Paranormal Romance & Urban Fantasy discussion

What are your favorite vampire novels?

Mine are by Karen Chance; they don't fall victim to the cliches that so often plague vampire novels. There are Romanian vampires, and Dracula is mentioned, but Chance manages to make what could have been hackneyed fresh and intriguing.

Right now it would have to be Twilight. To me it's like the Harry Potter books.

I'll second Twilight. I'm really looking forward to the next book in the series coming out.

Twilight's the best vampire novel I read last year, and it shouldn't be overlooked because it's filed on the YA shelf. I'm looking forward to the third book in the series.

I would also add Gleason's The Rest Falls Away as one of the more interesting vampire novels, though it can't purely be called a romance because of the nebulous ending. Same thing with the second book in the series. But it's worth reading.

Oh yeah, and finally, I'd add Demon Moon to the list of vampire romances I've read this year and would recommend.

OK, I'll shut up now.[g:]

I agree with Karen. J.R. Ward's series is one of my favorites. I also realy love Sherrilyn Kenyon's series (the Dark hunters) she is amazing, and of course Christinee Feehan's Carpathian series, Oh there are so many more to list, but nothing can beat Laurell in my eyes.
I've heard the raves about Twilight but honestly haven't read it yet. From what I've heard it sounds fun. I think I will have yet another book to buy. See ya later tuition money.

right now its Twilight and the other books of Stephanie Meyer... i already read new moon too.

Sheena what is your favorite Lestat novel? I'm personally torn between The Vampire Lestat and Queen of the Damned.

I really liked it. Lestat is my favorite too. I always thought louie was a wussy. Followed closely after Lestat as being one of my favorires is Armand I really liked him therefore I really really liked reading the Vampire Armand and Blood and Gold. Those are up there with the Lestat books. The Queen of the Damned book is almost unrecognizable from the movie read it trust me you will love it.

Totally agree with that Stuart Townsend thing. Now I must admit he was a super hotty Much better looking than Tom Cruise but Tom Cruise as Lestat is how I picture him, at least more than Stuart Townsend.
Queen of the Damned is a good movie if you've never read the book and love vampire movies. If you have read the book you're disapointed with how it's going pretty much the whole time. It should teach them to try and cram two huge novels into one short movie.

Try the Lara Adrian books. J.R. Ward and Sherrilyn Kenyon are my faves.

I've really enjoyed all of the authors and titles listed so far (excluding Twilight because I haven't read it yet). Of all the series that I've read, I'm current favorite is Kenyon's; the mythology aspect adds a whole new level of fun. One author that hasn't been mentioned is Erin McCarthy; she cracks me up. Another author that I love is Kim Harrison. While a vampire isn't the primary character, Eve packs a punch and usually steals the scene when she walks in.

I love Kim's books too. You mean Ivy, right? She's a kick ass character.

I'm not crazy about Ward -- I can't get past the ridiculous names of the vampires. And Feehan walks a line way too close to rape for my taste. I want my characters to fall in love because of who they are, not because of some pre-destined, irresistible force pushing them together.

I love Kenyon and Rice, as well, and Jim Butcher is a favorite. I have Twilight on my list for reading. Frankly, I'll read anything with vampires in it. ;)

That's what I write, after all!

OOPS!! . Ivy's who I mean. I just read the first of Christopher Golden's Menagerie series and the vamp is Eve (she's has potential...) and I'm getting my names mixed up

Lara Adrian is a fairly new writer, but the 2 books she has out so far were great! I love Ward, Kenyon and katie McAllister for vampire stories. Also try Jaqueline Frank. Her main characters are demons, but there are minor vampires and werewolves.

Hee! I'm glad someone else feels the same way about Ward as I do. My best friend swears the books are great, but I cannot get past the silly names.

I think we may be the only ones! I have a friend who keeps insisting I HAVE to read them because they're SO awesome. Frankly, I'd have less of a problem if she just went ahead and called the characters Rage and Fear or whatever, instead of those stupid spellings!

I enjoyed the Crimson City series that recently ended. I also just read Twilight and really liked it, except... I tend to like my vampires a little steamier. ;)

I trust my best friend's judgment on the quality of the books, but I just have no tolerance for silly names in books. I'm sure I'm missing some fabulous stuff, but the names make me laugh at inappropriate moments, ha!

I've been trying to get my hands on Twilight lately, but I haven't had any luck at used bookstores or on Bookmooch.com. I'm going to have to cave and bum my best friend's copy. Speaking of young adult paranormal romances, have you read Holly Black's Tithe?

Karen- I loved the new Ward too! How did you feel about the ending????

This is my least favorite ending of all her books so far. I'm happy V gets to be forever with Jane, but jane as a ghost like apparition? I just can't behind it. maybe after i read the book another time or two.

though i have to say i'm amused. what an ending for phury. 200 years of celebacy to be followed by marrying into what like 40 women to satisfy?

Hey, I personally am fond of Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunter novels. I think someone else mentioned her. Although her characters aren't technically 'vampires', the idea is that they are what vampire lore is based on. They are quite addictive and she has a lot of them following a core group. So when I get attached to a character, I know I am likely to see them again.

