Top Pick for Historical Romance: "Seduce Me At Sunrise" by Lisa Kleypas (Honorable mentions to "Duke of Shadows" by Meredith Duran, "Broken Wing" by Judith James & "Like No Other Lover" by Julie Anne Long) - I chose SMAS because it was such an emotionally-charged story that stayed with me long after I read it. Kev loved Win so much, and it was a feeling that scared him beyond anything else because he truly believed he didn't deserve her. Instead of accepting Kev's decision, Win chose to fight for him, and prove that they belonged together instead of apart. It was just such a beautiful love story.

Top Pick for Contemporary Romance: "Blue-Eyed Devil" by Lisa Kleypas. This story gets my pick for best contemporary because Ms. Kleypas took a horrible situation that the heroine was going through and made her a strong character, one that was brave enough to save herself, and find love again. It was painful, yes, but poignantly so, and the end result was immensely satisfying. It just proves that Ms. Kleypas is considerably talented writing in any genre.

Top Pick for Paranormal Romance: "When Twilight Burns" by Colleen Gleason (is this paranormal romance? Well it gets my vote). Here's where we get a sense of what Victoria truly wants, and it's both exhilerating and heartbreaking to see her choose between two amazing men. Also, I feel Victoria is one of the strongest heroines, yet she's ultimately human, and tends to make mistakes as we all do. She's not invincible, and I believe this is what makes it easier to relate to her as a woman.

Top Pick for Urban Fantasy: "Cry Wolf" by Patricia Briggs. I'm not a huge reader of urban fantasy, but I loved the mythology behind the Alpha/Omega existence. Anna is a woman who has no clue as to her strength, what she's truly capable of as an Omega, and Charles is just the man to bring it to her attention and worship her in the way she deserves. He doesn't coddle her, though he does protect her, but sees her as being his equal and takes pride in her abilities instead of being intimidated by them.

Top Pick for Romantic Suspense: "Death Angel" by Linda Howard. A different kind of a love story, but one very potent and unforgettable. The hero and heroine don't start out very likeable, but as we get to explore their pasts and the paths they've chosen, we begin to understand them, and I think sometimes the best love stories are the ones that leave you feeling a little uncomfortable because they are not black and white, but full of shades of gray.

Top Pick for Erotic Romance/Erotica: "Wicked Burn" by Beth Kery (Honorable mention: "Flat-Out Sexy" by Erin McCarthy). I love erotic romance, and read a lot of it, but it's been a long time since I've read such a sexy book that was so incredibly emotional at the same time. The characters initially communicate physically, both feeling a strong sexual connection between them that neither can walk away from. This connection becomes stronger as they let their bodies do the talking, and it totally worked within the context of this particular story. Bold and evocative, "Wicked Burn" brings two lost souls together in the most basic, primitive way, one that leads them to a powerful and empowering love.

Top Pick for Debut Novel: "Just the Sexiest Man Alive" by Julie James. Snappy, sexy, fun and interesting, I was amazed that this was the author's first novel. I kept flipping the pages, wanting more and more. I loved how strong and smart the heroine was, how she put the arrogant hero in his place. I loved seeing the change in them both, and how they genuinely liked each other and got to know each other before falling in love. It made it all the sweeter when it finally did happen. Ms. James is an author to watch.

Favorite Hero: Kev Merripen from "Seduce Me @ Sunrise" - Kev was unforgettable. Truly a tortured hero, one who would give his life again and again for the woman he loves, and lives only for her happiness, even if he can never have her himself. Another thing I liked about him was that he was also smart, and creative, and could manage an estate and became the person everyone else turned to when they needed someone in charge. Kev proved to be a rare and wonderful hero, and nothing pleased me more than when he let himself be loved.

