The Best and the Worst of '11

Every year we wait "patiently" for the new releases in our favorite series waiting to see what's in store for our "friends" in their world. In several instances I was amazed at what I read. Some of the amazement was in wonder and the continuation of a fantastic story told with craftsmanship, skill, and pathos. The rest of the amazement was rage at what had to be the STUPIDEST choice that author could make in terms of that story, honestly, do they think the reader is dumb? That was before I came to the conclusion that I paid good money for the book.

You have TWO CHOICES.

Fae you are a genius! This is a perfect poll and I will go ahead and be the first to name my 2 biggest F-ups this year.. Mead and Neill for me.. As far as I am concerned those two books could have been handled way differently.. Just my opinion...

My biggest disappointments weren't on the poll, so I voted for 2 of my favorites.
I've also discovered some new authors this year that I love love love:
Kevin Hearne
John G. Hartness
Darynda Jones
I found plenty of other established authors that are new to me in 2011 too - it's been a great year of reading!

My decision to skip the Chicagoland Vampire series is based on all the bad reviews the last 2 books have gotten. (Doesn't help that the ebooks are overpriced, imo.)
I also couldn't get excited enough about Dead Reckoning to pick it up because I didn't enjoy Dead in the Family. I heard DR is good, but I have no motivation to read it. Sad to see a series I love peter out.

I agree that Dead In The Family seemed to be where the Sookie series went wrong. I was hoping Dead Reckoning would be a book to bring the series back. I had hope. I don't think it was abysmally horrid like Iron Crossed (I'm still pissed about that) but more of a book that just fell flat.

I also love your idea of adding new series/authors you found this year, Dopp. 2011 brought me Ty & Zane by Urban&Roux and The Rifter Serial by Ginn Hale.

It seems like about the time she came to dead in the family she was just getting bored of her own series but in my opinion by dead recoking she almost wrote like she didn't care anymore. I thought the characters didn't even seem like thereselves. Almost like they have swapped personalities. But in the end I still read it and I will read it till the last book as I will with the Authors who piss me off cause I have this OCD about having to know whats going to happen next.. Just call me looney toones!

There were some great Authors introduced to me this year. I would have to say my top list would be Karen Marie Moning, Darynda Jones and JR Ward! I know 2 of them have been around for a few years but not to me. I loved there stories to the point I could reread them over and over and never be bored.

I was just really disappointed in Neill with what went down and as much as I love Meads Succubus series having IC go so crazy just pissed me off..

Hi all

Great poll FLF

I went with my fav of the year which was Pale Demon, and then one I thought was the worst which was Hard Bitten. If I could have had a combo choice of HB and DD by CN, then that would have been more fitting IMO.

Well honestly I find it a hard choice for the worst IC, HB and even sad to say DR where all in the same league when it came to disappointing. Like Jen I will continue to the read the series, hey I have come this far with them and still hope they will comeback. With Sookie thou I'd have to agree I think CH is over the series, but only two bad books to go if that is the case. Fever is my favourite, but I have not got the other two brilliant series yet.

Two of the WORST BOOKS EVER....HB and DR! Yuck...awful.

I chose favorites too...

2shay wrote:

Two of the WORST BOOKS EVER....HB and DR! Yuck...awful.

Tell us how you really feel, Shay. LOL

Shay! Maybe will get super dooper lucky and CH next book out in may wont suck.. It could happen. Maybe!

You guys can read it first and let me know.

Dead Reckoning, Iron Crossed and Drink Deep were some of the worst reads for me this yr..

The best I think have been Magic Slays, Shadowfever, Dead on the Delta, Magic on the Line, Pale Demon, If I Die, Clockwork Prince and Hunt the Moon.. it's been a pretty good year for books for me.

I'm looking forward to Before I wake (Rachel Vincent), Blood on the Bayou (Stacey Jay), A Perfect Blood (Kim Harrison), Iced (KMM), Magic Without Mercy (Devon Monk), Gunmetal Magic (Ilona Andrews) and Fury's Kiss (Karen Chance)... I cant wait!!

