Conversations Magazine, March/April 2024

Conversations Magazine, March/April 2024

Wednesday, November 15, 2017

Conversations Top 50 Non-Fiction Books of 2017


Inspiration. Motivation. Reflection. Action.

These four words define the 50 Non-Fiction Books of 2017 as chosen by Conversations' own Cyrus Webb. An avid reader and someone who appreciates the importance of sharing the stories of others, Webb has chosen the books that spoke to him throughout the year and he believes will do the same for others. 

Conversations' Top 50 Non-Fiction Books of 2017 (listed in no particular order)
  1. This Is Just My Face: Try Not to Star by Gabourey Sidibe (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
  2. The Ken Commandments by Ken Baker (Convergent)
  3. The Newcomers by Helen Thorpe (Scribner)
  4. Life Is Like A Musical by Tim Federle (Running Press)
  5. Take the Lid Off by Smokie Norful (Thomas Nelson)
  6. When Soulmates Unite by Christina Renee Joubert (Teaching the World to Love, LLC)
  7. Eyes on the Prize by Carrie Williams
  8. The Not So Subtle Art of Being A Fat Girl by Tess Holliday (Bluestreak Books)
  9. Find and Follow Your Inner Compass by Barbara Berger (O Books)
  10. Hope for the Caregiver by Peter Rosenberger (Worthy Inspired)
  11. Find Your Soul's Purpose by Janet Conner (Conari Press)
  12. Teeth by Mary Otto (The New Press)
  13. The Path to Personal Power by Napoleon Hill (Tarcher Perigee)
  14. Reclaiming Your Body by Suzanne Scurlock-Durana (New World Library)
  15. The Art of Connection by Michael J. Gelb (New World Library)
  16. On Edge by Andrea Peterson (Crown)
  17. The Difference by Subir Chowdhury (Crown Business)
  18. Beer Money by Frances Stroh (Harper Perrennial)
  19. Spark by Angie Morgan, Sean Lynch and Courtney Lynch (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
  20. The Trauma Heart by Judy Crane (Health Communications, Inc.)
  21. Before Empire by Andria Mayberry (The TMG Firm)
  22. A Body of Work by David Hallberg (Touchstone)
  23. Dare to be Kind by Lizzie Velasquez (Hachette Books)
  24. Deep Water by Katherine Nichols (Simon Pulse)
  25. My Lovely Wife in the Psych Ward by Mark Lukach (Harper Wave
  26. Social Media Wellness by Ana Homayoun (Corwin)
  27. Rule #1 Don't Be #2 by Daniel Milstein (Gold Star Publishing)
  28. Alger Hiss: Framed by Joan Brady (Arcade)
  29. Two Minute Mornings by Neil Pasricha (Chronicle Books)
  30. Being the Change by Peter Kalmus (New Society Publishers)
  31. Reading with Patrick by Michelle Kuo (Random House)
  32. Not a Perfect Fit by Jane A. Schmidt (She Writes Press)
  33. Code Girls by Liza Mundy (Hachette Books)
  34. The Song and the Silence by Yvette Johnson (Atria Books)
  35. Power Down and Parent Up by Holli Kenley (Loving Healing Press)
  36. ChangeAbility by Sharon Weil (Archer/Rare Bird Books)
  37. Unsinkable Faith by Tracie Miles (David C. Cook)
  38. Of Bees and Boys: Lines From A Southern Lawyer by Allen Mendenhall (Red Dirt Press)
  39. Live, Love, Explore by Leon Logothetis (Reader's Digest)
  40. Let the Story Do the Work by Esther K. Choy (Amacom)
  41. Knowing Is Half the Fight...Cooking is the Other by Darnell 'Super Chef' Ferguson
  42. Off the Cliff by Becky Aikman (Penguin Press)
  43. Fault Lines in the Constitution by Cynthia Levinson and Sanford Levinson (Peachtree)
  44. The Awakened Woman by Dr. Tererai Trent (Enliven Books/Atria)
  45. The Hidden School by Dan Millman (North Star Way)
  46. Fasting and Feasting by Adam Federman (Chelsea Green)
  47. The Rules Do Not Apply by Ariel Levy (Random House)
  48. Chasing Famous by Lisa Lloyd (New Hope Publishers)
  49. Living in the Darkest Life by Joyce Edwards
  50. Insight by Tasha Eurich (Crown Business)

Conversations' Top 50 Fiction Books of 2017

Conversations Book Club is excited to announce 2017's Top 50 Fiction Books of 2017. Keeping with its commitment to spotlight books from authors around the world, this year's list is one of its most diverse to date. Compiled by media personality and author Cyrus Webb, it is Conversations' hope that you will find titles you will enjoy yourself and will share with others.

