This is the first year since starting my book group 14 Books in 2014, that I haven't made the goal. I'd surpassed my goal in 2014, '15, and '16 with no problem. I came close this year, and I surely had time.
Here's what I think happened. There were a couple of books I was really looking forward to reading this year. One was Y is for Yesterday by Sue Grafton. The other was the new Cormoran Strike mystery by Robert Galbraith, aka J.K. Rowling. Galbraith's book did not come out this year and they have yet to announce a publication date. I am one of those people who are made truly happy when a new book comes out from an author whose writing I love.
I did read Y is for Yesterday as soon as it came out, and man, did I love it. It was actually the last book I read in 2017. In case you haven't heard, the great Sue Grafton passed away just before the new year, so there will be no more books by her, including the last letter, which was to be entitled Z is for Zero. This makes me sad in a way only a true book series lover can understand. I started reading Grafton's alphabet series when I was 24 at a very different time of my life. At 47, she was still with me. In a way, I feel like I've known Kinsey Millhone for 23 years. Maybe that's because, in a way I have.
After I read Y, I just couldn't get motivated to read something I wasn't looking forward to as much. I kept hoping that Galbraith's next book, rumored to be called Lethal White, would be released, as I knew I would jump at the opportunity to read it. But it didn't, and nothing else was calling to me as Y is for Yesterday did. I was lazy. I was unmotivated. I was busy. I was greedy for that feeling of anticipation. I just couldn't work up the gumption to get going again. I had several books laying around, accusing me of sloth but for some reason, that just made me resist more. Reading Sue Grafton is such a pleasure that it made everything else seem like work.
It's a new year, though, and I feel I must press on. Surely Galbraith/Rowling will release that book this year. And I just looked and saw that Melanie Benjamin has a new release coming out this month. So today, though I'm not one much for resolutions, I will begin anew. So without further ado, here's a look back at 2017's books.
1. Chronicles Volume One by Bob Dylan
2. Seating Arrangements by Maggie Shipstead
3. The Second Mrs. Hockaday by Susan Rivers
4. 11/22/63 by Stephen King
5. Into the Water by Paula Hawkins
6. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
7. The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware
8. My Cousin Rachel by Daphne Du Maurier
9. Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuval
10. In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware
11. Every Last Lie by Mary Kubica
12. Final Girls by Riley Sager
13. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
14. Loving Frank by Nancy Horan
15. Y is for Yesterday by Sue Grafton
15 total for the year... only one nonfiction, 14 fiction (Loving Frank is historical fiction, based on the life of Frank Lloyd Wright. I counted it as fiction since it is the imagined narrative of his lover.) I was scary weak on nonfiction this year.
6 Recurring Authors: Maggie Shipstead, Stephen King, Paula Hawkins, Daphne Du Maurier, Mary Kubica, Sue Grafton
9 Never Read Before Read Authors: Bob Dylan (only if you count actual books), Susan Rivers, Taylor Jenkins Reid, Ruth Ware, Sylvain Neuval, Riley Sager, Angie Thomas, Nancy Horan
Books with Movie or Television Tie-Ins: 11/22/63 (This is a series on Hulu. I didn't make it past the second episode. Sorry, James Franco.), My Cousin Rachel (I totally wanted to see this movie, but it only had a very short run at a local theater, which I missed. Note to self: Check Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu for this!)
Time for the awards. These are always fun as I make up whatever category I want each year.
And the awards go to...
"Best Discovery for Suspense Writer" Award goes to...Susan Rivers and Ruth Ware
Check out The Second Mrs. Hockaday. It's a good one. It seems that I, along with everyone else, also discovered Ruth Ware this summer.
The "I Don't Want to Read This Because It's Supposed to Be Controversial, But That's Exactly Why You Should Read It" Award goes to...The Hate U Give
I had seen a lot of buzz about this on the internet. It's controversial because it involves the Black Lives Matter movement. Sometimes a book that is touted as being provocative can turn me off. No matter how you feel about this issue, this should be something you read. Three pages into reading this at Barnes and Noble told me I had to read it. Thomas is such a young talent as well.
"Most Out of my Element but Surprisingly Enjoyable"...Sleeping Giants
Sci Fi isn't really my jam, but this synopsis from Book of the Month drew me in and made me select it. Glad I did, as I had a couple of other disappointments from Book of the Month this year. Which brings us to...
The "Rotten Tomatoes" Award... It's a tie. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Final Girls were both bombs from Book of the Month for me. You do get a five book choice with Book of the Month, so it's as much my fault as theirs, but I really didn't enjoy either of these. So-so writing and contrived endings abound... (I did get several from Book of the Month that were winners this year: The Woman in Cabin 10, Sleeping Giants, and Into the Water.)
Some repeat awards...
Best Author Find...Ruth Ware
I would definitely check out anything new by this author. I have her newest laying around and need to get to it.
The "Stayed With Me the Longest in an Unsettling but Fascinating Way" Award goes to...Loving Frank.
I did not know the horrific way this story would end. Knowing that it was true just made it more unsettling. BTW, this is the first year that Margaret Atwood did not win this award. But that's probably only because I didn't read anything by her this year.
The "Made Me Cry" Award...Every Last Lie
Don't judge. It really isn't a tearjerker, and I only teared up a little bit at the beginning. It was something about the premise of the wife with a newborn baby boy and toddler girl being widowed in the beginning that was a little too much for me. What I like about Kubica's brand of suspense is there is not a psycho, mastermind genius behind everything. Every day people are at the core.
And last, but never least - The "Page Turner" Award goes to...Sue Grafton. But of course.
The irony here is that as much as I wanted to devour this book, I forced myself to savor it because I knew it the next would be a long time coming. Now it is not to be. Glad I took my time with it now.
If you are interested, check out the FB page for my book group 18 Books in 2018. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some reading I need to get to.
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