The Books I Reread Most

I listed the books I gave the highest ratings too in my database last week, but these weren't necessarily books I reread. It made me start thinking, though, what were the books I reread most often? I was going to go with my top 10, but I had a few too many for that, so it's going to be a top twenty list. :-)

These titles are in no particular order, just how I found them as I looked through my bookshelves.

1. The Skypirate by Justine Davis - futuristic 1995 ~ This title made my top ten highest rated books too. I don't want to repeat myself, so I'll just say that IMO, this is the best futuristic that's been written.
   


2. Cool Under Fire by Justine Davis - Silhouette Intimate Moments #444 1992 ~ This is the first romance I remember reading that had a heroine that really was "Cool Under Fire." Her brother is a Navy intelligence officer who becomes friends with a civilian troubleshooter. This troubleshooter ends up nearly unconscious on her bed and she more than holds her own with him. Great story!
   


3. The Morning Side of Dawn by Justine Davis - Silhouette Intimate Moments #674 1995 ~ Fabulous, touching story. Hero is disabled and has withdrawn from society. The heroine is a drop-dead gorgeous supermodel who's dealt with people not looking beyond the surface to who she is inside. Together, these two people manage to heal each other. I can't say enough good things about this book.
   


4. Midnight Rainbow by Linda Howard - Silhouette Intimate Moments #129 1986 ~ I found Linda Howard late, but thankfully, I was able to hunt down her backlist and found this little gem. Actually, nearly all her books are gems, but this one is extra good. The hero is hired by the heroine's father to rescue her. She's been kidnapped and held hostage in South America. Only Jane isn't sitting around, waiting to be rescued--she has her own plans to escape. A quirky, kick-butt heroine, one who shakes the hero's world up good. Gotta love that!
   


5. Shades of Twilight by Linda Howard - romantic suspense 1997 ~ Not only does this book have mystery and suspense, it has deep, deep emotion. The heroine has been systematically stripped her self-esteem by an older, jealous cousin, who later ends up murdered. Ten years later, though, Roanna has come into her own and is a match for the hero--in her own quietly stubborn way. Definitely a few places that bring tears to the eyes, especially the scene that starts when Webb says, "What in the hell have y'all done to Roanna?"
   


6. Kill and Tell by Linda Howard - romantic suspense 1998 ~ Marc Chastain--need I say more? Talk about one hot hero! A friend and I were at the Romance Writers of America conference the year it was in New Orleans and we went looking for the places Ms Howard described in the French Quarter. We even took pictures of the police station where Marc must have worked. ;-) This book has a bit more suspense than romance, but the romance is still more than strong enough to satisfy. And then there's Marc Chastain.
   


7. Gift of Gold by Jayne Ann Krentz - romance with light suspense 1993 ~ The hero tracks the heroine all the way from Mexico to the Pacific Northwest. He's a former professor who left academia because of his psychic talent. With the heroine's help, however, he can control it and explore his abilities. The heroine thinks he's wasting his time as a dishwasher in her restaurant and isn't shy about letting him know it. She's also disturbed by the attraction between them. JAK gets the psychic stuff right which really pleases me.
   


8. Crystal Flame by Jayne Ann Krentz - futuristic romance 1994 ~ I really wish JAK still wrote futuristics like this, one where she really worldbuilds and doesn't use things like dogcat or cofftea. Here, there really are new names for animals and things and a fabulous story on top of it. The heroine is sent to assassinate the hero's boss since her aunt had a vision that the boss killed the heroine's family. She fails and ends up with a temporary trade alliance marriage to the hero. There's some suspense and a plot to use the h/h by a cult. This is a fun futuristic read!
   


9. Bad to the Bone by Debra Dixon - Loveswept #774 1996 ~ This just might be the best series romance book ever written. It's close because there are some other tremendous books out there, and not just the ones on this list or my highest rated list, but this one is extra special. Ms Dixon does not pull her punches and delivers one HELL of a read. The heroine is a retired assassin who goes to help her boss's daughter find her missing father. The hero is a cop working in the boonies because he was on the verge of losing his soul in Houston. Together, these two strike sparks off each other like you wouldn't believe. The heroine lies, she actually kills and then coldly covers it up and the hero matches wits with her all the way. I can't say enough good things about this book. If you like kick-ass heroines, authors who don't pull their punches and a romance that sizzles, you're going to want to find a copy of Bad to the Bone. Highly recommended.
   


10. Born in Fire by Nora Roberts - single title romance 1994 ~ It's hard to pick a favorite Nora Roberts book, but this one is a story I reread often. Maybe it's because I can identify with the creative temperament of Maggie, but I just plain enjoy this story and the heat between the hero and heroine. I also like that despite her toughness, Maggie is vulnerable and tender where it counts.

I think I'm going to have to leave this here since I'm running out of time. I'll finish the list in part 2 tomorrow! To be continued...

MN Weather Report: 33 degrees. Wind Chill: 28 degrees. Yes, it's May. Sigh.