A Look Back: 2012 So Far

So I was recently asked to do a post of my top books that have been released so far.  I totally should have don’t this in the beginning of July, but alas, July has come and gone. So this is going to be the” hey we are ¾ of the way through the year” pulse check on 2012 releases! LOL

This year has seen sooo many great releases from great authors new and well established.  The following list is my opinion on the books that I have enjoyed most this year so far.  I’m not going to limit the list to paranormal but include all genres in this post I have read, I will separate the non-paranormal into its own list. Admittedly I don’t venture that much outside of Paranormal, but if something catches my eye, I’ll read and post a review on my other blog www.goodromancenovel.blogspot.com .

Top 10 full length Paranormal:


1. Oracle’s Moon – Thea Harrison (This one is #1, because I have read it 4x already! I LOVED it that much!)
Get It: Thea Harrison: Oracle's Moon

2. Once Burned – Jeaniene Frost (This one is sooo close to #1, the only reason I put it as 2^nd was bc I haven’t reread it… yet. But I am dying to!)
Get It: Jeaniene Frost: Once Burned: A Night Prince Novel

From here is becomes so hard to rank in a specific order, so this part of the list is somewhat fluid:

3. Firelight – Kristen Callihan (Callihan is a newcomer and she started with a bang! This is the first in her historical paranormal romance. This series is totally unique!)
Get It: Kristen Callihan: Firelight (Darkest London)

4. Lothaire – Kresley Cole (Usually KC would hold down my top spot, but Lothaire was not my favorite of the series but it is still among the best of the year so far.
Get It: Kresley Cole: Lothaire (Immortals After Dark)

5. Moonglow – Kristen Callihan (This is the 2^nd in her series and I loved it just as much as the 1^st and damn did I cry in this one!)
Get It: Kristen Callihan - Moonglow (Darkest London)

6. Lethal Rider – Larissa Ione (Really 3-6 can all occupy the same place as I love them pretty much equally. This is the 3^rd of L. Ione’s Lords of Deliverance series and features my man Thantos! I want him!)
Get It: Larissa Ione: Lethal Rider (Lords of Deliverance)

7. Third Grave Dead Ahead – Darynda Jones (I just picked up this series a month or so ago and am kicking myself for not picking it up sooner. This is the 3^rd in the series and had me laughing from beginning to end. If you haven’t picked up this series you need to right away.)
Get It: Darynda Jones: Third Grave Dead Ahead

8. Tangle of Need – Nalini Singh (I am not used to N. Singh being this low on a tops list. Her work is always rock solid and among my favorites.  This book was fantastic but I felt it was more of a transition book to get us to the next book.  She does have a release out in Sept (Jason from the Guild Hunters that has the potential to rank #1 on the end of the year list. I cannot wait for it to come out!)
Get It: Nalini Singh: Tangle of Need

9. The Darkest Day – Britt Bury (This is another newcomer to the scene with her debut book. I gave this one a 4 star because of some issues, but it is on the list because I still think back to this book after several months so it has managed to stick out from the crowd.)
Get It: Britt Bury: The Darkest Day

10. Blade Song – J.C. Daniels (Technically this is not a newcomer as this is Shiloh Walker under a new pen name, but this is her 1^st book under this name. There is another unique book in the paranormal genre. It features a strong female lead and has the ability to stick out in memory much like The Darkest Day)
Get It: J.C. Daniels: Blade Song (Colbana Files)

Top 5 Contemporary and Historical:


1. Rescue Me – Rachel Gibson (Contemporary Romance. I adore Rachel Gibson, she can always make me laugh and this book is no exception)
Get It: Rachel Gibson: Rescue Me

2. Summer Nights – Susan Mallery (Contemporary Romance.  This is Shane’s story from the Fool’s Gold series. He is the 2^nd Styker brother and his story is the best! He’s a cowboy with a gentle wounded soul, his lady love is also quite lovable!)
Get It: Susan Mallery: Summer Nights (Fool's Gold)

3. Temptation & Twilight – Charlotte Featherstone (Erotic Historical Romance, this is the 3^rd in a series but I hadn’t read the 1^st 2 when I started this one. It didn’t matter, I still think of this book months later and I have since gone back and read the first 2 books which are equally good!)
Get It: C. Featherstone: Temptation & Twilight (Hqn)

4. Tempted by the Highland Warrior – Michelle Willingham (Historical Romance possibly erotica, its steamy enough to be. I have a weakness for tortured hero types and this one is tortured and disabled. Due to the horrors he experienced he can no longer talk. Even better that he is a highlander! Who can resist a tortured highland warrior? I know I can’t!)
Get It: Michelle Willingham: Tempted by the Highland Warrior (The MacKinloch Clan)

5. Seven Nights in a Rogue's Bed – Anna Campbell (Historical Romance . Here’s another tortured hero type that must overcome. This one has also managed to stick out in my memory as a great read. I wouldn’t even have picked it up from NetGalley if it hadn’t been for Jen from Red Hot Books. Thanks Jen for the rec!)
Get It: Anna Campbell: Seven Nights in a Rogue's Bed (Sons of Sin)

Top 5 novellas:


1. Angels Flight – Nalini Singh (I call N. Singh the queen of novellas because she can take 20-30 pages and gets so much into so few pages it almost feels like a full length novel! This book is a collection of 4 Guild Hunter novellas each one is amazing on its own, but together it’s unbeatable!)
Get It: Nalini Singh: Angels' Flight (Guild Hunters)

2. Try Me – Olivia Cunning (OoooWwwEeee this one is CALIENTE! It’s the first in her new band series. Soo freak’n good)
Get It: Olivia Cunning: Try Me (One Night with Sole Regret)

3. Unspoken – Kerrigan Byrne (Kerrigan Byrne is another newcomer to the scene; she has two paranormal historical novellas out. It features a berserker a mute one at that! This one was so damn good. I wish it had been longer. )
Get It: Kerrigan Byrne: Unspoken (Highland Historical #1)

4. Crazy on You – Rachel Gibson ( I adore Rachel Gibson! She doesn’t typically write novellas, this is the 1^st one in years and years and it was a great one. It features crazy Lily that we met in Daisy’s Back in Town)
Get It: Rachel Gibson: Crazy On You

5. Dark Craving – Donna Grant (I found this one because of Annie from Under the Covers Book Blog and I am glad she suggested it. It’s a dragon book! She’s got me on her dragon kick! Damn you Annie! Dragons aside it’s a great quick story that will leaving you wanting more.)
Get It: Donna Grant: Dark Craving