Top 5 Sundays #18 - Great Books I Read Because of a Blogger's Recommendation/Review

This week's Top 5 theme is Great Books I Read Because of a Blogger's Recommendation/Review and I have a confession to make right off the bat. Truth be told, while I do know which books were recommended to me (as opposed to merely coming upon them online or in store), in most cases I have a completely wretched grasp on the memory of who it was that did the recommending. So, I'd like to say now that frequent book blogging haunts of mine include:

 Amberkatze's Book Blog was my original book blog haunt. It hosts great interviews with authors from a variety of paranormal genres and formats, has giveaways almost every week, sponsors a monthly giveaway for subscribers with the book prize voted on by said subscribers, and has comprehensive and straightforward reviews of those books and more.

Heroes and Heartbreakers.com is an incredible site, especially if you've got a hankering for some romance. It not only does reviews and contests, it provides recaps of television shows and movies, gives opinions on various elements of romance, runs comparisons of movies and books, and a gazillion other things all meant to help you find your way to the perfect fictional romantic escape.

Literary Escapism has a whole slew of elements that make it great - interviews, contests, reviews, reading challenges - but by far the most handy feature of this site are the lists. Jackie, the brains behind LE, makes fantastic lists keeping track of all upcoming releases which is invaluable when one's planning their book budget for the month or the year. I also love her collection of newly unveiled cover art most easily seen on her Facebook page.

 

Larissa's Bookish Life - this blog offers some great features: it originated Top 5 Sundays, it hosts numerous contests and interviews and it even has personal diary posts on a wide range of topics not just books. Add in some amazing graphics and a easy to navigate site design and it's no small wonder why this site holds my interest. Not to mention that Larissa, the dame behind the name, has a great personality that infuses every aspect of her site, top to bottom! (Pimpin' my Ship #1!)

And now, without further ado, I give you my Top 5 Great Books I Read Because of a Blogger's Recommendation/Review!

#5 -  Blood Rights by Kristen Painter

Someone described this book's hero as "Geisha gone the way of Mulan" and its hero as "the Hulk gone Dark Side." It was definitely the right way of gaining my attention.

#4 - Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase

Ilona Andrews was talking on her blog about having read another of Loretta Chase's books - Silk is for Seduction - and mentioned in the comments that "Lady Chase’s heroines are never helpless. In fact, in LORD OF SCOUNDRELS the heroine shoots the hero." Really, why would more incentive than that be needed?

#3 - Grimspace by Ann Aguirre

"It's Firefly with a twist," someone said so I read the first book. And the second. And so on. Turns out, it's one hell of a twist.

#2 - Working for the Devil by Lilith Saintcrow

I bought the book because it seemed to always be about and finally I just bought it to keep from picking up every time I went to the bookstore. I read it, however, after reading a review that summarized this book in such a way that I had to see for myself if it stood up to the hype. It does.

#1 - Touched by an Alien by Gini Koch

This book - and series, for that matter - got a lot of internet coverage and finally I caved to peer pressure and picked the first book up.  The internet had it right - the humour alone made these books work the read.

Ta da! My Top 5 Great Books I Read Because of a Blogger's Recommendation and/or Review! 

Until next week, my pretties! Adieu!