The American Library Association’s Booklist has published a list of the “New Stars of Historical Romance,” and its got quite a few gems. I’ve read and loved The Spymaster’s Lady by Joanna Bourne, Proof by Seduction by Courtney Milan, and The Duke of Shadows by Meredith Duran. Joanna Bourne (who is fabulous) called out Katharine Ashe on facebook, so I’m assuming she is equally fabulous. I’ve added her book to my TBR list.

A Big CONGRATULATIONS to all the Greater Seattle RWA members who made the list!

Passionate by Anthea Lawson

Knight of Desire by Margaret Mallory

In for a Penny by Rose Lerner

Which books from the list should I try next? Which have you read?

Romance is the most maligned genre of literature, despite being the highest grossing. How do publishers afford multi-million dollar contracts for first time literary fiction authors? On the backs of romance. We, romance readers, are the most loyal fans. We are powering through the recession, earning even more profits for Harlequin despite the buying downturn through the rest of the economy. Unfortunately, most people who criticize the genre as “bodice-rippers” and “crotch novels” have never read one. I’ll leave the eloquent arguments to Smart Bitches who Love Trashy Books and Dear Author. Check out the stats on romance readers from the Romance Writers of America to see that we’re a highly diverse, highly educated bunch. Escapist fantasies? What book, besides a textbook, isn’t an escapist fantasy? That’s what reading is. That’s what TV and movies are. ENTERTAINMENT.

Romance novels are delicious. Nom…nom…nomnomnomnomnom.

What I want to share with you now is the time honored wisdom: Don’t Knock it till You’ve Tried it

Here are 13 recommended books (all of which I’ve read and loved) in each subgenre of your reading persuasion. Go ahead, try one. I double-dog dare ya.

1. Contemporary: This Heart of Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
2. Paranormal: Pleasure Unbound by Larissa Ione
3. Historical: It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas
4. Regency: The Spymaster’s Lady by Joanna Bourne
   
5. Science-Fiction: Games of Command by Linnea Sinclair
6. Fantasy: The Moon Witch by Linda Winstead Jones
7. Suspense: Mr. Perfect by Linda Howard
8. Young Adult: Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith (sigh, or Twilight…but who’s left who hasn’t read it?)
9. Women’s Fiction: Blue-Eyed Devil by Lisa Kleypas
10. Erotica: Go Fetch! by Shelly Laurenston
11. Contemporary Category Romance: Marriage at the Millionaire’s Command by Anne Oliver
12. Paranormal Category Romance: Raintree Inferno by Linda Howard
13. Suspense Category Romance: Strangers in the Night by Kerry Connor

I’ve been Tagged on Facebook by Nicola of Alpha Heroes, but I thought i’d share on my blog.

Hello, my name is Ciara, and I’m a bookaholic.

1. What author do you own the most books by?
That would probably be JK Rowling, since Harry Potter has 7 books plus two skinny school books. Though I may have a box full of Nancy Drews in my parents garage….waiting for some distant time when I may or may not have a pre-teen daughter.

2. What book do you own the most copies of?
Peter Pan in all its different forms. I collect them. One original edition (my sweetie is the bestest!) A script of the play. A few beautifully illustrated editions. The Disney version and another picture book in Swedish. Can I count the audio versions?

3. What fictional character are you secretly in love with?
I am quite openly in love with Adam Hauptman from Patricia Briggs‘ Mercy Thompson series. I would also take Samuel (BABIES!!!).

4. What book have you read more than any other?
Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede. Fabulous book. I would name my future daughter Cimorene, if it weren’t so weird.

5. What was your favorite book when you were ten years old?
I think at that time I had just discovered Dealing with Dragons, otherwise it would have been Peter Pan.

6. What is the worst book you’ve read in the past year?
I don’t finish books that don’t keep me hooked. Too many books, too little time.

7. What is the best book you’ve read in the past year?
The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. Cried like a baby.

8. If you could tell everyone you tagged to read one book, what would it be?
only one??? I guess The Time Traveler’s Wife.