Favorite Heroine: Win Hathaway from "Seduce Me @ Sunrise" - no silly, insipid heroine could have captured Kev the way Win did. She may have appeared fragile, but underneath was a strength and a determination to build a life with the one man she can not forget. And with the courage of a woman in love, she fights to win him. I love a heroine who is not what she seems, and Win proves she's way more than a delicate lady. She is a brave, formiddable woman who sets out to do the impossible, and succeeds.

Book of the Year: "Seduce Me @ Sunrise" by LK & "Trial By Fire" by Jo Davis. This is a tie because I believe both of these books are grand in their own right. SMAS because of the incredible love story between two people who were destined to be together, even if one of them couldn't see it that way.

TbF because of, well, Howard. Here was a gorgeous, capable hero who couldn't see why he was so special, and the heroine who made him realize that despite all he'd suffered, he could be happy, that he deserved it, and she wanted to be the woman who convinced him of that. Howard was also amazing because he loved Kat just as she was, and didn't want her to change. Kat was not the perfect, thin, biddable woman, and she was completely comfortable in her own skin. She was a very empowering heroine, and one I would like to see more of in the books I read.

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Favorite Series 0f 2008: Normally I would answer the "In Death" books, but I'm only up to book #20 and I haven't been keeping up with them - my goal for 2009. So I am going to go with Colleen Gleason's Gardella series, which I started, and devoured, in 2008. Being a huge fan of BtVS, I felt these books pay tribute to the beloved series but offer a fresh approach to being a vampire slayer, and I would love it if Colleen wrote a present-day Gardella story. I truly believe it can be done.

Favorite author of 2008: Hmm, tough one, since I met so many, and really enjoyed talking with them. But I'm giving my vote to Lisa Kleypas, who I haven't met, but who elicited such an emotional response from me with at least two of her books this year - "Blue-Eyed Devil" and "Seduce Me at Sunrise". She is an icon, and I hope one day I do get the chance to meet her.

Favorite 2008 re-read: Anne Bishop's Black Jewels Trilogy. I believe I first read this series about 10 years ago, and I don't remember what prompted me to get them, but am I ever so glad I did. Ms. Bishop has created a fascinating world filled with unforgettable characters, incredible power, and a love that transcends time. These stories have never been far from my mind, and I was glad to see several of my friends picking them up for the first time and falling in love with them, just like I did many years ago.

Favorite Review site of 2008: RomanceNovel.TV And not just because I became a reviewer there in '08. Why did I choose this site? Because out of any other website, I got more wonderful book recommendations in 2008 from RNTV than any other, hands-down. I had heard of RNTV since the beginning, but it wasn't until this past year that I really started looking into what they had to offer, and it turned out that it was the perfect kind of website for someone like me. I love how Marisa & Maria have made it such a friendly community, where everyone feels like a part of the process, and the recommendations are numerous and varied.

Favorited Reader Review site of 2008: BookBinge! Aw I love these guys - they're smart, funny, outspoken, and they are very passionate about books. They have great author reviews, awesome contests, and offer honest opinions on the books they loved, or didn't. BB has evolved over the years, gotten better, and I think they strive to bring us the best blog possible, never willing to settle for mediocre.

Favorite blog: Na uh, ain't going there. It's too hard to narrow it down to one, but I would like to give a shout out to some of the blogs I've visited in 2008, whether for the first time, or for the 100th, so in no particular order: Adventures in Katidom, Ramblings on Romance, B(u)y the Book, Plotmonkeys, Deadline Hellions, Babbling About Books, Ahhhh Romance, Happily Ever After, Kelly Nyrae's Blog, Laurie's Laudanum, RomanceBookWyrm, the Book Smugglers, Sula's Space, DIK blog, What Women Read, Ann Aguirre's Blog, Colleen Gleason's blog, Good Reads, LeeAnn 101, Fresh Fiction, AccessRomance, Alison Kent's blog, HelenKay Dimon's blog, Sylvia Day's blog, Romantic Times, Kate Davies' blog, Lucy Monroe's blog, Vamps & Scamps...and a whole boatload of others which I am ashamed to have not mentioned here, damn bad memory.

