2017 Review - Looking Back on My Reading Year

This year has been pretty steady for me, but only when it comes to reading.  My actual blogging has taken a backseat, which is very much due to the year that I've had and my changing feelings on reviewing/blogging about books.  But that's for another time and another post; let's look at all the books I managed to read in 2017!

Lucky for me, (as I am lazy and bad at making graphics), Goodreads made a handy "My Year in Books":

So I read a total of 69 books this year with a total of 20,666 pages.  The average length of my books was 300.  This makes sense as I read mostly YA, which is around 300-350 pages per book, typically.

I know for some people out there, 69 (which is a horrible number to end on) is not a large amount.  But for me, and my recent spats of slumps, this was a landmark amount.  Also, it's 14 books more than I read in 2016, so I'm glad my numbers are going back up!

Here are all the actual books:

So out of the 69 books I read this is how it breaks down format wise:

 ARCs - 4

Graphic Novels - 12

Novels -15

Audiobooks - 38

Then, the age-range was:

Adult - 7

Young Adult - 62

Finally, the genre breakdowns:

Non-Fiction - 2

        Memoir - 1

        Poetry - 1

Fiction - 67

        Contemporary - 25

        Fantasy - 22

        Sci-Fi - 10

        Horror/Supernatural - 10

Some of this surprised me and some of it didn't.  I've always been a huge reader of Young Adult, but this year I didn't read any Middle Grade, which is unusual.  Fantasy has always been one of my favorite genres, but Contemporary beat it out this year.  I also read more Horror/Supernatural than I have in the past, which was due to my participation in the Spookathon (hosted by BooksandLaLa, Bookerly, and Paige's Pages).  

Overall, the biggest change in my reading this year was all the audiobooks I read.  With my move back home, I have a an hour drive back and forth to work, so I have a good chunk of time to listen to books.  I also finally got my Overdrive account to work on my phone, so I take advantage of that all the time!  It's just so much easier listening to audio, than reading a physical book because I'm so exhausted when I get home.

But I have found that the narrator and style of book makes or breaks the audio.  Not all books translate great in audio format, in my opinion (like any of the The Witchlands series by Susan Dennard; great books, too hard to listen to with the weird accent the narrator puts on).

And while I may not have given each of the books a full review, I did enjoy some more than others.  Looking at the whole list, I've managed to narrow done my top 10 favorites read in 2017.

In no particular order:

1. The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness
2. There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins
3. Shadowshaper by Daniel José Older
4. Simon Vs the Homo-Sapiens Agenda by  Becky Albertalli
5. Still-Life with Tornado by A.S. King
6. When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon
7. One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus
8. Power Up by Kate Leth & Matt Cummings
9. Heartless by Marissa Meyer
10. The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon

So that's it for my little look back on 2017.  I've set a new goal for 2018 of 70 books.  I'm going to try to add 10 more each year, until I'm back up to the 100 a year I use to read.  So far, I am two in, so I am officially one book ahead of schedule!

I hope your 2017 reading year was awesome, and that 2018 will be even more so! 

HAPPY READING!

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#Spookathon Update 2!

So it is 4 days in (I got my dates mixed up earlier....oops!) and I have finished 3 books (see my previous #Spookathon update!  I have only 2 more books for the actual challenges, and then my bonus book to finish!  If I don't get to the bonus, I won't be upset, but I really want to finish all my challenge books.

Finished

  This was not what I was expecting from Stephanie Perkins.  She is the queen of the cute contemporary romances, and this was definitely a thriller with all the violence and murder that goes along with that.  But some of her roots showed, as there was a sweet romance between the main character, Makani, and the "outcast" at school, Ollie.  But boy, beyond that, this was way more than my expectations.

It was pulse-racing, freaky, and bloody.  The who and why behind the murders felt real in it's psychosis.  And there's even another layer besides the current murders to explore in Makani's background.  So secrets and surprises are all over the place, and I. loved. every. minute. of. it!

Five/Five Stars

  Another book that wasn't what I was expecting.  Based on the book blurb, the reader doesn't really know what the book is about.  But if it were any other way, the story would be ruined.  I'd classify this as a mystery with a paranormal edge to it, so while not as bloody, still riveting in it's plot!  Will, the main character, is very paranoid, which ratchets up the tension through the whole book as you see the events unfold through his eyes.  Each character represents a different fear that many humans have and while none are as rounded out as Will, they are essential to the ending of the story.

I can't really say more than that or I'll ruin the experience.  This is one where you are left in the dark a lot, but as soon as the spotlight hits, you'll be gasping.  Loved the twist at the end, and there's even a whole app you can download to explore the world of Dark Eden, which is a cool tie-in.  Check it out here!  Also, there is a sequel, Dark Eden: Eve of Destruction, that I am going to download on audio immediately!

