Holly

I didn’t read a lot of new-to-me authors this year, and I did a lot of re-reading besides, so my average reading experience was, on the whole, pretty good. I did read a few duds this year, though. Here they are.

1. Six Months by Dannika Dark: I enjoyed most of the books in this series, but Six Months failed on many levels. Mainly it was the heroine who killed it for me.
2. Wild and Free by Kristen Ashley: I generally love Ashley’s books, but this one didn’t work for me. To be honest it was mostly boring, though it was also confusing in parts and I didn’t connect with the characters.
3. Heart Legacy by Robin D. Owens: I didn’t actually dislike this book. On the contrary, Celta is one of my favorite fictional places and I love visiting it. But the ending really hurt the story. When I look back at it, it’s mostly with frustration over the way it ended.
4. Cat’s Lair by Christine Feehan: In this case, I really loved the heroine but the hero was such an ass I couldn’t get past his actions. I generally love Feehan’s heroes, but this one just didn’t work for me. At all.
5. Beastly by Alex Flinn: It was the sheer implausibility that killed this book for me. I can generally set aside any disbelief when I’m reading paranormal/fantasy novels, but the problem is this is written as a contemporary novel with the witch’s curse as the only fantastical element. That really hurt the story for me. Plus, the typos killed me.

Dishonorable Mentions: Waking the Beast by Lacey Thorn, Black Wolf’s Revenge by Tera Shanley, and Hero by Samantha Young.

Tracy

I read quite a few middle of the road books this year but there were a few that really stood out as BAD to me.

1. Mad for You by Anna Antonia: Creepy stalker hero who lies about everything and the heroine still wants him. Just…no. Not my idea of a romance AT ALL. Serious editing issues as well.
2. Sweet as Sin by JT Geissinger: This book was filled with angst and drama and when I thought it would finally die down I got more angst and drama. My God it was nonstop and a bit frustrating.
3. Last Light by M. Pierce: The love story – if I can even call it that – was so incredibly dysfunctional I couldn’t handle it half the time. Matt is a neurotic nutbag and Hannah ends up being his enabler. She tries to make a stand at one point in the book (as she did in book 1) and of course that doesn’t work because she LUUUUVS him. Puuuhlease. Spare me. They’re both whacked in the head if they think that they can keep doing the same things time and again and expecting a different outcome.”
4. 99 days by Katie Cotugno: Girl supposedly loves her boyfriend but then sleeps with his brother.  Just no. I couldn’t get over that.
5. Given to the Pack by Abby Weeks: This was the absolute worst read of the year.  I couldn’t even give it one full star.  This woman (I can’t even call her a heroine of the book) was TSTL and should never be able to leave home. She’s degraded, raped, slapped, – you name it and just keeps going along with it. She does say no to the rapes but not vehemently and she doesn’t actually try to fight the men off or run away (which she had chances to do over and over). The story of a rugged town in Alaska where the men protect the women but only if the women sleep with them ALL is so ridiculous. I think it was supposed to be considered taboo or titillating but it was too convoluted to be either. Just a ploy by the author to throw horrifying sex into the book.

Rowena

It’s been quite a while since I’ve read some really bad books but last year, I read a few. That surprises me cause I’m normally easy to please…but apparently, not last year.

1. Overruled by Emma Chase: This book drove me right up the wall. Between the hero and his dumbass shenanigans to the heroine letting the hero getting away with said dumbass shenanigans, I just couldn’t get over it and I ended up hating this one. Just thinking about this book again is making my eye twitch. Ugh.
2. Making Up Your Mind by Jill Mansell: OMG, this book drove me bat shit crazy. Too many of the characters drove me bonkers and the crap that Lottie’s kids got away with made me want to make them pick a switch for an ass beating the likes of which they’ve never seen before and then the adults weren’t any better. Lottie putting her nose in her ex-husband’s business, just ugh. All of it got on my nerves.
3. After Hours by Claire Kennedy: I like food and books set around diners, restaurants, bakeries, whatever. I’m all about those books but the shenanigans that went on behind the scenes in this book made me realize how old I am. Reading this book reminded me of when I watched that one movie Project X. Everything that was supposed to be funny or “good” made me mad. Like, ragey mad. I felt the same way about this book.
4. A Million Times Goodnight by Kristina McBride: This was another YA book that just did not work for me. The decisions these teens make, the dumb shit that they got themselves into – none of it worked for me. All it did was piss me off and make me want to kick them all in the nuts…even the kids without nuts.
5. Vicious Cycle by Katie Ashley: Deacon (the hero) was a dick and Alex just kept right on pissing me off throughout the entire time I was reading this book. You know I didn’t like them when they show up in the second book and I hate them still in that book. Stupid decisions, dumb ass shenanigans equals I did not like this book one bit.

Dishonorable Mentions: The Night We Said Yes by Lauran Gibaldi, Redemption Road by Katie Ashley and Game On by Katie McCoy.

What were the worst books you read last year?