I have had the privilege of reading a a great number of books this year so narrowing it down to only ten favorites was incredibly difficult. But at last here we are. The year 2017 has come to a close and to reflect briefly on those months that have passed I’ve come up with a list of the top ten books I read in the year of 2017 along with some honorable mentions (because it really was too difficult to choose only ten!) all listed in alphabetical order. I say books I read as opposed to books released in 2017 because honestly then creating these yearly lists wouldn’t be as fun or hard. Let me know if you enjoyed any of these as well! What are some of your top books you read this year? 

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Top Ten of 2017

THE 5TH WAVE
Rick Yancey
YA Science Fiction: aliens
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My Review | Goodreads
“Gritty, emotional, and filled with sarcastic wit, The 5^th Wave brings the eyes to the ground as aliens saunter onto Earth and use every human weakness against those still residing there.”
–Pooled Ink

BLOOD ROSE REBELLION
Rosalyn Eves
YA Fantasy; Historical Fiction
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My Review | Goodreads
“Thrilling, poised, and enchanting, Blood Rose Rebellion spins a tale of magic and revolution that mixes Hungarian folklore with fact and fantasy.”
–Pooled Ink

CHILDREN OF DAEDALA
Caighlan Smith
YA Fantasy Horror
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My Review | Goodreads
“Lord of the Flies meets a hellhole of monsters and myth in this gripping continuation of a girl’s journey from shadow to blade. Dark, thrilling, and injected with stakes that will cause your heart to pound both in fear and delight, Children of Daedala is a mind-whipping sequel to an epic series.”
–Pooled Ink

THE CIRCLE
Dave Eggers
Science Fiction
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My Review | Goodreads
“Chilling, repulsive, heart-pounding, and within the realm of reality, The Circle presents an inevitable future where humans dance in digital chains, clamoring for their masters to bind their limbs tighter, and all for the illusion of an impossible dream.”
–Pooled Ink

THE DISAPPEARANCES
Emily Bain Murphy
YA Magical Realsim; Historical Fiction
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My Review | Goodreads
“Flowing prose, intriguing characters, and a mystery where life’s simple blessings disappear one by one, The Disappearances is a dark and sinister mystery set in the 1940s filled with clever riddles, mysterious Shakespeare, and a sweet thread of romance.”
–Pooled Ink

THE LANGUAGE OF THORNS: midnight tales and dangerous magic
Leigh Bardugo
YA Fantasy; Short Stories
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My Review | Goodreads
“Bardugo takes inspiration from the world she’s crafted in her books and inspiration from fairytales handed down in our own world and merges the two, instilling vaguely familiar tales with a much fuller story and deeper message in a beautiful soft prose.”
–Pooled Ink

RADIANCE
Grace Draven
Fantasy Romance
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My Review | Goodreads
“Slow-burning, surprisingly lovely, and simply radiant, Radiance is an underdog that holds its own in a world saturated by the quick and demanding.”
–Pooled Ink

RED RISING
Pierce Brown
Science-Fiction
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My Review | Goodreads
“Red Rising is a book of war games – cold logic, clever schemes, and unrelenting brutality in the name of power and passed down beliefs – from start to finish, running with a tide of red that fills its harshness with love, freedom, and a dream worth everything.”
–Pooled Ink

SCYTHE
Neal Shusterman
YA Dystopian Fiction
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My Review | Goodreads
“Filled with gut-sinking twists, controversial ideologies that’ll give a philosopher mental whiplash, and a heart-stopping conclusion, Scythe presents a future both within grasp and past the cliff of impossibility.”
–Pooled Ink

Shimmer and Burn
Mary Taranta
YA Fantasy
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My Review | Goodreads
“Absolutely captivating, thrilling, hellish, and delightful, Shimmer and Burn is a fantasy fresh with creativity and magic just waiting to be read.” 
–Pooled Ink

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Honorable Mention

THE BEAUTIFUL ONES
Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Historical Fiction; Paranormal Romance
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My Review | Goodreads
“The Beautiful Ones is a tale of innocence and selfishness and the haphazard navigations of true love. Love can strengthen, love can blind, and love can destroy.”
–Pooled Ink

BLOOD RED ROAD
Moira Young
YA Post-Apocalyptic Fiction
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My Review | Goodreads
“Blood Red Road takes you on a wild ride filled with bloody fights, burning cities, and a twin who never rests, not until her brother is found. Unusual, grim, entertaining, and unyielding, this book will take you by surprise in the best of ways.”
–Pooled Ink

THE EDGE OF EVERYTHING
Jeff Giles
YA Paranormal Romance
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My Review | Goodreads
“Full of grief and love, of sin and mercy, The Edge of Everything tears apart the wall between worlds and unfurls a most remarkable love story.”
–Pooled Ink

SEEKING MANSFIELD
Kate Watson
YA Contemporary Fiction
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My Review | Goodreads
“Seeking Mansfield is an expertly crafted work full of romance, family, and life’s tough throws. From complex characters to twisting plot lines, this story is one that will captivate you with both its enchanting reaches and its gritty roots.”
–Pooled Ink

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