What Books Are You Thankful For?
Perhaps it’s the fact that Thanksgiving was yesterday and the crazy crowds of Black Friday are something I try to avoid when possible. Or maybe it’s that I’m in the midst of moving. As I pack up my books and decide what to keep and what to donate, I’ve felt like I’m at a reunion with old friends. I pick up each book and remember encountering the characters within, and I have a few seconds of savoring that first time I encountered favorite characters ranging from Alinor of Roselynde, the Bridgertons, Katniss, or the cast of the Harry Potter books.
I pick up Venetia and want to read just a few scenes, or I find Karen Marie Moning’s Fever series and try to decide if I can spare a few minutes from packing to enter that world. I spend plenty of time picking out the weaknesses of books with improbable plots, poor writing and idiot characters, but there are so many good things to read as well. And for some reason, today I’m feeling sentimental and very thankful for the ways that the best books make me feel.
So, today instead of lots of commentary, I have a question for readers to answer in the comment section below. I want to know what book you’re thankful for and why. I’m curious to see what people say. I’m also planning another column for later and could use your help on this, so please do chime in!
I’ll give one to start. Since I’m rereading Bet Me at the moment, I’ll use that one. I love this book and I’m thankful for it because it’s one of those sweet, fantasy/wish fulfillment books that leaves me with a smile on my face. The dialogue makes me laugh every time.
Now, what about you? What book are you thankful for and why?
– Lynn Spencer
Re “”Our Hearts Were Young & Gay””. I have just discovered it is available as an audio book on Kindle.
There are lots of books I love (hence my overflowing bookshelves) but the one I am most grateful for is a battered second hand copy I picked up years ago. It’s “”Our Hearts Were Young And Gay”” by Cornelia Otis Skinner and Emily Kimbrough. I think there was a movie which wasn’t very good but the book is wonderful – a laugh aloud joy. It’s not a romance but has some elements which would qualify it as such if it weren’t a true story. Don’t know if it is in print but it’s worth while chasing up that second hand copy if not.
That’s a very charming one! I’m also very fond of My Sister Eileen, which is along similar lines, and always wished I could find more books like them.
I’m thankful for The Shadow and the Star because I read it so obsessively, I was able to recite it to myself to keep sane during a long night in the ER with no books. (Is there anything longer than a night in the ER with no books?)
How to pick? First, I would have to say I’m thankful for Jayne Ann Krentz’s Hidden Talents. It’s definitely not my favorite of her books, but during a period in the mid-1990s when I was floundering in my reading choices i happened upon a review of it. It sounded so good I immediately headed to the nearest bookstore to pick up a copy. After looking throughout the fiction section (because I only read fiction then) I finally had to ask a clerk for help. When i was directed to the romance section I almost didn’t buy it, because I really didn’t read romance. Thank goodness I took a chance. It began a huge glom of other JAK books (and eventually Amanda Quick books), and eventually to my love of romance novels.
Next, I’m grateful to Elizabeth Peters’ Crocodile on the Sandbank, for introducing me to the wonderful Amelia Peabody series, and also leading me back to reading mysteries in the early 2000s after years of avoiding mysteries.
There are so many more, including Nora Roberts’ Born in Fire and Sea Swept, Lauren Willig’s whole Pink Carnation series, and Alan Bradley’s Flavia de Luce series.
And going back to the beginning, I’m forever grateful to some wonderful children’s books that got me started my lifelong love of reading including The Pink Motel, the Trixie Belden series, and the Betsy-Tacy and Tib books.
Lynn: This is in regard to Barbara Michaels/Elizabeth Peters. I was late in learning of her death and just came across your website. I have every one of her books and feel a huge loss with this great woman’s passing. If you have read all of Amelia, you MUST read all of Vicky Bliss. The last, “”The Laughter of Dead Kings””, is directly tied to Amelia. Another excellent read is “”Patriots Dream””. The first book of hers I read was “”Ammie, Come Home””, which scared me to death. Planning on passing them on to my granddaughter.
Lynn: This is in regard to Barbara Michaels/Elizabeth Peters. I was late in learning of her death and just came across your website. I have every one of her books and feel a huge loss with this great woman’s passing. If you have read all of Amelia, you MUST read all of Vicky Bliss. The last, “”The Laughter of Dead Kings””, is directly tied to Amelia.
I don’t even know where to begin listing a book or books for which I’m thankful. There are so many, so I won’t do it. But taking a side road here to the question Lynn posed, a very related answer for me would be, “”I am so thankful for libraries.”” That’s when I began reading in earnest as a child and later as an adult. In the late ’80s, a romance book at work was passed on to me “”just to try”” (Morning Glory by LaVyrle Spencer); and I discovered romance fiction and later the field of suspense writing. the libraries enabled me to experiment with all sorts of authors and stories in these areas. I am so grateful for being given the free playfield from which to pick and choose. I hope that counts, because from childhood, I’ve enjoyed reading and just can’t pick one book.
Far and away, I’m thankful for “”Outlander”” and Diana Gabaldon for both Jamie and Claire, her incredible writing skill and wit, as well as her research talent.
I’m also very thankful for Eloisa James who first hooked me with her character Quill in “”Enchanting Pleasures”” and hasn’t let me go since.
And I’m thankful to both authors for their books to eagerly look forward to.
