I actually have not read some of the abovementioned series. But, I do recognize some as on the more romantic side of paranormal urban fantasy. I used to like Laurell Hamilton's series, both Merry Gentry and Anita Hamilton, but I find myself getting annoyed with the pages and pages of insecurity, gratuitous sex and bad dialogue (I also thought Rachel Morgan was going that way as well, though now I'm not so sure...) Anyway, here are some of my favorites NOT in order of preference because that is too difficult for me:

#1 Kate Daniels series (rather new, only one book out so far, but another coming in April) by Ilona Andrews

#2 Weather Warden series by Rachel Caine

#3 Night Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost (also new)

#4 Rachel Morgan series by Kim Harrison

#5 Women of the Otherworld series by Kelley Armstrong

#6 Mercedes Thompson series by Patricia Briggs

#7 Kitty Norville Series by Carrie Vaughn

#8 Southern Vampire series by Charlaine Harris

You have a picture of Henry Fitzroy as the group icon, but you didn't list Tanya Huff's excellent Blood series.

I'll add a mention of P.N. Elrod's The Vampire Files - set in 1920's Chicago, with vampire detective Jack Fleming.

No problem. and I definitely agree about Bill. I can't wait for Sookie to banish him completely from the scene and start something with Eric or Sam.

Some favorite urban fantasy books...

War of the Oaks by Emma Bull
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
any books by Charles de Lint
Little Big by John Crowley
Weaveworld by Clive Barker
The Vampire Files by P.N. Elrod
The Stolen Child by Keith Donahue

I did try to get into the Dresden books by Jim Butcher, but they weren't my thing.

And for romance urban fantasy books....

Southern Vampire series by Charlaine Harris
Anita Blake series by Anita Blake
(though for both of those series I preferred the early books and gave up on Anita around book 10)

I've also read some of Kelley Armstong, Patricia Briggs, Kim Harrison, and Tanya Huff.

I read one book by Karen Marie Moning, but I didn't care for her writing style, too much sex and not enough story.

J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series is one of my favorites. I am als enjoying the Anita Blake series, even though I like to complain about it. I like Lynsay Sands Argeneau vampires series for lighter fare.

My puppy (see userpic) is named Carroy Doyle Ferguson after just that character and his (the puppy's) father (Fergus). As Irish Wolfhounds were part of the Hunt in times of yore, I was very pleased with the fit.

TPQ

I agree with you totally about Laurel Hamilton's books. After a while, I wasn't sure if I was reading an urban fantasy or a porn novel! =)

I do absolutely love Charles de Lint. Also Clive Barker. I would also recommend two books that I just finished: Un Lun Dum by China Mieville (a kid's/YA novel, although I really enjoyed it a great deal) and Lonely Werewolf Girl by Martin Millar. The last is just completely over the top: intrigues, a succession war, romance, moody teenagers, and clothing lust. Highly recommended if you like comic urban fantasy!

I am so hooked on Kelley Armstrong right now. Her writing sparks my imagination that I can't put the book down till it's done. My favorite has to be [Broken]. That is when she introduces the supernatural community.

I did go pick up the first 2 books of the Rachel Morgan series. Haven't started it yet but I can't wait. Thanks for the info.

There are some good suggestions here. I just bought Patricia Briggs' and Keri Arthur's series, so I'm glad they seem to be getting good reviews.

not sure if you guys have read the twilight books ( Twilight, New Moon and Eclipse) I'm sure you've heard of them. They really are great books.

Kim Harrison's Rachel Morgan series was the first "urban fantasy" I read and I still think she's the best. I love juicy books where every word means something and I just want to take out a highlighter and go through every sentence.

But there are some other great authors like Kelley Armstrong, Patricia Briggs, Carrie Vaughn, Charlaine Harris... I read far too much.

There is no such thing as reading too much!! Its way better than rotting your brain in front of the boob tube all the time...

Re Harrison's books: I have only read the first book so far but I loved it. Very interesting characters and happenings in it.

I agree! I would much rather read a book than watch a movie or TV. My husband doesn't understand that at all...

I like the Dresden Files but can't read them in rapid succession. Charles de Lint's Newford books are good, especially when the Crow Sisters are involved. Neil Gaiman and China Mieville books automatically end up on my to-read pile.

I don't have nearly the amount of experience in the urban fantasy genre as some here. It was Eleanor upthread who got me started (thanks Eleanor!) and I'm slowly trying different series.

My favorite is probably Dresden, and my favorite character is probably Murphy.

I also really like the Mercy Thompson series despite not being a huge fan of either werewolves or vampires.

And Tanya Huff's Blood series is extremely entertaining even though, again, I don't love vampires.

Wow there's lots of great books and series mentioned here! I certainly haven't read all of them.

