If you weren't aware: I am in love with reading and I try to read at least one book per month over the course of the year. I also love getting book recommendations and seeing what other people are reading (seriously, I follow people on Instagram who only Instagram books and their bookshelves @sweptawaybybooks and @bookmarauder are my favourite. Even if I never read any of the same books I still love their posts!) The last two years I've shared all of the books I've read and this year is no exception so buckle up!
I like to read about 15 books a year but that didn't quiet happen this year. Thinking back on the books I read this year I initially thought it wasn't a great year as far as finds go, but then looking at each title I realized I've found a new favourite author, a couple new favourite genres, and there have been quite a few amazing reads.
So without further adieu here are my 2017 reads:
Girl in the Woods: A Memoir- Aspin Matis
I have a really great habit of making my first book of the year a really great one. Girl in the Woods was no exception. This book came from my obsession with the Pacific Crest Trail after seeing Wild a few years ago. I seriously hope I could hike it one day! I originally grabbed this book based on the cover alone and then after reading the back I knew I had to get it. Aspin Matis was raped on her second night in college. She eventually dropped out after dealing with the psychological and physical trauma of the event and decided that to heal she needed to walk the Pacific Crest Trail alone and with the minimal amount of gear. Her story is such an amazing tale of dealing with trauma, searching for independence (after being someone who was over cared for and over protected her whole life by her mother) and healing in the face of all of those things. I loved every bit of this book.
Everything, Everything- Nicola Yoon
Everything, Everything was one of the flops for me. It definitely wasn't a bad book in any sense, it just wasn't written for me. It was geared towards a much younger audience (not that I'm above YA novels- holla at yah girl Hunger Games and Fault in Our Stars!) I just found it a bit predictable and a bit childish. The characters were very 2D if you know what I mean. If you know any 12 year olds though I'm sure they'd gobble this up.
A Wrinkle in Time- Madeline L'Engle
Speaking of books that weren't written for me: A Wrinkle in Time definitely did not have a 25 year old woman in mind when it was written. Fair enough. I had heard good things about it though and I figured I would still find it entertaining. I honestly just found it a bit boring. Maybe I'll like the movie that's coming out soon though!
The Dinner- Herman Koch
The Psychopath Test- Jon Ronson
Jon Ronson is my new favourite author and his genre of commentary on society and psychology is a new favourite as well (as you can see there's another Jon Ronson on this list AND I listened to his podcast The Butterfly Effect in two days. It's basically like he was about to write a new book and made it a podcast instead.) In the psychopath test Jon starts by exploring what psychopaths are and where/how they present in our society. It's seriously fascinating. My favourite thing about Jon Ronson's writing is how organically he stumbles on to his subjects and then he let's his curiosity lead the way. He leads an amazing life by simply following these stories wherever they take him.
Working Stiff: 2 Years, 262 Bodies and the Making of a Medical Examiner- Judy Melenik
My read last year of Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: And Other Lessons from the Crematorium led me to delve further into the world of what happens to bodies after death. This book DID NOT disappoint. Judy Melenik was a NYC Medical Examiner for two years. A lot of her cases were murder and crime cases and it was the coolest to see how much they can determine from autopsies. They can basically break down how you died second by second and even blow by blow. Interestingly enough her biggest piece of advice was to never smoke cigarettes and always wear a seatbelt. Check and check. Judy was two months into her work as a NYC Medical Examiner on September 11, 2001. It's not something we think about but Medical Examiners had to work countless, tireless shifts after September 11th to help identify bodies and even and more commonly: body parts. The amazing work they did during that time left me in awe. Seriously, read this book.
Into the Wild- Jon Krakauer
I picked up Into the Wild while in Alaska (it was very fitting). It just felt right to be reading Chris McCandles' story while staring into the wilderness that killed him. It gave me such an understanding about why he would actually want to have lived in the Alaskan wilderness, and such a respect for such rugged and unforgiving terrain. Novels about man (and woman) vs wild are some of my new favourites.
