OK, I've done it. I played around in the TBR yesterday and dug up some books. Turns out almost everything that jumped up and bit me was a historical, so I'm definitely going to need help weeding some of them from the stack. I'll also post the contemporary stuff, but frankly my mind is pretty much made up on that front (for instance, one of the Denise Hamilton's is making the trip).
So what am I asking of you all? I'm looking for positive opinions. Please don't say, "That book sucked monkey balls!" because I'm afraid it will prejudice me against the book forever and it will languish in my TBR even longer until I finally decide to toss it in the Take To The Used Bookstore bag. So positive comments only chicas!
Here it goes:
Historicals:
Worth Any Price, Again The Magic, & Lady Sophia's Lover all by Lisa Kleypas (aren't these part of a series? If so, I don't mind reading out of order)
Winter Garden by Adele Ashworth (yeah, I know - I haven't read it yet!)
Just One Touch by Debra Mullins
Dark Enchantment by Karen Harbaugh
A Kiss to Die For by Claudia Dain
Hannah's Vow by Pam Crooks
Foxfire Bride by Maggie Osborne
To Find You Again by Maureen McKade
Mail Order Bride by Maureen McKade
Midnight Satin by Laurie Grant
Sweet Release by Pamela Clare
Redemption by Carolyn Davidson
Contemporaries:
Jackson Rule by Dinah McCall
Since You're Leaving Anyway Take Out The Trash by Dixie Cash
Industrial Magic by Kelley Armstrong
A Place to Call Home by Deborah Smith
Mysteries:
Sugar Skull and Last Lullaby both by Denise Hamilton
Extra points for eloquence. I'm not sure how many books I'm going to take with me, but let's say at least five. I won't have The Boyfriend to distract me on the plane, so I imagine I'll just have my nose buried in a book the entire time.
9 comments:
I think I've read the Kleypas books, but none of them made an impression. Haven't read any of the other historicals or either of the mysteries.
Kelley Armstrong's Industrial Magic is good, but it isn't her strongest work, IMO. [That would be Bitten, again IMO.]
But (saving the best for last) Deborah Smith's A Place to Call Home is very good and worth lugging cross country. And IIRC, the holidays play a small role very early in the book, so it'd be season appropriate. The first half of the book is stronger than the second half, but it's absolutely a keeper for me.
Definitely A PLACE TO CALL HOME by Deborah Smith. That's one of my all-time favorite books/romances. Beautifully written and very touching. You won't forget it! JACKSON RULE is also a classic and an excellent read. Good luck with your choices! :-)
Hmm...I haven't read any of these. Sorry!
Worth Any Price, Again The Magic, & Lady Sophia's Lover all by Lisa Kleypas - I like Worth Any Price, haven't read Again the Magic and liked Lady but wasn't blown away by it.
Winter Garden by Adele Ashworth (yeah, I know - I haven't read it yet!) - yes... I think you will really like the heroine.
Just One Touch by Debra Mullins - started this but haven't finished it and haven't gone back to it. Her older stuff was better.
Dark Enchantment by Karen Harbaugh - haven't read
A Kiss to Die For by Claudia Dain - I have... bought because kristie and jane lurved it.
Hannah's Vow by Pam Crooks - haven't read.
Foxfire Bride by Maggie Osborne - liked this one.
To Find You Again by Maureen McKade
Mail Order Bride by Maureen McKade - take mail order bride cuz I have this to be read... you can tell me if I wiill like it.
Midnight Satin by Laurie Grant - uh you told me not to answer this one.
Sweet Release by Pamela Clare - yes.. loved this. Not as good as Ride the Fire but grand
Redemption by Carolyn Davidson - yes... good one too better than her last HH. And I just bought Haven so it seems like you should take it *g*.
my work here is done
so that is five books:
Winter Garden by Adele Ashworth
A Kiss to Die For by Claudia Dain
Mail Order Bride by Maureen McKade
Sweet Release by Pamela Clare
Redemption by Carolyn Davidson
and take Place to Call Home just in case you need a historical break.
*g*
IMNSHO: Of the ones you've listed that I've read, I'm with Sybil in Sweet Release. I really enjoyed it and then there is Ride the Fire to get to. And if you're looking for a contemp rec, Jackson Rule is one of my faves too. A bit to sweet for some maybe, but I really loved it.
My personal choices:
A Kiss to Die For – Claudia Dain. Good book, especially considering the recent announcement on Dain’s web-site that she is all enthused and looking forward to writing Regency-set historicals. (Insert howls of dismay.) If she had to give up medievals, she could have written westerns instead of joining the growing Regency mob. She has a lovely way with language; the rhythm and syntax sound very 19th century to me. An innocent-but-not-stupid heroine, a dark-around-the-edges hero.
Redemption by Carolyn Davidson. Some of Davidson’s other books seem to occasionally get caught up in details, slowing the story. This one didn’t. A sweet romance with an out-of-the-ordinary heroine and hero.
If you do read the Kleypas books, read Lady Sophia’s Lover before Worth Any Price. Not necessary, but they work better that way.
I haven't read any of these, but I just finished off Smith's Sweet Hush and it was very good, so that seems like a sure bet.
I agree with those who said Jackson Rule is a classic - and it even holds up okay. I liked the Lisa KIeypas books, too, if you're in a historical frame of mind. :o) I really like Worth Any Price and Lady Sophia...I don't remember as much about Again the Magic. Just FWIW.
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