Never thought I would like, even less start it

[Valerie ~ Val Hall ~]

Have you ever started a book for no good reason and found an unexpected jem?

I am ruled by my reading challenges. It had gotten me into reading things I would never have started before. A year ago, I was strickly PNR and contemporary UF and keeping far away from anything scifi, historical or kinkyish.

Here I was, looking for a fr**ing character or author name starting with the letter X....of all things. It's one of those all year-long reading challenges so I was not going to look for a scifi romance/erotica...because it would stay all year on my updates and I was not brazen enough just to fill that category and would have been easier to find.

I finally stumbled upon the Chronicles of the Warlands series by Elizabeth Vaughan. The main character is a princess healer named Xylara. It's historicalish (like there is no electricity and stuff) and story revolves over a realm being conquered by a nomad tribe of the steppes. There is nothing paranormal in the story, a clash of culture between city living and nomad living, different languages, books vs oral tradition....

I liked so much that I used the whole series in my reading challenges (and I am not a serial reader). It is not the best series there is around but it is the best I have found with an X letter for a name.

Have I not had this condition in a reading challenge...I would never started this series and missed something precious.

What series have you started that was out of your comfort zone or reading habits?

[Jenny]

I haven't started it yet but I picked for a reading challenge.
I read science fiction a very long time ago when I was in school, but since then it really hasn't been something I'm drawn to at all, but this one seemed interesting enough, and a bunch of people here on Goodreads said it was good, so I thought I'd broaden my horizens and give it a try again. I don't think I'd go back to reading it all the time, but if I enjoy the book I would most likely give the rest of the series a chance and look at other scifi's I normally wouldn't look at.

I've had Warprize on my wish list for a while, thought it looked interesting glad to know you enjoyed it maybe I'll have to give it a shot.

[Nairabell]

was hands down an eye opener for me. I picked it up because Yelena and Valek fill some tricky categories in the A-Z Character challenges and ended up totally converted to fantasy. I ended up rationing the pages until I could pick up a copy of the second and third books of the trilogy.

[Jean ~ Kindle Queen]

I'm the opposite of Nairabell. I read strictly fantasy for years. It irritated me that my favorite author, Patricia Briggs, was writing an urban fantasy series. I really wanted her to go back to writing fantasy. I finally decided to try expecting not to like it, and the rest is history. : ) I have been reading mainly urban fantasy for the past 2 years with a few fantasy books thrown in.

I also have in my TBR pile. I keep thinking I should trade it away, but maybe I'll give it a chance. : )

[Anne]

I never thought I'd like the Chicagoland Vampire Series as much as I do. What stinks is my library only has the first four books!

[Jean ~ Kindle Queen]

Anne wrote: "I never thought I'd like the Chicagoland Vampire Series as much as I do. What stinks is my library only has the first four books!"

Oh no, Anne! You need that 5th book! : ) I love that series.

[Anne]

I'll get it somehow.

[Valerie ~ Val Hall ~]

Can't you suggest your library to acquire it? Maybe they have it in ebooks?

[Anne]

I live in the worst place in the world to ask my library for anything. I'll keep checking though, maybe they'll decide to carry it.

[Amanda]

This is the story of vampire academy for me. The first book sat of myshelf for months and everytime i picked it up i was like a school of vampires boorring, but man was i wrong. Once i started reading this series i couldnt stop i had to get to the end as fast as possible i had to know what happened next. Glad i decided to give it a shot.

[Steph, Serious series addict]

I really liked that series too, Amanda. I was sad to see it end. Have you read any of her spin-off series, Bloodlines, which is set in the same world? The first book is Bloodlines.

[Judithe, Soap Operas never end....]

I'm waiting for her to wrap up that series...then I'll start!

[Steph, Serious series addict]

I liked Bloodlines, but not as much as VA. I'll keep reading the series though b/c I like the world/characters.

[Valerie ~ Val Hall ~]

You all know that self published books quality can be uneven at times but there are some gems out there.

I was trying to dwindle my growing freebie pile and started on a whim. I gobbleb it up like popcorn and when on to read right after and .

If you know me I'm NOT a serial reader at all. Well this series had me lose precious sleeping hours because i could not put it down. It's just sad that there are so few who read this series yet.

Looking for:

[Steph, Serious series addict]

Val, not a serial reader? *gasp* You mean we haven't corrected that little flaw yet? >;) LOL!

Thanks for sharing. I've got a few of those, I believe. I'll have to check it out.

[Valerie ~ Val Hall ~]

Unfortunately no, I can't read 2 books of the same series in a row....I need variety. It's a failing of mine and why i suck at reading challenges like finish this series before said date....

[Steph, Serious series addict]

LOL! I'm just kidding, I laughed only b/c we're a series-based group. But, I am like you and typically do not read back-to-back series books. However, there are a few that I have really enjoyed reading that way. Just depends on the writing and how steep the cliff at the end of the book. And, of course, whether or not I have the next books on-hand.