Monday, March 06, 2006

AAR 2005 Annual Reader Poll

AAR released the results of their annual reader poll and I was pleased to see that I voted for several books that won in their categories. However, there were several winning books that I read and failed to love as much as others obviously did. Most notably was Mr. Impossible by Loretta Chase. I read it last April and gave it a B, and I can't honestly remember a thing about it. Oh, well, c'est la vie.

Before I go off on a tirade on a couple of category winners that I disagree with, I want to do a happy dance for all those books and authors I voted for that won.

Favorite Funny: Match Me If You Can by SEP

Most Lucious Love Story: Passion by Lisa Valdez

Best New Author: Lisa Valdez

Best Traditional Regency: Dedication by Janet Mullany

Best Contemporary: Match Me If You Can by SEP

Best Romantic Suspense: Black Ice by Anne Stuart (Yaaaay!! So glad another Brockmann didn't win again!)

Best Chick Lit: The Givenchy Code by Julie Kenner

Most Annoying Lead: Blair Mallory, To Die For by Linda Howard (I'm a LH fangirl but she just grated on my nerves.)

I was very disappointed to see that Ride the Fire by Pamela Clare didn't win anything! This book was my favorite American Historical vote with another vote for Most Tortured Hero. Also His Secondhand Wife by Cheryl St. John was WAY better than Till Next We Meet by Karen Ranney in the Most-Hanky-Read (didn't read A Breath of Snow & Ashes - burned out with Gabaldon).

I'm totally pissed at myself. I forgot about how much I HATED What Do You Say to a Naked Elf? and left the 'Worst Read' category blank. Around chapter 3 I heaved it against the wall, and didn't log it into my spreadsheet. That'll teach me. My vote could have broken the tie! I loved Passion and I completely disagree with anyone who voted for it in the 'worst' category. Damn it!

Also, what's up with Passion for the Purple-est Prose? Most of the critics of Passion complained about how explicit it was. Yes, it was explicit and erotic (and I loved it). But in my opinion explicit is the opposite of purple prose.

I'm sounding like a cranky bitch today so I'd better duck and run.

4 comments:

Tara Marie said...

I couldn't finish that damned elf book, what absolute dreck.

I didn't get the purple prose for Passion thing and didn't it get honorable mention for needing hankies. I don't remember it being a tear jerker.

To Die For is probably one of my least favorite LH, which is tough to say as a LH fangirl and I found Blair annoying as hell.

And Warprize received honorable mention for medieval--it was an alternate reality, not a medieval.

Kristie (J) said...

Wow Renee - in some ways it's scary. Except for Blair (whom I loved) we really matched quite a bit (I'll post mine in a bit). I did remember the Elf & it got my vote, Ride the Fire - well nuff said, His Secondhand Wife - yep that's who I voted for too.

Rosario said...

Yep, definitely, the AAR reviewer and I (and me? always get that wrong) were the only ones to like the elf book.

Actually, I thought it was funny, but though I did write a positive review in my blog, whenever someone asks me for feedback about it, I don't recommend it outright.

ReneeW said...

Tara & Keishon: Yes, yes! I hate it when people vote for books in the wrong category (and the book wins!) How can so many people be clueless? :)

Kristie: It's amazing how alike we are. Blair's voice was too much like my daughter when she was a teenager and I've heard enough of that to last a lifetime. You only had sons (?) so didn't get that valley girl bit.

Rosario: Humor in books very rarely works for me. I just don't get it. I kept trying to read it but eventually it hit the wall. I'm going to read your review and see if I can figure out what went wrong.

Wow, I haven't touched my blog in over 6 years and I'm still logged in!  Good thing because I have no idea what my password is.  In ...