Latest Paranormal & Contemporary Romance Book Releases – January 10th 2017

I’m reading Amityville AND Lucian Divine right now. Just one clicked Sinful Abandon! I think I’ll read it alongside!

Remember how I was complaining about the freezing cold a few days ago? Well, it’s going to be 77 here today. :-0

I think I lost all my plants 🙁

awwww, Tessa. That’s a lot of rain. I’ve been hearing on the news how insane it is.

Same here. I was sad to see that.

It’s back to raining. Thankfully, this city isn’t getting hit as hard. There is a creek near us, but it’s not in any danger of flooding. Heck, if it sees more than a foot of water, I’ll be impressed.

Back to books, next week is the beginning of insanity. Feverborn and Next to Never? *squees* Week after that, the eleventh Charlie Davidson book. All of which makes me happy.

My favorite used book store went out of business this summer 🙁 but not before I grabbed up a TON of paperback books and some series that I have wanted to start. So with all of the rain, I have been binge reading the Lora Leigh Breed Series. It is strange but a good thing to read paperbacks again. It had been forever!

There are a few disadvantages to reading a paperback vs the Kindle that I have discovered since reading the paperbacks: 1. When the dogs jump on the bed and knock over my book and I lose my page that I was on. 2. When I pick up my daughter at school, I have to hide the cover of the book if it is a sexy cover. 3. I have to have the lights on to read when my hubby is trying to sleep. My New Year’s goal is to try and get thru some of these books instead of one clicking but it is so hard!

Kathy – point 2 on your list is very valid. I read on the train and with the ipad, it says the title name on top, which depending on the book can be embarrassing.

Cheryl – today it was 104 here in Sydney. So glad a southerly has come to cool it down.

Not that I’m Cheryl or Grey, but if you haven’t read Aleatha Romig, Into the Light and Away from the Dark are amazing – and it’s a completed series, just the 2 books. Although I’d love to see a 3rd book!!

Yes, what Cheryl said about Into the Light. It was on my top Ten of 2016 list! It is a complete set with only 2 books which are both out. I am so glad you’re loving it Cheryl!!

Guys, not to be such a worry wart, but I’m really nervous…has anyone heard from Nay lately?

She did say she’d probably just disappear for a little bit didn’t she? I’m going to go back through the GR threads and see what I can find.

The last time Nay was on GR seems to be the 4th. Somewhere she said how long she’d be out but I can’t find it on GR. It must be on here somewhere.

Ok, phew!!! She scared me with no comments for a week.

It is funny how that can happen.
A book can have all the check marks and an author you like and yet…..

Lucian?

Divine. It checked all my boxes, but it was a miss for me. I’m in mourning. I’m making my friend read it because I’m thinking maybe I was drugged or something. I went from stupid grin to WTH in the course of a single chapter. It has to be me. I was tired. I need to re-read.

LOL bev!

I think I saving SfD for one of our challenge categories.

I just started an ARC to force myself to finish this next read. I won’t usually dnf one of those unless it’s dire circumstances.

Yes they are!!! I’m lost on a trip down memory lane with these lists.

Rachel Vincent and Vicki Peterson are new to me. 😀 I’ve read the rest, but still. That just makes me so happy. 😀 Also it reminded me that I was reading the Faith Hunter series and my library was missing the next book, so I need to buy it.

I think I’ve read Rachel Vincent but not Vicki Peterson. Or maybe I’m thinking of Richelle Mead?

Omg MichelleS. That’s one of my all time favorite series. But it’s time-travel historical romance. Again, one of my big time favorite genres.

I love Richelle Mead’s books. She even has a Fae series. Though, I think she needs to right more of that series. lol Because I liked it that much.

Jan, me too. MichelleS is usually right with good new PNR. 😀 I already grabbed it since it is KU.

It’s crazy confusing. I think I narrow something down, then go to Amazon and it’s like ok, buy this series or buy a car?

I’ve been looking for used ones on Amazon too.

Hold everything.

Jan…..Please tell me you read WiR. Please.

Fabi,”why would she like it?”
My heart is breaking that you don’t see.
That’s a tear in my eye.
I thought you were an adventure buddy.

Leslie, a bff needs to know these things. 😉

To me the Highlander series fits the bill: PNR because of the paranormal elements: the Fae, their Druid powers, time travel. But it’s light, funny, sexy, with major alpha dudes. Not too heavy on paranormal. No cliffhangers. Stand alones, but better if read in series. Not a long series.

I had a friend who had never read any adult PNR. I told her to read Dark Lover the first in the BDB series after that she was hooked. That would probably be the best place to start

The problem I have is that all the H’s in these series seem to be big burly alphas. I like Joe and Ox. Where are the PNRs with H’s like them?

