Tuesday, December 12, 2017

My Favorite Books of 2017: 53 Books You Must Read Now

This has to be the post I love writing each year more than any other...and it is probably the most difficult post to write...My Favorite Books of 2017. I've read 261 books, according to Goodreads, but that doesn't include my 357 Cybils Fiction Picture Books and Board Books, of course.

As you might imagine, I have to break down my favorite reads of the year into categories. Here, then,  are my favorites of 2017:


HAPPINESS BOOKS
The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World
The Tiny Book of Tiny Pleasures
Blue Zones of Happiness: Lessons from the World's Happiest People
Happiness is an Inside Job: Practicing for a Joyful Life by Sylvia Boorstein


CHILDREN’S BOOKS (Non-Cybils Only...Apologies...)
Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo (audio)
One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia (audio)
Worzel Gummidge
Stand Up and Sing: Pete Seeger, Folk Music, and the Path to Justice
D’Aulaire’s Book of Greek Myths
Schomburg: The Man Who Built a Library
Tuck Everlasting (audio)
Just So Stories (audio)
Karma Khullar’s Mustache by Kristi Wientge
The Glasstown Game by Catherynne M. Valente


BOOKS-ABOUT-BOOKS
My Life with Bob: Flawed Heroine Keeps Book of Books, Plot Ensues
Wild Things: The Joy of Reading Children’s Literature as an Adult
Reading with Patrick: A Teacher, a Student, and a Life-Changing Friendship


FOODIE
The Art of the Pie: A Practical Guide to Homemade Crusts, Fillings, and Life
Finding Yourself in the Kitchen: Kitchen Meditations and Inspired Recipes from a Mindful Cook
The Comfort Food Diaries: My Quest for the Perfect Dish to Mend a Broken Heart


ARMCHAIR TRAVEL
Walking to Listen: 4,000 Miles Across America, One Story at a Time
Utopia Drive: A Road Trip Through America's Most Radical Idea
La Bella Figura: A Field Guide to the Italian Mind
At Home in the World: Reflections on Belonging While Wandering the Globe 


YA
The Hate U Give
Everything I Never Told You
March Books 1, 2, and 3
Ghost by Jason Reynolds
Amulet of Samarkand (audio)
Warcross by Marie Lu


LITERARY FICTION
Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog) (audio)
Chemistry: A Novel by Weike Wang
Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney
News of the World: A Novel by Paulette Jiles
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward
Remembering Laughter by Wallace Stegner
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine
The House in Paris by Elizabeth Bowen


NONFICTION
Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption
The Moth Presents: All These Wonders
Hallelujah Anyway: Rediscovering Mercy by Anne Lamott
50 True Stories: The Moth
The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women
At the Existential Cafe: Freedom, Being and Apricot Cocktails
Imagine Wanting Only This by Kristen Radtke
The Places that Scare You: A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Times
It’s All Relative: Adventures Up and Down the World's Family Tree
Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century
Autumn by Karl Ove Knausgard 
Wisdom of Sundays: Life-Changing Insights from Super Soul Conversations (audio)


And, finally, my Top Ten Favorite Books of 2017, the books I loved at a gut-level, books I recommend widely, and remember fondly:


MY TOP TEN FAVORITE BOOKS OF 2017
3 Men in a Boat
News of the World
Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk
Walking to Listen: 4,000 Miles Across America, One Story at a Time
The Hate U Give
Ghost by Jason Reynolds
Lincoln in the Bardo
Stand Up and Sing: Pete Seeger, Folk Music, and the Path to Justice
The Art of the Pie: A Practical Guide to Homemade Crusts, Fillings, and Life
It's All Relative: Adventures Up and Down the World's Family Tree



Have you read any of these?
What did you think? Agree? Disagree?
What are your favorite reads of 2017?
Please share a link to your list so I can see what you enjoyed,
or tell me about your favorites in the comments.



Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists

36 comments:

  1. you have the time to read that much? You are amazing :)
    When I read I mostly read about science.

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    1. I decided to stop watching random tv in 2003. That frees up a lot of time.

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  2. Whoa! That's a lotta books!! Lol!

    Here's my Tuesday Post

    Have a GREAT day!

    Old Follower :)

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  3. Your Literary Fiction books sound FANTASTIC. I'm so glad you read and LOVED so many books. This type of post at the end of every year is one the most fun ones to read <3

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  4. Walking to Listen sounds super interesting! I'm into running, well I used to, my plan is to start running again in January. Truly miss it. So this sounds quite interesting. Maybe in audiobook?

    I love happiness books!

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  5. The Hate U Give is fantastic, and I'm also excited to read Warcross because I've heard fantastic things!

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  6. Wow! That is quite an extensive list! I've only read a few that made your top ten (News of the World made my list last year), but definitely need to check out a few more.

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  7. What a great list! D'Aulaire's Book of Greek Myths was one of my favorites growing up. The Hate U Give is on my list this year as well. I recommend checking out Dear Martin, if you haven't already!
    Here's my list of 2017 favorites: http://buecher-monster.de/2017/12/12/top-10-tuesday-top-ten-favorite-books-of-2017/ ��

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  8. Of your top 10, I also enjoyed Lillian Boxfish and The Hate U Give. We have quite a few overlaps in nonfiction, too. I'm always amazed by the number of books you read!

