Guardian readers favourite books of 2017

When Emily Morris was a 22-year-old student, she found out she was pregnant. The father of her baby told her to 'enjoy your impending shitty, snotty, vomitty twenties' and then disappeared. Despite not feeling maternal, Emily decided to go ahead with the pregnancy. She left university, moved back to the quiet town she was from to live with her mum, and braced herself for life being turned upside down.

In her memoir, Emily shares the loneliness, alienation and adventure she experienced finding her way as a single parent.

My Shitty Twenties started life as an award-winning and immensely popular blog. Moving, thoughtful, funny and wise, it is now a book that is heartbreaking, uplifting and an inspiration to any parent who has no idea what they are doing.