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2013 reading goal:
15 new-to-me authors.
1) Stacy Gail
2) Heather Massey
3) Sidney Bristol
4) Ann Mayburn
5) Thea Harrison
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Showing posts with label Year in Review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Year in Review. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Before and After… A Year’s Journey by Una
Since I was a kid, I thought I was fat. It wasn’t until sixth grade that I realized or accepted that I was chunky. I was not an inactive kid, mind you, I took horseback riding lessons, I danced – ballet, tap, character, etc. However, when puberty hit, I got curves… generous ones, even with all the activities I was in. It would be a long time before I would learn that I wasn’t fat, at least not then.
As I entered into high school, I stopped dancing and horseback riding and threw myself into sports. I played volleyball, soccer and swimming. Most of my girlfriends did not play sports and were, for the most part, twigs. They all wore single digit sizes in clothes. I did not. I was the double digit girl. Much to my chagrin, my best friend played three sports and was a single digit size. I figured, I was going to be “thick” and that was just the way I was. I was not meant to be thin or skinny. I was meant to be average… curvy, athletic. As with most kids graduating high school, I went on to college. Exercised less, did not really know to alter eating habits (since I wasn’t as active), although I ate fairly healthy. My parents raised me well. I had three meals a day – all food groups were correctly represented and consumed. I love to cook so it was easy to watch what I ate.
Fast forward to a few years ago – my hubby and I decided to try for kids. I was a little heavy, but not far off from what I thought was my “normal”. Being curvy, I accepted I wore women’s sizes, double digit because that is just what I am. I figured I should get in a better shape if I was to get pregnant. Well, got pregnant faster than I expected. I don’t know if this is common, but I thought…I won’t have to gain much weight…I could just try to maintain and end up losing weight while I was pregnant. Ha! That was just me being completely unrealistic. I gained…I gained more than I wanted, about what average pregnancy gain is, but it put me at 250 pounds. Mind you, I am five-foot-three-inches tall.
Then, my life had some trials. My son was born early and I was released from the hospital the day of my great-aunt’s funeral. Two months later, I lost my gramma – my father’s mother. As some of you faithful blog followers may know, my mom’s cancer returned with a vengeance during this year. The next year, my son turned one, my step-grandfather died, my mother died, my husband’s aunt died, my last surviving grandparent: my Barbar died. Suffice to say, I started to lose the weight at the beginning of the year and then gained it all back. By the time I surfaced from my comfort eating, I was back at 250 pounds only this time I wouldn’t be gaining a child from that weight. 
The “before” picture you see…that is me from July 2011. Seeing that picture, having no energy to play with my two-and-a-half year old son, I was done, seriously done with being big. But I was so far gone, I couldn’t do the exercise routine I was used to…I was too heavy. My blood pressure was a mess, I was having dizzy spells, couldn’t sleep, I was snoring. I was done feeling ugly, being depressed, and I was done not being the mother to my son, that my mother was to me. I went to my doctor and told her, I was done. That I didn’t want pills to get skinny or surgery or anything like that; what I wanted was to learn how be healthy. Something that would help me lose the weight safely but at the same time, teach me to live healthy. Like I said, I ate pretty healthily; I knew I needed to exercise, but what is the right balance. Plus – was I really eating healthy?
My doctor prescribed a program and it was the blessing I needed. It is a medically supervised weight loss program – a balance of diet and exercise and my insurance covered it. They call it lifestyle modification – I would learn to live a healthy life with a proper diet for my body and exercise. I started the program October 2011. A year later, I have lost 92 pounds. I am almost to my goal weight of 150 pounds. I am not wearing women’s sizes. I am not in double digits. I run or swim five days a week and do weight training and other exercises. I get 30 minutes minimum exercise a day. I eat almost all the same foods I did before – but at much better portion sizes. I have two snacks and three meals a day. They say, “Never say Never”. “They” are right. I never thought I would wear a medium. I NEVER thought I would be a runner (even though I played soccer in high school…I hated running). I never thought I would be “skinny” and still have curves. Yet, here I am…
Through this program, I learned that my body “type” if you will, puts on bulk muscle, if I am not careful. I’m not a lean muscle person, or at least growing up, I did not muscle up that way. I was really strong. I’m not as strong as I was… but I’m working on being strong enough. I’m toning up. I know what balance of foods in my diet to eat to avoid the bulking up and keep my muscle leaner. I do not feel as if I have sacrificed my love of food. I feel like I found a happier and healthier me…who was inside me waiting to be found. I found my balance and through this discovery – I have found other areas in my life that needed work. I had truly fallen down the rabbit hole of depression – much in my life had gone awry. Now…things are different…better.
