Five Books Everyone Should Read is a new feature we’re running in 2015. We’ve asked some of our favorite authors, readers and bloggers to share five books that touched them or have stayed with them throughout the years.
Today one of our favorite Peguin Random House publicists, Erin Galloway, is here to share her five must reads with us. Erin is the Associate Director of Publicity for Berkley/NAL. We’re really excited to share her list with you today, because Erin isn’t just an industry professional, she’s an avid romance reader, too. She’s my go-to when I need really great recommendations.
There are so many books I think everyone should read so I finally chose to narrow it down to five that exemplify what I love about the subgenres that I enjoy reading.
DARK MAGIC by Christine Feehan
Young Savannah Dubrinsky was a mistress of illusion, a world-famous magician capable of mesmerizing millions. But there was one-Gregori, the Dark One-who held her in terrifying thrall. Whose cold silver eyes and heated sensuality sent shivers of danger, of desire, down her slender spine.
With a dark magic all his own, Gregori-the implacable hunter, the legendary healer, the most powerful of Carpathian males-whispered in Savannah’s mind that he was her destiny. That she had been born to save his immortal soul. And now, here in New Orleans, the hour had finally come to claim her. To make her completely his. In a ritual as old as time . . . and as inescapable as eternity.
This is the book that made me fall in love with paranormal romance. I was amazed at the world Christine created. I didn’t even realize it was part of a series when I picked it up. I was just intrigued by the back cover copy. I raced through it and then went back to the store to buy the author’s previous books and I’ve read every book Christine has written since then! The hero, Gregori, is one of my all-time favorites. He’s dark, sexy, and has literally waited thousands of years for the woman whose soul matches his. To watch him fight to make their relationship work only made me love him more. I have fallen in love with every hero Christine has written and when you meet Gregori, you’ll know why!
Long ago, Ephemera was split into a dizzying number of magical lands-connected only by bridges that may take you where you truly belong, rather than where you had intended to go. In one such land, where night reigns and demons dwell, the half-incubus Sebastian revels in dark delights. But in dreams she calls to him: a woman who wants only to be safe and loved-a woman he hungers for while knowing he may destroy her.And an even more devastating destiny awaits him, for an ancient evil is stirring-and Sebastian’s realm may be the first to fall.
If you’re interested in trying fantasy, I always recommend starting with Anne. She is a beautiful, lyrical writer and creates incredibly rich worlds and characters. Her books are romantic and deeply emotional. Her Black Jewels Trilogy is also a favorite, but I chose this book because I think it will be the easiest for a newbie fantasy reader, particularly if you’re already a romance reader. It’s the first in the Ephemera Trilogy and each book focuses on a different couple and aspect of the world they live in. Ephemera is made up of a vast number of magical lands, each connected by a bridge. The catch is that when you cross over a bridge you may not end up where you intended to go, but rather to the land that truly resonates with the deepest part of your soul. For some that will be a land filled with light, for others a land of darkness with demons, and yet for others a combination of the two. After reading I think you’ll try to imagine which land you would resonate with most.
LORD OF THE FADING LANDS by C. L. Wilson
The First Chapter in C. L. Wilson’s Breathtaking Epic Tale of Magic, Passion, and Destiny
Once he drove back the darkness. Once he loved with such passion his name was legend.
Once, driven wild with grief over the murder of his beloved, the majestic Fey King Rain Tairen Soul had laid waste to the world before vanishing into the Fading Lands. Now, a thousand yearslater, a new threat draws him back into the world—and a new love reawakens the heart he thought long-dead.
Ellysetta, a woodcarver’s daughter, calls to Rain in a way no other ever had. Mysterious and magical, her soul beckons him with a compelling, seductive song—and no matter the cost, thewildness in his blood will not be denied. as an ancient, familiar evil regains its strength, causing centuries-old alliances to crumble and threatening doom for Rain and his people . . .he must claim his truemate to embrace the destiny woven for them both in the mists of time.
If you haven’t tried a fantasy romance novel, try this one! C. L. Wilson is incredibly talented and this romantic and captivating series made me laugh, cry and wish I could escape to this world. The careful plot threads she wove never failed to impress me and the characters and their struggles captured my heart. To watch each of them grow as people and in their powers as they affect one another’s lives was so compelling. I’m always very moved by characters with a code of honor that they uphold regardless of what the world places in their path. The extraordinary depth of honor the heroes and heroines in this series possess will stick with you long after you turn the final page. I cannot wait for the author to return to this world again.
WARRIOR’S PRIZE by Georgina Gentry
A LOVE WORTH FIGHTING FOR. . .
Her Arapabo name is Singing Wind but no one at the Boston ladies’ academy knows of Wannie’s Indian ancestry. Pretending to be Spanish royalty, she has concealed her past behind fine clothes and elegant manners. Now she returns to Colorado with the fiancé, a wealthy businessman who wants to invest in land and gold.