Here's to a even better reading year in 2009!

Awww. Aren't these guys just precious? Almost nothing sweeter in the world than the face of a puppy, unless it's two puppies *g* I needed something cute and sweet to focus on after the last week or so of watching the news. Everytime you turn around there's something else to get upset about, whether it's the awful economy, the faulty banking industry, people losing jobs, the price of gas - you name it, there's so much bad stuff going on right now.

I work for a credit union, and there's nothing more frustrating than having to stand aside and keep quiet, even when you know you can help people, because they just don't believe what you have to say. People can't trust anyone these days, and no matter what you tell them, no matter how true it is, people panic, or do what they're gonna do and damn the consequences. You can't completely blame them; these are such uncertain and shaky times and people's confidence has been tested beyond their endurance. Sometimes you just have to ride out the storm and pray it ends soon. For everyone's sake.

So these days I actually dread going into work. I don't hate it, but I don't feel enthusiastic about getting up and facing another day. I'm constantly grateful I have a place to go to, and that I don't have to worry about losing my job, so I try to stay upbeat. It's not always easy. Especially when you see your friends who work in other industries losing their jobs, or unable to pay their bills. It's hard to stay positive.

Of course you can't focus on the bad stuff all the time, otherwise you'll just go crazy. Fall is here, with all its beauty, and although it's not my favorite time of year because it's getting colder and winter is not far away, I can't help but be dazzled by the gorgeously vibrant colors. And the scent of cinnamon and apples, pumpkin spice, bonfires and toasted marshmellows, these are all cozy, happy smells that make me smile.

And with fall comes the fall t.v. season. Though I don't watch t.v., I can't help but get caught up in the enthusiasm over a new show, or the return of an old favorite. I remember that feeling very well. And only feel a twinge of regret that I'm not as addicted as I once was to the tube. I was obsessed.

Of course there is always the fall books to look forward to, and this year is no exception. I've been lucky enough to read some of my most coveted 2008 stories from Lisa Kleypas and Julia Quinn, and can't wait to get my hands on the holiday books that usually come out in October.

Sports! The baseball season is not over yet, and teams are duking it out as they fight to get into the World Series. Football is just starting, which is definitely a fall sport. I'm more of a hockey fan myself, but as long as the action is exciting, I can get into a good game of almost any kind.

I am a horrible blogger. There, I said it. It's true. Being the neglectful and self-absorbed person that I am, I have a tendency not to go back and respond to comments people make to my posts - shame on me.

Oh I try to, and the comments even show up in my email as a reminder, but sometimes I just don't go back and read them, or respond to them, maybe because I don't go on the computer for days at a time, or I only visit certain sites (and mine isn't always one of them) because when I am online I just don't always have the time to visit all the places I like to go. My blogging time is limited since I can't access them at work while I'm on break, so my place usually is the one that gets left behind.

How about you: do you respond to all the comments on your blog? Do you check back with the blogs you visit to see if anyone responds to your comments? Does it bother you if no one does? Should I be thanking my lucky stars that people actually come and read the crap I write? Go ahead, you can tell me, I can take it. I won't cry. Much.

In other news, I picked up the latest Rachel Gibson, who, by the way, has an updated website, and gosh, I love her longer hair - she's a goddess. And I can't wait to read her new one. And thanx to one of the reigning book pimps surfing the 'net, (ahem, MK) I've also picked up Nalini Singh's "Slave to Sensation" and....."Visions of Heat". She had me at hot, tortured hero.

And is it me, or does McDonald's Vanilla iced coffee rock or what? I am completely addicted, sometimes drinking 2 or even 3 mediums in a DAY. Please don't anyone tell me how many calories I'm slurping down, I don't need any more guilt.

