Best Worst Addiction?

Lisa Marie Rice. I realize the plot is recycled, the characters are mostly the same type and the love scenes are pretty much the same in every book, yet I still read every single book. Don't know why, I'm not proud of it, but I do :)

I don't know if I'd necessarily put JR Ward into this category--I think she's a good writer--but I do know I eyeroll a lot more reading her books than others. That said, I am currently enmeshed in Lover Reborn, and wish I could stay at home all day and read.

You lured me in with the ASkars image, Megan. I'm on to you!!

...but since I'm already here. I'll do the brave thing and admit I devoured (and liked) the Twilight books. I don't think Stephenie Meyer is a strong writer, but I think she is an engaging storyteller, enough to captivate you from cover to cover. (Except for Breaking Dawn where the Jacob POV just made me want to punch someone.)

As for books I still inhale despite waning quality: Sookie Stackhouse. I will read until the final book (next one). And I devour them, even knowing they no longer measure up to the original OMG craziness and tight plots I remember from earlier novels.

Ditto Lisa Marie Rice/ Elizabeth Jennings.

For me it is Samantha James (90's bodice rippers). Her prose is so purple and her storylines are so, so retro and over the top (although they were probably fine for her times), but she is a guilty pleasure for me. When I read her, I am simultaneous rolling my eyes and at the same time holding back a squee. Oh, My Rebellious Heart...gaahhhh. So bad but so good.

I adore Laurell K. Hamilton and will buy everything she publishes right away and inhale it.

I used to be Cicely von Ziesger (sp?), the author of Gossip Girl. I read the first 8 although I cannot tell the difference between the titles or plots. I was completely addicted.

Hee hee. Love that I am the reason behind addictions. Bad addictions at that.

Sookie is a bad book crack to me too.

Julia Quinn/Maria V. Snyder. Julia Quinn I've been hooked on since her first few books, and while her latest books have been not quite to par with her first novels, I still enjoy them.

I loved Maria V. Snyder's Poison Study and got so attached to the main characters that I continued reading the rest of the series, and another spinoff series that was nowhere as good (the latter quite terrible, really) but I kept reading her latest releases no matter what.

There are some great storytellers out there who have less than Hemingway skills with written word (hows that for being diplomatic?). That's how I forgive myself for reading some of the things I do. It's the story that I love most, after all, and if you give me a great story to follow, I'll excuse you almost any writing faux pas.

Definately JR Ward is the first writer of that type that comes to my mind. Her storytelling ability is well above average. It sucks us in before we even know what hit us. Her prose isn't half bad for the most part either, but when it gets to the dialouge between the brothers in the BDB series (and the angels in the Fallen Angels series for that matter) , I honestly feel I've committed an offence against good taste. The Ghetto/Rapper/Biker lingo just doesn't fit the image of warriors who are hundreds of years old. I've banged my head trying to figure out the purpose behind it from a writer's perspective (I am not a professional writer, so this isn't as easy as it should be). All I can really assume is that this was the only device she was capable of using to get the requisite toughness across to her audience. But for me, the incongruity leaves all her work lacking. Lacking, for sure, but I've read every piece of it released thus far I believe. The form and finesse might be lacking, but the storytelling is definately addictive.

Yeah, Chelsea, I concur. Stephenie Meyer. (Though I dug being in Jacob's wolfy head.) That said, her writing in The Host was far, far "better" than her Twilight stuff, so I really have to wonder if she was dumbing things down for the YA audience.

Also, I LOVE that Twilight stuff to the point of having read them all several times, owning the Official Companion and going to see the movies on opening day, while The Host, I enjoyed and even admired, but probably won't read again.

Not really sure of what to make of that.

Right now, it's Rhyannon Byrd. Her Primal Instinct books are kinda terrible, but the local libraries have all of them so I'm only out the embrassement of checking them out. Stupid hold shelf.

The others ones? Lynn Vielh's Darkyn books- wtf? Never really did figure out how the plot worked out on some of those, but I read 'em all.

