What You Need to Read in 2017

I do love the recap articles that come out in January, detailing what were the best movies, songs, books, or games that came out the previous year. They give me a look into new stories I might not have seen yet, but I feel they do a diservice too - just because they were the best 2016 had to offer, doesn't mean they even grace your top twenty-five-of-all-time list. Not to say new books and authors don't deserve your attention, but maybe there are books from years past you've never heard about that deserve your love too. With that in mind, and in no particular order, presenting: The Books You Should Read This Year, INCLUDING Extra Options, starting with...

1. The Princess Bride
​   by William Goldman

No doubt many of you have seen the beautiful cult classic The Princess Bride, a story of fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love, miracles, and you'll definitely stay awake - as amazing as the humor is in the movie, it is even more so in the book, with heaping amounts of dry wit as the supposed editor juts in evey now and again to annotate paragraphs of lovers reuniting because of all that kissing stuff he skipped when his father read it to him as a boy, and removed entire chapters where the queen packs up, travels on a diplomatic mission, unpacks, meets the foreign royals, then packs up, travels back, and unpacks again. Its wit is its greatest joy, and the conceit of the author annotating his own work as you read is just another layer of charm on top of the scenes and characters you know and love. Plus, you finally understand what Westley and Inigo are talking about during their sword fight atop the Cliffs of Insanity. A classic addition to your collection.

Want More?

For those who've seen the movie and read the book, try Cary Elwes' As You Wish, where he shares behind-the-scenes stories about his experience in the making of the film. Plus, the book jacket on the hardcover edition can be reversed for a cool poster.

2. A Monster Calls
   by Patrick Hess, Siobhan Dowd & Jim Kay

Another book turned movie, but far darker than Princess Bride. Be forewarned - be in a good place before you read this book. You'll still sink into tears and existential despair, but you'll be able to pull yourself out again afterwards. Having not seen the movie yet, I can only comment on the book, but it is a triumph of literature, as if all the gold awards on the cover weren't enough to convey that. It is the story of a boy becoming increasingly more alone in the world, with a domineering grandmother, a father a thousand miles away, and a mother slowly dying. The titular monster is equal parts intimidating and comforting, in only the way that coming to terms with the unfairness of the world can be, and this book pulls no punches with its stark and unflinching realism. The book's story came from author Siobhan Dowd, who succumbed to breast cancer before she could write A Monster Calls, and writer Patrick Ness and illustrator Jim Kay brought the book to life. This backstory only fuels this book more - while some books, for young adults especially, can wrap incurable diseases into moral lessons and seem insincere about the ravages of disease, this book is a spotlight on tragedy, told honestly and emotionally. Get ready to weep.

Need to Recover?

The Monster at the End of this Book will make you smile, but only if you read it aloud in a Grover voice with exagerated arm movements, with young children laughing nearby if possible.

3. Chalice
   by Robin McKinley

Robin McKinley is a treasure, and for those who love fairy tales told from fresh perspectives, look no further. McKinley embraces the logic of the worlds she creates wholeheartedly, but rather than excluding the reader with too much world-building and technicalities, she instead creates unique and relatable characters that we can follow and learn about the world naturally as the story progresses. Chalice is about Marisol, a beekeeper who is unexpectedly placed in a position of tenuous power and challenged to keep peace in a world that is threatening to break itself apart, literally. Marisol is an extremely likeable protagonist - rather no nonsense, but in a pleasantly practical way, she uses her own skills to help the land she loves, knowing no other way to do so and not content to simply do nothing because it might appear undignified to others. The book is full of elemental magic in its rawest form, bees as loveable as dogs, delicious variants of honey that make me want to try my hand at beekeeping, and it gives us a strong female character by her own nature as caretaker and healer, blatantly avoiding  current YASF (young adult strong female) tropes of love-struck girl or kick-ass rebel. Sweet as honey, a must read for a summer day.

Need More Robin McKinley?

Robin McKinley is one of my favorite authors ever, and the first book of hers I ever read was Beauty, a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Twenty years later, she returned to the fairy tale to write Rose Daughter. Both are amazing retellings - Beauty definitely younger in its tone and audience, but just as enchanting, and it holds a special place in my heart. Rose Daughter expands on that with expansion on the magic and enchantment at play, and giving Beauty a knack for gardening, which got me to plant my own rose bushes. Both worth a read.

4. The Sculptor
   by Scott McCloud

I held off as long as I could in placing a graphic novel on this list, not because I don't like them - on the contrary, graphic novels are a unique medium for storytelling that I devoted an entire shelf of my library to, and where I first head when walking into McKay's - but because a lot of readers look at them as less than literature, as though the addition of pictures makes the story less meaningful or mature. I have a lot of favorite graphic novels, but this one has a beautiful message about art, the artist, and the audience that, as an artist myself, really struck a cord with me, as well as making the accompanying illustrations all the more necessary. The main protagonist, in a desire to fuel his art, makes a deal with Death that gives him the power to sculpt anything with his bare hands, but only has 200 days left to live. The Sculptor manages to touch upon both the pride of artists and young people, struggling to make their message heard in a growing sea of indifference. However, where other stories like this craft the characters as brave rebels who are righteous in their quest to live in the moment and answer to no one, here they are all too flawed, rejecting help, refusing to compromise, and yet even as they self-destruct, you sympathize with their plight to be themselves and share that with others instead of compromising their vision. It has mature themes, so younger readers - tread lightly, but its adult nature is what makes it so compelling to those dealing with their own life's journey and the choices they've made and must deal with now.

