What's the Name of That Book??? discussion
► Suggest books for me
>
I don't like vampires. I find love triangles insulting.
The Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews pretty much fits your bill, at least the first three books do, which is as far as I've read. There are vampires mixed in the motley cast, but they're badass and just plain bad and most definitely not attractive... they're dead. No love triangle in sight either yet (a couple of times when it looks like one's being set up, but nope.)ETA: First book is Magic Bites
I'm also rather fond of her "Edge" series, which I managed to read completely out of order and still liked, but it's not female leads.
I actually have all of Kate Daniels LOL The vampires in there aren't romantic kinds so I'm all for them! I'm not fond of their Edge series but I liked Clean Sweep and Burn For Me. Which reminds me, I need to check them off my tbr list. Thank you though! Those are the kind I adore!
Crystal SingerReally good book if you haven't read it, not romance per-se but there is romance in it. She doesn't have supernatural powers but she is strong and a fighter and it's set in space, in case you like sci-fi. [
Oh, well that definitely will help with suggestions if people know you like Kate - I'll have to have a think what else I can think of.Oh, Ann Aguirre has the Corine Solomon series (except there's a triangle going on there. Sort of. Well there are two guys, just not at the same time, mostly. Well put it this way, I hate love triangles with a passion, and that one, I dealt with pretty well. Lots of really fun side characters too. Probably anything else by Ann Aguirre too, she writes great badass but imperfect female leads, the kind who would kick Mary Sue's butt and then pull her pigtails too. And great (really great) worldbuilding. But a lot of her stuff is far more sci-fi than paranormal fantasy (Sirantha Jax for instance.)
Courteney wrote: "Crystal SingerReally good book if you haven't read it, not romance per-se but there is romance in it. She doesn't have supernatural powers but she is strong and a fighter and it's se..."
Thanks Courteney! Although I wasn't looking for sci fi I am a sci fi fan. I added this. Thanks again! :)
Krazykiwi wrote: "Oh, well that definitely will help with suggestions if people know you like Kate - I'll have to have a think what else I can think of.Oh, Ann Aguirre has the Corine Solomon series (except there's..."
I like her power! I added. Thanks!
Kelley Armstrong's Elena Michaels novels, no vampires, no love triangles, a strong werewolf heroine:Bitten
Also Patricia Briggs's Alpha & Omega series:
Cry Wolf
I find love triangles insulting. However, there are some instances they work for me. For example, I love V'lane from the Fever series by Karen Marie Moning.
Gerd wrote: "Kelley Armstrong's Elena Michaels novels, no vampires, no love triangles, a strong werewolf heroine:Bitten
Also Patricia Briggs's Alpha & Omega series:
Cry Wolf"
There's a t.v. show for Bitten, isn't there? They have the same names and everything. I'm a bit confused.. Regarding the t.v. show, I didn't care for the drama and there was a love triangle that made me roll my eyes and dislike the heroine.
I've read Patricia Briggs before with Mercy Thompson. The pacing was either too dry or slow for me. I found it to be an okay read but not good enough to continue the series. I don't remember Charles but apparently I liked him since he's on my tbr list for Cry Wolf. Your rec sends points his way to be picked up soon. Thanks!
To further clarify the kinds of heroine I like:I like heroines who are strong, able, and possessing supernatural tendencies like Mac from Fever by Karen Marie Moning, Kate Daniels and Clean Sweep by Ilona Andrews, Sabriel from Garth Nix, the heroines from Alien Huntress by Kresley Cole, Anya from The Darkest Kiss (LOTU) by Gena Showalter, Shifters from Shelly Laurenston and G.A. Aiken, and ect.
Have you tried Kristin Cashore's series that starts with Graceling? I can't remember specifically about the love triangles, but the female protagonists are interesting.
No I haven't! Yet! Thanks for the rec!:)
I've read the first, and own but have not yet the second of Martin Millar's Lonely Werewolf Girl Lonely Werewolf Girl The book includes string female characters including werewolves and faeries.
Ah, just came to mind, the Jane Yellowrock series might be something, didn't read it but I saw it recommended in a Kate Daniels thread. :)Skinwalker
This again isn't really a romance (I tend to stay far away from romance) but if you like strong female leads in sci-fi books these are great books for it. The first one is Jack the Bodiless. Really good, well written series.
Not sure how much you hate love triangles but pretty much anything tamora pierce writes fits the rest of your bill and i personally dont find the romance too angsty so your call. Series includes song of the lioness, immortals, and protector of the small.
Darcy wrote: "I've read the first, and own but have not yet the second of Martin Millar's Lonely Werewolf Girl Lonely Werewolf Girl The book includes string female characters including werewolve..."Thanks!
