Top Ten Books of 2016 + An Epic Giveaway

It's been a while since I did a top ten. Are you ready for this?

2016 was a decent reading year for me: 80 or 90 titles. As always, it's very difficult to chop my list down to JUST ten books. Are you ready for this? (And I warn you, this is an eclectic list.)

10

Very interesting book...somewhat morbid. Was it for middle graders (as labeled)? For teens? Adults? (Yes, I was that confused.) The plot, while short, presents great suspense and it was a fun read...after I got over the initial shock of some very unexpected content.

Get it on Amazon.

9

I have absolutely no idea how this one ended up on my eReader, but I consumed it over Christmas. I don't want to give anything away, but people who enjoy NA and fantasy elements will appreciate this one.

Get it on Amazon.

8

A fantastic book that paints a time period in full color--the brutality, the gender roles, the lifestyle. Meet a protagonist well worth rooting for. This book is for adults.

Get it on Amazon.

7

I love, love, LOVE, Odd Thomas. Koontz paints a rich, word-lovers world with suspense, fun twists, and the injustices. Without spoilers or saying anything more, this has been one of my favorite Odd Thomas books. This is an adult book. Very adult.

Get it on Amazon.

6

Aliens, dystopian society, strange things happening in the main characters head... I was taken right away with this story. An awesome YA book. Looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

Get it on Amazon.

5

THE ONLY mermaid book that comfortably/realistically bridges the world between land and ocean. Although I could see how the story was going to resolve, I enjoyed every moment getting there. A wonderful NA book.

Get it on Amazon.

4

From the first chapter, I wasn't so sure. I'm pleased to say that by the end, I was 100% sold. Cute characters, a fun conflict, and a happy conclusion. Highly recommended.

Get it on Amazon.

3

It's rare I read a book where I just want to linger (because of the author's beautiful language/writing), and can't stop myself from burning through it. This CLEAN regency romance has all the fun of a historical setting, suppressed attraction, and societal expectations, PLUS an actual plot. And beautiful prose.

If you love regency romance, read this book.

Get it on Amazon.

2

When I read the concept of this YA book on a blog, I immediately bought it. (That's rare for me. SUPER rare.) I looked forward to mentally living in that world--but little did I know it would end up being a SINGLE reading session. An AWESOME read. I want to read it again already.

Get it on Amazon.

1

I have never read such a cast of well developed, believable, three-dimensional, DIFFERENT characters. And the plot... I was sitting comfy, thinking status quo when BAM! Whiplash. So I thought, the author got lucky. Hah! It wasn't luck, and just wow! Superb story. SO much fun to read. The only caveat: while labeled YA, this book is TRUE TO LIFE. The characters use language you might hear in a high school hallway. Very authentic.

This one of the best books you've NEVER heard of, but you should definitely read.

Get it on Amazon.

At the beginning of the month, Tracy Clark shared SCINTILLATE along with two truths and one lie. Anyone who guessed the lie correctly was entered to an eBook.

The game:

1. I eat all sandwiches and burgers in a circle, around and around until I get to the middle.

2. I was once crowned Miss Burbank, CA. 

3. I was an extra in the condom commercial in Lethal Weapon 2.

The lie: #2.  

From Tracy: I was 2nd runner up in 1988. Hah!

Way to guess everyone! And the winner is:

...DRUM ROLL...

Hilary Melton-Butcher!

Congrats, Hilary!

And now, for an AWESOME middle grade book:

WELCOME BACK TO THE FOREST!

Gabe the goblin just saved his town Broken Branch Falls from splitting apart. He also revealed that humans--horrible creatures of myth and legend--may actually be part of their history! But seriously? Nah!

Now Ona, Gabe’s girlfriend, is headed thousands of miles away to Camp Cradle Rock for Spring Break seeking evidence of humans. Gabe knows better than to tell a stubborn ogress she’s crazy, so he’s letting her go and spending the break at the beach like a normal teenage beast. And he’s determined to have a good time without her, whether he likes it or not.

But when Gabe hears Ona went missing, he and his friends set out for the wilds of the west to find her, no matter what dangerous creatures get in his way. Not even humans.

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Goodreads

Check out the Book Trailer!

Ready to meet the author?

Tara Tyler

I love to use poetry and songs in my writing, there are a couple of examples of me singing on my YouTube channel. And in my fantasy books, I always seem to find a reason to add a poem or song, like this human bedtime rhyme to warn children about beasts from CRADLE ROCK:

Close your eyes and go to sleep

Not a whisper, not a peep

Else beyond the border creep

Giant monsters, make you weep

When fathers scold

And mothers hold

Dark tales of old

Are often told

From the history of time

Beware the Mist above the line

Across our fences, danger find

Stay safe within or fate unkind

Big, bad, hairy

Monsters scary

Pray for fairy

Sweet dreams carry

Close your eyes and go to sleep

Not a whisper, not a peep

Else beyond the border creep

Giant monsters, make you weep.

Since I love to sing, I have performed in front of a few audiences - but I often screw up from stage fright! It's tough!

Tara Tyler started out as a math teacher. After having a hand in everything from waitressing to rocket engineering and living up and down the Eastern US, she now writes and teaches in Ohio with her three active boys and Coach Husband. In addition to her novels, she has published short stories and poetry in Science Fiction, Fantasy, Thriller, and Humor. So many stories to tell!

Tara gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. Those who figure out the lie will go into my magic hat for the chance to win their choice of an eBook, signed PRINT book, OR swag item (bracelet, t-shirt, or tervis tumbler). (Open internationally.)

You have until Tuesday, January 31 at 2 p.m. EDT to guess. Be sure to come back for the answer on February 1, 8 a.m. EDT.

TRUTH OR LIE

1. I sang at a friend's wedding, but didn't practice nearly enough so I mixed up two of the verses. I don't think anyone knew... it was from an opera.
2. I sang at the funeral of a friend's mother - hardest thing I've ever done, was shaking and tearing up, barely made it through.
3. In college I had a solo for our "Spring Sing" - was young and fearless and hit that high note with a vengeance, the video is priceless.

So sleuths, which is the lie? Have you met Tara? Do you like middle grade stories? Do you have a favorite book or two from 2016? Share, please!

There is NO New Year Here (IWSG Edition)

Friends!!!!

I'm back. Did you miss me? I missed you. And I'm kind of in denial about this new year thing. So no, it is not 2017. And no, it's not time for making crazy, stupid resolutions that we'll all break in three weeks or less. And no, it's not time to get back into a productive schedule.

But if it was, I'd celebrate like this:

So maybe I'm not as much in denial as I'd like to be. In fact, I'm starting the year with this:

Goodreads Book Giveaway

     

Timeless

by Crystal Collier

Giveaway ends January 09, 2017.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

And I'm dropping back to a twice a month posting schedule, but I've got an amazing lineup of book giveaways headed your way.

It's going to be a beautiful new year, and I'm wishing you the best 2017!

And now...

The new year is about trying new things, right? Well, I finally took the plunge and signed up as a co-host for the IWSG bloghop. See what it's all about and join the ninja king, Alex J. Cavanaugh (who may or may not have stolen my cloning device), and his minions. Meet my fellow cohosts: Eva @ Lillicasplace, Sheena-kay Graham, Chemist Ken, LG Keltner, & Heather Gardner.

Oh, and heads up, they're announcing the winners of the second IWSG Anthology contest TODAY.

The big hop question is: What writing rule do you wish you’d never heard?

I can't answer that because there isn't a single writing rule I regret learning. *shrugs* Call me a conformist. Ignorance in the publishing industry is the same as hari kari, and maybe just as messy. Young writers, LEARN ALL YOU CAN. Readers have expectations. Those expectations have been set by centuries of patterning, and deviating too far will alienate those most loyal to the written word. There's still room for creativity--within a safe framework. Writing is ALL about your audience.

Last year (ha! I make it sound so long ago!), Kristin Smith shared CATALYST along with two truths and one lie. Anyone who guessed the lie correctly was entered to an eBook.

The game:

1. I'm the mother of five boys, and when I was pregnant with my oldest son, we were told by the ultrasound tech that she was 99.9% sure we were having a girl. Surprise! We ended up with a bouncing baby boy.
2. By the time I was 18, I'd traveled from the east coast to the west coast 3 times, but the first time I ever rode in an airplane was when I left home for college.
3. I once chatted for five minutes with Woody Harrelson outside of a bathroom in a casino in Las Vegas and didn't realize who he was until after he walked away.

The lie: #3.  

From Kristin: I did see Woody Harrelson outside of a bathroom in a casino in Las Vegas, but I DID NOT talk to him. And yes, I knew immediately who he was!

Way to guess everyone! And the winner is:

...DRUM ROLL...

Christine Rains!

Congrats, Christine!

And now, I have a special treat for you:

A mighty flame follows a tiny spark.

Cora Sandoval’s mother disappeared when she was five and they were living in Ireland. Since then, her dad has been more than overprotective and Cora is beginning to chafe under his confines. But even more troubling is the colorful light she suddenly sees around people. Everyone, that is, except herself—instead, she glows a brilliant, sparkling silver.

As she realizes the danger associated with these strange auras, Cora is inexplicably drawn to Finn, a gorgeous Irish exchange student who makes her feel safe. Their attraction is instant, magnetic, and primal—but her father disapproves, and Finn’s mother orders him home to Ireland upon hearing he’s fallen in love. After a fight with her father, Cora flees to Ireland, both to follow Finn and to look for her missing mother.

There she meets another silver-haloed person and discovers the meaning of her newfound powers and their role in a conspiracy spanning centuries—one that could change mankind forever…and end her life.

Get Your Copy HERE (for only 99 cents! You know you want to).

Ready to meet the author?

Tracy Clark is an award-winning author who grew up a “Valley Girl” in Southern California but now lives in her home state of Nevada. She has two teenagers who are a continuous source of great dialogue. Her published books include: a young-adult paranormal series, The Light Key Trilogy (SCINTILLATE, DEVIATE, ILLUMINATE,) and her latest novel, MIRAGE, an eerie YA thriller. Tracy’s a proud mom, a private pilot, a post-skydiving daredevil, a spicy-chocolate connoisseur, and an irredeemable dreamer. www.tracyclark.org

You might find Tracy munching Humbolt Fog goat cheese with amazing spicy jam (from Trader Joe's)...although she probably won't notice you while engaged in such deliciousness (about as close to food-heaven as she gets).

Tracy gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. Those who figure out either lie will go into my magic hat for the chance to win an eBook (open internationally):

You have until Tuesday, January 24 at 2 p.m. EDT to guess. Be sure to come back for the answer (and FUN) on January 25, 8 a.m. EDT.

TRUTH OR LIE

1. I eat all sandwiches and burgers in a circle, around and around until I get to the middle.

2. I was once crowned Miss Burbank, CA. 

3. I was an extra in the condom commercial in Lethal Weapon 2.

So sleuths, which is the lie? Have you met Tracy? Love urban fantasy stories? What is your new years resolution? Are you in denial about the new year? Have you met the IWSG community?