Mid-Year Favorites

So, we obviously missed the exact halfway point of the year, but it's not too late to post our mid-year favorite reads! Sharon and I decided to post an in depth list of our favorites of the year so far because we never miss a chance to recommend awesome books to y'all! Plus it will be interesting to compare our mid-year favorites post with our favorite books of the year post when the time comes at the end of the year. Will we read new favorite books in the 5 remaining months? Or will the list stay relatively the same? Only time and reading a whole bunch of books will tell! And now onto our favorites:

1) Me, Him, Them, & It by Caela Carter - at first I wasn't interested in reading a book about teen pregnancy because I have a lot of teenage mom friends and I didn't want to read a preachy book but WOW. Me, Him, Them, & It was not preachy. It was raw and I'm so so so glad I gave it a chance. You should too.

2) Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices, #1) by Cassandra Clare - after hearing all the amazing things about TID series, I thought the hype monster will ruin another perfectly good series for me and even though I read the Mortal Instruments series and really liked it, I was still scared but boy, was I WRONG. Never in a million years did I think I was going to love this book as I hard as I did.  (My review.)

3) Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices, #2) by Cassandra Clare - I was surprised at how much I loved Clockwork Angel and well, Clockwork Prince surprised me too. Second Book Syndrome, WHAT? This book went above and beyond. How does Clare do it? I haven't read it yet but mark my words, Clockwork Princess will be in my favorites of the year list at the end of the year because now I'm a believer. (My review.)

4) Dark Triumph (His Fair Assassin, #2) by R.L. LaFevers - I LOVED Grave Mercy (my review) and didn't think this companion could live up to it but (do I sense a theme? Loving the books that take me by surprise?) Robin LaFevers did it. Dark Triumph was a dark and mature page-turner and if you haven't read Robin LaFevers yet, you're doing it wrong.

5) Burning by Elana K. Arnold - yeah, yeah, yeah, we know. This book took you by surprise, Racquel. How predictable am I for my love for the unpredictable?

1) Unravel Me (Shatter Me, #2) by Tahereh Mafi - This is the only book (excepting re-reads) that I have rated 5 stars since I started blogging in 2011. I just. The feels, the writing, this book has everything. I just want to go hug it to me. Right now. (My review)

2) The Indigo Spell (Bloodlines, #3) by Richelle Mead - ADRIAN IVASHKOV. DUH. (Racquel inserted this as a placeholder for me, but I'm just going to leave it because YES.)

3) Of Poseidon (Of Poseidon, #1) by Anna Banks - I was honestly surprised by my love for this book! I was a bit hesitant going in, because I'm not a big mermaid fan. It was so good, though! (My review)

4) Shut Out by Kody Keplinger - I know I'm in the minority with this one, but I loved it more than The Duff.  It had a humor, heart, a great message, and an appeal that made me finish it in the blink of an eye. (My review)

5) Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson  - I was so scared the hype monster was going to ruin this one for me, BUT NO! I was pleasantly surprised that it deserved every mention I'd seen. (My review)

1) Crystal Cove (Friday Harbor, #4) by Lisa Kleypas - It's LISA KLEYPAS. Of course it's a favorite. Come on, everyone knows that. And if you don't know:

Hi, my name is Racquel and Lisa Kleypas is my favorite author. She's the best ever.

2) Knight (Unfinished Hero, #1) by Kristen Ashley - the sexual tension was off the charts in this book and the hero was so intense. (My review.)
3) Love Irresistibly (FBI / US Attorney, #4) by Julie James - each book Julie James publishes is better than the one before it and Love Irresistibly proved this true. She managed to top her 5 other books and I say that even though those 5 books are all in my all-time-favorite list. Right now, Julie James is THE best contemporary romance writer. Her stories are smart and sexy and I love how her heroines are badass women who give the heroes a run for their money. (My review.)
4) Making It Last (Camelot, #4) by Ruthie Knox - I honestly think I'm the biggest fan of this novella. Really. This is definitely one of the most romantic stories I've ever read because it's so damn real. It takes places after the HEA. When the hero and heroine got married, had the kids and the house and happy. It's beautiful, it's heartbreaking and satisfying and it's Knox's best.
5) The Story Guy by Mary Ann Rivers - thanks to Mary Ann Rivers, I will never be prejudiced against novellas again but this is a fully fleshed beautiful story

 

1) Love Irresistibly (FBI / US Attorney, #4) by Julie James - For all the reasons Racquel listed above! This book was wonderful and captured my heart in a way most contemporary romances have failed at doing for me lately.