And, AND, Jodi, this one's for you: Haagen-Dazs has brought back the most awesomest ice cream EVER invented: sticky toffee pudding! Thanx to that enabler (aka Jodi) I have been in heaven (eating a pint never tasted so good) and hell (what, a limited time?!) but after seeing an ad in a woman's magazine yesterday, I went to HD's website and confirmed this as of today. And no, none of these locations are anywhere near me since I live in the 'burbs, but they are in the near vicinity, and that's a good thing, because if ever I am in danger of running out, I can always brave the treacherous city streets for my latest fix. Some things are worth fighting for.

This is an older meme, one I avoided the last time around, but my pal MK tagged me, so I thought what the heck, I like to talk about myself, so here ya go:

Four jobs I've held:

1. Data Entry Operator

2. Benefit Analyst

3. Member Service Rep

4. Loan Officer

Perfect kisses, the kind that make you weak in the knees. Only in this instance I'm talking about the ones you watch in a movie, or read about in a book. You know, the ones that make you feel like they are almost happening to you.

I remember watching "Pretty Woman" when it first came out years ago and hearing Julia Roberts' character telling Richard Gere that they could do anything except kiss, because kissing was too personal, too intimate, and being young, I didn't really understand it at the time how a kiss could make a woman feel more vulnerable. It wasn't until a short time later than I understood exactly what that meant. There's just something about kissing someone that is so revealing, so unique, that you feel like you are giving away so much of yourself. Think about all the kisses you've had over the years, and the ones that really stay with you, the ones that make you melt, the ones that were the complete opposite of the icky, slobbery tongue invasions that some guys seem to have, unfortunately, perfected over the years.

Kisses in movies and in books can be just as telling if they are done properly. Sometimes they can make your heart sigh, sometimes they fill you with anticipation, and other times they can even turn you on. A kiss in a movie can be more memorable than the most explicit of sex scenes.

One of my favorite kisses in the movies is the one between Julia (Drew Barrymore) and Robbie (Adam Sandler) in "The Wedding Singer". Julia's best friend/cousin is asking her about the kind of kiss to expect from Julia and her groom at their upcoming wedding, but Julia has trouble putting it into words, so her cousin says "show me" and has Julia kiss Robbie, who is not Julia's fiance but her friend who's helplessly falling in love with her. Not wanting to turn it into a big deal, he agrees to help her demonstrate. At first they are laughing about it, but soon they both get a little caught up in the kiss, unbeknownst to Julia's cousin, and Julia starts to wonder if maybe Robbie is the one she really has feelings for. The kiss is sweet, yet intense, and definitely a moment of clarity for both Robbie and Julia. I loved this scene.

Another favorite kiss of mine is from my all-time favorite movie, "East of Eden", with James Dean and Julie Harris. Cal (James Dean) is the bad brother, the one who always gets into trouble, yet he's drawn to his brother Aron's perfect fiancee Abra (Julie Harris), who is reluctantly attracted to him as well. As time goes by, Abra gets to see a side of Cal that no one else does, and realizes she knows him better, and connects with him more completely than she does her own fiance, yet she can't help but feel guilty about it. One evening, Abra is paired with Cal at the town carnival, and she talks with him and even flirts with him, and they end up going up on the ferris wheel together. As it stops at the top, letting people off, Cal and Abra share a sweet yet forbidden kiss that leaves them both miserable because of their growing feelings for each other.

One kissing scene that stands out in a book is Zsadist's and Bella's first kiss in "Lover Awakened". Z has never been kissed before, so it kind of freaks him out, but the guy is a fast learner:

It gets more explicit after that, but wow, taken in context, that kiss is stunning, and one of the most memorable scenes in the book, imo.

I was doing my blog-hopping this morning, and it got me wondering: what is your favorite blog or blogs? I plan on posting with more detail at a later time, giving you my preferred list, but I'm just curious what you guys like out in blogland, and why?

Most of mine are on the right sidebar, and I try to visit them at least once a week if possible, but I don't always have the chance to do it. One thing is, I don't have access to blogs at work. Nope, I get a nasty "access denied" up on the screen telling me my internet useage is being monitored. So my time is rather limited for blogging.