Favorite Urban Paranormal Romance Series?

[Laura]

I have been an urban fantasy fan for a long time but have just started venturing into paranormal romance. I like novels set in the present time rather than Gothic or historical settings. I have just finished the "Aisling Grey, Guardian" series by Katie MacAlister and loved it. I'm crazy about vamp novels, but so far the first novel in her vamp series "A Girl's Guide to Vampires" isn't doing much for me. I also like Weres, shapeshifters, faeries, etc., in a modern urban setting. And I am crazy about series.

What are your favorite urban paranormal romance novel series???

Help!

[Erica]

I have only read the first in the Aisling Grey series, I really enjoyed it. I really like Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunter series,which deals with Vamps, werewolves, shapeshifters and witchcraft, but all with a twist. OH and Greek Mythology and Atlantis are very vital to her series!

Karen Marie Moning does a great series, I call it the Highlander series, about Fairies, Druids, and time travel.

Kenyon's series has quite a bit of dry, sarcastic humor to it and it branches off too, to the Dream Hunter series and others, so if you really get into them, and love the characters you will quite possibly see them again. And there is no end in sight to them yet!

Moning's series are romantic and get you in the throat with the crying-but-don't-wanna-cry pain. And the sex scenes, whew! And I am pretty jaded there! Oh, darn, you said urban. Well, they have some good urban settings but there is a lot of time travel, so it bounces around, mainly in the past. But I still recommend them. Kenyon is definitely urban.

Also, Susan Sizemore does some good urban work with vampires and werewolves. I know she does series, the one I read and enjoyed had Burn for Me, Thirst for Me, and Hunger for Me, if I am not mistaken. My mother swears by Susan Sizemore.

Hope that helps, happy hunting :)!

[Laura]

Hi, Erica!

Thanks so much for telling me about the "Dark Hunter" series. I have heard so much about it from my other Goodreads friends, and have seen it in the bookstore, but for some reason I never got the impression it was urban. I thought it was trad fantasy in a make-believe world. Great to know it's not...thank you! Now I will dash out and get the first novel in the series and give it a try.

Thanks too for telling me about Susan Sizemore. I have never heard of her. You know how I love vamp novels (grin), so I am definitely going to check this series out.

Speaking of vamps, I just finished Book Two of Katie MacAlister's "The Dark Ones" vamp series. It is called "Sex and the Single Vampire." Have you read that one yet? I LOVED it!!! I just posted a review of it that you can find on my profile page. Very entertaining novel.

Thanks again for your suggestions. You've been great, and I have lots of fun research to do now (big smile)!

xoxo
Laura
http://www.OccultFiction.blogspot.com

[Erica]

Sure thing, always happy to help a fellow romance reader! No matter the genre! The only other Katie Macalister books that I have read are The Corset Diaries and Blow Me Down. I have this thing where I have limited myself to getting books from this local bookstore where I can get them on trade, because I spend WAY too much money on books, and because I have a thousand at home I still haven't read! SO until I come across any of them there, I am out of luck. I have stuck to this for 2 months, so I am proud of myself. We shall see how long this lasts!

[Stacie]

Wow Erica you are stronger than me. I also spend way too much on books with a ton of books at home to be read. Good luck with your search of books. Stacie

[Laura]

I kinda do the same thing. I buy all my books from my local B&N. I research the web to find all the books in the series I want to put on my TBR list. Then if my local B&N doesn't have all of them they can order them for me. Doing things this way makes my B&N membership discount card and all the email and snail mail coupons they send members reallllllly pay off for me every year (grin). So I can relate to you shopping at one bookstore, and sticking with that!

[Erica]

I used to have a B&N membership card but I can't justify paying for it, I know that they have good coupons and stuff but I was always bad at carrying them with me so they would expire before I got around to using them. Plus Borders' card is free, so I keep that one just in case I break down!

Also, I am lucky, because while small, the local used bookstore is VERY organized. I hate when I am searching for something specific, and have to go through every book in a category to see if it is there. The owner of this one breaks it down by category and then alphabetically by author! I love it!

And last but not least, what makes it easy, my dad gave me about 6 cases of books that he was done with, so some I got rid of instantly, some I will add to my permanent collection (my hubby is going to kill me on the next move if I add more though!) and then some I will read and then trade. I am so glad because just before we moved here I gave away about a hundred books, and I was kicking myself for it! Now I don't feel so bad!

[Schnaucl]

The B&N card is nice because you don't really need coupons 90% of the time. The card is an automatic 10% (I think) off when presented so if you spend more than $250 per year (which I do) it pays for itself.

[Laura]

You're absolutely right about the B&N card. That first year I kept track of what I spent just to make sure the card was a good thing for me (yes, I had my doubts...talk about being in denial about how much I spend on books every year *grin*). It ended up saving me an additional $100 above and beyond the $25 the membership cost me. Cool! I've been a member ever since. And I really like the whole atmosphere of a B&N store, so it also makes me happy to see B&N.com sells as many copies of my novels every month as Amazon US & UK.

