2016 was filled with great books, awesome authors, and 2 amazing signing events.  I even managed to surpass my Goodreads Reading Challenge.  Woo hoo!  I met some incredible authors this year and in my annual wrap up I want to make sure you know them too!

1.  Becca Vincenza turned me on to shifter romance in her book, Hexed Hearts.  I was a crying blubbering fool right off the bat and I loved it.  The emotion she weaves with words is ah-mazing. 

2.  Jennifer Malone Wright is my newest addiction.  I have been devouring her books all year.  How was she not on my radar before?  Jenn is a brilliant writer and if you arent reading her work, you should be.  

3.  C.C. Hunter's Shadow Falls series is a must have on your shelf.  I have not read the last book in the series yet because there is a breakoff series I have to read first.  But trust me she needs to be on your radar. (She probably already is I am just late on the scene, lol.)

4.  Bella Forrest is by no means underrated.  I just don't follow NYT best sellers lists or the masses in general so it took me a while to stumble upon her.  I am currently devouring her A Shade of Vampire series.  Two books in 3 days while busting my but at work to finish the year end stuff is no small feat.  My next 4 days off will be spent at The Shade!  I cannot wait to get back into this world.

Not to toot my own horn or anything but I am so proud of 3 things I accomplished in 2016.  Okay so I am blasting my own horn but hey I am excited!

You guys know that R.K. Ryals is my all time favorite author.  She could write the ingredients down for making soup and I would love it.  Regina speaks to my soul with her writing.  We are soul sisters at heart.  But enough about her, lol.  I am estatic to say that my review was quoted on her book the Best I Could.  When your idol loves your review enough to put it on her back cover, just wow. 

The Best I Could is a raw, personal, gut wrenching novel. The emotion she invokes with her writing, the lessons she weaves in, and the tears she leaves behind; simply put she speaks to my soul. ~ Lynn 2 Girls & A Book

2 Girls & A Book was a proud sponsor at Stacey Rourke's first author signing and ball, Once Upon A Book.  This event was off the chain.  Rourke out did herself.  Best signing I have attended!  I am happy to announce 2 Girls is a sponsor for the 2017 signing as well.

Lastly, I blew my Goodreads challenge up!  I was a readign machine this year. I just hope I can do that well in 2017.

Running a blog is a lot of work.  Don't get me wrong, I love it but it is very time consuming.  This year Crystal Gray joined the team. While she was green to blogging, I have to say she caught on quick and has been such an assett to blog.  Thank you, Crystal, for accepting the challenge and doing such a wonderful job.  And for becoming a great friend along the way.  Cannot wait to see what we accomplish in 2017!

Crimson Cove Mysteries is my favorite series by Tara Brown.  You MUST READ this series.  Just when you think it cannot get any more bizarre Tara throws you a curve ball!

Love, lilies, and a lady in black? Some things you expect in the spring in Crimson Cove, and others you don't. The five girls have come to expect it all over the course of the eight months, but when a woman in black starts haunting their footsteps not one of them is prepared for the tidings she brings. Or who she's related to. But as the residents of our favorite little town start to squirm under the pressure of the mounting numbers of deaths, the girls start to see the pattern in the crimes being committed. They start to see that no one is safe, because the killer can reach all four of the Crimson corners. Don't miss the frightening fourth book in The Crimson Cove Mystery Series.

(Click the cover to purchase)

Title: Christmas, Actually
Series: Christmas Town #1-3
By:  Anna Adams, Anna J. Stewart, and Melinda Curtis
Publication Date: November 1, 2014
Publisher: Harlequin Heartwarming
Genre: Romance/Holidays 

Discover the magic of Christmas Town, Maine! 
Jack Banning promised to support the mother of his unborn child… But she doesn't need money, she only needs him. 
Callie Banning's student has declared war on Christmas, so it's up to her to help the little girl—and her widowed father—believe again. 
Gina Vernay is about to meet her online mystery date…and she's in for the surprise of a lifetime!

I am a huge fan of Jennifer Malone Wright.  I love the wit and snarky banter i find in her books. Her female characters are bad ass and are not ashamed of it.  They own it!  Checkit out!
~ Lynn

This special edition of The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter contains parts I-VI, the complete collection. Fourteen-year-old Chloe witnesses her mother’s murder at the hands of a vampire. Before the vampire can kidnap her, there is an unexpected rescue by a group of vampire hunters. Overwhelmed by the feeling of safety, Chloe passes out and they whisk her away to their small community. When Chloe wakes, she comes face to face with the only other living relative, besides her mother, whom she has ever met: her grandfather. Chloe’s mother kept her hidden from the family; now, Chloe tries to unveil the family secrets. Through her grandfather, she learns her mother was a vampire hunter. In fact, her entire family is descended from the powerful bloodlines of vampire hunters. Chloe agrees to join the family she has never known for one reason only: Chloe vows to kill the vampire responsible for her mother’s murder. With vengeance in her soul, Chloe is even more determined to follow through on her vow when she discovers the true identity of her enemy and how he is connected to her. Experience the world of vampires hunter’s, vampires and mythology with Chloe in this exciting series.

