WHAT TURNS YOU ON?
Okay, I meant in reference to BOOKS, people. Get your heads out of the gutter. Geesh! With the arrival of summer and extra time on my hands, I’ve been gorging in gluttonous euphoria on my favorite indulgence—urban fantasy novels. To me, it’s like dark chocolate, red wine, and a bubble bath all rolled into one.
Brilliant and imaginative urban fantasy!So, what turns me on about this genre? (Well, besides the inevitable tall, dark, and deadly leading man, that is.) I could say “escapism” or “entertainment,” but those are truths that hold for all books. Even nonfiction carries us away from our own reality into another. So, let us dig a layer deeper, shall we? In order to do so, I decided to start with the definition of “urban fantasy.” According to the wisdom of Wikipedia, it is “set in contemporary times and contains supernatural elements. However, the stories can take place in historical, modern, or futuristic periods…the prerequisite is that they must be primarily set in a city.” Okay, but I’d like to extend this definition if I may. In my humble opinion, urban fantasy is true modern Gothic. In addition to the supernatural, there is an inevitable element of darkness and romance in the landscape, writing style, characters, and plot. This is also true of classic Gothic literature. My favorite novel EVER is Jane Eyre, which happens to be classic Gothic lit, with its windswept moors, moonlit nights, and mysterious, brooding hero—Mr. Rochester. *Swoony sigh.* It’s no wonder that I’m inevitably drawn to urban fantasy.
My absolute fav urban fantasy series.Another similarity of classic Gothic to urban fantasy is the strong heroine and snarky banter between the love interests in the story. Aha! Now, we’re getting somewhere. So, here’s why I love it so much. The setting of this genre provides an exciting backdrop to feed my need for the dark and gritty. The characters arouse that playful side as well as the intensity of new romance. Since the leading men in this genre tend to be alphas to the core . . . well, need I say more? They turn me into a puddle of goo in the best kind of way. (Aka, Barrons from KMM’s Fever series and Raphael from Singh’s Guildhunter series. Heart, be still! Stop with your incessant palpitations!) And the strong females, who tend to be flawed but bad ass, are surrounded by darkness though they fight for what is good and just. These are the places I most long to escape to. Why? Because there is much darkness in real life. We need a sense of humor to survive as well as a reminder that love (romantic and otherwise) can defeat the evils of the world.
I asked a few of my friends about their favorite genres. Here's what they had to say.
JULIE REECE, author of YA novel CRUX:I love contemporary YA standalones. Why? Because sometimes, you just don't want a long term commitment, you know? They work like a palate cleanser for me, a break between the long term commitment of time some fantasy series can be. The whole point (for me) is that contemporaries (and chick lit) are supposed to be more realistic, so unlike paranormal or fantasy, the hero and heroine can only take so much. They have no super powers, no magic to help them accept hurt and hardship and help them cope. In real life, the people I admire most use wit and humor and courage to move on. In books, the characters I bond with have those qualities in spades. If an author is good, she will throw every obstacle she can at her poor hero and heroine to keep them from their goal, and in a romance, that’s each other.
One of Reece's fav contemporary YAs.I love to seek out unusual voices in writers. Books where the pace is so good, I keep turning pages to see what will happen next. When the reader knows much the main character doesn't, I hold my breath waiting for the moment they find out! Stories that are funny, and sad, and poetic and hopeful. Relatable and sigh worthy, that’s what I get from a good contemporary. Not every contemporary has to be earth shattering and devastating for me to enjoy it. Sometimes it’s nice to laugh. Sure parts are painful and sting a bit, but isn’t life comprised of both emotions? Don’t the wounds of the characters make their moment of final sacrifice more gut-wrenching and profound? I want to shake them for their poor choices and scream at the pages of my book, and alternately hug them when they get it right. That’s what I look for in a great contemporary.
REBEKAH CAMPBELL, book blogger and author of LIVING IN THE DARK:
I'd have to go with Regency fiction because there's something about "days gone by" that pull me in. Julia Quinn is a magician in that genre. Her books have everything you could ask for. Humour, drama, lovable heroines and dashing rakes and above all, her books MATTER to you. You can't help but be sucked in and find yourself wishing for a debut in society with a dowry to boot. My all-time favourite book of hers is Ten Things I Love About You. The male lead is hilarious and easygoing, but he also has this serious and sweet side that had me crying like a baby with happiness.
BROOKE DELVECCHIO, book blogger and beta reader extraordinaire:
My favorite genre is probably paranormal, although I have read quite a few dystopians that have really turned me on. I adore reading about different creatures. Although I sometimes like some fantasy thrown in there, often they can go hand in hand. I think my favorite paranormal author is probably Cassandra Clare, although, I just read Shea Berkley's series and it was fantastic. I am anxiously awaiting book 3 so I can see what happens. Oh and another is Andrea Cremer, there's just something about her books I can't seem to get enough of. I couldn't put down her Nightshade series. I loved her characters. Even as wolves they were so real as humans. As for why, I just love that it's about something different than a human. I like to see how an author creates a species different from what we know as humans. It's also great to watch such characters go through human emotions and situations, to see how they handle it since it's often quite different from what a "normal" person would do.