I now play with my son until HE is tired. We go on adventures in the mountains and around the neighborhood to get “exercise”. He knows that just as much as our bodies need fuel, we need to be active. I am as active with him as my mother was with me, if not more. My mother along with other women in my family struggled with their weight. I know my mother is beyond proud of me.
It is astonishing to me to see the transformation. I have put together a little picture timeline to show my journey. I hope in baring this to you all that it gives you the courage and determination to make a change to that one thing in your life that you feel you cannot. We are amazing creatures and we can do amazing things when we believe in ourselves. It is amazing what we can accomplish when we have the courage to take that first step. I would not be here without the overwhelming support of my family, my friends and especially my GG’s. Love you guys!
Happy New Year to all of you! And remember... a lot can be accomplished in just one year!
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Friday, December 28, 2012
Year in Review - 2012
Here we are at the close of another year. This year my goal was to focus more on reading and less on the mechanics of blogging, and I’m happy to report it was a success! Emotionally and mental I was in a much better place, finding time to read and enjoying writing the reviews. I am happy to report that the total number of books read this year was 97 books, up 33 books from last year! My original goal was to read one book per week, but up’d the goal to 65 books (one more than 2011). I blew that goal out of the water!
I had also challenged myself to read new-to-me authors this past year. Originally, I thought about one new author per month, for a total of 12 in the year, but when I realized I would exceed that rather quickly, I up’d that goal to 24 new-to-me-authors. I ended up reading 30 new-to-me authors! I am really proud of this accomplishment and plan to try and get at least 12 more new-to-me authors in 2013.
Having the more relaxed mental attitude also helped with blogging. I am pleased to report that I published over 460 posts in 2012, up over 100 from 2011! My review team kept me busy! We added a new feature in late September called Saturday Conversations, a place where we take the time to chat about the things going on in our lives. On the downside, I finally said goodbye (for now) to my long-running Sunday Snippets weekly post back in October 2012, after the 124th post!
I really have enjoyed blogging and discussing books with all of you. Although visitors were down in 2012, I know I have a great group of loyal readers, and I thank you each of you from the bottom of my heart. My blog is a labor of love, and I’m happy to share it with you all! Below is my TOP TEN for 2012... How did 2012 go for you? What were your favorite reads during the year?
10) My friend and sometime guest reviewer, Ang, came on board as a permanent member of the That’s What I’m Talking About review team. Ang enjoys reading historicals and contemporaries - creating a better balance of romance here at the blog.
9) I enjoy doing giveaways here at That’s What I’m Talking About, and the discovery of Rafflecopter has made giveaways so much easier for me! I love that it manages the entries and picks the winner/s for me, but I also enjoy all of the options, like tweeting about the giveaway.
8) Did anyone else notice the increase in Self-Published Authors this past year? I had the opportunity to read and showcase both newbie authors, but also some of my long-time favorites went the route of self-publishing in 2012. Whether by choice or due to circumstances, the decision to self-publish was a-okay with me. I enjoyed books from Shiloh Walker, Carolyn Crane, Jill Myles and Allyson James - all self-published. And this trend to self-publish was at the center of a question I asked at the Lori Foster’s Reader-Author Get Together, bringing a true cricket moment, but many laughs for my friend Dren and myself!
7) It seems that every year there is at least one big book in a long-running series, one that everyone can’t wait to read (can anyone say Qhuay 2013?!). In 2012, there were two such books for me. First was the climatic conclusion to the (first story arc of) Midnight Breed series by Lara Adrian, and a book for the long-tormented hero, Chase. We finally got to read his book, Darker After Midnight, and it did NOT disappoint! Not only did the book chronicle Chase’s journey of redemption and love, it also ended with an amazing twist that will completely reboot the series when it returns in February 2013. 2012 also was the year that Paris finally finds love in The Lords of the Underworld! Gena Showalter’s keeper of Promiscuity, Paris, has been pining for Sienna since the beginning of the series, and in The Darkest Seduction, Paris finally finds peace.
