Gena Showalter's new writing style

[Sandy]

I was wondering how everyone felt about Gena's new writing style. I love The Lords of the Underworld series and her Alien Huntress series. Since she changed her style and is now writing more PG-13 young adult, do you still look forward to her next release? I was so disappointed with Kane's book from LOTU that I'm not sure if I will spend my time or money on anymore releases. Should she change her gene? Is she still considered PR?? I wished she would of finished the LOTU series before the change...

[Rachel Annie]

She's not my favorite PNR author; I've only read by her. I'm not a fan of YA, so I don't think I'll be checking out those books.

[PepperP0t]

for Alien Huntress there was a separate series - same name just YA, but to my knowledge she's always bounced back and forth

[Paganalexandria]

Did she stop writing sex scenes? I haven't read anything by her since the book featuring the angel. How did that series turn YA?

[Danielle (~Dani~)]

Not quite, Pagan, but she's lightened up. I've noticed when it does get steamy she injects a huge dose of morals after...kind of a buzz kill :(
She's one of my favorites, but right now I'm so stuck @ 60% reading Black & Blue & don't have the urge to keep going...Saddens me.

[Paganalexandria]

Danielle wrote: "Not quite, Pagan, but she's lightened up. I've noticed when it does get steamy she injects a huge dose of morals after...kind of a buzz kill :(
She's one of my favorites, but right now I'm so stuck..."

Danielle, that sounds...odd. I can totally see that turning off fans. Do they now have guilt for having premarital sex or something?

[Sandy]

Reading Gena's website she's made personal changes in her private life that now affect her writing. I totally understand and there is nothing wrong with it. I just feel she should of given some sort of heads up that her writing is going to be different going forward. Reading the first couple of the LOTU books to reading the last release, The Darkest Craving, there is a big difference in her style. Not only the sex scenes have tame down but the overall sexiness of the book and the way she told the story is very YA. Did not have that badass Alpha feel to it. LOTU did not start out YA. I was just hoping we could get Kane's, Cameo's, Torin's and William's book done the same as the earlier releases but reading Kane's book I don't think that is going to happen. I was really looking forward to Williams!

[Splendor]

If she's going to change her style to YA, she should end the LOTU series and start a new YA series. IMO

[PepperP0t]

Splendor wrote: "If she's going to change her style to YA, she should end the LOTU series and start a new YA series. IMO"

I agree. I had to shift my expectations as I read and thought of it as Princes of the Underword/LOTU-Lite

[Tai]

I'm so glad I stumbled onto this thread. I have a few of Showalter's books from early on of the LOTU series that I have yet to read. But now reading that she has changed up her style makes me wonder if I want to bother reading them at all. I hate when authors change up like that (even if they have valid reasons for it), so I'm glad I found this out ahead of time.

[PepperP0t]

its the last last one that I had issues with Tai, the books are good, its just that the last one seemed to be more in YA than adult.

[Lynsey A]

I agree her writing has changed a bit but I found Black & Blue to be one of her more violent books. So, she's going away from the sexier to more violence? It was weird.

The thing that struck me as odd about The Darkest Craving is when she had Kane (view spoiler)[put on a condom. Really? In a PNR? She's never had a "pause" moment in regards to safe sex. It just seemed ridiculous. It came out of nowhere. I'm all for safe sex but it just didn't fit in the book or even in the series. If there was a place for safe sex in her books why not Paris? He was the Keeper of Promiscuity. No safe sex in that book that I can recall. Why throw it into Kane's? (hide spoiler)]

If she tones things down when she writes William's book I think many of us, who love William, will be quite disappointed if his book doesn't live up to his character from the beginning of the series.

[PepperP0t]

Lynsey A wrote: "I agree her writing has changed a bit but I found Black & Blue to be one of her more violent books. So, she's going away from the sexier to more violence? It was weird.

The thing that struck me as..."

even the tone of Kane's book was very juvenile, I almost expected fart jokes.

[Lynsey A]

Quite true, Pat. I could tell it wasn't the same writing style as earlier LOTU books.

[Rachel]

Pat wrote: "even the tone of Kane's book was very juvenile, I almost expected fart jokes. "

0.0 omg

Alpha males do NOT make fart jokes. It's like written somewhere in the PNR bible...