Ok, R and WiR.
She might not like it at all. It could just be my joy in it that makes me believe she will.
Like I thought Jan would.
*stares at Jan*
I do not know R’s taste that we’ll as we have not read many of the same books. It is one one of the reasons I linked to Maryse ‘ s review as I believe their taste are more aligned.
If I thought R only read books set within those parameters then , no, not a good rec.
First I would not classify WiR as YA, at all. There is no sex but I don’t think that’s is the only distinction between YA and Adult, plus a lot of YA does.
It has a alpha hero, but Meg and the others hold their own. Simon listens to them and respects them. He wants Meg to be strong and have her own agency. In a lot of ways I’d say he is an alpha of the pack and courtyard, but not the typical romance alpha.
It is a well written book with wonderful world building.
The characters are interesting and unique. This isn’t the, let’s write a typical hero or heroine and slap on the label werewolf. Simon is a wolf. The crows are crows.
Bishop also is writing about real life issues but setting them in this fantasy world.
It is also funny and R has a good sense of humor.
Again, she may not like it but I had to put it out there. Just like I had to rec Simon vs the Homosapiens Agenda even though R thinks you won’t like it. Really, only you can tell us Fabi.

Now if only I can find someone to read Tell the Truth, Shame the Devil.

Great description of WiR bev. I agree 100%. It’s an out of the box, unique and captivating book. I just think we should explain why we’re recommending a book, especially if the rec doesn’t fit the parameters given. Or at the very least, state that it doesn’t fit the parameters.

I’m good with alphas so that part of PNR doesn’t bother me. I wish I could put my finger on it (or explain in a coherent manner) what it is that turns me off. I think I cant grasp the unrealistic-ness of it (not able to picture that made up world). I also hate if the story has too much PNR politics/rules going on that take precedence over romance. So much of Twilight took place in real world and mostly focused on Bella/Edward. I want to be swept away in the romance…I don’t care about rival vampires or whatever.

Leslie–since our reading tastes seem to be so much alike here lately (which is why I’m so SHOCKED you don’t read PnR!), maybe I can help. Personally, I think you’re reading the wrong books.

Re: your list:

Pleasures of the Night – Sylvia Day–haven’t read but as far as I know, this isn’t a ‘favorite’ among those of us who love PnR series reading–maybe I’m wrong??

A Discovery of Witches – Deborah Harkness–good, but long and kind of boring with very little romance. I can totally understand why you didn’t like it.

A Quick Bite – Lynsay Sands (tried book & audio)–I tried this and didn’t like it.

Glass Houses – Rachel Caine–I tried because I thought it might be similar to Vampire Academy, but no. Didn’t like.

Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs – Molly Harper–too quirky for me. Didn’t like

A Werewolf in Manhattan – Vicki Lewis Thompson–too quirky for me. Didn’t like

Insatiable – Meg Cabot–haven’t read, but this wasn’t popular among my PnR reading friends.

Wolfsong – TJ Klune–haven’t read, but from what I’ve heard, this is really different from the series PnR that’s being discussed here.

What didn’t you like about:
BDB?
Kiss of Midnight?
Dark Fever?

Grey- I just finished Into The Light and getting ready to start book 2. One of the things I thought, as actually true, but I have some questions. Think I’ll message you on GR.

BDB, Midnight Breed, and Fever are very political.

Non political PNR is harder to find. I am drawn to the more political books, which is probably why Twilight wasn’t as interesting to me, yet I really liked book 4.

Thanks for that insight Tessa!! Maybe that’s why I can’t get into them?

Cheryl, I can’t wait to read Into the Light!!!

Nay, you made me feel a little better! 🙂 I also have not tried Vampire Academy. I may give that a shot. Almost all the popular PNR is available at my library, so no money wasted for me.

I have a list of some PNR that I actually finished. I’ll will post it.

Leslie–you probably didn’t notice this in my super loooong post, but what didn’t you like about Dark Lover? Kiss of Midnight? Dark Fever?

If I know, it will help me make suggestions.

I will say up front, that many people like Dark Lover the least of the BDB books. To me, it has an entirely different tone than the rest of the series (but I loved it because, after Twilight, I was so happy to read a super sexy grown-up book!) Same goes for A Hunger Like No Other in the Immortals After Dark series.

And I guess I’ve also heard that about Dark Fever, although I think many of the people who didn’t care for it couldn’t get into the storyline because it’s more urban fantasy and that first book has a lot of world building. I was just one of those who was captivated from the beginning.

To me, the Fever series is like a big puzzle with many, many intricate parts, And many of those parts are secrets or the unknown. I think the way KMM has written it all is brilliant!

I also don’t do well when any story in any genre has too many characters or details thrown out at me right in beginning. It stresses me out and feels more like work than enjoyment.

I hope I’m making some sense here.

Leslie–You’re making perfect sense! So urban fantasy is definitely not for you because it always has world building in the first or first few books.

I think you’ll like Vampire Academy.

What you’re saying about it feeling more like work is how I’ve gotten about Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Darkhunter series. Don’t even try that one! The first books were just each about a different alpha and whatever woman he was paired up with, but with each book, the ‘universe’ (it’s called the Dark Hunter Universe) just grew and grew and has become more complicated and huge. And if you wait too long to read the newest book whenever it comes out, you forget half of what you read in the previous book and get all confused (and it’s also a year between releases, so you forget a bunch anyway). That’s what happened to me.

