2017: A Year in Review

I enjoyed answering Jamie's (The Perpetual Page Turner) End of the Year Survey in past years and decided to join in again this year.  I did alter some of the questions and subtracted a few to make it my own.

Some Fun Meaningless 2017 Reading Statistics:

Number Of Books Read: 70
- per Goodreads, my actual total came to 231* books read, 161 of which were children's books. I am not counting these in the below stats.

*statistic is probably slightly lower than reality given I did not start counting re-reads of children's books until the middle of the year. 

Genre Read The Most From:

(Some of what I read falls under more than one genre. Here, I count them under the genre I most identified with the book, Also of note, my categorization of each book by sub-genre using broad definitions).

Fiction - 21

• 9 Historical Fiction
• 7 Contemporary Fiction (Literary, Women's, General)
• 3 Classics
• 1 Young Adult
• 1 Short Story Collection

Fantasy/Science Fiction - 14

• 4 Science Fiction (1 YA)
• 3 Fantasy Romance
• 2 Urban Fantasy/Mystery
• 1 Graphic Novel
• 1 Compendium/Encyclopedia
• 1 Superhero Fantasy
• 1 High Fantasy
• 1 Short Story Collection with mix of Science Fiction & Fantasy

Romance - 14

• 8 Fantasy Romance
• 4 Holiday Romance
• 1 Romantic Suspense
• 1 Historical

Crime Fiction - 13

• 5 Cozies
• 5 Thrillers
• 2 Historical
• 1 Noir 

Nonfiction - 7

• 4 Memoir
• 2 History
• 1 Psychology

Poetry - 1

Of the book I read, 8 were audio books, 15 were trade paperbacks or hardcover books, and 47 were e-books.

11 of the 70 books I read in 2017 were written by men.
58 of the 70 books I read were written by women.
1 of  the 70 was written by both male and female writers.

 36 of the books I read in 2017 were written in 3rd person point of view.
32 of the books I read were written in 1st person.
2 of the books I read was a mixture of both 1st and 3rd person.

Month I Finished the Most Books: March (10)
Months I Finished the Least Books: February (3) & July (3)

Best In Books

1. Favorite Reads in 2017?

This is one of the questions I most look forward to while at the same time dread answering at the end of each year. Some years, it is an easy decision--the books I rate the highest rise to the top without a second thought. Other years, it is more of a struggle to settle on just 5 or 10. Although I no longer share my ratings on my blog, I still rate every book I read. My top rating, 5 paws, means a book held that "wow" factor for me. This means a book has a combination of good writing, well-developed characters, a memorable setting or world-building, an entertaining or thought provoking story, and one that brings out an array of my emotions. It just so happens that this year 5 books earned my top rating. Here they are in no particular order:

The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See ~ This was the first book I finished reading in 2017, and it was quite a way to kick off the year. Lisa See is among my favorite authors, and this book is the perfect example of why. 

Lisa See has a gift for creating such real characters and offering us an intimate view into their lives. It is impossible not to become emotionally invested in these characters' lives. The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane has so much heart; it is a story about mothers and daughters and the strong bonds of family. It is about tradition as well as progress. And it is about love and fate, as well as being about our choices and their consequences. I loved this book from beginning to end. I hope you will too if you read it. [excerpt from my review]

Monstress, Volume One: Awakening by Marjorie Liu & Sana Takeda ~ I enjoy graphic novels from time to time, and this one has really stuck with me. The world building is intricate and rich, the artwork beautiful, and the story is not only compelling, but complex and thought provoking as well.

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood ~ "What a beautiful and sad book" opens my review of this remarkable book. Written in 1986, it seems eerily relevant today. The Handmaid's Tale is a powerful and thought provoking novel that accentuates how easily human rights and freedoms can be stripped away in the name of protection and "high morals" even in our modern world.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas ~ This is a very relevant and timely novel that feels so necessary in opening and continuing discussion not only about police shootings, but also--and especially--about race relations. It is also about the bonds of family and community, about self-identity, friendship, and so much more. I think everyone should read this book.

The Last Christmas in Paris by Hazel Gaynor & Heather Webb ~ I love historical fiction, and I especially loved this epistolary novel set during World War I about a soldier on the front line and a young woman desperate to find her own role in the war effort at home. I felt a part of their story--right in the middle of the horrors of war, including the helplessness and violence, the fear and grief, as well as seeing the friendship and love grow between them. I hated to see the book end.

