Steph's Favorite Books from 2010!

I just want to give a shout to Celia Yeary who inspired me to come up with a list of my favorites. From now until Christmas, I'll be sharing my favorites with you.

Most of you know I'm an avid reader. Here are some of my favorites that I've read in 2010. Enjoy! Smiles
Steph




Angeline Jellybean
By Crystalee Calderwood
5 Stars

This book is geared for 3-7 year olds. In my church, I help to teach the 3's in our Sunday Preschool program. I bought the book for the class and Angeline Jellybean is a favorite with the children!


"Angeline Jellybean" is a colorful mix of fun, jellybeans, and healthy food by Crystalee Calderwood. What happens when a girl eats too many jellybeans? Ask Angeline! "Angeline Jellybean" shows young readers the benefits of making good choices. It's a wonderful addition for any young reader's bookshelf.


******


Chosen Target
By Melanie Atkins
5 Stars

What I love about Atkins is how she really engages the reader. I was on the edge of my seat. I'm also a sucker for a good love scene and Atkins writes the best I've read. Here's a couple of clips from my review:

A worthy installment in the New Orleans detective series, "Chosen Target" offers excitement and fingernail biting suspense. Jadan Calloway is the 'chosen target' and it's up to detective commander Cole McAlister to keep her safe.

Atkins's love scenes are charged with electricity and passion. She'll leave the reader breathless. Chosen Target is a high-paced ride filled with excitement, danger, and love.

******


Claude and Camille
By Stephanie Cowell
4 stars

What I enjoyed about this story is that it really showed Monet's heart, his inspiration, his passion. Monet is one of my favorite artists and it was wonderful discovering his story under Cowell's pen. Here's a clip from my review:

Cowell pens a poignant tale full of spirit and the drive to succeed with "Claude and Camille," the story of Monet and the muse that was his wife, Camille Doncieux.

"Claude and Camille" is a fascinating read, taking a look at the roots of impressionism and the love that inspired a true artist.


******


French Peril
By Mona Risk
4.5 Stars

I can't gush enough about Mona's international contempories. This story had the perfect blend of suspense and romance set in the romantic French Loire valley. I was hooked!

Risk pens a thrilling romantic suspense with "French Peril." Set in the picturesque Loire Valley, Cheryl Stewart is on the hunt for a rare statue of the Madonna. Will the chateau's charming owner, Francois de Valroux, be a help or a hindrance?

This is one story that will have the reader on their toes until the very end.


******

Muddy Waters
By Maggie Toussaint
4.5 Stars

What I loved about Maggie's story is how the supporting cast of characters really came alive to give the story an authentic small town feel. Here's a blurb:


Toussaint crafts an edge of your seat romantic suspense with "Muddy Waters." Set in a rural, Georgia coastal town called Mossy Bog, Roxie Whitaker is a real estate agent with dreams of opening a maritime museum, only when she meets Sloan Harding, Mossy Bog's long lost son, does she realize there's more to life. Dare she take a chance on Sloan – and love?

"Muddy Waters" is a thrilling kayak ride full of suspense and romance!

*****

Enthralled
By Keena Kincaid

To be honest, I haven't finished yet, but I'm ""this"" close to being done. What I love about Kincaid is that she blends magic and history flawlessly! I love history and I love magic and she's taken the two passions I love to read and brought them together in a fascinating story. Enthralled is definitely her most complex offering to date and I have loved every page of it. Ami is wild with her magic, and yet William accepts it with no reservations.

*****

One Snowy Knight
By Deborah Macgillivray
5 Stars

What inspired me to pick up this book? The book trailer! No kidding. It has a historical setting and I LOVE reading historicals. There's also a bit of magic and wonderfully romantic characters.

"One Snowy Knight" is excellent storytelling, full of wishes, hopes, and romance. Macgillivray sets her story in 1296 against a lush Scottish yuletide. "One Snowy Knight" is book three in the "Dragons of Challon" series, but stands alone well.

The love scenes capture the rich sensually that belongs to Noel and Skena. Macgillivray has blended history, romance, and suspense effortlessly making the story a captivating read.



******

The Making of a Duchess
By Shana Galen
5 Stars

I discovered Galen after winning a blog contest for the book. I LOVED it. I adored the fact her hero was half French and it had a historical setting, a setting I'm a sucker for her, but what I really enjoyed was Galen's writing. It was crisp, sharp, engaging, and Sarah was a perfect heroine!

