Best of 2012 (Series)

Alright y'all, I guess one "Best of 2012" list wasn't enough for me. There were other books that I felt like needed recognition, and most of those books are part of a series. Now, I'm sure you know where this is going.....

Here are the series that blew my mind in 2012! Three of the series listed are not complete, but I really don't care; the books I read so far in the series are enough to put them in this category.

I have included one of my favorite quotes from each book in the series along with the cover photos; enjoy!

**Pssst! One more thing! Click on the covers and it will take you to the Amazon link to purchase the book :)

MY TOP 5 SERIES OF 2012

5. Asylum trilogy by Lauren Hammond

“I’m like a whirlpool in the middle of a choppy sea, once you’re in my grasp I’ll have no choice, I’ll snatch you by the leg, and pull you under.” –Addy

“Something else tells me that we just might be what each other needs to keep each other from falling apart.” – Addy

REVIEWS: Insanity I White Walls

4. Avoiding series by K.A. Linde

“We both know what we are. We cheated on other people, and that was what defined us. That was what defined our connection for quite some time.” – Lexi

“There was no reason to lie for him…not anymore.” – Lexi

REVIEWS: Avoiding Commitment I Avoiding Responsibility

3. The Dark Duet by C.J. Roberts

“He was my tormentor and my solace; the creator of the dark and the light within. I didn't care that he would undoubtedly hurt me at any moment, right now; I just needed somebody to hold me, somebody to be kind to me, somebody to tell me exactly those words. It’s going to be okay. It wasn't of course, I knew that. But I didn’t care. I needed the lie.” -- Livvie

"I don't want revenge, Caleb. I don't want to end up like you, letting some fucking vendetta run my life. I just want my freedom. I want to be free, Caleb. Not someone's whore...not even yours." -- Livvie 

REVIEWS: Captive in the Dark I Seduced in the Dark

2. Chocolate Lovers series by Tara Sivec

“Why is it that I’m just now finding out my best friend went through a lesbian phase? Every time I look at her now I’m going to picture vagina-hand. A little hand that looks like a who-ha chasing me around the house and watching me while I sleep. Vagina hand is always watching. Vagina hand sees you.” – Claire

"Water? At a wedding? I don't understand. Did you invite Jesus? That's the only way that will be acceptable" -- Drew

"Yes, and in just a few minutes, a dick will be able to find your vagina without needing night vision goggles and a weed whacker." -- Liz

REVIEWS: Seduction and Snacks I Futures and Frosting I Troubles and Treats

1. Slammed series by Colleen Hoover

“I wish I could freeze this moment. I wish we could just carve pumpkins forever…” – Layken

“It’s the clear headedness behind her voice and the calm, reasonable expression in her eyes that rips the heart right out of my chest. She turns to leave, and all I can do is let her go. I just let her go.” -- Will

REVIEWS: Slammed I Point of Retreat

Honorable Mentions:

The Sleepless series by Fisher Amelie

Callum & Harper I Thomas & January

That Boy series by Jillian Dodd

That Boy I That Wedding

So, there you have it. There were so many great series I read in 2012, but these were the ones that I could get lost in over and over again. If you haven't read these, read them and read them NOW.

And if you want to see my favorite books of 2012, check them out here.

He Loves Me...He Loves You Not by Lauren Hammond

Riley loves Henry. Henry loves Riley, but he’s dating Callie.

Riley Davis is mixed up in an emotional love triangle that she wants out of. But she can’t help the way she feels about Henry Garner. She’s obsessed. And she’s convinced that her on the sly relationship with Henry is going to end badly.

And Henry has a secret. A secret that could make or break one relationship. But which one will it be? His relationship with Callie? Or his romantic entanglement with Riley?

