# What are you reading?



## BlackDog (Jan 22, 2016)

Hope there are some more bookworms on the board!  What are you reading or planning to read in 2016?  

I just finished Dragonfly in Amber (#2 in the Outlander series), which I was not in love with, and the audiobook of The Other Daughter by Willig (ADORED IT).  I got a few new books from a gift card at Christmas - I think my next one will be Brooklyn (haven't seen the movie yet!).  

Anything you're loving that I should put on the list for the year?


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## amd (Jan 23, 2016)

The rest of the Outlander series. Dragonfly was a rough read but really is necessary for the rest of the series. Keep going! You'll love them.

I have about 130 right now on my tbr shelves.... A lot of old books. I'm not very current on the best sellers list.


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## jules92207 (Jan 23, 2016)

Love the Outlander series. I need to pick it up again. I'm currently reading Kevin Dunn's Scientific Soapmaking. 

I kinda want to read the hunger game books as I haven't seen the movies yet so I'd like to read them before I do. It's a thing, I have to always read the book first.


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## Susie (Jan 23, 2016)

I am reading Shattered by Kevin Hearne.  The new book comes out Tuesday, so I am reminding myself where I left off.


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## navigator9 (Jan 23, 2016)

The Girl on the Train is a great read.


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## BlackDog (Jan 23, 2016)

amd and Jules I intend to get back on the horse with Outlander - just need to take a break after that whole godawful mess in France  Will be picking up Voyager on my next trip to the bookstore.

jules the HG books are great! I burned through them in a weekend a couple years ago.  Even my husband picked them up after I dragged him kicking to the first film hehehehe.  He liked them too!

Susie I'd never heard of that series until I just looked it up.  Looks interesting!

navigator, I actually did the audiobook version of The Girl on the the Train last month, on the recommendation of several people.  It was a good story, but man!  I wanted to throttle every single character!  What a bunch of hateful bags!  LOL I was not sad to leave those people behind.


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## lsg (Jan 23, 2016)

I like the Saxon Tales by Bernard Cornwell.  The TV series "The Last Kingdom," was taken from his book of the same name.


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## Kamahido (Jan 23, 2016)

I prefer science fiction so I would recommend the Tom Swift series.


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## kchaystack (Jan 23, 2016)

Susie said:


> I am reading Shattered by Kevin Hearne.  The new book comes out Tuesday, so I am reminding myself where I left off.



I'm looking forward to this too.  Its been too long since the last book.  The author has done a bunch of short stories, but they are in a bunch of anthology books, which I am not a fan of.

Currently  I'm into the October Daye series.  They are pretty fun.


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## Serene (Jan 23, 2016)

Re-reading the entire _A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin. (Third time around)  Every time I read these books I find something new that for some reason I did not pick up on the previous reads.
_


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## Susie (Jan 23, 2016)

kchaystack said:


> I'm looking forward to this too.  Its been too long since the last book.  The author has done a bunch of short stories, but they are in a bunch of anthology books, which I am not a fan of.
> 
> Currently  I'm into the October Daye series.  They are pretty fun.



Faith Hunter (Jane Yellowrock series, whoever suggested this author has my undying gratitude!) is an awesome author, as is Patricia Briggs, and others too numerous to mention.


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## Misschief (Jan 23, 2016)

Serene said:


> Re-reading the entire _A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin. (Third time around)  Every time I read these books I find something new that for some reason I did not pick up on the previous reads.
> _



Thanks for this. I've "read" the audiobook version and have been thinking about reading the ebook or dt versions for that very reason.

I've done the same with the Harry Potter series, saw the first movie, read all the books, then listened to the audio version of all of them... Like you, I found something new in each book, each time. 

At the moment, I'm into crime dramas, Tess Gerritson to be precise. I'm on my third book in a week and a half. It's good "take me away from my every day" quick reading.


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## BlackDog (Jan 23, 2016)

Serene said:


> Re-reading the entire _A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin. (Third time around)  Every time I read these books I find something new that for some reason I did not pick up on the previous reads.
> _



Yes! I've read them twice and feel like I need a third. So much to keep track of - maybe on the third time I'll keep a spreadsheet lol!


