It’s that time of year again people. The time when we, the voracious and obsessive readers of LGBT 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 2016 “To Read” list, but first, let’s share some of our favourite books from the year just gone.
During seven days 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.
Love Bytes is giving away 2 x $10 AllRomance Giftcards to two readers. Just tell us your favourites and why in one of these posts over the next week!
Sarina and Roberta are here for
Day Two
SARINA
Lord Mouse by Mason Thomas: This was a great book with original, well developed characters. I loved the story from start to finish and the ending was just perfect! I know I’ll re-read this many times in the future.
The Dragon Groomer by Amber Kell: This is a short yet enjoyable read with an interesting premise. Fantasy books are my bread and butter and when you add in dragons, its pretty much an automatic win in my books.
Moon Born by D. River: I waited what seemed like forever for this sequel and it did not disappoint! Things were far from easy for the main characters in this book but the personal growth was so, so worth it. I laughed, and cried and stayed glued to the pages the entire way through.
Warrior and Priest by Katie Howe: This book really blew me away; the story was imaginative and the world building was excellent. This is the one book I’ve read this year that I just can’t get off of my mind. I’m really hoping there will be sequel as I loved this one so much!
Buried Desires by Ofelia Grand and Amy Spector: This was just creepy in all the right ways. I loved both stories, both for the characters and the imagination put into them. This has officially been added to my yearly Halloween reading list.
Between the Lines by BJ Sheppard: I found this story touching for many different reasons but the personal growth that the main characters went through and all the adversity just really got to me. I found this to be a unique reading experience and definitely recommend it.
The Degan Paradox by Rob Colton: This series is like a fistful of drugs to me. I started the first book and couldn’t stop until I’d read all three. This was a great end to the current story arc but left things open for a continuation down the line.
Grand Redemption by Jessamyn Kingley: Great start to a new fantasy series! The book when in a completely different direction than what I was expecting at first but I was so not disappointed. I enjoyed it from start to finish and am looking forward to the sequel.
The Klockwerk Kraken by Aidee Ladnier: Loved this book; the characters really blew away any preconceived notions I had just based on the blurb. There was so much more to them than I was expecting and I always enjoy when that happens. Great sci-fi for anyone looking for something different.
Reindeer Games by Kenzie Cade: This was a lovely little Christmas nugget and I just thought Dash and Nik were adorable. There was just the right amount of sweet and sexy with a healthy dose of magic mixed in; I’ve already added this to my yearly Christmas reading list.
ROBERTA
The Lightning-Struck Heart by TJ Klune: I have read this book over and over again and laughed so hard that I didn’t think I’d catch my breath. Every time I read read this book, it’s as if it were the very first time!!
Against The Grain Book 5 in The THIRDS by Charlie Cochet: As you ALL know I am a huge fan of these books, so it should not be a surprise that this one makes my top list. This is Ash and Cael’s story and you all know how much I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Ash!! We got more insight into Ash’s character and we saw some parts of Cael’s life that we didn’t know about. Great read!!
(Watch Me) Unmask You by Avril Ashton: Well, this was the 3rd book in the Run This Town series and you know that Ms. Av brings so much into her stories. You get the gritty, dirty, low-down life and the sexy times….GET READY CUZ YOU’RE GONNA NEED SOMETHING TO COOL YOURSELF DOWN!!!
Rise & Fall Book 4 in The THIRDS series by Charlie Cochet: So, no surprise that this book is in my Top list as well. I mean, it’s got Dex, Sloane, Ash and the Gang. Nothing but Love!! Tony at the end of this book…PRICELESS.
CRASH & BURN (Cut & Run Series Book 9) by Abigail Roux: Where to start…I have LOVED Ty & Zane from the moment I read the first book and to this day…I still love them something FIERCE!! This was the book that ALL fans have been waiting for. There was Love, Tears…Oh The Tears and Happiness. I had to wait until the weekend to read this book as I knew that I would be devastated at the end. Really AMAZING READ!!
