Romance novels

[helgaleena]

It reminds me of this discussion earlier in the year

Romance Novels Bad For Women's Health and Psyche, Psychologist Says

Oh baloney. The odds of my marrying a werewolf and curing him by having tons of sex are slim. Does not mean it's unhealthy to read of it.

 

[trunksisba]

It's an escape, not a reality.

 

[FOXY252]

I once heard some expert on tv say, 'What is wrong is that our society, as two sexes, is, the men have ideals sets by porno's (of sex) and women's ideals by romance novels (of romance, obviously.) That both are unrealistic.'
Which may be true, as both are unrealistic, HOWEVER, i enjoy a nice novel, it's like candy for my brain & my mood.
I think every woman wants to ride off into the sunset for some happjly-ever-after with some hunky type of guy, in her mind. It may never happen, BUT doesn't mean we should deprive ourselves of the fantasy!

Books are only as good as the author. People aren't going to relate to every story, or writting style.

I personally love sci-fi, bring on the creatures, the historical, the future, something to blow my mind!

And, offtopic, I love TALK SOUP too! Usually not into celtic looks (as that's me...) but that's one funny white boy I might have'ta......whew! Joel just does something to me with that devilish grin & wicked wit!

 

[HiddenLacey]

Nope ladies I don't mind the derailing :tongue: I just wanted to see what the general thought on the books was, and yes Petite, my curiosity does lie with knowing the real thoughts of romance for the ladies as well. Speaking of Laidey's, Hi Laidey

Hi, sweetheart:smile:

You've either been reading Barbara Erskine, or you need to!!!!

Personally, I can't stand romance. There are some historical fiction books that are heavy on the romance that I DO like - Diana Gabaldon, and Barbara Erskine's early books.

Other than that I read sci fi, fantasy, occasionally horror, and true stories/autobiographies.

Have much love for horror, true stories that are interesting and some sci fi, fantasy, but I still love romance. I'll check out Barbara Erskine.

It reminds me of this discussion earlier in the year

Romance Novels Bad For Women's Health and Psyche, Psychologist Says

Sorry, I call BS. Last thing I need is freaking psychobabble about my preferred reading.

I'm not directing the comment at you VernalTiger. I'm directing it at the publishing. Now to continue my rant

I hate that BS. If I want to read about a knight and a princess and a big 'ole dragon it's just because that's what I want to read. I also read about murders... does that mean I'm afraid I'm going to be murdered or that I'm going to be a murderer? Nope, it's horse pucky. I've yet to see a dragon, unicorn, alien, creature from the black lagoon... seriously... psychobabble crap. I like to believe that most women are smarter than to believe everything they read.

Well I certainly give it a try - anything's better than studying, right?

To return the favour, given your preferences, there are a couple of Urban Fantasy series with a strong romance element I think you may really like if you haven't read them already. The first is Stacia Kane's Downside Ghosts series (starting with Unholy Ghosts). These are dark and gritty and have a strong horror element but the thread of romance woven through is incredibly well done. Probably my favourite series at the moment.

The second is Karen Marie Moning's 'Fever' series (starting with Darkfever). These can be quite dark too but the romance is hot.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh, I have the entire "Fever" series. Come on, fae princes, sidhe-seers...

YOU should read her Highlander series.

If you like mystical/ lore beings books, faires, lycans, vampires, ghosts, valkyrie, demons or any others you might really like an author named Kresley Cole. The first book I read of hers called "hunger like no other" was crazy good. It's another favorite of mine. Her books are really interesting and full of imagination with sexual undertones through out the books and sex of course. She writes about the Lore and it makes for FUN reading.

 

[redz_rule]

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh, I have the entire "Fever" series. Come on, fae princes, sidhe-seers...

YOU should read her Highlander series.

If you like mystical/ lore beings books, faires, lycans, vampires, ghosts, valkyrie, demons or any others you might really like an author named Kresley Cole. The first book I read of hers called "hunger like no other" was crazy good. It's another favorite of mine. Her books are really interesting and full of imagination with sexual undertones through out the books and sex of course. She writes about the Lore and it makes for FUN reading.