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## BlackDog (Jan 23, 2016)

Misschief said:


> I've done the same with the Harry Potter series, saw the first movie, read all the books, then listened to the audio version of all of them... Like you, I found something new in each book, each time.



Oh my goodness, I LOVED the Harry Potter audiobooks. Jim Dale is an unbelievable narrator.  I totally recommend the to everyone, even if they've read the books before.


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## Serene (Jan 23, 2016)

Susie said:


> Faith Hunter (Jane Yellowrock series, whoever suggested this author has my undying gratitude!) is an awesome author, as is Patricia Briggs, and others too numerous to mention.




Susie,

If you like Patricia Briggs I recommend Ilona Andrews following Series:



The Kate Daniels Series-Amazing read.  You will be hooked from book one.
The Hidden Legacy Series (just one book so far release of the second in 2017)
Clean Sweep- this one is a serial they write for free.  You can read it in installments or you can buy the ebooks.
The Edge- Interesting world setting and great cast of characters that make appearances in the Clean Sweep serial.




By the way this is a writing team.   Husband and Wife.   Ilona and Gordon Andrews.  They are my favorite along with Patricia Briggs.  These people can write a phone book and I will buy it.


Sere


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## lenarenee (Jan 23, 2016)

The Orphan Trains: Placing out in America (I love sociology and history, fascinating to see how the views of child raising have changed)

The Ghosts of Fredericksburg (love "true" ghosts stories)

the original Nancy Drew series- whichever one my little one has picked out this week.


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## dillsandwitch (Jan 27, 2016)

I just finished the Origin Mystery Series. Awesome read. 
Currently reading the first book of The Expanse Series. Must get ahead of the tv show so I can pick where things have gone different. 

Hmmm  audio book of fire and ice. May have to give that a try as my brain dribbled out of my ears halfway through the second book


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## Susie (Jan 27, 2016)

Serene said:


> Susie,
> 
> If you like Patricia Briggs I recommend Ilona Andrews following Series:
> 
> ...



Yep!  Love, love, love me some Ilona Andrews!  I get her blog so I don't miss anything at all!

When my children were small, we made many car trips.  I played the Harry Potter audiobooks or the Narnia series on each car trip.  Very quiet children who did not want to miss a single word make a very pleasant trip!


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## MsHarryWinston (Jan 27, 2016)

Ugh, my own novel actually. Finalizing edits before it goes to print, so it's all I've had time to read. So great to see so many book worms on the forum! Helloooooo other George RR Martin and Diana Gabaldon lovers! *hi5!*
 As soon as I've got some free time though I'm curling up with HP Mallorie's Dulcie O'Neil series.


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## Sagebrush (Jan 27, 2016)

I very rarely have time to read, but when I do it's mostly non-fiction (I know, boring!). These are a few of my in-the-middle-of-reading not-sure-when-I'll-finish-them books right now: 

"What To Eat" by Marion Nestle

"Eating On The Wild Side" by Jo Robinson

"The Confidence Code: The Science and Art of Self-Assurance---What Women Should Know" by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman 

Some fiction books that I've read that I would recommend (though they're all very different) are: 

"The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake" by Aimee Bender

"A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian" by Marina Lewycka

"Survivor" by Chuck Palahniuk

"Silent House" by Orhan Pamuk


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## Sagebrush (Jan 27, 2016)

MsHarryWinston said:


> Ugh, my own novel actually. Finalizing edits before it goes to print, so it's all I've had time to read. So great to see so many book worms on the forum! Helloooooo other George RR Martin and Diana Gabaldon lovers! *hi5!*
> As soon as I've got some free time though I'm curling up with HP Mallorie's Dulcie O'Neil series.




MsHarryWinston, what's your novel about?


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## BlackDog (Jan 27, 2016)

SageontheMountain said:


> MsHarryWinston, what's your novel about?



Yes yes!


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## MsHarryWinston (Jan 27, 2016)

Don't really want to get too into it because I'd hate to be accused of spamming our wonderful forum. So I'll just say that it's the second book in an urban fantasy series that revolves around betrayal, Clan rebellion, murder and sexy times, lol. There are guns, sex, murder, kidnapping, and all kinds of paranormal creatures. So you know, all the good stuff, lol.


