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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

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

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