Conversations' Top 50 Fiction Books of 2017 (listed in no particular order):
  1. Because You're Mine by Colleen Coble (Thomas Nelson)
  2. Don't Close Your Eyes by Holly Seddon (Ballantine Books)
  3. Ashes by Steven Manchester (The Story Plant)
  4. Best Day Ever by Kaira Rouda (Graydon House)
  5. The 5 Manners of Death by Darden North (Word Crafts)
  6. Her Secret Life by Tiffany L. Warren (Dafina Books)
  7. Inside V by Paula Priamos (Vireo/Rare Bird Books)
  8. When We Were Worthy by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen (Lake Union)
  9. Roxie and Fred by Richard Alther (Regent Press)
  10. Fairytale by Danielle Steel (Delacorte Press)
  11. The Idea of You by Robinne Lee (St. Martin's/Griffin)
  12. I Liked My Life by Abby Fabiaschi (St. Martin's Press)
  13. All About Him by Pat Tucker (Strebor Books)
  14. The Address by Fiona Davis (Dutton)
  15. Love Me For Who I Am by Sonya Visor (Covenant House Press)
  16. A Time to Stand by Robert Whitlow (Thomas Nelson)
  17. That Church Life 2 by Teresa B. (Walking In Victory)
  18. Love Thy Neighbor by Linda Bello-Ruiz (Mariah Publishing)
  19. The Burial House by Jeffery Deaver (Grand Central Publishing)
  20. The Answer by Ray Faulkenberry
  21. Code For Murder by Eliot Parker (Black Rose Writing)
  22. Yesterday Was A Long Time Ago by Selena Haskins (Calidream Publishing)
  23. A Fragile Hope by Cynthia Ruchti (Abingdon Press)
  24. Legacy by Jacquelin Thomas 
  25. I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sanchez (Knopf)
  26. And Then There Was Me by Sadeqa Johnson (Thomas Dunne Books)
  27. Florida Gothic by Mitzi Szereto (Strange Brew Press)
  28. Just In Time by Joan L. Jackson (She Writes Press)
  29. Welcome to My World by Curtis Bunn (Strebor Books)
  30. Book of Judas by Linda Stasi (Forge)
  31. The Dating Bender by Christina Julian (Limitless Publishing)
  32. Beneath the Trees by Laurel Saville (Kindle Press)
  33. Grains of Truth by Elizabeth Ferry-Perata (3L Publishing)
  34. Catcher, Lover, Spy by David W. Huffstetler (Becher House Publishing)
  35. Cashed Out by Michael H. Rubin
  36. All By Myself, Alone by Mary Higgins Clark (Simon and Schuster)
  37. Finding Gideon by Eric Jerome Dickey (Dutton)
  38. A Fine Line by Dan Burns (Chicago Arts Press)
  39. L.A. Husbands and Wives by Marissa Monteilh
  40. I'm Frustrated: Thoughts Becoming Words by Dirty Dollar (Book Baby)
  41. A Fatal Twist by Tracy Weber (Midnight Ink Books)
  42. Mothers and Other Strangers by Gina Sorell (Prospect Park Books)
  43. There's More Than One Way Home by Donna Levin (Chickadee Prince Books)
  44. Copycat by Kimberla Lawson Roby (Grand Central Publishing)
  45. All Rights Reserved by Gregory Scott Katsoulis (Harlequin Teen)
  46. My Abnormally Normal Life by Kenny L. Mitchell (The Heavenly Expressions)
  47. At Wave's End by Patricia Perry Donovan (Lake Union)
  48. The Good Widow by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke (Lake Union)
  49. Forever Is the Worst Long Time by Camille Pagan (Lake Union)
  50. Desert Kill Switch by Mark S. Bacon (Black Opal Books)

Monday, November 13, 2017

Conversations' Top 20 Books for Young Readers in 2017


For Conversations Media Group founder Cyrus Webb 2017 was the year of amazing books. "There were so many great ones that came our way this year," he says. "Conversations is glad to be able to share its favorites with the world and hopefully help others find something that will entertain, educate and inspire them."

This year's Top 20 Books for Young Readers continues Webb's mission of spotlighting books that others might have heard of that he had the pleasure of enjoying as well as lesser known titles and authors that he feels as though deserve recognition.

Without any further ado, here is this year's list (listed in no particular order):

  1. I Am Sacagawea by Brad Meltzer (Dial Books/ Penguin Young Readers Group)
  2. London & Sydney Explore the World: Texas by Kellen & Berthina Coleman  (Fomenky Publishing)
  3. Listen by Leda Schubert (Neal Porter Book/Roaring Brook Press)
  4. Piper Perish by Kayla Cagan (Chronicle Books)
  5. Shaken: Young Reader's Edition by Tim Tebow (Waterbrook)
  6. We're All Wonders by R.J. Palacio (Alfred A. Knopf)
  7. Larry the Alligator Makes Friends by LaDonna Marie (Createspace)
  8. The Big Adventures of Tiny House by Susan Schaefer Bernardo (Inner Flower Child Books)
  9. Champion Immortal by Brian Thompson (Great Nation Publishing)
  10. The Sacrifice of Sunshine Girl by Paige McKenzie (Weinstein Books/Perseus Books)
  11. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Getaway by Jeff Kinney (Amulet Books)
  12. Girls Who Code by Reshma Saujani (Viking/Penguin Young Readers Group)
  13. Frazzled: Ordinary Mishaps and Inevitable Catastrophes by Booki Vivat (Harper Collins)
  14. Counting Sea Life with the Little Seahorse by Sheri Fink and Derek Taylor Kent 
  15. The Cool Thing About Being Yourself by Ethan Wheeler (Createspace)
  16. Princesses Wear Pants by Savannah Guthrie and Allison Oppenheim (Abrams Books)
  17. Welcome to Wonderland: Beach Party Surf Monkey by Chris Grabenstein (Random House)
  18. The You I've Never Known by Ellen Hopkins (Margaret K. McElderry Books)
  19. Please Explain "Terrorism" to Me! by Laurie Zelinger, PhD (Loving Healing Press)
  20. Animal Ark by Kwame Alexander (National Geographic Kids)
All the books in this year's list are available on Amazon.com.