There have been good books this year. Darynda Jones and CL Parker wrote some really good stuff. Loved Shadowfever even though it didn't really give me the resolution I wanted. Manny and Payne's book was pretty good....didn't rock my world the way LM did. I think Chlow Neill has lost me for good, so has CH. I am just done with them. They are going over to the LKH file...done.

And then I read The Scottish Prisoner. THE BEST book of the year, IMO. Totally in a class by itself.

Josh had one book I loved..CUTYS, and one that was a little disappointing..Dead Run. Ty and Zane are always good and the last book was no exception.

There were a lot of books and series that I enjoyed. Found ZA Maxfield. Found Laura Harner. Found Rachel Vincent....Shifters rocked! Found Pamela Clare....I-Team is special! Others, too. Lots of good reading.

THE SCOTTISH PRISONER.....my pick for best book of the year. Everything else is way down the list.

Scottish Prisoner was exceptional. If the Goodreads Choice voting hadn't started before it released, it would have cleaned house.

I chose GhosTV as my favourite book because well, I dearly loved it, and I haven't read any of the other books, so can't pick a "bad" favourite!
JCP made such a brilliant universe with PsyCop, I love every little tidbit of it and even started naming my painkillers my Auracels! lol -- Better not call them that at the pharmacy at restock day....

GAWD..I love our honesty here

Because we CAN be honest here!
Thank you all for that!

Okay. I didn't read DR so I have no opinion on it. I will finish this series. CH hasn't ruined it for me. Just writing filler books that I could do without. I won't buy the next one. I'll get it from the library and if it's awesome. I'll buy it.

My worst book of the year is IC. It was absurdly stupid. Why create this fabulous world and characters just to ruin it to fill a book???? WTF?? I don't get it. RM has lost me for good because she obviously thinks I'm too stupid to notice her characters have changed their personalities. Oh and Eugenie is now the stupidiest woman on the planet and Dorians I really do feel insulted!

Hard Bitten. CN tried to pull a KH and failed! Ethan was CLV for me. There was no point in it. After the last book I'm not happier. The reunion scene was so LAME!!! It could have been great I will be done with this series unless you guys tell me to get back to it. Uhhhggg...this is the biggest disappointment for me because I really did love this series. CLV

Now the good stuff............

I LOVED Pale Demon! Pure awesomeness. It surprises me since I seem to like a good amount of smut in my books and didn't miss it at all. I got a few kisses and that was good for me. This book was everything a great book should be and more. I still wish we got some more Trent and Rachel love but I think it's coming

My favorite has to be Shadowfever. That series is amazing and I know I'll NEVER read anything like it again. I was okay with not getting all the answers. I read it three times that month! Barrons is my sexiest man. It was dark,sexy and fascinating. I have never dedicated as much time to thinking or talking about a series. I know we said book, but I can't seperate SF. The Fever series just feels likes one long journey

GhostTV was great! I know that's short but this post is long

Since everyone else did, I want to mention some new favorites.

Josh Lanyon! I'm so happy that FLF and Swede found him for me. Thinking about AE gives me the swoony feeling everytime I think of them. It was hard sometimes but that just made it even better in the end.

Ethan Day The man can write some funny shit! I Ethan Day!

Ty and Zane are my new obsession now that AE and Fever are over. I don't know what I haven't said about them but they are my favorite couple! I'd dying to know anything and everything abuot them.

So many other great reads this year. Finding the m/m genre has opened up my options and I'm loving it!

In this group the best for me was Pale Demon. Second is Shadow fever.

The worst to me was Hard Bitten...hated how book lacked eotion when Ethan returned,,felt it was huge letdown. The I have to say Dead Reckoning..CH is dragging series too long and not sewing up loose threads. She really doesnt seem to care and hates to be questioned,so shes tied for worst for me.

I wish Alpha was on cause that one also ended poorly.

And I agree hands down best book of year is Scittish Prisoner!

I voted for my two favorites. Shadow Fever BARRONS is all I have to say! And Pa
le Demon , Rachel definitely kept me on my toes LOVED these two books probably my two favs yet to date