Bree’s Great Big List of Fave 2009 Reads

This is not, necessarily, new content.  If you’ve been following me for months you’ll have seen it all before, since I am basically combining a few posts into one.  But I’m doing it anyway because I kind of like having all the mini-recs I wrote about all of last year’s books in one post, plus it makes for an interesting overview.

I only started keeping track of these mid-year, but I hope to continue to do it this year, stopping every couple months to rec my favorites of the books I’ve read recently.  These are not reviews, so don’t be expecting critical assessment.  These are my enthusiastic recommendations, only.  And often full of squee!

Fire & Rain by Elizabeth Lowell

Why I picked it up: A spirited discussion between Donna, c2s & Lauren Dane on twitter about the heroes in this Elizabeth Lowell series sparked my interest. Donna sealed the deal by saying the one thing she knows I can’t resist… “She’s his best friend’s little sister.”  Case closed.

Thoughts: Oh man.  Lauren Dane pretty much hit the nail on the head when she said Lowell walks a tiny, tiny line here.  There are a lot of authors who would have made me slam this book into the wall repeatedly, and not just the bad ones.  The hero’s the kind of surly asshole you feel guilty about finding so damn hot, and as Lauren remarked, that just makes it so much better.

Donna knows my secret buttons, so she sold it to me on the strength of the little-sister connection, and yeah. I loved it. No point in denying it.  I would have already read Outlaw too if I hadn’t misplaced the damn book during our move!

Recommended to: people who like their heroes full of angst, jealousy and self-denial.  Mmm, I love me some self-denial.  Oh, and you know, can’t discount the cowboy part.

Below the Belt by Sarah Mayberry

Why I picked it up: Twitter again! (You may find that to be a common theme here.)  I told Sayrui_x that I felt like I had an unhealthy relationship with the Blaze line since I keep going back even though the last few books I’ve picked out of the catalogue have been really horrible fits for me. She told me to get my hands on some Sarah Mayberry, and even though she rec’d a different book, I’d been eyeing this one for a while. Because, you know… a boxing heroine! Heck yeah!

Thoughts: Sayuri_x told me she’d yet to rec Mayberry to anyone who didn’t end up a convert. I believe her now! I’m having a hard time avoiding punny jokes about how this book knocked my socks off. But it did.  There was nothing about it I didn’t enjoy.  The heroine, the hero, the conflict, the plot and especially the resolution.  There were a lot of ways a typically portrayed alpha male ego could have turned this book into a depressing commentary on how women can only be tough before they fall in love.  No disappointments here.  And it made me love Cooper a lot.

Recommended to: People who like their heroines non-traditional and in touch with their sexuality.  Or who like tough, badass heroes who can get past their manly alpha hangups when it means proving that they love the heroine more than their own egos.

Grimspace by Ann Aguirre

Why I picked it up: Shannon C told me to. Okay, she told me to like, last year, but I was in a huge paranormal-only mood so in the end I picked up Ann Aguirre’s Blue Diablo first. Then I enjoyed it so much I finally got around to reading Grimspace, which I loved beyond love. Shannon might have said “Told you so” a few times. I will never doubt her again.

Thoughts: This is, without doubt, my favorite book I’ve read in the last few years. This book prompted me to fangirl Ann Aguirre in ways that I’m amazed haven’t provoked a restraining order yet.  (Don’t run, Ann, I’m harmless, I swear!) I’ve read my share of sci-fi and it’s always been a favorite genre, but sometimes I get a little emo that so little of it seems to be character-driven.  I like my social commentary and sweeping philosophical questions as much as the next person, but most of the time I’m reading a book for the characters.

I have rarely read a sci-fi book where the characters were this compelling, and interesting, and flawed and fabulous all at once.  Ann Aguirre’s main appeal for me is how much her books are truly ensemble stories, with challenges that can’t be met without the combined teamwork of all of the characters, and this is no exception. Just fan-freaking-tastic. (This book also turns me into an incoherent babbler. You should see the fanmail I sent about it.)

Recommended to: Fans of character driven sci-fi. People who like damaged heroines who learn and grow over the course of several books. Fans of badass, stone-cold killers on a path to redemption.  EVERYONE. (Okay, not people who only like romance. This is romantic sci-fi, not sci-fi romance.)

