2006 Reading Year in Review - Part 7: New authors discovered

One of my reading resolutions a few years ago was to try more new authors (new to me, that is, not necessarily debut authors). I did so well that year, that I've kept it up. In 2006, I think I did pretty well. The actual number of new-to-me authors tried went down to 57, but since I read fewer books this year, the percentage works out to be higher than last year, and only a bit lower than my all-time high in 2004.

2004 - 79 books (30% of the total)
2005 - 63 books (21%)
2006 - 57 books (28%)

Best new discoveries (got B+ and above in first book tried):

• Susan Carroll (The Dark Queen) - only one who got an A- on my first book of hers


• J.R. Ward (Dark Lover)


• Elizabeth Hoyt (The Raven Prince)


• Beverly Jenkins (Sexy/Dangerous)


• Portia Da Costa (The Tutor)


• Marjorie M. Liu (Tiger Eye)


• Helen Fielding (Cause Celeb)


• Lauren Willig (The Secret History of the Pink Carnation)


• Alison Pace (If Andy Warhol Had a Girlfriend)


• Evangeline Anderson (The Assignment)


• Maria V. Snyder (Poison Study)


• Lindsey Davis (The Silver Pigs)


• José Pedro Barrán (Historia de la sensibilidad en el Uruguay: Tomo 1: La cultura "bárbara" (1800 - 1860))

In the case of a couple of these authors, like Susan Carroll, J.R. Ward & Marjorie M. Liu, I've already gone on to read and very much enjoy more of their books.

Good (B and B-):

• Meljean Brook (short story in Hot Spell anthology)


• Nalini Singh (Awaken to Pleasure)


• Roberta Gellis (Shimmering Splendor)


• Marie Donovan (Her Body of Work)


• Patricia Frances Rowell (A Scandalous Situation)


• Lori Handeland (Blue Moon)


• Kimberly Dean (short story in Secrets Vol. 9 anthology)


• P.C. Cast (Goddess of the Spring)


• Stephenie Meyer (Twilight)


• Olivia Gates (Doctors on the Frontline)


• Shana Abé (The Smoke Thief)


• Kresley Cole (A Hunger Like No Other)


• Diane Tyrrel (On the Edge of the Woods)


• Morag McKendrick Pippin (Blood Moon Over Bengal)


• Ian Caldwell & Dustin Thomason (The Rule of Four)


• Erin Grady (Echoes)


• Mary Blayney (short story in Bump in the Night anthology)


• Lynn Viehl (If Angels Burn)


• Laura Baumbach (A Bit of Rough)


• Alessia Brio (Erotique )


• Jo Goodman (One Forbidden Evening)


• Erin McCarthy (The Pregnancy Test)


• Shiloh Walker (short story in Hot Spell anthology)


• Patricia Waddell (True Blood)

So far, I've read further books by Meljean Brook (Demon Angel, which I've just finished, and was absolutely wonderful) Nalini Singh (also wonderful, Slave to Sensation), Olivia Gates (Emergency Marriage, which I liked about as much as the first) and Kresley Cole (No Rest For The Wicked, also a B).

Blah books (C-range grades):

• Eve Silver (Dark Desires)


• Tracy Montoya (Maximum Security)


• Susan Peterson (Midnight Island Sanctuary)


• Ruth Ryan Langlan (short story in Bump in the Night anthology)


• Lacey Alexander (French Quarter)


• Liz Maverick (The Shadow Runners)


• Abel González (Elogio de la Berenjena)


• Amanda McCabe (Lady Midnight)


• Sharron McClellan (The Midas Trap)


• Meryl Sawyer (Closer Than She Thinks)


• Lisa Valdez (Passion)


• Bonnie Hamre (short story in Secrets Vol. 9 anthology)


• Amanda Stevens (Silent Storm)


• Shelby Reed (A Fine Work of Art)


• Claudia Dain (short story in Wish List anthology)


• Lynsay Sands (short story in Wish List anthology)


• ...and an unpubbed manuscript by an author whose name I won't mention here

The only authors here I see myself reading again are Liz Maverick (there were glimpses of very good things in her book) and Meryl Sawyer (because Katharina highly recommended a few titles).

Bad, bad, bad (only Ds and DNFs, cause there were no Fs this year):

• Lora Leigh (short story in Hot Spell anthology)


• Kathryn Anne Dubois (short story in Secrets Vol. 9 anthology)


• Melody Thomas (Must Have Been the Moonlight)

The first two were awful, the Melody Thomas might have been my mood. I think I just might try her again.

Coming up tomorrow: Top 10 picks of 2006