6) Reading so many New-to-Me Authors in 2012 was not only a huge accomplishment, but also such a joy. I found some great new series that have now become “auto-buys” for me. As I mentioned earlier, I hope to continue adding new authors to my bookshelf, but I won’t do it at the expense of giving up books and series I currently read. I think I will be able to squeeze in a few more - because that’s the best way to discover new favorites!!
5) URBAN FANTASY! When I look back at 2012, I realize that I have been reading a lot more urban fantasy titles and really enjoying them (even a bit more than PNR!). My favorites are ones that have a strong heroine, who may be flawed but believes in herself and those around her, coupled with some romance. Long-time favorites like Kate Daniels (and her partner Andrea, who was the main character in one of my favorite books, Gunmetal Magic), Janet Begay (Stormwalker series), Victory Vaughn (Deadtown series) and Madeline Black (Black Wings series), were joined this year by new-to-me characters like Gin Blanco (Elemental Assassins), Kit Colbana (Colbana Files), Drusilla Jaco (Sentinels of New Orleans), and Justine Jones (The Disillusionists).
4) In 2012, I said good-bye to three of my “auto-buy” series. First, Jill Myles ended her wonderful Succubus Diaries series with Succubi Are Forever in April. In November, Larissa Ione released the fourth and final book in her sexy Lords of Deliverance series. Rogue Rider may have the final chapter for the Horsemen, but the world of Demonica will live on when she returns to UGH in 2013 with Reaver’s book! Finally, December saw the final book Alyssa Day’s Warriors of Poseidon series. Long-time readers FINALLY got Alaric and Quinn’s story in Heart of Atlantis.
3) I finally made time to read The Disillusionist series by Carolyn Crane. What. An. Amazing. Series. I cannot not say enough great things about this trilogy which centers around a group of misfits who learn to use their phobias and insecurities to “cure” true bad guys of their vices. The third book in the series, Head Rush, was one of the best books I read this past year and earned a spot as one of my all-time favorites!
2) It is hard to pick a favorite book for 2012... There were several great reads that came out this past year. My top 3 new releases for 2012 are: Riveted by Meljean Brook, Gunmetal Magic by Ilona Andrews, and Darker After Midnight by Lara Adrian.
1) Getting to hang out with some of the most wonderful women and fellow book lovers at both Lori Foster’s Get Together and Authors After Dark NOLA. Not only did I have to opportunity to check in with some of the friends I’d met in 2011, but I finally got to meet in real life several more of my online tweeps. Plus - meeting and hanging out with some amazing authors. I think I went a bit fangirl several times. Connecting with gracious people and making friends with those I have something in common is truly a blessing! I look forward to doing more of the same in 2013!
Thank you all for stopping by and supporting me and That's What I'm Talking About. Joyous New Year and Happy Reading!! Be sure to check back in January when I’m planning a HUGE book giveaway blow out for my 3rd Blogiversary!
Friday, December 30, 2011
Year in Review - 2011
Well, another year has come and gone. I am happy to report that I have conquered another year blogging and reviewing so many wonderful books. Once again, my total number of books read has declined from 2010 to 2011, I’m guessing it will be roughly 20 fewer books this year than last. However, my total number of blog posts increased dramatically, going from 237 posts in 2010 to over 360 in 2011! The joys of adding to the review team, increasing author visits and more giveaways has all added up to a year of fun!
I really have enjoyed blogging and discussing books with all of you. I hope you have enjoyed our time together as well! Putting aside my failed Reading Challenge and the disappointments of not keeping up, I have had a wonderful year! Below is my TOP TEN for 2011... How did 2011 go for you? What were your favorite reads during the year?
10) One big highlight was adding to the review team, for a total of six of us reading and reviewing books for That’s What I’m Talking About. B started late in 2010, while Una, Gikany, VampBard & Nima all joined me in 2011. I may need to change my blog name to That’s What We’re Talking About!
9) I finally started the Immortals After Dark series by Kresley Cole. I’ve been hearing what an amazing series this is forever, and I finally got around to reading it... well, the first 5 books or so. Anyhow, at least I started it!