OMG! This is by far one of the best audiobooks I have ever heard. The narrator did a phenomenal job. The writing and the story were gripping with action and suspense. At times I found myself holding my breath, gripping the steering wheel, and speeding down the interstate. Warning to others, set the cruise and back away! I LOVE paranormal books and audiobooks. The Vampire Hunter's Daughter delivered in spades.

The main character, Chloe, losses her mother, gains a grandfather, and finds out she is a vampire hunter all in the first few scenes. Talk about intense! She doesn't even have enough time to process it all before she is being whipped into shape and trained to kill. (Now you see why I was gripping my steering wheel & speeding.) The cherry on top is that her father is one bad vampire hell bent on taking her for his own devious plans.

Full of twists and mouth gaping open moments, Jennifer Malone Wright's The Vampire Hunter's Daughter, along with Eliza Weathers performance, has made me a huge fan of this series, as well as the Arcadia Falls series. I cannot wait to see what other kick ass moves Chloe has.

I am loving the audio books!  I thought it would lose something being narrated versus me reading it, but it doesn't.  Especially if you have teh perfect narrator to capture the feel and tone of the work.  Gypsy Rose is my first audio romance and i gotta say it was awesome!  Check it out.
~Lynn

“Unlike the delicate, hothouse rose, the Gypsy rose is riddled with thorns. Few men are brave enough to take one in their grasp.”

Tatiana Angelo always dreamed of a life of opulence and glamour. When her cousin became the wife of the King of Cardenas, she was swept away by the intrigue and decadence of palace life and became the jewel of the royal court. Catching the eye of a rich and titled lord seemed like a dream come true, but a few months after their whirlwind elopement, Tatiana found herself abandoned by the man she once thought loved her. Now, all she wishes to do is return to her previous life, one of simplicity and freedom. When Adrian Wilshire enters her life, Tatiana is certain she’s found in him the freedom and passion she desires. Despite the scars left on her heart by her past love, she throws caution to the wind and opens herself to the possibility of a future with him. But when the truth of his identity comes to light, the pain of his betrayal is too much to bear. Yet, despite her anger and sadness, she finds that turning her back on him will be harder than she could have ever imagined.

A few months ago, Adrian Wilshire was nothing more than the illegitimate son of a courtesan and titled lord. After years of hard work, he’s finally saved enough to begin the modest but quiet life he’s always craved, hoping that in doing so he will finally leave the ghosts of his tormented past behind. When he sets eyes on the vivacious Gypsy dancing under the moonlight, Adrian knows that he has finally found the woman that could make his dream of a happy life complete. But the strains of a responsibility he never wanted weigh heavily on him, as the demands of an estate left to him by his father press in on him from all sides. Can he live his life trapped in a gilded cage he despises and still keep the heart of a woman who desires freedom above all else? With his vengeful half-brother bent on destroying everything Adrian has inherited, as well as his life and love, Adrian will find keeping the balance between duty and desire even more complicated.

Can Adrian fight the dangers of the present and the ghosts of the past while claiming the fickle heart of the Gypsy Rose? Can two broken hearts find comfort in each other and lasting love? Elise Marion's Kings of Cardenas saga continues with a story of heartbreak, passion, deception, and love.

"So much more than just another romance"

What did you like best about this story?I am not a huge romance fan but this story is so much more than that. Its a gripping tale of deceit, betrayal, murder, piracy, and love. The characters are well defined and multi dimensional. As the narrator, Kate Walsh, brought the story to life all around me.

Which character – as performed by Kate Walsh – was your favorite?I adored Kate Walsh's performance of Tatiana. All of the characters were preformed spectacularly but Tatiana was my favorite. The accent was simply intoxicating. I could envision the character right before my eyes.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?Without spoiling too much of the story, when Tatiana and Adrian finally accept each other with all their faults, heartaches, and scars I could not help but cheer them on.

Any additional comments?I cannot wait to find additional audio books narrated by Kate Walsh. I cannot say enough about her hypnotic voice. She is by far one of the best I have heard.I am a huge fan of Elise Marion's paranormal romance series and I must say I find myself wrapped up in the spell that is the Kings of Cardenas. She is a talented author with a flare for adding mystery and intrigue. There is a gripping story and not just sex in her books. I love that she has substance and not just fluff.