Nat's Top Ten of 2015

I can't believe it's that time of year again.  This is my 5th Top Ten list and, just like the first, second, third and fourth, it was difficult to decide.  As usual, I chose from all the books I read this year and not just books published in 2015.  While putting together this list, I decided to go through my previous lists.  It was fun to see what I had picked for favorites previously and it was entertaining to find that my love of romance has not abated one bit.  I am linking to previous lists just for the hell of it.  

2011  2012  2013  2014  

 And now, without further adieu, 2015

Cut & Run Series by Abigail Roux and Madeleine Urban

Much like Ty and Zane, this series and I had a rocky start to our relationship.  There is a significant amount of head hopping in the first book which is usually a deal breaker for me.  But Zane and Ty were so fascinating I kept on reading.  The issues I had with book 1 were worked out for book two and what you are left with is an amazing story of two  men as they try to forge a lasting relationship while dealing with dangerous jobs and unhealthy addictions.  Not only did I read one of the best love scenes I've ever read in a romance (Book 5 - Armed & Dangerous), I also added a new book boyfriend to my roster.  Let's just say that I will fight Ty to the death for his Zane.  And that's knowing that Ty will win.    If you are looking for lots of action, two alpha males, a little bit of angst and a really slow burn, I can't recommend this series enough.


Galgorithm by Aaron Karo

I didn't read a lot of YA this year but of the ones I did get to, this was, by far, my favorite.  Aaron Karo delivers a romcom with the quirky and awkward humor that I adore in romance.  And to top it off,  it included one of my favorite tropes - Friends to Lovers.  The only other thing I can say is, Amor y Cacahuetes.   Love and Peanuts.

Just Business by Anna Zabo

Every time someone asks me my favorite read of 2015, Just Business is the title I give them.   I read this in May and I STILL think about it.   Eli and Justin are wonderfully fun and complex characters and Anna Zabo's writing is stellar.   There is an office filing scene where there is zero nudity, touching or dirty talk and yet it was one of the hottest things I've ever read.  I'm not sure I'll be able to do office work ever again without blushing.

Lonely Hearts by Heidi Cullinan

This is a super hot new adult title that includes, per the warning on the book, sex in a Tesla and kinky anime role play.  But it's not all about the sex.  Not even close.  Heidi's endless understanding and empathy bring together two broken young men that work through their chronic health (mental and physical) issues  in ways that are not always healthy.  Between their friends, a pastor and his wife who have a whole lot of love to give, and their desire to live, Elijah and Baz have what they need to become healthier people.   There is no sugar coating in this book.  Their struggles are realistic and sometimes painful.  But never so painful you doubt they will get the happy ever after they both deserve.



Off Campus by Amy Jo Cousins

I read Five Dates (a freebie) on a whim.  That was my first taste of Amy Jo Cousins' writing and I think we all know that I am now a life long fan.  I read Off Campus in August and I have read it 3 more times since then.  This has obviously become a total comfort read for me.   Even with all his paranoia, Tom is insanely nice.  The things he does to make Reese feel safe made me melt.  And I'm not any less in love with Reese.  This kid is a survivor.  After experiencing a horrific and life damaging assault the year before, he still returned to campus.  He's a strong and scrappy guy that is determined to survive.



Delivered Fast by Annabeth Albert

Annabeth Albert is another new favorite author that I discovered this year.  This is the third book in the Portland Heat series.  I enjoyed the entire series but I really connected to this book.  Chris is surprised to find himself attracted to a guy that is 15 years younger than him .  And he almost fell over when said youngster hit on him and asked him out. What starts out as temporary and beneficial arrangment quickly becomes something more.  The problem?  Chris doesn't want to be the older guy that holds Lance back from pursuing his dreams.  Fortunately, Lance has his shit together and realizes he can pursue more than one dream at a time.  Now he just needs to convince Chris.