2. Book I Was Excited About & Thought I Was Going To Love More But Didn’t?

Two books come to mind, both of which I enjoyed in actuality, but did not love the way I hoped. High expectations? Was it just me? Maybe. Regardless, I eagerly dove into both of these two very different books and came away when finished feeling a bit disappointed I had not liked them more. They are These Violent Delights by Victoria Namkung, a novel about sexual abuse in a boarding school, and Peter Swanson's The Girl With a Clock For a Heart, a noir mystery about a man who cannot say no to a mysterious former girlfriend.


3. Second Chance Books Or Authors That Still Didn't Fare Well?

I thought perhaps the audio version of Aldous Huxley's  Brave New World  would go down better. My several previous attempts to read the book had always ended in utter failure. Well, I finished it. I can now say I read it in its entirety. And I still didn't care for it. 

I had the opportunity to give David Sedaris another try when his book, Holidays on Ice, appeared in the mail one day. I was unable to finish the first book I attempted by him. While I at least finished this one, I have come to the conclusion that this author and I are not a good match.

4. Book I “Pushed” The Most For People To Read? 

While I would like to think I convinced people to read many of the great books I read in 2017, The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas is the one I recommended the most. I might have even told a few people they "MUST read this book." If you haven't, I think you should too.

5. Best series I started in 2017? 

I keep telling myself I need to catch up on my series reading before starting a new series, but I rarely listen, and 2017 was no different. I started (or jumped into) a number of series, and am already hooked with just one book. These three in particular stand out as favorites, although there were several others I plan to continue as well. 

The Book Club Murders by Leslie Nagel was such a fun cozy with a good mystery and a dash of romance mixed in. I quite enjoyed my time with Charley and Marc.

It was thanks to my husband that I read Ancillary Justice (Imperial Radch #1) by Ann Leckie, which fascinated me given the nature of the main character. I am eager to jump in and read more in the series.

Death Below Stairs by Jennifer Ashley was my final book of the year and what a good one it was! I adore Kat Holloway, a cook living in Victorian England, and cannot wait to read more of her adventures.

6. Favorite Authors I Discovered in 2017?

I know I should narrow this list down more, but I I find it impossible to do so any further. All of these amazing authors are new to me, and I definitely plan to read more of their books at some point in the future.

Hazel Gaynor
Heather Webb
Naomi Novik
Louise Erdrich
Leslie Nagel
Juliette Cross
Hannah Dennison
Sarah-Jane Stratford
Ann Leckie
Donato Carrisi
M.R. Carey
Teresa Messineo
Jenn MacKinlay
B.A. Paris
Jenny Colgan
Emma Newman
Marissa Meyer
Peter Swanson
Catherine Anderson
Jennifer Ashley

7. Most Memorable Character?

Melody from M.R. Carey's The Girl With All The Gifts. If you have read this book, you understand why. What a smart and amazing young girl and a heartbreaking story!



8. Author or Series I Binged On This Year?

I read seven books by Juliette Cross this past spring, many of which were novellas. I read what books I could find in the Vale of Stars series as well as The Nightwing trilogy. I could not help myself. I was addicted to the fantasy world Juliette Cross had created in her Morgon world. I followed those up with the first in her new vampire series,  The Black Lily, which I also enjoyed.

9. Most Thrilling/Unputdownable Book of the Year?

I read a number of hard to put down books in 2017, but without a doubt Shadowed by Karen E. Olson earns the spot for this category. Right from the first page, I found it impossible to put this book down. It was one tense moment after another as the main character tried to keep one step ahead of the people chasing her. 

10. Top Five Favorite Covers of Books I Read in 2017?

The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See

Mr. Dickens and His Carol by Samantha Silva

Radio Girls by Sarah-Jane Stratford

Monstress, Volume One: Awakening by Marjorie Liu & Sana Takeda

A Death By Any Other Name by Tessa Arlen

11. Book I Can’t Believe I Waited UNTIL 2017 to Finally Read?

It took me forever to finally get around to reading these two gems which had been sitting on my TBR shelf for a long while. I was motivated to read Susan Cain's Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking along with another book blogger as part of a read-along, and am so glad I did. 

