Best New Release of 2011
Magic Slays by Ilona Andrews
(Kate Daniels # 5)
Review
Such a hard choice, there have been so many great new books out this year, but Magic Slays was fantastic, I can't get enough of Kate and Curran.
Best New-To-Me Book
Lords of the Fading Lands by C.L. Wilson
(Tairen Soul # 1)
I have always loved fantasy and this book, and this series infact, bland two of my favourite genres, fantasy and romance.
Best New Series
Brides of the Kindred series by Evangeline Andersen
Reviews
Loved this series! I was lucky that so many of them came out in the same year! It started off some Star Trekesque fantasies let me tell you...!
Favourite Heroine
Justine from The Disillusionist Trilogy
by Carolyn Crane
Quirky and funny, I loved her! I can't wait to read the last book in the trilogy.
Favourite Hero
Francis Rohan from Ruthless by Anne Stuart
What a hard, hard decision! There are so many amazing heroes roaming around! To make it easier I excluded all those that have been in my harem for a while and looked at the new additions, and Francis Rohan, from the Wicked House of Rohan was so deliciously menacing and gorgeous, my favourite new bad boy on the block!
Best Sex Scene
Archangel's Blade by Nalini Singh
One of my favourite books this year, and definitely one of the most sensual, the whole book is filled with sexual tension so thick you could cut it with a knife, so when it does finally happen, it was explosive.
Boneshaker by Cherie Priest
Review
I love this cover! I love the sepia tones; the heroic stance the whole effect of the book. I even bought a top cos it looked very similar to this cover! LOVE IT! Luckily the inside was as good as the outside too.
Fugliest Cover 
I haven't actually read this book, but whenever I see it I just laugh! What is with the weird strolling around in pink mist?! It is a crime to Paul Marron!
Heroine on Hit List
Ana from Fifty Shades of Grey
Review
I know people loved this book this year, I did as well, well apart from Ana who drove me a little nuts.
Hero on Hit List
Dev from Blaze of Memory
Psy-Changeling is one of my favourite series, but this book was a little bit of a let down, mainly because I didn't like Dev. At. All. He crossed the line from alpha to bully and I hate that.
Best New Release of 2011
Archangel`s Blade by Nalini Singh
Review
If I could marry an author, I would marry Nalini Singh. Her writing is exquisite and ARCHANGEL’S BLADE is a prime example of her mastery with words. In fact, all of Singh’s book she released this year have been fantastic reads. I’ll be honest, Dmitri wasn’t my favourite of the Seven before I started his book, but that quickly changed within the first few paragraphs. This book was simply perfect!
Best New-To-Me Book
The Dark Highlander by Karen Marie Moning
Books three to seven are all fantastic, but Daegus stole my heart and left me to bleed after I finished reading this book. For days after, I experienced withdrawals because I WANTED MORE, DAMNIT! KMM may be popular because of her Fever series, but don’t be mistaken. She is a FANTASTIC romance writer. This book was to die for.
Best New Series
Lucky Harbor series by Jill ShalvisReviews
There’s something about a small town romance that I love. What’s even better about this series are the people who live in it. Shalvis creates the most memorable and lovable characters that you can’t help but get excited when love worms its way into their lives. It couldn’t have happened to better characters! HEAD OVER HEELS, the third book in the series is one of my favourites of this year!
Favourite Heroine
Kate from the Kate Daniels series
This was an easy pick. Thanks to much nagging from Suzanne, I finally got around to reading Kate Daniels. *shakes head* I should have known better... This series shot straight to the top of my favourite UF series. I love Kate’s humor and strength and the fact that she keeps Curran on his toes! She matches him well, making them equals and one of my favourite couples EVER!
Favourite Hero
Roarke from In Death series
by J.D. Robb
Reviews
This was a tough one for me. There are SO many great heroes out there. But I’ll go with Roarke from the In Death series. I don’t know how Robb does it, but with each subsequent instalment of this series, I want Roarke more and more. JUDGMENT IN DEATH is one of my favourite books because Roarke bares his territorial side and seeing the possessive beast emerge makes me want Roarke for my own. Power, wealth, and mystery, Roarke has it all.
