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When I get a little money I buy books; if any is left I buy food and clothes. Erasmus |
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When I get a little money I buy books; if any is left I buy food and clothes. Erasmus |
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This book has held the #1 position on my list ever since I first discovered Holland while stationed in Turkey. The base library only had 5 of her books and, after coming across her novel The Seabeggars, and reading it, I went back and checked all 5 out. And read them all multiple times, enthralled. Jerusalem was the last one I read and when I finished it, I did not want to return it to the library. So I kept rechecking it out until we returned to the states (hey, this is before it ever occurred to me to purchase a book online!) and finally bought my own beautiful copy that sits in a special place on my bookshelf. Jerusalem is set in the 12th century in the Holy Land. The hero is Knight Templar, Ranaulf Fitzwilliam. Though Holland does chronicle the fall of Jerusalem to Saladin, the real story is Ranaulf's inner journey as he struggles to keep his vow. A very powerful, moving book.
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After returning to the states, it was my goal to possess every book Holland has ever written. Lords of Vaumartin sat on my shelf a year before I finally read it. This is another story of a man's journey, but Everard's inner turmoil is not the same as Ranaulf's--Everard is consumed with the desire for revenge. He lives through the black plague and adopts a baby that also survived, but lost her parents. His growth and his relationships with the family he gains after the plague are deeply touching. Lords of Vaumartin takes place in 14th century France.
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Ah... Maria and Richard. Though Holland writes historical fiction, many of her books have a satisfying romantic subplot. Great Maria is different. It's not quite a romance, but will satisfy fans of the historical romance genre. Set in 11th century Italy, this is Maria's story. It spans 20-something years. The heart of the story is Maria's struggle for power within her marriage. Maria is, without a doubt, the best heroine I've ever come across. Richard is Maria's match and the when the two of them get together the sparks fly. This book is not for the faint hearted--I guarantee you will hate Richard in the beginning. The first time I read it I kept wondering if Richard was the villain! But by the end, I loved him as much as Maria did. |
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Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, and Voyager by Diana Gabaldon I can do the Outlander books collectively, I suppose. What can I say about the Outlander series, except... Jamie. I do love that lad. This is THE Scottish time-travel from the master. These are some pretty hefty books, weighing in at between 700-1000 pages each (And I wished they were longer when I was reading them...). Now, I'm no speed reader but I managed to read the trilogy in 8 days. Of course, I didn't eat or clean house... I just read. From the time I woke up, until I went to bed (usually at around 5 A.M. because I couldn't stop reading...). It was an extraordinary experience and all I can say is, if you've never read these books before--I ENVY you! I wish I could read them for the first time again.
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I discovered this book and author while researching my first book. At the time, I'd read a dozen biographies on Mary Stuart and many more about sixteenth-century Scotland and the Scottish reformation. Anyone who has studied Mary knows the proliferation of viewpoints on Mary: martyr or murderer? Victim or Jezebel? And I, of course, have formed my own opinions which are expressed in my book. George's book brought Mary and her time to life for me--and it was the first work of fiction on Mary and Bothwell (and I've read quite a few!) that shared my vision of Bothwell. I'll admit, I am biased, considering my near obsession with the earls of Bothwell, but just the same, this is a wonderfully detailed, romantic, and emotional fictionalized biography.
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Okay--no bias here--George really is one of the finest historical authors out there. When I started reading this book, I didn't know much about Cleopatra--except the carpet thing. (o: George brought Cleopatra, Caesar, Alexandria, Rome--and most of all--Marc Antony--to life for me. This is the story of a woman torn between two men (one a memory). What is so compelling about this book is George's treatment of Antony. What a beautifully flawed hero! The man has some major issues, but you have to love him. Cleopatra is a strong and smart leader, but still very feminine. George created these characters so well that I was as torn as she was--understanding her frustration with Antony, and yet adoring him just the same and wishing she'd just give him a break. And bring your hankies--I was a wreck at the end.
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11.16.2004 It has been a very long time since I've added a book to this list. I've read a lot of really good books recently, but no great ones. I have a splitting headache this morning because I cried so much last night when finishing this book. The Time Traveler's Wife is a love story. Henry has "chrono displacement disorder"--he flits through time randomly. He has no control over it. He met his wife for the first time when he was 28 and she was 20--but she'd known him since she was 6, since after they married, he visited her many times as a child. This is another book where the hero steals your heart. I loved poor Henry. Their story is beautiful, bittersweet, tragic. It's one that will stay with me for a very long while.