Laid Bare by Lauren Dane

Why I picked it up: I like damaged heroines. I really like damaged heroines who are damaged emotionally instead of sexually.  One late night (on twitter, of course) I was talking to Ann Aguirre about my love-on for damaged heroines, and she taunted me with how much I was going to love Laid Bare. A taunt because it doesn’t come out until August 4th, you see.  Luckily for me, Lauren Dane is a benevolent author who didn’t leave me suffering under Ann Aguirre’s cruel taunts, and so I scored myself an ARC. Rock the hell on! (Literally, the heroine is a rocker!)

Thoughts: Ann Aguirre was not wrong. Wow, Erin Brown is pretty much the heroine I’ve been looking for.  She’s smart, she’s tough, she’s down with her freaky side and perfectly okay with exactly what she wants in the bedroom.  I’ll admit, I’ve got a thing for heroines who intimidated past boyfriends with their badass sexuality. I loved her as a character, I cheered for her the whole time, and she made the book for me.

This book features two heroes and a heroine forming a lasting relationship, and I admit, I don’t read a lot of books like that.  Not because I’m averse to the hot sex with three people (and man this book was sizzling!) but because it takes a deft hand to tackle the complicated dynamics between three people trying to build a life together, and if any of those potential pitfalls are glossed over, I find it less satisfying.  Lauren Dane did an especially impressive job building this happily ever after brick by brick, until I really believed in it.  And oh yeah, did I mention the sex?  It’ll burn your eyebrows off.  Oh yeah it will! H-a-w-t, people.

Recommended to: Fans of tough heroines overcoming a traumatic past.  Anyone who likes the good boys who are bad in the sack, or the bad boys who are downright dirty between the sheets.  Or, you know, anyone who likes steamy hot loving.

Mark of the Demon by Diana Rowland

Why I picked it up: I think Donna found Diana Rowland on twitter first, but eventually I ended up following her too, because man she’s funny! And man her first book looked good.  Angela James spent some time taunting me about how she already had a copy (in case you don’t know, Angela James is actually a cruel temptress and a ninja, and you absolutely may not quote me on that) and eventually Diana took pity on us and let us read it. (I’m sensing a theme. Am I this pathetic in my twitterly whimpering?)

Thoughts: FUN! Yes, that is my first thought.  This was absolutely an awesomely fun book to read.  I liked the demons and the world building around them, and I enjoyed Kara’s (mis)adventures while trying to solve a serial killer case that she knows has plenty to do with the arcane.  Diana Rowland knows how to scatter the red herrings about, and she had me convinced that about 5 different people were the big bad during the course of the book.

I also really enjoyed her characters.  And in true Bree fashion I’ve already latched on to my favorite, but anyone who knows me should know that a cute fed who likes comic books has my heart from day one. I’m totally looking forward to the next book, which I hear comes out in early 2010.  Mark your calendars!

Recommended to: Fans of urban fantasy, people who are pretty sure CSI is lying when they turn around DNA results in 11.2 seconds, anyone who likes their bad boys so bad they might actually be Demon Lords.

Doubleblind by Ann Aguirre (On Sale Sept 27th)

Why I picked it up: Because I loved Grimspace like WHOA crazy, and Ann Aguirre is a benevolent, kind author willing to indulge my need to read more of her books. All hail kind, benevolent authors!

Thoughts: Wow.  Okay, I’m going to say up front: I love alien/paranormal politics in a mad crazy way.  I’m not sure why this is, since I find real life political maneuvering off-putting in the extreme, but maybe it’s how much you can tell about a species or a world by what sorts of rituals and customs they have.  Ann Aguirre is a genius world builder, which is nothing new.  What is new?  Jax the Diplomat.  It would have been easy to turn this into a comedy of errors, but instead you get something even better: Jax caring.  She cares so hard and so much that she rises to challenge after challenge, things I can’t imagine her accomplishing in Grimspace.  That’s the most wonderful part, I think–watching Jax grow from book to book.

Err, oh yeah. And March. March/Jax 4evah. (Be warned: he is one deliciously terrifying glorious bastard in this book.)

Recommended to: People who like people in their sci-fi, fans of deft world-building and complicated alien cultures, anyone who agrees with me that March & Jax’s love is so epic.

