Other Awesomely Awesome Books We've Read or Want to Read.

I am so glad I found this thread! I am always looking for good books to read, as I love to read. Nalini is my favorite, so I am thinking that referrals from other fans would be great. Another fantasy/ romance author, I have enjoyed reading is CL Wilson. Her world building is quite good.

Tairen Soul does have some awesome world building. I haven't read the last one yet, though. Was it as good as the others?

PNR/UF authors I'm following: Chloe Neill (Chicagoland Vampires), Gail Carriger (Parasol Protectorate), Eileen Wilks (World of the Lupi), Lynsay Sands (Argeneau Vampires), Meljean Brook (Iron Seas) & Ilona Andrews (Edge Series) Well, Nalini Singh, too, but that's a big fat 'duh'

Right now I'm reading Dune by Frank Herbert, The Enchanted Glass (for the 3rd time) by Diana Wynne Jones, and Spell of the Highlander by Karen Marie Moning.

Nina, I got ALL the series..es you've named here, but only read like.. two books. I didn't like Lynsay Sands Argenaeu Vampires. Dunno, it was kinda boring. Are the following books better than the first one?

Chicagoland Vampires and Parasol Protectorate are going to be translated into German, but I want to read them in English (since I already have them on my TBR and generally dislike translations). Might do that the next week or so..

I didn't read Meljean Brook's first Iron Seas-novel (The Iron Duke?) because a reviewer told me that there is a "good rape". She knows that those topics really "get" me. I don't like those situations. It's written in -his- pov, right? Or am I confusing books?

I really love Rachel Vincent! And Richelle Mead. But those two are like.. God. And I'm completely in love with Julie James, although I've never liked Contemporary Romance or Romantic Comedy. Just tried to read Romantic Suspense (Karen Rose - Die For Me) and thought it was okay. But it lacks the characterdevelopment and insight I love about e.g Kim Harrison. Or no, it doesn't lack those things, it just.. didn't feel "real". Hate when that happens. Still going to read Die For me, Screm For Me and .. what's the third book called again? Well, the Danial Vartanian-Series.

Anyone, historical-romance-recommendations? There's a reading challenge and I have to read some books.. Tried Julie Quinns Bridgerton's and .. it's okay, but after the second book I'm bored already oô Since I have two books to read, I'm going to do that this weekend or the one after that, but I'm not really "enjoying" it like I enjoyed Succubus Blues or any other novel I rated 3.5 stars or more.

I'm currently reading City of Fallen Angels, I couldn't wait for the book to be released. But then I read a review with a few spoilers in it, now I know what happens I kinda don't want to read it because it doesn't sound that interesting.
I love Chloe Neill's Chicagoland Vampires series, All of Richelle Meads books, Lynsay Sands and loads others. I also enjoy read loads of Young adult books.

I've never read Rachel Vincent, what are her books about?

I actually liked the book. I mean.. we see Jace like others see him. Not Clary. And boy, was he bitter.

I'm soo tired right now, going to answer later. *zzz*

Patricia wrote:
The way he died. Well, again. He was a fighter, he jumped right into the water without checking out what's in there. And for him to fall through that thing?

I believe he didn't just jump...he was murdered by his cousin!! Serius didn't sacrifice himself by jumping into water...he was hit with a killing curse in the middle of a battle between good and evil, and he was fighting to protect Harry. Granted, he probably shouldn't have died, but the lesson for Harry was that the risks of death are worth the end goal, and you have to be willing to take the risks to get to the end goal.

Nah, I doN't mean he jumped in there. Rofl.

I mean, that's how he lived his life. He just DID things, he didn't really grow up. He made mistakes, he didn't always learn from them. He wasn't a role-model, you know. (Rowling once said that .. he said you have to judge people by how they treat those who are weaker than them, not how they treat equals. But how did he treat whats-his-name? The elf that worked for the Blacks. That's one of those examples.) And he died because he didn't take the battle serious enough.
He laughed. He was happy because he and Harry fought together. Because they won part of the battle. But what did he get? He died.

Meh, I can't really explain myself.. *grr* >_<



Rachel Vincent

I really love her. She wrote two book-series, the Shifters/Faythe Sanders-series and the Young-Adult Series "Soul Screamers".

I finished the first series and loved it. Check out the Goodreads-site, if you want to. It's really awesome. The characters are sooo complex and well-written, the character-development is .. epic, I think. The plot was fiiiiiiine, too. Seriously, I thought about the books a long time, still do actually.

