J.R. Ward
Black Dagger Brotherhood series

If you’ve never read J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series, you don’t know what you are missing. J.R. Ward is, hands down, our favorite author, and the Black Dagger Brotherhood is, hands down, our favorite series. J.R. is the reason we started reading vampire romance novels, and probably paranormal romance in general, in the first place. Up until that point, we mostly stuck with romantic suspense (Linda Howard anyone?) and some contemporary romance. J.R. changed the way we looked at vampires and no one has lived up to her since. Probably not even our own novels, and we write those.
One of the main reasons we like J.R. Ward’s BDB series is because the vampires are alive. We don’t always put a vampire romance novel down when we read the book blurb and realize the main character is undead, but we often do. We like that vampires are born, can have offspring, and are not immortal.
Another big reason for loving J.R.’s BDB series is the multiple points of view. We love getting to know secondary characters and getting involved in their story lines, so that when you get to their book, not only are you excited to read it, you feel like you already know the character because you’ve been in their head. However, one thing you must remember…you have to read the books in order.
Also, as the stories continue, you will be introduced to other paranormal beings not previously found in other books. It always interesting to enter a new world and meet beings not previously found in other books.
Our favorites in this series are Dark Lover, Lover Eternal, and Lover Awakened.
The Black Dagger Brotherhood Series Reading Order
1. Dark Lover
2. Lover Eternal
3. Lover Awakened
4. Lover Revealed
5. Lover Unbound
6. Lover Enshrined
7. Lover Avenged
8. Lover Mine
9. Lover Unleashed
10. Lover Reborn
11. Lover At Last
12. The King (Coming 4/4/14)

Nalini Singh
The Psy/Changeling series

What J.R. Ward is to vampires, Nalini Singh is to changelings (shifters/werewolves).
As with J.R.’s BDB series, Nalini’s characters are born, not made. No one is turned into a changeling, and they can have offspring. This is one of the main reasons we like this series. Of course, Nalini Singh is an excellent writer and author and really knows how to weave a story.
On top of the changelings, Nalini has created a whole new paranormal race called the Psy. To sum them up, they are physically the weakest of the three races, with changelings being the strongest and humans in the middle. However, they are able to do things with their minds that humans and changelings cannot. Some of these abilities are foresight, telekinesis, and telepathy. Each Psy has one ability. But with great power comes great weakness, and years before the books start, the Psy became Silent because many of them became insane. Embracing Silence for the Psy means they don’t feel any emotions or form any emotional attachments. They have become cold, unfeeling beings.
But, of course, no one wants to read about emotionally detached individuals, so what Nalini did was write about what would happen if the Psy started breaking Silence (which is not as easy as it sounds) by becoming involved with the most feeling, touching, emotional beings there are–the changelings.
Unlike J.R., Nalini mostly sticks with the two main characters’ points of view throughout her story. The reader does get glimpses of what the antagonist is doing through the books, and as the series progresses, the readers also gets in the the heads’ of some of the past characters, which is always fun.
If you’re looking for something new a little different, give them a try.
Our favorites in this series are Slave to Sensation, Visions of Heat, and Branded by Fire.
The Psy/Changeling Series Reading Order
1. Slave to Sensation
2. Visions of Heat
3. Caressed by Ice
4. Mine to Possess
5. Hostage to Pleasure
6. Branded by Fire
7. Blaze of Memory
8. Bonds of Justice
9. Play of Passion
10. Kiss of Snow
11.Tangle of Need
12. Heart of Obsidian
13. Shield of Winter (Coming 6/4/14)