Kaetrin’s Best of 2017
I read 144 books in 2017 (including audiobooks) and I rated 25 of them (released in 2017) 5 stars on Goodreads. There were 12 audiobooks and 13 print/ebooks in that list. As I don’t review audiobooks here, I’ve confined my DA best of to the print/digital books. Despite lacking reading mojo on and off during the year because of the Trumpocalypse, most of the reading I actually managed to do rated in the B range or better so I have to conclude that 2017 was a good reading year.
My print/digital best of list isn’t as diverse as my audiobook list – something to improve on as I choose books in 2018. I did read books by authors of colour and queer authors but they don’t feature strongly in my top books. I’m not sure if that’s just the luck of the draw or whether my reading happy place is too comfort zone focused. Something else for me to consider as 2018 progresses.
I thought I’d struggle to cull my list from 13 to 10 but actually, 3 of the books I didn’t review (although they were all reviewed here) so it turned out to be easy. Honorable mentions go to White Hot by Ilona Andrews and Wildfire by the same author. I read these for pleasure only and they brought me a great deal of it. The other book I didn’t review was The Ruin of a Rake by Cat Sebastian. I listened to the audio but did not love the narration. I *loved* the book though so it deserves a mention.
In no particular order, here are my top 10:
Trust by Kylie Scott
“Stop delaying. Come on, you explain this Poe guy to me and I’ll help you with your math issues.”
“Deal.”
“And hey, Edie?”
I got busy rifling through the contents of my schoolbag. “Hmm?”
“You’re cute when you’re pissed off.”
My head snapped around like the chick from The Exorcist, but he was reading his textbook, not even looking at me. Weird. “Thanks. But I prefer the word fierce.”
Pretty Face by Lucy Parker
And the award for Best Opening Line of 2017 goes to:
It was the last straw when she seduced the vicar.
Haven by Mary Lindsey
Haven was the surprise delight of 2017 for me. I had no idea what I was getting into when I opened it. I’d never read this author before and generally, I’m not a big YA reader. But Haven blew me away.
She hugged her backpack to her chest. “I’m trying to save your life.”
“I’m trying to make my life mean something.”
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The Hot Shot by Kristen Callihan
“It’s been so long since I’ve had good sex, I swear I heard the mournful sound of ‘Taps’ coming from the vicinity of my vagina last night.”
Most Eligible Bastard by Annika Martin
Needless to say, my dating history veers toward cooks, musicians, and students on the ten-year plan. My longest-running boyfriend was a cook, a musician, and a student on the ten-year plan; he wrote songs for me that I hated, but I didn’t have the heart to tell him.
Newsflash: acting like you’re into a song that a guy is singing really soulfully while looking deeply into your eyes is harder than faking an orgasm.
So that one didn’t work out.
Beauty Like the Night by Joanna Bourne
One did not, he suspected, write poems to Séverine’s eyebrows. One slew dragons for her, or stood slightly to the left, holding her spare lance and buckler, while she did the slaying.
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Rock Chick Reawakening by Kristen Ashley
“I love you so much, I don’t even know what to do with all of it,” I whispered.
“I’m thrilled someone else understands that feeling.”
Shade’s Lady by Joanna Wylde
I’d blow him off afterward like a gangster, because that’s who I was.
A motherfucking gangster.
Well, more of a gangster/waitress hybrid, with a strong sense of responsibility, but still fairly badass as these things went.
The Sea King by CL Wilson
You are strong. Life and magic and strength flows through your veins. You are a wellspring of power, a queen of all waters. All the life and energy and vitality in every ocean, every sea, every river, lake and stream lives in you. And if you need more, then take it from me. What is mine is yours without question or limits. So long as there is breath in my lungs, you will never stop breathing. So long as my heart beats, yours will never stop. Whatever pain you have, let me bear it for you. I offer my strength and magic and life force to nourish your own. Stay with me, moa kiri. Live for me.”
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A Touch of Frost by Jo Goodman
“That’s it, Phoebe. You’re going to marry me.”
“It doesn’t sound as if you’re asking.”
“I’m not. There are some words a man can’t risk saying if he has to punctuate them with a question mark.”
Her smile widened. “You make a compelling argument for telling a woman what to do, but you’re still wrong if you think it works on me. I’m going to marry you, Remington Frost, but only because I want to.”
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If my best of list could be described as a phrase (at least insofar as the M/F books are concerned), it would be FIERCE HEROINES. And I say this as a hero-centric reader. Perhaps that’s a response to the Trumpocalypse as well.
May 2018 be full of fierce heroines, feminist heroes and excellent books of all kinds.
~ Kaetrin ~
What a clever and illuminating way to present a Top 10 / Best Of list.
I’ve only read two of your top ten (Pretty Face and The Hot Shot) but loved both, most of your quotes on the other books have made me want to 1-click them (aside from Kristen Ashley, because I can’t bear her books). Thanks for adding to my TBR pile.
Trust, Pretty Face, The Hot Shot–and most of all, Most Eligible Bastard were all faves this year for me, too. Thanks Kaetrin! Must read the Jo Goodman. Have you tried the co-authored Sarina Bowen/Tanya Ebe, Man Hands? So funny and so delicious. I preorded the sequel, Man Card, and have it waiting on my kindle.
I’ve read and enjoyed a number of your favorites and honorable mentions. Thanks for sharing your list, Kaetrin; I now have a few titles to research.
Great list, I read six of those books and really liked them. Makes me really want to read the rest.
@LML: *blushes*
@Alison R: I am always happy to enable someone’s book buying habit. *polishes halo*
@Christine Rimmer: I have Man Hands on my TBL – I’m looking forward to listening to it!
@Kareni: @gerund1: I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!
I love this list, the quotes absolutely tickle me. Thank you.
Fun list! I loved seeing books that weren’t on everyone else’s list this year. I’m also thrilled that I’m not the only one who would put Joanna Bourne and Joanna Wylde in their top ten of 2017!
I love this time of year because it’s so much fun to see people’s best of the year lists, and yours is no exception, Kaetrin. I’ve only read the Annika Martin book from this list and it was a strong B for me. It’s my favorite of the three Carolyn Crane / Annika Martin books I’ve read.