Kressley Cole’s Immortal’s After Dark series has gotten that way to me to. I’m reading about these people whom I’ve read about before and whom I’m supposed to know about, but I can’t remember them or what they did and I just get stressed!

In theory, Sylvain Reynard’s The Florentine series should be perfect for me. I loved The Raven, but The Prince and The Shadow had too much vampire politics and too little romance. But feature creature wise, it’s more my type. And William is definitely alpha-ish, but not like the majority of vampires in this genre!

Leslie and R–I’d bet at least one of you would like the Blood Curse series by Tessa Dawn. I loved the first three and then just never read the fourth for some reason. From what I can remember, it may be similar to an adult Twilight(ish). I think that’s one of the reasons it was written–for the “mature’ adult women who loved Twilight. Hmmm, I think that’ll be my February challenge book!

I just checked, and I don’t know if this helps at all, but I have the third book in that series available to lend from Amazon if either of you decide to give it a try. I read most of these series in paperback and then traded them, but I still have tons of paperbacks, over 400, that are almost all PnR or urban fantasy. But ever since I got my kindle, I haven’t picked up a one of them!

Nay, you have over 400 paperbacks?!? You should open a used book store.

I’ve never heard of Blood Curse series. Just looked it up and that will go on maybe list. I’m definitely gonna try Vampire Academy though. Perhaps YA PNR will be the way for me.

Leslie, I don’t read BDB anymore so it won’t ruin our BFF status.
KMM…..I’m just NOT happy where she took that series. Not sure i will ever finish or not.

I am kinda thinking WiR would not work for you. If you ever try it and don’t like it, well it’s an even trade, lol.

Nay, WiR is the best. Just is.

R, this world of PNR is overwhelming huh?? I hate feeling left out.

like I said **earlIER**

Fascinating discussion here today. bev, stop staring at me with those spooky eyes!! I totally agree that KMM killed off her series. It started so well, then after a few books got sooooo boring. And I’m not into BDB either (hey, no peanuts!) *craftily dodges rain of peanuts* And yes bev, I DID read Written in Red. I liked but didn’t love it. Soweee. *dodges chocolate coated peanuts then stops to eat one* Too much like urban fantasy and not enough romance for moi. And did anyone else notice that they actually EAT PEOPLE????? Just no, bev. I MIGHT be tempted to read some more one day, but they’re super-expensive, so I’ll wait till they get cheaper….

Leslie, my rec would be Alpha And Omega: A Companion Novella to Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs. It’s a short, inexpensive read so you get an easy taster, but it’s a fantastic intro to the series. You meet Anna and Charles (OMG what a hottie) and it might just hook you in 🙂 If there’s anyone who’s read the Cry Wolf series but hasn’t read this novella, go and do it now, STAT.

Nay I’m with you. I prefer some sex or at least plenty of good ol’ sexual tension in my books and that’s why a lot of urban fantasy leaves me lukewarm. We can play in the shallows together la la la la la *splashes in the shallows*

I loved the Seven series by Dannika Dark. Wolf shifters but it’s not all about the pnr – more about the people and their relationships and adventures.

Leslie I’m sorry to say I haven’t read 99% of the ones you’ve listed.

…and I thought I was a PNR buff. Ha!!!

Fabi–same goes for me! I’ve hardly read any of those Leslie listed!

Oh, and I was going to start recommending UF’s to R, but she wants swoony, and most of them are not.

R–Duh! I have the pb of Darkfever. Message me your address on GR and I’ll send it to you! That’ll cut my books down to 499! lol

I guess I’m the only one who doesn’t love the Alpha & Omega series. I liked the first book, and the second one was okay, and I can’t remember if I read the third one or not. I remember Charles and Anna being/hiding in the snow–a lot of snow. Can anyone tell me which one that is? I think that’s the last one I read.

Okaay, well maybe I tried to read the 2nd one but never finished it. Because the blurb sounds very familiar. Thanks, Jan!

Tessa, I’m looking into that one now. I think I’ll be checking out some samples this weekend.

Yes, Leslie, overwhelming and I might be in agreement with MichelleS, This may not be the genre for us. We need PNR lite! I’m curious about urban fantasy, but I still think there must be a happy medium out there, more along the lines of Wolfsong or The Florentine series (two totally different experiences, but seemingly polar opposites to most in the genre). I definitely need to check out Karina Halle’s PNR/fantasy stuff.

Thanks Nay! I’m going to check out the sample on that one just to be sure first, but I appreciate it! It can be like Sisterhood of the Travelling Books!

La La Land was awesome! And I saw it at Alamo Drafthouse which makes it all that much better 😀

I am gonna keep trying with BDB and hopefully someday I will get into it. Especially since it seems it gets better past book 1.

I havent read Golden Dynasty…not sure that would be my thing as the blurb made my head spin. Hee hee