Wouldn’t you love to be in the audience for Oprah’s “Favorite Things Show”? If someone--anyone (they don’t even have to be famous) gave me an all expenses paid 7 day Royal Caribbean cruise, a $3,600 Sony Television, and a $700 Nikon Digital Camera, well, whatever their favorite thing was, it would now be my favorite thing.
But not so true with books, because everyone has an opinion and not everyone has the same taste. Take me for instance, the hard core romance reader. This year I read David Nicholls’ One Day. Not a strict romance because it didn’t have a happy ending – but oh so romantic. It’s the story of two people who find each other, separate, meander through life’s highs and lows, find each other again, and in the end… well in the end, I can’t speak about it, because I wept like a baby. BUT, I loved it – for its humor, its realism, its romantic undertones, it’s wonderfully written dialogue, and for a story that will stay with me. That’s why it goes on my top five reads for 2010.
Paranormal was a big genre for me in 2009, not so much in 2010. I guess you could say I was a bit over saturated with vampires, ghosts, goblins, warlocks, demons, shapeshifters and any other non-human form. Then came Shadow Bound by Erin Kellison and I fell in love with the genre all over again. While there are no vamps or werewolves in this one – there is magic, and it doesn’t come by way of a wand. It’s the kind of magic I like to think we’re all capable of and could use to make life better. This combination romance/urban fantasy is definitely on my list because it was well written and it was a story that was anything but typical.
The other stand out paranormal was Twice Bitten, part of Chloe Neill’s Chicagoland Vampire Series. Yes, there are vamps – but it’s a ‘keep-you-guessing’ type of series. There’s a love triangle, which I’m not usually a fan of, but she makes it work. I really don’t know who the heroine will end up with, and since we’re in the middle of the series, I really don’t care, I’m enjoying the characters and the world the author has created. At the end of each book I’m hungry for the next, and there’s no better compliment I can give an author then to say – “Hey when’s the next one coming out!”
I’m always pleased when I find a book by chance. I happened to be browsing through my local Barnes and Noble – yes, I actually do go to stores and don’t live on my computer – and on one of the display tables was debut author Adrienne McDonnell’s The Doctor and the Diva. I picked it up and read the first five pages and I was hooked. Fast forward to the cashier and I was home in minutes reading this marvelous story that examines the morals of three people and what they will do to get what they want. Though not promoted as a romance, it is one, and is the kind of novel that will have you gasping out loud, “Oh no he didn’t!”
And finally, my list wouldn’t be complete without a western. Contemporary or historical, I love this sub-genre, and Kaki Warner’s Blood Rose Trilogy is a must read. All of them. Pieces of Sky, Open Country, and her January release Chasing the Sun. The stories are engrossing, the women are strong and aren’t afraid to do what it takes to survive. You’ve got rough, you’ve got tumble, gentle and kind all rolled into one sweeping saga. It’s a series I highly recommend.
So – there you have it – I’m not giving away Oprah type prizes today,but I am giving my two cents on books I really enjoyed this year.
Wishing you a very happy holiday season of joy, happiness, health and lots of reading. What were some of your favorites in 2010?
Maria Lokken is an avid romance reader and an award winning television producer
2 comments
Permalink