Hahahaha! I think we may be book twins Laidey ;p

I have read the Highlander books - I love KMM's voice - and I enjoyed them for what they were. Adam certainly gives Barrons a run for his money, but I do prefer the darker tone of the Fever books and the wait for Shadowfever was an absolute killer.

I've read Kresley Cole's 'Immortals After Dark' series and completely agree - so much fun! Nucking Futs Nix has to be one of my favourite characters ever ;p

If you like those you would probably Like Karen Chance - she is also Urban Fantasy and has a lot of humour in her books. Ilona Andrews too (these also have a strong horror element).

 

[HiddenLacey]

Hahahaha! I think we may be book twins Laidey ;p

I have read the Highlander books - I love KMM's voice - and I enjoyed them for what they were. Adam certainly gives Barrons a run for his money, but I do prefer the darker tone of the Fever books and the wait for Shadowfever was an absolute killer.

I've read Kresley Cole's 'Immortals After Dark' series and completely agree - so much fun! Nucking Futs Nix has to be one of my favourite characters ever ;p

If you like those you would probably Like Karen Chance - she is also Urban Fantasy and has a lot of humour in her books. Ilona Andrews too (these also have a strong horror element).

Nucking Futs Nix!!!!!!!!!!!!! *crush*

I love books Moreeeeeeeeee authors! You rock!

If you likeys the vampires you should check out Christine Feehan's Carpathian series. I think it's called the Dark series. A lot of imagination and they aren't normal run of the mill vampires and they ARE NOT tween books. I've read some of them over and over and that's another series I can't part with.

 

[redz_rule]

Nucking Futs Nix!!!!!!!!!!!!! *crush*

I love books Moreeeeeeeeee authors! You rock!

If you likeys the vampires you should check out Christine Feehan's Carpathian series. I think it's called the Dark series. A lot of imagination and they aren't normal run of the mill vampires and they ARE NOT tween books. I've read some of them over and over and that's another series I can't part with.

I haven't read those, although it's not the first time I've heard them mentioned - I'll have to check them out. Lol, Amazon has also suggested them a few times too based on books I have previously bought. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!

Hmmmm... lemme see... I lean more towards Urban Fantasy than Paranormal Romance, but Nalini Singh and JR Ward may also interest you, if you haven't discovered them already

 

[SereneBlue]

Delurking to post.

I'm a big fan of paranormal romance. I used to hate the romance genre but my library mislabeled a paranormal romance book as Science Fiction (I'm a mega hard-SF fan - Stephen Baxter is one of my fave authors) and to my complete shock loved it! I'd always hated it before but now I realize my dislike was mainly due to the kind of romance books my mom prefers since hers were the ones I pilfered as a teen to check the genre out. I don't like 'real life' or 'historical' romances. Well actually I don't like any fiction that's set in the 'real world'. I want wacky, weird and speculative to go with my romance. I want wacky, weird and speculative in all my fiction actually. That's why I'm a big fan of SF, Epic Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Magical Realism, Horror and Adventure-Thrillers (A big shout out to all you fellow James Rollins fans).

Anyway...back on topic:

1. Big fan of Kresley Cole and can't wait for her book on Lothaire to be released. Holy smoke the guy on the cover of that book is hot!

I'm eager to see who she's going to pair the (Proto-)Valkyrie Nucking Futs Nix with. Cole also recently announced a spin-off series set in the same Lore universe that will focus on the Dacians.


2. Gena Showalter's Lords of the Underworld! :smile: My fave Lord has always been Lucian - Keeper of the Demon of Death but she won me over with Gideon - Keeper of the Demon of Lies for 2nd place. I haven't read Amun's (Keeper of the Demon of Secrets) or Strider's (Keeper of the Demon of Defeat) stories yet but will do so as soon as I finish the book I'm currently on.

She's got a new spin-off series coming up focusing on the archangels. It's set in the same universe as her Lords series. If all her archangels look as good as the one on this cover I want one. :biggrin1:

3. Larissa Ione's Demonica series.

Those are probably my top faves.

Just started Kenyon's Dark Hunter series to see what all the fuss is about and I like it so far. It may well end up being Series No. 4 in my list of fave Paranormal Romances.