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A Vision of Light and In Pursuit of the Green Lion by Judith Merkle Riley Margaret and Gregory are two of the best characters I've ever read--but you have to read both books--one right after the other. A Vision of Light is simply not complete without In Pursuit of the Green Lion--in fact, when I finished Vision, I couldn't decide whether it belonged here on my keeper shelf (even though I loved it) until I'd read Green Lion. Set in 14th century England , Vision is Margaret's story. Margaret is the wealthy wife of a merchant that manages to get a crotchety woman-hating wannabe-monk to take down her memoirs. Through the telling of her tale (and she has some wonderful adventures before she settled down to the comparatively uneventful life of wealthy merchant's wife and mother of two cute little girls) we also see the interaction and growing friendship between Margaret and "Brother" Gregory. Though this book isn't really Gregory's story, we still learn a great deal about him. And Gregory has some major issues. He wants to be a monk so he can speak to God... because when (if) he ever manages to achieve this divine audience he strives for, he has a few bones to pick with the Lord. I can't say much else about these two books without giving away the plotlines--but Vision has a somewhat cliffhanger ending that is resolved in Green Lion. I don't recommend reading one without the other. (According to Ms. Merkle's website there's a third book--but it's only been published in German!!!! But luckily, the ending of Green Lion is satisfying.)
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Riley takes you right into the ugliness of 17th century France as we follow the fortunes of a young crippled girl who is saved from suicide by a sorceress and transformed into a successful fortuneteller. Genevieve, an unlikely, but delightful heroine, is intelligent and resourceful. As she matures, she learns many lessons about love and life as she fights demons both within and out. It's an ugly duckling tale with a happy ending.
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Whether you believe in reincarnation or not--this book is a wonderfully romantic spin on the legend of King Arthur. The characters are wonderful--the villain particularly villanous--and yet so human--I found myself liking him at times. And this story moves. It's fast paced, action packed, and often shifts between past and present. Nit-Pickers be warned! There are some chronology problems in the past story that can be distressing--but the writing is just so engaging and the story so fun, I was able to overlook them and thoroughly enjoy myself.
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This one is begging for a reread--I first read it when I was 13 or so and then read it half a dozen more times before I graduated from high school--I haven't read it since, but it made a huge impression on me. I found a copy not long ago, and it's sitting on my shelf... waiting. This was probably one of the first "paranormals" I ever read, and boy was I hooked. It's a reincarnation story that takes place in the 1960s (when it was written) and the 16th century. It's a story of forbidden love (the hero was a monk in his past life) that comes back to haunt the lovers in the present.
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This book is a doorstop, but well worth the strained muscles to read it. A man-made plague escapes a government facility and wipes out most of humanity. Those that are left must come together and rebuild. Two opposing camps form and it becomes a showdown between good and evil. I've read this book numerous times, and though it's been at least 10 years since the last reading, I can still remember every character's name. King takes you through the tragedy and rebuilding through the eyes and minds of a handful of characters--mostly ordinary people, who seem to be failing at life before the plague. But afterwards, when tested, they discover inner strength and leadership, finding greatness in themselves. Unfortunately, the bad guys do, too. It's a story of friendship and community, with King's own brand of horror thrown in. But (for me at least) there are no real boogie men in this book. (Yes, Flagg is here--he just keeps turning up like a bad penny--but he's not one of King's more frightening characters. In fact, I kind of like him.) King shows instead the potential for evil within us all, and in a way, that's scarier than evil clowns hiding in the gutter or possessed cars.
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This book is *HOT.* It's also very exciting, with lovable, strong characters. Grace is a woman in jeopardy. She's on the run and all the while trying to translate a mysterious medieval document that is the source of all her woes. And through it all she's having these sex dreams... about this incredibly beautiful and barbaric Scotsman... This is a wonderful time-travel, but don't expect the hero and heroine to meet face-to-face early in the book. Face-paced, sexy, and fun--with a delightfully nasty villain.
