An awesome librarian (is there another kind?) forwarded me a link to this article from the Reference & User Services Quarterly (THAT IS THE SEXIEST NAME OVER OMG *PANT*) article from “The Alert Collector,” which offers five librarians’ suggestions on building a romance genre collection: Core Collections in Genre Studies: Romance Fiction 101. (Also, the sexiest title ever, and thank you Mr.MS. Wyatt (my apologies) for not writing something that referenced heaving bodices or man-titty).
From the article:
The RUSA Collection Development and Evaluation Section (CODES) voted to create a new juried list highlighting the best in genre literature. The Reading List, as the new list will be called, honors the single best title in eight genre categories: romance, mystery, science fiction, fantasy, horror, historical fiction, women’s fiction, and the adrenaline genre group consisting of thriller, suspense, and adventure.
I will start composing sonnets to the awesomeness of this decision in a moment, but first, I want to say, HELL YES and FUCK YEAH. I personally loved the genre fiction section - which totaled three shelves - at the library at my college, and only allowed myself to take one book per week, even if I finished it in one night. Otherwise, I’d get no other reading accomplished.
So to the RUSA, with your sexy, sassy name: MMMMMMWAH. Great idea. And to accomplish this task, they gathered five librarians to profile a subgenre of romance: contemporary, historical, suspense, paranormal, and Regency.
And to Ms. Wyatt (I think you wrote this part) I’d like to nominate you for the I-Just-Invented-It Award for Asskickingly Non-Condescending Description of Romance and buy you the beverage of your choice:
Romance novels are built around the relationship between hero and heroine and the conflicts within that relationship. They are ultimately positive and optimistic novels that involve the reader on an emotional level. Fans of this genre love the snappy dialogue, well-crafted scenes, connection between the characters, and details of the character’s lifestyles.
WORD UP TO YOU MA’AM. One note though to Dudesse of Excellence. Ms. Wyatt: You list some great web sites as references, but what about us and Dear Author?! DUDE! Epic fail!
Now, minor hissyfit notwithstanding, let us moving on. Here are the selections recommended for building a balanced romance novel bookshelf representing each of the aforementioned subgenres - with my commentary and assorted linkage.
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A website that reviews romance novels from a couple of smart bitches who will always give it to you straight. No bullshit. No gushing--unless the author really deserves it. To find out more, read all about us or check out our minty-fresh and funkadelic FAQ section.
Sadly, many of the anthologies with 3-5 authors create short stories or novellas with existing characters. I don’t know how interesting, or how enjoyable they’ll be as stand alones without the requisite background information. I rarely read any novella in…
That’s fantastic!
I was just thinking about how influential your site is to readers like myself. I have picked up several authors and bought their books, when I would have never thought about them before based on your…
From Novak Auction Update
I really think that the cover for The Civilisation Game could be adapted for use for the next Anita blake novel—scantily clad woman with handgun dominates weird beast-man crouching subserviently at her feet. And you know what they say about…
Green Porno is very disturbing. I think what was freaky is she plays all the male insect parts. Or maybe because she is deadly serious… Very very strange
“so I saw all the hand movements and the penis wag at the end.”
That should be “so, unfortunately, I saw all the hand movements and the penis wag at the end without any musical accompaniment.”
…
by Candice Hern
by Carla Kelly
by Allison Lane
by Barbara Metzger
by Evelyn Richardson
by Jo Beverley
by Mary Jo Putney
by Susan Wiggs
by Julia Quinn (SB Sarah notes - I’ve mentioned before that this book is among my very favorite historical romances, bar none).
by Robin Schone (I thought Schone was considered erotica?)
by Jennifer Crusie (Yes, yes, a thousand times, yes. Is it fair to call a contemporary romance “Seminal?” All references to man pudding aside, this is one of the best I’ve read.)
by Rachel Gibson
by Jennifer Greene
by Susan Elizabeth Phillips (featuring SEP’s new signature headless dancing woman cover - woot!)
by Nora Roberts (I could not wish a worse challenge on a librarian than picking one Roberts novel to recommend as representative of contemporary romance. But I do like this one (and I like Born in Ice even better because it features a strong independent heroine excelling at traditional domestic responsibilities as an innkeeper).
by Suzanne Brockmann (Which is also the 
by Sandra Brown
by Julie Garwood
by Elizabeth Lowell (I am so amused to see Garwood and Lowell in suspense instead of historical, which is the subgenre I associate them with)
by Mary Stewart
by Christine Feehan (I loved this one, especially because of the heroine, but 
by Jayne Ann Krentz
by Robin D. Owens
by Linnea Sinclair
by Anne Stuart (Though out of print, the description provided by Welch cracks me up: “they join forces...[as] they master their new superpowers.” I got to get me a copy!)
