1. The Diviners Series by Libba Bray (Books #1-3)
I’m pretty sure I’ve written a million times about this series and mentioned it enough over the past few months for everyone to get how much I adored this series. SERIOUSLY, I absolutely LOVED this book series and I can’t wait for the 4th one to come out. This is without a doubt the best series I’ve read this year. It took me years to actually read these books and I am so mad at myself for not reading them sooner because once I finished the first book I just just marathoned the rest, and that is no small feat if you saw the size of the books. What more can I say about this series? It is a beautifully written series about paranormalists called “Diviners” in 1920s New York. The setting is absolutely magical – I genuinely have never enjoyed the 1920s (I'm more a 1940s girl myself), but after reading The Diviners I picked up four more books about the period, and watched Chicago for good measure. That is how much I loved the setting – I went on a whole 1920s kick for a few weeks. However; as immersive as the setting is, I think the best part of this novel are the characters. Evie, our main protagonist in the first book is an absolute gem. My god, I love Evie. I have never related so much to a character – she is wonderfully flawed and self-centred, but also caring and kind and always fun (and witty!). She is what drew me in and kept me reading. I expected her ditsy act to annoy me, but if anything I simply related to her on such a deep level that she is a precious lamb to me and NOTHING BAD CAN HAPPEN TO HER. I also adore Sam and Jericho, Theta and Memphis. Hell even little Mabel, who by far has been my least favourite, I still feel for and relate to on some levels. Plus, this is definitely one of the creepiest ghost stories I’ve ever read. When i stayed up late at night reading this series (and I had to stay up reading them because they were so addictive) I genuinely had to keep all the lights on in my room because some parts of the book were so creepy (especially the ghosts in the insane asylum - YIKES). The unfolding mystery in all three books surrounding the Diviners and their powers keeps me guessing constantly, and I am constantly shocked at the series twists and turns (the third book has some heart wrenching moments) I especially loved how they address problems of the age - like eugenics and racism, and domestic violence - and show the ugly side of what is normally seen as a glamorous era. Yes, the books are long, yes there is a lot of slang (that some people find annoying) - but if you like really well thought-out intricate plots with a cast of amazing characters and a setting you'll fall in love with, and just the right amount of creepiness PLEASE READ THIS SERIES. Hands down my favourite read of the year.
This was not a book I had on any TBR or Wishlist - it was simply something I picked up one day and boy, what a great surprise! This is a non-fiction story about radium dial painters during the 1920s-1930s and the health consequences faced by the painters who ingested radium, as well as their long legal battle for justice and recognition. I picked this up in a Kindle sale one Sunday, and decided to be lazy and just try the first chapter to see if I liked it - and I was completely hooked. I was so hooked by that first chapter that I read the whole book in like three days. It was such a harrowing tale, and so, SO frustrating. I was getting physically angry while reading – I ranted to my mother and my friends about it. But I also recommended it to literally every single one of my best friends because that is how moving this story was. Perhaps because I’m a law student it intrigued me a bit more, but god, the lawyers both made me happy and pissed me off. The law was like… so not satisfying for the things done to these women. Overall, I can say that as a non-fiction story it was so well-written, it really reads more like a novel. The writing was engaging, the real people whose story this is will make you so angry and passionate - it will make you weep for justice. IT WAS SO GOOD. It's been a while since a book had me so passionate that I talked about it to everyone I know and this book did that to me. Just read it. Everyone should.
I’m not a huge sci fi reader and I definitely don’t usually like non-traditional forms of books. But when I started seeing this series touted by everyone as un-putdownable I thought I would give it a try and then Bookoutlet had a sale on hardcovers so I picked them up. And boy am I glad I did. I could NOT put these down. I literally was ADDICTED and read both these books in one sitting and stayed up till 5 am to finish them. God these were just amazing books and so unique – definitely different than anything I had ever read. These books are told through a compilation of "documents" sent to a corporation after a huge space invasion and massacre. The first book, Illuminae, follows a pair of exes who have to deal with the fall out of the invasion of their home planet, and the subsequent escape. Throw in some disease that turns everyone into homicidal maniacs, as well as a crazy computer (like in 2001: A Space Odessy) and the story becomes this crazy, action-packed space adventure that will have you on the edge of your seat. The second book in the series, Gemina, is a companion novel that follows a different set of characters that are still connected to the overall progression of the story and the fallout from the invasion (so you do have to read them in order). I think I liked Gemina even more than Illuminae - but overall this whole series is amazing and I am so excited for the third book to come out in 2018. Even though its told through a variety of documents, and not in a traditional novel format, I found the story engaging and the characters discernible. I found the stories heart-poundingly action packed and god this just NEEDS to become a TV Show and every episode could end on a cliffhanger because that’s how every section of the book felt. These two actually meet the hype and I highly recommend them!
