26 Books to Read in 2017 (Final List)

Every year since I moved to the mountain I've participated in a reading challenge group on Facebook. It was started by a friend of mine & I've kept at it the past few years & I'm going to continue it in the next year. I've added a link to the books on Goodreads & I've also linked my review if you'd like to see that as well.  Here is my final list for the 26 Books to Read in 2017 challenge. 

1. I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12033455-i-ve-got-your-number?ac=1&from_search=true

My review is here.

2. The BFG by Roald Dahl

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6319.The_BFG?ac=1&from_search=true

My review is here.

3. As Easy As Falling Off the Face of the Earth by Lynne Rae Perkins

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7045236-as-easy-as-falling-off-the-face-of-the-earth?ac=1&from_search=true

My review is here.

5. A Court of Wings & Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23766634-a-court-of-wings-and-ruin?ac=1&from_search=true

My review is here.

6. Beyond the Fence by Simon Tofield

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8663217-simon-s-cat?ac=1&from_search=true

***I never reviewed this book but I LOVE Simon's Cat***

7. The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6644117-the-iron-king?ac=1&from_search=true

My review is here.

8. The Secret of the Sphinx by Samuel Bavli

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32018656-the-secret-of-the-sphinx?ac=1&from_search=true

My review is here.

10. Bunnicula by James Howe

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/281235.Bunnicula?ac=1&from_search=true

My review is here.

11. Matilda by Roald Dahl

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39988.Matilda?from_search=true

My review is here.

12. I Am Pusheen the Cat by Claire Belton

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17570797-i-am-pusheen-the-cat?ac=1&from_search=true

My review is here.

13. Found by S.A. Bodeen

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28116722-found?ac=1&from_search=true

My review is here.

14. Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28260587-empire-of-storms?ac=1&from_search=true

My review is here.

15. My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30821598-my-not-so-perfect-life?ac=1&from_search=true

My review is here.

16. Unhooked by Lisa Maxwell

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21518344-unhooked?ac=1&from_search=true

My review is here.

17. Atlantia by Ally Condie

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17731926-atlantia?from_search=true

My review is here.

18. Dragon Teeth by Michael Crichton

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31287693-dragon-teeth?ac=1&from_search=true

My review is here.

19. Dragonwatch by Brandon Mull

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29563587-dragonwatch?from_search=true

My review is here.

20. These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24187925-these-shallow-graves?from_search=true

My review is here.

22. Wild by Cheryl Strayed

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12262741-wild?from_search=true

My review is here.

23. Fantastic Beasts by J.K. Rowling

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29363501-fantastic-beasts-and-where-to-find-them?ac=1&from_search=true

My review is here.

24. Midnight Crossroad by Charlaine Harris

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18107951-midnight-crossroad?from_search=true

My review is here.

25. I Work at a Public Library By Gina Sheridan

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19507861-i-work-at-a-public-library

My review is here.

#'s I didn't finish: 4, 9, 21, & 26

Reading Resolutions 2018

I'm not a huge fan of making new years resolutions,I never have been. Generally you always pick something that is really out of your reach then you're disappointed that you didn't completely some big amazing goal that was never going to happen in the first place. That being said I do have some things that I'd like to do in 2018 that will make me a better Librarian, Blogger, & person...I hope! So here are my Reading Resolutions of 2018.

1. Read more! 

To me this one is very obvious. In 2016 I set my Goodreads Reading Challenge goal to 50 books & I surpassed it. So in 2017 I set it to 60 & only read 36 books. So this year I'm hoping to read 40 & maybe more. If I hit 40 that's about 3 a month which is a good goal for me.

2. Don't check out so many books

This is a 2 part goal along with my #3. Working in a library is hard & dangerous for an avid reader like me. Everyday you see hundreds of books & out of those about half you either have read or desperately want to read. Unfortunately there isn't enough time in one day. 

3. And then don't even read them!

Part 2 to the above resolution. Not only am I checking out a couple dozen books a month, I'm not even reading them...I'm just looking at them & then returning them. Don't get me wrong I really want to read them but on top of work, my house, etc there just isn't enough time. So I pine away for them wanting to get into their pages but never getting there. 

4. Blog new stuff

I'm hoping to blog more in 2018 & do more than reviews. I've got some new ideas so stay tuned for those. 

5. Stick to &/or complete my TBR's

This past year I would put 10 books on my monthly TBR...hahahahhaha...like I was ever gonna read all that. See what I mean about goals, they must be attainable! So this year I'm thinking about sticking to 3 books on my TBR & if I finish them then great but if I read more that's gonna be a great surprise for me & you.

6. Try new genre's

As you can probably tell if you've been following me for a little bit I pretty much only read YA books. And as of late I have been reading mostly/all fantasy in whatever form. That is partially due to the fact that YA literature is migrating towards that & out of its dystopian phase. But with the new book club I'm starting at the library I will be reading different stuff each month. Who knows maybe I'll even like it!

