Bookish Chat: All the Books I Read Last Year!

Hi everyone!  I know that I haven't been posting per my usual schedule but my family and I just moved and we are just now getting settled into our new place so as soon as we get a new rhythm settled I will get back to posting at my normal pace!

By now most of you probably know that I am a huge book worm.  Reading is just something that I love to do and so I always try and make the time for it.  Every year I love to reflect on everything that I have read and having a blog just makes it so much more fun because I get to share some of my most loved books (or not so loved) of the year with all of you!  So I decided to answer a series of questions (20 in total) that go into depth of the all the books that I read in 2017.

1. Number of books read 

30

2. Number of rereads 

Two.  I reread Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and The Thirteenth Tale both of which I gave five stars.  I loooooove both of these books so much!

3. Most read genre 

Just by a quick overview I would say fantasy followed by historical fiction.

4. The best book you read in 2017 

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.  I have just fallen fallen in love with this series over the past two years (I didn't get to read them as a kid) and though it's really hard to choose a favorite of the bunch I think the Order of the Phoenix is my favorite because there are just so many exciting things uncovered in this book!

I don't want to give just one answer though because I absolutely loved The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield!  I read this book back when I was in high school and even reading it a second time, I devoured it!  I think I read it in like three days, which is really rare for me because I am normally a pretty slow reader.  This is a really erie master/gothic novel surrounding the lives of twin girls.  I just couldn't stop turning the pages.

Oh gosh and My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows.  This book was absolutely hilarious!  Ok, that's three.  I'll stop at three.

5. What's a book you were excited about and thought you were really going to love but didn't 

The Couple Next Door Shari Lapena.  Though I flew through this book (as I often do when I read thriller/mystery novels) I was extremely disappointed by the ending.  I had all of this built up anticipation and the conclusion was just flat out predictable.  I love mystery novels but I tend to be hard on them because I really need them to shock me in order to feel impressed.

6. Most surprising book that you read

Mr. Darcy's Daughters by Elizabeth Aston.  I don't really go for fan fiction and honestly it has some pretty low ratings on Goodreads.  I only picked it up because I had it on my shelf for over a year so I decided it was time to give it a go and didn't really expect much out of it but I actually really enjoyed it!  I thought it was fun and witty and I loved getting a glance at 18th century English society.

7. Best series you started in 2017 

Definitely Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake!  I love this series so much!  It's such a unique world and concept and it has consistently kept me on my toes.  Book two was my first read of 2018 too and I am dying to know what happens next!

8. Best series ender you read in 2017 

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.  Need I say more?

9. Favorite new author you discovered in 2017 

I'm going to have to go with Kendare Blake.  I have never read anything by her before The Dark Crowns and I am just so in love so maybe I will check out more of her work this year!

10. The most action packed, thrilling, unputable down book of the year

I know I said this earlier but I loved Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix because I just found that there were so many secrets uncovered!  I found that while reading Harry Potter I never wanted to put them down but then I was torn with not wanting to finish the series!  I always feel so sad when I finish a series, it's almost like losing a good friend haha!  Just so much love for Harry Potter, so much love.

11. A book that you read in 2017 that you will most likely reread 

Any of the Harry Potter books.  I will always continue to reread them!

12. Favorite book cover of a book you read in 2017 

The Dollmaker of Krakow by R.M. Romero.  This is actually a middle-grade novel and the cover is absolutely gorgeous!  It's kind of magical realism story about a dollmaker living in Krakow Poland during WWII.  It was really sweet and heart wrenching but ultimately a story of great hope!

13. Most memorable character of 2017

I am going to cheat and go with three.  Edward, Jane, and Gifford from My Lady Jane all three of these characters were so funny and I loved watching them interact together, I found myself laughing out loud a lot!  This is another one that I will probably be rereading as well because it was that entertaining.  I also can't wait for the companion novel, My Plain Jane to come out in June!

14. Most beautifully written book of 2017

I am going to choose Women of the Word by Jen Wilkin.  The reason I chose this is because I really felt like this book opened my eyes to studying scripture in a whole new light and she writes in a way that is encouraging, comprehensive, and practical.  Jen Wilkin is also one of my personal heroes of the faith so I will gladly read anything she writes!

15. Most thought provoking book

Definitely The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.  THIS BOOK BROKE MY HEART! In so many different ways and throughout reading it I often wondered why the author chose the fates of many of the characters the way he did but in the end I realized that this was a reality during WWII.  This awful war is not just something someone made up but to see it reflected in fiction maybe sometimes we can forget that.  Even though your heart will be wrenched out of your chest I recommend this book to anyone and everyone to read (although I think I am the one who is actually late to the bandwagon).  It's good for all of us to reflect on what the world is capable of and how we can move forward in love to prevent it from happening again.

16. A book that you can't believe you waited until 2017 to read 

Definitely the Book Thief!  I can remember my mom telling me to read this years ago and I may very well be the last person on earth to do so!

17. Favorite quote from a book you read in 2017

"Your mother died to save you.  If there is one thing that Voldemort cannot understand, it is love." 

-Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Call me a nerd but I think this will always be one of my all time favorite quotes.  I just really points to the power of love.

18. Favorite non-romantic relationship in a book you read in 2017 

I love the friendship between Arsinoe and Jules in the Three Dark Crowns series.  I love that they have been friends all their lives, they just have this strong sisterly love and are always fighting for the good of the other.

19.  A book that made you cry in 2017

Look I will just be completely honest, it does not take much to make me cry in a book so there were a  lot of tears shed this year.  The ones that I can think of off the top of my head are:

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (I was not ready to let these characters go, ok!), The Light Between Oceans, Me Before You (even though I absolutely hated this book!), and of course The Book Thief.

20.  What book are you looking forward to reading in 2018

There are quite a few actually so I will just leave a little list below.  Of course they aren't all the books I am looking forward to but you get the point :)

1.  Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

2. Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend

3. My Plain Jane by Cynthia Hand, Jodi Meadows, and Brodi Ashton

4. The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien (I really want this to be the year that I accomplish this!)

5. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

* I would also like to continue on with the Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery


Ok guys, that's all I have for you today!  If you have read any of these or have any suggestions for me please leave me a comment because I would love to have a bookish discussion!

I hope you are all having a wonderful 2018 so far!




4 comments

  1. I am definitely going to have to check some of these out! I love seeing what people have read in a year!

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  2. Me too! It's one of my favorite things to see people share every year!

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  3. I am just now getting into Jane Austen continuation novels by fans. I had to put down "Emma in Love" after the first chapter, but I am keeping an open mind on more books because I enjoy historical fiction and the world of Austen. I hadn't heard of "Mr. Darcy's Daughters." Thanks for bringing it to my attention!

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    1. Of course! I know that Jane Austen fan fiction is always kind of a hit or miss. Either you love it or hate it!

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