UTC Best of 2011 Awards (Francesca and Angela's picks)

 

Best New Release

Envy

by J.R. Ward

Review

Envy was such an amazing book. It was emotional, it had a lot of action, more than one storyline and all interesting. We got to see some of the old characters and we met my future husband Veck.

 Best New to Me Book

Smooth Talking Stranger

by Lisa Kleypas

Review

I could really nominate anything by Lisa Kleypas in this category since I just started reading her this year but Jack, oh Jack, he stole my heart!  This whole series is beautifully written, emotional and engaging.

Best New Series

Play-by-Play Series

by Jaci Burton

Reviews

Jaci Burton's Play by Play series because it got me to like and read sports romance. The covers are drool-worthy and the books are sexy as hell while also having a sweet and good story.

Favorite Heroine

Georgina Kincaid

by Richelle Mead

Review

I want to take Georgina out for drinks! She's amazing, that's just all there is to it.  I was sad to see this series come to an end but I definitely enjoyed every bit of it!

Favorite Hero

Logan Edgington

Belong To Me 

by Shayla Black

Review

Logan.Logan.Logan!!!!! I am so in love with this man. He's a perfect Dom yet he's still loving and playful and caring.  Did you miss our interview with him earlier this year?  Click here

Best Cover

Dark Taste of Rapture

by Gena Showalter

Review

Just no words to describe how much I love this cover. The guy is deliciously yummy, the color scheme is to die for, the graphics on it are perfect. It just makes you want to buy this book!

Fugliest Cover

 

Friendly Fire

by Megan Hart

Review

Friendly Fire by Megan Hart deserves this award for the OLD cover of this short story. Thank God this was reissued under a delicious new cover or I would've missed out on a hot little story.

Heroine on Hit List

 

 Allie Watson

Raziel 

by Kristina Douglas

Review

Allie Watson is just Too Stupid To Live. There, that's it. Oh you mean you want an example? She dies because her high heel gets stuck on the road and she stumbles in front of a bus. She needs a dash of common sense and some survival skills.

Hero on Hit List

Rafe

Midnight Sins

by Lora Leigh

Review

Rafe because of his lack of brains. He let so much shit happen to him and keep him away from the heroine when if he would've just grown a pair of balls would've been avoided.

 Favorite Sex Scene

Never Enough

by Lauren Dane

Review

There are really too many to choose from but I'm going with this book and maybe the jacuzzi scene. Lets just say this book was hot! 

Best New Release

Envy

by J.R. Ward

Review

Fifty Shades of Grey

by E.L. James

Review

There are so many to choose from that I have rated 5stars and above. However, if I just look back, these ones just stick out the most! I remember I could not shut up about these two books.

 Best New to Me Book

Simple Need Series

by Lissa Matthews

Reviews

These books definitely were the start of my readings into a new genre. This introduced me to a completely new world of foreplay. It was definitely memorable to me; from positions to toys to body piercing and tattoos. Recommended by the Leather Lust herself.

Best New Series

Donovan Brothers Brewery

by Victorial Dahl

Reviews

This trilogy was awesome and another series that kept me up. It was light, funny, sexy and made me teary eyed. Thank you Fran for this recommendation, Jaime will forever be in my Harem. LOL

Favorite Heroine

Cat from Night Huntress Series

by Jeaniene Frost

Review

She is just a kick ass, pretty, bow to no one kind of heroine! Not much can compare to this hot chick. She just continuously shows how strong she is in all the books in this series. If there is one heroine I’d like to be, it’s definitely her.

Favorite Hero

Christian Grey

Fifty Shades Series

by E.L. James

Review

This guy is hot, powerful, rich, alpha, romantic and boy, does he know how to play!!! Another hero who showed me new toys. LOL

Best Cover

Rock Hard

by Olivia Cunning

Review

Well, I’m not sure if this is the Best Cover, but it’s pretty damn hot

Fugliest Cover

 

Carnal Ecstasy

by Lissa Matthews

Review

Now, this is not 2011 release but I did read it this year. …this guy izzzzz FUGLY!!! It was hard reading this book as the cover model kept popping up in my head, not pretty.

Heroine on Hit List

Missy

MacNamara's Lady

by N.J. Walters

Now I don’t particularly hate this girl but she annoyed me with her constant reference to her skin color. She was self-conscious and had low self-esteem that sometimes was inappropriate and unnecessary. *shrugs* I don’t know she erked me. But the book was good. =)

Hero on Hit List

So I'm looking at the books I've read this year and no hero made this list. I've been fortunate to have gotten good recommendations from my friends. :) I love all of them. I know, I'm easy!

Favorite Sex Scene

 

Pillow Talk

by Maya Banks

This is the hardest to pick. Out of all of the books, I have read this year I think 80/85 had good Sex scenes. LOL, I know, I’m pretty easy. However, the book that got me to change my undies several times…and note that it’s a short story is Pillow Talk By Maya Banks. The book was off the top with multiple….scenes. *fanning self*

UTC Best of 2011 Awards (Suzanne and Annie's picks)

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)

Review

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

Review

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

Review

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.

 

Best Cover

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

Ecstasy Untamed by Pamela Palmer
Review

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

by Nalini Singh
Review

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 Shalvis
Reviews 

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

by Ilona Andrews
Reviews

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

Belong to Me by Shayla Black
Review

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

Breaking Point by Pamela Clare 
Review

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

 

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

Review

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!