For those who have
been following my blog throughout the year, the books on this list won’t come
as a surprise. I write long reviews, though, so below you can find much shorter
descriptions of my favorite books from 2017. All the books I reviewed are
linked to the original post.
Note that these are
books I read in 2017, not necessarily books published in 2017.
1. FUSE by JULIANNA BAGGOTT
The
second book in the PURE trilogy picks up with Partridge finally outside the
Dome that has sheltered him and the other elite from the post-apocalyptic world
they abandoned. The cast of intriguing characters in this series make it stand
out in a market brimming with post-apocalyptic novels.
Hazel
and her brother Ben grew up in a creepy, mysterious town that sits right at the
edge of fey territory. They spent their childhood hunting down some of these
vicious creatures and daydreaming about the fey prince trapped in an eternal
slumber in the middle of the woods. When the prince wakes and the fey turn more
violent and unpredictable, Hazel and Ben go on another dangerous adventure.
This
over-the-top-weird fantasy book is an acquired taste for sure, but if it
appeals to your palate it’s sure to be a lifelong favorite. Candy detests her
small town life until the day a sea sweeps into a field and carries her off to
a magical world where each bizarre island represents a different hour of the
day. Did I mention this book is weird?
“The goat was
in the tree again.” Thus opens a hilarious and heart-warming ghost story more
in the vein of Brigit Jones than the darker, grimmer tales from the horror
genre. Strong willed farm-girl Amy investigates a possible haunting while
verbally sparring with the skeptical (though admittedly sexy) guy-next-door.
In a world
ruled by class and privilege all Jessamy wants is to compete in her society’s
popular obstacle course known as the Fives, but doing so could undermine
everything for which her father has worked so hard.
Helen
returns for more adventure in this sequel. She disguises herself as a boy and
sets sail on the Argo. I love Friesner’s more resourceful portrayal of this
iconic figure, as a determined woman who sees herself differently than the way
the world sees her.
Though
both Meggie and father adore books, her father refuses to read aloud to her. Then
one night a mysterious stranger delivers a warning to her father that sets in
motion an adventure beyond anything Meggie ever imagined for herself.
Katherine of
Aragon is often a background player in either Henry VIII’s or Anne Boleyn’s
story, the first wife ousted from her position. In this gorgeously told
historical novel, Gregory gives Katherine the voice she deserves, a voice of
admirable determination and patience.
When
Ansel finds a strange, mute, injured girl in his parent’s barn, he takes her
into his home...not realizing he’ll soon be taking her into his family and his heart
as well. This heart warmer of a story is about discovering your place with your
found family.
This
twist on The Twelve Dancing Princesses
starts along a familiar path and then swerves in exciting, unexpected
directions as the author interweaves another of my favorite fairy tales. Reveka
is a heroine worthy of her role, determined to find agency even in situations
that seem hopeless.
If I trimmed
down my yearly favorites to all time favorites, this one would still be on that
list. The title tells you exactly what to expect and this twist on the
traditional romance formula comes wrapped in an eclectic high school many
readers will wish had been their high school.
Ginny
is a foster teenager, whose rough experiences and lack of emotional support
have left her with some...quirks. Her new foster parents want to do everything
they can for her, but she’s so difficult to understand and possibly a danger to
their own unborn baby. Ginny’s first person narration in her powerful and
determined, if misguided, voice makes this a breathtaking novel.
This novel
switches quickly back and forth between the present and an ill-fated barbeque
that changed everything for three couples. Moriarty crafts unique, layered
characters and convincing dynamics between them all. This fascinating
character-centric story is a particularly great book group choice as there’s
ample worthy of in-depth discussion.
In
this cute chick lit novel, small town girl Jo takes a nanny job in London and
it becomes immediately clear why previous nannies never lasted long. She’s up
to the challenge, though...at least until the kids’ adult (and handsome and
annoying) brother moves home into the room right next to Jo’s.
When Sabriel
receives word that her powerful father has died, she must take his place as
Abhorsen, responsible for keeping dead things dead. Her first task is to
discover whatever killed her father, for anything that could do that must be a
terrible threat indeed.
This novel feels like a modern fairy tale, not exactly a retelling but
pulling from familiar elements and tropes with a more feminist spin. In
Agnieszka’s village a powerful magician known as the Dragon takes one young
woman every ten years into his service and in return keeps the sinister Wood from
spreading any farther.
In
this historical novel, we meet Palombo’s fictionalized interpretation of
Simonetta Cattaneo, reputed to be Boticelli’s muse for his famous The Birth of
Venus painting. These bewitching characters come alive on the page with
timeless and heart-wrenching problems of seeking their true happiness.
Hard-working
Lucy won herself a scholarship to a prestigious prep school, but finds herself
fixating on memories of Linh from her old, less privileged life. Linh told
things straight (if brutal) while these prep school girls craft complex,
devious psychological manipulations. Delivered as though Lucy is recounting a
long story to Linh, this book packs an emotional twist near the end.
In the
seventh Chet and Bernie mystery, private investigator Bernie takes his dog and
partner in crime (solving) Chet to visit Bernie’s girlfriend. The visit turns
awkward when they bump into another man leaving her place. Then that same man
turns up dead and the cops suspect Bernie.
This novel
jumps between the stories of two teenage girls: Kate, a hardened manipulator
conning her way into a prestigious prep school, and Olivia, the school’s rich
and glamorous queen bee who dropped away for an entire school year without any
explanation. This dark psychological thriller kept me glued to the page.
Young
orphans Hiroshi and Kenji are raised by their grandparents and in each brother
burns a different passion. Hiroshi wants to become a sumotori while Kenji
idolizes the artistic skill of local mask maker. Their life stories intertwine
with those of two girls, who also suffered the loss of a parent.