I hope everyone who celebrates Christmas had a wonderful day with family and friends. Our Christmas Day celebrations have been postponed until New Year's Eve Day due to a Christmas snowstorm (our first in a decade) and, a sick grandchild (ever and cough) and, a sick ME! I felt like I've been fighting a cold for over 6 weeks but, it finally got the best of me. It seems like a bad sinus infection (chest x-ray was fine), hoping the antibiotics kick in soon. I'm rarely sick so, hoping this doesn't stick around much longer.
In 2017, I read (85) books which I know I shouldn't feel too bad about but, it was the least number of books that I've read in about 15 years. Obviously, retirement doesn't mean one will have more time for books. I think I hit several books that turned into DNF titles for me and then I took a break hoping to find something that I would love.
In no particular order, here are the books I enjoyed the most this year (links to reviews below):
Here's my complete list of books read.
In no particular order, here are the books I enjoyed the most this year (links to reviews below):
Here's my complete list of books read.
2017 Books Read
- Chocky; John Wyndham - 4/5 (my shelves) - Jan/2017
- The Seventh Day; Yu Hua; 3.5/5 (eGalley) - Jan/2017
- On Turpentine Lane; Elinor Lipman (eGalley) - 4.5/5 - Jan/2017
- The Leisure Seeker; Michael Zadoorian (my shelves) - 5/5 - Jan/2017
- The Marriage of Opposites; Alice Hoffman (eGalley-BookGroup pick) - 4/5 -Jan/2017
- Second Hand; Michael Zadoorian - (my shelves) 3.5/5 - Jan/2017
- Hospital Hill; Katherine Anderson - (library) - 3.5/5 - Jan/2017
- The Beautiful Dead; Belinda Bauer - (eGalley) - 3.5/5 - Jan/2017
- The Fifth Floor; Julie Oleszek - (library) - 4.5/5 - Feb/2017
- Excellent Women; Barbara Pym - (audio & my shelf) - 4/5 -Feb/2017
- The Impossible Fortress; Jason Rekuluk - (eGalley) 4/5 - Feb/2017
- Is This Tomorrow; Caroline Leavitt - (audio) - 4/5 Feb/2017
- Setting Free the Kites; Alex George - (arc) - 4/5 Feb/2017
- Being Mortal; Atul Gawande (book group) NF - 4.5/5 - Feb/2017
- Hillbilly Elegy; J.D. Vance - NF (audio) - 4/5 - Feb/2017
- How To Be a Bigger Bunny; Florence & Wendell Minor (print) - Feb/2017
- Behind Closed Doors; B.A. Paris (audio & eGalley) - 4/5 - 2/2017
- Everything Happens Today; Jess Browner - (arc) - 4.5/5 - 2/2017
- Agnes; Peter Stamm - (arc) - 4/5 - 2/2017
- Among the Lesser Gods; Margo Catts - (arc) - 4.5/5 - March/2017
- First Women; Kate Anderson Brower - (audio) - 3.5/5 - March/2017
- The Residence; Kate Anderson Brower (audio) - 4/5 - March/2017
- What I Know For Sure; Oprah Winfrey (NF) (Audio) - 5/5 - March/2017
- Books for Living; Will Schwalbe (NF) (audio) - 5/5 - March/2017
- Every Living Thing; Cynthia Ryland - (my shelves) - 4.5/5 - March/2017
- Ill Will; Dan Chaon (eGalley) - 4/5 - March/2017
- All the Stars in the Heavens; A. Trigiani (library) - 2/5 - March/2017
- The Widowmaker; Paul Dorion (audio) - 4/5 March/2017
- The Futures; Anna Pitoniak (arc) - 4/5 March/2017
- Green Pants; Kenneth Kraegel (my shelves) 5/5 March/2017
- Rain; Sam Usher (my shelves) 5/5 March/2017
- How To Be Human; Paula Cocozaza - 3.5/5 - April/2017
- The Inner Life of Cats; Thomas Macnamee - 4.5/5 - April/2017
- Sons and Daughters of Ease and Plenty; Ramona Ausubel - April/2017
- Born A Crime; Trevor Noah (NF) - (audio) 5/5 - April/2017
- White Fur; Jardine Libaire - (ARC) - 5/5 - April/2017
- Strays: A Lost Cat, a Homeless Man, and Their Journey Across America; Britt Collins - 4.5/5 - April/2017