[Tai]

Pat wrote: "its the last last one that I had issues with Tai, the books are good, its just that the last one seemed to be more in YA than adult."

I see, so maybe I will still check them out. Though I just hate it when the style changes occur during a series, like with the L. K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series. It seems to ruin the rest of the books for me.

[PepperP0t]

Rachel wrote: "Pat wrote: "even the tone of Kane's book was very juvenile, I almost expected fart jokes. "

0.0 omg

Alpha males do NOT make fart jokes. It's like written somewhere in the PNR bible..."

they didn't but it would have fit right in and not have been surprising. These were not the Lords I've loved.

[Paganalexandria]

Tai wrote: "Pat wrote: "its the last last one that I had issues with Tai, the books are good, its just that the last one seemed to be more in YA than adult."

I see, so maybe I will still check them out. Thoug..."

That's so true. I started the Anita Blake series completely out of order with
so the sex never bothered me. When I started backtracking the earlier books, it shocked me how innocent Anita seemed in the beginning. After reading them I totally understood the angry fan reaction to the Arduor.

[Tai]

Paganalexandria **wicked juices bubbling over** wrote: "Tai wrote: "Pat wrote: "its the last last one that I had issues with Tai, the books are good, its just that the last one seemed to be more in YA than adult."

I see, so maybe I will still check the..."

I typically don't mind sex in stories (lol, as noticed by my GR library), but to start off with a good plot focused series with a strong heroine who was morally opposed to such things, only to have her randomly change into a nymphomaniac with no explanation in books that now straddle the line of porn without plot" really threw me for a loop. She used to be my favorite character, but I can barely read the books now due to the sex being so gratuitous that I just get bored halfway through.

[Ann aka Iftcan]

Sigh, authors do this to their readers all the time. (cough)LKH(cough).

But I've always found Gena's writing somewhat uneven. I've loved one book in a series and then the next book I'm scratching my head and asking--did the same person write these, cause it sure doesn't seem like it.

So I've gone to only getting her books from the library--and if that means I have to wait 6 or 8 months, then so be it--at least that way, I don't feel like I've been gypped (cought)After Dead: What Came Next in the World of Sookie Stackhouse<(cough).

So, with the heads up about yet another change, I'm probably not going to even bother getting onto the queue for her next books before they come out. And I might take my name out of the queue for Darkest

[Tai]

Ann aka Iftcan wrote: "Sigh, authors do this to their readers all the time. (cough)LKH(cough).

But I've always found Gena's writing somewhat uneven. I've loved one book in a series and then the next book I'm scratching..."

I may have to just do as you do, and check the books out through the library. There is nothing worse than the regret you feel for wasting money on a book you hated.

[Paganalexandria]

Tai wrote: "Ann aka Iftcan wrote: "Sigh, authors do this to their readers all the time. (cough)LKH(cough).

But I've always found Gena's writing somewhat uneven. I've loved one book in a series and then the n..."

Tia, this sounds like a perfect solution if you want to continue with this series. I started doing that with quite a few that I was invested in what happens, but not invested enough to spend my money on any more. Sometimes the best way to be heard is to voice it with your dollar. Some of my favorite historical writers started writing other genres because the other wasn't making money. Maybe if people stop buying Gena's current efforts, she will be forced to end the series properly. Then she can follow her calling and start a new YA series that doesn't compromise her convictions.

[Rachel-RN]

Out of curiosity, what book- or books- (in your opinion) started her "new writing style?" I am behind on LOTR, I've read through The Darkest Secret. Reading of the change(s) has killed some of my enthusiasm for the next book The Darkest Surrender and I haven't been motivated to pick it up. Her other 2 new series, "Angels of the Dark" and "Otherworld Assassin" I've held off automatically buying. I've heard so many not-so-positive things....(I do like sex in my books dammit!)

[PepperP0t]

for me the change was in . I've not read Angels of the Dark or Otherworld Assassin. There is/was sex in Craving, just not LOTU like you're used to. Also read her Alien Huntress but not the YA version of it.

[Tai]

Paganalexandria **wicked juices bubbling over** wrote: "Tai wrote: "Ann aka Iftcan wrote: "Sigh, authors do this to their readers all the time. (cough)LKH(cough).

