2017 Reads

Hey guys! I thought I would make a complete list of the books I've read in 2017, with links to any reviews I've written. Just, you know, in case you were interested or whatever... You probably aren't, but let's be honest, this isn't about you. ;)

I believe I had originally set my Goodreads Reading Challenge goal this year to 30, because that's how many books I read last year. I quickly reached that goal, so I pushed it up to 52. I had reached that by the end of... October, I think? At that point I decided not to set a higher goal, but just see how many books I would end up reading by the end of the year. As things progressed I unofficially gave myself a goal of 75, and I have managed to achieve that!

Reading went really well for me this year! I didn't go through many reading slumps, and I consistently read a minimum of 4 novels per month, at my normal pace - no stressing or pushing to read faster. At the end, I'll admit I read a few shorter books in order to complete a couple challenges and reach my "unofficial goal," but they're still books, and I did read them! ;) There are probably a few areas of my life that I didn't pay as much attention to in order to read more (other hobbies, mostly), but aside from my penpals, I don't think my reading twice as much this year has had much affect on anybody else. I will admit that my penpals may have suffered a bit of neglect this year... :/

According to my Goodreads Year in Books, the most popular book I read was All the Light We Cannot See, and the longest book I read was Wildwood. As you can see from the list below, I was doing alright with reviewing for a while, but I quickly got sidetracked (by reading more books!). I think one of my goals for 2018 will be to set aside time every 3-4 weeks to review any books I've finished in that time period. Or to try to review as soon as I've finished (that would be ideal). Actually, ideally, I should take notes as I'm reading, but that would just require too much organization and commitment on my part! ;) 

1. Flawed by Cecelia Ahern (****) - review here
2. The Magician's Lie by Greer Macallister (***) - review here
3. Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake (****) - review here
4. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery (*****) - review here
5. Da Vinci's Tiger by L.M. Elliott (**) - review here
6. The Woman Next Door by Barbara Delinsky - audio (***)
7. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell (*****) - review here
8. Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth (****) - review here
9. The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George (**) - review here
10. This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab (*****) - review here
11. P. S. I Like You by Kasie West (***) - review here
12. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr - audio (***)
13. The Love That Split the World by Emily Henry (****) - review here
14. Ever the Hunted by Erin Summerill (*****) - review here
15. Caraval by Stephanie Garber (*****) - review here
16. Seven Deadlies: A Cautionary Tale by Gigi Levangie (***) - review here
17. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (audio / reread) (*****)
18. A Red Herring Without Mustard by Alan Bradley (*****)
19. Grounded by Kate Klise (****)
20. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver (****) - review here
21. The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater (*****) - review here
22. Servants' Hall: A Real Life Upstairs, Downstairs Romance by Margaret Powell (***)
23. Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon (*****) - review here
24. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer - audio (*****)
25. Wildwood by Colin Meloy (*****) - review here
26. Kindred Spirits by Rainbow Rowell (***)
27. Look Into My Eyes by Lauren Child (****)
28. The Girl With the Silver Eyes by Willo Davis Roberts (****)
29. Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch (*****) - review here
30. Sweet Misfortune by Kevin Alan Milne (****)
31. The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli (****) - review here
32. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (*****)
33. Lullabies for Little Criminals by Heather O'Neill (***)
34. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (*****) - review here
35. Wonder by R.J. Palacia (*****) - review here
36. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell (*****)
37. The Blackthorn Key by Kevin Sands (*****)
38. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo (****) - review here
39. A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab (*****) - review here
40. Future Perfect by Jen Larsen (****)
41. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli (****)
42. All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven (*****)
43. Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller (*****) - review here
44. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle (***)
45. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell (****)
46. All There Is: Love Stories from StoryCorps by Dave Isay (****)
47. New World: Rising by Jennifer Wilson (****)
48. Peter Pan by E.M. Barrie (****) - review here
49. Everland by Wendy Spinale (****)
50. Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman (*****)
51. What to Say Next by Julie Buxbaum (*****)
52. 13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl by Mona Awad (**)
53. The Thousandth Floor by Katharine McGee (*****)
54. The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling - audio (**)
55. The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater (*****)
56. Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst (***) - review here
57. One Dark Throne by Kendare Blake (*****)
58. Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater (*****)
59. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman (****) - review here
60. The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith - audio (*****)
61. A Good Day to Buy by Sherry Harris (****)
62. The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith - audio (*****)
63. The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater (****)
64. Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco (****)- review here
65. Warcross by Marie Lu (****)
66. Glass Houses by Louise Penny (*****) - review here
67. Miracle on 5th Avenue by Sarah Morgan (***)
68. Dear Santa: Children's Christmas Letters and Wish Lists, 1870-1920 (*****)
69. Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemore (***) - review here
70. Before She Ignites by Jodi Meadows (****)
71. A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro (*****)
72. The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate (****)
73. The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling (****)
74. Matchless by Gregory Maguire (***)
75. For One More Day by Mitch Albom (****)