9. What is the most difficult book you’ve ever read?
Define difficult. I hated reading books for English class. THE STRANGER by Camus was one of the worst books I’ve ever read. H.A.T.E.D. it. Also ANGELA’S ASHES, which I was forced to listen to on a very long family car ride from seattle to Yellowstone. It was torturous.
Nonfiction – one of my college economics textbooks.

10. Do you prefer the French or the Russians?
In literature? neither! Talk about depressing. When I was little my dad liked to read me Tolstoy. I was scarred for life. Now I only read happy books.

11. Shakespeare, Milton or Chaucer?
Shakespeare, as I haven’t read much by the other two. Though I had to memorize the opening of the Canterbury Tales in 8th grade and can still recite it for you. (but don’t ask me what I had for breakfast, I couldn’t tell you.)

12. Austen or Eliot?
T.S. or George? I haven’t read any. I saw the Jane Austin movies – does that count?

13. What is the biggest or most embarrassing gap in your reading?
The classics. They’re boring and depressing and I can’t be bothered.

14. What is your favorite novel?
I can’t pick one. Off the top of my head: The Spymaster’s Lady, The Time Traveler’s Wife, Games of Command, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, and Sabriel

15. Play?
If I can count musicals, I’d go with Phantom of the Opera. The last straight play I watched was PERSUASION by Jane Austin at Book-it Theater.

16. Poem?
The Desiderata, author unknown

17. Essay?
No clue

18. Short Story?
“Thicker than Blood” by Meljean Brook in the FIRST BLOOD anthology

19. Non Fiction
Stitch N’ Bitch

20. Graphic Novel?
Elf Quest

Excited after purchasing DEMONICA book 2 (Shade's story). Currently reading book 3 (Wraith's story).

21. Science Fiction?
GAMES OF COMMAND by Linnea Sinclair

22. Who is your favorite writer?
Joanna Bourne

23. Who is the most over rated writer alive today?
I’m not going to answer this.

24. What are you reading right now?
PASSION UNLEASHED by Larissa Ione

25. Best Memoir?
BOY by Roald Dahl

26. Best History?
WILD SWANS by Jung Chang (it’s a memoir too)

27. Best mystery or Noir?
huh?

64 Best Books of 2008 have been wheedled down to 2. There have been heartbreaks and triumphs, trash-talking, black eyes, broken dreams (SOB!). Friendships have shattered and unlikely alliances forged in their place with blood, sweat and oh so many tears. Today Romance Novel March Madness comes down to a final vote: who will be the one book to rule them all?

You know I have a girl crush on Mercy Thompson. But when the lines are drawn and the final gladiators enter the ring, there will only be one book that rules me heart. So head over now to the Dear Author Bitchery Award for Hellagood Authors and vote for Joanna Bourne’s THE SPYMASTER’S LADY.

Read my review of Iron Kissed (4 hearts)

Read my review of The Spymaster’s Lady (5 hearts)

And here it is (from way in the 2nd round) your moment of zen:

At the Berkley Book Signing yesterday: Joanna Bourne and Meljean Brook. See the giant stars in my eyes? Yeah, it was TEH AWESOME.

More PHOTOS from the 2008 RWA Conference:

Day 1, Wednesday

Day 2, Thursday

Day 3, Friday

Day 4, Saturday

The 2008 RWA Literacy Autographing featuring over 500 romance authors was an absolute madhouse, but this year it raised $58,000 for the Readers for Life nonprofit. I didn’t get to meet as many authors as I had hoped, but I did get to meet Joanna Bourne and interview her (see last post).

Video Clips:

Here are some short clips to give you an idea of what it was like. I’ll work on keeping the camera steadier on future expeditions.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxYx5MptkcY]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJciroZpPzA]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDHoxe2-eqs]

Photographs with authors:

(left) Avon Regency author Jenna Petersen and I went out to lunch together. (right) Linda Winstead Jones, who was awarded the Emma Merrit Service Award this year and has two finalist paranormals in the 2008 RITA. She signed a copy of THE GUARDIAN.

(left) Jessica Andersen signed a copy of NIGHT KEEPERS for me. I’ve heard great things about it, and have been waiting to get an autographed version before I bought it. (right) Jennifer Ashley signed a copy of HIGHLANDER EVER AFTER. Her husband was there talking to fans about her books, which was really sweet.

