By May.
Book recommendations are a funny thing, as you can’t always guess what a person will love or what detail they might find so off-putting that they end up hating the book and possibly questioning your judgment. It’s hard to say what might work for someone, even if they are your friend and you know what they generally like.
That said, I’ve been given a lot of recommendations over the years, a few of them strong/demanding enough that I actually felt I was instructed I must read! Now, this isn’t a bad thing. If someone loves a book enough to say “you’ve GOT to read this!” that is a strong recommendation indeed! It got me thinking though, it would be fun to talk about books that someone demanded you read (or strongly, strongly encouraged) that really were all that, and that you’re glad they pushed you to read.
First on my list, is Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase. I emailed Jane at Dear Author years ago, wanting to know if I didn’t like historical (I didn’t at the time) romance but wanted to give it a try, what was the one book I should start with or had to read? She had several suggestions as I recall, and she gave a really strong suggestion that I give Lord of Scoundrels a try. Not only does that remain in my top 10 of all-time favorites and most re-read books, but it definitely opened to my eyes to the possibility of awesome historical romance.
Speaking of Awesome, Tori sent me a direct message on twitter when Blade Song by JC Daniels came out and demanded I read it ASAP. Was she right? Oh my gosh yes, one of the best books of 2012, and it was most certainly a MUST (yes, all caps) read for me as a fan of Urban Fantasy with strong female leads.
The digital age ushers in a whole new era of reading peer pressure, when a friend can actually send you a book to your kindle! Ok then Mandi, well played. I read (and yes, loved) Kate Noble’s Revealed, as well as The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley. I’m very glad she coaxed me into both reads.
Speaking of Mandi, when she learned had no idea who Barrons was she demanded I drop everything and try Karen Marie Moning’s Fever series. I had heard of the series and I had read mixed reviews and had decided it wasn’t for me. Well guess what? I was very wrong. From just a few pages in I was utterly hooked on the writing and the story and it is a series that is now one of my all time favorites.
Another book the smexy girls forced me into was Motorcycle Man by Kristen Ashley. I really don’t picture motorcycle clubs as sexy, but I’ll be damned if Tack didn’t become one of my favorite heroes of 2012. That was a fantastic read – and yeah, they were once again right.
Of course “you’ve gotta read this” doesn’t always work out and sometimes you wind up wondering “uh, why do I have to read this again?” but that’s ok too. I could continue on with more books I’ve had lovingly pushed into my reading, but I’m curious to hear some of yours!
What book(s) have you been pressured into reading that you absolutely adored? And what has been the biggest disappointment?
I’m more of a prolific reader than a lot of my friends, so I’m usually the one doing the recommending. But one recommendation that I enjoyed was the first Sookie Stackhouse book. I stopped reading that series as the quality dropped off near the end, but I’m glad I started it. They’re just so quirky, and that started a huge vampire book kick for me.
The worst recommendation ever – the Anita Blake series – didn’t seem so bad at first. But halfway through that series it went wildly off the rails for me, and I wish I could get all those hours back.
yeah Anita Blake.. I got “must” and “NO!” on that so I went with no…
Good choice!
Honestly, the first ten or so books are pretty good. But the ones after? Hamilton was just dialing it in. Same with the Sookie books. If the author stops caring, and it shows, how am I as a reader supposed to care? I’d much rather read a tightly written trilogy that leaves me sad it’s ended over a strung out, weak 20-book series.
Dang it! I’ve read all of these!! Great choices :)
I was pressured by Mandi, Tori and Samantha at Fiction Vixen to read the Cut&Run series for months. OMGGGGG, I FINALLY devoured the entire series in a week! It was total I want Zane, I want Ty fest and I was in mourning when I ran out of books. Then I was on an m/m binge trying to find other couples that could come close to the intensity, the enamor, the complexity of Ty&Zane. Still, none have come close but I’m getting my fill of dual peen while searching. ;)
Another pressure was from a friend to read The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simmons. It’s a trilogy and the books are extremely long so I was hesitant to start. Read all three in 2010 and it is my favorite love story of all time. I was so obsessed with the couple I ordered the third installment from the UK because it was not available yet in the US. Tatiana and Alexander’s love story is beyond epic and I recommended it to Mandi who loved it as well. I keep hounding Tori to start it. Anyone who loves romance should not miss out on this couple.
extremely long = me running away. bahaha!! Not really – but something about huge time commitment makes it hard for me to, well, commit!!
I read book 1 of Ty & Zane… eh. I need to read more. It had potential just wasn’t as AMAZING as I’d expected.
And this is where we all step up and throw tomatoes at May….eh to Ty&Zane? You are crazy! It’s a good thing we love you!
BAHAHA!!
