Saturday Series: Freckled Venom Books 1 and 2

by Claire Rees

Life is harsh and lonely for a bounty hunter. Always chasing criminals can be highly dangerous and risky. But for this bounty hunter returning to the town that she grew up in feels even more risky. Whilst resting up after being shot she meets the gorgeous Rawley, sheriff of the town but they do not get off to the best start and their personalities clash every time they speak.

All Lacy wants to do is capture the bad guys, collect her bounty and then move on. But things start to get complicated when people from the town start to like her and care about what happens to Lacy. Rawley too has other ideas, after spending some time with Lacy he realises that he cares for her and offers her a job. Lacy cares for him too but refuses to admit it scared of what it means and too scared that somebody will find out the secret from her past, she runs again. Will she ever return or is the last that they will ever see of Lacy Watson?

Freckled Venom - Copperhead by Juliette Douglas is a very interesting western. The characters are well written each with their own quirky, charming personalities. The storyline is intriguing and will keep you hooked until the very end. Even though this was not a genre I normally read, I wanted to try something new. I was not disappointed; the book kept me completely engrossed and I could not put it down.

Buy Freckled Venom - Copperhead at Amazon

Book two of the Freckled Venom series, Copperhead Strikes, is just as action packed and enthralling as the first. We see all of the old characters, including the feisty deputy Lacy and her gorgeous Sheriff Rawley Lovett. Lacy has to fight a lot of demons from her past in this book and she does it extremely well even though her anger over took her terrifyingly and one scene left me feeling satisfied that that the villain got his ‘just desserts’. Throughout the book we meet several characters from both Rawley's and Lacy’s past some nice but others not so nice. An encounter with a criminal from Rawley's past leaves Rawley with a gun shot wound and Lacy finally admits to herself that she loves him, but will she ever tell him? When an old criminal that Lacy had captured in the past returns looking for her, he puts the whole town in danger, and Lacy shows a lot of fear of this man and for her friends.

Freckled Venom - Copperhead Strikes again was written wonderfully and it will grip you from the ‘get go’. The storyline is charming and does touch on a sensitive subject but does so excellently. The characters once again were written beautifully and I got to love their quirks, charms, feistiness and even Doc's grumpiness! I loved the way that the relationship between the two main characters was written, it took them ages to tell each other how they really feel but it was never boring! Shocking twist at the end that I did not see coming. I am very much looking forward to the next book to see what lies in store for the lovable characters.

Buy Freckled Venom - Copperhead Strikes at Amazon

Book info:
format: ebook & paperback
published: February 2014 (book 1), April 2014 (book 2) by Bearhead Publishing
source: author
read: April 2014



Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small fee is earned when purchases are made at Amazon through the links above. Free books were provided for the review.

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• Freckled Venom Copperhead by Juliette Douglas (catherinewolffe.wordpress.com)

Best Selling Women's Fiction

In the US, Mother's Day is coming up this Sunday and maybe you are still trying to find the perfect gift. If your mom shares your passion for reading then a book might be just the thing. Here are some of the best sellers in Women's Fiction.

After years of designing her family’s grand wineries (and a few not-so-grand closets on the side), Abby DeLuca knows she has what it takes to be an award-winning interior designer. Newly single, Abby lands the career opportunity of a lifetime and refuses to let anything—or anyone—stand in her way. And that includes St. Helena’s most irresistible contractor, the man who makes her melt every time she sees him—even though he shattered her heart years ago.

A former NFL star, Jack “Hard Hammer” Tanner now spends his days doing contract work for the beautiful women of St. Helena—and his nights doing off-the-books projects in their bedrooms. Yet the more time the sexy tool-belt-for-hire spends with Abby, the more he longs to fix her broken heart. Soon, rekindled sparks fly. But when Jack’s dream job comes calling, he faces a tough choice: building in the big leagues, or building forever with his first love.

Buy From the Moment We Met at Amazon

At the heart of The Husband’s Secret is a letter that’s not meant to be read

My darling Cecilia, if you’re reading this, then I’ve died...

Imagine that your husband wrote you a letter, to be opened after his death. Imagine, too, that the letter contains his deepest, darkest secret—something with the potential to destroy not just the life you built together, but the lives of others as well. Imagine, then, that you stumble across that letter while your husband is still very much alive. . . .

