Please remember as you check out my list that it is not
comprehensive. This is a list of the books I expect to read or add to my TBR
shelves in the first half of 2012. There are genres and subgenres that are not
included because I don’t read them. The same holds true for authors. In romance
fiction alone, thousands of titles are released each year (more than eight thousand
titles in 2010, for example). I read only a small fraction of the new releases
of any year. Romance dominates my list, but I also include some mysteries,
women’s fiction, general fiction, and non-fiction. I expect other titles will
be added as authors share news, friends recommend books, and online buzz
persuades me to check out titles.
I look forward to some of these books with particular
delight. The debut of my friend Manda Collins with How to Dance with a Duke on January 31 will be the culmination of a
squee-fest that has been going on for many months. I’m excited about The House
on Butterfly Way, a new single-title from Elizabeth Bevarly in February.
Marilynne Robinson, whose fiction I find rich beyond measure, has a collection
of essays coming out in March, When I Was a Child I Read Books. I loved the
tiny tastes of Paris that Eloisa James shared in her tweets, and I am eager to
partake of the banquet of her book-length memoir, Paris in Love, in April. I
have waited for what seems like forever to read the story of Gwen, Lady Muir,
and Mary Balogh is giving it to me with The Proposal in May. And June offers the second of Loretta
Chase’s dressmaker stories, Scandal Wears Satin.
I have accepted the
Goodread’s Reading Challenge for 2012. My goal is 365 books. Looking at this
list makes me confident I’ll meet my goal. The more than half dozen titles that
I’ve already read this month assure me that 2012 is going to be another great
reading year.
JANUARY
January 1
1.
The Cowboy’s
Secret Son (Harlequin American Romance—HAR), Teagues of Texas #1, Trish Milburn
2.
The Lure of Song
and Magic (Fantasy-Contemporary Romance—F-CR), Patricia Rice
January 3
3.
Mad About the
Earl, (Historical Romance—HR), Ministry of Marriage #2, Christina Brooke
4.
A Promise of
Safekeeping (CR), Lisa Dale
5.
At the King’s
Pleasure (Historical Fiction—HF), Secrets of the Tudor Court #4, Kate Emerson
6.
Bride by Mistake
(HR), Devil Riders #5, Anne Gracie
7.
Love Lifted Me
(Inspy), Songbird #3, Sara Evans and Rachel Hauck
8.
Tempted Again
(CR), Cathie Linz
9.
On Lavendar Lane
(CR), Shelter Bay #3, JoAnn Ross
10.
A Hero in the
Making (Harlequin SuperRomance—HSR), North Star #6, Kay Stockham
11.
Colorado Dawn
(American Historical—AH), Runaway Brides #2, Kaki Warner
January 10
12.
Copper Beach
(Romantic Suspense—RS), Dark Legacy #1, Jayne Ann Krentz
January 17
13.
Gone West (H
Mys), Maisie Dobbs #20, Carola Dunn
January 24
14.
Ravished by the
Rake (Harlequin Historical—HH), Danger and Desire #1, Louise Allen
15.
Forbidden (YA
Fantasy), Syrie James
16.
A Lady Never
Surrenders (HR), Hellions of Halstead Hall #5, Sabrina Jeffries
17.
Undeniably Yours
(CR), The Kowalski Family #2, Shannon Stacey
January 25
18.
Unhinged (Mys),
Kate Holly #4, Charlotte Hughes
January 31
19.
Lucky Penny (CR),
Catherine Anderson
20.
How to Dance with
a Duke (HR), Ugly Ducklings #1, Manda Collins
21.
Home Front
(Women’s Fiction—WF), Kristin Hannah
22.
She Tempts the
Duke (HR), Lost Lords of Pembroke #1, Lorraine Heath
23.
File M for Murder
(Mys), Cat in the Stacks #3, Miranda James
24.
Third Grave Dead
Ahead (PR), Charley Davidson #3, Darynda Jones
25.
Secrets of the
Lost Summer (CR), Carla Neggers
26.
The Summer Garden
(CR), Chesapeake Shores #9, Sherryl Woods
FEBRUARY
February 1
1.
Secrets of an
Accidental Duchess (HR), Donovan Sisters #2, Jennifer Haymore
2.
Last Chance
Beauty Queen (CR), Last Chance #3, Hope Ramsay
February 6
3.
Fatal Flaw (RS),
Fatal #4, Marie Force
February 7
4.
The House on
Butterfly Way (WF-CR), Elizabeth Bevarly
5.
A Scandalous
Countess (HR), Malloren World #12, Jo Beverley
6.