“I’d told myself that some part of him was better than no part of him. But some part of him is beginning to break me. I want more. I need more. Because like Callie, I’m in love with him, too.” – Riley

I love the stories that have happily ever afters, but if you were to ask me to choose between that and a story about an angst-driven romance, I would probably choose the latter. I don’t know why I like books about messy, imperfect, gut wrenching relationships so much. Maybe on some levels I feel like I relate to them? Maybe it’s because there’s the chance that the ending won’t be predictable? I don’t know. Relationships are just fucking messy sometimes, and I guess there’s a masochistic part of me that likes reading about those imperfect romances; which is why I was pretty dang excited to read He Loves Me…He Loves You Not.

The storyline is pretty self-explanatory: “Riley loves Henry. Henry loves Riley, but he’s dating Callie.” So, just how long can Henry string Riley along before she finally gets tired of being his dirty little secret?

To be completely honest, I had no problem with Riley. I don’t think cheating is right on any level, but it’s not like she was messing around with Henry just to have something fun to do; she legitimately loved him, and after all the lines he fed her about loving her, I can imagine it would be hard to turn him down or just flat out walk away from the situation. I felt for her so many times throughout this novella, because it seemed like no matter what she did or said, Henry was never willing to fully commit to her. He would give her hope and then take it right back. This brings me to my next point…

Henry. It is safe to say I am not a Henry fan. He is in love with Riley, but refuses to break up with Callie. Um…what? The reason he “can’t” leave Callie is made clear towards the end of the book, but I just don’t see that as a valid excuse…at all. He was just downright selfish. I don’t understand how he could continually hurt Riley over and over again if he loved her so much. And granted, Callie is a bitch but no girl deserves to be lied to and cheated on. To me, Henry was the embodiment of a self-centered jerk.

Despite my dislike for Henry, I did still enjoy this book. If a character evokes any kind of emotion from me, whether it is positive or negative, I think that’s a characteristic of a good author. The storyline had me in its grip from the very beginning, and didn’t let go. It’s a short read and I believe it’s only $0.99 from Barnes and Noble (as a nook book) so if you like angst-driven romances, I’d definitely encourage you to give He Loves Me…He Loves You Not a whirl.

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A Whisper To A Scream by Lauren Hammond

(The Sociopath Diaries, book 1)

Sometimes love…can be deadly.

Ellory Graham detested high school. She relished the fact that she was a rebel. A wild, carefree, type of girl. She basked in the glory of being the type of girl who stood up to authority. Unfortunately for her, her upfront, honest and bitchy nature always managed to land her in some kind of trouble.

Adam Jacobs was everything Ellory was not. Not only was he beautiful, but he was smart, artistic, and sweet. To almost every girl he seemed like the total package – that all around perfect guy. But in a town where nothing particularly interesting happens, and gossip seems like the only fun thing to do, sometimes those perfections become flaws. And it doesn’t take long for Ellory to find out, even Adam has secrets.

But Adam’s secrets are the kind of secrets people die for…

I really wanted to like this book, really I did; I just recently read two other books by Lauren Hammond and I just absolutely loved them, so I was hoping I would love this one just as much. *Le sigh* I didn’t. Maybe it’s just not my cup o’ tea because the majority of the reviews I have read were positive, but there was just too much I couldn’t get past. Let’s dive right in, shall we?

Ellory is a rebel with a mouth like a sailor and a just-don’t-give-a-damn attitude. She sneaks out of the house, gets drunk at high school parties then proceeds to make out with random dudes, and generally doesn’t care for anyone except her two friends, Wren and Molly.  She doesn’t want to be in a relationship…ever…because she refuses to even entertain the idea of possibly getting her heart broken.

Adam has issues. Not small issues like he doesn’t like the circus because clowns creep him out, or he thinks there is a zombie under his bed; no…the dude is obsessed with blood. It starts when he sees his dad cut himself shaving, then he escalates to killing animals, and then…well… he starts wanting to slit girls’ throats. He is accused and acquitted of murdering his former girlfriend in Chicago just before his parents pick up and move to a small town in Ohio. He’s trying to keep his “urges” under control, and Ellory is the only girl he can be around and not want to slice her throat. Charming. Any who, he tries to hide the fact that he’s a monster from her, but how long can he keep his urges at bay…and if she does find out what he really is, will she run away screaming? (Um… she should!)

