Last year, I foisted my opinions of not just books, but music and film.

This year, I see no reason not to be as rude as before. Apparently, I love foisting.

So this year–

I continued reading a lot of series. I kept up with my J.R. Ward Crack Vampire fetish, reading Lover Enshrined. Still love her, the voice and story is worth any repetition, and I cannot WAIT for Rehvenge’s story.

I also still love Meljean Brook, whose Demon Night I devoured (I got Demon Bound, too, but haven’t read it yet. My bad.) Brook is one of the few authors who is both a guilty pleasure and a learning experience; she writes with such depth and knowledge that you have to think as you read, but her stories are fast-paced, dangerous and compelling.

Also on the paranormal tip is Carolyn Jewel‘s My Wicked Enemy, which I had the privilege of reading before it got to print, and then I reread it after it was published. I am happy to say Carolyn fixed all the parts I mentioned in my critique (insert smiley face here). Her demons are intense, dramatic and dark; her heroines are equally intense.

I read the last of Lilith Saintcrow‘s Dante Valentine series–really, if you like dark noir-ish paranormal, check this series out. Danny both kicks ass and takes names, and her mate Japhrimel is totally hawt. I began Saintcrow’s next series, featuring Hunter Jill Kismet, and love it, too, although there is no hero yet to equal Japhrimel (sob).

On the historical side, I read Elizabeth Hoyt‘s To Taste Temptation and To Seduce A Sinner, both of which I liked, although nothing’s reached the mastery (for me, at least) of The Raven Prince. I guess nothing ever compares with your first.

I know I read more historical than that, but for the life of me, I can’t remember anything. Oy. The brain addling, apparently it starts happening after forty.

In another series continuation/ender, I finished Barbara Hambly‘s Dead Water, featuring Benjamin January. Again, an author who is deep and educational while still writing a crazy creative and intricate story. She has the biggest vocabulary of any author I’ve read besides A.S. Byatt.


This year in music, I discovered two Forever-My-Favorite-My-God-These-Are-Amazing-Records: Adele and Duffy. Both young British singers, both soulful in their way, both incredibly intimate and earwormingly catchy. I also loved (Beyonce sister) Solange‘s single “Sandcastle Disco” and Estelle‘s debut, especially “American Boy” featuring Kanye.

In movies–we saw the Dark Knight, but I wasn’t blown away. Sue me. I thought Heath Ledger‘s performance was eerily awesome, and Christian Bale makes Anne Stuart’s heroes look cheerful, but the whole didn’t equal the parts, for me, at least. I received a Netflix subscription for my birthday, so I spent a lot of time watching historical dramas: The Forsyte Saga, with Damian Lewis, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Northanger Abbey, Jane Eyre, etc. I also saw Bent, starring Clive Owen, which was fantastic, and not just because Clive is in it. The Chancer series, for example, stunk, although a young (and gawky!) Clive was in it.

This year, I am looking forward to more Ward, Brook, Saintcrow, Jewel and Hoyt; Carla Kelly and Loretta Chase both have new books out, too. I will continue to delve through the TBR pile, and will try not to fret that I’ve been reading a book for two weeks, which is an eternity in Frampton Reading Land.

Thanks for indulging me! What series are you hooked on? What are you looking forward to in 2009?