8) STEAMPUNK! After testing the waters with The Iron Duke by Meljean Brooke in 2010, I came across another great steampunk book, Phoenix Rising by Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris (Review HERE) Then later in 2011, was the Meljean’s second steampunk novel: Heart of Steel. I adore the Iron Seas series. I also had the privilege to read Theresa Meyers new wild west steampunk The Hunter. I was in gadget heaven this year!
7) It was the year of the HAWKE, when Nalini Singh released the tenth Psy/Changeling book (in hard cover): Kiss of Snow. (Review HERE) I wasn’t sure if I’d like the pairing with youngling Sienna, but Ms. Singh did not disappoint!
6) I celebrated by one year blogiversary back in January with a huge celebration (and tie in with my 40th birthday), and I also participated in Book Blogger Appreciation Week this year. That was a lot of work, but fun as I got to “meet” so many new (to me) bloggers.
5) Larissa Ione may have ended the most awesome Demonica Series, but her new spin-off series, Lords of Deliverance, had two spectacular releases this year. This series takes her Demonica world to the next level and I cannot wait to see what she has in store for us next!
4) Kate Daniels. Do I really need to say more? Oh yes... Curran! Ilona Andrew’s Kate Daniels series is the bench mark for urban fantasy series. This year’s release, Magic Slays (review HERE), proved this series gets better as it ages and matures. The only problem with this series? The dear authors cannot keep up with their fans' rabid desire for more Kate!
3) It was time to say goodbye to one of my absolute favorite series, ACRO, by Sydney Croft. In June 2011, the sixth and final book, Taken by Fire (review HERE) concluded one of the hottest, action-packed series around. The writing team of Larissa Ione and Stephanie Tyler outdid themselves with what I would call the ideal ending to the series.
2) The third book in Allyson James Stormwalker series, Shadow Walker (review HERE) was my favorite read in 2011. At only three books in, this series is definitely in my TOP 5, and this book was the best yet! Motorcycle-driving, tattooed dragon shifter... need I say more?
1) Attending AAD Philly and meeting my favorite authors and blogging sisters. For photos and details about the trip, click HERE. That trip alone has its own Top 10 list, and will be hard to ever beat! But I do have to mention one little thing: werefly! Best. Night. Ever!
Thank you all for stopping by and supporting me and That's What I'm Talking About. Joyous New Year and Happy Reading!!
Thursday, December 29, 2011
G & U's Top Ten Series to Reread
We the addicted to reading, Gikany and Una, have decided to come clean. Everyone has those guilty pleasures. Considering, though, the depth of our addiction, we do not just reread a book…Gikany and Una have a habit of rereading series. *cough* This has no bearing on us being late with our blog posts to Twimom. *cough* The following is a list of our reoccurring guilty pleasures. We thought to share them with you in the off chance that you haven’t read them yet. If you haven’t read them, we seriously recommend you do. Why you ask? Because we like to share our crack, uh, I mean our favorite books/series/authors…just check it out!
- Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs
- Psy-Changling series by Nalini Singh
- Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews
- Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J.R. Ward
- The Dragonriders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey
- Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer
- Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
- Hurog duology by Patricia Briggs
- Kitty Norville series by Carrie Vaughn
- The Deed of Paksenarrion (it’s a trilogy) by Elizabeth Moon
We know we have tried to entice you with the outstanding Patricia Briggs series (Mercy Thompson). We did a review…we gave you snippets from her first book to tease you before her latest book (River Marked) came out. So…in case that teaser wasn’t enough to convince you…we have brought you a NEW teaser from Moon Called because…you just gotta read it!
Moon Called by Patricia Briggs
“I’ll give him a call,” I said with relief.
He picked up on the second ring. “Warren, here. Is this you, Mercy? Where have you been? Do you know where Adam and Jesse are?”
“Adam was hurt,” I said. “The people who did it took Jesse.”
“Tell him not to let anyone else know,” Said Samuel.
“Who was that?” Warren’s tone was suddenly cool.
“Samuel,” I told him. “Bran’s son.”
“Is this a coup?” Warren asked.
“No,” answered Adam from the backseat. “At least not on Bran’s part.”
