I wanted to say ditto to so many of these suggestions, but I decided I wanted to challenge myself to only list my faves that are PNR and not UF. It was difficult. And I know the definitions are murky. But here's what I decided:

Lynn Viehl-Darkyn series
Marjorie Liu-Dirk&Steele series
Nalini Sing-Psy/Changeling series


And here's the one I found hardest to categorize:

Kelley Armstrong--Women of the Otherworld series
I'd be interested to hear whether folks felt the Kelley Armstrong series was more UF or PNR, again given the caveat that none of the definitions are set in stone anymore and so much is a funky mixture of both.

The Psy/Changeling books are fantastic, Archer.

I've only read 2 of the Psy-Changling series. But I LOVED Angels' Blood.

I would love to hear some reviews on Nalini Singh.. I haven't read any thing by her yet but the Psy-Changling series does look interesting..

I know what you mean, Ann. I was into supernatural before it was cool. I devoured books on vamps, werewolves, demons, etc. My mom actually had a talk with me because she was worried about the weird stuff I was reading. Surprisingly, I was very resistant to PNR romance. I liked the evil vamps. But then I read Sherrilyn Kenyon's Night Pleasure because my sister kept shoving it at me (she's been into PNR for over 20 years). Now I'm crazy about it, and I love UF just as much.

Sigh, I can remember when there wasn't even a PNR defination. And when you'd go ages between scifi and fantasy publications.

lol, you KNOW that you're becoming too middle of the road when your formally "fringe" activities become so main-stream that they are appearing everywhere. I can remember that when I was in school I would be in a very tiny (like 3 or 4) minority of people that actually ENJOYED reading things like Dracula, Dragonrider, Witch World, etc. And when my daughter reached high school and Goth started making such big inroads on teenager culture that that's what I would have been called when I was her age--IF there had been such a thing. :o)

Hi Starling. I used to try to read all the PNR series. I realize there are more out there than I can handle. I do try to check out a bulk of them, though.

Sarah, I have not read a single one of those books. There was a time when I not only read EVERY paranormal novel that got written, I had to wait months or even years between books. I LOVE the fact that it is possible for there to be whole series out there that I can get to read just by ordering even more books.

Meanwhile I've got the first novel in two more series on my TBR shelf, neither of which is on your list, and a third that my daughter will share with me once she finishes Book 3 in that series. And I don't think it is on your list either.

Just a wealth of stuff out there. <grin>

Larissa Ione- Demonica series
Richelle Mead- Vampire Academy
Gena Showalter- Alien Huntress series
Melissa Marr- Wicked Lovely
Jennifer Rardin- Jaz Parks

My top five

Tie between Immortals After Dark by Kresley Cole and Black Dagger Brotherhood by JR Ward
Psy/Changeling by Nalini Singh
Ghostwalkers by Christine Feehan
Dark Hunters by Sherrilyn Kenyon

My Top Five Favorite Series:

Laurell K Hamilton : Anita Blake
Sherrilyn Kenyon : Dark Hunter
Gena Showalter : Lords Of the Underworld
Charlaine Harris : Sookie Stackhouse
J. R. Ward : Black Dagger Brotherhood Series

I have more than five but here are some:

Jeaniene Frost Night huntress series
Kresley Cole Immortals after dark
Karen Marie Moning Fever series
Patricia Briggs Mercy series
Larissa Ione Demonica series

My top 5 are all in this list multiple times.. But I'll list them anyways!! These at least are my most memorable reads.

1. Sherilyn Kenyon.. Dark Hunter Series
2. J. R. Ward ... Black Dagger Brotherhood Series
3. Kresley Cole... Immortals After Dark Series
4. Richelle Mead... Dark Swan
5. Jeanine Frost... Night Huntress

oops that was just 4, my bad.

My top five would be:

The Dark Series


The Breed Series:


Fever Series:


Riley Jenson Guardian Series:

Here goes!

Karen Marie Moning


J.R. Ward


Sherrilyn Kenyon
...through...

Lynn Viehl


Karen Marie Moning


P.C. Cast (not really romance, but def. paranormal.)


Melissa Marr (again, not romance)

Sarah:

How are P.C. Cast's books? I'm reading the House of night series right now. Are these other books more "grown up"?

I am loving this topic--giving me so many new books/series to try!

Favs (so far) posting fav book from the series
Forever and the Night (wonderful older series)by Linda Leal Miller
Lover Avenged by JR Ward BDB Series
Sins of the Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Chosen by PC Cast (YA but really it was good)
The Wolf by Jean Johnson (cross between scifi and PNR)

Ilona Andrews- Kate Daniels,and the edge
Jeanine Frost- Night Huntress Series
Rachel Vincent- Shifters
Larissa Ione- Demonica Series
Gena showalter-

Token Female Gamer wrote: "Being rather new to this genre I was hoping to get some good suggestions on where to go next in my PNR reading quest.
So I was wondering, what is everyone top five list. (I'm counting series as o..."