- Everything I Never Told You; Celeste Ng - (audio) (book group) - 4.5/5 - April/2017
- Dark Flood Rises; Margaret Drabble - library - 4.5/5 - April/2017
- The Hideaway; Lauren Denton - (arc) - 4/5 April/2017
- The Fall of Lisa Bellow; Susan Perabow (audio) 3.5/5 - May/2017
- Anything is Possible; Elizabeth Strout (eGalley) - 4.5/5 - May/2017
- The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit; Michael Finkle - (audio) - 4/5 May/2017
- Her Every Fear; Peter Swanson (audio) - 3.5/5 - May/2017
- My Very Own Space; Pippa Goodhart - 3/5 - May/2017
- The Ocean at the End of the Lane; Neil Gaiman (book group/library) - 4/5 - May/2017
- The Book of Polly; Kathy Hepinstall (library) - 4/5 - May/2017
- Woman No. 17; Edan Lepucki - (arc) 4/5 - May/2017
- Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions ; C. Adichie - (library) - 5/5 - May/2017
- Miss Rumphius; Barbara Cooney - 5/5 (library) - June/2017
- The Stars are Fire; Anita Shreve - 4.5/5 (eGalley) - June/2017
- The Breakdown; B.A. Paris - 4.5/5 (arc) - June/2017
- We Should All Be Feminists; C. Adichie (NF) - 4.5/5 (library) June/2017
- Dead Wake; Erik Larson (NF) - 4/5 (book group) June/2017
- The Yellow Wallpaper; Charlotte Perkins Gilman - 4.5/5 (eBook) June/2017
- Everybody's Son; Thrity Umrigar - 4.5/5 - June/2017
- Beautiful Animals; Lawrence Osborne - 4/5 (arc) June-2017
- The Leavers; Lisa Ko - 4/5 (library) July-2017
- The Lying Game; Ruth Ware - 4/5 - (eGalley) - July-2017
- Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine; Gail Honeyman - 5/5 (audio) - July-2017
- The Best of Us: a memoir; Joyce Maynard - (eGalley) - 5/5 - July/2017
- Sea Change; Robert Parker - (audio) 2/5 - July/2017
- The Summer That Made Us; Robyn Carr - (eGalley) - 4/5 - July/2017
- I'll Take You There; Wally Lamb (arc) - 2/5 - July/2017
- Orhan's Inheritance; Aline Ohanesian (library-book group read) - 4/5 (August/2017)
- Papa: My Story; David Ortiz - 4/5 (library) (August/2017)
- Grief Cottage; Gail Godwin - 4.5/5 (eGalley) (August/2017)
- A Stranger in the House; Shari Lapena - 4/5 (audio) (August/2017)
- The Lauras; Sara Taylor - 4/5 (arc) (August/2017)
- Home going; Yaa Gyasi (reread-book group) 4.5/5 August/2017
- Before, During and After; Richard Bausch (ARC) 4/5 (Sept/2017
- Little Fires Everywhere; Celeste Ng (eGalley) 5/5 (Sept/2017)
- Death of a Busybody; George Bellairs - 4/5 (eGalley) Sept/2017
- The Old Man; Thomas Perry (audio) 4.5/5 - Sept/2017
- Almost Sisters; Joshilyn Jackson (audio) 3.5/5 (Sept/2017)
- The Deep Dark Descending; Allen Eskens - 4/5 (eGalley) Oct/2017
- Never Coming Back; Alison McGhee - (arc) 3.5/5 (Oct./2017)
- Camino Island; John Grisham (audio) 3.5/5 (October/2017)
- The Muralist; B.A. Shapiro - 4.5/5 book group (October)
- The Music Shop; Rachel Joyce - 4.5/5 (eGalley) (October/2017
- Ties; Domenico Starnone - 5/5 (library) November/2017
- Unraveling Oliver; Liz Nugent - 4.5/5 (library) November/2017
- Midwinter Break; Bernard MacLaverty; 4/5 (library) Nov/2017
- The Heart's Invisible Furies; John Boyne - 4.5/5 (eGalley)- Dec/2017
- Small Blessings; Martha Woodroof - 4/5 - (my shelves) - Dec/2017
My First Book for 2018
Eleanor Oliphant is on my TBR shelf waiting for me so I'm glad to see it on your favorites list! I hope you feel better soon, Diane. I'm on my second go-round with this cold/sinus thing. Hoping not to need a second round of prescription meds. I hope you enjoy the Bohjalian. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteMary, I think you would really like Eleanor Oliphant, the audio is very good.