Gerd wrote: "Ah, just came to mind, the Jane Yellowrock series might be something, didn't read it but I saw it recommended in a Kate Daniels thread. :)Skinwalker"
Is this book anything like Mercy Thompson? I didn't care for her and that's what makes me hesitant to pick this up. I'm judging it only by the heroine's ancestry and powers, which I think of as similar. Prove me wrong and I'll gladly pick up this book. I don't want to build up my expectations and be let down. Thanks!
Courteney wrote: "This again isn't really a romance (I tend to stay far away from romance) but if you like strong female leads in sci-fi books these are great books for it. The first one is [book:Jack the Bodiless|1..."I read all genres but I veer towards adult romance the most. Thanks!
Quietcanary wrote: "Not sure how much you hate love triangles but pretty much anything tamora pierce writes fits the rest of your bill and i personally dont find the romance too angsty so your call. Series includes so..."I don't hate love triangles per se I just tend to find them insulting to all involved, including the reader and author, manipulative, and immature. They grate on my my nerves and turn me into a negative bitch. I don't think of it as hate but disgust and a high intolerance.
I've only read Song of the Lioness but I'm starting on Immortals. I loved Alanna but did find the love triangle distasteful and an irritant. I'm very happy with who she picked in the end since I loved him and found the others flawed and not entirely genuine but the ones, plural, in between her and him was a nuisance to read.
Thanks!
Joshua wrote: "Undead on Arrival"This is my favorite so far! Thanks! I'll definitely be picking this up!:)
Kim Harrison's the Hollow series.
Random wrote: "Check out C. S. Friedman's Magister series. First book is Feast of Souls"I'm intrigued! Thanks!:)
Tammy ~Witching Hour Reads~ wrote: "Kim Harrison's the Hollow series. "How prominent are vampires in this book? Thanks!
Try the MageWorld series. Space Opera, but great females and no vampires or love triangles. First book is Price of the Stars.
SarahBeth wrote: "Try the MageWorld series. Space Opera, but great females and no vampires or love triangles. First book is Price of the Stars. "I'm taken with the reviews, thanks!
Terry Pratchett's semi-comic Discworld series includes some very strong supernatural women. He divides his novels into sub-series, one of which is The Witches, about the unlikely coven of Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, and Magrat Garlick (Equal Rites, Wyrd Sisters, Witches Abroad, Lords and Ladies, Maskerade, Carpe Jugulum). Given your disdain for vampire novels you'll probably laugh out loud over that last, which was written pre-Twilight but provides an, ahem, dead-on parody of Anne Rice.It took a few books before Pratchett added women to his City Watch sub-series, but when he did they were strong and memorable. Sergeant/Captain Angua, introduced in Men at Arms, has a secret that I won't reveal here, but trust me...she's powerful. Corporal/Sergeant Cheery Littlebottom is a bearded female dwarf who wields a mean battle-axe: she's introduced in Feet of Clay.
The stand-alone Discworld novel Monstrous Regiment deals with a young girl who masquerades as a male soldier during a long and bloody war.
Pratchett's child/teen witch Tiffany Aching is as strong as her adult counterparts, but you'll need to read the YA series in order to understand what's happening (The Wee Free Men, A Hat Full of Sky, Wintersmith, I Shall Wear Midnight). If you've read Equal Rites, then the final Tiffany Aching book takes on special poignancy.
Mod
I'm a little behind on the series, but at least through the ones I've read, she has no romantic relationship with a vampire. She does get involved for a short time with a cat shifter.
And yes, you should read the Alpha & Omega books frm Briggs. Charles is a total yummy hero. Plus (view spoiler)
Yay so many rec's! I stopped receiving updates :(
Kathy wrote: "Terry Pratchett's semi-comic Discworld series includes some very strong supernatural women. He divides his novels into sub-series, one of which is The Witches, about the unlikely coven of Granny We..."I laughed out loud! I'm loving your rec's thanks so much! Terry Pratchett has such great reviews, I'm very excited!
Men at Arms: I love secrets! Secret identities are the best. That's why I love Ilona Andrews and Karen Marie Moning's heroines who have that extra something special unknown to them or to others.
Aunt Edie wrote: "
"I've read this already. Thanks! I didn't love it but it was good.
Ann aka Iftcan wrote: "Goge--you won't like the Jane Yellowrock, but not because she's a skinwalker (unlike Mercy who is a born shifter, and can only turn into a coyote.) Jane is (at least it's implied, anyway) at least ..."Oh my, it's not often I find a 100 years old heroine. Usually they're young and dropped into a setting with ancient characters. I'm intrigued with her ability to shift into any animal. I do so love my shifters. Dragons are my favorite. I also love cats (tigers, lions, jaguars, ect), bears, birds, gryphons, gargoyles, harpies, mermaids, sharks, and so much more. Plus my hybrids. I've yet to read a good crocodile or snake shifter novel.
