BOOK OF THE YEAR 2007

Choosing my favorite book of 2007 was no easy task. It always comes down to personal preferences. I loved all the novels on my Top Ten List, each for different reasons. Choosing NEFERTITI by Michelle Moran from the Final Three was even more difficult, of course. Although all three were written most excellently with elements I love, NEFERTITI had absolutely everything I love in a story.

I've always been a history buff. I majored in it and I home educate my children with the Classical Method which has history as its backbone. I go through phases of fascination and right now I'm fascinated with Ancient History. NEFERTITI is set in Ancient Egypt. Quite simply, that's what put it over the edge from the rest of the list. The funny thing is I can't imagine writing a story set during ancient times myself! Well, okay, I do have a couple in the back of the head, but I am no where near ready to flesh them out.
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So, NEFERTITI is set in Ancient Egypt. What I also love about it is the variety of characters. Michelle once told me she has a hard time with characterization. You can't tell by reading her novel. Other authors probably know when we have a weakness we work twice as hard to overcome it, right? I know I certainly do. It really shows. Yes, there is Nefertiti, the ambitious, almost totally self-absorbed teenaged queen who grows into a paranoid, possessive pharoah wanna-be. The story is told by her level-headed sister, Mutny, who is two years younger. There's romance, but not for Nefertiti. As Mutny says, "Nefertiti doesn't fall in love. Men fall in love with Nefertiti." There's a domineering mother-in-law, Mutny's hardworking, altruistic parents, the Other Woman Kiya who's constantly threatening Nefertiti's position as Number One, lots of babies (gotta have babies!), and a sexy, self-absorbed Psycho Prince.


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No! Not him!


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Akhenaten The Heretic King. He starts out as a totally buff 17 year old, who flunked out of Megalomaniacs Anonymous I'm sure.


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Ooh, but there are a lot of nice kilts in this story (Kimber sighs and rests hand in chin to gaze at Yul Brynner's picture.)

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Oh, wait! Sorry. Back to NEFERTITI. One of the very nice kilts belongs to Mutny's true love, in fact. So, you see, the girl who deserves the romance, gets it.

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The plot twists around itself and esculates from Mutny's relationship with her sister and her sister's path to destruction. There is a Happily Ever After, but it comes at great cost. I think this makes it more believable.




NEFERTITI made the L.A. Times Bestsellers' List and went back for a second printing lickety-split.
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Michelle's next novel, THE HERETIC QUEEN is due out Autumn 2008.
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The deal for the next novel after that, CLEOPATRA'S DAUGHTER, has just been negotiated. It's about Cleopatra's three surviving children with Marc Antony. Naturally, I always wanted to know what happened to them myself!
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Michelle's had a stellar year! Way to go, Michelle.
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Michelle's website: http://michellemoran.com/
Michelle's blog: http://michellemoran.blogspot.com/



I reviewed NEFERTITI on May 16th. You can click on May or on Michelle Moran's heading in the directory. The review is at the bottom of her list of columns.

THE FINAL THREE!

I know you're all just dying to know the Enduring Romance Book of the Year 2007.

;)

I posted my Top Ten on December 4th. Scroll down to read about them. I loved all of them, but for different reasons. This is what makes choosing just one so hard.

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And so, without further a-do (drum roll please) here are the Final Three in no particular order:

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GAMES OF COMMAND by Linnea Sinclair. Linnea was competing with herself for Book of the Year because DOWN HOME ZOMBIE BLUES was just as awesome as GAMES. However, in the end I went with GAMES simply because I'm a Space Opera kind of girl.

NEFERTITI by Michelle Moran. Oh, I know what you're thinking. You're thinking I picked this Ancient Egyptian tale just because of my fascination with Yul Brynner.

Well...let's just say it didn't hurt.

MASTER OF VERONA by David Blixt. What can I say? Reading this novel is like sitting front row in a theater watching a Shakespeare play performed live the way it was meant to be.
I'll be re-reading these novels between now and December 31st when I will announce the Book of the Year.

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I won't be reviewing anymore books this year, unless something phenomenal comes in. I'll probably babble about something here on Thursdays though. Now, pop over to Amazon.com and finish your holiday shopping!

