E’s Top Comfort Re(Reads) of 2011 Part 2

As promised in yesterday’s post Part 1 here are the rest of my top comfort re(reads) of this past year.

12.
Lissa Matthews – Women and men unashamed of who they are and what they like and the men who discover them and treasure that. Enough said.

 

 

 

13.
Anne McCaffrey – RIP, my first adult SF/F author and the reason for my addiction to dragons. I typically go through my entire collection of her works at least once each year. While she will no longer provide new stories the ones she has given me continue to refresh my life.

 

 

14.
Robin McKinley – Wonderful retellings of fairy tales along with original novels. I get to escape and see the rest of the story behind the 20 or so page tale that I was originally introduced to. When I need to know that good will triumph over evil and that the atmosphere will be so lushly described it seems like all I need to do is walk about the door and I am there.
Reviews: The Blue Sword The Hero and The Crown

 

15.
Robin D. Owens – Her Heart series is so vivid and resonates with the rhythm of nature. Granted Celtan rhythms aren’t the same as Earth but the peace it brings is. Between that and the very lyrical smoothness of her prose I always end up feeling refreshed and ready to face the next challenge when I finish reading. And that doesn’t even go into her characters and how not only do they grow but the secondary once also change as the novels and series progress.

 

16.
Tamora Pierce – YA that I love! She was pushed on me by one of my fellow pushers. The heroine in the Protector of the Small Quartet just speaks to me on so many levels. Yes girls can do anything they want to do. She gives me inspiration.
Reviews: Wild Magic Author Profile

 

 

17.
J. D. Robb – Roarke and Eve, their interplay with each other. How those two met because of murder and continue to grow and bond through murder. “Man! God! Roarke!” I also can’t forget the supporting cast that continues to grow along with Eve and Roake.

 

 

18.
Moira Rogers – For my not so sweet moods *devilish grin*. When I need things unfiltered by the trappings of polite society. When every thought, urge, emotion, life, death is elemental. Life is celebrated, death is mourned, the good guys are good, the bad guys are really bad and sometimes you can’t tell which side they are on until almost too late!
Reviews: Demon Bait Wilder’s Mate Sabine

 

 

19.
Michelle Sagara – Complex world that slowly unfolds as the central character matures. While the main character fits the YA age group as the series starts between the lack of emo-ness and the subject matters I firmly categorize this as an adult series.
Review: Cast in Ruin

 

 

20.
Sharon Shinn – A group of misfits that becomes family, saves their country, has lots of adventures and proceeds to upset the usual social order of things. This particular series reminds me of the problems caused when people blindly believe in something without questioning it. Don’t just question authority but question everything :).

 

 

21.
Nalini Singh – Changelings, Humans, Psy, Angels, Vampires, romance, intrigue, politics, world-building…She is another author whose Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance works I re-read often. In one series I get a sense of how a system cannot continue to exist if people don’t support it and resisting that system does not have to use violence as the first step. The other series also includes political intrigue but more from the viewpoint of changing it from within and providing a check to absolute power.
Reviews: Archangel’s Consort Archangel’s Blade Burning Up Play of Passion Kiss of Snow

22.
J. R. R. Tolkien – Good triumphs over evil but not without paying a fierce price. I get my epic fantasy fix and while I know what is going to happen I still enjoy the journey each time.

 

 

 

Disclaimer: This list only involves those authors whose works I could get in an electronic format. For some reason I couldn’t take my personal library collection with me.