“Excuse me,” I said. “But this is my phone call. Would you all please pretend that it is a private conversation? That includes you, Warren. Quit listening to the other people in my van.”
“All right,” agreed Warren. Having heard Adam, his voice relaxed into its usual lovely south Texas drawl. “How are you today, Mercy?” he asked sweetly, but as he continued his voice became gradually sharper. “And have you heard the startling news that our Alpha’s house was broken into and he and his daughter disappeared? That the only clue is the phone message left on the damned Russian witch’s phone? A message that she has refused to let anyone else listen to? Rumor has it that the message is from you, and no one can find you either.”
Samuel leaned his head back, closed his eyes, and said, “Tell him you’ll explain when we get there.”
I smiled sweetly. “I’m doing better all the time, Warren. Thank you for asking. Montana is nice, but I don’t recommend a November vacation unless you ski.”
“Haven’t put on skis for twenty years,” murmured Warren, sounding a little happier. “Has Adam taken up skiing during this jaunt of yours to Montana?”
“He has skis,” I said, “but his health wasn’t up to it this time. I brought back a doctor, but the two of us found out that we need to go out tonight and were wondering if you were up for a little nursing.”
“Glad to,” said Warren. “I don’t work tonight, anyway. Did you say Jesse’s been kidnapped?”
“Yes. And for right now, we need you to keep it under your hat.”
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
G & U's Top Ten Heroines that Kick A$$
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Tuesday, December 27, 2011
VampBard's Top 10 ways to Blog About Smut Like a Ninja
When she's not reading books for That's What I'm Talking About, VampBard has a day job that really doesn't need to know what she reads in her spare time.
9. Avoid discussing what you're reading in public. Someone who knows someone that knows your boss may be listening. If you find yourself in a position where you THINK it's safe to talk books, check again prior to beginning your conversation. Only a Ninja would triple-check a perimeter in that manner.
8. Be sure you have a virtual bookshelf, and that you're using the same pseudonym that you've chosen to use for reviews (if any). Should someone figure out that you enjoy the same type of books, it's OK to work together. Never. NEVER reveal your true identity.
6. Sneak into blogging to justify your book habit. Seriously. That way, you're doing something productive for society whilst perusing your favorite paperback. You can also use your Ninja mind-control skills to persuade people that every book you read is for review, and you're on deadline. Easier if you have an e-reader and don't have to hide covers!
5. Virtually stalk your favorite authors. Get to know them. Their websites and blogs are awesome places to get started. If you're ready to stealthily slip into uber-ninja mode, find an author chat.
4. Be truthful when writing reviews. If you're not, someone may find out your digital hang-outs and taunt you. Maybe. That's the reason I give myself for being honest about what I've read. I'd have more ammunition to fire back, that way :)
3. Figure out your reviewing 'voice'. Try on a few if you're not sure. Writing voice isn't like underwear. You can put it back if you try it on and don't like it.
2. Find a fabulous sister-from-another-mother that's completely into blogging, has a phenomenal blog, and has a content focus in which you're interested. Use your mind control to surreptitiously get her to invite you to write a review or two...or more... each month.
1. Always, always, always... use a pseudonym. Can't be stealthy like a ninja if you're flaunting your original dog-tags on every post ;)
VampBard's Top Ten Book Hotties
Whether you've read these titles or not, you should. Jus' Sayin'. Whether you agree or not, this is how I picture my main men. Additionally, these are some of my favorite males from 2011 reads. Snag a tall, cool drink or grab a fan, and enjoy the eye candy! Happy Holidays!
10. Arik. The Aegis from Larissa Ione's Immortal Rider. Even though there wasn't the epic description in the book for me, I always pictured him as looking like Jason Lewis.
9. Max. From Of Course I Try by Seleste deLaney. I really loved Max and his mystery. I think he looks a bit like Johnny Depp.
8. Mr. Darcy, from Pride and Prejudice: the Wild and Wanton Edition. (side note: If you've not read this 'smutetized' version, it's worth spending a few bucks to get it digitally when it goes on special!) From the first time I read Pride and Prejudice, I've always had a pretty static image of Mr. Darcy. Then, I see Colin Firth in a movie, **ding**ding**ding** There's Mr. Darcy! … HOWEVER...after reading the Wild and Wanton version, I'm thinking Mr. Darcy is more like Jude Law.
