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You are here: Home / Amanda Stevens / Tori’s Favorite Books of 2011

Tori’s Favorite Books of 2011

December 26, 2011 by Tori 16 Comments

2011 has been a big year for my library. I was introduced to new authors, became reacquainted with old authors, and even had a few break ups. I wish I could list every book I’ve read this year in here because there were hundreds that were wonderful. As usual, I went a little overboard on my list. I hope you enjoy. :)

Immortal Rider (Lords of Deliverance, #2) by Larissa Ione (Review)
The second installment of the Ione’s sexy, funny, action packed Lord Of Deliverance series takes us for quite a ride when Arik accidentally kisses the Limos and finds himself paying the price in hell. As everyone tries to figure out how to get him back; the horseman Pestilence is trying his best to start the Apocalypse and the humans think they have found a way to stop more seals from breaking. But the end results may doom them all.

“You,” he purred , “are a HILF.”
“A what?”
“Horseman I’d like to fuck.”

The Shadow Reader (McKenzie Lewis #1)The Shadow Reader (Shadow Reader #1) by Sandy Williams (Review)

Sandy William’s debut urban fantasy amazed me with it’s mixture reality & fantasy based world and the intense characters who inhabit it. McKenzie Lewis has spent her life reading shadows for the Fae king and secretly in love with his sword master. When she is kidnapped by a rebel faction, she learns that she has been lied to for years and finds herself standing on the brink of war, with everyone demanding she choose a side.

“I dedicated my life to my king. I should have dedicated it to you.“

 

The Guardian (Dark-Hunter, #21; Dream-Hunter, #5)The Guardian (Dream–Hunter #5) bySherrilynKenyon (Review)
Ms. Kenyon goes old skool with this romantic fantasy that gives us a swoon worthy hero and heroine who fight against all odds to emerge victorious against each terrible evil. Seth is a demi god who was sold into slavery as a child. Spending hundreds of years in torture, he is amazed when a beautiful dream hunter, Lydia, risks everything to save his life and his soul.

“Baby, I will always come for you.“

 

 

Scandalous Desires (Maiden Lane #3) by Elizabeth Hoyt (Review)
When the deliciously naughty pirate Charming Mickey sets his sights again on the prim and proper widow, Silence Hollingbrook, the sparks that follow set the pages a flame. What follows is a sensual and suspenseful tale of deception, betrayal, redemption, and love. I recommend starting with the first in the series to really understand Mickey and Silence’s story.

“Dear God. She ached, wanting something that she knew was a sin. Wanting a man who was sin itself.”

 

 

The Hour of Dust and Ashes (Charlie Madigan #3)The Hour of Dust and Ashes (Charlie Madigan #3) by Kelly Gay (Review)
Ms. Gay’s Charlie Madigan series is one of my top Urban fantasy series to read and I cannot recommend it enough to everyone who enjoys a dark gritty read with plenty of action, suspense, and humor to keep you entertained till the very last page. Charlie and Hank are on their toughest case yet; especially with Charlie’s sister being a possible target. Enter Rex, Emma, and Brim in armor and your in for a wild ride you won’t want to ever stop.

“For the record, this is not how I pictured removing your pants for the first time.”

“That confidant, are we?”

“When something is this inevitable, yes.”

The Rift Walker (Vampire Empire, #2)The Rift Walker (Vampire Empire #2) by Clay & Susan Griffith  (Review)
The Rift Walker is an splendid continuation to the spellbinding magic of The Greyfriar. Filled with mind boggling political intrigue, betrayal, deception, magic and a healthy dose of romance-you will be once again swept away by this burgeoning epic saga. One of my top YA choices for 2011.

“I trust your life with no one but me.”


Liberating Lacey by Anne Calhoun
Liberating Lacey is a smoking hot yet romantically intense erotic about a cop and a real estate broker who’s one night stand turns into much, much more as these two connect in and out of bed. All I can say is the parking lot. *whew* One of the best erotic romances I’ve read in a long time.

“He wasn’t seducing. He wasn’t asking permission. This was pure possession, a territorially staking his claim as the last man she’d ever kiss.”

The Soul Mirror (Collegia Magica, #2)The Soul Mirror by Carol Berg (Review)
A gripping historical fantasy that offers fantastic word building, engaging characters, and a mystery that infects you with it’s deviousness. When the seemingly un magical Anne de Vernase is summoned to court, she never expects to become embroiled in a mystery that threatens everything she’s ever know and loved. An intense romance that exists more in the imagination then on paper further elevates the storyline to epic proportions.

Magic Slays (Kate Daniels, #5)Magic Slays (Kate Daniels #5) by Ilona Andrews (Review)
Anyone who knows me knows I go totally fangirl over everything the team Ilona Andrews. writes. This series is my absolute favorite. An urban fantasy series that has it all. Action, mystery, suspense, romance, larger then life characters, and plenty of snarky humor to keep you entertained to the very last page. Kate has finally shed her shackles of her youth and is publicly showing her power and associations. I love how the main conflict and plot balances the personal aspects of the story. We learn so much in here and of course, are given plenty of smexy Curran and Kate time. RAWR!

“If I fought for them and was crippled, they would all say nice things, and then they would replace me and forget I was ever there. You would stay with me. You would take care of me, because you love me. I love you too, Kate. If you ever became hurt, I would not leave you. I’ll be there. Wherever you want ‘there’ to be.”

