Favorite Books of 2017

When I look back on my year of reading, I'm reminded of many gems, each shouting for my attention as top book of the year. I read quite an array of genres, from non-fiction to classic literature to your good ol' contemporary young adult, so it's a given that not everything I read is a hot-off-the-download new release. While I find merit in books from a broad range of release dates, there is much to be said about the emotions evoked by a brand new story--the freshness of their concepts, the boldness of their storytelling, and, at times, the excitement of reading a debut author that you crave from the first sentence.

The choices were many, and the stakes were full of rough, competitive terrain. But in the end, five books ascended to the top of my list, glowing for all they're worth--followed by honorable mentions. I don't have the heart to rank any book on this list (and if I tried, I'm sure the results would change often). My favorite books published in 2017 are:




The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

This book had my attention at chapter one, and held on to it for the next 500 pages of gooey deliciousness. When a bisexual lord in 18th-century Europe goes on a tour of Europe with his best friend and headstrong sister, chaos ensues to the tenth degree. Beautifully written and adoringly constructed, this young adult historical fiction will pull at your heartstrings, tickle your funny bone, and make you root for characters (pirates, snobbish lords, and the like) that you'd hate if written by anyone other than Mackenzi Lee. The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue is a glorious blend of adventure, romance, and historical fiction that any avid reader of young adult fiction should dive into immediately.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Words can't accurately describe this young adult contemporary about a teen witness to a police shooting and the resulting events. Angie Thomas's debut is a masterpiece, one for which I'm unable to come up with criticism. The Hate U Give is timely and relevant, a must-read for YA readers as well as anyone interested in contemporary social issues. Angie Thomas is now on my hot list of authors to watch. Bonus points: The Hate U Give is going to be a movie slated for a 2018 release!










Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries by Kory Stamper

If you enjoy learning about how words work, then Kory Stamper's book about lexicography (the practice of compiling dictionaries) is definitely for you. The author sends her readers through the cubicles of Merriam-Webster's, where she discloses how words make it into the dictionary, how definitions change, and how on earth the staff determines pronunciation. She flips a traditional understanding of grammar on its head, reminding readers often that languages are fluid and that the need for updating dictionaries is a never-ending (and daunting) process. I loved every chapter of Word by Word for both the information contained within and the hilariously dry humor of the author.

When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

I wanted to read When Dimple Met Rishi from the moment I read the blurb, and Sandhya Menon did not disappoint. This is the story of two betrothed teenagers at a summer program for aspiring web developers--except Rishi is ecstatic for the arrangement, while Dimple has no idea her parents have already arranged her marriage to someone she will soon meet and despise. This book is a refreshingly bold clash of cultures and personalities, and a beautiful reminder of how love works in mysterious ways. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys young adult romances.

Friend (With Benefits) Zone by Laura Brown

If you read one 2017 romance novel, it should be Laura Brown's Friend (With Benefits) Zone, a friends-to-lovers story featuring two Deaf main characters. Jas is an absolute mess in the best kind of way--infuriatingly stubborn but self-aware and strong as she overcomes the difficult obstacles life has thrown at her. Dev, meanwhile, has problems of his own as he tries to find the life that suits him best. Their problems complement each other as Jas and Devon work together to find solutions. I love the build-up between Jas and Devon as they explore their feelings for each other and navigate their career paths. I recommend this book to anyone interested in contemporary romances with dark, realistic storylines. And if you're looking for a bonus book by the same author, check out Laura Brown's 2016 debut, Signs of Attraction.

Honorable Mentions

My year of reading wouldn't be complete without some awesome Honorable Mentions--stories that were so close to making my list that it hurt to not mention them at all.

• Feral Youth by Shaun David Hutchinson, Brandy Colbert, Suzanne Young, Tim Floreen, Justina Ireland, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Stephanie Kuehn, E.C. Myers, Marieke Nijkamp, and Robin Talley: Ten teens left in the woods at a camp for troubled youth; ten different points of view; ten clever stories that leave the reader desperately searching for the truth and the lies.
• Invictus by Ryan Graudin: A young adult story that mixes science fiction and historical fiction, with a wild ride on a time machine that zips us from the Titanic to the future to ancient Rome and back again. A true joy.
• Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng: A delightful weaving of multiple points of view involving two families in Shaker Heights, Ohio. Celeste Ng is a master of explaining the minute details that you never knew you'd relate to until you read her words.
• Honestly Ben by Bill Konigsberg: After falling in love with Openly Straight in 2013, this sequel was high on my to-read list. Its exploration of love and sexuality--and all the grey areas surrounding them--is unmatched by any other.
• Sweet Reality by Laura Heffernan: Reality stars on a cruise ship, with unexpected twists that add a delicious dark element to this romance book.
• The Scattered and the Dead (Book 2.5) by Tim McBain and L.T. Vargus: End of the world, zombies, military camp for survivors, character backstory that will leave you with body-spanning tingles. Enough said.

Review: MORE HAPPY THAN NOT, by Adam Silvera

More Happy Than Not is the story of a teenage boy in the Bronx who considers undergoing a memory-wiping procedure to escape his sexuality and the harm it's brought to him.

My mind changed several times while reading Adam Silvera's More Happy Than Not; I considered giving up on it more than once. For a while I thought the story was wildly predictable and familiar, and at times the writing was less than wonderful.

I'm glad I stuck it out.

After about the 1/3 mark, the story started getting better and better, and it continued to surprise me. Unlike what I initially feared, this is not your run-of-the-mill YA. Adam Silvera takes big risks in his writing and plot, so much so that by the end of the book I was wholeheartedly cheering him on as a writer.

If you're looking for a boy-meets-boy YA that will make you swoon, this is not the book for you. But if you want to read a brutally honest story that will make you uncomfortable just as often as it makes you smile, you should dive right in. Bonus points if you're into very mild sci-fi.

I give More Happy Than Not 4 stars, because that seems like an appropriate average for my roller coaster of feelings about it. I look forward to reading more of Silvera's books; to be honest, though, I don't think my heart could handle two of them in a row.

Stars: 4/4
Recommended for: Anyone who enjoys dark YA that takes risks and doesn't necessarily follow expected tropes. A love for science fiction is optional.

Review: BECAUSE YOU'LL NEVER MEET ME, by Leah Thomas

BECAUSE YOU'LL NEVER MEET ME has an adorable premise--two boys who become close pen pals, but can never meet because, effectively, one is allergic to the other. I initially picked up this book because the story idea intrigued me, and the author, Leah Thomas, held up to my expectations. The two boys in the story, Ollie and Moritz, are distinguishable and well-developed, each with their own fascinating backgrounds and interests. The development of their relationship was realistic and touching, enough to make me root for them as both friends and potential boyfriends. 

The major drawback for me was the moments where I had trouble connecting with the sci-fi elements. I had difficulty wrapping my mind around the possibilities of some of it, such as the lab experiments and the boys' respective disabilities. However, this shortcoming might be on my part, and Leah Thomas's superb writing more than makes up for it.

Regardless, I look forward to reading the next book in the series, NOWHERE NEAR YOU.

Stars: 4/5
Recommended for: Anyone interested in contemporary young adult stories, especially anyone who enjoys very light speculative fiction and queer characters.