Story Notions: Top Ten Tuesday: Top 2017 Reads (so far)

Top Ten Tuesday is a feature/meme run by The Broke and the Bookish every week - I've taken part a few times previously but not in a while. And this weeks theme, as you can tell by the title, is a midway favorite books check in. I've read some great books so far this year and so am super looking forward to doing this list.

These are in any particular order - besides kinda being in the order I read them. (Also no rereads will be on this list) (and this is as of Monday June 26th, and I'm currently reading one I think could be on this list but not done quite yet)

The Secret Lives of Rockstars by Suzanne Lazear

I don't know what it was about this book that just made it click so much with me but I freaking loved this book. It was a little weird and I was just so into it. Our main character, Bitsy, is part of like a steampunk / punk band - there are costumes - and they're currently on tour. Also there's a whole underworld of fantasy creatures and shenanigans ensure (of course). And, for some reason, I just loved it? (goodreads)

Binti + Binti: Home by Nnedi Okorafor

You've probably heard people waxing poetry about Binti by now and it is nowhere near not deserved. This series, so far, has blown me away. It's gone in directions I didn't expect it to go, and just thoroughly amazed me. I am dying to read the third one and, also, to read something else by this author. I'm pretty sure she's officially an autobuy for me. After two novella's. (series goodreads)

Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde

This came out - I had no idea it was coming out - and so many people were freaking out about it that I just ended up picking it up because I knew: bi girl, conventions/YTers. And I go to, and love, conventions. And this didn't let me down? It was adorable and incredible. One of the characters is bisexual and Asian, another has anxiety and is on the autism spectrum. And I just - loved this? It was so cute at points I think I got cavities. (goodreads)

Even This Page is White by Vivek Shraya

Whew. This was... a read. It was incredible - obviously, or it wouldn't be on this list - but it really reminded me to check myself. I'm constantly trying to better myself (I guess is the way to put it) and unlearn things society has tried to force on me. Generally, just be a person with empathy and I think I'm to that, but this poetry collection reminded me of how much I can't know because I'm white. Definitely recommend this one for all (goodreads)

Radio Silence by Alice Oseman

This book. It's a YA contemporary and, for some reason, I never expect those to hit me in the gut but some of them do. This one, especially, for some reason. I think, probably, because there was no romance between our two main characters - one is bi, the other is demi. And it's said, on the page. He's still figuring it out but by the end: demisexual. I think I ascended to a higher plain of being? The friendships in this book, the characters, the WTNV references. Highly, highly recommend

(Trigger warnings: parental abuse (not to our POV character), dog death) (goodreads)

Words of Radiance + Bands of Mourning by Brandon Sanderson

The Stormlight Archive series. Somehow, I' just never got around to the second one - I think I was mostly just terrified it couldn't live up to the first for me but also I get anxiety about books if I think about it too hard and never read them. The same with Bands of Mourning - Mistborn / Wax and Wayne #6. Neither disappointed, though, both were incredible. If you haven't checked out Sanderson yet: start with the original Mistborn trilogy, I promise it isn't as scary as it seems. Ignore the whole cosmere thing - just jump into that world first, you won't regret it. (stormlight) (mistborn)

Injection, Volumes 1 + 2 by Warren Ellis,

This series is fucking weird. And I love it. Technically I've read volume 1 previously but it felt weird to add volume 2 without 1, especially considering I can't really talk about volume 2. I don't even think I can explain the plot of this one. It's Warren Ellis and it has weird, fucked up elements. And I'm really, really hoping there's more? (series goodreads)

Lumberjanes, Volumes 5 + 6 by Noelle Stevenson,

This comic series is so good. It's just... so happy? It makes me feel like everything isn't going horribly wrong? They're battling problems but they can figure them out together and they're all adorable. There are bigger things lurking around the edges but, honestly, I'm fine with continuing with their camp adventures forever (literally forever. please never stop, Boom!) (series goodreads)

27 Hours by Tristina Wright

One of, if not my number one, most anticipated books of the year. It comes out in October and you've all have got to keep your eyes out for it. This book features five characters - 4/5 are PoC, 5/5 are queer (ones pan, ones gay, one ace, ones bi, one is trans and also not straight). And the plot isn't lacking in anyway, but the characters definitely kept me reading. They're just so... I love them? I want them to all be happy, together, and I just love them all together? For the actual plot - it's SciFi - goodreads.

(Honestly, I've read a lot of good books so far this read. Really good books. And I'm pretty sure this is my favorite of the whole year so far. And I'm sorry I'm shouting about it months before it comes out but I have a lot of feelings about it - October 3rd!!)

Tash Hearts Tolstoy by Kathryn Ormsbee

I just was trying to decide between this one and others so I'm going to put honorable mentions down below. Anyway - this one. An asexual main character - the labels used. And there's a great flashback of her like basically googling and finding forums and just generally trying to learn about herself. (If memory serves both demisexual and greysexual are mentioned). And I just... this book was so fucking cute. And it made me so happy at the end even though it was predictable. (It also gave me severe Lizzie Bennet Diary vibes because of the webseries thing). (goodreads)

Honorable Mentions: Not Your Sidekick by C.B.Lee, Timekeeper by Tara Sim, Going Through the Motions (Stake Sauce #2) by RoAnna Sylver, Forest of Memory by Mary Robinette Kowal, So Sweet by Rebekah Weatherspoon, Defying Convention by Cecil Wilde, Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai, Sex Object by Jessica Valenti