Ringing in the New Year Celebrating Books

2013 was a stellar year for awesome books! I read 100 this year, and my goal is the same (if not more) for 2014.

As we begin a new year, I wanted to share all my 4.5-star and higher rated books from 2013. I'm looking forward to even more great books this year. (click the title to see the full review)

4.5 star

Foreplay, Sophie Jordan
Maggie's Turn, Deanna Lynn Sletten
Finding It, Cora Carmack
Supernova, Elizabeth Sharp
The Hourglass, Sharon Struth
Trusting You, LP Dover
Strength, Carrie Butler
Sisters in Bloom, Melissa Foster
Mystic ~ Melody, Jo Michaels
The Curse Giver, Dora Machado
For Everly, Raine Thomas
The Enchanted, Elaine Cantrell
Sisters in Love, Melissa Foster
Chocolate Fondue, Martha Reynolds
Lion's Head Deception, Chuck Waldron
Marked for Vengeance, SJ Pierce
After Tuesday (These Days #1), Renee Ericson
The Hunter, Monica McCarty
The Beloved Daughter, Alana Terry
The Faerie Prince, Rachel Morgan
The Keeper of Secrets, Julie Thomas
Cooper Moon: The Calling, Cheryl Shireman
Assured Destruction, Michael F. Stewart
The Long Way Home, Mariah Stewart
Traces of Kara, Melissa Foster
Primal, DA Serra

4.75 Stars

Winter Garden, Kristin Hannah

5 Stars

Bittersweet Chocolate, Martha Reynolds
Someone Else's Love Story, Joshilyn Jackson
Warrior Beautiful, Wendy Knight
Blood Draw, Melissa Luznicky Garrett
Mystic ~ Coralie, Jo Michaels
The Faerie War, Rachel Morgan
Courage, Carrie Butler
Borrowed Things, Doris Schneider
Yassa, Jo Michaels
The Disappearing Girl, Heather Topham Wood
The Day After Yesterday, Kelly Cozy
Manuscript Found in Accra, Paulo Coelho
Dark Genesis, Dave Ferraro
Wondertown, Mac Fellows

 

Rachel Morgan, Melissa Foster, Martha Reynolds, and Jo Michaels (all seen above) made the list more than once. Melissa Foster and Jo Michaels both made the list three times. Few things make me happier than having some go-to authors.

In the last two weeks of December, I read several books that will be officially reviewed over the next two weeks. A couple were 5-star reads. Look for appearances again by Melissa Foster and Jo Michaels (both 5-star reviews) and a new favorite... Juliana Haygert.

Here's to reading in 2014!

The Faerie War by Rachel Morgan (5 stars) -- Reivew & Giveaway

About The Faerie War
(from GoodReads)

Violet Fairdale is in big trouble. Her home is gone, her beloved forest lies in ruins, the guy she gave her heart to has deserted her—and she doesn’t remember any of it. The powerful Lord Draven is taking over, brainwashing guardians into fighting for him. No one is safe from the evil spreading throughout the fae world.

As alliances are forged between the remaining free fae, Vi struggles to reclaim her identity and figure out where she belongs in this new world. When someone from her past shows up, life gets even more complicated. He brings with him a long-forgotten weapon and an ancient prophecy that places Vi at the center of the fight against Draven. With the future of the fae world at stake, can Vi carry out the prophecy’s instructions before it’s too late?

Purchase The Faerie War

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Review

Violet has no memory of her love, Ryn, and the events that led up to the devastation of her home. With the fate of her kind in danger, it's not a good time for her to be lost.

Ryn is on a mission to find the weapon to save them, not knowing what's happened to Violet. Can they find their way back to each other? And, if they do, will there be any time left to enjoy a reunion?

I have been eagerly awaiting this book since loving The Faerie Prince, book 2 of this series--especially since that book ended with a doozy of a cliffhanger. Nothing about this book disappointed. From the first word, the story flew with exhilarating intensity. The twist of Violet struggling to remember was perfect on so many levels.

Plus, Rachel Morgan does an excellent job of creating supporting characters we care about. Several deserve their own stories: I put in a vote for Tilly, and I admit I want more of Arthur. As if that wasn't enough, she also creates a vivid world that pops off the page. Can I also vote for the movie version?

I highly recommend The Faerie War (heck, the whole series) to readers who want to get lost in an epic tale. 5 enthusiastic stars!

