Karen Chance Fans discussion

I am reading other books while we wait for the new KC short story. Today I bought off the shelf at BAM:
'Blameless' third in the parosol protectorate; and 'An Artificial Night' third in the October Daye series. I also have recently discovered the Dragon stories by G.A. Aiken (she writes under another name but I don't remember it).

So I was curious about what everyone else was reading while waiting....

Unclean Spirits; Kushiel's Scion; The Crystal Cave; Macbeth; Witch... I'm in the middle of a few books...

I'm also reading Blameless and Killbox, 4th book in Ann Aguirre's Jax series.
I think the other name GA Aiken writes under is Shelly Laurensteen(sp?). Somone please correct me if I'm wrong. :)

Ooooo...I was thinking of reading Ann Aguirre's Jax series. Do you like it/recommend it?
I'm in the middle of reading the Fever series by Karen Marie Moning. Has anyone read both Fever/Highlander series? If so, which do you prefer?

Oh yes, I absolutely recommend the Jax series. Scifi/uf with a bit of romance. Lots of action as well.
Fever series is an AMAZING uf series! Highlanders are really great romance. You can't go wrong with any of these books!

Blameless is out? Got to get it soon. For now I am doing some very low brain activity reading like Ravenous by S. Ashwood, Linger by M. Stiefvater, As lie the dead. Of course just finished Demon from the dark from Kresley Cole. I started Face off (Laura blackstone #2) by Mark del Franco but can

Print:
- Covert Christmas by Marilyn Pappano, Linda Conrad, Loreth Anne White

bath room book 1 -
- Family Secrets Prequel Book 2: The Phoenix Encounter by Linda Castillo

bath room book 2 -
- Shakespeare in Love Book 3: Twelfth Night Proposal by Karen Rose Smith

bath room book 3 -
- Blazing Bedtime Stories Volume IV by Kimberly Raye and Samantha Hunter

Audio:
audio at work -
- My Big Fat Supernatural Honeymoon Anthology edited by PN Elrod AND
- Wake Book 1: Wake by Lisa McMann
(I go back and forth between the two)

audio in car -
- Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin

audio at home -
- Pink Carnation: The Betrayal of the Blood Lily by Lauren Willig

eBook -
- Horesemen of the Apocalypse Book 1: Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler

Wow. All at the same time? Craziness.
I keep staring a series, liking it, ordering the rest of the books, in the meantime I start another series, like them, order the rest etc etc. I have about 5 series on the go atm and I am now poor
:( So I have little money to go out with, so spend my time on GR, looking for books and buying books. Sigh. Vicious circle. Some of the series I'm reading:
Jaz Parks
Fever series
Georgina Kincaid

Josie wrote: "Wow. All at the same time? Craziness.
..."

Yep. I do it all the time. And yes, I am able to keep all the stories straight. LOL I do various formats and genres and different books in different locations so I always have something to read wherever I go. And because of the different kinds of books and the different formats, that's how I keep them straight. If I were reading that many books in the same genre and same format I'd be lost!

Ok, so I'm like 10 pages into the Dresden Files but I'm finding it hard. Do people in this group like this series? Cba to read it if it's not worth it and I trust this groups opinion more since everyone here loves KC. Keep going or not?

And I'm also currently reading Dark Swan series. Not sure how I feel about the main character.

I've been thinking of reading those but I haven't got round to it yet. Which isn't really helpful. Sorry.

Dresden files are great, there is a lot of hilarity in them and they are definetly worth it..I would also reccomend Stacia Kane's Unholy Ghost series for a futuristic dark urban fantasy

I LOVE the Dresden files!! Practically addicted.

I've noticed something, though. Can you listen to audiobooks? I tried to read the first Dresden in paperback, but I kept putting it down. It was interesting, but I couldn't motivate myself. Then I was recommended to read the audio version, featuring James Marsters (Spike from Buffy) as narrator. He really gets the charater and makes the story leap off the page. Now I won't read them any other way but audio, and I love it. Those who don't like the paper version sometimes do better with the audio for this series.

Has anyone read the Black Sun's Daughter series? *NO SPOILERS PLEASE!* (I'm only in the middle of the first book.)

yes its pretty good

How many of them have you read?

I've read very little other UF apart from these books. The only ones I've really tried apart from KC are the Caitlin Kittredge, which are pretty poor and one book from Kelley Armstrong, which was a lot better.

Which Kelley Armstrong one did you read?

