Worthwhile Reads in 2010 part 1
I read a lot of books in 2010 (NOT as much as Michelle Sutton, but still A LOT for me!) Most of them were read on the elliptical, some of them before I drifted off to sleep, but this year I was surprised at how many really good books I had stacked up in my got-to-tell-others-about-this-book pile.
This post uses the elliptical rating system? What is the elliptical rating system? I do most of my reading while I exercise on the elliptical and I know a book is a page turner if I get lost in the story, check my clock, only to realize I’m almost finished with my workout. Now that’s a 5 Elliptical rating. If a book keeps me on the elliptical longer than I planned it’s a 4-5 Elliptical. If I keep checking the clock or skipping the action to get to the dialogue, it’s a 3. If I quit before the alloted time…sorry, it’s a 2 or 1 rating.
If you’re looking for a backcover summary or formal review, you won’t find it here. I’ll give you my gut honest feelings and then you can follow the link for a more thorough review.
I wish I could have blogged more in depth reviews about each of these books, but time did not allow me to do so. Without any further rambling, in no particular order, here are my Worthwhile Reads in 2010. (Sorry for the lack of creativity. I used it all up on my WIP this morning!)
Comes a Horseman by Robert Liparulo
I have a confession to make. This is the first Liparulo book I’ve read though there are several in my TBR (to be read) pile. I’m not sure why it’s taken me this long to crack the cover. Maybe it’s the size of the hardcover book or the “blood and gore” I assumed were in his books, but I have to tell you I loved it!
It kept me flipping through the pages (and cringing because indeed there is blood and gore in this one, but it was such a great read that I just skipped the b&g when it got too much. And it only did a couple of times!) The characters, plotting, and writing all came together in a way that I wouldn’t hesitate to pick up another book by Robert Liparulo. To read more reviews click here.
Lady in Waiting by Susan Meissner
While I chose to read this one in bed, before lights out, I still give it a 5 Elliptical read. Susan is masterful at weaving history with real life. If you’ve read The Shape of Mercy, you know what I mean. If you haven’t, why not? While The Shape of Mercy takes you back to the Salem Witch Trials, Lady in Waiting takes you to sixteenth century England where Lucy Day, dressmaker to Lady Jane Grey, tells the story of her mistress who would be queen.
From publisher’s Weekly “Lucy narrates the tale of Lady Jane, pawn in the schemes of powerful men who seek the throne of England even as young Jane Grey is determined to live-and die-on her own terms. Modern Jane studies Lady Jane, coming to realize that she alone must choose how she lives. Both the history and the modern tale are enticing, with Meissner doing a masterful job blending the two.”
I can’t read one of Meissner’s historicals without doing an online search and thinking about the characters and their decisions days afterward and while I enjoy the historical story more than the real life tale, (and have been guilty of skipping ahead to read only the historical part for a few chapters,) nevertheless, both tales are woven together in such a way to earn a 5 Elliptical rating. More reviews.
Walking on Broken Glass by Christa Allan
Newcomer and friend, Christa Allan crafts a real and raw tale of one woman’s struggle with sobriety. I read this awhile ago and really wish I would have written a review when the emotions were stirring. Let me tell you, though I’ve never struggled with addictions or suffered the things Leah Thorton had, Allan reached a place in me that made it hard to read this book at times. Hard because of the emotional impact it holds, not because of the prose. The story and choices the character made lingered with me many days! Allan is a whitty, gritty, talented writer and I look forward to what she pens next. More reviews.