Burnt Toast B & B by Heidi Belleau and Rachel Haimowitz

So I picked this up on a whim when it was on a sale.  The humorous title was a total draw for me.  What I didn't expect was a beautiful and romantic story between a gay man afraid of getting close to anyone because he might lose them and a transgender man that has yet to find anyone that completely accepts him for who he is.  Belleau and Haimowitz's empathy and accuracy when it came to writing these two characters was nothing short of amazing.  I look forward to checking out more of their books in the future.





Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry

I don't think Katie McGarry can write a bad book.  It just isn't in her.  And after meeting her a few months ago, I have a new appreciation for her dedication and attention to detail.  Spending a month with members of a motorcycle club gave her a level of insight that produced a book that is fascinating and romantic but not always attractive.  If you are looking for some angst with certain style of grit and honesty, definitely pick this one up.






Undressed by Shannon Richard

This is one of my favorites in the Country Roads series.  It's super sexy and lots of fun.  It hits the ground running with an unbelievably hot opening scene and it never loses its momentum.   Of course, there was just enough angst to make me happy and more than enough fun and hockey hotness to make non-angst lovers happy too.

No Parking at the End Times by Bryan Bliss

This is a story of a teen girl that is desparately grappling with the knowledge that her father's faith in a scheister televangelist and her mother's unhealthy desire to please her husband has led to them living in a van with no income and has put their family in a situation from which they might never recover.  She and her brother independently seek comfort and seek a way to escape the hopeless situation their parents have put them in.  Definitely not a happy book but it certainly is a book that I think a lot of people can relate to in one way or another.

That's What HE Said Thursday #49

Image courtesy of Kei at The Lovely Pages Review

That's What HE Said is a weekly meme hosted by the wonderful ladies at Chapter Break. It's a chance for us to spotlight and gush over a quote from our current book crush to the object of his desire. We like to pretend he's speaking to us ;)

What better way to celebrate our book boyfriends?

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Nat brings you this week's book boyfriend. Meet West from Take Me On by Katie McGarry.

“I'm in love with you"

Finally, the girl looks at me. "What?"

"I don't know." I gesture to the house, the yard, the dirt surrounding us. "I'm not sure what suggested romance. Maybe it was the screaming match or the way my girlfriend kicked my ass to the ground, but I love you."

Her mouth gapes. "I...I..."

"I don't want you to say it back now. One of us should have some class.”

~ West to Hayley

Take Me On (Pushing The Limits #4)

by Katy McGarry

 

   

     

    

Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry

****

An unforgettable new series from acclaimed author Katie McGarry about taking risks, opening your heart and ending up in a place you never imagined possible.

Seventeen-year-old Emily likes her life the way it is: doting parents, good friends, good school in a safe neighborhood. Sure, she's curious about her biological father—the one who chose life in a motorcycle club, the Reign of Terror, over being a parent—but that doesn't mean she wants to be a part of his world. But when a reluctant visit turns to an extended summer vacation among relatives she never knew she had, one thing becomes clear: nothing is what it seems. Not the club, not her secret-keeping father and not Oz, a guy with suck-me-in blue eyes who can help her understand them both. 

Oz wants one thing: to join the Reign of Terror. They're the good guys. They protect people. They're…family. And while Emily—the gorgeous and sheltered daughter of the club's most respected member—is in town, he's gonna prove it to her. So when her father asks him to keep her safe from a rival club with a score to settle, Oz knows it's his shot at his dream. What he doesn't count on is that Emily just might turn that dream upside down. 

No one wants them to be together. But sometimes the right person is the one you least expect, and the road you fear the most is the one that leads you home. 

Review:

When Emily’s mom and dad convince her to attend the funeral of her biological father’s mother, she expects to get in and get out as quickly as possible.  But life is never that easy.  Somehow Emily’s existence and presence in Snowflake is leaked to a rival biker gang that would love nothing more than to cause deadly trouble for Eli’s (Emily’s biological dad) motorcycle club.  Her three parents (mom, dad and Eli) decide it is in her best interest to stay hidden at Eli’s home in Kentucky while her mom and dad fly back to Florida.  No one will have expected her to stay which should keep her safe until everything blows over.  A two week stay turns in to more than a month.  A long visit that allows Emily to acquaint herself with a family she’s never known or trusted.  A visit that also makes her question everything her three parents have told her since she was a little girl.  

