Sara’s Favorite Reads of 2017 (Plus, Another Double Giveaway!)

/ saraletourneau

Isn’t it fun to look back on the books you’ve read in the past year? I always enjoy doing this, though I also prefer to wait until January to share my lists of favorites. Somehow the books I read around Christmas and New Year’s have a habit of shaking up those lists – and that certainly was the case again!

Out of the 56 fiction books I read in 2017, I’ve narrowed my favorites down to a top 10 of brand new books and a top 10 of previously published books. Plus, like with my Favorite Reads of 2016 post, I’ve added something fun for readers at the end of this post. šŸ˜‰ So let’s dive in!

My 10 Favorite New Reads of 2017

1. The Stone SkyĀ by N.K. JemisinĀ (The Broken Earth, Book #3 / Fantasy)

(Read my full review at Goodreads orĀ Amazon.)

I don’t know how N.K. Jemisin does it book after book. The first book in her Broken Earth Trilogy, The Fifth Season, introduced a continent in social and geological upheaval and a female lead character who’s hardened, complex, and a stunning example of emotional strength. The second installment, The Obelisk Gate,Ā expanded the reader’s knowledge of the Stillness and made me ache even more for Essun and the other characters. So what about the finale, The Stone Sky? It was just as raw and heartbreaking as I expected it to be, and then some. A brilliant conclusion to an overall brilliant trilogy.

2. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden (The Winternight Trilogy, Book #1 / Fantasy)

(Read my full review at Goodreads orĀ Amazon.)

Inspired by fairy tales and Russian folklore, Katharine Arden’sĀ The Bear and the NightingaleĀ was an early contender for this list when I read it in February.Ā It’s a whimsical tale of a young girl who sees and communicate with household and nature spirits, and whose freedom and happiness are threatened when her stepmother and the new local priest attempt to change their village’s long-held beliefs. This is one of those rare fantasy novels where the reality (in this case, everyday life in a northern Russian village) is just as important as the magical elements. And with Arden’s lyrical prose and well-rounded characters, it’s hard not to be enchanted by this book as a whole.

3. The Language of ThornsĀ by Leigh BardugoĀ (Illustrated YA Fantasy Short Story Collection)

(Read my full review at Goodreads or Amazon.)

LikeĀ The Bear and the Nightingale,Ā Leigh Bardugo’sĀ The Language of ThornsĀ is also inspired by fairy tales, but not in the way you’d expect. These myths and bits of folklore that tie in with Bardugo’s GrishaVerse novels (the Six of Crows Duology and the Grisha Trilogy) are more like hard lessons and warnings of the world’s darkness than a Disney interpretation of a Brothers Grimm story. You certainly don’t need to have read any of the GrishaVerse novels to appreciate this deliciously haunting collection, either. Instead, allow the allegorical quality of each tale, subtle yet fresh twists on familiar creatures and tropes, and elegantly vivid prose to draw you in and linger like ghosts in your heart. The lavish, intricately detailed illustrations help to turn this book into a truly breathtaking experience.

4.Ā The Hate U GiveĀ by Angie Thomas (YA Contemporary)

(Read my full review atĀ GoodreadsĀ and Amazon.)

One of the most talked about YA novels of 2017, Angie Thomas’s The Hate U GiveĀ deserves every bit of the praise it’s received. This debut novel follows a 16-year-old black girl who witnesses one of her childhood friends – a young black man who’s unarmed at the time – being shot and killed by a white police officer. This bookĀ is already stellar in terms of craft (especially the authenticity of the protagonist’s narrative voice), but what makesĀ it truly unforgettable is its cultural relevance. The teenage perspective it offers on the Black Lives Matters movement and racial tensions in America is raw and eye-opening; and the ending stresses the unfairness and injustice of the outcome for the heroine and her loved ones, but also leaves room for hope that things will change someday.

5. Norse MythologyĀ by Neil GaimanĀ (Mythology)

(Read my full review at Goodreads orĀ Amazon.)

