2010 Reading List

I had the pleasure to read many awesome books in 2010. In a lot of ways, I think it was a notable year for several favorite authors and I had the pleasure of discovering a number of new authors for my auto-buy list. Here's a list of my favorite 2010 titles:

BEST CONTEMPORARY/ROMANTIC SUSPENSE - Hands-down, the SEALs trilogy. I'd really like to know where Stephanie Tyler's military heroes have been all my life. Hold on Tight was Chris's book and the final installment in Tyler's first trilogy. I read it in a day and a half...and I'm slow. Chris's character completely rocked his purple cover. Just look at that! Do I really need to say more? Sorry, I have to. Mostly because I felt that Chris's character was remarkable. He exemplified the wounded hero without losing his an ounce of his alpha-ness. I unfortunately have not read any of Tyler's new Shadow Force books, but if her SEALs trilogy is any indication, I will not be disappointed.

BEST PARANORMAL - It comes down to a mind-blowing tie. This is the first time my favorite paranormal authors have not shifted year-to-year, and of course those are the outstanding likes of J.R. Ward and Larissa Ione.

With Ward's Lover Mine, she continues the awesomeness that is the Black Dagger Brotherhood while telling the love story of my favorite character, John Matthew. This might have been my favorite book of the year because it lived up to its highly-anticipated hype and set the bar extremely high for the next book in the series.

Ione delivers! It's a phrase fans of the Demonica series have said from day one. Sin Undone is the final book in the Demonica series and talk about living up to the hype! I really didn't think Sin's book would like up to Wraith's, but I was so, so wrong. It had all the ingredients I've come to love about Ione's dark paranormals and more. I cannot wait until her next series launch in 2011.

BEST HISTORICAL - I read more historical romance in 2010 than anything else and two stand out more than any other. Both the authors are new to me and I was thrilled to add them to my auto-buy list.

The first is by established historical author Rosemary Rogers. Scoundrel's Honor explores the intriguing streets of St. Petersburg while delving into the life of the Beggar Czar, Russia's most notorious criminal. The hero reminds me of a historical Roarke. And it's rare that I love both the hero and heroine in equal measure.

The second is by author Veronica Wolff and is the first book in her Clan MacAlpin series. I've never fallen in love with a Highlander romance faster than I fell for Devil's Highlander. The story is textured richly and the characters are delightful. The hero, Cormac, is to die for - the epitome of both the alpha and Highlander hero. I can't wait to read the next book in the series, Devil's Own, in March.

BEST GENRE-DEFYING NOVEL - Zoe Archer's Blades of the Rose series is historical. But it also has deep roots in the paranormal. And romance. And adventure. Suffice it to say, these books are in a league of their own. Zoe Archer gets five stars for originality alone. The first book in the Blades of the Rose, Warrior, which launched in September, was absolutely outstanding. It would seem impossible to combine so many different sub-genres without one overwhelming another. That's what makes Warrior so unique. The historical frontier of Mongolia proved to be exciting new terrain for romance. And the romance - ooh la la! Absolutely nothing was lost there. The characters are as lovable as can be. The hero struck me as particularly three-dimensional. The elements of paranormal and adventure wove the plot together and the ending was so satisfying I immediately wanted to dive into the second Blades of the Rose title, Scoundrel.

Other 2010 notables include Alexandra Hawkins's Lords of Vice series, which will be continuing with its third installment in 2011. I also discovered the guilty pleasure that is Christine Wells's suspenseful historical. Ann Agguire's butt-kicking, sci-fi heroine, Sirantha Jax, became a must-read. And Cynthia Eden delighted fans by crossing over into romantic suspense.

Readers, it's your turn! What were your favorite titles of 2010?

Contemporary & Paranormal Recommended Reads

Today I continue my Recommended Reads for the third quarter of this year. Earlier this week, I listed my favorite historicals. Today's books are my favorite contemporary, romantic suspense, and paranormal titles....


***Some of the following reviews may contain spoilers***

Sin Undone by Larissa Ione (My Review: LOVE) - I knew Larissa Ione wouldn't disappoint Demonica readers with this fifth and final installment of the paranormal series, but still - WOW! Sin may be the only female Seminus demon and the youngest of five, but she lives up to her brothers' previous books. Add half-werewolf/half-vampire hero, Con, to the package and wowza! A whole bunch of page-turning goodness happens! As always, conflict between Ione's characters is superbly written, particularly between Sin and Con and the ending sums up an amazing series while setting up her next: Lords of Deliverance!