When other kids were dreaming of becoming police officers, teachers or doctors, Oz was dreaming of joining the Reign of Terror and working in the family security business.  When Eli asks Oz to prove himself worthy of making prospect by babysitting his daughter, Oz isn’t going to say no. 

At first, Emily and Oz circle each other warily.  Both have preconceived ideas about the other and their way of life and they most certainly do not like each other.  But as they spend more time with each other the more they understand and respect one another.  An understanding and respect that is turning into something more.  

I found the two main characters fascinating.  Emily holds back a lot but finds this inner strength and boldness in certain situations that made her an absolute joy.  The only way to describe Oz is intense.  He’s very experienced and lives in and whole-heartedly embraces a world where the social rules are so different.  At the same time he has this vulnerability about him that belies his age and emotional inexperience.  It’s no wonder that these two characters set my tablet on fire when they interacted on the page.

I also found the different family members and friends more than a bit interesting.  Oz’s parents and friend, Razor.  Emily’s grandparents, cousins, newly gained family friends and even Eli.  There wasn’t a single one that didn’t spark my interest and made me wish for a side story just about them.   I do know that I will at least get my wish with Razor which will be super exciting.

But my favorite part of this story, by far, was the relationship between Emily and her three parents. I just need to put it out there how much I LOVE the way Katie McGarry writes parent/child relationships.  They are amazingly complex and she never holds back from making them unbelievably messy.  They are not the stereotypical horrific or absent parents (obviously there are exceptions…hello, Echo’s mom).  But they are also rarely perfect parents that get everything right.  She writes them as imperfect beings that love their children.  People that sometimes get the parenting thing right but very often don’t.   So many times they are what I like to call the “ambiguous villain.”  They are parents that love their children and try to protect them but in their efforts majorly mess up along the way.  And that is exactly how I saw Emily’s three parents.  

From the beginning you see the love that all three parents have for Emily.  It was both beautiful and heartbreaking to see the amazingly close and trusting relationship that Emily has with her dad and then see how badly Eli wants to have the same relationship with her.  But all that love can’t hide the feeling (for both the reader and Emily) that something is off about their history.  We only know what her parents (all three of them) have told her.  A history that doesn’t put Eli in a very nice light.  But it’s obvious from early on that they are lying.  A lie that you can only assume they concocted for her safety.  But that lie has negatively impacted her in ways she is just beginning to understand. 

Like I said.  Heartbreaking, complicated and all together messy.  And I absolutely loved it.  Needless to say, Nowhere But Here furthers my love affair with all things written by Katie McGarry…

Nat

Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry RELEASE WEEK BLITZ

We are absolutely thrilled to bring you the Release Day Launch for Katie McGarry's NOWHERE BUT HERE! NOWHERE BUT HERE is a Young Adult Contemporary Romance and is a part of Katie McGarry’s Thunder Road Series, published by Harlequin Teen.  Grab you copy today!!

Amazon   Kobo   BAM   Barnes and Noble   iBooks   IndieBound

About NOWHERE BUT HERE:

An unforgettable new series from acclaimed author Katie McGarry about taking risks, opening your heart and ending up in a place you never imagined possible 

Seventeen-year-old Emily likes her life the way it is: doting parents, good friends, good school in a safe neighborhood. Sure, she's curious about her biological father—the one who chose life in a motorcycle club, the Reign of Terror, over being a parent—but that doesn't mean she wants to be a part of his world. But when a reluctant visit turns to an extended summer vacation among relatives she never knew she had, one thing becomes clear: nothing is what it seems. Not the club, not her secret-keeping father and not Oz, a guy with suck-me-in blue eyes who can help her understand them both. 

