Top Reads of 2019

Current Read: Wildcard by Marie Lu
Current Listen: Letters from Skye by Jessica Brockmole

Hello, reader family! Happy New Year! 2019 was a year of getting back to normal for me. I'm continuing to recover from the fallout of my ankle break, and we moved from our tiny apartment into a house. I decided to go for broke and set a goal of reading 150 books, up from 125 the year before. I'm happy to report that I exceeded my goal and read 165 books last year. Because of that, it was VERY difficult for my to compile the list that follows.

When I first started writing this post, I was pretty much writing a five paragraph essay about why I loved each book. I ended up switching to a Who/What/When/Where/Why format to make it easier to read. Let me know what you think!

Adult Fiction

1. The Bride Test by Helen Hoang 

Who does it star: Khai, a man with autism, and a Vietnamese mail-order bride, Esme
What is its genre: Romance
Where/How did I read it: Preordered the paperback because I adored The Kiss Quotient, then read it at the beautiful Cassady lakehouse
When did I finish it: June
Why you should read it: Come for the unique premise and the well-written characters with autism, stay for how FRIGGIN FIERCE Esme is

2. City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert 

Who does it star: Vivian, a 95-year old woman telling the story of her coming of age in a vaudeville theatre
What is its genre: Historical fiction with some steam and scandal
Where/How did I read it: On Audible (11/10 recommend this audiobook) while living my life
When did I finish it: August
Why you should read it: It takes place in the 20s in the New York theatre district. Every single character is incredible, and the voice of Vivian makes it seem like you're gossiping with a girlfriend.

3. Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid 

Who does it star: Daisy Jones and The Six, a popular band from the 70s being interviewed about their history
What is its genre: Historical fiction
Where/How did I read it: I read an ARC copy of this on the plane from Indy to New Orleans. The format makes it a quick read.
When did I finish it: March
Why you should read it: Sex and drugs and rock and roll. I didn't listen to the audiobook, but I've heard its incredible.

4. The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai

Who does it star: Yale, a gay man in 1980s Chicago whose reeling from the impact of AIDS on his group of friends, and Fiona, Yale's best friend, who 30 years later is still dealing with the trauma of that time
What is its genre: Historical fiction
Where/How did I read it: Listened on Audible while sobbing and doing the dishes
When did I finish it: May
Why you should read it: To immerse yourself in the gay scene in 80s Chicago and honor the many who were lost so young to such a terrible disease

5. Bear Town by Fredrik Backman

Who does it star: The residents of Bear Town, a hockey-obsessed small town that is rocked by a violent, traumatic event
What is its genre: Contemporary fiction
Where/How did I read it: Read the paperback on my couch to fulfill part of the Pop Sugar Reading Challenge (read a book set in Scandinavia)
When did I finish it: December
Why you should read it: It's a really, really well-written look at the connections of a small town and how one person's choices can impact everyone around them. Just as good if not better than A Man Called Ove, in my opinion.

Young Adult Fiction

1. The Arc of a Scythe trilogy by Neal Shusterman

Who does it star: Two apprentice scythes, the only people permitted to permanently kill, or glean, others, since humanity has defeated death.
What is its genre: Dystopian science fiction
Where/How did I read it: I read all three books in this series on Audible while driving and doing the dishes. Very good narrator.
When did I finish it: November
Why you should read it: One of he best sci-fi series I've ever read. Such a well-built world that kept getting better and better.

