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Gwen Reyes | A Born-Again Reader's Lament
Gwen Reyes
December 26, 2010
I’ve been an avid reader since I was 12, when my mom set me loose in the newly
minted young adult section of our favorite Waldenbooks store. Armed with $20 and
bored to death waiting for her to finish picking out this week’s batch of
“hidden baby” romance novels, I discovered my soon-to-be favorite author L.J. Smith stacked
amongst the shelves with R.L. Stine and Judy Bloom. I crouched on a round step
stool, opened that first page of DARK ANGEL and dove
head-first into a world where ghosts, vampires, shape shifters, and humans
mingled and fell in love. To say I was hooked was an understatement. From that
day, I spent every single one of our traditional Saturday afternoon book store
visits huddled under the bookshelf ladder with my back pressed against some of
my closest friends. As the years went by the young adult section grew from one shelf, to an entire
case, to half of the children’s section. I returned week after week, always
discovering something new or revisiting old favorites. I read so much then and
often I look back at the Gwen of 15 years ago with longing. I wish I could go
back to the days where I would spend three hours reading a book, but today I
struggle to find time to read the headlines on Jezebel.com let alone finish my
massive TBR pile. Back in November, following our second Readers ‘n ‘ritas conference, I decided
the only way I could mend my reading sabbatical was to figure out what was
keeping me from just doing it. I had spent three days with 160 authors and
readers, and darn it, I was tired of mentioning the one book I read in September
when everyone else seemed to have over 20 books to recommend. So I did something
drastic. I reserved a Barnes
and Noble Nook Color and waited for the big release day to come. The crazy thing is that I was never a fan of reading e-books. I spend hours on
my computer working on Fresh Fiction events and watching at least 3 movies a
week for review, so I figured an e-reader would sit untouched on my desk. I
completely underestimated myself. From the moment I bought my nookcolor
I couldn’t put it down. I’ve had the little guy for just two weeks and have
already read more books in a week than I read in the month of November. I
finished the first two books in Becca Fitzpatrick’s
fallen angels series HUSH, HUSH and
CRESCENDO,
Meg Cabot's INSATIABLE, Russell Brand's MY BOOKY WOOK, and
began Richelle Mead’s
VAMPIRE
ACADEMY series with the click of a button. Maybe it’s the holidays
or maybe it’s the excitement of having a shiny gadget with new buttons to push,
but I’m just so jazzed about sinking my teeth into some new stories. So, I’m curious. What books would you recommend for a born-again reader? I have
so much to catch up on, I don’t know where to start. Gwen Reyes
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Comments
19 comments posted.
Re: Gwen Reyes | A Born-Again Reader's Lament
A series by JK Beck called The Shadow Keepers: When Blood Craves, When Pleasure Rules, and When Wicked Craves. The author is Julie Kenner but under a new pen name.
(G. Bisbjerg 1:22pm December 26, 2010)
I'm glad you're enjoying your new Nook! I'm not much for vampire type books but have you tried Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson series? Start with Moon Called. It's a very good Urban Fantasy series.
(Robin Greene 2:40pm December 26, 2010)
For born-again readers, start with Gena Showalter's "Lord of the Underworld" series. For anyone who is a fan of Greek/Roman mythology, this would be the perfect place to start.
For anyone who love paranormal, go with the Demonica Series by Larissa Ione or Christina Dodd's The Chosen Ones/Darkness Chosen.
For contemporary, go with Susan Mallery's The Lone Star Sisters series. Also Go with Carly Phillips for the humor.
For Historical, read Tessa Dare and Amanda McCabe. There are a few more authors I would like to mentioned but I just can't think of them at this moment.
Enjoy.
(Kai Wong 3:42pm December 26, 2010)
I'm a big paranormal fan, and fantasy, scifi.
I'd tell you to get Meljean Brook, Marie Treanor, J D Robb, Angela Verdenius...ebooks those ones. All great reading!!!
