So this list isn’t going to include re-reads even though I might have loved them more than the first time and please let me know your favs in the comments.
1. Hunting Prince Dracula (Stalking Jack the Ripper #2) by Kerri Maniscalco – I loved Stalking Jack the Ripper when I read it and Hunting Prince Dracula didn’t disappoint and I can’t wait to jump into Escaping from Houdini and Capturing the Devil as soon as I can, but I am nowhere near ready for this series to end.
2. Cherry by Lindsey Rosin – If you want a book that looks realistically on teen relationships, teen sexuality and how teens view sex then Cherry is definitely the book to read.
3. The Way of Kings (The Stormlight Archive Volume One) by Brandon Sanderson – I have dipped in and out of the Cosmere for several years, but this book was what got me hooked on Sanderson’s writing it is divine. I now know there is an order you should read all of Sanderson’s book, so I am going to be making my way through that this year.
4. Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid – My joint favorite for the year. There isn’t much I can say about Daisy Jones without bursting into tears, but everyone should read this.
5. Vanilla by Billy Merrell – Another teen romance but this is an accurate look at an LGBT relationship and how people come to terms with their sexuality and move on from first loves.
6. The Gender Game by Bella Forrest – This is quite a polarizing book but I really loved the society split by gender and I loved the romance between Violet and Viggo, it is one of my favorite underrated series.
7. Aquarius (Murders of the Zodiac) by A. P. Morgan – I love all the books I have read in this series and it is a very interesting take on Zodiac Murders and I highly recommend these to any crime fans.
8. Bunny by H.B. Jasick & Ember-Raine Winters – This is a very dark erotic thriller and it completely blew me away I wasn’t expecting this book to give me what it did, but it was beautiful in a very haunting way.
9. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid – Yet another book that completely broke my heart and it might well be a joint favorite of the whole year with another book that is on this list.
10. Blood and Ink by Stephen Davies – This book broke my heart on so many levels and will honestly stick with for the rest of my life as it focuses on terrorism and what it means to love someone despite their pasts and who they are. If you haven’t read this book then I’d highly recommend it.
Honorable Mentions
The Utterly Uninteresting and Unadventurous Tales of Fred, the Vampire Accountant by Drew Hayes – This hilarious entry just missed out on the main list because it didn’t quite have the impact of some of the books of the list. That said Vampire Accountant was a funny, satirical look on the portrayal of vampire sin literature and made me laugh so much it had to be here.
Empress of all Season by Emiko Jean – this would have made the top ten if I didn’t re-read it. The first time I read this I absolutely loved the Japanese Mythology and Asian fantasy elements but the second time I had some issues with it. Still very highly recommend.
We are Blood and Thunder by Kesia Lupo – Another polarizing book but I found We Are Blood and Thunder to be a brilliant read, the only issue I had with it was the ending seemed rushed and would have worked better as a duology than a stand-alone novel.
Every Falling Star by Sungju Lee & Susan McClelland – All this book is about is one boy’s journey to escape North Korea and it was heartbreaking, profound and brought me to tears more than once.
Elena Vanishing by Elena Dunkle & Clare B. Dunkle – Elena vanishing is a memoir written by Elena and her mother and it looks at Elena’s struggle with an eating disorder.
The Beholder by Anna Bright – A very interesting installment, the premise was something that had been done before, but it was very fresh, and I can’t wait to get my hands on the sequel.
Heart of Thorns by Bree Barton – A very interesting addition to the fantasy genre and I honestly can’t wait for more from this pair who have captured my heart.
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov – Okay so one of the most polarizing books on this list. I have to say I understand where everyone comes from that this book romanticizes pedophilia and child abuse, but it doesn’t. Humbert looks at his crimes and he calls them crimes in a realistic light and yes Lolita is a child, but her age isn’t what is important it is how she feels. I think people see the fact that Lolita is 12 at the beginning of the novel and focus solely on that rather than anything else but at the end, Lolita doesn’t have any negative feelings towards her abusers or she wouldn’t have let him into her home or she would have reported him to the police once she escaped. The other thing to remember is Humbert does really love Lolita and always will so yes I loved this book, loved the characters and the relationship and cried like a baby at the end.
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