Honorable Mentions 2017
Ahhhhh yes. I read some good books this year. Much needed after last year's debacle. So here's a good list of some really diverse literature that I really enjoyed. Each contains a bit of my thoughts and a brief synopsis.
The Smell of Other's People's House by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock
This was a VERY close runner-up book this year, and I still sometimes wonder why I didn't pick it. To be fair, I have a super soft spot for books with a cast of characters whose lives magically intertwine over the course of the story. This was a wonderful read.
In Alaska, 1970, being a teenager here isn’t like being a teenager anywhere else. Ruth has a secret that she can’t hide forever. Dora wonders if she can ever truly escape where she comes from, even when good luck strikes. Alyce is trying to reconcile her desire to dance, with the life she’s always known on her family’s fishing boat. Hank and his brothers decide it’s safer to run away than to stay home—until one of them ends up in terrible danger. Four very different lives are about to become entangled.
This was a VERY close runner-up book this year, and I still sometimes wonder why I didn't pick it. To be fair, I have a super soft spot for books with a cast of characters whose lives magically intertwine over the course of the story. This was a wonderful read.
In Alaska, 1970, being a teenager here isn’t like being a teenager anywhere else. Ruth has a secret that she can’t hide forever. Dora wonders if she can ever truly escape where she comes from, even when good luck strikes. Alyce is trying to reconcile her desire to dance, with the life she’s always known on her family’s fishing boat. Hank and his brothers decide it’s safer to run away than to stay home—until one of them ends up in terrible danger. Four very different lives are about to become entangled.
The Lost Girl of Astor Street by Stephanie Morrill
I waited for the publication of this period-piece mystery for months. It lacked the heavy meaning I generally need for my favorite of the year, but it was totally good. 18-year-old Piper Sail, an aspiring lady in her last year of secondary school, finds her world falling apart when her best friend Lydia goes missing. With a growing list of suspects and all the challenges you'd expect in 1920s Chicago (gangsters, speakeasies, and a mistrust of women), she sets out to discover what happened to her best friend. Along the way, she finds danger... and even romance. The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner
This one hit me right in the feels and only didn't win because of a few minor complaints. Strongly recommend for anyone who has ever lived in a small town or ever dreamed of escape. Dill's Pentecostal minister father's extreme faith and public fall from grace have made life in his small town difficult. His friendship with fellow outcasts Lydia and Travis, both battling demons of their own, is the only thing enjoyable about his life. |
Exit, Pursued by a Bear by E. K. Johnston
My favorite current author deftly maneuvers through all of the politically correct and incorrect aspects of rape in our society. It was nice to read about a character who comes through the experience fairly well because of the supports she has, though we know that's not normal. Hermione Winters has everything - hot boyfriend, co-captain (with her best friend) of the cheerleading team, brains, and beauty - until someone roofies her drink on the last day of cheer camp. Now, Hermione is left to pick up the pieces from a night she doesn't remember that has put her in a situation she cannot forget. The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis
I blazed through this in one sitting. It's a very different and unique look at sexual assault and while I really enjoyed it, it just didn't end up sticking with me as much as others. Alex Craft knows how to kill someone, and she doesn't feel bad about it. Three years ago, she got revenge for her sister's murder, and now she minds her own business. But as her senior year unfolds, Alex and two other students are set on a collision course. |