So I clearly missed the boat slightly on yesterday’s #TopTenTuesday topic but I still wanted to put up this post… I decided to include the Top Ten Tuesday hashtag anyways to make sure that I’m giving credit where credit is due 🙂
It was pretty hard to go through all my five stars reviews for the year and pick the 10 books that were the best – like picking favorite children. I tried to put the titles I ended up going with in approximate order of how much I loved them – most to least. And YES Eleanor Oliphant is at the top of the list, so for everyone who didn’t like it, you can just deal with it 😉 It’s my #1 for the year.
These are not all titles released in 2017, but rather just ones I read throughout the year. I hope you find some good options for your TBR, and if you want to know more about any of them, make sure to check out the full reviews I’ve linked to.
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine
Contemporary Fiction – Read in August 2017 – Full Review Here
Kindle Goodreads Hardcover Paperback
Disturbing at times, and at others funny and heart-warming, this debut novel is a deft balance of gritty and light like its compelling central heroine Eleanor. It will make you think hard about friendship, society and about your connections to others in the world.
Dark Matter
Sci-Fi Thriller – Read in September 2017 – Full Review Here
Kindle Goodreads Hardcover Paperback
A crazy ride through different realities amidst futuristic science and mind-bending action, that still connects the reader to the existential questions that are at the basis of human experience. Unmissable.
Cannibalism: A Perfectly Natural History
Scientific Nonfiction – Read in February 2017 – Full Review Here
Kindle Goodreads Hardcover Paperback
If you like books that expertly break down complex scientific topics into understandable histories and if you think you won’t be too grossed out learning about biologically driven (as opposed to murder-maniac) cannibalism, this one’s for you.
American War
Dystopian Fiction – Read in June 2017 – Full Review Here
Kindle Goodreads Hardcover Paperback
American War immerses the reader in a compelling and frightening dystopian future, in which a new civil conflict threatens to lead everyone in its path into destruction, including our daring heroine Sarat.
What Happened
Political Memoir – Read in September 2017 – Full Review Here
A first-person, personal and surprisingly relatable account of the 2016 Election that will make you feel closer to Clinton, and help you understand her if you’ve struggled to in the past. I think it’s a worthwhile read for supporters and critics alike.
Hum If You Don’t Know The Words
Historical Fiction – Read in October 2017 – Full Review Here
Kindle Goodreads Hardcover Paperback
With tons of action compared to the average literary fiction novel, Hum If You Don’t Know The Words will lure you in with thrilling scenes, and then make you think and feel through their emotional fallout.
Wolf Hall
Historical Fiction – Read in August 2017 – Full Review Here
Kindle Goodreads Hardcover Paperback
My favorite audiobook narration of all time, to date, which truly does justice to a sweeping, riveting, compelling tour de force of a novel portraying a well-known and well-loved chapter of British history in a new and unexpected way.
The Hiding Place
World War II Memoir – Read in March 2017 – Full Review Here
This is one of those stories of self-sacrifice and altruism that may move you to tears but also restore hope in your heart about the nature of the human spirit. I listened to this one in audiobook as well (excellent narration) and it definitely left an impression.
This Is How It Always Is
Contemporary Fiction – Read in February 2017 – Full Review Here
Kindle Goodreads Hardcover Paperback
This novel will break your heart only to put it back together again the right way around. It will inform you through the eyes of an imaginary transgender 3 year-old who you will want to protect as if she were your own. It will make you epically sad and then make you want to go out and be exactly who you’ve always felt you are, whatever that means.
Pachinko
Historical Fiction – Read in April 2017 – Full Review Here
Kindle Goodreads Hardcover Paperback
This family saga will teach you so much about the relationship between Japan and Korea in the early 20th century while moving you and inspiring you through the struggles and resilience of the strong female lead character.
Have you read any of these titles and did any of them make your Top Ten list in 2017? If not what were some titles that did? Let me know in the comments!
For more recent posts on Novels And Nonfiction check out my 33 Original Bookish Gifts For The Reader In Your Life, my Author Spotlight of Andy Weir and the 10 December 2017/January 2018 Book Releases I’m Excited About.
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Oooh, what a great list and I LOVE your snarky comment about Eleanor Oliphant – hahaha! I did really enjoy that one, but it won’t make my best reads list this year. I’ve heard so many great things about Dark Matter; I may need to make some time for that one! I loved What Happened (listened to the audio, which she reads, and it was fantastic) and This Is How It Always Is.
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Glad we agree on so many of these! Dark Matter really gripped me from the beginning and didn’t let go till the end. I hope you love it!
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I haven’t read any of these yet, but almost all of them are on my list. Just the description of This Is How it Always Is makes me want to go and read it right now, and your review cemented it.
Great list!
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I keep recommending it to my book club and hopefully we’ll actually pick it up soon! Sometimes I try to get them to read books I’ve already read to save myself time 😉 lol
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I also enjoyed Eleanor, though she didn’t make my top reads list. In fact there were many books i liked a lot that I had to exclude because there were just too many. A good problem to have!
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Yes, that’s a great problem to have! I also struggled with some books that I left out despite giving them 5 stars this year like Killers Of The Flower Moon.
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Oh my goodness, I haven’t read any of your favorite books so I am obviously missing out. However, Eleanor Oliphant is near the top of my TBR pile
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It has had some polarizing views though I think the majority has loved it. I hope you do too!
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Great list! I also have This is How it Always Is on my Top Ten! I loved it!!
I have Dark Matter and Pachinko on my TBR list. Hopefully I will get them read next year 😊
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Between the two I would definitely say Dark Matter is a must read, while Pachinko might be more hit or miss (though I clearly loved it!)
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I have Dark Matter on my 2018 TBR Pile Challenge, really looking forward to it!
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I think you’ll love it Tina – it’s just so captivating!
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HUm if you don’t know the words is also on my list ❤
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Great minds Annie 😉
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I haven’t made my best-of-the-year list yet but Eleanor Oliphant and This Is How It Always Is will definitely be on it! I loved Dark Matter too — it was one of my favorites last year.
I’m glad to see you liked the Cannibalism book! I asked my boss at the library to order it when it was released but then I never had a chance to read it. I’m hoping to get to it soon. I love NF books that make science relatable and easy to understand!
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Cannibalism was just such a revelation! Mostly focused on animals rather than humans. I found the parts about spiders and sharks particularly interesting.
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Haha – I think that Eleanor Oliphant comment was for me?! It’s OK..I know I’m in the minority. The title of my review was “Am I the Only One Who Didn’t Love This Book?”
With you on This is How It Always Is and I liked Dark Matter too, though it didn’t make my best of the year list (I don’t include backlist books).
I DNF’d Wolf Hall years ago…was just too dense and too many people with the same name to keep track of.
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LOL Sarah yes it was for you but I know there are others out there who also feel like you do 🙂 I saw your Best Of 2017 post up but I’m behind on truly blog hopping this week. Hope to get caught up today !
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I’m with you on Eleanor! I loved her and that book was an easy choice for my Best Books list. This Is How It Always Is almost made my list…if I’d only had one more spot! Happy to see American War on your list. Such a creative story. Hum didn’t work as well for me, but isn’t it nice that we all have different takes on books? Nice year!
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Glad you loved Eleanor! I’ll have to check out your list asap to see what books you picked that I didn’t 🙂
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So many of these are on my reading list for next year! Especially Pachinko and Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine – they look fantastic! I think I have the Bianca Marais on my reading list, too. Good picks!
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Thanks Kristilyn! I hope you enjoy Eleanor Oliphant especially. It’s very dear to my heart 🙂
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