DeleteWe Have Little Fires Everywhere in common this year. I added Ties to my list after reading your review... hadn't heard of it before. Happy New Year, Diane.
ReplyDeleteJoAnn, Little Fires seems to be making everyones faves list or TBR lists. I loved Ties and know you will as it's reminiscent of books written by Eleana Ferrante.
DeleteHappy New Year to you as well.
Miss Rumphius used to be part of our reading curriculum for third grade. (But I thought it was a little boring.) I hope you're feeling better soon! xo
ReplyDeleteOh sorry to hear that, I thought it was such a sweet and beautifully illustrated read.
DeleteSorry to hear you and your grandchild are sick and hope you're both better soon.
ReplyDeleteI'm working on my list of favorites of the year and I see that I didn't read that many memorable books. Several of your favorites will be on my list too.
I had a lot of just okay reads this year as well Kathy. This sinus infection is just lingering it seems. Happy New Year.
DeleteI found your First Book for 2018 very absorbing.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear it. Happy New Year Mystica.
DeleteI hope you feel better soon. It looks like you had a great reading year. Little Fires was high on my short list this year. Have a very Happy New Year and enjoy your Christmas celebrations!
ReplyDeleteThanks Pat; Happy New Year to you and your as well.
DeleteI am SO glad that you read and liked The Leisure Seeker. It was one of my top books from a few years ago. And did you know that it was turned into a movie, starring Helen Mirren and Donald Sutherland? It's coming out early next year.
ReplyDeleteYes, I can't wait to too The Leisure Seeker movie - great cast too. Happy New Year.
DeleteI am sorry to hear you aren't feeling well; I hope the drugs kick in soon! I want Eleanor Oliphant to be one of my early 2018 books as I keep hearing such good things about it. I just read Born and Crime and found it really interesting.
ReplyDeleteThanks Helen. This sinus thing is lasting it seems. I think you would really like Eleanor Elephant, the audio is very good. Have a happy New Year.
DeleteI sure hope normal and better show up soon.
ReplyDeleteLOL - Thanks Brian - and, Happy New Year to the gang.
DeleteDiane, I hope you and the little one feel better soon! Thanks for sharing your favorite books of 2017. I hope to read more in 2018, so I will keep your choices in mind. Have a terrific New Year's!
ReplyDeleteThanks Susan, Hoping you New years brings you much happiness.
DeleteOh no, sorry to hear you've been sick and had to postpone the celebrations. Hope you get well soon and that everyone in your household also gets well so that you guys can welcome the New Year happy & healthy! Great job on finishing 85 books read. I have some of your favorites on my TBR list.
ReplyDeleteI'm still not feeling great but we will get together tomorrow to celebrate for a few hours. Happy New Years, Iliana.
DeleteDiane,
ReplyDeleteTo quote my mother's saying, "I do hope you're enjoying ill health."
By that she meant, "I hope you're not sick enough to suffer, but just sick enough to enjoy the opportunity to dive deep into books without the guilt of things left undone."
Thanks for listing your reads for the entire year. Your first of 2018 intrigues me lots. I should be doing a TBR thing come Jan. 1st, but must look into this one.
