Hi all! As this is the last day of 2017, here is a highlight of my favorite reads this year.
My reading goal on Goodreads for 2017 was 80 books, and I managed to read 91. Of those 91 books, all but two were in my five favorite genres: fantasy (42%), historical fiction (16%), classic literature (16%), contemporary fiction (13%), and non-fiction (8%). A little heavy on the fantasy, but those are my I’m-home-from-work-and-I’m-tired books, so that’s why they account for such a large percentage.
However, when I narrowed it down to my top 10 favorites, there’s a pretty even mix of those genres. Hopefully this list will inspire your own reading goals next year.
P.S. All photos are taken by me. If you want more frequent book recommendations and reading inspiration, you can follow my Instagram account here.
#10 The Catcher in the Rye
By J.D. Salinger, published 1951
Genre: Classic Literature
I never had to read this book in school, and it took me a surprisingly long time to find it on audiobook. But when I did, it was definitely worth the trouble!
This book has so much wonderful teenage angst. I often find teenage angst frustrating and annoying in books, but Salinger does it so well. The narration is raw and unguarded, and Holden is very relatable as a main character because most of us have been in his shoes—unsure of what we’re doing but trying to look like we know where we’re headed in life. When it was published in the ’50s, it was controversial and was banned from many schools because of its foul language and adult themes (among other things). But I don’t fault the book for these. After all, teenage boys often think about sex, and many have dirty mouths. The close, intimate narration that makes the book such a masterpiece wouldn’t be possible if Salinger had left out these two elements. I’m glad he didn’t—this is really one for the ages.
#9 American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History
By Chris Kyle, published 2012
Genre: Autobiography
I don’t often read autobiographies, and I don’t know much about the daily life of our active military, so this book was eye-opening for me. I loved the personal narration—Chris Kyle calls it like he sees it, and he doesn’t try to be politically correct (or even political at all) which I liked a lot.
Above all, I really appreciated Chris Kyle’s patriotism. There’s a distinct lack of patriotism in America these days, and it’s so refreshing to hear from a man who dedicated his life to protecting our country because he loved it. I certainly hope his patriotism is infectious and that more people read about the bravery and sacrifice of men and women like him, who are putting their lives on the line to protect ours.
After all, you don’t have to support the current political leaders to love your country.
#8: The Graveyard Book
By Neil Gaiman, published 2008
Genre: Children’s Fantasy
It wasn’t until I found this in the children’s section of the library that I realized this was a children’s book. Neil Gaiman is one of my favorite authors, so I picked it up because it was October and this seemed an appropriate read for the time of year. And then I couldn’t put it down. The Graveyard Book follows the story of a boy named Nobody, who is raised by ghosts in a small-town graveyard in the UK. It’s clever, humorous, and has wonderful world-building and character development. Like another one of my favorite Gaiman books, The Ocean at the End of the Lane, some of the fantasy elements are subtle and so well-integrated that you could almost miss some of them if you weren’t paying attention. It also reads like an adult book rather than a children’s book, as the very best children’s books do.
#7: Letters to the Lost
By Brigid Kemmerer, published 2017
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
I read this one based on a recommendation from one of my Instagram friends, and it was amazing. I’m pretty picky when it comes to contemporary fiction, especially Young Adult, because the main characters can be whiny and immature (like teenagers are), which makes the book annoying. But this one didn’t have those problems.
Letters to the Lost follows the story of a girl who writes letters to her deceased mother and leaves them on her gravestone. But then someone finds one of her letters, and starts to write back. It’s a coming of age story full of growth and loss, and a little bit of romance. Just the right combination.
#6: Dracula
By Bram Stoker, published 1897
Genre: Classic Literature
This is another one I never read in school (I read a lot of great books for classes, but I missed some of the “typical” high school reads like this one). It was totally worth the wait though—I’m not sure I would have fully appreciated it when I was in high school.