Cecilia Fitzpatrick has achieved it all—she’s an incredibly successful businesswoman, a pillar of her small community, and a devoted wife and mother. Her life is as orderly and spotless as her home. But that letter is about to change everything, and not just for her: Rachel and Tess barely know Cecilia—or each other—but they too are about to feel the earth-shattering repercussions of her husband’s secret.

Acclaimed author Liane Moriarty has written a gripping, thought-provoking novel about how well it is really possible to know our spouses—and, ultimately, ourselves.

Buy The Husband's Secret at Amazon

From #1 New York Times-bestselling author Nora Roberts comes a novel of a woman who needs nothing, a man who sees everything, and the web of deceit, greed, and danger that brings them together—and could tear them apart . . .

When professional house-sitter Lila Emerson witnesses a murder/suicide from her current apartment-sitting job, life as she knows it takes a dramatic turn. Suddenly, the woman with no permanent ties finds herself almost wishing for one. . . .

Artist Ashton Archer knows his brother isn’t capable of violence—against himself or others. He recruits Lila, the only eyewitness, to help him uncover what happened. Ash longs to paint her as intensely as he hungers to touch her. But their investigation draws them into a rarified circle where priceless antiques are bought, sold, gambled away, and stolen, where what you possess is who you are, and where what you desire becomes a deadly obsession. . . .

Buy The Collector at Amazon

The author of Bird in Hand and The Way Life Should Be delivers her most ambitious and powerful novel to date: a captivating story of two very different women who build an unexpected friendship: a 91-year-old woman with a hidden past as an orphan-train rider and the teenage girl whose own troubled adolescence leads her to seek answers to questions no one has ever thought to ask.

Nearly eighteen, Molly Ayer knows she has one last chance. Just months from "aging out" of the child welfare system, and close to being kicked out of her foster home, a community service position helping an elderly woman clean out her home is the only thing keeping her out of juvie and worse.

Vivian Daly has lived a quiet life on the coast of Maine. But in her attic, hidden in trunks, are vestiges of a turbulent past. As she helps Vivian sort through her possessions and memories, Molly discovers that she and Vivian aren't as different as they seem to be. A young Irish immigrant orphaned in New York City, Vivian was put on a train to the Midwest with hundreds of other children whose destinies would be determined by luck and chance.

The closer Molly grows to Vivian, the more she discovers parallels to her own life. A Penobscot Indian, she, too, is an outsider being raised by strangers, and she, too, has unanswered questions about the past. As her emotional barriers begin to crumble, Molly discovers that she has the power to help Vivian find answers to mysteries that have haunted her for her entire life - answers that will ultimately free them both.

Rich in detail and epic in scope, Orphan Train is a powerful novel of upheaval and resilience, of second chances, of unexpected friendship, and of the secrets we carry that keep us from finding out who we are.

Buy Orphan Train at Amazon

Andres suspects his wife has left him—again. Then he learns that the unthinkable has happened: she’s been kidnapped. Too much time and too many secrets have come between Andres and Marabela, but now that she’s gone, he’ll do anything to get her back. Or will he?

As Marabela slips farther away, Andres must decide whether they still have something worth fighting for, and exactly what he’ll give up to bring her home. And unfortunately, the decision isn’t entirely up to him, or up to the private mediator who moves into the family home to negotiate with the terrorists holding Marabela. Andres struggles to maintain the illusion of control while simultaneously scrambling to collect his wife’s ransom, tending to the needs of his two young children, and reconnecting with an old friend who may hold the key to his past and his wife’s future.

Set in Lima, Peru, in a time of civil and political unrest, this evocative page-turner is a perfect marriage of domestic drama and suspense.

Buy Chasing the Sun at Amazon

Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small fee is earned when purchases are made at Amazon through the links above.

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Preparing for #ArmchairBEA

by Donna Huber

One of the biggest blogging events of the year kicks off in just over two weeks. In the coming weeks you will see a number of bookish people tweeting about their Book Expo of America plans. Why? Because it is a huge event and in order to get to everything one wants to see (and I don't think it is possible for one to see absolutely everything) they have to prepare a schedule. While those participating in the "at home" event don't have to worry about walking miles each day to waiting in line to get great swag or a favorite author's autograph, it can still be exhausting between writing blog posts, visiting blogs, participating in chats, and of course there are all the "at home" life duties (jobs, soccer practice, dinner, etc.)