2. The Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas

Who does it star: Celaena Sardothien, a fierce assassin with a mysterious past she'd rather forget
What is its genre: Fantasy
Where/How did I read it: Listened on Audible throughout the summer. Outstanding, oustanding narrator. I listened to the first one in 2017 and the second in 2018, but after book 3 I couldn't stop and kept going through the 7th and final book of the series. Would literally listen any time I had a free second. Listened at the store. Listened while working out. Did extra chores to keep listening.
When did I finish it: July
Why you should read it: Elves and magic and witches and evil kings and sex and violence and piles and piles of incredibly written female characters

3. There's Something About Sweetie by Sandhya Menon

Who does it star: Sweetie, a fiercely confident track runner who won't let other people's opinions about her body stop her from kicking ass
What is its genre: Romance
Where/How did I read it: Pre-ordered this and read it in the Cassady hammock at the lake
When did I finish it: June
Why you should read it: Sweetie is the gorgeous Indian-American body-positive feminist of my DREAMS. Also read When Dimple Met Rishi and everything Sandhya writes. She is fabulous.

4. Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell

Who does it star: Simon, a self-aware "chosen one" who is at a loss after the events of Carry On (book one), and Baz, his partner
What is its genre: Fantasy
Where/How did I read it: Pre-ordered the GORGEOUS hardcover and read it the moment it came out
When did I finish it: October
Why you should read it: Its magic system is completely beautiful and Baz and Simon are the most adorable

5. Nevermoor and Wundersmith by Jessica Townsend

Who does it star: Morrigan Crow, a girl who has been whisked away to a mysterious magic school
What is its genre: Fantasy
Where/How did I read it: Got the first audiobook on the urging of one of my favorite Youtube channels, then binged both of them
When did I finish it: July
Why you should read it: Really cool, unique world, awesome characters, and also MAGIC SCHOOL STORIES ARE THE BOMB

Non-Fiction

1. Catch and Kill by Ronan Farrow

Who does it star: Ronan Farrow, a journalist covering the Weinstein sexual abuse scandal, and the private investigators, spies, and NBC executives working on behalf of Weinstein to kill the story
What is its genre: Investigative journalism/memoir
Where/How did I read it: Got the audiobook and binged it in two days. Could not stop listening.
When did I finish it: December 31st, haha. Barely made it.
Why you should read it: Powerful men try to silence vulnerable women, particularly victims of sexual harrassment and assault. This shit happens ALL THE TIME and we as a society have a responsibility to expose it and smash the patriarchy.

2. White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo

Who does it star: White people, and the social forces that enforce white supremacy
What is its genre: Non-fiction
Where/How did I read it: Borrowed it from my friend Robbie, then immediately knew I had to buy my own copy so I could write all over it and lend it to others to read
When did I finish it: November
Why you should read it: It will change your life. Absolutely essential for everyone, but ESPECIALLY white people.

3. Over the Top by Jonathan Van Ness

Who does it star: The beautiful fierce human known as JVN
What is its genre: Memoir
Where/How did I read it: On Audible, which was FABULOUS, because it was like having an 8 hour long conversation with JVN
When did I finish it: November
Why you should read it: JVN has overcome so much and has still managed to find this beautiful positive outlook on life. We need more books like this.

4. So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo

Who does it star: Ijeoma Oluo, a fierce commentator on race and gender
What is its genre: Essays, kind of. Essays that feel almost like a guidebook
Where/How did I read it: Via audiobook with Ian. Narrated by the incredible Bahni Turpin
When did I finish it: July
Why you should read it: This book breaks down every essential topic of conversation you could have with another person about race. There's a chapter about hair. There's a chapter about intersectionality. There's a chapter about affirmative action. There's a chapter about white privilege. And it explains everything SO clearly. It can help you explain these things without triggering white fragility.

5. Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe

Who does it star: The IRA, the British Army, and Jean McConville, a woman dragged from her Belfast home by masked intruders during the Troubles and was never seen again
What is its genre: History
Where/How did I read it: Via Audible in my normal life. Warning: The narrator has a THICK northern Irish accent, which added to the telling but...damn it was hard to understand for the first hour or so.
When did I finish it: August
Why you should read it: The way Radden Keefe takes one woman's murder and then weaves the entire history of the Troubles around it is masterful. I learned SO MUCH about the IRA.

Alright. That's it. Stay tuned in the next few days for a post on my goals for this year. :) That's all she read.

