One Perfect Rate (Honorable Mention)
And now before posting the last 2 category, Debut Novel and Best Book, please let me assign these honorable mentions. ALL the books are worthy, and the judges did a wonderful job, and I tried to assign each book to a balanced mix of readers (authors, editors, reviewers, simple, but important, readers), and sometime I received a rate from a judge saying, I LOVE this book, this is the best book I have read... but it was not enough. I call this category, One Perfect Rate, it means these books received a very high rate from one of the judges reading it. I'm sure the readers, and the authors, will appreciate to know.
Honourable Mention:
Adam Fitzroy - Stage Whispers
Publisher: Manifold Press
Meet jobbing actor Jonathan Stapleton - failed husband, slightly better father, with no ambition and in his own eyes only a modicum of acting ability; he doesn’t need complications in his life, but that’s exactly what he gets with Callum Henley - younger, talented, exasperatingly impulsive, and for some reason completely crazy about him. How can they hope to succeed as a couple when one is heading for fame and fortune at the very top of his profession … and the other one prefers to stay at home?
Amy Meister - Rainbow in the Dark
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005GXJ5NY/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
I liked this book, even though I did keep forgetting that they were all animal species... the story kept me wanting to know more... the characters were believable and funny... and I liked that I knew most of the bands mentioned... I will definitely be looking for more of Amy Meister’s future works. --Norma
Andy Frankham-Allen - Seeker
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004SHNNTG/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
Boy, there's quite a lot of story here. It isn't my usual type of read, but I thought the author did an excellent job of weaving so many details into an intriguing plot. --Janet
Barry Brennessel - Tinseltown
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1608203565/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
I really, really loved reading the book. I thought the idea with the voices in Micah's head was unique and hilariously funny. But at the same time I was absolutely shocked and moved to tears (by some of the events in the story). --Uli
Carole Cummings - Aisling 1, Guardian
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1610401182/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
Constable Dallin Brayden knows who he is, what he’s about, and he doesn’t believe in Fate. ‘Wilfred Calder’ has no idea who he is, what he’s about, and has been running from Fate for as long as he can remember. When Wil is brought in for questioning as a witness to a brutal murder, and subsequently flees, Dallin is dragged by duty into the chaos of ancient myth, fanatical religion, and the delicate politics of a shaky truce between two perpetually warring countries, all of which seem to hinge on the slender shoulders of the man he knows is not Wilfred Calder.
Carsen Taite - Nothing But The Truth
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1602821984/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
The truth, like love, can be elusive, unless you’re willing to fight for it. Sparks fly when two top notch attorneys battle each other in the high risk arena of the courtroom, but when a strange turn of events thrusts one of them from the role of advocate to witness, prosecutor Ryan Foster and defense attorney Brett Logan join forces in their search for the truth. Working together they quickly learn their attraction to each other is as strong as their commitment to justice, but courthouse romance is not without complications.
Clare London - 72 Hours
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1615815929/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
Tanner Mackay and Niall Sutherland were once far more than just fellow intelligence agents. But then a mission went horribly wrong and everything fell apart, sending Tanner into hiding and splitting the team and their affair wide apart. Now an unknown traitor is threatening the team, and their ex-boss is determined to reunite them before it's too late. She finds Tanner in a run-down trailer park, bringing with her a most unwelcome refugee in need of temporary sanctuary.
Damon Suede - Hot Head
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1615819487/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
A truly great book and a joy to read. With all-around good, likable, but still believable characters, an engaging, original plot and interesting settings the story took place in. A book I probably would have chosen to buy and read for myself. Though maybe the almost porn-like sounding title would have kept me from giving it a second glance *ack* ^___^. That would have been a shame. --Sandra
David Pratt - Bob the Book
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0984470719/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
This was such a fun book, with a truly unique premise! I loved that the point of view was entirely through the books as the primary characters, and the humans and their relationships secondary. I will never feel the same way about my books again. The story was so compelling, I kept reading feverishly to see what would become of the various books and whether they would find their way back to the one's they loved. --Ellis
Eric Arvin - Woke Up in a Strange Place
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1615817956/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
I thought the book was absolutely gorgeously written and the characters were beautifully drawn. The setting was reminiscent of other books for me (even C.S. Lewis' work, to some extent). Out of the five books assigned to me, I felt this one was the best. --Melissa
Erin Dutton - Reluctant Hope
http://www.amazon.com/dp/160282228X/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
Cancer survivor Addison Hunt knows she can’t offer any guarantees, in love or in life, and after experiencing a loss of her own, Brooke Donahue isn’t willing to risk her heart. Addison hasn’t been with anyone since her cancer treatment and has convinced herself she is happy with the life she is building on her own. Brooke is attracted to Addison, but that’s as far as she is willing to let it go. She doesn’t want to get involved, especially not with someone whose future is uncertain.
