Welcome to my seventh edition of “Top Picks!” Easily one of my favorite blog posts of the year, this is where I explain which were my ten favorite books I read this year. Again, this has nothing to do with what year they came out. In fact, I’m pretty sure none of the books I read this year were published in 2017. For a list of the best books published this year, check out The New York Times annual Notable Books list. For now, here are the best books I read this year (followed by the complete list of all the books I read this year).
10. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. With the hype over the TV series, it was finally time to read the bestselling YA novel that had been on my “to-read” list for a couple of years, and the book is much better than the series. It is more streamlined, focusing on a girl who — before she commits suicide — records audiotapes on which she describes why and who led her to the decision of taking her own life. It is haunting, but telling in the way it discusses depression, high school, human interactions, and how one seemingly small act can have big impacts. Buy it now.
9. Best Day Ever by Kaira Rouda. This Gone Girl-esque story about a man trying to kill his wife is chilling, but the format is what makes it stand out from other similar novels. Written completely from the husband’s perspective until the epilogue, the book has a scary way of showing how a sociopath is one kind of person on the outside and a completely different person on the inside. Buy it now.
8. When the Future Comes Too Soon by Selina Siak Chin Yoke. This WWII-era novel shows the war from a viewpoint we don’t usually get in novels: that of a Malayan woman whose town has been bombed. The story is one of heartbreaking family drama and female power, detailing how the war affects her husband’s health, her marriage, and the new relationships she forms. Buy it now.
7. All the Best People by Sonja Yoerg. This powerful story about four women from the same family is all about relationships. Going back and forth between character and time period, it shows that no matter the age or era, we are all struggling to find answers and understand each other. Buy it now.
6. Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick. In this hilarious memoir, Anna Kendrick gives us an honest glimpse into her awkward and yet, extremely successful career. She’s only 32 years old, but she reminds us just how much she’s accomplished in those years and why a memoir for such a young actress is warranted. She’s got the stories to back it all up. Buy it now.
5. Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty. The book — and the HBO series — are worth the hype. This female-driven novel is more than just women’s fiction. It’s a murder mystery. It’s an honest portrayal of domestic abuse. It’s a solid representation of fierce women building each other up instead of taking each other down. Buy it now.
4. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. This book and Hulu series are also worth the hype. (Gosh, looks like there’s a running theme here…) This bestselling novel has won a plethora of awards for a reason. The feminist novel is set in a dystopian future in which the world population has decreased because of problems with reproduction. The handmaids are essentially trapped in a men-run world, forced into rape and abuse. But with every incident comes more incentive to try and get out. Buy it now.
3. Lord of the Flies by William Golding. The ultimate classic tale of what happens when a bunch of kids are trapped on a deserted island is as relevant as ever. The only thing better than the plot and characters are the layers and layers of metaphor and symbolism. The book explains pretty much all we know and understand about the roots of evil and human nature. Buy it now.
2. When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi. It hurts me to make this #2 because it just as easily could have been my number one pick for the year. This memoir penned by a dying doctor in his 30’s is the most honest portrayal of death and the search for the meaning of life that I have ever come across. This book will make you cry, but it will also make you think. I finished it two weeks ago, and I already want to re-read it with a highlighter so I can save my favorite quotes. Thank you, Paul, for leaving this beautiful piece of work for us before you left our world. Buy it now.
1. A Race Like No Other by Liz Robbins. You don’t have to be a runner, nor do you need to be a New York to appreciate this nonfiction book about the magic that is the New York City Marathon. Year after year, it is one of the most challenging feats for anyone to overcome. It is painful. It is crazy. But it is awe-inspiring and stunning. It is captured beautifully by this sports journalist who follows the elite athletes who run it to win, the addicts who run it to prove something to themselves and their families, the sick who run it to show they are still strong and the charitable to run it for the greater good. Nothing will change your life like a marathon, and this book explains why. Buy it now.
BOOKS I’VE READ 2017
Scrappy Little Nobody – Anna Kendrick
The Corrections – Jonathan Franzen
Big Little Lies – Liane Moriarty
Walk Into Silence – Susan McBride
Modern Romance – Aziz Ansari
All the Best People – Sonja Yoerg
True Colors – Kristin Hannah
The Lord of the Flies – William Golding
Fame Junkies – Jake Halpern
Valley of the Dolls – Jacqueline Susann
Can’t Buy Forever – Susan Laffoon
When the Future Comes Too Soon – Selina Siak Chin Yoke
The Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood
That Crazy Perfect Someday – Michael Mazza
A Race Like No Other – Liz Robbins
Best Day Ever – Kaira Rouda
And Then I Am Gone: A Walk with Thoreau – Mathias B. Freese
Thirteen Reasons Why – Jay Asher
When Breath Becomes Air – Paul Kalanithi
The Bookworm – Mitch Silver
Lara's Book Club 