As Neil Gaiman explains in its foreword, Norse MythologyĀ is not a retelling of myths about Odin, Thor, Loki, and the other Norse gods and goddesses. Rather, he keeps to the originals as closely as possible; they just happen to be written in his signature prose, with a noted simplicity that reminds you of listening to stories told around a campfire. This made reading the myths about the Treasures of the Gods, the Mead of Poetry, Freya’s “unusual wedding,” and the bloodbath known as Ragnarok a truly enjoyable experience. So whether you’re already familiar with these myths or have yet to introduce yourself to them, this collection by one of the imaginative and prolific fantasy writers of our time is sure to inform and delight you.

6. Our Dark DuetĀ by Victoria SchwabĀ (Monsters of Verity, Book #2 / YA Urban Fantasy)

(Read my full review at Goodreads orĀ Amazon.)

The sequel toĀ This Savage Song,Ā Victoria Schwab’sĀ Our Dark Duet does more than finish spinning this dark, explosive urban tale of the thin line between monster and humanity. It has more of everything that made its predecessor so good: suspense, unique monsters, heart-stopping action, and reasons to care about (and be frightened for) the main characters. But it’s also more psychological, more twisted, and so intense that you’ll swear it’ll give you nightmares, yet you keep on reading anyways. So, yes, you’ve been warned – but don’t let that stop you from reading this series!

7.Ā A Conjuring of LightĀ by V.E. SchwabĀ (Shades of Magic, Book #3 / Fantasy)

(Read my full review at Goodreads orĀ Amazon.)

V.E. Schwab (the adult fantasy pseudonym for YA author Victoria Schwab) might as well have been my author of the year in 2017. On top of reading Our Dark Duet,Ā I also read three of her adult novels, including this cinematic finale to her Shades of Magic Trilogy.Ā At 600+ pages, A Conjuring of LightĀ does feel a bit long in parts. But it’s so action-packed, vividly written, and laugh-out-loud funny, and the growth of its core characters (even the antagonist Holland) is more satisfying than words can express. I actually came close to tears at the end. That’s how much the last few chapters moved me.

8. Becoming BonnieĀ by Jenni L. Walsh (Bonnie, Book #1 / Historical Fiction)

(Read my full review at Goodreads orĀ Amazon.)

Ever wonder what Bonnelyn Parker’s life might have been like before she met Clyde Barrows? (Yes, I mean the infamous duo of Bonnie & Clyde!) Jenni L. Walsh offers this envisioning in her spirited debut novel Becoming Bonnie.Ā Using the historical events of the late 1920s (the end of the Prohibition Era and the early days of the Great Depression) to influence the setting and backstory, she shows the tragedies, triumphs, and tough choices that emboldened a wholesome good girl into a potential criminal. The regional slang and era-appropriate dialogue also flavor the narrative and make Bonnie’s “voice” feel truly authentic. I could almost hear her Southern twang in my ear as I was reading!

9. Winter of the Gods by Jordanna Max BrodskyĀ (Olympus Bound, Book #2/ Urban Mythological Fantasy)

(Read my full review at Goodreads orĀ Amazon.)

Whenever I read a second book in a series, I’m always wary of the dreaded sophomore slump. So I was thrilled this wasn’t the case with Jordanna Max Brodsky’s latest Olympus Bound book, especially since its predecessor The Immortals was one of my favorite reads of 2016. Winter of the GodsĀ once again blends modern-day interpretations of Greek gods and goddesses with the thrill of a murder mystery – and this time, the deities themselves are the targets. And thanks to Brodsky’s unique balance of action, suspense, romance, and academic intelligence (ever heard of archaeoastronomy before?), the tension of the heightened stakes is so palpable, you’ll want to stay up late to finish this.

10. SkullswornĀ by Brian Staveley (Grimdark Fantasy)

(Read my full review at Goodreads orĀ Amazon.)

2017 was the year I finally read critically acclaimed fantasy author Brian Staveley, and I’m glad I did! In addition toĀ The Emperor’s Blades,Ā the first book in his Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne Trilogy (which narrowly missed my next top 10 list below), I thoroughly enjoyed his latest book Skullsworn. This standalone set in the same world as the Unhewn Throne follows Pyrre, an acolyte of the God of Death, as she undergoes a trial to become a full-fledged priestess of her deity. What does this trial entail? Killing the seven people enumerated in a song – including someone she loves. It’s a brutal twist on the archetypal love story, but it’s also inventive, surprisingly endearing, and unforgettable thanks to its complex characters and its unique setting (an ancient city on a marshy delta).

