Book Haven discussion

I absolutely love Kylemore from Claming the Courtesan. I know he's kind of crazy, but I just fell head over heels for the man. He'd do just about anything to keep Verity. For some reason is very appealing to me, although I do not applaud or condone what he did or how he did it. I hope I'm not contradicting myself here.

I think as humans it is our nature to categorize and divide things up to enhance our understanding. I am very bad about putting the books I read into categories according to themes. I do it because I am very much into looking at what an author can do with a theme, plus I tend to want to read more books with a certain theme when I enjoy them.

At the end of the day, I think the most important thing is did you enjoy the story and did it meet your needs as a reader.

My favorite kind of hero is the dangerous hero who is a bit of an antihero. He is reformed because of his love for the heroine (if it's a romance) or by the journey he takes for romance and other kinds of fiction. I have heard that called a gamma hero, but apparently the accepted definition of gamma is a cross between alpha and beta.

I also really love the possessive, almost obsessed alpha heroes. Throw in dangerous and It's money for me.

And I love the sweet, caring, thoughtful betas. Sigh! My favorite beta hero is Carter McKoy from The Texan's Wager by Jodi Thomas. I am such a broken record about this book.

Good topic suggestion, Rane.

I love both Alpha and Beta heroes in Romancelandia, it all depends on the author's skill to make them work for me. I'm not sure I could live with an Alpha man in real life, though - one of us would end up beaten to death, and I can't say it would be me, LOL.

As for the Gamma heroes, I have a different definiton, Rane. I don't see them as a cross between Alpha and Beta, they're more like OTT Alphas, cold, callous and distant. Anne Stuart's Ice leading men are the poster boys for Gamma heroes - at least, that's what I'm told, as I haven't read any of the Ice books yet. I admit I'm afraid of them. ;)

I'm more used to Dina's definition of gamma. I would say forewarned is forearmed when reading the Ice series. You might want to read some of her standalone books first to get used the gammaish hero. One my all time faves is Ritual Sins. If you can handle Luke Bardell, you should be okay with the Ice heroes.

I've read 9 standalone books by Anne Stuart so far, Danielle. I loved all of them, with only one exception. I haven't read 'Ritual Sins' yet, I don't know if I can take a cult leader as a hero. I keep picturing Charles Manson, ugh. Scary!

Group hug, Another Anne Stuart fan, yay! At first I was resistant to reading Ritual Sins for the same reason, Dina. I'm very religious and I was offended at the thought. I skimmed it at the store and I fell in love with the story. So as someone with the same objections, I say give it a read. The angle she approaches really does do the subject matter justice. You won't get a Manson/Jim Jones/whatever else cult leader vibe at all.

Okay, Danielle, I'll give it a try. Anne Stuart does have a knack for writing the most unusual heroes.

Hey, Rane. I can see what you're saying about the labels, but I think they make it easier for others to find what they want. If I know one of my friends likes gamma heroes, for example, I know how to find it and how to break it down for her. It would amount to the same thing if I said, "He's a cold, ruthless guy, etc., etc." except I'd be saying in five words what I could say in a couple. It's just easier, I think.

That's a really good point, New User.

Dina wrote: "Okay, Danielle, I'll give it a try. Anne Stuart does have a knack for writing the most unusual heroes."

I hope you like it. I look forward to reading your thoughts about Ritual Sins. I think you'll like it. But if you don't, I won't hold it against you. :)

Danielle wrote: "I hope you like it. I look forward to reading your thoughts about Ritual Sins. I think you'll like it. But if you don't, I won't hold it against you. :)"

We can't always have the same opinion, and that's what makes the world an interesting place. But I'll hold it against you if I don't like Ritual Sins... J/K, LOL!

Ha-ha, Dina. That's a good one. :)

I like the labels mainly for the reasons NU mentioned. If you know what you like, it just makes it easier to find more of the same. That said though, I could slap a dozen different labels on one book depending on the genre, themes, etc., so I try to think outside the box.

I love that definition of Gamma Hero, Rane. That's how I think of them, but I know many people consider them to be the Alphas living on the edge. Since the two definitions are virtually in opposition to one another, I sometimes find that frustrating, because I have to clarify the meaning depending on who I'm talking to. I'm personally a big fan of beta and gamma heroes. Alphas I can take in small doses if they aren't too intense. The few over the top ones I've read, I just wanted smack them silly and tell them to lighten up.:-)

Rane wrote: "Danielle wrote: "I think as humans it is our nature to categorize and divide things up to enhance our understanding. I am very bad about putting the books I read into categories according to themes..."

:)

I like that there are a lot of labels, because it makes it easier to me to find exactly what I am looking for. However, it does sometimes get on my nerves...