Dot's Top Authors for 2017

So, I had this great idea to do a top 10 reads for 2017. Fun, right? Nope. Because I read over 100 books in 2017 - new and old. My list went from 10 to 20 to 30 and I kept going "Ooh, that was a 5 star read, it needs to be on the list." Well, this went on for a week. So today, the second day of the new year, I have decided to just write a list of authors you should be reading and include some of their latest releases or my favorites.


So...HERE GOES.


1. Colleen Hoover
 (No big surprise there.) Hoover released Without Merit in 2017 and I have to admit, this one has been stuck with me sense I read it. It may be bumping Hoover's Confess out of my number one spot for my favorites.


2. Kandi Steiner
If you haven't picked up Steiner yet, I have no idea what you're waiting for. Seriously! There are a few of her books that I have not read yet (older ones), but I will get to them. I am going to sign up for less new releases this year so I can enjoy some of the books sitting on my TBR. Pick up Palm South University: Seasons 1-3 (I seriously hope she's writing more of this), Weightless, On the Way to You, and Revelry... Sure, I want you to get all of her books, but these are a few of my favorites. Steiner gives it to you real and raw. I'm not sure how she does it, but I am in awe of her writing. On the Way to You left me feeling so raw and open, that I wanted to reread it just to make sure that it was real.


3. Marie Skye
I am not sure how I came in contact with Skye, but boy am I glad I did. She has a knack for writing great character development that catapults you into the storyline wishing you had someone speak beautiful words to you. The Incapable Series...whew. But, you want to know something strange? Her short stories in the Anthologies she's participated in were my favorites, thus far. So check out Fourteen Shades of F*cked Up and Six: A Men of the Strip Anthology. Hot reads! So good.


4. Brittainy C. Cherry
All I have to say is Behind the Bars. If you haven't read it, you need to get off of my blog right now and go read it. Like now. I am still working on her Elements Series, but I am loving those too. Cherry is so very talented and I can't wait to read more of her work.


5. Whitney Barbetti
I guess I am just a sucker for a good romance. I was introduced to Barbetti after posting in the Cohort's group that I was in labor and it would be a long night. A nice woman offered to gift me a book and she sent me Into the Tomorrows to give me something to do while I waited for the birth of my beautiful baby boy in June of 2016. After I read this one, I gobbled up each and every one of Barbetti's books. I was a goner. Barbetti writes like she loves words. Like they are the only thing that matters. I remember highlighting things and simply being in awe, saying things like "whoa" or "wow" in the notes sections because the words just spoke to me.


6. Cassie Graham
I stumbled upon Graham through a promo site that I subscribe to. I remember just saying, "Why not," when I clicked yes to Who Needs Air. It was a rerelease of it, I believe. But it was so beautifully written that I was glad I took a chance on it. More people should read it. And let's not forget to mention the Wilder Boys...umm..yes!


7. Staci Hart
She captured my heart in 2017 (officially) with A Little Too Late. I don't know what it was about this story, but I was officially a fan after that. I mean, I loved her clever take on the Greek Gods in her Hearts and Arrows series, but A Little Too Late put that all to shame.


8. S.L. Scott
She's clever and witty and everything you would want in an author. Everest is a must read.


9. Meghan Quinn
Twisted Twosome was funny and exciting. She has a lot more books that I have yet to read, but they are on my TBR waiting for me.


10. Max Monroe
Now, don't you think that because they are number 10 on my list is in any way a depiction of them being at the bottom of the barrel. Save the best for last, ya know? If you like a great love story that makes you laugh out loud?? Max Monore is the duo for you! Even their emails are freaking hilarious! Billionaire Bad Boys, Alex in Wonderland.... THATCH! And word around the street is Quinn is next. Yum...yes..and yum.




Honorable Mentions:
Stylo Fantome (Twin Estates series is bomb)
Annita L. Jackson (New Urban Author with great potential in storytelling)
B. Love (Beautifully written stories)
Latoya Nicole (Her storytelling is good, potential to make the list for 2018 if she works on editing a bit)


There are plenty more, but I hope to have a bigger list for next year!


That's it folks! Happy 2018.


My first read for the year will be The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Suddenly Us by Marie Skye

• Rating: 4.5 out 5 stars
• Recommend: YES! DOUBLE YES!
• Standalone book, but we do see some of our favorite characters from previous books. 
• Triggers: There is an attack in a dark alley that could possibly trigger someone.
• Release date: 4/11/2017
• Read time: 1 day
• Received ARC in exchange for an honest review

Blurb (courtesy of Goodreads- add to your tbr here):

Gwen
Love. Who needs that? Who would want that? Who hasn't had their heart split in two, because they were never their first option, and damn sure their second. I have. But I stayed. Why did I stay? It was love. I wanted to finally feel that I was wanted. It didn't matter if he thought I was worthless. It didn't matter if he degraded me, because he felt like it. Any love is better than no love...right?

