FOUND FIVE | My 5 Favorite Books of 2017

It’s almost 2018!! That is so crazy to me! Not because this year seemed short, but because the number 2018 just seems too big, if that makes sense. Anyway, as 2017 comes to a close, I thought it would be interesting to go through my year in books and pick five that jump out at me as I look through them. So these are my five favorite reads of 2017—sort of. Some of these I went back and forth on, because there were other books I felt could have been on this list too. But, in the effort to choose just five I think I’ve done quite well! Each of these has really stuck with me, and I definitely feel they will all remain long-term favorites.

As difficult as this is for any avid reader, I’ve also managed to choose a single, overall favorite: Uprooted by Naomi Novik.

 

 

1. Archangel by Sharon Shinn

My Aunt Diane gave me this for my birthday last year, and I’m so grateful to her for that! A romance, high fantasy, and science fiction rolled into one, Archangel is a fantastic read from all angles. Shinn has a writing style that is quite unique to me, which is always something I enjoy. I find she’s particularly good at building genuine drama. It doesn’t feel ridiculous or overdone, even when it involves the romance part of the story. And the series this is a part of, Samaria, has the COOLEST overarching plot. I’ve only read one other book in the series so far, but the larger plot starts to become clear, and since my aunt and now my dad read them too, I’ve heard hints! 😉 Archangel in particular was so fun for me.

 

2. Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future by Ashlee Vance

I know this one might seem a bit random thrown in here, but I’ll tell you something you may not know about me: I’m obsessed with Elon Musk. He’s going to change life as we know it, and this book, a biography written by journalist Ashlee Vance, sheds light on the extent of his inner genius, vision, and passion. If you’re interested in the work he does, and/or in Musk himself, this book is endlessly fascinating. I like to keep up with news of his advancements, mostly in regard to his plans to colonize Mars, but also Tesla, and because of this his work is often on my mind. It should come as less of a surprise, then, to hear that I’ve been consumed by thoughts of this book since I read it in May. Fascinating, through and through.

 

3. The Purple Swamp Hen and Other Stories by Penelope Lively

I discovered this short story collection when my local librarians (bless those beautiful people) placed it facing out on their “New to Us” shelf. I will fully admit I was drawn in by the cover, but each story in this collection was masterful. Lively is fantastic, and I can’t wait to read more by her! This book also made me realize that I need to visit the library more often, because they really do have ways of recommending things I never see anywhere else, and that I should pick up more short story collections. I love this format, apparently!

 

4. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

This was my introduction to Neil Gaiman, and OH MY. My discovery of Gaiman’s mastery is probably one of the best reading-related things that happened to me this year. I have since read several things by him and plan, of course, to continue. This book in particular had so many things I loved. It reminded me a bit of At the Back of the North Wind by George MacDonald, which has long been a favorite book of mine. It also had this incredible charming setting in an English countryside, and the young narrator struck this idyllic balance between blunt practicality and magic.

 

5. Uprooted by Naomi Novik

Where do I even start with this?! Another recommendation from my Aunt Diane (clearly a theme emerges), this is my number-one favorite read of 2017. I know that’s a bold statement, and it was really difficult to choose, but every time I scrolled through my list I came back to this one. It influenced, entertained, surprised, and endeared me. It stuck with me. I think my level of love for this stems not only from the fact that it’s a fantastic book, but from how perfect for my reading tastes it is. I wrote a full review on this, if you’d like to hear more raving!

 

 

Well, that’s that I suppose! Goodbye 2017, and thank you for all the great reads!