Have only read the first book in J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood but it was good so I'm looking forward to trying out more from her. Oddly - according to a lot of complaining Amazon reviewers they say it's shifted from being Paranormal Romance with a bit of Urban Fantasy thrown in to being Urban Fantasy with a smattering of Paranormal Romance thrown in. She's ticked off a bunch of former fans because of it judging from reviews on later books. Eh...it still sounds good to me either way.


I also liked the one Carpathian novel by Christine Feehan I read. In fact...it was the mislabeled library book I mentioned. It was Dark Slayer. They slapped a SF sticker on the spine to help people browsing the shelves. I guess maybe the librarians thought vampires qualify as SF? I'm still trying to figure that one out but oh well. Because of their screw up I actually found out there IS a type of romance novel out there that's my type. It's just gotta fulfill that whacky, weird and speculative requirement I like in all my fiction.

 

[SereneBlue]

A quick note for those not familiar with the Lords of the Underworld. Each Lord is cursed to house a Demon within him.

Here's two fan Youtube vids (one and two) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UD2vzhEGLi4 that do a pretty good job of explaining the series. Also it's a great excuse for ogling hot guys. :wink:

 

[VernalTiger]

Oh baloney. The odds of my marrying a werewolf and curing him by having tons of sex are slim. Does not mean it's unhealthy to read of it.

Sorry, I call BS. Last thing I need is freaking psychobabble about my preferred reading.

I'm not directing the comment at you VernalTiger. I'm directing it at the publishing. Now to continue my rant

I hate that BS. If I want to read about a knight and a princess and a big 'ole dragon it's just because that's what I want to read. I also read about murders... does that mean I'm afraid I'm going to be murdered or that I'm going to be a murderer? Nope, it's horse pucky. I've yet to see a dragon, unicorn, alien, creature from the black lagoon... seriously... psychobabble crap. I like to believe that most women are smarter than to believe everything they read.

Oh, I agree; I merely posted the article as a counterpoint. I truly believe that the majority of female readers can differentiate between fiction and fantasy.

 

[HiddenLacey]

I haven't read those, although it's not the first time I've heard them mentioned - I'll have to check them out. Lol, Amazon has also suggested them a few times too based on books I have previously bought. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!

Hmmmm... lemme see... I lean more towards Urban Fantasy than Paranormal Romance, but Nalini Singh and JR Ward may also interest you, if you haven't discovered them already

I haven't read Singh, but I have read one JR Ward Black Dagger series. :redface: I had to look them both up to be sure. I read so much.

Delurking to post.

I'm a big fan of paranormal romance. I used to hate the romance genre but my library mislabeled a paranormal romance book as Science Fiction (I'm a mega hard-SF fan - Stephen Baxter is one of my fave authors) and to my complete shock loved it! I'd always hated it before but now I realize my dislike was mainly due to the kind of romance books my mom prefers since hers were the ones I pilfered as a teen to check the genre out. I don't like 'real life' or 'historical' romances. Well actually I don't like any fiction that's set in the 'real world'. I want wacky, weird and speculative to go with my romance. I want wacky, weird and speculative in all my fiction actually. That's why I'm a big fan of SF, Epic Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Magical Realism, Horror and Adventure-Thrillers (A big shout out to all you fellow James Rollins fans).

Anyway...back on topic:

1. Big fan of Kresley Cole and can't wait for her book on Lothaire to be released. Holy smoke the guy on the cover of that book is hot!

I'm eager to see who she's going to pair the (Proto-)Valkyrie Nucking Futs Nix with. Cole also recently announced a spin-off series set in the same Lore universe that will focus on the Dacians.

Her books are beyond wonderful. I've read most of them several times, I'm waiting for January.


2. Gena Showalter's Lords of the Underworld! :smile: My fave Lord has always been Lucian - Keeper of the Demon of Death but she won me over with Gideon - Keeper of the Demon of Lies for 2nd place. I haven't read Amun's (Keeper of the Demon of Secrets) or Strider's (Keeper of the Demon of Defeat) stories yet but will do so as soon as I finish the book I'm currently on.

She's got a new spin-off series coming up focusing on the archangels. It's set in the same universe as her Lords series. If all her archangels look as good as the one on this cover I want one. :biggrin1:

Have not read, but the word Demon perks my immediate interest.

3. Larissa Ione's Demonica series.

Those are probably my top faves.