And I will totally own up to reading (owning) and loving the Twilight books. Meh.

Janet Evanovich lost me about 3 books ago. I thought I would hang in there as long as she continued the series. She got too slapstick and there wan't enough Ranger to sustain me. It kinda broke my heart to walk away. Now I'm with you bungluna on Laurell K Hamilton. I am addicted to Anita and nothing will drive me away! I refuse to read reviews because it won't do any good, I'll spend my last paycheck to get more glimpses of Jean-Claude and Nathaniel and Anita----preferably together ;-)

Christine Feehan's Dark series. I got the last one from the library, read two chapters and gave it back. The repetition was beyond a joke. What kind of dark hold does she have over her editor and publisher that she is allowed to put out a book that should be 100 pages long and is actually 200+. I'm hanging in with the other series for now.

Diana Palmer. For some reason I keep reading them despite being absolutely awful at this point. Absolutely terrible dialog and incredibly bad, logic defying situations or developments in all of her books. Sometimes I wonder how her books get past an editor. I used to love most of what she published, but the quality of her books has greatly declined over the past several years. It pains me to write that.

Lora Leigh for me. I will read any and every breed book there is for eternity even though they don't come close to her original quality. My goodness Navarro's Promise was released missing a whole chapter almost!!! Nothing great since Coyote's Mate for me...

For me it's Lora Leigh. I only started reading erotic romance in 2009, so I was really behind in all of her series. And I read most of them(excluding Breeds, no judgement) completely out of order. But as later releases came, I was so disappointed that I actually sent LL an email about the many, many, MANY inconsitencies in her novels. But still, she is like that boyfriend that all of your friends hate and you realize that you should break up with him but you just can't. I keep thinking, the next book will be better, the next book will be true to form or maybe she had a really tight deadline. For better or worse, I just can't quit her!

Most definitely the Laurell K. Hamilton/Anita Blake series. It has now gotten to beyond ridiculous! I can't keep track of all her bedmates. But I keep getting sucked into reading the next book.

What a good topic.
I have to say that it's Lora Leigh's Breeds for me too. I have to read the book as soon as it comes out but then I never go back the series until the next book is released. I just want to know what will happen!

Kresley Cole's Immortals After Dark Series! It's not so much that she is a terrible writer, but her books are like a mathematical equation. The formula is the same, the heroes are the same, the heroines are the same and completely unrelatable, but I keep reading them. It's a sickness!

Lora Leigh. Without a doubt. Her Breeds series really captivated me but the last say 4 or 5 books have left me thinking WTF - more of the same and where is this series going?! Nonetheless I must read each one as it is released. Same with her Elite Ops, Tempting Seals, Nauti Boys - more, more and more of the same hero and heroines. Meh. I have given up on them completely as much as I hate to say

Put me on the Twilight bandwagon. There is something so fascinating about that series, and it isn't the prose and it sure isn't the realism. I think it's that the heroine will make the most batshit insane of all the possible choices every single time and that makes me want to know what crazy thing she's going to do next. She's a lunatic and I... I kind of respect that.

Then there's Mercedes Lackey. She of the supremely cathartic black moment. But she does some things with her prose that drive me nuts. I just ignore the italics and the occasional awkward scene dressing and read on with her.

I vote for JR Ward. I have read all her books in the BDB and The Fallen Angels series. I agree with others that I don't think she is a bad writer (I think she's an excellent writer actually....I was impressed by her knowledge of rap music...and I liked the way the guys talked to each other....which she has since changed in her books...what they don't listen to Kanye, Jay-Z, Lil Wayne or Drake in Caldwell?) but she kind of lost me with Phury's book (actually, she was starting to lose me at Butch and Marissa's book....they were just ridiculous and don't get me started on the end to V's book....really?). Phury's book was the first book where the main characters WEREN'T (or didn't seem to be) the main focus of the book. And let's face it, that whole imaginary friend (the wizard, leprechaun or whatever the hell it was supposed to be) thing was just too stupid for words. And yet, I keep reading. I guess I just want to see how it all ends. I want to know that Z is alright (he's my favorite character). I want to know that Rhage and Mary eventually get a baby (even though she can't have any). I especially wanted to know that Tohr was going to be okay (finally got that book...it only took what 4 years?). Let's see. I also admit to being addicted to Kresley Cole. Although, I'm starting to have trouble keeping up with all the creatures in her series (and she's now coming out with that new series about Lothaire's relatives). Again, don't think she's a bad writer....but they just aren't as captivating as they used to be. I'll keep reading them though because I have to know about Nix.