If you don't regularly blog 5 days a week, Armchair BEA will be a bit of a shock to the system. My first time participating was also the first week I blogged every day. And I think there was only 1 topic a day. But still I was exhausted after it. By the second year I was having content posting 5 days a week, yet several times a week there was a guest writer. So while not as difficult, it still was a challenge. Then last year there were 2 topics a day that you could write on. Plus there were more Twitter parties and my life was a much busier. I barely got to visit any of the blogs participating, which is a shame because it is a great way to meet new friends.

If this is your first year participating in Armchair BEA or if you, like me, don't want to be so overwhelmed during the event that it ends up being too stress to be fun, I have some tips.

Plan Your Posts

Armchair BEA organizers have already announced the daily topics at the headquarters site: see the agenda. I highly recommend planning out what you will post on. You do not have to write a post for each topic. Which topics most appeal to you? You should do the introduction post as it will give you the most opportunity for networking, but other than that topic you can do as few or as many as you want.

After choosing which topics you want to write on, go ahead and start writing up the posts. The more you can get done in the weeks leading up to the event the more time you will to visit blogs and leave comments.

My usual blogging routine has me scheduling all the posts for the week over the weekend. However, if I have to write more than two I usually cannot get the whole week posted. I've already started formatting and scheduling the posts that Claire and guest writers have submitted for this month to free up a little time. I'm ahead on reading so I'm not going to worry about getting much reading done between now and Armchair BEA. I just need to get my reviews written up and I will have a new review every week through May.

Without reading as much in the evenings, I will have a bit more time to focus on writing up the Armchair BEA posts. My goal is to have them all written and ready to go by Sunday night, May 25.

If you want to address both daily topics, decide now if they will be separate posts or one post. I think it is easier to put them in one post. It will give you the most views as you are not dividing your readers between two posts. Also, remember if you are using Triberr that you can only have 14 posts in a 7 day period so you may run the risk of a post not being fed into Triberr if you do separate posts.

If you have other responsibilities, it is difficult write a daily post. And even with my high hopes of this year being the year that I'm all set come May 25, more realistically I will have a couple of posts to write that week. There are some short cuts you can make that will still provide an interesting post for readers.

Make use of lists and bullet points. Plan for at least one of the genre topics to be a list - favorite books in that genre or characteristics that make you enjoy/not enjoy that genre, etc. Also keep your posts brief. Remember that the bloggers visiting your blog are also wanting to visit a bunch of other blogs. You don't need to write a detailed thesis for each topic (unlike what this post is turning out to be). Shoot for a paragraph or two per topic.

Set a Goal

Speaking of visiting other blogs... It is not realistic to think you can visit all 600+ blogs that are participating in the event every day. Set a goal of visiting a certain number of blogs each day. Depending on your daily schedule you may be able to visit 5 - 10 blogs or maybe 20 - 30 blogs. I have a full time job and a house to keep up, so my goal is to visit 10 blogs a day. And when I say visit I mean do more than click on the link and then leave. Be sure to leave a comment, if nothing else say that you are visiting because of Armchair BEA.

Decide on the Parties and Giveaways

I don't think the Twitter party schedule is out, but based on past years there will be parties at various times of the day to cover most of the time zones. I recommend participating in at least on chat and there should be one at a reasonable time for you. But be prepared. The chats get crazy. Decide now what program (like twubs.com) you will use to follow the chat and become familiar with it so that you aren't lost because of technical issues.

Giveaway day is an exciting day, but possibly the most overwhelming. Last year, I looked at a lot of giveaways, but I only entered maybe 20. The first year, I entered just about every giveaway available. What changed? One, I just don't need that many more books. Unless it was a book that I really wanted to have I passed by them. Actually most of the book giveaways I entered were books I thought my niece or nephew might like. Two, giveaways are time consuming to enter. The first year it was mostly leave a comment to enter, but now everyone is using Rafflecopter and there are multiple entries. I had to weigh the prize against my time. I mostly just did one or two of the entries and most of them were for gift cards or interesting swag.