7. Matthias, from Infinite Betrayal by Gayle Donnelly and Robyn Mackenzie. Immediately, upon reading his description, I thought: long-haired version of Christian Bale.
6. Cardus, from Robin D. Owens' novella, Heart and Soul. Not only do I love the world of Celta that Owens has created, I dearly love her character, Cardus. I picture him as a younger Rutger Hauer.
5. Rhage, a.k.a. Hollywood from the world of J. R. Ward. With his 'Hollywood' good looks, how's a girl NOT to love Rhage? To me, he looks like Gabriel Aubrey. (see photo, left)
4. Rio, the dark and dangerous hero from Lara Adrian's Midnight Breed series. Viggo Mortensen was the first image that came to mind when I read about Rio.
3. Strider, from Gena Showalter's Lords of the Universe series. While a dearly love all of these tormented souls, Strider is my favorite. Because he is the keeper of Lies, it's always entertaining to see how he gets around his inability to tell the truth. I've always seen him as Ryan Reynolds.
2. Tohrment. This warrior, also from the world of J. R. Ward, is my Brother. Great description of him... and I envision him as a blonde Chris Hemsworth.
1. Wrath, the Blind King from the world of J. R. Ward. Mmmm. Love me some Brothers! I've always pictured Wrath as looking like Oded Fehr.
Monday, December 26, 2011
Nima's Top Ten List of Authors You May Have Missed
When I escape my real life into the pages of a book, I like to really escape, like into another dimension. As a female reader, however, even the most fascinating time traveler or brilliant spaceship captain better have a love interest to hold mine. I have yet to figure out what the magic formula is that designates one book as “science fiction/fantasy” and another as “paranormal romance.” The cross-over is so common these days that there is virtually no distinction to me except with marketing. It hasn’t shown up in bookstore banners yet, but I have recently begun to see a classification popping up called Science Fiction Romance or SFR. I have found Nalini Singh’s Psy/Changling series under both banners, even within the same chain of booksellers. Maybe it’s a simple matter of shelf space.
Every year romances far out-sell sci/fi, and yet sci/fi readers adamantly refuse to cross the aisle. (Ever notice they’re always next to each other in bookstores?) I have discovered that many romance readers too refuse to venture where they erroneously believe science will over-power the story of relationships and descriptions of technology will make their brains hurt. They’re both wrong! So for you die-hard romance readers, let me offer you my 2011 Top Ten List of Author’s You May Have Missed Because They Were in the Science Fiction Section:
1. N.K. JEMISIN (Inheritance Trilogy)
Description: Gods and mortals. Power and love. Death and revenge. In the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, gods dwell among mortals and one powerful, corrupt family rules the earth. Three extraordinary people may be the key to humanity’s salvation.
Thoughts: Look for an in-depth review of this series in 2012! Some might say that Jemisin’s series is reminiscent of Greek and Roman mythology. Some will draw connections anywhere they can. For me, Jemisin’s style is unlike anything else I’ve ever read. Let me just say that I have no idea why this author and her Inheritance Trilogy have gone nearly completely under the radar, even for sci/fi readers. She has remarkable world-building skills and all three books are completely relationship driven. Perhaps she is too much of both genres to be classified as one or the other. Jemisin’s descriptions are so complete and so creative that if I could, I would love to live inside her head for just a day to see the scope of what she’s imagined before it’s edited and distilled down to the story we have in print.
2. ANN AGUIRRE (Sirantha Jax series)
Description: As the carrier of a rare gene, Sirantha Jax has the ability to jump ships through grimspace-a talent which makes her a highly prized navigator for the Corp. Then a crash landing kills everyone on board, leaving Jax in a jail cell with no memory of the crash. But her fun's not over. A group of rogue fighters frees her...for a price: her help in overthrowing the established order.
Thoughts: I love a strong female lead. Over the course of the series, told in first person, Sirantha makes the journey from flawed party girl to seasoned navigator with a maturity born of intense experiences. Aquirre’s writing is witty and insightful. Romance readers will appreciate not getting bogged down in heavy techno-babble, but still enjoy the fantasy of space travel and alien worlds. The final book in the series, End Game, is due to be released in September of 2012.
