- Ashley
Top 10 Tuesday: Top Reads of 2017 & Mini Reviews

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke & The Bookish.
Hi everyone! I know it's been about a month (here's my last Top 10 Tuesday post about summer reads) but I'm back today for a mini-recap of the past 6 months of reading.
Just a few months ago I was writing a post about my most anticipated reads of the first part of 2017, and another about my Spring TBR. Can you believe that it's now time to start thinking about the second half of 2017? On Netgalley, you can already wish for and request books that are releasing in early 2018.
In case you haven't guessed, today's Top Ten Tuesday is about the best books I've read so far in 2017. I set a goal of 75 books for my Goodreads Reading Challenge this year, and I'm actually on track to surpass that. So far I've read 56 books, which surprised me a little. Do I remember all 56 of those books? Not at all.
But still, there are definitely standouts, both good and bad. Today, we're focusing on the good.
Here are the ten most memorable books of the year so far.

Why And I Darken Stands Out:
Reimagined historical fiction
Complex, intense charachters
Brutal and fascinating main female character
Sweet, soft boys
Epic family saga
Incredible writing and story structure (slow world building, but I love it)
Why Geekerella Stands Out:
Fandom culture meets fairy tale retelling
Hate-to-love relationship
Awesome diverse cast of characters
Gorgeous cover

Why Girl Out Of Water Stands Out:
Incredible portrayal of family - biological and the one you make for yourself
Sweet contemporary romance, but still realistic depiction of high school romance
Diverse world
Badass fearless surfing and skateboarding MC
Gorgeous prose

Why Feels Like Summer Stands Out:
Pretend-relationship-turns-into-real-feelings-maybe trope
Summer in the Philippines
Confident, intimidating, calls-the-shots scientist MC
Nervous-cleaning rock-and-roll LI
Internet best friends

Why Eliza and Her Monsters Stands Out:
Secret badass creator of the most popular online webcomic
Celebration of fandoms
The book includes scenes & drawings from the webcomic
Realistic portrayal of anxiety and introverts
Best internet friends

Why Six of Crows Stands Out:
All the best characters
Despicable but loveable characters
Diverse, complex, fierce characters
Did I mention the characters?
A we're-on-a-mission story that never becomes boring
All the ships

Why Do You Want To Start A Scandal Stands Out:
BIG MYSTERY: Who met for a tryst in the library?
Undercover agents in historical romance
The title is the best title of all the titles
Formerly jilted hero who's sworn never to love again
Hilarity and steaminess

Why My Lady Jane Stands Out:
Shape-shifting English royals
Crazy fun reimagining of depressing Tudor history
So clever and funny and fun I couldn't stop smiling
Terrible jokes you can't help but laugh at
Enemies-to-lovers romance trope
Why Follow Me Back Stands Out:
Great mix of formats - Twitter, DM, police log, traditional prose
What was the crime and who is the criminal?
Slow-burning sweet wish-fulfillment rock-star romance
That great "WTF did I just read?" feeling?

Why Anna and the French Kiss Stands Out:
International boarding school contemporary romance
MC struggling to learn the language
Awkward, sweet, adorable characters and story lines
Friends first romance
If you can get over the cutesy title, you will love the book
There are still so many I haven't hit yet or haven't finished, but I'm looking forward to the rest of the year's reading. I'm reading several books right now that I was tempted to preemptively put on this list, including Strange The Dreamer, When Dimple Met Rishi, and Wintersong. Will they make the end of the year recap?
Did any of these reads make your list, either now or on a past fave list? Let me know in the comments below!
Thanks again to The Broke & The Bookish for another Top Ten Tuesday.