When and how did you discover your favorite author(s)/books?

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

Describe your first encounters with fave books or authors.

[Carolyn F.]

I read this anthology because I was reading through Sunny's series and found two of my favorite authors after reading their short stories - Patricia Briggs and Eileen Wilks because I loved the short stories so much I started reading more of their books. They are two of my top five authors.

[Pamela(AllHoney), Danger Zone]

I have too many favorite authors! But as regards to say, Kristen Ashley, that entirely Dhes' fault. She wrote such glowing reviews and I ignore them as long as I could and finally gave in. Now Kathleen Woodiwiss is a favorite and I "discovered" her back when I was about 12 years old. One of my mom's books. Up til then I had only read shorter Harlequins and gothic romances. The Flame and The Flower was my first "long" book. So many more but I don't always remember my first book or the discovery.

[Jessica]

Most of my favorite authors I discovered through you ladies on goodreads. I will forever grateful to you all for that. :) I read reviews and look at what other people are reading through the threads and if the synopsis sounds interesting I give it a try.

[Pamela(AllHoney), Danger Zone]

Yes, I also discovered many authors here on GR that I probably would never have read if not for this site.

[Jessica]

I don't have many friends that read so this site has been a god sent. Love being able to chat with you all about things that I've read and that you are reading. Not only do I get to add to my TBR pile all the time. I don't feel judged for how much I read or what I am reading which can happen quite often around here.

[Pamela(AllHoney), Danger Zone]

We are happy to have you here, Jessica!

[Goge (BARRONS) le Moning Maniac,]

In February 2012 I don't remember why but I went looking through Karen Marie Moning's quotes on her website here at goodreads. After reading a few (I only wanted teasers not full-on spoilers) I decided to buy one of her books. On March 2, 2012 I bought Shadowfever, book five, the last book (up to date) of Mac and Barrons. I didn't know it was the last book. I thought it was the kind of series where each book has a different hero or heroine. I was wrong. And I painfully ruined some things for me which sucks monkey balls but it's because I bought book five that I bought all the books before and I have no regrets. Because of Fever, Karen Marie Moning is an autobuy author for me.


I bought books one through four just so I could read book five because the first page of book five, Shadowfever, had already drawn me in. I was going through a bad time in life and this book just clicked with me. Made me realize how stupid I'd been too. For me, this book is special because it's a part of the hard times I went through since it was the first book that made me aware again after my 'episode'. It also has harsh reality and self-awareness lessons in here. And it's amazing and entertaining as hell. Fever is special to me and the author is stunningly introspective and wise. A genius at writing. She's my favorite author above all others.

Here's the first page of Shadowfever:

"Hope strengthens. Fear kills.
Someone really smart told me that once.
Every time I think I'm getting wiser, more in control of my actions, I go slamming into a situation that makes me excruciatingly aware that all I've succeeded in doing is swapping one set of delusions for a more elaborate, attractive set of delusions-that's me, the Queen of Self-Deception.
I hate myself right now. More than I'd ever thought possible.
I squat on the cliff's edge, screaming, cursing the day I was born, wishing my biological mother had drowned me at birth. Life is too hard, too much to handle. Nobody told me there'd be days like these. How could nobody tell me there'd be days like these? How could they let me grow up like that-happy and pink and stupid?
The pain I feel is worse than anything the Sinsar Dubh has ever done to me. At least when the Book is crushing me, I know it's not my own fault.
This moment?
Mea culpa. Beginning to end, all the way, I own this one, and there will never be any hiding from that fact."

[Goge (BARRONS) le Moning Maniac,]

My start into the Romance Novels world: When I was in middle school my two older sisters were always reading Romance novels. It was surprising since my oldest sister didn't like to read but she was always reading Romance novels. My interest and curiosity was peaked. They also brought thousands of books back from the library (each time they came back home with 30 or 40 or so books and that was Separately. I do that now). One day I snuck into their rooms and took some of the books from their bookshelves and flipped through them. Holy eww hahahahah I put them back and didn't touch them for a year or two. Then I went back and actually finished one then two and so forth. They were quite vivid books. But the plots were amazing and the characters genius! I've been addicted to Romance since. I know I started young. Bad Bad Goge. Curiosity stole some innocence. I was just in awe how much two people could be so in love. Love really reeled me in. The charm and intensity beguils. Also, I'm a romantic and YA didn't give me enough love. It was very wishy-washy romance filled with double love interests and interests only in the popular guys. That bores real quick. Watch me roll my eyes. Adult romance is my addiction and the way to go.

