What a spectacular year for great books in every genre from historical to fantasy! I have read so many wonderful books and series this year that it is hard to even begin to narrow down the list, although I have tried. What makes a book great for me? So many things, that it needs its own list.
The books I listed here are ones that moved me to tears and made me laugh out loud, they took me to places I have never been to see sights fantastic, miraculous, and awe inspiring. I have watched dragons soar and seen twin suns set over alien worlds. Through these wonderful authors I have met people who continue to stay with me through the power of their stories and the connectedness that I feel with each of the characters I have read about. Sometimes the books have taught me something about myself and how I looked at others or just gave me a deeper appreciation for my fellow beings.
I have grieved with men who have lost their soul mates, been with them as they worked through the trauma and loss, and celebrated as they moved forward with their lives. I watched men fall in love, whether it be with shifters, wizards, or just a man they met on the side of the road. Love lost, love found or lovers rediscovering the best about each other…that seems to know no boundaries as far as who you are and what world you inhabit. It doesn’t even matter whether the story is set in the past or goes far into the future. The authors and books listed here are ones that I cherish and return to often to visit with them once more. If you haven’t already read them, I hope you will add them to your list of must reads, as they are surely mine.
Oh, and by the way, this list is not complete. There are some wonderful books still to be released in the last two weeks of December, and there are some that I just missed from my own reviews. So look to see a revised list after the first of the year. Really there is something for everyone here. Happy reading!
Best Historical Book:
All Lessons Learned by Charlie Cochrane (Best Series) review coming in 2013
The Celestial by Barry Brennessel
The Mystery of Ruby Lode by Scotty Cade
Best Short Story
Eight Days by Cardeno C
Fair Puckled by Bella Leone
Lily by Xavier Axelson
Leather Work and Lonely Cowboys, a Roughstock story, by BA Tortuga
Too Careful by Half, a Roughstock story, BA Tortuga
Best Contemporary Romance – Standalone
Fall Into the Sun by Val Kovalin
Marathon Cowboys by Sarah Black
Fallout by Ariel Tachna
Good Bones by Kim Fielding
Legend of the Apache Kid by Sarah Black
Mine by Mary Calmes
Play It Again, Charlie by RC CooperScrap Metal by Harper Fox
Sidecar by Amy Lane
The Cool Part of His Pillow by Rodney Ross
A Foreign Range by Andrew Grey
Acceleration by Amelia C. Gormley
But My Boyfriend Is by KA Mitchell
Chase the Stars by Ariel Tachna
Cherish, Faith, Love & Devotion 4 by Tere Michaels
Frat Boy and Toppy by Anne Tenino
Full Circle by RJ Scott
Hope by William Neale
Inherit the Sky by Ariel Tachna (Best Series)
Second Hand, a Tucker Springs story by Heidi Cullinan and Marie Sexton
Stars & Stripes by Abigail Roux (Best Series)
The Journal of Sanctuary One by RJ Scott
The Melody Thief by Shira Anthony (also Best Series)
Who We Are by TJ Klune
Best First Novels
The Cool Park of His Pillow by Rodney Ross
Shattered Glass by Dani Alexander
Inertia by Amelia C. Gormley (Best Series)
Best Supernatural Book:
A Token of Time by Ethan Day
Crucible of Fate by Mary Calmes (Best Series)
Druid Stone by Heidi Belleau and Violetta Vane
Ghosts in the Wind by Marguerite Labbe
Hawaiian Gothic by Heidi Belleau and Violetta Vane
Infected: Life After Death by Andrea Speed (Best Series)
Riot Boy by Katey Hawthorne
The Gravedigger’s Brawl by Abigail Roux
Science Fiction Books:
Emerald Fire by A. Catherine Noon and Rachel Wilder
The Trust by Shira Anthony
Best Fantasy Books:
Black Magic by Megan Derr
Burning Bright by Megan Derr (Lost Gods series)
Chaos (Lost Gods series) by Megan Derr
Magic’s Muse by Anne Barwell
Poison by Megan Derr (Lost Gods series)
Treasure by Megan Derr (Lost Gods series)
Best Series – new books this year:
A Change of Heart series by Mary Calmes (supernatural)
Blue Notes series by Shira Anthony (contemporary)
Cambridge Fellows series by Charlie Cochrane (historical)
Cut & Run series by Abigail Roux (and Madeleine Urban) (Contemporary)
Faith, Love & Devotion series by Tere Michaels (contemporary)
Infected Series by Andrea Speed (supernatural)
Knitting series by Amy Lane (contemporary)
Lost Gods by Megan Derr (Fantasy)
Sanctuary series by RJ Scott (contemporary)
Sci Regency series by JL Langley (science fiction)
So Many Great Series, here are more of my favorites:
A Matter of Time series by Mary Calmes (contemporary)
Jewel Bonds series by Megan Derr (fantasy)
Superpowered Love series by Katey Hawthorne
Wick series by Megan Derr
Best Anthologies:
Three Fates
Animal Magnetism
Lashings of Sauce
Making Contact
I know that many books are missing but I just did not get to them this year, including JP Barnaby’s Little Boy Lost series, Andrew Grey’s Range series, and so many more. Look for them in 2013. Do you have a favorite I should know about? Write me and let me know.