Have Fun

So you don't write a post for each topic, so you don't visit but a couple of blogs each day, so you missed all the Twitter parties. It is okay. Part of the point of Armchair BEA is to be less stressful. The most important part of the event is to have fun. If you prefer to visit blogs and leave comments more than the Twitter parties, then focus on blog visitation and skip the parties. Or if you just want to be social, but don't feel like you have a lot to say on the daily topics then don't post every day and go to all the parties and visit 60 blogs a day. Oh and there is a new interactive group where you can just hang out all day. Do what you like, participate as little or as much as you want. No one is going monitoring whether you attended a party, wrote a post, or visiting a blog. I'm sure there are people that sign up for Book Expo of America and barely step a foot on the exhibit floor, yet they have a great time any ways.

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Review: A Life Apart by L. Y. Marlowe

 by Donna Huber

There have been a bunch of great books out this spring and not in just one or two genres. Pretty much readers of any type of book is going to find a great new book. I mentioned A Life Apart by L. Y. Marlowe when it was published a couple of weeks ago. I actually finished it later that night and it ended just as great as it started. I even shed a tear or two.

A Life Apart covers a life time, highlighting 3 decades that had major impact onthe lives of the characters as well as historical significance. While an excellent historical novel, it is not the history that is at the forefront of the story. But it is more than just a backdrop. The significance of World War II (particularly the bombing at Pearl Harbor) and the civil rights movement had a direct impact on the lives of Morris, Agnes, and Beatrice. Morris and Agnes marry out of duty - there's a child on the way. Society says that Morris should forget that a black man saved his life, but that doesn't seem right to him, particularly since Robert died saving many that day. A decision that was wrong by society standards, but morally right, leads Morris to Beatrice, Robert's sister. But that decision has huge repercussions, dangerous repercussions. The phrase "what a tangled web we weave" is so apt to Morris's life. And yet, at the end I don't think he had any regrets.

I wanted to dislike Morris, but instead I usually felt sorry for him. Yeah, if he had been able to keep his hands to himself then life might have been different for him. But then again who's to say that Agnes and he wouldn't have still gotten married. It was the expectation of the 1940s. Should he have known better than to get emotionally involved with another woman? Yes, but war changes people and one who has experienced it will seek solace where ever they can find it. And it wasn't a one way street. Beatrice knew it was wrong to be involved with a married man, a white man no less. Boston may not have been the deep south, but it wasn't that much more progressive to be accepting of an interracial relationship.

Buy A Life Apart at Amazon

A Life Apart is a lovey historical drama of love, secrets, duty, honor, and forgiveness. The turbulent times of American history is reflected in the lives of Morris. Agnes, and Beatrice. It provides a poignant look at the decisions one makes and how it effects not just one life but the lives of those around you. Often while reading A Life Apart I was reminded of 22 Britannia Road. Particularly in how events and time changes people, yet in many ways they remain the same. Even if you don't really like historical novels, you might want to give A Life Apart by L. Y. Marlowe a try for the human interest story.

Book info:
format: ebook & paperback
published: April 2014 by Broadway Books
ISBN13: 9780307719393
source: Netgalley
read: April 2014



Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small fee is earned when purchases are made at Amazon using the link above. A free e-galley was provided by the publisher.

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Review: Sedulity - Impact by David P. Forsyth

by Claire Rees

Get comfy and enjoy this epic journey aboard the luxury S.S Sedulity. Sedulity: Impact by David P. Forsyth is written from the viewpoint of several passengers aboard this amazing luxury ship called the S.S. Sedulity which is built to carry more than 3000 passengers.

After leaving the islands of Hawaii, the passengers witness an asteroid strike in the middle of the ocean. Luckily onboard is Kevin Sanders a local tv weather man and meteorologist who assists the captain and his crew by telling them what to expect and how they should tackle the oncoming after effects of the strike.

They suffer devastating damage to the ship and lots of passengers are killed and have serious injuries. But the ship stays afloat. For the ones left they now face a trip of survival instead of the relaxing holiday they had planned. Now they have to face earthquakes and Tsunamis. After watching the news on the ships tv’s the crew and passengers realise that a lot more lives are going to be lost on land via the earth quakes and Tsunamis and they call from special phones to warn the scientists on land. 

The ship has to now decide where it will be safe for them to dock to re-fuel. Kevin warns the captain and their families that it is not over yet, there could be huge climate changes and this could once again threaten their lives.

Buy Sedulity: Impact at Amazon

I bought Sedulity by David P. Forsyth as I had read the author's previous works and had enjoyed them. This book did not disappoint, whilst it was not a zombie apocalypse but an asteroid strike it was very exciting and action packed and I found my heart beating faster at more than one point in the book. The book was expertly written and I was quite impressed with the knowledge the author had and the research that this author had done. Very much looking forward to the next book to see what happens to our survivors and the extent of damage done on land.