2019 Reading Update

Current Read: Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
Current Listen: The Rest is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century by Alex Ross
2019 Goodreads Reading Challenge Count: 121 out of 150 books

Hello, internet! It's been a looooooooooong time. In my defense, 2018 was a crazy, CRAZY year for me, and 2019 has mostly been me readjusting to my new normal. The crazy is still sort of ongoing, but I have the greatest people and they're helping me figure it out.

I gave myself a freakishly ambitious reading goal of 150 books for the year. I didn't set any goals other than the number this year--last year I tried to read a certain number of different genres and types of books, and I just found it to be too much to keep track of. If you're curious, though, here is the breakdown so far:

Illustrated children's books: 21
Middle-grade books: 19
Young adult books: 27
Adult fiction: 25
Non-fiction: 20
Graphic novels: 9

I have to say that I'm pretty pleased with myself. When I was counting, though, I noticed that more and more of what I read (and more and more of great fiction being written) defies being placed in one of these categories. For example, I powered through most of the Throne of Glass series this year. Those are always shelved with young adult, buuuuuuuuut are they really? They don't read like what you would expect YA to be. They are very well-written and there is so much violence and sex. And some adult fiction (romances in particular) are way easier to read than some YA. But this isn't what this post is about.

As I approach fall break, I want to hold myself accountable and let you know of some remaining books I would like to read before the end of the year. I'm going to list 5 and then--we'll see. 

Carry On and Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell
These are Rainbow Rowell's version of a magic school/Chosen One sort of narrative, but they are not just an HP rip-off. Carry On is a re-read for me in anticipation of the sequel which comes out NEXT TUESDAY!!!!

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
I can't believe I haven't read this yet. With the movie out right now, I figured it was finally time. This seems like a love it or hate it, and I love being able to have an opinion on things like that.

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
Since I'm so far ahead of my goal, I figure I have time for a few gigantic tomes. I've heard awesome things about this one and it's just gorgeous on my shelf.

The Handmaid's Tale and The Testaments by Margaret Atwood
I'm really pumped about the sequel that just came out, and I figured I might as well re-read the first one since it's the bomb. Under his eye.

City of Lost Souls and City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare
I love these books, and I liked City of Fallen Angels. I would love to finish that trilogy before the year is over. I also try not to binge these ones, though. I have heard from several people that they get repetitive if you read too many in a row.

So by 5 I apparently meant 8. Oh well. My other reading-related goal is to write a blog post every other week. Hold me to that, will you?

Let me know in the comments if you have read anything on my list and what you want to read before the end of the year!

Top Movies of 2018

Current read: The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory
Current listen: The Poisoned City by Anna Clark

Hey gang! So I decided to do something different. This is still a primarily bookish blog, but if you know me, you know that in the months of October-February I set aside just about everything in my Oscar-buzz haze. I have a spreadsheet. It's color-coded. So people have been nagging me to blog about film more. I don't feel quite as qualified to talk about film, but I do love it. A lot. Over my winter break I went to the movies 13 times. Because of that, I decided to write about my favorite movies of 2018. These are in order, as much as it pained me to rank them. And there are a LOT of great movies that I couldn't include. Special shout-out to Roma. I already regret it not being on this list because it was outstanding and lovely and I want it to win things.

10. Love, Simon
Here's some bookish-ness! This movie is an adaptation of Simon Vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli, one of my YA faves. I know this movie isn't art-house and it won't get nominated for any Oscars, but it was just so incredible to see a rom-com that centered around a same-sex couple. Also, this is the one that I will watch when I'm sad or stressed or want to regain some hope in humanity.

9. The Hate U Give
Another incredible YA adaptation, this time from the incomparable Angie Thomas. In my opinion, the movie's explorations of code-switching and how police brutality impacts communities of color are beyond excellent. Russell Hornsby gives the performance of his career, and Amandla Stenberg is definitely an up-and-comer to keep an eye on. If you haven't seen The Hate U Give, you best get your butt to the Redbox when it comes out in a few weeks. ESPECIALLY if you are in a position of privilege.