Soul Screamers seems to be awesome, too. I just started it today and already read the first two books plus the short story that takes place before "My Soul to Take" (book one) started and shows the protagonist battling her "abilities". Sometimes, when she's out somewhere she's getting panick attacks and screams like a lunatic, so loud that people run away from her. She feels sick when that happens and so on. So, well, one time she's in the Mall and that happens & she can't get away from the person that caused the scream (there is always a stranger that causes that, always someone else) and gets hospitalized.. Okay, I can't write summaries or blurbs, but it really is good! =)

The first book has been published in January this year in the UK, btw.

Gooooood, my English sucks even more the last few days. Leets blame it on the antidepressants, okay? :/ Feel like shit. Bwah.

Patricia,

Several of the authors are hit & miss but I still read them in the hope the next book will be as good as the first. Eventually I give up, like I did with Allison James' Shifters and MacKenzie series. The Argeneau Vampire series is dumb a lot of the time, but can be really funny, Single White Vampire especially. Vampire Interrupted is good too. It's just one of those series that I'll read even if I'm disappointed, like BDB.

Chicagoland Vampires has good world building but the main characters can get annoying. World of the Lupi is also like that. The Parasol Protectorate is absolutely awesome, though the third was a little contrived. I still loved it, though. I'd definitely read it in English because it has Victorian slang and cultural/historical references that I can't see being translated well. Unless the translator was amazing

The Iron Duke was dark and rape was a topic - it has to do with the alternate history Brook has going on. I don't remember there being any rape considered "good" but I only read it once, right when it came out. The book was a little too graphic for me so I may not read the next one (I'm not sure yet.) The world building was great, though *is torn* So I can't suggest it really. POV switched back and forth.

I'm not really into contemporary romance. For some reason the female leads always annoy me and the books are just sex, no character development, and unoriginal plot. Maybe I've just read all of the dumb ones, lol.

Historical romance: I've read several but I can't remember the names of the good ones Hey! The names are all similar in historical romances! Lol. The Bridgerton series is hit & miss. The fourth book (Colin & Penelope) is the best in my opinion followed closely by book 5 (Eloise & Phillip.) The others - meh. Oh, The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie is really good. The sequel isn't.

And I'm no longer reading Spell of the Highlander - UTTER CRAP. *shudders*

I've been meaning to read Rachel Vincent & Kim Harrison. Where should I start?

Oh, I'm like you then. I sometimes read such books, because.. they are so easy to read. I don't really expect much and it still entertains me enough to read the next book. But with Argeneau.. I just couldn't stand it.

I tried Feehans Leopard People this week and was highly dissappointed. Everyone was talking about how her books are amazing, but I simply found it boring without any character development.

"Good" Rape is .. a philosophical construct, I guess. The rape itself wasn't a good thing. But the results were. The man changed and was shocked by what he did blablabla. And in the end the woman who was raped falls for the man. The whole secual act itself wasn't written in the POV of the victim (and the rapist himself didn't even notice that she didn't want to sleep with him) therefor it doesn't "feel" like rape would.

I'm not really into contemporary either. Just like you, it lacks certain things. The characters aren't complex at all, mostly they just annoy me. Plus since there is no personality to begin with, there is no development of it.

I liked Julie James' books, but other than that? Meh.

Hm, I don't really know. If you read eBooks I could send you some eCopies so you can read into the books and decide, which you like better.

Kim Harrison is all about character-development. I really liked the first books, but I think from the third on they got much better.
Rachel Vincent, well, I'm right now reading the third book of her Soul Screamers-series and jeez, I'm so into it.. *_* Just stopped, because I wanted to smoke & check out for mails (which are so darn long that I'm going to answer them tomorrow xD).
But I really think the Shifters-series was.. well it captured me quicker. The first few pages and I couldn't stop. Soul Screamers, well it was quite the same, BUT it's Y/A and although I'd recommend it to almost any adult I know, I think it's better to start with the Faythe Sanders/Shifters books

Spell of the Highlander.. I always have to think about Neandertaler when I read Highlander. I don't know why but this is the reason why I never started any book when the title included that word.. oô

Uuuh! Anyone ever read Downside Ghosts or Disillisionists? So fucking good! Urban Fantasy and damn, I love those books! <3

I'm not a Feehan fan at all. *prepares to dodge tomatoes* To me, the writing is just repetitive and monotone filled with static characters. Add to that the main plot always includes "let's find human women to have babies with." That just bothers me somehow or icks me out or something. Didn't like it or the weird mind violation at the beginning of the first book. What's funny is that Feehan's Dark Prince was what got me into PNR and UF.