I have a Borders card too, but here in Columbia we have Waldenbooks stores instead of Borders, and they are usually in malls and teeny-tiny stores. My B&N across the street is 5 times the size of my local Waldenbooks. But I do try to spend some money in that store, because the manager is a Witchy friend of mine, and that store stocks my novels, and I do book signings there whenever I want to. 10 years ago the store was much bigger, but with Borders having so many financial woes the last few years the stores here keep shrinking. And one Waldenbooks in another mall in my area closed last year. It was in a low traffic mall, although I had done successful book signings there too.

xoxo
Laura
http://www.OccultFiction.blogspot.com

[Pamela, Moderatrix]

I just finished Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead, and I really enjoyed it. Has anyone else read Mead's books? They're somewhere between paranormal romance and urban fantasy, and while there are vampires floating around, the main character is a succubus, and the major supporting characters are demons, angels, imps, and those vampires. It's very cleverly written and entertaining, and I got completely sucked in.

[Shannon (Giraffe Days)]

Your review of that book, Fangirl, made me interested, because I have to say I wasn't before and it's mostly due to the word "succubus". I have real trouble with that word, it's really off-putting for me! But your review got me interested :)

I love Keri Arthur's Riley Jenson Guardian series, though the fifth one was a bit weaker.

In Canada, the big chain, Chapters-Indigo, has a card similar to what you're talking about. I finally caved this year and got it. Had to pay $25 for it! I've never had to pay for a discount card before, the concept's a new one for me and for a long time didn't seem worth it. Not until I started snapping up paranormal romances! I get 15% off everything plus extra online and with bestsellers and other promotional deals.

But I much prefer the bookshops that simply tally up what you're spending and when you reach a certain amount (which, granted, is usually fairly high, like $500 - but there's no time limit, usually), you get a book voucher (for $50, say). Mostly I like it because I didn't have to pay for it! The idea of being bribed to be loyal is ok with me - it is books after all! - but why should I pay for it?! But I get the idea; in order to make the most of it you have to return to that chain again and again. Nice marketing ploy, that's for sure. Just seems funny: you have to pay money to save money. When you think about it, does it really make sense? :P

[Melani D]

Funny that you mention the book Succubus Blues! I just picked up the second one in this series. I won't read it though until I can find the first in the series - which of course, the store didn't have. (Notice that didn't stop me from buying the second one...lol). I'm glad to hear that you liked it!

[Laura]

Hi, Shannon!
Guess what? My local B&N has the same kind of card. I finally paid $25 for it about 5 years ago and then kept track of all the money I saved (I just couldn't believe paying for a card was going to save me much money *grin*). At the end of the year I realized that card had not only paid for itself but also saved me over $200 in books. Yowee! I have been a card member ever since and gladly give them my $25 every year when my membership expires.

Keep track of the discounts you get on every receipt, and I bet your card will pay for itself and then go way over in savings in no time too within the next year!

xoxo
Laura
http://www.TheWitchesofDixie.blogspot...

[Jennifer]

On the store cards issue, I believe that Borders bought Waldenbooks. I know that the local Waldenbooks around me accept my Borders discount card. Just FYI. Sorry about being totally off topic....

[Melani D]

Yeah, you can use your Borders card at Waldenbooks. I have the Borders reward card and the B&N discount card. (Before I go on, I should tell you all that I am a book whore and buy waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more books that I should, but I'm married to a man who enables me so it's all good! ) The B&N card saves me more money, esp. now that Borders has changed their program. Although I have recently found out that the more often you use their coupons, the more coupons they send you.

We went to Borders last night and I STILL managed to buy 6 more books. Hey, I had a couple for 25% off one regular price book and then they had their Buy 4 Romances Get 1 Free deal going on....so of course I HAD to buy them. And of course, I got 5 more new to me paranormal books.

Someone tell me that I'm not the only book whore here?

[Laura]

Melani--
Ha! I have been talking about that sale all month here. I can't tell you how many times I have taken advantage of the Waldenbooks "Buy 4 romance novels get the 5th one free" special they have been running all month. Love it!! I wish they would run it all year. That's a $7.99 discount.

And it is true. I find Waldenbooks is sending me Borders coupons every week now. It seems I am there every Monday and Friday using coupons.

Love my B&N and Borders cards! Hey, Melani, we are all book addicts here and proud of it!! *grin*

xoxo
Laura
http://www.TheWitchesofDixie.blogspot...

[Summer]

As a Borders employee, I can share the following tips on using your Borders Rewards card:

Use it with every purchase, because it takes 3% of each sale and deposits it into your Borders Bucks account. So, if you spend $150, you get $5 to spend and so on. Also, make sure you register your card through the website, because you get email coupons all the time.


And yeah, that Buy 4, get 5th free is so great! Especially since I have a 33% employee discount. Talk about book whoring. I can buy a mass market paperback for about 4 bucks....

[Lady Ozma]

I totally just used and abused my friend's sister's employee discount card. Gave her a stack of books and was like 'Here's 40 bucks'. Rock on. :) If I was in the market for a job, I'd be going to Borders. Someone there should read, anyway. You just don't want to know how bad it is.

