I’m ending my Top 10 of 2012 lists with my biggest recommendations for the year. These were the new releases of the year that I want to encourage anyone I can into reading and the authors that I’m going to be watching next year. I have a list of honorable mentions, including Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry, Ghost Planet by Sharon Fisher, Romeo Redeemed by Stacey Jay and Oracle’s Moon by Thea Harrison – well, more than that but I could go on a long time. I have a lot of books in my TBR pile that fellow bloggers and friends have loved, so the beginning of next year looks really good too – I can’t wait to attack my pile of books when I have a chance!

About Last Night by Ruthie Knox
Easy by Tammara Webber
Keeping Secret (Secret McQueen #4) by Sierra Dean
Loss (The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse #3) by Jackie Morse Kessler

Lothaire (Immortals After Dark #12) by Kresley Cole
Masque of the Red Death (Masque of the Red Death #1) by Bethany Griffin
The Duke’s Perfect Wife (Highland Pleasures #4) by Jennifer Ashley
The Hallowed Ones (The Hallowed Ones #1) by Laura Bickle

‘Twas the Night After Christmas (Hellions of Halstead Hall #6) by Sabrina Jeffries
Whispers at Moonrise (Shadow Falls #4) by C.C. Hunter

I’ve seen quite a few of your lists already while I’ve been surfing around this year but I’d love to hear from you about what your favorites were! If you have end of the year posts, leave your link or comment about when it’ll run so other visitors can come see you.

There’s no love like cover love and I’m a fool for it. The quality of a cover has to be something sweet to grab the reader’s eye and interest them enough to looking inside and this year, it was candy, candy, candy. Here are the best of those that made me take a second look.

Crewel by Gennifer Albin
Enchanted by Alethea Kontis
Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin
Incarnation by Emma Cornwall
Ironskin by Tina Connolly
Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
Reaping Me Softly by Kate Evangelista
Venom by Fiona Paul
Until I Die by Amy Plum
Undone by Lila DiPasqua

I semi-cheated with my covers – I have all of them but haven’t read a few yet. It’s the story of my reading life!

They’re swoony, funny, exciting or  memorable – or all of those things: it’s the dialogue and descriptions that make our favorite books sparkle and our favorite characters leap off of the page. I’ve gathered up my ultimate list of author’s lines from this past year for your reading pleasure. No, it’s no coincidence that some of these are from those guys that I’d run away from that I posted yesterday. I love ‘em crazy!

In no particular order and yes, I’m a sappy romantic.

From Lothaire by Kresley Cole

“When she absently worried her bottom lip with one of her adorable little fangs, he sighed.
The Enemy of Old fucking sighed.
Dear gods, it’d finally happened to him.
Happiness.
Then his own fangs sharpened.
I will kill anyone who tries to take this feeling away from me.”
(Lothaire is with Elizabeth)

From Easy by Tammara Webber
“Too much quiet left me depressed and consuming condiments for meals.” (Jacqueline)

From Romeo Redeemed

“The myriad of flavors explode on my tongue, shimmy through my mouth, slap my taste buds and call them filthy bastards, and I love it.” (Romeo)

From Once Burned by Jeaniene Frost

“How can you stand touching her?” my sister blurted, staring at our clasped hands. “Doesn’t that hurt?”
I seized on the change of topic. “These gloves are specialized rubber. They block the current.”
Gretchen’s gaze traveled over Vlad, disbelief still stamped on her features. “Yeah, but how do you two do anything else, unless he has a special, currentrepelling
glove for his—”
“Gretchen!” my father cut her off.
My cheeks felt hot. Don’t say a word, I thought to Vlad, seeing his chest tremble with suppressed laughter.
“He has a natural immunity,” I gritted out.”
(Gretchen to her sister Leila about her relationship with Vlad)

From This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers

“Sometimes you catch something specific like the screams and cries of people trying to hold on to each other before they’re swallowed into other, bigger noises.
This is what it sound like when the world ends.”
(observations of the zombie apocalypse)

From Playing for Keeps by R.L. Mathewson

“I’m tired and bitchy and all I want is some sleep so cuddle your ass up with me or so help me I will kill you.”
(Haley to Jason)

