Relz Reviewz Top 10 Reads of 2011

The challenge of compiling a Top 10 list is often overwhelming and frustrating as choosing 10 usually means excluding fantastic reads! Still, I enjoy looking back over my year's reading and selecting books that may be literary masterpieces, books that struck a chord within me or simply one out of the box. Here's my list (in no particular order), sneaking in a few extras by way of a series nomination, and some others at the end of my post that I was loath not to include in some way!

I'd love you to post the link to your Top 10 or just let me know your choices in the comments section.

PS.  If any of you actually count you will see I have 11 - I only just noticed as I was about to post ~ LOL!  Well, it's my list so I guess having 11 is okay :)

There You'll Find Me by Jenny B Jones

"Jenny B Jones' writing is the Lindt chocolate of Young Adult novels. Smooth, satisfying and memorable, always leaving you much to savour. There You'll Find Me is a captivating and deeply moving story.."

Digitalis & Wolfsbane by Ronie Kendig

Digitalis: "With the relentless action of The Bourne Identity, the electrifying chemistry of Speed and the emotional punch of A Few Good Men, Digitalis is a stomach clenching, all consuming thrill ride as the Nightshade Black Ops team is attacked on mission and at home."
Wolfsbane: "Supremely talented, Ronie Kendig's military thrillers are imprinted with an unparalleled combination of grit, courage, emotional intelligence and spiritual depth."

Indelible by Kristen Heitzmann

"Delving deep into their psyches, Indelible is character driven and darkly mysterious glimpse into the heart of a gifted woman and man driven to succeed beyond all measure."

Pompeii by T L Higley

"Pompeii: City on Fire will grab you by the throat, shake you around a little and eventually let go, leaving you enlivened and deeply satisfied. A consummate storyteller, TL Higley's talent shines in this story of adventure, danger, intrigue and love."

Freedom's Stand by Jeanette Windle

"Unflinchingly honest in her portrayal of political corruption and human rights abuses, the dilemmas and compromises faced by aid agencies and the positive and negative elements of Western intervention, Jeanette sheds light on the plight of the Afghan people in a confronting and challenging manner."

Waterfall, Cascade & Torrent by Lisa T Bergren

Waterfall: "With more sword fights than The Princess Bride, more swoon worthy heroes than Twilight and adventure and intrigue in abundance, Lisa Tawn Bergren has penned a fabulous story in Waterfall."

Cascade: "The strength of Lisa's storytelling is in the intensity she generates in action scenes as Gabi confronts peril and pain, in the burgeoning romance as Marcello stakes his claim and in the conflict that battles in Gabi's soul as she faces a decision that may alter the future of her family forever."

Torrent: "Intrigue, corruption, secret societies and one gorgeous but ambiguous villain intensify the danger and romance, as Lisa weaves twists and turns together with heart pounding adventure into another unique and thrilling tale."

Paradise Valley by Dale Cramer

"Beautifully rendered and historically detailed, Caleb Bender's journey to Mexico in search of religious freedom for his family is an emotive, adventurous and engrossing read."

To Win Her Heart by Karen Witemeyer

"A heroic yet vulnerable hero, an uptight but compassionate heroine, humour, attraction, conflict and an oversized, cantankerous dog called Ornery ~ what's not to love?"

The Colonel's Lady by Laura Frantz

"Evocative, poignant and joyous, The Colonel's Lady is a story to savour again and again."

The Queen by Steven James

An exceptional wordsmith and intricate plotter, thrillers really don't get much better than this.

Yesterday's Tomorrow by Catherine West

"Gritty. Compelling. Moving. Catherine West's debut novel epitomises these words as she plunges the reader into a much derided war and a time in history many wish to forget."

It was so hard to leave some fabulous reads out so I need to mention Jody Hedlund's The Doctor's Lady, Susan May Warren's Heiress and Baby, It's Cold Outside, Terri Blackstock's Shadow in Serenity and To Die For by Sandra Byrd!

The Queen by Steven James

Synopsis:~

While investigating a double homicide in an isolated northern Wisconsin town, FBI Special Agent Patrick Bowers uncovers a high-tech conspiracy that twists through long-buried Cold War secrets and targets present-day tensions in the Middle East.

My take:~

Super talented story teller, Steven James, returns with his fifth Patrick Bowers thriller, The Queen, providing readers with another spine-chilling story  brimming with plot twists,  enigmatic characters and a frozen landscape that takes on a personality of its own.  Multi layered in every way, James delves more deeply into Patrick's family and personal life, revealing familial tension and awkwardness, all with good reason.  Succinct chapters keep the pace moving although readers will need to focus on the multiple points of view that are regularly rotated.  Crime scenes are detailed authentically and therefore are not for the feint of heart and James' words command an emotional investment in the journeys of Patrick, Alexei, Valkyrie and the victims.  The Queen is a sophisticated psychological thriller that will satisfy any reader looking for a superior storytelling experience with the guarantee of more to come from Steven James.

Available September 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

With thanks to Revell for my review copy

Relz Reviewz Extras

Visit Steven's website and blog

Buy Steven's books at Amazon or Koorong

Coming in mid 2010 from Revell

Okay, I admit it! I get giddy with excitement discovering new books, their covers and blurbs :) The only downside is their release dates ;-)

Here are the latest from Revell's website ~ don't make me choose, I love the look and sound of them all! Just can't help myself ~ how about you?

As always, click on the links for more.


This Fine Life by Eva Marie Everson

It is the summer of 1959 and Mariette Puttnam has just graduated from boarding school. When she returns to her privileged life at home, she isn't sure where life will take her. More schooling? A job? Marriage? Nothing feels right. How could she know that the answer is waiting for her within the narrow stairwell of her father's apparel factory, exactly between the third and fourth floors?

