Welcome to Ally Shields, author of the Guardian Witch series! Today she's sharing her top 10 favorite paranormal series. Be sure to jot these down and add them & the Guardian Witch series to your TBR list!
Yes, I've ranked them
from ten down to one—because I was supposed to—but on any given day the order
could be jumbled a dozen different ways. They all have awesome main characters
and intriguing plots. The links are to Goodreads.
Top Ten
Favorite Paranormal Series
#10 The
Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne. Start with Hounded. If you
like your paranormal with a dose of humor, don't miss this one.
#9
Greywalker series by Kat Richardson. Book #1, Greywalker, is
not the best of her books but the series grows, and you'll want the background.
#8 Dante
Valentine series by Lilith Saintcrow. Working
for the Devil might be a bit predictable but a definite thumbs up for me.
#7
Southern Vampires series (Sookie Stackhouse) by Charlaine Harris. Who
doesn't like this series that became a major hit on HBO as True Blood? Immerse
yourself, beginning with Dead Until
Dark.
#6 Kate
Daniels series by Ilona Andrews. Magic Bites
introduce a fantastic world and a feisty heroine.
#5 Anita
Blake series by Laurell K. Hamilton. While some of the later books wind down
some very strange paths, the first book, Guilty
Pleasures, is my all-time favorite paranormal read.
#4 Night
Huntress by Jeaniene Frost. No list would be complete without Cat and Bones.
Meet them in Halfway
to the Grave.
#3
Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. Storm Front is
the first, but his charming wizard sleuth only gets better.
#2
Mercedes Thompson series by Patricia Briggs. Her shapeshifting mechanic
made her debut in Moon Called.
And my very first choice…
#1 The Hollows series by Kim Harrison. This
fantastic and well sustained series featuring Rachel Morgan has certainly
earned its first place position. Begin with Dead Witch
Walking.
If you haven't read all of these wonderful books,
I envy you. You have many wonderful hours of reading ahead! Tell me, have I
missed any of your favorites?
Some of my favorite series are on this list. But I'm also excited because I have several new authors to try :)
Description:
A hidden evil stalks the city…
Ari
Calin refuses to believe her human friend Eddie murdered a vampire—in spite of
his confession. Her human partner Ryan thinks the case is a slam dunk, even
though there’s no weapon and no witnesses, but Ari’s not about to let her
friend take the rap without finding out more.
When Ari attends a charity event on the arm of
a handsome werewolf, she finds someone she never expected to see again—Andreas
De Luca, the charismatic vampire she used to date. When their eyes meet across
the room, memories come rushing back. His kiss, his touch, a savage death…and a
terrifying magical bond. A reconnection is the last thing she wants. Only by
staying away and forgetting Andreas can she hope to avoid the Legend of Ramora.
But when vampires keep dying, one thing
becomes clear: Riverdale has a serial killer on its hands, and Andreas could be
next. Ari begins to fear there’s more to it, though. Something truly evil is
stalking the city, waiting to take control…
Excerpt:
The
auditorium of the Arts Center was packed. The annual Charity Auction always
drew a large crowd, not only of bidders but those who came to see and be seen.
It was one of the biggest community events of the year. For an exorbitant
entrance price, each person earned the right to free appetizers and wine and
the opportunity to bid on a lot of things he didn’t need. Ari ran a cynical eye
over the merchandise. And, in her case, many items she couldn’t afford. Like
the perfectly ordinary-looking granny vase with a starting bid of $3,000. Of
course, she could just ogle at all the rich and famous of Riverdale. It was
expected. Looking around at the crowd, Ari estimated there were more oglers
than bidders, but the auction always met its goal.
The
two couples dutifully filed past the tables and viewed the choices in the
silent auction. Brando kept up a running commentary on the city officials and
wealthy patrons he recognized. Steffan placed a bid on a case of wine but was
immediately out-bid by the couple behind them in line. He grinned at Ari,
shrugged, and they moved on.
Ari
paused when she spied a champagne dinner for two from Club Dintero. She
wouldn’t be bidding on that. Claris’s attempt to hurry them past, to skip that
particular auction item, brought a frown to Ari’s face. Like she wouldn’t
notice. Apparently, Claris wasn’t convinced the past was in the past.
Ari’s
frown deepened. She knew she had been a little touchy on the subject of Andreas
and his club. Unbidden, a series of scenes flashed through her head: strong
arms holding a grief-stricken young witch; a dark figure singing on stage, the
crowd captivated; the same sexy figure sipping Chianti; a forbidden kiss. Ari determinedly
brushed aside such highly selective memories. Those were only the good
things—and there were some not so good. She flashed a reassuring smile at
Claris and turned her attention to the next item, a spa package.
As
if Ari’s traitorous thoughts had conjured it, a surge of Otherworld power
touched her. Vampire. And not just any vampire. Sensation raced across
her skin, her witch magic singing in recognition as the air shimmered with his
dark, slightly wicked energy. She whipped her head around, focused on the front
entry, and there he was.
Andreas’s
dark eyes captured hers from across the room. Her breath caught, and like
always, that compelling swirl of power wrapped itself around her, beguiling,
irresistible. She barely registered the presence of the other vampires with
him. Seconds, perhaps hours or years, passed with her caught in his gaze. As
suddenly as it came, the magic withdrew, leaving a void. Andreas turned away
and said something to the woman at his side. His companion laid a possessive
hand on his arm.
Shaken,
Ari took a shallow breath. After eight months she’d thought her reaction to him
would be diminished. She’d be the last one to deny Andreas De Luca was
heartbreakingly attractive, despite being one of the undead. That still didn’t
explain his almost paralyzing effect on her.
Bio:
Ally
Shields was born and raised in the Midwest, along the Mississippi River, the
setting for the Guardian Witch urban fantasy series. After earlier careers as a teacher, lawyer and
Juvenile Court Officer, she turned to full-time writing in 2009. She still
lives near Des Moines with her Miniature Pinscher, Ranger. When not writing or
reading, she loves traveling in the US and abroad. Way too often she can be
found on Twitter.
Author
Links
Buy Links
Thx for hosting me! I loved doing this list and sharing my favorites.
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure! I love urban fantasy/paranormal!!
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