Here is a tag that has been going around where basically you freak out about the books you’ve already read this year!! I am doing this because well, it will help a sister out when December comes and we’re all filling out our Best of List. Ha!
Here we go 😛
Best Book You’ve Read So Far in 2019?
Casee: Sweet Dreams by Kristen Ashley. Lauren was such a strong heroine and I loved how she reinvented herself.
Holly: Repeat by Kylie Scott, hands down. I’ve re-read it so many times already this year. I just love Clem’s journey.
Rowena: My favorite read so far goes to Huge Deal by Lauren Layne. Huge Deal is the third book in her 21 Wall Street series and it featured my favorite characters from the series, Kennedy and Kate. A great office romance that I couldn’t get enough of.
Best Sequel You’ve Read So Far in 2019?
Casee: Ride Steady by Kristen Ashley. I love Joker. Love him. This book is one of my all-time favorites. Joker. Sigh.
Holly: I went back and forth about what qualifies as a sequel. Is it any new release in a series, or just the 2nd book? In the end, I chose The Bride Test (The Kiss Quotient #2) by Helen Hoang, because it’s the second book.
Rowena: This one is hard for me because I keep wanting to cheat and choose a new release in a series that I’m reading but I’m going to stick with the actual sequel in a series that I’m reading and my favorite one so far is The Bride Test (The Kiss Quotient #2) by Helen Hoang. I really liked Khai and really enjoyed his story.
New Release You Haven’t Read Yet, But Want To?
Casee: Definitely Wolf Rain (Psy-Changeling Trinity #3) by Nalini Singh. I honestly don’t know why I haven’t read this book.
Holly: The Risk by Elle Kennedy. I have no idea why I haven’t read it yet. I love this series and always look forward to the new releases.
Rowena: Ooh, this is an easy one. I haven’t read Wolf Rain (Psy-Changelings Trinity #3) by Nalini Singh yet and I plan to fix that very, very soon. I’ve been hearing great things about it so I really need to get my shit together and fix that pronto. Wish me luck!
Most Anticipated Release For Second Half of 2019?
Casee: Archangel’s War by Nalini Singh has been on my list for a year. I can’t wait! Followed by Lies by Kylie Scott and Knight Awakening by Rebecca Zanetti. How can I pick one?
Holly: I’ve been dying for Archangel’s War by Nalini Singh. Also, Sweep of the Blade by Ilona Andrews. I read it as a free serial but I need the full length book! Gimme!
Rowena: Hmm, besides Sapphire Flames (Hidden Legacy #4) by Ilona Andrews? There are quite a few books that I’m really looking forward to releasing in the next few months but the ones that are at the top are The Prenup and Love on Lexington Avenue (Central Park Pact #2) by Lauren Layne.
Biggest Disappointment?
Casee: Law Man by Kristen Ashley. I had such high hopes for Mitch, but his book just didn’t happen the way I hoped it would.
Holly: The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez and Waiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey. Both were on my Most Anticipated list for 2019, but neither lived up to my expectations.
Rowena: The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez and Waiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey. I had such high hopes for both books and they were both huge letdowns for me.
Biggest Surprise?
Casee: Absolutely Spellbinder by Thea Harrison. I had my doubts, but TH really came through.
Holly: Come As You Are by Lauren Blakely. I generally enjoy Blakely’s books, but I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did. I really loved Flynn.
Rowena: Night Broken (Mercy Thompson #8) by Patricia Briggs. I thought I would be prepared for this book but I was surprised at how much I wasn’t. This book surprised me but not in the way that I think this question is meant to be answered. The surprise for me with this book is how disappointed I was in Adam. Sure, there was a lot of disappointment to go around in this book but I was surprised at how disappointed I was in Adam. I adored Adam but he is not perfect and he was not perfect in this book.
Favorite New Author?
Casee: I don’t even have to think about it. Kristen Ashley. Anne Bishop. Lauren Blakely.
Holly: I don’t have a new favorite from the New-to-Me authors I’ve read so far this year, but I’m really interested in reading more from Lucy Parker and Jenny Holiday.
Rowena: Of the authors that I’ve read for the first time this year, my favorite one is probably Jenny Holiday. I really enjoyed her Bridesmaids Behaving Badly series and it’s also made me realize how much I want more romances set in Canada. Canada is coming up, they won the NBA Championship and they won my heart for more romances.
Newest Fictional Crush?
Casee: Kane “Tack” Allen from Motorcycle Man by Kristen Ashley.