Oz wants one thing: to join the Reign of Terror. They're the good guys. They protect people. They're…family. And while Emily—the gorgeous and sheltered daughter of the club's most respected member—is in town, he's gonna prove it to her. So when her father asks him to keep her safe from a rival club with a score to settle, Oz knows it's his shot at his dream. What he doesn't count on is that Emily just might turn that dream upside down. 

No one wants them to be together. But sometimes the right person is the one you least expect, and the road you fear the most is the one that leads you home. 

EXCERPT:

From Oz's Point of View. Set up: Emily has been separated from her parents and after a long night of worrying, her emotions and exhaustion catch up to her and it causes Oz to have his first fluttering of emotion for Emily. 

WIND BLOWS IN FROM THE NORTH AND A FEW pieces of Emily’s dark hair sweep across her face. One min­ute Emily’s a bright flame, then a gust snuffs out her light. Her body sways like a top at the tail end of a spin and I lunge forward.

Emily’s knees give out and her eyes roll back into her head. I catch her inches before she crashes onto the porch. She’s light as I swing her into my arms and her head circles onto my shoulder, reminding me of one of those rag dolls Violet used to play with when we were kids.

“Emily!” Eli’s on top of me, attempting to yank her out of my arms. “Open your eyes.”

Her eyelids flutter, but remain closed as her hand limply clutches my shirt. Eli rams his arms underneath mine and he makes Emily a rope in a tug-of-war. I should let her go. I should want to let her go, but then Emily goes and screws it up for me. “Oz.” 

It was a damn whisper, but I heard my name on her lips and so did Eli. His eyes flash to mine and Cyrus’s words repeat in my mind. That girl trusts you. And screw us both for that.

“She’s exhausted,” I say. “Hasn’t slept at all tonight.”

Eli’s expression hardens as he glares at me. I’ve seen Eli throw a coma-inducing punch for less defiance and I readjust the sleeping girl in my arms. A reminder if he decks me now, he’ll be putting his daughter at risk.

Temporarily surrendering, Eli cups Emily’s face in his hands and angles her toward him. “Emily, please open your eyes.”

She does. It’s barely a crack and they’re completely glazed.

“Everything’s going to be okay,” Eli affirms.

“I want my mom and dad,” she mumbles.

“You’ll see them tomorrow.” Eli pushes a strand of hair from her cheek. “You’re safe here. I promise.”

She rejects Eli by curling into me. Her head fits perfectly in the crook of my neck and I loathe the wave of protective­ness that rumbles through my body. Emily’s fingers tighten their grip near my shoulders and the impulse is to shield her from the guys gawking at this intimate scene. Yeah, this is club business, but Emily never asked for any of this.

NOWHERE BUT HERE Trailer:

About Katie McGarry:

Katie McGarry was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings, reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan.

Katie is the author of full length YA novels, PUSHING THE LIMITS, DARE YOU TO, CRASH INTO YOU, TAKE ME ON,  BREAKING THE RULES, and NOWHERE BUT HERE and the e-novellas, CROSSING THE LINE and RED AT NIGHT. Her debut YA novel, PUSHING THE LIMITS was a 2012 Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction, a RT Magazine's 2012 Reviewer's Choice Awards Nominee for Young Adult Contemporary Novel, a double Rita Finalist, and a 2013 YALSA Top Ten Teen Pick. DARE YOU TO was also a Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction and won RT Magazine’s Reviewer’s Choice Best Book Award for Young Adult Contemporary fiction in 2013.

Website ** Twitter ** Facebook ** Goodreads ** Pinterest ** Tumblr ** Instagram

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Waiting on Wednesday (150)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that highlights future releases that we are excitedly anticipating.

By Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton
Publication Date: May 26, 2015

Black Swan meets Pretty Little Liars in this soapy, drama-packed novel featuring diverse characters who will do anything to be the prima at their elite ballet school.