And that's it for 2017! I think this is the most books I have ever read in a year, and I'm pretty stoked about that. If it isn't, it certainly has been years since I've been able to achieve that.

So, I've just set my Goodreads Reading Challenge goal for 2018 to 80. Five more than 2017, which I think should be achievable. Providing that the new year goes as smoothly as this past year, with no real obstacles... We'll see! I will definitely try to continue reviewing the books I've read this year (or at least the ones I really liked), and will try to be more on top of the blogging/reviewing situation in 2018.

Happy New Year everyone, and happy reading!

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Liked More/Less Than I Thought I Would

Hey! It's been a while since I did a Top Ten Tuesday post (hosted by The Broke and the Bookish), so I'm happy to be doing one again!

 

 

This week's prompt is "Books I Loved Less/More Than I Thought I Would" or, alternately,  "Books I Liked Less/More Than Everyone Else." I'm going with a combination of books I liked more/less than I thought I would. I have probably mentioned most of these books at one point or another on the blog, whether in a Top Ten Tuesday post, or a book tag, or a review.... Sadly, the number of books I've read that I actually remember enough about to say anything about them is pretty limited... So I apologize for any repetitiveness!

***

Books I Liked More Than I Thought I Would

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

I wasn't entirely sure what to expect of this book. My best friend's mom highly recommended it, but my best friend herself said while she liked it, it wasn't a favourite. I had absolutely no preconceived notions about it beforehand, aside from these recommendations and the many, many people online who recommended it. I wanted to read it, but kind of wasn't sure if I'd like it because high school romances aren't really my thing anymore... but it turns out that I loved it! Current favourite love story, actually!

Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth

This one's a bit of a cheat. When I first heard about this book, I thought it sounded awesome and I was super excited! Plus Divergent is one of fave series, so I had some pretty high expectations. The doubts started when all those crazy bad reviews went shooting around the internet and I got kind of scared, because I had preordered the book. I don't typically buy new releases, and rarely pay full price for a book, so I was worried that in pre-ordering I would be paying more than the book was worth. I didn't read any of those reviews, but I had heard the gist of the supposed offenses, and tons of people saying they couldn't get past the first few pages, or swearing they would never read it, on principle... But I got my preorder, devoured it pretty quickly, and really enjoyed it! I only wished that it wasn't the first in a series because now I have to wait a super long time to know what happens!

Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake

I received this book in my OwlCrate box a few months ago, and just read it last month. It sounded interesting, but I wasn't actually that compelled to read it. I had heard lots of good reviews, but for whatever reason I wasn't that intrigued. However, once I read it, I loved it, and I can't wait for the sequel! Here was my review post.

 

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Going way back... I had to read this book in school. Generally speaking, the books we're forced to read in school aren't all that interesting, or maybe it's just because we're forced to read them that makes them less interesting. Anyway, I actually really loved this book. I don't typically re-read books, so the fact that I have re-read this one means it's pretty special, and I really liked the movie that came out a few years ago as well.

