Aimee's Fiction Recommendations and Bookshop
Welcome to my page of fiction recommendations! These are non-fanfic recs, but rather real novels that you can buy in a bookstore. (In fact, I set it up so you can click on the links, and buy them directly from Amazon.com, if you feel so inclined.) In real life, I work in a bookstore, where we have the "Employee Pick of the Month" shelf -- each employee picks a book to recommend. But I have noticed that people tend to walk right past that shelf, and almost never actually look at it. So I decided to put my recommendations (as well as some new ones) on the web! I enjoyed all of these novels, and I hope you will too.
April 12, 2000: Here are a few more recommendations. In no particular order:
Bell, Book, and Murder by Rosemary Edghill.
A collection of three occult detective stories. Best, most accurate description of Wiccans and other pagans I've ever read, likeable heroine, wonderful sense of place and atmosphere (NYC). The mysteries aren't really all that mysterious, but the novels are just so much fun to read that you don't really care!
Luck in the Shadows by Lynn Flewelling.
A must-read for all the slash fans out there! This book features a wonderful, intelligent, dashing hero who is both quick-witted and quick-tongued, and an engrossing, intrigue-filled plot. Plus there is an instant attraction and a great deal of UST between the two main characters, Seregil and Alec (and the sexual tension doesn't remain unfulfilled for very long either -- check out the other two books in the series)!
Baby, I'm Yours by Susan Andersen.
As you can tell from the cover, this is a romance novel. It's smart, sexy, and funny, with snappy dialogue and hot sex scenes. I enjoyed it.
March 2, 2000: Finally! Some new recommendations! Todays theme is . . .
TOUGH GIRLS AND SEXY GUYS
Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton.
This is the first book in the "Anita Blake" series of mysterys, set in a universe filled with vampires, werewolves (and other were-beings), zombies, and necromancers. Each book is fast-paced, absorbing, action-packed, and over-the-top -- it grabs on and doesn't let go. And I just love Anita herself -- she's a tough, kick-ass heroine who still remains human and real. She's just an utterly cool character. Read the book for her alone, if for no other reason!
Naked in Death by J. D. Robb.
This book, also the first in a series, is a futuristic mystery set in New York and featuring police lieutenant Eve Dallas. Like Anita Blake, Eve is tough, focused, and just too cool for words. And, like Guilty Pleasures, Naked in Death grabbed my attention from the first page and didn't let go until the last. This series is addictive. My only gripe about the writing: I didn't like the way the author keeps switching pov's in the same scene. One minute we're seeing through the eyes of one character, a few sentences later through another. I found it slightly disorienting. But that's a minor complaint. It certainly didn't stop me from reading -- and loving -- the entire series!
One for the Money by Janet Evanovich.
Unlike the other two books, this one has no science-fictional aspect; it's just a straight-up mystery. But this one does have something the other two didn't -- humor. This book cracked me up. The set-up is unlikely -- Stephanie Plum, out-of-work lingerie buyer, becomes a bounty hunter -- and the characters are vividly drawn and unforgettable. This book is a treat.
A Rumor of Bones by Beverly Connor.
Lindsey Chamberlain seems less tough than Anita, Eve, or Stephanie at first -- she's not as kick-ass they are, if that makes sense. But she is supremely self-confidant, self-assured, and intelligent. She's an archaeologist who specializes in bones and a forensic anthropologist. She's on a dig in Georgia when she discovers some bones that shouldn't be there -- too recent. I thoroughly enjoyed this book; I found it a fast, absorbing read, and I felt like I had learned something when I finished it. However, I think my favorite book in the series is
Dressed to Die. It's set on the University of Georgia campus, and a good part of the action takes place in Baldwin Hall. I'm from Athens, and both my parents teach at UGA, and their offices are in -- you guessed it -- Baldwin Hall. It was a strange thrill, being able to visualize the setting of the novel exactly.
That's all for now. Umm...does anyone actually use this page? Would you all like me to keep updating it? If so, please email me at aimee_2@hotmail.com. If I know people actually care, I'll probably update this page more frequently.
Dreams Underfoot by Charles de Lint.
I love Charles de Lint's brand of urban fantasy, the lyricism of his writing, the way he takes the ordinary and banal, and adds just a touch of magic and enchantment, transforming it. This short story collection is a good introduction to his fictional town of Newford, where many of stories and novels take place. These stories range from the beautiful to the horrific; and, unlike most story collections, I didn't feel like they were disjointed or unconnected. There was some kind of unifying force behind them all, so that, together like this, their collective force tells some kind of greater, larger story than any of them do seperately. I was entranced. Give this book a shot; I doubt you'll regret it.
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Jack of Kinrowan by Charles de Lint
Another treat by Charles de Lint, this book is a charming, terrifing, engrossing retelling of "Jack and the Beanstalk," set in modern-day Ottowa and featuring a Jackie, not a Jack, as the hero.
Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold
I absolutely love Lois McMaster Bujold; she is one of my all-time favorite authors. But one of the problems I have with recommending her books is that I don't know where to start! It's hard to find the beginning of her Vorkosigan series. Falling Free, although not really part of the series, is the chronological beginning and a good introduction to LMB. In this book (as with all her books), she combines intelligence, humor, drama, and a touch of philosophy and blends them into a rollicking, quick-moving adventure story. This particular novel also has some good, hard science-fictional ideas, ideas which I found fascinating.
Cordelia's Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold
This book, which is actually a two-in-one combination of two different novels, Shards of Honor and Barrayar, brings us into the Vorkosigan universe proper. It has all the characteristics I describe above, plus romance and one of my all-time favorite heroines. A must-read!
Griffin and Sabine by Nick Bantock
This is an altogether unique book. It has an utterly cool, very weird sf plot, an unusual romance, and beautiful art, plus the vouyeristic thrill of opening other people's mail. It's an epistolary novel (that is, a novel told through letters that the characters exchange), and each postcard is illustrated in the book, and each letter comes in its own envelope for you to open and read. Both the story itself and the way the story is told are original and delightful.
Well, that's all I have for now. This site will be updated regularly, so check back for updates. If you have questions about anything, or if you just want to chat, you can mail me at aimee_2@hotmail.com.
