Favorite books of 2012!

I have barely been able to scrape together a top 5 list for the past two years but this year I officially declared my reading slump over and now the favorites list is overflowing. Nice problem to have!

My favorite book of 2012 is……..drumroll……

The Hallowed Ones by Laura Bickle: 

The Hallowed Ones is violent, romantic and intelligent. The characters have stayed on my mind and in my heart. Brilliant writing. My Review “I can't remember reading anything this fresh, original and challenging in a very long time.”  ~ Goodreads

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Now in no particular order….my favorites of 2012 – I’ve included a quick quote from and link to my reviews where applicable.

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers: My review: “I had that rare reading experience of being completely engrossed in this world for 3 days and I never wanted to leave.” ~ Goodreads (YA)

The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay: The Sea of Tranquility left me bruised and battered. My review “This book opened my heart then crushed it with a hammer, only to make me open it again – to take a chance. (and crush it again lol)” It was an emotional roller coaster but totally worth it for that ending! ~ Goodreads (New Adult)

Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley: My review “I had that feeling you get when you're reading somethng special. You rush to read faster then pull back to make it last just a little longer. ~ Goodreads (YA)

Renegade by J.A. Souders: My review “I was in no way prepared for the roller coaster ride that debut author J.A. Souders took me on with Renegade! I could barely tear myself away from this book…”  ~ Goodreads (YA)

Measuring Up by Nyrae Dawn: I love ALL of Nyrae’s contemporary romances but this one really stood out for me. My review “Measuring Up is soooo sweet, funny, swoony and empowering.” ~ Goodreads (YA)

Let it Bleed & Lust for Life by jeri Smith-Ready: This is one of my all time favorite series. The novella – let it Bleed is a must read and Lust for Life ends the series beautifully. My reviews: Let it Bleed on Goodreads (no review) , Lust for Life | Goodreads (Adult – paranormal)

Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor: Wow. Just wow. The sequel was even better than Daughter of Smoke and Bone IMO. My review “Now that the groundwork has been laid, Days of Blood & Starlight gets down to business.  And what unsettling business it is.” ~ Goodreads (YA)

The City’s Son by Tom Pollock: This debut series is so wildly inventive. I’ve never read anything quite like it. My review “The characters are brash, vulnerable and brave and the story just keeps expanding and twisting”. ~ Goodreads (YA)

Pushing the Limits by Katy McGarry: Bad boy – good girl collide. Tried and true formula that has been done to death but McGarry gets it right! My review “There is swoony romance and the requisite hot and steamy scenes. What took me by surprise was how responsibly McGarry handled them. She tackles issues such as mental illness, parenting and sexuality all deftly and without one iota of preachiness.” ~ Goodreads (YA)

Endgame by Ann Aguirre: Aguirre took one of my favorite heroines and series out on a high note. My review “Awesome series! Even if you think you’re not a fan of sci-fi. This is a gritty, action packed, character driven series that will appeal to anyone who likes strong heroines and superb writing regardless of genre.” ~ Goodreads (Adult/Sci-fi/post apocalyptic)

Outpost by Ann Aguirre: I love this series. I love every character in this series. They feel like friends to me. My review “ My heart hurt by the end of Outpost. I was put through an emotional wringer, spit out and sprinkled with a dash of hope.” ~ Goodreads (YA)

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But wait….there’s more! I keep reading more great books/remembering favorites from this year…..



Endurance (Razorland #1.5) and Foundation (Razorland # 0.5) by Ann Aguirre: Both are novellas from The Razorland (Enclave) trilogy. Endurance tells the story of Thimble & Stone – two bratmates that were left behind when Deuce left the Enclave. So sweet and action packed for a novella. ~ Goodreads Foundation tells the story BEFORE Enclave. Nice peek into how the Enclaves came about and how the Freaks may have came to be. ~ Goodreads

Curio by Cara McKenna: I don’t read too much erotica but this is a series of vignettes – beginning with Curio – that I adore. Curio tells the story of a man who’s a master of his body as a male prostitute but is emotionally damaged and a woman who starts out as the student but ends up the teacher. My review “If you've been curious to try erotica I would highly recommend Curio. The sex is deeply sensual and exploratory rather than raunchy. Both characters are stripped emotionally bare and I found that far sexier than any explicit language.” ~ Goodreads (Adult – Erotica)

Defiance by C.J. Redwine: I don’t have a review for this one yet but I will tell you that I was surprised by how much I loved this book. I had read quite a few mixed reviews and avoided it. I’m so glad I took the chance and read it anyway. ~ Goodreads (YA)

Body & Soul by Stacey Kade: The Ghost and the Goth trilogy is so underrated IMO. It’s a smart, touching, funny, insightful series. I was thrilled that it ended on such a high note with Body & Soul. Perfect ending! ~ Goodreads (YA)

OMG - I can't stop! I keep remembering more books lol (Not pictured)

Devil's Luck by Carolyn Crane: I LOVE the Disillusionist trilogy so much! Anytime I get more of these characters - & especially Simon I'm in! My review ~  Goodreads

Insurgent by Veronica Roth: How did I forget to put this on my original list??My review ~ Goodreads Free FOur was pretty awesome too! ~ Goodreads

This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers: A zombie story that's not really about zombies at all - but about living. Good stuff. My review ~ Goodreads

On December 30th – January 5th, I’ll be participating in the Cuddlebuggery’s Top Cuddles of 2012 Giveaway Hop! Be sure to check back then when I'll be giving away books from this list!