Books of the Year 2007

On December 31st, I'll be choosing my Book of the Year 2007. I'm not sure if Lady Bronco will be or not. Got to talk to that girl, I guess. Some of my books are new releases and some are simply new to me. Here are my favorite books I read this year in no particular order:

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1)SWEET SENSATION by Gwyneth Bolton. Why It Should Win: This is a Romance novel, but it's not your standard issue. It's a Secret Baby Story turned on it's head. You know how I adore babies! The one in this book is actually a teen and she gets a Point-Of-View too. She's not consigned to the shadows where most young people lurk if they're in Romance novels at all. I can't understand why grown-ups don't like young people. Also, Gwyneth Bolton is the Queen Author of the Sensual Love Scene. You know how I think the Standard Issue Sex Scene is ridiculous, regardless of Heat Level. This novel is an excellent example of love scenes done right, I think.

2) MASTER OF VERONA by David Blixt. Why It Should Win: Mr. Blixt is a Shakespearean actor and it shows in this debut novel. If you're like me, you were taught to hate Shakespeare in high school by being forced to read his plays. In college, I learned Shakespeare's plays were not meant to be read. They were meant to be performed. When I witnessed a play performed, it was magic! Mr. Blixt captures that performing magic in the novel form and makes it a riveting read. He even includes a Commando Nanny (a baby's nurse who saves his life) and you know how that scores huge points with me!

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3) GAMES OF COMMAND by Linnea Sinclair. Why It Should Win: Brandon Kel-Paten is part human and part machine, and hopelessly and secretly in love with Captain Sebastian, a.k.a. Sass. Between him and Tank the Furzel, this story is a rollicking good space opera read. I own the GAMES' "No-No Bad Captain" sweatshirt.

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4) NEFERTITI by Michelle Moran. Why It Should Win: This novel has everything I love in a good story - a riveting plot, a variety of characters and not just a Hero and Heroine, a setting far away from my contemporary reality, a heroine I can relate to despite the time warp, conflicted bad guys, gorgeous men in Egyptian kilts (yowsa, Yul Brynner!), fabulous art and fashion, and lots of babies. And a believable Happily Ever After. In Real Life, HEA is a lot of work and always comes at great cost. Michelle captures that too. No Standard Issue anything in this debut novel!

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5) LOTTERY by Patricia Wood. Why It Should Win: Because Pat'll give me a free trip to Hawaii if I pick her - JUST KIDDING! Actually, I can fly there from Alaska pretty cheap. Really Why It Should Win: The Characters. There's a wide variety of them, they're real, and we've all walked in at least one of their shoes. Perry is one point up from being considered retarded and anyone who's been treated like crap will relate to him. The lead female character is plus-sized. The ensemble of friends close ranks to protect Perry when he wins the Lottery while everyone else tries to take the money from him. It's the kind of story that can change you on a spiritual level.

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6) STAR WARS DARK FORCE RISING by Timothy Zahn. Why It Should Win: Mommies are rare in Science Fiction. In this second volume of the Thrawn Trilogy, Princess Leia gives birth to twins and has a fabulous nanny, Winter. It's all done so believably well. Besides the gripping space opera plot, daddy Han Solo and his enduring romance with the Princess brings this story to life. Mr. Zahn does them better than the movies, in my opinion.

7) CONTACT by Susan Grant. Why It Should Win: Susan's an airline pilot and a mommy and so is the Heroine in this story. The passion and knowledge she brings to the story is akin to the magic David Blixt brings to MASTER OF VERONA.

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8) SAVE THE CAT! by Blake Snyder. This is our only non-fiction book on the list. Why It Should Win: As a writer, I've had a terrible time corralling all the images in my head into a comprehensible story. Structure has been a pox on my imaginary house. Jacqueline Lichtenberg suggested this book on screenwriting and it's made a huge difference! This is the only one on the list I haven't actually reviewed too.

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9) DOWN HOME ZOMBIE BLUES by Linnea Sinclair. As you can see, Linnea is competing with herself for Book of the Year on this blog. Hey, Linnea, don't slap yourself silly trying to win! Why It Should Win: Sure, Jorie's an alien hunting zombies, but she also has a sweet vulnerability. She was a biracial Pat Benetar in my head, probably because of the cultural barriers she crosses falling in love with Greek American Theo. The pace of the story was gripping.

10) THE BOOK THIEF by Markus Zusak. Why It Should Win: Death literally tells the tale of a young girl surviving World War II Europe by stealing books and losing herself in them. The way the story is told is as spellbinding as the tale itself.

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And that's it, unless I find another book which makes the cut before December 31st. I'll narrow the list down and re-read the short-list books between now and New Year's Eve. Maybe you should jot a few of these down on your holiday gift-giving list.

;)