The Best Books I've Read in 2017 (So Far)
As some of you gathered from my last blog post, 2017 has been a very busy year. However, one of my goals for this year was to read 50 books, and have (at least) 30 of those be books I'm reading for the first time! Here are the best 5 books I've read this year (so far).
1. Everything, Everything- Nicola Yoon
Suffering from a rare illness, Maddy is allergic to everything. Literally. She lives in a completely allergen free home, and is never allowed outside. And most days, she's okay with her life, until she meets her next-door neighbor, Olly. Suddenly, Maddy realizes that the life she has been living isn't the life she wants to live. And she's ready to risk life and limb to be with Olly.
This book was predictable, but fun. And the climax of the book was definitely not predictable. I haven't seen the movie based off of this book, but if it's even half as good as the book, it'll be worthwhile.
2. Red Queen- Victoria Aveyard
Mare Barrow is a Red, a peasant in a land ruled by Silvers. Her brothers have been shipped off to war, and Mare is set to be next to fight, leaving her younger sister as the only source of income for her family. Mare devises a plan to steal from a Silver, but her sister is caught and punished, leaving her family with little hope of survival. When Mare meets Cal, she tells him of her troubles, never expecting to see him again, until the King's men come to her house to offer her a job, and she discovers Cal is the crown prince. It isn't until Mare discovers her powers, powers that only Silvers have, that the royal family discovers how much of a threat she is. So they turn Mare into a princess, reminding her that she is to obey them, or her family will suffer the consequences.
This book was very Hunger Games-y. But different. And the female protagonist wasn't quite as irritating. If you enjoy dystopian fiction, especially where the female heroine can hold her own, definitely read this book.
3. The Unexpected Everything- Morgan Matson
Andie had a whole plan for her summer: hang out with friends, break up with her boyfriend, and head off to a pre-med internship. Of course, plans changed as soon as her congressman father got caught up in a political scandal, and had to take a sabbatical while he was being investigated. Unfortunately, that also meant that Andie was dropped from her internship, forcing her to actually live in the same house as her dad (for the first time since her mother had died). Suddenly, Andie's life is turned upside down when she gets a job as a dog-walker (with no experience with dogs), going on dates with a cute boy and actually letting him in, and even letting her relationship with her dad improve. The sudden changes throw Andie onto a crazy roller coaster, but she loves the ride!
I absolutely LOVED this book. Its pretty rare that I like YA Fiction that's so... normal, but I really enjoyed this book. It was just very REAL, and this is coming from someone who does not have a congressman father or a huge group of friends. Please, read this. Read this because its genuinely entertaining and overall very feel-good.
4. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck- Mark Manson
Let me be clear, I have never been one for self-help books. I barely even like non-fiction books. However, this book was phenomenal. Mark Manson emphasizes that life sucks, and the Facebook quotes about positivity aren't going to help you. Instead, Manson suggests that you absolutely SHOULD care, but you need to choose what to care about. Life isn't always fun, and it certainly isn't always easy, but you can get through it by, frankly, not giving a fuck about stupid shit.
5. Flame in the Mist- Renee Ahdieh
Mariko knows that as a woman, she was born to marry well, have children, and serve her husband. Not caring that they have a clever, capable daughter, her parents arrange a marriage to the younger prince, securing their place in high society. But when Mariko's carriage is attacked by the Black Clan, a group of rebels, Mariko is faced with a choice: wait to be rescued, and sold back into the life that she loathes, or find the rebel that wanted her dead, and kill him first.
Renee Ahdieh also wrote one of my favorites, The Wrath and the Dawn, which you should seriously read, if you haven't. This book is a retelling of Mulan, and is fantastic. There's always something awesome about smart, badass women who can take care of themselves, and Mariko is one of those women.
If you have any book recommendations, leave them in the comments, or let me know on Facebook! Happy reading!
1. Everything, Everything- Nicola Yoon
Suffering from a rare illness, Maddy is allergic to everything. Literally. She lives in a completely allergen free home, and is never allowed outside. And most days, she's okay with her life, until she meets her next-door neighbor, Olly. Suddenly, Maddy realizes that the life she has been living isn't the life she wants to live. And she's ready to risk life and limb to be with Olly.
This book was predictable, but fun. And the climax of the book was definitely not predictable. I haven't seen the movie based off of this book, but if it's even half as good as the book, it'll be worthwhile.
2. Red Queen- Victoria Aveyard
Mare Barrow is a Red, a peasant in a land ruled by Silvers. Her brothers have been shipped off to war, and Mare is set to be next to fight, leaving her younger sister as the only source of income for her family. Mare devises a plan to steal from a Silver, but her sister is caught and punished, leaving her family with little hope of survival. When Mare meets Cal, she tells him of her troubles, never expecting to see him again, until the King's men come to her house to offer her a job, and she discovers Cal is the crown prince. It isn't until Mare discovers her powers, powers that only Silvers have, that the royal family discovers how much of a threat she is. So they turn Mare into a princess, reminding her that she is to obey them, or her family will suffer the consequences.
This book was very Hunger Games-y. But different. And the female protagonist wasn't quite as irritating. If you enjoy dystopian fiction, especially where the female heroine can hold her own, definitely read this book.
3. The Unexpected Everything- Morgan Matson
Andie had a whole plan for her summer: hang out with friends, break up with her boyfriend, and head off to a pre-med internship. Of course, plans changed as soon as her congressman father got caught up in a political scandal, and had to take a sabbatical while he was being investigated. Unfortunately, that also meant that Andie was dropped from her internship, forcing her to actually live in the same house as her dad (for the first time since her mother had died). Suddenly, Andie's life is turned upside down when she gets a job as a dog-walker (with no experience with dogs), going on dates with a cute boy and actually letting him in, and even letting her relationship with her dad improve. The sudden changes throw Andie onto a crazy roller coaster, but she loves the ride!
I absolutely LOVED this book. Its pretty rare that I like YA Fiction that's so... normal, but I really enjoyed this book. It was just very REAL, and this is coming from someone who does not have a congressman father or a huge group of friends. Please, read this. Read this because its genuinely entertaining and overall very feel-good.
4. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck- Mark Manson
Let me be clear, I have never been one for self-help books. I barely even like non-fiction books. However, this book was phenomenal. Mark Manson emphasizes that life sucks, and the Facebook quotes about positivity aren't going to help you. Instead, Manson suggests that you absolutely SHOULD care, but you need to choose what to care about. Life isn't always fun, and it certainly isn't always easy, but you can get through it by, frankly, not giving a fuck about stupid shit.
5. Flame in the Mist- Renee Ahdieh
Mariko knows that as a woman, she was born to marry well, have children, and serve her husband. Not caring that they have a clever, capable daughter, her parents arrange a marriage to the younger prince, securing their place in high society. But when Mariko's carriage is attacked by the Black Clan, a group of rebels, Mariko is faced with a choice: wait to be rescued, and sold back into the life that she loathes, or find the rebel that wanted her dead, and kill him first.
Renee Ahdieh also wrote one of my favorites, The Wrath and the Dawn, which you should seriously read, if you haven't. This book is a retelling of Mulan, and is fantastic. There's always something awesome about smart, badass women who can take care of themselves, and Mariko is one of those women.
If you have any book recommendations, leave them in the comments, or let me know on Facebook! Happy reading!
There are so many different kinds of cheese!
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