Best of the Best

[Elle]

I'll play,

1) That's a tough one. You had me defending , and it's definitely one of my top ten. Does qualify as a BR? Love that one too.

2). Yup, I'd put at the top of my list too. This is a bit harder for me because I love a number of books in different genres and find it hard to compare them. In YA fantasy, I love the Harry Potter series for her use of classical Christian and literary symbolism to tell a deeper story than just the surface. I adore The Hunger Games series because of the way she speaks about huge issues to young readers without talking down to them, asking them to think things through themselves. I love most of Daniel Silva's Gabriel Allon series in the spy/thriller genre. And for a cheesy good time, I adore Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum novels. If I feel literary, I can usually go for Edith Wharton. It's hard to pick an absolute favorite because they're all so different.

[[deleted user]]

I'm bored, too. *eyes pile of uninspiring paperwork*

1) Oooh, too difficult to choose. But if I had to, I'd say it's a tie between or . They're different types of BRs, but the passion in both is so epic and no-holds barred. I was exhausted when I finished them. Not many BRs have done that.

2) , hands down. I've read (and re-read and RE-re-read) this book (and the first few in the series) more than any book since my grade school obsession with Roald Dahl. :) I love everything about it and I fail to see how it couldn't make an Ancient Rome fangirl out of anybody who picks it up. It's super-educating as well as being a huge soap opera filled with nasty and nice characters. They're my comfort books whenever I'm in a reading slump.

[Pamela(AllHoney)]

1. I will have to choose my first - . Tame compared to many BRs but it was my introduction to adult literature. Before that I survived on harlequins (they only had one kind back then) and gothics like Whitney and Holt.

2. Can't think of a all time fave. I love many books and depending on my mood will decide on my current fave. Many books by Linda Howard, Julie Garwood, Lisa Kleypas, Johanna Lindsey, Judith McNaught, Jude Deveraux and even Kathleen Woodiwiss grace my fave shelf.

[Elle]

♥ Cheshire Catt ♠ wrote: "Skye definitely qualifies! I have heard nothing but good things about that book, I have to get off my ass already and read it!

I like Harry Potter too - but more because I was just in love with..."

When they cast Alan Rickman as Snape, they made the movies, IMO. Skye is a brilliant book/series because of the scope. And Small, for all her excesses (she waxes embarrassingly purple in many of her sex scenes) does a great job with her history. She shows a side of Queen Liz that not many know about. She really did pimp out some of the ladies of her court for various reasons; she wasn't the first monarch to do it but it comes across as far more heinous when it is a woman, let alone the supposed Virgin Queen, who did it.

[Elle]

Pamela(AllHoney) wrote: "1. I will have to choose my first - . Tame compared to many BRs but it was my introduction to adult literature. Before that I survived on harlequins (they..."

That's one of my all time faves as well. I loved KW's books as a kid and reread them recently and still loved them. Can't say that for many books I read as a kid--most of them seem silly or cheesy to me now.

[Love love]

So far for me (I've only been reading BR for about a year now) my favorite is a tie between and . I know that I have many more to discover but I kinda think I started with the best.lol

[paula]

My favorite (bodice ripper & all-around) is . I just loved everything about this book, theme, plot, hero & heroine. The supporting charactors were also wonderful.

[Evelyn]

My favorite BR (if it counts) is My Lord Monleigh. If not, I would have to say Savage Ecstasy. Which surprises me. I guess I was really taken in by Gray Eagle.

Favorite all-around is The Hollow Kingdom. But that's closely followed by Crimson Kiss, Lords of the Underworld, Harry Potter and His Dark Materials. I actually haven't though about Pullman's series in a while. I'd say the best part of it was Iorik Byrnison (the Sky Bear) and Will Parry (from The Subtle Knife). Iorik made that series.

[[deleted user]]

My Lord Monleigh counts. They're the BRs that our moms and grandmoms read, just not as racy. :P I love that book! Even though they've reissued some of Speas' stuff recently, they didn't do that one. Sort of a mixed blessing, because even though a great romance isn't readily available for romance readers, I also really don't want to see what crappy cover they come up with for it....

[Evelyn]

Karla (Mossy Love Grotto) wrote: "My Lord Monleigh counts. They're the BRs that our moms and grandmoms read, just not as racy. :P I love that book! Even though they've reissued some of Speas' stuff recently, they didn't do that o..."

Yeah, it would be hard for a photo cover to do that book justice. But then again, any cover would be better than the one I got. It was a blue hardcover with nothing on it but the name.