My favorite by Shinn remains Summers at Castle Auburn, but I've loved everything by her that I've read since that book (the first two books I read of hers were The Shape-Changer's Wife, which I didn't like and Archangel, in which, as you said above, Rachel nearly inspired homicide for me).

I think Asaro's fantasy world is too similar to the Skolian Universe in the descriptions of people's looks and how rooms are decorated, but I've been less than impressed with her female characters in her Lunas. I love the shape magic though.