Thursday, June 5, 2014

Must Reads! Urban Fantasy


A bit back I was asked about doing some favorites lists. 
Books or authors I think should be on everyone's tbr pile.

And so... Herding Cats & Burning Soup Must Reads! 
(figured that was more, erm, appropriate? than my first go of...You need to read these fucking books!)

Some are single books. Some entire series.

The lists are fluid. I'll update and change them as I read new books. 
So check back now and again.
(Lists will be docked in the drop down menu right up....there!)

Aaaaaand this month's list is...my favorite Urban Fantasy series....
Most of these were ones I read before herding cats so alas very few reviews.

This was one of the earlier series I picked up and I just loved it. Riley and her twin brother are Vampy Shifter hybrids and work for a kinda supernatural police force in different capacities keeping all the para beings in check. Very sexy reads with high heat, action and some great secondary characters. 

    
   

 Amazon | Review
It's Mercy. And Adam. It's pretty much perfect. *nods* Okay. Other than the covers which I just do not like--that's just not Mercy at all to me and the tattoos are all wrong. But everything else about this series is a-freaking-mazing. Mercy's a mechanic, a Walker (shifts into a coyote) and is just a rock solid heroine. And she drives her werewolf Alpha neighbor Adam a bit batty. He's a little growly and just sexy as all get out. There's vamps and fae and other sorts of para beings.

The stories are utterly captivating. I saw Briggs at a book signing and just listening to her is kind of spell binding. She's an incredible storyteller. The spin off series is pretty great too.

     

Amazon | Review
Sexy Fae goodness. These are pretty much Urban Fantasy-Erotica fusion and I freaking adore them. They were my first "naughty" reads and oh my word. Yeah. There's a LOT of lovin' happening with multiples and all kinds of interesting bits (there may be tentacles involved on occasion O.o) Merry's a Fae Princess that's been in hiding from her auntie--the Queen--who's out to kill her. Throw in unrest between the different fae courts, baby makin', powers showing up, heroes with crazy colored hair that's all the way down to their ankles and yeah it's a crazy good world I can't get enough of :) 

       

Amazon | Review

This series started a little bit slow for me but lordy it turned into an incredible one. It's written by a husband and wife team and really they've put together one of the richest worlds I've read. There's been an apocalypse of a magical sort and life is gritty and dangerous and unpredictable since one moment technology is running fine and then BAM magic rushes in and everything technological crashes--electricity, cars, etc. All completely useless as magic eats away at all things man made.

I really ended up loving everything about this one. Kate is a mercenary and has a mouth on her. She's no wilting flower but a seriously kick ass heroine who isn't afraid to stand up to The Beast Lord. Curran. A kitteh shifter (yes we loves him real hard) who roars and keeps hold over all of the shifters and is just beastly and sexy and some of us so wouldn't stop if he felt inclined to have a little nibble.

There are also vamps and this is one of the neat things about this series. Vamps aren't the good guys. They aren't even really in control of themselves. They're husks of former humans that are controlled by necromancers and basically used however the Masters of the Dead want. They're not sexy but really monster-esk which was pretty neat.

It's just a great series that kept my heart pounding and has some nice steamy moments as well. Great secondary characters, complex relationships and a stellar romance.
    

 Amazon | Review
For those that don't know GA Aiken is also Shelly Laurenston (who is on my Paranormal Must Reads list). Now, Dragon Kin could probably land on that list but for me it's always landed as UF or just fantasy romance. *shrugs* So on this list it goes. lol

And it's Dragons. Yall know I have a thing for dragons. And these are probably the best out there. Sexy, cocky totally arrogant. Blood thirsty and an absolute riot. They tease and torment their siblings and are just fucking amazing. It's historical-ish kinda maybe? It's really hard to tell time it's set in I think. I bust out laughing with them often but there have also been moments that just utterly destroyed me and had me sobbing. Totally recommended.

     

Amazon | Reviews
 The Weather Wardens were one of the first series I picked up and it was absolute love. It's still one of the more unique set ups I think. It follows one couple through the whole series and there are cliffhangers. Though each book is a full story they cliffhanger into the next adventure they'll be up against. These had me camping outside of the bookstore waiting until they opened so I could grab the next one...on more than one occasion. 

Basically the Wardens help control weather and keep Mother Nature (and those that use her for evil) from completely fucking us over. They manipulate earth, fire, wind, water, etc to keep as many humans safe as possible. It's a really exciting series that kept me on the edge of my seat. I flew through these so damn fast. It also brings in the Djinn (more or less genies) for the first time in my readings as the Wardens use the Djinn to amplify and accomplish their goals. Revolts come into play, betrayals, rebuilding after it all, the boundaries of life and death are seriously toyed with. It's just a very rich world with interesting storylines and unique characters.

    
    

Amazon | Review
So. Merit was off minding her own business at school when all the sudden she's...almost murdered..saved...aaaaaannnd turned into a vamp to keep her alive. Hell of a day. And one that landed her in the sights of uber sexy Ethan who is a head vamp of one of the vampire Houses and her new boss.

It's a fun ride as she learns how to be a vamp, takes on a role at her vamp House, starts breaking down some of Ethan's rigid ways and grows up quite a bit and turns into a pretty killer heroine. There are some pretty stunning moments throughout, vampires and the supernatural being exposed to the world and dealing with the fall out, political relations between the different vamp houses and so much more. Great reads with some amazing characters. Ones you can't help but love and some you can't help but love to hate. And some who really play with the line between the two.

   

Amazon | Reviews

Vamps galore! Okay so the hero Bones. Pretty much...Spike from Buffy. Oh my god. Love. Anywho the series follows Cat (who is a half vamp and hunting her vampire father and taking out vamps) and Bones as they meet, end up joining forces and ahhh *girly sigh* fall in love. Secret government agencies come into play--they basically hunt all the things that go bump in the night, ghouls happen, lots of witty snarky banter, Vlad the Impaler arrives and so became one of my favorite secondary characters, pervy ghosts sneak in and OMG my first fictional pierced cock that's attached to Ian the gloriously naughty vamp that's totally free with his affections seriously needs his own book.

It's an exciting series with some nice action scenes that'll make your palms sweat, some freaking awesome sex scenes and a lot of humor mixed in that had me literally snorting. There's some heart breaking stuff in there too that whew will totally get ya. 

     

Amazon | Review
Ahhh the Disillusionists. This is one of those trilogies where it might not have had the highest ratings from me but I still loved it for it's complete and utter uniqueness and the rich world that was created.


The Disillusionists basically use their extreme mental foibles and fears to attack criminals and reboot them so they become quality citizens. It's so incredibly different and some of the twists just had my mouth hanging open. Literally hanging open. Crane has one crazy brilliant mind.

  

Amazon | Review

Annnd I think that's it for my UF list for the moment.

So what's on *YOUR* Urban Fantasy Must Reads List?

More Must Reads on herding cats!


Follow on Bloglovin

No comments:

Post a Comment

I always enjoy hearing what YOU think so come on and leave a comment. Everyone's welcome :) And feel free to leave comments on old posts. I'll check in on you there too :)

Bloggers don't forget to leave your links!
~Anna

The Herd Archives