Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Help Me Out with Book Suggestions

Ok book loving friends, I would love some book advice. I love an awesome book series. A lot. I love to get lost and only come up for air long enough to write a review and then disappear again. 

These past few months (past year really), I have discovered some amazing ones and I want to keep going. Pretty much every single new book love I have is because of a recommendation from friends. 

So this is my ask today. I was awarded a $100 Chapters Gift Card from work and since I need to buy actual books and not Kindle ebooks (frig) I can't use the gift card for my Kindle. 

I need you to give me some recommendations. I'll list here some of the book series that I am already in love with and then you can make me suggestions based upon what you think I would like. 

1. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon is my all time favourite book series. 
2. The Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning was one of the series that I recently devoured. 
3. Phy-Changling series by Nalini Singh - Read them all just a short while ago and love love loved them. 
4. Cat & Bones series by Jeaniene Frost. Counting down to Aug 30th. 
5. Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J.R Ward. Love!
6. Read all of the Janet Evanovich Stephanie Plum series. 
7. Read everything historical by Julie Garwood. 
8. The Phantom Corps. series by Lauren Dane
9. Rough Riders series by Lorelei James
10. Every single one of Cherry Adair's T-Flac series. 

I've read a ton more but those are my all time favourite series.  I would love to get involved with a series that is already done as I am not a fan of angst and having to wait in-between books....but not necessary. 

Rules
  • Please no YA books. 
  • Please no whimpy whiny heroines. I cant stand them.
  • Books must be in a series. (3 or more is considered series to me)
  • I have to be able to say the character's name. I HATE books where they live on the planet XHerto and the character's name is Bhrumbowico (you get my drift?)
  • AND please tell me why you think I would like the book series. It is because of something you read on my favourite list? 
Any questions? Thanks so much for your advice!!



17 comments:

Lisa (Reading to the Moon) said...

Have you tired Larissa Ione? I've only read the first in her Demonica series and her new series Lords of Deliverance but they were both awesome. (I can't wait for the the 2nd LofD book.) You actually gave me a couple ideas since I've read and loved about half of what you listed.

Julie said...

I second Larissa Ione! Her Demonica series is wonderful. And it's a complete series - 5 books and all have been released. They are PNR books. Another PNR series that is great (but maybe more on the chick-lit side) is Molly Harper's Jane Jameson series. Three books so far (it was originally only going to be a trilogy) but there will be a fourth book next year. Really cute and fun and funny series.

Apparently, the rest of my recommendations are going to be UF. lol As you know, my #1 series is the Fever series. But tied for #1 is Ilona Andrews' Kate Daniels books. Great characters and great stories. Book one and two are typical first books, but books 3 on are fan-tastic! 5 books to date. Probably 2 more to come.

Then there is the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs. Werewolves (and other) at it's best. 6 books to date, a few more to come.

The Allie Beckstrom series by Devon Monk is pretty cool. Neat concept. 6 books to date, 3 more to come (hopefully)

Then there are two series which are amazing...but very UF. Meaning a little more graphic and gritty. Dreg City by Kelly Meding (3 books so far) and The Disillusionists by Carolyn Crane (2 books to the trilogy out so far). I adore those two!

I have more but they are just baby series and only have one or three books out. Kindling the Moon my Jenn Bennett, The Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne, The Elder Races by Thea Harrison, A Brush of Darkness by Allison Pang...all very impressive even though they are debuts.

But I would start with Larissa Ione. So...Does that answer your question? ;)

Unknown said...

Thanks Ladies. Well since you both came out the gate and said Larissa Ione how can I go wrong. I'll take a peak.

I've also heard buzz on Ilona Andrews so that's perfect!

Thank you both for your time in recommending!

Mandi said...

Definitely Larissa Ione's Demonica.

Patricia Briggs Mercy Thompson series

Ilona Andrews Kate Daniels series

Anything by Tessa Dare, Lisa Kleypas, Courtney Milan for historicals.

Also - Skin series by Ava Gray!!

Nerissa said...

My suggestions would be the Downside series (Unholy Magic is the first one) by Stacia Kane

Black London series by Caitlin Kittredge

Both of these series are a little darker & grittier but I absolutely love them because the world building is fantastic.

I loved The Shifter series by Rachel Vincent (but Faythe, MC can be a little whiny at times).

Loved the Dark Swan series by Richelle Mead (which has more action than the Succubus series). The heroine was awesome although sometimes the decisions she made(made me want to slap her).

Hope these suggestions help :)

Unknown said...

ok I've written down Larissa Ione's Demonica. If 3 of you say so then there is no question.

I am glad I made this post so I can go back and re-check.

Neri - I havent heard of any of the books you suggested so I am off to Amazon to do a little reading and investigating.

thank you all for your time and your thoughts.

C.J Duggan said...

