December 29, 2011

My Favorite Series in 2011

When I was preparing yesterday's post I realized that I would have to create this post otherwise one series would have dominated my Top Reads in 2011 so I'm highlighting that series here today.



This year I read Tangled Threads (review) and Spider's Revenge and am currently reading an ARC of By a Thread. Spider's Bite (review), Web of Lies (review) and Venom were all read in 2010.

I'm telling you guys this series is AWESOME!! If you love urban fantasy these books are for you. I fell in love with Estep's Big Time series which are hokey romance books about superheros but this series is way different. It's really dak and sometimes gory but it's suprisingly well done. Our heroine, Gin Blanco, is a retired assassin but that doesn't mean she doesn't kill anymore. You have to trust me on this one and READ THIS SERIES!! I cannot get enough and promise that if you love urban fantasy you will too.

Here are all the series books I read this year in no particular order.



·        Stone Barrington by Stuart Woods

o   #21 Son of Stone

·        Glory St. Claire by Gerry Bartlett

o   #6 Real Vampires Have More to Love

·        Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

o   #6 Mini Shopaholic

·        Tracers by Laura Griffin

o   #5 Snapped

·        The Bride Series by Catherine Coulter

o   #11 Prince of Ravenscar

·        The Rasner Effect by Mark Rosendorf

o   #3 Rasner's Revenge

·        Myron Bolitar by Harlan Coben

o   #10 Live Wire

·        Mickey Bolitar by Harlan Coben

o   #1 Shelter

·        In Death by J.D. Robb

o   #33 Salvation in Death by J.D. Robb

o   #42 Chaos in Death

·        Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

o   #2 Dragonfly in Amber

o   #3 Voyager

o   #4 Drums of Autumn

o   #5 The Fiery Cross

o   #6 An Echo in the Bone

o   #7 A Breath of Snow and Ashes

·        Stephanie Plum by Janet Evanovich

o   #16 Sizzling Sixteen

o   #17 Smokin' Seventeen

·        Undead by MaryJanice Davidson

o   #10 Undead and Undermined

·        The Mermaid by MaryJanice Davidson

o   #3 Fish Out of Water

·        The Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

o   #4 Extras

·        Dirty Business by Rosemary Harris

o   #1 Pushing Up Daisies

·        Candy Shop Mysteries by Sammi Carter

o   #5 Sucker Punch

·        Southern Witch by Kimberly Frost

o   #3 Halfway Hexed

·        Bigtime by Jennifer Estep

o   #3 Jinx

o   A Karma Girl Christmas (short story)

·        Mythos Academy by Jennifer Estep

o   #1 Touch of Frost

o   Halloween Frost (short story)

·        Cotton Malone by Steve Berry

o   #6 The Emperor's Tomb

·        Pine Cove by Christopher Moore

o   #3 The Stupidest Angel

·        Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Mysteries by Sue Grafton

o   #22 V Is For Vengeance

·       Fever by Karen Marie Moning

o   #5 Shadow Fever

·        Ghost Hunter by Victoria Laurie

o   #3 Ghouls Just Haunt to Have Fun

o   #4 Ghouls Gone Wild
·        Izzy Spellman Mysteries by Lisa Lutz

o   #1 The Spellman Files


December 28, 2011

My Top Six Reads of 2011

Recently a few friends have asked me to recommend a good book or what my favorite book was this year so I thought I would share my Top Six reads of 2011. Have you read any of these? Have I enticed you to pick one up?

6. V is for Vengeance by Sue Grafton

Why I Loved It: Even though this series is 22 books in this story is fresh and exciting. I'm sticking with this series to the end! 


5. The Madonnas of Echo Park: A Novel by Brando Skyhorse

Why I Loved It: I grew up in Los Angeles and The Madonnas brought back memories of my old friends and parts of town that I haven't thought of in years.

4. Soul Trapper by F. J. Lennon

Why I Loved It: Soul Trapper was a refreshing, new (to me) take on the Urban Fantasy genre and the hero wasn't Mr. Perfect. His flaws made him real and I loved that.


3. One Second After by William R. Forstchen

Why I Loved It: This could totally happen! It was eerie how easy we could be incapacitated by something so simple.  

2. Heads You Lose by Lisa Lutz + David Hayward

Why I Loved It: OMG! This book was seriously laugh-out-loud funny. The interaction between Lisa and David is almost funnier than the story itself. Definitely a must read.

1. The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes by Marcus Sakey

Why I loved it: I DEVOURED The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes in less than 24 hours!! It grabbed me from page one and I just could not put it down. Awesome suspense thriller.


December 26, 2011

Review: Racing the Devil by Jaden Terrell




When private investigator Jared McKean wakes up from a one-night stand he's got one more problem than he went to bed with. Besides having a best friend with AIDS, being fired from the Nashville PD Homicide department and still being in love with his ex-wife he's now being framed for murder. Once he makes bail he has to track down the real murderer while the body count keeps rising and deal with his own family drama.

Racing the Devil is book one in the new Jared McKean series and it's a fairly good series start. The characters are real and I was pulled in from the opening scene. I was fully engaged in the story and loved the ending but some of the story line was a little bit forced as if Terrell meant to go in a different direction and changed his mind but not the details. Overall I recommend this one for anyone who loves a good suspense thriller and look forward to book two which will be out August 2012.



December 6, 2011

Book Release: Creative Spirit by Scott Nicholson


"Scott Nicholson is a writer who always surprises and always entertains."- Jonathan Maberry, Dust & Decay


CREATIVE SPIRIT
A paranormal thriller by Scott Nicholson

After parapsychologist Anna Galloway is diagnosed with terminal cancer, she has a recurring dream in which she sees her own ghost at Korban Manor. She’s compelled to visit the historic estate to face her destiny and the fate of her soul.

Sculptor Mason Jackson has come to the manor to make a final, all-or-nothing attempt at success before giving up his dreams. When he becomes obsessed with carving Ephram Korban's form out of wood, he is swept into a destructive frenzy that even Anna can’t pull him from.

The manor itself has secrets, with fires that blaze constantly in the hearths, portraits of Korban in every room, and deceptive mirrors on the walls. With an October blue moon looming, both the living and the dead learn the true power of their dreams.

View or sample Creative Spirit at Amazon US, Amazon UK, Kobo, Smashwords, BN.com, or Goodreads. Look for Liquid Fear and Chronic Fear from Amazon’s Thomas & Mercer imprint.

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CREATIVE SPIRIT is Scott Nicholson’s revised edition of the 2004 U.S. paperback THE MANOR. Scott is Kindle bestselling author of 12 novels, including THE RED CHURCH, DISINTEGRATION, LIQUID FEAR, and SPEED DATING WITH THE DEAD. Connect with Scott on Facebook, Goodreads, LibraryThing, Twitter, blogspot, website or Amazon page