Branded by Fire by Nalini Singh

Why I picked it up: Well, I’m hooked on the series now guys. No turning back.

Thoughts: I really enjoyed this. A lot. No fronting: Mercy and Riley have some hot like burning sex, and I love Mercy. Not a little bit, either…I love her more than any other character in the series to date.  (Honestly, though, I think it’s a little odd that my second favorite is Faith…I’m not really sure why, but she is.)

This book lived up to its promise. There is certainly a lot of action going on in the background of these books now, not just directly related to the hero & heroine and their journey but filling in bits of the bigger picture.  I like that in my romance.  And the resolution to the conflict and trouble that plagued the actual relationship was satisfying to me–I always want to see two people both ready to sacrifice their happiness for their loved one’s.  Otherwise I just don’t buy the lurve.

Recommended to: People who like their heroines a little alpha, their heroes hot and dirty, and their evil plots in desperate need of foiling.

Demon Angel by Meljean Brook

Why I picked it up: Shannon made me do it. And if y’all haven’t figured out yet that I read near on everything Shannon tells me to, you’re asleep at the wheel.

Thoughts: Oh Hugh. <3 Oh LILITH! <3 <3 <3

No really, those are my first thoughts.  I dug Hugh in all his manly, chivalrous, self-punishing glory, and I loved Lilith.  Really, this might as well have been the Summer of the Heroines for me, because damn near every book I read had a heroine who made me starry-eyed with love.  I’ve got a girl-crush on Lilith and I’m not even gonna front about it. And the fact that I adored this book and it isn’t my favorite of the series just shows they kept getting better and better.

Recommended to: People who like tough, bad-ass heroines and men with a painful amount of self-restraint. Anyone who wants to start a series so addictive it causes pain! Glorious pain!

Demon Moon by Meljean Brook

Why I picked it up: The heroine. Savi shows up in Demon Angel and my crush on her was boundless.  When I found out she was in the next book…oh God, there was no stopping me.

Thoughts: O-M-G. This book was intense. First off, vampires have to work extra hard to thrill me, but Colin has taken his place as the King of my Heart when it comes to vampires. But even he is a footnote in the epic love I have for Savi. A geek heroine who is smart, curious, determined, fabulous… No really. I have a crush on her!

The book was awesome. I have rarely read a more perfect mix of action and romance, and if I ever have to give someone an example of my favorite ratio of hot hot sex to shivery tension to heart racing plot, I can just hold this book up.

Recommended to: Anyone who likes the geek heroines. People who want their romance chock full of terrifying, heart pounding action. DID I MENTION THE HEROINE? (OMG <3)

Frostbitten by Kelley Armstrong (On Sale Sept 29th)

Why I picked it up: I’ve been reading this series for years and I won an ARC on twitter. Oh twitter, I <3 you.

Thoughts: Wow, that was awesome.  I’ve already written about my thoughts on this book at length, but I figured it was still good to include it in my list since sometimes I use these posts to jog my memory about books I want to recommend. And while I would not jump into this series at book #10, I absolutely think it’s the best of the werewolf books she’s written to date, and that it’s a fabulous addition to the series.  Though I have to say, I’m looking forward to the next two Savannah books more than should be okay.

Recommended to: Anyone who likes strong women who can kick ass and take names, and anyone who likes watching a relationship between characters mature and grow over years–even after the kids arrive! (Though I wish there had been more of the kids.)

Demon Night by Meljean Brook

Why I picked it up: Well, I was going to spread the series out so I had more books to enjoy later on, but I accidentally picked this one up and realized the hero was Drifter. God damn it. All over but the frantic denials that I meant to read it all along.

Thoughts: I might have even liked this more than Demon Moon, though it really depends on which day you catch me.  I liked the heroine, Charlie, a lot…but well, no one is ever going to be Savi.  Still, Ethan (aka Drifter) is my favorite hero in this series to date, and the plot and mysteries were incredibly compelling.  I absolutely had trouble stopping, even though I picked this up when I had serious Shit To Do.  I even think I need to read this one again soon.

Recommended to: Anyone who likes huge-ass former gunslingers with dirty mouths, people who love watching a damaged heroine find her own two feet without using the hero as a crutch.  Did I mention the dirty-talkin’ former gunslinger?