I know the part in The Iron Duke you're talking about now. I don't think the act actually happened, but it was close. So, I suppose it could be defined as "good" almost-rape. Judging from what you've said, I don't think I'd recommend the book to you. But I have issues of my own with the book, so I might tend towards "don't read it" in general.

As for Neanderthal books, they're fun sometimes - sort of like when I read the Argeneau Vampire series. I generally only read the ones with time travel and/or magic in them, which is why I was reading Moning's books. Four of the books are pretty good. The one I was just reading was awful. It was one big poorly written ad for the other books in the series, among other things. Grrrr and gag.

I think I'll try out Rachel Vincent's Shifters series first. I'll let you know how it goes

Wait, the mind violation thing was with the Shadowwalkers or whatever they are called, right? Or not? Ah, whatever. YES! Static characters! That's the word I was looking for earlier. I hate that.

Hm, a friend has the book, so I might read a chapter or two and look if I like it. What are your problems with the book?

Oh, maybe I'm reading an excerpt and buy them, then.. Which were the ones you liked?

Happy Reading! I really loved the books. *still heartbroken* (They didn't love me back.. *cries*)

I've read most of the books you've mentioned and none of them are as good as Nalini Singh series'. I love the complexity of the worlds she builds.

I do love supernatural being in novels though, the presence of an angel, demon, vampire, werewolf or changeling is more than enough to get me to read

I do love Stephenie Meyer - especially The Host.

Jilly Cooper and Fiona Walker are my other favourite authors, their books combine sizzling romance, a strong plot and a fair few laughs as well as being about one of my favourite subjects - horses

I don't know Jilly Cooper and Fiona Walker. *googles*

Urgh, Stephenie Meyer. I hate how almost everyone's either completely "Oh I LOVE THOSE BOOKS BLA" or "MEH, those books are SOO STUPID!"

I liked-loved the Host. I think I rated it 4 stars.

And I rated New Moon 4 stars, too, because it made me cry when I was 15 (I think). But, hm, the Twilight-series is not as special as, lets say Matched or Ugly are. They (Twilight, NewMoon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, Bree, Midnight Sun) are good and frankly, I loved them when I read them the first.. 2-5 times (I reread all my books xD), but after a while I couldn't like them anymore. But I don't hate or actually dislike them. They're nicely written and I like how they make lots of young girls read. <3

Yes, Nalinis wordbuilding is truly amazing. But her characters just lack something. I still love the books, I mean.. I'm a fanwhore xD But there ARE better books, I think.

The truth is, I need books to make me cry like a baby. I really need to FEEL. And mostly I do that when sad things happen. Don't get me wrong, I know that there are bad and sad things happening in NS's books, but they also always have their HEA.

So actually it's a big compliment, that I love NSs books although I know that they are going to end "good". Because I usually don't read books that end THAT happy. (Everything works out, no ones unhappy or too broken etc)

I'm not that in to YA series, so I only read the first Twilight book. I couldn't read much more than that because I was very close to killing someone as a substitute for Bella. She annoyed the crap out of me. I also read the first Uglies book and felt the same way about the main character. Maybe I have unresolved high-school issues... *channels Freud*

I did like the first Vladmir Tod book, though. I haven't read any of the others due to my very very big "to read" pile.

I don't mind the Psy books always having an HEA but I do have one issue with them. The changelings can grate on my nerves because they're so goody-two-shoes. Other than the occasional bad seed they're incorruptible by nature, they're always giving speeches about their love of kids, and they're good looking. Maybe that's why I like the Psy guys more - they aren't as cookie-cutter.

But I love the books anyway. Obviously

My problem with the Iron Duke was that it was so graphic. Something about the way the scenes were written went over the edge for me. They were very well written (the scenes contributed to character growth and exploration) but so dark and vivid – it unnerved me. It was too serious. I don’t know if I’m making sense.

Patricia wrote:
I don't know Jilly Cooper and Fiona Walker. *googles*

Urgh, Stephenie Meyer. I hate how almost everyone's either completely "Oh I LOVE THOSE BOOKS BLA" or "MEH, those books are SOO STUPID!"

I liked-loved the Host. I think I rated it 4 stars.