Four/Five Stars 

Currently Reading

  I adore anthology books, and I also love to hate a good villain.  So this one is right up my alley.  I also like the concept here, where the authors are given a prompt by the booktuber to base a story on, and then the booktubers write an essay exploring a side of villains.  I've only gotten to like page 4, but I'm enjoying it so far!

  So this is probably the book that is going to not get finished for #Spookathon.  I have this weird relationship with John Green books; I get really excited about them, but then leave them on my shelf for months.  I'm trying to break this cycle because this one sounds so great, and I'm about 10 pages in.  But I can feel myself wanting to put the book down and breathe already.  It's such an annoying feeling, and it only really happens with me and John Green books.

To Be Read

  This is my bonus book for #Spookathon, and I really want to start reading it!  I think it'll be delightfully creepy, and I have been here for that this spoopy season!  Also, I have heard so many good things about Kendare Blake's writing, so I want to dive in!  but I should probably finish my actual challenge books first.......

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BLOG TOUR --- Witchtown by Cory Putman Oakes [Review + Giveaway]

Title: Witchtown
Author(s): Cory Putman Oakes
Edition: Hardcover, eBook, audiobook; 320 pages
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for Young Readers
Publication Date: July 18, 2017
Source: Rockstar Book Tours
Buy: Amazon - Barnes & Noble - iBooks - Book Depository

Tour Schedule

 Week One:

7/10/2017 - Brittany's Book Rambles - Interview
7/11/2017 - Book Briefs - Review
7/12/2017 - Always Me - Guest Post
7/13/2017 - The Blonde Bookworm - Review
7/14/2017 - YA and Wine - Interview

Week Two:
7/17/2017 - Savings in Seconds - Review
7/18/2017 - Wandering Bark Books - Guest Post
7/19/2017 - Eli to the nth - Review
7/20/2017 - Don't Judge, Read - Review
7/21/2017 - YA Book Madness - Interview

The Summary

When sixteen-year-old Macie O’Sullivan and her masterfully manipulative mother Aubra arrive at the gates of Witchtown—the most famous and mysterious witch-only haven in the world—they have one goal in mind: to rob it for all it’s worth.

But that plan derails when Macie and Aubra start to dig deeper into Witchtown’s history and uncover that there is more to the quirky haven than meets the eye.

Exploring the haven by herself, Macie finds that secrets are worth more than money in Witchtown.

Secrets have their own power.

(Goodreads)

My Review

I love books about magic, and I especially love books about different magic communities.  Witchtown by Cory Putman Oakes is chock full of both!  The reader follows Macie O'Sullivan, as she and her con-artist mother, Aubra, move onto their "last" big score: robbing the haven of Witchtown blind!  But as Macie digs deeper into Witchtown, she learns secrets, not only about the town, but about herself!

I loved this book!  It was fast-paced, full of twists, and fully satisfying at the end.  A truly well-done standalone novel.  Of course, I wish we could see more of Witchtown, because I think we could've used more of this potentially amazing setting, but it was always on this side of not fleshed out enough.  But the idea of a Second Inquisition is interesting, especially with the result not being the total destruction of all witches, but a segregation of witches from the general populace.  

However, the characters themselves were great!  You really felt what Macie, the main character, was going through, both within the relationship with her mother, and while she was unfurling the mysteries in Witchtown.  The friendship between Macie and Tayla was naturally developed, and you could really tell that both cared for each other.  I love when friendships are developed in a real way.  It always adds something to the story.

This book is just too fun!  A super-fast read, if you like witchiness, mysteries, and comeuppance, then you'll want to pick up Witchtown by Cory Putman Oakes this summer!

Final Rating

Other Books by Cory

MIDDLE GRADE

 

YOUNG ADULT

About the Author

Sometime around sixth grade, Cory was forced to face the sad truth that being a heroine in a Tamora Pierce, Robin McKinley, or Madeleine L’Engle book was not, in fact, a valid future career choice. But since she thought it might be almost as much fun to grow up to be Tamora Pierce, Robin McKinley, or Madeleine L’Engle, she decided to do just that. She’s still working on it.

She officially made her sixth grade dream come true in 2011, with her debut young adult novel, THE VEIL. Cory’s debut middle grade, DINOSAUR BOY, came out from Sourcebooks in February of 2015 and it’s sequel, DINOSAUR BOY SAVES MARS, launched in February 2016. Cory’s next young adult novel, WITCHTOWN, will come out from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers on July 18, 2017.

