Movies to Watch 82

The Campaign
Chronicle
Fire with Fire
Friends with Kids
Perfect Sense
Stolen
The Watch (Ben Stiller)

Movies to Watch 81

Men in Black 3
Prometheus
The Amazing Spiderman
Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter
Magic Mike
Rock of Ages

Movies to Watch 80

Abduction
American Pie Reunion
Salmon Fishing in Yemen - unexpectedly a good movie
Cabin in the Woods
What to Expect When You're Expecting
Snow White and the Huntsman

Movies to Watch 79

The Avengers
Courageous - better than Fireproof
Safe
The Lorax
A Thousand Words
Cold Light of Day

Movies to Watch 78

The Hunger Games

Intruder
The Lucky One
Footloose
Think Like a Man
Battleship

Movies to Watch 77

21 Jump Street
Gone
Haywire
Limitless
Piranha
Wrath of the Titans

Rita 2011

2011 RITA Finalists for Best First Book

• Enemy Within by Marcella Burnard(Berkley; Leis Pederson, editor)
• Firestorm by Kelly Ann Riley (Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense; Tina James, editor)
• I Now Pronounce You Someone Else by Erin McCahan (Scholastic; Cheryl Klein, editor)
• The Iron King by Julie Kagawa (Harlequin Teen; Natashya Wilson, editor)
• Pieces of Sky by Kaki Warner (Berkley Sensation; Wendy McCurdy, editor)
• A Tailor-Made Bride by Karen Witemeyer (Bethany House Publishers; Karen Schurrer, editor)
• Wanna Get Lucky? by Deborah Coonts (Tor/Forge; Bob Gleason, editor)
• When Harry Met Molly by Kieran Kramer (St. Martin's Press; Jennifer Enderlin, editor)

2011 RITA Finalists for Contemporary Series Romance

• Breaking the Sheikh's Rules in the Summer Sheikhs anthology by Abby Green (Mills & Boon; Meg Lewis, editor)
• Christmas Magic on the Mountain by Melissa McClone (Harlequin Romance; Joanne Grant, editor)
• Christmas with Her Boss by Marion Lennox (Harlequin Romance; Sheila Hodgson, editor)
• Red-Hot Renegade by Kelly Hunter (Mills & Boon Modern Heat; Joanne Grant, editor)
• An Unexpected Father by Lisa Ruff (Harlequin American Romance; Johanna Raisanen, editor)
• Welcome Home, Cowboy by Karen Templeton (Silhouette Special Edition; Gail Chasan, editor)
• Zoe and the Tormented Tycoon by Kate Hewitt (Harlequin Presents; Meg Lewis, editor)

2011 RITA Finalists for Contemporary Series Romance: Suspense/Adventure

• The Baby's Guardian by Delores Fossen (Harlequin Intrigue; Allison Lyons, editor)
• Case File: Canyon Creek, Wyoming by Paula Graves (Harlequin Intrigue; Allison Lyons, editor)
• To Catch a Killer by Kimberly Van Meter (Silhouette Romantic Suspense; Johanna Raisanen, editor)
• A Cop in Her Stocking by Ann Voss Peterson (Harlequin Intrigue; Allison Lyons, editor)
• Meltdown by Gail Barrett (Silhouette Romantic Suspense; Susan Litman, editor)
• The Moon That Night by Helen Brenna (Harlequin Superromance; Johanna Raisanen, editor)
• Perfect Partners? by C.J. Carmichael (Harlequin Superromance; Johanna Raisanen, editor)
• Renegade Angel by Kendra Leigh Castle (Harlequin Nocturne; Ann Leslie Tuttle, editor)

2011 RITA Finalists for Contemporary Single Title Romance

• And One Last Thing by Molly Harper (Gallery Books; Jennifer Heddle, editor)
• Happy Ever After by Nora Roberts (Berkley Trade; Leslie Gelbman, editor)
• Lead Me On by Victoria Dahl (HQN Books; Tara Parsons, editor)
• Not That Kind of Girl by Susan Donovan (St. Martin's Press; Monique Patterson, editor) (Read an excerpt from Susan Donovan's upcoming release with Celeste Bradley, A Courtesan's Guide to Getting Your Man (June 2011))
• Nothing But Trouble by Rachel Gibson (Avon Books; Lucia Macro, editor)
• One Fine Cowboy by Joanne Kennedy (Sourcebooks Casablanca; Deb Werksman, editor)
• Simply Irresistible by Jill Shalvis (Forever; Alex Logan, editor)
• Still the One by Robin Wells (Forever; Selina McLemore, editor)

