Ivana

Invested Ivana – Emotionally Invested in Characters and Worlds

Co-Founder | Reviewer

Why I read: I read fiction to distract my mind from real-life problems.

Favorite Genres: Urban and contemporary fantasy, fantasy, historical fiction, and most things supernatural and paranormal. In my books, I want mystery, adventure, challenge, some humor, a lot of karmic smackdown, and the occasional bloody justice.

Reading Style: I love books that go deep into characters and worlds. I really want to know the characters, to be able to invest emotionally in them and their challenges. I like learning about cultures, so understanding the world is important to me as well.

Audiobooks: I also love audiobooks when the narrators are good. I think reading a book and listening to it are two very different experiences and work on different areas of the brain. Some narrators do such an amazing job (e.g. Jim Dale with the Harry Potter series, Emily Grey with the Parasol Protectorate series, Lorelei King with the Charley Davidson series) that the experience just shouldn’t be missed.

Ivana’s Reading List – stories I like.

Urban, Dark, or Contemporary Fantasy

• Aaronovitch, Ben. PC Peter Grant.
• Anthony, Piers. Incarnations of Immortality. Older series, but the first five books are great.
• Armstrong, Kelley. Women of the Otherworld.
• Bateman, Sonya. Gavyn Donatti.
• Bickle, Laura. Anya Kalinczyk.
• Birmingham, John. Dave vs. the Monsters (David Hooper).
• Bishop, Anne. The Others.
• Black, Jenna. Morgan Kingsley.
• Blackmoore, Stephen. Eric Carter.
• Braun, Amy. The Cursed Series | The Areios Brothers.
• Briggs, Patricia. Mercy Thompson | Alpha & Omega.
• Butcher, Jim. The Dresden Files.
• Caine, Rachel. Weather Warden | Outcast Season.
• Carey, Mike. Felix Castor.
• Carriger, Gail. The Parasol Protectorate.
• Charish, Kristi. The Adventures of Owl | Kincade Strange.
• Chastain, Rebecca. Madison Fox, Illuminant Enforcer | Gargoyle Guardian Chronicles.
• Drake, Jocelynn. Dark Days | Asylum Tales.
• Estep, Jennifer. Elemental Assassin.
• Del Franco, Mark. Connor Grey | Laura Blackstone.
• Garey, Terri. Nicki Styx.
• Handeland, Lori. Phoenix Chronicles.
• Harris, Charlaine. Sookie Stackhouse | Harper Connelly.
• Harrison, Kim. The Hollows.
• Hearne, Kevin. The Iron Druid Chronicles and related tales.
• Henry, Christina. The Chronicles of Alice.
• Hudson, eden. Redneck Apocalypse.
• Huff, Tanya. Victoria Nelson | Tony Foster.
• Hunter, Faith. Jane Yellowrock | Soulwood.
• Hunter, James A. Yancy Lazarus.
• Jacka, Benedict. Alex Verus.
• Jones, Darynda. Charley Davidson, particularly in audio.
• Kenner, Julie. Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom.
• Kurtz, Katherine and Harris, Deborah Turner. Adept series. Older. Probably my first intro to urban fantasy.
• McGuire, Seanan. October Daye.
• Mears, Emmie. Ayala Storme.
• Monk, Devon. Allie Beckstrom.
• Olson, Melissa F. Scarlet Bernard | Boundary Magic.
• Rice, Anne. Vampire Chronicles (first three) | The Witching Hour | The Mummy, or Ramses the Damned.
• Rowland, Diana. White Trash Zombie, particularly in audio.
• Saboviec, S.L. Fallen Redemption.
• Shearin, Lisa. SPI Files.
• Sniegoski, Thomas E. Remy Chandler.
• Stark, Jenn. Immortal Vegas.
• Stein, Jeanne. Anna Strong Chronicles.
• Tuck, James R. Deacon Chalk, Occult Bounty Hunter, particularly in audio.
• Vaughn, Carrie. Kitty Norville.
• Vincent, Rachel. Shifters | Menagerie.
• Wilks, Eileen. World of the Lupi.

Historical Fiction

• Auel, Jean M. Earth’s Children.
• Gabaldon, Diana. Outlander.
• George, Margaret. The Autobiography of Henry VIII: With Notes by His Fool, Will Somers |Mary Queen of Scotland and the Isles.
• Golden, Arthur. Memoirs of a Geisha.
• Kaye, M.M. The Far Pavilions.
• Miles, Rosalind. I, Elizabeth.
• Mitchell, Margaret. Gone With The Wind.
• Penman, Sharon Kay. Welsh Princes | Plantagenets.
• Stewart, Mary. Legacy: Arthurian Saga.
• Whyte, Jack. Camulod Chronicles.

Science Fiction

• Herbert, Frank. The Dune Chronicles, original six.
• Hughes, Alex. Mindspace Investigations.
• L’Engle, Madeline. A Wrinkle In Time Quintet.
• McCaffrey, Anne. The Tower and the Hive | Catteni.

Fantasy

• Anthony, Piers. Apprentice Adept. Older series, first three are good.
• Feist, Raymond E. The Riftwar Saga | The Empire Trilogy (with Janny Wurtz).
• Hieber, Leanna Renee. Strangely Beautiful.
• Kay, Guy Gavriel. A Song for Arbonne |Tigana.
• Lawhead, Stephen. The Pendragon Cycle.
• McCaffrey, Anne. Chronicles of Pern.
• Roberson, Jennifer. Lady of the Forest.
• Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter, particularly in audio.
• Silverberg, Robert. Lord Valentine.