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## Sagebrush (Jan 27, 2016)

MsHarryWinston said:


> Don't really want to get too into it because I'd hate to be accused of spamming our wonderful forum. So I'll just say that it's the second book in an urban fantasy series that revolves around betrayal, Clan rebellion, murder and sexy times, lol. There are guns, sex, murder, kidnapping, and all kinds of paranormal creatures. So you know, all the good stuff, lol.




Nice.


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## BlackDog (Jan 27, 2016)

lenarenee said:


> The Orphan Trains: Placing out in America (I love sociology and history, fascinating to see how the views of child raising have changed)



This has me interested!  I read the novel Orphan Train and was really interested in the history there, so this might be a good non-fiction pick for the year!  I try to read a couple non-fiction things every year but was struggling to come up with what to put on the list this year. 

Last year I did Shadow Divers (AMAZING - reads like a novel lol!), Dead Wake (who knew Churchill was so shady??) and The Barbary Plague (about the Black Death outbreak in San Fransisco in the early 20C. Fascinating subject but just an "OK" read).


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## jules92207 (Jan 27, 2016)

MsHarryWinston said:


> Don't really want to get too into it because I'd hate to be accused of spamming our wonderful forum. So I'll just say that it's the second book in an urban fantasy series that revolves around betrayal, Clan rebellion, murder and sexy times, lol. There are guns, sex, murder, kidnapping, and all kinds of paranormal creatures. So you know, all the good stuff, lol.



So you have a first book out now I need to read asap????


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## dixiedragon (Jan 27, 2016)

I think I'm the only fantasy reader I know who doesn't like Outlander. I read first one, and I was just "meh". I didn't find myself at all really caring about Claire for some reason.

I'm currently reading "The Court of Air." It's good and well written, but a bit intense. It's a combination of "1984" and steampunk fantasy. Lots of "man's inhumanity to man".


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## MsHarryWinston (Jan 27, 2016)

dixiedragon said:


> I think I'm the only fantasy reader I know who doesn't like Outlander. I read first one, and I was just "meh". I didn't find myself at all really caring about Claire for some reason.
> 
> I'm currently reading "The Court of Air." It's good and well written, but a bit intense. It's a combination of "1984" and steampunk fantasy. Lots of "man's inhumanity to man".



This is quite possibly because it's genre falls more into historical fiction than fantasy even with the time travel trope in it. As for not connecting with Clare, well you're obviously just crazy, lol. Hehehe just kidding. I know ppl that HATE Game of Thrones, and I'm like whaaaaaaat?


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## MsHarryWinston (Jan 27, 2016)

jules92207 said:


> So you have a first book out now I need to read asap????



Hahaha pretty much, yeah.


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## kchaystack (Jan 27, 2016)

MsHarryWinston said:


> Hahaha pretty much, yeah.



You should not tease us, and tell us the title. 

I mean, this is the general section, and it is about books.  I'm sure no one would mind.


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## cerelife (Jan 28, 2016)

Yep, I agree about "The Girl on the Train" - not one redeeming character in the whole story!! I feel the same about all of Gillian Flynn's (of "Gone Girl" fame) books...entertaining as hell, but I feel like a need a shower afterwards to wash off all the self-centered mundane evil that seems to be the core of every single character!!
I thoroughly enjoy the "Game of Thrones" series, but I swear I have to go back and reread each one before I pick up the next!! Sooo many plot-lines..
I just finished "A Court of Thorns and Roses" by Sarah J. Maas and loved it! I also really like her other series - the first book is "Throne of Glass".
If anyone on here likes historical fiction/murder mysteries, then I highly recommend Barbara Hambly's Benjamin January series. Set in New Orleans before the Civil War, this author skillfully weaves fact with fiction in this series to give a first-person account of being a member of the 'gens de couleur libres' in antebellum New Orleans. If you love New Orleans, this series is a 'must-read'!! The first book is "A Free Man of Color".
I'm just starting the first "Outlander" book based on a friend's recommendation


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## Susie (Jan 28, 2016)

I am guilty of not liking either GoT or Outlander in book forms, and I will tell you why:  I don't like reading fiction that makes me work that hard.  I read quite a bit of medical information on an ongoing basis.  When I read for fun, I read for fun.  I LOVE GoT on DVD, though.  I am waiting for the new season to come out on DVD.  I am going to let Outlander get a couple of seasons along, then start picking up those DVDs.  