Honorable Mentions:Ā Strange the DreamerĀ by Laini Taylor,Ā The Waking LandĀ by Callie Bates, andĀ FirebrandĀ by A.J. Hartley

My 10 Favorite Previously Published Reads of 2017

1. Station ElevenĀ by Emily St. John Mandel (Post-Apocalyptic / Literary Fiction)

(Read my full review at Goodreads orĀ Amazon.)

This was the book I brought with me to the Iceland Writers Retreat last April, and what an eerily appropriate choice it was. Station ElevenĀ begins when an esteemed actor dies on stage in Toronto on the same night that a flu epidemic breaks out in the city. The story then moves back and forth through time, showing the twists of fate that connect all of the POV characters as well as a frighteningly believable depiction of a post-apocalyptic Earth. So as much as it’s a story about survival, it’s also a story about love, legacy, and nostalgia. I still remember reading the second half ofĀ Station ElevenĀ on the flight home from Iceland, and thinking about what life would be like without electricity, telecommunications, or air travel as (coincidentally) the plane descended for its landing. The combined realization and physical sensation is not something I’ll forget anytime soon.

2. When The Moon Was OursĀ by Anna-Marie McLemore (YA Magical Realism)

(Read my full review at Goodreads orĀ Amazon.)

One of the most exquisitely written and compassionate books I’ve ever read. I expected the former, after reading Anne-Marie McLemore’s debut novel The Weight of Feathers.Ā And while I certainly had a sense of the latter based on the blurb for When the Moon Was Ours, it didn’t truly hit me until I began reading the book. This is as much a story about family, secrets, and being freed by the truth as it is about love, gender, and identity. And thanks to the fantastical elements (roses growing out of Miel’s wrist, painted self-luminous moons that hang from tree branches, stained glass coffins, and rumors of young witches), it’s more breathtaking and surreal than I can adequately describe.

3. The Walls Around UsĀ by Nova Ren SumaĀ (YA Magical Realism)

(Read my full review at Goodreads orĀ Amazon.)

Nova Ren Suma writes in the same genre as Anna-Marie McLemore, but her approach sends shivers through my body. The Walls Around UsĀ is more likeĀ “paranormal realism,” unearthing the darkness and dangers of the world through specters, brushes with death, and nightmarish imagery. Its POVs switch between an ambitious but deeply insecure ballerina and a teenage convict in a juvenile detention center. And through their chapters, readers learn about a third girl who becomes the link to their fates and the key to the novel’s harrowing mysteries. Be prepared for an unsettling, mind-bending read when you pick this up – and for an evocatively written, expertly crafted story about secrets, guilt, and justice that will stay with you long after you finish it.

4. American GodsĀ by Neil GaimanĀ (Dark Fantasy)

(Read my full review at AmazonĀ orĀ Goodreads.)

If 2017 hadn’t been the “Year of V.E. Schwab” for me, it would have been the “Year of Neil Gaiman” instead. Between Norse Mythology,Ā this book, and the first season of its TV series adaptation, his work was ubiquitous in my life for months on end, and I didn’t mind one bit. Especially when it came toĀ American Gods. Part horror-tinged mythopoeia, part social commentary, it re-imagines America with the deities of European, African, and other cultural lore coming to the country with our ancestors, then finding themselves in conflict with new gods representing America’s “values,” including power, commercialization, and narcissism. It’s weird, terrifying, and disturbing at times. But it’s also ambitious, thought-provoking, and undeniably beautiful.

5. The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava LavenderĀ by Leslye Walton (YA Magical Realism)

(Read my full review at GoodreadsĀ orĀ Amazon.)

Aching and whimsical, Leslye Walton’sĀ The Strange and Beautiful SorrowsĀ of Ava LavenderĀ is a multi-generational story of three women and their unique experiences with love, loss, and family. It’s brimming with all the things I love about the magical realism genre: graceful prose, a focus on people and relationships, and spellbinding and symbolic fantastical elements that blur the line between the magical and the mundane. Oddly enough, when I readĀ this bookĀ over the spring,Ā it reminded me of how much I love magical realism yet how seldom I’d actually read the genre. So if I hadn’t read The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender,Ā I probably wouldn’t have read several other novels that made it to this list, either.