Shalador's Lady (The Black Jewels, #8)Shalador’s Lady (Black Jewels #8) by Anne Bishop (Review)
I adore the Black Jewels series. A deliciously dark and traumatic series that celebrates the triumph of evil. Unequivocal world building sustained by dramatic and inspiring characters has gained this series it’s own book shelf. I loved watching Lady Cassie and Lord Gray work through their insecurities and vulnerabilities in order to not only secure their peoples’ futures but also their own love. Plus, the kindred. I adore the kindred and they totally kick butt in here.

“It is better to break you own heart then to break your honor.”

The Restorer (The Graveyard Queen, #1)The Restorer (The Graveyard Queen #1) by Amanda Stevens (Review)
A delicious dark gothic horror story that will have you sneaking peeks around corners and in mirrors to make sure nothing has you by the throat. Our heroine and hero straddle the line between light and dark as they both struggle to understand the forces that seem to gravitate to them. Suspense, intrigue, and ripe sexual tension will have you reading well into the middle of the night to see how this story ends.

“His voice was the kind that made you think of dark places. The kind that made the skin ripple along the backbone.”

 

Honorable Mentions:
Vampire in Atlantis (Warriors of Poseidon, #7) Alyssa Day
Dark Enchantment (Dark Magick, #3) Anya Bast
Kiss of Frost (Mythos Academy #2) by Jennifer Estep
Obsidian (Lux #1)by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Stay by Deb Caletti
The Renfield Syndrome (Rhiannon’s Law, #2) by JA Saare
The Neon Graveyard (Signs of the Zodiac, #6) by Vicki Pettersson
The Ash Trilogy by Shiloh Walker
Shaedes Of Gray by Amanda Bonilla
Everything released by Nalini Singh this year
Shadow City by Diana Pharaoh Francis

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Filed Under: Amanda Stevens, Anne Bishop, Anne Calhoun, Carol Berg, Clay Griffith, Elizabeth Hoyt, Favorite Books 2011, Ilona Andrews, Kelly Gay, Larissa Ione, Sandy Williams, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Susan Griffith

Comments

  1. Nancy McGregor says

    December 26, 2011 at 10:58 am

    Awesome list, I shall be adding a few of those to my tbr.

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    • Tori says

      December 26, 2011 at 11:54 am

      Thank you. :)

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  2. Paranormal Haven says

    December 26, 2011 at 11:15 am

    I love your taste in books Tori. Guardian, Immortal Rider and Magic Slays made my list too :-)

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    • Tori says

      December 26, 2011 at 11:54 am

      Thank you! It was such a great year for UF and PNR.

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  3. NerdGirls says

    December 26, 2011 at 12:45 pm

    Awesome list!!

    Nerd Girls at Books to the Sky

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  4. blodeuedd says

    December 26, 2011 at 4:49 pm

    Great choices :D I got The Shadow R for xmas, yay

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  5. Michael Cain says

    December 26, 2011 at 5:32 pm

    I’ve just ordered the fist in the Ilona Andrews series, Magic Bites. I had read a “Kate” short story and loved it, and her editor is the same as Jim Butcher and Patricia Briggs, so I think I’ll more than like it.

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    • Tori says

      December 26, 2011 at 8:19 pm

      If you like Brigss and Butcher-you’ll love this series. :)

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  6. Smeech says

    December 26, 2011 at 6:04 pm

    Great list! Since you like the Kate Daniels series…

    For Christmas, there is a brand new Kate Daniels novella featuring Kate and Curran available on Ilona Andrews website. It is only going to be free and available for 2 weeks. It is around 96 pages. It takes place after book 5, Magic Slays. She has it in a bunch of different formats, Adobe PDF, Kindle, Nook, and Adobe epub. It is going to be in print as a bonus extra at the end of Gunmetal Magic, Andrea’s book in summer 2012. http://www.ilona-andrews.com/magic-gifts/ She asked her fans to spread the word to her other fans.

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    • Tori says

      December 26, 2011 at 8:20 pm

      LOVED Magic Gifts!! Can’t wait for Andrea’s story.

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  7. MinnChica says

    December 27, 2011 at 11:03 am

    I’ve been meaning to get that Williams book since I read your review. Now that I have gift card money (yay, merry christmas to me!) I am off to go download!!

    Great list Tori!

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  8. Mandi says

    December 27, 2011 at 11:28 am

    Great list Tori!

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  9. aurian says

    December 27, 2011 at 4:37 pm

    Great list Tori, some are still on my wishlist, but I hope to get time to read them next year.

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  10. Ludilup says

    December 27, 2011 at 10:02 pm

    Wow a lot to add to my TBL, I have two of your choices on my best of Romance on audio of 2011. I see that you have Shadolor’s Lady on your list, I read and listened the first 3 in that series (Black Jewels)and it’s one of my favorites of all time, maybe I need to pick it up where I left.
    I also loved Immortal Rider, but Pleasure Unbound was released on audio this year, so I went for that one…I LOVE THE DEMONICA series.. I was shouting?? so sorry.. I just get so excited.
    I hope you have a terrific New year!

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  11. get a bad credit loan says

    June 23, 2012 at 7:57 pm

    Its rare for me to discover something on the internet thats as entertaining and intriguing as what youve got here. Your page is lovely, your graphics are outstanding, and whats more, you use reference that are relevant to what you are saying. Youre definitely one in a million, good job!
    http://1000loanpayday.net/a/6761/

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