[chobitz]

I've read the Sookie Stackhouse series, the Rachel Morgan series, the Mercy series and I am now reading the Anita Blake series.

I've read those are considered 'urban dark fantasy'.

What exactly makes a paranormal romance a paranormal romance? Is it different then the urban dark fantasy? I do not like bodice rippers. I've never been a romance fan.

I assume paranormal romance are bodice rippers with supernatural creatures right? So what makes it different then Kelly Armstrong's series?

I wonder if I would like it since I don't like romance books.

 

[Betsy the Quilter]

Chobitz,

I'm not good at these kind of distinctions....anyone else want to give it a try?

I tend to read by author, and I find new authors by looking at the "New Fiction" or new "Nonfiction" sections of the bookstores and libraries (and now Amazon, I guess), so I never know what category the book is in until I start looking for more books by the author and can't find it! LOL!  The bookstores and libraries don't have those fine distinctions.  AND hurray, I can search online bookstores by author!

Betsy

 

[katiekat1066]

  I suppose its a matter of what the primary focus of the book is.  When Harlequin came out with the Luna imprint, I was wondering what difference it would make for Mercedes Lackey's books.  The answer was, not all that much, to me.  I'd say that the biggest difference is that there are more explicit erotic scenes in books that are classified as "romance" than the ones that are classified as "fantasy."  That really seems to me to be the only difference between the two. 
  I've found that, to my tastes, most of what is classified as paranormal romance is only a light read (usually with shortcomings writing-wise) and what's classified as fantasy is much meatier fare, with better stories and writing.  But I repeat that this is only my take on the matter. 
  An example of the first - romance - is the vampire romances by Lyndsay Sands.  Interesting, funny, lots of sex (almost too much at times) but fluffy writing and there are little jarring touches that kick me out of my reading trance from time to time.  On the other hand would probably be Kim Harrison's books, much more plot, more complicated characters, and I have a hard time putting them down.  I find both authors enjoyable, just for vastly different reasons and would read them in much different moods - I could never substitute one for the other.

Katiekat