The year is almost over and even though Life hasn't allowed me time to blog and review as I should (an issue I'm rectifying in January), I didn't want 2010 to end without one last post to cap off my first year of blogging and reviewing. So hear is my list of my Top 10 Favorite reads of the year!
I didn't want to call it a "Best Of..." since some of the books weren't published in 2010 but I still think that these books should be sought out by you and enjoyed, as I think that they are all well worth your time. If some names are unfamiliar to you but my reviews pique your interest, please support these authors and check out these and their other works. You won't be sorry!
So in no paticular order and without further ado...My Favorite Books Of 2010!
Sea, Swallow Me by Craig Laurance Gidney
12 Burning Wheels by Cesar Torres
Tales From The Sexual Underground by Rick R Reed
...these three books are as different from each other as can be but each is also a terrific collection of short stories from very talented authors. Craig Laurance Gidney reimagines old fairy tales and myth with his own unique vision; in his collection, Cesar Torres uses sensual, beautiful language to introduce us to the bizarre worlds that populate his mind; and speaking of bizarre, Rick R Reed explores an entire sexual landscape in his collection of fiction and non fiction pieces that range from erotic to laugh out loud funny.
Contraband by Charlie Vazquez is a fast paced, gritty future earth tale where the protagonist literally becomes the contraband of the title. Charlie Vazquez tells the tale of Volfango in a visual, poetic voice and I look forward to seeing more from this author soon.
A Demon Inside is a chilling haunted house story and the latest triumph from Rick R Reed that kept me on the edge of my seat til the last page. Rick pulls no punches here with the chills and thrills and this is probably my favorite book from him.
So Fey, Queer Fairy Fiction and Wilde Stories 2010 are two amazing anthologies from Lethe Press, both edited by the esteemed Steve Berman. I love stories that remix old ideas into something that honors the original work while also being fresh and contemporary and So Fey pulls this off beautifully. Wilde Stories is a collection of queer SFF that Lethe Press releases annually and there are some brilliant stories to be found here as well.
Much was made of Death Troopers by Joe Schreiber when just the cover was posted on the internet and after I picked up the paperback, I could understand why. It is simply a grand, gruesome story that is truly horrorific that just happens to take place in the Star Wars universe and IT TOTALLY WORKS! I absolutely loved it!
Slights by Kaaron Warren is probably on everyone's "Best Of..." lists and once you read it, you will see why. It is brilliant, a chilling, horrific work that chronicles a young woman's slow descent into madness. It was a little long for me but the work as a whole is a must read for any and all horror afficionados.
The Clockwork Jungle Book from Shimmer was my introduction to Steampunk this year and it was such an amazing collection that with every story I became more and more of a fan of the genre. (So much so that I want to start a weekly feature on Steampunk books and stories! I'm very excited!) Each story deserves its own review; the standouts for me, however, were The Jackdaw's Wife by Blake Hutchins, The Student And The Rats by Jess Nevins, Otto's Elephant by Vince Pendergast, The Fishbowl by Amal El-Mohtar and The Mechanical Aviary Of Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar by Sweta Narayan.
So this is my first year end list of Must Read Books for Betwixt...and I hope that you seek out these books and keep checking this blog for more reviews and book news in 2011! Happy New Year!
