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2017 Book Roundup

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

Alex Rider: Stormbreaker

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.

Buffy: Halloween Rain

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.

The Color of Magic

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.

Fahrenheit 451

by Ray Bradbury

Notes: Your English teacher told you to read this for a reason!

The Female Man

by Joanna Russ

Notes: Do yourself a favor and keep a piece of scratch paper handy to help you differentiate between protagonists...

Finders Keepers

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.

The Handmaid's Tale

by Margaret Atwood

Notes: Yes, it's easier to just watch the mini-series, but give the book a try too.

The Hobbit

by J. R. R. Tolkien

Notes: I don't actually have to say anything here, right?

I, Robot

by Isaac Asimov

The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure

by William Goldman

Notes: Whatever you think you got out of the film, you get even MORE of it here.

The Raven Cycle series

by Maggie Stiefvater

Notes: Hands down one of the best fantasy series I've read in years.

Read My Lips

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.

Sherlock Holmes in Cape May

by Steve Leadley

Notes: See my review

The Sufferings of Young Werther

by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Notes: Don't try this at home, kids (Warning: discussion of suicide in link)

Wonderstruck

by Brian Selznick

Notes: Now there's also a movie!

Manga/Comics

Captive Hearts of Oz

by Ryo Maruya and Mamenosuke Fujimaru

Notes: A pretty adorable retelling of Baum's classic. Definitely pick up if you enjoy shojo re-imaginings

The Flash, Vol. 1: Move Forward

by Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato

Fullmetal Alchemist

by Hiromu Arakawa

Notes: A classic. If you haven't read FMA yet what are you doing with yourself?

The Long Way Home (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 8, Vol. 1)

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.

Sailor Moon

by Naoko Takeuchi

Notes: Another classic!

Non-Fiction

The Amazing Transforming Superhero! Essays on the Revision of Characters in Comic Books, Film and Television

by Terrence R. Wandtke

Concepts in Film theory

by J. Dudley Andrew

Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide

by Henry Jenkins

Cybertypes: Race, Ethnicity, and Identity on the Internet

by Lisa Nakamura

The Essential Science Fiction Television Reader

by J.P. Telotte

The Fanfiction Reader: Folk Tales for the Digital Age

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.

The Fanfiction Studies Reader

by Karen Hellekson and Kristina Busse

Fan Phenomena: Sherlock Holmes

by Tom Ue and Jonathan Cranfield

Half-Real: Video Games between Real Rules and Fictional Worlds

by Jesper Juul

Having a Good Cry: Effeminate Feelings and Pop-Culture Forms

by Robyn Warhol

Heroines of Film and Television: Portrayals in Popular Culture

by Norma Jones

Notes: A solid collection all around. Covers a wide variety of texts and heroine types.

How to Watch Television

by Ethan Thompson and Jason Mittell

Introduction to Game Analysis

by Clara Fernández-Vara

Memes in Digital Culture

by Limor Shifman

Notes: A great exploration of defining memes and other forms of viral content. Easily accessible to non-scholars.

Millennial Fandom: Television Audiences in the Transmedia Age

by Louisa Ellen Stein

New Narratives: Stories and Storytelling in the Digital Age

by Ruth Page

The Poetics of Science Fiction

by Peter Stockwell

Show Sold Separately: Promos, Spoilers, and Other Media Paratexts

by Jonathan Gray

Notes: One of the most useful television/media texts I've come across in a while.

Storytelling in Film and Television

by Kristin Thompson

Television: Technology and Cultural Form

by Raymound Williams

Two Aspirins and a Comedy: How Television Can Enhance Health and Society

by Metta Spencer

Notes: Excellent thesis; doesn't always follow through with the execution though.

Understanding Video Games: The Essential Introduction

by Simon Egenfeldt-Nielson, Jonas Heide Smith, and Susana Pajares Tosca

When a Fan Hits the Shit: The Rise and Fall of a Phony Charity

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

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