3. LINNEA SINCLAIR (Dock of Five Universe 1-5)
Description: After a decade of piloting interstellar patrol ships, former captain Chasidah Bergren, onetime pride of the Sixth Fleet, finds herself court-martialed for a crime she didn’t commit–and shipped off to a remote prison planet from which no one ever escapes. But when she kills a brutal guard in an act of self-defense, someone even more dangerous emerges from the shadows. Gabriel Sullivan–alpha mercenary, smuggler, and rogue–is supposed to be dead.
Thoughts: Most romance readers who have read Sinclair all say the same thing, “I don’t usually like science fiction, but I couldn’t put this one down!” Sinclair is convincing in her world-building and still makes her headstrong lead characters sympathetic. It’s not hard to care about their stories until you find yourself sucked in. Told in first person from the perspective of Chas, full of action, don’t pass this series up.
4. LOIS McMASTER BUJOLD (Sharing Knife Series 1-4)
Description: Troubled young Fawn Bluefield seeks a life beyond her family’s farm. But on the way to the city, she encounters a patrol of Lakewalkers, nomadic soldier-sorcerers from the northern woodlands. Feared necromancers armed with mysterious knives made of human bone, they wage a secret on-going war against the scourge of the “malices,” immortal entities that draw the life out of their victims, enslaving human and animal alike. It is Dag—a Lakewalker patroller weighed down by past sorrows and present responsibilities—who must come to Fawn’s aid when she is taken captive by a malice.
Thoughts: I realize that in medieval and even Victorian times it was customary for young girls of fifteen or sixteen to marry much older men. In practical terms, such suitors were established and could provide for a wife and family. A younger bride was more likely to survive childbirth and be more submissive. As a modern reader, however, such unions kinda creep me out. We have such a union in the very first book of the Sharing Knife Series between our hero and heroine. The book held an interesting premise and was very well written, but I honestly wasn’t convinced at first. The first books set-up the next so well that I couldn’t leave the story alone. The second book convinced me the unconventional union was a good idea and I completely indulged myself in the rest of the four-book series.
5. JESS GRANGER (Realms Beyond Series)
Description: After five years behind enemy lines, Captain Cyani is ready to retire to her homeworld of Azra as one of the Elite—the celibate warrior sisterhood that rules the planet. But first she must complete one final mission to rescue her fellow Union soldiers. The last thing she expects to find is a prisoner, chained and beaten—but radiating feral power and an unbroken spirit.
Thoughts: I had the pleasure of meeting Jess Granger at Lori Foster last May. This quirky new author, only having released two books so far, shows great promise with books a little heavier on the romance than the science. This series is probably more of a cross over into romance for sci/fi readers. Nevertheless it has no shortage of exotic alien worlds and cultures.
6. C.J. Berry (Unforgettable Series 1-5)
Description: Life on Earth was just getting interesting for Tess MacKenzie. She’d postponed her singing career to support the family business and after eight long years, she finally earned her chance to shine. Her band was hot, her songs were rocking and Tess was on her way to becoming a star. Things were definitely looking up. That is until Cohl Travers, alien extraordinaire, swoops out of the night sky and snatches her off her planet. When he says he desperately needs her voice for a dangerous cosmic mission and the fate of two planets hangs on her song, she figures one of them is in for some serious therapy.
Thoughts: You’ll need a non-descript dust jacket for these painfully cheesy covers. It definitely reads more romance, smutty in a good way, than science fiction. The first book is not as strong as those that follow, but all are excellent adventure stories.
7. ROBIN McKINLEY (Blue Sword/Sunshine/Beauty)
Descriptions: The Blue Sword - This is the story of Harry Crewe, the Homelander orphan girl who becomes Harimad-sol, King's Rider, and heir to the Blue Sword, Gonturan, that no woman has wielded since the Lady Aerin herself bore it into battle.
Sunshine - Rae, nicknamed Sunshine by her stepfather, is the baker at her family's coffeehouse. She's happy getting up at 4 am to make cinnamon rolls for the breakfast rush, and dealing with people and food all day. But one evening she needed somewhere she could be alone for a little while, and there hadn't been any trouble out at the lake for years. She never thought of vampires. Until they found her.
