Books I LOVED in 2007

I promised to write about the books that really struck me this year. I've read a few that had me turning pages too fast and staying up too late. I love books like that. I thought I'd mention a few of them. Keep in mind that alot of books strike a chord with me. These are the most powerful from that list.

1. Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series. I've read and reread some parts of both Twilight and New Moon. I've started Eclipse, but I'm doing my best to really wait to read it for several reasons. The biggest reason -- I'll get completely sucked in and be unable to do anything but read until I finish. Then, I'll be terribly disappointed when I'm finished and no other book will really speak to me for a bit. I haven't been this completely enamoured with a story line in a long time. I relate to Bella -- even if I never dated a vampire. Edward is perfect to her, but to the rest of us, he's completely flawed. She loves him anyway. Wasn't there anyone in your life when you were 18 to 25 like Edward? I had an Edward. (Sigh.) Anyway, I get it. Stephanie has it. Wow. Someone recommended her to me over a year ago. I kind of thought "whatever". I'm glad I waited, though, because now I have less time to wait for her new one. (Big Sigh.)

2. Lisa Kleypas's Sugar Daddy. What a joyous time I had at RWA Nationals. I'd never been before. I guess there's nothing quite like your first time. I'm still trying to wade through all the books I collected. One that surprised me was Sugar Daddy. I have the sequel -- Blue-Eyed Devil -- pre-ordered already. I'd never read a Kleypas book before, but I will now. I have one of her historicals awaiting me. I loved her characters, and again, I related to them as real people. I can hardly wait for Blue-Eyed Devil. (It will be on tomorrow's list of eagerly awaited books for 2008.)

3. Finally, there was Match Me if You Can by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. As with Twilight, when SEP was recommended to me, I kind of thought "whatever". Boy, was I wrong. Match Me if You Can turned me into a fan overnight. I've read three SEP novels this year, but Match Me is still my favorite.

I don't know what that "it" factor is that keeps me turning pages so fast in these books. If I could discover it and replicate it, I would no longer be pre-published.

Maybe someday, but for now, give me the next "oh-mi-gosh" book. I'm ready to be carried away.

What were your favorites in 2007?

Macy

Books read in 2007

This is the first year I kept a running list of all the books I've read during the year. But the year isn't over yet, and I may well add to it over the next day or so.

You can see in the side bar that I've read quite alot. I've stopped reading alot of other ones, too -- too bored with them to finish.

When I read, I really read. I read to savor every word. I don't fly through just to get it done. I want to revel in a great story.

Most of what I've read this year has been great. Some only good. A few I finished out of sheer will power.

I'm going to blog sometime between now and New Year's Eve on the books I've read this year that meant the most to me and why. I'm also going to put up a separate blog about what books I'm hoping to add to my list for 2008.

I want to challenge you to blog about the books you've read that really meant something to you this year -- the ones that grabbed you with a darn good story or at least had you staying up too late and turning pages too fast.

Also blog about your TBR list for 2008. What are you determined to read in your current pile? What are you waiting on pins and needles to buy?

Happy reading. Macy

What kind of book are you?

I recently took a fun little quiz. You can take it by clicking here.
What kind of book are you?

Not that my results were a surprise.....





Fantasy

You are very creative and tend to have a liking for things of a more magical persuasion. You find the things in life that have some magical qualities in them and sometimes reality is too much for you. You get into trouble sometimes with your daydreaming, but you love it anyway! Unicorns, fairies, Elves, Dwarves, and all sorts of fairytale paraphernalia are your blood and sustenance, and you don’t like to be told that they aren’t real. There has to be something more than this, right? Life disappoints you sometimes with the numbers of people who scoff at imagination and who are more concerned with what works instead of thinking outside the box for a change. You strive for others to see the magic in things, and if they only opened their eyes, they might see the beauty that you do. If only there were more creative people like you! Books you might enjoy: The Sword of Shannara series by Terry Brooks and the Incarnations of Immortality by Peirs Anthony

Harry Potter Personality Quiz

I am so not telling my family the results of this......



Harry Potter Personality Quiz by Pirate Monkeys Inc.

Macy

The "It" Factor

We’ve been having an interesting discussion on our Affairs of the Pen loop.

Let me tell you how it got started. I recently read Twilight by Stephanie Meyer. Perhaps, read is the wrong word. Devoured might be a better choice. I couldn’t get enough. I loved the mystery of it. The characters were three dimensional and very real. The setting and mood were perfect – almost characters themselves.

Alyson read it in one night, too. It has well over 900 five-star reviews at Amazon. From conception to astronomical book deal took a mere six months for someone who never really thought about publishing. Apparently, I’m not the only one who’s fallen in love with Edward and Bella.

Samantha is reading it now – and not liking it at all. Now, for the record, Samantha is a brilliant writer. However, we don’t always like the same books.

She is also currently reading The Golden Compass and loving it. (It’s a favorite of mine, too.)

That brings us to the discussion. What is it about a book that really resonates with some people, but really doesn’t with others? Why can some people think a certain book is the best thing ever written, but others think it’s so bad they can’t finish it?

Any ideas?

Post Nano Recuperation

I hadn't realized Nano would take so much out of me. I've written maybe 500 new words since then and edited about 12 pages.

Ok, the day job has really picked up, too.

All in all, it's just making me really tired -- so tired in fact that the only Christmas prep I've managed is mailing a few presents to Rome and dragging a few Christmas boxes out of the attic.

Bah-humbug, huh?

I'll get some sort of interesting post up tomorrow, and we'll start commenting on Nano over at AotP.

Until then......

Macy

Nano Winner!

I'm done.
I won.

Woohoo!