Valerie
in Germany
(Valerie Bongards 5:09pm December 26, 2010)
I have to say if you want to move to adult paranormal you have to try Dark Lover
by J.R. Ward. I'm not a paranormal reader for the most part, and this is one I
coudn't put aside!
(Sandi Shilhanek 5:49pm December 26, 2010)
It's not paranormal, but if you want just a good story I recommend "A Summer in Sonoma" by Robyn Carr.
(Ginger Hinson 11:19pm December 26, 2010)
For erotica readers...i'd reccomend Lora Leigh's books especially The Breed series.
(Pam Hager 11:38am December 27, 2010)
If you really like the paranormal, with a bit of historic material, geography, etc. thrown in, I'm pretty sure you'll like Jessica Andersen's Final Prophecy or Nightkeepers series: 1. Nightkeepers, 2. Dawnkeepers, 3. Skykeepers, 4. Demonkeepers, 5. Blood Spells. I've just finished no. 4 and enjoy them very much since they have a bit of everything and you never know what will come next. It was through this blog that I became aware of them. Enjoy.
(Sigrun Schulz 12:16pm December 27, 2010)
Any of the Stephen King books- it would sure be a lot lighter to hold them up. LOL. I like Horns by Joe Hill.
[email protected]
(Debbie Penny 12:31pm December 27, 2010)
I love Jayne Ann Krentz Arcane series for paranormal, Stephanie Laurens for Regency Historical, Lorie Foster for funny - have a great New Years read!
(Diane Sallans 12:42pm December 27, 2010)
Really enjoy Kendra Leigh Castle's Highland Werewolves series... for some sexy cowboys, Lorelei James...oh so many authors I enjoy reading...
(Colleen Conklin 12:50pm December 27, 2010)
I'm just finishing Elizabeth Lowell's "Innocent as Sin" and would definitely recommend it.
(Sue Farrell 1:58pm December 27, 2010)
I'm so into Terry Pratchett right now. My daughter introduced me & I'm hooked.
(Mary Preston 4:09pm December 27, 2010)
I would plan on making a list real long to take advantage of the authors who I already like that have certain books only on readers.
(Alyson Widen 7:19pm December 27, 2010)
Have you read Jeaniene Frost's Night Huntress Series with Cat and Bones--really
fun!!
(Sandra Spilecki 7:38pm December 27, 2010)
I absolutely loved Still Missing by Chevy Stevens. It is one
of my favorite books of this year and I'm looking forward to
her next book due out in June. You will probably finish the
book in one sitting because it is so compelling.
(Jacquelyn Lane 10:32pm December 27, 2010)
I'm sorry, but I have no recommendations for you. I just wanted to say that at one time, I too, used to frequent Waltdenbooks as you did, but I was already an adult. I used to sneak in bags of books that caught my eye, as I would be like a kid in a candy store as soon as I walked through their doors!! lol I have a lot of books TBR, but with volunteer work and other obligations, I haven't had the time to sit down and read. I'm hoping to make that a resolution for the coming year.
(Peggy Roberson 11:13pm December 27, 2010)
SJ Day's "Marked" series, Karin Tabke's "Blood Sword" series; Karin Harlow's "L.O.S.T." Series (second book due out either real soon or just came out, I can't remember which); Nikki Duncan's "Sensory Ops" series; Cathryn Fox's "Impulsive" and "Instinctive"; any- and everything by Shayla Black, Sylvia Day, Livia Dare, Emma Lang, Beth Williamson, Shiloh Walker, Mackenzie McKade, and Sasha White.
That will keep you busy reading for a day or two. Of course, you won't get anything else done, but who cares? You're reading again!!
Later,
Lynn
(Lynn Rettig 2:19pm December 30, 2010)
One series I always recommend is OUTLANDER by Diana Gabaldon. They are time travel, history, romance, etc...rolled into one.
Ann
(Ann Garland 10:23pm December 30, 2010)
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