The “eh” was to the suspense/action part of the plot. I wanted more from that as I love love LOVE those kind of stories…
It’s true what they say about the books getting better and better in the Cut&Run series. The first two were a little rough but the characters hooked me and I was a goner!
***dual peen*** LOVE!
Pushed into reading? – The Siren by Tiffany Reisz. I was so AFRAID to read that book! I would twitch every time I thought about it. Ha! I ended up loving it, and I am so glad that I shoved my fear into the closet and took the leap.
As for “why am I reading this?” – Historicals. It took me a long, long time of devouring recommendations and mucho $$$ for me to finally figure that out. I don’t hate them. I’ve read several from Loretta Chase and Jennifer Ashley (and others). They’re just not my thing.
The current book (series) that is making me twitch is the Cut & Run series by Abigail Roux. I have the first book ready to read on my iPad. I keep looking at it, and looking at it, and looking at it. I just know it’s going to tear me down. I know it. Maybe I’ll take the plunge this Summer. Maybe.
Good topic for discussion! My first comment on the blog! Yay!
The Siren – I’m so afraids! NOO! lol.
Ty & Zane… Mandi *LOVES* it but oddly never pushed me to read it. I tried book 1 and it was cool, but I wish they had actually done more than sit around a hotel room. I will likely keep reading – I hear it gets better with each one.
This is a completely different genre (children’s books) but when my nephew was a teen he pressured me to read the Harry Potter books and I love them. So a couple years back, he is now in his mid 20’s, he told me I had to read the Lightning Thief books. I picked the first one up and was bored to tears. Still haven’t finished it and usually use it as a sleep aid.
Now I am going to look into Kate Noble’s Revealed that and Motorcycle Man are the only books I haven’t read from your post.
Awesome article May! I have not been able to get into historicals in years. I think the last ones I read were in my teens. Every time I see a review here or elsewhere I think about trying again and then don’t.
While I’m always thankful for book recs…I think I’m most grateful for Mandi bringing to my attention so many good m/m books. From Sean Kennedy to Tere Michaels and of course Abigail Roux. I had no clue the genre existed-came across a book by Amy Lane and read it then chatted with Mandi about it and the rest is history.
Though I’ve been given tons of recs in the UF genre…I have not made the leap. I’m hoping do so this summer. But…we’ll see.
Yeah, I’m not a fan of UF, I DNF both Cat & Bones book 1 and Terrible book 1, so I don’t follow UF recs any more.
The most successful rec for me was The Cut & Run series, I read it after seeing Mandi and Samantha tweeting about it, and it’s now one of my favorites of all times.
Also, I was very suspicious of Tiffany Reiz, The Original Sinners books, but I believed my book/tweeter friends and became a fan, I even like Soren (and I’m a catholic…) =D
Yay for Ty & Zane! Such an amazing series. Those men grab a hold of you and never let you go.
I’m usually the pusher ;) But I have been pushed to read some books. Someone named May and Tori MADE me read JC Daniels and I loved so so hard.
I was also pushed to read The Bronze Horseman. SO GOOOOOOD
I was pushed to try Jim Butcher. Score!
For those that didn’t work so well…I know there have been some but I can’t think of any off the top of my head. Maybe some Maya Banks titles.
I love to try books that people are so passionate about. It’s a fun experience
Chalk up another one for Ty and Zane here. My first dual peen and now I can’t get enough of them.
Someone (cough Tori cough) bullied me into reading The Black Jewels trilogy. I adored that.
And….did someone say Barrons?
I absolutely LOVE both Lord of Scoundrels and The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie. I’ve heard such good things about Kristen Ashley books! I’m not positive they’re my cup of tea, because I’ve never read anything like them before. But I am so intrigued, I know I will end up trying one.
Of course “you’ve gotta read this” doesn’t always work out and sometimes you wind up wondering “uh, why do I have to read this again?”
Bahaha, very true. I’ve definitely had that happen. But, like you, I’ve also had it work out WONDERFULLY (such as What I Did for a Duke by Julie Anne Long). So it’s a gamble. I tend to only listen to the mandated recs from people I trust, so it usually winds up working out well, even if the book doesn’t quite become the favorite for me that it is for them.
Many many moons ago my mother pressured me into reading BDB. I got to about page 20 and sent her a message saying, “Really? Are you sure these are good?” She said wait until about page 60. And so I continued on. And of course she was right. Dark Lover is what started my love for reading. What a way to start!
All hail Ty and Zane. 5 years later and the series has only gotten better.
Recently, ICED by KMM has been the biggest disappointment for me. I can’t read more than 10 pages without falling asleep. I realize I may be in the minority on this one.