Off the top of my head!

Succubus Series by Richelle Mead (Her Adult series). Simply amazing, one of my absolute favourites, and the last book in the series (number 6) is due out at the end of August, and it will be epic.

I echo my fellow readers in vouching for Mercey Thompson (Patrica Briggs) There are not enough words to express my love for this series, it is simply awesome and another fav.

I feel equally strong about Ilona Andrews Kate Daniels. Excellent.

And here's one for the Historical Romance. The Love by numbers series by Sarah Maclean. There are three books in the series all with unusual wacky titles i.e Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake..haha. Rest assured though these are absolutly BRILLIANT! They were reccomended to me becuase I was in a Historical Romance mood, and I haven't looked back. I reccomend them to EVERYONE. They are that good! Infact Nine Rules, is a strong contender for my 'Dessert Island' book, it is sooooo good!

I also have the Demonica Series, but have yet to read them. I have heard nothing but really good things though, hence why there on my TBR list.

Have fun spending!! I might do a post for reccomendations too. Great idea! Although my TBR is epic always on the look out!

Unknown said...

oh CJ I am totally with you on Sarah MacLean. I loved the number books. Nine Rules was my favourite historical of 2010.

Glad to see more votes for Ilona Andrews & Kate Daniels. I will keep them in mind for sure!! Plus you gave me more suggestions to watch out for. Thank you for the great recommendations! I am so glad I made this post. I love that I can come back and check it out.

Allisonfrom work said...

Michelle, you will like the Larissa Ione books, i finished those recently..the other ones you may like are Nalini Singhs Archangel series (there are 3 right now, starting with Angel Blood. Another good series of 9 books is Lara Adrian's Midnight Breed. Other ones that I enjoyed are Jacquelyn Frank's Nightwalker series (6 books with a new one on the way) and her Shadowdwellers (3 books) and various others by her. They have been my filler in between all the other ones you have mentioned, lol!
Hope those are good suggestions for you! Yours have all been great suggestions for me!
Allison

Frances said...

Larissa Ione's Demonica

Patricia Briggs Mercy Thompson series

Lara Adrian's Midnight Breed

All been said but they are the best from ones you have not read.

Frances said...

Oh and congratulations on your award from work! How awesome!

Unknown said...

Hey Allison from work (HI!) and Christina. Thank you for commenting. Thank you so much for the awesome suggestions. I'm going to keep coming back to this post and adding. I think you guys have all made me some excellent recommendations and I cant wait to get them.

Christina, thank you! I love that Allison and I's work started giving gift cards out as awards. Knowing I can get a $100 card for a book store is excellent motivation!

Heather in FL said...

OK so you already have Demonica written down by now, so many people have mentioned it, lol. Mercy Thompson has also been mentioned by quite a few and is good. I also really like the Rachel Morgan series from Kim Harrison. Witches, vampires, werewolves, pixies, elves, demons... lots of paranormal and the co-exist with humans. It's not done, but there are like 10 so far?

I also liked Nightwalkers from Jacquelyn Frank, but she's very slow to get new ones done. The series isn't complete, but she's been working on other stories. It's a different twist on demons.

I would also echo that Midnight Breed is good, but some who have read BDB consider it BDB Lite. I don't... I think they're a completely different series with their own positives. They are vampires, but they descend from aliens who got stuck here, and they are only men and they police their own. They can mate with special humans called breedmates, and each breedmate seems to have some special "talent" as well.

I recently read the Buchanans by Susan Mallery and that was a fun series. Straight romance, no PNR.

Allison from work said...

Hey Michelle,
I forgot to mention Christine Feehan as well...I have only read her Ghostwalker series (9 books) and they are good too...military/psy paranormal themes. She has a few other series but haven't got to those yet...She seems to be one of the "originals" and has been around a long time....seems like you may have a few ideas to get you started...and wont take long to burn through your $100 GC!!
Happy Reading, cant wait to compare notes!
Allison

Eve McFadden said...

I didn't see this mentioned, but I really enjoyed Lauren Willig's "Pink Carnation" series. I'm actually sure what it's called. However, they are historical romances and center on the idea that the Scarlet Pimpernel was actually part of a ring of spies. An American grad student goes to the UK to research this and her story (and romance) runs somewhat parallel to the "research" she discovers about more spies, both men and women.

Here's the link for the reading order:
http://www.laurenwillig.com/diversions/bookorder.html

Eve McFadden said...

Sorry -- brain cramp in above comment. Initially I was not sure what the series was called, so I looked it up, but forgot to remove the "I don't know..." sentence. Man I must be tired.

Anonymous said...

Have you checked out the Christine Feehan Dark Series? the later books in the series are much better than the first books - you don't have to read em in order. There are some kick ass women and sexy men - so I think you will like them. -MaraDarling