8. A Star Is Born
Gorgeous performance by Lady Gaga, both acting and singing. Incredible music. As far as directorial debuts go, this one is pretty fantastic. Also, I will never in my life forget Sam Elliott's face as he pulls out of the driveway. THAT is what great acting looks like.

7. If Beale Street Could Talk
This movie is the main reason that I didn't make this list until a week after the new year--it would be much easier to be a film buff if I lived in LA or New York. An unbelievably beautiful film. Every moment of it. The score, the cinematography, the acting, the story, the script...everything. Barry Jenkins is the future of film and I could not be happier about it.

6. Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse
As I write this, this film has just won the Golden Globe for best animated film. THANK GOODNESS. The most innovative animated film I've ever seen. One of those movies that is going to change how animated films are made. Great voice-acting, a great story, and a killer soundtrack.

5. Eighth Grade
A movie that was DEEPLY personal and made me cry almost as much as it made me laugh. I was that girl at the pool party. Bo Burnham wrote a masterpiece about what it's like to be young in a scary, changing world. So much of this movie is specific to 2018, but it also serves to remind audiences that the joys and the pains of growing up are completely universal.

4. Mary Poppins Returns
This. Movie. Made. Me. So. Happy. The music was incredible. The acting was great. Emily Blunt was FLAWLESS. The costumes. The animation. The photography. Everything. Gave the perfect amount of love to the original and had some truly incredible music, singing, and choreography. Those lamplighter silhouettes in Trip A Little Light Fantastic especially.

3. On The Basis of Sex
I just saw this movie. It's so important and everyone needs to see it. Felicity Jones is a fabulous RBG, and it's not just rehashing the content of the documentary, which I was very worried about. A timely reminder of the women who fought for the rights we take for granted. There are so, so many women alive today who lived in a time when they could not get a credit card in their name or go to college without being labelled a ball-buster or a shrew.

2. Black Panther
A game-changer. In so many ways. Representation matters, and this is a film about a superhero from Africa and the incredible strong women that he surrounds himself with. This movie paid attention to detail in the BEST ways. The costumes, the music, the sets, the language, the "what are those" joke. So much to love. So many ICONIC performances. This will be the movie of this year that has lasting impact.

1. The Favourite
I loved every second of this movie, including the ones that made me extremely uncomfortable. This is one that warrants multiple watches and lively discussions afterward. A story of three women surviving however they can in a world of men. It was just so nice to watch a movie in which the men are totally secondary and contribute almost nothing. I would like Olivia Colman to sweep best actress this year. In fact, I will be incredibly upset if she doesn't.

Alright. Welp. I have never noticed how much I like to capitalize adjectives for emphasis. This was a lot harder to write than a book review. Let me know what you think, and for now, that's all she...watched?

What A Year: My Favorite Reads of 2018

Current read: Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
Current listen: My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan
2019 Goodreads Reading Challenge Count: 0 out of 150 books

Hello internet! It's been literally a year since my last post. Most of my readers (hi Kelly, hi Mom) know that it's been a trying year. I had a really heinous ankle break that is still healing after three surgeries. Despite that, I also traveled pretty extensively, had a very active summer with Circle City Chamber Choir, continued teaching, and got married! So the blog kind of...got left behind.

Fortunately, I did manage to do a LOT of reading this year. I went through a bit of a slump right after the accident (I pretty much only read Ms. Marvel comics and children's books for awhile) but I eventually shook it off and read a lot of great stuff. I completed the 2018 PopSugar Reading Challenge, surpassed my Goodreads reading goal, and helped found a book club among some friends. That being said, here are my favorite books of 2018.

