Another year....gone

2012 is drawing to an end and therefore, it's a time for reflection.  I read some outstanding books this year, discovered some great new authors and watched the blog grow. Sitting down to compile this list was no easy task. After staring at my list of finished books for more time than I care to admit I knew I was going to need some guidelines if I was going to whittle the list down to my favorite ten.  So here are the criteria I came up with and utilized:

1. How quickly did I read it? Did I blow through it in less than one day?
2. Would I read the book again?
3. Did I continue to think about the characters/plot long after I was finished?

If I answered yes to the all of the above,with number three being the major decision maker, then the book made my list. Some of these books I finished  months ago yet I still sit and think about them for long periods of time. You may scroll down this list and find that some of my choices were a series rather than a single book. Yes, I know that's technically cheating, but I was able to give more books their due credit that way.

My top three will be in order but the rest will be in no particular order. I've previously reviewed a lot of these books so I won't go into huge detail here but will provide links in the titles for anyone who would like to read my complete review.So without further ado here is:

10. Once Burned by Jeanene Frost
This has been my favorite spin off from the Night Huntress universe so far. The story revolves around Vlad and fans of Frost's work will enjoy getting more one on one time with this character. The book was fast paced and didn't waste a lot of time getting into the thick of it. Book two in the series will be releasing in March 2013 and I'm really looking forward to it.





                                   

9. Athena's Promise by Annetta Ribkin
Sometimes one goes into a book with certain expectations and shall we say an attitude problem, that was certainly the case for me with this book. Once I sat down to have a chat with myself about having an open mind and checking said attitude at the door, I found this book really enjoyable. It's a terrific example of urban fantasy. It has vampires, Medusa, hotel owning gnomes and a heroine that doesn't take any guff. What's not to like?

8. Caught Stealing by Charlie Huston
A story about a bartender named Hank Thompson, his neighbor, Russ, two Russians in track suits and a cat named Bud. It's amazing that agreeing to watch a neighbor's cat for a few days can have such dire consequences.

If you haven't read anything by this author do yourself a favor and pick up some of his titles, there are many to choose from. I was only turned onto his works myself last year at the urging of my husband. This particular title is fast paced, dark and I absolutely love the simplicity in which Huston writes dialog. If you enjoy gritty crime fiction this book would be right up your alley. Caught Stealing is the first book in a trilogy and while I haven't read the other two books, I have been told on many occasions by many people they are just as good if not better than this installment  The rest of this series is in my ever growing TBR pile.

7. West of Hell Series by Jason Brant
Zombies in the old west? Can it get any better? I say nay. I loved the entire West of Hell series but book two was my favorite of the trilogy. The idea of being trapped on a moving train with creatures that want to munch your face off really spoke to my claustrophobic side. The whole series is fast paced and well written with enough humor and wit to keep even the surliest of readers thoroughly entertained.



Click the titles to read:
Wildcard's review of Gehenna
My review of Tartarus
Our tag-team review of Sheol 

6. Hellcat Series by Sharon Hannaford
I was given both books in the series in exchange for honest reviews and I enjoyed both a lot! I love Hannaford's writing style and story telling method. This series is shaping up to be a fun example of paranormal fantasy and I truly hope to follow along with these characters for many books to come.

You can read my reviews by clicking the titles below:
A Cat's Chance in Hell
All Hell Breaks Loose

5. Shades of Gray by Joleene Naylor
I picked this book on a whim one evening while browsing on my Nook. I love to devour anything vampire and since this book was under $2 I decided to give it a whirl. It was far darker then I was anticipating, believing it would be just another paranormal romance. It definitely strays off the beaten path and at times was almost brutal to read. I have yet to get the chance to read the rest of the books in the series but they are undoubtedly on my TBR list for 2013.

4. Contingency by Peggy Martinez
I really loved this book. It was well written and had a different spin on the paranormal genre. The main character, Sage Hannigan, really grew into her own skin just during the course of this installment and I think it's going to be great to see where the author takes her. This book is the first in a proposed trilogy with book two releasing in early 2013. I'm really looking forward to getting my little paws on it as the end of book one left me absolutely heartbroken.





Alright, here we are. My top three picks for 2012. These three books absolutely blew me away and made me wish I could give them more than a five reaper rating. Wait, why I can't I? Who makes up these rules? Anywho...

3. Stitch by Samantha Durante
This was another book we were given in exchange for an honest review. This book had a little bit of everything and weaved it all together in perfect harmony. This is Durante's debut novel and I believe the girl has a really bright future as an author if this book is any indication of things yet to come.

2. The Gate by Jason Brant
Yep, another of Jason Brant's novels made my list. What can I say? The dude can write. Having been a fan of horror since I was young there isn't much that creeps me out anymore, however, this book succeeded. It spooked me enough that there were times when I had goose bumps on my arms. The humor and wit is nothing less than what one would expect if you're a Brant fan. The Gate is my favorite of his novels thus far and that's saying a lot because there isn't a bad one in the bunch. Jason Brant has quickly become one of my favorite authors and if you read this book you should discover for yourself as to why. If not, I'm going to have to guess there is something wrong with you.

1. Biting Cold by Chloe Neill
If you've followed this blog or Page Turners you probably already know by now that I am a rabid Chloe Neill fan.I absolutely love the Chicagoland Vampire series and have read it in total three times now. This was the fifth installment in the series and in my opinion the best book of Neill's to date. I plowed through this book in a matter of a few hours and was so bummed when I finished it only to realize I'd have to wait until February to read book six. So bummed in fact that I considered immediately opening the front cover and reading it again. I decided against it since there were other authors waiting for reviews on their books and I didn't want to be selfish. Well, I did but I stopped myself. Patience is a virtue right? My guess is whom ever came up with that nonsense never had to wait eight months for the next book in a series.


So there we have it. 2013 is already promising to be a crazy year with new books slated for release from many of the authors/series mentioned here. Somehow I am going to find the time to get them all read. I'm looking forward to reading new adventures from some of my favorite authors and hopefully, discovering some new ones. I wish you all a very happy and prosperous 2013!

Ciao!