Best Sex Scene
Logan is the ultimate Dom – the perfect balance of dominance and tenderness. He has the ability to make you surrender wholly, bring you to a shattering peak and keep you begging for more. This is definitely a blood-pumping read! Black infuses passionate lovemaking with raw, dirty mating that is so hot, you’ll require frequent breaks...
Best Cover
I am not ashamed to admit this. I slept next to this book because I could then tell Pamela Clare that I slept with Jed Hill. Just look at this cover! It’s SOFA KING GORGEOUS!
Fugliest Cover
Ice Water in Hell
by Carol Lynne
by Carol Lynne
I haven’t actually read this book. But I saw the cover and thought, “Wow! That’s ugly!” and promptly added it to my TBR pile. The book cannot be as bad as the cover. There’s just no way.
Heroine on Hit List
Shiarra Westnest from H&W Investigations
by Jess Haines
Review
There were countless times in the first few pages of this book where Shiarra is warned by multiple parties that something bad is heading her way and yet she completely ignores this to go to vacation with her boyfriend! Here’s a lesson that Shia needs to learn – You’re human. And when supernatural creatures are tell you that shit is coming your way. You listen.
Hero on Hit List
Ray Stavrakis from Dark Sins and Desert Sands
by Stephanie Draven
While the book is OK, I thought the hero, Ray Stavrakis was a complete a-hole. He was just not likeable or relatable at all. The I-will-kill-you vibe didn’t sit well with me.
Come back tomorrow for the second part of the UTC Best of 2011 Awards!
I am just now reading Archangel's Blade... and you are right --It's sooo good. Some great choices, ladies!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jen! Enjoy Dmitri!!! The sexual tension in that one is GREAT!
ReplyDeleteAnn
I sooo agree about the Fugly covers-- OMG, is it me or does it look like Paul's arms are like 10 feet long? It's just WRONG!
ReplyDeleteI love KMM!! Read her before the Fever series. Wish she'd start to rewrite romance again, but Fever is great too. I love the MacKeltars.
ReplyDeleteAnd I didn't like Dev either. I really like Katya though.
Happy New Year!!
Ning @ Reading by Kindle Fire
KMM is great! I love her!!
ReplyDeleteAw, thanks for including my Lucky Harbor series!!!
ReplyDeleteArchangle's Blade was awesome! I lot new books to me, Oh my God a lot to add to my pile, so glad to see a lot of the choices are on audio, I love the Highlander series but Fever series took the cake.
ReplyDeleteFantastic job girls, I want to wish you all a wonderful New Year full of health,love and prosperity.
Thank you for all your hard work, it's truly appreciated!
I like the recommendations. They're particularly useful for someone like me who is trying to broaden her reading horizons (away from so much non-fiction). I have some titles to start on.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed seeing how you summed up your reading years.
ReplyDelete@Suz totally agree about the bad cover. I thought I would die laughing over a huge man skipping across the pink cover.
@ Annie- I'm with you about a heroine that must know her own place in the food chain.
Thanks ladies!
Agree totally with the Palmer book, funky cover!
ReplyDeleteI just read Grey last week. Still haven't decided if I want to continue reading the series. I had MAJOR Ana issues. 23 years of therapy has not fixed that man, how can she expect 23 days between her legs to do so.
Love your bests choices!
Magic Slays was great. I read that entire series this year and all the books made my favorite reads list.
ReplyDelete@Jill I can't wait for the next books in the series!
ReplyDelete@Lupdilup you're such a sweetheart! Thanks for the support and hope you have a happy new year as well!
@Catherine I hope you enjoy the books you've found through us! Let us know how you like them!
@Sophia Rose Hoping next yr will be a good reading year too :)
@Vanessa YES!!!! ME TOO!!! I didn't particularly like the writing style either. Ana was annoying. Didn't work with me.
@Paranormal Haven I ADORE Ilona Andrews. They are soo great and Kate Daniels is just kickass!
Ann
Again, great picks! Thanks for the heads up on some great new to me reads and the laughs! :D
ReplyDelete