Is Kelly Armstrong women of the underworld any good? I think I read bitten a long time ago but that's all.

I've heard really good things about it but have only read Bitten. I'm not sure why but I didn't get into it. Maybe I completely missed something and should read it again, or maybe I just wasn't in the right mood at the time, or maybe it was because I'd just read Patricia Briggs who is like the queen of wolves/all pack stuff etc. I'm not really sure :S

The only Kelley Armstrong books I personally have really liked so far are the ones featuring Clay & Elena. Bitten, Stolen, Broken & Frostbitten which was the newest one. The others...meh, not so much.

I read Industrial Magic. For some reason I've always been a bit wary of Patricia Briggs. Maybe I'll give her a go. I think she's featured in some of those KC anthologies I'm always meaning to buy.

I love Patricia Briggs Mercy Thompson series. Adam...:drool:
I have the Alpha Omega books as well but haven't started them yet. The Mercy books are UF while Alpha books lean toward romance a bit more. Since you don't seem to be obsessed about romance books you should definitely give the Mercy books a try!

Hmm, I hope you don't take that offensively. I just mean that I know a few people who have to have tons of romance to enjoy a series and have hated The Mercy series just on the fact it doesn't break out into sex every other page.

Stephanie said "How many of them have you read? "
Both of them, they are a bit obvious but good fluff reading.

I'm the opposite - read the Alpha Omega series but not the Mercy Thompson series although I have them on my tbr shelf. I think I'll really like them so excited to read them!

I think most everyone should give them a try. But I am biased. :)
Let us know what you think if you decide to start them!

Marissa is correct in her assesment about the two PG series. Having read both...I like variety. They are both based in the same world even if the story lines are different. Personnally the Omega serie is a take from the Mercy ones, I do not think that the world would be as entertaining or rich if I had not read Mercy serie first.
The comparison is not the same at all but it is the only example I have: like reading Covet before the BDB of JR Ward. They do stand alone but you miss the cameos and inside jokes.

Josie wrote: "I've heard really good things about it but have only read Bitten. I'm not sure why but I didn't get into it."

Me, too. I never really got into it, either. I think I tried a few more before I gave up.

I think Elena bothered me. And Jeremy.

Elena was fairly irritating in the beginning but I suffered through, mainly, for Clay. I love the crazy alpha mentality he has.

For me it was Clay. I found him annoying, selfish, and creepy. I read the first Riley Jensen by Keri Arthur about the same time, and I liked it much better. More sex and gore, though, so it might not be a fit for everyone. I loved Kelley Armstrong's YA series, though. The Summoning, The Awakening, and The Reckoning. Those characters were much more likeable, and still within her Otherworld.

Along with the Jim Butcher books, I've also liked (in no order): Charlaine Harris, Kim Harrison, Melissa Marr, JR Ward, Diana Rowland, Jeaniene Frost, Karen Marie Moning, Nalini Singh, and Jennifer Estep.

Yeah basically everyone annoyed me in Bitten (maybe I was in a really bad mood that day) but her YA series is better? I will have to try that. I didn't really enjoy the first one of Riley Jenson either but I've heard that improves so I may keep going.
I liked Nalini Singh's Guild Hunter series, haven't quite read her other series yet. Is that good?
I've recently read Jennifer Rardin's Jaz Parks series and loved them, although it's not for everyone.

The YA series is definitely better. The characters are more rounded and less sorry for themselves.

I have also enjoyed the Psy/Changeling PNR series from Nalini Singh. It is not UF like the Guild Hunter books, but the world is very intriguing, and the characters are good.

I loved the Riley Jensen series. Im sad its over but they ended really great. Some series take forever to end and you really start losing interest but this one got so much better.
Kim Harrison's Rachel Morgan series has been up and down for me. The latest book has it finally headed back in the right direction, thankfully, otherwise I would have given up on it.
KarenMM and Jeaniene Frost are two of my favorites bar none. Really enjoyed the Guild Hunter series too. I buy my books at Half Price Books most the time and never find the Psy/Changling series, otherwise I would give those a shot too.

I've never read any series with more than 7 books and I'm always wary of any with 15+ books in them. It's probably because I like books that all connect together and link back to previous books (like KC does with Cassie's time travelling). It's just you know that the author has planned their books and I'd imagine the plot is tighter because of this.