This book just didn’t do it for me. I think part of it was the fact that him being a sociopath was kind of downplayed, and Ellory was just like “Oh, you’re a sociopath? Ain’t no thang!” I get that she’s in love with him, but the fact that she seemed to accept this maaaajor issue with the solace of knowing he would never hurt her just bothered me. I couldn’t get past it. I like female characters that have a backbone and are independent, as opposed to the ones who act like they need a man to survive (I’m looking at you, Bella Swan) but I just didn’t really care much for Ellory. Not to mention, if she’s such a b*tch to everyone, how in the world did she end up on the homecoming court? It’s not like she has a ton of friends, she seems to sleep through quite a few of her classes, and doesn’t go out of her way to be friendly to her classmates. I’m…confused.

I still don’t quite understand the end. I may go back and re-read the last 15 or so pages just to try and maybe figure out what in holy hell actually happened…but that’s a solid maybe. I know it’s a self-published book, but even so, there were an extreme number of typos and words left out of sentences all together. I try not to let that stuff bother me because I love indie authors, but it was a bit excessive in this book.

Oh, and there’s a quote that explains Adam’s skills as a quarterback, saying he can “throw a football like Jerry Rice.” I’m a huge sports fan and maybe that’s why this bothers me…but Jerry Rice wasn’t a quarterback. He was a wide receiver. Not just a wide receiver, but probably the best wide receiver to ever play in the NFL! He’s doesn’t throw the football; he catches the football. I know, I know, I feel like I’m being a nitpicker (and I’m really not trying to be, I swear) but that just killed me!

Now there were some redeeming qualities about the book: I liked Wren, even if she wasn’t a huge character, and there were some really sweet moments between Ellory and Adam; but the dude is crazy. The suspense and mystery surrounding Miss Miller was intriguing, and honestly, that was a big part of why I kept reading. I needed to know what the sh*t was up with this weirdo teacher!

Overall, this just didn’t do it for me. Like I said, I loved the other two books by Lauren Hammond that I’ve read, so I really wanted to like this; I just couldn’t. Clearly a lot of other people enjoyed this book so maybe I’m just not getting something, who knows. I hate giving bad reviews, especially to authors who have written books that I love, but I just can’t pretend to like a book if I don’t. I just can’t do it.

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White Walls by Lauren Hammond

(Asylum series, book 2)

Adelaide Carmichael knows that she lost her mind. She’s aware that she’s being sent to The Oakhill Institution, but she’s been told that she’s being sent there to get better. She’s been told that the staff is there to help.

And it doesn’t take Adelaide long to discover that she was very, very wrong about The Oakhill Institution. Patients roam the halls like zombies. Electric current vibrate through the plaster walls. Patients are fed sedatives like mashed potatoes and now Adelaide knows one thing for sure, she wants out.

And she’ll do whatever she can to escape.

“Something else tells me that we just might be what each other needs to keep each other from falling apart.” – Addy

Lordy, Lordy, Lordy. I’m kind of at a loss for where to start with this review...in a good way. Although White Walls wasn’t quite as good as Insanity, I still absolutely loved it. First of all, I have to admit something… when I started this book, I didn’t know it was going to tell the story of Addy’s first trip to Oakhill and finally tell us why she always felt a connection to Dr. Watson in Insanity; I thought it was picking up where we left off so I was all sorts of confused. Whatever, I’ll chalk it up to having a blonde moment I guess. Secondly, I loved that this book had a different feel to it; Insanity was kind of a f*cked up, heartbreaking rollercoaster ride, but White Walls kind of has the overlying feelings of hope and contentment. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still intense, but I think the crazy is dialed down a notch or two.

Addy seems a little more lucid while she’s at Oakhill during this book, and isn’t quite as defiant and batsh*t crazy as she is in Insanity, although she’s definitely a few crayons short of a box. She’s dealing with finding out the truth about what really happened to her mother, the aftermath of father’s trial, and of course, Damien. You know, I’m just not really digging Damien anymore. The way Addy sees him and how he “acts” towards her makes me want to punch him in the throat…if I could, of course. And honestly, who needs Damien when you have Elijah Watson?!