MsHarryWinston!  You must tell us the name of your first book!  I love urban fantasy, and am always seeking new authors!


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## TheDragonGirl (Jan 28, 2016)

The Shepard's Crown

Probably see if I can get my hands on more Mercy Thompson/ Alpha and Omega books

Possibly reread Magic's Pawn, its been on my mind lately

I want to go back through the Changeling series too, and there's always room for Dare To Go A Hunting and Mark of the Cat


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## Susie (Jan 28, 2016)

I was just re-reading Tanya Huff's Enchantment Emporium series not long ago.  I thoroughly enjoy her books, but somehow always forget to mention her when asked.


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## kchaystack (Jan 28, 2016)

I am not reading GoT again until he finishes.  And if he pulls a Robert Jordan and leaves this mortal coil before it is done...  I will never forgive him.

I also like the Mercy Thompson and Alpha/Omega books.  Waiting for the next entry in either series.  

I love anything Tanya Huff has done.  She is one of my heroes.

I am also a huge urban fantasy fan, tho I am not a fan of any of the tendency to have lots of bodice ripping going on in most of the newer UF.  I blame Laurel K Hamilton.  I loved her Anita Blake series until sex scenes became so frequent I felt like I was reading a **** script.


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## dixiedragon (Jan 28, 2016)

lenarenee said:


> The Orphan Trains: Placing out in America (I love sociology and history, fascinating to see how the views of child raising have changed)
> 
> The Ghosts of Fredericksburg (love "true" ghosts stories)
> 
> the original Nancy Drew series- whichever one my little one has picked out this week.


 
You may enjoy "America's Forgotten Pandemic" by Alfred Crosby. It's about the 1918 Spanish flu epidemic. He estimates that as many as 100 million people died worldwide, but because WWI was going on, there was newspaper censorship in most of the world, so there are very few direct records. Plus influenza deaths weren't required to be reported at that time. They are now b/c of this. In the US, estimated lifetimes on actuary tables dropped by 30 years.


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## Serene (Jan 28, 2016)

dixiedragon said:


> I think I'm the only fantasy reader I know who doesn't like Outlander. I read first one, and I was just "meh". I didn't find myself at all really caring about Claire for some reason.
> 
> I'm currently reading "The Court of Air." It's good and well written, but a bit intense. It's a combination of "1984" and steampunk fantasy. Lots of "man's inhumanity to man".




Dixie,

You are not the only one.  I have tried to get into The Outlander books but I just cant.

Sere


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## dixiedragon (Jan 28, 2016)

kchaystack said:


> I am not reading GoT again until he finishes. And if he pulls a Robert Jordan and leaves this mortal coil before it is done... I will never forgive him.
> 
> I also like the Mercy Thompson and Alpha/Omega books. Waiting for the next entry in either series.
> 
> ...


 
Anita Blake - I love the first 10 or so. After that - puke. I'm a big fan of urban fantasy, but I do think the genre is becoming a bit flooded with stuff from writers who - IMO - don't actually "get" the genre. They feel very formulaic - tough girl (she should wear leather pants and have a coffee addiction) - supernatural boy of some flavor. Pick a critter and then tack on something weird so it's not 'just another vampire/werewolf' etc. Fight crime. 

Like one series I tried to read, the main character was half vampire and half siren. How does THAT work?

BTW, I haven't seen Kim Harrison mentioned yet. She's GREAT.
Also, Emma Bull, "War for the Oaks". It was first published in 1987, so before Urban Fantasy really got going. If she had written it later on, I think she would have gotten a multi-book series. It's very good!


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## BlackDog (Jan 28, 2016)

cerelife said:


> Yep, I agree about "The Girl on the Train" - not one redeeming character in the whole story!! I feel the same about all of Gillian Flynn's (of "Gone Girl" fame) books...entertaining as hell, but I feel like a need a shower afterwards to wash off all the self-centered mundane evil that seems to be the core of every single character!!