2011 RITA Finalists for Historical Romance

• Countess of Scandal by Laurel McKee (Forever; Alex Logan, editor)
• The Forbidden Rose by Joanne Bourne (Berkley Trade; Wendy McCurdy, editor)
• His at Night by Sherry Thomas (Bantam Books; Caitlin Alexander, editor)
• A Kiss at Midnight by Eloisa James (Avon Books; Carrie Feron, editor)
• Last Night’s Scandal by Loretta Chase (Avon; May Chen, editor)
• A Little Bit Wild by Victoria Dahl (Zebra Books; John Scognamiglio, editor)
• One Wicked Sin by Nicola Cornick (HQN Books; Kimberley Young, editor)
• Open Country by Kaki Warner (Berkley Trade; Wendy McCurdy, editor)  

2011 RITA Finalists for Inspirational Romance

• A Convenient Wife by Anna Schmidt (Steeple Hill Love Inspired Historical; Tina James, editor)
• Doctor in Petticoats by Mary Connealy (Barbour Publishing; Rebecca Germany, editor)
• Finding Her Way Home by Linda Goodnight (Steeple Hill Love Inspired; Allison Lyons, editor)
• In Harm’s Way by Irene Hannon (Revell; Jennifer Lep, editor)
• Maid to Match by Deeanne Gist (Bethany House Publishers; David Long and Julie Klassen, editors)
• Shades of Morning by Marlo M. Schalesky (WaterBrook Multnomah; Shannon Marchese, editor)
• The Wedding Garden by Linda Goodnight (Steeple Hill Love Inspired; Allison Lyons, editor)
• Whisper on the Wind by Maureen Lang (Tyndale House Publishers; Stephanie Broene, editor)
• Within My Heart by Tamera Alexander (Bethany House Publishers; Karen Schurrer and Charlene Patterson, editors)

2011 RITA Finalists for Novel With Strong Romantic Elements

• Blood Vines by Erica Spindler (St. Martin’s Press; Jennifer Weis, editor)
• The Dead Travel Fast by Deanna Raybourn (MIRA; Valerie Gray, editor)
• Killbox by Ann Aguirre (Ace Books; Anne Sowards, editor)
• On Folly Beach by Karen White (NAL Accent; Cindy Hwang, editor)
• The Search by Nora Roberts (G.P. Putnam’s Sons; Leslie Gelbman, editor)
• Stormwalker by Allyson James (Berkley Sensation; Kate Seaver, editor)
• Wanna Get Lucky? by Deborah Coonts (Tor/Forge; Bob Gleason, editor)
• Welcome to Harmony by Jodi Thomas (Berkley; Wendy McCurdy, editor)  

2011 RITA Finalists for Paranormal Romance

• Enemy Within by Marcella Burnard (Berkley; Leis Pederson, editor)
• A Highlander's Homecoming by Melissa Mayhue (Pocket Books; Megan McKeever, editor)
• Immortal Sea by Virginia Kantra (berkley Trade; Cindy Hwang, editor)
• Marked by the Moon by Lori Handeland (St. Martin's Press; Jennifer Enderlin, editor)
• Rebel by Zoe Archer (Zebra Books; Megan Records, editor)
• Sins of the Heart by Eve Silver (HQN Books; Tara Parsons, editor)
• Unchained: the Dark Forgotten by Sharon Ashwood (NAL/Signet Eclipse; Laura Cifelli, editor)
• Water Bound by Christine Feehan (Jove; Cindy Hwang, editor)

2011 RITA Finalists for Regency Historical Romance

• His Christmas Pleasure by Cathy Maxwell (Avon Books; Lucia Macro, editor)
• The Mischief of the Mistletoe by Lauren Willig (Dutton; Erika Imranyi, editor)
• Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean (Avon Books; Carrie Feron, editor)
• Provocative in Pearls by Madeline Hunter (Jove; Wendy McCurdy, editor)
• To Surrender to a Rogue by Cara Elliott (Forever; Frances Jalet-Miller, editor)
• Twice Tempted by a Rogue by Tessa Dare (Ballantine Books; Kate Collins, editor)
• When Harry Met Molly by Kieran Kramer (St. Martin's Press; Jennifer Enderlin, editor)
• The Wicked Wyckerly by Patricia Rice (NAL/Signet; Ellen Edwards, editor)

