TOP 10 BOOKS OF 2017

I love all the Top 10/Best-Of lists that come with the end of each year. Whether it’s done in categories or just best overall, reading posts with everyone’s favorites makes me positively giddy. But when it comes to choosing my own favorites… gah! I actually love going through everything I read in the past year (thank you, GoodReads, for making that so easy to do!), but narrowing it down to the Top 10, the cream of the crop… it’s tough. There are so many in the “you almost made it” category. And for that reason I’ll be starting with a few (okay, nine) Honorable Mentions. And it’s not cheating because it’s my list and I can make the rules. :)

A List of Cages – Robin Roe

Tell Me Three Things – Julie Buxbaum

Goodnight, Nic – Marley Jacobs

The Sea of Tranquility – Katja Millay

Letters to the Lost – Brigid Kemmerer

Making Faces – Amy Harmon

Bossman – Vi Keeland

We Now Return to Regular Life – Martin Wilson

Unraveling Oliver – Liz Nugent

And now to my Top 10 of 2017. To be honest, 2017 was not the most stellar reading year for me. I started off strong – January alone had two books that made it into my Top 10 – but a most unwelcome reading slump hit in October and decided to make itself at home and stay a while. (To give you an idea, I read only four books in October, just three in November, and have managed only one this month.) Here’s hoping for a much better 2018!

Note: These aren’t necessarily 2017 releases (only six were released in 2017), just my top picks from what I read in 2017.

#10 SUGAR & GOLD – EMMA SCOTT

This beautiful romance with a slight paranormal twist captured my heart. I fell in love with Nikolai and Fiona from the very beginning and wished and hoped for their happy ending. Emma Scott delivered some twists I never saw coming, managed to elicit both smiles and tears, and had me not wanting to put the book down. I’ll definitely be reading more from this author.

#9 WRITTEN IN RED – ANNE BISHOP

I downloaded the audio version of Written in Red on a whim and was instantly transported into another world, where The Others – shapeshifters, vampires and more – rule. I was hooked from the very start and proceeded to enjoy all five books in the series. Bishop created characters that managed to feel real, despite this being urban fantasy, and I am completely invested in their story. A perfect example that taking a chance of something outside your reading comfort zone can deliver a new favorite.

#8 TRUST – KYLIE SCOTT

Having never read any of Kylie Scott’s adult/new adult novels, I had no idea what to expect when I picked up an ARC of her young adult release. I was totally onboard with Trust from the explosive beginning. With Edie as a main character that was 100% realistic and John as an anti-hero turned hero, a gripping storyline, and truly positive portrayal of a mother-daughter relationship, Trust seemed to contain everything I love in a YA contemporary and delivered it with a cherry on top.

#7 WHO DO YOU LOVE – JENNIFER WEINER

Jennifer Weiner delivered a story that spanned 30 years and still managed to have me wanting more. This was so much more than a second chance romance, but more a tale of two people who overcome their own pasts and oh-so-relatable flaws. Who Do You Love showed in heartbreaking detail what happens when love isn’t always enough. Rachel and Andy’s story was absolutely precious and pulled at every heartstring.

#6 THE UPSIDE OF UNREQUITED – BECKY ALBERTALLI
After the sheer epic-ness of Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda, I admit I was nervous about what Becky Albertalli would serve up next. I shouldn't have worried because in Molly Peskin-Suso Alberrtalli created a protagonist so relatable that I felt like I was seventeen all over again. Add in a precious little cupcake of a love interest ( I ♥ Reid) and it was obvious that Albertalli had struck gold again.

#5 UNTIL IT FADES – K.A. TUCKER
K.A. Tucker took a foray into straight-up romance this year and all I can say is: I want more. Filled with a strong but vulnerable heroine, a swoony and sweet hockey star, an adorable five year old little girl (who wasn't overly precocious and actually sounded like a five year old), and a rich cast of secondary characters, I let myself drown in the feel-good romance and loved every minute.

#4 A COURT OF WINGS AND RUIN – SARAH J MAAS
For someone who isn't a fantasy reader, I fell hard and fast for the ACOTAR series and have anxiously waited for each new release. And A Court of Wings and Ruin did not disappoint. Maybe it didn't quite reach the perfection of ACOMAF, but it still delivered the characters I love, the villains I love to hate, the action and adventure, the surprises, the laughs, the emotion. It was an incredible ride and I loved it.

