My Top 10

I am proud to say, that I finished my 52nd book of the year before mid-night on New Year’s Eve. In years past, I averaged 70 books in a year, but with school taking a bigger role in my life (going from part time to full time student), reading for pleasure isn’t always something I get to do. Matter of fact, several of the books on my list this year were assigned by professors and some were given to me to copy edit by the publishing company that I work for. It should also be stated that only a few of these books were published in 2017, this isn’t a list of the “year’s best” it’s a list of the best that I read during 2017. Nevertheless, 52 novels were read by yours truly, and these are my top 10 of the year, in no particular order…

1. I See London, I See France- Sarah Mlynowski.
   A fun quick read about two best friends traveling through Europe together. Additionally dealing with life choices, illness in the family, romance and sex. As someone who has been to Europe, I particularly appreciated the detail of the places visited, the story made me wish I were in Rome with my husband.
2.  The Dressmaker’s Dowry- Meredith Jaeger.
   Chosen by my book club, this story takes you back to San Francisco in the late 1800’s. A young immigrant girl who is forced to become mother to her younger siblings works as a dressmaker making pennies which she relinquishes to her father only to watch him spend it on booze. She decides to take her siblings and run away one night, but the shelter they find may be worse than being home with their father.
3. The Alice Network- Kate Quinn.
   Two stories intertwine taking place in 1947 and 1915, The Alice Network is made up of women spies. These are women who would generally be looked over by society and cast off, but prove to others and themselves that they are worthy. Meanwhile, current day 1947, a young girl has gone missing and no one in her family will talk about it. The two stories intertwine in an unconventional way and will leave readers guessing at what the outcome will show.
4. Saint Anything- Sarah Dessen.
   If you keep up with my blog, you’ll know that I am a HUGE fan of Sarah Dessen. I have read every book she has released. I read two this year, and while it was a hard choice, Saint Anything was my favorite. What Dessen is able to do is create characters that you haven’t read before, she is able to portray nuances and quirks that I haven’t found in other books. Saint Anything deals with families who have favorite children, and what happens when the favorite does something horrible.
5. The Woman in Cabin 10- Ruth Ware.
   One of the first thrillers I’ve ever read, not generally my cup of tea (as I like to sleep peacefully at night). However, I could not put this book down. I think I finished it in 24 hours. Starting with one crime and barreling into another, this story takes place on a luxury cruise ship where a woman goes missing. But, when reported, the ship staff members claim there was never a woman there at all.
6. The Same Sky- Amanda Eyre Ward.
   This story killed me. Everything within it’s pages is plausible and it parallels so much of what our world today is going though. Two separate stories come together- one in Austin, Texas and one in Honduras. In Texas, a couple want desperately to have a family but are unable to, while in Honduras Carla has to take care of her younger brother once her grandma dies. Dealing with death, drugs, and escape both families are pushed to the brink.
7. Last Things- Marissa Moss.
   A graphic novel tackling the subject of ALS. The true story of a family with three young children who deal with their father/husband being diagnosed with this disease. The pictures bring the story to life in a way that makes it shockingly real. A fast read that will stay with you long after you are finished, this book helps bring a new light to families who are in awful circumstances.
8. This is Really Happening- Erin Chack.
   This book came to me at the right time. Filled with personal essays about friendship, life with cancer, and life after cancer, this book was the salve my soul had been searching for. Erin Chack is a writer for Buzzfeed, and she is brutally honest about herself in these essays- the book will make you laugh as well as cry, and is un-put-down-able.
9. The Last Thing You Said- Sara Biren.
   A story chronicling first loves and first tragedies. Lucy and Ben have always shared a fondness for each other, and once they are finally willing to admit their feelings, tragedy strikes. The safe and happy world they were once in, now seems daunting and unsettling.
10. Little Fires Everywhere- Celeste Ng.
    This book was thought provoking with thoroughly thought out characters and back stories. In a small town there was a perfectly thought out community where people were well-mannered and high social achievers. But a new family moves to town who do not share the same values. When the two families start to clash, lives are altered and just when you think you know, you find you have no idea.

This is Really Happening

A few times in my life a book has come along that was a game changer. Back when I first went back to school and didn’t know anything about publishing or the industry, I came across The Storied Life of A.J. Fickry, by Gabrielle Zevin and became introduced to a plethora of careers I’d never heard of, but sounded amazing. Or when I first read The Help, by Kathryn Stockett- I read that one in a weekend, all these issues that were never talked about opened up worlds for me. Or when I read The Great Gatsby and realized that the “classics” weren’t so bad. Those books affected me in ways I never could have dreamed. Encouraged me to step out of my little bubble and use books not just for entertainment, but for information too.

This is Really Happening, by Erin Chack was one of those books. And I can see how, by looking at the cover, you might think it’s just some comedian trying to make light of their experiences but this book shook me. Made me crack up at times and ugly-cry (for real) at others. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Erin Chack, she is a writer for Buzzfeed, the popular site known for list making. So many times during this book I had to pause and just breathe, because Erin has been through some heavy stuff. Like battling cancer. And some less heavy stuff, like road tripping across the U.S. with her friends.

Chack is able to take her experiences and write about them as if she is talking to her best friend. She puts her personality in the spot light. This alone gave me strength. As someone who has tried for her entire life to fit in, it was reassuring to read these stories. They help show that we are all trying to figure life out. And while there are many times in the book she seems to feel like the odd one out, she is in fact completely relatable. Writing that brings weirdness front and center, you can see that in this passage where she says:

“It felt a little like saying something aggressively nice about a kid in class you don’t know very well, like, ‘When Jim reads from the textbook out loud, his voice is like warm chocolate and I want to bathe in it,’ and then turning around to find Jim standing right there” (Chack, 62).

That is the kind of writing (and experience) I can relate to. Showing one’s weirdness and refusing to apologize for it is just what this book does. This book shares stories from her life that tell of vulnerability, teen angst, determination and love. A person who doesn’t hide behind what is popular and conform to what everyone else is doing, but instead makes her quirks work for her. This is a person to look up to. And that is why this book will never leave my shelf. So thanks Erin Chack, for baring your soul, apparently I needed this book.