Friday, December 27, 2013

2013 Favorite Reads And A Small Giveaway To Say "Thank You"

2013 was year of ups and downs.

I never discussed what was going on in my personal life because I have never been one air dirty laundry. In a way it was therapeutic for me because it pushed me to look on the brighter side of things when I put together blog posts, added a status on facebook, or wrote a tiny tweet that disappeared into the ether. Because I didn't speak of it didn't mean there weren't moments when I questioned myself. Those--"What the hell am I doing?"--moments usually happened in the middle of the night surrounded by sleeping dogs, staring at manuscripts that suddenly became stagnant pieces of paper. Stress equals stress related illness. As soon as I recouped I fell back off the healthy train to start the cycle again.

Then an amazing thing happened. I received several emails regarding a crazy little story that I thought NO ONE but maybe 5 individuals would enjoy. Many people expressed their love for the story and asked me when the sequel for Alpha Trine would come out. That handful of communications pushed me and inspired me at a time I was almost out of fuel. I reassessed and rearranged. Made new 3-6-9-12 month plans, dusted off shelved ideas, and picked myself up.

So as a "Thank You" for your kind words and your excitement for the sequel, Striker, December 27th thru December 30th leave a comment and you'll be entered into the drawing for one of two $10 gift certificates for ARe (All Romance).

December 31st to January 2nd *points to the banner at the top of the page* I'm participating in the New Years Kisses Party. There will be a huge pool of giveaways for that party as well. I'm waiting for final details from Kay. Once I get them I'll post an update.

*rubs hands together* Now for the real fun stuff. BOOKS. I love talking about books and my favorite reads. Last year at this time I chose 300 books that I wanted to read in 2013....

I glanced through the list and realized I read everything but them. Well, not everything. I did get in a couple of books from the 2013 list. I only read a little over 100 books this year as well but still, what I did read didn't comprise even a third of what I had carefully selected. *grins* Well laid plans....

Like I said, I did read a little over 100 and a few were added to favorites list. I don't know about you but there are books that I love and I will reread them again and then there are books that I love but I probably won't read again. Usually, the ones that fall in the later category made me cry like a 2 year old. I enjoy a deeply emotional book on the occasion but I don't seek them out because I like my heart to stay firmly in my chest.

My list is a mixture of both categories. I don't think I can stick to a top 10 because seriously if I had to decide which ones were the favorite of the favorite I would be at this for days. This is supposed to be a fun exercise, not hard. Here we go in no particular order:



I love fairytales rewritten because I love to see how different but still recognize able the story is. This one hit the spot and I devoured it in no time flat.

I love Mary Calmes and would probably be reduced to a blubbering mess if I ever met her in person. Just saying. The characters were at times a little too perfect but I seriously do.not.care. It made me feel really good and that was more important to me.

You are bit by a vampire on the job and now you must see a psychiatrist. Loved it. The story was like a Victorian urban fantasy that I really enjoyed the feel of. I would devour a series by this now vampire cop.

I loved this idea of a broken vampire and I so wanted more of these two because their story had merely begun by the time the story ended. I so hope Hepburn continues with this.

Ugh! Loved the world, the mystery, the unveiling of Damien and what he can do. Can't wait for more.

I seriously hope this is a series. Vampire and human treasure hunting team. It's not exactly how I said it but it's the essence.

If you like reading mpreg this one I really enjoyed. There are two books in the series. The second is not mpreg but I enjoyed it just as much and looking forward to the third.

Historicals and I don't have a great history together. But this one was part fantasy so I gave it a go. Well written, great mystery, hot and sexy. Loved it. I already preordered the next one.

Never read Cardeno before this. This one made me cry but it will be on my reread list. I knew the crying would come simply by reading the summary but it's so good. I love m/m/m so I got my cake and icing.

Hands down, my favorite anthology of the year, possibly all time. All three stories were awesome. The middle story I bawled twice.

Seriously loved this. The setting, the characters, Petal, the snark, the humor. All of it worked for me.


Zombies and dystopia yet able to stay realistic with a splash of  romance.

I've already read this four times. I hunted Lyn down on FB and gushed. Sci-Fi, lite D/s, the world, the everything. I cannot wait for the next one.

Fresh and sexy but still able to keep the protagonist's lethal edge.

