Best of 2014?

[Paganalexandria]

What was your favorite IR book/series of 2014?

What was your favorite Non-IR book/series of 2014?

[Paganalexandria]

What was your favorite IR book/series of 2014?
I was extremely lax in this subgenre last year. My favorite read last year was because was hands down the best mix of IR/biker themes (with the IR couple not relegated to the B story), I've come across.

What was your favorite Non-IR book/series of 2014?
My favorite non-IR of 2014 was . That whole series was the best kind of heartbreak.

[Monica **can't read fast enough**]

Paganalexandria **wicked juices bubbling over** wrote: "What was your favorite IR book/series of 2014?
I was extremely lax in this subgenre last year. My favorite read last year was because was hands d..."

Man, I haven't read either one of those but they are on my list. I enjoyed your reviews of them Pagan!

[Paganalexandria]

Monica **can't read fast enough** wrote: "Paganalexandria **wicked juices bubbling over** wrote: "What was your favorite IR book/series of 2014?
I was extremely lax in this subgenre last year. My favorite read last year was [bookcover:Hell..."

Thanks Monica :).

[TinaNoir]

was my favorite IR book of this year.


:
But my favorite IR author of 2014 was Lavender Parker. I loved all three of her books I read this year


was my favorite Non-IR book this year.

but Anne Bishop's Others series was my hands down favorite series of the year and I am impatiently waiting the third book.

[Taida]

I would have to say that Love Edywas my favorite IR book of last year. Did not like the second book half as much. But Love Edy was spectacular.

My favorite non/IR of last year is not a romance but part of a fantasy series. Magic Breaks was non stop action and full of great surprises. Did not leave my bed until I finished it.

[Mstcat]

There are actually two IR books that I would call my favs from 2014 - and

Non-IR series has to be the Grangers by Brenda Jackson! and Can't wait for book #3

[The FountainPenDiva, Old school geek chick and lover of teddy bears]

2014 was not my banner year for IR because I just couldn't stomach the colorism fail. However, there were five books that really stood out as amazing reads:

was just everything I could possibly want in an IR. It was short, but well done. Heroine and best friend were great. And a book that celebrated natural hair styles while informing on how to care for them.

had me doing serious happy dances because I love that historical fantasy medieval-type setting and I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.

was a risky as hell IR book with a racist hero trying to get it together. I liked how realistic it was, that the characters had a hell of a journey, but I felt invested in it.

while it seems other IR historical books are stuck in the antebellum south, here's a book that showcased the African presence in Renaissance Europe. I so wished it had been longer.

the first book I read from this author and while not perfect, the heroine had dark skin and natural hair. It was a cute, wish-fulfillment kind of rock star story.

Best non-IR book has to be . Sexy and literate erotica with the kind of amazing heroine (not some ditzy ingenue) who owns her sexuality.

[Paganalexandria]

TheFountainPenDiva wrote: "Best non-IR book has to be The Siren (The Original Sinners, #1) by Tiffany Reisz. Sexy and literate erotica with the kind of amazing heroine (not some ditzy ingenue) who owns her sexuality. "

FPD, that book was so awesome. I'm changing my answer! lol That one made me THINK, and how often do we get erotica you can say that about?

[Anita]

My favorite IR book for 2014 was . Nice combo of character driven romance and erotica. And my fav non-IR was an MM read

[TinaNoir]

Anita wrote: " And my fav non-IR was an MM read "

Think of England was great. Have you read her Magpie Lord series? The first book of that one made my top 10 list this year.

[Anita]

Tina wrote: "Anita wrote: " And my fav non-IR was an MM read "

Think of England was great. Have you read her Magpie Lord series? The first book of that one made my top 10..."

Yes i did read it and loved the first. And i don't usually read paranormal.

[Justine]

Tina wrote: " was my favorite IR book of this year.


:
Bu..."


I agree with Lavender Parker shout out!

[Justine]

My favorite IRs



And any book by Sydney Addae

[Justine]

I have decided not to read NON IR fiction books. I refuse to support work that has no representation of anyone looking like me.

[Paganalexandria]

Justine wrote: "I have decided not to read NON IR fiction books. I refuse to support work that has no representation of anyone looking like me."

Does that just mean fiction featuring white people only, or no Black fiction also?

