Urban Fantasy discussion
BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS
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Looking for Recs: Female Leads that focus on plot not romance
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You would probably like the Jane Yellowrock series; it has a strong female character, lots of action and little romance. the first 3 are:
I would definitely start with the Kate Daniels series. It has some romance, but just like the Dresden series, it's mostly about Kate kicking butt and taking names.
Also, try the Greywalker series. It has a very noir feel and very little romance.
The October Daye series has a little romance, but it is mostly focused on the intrigue within the faerie courts. This would be on the opposite end of the Merry Gentry smut scale.
I really liked the Sabina Kane series, but it did have some relationship issues between Sabina and Adam (a la Harry and Susan). They weren't the main plot though; that was all about Sabina trying to save the world from Cain.
Not a female protag, but if you like Harry Dresden, try the Iron Druid Chronicles. Atticus is the last remaining druid and a strong female chacater, Granuaile, does come into the story and becomes pretty much the secondary lead.
If you like Steampunk, the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences as a kick-butt female lead. Her name is even Braun, Eliza Braun.
The Rook is a really interesting paranormal standalone and has no romance in sight.
The Downside Ghosts series is gritty and dark; the lead character is a drug addict. She does have a relationship throughout the books but it has a lot of angst and depth to it, not just sexathons.
The Horngate Witches series has just a little romance but almost no sex. It's a really cool take on witches and the people they have protecting them.
The Arcadia Bell series has a long-term relationship, but the lovey dovey stuff takes a backseat to the magic and intrigue. This one has a very unique take on demons living among us.
I save Mercy Thompson for last because it does have a little more romance, but it by no means dominates the plot. This story follows Mercy, a mechanic and the last living skinwalker aka coyote shifter, as she tries to find her place in a world populated by vampires, werewolves, witches, and fae... among other things.
All these series have some romance, but most of the time its secondary to the plot:
I'd recommend Lilith SaintCrow's Jill Kismet books. The first is
Yayy so many new books to look into thank you guys so much. A few I have on my to read list. It is good to know what to expect from them.I don't mind some romance but alot of the series I have been reading with female leads were all sex, and it was getting boring.
Marla Mason series by TA PrattSecond The Rook and Kate Daniels and the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences.
Limejuize wrote: "Yayy so many new books to look into thank you guys so much. A few I have on my to read list. It is good to know what to expect from them.I don't mind some romance but alot of the series I have be..."
Also the Hollows series. There's a little bit of sex at times but most of the books have no sex scenes. It's not focused on the romance angle. There is an annoying situation with a vamp for a few (Ivy) but that fixes itself and can be ignored too
Erin wrote: There is an annoying situation with a vamp for a few (Ivy) but that fixes itself and can be ignored too..."I started reading that one. The last one I read was For A Few Demons More(it had just come out), but the situation with Ivy kinda drove me away from the series. But if you say it fixes itself I may have to pick back up the series again.
Limejuize wrote: "Erin wrote: There is an annoying situation with a vamp for a few (Ivy) but that fixes itself and can be ignored too..."I started reading that one. The last one I read was For A Few Demons More(it..."
It's my favorite series but I agree that was a big turn off. It was really annoying and was a sore point for a few books. But it doesn't stick around at all and gets completely better on that front. I just ignored that part of those earlier books.
Vampire Babylon is an excellent UF series with a strong plot.
The Kitty Norville series focuses on her development as a person.
Mod
series and am loving it! To me, it has the feel of Mercy Thompson, but with a little more spice. (Not much more, just a little.) I'm hoping the rest of the book is as good as the first 1/3.
Another good one is The Walker Papers 
Darcy wrote: "Another good one is The Walker Papers [bookcover:Demon Hunts|74670..."The librarian just recommended this series to me because I enjoy Jane Yellowrock!
Jalilah wrote: "Darcy wrote: "Another good one is The Walker Papers [bookcover:Dem..."I hope you like it.