Gigi, Bette, and June, three top students at an exclusive Manhattan ballet school, have seen their fair share of drama. Free-spirited new girl Gigi just wants to dance—but the very act might kill her. Privileged New Yorker Bette's desire to escape the shadow of her ballet star sister brings out a dangerous edge in her. And perfectionist June needs to land a lead role this year or her controlling mother will put an end to her dancing dreams forever. When every dancer is both friend and foe, the girls will sacrifice, manipulate, and backstab to be the best of the best. 









By Meg Cabot
Publication Date:  June 2, 2015

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Princess Diaries series, comes the very first adult installment, which follows Princess Mia and her Prince Charming as they plan their fairy tale wedding--but a few poisoned apples could turn this happily-ever-after into a royal nightmare.

For Princess Mia, the past five years since college graduation have been a whirlwind of activity, what with living in New York City, running her new teen community center, being madly in love, and attending royal engagements. And speaking of engagements. Mia's gorgeous longtime boyfriend Michael managed to clear both their schedules just long enough for an exotic (and very private) Caribbean island interlude where he popped the question! Of course Mia didn't need to consult her diary to know that her answer was a royal oui.

But now Mia has a scandal of majestic proportions to contend with: Her grandmother's leaked "fake" wedding plans to the press that could cause even normally calm Michael to become a runaway groom. Worse, a scheming politico is trying to force Mia's father from the throne, all because of a royal secret that could leave Genovia without a monarch. Can Mia prove to everyone--especially herself--that she's not only ready to wed, but ready to rule as well? 

By Katie McGarry
Publication Date: May 26. 2015

An unforgettable new series from acclaimed author Katie McGarry about taking risks, opening your heart and ending up in a place you never imagined possible.

Seventeen-year-old Emily likes her life the way it is: doting parents, good friends, good school in a safe neighborhood. Sure, she's curious about her biological father—the one who chose life in a motorcycle club, the Reign of Terror, over being a parent—but that doesn't mean she wants to be a part of his world. But when a reluctant visit turns to an extended summer vacation among relatives she never knew she had, one thing becomes clear: nothing is what it seems. Not the club, not her secret-keeping father and not Oz, a guy with suck-me-in blue eyes who can help her understand them both. 

Oz wants one thing: to join the Reign of Terror. They're the good guys. They protect people. They're…family. And while Emily—the gorgeous and sheltered daughter of the club's most respected member—is in town, he's gonna prove it to her. So when her father asks him to keep her safe from a rival club with a score to settle, Oz knows it's his shot at his dream. What he doesn't count on is that Emily just might turn that dream upside down. 

No one wants them to be together. But sometimes the right person is the one you least expect, and the road you fear the most is the one that leads you home.

Breaking The Rules Release Day Launch - EXCERPT & GIVEAWAY

We are so excited to bring you the Release Day launch for Katie McGarry's BREAKING THE RULES! BREAKING THE RULES is a Young Adult contemporary romance published by Harlequin Teen, and is the follow-up book to Katie's PUSHING THE LIMITS. You do not want to miss Noah and Echo's story! Grab it today!

Amazon ** Barnes & Noble ** Books-A-Million ** Kobo ** iBooks ** Google Play

BREAKING THE RULES Synopsis:

A summer road trip changes everything in this unforgettable new tale from acclaimed author Katie McGarry.

For new high school graduate Echo Emerson, a summer road trip out west with her boyfriend means getting away and forgetting what makes her so . . . different. It means seeing cool sights while selling her art at galleries along the way. And most of all, it means almost three months alone with Noah Hutchins, the hot, smart, soul-battered guy who's never judged her. Echo and Noah share everything--except the one thing Echo's just not ready for.

But when the source of Echo's constant nightmares comes back into her life, she has to make some tough decisions about what she really wants--even as foster kid Noah's search for his last remaining relatives forces them both to confront some serious truths about life, love, and themselves.

Now, with one week left before college orientation, jobs and real life, Echo must decide if Noah's more than the bad-boy fling everyone warned her he'd be. And the last leg of an amazing road trip will turn . . . seriously epic.