2011 RITA Finalists for Romance Novella

• “Blame It on the Blizard” by Jennifer Greene in Baby, It's Cold Outside(Harlequin; Marsha Zinberg, editor)
• “A Dundee Christmas” by Brenda Novak in That Christmas Feeling(Harlequin Superromance; Paula Eykelhof, editor)
• “Friendly Fire” by Jill Shalvis in Born on the 4th of July (Harlequin Blaze; Brenda Chin, editor)
• “Love Me to Death” by Maggie Shayne in Heart of Darkness (HQN Books)
• “Mountain Rose” by Cheryl St. John in To Be a Mother (Steeple Hill Love Inspired Historical; Patience Smith, editor)
• “Shifting Sea” by Virginia Kantra in Burning Up (Berkley Sensation; Cindy Hwang, editor)
• “The Wrong Brother” by Maureen Child in Under the Millionaire’s Mistletoe(Silhouette Desire; Krista Stroever, editor)

2011 RITA Finalists for Romantic Suspense

• The Darkest Hour by Maya Banks (Berkley; Cindy Hwang, editor)
• Deadly Fear by Cynthia Eden (Forever; Alex Logan, editor)
• Edge of Sight by Roxanne St. Claire (Forever; Amy Pierpont, editor)
• Indulgence in Death by J.D. Robb (G.P. Putnam’s Sons; Leslie Gelbman, editor)
• Kill Me Again by Maggie Shayne (MIRA; Leslie Wainger, editor)
• Love Me to Death by Allison Brennan (Ballantine Books; Charlotte Herscher & Kate Collins, editors)
• Silent Scream by Karen Rose (Grand Central; Karen Kosztolnyik, editor)
• Two Lethal Lies by Annie Solomon (Forever; Michele Bidelspach, editor)

2011 RITA Finalists for Young Adult Romance

• Chasing Brooklyn by Lisa Schroeder (Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing; Annette Pollert, editor)
• The Clearing by Heather Davis (Houghton Mifflin Graphia; Julie Tibbott, editor)
• Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing; Karen Wojtyla, editor)
• I Now Pronounce You Someone Else by Erin McCahan (Scholastic; Cheryl Klein, editor)
• The Iron King by Julie Kagawa (Harlequin Teen; Natashya Wilson, editor)
• Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles (Walker Publishing; Emily Easton, editor)
• The Summer of Skinny Dipping by Amanda Howells (Sourcebooks Fire; Deb Werksman)

Rita 2012

Some books to try, based on the 2012 RITA book awards

2012 RITA Finalists for Contemporary Series Romance

• A Bravo Homecoming by Christine Rimmer
• Donovan's Child by Christine Rimmer
• Doukakis's Apprentice by Sarah Morgan
• How a Cowboy Stole Her Heart by Donna Alward
• I'll Catch You by Farrah Rochon      
• A Mother's Homecoming by Tanya Michaels
• Rancher's Twins: Mom Needed by Barbara Hannay
• The Texan's Bride by Linda Warren

2012 RITA Finalists for Contemporary Series Romance: Suspense/Adventure

• Cooper Vengeance by Paula Graves
• The Doctor’s Deadly Affair by Stephanie Doyle
• The Man from Gossamer Ridge by Paula Graves
• Nothing But the Truth by Kara Lennox
• Soldier's Last Stand by Cindy Dees
• Stranded with Her Ex by Jill Sorenson
• Taken to the Edge by Kara Lennox

2012 RITA Finalists for Contemporary Single Title Romance

• At Hidden Falls by Barbara Freethy
• Black Ties and Lullabies by Jane Graves
• Boomerang Bride by Fiona Lowe
• Heartstrings and Diamond Rings by Jane Graves
• Silver Sparks by Starr Ambrose
• Slow Dancing on Price's Pier by Lisa Dale
• Summer at Seaside Cove by Jacquie D’Alessandro
• The Welcome Home Garden Club by Lori Wilde

 2012 RITA Finalists for Historical Romance

• Always a Temptress by Eileen Dreyer
• The Black Hawk by Joanna Bourne
• The Danger of Desire by Elizabeth Essex
• Heartbreak Creek by Kaki Warner
• The Many Sins of Lord Cameron by Jennifer Ashley
• Scandalous Desires by Elizabeth Hoyt
• Silk Is for Seduction by Loretta Chase
• Unveiled by Courtney Milan

2012 RITA Finalists for Inspirational Romance

• The Christmas Child by Linda Goodnight
• Deadly Pursuit by Irene Hannon
• Katie's Way by Marta Perry
• The Ladies' Room by Carolyn Brown
• Love on the Line by Deeanne Gist
• The Measure of Katie Calloway by Serena Miller Revell; Vicki Crumpton, editor
• My Foolish Heart by Susan May Warren
• Save the Date by Jenny B. Jones
• To Win Her Heart by Karen Witemeyer

