The paper is ripped, the ribbon undone. The tree is now needles all over the floor.

It's time now to look back at what we've wrought & read. Here are some of my favorite books this year. But because I'm often late to the party, these are not necessarily books published in 2017, but books I enjoyed this year.

FICTION

A Little Life
by Hanya Yanagihara

Gripping, engaging, painfully sad. But also a real divider; half of my friends couldn't stand this novel. The others, like me, didn't want it to end.

The Best Kind of People
by Zoe Whittall

How often we rush to judgement, and how often we are blind to our assumptions. This novel is so well written, so taut and real. A true page-turner that will also turn you to knots.

Make Your Home Among Strangers
by Jennine Capó Crucet

A thoughtful novel with a "ripped from the headlines" relevance that reveals the real heart and hurt of immigration and integration.

The Girls
by Emma Cline

Loosely based on real life and with thrilling skill, this novel beautifully renders a tender and terrifying age.

The Great Man
by Kate Christensen

A wonderfully sharp and observant take on art and its players, with richly complex characters.

YOUNG ADULT FICTION

The Hate U Give
by Angie Thomas

Fresh, raw, real, necessary. Don't be fooled by the young adult categorization; this is a book for all ages.

NON-FICTION

Knocking on Heaven's Door: The Path to a Better Way of Death
by Katy Butler

The best description of this book is from one of my favorite authors, Abraham Verghese, who says: "A thoroughly researched and compelling mix of personal narrative and hard-nosed reporting that captures just how flawed care at the end of life has become."

POETRY

We Carry the Sky
by Mckayla Robbin