Book info:
format: ebook
published: March 2014
source: purchased
read: April 2014



Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small fee is earned when purchases are made at Amazon through the link above.

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May New Releases

Flowers are blooming and the weather is finally warming so it must be SPRING! Now is the time to start planning your vacation reading. What books will you be stashing in your beach bag? Need some ideas? Check out some up of upcoming new releases this month.

A digital edition short story about young lovers at separate colleges, exploring the early years of the central relationship in Elin Hilderbrand's forthcoming novel, The Matchmaker.

Clendenin Hughes first kissed Dabney Kimball during a Nantucket snowstorm freshman year of high school. Ever since that moment - God, the rush, the chemistry! - Dabney has known that she and Clen are an unsplittable unit - essentially the same person in two different bodies.

Of course, with Dabney now at Harvard and Clen at Yale, those bodies are 140 miles apart. And traveling is a serious challenge for Dabney, for reasons she'd prefer not to discuss, reasons having to do with her mother (or lack thereof). But with the big Harvard-Yale game coming up, Dabney is determined to make the trek to New Haven to see Clen. She's even borrowed a sexy black outfit from a classmate down the hall.

But when she arrives at the tailgate to see sparks flying between Clen and Jocelyn, a girl with dark blue eyes and luscious black hair, Dabney fears the collapse of a bond she has never questioned before, a bond so important that she'll be lost without it. A stirring portrait of young love at a crossroads,

THE TAILGATE introduces two irresistible characters and invites us into a world we don't want to leave. To learn the fates of Dabney and Clen, read Elin Hilderbrand's forthcoming novel, The Matchmaker.

Available May 6

Buy The Tailgate at Amazon

Fallen Too Far was Blaire's story. Now it's time for Rush to share his side.

Everyone in Rosemary Beach thinks they know how Rush Finlay and Blaire Wynn fell in love. But Rush is back to tell his side of the story...

Rush has earned every bit of his bad-boy reputation. The three-story beach house, luxury car, and line of girls begging for time between his sheets are the envy of every guy in Rosemary Beach, and Rush handles it all with the laid-back cool of a rock star’s son. All he needs are his best friend, Grant, and his sister, Nan.

Until Blaire Wynn drives into town in her beat-up pickup truck with a pistol under her seat. The Alabama farm girl instantly captures Rush’s attention once he discovers that the angelic beauty is his new stepsister, but he vows to keep his distance. Even if she needs his help. Even if he craves her.

Because Rush knows why Blaire is all alone in the world, forced to ask for help from the father who abandoned her three years ago. And he knows if he gets too close it will destroy Nan, who has a secret connection to Blaire.

He has every reason in the world to stay away from her. Find out why he doesn’t.

Available May 6

Buy Rush Too Far at Amazon

For years, Karise McAlister has been running: from her family, from herself, and from her dreams. Now she’s made it, with a successful career and a promising engagement. But when she meets the compelling and creative Aidan Donnelly, his down-to-earth charm provides the wakeup call Karise badly needs. Moving across country to start over, Karise devotes herself to her work, convinced she needs to be independent. But with handsome Aidan just down the road and a mischievous group of friends determined to set her up, Karise must face her concerns about life and romance head-on.

Available May 7

Buy Waiting for You at Amazon

From the bestselling author of the Dominic Grey series comes a new novel that is part legal thriller, part psychological mystery, and 100% dark and riveting suspense . . . 

Rising above a hardscrabble childhood to become a star at one of Atlanta’s most prestigious law firms, Derek Miller is reliving The Great Gatsby in his own backyard. The spell is broken, however, when Derek’s investigation into the death of his mentor, a prominent psychologist, runs afoul of a mysterious government project involving research into psychic phenomena. 

As Derek digs deeper, convinced his mentor was murdered, he is plunged into a rabbit hole of government experiments, clandestine figures, and supposed paranormal events. His investigation also puts him at odds with shadowy forces deep within the corridors of power -- including those on the top floor of his own law firm. 

With his career in shambles, a warrant out for his arrest, and his life in jeopardy, Derek is running out of time to unravel the secrets surrounding his mentor’s research. And if he fails, it’s not just his own life that will be at risk, but the lives of those he holds most dear.