Adult Fiction:
1. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
I listened to this one on Audible. Normally I listen to audio books while driving or while doing chores, but for the last four hours of this one I was just sitting on my couch, crying much of the time. An unbelievably well-written character and a very beautiful story.
2. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
This was a book club read! Another one that I listened to on Audible. Another story centered around an incredible woman overcoming adversity. I would particularly recommend the audio book, narrated by Cassandra Campbell. She nails the accents and just does a fabulous job with everything she narrates.
3. The Power by Naomi Alderman
Another powerful audio book. This is a work of speculative fiction about a future in which all the women in the world develop the power to conduct and control electricity through their bodies. It explores all the societal implications of such a future and leaves no stone unturned. It is a powerful statement on issues being faced by women throughout the world today.
4. The Hating Game by Sally Thorne and The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
I am cheating a little bit with this one, but these two books are so similar and representative in a change in my attitude toward romance novels. I'm not sure when it happened, but I've been REALLY feeling contemporary, modern-woman-finds-love romance novels lately. I've got at least 3 more on deck to read in the near future. These are two EXCELLENT, steamy reads.
5. Still Me by Jojo Moyes
I never would have guessed that this would make my list. It was my last read of 2018, and I honestly only picked it up because it wouldn't renew at the library. It also, I found out, won the Goodreads Choice Award for fiction, and with reason. Jojo Moyes really focused on Louisa in this book and a lot less on the romance. There were some really great characters introduced and some truly moving plot lines. I think...I think it might be my favorite of the series.

Young Adult Fiction:
1. Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
I finally read a Laini Taylor book! She's been on my radar for years, and I finally got to this one this year. It is, in a word, incredible. It follows Lazlo Strange, an orphan turned librarian who is obsessed with the mysterious city of Weep. Every character is detailed and complex, and the story is unlike anything I've ever read. The sequel, Muse of Nightmares, came out a few months ago, and you best believe it will be on my list for 2018.
2. The Illuminae Files by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
I've written about this series in reviews before. The final book in the trilogy, Obsidio, came out early in 2018, and I decided to marathon them while recovering from the ankle break. Man, oh man, are these an incredible adventure. Some great romances, awesome characters, some temperamental AI...a wild ride.
3. Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia
I read this on a whim (it was on sale on Kindle), and ended up reading it until late in the night. Literally could not put it down. It follows Eliza, a girl who writes an incredibly popular web comic while coping with anxiety. The way Zappia writes about anxiety hit very close to home for me. After I finished it, I happily discovered that Zappia lives near Indianapolis and I got to meet her (albeit in a wheelchair, which was lame).
4. The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo 
This was another recovery read. This book is written in gorgeous free verse poems. It is the story of Xiomara, an Afro-Dominican teen coming of age in New York City. The best stories told in poems can stir even more emotion than a novel, and this one certainly succeeds in that respect.
5. Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
This was one of my most anticipated books of the year, and it certainly lived up to my expectation (though sadly some members of my book club did not like it as much as I). This is the first book in a new fantasy series that takes place in an African mythology inspired world. The world-building in this first book was incredible, and I'm very excited to see where the story goes.

Nonfiction:
1. Educated by Tara Westover
EVERYONE NEEDS TO GO READ THIS BOOK. Tara is a historian who was raised by Mormon survivalists in rural Idaho and had no formal schooling until COLLEGE. Seriously. It's incredible.
2. Hunger by Roxane Gay
One of my first reads of 2018, this one has stuck with me. I am a huge Roxane Gay fan already (last year Bad Feminist made my top books list), and this book is a deeply personal exploration of her relationship with her body. Feelings.
3. Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou
Bought this one on Audible knowing very little about it and it did not disappoint. I think I listened to the whole thing in two days. A story of a GIGANTIC fraud commited by a biotech startup called Theranos. So interesting.
4. Evicted: Poverty and Profit in The American City by Matthew Desmond
This one is a Pulitzer winner, and it just completely blew my mind. Changed my worldview. Check your privilege, friends. I apologize to my friend Jeremy, the only person I knew who had already read this book, who fielded at least a dozen texts from me while I read this.
5. Get Well Soon: History's Worst Plagues and the Heroes Who Fought Them by Jennifer Wright
I got this one on Audible after it was chosen as one of their favorite listens of the year, and I loved it a lot more than I thought I would. Jennifer Wright is a very funny writer, but this book is also very well-researched. The Spanish Flu was really messed up, friends. Also, you know a book is good when my husband demands to listen to it.

