So this is the PERFECT day to put up an awesome post about awesome books instead. Consider this a HUGE “Blast from our Book Past” post, and Nancy is kicking it off!!! 😉
HOLY MOLY look at this awesome list!!! I totally get a kick out of this!! EXTREME blast from the past, because Nancy has been with me (with us!!) since practically my beginning and she and I have been chitchatting books (and life) for years.
Nancy: You have a real gift for reviews, that make you want to read the book without giving any “spoilers”.
…this is the best Book Blog & with so many recommending good books, that TBR list is old hat, & read what I have a “whim” for that day!
So many good books to read that every time I finish one I seem to add 5 more to my TBR list
And then she sent me a list of how it all started for her:
Nancy: I started a list quite a while ago of Best Books Recommended by Maryse. Kind of an Ode to Maryse List. Someday I will have to finish it!!
Nancy: I have been working on a list titled ODE TO MARYSE with all the books I’ve read because of your recommendation. Starts out: Defying The Odds by Kele Moon (love pumpkin pie), Sweet Dreams by Kristen Ashley, On the Island by Tracey Garvis-Graves, The Sweet Gum Tree by Katherine Allred, How to Kill a Rock Star by Tiffanie DeBartolo & 50 Shades of Grey…to be continued. This is just from 2011-2012!
And now… here. It. Is!!!!! 😀
ODE TO MARYSE (These are all older recommendations)
Nancy: My family persuaded me to join Facebook in July 2010. I was going through a paranormal book stage. I was fixated on Twilight since it was all my oldest and precious granddaughter talked about. Of course back then I didn’t own a Kindle until 2011, so we read hardback books.
When I found Maryse’s group, she had 600 followers & loved Twilight, too. I have been a faithful follower of hers ever since.
I didn’t remember or write down many books from 2010 recommendations, but these:
- Book Review – Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning – 4 stars
- Book Review – Blood Fever by Karen Marie Moning – 4.5 stars
- Book Review – Faefever by Karen Marie Moning – 5 stars
- Book Review – Dreamfever by Karen Marie Moning – 5 stars
- Book Review – Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning – 5 stars
2. Breed Series by Lora Leigh. My favorite is Elizabeth’s Wolf. *Only for Adult’s book reading.
Nancy: I am excited that there is a new edition of Elizabeth’s Wolf by Lora Leigh. I read this year’s ago, but this is suppose to have new material. It was cheaper to buy the paperback edition than the Kindle. I just happened to get some Amazon Gift Cards for Christmas. Merry Christmas to me!!
3. Twilight and all the following books. My granddaughter also made me read all the Harry Potter books, but I’m not counting them here. Just that I did read them. (Maryse’s 5-STAR Book Review – Twilight)
2011
Maryse: I’m with you, Nancy!! I purchased the original first edition print copies from the smaller publisher she had originally published to. LOVE THEM!!
Nancy: …I found your book Blog right after joining FB, & you had close to 700 “likes” & I thought she is “SO POPULAR”. I joined in & you were going on & on about “Fifty Shades” (I had never heard of & not many others had either). I went for it not even knowing what it was about & WOW!
5. THOUGHTLESS & EFFORTLESS by S.C. Stephens were both books I read thanks to Maryse! Who could forget Kellen? (Maryse’s 5-STAR Book Review – Thoughtless & 5-STAR Book Review – Effortless)
Nancy: Every time I read a book I love it then becomes my favorite, so right now it would be Thoughless/Effortless/Reckless (S.C. Stephens).
7. ON THE ISLAND by Tracey Garvis-Graves was one of my favorite books that she had me wanting to read. (Maryse’s 4.5 STAR Book Review – On The Island)
Nancy: I loved On the Island, the new Uncharted: an On the Island Book, was really good. Tracy Garvis Graves really blended the two stories together well.
8. SWEET DREAMS by Kristen Ashley was a great recommendation and also made me a big fan of Kristen Ashley’s writing. SWEET DREAMS remains one of my all time favorites. (Maryse’s 5-STAR Book Review – Sweet Dreams)
Nancy: My all time favorite is Sweet Dreams & Tate. …Kristen Ashley Rocks!
