December 19, 2017

Tell Me Something Tuesday: Best Books of 2017

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post on Rainy Day Ramblings, where the blog's owner Heidi discusses a wide range of topics from books to blogging. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog.
Here is what is on deck this week:

BEST BOOKS OF 2017

I didn't read many new books this year (or many books at all), since I can't treat myself with them as often as I would like. But there are at least five of them that I either rated 4.5 or 5 stars, and three were by debut authors (which is why I didn't do a separate post for them on November 28th). Oh, BTW, they're either YA or NA (but not your usual college-girls-anxious-to-get-laid NA 😉. The "genre" is changing, y'all. Let's celebrate!). Here are some excerpts from my reviews, with brand new notes and a link to the whole thing if you're interested. I hope you'll find something that meets your tastes in here!

Title: The Outs  [on Amazon | on Goodreads]
Series: None
Author: E.S. Wesley [Site | Goodreads]
Genres: Sci-Fi, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
Year: 2017
Age: 14+
Stars: 5/5
Pros: Fresh premise. Strong blend of sci-fi, fantasy and paranormal. Imaginative, hectic story without a dull moment. Tridimensional (and diverse) characters. Focus on friendship and loyalty.
Cons: Might seem a bit frenzied and confusing to some. Concise writing with short sentences might not appeal to everyone.
WARNING! Gory and scary in parts, with gruesome deaths and suicide.
Will appeal to: Those who are looking for a breathtaking story with a strong accent on friendship and an unusual heroine.
Note: Wesley is a debut author. After publishing The Outs, he got his big break when Simon & Schuster picked his first MG novel The Hotel Between (that he wrote under the name Sean Easley), now scheduled for 2018. That one sounds fantastic - it's a pity that my blog doesn't review MG. But if yours does, I strongly encourage you to look it up!
Read my whole review here.

Title: Deadgirl: Goneward [on Amazon | on Goodreads]
Series: Deadgirl (3rd of 4 books)
Author: B.C. Johnson [Site | Goodreads]
Genres: Afterlife, Supernatural, Urban Fantasy, Contemporary
Year: 2017
Age: 14+
Stars: 5/5
Pros: Imaginative plot. Strong mix of adventure and paranormal occurrences with focus on friendship. Characters manage to feel realistic in the middle of mayhem, and will warm your heart.
Cons: Very dark in places (though tempered with funny dialogue/inner monologue). Some chapters (especially the first ones) might sound confusing due to time and perspective shift.
WARNING! Horror and heartbreak around the corner. Some language.
Will appeal to: Those who enjoy a mix of laughters and tears, action and strong feelings. Those who like brave teens who don't pose as heroes.
Note: this is one of my favourite series ever. I strongly recommend you to read it for the good of your soul. Seriously...it's in order to sing the praises of books like this that I started my own blog, because it breaks my heart that they're so underrated just because they aren't backed by a bigwig press with all the artificially generated hype (/end of rant). Book 4, Deadgirl: Daybreak, will be out in the spring.
Read my whole review here. You'll find links to the previous installments in there as well.

Title: The Switch [on Amazon | on Goodreads]
Series: None
Author: A.W. Hill & Nathanael Hill [Site | Goodreads]
Genres: Multiverse
Year: 2017
Age: 12+
Stars: 4.5/5
Pros: Rich, impassioned tale where science (real and potential) meets philosophy, adventure, danger, friendship and a touch of romance. Characters with authentic voices who get under your skin.
Cons: Might require a re-read in order to grasp all the concepts. Some of the alternate realities are not accounted for.
Will appeal to: Those who like to rack their brains. Those who are in for a great adventure with a number of twists (well...switches 😉) and a lot of soul.
Note: another debut book, at least as a father/son collaboration. The son, Nathanael Hill, inspired the story. Multiverse books are tricky, but this one is a gem.
Read my whole review here.

Title: Child of Nod [on Amazon | on Goodreads]
Series: The Balance (1st of 3 books)
Author: C.W. Snyder [Site | Goodreads]
Genres: Afterlife, Fantasy, Mythology
Year: 2017
Age: 14+ (it's marketed as NA, but since I don't have a NA section on my blog, I shelved it as YA. However, it's a complex and dark fable that will appeal to adults as well)
Stars: 4.5/5
Pros: Imaginative, multilayered tale weaving lots of literary and mythological references into a fresh story. Evocative prose.
Cons: All the different characters and their stories - and Nod's many facets - might not come together smoothly until a second read.
WARNING! Contains elements of horror and gore.
Will appeal to: Both the young and the adult reader seeking a strong, dark-but-poetic example of revisited and enhanced tropes.
Note: again, a debut book. It's not really NA, and it's not an easy one to label anyway. But it's interesting and has a distinctive voice. C.W. Snyder is an author to watch.
Read my whole review here.

Title: Mayhem's Children [on Amazon | on Goodreads]
Series: Mayhem Wave (3rd of 5 books)
Author: Edward Aubry [Facebook | Goodreads]
Genres: Urban Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Year: 2017
Age: 14+ (note: Book 1 was marketed as a YA/NA crossover. The series is progressively becoming more mature, but I would say that Book 3 covers all the spectrum from teen to adult. NA will do - especially since one of the leads is 23)
Stars: 4.5/5
Pros: As in Book 1 and 2, quirky and audacious blend of post-apocalypse, technology and magic. Characters who are easy to empathise with. Never a dull moment.
Cons: The blend I mentioned might not work for everyone - and it's even more audacious here than before.
WARNING! Some gore and mature themes. There's talk of sex, but only some kissing on screen.
Will appeal to: Those who like imaginative worlds, lots of twists and turns, strong female characters and enemies-to-lovers F/F romances. Those who are looking for a fresh approach to post-apocalypse.
Note: so far, I've read a few series that cross the gap between sci-fi and fantasy. Mayhem Wave is one of the best, with the two worlds mingling quite effortlessly, even when outrageous things happen and unexpected creatures show up. I think the mix works because the author is fully invested in his story and has a sympathetic eye...especially when it comes to women.
Read my whole review here. You'll find links to the previous installments in there as well.

Now tell me something...which books did you like the most in 2017? did you try any debut authors this year? and were they good?

4 comments:

  1. Mayhem (the first one at least and Child of Nod are both on Kindle Unlimited so I downloaded them...reading is another story lol but I will try!

    I don't think I remember The Switch though. Hmmmm

    It was kind of a stressful year so I glommed romances but I tend to forget them after so I'd really have to think hard about my favorites this past year.

    That's not a slam against romances btw - I love them and they give me a much needed escape but I read so fast and yeah...they tend to run together.

    For What It's Worth

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope you'll get to them eventually - maybe when you're in the mood for something different.

      As for romances, I'm sure they're not the only books that tend to run together...copycats are everywhere, not to mention "trends"...

      Delete
  2. What a nice list! I'm so excited to have read something on it! The rest of the Deadgirl series and Child of Nod are for sure on my TBR, thanks to your blog. <3 I probably won't make a list until New Year's or close to it... I still have time to cram in a few more books!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm excited that someone who visits my blog ACTUALLY has read/plans on reading some book on this list LOL. And I suspect yours will be much longer...😉

      Delete

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