My 2017 Bookshelf #ireadya

Here are the books I read last year (in reverse order). (I’m terrible at writing reviews, so there’s no real blurb or anything, just my brief “what I liked was” comment. But you can click on any of the images and be taken to their Goodreads page to find out more!)

My Goodreads goal had been 25… I read 16, three of which were my own. That’s not cheating is it?

Did you read any of these? What did you think?

This is the last book I read in 2017, and it was one of my favorites. I sat in my grandma’s recliner (now ours) after the kids went to bed and devoured it in four hours. I would’ve stayed up until 5 AM when I needed to get ready for work if I’d needed to. Luckily, it was only just after midnight when I finished. As you’ve probably guessed, Scarlet is the first book I’m reading in 2018. I started it the other night and am halfway through (I’m doing more writing this week, so less reading time!)

This was a re-read for me. It had been my first read on my first Kindle years ago. I’d been missing contemporary YA and was in the mood for an old favorite. Loved it as much as I had the first time. I’m still a sucker for a great love triangle, even if the rest of the world hates them.

This was my second “camping book”which means it was one of the few physical copies of a book I read. I bought this hard-cover copy from Barnes and Noble so I could read it on our deck at the camper or while lying by the pool. (I don’t have a Kindle with a screen that’s sun-friendly.) I enjoyed Clare’s Mortal Instruments series and loved her Infernal Devices series. This book was good. I liked the characters well enough and will be getting the next book, but I wasn’t as drawn in as I had been in the other series. My favorite part of Clare’s writing is her world-building.

After reading Shearwater (below), I craved D.S. Murphy’s settings and storytelling. He’s a master of weaving mythology and fairytales while including romance and intrigue. He always leaves me hanging though, so you can bet the Golden Shears will be on my 2018 TBR list.

Once again I loved the setting and mystery of one of D.S. Murphy’s books. I played flute and piano for many years so I enjoy reading about a character who plays a musical instrument. I’ve been craving another book from him since it’s been a few months since I read these, so I think his newest releases will be high on my list of reads for 2018.

I began this shortly after finishing Fallen. I probably would have continued on with the series, but at the end of this one there was a teaser for another book. Well, I read it thinking it was the teaser for the next book, but it was instead the final book… well, that gave away everything, so I no longer felt the need to read book 3.

I’d seen this book in several places while promoting my own, so I finally sat down to read it. My favorite character was the fairy. She had spunk and mystery surrounding her. I believe she has her own novella or short story, so I may have to check that one out!

I’d purchased this one on my Kindle a couple of years ago and finally read it. I enjoyed the story better than I had when I’d first tried to read it. It was a quick read and I immediately purchased book 2.

I finally settled in to read one of Derek Murphy’s books. As you can see, I followed this with two others written by him, but This one was my favorite. I was, however, disappointed to learn I’d initially purchased the wrong copy… Make sure to grab the version that already has both parts in it to save yourself from buying it twice! But… do make sure to read it. Loved the setting, the story with history woven in seamlessly, and the characters and their story

I’d seen this book many times as I checked on my own books on Amazon and Goodreads and had been curious. After finally reading it, I was impressed by the characters, creative storyline, and the witty dialogue. I immediately bought book 2, and it’s on my 2018 TBR list.

This book haunted my dreams. It was my first “camping book” and once I started it was hard to leave it behind when I had to return home during the weeks for baseball and other activities. (My rule was to leave the camping book at the camper and read on my Kindle while at home.) Loved the setting and storyline, though for me the romance fell flat. I was more intrigued by the MC’s relationship with her sisters and the ocean.

This was my least favorite of the series, but I still really liked it. Stiefvater is an expert at characterization and, as always, I love her lyrical writing style.

This is a book written by a writing friend and critique partner of mine (though I’ve been quite absent in that group for a bit now regrettably). I thoroughly enjoyed Chamberlynn’s story, her fantastical settings and their descriptions, and her spunky characters. She’s a master at opening pages and her words and the immediate challenge her MC faced drew me in right away.

The final (first?) three I read were my own… though these really are out of order. When Smoke Rains Down released in May, Before the Ashes in August, and After the Ashes just last month.