Books I found at home or influenced by my sisters:
I became an instant Christine Feehan fan. Lucien from is my favorite Carpathian. Vampires? Who cared about vampires, I was Obsessed with Carpathians.


Ohmygoodness I LOVE SANDRA HILL. SHE IS A GODDESS! THE GODDESS OF VIKINGS! AND NAVY SEALS! I am very biased so all other Vikings and Navy SEALs paled when written by others, in fact I wouldn't read, still don't care to, to read other SEALs or Vikings by other authors. It's because of Sandra Hill I like witty and crude humor and dialogue. Some might call it too-much or cheesy but she worked for me. She's entertaining as heck. I love her. I re-read her books REPEATEDLY. Ex.


Rejar and Lilac are two of my earliest Romance novel heroes and heroines (this was also one of my first historical Romance novels). Tsk, I was so naughty. Since this book is quite naughty. But holy hell I LOVE REJAR and LILAC. They were PERFECT. PERFECT. I tried some more Dara Joy books but only one other was good in my opinion. So mean. Sorry Dara Joy:( But REJAR, dudes and dudettes! I will forever remember Rejar and his Lilac.


Lori Foster is also a favorite author of mine that I discovered from my sisters' bookshelves. Well, ok only Casey was on the shelf but my sister repeatedly checked out Jamie and I repeatedly checked out Unexpected. Whenever I wanted a heart-throbbing, loving, warm and touching Romance novel Lori Foster would be the author I'd turn to.


I also discovered Sunny/ and Kerrlyn Sparks/ thanks to my cousin. She bought them and introduced them to my siblings and I. My sister buys Kerrlyn Sparks's books automatically. It's the only Romance novel she's been introduced to and she doesn't read (my other older sister aside from my two oldest sisters) so she won't read other Romance novels. Sunny is the only author I allow to have a heroine attached to more than one Hero because I am a One Hero One Heroine kinda gal.

I was obsessed with P.C. Cast and her House of Night series (YA series) so she was the only other author I allowed to have a heroine have more than one guy/love interest. But then nope, not anymore. It became Lust interest to me. And I loathe heroines having more than one guy or even love/lust interests. It tickles me funny. KIDDING. It jacks up my dislike. In the end, only Sunny is allowed since I CAN'T HATE the other Heroes. I tried. Tried so I would stick with my one guy-one one-gal belief and rule but grr they just happened to love the same girl what can I do? I loved them all and only wanted their happiness and Mona Lisa was their happiness. So I just said FINE! and allowed them their one girl-tons of dudes poly-relationship. I hate Poly-relationships. So conflicting..


Cathie Linz was one of my first Favorite authors. I especially love these three books. I found her book in high school. Bad Girls Don't was a book my sister checked out often and then I found Good Girls Do in my High School library. I find books by Cathie Linz charming, loving, entertaining, funny, and witty.


This book was on the bookshelf at home too, one of my favorites:


---
Since someone mentioned Wuthering Heights in the favorite quotes I thought I should mention my Love for Heathcliff. I love him. I think all the other characters should just go simmer in a pot and leave him alone. I'm biased and even though he's a horrible jerk and cruel and mean and morally wrong and you guys should not like him or romanticize him, I only want him to have happiness. He made me all conflicted since he was a 'villain' and mean and did immoral things but gosh damn to me, he was the only one that mattered. And I hated that stupid Catherine who broke his heart. (Bitch.) I had to choose a book to read and write about in AP English Literature and Composition my senior year of high school and I chose Wuthering Heights. "I have no pity! I have no pity! The more the worms writhe, the more I yearn to crush out their entrails! It is a moral teething; and I grind with greater energy in proportion to the increase of pain." That was just too intriguing to my there's-something-wrong-with-me self to pass up. We also read that year, Emily's sister Charlotte Brontë. Just sayin` I think they're both Great writers.



The books I chose to read were either from the library, the bookshelves in my house, or because I saw its interesting blurb at the end of the book I was reading (this was before I got introduced to goodreads). That's how I found Shelly Laurenston. She was always at the back of the books I read, her blurbs I mean. G.A. Aiken is a pen name for Laurenston btw. I immediately devoured After them, I ate up all her other Shelly Laurenston books. is my favorite Shelly Laurenston book. Her other books were all fabulous, like her short story Miss Congeniality, but Beast Behaving Badly just sucks me up and steals first place. Shelly Laurenston books are pretty graphic but she is a top favorite next to Aiken. Aiken only writes about my FAVORITE Dragon Shifters (my favorite type of shifter). In my opinion, all other dragon shifters don't match up to her's... although was amazing as well I must admit. Thea Harrison's become a favorite too. I found her on goodreads when I craved more dragon shifters and I'd already read (and have) all of Aiken's Dragon shifter books.