Last but not least, Locke and Key. Loved these stories of vampire handlers. I wanted more, more, more!  :)

34 comments:

  1. I loved The Magpie Lord and I'm very picky about historicals, I so wanna read the sequel*pouts*
    Did you read Sasha's story that comes out on New Year: Battle of Will?
    It's one of my favorites :)
    Captive Prince was another great discovery, but I had a book hangover after reading the two books and surprisingly there are not a lot of similar good written books.*sigh*

    Fehureads at gmail dot com

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    1. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the Magpie Lord. The next one is out in a month so the wait won't be too long.
      I recently preordered the Battle of Will and I'm looking forward to reading it. :) Very excited about it.
      Captive Prince keeps coming up on my radar but I haven't really looked into it yet. I'll have to remedy that. :)
      I have entered you into the drawing.

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  2. I was totally hooked by Magpie Lord and have preordered the next one too. I also loved Tali Spencer's book - I LOLed in some places, which does not usually happen to me.

    Susan
    skadlec1@yahoo.com

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    1. I adored the humor in Tali's book. There were many hysterical moments when I had to stop and just laugh until I was finished before I could read anymore. ^_^

      I have entered you into the drawing.

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  3. Some I've already got on my list or have bought, but I'd not seen the Lyn Gala one. I'm definitely intrigued now. Thanks for sharing with us!

    May 2014 hold many more joy-filled moments for you, Lexi. Thank you for reminding us how important reaching out is. Sometimes it makes all the difference, and sometimes it just brings a smile. Both are very good reasons to take the time.

    Carolyn
    caroaz [at] ymail [dot] com

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    1. Thank you so very much, Carolyn! Obviously I loved Lyn's book. Sci-fi with a bit of alien but not mixed with a unique world. Loved the detail. :)

      I have you entered into the drawing.

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  4. Some of these stories are new to me so I'll have to check them out. Wishing you a Happy New Year!
    strive4bst(AT) yahoo(Dot) com

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    1. Happy New Year to you as well!! May you never run out of books to read! :)

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  5. Thanks so much for the giveaway! I've read and loved a lot of the books on your list. I hope to see more of the Drinker X universe and am waiting on pins and needles for sequels for most of the books you listed, including Striker!. I love the books from LT3. The ones on your list I haven't read yet, I'll have to check out!
    One author I discovered this year not on your list is Ariel Tachna. She writes lots of different LGBT romance in different genre (Lang Downs is contemporary Aussie Westerns, Partnership in Blood is vampires, werewolves and others, etc.).

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    1. Whoops. Forgot to add my email. dreamseeker331(a)gmail(dot)com

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    2. Tweeted with Sasha yesterday and there will be more stories in the Drinker X universe! I can't wait to get my grubby little hands on them. Oh, I bought Partnership in Blood series when Dreamspinner had their sale. I'll have to look at Lang Downs. Thanks for the recommendations!

      I have you entered into the drawing.

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  6. Your list of favourites matches includes many of mine as well. I am so looking forward to 2014 and the sequels to many of them, especially Angel's, KJ's, Lyn's and yours. Will we also see a continuation of your Fated world? While scifi is my favourite genre, historicals are a close second and I loved Ewan and Roi so much. :-)
    kalimar2010 @ gmail.com

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    1. I'm highly anticipating the sequels as well! Trying to hold onto my patience. ^_^ I'm tickled you loved Roi and Ewen! I'm actually working on completing Fated right now. The title is Fate and Destinies. It's sitting at 57k and it looks like it will end up around 100k.

      I have you entered into the drawing.

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    2. Happy New Year Lexi! The news about Fate and Destinies caused much rejoicing here and I'll try to hold onto my patience as well. ;-)
      Thank you so much for the gift of the ARe certificate. It was a lovely way to start 2014.

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    3. Happy New Year, Kali-Mar! You are more than welcome. Enjoy the new year. Did you catch the Fate and Destinies prologue I posted here on the blog? It's not edited but it's a nice window into what is to come. Have a great day!

      http://lexiander.blogspot.com/2013/12/excerpt-from-fate-and-destinies.html

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  7. I loved THICK AS THIEVES myself, but I think that's the only one on this list that I've read! I also adored Edmond Manning's KING MAI (hard to top KING PERRY, but somehow he did it!), Eden Winters' COLLUSION, Tara Lain's CATACLYSMIC SHIFT, and Teegan Loy's THE MAGIC BROOM. (Isa K's HOW TO QUIT PLAYING HOCKEY was a great discovery, but that wasn't a 2013 release...) Thanks so much!

