Good morning! I’m back with another book post. At the end of last year, I listed the best 10 books I read in 2019. Now, we’ve come to the end of a decade. I’ve been reading a lot since 2013, so now I’ve picked the books that I enjoyed most. There was a pretty long list to choose from, making it a hard choice to pick just a few. In the end, I decided to cap the list at 25. It was hard to rank them, as the further down the list, the more equally I like those books. That makes the top 10 to 15 my absolute favorites.
There are a few rules I decided on to make this list. It only includes books I read between 2010 and now. That leaves out a few favorites, including the Harry Potter series. Also, I picked only one book from a particular series to give other titles the chance to be in this list. And yes, I did read all these books. I wouldn’t have been able to write the mini-reviews otherwise. The list starts now:
Genre: New Adult, Romance
My rating: 5 stars: Absolutely must-read. It's outstanding!!!
Remarks: This book is my very favorite for several reasons. It’s a beautiful love story, it has relatable and engaging characters, and has a fun road-trip plotline. The protagonists are two people who just drop everything and leave to find themselves. I admired Camryn Bennett’s fervor, and her desire for a better life. She’s not a girl willing to settle for less. Andrew Parrish is a great character as well. He’s outgoing, caring, and righteous. Andrew makes a good role model, in my opinion. I also liked that the book is written from both Camryn’s and Andrew’s points of view. In addition, the cover art is pretty amazing.
Genre: Mystery
My rating: 4.5 stars - A fantastic page-turner!
Remarks: I like books about detectives/investigators, and Lizzy Gardner is my favorite. A Dark Mind follows one of her most thrilling cases. Lizzy and her assistants aid the police in an effort to catch the Lovebird Killer. He's a very dangerous and chilling foe. Some chapters are written in his point of view, which was interesting. Having read the complete series, I also think the Lovebird Killer is the best of all the villains. I like the supporting characters as well. Jessica, Jared, and especially Hayley have rich story arcs. As the series progresses, you become invested in them. This is definitely a series I would read again and again.
Genre: Romance
My rating: 5 stars: Absolutely must-read. It's outstanding!!!
Remarks: Not many love stories have appealed to me as much as this one since The Edge of Never. I liked the protagonist, Lucy Preston, partly because she’s a bookworm like me. She’s a loyal friend and overall amazing person, too. Lucy faces the loss of her mother at just fifteen, but fortunately Cameron Gordon is there for her. They also have other close friends who support them. Over time, Cameron and Lucy become inseparable. I was awed that they remained strong despite everything life throws at them. A love like theirs at such a young age is incredibly rare.
Genre: Science Fiction
My rating: 5 stars: Absolutely must-read. It’s outstanding!!!
Remarks: This is the most amazing sci-fi book I’ve read yet. When I saw the fabulous cover, and read the synopsis, I knew I had to have it. The main character, Spensa Nightshade, is a weird and headstrong teen who aspires to become a spaceship fighter pilot. Although the commander of the Defiant Defense Force won’t let Spensa fly, she’s not one to give up. I really admired how resolute Spensa was, despite the many obstacles she had to deal with. Spensa’s attitude, strength, and charm make her quite a unique character. I look forward to reading the rest of her story.
Genre: Thriller
My rating: 5 stars: Absolutely must-read. It's outstanding!!!
Remarks: Reviving Izabel is part of a thriller series that’s really dark, but still must-read. Redmerski is just an amazing writer. The protagonist, Izabel Seyfried, is very damaged yet still capable of deep love. She survived hell, so it’s understandable why she chose to become a contract killer. Darkness is all she knows. Victor Faust and the other characters are just as dark and compelling as Izabel. It doesn’t matter that you’d never want to be like them. Their story is just unputdownable. I’ll also mention that Izabel’s organization does NOT kill innocent people. I wouldn’t like this series so much otherwise.
Genre: Mystery, Young Adult
My rating: 5 stars: Absolutely must-read. It's outstanding!!!
Remarks: Nikki (and her synesthesia) is what drew me to this book. I’d never heard of the condition, which causes Nikki to “see” colors where others don’t see them—particularly in emotions. This allows Nikki to follow clues others can’t, and even gives her a near-eidetic memory. I kept turning page after page as Nikki got closer to solving the mystery. I was mostly intrigued by Peyton Hollis, and why she—the most popular girl in school—turned to an outcast for help. Also involved in the investigation is Detective Chris Martinez, a potential love interest for Nikki. She trusts him because he’s “yellow”—her color for justice.
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
My rating: 5 stars: Absolutely must-read. It's outstanding!!!
Remarks: This book wowed me a lot more than the previous entries in the series. Part of the reason is that they're a bit long. They were good, but this one kept me eager to see what would happen next. Nikki Heat, NYPD detective, is handling her most dangerous case so far. Certain people have done something that they want to keep quiet at all costs. As such, there are a lot of exciting action scenes. Aiding Nikki is her sidekick/love interest Jameson Rook, a reporter. Their relationship adds a little bit of romance to the story, which makes it better in my opinion. There's also a betrayal, one I didn't see coming, so it was shocking.
Genre: Mystery
My rating: 4.5 stars - A fantastic page-turner!
Remarks: As a real-life prosecutor, Marcia Clark writes excellent mystery books. Killer Ambition’s main character is Rachel Knight, also a prosecutor (and a Special Trials one at that). This time around Rachel gets a very high-profile case. When the main suspect is revealed, people are unwilling to believe he is the culprit. Rachel faces backlash and even threats while she works the case. The stakes are high, and Rachel has to work harder than she’s ever done in order to give the victim justice.
