My Favorite Books from 2017

I know it's been a while since I lasted posted anything on my blog. It's been a busy few months but that didn't stop me from reading (even if it did prevent me from writing.)

Here are my favorite books from this year (in no particular order):

The End of Oz by Danielle Paige

I am obsessed with the Wizard of Oz and Danielle Paige's take on the classic is my favorite one! The End of Oz is the perfect ending to the Dorothy Must Die series. It ended perfectly and in a way that was immensely satisfying. But... I love the characters so much that I want more and Danielle Paige may or may not have left Amy's story open.

Final Girls by Riley Sager

Final Girls by Riley Sager is a smart and fun love letter to slasher movies.  This story could have easily turned into a huge cliche but instead Sager played into the common slasher tropes and flipped them into great twists. I definitely agree with Stephen King, it was the first great slasher of 2017, in fact is the greatest slasher of 2017.

Haunting the Deep by Adriana Mather

Haunting the Deep is a continuation of Samantha Mather's story from How to Hang a Witch by Adriana Mather. Instead of the Salem Witch Trials, this time we are taken into the world of the Titanic. Mather does an amazing job of building a totally immersive world and creating realistic and fun characters. I really hope that she continues this series, I miss Samantha Mather's world too much.

One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus

One of Us is Lying is a great mash up of The Breakfast Club, Pretty Little Liars, and How to Get Away with Murder. McManus does a wonderful job of capturing the craziness of high school and the trouble that social media can and does cause. After reading it, I was extremely glad that I went to high school when the only social media was Xanga.

Those were my favorite books from this year. If you haven't read them, please do.

Also, have a very happy new year! I hope the New Years brings you lots of happiness, creativity, and books!

Book Review: Final Girls

Final Girls by Riley Sager is a smart take on the "final girl" trope that runs rampant in the horror/thriller genre and flips it on its head. Instead of witnessing the making of a final girl, we meet Quincey after she has "moved on" from the whole ordeal. She has become a baking blogger who refuses to do interviews, loathes the click-bait title of "final girl," and has a penchant for popping Xanax with grape soda. Everything was going fine until she discovers that another "final girl" has killed herself... 

To find out what happens you're going to have to read the book yourself, and I definitely recommend it. Riley Sager took a trope which can so easily turn into a cliche and either steered away from it or embraced it with smart commentary. The flashbacks were relevant and full with as much action as the present day scenes. The dialog is smart, consistent, and each character has their own distinct voice. Overall, Final Girls, is a well-written thriller that will become an endearing classic. If you love campy horror movies and smart thrillers, Final Girls is the book for you!