Tuesday, December 31, 2013

My Top 10 Books of 2013


My reading tastes changed a lot this year. I went from reading Urban Fantasy almost exclusively to not at all and honestly I'm not sure how or why that happened! I rediscovered my love of historical romance and started reading m/m romances! I feel like I slowed down in both reading and blogging, and I blame it on the job I started in June. I just haven't been able to get a regular schedule down, which is something I plan to fix next year! Thanks for sticking by me this year. :)





Title: The Middle Aisle
Author: Taylor Dean
Publisher: Taylor Dean
Series: Lancaster House #2
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Number of Pages: 356
Goodreads

The Sequel to Lancaster House Zoe Grayson is back in Lancaster House, ordered to bed rest for the duration of her unexpected pregnancy. Doctor Wade Channing, her overzealous psychiatrist, is living in Lancaster House, taking care of her, waiting on her, and tending to her every need. It seems to be the perfect arrangement. There’s just one catch. She has to tell him her story—everything that has happened in her life since the moment she escaped from Serenity Hills. It’s been quite an adventure to include renovating another home and a walk down the middle aisle. But, that’s all over now. Nothing is real. It never was. How did she end up in this miserable situation

Not your ordinary paranormal romance, and I loved it! One of the best sequels I've read to a book. The ending had me crying!
Title: Lick
Author: Kylie Scott
Genre: New Adult
Publisher: Momentum
Number of Pages: 286
Goodreads



 Waking up in Vegas was never meant to be like this. Evelyn Thomas’s plans for celebrating her twenty-first birthday in Las Vegas were big. Huge. But she sure as hell never meant to wake up on the bathroom floor with a hangover to rival the black plague, a very attractive half-naked tattooed man, and a diamond on her finger large enough to scare King Kong. Now if she could just remember how it all happened. One thing is for certain, being married to rock and roll’s favourite son is sure to be a wild ride

This surprised me a lot and got me out of a major reading funk.I loved the band and this hands down the best NA I read this year.  I owe Kati from Dear Author a big thank you for this rec! I seriously can't wait for the rest of the series!!



Title: Flesh
Author: Kylie Scott
Genre: Erotica Romance/Dystopian
Publisher: Momentum
Goodreads












 Ali has been hiding in an attic since civilisation collapsed eight weeks ago. When the plague hit, her neighbours turned into mindless, hungry, homicidal maniacs. Daniel has been a loner his entire life. Then the world empties and he realises that being alone isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Finn is a former cop who is desperate for companionship, and willing to do anything it takes to protect the survivors around him. When the three cross paths they band together; sparks fly, romance blooms in the wasteland and Ali, Daniel and Finn bend to their very human needs in the ruins of civilisation. Lust, love and trust all come under fire in Flesh as the three band together to survive, hunted through the suburban wastelands. NOTE: This story is rated "Hot" (4 out of 5 flames) and contains M/F/M and F/M pairings

This one I tried because it was so completely different then Lick that I wanted to see how one went from writing about zombies to rock stars and how different her adult writing was from her NA stuff. Let me tell you, this book is worth a try because this was super hot! Lots of steamy sex scenes, and I loved how the writing was just as solid as it was in Lick.


Title: Kept
Author: Shawntelle Madison
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Coveted #2
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Number of Pages: 336
Goodreads
Fresh from defending her pack in battle, Natalya Stravinsky, a whip-smart werewolf with a lovable neurotic streak, wants a little rest and relaxation. Once an outcast, she’s now eager to rejoin the ranks of her New Jersey pack, and has even gotten a handle on her obsessive urge to hoard holiday ornaments. Yet Nat barely has time to revel in her progress before the next crisis comes howling at her door. Nat’s father has suddenly gone missing, captured by the Russian werewolf mafia. And as Nat steps up to save her dad from a mob boss’s deadly game, two men step in to play another round for her heart: her gorgeous alpha ex-boyfriend, Thorn, and her new flame, the sweetly sensitive wizard Nick. With her life growing more harried by the minute, Nat must stay cool, calm, and collected . . . or else risk losing everything

This is one of my favorite Urban Fantasy series. The ending of this book just blew me away! I honestly can't wait until the next book comes out. Each installment is better then the last.





Title: Pushing The Limits
Author: Katie McGarry
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Number of Pages: 392
Goodreads











This is one of those books I was afraid wouldn't live up to the hype. But you know what? It did. I loved Noah and Echo. I'm not sure why I loved tortured couples so much this year, but I did. This book is one emotional roller coaster ride.



Title: Devil In Winter
Author: Lisa Kleypas
Series: Wallflowers #3
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Avon
Number of Pages: 386
Goodreads


A Devil's Bargain Easily the shyest Wallflower, Evangeline Jenner stands to become the wealthiest, once her inheritance comes due. Because she must first escape the clutches of her unscrupulous relatives, Evie has approached the rake Viscount St. Vincent with a most outrageous proposition: marriage! Sebastian's reputation is so dangerous that thirty seconds alone with him will ruin any maiden's good name. Still, this bewitching chit appeared, unchaperoned, on his doorstep to offer her hand. Certainly an aristocrat with a fine eye for beauty could do far worse. But Evie's proposal comes with a condition: no lovemaking after their wedding night. She will never become just another of the dashing libertine's callously discarded broken hearts --- which means Sebastian will simply have to work harder at his seductions ... or perhaps surrender his own heart for the very first time in the name of true loves

 I am probably one of the last people left who haven't read this entire series yet, but I'm getting there, really-I just have Daisy's story left! This one though, I adored so much. I can tell it's going on the annual re-read books list!





