Wow, this past year has been insane! I’ve read more than I recall doing before, surpassing my total of 2016 and 2015 by a large portion. I am quite pleased with the amount of books I have read, though I do wish there had been a bit more quality.

My end of the year total was 102 books!

Of those 102 books, I’m going to recommend the ones who have stuck out most to me, without me having to go back and go through the log of what I have read. Without further adieu, my reading recommendations from 2017 are as follows:

A Court of Thorns and Roses
Starting with the last series I’ve read first, I was enamored with this series from the first book, and that love has only continued as I read the second book, and am entrenched in the third. While this particular book could be considered a retelling of my absolute favourite fairy tale and is by far my favourite fairy tale retelling, this story in no way NEEDS to be considered a retelling to be enjoyable. It completely stands alone, and is a fantastic story and the beginning of a trilogy I’m certain will be beloved for many as it is for me.

Something Strange and Deadly
This book has a bit of everything. It’s in Victorian times, there are steampunk elements, and there are zombies. There’s intrigue and passion and the desire to stay in society’s good graces even when society hasn’t been kind. In essence: it’s wonderful. There’s magic and darkness and the need to keep one’s ambitions and goals always at the forefront of one’s mind. This book is the beginning of a trilogy, and I would recommend it and also recommend you have all three books ready because waiting when you finish one is torture (I know, I had to wait until I bought the third when I had already gotten the first and second).

Slouch Witch
Another first in a series, I absolutely adored the book series Slouch Witch. Not only do we have an unlikely heroine, but we learn that appearances can be deceiving, and that even in the magical world, who you know and are connected to matters. Through a mistake the cab driver Ivy ends up working on solving a mystery with a high ranking magical employee– and it’s quickly realized that just because she’s lazy, doesn’t mean she’s dumb or inept. I absolutely love this book and am so very glad that a good friend recommended it to me.

The Apothecary’s Poison and The Magician’s Diary
Books 3 and 4 in the Glass and Steele series by C. J. Archer. I recommend starting with the first book in the series– The Watchmaker’s Daughter, and going from there. Archer writes well, and the books are mysteries that aren’t so easily figured out, and sometimes not in time.

Vow of Deception
What was supposed to be the 9th and final book in The Ministry of Curiosities series– what can I say other than this is amazing, and you really should read this series starting with the first book, The Last Necromancer. The series follows Charlie, a necromancer, and Lincoln, the head of a mysterious organization.

Honorable Mention in order of most currently read:
Colorless by Rita Stradling
The Four Kingdoms and  Beyond the Four Kingdoms books by Melanie Cellier
Beauty and the Beast and Zarina and the Djinn by Vivienne Savage *These are Fairy Tale Retelling Romance
Fairy Tale Adventures series by A. G. Marshall
Cinder and Ella by Kelly Oram
The Wizard Heir series by Cinda Williams Chima