Books read in 2008

ETA: I missed recording Meredith Duran’s Duke of Shadows, so the post has been altered to make that addition.

I read 38 books this year. Not too bad, but hopefully I can read more next year.

Here’s the breakdown:

1 Mainstream fiction
2 Fantasy
3 Mystery
3 Urban Fantasy
4 Historical fiction
24 Romance (subgenres below)

• 10 male/male
• 7 historical
• 3 paranormal
• 10 romantic suspense
• 3 contemporary

So what to conclude? Well, romance is still my big love, though I mix it up a little. I do think my best grades are often non-romance in part because I only pick up non-romance books when I’ve heard stellar, fantastic things about them. That said I had a number of beloved romances that I read this year.

I also seem to be following the trend of reading very few contemporary romance unless it’s male/male romance, and even those tend to be romantic suspense. (The subgenres of romance won’t add up because I put some books in more than one category.)

Now, I’m going to list my high grades going backwards.

• Books rated B:
  Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs
  The Book of Atrix Wolfe by Patricia McKilip
  Farthing by Jo Walton
  Dangerous Ground by Josh Lanyon
  Bone Deep by Bonnie Dee
  Handyman by Claire Thompson
  [1 UF, 2 fantasy, 3 romance]
• Books rated B+:
  Cards on the Table by Josh Lanyon
  Untamed Heart by Ally Blue
  The Salt Maiden by Colleen Thompson
  I Spy Something Bloody by Josh Lanyon
  The Hell You Say by Josh Lanyon
  Heartsick by Chelsea Cain
  Into the Bleak Midwinter by Julia Spencer-Fleming
  Collision Course by K.A. Mitchell
  Duke of Shadows by Meredith Duran
  [7 romance, 2 mystery]
• Books rated A-:
  Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
  Seize the Fire by Laura Kinsale
  The View from Castle Rock by Alice Munro
  The Charioteer by Mary Renault
  Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs
  [2 historical, 2 romance, 1 UF]
• Books rated A:
  The Spymaster’s Lady by Joanna Bourne
  Death of a Pirate King by Josh Lanyon
  Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin
  [2 romance, 1 historical mystery]

Obviously my most highly read author is Josh Lanyon who consistently delivers for me. Very important trait for a favorite author. I can say the same about Patricia Briggs who released two books this year.

But there are a number of first-time authors I wish to read more of, namely Ariana Franklin, Mary Renault, Joanna Bourne, Marilynne Robinson and Meredith Duran.

Gilead may have been the most gorgeous book I read. It’s totally not that kind of book I’m drawn to, with its religious narrator. But I loved him. Death of a Pirate King was my most satisfying read, in part because it’s the culmination of four books. Mistress of the Art of Death was the most perfect book I read, with Franklin managing to hit everything right, from historical setting to characters to voice to prose to pacing. Heartsick was the most compelling book. I couldn’t put it down. The Charioteer was the most moving book, quite beautiful too and set in WWI, such a sad time, while Seize the Fire is an involving read with the most heart-wrenching hero. The Spymaster’s Lady had a fantastic voice.

I think that’s enough superlatives. All the books listed were wonderful reads for me, and I look forward to more in 2009. In fact, I’m going to write a post about books I’m looking forward to reading.