#12DaysofChristmas: The “Oh, hey, this book is fucking awesome!” List
On the 8th day of Christmas these books … surprised us! It doesn’t happen often but it’s the best feeling ever when you crack open a book that you have no real expectations for and it ends up ROCKING YOUR WORLD. So today, we are counting down our shocking surprises of 2014!
WILLING VICTIM by Cara McKenna- This book is a well-loved classic from Cara McKenna. I’ve read a ton of her books but didn’t try this one until this year. Now this book may for everyone as it deals with rape fantasy, an obvious trigger for some people, so it was a great surprise to see it handled so well and be deeply erotic at the same time. McKenna could have made a real mess of things, but it’s a true testament to her talent to see this particular theme done in a manner that is as edgy and dark as the kink itself.
The McCauley Brothers series by Marie Harte – Two trusted blogger buddies actually recommended this series to me but it took me awhile to read it. I wish they had taken hold of my head and shoved it in the book because I should have read this series earlier. There’s something to be said about a group of brothers who enjoy pissing each other off as much as they love sex with their women. This series is definitely on the more hotter scale of Contemporaries all while keeping things light and playful with the humor. The McCauley Brothers series has become my favorite find this year for sure. I’m dying for more.
 Book 1 |
 Book 2 |
 Book 3 |
 Book 4 |
AFTER I DO by Taylor Jenkins Reid – This was a total surprise for me. I had seen a lot of people reading it and most of them loved it. A lot of those were friends I trust their opinion and usually we like the same things. But it wasn’t until one of those friends gave me a strong push that I decided to read it. I went in with little to no expectations. It was beautifully written, it was captivating in a way I didn’t think it could get to me, and I will be seeking more from the author immediately. I’m amazed at the fact I can be both heartbroken and happy when I finished this book.
THE SWEET GUM TREE by Katherine Allred – Another one like the previous. I went in blind, knowing a lot of people had loved it but thinking that maybe it was all hype and I wouldn’t get wrapped up in it. Boy was I wrong! The writing is mesmerizing and makes you live through this book. The few highs and the many lows. I’m shocked that Katherine Allred isn’t as huge of an author as I would expect her to be because I found her voice to be amazing. THE SWEET GUM TREE is definitely one of those books that stays with you and every time you think back on it, your heart breaks a little again.
Prisoner by Annika Martin by Skye Warren – I admit, when I started reading this, I was expecting something typical and predictable, which means I was taken off guard when I suddenly found myself completely enthralled by this book. It was dark, sexy, with characters that you won’t soon forget, I am now eagerly anticipating the next book in this series.
Written in Red by Anne Bishop – I don’t know what I expected when I picked up Written in Red by Anne Bishop, but it certainly wasn’t a new obsession! I read this in one setting, I literally couldn’t put this down, Bishop has created a fascinating new world that gives us a new look at vampires and werewolves that kept my eyes glued to the page. If you haven’t started this series yet, you need to start now!
 Book 1 |
 AudioBook 1.5 |
 Book 2 |
 Book 1 |
 Book 2 |
 Book 3 |
 Book 4 |
What books surprised you this year?
Today we have a special giveaway thanks to Roxie Rivera!
One lucky maiden is taking home a $100 Gift Card!
The next novel in Her Russian Protector series comes out January 6, 2015
so be sure you pre-order now!
Shay Sandoval has big dreams and works hard to achieve them. But her older sister likes that fast, easy money and finds herself in a hot mess of trouble when she helps her boyfriend scam Houston’s underworld. Terrified for her sister and herself, Shay turns to the only man powerful enough to save them—former prize fighter and Russian mob enforcer Alexei Sarnov.
Just as ruthless in business as he was on the streets, Alexei has built a new life as a respected, wealthy businessman. When he learns Shay’s troubled sister has invoked the wrath of Houston’s criminal elite, Alexei rushes to intercept Shay before the city’s worst men can get their hands on her.
But now that she’s under his protection—and under his hands—Alexei realizes that he wants and needs more than he’s ever dared to hope for in his harsh life. He wants Shay in his home and in his bed—but not as merely his mistress.