#3 FAR FROM THE TREE – ROBIN BENWAY
I should have kept track of how many times I was moved to tears while reading Far from the Tree (hint: it was a lot) because Robin Benway probably owes me a box of Kleenex. This story of three teenagers who discover they are biological siblings and the relationships that follow grabbed me by the heart and didn't let go. Grace and Maya and Joaquin came alive for me and I finished their story feeling so happy I'd met them.

#2 ALL THE UGLY AND WONDERFUL THINGS – BRYN GREENWOOD
Equal parts fascinating, disturbing, thought-provoking and heartbreaking, this novel delved into the hearts and minds of characters unlike any I'd read about before. Following Wavy Quinn, the daughter of a meth dealer father and an unstable addict mother, All the Ugly and Wonderful things tells the story of a lonely girl and a lonely man. It tells a story of creating family where there is none. And it tells a story of love, of human agency, and of ultimate acceptance. Truly unforgettable.

#1 FROM SAND AND ASH – AMY HARMON
My first read of 2017 is my favorite read of 2017. I was already a fan of Amy Harmon when I picked this one up but she outdid herself with this novel set in WW II-era Italy. Her writing was so immersive that I felt as if I was living the story. Eva (an Italian Jew) and Angelo (an American Catholic) were lifelong friends whose differences, which seemed not to matter as children, suddenly meant everything now that war was on their doorstep. From Sand and Ash was often difficult to read, showcasing a cruelty that was beyond belief, but it was also a beautiful depiction of love, faith, endurance and hope. This book is the perfect example of why I read.

Have you read any of these?

What's your favorite book of 2017?

The Character Fight to the Death Tag

The lovely Amy @ A Magical World of Words tagged me to take part in this one so let's see how it goes.

Here are the rules:
- Write down the names of 30 characters
- For every question randomly draw two names
- Answer the question using the two names drawn

Here are my characters:
Alexander Belov, Alina Starkov, America Singer, Amren, Bellatrix Lestrange, Cath, Connor Cobalt, Daemon Black, Dimple Shah, Feyre, Four, Hermione Granger, Jace Herondale, Jamie Fraser, Juliette Ferrars, Katniss Everdeen, Kenji Kishimoto, Lisbeth Salander, Magnus Bane, Meg Corbyn, Molly Peskin, Myrnin, Peeta Mellark, Prince Maxon, Rhysand, Rose Calloway, Simon Spier, Tessa Gray, The Darkling, Vladimir Sanguinati

And here we go...

You only have one more spot on your spelling bee team. 
Who gets it?

  

Rose Calloway (The Addicted Series) 

VS 

Jace Herondale (The Mortal Instruments)

Sorry Jace, but Rose wins this one hands down. Rose is brilliant, focused and competitive. 

She'd slay in a spelling bee.

Both characters want to kill you. 
Who would you kill first to have a better chance of survival?

    

Vladimir Sanguinati (The Others Series)

VS

Myrnin (The Morganville Vampires)

Seriously? I managed to pull two vampires? I am so screwed.

Well, assuming I could kill a vampire, I'd try to off Vlad first. 

Myrnin was often less scary and just... eccentric. On a good day.

You're on The Bachelor/Bachelorette and down to two characters. 
Who gets your rose?

   

Amren (A Court of Mist and Fury)

VS

Jamie Fraser (Outlander)

Having never seen a single episode of The Bachelor, I'm assuming giving a rose means you pick that person?

I like Amren, but frankly she scares me. LOL And Jamie is, well... it's Jamie Fraser people. Need I say more?

You've been chosen for the Hunger Games. 
Who's most likely to volunteer in your place?

    

Tessa Gray (The Infernal Devices)
VS

Alina Starkov (The Grisha Trilogy)

Oh wow, I could see either of these characters volunteering to take someone's place.

They are both strong, brave, headstrong and fearless. And they both have compassion.

It's really a toss-up but I'll go with Alina.

You're stranded on an island and must engage in cannibalism to survive. 
Who do you eat?

    

Lisbeth Salander (The Millennium Trilogy)

VS
Four (Divergent)

Bahahaha!! Do I even need to think about this one? Sorry, Lisbeth.

