Part of a screen in an Australian museum which I photographed then added the wording.

My second post about series I love and would highly recommend features stories with some kind of paranormal element. I love paranormal scenarios, fantasy and sci fi. My favourites are werewolves and perhaps my least favourite are vampires. I am not usually keen on demons or angels. This list is not exclusively mm. Clearly the paranormal is more important to my subconscious than the gender pairing. There are mf novels and even a couple that are gen, or gen for now where the series is not finished. I have indicated the type of romance in my notes. It should go without saying that the books are all LGBTQ friendly and in some cases involve minor characters in same sex relationships. For more comments about series in general please refer to my previous post. On to the recommended series:

Paranormal in some way.

Blake Allwood:

Big Bend series. mm. On the surface this explores family dynamics in a ranching area but there are some paranormal issues involving family ghosts.

Rowan Amaris and Theo Behr:

Fallen for a fae. mm. An Embrace of Citrus and Snow is the first book in this fae/human romance/adventure and so far I have only read this and the short story about the bonding/non-wedding which the authors gave away in their newsletter. However, I am eagerly looking forward to the next instalment.

KM Avery:

Beyond the Veil. mm. The premise is that an epidemic led to many people being turned into something other than human. There are shifters, psychics, ghosts, orcs and elves in prominent roles. The books follow the solutions to mysteries and crimes as well as romance for some of the investigators. An extra pleasure is the way the author deals with the topic of prejudice without ever referencing our own racism etc.

Sue Brown:

Sapphire Ranch series. mm. In this world humans are not aware of shifters who live and work among them. There are problems in shifter society and one of the main characters is a sheriff who is also a shifter.

Jenn Burke:

The Gargoyles of Arrington. mm. Three brothers have been cursed to spend centuries in gargoyle form followed by short human lives. The plot is a kind of take on the Princess and the Frog fairy tale with different results for each brother.

KJ Charles :

The Magpie Lord. mm. Witches, magical tattoos, art, policing the paranormal and some fascinating characters abound in this series set in London in Victorian times.

Si Clarke:

Starship Teapot. Varied romance. A human and their dog find themselves in space in a strange starship with even stranger companions. They have to solve problems for other planets as well as themselves, and the stories feature discussion of prejudice, non-binary sexual orientation and communication between species.

TJ Clune:

Green Creek. mm. This is another series where I have only read the first volume, Wolfsong, but I am assured that the stories, based on shifter/human interaction, just gets better.

Felicia Davin:

The Gardener’s Handbook. Varied romance. I raved about this trilogy when I first found it. The fantasy world building is excellent and the characters are unusual and interesting. Just a warning – it is hard to find because search engines keep sending you to gardening books…  

Linzi Day:

The Midlife Recorder. mf. This is a wonderful series set in Gretna Green. Niki, a widow, discovers she has inherited her family’s role as Recorder for a hub where various worlds collide. These worlds were formed when they broke away from ‘our’ history so we find a Pictish kingdom, a Celtic one, etc. Niki finds love but is also extremely busy solving the problems created by different cultures. Although Niki’s romance is mf she conducts weddings and bondings at the hub and some of the pairings are mm.

Eli Easton:

Howl at the Moon. mm. I love the basic premise of this series which is that much loved dogs can become shifters on the death of their humans. (Some people are born able to shift.) Some make their way to a town called Mad Creek in the mountains of California. Eventually the scene moves to Alaska and the problems of wild dogs there.

Joy Lynn Fielding:

Wings over Albion. mm. There are dragon shifters in England, living and working among us, and occasionally interacting with privileged humans.

Chloe Garner:

The Queen’s Chair. mf. The main books in this fantasy series follow the adventures and romance of Stasia, who arrived in the city from another country but found herself embroiled in local politics. The adventures are fascinating and also give rise to interesting discussions of philosophy, feminism, and forms of government. There are spin-off novels and short stories branching out from the main series. I was bereft when the next book was not immediately forthcoming, so went to another series by the same author, one which, although equally well written, didn’t appeal nearly as much since most of the characters were teenagers (School of Magic Survival).

Vin George:

Evergreen Council. mm. There are shifters and vampires living in England and Scotland, with all kinds of problems, romantic and otherwise.