From ‘Twas the Night After Christmas by Sabrina Jeffries

“Believing in love isn’t like believing in flying reindeer. It’s like believing in rain. Or summer. Or Christmas. Love is real and steady and absolutely essential to any kind of life. Not believing in it doesn’t make it any less so.”
(Camilla to Pierce)

From Bared to You by Sylvia Day

“It’s probably best for me to work off some energy before I get you naked. I’m sure you’d like to be able to walk tomorrow.”
(Gideon to Eva)

From Dearly, Beloved by Lia Habel

“I love you, Nora. I will think you beautiful when I have no eyes left to see. I will remember your voice when my ears go. You can’t hold on to me forever, but I will hold on to you until I am nothing but dirt.”
(Bram to Nora)

From Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

“Because the only way anyone will ever be okay with me is if they love me. Really love me enough to not care that I’m damaged.”
(Echo to Noah)

Your turn! Were there any great lines from books that you read this year (hint: check out Goodreads’ book pages and see if they have any quotes listed over there on the right sidebar of the page for your book). I almost always go for the sappy or profane, what can I say?

Have you read any books that are completely quote-worthy, loaded with the good stuff?

When they’re strictly works of fiction, they’re the bad boys we love, but in real life? It may be safe to admire them from afar, but a restraining order is more likely to come between us than expensive lingerie. These are the heroes that made us swoon in 2012 that we’d never, ever ever get involved with if they were real guys.

1. Gideon Cross from Bared to You by Sylvia Day

Sure, he’s hotter than lava, richer than Croesus and as protective as triple-teflon. He’s also insecure, jealous, freakishly possessive, a stalker, can be terrifying and has more issues than my dad’s National Geographic collection. It’s almost – almost worth the potential pharmacy bill to admit I’d want to chase after him anyway, but I have to admit, this guy would scare my fantasy LaPerla’s off of me (and not in a good way).

2. Connor O’Neill from Checkmate by R.L. Mathewson

He’s hot, he’s handy with his hands and there were times he was so stupid I found it adorable – that has to be a sign that there’s something wrong with me. The pranks he pulls on his heroine might have been kind of fun to read but they would either have me in prison for homicide (assuming a judge didn’t give me a medal and call it justified) or in a constant care facility on a Thorazine drip eating applesauce the rest of my life. No happily ever after would be worth living with this tool.

3. Evan Smith (aka Dr. Charm) from Even Villains Fall in Love by Liana Brooks

There’s nothing like a really bad guy gone good, except when he’s lying to you and is still a stinkpot, even a partial one. He’s handsome, a family guy and like my hero Brain, wants to take over the world (narf!). He’s even got Minions. So, yeah, it’s the evil, taking over the world thing that makes him a tad unsuitable. I don’t have time for megalomaniacs or guys who hang out in their basements for any reason other than laundry.

4. Edward Rochart from Ironskin by Tina Connolly

From the beginning, this guy had “no thanks” written all over him, but he grew 0n me. From an uninvolved father and rude employer to a guy who seemed to be trying to improve on both fronts, it seemed like Edward was someone who was actually…likeable? Attractive? Of course not. It would be helpful if in real life, there were body parts that grew when they lied so you could tell. Of course, this poor guy would have some serious explaining to do when he started sprouting extra arms and legs. God complex? Check. Liar? Check. Should probably have had a hamster instead of a kid? Check.

5. Lucas Rain from Keeping Secret by Sierra Dean

He’s mega-rich, when you kiss him you get a mouthful of constant cinnamon taste without having to take the Cinnamon Challenge, he’s sexy and he’s a King. Of werewolves, but still, a King. Putting aside the fact that I don’t necessarily like the character, even I can admit, the guy’s a prime catch. But there’s no way I’d want him even if he didn’t shed on my couch. He’s arrogant, autocratic and seems a little oily, like the kind of guy who likes to have lunch at strip clubs and knows all of the ladies there by name (of course he probably owns the place, but that’s beside the point). I have a feeling I’d be home in my apron stuffing my face full of very expensive chocolate while he was out having fun with his hookers and only one of those things is right.