6. A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. SchwabĀ (Shades of Magic, Book #2 / Fantasy)

(Read my full review at Amazon orĀ Goodreads.)

Hey, look who it is again! šŸ™‚Ā A Gathering of ShadowsĀ is the middle installment of V.E. Schwab’s Shades of Magic Trilogy, and boy it does NOT suffer from sophomore slump syndrome. It’s relentlessly witty, suspenseful, and exhilarating, with a magic competition of Olympic proportions, high-seas piracy, and adventures in the lands outside of Red London’s Maresh Empire. Plus, talk about the cliffhanger endings to end all cliffhanger endings. Good thing I plunged straight intoĀ A Conjuring of Light whenĀ I finished this – I doubt I would have been able to wait too long!

7. ViciousĀ by V.E. Schwab (Villians, Book #1 / Superhero Fantasy)

(Read my full review at Goodreads orĀ Amazon.)

Is this overkill? I swear I didn’t list all four Schwab books I read last year on purpose. They’re all that good, including Vicious,Ā her twist on the superhero genre. And by “twist,” oh do I mean TWIST. This is a revenge tale at its heart, with deeply flawed main characters that truly see themselves as the hero of their story and the other as the villain. Equally complex side characters, witty dialogue, and a macabre “superpower system” (where people develop extraordinary abilities after a near-death experience) make this a truly inventive and entertaining read.

8. The Lathe of HeavenĀ by Ursula K. Le Guin (Science Fiction)

(Read my full review atĀ Goodreads orĀ Amazon.)

What if your dreams had the ability to alter reality?Ā That’s the premise of Ursula K. Le Guin’s The Lathe of Heaven, a science fiction classic about a man whose dreams change the very nature of the world he lives in and whose psychiatrist manipulates those dreams to his advantage. Though some parts of the “science fiction” are now dated (the book was first published in 1971, and takes place in 2002), it’s still easy to re-imagine UKLG’s futuristic setting and focus on its themes of power and humanity’s self-destructiveness – themes are still relevant today. Plus, it ripples the brilliant wit and lyrical prose that I’ve come to expect from UKLG’s work.

9. Assassin’s ApprenticeĀ by Robin HobbĀ (Farseer Trilogy, Book #1 / Epic Fantasy)

(Read my full review at GoodreadsĀ orĀ Amazon.)

Assassin’s ApprenticeĀ was one of those books that required more time and attention than usual from me before I fell in love with it. This fantasy classic by Robin Hobb follows young FitzChivalry Farseer, a prince’s bastard son who’s taken in by the royal family and then trained in espionage and poisonwork. It’s a more character-driven story than most fantasies, but that’s where its greatest strengths lie. So once I reached the end, I felt as though I’d not only followed Fitz on his boyhood adventures, but I’d also become friends him with and other characters. And since I already have Books #2 and #3, it looks like a Fareer Trilogy binge-finish may be in my near future!

10. The Girl of Fire and ThornsĀ by Rae Carson (Fire and Thorns, Book #1 / YA Fantasy)

(Read my full review atĀ GoodreadsĀ orĀ Amazon.)

While I was disappointed by most of the YA fantasy I read in 2017, The Girl of Fire and Thorns was one of the exceptions. Here, the heroine isn’t a famous beauty or an aspiring knight or assassin. Instead, she’s a studious princess who struggles with her body image and is braver than she realizes. Between that, the subversion of the “chosen one” trope, and a richly realized world with Spanish and Mediterranean influences, this adventure was a much needed breath of fresh air. Here’s hoping I’ll have enough time to read its sequelsĀ Crown of EmbersĀ andĀ The Bitter Kingdom during 2018!

Honorable Mentions:Ā Lioness RampantĀ by Tamora Pierce,Ā The Emperor’s BladesĀ by Brian Staveley, andĀ ShadowshaperĀ by Daniel JosĆ© Older

Time for the (International) Double Giveaway!

Because book giveaways are always fun, right? šŸ˜‰ So let’s repeat last year’s double giveaway with this year’s lists! TwoĀ (2) lucky winners will receive a book of their choice via The Book Depository: one winner for the Favorite New Reads of 2017, and oneĀ forĀ the Favorite Previously Published ReadsĀ of 2017. (Click here to see if TBD ships to your country.)

