The “Best Of” lists for 2017 have already been created. While compiling, and really, over the course of this year, I’ve consistently been thinking about my previous reading years. There have been years where I felt my reading was far more successful, where I was regularly reading books that knocked my socks off – they seemed to be coming book after book! While I read some really great books in 2017, out of the 106 books I read, I only list 8 in my Best Read list. It was years like 2012, 2014 and 2016 where books were steadily packing that powerful punch. My Year End in Review listed 14 books with 3 Honourable Mentions in 2012. In 2014 I mention hitting a snag here too, but really, I listed a number of excellent and very powerful books, so it was a successful reading year – with 9 in the Best Of and 8 in the Honourable Mentions and 17 Best Of books in 2016 and 5 in the Honourable Mention category. It was in 2015 and for most of 2017 – I abandoned more books than I ever have before in 2017 – I felt like I hit a wall (more like slammed my head into the wall repeatedly) with my reading and hoped and wished for that one great book in 2017 to blow me away like in years past.
I won’t name every book from those years here, but just this sampling carries fond memories from my reading and these books remain on my mind and are the ones yearned for today. I don’t often re-read books, but perhaps I may have with one or two of these mentioned below so I can boost my reading experiences?
2012
Ah, 2012. I think it was one of the best reading years of my life. The hits just kept on hitting. Remember these? These are only a sampling. I had a hard time choosing the ones to show here, and almost listed the full 14 from my Year End in Review!
2014
I would so love to read a new Kate Manning. Checking on her Goodreads profile, it doesn’t appear that any new novels are forthcoming. Bummer. My Notorious Life was such a satisfying story! And No Country, sigh – I think this is a wonderful example of the power of book bloggers…I would never have heard of this one had it not been for this review from Shannon at River City Reading, and it was an incredible read. Probably a re-read is in order. A Fine Balance was an audiobook and the narration by John Lee moved me to tears. Each of these 4 books featured here were awesome, and absolute must reads.
2016
Last year was a wonderful reading year for me. I spent quite of bit of time at home, off from work during the summer, and spent much of it outside reading wonderful book after wonderful book.
Sigh, wonderful books like The Summer Before the War, No Man’s Land, The Secret Wisdom of the Earth, A Place Called Sorry…so many great books read last year! So many that could be listed here.
We’ve only two days remaining in 2017, and I’m unquestionably hoping for a knock-out reading year in 2018! Fingers crossed. Do you have your first book for 2018 selected yet? I don’t and I’m overwhelmed with trying to pick the one that will kick off 2018. No pressure! Or, actually, yes – all the pressure! Currently I’m reading 4 3 2 1 by Paul Auster and it’s been very good so far – an epic doorstopper for sure and there’s no way I’m going to be finished before the end of the year, but I’m very pleased to be ending the year with an enjoyable and excellent story.
Happy New Year!