I know you've had a hard life, but you're about to be served up while I kick back island-style with Four. 

You're the next Marvel superhero (with your own TV show, of course). 
Who's your sidekick?

    

Bellatrix Lestrange (Harry Potter)

VS
Magnus Bane (The Mortal Instruments)

Another no-brainer. I'll take the wickedly cool Magnus Bane over Miss Crazy Pants any day.

You're a manager of an avocado company. 
Who would you fire for poor communication skills?

    

The Darkling (The Grisha Trilogy)

VS

Meg Corbyn (The Others Series)

An avocado company? WTH? But okay... 

I've only read the first book in the Grisha trilogy so far but already it seems that the Darkling is secretive and manipulative and not exactly forthcoming with the truth. Whereas Meg is open and honest and has managed to ingratiate herself with all different types of people (and species).

Darkling... you're fired.

You've just finished a book in which your favorite character dies. 
Which of these two characters is more likely to comfort you?

    

Hermione Granger (Harry Potter)

VS
Katniss Everdeen (The Hunger Games)

Katniss has a good heart but isn't exactly warm and fuzzy. Hermione would be a lot more likely to hold my hand and give me a hug.

Ugh, it's high school. 
Who would most likely be part of the popular clique?

    

Rhysnad (A Court of Mist and Fury)

VS
Juliette Ferrars (The Shatter Me Trilogy)

I think it goes without saying that Rhys would rule the school. LOL

The day has arrived - you're finally a year older. 
Who would have the nerve to forget your birthday?

    

Prince Maxon (The Selection Series)
VS

Cath (Fangirl)

Maxon is a total sweetheart and would probably plan some super elaborate surprise for my birthday.

Cath, on the other hand, would be in the midst of writing Simon Snow fanfic and completely forget I existed.

You've just found an up and coming YouTube star. 
Who is it more likely to be?

    

Kenji Kishimoto (The Shatter Me Trilogy)

VS

Feyre (A Court of Thorns and Roses)

Kenji! I could totally see Kenji becoming a YouTube sensation. He make a name for himself doing stand-up comedy or hosting some cheesy dating show. LOL Feyre? Not so much.

Sleepover time! Unfortunately you can invite only one person. 
Who will it be?

    

Simon Spier (Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda)

VS
America Singer (The Selection Trilogy)

America Singer is NOT invited to my sleepover. She would work my last nerve and I'd end up booting her out before midnight. But Simon... we could totally hang. We'd stay up all night talking about boys and eating Oreos.

Bam, you're pregnant. Who's the father/mother?

    

Molly Peskin (The Upside of Unrequited)

VS
Connor Cobalt (The Addicted Series)

Bam, I'm pregnant? Did I at least get dinner first? Geez.

Sorry Molly. I like you, I relate to you, but we're talking Connor Cobalt.

Narcissist. Genius. Smartass. And apparently the father of my non-existent child.

You've just sent a super important text. 
Who would see it and not reply?

    

Daemon Black (The Lux Series )
VS

Alexander Belov (The Bronze Horseman)

Oh, this is a good one. It could go either way. Daemon would totally blow off a text if he wasn't in the mood to deal with it. And if asked about it he'd even say, "Yeah, I saw it." Alexander would ignore the text because the technology would confound him, seeing as how he's in Russia in the 1940's. But I'm going with Daemon because it's likely he would not reply just to be a jerk. LOL

You've just woken up and it's time for breakfast. 
Your mom has been replaced by... ?

    

Peeta Mellark (The Hunger Games)
VS
Dimple Shah (When Dimple Met Rishi

Wow, my mom probably hasn't made me breakfast in 25 years but okay, that's cool. :)

Dimple may seem like the obvious choice, just based on gender, but I'm going with Peeta.

He's an absolute sweetheart and could bake me all sorts of yummy breakfast breads.

So there you have it. Did any answers surprise you? :)

I'm not going to tag anyone, but if you feel like playing along

then consider yourself tagged!