[Justine]

Paganalexandria **wicked juices bubbling over** wrote: "Justine wrote: "I have decided not to read NON IR fiction books. I refuse to support work that has no representation of anyone looking like me."

Does that just mean fiction featuring white people ..."

Any fiction that doesn't include diverse kinds of people. I stopped watching TV shows and movies quite some time ago and I'm the much happier for doing so.

[Mstcat]

Justine wrote: "I have decided not to read NON IR fiction books. I refuse to support work that has no representation of anyone looking like me."

I made a similar decision several years ago except I will read books that are not diverse and I'll watch the movies, but I typically will not buy them. So I go to the library for these books or get them if they are free on Amazon. My exceptions are authors who have written books that include pivotal characters who are African-American, African, Asian, Hispanic, etc. Movies are a lot harder and I broke my rule a long time ago. We need more quality movies!

[Jmelfi]

The Moretti Millionaires series by Pamela Yaye. (Seduced by the CEO, Seduced by the Heir. VG books).
Chase Brothers series by Nana Malone. (London Bound, Book 1. Very good book).
Only Love series by Victoria H. Smith, Raven St. Pierre (Only Love, Book 1. Excellent book).
Queen of Kings series by LaQuette. (Heart of the Matter, book 1. Good book; would have been excellent had it been edited/cut in half.)

[Jmelfi]

Other IR books I've read include:
Adaptation by Pepper Pace (Human/alien. SF. Very good).
Color Blind by Michelle Lindo-Rice. (Very good).
Devil in Blue Jeans by Nicole Green (Mystery, action, Excellent).
Until I Saw Your Smile by J.J. Murray. (Excellent).
'Til We Ain't Strangers Anymore, and Polar Opposites by Aliyah Burke (Good).
Intermarry (Excellent. Can't remember the author).
I read other IR books, some were published before 2014.

[The FountainPenDiva, Old school geek chick and lover of teddy bears]

Justine wrote: "I have decided not to read NON IR fiction books. I refuse to support work that has no representation of anyone looking like me."

My go-to books and films must always be diverse in some manner first. I have and will critique harshly contemporary novels that are utterly whitewashed because there's no excuse for it. I've even started being more tough on historical novels because the whitewash of PoC out of Europe makes little sense in light of the Moorish occupation of Spain, and the trade that has always occurred between Africa and Europe. Anyone writing a book set in Ancient Rome that doesn't have any PoC in it is asking to be put on serious blast.

[Justine]

If we can have blue and green skinned aliens or aliens with pointy ears, why can we not have minorites playing pivotal roles in books, movies and shows?

I'm not a movie person anyhow so I don't miss them.
TV shows I only watch if there is a minority character playing a substantial part. I do not watch all white shows or all minority shows, no matter how good they are reputed to be, I do not find them that good.

[Georgie]

Paganalexandria **wicked juices bubbling over** wrote: "What was your favorite IR book/series of 2014?
I was extremely lax in this subgenre last year. My favorite read last year was because was hands d..."

Just read Hell's Bikers: You Belong To Me because of your post. It was so good. I had been looking for a really good IR MC book. Wow. Do you know if there will be any others in the series by that author & if any more of them will be IR? Either way, great rec!

[Anino]

Here's my list for 2014:

[Paganalexandria]

Georgie wrote: "
Just read Hell's Bikers: You Belong To Me because of your post. It was so good. I had been looking for a really good IR MC book. Wow. Do you know if there will be any others in the series by that author & if any more of them will be IR? Either way, great rec! ."

Georgie, I wish there some other great IR/MC recs I knew of, but haven't really read many other even real full length novellas, let alone books with both themes. That mix seems to be full of 15 page porn. I like erotica, but need a real storyline to be bothered.

[Kim]

Here's my best of 2104 list:

[Savannah- Quad Motherin' Book Readin' Diva]

Best IR of 2014 for me was . It wasn't overly complex, but it hit ALL my romance/IR buttons perfectly. Perfect romantic but hot read as far as I'm concerned.

Best non IR of 2014 was Sylvia Day's Crossfire series
.

Gideon Cross is now my ULTIMATE traditional alpha book boyfriend.

Its early yet for this year, but the non IR book to beat is going to be

[Justine]

Best IR for me in 2014:All these books are of the BWWM variety:
, . , , ,

Best non IR book: