Sarah posted this survey a while back, and work has finally slowed down a little, so what better way to squander it than to write about my best and worst reads of 2005?
Best author you discovered this year (Ok, you can name up to 3)
Without a question, Emma Holly. Her books are consistently entertaining and hottttttt OMG so hot.
Oh, and Frank Miller. Still lusting after the Sin City Library volumes I and II.
Best new book you read this year (again, top 3)
Mr. Impossible, because I’m a hopeless Loretta Chase fangirl, and Rupert is so adorable. Also, Angel Seeker and the Sin City series, though I’m not sure they count because they weren’t published in 2005. And I’m POSITIVE Slaughterhouse 5 doesn’t qualify for this category, though it was easily the best book I’d read all year.
Book you wish you’d skipped over and spent that $9 on a pair of Payless shoes instead.
Such an embarrassment of riches, but I’ll go with the book I actually paid for and select the shitstorm that is Rainbow Party.
Book off your keeper shelf most likely to be re-read in 2006
Anything Kinsale, Holly or Gaffney.
What book coming out in 2006 are you most looking forward to?
Without a fucking doubt: Don’t Look Down by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer. I’m not sure how I’m going to survive till April 4. How many shaved gerbils do I need to sacrifice to get an ARC of that, d’you think?
AND WHEN IS LAURA KINSALE’S NEW BOOK COMING OUT? WAH!
Best cover?
I’m blanking on this, probably because I’m a bitter bitch who notices and remembers horrible things more readily than good things.
Worst Cover?
Argh. Take your pick.
Oh, I already pre-ordered Don’t Look Down. Bob Mayer…I loved his books in high school and am still trying to track down the Riley series books that I lost. I *gasp* still haven’t read Crusie.
I can’t believe I’m buying a hardback book. And pre-ordering it, too.
And Slaughterhouse 5? Love that book. The edition I read was my father’s and was illustrated. I still remember the pendant between the naked breasts one. Gosh, I think I might have still been in elementary school when I read that. Maybe junior high.
I finally broke down and preordered Don’t Look Down, too. I don’t care how broke I am; it just sounds soooo good. Damn author blogs.
Pre-ordering is for sissies! OK, no, it’s not, I’m just an impatient bint who’s too cheap to shell out for express shipping. I’m just going to run to the nearest bookstore on the 4th.
I hope hope hope that their book tour includes Portland, and if not Portland, then at the very least Seattle because I would SO totally drive to Seattle to see Jennifer Crusie.
“When is the new Kinsale book coming out????!!!!”
I might get atrophy & die over here, waiting to get my hands on that book.
CANDY – are you seriously saying that WRITE YOUR POSTS WHEN YOU’RE NOT BUSY AT WORK???
What kind of job do you have, BEE-OTCH?
I want one. Sign me up for some of that lazy-bones shit
I would SO totally drive to Seattle to see Jennifer Crusie
Oh, me too! To paraphrase Bill Bryson, we Americans will drive that far for a taco. An author meet-and-greet for someone like her is a no-brainer.
I was going to nudge you in the direction of a post you did some months back (this is in regards to the favorite cover) where it was like a Renaissance portrait and the artist in question had done some other similarly lovely things before. It was after that when you and Sarah did a post on covers where you pointed out the things you thought they got right. Anyway, if I were a better Smart Bitch, I would actually point you to the post title or date or something. Perhaps if you’ve a better memory for that kind of thing you can find what I’m talking about and re-introduce yourself to it.
Oh, yes, It was for a book by Cory Doctorow, wasn’t it, fiveandfour?
Gaffney? Which books did you like? The famous one out of the W trilogy, To Have and To Hold? Of all her books, I think I hold the deepest affection for Crooked Hearts. It does have some silly and stereotypical bits, but damn, the h/h are one of most fun couples in romantic fiction.
The second cover, C.H.A.S.E.? One of Michael Jackson’s alter-egos?
Maili, I bow down to your awesomely superior memory. Not only did you remember the book cover, you remembered it even when I completely mis-described it!
Here’s what I was thinking of…
Note: no dress!
Clearly, I was getting it mixed up with the first cover in the post in question.
Is it too late to start taking that herbal remedy for boosting memory that I can’t remember the name of?
CANDY – are you seriously saying that WRITE YOUR POSTS WHEN YOU’RE NOT BUSY AT WORK???
Check the timestamps. I sometimes change date stamps, but I rarely change the timestamps.
The VAST majority of SBTB is done during downtime at work, barring the Javascript toys, the serial story *guiltguiltguilt* and anything requiring graphics work like the titles and the ads. The cover snarkage is usually uploaded during the weekend (Sarah is SO much better about doing that than I am) and then I snark on them first thing Monday morning.
When my posts are sparse, it usually means work is kicking my ass.
fiveandfour and Maili: THANK YOU for reminding me of the cover for the Cory Doctorow novel. Christ, Dave McKean kills me.
Gaffney? Which books did you like?
To Love and to Cherish and Wild at Heart are in competing spots for Favoritest Gaffney, Ever, because the heroes are just the most adorable ever. The heroines are wonderful, too, but Christy and Michael just slay me. Besides those, I love To Have and to Hold, Sweet Everlasting and Lily (which is so dysfunctional and so drama-laden, but so good). The other books of hers were fun to read, but not keepers. Crooked Hearts… I dunno. I’m not fond of her funny books (Outlaw in Paradise and Crooked Hearts), though I’d like to re-read them and see if I still feel the same way.
I really loved Angel-Seeker too, though like you I also had a big problem with Shinn’s portrayal of the Jansai men.
—LFL
Does anyone know why Gaffney stopped writing historicals? I’ve still got a bunch of hers on my keeper shelves.
I often write at work, too, or write up an entry and email it to myself to post at home. Or, I post in advance.
But lunch hour? Good for the writing time.
Does anyone know why Gaffney stopped writing historicals? I’ve still got a bunch of hers on my keeper shelves.
Here’s Gaffney on the subject:
http://tinyurl.com/8u59v
—LFL
Thanks, LFL. It was interesting reading.
Yeah, what Darlene said. I read To Love and to Cherish late last year and was blown away by it. I’ve got several of Gaffney’s other books but haven’t decided which one to read next.
Still, it makes me kind of sad that she isn’t writing historical romance any more. The fact that I say that after reading only one of her books says a lot about how much I enjoyed it. Ah, Christy . . .