This giveaway is international and ends atĀ midnight Eastern on Tuesday, January 30th.Ā You can enter the giveaway by clicking on the Rafflecopter link below, then follow the instructions to earn points for comments, social media, etc. Also, let me know in your comment which book youā€™d like to win from either or both lists. (You might want to list second and third choices, in case your first choice isnā€™t available.) The winners will have 48 hours to respond to my email and claim their prize.

Ready? Click here to enter the giveaway.

What were some of your favorite reads of 2017, for both brand new books and previously published books? What are you most looking forward to reading this year?

65 thoughts on “Sara’s Favorite Reads of 2017 (Plus, Another Double Giveaway!)”

  1. The only one of these I’e read i The Beat and the Nightingale! I know my library has The Language of Thorns, though, and I’ve been thinking of putting it on hold because it’s always checked out.

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    • Do it. The illustrations alone will make it worth your time. šŸ˜‰

      Not sure if you’re planning on entering the giveaway, but if you do, which book(s) would be your top choice if you’re one of the winners?

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  2. Definitely keep going with the Farseer trilogy and do not skip The Liveship Traders before you move onto the The Tawny Man trilogy! The Liveship Traders trilogy is my favourite set of books in the world ever. Also yes, 2017 was the Year of Schwab for me too XD I basically read everything of hers I could get my hands on after I read A Darker Shade of Magic back in April.

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    • *lol* Oh, I have every intention on finishing the Farseer Trilogy, especially since I already have Books #2 and #3. It’s one of three series I’m hoping to binge-finish at some point this year. šŸ˜‰

      Isn’t V.E. Schwab fantastic? I’m really looking forward to Vengeful now that I’ve read Vicious. Very curious to see how Victor and Eli’s next confrontation will play out…

      Not sure if you’ve entered the giveaway, btw, but if you did, which book(s) would be your top choice if you’re one of the winners?

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  3. I would probably pick A Conjuring of Light from the first list and A Gathering of Shadows from the second because I just recently finished the first book and would love to continue.
    Thank you for a generous giveaway! ā™„

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  4. I don’t think there’s a book you listed that I didn’t think, wow, I want to read that! I am dying to start reading VE Schwab’s Shades of Magic series. But I have promised myself not to buy any new books this year until I’ve rad the ones I’ve already got. (Aside from Iron Gold, by Pierce Brown, because I don’t think I could survive otherwise.) šŸ˜¦

    It’s on the list for the second half of the year though. šŸ˜€

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    • But that’s what giveaways are for. If you win, it’s one less book for you to buy. šŸ˜‰ Of course, it doesn’t quite solve the teetering TBR pile problem… But that problem seems universal for all bookworms, right?

      If you had to choose, though, which book(s) would be your top choice if you win the giveaway?

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      • MY TBR piles agrees that it’s a universal problem šŸ˜€

        It would probably have to be A Gathering of Shadows. That way I would have to buy the first book and read it. Cos, you know, rules. šŸ˜¶

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  5. There were many books I loved in 2017, but I’m going to name one in particular (In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan), because not only is it a great book about friendship, and family, and romance, and growing up, all with a good dose of humor and magical beings, but it would technically fit both lists: it was first ‘published’ on the author’s blog for free, and in 2017 it was brushed up and released as a hardcover!

    If I won the giveaway (thank you for doing this for us, btw!!), my choices would be A Conjuring of Light (List 1), A Gathering of Shadows (List 2).

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  6. First, you are incredibly amazing for doing this giveaway and second, you have read such great books in 2017! Some of them were on my favorites list as well ā¤
    As for what I would wish for if I won, I'd go for The Bear & The Nightingale or Station Eleven. But everything sounds great!

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    • Awwww. (*blushes*) Thank you, Kat. I’m just glad that readers enjoy it this much!

      Those are great choices for the giveaway. (Then again, all of the books listed in the post would be great choices, IMO. *lol*) And what were some of your favorites of 2017? You mentioned that we have some common picks, so I’m curious which ones they are.