Hands down BLACK DAGGER BROTHERHOOD series would be your NUMBER 1!!! And alot of people would agree.

by Karen Marie Moning

by Patricia Briggs

by Jeaniene Frost


by Charlaine Harris

by Lora Leigh

you know you want to read them if you haven't already!! Do it.

This is so difficult! Here they are in no particular order.

Sherrilyn Kenyon - Dark Hunters/Dream Hunters series
Christine Feehan - Dark series
Keri Arthur - Riley Jenson series
Gena Showaler - Lords of the Underworld
J.R. Ward - Black Dagger Brotherhood

it is so hard to narrow them all down, but these are some of my favorites:

Jeaniene Frost - Night Huntress series
Rachel Caine - Weather Warden series
Patricia Briggs - Mercy Thompson series
Nalini Singh - Psy/Changeling series
Ilona Andrews - Kate Daniels series
Adrian Phoenix - Maker's Song series

My top five series - in no particular order:

Twilight - Stephenie Meyer
Vampire Academy - Richelle Mead
Black Dagger Brotherhood - J R Ward
Jaz Parks - Jennifer Rardin
The Lords of the Underworld - Gina Showalter

My top five would be:
Women of the Other world series - Kelley Armstrong
Darkest Powers series - Kelley Armstrong
Study and Glass Series - Maria Snyder
Twilight series - Stephenie Meyer
Morganville Vampires - Rachael Cain
.....I also LOVE reading The mammoth Book of the Paranormal Romance -Trisha Telep (All sort stories by all my fav. authors!

Night Huntress - Jeaniene Frost
Love at Stake - Kerrelyn Sparks (Need to still read them though I know they'll be great)
Morganville Vampires - Rache Caine.
And last but not least:
Cassie Palmer and Dorina Basarab - Karen Chance
!!!

1.Halfway to the grave- Jeanie Frost
2. City of Bones - Classandra Clare
3. Glass Houese- Rachel Caine
4. Shiver- Maggie Stevifer
5. Stary- Rachel Vincent

xoxo

Oh I'm so happy I joined this group. I'm not so much into paranormal romance even though I always want to read books from it. thanks to you guys i might find stuff to my liking. Like the Black Dagger Brotherhood... apparently everybody agrees that it's a must-read. :)

PS: excuse my English, it's not my language.

SO HARD TO CHOOSE! Okay I'll try this.

1. Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning
2. Werecat series by Rachel Vincent
3. Anita Blake by Laurell K. Hamilton
4. Dark-Hunters by Sherrilyn Kenyon
5. All series by Richelle Mead

Stinkerbell (AKA UniquelyMoi) wrote: "Here's a good Shadowlight article

http://lizasblog-liza.blogspot.com/2009/09/shadowlight-novel-of-kyndred.html"

Oh, I can't wait to read it, I think that will be next!

I haven't been reading Paranormal for that long.
So far

Shiver


Bitten

Twilight series

Mortal Instruments

Soulless

Oh and I have to add BDB 1,3,4, and 6

Ok I am just getting into this... so not sure I will have 5 and I am new to Paranormal romance but hooked... so far I have found

Chloe Neill-Some Girls BiteFriday Night Bites

Melissa Marr-
Wicked LovelyFragile EternityInk Exchange

Jennifer Rardin-
Once Bitten, Twice ShyAnother One Bites the DustBiting the BulletBitten to DeathOne More BiteBite Marks

Richelle Mead-Vampire AcademyFrostbite (Vampire Academy, #2)Shadow Kiss (Vampire Academy, #3)Blood Promise

Annette Blair- Sex and the Psychic WitchGone with the WitchNever Been Witched

Ok I did come up with 5 Yay...these books I have loved so far I am still reading full series however.

My top favorites are:

Richelle Mead: Dark Swan & Vampire Academy series
Karen Chance: Cassie Palmer series
Kim Harrison: Rachel Morgan series
Patricia Briggs: Mercy Thompson series
Ilona Andrews: Magic series
Larissa Ione: Demonica series
Karen Marie Moning: Highlander & Fever Series
Jeaniene Frost: Night Huntress series
Kresley Cole: Immortals After Dark series
Jenna Black: Demon series
Devon Monk: Magic series

I haven't read all the BDB series yet, and there are several intriguing items from other people's lists that I think I will try.

My top PNR/UF series are:

Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning
Night Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost
Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J.R. Ward
Alpha and Omega series by Patricia Briggs
Dirk & Steele series by Marjorie Liu

OK I have to update my post since I just finishe the BDB series!


