My Top YA of 2017
So, for the past couple years on this blog, I've recapped my top ten YA books that I've read for the year. Looking back at my 2017, I realized that I haven't read that much YA this year that came out this year. I've read and reread a lot of older books, and I've read a lot of non-YA (like, mainly romance). So I don't really have much of a list for you this year, but it's a list, nonetheless :/
Here are my top FIVE YA books from this year, in no particular order (I read more than five, but definitely didn't love them as much as these):
Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
The much anticipated follow-up to TFIOS, TATWD manages to be awesome all on its own in very different ways. Yes, it's a mystery story, and yes, there are plucky, intelligent teenagers, but TATWD takes a very close, personal look at Green's own experiences with OCD and thought spirals through protagonist Aza Holmes.
Read my review here.
When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon
A totally cute and engrossing love story. Ambitious, intelligent Dimple Shah wants no part of this arranged marriage her parents have set up for her with this Rishi Patel guy she knows nothing about, and she is not afraid to tell him so. But as she gets to know him better...
Read my review here.
Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas
I'm beginning to think that the only way SJM will NOT be on this list is if she doesn't release a book one year (like how the third Illuminae book isn't coming out until 2018), but at the rate she writes, she will probably always be on my list :) TOD is the story of what happened when Chaol and Nesryn traveled to the South Continent while Aelin & Co. were having their Empire of Storms adventures. This book ended up being SO MUCH MORE than what I thought it would be, and I looooooved it.
Read my review here.
A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas
The final installment of the main storyline with Feyre and Rhys and everyone in Prythian dealing with the King of Hybern, this book was eppppppic. I still loved ACOMAF the most out of the three books, but man, I'd be lying if I said that I didn't love this one too. There was a bunch of Feyre badassery, a few twists and turns, and enough open-endedness to make me super excited for the spinoff novellas that are coming out for this series (starting this May!)
Read my review here.
Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones
A gorgeous, sensual reimagining of the Labyrinth story, wherein the innocent girl stays and agrees to be the Goblin King's bride. I wrote at the end of my review that I felt rather bereft when I was done reading it, and I'm so glad that there will be a sequel coming out in February. I definitely need more of this world!
Read my review here.
Special mention: The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Why is this book a special mention rather than being on my actual list? Because I'm still only halfway through it as we speak. But I couldn't let this year or this list end without mentioning this book because IT IS SO IMPORTANT and moreover, IT IS SO GOOD.
THUG is about Starr, a girl who witnesses her friend being gunned down by police, and the aftermath of all of that, and I will have a full review once I'm done, but my comments so far are that this is such a hard read for me, because it's a tough subject, emotionally. It's a tough subject, but it's an important subject, and again, I could not let this year go without reading it, and I don't think you should either.
*edited to add* I've finished it, and you can read my review here. And yes, absolutely, THUG is at the top of my Top Books list.
Here are my top FIVE YA books from this year, in no particular order (I read more than five, but definitely didn't love them as much as these):
The much anticipated follow-up to TFIOS, TATWD manages to be awesome all on its own in very different ways. Yes, it's a mystery story, and yes, there are plucky, intelligent teenagers, but TATWD takes a very close, personal look at Green's own experiences with OCD and thought spirals through protagonist Aza Holmes.
Read my review here.
A totally cute and engrossing love story. Ambitious, intelligent Dimple Shah wants no part of this arranged marriage her parents have set up for her with this Rishi Patel guy she knows nothing about, and she is not afraid to tell him so. But as she gets to know him better...
Read my review here.
I'm beginning to think that the only way SJM will NOT be on this list is if she doesn't release a book one year (like how the third Illuminae book isn't coming out until 2018), but at the rate she writes, she will probably always be on my list :) TOD is the story of what happened when Chaol and Nesryn traveled to the South Continent while Aelin & Co. were having their Empire of Storms adventures. This book ended up being SO MUCH MORE than what I thought it would be, and I looooooved it.
Read my review here.
The final installment of the main storyline with Feyre and Rhys and everyone in Prythian dealing with the King of Hybern, this book was eppppppic. I still loved ACOMAF the most out of the three books, but man, I'd be lying if I said that I didn't love this one too. There was a bunch of Feyre badassery, a few twists and turns, and enough open-endedness to make me super excited for the spinoff novellas that are coming out for this series (starting this May!)
Read my review here.
A gorgeous, sensual reimagining of the Labyrinth story, wherein the innocent girl stays and agrees to be the Goblin King's bride. I wrote at the end of my review that I felt rather bereft when I was done reading it, and I'm so glad that there will be a sequel coming out in February. I definitely need more of this world!
Read my review here.
Special mention: The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
THUG is about Starr, a girl who witnesses her friend being gunned down by police, and the aftermath of all of that, and I will have a full review once I'm done, but my comments so far are that this is such a hard read for me, because it's a tough subject, emotionally. It's a tough subject, but it's an important subject, and again, I could not let this year go without reading it, and I don't think you should either.
*edited to add* I've finished it, and you can read my review here. And yes, absolutely, THUG is at the top of my Top Books list.