7. Read more ebooks

I recently discovered that my library has added like 300 new YA books that I have been wanting to read to YEARS to it's online ebook server. So I added a bunch to my wishlist & I'm gonna try & get through them while they are available for FREE with my library card. If you have a library card you should see if your library offers something similar. My library uses the Cloud Library previously know as 3M. 

8. Get new bookshelf & condense (hopefully)

In my house I have 3 bookcases...3...I'm hoping to cleanse my life & condense that down to one bigger shelf & get rid of the other 3 small ones. Most of the books I have I have had for years from working in libraries & buying used books. Wish me luck!

January 2018 TBR

For this first month of the new year I'm going to finish the book I started in December & read 2 more books. One of the books I'm going to be reading is for a new book club I'm starting at the library. Stay tuned for more info on that later.

Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31450852-tower-of-dawn?from_search=true

The 100 by Kass Morgan

I recently started watching the TV show & I am hooked!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17332969-the-100?ac=1&from_search=true

Me Before You by JoJo Moyers

This is the book I'm reading for our new book club called The Book Was Better!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15507958-me-before-you?ac=1&from_search=true

December 2017 Wrap-Up

This month I set my TBR pretty low so that I could actually achieve it & maybe add in 1 or 2 more books. I was able to finish both of the books I had planned on & get about halfway through another one. These are the books I finished off 2017 with...

Night Shift by Charlaine Harris 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25250449-night-shift

My review can be found here.

Lost In a Book by Jennifer Donnelly

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33412061-beauty-and-the-beast?ac=1&from_search=true

My review can be found here.

Lost in a Book by Jennifer Donnelly

Lost in a Book

Author: Jennifer Donnelly
Publisher: Disney Enterprise Inc.
Year: 2017
Genre: Fairytale Retelling
Age: YA 13+
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I've previously read the book These Shallow Graves by this author & I enjoyed that book as well. I was very excited when I heard this book was coming out so I'm happy my library got it so I could read it. It took me a long time...like a month...to read this book. Not because I didn't like it or wasn't interested. I just didn't sit down & devote the time to reading it. Once I finally did it went by very fast, I read most of it in one sitting.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This isn't the story you know. Donnelly takes the classic Disney tale & gives it a dark new twist that we've never seen before.

The story begins with two sisters, Love & Death. They have a wager going on to see who will win. Will Love conquer all & free the Beast & his servants from the curse? Or will Death consume Belle through the pages of a mysterious book?

Once we know whats at stake we jump forward to the Beast giving Belle the beautiful library that every book lover dreams about! No one knows what stories are hidden amongest the shelves just waiting to be read. In the Librarians old workroom Belle finds the enchanted book Nevermore. Once she opens its pags she is transported to a magical new realm. There she finds an escape from the dark, dusty, & depressing life she has in the Beast's castle. In Nevermore she meets some new "friends" including a handsome duke named Henri & a countess who is her gracious host in this new world. But the countess in none other than Death herself.

It's not long before Belle is entranced by the countess & all she has to offer in her world of magic, fancy gowns, delicious food, & delight every day. Belle never wants to leave & the countess feels the same. But Belle has grown attached to her friends back at the castle. So she finds herself traveling between realms trying to decide which world holds the key to her future.

Death has other plans for Belle & it's not long before she becomes trapped within the ages of Nevermore. But the once magical & exciting world has transformed into Death's realm of darkness. Belle's new friends are just puppets in this game & she is about to become one herself. The Beast along with our favorite cast if characters Lumiere, Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts, Chip & the others must find her before its too late.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Likes: This version of the story is unlike any we've ever read before. It starts out traditional & by the end it takes a turn much like Neil Gaiman's book Coraline.

There are traditional characters like Lumiere & we get to see some new ones like a helpful spider named Aranae & his beetle companion Lucanos.

The chapters in this book are pretty short so that makes it go by fast.

With stunning originality & some funny moments this book is sure to be a new classic.

Dislikes: -

Rating:

Night Shift by Charlaine Harris

Night Shift

Author: Charlaine Harris
Publisher: ACE (Penguin Random House)
Year: 2016
Genre: Fantasy/Mystery
Age: 18+
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is the third & final book in the Midnight Texas trilogy.

I originally started reading this series after watching the show on television & really enjoying it. I have listened to all the books on audio in combination with reading them when the audio isn't available. The reader Susan Bennett is pretty good with voices & overall I enjoyed her reading.

I would also highly recommend the show. It was fabulous. Although I will say this the show encompasses all 3 books into 10 episodes which are very fast paced & there are some differences but both mediums were enjoyable.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We begin this final book back in Midnight with our supernatural friends & enemies. Evil is rising in Midnight...literally. It has been historically shown that crossroads like the one Midnight sits on are places where evil lurks beneath the surface. This is because crossroads are where people commit suicide, are killed to give example, mass burials are found, & other supernatural happenings occur. Midnight is no exception to this fact.