And don’t forget to read the first books in the Pushing the Limits Series…

PUSHING THE LIMITS

CROSSING THE LINE

DARE YOU TO

CRASH INTO YOU

TAKE ME ON

Excerpt:

From Noah’s POV

“Did you fall into some paint, Echo?” Isaiah asks, changing the subject.

Echo’s shoulder slumps as she pivots toward the mirror. She groans as she touches her cheek and forehead that are more red and pink than skin. “Dang it. Why am I such a mess?”

“I think it’s sexy as hell,” I say.

“I think I’m going to barf,” Beth mocks my tone.

Death radiates from the look I send her way. Enough that it should melt her. “Ever sleep in a tent, Beth?”

Beth focuses on the screen while raising her middle finger in my direction.

“Screw it.” Echo turns away from the mirror. “I need a shower.”

I smile, Echo blushes, then I laugh. Damn me for inviting Isaiah and Beth to share our room.

“Anyhow.” An excited glint strikes Echo’s eyes. “Are you ready? I hope you like it. It’s sort of…for you. But it’s not done, okay? I mean, something like this would actually take a while to perfect, so I guess I’m saying—”

“Echo.”

“Yeah?”

“It’s all good.”

“Okay.” Her fingers drum nervously over the top of the canvas before she repeats, “Okay.”

“I’m assuming that’s not the constellation Aires?”

“No. I’ll have to start on that tomorrow.” With a deep inhale, Echo pulls out a chair from the table and rests the painting on the arms and leans it against the back so it will stay upright.

Air rushes out of my body, and I sink onto our bed. It’s the same damned shock as when she drew my parents this past spring. There’s awe and joy and this ache that hits deep in my gut. I bend forward and rest my joint hands on my knees and stare at the sight in front of me.

Fuck me, my eyes burn. I shut them, attempting to get my shit together. It’s a painting. Only a painting. I reopen them, and it’s the same disorientation as a right hook to the head. It’s more than a painting, and that’s the reason my throat swells.

Last night meant as much to me as it did to her and she painted it, capturing it in a way unique to Echo. She’s right, it’s not done. It’s a skeleton compared to her other work, but I see enough to know what she desires, what she plans to design. Up close all those colors would look like chaos, but when viewed as a whole it creates this beautiful picture. In the end, that’s the best way to describe me and Echo, our relationship. Our love.

The bed dips as Echo eases onto it, settles behind me and props her chin on my shoulder. Her signature scent that reminds me of walking into a bakery becomes an invisible blanket surrounding me. “What do you think?”

“It’s us,” I whisper, and knots form in my stomach. Echo always finds a way to blow my mind. She tenses behind me and I continue, “It’s where we spent last night.”

“It is.” Echo relaxes, and her fingers curl around my biceps. “Do you like it?”

Struggling for composure, I place my hand over hers and pause. “It’s…”

I’m not Echo. I don’t have words for what happens inside me. If I did, I’d fail at describing this. I shift to rest my forehead against hers. “I don’t deserve you.”

“That’s my statement,” she says so only I can hear. “I wish we were alone again.”

I press my lips to hers, slide my hand through her hair and watch as the curls bounce back into place. “Me, too.”

About Katie McGarry:

Katie McGarry was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings, reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan.

Katie is the author of full length YA novels, PUSHING THE LIMITS, DARE YOU TO, CRASH INTO YOU, TAKE ME ON,  BREAKING THE RULES, and NOWHERE BUT HERE and the e-novellas, CROSSING THE LINE and RED AT NIGHT. Her debut YA novel, PUSHING THE LIMITS was a 2012 Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction, a RT Magazine's 2012 Reviewer's Choice Awards Nominee for Young Adult Contemporary Novel, a double Rita Finalist, and a 2013 YALSA Top Ten Teen Pick. DARE YOU TO was also a Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction and won RT Magazine’s Reviewer’s Choice Best Book Award for Young Adult Contemporary fiction in 2013.