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  9. Wow! You had a very busy reading year.

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  10. Hi Deb! Loooooong time.... So sorry about the absence once again, it's been a tough year. But it can only get better! AND I will be visiting you ever so often to get some tips and advice from you! I have started a library at a primary school in a small town in South Africa and can do with all your expertise.

    But let's talk books! Wow!! You've read a lot... I didn't read that much this year. The Book of Joy is on my TBR list as I am a big fan of Desmond Tutu. Home-brew you know. I've also listened to the audio recording of Three men in a boat and it was excellent yes!

    Here's my TTT: http://marelithalkink.blogspot.co.za/2017/12/top-ten-favorite-books-for-2017.html

    Will talk again soon!

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  11. Walking to Listen reminds me of a book I adored as a kid, A Walk Across America. I was fascinated. Given that the author of Walking to Listen went to my college, I now feel like I should read it.

    I loved the Bartimaeus trilogy and Ghost. I re-read Three Men in a Boat last year because I remembered thinking it was hilarious, but didn't feel it stood the test of time that well. I'm really looking forward to It's All Relative and to Warcross. Great list, as usual!

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  12. I absolutely loved reading your list! :-) So many books that look fabulous.

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  13. Three Men in a Boat was fun! I do my favorites in January, as I should be able to finish about 5 more books before the end of the year, and you never know!

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  14. Great list, I love how you did the categories! Warcross and The Hate U Give are both on my TBR so hope to get to them soon.

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  15. Wow, impressive list you have!! I'm going to have to explore them in more detail!

    Here's a link to my TTT post for this week:
    https://captivatedreader.blogspot.com/2017/12/top-ten-tuesday-top-ten-favorite-books.html

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  16. I've put off Warcross, but seeing it on so many lists this week makes me want to check it out real soon. Great list!

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  17. So many of these are on my TBR list. I’m glad you liked Lincoln in the Bardo. I want to read it, but I’ve heard it’s weird.

    Aj @ Read All The Things!

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  18. WOW! I thought I read a lot!

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  19. This is almost overwhelming with all the book greatness here! The only one I've read is The Comfort Food Diaries which I loved but I really want to read My Life with Bob and Lillian Boxfish. Actually I pretty much just want your whole list!

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  20. This is quite the inclusive list. It's very impressive! I have not read any of these but they sound interesting. I think my favorite 2017 book is either A Court of Wings and Ruin or Tower of Dawn both by Sarah J Maas.

    Thank you for your visit to our blog,
    Elena @ The Novelistics

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  21. Lincoln in the Bardo is now on my TBR. I see you have News of the World and Homegoing on your lists, too. What a year of reading!

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  22. I think The Hate U Give is going to appear on a bunch of lists! I just finished Ghost, which I really liked as well.

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  23. So happy to see The Amulet of Samarkand on your list for ya. I love Jonathan Stroud and that series.

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  24. I am so impressed! I can't sit still enough to read many literary novels like Lincoln in the Bardo. I gravitate to excitement and action in action novels and thrillers! So I put other books on the back burner. Sigh!

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  25. I loved Lillian Boxfish...and definitely must read The Hate U Give. Enjoy the New Year in reading and life moments.

    Here are MY WEEKLY UPDATES

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  26. I shouldn't have looked... I shouldn't have looked! :-).... I have added books to my TBR LIST, but after donating books and getting ready for "the move", I promised I wouldn't actually buy any more... of course I already broke that promise, but it's the thought that counts right?! Thanks for sharing all these wonderful books! I look forward to reading some of them NEXT year... after "the move"!

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  27. I haven't made a top-ten list this year. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. :)

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  28. Great list. I haven't assembled my favorites yet but we do have some books in common for sure.

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  29. I read about the same number of books as you (minus the Cybils) and wouldn't know where to begin to pick my favorites. Many were forgotten the moment the review was written and just a few linger on in my memory and will be on my reread pile. Come see my week here. Happy reading!

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  30. Wow, so impressed you've already done your 2017 sum-up! I'm still working on reviews so I can post my November summary!

    What a bunch of amazing books you read this year! So many that are either on my TBR list or sitting on my shelf waiting. I LOVED The Hate U Give - that will definitely be on my Best of 2017 list, too.

    Lilian Boxfish was also wonderful, and I got to meet the author in May. The Underground Railroad was a Christmas gift LAST year, so I really need to get to it soon. And I think I have Raymie Nightingale on my audio backlog, so must move that one up the list, too!

    Great list - thanks for sharing it.

    Sue

    Book By Book

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  31. I completely missed the Glass Town Game. I'll have to read it next year. Come see what I'm reading

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  32. Why the focus on happiness? Just curious.

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    1. I can't really explain why. I just know I'm fascinated with happiness.

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  33. I second these:

    News of the World
    Elinor Oliphant is Completely Fine

    My favorite would have to be A Gentleman in Moscow.

    Now to go add all of your favorites to my TBR list on Goodreads. I may need to give up on sleep in order to read as many books as you do in a year!

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  34. I like how you broke yours into categories!

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