    Trix, vitajex(at)Aol(Dot)com

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    1. Ooh! *scribbling down names and titles* Thank you for the recommendations, Trix!

      I have you entered into the drawing.

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  8. I have read several of the books on your list and you have given me food for thought on a couple of them. Angel Martinez can do no wrong and I have never read a book I didn't love written by her, Cardeno C and Megan Derr are also on my autobuy lists, I especially love Megan's longer novels. Mary Calmes has been a bit hit and miss with me lately, I loved the Matter of Time and Change of Heart series but I've read a couple of her shorter books where I get irritated with the secondary characters and 2 of her books I had to delete because I got so angry with them (Frog and the lastest one Old Loyalty New Love) that I knew I could never read them again. Lyn Gala's Claimings book was awesome and I really hope she writes more about this world, it was really interesting. I cannot wait for Striker to come out and await the release date with great anticipation.

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    1. I know what you mean about the shorter books, especially if it's really angsty. I need the extra chapters just bring me down from the level of combustible ire the first part of the book stokes in me. It's hard for me to go from thinking a character is a complete jerk-wad to oh, I forgive you in ten pages. I need groveling, lots and lots of groveling. ^_^

      I have you down for the drawing, Karen.

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    2. Hey, Karen. Where would you like me to send your ARe bucks?

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    3. Oh sorry I thought my email address was on this and thank you very much! My email address is karenbierton@gmail.com.

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    4. No worries! I sent your ebucks to you! Happy New Year!

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  9. Locke and Key is definitely a good one. I think it's loosely connected to Megan's Midsummer verse, which is a fun read too.

    Please include me in the giveaway! mell88@nycap.rr.com

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    1. Is it connect to the Midsummer verse? I didn't catch that. *waggles eyebrows* Ha. A reason to reread both! :)

      I have you entered into the drawing.

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    2. In Midsummer Moon a hunter visits the Top vampire, Sally. That's really the only overlap, but it's enough to know that the two worlds are connected.

      Thank you very much for hosting such a fun giveaway!

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  10. I loved Alpha Trine so I am very happy you decided to write a sequel.
    Its kinda funny that most of your of favorites are already in my TBR pile or on my wishlist. Now I know that I need to move them up the line. Thank you!
    Michelle

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    1. Thank you, Michelle! I'm so tickled you enjoyed Alpha Trine. I hope you enjoy Striker just as much.

      My TBR relist is forever growing. I buy more books than I can read in a year's time. Sales kill my pocket book!

      I have you entered in the drawing.

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    2. Hey, Michelle. Where would you like me to send your ARe bucks? If you need to you can email me at lexi.ander.us@gmail.com

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  11. OH my god yes~~~ I loved Old Loyalty, New Love. <3 <3 Mary Is my MUST HAVE author. always. lol
    Cardeno C is my new love in authors. lol.... More than Everything was such a sweet read.
    Haha... and I actually really loved Thick as Thieves too. It was hilarious but at the same time, so serious and dark. I loved it!

    So happy to hear the sequel to Alpha Trine is coming. I don't send author emails because I'll only be able to express how much I "loved" the book. It's not something they, or you, haven't heard before so I really can't bring myself to send mail. LOL... and... I get nervous. lol...
    But happy you're in a better place now. :3 ehehe... I look forward to your future books! <3

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    1. Oh, I know what you mean. I've sent an author-email here and there and they usually go something like, "OMG!!!!!! I LOVED your story." Nothing really constructive, just gushing, and then later my head is on the desk as I'm thinking, 'way to go Lexi, dazzle them with your brilliant monosyllables.'

      Thank you for your kind words, Judi. {{hugs}} Even here, they mean a lot to me.

      I have you entered into the drawing.

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  12. I've only read Locke & Key out of all of these books, but some of them are high on my TBR list in the new year. ^__^

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    1. Locke & Key had been sitting on my virtual shelf for more than year. It was responsible for me spending a week reading everything Megan Derr that I had already purchase. That was a great week. ^_^

      I have you entered in the drawing.

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  13. Probably 2/3 of these are already on my TBR, and I need to add more! I will never be able to get through all the books I want to read, but I will have hella fun trying. :)

    ashley.vanburen[at]gmail[dot]com

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    1. I am always adding to my TBR shelf. I may not be able to get through them all in a timely manner but is sure is fun trying to. ^_^

      I have you entered in the drawing.

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