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 
Wow, Melanie– such an honor to be here!
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Thanks for including me Melanie 🙂
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Lily was an amazing story.
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Amy, it was hard to narrow your books down this year, there were so many wonderful ones, including the Knitting series book, How To Raise An Honest Rabbit.
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Thank you so much, Melanie, for including me on your list and for your lovely reviews. It’s an honor!
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I am really looking forward to the final book of the trilogy. What a remarkable ride we are on!
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King Perry! 🙂
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That’s right! King Perry, how could I forget. Thanks, Chris!
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Thank you for including me. It’s an honor.
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I found it hard not to include all the Infected books because they are all so incredible. Separating one from the group is similar to pulling out only part of a art work to praise instead of the whole. This series seriously is deserving of its own award.
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I’m so pleased to see my Good Bones was one of your favorites this year. Thank you!
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So many! This is a great list Melanie! I told you my TBR list is crazy, but this list has added to it. Can’t wait to get started! 🙂
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Your list has done the same for me. I love Cardeno C and you have some there I haven’t read yet. To Touch the Stars and Second Chances have been added. So have Sumeria’s Sons series. Lost Gods is just unbelievable and Burning Bright still makes me cry just thinking about it. Megan Derr is hard to beat in the fantasy category. I am reading Frostwick now.
Oh, and I just finished making carrot cake with cream cheese icing. Darn that Andrew Grey! lol
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LOL! I made one a couple days after we talked about it 😀
I love Frostwick! The Wick stories are all so sweet.
And definitely read To Touch the Stars and Second Chances…you may need a couple boxes of Kleenex to help you make it through…just a warning 😀
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I am so , so proud to be included among these novels and authors. I was never much of a joiner…certainly not in a fraternity…I tend to eschew clubs as exclusionary…but this is one collective I elated to be inducted into! Rodney Ross
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The Cool Part of His Pillow is just an extraordinary book. It is one of my top five when people ask me for recommendations. Have a wonderful Holiday Season.
Melanie
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Thanks for including Magic’s Muse in this. It’s very much made my day 🙂
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I thought this was wonderful. Have a great holiday.
Melanie
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Thank you so much, Melanie, for listing Fall Into the Sun! I am so pleased! Best, Val
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Thank you so much, Melanie, for listing Fall Into the Sun. I’m so pleased! Best, Val
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It was such a terrific book. I still think about the characters you created and invested with so much life. Happy New Year!
Melanie
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Oh, thank you, Melanie. Only just found this (we had a bit of a crisis at that part of the month, when we had to go and rescue a daughter who couldn’t get home from uni on the train because of flooding!) Please excuse late thanks.
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Charlie, you were also a part of my New Years Book Wishes too! Here is the link http://wp.me/p220KL-TU I just finished JL Merrow’s Trick of Time and loved it and am starting on your book Promises Made Under Fire. Both reviews should be up next week. I hope you had a wonderful New Year! And the same for Orlando and Jonty!
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We did, all three of us. 🙂 Off to read other post now. (And doesn’t Jamie Merrow write a nice story?)
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