Earning Shay’s love and trust just might be the hardest deal he’s ever sealed…
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The KIng by JR Ward
Archangel’s Shadow by Nalini Singh
I got a book really early this morning and I’ve just finished it and I’m shocked !! It blew me away …. I wasn’t expecting much but WOW!!! 😀
It was only released today, so unless you previously fortunate enough to get an Arc a lot of people wont have read it yet – you don’t know what you’re missing 🙂
Judgement 8 (Subject Alpha #1) by D. H. Sidebottom – for me this is one of the best books I’ve read all year!!
I was surprised by Accidental Peers series by Diana Quincy. I kind of read it because I was bored of everything else and I was sure I will hate it,,, I couldn’t put the books down, read them all in 4 days 😀
I was surprised by Beloved by Corinne Michaels, wanted to through my kindle at the end of that one. I loved it tho and I just finished the sequel ‘Beholden’ and didn’t see how that would end either. haha
I think it would be the several new indie authors that popped up. I love Where We Belong by KL Grayson. Lots of little gems I was surprised I loved so much!
The King – JR Ward – it wasn’t what I expected but I loved it all the same. anxiously awaiting The Shadows… 🙂
Run by Blake Crouch. It was amazing!
The Reasonable Doubt series by Whitney Gracia Williams…I didn’t expect to be bowled over or fall in love with such a dirty talking, lovable a-hole!
Black Lies! Wow!! Thanks for the chance!! 🙂
Unravel by Calia Read, loved the book so much.
It wasn’t a single book – this year I was surprised that I liked audio books. I hadn’t tried them before, I thought I wouldn’t stay focused on the narration.
The green ,punting books by Marie Force, I had read other books by her and didn’t like the, too much but I gave her new series a chance because I saw good reviews and I loved them.
The King by JR Ward.
Archangel’s Shadow by Nalini Singh
I was surprised by several, so I’ll just mention a few.
Archer’s Voice: it was awesome, but I put off reading it because I though it was in a “series”, but it actually reads as a standalone.
Word Play by Amalie Silver: I’d never heard of her but she was going to be at a signing, so I took a chance and the book is awesome!
The Lux series by Jennifer Armentrout: as it turns out, I like hot aliens.
The King by J R Ward! Love, love, love this series!
Dirty Rowdy Thing by Christina Lauren
I´ve had so many great reads this year, Debra Anastasia gave us the final book in the Poughkeepsie trilogy – awesome, Kim Harrison´s The Witch With No Name was the final Rachel Morgan *sniffles* and the latest read that had me making *grabby hands* was Louise Bay and her A week in New York & Autumn in London. Can´t wait for the final installation there as well! =) So many great reads, but this was from the top of my head. Pepper Winters, Chloe Neill, Laurann Dohner, oh and Outlander was a new encounter for me =) Thanks for the… Read more »
I loved Rising by Holly Kelly. It was a great mermaid book.
Thank you
Surviving Broken by Beverly Preston
Christine Feehan’s TRILOGY (Dark Wolf, Dark Lycan, Dark Blood) within her Carpathian Series…didn’t like it; wasn’t what I expected and then she ‘brings a characters’ back from the dead in Dark Blood. The character has been dead for 7 books and bringing him back screams desperation….as far as I am concerned -that is a big no no….
Thank you for the amazing giveaway…LOVE LOVE LOVE Roxie’s HER RUSSIAN PROTECTOR series. I have read them all!!
I was as much surprised by the books that I had EXPECTED to like, but didn’t. But the one book/series that I really enjoyed with the Paradox series by Rachel Bach, book one is Fortune’s Pawn. Really, a fabulous sci-fi romance with a truly memorable hero.
I started reading Kim Harrison’s Hollows series this year and wow.
I was surprised by Beloved by Corinne Michaels.
Screwdrivered by Alice Clayton was a big surprise to me! I laughed through the whole book! Thanks for the wonderful giveaway!
Please disregard the second notation in my post. I didn’t realize the comment section was going to link to my website. Sorry!
Oh no Elizabeth, we changed comment plugin on the site to ALLOW you to link to your site’s posts. 🙂 Please make sure you take advantage of this new feature in the future.
The whole Beyond Series by Kit Rocha, and the Original Sinners Series by Tiffany Reisz are both totally on the list for me.