6. Lothaire from Lothaire by Kresley Cole

I’m a pretty warped kind of woman sometimes, but even I have trouble thinking of a single reason to be in the same state as a real version of Lothaire other than for his pure hotness level. He is as messed up as it comes. When you’re known as The Enemy of Old, when every creature in the Lore hates you except the only other one as old as you (and she’s also as batshit crazy as you), then even in fiction, you’re pretty much fighting a losing battle from the beginning. While his insanity gave him a certain fictional charm, this is a guy that belongs locked up, somewhere, anywhere. Hannibal Lector wouldn’t have stood a chance in a cage match with Lothaire.

7. Marcus Anderson from Lumberjack in Love by Penny Watson

I know there are many, many women who would love to be with a real-life Marcus. He’s sexy, smart, funny and sweet has a nice house and when you go for it, a beard. There’s a giant deal-breaker for me though: he lives in the woods. No way would I ever date anyone who lived in the woods. I don’t like dirt, bugs, animals that live outdoors, things that poop on the ground and not having access to necessities like extended cable television, air conditioning and forced-air heating, packaged foods and electricity. I don’t do rustic unless Eric Bana is there and even then, I require a full bath with running water and a nice comfy mattress.

8. Vlad Tepesh from Once Burned by Jeaniene Frost

Sure, there’s a certain bathroom-humor value in getting involved with a guy whose nickname is “The Impaler.” He’s also gorgeous, has a killer wardrobe, lots of great property with historical value and undoubtedly some awesome hair-care products. But trust issues? A mile deep. He doesn’t just have persecution issues, he’s been persecuted. He’s had centuries to decide he’s never going to love anyone again and if I can’t change a guy’s mind about whether or not to hold my purse at the mall, I doubt I can change a guy’s mindset about something that big. No therapist has this kind of time or expertise.

9. Cage York from While it Lasts by Abbi Glines

Cage is an iffy addition to this list because his swoony fictional potential is questionable sometimes to begin with. He’s sweet and a good friend but also a man ‘ho who makes a habit of drinking and driving, two guaranteed turn-offs. He’s ridiculously hot but also kind of crude and icky. In the end, my gag reflex wins and there’s no way I’d touch this dude. I can’t get past the drinking and driving and sleeping around – hey, not everyone is irredeemable and maybe in ten years Cage would be cougar-bait material, but as is, my daddy would probably shoot me to keep me away from this one.

10. Prince Maxon from The Selection by Kiera Cass

When you’re a guy and Mommy and Daddy decide you need a game show to tell you who you’re going to marry, something’s gone wrong in your life, no matter how cute and rich you are and whether or not you’re royalty. When you’ve picked the one you like and you still hang out (and more) with the other girls on the show, you’re just a player. Is the fact that Maxon’s a pig enough to keep him out of the “would I ever” running? He’s all tease, then playing with someone else for the camera. It’s The Hungry Bachelor Flava of Love Games and there’s no way I would want any part of that freak show.

Overthink it with us! Which book guys (or ladies) stand out as swoon-worthy but if they knocked on your door, would make you grab the mace?

2012 was a great author discovery year for us, not only for debuts, but for those with terrific backlists. No final Top 10 list would be complete without naming some favorites.

I can’t call anyone a clear favorite find this year, so in no particular order:

• Tammara Webber – Easy review
• Karen Mahoney – The Wood Queen (The Iron Witch #2) review
• R.L. Mathewson
• Abbi Glines – Because of Low (Sea Breeze #2) review, While It Lasts (Sea Breeze #3) review
• Colleen Hoover
• S.R. Johannes – Uncontrollable (The Nature of Grace #2) review
• Kate Evangelista
• Suzanne Johnson – Royal Street (Sentinels of New Orleans #1) review
• Ruthie Knox
• Bethany Griffin – Masque of the Red Death (Masque of the Red Death #1) review

There were also a lot of authors who made my “almost” list, probably too many to even name. These aren’t all new authors with their first books out this year but some are – I loved doing the Debut Author challenge and signed up for it again this year (if you’d like to join, the information is on the 2013 Challenges page linked up on the navigation bar).

Did you discover anyone great this year? I found so, so many from reviews from other bloggers that I’m going to be reading in 2013, like Kevin Hearne, Misty Provencher, John Green and mmm hmm, finally going to get to that Jennifer L. Armentrout.