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      • You’re welcome! I just think it’s a real nice thing to do!
        I had Language of Thorns, Our Dark Duet and the finale book in the Shades of Magic trilogy on my list as well. The Hate U Give would have totally made it as well, but I only read it last week haha and then there’s Norse Mythology, which I own but didn’t have the time to read yet. I think Neil Gaiman is amazing though, so there’s always that trust in his ability.
        My absolute top favorite book of last year was Call Me By Your Name! I could fawn over that book forever ā¤

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  7. Wow! Thanks for offering another great giveaway. And I love seeing what piqued your interest this year; your recommendations are always spot-on! As for the giveaway, for new books I’d choose Becoming Bonnie, which I’ve heard other people raving about as well. And for older books, The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender.

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    • Yay for new Neil Gaiman fans! šŸ™‚ Norse Mythology actually is a good place for a Gaiman newbie to start, now that I think of it. The Ocean at the End of the Lane is as well, so you might want to check out that one, too.

      I noticed you entered the giveaway, btw. If you win, which book(s) would be your top choice?

      Thanks as always for stopping by, Emily! šŸ™‚

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      • Great! I guess I started in the right place! I’ll have to check out that other book too then! šŸ™‚

        If I won the giveaway, I’d probably go for the Norse Mythology. From the other list, I might try Assassin’s Apprentice. I love character-driven books!

        I really love the idea of your giveaway! So sweet and a great way to share the books you love! šŸ™‚

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  10. I really enjoyed reading this list, Sara – what a lot of great books! I’m very interested in The Stone Sky – I’ve got it on my TBR and just need to clear the decks to read it. I also like the sound of When the Moon was Ours and the Olympus Bound series. Thank you for sharing – The Lathe of Heaven also looks really cool:)

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  11. Oh my gosh!! I’m in love with your list here because there are some on it I’d love to read like The Language of Thorns (illustrations!!!) and Norse Mythology.
    You read Station Eleven!! That’s awesome and I’m so glad that you loved it too. To me, it made me realize that the real world has it’s own form of magic in the technological developments some of us are privy to that make our living areas more comfortable and easier to navigate, like electricity.
    You read Assassin’s Apprentice!! šŸ˜€ Knowing that you and Orangutan Librarian both read and enjoyed that book makes me so happy. It’s such a good read!

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    • And I’m excited that you’re so delighted by this list! šŸ˜€ Yes, The Language of Thorns is illustrated, and goodness are those illustrations GORGEOUS.

      Yes, I loved Assassin’s Apprentice! Can’t wait to read the rest of the Farseer Trilogy now. I’m hoping to do that sometime this year. And I agree re: Station Eleven. It makes you realize all the technology and everyday items that you take for granted – and how easily those items could be rendered obsolete if a pandemic like the one in the book were to happen in real life.

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  12. A lot of great books on this list! I have read some of them, and a bunch more are on my TBR. I’ve been seriously debating Leigh Bardugo’s Language of Thorns even though it’s a short story collection, but the way you describe as Brothers Grimm-like collection makes me think I might enjoy it! Audible Studios does the audiobook version, maybe I’ll look into requesting it!

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    • I think you’d be pleasantly surprised by The Language of Thorns. But maybe it might be worth renting the hardcover from the library? That way, you’d get to enjoy the illustrations as well – they’re a bit part of the overall presentation of the book.

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    • I’m actually reading the sequel to The Bear and the Nightingale now. It’s been wonderful to go back to that world and Katherine Arden’s writing. Plus, it’s turning out to be the perfect fantasy series to read during the winter. Its setting makes you want to snuggle under a blanket near a fireplace and read.

      And you really can’t go wrong with V.E. Schwab. I’d say either Vicious or A Darker Shade of Magic is a good place to start. So it comes down to whether you’re more interested in portal fantasy and blood magic (ADSoM) or morally ambiguous characters with extraordinary powers (Vicious). šŸ˜‰

      Thanks for stopping by, Mei-Mei!

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  14. We have many books in common, Sara! All of Schwab, Bardugo, Thomas & Gaiman’s Norse Mythology were all favourites for 2017 for me as well.
    And I just started to read The Bear and the Nightingale and I feel absolutely transported to a wondrous world ā¤
    I'd love to read Winter of Gods (I have the first book at home but haven't gotten to it yet) or The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender!
    Hope you have an amazing year of reads in 2018!

