The best books to love!

It's finally the week I've been waiting for! When I started this blog series and I knew I was partial to paranormal romance, and now that I've convinced you that the romance genre is diverse and varied, I can't wait to show you all about the paranormal stories I love — first, a lesson in definitions.

Many people believe supernatural and paranormal to be interchangeable, but some slight differences set these two sub-genres apart. Paranormal typically refers to something we may not be able to explain yet. Supernatural is something that defies human logic and will never adhere to our cultural and societal norms. I like to call paranormal a little left of ordinary, for example, vampires who drive Escalades and carry an American Express card. See? That's not so weird. Familiar, but different.

Let's get down to business! I'm going to introduce them by moving on a spectrum. We will start with the closest to a typical contemporary romance novel, and then as we move down the list, we will move further to the left of normal. If you're hesitant about this (excellent) sub-genre, the stories are a good way to ease in.

True Love

I've mentioned the sequel to this book in my blog post on contemporary romance, which you can find here. In this romance novel set on Nantucket, the hero's late grandfather's ghost haunts his house and advises him on what to do when a new architect comes to town and works her way into his heart. We also learn more about what is keeping the grandfather in this world, and what he must do to move to the next stage.

Better Dead

Here's the tagline from the author:

As the owner of a charming Louisiana bed and breakfast, Holly Davis believes in Southern hospitality—but she draws the line at welcoming the ghost of her cheating husband . . .

This book was cute and pretty funny. The setting in South Louisiana, outside of Baton Rouge, had me hooked, and I really enjoyed the story. A Romance Writer's of America Golden Heart Finalist, this book is from Pamela Kopfler and is a great, fun read.

Sunday's at Tiffany's

Full disclosure I didn't realize this book had been made into a movie until now. I can't speak to the film, but I can tell you that I enjoyed the book and it reminded me a lot of one later down the list.

A young woman grows up with her imaginary friend, who only she can see until her ninth birthday when he leaves. Flash forward to her thirties, and Michael appears again, but this time he is very real.

I read this one in high school when I first fell in love with the idea of time travel and love moving through the years. If you notice a theme to this list, it's because I always keep coming back to the idea of immortality. Guess that's why I wrote my books with that in mind.

Bag of Bones

Yes, this is by Stephen King. No, not enough people have read this one. This novel could also fall into the romantic suspense category, which of course King is a master at creating in his storytelling.

The sudden death of his wife plagues a best selling writer, and four years later returns to the lake house that now is the site of hauntings and ghostly terrors to save a little girl and her mother.

I don't want to ruin the ending, but it's good. It's heartbreaking, but it's good. I mean, it's Stephen King for Pete's sake.

Outlander

I've already mentioned this one here, but Diana Gabaldon has long argued her masterpiece defies genre and doesn't fit in any one box. The time travel element in itself makes this story worth to be put into the paranormal category in my opinion. Also, this element expands the more you read the series. One of the top five stories I've read in my life. Yes, I'm aware that it is a series as well, but I can't let it ruin the perfection I've imagined in my mind, so I'm avoiding it. Sue me.

The Time Traveler's Wife

This story is also in my top five, and can we stop and recognize that fifteen-year-old Kathryn had excellent taste? What high schooler is reading the books above on this list? Anywho, in this story, we meet a little girl who has a friend she meets in the backyard. A grown man appears one day while she is playing, and before you panic, no, nothing weird happens. He can't control how and when he travels in time, and we watch as a relationship between a time traveler and a person who leads a typical life unfolds. This one will break your heart but is well worth the box of tissues.

PS- No, I haven't seen the movie. Yes, that's a trend with me.

The Highlander Series by Karen Marie Moning

Ah, this book series. Before we get into the story, which by the way is great, I need to share you with you a profound thank you to Karen Marie Moning.

You see when I went to college I was a bit of the dorm oddball, a trait that seems to run in my family. Everyone else was going out in heels all the time trying to get dates or drunk with some idiot in a crappy apartment, and I was reading love stories between nerdy chicks and 16th-century highlanders, you know, as you do. Well, in an increasingly desperate attempt to make friends, I went out of my comfort zone to one of the oldest buildings on campus, Jackson Hall, the home of the history department and joined the Madison Historians. Once there at my inaugural meeting, two things happened at once. I met a grad-student who a months later would introduce me to my now husband, and I sat behind another freshman with curly hair, and a don't talk to me kind of attitude. Now, remember, I was kinda lonely. I had already lost one roommate, and the semester was well underway. My best friend from high school didn't go to this school, and we hadn't talked in months. Sitting there listening to future archaeological field trips, I noticed one of these books on the desk in front of the curly-haired freshman.

Since this moment, I can tell you from personal experience that when you see books, you love in the wild that is a book recommending a friend, as opposed to the opposite where a friend recommends a book.

I leaned over and asked what the other freshman was reading, with what I hoped was an eager and friendly smile. Ms. Don't-Talk-To-Me peered over her shoulder. She let out a short laugh and muttered something along the lines of "You don't wanna know."

I am a pretty persistent person. You see I had spent the last five years reading paranormal romance books, including the very one she clutched in her hand. I'd never met someone my age who liked the same stories, so I asked again, and this time, like a drug dealer in a purple hoodie showing someone the goods, she tilted the cover just enough so I could see.

My face split into a wide grin, and I nodded enthusiastically saying, "I've read that one. It's great."

And so, we became best friends.

Read this series. Brilliant women fall back in time and into the arms of magical Highland warriors who need their help while offering protection in return. It's pretty great.

Now in truth, that'd be a great place to end the list, but that first conversation with my best friend has never really ended. We still talk romance novels, have both written books and are both going to the RWA conference in July. She's the one who turned me on to this next author, who we lovingly and reverently refer to as the Queen. I give you...

The Black Dagger Brotherhood Series by JR Ward

I apologize I didn't read it sooner. This book series is the best I've ever read and can make everything else look like amateur hour. It's almost ruined me because they are just that good.

Remember when I said vampires with Escalades and Amex cards? That's it.

Vampires have been living alongside humans in the shadows, after almost being hunted to extinction. Now, the last purebred vampire must fulfill a promise to his dead brother and help a woman who doesn't realize she's half vampire and about to go through the transition. Without him, she will die.

These books are incredible, and I cannot thank my best friend enough for introducing us. These are some of the best books I have ever read.

So that's my list! I hope this makes you see paranormal romance in a new light. In other news, I'm still reading. A few weeks ago at the Virginia Romance Writers' February meeting, I won the door prize, which you see below. A bag of nothing but paranormal romances!

Who knows? If it all goes to plan, maybe you'll see my book next to these soon.

Onward! Set a course for a little left of normal!

Kathryn