Deborah Harkness:

The All Souls series. mf. A witch meets a vampire in a library in Oxford. The story doesn’t stay in Oxford but moves to France, America and Shakespearean London. I am not usually a fan of time travel but this is very well done.

Kaje Harper:

Hidden Wolves. mm. The author’s shifter society is fascinating and well developed. Some of the same characters appear in many of the stories which range from the days when shifters had to remain totally hidden to a point where they ‘come out’ with all the new problems that causes. I should perhaps mention that this author treats readers of her FB page and her newsletter and website to frequent flashfics which are something I look forward to on a weekly basis.

Charlie Holmberg:

Whimbrel House. mm. Magic permeates this delightful tale of adventures on an island just off the coast of north east US.

Lissa Kasey:

Simply Crafty. mm. For once I suspended my dislike of demons for this gripping series set in New Orleans. The main characters are mostly involved in running craft shops and workshops in the area.

Seanan McGuire:

October Daye. mf. This is a gorgeous series about October, a ‘changeling’ who becomes a ‘knight’ in the fae kingdom of her kin and gradually regains both her heritage and a wonderful romance. There are plenty of minor and not so minor LGBT characters too. Set in present day San Francisco plus linked fairy lands.

Xenia Melzer:

Arthropoda. mm. George and Andi are detective partners in Charleston. Gradually, George learns that Andi can hear the thoughts of all arthropods, something which contributes to their investigations but of course can’t be used in evidence. Fascinating and I really began to believe in Andi’s powers.

JL Merrow:

Plumber’s Mate. mm. Tom is not just a plumber. He can find hidden things, including dead bodies. Phil bullied him at school but now their relationship develops slowly but surely. Crime plus romance.

TJ Nichols:

Mytho Investigations. mm. Jordan is a human detective and Edra is a dragon shifter who is a kind of liaison between mythological creatures and humans since the Hadron collider actually caused their world, Tariko, to collide with ours. Wonderful world building and exploration of psychological dilemmas.

Nazri Noor:

Arcane Hearts. mm. This series is a light fun read, full of banter. The heroes live in a city that travels and is sometimes linked to our own world. The world building is excellent and there are plenty of interesting characters and situations.

CS Poe:

Snow and Winter. mm. Sebastian owns an antique shop and Calvin is a detective. They join in an effort to solve mysterious crimes. This is another series I have only just started but the writing is, as usual for this author, excellent. The magic is understated but essential to both the detection and the romance.

Jordan Castillo Price:

Psycops. mm. Victor can see ghosts. He has had various problems since he was assessed as psychic as a teenager. He joins the police and eventually works with, then builds a relationship with Jacob, a detective from another precinct. Jacob has been designated as a ‘stiff’ with zero psychic ability, but gradually the pair work out how they can reinforce each other’s abilities.

Phil Rickman:

Merrily Watkins. mf. Merrily is a CofE vicar who is chosen to be the diocesan exorcist in Herefordshire. Her cases all contain paranormal aspects but it is possible, like the police characters, to treat them as purely mundane. Merrily’s home life with her daughter Jane and her boyfriend Lol (and Jane’s boyfriend Eirion) are built up very gradually and realistically. There are some LGBT characters in the books who are sensitively presented. Sadly, the author died last year and his wife is currently working on publishing what will be the last volume though the story will inevitably continue in the hearts of devoted fans.

CT Rwizi:

Scarlet Odyssey. Varied romance. The trilogy is a blend of fantasy and sci fi, based on African cultures. The author is South African and makes excellent use of his native traditions.

Sapphire Wolf:

City Shifter Mysteries. Romance not yet known. At the start of the first book in the series Kat, a cougar shifter and a detective, is breaking up a relationship with another woman but the plot suggests a future mf romance in her future. Only just started but I know the author under another of her pen names (and in rl) so I trust her to develop the mysteries satisfactorily.

I hope you enjoyed this look at my favourites and that you’ll find something to appeal, whatever your tastes. There will be a further linked blog post about series that are not primarily about romance, plus a few more of my thoughts on the books I love. Next weekend sees the end of February and time for my winter reviews and recommendations but I think I’ll finish this set of posts first.