In this unique and tender story of an unlikely romance, popular author Eva Marie Everson takes readers on a journey through the heart of a young woman bound for the unknown. Readers will experience the joys of new love, the perseverance of true friendship, and the gift of forgiveness that comes from a truly fine life.

Releasing May, 2010

It Had To Be You by Janice Thompson

Bella couldn't be happier that her long-feuding Aunt Rosa and Uncle Lazarro have finally admitted their love for one another and are getting married. Their forties-style wedding is sure to be a night to remember. But when the Rossi house begins to fill up with family from Italy--and an old mobster from New Jersey--life starts to get complicated.

Will Lazarro's friend from the past drive the happy couple apart once more? And will Bella ever have time to think of her own rapidly-approaching wedding amidst the chaos?

Full of laugh-out-loud humor, plenty of Italian passion, and a bit of Texas gumption, It Had to Be You is the satisfying conclusion to an entertaining series.

Releasing May, 2010





Flabbergasted by Ray Blackston

When Flabbergasted stormed on the scene in 2003, the reviews came fast and furious:

"Good writing and an ample dose of humor make this as charming as Bridget Jones's Diary from the male point of view."--Library Journal

"Blackston's novel will tickle your literary taste buds with a relational gumbo of quirky characters."--Christian Book Previews

"Amazing. A novel that is simultaneously serious, hilarious, and impossible to put down."--The Dallas Morning News

"With a colorful cast of quirky characters and a plot full of surprises, this is one of the feel-good novels of the year."--CCM

Now this summertime favorite about a single stock broker looking for love in the murky waters of the southern church singles scene is repackaged with a hot new look.


Releasing May, 2010





A Love of Her Own by Maggie Brendan

April McBride has suffered a broken engagement once before and fully intends to guard her heart when she travels to Billings, Montana, to attend her brother's wedding. One look around the small mining town convinces April that this won't be difficult--just a bunch of dusty shops, bad service, and ill-bred cowboys. But a run-in with a horse trainer named Wes Owen opens up vast possibilities for frustration, embarrassment, friendship, and . . . love?

Can April and Wes see past their differences in order to envision a future together?

Readers will love going on this adventurous, spark-filled ride through turn-of-the-century Montana.

Releasing June, 2010





The Homecoming by Dan Walsh

No sooner is Shawn Collins home from the fighting in Europe than he is called upon to serve his country in another way--as a speaker on the war bond tour. While other men might jump at the chance to travel around the country with attractive Hollywood starlets, Shawn just wants to stay home with his son Patrick and the aging father with whom he has finally reconciled.

When Shawn taps Katherine Townsend to be Patrick's nanny while he's on the road, he has no idea that she will be the key to his future happiness and the mending of his heart.

This heartwarming story of tender love and fresh starts will capture readers.

Releasing June, 2010






Touching the Clouds by Bonnie Leon

Kate Evans is an adventurous and independent young woman with a pioneering spirit. She pilots a mail-delivery plane in the forbidding Alaskan wilderness, the lone woman in a male profession. But even that seems easy compared to finding true love. She likes a fellow pilot and would even consider marrying him--if it weren't for Paul, a mysterious man on her mail route with a gentle spirit and a past to hide.

Can Kate break through the walls Paul has put up around his heart? And will her quest for adventure be her demise?

Book 1 in the Alaskan Skies series, Touching the Clouds will draw readers in with raw emotion and suspense, all against the stunning backdrop of the Alaskan wilds.

Releasing July, 2010





The Seeker by Ann H. Gabhart

Charlotte Vance is a young woman who knows what she wants. But when the man she planned to marry joins the Shakers--a religious group that does not marry--she is left dumbfounded. And when her father brings home a new wife who is young enough to be Charlotte's sister, it is more than she can bear. With the country--and her own household--on the brink of civil war, this pampered gentlewoman hatches a plan to avoid her new stepmother and win back her man by joining the Shaker community at Harmony Hill. Little does she know that this decision will lead her down a road toward unforeseen peace--and a very unexpected love.

Ann H. Gabhart brings alive the strikingly different worlds of the Southern gentry, the simple Shakers, and the ravages of war to weave a touching story of love, freedom, and forgiveness that sticks with readers long after they have turned the last page.

Releasing July, 2010






Courting Morrow Little by Laura Frantz

Morrow Little is haunted by the memory of the day her family was torn apart by raiding Shawnee warriors. Now that she is nearly a grown woman and her father is ailing, she must make difficult choices about the future. Several men--ranging from the undesired to the unthinkable--vie for her attentions, but she finds herself inexplicably drawn to a forbidden love that both terrifies and intrigues her.

Can she betray the memory of her lost loved ones--and garner suspicion from her friends--by pursuing a life with him? Or should she seal her own misery by marrying a man she doesn't love?

This sweeping tale of romance and forgiveness will envelop readers as it takes them from a Kentucky fort through the vast wilderness to the west in search of true love.

Releasing July, 2010




The Bishop by Steven James

FBI Special Agent Patrick Bowers's cutting-edge 21st-century geospatial investigative techniques and impeccable logic have helped him track some of the country's most grisly killers. But those skills are pushed to the limit in this new installment of the highly-acclaimed, award-winning The Bowers Files series.

This time it's a congressman's daughter who is found dead even as her killers launch a spree of perfect murders in the Northeast. With nothing to link the crimes to each other, Agent Bowers faces his most difficult case yet--even as his personal life begins to crumble around him.

Known for his intricately woven, masterfully plotted novels of high-octane action and spine-tingling suspense, Steven James delivers once again. The Bishop is a gripping, adrenaline-laced story for readers who are tired of timid thrillers. Strap on your seatbelt and get ready for a wild ride. The game is on.

Releasing August, 2010