Still Alice by Lisa Genova

This book... it was highly recommended to me by a family member, and while it did sound interesting, I wasn't expecting to be as impacted by it as I was. Not that I loved it, but it's one of those books that sticks with you, leaves an impression on you. And those books that leave an impression on us, make us feel something, are the ones we recommend the most to others, and recommend it I have done.

 

*BONUS*

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

This was another book I had to read in school, and much like Still Alice, it's not so much about a love of the story, as it is the impact it left on me that makes me say I liked it more than I thought I would. Part haunting, part intriguing, this was probably one of the best books I ever read, merely for the way it makes you think and the impression it leaves. I mean, what are the limits/capabilities of the human brain? What is the inner dialogue of a mentally disabled person actually like, vs what we think it must be like? I think I'm due to read it again, if I can get my hands on it... I have been hesitant to recommend it to others, but I do think it's a good book.

 

Books I Liked Less Than I Thought I Would

Worlds Of Ink and Shadow by Lena Coakley

I got this book in one of my first OwlCrate boxes, and I was actually really disappointed in it. I thought it sounded great and I was excited to read a historical fiction about the Bronte siblings, but it just fell a bit short for me. Maybe it was the fantasy bit, I'm not sure, but it was just wasn't as good as I had anticipated. I reviewed it here in this post, along with another book.

 

Da Vinci's Tiger by L.M. Elliott

I didn't like the looks of this book when it came in my OwlCrate, and I waited nearly a year to read it. I didn't even want to then, but I decided to give it the benefit of the doubt because OwlCrate generally makes good recommendations (with the exception of the one above...) But I really didn't enjoy it. It was kind of interesting, and I didn't hate it, but I was expecting to like it more simply because it was recommended by the OwlCrate crew. The theme here is historical fiction, maybe it's just not my genre... Here was my review post.

 

 

The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd

I'm pretty sure I read The Secret Life of Bees once upon a time, but I can't quite remember... In any case, I was expecting a really compelling story from this author, but it was not what I was hoping for, and I didn't enjoy it all that much. I wrote a review in this post, along with another book.

 

 

Paper Towns by John Green

I was expecting this story to be really interesting. And, to be honest, the adventure, the meat of the book was; it was the ending that fell short for me. It felt very anti-climatic. I was expecting/hoping for a much more interesting and exciting ending. So that kind of ruined the whole book for me, unfortunately. Here was my review post.

 

 

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

There was quite a bit of hype surrounding this book and lots of rave reviews, but it didn't have the same effect on me as it apparently had on others. It wasn't that impactful, I barely remember the story, and I only gave it a 2-star rating on Good Reads - and I'm a pretty easy grader, so I really wasn't that impressed by it.

Top Ten Tuesday: Things I Wouldn't Mind Santa Leaving Under My Tree

This week's Top Ten Tuesday (hosted by The Broke and the Bookish) is all about what we want to see under the tree this Christmas! The prompt was "Ten Books I Wouldn't Mind Santa Leaving Under My Tree (or non-book bookworm items)" and so I will be going halfsies and doing 5 of each.

5 Books I Wouldn't Mind Santa Leaving Under My Tree

1. The Thousandth Floor by Katharine McGee - Because I've heard good things about it.
2. Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst - Because the cover... and it sounds really awesome. :)
3. I am Half-sick of Shadows by Alan Bradley - I've read the first two books of the Flavia de Luce series, and own the third, so having the next one (or two) would be great!
4. Spare and Found Parts by Sarah Maria Griffin - Because it sounds so awesome! I've seen it floating around Facebook and Instagram and I'm just so intrigued.
5. Tales of the Peculiar by Ransom Riggs - I haven't read Miss Peregrine's yet, and I don't know if you would have to have read them first to read this one, but I just like the idea of the short stories.

