2018-01 - Read in 2017 Discussion

[Lyn (Readinghearts)]

This is an easy one. The questions for this month are:

1. What was the best book that you read in 2017 and why?

2. What was the most disappointing book that you read in 2017 and why?

3. Did you do the Goodreads reading challenge for 2017 and if so, how close did you come to your goal?

[Karin]

1. No one best book this year (it's very, very rare that there is).
2. Tough question, as there was more than one.
3. No, I didn't do that challenge as I prefer to select some gruop challenges.

[Lisette]

1. I had two 5 star ratings last year and can't choose between them.
The Wall of Winnipeg and Me because I hadn't read such a good romace in ages.
The Likeness because the plot was so good. I couldn't put down the books once I started. This author is very good at writing about friendship..
2. The Shatter Me series. The premisis was promissing but the MC had no backbone and kept whining and whining.
3. Yes I completed it and went 18 books over my goal

[Mell]

1. My favourite book from last year was probably Atheists Who Kneel and Pray, with Perfectly Imperfect a close second. Both couples in these stories were really well written.

2. Most disappointing book would be The Fall of the House of Usher. I'd been wanting to read Poe for a while, but I just didn't love it. It was long-winded and I honestly can't tell you what happened in the book. Zero comprehension.

3. My goal for the year was 65, I read 66 (including a few short stories/novellas in there!). This year I have set my goal at 50 :)

[Jayme(theghostreader)]

The best book I read this year was Before We Were Yours.
The most disappointing was The Thirteenth Tale
My goal this year was 75 and I read 61 books.

[Mell]

Jayme(the ghost reader) wrote: "The best book I read this year was Before We Were Yours.
The most disappointing was The Thirteenth Tale
My goal this year was 75 and I read 61 books."

I've been hearing really good things about Before We Were Yours - will have to add it to the list!

[Jayme(theghostreader)]

I gave it 5 stars. It is based on a real person and a true story though the main characters were made up.

[Marina]

1. Best book of the year was a re-read, 1984, which is still one of my all time favorites after all these years.
2. Worst book... unfortunately, there were many. I don't know if it was really THE worst, but in any case one of the worst: Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things.
3. My challenge was 95 books and I read 113, but I set a lower goal on purpose, so as not to become stressed towards the end of the year :)

[Tien]

Lusie wrote: "2. The Shatter Me series. The premisis was promissing but the MC had no backbone and kept whining and whining."

And that strikethroughs... Gaah! Drove me absolutely nutz! Couldn't believe I actually finished the trilogy anyway ha ha ha... I liked that world though; just not the MC & the strikethroughs

[Lisette]

Tien wrote: "Lusie wrote: "2. The Shatter Me series. The premisis was promissing but the MC had no backbone and kept whining and whining."

And that strikethroughs... Gaah! Drove me absolutely nutz! Couldn't be..."

Tien, I couldn't believe it either that I was able to finish the series... I like the world too. The books would have been much better with a different MC.

[Joyce]

1. Best books? This is hard as I read some really great books but I would say The Golem and the Jinni This was a very different book and was listed as paranormal/sci fi but it also felt so real. It is set in turn of the century NY and discusses immigrants and the like but the added plus of a paranormal twist. I've recommended this book many times and it seems to be a fairly well loved story

The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter Once you get past the interruptions in the narrative It is a fun read with little known characters from old horror books.

2. What was the most disappointing book that you read in 2017 and why? The Colorado Kid I loved the show Haven and had wanted to read the book it was based on for years. It was so unlike the show and so boring that even though it was a short story It seems like forever getting through it.

3. Did you do the Goodreads reading challenge for 2017 and if so, how close did you come to your goal? Yes I did and surpassed it quite a bit this year. All the challenges really amped me up. I set up for 100 and most years have to struggle to get to it. but I did 150

[Shannon SA]

1. What was the best book that you read in 2017 and why? Of the several great books I read in 2017 my best was Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys. I enjoy her writing, I loved the characters and the story - the "something different" that I enjoy.

2. What was the most disappointing book that you read in 2017 and why? Camino Island by John Grisham. It started off well but then became very boring and lost me.

