Hello mortals! It’s top ten Tuesday again and I can’t quite believe we’re already half way through the year! Where is 2017 going? But I’ve done a lot of reading so far this year and I want to share with you ten of my favourite reads so far (I don’t want to say the ‘top ten’ because that involves ranking things and I don’t know if I can cope with picking favourites right now!).
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the beyond amazing The Broke and Bookish. If you don’t already you should head over there and check out the list of all the amazing book bloggers who take part, it’s a great way to find other bloggers who might read the same books as you!
Let’s not hold ourselves back! Here, in no particular order, are ten of the best books I have read so far in 2017.
A Natural History of Dragons
I never tire of talking about this series since I picked up the first book earlier this year. The final book Within the Sanctuary of Wings was published this year and I’m so glad to have been able to read them all in one go.
Illuminae
Another book that I don’t think I ever would have picked up were it not for the blogging community that I think I can now probably call one of my all time favourites. If you love science fiction or if, like me, you’re never sure if you’re going to like it, Illuminae is a great book and the sequel Gemina is just as amazing.
And I Darken
The sequel to this genderflipped Vlad the Impaler (Now I Rise) comes out next week and I am beyond thrilled. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book but I have to say it is phenomenally well done and one of the best ‘alternative history’ books I have ever read.
Six of Crows
I reviewed this last week but in case you missed that review let me just say that this book was phenomenal and I’m so glad I was able to read it this year. I just picked up the sequel and I’m going to have a hard time not starting it immediately.
Strange the Dreamer
I have to say, I think this was the most beautiful book I read this year. Laini Taylor is known for her descriptive style (whether you love it or hate it) and I have to say I adored this book. It’s a little on the hefty side so it’s no small undertaking to read it but trust me it is worth it!
Aurabel
I started Aurabel expecting a fluffy mermaid novel that would leave me snoring. I was so pleased to find out that the mermaids in Laura Dockrill’s books are beyond badass. Couple that with the steampunk-esque elements in this book and you have yourself a winner.
Ink
I think Ink is one of those books that people are slowly starting to discover more and more, it helps that the cover is absolutely beautiful. Suffice to say, if you haven’t managed to read this yet you need to find time to do so, I have so few bad things to say about this novel.
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry
I felt the need to include this book, though it isn’t particularly ‘on brand’ compared to the other books on this list. But if you’re looking for a book that will utterly captivate you and leave you in floods of tears by the end you need look no further than The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry. This is storytelling at it’s finest.
Flight of a Starling
Another book that made me shed all of the tears was Flight of a Starling. I was taken in by the circus setting and then won over by the beautifully simple and yet irresistible story.
The Bone Season
Last on this list is a book that I truly cannot believe I have never read before. This was YA fantasy/science fiction at it’s peak and I can’t believe I managed to get a signed copy of the sequel in Blackwells! Rest assured it is high up on my reading list and you can expect a review in due course.
There we go! Ten books I loved in the first half of 2017! There’s a lot more books to come though, don’t you worry. With all the amazing books that are due to come out in September I can barely contain my excitement!
Have you read any of these? Did they make it on to your list? Let me know in the comments below and link me to your own Top Ten Tuesday post, I’d love to read them! Also, if you haven’t already, hit that follow button so you never miss a post!
Love you all (yes, even you)
J
Ink and The Bone Season have been sitting on my shelf for ages. I really need to get around to reading them!
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Can definitely recommend!
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Six of Crows is amazing indeed! I still have Crooked Kingdom on my TBR and I’m looking forward to reading it.
Quite a few books on your TTT that are on my TBR or “want to buy”-list, haha!
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Yay! That’s always nice when that happens
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All of these are on my TBR, except Six of Crow which I read last year and was awesome!
Cora ❤ http://www.teapartyprincess.co.uk/
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Awesome!
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I’ve heard so much good about A Natural History of Dragons but I didn’t realise it was a series! I’ll definetly need to get myself the first one to read.
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I loved them so much!
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I stopped ranking my top tens a good while ago, it’s too hard! Strange the Dreamer made my list this week too and I really need to get back onto the Natural History of Dragons series, it’s not like I don’t have several of them sat on my TBR, staring at me.
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I know the feeling!
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I’m a little bit scared to read Flight of a Starling after how much Paper Butterflies destroyed me, but I love Lisa’s writing so much!
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I wept in public…
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The third book of The Bone Season series, The Song Rising, I think is the best so far. Some people hate Shannon’s dystopian world but I think it is wonderful. So glad that you enjoyed TBS.
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I just found a signed copy of Mime order so I need to get through that first and then I’m excited for #3!
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Okay, I had never heard of Ink before but I just read the blurb on Goodreads and it sounds SO GOOD. I’ll definitely have to add it to my TBR!!
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definitely and Alice is so lovely (I’ve not met her but I enjoy her twitter)
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I haven’t read any of these, but A Natural History of Dragons sounds really interesting. Here is our TTT.
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awesome!
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I love Strange the Dreamer, SOC and Illuminae!! And I Darken is on my TBR and I hope to get to it soon 🙂 I’ve heard amazing things about it!
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Super good. 😀
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Ah! I can’t wait to read Ink and Flight of a Starling! Just bumped them up on my future TBR. 🙂
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Fantastic list! So many good ones on here.
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And I Darken & Six of Crows are both on my TBR for this year so I’m glad to see you enjoyed them! I’m reading The Bone Season at the moment and enjoying it.
My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2017/06/27/top-ten-tuesday-113/
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Yay, Lady Trent!
But – I need a minute, here – steampunk mermaids? REALLY REALLY?
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Kind of? It’s not the victoriana aspect. But metal fin?
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That’s even better, it’s the Victoriana but I don’t tend to like 🙂
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Haha! Well there you go!
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I recently started the Grisha trilogy and absolutely fell in love with Leigh Bardugo`s writing. Now I want to pick up all of her books. Many people say that the Six of Crows duology is even better than Grisha, so I have high hopes for it.
http://www.carmensreadingcorner.co.uk
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awesome!
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