I read Anne of Green Gables years ago when I was about 8-9 yrs old and was vacationing in PEI with hated it. I decided to re-read this Canadian classic for Canada’s 150th and I am so glad I did because I LOVED it the second time around. This is such a beautifully written book, it’s a wonderful cozy read that generally just made me so happy. The story follows the adventures of orphan Anne Shirley, after she is accidentally sent to live with Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert in Avonlea, Prince Edward Island. Anne is a gem of a character, both as a child and an adult, and I adore her hot temper and over-dramatic flair. I loved Avonlea and the townspeople - it definitely made me want to go back to Prince Edward Island for a vacation soon. The book also made me a happy little Canadian, because there was just so much love for Canada and its scenery. I also developed a new book crush on Gilbert Blythe, who is a sweet cinnamon roll.After I finished the first book I ended up buying the whole Anne of Green Gables Series and watching the CBC mini-series from the 80s with the impeccable Megan Fellows (aka. Queen Catherine De Medici on Reign and a GODDESS). It is an amazing classic read, a must for any Canadian looking to read Canadian literature, and a great coming-of-age story for the ages.
5. The Demon King Quartet by Cinda Williams Chima (Seven Realms Books #1-4)
I heard about this quartet years ago and I am so MAD at my younger self for not reading this series sooner - I think it was when I didn’t like reading male protagonists because I couldn’t “relate” to them. Anyways I heard about this series from PeruseProject on Booktube who said it was a must for YA fantasy and I really do agree. This series is so underrated. The series follows the duel perspectives of Han Allister - a thief - and Princess Raisa of the Seven Realms, as they face growing tensions amongst the Clans, wizards and regular people living within the kingdom. As the country brims closer to civil war, both Han and Raisa are dragged into the political turmoil of the kingdom, and ultimately, their actions change the fate of a kingdom. I read the first book – and while definitely a book that sets up for the rest of the major plot in the following books I did enjoy it and for those who didn’t I still recommend continuing the series because the books get SO MUCH BETTER. I proceeded to buy the whole series and basically binge read them for the month of February. I love Raisa and Han, but even more than that I actually didn’t mind the multiple love interests and love triangles – I thought they were handled well. I also loved how the romance was just a part of the plot, and that it was a slow burn through the course of the series instead of the insta-love that is usually presented in YA fantasy. The book also has a lot of action, but also a lot of political intrigue and a history built into the world - it was a very engrossing world to be brought into and Cinda Williams Chima is clearly a master world-builder. I really enjoyed discovering a new YA series that was very different from so many YA fantasies out there, and I cant wait to try the rest of Cinda Williams Chima's books (I've already bought the first two books in her next series set in the Seven Realms!)
6. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
I've been trying this year to get more into adult novels and prize-winning novels. I really do love my classics so I figured that sometimes book critics can't be all wrong in giving awards to novels. For my book club I suggested we do this Pulitzer Prize winner after I saw a ton of great reviews, and so we decided to do it for our February 2017 book of the month. It was absolutely amazing. The story follows the parallel stories of a boy in a girl, one in Germany and one in France, in the lead up to WWII and the occupation of France. This story was absolutely breathtaking. It completely sucked me in and I read it in like 2 days because I couldn't put it down. It is a slow-paced novel that builds to a heartbreaking climax but the chapters are so short that its easy to breeze through like 60 chapters without realising it because you simply NEED to continue. It was beautifully written, the characters are so well-crafted and sympathetic and without giving away any spoilers let me just say that I ugly cried. I ugly cried SO MUCH. And it takes me a lot to cry in a book - I can count on one hand the books that managed to make me cry (most of them being Harry Potter). It was such a soulful read, and I am so happy I decided to give it a chance. I ended up picking up a bunch of other Pulitzer prize-winning novels (like To Kill a Mockingbird which I also enjoyed! and The Goldfinch) because maybe I will like them as much as I loved this one.
