My reading journal for 2010 is ready, and I should be getting a package very soon that will contain my first reads of the new year. I’m most excited about the debut novels of some writer friends, beginning with Courtney Milan’s Proof by Seduction, a January release, and continuing with Sara Lindsey’s Promise Me Tonight in February (Her second, Tempting the Marquess follows in June), Maggie Robinson’s Mistress by Mistake in May (and Tempting Eden by Margaret Rowe, her alter ego, in June), and Tiffany Clare’s The Surrender of a Lady sometime in the fall.
I really think January 26, the release day of Laura Kinsale’s Lessons in French, her first book since Shadowheart in 2004, should be a national holiday so everyone can rush to bookstores to buy the book. I feel almost that strongly about Julia Spencer-Fleming’s One was a Soldier. I’ve been waiting since May 2008 to know what happens to Clare Fergusson and Russ Van Alstyne. I expect complications. Also, I can’t wait for Tessa Dare’s Stud Club trilogy or for Eloisa James’ first stand-alone romance (a Cinderella tale!) or a new historical from Christina Dodd or the continuation of Nora’s Bride Quartet or Jennifer Ashley’s follow-up to The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie or. . . Well, you get the idea.
My book calendar already lists nearly 170 books that I look forward to reading in the coming year. I gloat over the riches on this list. In February, I have almost a book a day to anticipate. Romance (historical, contemporary, and a smattering of paranormal and suspense), women’s fiction, mysteries, general fiction, even a few reissues of old favorites—all are on my list. I know others will be added as friends recommend books, as some books generate buzz on the boards and blogs, and as more release dates are announced. Looking at my book calendar, I’m sure 2010 is going to be another very good reading year.
Before sharing what’s on my list of coming attractions, I need to warn you of some things:
• This is not an inclusive list; it is my list. It contains the genres and subgenres I read, the authors whose books I always check out and usually buy. It includes only print publications since I rarely read ebooks.
• Sometimes there are discrepancies about release dates. I used the date given by my source, and some sources list books released at the end of the month with the following month’s titles. I know Amazon gives the exact release date, but I’m not anal enough to check 168 titles on Amazon.
• The books for each month are not listed chronologically. I list them alphabetically by author under each month. If you are interested in specific release dates, you can probably find them on Amazon.
• The abbreviations are for me. I think they’re clear, but if anyone wants a key, let me know.
• I realized only when I put the list together for this blog that almost all the authors on the list are women. What can I say? These are the writers I read. Maybe my preference is my reaction to all those years in English classrooms where reading lists consisted mostly of works by DWMs.
What books are you most looking forward to in 2010?
The Book Calendar
January (14)
1. Death of a Valentine (Mys) M. C. Beaton
2. How I Met My Countess (H) Elizabeth Boyle
3. Forbidden Falls (C) Robyn Carr
4. Sleep No More (RS) Susan Crandall
5. Mistress Shakespeare (HF-pbR) Karen Harper
6. Ravishing in Red (H) Madeline Hunter
7. The Truth about Lord Stoneville (H) Sabrina Jeffries
8. Sinful Surrender (H) Beverley Kendall
9. Lessons in French (H) Laura Kinsale
10. Proof by Seduction (H) Courtney Milan
11. To Tempt a Saint (H) Kate Moore
12. The Secret of Everything (WF) Barbara O’Neal
13. At the Duke’s Pleasure (H) Tracy Anne Warren
14. The Prodigal Wife (HC-WF) Marcia Willett
February (28)
15. The Viscount’s Betrothal (HH) Louise Allen
16. Aunt Dimity Down Under (HC-Mys) Nancy Atherton
17. Dark Angel/Lord Carew’s Bride (H-R) Mary Balogh
18. A Rather Charming Invitation (RS) C. A. Belmond
19. The Stanforth Secrets (H-R) Jo Beverley
20. Naked Dragon (Fant) Annette Blair
21. Laced with Magic (ParaMys) Barbara Bretton
22. The Golden Season (H) Connie Brockway
23. If Books Could Kill (Mys) Kate Carlisle
24. Angel’s Peak (C)Robyn Carr
25. Tempt Me If You Can (C) Janet Chapman
26. The Secret Life of Emily Dickinson (GF—HC) Jerome Charyn
27. Cool Hand Hank (SSE) Kathleen Eagle
28. Winter Garden (WF) Kristin Hannah
29. The Queen’s Governess (HF) Karen Harper
30. The Next Best Thing (C) Kristan Higgins
31. Provocative in Pearls (H)Madeline Hunter
32. Bound by Temptation (H) Lavinia Kent
33. The Brightest Star in the Sky (CL) Marian Keyes
34. Butterfly Tattoo (C) Deidre Knight
35. Promise Me Tonight (H) Sara Lindsey
36. Improper Relations (H—UK only bookdepository.com) Janet Mullany
37. Secrets of a Scandalous Bride (H) Sophia Nash
38. Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart (C) Beth Pattillo
39. Drive Time (Mys) Hank Phillippi Ryan
40. Blonde with a Wand (Para)Vicki Lewis Thompson
41. Brava, Valentine (WF--HC) Adriana Trigiani
42. The Summer Hideaway (C) Susan Wiggs
March (24)
43. The Girl Who Chased the Moon (GF—HC) Sarah Addison Allen
44. The Intrigue at Highbury (Or, Emma's Match) (HMys-HC) Carrie Bebris
45. She Shoots to Conquer (Mys) Dorothy Cannell
46. Moonlight Road (C) Robyn Carr
47. In Bed with the Duke (H) Christina Dodd
48. On the Steamy Side (C) Louisa Edwards
49. Something About You (C) Julie James
50. Our Lady of Immaculate Deception (HC--Mys) Nancy Martin
51. Wild Ride (F) Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer
52. The Family Man (HAR) Trish Milburn
53. On Shadow Beach (RS) Barbara Freethy
54. Lois Lane Tells All (C) Karen Hawkins
55. Match Made in Court (HSR) Janice Kay Johnson
56. Heart of Stone (AH) Jill Marie Landis
57. Mad, Bad, and Blonde (C) Cathy Linz
58. The Wild Marquis (H) Miranda Neville
59. House Rules (GF—HC) Jodi Picoult
60. The Dead Travel Fast (Mys) Deanna Raybourn
61. Miss Julia Delivers the Goods (Mys--pbR) Ann B. Ross
62. Mrs. Darcy and the Blue-eyed Stranger (short stories—HC) Lee Smith
63. Hold Up the Sky (Mys) Patricia Sprinkle
64. She’s the One (HSR) Kay Stockham
65. Chick with a Charm (Para)Vicki Lewis Thompson
66. Magnolia Wednesdays (WF) Wendy Wax
April (22)
67. The Last Time I Saw You (WF—HC) Elizabeth Berg
68. The Secret Duke (H) Jo Beverley
69. Wicked Becomes You (H) Meredith Duran
70. One Was a Soldier (Mys) Julia Spencer-Fleming
71. In Shelter Cove (RS) Barbara Freethy
72. Laughed Till He Died (Mys) Carolyn Hart
73. A Touch of Scandal (H) Jennifer Haymore
74. Imperfect Birds (GF—HC) Anne Lamott
75. And Both Were Young (YA—HC—R) Madeleine L’Engle
76. Hannah’s List (WF) Debbie Macomber
77. Her Best Friend (HSR) Sarah Mayberry
78. Suddenly a Bride (H) Kasey Michaels
79. The Lake Shore Limited (GF) Sue Miller
80. The Social Climber of Davenport Heights (WF) Pamela Morsi
81. The Scent of Rain and Lightning (GF—HC) Nancy Pickard
82. Burning Lamp (H) Amanda Quick
83. Every Last One (WF) Anna Quindlen
84. Small Change (WF) Sheila Roberts
85. Miss Julia Renews Her Vows (Mys—HC) Ann B. Ross
86. The True Love Quilting Club (C) Lori Wilde
87. The Mapping of Love and Death (Mys) Jacqueline Winspear
88. Home in Carolina (C) Sherryl Woods
May (17)
89. Do You Take This Cop? (HSR)Beth Andrews
90. Death Threads (Mys) Elizabeth Lynn Casey
91. One Dance with a Duke (H) Tessa Dare
92. A Lady’s Guide to Improper Behavior (H) Suzanne Enoch
93. Nothing but Trouble (C) Rachel Gibson
94. Sex and the Single Earl (H) Vanessa Kelly
95. Uncertain Magic (H—R) Laura Kinsale
96. Married by Morning (H) Lisa Kleypas
97. Hannah’s List (HC--WF) Debbie Macomber
98. Chasing Perfect (C) Susan Mallery
99. Never Less Than a Lady (H) Mary Jo Putney
100. Savor the Moment (C) Nora Roberts
101. Mistress by Mistake (H) Maggie Robinson
102. His at Night (H) Sherry Thomas
103. Sweetest Little Sin (H) Christine Wells
104. On Folly Beach Karen White
105. Sweet Tea at Sunrise (C) Sherryl Woods
June (21)
106. A Secret Affair (H) Mary Balogh
107. The Stolen Bride (H--R) Jo Beverley
108. Sugar Creek (C) Toni Blake
109. The Forbidden Rose (H) Joanna Bourne
110. My Name is Memory (GF--HC) Ann Brashares
111. Along Came a Husband (HSR) Helen Brenna
112. My Reckless Surrender (H) Anna Campbell
113. Twice Tempted by a Rogue (H) Tessa Dare
114. The Carpenter’s Lady (SSE Classic R) Billie Douglass
115. A Colorful Death (HC--Mys) Carola Dunn
116. The Love Verb (CL—HC) Jane Green
117. The Irish Warrior (H) Kris Kennedy
118. Love in tha Afternoon (H) Lisa Kleypas
119. Tempting the Marquess (H) Sara Lindsey
120. One Season of Sunshine (C) Julia London
121. The Devil Amongst the Lawyers (HC--Mys) Sharyn McCrumb
122. Tempting a Proper Lady (H) Debra Mullins
123. Ten Things I Love About You (H) Julia Quinn
124. Crush on You (C) Christie Ridgway
125. Tempting Eden (H) Margaret Rowe
126. Honeysuckle Summer (C) Sherryl Woods
July (18)
127. Stork Raving Mad (Mys) Donna Andrews
128. Lady Isabella’s Scandalous Marriage (H) Jennifer Ashley
129. The Duke’s Captive (H) Adele Ashworth
130. Death by Diamonds (Para-Mys) Annette Blair
131. Last Night’s Scandal (H) Loretta Chase
132. Daring a Duke (H) Claudia Dain
133. Three Nights with a Scoundrel (H) Tessa Dare
134. Chains of Ice--Book 3: The Chosen Ones (Para) Christina Dodd
135. Katie Fforde (CL) The Perfect Proposal
136. My Dangerous Duke (H) Gaelen Foley
137. The Smuggler and the Society Bride (H) Julia Justiss
138. I Kissed an Earl (H) Julie Ann Long
139. Almost Perfect (C) Susan Mallery
140. The Wild Irish Sea (RS) Loucinda McGary
141. The Wicked Wyckerly (H) Patricia Rice
142. The Search (HC—RS) Nora Roberts
143. Money, Honey (C) Susan Sey
144. Home is where the Bark Is (C) Kandy Shepherd
August (7)
145. Bedeviled Angel (Para) Annette Blair
146. The Duke’s Night of Sin (H) Kathryn Caskie
147. Chains of Fire, The Chosen Ones: Book 4 (Para) Christina Dodd
148. Wicked Intentions (H) Elizabeth Hoyt
149. A Kiss at Midnight (H) Eloisa James
150. Summer Brides (C--anthology)- "The Borrowed Bride," Susan Wiggs; "Bridge to Dreams," Sheryl Woods; "Sister of the Bride," Susan Mallery
151. The Devil Wears Plaid (H) Teresa Medeiros
September (2)
152. 1022 Evergreen Place (WF) Debbie Macomber
153. Finding Perfect (C) Susan Mallery
October (7)
154. The Duke’s Captive (H) Adele Ashworth
155. Bespelling Jane (anthology) Mary Balogh et al.
156. Emily and the Dark Angel (H--R) Jo Beverley
157. You Again (C-Mys) Jennifer Crusie
158. Where Shadows Dance (H Mys) C.S. Harris
159. Call Me Mrs. Miracle (HC--C) Debbie Macomber
160. The Best of Friends (C) Susan Mallery
November (1)
161. A Christmas Promise (H--R) Mary Balogh
December (0)
Release Dates Added after Original Post(3)
162. The Goddess of Fried Okra (WF) Jean Brashear—April
163. The Surrender of a Lady (H) Tiffany Clare—October
164. Trial by Desire (H) Courtney Milan--September
Release Dates Unknown (5)
165. All I Ever Wanted (C) Kristan Higgins--Summer 2010
166. ? new Blaze Historical Betina Krahn--Summer 2010
167. The List (?) Connie Brockway, Eloisa James, Julia Quinn
168. The Guardian Angelinos (spinoff of Bullet Catchers)
Roxanne St. Claire—2010
169. Happily Ever After Nora Roberts –December ?
33 comments:
WoW what a list. Mind if I print it off so I don't forget some of my favorites? :)
I've already read Proof by Seduction, found it Tuesday. And I'll definitely add my good friend Beverley Kendall to my list. And Kathryn Caskie. Victoria Alexander, Stephanie Laurens, Lisa Kleypas, Suzanne Enoch are just a few of my must read authors.
Instead of taking the trouble to create my own list, I should simply wait for you to publish yours, print it out, and cross out what I don't want...because everything that I might possibly want to read is already on there. :)
And I so agree with you on Jan 26 being a national holiday. Interestingly enough, January 26 is India's Republic Day, so it's a national holiday there.
Wow, Janga!! *LOL* I love how your organized mind works sometimes!! :) I'm not sure what books I'm looking forward to most this year--definitely Maggie's and Tiff's.
Hi, Janga. VERY impressive list and thanks for listing all the upcoming releases throughout the year! I am going to be reading several on your list, too. I've also read Melissa Mayhue's books and am looking forward to her 2 new releases.
I'm with Renee...I'm going to print the list off as a reminder for upcoming books. Thanks.
Happy New Year!
I'm glad you find the list useful, Renee. Print with my blessings. :)
I'm looking forward to Beverley K.'s book too. I finally gave up on finding the early Jan. books locally and ordered them online. They should arrive early next week.
I believe V. A. has a new one due in April.
Keira, I enjoyed reading your list. had I not been in the midst of creating my own, I would have commented.
One of my best friends in grad school was from Madras, and she taught me a great deal about India. I loved the story of her father choosing her mother as his bride on the basis of an essay she wrote--real story potential there. But I didn't know the significance of January 26
Hellie, the wierd thing is that I'm not really an organized person. I'm too strong an INFP to be. But I do love lists--mine and all the others I discover. Just wait til you see next week's blog. LOL!
And I'm emailing you and Terri a link to another list you may not have seen.
Deb, thanks for dropping by. It's great that you find the list useful. You are the second person who has mentioned Melissa Mayhue to me recently. I'll have to check her out.
Oh, wow. Now that is one extensive list with a lot of research involved.
I think I'll just mark this page as a favorite so I can refer back to it month by month.
I'm looking forward to many of the books on your list. And mine is full of women too :)
And I can tell you, The Surrender of a Lady does release in October (not firm day yet) just the month :)
Holy mackerel, what a list! Lots of great books and authors there. I'm honored to have made the list.
Happy New Year, Janga!
That's an amazing list. I really looking forward to Barbara Freethy's "In Shelter Cove" and the first book in Allison Brennan's Seven Deadly Sins series.
Awesome list, which I fully intend to crib. ;) I am SO thrilled to be on it--thank you! THE GODDESS OF FRIED OKRA's release date, btw, is April 1, 2010.
Thank you so much--and Happy New Year!
P.S. I agree completely about the Kinsale...national holiday, at a minimum!
Thanks for the info on The Surrender of a Lady, Tiff. I added the date to the post, and I changed my calendar.
I bet I could guess the titles we share. I'm sure yours has a lot less women's fiction and a lot more fantasy and heat than does mine. :)
Glad you approve, Trish. Thanks for stopping by. I'm eager to read The Family Man.
You have a new YA release in 2010 too, don't you? I have started making YA notes, but I still have research to do. I am excited that Diana Wynne Jones has one out in April.
Jane, Barbara Freethy has been an autobuy for me since Daniel's Gift, still a favorite with me. I think Allison Brennan is a terrific writer, but like another terrific writer, Karen Rose, her books are just too dark and real for me. I have nightmares.
Happy New Year to you, Jean. I knew when I read about The Goddess of Fried Okra on Riding with the Top Down that I had to read it. I'm already a fan. Forgiveness is one of my all-time favorites.
You are so very nice to say that. Forgiveness was a tough but rewarding book to write. My idea of having its companion book Coming Home be a mirror rather than story and sequel caused me no end of grief, and I worried about being able to write Ria because I loved her parents so much...but I found myself loving her, too, and I wept when she drove away from Benjy, so hard I couldn't read the screen and had to finish just on touch alone.
Goddess is a departure for me in some ways, but I think you'll find the same heart as in my other books. And it's truly a book of my heart, so thank you again, very, very much.
I'm just back from holiday and my TBR stack is almost empty. This list will go a long way to filling it back up again! Wow, Janga, if you read everything in here, you've got my vote for #1 Reader! And yes, Laura Kinsale's new release should be declared a national holiday.
Jean, Coming Home was wonderful too. Both books are great examples of what a gifted writer willing to take risks can do within category limits. And that statement gives me an idea for a new blog. :)
Pat, I plan to read every one of them. In fact, I've added to my calendar since my post. I read nearly 600 books in 2009. I expect to read fewer in 2010 since I hope to be writing more, but I'll still read--a lot.
I hope you noticed The Wicked Wyckerly is on the list. I loved the Mystic books, but I've been especially eager for the new one since your post at Word Wenches about the famous and infamous of the period as a Regency Brat Pack. LOL!
Janga, I'm honored--thank you.
Look forward to the blog post!
By the way, I do have to say that having an editor willing to take those chances with you makes all the difference...and nowadays, with decisions made more about marketing than art, it's very hard for editors, even if they want to, to have the freedom to take the risks with you.
I was very lucky to have an editor and Sr. Ed. who really believed in me and let me write all those books that pushed the boundaries, believing I could pull them off--like the two you mentioned and books like A Real Hero, with an addict heroine and a movie star hero...both supposedly verboten.
Nowadays, though, that freedom is tough to come by. One more reason why I'm so thrilled by the experience of working with Belle Books on The Goddess of Fried Okra.
Wow, Janga this is awesome! Count me in as one of the many who will be saving your list to refer back to through the year.
I know I'm looking forward to Robyn Carr's latest Virgin River installments. They don't seem to be living up to her first set in this series but they're fun just the same.
I can't wait for new releases by Eloisa James, Nora Roberts, Madeline Hunter, Julia Quinn, Toni Blake, Jennifer Ashley, and Elizabeth Hoyt, among others I'm sure I'm leaving out. But the one I'm really on pins and needles about is Leo's story from Lisa Kleypas!
Not to mention all the new authors popping up this year... Maggie Robinson/Margaret Rowe, Tiffany Clare, Sara Lindsey, and Courtney Milan.
It promises to be a very good reading year!
Has anyone considered an intervention on this woman? Just wondering.
So happy I recommended people come here if they were looking for a list. Shall be sure to post a direct link in the next installment.
Sorry I'm late, been a crazy week.
Hey Janga, any word on when the new SEP will be released? I've checked just about everywhere and can't find a thing.
(Shhh... Ter, NO intervention! Where will we get all our awesome reading recs?!! :)
Janga, your list-making ability boggles my mind. I'm so snowed under with "stuff" that I haven't even started to think about upcoming books yet! I think I'll just shamelessly copy your list since so many of your favorites are my favorites too. *g*
Thank you!
Jean, I've been a Belle Books supporter since Sweet Tea and Jesus Shoes. It's exciting to see the growth.
Irish, I agree with you about the Virgin River series. I haven't read the latest yet, but while I enjoyed the second three, they didn't quite reach the level of the first three. But I do love the series and continue to look forward to the new books.
As for SEP's new one, I checked every place I could think of and didn't find a pub date for her new one. Have you read the chapter in the pb ed. of What I Did for Love?
Terri, I'm glad to see you here whenever you make it.
And I'm afraid the list addiction is intervention-proof. :)
Copy away, PJ. I owe the presence of a number of the names on the list to your recommendations. I hope you'll give me more to add in 2010.
Me, too, Janga. I've watched Belle Books with great admiration...but I gotta say that working with them is even better!
Janga, would you email me directly at jean@jeanbrashear.com?
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