A Texas Chance
(HSR), Deep in the Heart/MacAllisters #6, Jean Brashear
7.
One Book in the
Grave (Mystery—Mys), Bibliophile Mystery #5, Kate Carlisle
8.
Between Love and
Duty (HSR), A Brother’s Word #1, Janice Kay Johnson
9.
What Happened to
Hannah (GF), Mary Kay McComas
February 14
10.
I’ve Got Your
Number (WF), Sophie Kinsella
11.
Heart of Glass
(AH, Inspy), Irish Angels #2, Jill Marie Landis
February 16
12.
The Garden
Intrigue (HR, CR, Mys), Pink Carnation #9, Lauren Willig
February 21
13.
Seduced by the
Scoundrel (HH), Danger and Desire #2, Louise Allen
14.
The Revenge of
Lord Eberlin (HR), Secrets of Hadley Green #2, Julia London
15.
Time Out
(Harlequin Blaze—HB), Jill Shalvis
16.
Yours to Keep
(CR), Kowalski Family #3, Shannon Stacey
17.
When a Scot Loves
a Lady (HR), Falcon Club #1, Katharine Ashe
February 22
18.
Death of a
Kingfisher (Mys), Hamish MacBeth #29, M. C. Beaton
February 28
19.
Redwood Bend
(CR), Virgin River # 18, Robyn Carr
20.
Spellbound Falls
(CR), Spellbound Falls #1, Janet Chapman
21.
Sonoma Rose (GF),
Elm Creek Quilts #19, Jennifer Chiaverini
22.
Rainshadow Road
(CR), Friday Harbor #2, Lisa Kleypas
23.
Blame It on Bath
(HR), The Truth About the Duke #3, Caroline Linden
24.
A Rogue by Any
Other Name (HR), Fallen Angels #1, Sarah MacLean
25.
Between the Duke
and the Deep Blue Sea (HR), Royal Entourage #1, Sophia Nash
MARCH
March 1
1.
A Recipe for Love
(WF), Katie Fforde
2.
The Piccadilly
Plot (H Mys), Thomas Challoner #7, Susanna Gregory
3.
Touch of a Rogue
(HR), Touch of Seduction #2, Mia Marlowe
March 6
4.
When Maidens
Mourn (H Mys), Sebastian St. Cyr #7, C. S. Harris
5.
The Surrender of
Miss Fairbourne (HR), Fairbourne Quartet #1, Madeline Hunter
6.
From Father to
Son (HSR), Janice Kay Johnson
7.
The Runaway
Countess (HR), ebook from Samhain, Leigh Lavelle
8.
Wedded in
Scandal, Bridal Favors #1, Jade Lee
9.
More Than One
Night (HSR), Sarah Mayberry
10.
Cowboy to the
Rescue (HAR), Teagues of Texas #2, Trish Milburn
March 13
11.
Hush Now, Don’t
You Cry (H Mys), Molly Murphy #11, Rhys Bowen
12.
Another Piece of
My Heart (WF), Jane Green
13.
When I Was a
Child I Read Books: Essays, Marilynne Robinson
March 20
14.
Married to a
Stranger (HH), Danger and Desire #3, Louise Allen
15.
Some Assembly
Required (Nonfiction), Anne Lamott
16.
Lady Folbroke’s
Delicious Deception (HH), Three Ladies #1, Christine Merrill
17.
Much Ado About
Rogues (HR). Blackthorne Brothers #3, Kasey Michaels
March 26
18.
Starting Now
(WF), Blossom Street #9, Debbie Macomber
March 27
19.
A Week to Be
Wicked (HR), Spindle Cove #2, Tessa Dare
20.
At Your Pleasure
(HR), Meredith Duran
21.
Hot Under
Pressure (CR), Rising Star Chef Challenge #3, Louisa Edwards
22.
Taming an
Impossible Rogue (HR), The Scandalous Brides #2, Suzanne Enoch
23.
Imperial Scandal
(HF), Teresa Grant
24.
The Seduction of
Lady X (HR), Secrets of Hadley Green #3, Julia London
25.
Barefoot Season
(WF), Blackberry Island #1, Susan Mallery
26.
Trouble Me (CR),
Rosewood Trilogy #3, Laura Moore
27.
The Art of Duke
Hunting (HR), Royal Entourage #2, Sophia Nash
28.
Confessions from
An Arranged Marriage (HR), Burgundy Club #4, Miranda Neville
29.
Woodrose Mountain
(CR), Hope’s Crossing #2, RaeAnn Thayne
30.
Elegy for Eddie
(H Mys), Maisie Dobbs #9, Jacqueline Winspear
APRIL
April 1
1.
Master of Sin
(HR), Courtesan Court #4, Maggie Robinson
April 3
2.
The Duke’s
Perfect Wife (HR), Highland Pleasures/MacKenzies #4
3.
On His Honor (HSR),
Deep in the Heart/MacAllisters #7, Jean Brashear
4.
Deadly Dance
(RS), A-Tac #5, Dee Davis
5.
Betrayal (RS),
Scarlet Deception #3, Christina Dodd
6.
How to Ravish a
Duke (HR), Vickie Dreiling
7.
Death Comes
Silently (Mys), Death on Demand #22, Carolyn G. Hart
8.
The Wedding Dress
(Inspy), Rachel Hauck
9.
About That Night
(CR), Julie James
10.
The Call of
Bravery (HSR), Janice Kay Johnson
11.
The Flower Reader
(HF), Elizabeth Loupas
12.
If I Fall (HR),
Kate Noble
13.
The Book of
Madness and Cures (Historical Fiction—HF), Regina O’Melveny
14.
Miss Julia to the
Rescue (Mys), Miss Julia #13, Ann B. Ross
15.
Just Down the
Road (CR), Harmony #4, Jodi Thomas
16.
The Beginner’s
Goodbye (GF), Anne Tyler
17.
The Princess and
the Peer (HR), Princess Brides #1, Tracey Anne Warren
April 12
18.
The Secret Life
of William Shakespeare (GF), Jude Morgan
April 16
19.
The First Last
Unicorn and Other Beginnings (Fantasy), Peter Beagle
April 17
20.
Twisted (RS),
Tracers #5, Laura Griffin
21.
Paris in Love
(memoir), Eloisa James
22.
Lady Priscilla’s
Shameful Secret (HH), Three Ladies #2, Christine Merrill
23.
The Garden of
Happy Endings (WF), Barbara O’Neal
24.
The Witness (RS),
Nora Roberts
April 24
25.
Sunrise Point
(CR), Virgin River #19 , Robyn Carr
26.
The Good Father
(GF), Diane Chamberlain
27.
Somebody to Love
(CR), Kristan Higgins
28.
All for You (time
travel), Lynn Kurland
29.
Lyon’s Bride: The
Chattan Curse (HR), Cathy Maxwell
30.
Crystal Gardens
(Paranormal Historical Romance—PHR), Ladies of Lantern Street #1, Amanda Quick
31.
The Saint Who
Stole My Heart (HR), Regency Rogues #4, Stefanie Sloane
32.
The Shoemaker’s
Wife (HF), Adriana Trigiani
33.
The Apple Orchard (WF), Susan Wiggs
April 26
34.
Aunt Dimity and
the Village Witch (Mys), Aunt Dimity #18 , Nancy Atherton
MAY
May 1
1.
The Proposal
(HR), Bedwyn World #9, Mary Balogh
2.
Mrs. Jeffries
Defends Her Own (H Mys), Mrs. Jeffries #30, Emily Brightwell
3.
Lady Maggie’s
Secret Scandal (HR), Windhams #5, Gwen Burrowes
4.
Too Tempting to
Resist (HR), Lords of Midnight #2, Cara Elliot
5.
The Long Shot
(HSR), Ellen Hartman
6.
The Cowboy
Sheriff (HAR), Teagues of Texas #3, Trish Milburn
7.
No Longer a
Gentleman (HR), Lost Lords #4, Mary Jo Putney
8.
The Last
Boyfriend (CR), Inn Boonsboro #2, Nora Roberts
9.
Barefoot in the
Sand (CR), Barefoot Bay #1, Roxanne St. Claire
10.
Beguiling the
Beauty (HR), Fitzhugh #1, Sherry Thomas
May 8
11.
Tides of Memory
(WF), Mary Alice Monroe
12.
Home (Literary
Fiction), Toni Morrison
May 22
13.
The Taming of a Scottish
Princess (HR), Hurst Amulet #4, Karen Hawkins
14.
Marriage of Mercy
(HH), Carla Kelly
15.
Unbuttoning Miss
Hardwick (HH), Deb Marlowe
16.
Lucky in Love
(CR), Lucky Harbor #4, Jill Shalvis
May 29
17.
Rescue Me (CR),
Rachel Gibson
18.
A Night Like This
(HR), Smyth-Smith #2, Julia Quinn
19.
Along Came a Duke
(HR), Elizabeth Boyle
20.
Home for the
Summer (CR), Chesapeake Diaries #5, Mariah Stewart
JUNE
June 1
1.
“A Little More
Scandal” (HR), Christies 1.5, Carrie Lofty
2.
Summer Days (CR),
Fool’s Gold #7, Susan Mallery
3.
Unexpected Family
(HSR), Sequel to His Wife for One Night, Molly O’Keefe
June 5
4.
Unraveling the
Past (HSR), The Truth About the Sullivans #1, Beth Andrews
5.
Bring Him Home
(HSR), Special Forces #3, Karina Bliss
6.
A Life Rebuilt
(HSR), Deep in the Heart/MacAllisters #8, Jean Brashear
7.
Quilt or
Innocence (Mys), Southern Quilting #1, Elizabeth Craig
8.
Little Night
(WF), Luanne Rice
9.
Bride of the High
Country (AH), Runaway Brides #3, Kaki Warner
June 12
10.
The Red House
(GF), Mark Haddon
June 19
11.
A Bad Day for
Mercy (Mys), Stella Hardesty #4, Sophie Littlefield
June 26
12.
How to Be a
Proper Lady (HR), Falcon Club #2, Katharine Ashe
13.
Willow Springs
(CR), Destiny #5, Toni Blake
14.
A Duchess to
Remember (HR), Ministry of Marriage #3, Christina Brooke
15.
Scandal Wears
Satin (HR), Dressmakers #2, Loretta Chase
16.
Starlight (HR),
Christies #2, Carrie Lofty
17.
Can’t Buy Me Love
(CR), Crooked Creek #1, Molly O’Keefe
18.
At Last (CR), Lucky Harbor #5, Jill Shalvis
19.
Ocean Beach (WF), Beach #2, Wendy Wax
20.
Midnight Promises (CR), Sweet Magnolias #8,
Sherryl Woods
What books are you most eagerly anticipating in the first half of 2012?
And remember that I'm giving away a copy of Eloisa James's most recent New York Times bestseller, The Duke Is Mine to one randomly selected commenter.
Congratulations to Jane, winner of a copy of Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor by Lisa Kleypas.
7 comments:
Janga, you always amaze me. You can't possibly read 365 books in 1 year .... can you!?
Small wonder that I'm always struggling to catch up. *grin*
Scanning your list I selected the authors whose latest offerings I most want to read or try:
Try: Pat Rice;Kaki Warner; Manda Collins
Want: Catherine Anderson; Sherryl Woods; Sophie Kinsella; Robyn Carr; Lisa Kleypas; Eloisa James;
Cathy Maxwell; Mary Balogh; Mary Jo Putney;
I have just finished Elizabeth Lowell's 'Beautiful Dreamer' which I thought was superb. Another author for my favs list. I'm surprised she does not appear on your list as she seems to be prolific ... perhaps later in the year!
There are so many superb authors available now that I tend to choose audio books whenever possible. This is my preferred reading mode and provides an effective filter for the vast firmament of books reaching seductively for me in my dreams. The audio books form a smaller universe!
I'm definitely eagerly awaiting Manda's debut release. I also can't wait for Loretta Chase's next book. I've been hoping Sophy will get with Longmore.
Awesome list, Janga. Thank you so much for sharing!
Wow where to start? I cannot wait to dive into Kaki Warner's Colorado Dawn. I have it on hold at the library. I forgot Lorraine Heath and Madeline Hunter have new series starting up soon - very exciting! It seems like it has taken forever for Manda's new series to start (I'm saving my B&N giftcard for that purchase)! Catherine Anderson, Robyn Carr, Tessa Dare, Julie James, Mary Balogh, Carla Kelly, Anne Gracie, Jo Beverly and MaryJo Putney are all must reads. And then the one we've all been waiting for... Lisa Kleypas. I'm really looking forward to getting caught up in another Lisa Kleypas created world!
Lots to look forward to in 2012!
Q, I've read that many books or more for the past several years, and I fully expect to this year. I won't actually read a book a day. Some days I won't finish one, and other days I'll read more than one.
I fully approve of your lists. :) And I should make tryong audio books one of my plans for 2012.
Jane, I smile every time I think of Manda's debut. :)
And Sophy and Longmore get my vote too.
Irish, I loved Colorado Dawn. I wanted to give it six stars. I think it's even better than Heartbreak Creek, which I thought was wonderful. And be sure to read my Tuesday Review on January 10 to see how much and why I loved Rainshadow Road.
Irish, you win a copy of The Duke Is Mine by Eloisa James. Email me with your deets please.
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