And I rated New Moon 4 stars, too, because it made me cry when I was 15 (I think). But, hm, the Twilight-series is not as special as, lets say Matched or Ugly are. They (Twilight, NewMoon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, Bree, Midnight Sun) are good and frankly, I loved them when I read them the first.. 2-5 times (I reread all my books xD), but after a while I couldn't like them anymore. But I don't hate or actually dislike them. They're nicely written and I like how they make lots of young girls read. <3

Yes, Nalinis wordbuilding is truly amazing. But her characters just lack something. I still love the books, I mean.. I'm a fanwhore xD But there ARE better books, I think.

The truth is, I need books to make me cry like a baby. I really need to FEEL. And mostly I do that when sad things happen. Don't get me wrong, I know that there are bad and sad things happening in NS's books, but they also always have their HEA.

So actually it's a big compliment, that I love NSs books although I know that they are going to end "good". Because I usually don't read books that end THAT happy. (Everything works out, no ones unhappy or too broken etc)

See, I HAVE to have a happy ending for me to REALLY like a book. I do want a lot of drama & struggle to get there though.

Tracy, yes I (mostly-always.. depends.. xD) need my happy endings, too. BUT the Psy/changeling stories.. Well sad things happen there. But mostly in the past. And even if not I don't really "feel" them. Dunno. There is no pathetic "Omg, why don't you love me and why did you kill my little kitten(talking about real cats, not changelings!!) and why don't you like sushi??!"-monologue and:

I don't mind the Psy books always having an HEA but I do have one issue with them. The changelings can grate on my nerves because they're so goody-two-shoes. Other than the occasional bad seed they're incorruptible by nature, they're always giving speeches about their love of kids, and they're good looking. Maybe that's why I like the Psy guys more - they aren't as cookie-cutter.

Yes, Nina. Agree with you.

A friend said that Vladimir Tod wasn't a good read, soo if you read it and like it, please tell me!

OH YES, Bella annoyed me, too. -frustrated look-
I love how books can influence you in a good way. But it works the other way around, too and if girls (or boys, or humans.. or cats.. and so on) read the books and think it's oh so romantic and that Bella's a heroine or whatever, I just want to cry out loud. (Plus I really hate all that "You're mine and you won't get into any danger and I will tie you to the bed, not because I'm going to sleep with you but because this way I'm sure you won't do anything I'm not approving. Oh and have I already told you how I'm not going to sleep with you because that could either kill you or damn you for good and that's soo my choice to make, I know!" T.T)

Oh Gosh, the characters in Ugly-Pretty-Special were annoying - And seriously (almost) all of them, right? I mean, the idea was awesome and just for that I love the books, but when it came to the actual story.. Well, I wanted to kill many of the characters xD Although I didn't hate the books.. it was just this stupid.. Ah, whatever.. -frustrated again-

I'm reading Y/A sometimes, when I really like the author (*cough* Rachel Vincent, Kim Harrison *cough*) or when it's a gift. Oh and now there's this reading challenge (Young Adult Debut Authors, The Story Siren hosts it ).. But often they're too naive..

Oh my TBR-list is so damn long. I think at least 200 books >_<' A friend of mine didn't need her eReader/eBooks anymore and sooo I got all of them. <3 (I wish I had the money to buy her eReader ._.)

Just read a prequel of the Night Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost, which was released in the anthology "Unbound". Idk what to think, it was just too "meh". I liked the fact that I was finally able to read things from Bones POV but that's it. The story itself? Okay, but not thaaat good. I'd love to read how he thought of Cat (not what he told her but really how he saw her for the first time etc.) but no, nothing like that. -cries-

:< So, now I don't really know what to read. >_<

I´m with Tracy. Drama, drama, drama. (Gosh, that´s so Bruce Darnell) And then finally the happy ending.
I love it when characters get pregnant, weird I know. But I hated (no I´m not exxagerating) Bella´s pregnancy and this freak-baby - ugh. I loved Twilight, but cause of New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn, uhm, my love faded. Same with the movies, btw.

I'm not fussed about books having a happy ending.

I did really like the Iron Duke, I'm not keen on Lora Leigh although a couple of the breed books are amazing the others don't excite me at all.

I liked the immortal instruments series but again I've read better.

The Wolves of Mercy Falls series is pretty good, but whilst I'll read pretty much anything it takes a lot for me to really love a book.

I did really enjoy the series about wolves by David Clement-Davies, gripping stuff and not always a happy ending.

The Three siters triology by Nora Roberts was also a great triology.