1) To Sir Phillip, With Love (Bridgertons, #5) by Julia Quinn - I only recently read Julia Quinn but once I got started, I spent a week+ locked up in my room reading Bridgerton novel after the other and To Sir Phillip, With Love is my favorite from the bunch.

2) Nearly a Lady by Alissa Johnson - This was such a delightful book! I've never loved a historical romance heroine more and I loved how the heroine and hero actually TALKED. When they fought, instead of letting it fester to a BIG DEAL, they talked it out. It was ridiculously sweet and this is a historical romance MUST. (My review.)
3) Yours Until Dawn by Teresa Medeiros - I tried to think of different things to say but I haven't come up with anything so I'll just say it: I was so surprised with how good this book is. The dialogue was spectacular and there is a big twist I did not see coming AT ALL and I loved being blown away by a plot twist.
4) A Lady Awakened (Blackshear Family, #1) by Cecilia Grant - I read this one based on Ruthie Knox's rec because I fully trust her and of course, she was not wrong. The romance is oh so slow, like you've never seen it before and the hero has to rely on intellect to make the heroine like him. It was perfect. So perfect.

1) Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale - THIS BOOK, you guys. Wow. It is a unique and game-changing historical romance, and I adored it! It is not the easiest read, but so worth the effort.  (My review)
2) A Notorious Countess Confesses (Pennyroyal Green, #7) by Julie Anne Long - This book has ALL the simmering slow burn, and if there's one way to my heart, that would be it. Great characters and interaction make for a lovely cherry on top! (My review)
3) It Happened One Midnight (Pennyroyal Green, #8) by Julie Anne Long - I could not get enough of this book. I only read it a few weeks ago, and I want to read it again. It has magnificent bantering and chemistry and heart. (My review)
4) One Good Earl Deserves a Lover (The Rules of Scoundrels, #2) by Sarah MacLean - I had so much fun reading this book! It had great build-up and such an entertaining premise. Also, for the record, I listened to it on audiobook, and two thumbs up for the narrator! (Racquel's review)

1) Anatomy of a Boyfriend (Anatomy, #1) by Daria Snadowsky - I have never read anything quite like this series before. Hilarious yet so realistic at the same time. Usually realistic = death, grief, sorrow and such but there is more to it than that and Daria Snadowsky proves that. She wrote about a perfectly normal girl growing up and it made me laugh out loud and I loved it for it's realism that I haven't read in a YA book before. (I know I put this under NA but I wanted it by it's sequel Anatomy of a Single Girl which is 100% NA. Anatomy of a Boyfriend starts with Dom in highschool but then she graduates and attends college which is my definition of NA. So it's both. Even though I said a book can't be both. I'm eating my words now!)

2) Anatomy of a Single Girl (Anatomy, #2) by Daria Snadowsky - Daria Snadowsky hit the jackpot not once, but twice because Anatomy of a Single Girl is just as funny and realistic as Anatomy of a Boyfriend. I love how Daria Snadowsky explores themes everyone transitioning into adulthood experiences and she did it so freaking well while also making managing to make it fun. Everyone needs to read this series.

3) Where I End and You Begin by Andra Brynn - Wow. Wow. Wow. So well written. Beautiful. Just read it. (My review.)

1) The Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning - Where to start with this series? It has angst, fun, romance, intrigue, Fae unlike any I've seen written before, and Jericho Barrons. And it takes place in Ireland. Hello!  (Read why I'm so in love with these books in my spoiler-free series review!)

2) Lover Awakened (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #3) by J. R. Ward - I have one word for you. No, I can go one better. I have one letter: Z. This book makes me want to swoon and keymash and all the crazy things. It is SO FANTASTIC. I haven't continued with the series yet, because I'm afraid books will pale in the light of this one. I do need to press through, though, I know.

So this is a pretty extensive list and I hope it changes by the end of the year because we want to read more favorites! Are any of these your favorite books?

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