Chick-Lit
Underneath It All by Margo Candela -- A debut novel; chick-lit with an authentic Latina flair.
Secret Society Girl by Diana Peterfreund -- More chick-lit but with Ivy League panache and a wonderful sense of humor.Women's Fiction
Somebody's Knocking at My Door by Francis Ray -- I love pretty much anything Ms. Ray writes. Can you tell?
Jump at the Sun by Kim McLarin -- I was initially disappointed because the marketing and blogosphere had me thinking this was a romance. But once I adjusted my expectations, I loved it for what it was -- a moving, thoughtful examination of one woman's relationships.Young Adult
Black and White and Rucker Park Setup, both by Paul Volponi -- Two great, gritty young adult novels set in New York City and targeted at teen boys but enjoyable for all readers 
-- Anything with basketball and NYC works for me so these very well-written and thought-provoking novels were tops.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling --What can I say that hasn't been said? Great book and great conclusion. Ms. Rowling deserves her props. Harry and the bunch will be missed.Writing Craft
Scene and Structure by Jack Bickham -- Opened my eyes to the ebb and flow of chapters and scenes through scene and sequel.
Plot and Structure by James Bell Scott -- This one put some of Mr. Bickham's concepts into everyday language.
Telling the Tale: An African-American Fiction Writer's Guide by Angela Benson -- Gave me a sense of how one might approach first draft and revision in a methodical fashion. The engineer in me, as in Ms. Benson, likes methodical. I'm planning to incorporate a bit of her process into writing my next manuscript.
Almost, not quite...
Just a couple more new-to-me romance authors I read in the last week (I've been devouring them as fast the sugar cookies we made!)
Miracle On Christmas Eve by Shirley Jump --Cute and humorous holiday romance. Like how the humor incorporated the holiday theme.
Cross My Heart by Carly Phillips -- Heard about this for a long time. Should have read it sooner. Fast-paced but not over the top, which I think is hard for a single title. Great characters.
Win, Lose...or Wed! by Melissa McClone --Snappy, fast-paced reality show plot with likeable characters and zany antics.That's it. My favorites out of 157 reads this year. I'm done!
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Thank you one and all for your encouragement in 2007.
As you celebrate this end of year, be safe and make healthy choices. Begin the new year with thanksgiving and hope.
Here's to a tremendous year of reading and writing (much more writing) in 2008!
Happy New Year's everyone!
Peace & Blessings,
Patricia
Peace & Blessings,
Patricia
Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.
A Legal Affair by Maureen Smith -- Didn't take notes back in January but Ms. Smith is on my short-list of romantic suspense authors to read. 
So Dark The Night by Margaret Daley -- Well-crafted story, which interweaves the suspense equally with the faith elements. 
The Root of All Evil by Brandt Dobson -- Could have been classified as inspirational or suspense but I'm putting it here because I was "pleasantly surprised this was Christian fiction; unusally gritty; very enjoyable".
Every Reasonable Doubt by Pamela Samuels-Young -- "Some romantic elements but largely a smart, suspenseful who-dunnit." This was a page-turner, one that kept me up reading way too late into the night.
Speak No Evil by Allison Brennan -- First of a trilogy, at times spine-tingling. Definitely plan to finish the series.
You Belong to Me by Patricia Sargeant -- "Fantastic, gripping story". A particularly good debut, this one put Ms. Sargeant on my list of definite-read authors.
New England White by Stephen G. Carter -- "Intriguing murder mystery, putting a microscope on race and politics at the highest levels". It's long and starts out a bit slow but this story about upper class African Americans is worth the read.
One Last Breath by Laura Griffin -- I'm amazed by authors who put together the elements of romantic suspense so well in their debut offering, including an unexpected and intriguing ending. 
The Last Noel by Heather Graham -- Very satisfying Christmas read; gripping suspense; a study in how to do more than two POVs successfully. I also read Ms. Graham's The Dead Room, which was more haunting, but this was my favorite of the two.
The Amen Sisters by Angela Benson -- "Engrossing, thought-provoking Christian fiction. Another Benson delight." Ms. Benson's Awakening Mercy was one of the first Christian novels I read with African-American characters. I've been reading her books ever since and have never been disappointed. This one deals with love and relationships among sisters and within the church.
Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers -- This novel is spoken about in almost reverent tones, the quintessential Christian novel so to speak. After hearing about it for a couple of years, I finally broke down and read it. It was everything I heard and more. "Riveting; raw (in subject matter) but restrained; gripping but not graphic; Biblical story placed in 19th/early 20th century setting."
Abraham's Well by Sharon Foster Ewell -- "Interesting historical; poignant" I loved this book set against the backdrop of the post-Civil war times and the Buffalo soldiers, the African-Americans and Native-Americans who fought in the US military even as the US government stole their land. 
Georgia on My Mind by Rachel Hauck -- One of the first inspirational chick-lit books I read. It carries a gentle faith message and the prose is like smooth jazz.
Boaz Brown by Michelle Stimpson -- This inspirational chick-lit challenges beliefs about love and racial issues. For those familiar with the COGIC church, an African-American Pentecostal denomination, you'll bust your sides with laughter.
Spring Rain by Gayle Roper -- First in the "Seasons" series, this one deals with "homosexuality and promiscuity issues" in a "gentle but certainly not subtle" fashion. Not a common topic for Christian fiction. As much as I enjoyed this one, however, I didn't care for the Summer book quite as much and haven't read the other two yet.
A Sin and A Shame by Victoria Christopher Murray -- Another author of AA Christian I've been with since her first book. This one was "enjoyable; an unusual inspirational love story because it addresses what is means to be truly saved, as well as forgiveness."
The Fragrance of Roses by Nikki Arana -- I discovered Ms. Arana in 2006. Her multicultural novels are so beautiful in content and language that they gave me chills. The third book in the Regalo Grande series, it is "uncompromising, unapologetic Christian fiction; refreshing and inspiring."
The EX Files by Victoria Christopher Murray -- Another great book from Ms. Murray. I always laugh, cry, and learn with her characters. 
Demon: A Memoir by Tosca Lee -- Possibly the best book I've read all year. This one is particularly for anyone who is spiritually inquistiveness. For Christians, it will make you think about satan and demons in a new and different way.
Snow Angel by Jaime Carie -- Ms. Carie's prose is poetic and her romance, set in the Klondike during the Gold Rush, is both riveting and soothing. (See below to win a copy!)
Bad Heiress Day by Allie Pleiter -- I lost this book four times. In my house. Every time I wanted to start it, I coudldn't find it. For months. I'm glad I finally did. "Great voice. Heartwarming chicklit/women's fiction without over the head message."