Alright, friends. I've made you read enough already. Stay tuned in the next few days for some statistics on my 2018 reading year and some goals for next year.

2018 Reading Resolutions

Current Read: Origin by Dan Brown
Current Listen: Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow
2018 Goodreads Reading Challenge Count: 13 out of 125 books

Hello, internet! I have an unexpected day off today since school is closed, so I thought the fates were telling me to write a blog post!

In my last post, my reading year in review, I included some statistics about my reading in 2017. I've never really analyzed my reading before this year, but I think from now on I will do it every year. I found it incredibly interesting. In case you missed it, here are the statistics I listed in the previous post:

-I read 23 books written by an author that is not American.
-I read 38 books written by people of color.
-I read 82 books written by women.
-I read 42 young adult fiction books (that is honestly not as high as I thought it would be).
-I read 26 middle grade and children's books.
-I read 22 graphic novels.
-I read 22 adult fiction books.
-I read 17 nonfiction books.

A few thoughts:

1. No one is surprised that the vast majority of my reading last year was YA, middle grade, and children's fiction. I am not at all ashamed of that. Last year was a PARTICULARLY good year for YA, and I feel like the YA community has done a great job encouraging and promoting diversity, which is very important to me. That being said, I have a problem--I buy a lot of adult fiction and nonfiction and then don't read it. I get distracted by YA new releases and everything else gets pushed aside. Despite the fact that I mostly read YA, the vast majority of the books I own are adult fiction and nonfiction titles.

RESOLUTION 1: I will read 30 adult fiction books in 2018.

2. As a follow-up to my first point, a lot of the books I buy and WANT to read are award-winning books. If a lot of other people love it, there is a pretty good chance that I will too. I have reading FOMO in a big way. Last year I did read Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders, which won the Man Booker Prize, and The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead, the 2017 Pulitzer Prize winner. I enjoyed being a part of the conversation around those books.

RESOLUTION 2: I will read 5 Pulitzer Prize-winning books in 2018.

(Side note: I know the Pulitzer Prize is arbitrary and I could have easily picked any number of literary prizes. But I happen to already own more than 5 Pulitzer winners, so that's what I picked.)

3. I am okay with the number of diverse books that I read this year. 38 books by people of color is not too shabby. I am VERY pleased with the number of books I read that were written by women. The YA community is bursting at the seems with women of color writing outstanding novels (Angie Thomas, Sandhya Menon, Sabaa Tahir, Marie Lu, and I could go on and on). The statistic that disappointed me the most was how many books I read that were not written by an American. And of those 23 not written by an American, most were written by a Canadian or a Brit. I would like to continue to read and support diverse writers, and I would especially like to branch out and read more writers from other parts of the world.

RESOLUTION 3: I will read 50 books by writers of color.
RESOLUTION 4: I will read 20 books by people not from the United States, Great Britain, or Canada.

4. Lastly, I would like to continue to expand by horizons by reading more nonfiction. I read some outstanding memoirs and essay collections last year, and I would like to add to those with some of the awesome histories, biographies, and narrative nonfiction that I own or can get from the library. I've already started with the AWESOME Chernow biography of Washington, and I have a collection of audiobook nonfiction that I need to get to this year.

RESOLUTION 5: I will read 25 nonfiction books.

I know this is a lot. I'm not going to be mad at myself if I don't complete every one of these goals. But I'm gonna try, dammit. And for now, that's all she read!