250 years ago a powerful witch used a spell along with a ritual to seal the demon Colconnar in the plane that exists with ours. Now on the night of Samhain, a night every year were the vail between realms is thin, which also happens to be Halloween the demon shall rise again unless the people of Midnight can stop it.

The trouble begins when people start being called to the crossroad by the demon to kill themselves as a sacrifice to him. This killing & blood gives him power that he can use to break through & return to this realm. The Midnighters are determined to stop this from happening as well as save the people effected by the calling. It will take all of them & all they have to make this happen.

Along with the demon fighting we also learn more about Olivia in this book & what is going on with the Reed family, as well as the new guy in town, Sylvester Ravenwing, working at the Gas N Go. Olivia's story has been developing for sometime so there is no surprises there. But we learn who this newcomer Ravenwing is & why he plays a significant part in trapping the demon.

Overall it is a happy ending for the town as well as the end of the story. The ending is very similar to the show which made me happy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Likes: There was nothing about this book that I didn't like. We get some loose ends of the story tied up, there's a blossoming love story, plus the demon is vanquished never to return again...we hope.

I am a little sad the story is over. But at the same time I'm glad it didn't drag on like the Sookie Stackhouse series (it was so long I never finished it).

Dislikes: This was not a dislike for me but it may be for some...there is a sex scene at the very end of the story as well as 2 teenagers having sex throughout the book. The descriptions are not graphic but they are there. So if that bothers you or you would like to recommend this book to others. This book had the most sex in it out of all 3 of them.

Rating:

Most Anticipated Books of 2018

Each year I eagerly await the release of that years best YA books. Most of them I get from my library but some of them I like enough based on the author or description that I pre-order them for myself. This is a list of the books I'm most looking forward too in the coming year (so far)... 

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26032825-the-cruel-prince?ac=1&from_search=true

Other than The Spiderwick Chronicles I had never read a Holly Black book until last year. I discovered that I really like her writing so I'm looking forward to this one. 

 The Forgotten Book by Mechthild Glaser

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36023032-the-forgotten-book?ac=1&from_search=true

I received an ARC of The Book Jumper but never got a chance to read it. So I'm planning on reading that one & this one next year. 

 Puddin by Julie Murphy

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28269171-puddin?from_search=true

I read Dumplin last year after hearing about it at a conference & it was adorable. I'm excited to read more!

 Catwoman: Soulstealer by Sarah J. Maas

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29749098-catwoman?ac=1&from_search=true

I haven;t read the other 2 books in this DC Icons series but I'm not super sure you have to. I'm not a big superhero person but SJM wrote this one so duh I have to read it!

 Beast by Lisa Jensen

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31019831-beast?ac=1&from_search=true

There had to be a fairytale retelling on my list!

Everless by Sara Holland

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32320661-everless?from_search=true 

I have been hearing SOOOOO much about this book & I'm super excited for it! 

Surprise Me by Sophie Kinsella

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35411583-surprise-me?ac=1&from_search=true

I really enjoy her books! I've read a few in the last year & I hope to read them all/read more in the coming year including this one. 

 The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35297394-the-wicked-deep?from_search=true

Hocus Pocus meets Practical Magic...enough said...I'm in love already!

 Nightblood by Elly Blake

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36139392-nightblood?ac=1&from_search=true

This is book #3 in the Frostblood Saga. This is another series that I own the first book but have never started reading it because I was waiting for the end that is finally here!

 Sea Witch by Sarah Henning

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36502054-sea-witch?ac=1&from_search=true

This is one of the 2 standalone books on the list. Sometimes you need a good standalone. 

 Throne of Glass #7 by Sarah J. Maas

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33590260-untitled?from_search=true

YYYYAAAAASSSSSSSSS!!!!! I'm so excited for this series to finally be over & to find out what happens after the cliffhanger in Empire of Storms. 

 Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32505753-ash-princess?from_search=true

There are a lot of books like this coming out in the next year. Princess with powers, betrayal, love, danger, etc. 

 War Storm by Victoria Aveyard

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27188596-war-storm?from_search=true

I pre-ordered Red Queen when it first came out a few years ago & read it in 1 sitting. I haven't read any of the others because I was waiting for them all to come out. This is the final book in the series. 

Untitled Renegades #2 by Marissa Meyer

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35425827-untitled

I ordered the first book in this series this year but haven't had a chance to read it yet. But I order all of her books regardless because I love her!

A Court of Frost & Starlight by Sarah J. Maas

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31076583-a-court-of-frost-and-starlight?ac=1&from_search=true

I LOVE THIS SERIES!!!! SO EXCITED!!!!

Queens of Fennbirn by Kendare Blake

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36099688-queens-of-fennbirn?ac=1&from_search=true

This is book #3 in the Three Dark Crowns series. I haven't read any of the others in this series because I'm waiting for them all to come out before I start. 

The Cursed Sea by Lauren DeStefano

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36039317-the-cursed-sea?ac=1&from_search=true

This is book #2 in The Glass Spare series. I haven;t read the first one yet but I'm excited to read it & then hopefully continue the series.