There you have it, ladies and gents! So, tell us, what turns YOU on in the book world? ;)
Brilliant and imaginative urban fantasy!So, what turns me on about this genre? (Well, besides the inevitable tall, dark, and deadly leading man, that is.) I could say “escapism” or “entertainment,” but those are truths that hold for all books. Even nonfiction carries us away from our own reality into another. So, let us dig a layer deeper, shall we? In order to do so, I decided to start with the definition of “urban fantasy.” According to the wisdom of Wikipedia, it is “set in contemporary times and contains supernatural elements. However, the stories can take place in historical, modern, or futuristic periods…the prerequisite is that they must be primarily set in a city.” Okay, but I’d like to extend this definition if I may. In my humble opinion, urban fantasy is true modern Gothic. In addition to the supernatural, there is an inevitable element of darkness and romance in the landscape, writing style, characters, and plot. This is also true of classic Gothic literature. My favorite novel EVER is Jane Eyre, which happens to be classic Gothic lit, with its windswept moors, moonlit nights, and mysterious, brooding hero—Mr. Rochester. *Swoony sigh.* It’s no wonder that I’m inevitably drawn to urban fantasy.
My absolute fav urban fantasy series.Another similarity of classic Gothic to urban fantasy is the strong heroine and snarky banter between the love interests in the story. Aha! Now, we’re getting somewhere. So, here’s why I love it so much. The setting of this genre provides an exciting backdrop to feed my need for the dark and gritty. The characters arouse that playful side as well as the intensity of new romance. Since the leading men in this genre tend to be alphas to the core . . . well, need I say more? They turn me into a puddle of goo in the best kind of way. (Aka, Barrons from KMM’s Fever series and Raphael from Singh’s Guildhunter series. Heart, be still! Stop with your incessant palpitations!) And the strong females, who tend to be flawed but bad ass, are surrounded by darkness though they fight for what is good and just. These are the places I most long to escape to. Why? Because there is much darkness in real life. We need a sense of humor to survive as well as a reminder that love (romantic and otherwise) can defeat the evils of the world.I asked a few of my friends about their favorite genres. Here's what they had to say.
JULIE REECE, author of YA novel CRUX:I love contemporary YA standalones. Why? Because sometimes, you just don't want a long term commitment, you know? They work like a palate cleanser for me, a break between the long term commitment of time some fantasy series can be. The whole point (for me) is that contemporaries (and chick lit) are supposed to be more realistic, so unlike paranormal or fantasy, the hero and heroine can only take so much. They have no super powers, no magic to help them accept hurt and hardship and help them cope. In real life, the people I admire most use wit and humor and courage to move on. In books, the characters I bond with have those qualities in spades. If an author is good, she will throw every obstacle she can at her poor hero and heroine to keep them from their goal, and in a romance, that’s each other.
One of Reece's fav contemporary YAs.I love to seek out unusual voices in writers. Books where the pace is so good, I keep turning pages to see what will happen next. When the reader knows much the main character doesn't, I hold my breath waiting for the moment they find out! Stories that are funny, and sad, and poetic and hopeful. Relatable and sigh worthy, that’s what I get from a good contemporary. Not every contemporary has to be earth shattering and devastating for me to enjoy it. Sometimes it’s nice to laugh. Sure parts are painful and sting a bit, but isn’t life comprised of both emotions? Don’t the wounds of the characters make their moment of final sacrifice more gut-wrenching and profound? I want to shake them for their poor choices and scream at the pages of my book, and alternately hug them when they get it right. That’s what I look for in a great contemporary.
REBEKAH CAMPBELL, book blogger and author of LIVING IN THE DARK:
I'd have to go with Regency fiction because there's something about "days gone by" that pull me in. Julia Quinn is a magician in that genre. Her books have everything you could ask for. Humour, drama, lovable heroines and dashing rakes and above all, her books MATTER to you. You can't help but be sucked in and find yourself wishing for a debut in society with a dowry to boot. My all-time favourite book of hers is Ten Things I Love About You. The male lead is hilarious and easygoing, but he also has this serious and sweet side that had me crying like a baby with happiness.
BROOKE DELVECCHIO, book blogger and beta reader extraordinaire:
My favorite genre is probably paranormal, although I have read quite a few dystopians that have really turned me on. I adore reading about different creatures. Although I sometimes like some fantasy thrown in there, often they can go hand in hand. I think my favorite paranormal author is probably Cassandra Clare, although, I just read Shea Berkley's series and it was fantastic. I am anxiously awaiting book 3 so I can see what happens. Oh and another is Andrea Cremer, there's just something about her books I can't seem to get enough of. I couldn't put down her Nightshade series. I loved her characters. Even as wolves they were so real as humans. As for why, I just love that it's about something different than a human. I like to see how an author creates a species different from what we know as humans. It's also great to watch such characters go through human emotions and situations, to see how they handle it since it's often quite different from what a "normal" person would do.There you have it, ladies and gents! So, tell us, what turns YOU on in the book world? ;)
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