(left) The beautiful and unbelievably talented Marjorie M. Liu signed THE WILD ROAD. (right) Linguistic goddess Joanna Bourne ran out of MY LORD AND SPYMASTER, even though I’ve been waiting specially to get an autographed book. But I bought an autographed copy of THE SPYMASTER’S LADY to drool over.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F96VvjL_1PY]

Exclusive interview from the 2008 RWA National Conference Literacy Signing.

If you haven’t yet read THE SPYMASTER’S LADY, hie thee to the book store immediately. It is one of the best books I’ve ever read. Ms. Bourne is a genius.

Today is the last day of the auction put on by Eloisa James and Julia Quinn. Many Regency authors have donated more items over the month, including an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) by Colleen Gleeson and a 50-page critique by Joanna Bourne! The money is being raised for a young family in need, so you get awesome autographed books and get to contribute to a good cause. There are a few non-regency offerings too, including an ARC of Jennifer Ashley’s Immortals: The Redeeming. I have her first book sitting in my bookshelf just waiting for me to delve into.

Bidding ends TONIGHT, Friday, June 27th at Midnight, EST (that’s 9 pm to those of us on the Best Coast).

Check out the auction here.

I must point out that the autographed ARC of Mr. Cavendish I Presume by Julia Quinn is currently only going for $80. Some rabid fan paid over $300 for it on Brenda Novak’s auction, so you’re getting a steal.

***

And in other news:

I WON A BOOK AT THE BOOK BINGE!!!

Title: Pleasure Unbound
Author: Larissa Ione
Series: Demonica, Book 1
Publisher: Forever, June 2008
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Yay! It looks good. The Book Binge gave it 4.5 out of 5 and you can read Casee’s review here. Even more exciting? Author Nalini Singh says “What a ride! Dark, sexy and very intriguing, this book gripped me from start to finish. I can’t wait to read the next in the series!” Nalini is a goddess, so you know it’s gotta be good.

Title: The Spymaster’s Lady
Author: Joanna Bourne
Publication Info: Penguin Group, January 2008
Genre: Historical Romance
Rating: <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

Wow. Just…wow. Next time someone asks “What is good writing?” I have my answer: this book. Not good writing. Brilliant writing. Now that I’ve spent many months trying to write I can really appreciate good writing when I see it. Writing is hard. Good writing is really hard. Brilliant writing? A gift from the gods.

Let me chose a paragraph to illustrate:

The noisy town of Dover stretched above her with its stone houses stacked one upon the other up the hill and the castle above everything. Around her, gray green water washed the pilings, splashing tiny explosions of light, spinning bubbles of silver and snow white. In baskets of fish, the scales shone in iridescent ripples. (172-173)

Brilliant imagery. The heroine is French and I can hear her thinking in French, with cadences and word order in the French way. When the characters switch into German it is the same – though the words are technically English the language use is not. Truly impressive mastery of linguistics. The characters are Brilliant too – complex, detailed. They suck you in and make you fall in love with them. Bourne engages all your senses: your tastes, smells, sights, sounds, touches… your heart.

See how she describes Annique’s spy roleplaying like a garment, repeating the imagery in the next paragraph. It’s awesome.

She took another deep breath and let the role close around her like a familiar garment…. Hid beneath layer and layer of soft foolish Harlot, she waited. (p14)

Plot:
Annique Villiers is a master spy during the reign of Napoleon, trained to lie at her mother’s knee and raised on the battlefields of France. She is one hell of an awesome heroine. When she finds herself in a French prison with two English spies, she concocts an escape and frees her enemies too, tossing her right out of the frying pan and into the fire. Abandoned by her people, injured, alone, Annique must outwit those who hunt her and try to escape the most perilous clutches she has found herself in yet – those of British spymaster Robert Grey.

I dare not give you a full summary for fear of ruining the plot twists. Read the Smart B*tch review or the Dear Author review for more in depth analysis. All I can do is drool. I adore this book. It is going on my list of all-time awesomeness. I CANNOT WAIT FOR BOURNE’S NEXT OFFERING!!!! (My Lord and Spymaster to-be-released July 2008)