A Job From Hell (Ancient Legends)

It’s not a big secret that I love Jayde Scott’s A Job From Hell. There are a lot of vampire romances out there, but unfortunately there aren’t a lot of vampire romances like this one. It has a smart, resourceful, and complex heroine that is a little bit bad, and a seriously sexy vampire hero that is unlike any of the other vampire heros out there. Part of what makes this book so unique is Scott’s fast-paced, intricate plot, but I think her characters steal the show–especially a young lady that will star in her next novel in Scott’s “Ancient Legends” series, Beezelbub Girl.

Gravity (The Gravity Series)

Abigail Boyd’s Gravity really got under my skin. Part of this is due to the plot–I love ghost stories, complex supernatural mysteries, and books that deal frankly and beautifully with different kinds of love. The heroine in this story must face a lot of tragedy–the disappearance of her best friend, her strained relationship with her mother, and her attraction to the new, mysterious boy at school. This set-up is familiar to any reader of ya paranormal romance, but Boyd slowly turns the story into something more. It is eerie, surprising, and suspenseful. I don’t want to say anymore because I don’t want to give away any of Gravity’s secrets!

Destiny Binds (Timber Wolves)

Oh boy, where do I start? I fell in love with this book. Tammy Blackwell’s Destiny Binds has a love triangle (check), werewolves (check), and a seemingly average high school girl that is introduced to a fantasy world and may just be more than what she seems (double check). I’ve read this story before, right? So why do I love it so much? Well, Blackwell takes the tropes and stereotypes us ya paranormal romance readers love and somehow makes them unique, fresh, and real. While I read it, I felt like I was rediscovering the thrill I got when I read my first ever ya paranormal romance. The dialogue is realistic and funny, the writing feels effortless and fresh, and the story is…well just read it and see!

Starcrossed: Perigee – A paranormal romance trilogy

The word that comes to mind when I think of Tracy Lee Campbell’s Starcrossed is “solid”: fantastic writing; a fresh take on familiar genre tropes; a slow, realistic, emotionally-charged romance; complex, likeable characters; a fully realized and interesting setting; and an original, great story. Starcrossed is a wonderful blend of science fiction and fantasy with a unique “supernatural” creature that will steal your heart. Highly recommended!

Wayward (The Witch Wars Saga)

Ashley Girardi’s Wayward is incredible. Think Gossip Girl with bike races, the mafia with superpowers, and a seriously dark and frightening underworld. The heroine is the only person in her powerful family who was born without magic. Or at least it seemed that way. When she discovers she has a rare type of magic, she starts to attract the attention of dangerous people, and has to make a devastating choice. While there is a romance in this story, it takes a backseat to the action and heroine’s character development. I thought this was a fast-paced and unique urban fantasy, and a wonderful coming of age story.

The best part about this list? They are all the first books in a series, so there is more fun to come! I’ve already got my copy of Beezlebub Girl, the second in Jayde Scott’s “Ancient Legends” series, and am looking forward to the release of Abigail Boyd’s second “Gravity” book later on this summer. Now please excuse me, there are many, many more ya paranormal romances in my TBR pile that I’ve heard great things about and can’t wait to read!