This is one of the first books I read in 2017 and it still stands up. 100% this is the best YA fantasy series I've ever read. I have my sentimental favourites of course (like The Infernal Devices) but this duology is absolutely AMAZING - it shouldn't even be limited to the YA genre because it is such a great book that EVERYONE should read it (and it pisses me off that so many people write off great YA series because they are listed as "YA"). Crooked Kingdom is the second book in the Six of Crows Duology, following 6 individuals calling themselves "The Dregs" in a city called Ketterdam (fantasy-Amsterdam) and their criminal activities. The first book deals with them breaking into an unbreakable fortress and then Crooked Kingdom follows the immediate aftermath and consequences of the break in. This book was everything you could want in a fantasy novel - it was fast-paced, well-written with an interesting plot, amazing characters and a unique world (that only slightly resembles our own). There is amazing diversity in the characters and every single one of them gets to shine - Leigh Bardugo does not write unnecessary characters at all. Even though the novel is from six different perspective, Leigh Bardugo has managed to pull of a seamless and cohesive tale intertwining all their narratives. And for romance lovers there are three individual couples to "ship" who will pull at your heartstrings. My personal favourite being Nina and Matthias - NINA AND MATTHIAS FOREVER. I also loved the strong female characters of Nina and Inej - particularly the depiction of Inej as a survivor of sexual assault. It was one of the best and most accurate portrayals i have ever read (and having worked at a rape crisis centre) I appreciate the authenticity and truthfulness of such a portrayal. Overall, its a great book - it will make you laugh and cry, and you will want to be best friends with all the characters and call yourself a member of the Dregs after finishing it.
I was recommended this book by a shopgirl at Brookline Booksmith, and she told me that it was surprisingly good despite the terrible cover art. And OMG IT WAS. The Dark Days Club follows Lady Helen Wrexhall, who discovers the her destiny as a demon-hunter in regency London, while investigating the disappearance of her missing maid with the help of the intriguing, and possibly dangerous, Lord Carlston. It took me ages to buy this book because the cover art is terrible but I promise that cover art aside it is worth it to buy and read it! This was such a fun, action-packed read, with very little romance (and what there was of romance was believable!) The main character, Lady Helen, is such a bad ass female and I really enjoyed her – she was no simpering ninny but she also wasn’t completely unrealistic for the time period. The author also clearly put in a lot of research into the time period because the details for the regency era - such as the fashion details and etiquette details- were spot on! Knowing that the author put that work into the novel made it that much easier to become immersed in this world. I can't wait to continue with this series soon!
The Winners Curse was one of my favourite books of 2015 so its no surprise that when I finally completed the series this year I absolutely loved both books and the overall conclusion. I usually find the first book in the series the best, but the the Winners Trilogy is definitely one of those series where each book gets progressively better - the second book in this series up the stakes so much, and the final book in this series - MY GOD, it was brutal and amazing. I can't give away a synopsis of these books without spoiling the entire series, but the first book The Winners Curse follows Kestrel, the daughter of a general in a conquered nation, who buys a slave one day - and in doing so changes the course of history, and falls in love. That summary is really bad but I promise that the series is worth it! The first book is a bit romance heavy (but still really enjoyable) and then the following books just get better and better. I think the best part of the series is Kestrel herself - she's a total bad ass. She is no Mary Sue character, shes a girl who is headstrong and calculating - she's good at political games, and man some of her decisions you will cringe knowing how clever she is but also how diabolical she can be. I loved that she was flawed but vulnerable and my god in the last book she made me cry with her story. The story is filled with political intrigue and really doesn't pull punches when it comes to death and violence. It is brutal. I will admit that I didn't love the romance in the first book, but in the subsequent stories it becomes heart-stoppingly angsty and dramatic - and also doesn't have to overtake the whole plot of the book. This is definitely one of my favourite trilogies for YA fantasy and I am so glad I managed to finish this whole trilogy this year!
Going into The Bone Season I read a lot of mixed reviews that this story was so complex it was really hard to follow - but I ended up really enjoying this first book and the second one, The Mime Order, so much. I will agree that the glossary in the back of the book does need to be checked because there is no info-dumping in this story - Samantha Shannon just plunges head first into the world of Scion London with very little explanation. However; after a few chapters I found that this complex and well-thought out world was unlike anything I had ever read and I was completely hooked. I have to applaud Samantha Shannon for writing a story so different from absolutely anything else I have ever read. The story starts in 2059, when Paige Mahoney – a criminal working in Scion London – is arrested and transported to Oxford simply for the crime of being a clairvoyant – more specifically a dreamwalker. Once in Oxford, Paige discovers that an otherworldly race had secretly taken control of England hundreds of years ago, and require clairvoyants as their slaves – Paige is assigned to Warden, one of these monsters, who becomes her master. The story is very hard to explain but trust me - it has tons of action, a murderous other-wordly race bent on world-domination, tons of grey and morally ambiguous characters, and a slow-burn angsty romance that will make you ship so hard. I loved this book and The Mime Order I think because I had such low expectations - but I am excited to see how the series continues in the next couple of books (there are to be seven in this series! YAY!)
