Tuesday, June 27, 2017

Top Ten Tuesday: Best Books I've Read In 2017 So Far

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly linkup of book bloggers hosted by The Broke and The Bookish! Now that we're about halfway through 2017, this week we're looking back at the reading year so far and picking out the highlights. I've read some really great books this year...here are my ten faves for now and looking forward to even more in the next six months!



Americanah: This is a book I've had on my shelf for a long time and expected to love and once I read it, I did love it. It's so nice when a book meets expectations that have been set very high from years of praise. 

Between The World and Me: This was a book club pick (it was on my own TBR but got scooted up the list) and it's a searing indictment of race relations in the US. I found it occasionally difficult to read but all the more important for it. Extremely powerful. 

The Bear and the Nightingale: This debut novel, set in a fantasy version of medieval Russia where the creatures of Slavic folklore are real, was something I read early in the year that I just loved. Fantastic world, awesome heroine, solid writing. And the sequel comes out in December!

City of Thieves: Another Russian-set book, this one takes place during the siege of Leningrad. A Jewish teenager and a young Cossack army officer, both in trouble for reasons of their own, are sent on a seemingly impossible quest for food in the starving city. Adventure ensues. Man-quests don't tend to be my happy place but this is very charming. 

Chemistry: Another debut, this book's nameless narrator is a Ph.D. student at a top tier university when she has a mental breakdown that forces her to really think about her life and what she wants from it for the first time instead of just following the path set out for her. It's easy to read, but packs a punch.

Moonglow: My first-ever Michael Chabon novel and I loved it and want to read more of his work. I've heard that Kavalier and Clay is his best and that just so happens to be coming up reallllly soon on my TBR!

Big Little Lies: I still haven't watched the show, but it seemed interesting enough that I snagged a copy of the book. This genre tends to be not my deal, but I did enjoy the mommy wars with surprisingly dark themes. 

If We Were Villains: This was clearly inspired by The Secret History and while it didn't live up to that book's greatness, this was an enjoyable read nonetheless. 

Mrs. Dalloway: You know those books that you read and enjoy and can already anticipate reading again and getting more out of every time you do? This is one of those.

The Man Without A Face: More Russia, but this time non-fiction, about the rise of Vladimir Putin. Topical and timely and fascinating. 

8 comments:

  1. Great list! I really want to read the Bear and the Nightingale soon!

    Here’s my TTT!

    Ronyell @ Rabbit Ears Book Blog

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    1. It's really good, and I'm super stoked for the sequel!

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  2. Yay for If We Were Villains! And the Putin book sounds really interesting as well...also Moonglow, which I keep hearing I might like and then keep not reading.

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    1. The Putin book was fascinating, and made me want to read more about Russia past and present. Moonglow is something I'd recommend, it was really good, but maybe after it comes out in paperback?

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  3. Oo yay I'm glad to hear you enjoyed Americanah - it's on my TBR! Another of Adichie's books made list this week. =) I have a review copy of The Bear and the Nightingale to read, too, but I think I'm going to wait for the colder weather. Great list!

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    1. Americanah was really wonderful. I've got copies of her other work but haven't read it yet. I think Bear and Nightingale would go perfectly with a frosty day :)

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  4. I’m glad you liked The Bear and The Nightingale. It’s on my TBR list because I’ve heard that it’s atmospheric and well-written.

    Aj @ Read All The Things!

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    1. I tend to enjoy stories based on folklore and fairy tales, so that was the draw for me. But the main character is great and the writing was good and it was one of those that I read and immediately checked for a sequel because I didn't want to leave the world she'd created!

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