Holly: Ed Larson from Repeat by Kylie Scott. The book isn’t really about Ed. The focus is more on Clem. But I loved him. Honorable mention goes to Delilah and Angelique from Lady Derring Takes a Lover by Julie Anne Long. I have a major girl-crush on them both.
Rowena: Does it count if my newest fictional crush is featured in a book that comes out in the second half of the year? Well, you know what? I don’t care. My newest crush right now is Alessandro Sagredo from Sapphire Flames (Hidden Legacy #4) by Ilona Andrews. He is a tall glass of deliciousness and I can’t wait for more of him.
Newest Favorite Character?
Casee: Simon Wolfgard from The Others series by Anne Bishop.
Holly: Heidi from Overnight Sensation by Sarina Bowen. I loved her courage and strength.
Rowena: This is easy. Mercy Thompson from the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs (in case anyone doesn’t know where she’s from). I really adore everything about this woman and last year, I liked her but this year I really love her. She’s just the freaking bomb and that’s that.
Book That Made You Cry?
Casee: Like Rowena, mine is also a Kennedy Ryan. Long Shot (Hoops #1) slayed me. I had to set this book down at times because it was so emotional. I’m not generally a crier when I read, but this book was the exception.
Holly: I know there was a book that made me cry. I know I even texted Rowena (or maybe Tracy) about it. But heck if I can remember which one it was.
Rowena: Hook Shot (Hoops #3) by Kennedy Ryan. Kennedy Ryan writes some really emotional romances and her latest in the Hoops series is no exception. This book was a damn good story and I cried for the heroine, Lotus. Like, cried a lot.
Book That Made You Happy?
Casee: Wanderlust by Lauren Blakely. It’s just a happy book.
Holly: Devil’s Daughter by Lisa Kleypas. I loved that book so much. Also, Lady Derring Takes a Lover and Repeat.
Rowena: There are a couple of books that come to mind but the one that stands out the most as the book that made me the happiest is probably Devil’s Daughter (The Ravenels #5) by Lisa Kleypas. I completely adored this book. The romance, West, Phoebe, West and the boys, all of the Ravenels and don’t forget about all of our Wallflower fam. This book had it all.
Favorite Book To Movie Adaptation You Saw This Year?
Casee: I’m not a movie person. I especially not a Book to Movie person. I never have been.
Holly: I don’t think I’ve seen a movie adaptation this year. I tend not to watch them, since the book is almost always better and I prefer to read.
Rowena: I don’t have one and that’s mostly because I’ve only watched one adaptation and I thought it was boring. shrugs That movie was The Sun is Also a Star. I’m not the audience for that movie.
Favorite Review You’ve Written This Year?
Casee: Wanderlust by Lauren Blakely. That book was fun from beginning to end.
Holly: My joint review of The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez with Rowena. I had so many feelings while reading that book, and it was great having Rowena validate those feelings with her own.
Rowena: I like writing reviews with both Holly and Casee and my favorite review that we’ve written was probably Waiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey because I had a lot of shit to get off my chest and when we were finally done with that review, I felt lighter. Like, all of the toxins left my body….and I laughed a lot reading through both Casee and Holly’s thoughts and then adding my own.
Most Beautiful Book You Bought So Far This Year?
Casee: I fell in love with the cover for Archangel’s War by Nalini Singh the moment I saw it. All the Guild Hunter books have been on point. Easy Kisses by Kristen Proby is just hotness.
Holly: Definitely Archangel’s War. I love that cover. But also, Repeat. Something about the guy on the cover just does it for me.
Rowena: I’m really digging the covers for the Mercy Thompson books. My favorite book cover of a book that I bought this year is a tie between Night Broken and Fire Touched by Patricia Briggs. Mercy, in both covers, is freaking gorgeous and I loved the colors that were used along with seeing Joel and the walking stick. Oh man, I’m so sad about the walking stick right now. 🙁
What Books Do You Need To Read By The End of The Year?
Casee: Dark Illusion by Christine Feehan. I’m sure I’ll read it sooner rather than later.
Holly: Song of Blood and Stone by L. Penelope. I’ve had this is my TBR for awhile and I really need to pull it out. I’ve heard wonderful things about it.
Rowena: Something by Kate Clayborne. I’ve been meaning to read her for ages now but haven’t gotten around to it so I’m hoping that I’ll read one of the books that I already own by her before the year is up.
Thanks for a fun post, and – yes, I read it all! I’ve read many enjoyable books this year but nothing that stands out as a real favorite. (A favorite for me is a book that I reread and reread.)
I hope that changes in the next half of the year. Not discovering new favorites sucks!
I read all the reviews here waiting to be pointed to that new favorite. At least I have all my old favorites to read and reread!