2010 Rollin', rollin', rollin'

Move 'em on, head 'em up, Head 'em up, move 'em out, Move 'em on, head 'em out Rawhide!

What's that I see coming around the bend...why it's 2011. So, you know what that means...it's time for the end of the year wrap-up! Are we excited yet? And, yes I am aware it's really not the end of the year.

This has been an exciting year...started my Memories Schmemories, which I found to be enlightening, at least for me. I received the wonderful Bodacious Blog award from Tracy over at Tracy's Place http://ahhhhhromance.blogspot.com/and found some marvelous fellow bloggers at DIK Ladies Rule (love that name) http://dikladiesrule.blogspot.com/ ...great time! Joined some of my fellow sufferers in trying to write 50,000 words in a month as part of National Novel Writers Month http://www.nanowrimo.org/. Found out I'm a slow writer, but it's been fun and I'm looking forward to rereading my work. I know there is some cringe worthy text in there.

So, now it's time for my 2010 majestic awards to go out, this year I have added a few new ones. Isn't this exciting? Head em' up, move em' out!

Favorite Reads for 2010 (doesn't mean they were published in 2010) In no particular order:
Mad About the Duke by Elizabeth Boyle
The Tenacious Miss Tamerlane by Kasey Michaels 1982 (Memories Schmemories)
The Devil Wears Plaid by Teresa Medeiros
Bewitching by Jill Barnett 1994 (Memories Schmemories)
Wicked Intentions by Elizabeth Hoyt
Last Nights Scandal by Loretta Chase
Ruthless by Anne Stuart
The Rake by Mary Jo Putney 1998 (Memories Schmemories)
A Lady's Guide to Improper Behavior by Suzanne Enoch
The Kiss by Sophia Nash 2008 (Memories Schmemories)
In For a Penny by Rose Lerner
Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas 1994 (Memories Schmemories)
The House Party by Anne Stuart 1985 (Memories Schmemories)
A Matter of Class by Mary Balogh
His Christmas Pleasure by Cathy Maxwell

Breaking News!
Congratulations to Courtney Milan and Kieran Kramer! Nominated for Best First Historical Book over at RT (Romantic Times) Reviews. See, Ms. Kramer I knew there was an award nomination in the air, just didn't know which one. I was also pleased to see a number of other books that I've actually read were nominated, congratulations to all of those authors! For complete list of nominees: http://www.rtbookreviews.com/

2010 Favorite Debut Authors or New Discovery Authors. All of these authors are to be congratulated, first of all for getting published and secondly for being so good! Some great writing ahead!
Rose Lerner http://www.roselerner.com/
Sarah MacLean http://blog.macleanspace.com/index.html
Courtney Milan http://www.courtneymilan.com/
Sara Lindsey http://www.saralindsey.net/
Kieran Kramer http://kierankramerbooks.com/

And here fellow readers is my list of 2010 Disappointments
Castles in the Air by Christiana Dodd 1993 (the only thing saving this book is the extra arm.)
Patience by Liza Valdez (every year I patiently updated by database waiting for this one and sad to say wasn't even able to finish it. )
Christmas with the Duchess by Tamera Lejeune (another DNF for me. I love Tamera Lejeune silly, funny, quirky stories...but this one was so disappointing, I couldn't even write about it. Couldn't review.)
Desires of a Perfect Lady by Victoria Alexander (this book had the honor of winning my first zzzz award.)
In Bed with the Duke by Christina Dodd (I waited for years for another historical from Ms. Dodd. I was very disappointed in this book, in fact, I believe the writing in this book caused me to go into one of my rants. )
Faith by Deneane Clark (groan. )

This year we have a best dog award, which from now on will be called The Gus Award:
And the winner of the 2010 Gus Award is: Gus from Dreaming by Jill Barnett, 1994 (Gus was the best part of the book, thank you Gus! Gus, Gus, Gus! What a funny looking word Gus is.)

Favorite Cover Award
Mostly, I ignore the covers of books, but every once in a while one catches my eye. And, let me say this about that, I'm one of those people!! I don't care if the top of the head is cropped off.

The Rohan family books by Anne Stuart, Reckless, Ruthless and Breathless.
I thought these covers were well executed, had wonderfully lush color and great costumes. Loved all three covers.
A Matter of Class by Mary Balogh.
A nice simple classy cover, with nary a boob in sight.
In for a Penny by Rose Lerner.
A deceptive cover for a romance book and one that might have been overlooked because of the cover, however it is lovely.
Never Less than a Lady by Mary Jo Putney,
Loved that turquoise dress!

2010 Favorite Romance Families
The Weston family by Sara Lindsey
The MacKenzie brothers by Jennifer Ashley

2010 Creepiest Villain
Harcroft from Trial by Desire by Courtney Milan, I found Harcroft utterly fascinating...and in the end he didn't turn out to be a hero in waiting!

And now the one you've been waiting for...the 2010 Mr. Toad Award:
Jarret from A Hellion in Her Bed by Sabrina Jeffries, any book that makes me reach for a ruler deserves some kind of award.
Mathew from Patience by Liza Valdez, Mathew's Mr. Toad does every thing but walk and talk. Maybe it did, I never finished the book.
William from The Libertine by Judith James, only in Romanceland can a man take a zillion women into his bed and not get Mr. Toad Pox.