Like i needed more books? I have like 140 now on my bookshelf in my closet. WTH. I've read almost 20 books this year and I started out with 120 books. This isn't going so great. Does someone notice a problem with my math?????

Thanks for the advice on Borders. I'm confused though. I thought they did away with the Borders Bucks? What is the deal with that? I really liked that plan when I got all this book money for Christmas. Then they got rid of it. Wasn't that Borders Bucks?

I try to use my card with everything but my Borders is really bad. If I was using my educator card they wouldn't let me use my Borders card. (Others would????) But seriously, ours is more about the DVD and CD and coffee shop than the books. You can ask those people anything about a movie and they'll find you one. You ask where a book is and they look at you like you're a martian. And forget asking anything useful. I once asked about Davinci Code... you know... major motion picture...bestesller for ages... they had no clue. Oy.

Even worse is they never have my school books i need. We try to go in there for school stuff but we mostly just sit around and make our book lists grow. HAHAHA Never a good thing since not only am I book worm but I've turned both my boys into book worms.

It's a disease and I'm happy to report I'm spreading it!

[Summer]

Just a quick answer, and I apologize for making such a long Borders post...I don't know about abolishing the Borders Bucks system. I'm certain it's still in effect, because the company is a national corporation, so it doesn't make much sense that one store would have it while the others didn't. You can go to Bordersrewards.com to make for certain, though.

[Jennifer]

I'm averaging reading a book or two a week lately, but I'm buying three or four. Its starting to add up. I'm pretty sure that all of us on here suffer from the addiction...

[Shannon (Giraffe Days)]

Absolutely, Jennifer. I've been buying about five a week, but reading only one or two, sometimes three. On top of that, I buy a lot of other books as well, not just paranormal romance. So I'm way behind!

In a nerdy kind of way, my book-buying compulsion is a bit like people who have to collect all the -- in the set. Even if I know I won't get around to reading it anytime soon, I just have to have such-and-such book for my collection! It's turning into a veritable library!

[Anita]

Could someone define "Urban" paranormal romance for me? Is it anything set in modern-day?

[Melani D]

Anita, I'm probably not the best one to answer this. The easiest way to figure it out is possibly by looking at some of the books that have been mentioned in this thread.

I guess in my mind, urban paranormals are more modern than say a historical paranormal one.

[Laura]

Hi, Anita--

Yes, it is my understanding that "urban" means "contemporary," meaning a modern-day setting. Urban is my fav, because I prefer the PNR novels I read to take place in modern times.

Historical novels take place in the past. Fantasy novels take place in a made-up world/planet/etc. And futuristic PNR novels are more SF and take place in the future. Some novels combine one of more of these elements, but as long as they are urban and take place in modern times I read them.

Hope this helps!

xoxo
Laura
http://www.TheWitchesofDixie.blogspot...

[Jennifer]

Hello. My name is Jennifer, and I am a book addict. I'll lend books out to friends, but I always want them back. I'm wierd about keeping books I've bought. Getting back on topic though... I'd have to say that my favorite urban pnr series is Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series. Its good stuff.

[Anita]

Thanks for the clarification Laura! I think I've always confused the terms Fantasy and Paranormal. I thought that anything that dealt with make-believe creatures was fantasy: vampires, weres, fairies, dragons, witches, elves, etc. I didn't know that the term was suposed to be used for made-up worlds. Since I'm not often fond of historical and made up worlds, urban/contemporary is definately my preference as well.

[calicheri]

Patricia Briggs has a series about Mercy Thompson who is a coyote shape shifter car mechanic. There are 4 in the series and she is starting a new series that is connected. It's a great series.

Someone asked about the difference between fantasy and urban fantasy. I read a great definition on another board. "If it has fangs and pointy ears and runs around in the forest-it's fantasy. If it has fangs and pointy ears and runs around in the mall-it's urban fantasy."

[Aya]

I love the BN memebership. They have a starbucks in the BN here and I get 10% off my coffee as well. Now, you cant beat that.

[Sayuri_x]

Hey all,

new to the group but just wanted to add my two pennies in.

I have recently made a move to paranormal romance from urban fantasy too and the three authors that have stood out for me are Nalini Singh and her Psy/Changeling series, Marjorie M Liu and her DIrk & Steele series and Meljean Brook and her Guardians series.

Although I think being part of this group is seriously going to put a dent into my bank account. I have already made a few choice purchases from the recommendations above.

Anyone else read Jennifer Rardin and her Jaz Parks serie? Not a huge amount of romance but they are just too good.

[Gina]

I'm the same as Jennifer. I don't mind lending books out to friends as long as I get them back in the same condition as I lent them. I don't mark my books, nor do I fold pages, and most of the time it doesn't even look like I've read them! Don't hand me back a book that's falling apart - you owe me a new book!

Like Shannon, I also have the iRewards card through Chapters. Shannon, it won't cost you as much to renew (I went splits with my mom, although she's not as much a bookaholic as I am) and just to let you know... I saved $209.87 last year alone with the iRewards card. They sent me savings vouches and stuff every year too!

I've read several that you all mentioned. One that I haven't seen mentioned so far: Kim Harrison's 'Rachel Morgan' series. I adore that one - read all novels back to back!