Here are a few other recommendations (I'm trying to go with books none of you have mentioned yet and these are some of my favorites ):
Elemental Assassin by Jennifer Estep
Mageverse by Angela Knight
Morgan Kingsley by Jenna Black
Midnight Breed by Lara Adrian (a lot like the Black Dagger Brotherhood, but still so much better in my opinion)
Cascadia Wolves by Lauren Dane
Alpha & Omega by Patricia Briggs (same world as Mercy Thompson, but different main characters)

I've got a question for all of you since we're all from lots of different places. Do your libraries put really good kid books in the YA section and leave books that should be in the YA section for content reasons in the kid's section? In order to check out Percy Jackson, Artemis Fowl and most Diana Wynne Jones series people have to venture out of the kid's room and into a darkened corner marked by the "YA section" sign. Seriously. It's ominous and looks like a place people would shelve porn.

A friend said that Vladimir Tod wasn't a good read, soo if you read it and like it, please tell me!

Vladmir Tod was cute, but I wouldn't say it's "To read" list worthy. It just isn't meaty enough. The plot is typical, the writing style is really easy to read, the characters aren't truly memorable, etc. The only reason I mentioned it was that it is the only YA I've read recently that was okay. There weren't any Bellas to strangle in it.

I'm (finally) reading the Guild Hunters series. Raphael is... scary. I'm glad I'm not Elena.

I'm from a small town and I swear: I was like.. three times there and regret every visit. Our library is a big joke without a punch line -_- It looks like my basement, I swear!

We don't even have separated YA & kid's sections oô Oh my.. That's so pathetic. Just leave it to my hometown to make sure no one enjoys the city.

The library in my town is not the bad, now that they have re modelled it and brought new books. But before that all the books were seriously out of date, most of them were like 20 years old.

Going back to the twilight series, I like the books as I prefer them to the movie as bella and edward are really awkward together in the films, but that could just be the actors seem awkward together.

I'm currently reading Erin McCarthy's Fast Track series and im enjoying it.

I remember when I was obsessed with Twilight like in eighth grade....then I reread it in my junior year of high school (when the movie was going to come out) I hated it. I felt my feminine senses tingling when I read that book. I felt like...I needed to kill Bella, Jacob and Edward. Bella for being the worst female character/heroine in the book. Jacob for being so 'needy', pedo-ish, and trying to steal someone elses girl. Edward for all of his overbearing protective instincts and the whole ''oh my god I want to drink your blood and kill you but then I think I also love you.''

I think the idea of the book was generally interesting but she controrted the book into something plain, horribly written and just down right stupid. What's worse is how she thinks being compared to'J.K Rowling is odd and annoying.' IF SOMEONE told me I wrote as well as J.K I would be THE HAPPIEST person in the world. You don't go ahead and say ''I'd rather be Stephenie Meyer, my own kind of author.' CAN'T. STAND. HER.

I think the only DECENT book she ever wrote was, 'The Host.'

And right now I'm reading ''Angelology'' by Danielle Trussoni.

There is one series that is YA that I found intriguing, it is by James Patterson and it is called the Maximum Ride series...it is about a group of kids who were experimented on with aviary DNA and they have wings. The leader of the group is Max...the kids range from 14 - 6 years in age...it was pretty good.

twixter_tea wrote:I remember when I was obsessed with Twilight like in eighth grade....then I reread it in my junior year of high school (when the movie was going to come out) I hated it. I felt my feminine senses tingling when I read that book. I felt like...I needed to kill Bella, Jacob and Edward. Bella for being the worst female character/heroine in the book. Jacob for being so 'needy', pedo-ish, and trying to steal someone elses girl. Edward for all of his overbearing protective instincts and the whole ''oh my god I want to drink your blood and kill you but then I think I also love you.''

I think the idea of the book was generally interesting but she controrted the book into something plain, horribly written and just down right stupid. What's worse is how she thinks being compared to'J.K Rowling is odd and annoying.' IF SOMEONE told me I wrote as well as J.K I would be THE HAPPIEST person in the world. You don't go ahead and say ''I'd rather be Stephenie Meyer, my own kind of author.' CAN'T. STAND. HER.

I think the only DECENT book she ever wrote was, 'The Host.'

And right now I'm reading ''Angelology'' by Danielle Trussoni.

Oh yes. I mean, I don't hate it, because it really made my days back then and I started reading more books etc. But I can only agree with what you say. I don't like the author very much (I doN't think she's a bad person or anything like that, actually I guess she's a nice woman, but I hate the media and the interviews she gives. It's her attitude, I guess, that I can't stand) and I don't think the books are that good. The Host was.. nice. I'd still rate it 3-4 stars, because I liked the idea, even if it wasn't thaat new and because I cried so damn much. (Why am I gratefull for that? oô Hmm.. Freud?)