Looking for Recommendations: What should I read next?

[Regina]

What series should I start next? I have all of these but one. I prefer strong heroines, I do not need HEA and I do not like it when the book's entire focus is an HEA (unless the story rocks and the world building really good). My favorites series are Alpha & Omega, Mercy Thompson, Fever series, Sookie Stackhouse, Kate Daniels, Anita Blake (but only read the first 2 so far ... ), Black Dagger Brotherhood, Night Huntress (and World), Hunger Games, Millenium Series, Harry Potter. Riley Jenson is okay, Elemental Assasin is Okay. I did not care for Blue Diablo and I got sick of the formula type conclusions in the Breed series. I am reading Ilona Andrew's The Edge Right now. Okay -- based on all that :) what should I start next?

Read
Read
(only one I do not own)

[Melodie]

Go for Harry Dresden, but I'd start with the 2nd one. STORM FRONT is not very good, unless you've got it in audio.

[Darcy]

I vote for Slave for Sensation, Graceling, and Dead Witch Walking.

[Lisa M]

LOL, I loved all the Dresden books, even Storm Front, but so many people here have said it's not good. Apparently, I'm in the minority. :P Anyway, I'd definately second the Dresden books (*cough* all of them *cough*).

Kim Harrison is good too.

[Teresa]

Gracelingwill give you a very strong female character.

[Joseph]

Lisa MH wrote: "LOL, I loved all the Dresden books, even Storm Front, but so many people here have said it's not good. Apparently, I'm in the minority. :P Anyway, I'd definately second the Dresden books (*cough* all of them *cough*).

Kim Harrison is good too.


What she said, word for word. :-)

[TheThirdLie]

My vote definitely goes to Dresden. It's such an awesome series. I would say start with Storm Front too. They reference the first book in the later books. You wouldn't be lost really, but it's nice to know what they are talking about... also, it's good to see where the characters start out.

[Regina]

Hmm, I will start with Storm Front (I can't skip it bc I already own it, but I will keep in mind that some people don't like #1 and it gets better).

Then likely Dead Witch walking and Graceling.

Funny that nobody suggested Showalter or Ill Wind! I will wait to buy Slave to Sensation until I get through these. It will be my reward. :)


Thank you for the suggestions!

[Dejsha]

I have read most of what you have read, but, I would definitely add Devon Monk's Magic series. Here they are in order:

Magic to the Bone
Magic In the Blood
Magic in the Shadows
Magic on the Storm
The 5th comes out in November
Magic at the Gate

They are best read in order, each book builds on the last. I have had some people say they didn't love the first one and stop there, but, it is SO worth continuing. Magic on the Storm is my favorite yet!! I cannot wait for the next book.

Hope you find some great new series to start!

Happy reading :o)

[Regina]

Thank you! It was on my shelves so I bumped it up!

[Melodie]

Regina wrote: "Hmm, I will start with Storm Front (I can't skip it bc I already own it, but I will keep in mind that some people don't like #1 and it gets better).

Then likely Dead Witch walking and Gracelin..."

I've read several of Rachel Caine's Weather Wardens books. They're okay. Actually, the series starts out pretty good and then kind of fizzles, at least it did for me. If you really want to try Rachel Caine, read her Morganville Vampires series. It's YA, but doesn't read that way. It's one of my very favorite series.

[Yodamom]

Regina wrote: "What series should I start next? I have all of these but one. I prefer strong heroines, I do not need HEA and I do not like it when the book's entire focus is an HEA (unless the story rocks and t..."

The Hallows, Dead Witch Walking is one of my top five series. Each book is better and better as the characters grow.
Graceling as fabulous too. ( a fast read)

[Regina]

I read Storm Front and loved it!! By chance I started Gena Showalter's, just a randmom pick. I plan to do Kim Harrison and then Graceling next. :)

[Lisa M]

Yay! I'm glad I'm not the only one who likes the first one. :) And they just keep getting better. I haven't found one yet I haven't liked. Granted, I've only beginning the sixth one, but they're great so far.

[Regina]

I was really interseted to read a book told from a man's point of view AND written by a man. It was refreshing! Loved the magic.

[Lisa M]

Jim Butcher does an excellent job on those. Most of the UF books I read are told from the heroines POV, so it is nice to have something different.

[Regina]

Yes, and the ones told from the males that I have read (Lords of the Underworld, BDB, and Adrian's Breed series) are told from a man's point of view in terms of what women want men to think, LOL. Not that I don't enjoy those books, but it is different.