Judith -- Lol
DeleteHave a Happy & Healthy 2018 and may many great books cross your path.
First of all, I feel your pain with regards to fighting col/flu--3 out of 5 in our family were down and out for Xmas, and only now are feeling on the mend. Again, it feels like I was sick for most of December--rotten bug! Hope you and your family are also on the mend and can enjoy what's left of the holidays!
ReplyDeleteNow, 85 is about 20 more books than I average, so kudos to you! I also loved Books for Living. Happy New Year--may your 2018 be filled with excellent books, time to read them, and good health to enjoy friends, family, and retirement!
Jane, sorry you were sick as well. The doctor said most everyone they see lately seems to have something sinus related. I finished my meds today but, can't say I'm al that much better.
DeleteLittle Fires is on everyone's list, including my own, which posts tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteI may pitch Eleanor Oliphant for next year's book club list. Everyone has good things to say about it.
I think your book group would enjoy, Eleanor Elephant, the audio is very good as well.
DeleteI've seen Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine on a number of these yearly wrap up posts - definitely a title to check out then.
ReplyDeleteHappy reading in 2018!
Jade, Hope your 2018 brings you much happiness (and great books).
DeleteSorry you've been ill, Diane! Hope you are better now, but it seems everyone we know has been sick or is getting sick. Also hope you have a happy new year tomorrow! I've not read any of your favorite books this year, but I do have LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE on my list as well as THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT. And, I'm back to blogging tomorrow. :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks Kay, and it's nice to see you posting again. I've been a so so blogger this year. Happy New Year
DeleteI was sorry to hear your Christmas was postponed, but I do hope you have a wonderful day tomorrow with your family, Diane. I ended up being sick for Christmas too. I hope you are feeling much better. It sounds like you read some great books! I want to read Little Fires Everywhere soon. Chris Bohjalian's new book sounds really good! I hope you enjoy it, Diane! I am reading Wicked City by Beatriz Williams at the moment and enjoying it.
ReplyDeleteHave a Happy New Year, Diane!
Wendy, sorry to hear you were sick as well over Christmas. I hope you and your family have a wonderful New Year.
DeleteSo sorry you weren't feeling well, hope everyone is fine and enjoying a great celebration together. Books For Living was my only NF for the year.
ReplyDeleteWe were able to have a nice post holiday celebration after all.
DeleteLooks like a great bunch of books. Happy reading in 2018!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much; hope 2018 is a great year for you as well.
DeleteHappy New Year Diane! I hope you are fully recovered. Thanks for your list and favorites. I always enjoy those. Well, I guess all readers do. Best wishes for your reading in 2018. It has been my experience that retirement does not necessarily lead to more books read, but I am determined to change that this year!
ReplyDeleteJudy, yes, thank you I am feeling better and returned to yoga yesterday - that felt good. Happy reading.
DeleteSo many great books on your list!
ReplyDeleteMy faves were enjoyable read, but, I also read many just so-so books in 2017 - hope that doesn't happen this year.
DeleteI hope you're feeling better by now. My mom and my husband both had terrible colds in early December, but I managed to escape the crud. Lots of hand washing and taking Airborne daily must be the trick, at least for me.
ReplyDeleteI think you had a pretty good year, compared to my measly 28! :) I really enjoyed Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, too. I'm adding Ties, Books for Living, The Leisure Seeker (just read it will be a movie!), Little Fires Everywhere, and The Best of Us to my TBR list. I have a feeling if I do this with everyone's Best of 2017, I'll have a huge list from which to read! By the way, I loved Mrs. Rumphius and it's one of the few children's books I moved to Oregon. I may have to go reread it this afternoon.
Fingers crossed you're completely recovered by now.
Glad u avoided getting sick (so far). Hey, you had a reason for not reading as much - a major move, retirement and lots of fun travel. Eleanor Oliphant was a great story and yes, Miss Rumpus - we need more beauty these days. Happy 2018 Les.
Delete