Well, here we are: the end of another year! Per my Goodreads, I read 51 books over the course of 2017. Some were good, some were great, some were heartbreaking, and a few, I just couldn’t force myself to finish.

I read a lot of non-fiction again in 2017, just like in 2016 — but there were a few fiction pieces in there too! Without any further ado, here are my top ten books I read in 2017 – in no particular order!

• Beartown by Fredrik Backman – This book was recommended to me by several people, and I’m glad I read it! This book was about hockey, but at the same time, it was about so much more than that. It’s about community, friendships, humanity, struggles, finding your place in the world, and so much more.
• Essential: Essays by The Minimalists by Joshua Fields Millburn – I first found The Minimalists through their documentary on Netflix; then, I decided to check out their writing. This book is actually, as its title says, a series of essays, which makes it an easy read. You can read the whole thing in one go, like I did, or pick and choose, but either way, it’s a great way to look at life and figure out just what matters, and where the excesses lie. Check out my full review.
• What Happened by Hillary Rodham Clinton – Well, we all know what happened. Or do we? Clinton’s book is a painfully relevant read considering today’s political climate in the US. It’s a look back at the 2016 election and the events leading up to it, including her own backstory and lead into politics, the Russian interference, the misogyny and sexism and fake news, and the entire mess that put a completely unqualified man in charge of the country. I’ll admit, it took me a while to get through this book, but it’s one I’m glad I read.
• Hidden Figures: the American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly – By this point, everyone should know this story. Of course, realistically, that’s not the case, but this is such an important story of historic black women who helped… win the space race, as the title says. Even if you haven’t read the book, you’ve probably seen (or heard about) the movie. The book gave more historical context to the movie, and is definitely worth a read.
• Nasty Women: Feminism, Resistance, and Revolution in Trump’s America by Samhita Mukhopadhyay – I *just* posted my review of this book within the last month, so I’ll mainly direct you to read that here – but I’ll just say, this is probably my top read of 2017.
• Once and for All by Sarah Dessen – Sarah Dessen is one of my favorite YA authors! This book came out in June and I got to read it a few short months later. Sure, at points it’s cheesy and cliche and you can almost definitely tell where it’s headed. But sometimes, that’s exactly what you want in a book. What else can I say?
• Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig – For someone who struggles with anxiety and depression, this book was refreshing to me. It reminded me of why I’m alive, and how much I have to be thankful for, even in the midst of my struggles.
• The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas – What an important read! This is a YA fiction novel, but I’ll be damned if it couldn’t pretty much be a story you’d read in the newspaper nowadays. Thomas tackles the tough issues like police brutality and racism. It’s all very poignant and just so painfully real.
• The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson – It is so easy to get overwhelmed in the world today. There’s nothing wrong with caring about things, but sometimes, it’s easy to care too much about every single thing, something I find myself doing sometimes. Manson’s book is a refreshing escape from everyday life and left me with a few lessons in my back pocket of how not to care so much about every little thing.
• Where Am I Now? by Mara Wilson – This was one of my last reads of the calendar year, and I’m so glad I picked it up! Obviously I loved Mara Wilson in “Matilda,” but this is a blunt, honest look at her life, autobiographically. She’s open about growing up in the world of Hollywood and what that was like, plus how it affected her in her future – plus what it was like to kind of fall away from that side of things. Overall, just a great read!

What was your favorite book you read in 2017?