[Carrie (Care)]

I read the first two Dresden books, but I just couldn't get into them for some reason.

I haven't read Showalter's Lords of the Underworld books, but I just read the first book in Tales of an Extraordinary Girl Playing with Fire and it was pretty good. Really funny. I hear the second is even better.

I liked Graceling. Didn't really care for Ill wind though.

I second whoever said Morganville. Also, have you read The Mortal Instruments? k

[Jenny]

The Dresden books and Graceling are both good.

[Stacia (the 2010 club)]

Rachel Vincent's Shifter series (first book is Stray) features a strong heroine. Love em.

[Becca]

I've read a couple of the Women of the Otherworld series by Kelley Armstrong, and I really liked her writing style. I love the characters and relationships. However, I didn't start with the first two books, Bitten and Stolen, because I don't care for werewolf books. I'm a vampire loving girl. ;) Now, I'm trying to read more werewolf books, and none seem to be able to blow my skirt up. Am I really missing out on the first two books? I want to read more of her stuff, but not all of it appeals to me right away.

[Darcy]

Becca wrote: "I've read a couple of the Women of the Otherworld series by Kelley Armstrong, and I really liked her writing style. I love the characters and relationships. However, I didn't start with the first t..."


Becca, I would give them a try. Elena and Clay seem to be most peoples favorites in the series, and some only read books where they are in them.

[Tiphaine]

Becca wrote: "I've read a couple of the Women of the Otherworld series by Kelley Armstrong, and I really liked her writing style. I love the characters and relationships. However, I didn't start with the first two books..."

Becca, if you don't mind reading young adult books, I would suggest you try Kelley Armstrong's serie "the Darkest Powers" starting with , it's really good. There is a werewolf but the story doesn't revolve around him.

[Julia]

Becca wrote: "I've read a couple of the Women of the Otherworld series by Kelley Armstrong, and I really liked her writing style..."

Becca, did you read her vampire book in the Women of the Otherworld series? As a vampire book lover did you like it? I found that her vampire is very much "Other," more so than the werewolves, witches, etc and hard to get into. I don't recommend you read Men of the Otherworld before reading the first two Elena & Clay books. You know that Armstrong usually has short stories and or novellas on her website for free to get thoroughly addicted to her worlds?

[Becca]

Oh wow, thanks everybody! I will give the Bitten and Stolen a shot, once I find them. I'll try the Darkest Powers series a go as well.
I didn't care for the one vampire character, I think her name was Cassandra. Very self absorbed, even for a vampire. That is if I'm remembering it correctly. I'm definitely going to check out her website; I'm all for encouraging my book addiction. Thanks!

[MsBeaglely]

Becca wrote: "I've read a couple of the Women of the Otherworld series by Kelley Armstrong, and I really liked her writing style. I love the characters and relationships. However, I didn't start with the first t..."

With the exception of her latest release, I've read all of Kelley Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld Series & for the most part I've enjoyed the series. I loved Bitten, by Stolen was so slow that I actually had to put it down & move on to something else for a while. I really didn't like Personal Demons & Living with the Dead at all.

I also think that Clay & Elena are the most popular characters of the series, but I am so over. I don't care for the direction that Kelley took for the them.

[Regina]

Thank you. :)

[Malin]

I couldn't find any suitable theme among the forums, so I'll just kidnap this one.

I'm looking for moderate UF with great technique (writing) and 3D characters. I've enjoyed "To Say Nothing of the Dog" by Connie Willis although I'm not sure most people would call it UF.

I couldn't read past the first few pages of Bitten so that style isn't working, which seems to exclude almost 100 percent of all UF. I've tried de Lint and it was okay - I want an author I haven't read yet though.

Anyone got a suggestion? No YA, please.

[Regina]

Have you tried Unholy Ghosts?

[Malin]

Regina wrote: "Have you tried Unholy Ghosts?"

No, I don't recognise the English title at least. By whom? (it seems to be a popular title!)

[Caramelle]

If you're looking for a strong heroines, I would suggest:


Second to those, I would suggest:


Both series have a pretty strong heroine.

[Regina]

Malin wrote: "Regina wrote: "Have you tried Unholy Ghosts?"

No, I don't recognise the English title at least. By whom? (it seems to be a popular title!)"

By Stacia Kane. The first three are published, there will be 5. It is a very dark urban fantasy.