Hi all!

I'm relatively new to the PR genre, but I'm loving it! And the books I've read pretty much all fall under the 'vampire' category... faves include: Lara Adrian's Midnight Breed series, Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark-Hunter/Dream-Hunter series and JR Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series. I've recently started reading Christine Feehan's Dark/Carpathian series along with Stephanie Meyer's 'Twilight'. Both series are great so far. Any other vampire recs??? I'm always up for more! ;-)

Thanks for all the great suggestions! I love vamp novels and series and have always been an urban fantasy fan, but have just started venturing into paranomal romance. Big fun!

The "Blood Books" series by Tana Huff is excellent and a big favorite of mine.

Right now I'm reading Katie MacAlister's "The Dark Ones" series, and it is quickly becoming another favorite. Sexy vamps, laugh outloud humor...a really fun read!

I love Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse!

Greetings All –

I’m a relative virgin when it comes to paranormal romance, well romance books of any kind. I read my very first romance book in June ’07, Katie MacAlister’s “A Girls Guide to Vampires”. I loved it so much I went out and got the complete “Dark Ones” series. Then I made it my mission to find every adult romance book and novella Katie had ever written. I did and enjoyed every book.

I saw the cover of Susan Sizemore’s “Primal Desires” and bought it on a whim, as I knew of Susan from the TV Tie-in book “Forever Knight: A Stirring of Dust” I bought over 10 years ago. I liked Primal Desires enough to track down the complete vampire “Primes” series including the novellas. I’ve just finished devouring them and have gone to her web site to find out what else she has. I read the description of her “Laws of the Blood” series and put in an order for all 5 books from Amazon.com.

Other books I have purchased and are on my to-read list, thanks to the glowing reviews I’ve read here and elsewhere, in no particular order are:

Tanya Huff’s the Blood Books series. I watched “Blood Ties” on the lifetime channel and instantly fell in love with Henry Fitzroy. I bought all 3 blood volumes.

Kathy Love’s “I only have Fangs for You”, "Fangs but no Fangs",“Fangs for the Memories”,& in Jan '08 “Any way you want it”

Alexandra Ivy’s Guardians of Eternity series. – Then Darkness Comes, & Embrace the Darkness

Stephanie Rowe’s “Date Me, Baby, One More Time”, “Must Love Dragons”, He Love Me, He Loves Me Hot” & “Sex & the Immortal Bad Boy”

J. R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series

And last, Patricia Briggs, although she’s considered fantasy. “Dragon Bones” and “Dragon Blood” both looked interesting. Then there’s the Mercy Thompson series. “Moon Called”, & “Blood Bound”. When I found out that the series is set in Tri-Cities, Washington, a real place, where I just happen to live. Well who could resist reading about shapeshifters and vampires that live right outside your front door?!

Does anyone know of any other humorous paranormal authors besides Katie MacAlister, Kathy Love, and Stephanie Rowe? I’d really like to balance out my reading preferences between “humorous”, and “dark and brooding alpha male” vampires.

Ja'niece--

I hear Mary Janice Davidson's vampy "Queen Betsy" series is a scream and very funny. I have several of the books, and they are on my list to read next as soon as I finish the BDB series. Anyway, here they are in order:

1.) Dead and Unwed
2.) Dead and Unemployed
3.) Dead and Unappreciated
4.) Dead and Unreturnable
5.) Dead and Unpopular
6.) Dead and Uneasy

I'm like you. I got hooked on paranormal romance/chicklit with Katie MacAlister too. Loved her vamp series and her dragon series!

Just found this group and wanted to join to see what else is out there! I started reading the J.R. Ward series because I have met Jessica Bird and lover her "regular" books! I've also read most of the Mary Janice Davison "Queen Betsy" books. Would love to get my hands on the Twilight books you all keep mentioning! I just started teaching, so my personal reading time pretty much vanished, but I read while I eat and what-not, so I'm looking for something new. I'm currently re-reading V's story (Ward) because I loved them so much! Hope to "talk" with you all again soon!

[quote]I hear Mary Janice Davidson's vampy "Queen Betsy" series is a scream and very funny[/quote]

Thanks Laura I'll take a look!!!

I would deffinitly throw my vote in with the Twilight Sage. Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse are the best vampire novels ever written. I adore them.

I think Stephenie Meyer is a genius! I don't know of many girls (or boys, tee hee) who have read the Twilight series that aren't in love with it! I can't wait for the next installment! YAY BREAKING DAWN!!!

My favorite Vampire book is not actually about vampires but people how get high on Blood. I picked it up a long time ago thinking it was about vampires, & it quickly became my favorite book. As far as PNR goes I would have to say Kenyon's Dark Hunter series, & for erotica I would say Shiloh Walkers Hunter series is my favorite.

^ Shannon is the book your talking about called The World On Blood by Jonathan Nasaw?

I highly recommend reading author Nancy Collins, her Sonja Blue character is fantastic! Check out "Sunglasses After Dark", but all the books about Sonja Blue are excellent.