Skin Game by Ava Gray (On Sale November 3rd)

Why I picked it up: Ava Gray is the new romantic suspense writing alter-ego of Ann Aguirre, and I freaking love Ann Aguirre’s books. Plus I won the ARC (maybe based on my cool limerick writing skills?) and like I wasn’t going to read it.

Thoughts: I loved it. Reyes is a hit man who never misses his mark. Kyra is a con-artist with a quirky psychic-y power that lets her temporarily steal someone’s strongest gift. Is there anything about that summary that doesn’t scream “OMG BREE READ THIS BOOK?”  (In case you don’t know me: the answer is no.  No there is not.)  I will be writing a separate post on this book where I speak coherently on why I enjoyed it, but part is without doubt the dark, morally ambiguous characters and their forbidden (but oh-so-hot) love.  This book is hot, dangerous and utterly enthralling, and I could not read it fast enough.

Recommended to: People who like their romance dirty hot with a side of danger and a heaping dose of deliciously dark moral ambiguity. And hitmen. And con-artist thieves. <3

Skin Tight by Ava Gray (On Sale June 2010)

Why I picked it up: Because I had it. And it stars BatPunisherMan. Oh BatPunisherMan, how I wish I knew how to quit you.

Thoughts: I love this book.  I sometimes half-heartedly accuse Ava Gray aka Ann Aguirre of reading my diary, and if there was ever a series to prove she does… oh man.  Man.  The hero (known in the previous book as Foster) is a brilliant, scary, damaged, broken man and did I mention brilliant and also perhaps related to MacGyver.  There is little I find more attractive in a hero than competence, which probably says a lot about me, but there it is.  I love smart men who are deliberate and devious and I love watching smart women PWN their asses.  I really can’t be more coherent than that, but am I ever?  Smart people doing smart things against smart bad guys… this book is love. So much love there’s already a fan club. (I say as if I didn’t help instigate it.)

Recommended to: People who like 8,000 shades of grey in their heroes & heroines, people who enjoy the occasional sekrit conspiracy, anyone who wants to watch a hero use household items to lift a print or witness a brilliant heroine find her confidence.

Demon Bound by Meljean Brook

Why I picked it up: I was on a Meljean Brook roll, nothing could stop me. Plus Holly kept egging me on.

Thoughts: Wow.  If there’s ever a book to prove that Meljean Brook is actually an evil wizard, this is it.  Okay, I posted on twitter about a huge ugly spider that I found in my bathroom a couple weeks ago.  Because it hid before anyone could kill it, it took me nine days to bring myself to use that bathroom again.  And I still check all the corners for the damn thing!  I am that arachnophobic, so how in the name of all that is holy did that evil enchantress make me fall in love with a heroine who hangs out with spiders?!? I’m not talking, Oh yes, I suppose I was fond of her at the end-love, but serious Alice is the shit-love.  Perhaps the pages of my copy were laced with mind control drugs, or perhaps Meljean Brook is such an amazing writer that she can make me love anything. By the end of Demon Bound I loved Jake & Alice so hard that I went back to the beginning and read the whole damn thing a second time!

Recommended to: Fans of the series, incredible writing, hot men growing into their own, tough women learning how to open up, and maybe people who are fans of nothing involving the book at all because it is a magical book and perhaps you’ll just love it anyway!

Demon Forged by Meljean Brook

Why I picked it up: Well, clearly after the discovery that Meljean Brook is a dark wizard there was nothing else to do.  And in fact, I bought a paperback copy, bought a kindle copy when that didn’t show up fast enough, then accidentally won a copy on a blog. So I have it three times.  Plus Holly had been doing an excited dance waiting for me to finish it so we could squee!

Thoughts: This book was amazing.  It stomped on my heart, ripped it out, played around with it, maybe took a bite (what, it’s an on topic accusation!) then sewed it back together again.  I loved it, loved reading it, and wanted to read it more slowly just so it wouldn’t be over so quickly.  There’s a perfect sort of balance for me in these books, with the beautiful world building and the amazing action and the romance tucked neatly in and supporting the story without burying the story.  I love this series so much, and this book made me frantic to get my hands on the next one!

