Paranormal Romance & Urban Fantasy discussion

1. The "Kate Daniels" Magic Series
BETTER and BETTER each book.
2. Twlight
Great, Good, Good, Worse
3. Anita Blake Series
Great, Just Flat did it for me, good, way too many blow jobs, worse, better.
4. BDB
Great, Great, Great, So-So
5. Sookie Stackhouse
Good, Good, GREAT, So-So
6. Strom Series by Richelle Mead
GOOD, even better

A few that stand out for me as being better with each book are Ilona Andrews' Kate Daniels series, Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson series and Karen Chance's Cassie Palmer & Dorina Basarab series.

And I agree with you Leslie on Twilight & Sookie.

And a series that in my opinion started out good and has steadily gotten worse is Richelle Mead's Georgina Kincaid series.

Vampire Academy just keeps getting better. Will be sad to see it end.

Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson books definitely get better. And the Harry Dresden books have just become phenomenal the longer the series goes. I think the Sookie books have gotten better with each book until this last one. And, hands down, the one series I used to love, but won't even look at any more is the Anita Blake series. Great character has become nothing but a f**k puppet in a Penthouse Forum setting.

The Night Huntress novels by Jeaniene Frost just keep getting better, i cannot wait for book 5.
The Blue Bloods novels by Melissa De La Cruz just seem to keep getting better as well.
I can't really think of any that keep getting worse, although i've heard terrible things about the latest Anita Blake novel and from what i understand the series starts going downhill after book 9 or 10.

I think the Lords of The Underworld gets better with each book and I am sad to say this but Anita Blake gets worse. I actually liked a few books after Obsidian Butterfly(book9) book the last three releases have been a little disappointing.

Shannon wrote: "Vampire Academy just keeps getting better. Will be sad to see it end."

Agreed 100%.

Shannon wrote: "Vampire Academy just keeps getting better. Will be sad to see it end."

I completely agree too.

One, I am sorry to say got worse for me on the last books was the Sookie Stackhouse series. I loved it until the last book.

Christina, I agree with you about the Stackhouse series. I wish it had been better..

I am still waiting for the my library to receive Spirit Bound! I am #1 in the queue for it!

Yes to Shannon on Vampire Academy--I haven't read the latest one yet but I hear it's great.

And yes to Melodie on the Harry Dresdens. The first 2 were just ok, not bad, but not great either. But they have been steadily getting more awesome since then--I'm just about to start the 7th and I love them.

And I used to love the Sookies, but the last 2 were let downs for me. I'm thinking it's time for her to wrap them up.

Dark Swan by Richelle Mead: Okay, Good!
Kate Daniels by Ilona Andrews: Solid, Great!, Fabulous!
Chicagoland Vampires by Chloe Neill: Good!, Great!

I have yet to read the fourth book in the Daniels series, but I can't wait! I'm expecting good things from all of these!

Started reading the Dresden Files. I hope it gets better. I'm almost finished with the 1st book and I'm bored to tears. It started out really good, so I want to try and stick with it.

THE VAMPIRE ACADEMY BOOKS KEEP GETTING BETTER AND SO DOES THE DBD SERIES.. LOVER MINE IS MY FAVORITE OF ALL.. SERIES THAT GOT WORSE WITH EACH BOOK WAS VAMPIRE DIARIES..

The Dresden Files keep getting better, as do the Mercy Thompson books. For me, Night Huntress has been great the whole time, so not really a progression. I'm only at book 2 of Kate Daniels, but the second is better than the first. The latest Dark Swan book was an improvement, and definitely sucked me in.

I think Vampire Academy is getting worse, but I'm still holding out for a mindblowing last book. The last two books have been a little boring to me.

Heather wrote: "Christina, I agree with you about the Stackhouse series. I wish it had been better..

I am still waiting for the my library to receive Spirit Bound! I am #1 in the queue for it!"

Spirit Bound is by far my favorite of all the series books that came out over the past month or so. I LOVED it!

