Thousands of books are published every year. Some of them are good and some are bad, but a select few are excellent β worthy enough to make it on 'Best of' lists.
So how did we pick these books in particular, when there are so many others out there that deserve to be written about and read? Trust us, it wasn't easy. But we feel that this list represents the books that should be celebrated and read by people of all ages and backgrounds β they feed the soul, they delight us, they inspire us, they inform us, and they stir the imagination.
So, here are our picks for the 10 best books of 2017, in no particular order.
1. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
A New York Times bestseller, this young adult book centres on the story of Starr Carter, a black teen who every day lives in two different worlds: her poor, mostly black neighbourhood and her preppy high school in a different town.
As she attempts to navigate her two selves, her life quickly changes after her childhood best friend, Khalil, is shot dead by a police office even though he was unnarmed. The police say her friend was endangering the officer, but only Starr knows the truth. If she speaks up, she could not only endanger her own life, but the lives of her family members and her community.
A searing look at what it's like to be black in America through the eyes of a young girl, The Hate U Give is unforgettable.
Get the book here.
2. Hunger by Roxane Gay
Anyone who's ever had issues with their body (so basically, the whole population) will relate on some level to Roxane Gay's brutally honest memoir about her relationship with food, her body, and her self-worth.
In this book, Gay takes us through her emotional journey as she navigates the world as a heavy woman and the anxieties that go along with that. She also shares the tragic event that scarred her for life, and forever changed the way she would think about her body.
Yes, it can be an uncomfortable, even painful read, but that's what makes it necessary.
Get the book here.
3. We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy by Ta-Nehisi Coates
In his new collection of essays, the New York Times bestselling author laments the vicious change in American politics and the rise in white supremacy in the age of Donald Trump, after eight years of Barack Obama serving as the country's first black president.
Featuring classic essays such as "Fear of a Black President" and "The Case for Reparations," the book also includes eight new essays β one for each year Obama was in the White House β which examine the administration through Coates' own experiences.
It's a must-read not just for those who are interested in American politics, but for those who want to know what the state of America is like today, and how that came to be.
Get it here.
4. Fetch: How a Bad Dog Brought Me Home by Nicole J. Georges
All dog owners know how challenging but rewarding it can be to be responsible for their animal. They comfort you when you're feeling bleh, they wait for you at the door until you come home, they're always happy to see you, and they love you unconditionally. But, they're also expensive, can be difficult to train, shed, and, as they get older, are harder to care for as their medical ailments keep piling on.
In Fetch, author and illustrator Nicole J. Georges captures that feeling of being a dog owner and the love and frustration of it all.
After she adopts Beja, a dog who hates most people, as a teenager, Georges encounters the ups and downs of being a dog owner, from moving out on her own with a dog in tow, to multiple attempts to rehome her pup, to breakups with girlfriends, and, ultimately, her dog's senior days. If you're a dog lover, be prepared to cry a lot.
Get it here.
Looking Back At 2017:
5. Rich People Problems by Kevin Kwan
The third book in the trilogy that gave us a sneak peek into the lives of the one per cent of the one per cent of Asia, Rich People Problems gives a satisfying and, of course, dramatic conclusion to the family saga.
After the matriarch of one of the richest families in Singapore falls ill, members of the Shang-Young clan convene at Tyersall Park, a massive estate worth millions, in an attempt to make sure they're not cut out of the will. And they will literally do anything to make sure they have a massive piece of the multi-million dollar pie.
Get it here.
6. The Plague Diaries by Ronlyn Domingue
Also the final book in a trilogy β that can be read in any order β The Plague Diaries focuses on a town that quickly becomes divided after a plague of silences hits it. First, it came for the animals, then, the children, and lastly, the adults. And only Secret Riven knows how to cure her townsfolk, but at great sacrifice.
For Secret has a quest of her own, and only a long-forgotten manuscript, which her mother was secretly working on before she died, can help her in her journey to discover who she really is.
An incredible read that you won't soon forget, The Plague Diaries, like the two books that came before it, is an awe-inspiring spectacle of writing that fans of fantasy, literature, and mystery will devour.
Get it here.
7. Too Fat, Too Slutty, Too Loud: The Rise and Reign of the Unruly Woman by Anne Helen Petersen
The Buzzfeed writer is known for her insightful essays, so it was a delight to hear that she was coming out with her own book, and it's just as good as we thought it'd be.
In Too Fat, Too Slutty, Too Loud, Petersen looks to self-identifying celebrity women and how they're pushing the boundaries of what it means to be "acceptable" in our society.
From Kim Kardashian and Nicki Minaj to Lena Dunham, Petersen explores how each of these women don't fit the mould of what a "lady" should be, thanks to their loud opinions, their bodies, and their careers.
Get it here.
8. Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
The difficult decision a teenaged Sunja makes in the early 1900s sets off a powerful force of events that echoes down through the generations.
Told through the voices of various unforgettable characters, Pachinko is a breathtaking and moving story about survival, sacrifice, and ambition. It takes you through street markets to the pachinko parlours of the underworld.
Get it here.
9. How to Murder Your Life: A Memoir by Cat Marnell
A few years ago, Cat Marnell was one of the most-well known New York City beauty editors and writers. She seemed to have it all: a job at Lucky magazine (and Teen Vogue, and XOJane), a fabulous wardrobe, a bangin' party life, and an original voice in the beauty world.
What few people knew at the time was that underneath the designer handbags and the cheery articles was someone who had hit rock bottom. A prescription drug addict, Marnell was frequently "doctor shopping" for more pills, couldn't hold down an apartment, and was messing up her career as the drugs took over her life.
How to Murder Your Life is a memoir about self-loathing of the worst kind, and how a person can go from the top of their game to ending up in rehab with no job and no real friends.
Written with humour and grace, Marnell doesn't ask for your pity. All she wants is her life back (plus a few designer clothes for kicks).
Get it here.
10. The Rules Do Not Apply by Ariel Levy
Written with beautiful prose, Ariel Levy describes her unconventional life and the heartbreak that tears it apart and forces her to start all over again.
Before flying to Mongolia on a reporting trip, Levy was married, pregnant with a much-wanted child, and had a financially stable life. By the time she returns home, she had lost it all.
Through her heartbreak, Levy remains steadfast as she attempts to pick up the pieces, and find a new normal, teaching us in the meantime about what women are capable of.
Get it here.
Also on HuffPost: