And Last But Not Least...

FROM DARKNESS WON is the third and last installment in Jill Williamson's Blood of Kings trilogy and is also the last in my series of 2011's Best Books.

Story in a Nutshell

Hero Achan Cham steps into his role as the Crown Prince...just in time to head out to war. And if that weren't trouble enough, the love of his life is lost to him when she disappears in the veil. The fate of a nation hangs on the last battle, and so does his heart. What will the outcome be? You know the routine...pick yourself up a copy and read it.

What's So Great About It

The saga effect. I know, I know. That sounds kind of daunting. But honestly, this is one saga that speeds along faster than slogging through molasses. The character arcs from beginning to end are brilliant.

So there you have my faves for 2011. If you'd like to keep up with my book reviews in real-time for 2012, you can follow me on Goodreads. I post reviews for every book I read.

Pick #4 of 2011 Best Books

Nick of Time is the sixth installment of the Bug Man novels. Yeah. I guess I definitely have a thing for series.

Story in a Nutshell

Nick is a forensic entomologist bent on tracking down the murderer of one of his colleagues. The problem is he's supposed to be getting married, not trailing a criminal. Caught up in the case, he finds himself on a manhunt that's drawing him farther and farther from the church where his bride is waiting. Will he make it back in time? You guessed it...you'll have to read it to find out.

What's So Great About It

The dialogue. Tim Down's is the master of snark. His characters slice and dice wit so sharp, it'll leave you bleeding. And I love that the gal Nick is going to marry is every bit as sarcastic as he is...the perfect pair.

If you find that your own dialogue is lacking, pull one of the Bug Man novels off the shelf and take a few notes.

The Bronze Medal

Really, all 5 books I mention this week are well worth the read. But since I need to have some kind of order, here's my third pick for 2011.

Gravestone is book 2 in the Solitary Tales series (hmm...I'm sensing a trend in my reading with the whole series thing). Book one was, you guessed it, Solitary. Disclaimer: If creepy is not your thing, then this isn't the series for you.

Story in a Nutshell

High schooler Chris Buckley's world falls apart when his mom and dad divorce and he's forced to move with his mom to the nowhere town of Solitary. No, there aren't any zombies, but the small town citizens sure seem like it. Making friends is tough, but one girl eventually befriends him...and ends up getting killed. Chris determines to find out just what kind of secrets the people of Solitary are hiding--secrets that just might land him in the grave.

What's So Great About It

It's haunting quality. This story, while not particularly pleasant, really sticks with me and I'm not quite sure why...which just might be a great projet to go back and figure that out.

I don't generally read horror stories but I'll be looking to get my hands on the next installment of this one.

Best of the Best: Part II

Like I said, first place is a tie, so here's the second half of it. Lisa T. Bergren's River of Time Series is fan-freaking-tastic!

Book I: Waterfall....................Book II: Cascade...................Book III: Torrent

Story in a Nutshell

Two teen sisters, Gabi and Lia, are hurtled back in time to medieval Italy. Danger abounds but so do smokin' hot Italian knights. The girls get sucked into the political intrigue of the day but never fear...hero Marcello saves the day and sweeps Gabi off her feet. After a trip or two back to present day Italy, eventually mom and dad relocate to the past as well. Does everyone live happily ever after? You'll have to read it to find out!

What's So Great About It

The characters. I got totally attached to Gabi and Marcello. I rooted for them. Sniffled for them (stoic Scandinavians don't cry). And even felt the heartache at their forced separations. I felt like I was part of the family.

Good thing Lisa is working on book 4.

Best of the Best: Part I

This week I'm swerving off the writing freeway and taking a little detour onto the reading road. Each day I'll name one of my top picks for the best books of 2011.

Hate to do this, but honestly, first place is a tie. So to be fair, I'll do this alphabetically. Today's pick is The Hourglass Door trilogy by Lisa Mangum.

Book I: The Hourglass Door

Book II: The Golden Spiral

Book III: The Forgotten Locket

Story in a Nutshell

Leonardo da Vinci creates a time travel portal that's used to transport prisoners to the future. Most are criminals, but one isn't...and it's up to Dante to stop the evil plan to destroy time itself.

High school senior Abby is attracted to the new Italian boy who starts half-way through the school year. Will it be a fatal attraction? Aha! You'll have to read the series to find out.

What's So Great About It

Besides the fast-paced plot, the thing I love best about this trilogy is the writing. I highlighted entire sections, underlined fantastic sentences, and drooled on pretty much every page of these books because the prose is that killer.

Seriously. When I grow up, I want to write just like Lisa Mangum. Here's an example:

"Dante's voice was a husk, a shell, a fragment of a whisper, but it was enough to snare my attention."

Now that's what I'm talkin' 'bout!

Even if time travel isn't your thing, pick this puppy up just for the sheer delight of the writing.

The Real Reason for the Season

I can think of no better words to post for Christmas than this:

He was pierced for our rebellion,

crushed for our sins.

He was beaten so we could be whole.

He was whipped so we could be healed.

Isaiah 53:5

Happy Birthday Jesus!

I'm Dreaming Of A...

Nope, not a white Christmas. Actually, I'm kind of glad it hasn't snowed. Less shoveling. No idiots spinning out on the road from driving too fast. And I can still wear cutesie shoes instead of Sorrel boots.

What I'm talking about is that I had a snippet of a dream just before waking up this morning. Not a full-fledged scenario. More like an emotional image that left behind an oily residue...which sounds yucky and somewhat creepy, I grant you, but oh what fodder for a manuscript!

Did you know that's how the Twilight series began? It all started when Stephanie Meyers awoke from a particularly vivid imprint of a dream.

Pretty much anything can be used as an impetus to propel your story forward. Some ideas other than dreams are:

- song lyrics

- kids books

- sermons

- bits of eavesdropped conversations (I know, naughty, but it works)

- e-mail or Facebook nuggets

- obituaries (sad but true...don't tell me they don't make you wonder)

And those are just a few. So go ahead, extend your writer antennas. You never know where your next fantastic plot idea might come from.