My RITA-Reading Challenge: The Conclusion

Well, I finally did it. Once I polished off that last word in my Tangled Up In You review, my RITA-Reading Challenge came to an end. So how did I do? Do I now view the RITAs as the ultimate arbiter of romantic good taste? And who will I be rooting for at the RITA dinner in Orlando? Read on and see:

2010 RITA for Best First Book
I read: Stolen Fury, by Elisabeth Naughton. C
Who Should Win? No idea. Naughton's is the only author on this list I'm familiar with.

2010 RITA for Contemporary Series Romance
I read: Crush On You, by Christie Ridgway (B-), who's nominated for Silhouette Special Edition novel I Still Do.
Who Should Win? Again, no idea. Crush was pleasant but it didn't wow me, but I'm not familiar with anyone else on the list. I really enjoyed Ridgway's other books, so I may just cheer for her anyway.

2010 RITA For Contemporary Single Title Romance
I read:

• Start Me Up, by Victoria Dahl (A-), who's nominated for Talk Me Down (the first in that series).
• Tangled Up In You, by Rachel Gibson (B+), who's nominated for True Love And Other Disasters.
• Too Good To Be True, by Kristan Higgans (B).
• How To Knit a Wild Bikini, by Christie Ridgway (A+), who's nominated for Dirty, Sexy Knitting (the third in that series).
• Snowfall at Willow Lake, by Susan Wiggs (B-), who's nominated for Fireside (an earlier book in the series).

Who Should Win? It's a tie between Christie Ridgway and Victoria Dahl. Dahl's books are more consistently good, but she's never managed the ultimate heart-tugging A+ grade that Ridgway has. I'll be happy if either of them wins.

2010 RITA For Historical Romance
I read:

• Tempted All Night, by Liz Carlyle (A+), who's nominated for Wicked All Day (the sequel)
• The Marriage Bed, by Laura Lee Guhrke (B+), who's nominated for With Seduction In Mind
• Rewriting Monday, by Jodi Thomas (B-), who's nominated for The Lone Texan
• Not Quite a Husband, by Sherry Thomas (A)

Who Should Win? Sherry Thomas. Yes, Liz Carlyle's book got the higher grade, but Not Quite a Husband emotionally whooped my ass. I'm tempted to go back and retroactively give it an A+ rating, but I don't think that would be fair or honest to my reaction at the time. I'll still cheer if Carlyle wins, but my emotional favourite is Thomas.

2010 RITA for Novel With Strong Romantic Elements
I read: Snowfall at Willow Lake (B-), by Susan Wiggs, who's nominated for Lakeshore Christmas
Who Should Win? No idea, and the Wiggs book didn't wow me. I am kind of leaning towards Deanna Raybourn for Silent On the Moor because it sounds interesting, but unfortunately I got a used copy of Silent in the Grave after the cutoff for my RITA challenge so I haven't read it yet.

2010 RITA for Paranormal Romance
I read:

• Scandal, by Carolyn Jewel (A-), who's nominated for My Forbidden Desire
• The Fire King, by Marjorie Liu (A)
• For the Earl's Pleasure, by Anne Mallory (C)

Who Should Win? Very obviously, I will be cheering for Marjorie Liu. I like Jewel, but I've only read one book of hers and that was an historical.

2010 RITA for Regency Historical Romance
I read:

• Surrender of a Siren, by Tessa Dare (B+)
• Scandal, by Carolyn Jewel (A-)
• A Rake's Guide to Seduction, by Caroline Linden (B+), who's nominated for A View to a Kiss
• Revealed, by Kate Noble (A+)
• It's In His Kiss, by Julia Quinn (C-), who's nominated for What Happens in London

Who Should Win? Kate Noble all the way!

2010 RITA for Romance Novella
I read:

• "Annalise and the Scandalous Rake," by Deb Marlowe (B-), in The Diamonds of Welbourne Manor
• The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie, by Jennifer Ashley (A), who's nominated as Allyson James for "A Little Night Magic" in Hot For the Holidays
• The Fire King, by Marjorie Liu (A), who's nominated for "The Robber Bride" in Huntress
• "Charlotte and the Wicked Lord," by Amanda McCabe (C-), in The Diamonds of Welbourne Manor
• "This Wicked Gift," by Courtney Milan (A+), in The Heart of Christmas

Who Should Win? Courtney Milan hands-down. Best of the novellas I've actually read.

2010 RITA For Romantic Suspense
I read: Stolen Fury, by Elisabeth Naughton (C).
Who Should Win? No idea.

2010 RITA for Young Adult Romance
I read: Going Too Far, by Jennifer Echols (A+).
Who Should Win? Jennifer Echols all the way!

Confused about who to cheer for at the RITAs, too? Check out my reviews and see for yourselves.