Tuesday’s Top Ten: Books Read in 2017
Happy Holidays, all! If you’re looking for a way to spend that Amazon gift card, I’ve got some books for you. Once again, these are books I read in 2017, not books published in 2017. I read everything from the classics to professional team-building this year, so bear with me.
10. Rebecca, by Daphne Du Maurier. I had zero expectations for this book, other than it was recommended by my mom. Even so, it was not at all what I expected. I thought it was a ghost story. The most spoiler you’ll get from me: it’s not a ghost story.
9. The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas. It took six years, but I finished this mysterious tale of adventure. I picked it up at the point where The Count arrives in France, and it still took me all of January. Long-winded, sure, but the story is worth it. I was pleased to see Eugenie Danglars as a gender-bending escape artist, and the possibility of a lesbian/queer relationship with Louise. (If you don’t believe me, YOU read it again. I know what I read.) This is still the best revenge plot to spawn all revenge plots, so even though I saw Eugenie as a plausible blend with my usual genre, the book is on my list for being an exciting tale of betrayal, adventure, and revenge.
8. Something Like Summer, by Jay Bell. I saw the movie trailer, complete with Us, by Regina Spektor, and I had to read this book. It did not disappoint.
7. The Wrong Man, by Lane Hayes. Started reading this for the series, stayed for the dog. I fell in love with the elderly dog as much as Brandon did. I also fell in love with his shop, and how well he managed the store, the people, and the hectic bustle of retail. I want to be Brandon Good when I grow up. But I hate people, so I’ll stick with writing.
6. Broken Blades, by L.A. Witt and Aleksandr Voinov. Read this book for the history alone. Oh, and they kill Nazis. Remember when everyone thought Nazis were bad people? Those were the days. I have a much better understanding of the Geneva Convention and why we need it, now more than ever. This didn’t have to be a HEA. In fact, I think it would have been more powerful with a bittersweet ending. It can be done: look at The Bells of Times Square by Amy Lane.
5. Looking for Alaska, by John Green. I didn’t know what to expect from a John Green novel, except this book was highly recommended in Nathan Bransford’s How to Write a Novel. For that reason, I didn’t know what to expect. What I got was humor, friendship, and a plot twist that broke my heart and rebuilt it again. I think that’s a theme with John Green, so this may be the last I read of him. Even so, amazing characters and a fantastic coming-of-age story.
4. The Second Mango, by Shira Glassman. This was not what I expected for lesbian fantasy romance. This tale was a fresh take on a princess who did not need rescuing, and a knight rescuing a dragon. It also taught me about celiac disease and other food allergies.
3. Uncommonly Tidy Poltergeists, by Angel Martinez. I’ve always wondered how one would write an asexual character, and the characters of Taro and Jack were both so well done, as was the intriguing twist on a ghost story. I loved this book so much – I’m so glad Angel suggested it as my next read when we met at Yaoi Con!
2. Wishful Drinking, by Carrie Fisher. Yes, this was my reward to myself for finishing 60 books this year. Still one of the best books I read. I love Carrie Fisher so much. She will always be with us. She has transcended stardom to legend.
1. Selfie, by Amy Lane. I don’t know how she does it, but Amy Lane had me in tears for most of this book, and I loved it. Amy Lane reigns as the queen of Angst and Pain. My angsty Hollywood novel is cake compared to Connor and Noah.
What’s on your TBR list for 2018? I’m gearing up for Philosophy 101 so I can get rid of some old textbooks (Plato, Descartes, and Kant). After that, I’m open to suggestions.
