My End of Year Lists (and possible challenge): Best Written Books

As it’s December, I have decided to make “best of the year” lists for things I like and am interested in. I will cover books, TV shows, anime, movies, and Webtoons.

The challenge part is 100% optional and may not even happen. But the idea is that, if you would like to, fellow bloggers could also participate with the lists, adding in their own personal likes.

If you would like to participate in the challenge, here’s all the lists I’ll try to do. Keep in mind, there isn’t much time left in the year, so even I may not get around to doing all of them. Therefore, you can pick and choose which list(s) to do! Plus, unless specified, you can choose to have the list be featured around books, TV, movies, anime, or webcomics. Mix it up!

The only rules are that you have to choose fiction or media you discovered in 2017. It doesn’t have to be from 2017, it can be from any year, but you have to have discovered it in 2017. The second rule is that if you do participate in the challenge, please ping-back to one of my posts, so I can see your post!

Lists:

• Best Stories
• Best Characters
• Best relationships (platonic and romantic)
• Best antagonists
• Best plot twists
• Most beautiful (this goes for anything BUT books)
• Best written (goes for books and/or Webtoons)
• Best performances (movies, TV shows, and even voice acting)
• Best authors and/or artists

For this list, I’m going to be talking about books that had a fantastic writing style. It may not be,y favorite story, but that’s another list.

An honorable mention I’ll say will be Turtles all the way down by John Green. Why is this just a mention? Because I haven’t finished reading it yet. If I was finished, this would probably be on the list. But I’m not done yet.

10. The Knife of Never Letting Go, Patrick Ness

I didn’t like the writing style here at first. It reminded me of a toned down Huckleberry Finn, which made it hard for me to read. But as I went on, I started to like the writing style. And oh my gosh, the tension and suspense was amazing. I tore through this book so fast.

9. The Martian, Andy Weir

After having seen the (amazing) movie adaptation, I was worried that the book wouldn’t be able to be as gripping, especially with all the science. While there was a bit more science-talk than I like, I can’t deny that the book was compelling with it’s fun voice keeping the story from getting too grim.

8. The Carnelian Crow, Colleen Gleason

Like all the other Stoker and Holmes books, this has a very refined writing style reminiscent of older classics, while still being easier to read, and more fun. While some of the older phrases are a bit silly, I can’t deny that this writing style is very unique and matches the tone of the book perfectly.

7. One of Us is Lying, Karen M. McManus

Sometimes, even a seasoned author can’t write more than two voices without them all sounding the same. In this debut book, each of the four main characters’ voices come out perfectly, all while remaining incredibly readable, sympathetic, and fun. Plus, this mystery is seriously addictive; McManus knows exactly how to addict a reader.

6. I Hunt Killers, Barry Lyga

When I first started this series, I was disappointed it wasn’t in first person. I was convinced it wouldn’t be as psychological as I liked. I was wrong. The third person voice was able to capture everyone’s minds, not just the main character, but the supporting characters and definitely the killers. It became a gripping, and fascinating series with killer cliffhangers.

5. Warcross, Marie Lu

Even while reading Legend, Lu’s debut novel, I was struck by the writing. It was so professional, stylish, and elegant. But by the time I read Warcross, I could see the improvement in the writing. The description especially had improved; I could visualize the characters and the world so well! It was also remarkably creative. It still felt clean and classy, and I got the feeling it was written with a very clear plan in mind.

4. Little Monsters, Kara Thomas

I have a feeling Kara Thomas was born to write thrillers. There’s just something eerie about her writing. I’m not sure what it is, but it’s a writing style that is creepy and poetic. It’s a sharp contrast to have such a dark yet elegant feeling. It’s mature, and feels much older than YA. She has a way with words; not just anyone can create a book with such addictive, disturbing, and beautiful writing.

3. This Savage Song, Victoria Schwab

Similar to I Hunt Killers, I remember being disappointed this was a third person book at first. What a fool I was. I had heard about Schwab’s works for a while, and especially out how good the writing was. Let’s say it matched the title; the writing is beautiful in the same way a song is. It has a feeling similar to poetry without being in verse. Somehow, it just has a magical but grounded writing style.

2. Six of Crows, Leigh Bardugo

It took me a while to get into the writing for this book. It was paced pretty slowly, and the writing didn’t grip me for a while. But once the story got going, the writing got better too. Bardugo is able to perfectly balance suspense, tension, fantasy, romance, and humor without one overpowering the other. I also loved how the characters were written; everyone was a fully developed, well rounded character.

1. The Night Circus, Erin Morgenstern

Oh gosh. This writing has to be some of the most beautiful I have ever read in my life, and that is saying something. With a book about magic, I must say that the writing should be called one of the pieces of magic in the circus. It captured me early on and didn’t let go. The descriptions are also some of the very best I have ever read; it’s so visual. There’s just something enchanting about the words that kept my eyes glued to the page.