2012 RITA Finalists for Novel with Strong Romantic Elements

• The Dark Enquiry by Deanna Raybourn
• Death Magic by Eileen Wilks
• First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones
• Goodnight Tweetheart by Teresa Medeiros
• How to Bake a Perfect Life by Barbara O'Neal
• The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley
• Shadow Walker by Allyson James
• Song of the Nile by Stephanie Dray
• Spider's Revenge by Jennifer Estep

2012 RITA Finalists for Paranormal Romance

• Archangel's Blade by Nalini Singh
• Changeling Moon by Dani Harper
• Dragon Bound by Thea Harrison
• Envy by J.R. Ward
• Lord of the Abyss by Nalini Singh
• The Lost by Caridad Piñeiro
• Nightfall by Ellen Connor (writing team Ann Aguirre and Carrie Lofty)
• The Restorer by Amanda Stevens

2012 RITA Finalists for Regency Historical Romance

• The Devil in Disguise by Stefanie Sloane
• Heiress in Love by Christina Brooke
• How to Marry a Duke by Vicky Dreiling
• How to Seduce a Scoundrel by Vicky Dreiling
• Lady Sophie's Christmas Wish by Grace Burrowes
• A Night to Surrender by Tessa Dare
• To Seduce an Angel by Kate Moore
• When Beauty Tamed the Beast by Eloisa James

2012 RITA Finalists for Romance Novella

• "Angel's Wolf" by Nalini Singh in Angels of Darkness
• "Chaos in Death" by J.D. Robb in The Unquiet
• "Compassion Can't Wait" by Carly Phillips in More Than Words, Vol. 7
• I Love the Earl by Caroline Linden
• "One Wish: a Christmas Story" by Jodi Thomas in A Texas Christmas
• "Resolution" by Linda Winstead Jones in The Heart of Winter
• “The Storm Within” by Trish Morey in A Royal Engagement
• "Unforgiven" by Ruth Ryan Langan in The Unquiet

2012 RITA Finalists for Romantic Suspense

• Hidden Away by Maya Banks
• Hot Zone by Catherine Mann
• Hush by Cherry Adair
• New York to Dallas by J.D. Robb
• Secrets of Bella Terra by Christina Dodd
• True Colors by Joyce Lamb
• True Shot by Joyce Lamb
• Where All the Dead Lie by J.T. Ellison

2012 RITA Finalists for Young Adult Romance

• Enclave by Ann Aguirre
• Flawless by Lara Chapman
• Hourglass by Myra McEntire
• I'm Not Her by Janet Gurtler
• Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep
• Warped by Maurissa Guibord

Quotes to Live By

"I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good thing, therefore, that I can do or any kindness I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it for I shall not pass this way again.” 

― Stephen Grellet

Movies to Watch 76

Change-up - Starring Ryan Reynolds (* star only)
Immortals
Man on a Ledge
Mirror Mirror
The Descendants
We Bought a Zoo

Movies to Watch 75

Contagion
J Edgar
John Carter
Journey 2 - Mysterious Island (stunning landscape settings)
Safe House
This Means War

Movies to Watch 74

Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Conan the Barbarian
Too Big to Fail
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
The Rite

God's Teachings

May we live Your Word, not just read it.

Movies to Watch 73

Coriolanus
The Dilemma
The Vow
Sherlock Holmes 2
War Horse
Young Adult

Movies to Watch 72

Iron Lady
MI - Ghost Protocol
Hugo
Extremely Loud, Incredibly Close
The Vow
New Year's Eve

Movies to Watch 71

Happy Feet 2
Johnny English
Monte Carlo
Kung Fu Panda 2
Twilight- Breaking Dawn 1
Adventures of Tintin

Movies to Watch 70

Cowboys vs Aliens
Dream House
Jack and Jill
Soul Surfer
Super 8
Tower Heist - Starring Ben Stiller. How to steal a car from a tall building?

Movies to Watch 69

Pirates of Carribean - Stranger's Tide
The Help
Real Steel
Friends with Benefits

The best Pirates movie of the series. The others left me sleepy but not this one.

Movies to Watch 68

Crazy Stupid Love
Dolphin's Tale
Hall Pass
Hanna
One Day
Prom

Movies to Watch 67

Captain America
Rise of the Planet Apes
Trespass
Zookeeper

Movies to Watch 66

Transformer 3
Green Lantern
HOP
Mr Poppers Penguin