1. J.R. Ward- Black Dagger Brotherhood
2. Sherrilyn Kenyon (Dark-Hunter/Dream-Hunter)
3. Charlaine Harris (Sookie Stackhouse)
4. Jeaniene Frost (Night Huntress)
5. Kathy Love (Her PNR books start with The Young Brother Series, but I suggest just starting with Fangs For The Memories and reading them in the order they were released because you do see characters repeat from book to book)

I am new to the PNR/UF genre, so I only have 4 fave series so far--

Kate Daniels, 3 books, Ilona Andrews

Sookie Stackhouse, 9 books, Charlaine Harris

Vampire Adadamy, 4 books, Richelle Mead

Black Dagger Brotherhood, 7 books, J.R. Ward


I am also a lover of regular fantasy, here are my fave series from that genre if you're interested. :)

Hunger Games, 2 books, Suzanne Collins

Songs of Ice & Fire, 4 books, George R.R. Martin,

Graceling, 2 books, Kristin Cashore

Sevenwaters Trilogy, 4 books, Juliet Marillier

Ok so far my top 5 would reach those series but still i have some series i haven't started reading yet and could be really good.
1.Night Huntress series
2.Twilight Saga
3.Mortal Instruments
4.Hunger Games
5.Black Dagger Brotherhood

I still have a lot of reading to do. So far my top 5 series are:-

My top five paranormal books are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
There are alot more but those are the ones that I could think of off the top of my head.

Mine are for teens :
1 Twilight Saga - Stephenie Meyer
2 House of Night Series - P.C. and Kristin Cast
3 Blood and Chocolate - Annette Curtis Klause
4 Vampire Academy Series - Richelle Mead
5 Unleashed - Kristopher Reisz

These are awesome book please take time to read them if you have not already!!!

my favorites are for like teens

twilight saga
immortal series
house of night series
vampire kisses
i dont have a fifth favorite

Since I have recently picked up my reading again now that my son is 2 and into cartoons :), my favorites so far have been:

The Fever Series - Karen Marie Moning
The Mortal Instruments - Cassandra Clare
The Southern Vampire Series (Yay Sookie!) - Charlaine Harris
Vampire Academy - Richelle Mead

My top five are:

The Black Dagger Brotherhood - JR Ward
Psy/Changling - Nalini Singh
Night Huntress - Jeanine Frost
Immortals After Dark - Kresley Cole
Dirk & Steele - Marjorie Liu

These are the books that I am happy to pay full price for. Everything else I can either wait until the Kindle price comes down from the stratosphere or pick up at my local library.

In no particular order, by the name of the first book in the series...

Halfway to the Grave, Jeaniene Frost
Once Bitten, Twice Shy, Jennifer Rardin
Midnight's Daughter, Karen Chance (series but only one book out so far)
Moon Called, Patricia Briggs
Skin Walker, Faith Hunter
Magic Bites, Ilona Andrews
Street Magic, Caitlin Kittredge
Staying Dead, Laura Anne Gilman
Magic to the Bone, Devon Monk
Working for the Devil, Lilith Saintcrow (I know, worst pen name ever, but a really fun series)
Night Shift, Lilith Saintcrow

My faves are these--

1. Rachel Vincent Shifters Series
2. Stephenie Meyer Twilight Saga
3. Rachel Vincent- Soul Screamers (even though there's only 1 book I LOVED it and know I will love the others)
4. Charlaine Harris Sookie Stackhouse
5. Stephen Woodworth Violet series

I agree with so many of your suggestions, but here's one that noone has mentioned.

1.The Paladin Series by Alexis Morgan
2.Tha Argeneau Vampire series by Lynsay Sands
3.The Dirk & Steele Series by Marjorie M Liu
4.Lilith Saint Crow
5.Devon Monk
6.Jennifer Rardin

A few different ones although I so agree with most of the others suggested.
Sal

Ok, here's a few more ideas--

Candace Havens (humour)
Tanya Huff (Humour, UF, fantasy)
Mercedes Lackey (UF, fantasy)
Barb& J.C. Hendee (fantasy mostly)
Andre Norton (you name, she's written it)
Anne MacCaffrey (scifi, fantasy)

Ok, the last 2 are essentially "Goddesses of Fantasy and/or SciFi" but hey, everyone needs to read Goddesses, right? :o)

I could continue with another 7 or 8 or 9 or . . . But you did limit us to 5.

And I tried to list some authors that others hadn't. I love most of the other authors that are listed (well, except the BDB books. I'm going to give book 2 a chance and see if I like it better than book 1, which frankly STUNK)

Oh, and did anyone mention Jim Butcher and his Dresden books. (Ok, that's another series where the first book wasn't great, but still a really GOOD line-up of work) OOHHH and another humour one is Terry Pratchett and his Disk World novels. Wyrd Sisters

Kristin wrote: "Here are my top 5 series. Included are the first book of each series.

Jeaniene Frost - Night Huntress series


Charlaine Harris - Sookie Stackhouse Souther..."

Halfway to the Grave is the first book in the Night Huntress series, not One Foot in the Grave.

Here are my top 5 series. Included are the first book of each series.

Jeaniene Frost - Night Huntress series


Charlaine Harris - Sookie Stackhouse Southern Vampire mysteries


Gena Showalter - Lord's of the Underworld


Kerrelyn Sparks - Love at Stakes series


J.R. Ward - Black Dagger Brotherhood

If you like humorous paranormal reads then definitely check out:

Tate Hallaway - Garnet Lacy series
Mary Janice Davidson - Queen Betsy Series

That isn't five but they are soooo awesome!

Jenna