What kind of nutso vampires? Like Ilona Andrews' vampires that look like Gollum from Lord of the Rings and hiss and are controlled by necromancers? Or like the ones carpathians fight against in Christine Feehan's books? I just want to clarify nutso. How depraved and inhuman are they? I'm okay with those kinds of vampires, by the way.
Only for a short time with the cat shifter? I like my heroines to be monogamous and stay with the hero they meet and click with. I don't like stories where they're together one book or two then the heroine moves on to a new guy. I find those a waste of my time. I invest so much energy supporting and falling for the hero and he's not even the permanent hero. It's a ripoff and slap to my face.
I was actually into what you were telling me about the bok until I got to the unsteady partner. So, perhaps I won't read that after all. Thanks!
I can't for the life of me remember who Charles is. Someone hunky and fun, laughs a lot? That's what I'm guessing from the leftover vibes I have from seeing the name, anyhoo.
If you don't mind Harlequins, I enjoyed Sentinels: Lion Heart and the rest of the Sentinels series. They're a pretty loose series and don't need to be read in order.Going back a bit further there's the Diane Tregarde series starting with Burning Water
Mod
And sorry, I didn't mean to turn you off the Jane Yellowrock books. I am WAY behind on those, and I just know that she dumps the guy she was involved with (the other cat shifter) because he can't keep it in his pants. The vampires are a bit like the ones that the Carpathians fight, but not all are like that. But all of them seem to be right there on the cusp of "one more drop of blood and I'll go on a feeding frenzy", or at least, that's what it felt like to me. But part of that might be because the book is from Jane's pov, and since she's a professional, government sanctioned Vampire Killer, that might colour her viewpoint. But they really are not nice, charming beings. Still, read the first book, or one of the short-stories. You might like them, I just didn't think you would from what you'd written. And while Jane is MUCH older than anyone--including her--knows, you still get these hints from some of her memories that surface periodically. (Like her parents spoke NO English, only Cherokee, and the number of people alive that can do that is very small, at least on her world.) There are other things too, that point to her being much older than anyone realizes. And part of that is down to her being a skinwalker. Apparently, a skinwalker can control how old they look, because when they go back to human, they go back to the age that they "see" themselves--so if they see themselves as 30, that's how old they are. I'm probably totally messing up this description, but thought I'd at least try to bash it out.
Shanna_redwind wrote: "If you don't mind Harlequins, I enjoyed Sentinels: Lion Heart and the rest of the Sentinels series. They're a pretty loose series and don't need to be read in order.Going back a b..."
I do like Harlequins. Thanks for your recs! I especially am interested in Burning Water :)
Ann aka Iftcan wrote: "Charles is the brother of Samuel from the Mercy books. Well, half brother. He's Salish and Welsh, and was born sometime around 1812 or so. And sorry, I didn't mean to turn you off the Jane Yellow..."
I'm intrigued to read this but also repelled against it. I'll ponder some more since I do feel I should at least read the first book to assuage my intrigue..
Hi Goge, I have to offer this though it is outside of what you describe. If you are willing to settle for a Scifi series without supernatural events. I read it on my Kindle and I am still in the middle of the series. You will love the female protagonist.Wool Omnibus Edition (Wool 1 - 5) (Silo series)
Hugh Howey (Author)
Goge (BARRONS) le Moning Maniac, wrote: "I'm itching for a new read. I know I'm asking for a lot. This (assigning of names) is to narrow down my request, not to berate anyone/anything:
I don't like vampires. I find love triangles insulti..."
Sabriel has some pretty entirely awesome powers.Angelfall also features a strong fighter heroine, although the jury is still out on whether or not she is entirely human.
I, also, find love triangles to be insulting and makes all the characters involved entirely distasteful.
I would recommend the "Lunar Chronicles" for fluff reading, because the author also hates love triangles, but I don't think the heroines kick enough rear to count.
I second the suggestion of Shadowfell though honestly, I would suggest any and all of Juliet Marillier's books. Along similar lines, most anything by Sharon Shinn, particularly the Twelve Houses series, the Elemental Blessings series, and the Samaria series. There are some books scattered through these series that may have a love triangle (I don't mind them so they might not register in my memory as much, sorry), but I'm pretty sure it's not an element in all of them.Belladonna - this is the second in the series but it could probably do alright as a standalone. I would recommend the first book in the series Sebastian as well just to get the best understanding of the confusing universe these books are set in - and though she's not the main character, there is a fun strong female as the partner to our hero who I just love.