My, oh my…Elijah Watson. I swooned over him more than I ever did for Damien to be completely honest. The relationship between him and Addy had me grinning like the freaking Cheshire cat, and the more I learned about Elijah’s background, the more I was convinced that he and Addy are two peas in a pod; they just belong together.

I loved this book, just not quite as much as Insanity. I am super antsy to read the third book, and judging by the short excerpt at the end of White Walls, it’s going to blow my freaking mind!

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Insanity by Lauren Hammond

(Asylum series, book 1)
Sometimes love…can drive you crazy.

Adelaide Carmichael and Damien Allen couldn’t be more opposite. Adelaide’s mother abandoned her when she was ten years old, leaving her to be raised by her abusive and alcoholic father. Damien on the other hand came from a wealthy family, was a local celebrity, and seemed to have a bright future ahead of him.

Despite their differences, Adelaide and Damien were young, wild, and fiercely in love. And they had a plan. They were going to run away. Be together forever. And their plan was set in motion, until tragedy struck and for some reason, Adelaide wound up in The Oakhill Institution for the insane.

Adelaide has no idea what she did to wind up at Oakhill, but she knows one thing for sure…she wants out. And after Damien follows her there to aid in her escaping, Adelaide slowly begins putting together the pieces of her memory that are missing.

And it doesn’t take Adelaide long to figure out that sometimes…that one true love never dies.

“I’m like a whirlpool in the middle of a choppy sea, once you’re in my grasp I’ll have no choice, I’ll snatch you by the leg, and pull you under.” –Addy

I just…How can I…WHAT THE F*CK JUST HAPPENED?!? I finished this book a few hours ago, and I am still trying to put this review into words. I had heard that Insanity would mess with my head but I had no idea just how much! It seemed like just when I was starting to maaaaybe understand what was going on, I got sucker punched in the back of the head and lost my bearings…again! There were several instances throughout the book that I went back and read again because I’m not gonna lie, I felt dumb. I hate when I read a book and I feel like I might know what just happened but I’m not completely certain. I’m sitting here talking to myself saying, “well, I think she did…but maybe she didn’t…or maybe HE…” Yes, I was sitting here having a conversation with myself trying to decide if I had just read this sh*t right…I started feeling like maybe I should be committed to Oakhill! Kidding…maybe ;) 

The crazy love story of Addy and Damien is just freaking wonderful. The sacrifices he was willing to…and did make…just to be with her proved that she really was his whole world. They were the couple that never should have been; he came from old money, planned on going to Yale for college, and was the hottest bachelor in town. She came from nothing, felt like she had no future, and dealt with an abusive, drunk father on a daily basis. With his mother telling Addy that she didn’t want her son “slumming it” with her, and her father never letting her ride in a car with a boy…let alone DATE a boy…they had the odds stacked against them, and they never let it matter. They found a way and made a plan to run away together.

The parts of the book with Addy in Oakhill…just…wow. I feel like I can’t really say a whole lot because I absolutely don’t want to give away any spoilers and ruin it, but sweet sassy molassy! Oakhill is just…not right. The pills that make people go mentally numb, the screams they hear from time to time coming from the basement because of electroshock therapy, her crazy roommate, and the handsome but terrifying Dr. Watson all make up the horrifying reality that is now Addy’s world…but she’s determined to escape with the help of Damien, because she’s not crazy. She’s not. Or is she???

This is one of the best books I have read this year and the ending, of course made me freaking cry! Honestly, could I be any more emotional?! Let’s all hope not…cripes. Any who, if you like trippy books, I would absolutely recommend Insanity. But hey, don’t say I didn’t warn you…prepare to be mindf*cked!! (I would say mindfreaked to keep it clean, but that makes me think of Criss Angel and that guy is a douche.)

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