Oh, now I loved hating the two monsters in Gone Girl.  They are absolutely despicable but I got a horrible thrill from watching them destroy each other.  I wasn't expecting to like that book but ended up not being able to put it down.


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## Susie (Jan 28, 2016)

Here are a list of the authors I like (I may edit to add later, as my memory is not great.)
Anne McCaffrey - PERN is somewhere I re-visit over and over.  
Robert A. Heinlein - Everything except Stranger in a Strange Land. (what was he thinking??)
Laurell K. Hamilton - Yeah, I know.  The first books were awesome, but she ventured off into ... well, I lack polite terms for it.
Kim Harrison - Awesome author!  I hate that the new series did not take off, but I think she lost her whole urban fantasy audience.  Including me.
Charlaine Harris - I love everything she has ever written.  I think she ended the Sookie series right on time, and I am happily reading the Midnight Crossing series.  Good transition there.
Kevin Hearne - Great author, great pacing, good character development, enough of everything and not too much of anything.  I think he is going to be one of the leading names of urban fantasy.
Jim Butcher- Harry Dresden series.  I need not say more.  
Tanya Huff - She could probably write a phone book and make it interesting.  You just never know what she's going to do next.
Faith Hunter - Jane Yellowrock series just rocks!
Ilona Andrews-  I have read their Kate Daniels series since the second book, then I went back and picked up everything else.
Devon Monk - Great series, but it really is time to close this story arc and start something new.
Patricia Briggs -The whole Mercy Thompson series is awesome.  But, like above, it is just time to close this story arc and start something new.

I am probably forgetting many people, but this is what I can think of now.  I have read many other urban fantasy authors, but I agree that they are getting very "formula".  I, too, avoid bodice rippers whenever possible.


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## dixiedragon (Jan 28, 2016)

Devon Monk - the first few books were interesting, but I feel like she didn't develop her magic system enough. 

Also, Mike Carey - the Felix Castor series. The first one is "The Devil You Know."
Kate Griffin, Matthew Swift Series. The first one is "A Madness of Angels".
These are both set in London. One think I really like about them is that the author manages to convey a slightly not-quite-human perspective from both of these characters, but the reader can still relate to them.


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## Serene (Jan 28, 2016)

Susie said:


> Here are a list of the authors I like (I may edit to add later, as my memory is not great.)
> Anne McCaffrey - PERN is somewhere I re-visit over and over.
> Robert A. Heinlein - Everything except Stranger in a Strange Land. (what was he thinking??)
> Laurell K. Hamilton - Yeah, I know.  The first books were awesome, but she ventured off into ... well, I lack polite terms for it.
> ...



Have you read Nalini Singh? 
I love her Guild Hunter books followed by her Psy-Changeling series.  There is some bodice ripping lol but it is very tame.   

Is it bad that I enjoy bodice ripping books too?  :mrgreen:  Along with classics and anything else thats written.  I have never met a book I did not like.

I take that back... I used to love Laurel K Hamilton and then she morphed into a train wreck.  I just cant do it anymore.


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## kchaystack (Jan 28, 2016)

Serene said:


> Have you read Nalini Singh?
> I love her Guild Hunter books followed by her Psy-Changeling series.  There is some bodice ripping lol but it is very tame.
> 
> Is it bad that I enjoy bodice ripping books too?  :mrgreen:  Along with classics and anything else thats written.  I have never met a book I did not like.
> ...



I do not think it is bad at all.  I am not a prude, but that stuff is just not my cup of tea.  Just makes it hard to find stuff I like.


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## MsHarryWinston (Jan 28, 2016)

Awww thanks everyone. I'd rather not blab my real name all over the forum but if you're super interested in the title of the book feel free to PM me.

And omg bring on the bodice rippers! I love romance novels. No shame. 
I've only read one Hamilton book. Blue Moon, it was AWESOME. It was actually the very first urban fantasy I read. Lol the start of complete and utter addiction. Like you said Serene, I keep hearing that her books went a bit off the rails but I still want to read more since I've only read the one. I want to start back at Book 1 of the Anita Blake series since Blue Moon is actually book 10 or something like that. I heard the series doesn't go crazy until book 20 so I've got plenty of time lol.