Top Ten Tuesday: Foodie Edition

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme 

created by The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's Top Ten Tuesday topic: 

Top Ten Yummy Foods Mentioned in Books

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe 

As a child, I read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and was utterly enchanted by this strange and exotic concoction Edmund requested called Turkish Delight. I imagined it to be some warm, savory dish and thought it sounded like the most fantastical thing ever. Years later, as an adult, I discovered that Turkish Delight is actually a sickly sweet confection with a jelly-like consistency. Even though I no longer have the desire to eat Turkish Delight, I still love the sound of the name.

“The Queen let another drop fall from her bottle on to the snow, and instantly there appeared a round box, tied with green silk ribbon, which, when opened, turned out to contain several pounds on the best Turkish Delight. And Edmund had never tasted anything more delicious.”

ACOMAF/ACOWAR 

When Feyre had her first meals in Velaris, she immediately noticed a difference between them and the overwrought dishes she was used to in the Spring Court. Simple fare but warm, rich and savory.

“The food appeared across the table in platters and spreads and bowls. Roast meats, various sauces and gravies, rice and bread, steamed vegetables from the surrounding farms… I nearly sighed at the smells curling around me.” – A Court of Wings and Ruin

Harry Potter series
I’ve wanted to down some butterbeer ever since its first appearance in the Harry Potter books. I’ve seen it compared to cream soda which I loved as a child so there’s also a nostalgic element there. There are recipes online to make your own, or I could hop down to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando, but really I’d rather go to Hogsmeade and have mine there.

“Why don’t we go and have a butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks, it’s a bit cold isn’t it?” – Hermione Granger, (Goblet of Fire)

Kissing Max Holden
Main character Jill is quite the baker. In fact, she has plans to attend a prestigious culinary school after graduation. And she spent a lot of time in the kitchen de-stressing by baking and cooking. The one that had me drooling? Pumpkin spice snickerdoodles.

“I’ve found my happy place. Flour, eggshells, and butter wrappers are strewn over every inch of counter space, and the smells of chocolate and almond and spice dance in the air.” - Jill

Outlander series
There were some dishes served up in the Outlander series that I could do without (who can forget the eels in Dragonfly in Amber *shudder*) but there were also plenty that sounded so tasty and had my mouth watering. Most sounded so simple and warm and filling. Bannocks and porridge and meat pies… I’d try ‘em!

“He could do with a cup of hot tea, he thought, preferably with a great deal of whisky in it. Hot tea, hot buttered toast, jam sandwiches, and cake… “ – An Echo in the Bone

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
Did anyone read Simon and not have an immediate craving for Oreos??

“Blue,
Okay, first of all, Oreos absolutely qualify as a food group. Second of all, They’re the ONLY food group that matters.” - Simon

The Hunger Games
There wasn’t much to drool over in District 12 (maybe some of Peeta’s bread?) but the Capital was a whole other story. Lavish meals and everything in excess. 

“The supper comes in courses. A thick carrot soup, green salad, lamb chops and mashed potatoes, cheese and fruit, a chocolate cake.” - Katniss

Divergent
Food didn’t play a huge part in the Divergent series (being Abnegation, it was probably considered rude and indulgent for Tris to discuss food) but there was one stand-out: the Dauntless cake. I’m not big on chocolate cake, but if my slice came with a side of Four… count me in.♥

“Have a piece of cake for me, all right? The chocolate. It’s delicious.” 

The Fault in Our Stars
Let’s ignore the heart wrenching sadness of the story and instead focus on the divine meal Hazel and Augustus shared while in Amsterdam. From the champagne (“We have bottled all the stars this evening, my young friend”) to the incredible dinner, that wasn’t just a meal but a dining experience.

“I want this dragon carrot risotto to become a person so I can take it to Las Vegas and marry it.” – Augustus Waters

Wait For You
It’s not enough that Cam Hamilton is possibly the book boyfriend to put all other book boyfriends to shame. Tall, dark and handsome, beautiful blue eyes, cocky without being obnoxious, sweet and thoughtful and romantic. Does it get any better? Yes, yes it does. Because Cam also bakes. Cookies, banana bread… all kinds of deliciousness. But it’s his cookies that are the star of this show.

“It’s the combination of walnut and chocolate. You mix that together and it’s like an explosion of sex in your mouth, but not as messy. The only thing better would be those teeny tiny Reese’s Cups. When the dough is warm, you plop those suckers in… anyway, you just need to try it.” - Cam

What book have you read that made you hungry?