I can’t name this list a Top Ten, because there’s either more than ten, or less than ten, depending on how you look at it. By that, I mean several of my top reads are parts of a series, that in my mind count as one, but are listed and sold separately.
The other thing I want to mention is that I had more DNF’s this past year than ever in my life. It’s been frustrating because I know the reason for this is the way the market has been flooded with indie books. I love indie, I indie publish most of my own titles. But as much as I love the variety of a full market, it sucks that the market is full of so much crap that it’s so damn hard to find the good stuff. It’s heartbreaking because as a reader I want a lot of variety, and choices, and I love something different, but at the same time, almost every time I tried that something different I was disappointed. As a result of that disappointment I went back and reread a lot of my old favorites,stories and authors I knew would help me find my happy place.
Reviews aren’t much of a help anymore because everyone is now “a reviewer”. I count on friends word of mouth, and a few blogs and sites that I trust to review accurately and fairly when looking into a new author- s a result of that, the only new-to-me author to make my Top Reads list last year was Callie Hart. The others are all ones I’ve enjoyed in the past, and will likely always enjoy.
MOST MEMORABLE READS OF 2015
Cold Burn of Magic – Jennifer Estep
It was the start of a new series, by an author I thoroughly enjoy. This world, fits right alongside that of Mythos and Ashland. Magic and monsters abound, but with the same unique twist/feel as Estep’s other books. I, as a writer, find it fantastic the way she can write each series with it’s own unique feel to the world, yet they all blend so well that you know it’s really all the same world, just each characters view of it. Just like we all live in the same world, but see things so differently due to where, and who, we are. This is just one thing that proves Estep is a talent unlike any other.
In the world of Cloudburst Falls, the most magical place on earth, Lila, our young thief/heroine isn’t as Kick-ass as Gin, but she’s young yet. She’s smart, agile (physically and mentally) and cold hearted when she needs to be. She’s also wicked good with a sword. (Read my full review here: https://www.sashawhite.net/blog/2015/03/23/monsters-and-magic/ )
also, the next book in the series, Dark Heart of Magic – Jennifer Estep
Haven’t written a review yet, but know that this series is addictive, and Estep does not wimp out on anything, not fights, not monsters, not character development!
Magic Shifts – Ilona Andrews
I have to thank Jordan Summers for this. You see, I gave up on this series after I read the first two. I enjoyed them, but I felt like the mystery of her blood was dragging too much, and I was impatient with the lack of forward romance between Kate and Curran and thought screw it. She kept with it, and raved when the fourth book came out that it was all so worth it, and she was right. I’ve been hooked on the series ever since.
In fact, I reread the entire Kate Daniels series, twice this past year. The world building, and character development is the best I’ve seen. The only series I’ve read that I feel it compares with JD Robb’s In Death series.
Which is another series I reread often. The two series are different genres, but what they share is fantastic worlds where even the secondary characters are memorable and unforgettable. Each book has a new adventure/plot that is not only great on it’s own, but also blends in seamlessly with the overall series ARC.
Both series are must read for me.
Bash, Volume I – Candace Blevins
Actually. It’s all three BASH books, and you can throw in Brain, and the entire series.
Now, about all these books, I could go on about how hot the sexy times were, or how wonderfully unique the characters were, or even how it was nice to see some MC books where the guys actually do some illegal things (and not just to protect the ones they love). but what I really want to tell you is how well developed EVERYTHING was. The characters, the storylines, the world..it was all so well done with little details and big that blended to gether to bring me right into the world.
Read my full thoughts on these books here: https://www.sashawhite.net/blog/2015/10/31/a-new-universe/
Torment Me – Annabel Joseph
Annabel Joseph. Seriously, you kill me. If i had known how hooked on Torment Me, and Taunt Me I was going to get I wouldn’t have started then until the third installment was released. I don’t really know what to say about this series except that if you don’t like rough, crude, dark BDSM, don’t read it. The characters are real, the sex is fucking HOT, and the writing is top notch. You get pulled right into the characters, and their story. If you like your sexy dark, then grab these books up, and enjoy the ride.
Deviant – Callie Hart
I don’t know how long Deviant sat on my virtual bookshelf before I finally read it this year, but I know it was a while because I can remember seeing the cover and title and Not opening it many times. I don’t remember buying it, and in all honesty I probably liked the ad, or something he author posted somewhere, or saw a free link to it, and grabbed it because I liked the blurb, or simply to support the author.
I was cleaning the virtual bookshelves in November, and that meant opening the books that had been there for a while and reading the first chapter to see if I wanted to keep or throw away. I opened Deviant, and I was hooked. This is one of the books that was different, in a good way. Was it as edgy and Deviant as I expected? No. But then I might not be your average deviant reader. *blush* Do I think the title suited the story? Yes. And the story and characters are enjoyable enough that I quickly downloaded the rest of the series and read them all. Thank God I didn’t read Deviant when it was first release. I seriously HATE seriels, and I would’ve never read the rest of it. I can not stand half a story. A series, is awesome, where each book has a full story, even if it’s a series of novellas, but a seriel, where each release has a cliffhanger or leaves you incomplete makes me want to kill- or at the very least never buy that author again. Since I did have access to them all I read them all, as a book, and thoroughly enjoyed the story , and the growth of the characters. They’re available in box sets now, I suggest getting all six parts. 🙂