10. FLAT-OUT LOVE by Jessica Park is another very good recommendation of a book from Maryse. A unique story with a good ending! (Maryse’s 5-STAR Book Review – Flat-Out Love)
11. THE SWEET GUM TREE by Katherine Alfred is an epic story from the very beginning to the very end. A good recommendation! (Maryse’s Book Review – The Sweet Gum Tree)
Maryse: OMG Nancy that initial scene of the pumpkin pie which he hates but he eats because she gave it to him… MY HEART. I fell in love HARD right from there. And I loved how moody and reclusive he is. That book deserves a re-read.
Nancy: And when his best friend Wyatt said, “Why are you eating pumpkin pie? You hate pumpkin pie!” This was priceless!
Maryse: RIGHT??? LOL!!! *swoooooooooon* Grumpy sweetheart.
JulieO: I just re-read DEFYING THE ODDS a couple of months ago. I love the pumpkin pie!
2012
Nancy: Oh! I read this Blast from The Past back in 9/27/12. Another winner in the recommendations from Maryse!
Maryse: 🙂 So many great memories from back then!!
14. THE EDGE OF NEVER by J.A. Redmerski. (Maryse’s 5-STAR Book Review – The Edge of Never)
Nancy: This is such a good book!
15.
Nancy: Do you remember how frustrated we were reading EXPERIMENT IN TERROR Series by Karina Halle? Dex & that awful girlfriend that he wouldn’t get rid of. Felt so sorry for Perry! Book after book, I thought how to get rid of her. Some were not very nice!!
Maryse: LOL!!!!! Ohhhhh the drama. It hurt so bad (and yet soooooo good).
(Maryse’s book reviews:)
- Book Review – Darkhouse by Karina Halle – 3.75 stars
- Book Review – Red Fox by Karina Halle – 4 stars
- Book Review – Dead Sky Morning by Karina Halle – 4 stars
- Book Review – Lying Season by Karina Halle – 5 stars
- Book Review – On Demon Wings by Karina Halle 4.5 stars
- Book Review – Old Blood by Karina Halle – 4 stars
- Book Review – The Dex-Files by Karina Halle – 5 stars
- Book Review – Into the Hollow by Karina Halle – 5 stars
- Book Review – And With Madness Comes the Light by Karina Halle – 5 stars
- Book Review – Come Alive by Karina Halle – 4 stars
- Book Review – Ashes to Ashes by Karina Halle – 5 stars
16. THE MIGHTY STORM by Samantha Towle. (Maryse’s 5-STAR Book Review – The Mighty Storm)
Nancy: THE MIGHTY STORM by Samatha Towle. I loved the scene where she was with her other half. And he was on stage & sang Mr. Brightside.
18. THE OPPORTUNIST by Tarryn Fisher. (Maryse’s 5-STAR Book Review – The Opportunist)
Nancy: Now I know what I am reading next, but I’ve been such a mess since finishing STOLEN that I haven’t been able to read anything. This sounds like it might be able to get over that mess.
Maryse’s Book Blog: Nancy. You’re just gonna walk into another mess, I’m telling you. But it was delicious fun!!! Oh it’s not YA, but it’s more of a “fade to black” in those kinds of scenes (and their aren’t many), so not steamy per se. But the drama aspect and the intense emotion, romantic angst and game playing. That makes up for it.
19. POUGHKEEPSIE by Debra Anastasia. (Maryse’s 4-STAR Book Review – Poughkeepsie)
Nancy: …I’m all into Poughkeepsie (rereading) & next is Return to Poughkeepsie…
20. ON DUBLIN STREET by Samantha Young. (Maryse’s 5-STAR Book Review – On Dublin Street)
21. SLAMMED: Point of Retreat by Colleen Hoover. (Maryse’s 5-STAR Book Review – Slammed)
Nancy: Enjoyed Slammed & Point of Retreat.
22. SEMPRE Forever by J.M. Darhower. (Maryse’s 5-STAR Book Review – Sempre (Forever))
2013
23. TEN TINY BREATHS by K.A. Tucker. (Maryse’s 4.5 STAR Book Review – Ten Tiny Breaths)
Nancy: Back in 2013 you had recommended at book: True Love Story by Willow Aster.
It spanned years. He wrote beautiful love letters when he was off touring in a band and she was waiting…At different places in their lives, Sparrow is off to college in New York, and Ian is traveling the country with the band.
Over a five year span, Sparrow and Ian run into each other in unusual places. Each time, Sparrow has to decide if she can trust him, and if he feels the same for her.