Cory lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband, Mark (who, luckily for all concerned, decided to stick with the whole “maybe-I’ll-be-a-lawyer” thing), their two kids, and their pets. In addition to writing, Cory enjoys running, cooking, and hanging out with her family. She is proud to be represented by Sarah LaPolla of Bradford Literary Agency. Photo by Sam Bond Photography

Website | Twitter | Facebook 

Giveaway

3 winners will receive a hardcover of WITCHTOWN! US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Past. Present. Future. May Edition

This feature highlights the books I've read, the books I'm reading, and the books I'm going to read; just a fun little way to keep track of everything! 

I'd love for you all to join in if you want! Leave me a comment to your post or just let me know in the comment what's your Past. Present. Future. in Books!

PAST:

Riveted by Jay Crownover - I don't really talk about many adult books on this blog, but I do read them.  Specifically, I love romance -- probably my #1 fave adult genre.  And Jay Crownover does romance spectacularly.  Modern, hot, and with a satisfying happily-ever-after, she delivers each time.  Riveted is no exception; Book 3 in her Saints of Denver series, oh man do Church and Dixie sizzle.  Loved it for sure, but for older readers only!

When a Scot Ties the Knot by Tessa Dare - Speaking of romance, here's another I read, well listened to, recently.  I thought getting an audiobook of a romance novel would be weird, but Tessa Dare's writing mixed with the amazing narrator, Carmen Rose, it was super enjoyable.  While I prefer modern romances, I do love to delve into a good historical romance, and this one had such charming leads in Maddie and Logan (Holy God Logan!).  Again, for older readers only!




PRESENT:

One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus - I'm typically not a big mystery fan, but when I read the summary of this book, I was intrigued!  I love The Breakfast Club, and this is inspired by that with a murdery twist.  I also had the opportunity to be a part of the blog tour with Rockstar Book Tours, and I am very excited to write my review!  If you're not typically a murder mystery fan, I suggest picking this one up because you'll still really enjoy it!




FUTURE:

More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera - I have only heard amazing things about this book (all of Adam Silvera's books actually).  This was one of my book club's picks for this year, but unfortunately I missed that month (argh family stuff).  So it is for sure on my TBR list!

If  you've read any of these books, let me know what you thought (but NO spoilers) down below in the comments!

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Open Mic: Riffs on Life Between Cultures in Ten Voices edited by Mitali Perkins [Review]

Title: Open Mic: riffs on Life Between Cultures in Ten Voices
Editors(s): Mitali Perkins
Contributors: David Yoo, Gene Yuen Lang, Cherry Cheva, Debbie Rigaud, Varian Johnson, Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich, G. Neri, Francisco X. Stork, and Naomi Shihab Nye
Edition: Audio, 2 hours 50 minutes/3 discs
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Publication Date: September 10, 2013
Source: Library
Buy: Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Book Depository

Using humor as the common denominator, a multicultural cast of YA authors steps up to the mic to share stories touching on race.

Listen in as ten YA authors -- some familiar, some new -- use their own brand of humor to share their stories about growing up between cultures. Henry Choi Lee discovers that pretending to be a tai chi master or a sought-after wiz at math wins him friends for a while -- until it comically backfires. A biracial girl is amused when her dad clears seats for his family on a crowded subway in under a minute flat, simply by sitting quietly in between two uptight white women. Edited by acclaimed author and speaker Mitali Perkins, this collection of fiction and nonfiction uses a mix of styles as diverse as their authors, from laugh-out-loud funny to wry, ironic, or poignant, in prose, poetry, and comic form.

(Goodreads)

My Opinion

I am making a pledge this year to read more diverse books, and participate in the 2017 Diverse Reads Book Challenge, so I started it off right by getting a hold of the audiobook of this gem of a collection.  Open Mic: Riffs on Life Between Cultures in Ten Voices edited by Mitali Perkins has the perfect mix of humor, a little heartache, and a whole lot of strength, capturing the reality of experiences of people trapped between cultures.

There is a mix of fiction and nonfiction; a mix of prose, verse, and graphic within the pages.  But while each entry may be different, the underlaying purpose rings true.  As Perkins writes in her introduction, the purpose is to "...to break down barriers and draw us together across borders.”  And this collection succeeds.  From the romantic, in Cherry Cheva's "Talent Show" to the empowering, in Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich's "Confessions of a Black Geek; from half-way across the world, in G. Neri's "Under Berlin", to one's own house, in Francisco X. Stork's "Brotherly Love" and everything in between the autobiographical feeling of being trapped between two cultures, and the journey to fight against racism and the expectations of each culture is clear.

