Best treasures unburied through AAR?

Nana · Joined: 02 Apr 2007 Posts: 893

Someone commented on another thread that they finally yielded to the encouragement of the boards and tried Carla Kelly books and loved them. I realized I, too, would never have known about Carla Kelly without AAR, and now she's one of my very few romance autobuys.

So what are the best "hidden treasures" that you uncovered because of AAR recs?

For me it's:

Romance - Carla Kelly, Kathleen Gilles Seidel, Eva Ibbotson (YA), Robin McKinley (YA)
Television/Film - Sherlock, North and South, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
Non-Romance - Miles Vorkosigan series

karat · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 186

It seems that we share some treasures, Nana. Smile

Kathleen Gilles Seidel, Carla Kelly are two of my all-time favorite authors, and I have found them through AAR too.
Also on my "treasures discovered through AAR" list are Judith Ivory/ Judy Cuevas, Patricia Gaffney, Laura Kinsale and Deanna Raybourn (yes, I heard of the Julia Grey series here in the forums), Connie Brockway and a couple of others.

Islandgirl2 · Joined: 14 Nov 2010 Posts: 275

I owe so much to this board. Fellow readers here and the site itself enlightened me to so many terific stories and authors.

Sherry Thomas who is now a really big fave of mine.

LaVyrle Spencer Hummingbird and so many more from her

Passions of Emma (thought at the time I didn't think highly it's one of those that makes me think of the story every so often so I guess it was a pretty good one)

I can go on and on but at the end of the day I know that I probably would have given up on romance because I got so tired of the stale reads and wasn't warming up to many new authors. Well thankfully that changed by coming here and discovering new treasures from fellow passionate romance readers like myself. I have tons of appreciation for this board and the people here that participate. Even with those I disagree with their input is still valuable and at times makes me see a story in a different light.
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Romance my favorite reading pastime.

Cobbsouth · Joined: 30 Mar 2007 Posts: 62 Location: Loveland, Colorado

Connie Willis!

The review of To Say Nothing of the Dog caught my attention because of its strange title. The plot sounded intriguing enough that I looked for it in my local library. I checked it out, and the rest is history. I now buy everything that woman writes. And since I moved to Colorado last summer, I actually got to meet her for coffee last month! Very Happy

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Sheri Cobb South
www.shericobbsouth.com
"John Pickett...is a sweet man, a little young, but wholly delectable....Ms. South's name deserves to be spread as a buried treasure."
--All About Romance

PatW · Joined: 22 Mar 2007 Posts: 614 Location: Central Maryland

I think it was Mark who called my attention quite a few years ago to the Liaden Universe books by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. These are mostly space opera, although a couple of them are romances and there is a duo that could be called YA.

These books are now very definitely autobuy for me. Since I was not exploring the SF genre at that time, without AAR who knows if I would ever have discoverd such a treasure.
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When in doubt, read.

NoirFemme · Joined: 22 Mar 2007 Posts: 1398 Location: America

Years ago, Jane's review of Dead Until Dark turned me onto the Sookie Stackhouse series, and though I stopped reading it around book 8 or 9, it was fun reading while it lasted. The only other author discovered here was Laura Lee Guhrke, whose books always interest me even when they don't always work.

mirole · Joined: 06 Aug 2010 Posts: 257 Location: Toronto, Ontario

Well, pretty much any romance book/author which/whom I now consider a treasure were discovered by me on AAR (except Fifty Shades of Grey Wink

An honorable mentions are Georgette Heyer and Dorothy Dunnett.

Vol Fan · Joined: 30 Dec 2008 Posts: 281 Location: Tennessee

I've discovered many new (to me) authors from the reviews here. I am especially happy to have found oldies but goodies here also.

Some of my favorites now are:
Darlene Marshall
Judith Ivory
Joanna Bourne
Genevieve Graham
Lorriane Heath
Paullina Simons
Kaki Warner
Caroline Fyffe
Ellen O'Connell

I know there are many others, but these come to mind because I now will read anything by these authors and I am pretty sure that most of their books I would have missed or overlooked, where it not for the reviews here.

pwm in mi · Joined: 19 Oct 2011 Posts: 182

Maggie Osbourne
Sarah Mayberry

Wendy AAR · Joined: 22 May 2010 Posts: 320

Ellen O'connell
Joanna Bourne
Lynne Connolly
Ilona Andrews

and several others - but these are the top 4.

Eggletina · Joined: 06 Jul 2010 Posts: 342

Sheila Simonson and Bettie Sharpe are two more I can think of that I found through AAR.

kris · Posted: Thu May 24, 2012 3:54 pm Post subject:

I discovered Lynne Connelly's Richard and Rose series through the ebook bargains thread. I'm now on book 5.
I never would have read Carla Kelly except for all the wonderful recs here. Also SEP and one of my all time favourite's:Heaven Texas.
This is an amazing site.
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Behind every successful man is a surprised woman.

Mark · Joined: 22 Mar 2007 Posts: 1242

I have discovered hundreds of books I might not otherwise have found in over 12 years of visiting AAR.
I don't keep track of where I hear about books & authors, but few authors I'm pretty sure I first read because of mentions at AAR (in columns, blogs, reviews, or board threads) are:
Meljean Brook
Kresley Cole
MaryJanice Davidson
Susan Donovan
Rachel Gibson
Cecilia Grant
Susan Grant
Thea Harrison
Julie James
Sherrilyn Kenyon
Jennie Klassel
Shelly Laurenston
Erin McCarthy
Robin D. Owens
Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Jill Shalvis
Nalini Singh
Christine Warren

Ilona Andrews
D. D. Barant
Patricia Briggs
Gail Carriger
Jeaniene Frost
Darynda Jones
Tamora Pierce
Beth Revis
Maria V. Snyder
Shanna Swendson

Tinabelle · Joined: 22 Mar 2007 Posts: 853 Location: SE Wisconsin

I have discovered many new authors here at AAR over the years who have regularly joined my TBR pile. Some of the most memorable include:

Non-Romance Authors:
Elizabeth Peters (Amelia Peabody)
Deanna Raybourn
Tasha Alexander
Julia Spencer Fleming
Allen Bradley
Ashley Gardner

Romance Authors:
Georgette Heyer
Carla Kelly
Mary Balogh
Robyn Carr
Susanna Kearsley
Jennifer Ashley
Tessa Dare
Julie Anne Long
Marsha Canham
Elizabeth Rolls
Liz Carlyle
Elizabeth Hoyt
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So many books; so little time!
www.shelfari.com/tinabelle

Natalie · Joined: 25 Mar 2007 Posts: 1566

It's easier to say what I haven't found through AAR! I've been here since before Y2K and tried to get my hands on any book that got at least a B (if it sounded like something I might enjoy, of course). In the process, I've come across many a favorite author, including Balogh, Kinsale, Gaffney, Hoyt. J.D.Robb. More recently, it's been Nalini Singh, Meredith Duran, Sherry Thomas, Darlene Marshall, Courtney Milan.

I've also found out about a few more obscure books/authors that dont' get mentioned much or are not in business anymore. Lily Brand, Painted Lady and Heart of Deception are a few examples that come to mind.