My friends know that I am an avid reader. I literally always have a book on hand and I honestly can’t remember the last time I fell asleep without reading before bed. As such, I have read quite a few books so far in 2017.
And, obviously, I have a few faves from that bunch.
What I’m Wearing:
Top: Ann Taylor, sold out (similar, similar) / Skirt: ASOS / Shoes: Marc Fischer
Bag: Cult Gaia (similar for less here) / Earrings: Tuckernuck / Rings: BaubleBar
The vast majority of my book picks have always been fiction. I’ll read nonfiction novels rarely… like maybe once every two years. BUT I love my fiction.
Within fiction, I really love to read historical fiction and science fiction. Fantasy, the Tudors, World War II dramas – those are just a handful of the types of books I read in a given year.
My 5 Favorite Books so Far in 2017
A Gentleman in Moscow, Amor Towles
This novel is beautiful and by far one of my favorite books so far in 2017. Towles is such a detail-oriented writer and I so enjoyed every page of A Gentleman in Moscow. This novel begins in the aftermath of the Bolshevik Revolution. The main character is tried for his aristocratic status but allowed to escape with his life, as long as he never leaves the confines of a glamorous hotel in Moscow. He’s on house-arrest for the rest of his life.
I don’t want to spoil anything but basically this is #1 on my list for a reason and I’ve been recommending this book to all of my friends ever since I finished the first page. Also I seriously cannot wait to read his other novel, Rules of Civility, which is next on my to-read list.
The Nightingale, Kristin Hannah
I sobbed my way through the final pages of this book. It’s a story of two women in the French resistance during World War II. Each sister falls into her role in a completely different way, but what makes this story beautiful is the sisters’ relationship. Obviously, as this novel takes place during World War II, it involves some very dark themes… but the story truly is wonderful and enthralling.
The Girl With No Name, Diney Costeloe
Another World War II historical fiction novel. What can I say? I was going through a phase. This novel made my list of my 5 favorite books so far in 2017 because of the uniqueness of the story. There’s just a lot going on. It’s a story of a Jewish child, escaping persecution in the early days of World War II, who is sent on the Kindertransport from Germany to the U.K. And then faced the effects of the Blitz. A really interesting story with a lot of twists (some more predictable than others).
Stiletto, Daniel O’Malley
Stiletto is the second installment in The Rook Files (I loved the first one – The Rook). It’s a science fiction (maybe even fantasy?) series about a secret organization of people in the U.K. Who possess X-men-like powers. Which sounds wacky, but it’s actually pretty fun.
This novel picks up exactly where its predecessor left off. I recommend reading both. The only reason why The Rook isn’t on this list because I didn’t read it in 2017. But really: I so enjoyed both of these novels and if you like science fiction and fantasy, you probably will enjoy this series as well.
The Underground Railroad, Colson Whitehead
The fifth and final book on my list of my favorite books so far in 2017. This novel actually came out in 2016, but I read it in 2017 so it counts. It’s a story of escaped slaves and their use of the underground railroad in their journey to the north. Much like the World War II-era novels above, it’s a hard read. It’s a must-read, albeit unsettling and upsetting.
If that’s not enough for you, it won the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award… and it was a New York Times Bestseller. Also it’s being developed into a TV series for Amazon (by the man who directed Moonlight).
So now you have your reading list to kick you off for fall. But tell me: what are some of your favorite books so far in 2017? I’d love to hear your recommendations!
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