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I heard about this book a long time before I ever read it. In fact, I heard so much gushing praise for this book, that if it hadn't been outstanding, I probably wouldn't have liked it just because it didn't live up to all the hype. But it was as wonderful as everyone said. It's a story of how far the mighty can fall. Christian is a powerful, rich English Duke (who also happens to be a mathematical genius...) that has a stroke and becomes an imbecile that can hardly even speak. He is seething with anger and frustration, trapped in a world he no longer understands. (I can't imagine the challenge of writing a love story with one-sided dialogue--but Kinsale pulls it off beautifully) Enter the righteous Maddy, a Quaker who sees the fire of intelligence still within him--and, as the only one who sees it, is "pressed" into service as his caretaker. It is a heart wrenching story of the value of patience and acceptance in the face of adversity, and the power of love to heal.
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Since I fell in love with Flowers from the Storm, I've managed to glom all of Kinsale's backlist and have slowly been working my way through them. Every one so far is wonderful, but with The Shadow and the Star, I've found another to add to my Keeper Shelf--my personal list of the best books ever. This is such a touching story and difficult to explain--particularly with the fascinating mixture of cultures represented in the novel. Samuel is the most wounded hero I've ever read (and I didn't think you could get more wounded than Christian!). Horribly sexually abused as a child, he has sworn to himself he will always love chastely, and devoted himself to his foster sister--going so far as to even want to marry her. Until Leda enters his life and messes everything up. And I think Leda is Kinsale's best heroine. This book was absolutely heart-wrenching and beautiful.
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I love the Odyssey. What isn't to love about it? Adventure, magic, a handsome hero who wants nothing more than to return home to his beautiful wife, Penelope. He's tempted away from his burning goal by goddesses and eternal life, but Odysseus resists, all for home and hearth. And how can you not love Odysseus? Courageous and heroic, yes, but when necessary he is clever and conniving. No dying bravely yet foolishly for him--he'll save his skin first--after all, he has a wife and son at home waiting for him. Having read several translations, I can say Mr. Fitzgerald (a poet) has done a wonderful job.
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I read this book six times in the sixth grade and cried every time. I read it again as an adult and sobbed like a baby again and most recently, it was given to my daughter as a gift. My husband read it to our children, and even though I had a million other things to do, I found myself joining them to listen in. One of the finest stories ever, this is about a boy who yearns for something so bad it hurts--dogs. And with some hard work he gets them. The book is written in a comfortable reminiscing style that I think is what makes it appeal to adults as well kids.
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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter #1), Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter #2) , and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter #3) by J.K. Rowling I've read my daughters quite a few series and though we've enjoyed them, they've been nothing like these. We adore these books. Could hardly put them down. Harry spent the first decade of his life loathed by his aunt and uncle, who are raising him. He's treated like garbage, forced to sleep under the stairs and hide when company comes. But then he discovers he is special (a wizard!) when he receives an invitation to attend Hogwarts school of wizardry. What is so appealing about these books? Harry is the underdog we can all root for--inspite of his ugly life, he's turned out pretty good. Combine a cast of loveable characters with an engaging writing style and some very clever plots and you have a winner. So far, my favorite is #3.
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It's been more than a year since I've added a book to my keeper shelf, but this one is worthy! The spine of this book says historical romance, but in my opinion, it leans far into the realm of historical fiction. However, the romance is a lovely one and so manages to satisfy readers of both genres. Karn is a great Viking warrior who has been crippled and so is now worthless in his society. He has endured a horrible ordeal at the hands of the villian--the same ordeal the heroine, Britta, has endured. Though Britta has withdrawn from society, living by herself on an island, she feels a sense of kinship to Karn and so rescues him, healing him within and without. The love-story is beautiful and the history vivd and well done.
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What a find! I love historical romances with strong paranormal elements and this one doesn't disappoint. The hero Anatole is so wonderfully wounded and tortured that I ached for him right from the beginning--and the heroine is one of the best I've ever encountered in romance. Add to that a wonderful love story, lots of well done paranormal, and none of that 2/3 drop off (where the book loses its zing 2/3 of the way through because the hero and heroine no longer have any real reason to be apart--even though the author continues to keep them apart) and you have a wonderful page turner. I could not put it down!
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