2011 Top Picks
Laurie’s picks
2011 Top Picks
Laurie’s picks
I want to thank all the authors that have sent request, guest post, interview and giveaways. We each here at Bitten by Paranormal Romance appreciate the work you put into your writing!
I’m also really excited on the total request we received in 2011. The grand total was 305 author and publisher request. Netgalley was 24. I have to give a HUGE THANK YOU to my co-reviewers because there was no way I could ever do this alone. Ladies you’re the best!! The total on guest post and interviews was 205. And by the way it’s coming in so far this year is just going to keep growing. So sit back and enjoy finding new reads from some fabulous authors.
Top pick are books that we here at Bitten by Paranormal Romance have read and feel gets our top pick for that year. We don’t vote or talk about this to each other. This is our honest opinion on books we reviewed or read during this 2011 year. I believe two of my co reviewers have posted theirs. I know Wild about bones will be right behind me, so please be on the lookout for hers.
Paranormal romance
This one is a tie. I loved both book and just couldn't pick between them.
Yvette's Haven (Scanguards Vampires #4) by Tina Folsom
After being kidnapped by a vampire hunter, vampire bodyguard Yvette's first instinct is to kill the bastard. But before she gets the chance, she realizes that he was double-crossed by the witch he was working for and now is in as much danger as she is.
To get his brother out of trouble, bounty hunter / vampire slayer Haven has to deliver the young actress Kimberly to a witch. Unfortunately, she's protected by the very creature he hates most: a vampire.
As Yvette and Haven try to escape their prison and rescue the actress and Haven's brother, will their natural hatred for each other keep them apart or is the passion that bubbles up between them strong enough for them to dare risk their lives to defeat the witch from harnessing the greatest power of all?
RUN
Shadow and moonlight merge beneath her bare feet,
the forest floor blurring as she flees the dogs and torches. Werewolf, monster -- those are the names given her kind by the humans who hate them.
HUNT
Kenzie Macleod has spent her whole life hiding what she is, and she’s not about to open up to any man, even one as powerfully attractive as wildlife expert Josh Talarkoteen. But legend says that a Changeling cannot escape the call of her true mate, even in the wilderness of backcountry Alaska.
MATE
An isolated archeological site, a terrified Changeling cub, a secretive research center -- as Kenzie and Josh face the ultimate betrayal, his obsidian eyes promise untold pleasure and hint at dark secrets of his own
Erotic paranormal romance
How to Worship a Goddess (Forgotten Goddesses #2) By Stephanie Julian
Lucy was once the beloved Goddess of the Moon, and she could have any man she wanted. But these days, the goddesses of the Etruscan pantheon are all but forgotten. The only rituals she enjoys now are the local hockey games, whereon ferociously handsome player still inflames her divine blood...
Brandon Stevenson is one hundred percent focused on the game, until he looks up and sees a celestial beauty sitting in the third row. A man could surely fall hard for a distraction like that...
Best paranormal romance series
The World of Ascension by Caris Roane
Ascension
Burning Skies
Brink of Eternity
Wings of Fire
Stolen Destiny by Gabrielle Bisset
Amon is one hot dangerous villain. My hat goes off to you on writing Amon, Gabrielle. I’ll never forget him.
Amon is one hot dangerous villain. My hat goes off to you on writing Amon, Gabrielle. I’ll never forget him.
Released from prison to find a murderer, a prison-hardened Varek Leale is convinced no woman deserves the man he's become, but his Aeveren destiny makes him succumb to sweet and sexy Callia Reynolds. To catch a murderer, he and Callia must find an Aeveren with the power to control time. But Amon Kalins isn't a man to trifle with, and when he wants something, he'll use his powers, devastating charm, and good looks to get it. When Amon manipulates time and seduces her away, Varek must turn to the people who set him free for help to get her back. But the Council doesn't do anything without requiring something in return, and what they want is Amon Kalins, one of the most powerful Aeveren ever. Varek will do what he must to capture Amon and find Callia. If he doesn't, she'll be lost to him for untold lifetimes. ** A Siren Erotic Romance
Suspense
Deadly Lies (Deadly #3) by Cynthia Eden
She wants to hide the past
FBI Special Agent Samantha Kennedy is haunted by memories of the serial killer who abducted her. To keep the darkness at bay, she pretends to be a different, more confident woman. This Samantha doesn't fear every unknown face. So she throws caution to the wind and shares a night of unbridled passion with a handsome stranger.
He needs to uncover the truth
One night isn't enough for successful entrepreneur Max Ridgeway. He wants more of the sexy, smart, mysterious woman who slipped away before dawn. When they meet again, their attraction is undeniable-until his stepbrother goes missing, and Max realizes that Samantha isn't who she seems. But they must trust each other to trap a ring of bloodthirsty kidnappers before the nightmares that terrorize Sam become irrevocably real.
As a merciless criminal spins a web of . . .
DEADLY LIES
True Crime
Wicked Wives by Gus Pelagatti
"Wicked Wives" is based on the true story of the 1938 Philadelphia murder scandals in which seventeen wives were arrested for murdering their husbands. Mastermind conspirer Giorgio DiSipio, a stunning lothario and local tailor who preys upon disenchanted and unfaithful wives, convinces twelve of them to kill their spouses for insurance money. The murder conspiracy is very successful until one lone assistant D.A., Tom Rossi, uncovers the plot and brings the perpetrators to justice. "Wicked Wives" is a story made for Hollywood, combining murder, corruption, treachery, love, lust and phenomenal detail as it vividly captures Depression-era Philadelphia.