I am thankful for the entire romance genre and all of the great websites, including this one, that opened my eyes and heart to this amazing community. Until 3 years ago I just ignored all of the “”cupped her breast”” books at the library- such a snob! I don’t exactly remember what I first decided to try during a crazy summer but I know Outlander was one of them and I have read hundreds since.
Thanks to Suzanne Brockmann and the Troubleshooters for making me get over my knee jerk “”I won’t like military romances”” reaction and Lynsay Sands for opening me up to the whole post Anne Rice “”vampires can be cool and sexy”” world. I have been launched into ebooks due to romance (and erotica- looking at you FSOG), even dipping my previously “”too good for that silly stuff”” toes into steam punk (Iron Duke).
And probably my biggest thanks goes to Lea Hensley for opening me up to Audible audiobooks on my Kindle phone app when I despaired of ever finding anything new on CD at my little local library. Goodreads Romance Audiobooks and Speaking of Audiobooks- you rock!
There are SO many books I am thankful for. Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews; October Day series by Seanan McGuire; Fever series by Karen Marie Moning; everything Guy Gavriel Kay ever wrote; Terry Pratchett’s Discworld books; Sandman comics by Neil Gaiman; Locke and Key comics by Joe Hill; Saga comics by Brian Vaughan; In Death series by J.D. Robb; everything by Jennifer Crusie; Dick Francis’ detective novels; all of James Herriot’s books… The list goes on and on an on :)
I’m thankful most for Confessions of the Sullivan Sisters by Natalie Standifor which is seeing me through some very trying hollidays.
Every word Carla Kelly ever wrote (hope they’ll publish her shopping lists at some point … :D), same for Heyer, and then there are Balogh and Krentz and Roberts, who always give me a good time and know how to use our wriggly language.Those and so many many others …
I’m so thankful for the ability to read and a family that instilled a love of reading in me. Two series especially come to mind when I think of how grateful I am for books. The Immortals After Dark series kept me company during some dark days after a difficult surgery. The blend of humor, adventure, and fun was exactly what I needed. And the Kate Daniels (Magic) series carried me through long days and nights spent sitting with my grandmother while she was in hospice. I needed to feel transported to a different realm altogether and those books were absolute perfection for that.
I, too, am thankful for the Harry Potter books.
Then there is the Pink Carnation series by Lauren Willig. So fun.
And of course the 100 Top Romances list. I’ve read about 60% of the books listed and I can’t say I’ve ever been disappointed.
I give my thanks to Woodiwiss’ Ashes in the wind, because it’s the first one I read in the genre… a lot of years ago, and it discovered a whole new world for me -the Romance novels.
Me too! I received it for Christmas when I was just a girl, and I’ll always be thankful for the introduction to romance and to the brother who gave me the book.
I’m thankful to Georgette Heyer’s Devil’s Cub, because it’s a wonderful read and because it made me discover AAR.
I was reading the reviews on Goodreads and someone talked about the shooting scene in Lord of Scoundrels as something like the shooting in DC and there was written that it was AAR top romance. The next step was coming to this site, of course and so very thankful I am for this!
I am thankful for Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews for many reasons, but mostly because I started looking into other authors in the genre like Nalini Singh, Thea Harrison, Meljean Brooks and Patricia Briggs. My reading and blog world has broaden because of that one book.
I am so thankful for AAR. Happy Holidays!
Ihe one item I do not leave home without is my libary card. I’m thankful that most questions I wanted answered I was able to find the answer in a book. My life changed for the better when I got my first library card in middle school. I still remember checking out the limit of 10 books as I didn’t know when I could convince my father to drive me back. Then, one day I looked over and discovered the uncataloged paperback swap box. I’m sure the librarian wanted to believe that those series romance paperbacks were for my grandma, but I read every one. These days those would be the vanillaest of romances :)
I love the Harry Potter books, the Hunger Games books, the majority of Balogh novels most especially her wonderful Summer to Remember.
What I am thankful for is to live in a time after the printing pres. Much as I complain about the costs of books now the fact is at one time they were so rare there was no such thing as a to be read pile. People had to hand write them and the number of folks who could actually do that was pretty limited. So today I am thankful for all my books. For ereaders with backlights that let me read beside a sleeping husband without having a lamp on. For Amazon sales that let me pick up a kindle book for $1.99 when Target wants 12 bucks for it. For genre reading which spans such a wide array of stories it takes my breath away. I could easily write my own top 100 list (I did for the recent poll) but I am most thankful for the fact that I am not limited to a hundred great books. There are thousands of them out there and thanks to modern technology and the public library I can read many of them.
I’ve heard of Rafael Sabatini for years, and seen the movie CAPTAIN BLOOD, but never read him until I read his SCARAMOUCHE just a few weeks ago. Wow! It totally rocked my world! So thankful to have a prolific “”new-to-me”” author to enjoy!
And, of course, I’m thankful for Georgette Heyer, who created the Regency genre!
OMG! Georgette Heyer is the love of my life!
I’m thankful for the book “”Outlander”” because it was the first romance I ever read so long ago and it started a life long love affair with Scottish men and romance reading.
James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser best HERO ever!
Word.
I don’t have 1 book to list, but I would have to mention the Immortals After Dark series. When I need to get away from the real world for a bit, I love sinking into this one. It’s sexy and steamy, and I like imagining a world where something paranormal really could exist.