The original Dracula is nothing like the pop culture stereotype (the same can be said of Frankenstein). What I really loved about the story was Dr. Van Helsing, the hero who defeats the vampire demon. Van Helsing is a medical doctor, but his mind is open to spiritual possibilities, unlike so much of our scientific world today. He’s the one who proposes that Dracula is a vampire demon, and comes up with the plan to stop him. He’s also a steadfast Christian, and it’s his walk with God that allows him to stay holy and defeat the evil Count Dracula. I liked that a lot.
# 5: I Dared to Call Him Father
By Bilquis Sheikh, published 1978
Genre: Autobiography
Bilquis Sheikh (pronounced Bill-queez Shake) was a Pakistani Muslim who had a dream that led her to Jesus Christ. Her story feels like it should be in the Bible—dreams from God, small miracles, events that shouldn’t have happened unless a larger hand was orchestrating them.
This book was inspirational (and convicting) to me because Bilquis’ faith was rock solid, and she dedicated her life to following Jesus, no matter what he asked of her. She ended up being driven out of her native town and country and living the United States as a missionary to other Muslims. This book was such a good reminder to seek God in everything, not just when I’m uncertain about the direction of my life.
#4: Never Let Me Go
By Kazuo Ishiguro, published 2005
Genre: Contemporary
Last year, I read another one of Kazuo Ishiguro’s books called The Remains of the Day and really enjoyed it, and a friend recommended this one to me. I think of it as contemporary fiction, but technically it’s science fiction. It reads like contemporary fiction though—no UFOs, no inter-galactic wars, just an alternative reality in which…well, I don’t want to give it away. If you haven’t read it already, you should.
The reason I liked this book so much was its thoughtfulness. It’s a slow-and-steady book, not fast-paced or filled with lots of action. But it asks the question of what it means to be human, and what it means to have a soul. I like those kinds of questions, especially explored through a story.
#3: A Court of Mist and Fury
By Sarah J. Mass, published 2016
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
I have a caveat for these top three: It was REALLY hard to pick this order. Of these three, this was the only one I reread this year, so in that regard it would probably be #1, but in terms of impact and longevity, it’s #3. So that’s where I’ll keep it.
A Court of Mist and Fury (or ACOMAF, as my Instagram friends refer to it), is the second in a trilogy that starts with A Court of Thorns and Roses. It has all the good ingredients of an engaging YA fantasy: world-building, powerful magic users, a bad-ass female lead, a tall/dark/handsome male lead, and a bit of romance. There’s nothing too serious about this one, but I devoured all 600+ pages in about three days, so yes, it was engaging.
#2: Burial Rites
By Hannah Kent, published 2013
Genre: Historical Fiction
This was another Instagram recommendation. I asked several of my Australian book friends for Australian literature recommendations, and apparently there isn’t much older Aussie lit, but I received several contemporary recommendations. So naturally, I expected this to be about Australia, not Iceland.
This is the story of the last person to receive the death penalty in Iceland, in 1829. But Hannah Kent takes the bare facts of this true story and expands it, transforming it into a masterpiece that explores human interactions, perceptions, and friendships. It had me in tears at certain points, and thinking about the book even when I wasn’t reading it.
I read this one via audiobook, which was a great decision. The reader pronounced the Icelandic words correctly, as I wouldn’t have in my head if I were reading it, which made the experience even richer.
#1: Nevernight
By Jay Kristoff, published 2016
Genre: Adult Fantasy
This book totally blew me away. It’s the story of a female assassin learning her craft, and was fast-paced, with great action sequences, and excellent world building. It also had good characters, great character interactions, and an appropriate cliff-hanger ending (next book in the series is Godsgrave).
This is not a young adult novel, though. It had plenty of blood, guts, and sex, which I often try to avoid, but this one was so worth it. Not only is the story good, but the narration is excellent, and the narrator breaks the fourth wall throughout by adding comments and footnotes for the reader. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
So there you have it! Enjoy reading in 2018, and keep a lookout for more bookish posts from me. I’m currently editing my novel, so posts here will be minimal, but I’ll keep you updated on that front.
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Victoria Van Vlear 
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