Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s topic:
Top Ten Books I’ve Read So Far in 2017
I was surprised, upon completing this list, to find that I have given exactly 10 books high ratings of 4.5 or 5 stars so far this year. The books are listed below, followed by two comic books that also received high ratings. Rereads were not included.
Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed
★★★★★
Summary: A book of advice columns that Cheryl Strayed wrote as Dear Sugar for the online literary magazine The Rumpus.
Why I enjoyed it: Because some of the advice she gave were ones I needed. Because Dear Sugar is relatable and felt like a real person. Because the letters resonated with me and although I haven’t experienced the same things, I empathized with the writers and appreciated that Dear Sugar helped them to realize what they knew all along or acknowledge what they refused to admit.
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
★★★★★
Summary: A thriller novel about a man whose wife disappears on their anniversary.
Why I enjoyed it: It’s entertaining and gripping and kept me on edge. I liked Amy’s voice and that the characters are unreliable, which kept me guessing and laughing at myself for believing them.
The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold
★★★★★
Summary: A high-fantasy novel about a former soldier who returns home mentally and physically scarred and wanting only a safe place to live but becomes adviser to the princess of Chalion and uses death magic, which no one believes works, to protect her.
Why I enjoyed it: It’s engrossing and well written and refreshing in comparison to fantasy novels I usually read because the protagonist is older, in his 30s, I believe. But most of all, I LOVE how religion and gods function in the story.
Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
★★★★☆ 1/2
Summary: This is the comedian’s autobiography about growing up in South Africa during apartheid.
Why I enjoyed it: Because the book is both insightful and entertaining. It exposes the injustices of apartheid and the inanity of discrimination, but also tells us of the crazy shenanigans Noah got up to as a kid and the love and support of his mother, who undermined the opposition set against her to carve out a better life for herself and her kids.
Letters to a Young Writer by Colum McCann
★★★★★
Summary: A book of writing advice.
Why I enjoyed it: I just appreciate how McCann wrote it and how honest he is.
The Strain by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan
★★★★★
Summary: A horror novel about a vampire-zombie apocalypse that starts in New York City.
Why I enjoyed it: Because I freaking LOVE the TV show and am glad that it’s similar to the book though there are some changes. I like how the vampire myth is mixed in with scientific explanations to make the story plausible.
Mad Ship by Robin Hobb
★★★★★
Summary: The second novel in the Liveship Traders series about a family of traders, a pirate, and ships that can talk.
Why I enjoyed it: Because of the character developments and MAJOR revelations and expansion of the world.
Things We Lost in the Fire by Mariana Enriquez
★★★★★
Summary: A book of short stories all set in Argentina.
Why I enjoyed it: Because the stories are dark and unsettling yet provide some commentary on society.
Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan
★★★★★
Summary: Cahalan’s memoir about a month she spent mentally disabled.
Why I enjoyed it: It was an intriguing read because Cahalan’s condition was hard to diagnose. I got hooked on the story because of the writing and my curiosity kept me reading.
Madness: A Bipolar Life by Marya Hornbacher
★★★★★
Summary: Hornbacher’s autobiography about her struggle with bipolar disorder.
Why I enjoyed it: Well, “enjoyed” isn’t the best word. It’s a great read because the structure of the book and the way Hornbacher wrote it created a visceral reading experience that often made me feel uncomfortable and had to take breaks from the book. It is a good read that shows what living with bipolar is like and why it’s important to educate ourselves and others about mental illness.
Honorable Mentions: Comics
Identity Crisis by Brad Meltzer, illus. by Rags Morales
★★★★☆ 1/2
Summary: A murder mystery set in the DC Universe concerning the spouses of the Justice League of America members.
Why I enjoyed it: Because the plot kept me guessing and the illustrations are great. The illustrations here are some of the best I’ve seen in comics so far because it does a great job of conveying characters’ emotions.
The Wicked + The Divine, Vol. 2: Fandemonium by Kieron Gillen, illus. by Jamie McKelvie
★★★★★
Summary: The second volume of The Wicked + The Divine comic book series about gods who are incarnated as humans every 90 years but live for only 2 years. We get some backstory in this volume.
Why I enjoyed it: I forgot why because I read volumes 1-4 back to back and now they are all jumbled in my head. I believe I enjoyed this one more because of how the plot progresses here and because we get some backstory. It’s with this volume that I began to like the series.
Zezee with Books 
I read Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness this year too and really enjoyed it! It felt more like a medical thriller than a nonfiction book! Definitely one of my favorite nonfiction reads ever.
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Yes! It did. That quality is what I liked most about it. I forgot that I was reading nonfiction.
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ooh cool post- I’m especially interested in Tiny Beautiful Things and Things We Lost in the Fire (apart from the ones I’ve already read/need to read cos of your recommendation 😉 )
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Lol!! Well, I hope you’ll like them too. 🙂
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Great list! I really want to check out Born a Crime.
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It’s great so I hope you do when you get a chance. 🙂
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I don’t know most of the books here , but Gone Girl is one of my all time favorites
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Well, based on your blog’s name, I def recommend you try the 2 comics, if you like reading comics.
And yea, Gone Girl was good, which was a surprise for me. I didn’t expect to like it.
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Thank you! Definitely will do
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I’m curious about Trevor Noah’s book, even though I’m not big into memoirs.
eli @ the (book) supplier
My TTT
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I’d recommend you try the first couple pages and if the writing and voice doesn’t work you, then put it down. It’s really good though.
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Thanks for the tip.
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I like the variety of genres represented on your list. Fantasy, thrillers, nonfiction / autobiography / memoir… I haven’t read any of the same books myself, though I grinned when I saw the Robin Hobb one. 🙂
Only two?? That’s cruel, Zezee. *lol* Well, my mind keeps going back to The Bear & The Nightingale by Katharine Arden. That was such a beautiful story. And I loved both of the Neil Gaiman books I read this year (Norse Mythology and American Gods). Those are the first three I think of when I look back on the books I’ve read so far this year.
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Lol! I didn’t realize that the list was diverse, genre-wise. Thanks for pointing that out.
Hahaa! I’m a meanie.
Cool! I’ll take that to mean I better read Arden’s book before the end of the year and finally try a Gaiman novel. 🙂
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Yes, you should. On both counts. 😉
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I want to read The Wicked + The Devine and Born a Crime!
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Yes! Try it! I think you’ll like it. If the first volume is like “meh” for you, try the second still because the story gets pumping there.
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Thanks for the advice-it’s officially moving to my TBR list!
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I really should get tiny beautiful things. It sounds like something I will need!
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Yes! Get and read. I think you’ll like it.
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I want to read Wicked & Divine… but it’s on my list of “don’t read these until you make progress on all the series you started” books. Someday! My TTT
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Lol! I totally understand that. The books are quick reads though (*just saying to tempt you to try them, lol*).
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Nooo… 😛
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Lol!
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I am currently reading Robin Hobb’s The Farseer Trilogy. She is amazing. I am glad you loved the ‘Tiny Beautiful Things’. I tell my friends that I would like to be buried with that book. Love that THAT much. 😊
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You are?! Awesome!
Yea, yo! She’s pretty great and if you like the Farseer books, I think you’ll like the Liveship Traders ones even more. Her story telling skills really take off there.
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I loved Tiny Beautiful Things and Born a Crime! I haven’t read most of these others. I’d like to read more Robin Hobb though.
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Yea, Robin Hobb is really good. The characters and the world have me hooked. I’m so curious about them all. Lois McMaster Bujold is good too, if you need high-fantasy recs..
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