But I've always found Gena's writing somewhat uneven. I've loved one book in a series an..."

I couldn't agree more. And that's just what I'll have to do.

Don't get me wrong, I respect an author's choice to change their writing style whether there is a reason for it or not, it is their right after all, so I wouldn't hate on them for it. It just sucks for the fans who follow them. Especially when they begin to mess up series they spent so long building up. If they're going to change, they should just start off fresh with a new series.

[Tracey]

Ann aka Iftcan wrote: "Sigh, authors do this to their readers all the time. (cough)LKH(cough).

But I've always found Gena's writing somewhat uneven. I've loved one book in a series and then the next book I'm scratching..."

Seriously, Ann, I couldn't even read your reference to the Sookie Stackhouse series without getting annoyed. I loved that series at first but then it started to get really same old same old, then there were all these politics going on and summits and I completely lost interest. I couldn't read the last book. It was too dull.

[Tracey]

I've read one Gena Showalter book but it never really grabbed me. I thought the premise of the book was good but I wasn't impressed with her writing. It felt really basic and flat.

[Paganalexandria]

Tracey wrote: "I've read one Gena Showalter book but it never really grabbed me. I thought the premise of the book was good but I wasn't impressed with her writing. It felt rea..."

Is it wrong that I have always thought of her as the poor man's Kresley Cole? I discovered this series while looking for a IAD stop gap. The Lord's series has always been just okay to me, but actually find the Alien series much more interesting.

[Splendor]

Paganalexandria **wicked juices bubbling over** wrote: "Is it wrong that I have always thought of her as the poor man's Kresley Cole?..."

LOL! I have to agree with that. There seems to be a little less emotion in her books, IMO.

[Ann aka Iftcan]

I have to agree about the Alien Huntress series. I have always found it much more interesting than the Lord's series. And her Atlantis series. . . Well, all I can say it--there were some really interesting creatures in it, but they were not really fleshed out enough. :o(

[Lisa264544]

I enjoyed the first four books of LOTU, but then my interest faded. I agree with the poor man's Kresley Cole post. Showalter's writing skill is mediocre at best IMO, but I liked the premise of LOTU, so I kept up for a while. The last book that I liked was The Darkest Whisper. After that? Meh.

[Dale]

Oh, I loved Gena's LOTU books...I thought they were creative. And I read the first 2 in the Angel series (borrowed from a friend), and they were about as sex-less and morally upright as the later LOTU books. I think I borrowed Kane's book, as well. It's really a drastic change in writing style, which is unfortunate. I think I'll do the library route myself...no need to purchase.

[Amac]

I just don't understand it. I know why she's writing this way, but I'd really prefer it if she would have just stopped writing the LOTU books until she found peace at writing PN-ADULT-R, and start back writing for the series.

I'm really disappointed because poor Torin deserves a sexy HEA

[Cassie's Lost Fallen Angel of the Reading Stars]

Just how badly did her writing style change? I'm only on book 6 of LOTU. And it still seems the same, smexy HEAs. But with her book "wicked nights" there is a complete 180 change, and I thought it was just the series being written out that way.... Is that happening with all her books? Going down hill I mean. Do I make sense or am I sounding stupid?

[Amac]

Cassandra Rosalyn Marie wrote: "Just how badly did her writing style change?"

It's a matter of preferences or opinion I guess. She's still able to tell a story, but she's not graphic anymore. I'm not just talking about sex. Her writing is not so violent, sexy, or paced. She's rushing through everything and, in my opinion, failing at even some routine/expected PNR set ups that get stale but seem necessary, y'know?

Cassandra Rosalyn Marie wrote: "I'm only on book 6 of LOTU..."

Book 7 is one of my favorites of the LOTU series. Hopefully it will be good for you

But with her book "wicked nights" there is a complete 180 change, and I thought it was just the series being written out that way

Nope. That change of writing is apparently affected all her book series. I stopped at Wicked Nights for the Angel series. I'm not going to even bother reading the rest. I never started her Alien Huntress series, but I don't think I will now; it's too frustrating to.