Waiting there is Keso. Once a Denver street urchin, this full-blooded Indian has loved only one woman all his life-Singing Wind. In his pocket is the ring he bought for her; in his heart burns a passion no other man can match. And ahead lies a dangerous trek into the Colorado mountains. . .where the Ute tribe faces the last great Indian uprising. . .where nature’s fury strips a man to his very soul. . .and where a woman called Singing Wind is taken hostage by the magnificent warrior who dares to battle for her body, her heart, and her precious love.
A decade ago, Georgina Gentry published her first Zebra historical, Cheyenne Captive. Now, 10 years and 15 books later, Georgina’s back–and better than ever! This latest scorcher features the characters readers first met in Quicksilver Passion–Silver Jones and Cherokee Evans–and introduces the beautiful half-breed Wannibe and the handsome Cherokee orphan Keso, all grown up and ready for love. Ads in Romantic Times. Original.
I sort of hope I never meet this author because if I do I will embarrass myself with gushing. I love Native American romances and Georgina Gentry has written my favorite ones. I am still amazed at the amount of research she did for each book and how effortlessly she wove in those details and actual events with a truly compelling and satisfying romance. Not many authors would be able to include the Sand Creek Massacre in a romance and have it work! It was Georgina’s books and writing that inspired my own college thesis on Native American history and culture. This book has one of my favorite tropes as well: friends to lovers. Wannie and Keso were both orphans raised by the same couple (they are not actually related) and as they grow older Keso falls in love with Wannie. Of course we as the reader love him right away, but watching her begin to see him as the man he has become and realize that she is in love with him too is very satisfying.
THE ODDKINS: A Fable for All Ages by Dean Koontz
Blockbuster author Dean Koontz’s first novel for young readers, a beautifully illustrated and visually stunning story about a magical band of living toys who learn to overcome the fears we all face in the dark
Toymaker Isaac Bodkins created the Oddkins, a group of living toys, for very special children who face difficulties in life and need true friends. There’s Amos, the brave stuffed bear; Skippy, the rabbit who dreams of being a superstar; Butterscotch, the gentle, floppy-eared pup; Burl the elephant; the wise and scholarly Gibbons; and Patch the cat. The Oddkins are given to children to inspire, support, and love them, especially during times of adversity. Only now, the toys themselves are the ones who need help. Before he dies, Mr. Bodkins delivers a dire warning to Amos the bear: Watch out for an evil toymaker and his dangerous creations! Locked up in the dark sub-basement, another group of toys is climbing out of boxes and crates and coming to life as well. These bad toys—like Rex and Lizzie, the puppets with no strings; Gear, the vicious robot; and Stinger, the horrid buzzing bumblebee with his knife-sharp stinger—were made to hurt children, not help them. Leering, laughing, and deadly, they are let loose into the world by a terrifying force. Frightening as it may be, the Oddkins must go on a journey to find Colleen Shannon, Mr. Bodkins’s chosen successor as a life-giving toymaker and the only person who can save them. The stormy night is perilous and the Oddkins face a danger that threatens not only their magic . . . but the magic in us all.
Dean Koontz is the author of fifty-six New York Times bestsellers, including Odd Thomas, From the Corner of His Eye, and Watchers. His books are published in thirty-six languages and his worldwide sales top 450 million copies. With Oddkins, his first book for young readers, Koontz introduces a magical and dazzling world of toys and terror, good versus evil. Oddkins is a fable for our time, a deeply moving story for all ages. Phil Parks is a freelance artist who also illustrated Koontz’s Twilight Eyes and Santa’s Twin.
When the death of their creator leaves them without protection, a band of magic living toys must attempt a dangerous journey across the city to another toyshop, while under attack from evil toys serving the Dark One.
This is one of my favorite books of all time. My parents gave it to me on my eighth Christmas and told me that they hoped I would feel the magic when I read it. My father read the book to me each night until we finished it. I remember him crying at the end and though I thought the ending was wonderful and quite moving, it wasn’t until I grew older that I could truly understand the nuances and deeper messages of the book. It’s really about the good that can and does exist within us, and what we can do if we just believe. I try to re-read the book each year myself around Christmas time and now I find that I am the one who cries.
About Erin: Erin Galloway is an Associate Director of Publicity and Marketing for Berkley/NAL. Erin is a self-proclaimed romanceaholic who is lucky enough to make a living falling in love with great books and telling other people why they should love them too.
Warrior’s Prize – I love Western romances and Indian romances (with a strong emphasis on if they are written well) but oddly enough I’ve never read anything by Georgina Gentry. Well, I’m at work at the moment, but when I go on lunch I’m going to order this one – already checked it out on Kindle and the price is right