Title: Alien In The House
Author: Gini Koch
Series: Katherine "Kitty" Katt #7
Publisher: Daw
Number of Pages:
Genre: Science fiction
Goodreads









Jeff and Kitty Katt-Martini have learned the ins and outs of Washington politics, not to mention how to prevail in intergalactic war and foil dangerous plots. But, in the aftermath of Operation Destruction, the Gower girls’ powers are burned out, the entire A-C population has been “outed” as the aliens living on Earth that they are, and, worst of all, ACE is nowhere to be found. Then murder and mayhem are served up at an important dinner party at the American Centaurion Embassy, and when the dust settles Alpha Team and the Diplomatic Corps have more problems than just a dead Congressman. Is there a single criminal mastermind—or multiple enemies—behind all the conspiracies that want Kitty dead and the A-Cs gone or co-opted to become the War Division? The return of the best assassins in the business, the reappearance of two individuals long-presumed dead, Agent Malcolm Buchanan felled by something no one can identify or cure, and new technology that can block even the most powerful empath on Earth … all of this means the game’s officially afoot. Then Vance Beaumont comes to Kitty with a wild theory that someone is systematically killing off the House of Representatives… It’s up to Kitty and the rest of the gang to find out what’s really going on and why. But will they be able to stop the killer or killers before the rest of the U.S. House of Representatives become casualties? And will the replacement Representative for New Mexico’s 2nd District, who happens to be Jeff Martini, be the next to die?

Martini and Kitty will always hold a special spot in my heart and will always be included on this list! I liked this installment because the Washington gang has finally grown on me, and I loved all the different politics involved! I loved how this series has expanded and changed direction from being a pure romance to more action. You never know what will happen next with these two!


Title: Fifth Grave Past The Light
Author: Darynda Jones
Publisher: St. Martins
Number of Pages 339
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Goodreads


Charley Davidson isn't your everyday, run-of-the-mill grim reaper. She's more of a paranormal private eye/grim reaper extraordinaire. However, she gets sidetracked when the sexy, sultry son of Satan, Reyes Farrow, moves in next door. To further complicate matters, Reyes is her main suspect in an arson case. Charley has vowed to stay away from him until she can find out the truth...but then dead women start appearing in her apartment, one after another, each lost, confused, and terrified beyond reason. When it becomes apparent that her own sister, Gemma is the serial killer's next target, Charley has no choice but to ask for Reyes's help. Arsonist or not, he's the one man alive who could protect Gemma no matter who or what came at her. But he wants something in return. Charley. All of her, body and soul. And to keep her sister safe, it is a price she is willing to pay. Charley Davidson is at it again in the sexy, suspenseful, and laugh-out-loud funny fifth installment of the New York Times best selling series.


 One word  REYES!!!!!!!!!!!!! I went a little fangirlish when I met the author at Lori Fosters Reader/Author Get Together this summer. I was that person in line who had all five books-people actually groaned behind me when I got them all out and I didn't care, lol.






Title: Touch and Geaux
Author: Abigail Roux
Genre: M/M Contemporary Romantic Suspense/erotica
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Number of Pages: 349
Goodreads













This entire series is on this list...but I didn't have room for them all!! I devoured the whole series in two weeks. I'd put what this book is about, but I don't want to spoil the series for those who haven't read it. These books can not be read out of order.  Ty & Zane were so gut wrenchingly emotional to read and I loved every single minute of the torture they put themselves through. Their  relationship was not an easy one and I wouldn't have had it any other way.. I haven't had a chance to review the entire series because I was having such a hard time putting into words how much I loved it. I mean who would have thought I would have found a contemporary romantic suspense series so well, lovable?  I'm not sure what made me take a chance on this since m/m isn't a genre I usually read, but I'm glad I took a chance on it





Title: Beyond Pain
Author: Kit Rocha
Genre: Erotica Romance/Dystopian
Publisher: Kit Rocha
Number of Pages: 350
Goodreads
A woman with no future… Live fast, die young–anything else is a fantasy for Six. She’s endured the worst the sectors had to throw at her, but falling in with Dallas O’Kane’s Sector Four gang lands her in a whole new world of danger. They’re completely open about everything, including their sexuality–but she hasn’t survived this long by making herself vulnerable. Especially not to men as dominant as Brendan Donnelly. A man without a past… Bren is a killer, trained in Eden and thrown to the sectors. His one outlet is pain, in the cage and in the bedroom, and emotion is a luxury he can’t afford–until he meets Six. Protecting her soothes him, but it isn’t enough. Her hunger for touch sparks a journey of erotic discovery where anything goes–voyeurism, flogging, rough sex. He has only one rule: he won’t share her. In Bren’s arms, Six is finally free to let go. But his obsession with the man who made him a monster could destroy the fragile connection they’ve forged, and cost him the one thing that makes him feel human–her love


This series was just flat out awesome!!!! It had me saying "I wanna be an O Kane!" Seriously. Each book just gets better and better and honestly this book was just need a fan after reading hot!!!!!



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