It’s hard to not get caught up in the magic they have together. Until something so devastating comes to light that threatens to shatter everything they’ve built with each other.
25. COMFORT FOOD by Kitty Thomas. (Maryse’s 4.5-STAR Book Review – Comfort Food)
26. ARSEN: A Broken Love Story by Mia Asher. (Maryse’s 5-STAR Book Review – Arsen)
Nancy: …having trouble finding that book that will take me back to BEFORE Arsen. I have started a few (set aside), finished two (had been sitting in my Kindle), but only BOUGHT one (that is so not me, but husband will like that).
Nancy: MAKING FACES. After reading that you were crying after only 7% in, then I downloaded & being a bigger sap was crying before 7%. My youngest son joined the National Guard after 9/11, leaving his young daughter behind when he was deployed. I was an emotional wreck reading this, as my son could play the part of Ambrose if it ever became a movie.
27.5 JANE’S MELODY by Ryan Winfield (Maryse’s 4.5 STAR Book Review – Jane’s Melody)
28. CROW’S ROW by Julie Hockley (Maryse’s 4.5-STAR Book Review – Crow’s Row)
2014
30. SURVIVING RAINE by Shay Savage. (Maryse’s 5-STAR Book Review – Surviving Raine)
Nancy: Great Review & I loved, loved, loved this book!
31. ARCHER’S VOICE by Mia Sheridan. (Maryse’s 5-STAR Book Review – Archer’s Voice)
32. LOVE IN ENGLISH by Karina Halle. (Maryse’s 5-STAR Book Review – Love, in English)
33. HARD TIME by Cara McKenna. (Maryse’s 4.5-STAR Book Review – Hard Time)
34. CHANGING COURSE by Aly Martinez. (Maryse’s 4.5-STAR Book Review – Changing Course)
2015
36. THE FIVE STAGES OF FALLING IN LOVE by Rachel Higginson. (Maryse’s 5-STAR Book Review – The Five Stages of Falling in Love)
37. THE GROUND RULES by Roya Carmen (Maryse’s 5-STAR Book Review – The Ground Rules)
38: SCARE CROW by Julie Hockley
2017
40. GHOSTED by J.M. Darhower (Maryse’s 5-STAR Book Review – Ghosted)
2018
42.HEARTBREAK WARFARE by Kate Stewart & Heather M. Orgeron. (Maryse’s 5-STAR Book Review – Heartbreak Warfare)
GABRIEL’S INFERNO SERIES
2. GABRIEL’S RAPTURE book 2 (7/13/12)
3 GABRIEL’S REDEMPTION book 3 (1/16/14)
4. Sorry never got to book 4!
Love Nancy’s book taste? Check out more of her favorites:
- Reader Favorites – Nancy’s Top 15 Reads for 2015
- Reader Favorites – Nancy’s Top Book Reads for the Year 2016
- Reader Favorites – Nancy’s 20 Best Books of 2017
- Reader Favorites – Nancy’s Best Books of 2018 List
- Reader Favorites – Nancy’s Best Books of 2019 List
- Reader Favorites – Nancy’s Top 20 Best Books of 2020 List
- Reader Favorites – Nancy’s Best of 2021 List
➔➔➔ Looking for more recommendations? Browse all of the reader favorites lists here on the blog. 😀
➔➔➔ Looking for my must-read recommendations? Browse my 5 star and 4.5 star and 4 star reviews or my favorite book lists here 😀
Thank-you so much for fixing my list! So many books & I’m sure I will be finding more! My memory of ALL the books I’ve read is impossible!
My laptop fell when I put it down for a few minutes while working on your list, and the battery died completely so I’m now finally working using an old laptop of mine that I was able to charge up, until I can get to the Apple store and get my battery fixed. 🙂
Now back to my blogging. 😉
Our cat (came walking out of the woods one day a few years back) loves to sit on the keyboard on my computer & my husband’s. I can’t tell you how many times he has lost my posts or deleted files. Luckily, my husband is really good with computers. But there was this onetime, even he couldn’t fix it. That was the time the cat walked on it a few times. He is a polydactyl cat which means he has extra toes & claws. I keep saying, “I love this cat!”
Fabulous List Nancy! Picked up a couple titles
Great trip down memory lane!