Burning Alive by Shannon K. Butcher (My Review: 4/5) - I really enjoyed this book. Along with heroine Helen, the reader is plunged into the world of the Sentinels and their war against the Synestryn demons. I don't know if it was her voice or the worldbuilding but something about Butcher's style reminds me a bit of J.R. Ward. Still, the story itself is original and I will be buying Book II. Not a lot of books make me go bump in the night, but this one definitely went there for me. It's dark parts, however, never outweighed the romance and I loved the hero. I felt that some of the love scenes maybe left a bit to be desired, especially after the great build-up of sexual tension between Helen and Drake. That's my only complaint...except (***spoiler warning***) I wish Thomas wasn't killed off. I was really rooting for his story.

Warrior by Zoe Archer (My Review: LOVE) - I've heard nothing but awesome things about the Blades of the Rose series and for good reason. This book rocked my socks off! It is so clear right from the onset that Zoe Archer is a natural born storyteller and a wordsmith to boot! I can't find any complaints with this book. The paranormal/historical setting transplanted me into another world as only J.D. Robb has transplanted me into 2060 NYC. And the characters: perfection! Thalia is the perfect example of a well-written strong heroine. A fighter, a survivor but still vulnerable and easy to connect with as a reader. The hero, Capt. Gabriel Huntley, is in an alpha with a noble streak. I've used perfection to describe this book already, but I have to say it again here. The hero of this book was absolute perfection. As soon as I finished with his and Thalia's story, I wanted to dive straight back in and do it all again! Serious kudos to Zoe Archer for crafting an addictive world that is completely original and so compelling I could hardly put it down for a few minutes at a time. She is clearly in a league of her own.

Skykeepers by Jessica Andersen (My Review: LOVE) - Another paranormal for the keeper shelf. Skykeepers is hands-down my favorite Final Prophecy so far. I didn't expect to love the character of Michael Stone, but he won me over very quickly. His devotion to heroine Sasha Ledbetter is so endearing and the inner conflict that prevents him from being with her is so compelling and heartbreaking. I really felt for both of them. The world of the Nightkeepers keeps getting richer and denser. I have a hard time believing anyone who hasn't read the previous novels in this series could fully enjoy Skykeepers or the next books, Demonkeepers and Blood Spells. For fans like me however, this is a treat!

Primal Male by Sasha White (My Review: 5/5) - This sizzling Brava title is a quick one but one to reckon with, no less! If you like your paranormal romance white hot, look no further. I was intrigued by the worldbuilding and the characters' predicament. There are two previous novellas that proceed Primal Male, both of which are available in the Sexy Devil paperback but this one stands alone even as it draws from world and characters of other stories. There is an alarming number of typos in this book. Such a shame since the story packs a great punch and is written with a healthy dose of flair. I found it highly enjoyable and look forward to combing White's backlist for more!

The Sheriff of Silverhill by Carol Ericson (My Review: 4/5) - This is the second in Carol Ericson's romantic suspense series about the McClintock brothers of Silverhill, Colorado. Carol Ericson keeps getting better and better and I was thrilled with this glimpse into life on the rez. The heroine, Dana, is a government agent who specializes in Native American crimes. She returns to Silverhill, the place of her childhood, when a serial killer begins targetting Native American women. This romantic suspense is well-written and worth reading just for the title character, Rafe McClintock, the Sheriff of Silverhill. The well-researched Indian culture as well as the reservation setting took me away from the usual romantic suspense setting and I enjoyed the escape. I already have my copy of the third series installment and recommend this one to RS fans.

A Very Special Delivery by Linda Goodnight (My Review: 5/5) - I don't read enough inspirational romance. This was clear to me after reading this winter-themed contemporary inspy about a single father and a woman who suffers from anxiety. I felt akin to the heroine despite the extraordinary circumstances in which her panic attacks stem from. The inspirational parts of this book were neither too heavy nor too light. The romance itself is well-blended with the heroine's journey toward healing and the hero's discovery of place and home for himself and his baby daughter. For inspirational readers, this Linda Goodnight novella is a heart-warming treat that I recommend with a glass of cocoa!

Chasin' Mason by Stacey Joy Netzel (My Review: 4/5) - This list wouldn't be complete without western romance! After reading Dragonfly Dreams, I couldn't help but pick up Stacey Joy Netzel's next single title. This book starts out strong with great conflict between the hero and heroine who are thrust reluctanly into an adventure. My favorite element of this story is that it proves further that what we love most about contemporary western is mainly it's echoes of historical westerns. In Chasin' Mason, the characters battle the outdoors as well as themselves as they race to clench their hold over a loved one's ranch land with the capture of a wild stallion. An enjoyable read from start to finish. Netzel is another author who writes with flair and is one of my favorite contemporary voices!

Readers, I would love to hear your favorite contemporary, paranormal, or romantic suspense recent reads!