Turning Stones: My Days and Nights with Children at Risk- Marc Parent
This book was a no brainer for me: hello, this is what I want to do with my life. Marc Parent was a social worked in New York City and he shared all of his stories, good and bad, in his novel. It was an incredibly heart breaking and even terrifying read. There were times when Marc could do nothing to help these children, and times when they didn't want him to, and times when he didn't do enough. It was a really important read for me and one I keep in my mind as I continue to pursue a career in the social work field.
It Was Me All Along: A Memoir- Andie Mitchell
This. Book. Guys. It was about something so simple as one woman's struggle with weightloss and about so much more as well. I felt like Andie Mitchell was my friend the whole time and she was telling me this story that was so difficult and so triumphant at the same time. I don't usually read memoirs about weight loss but I'm so glad I read hers. It was something I could definitely relate to and her struggles were #real. I adore Andie Mitchell and besides that she is a seriously amazing writer. Get it girl!
In a Dark, Dark Wood- Ruth Ware
This was another throwaway read for me. I picked it up in Florida and it was the simple beach read I thought it would be. A lot of books have come out post Gone Girl that basically throw a female lead in, give you some sort of murder mystery and send you on your way. This was no exception. Interesting enough but pretty predictable.
So You've Been Publicly Shamed- Jon Ronson
This book was read in a 72 hour period. It was so great. Another example of Jon stumbling on to an interesting topic and following it wherever it may take him. Seriously, check him out. 'Nuff said.
When Jeff Comes Home- Catherine Atkins
This was a book I had on my shelf forever but picked it up. It's YA and I had read it when I was a lot younger. I picked it up out of nostalgia. This is about a boy who is kidnapped, held for two years and released. I love these kinds of stories (Room is one of my favourite books). That being said, it was a pretty crap version of Room. Same-ish story but with a lot less information and a lot less believable (Hello! He got dropped off by his kidnapper and NEVER went to the hospital for examination and only talked to the cops like 2 days later). I know it's a YA novel so I'm trying to give it some grace. It was a lot more about him dealing with the trauma of the kidnapping and abuse but if you're looking for a book along these lines I would recommend Room or even a true version of it: A Stolen Life: A Memior- Jaycee Dugard)
Those Who Fight Monsters: My Twenty Years Tracking Serial Killers for the FBI- Robert K. Ressler and Tom Shachtman
I've been obsessed with criminal profiling ever since I read a book about serial killers in the 8th grade (guys, watching CSI every day after school really did a number on me). The story was basically that a man had murdered someone and just through criminal profiling they knew the man was white, lived in the area and what he would generally look like. They began knocking on doors and happened to knock on the killers door and he immediately confessed. I just love that there's such a correlation between who people are and what they do- even when it comes to committing crimes). This book is basically Mindhunter (which is amazing btw, go watch it) and I've listened to so many true crime podcasts and things that everything I'm reading is so familiar to me that I keep thinking "wait, I know this. Where did I hear this first?" But hey, still pretty great.
I've also listened to a couple of audio books this year (a first for me!)
The Magnolia Story- Chip and Joanna Gaines
You guys, I am a fixer upper fan for life. I am pretty devastated that it's over (not to be dramatic or anything!) I listened to this book when I was giving up tv for a week earlier this year. It's such a sweet read. I liked hearing Chip and Joanna's backstory and how they came to live this amazing life that they're now living. My favourite thing overall was just how kind they seemed. The way they live their life and treat people is definitely admirable.
Wild- Cheryl Strayed
Cheryl Strayed is amazing. She basically obliterated her life (cheated on her devoted husband, began using heroin) in the wake of the death of her mother. To take her life back she spent months walking the Pacific Crest Trail. The entire story is heartbreaking and inspiring and messy and beautiful. Her relationship with her Mom brought me to tears on so many occasions and I was in awe of her strength throughout. I loved this book.
IT- Stephen King
When we got stuck driving all the way home from Florida unexpectedly this year I decided to download IT. I had just seen the movie and sometimes after seeing a movie I get an itch to get all the little details that get left out. I'm not currently done it yet, and won't be for a long time (hello 44 hr read time) but I'm enjoying it and I'm getting glimpses into the kids all grown up. So cool!
I hope you enjoyed this years reads! I'm going to follow up with a post of my reading goals for 2018 so stay tuned!
From the desk of:
Taylor Brown
Bibliophile
