Celebrating My Best Reads of 2017

Best Debut Novel Read

was  The Thing With Feathers by McCall Hoyle.

As soon as I started reading The Thing With Feathers by McCall Hoyle I was captivated and it held me all the way through.  It's a YA book and Emily the heroine struggles with epilepsy.

Delightful Book from a  Favourite Author

On Second Thought by Kristan Higgins was a read that I couldn't put down. I came back to it any time I had, other things I thoroughly enjoy were put aside. I was totally hooked into this book, I laughed and at times a few tears slipped down from the sheer perfection of some of the relationships and how they worked out.

One That Surprised Me

There were a few that surprised me. like In a Dark Dark Wood by Ruth Ware because I didn't expect to like it... but I did. However the one that surprised me the most was The Stars Are Fire by Anita Shreve. I regard her books more as literary fiction and not always a page turner but this book had me totally listening on.

Best Audiobook

I had some great listens this year, I think perhaps by a tad The Chilbury Ladies Choir  I'll remember as a stand out listen. There were about four others that also received 5 stars in all aspects as well. This is the story of a small village at the start of WW11 and some very interesting goings on. Great narrators.

Best Book by a New to Me Author 

was The One in a Million Boy by Monica Wood. I just have to explore her writing in another of her books.  This is about a 104 woman and a boy obsessed with records. It was both sad and uplifting. A top read of 2017.

Best of the Series Books

I love series books if the series is good!  I had lots of great new book in the series reads this year. However my favourite book goes to a favourite series.  Yes to Silver Silence by Nalini Singh. Its a paranormal with changelings  - changelings that I totally love reading and this book moved to a new location - Moscow and a new clan - bears. 

Coverlicious

What a beautiful cover. Usually my taste runs to purples and autumn hues but this delicate one is my choice for my reads in 2017.

Most Addictive Read

There is one series I must buy and read as soon as it publishes and that is Marie Force's Fatal series and this year was no different.  Romantic suspense. Hero the VPOTUS and heroine a very active police woman and now second lady of the US.  Fun!

Most Thought Provoking

This was such an excellent read - exploring racism, justice, compassion, change. 

Best Book Buy of 2017

Well to be honest a number of books could be taking a bow here, like One in a Million Boy and Silver Silence or Map of the Heart by Susan Wiggs, however The Devil's Cut was a very much anticipated auto - buy for me in 2017 and as far as I am concerned it delivered. I love J. R. Ward's contempories, wish she'd write more of them.

Best Book Read from my Groaning TBR Pile

Delightful and for sure on my keeper shelf.

Character that Stole My Heart and so Memorable

I loved so many characters however one that just stands out is Eleanor form Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. Possibly the fact it was an audiobook version I listened to, because the narrator did such a great job of being Eleanor.  I loved Eleanor's growth as the story unfolded.

Not For Me

I had a couple of disappointing reads in 2017. To be expected I guess! What a gorgeous cover, but the story or characters just did not gel for me.

My first and last reads of 2017

I began with Kristina McMorris'  book and it was such a good read

And my final book - a cozy book, a genre I don't often read but .... good to go out on.

Top Read

Many of the above mentioned books could qualify as my top read but as I looked through my Goodreads books that I have read over the year this one stood out to me because of the way it surprised and delighted me and just downright appealed to me. It may not be every reader's book but it was mine and one I'll want to reread in the future.  How did I pick it, it was because my heart lifted when I came to it as I cast my eye over the covers of my books on Goodreads.  Dragonslayer  was a Kindle reissue in 2017 and was first published in 1993. It won the RWA award for Best Long Contemporary in 1994 so I am not alone!