Sunday, December 12, 2010

Historical Fiction Reading Challenge 2010 - Wrap Up


Most of what I read for pleasure consists of historical fiction, so this challenge is great for me to whittle away at my collection of historical fiction, historical mysteries, and historical romances. Thanks to The Royal Reviews (and Alaine @ Queen of Happy Endings) for sponsoring the Historical Fiction Challenge for 2010 and motivating me to try a variety of new authors in the genre. I'm looking forward to continuing exploring more of these great historical fiction authors such as Elizabeth Chadwick, Sharon Kay Penman, M. M. Kaye, and Jean Plaidy, among others in 2011.

Here is a list, arranged alphabetically by author, of the books I read this year that fall under the category of historical fiction. My Top 10 Favorites of the year have been linked to the review.

HF = Historical Fiction
HM = Historical Mystery
HR = Historical Romance
** = TOP 10 FAVORITE in 2010 (links to review)

A
Alexander, Tasha - Dangerous to Know (HM)

B
Barron, Stephanie - Jane and the Madness of Lord Byron (HM)

C
Carroll, Susan - The Dark Queen (HF)

Chadwick, Elizabeth - **For the King's Favor (HF)

Clare, Pamela - **Surrender (HR)


D
Donnelly, Jennifer -**The Winter Rose (HR)

Dunant, Sarah - The Birth of Venus (HF)

Duran, Meredith - Wicked Becomes You (HR)


E
Eagles, Cynthia Harrod - The Founding (HF)

Erskine, Barbara - **Lady of Hay (HF)

F
Fairview, Monica - The Other Mr. Darcy (HR)
The Darcy Cousins (HR)

G
Garwood, Julie - The Secret (HR)

H
Harper, Karen - Mistress Shakespeare (HF)

Heyer, Georgette - Devil's Cub (HR)
Arabella (HR)
The Unfinished Clue (HM)
Frederica (HR)

I

J
James, Syrie - Dracula, My Love (HR)

K
Kaye, M. M. - **Trade Wind (HF)

Kearsley, Susanna - **Mariana (HR)
The Shadowy Horses (HR)
Named of the Dragon (HR)
**The Winter Sea (HR)

Kleypas, Lisa - Then Came You (HR)

Kloester, Jennifer - Georgette Heyer's Regency World (Nonfiction)

L

M
McNaught, Judith - Once and Always (HR)
Almost Heaven (HR)

McNees, Kelly O'Connor - The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott (HF)

Moning, Karen Marie - To Tame a Highland Warrior (HR)

Montgomery, L. M. - The Blue Castle (HF)


N
Newark, Elizabeth - Jane Eyre's Daughter (HF)

O

P
Pargeter, Edith - The Heaven Tree Trilogy (HF)

Penman, Sharon Kay - The Sunne in Splendour (HF)

Peters, Ellis - A Morbid Taste for Bones (HM)

Peters, Elizabeth - **Crocodile on the Sandbank (HM)
The Curse of the Pharaoh (HM)

Plaidy, Jean - Murder Most Royal (HF)

Q
Quinn, Julia - The Duke and I (HR)
Ten Things I Love About You (HR)


R
Raybourn, Deanna - Dark Road to Darjeeling (HR)
The Dead Travel Fast (HR)

Rice, Anne - Angel Time (HM)

Ross, Kate - Cut to the Quick (HM)
**A Broken Vessel (HM)

S

T
Trent, Christine - The Queen's Dollmaker (HF)

Turner, Nancy E. - These is My Words (HR)

U

V

W
Ware, Ciji - Wicked Company (HF)
A Cottage by the Sea (HF)

Willig, Lauren - **The Secret History of the Pink Carnation (HR) Loved the series!!
The Masque of the Black Tulip (HR)
The Deception of the Emerald Ring (HR)
The Seduction of the Crimson Rose (HR)
The Temptation of the Night Jasmine (HR)
The Betrayal of the Blood Lily (HR)

Total Completed for Challenge = 54 books
Favorite Book of the Year........The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh this is a great list! I used to read a lot more historical fiction. I wonder why I've drifted away...guess I need to drift back!

Joanne said...

Iwriteinbooks - Thanks for stopping by! Many of these were very good, and I had a hard time narrowing it down to just 10 favorites. Hope you find many great titles to read in 2011.

Kim said...

Thank you for posting this. I emailed it to myself from Google so I would have it as a reference. I never know where to start!

Joanne said...

Hello, Kim -- Hope you find some goodies to add to your list!

Svea Love said...

Great job on this challenge, Joanne! I like how many Pink Carnation books you read :)

Joanne said...

Thanks, Muse, and you know what? I'm ready to read the Pink Carnation series again! I'm sure it's just as good the second time around! ;)

Anonymous said...

Ooooooh more books for me to read. There are authors new to me on this list!

Joanne said...

Hello, Amisha -- Hope you have a great year of exploring new authors!

Favorite Period Dramas

Mount TBR

Joanne's to-read book montage

On a Highland Shore
A Light on the Veranda
Entwined
The Queen's Vow: A Novel Of Isabella Of Castile
The Edwardians
Maisie Dobbs
Howards End
Lady's Maid
Instruments Of Darkness
When Maidens Mourn
Where Shadows Dance
What Remains of Heaven
Where Serpents Sleep
Why Mermaids Sing
When Gods Die
Shadowfever
Before Ever After
The Sugar Queen
Garden Spells
After the Night


Joanne's favorite books »
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