Website | Twitter @KatieMcGarry | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest | Tumbler | Instagram

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Top Ten of 2013 - Nat's Picks

I can't believe that another year has passed.  Another year of bookish and non-bookish fun.   Another year of Shel and Bel putting up with my ridiculous obsessions and total nonsense - book related and not.  And another of year of struggling to create a Top Ten post.  It took some time but I did it.  I narrowed down my favorites for 2013.   Here there are.  Other than the first, there is no particular order to this list...

Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg - This was by far my FAVORITE book of the year.  I want everyone to read this.  EVERYONE.  Not matter age, orientation or gender, I think everyone will be able to relate to Rafe.  This is a beautifully awkward and funny story about acceptance and celebrating who we are.










Just One Day by Gayle Forman - I loved both books in this duology but Just One Day struck a cord with me.  Growing up as an only child, I really identified with Allyson Healey and her struggles.  Gayle Forman doesn't hold back in telling the story of an insecure girl that travels both figuratively and literally in order to discover who she is and become an independent young woman.









Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein -  This was an engrossing story about best friends (one a spy; the other a transit pilot) meeting and experiencing the horrors of WWII England and France.  This book had one hell of a climax that still makes my heart stop to think about it.









Glitterland by Alexis Hall -  This is easily one of the best m/m romances I have ever read (review to post the first week of the New Year).  Hall's use of the first person narrative provides the reader with understanding as to how Ash is affected by his depression as well as serves to show the contrast between Ash and Darian's personalities.  And what I loved most was seeing how beautiful and sparkling Darian becomes in Ash's eyes.







The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater - I have enjoyed both books in this unfinished trilogy but The Dream Thieves left me utterly confused and thoroughly enchanted.  Confused because, as Shel said, I had no idea what was going on yet I couldn't stop reading.  Enchanted because The Gray Man might be one of the most psychotically amusing characters I've ever encountered.  Don't let my comments put you off.  You will learn what's going on before the book is finished.  Stiefvater just does what she does best.  Take you on the most adventurous and entertaining path to the destination she intends.

Christmas Kitsch by Amy Lane - Out of Amy's many wonderful releases this year,  Christmas Kitsch was the one that grabbed me the most.   Partially because Rusty was so adorably clueless and awkward.  And partially because it was a heartwarming love story about making a home.  This one gave me a nudge (that I desperately needed) right into the holiday spirit.








Dare You To by Katie McGarry -  No surprise I picked this one for my Top Ten.  Although I love McGarry's bad boys (Noah of Pushing the Limits and Isaiah of Crash Into You), my heart will always belong to the forever boys. And Ryan Stone is the perfect forever boy.  He's spontaneously romantic and he's protective while never attempting to take away Beth's independence.  And did I mention he plays baseball?  Yeah.  Forever boy.







Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare - I can't say much about this because Shel is saving up most of her TMI and ID books for this coming spring and we don't want to spoil anything for her.  All I can say is OMG. Cassie Clare sure knows how to pull at those heartstrings.  Seriously.  I was sitting at the kitchen table at 2am sobbing my poor little heart out.








The Sum of All Kisses by Julia Quinn - I thought this was Julia Quinn at her finest.  The shockingly rude and smart conversations that Lady Sarah and Lord Hugh have are hilarious.  Lord Hugh might be my favorite Julia Quinn hero yet.  And that's saying a lot considering how much I love Colin Bridgerton.  And Simon Basset.  And Michael Stirling. And Thomas Cavendish. And....oh sod it.  I love them all.  And now I can add Hugh Prentice to my historical romance harem.







Cherish by Tere Michaels - Cherish (a novella) is the 4th book in the Faith, Love and Devotion Series. I enjoyed the entire series immensely but what made Cherish stand out for me was that we got that peek we always crave when wondering about a couples Happy Ever After.  On top of that, it contained the perfect mix of romance and the wicked Tere Michaels' humor Bel and I witnessed at RT.








I did it!  I figured out my favorites of the year.  But there are still 6 more days of the year.  I reserve my right to edit this list on the off chance I find another favorite before 2014 begins.

Nat