The title is pretty self explanatory, no? Here is a list of the ten best books I read last year and also a little info about my reading year in general.
Read: 64
DNF: 7? I think (I really should keep better track of which books I’ve DNF’d but I don’t count then in my reading count)
About a third of the books I’ve read this year have been eARCs from netgalley (ARC = Advanced Reader Copy) and I’m so happy because books are so expensive! I’ve written reviews for every book I’ve read this year and regardless of whether I got them as arcs or not all my opinions are honest and my own. Quite a few gave made it onto my top ten but then I’ve just been really lucky to read some amazing ones this year.
So in no particular order, here are my top ten with really rubbish attempts at one line explanations.
Top Ten:
Tarnished City (Dark Gifts #2) by Vic James
Genre: Fantasy, Description: Magic and the ruling class set in a wonderful middle ground between modern and Victorian England. Second in the series, eARC from netgalley,
The Scandal (Beartown) by Fredrik Backman
Genre: Contemporary, Description: The after math of a rape in a small hockey town. Standalone, eARC from netgalley
Artemis by Andy Weir
Genre: Sci fi, Description: Heist set on the moon, Standalone, eARC from netgalley
The Foxhole Court/ The Raven King/ The Kings Men (All For The Game) by Nora Sakavik
Genre: contemporary sports. Description: A runway hiding from a past of organised crime joining a college team where everyone is messed up too. Trilogy.
Starship’s Mage by Glynn Stewart
Genre: Sci fi & fantasy. Description: Magic on spaceships with a tag tag crew and space pirates. First in a series.
We Were Liars by E Lockhart
Genre: Contemporary, Description: rich kids spend their summers on a private island before everything goes wrong and they have to deal with it. Standalone
Inherit the Flame (The Scorched Continent #3) by Megan O’Keefe
Genre: Fantasy. Description: Flying airships, con’s, tricks and magic with a ragtag crew facing really bad odds. Last in a trilogy, eARC from netgalley
The Collapsing Empire by John Scalzi
Genre: Sci fi, Description: space opera with a great sense of humour and mix of characters, first in a series. eARC from netgalley
The Dream Thieves (The Raven Cycle #2) by Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Fantasy, Description: ley lines, psychics, posh kids, magical forests and ancient dead kings. Second in the series.
Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows #2) by Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Fantasy, Description: Gang of kids who go on heists and be badass set in a fantasy version of Amsterdam with magic. Last in a duology
**** Okay so this was suppose to be a top ten but I finished reading The Cruel Prince by Holly Black right at the end of the year and I have to say, five stars and it’s going on the end of this list even if it makes 11 instead.
Special Mentions:
The Huntress (Sea #1) by Sarah Driver, Lord of Shadows (The Dark Artifices #2) by Cassandra Clare, I am not a serial killer by Dan Wells, The 57 lives of Alex Wayfare by MG Buehrlen, Invictus by Ryan Graudin, Carry the Ocean by Heidi Cullinan, The Queens Poisoner (Kingfountain #1) by Jeff Wheeler.
Looking through I’ve had a lot more of a diverse year just according to the genres I’ve read. I don’t think I read any Sci fi last year which I knew I wanted to rectify because I do love a good Sci fi book and I only read a handful of contemporary. Everything else was fantasy but this year here are my counts for those two genres.
SCI FI: 11
CONTEMPORARY: 14
I’m still reading mostly fantasy but I’ve done much better at reading other genres too. And I think it’s actually really helped whenever I’ve gone into a reading slump as I’ve been able to pick up a book of a different genre to try to help me out of it. And, as you can see from my top ten, quite a few of these other books have elbowed their way to be some of the best books I’ve read this year.
As for my ratings, normally I’m really stingy when it comes to giving out five stars. I save them for a book that, in my eyes is perfect, and is one of my favourite books ever. Now there have been quite a few of those but I think I’m being a little less mean about it too. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still really strict with my five stars but just, less strict than I used to be. In 2016 I gave 5 five star ratings out of 46 books, whereas in 2017 I gave 15 5 star ratings on 64 books, I read more and I think I read a lot more great books too but I still think I’m being a little less stingy!
Have you read any of these books? Let me know what you thought or if you are planning to. And are you strict with your five stars or do you hand them out much easier? I’m really happy with the Sci fi and contemporary books I read last year and am hoping I can keep that count up this year.
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Ever The Crafter 
Really interesting to read you get books to read before publication. I guess there are hits and misses along the way. Bit of a challenge to summarise some too, but well done you. May you enjoy more over the next few months.
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Getting books early is like Christmas haha. Really helps motivate me to actually get my reviews written lol.
Thanks 🙂
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It must be wonderful – though I guess occasionally they might not be your type of book to read! Keep on turning those pages.
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Always great to read your reviews Jess 😄 I think I’m pretty lenient with my five stars, probably because I only read books I know I’ll like 😁 I have to find the time to read more this year 😊
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