2017 wrap up – Part 1

Favorites of 2017:

As 2017 is coming to an end, I would like to share my favorite books this year. I had a great year in terms of reading. I set a goal of 25 books and I exceeded it by a lot!

Okay! Here it goes. My favorite reads of 2017 (so far!!). They are not in any particular order but I have left short description about each one (not necessarily the summary of the book) and I encourage you to pick the one that suits you the most.

1. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng – This is the best fiction of 2017 according to good reads. Little fires everywhere, like the title suggests is about crackling fires and intricate burns that happens amidst relationships. This is a slow-moving character portrait filled with complex family dynamics and small-town politics. Little Fires everywhere is a great example of how small character dynamics can create a powerful and fascinating story. A must read.

2. The Changeling by Victor Lavelle – The Changeling is a fairy tale for adults. It talks about our fears, insecurities, obsession with phones and computers, racism along with witches and trolls. “A bad fairy tale has some simple goddamn moral. A great fairy tale tells the truth.” Changeling is one such fairy tale.

3. The girl with all the gifts by M.R.Carey – This tells you the journey of a little girl names Melanie ( along with her teacher, a scientist and a military general) who lives in the post-apocalyptic world taken over by Hungries ( Never say the Z word !!!). Its fast paced, emotional, impossible to put down. If you’re lazy, there is a movie based on this novel but I am not vouching for the movie.

4. Bird box by Josh Malerman- First of all, READ THIS BOOK. This is one of the incredibly amazing horror/psychological thrillers I have ever read. The fear of the UNKNOWN. That’s what Bird Box is about. The story is about Malorie and her two kids trying to survive the post-apocalyptic world filled with monsters that you can’t see.

5. Broken Harbor by Tana French – Tana French is a gifted writer. When you read the description of Broken Harbor, it may look like a typical murder mystery. But the book absorbs you. It’s not about the monsters under the bed but about the monsters in our head.

6. Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz – A British whodunit. Its two stories in one. A publisher receives a book from their famous author. As she reads through the book, she finds the last chapter missing. She tries to contact the author next day but he is found dead in the apartment. Anthony Horowitz writes a spinning tale where both mysteries are solved. If you’re a fan of Agatha Christie, pick this up.

7. Under the midnight sun by Kiego Higashino – From the writer of “Dhrishyam”,(Wait , what ?. Yes, Dhrishyam is stolen from Kiego Higashino’s Devotion of suspect X.) A brilliant book that talks about two kids who try to survive streets of Japan by establishing symbiotic relationship with each other. I know it sounds confusing but give it a try 🙂

8. To kill a mocking bird- Harper Lee – No description needed. A classic American fiction.

By Fredrik Backman

Last but not least. He is my favorite author of 2017. All these books are close to my heart one way or the other. All his books are character driven and full of emotions. You won’t be disappointed.

9. Bear town

10. My grandmother asked you to tell she is sorry

11. A man called Ove

Cheers & Happy Reading