At the beginning of 2017, i set a goal this year to read 50 books. I will save you the despair and admit I didn't reach this goal and knew I was not going to reach this goal in about September. But that is okay because I knew this was going to be a busy year and I was right. I got the majority of my reading done at the beginning of the year, and when I started college again in August the time for reading became the time for studying. That is unfortunately the harsh reality.But this year did teach me something, and that is that I was happier reading only a few books because they were on my to-be-read shelf for years, rather than reading books for the sake for a challenge. That is something I will take into 2018 as I know 2018 will be even busier than 2017.
When picking my top 5 books of the year, i realised that it is all authors I have perviously loved and wanted to read their new work. They are also all YA romance type novels which I think shows what I love to read.
When picking my top 5 books of the year, i realised that it is all authors I have perviously loved and wanted to read their new work. They are also all YA romance type novels which I think shows what I love to read.
It Only Happens In The Movies by Holly Bourne
"Bad boys turned good, kisses in the rain, climbing through bedroom windows... It only happens in the movies. When Audrey meets Harry, it’s the start of a truly cinematic romance – or is it? Audrey knows that Harry is every movie cliché rolled into one. But she still chooses to let him into her heart..."
Rating: ★★★★★
This was probably my most highly anticipated book of the year and I had even pre-ordered it on my kindle, as I was in Paris on the day of it's release. I had planned to download it on the hotel and start it on the plane home. This was an incredible book witch such a relatable and amazing main character Aubrey and the boy she works with at a small cinema named Harry. Overall the story was so reminiscent of high school days and what I always thought love would be like.
A Quiet Kind of Thunder by Sara Barnard
"Steffi has been a selective mute for most of her life - she's been silent for so long that she feels completely invisible. But Rhys, the new boy at school, sees her. He's deaf, and her knowledge of basic sign language means that she's assigned to look after him. To Rhys, it doesn't matter that Steffi doesn't talk, and as they find ways to communicate, Steffi finds that she does have a voice, and that she's falling in love with the one person who makes her feel brave enough to use it. "
Rating: ★★★★★
Another very highly anticipated book of the year. I had previously read Sara Barnard's debut novel 'Beautiful Broken Things' and had completely fallen in love with her writing and her characters. This story follows Steffi and Rhys and their coming of age love story with both characters falling out of the social norms as one is a selective mute and one is deaf. This book made me really think about the other forms of language within the world.
All About Mia by Lisa Williamson
But instead, it is Mia whose life spirals out of control – boozing, boys and bad behaviour – and she starts to realise that her attempts to make it All About Mia might put at risk the very things she loves the most."
Rating: ★★★★★
I won't lie and say it took me quite a while after the books initial release date to get round to it and I regret it so much. I completely devoured this in only a few sittings. Including her flaws, I relate to Mia so much with her worries about being compared to others, especially her sisters, and I just thought the story was written amazingly.
We Are Okay by Nina LaCour
"Marin hasn’t spoken to anyone from her old life since the day she left everything behind. No one knows the truth about those final weeks. Not even her best friend Mabel. But even thousands of miles away from the California coast, at college in New York, Marin still feels the pull of the life and tragedy she’s tried to outrun. Now, months later, alone in an emptied dorm for winter break, Marin waits. Mabel is coming to visit and Marin will be forced to face everything that’s been left unsaid and finally confront the loneliness that has made a home in her heart. "
Rating: ★★★★★
The cover of this book is what first attracted me to it as it is absolutely stunning. I ended up purchasing a hardcover from America just to have this beautiful book. The story was heart-wrenching and the ending definitely made me cry. Marin and Mabel were so well written and this was just a fantastic well rounded book.
The Upside of Unrequitted by Becky Albertelli
"What does a sixteen-year-old girl have to do to kiss a boy? Molly Peskin-Suso wishes she knew. Her twin sister Cassie’s advice to “just go for it” and “take a risk” isn’t that helpful. Then Cassie meets Mina, and while Molly is happy for her twin, she can’t help but feel lonelier than ever. But Cassie and Mina are determined to end Molly’s string of unrequited crushes once and for all. They decide to set her up with Will, who is ridiculously good-looking and seems to be into Molly. But as Molly spends more time with Reid, her cute, nerdy co-worker, her feelings get all kinds of complicated. Now she has to decide whether to follow everyone’s advice…or follow her own heart."
Rating: ★★★★★
I received an ARC of this book through Net Galley and I am so thankful I got to absolutely devour this book. The characters were so diverse and authentic and the story fit them very well. The writing was hilarious and I loved every aspect of this book.
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