I'm sure I've forgotten some, and I'm trying to mentally separate out the urban fantasy from the more romantic paranormal romance ones, though plenty cross over, so:

~ Keri Arthur's Riley Jensen Guardian series - yes, definitely Quinn!!

~ Jennifer Armintrout, Blood Ties book #1 (haven't read any others yet) - Trinity, Cyrus COMES BACK??!! He was enigmatic and charismatic enough in the first book...

~ Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series - Edward of course!

~ Anya Bast, Witch Fire - ooh, Jack

~ P.C. Cast & Kristen Cast's House of Night books


Unfinished: Tanya Huff's Blood Price. The mystery side of it was a bit predictable and couldn't keep my attention. But I do plan on finishing it :)

Waiting on my shelf to be read:
~ Jim Butcher, Storm Front
~ Robin McKinley, Sunshine
~ Kelley Armstrong, Bitten
~ Anya Bast, Witch Blood
~ Rachel Caine, Ill Wind (because I haven't read it yet, I'm not quite sure if it belongs here - actually, that goes for a few of these)
~ Christina Dodd, Scent of Darkness
~ Jeaniene Frost, Halfway to the Grave
~ Colleen Gleason, The Rest Falls Away
~ Nina Harper, Succubus in the City
~ Kim Harrison, Dead Witch Walking
~ Raven Hart, The Vampire's Seduction
~ Sergei Lukyanenko, The Night Watch
~ Adrian Phoenix, A Rush of Wings
~ Susan Sizemore, I Burn for You
~ Traci L. Slatton, Immortal

Will get soon:
~ Lilith Saintcrow, Working for the Devil

I loved Frost's Halfway to the Grave!! Can't wait for the second book to come out.

Shannon, Traci Slatton's Immortal does have some paranormal aspects, but Iwould categorize it more as historical fiction.

My favourites are Patricia Briggs Moon Called, Blood Bound, Iron Kissed

Ilona Andrews- Magic Bites, Magic Burns

Kelley Armstrong-Bitten, Stolen, Broken

The Southern Vampire series by Charlaine Harris

There are so many books I need to buy after Looking through the posts

I think I'd categorize Lynn Viehl's Darkyn series as urban fantasy, now that I know more about this genre. I am highly enjoying it so far. Can't say that I've yet read much else on this list though, so I'll have to refrain from listing favorites until I have.

The Darkest Kiss is out already?? Oh gimme gimme gimme!!

Jennifer - I often have trouble categorising books until after I've read them, so I was going by the blurb mostly when I included it with urban fantasy. Urban fantasy can be historical too can't it? Or does it have to be modern? Perhaps so, since I wouldn't call Dracula or Frankenstien urban fantasy!!

One Foot in the Grave is out?!?!?! I want it!! I just looked for it a few days ago, and couldn't find it yet. There are a bunch of books coming out in the next few months that continue ssome of my favorite series. Should be a good summer for reading!!

Shannon, since I know you're a Kresley Cole fan as well, the fourth in her Immortals After Dark series just came out. (Dark Needs at Night's Edge.) I just bought it over the weekend.

Jennifer, I just ordered Dark Needs from Amazon, can't wait!

Trinity, I think you're right, urban fantasy definitely needs a modern and, well, "urban" setting! Sometimes I get confused. Mostly I just confuse myself :P

I'm maybe halfway through Dark Needs, and it's fabulous! You won't be disappointed.

I keep wanting to call it "Dark Deeds" because it's easier - but she's always used that title hasn't she?! "Dark Needs" is a bit of a tongue-twister for me :)

In no particular order here are my favourite urban fantasy books series or not

Newford stories and anything else by Charles de Lint
Retrievers series by Laura Anne Gilman
American Gods and Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
Good Fairies of New York by Martin Millar
The Walker Papers series by C.E. Murphy
The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher
a newer one I'm liking is The Cassandra Palmer Series by Karen Chance
Southern Vampire Mysteries by Charlaine Harris
The Modern Faerie Tales by Holly Black
The Chronicles of Faerie by O.R. Melling
The Others Tetralogy (night watch etc..) by Sergei Lukyanenko

I also agree with Hamilton's Anita Blake series I like Obsidian Butterfly and really liked it then I read some of the newer ones -- way too much sex with bad plot I'm afraid to read the earlier ones. I'll have to give the Rachel Morgan series a try.

Here are some of my favorite Urban Fantasy (off the top of my head which means that I will forget a ton of other books):

The Harry Dresden Files by Jim Butcher
The Sookie Series by Charlaine Harris
The Mercy series by Patricia Briggs
The Nightside Series by Simon Green
The Anita Blake and the Fairy Series by Laurell Hamilton
The Women of the Otherworld by Kelley Armstrong (but sometimes I find her pacing a bit slow.)
There is a series by Karen Chance that I like but I can't remember the name of it.

I've started the Kitty Series, but haven't had a chance to read past the first book. I know there is more but I just got off of work and my brain is mush.