I keep looking for Psy/Changeling series as well but I find it hard since I don't buy books new (except if they're on offer or b/days). Instead I have to search in charity shops, libraries, friends bookshelves and from ebay (there are great bargains there)

And I also like in KMM Fever series that Barrons calls her Ms Lane. It kinda reminds me of Pritkin when he calls Cassie 'Ms Palmer'.

LOL! I've thought the same thing!

This is my first post here, and while it's probably not the right thread, I want to know why so many people are so quick to dismiss the Cassie series? Admittedly, it took me a bit to get through the first book, but it was ultimately SO worth it! I can't wait for the next one, and I know I'm not alone here. :-)

Anyhoo... I am on book 4.5 of Lords of the Underworld: Heart of Darkness. Having only started really reading in the past year, there are so many series I haven't even touched, but Cassie was one of my first.

See, I looked at reviews to why people didn't like the Cassie books and they said that it was too fast-paced (why anyone would want to read a slow book is beyond me) and confusing (!). I think some people forget that it's a series therefore not everything will be resolved in the first book. Personally I love that they all link together but I suppose these odd... ahem I mean normal people are entitled to their opinions, even though they're wrong... ahem, did you hear that? Me neither.

Anyway, I was thinking of reading Lords of the Underworld. Isn't it a PNR? Recommend or not?

Josie wrote: "See, I looked at reviews to why people didn't like the Cassie books and they said that it was too fast-paced (why anyone would want to read a slow book is beyond me) and confusing (!). I think some..."

I LOVE that it's fast-paced. I know that when I pick up a Karen Chance book, I'll feel like I'm on a roller coaster, and I'll be exhausted by the end! But yes, to each his/her own. I don't get it, but I guess it's their loss, lol!

LOTU is PNR, and I'm enjoying it. The basic premise is that guardians of the gods destroyed Pandora's box (there's more to that story), which housed the demon lords from hell (with names like Disease, Promiscuity, Death, Hope, etc.). As penance for that, each guardian was forced to house one of the demons until they could find a way to keep the demons sequestered (Pandora's box had been the only way). Now the demons are such a part of the guardians that if Pandora's box was found and opened, and the demons recaptured, the guardian hosts would die. Each book is about part of the story in trying to find Pandora's box, plus each guardian/demon finds a mate.

The first book is about Lucien, Death. Ashlyn can stand in a place and hear conversations that took place there years before. She can't stand this "gift", and for some reason, she decides to try to find the "angels" that the local townspeople talk about to see if they can help her. Turns out that when she's with Lucien, she doesn't hear the voices and it's like nirvana for her. But he has a curse... and that's all I'll say about this one. :-) So far, they've all had an HEA, which I love. There's a lot of mythology, which is interesting as well.

Yeah I love every little thing about KC books.

LOTU sounds interesting, I'm putting it on my tbr list!! Thanks for the recommendation :)

Heather in FL wrote: "Josie wrote: "See, I looked at reviews to why people didn't like the Cassie books and they said that it was too fast-paced (why anyone would want to read a slow book is beyond me) and confusing (!)..."

The first LOTU book is actually Maddox and his demon is Violence....Lucien/Death is the second or third book....

Nichole wrote: "The first LOTU book is actually Maddox and his demon is Violence....Lucien/Death is the second or third book.... "

Oops... you're right... I'm already getting them confused. The first girl was Ashlyn though, so at least I got one thing right. :-) Lucien/Death is the second book because that's with Anya (who I love)... and Reyes/Pain and Danika are the third. Sabin/Doubt and Gwen are fourth. And I'm just starting fifth so I don't know any more yet, lol. But they are good.

I bought Ilona Andrews' "Bayou Moon" off the shelf at BAM today. 447 pages! and a preview of "Magic Slays" in the back!

You need to tell us what you think of it when you've read it!!!!! I am tres jealous and also counting down the days until Magic Slays is out!!!

I'm waiting for five books...one is KMM's shadowfever, David Wellington's last book of the vamp serie, the third spellcracker book (Suzanne McLeod), the fourth book of the Gardella vampire chronicles and KC's next Cassie book...naturally I have to wait a little longer for the german translations (besides Shadowfever), which takes way too long!
yeah, I'm a little obsessed with vampires *hehe*

I haven't read the 2nd Spellcracker book yet. Has anyone in the US purchased it locally yet?

you mean, you can't buy the second one in the US, but in old little Austria? That's odd
But you will like it, altough I've forgotten what it's about, but I loved it ^^;;