So I have never been the biggest Holly Black fan, I had read a few of her books before and while enjoyable I have always found that I never really adore her characters. She is a beautiful writer but I always seem to hate her protagonists, and I am someone who needs to like the protagonist or I find it hard to enjoy the novel. I bought this book years ago because of the cover and because faeries. And now I am so glad. I read this book in one sitting and I was completely drawn into the tale. The story follows Hazel, and her brother Ben, living in the town of Fairfold - where humans and faeries exist side by side. Being locals, Hazel and Ben are aware of the dangers of the faeries, but are also fascinated by them - especially the glass coffin that sits in the centre of the woods where a boy with horns has been sleeping for generations, never waking. Until... he does. Black writes her faeries absolutely beautifully, and the setting in the woods is lush and evocative. I especially loved that the plot is not intricate, but the story is overall a character driven tale of two teenage twins discovering love and themselves through their interactions with the faeries in their tiny town. This story is also wonderfully diverse, but does so in a way that it isn't the central focal point of the story - and I really like that. I feel like diversity in fantasy is always something to celebrate. Overall, the characters were well-written, the setting was beautiful and I really just loved the way the plot progressed overall. I heard a rumour that Holly Black's new book The Cruel Prince is set in the same world as this one, and if that is true I am 100% picking that up because I'm hoping it will be half as good as this story.
Do I need to even explain why I love Jane Austen? I finally read this book and I loved it. It's beautiful and I love everything about it. The story follows the tragic Anne Elliot, a 28-yr old spinster who was persuaded to spurn the proposal of a man she loved - and who has regretted her decision ever since. When her spurned suitor, Fredrick Wentworth, comes back into life a rich naval office, Anne is filled with conflicting and complex emotions. No one writes romance like Jane Austen - absolutely no one. Her books, even 200 years later, are still delightful and witty. I laughed out loud a few times at Anne's dry humour and wit. It's a subtle romance, but one that is so beautifully written you can't help but cry at the end. No one trumps Jane Austen and I am still a faithful Janeite as I now can include this book in my favourites alongside Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility.
13. The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
So good. So Creepy. This narrative fiction story follows the year of build-up to the Chicago's World's Fair from 1892-1893. While following the construction of the White City under the direction of Daniel Burnham, the book simultaneously follows the story of America's first serial killer H.H. Holmes. Both the men followed in this story are building their dreams, one for the glory of America, and the other to fulfil his twisted desires. Erik Larson has a great narrative going in the story, and really interweaves the story of the American dream, expressed through Burnham's Chicago, with the seedy underbelly of that same city - as shown through Holmes' "murder palace". While it is a true story and is non-fiction, the book is written like a true narrative fiction - and would be a good place to start for those who aren't huge fans of non-fiction books but want to try some historical reading. It was an addictive read that I finished in a few days, and was sufficiently creepy that I definitely did not want to read it alone in the dark.
14. The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee
See my review here. This is one of the biggest, and best, surprises of the reading year - I absolutely loved this book (which I listened to on Audiobook) it is laugh out loud funny. I hadn't even planned on picking this up, but once I found out Christian Coulson (Tom Riddle in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets film) was narrating the audiobook my inner Harry Potter nerd demanded I get it. And THANK GOD I'm a Potterhead because I absolutely fell in love with the characters in this book. This book is an adventure tale in 18th century Europe, following British aristocrat, Henry Montague (aka Monty), his best friend (and unrequited crush) Percy, and his sister Felicity, as they trek all over Europe on a high-stakes adventure following a series of unfortunate incidents and misunderstanding at the beginning of their European "tour" in Paris. The best part about this books are the characters - I absolutely adored the characters - especially our main character Monty. Monty is the greatest - possibly my favourite character I read in 2017. He is such an ass hole - and openly knows this - but his wit, his dry humour and his self-deprecating manner are absolutely charming and so hilarious that I laughed out loud multiple times listening to this story. I also loved Felicity and her no-nonsense persona, and Percy - the sweet cinnamon roll that he is. The book also was very progressive and tried to deal with issues that people still deal with today - including sexuality, abelism, abuse and racism. It was such a fun read, and I want to be best friends with the main characters - this book really did meet the hype and I highly recommend it as it was one of the most memorable reads this year.