Gill McKnight - Indigo Moon
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1602822018/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
The road trip from Hell is paved with good intentions. Hope Glassy and Godfrey Meyers are on a mercy mission. Their friend Isabelle has been attacked by a rogue werewolf and is in the throes of lycanthropic fever. With their respective partners out of town all Hope and Godfrey can do is get Isabelle to the safety of Little Dip and the Garoul clan before her sire comes to claim her. In a desperate race against time, with the hounds of hell snapping at their heels, can they save her-and does Isabelle want to be saved? Third in the Garoul series.
Jamie Fessenden - The Christmas Wager
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004GXB5LU/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
Mr. Fessenden’s work, The Christmas Wager, was a delight to read from start to finish. The author’s voice rang charmingly through every syllable, and was in fact so hypnotizing that I had to lay the work aside for a few weeks after reading it before I could make a fair assessment of the writing style. I love Victorian era M/M romances that take into account the attitudes and mores of the time, and Mr. Fessenden’s work does that. If you like gay romance, friends to lovers, and Victorian era stories, you are sure to love this work. You may love it even if you don’t typically care for those things, simply carried along by the hypnotic lilt of Mr. Fessenden’s brilliant storytelling. --Cherie
Kate McMurray - Blind Items
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1613720688/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
Big surprise of the bunch -- EXCELLENT contemporary. --Lee
Kim Baldwin & Xenia Alexiou - Dying to Live
http://www.amazon.com/dp/160282200X/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
The book was great and kept me on the edge of my seat. It was completely believable as something that could happen in our world today. --Mitzie
Lea Santos - Picture Imperfect
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1602821801/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
Once, Paloma and Deanne Vargas thought they were destined to grow old together. But after fourteen years together and two children, Paloma finally accepts she has based her life on the foolish dream of two passionate high school sweethearts. Heartbroken that Deanne seems more devoted to being a cop than a partner, Paloma tosses her out and tries to move on. But Deanne is determined to get their marriage back on the road to happily ever after, by way of Memory Lane-and Lover’s Lane... Third in the Amigas y Amor Series
Nathan Goh - Blame It On The Raging Hormones
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1590211154/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
Blame it on the Raging Hormones is different - kooky and sweet, real with enough power to draw you in and make you care. --Merith
Natasha LaBrake - Vows From Darkness
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1456403796/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
A very good book!! Loved it! --Rachel
Reiko Morgan - Over The Mountain of the Moon
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1608202569/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
I absolutely, completely and thoroughly enjoyed this book. My attention was riveted from word one and held until the end. I enjoyed the journey of the two main characters, both in Jin's need for revenge and Tetsuya and Jin's relationship. The setting was particularly exquisite; tangible and yet not overdone in description. The style was crisp and clean. Even so, this is one of my favorite books I've read this year. Highly recommended. --Heidi
Rowan Speedwell - Kindred Hearts
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1615818987/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
Charming rascal Tristan Northwood seems to have it all: an ancient name, a noble inheritance, a lovely wife, and a son he adores. Women love him, men admire him, and it seems there is nothing he can't do, whether it's seducing a society wife or winning a carriage race. Little does Society suspect that the name means nothing to him, the fortune is in his father's controlling hands, and he has no interest in his wife except a very distant friendship.
Shane Allison - Black Fire, Gay African-American Erotica
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1602822069/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
Black Fire celebrates the heat and power of sex between black men: the rude B-boys and gorgeous thugs, the worshippers of heavenly ass, and the devoutly religious in their forays through the subterranean grottoes of the down-low world... The narrator of Jamie Freeman's "Alex's Adventures in the Land of Wonder China Emporium" puts a hot gay twist on a fairy tale classic. And in Bearmuffin's "His Jock Slave," a man's dream comes true when he is nailed by the man he worships in every way imaginable. From the sultriness in Logan Zachary's "Black Bayou Fire" to the raw lust that goes down in a department store changing room in Landon Dixon's "Fitting Room," these are stories that arouse and confront.