3. Did you do the Goodreads reading challenge for 2017 and if so, how close did you come to your goal? I do several challenges but not the GR one.

[Marie (UK)]

This is an easy one. The questions for this month are:

1. What was the best book that you read in 2017 and why?

i have a few 5 star reads but i will choose Between the World and Me
This is a short book with a very powerful message that we all need to take on board.

2. What was the most disappointing book that you read in 2017 and why?

The Last Painting of Sara de Vos

I have read some rubbish - often it is a book i only read for a challenge maybe because it is on KU or from library but This has been on my TBR because i truly wanted to read it. It had a high GR rating but just did nothing for me at all

3. Did you do the Goodreads reading challenge for 2017 and if so, how close did you come to your goal?

Yes i started off at 200 books but had a really good reading year and changed it several times eventually leaving it at 400 and actually read 500 books in 2017

[Mell]

Marie (UK) wrote: "This is an easy one. The questions for this month are:

1. What was the best book that you read in 2017 and why?

i have a few 5 star reads but i will choose [book:Between the World and Me|2548962..."

500 books! that's impressive!

[Bea]

1. What was the best book that you read in 2017 and why?

The Hunchback of Notre-Dame by Victor Hugo

I enjoyed the story as sad as it was and the writing was very good. I was pleasantly surprised.

2. What was the most disappointing book that you read in 2017 and why?

The Gift Bag Chronicles - I gave this audiobook 2*. At the time, I was looking for a light, entertaining book. Maybe it was the narrator, maybe it was me...this book was more annoying that entertaining.

3. Did you do the Goodreads reading challenge for 2017 and if so, how close did you come to your goal?

Yes; however, I ended up lowering my goal so that I could meet it. I found the second half of the year my reading very much diminished due to poor concentration after my husband died. I did manage to finish the year with 240 books read, which is 10 less than 2016.

[Marina]

Sorry to hear about your loss, Bea.

[CluckingBell]

1. What was the best book that you read in 2017 and why?
If I had to pick one, it'd probably be Ray Bradbury's Dandelion Wine. Not that I had so many amazing books to choose from, but this one was a little bit of everything in a single book: surreal and realistic, funny and scary, earthy and spiritual. It was not at all what I thought it would be based on an assortment of recommendations and reviews.

2. What was the most disappointing book that you read in 2017 and why?
Disappointment most often comes from heightened expectations; in that sense, I was probably most disappointed in Midnight Riot (most soporific book I read all year) and Go Set a Watchman (which was awful for completely different reasons than what most people had said), though I didn't rate either one star.

3. Did you do the Goodreads reading challenge for 2017 and if so, how close did you come to your goal?
I did. I'm a slow reader, so prepare to be unimpressed, but my goal was 40 books and I was a ways behind heading into November. But then I finished 17 books (though a couple were quite short) in the last 6 weeks and ultimately ended the year at 53. I'm setting my goal lower this year, though, so I don't find myself avoiding longer books. (They really need to have a challenge that accommodates page goals.)

[Muzammil]

1. India After Gandhi: The History of the World's Largest Democracy has been the best book for me in 2017. Without a doubt, this 700 page history book is the best thing that can happen to anyone aspiring to determine the political trend happening in the most diverse country.

2. Free Will No surprise with this, something related to psychology and self help are to be the least preferred.

3. Get to complete 18 books out of 30, which was a mere 60%

[Robin]

Since I deleted my account, I can't remember books I read to comment on best and worst. However for the challenge I was behind most of the year as much a 3 books, but in the end I was one book ahead.

Off to good start this year, already 2 books ahead.

[Cindy]

My favorite book of 2017 was If you Lived here I would know your name The most disappointing was The Prague Cemetery. I exceeded my goal last year. Oh, and I should add The Birth of Venus with most disappointing because I abandoned the Eco book.

[M.E.]

The two best books I read in 2017 were Neil Gaiman's The Ocean at the end of the Lane and The Hunger Games.

I can't think of a disappointing book at all.

I did do the Goodreads challenge last year and finished all 48 books (the last one by the skin of my teeth on new years eve). This year I've reduced this to a more realistic 12 books. Also, I have a lot of thick books in my bookcase :)
xx