Genre: Thriller
My rating: 5 stars: Absolutely must-read. It's outstanding!!!
Remarks: If I had to pick the most pulse-pounding thriller I read this decade, it would be this one. Flee would make as thrilling a movie as the Jason Bourne or the Taken franchises. The novel introduces Chandler, an elite spy who goes on the run after her cover is blown. She’s quite like Black Widow, but way more covert, and with her own handler. Right from the start, Chandler has to confront dangerous assassins and unseen forces to find out what’s happening. But even Chandler’s extensive training did not prepare her for what she’s about to learn.
Genre: Romance
My rating: 5 stars: Absolutely must-read. It's outstanding!!!
Remarks: This is another love story I’ve really liked. On Dublin Street is about Jocelyn Butler, a young woman who’s fled a painful past. In Scotland, she moves in with a new roommate, Ellie Carmichael. Jocelyn soon learns that her brother is Braden, a man she met earlier. Sparks fly between the two, and they agree to a no-strings relationship. Despite her damaged heart, Jocelyn can’t help but grow to love Braden and his infectiously chipper sister. Before long Jocelyn will face a painful situation, and she’ll have to let go of her deepest fears to avoid losing the people who have become like family.
***
Genre: Romance
My rating: 4.5 stars - A fantastic page-turner!
Remarks: Famous pop singer Hadley Carter falls for decidedly average Ryan Stone after a chance meeting. Unfortunately, they’re not just worlds apart. Ryan is underage and Hadley is 22. Is their relationship doomed before it even starts?
12. DIE FOR ME by Cynthia Eden
Genre: Romantic Suspense
My rating: 4.5 stars - A fantastic page-turner!
Remarks: A police detective protects a woman from her ex-husband, the Valentine Killer. Great suspense with a compelling villain who has a Jekyll-Hyde complex.
13. THE CONTROVERSIAL PRINCESS by Jodi Ellen Malpas
Genre: Romance
My rating: 4.5 stars – A fantastic page-turner!
Remarks: This is a compelling romance novel about the forbidden affair between the Princess of England and a Hollywood superstar. Great for fans of royal drama and star-crossed lovers.
14. BLACK WIDOW: FOREVER RED by Margaret Stohl
Genre: Romantic Suspense
My rating: 5 stars: Absolutely must-read. It's outstanding!!!
Remarks: A spy novel featuring fan-favorite Avenger Natasha Romanoff. It’s not connected to the MCU, but features other big-name Marvel superheroes.
15. CRASH INTO YOU by Katie McGarry
Genre: Romance, Young Adult
My rating: 5 stars: Absolutely must-read. It's outstanding!!!
Remarks: Isaiah and Rachel, two teens from different social classes, meet thanks to their love of cars. They fall for each other, despite the odds against them.
Genre: Young Adult
My rating: 4.5 stars - A fantastic page-turner!
Remarks: Samantha Kingston is a regular high school teenager who relives the last day of her life for a week. She realizes there are things she needs to fix before leaving for good.
17. BLINDSIDED by Clyde Phillips
Genre: Mystery
My rating: 4.5 stars - A fantastic page-turner!
Remarks: A gripping police procedural about a San Francisco police detective on the trail of a serial killer targeting cops because of an old grudge.
18. UNBOUND by Cat Miller
Genre: Fantasy
My rating: 4.5 stars - A fantastic page-turner!
Remarks: A college student discovers a secret vampire society after becoming one herself. As a few prominent vampires compete for her affection, she learns she’s very special...even among vampires.
19. EXTREME MEASURES by Elisabeth Naughton
Genre: Romantic Suspense
My rating: 4.5 stars - A fantastic page-turner!
Remarks: A CIA field agent goes on the run after a failed mission. She’s pursued by her ex-lover, an elite private security operative.
20. BEAUTIFUL BROKEN MESS by Kimberly Lauren
Genre: Romance
My rating: 4.5 stars - A fantastic page-turner!
Remarks: Two young ex-lovers meet again years after a terrible misunderstanding drove them apart.
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction
My rating: 4.5 stars - A fantastic page-turner!
Remarks: A teenage girl gains superpowers after a lab accident. Now she must take on a band of thugs targeting her family due to their connection with the scientist responsible for her change.
22. GONE WITH THE WIND by Margaret Mitchell
Genre: Historical Fiction
My rating: 4.5 stars - A fantastic page-turner!
Remarks: A Southern belle vows to regain her status—and conquer the man of her dreams—after the American Civil War changes her life forever.
23. ALSO KNOWN AS by Robin Benway
Genre: Mystery, Young Adult
My rating: 4.5 stars - A fantastic page-turner!
Remarks: A young spy feels out of her element when she infiltrates a private high school for her first solo mission.
24. AN INFINITE LOOP by Dan Rix
Genre: Science Fiction
My rating: 4.5 stars - A fantastic page-turner!
Remarks: A young genius scrambles to rescue his friend after he accidentally traps her inside an infinite time loop...essentially wiping her out of existence.
25. BOUNDARY CROSSED by Melissa F. Olson
Genre: Urban Fantasy
My rating: 4 stars - Definitely enjoyed it!
Remarks: After fighting to the death for her baby niece, a woman discovers she’s a very powerful witch. She makes a deal with the local supernatural clans to keep her niece safe from her would-be kidnappers.
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