I started the Kate Daniels series, but thought the frist book to be a bit slow. It picks up in the second one though - just thought to let you know. The other series they have written however was great from the very first book - on the edge, and that series have quickly become one of my favourites :)
Charles Stross' series begining with "The Family Trade" has a female lead, is pretty low magic urban fantasy (humans with special powers, no monsters) and while there are relationships, they are not the focus of the stories.Being a Luddite, I don't know how to put nifty thumbnails in here, but they're easy enough to find.
Mod
Lol. I understand the Luddite thing. If you ever want to add a book to your post, click the 'add book/author' link above the comment box (it is in gold-colored type). Then you would type the name of the book you want to appear in your post (in your case, The Family Trade), and click the 'search' button. When your book pops up, you select either 'link' to get the link like so:
The Family Trade
or 'cover' to have the cover appear.
I'd recommend the Walker Papers (starting with Urban Shaman). The characters feel very real, less "Kicks ass in leather pants", and from what I understand, the romance doesn't even start until book 6.
I loved This Case Is Gonna Kill Me. The protagonist has a couple of romantic entanglements, but they are definitely subordinate to the plot. The love interest also isn't an alpha male--a refreshing change.
Awesome new series I recently ran across by chance and cannot recommend highly enough to UF lovers! Is now one of my ultimate favorites right up there with Ilona Andrews' Kate Daniels, Stacia Kane's City of Ghosts (Downside) series, Faith Hill's Jane Yellowrock, and Seanan McGuire's October Daye series! Superbly well-done, kick-ass heroine (and written by a man, no less!) with just a little romance that does not in any way take over the action-packed and intriguing plot.
And the prequel novella was just released and is free on Amazon:
I cannot recommend enough the Jill Kismet series by Lilith Saintcrow.
She does have a relationship, but it far from being the center of the books. Jill Kismet is really tough, and the books are dark and gritty.
Tomina wrote: "Awesome new series I recently ran across by chance and cannot recommend highly enough to UF lovers! Is now one of my ultimate favorites right up there with Ilona Andrews' Kate Daniels, Stacia Kane..."Ooh! I haven't heard of this series. Thanks! And you have to love a freebie prequel. :)
The new Destroyer spin off series by Jerry Welch and Warren Murphy features a 16 yr old co-lead who is a bad ass martial artist. I know that technically she fits the femme fatale mold, but the way i read it, she's more a gal than an object. And being that the character is 16, we shouldn't see her put in any sexual situations.
I just want to say thank you for this post! I loved the early Anita Blake books, and I've been trying to find something more in that vein that wasn't young adult. I'm definitely going to use this topic as a reference guide.
This is a great topic. I would add "World of the Lupi" books by Eileen Wilks.It starts with
There is romance but it is not the main focus of the series.
Agreed, Aggie. Thanks, Limejuize for starting it.I wish that book sites would allow me to enter " focus on plot not romance" as a refinement of searches. And not just romance. Angst, clothing, physical attributes, dreams etc. all have a habit of taking away from the story. The best writers are ruthless in editing out anything that doesn't help to illuminate the illusive but critical meaning, or core of the book. The heart of it . Briggs, Butcher, Bull, Andrews, DeLint, Ashwood, Wilks, Mcguire etc know when description is necessary and when it is not. I am sure that their studio floors are full of lovely bits of writing that just didn't help make the book better. And I for one, thank them for not sticking them in anyways.
plot not romance, have you read "Child of the Ghost"?
I haven't, but I just put it on my to read list. Thanks.
the first one was well written, the ending was predictable. but the series is very good, I am only about three books in.
The first series that I thought of is Jennifer Estep's Elemental Assassin series (Spider's Revenge, Web of Lies, etc.). Although there is some romance, the main focus is Gin Blanco's life as the assassin called Spider and her family, friends and enemies. I love the series. Gets better with each new release.
Urban Fantasy
Books mentioned in this topic
Bitten (other topics)Kitty Goes to Washington (other topics)
Kitty and the Midnight Hour (other topics)
Kitty Takes a Holiday (other topics)
The Family Trade (other topics)
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I guess what I am looking for would be a female version of the Dresden Files or something like the very beginning of the Anita Blake series. I am also not a fan on YA books unless the characters are not in highschool.