I don't know how many years it's been, four? But I was going through the library in my town and realized I didn't read any A-authors so I went over to the A section and plucked out by G.A. Aiken. Hellllloooo ADDICTION! She was QUEEN of my top favorite authors. KMM kinda asked her to move over a little though:p

I read in March 2012. Thanks to Goodreads. Since I found it here. And the reviews told me to READ IT! So I bought it via Amazon and it is One of my Absolute Favorites.

I don't know why I decided to check out BDSM books but my curiosity was peaked. I don't even remember how or where.. because I like Erotica? And so I decided to check it out? I don't know. And I forget why I chose Cherise Sinclair to enter me into this type of world. From seeing her books on Amazon? From a goodreads friend's bookshelf? From a poll of BDSM themed books here on goodread's Lists? Because I read a synopsis somehow? I honestly forget. But in April 2012 I bought . HAhahahaha I was so NOT prepared LMFAO for a BDSM theme LMFAO But since the characters were so .. compelling, spell-binding, entertaining and amazing I stuck through the whole book and yes, Cherise Sinclair became a top favorite author of mine. I auto-buy her Masters of Shadowlands series.

I am a LOTU or Lords of the Underworld fan. GENA SHOWALTER IS AMAZING, PERIOD. Everywhere I went on goodreads LOTU kept popping up. The acronym. Made me all curious (LMAO which reminds me of the quote from Pack Challenge “You know what they say about curiosity? That it stabbed the annoying biker girl over and over and over again until she spit up blood.”) and so I found out it stands for Lords of the Underworld. I read the ridiculously raved reviews, some of the quotes, and all the friends of mine who had read LOTU rated the series high so I decided what the hay and I bought The Darkest Secret. Ohmygod my heart. I know I didn't read the series in the correct order but.. who cares! Because my heart just died and started back up for this book. I love it so incredibly much. According to Goodreads, I read this in June 2012. Gena's LOTU series is an Autobuy. And I love her and series too. This chica is one amazingly creative Queen.

Nina Bangs: Oh my but she and her Castle of Dark Dreams was my obsession. Mainly because I was in OBSESSION!!! With Sparkle Stardust and her Hero Ganymede who is this hell-creature cat person. Nina Bangs makes her fans obsessed and fanatic though because she won't write a story about Sparkle Stardust and Ganymede. I believe she's waiting for them last? Idk but goodness how I loved them. Found her at the library by coincidence.


I was obsessed with Katie MacAlister too. I discovered her in my High School years. Any series by her made me itch to grab and read. Currently, I have a love-hate relationship with her. Which is deeply regretful since I have a very fond memory of my phase in which I would head over to her section of books as soon as I stepped into the library. I do very much love her books. I'm just conflicted. I found her browsing the library my high school years.


Sherrilyn Kenyon. Introduced by seeing her in anthologies I'd rent from the library back in high school. My god but she made me cry. She really affects your heart. Damn talented and creative is what she is.

ECT and so forth.



Authors I have my eyes on and want to read more of since I Know I will like(read one or more books of theirs & was enraptured, book included): Kresley Cole , Julie James , Lisa Kleypas , Cynthia Eden , Christine Warren , Jacquelyn Frank , Gini Koch
And I'm still pondering Shiloh Walker since I hated .

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

Thanks so much for sharing, everyone. Loved your long post, Goge. I am thrilled to be around people who are enthusiastic about books!

[Goge (BARRONS) le Moning Maniac,]

Lol Thanks! I thought I went overboard (I used all the characters allowed when posting).. but oh well! Since you say it's a-okay! I love being around people who are enthusiastic around books too:)) I adore Goodreads, happy I found this site:))

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

Me too!

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

Jessica wrote: "I don't have many friends that read so this site has been a god sent. Love being able to chat with you all about things that I've read and that you are reading. Not only do I get to add to my TBR p..."

Most of my reading friends are online as well.

[Goge (BARRONS) le Moning Maniac,]

Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress wrote: "Jessica wrote: "I don't have many friends that read so this site has been a god sent. Love being able to chat with you all about things that I've read and that you are reading. Not only do I get to..."

Does it not suck that people don't read enough? My friends don't read where we can hang out and talk about our favorite books. In high school I did have a friend or two who read a lot and the same kind of books I did so we would read together and gossip about our favorite Heroes (miss those days) but that's sadly the past.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

I just cannot imagine not reading!

[Goge (BARRONS) le Moning Maniac,]

I had to go through that and it sunk! Reading is Required for me.

