Here are my top choices for 2011 by category with a link to the review - hope some of them are your favorites, too. (Note: Not all of them are 2011 releases.)
BEST LITERARY FICTION AND MY TOP PICKS:
These two beautiful and poignant novels left me feeling that I wasn't quite ready to say goodbye to the characters when their story was over and are at the top of my "favorites" list.
Wildflower Hill by Kimberley Freeman
The Violets of March by Sarah Jio
And now on to some other awards:
BEST HISTORICAL FICTION:
The Scarlet Lion by Elizabeth Chadwick
Island of the Swans by Ciji Ware
BEST HISTORICAL MYSTERY:
The Dark Enquiry by Deanna Raybourn
BEST AUSTENESQUE:
Only Mr. Darcy Will Do by Kara Louise
BEST ANTHOLOGY:
Jane Austen Made Me Do It, Laurel Ann Nattress, editor
BEST TIME TRAVEL:
The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley
BEST GEM FROM THE PAST:
Zemindar by Valerie Fitzgerald
BEST SCARED THE BEJEEZUS OUT OF ME:
House of Echoes by Barbara Erskine
BEST NOT-YOUR-TYPICAL ROMANCE:
Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase (This one was a hoot!)
BEST SMOKIN' HOT ROMANCE:
Untamed by Pamela Clare (You might not want to read this one at work --ahem--.)
WISH I'D GOTTEN IT FROM THE LIBRARY AND SAVED A FEW BUCKS:
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
BEST PIRATE ADVENTURE:
Sea Witch by Helen Hollick
MOST CREATIVE:
The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt by Caroline Preston.
PRETTIEST COVER:
She Walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchell
THE BEST 'JUST IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS' PRESENT:
The Scottish Prisoner by Diana Gabaldon
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BEST AUTHOR EVENT: Romance Writers' of America Book Signing in New York - Wonderful event in NY this summer and had the opportunity to meet Susanna Kearsley, Deanna Raybourn, and the always-fabulous Lauren Willig! (Also had a chance to meet up with book blogging buddy Julie @ Outlandish Dreaming! (waves at Julie)
QUOTED IN REVIEWS: I was thrilled to notice in the paperback edition of Nocturne by Syrie James, a blurb from my review was used. Thank you, Syrie!(My blog was formerly called Slice of Life.)
Hope your year was filled with good books and all good things! See you in 2012!
8 comments:
Loving your list...so many great ones on there that I've read and many more that I have added to my list!! Thanks!
Thanks, Staci! Looking forward to all the goodies you have planned for 2012!
Some good picks on your list! I am reading Wildflower Hill at the moment!
Totally agree on the Kearsley and the Chadwick and the Raybourn! Respectively disagree about Discovery of Witches!
Hi, Marg, I remember the discussion we got into with Discovery of Witches! ha! Hope you are enjoying Wildflower Hill -- it's really a lovely story.
Great list, Joanne...although I did really enjoy A Discovery of Witches and was only so-so when it came to The Rose Garden.
I've got Sea Witch, Jane Austen Made Me Do It and The Dark Enquiry on my 2012 to read pile, and I hope to be able to secure copies of Zemindar and House of Echoes.
Glad you've got some good books lined up for 2012, Melissa. I just read Helen Hollick this year and plan on getting to more of her pirate adventure series and her more serious historical fiction. I think I had to get Zemindar from e-bay (it's long out of print, unfortunately).
Awesome list. I've read a few and have a few still on my stacks that will be 2012 reads!
Thanks for the shout out JoAnna. I love your list!
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