From a theoretical physicist to a clairvoyant housewife to the charismatic pastor of a mega-church, from lavish Southern mansions to desperate urban wasteland, Derek’s investigation turns into a race for survival that hinges on one thing alone: finding, and stopping, the most powerful psychic the world has ever seen.

Available May 9

Buy The Metaxy Project at Amazon

In this follow-up to Clipped Wings, the emotional love story continues between Hayden and Tenley; two young people who desperately want to love and be loved but are afraid to completely let go of their pasts.

In the wake of losing Tenley Page, tattooist Hayden Stryker's tumultuous past is haunting him. Plagued by nightmares about the murder of his parents, Hayden reaches out again to Tenley. Having run from the man she doesn't believe she deserves, Tenley finally lays her guilt to rest. Despite their intense physical attraction, Hayden and Tenley struggle to repair their fragile emotional connection. As Hayden gets closer to the truth, he must find a way to reconcile his guilt over his parents' death in order to keep the woman who finally cracked his armor, and found her way into his heart.

Available May 13

Buy Inked Armor at Amazon

This is the second of the erotic romance series of Sugar House Novellas.

Jackson Grady met the love of his life. Unfortunately, he was running drugs for a pimp named Sasha at the time, who asked him to keep an eye on their new acquisition from Russia, the bedraggled beauty named Portia. She touched his heart and forced him to confront the kind of man he’d become.

Now, Portia and Jackson both work at The Sugar House. He continuously looks out for her, and longs for her with his every breath, but knows he is unworthy of such an angel. What will Portia do to win not only the heart, but also the body, of the man she loves?

Welcome to the world of The Sugar House, and the men and women who will fulfill your every fantasy. But can they find a way to fulfill their own?

Available May 19

Buy Protecting Portia at Amazon

They fight without conscience or remorse. Their only job is to kill. They are the most ruthless enemy we have ever faced. 

And they are one millionth our size. 

When Dr. Lou Welcome fills in last minute for his boss at a national conference in Atlanta he brings along his best friend, Cap Duncan. But an accident turns tragic when Cap injures his leg while running. Surgeons manage to save the leg, but the open wound is the perfect breeding ground for a deadly microbial invader committed to eating Cap alive from the inside out. Meanwhile, hundreds of miles away, a teenaged girl is fighting for her life against the same bacteria. The germ is resistant to any known antibiotic and the government scientist tasked with finding a cure has been kidnapped. Turning to the Centers for Disease Control for help, Lou Welcome uncovers a link to a shadowy group known as One Hundred Neighbors that has infiltrated our society and is using our health institutions as hostages. Like the deadly germs they can unleash, One Hundred Neighbors will stop at nothing to further their agenda. From the hospital corridors where anything you touch can mean your end, to the top corridors of power in this race against time, Lou must stop an epidemic, save his best friend, and face even his own most terrifying demons.From the New York Times bestselling author comes another heart stopping thriller that will make you look at the world around you in a new and frightening way. 

Available May 20

Buy Resistant at Amazon

Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small fee is earned when purchases are made at Amazon through the links above.

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Two Cents Discussion: What Makes a Book Your Favorite

What does a book lover love besides reading books? Talking about books. To allow us to talk a bit more about books, each week at Girl Who Reads there will be a discussion topic and everyone is welcomed to throw in their "two cents". You can do that by leaving a comment or if you are also a blogger and think your readers would want to get in on the discussion, you can post your response on your blog and link to it below. Let's get to this week's topic

What makes a book your favorite?

I'm always being asked what is my favorite book. It is so terribly difficult to narrow it down to one. Even when I limit myself to favorite book this year it is still difficult. However, when I really think about it my favorite books all have something in common. A book becomes a favorite when I'm so connected to the characters that I think of them as friends.

I have mentioned before that I will be forgiving of a weakish plot if I fall in love with the characters.

I have to be able to identify with the characters... feel something for them. It doesn't mean the character(s) is just like me. Often, the character has qualities I admire. Usually it is someone I want to be friends with or perhaps be like. Other times it is someone that I come to care about in a protective sense (I read a lot of books where the characters have an illness or are in extreme danger).

A good story line that pulls at my heartstrings combined with characters that I love is guaranteed to become a favorite of mine.


Next week's topic: Does a love story have to contain sex scenes to be a good romance novel?


Link up:

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