For me it has been Sherrilyn Kenyon and the Dark Hunter/Dream Hunter/Wear Hunter series, and also the League. It pretty much runs the same tortured hero, cant trust, is betrayed, has to learn to love again. Repetitive, but I keep going back for more every time!!! Now the books are being released in hard back instead of paperback so the price has gone up. But is still go back!!!

Sherrilyn Kenyon for sure! Her Dark Hunter/Dream Hunter/Were Hunter world has gotten too unbelivably huge for me to keep track of. I barely remember who is who or who is what or who is with whom! Sadly, after I finished Retribution, (which CLAIMED to be a DH book, but ya coulda fooled me...) I decided to give up on the Dark Hunter world forever. I'm still into the League books though. (Even though I was disappointed that Darling wasn't really gay..sigh).
J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood and the Fallen Angels series are my addiction, and probably always will be. I will be pre-ordering Blay and Quinn's book as soon as I can, even though I hate shelling out for hardbacks. (Those greedy, evil publishers!)

Elizabeth Lowell. 9/10 of her books are amazing but occasionally a dud shows up that still fun to read! Jayne Ann Krentz as well.

Leme start off by saying I Love the Dark Hunter books but really...it does get ALOT much after awhile..ditto Twilight books.

And still I go back to following the series!! Lol

Hazell's definitely got something about Christine Feehan's evil hold on her publishers - how on earth does she continually get away with a third of her book being about an entirely made up language?? I eventually stopped buying or reading any of her books.

What about JD Robb? It's been a good run, but about 5 or 6 books back, there was a perfect opportunity to kill off Feeney (who I love) and re-introduce some proper heartache & angst & growth, but she went for the Hallmark ending instead, and I've never really been able to get over it. The end of the book where the kid is born is just so sickly sweet and just went against all the hard-edged Eve stuff that had gone before it.
I'm trying to read New York to Dallas, and just can't get into it. I don't want this to be the end of an era!!

Lisa Marie Rice, love her alpha males, she has shown that she repeats the senario in what pulls her H/H to each other but I still will buy her books. Dark Hunters.. an addiction though the books take me longer to read these days. A Dark Hunter story can take me several days to finish now. I buy all the BDB because I still do really enjoy them.

I have to say it's Lora Leigh for me. I know the inconsistancies are down right rediculous and I am even now cringing to myself at the desciption of Stygians Honor. But despite this I know I will give in and buy it the day it comes out. Sad, so sad, but true. I also read all Laurells books, though thankfully I have started just getting them from the library.

Mine is Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series. I used to just LOVE these books, but 16 was a real disappontment to me and I said I would drop the series if the next book wasn't better. 17 was even worse that 16; my major complaint being that I don't like it when the players develop character flaws that weren't there before (after 16 books, I thought I knew these guys...) Since 17 was a half-book, I decided to try one more time. 18 was a bit better than 17, but not even close to the quality of before. Seems like every book I say, "Well, I'll give Janet one more book to get back on track..." and then I buy the next book anyway.

Amanda Ashley's vampire novels. I keep buying them because so many of them are well written and carry me right along from cover to cover, but some of them lose my interest in the middle of the story and I can't go on. Some are too predictable, or it seems the lovers are just not made for one another and the whole thing falls flat. Still looking for her next great love story, I run out and buy her very next book.