I was determined to read Marissa Meyer's Cinder this year and, thanks to all of you who voted in my October TBR List poll, I did just that. Thank you!

12. Shortest Book I Read in 2017? 

Foley, Laura - WTF: Poems - 34 pgs

13.  Longest Book I Read In 2017?

Blum, Jenna - Those Who Save Us - 479 pgs

14. Best World-building/Most Vivid Setting I Read This Year?

I think my favorite aspect of Uprooted by Naomi Novik is its tie to folklore, however the world building, particularly that of the live forest especially intrigued me. Novik has created a rich world that I lost myself in as I was reading.

I cannot help but also mention LaRose by Louise Erdrich, which was half a point shy of being a 5 paw read for me. Erdrich's writing is beautiful. She drew me in, and I could feel what her characters were feeling and experienced what they were going through so vividly. It took me awhile to recover after finishing LaRose s a result.

15. Character I Would Most Like to Cook For Me?

Oh, how I wish I could hire someone like Mrs. Holloway from Jennifer Ashley's Death Below Stairs to cook meals for my family. Not only is she a hard worker, but she sounds like a delicious cook. I wouldn't mind spending time chatting with her in the kitchen either. 

For pastries and desserts, however, I would insist on having Polly Waterford from Jenny Colgan's Christmas At Little Beach Street Bakery on speed dial. 

16. Book That Put A Smile On My Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?

Radio Girls by Sarah-Jane Stratford was such a fun and entertaining read. Not to mention a look into the the early days of the BBC, including the life of Hilda Matheson (a side character, perhaps, but a fascinating one especially as it is based on the real life woman).

I would love to know what your favorite reads of 2017 were! Please share a link to your favorite's list below if you posted one--or just tell me in the comments. Did we read any of the same books? If so, what did you think?

My Blogging Bookish Life

Two thousand seventeen was the year of mostly escapist reading as the world outside of books seemed to spiral downward: violence, uncertainty, anger, frustration and grief filling our reality.  The end of the year was especially looking pretty grim on the personal front, having to say goodbye to my dear Parker, work related stresses, health issues, and my mother's cancer returning. But then there was light. My mom's first surgery was a success and her prognosis is good. She still has another surgery and radiation to get through, but we are optimistic. My husband ended the year with a job promotion, which is great news for our family.

In 2017, I read more romance novels and cozy mysteries. I ventured into science fiction, a genre I had long neglected, and I turned to humorous and inspiring nonfiction. I continued to read inspiring fiction, reading books by new-to-me authors as well as old favorites.

I refrained from joining any reading challenges, wanting instead to read at whim. I took part in very few book tours--and felt great freedom in that. While I still reviewed books via NetGalley and the occasional author or publisher, I felt less tied to any deadlines. I also was gentler with myself when it came to my blog. I gave up following my stats years ago, which in and of itself lifted a lot of stress off my shoulders, but I still feel bad (and guilty) when I fail to post regularly or stay on top of comments--or even reciprocate comments. As every book blogger knows, however, life does get in the way sometimes, and sacrifices have to be made. Keeping that in mind and giving myself permission to start where I was instead of always trying to catch up when I got far behind helped with my guilt considerably.

In 2017, I began tracking the books I read with my daughter, which gave a huge boost to my Goodreads reading total. My daughter and I enjoyed exploring a variety of children's books together, some new and others classics.

I published 177 blog posts. September was my most prolific month with 24 posts, and July was my slowest with only 5 posts.

It was the third year of my Going Postal Mail Club, and it was another successful one (and it is still going--one more round to go for this cycle because of a late start). Each member selects a book and mails it along with a journal to their specified person on the club member list. We have two months to read the book, journal our thoughts, and then we mail the book to the next person on the list. Like in past years, the books chosen were not necessarily ones on my radar, and some were even ones I would have passed over completely otherwise. That is part of the fun of being a part of a group like this.

Going Postal Mail Club books read in 2017:

•  The Story of a Brief Marriage by Anuk Arudpragasam (my pick - read in 2016)
• The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens
•  Etched On Me by Jenn Crowell
• Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris
• Miss Jane by Brad Watson
• Lust and Wonder by Augusten Burroughs

In 2017, I continued to take part in Michelle's My TBR List Meme at Because Reading, enlisting your help in choosing one book each month to read. I really enjoyed having you take an active part in selecting what I would read. It can be difficult to choose on my own with so many choices. You wouldn't believe the amount of time I can waste in deciding. Or maybe you can . . . I am grateful to Michelle for coming up with the idea. I plan to continue to participate in the meme in 2018, and hope you will join me! 