My Year In Books - 2017

Current Read: Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
Current Listen: The Refugees by Viet Thanh Nguyen

Hello, internet! Happy New Year! It's been a busy end of the year, as usual (there was one weekend in December where I sang 7 concerts between Friday night and Sunday night), but I have been able to get enough reading in to complete (and exceed) my reading goal for the year! My goal was to read 110 books in 2017, and I ended up reading 125. This year I decided to make a spreadsheet of my read this year so I could keep track of what kinds of books I read, particularly in terms of representation. If you're interested, here is a link to my 2017 list!

What books did Katie read in 2017?

Some statistics that I thought were interesting:

-I read 23 books written by an author that is not American.
-I read 38 books written by people of color.
-I read 82 books written by women.
-I read 42 young adult fiction books (that is honestly not as high as I thought it would be).
-I read 26 middle grade and children's books.
-I read 22 graphic novels.
-I read 22 adult fiction books.
-I read 17 nonfiction books.

Some interesting things for me to think about regarding what I like to read and what I could read more of. This year I am going to attempt to write down what my favorite books were this year. I always find this SUPER challenging, since on the whole I do not read a lot of books that I don't like. But we're gonna try. I've been agonizing over it, and I decided to do a top 5 for YA, a top 5 for adult fiction, and a top 5 for non-fiction. These lists will be in no particular order (because putting them in order would make it 10 times harder). 

TOP 5 YOUNG ADULT
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon
Dear Martin by Nic Stone
Warcross by Marie Lu

TOP 5 ADULT FICTION
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman
The Red Rising trilogy by Pierce Brown
Artemis by Andy Weir

TOP 5 NON-FICTION
Bad Feminist by Roxanne Gay
Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance
So You've Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson
Dear Ijeawele and We Should All Be Feminists by Chimimanda Ngozi Adichie (I'm gonna count these two as one because they are both about 50 pages each)
You Don't Have to Say You Love Me by Sherman Alexie

There are so many more that could have been included, but overall I think I am pretty happy with these lists. This has maybe been my best reading year ever, and in the next week I will be letting you all know what my reading resolutions are to make 2018 even better. That's all she read!

Let's Talk Graphic Novels

Current Read: The Reader by Traci Chee

Current Listen: Morning Star by Pierce Brown

2017 Reading Challenge Count: 98 out of 110 books

Hey internet! I have a bookish thing on my mind that I wanted to mull over. And that thing is graphic novels.

I feel that, on the whole, the book world tends snubs its nose at the graphic novel. Until quite recently (probably fall of 2016), I was guilty of this as well.

No longer, I say. My eyes have been OPENED.

I'm not sure if the graphic novel is experiencing a renaissance or if it has always been this good, but MAN! Some of the graphic novels being released are just...top-notch. I've even added a few to my all time favorites list. So I thought I'd give you a breakdown of some of my recent favorites. I feel it's my duty to expose more people to this magical world of great art.

Spill Zone

Written by Scott Westerfeld

Illustrated by Alex Puvilland

Colored by Hilary Sycamore

This book inspired me to write this post. I have never actually read a Scott Westerfeld novel (they're on the list, but so are a lot of things), but I heard a booktuber mention this and picked it up at the library. It takes place in the aftermath of some sort of nuclear event in Poughkeepsie, NY. It follows Addison, a teen who lives near the remains of the "zone" and illegally enters it to take pictures. Quite the intriguing concept by itself, but the artwork that accompanies it makes the story endlessly more compelling. The book uses two main color schemes, one for inside the zone and one for outside. Outside the zone uses mostly dark, muted colors and a lot of shadows, but when Addy enters the zone the color palate changes to sickly greens, oranges, yellows, and pinks. IT'S SO COOL.

My only complaint is that there is only one volume out so far.

