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Reading Across the Board + Giveaway!
Reading Across the Board
By Kwana Jackson
Hello everyone I’m so happy to be here guest posting for the first time at Romance at Random! When Sue was kind enough to invite me over I got the usual lump in my throat and pit in my stomach. What in the world would I write about? Then she suggested my favorite summer reads. Well, great I could do that. But then cut to quick tire screeching? What had I read all summer? Did I even read any romance?
My last book had not been a romance at all and another that stood out was thriller and then just as quickly a contemporary women’s fiction came to mind. I was really in trouble with this one.
At Rom Con I got to sit at table with Sue with a bunch of other nice folks and she asked everyone what they had been reading, once again that same lump formed now accompanied by a sheen of sweat.
Darn this Gemini mind of mine! Why couldn’t I just stay focused on one genre? I was at Rom Con and I couldn’t come up with a couple of recent romances? Yeesh. But thankfully inspiration struck and I told her I had been reading across the board and it turned out quite a few others at the table had been reading that way also. Some, yes staying on romance hopping from historical, to contemporary, to paranormal (sure, they were prepared for Rom Con) and some like me going from romance to mainstream and back again.
All that said here are my favorite summer reads:
Jackie Collins: Goddess of Vengeance- I have been a Jackie fan since I was a teen and was fortunate (ok, I want to say lucky) enough to get an ARC of the newest Lucky Santangelo book which is due out in the US in September. It was a fun fast paced Jackie read which a totally enjoyed. Great for the beach.
Eloisa James: When Beauty Tamed the Beast- This was a near perfect historical for me, though one part vexed me terribly. But I’m thinking without a little vexation I wouldn’t still be thinking about it today and I love that in a book. And the wit of James… well no one compares. My favorite historical of the year so far.
Kimberly Killion: Her One Desire- This book was won at Rom Con and in part may be a favorite because of who handed the book to me (see my blog post strip a hero. Nuff said). But really this is an interesting book as the heroine is an executioner’s daughter. Talk about an unlikely heroine but it works and I liked.
Harlan Coben: Tell No One- Talk about an action packed thriller. What would you do if someone you loved died but then you saw them years later passing on a webcam? Yikes! I saw Harlan speak at RWA Nationals this year and will admit to wanting to read this book first mainly because I wanted to then watch the French version of the movie made from the book. I so loved this book and the movie and am now a Harlan fan.
Finally in my magical Candy Land summer book tour I read The Help by Kathryn Stockett. I felt like I was the last person to read this book since I had resisted it for the past two years. There was no way I was jumping on that love fest. But then every other commercial was for the movie coming out and darn I really wanted to see it and felt the need to have the book as a comparison. I was off to the library feeling quite ready to judge. Well, shut my mouth. From the first few pages I was in. The writing was beautiful and the voice stunning. Me being the granddaughter of maids and caregivers I was instantly transported to that town in Mississippi. I felt the heat, the rage, the love and the pain. This I have to say was to my own surprise (I’m sorry it’s not a romance) my favorite read of the summer. Now I hope the movie lives up to it and the theatre has good air conditioning!
What were your favorites this summer? Do you read across the board like me?
Remember – 5 winners are chosen every week to win a FREE book — winners announced on Sundays! Good luck!
All the best,
Kwana
Kwana is a writer of Women’s fiction and Young Adult a former fashion designer, wife and a mother of teen twins who has a love of knitting and a strange obsession with “reality” TV. She can be found at her blog www.kwana.com and on twitter @kwanawrites.
Pretty well stuck to romance books: Kiss of Snow, Split Second, Shadowflame.
My favorite this summer would have to be Kaki Warner’s book Heartbreak Creek. I have read a lot of good ones though. Heartbreak Creek was my favorite of all. Also read a couple of Kristan Higgins that were very good too.
