My reading tastes, like the music I listen to, are all over the board. As a teen, I read Sweet Valley High and then picked up Stephen King or VC Andrews, and then moved onto Nancy Drew. As I got older, my tastes went in the same track: Nora Roberts to Stephen King to Danielle Steele to Stephanie Myer to Anne Rice. I tend to enjoy books more than specific authors, but I do tend to enjoy fantasy and romantic suspense the most as a read, and I guess that explains alot about my two writing identities.
So some of my favorite books? That's a nearly impossible question, but here's a few.
1. 11/22/63 by Stephen King
I grew up reading King: Cujo, The Dark Half (one of my favorites when I was a teen and still a very good read), Dolares Claiborne. And while he's not my favorite author (more on that in a second), 11/22/63 IS, hands down, my favorite book. I actually own both the audio and print formats of this title and reread or listen to it at least once a year. 11/22/63, which is a fantasy time travel story that centers around the JFK assassination, proves why Stephen King is a master at what he does. He does a phenemonal job of bringing the character of Jake Epping to life. After a conversation with a friend who found a rabbit hole within the diner they own, Jake agrees to go into the past in an attempt to stop the assassination of the president. The list of characters the reader comes across are a colorful blend of fictional and non-fictional, and the locations come to life with every page turn. 11/22/63 is a not a horror in the truest sense, but some of the events are horrific. There are also some very touching moments, and this story touches on just about every human condition in its cast.
2. Black Dahlia by Nora Roberts
If I had a favorite author, Nora Roberts would be it. With a few exceptions, I love anything she writes. That said, Blue Dahlia, and the rest of the In the Garden series, is definitely my favorite of her works. As a romantic suspense, it is masterfullly told in a way that brings the reader right into the story. You cheer for the romances, and are surprised by the addition of a ghost story that adds a touch of just the right kind of spooky. Of course, as a romantic suspense, the expectation is that there will be a happily-ever-after, and Roberts certainly delivers, but the journey will have you wondering what the price of that happily-ever-after might be. As I mentioned, this is the first book of the trilogy - so if you choose to read it, definitely go all in. You won't regret it.
3. The Deep by Alma Katsu
Okay, something about the Titanic and her demise still captivates us. It was the very reason why Caitlin went to the ship in my series, Web of Echoes. So when I spotted this book in the local library last summer, I had to pick it up. And I am SO glad I did. It takes everything that happened on board the ship and turns it on its ear and makes it a horrifyingly wonderful book. I'll be honest, sometimes finding time to read as much as I'd like to is difficult. With a family, homeschooling, running a business, and writing, time gets away from me more often than I'd like it to. But this book had me breaking the rules of my schedule, and I HAD to know how it was going to end. Thankfully, it's not a hard, read, and I was able to get back to routine within a few days. But the story itself stuck with me even after I had closed the book and that's exactly what makes the best books just that ~ the best.
So there you have. Three of my favorite reads. I had to limit it to these three or this little list might go on forever and after all, I have to get back to writing.
But I'd love to hear some your favorite reads so don't forget to let me know. I do love to chat :)