So maybe there was not new but just this year i discover Gabriel’s series by Sylvain Reynard so i say this one
I absolutely “WOW” in every Cynthia St. Aubin book so far and I loved the way Stepbrother Dearest made me say “WOW!!!!!” in one simple sentence, towards the end of the book! I am pretty sure I have read more books that left me speachless, but those are on the top of my pile!
I hadn’t read Colleen Hoover prior to this year and I loved Slammed and Hopeless. I also really enjoyed Escorted by Claire Kent which was another book that had been sitting on my TBR pile. I recently read the first 3 books in the Lawyers in Love series by NM Silber and loved them, so funny and sexy.
The Sweetgum Tree is already on my list. I’ve also got Anne Bishop’s book there too. Glad to know they’re good.
Hmm, Amy Lane’s The Bells of Times Square, ZA Maxfield’s My Heartache Cowboy, June Gray’s Disarm, Roni Loren’s Caught Up in You, Cecy Robson’s Sealed With a Curse, Sempre by JM Darhouser, Jason Hough’s The Darwin Elevator, KA Tucker Four Seconds to Lose, Easy by Tammara Webber, Boys Like You by Juliana Stone, Her Perfect Mate by Paige Tyler, Whisper to Me by Christina Lee, oh man…so many.
Thanks for the giveaway opportunity. Roxie’s new Russian book sounds good.
I was surprised by what happened in Magic Breaks.
looks like I have some books to add to my TBR list! I loved Under Different Stars by Amy Bartol.
The Stage Dive series by Kylie Scott & The Artists Trilogy by Karina Halle.
The Guild Hunter series by Nalini Singh!
Sinful Surrender by Houston Havens. I’m not much of a dystopian readers. But this book really surprised me and I really enjoyed it.
Guild Hunter series by Nalini Singh. Thanks for the Ann Bishop recommendation. Loved her jewels books years ago and just bought Written in Red because of you and can’t wait to read it :).
Thanks for the Giveaway!
Hope you enjoy it. We are all obsessed with that series here at UTC. 🙂
Heidi Cullinan – Fever Pitch. Was still reading it when I thought ‘I HAVE to read this again!’ Great book – even if you’re not into acapella.
Seeing as quite a few has mentioned The King, I might have to read that… Had actually given up on that series since it has been quite underwhelming for a long time IMO.
The Year We Fell Down by Sarina Bowen. I only picked up b/c it was on sale and so many bloggers raved about it. I’m not a big NA reader, so I wasn’t expecting much, but was I soooo wrong 😉
The Others by Anne Bishop was new to me this year. I feel in love with it. I can’t wait for book three.
The professional…I didn’t think I was going to like it as much as I did!
The book “The Forgotten Garden” by Kate Morton surprised me. I checked it out at the library as an audiobook mainly because it was long and I was painting the house, which takes forever and is boring as hell, but I was surprised by the fact that I loved it. I usually don’t like “lady-novels” such as Kate Morton’s books, I’m more of a paranormal romance girl, but the book really touched me. It hinted strongly at the Secret Garden by Burnett, which is what sealed the deal for me.
I’ve read all of Sandra Brown’s books since she released Slow Heat in Heaven, but this year’s Mean Streak was amazing. So many twists and turns… had me on the edge of my seat until the very last page. Of course, I never wanted it to end.
Veiled Innocence by Ella Frank, Love In English by Karina Halle and Easy by Tammara Webber all surprised me
Veiled Innoncence was definitely a surprise for me as well, Timitra. I didn’t think I could go for the subject matter and look how that turned out. 🙂
I re-read some oldie but goodies most recently.
Loving Cara by Kristen Proby. Love it!!
Own The Wind by Kristen Ashley….I had never read of any of her works and then read this one and LOOOOOOOVED it! Now I’ve read half of her work
Susan Elizabeth Phillips’ Heroes are my Weakness. I loved her homage to gothic romances and was surprised by how many elements she was able to use.
The Hard Rock Roots serious…I was surprised how much I loved it, I read one book right after another and The Breakneck Series…I never thought I would love the books so much because they were so gritty and raw but so real!!!!