Fangirl Friday - Update on my Must Read List 2017

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So, how did my must-read list for 2017 pan out? I had 11 books planned that I wanted to read this year and I managed to strike 7 off my list. Not, a bad year all up when you think it's easy to get distracted by other books that catch your eye. So let's look through each book and see why I finally managed to get them read or not read as the case may be.

 Angela's Must Read List 2017




1. Smoke and Mirrors by Neil Gaiman


 I hope Zee doesn't disown me as I finally did read this collection of short stories as part of a buddy read. I didn't really like it. There were some stories I found okay, but the bulk was not for me. I found them a little bit juvenile and teen hormone-like. I forced myself to finish, but my other two buddies ended up DNFing the book. I think we were completely the wrong audience for the book.  Smoke and Mirrors ended up being my least favourite book I read in 2017.


2. Silent in the Grave (Lady Julia Grey #1) by Deanna Raybourn


The Lady Julia Grey was a series that had been on my to be read (TBR) for some time and I have to say I'm so relieved that in 2018 I managed to complete the whole series. It was a bit of an up and down series for me. I enjoyed Lady Julia but found the mysteries a little underwhelming at times. Sometimes the mystery was a little predictable or it took a long time before the murder mystery occurred.





3. The Warded Man (Demon Cycle #1) by Peter V. Brett


 The Warded Man ended up being a DNF. It didn't grip me enough in the first part of the book to feel like I was invested in the story. It could have merely been a mood thing, and I may try at a later date to give the book another go. A lot of my friends have really enjoyed this series.




4. The Lions of Al-Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kay


 One of my favourite reads in 2017. I really enjoy historical fantasy and this book based on Spain was engrossing. It made me cry by the end and that's always a sign that a book as really struck me in the heart. Well worth reading. The story drew me in, even when I sensed that they would be heartbreak for the reader by the conclusion.

My Review





5. Marked in Flesh (The Others #4) by Anne Bishop


Yes, I did enjoy this one. Meg and Simon are one of my favourite couples in urban fantasy and I really want to see how it all plays out. Book 4 in the series, while I didn't think it was a good as the previous three, it was still an entertaining read. There are forces that exist among the terra indigene that humans cannot comprehend and they are angry enough at humans to react to the trespasses they feel humans are committing.



6. Where the Dead Lie (Sebastian St. Cyr #12) by C.S. Harris


 The Sebastian St Cyr historical mystery series is one of my book highlights every year. I can't wait to see what mystery Sebastian has to solve, though readers will find this one a lot more grim and the ending not quite as you would expect from previous outings in the series. Where the Dead Lie feels like it was partly a set up for later books in the series and it's going to be intriguing how events transpire after this book.





7. The Awakening (Graveyard Queen #6) by Amanda Stevens


 The conclusion of the Graveyard Queen series was just as thrilling as the previous books. The story ended up being a wonderful conclusion for Amelia Gray. Even, if the book did retain it's sense of spookiness and communing with the dead. This series is a must for lovers of paranormal books.







The four books I didn't read from my 2017 List

8. The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett


I had high hopes of getting this book read in 2017 however it just didn't happen. Hopefully, I can knock this one off my list in 2018.





9. Tyrant's Throne (Greatcoats #4) by Sebastien de Castell


 I gave up on this series. It started off with such great promise, but in the end, the humour started to fall flat for me. The books started to take on a repetitiveness that made me lose interest in the series so Tyrant's Throne won't be read by me.




10. Bone Crossed (Mercy Thompson #4) by Patricia Briggs


 I don't know why I keep this book on my list, it seems to constantly come up that I want to read it. However, I never seem to find the inclination to pick the book up and start it. 2018, I'll call last chance on this book. If I don't read it, then it's the end of the line for this series.




11. Skullsworn by Brian Staveley


The Chronicles of the Unhewn Throne was one of my favourite book discoveries and this addition to the series is still in my sights to read. Looking to pick this one up in 2018 now. Luckily for me, it's standalone.







Check out my post on what I plan to read in 2018. Reading Plan 2018

Another year over and I'm pretty pleased with the seven books that I did read from my list.  Especially the ones like Smoke and Mirrors and The Lions of Al-Rassan which had been on my TBR for so long now. Sure, they weren't all stellar reads, but I'm glad I attempted those that I did get to. Let's see how 2018 goes!

 Did you get read many books that you had marked to read in 2017?

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