Top Tasich Reads of 2017

While there are still a FEW days left in 2017 (which means I might finish 1 or 2 more books), I wanted to pop in and do a quick post on some of my FAVORITE books from this year. Instead of a top 10 list, I decided to list out some of my favorites in various categories. In all, at this time, I read about 170 books this year and only a few were rereads, so I had a chance to get my hands on lots of new (published in 2017) books and new to me books that I had missed earlier.

Favorite Series-The Naturals

Seriously so, so good. Cassie is on the hunt for answers to her mother's murder and gets recruited to join the Naturals, an elite group of 4 other teens who work (unofficially) for the FBI as profilers, lie detectors, and human computers. They can look at cold cases and help them get solved. And now they want to access to live cases to help out and rescue actual victims in time. Part Criminal Minds, part YA, this is a fun, fast, and addictive read. There are currently 4 books, and I am hoping/praying/wishing for more. 

Best Graphic Novel-Nimona

This was the year that I finally broke down and started reading graphic novels. While I read some good ones, this one was by FAR AND AWAY my absolute favorite. Why?
Strong female character-CHECK
Great storyline-CHECK
Flip of traditional fairy tale tropes-CHECK
Possibility of a movie-CHECK
Seriously, if you are even remotely considering a graphic novel, check this one out. 
Or, if you are just looking for your next great read, check this one out.

Book that made me go "WHAT?":
It's a tie: Genuine Fraud & The One Memory of Flora Banks

For both of these, the best part about them is what you discover as you read, so I won't give you too many details. Here's what you need to know:
Genuine Fraud-Written by the amazing E. Lockhart who brought us We Were Liars, which should be reason enough to check it out. Other things that make it awesome: the incredibly unreliable narrator and the fact that the story is told backwards. 
The One Memory of Flora Banks-In this story, the main character suffers from short term memory loss. So when she finally has one memory she can hold on to (kissing her best friend's boyfriend) she is convinced that it means something. So she follows him when he leaves town to go on a trip for school and ends up in a serious situation where she doesn't know who to trust, let alone if she can trust herself. So good.

Made me cry, in a good way:
Ms. Bixby's Last Day & When Friendship Followed Me Home

These two middle grade books were incredibly good. 
Ms. Bixby's Last Day tells the story of three friends as they deal with their teacher's illness and unexpected departure from school. They set out to give her the last day they think she would have wanted, even if that means skipping school, traveling to a sketchy part of town, and breaking into the hospital. 
When Friendship Followed Me Home is the book that have been looking for. It's a John Green worthy title TOTALLY appropriate for middle schoolers. It's the book that I can recommend as a follow-up to the incomparable Orbiting Jupiter. It's about friendship, and family, and what to do when everything seems to be going wrong. And it has a dog.

Books that I Keep Recommending
Projekt 1065 & Goodbye Days

These books are INCREDIBLY different but both so good. I have been able to recommend them to almost everyone and people keep falling in love with them.
Projekt 1065: Historical fiction. Spies. A (mainly) unknown aspect of WWII. Highly recommend.
Goodbye Days: This is my favorite Jeff Zentner book. It follows Carver after the deaths of his three best friends. Deaths caused by a car accident when the driver was trying to text him back. Shunned, stunned, and heartbroken, Carver ends up going on Goodby Days with the families of his friends, giving them a chance for closure. Warning: you will cry.

One of the most underrated titles: Every Hidden Thing

This was amazing. It is a love story. Set in the wild west of America as people began looking for dinosaur fossils. There's science. A forbidden love. A rush for scientific discoveries. Betrayal. Deceit. So good and so not what I was expecting.

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And finally, a few I am looking forward to in 2018:

Click on book image to go to the Goodreads entry for that book.

So, what about you? Any I missed in 2017 I need to know about? Anything coming up in 2018 to put on my TBR? Let me know!