Best of 2013

I love reading all the "Best Of" lists this time of year. Not that my to-be-read pile needs help, but I'm nosy. I like to look at trends and I like to know if I've missed anything mind-blowing. So I decided to ask my fellow Here Be Magic authors about their favorite speculative fiction reads of 2013 and here's what they said...


Shona Husk: "I read a lot of great spec fic books this year, but I’m going to skip the big ones that you all

know of. Hoodwink by Rhonda Roberts is book 2 in the Kannon Dupree series. Kannon is a timestalker which means she goes back in time to solve crime. Part historical, part crime and part alternate future this series is great. Despite the size of the book they never take me long to read."


Veronica Scott: "South of Surrender by Laura Kaye – I really enjoyed her idea of making the minor Greek gods who were the Winds (the Anemoi) into main characters in their own novels. She did a terrific job of imagining how they each did their job, I felt,  as well as how they related to the humans who are really no longer aware of them. This book featured Chrysander, god of the South Wind.

Archangel’s Legion by Nalini Singh – the further development of her Guild Hunter series. I really love the way the Archangel Raphael and  GuildHunter Elena are growing into their relationship and all the backstory of the other angels and vampires as well."


Regan Summers: "Winterblaze, from Kristen Callihan's Darkest London series. This is a superbly-written historical (Victorian era) paranormal romance series. The characters are vivid and well-rendered, the world unique and intriguing, and the plot twists...wow. Let's just say that the overblown misunderstanding tropes so prevalent in romance are nowhere to be found here.

Winterblaze was especially captivating to me because it's written with parallel narratives, of a married couple when they first come together - in happiness and passion - and their journey to reestablish trust following a catastrophe that's thrown them apart. It's heart-wrenching and lovely, dynamic and fun."


David Bridger: "My choice is Emma Shortt's zombie road chase horror/love story, Waking Up Dead.
This is the best book I've read in years. It's stupendous. An unstoppable read. Edge of the seat tension and a relentless heart-pounding drive from start to finish."


Jeffe Kennedy: When I asked Jeffe, she had a whole list. You can check it out here!

Jax Garren: "I had two favorite speculative books this year...First is an older book that I finally read, Chasing Magic by Stacia Kane (book 4 in the Downside Series). I adore this series, but had stopped after book 3 for fear of the happiest ending ever getting ruined by the main character's horrible decision making skills. I was so happy with the next couple of books, though, and can't wait to read more! But I also started the amazing Darkest London series by Kristen Callihan. Book 3, Winterblaze was amazing. I don't read a lot of reconciliation stories--I've never before thought of it as a trope I'm particularly drawn to--but, dang, Callihan does it sexy-right in this one!"


Eleri Stone: I second (third!) the recommendation for Callihan's Darkest London

series. It's wonderful and you should go read it.

Bec McMaster's London Steampunk is another historical paranormal series that I burned through. This one is a steampunk paranormal cross. McMaster pairs roguish heroes with strong heroines and then lets the sparks fly. It's a glorious thing.

Anne Bishop's Written in Red goes on my list too. It's the first book in a new urban fantasy series. I love that the monsters view humans as prey and are actually scary. It's dark, but with a subtle humor that keeps it from being grim.

What were your favorite books this year?