Favourite books of 2015

It's that time of the year again. It feels like yesterday when I typed my Best of 2014 post! This year flew by so fast it gave me a whiplash. Thankfully, I read a ton of amazing books which helped keep me sane when life was getting a bit too crazy.
Here's my absolute favourite books of 2015. Hope you can find something you like among these awesome reads, and super talented authors.

                                          

 

I have to start with one of my all-time favourite authors, Santino Hassell. I've been a fan of his ever since I read ICoS and I was looking forward to reading more books from him. In 2015 he published 3 full-length novels, and all of them were fantastic! I can't recommend Sutphin Boulevard (you can read my full review HERE) and Sunset Park strong enough! 

Santino's Gothic paranormal novel Stygian is an epic read! It's a stand alone, not connected to any series and is just brilliant!

In 2015 Leta Blake and Indra Vaugh wrote a book that blew me away! It's a love story about a priest and a rock star, and I have to admit that I was nervous to read it because religious themes make me uncomfortable. But, man, am I glad I did read it! It's phenomenal, one of the best books I've ever laid my hands on.

I never know what to expect from Heidi Cullinan. Her books are so different, both in writing style and theme. But Carry the Ocean came highly recommended from most of my friends, so I gave it a go.

I fell in love from the very first chapter. Such an amazing book! Everyone should read it at least once in the life.

Varian Krylov is one of the most talented authors I've ever had the pleasure of reading. She uses words to create feelings. Every time I read one of her novels I'm in awe with her talent. The words flow so beautifully... Transmundo: Escape is no exception. It's an amazing novel. You can read my full review HERE.

In the Middle of Somewhere is Roan Parrish's debut MM romance novel and it's fantastic! I fell in love with Roan's writing and I'm pretty sure I'll read anything she ever writes. I can't wait for the next book in the series!

True Brit was the pleasant surprise in the Best of 2015 collection. I read it without any expectations and I absolutely loved it! It turned out to be so much more than what the book blurb said it would be. I can't wait to read more from Con Riley.

                                                     

Kim Fielding is another favourite author of mine. She's incredibly talented and I've never read a book of hers I don't like. She was represented on my Best of 2014 list with Brute - an incredible book that still haunts me. This year I read a lot of Ms Fielding's books, but the 2 that absolutely stood out were Rattlesnake and The Tin Box. Both are fantastic novels, and yet they's so incredibly different! I can't pick between the two to save my life!

I love Adrienne Wilder's writing! In the Absence of Light is an amazing book! Ms Wilder never shies away from difficult themes and this novel is no exception. Absolutely brilliant book!

I'm not a huge fantasy/sci-fi/paranormal fan, but this year I discovered two incredible fantasy series - Whyborne&Griffin is one of them. It's so good that I couldn't stop reading until I devoured the whole series! 

The other fantasy series I loved was Mermen of Ea. I've never read any books about mermen but let me tell you, this series is totally addictive! Highly recommend for fans of fantasy/adventure books!

I've probably - unintentionally - left out lots of books I loved this year, for which I'm sorry, but it was such a good year for the genre that it was difficult to choose just a handful. I'm so excited to see our little genre growing and so many talented authors getting more and more attention, and well-deserved recognition, outside of the MM romance clique. I hope 2016 will be even better and we'll see a ton of MM books in the Amazon Top100!

Most anticipated books of the summer

I seriously can't wait to get my hands on these beauties! 

Against the Grain by Charlie Cochet

This is the 5th instalment in Ms Cochet's THIRDS series. If you haven't read them yet, please do! One of the best shifter series out there. Seriously addicting. 

Book Description:

As the fiercest Defense Agent at the THIRDS, Destructive Delta’s Ash Keeler is foul-mouthed and foul-tempered. But his hard-lined approach always yields results, evident by his recent infiltration of the Coalition. Thanks to Ash’s skills and the help of his team, they finally put an end to the murdering extremist group for good, though not before Ash takes a bullet to save teammate Cael Maddock. As a result, Ash’s secrets start to surface, and he can no longer ignore what’s in his heart. 

Cael Maddock is no stranger to heartache. As a Recon Agent for Destructive Delta, he has successfully maneuvered through the urban jungle that is New York City, picking up his own scars along the way. Yet nothing he’s ever faced has been more of a challenge than the heart of Ash Keeler, his supposedly straight teammate. Being in love isn’t the only danger he and Ash face as wounds reopen and new secrets emerge, forcing them to question old loyalties.

Release date: August 3rd 2015

Pre-order at Dreamspinner Press

Sutphin Boulevard by Santino Hassel

Santino co-wrote my all time favourite series In the Company of Shadows. It's the best thing I've ever read so I think it's safe to say that I'll read anything he ever writes.

I'm super excited about this book! It's his first contemporary erotic romance and I just know it'll be AWESOME!

And what about that cover?? I'm in love!!!

Book Description:

Michael Rodriguez and Nunzio Medici have been friends for two decades. From escaping their dysfunctional families in the working-class neighborhood of South Jamaica, Queens to teaching in one of the city’s most queer friendly schools in Brooklyn, the two men have shared everything. Or so they thought until a sweltering night of dancing leads to an unexpected encounter that forever changes their friendship. 

Now, casual touches and lingering looks are packed with sexual tension, and Michael can’t forget the feel of his best friend’s hands on him. Once problems rear up at work and home, Michael finds himself seeking constant escape in the effortless intimacy and mind-blowing sex he has with Nunzio. But things don’t stay easy for long. 

When Michael’s world begins to crumble in a sea of tragedy and complications, he knows he has to make a choice: find solace in a path of self-destruction or accept the love of the man who has been by his side for twenty years.

Release date: July 31st 2015

Pre-oder at Dreamspinner Press 

On the Clock (a.k.a. Rolex's story)

On the clock is co-written by the epic co-writing duo Aleksandr Voinov and L.A.Witt. Their Market Garden series is an erotic gem! I absolutely love them! While the rest of the books in the series are more of a novella length, On the Clock promises an over 200 page goodness! I can't wait to dive into it and finally read Rolex's story.

Book Description:

When Blake Raleigh’s favorite rentboys retire from Market Garden, they’re sure their friend Jason will be a perfect replacement. Though Tristan and Jared are a tough act to follow, Blake returns to London to test out their recommendation.

Jason is right on the money. Negotiations turn him on. Getting paid turns him on. The higher the stakes, the hotter things get. Each trip to London is more expensive than the last, and the webcam sessions don’t run cheap, but Jason is well worth the sticker shock.

The more time they spend together, the more Blake wants, and not just sex and transactions. But Jason’s been burned before by men who thought they were in love with him, and he’s not making that mistake again. When the lines between personal and professional start to blur, it’s going to take more than money, jewelry, and sports cars to keep Jason from clocking out and walking away.

Release date: July 13th 2015

Pre-order at Riptide Publishing

Beneath the Stain by Amy Lane - review and random thoughts

This review contains lots of swearing, randomness and may not make much sense. Read at your own risk.

Beneath the Stain fucking wrecked me. 
I know, I know, it's my own damn fault. I was wishing for a WOW book so hard for the past few months and I got it, and dear Lord, I'm a mess.
I love Amy Lane. I've read a lot of her books - not every single one of them yet, because, man, her backlist is massive - but a lot of them. Definitely the more famous ones. Keeping Promises Rock is one of my favourite series ever, although it didn't make me sob like this damn book. 
Anyway, what I want to say before I say anything else is that Amy Lane can write EPIC stories. Like, stories spanning over years and including many characters, and when you're done you feel like you've just stepped out of their world, and you know them. Like, know KNOW them. Like they're real people that you know-know. 
Which leads to the second important thing I need to say - everyone says Amy Lane is the queen of angst. But her angst is different. It's not angst created to sell books, to raise ratings or to make books more emotional. It's not angst that's added to a story to make people sympathise with the characters  and make them feel like dicks when they say they don't like the book. How can you not? The poor bastard's dad abused him, his girlfriend dumped him and he lost his right arm. How can you say you didn't like it??
No, I fucking didn't. Too much FORCED angst and drama just make me roll my eyes, give it 3 stars and move on, not remembering a single thing about the book in a couple of da...errr weeks. 
Amy Lane's angst is REAL. Yeah, I know. How can it be real when it's MADE UP and in a book? Well, it can. It feels like she's been walking behind the characters with a notebook and writing down what happens to them. It doesn't feel like she's been sitting in her writing chair creating evil plans for those people. You get me?
Nobody's life is JUST miserable. Nobody has ONLY bad things happening to them. There's also sweet moments and laughter and sometimes plain boring lazy weekends.
OK, back to the book.
Beneath the Stain made me cry. (I. Do. Not. Cry. At. Books. Well, I can count the times I've cried because of a book on one hand.) But it also made me laugh. And made me lose sleep for 2 days until I finished it. And made me think. Man, I don't like that. Not because I'm shallow or anything (although a few people may disagree), but because if I start thinking about stuff I can't change, I overthink it and blow it out of proportion and get lost in the feeling of doom in my head.
Beneath the Stain wasn't focused on Mackey and Trav, not entirely. There were lots of other people, each with their own problems, and I like that. Never did I feel like there were too many secondary storylines and too many characters - like I said, Amy Lane can do that to a book.
The book also made me angry. I HATE people like Grant. When I meet someone like him, I just wanna shake them and bang their head against the wall until they see sense. I wanna shout: "You can't live your life for anybody else, you stupid fucker. There's only one life you get and you can't put your own happiness, your own LIFE, second to everyone else's. It's not selfless, it's stupid. It's not honourable, it's fucking STUPID."
Grant made me see red. I do not understand his choices and I wanted to hate him so much, but how could I? He was the one that suffered most because of his stupid selfless ways.
*sigh*
*deep breaths*
What more can I say? It's my favourite book of Amy Lane's. It's brilliantly written, emotional, beautiful, funny, sexy, sad and infuriating all at the same time. I loved everything about it even when I hated it. And that my friends is true love.