I have been reading more than ever this year. I’ve read Nauti Dreams – Lora Leigh, Rogue Everlasting – Lisa Phillips, In Bed With A Highlander – Maya Banks, Legend of Michael – Lisa Renee Jones and I am currently reading Oliver Caine’s in Trouble Again by William Kondylis. I am addicted and can’t seem to get enough. I usually read lots of romance with odd stuff thrown in to (as my mom says) cleanse the palette. Great Post!
I do read what I consider across the board, but the only non-romance I read is urban fantasy or science fiction, not any straight fiction. I actually read When Beauty Tamed the Beast this summer too, as well as the Iron Druid trilogy by Kevin Hearne (Hounded, Hexed and Hammered), Stacey Jay’s Dead on the Delta, Devon Monk’s Dead Iron, Julia Quinn’s Just Like Heaven and Faith Hunter’s Skinwalker and Blood Cross among others.
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Besides romance I read a few mysteries. My favorites were Pamela Clare’s “Breaking Point” and Agatha Christie’s “Crooked House.”
I think I read a little bit of everything
I love my romance, erotic, urban fantasy, true crime, chit lit., and paranormal. Recently I have picked up a few bios even and a few contemporaries. Reading has been a great adventure and has introduced me to many wonderful people 
I loved The Help! This summer I read a lot of memoirs and loved them also Saving Cee Cee Honeycutt was a fun read. I’m reading the next book in the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants books called Sisterhood Everlasting. So far so good.
I’ve been leaning toward more romantic suspense this summer. I’ve been reading for more than 30+ years and years ago I would read everything — from romance to mystery. Now it’s strictly romance of any kind!
I’ve been on a Historical Romance run. I recently read books by: Karen Hawkins, Jane Feather, Lorraine Heath, Anne Gracie, Candace Camp and Sherry Thomas
My favorites are historicals, especially western and Regency. Books I’ve enjoyed this summer have been contemporary westerns by Linda Lael Miller: A Creed in Stone Creek, Creed’s Honor, and Creed Legacy. I’ve also enjoyed Hotter Than Wildfire and Into the Crossfire by Lisa Marie Rice.
I don’t read across the board into regular fiction…I like romance whether it be historical, contemporary, medieval, futuristic, etc. I don’t do too many paranormal books, but a few are alright. I’m liking Lori Fosters newest trilogy quite a bit! (yum yum)
I loved “The Help” – the book and the movie. I am reading “Blood, bones and butter” now. Sort or a romance with food.
pve
Favorites:
Susan Mallery – Already Home
Jane Graves – Black Ties and Lullabies and
Heartstrings and Diamond Rings
Julie James – A Lot Like Love
Jason F. Wright – Christmas Jars
Kat Martin – The Christmas Clock
RaeAnne Thayne – Blackberry Summer
I read mostly romance, but I also enjoy mysteries, biographies and some political books. My favorites this summer are all romances: What I Did For a Duke by Julie Anne Long, Any Man of Mine by Rachel Gibson, A Lot Like Love by Julie James, The Dark Enquiry by Deanna Raybourne and Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke’s Heart
by Sarah Maclean.
I do read across the board, but have no favorites.
I read mostly romance although I’ve been venturing out to sci-fi/fantasty territory. My favorite historicals I read this summer was What I Did For a Duke by Julie Anne Long, Private Arrangements by Sherry Thomas, Unlocked by Courtney Milan, His Client and Object of His Desire by Ava Marsh. This summer I also finished the Vorkosigan series by Lois McMaster-Bujold.
Thanks so much for all the wonderful comments and new reading suggestions. My TBR pile runneth over!
I am new at this website hoping someone could help.I am a passionate read and to that end I have a problem,Ihave read so many books I don’t know where to go next.I have read all Catherine Anderson books,Black Dagger Brotherhood,Midnight Breed,Outlander,Into the Wilderness,Bridgerton Series,Chicago Stars.Does anyone hve suggestions any help would be appriciated.