It’s that time of year again people. The time where we, the voracious and obsessive readers of LGBTQ romance, look back and reflect on what an amazing year of books it’s been. If you’re anything like us then you’re already compiling your 2018 “To Read” list, but first, let’s share some of our favourite books from the year just gone.
Over the next few weeks we’ll be posting our top reads of the year. Please feel free to tell us your own favourites, or simply comment on our choices.
One commenter from each of these posts will win a $5 store credit with Dreamspinner Press.
DONNA
The love between these two men was something that I can’t remember ever coming across in a book before. It was intense in a way that should have seemed too exaggerated, but I was absolutely sold. I spent much of the book choked up; the mix of emotions the men were dealing with was getting me all emotional too. They were both a perfect blend of confusion, pain, love and hope. I was only 10% into the story before the tears started. This is book number five in the Halfway House series, but can be read as a standalone.
That Doesn’t Belong Here by Dan Ackerman
What I think I marveled over the most was that the way the author wrote the characters and the situation, this merman tale seemed actually, possibly, realistic. There was no growing legs, the merman didn’t naturally speak English, and Levi and Kato were not fated mates. Instead Levi was a closeted, chubby pansexual, Emily was the big bottomed lesbian with the autistic girlfriend and Kato was an apparently foulmouthed gay merman who could flip people off despite his webbed fingers and made obscene gestures with his tongue.
The Perils of Intimacy by Rick R. Reed
There wasn’t anything soft or sweet about this story. Normally there’s something to soften the bleak harshness of books that feature a character that battles some form of addiction. I didn’t find that here. But the author did make me feel proud of both men, something I definitely appreciated. Surprisingly it wasn’t really an angsty story either. Instead I’d call it realistic and I don’t think I could have enjoyed it more.
If you love a story with an overly large, meddling, opinionated, overachieving family, then you simply MUST pick up this series. I can’t recommend this book enough, but I suggest you read Fishy Riot first, only because the family is introduced more gently in the first book.
The focus of this plot is the exploitation of illegal immigrants, and I think the author did a brilliant job of adding some honestly painful and emotional scenes into a story that is skewed more towards hilarity that sobriety.
Guitars and Cages by Layla Dorine
This was easily my favourite angsty book of the year. This story absolutely gutted me, and left me a sobbing mess at several points. I rated it Cry Level: Snot, and I stick by that decision. Every single character was heart wrenchingly messed up, but it was worth fighting beside them through both books in this series to see them find something that resembles happy.
Emotion wise, these characters grabbed my attention and didn’t let go until the end. I was angry, sad, happy, I laughed a few times and I definitely awwwwed over our two main men. There is a warning for self harm, which is actually a flashback to a suicide attempt. It was so painfully described in the…attemptee’s…own perspective that I thought I was going to break down and bawl. Then the author lifted the mood again with one of those feel good, too cute to be true moments that involved sick kids and superheroes.
Bart Goes To Brentwood by I.M. Flippy
I.M. Flippy is my favourite new author this year.
Her characters are interesting, more than that, they’re fascinating, and I have no idea how hard the author has to work to tell these stories, to invent her characters, but she makes it appear effortless. Often quippy (yes, I think quippy should be a word) dialogue can feel forced and awkward, but I never get that feeling from this book. Instead I’m pretty sure I read it from cover to cover with a dopey grin on my face and maybe a happy tear in my eye.
Red Fish, Dead Fish by Amy Lane
While I recognize that Amy Lane is a brilliant author, Im not usually amongst her legion of fans, because her books tend to be too angsty for me. But when I love one of her stories, then I REALLY love one of her stories, and this series (only the two books so far) is one of my favourites. I can’t wait to continue the twisted trail this series is leading us down.
I started reading this series because I picked up the first book for free and figured that one day I might be interested enough to read it. Well, a month or so ago, that day arrived. I promptly bought the second and third books, then had to wait a whole month until this forth book was released! This series is x-men on crack. It’s crazy addictive and gets better with each book. This is probably my favourite series of the year.
The Moore The Merrier by Alex Miska
To be honest, I wasn’t sure of this author when I began reading the Moore series, but I knew as soon as I finished this book, Moore Romance #2.5, that it was going to find a place on this list. I’ve read a few other stories that provided a pet’s point of view, and I’ve always found it a bit irritating. This is the first book I’ve read that pulls it off successfully. The animals’ personalities were totally hilarious and I found myself eagerly awaiting each chapter narrated by a bitchy cat or a dopey dog.
Thanks for your list. I have read some of these but not all. After what you said about a couple of them I will be reading them also.
Some of your books are new to me, so appreciate you sharing your list!
Very eclectic and cool list!
Thank you for your list! I found a number of bpoks on it that I hadn’t seen before, which is great!
Great list of books some I’ve got and one author Alex Miska I’ve just started reading the series.
Alex Miska’s Moore series is one of my favorites!
There are a couple of authors on this list that I’ve been meaning to check out for a while now, and a couple more that look really good. Great list, thanks!
Thank you for sharing your list. I’ve read one on your list and have a few others on my wishlist.
Thank you for the great list. I’ve just read the Amy Lane’s, but I’ll make sure to add the rest of them to my TBR list
I haven’t read many of these…but I’ll agree that the Metahuman Files series is the best I’ve read this year too 🙂
Loving the top picture!
I do like these lists as i pick up new ideas & find ones I’ve missed – Rhino Ash
This is a great list, I read them all except Alex Miska, I.M. Flippy and Dan Ackerman. I didn’t know the latter.
Great list. I just read A Worthy Man by Jaime Reese and i loved it (The Men of Halfway house is one of my favorite series). One of my favorite reads in 2017 was The Quaterback by MacKenzie Blair
Man, Donna, I don’t think I’ve read a single one of the books on your list. Gonna have to check some of them out.
I haven’t read any of these and I read a lot!
Love the Moore series by Alex Miska. Thanks for the new books to look for!
Great list. I have read some of these. Thanks
Thanks for your tops. I like Reed b/x of his realism, so now Peril is on my tbr.