5 Non-book Bookish Items

1. Library card socks from Out of Print - So fun! Available in grey, yellow, and blue.
2. Magnetic bookmarks from Happy Hello on Etsy - There are way too many cute designs to choose from! I love the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beast themed ones, and I think I saw an Anne of Green Gables one as well!
3. Jewelry from Authored Adornments on Etsy - Her necklace pendants are particularly gorgeous, and she has a Sherlock ring. *thumbs up* I like all the Alice in Wonderland goodies.
4. Harry Potter Monopoly! Because how fun would that be?? Unfortunately there is no official game, only fan recreated ones. I wish I had more local bookish friends to have game nights and Harry Potter parties with which would warrant me making my own...
5. Customized bookplates or stamps from Etsy - There are tons on Etsy and they are so fun! I love the idea, but don't actually like writing/sticking things in books, so I'm not sure I'd actually use them...

Book Haul: August & September

So, yes, I have said several times that this blog is just for me, just for my records, doesn't matter if I have followers or not, "I'll only publish one post a week so that I can keep up," blah blah blah... But has that stopped me from reading articles with titles such as "How to get more traffic to your blog" or "7 Habits of Successful Book Bloggers" and the like? No... it has not.

I have been inspired. Inspired to take up my keyboard and write several blog posts, many of which I have no idea when I will publish. The following are books I have bought, been gifted, collected, etc. in the last month or so. There are some not pictured, as well. So, starting from the bottom of the pile:

A Great Reckoning - Louise Penny
The newest crime fiction novel in Canadian author Louise Penny's Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series, just released the end of August. It has become a tradition for my sister & brother-in-law to gift me the newest Louise Penny novel for my birthday, so here it is! I am one chapter in and already feeling at home with my old friends in Three Pines.

The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper - Phaedra Patrick
Books with long, intriguing titles such as this always get me. This one jumped right into my Chapters online shopping cart all on its own! It is a fiction about an elderly widower who goes on an adventure to discover who his wife was before she met him. It appears to be similar to The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry - another of my absolute favourites!

Grounded - Kate Klise
I found this book in the discount section at Chapters while vacationing in Moncton, New Brunswick earlier this month. The cover art grabbed my attention, but it really just sounds like it could be an interesting little gem. I have never heard of the author before, am not familiar with her works, but it would appear that she writes a lot of murder mysteries, so if this book is any good, I may try to find some of her other books.

The Vanishing Season - Jodi Lynn Anderson
Not your typical ghost story...Another book from Chapters' discount section, the cover art once again grabbed me with this one. I've already read it, so I won't say too much more here.

Three Cups of Tea - Greg Mortenson
I do not typically read non-fiction, but I had heard of this book before, so when I came across it at a yard sale last weekend, for only $1, I decided to grab it. It is an autobiographical account of the authors travels through Pakistan, building schools for girls, and the adventures (and mishaps) he encounters along the way.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - J. K. Rowling
I have started collecting and reading the Harry Potter series for the first time this year! It is a wonderful adventure, and I am falling completely in love with the wizarding world and the beautiful characters in it. My best friend actually sent me both The Goblet of Fire (not pictured) and The Order of the Phoenix for my birthday.

The Little Paris Bookshop - Nina George
I absolutely love the idea of this book - a bookshop owner who "prescribes" his clients just the right book to mend their broken hearts, but has yet to heal his own. My friend's book club read it in August, so I'm anxious to get into it soon so that we can share some thoughts on it.

Lullabies for Little Criminals - Heather O'Neill
Another $1 yard sale find. This coming-of-age fiction captured my attention mostly because of its Canadian author. I'm not sure if I'll actually read this one or not.

The Bone Clock - David Mitchell
While second-hand book shopping with my friend in Moncton, New Brunswick, I happened upon The Bone Clock. Recognizing it as having the same author as Cloud Atlas I was hard-pressed to leave it behind. I have no idea if it is the same genre as Cloud Atlas, but I can't wait to find out!

The Fabulous Girl's Guide to Decorum - Kim Izzo & Ceri Marsh
I love a good etiquette book, and when it comes in the form of self-help, I'm a goner. I actually don't remember where or when I picked this book up, so when I was collecting the other books for the haul photo, I decided to throw it in.

Also not pictured is The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz by Mordecai Richler because, if you haven't noticed, I'm a bit of a sucker for Canadian authors.

What books have you hauled recently? Are any of these on your TBR list, or have you read any of them? Share your thoughts!