Rating: 5 stars

About the Author

Rachel Morgan was born in South Africa and spent a large portion of her childhood living in a fantasy land of her own making. After completing a degree in genetics, she decided science wasn’t for her—after all, they didn’t approve of made-up facts. These days she spends much of her time immersed in fantasy land once more, writing fiction for young adults.

When she isn't writing, she's reading (duh!), catching up on addictive TV series, and baking things that almost always include chocolate.

 

The Creepy Hollow Series

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Giveaway

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Note: I received a complimentary copy for review purposes. A positive review was not requested or guaranteed; the opinions expressed are my own.

Read my review of The Faerie Prince (Creepy Hollow, Book 2) here.

The Faerie Prince, Rachel Morgan (4.5 stars)

About The Faerie Prince
(from GoodReads)

Guardian trainee Violet Fairdale is just weeks away from one of the most important occasions of her life: graduation. After messing up big time by bringing a human into the fae realm, Vi needs to step up her game and forget about Nate if she hopes to graduate as the top guardian of her year. Everything would be fine if she wasn’t forced to partner with Ryn, her ex-friend, ex-enemy, current ‘sort of friend’. They might be trying to patch up their relationship, but does she really want to spend a week undercover with him for their final assignment? On top of that, the possibly insane Unseelie Prince is still on the loose, free to ‘collect’ as many specially talented faeries as he can find—and Vi is still at the top of his list. Add in faerie queens, enchanted storms, complicated not-just-friends feelings, and a murder within the Guild itself, and graduation is about to become the least of Vi’s problems.

Review

Violet is in training to become a Guardian, but she has one final test. She has a long history with her assigned partner, Ryn--they've been friends in the past, but their current status is quite murky.

During their mission, they face an intense battle that leaves them with more questions than answers. Returning home for graduation, they find the battle has only just begun. Surprises lurk around every corner. To complicate matters even more, Violet's feelings for Ryn are definitely leading her outside friend territory and into something much steamier.

With evil lurking, will Violet know who to trust and what to believe?

Rachel Morgan creates an intricate and vivid story with many twists and turns. This is the second book in the Creepy Hollow series, and occasionally I found myself wondering if I was missing something, especially at the beginning. But with each page turn, I was drawn more and more into the story. I've been careful in this review to not include spoilers, but there are some juicy bits I sure would love to share.

By the end, not only was I excited to read the next installment, I was also eager to get my hands on Book One to see what I missed. If you are looking for an enchanting summer read, definitely pick up The Faerie Prince and get lost in the building romance of Ryn and Violet. Just know it will make your summer hotter.

Rating: 4.5 stars
Worthy of rounding up on Amazon & Goodreads

About Rachel Morgan

Rachel Morgan was born in South Africa and spent a large portion of her childhood living in a fantasy land of her own making. After completing a degree in genetics, she decided science wasn't for her—after all, they didn't approve of made-up facts. These days she spends much of her time immersed in fantasy land once more, writing fiction for young adults.

For more information, visit Rachel at her blog, on Facebook, and Twitter.

Note: I received a complimentary copy for review purposes. A positive review was not guaranteed or requested; the opinions expressed are my own.

Introducing Guardian by Rachel Morgan: Debuting Today, March 5, 2012

Today the Creepy Hollow series kicks off with the release of the first story, GUARDIAN!! GUARDIAN introduces readers to the magical world of Creepy Hollow, a realm where fae creatures — both safe and definitely-not-so-safe — dwell. Things are cool as long as the fae stick to their own realm. It's when they find their way into the human world that things start going wrong...

1. Receive assignment.

2. Save a life.

3. Sleep.

4. Repeat.

Protecting humans from dangerous magical creatures is all in a day’s work for a faerie training to be a guardian. Seventeen-year-old Violet Fairdale knows this better than anyone—she’s about to become the best guardian the Guild has seen in years. That is, until one of her assignments—a human boy who shouldn’t even be able to see her—follows her into the fae realm. Now she’s broken Guild Law, a crime that could lead to her expulsion.

The last thing Vi wants to do is spend any more time with the boy who got her into this mess, but the Guild requires that she return Nate to his home and make him forget everything he’s discovered of the fae realm. Easy, right? But Nate and Vi are about to land themselves in even bigger trouble—and it’ll take all Vi’s training to get them out alive.

Buy from Amazon US

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The Creepy Hollow Series

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Author Info

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To find out more about the series, the author, and the characters, check out the blog tour that’s happening over the next two weeks.

Click here for the blog tour schedule

And there is a GIVEAWAY going on at Rachel's blog!