I am trying to find some of these recommended books that you all are talking about at my local library. They apparently don't have the Twilight series, but I think I have the Dark Ones series by Katie MacAlister. Can someone list the titles from that series in order so I can see if I got them all requested? Thanks so much!

The Dark Ones series:
1. A Girl's Guide to Vampires
2. Sex and the Single Vampire
3. Sex, Lies and Vampires
4. Even Vampires Get the Blues
5. Just One Sip - anthology - "Bring Out Your Dead"
6. The Last of the Red Hot Vampires

Your library doesn't HAVE twilight, or everyone and their dog has a hold on it?

Twilight is not showing up on the search by title or author.

sad day!!! At my library there are about a thousand holds on all three books.... :P Good thing I own them :D

I am a huge fan of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series. Great characters, compelling story, and well written.

I also love Anne Rice. I have read almost all of her books. She's very descriptive; you can really "see" everything in her books.

I have recently begun reading Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series. So far I like it. (I'm only into the third book, Circus of the Damned.) They're action packed, and Anita is a good tough chick heroine. Some of the narrative is mildly repetitive, but I get over it easily enough. (I'm guessing this is so that you could read each one as a stand alone.)

It seems like a lot of people really like Sherrilyn Kenyon, so I'll have to give her another try. I have only read her first book, Fantasy Lover, but wasn't too impressed. It was simply decent. The concept was interesting enough, but I thought it lacked in the action department. Not to mention that the dialog was stilted and annoying, and the heroine was a pansy. When the main character is supposed to have a Ph.D. I expect her not to sound like a high schooler. Hopefully Kenyon's work improves.

I loved the first batch of Anita Blake books, but the last five or six have suffered heavily from Mary Sue Syndrome and that repetitive narrative you mentioned, Jennifer. I really like some of the characters in the series, but I was so disappointed when Anita started gaining Super Duper Magical Powers just by having sex with random strangers or whatever. I like smutty scenes quite well, but I honestly got bored with it in the last AB book I read (Narcissus in Chains, iirc).

Has anyone read Jeaniene Frost's Halfway to the Grave? I really liked the main characters, even though the hero seemed like a carbon copy of Spike from the Buffy series. I also liked the ending; I don't want to give it away, but it's very much a non-standard ending for a romance, and it was refreshing.

Jennifer: Fantasy Lover is more a Prequel to the Dark Hunter series I found. It basically lays the groundwork out for the Dark Hunter series, introducing the Greek gods and other characters who will havng their own books later on. Kenyon's series intertwines the characters from one book to another. They can stand alone but really are much better read in order.

TDF, right now I'm about 2/3 through Halfway to the Grave. I never watched Buffy, so I can't compare Bones to Spike. I like it alright so far, but I feel like 1) the plot is being drug out far too long, 2) not a whole lot of depth to the characters (esp. Bones--he's way cheesy). I'm not even sure that I like her writing style, but... Cat is pretty interesting; Frost seems to have captured the half-vampire aspect pretty well. I'll have to get back to you on the ending, though!

Summer, I think maybe the reason Bones isn't as fleshed out as he could be is because he's so heavily based on Spike. I could be completely off with this, but the story almost seems like fanfiction with the serial numbers filed off, like it started out as Spike fanfic but was adapted for publication. I don't think there's anything wrong with that at all--I'm actually in the middle of adapting a fanfic idea myself--but the characters tend to be less fleshed out in fanfiction, since your readers will already be familiar with them, and you'll have to work to add in more characterization when the character becomes original.

But like I said, I could be completely wrong about that. :)

The plot seems dragged out a bit, but it feels more like two storylines in one to me. Cat's being trained and then Cat goes on the hunt. Sort of like the Batman Begins movie, IMO.

A great vampire book is Fledgeling by Octavia Butler. It's not really romance, but it's a fabulous book. It's actually the last book that Butler wrote before she died (and her only book about vampires) so it makes me sad that this fantastic story about fantastic characters will never be continued. It's good if you like strong women literature and are open to other interpretations of what vampire life is like (i.e., if you only like the dark and brooding brotherhood this is very refreshing take on vampire culture and community).

Hi all! I am new to the group. My favorite Vamp books are Kenyon and Feehan of course. But also Sands- Argeneau series and Katie McAlisters series.

I have read others but I really prefer those but I am open to any suggestions, for things to read while in between those series.

Since Twilight is what got me started on paranormal romance, I'd have to list that one first!

The new J.R. Ward book is out? I haven't seen it and I check regularly - I'll have to look harder. The names seemed really cheesy to me at first but then I got to know the characters and, I don't know, it just works somehow.

A friend on LiveJournal recently recommended Robin McKinley's Sunshine and I bought it yesterday - has anyone read it?

I read LKH in the bookstore now because it takes me about 20 minutes to read the story after skipping all the meaningless group sex scenes.

Love the Davidson Betsy series and this is not vampiric but Vicki Petterson's Zodiac series is a good read.

I read LKH in the bookstore now because it takes me about 20 minutes to read the story after skipping all the meaningless group sex scenes.

That's hilarious!