Best Books of 2017: Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™
THE MOST CHARMING READ OF THE YEAR: THE STORY OF ARTHUR TRULUV by Elizabeth Berg
I’m not sure when charming stories became a genre, but they really have and this one is terrific. This is a multi-generational look at loss and love and friendship and family. I laughed, I cried, I loved it.
Runners-Up: ELEANOR OLIPHANT IS COMPLETELY FINE by Gail Honeyman & RABBIT CAKE by Annie Hartnett
BEST WOMEN’S FICTION: LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE by Celeste Ng
In her sophomore effort (after the fabulous EVERYTHING I NEVER TOLD YOU) Ng has created a world of believable characters, none of whom is perfect. This is a compelling story about family dynamics that is driven by these characters and was unputdownable. I especially loved her evocative writing which really captured my imagination.
Runners-Up: THE IDENTICALS by Elin Hilderbrand & SEVEN DAYS OF US by Francesca Hornak
BEST CRIME SERIES READ: THE MIDNIGHT LINE by Lee Child
Jack Reacher, Book 22
Lee Child has been writing his character, the larger than life Jack Reacher, and keeping every book interesting and relevant, not to mention unputdownable. Kudos to keeping a series this fresh after so long. I’ll put down whatever I’m reading to inhale a new Lee Child book and this one was exceptional.
Runner-Up: TWO KINDS OF TRUTH by Michael Connelly, Harry Bosch, Book 20
BEST STANDALONE THRILLER: THE GIRL BEFORE by J.P. Delaney
This was a really tough decision. I loved several thrillers this year (see the Runners-Up) but I had to pick one. I read this book towards the end of 2016, it published in January 2017. A couple of weeks ago I had a library patron looking for a good thriller, something different, and I told her all about this book. When I can remember the plot of a book a year (and 300+ books later,) the decision becomes obvious. This is a compelling, excellent read.
Runners-Up: THE GOOD DAUGHTER by Karin Slaughter, THE RED HUNTER by Lisa Unger, & SAY NOTHING by Brad Park
BEST LEGAL THRILLER: EXPOSED by Lisa Scottoline
Last year I selected Anthony Franze’s debut as my favorite legal thriller. I could have picked him again and been happy: THE OUTSIDER by Anthony Franze was wonderful, but my heart belongs to Scottoline. Another author with a long series that never gets old or tired, you can feel the love she has for these characters and why her fans feel the same way.
BEST THRILLER DEBUT: THE DRIVER by Hart Hanson
I haven’t found a thriller this dark and funny in a long time. Hanson is a TV writer who has developed many books into TV series, most notably “Bones,” based on the Kathy Reichs books. His skills with pacing are evident here as this is a real page-turner. The Driver is a roller coaster ride of good cops, bad cops, gangs, torture, parrots, skateboarders and more. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough and the laughter outweighed the violence more often than not.
BEST MYSTERY: THE LATE SHOW by Michael Connelly
This is an excellent series debut from the finest crime fiction writer out there. Detective Renée Ballard works the “late show”, the overnight shift, in Hollywood, California. This is a police procedural at its best; the damaged protagonist who happens to be a woman, police politics, a couple of interesting, twisty cases, and a satisfying conclusion. I was shocked to realize this book was over 400 pages, it was a very fast read for me. Connelly has a way of drawing me into his stories that make it almost impossible to put down the book, and this book was no exception.
BEST HISTORICAL LIT: THE ALICE NETWORK by Kate Quinn
“The Alice Network” was a real spy ring comprised of women during World War I led by Louise, the “Queen of the Spies.” This completely fascinating book is historical fiction based on rather mindblowing facts. It moves back and forth between World War I and the end of World War II. This is riveting stuff even though at times, the material was quite difficult to read. The author’s notes at the end parse fiction from fact and the facts heavily win out. An excellent read for fans of historical fiction, especially with a woman’s bent. This would be a fabulous choice for a book discussion as well.
BEST JEWISH LIT: ALL THE RIVERS by Dorit Rabinyan
The story has been called an Arab-Israeli Romeo and Juliet. Yes, it is a love story but it is more about how people of different cultures and faiths relate to one another and is set shortly after 9/11 in New York City, then moves to Israel towards the end. Rabinyan won Israel’s prestigious Bernstein Prize in 2015 for this book. It became politicized when Israel’s Ministry of Education banned the book from the high school curriculum. And I was shocked to learn it a very autobiographical novel.
