FRIDAY FIVE: Favorite Books of 2017

I read a lot last year! Part of the reason is I tried to slow down and get more reading so as to better inform my writing. Another is that I really got into audiobooks and I have a long commute to work. And let's not forget that our country went to the dogs last year, so reading became even more of an escape than usual. So, a list of my five favorite reads of 2017, purely in alphabetical order.

The Pearl Thief, by Elizabeth Wein
Wein's previous book, Code Name Verity, emotionally destroyed me, and then I thanked it for doing so. I loved it and didn't really think this could top it. Plus, it's a prequel that follows Julie, one of the two main characters in CNV, so I wasn't sure if I would walk away with a different view of her. But I still loved her, and I still loved Wein's writing. Truly a pleasure to read!

Run in the Blood, by A.E. Ross

I joined NetGalley just a few months ago in the hopes that I could find new titles to read that I might not often come across and because I reviews kind of make the literary world go 'round and I wanted to give back. I requested this title because of the premise, and it definitely didn't disappoint! I love high fantasy, but I especially love it when it's not centered around straight white men, so this was a nice breath of fresh air. I'll be looking out for more by Ross in the future!

Thick as Thieves, by Megan Whalen Turner

I've been a fan of MWT and this series since I was in sixth grade, I think? The fourth book came out in 2010. It's been a long wait, but it was well worth it. This series is interesting because Turner always does something new in terms of perspective, and she always works in twists. Every book in this series is cleverly plotted and rooted in complex characters. I'll be eagerly awaiting book six, but I won't hold my breath!

Whispers at the Altar, by Allan C.R. Cornelius

Allan's a friend of mine from our MFA program. He's awesome, but this isn't a favorite read just because I know him. It's because this story is pretty much right up my alley. It's high fantasy, and the main character, Christa, is a heroine in the vein I like best--a little bit dark, a little bit lost. Excitedly looking forward to book two (but I won't pressure him, because I know what that's like, haha).

Who'd Have Thought?, by G. Benson
This one took me by surprise. I found it almost by accident one night when I wanted a romance to read and searched for "fake relationships" because that's one of my favorite tropes. I found this story to be a delight! It's about Sam, an awkward but brilliant neurosurgeon who needs a wife for secret reasons and Hayden, a devoted but underpaid nurse who could use some extra cash to pay off her school loans and send back to her family. It's sweet without being too sweet, and its emotional moments are the perfect counterpoint. Will definitely have to read more from Benson in the future.

BOOK REVIEW: Run in the Blood

Aela Crane is a corsair with a spear gun and a family made up of her fellow crewmates. The past she’s put solidly behind her comes back to bite, though, when it’s the very reason the king blackmails her into going on a monster hunt. Del, one of the soldiers who accompanies her, is not all he seems to be. And Brynne is a merchant’s daughter who finds herself betrothed to a prince she doesn’t know. Aela’s and Del’s story eventually intersects with Brynne’s in satisfying and surprising ways.

Fantasy is my absolute favorite genre. That means I ask a lot from it. I want it to grow with the times rather than ask me to keep reading the same Tolkien derivatives over and over, especially when authors think it’s still okay to make 90% of their cast male. That means Run in the Blood came as a breath of fresh air. Not only are two of the main characters women, but Aela is a woman of color. The setting is fun and unusual, too. It’s vaguely medieval, sure, but there are pirates and a very cool capital city (whose name I can’t remember right now, sorry) built into a mountain.  It’s just similar enough to be exciting, just different enough to catch my attention.

It’s so rare that I love every narrator in a story, but here, I love all three in different ways. Aela is a joy to read about. She’s brash and a bit of an antiheroine and pretends to be untouchable even while her heart is what drives her. I want her to get everything she wants in life, even if she hasn’t quite figured out what that is yet. Del is an intelligent sweetheart who loves his library and basically wants to protect everyone. And Brynne finds herself in an entirely new situation, one she’s unprepared for and not sure she wants. She’s kind and smart, and I love watching her make a place for herself. As a cast, they gel and complement each other really well.

And that’s because a theme that runs strongly throughout this is friendship, which is one I love to both read and write about. In a fantasy setting, it makes a nice change from characters who are backstabbing each other and grappling for power. This doesn’t seem to explicitly be the first book in a series, but the epilogue certainly provides a nice jumping-off point. I hope there are more books to come because I’d love to see what Aela, Brynn, and Del get up to next!

That’s not to say there aren’t issues. One of my pet peeves in formatting is when one character’s actions are in the same paragraph with another’s dialogue, and this happens here. Sometimes I had to read these paragraphs twice. Not sure if that will be fixed in the final version. I also think the middle section—where Aela trains and Brynne learns more about what becoming a princess asks of her—could have been longer and better developed. Honestly, though, these are so minor that didn’t take away from my enjoyment.

I heartily recommend this one, especially to fantasy fans who are looking for more female-driven stories or readers looking for something a little bit different. Though I don’t think diversity could ever be a bad thing, it’s a very natural part of this story. It seems like Ross paid close attention to how they represented characters of different race, sexuality, and ability.

Many thanks to NetGalley, A.E. Ross, and NineStar Press for the advanced e-copy.  Even though I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review, I already ordered the paperback so I can reread it and then loan it to my friends. That’s how much I loved this book.