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    • You have awesome taste in reading, Faith. Have I ever told you that? šŸ˜‰ And I’m glad you’re enjoying The Bear and the Nightingale so far! It’s the perfect book to read during wintertime, isn’t it?

      Great giveaway choices! My only suggestion re: Winter of the Gods is that you should definitely read The Immortals first. Then again, if you win WotG, it would probably give you more incentive to read the first book, wouldn’t it? *lol*

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      • I don’t think you’ve ever mentioned it actually… šŸ˜
        But I reckon it’s as awesome as yours šŸ˜‰
        It’s the perfect wintertime read. I’m halfway through now and it is mesmerizing!
        I am definitely going to read the Immortals first, but I was thinking that having the second would be great incentive to get to it. Especially with book three coming out this year šŸ™‚

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  16. There is so much book that I would love to read this year, so many series that I would like to start, one of the ones that I most excited about is the Shades of Magic Trilogy by V.E Schwab, I haven’t heard anything but amazing things about it. Thank you for the opportunity! and I hope you have a great year šŸ˜ŠšŸ’•

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  19. Ah, I’m hoping for The Bear and the Nightingale, or Viscoiuos; they sound so good! For Christmas I got Schwab’s A Shade of Magic #1 and can’t wait to dig in. But first I’m finishing up The Falconer #3, which *sniffle* has been amazing…I’m sad to see the story end!

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    • Knowing your tastes in fantasy, I think you’d like The Bear and the Nightingale a lot. And Vicious, too – that one is a LOT of fun. šŸ˜‰ Hope you enjoy ADSOM when you get around to it!

      I read the final Falconer book over the fall. It was good… but the ending was a lot different than I expected, and a little too neat / perfect, IMO.

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  20. Oh my goodness! So many good choices! I won your giveaway last year and received Wolf by Wolf and I totally loved that book! I think my favorite picks out of these would be Station Eleven, The Bear and the Nightingale, and American Gods (I really need to read some Neil Gaiman). Happy reading for 2018!

    storitorigrace.blogspot.com

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  22. Hmm, if I could enter, I’d definitely go for Norse Mythology. That cover is just too beautiful for me to resist. ā¤ I’m making my way slowly through V. E. Schwab’s works and hopefully I’ll have the Monsters of Verity duology wrapped up soon. Since Vicious is getting a sequel this year, I need to get on that as well. Ah, so many good books! šŸ˜…
    I really need to check out some of the other ones on your list here, Sara. I’ve definitely heard of a majority of them and also happen to know you like them, but making time for reading has been a bit of a problem for me these days. The move has certainly helped me free up some time, but my work got so much more hectic, so they cancelled each other out. šŸ™ˆ But I’ll just add whatever looks really promising to my TBR and hopefully I’ll get to them all one day. šŸ™‚

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    • It’s a stunning rendition of Mjolnir, isn’t it? šŸ™‚

      I haven’t been disappointed by any of V.E. Schwab’s books yet. She has another YA fantasy series that she began before Vicious was published (I think one of the books was called The Archived…?), and I’d like to check that out sometime, too.

      I know the feeling about work, btw. January wasn’t an easy month because of it, and February is not looking good, either. Let’s do our best to hang in there together, OK? *hugs*

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  23. Reading about your favorite books of the year just makes my TBR list grow and grow, Sara! šŸ˜€ This happened last year, and it’s happening right now, too! So much fantasy in this post, and I LOVE THAT! ā™„ I really want to read The Bear and the Nightingale, as the story sounds really interesting, and When The Moon Was Ours – look at that cover, OMG! THUG was one of my favorites reads too, together with The Upside of Unrequited (Becky Albertalli) and Geekerella (Ashley Poston). And I’m super excited to read Legendary (Stephanie Garber) this year ā™„
    Which books from those lists I’d love to win? Either The Language of Thorns (first list) or Vicious (second list). Seriously, I’m dying to have a copy of Leigh Bardugo’s book – many great reviews of it, and the illustrations are just PERFECT. And I’ve read excellent comments on Schwab’s book! Winning any of them would be perfect!
    Thank you for this lovely treat! ā™„ ā™„

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