Just started Kenyon's Dark Hunter series to see what all the fuss is about and I like it so far. It may well end up being Series No. 4 in my list of fave Paranormal Romances.

Have only read the first book in J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood but it was good so I'm looking forward to trying out more from her. Oddly - according to a lot of complaining Amazon reviewers they say it's shifted from being Paranormal Romance with a bit of Urban Fantasy thrown in to being Urban Fantasy with a smattering of Paranormal Romance thrown in. She's ticked off a bunch of former fans because of it judging from reviews on later books. Eh...it still sounds good to me either way.


I also liked the one Carpathian novel by Christine Feehan I read. In fact...it was the mislabeled library book I mentioned. It was Dark Slayer. They slapped a SF sticker on the spine to help people browsing the shelves. I guess maybe the librarians thought vampires qualify as SF? I'm still trying to figure that one out but oh well. Because of their screw up I actually found out there IS a type of romance novel out there that's my type. It's just gotta fulfill that whacky, weird and speculative requirement I like in all my fiction.

I have to help you out here and point you to my favorites.

Dark Prince
Dark Melody
Dark Guardian
Dark Destiny
Dark Legend
Dark Desire
Dark Gold

Oh, just start at the beginning and read them all, because I'm going to end up listing them all. They become more interesting as the story goes on and you meet many of the same characters in the later books.

Glad you decided to post and share:smile:

 

[B_subgirrl]

I'll check out Barbara Erskine.

You mean you haven't read her stuff?!? She writes exactly the kind of stuff you were talking about, on just those topics. Most, although not all, of her books are written partly in the present and partly in the past.

Her best books are:

Lady of Hay - 1100s I believe.

Kingdom of Shadows - late 1200s, early 1300s. About Isobel of Buchan and Robert the Bruce, believe it or not!!!

Child of the Phoenix - 1200s. The only one of the three which doesn't have one foot in the present.

She has many more, but I think they got kind of dodgy after those three. Still vaguely readable, but only just (IMO).

 

[petite]

LOL, someone should create a book club group!

 

[HiddenLacey]

You mean you haven't read her stuff?!? She writes exactly the kind of stuff you were talking about, on just those topics. Most, although not all, of her books are written partly in the present and partly in the past.

Her best books are:

Lady of Hay - 1100s I believe.

Kingdom of Shadows - late 1200s, early 1300s. About Isobel of Buchan and Robert the Bruce, believe it or not!!!

OMG, I crushed all over the "were they possibly lovers" thought and searched for more information, everything I've found seems to be speculation. That's ok, I'd rather imagine. :redface:

Child of the Phoenix - 1200s. The only one of the three which doesn't have one foot in the present.

She has many more, but I think they got kind of dodgy after those three. Still vaguely readable, but only just (IMO).

I will definitely check them out.

LOL, someone should create a book club group!

Hmmm, there is the "what are you reading now thread."

Petite, I read so many things I wouldn't know how to begin expressing each of them and why I read them. I've become more quiet than not even in real life. I keep a lot of thoughts to myself because my ability to express them is pretty mediocre. I could never give true credit to any book.

 

[B_subgirrl]

OMG, I crushed all over the "were they possibly lovers" thought and searched for more information, everything I've found seems to be speculation. That's ok, I'd rather imagine. :redface:

Oh, you will lurrrrrrve this book then!!!! It speculates all over the place!!!

I will definitely check them out.

The others are in a similar vein, although with historical characters who are somewhat less well known. I really think you'll enjoy them.

Hmmm, there is the "what are you reading now thread."

Petite, I read so many things I wouldn't know how to begin expressing each of them and why I read them. I've become more quiet than not even in real life. I keep a lot of thoughts to myself because my ability to express them is pretty mediocre. I could never give true credit to any book.

This place is seriously excellent for book suggestions! I have Game of Thrones on my to do list thanks to LPSG. I'm like you though - I couldn't begin to explain what it is I like about the books I read.

 

[spoon]

So many good books are!

I agree with you about talk shows. I enjoy The Soup, though, which is a comedy show about dumb things on TV. I love watching Joel McHale make fun of them.

Laidey, I'm going to take a closer look at that book, and One Day, too, LaFemme.

just watched the soup this morning. hehehehehe