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## dixiedragon (Jan 28, 2016)

MsHarryWinston said:


> Awww thanks everyone. I'd rather not blab my real name all over the forum but if you're super interested in the title of the book feel free to PM me.
> 
> And omg bring on the bodice rippers! I love romance novels. No shame.
> I've only read one Hamilton book. Blue Moon, it was AWESOME. It was actually the very first urban fantasy I read. Lol the start of complete and utter addiction. Like you said Serene, I keep hearing that her books went a bit off the rails but I still want to read more since I've only read the one. I want to start back at Book 1 of the Anita Blake series since Blue Moon is actually book 10 or something like that. I heard the series doesn't go crazy until book 20 so I've got plenty of time lol.


 
Not 20. IMO, "Obsidian Butterfly" book 9 is the last good one. From then on it's all group sex and pseudo-therapy. Badly written group sex.


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## Serene (Jan 28, 2016)

I am with Dixiedragon on this one.  The last one I read was book 17.  I should have stopped at book 10.  sigh

PS- do not bother picking up her Merry Gentry series.  The Anita Blake series is tame if you compare.. bleh

Sere


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## jules92207 (Jan 28, 2016)

dixiedragon said:


> Not 20. IMO, "Obsidian Butterfly" book 9 is the last good one. From then on it's all group sex and pseudo-therapy. Badly written group sex.



This is pretty much where I stopped too. There were a few moments before that gave me pause but after that one I was done.


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## lenarenee (Jan 28, 2016)

BlackDog said:


> This has me interested! I read the novel Orphan Train and was really interested in the history there, so this might be a good non-fiction pick for the year! I try to read a couple non-fiction things every year but was struggling to come up with what to put on the list this year.
> 
> Last year I did Shadow Divers (AMAZING - reads like a novel lol!), Dead Wake (who knew Churchill was so shady??) and The Barbary Plague (about the Black Death outbreak in San Fransisco in the early 20C. Fascinating subject but just an "OK" read).


 
Ooooh! Awesome! I'm going to look into those! Churchhill was shady??

You know, when I was younger I used to think that people in the old days were so much more honorable and honest than modern folks. Now I know better, (But I'm so incredibly disappointed. That mindset I blame on early history lessons in school - where history books tell only the "clean" side of the facts. George Washington and the cherry tree, Paul Revere, etc) 

I'm loving this Orphan Train book - lots explanation to the social norms, desperate conditions in the cities, and views of childhood. Such hard lives, in my opinion, probably caused a huge amount dysfunction and mental illness in the general population which naturally would have affected local and national culture. And certainly - compassion was a luxury. Life was too much a matter of survival.


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## lenarenee (Jan 28, 2016)

dixiedragon said:


> You may enjoy "America's Forgotten Pandemic" by Alfred Crosby. It's about the 1918 Spanish flu epidemic. He estimates that as many as 100 million people died worldwide, but because WWI was going on, there was newspaper censorship in most of the world, so there are very few direct records. Plus influenza deaths weren't required to be reported at that time. They are now b/c of this. In the US, estimated lifetimes on actuary tables dropped by 30 years.


 
Now why was there a need to censor flu deaths?  Hmmm...going to have to look into this book!


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## dixiedragon (Jan 28, 2016)

lenarenee said:


> Now why was there a need to censor flu deaths? Hmmm...going to have to look into this book!


 
Because WWI was going on and nobody wanted the enemy to know that their cities were being paralyzed by an epidemic. Its called the Spanish Flue not b/c it started there, but b/c Spain was one of the few countries not censoring the newspapers, so the flu epidemic was in the news here. There's some evidence that it actually started here in the US in 1917 as a weaker version, traveled across the Atlantic with troop transports, then got meaner and came back.


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## BlackDog (Jan 28, 2016)

lenarenee said:


> Ooooh! Awesome! I'm going to look into those! Churchhill was shady??


 
Apparently - and I had never heard any of this before I read the book, though admittedly, I don't remember much about studying WWI in school...(spoiler! If you can call history a spoiler...)



....that Churchill thought the war would be lost unless the US joined the fight, and Wilson was hesitant, so Churchill allowed the Lusitania to enter waters he knew to be crawling with U-boats, without escort, to be gunned down by a U-boat.  