Miranda wrote: "THE VAMPIRE ACADEMY BOOKS KEEP GETTING BETTER AND SO DOES THE DBD SERIES.. LOVER MINE IS MY FAVORITE OF ALL.. SERIES THAT GOT WORSE WITH EACH BOOK WAS VAMPIRE DIARIES.."

Absolutely! Vampire Diaries just wasn't good at the end. I totally lost interest. I didn't even bother reading the latest one.

I am excited for Black Dagger Brotherhood. Everyone on here says they are great. I am going to read the entire series for my June Challenge...

Laura Lulu - Wrap up Sookie? Eek! What about my Eric addiction?! LOL! I agree that the last one wasn't the "norm" and the one before it was just SS, which, IMHO, Charlaine Harris should just stay away from b/c she'll never do them as good as Kelley Armstrong.

Better with each, for me: Kate Daniels (Ilona Andrews), Dorina Basarab (Karen Chance), Psy-Changelings & Guild Hunter (Nalini Singh), Vampire Academy (Richelle Mead), Shifters/Werecats (Rachel Caine), LoTU (Gena Showalter)

See-Saw for me, but will continue to read: Riley Jenson (Keri Arthur), Rachel Caine (Kim Harrison)

Worse with each, for me: Queen Betsy/Undead (MaryJanice Davidson), Monere (Sunny)

I'm only on Book 2 of Georgina Kincaid, so can't say whether it'll fall for me or not.

Twilight was great, then good good then should have been 2 books..
Sookie was good, great in the middle then this last one I hated.
Anita was great then weird, then so so. I'm still hooked but really 18 books how much can you do?
BDB, I just read #3 and holy CRAP I loved it! Starting #4 tonight
House of Night, was ok then good and now I think its till just good

And if you have noy read the Glory St. Clair books by Gerry Bartlett, its a must! They are great and the next is going to be AWESOME!!!!!

I am only going to include books where I have read more than 4 in the series.

Following Steph's lead

Better for me
The demonica series, Kate Daniels series, Kitty series, Rachel Morgan series, The Highlanders, Gardella Vampire Chronicles

Roller coaster
Immortals after dark, Georgia Kincaid, Night Huntress

Worse with each passing book
BDB, Meridith Gentry, Queen Betsy, Sookie Stackhouse

a series that went from okay to absolutely fantastic for me is the Fever series by KMM! The first was really slow but I've read the first 5 chapters of book 4 five or six times. Love it!

Consistant high quality books...
Black Dagger Brotherhood, Demonica Series, Brotherhood of Blood, Immortals After Dark, Tairen Soul Series, Dark Hunter, Highlander Series, Warriors of Poseidon, The Chosen Ones, Nightwalkers, Immortal Brotherhood, Masters of Time, Lords of Avalon, The League, Shadow Guard, Paladins of Darkness, Blood Sword Legacy & Darkyn.

Started out bad...finished great...
Guardians of Eternity

Started Great, but I am so not feeling the current book, but hope it turns around... Lords of the Underworld...05-28-2010 - I finished it. It did turn around. Thank God! I hate investing time in a book that have to plod though. This book was kind of stilted in the beginning, almost like it wasn't the same author, but by about a third of the way through it was back to the normal top quality that is Showalter.

@Molly you have quite a few series I have not heard of I am off to stalk your bookshelf for the June challenge :-)

Hi, Does anyone know when the 8th House of Night Book will be released?

i believe it's 04 jan 2011

Thx Steph. Guess I'll have to start looking for another series till then. Any suggestions?

Are you looking for YA or any? I'll poke around your GR shelf to what you've read/liked to see what I can come up with for ya. :)

Have you read any of the Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead? They are only getting better! That's a YA vamp series. The first book is Vampire Academy. Based on what you've read so far, I think you'd like it.

A Non-YA suggestion would be Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs. The first book is Moon Called. Since you really liked "Sookie", you will probably like "Mercy" just as much. This series has weres (diff types), vamps, etc. VERY good series!

Thank You so much.
I'll have a look around and see where I can find them. Have a Great Day!

You're welcome. :) Hope you can find them & like them, if you do.