Recommended to: Anyone who likes their heroines badass, their heroes smoking, their adventure epic, their fantasy well crafted…anyone who likes books?  (Really, I’d rec this one to fantasy/urban fantasy fans and romance fans, since I think it’s a true cross-genre masterpiece.)

The Invisible Ring by Anne Bishop

Why I picked it up: Katiebabs, Nalini Singh & I have had occasional bouts of Anne Bishop fangirl squee on twitter, and during the latest KB declared her intentions to get her hands on the upcoming Bishop book, Shalador’s Lady.  That made me nostalgic (and jealous!) so I immediately went back to reread all of the Shalador/Grayhaven related books.

Thoughts: The idea behind this book is one of my favorite series devices.  In Queen of Darkness there’s a small scene where someone mentions the events in this book, which prove to be pivotal in the final conflict.  This was the next book to come out, a sort if spin-off historical piece that went back a few hundred years from the series timeline and showed the full, real story.  I love this sort of thing.  It’s why I wanted to write the Red Rock Pass historical spin-off, and really, any author who does this will own my wallet.  I’ve read this book a dozen (or more) times, and I think that in a lot of ways it might be Bishop’s most traditional romance arc.  I love the story of Jared & Lia falling in love while they fight to survive, loved it so much that I get teary eyed whenever they’re mentioned in the present series timeline.

Recommended to: While the worldbuilding in this universe is complex, I don’t think it would necessarily be any easier to start with the Black Jewels trilogy as far as understanding what is going on.  This did happen first chronologically, after all.  It’s great fantasy, great romance and wonderful to read. <3 You better like your stuff dark though!

The Shadow Queen by Anne Bishop

Why I picked it up: See: The Invisible Ring. (Also, I hadn’t re-read this book yet, which is a travesty! Granted, it only came out this year, but still…)

Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book.  Honestly I think my only real complaint about it is that it might have actually focused on familiar characters a little too much at times…and I LOVE those familiar characters!  They made a nice gateway to the new characters, but I fell for those new characters so fast and so hard that I started getting a little annoyed that they weren’t getting enough attention.  (I fully admit that if there had been 75% more Lucivar I wouldn’t say a peep, I am a hypocrite and there can never be too much Lucivar anywhere.  Or Surreal.  Gawd I love them!)

Recommended to: Fans of the series, lovers of strong fantasy, people who enjoy watching a shy, stubborn woman come into her own.  Caveat: would not recommend reading this without reading the Black Jewels trilogy first.

The Wicked West by Victoria Dahl

Why I picked it up: When reading slumps get bad, sometimes you just need to read something short, wicked and totally fun.  This?  All three.

Thoughts: I thought this was a very clever tie-in idea, but I hadn’t actually picked it up before.  (For those of you who don’t know, Holly Summers is the main character in one of Dahl’s contemporaries, a character who happens to write dirty stories, including The Wicked West.)  It was everything advertised: wicked, naughty, delightful and very touching for such a short story.  I have a sort of love/hate relationship with the BDSM subgenre of erotic romance since I wish there was a way to tell upfront when consent is going to be written as a dubious in the extreme and only given retroactively.  (Not my cuppa.)  This, however, was delightfully naughty and pretty much what I’m always looking for: sex where everyone is clearly enjoying the hell out of it, whatever form that enjoyment takes.

Recommended to: Anyone in need of a short & naughty fix, fans of rough, wicked cowboys and wonderfully independent women who know exactly what they want and aren’t afraid to go after it. (YAAAY!)

One More Valentine by Anne Stuart

Why I picked it up: Donna was going through her keeper shelf the other day and stumbled across this, and it took me like, 3 sentences of description to google it. Thank God for ebooks, since I had it 2 minutes later!

Thoughts: Awww, I just thought it was sorta awesome all around.  Maybe because it gave me a tiny fix for that weird time period (20s & 3os) I’ve been jonesing after so hardcore lately.  The hero was deliciously hardened and cynical, the heroine was endearing and smart, and okay, I admit, I was reading it more for them than the plot.  But I still had so much fun with it!

Recommended to: Fans of ghost stories, gangsters, or ghostly gangsters & gangster ghost stories.  But really, I missed the boat by so many years on this, why isn’t everyone recommending it to me??