BEST HISTORICAL ROMANCE: A DUKE IN SHINING ARMOR by Loretta Chase
Difficult Dukes, Book 1
This first book of a new series from perennial favorite Loretta Chase introduces the three “dis-Graces,” dukes who have been so badly behaved that they are barely welcome in society. Chase brings her trademark wit and sensuality to this delightful romp.
Runners-Up: THE GIRL WITH THE MAKE-BELIEVE HUSBAND by Julia Quinn & THE BAD LUCK BRIDE by Janna MacGregor (debut)
BEST CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE: YOU SAY IT FIRST by Susan Mallery
This category was another struggle for me, there were some really excellent contenders. But again I used my memory as a guide, I can easily talk about this book without a struggle plus it is the first book of a series and the second book, SECOND CHANCE GIRL by Susan Mallory, was also terrific, so there you go.
Runners-Up: ROOMIES by Christina Lauren, ON SECOND THOUGHT by Kristan Higgins & LOST RIDER by Harper Sloan
BEST CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE SERIES: The Blue Heron Series by Kristan Higgins
Higgins strength as a writer, besides her terrific storytelling ability, is her sense of humor, her ability to create strong, believable characters, and enough drama and romance to keep the pages turning. Best of all, she does it all seamlessly. Her books are emotionally satisfying, which I deeply appreciate. She literally makes me laugh and cry in each and every book; the crying is rare and special, and the humor is sometimes surprising and often laugh out loud funny. While each book can and does stand alone, following the relationships as they develop adds something to each book, so read in order: 
BEST NONFICTION: THEFT BY FINDING by David Sedaris
Diaries (1977-2002)
Sedaris is a prodigious journaler and a brilliant writer. He has been keeping journals for most of his life and I heard him read from his diaries several years ago, and I laughed until I cried. Sedaris is an observer of life. He spent his early adulthood wandering the country, working odd jobs and dining at an IHOP nightly. He meets a lot of quirky people along the way and it is these observations, usually completely on the mark, that is the hallmark of his humor. Pay close attention or the punchlines will go rushing past you – I had to stop several times and reread a line or two.
BEST BOOK OF POETRY: THE RAIN IN PORTUGAL by Billy Collins
Former U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins has a new book of poetry and I couldn’t be happier. I’ve loved his poetry for a long time, and when the Palm Beach Poetry Festival got going many years ago, he was one of the first guests of honor. To hear him read his work is just, well, fantastic, and now I hear his voice, his inflections, when I read it myself. This is his twelfth book of poetry, and it made me laugh and think and cry, all the sorts of emotional response that good writing, especially good poetry, will imbue.
BEST COOKBOOK: DINNER by Melissa Clark
Melissa Clark is a food columnist for the New York Times who also contributes a lot of recipes as well, many of which I’ve made. She is a working mom and apparently understands that not all of us want to come home from work and spend hours in the kitchen to get dinner on the table. Nor do we want take out every night. So here she offers us a terrific compromise – easy dinners, often in one pan. This is just a super useful cookbook with lots of delicious recipes.
Runner-Up: THE BEACH HOUSE COOKBOOK by Mary Kay Andrews
Best Books of 2017: Paul Lane
1) Column of Fire by Ken Follett – Third book in series by the author revolving about the fictional city of Kingsbridge in England. Set during the Elizabethan period and is masterful description of that age and the rise to power of Elizabeth I. As always characterizations are masterful, plot mesmerizing.
2) Charlatans by Robin Cook – Latest book by Cook. Similar to all prior novels talks about an error occurring during a routine medical procedure, the death of the patient and the fault attempting to be laid on the wrong person. Medical information well executed to be understood by us laymen.
3) Execute Authority by Dalton Fury – Novel concerns the actions of Kolt Rayner and his Delta Force squadron. Action galore in solving attempted assassination of the American president while on a visit to Greece. Unfortunately the final book about Rayner since the author Dalton Fury passed away from cancer prior to publication. He will be missed by his readers.