Paranormal romance novella
Shifting Hearts (Wiccan Haus, #1) by Dominique Eastwick
The last of his kind…
Rekkus is the last of the great Black Tiger weres and he is happy to stay that way. Working as security for the Wiccan Haus, a magical spa for inner healing, he has enough danger – and women – to keep him busy. Unfortunately, the Fates are not content with him being comfortable.
Alone and discouraged…
Dana has walked away from all she has known, her fiancé, family, apartment, and job. Now, having a ticket to the Wiccan Haus may be the only way she can move on. But what she finds isn’t what she expects, nor is it what she thought she was looking for.
Meet the unusual residents of the Wiccan Haus. The staff can get a little hairy and not all of the guests eat what’s served in the dining hall. But the proprietors always do what they can to make the resort into a place of healing and peace, using all of their years of practice. At the Haus, where humans and Paras reside side-by-side, everyone in need of the Rowan siblings’ services are welcome.
WELCOME TO THE WICCAN HAUS.
Historical paranormal romance
Cat O' Nine Tails by Patricia Leever
When Orrin and his brother Kale are hired by Queen Winifred to hunt down Aeron and her band of miscreants, Orrin never dreamed he’d fall in love with the beautiful she pirate, or the kind, accepting people of her island hideaway. As they grow closer, Aeron reveals her jaded past with Queen Winifred to Orrin; he doesn’t hesitate to offer his help to bring Winifred’s evil reign to an end. Aeron and Orrin soon discover that the strongest weapon in their combined arsenal is the love they have for each other.
Historical romance
He is a man of simple tastes - and complex pleasures...
Cameron Mackenzie is a man who loves only horses and women - in that order - or so his mistresses say.
Ainsley Douglas is a woman with a strong sense of justice and the desire to help others - even if that means sneaking around a rakish man's bedchamber.
Which is exactly where Cam finds her - six years after he caught her the first time. Only then, she convinced Cam she was seeking a liaison, but couldn't go through with it because of her husband. Now a widow, she's on a mission to retrieve letters that could prove embarrassing to the queen. Cam has no interest in Ainsley's subterfuge, but he vows to finish what they started those many years ago. One game, one kiss at a time, he plans to seduce her. And what starts out as a lusty diversion may break Cam's own rules - and heal the scars of a dark and damaging past...
BDSM romance
All She Wants for Christmas is Her Dom (1 Night Stand #60) by Stacey Kennedy
All She Wants for Christmas is Her Dom (1 Night Stand #60) by Stacey Kennedy
Madame Eve’s 1NightStand service has brought together Blake and Taryn on a cold Christmas Eve at the Castillo Lodge. The two will set out on an adventure of pain and pleasure surrounded by Alaskan snow-capped mountains and nestled in a warm country lodge. But as the night develops, Taryn discovers it’s not Christmas presents that will surprise her but instead the very man who mastered her through a night of intense BDSM.
WARNING — this book has intense BDSM that some might find objectionable. If you don’t enjoy some serious spanking, rough play, and the use of floggers, among other toys, this story is not for you.
Thriller romance
Malevolent Spirit (Merryweather Lodge #2) by Pauline Holyoak
It’s Christmastime at Merryweather Lodge. Emily has returned to the cottage from her home in Canada; after the untimely death of someone she loved. Will she be able to celebrate a traditional English Christmas in her aunts enchanting little cottage or will she be tormented by the hideous creature, again? Was Emily’s attempt to banish her unearthly adversary successful? Will her aunt disclose the secrets she has been concealing for so many years? What will happen when Emily’s best friend comes to visit her? What secrets will she reveal? Will Emily ever get to make love to the man of her dreams? A chilling tale of love, passion, sorcery and sacrifice; laced with mystery and tied with humor. Inspired by the authors own experiences in a remote little cottage near Stonehenge
New upcoming authors that really give me that WOW!
Cookbook
Junior's Dessert Cookbook: 65 Recipes for Cheesecakes, Pies, Cookies, Cakes, and More by Alan Rosen, Beth Allen
What would life be without dessert? With this book, you’ll never have to find out. Junior’s Restaurants, the landmark chain with four locations on the East Coast, are nationally known for their award-winning cheesecakes. But Junior’s has perfected other confections, too; here, more than 30 full-page, four-color photographs showcase 65 fabulous desserts. Authors Alan Rosen and Beth Allen present scaled-down kitchen-tested recipes so bakers can create their own restaurant-worthy delights. Never-before-published recipes include sundaes, ice cream sodas, pies, black ‘n whites, cheesecakes, layer cakes, and cookies. A chapter on slimmed-down sweets will appeal to calorie-counters. Along with entertaining family tidbits, sidebars on “The Junior’s Way” help bakers achieve great results, making Junior’s best-loved recipes feel right at home in any kitchen.
Now, to every author that didn't make someones list I want to think you for your hard work. It takes guts to publish or self publish your heart.
Amon was a great villain! LOVE Tina Folsom's work!
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing list. I added quit a few to my TBR list. Thanks for sharing. I love that we share a passion for the paranormal and historical romance so I know if you enjoyed something I will also. :)
ReplyDelete