Best of 2010 - Adult

Yesterday I was talking about my favourite YA reads of the year, today I'm talking about my adult favourites. This list was very easy compared to the YA one because I haven't read very much adult fiction this year. I unintentionally ended up very YA focused. So here's a rare adult spotlight for me:

Magic Bleeds by Ilona Andrews [Kate Daniels #4]
Bayou Moon by Ilona Andrews [The Edge #2]
Why? Kate 4: Because Kate and Curran kick serious ass!! Oh, you wanted a serious answer? Okay. Because the Kate series has awesome world building, a kick ass protagonist who definitely doesn't need any saving, very well developed characters, brilliant use of mythology and a very strong story. It's dark, gritty, funny, smart and all around awesome and book 4 is no exception. If you haven't yet started this series, you must!! (and if you don't think book one is much, keep going because I promise you that books 2-4 are amazing!!) And I'm throwing Bayou Moon on to the list because it's just as awesome, with a broken hero to adore and a girl who knows how to use her sword! Very nearly as awesome as Magic Bleeds. Couldn't get enough of William!
Reviews: Magic Bleeds, Bayou Moon

Shift & Alpha by Rachel Vincent [Shifters #5 & #6]
Why? Same reason Rachel's YA My Soul To Keep hit my faves list. Flawed characters at their very best. I love the werecat world Rachel's created, I love that she doesn't sacrifice realness in her characters attitudes for sake of the story. These two books make for a great set up and final chapter of the Shifters series! Lots of action, heartache and a seriously fantastic ending! Dark and gritty, and once more a protagonist who doesn't need a guy to do the ass kicking for her! Also, one very hot werecat who's name starts with J makes the whole series worth reading...
Reviews for the series: #1 Stray, #4 Prey, #5 Shift, #6 Alpha

Waking The Witch by Kelley Armstrong [The Otherworld #11]
Why? I have loved seeing Savannah grow up through the course of the series and now seeing her take the lead and get to narrate is awesome. She's sassy, smart and a lot more vulnerable at times than I'd expected. Magic blended with PI work while Savannah attempts to prove herself. Another great story with yet more expansion of an already vast world! One of Kelley's best Otherworld books to date! Watch out for that cliff hanger though ;)
Review

Blood of the Demon by Diana Rowland [Kara Gillian #2]
Why? Paranormal detective fiction with a very real edge to it. I love how Kara is very much a normal person, worrying about her weight, trying to hold her own and prove herself as a cop in a mans world, only she's got a little paranormal punch as well. I should throw book 1, Mark of the Demon, on the list too because I only read it this year. Both books are excellent with a great story and a paranormal twist that blends in beautifully.
Reviews: #1 Mark of the Demon,  #2 Blood of the Demon

Changeless & Blameless by Gail Carriger [Parasol Protectorate #2 & #3]
Why? Lets see: Victorian London, steampunk, a sexy werewolf and one of the most entertaining main characters I've read! The books are sassy and smart and I love the growth of the story through books 2 & 3 on the romantic front and on the general preternatural one. Very funny, very brilliant and a must read on any list. Can't wait for the next ones!
Reviews for the series: #1 Soulless, #2 Changeless, #3 Blameless

All the above are new releases this year, but there is one series I'm new to (very new, I just read them a couple of weeks ago) which hasn't had a new release this year, but absolutely needs to be on this list because it's one of the very best series I've read and had an almost instantaneous place on my favourites shelf!

Fever series by Karen Marie Moning
Why? One word: AWESOME. I'm completely cheating here because none of the books were released this year and it's 4 books instead of picking one. But oh well! I am very much a late comer to this series with the first 4 books out, Darkfever, Bloodfever, Faefever and Dreamfever, with just the final book, Shadowfever, due out in January. But it's one of my favourites! Very dark, very funny in places, very little romance, a spoiled girl who learns to kick some serious ass, an addictive narrative, a guy who very little is known about but is one of the smexyish characters I've read (Barrons), erm, okay, that's probably enough for here. You get the idea yes? Just read the series!!
Reviews for the series: #1 Darkfever, #2 Bloodfever, #3 Faefever & #4 Dreamfever