"The Making of a Duchess" is full of adventure, suspense, romance, and love. Set in London, 1801, the novel's hero is Julien Harcourt, the exiled French due de Valère. Julien is intent on going to France to look for his brother, Armand. Enter the comtesse Serafina Artois. Will the attractive comtesse prove a distraction for Julien and his plans?

The love scenes are sensual and capture the wonderment and beauty of true love. "The Making of a Duchess" is a delicious read from the first page to the last.


******


White Tiger
By Vijaya Schartz
5 Stars

I always wanted to read this book, but didn't get around to it until mid-summer, but when I did, I was hooked. I love Schartz's imagination and creativity.

Schartz has created a world rich in futuristic mythology with "White Tiger," Book One in the Chronicles of Kassouk. Tora is a human soldier whose loyalty to the Emperor is without question. As she follows Field Marshall Killion to war, she meets a man called Dragomir who challenges all that she knows to be true about the world.

From the first page to the last, "White Tiger" will take the reader for a breathless ride filled with action, adventure, myths, and love.



******


Outcasts
By Gail Delaney
5 Stars

I loved the love story between Victor and Beverly. Both Victor and Beverly are wounded souls. When they come together they find a comfort they wouldn't have found with each other. The love story is haunting and I'm a sucker for a haunting romance.

"Outcasts" is a stellar installment in "The Phoenix Rebellion," Delaney's sci-fi/speculative romantic fiction series. Dr. Beverly Surimoto is one of the leaders of the Rebellion, but she's also an empath. Victor is an Areth who has been in a coma since joining the Rebellion. When Victor wakes up, he displays violent tendencies, almost killing Michael before Dr. Quinn can subdue him.

Delaney's created an outstanding series with a cast of characters that resonates with readers.

Book Review Friday - White Tiger

I just want to gush a little about Vijaya Schartz, her novel, White Tiger, and it's award winning cover! hehe. I always wanted to read this story, but it got put on the backburner with all my other stuff I had to read. I wanted to read it because I like sci-fi/speculative/futuristic type stories. Boy did Vijaya deliever. This story had me riveted. I was anxiously looking forward to reading it and hated it when I had to put it down.

Also, the cover won EPIC's award for best sci-fi/futuristic cover and the QUASAR award from EPIC for best overall cover. That told me the story inside was just as special.

Here's my review.
Smiles
Steph

*****

5 Stars

Schartz has created a world rich in futuristic mythology with "White Tiger," Book One in the Chronicles of Kassouk. Tora is a human soldier whose loyalty to the Emperor is without question. As she follows Field Marshall Killion to war, she meets a man called Dragomir who challenges all that she knows to be true about the world.

The novel is set on the plant of Kassouk. The plant's natural climate is Arctic. Humans settled there after leaving a decimated Earth. They know the planet as New Earth.

The Godds have also come to Kassouk, but it's obvious they are an alien race. There are no female Godds so they mate with human females called Valshas. Their children are known as mutants. The Godds provide for the humans, but they also have enemies – the Reptoids. When the Reptoids shoot down the weather satellite that controls the weather, the climate on Kassouk becomes frigid. The Godds prepare to leave, but only after harvesting their female mutant children's eggs.

Tora, daughter of a great general, realizes there is change in the air when the satellite is shot down. The Reptoids and Zerkers pursue the humans of Kassouk, and so Tora takes her company White Tiger, and follows Field Marshall Killion's army into battle.

Along the way, she meets Dragomir, a man who ignites the more passionate, baser emotions in her. Dragomir confesses to be a mutant, but harbors secrets. He warns Tora of a human traitor and leaves after the couple share a forbidden night of passion.

Can Tora find the traitor to the human race and rekindle the love she shared with Dragomir.

Schartz's writing is crisp, original, and filled with creativity. The plot is smooth, action-packed, and moves fast.

"White Tiger" uses a good economy of words to explain the rich mythology and exotic locales of Kassouk without weighing down the reader.

The novel has a strong supporting cast that quickly endears itself to the reader. Driana is a loyal friend, Leah is a clever and beautiful mutant, Phaleg is the fierce Reptoid leader, and Khor and Kasil are the heartless Godds.

Dragomir is honest and loyal, brave in the face of adversity. His only weakness is his love for Tora. Tora is also loyal to her beliefs and exhibits a courage to be admired.

The love scenes are sensual and tasteful. From the first page to the last, "White Tiger" will take the reader for a breathless ride filled with action, adventure, myths, and love.