[PepperP0t]

Alien Huntress ended before the changes to LOTU.
For me it wasn't obvious until LOTU book 10-The Darkest Craving. which isn't a bad book, it's just more YA than adult. Also although book 9 for LOTU was full and adult it felt a little uneven. I've not read the Angels of the Dark series.

[Luba]

Omg I thought it was only me..... Laurell need to chill out with orgy's in Anita's books (I know she's in a multiple relationship in real life but come on...) & it seems Gena Snowalter need to throw a little spice back into The lords of the Underworld!

[Sharon]

I've read most of the Laurell books and I have to say, I like the vampires much more than the serial killer side kick.

[Ashlee]

I just read all 11 books in two weeks and didn't notice any of this…I did notice once the physical stuff in Darkest Craving finally got underway there was a lot more (view spoiler)[all the way but behind the scenes stuff (if that makes sense), rather than the right in front of us oral stuff (hide spoiler)] and yeah, II was a bit disappointed by that…I wouldn't say it had a 'YA feel' - there were some really dark themes involved that I don't think would make the cut in YA - however, I do like the slow burn type thing, and this kind of fell flat

For me, I thought this had more to do with the Kane's character and the fact that it was the 10th book in the series and Showalter's like 23rd PNR novel or something like that…she needs to mix it up at some point.

Personally the last book in the series that I've really really loved was The Darkest Surrender, but I think that has more to do with the heroine than the writing style…up until and including that book I found every heroine so completely awesome, but the three since have been blah

Am really worried about what we might get next with Baden's book…sooo wishing it had been Cameo or Gilly

[Cindi]

I've loved all GS's books except for LOTU, which I only thought were good-great. Frankly, I've been reading PNR for so long that I am tired of how much sex is used as filler; I've slowly been switching to Romantic Suspense and UF instead. So maybe that's why I haven't noticed any lack in her books...I think that Gena switching up genres may be a good idea, tho, based on some of these comments.

[Michelle]

Its been so long between books for me that I have forgotten them. It saddens me to read these thoughts though. I had loved her writing so much.

And DON'T GET ME STARTED ON SOOKIE!

[MommaBear]

Well, now i can cross Showalter off of my series TBR list. I've got others to begin, as I'm relatively new to the genre, and got into it FOR the smexy stuff. The BDB series fell flat for me, switching from PNR to UF. I like UF as well, but I read my PNR for the R, lol. So,I'll begin Lara Adrian intead, and hope for the best, meaning a consistent series and genre. Thanks for this thread, I needed to weed out some possibilities with so much out there, and Showalter is now out of the running, especially as I get compelled to finish all series I start.

[Veronica]

Nihcki, if you like the R in the PNR, I'd recommend the New Species series by Laurann Dohner. Very, very smexy. The first book of the series is

[MommaBear]

Thanks! I'll check it out for sure.

[Victoria]

I agree with Veronica, good smexy!

[MommaBear]

It's now on my TBR shelf. Thanks for the recommendation.

[Stephanie]

I thought that was pretty good but I didn't really like

[Sarah]

I got tired of the LOTU series pretty quick and I wasn't a fan of the Atlantis series. I do like her Alien Huntress series and Playing with Firewas great, which is an older book. To be honest, I haven't tried her new stuff recently.

[Stephanie]

Sarah wrote: "I got tired of the LOTU series pretty quick and I wasn't a fan of the Atlantis series. I do like her Alien Huntress series and Playing with Firewas great, which is an older book. To..."

Yeah I read the first book in the Atlantis series and decided that was enough but I also read Alice in Zombieland and liked it but I have only read the first book

[Marie]

I'm so glad I'm not the only one that was so disappointed in her style change. I loved most of the LOTU, but not the first book. Then her style changed with the first Wicked Nights. I read and reread the sex scene. Or lack of. I kept going back to see if my Nook was skipping pages again and had to be restarted. I don't like YA because I want the heat in my stories.
Then once she started putting naughty scenes back in, it hasn't been the same and has spread to the LOTU books.

I loved the Alien Huntress series. Not only was the chemistry solid, but the interactions between the characters was entertaining. Is the series done? I have a bad feeling she's not going to revisit it and it didn't feel finished.

I'm a picky reader, and a broke one, so it's so disappointing when the few authors I adore change their style. I have to consider long and hard whether I'm going to splurge and buy one of her books.