Thoughts: I have largely found Robin McKinley slated into the young adult section, when I can find her at all, where there are generally no distinctions made between genres at all. Her fantasy books have a fairytale flair to them, especially her re-telling of the classic “Beauty and the Beast.” (I wonder if Disney didn’t pull from this 1978 edition in the making of their 1991 award-winning animated feature. It is being re-released in 3D on January 13th.) As YA books, they are not as explicit as adult romances, but let me assure you the relationships are intense because McKinley’s writing style is intense. It is one that you mentally chew on more than flow through. She demands that you think and so the escape comes not in being consumed by the romance, but being consumed by the art of her words. Some readers will find her tedious. I love words so I loved her writing style.
8. AUDREY NIFFENEGGER (The Time Traveler’s Wife)
Description: A dazzling novel in the most untraditional fashion, this is the remarkable story of Henry DeTamble, a dashing, adventuresome librarian who travels involuntarily through time, and Clare Abshire, an artist whose life takes a natural sequential course. Henry and Clare's passionate love affair endures across a sea of time and captures the two lovers in an impossibly romantic trap, and it is Audrey Niffenegger's cinematic storytelling that makes the novel's unconventional chronology so vibrantly triumphant.
Thoughts: You may or may not have already seen the movie. As a book snob, I have to admit the movie was remarkably well done, but if you haven’t read the book, let me assure you it’s completely worth it. I was given a copy of this book long before the movie was even in production and I was stunned by its construction. You start out reading a story that jumps around all around through time and about half way through its hefty 560 pages, you realize it is, in fact, being told in chronological order. I was so in love with Clare and Henry’s romance that I was crying by the climax. I’m stunned that this was written by a first time author.
9. ANNE McCAFFERY (Acorna Series 1-7)
Description: The Acorna series is a lesser known series, written in collaboration with two other authors. Acorna is found in an unusual escape pod by three galactic miners, Gill, Rafik, and Calum. Raised by the three unlikely fathers, Acorna, a unicorn girl, matures almost to adulthood within three years. While she is growing up, the miners discover that their 'daughter' has magical powers such as the ability to clean air and water, heal the sick, and detect the slightest scent. Furthermore, she is extraordinarily smart, picking up everything quickly. However, her unique looks and special powers make her an object of desire by many, be it for scientific studies or a rare-item collection, or sex.
Thoughts: Famous for her Dragon Riders of Pern series of over 20 books, McCaffery is not exactly unknown to romance readers—or to anyone who’s been in a book store in the last thirty years. I’m including her here because she passed away late last month. She was the first female author to receive both the Hugo and Nebula awards for her writing. In a 2004 interview with science fiction magazine Locus she said, “I have always used emotion as a writing tool…The thing is, emotion — if it's visibly felt by the writer — will go through all the processes it takes to publish a story and still hit the reader right in the gut. But you have to really mean it." McCaffery was probably the first of the paranormal/fantasy cross-over writers. She co-wrote the last five Pern books with her son and perhaps, we can hope for more titles from the McCaffery family.
10. JULIAN MAY (The Saga of Pliocene Exile)
Description: When a one-way time tunnel to Earth's distant past, specifically six million B.C., was discovered by folks on the Galactic Milieu, every misfit for light-years around hurried to pass through it. Each sought his own brand of happiness. But none could have guessed what awaited them. Not even in a million years....
Thoughts: The Saga of the Pliocene Exiles is the first of two linked series covering nine volumes. They should absolutely be read in order, but the first book, The Many Colored Land, is now out of print. You should still be able to get it from your local public library. I’m including in this list for two reasons, first because it was released in e-book form this year (with some pretty harsh criticism over lack of proofing) and secondly it’s just outstanding science fiction that paranormal readers have the ability imagine and enjoy.
May follows a group of people who are irrevocably exiled back in time to the Pliocene era during the period between the extinction of the dinosaurs and the rise of homo sapiens, six million years ago. She was one if the first proponents of the ancient alien astronaut theory of human evolution made so famous now by Eric Daniken and his book and subsequent movie Chariots of the Gods. If you’re inclined to try some straight, make you think science fiction, try this series. It takes readers on an amazing journey from the distant future to the distant past, using unexpected routes all along the way.
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