Oh,this is fun! I was pushed into Larissa Ione- I’m generally not fan of PNR, the only series I enjoyed was Psy/Changeling and to be honest, I was more driven by whole story in the background than couple get it on. So, yeah, I hesitated-Boy, was I wrong, Ione has great stories, I devoured them like crazy.
The book everybody pushed at me and I didn’t enjoy was Zero at the Bone. I hated that book and I still don’t understand the appeal. I guess it’s not my cup of tea.
The Cut & Run series was one of the biggest ones I can think of. I was already a fan of m/m romance (devoted Marie Sexton fangirl here!), but wasn’t sure about the suspense aspect. Needless to say, I fell in love with Ty and Zane and devoured the entire series (up to that point) within a month. And everyone is right…the first two are a bit clunky, but Fish & Chips sold me on them forever!
Some other recommendations that worked for me were the Night Huntress series (my first UF!), Games of Command by Linnea Sinclair, and the Across the Universe trilogy by Beth Revis.
The only disappointments I can think of right now are the Carpathian series and the Sookie Stackhouse books. No real reasons why I didn’t like them…just didn’t work for me at the time. Awesome discussion topic!
Hey May, Great post . My best rec came from Mandi, she said you must read Ann Aguirre Sirantha Jax series. I read it and loved it.
Kristen Ashley was one that got pushed by everyone in Romancelandia until I caved – and she was so worth it, so I don’t regret that decision. I tried one Anita Blake book and felt like it was okay but, as I’ve read better UF that stemmed from the Blake phenomenon, I didn’t feel the need to read past that first one.
I also will never regret reading Heidi Cullinan or K.A. Mitchell’s m/m romances after all of the push from various people. Those books are *so* worth the time. And they’re super sexy, too. Jane also pushed Thea Harrison’s Dragon Bound, which is now one of my favorite paranormal romances. All in all, when people get passionate enough to push, I think it’s worth a look unless you know it’s not going to be your thing at all.
Holly from The Book Binge pushed and I do mean PUSHED me into reading What I Did for a Duke by Julie Anne Long. I hadn’t read any other books in the series, nor had I read that author. It was a revenge plot and that turned me off as well. I finally caved (cuz she just wouldn’t shut up! ;) ) and it remains one of my favorite books ever.
It was also STRONGLY recommended to me that I read the first 3 books in Anne Bishop’s The Black Jewels series. I bought the omnibus (big mistake as that sucker is HUGE and very off-putting) but I finally read it and loved every minute of it.
I don’t think I’ve ever had a rec from a friend, who knows my likes and dislikes, and hated the book – which is wonderful! :)
I can’t recall, but I do know that I have been disappointed a lot and it always sucks. But when it works I am all OMG LOVE
I was in a bookstore with a friend who grabbed “A Game of Thrones” and made me buy it. Forced me. I was initially grateful, because it was AWESOME, but now I curse his name sometimes because that was over 10 years ago (before the 3rd book came out) and I hate the LONG LONG wait between books.
Another friend told me I had to read “Tigana” by Guy Gavriel Kay, and I HATED IT a whole lot.
On the other hand, when friends told me to read the Jim Butcher Dresden books and I listened? Made me happy happy happy.
My problem, like many of you is that I am more of the pusher trying to get people to read books and they so seldom do! (Like, right now I would say everyone should read R. Lee Smith’s “Cottonwood” since it was 10 kinds of awesome, but I would limit that “everyone” to those who can handle a bucket full of weird and a little bit of “WTF” in their books!)
I get a lot of fantasy recs from my guy friends, and those have generally turned out to be good reads. But like lots of others who’ve already posted, I find myself playing the role of book/series pusher on my friends.
Lauren Dane’s Federation Chronicles/Phantom Corps series AND Nalini Singh’s Guild Hunter series are the two series that I ALWAYS mention when someone asks me for my favorites!!
Why oh why don’t more people discuss Dane’s Federation series? Holy sweet sweaty sex on a stick and amazing world building?! Oh, and you m/m romance lovers will NOT be disappointed either…particularly in Undercover and Captivated.
See? There I go again….pushing!
Dane’s series…. I’ve not heard of this! off to look.
Great post May, and I loved reading all the comments as well. I have to admit, I am usually the one doing the pushing, as I read a lot. And when I do cave to multiple raving reviews about a book, I am often disappointed. I know you all will think me cursing now, but I really disliked Firelight by Kristen Callihan. I could not like the characters.
And the Lorette Chase book is my best friends favourite book, and she made me read it. But I only found it average. Of course, it is an old one now, and times and writing styles change.
Oh this was a lot of fun to read and great series mentioned. I have loved and hated some of them. I am usually the pusher but I have to thank my fellow book pushers MinnChica, Has, and Lou for far too many books :).