[Pamela(AllHoney), Danger Zone]

Quite a list, Goge! Awesome!

[Emma ~ The Indecisive Reader ~]

Goge (BARRONS) le Moning Maniac, wrote: "Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress wrote: "Jessica wrote: "I don't have many friends that read so this site has been a god sent. Love being able to chat with you all about things that I've read an..."

I started with few books I'd read and looked on here and in the lists for more books/authors and my list kept growing then do did the groups and friends. I'm am so glad for good reads as its my safe haven for me my books and people that love books too.
I agree that it sucks more people don't read. My hubby not a reader, our daughter is just like me loves reading. And I'm so glad that she's also got great support at her school. One of the deputy principals at the school really pushes reading.
I don't have many friends that read to be honest. I can quite happily sit home all day reading.

Anyway as I said. I've gotten pretty much all my new authors from good reads, friends recommendations, etc. I've also read books that I normally wouldn't have chosen myself and ended up loving them :-))

[Jessica]

I've done that too Emma. I have branched out a quite a bit since coming to goodreads. I would have never read a contemporary romance or a historical romance without the recommendations of friends on here. Now some of my favorite authors write in these types of books.

[Danielle Book Boss]

Found Karen Marie Moning when I was still in high school, browsing the racks at the local library for romance. Picked up Kiss of the Highlander randomly and so happy that I did!

[Pamela(AllHoney), Danger Zone]

Karen Marie Moning was a library find for me. I think I did read reviews on her but when I saw a few of her books at the library I picked them up. LOVE her Highlander series but not too fond of the Fever series.

[Carolyn F.]

Goge (BARRONS) le Moning Maniac, wrote: "Lol Thanks! I thought I went overboard (I used all the characters allowed when posting).. but oh well! Since you say it's a-okay! I love being around people who are enthusiastic around books too:))..."

I really like most of the books you have listed too. Like minds . . . :)

[Pamela(AllHoney), Danger Zone]

I've read Rejar too ☺

[Ame]

I found out about Kristen Ashley from the Amazon discussion threads.... which then lead me to GR where I found out about Karen Marie Moning, JR. Ward, J.D. Robb, Madeleine Urban&Abigail Roux and many more.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

I have a meeting pretty soon, but I wanted to post my thoughts on this topic.

I discovered most of my favorite writers completely by random. When I was a kid, I mainly read library books, but my first romance author, Johanna Lindsey, I discovered through my mother. I was bored and I was waiting for my family to get back home. We were moving and there was a box of books behind me. I pulled out Fires of Winter and started reading it, and after that I was hooked both on romance novels and JL. I am not as into her now, but when I was a kid, anytime I got money, I would buy her books. I discovered my next favorite author, Jude Deveraux through the library. My library had most of her books, but I started buying the ones I couldn't find there.

Anne Stuart, who is still my favorite all time author, I also discovered through the library. One of her first books I read was Special Gifts. It was really good romantic suspense and the hero is a military intelligence guy. I blame my dangerous hero addiction solely on Anne Stuart.

Some others that I love, I discovered by picking up historical romance books and reading and enjoying them. For instance, Kresley Cole. I read If You Dare, and loved it, and she got me hooked on Scottish heroes. When I saw A Hunger Like No Other, I bought it on impulse because I loved If You Dare so much. I wasn't as into PNR then, but I had read Sherrilyn Kenyon, and I gave it a try. I couldn't put this book down. Between her and Sherrilyn Kenyon and later JR Ward, there is no wonder I am so hooked on PNR.

I discovered Christine Feehan through her GhostWalker series. I had some of her Carpathian books, but I wasn't as into vampire romance. When I read Shadow Game, I became hooked and went on a major glom.

Authors like Jodi Thomas and Christina Dodd, I also discovered through friends.

I gotta go. Will be back later to finish my post!

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

Back to finish. A friend at work got me into Jodi Thomas. Her mother and her are prolific readers, and her mother would just buy books, read them, and give them away. I got so many books from her. Jodi Thomas's The Texan's Dream was in the box, and I fell in love with her writing and went on a glom.

I am obsessive in that when I find an author I like, I try to read all/most of their books and add them to my collection. Which is why my book collection exploded the way it did.

Pamela Clare is an author I discovered through a woman (Melissab) who I met on the Amazon forums and she is on her now. She raved about Surrender, and boy was she right.

I think that the reading community is so important, especially when it comes to romance and other genre fiction. We find out about books by word of mouth. Sometimes, we are able to stumble across authors, but I think being plugged in helps that search to be much more fruitful. I'm grateful for my reading friends like you girls on the group and on Goodreads. Thanks for all the great books you've recommended my way.