best 2015

  1. Blue on Black by Carole Cummings

In this rousing sci-fiction/fantasy adventure, a pragmatic and tenacious tracker, Bas Eisen is sent to the edge of civilization to search for a missing person. Instead he finds a dead man, a town held hostage, and a twisted political agenda. Only by working with the brilliant but broken Kimo, can Bas hope to close his case and save a host of innocents.

 

  1. Champion of the Scarlet Wolf, Book 1, by Ginn Hale

If you enjoy m/m fantasy and haven’t tried Ginn Hale, then do so now! Notorious dueler, Elezar is sent to a small stronghold on the edge of a wilderness where magic threatens to the shake the very foundations of all that is known. Elezar finds himself surrounded by the impossible and trapped in a city that seems on the verge of war. At his side is Skellen, a misunderstood and often abused changeling who wants justice for his beleaguered city. Alone they don’t stand a chance, but together they might just change the world.

 

  1. Champion of the Scarlet Wolf, Book 2, by Ginn Hale

The conclusion to Elezar and Skellen’s story.

 

  1. Skip Trace by Jenn Burke and Kelly Jensen

This is the third in the Chaos Station series, which has gone from strength to strength with each consecutive book. You do have to read these books in order, starting with Chaos Station and Lonely Shore. In Skip Trace, Felix and Zander have gone through hell and survive to reach the other side. But their quest for justice is far from over and with their enemies gathering in the shadows Felix and Zander struggle to remain true to themselves and to the innocent victims of Project Dreamweaver.

 

  1. The Devil Lancer by Astrid Amara

Against the backdrop of the brutal Crimean War, British cavalryman Captain Elliott Parrish and the enigmatic half Russian Ilyas Kovakin fight a much darker war in the shadows. Consumed by a demon, Kovakin fights to maintain the last shreds of his humanity and keep his demonic brothers from unleashing a nightmare on earth. He approaches Parrish for help and slowly they come to care for one another. But they must survive the guns, disease and warriors of hell if they want to have any chance at a future.

 

  1. Jackdaw by K.J. Charles

If you haven’t read anything by K.J. Charles yet, then you are missing some of the best fantasy out there. Jackdaw is set in the world of Charles’ Magpie series, but can be read as a standalone. Ben Spenser was once a respected constable and then his lover Jonah betrayed him and Ben found himself out of a job and serving a term in prison for homosexuality. Ben wants revenge but discovers that Jonah may not be quite the monster that he envisioned. Ben and Jonah reconnect as they try to clear Jonah’s name and keep him safe from the magical justiciary. But they can’t run forever and Ben may end up losing Jonah forever. Reviewed at Joyfully Jay

 

  1. Rattlesnake by Kim Fielding

Jimmy Dorsett doesn’t have much to call his own beyond a few clothes and a car that has seen better days. Still he stops to help an old man looking for a ride. When his passenger dies unexpectedly, Jimmy decides to deliver the man’s last words to his estranged son. But Shane Little isn’t what he expects and when Jimmy finds himself stranded in the small town of Rattlesnake, he can’t help falling for the man. Jimmy is forced to decide if he should fulfill his unspoken promise to a dead man or risk destroying what has blossomed between he and Shane. Reviewed at Joyfully Jay

 

  1. Christmas at Leo’s: Memoirs of a Houseboy by Gillibran Brown

This is actually the most recent book in a series of books about a domestic houseboy in a committed relationship with two older men, Dick and Shane. These books are hilarious, surprisingly poignant, and utterly charming. To truly appreciate Gilli, you should start with the first book, Fun with Dick and Shane, but Christmas at Leo’s does a wonderful job highlighting everything that makes this series work. I won’t spoil the plot, but I will say there is an episode involving shrimp that had me howling with laughter.

sue sig

 

FILED UNDER: Annual Favorites, Sue's Reviews
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