[Regina]

I love the fever series and second the recommendations!

[Regina]

Sorry I was posting from my iPhone, here is the Downside Ghosts series:

[Malin]

These sound like they're too similar to "Bitten" for my taste. As I said, I want moderate UF - not the flamboyant kind with magic/supernatural premises as the One Big Thing about the story. (No wrong in that, but I want something else at the moment.)

I need to be picky about which books I get because I need to order them online, sometimes from foreign countries, because they're not available in Swedish libraries or in Sweden at all.

[Julia]

Malin,

Have you read Nina Kiriki Hoffman?
Emma Bull?Terri Windling?Jane Yolen's books for older readers?Adam Stemple?

All of them write de Lint and Connie Willis- style urban fantasy. Well, in a few books if you squint, Connie Willis writes uf, maybe...

[Malin]

Those first three sound good! You have any particular books you'd recommend by them?

[Betelgeuze]

Some UF with a strong focus on the mystery aspect:

Harm None: A Rowan Gant Investigation by M. R. Sellars
The Devil You Know by Mike Carey
Mark of the Demon by Diana Rowland

[Julia]

Nina Kiriki Hoffman:
; ; ; ; ;

Emma Bullis less prolific: ; ; ;

Terri Windling is mostly an editor of great anthologies and this one novel
; ; ; ; ;

[Irene]

I just started the Chicagoland Vampire series. I'm loving it so far.

[MsBeaglely]

Irene wrote: "I just started the Chicagoland Vampire series. I'm loving it so far."

Me too. I'm about 75 pages into Some Girls Bite.

[Jessica(Spinecracker)]

oooooh, Regina is right you should really read Stacia Kane's Downside series. It's phenomenal!

Kim Harrison is an amazing author and her series is pretty spectacular. -and she has 8 books out i think! :)

[Malin]

I hoped you had a particular favorite to suggest, Julia. They seem profilic all of them and I don't know where to start. Just one book was available in my library - The Silent Strength of Stones by Hoffman - which looked like it had great writing but felt a bit nuts POV-wise for me. I hate buying online without getting a feel of the writing in the book first. I'll peruse the WWW and see if I can find excerpts.

[Caramelle]

Irene wrote: "I just started the Chicagoland Vampire series. I'm loving it so far."

Jen wrote: "Me too. I'm about 75 pages into Some Girls Bite."

Yay! More fans of CV! I really hope you guys like it as much as I do, because its an amazing series!
Just to inform: Chloe Neill has confirmed that there are 3 more books now under contract for CV. For a total of 7 books in the series! Most fans and I were afraid that she was gonna end at 4 books since her previous contract was for only 4 books. This series cannot end at 4 books!

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I'm gonna start reading

I was a little skeptical of this series at first which got me worried since I plan on reading Kelley Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld series as well.
It's like a YA UF series. So im hoping her WOTO series is similar to this series, but targeted more to adults and has a faster pace.

[mostunexpected]

Caramelle wrote: "Irene wrote: "I just started the Chicagoland Vampire series. I'm loving it so far."

Jen wrote: "Me too. I'm about 75 pages into Some Girls Bite."

Yay! More fans of CV! I really hope you guys lik..."

I loved this series. In my opinion, the first one is by far the best.

It actually takes place in the same world as her Women of the Otherworld series.

[Caramelle]

Finished
Loved it! Fave book of the series.
Least fave is still The Summoning.

So, with that done...any suggestions on what series/book I should read next?

[Mette]

Caramelle wrote: "Finished
Loved it! Fave book of the series.
Least fave is still The Summoning.

So, with that done...any suggestions on what series/book I should read next?
[bookc..."

I love Jeaniene Frost's books so I would recomment Eternal kiss of darkness...I think it's really good.

[Melanie]

Have you tried Lilith St. Crow? I really liked her Danta Valentine series. Her YA series is pretty good too.

[Julia]

Malin,

I read The Silent Strength of Stones it looks like three years ago. I liked it and you can get it, I say go for it. It's not her best, but it's hers.

[Dawn]

Caramelle wrote: "...So, with that done...any suggestions on what series/book I should read next?
[bookc..."

That is a hard one I would vote for Kelley Armstong's Tales of the Otherworld or Gena Showalters Lords of the Underworld.

Love Clay and Elena but a lot of people think she is hard to get into.

Love the lords to her story was really unique when I first read it, those books are like candy to me :-)

The good news no matter which book you choose I think I liked them all.