Harry Dresden and Mercy are definite greats for me. Anita series was awesome in the first few books then became a see-saw wether I liked it or not, although her last few have been better than some in in the middle. I like Betsy the vampire queen series, my guilty giggle read. Vampire Diaries the book series I have to agree started out great but fizzled hard. I`ve never read the Vampire Academy or Sookie series but after all the glowing recommendations I`ll have to add it to my TBR pile. Another series I really like too is Kim Harrison`s one with Rachel the charm twister with the heavy demon theme. And to the person who mentioned a demonica series do tell more--really into the demon theme lately but other than Dark Hunters or Kresley Cole haven`t really seen any.

Steph wrote: "Laura Lulu - Wrap up Sookie? Eek! What about my Eric addiction?! LOL!"

**MILD SPOILERS FOR THE LATEST SOOKIE BOOK**

I shall have to be content getting my Eric addiction from the show. Because Harris has teased us with Eric since book 4, but now it seems she's changed her mind. I have been waiting, as have most readers, for Sookie & Eric to hook up since book 4, but CH decided to have the moment we've all been waiting for happen between books. So we enter into book 10 with them acting like a boring old married couple. And I'm one half of a boring old married couple, so I know these things. :)

I read somewhere on the boards that CH said (paraphrasing here) "I don't know why everyone loves Eric so much. If you knew the stuff about him I know, you wouldn't like him so much." Huh? We only know what you tell us, lady.

I just say maybe it's time to wrap it up because it kinda feels, especially after the last book, that she is trying to drag the series out. And that makes me angry. I went to B&N to buy the book around noon on the day it came out and the lady at the checkout told me it was already #1 on the bestseller list. And after I read it I felt cheated. I thought of all they money she made & all the new readers she has gotten since the tv show, and how she should be trying to give us something great each time, not a bestseller hardcover "transition" book.

Plus, I felt 9 was missing something of the old fun & excitement of the previous books, so I went into 10 thinking "I hope this one is better than the last one." And it was worse.

Can you tell I'm a little peeved at Ms. Harris? Lol.

Steph wrote: "I'm only on Book 2 of Georgina Kincaid, so can't say whether it'll fall for me or not. "

I haven't read the latest, so I can't comment on that one, but it's not so much that the books get bad, but that you want to kick Georgina in the head. ;)

Brandi wrote: "Twilight was great, then good good then should have been 2 books.. "

I'm glad to see other people who feel the same as I do about the last book. It was like she wrapped it all up in such a nice neat pretty bow--we should have all gotten a side of frosting when we bought the book. :)

Jessica wrote: "a series that went from okay to absolutely fantastic for me is the Fever series by KMM! The first was really slow but I've read the first 5 chapters of book 4 five or six times. Love it!"

OMG, how did I forget to mention the Fevers??? One of my top 3 fave UF series. And I hated the first book. Well, maybe not the book, because the story was good, but Mac? HATED her. I was not going to read any more of the series after the 1st, but thank all that is good & holy for these boards, because I read the next 3 books back to back and absolutely loved them.

So I tell people who are starting the series to try not to let Mac bug them so much in the 1st book--she gets better. :)

guys question has anyone read the rachel morgen series by kim harrison???????????

Hanane wrote: "guys question has anyone read the rachel morgen series by kim harrison???????????"
Yep, and I really like it, even though for a little while it seemed it took a dip in the middle of the series but it has picked up steam again with the couple of books that have recently come out.

I loved all the Twilight books.
The Outlander books were all incredible except one a bit slow but can't remember which one. The first half of the newest book was slow for me but the last half up to the high quality of the others.
Mortal Instruments got better each book but loved it from the beginning.
Poison Study was great for two books and then really disappointing.
Vampire Diaries last two books were really disappointing.
Sevenwater series the third book was disappointing but the only one of the four that wasn't incredible.

