened that infuriated me.  It took the only part of the book that I really liked and lit it on fire.  It was a rage-read after that.

1.  ONE BOOK YOU DIDN'T GET TO IN 2017 BUT WILL BE YOUR NUMBER 1 PRIORITY IN 2018?

• We Are Okay by Nina LaCour- I MUST read this book.  I feel like a bad fan right now :(

2.  BOOK YOU ARE MOST ANTICIPATING FOR 2018 (non-debut)?

• The Last to Let Go by Amber Smith- After reading (and loving) The Way I Used to Be, I've been WAITING for another book by this author.

3.  2018 DEBUT YOU ARE  MOST ANTICIPATING?

• People Like Us by Dana Mele- I love YA Mystery, and this one sounds PERFECT.

4.  ONE THING YOU HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH OR DO IN YOUR READING/BLOGGING LIFE IN 2018?

• Goals:
• Go to New Orleans for ALA in June
• Continue to promote awesome books with my book tour co. The Fantastic Flying Book Club
• Have fun talking about books (things in the book world feel really serious anymore, and honestly I just want to get back to FUN).

So, that's my 2017 reading year.  Do we share any faves?