4) Red Swan by Peter Deutermann – Deutermann finished a career in the navy emerging with the rank of Captain. Since his retirement he has dedicated himself to writing novels based on his knowledge of things military. “Red Swan” describes the efforts of both the FBI and the CIA in their constant efforts to protect America from it’s foreign and domestic enemies. A swan is an action taken against a person or group in which the perpetrator takes the attitude that they know nothing about what has happened. One of Mr Deutermann’s best plots.
5) When You Disappeared by John Marrs – Fascinating plot about the ramifications of a marriage during which the husband disappears for 25 years. Action starts when he suddenly returns home. The happenings to both the husband and wife form the crux of the book and leave the reader with a sigh and a feeling of having undergone a major event.
6) The Irregular by H.B. Lyle – Novel about the founding of the British Secret Service during the early years of the 20th century. Investigations have been started against Germany and Russia with the probable advent of WWI. Actual Persona that lived during that period are incorporated into the book and long mention is made regarding Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s character of Sherlock Holmes. Reason being that Holmes was one of the earliest characters using close examination and sound reasoning to solve cases.
7) Fever by Deon Meyer – Meyer is a South African author who has begun reaching readers in the United States. Fever is a monumental work by him describing actions by people surviving a 21st century black death plague that has killed off most of the world’s population. Surviving and than taking on the task of rebuilding civilization as best as they could. Plenty of heroes as well as villains make for a fascinating read.
8) Poison by Galt Niederhoffer – Niederhoffer enjoys a very rewarding and satisfying career as a first line maker of award winning films. She also has time somehow to write novels such as this one that are very well done. The book is a look at the second place that women seem to be awarded vis a vis men. A wife finds that her husband is trying to kill her in order to get out of the marriage. She attempts to get help from other people, the police and even her own mother who all seem to take the attitude that her husband is not in the wrong.
9) Weycombe by G.M. Malliet – A murder mystery set in an upscale community. The book is set in first person narrative, somewhat tongue in cheek but also a character study of witness testifying. Each person questioned about the murder has seen the same things but offers a different narrative describing those events.
10) The Prague Sonata by Bradford Morrow – A book that is in every way beautiful revolving around the search for a libretto of an unknown piece of music by a famous writer. Starting at the end of World War I in Czechoslovakia moving through World War II and the subsequent the later occupation by Russia. Later following one of the two principal characters to London and than the United States it brings her together with the other principal in a search for the missing Sonata. Leaves the reader with the feeling that they have just experienced something wonderful.
Best Books of 2017: Becky LeJeune
BEHIND HER EYES by Sarah Pinborough – A tale of manipulation and a twisted love triangle with an ending you won’t see coming, this book is a perfect example of just why I’ve been a fan of Pinborough’s work for so long!
THE RIVER AT NIGHT by Erica Ferencik – A girls’ rafting trip goes terribly wrong in this excellent debut thriller. It’s like The River Wild meets The Descent!
DOWN AMONG THE STICKS AND BONES by Seanan McGuire – this second installment in McGuire’s Wayward Children series is a dark and gloomy fairy tale. McGuire’s world building is amazing and the series as a whole is all whimsy with great atmosphere and heart!
WHEN THE ENGLISH FALL by David Williams – a post-apocalyptic tale from an unexpected point of view: an Amish farmer recounts events after solar flares knock out most of the country’s technology.
THE DIME by Kathleen Kent – first in a new series featuring a fabulous heroine! The Dime has it all – great pacing, fabulous plot, and characters you can really root for. Plus, it’s rumored to be under development for TV.
BEFORE THIS IS OVER by Amanda Hickie – this Aussie import forces readers to consider how far they would go to protect the ones they love in a catastrophic event.
WHEN DIMPLE MET RISHI by Sandhya Menon – Menon’s YA debut is a sweet story about a science-loving girl trying to balance her own desires with that of her family.
BONFIRE by Krysten Ritter – Ritter’s debut proves she’s a true powerhouse! The actress’s first thriller is a page turning, plot driven tale that begins with a lawyer’s attempt to take down a big corporation known for polluting and turns into something much darker.
THE CHANGELING by Victor Lavalle – this latest horror read from Lavalle is about a new father who experiences the greatest loss imaginable. That loss sends him on a journey that challenges everything he thought he knew.
ALL SYSTEMS RED by Martha Wells – a sentient security robot that hacks its own system so it can binge watch TV is the hero of Wells’s new series of novellas. I loved every bit of it and can’t wait for more!
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