Kushiel's Dart (first in a long series) - Now, I'm always a little hesitant to recommend these books, because they're quite adult and definitely not everybody's cup of tea. Lots of sex. Which makes it hard for me to really explain that they're not really "dirty" books, in my opinion. The universe they're set in equates sex to almost a type of worship, an art and culture. It really is a fascinating world the author created, and even though yes, our main character is a ... well prostitute is too crass a term, but for lack of better ... there is also so much amazing political, religious (their gods, not necessarily ours), and otherworldy intrigue going on throughout that I cannot praise these books enough. That being said, the original trilogy is by far the best in my opinion, with the companion trilogies still intriguing to me but seem a little more commercialized, if that makes sense. They seem to focus more on the sex aspect and not as much on what's going on outside the bedroom. But if you're looking for a strong female with an interesting power, look no further (and sort of no love triangles; there is one main love interest, but as it is the nature of their world, there are of course, many partners)
Rhapsody: Child of Blood - an epic fantasy series with one of my favorite kick-butt heroines
You mentioned above that you'd read Tamora Pierce, but just suggesting that Trickster's Choice and Trickster's Queen are my favorite's of hers and I think fit your bill pretty well.
Possibly The Daughter of Smoke and Bone Trilogy though I'm not sure if you'd find the plot dragging or not. I love the series and I didn't notice it dragging myself, but one man's trash...
Ooh, and a lesser known but favorite of mine: The Book of Deacon (the first in a series)
Grave Mercy (first in a series)
Hawksong (first in a series)
I'm going to have to keep an eye on this thread to see if anybody else's suggestions strike my fancy! :)
drowningmermaid wrote: "Sabriel has some pretty entirely awesome powers.Angelfall also features a strong fighter heroine, although the jury is still out on whether or not she is entirely hu..."
Hi fellow disliker of love triangles !
I LOVE Sabriel. I've already read all of the books in the Old Kingdom series.
Angelfall... It's YA. But , it looks extremely good and I'm very excited with its ratings and I am whipped with its apopcalyptic setting. Thanks ! How's the romance in there?
I should probably mention that I'm in my twenties (hence, an intolerance for the high angst of teens that's found in many YA) and that I like sex in my books lol, insert blush here, (helloo adult romance)! Aside from the popularity of love triangles in YA, they also have a lot of angst and no 'reward' for my suffering.
Krystal wrote: "I second the suggestion of Shadowfell though honestly, I would suggest any and all of Juliet Marillier's books. Along similar lines, most anything by [author:Sharon Shi..."So many recs thanks !
I'm not a fan of slavery because I'm not into humiliation and degradation. I also happen to have the aggressive and temperamental backbone of righteousness and don't put up with bullshit like inequality and injustice. If I read a book about a slave the MC slave needs to not put up with bull and end their slavery and the storyline has to fantastic. These stories tend to fill me up with hate and negative emotions so there needs to be some happy in them for me to not perish reading them.
I like sex! Don't worry about scaring me off with a story that happens to have sex in it . I don't care much for stories with succubi or incubi though. I like my sex to be meaningful between my MCs. Having an existence that CANNOT survive without sex ... Yawn. I'm disinterested already. I envision a lot of meaningless couplings. I'm biased from reading poorly written stories with this concept.
I've heard of some of your recs and some not. I've read tricksters choice and trickster queen already. I love the creatures and spying involved. Adore George (jumps from joy) and Alannah's daughter.
Thanks again !
Carolyn wrote: "Hi Goge, I have to offer this though it is outside of what you describe. If you are willing to settle for a Scifi series without supernatural events. I read it on my Kindle and I am still in the mi..."I'm sorry, I missed this. Thanks for taking the time to post :) I love scifi, supernatural, apocalypse, and survival stories! The ratings are tempting and solid. Adding this, thanks!
What's the Name of That Book???
Books mentioned in this topic
Feral Sins (other topics)Fighting Destiny (other topics)
A Kiss of Shadows (other topics)
Shadowfell (other topics)
Shadowfell (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Anne Bishop (other topics)Juliet Marillier (other topics)
Juliet Marillier (other topics)
Juliet Marillier (other topics)
Juliet Marillier (other topics)
More...
I don't like vampires. I find love triangles insulting. Young Adult tends to lose my interest because of inaction or the whole mystery quality that gets dragged out. For example, the dragged out mystery of who Edward Cullen was and his mysterious actions from Twilight. Or Blue Bloods from Melissa De La Cruz, in which mystery abounds and the reader's suffering is to be tolerated and expected since it's a star-crossed lovers theme. Please recommend me a book or series with a main character, female, who possesses supernatural qualities, such as a fae, shifter, witch, ect. And the heroine is a strong "fighter". As long as these qualities exist, the book/series may be young adult. I prefer adult romance, if possible.
Thanks!