Hawkins
Every day, I'm haunted and tormented. When, I look in the mirror I see a failure. A failure that let people that needed me down. I worry that it will happen again. If it happens to the people I care about the most, I don't think I could live with myself. Can I put my torturous past behind me and start to enjoy life? Especially now that I have a reason to live it?

******

This is where I tell you that you need to walk away from this review if you do not want this book spoiled for you. But, before you close out of it, please do me a favor and buy this. I promise, it will entertain you, pull at your heart strings and have you cursing out the characters.

So, the plot of this story, right? Hmm..where do I start? Boy meets girl, girl and boy both chase each other away and then finally find their happy ending together. But there is so much more than that. I know, it is a typical plot and a little rushed for my liking (which is why I gave it 4.5 out of 5 stars), but for what it is worth, the layers and complexity of the characters did it for me. And Marie Skye is climbing up to be a top 5 favorite author. Yes, that is pretty big, I know. And it kind of sounds weird that I gave this book a 4.5 and it is sealing her standing on my list, right? Well, I'm not to be understood. 

I just wanted a little more. What that is? I am not too sure. It took me a day to read it. So, that means I didn't want to put it down. (And NOT because my review was due!) I actually finished last night, but was too tired to type this out and needed a moment to process. Enough about me.

My new hashtag for this book is #canihaveaHawkinsplease 

Oh, layers...I love when authors write more about minor characters from other books (but only when I have read those books ha!). And I am getting the weird idea that we will see more of these folks. 

Purchase Suddenly Us on Amazon. *Free for Kindle Unlimited Members*

***Cover Reveal*** Suddenly Us by Marie Skye

SUDDENLY US

Author: Marie Skye

Cover Designer: T.E. Black Designs

Gwen

Love. Who needs that? Who would want that? Who hasn't had their heart split in two, because they were never their first option, and damn sure their second. I have. But I stayed. Why did I stay? It was love. I wanted to finally feel that I was wanted. It didn't matter if he thought I was worthless. It didn't matter if he degraded me, because he felt like it. Any love is better than no love...right?

Hawkins

Every day, I'm haunted and tormented. When, I look in the mirror I see a failure. A failure that let people that needed me down. I worry that it will happen again. If it happens to the people I care about the most, I don't think I could live with myself. Can I put my torturous past behind me and start to enjoy life? Especially now that I have a reason to live it?

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34609099-suddenly-us

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Incapable by Marie Skye

Rating: 4 out of 5
Rated: XXX (it's for the mature crowd)
Recommend: Yes
Book one of a series
Will I read the next ones? SURE

Amazon synopsis and you can purchase here:

"Emmalin Gone. Everything I ever had is gone. Ripped away, taken before I was ready. So I just hid. Hid in the shadows, hoping to disappear, blending in, fade away. I didn't want to be found, and I sure as hell didn’t want, to be discovered. But one man did. He saw me. Saw right through me. He's overbearing, egotistical, and did I mention a total asshole? When I'm with him, I want to scream. Punch him. And then have him rip my clothes off. I gave him one night. He wants more. And so do I. I'm his. Grayson Mandrake owns me. Grayson I take, because I can. I claim, because I can. She was mine the moment I saw her, and I will destroy her soul to keep her. Have her. Own her. I'm ruthless, and relentless. A total asshole. And I will do anything for her. Emmalin Ross is mine. This is PART ONE of the Incapable series. Warning: This series has a foul-mouthed male, dirty talk, and strong sexual content. Intended for mature audiences 18+ only."

***Spoilers to follow***

Whew. It was HOT! I would have given it a 5 out of 5, but I believe Marie Skye has potential with her writing. It was super sexual, but I just needed more substance. Maybe Riley Jean spoiled me a bit with that almost 6 day read...I just don't like that I had to read so much to learn that the main character had green eyes. And all of a sudden they're this beautiful thing to the other main character. I know, such a minute detail, but if I am going to fall in love with a character, I want to know more about them than the movement of a piece of hair behind her ear. I get it. It's a sweet gesture, but what else?

So...the green eyed girl is Emmalin. She's got everything going against her. She's working two jobs and barely making ends meet. She's obviously incredibly smart because she does freelance work in accounting. But she has demons (don't we all?). But her demon came in the form of her stepfather who we put the pieces together eventually that he is raping her. We learn that she has so much tragedy in her life that she has a fear of all things that involve love and being restrained. 

In comes Grayson Mandrake...beautiful blue eyes (we learn this from the start), rich (really really rich), handsome, a playboy...Are you getting the Christian Gray feel? Yeah, me too. But I digress. He has his demons too. Tragedy struck at a young age for him also...So, why are these two good for one another? Because they bring out the best in one another. Everyone else sees it, but Emmalin has a hard time accepting it. Did I mention he was into bondage?

There were other mention-able characters: Tyler- Emmalin's best friend. Chace- Grayson's best friend. I am hopeful to learn a bit more about the both of them. But I have to take a pause on these books because of other books that I have to read. But I promise you, I will be back for more of this sexy, saucy, raunchy book.

To have your book reviewed by Dot: Send all request to dotsdeets@gmail.com