V.K. Powell - Justifiable Risk
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1602821976/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
Very good uber romance and well written police thriller. --Julie
Yolanda Wallace - Rum Spring
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1602821933/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
A unique, well-researched cross-cultural romance with a complex plot and unforgettable characters. Truly wonderful. -Jessica
Honourable Mention:
Adam Fitzroy - Stage Whispers
Publisher: Manifold Press
Meet jobbing actor Jonathan Stapleton - failed husband, slightly better father, with no ambition and in his own eyes only a modicum of acting ability; he doesn’t need complications in his life, but that’s exactly what he gets with Callum Henley - younger, talented, exasperatingly impulsive, and for some reason completely crazy about him. How can they hope to succeed as a couple when one is heading for fame and fortune at the very top of his profession … and the other one prefers to stay at home?
Amy Meister - Rainbow in the Dark
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005GXJ5NY/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
I liked this book, even though I did keep forgetting that they were all animal species... the story kept me wanting to know more... the characters were believable and funny... and I liked that I knew most of the bands mentioned... I will definitely be looking for more of Amy Meister’s future works. --Norma
Andy Frankham-Allen - Seeker
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004SHNNTG/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
Boy, there's quite a lot of story here. It isn't my usual type of read, but I thought the author did an excellent job of weaving so many details into an intriguing plot. --Janet
Barry Brennessel - Tinseltown
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1608203565/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
I really, really loved reading the book. I thought the idea with the voices in Micah's head was unique and hilariously funny. But at the same time I was absolutely shocked and moved to tears (by some of the events in the story). --Uli
Carole Cummings - Aisling 1, Guardian
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1610401182/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
Constable Dallin Brayden knows who he is, what he’s about, and he doesn’t believe in Fate. ‘Wilfred Calder’ has no idea who he is, what he’s about, and has been running from Fate for as long as he can remember. When Wil is brought in for questioning as a witness to a brutal murder, and subsequently flees, Dallin is dragged by duty into the chaos of ancient myth, fanatical religion, and the delicate politics of a shaky truce between two perpetually warring countries, all of which seem to hinge on the slender shoulders of the man he knows is not Wilfred Calder.
Carsen Taite - Nothing But The Truth
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1602821984/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
The truth, like love, can be elusive, unless you’re willing to fight for it. Sparks fly when two top notch attorneys battle each other in the high risk arena of the courtroom, but when a strange turn of events thrusts one of them from the role of advocate to witness, prosecutor Ryan Foster and defense attorney Brett Logan join forces in their search for the truth. Working together they quickly learn their attraction to each other is as strong as their commitment to justice, but courthouse romance is not without complications.
Clare London - 72 Hours
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1615815929/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
Tanner Mackay and Niall Sutherland were once far more than just fellow intelligence agents. But then a mission went horribly wrong and everything fell apart, sending Tanner into hiding and splitting the team and their affair wide apart. Now an unknown traitor is threatening the team, and their ex-boss is determined to reunite them before it's too late. She finds Tanner in a run-down trailer park, bringing with her a most unwelcome refugee in need of temporary sanctuary.
Damon Suede - Hot Head
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1615819487/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
A truly great book and a joy to read. With all-around good, likable, but still believable characters, an engaging, original plot and interesting settings the story took place in. A book I probably would have chosen to buy and read for myself. Though maybe the almost porn-like sounding title would have kept me from giving it a second glance *ack* ^___^. That would have been a shame. --Sandra
David Pratt - Bob the Book
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0984470719/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
This was such a fun book, with a truly unique premise! I loved that the point of view was entirely through the books as the primary characters, and the humans and their relationships secondary. I will never feel the same way about my books again. The story was so compelling, I kept reading feverishly to see what would become of the various books and whether they would find their way back to the one's they loved. --Ellis
Eric Arvin - Woke Up in a Strange Place
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1615817956/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
I thought the book was absolutely gorgeously written and the characters were beautifully drawn. The setting was reminiscent of other books for me (even C.S. Lewis' work, to some extent). Out of the five books assigned to me, I felt this one was the best. --Melissa
Erin Dutton - Reluctant Hope
http://www.amazon.com/dp/160282228X/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
Cancer survivor Addison Hunt knows she can’t offer any guarantees, in love or in life, and after experiencing a loss of her own, Brooke Donahue isn’t willing to risk her heart. Addison hasn’t been with anyone since her cancer treatment and has convinced herself she is happy with the life she is building on her own. Brooke is attracted to Addison, but that’s as far as she is willing to let it go. She doesn’t want to get involved, especially not with someone whose future is uncertain.