The March Trilogy

Written by John Lewis and Andrew Aydin

Illustrated by Nate Powell

This is John Lewis' three volume graphic memoir of his involvement in the civil rights movement. That description alone was enough for me to SCRAMBLE to read them all, especially since the third came out fairly recently and I could marathon them. As a teacher, it is universally acknowledged that graphic novels are very helpful with reluctant readers. Part of the crazy acclaim for these books, then, has been that they take the civil rights movement and represent it with POWERFUL visuals that will help future generations understand the importance of these events. Additionally, they don't dumb anything down. The first book actually begins with John Lewis in early 2009 while attending Barack Obama's inauguration, which I thought was a cool way to begin the story. The first book then takes the reader through the founding of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee, of which Lewis was a leading member. Books two and three then take us through the freedom rides, the drama between the SNCC and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the march on Washington, and the fight for the Voting Rights Act. I appreciated that Lewis did not shy away from telling of the ideological divisions that existed within the major players of the movement, and it seemed to me to be a fairly unbiased telling of the facts. To me, a memoir gives itself way more credibility if it does not sugarcoat things. And also, just look at these COVERS. 

Lumberjanes

Created by Grace Ellis and Shannon Watters

Illustrated and written by like...20 different awesome women

Lumberjanes is a graphic novel series that takes place at Miss Quinzella Thiskwin Penniquiqui Thistle Crumpet's Camp for Hardcore Lady Types. It began from a desire to created a girl-focused comic book series and has more or less turned into a sensation. It has featured eight different illustrators and five different authors in its six volumes, all women. This maybe should have been confusing, but did not bother me at all. The storytelling for the books seems very consistent and I barely noticed that some volumes had very different artistic styles. The series centers around one cabin of girls at camp and their adventures while trying to earn different badges (the descriptions of which are VERY funny). Magic is incorporated into the plot of the books in a very smooth and almost casual way. The books are not about the magic, but rather about the relationships between the girls. Each character has grown and become more complex which each book, and I'm VERY MUCH invested in all of them (particularly in the great romance developing ever so slowly). A favorite feature of the books is how the exclamations of the characters will almost ALWAYS include the names of famous women, many of whom I have never heard of. The below blog compiled a list of every woman featured so far and did a great job: 

A Cheat Sheet for The Real Life Women Featured in Lumberjanes

Saga

Written by Brian K. Vaughan

Illustrated by Fiona Staples

One cannot, in my opinion, recommend graphic novels without talking about Brian K. Vaughan. I could, and probably will, write an entire post about him someday. Saga was repeatedly recommended to me by a friend, and I was soooooooo skeptical. Glad I finally caved, though, because it is one of the best stories I have ever consumed in any form. Written and conceived by Vaughan and illustrated BEAUTIFULLY by Fiona Staples, it is everything a space opera can and should be. It follows Alana and Marko, lovers from opposing sides of an opposing war, and every volume has enhanced the story's beauty like...10 times over. I have never for a moment considered owning a graphic novel series until this one. I have DEVOURED every volume and then often just turned back to the beginning and read them again. It has been praised for its representations of diversity in gender, sexuality, race, and socio-economic status, and it is one of the best stories about war and its impact that I've ever read. Also, there's a cat called Lying Cat who can tell when you are lying and will tell you so. I CANNOT PRAISE THIS SERIES ENOUGH. Someone please buy me all the volumes for Christmas. 

The beautiful Alana and Marko:                                   

And a scene with Lying Cat and a child rescued from sex trafficking that made me WEEP:

Brian K. Vaughan has also begun another series, Paper Girls, which has a much more Strangers Things vibe with fierce newspaper delivery girls and aliens and time-travelling and I LOVE IT JUST AS MUCH. Only three volumes are out so far, but I would accept those as Christmas gifts as well. 

Alright. Well I wrote WAY MORE than I planned to, but these books deserved to be loved. Some honorable mentions that I did not have time to talk about, but that are also great:

Paper Girls by Brian K. Vaughan

Nimona by Noelle Stevenson

Maus I/II by Art Spiegelman (all modern graphic novels owe their existence to these books)

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

Fun Home by Alison Bechdel

El Deafo by Cece Bell

Thanks for sticking with me! Let me know if you have a favorite graphic novel that I need to check out! And with that, that's all she read!