I Heart Romance

I have a confession to make-- I love romance novels. From the torrid, trashy paperbacks of my youth, to the more realistic contemporary novels in my recent past, romance novels always have a place in my reading rotation. My latest obsession is Regency romances, set during the reign of the Prince Regent in England (early 19th century). Regencies tend to have lots of witty dialogue, farce elements like false marriages or mistaken identities, and an emphasis on romance versus explicit description ( although some Regencies are still plenty steamy).

--Bookedupster

Here are a few of my favorite authors:

• Lisa Kleypas-- Try her Wallflower series-- it follows the stories of four girls who are not the toast of society, but who manage to find love and marry well.



• Mary Balogh-- Balogh's books are excellent for people who love series and enjoy intertwined stories. You will see many characters appear and reappear in her Simply... and Slightly... series.



• Eloisa James-- James' heroines are particularly spirited, and her stories are imaginative. I particularly liked the Four Sisters series.

Do you have a favorite Regency author? Leave it in the comments!

Great Book Resource for Avid Readers

If you love to read ( and if you're reading this blog, I'm guessing you do!), you need to check out the website Fantastic Fiction. It's my favorite resource for upcoming titles for favorite authors-- you'll get projected release dates and a look at the cover art. Fantastic Fiction is also great for folks who love series. Under each author entry, the author's series are listed in order. I find the series listings in the actual books to often be incomplete, or difficult to decipher, so I turn to Fantastic Fiction for complete listings. Try it-- you'll like it!

If you love Janet Evanovich....

....you might want to read The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz. A young female PI, a wacky dysfunctional family, and a mysterious disappearance all add up to a laugh-out-loud suspense tale. Put your copy on hold today!

New Oprah's Book Club Pick

Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides details the Stephanides family's journey from a small Greek town to a surburban American existance, and the journey of a single gene handed down through the generations to Cal Stephanides. Put your copy on hold today.

If you loved The Kite Runner.....

..... you will definitely want to read Khaled Hosseini's new book, A Thousand Splendid Suns. It is an epic tale of Afghanistan told through the eyes of two women. You can read reviews here.

THE BIG READ

Come join us and particpate in THE BIG READ, a program designed to encourage community members to connect to literature and one another. The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan is this year's title. There are several library events scheduled that focus on The Joy Luck Club and Asian culture. Click here for more information on THE BIG READ.

Lean Mean Thirteen

Janet Evanovich's newest Stephanie Plum novel is now on order at MCMLS! Click here to place a hold.