Top Ten Tuesday is held over at That Artsy Reader Girl, where every week bloggers list their top 10 being asked about. This week the topic is about those non-romantic relationships in books that you love.
Widows: I recently reviewed this and loved the relationship between the four women in the book: Dolly, Shirl, Linda and Bella. They are all grieving for their husbands, and they are all angry and hurt and take it out on each other, but they stick together too. They accept their flaws and come together in the end where it matters.
Long Road to Mercy: The newest from David Baldacci, which took me by surprise because of Atlee and Carol’s friendship. Two very unlikely characters that come together and work like a charm.
The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter: This book brings Mary Jekyll, her sister Diana, Beatrice Rappaccini, Catherine Moreau and Justine Frankenstein together to investigate the deaths of prostitutes. It’s a wonderful collection of different women who acknowledge and understand their differences.
Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows: This book is filled with small moments of these widows standing up for each other, and understanding each other as they come together to take a creative writing class. It’s just lovely!
Blood Defense: Samantha Brinkman is the main character, but she would not be as interesting without her colleagues and friends — Michelle and Alex. Michelle is her best friend, and Alex an ex-con and they are wonderful sounding boards for Sam, but also call her on her BS — and that makes for a compelling relationship.
Home: This is the book that introduced me to the Myron and Win friendship, but no it’s not the first in the series. The series is by Harlan Coben and if the banter and friendship in this one is anything to go by, I’m going to love the rest!
Brotherhood of the Wheel: I recently read this book, the first in the series (with the second out soon). It’s an urban fantasy that transposes the Knights Templar to the US, with readers following one branch who are truckers, protecting the roads across the country for supernatural reasons. This book in particular follows Jimmy, our knight and his squire Heck — who are forged as friends through an epic adventure — and then there’s Lovina. A cop, who is thrown into all this and can hold her own against two very macho men.
Great list! I’m especially drawn to the female relationships in Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows. It sounds like they built up such a wonderful support system for each other.
Oh, they definitely did – and in between that they had different personalities that sometimes clashed, but that made the book all the better for it.
Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows sounds like an amazing book.
Here is our Top Ten Tuesday.
It so is — I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it!
Wonderful list and you make me realize I need to get busy on Busy on Brotherhood of the Wheel.
I think you might enjoy Brotherhood of the Wheel Barb!
I want Widows, and I loved The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter!
Widows is just awesome — as is the Alchemist’s daughter!
I have been curious about Punjabi Widows. I love the sound of the friendship these widows developed.
It’s just so wonderful, Sam. They are so underestimated bc of their culture and its expectations, but to each other they can kind of be themselves.
I haven’t heard of any of these. If they have strong friendships, I should probably check them out.
I hope you do — they were such good reads.
I LOVE Myron and Win! I am also really looking forward to Baldacci’s new book. I have heard great things about the Punjabi Widows book.
You’ve read them?!?! Ohhh, do tell — can I start the series at any point? The Punjabi book was just wonderful! I expected more of Baldacci’s recent one but Carol and Atlee were so good!
Ooh nice list- I like the sound of The strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter. That sounds like something I’d like. 🙂
Those ladies were such fun!