Fit To Be Tied (Marshals Book 2) by Mary Calmes: Ian & Miro…nuff said!!! This book was way darker than the first book and there were points in reading this story that I had to put the book down and just breathe thru my pain. This book just hooked me from the first word until the very last one. Great Read and can’t wait for more in the series.
Don’t Judge (Nothing Special Book 4) by A.E. Via: Damn, this is another winner in the Nothing Special series. I loved seeing the guys again and getting to know more about Austin and Judge. Lovely Story and great love story. As always, great action that kept me HOOKED!!
Promises: Part 1 (Bounty Hunters Book 1) by A.E. Via: Damn, A.E.’s books just keep getting better and better. I fall more in love with her work as time goes on. From her first book until now…I just keep falling for her AMAZING Characters with these AMAZING Storylines and I never want the book to end. I am totally looking forward for more books by A.E.!!
Some of my fav vbooks are Home and Away by Samantha Wayland, Barretti Security series by Sloane Kennedy, Society of Gentlemen series by K.J. Charles, Lord Mouse by Mason Thomas, The High King’s Golden Tongue (Tales of Harken #1) by Megan Derr, In the Absence of Light by Adrienne Wilder, In the Middle of Somewhere by Roan Parrish… etc. This is the short list. 😛
I loved all these reads because they cuaght me from the start, whenever I had something to do, I couldn’t do it because it meant I had to wait to know what happened in the next chapter. The stories were captivating and the characters well developed.
This 2015 had so many unforgettable releases. <3
I loved Warrior and Priest too, Sarina 🙂
😀 I know I’m going to re-read it sooner rather than later.
Thought I wasn’t going to have any overlap here!
But Sarina’s last pick, Reindeer Games is one I won from the author and must read as it sounds great fun?
No overlap on Roberta’s but The Lightnin Struck Heart is one I’ll probably get at some point
My favorite book this year was The Lightning-Struck Heart by TJ Klune. I’m not much into fantasy, but rather a more contemporary fan. If you told me that a story about a gay wizard, his prince and a hornless-unicorn named Gary was going to entice me, I’d probably think you were crazy. But after downloading a sample and reading a few pages, I was hooked. TJ has written a masterpiece. It’s hysterically funny, yet so freaking romantic. Sam and Ryan are one of my favorite couples ever. #TeamHaveHeart
i really need to get to that book one day 🙂
Choosing favourites is much like picking a favourite lollie (candy for US readers) from the Christmas Mix. That’s why I started posting what I’m reading and other covers from my collection, It’s a way of saying I enjoyed it “at the time”.
Judge a Book by its Gay Cover
Tomorrow completes the “true” 12 Days of Christmas, which was been a fun way of promoting those holiday stories I have. Needless to say I could so easily spend an AReBook vourcher.
Crazy that I haven’t gotten to half my books that I bought. But some of my favorites of the year that I did read are: Slaying Isidore’a Dragons by Cody Kennedy a book of hope after terrible things happen to you. Carry the Ocean by Heidi Cullinan cant recommend this one enough, new perspective of depression and autism and love. Found Rob Colton this year and absolutely loves the Degan Paradox as well as his Timber Pack Chronicles great books with well written characters and storyline. Tricking Chase by Jessie Gin Got to love A hard as who loves his boy. Defined by Deceit by AE Via. The feels in this book. I’m sure after I read more of what was written this year I’ll find some more amazing books
There’s a few on the list here that I’ve read and enjoyed. I’m glad to see them listed. I’ve never heard of Moon Born by D. River. I’m going to have to go check this one out.
Both books in the series are excellent; I found it a nice new twist on the shifter genre. 🙂
so many books….so little time!
I loved men in kilt and football so when there was a new series The Glasgow Lads by Avery Cockburn that practically combined these two, I fell in the books like vultures. I loved the stories and the characters there.
It’s a surprise find easily my favorite of 2015 read.
I loved Fit to Be Tied, Don’t Judge, and Crash & Burn. Avril Ashton is also a favorite author of mine. Her Run This Town series is great and I am really looking forward to the Loose Ends books. 🙂