It's a great read!  I've read Larson's "Devil in the White City" and "In the Garden of Beasts" and this was easily my favorite of the three.


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## lenarenee (Jan 28, 2016)

BlackDog said:


> Apparently - and I had never heard any of this before I read the book, though admittedly, I don't remember much about studying WWI in school...(spoiler! If you can call history a spoiler...)
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
That's outrageous! Sacrificing all those innocent lives, manipulating national opinion, all based on his interpretations from his "crystal ball". Beyond shady. :evil:

(Amazon, here I come!)


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## MsHarryWinston (Jan 29, 2016)

dixiedragon said:


> Not 20. IMO, "Obsidian Butterfly" book 9 is the last good one. From then on it's all group sex and pseudo-therapy. Badly written group sex.



Oh wow, Blue Moon must be much earlier in the series than I remember. Anita is still pretty prudish in it and is SUPER uncomfortable with even being casually touched by people.


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## dixiedragon (Jan 29, 2016)

MsHarryWinston said:


> Oh wow, Blue Moon must be much earlier in the series than I remember. Anita is still pretty prudish in it and is SUPER uncomfortable with even being casually touched by people.


 
Hence the group therapy. Anita becomes a bizarre ****ographic fanfic caricature of herself. The way to solve ALL problems in the latter books is for Anita to bang somebody new. It's really horrible. Makes me cry.


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## BlackDog (Jan 29, 2016)

dixiedragon said:


> The way to solve ALL problems in the latter books is for Anita to bang somebody new.



Wait, that's not the best way to solve life problems?!?!? DRAT!! I'VE BEEN DOING IT WRONG!!


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## MsHarryWinston (Jan 29, 2016)

BlackDog said:


> Wait, that's not the best way to solve life problems?!?!? DRAT!! I'VE BEEN DOING IT WRONG!!



*giggle* Well you know what they say the best way to get over someone is... Lol


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## penelopejane (Jan 29, 2016)

Serene said:


> Dixie,
> 
> You are not the only one.  I have tried to get into The Outlander books but I just cant.
> 
> Sere




I can't either. I usually love that genre.


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## dibbles (Jan 31, 2016)

kchaystack said:


> I am not reading GoT again until he finishes.  And if he pulls a Robert Jordan and leaves this mortal coil before it is done...  I will never forgive him.



I agree. Love the series, but I have the feeling he will never complete it.

I just started Brooklyn (recommended by daughter) and am nearly finished with The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell (gift from son). Next up is book 2 of the Century Trilogy by Ken Follett. 

And if anyone hasn't read Pillars of the Earth by Follett, it might be my all time favorite.


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## TheDragonGirl (Feb 1, 2016)

With Hamilton's books I got through a few after Obsidian Butterfly by basically skimming through all the gratuitous sex scenes, because I was attached to the characters, but it got to the point where there wasn't enough plot there for that to be worthwhile


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## TheDragonGirl (Feb 1, 2016)

You know whats a good urban fantasy series that no one talks about? Its a little older but the Eric Banyon books and the expanded universe that goes with them by Mercedes Lackey


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## MrsSpaceship (Feb 1, 2016)

I feel kind of silly, but I'm actually reading a series for young adults.  Gail Carriger is my new favorite writer, I find her works to be light and easy reads..  With her feet planted firmly in the steampunk genre, her heroines are smart, sassy and develop as the novels progress.  Even the side characters are built well, with story lines of their own that leave you more and more vested.   
I started with the Parasol Protectorate and am now reading the third book of the Finishing School Series.  Book one of the latter felt the most like a young adult storyline, but it's fleshed out quite nicely.


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## crispysoap (Feb 2, 2016)

I love to read  glad there's more book lovers here. I'm currently reading Name All The Animals by Alison Smith. Also re-reading the Tomorrow  When The War Began series by John Marsden


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## Susie (Feb 2, 2016)

MrsSpaceship said:


> I feel kind of silly, but I'm actually reading a series for young adults.



I read YA also, when there is a decent series.  And I am not ashamed of it.  It is just not my favorite genre.


