I know this has been a long-awaited post for some, or maybe that’s just my wishful thinking LOL. I’m sure you thought I fell in a hole, but alas, I just had the flu. It was HORRID!!! I’m still on the mend from it, but can finally sit and type for a length of time. The flu is a negative but I’ve had a lot of 2018 positives so far.
In NO WAY does this mean other books I read weren’t great. These are just the ones that stuck with me well after I read them. I had 159 five star reads this year! That’s a lot. A 5 star for me, meant I loved it, would read it again, and recommend it.
I’m trying to break these down in a way that would make sense. Sticking with my ballet theme, there are 8, because every dancer knows you only count to 8. 💜😎 Again, this is just a list of stories that stuck with me in such a way, I felt deserved mention as a top read for me. If you are inclined, I hope you check them out. These are in no particular order.
H.J. Bellus – I Shaved My Legs for This?
– This one is the second in the series I read them out-of-order. The first was funny, but not AS funny as the second one for me. I found this one hilarious and laughed so much during this story. I am listing it because even after all this time, I’m still chuckling over love taco and Pedro.
If you want a love story that shows what having fun together is all about, then grab this one. Then you can decide if you want to shave or not LOL. You can check out my original blog post here.
S.L. Hebert – Ashes of a Sinner
– This one is not a romance read, there is some romantic aspects of it, but that’s not the main point in the story. I picked it because of the creep factor and murder mystery. It is one that I will remember and reminds me of my fave author Patricia Cornwell for murder mystery. I am still mad at her for one part, but still thinking about what is going to happen next for these characters. What case will they crack, what’s going on with the Lt., and can I figure out who done it this time. If you like murder mystery thriller reads, then grab it. You can check out my blog post on it here.
Addison Jane – Wrench
– This one I picked because of Sugar. I love when authors push our boundaries. Make us dare to accept what is all around us in everyday life. Addison took Sugar and packed all that real life ugliness and turned it into a beautiful story. I don’t want to spoil Sugar and Wrench’s story. This one just stuck with me because despite it all, two people came out of the dark to make a beautiful light together. You can read my blog post here.
Zoey Ellis – Awakened by Power
– This is the third in the series. Zoey Ellis reached out to me when the first in the series was releasing. She is an amazing new author, that I feel will take the paranormal world and make it her playground. She has a fantastic way of writing. Cam and Thea come to their final battle in Awakened by Power. I don’t know if I could have pictured the ending we got. Zoey took us out of our comfort zone for a lot of this series. She made you question what was good, grey, and evil. I still say she is one of my new favorite paranormal authors. I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next. You can find my post on this book here.
Alicia Montgomery – Taming the Beast
– This was the final story in Alicia’s True Mate series. I found Alicia at the end of 2016, and have fallen in love with her paranormal series. I think this one spoke to me because I’m a nerd. I will fully admit to geeking out over biology, chemistry, dead body decay rates, and how things work. My husband will even admit I’m a dork. I love Jade in this story. I could relate to her awkwardness and how she felt comfortable in a lab over a bar. I would sit for hours in the science hall just because it felt more like home than the dining hall of undergrad. Creed adds to this story in a way that pulls at your heart. I literally jumped up and fist pumped the air when she divulged what Creed was. I was like aw hell yeah!!! He has a battle inside and outside of him that Alicia tackled beautifully. He was one of my favorite characters out of this series. Check out my blog post on this story here.
CM Owens – Becoming a Vincent
– I realized I picked another romantic comedy. This one is a new series by CM, and the first story just blew me away. It was hilariously funny and uniquely CM. This was an all around feel good read. I picked it because sometimes it’s nice not to worry about a trope and just read. CM captured that in this story. You will pick up this book and just enjoy reading. You will laugh your rear off in this read at the antics of Benson and Lilah and the rest of Tomahawk. Check out my blog post here.
Bink Cummings – Hopeful Whispers
– This one made the list for me because of how Bink made me feel reading it. While I didn’t cry (I’m a frosty biotch according to my live review buddy) I did have some heart in throat moments. Bink’s writing is unique and I have yet to find anyone like her which I love! She caused me to sink in this book and forget the world around me. Kat and Ryker have a story that is raw, real, and breathtaking. When its beautiful, it is beautiful, but when it’s broken, it is a tragic mosaic masterpiece. This book might not be for everyone due to some of the storyline (no spoilers) but for me it was a top read of 2017. I don’t mind the stories and issues Bink presented. She did so in such a way that was true artistry. Check out my blog post here.
Finally, my most favorite read of 2017:
Gillian Jones – Tainted by Love
– I don’t even know where to begin with this story. It was poignant, moving, and a story that will stay with you forever. If you are a romance reader that only wants hearts and flowers, then this might not be the story for you. It is what I call a nontraditional romance. It is also one that I’m glad I took a chance to read. It was life altering. Gillian did so many areas of this story justice, I can’t type them all out. She excelled above and beyond, and in my mind, cemented her place as a phenomenal author for me. She breaks the mold, and comes out with these novels that will change your life. She also writes traditional love stories and those are good too, but the ones that touch REAL, HONEST topics, are the ones I will for a lifetime remember. This is one of the three books in my reading tenure that have made me cry. I have been shouting from the rooftops that this story is worth the read. Have an open mind, and take a chance on a nontraditional love story. I could go on and on about how this story impacted me, but I won’t. You can read my blog post about it here.
There you have it. I know it’s not a lot of books, but these are the ones that stuck with me. Tell me, have you read any of them?
-peace out girl scouts