Books Read Because Of You (My TBR List Poll Winners of 2017):

• January: As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride by Cary Elwes & Joe Layden
• February: Read to Death by Terrie Farley Moran
• March: The Book Club Murders by Leslie Nagel
• April: The Girls Next Door by Mel Sherratt
• May: Radio Girls by Sarah-Jane Stratford
• June: The Lost Girls of Rome by Donato Carrisi
• July: The Girl With All The Gifts by M.R. Carey
• August: The Girl With a Clock For a Heart by Peter Swanson
• September: Owl and the Japanese Circus by Kristi Charish
• October: Cinder by Marissa Meyer
• November: Snowfall on Haven Point by RaeAnne Thayne
• December: Death Below Stairs by Jennifer Ashley

I always find when I look back over my year of reading, it seems like so long ago I read many of the books. Was it really just this year? It was a long year overall, although my reading was fairly steady.  Overall, I think it was a good reading year. I read some exceptional books.

In 2017, I took on a word to define my year: Create. I had high hopes and big plans. I wanted to write more and explore my creative side a bit more, applying my word to my work and personal lives. It was my only real goal, you could say. I may have blogged slightly more, but ultimately, my word got lost and forgotten somewhere along the way. Instead of feeling bad about it though, I am of the mind that it just wasn't meant to be. I have tossed the idea of finding a new word around, but I think I will leave that for others who are more motivated and up to the challenge.

Throughout the year, I made some new book blogger friends and enjoyed spending time with my older ones. I tried out new memes, posted reviews, and added pages and pages of books to my wish list. You, my readers, helped me through the roughest of times this year and celebrated my joys right alongside me. You are all amazing and wonderful people. I am glad to be a part of the book blogging community. Thank you for your support and for taking the time to visit me here at my little spot on the internet.

Looking Ahead

I am excited to see where my reading will take me in 2018. Several authors whose work I enjoy have new books coming out, and I always enjoy my time spent with you all.

I am hesitant to come up with reading goals as I tend to rebel against them once they are in place. It is that feeling of obligation that creeps in if I am not careful, I think. Still, I am setting some simple ones for 2018--rather loose ones so that I do not feel too pressured.

Reading Goals:

• Early in 2017, I had joined the Classics Club, committing to read 50 classics within five years. I have only read two that qualify to date. I would like to spend more time reading the classics on my list this year. I have some really fun ones to get to, and am feeling hopeful I can motivate myself to read them. 
• Complete the  #COYER Winter Switch Challenge.
• Complete the  What's In a Name Challenge.
• Complete as many categories as I can in The Grand World of Books' Book Bingo 2018.
• Complete as many categories as I can in Unruly Reader Book Bingo.
• Complete the Witches and Witchcraft Reading Challenge (sign-up post pending). 
• Read at least one chunkster (500+) pages I have been putting off  (the key here being one I have been putting off).
• Catch up on at least two favorite series (I'm leaving it open, but Sue Grafton's Kinsey Milhone series is at the to of my list).
• Increase the number of audio books I listen to.

I have not ruled out joining another challenge or two, but for now I am content with just the five, which sounds like a lot, but it really isn't when you consider the challenges I have signed up for.

I am thinking of starting a bullet and gratitude journal to help me with productivity and organization. Will it simplify my life or be yet another distraction, I wonder? I think it might be beneficial in some respects, so I may give it a try and see how it goes. Admittedly, my ideas of what I want to include might already be going a bit overboard . . .

My family and I will be bringing in the New Year at home, probably bringing in the New Year with the East Coast and turning in early. We will be celebrating with sparkling cider and sundaes. And banging the pots and pans at 9:00 p.m. on the dot, wishing each other a Happy New Year. I wish the same for you. May 2018 be filled with light. Happy Reading!

• How did your reading year shape up in 2017? 
• Do you have any reading goals for 2018?  
• Do you keep a bullet journal? Is it working for you? 
• How are you bringing in the New Year? 

I wish you all a productive and wonderful New Year!

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© 2017, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.