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## dillsandwitch (Feb 3, 2016)

crispysoap said:


> Also re-reading the Tomorrow  When The War Began series by John Marsden



 I loved these books when I was a teenager. Will defiantly have to go back and have a re-read


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## crispysoap (Feb 3, 2016)

dillsandwitch said:


> I loved these books when I was a teenager. Will defiantly have to go back and have a re-read



Every time I read them it takes me back to high school, summer and reading straight through the night  there are a few series I read every couple of years. Harry Potter, Songs of Ice and Fire and the Dreamhunter are a few all time favorites


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## navigator9 (Feb 3, 2016)

Susie said:


> I am guilty of not liking either GoT or Outlander in book forms, and I will tell you why:  I don't like reading fiction that makes me work that hard.  I read quite a bit of medical information on an ongoing basis.  When I read for fun, I read for fun.  I LOVE GoT on DVD, though.  I am waiting for the new season to come out on DVD.  I am going to let Outlander get a couple of seasons along, then start picking up those DVDs



Well thanks for that, because I was thinking about getting the GoT books. I loooove the DVDs, too. Isn't the coming season the one where the TV series is at the point where it overtakes what's already been written? Should be interesting. And I agree about Outlander. It's so popular, I was influenced to buy the Kindle edition of the first book. I got through several chapters and lost interest.


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## dixiedragon (Feb 3, 2016)

TheDragonGirl said:


> You know whats a good urban fantasy series that no one talks about? Its a little older but the Eric Banyon books and the expanded universe that goes with them by Mercedes Lackey


 
I used to be a HUGE Mercedes Lackey fan. I actually own a painting done by her husband, Larry Dixon, who does a lot of her cover art. I feel like her books are a bit on the preachy goody-good side, but enjoyable. My favorites by her is the Last Herald Mage trilogy. 

She also has a series with a character Diana Tregarde that is urban fantasy. The first one is "Children of the Night".


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## TheDragonGirl (Feb 3, 2016)

dixiedragon said:


> I used to be a HUGE Mercedes Lackey fan. I actually own a painting done by her husband, Larry Dixon, who does a lot of her cover art. I feel like her books are a bit on the preachy goody-good side, but enjoyable. My favorites by her is the Last Herald Mage trilogy.
> 
> She also has a series with a character Diana Tregarde that is urban fantasy. The first one is "Children of the Night".



Fun trivia: that series is actually why she stopped doing conventions for a little while, someone stalked her and actually endangered her and tried to force her to tell them how to find all the people she wrote about in the Diana Tregarde books.

I've read (and own) nearly everything shes written, except a few things published in the last few years, I'm afraid I haven't had much money for books (or anything else) lately ):

(I'm one of the people who learned what being gay is by reading the LHM trilogy in elementary school)


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## Serene (Feb 3, 2016)

dibbles said:


> I agree. Love the series, but I have the feeling he will never complete it.
> 
> I just started Brooklyn (recommended by daughter) and am nearly finished with The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell (gift from son). Next up is book 2 of the Century Trilogy by Ken Follett.
> 
> And if anyone hasn't read Pillars of the Earth by Follett, it might be my all time favorite.



I second the Ken Follett recommendation!

If you have not read Ken Follett you are missing out.   Pillars of the Earth is at the top of my list of books I revisit time and time again.   

Sere


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## amd (Feb 4, 2016)

Just finished 'the moonlit garden'. I enjoyed it a lot despite it being an English translation (sometimes a bit rocky). Just started 'Dismantled' by Jennifer McMahon. I'm already disturbed by the cover...


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## regansoap (Feb 18, 2016)

I have just read two books one called the miniaturist and the other called the ice twins both completely different the former if you are a fan of historical novels the latter if you like a bit of a ghostie thriller highly recommended.

Serene ken Follett lives just down the road from me in a beautiful waterside hunting lodge in wales uk.

Navigator9 I just love that guy that plays jamie in outlander and listening to the beautiful clipped English vowels of Claire Randall - jamie sigh.......... I'm 60 by the way so just a fantasy obvs.


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## amd (Feb 18, 2016)

I just watched volume one of the outlander series. I'm eager to re-read the book. Right after I finish the current in process (all the lasting things by David hopson) and the second game of thrones book.


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