Series that get better, or are consistantly good IMO are:

Night Huntress by Jeaniene Frost
Black Dagger Brotherhood by JR Ward - I love all the books! Including Phurys : )
Kate Daniel Series by Ilona Andrews
Cassie Palmer series by Karen Chance, I think this one has got better with each book.
Immortals After Dark by Kresley Cole
Carpathians by Christine Feehan

Books that I think have got worse or seem to be going nowhere:

Sookie Stakehouse by Charlaine Harris- I like it and will continue reading it, but I think the books have been dragging for a while now.
Anita Blake by Laurell Hamilton- Just gets more boring IMO


I have the first two Kim Harrison books but I keep hearing really mixed reviews about them so have put off starting them

Suzanne, Harrison might have taken a little while to pick up speed for some, but she is worth it.

Harrison rocks. She's done some great world building both with the modern world and the supernaturals that aren't hidden in it to the demons and their universe. She's also got a great twist on magic that I've never seen but quite like.

keeps getting better:
Vampire Academy
BDB
Immortal Instruments
Wicked Lovely series

Okay:
Georgina Kincaid series

Could not get into:
Mercy series

Looking for more along the lines of my likes if anyone knows of any....

I loved Poison Study and Magic Study. Just don't bother to read Fire Study as it really went downhill.

I would mention that I really liked Bitten but after that I liked each book a little less until I couldn't get through the fourth one.

Joseph wrote: "Hanane wrote: "guys question has anyone read the rachel morgen series by kim harrison???????????"
Yep, and I really like it, even though for a little while it seemed it took a dip in the middle of..."

you liked it thats great i think i like it 2 i just started reading the first book, i know this is cheating lol but can anyone tell me who her love interest will be is it TRENT??????????????????

Lisa wrote: "Started reading the Dresden Files. I hope it gets better. I'm almost finished with the 1st book and I'm bored to tears. It started out really good, so I want to try and stick with it."

The first 2 Dresden Files can be a struggle, especially the first one. I kind of liked the 2nd one, tho some don't. After they take off and they just get better as you go. The most recent one is just phenomenal!

Steph wrote: "Laura Lulu - Wrap up Sookie? Eek! What about my Eric addiction?! LOL! I agree that the last one wasn't the "norm" and the one before it was just SS, which, IMHO, Charlaine Harris should just sta..."

DEAD IN THE FAMILY wasn't that great, but I thought DEAD & GONE was one of the best in the series, after DEAD TO THE WORLD, of course! As for the Vampire Academy books, I wasn't crazy about the first one, but liked the 2nd & 3rd books. Thought BLOOD PROMISE was just okay. I have SPIRIT BOUND and have heard good things, so hope it surprises me.

I DEFINITELY agree on the Queen Betsy books. If this new one next month isn't a big improvement, I'm done with the series.

Brandi wrote: "Twilight was great, then good good then should have been 2 books..
Sookie was good, great in the middle then this last one I hated.
Anita was great then weird, then so so. I'm still hooked but ..."

I LOVE the Glory St. Claire books!!! Blade is good, but I'm pulling for Israel Caine!!

Melodie wrote: And the Harry Dresden books have just become phenomenal the longer the series goes. e..."

I'm gald you said that I just picked up the first one!

I think the HON books were good, so-so, so-so, bad, worse... Yet I still feel compelled to read the newest one. like i am a failure if I don't complete the sereis or something!
THe Kelly Armstrong Chloe Saunders series, Have both been great reads (in my opinio) and I can't wait for the next one.
Anita Blake - Loved them until the 10th book I think then I had to take a break! at some point I could n't tell if they were ACTUALLY doing it or was it "metaphysical". I will pick up the series in a few more weeks.

Keeps Getting Better:
BDB series
Riley Jension Series
Midnight Breed Series
VA Series
Mortal Instrument Series


Kept Getting Worse:
Evernight Series
Vampire Diaries Serries
Mercy Thompson series (with the exception of last book it was the best!)

Oh Laura Lulu, tell me that CH didn't just cop attitude? Oh please tell me she didn't?? Oh no, no, no, not after plunking down money on this woman. You are so right about what she tells us. Yeah, I can see why you are peeved at her and I certainly don't blame you. That's a big crock of *&(! and for her to say that to fans is just wrong..

Dawn wrote: "@Molly you have quite a few series I have not heard of I am off to stalk your bookshelf for the June challenge :-)"

Dawn, feel free to haunt my bookshelves whenever the spirit moves you.