Chelle, the early Anita books have zero sex in them. There's a kiss or two in the first four books or so, but that's it. I have only read the first four so far, but I liked them.

Hey, all! I just joined this group about two seconds ago! Wanted to say thanks for all the tips on great authors (esp women authors). I've read every single Charles de Lint (except the scary stuff--can't do scary stuff) and I even named my cat Copley after Isabelle Copley in Memory and Dream. Pumpkin, you're not the only one!!!

So, anyway, I'm very much looking forward to raiding all your shelves. Check ya later!!!

Hi Aria I've been following Karen Chance's new series, it's called The Cassandra Palmer Series

Hi Jennifer I'll give them a try them! Thanks

I love Pat Elrod's Fleming series. The Jonathan Barrett one is good too - but not as much as Fleming for me

I read the Jack Fleming and Jonathan Barrett series too, and liked them. I read the Fleming one ages ago, so I don't have a clear recollection of them anymore. I really liked Jonathan Barrett and hoped for another one, since the last one just begged for a continuation. I emailed the author and asked her about it, but she said there would be no more of the Jonathan series unless sales increased dramatically. Oh, well :(

Robin McKinley's Sunshine is a great read. I love her style of writing, and this is really the only urban fantasy she's done.

I, too, liked the early Anita Blake books, but once they turned into porno got very disinterested. I like the early character so much for her moral ground and the fact she wouldn't give on her principles. The fact she's now so incredibly slutty, and justifies it!, irritates the bejesus out of me. Seems like the whole character got destroyed.

Agreed--Sunshine was great. Probably my favorite vampire read in the past 5 yrs or so...

Sunshine was great, it's a pity that there isn't another book. I can't even talk about Anita Blake I loved the first books and then she changed Anita into somebody completely different. LKH should kill off lots of characters and get back to writing an actual plot.

Oh, that's a really good idea! Who would you kill off first? Hmmmm....lots of possibilities there! Ha ha ha!!! But I would keep Edward around. He's kinda cool.

I'd kill Micah, Richard and Nathaniel first because I hate them LOL, Edward can definitely stay, I really like his character. You know i've forgotten most of the more recent characters!

Yeah! Get rid of Richard!!! I can't stand him either. I sooo didn't see how Anita could prefer him over Jean Claude.
Nathaniel doesn't impress me either.
I like Requiem, Damien and Jason, but Anita isn't into them so much.

I couldn't stand Richard from the beginning, Suzann but maybe that's because I knew she'd hook up with him in later books. I just finished #4 (The Lunatic Cafe) and I was annoyed by Anita as well as Richard. Anita is just...I didn't like her in this one. I don't like how she's so quick to kill people and Richard pointed that out and I totally agreed even though I prefer her with Jean Claude. Shit, she doesn't deserve Jean Claude! LOL

I don't know who Requiem is but I remember Jason and I've heard of Nathaniel. It's just hilarious to me how she can go from "i'm waiting until marriage to screw again" in Book 4 but in the later books she's freakin Jenna Jameson or something. That's what's putting me off from continuing the series.

Exactly!!! Jean Claude was way better than Richard, ok so he's a bit cold, just turn the heating up :)
Jason's a fun character I like him.

Ranata you have to read The Killing Dance, it's got what you told me you were dying to read :)

Requiem is in some of the more recent books. He's a vampire, and part of Jean Claude's group. Requiem seriously needs someone to love him, but although Anita likes him okay, and will do the wild thing with him if the Ardeur hits, she doesn't "love" him.
(Does she really love anyone? I mean, come on!)

I think she loves herself and the power she has .

I'm absolutely, positively, hopelessly in love with Patricia Briggs and Ilona Andrews. How do we add them to the group book shelf?

Hey Ciara! To add books to the group bookshelf, go to our home page and scroll down until you get to where pics of our various books are. Just below them you'll see 'add books'. I just added Moon Called by Patricia Briggs. :)

I recommend Katie McAlister's Aishling Grey series for some lighter fare and it has dragons! I too like Carrie Vaughn's Kitty Norville series for some werewolf reading, though the first book is the weakest in the series to me. I thought the YA book Blood and Chocolate was excellent as well, nothing like the craptastic movie.

I second pretty much all of the previously mentioned books: Harris, Harrison, Briggs, Armstrong, Frost, Butcher, McKinley, Caine, DeLint, Huff, and Meyers...

My Favorite character is Betsy from the Undead series by MJ Davidson. Betsy is so annoying, shallow and funny you have no choice but to love her. She makes me want to jump in the book and smack her.LOL I've read books 1-4 basically in two days. I'm ordering 5 and 6 and waiting for 7 to be released I think next month.

I will be continuing the series, I think, until at least I get that one out of the way. Jean Claude/Anita action, woohoo!

re: message 42 and 49. Oh, yes. It most certainly does have woohoo action! :) I quite liked The Killing Dance