The audiobook was excellently done, with multiple voice actors doing the readings (a majority of whom are POC as far as I could figure out).  This made it much easier to differentiate between each entry right away, and also brought great character to the stories.  I love that Mitali Perkins narrated her own story, which is about her life.  It gave it just something special to hear her telling her story of being a boy-crazy Indian-American teenager trying to figure out how to "score some points" (read it to find out more!!!!).

I would love to see a Volume 2 come out in 2017, especially with the climate of America the way it is currently.  Diverse books containing stories from the very people represented in them is necessary and so impactful.  Each of these authors are amazing contributors to both the Young Adult and Middle Grade genres, but put them all together and is it amazing!  A great addition to the #ownvoices movement (published ahead of its time) and a necessary book that helps bridge the gap in our country, shining a light on racism and multicultural issues through humor.

Final Rating

Extras

Interview with Mitali Perkins

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Reading Challenges and Me

This year I am only doing ONE reading challenge, and that is the: 

I am doing this one in particular because in 2017 I need to do better as a consumer of books.  

Because I can read even more broadly, 

Because I can take the time to highlight books from diverse genres, cultures, and authors.  

Because I can make sure that the books I read are lifting up communities and accurately reflecting the culture and people within said community. 

Because I can lend my voice to the loud cry to publishers of "These are the books we WANT AND NEED!"  

Because I want to make sure that I showcase books that can reflect all of my readers, not just the white, cisgender, straight ones.  

Because I need to recognize when my favorite books/authors are problematic and why.

Because I want to create a safe space for discovery.  

And because above all I want to learn and grow because I know I'm not near knowledgeable enough.

As an "ally" it's time for me to really start putting my money where my mouth is as much as possible.

With all that said, instead of holding myself to a list of specific books that I cement right now, I will update this post with books I hope to read AND books that I do read, along with the review when finished, so I can keep it as flexible as possible.

I want to be able to discover new books and not feel beholden to a book I might not enjoy.

1. Open Mic: Riffs on Life Between Cultures in Ten Voices edited by Mitali Perkins - Multiple POC, #ownvoices, ethnic diversity, intersectionality

          Review - 5/5 Stars

2. The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon - African American POC, Asian POC, #ownvoices, ethnic diversity, deportation

          Review - 5/5 Stars 

3. Shadowshaper by Daniel José Older - Latinx POC, ethnic diversity, #ownvoices, mythology, LGBT

          Review - 5/5 Stars

4. All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven - Mental health (Bi-polar), suicide

          Review - 

5. Love & First Sight by Josh Sundquist - Disability (blindness), ethnic diversity

          Review - 4/5 Stars

6. Because of the Sun by Jenny Torres Sanchez - Grief, abuse, ethnic diversity

          Review - 

7. When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon - Indian American POC, #ownvoices, family expectations, ethnic diversity

          Review - 

North of Happy by Adi Alsaid - Latinx POC , #ownvoices

A Crack in the Sea by H.M. Bouwman - Folktale, intersectionality

The Best We Could Do: An Illustrated Memoir by Thi Bui - Memoir, Asian POC, #ownvoices 

The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi - South Asian mythology , #ownvoices

Mirage by Tracy Clark - African American POC, mental illness

Something in Between by Melissa de la Cruz - Asian POC, #ownvoices, deportation

This Is the Part Where You Laugh by Peter Brown Hoffmeister - Socioeconomic status, drug abuse

We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson - LGBT, #ownvoices, suicide

Here We Are: Feminism for the Real World edited by Kelly Jensen - Ethnic diversity, intersectionality, women's rights

The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury - Fairytale retelling, Middle Eastern POC

When We Collided by Emery Lord - Mental illness

This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp - Ethnic diversity, intersectionality, 

The Boy in the Black Suit by Jason Reynolds - African American POC, #ownvoices, 

If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo - LGBT, #ownvoices, trans issues

More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera - Latinx POC, GLBT, #ownvoices, suicide

Sula's Voyage by Catherine Torres - Asian POC, mythology, #ownvoices

The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B by Teresa Toten - Mental illness

Highly Illogical Behavior by John Corey Whaley - Mental illness, LGBT

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon - African American POC, #ownvoices, disability

Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst - LGBT, bisexual

Not If I See You First by Eric Lindstrom - Disability (blindness)

Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy - LGBT, bisexual, ethnic diversity

So there's my hopeful list.  I'm really excited and encourage all of you to join in too!

The ladies have a great resource list, Diverse Reads 2017 Reading List, that you can check out for recommendations.  Also Naz, over at Read Diverse Books, is holding a reading/reviewing challenge that is also focusing on diverse books (obviously).  So you can hit two challenges with one book AND celebrate diversity in reading!!!

Happy reading everyone!

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