Gill McKnight - Indigo Moon
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1602822018/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
The road trip from Hell is paved with good intentions. Hope Glassy and Godfrey Meyers are on a mercy mission. Their friend Isabelle has been attacked by a rogue werewolf and is in the throes of lycanthropic fever. With their respective partners out of town all Hope and Godfrey can do is get Isabelle to the safety of Little Dip and the Garoul clan before her sire comes to claim her. In a desperate race against time, with the hounds of hell snapping at their heels, can they save her-and does Isabelle want to be saved? Third in the Garoul series.
Jamie Fessenden - The Christmas Wager
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004GXB5LU/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
Mr. Fessenden’s work, The Christmas Wager, was a delight to read from start to finish. The author’s voice rang charmingly through every syllable, and was in fact so hypnotizing that I had to lay the work aside for a few weeks after reading it before I could make a fair assessment of the writing style. I love Victorian era M/M romances that take into account the attitudes and mores of the time, and Mr. Fessenden’s work does that. If you like gay romance, friends to lovers, and Victorian era stories, you are sure to love this work. You may love it even if you don’t typically care for those things, simply carried along by the hypnotic lilt of Mr. Fessenden’s brilliant storytelling. --Cherie
Kate McMurray - Blind Items
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1613720688/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
Big surprise of the bunch -- EXCELLENT contemporary. --Lee
Kim Baldwin & Xenia Alexiou - Dying to Live
http://www.amazon.com/dp/160282200X/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
The book was great and kept me on the edge of my seat. It was completely believable as something that could happen in our world today. --Mitzie
Lea Santos - Picture Imperfect
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1602821801/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
Once, Paloma and Deanne Vargas thought they were destined to grow old together. But after fourteen years together and two children, Paloma finally accepts she has based her life on the foolish dream of two passionate high school sweethearts. Heartbroken that Deanne seems more devoted to being a cop than a partner, Paloma tosses her out and tries to move on. But Deanne is determined to get their marriage back on the road to happily ever after, by way of Memory Lane-and Lover’s Lane... Third in the Amigas y Amor Series
Nathan Goh - Blame It On The Raging Hormones
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1590211154/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
Blame it on the Raging Hormones is different - kooky and sweet, real with enough power to draw you in and make you care. --Merith
Natasha LaBrake - Vows From Darkness
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1456403796/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
A very good book!! Loved it! --Rachel
Reiko Morgan - Over The Mountain of the Moon
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1608202569/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
I absolutely, completely and thoroughly enjoyed this book. My attention was riveted from word one and held until the end. I enjoyed the journey of the two main characters, both in Jin's need for revenge and Tetsuya and Jin's relationship. The setting was particularly exquisite; tangible and yet not overdone in description. The style was crisp and clean. Even so, this is one of my favorite books I've read this year. Highly recommended. --Heidi
Rowan Speedwell - Kindred Hearts
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1615818987/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
Charming rascal Tristan Northwood seems to have it all: an ancient name, a noble inheritance, a lovely wife, and a son he adores. Women love him, men admire him, and it seems there is nothing he can't do, whether it's seducing a society wife or winning a carriage race. Little does Society suspect that the name means nothing to him, the fortune is in his father's controlling hands, and he has no interest in his wife except a very distant friendship.
Shane Allison - Black Fire, Gay African-American Erotica
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1602822069/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
Black Fire celebrates the heat and power of sex between black men: the rude B-boys and gorgeous thugs, the worshippers of heavenly ass, and the devoutly religious in their forays through the subterranean grottoes of the down-low world... The narrator of Jamie Freeman's "Alex's Adventures in the Land of Wonder China Emporium" puts a hot gay twist on a fairy tale classic. And in Bearmuffin's "His Jock Slave," a man's dream comes true when he is nailed by the man he worships in every way imaginable. From the sultriness in Logan Zachary's "Black Bayou Fire" to the raw lust that goes down in a department store changing room in Landon Dixon's "Fitting Room," these are stories that arouse and confront.
V.K. Powell - Justifiable Risk
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1602821976/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
Very good uber romance and well written police thriller. --Julie
Yolanda Wallace - Rum Spring
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1602821933/?tag=elimyrevandra-20
A unique, well-researched cross-cultural romance with a complex plot and unforgettable characters. Truly wonderful. -Jessica