This series is so underrated which is so unfortunate because it is an amazing and unique fantasy world that is absolutely breathtaking and brutal in its depiction. The story takes place in a kingdom where everything has a spirit - every tree, every plant, every stream - each has a spirit. And unfortunately in this world, these natural spirits aren't so nice - in fact they are violent and regularly kill humans to try and take back their world. To control these spirits the realm is ruled by a Queen, chosen for her power to keep the spirits at bay. But these Queens die and so a new Queen must always be in the wings, selected for her power and trained by a mentor, willing and able to take her place. When Daleina rescues her family after an attack by tree spirits, she goes to the magic school to be trained, hoping that one day she can protect her people as their Queen. The story follows her years of training and her mentorship with a battle-hardened warrior, Ven, as she inches closer and closer to the tournament that will determine the Queen's successor to the throne. This was such an amazing and intricate story, with a world so unlike anything I have ever read. The writing was beautiful, and really captured the beauty of nature but also the harshness of it. I mean, this is basically a fantasy world with killer plants - THAT IS AMAZING. And they really are killer - I am being 100% honest when I say don't get attached to characters in this story - there is a lot of death and destruction at the hands of these nature spirits, and I am so here for it because it is so rare that authors go there. I am also happy to report that this book is light on romance (very light), and even better the romance is not between the mentor and the student. We actually just have an awesome mentor-student relationship! It was such a refreshing read - and it genuinely had no tropes. Daleina is a refreshing heroine who isn't naturally gifted at magic - she has to work and work hard to do what she does. And she works her hardest and sometimes it isn't enough. I felt like the struggles of the characters were real, that the world was harsh, and yet I was completely engrossed by this story. I have already purchased the sequel, The Reluctant Queen, and I am quite excited to read it in the new year!
This is such an underrated trilogy - which is so unfortunate because I think it is one of the best faeries trilogies I have ever read. I can't give much of a synopsis for this third book without giving away the whole story, but the Falconer series follows the story of Scottish lady Aileana Kameron, who lives in Victorian Edinburgh, and learns she is the last Falconer - girls gifted with the sight of the faeries, and the ability to kill them. After the brutal murder of her mother at the hands of the fae, Aileana teams up with Kieran, a faerie himself, to hunt down the monsters in Edinburgh. From there the series takes alot of unexpected twists and turns in the second and third books - ones which definitely kept me guessing and which I was not expecting. Honestly, I really enjoy this series (much better than the FaeFever series it gets alot of comparisons too) because it is so dark and it isn't afraid of being absolutely brutal. Our main character, Aileana, isn't a Mary-Sue MC at all - she is a kick ass fighter who is out for revenge and is willing to be beaten to a bloody pulp to get it. The chemistry between her and Kieran is heart-stopping -throughout this series I have loved these two and their chemistry. And this final book is the perfect conclusion in my opinion - I haven't read such a satisfying ending to a series in a really long time. It was bittersweet and heartbreaking, but also the perfect. I think it may be my favourite book in the Falconer trilogy. Anyways this series is criminally underrated - and everyone who loves dark faeries should just go read this now.
I never read this book in high school, which I know is shocking. But after graduating law school this past May I thought that it might be worth it to pick up a book that is often considered a must read for any future lawyers. I wasn't expecting to like this story that follows Scout, a little girl in the sleep southern town in America, as she narrates the story of the racism and crisis of conscience that rocks her Little town - and of her father Atticus Finch, the lawyer dragged into the centre of the crisis by virtue of his legal profession. This book really was an amazing story - and i found myself rereading passages to absorb everything that was being indicated. There is so much depth to this tale, and Scout narrates the story as a child would - meaning you really have to read between the lines sometimes to see the real issues. It was a page-turner for sure, and it makes you think - especially in light of everything going on right now. As a law student, I admired Atticus Finch - and while the court room scenes were shorter than I expected (only a few chapters), I think they represented the legal profession in manner that would make any lawyer proud. I look forward to trying out more classics like this in the future, because I was surprised I enjoyed it as much as I did.
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