More Like This?

Blankets is a coming-of-age tale about a boy and his first relationship. Set in winter, the illustrations are lovingly crafted, almost zen as some points, and creates a great backdrop for this emotional tale. Again, mature themes present throughout.

5. I Am The Messenger
   by Markus Zusak

If you are not familiar with Markus Zusak, you should be. One of the finest writers of our time, his books, while classified as young adult, are some of the most moving pieces of literature available, dealing with life, death, and purpose. After reading some of his other work, I picked up I Am The Messenger, and while it maintains its great narrative voice, it is unlike his other works. Our protagonist is living a very average life of until the day he accidentally stops a bank robbery, and recieves a mysterious ace card in the mail. From there, he is sent on mission after mission across his town, changing the lives of those around him. I do not want to give away too much after that, because this book is one of experience, not plot points. You completely slip into the skin of the main character, see what he sees, feel the looming unknown presence sending him the messages and the wonder if it is using him for good, or evil. The emotions are what you'll remember long after you've finished this book.

More Zusak?

Most are introduced to Zusak through his highly acclaimed work The Book Thief, and yes, it is as good as everyone says. The story of a girl during the Holocaust, told from the perspective of Death, is unflinching and utterly human - it is a must read, must own book.

6. Bradbury Stories
   by Ray Bradbury

It will take you years to read this book, and I mean that in the best way possible. This is a collection of 100 stories by Ray Bradbury, one of the most preeminent storytellers of all time. The man wrote unceasingly - novels, short stories, screenplays, scripts - and before his passing, he chose 100 of his most famous and influential stories to fill this collection. Nearly 1,000 pages long, this is meant to be sipped and savored over time. I haven't finished it yet, and I look forward to those dark, dark nights when the wind won't let me sleep, and I pull down this book to keep me company. A few of my favorites that perfectly sum up Bradbury's works - Death and the Maiden, The Whole Town's Sleeping, and The Illustrated Man.

Want a Longer Tale?

Try The Halloween Tree, which has some of the classic Bradbury themes - childhoood, small-town life, adulthood and death - in a story about seven boys saving their friend's life, while woven into the origins of Halloween. Fueled by pure sugar excitement, a perfect tale for the holiday.

7. RASL
   by Jeff Smith

The description of this graphic novel sells it more than I ever could. I would have recommended it based on summary alone without ever cracking the cover, but I'm so glad I did: RASL is a gritty, hard-boiled tale of an inter-dimensional art thief and ex-military engineer who discovers the lost journals of Nikola Tesla, and must flee through time and space, on the run from dark government forces, to keep humankind's greatest and most dangerous secret safe. You can't help it - you have to read it now.

7. 5 Bone
​      by Jeff Smith

If RASL is a sci-fi noir, Bone is an epic fantasy. Also written and illustrated by Jeff Smith, it deserves just as much of your attention and love as RASL does, so call this a half-entry, rather than an option.

8. The Bloody Chamber
   by Angela Carter

Definitely for a mature audience, The Bloody Chamber takes the darker natures of our fairy tales and folklore, and multiplies it. Blood, sex, and magic culminate in this collection of stories by Angela Carter, with retellings of Beauty and Beast, the werewolf myth, Bluebeard, and more from a more feminist standpoint. The titular story is very deliciously dark, but my favorite has to be "The Tiger's Bride" which, if you're familiar with my favorite fairy tale, should be no surprise.

For a Younger Audience

For those looking for a return to the darkness of fairy tales, but less explicit themes, I recommend Valiant by the amazing Holly Black. Urban fantasy at its finest, it blends our modern world and faerie skillfully with a cast of unique and empathetic characters.

9. ColorBlind
   by Elizabeth Kidder

I would be very remiss if I didn't recommend you read ColorBlind this year. A retelling of the classic tale of Beauty and the Beast, but with a bit of twist - the story is told from both the perspective of Beauty's older sister, and the Beast himself. The castle in the woods, the rose, enchanted objects and more are kept from the original, while looking at previously unexplored territory, like the relationship of the sisters and their father, the agony of the Beast's duality, and an exploration of the difference between duty and love. I recommend it highly for fans of magical worlds, fairy tales, and true love, and if you still aren't sold, you can read the first chapter HERE.

What Next?

What books do you recommend for the new year? Feel free to comment below with your favorite book, or what you thought of the list above, and be on the lookout for more to come as 2017 continues!