2017 Book Roundup
- katiemccain
- Jan 22, 2018
- 4 min read
This is less of a post and more a collection: all the books I read (in full) during the last year, most of which I'd like to recommend to you readers. Feel free to browse by section and check out some of the entirely subjective notes. Maybe you'll find something new for your 2018 library!
Novels
by Anthony Horowitz
Notes: Horowitz is one of those rare authors capable of writing for all variety of ages and his YA books prove as thrilling as his adult novels. Be sure to give this series a chance.
by Christopher Golden
Notes: First Buffy novel I've tried and it proved to be a quick, enjoyable read. Perfect for those early season 1 feels.
by Terry Pratchett
Notes: Not nearly as enjoyable as I thought it was going to be. Then again, I found out later not to use this book as your entrance into Discworld. Whoops.
by Ray Bradbury
Notes: Your English teacher told you to read this for a reason!
by Joanna Russ
Notes: Do yourself a favor and keep a piece of scratch paper handy to help you differentiate between protagonists...
by Stephen King
Notes: The lack of Stephen King in my life lately is a true tragedy. This first book in a trilogy is worth picking up sometime.
by Margaret Atwood
Notes: Yes, it's easier to just watch the mini-series, but give the book a try too.
by J. R. R. Tolkien
Notes: I don't actually have to say anything here, right?
by Isaac Asimov
by William Goldman
Notes: Whatever you think you got out of the film, you get even MORE of it here.
by Maggie Stiefvater
Notes: Hands down one of the best fantasy series I've read in years.
by Teri Brown
Notes: Don't read. There's plenty of better written YA out there that doesn't send awful messages about the Deaf community.
by Steve Leadley
Notes: See my review
Notes: Don't try this at home, kids (Warning: discussion of suicide in link)
by Brian Selznick
Notes: Now there's also a movie!
Manga/Comics
by Ryo Maruya and Mamenosuke Fujimaru
Notes: A pretty adorable retelling of Baum's classic. Definitely pick up if you enjoy shojo re-imaginings
by Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato
by Hiromu Arakawa
Notes: A classic. If you haven't read FMA yet what are you doing with yourself?
by Joss Whedon
Notes: Only worth pursuing if you're that desperate for more Buffy material. Giles went seriously downhill in the later seasons, but the comics ruined him irrevocably for me.
One Piece by Eiichiro Oda
Notes: Staggeringly long, but so far WELL worth the read.
by Naoko Takeuchi
Notes: Another classic!
Non-Fiction
by Terrence R. Wandtke
by J. Dudley Andrew
by Henry Jenkins
by Lisa Nakamura
by J.P. Telotte
by Francesca Coppa
Notes: This is actually a collection of fic rather than a secondary source on fanfiction. Good introductory stories for those who might not be very familiar with the form.
by Karen Hellekson and Kristina Busse
by Tom Ue and Jonathan Cranfield
by Jesper Juul
by Robyn Warhol
by Norma Jones
Notes: A solid collection all around. Covers a wide variety of texts and heroine types.
by Ethan Thompson and Jason Mittell
by Clara Fernández-Vara
by Limor Shifman
Notes: A great exploration of defining memes and other forms of viral content. Easily accessible to non-scholars.
by Louisa Ellen Stein
by Ruth Page
by Peter Stockwell
by Jonathan Gray
Notes: One of the most useful television/media texts I've come across in a while.
by Kristin Thompson
by Raymound Williams
by Metta Spencer
Notes: Excellent thesis; doesn't always follow through with the execution though.
by Simon Egenfeldt-Nielson, Jonas Heide Smith, and Susana Pajares Tosca
by Jeanine Renne
Notes: Love fandom wank? This insanity is for you then. In terms of WTF-ness it's right up there with Cassandra Claire and Ms. Scribe