Best of 2017

Below are the best books, in several different categories, of the 29 books (it doesn't look like much when I type it out!) I read this last year. I hope some of them spark your interest or bring back fond memories of your own. 

Best Classical Novel
The award goes to... Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by the creative Robert Louis Stevenson. He can definitely write more morally complex material than children's poetry and Treasure Island. Suspenseful and as deep-as-a-well, this novel is perfect for reading beside a fire on a blustery autumn night!  

Best Adult Fiction
Out of the handful of the adult fiction books I read, Timeline by Michael Crichton would have to be my favorite. I haven't gotten around to reading many of his books, but this one hooked me so that I have quite a few now on my never-ending too-read list. This book had just enough science without being too dense and plenty of fascinating medieval history without being too historical. I mean, who wouldn't want to know what it would be like to be stuck in the middle ages with only a very short time frame to return to the current age? 

Best Young Adult Fiction
The Young Elites series by Marie Lu blew me away. They were different than anything else I've read in this genre (which has been a mountain's worth, if you've taken a look at my book reviews over the last few years). The series deals with a main character who becomes a villain. It becomes darker as the series progresses, treating on the darkness that lies inside of every person. The ending was hopeful, which is one reason why I like the series so much, besides the fact that it has basically super heroes in it! This is a young adult series that is real and honest about humanity. 

Best Non-Fiction 

One-Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp wins this award. I had heard a lot about this book but thought the hype was overdone. It turns out, in this case, that it wasn't. I finally picked it up, and the book's practical message about giving thanks on a daily basis sunk deep into my heart during a time of heavy sadness. It's not magical, of course; giving thanks is work, but I enjoyed the lessons Voskamp shared from her own life and the reminder that giving thanks does bring joy in the end. She also writes the book in lovely poetic language. 



Best Biography 
I only read two. Whoops. But out of those two (Bonhoeffer's biography and Surprised by Oxford), my favorite was Surprised by Oxford by Carolyn Weber. I was surprised by this book, as I didn't know it existed until my mom basically threw it at me a few weeks before Christmas. So it almost didn't get on my list. I loved this book because it takes place at Oxford, quotes poetry, and mentions tea every few pages. But more than that, it's about a girl who wrestles with some deep questions during her graduate program that most humans at least slap at during their lives. It's a beautiful testimony to God's greatness and persistence. 

Best Re-Read 
The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. Nothing more needs to be said about this.