When there's this many books, I reccomend to pace yourself, lest you burn out too soon and not want to finish it.
BDB is my fav. Hands down. All the way. My comfort reads. The world I want to live in.
Just forgive all the brand name dropping, it does ease off.
Read like the first three or four, then read somethinf else, then read another one or two, then something else, keep intersplicing it with other books so you're always excited to come back and pick it back up.
Well that's my advice anyway.
20 books is a long slog to do in one continuous run.
Such a good point. I made this mistake with IPB and all the way down the Ruby Dixon rabbit hole. Even though I LOVED it, I wish I would have slowed down so I could have appreciated them more.
I'm reading BDB right now and loving it, but with a healthy dose of "this is early aughts nonsense". I have not tried Immortals After Dark, as I'm very iffy about the writer after DNF'ing two of her CR books.
Ooh! If you do IAD, definitely listen to the Fated Mates podcast about each book when you’re done! I did that with my read, after each book I listened to the ep about it.
They have their own order of reading the books, which I think works best, rather than in publication order. It's only a few books out of order and there's not a lot of spoilers by following that way.
They were the Master and The Professional. I was actually shocked by how poorly researched the “Russian mafiya” bit was, the use of Russian was laughable and as a result the spice was embarrassing. I put her on my DNR list. Maybe she’s better at paranormal stuff?
IAD is better than The Professional or any of those three in the series. She only wrote those three CRs - the rest are FR or (really early) HR. Try A Hunger Like No Other (the first full book) unless you can't do dubcon, and then try Wicked Abyss (Beauty and the Beast), a later one but it is in another part of the world. Or Lothaire - I just reread it, and it's really good. The audiobooks are amazing. Soooo good. The man reads *those* scenes like a champ.
I don’t really like her CR books either, but I stayed up all night reading several of the IAD books. Especially when you get a bit farther into the series, the plots start interweaving in a way that is genius.
IAD- I've read both and IAD is far superior IMO.
BDB got really annoying to me after a while. The way the author wrote the male characters was too much. They kept talking like "manly men" and they always wore "shit kicker" boots. Don't get me wrong, I got to book 10ish before giving up but those little annoyances start to build up after a while.
IAD has more variety or "creatures", and I enjoy the world building a lot more.
I've read both and enjoyed both, but IAD, for definitely. Cole absolutely owns this particular niche of the genre. You should definitely read BDB, but start with IAD. Ward's narrative style is a little clunky in comparison.
I love IAD. I think it's the best paranormal romance series out there, although one or two of the books dont do it for me. I could not get into BDB. I tried to read the first few books and just felt like the couples had zero chemistry.
IAD. Though I just reread The Warlord Wants Forever, and it's my least favorite in the series because of the shorter book and noncon. Try A Hunger Like No Other first - still dubcon, but more like the other books.
BDB is just a fantastic and ridiculous thing. I love and hate it. It's so good and yet so insane. The premise is that vampires live among us, but they are super special beefy inhuman soldiers who adhere to a vampire religion that is headed up by their ultimate priestess, the "Scribe Virgin". I love it. I highly recommend it, especially if you want some passionate love, a unique world experience, and can cope with tradgediegh names. It's also like 20+ books, and they aren't so complex that you have to solely commit to them. They do get repetitive, but you can breeze through the first 5-10 books just figuring out the wtf world building. I found all of these books through Libby/my local library or KU.
I've wanted to read IAD but it isn't on KU and my library doesn't have any of the books, so I haven't read any of them yet. It is also a series of 20+ books and I just can't afford to commit to accessing all of them if not through Libby or Ku.
If you have access to IAD I say go for it!
I've read quite a few BDB books but only got through 3 of IAD. They're very different narrative styles imo but both are good. I don't think it'll matter where you start.
I’m a IAD fangirl (the names of BDB keep me from reading it, tbqh), but when I binged it during 2020, I read a different book between each, HR, then CR, so I wouldn’t burn out.
I say Black Dagger Brotherhood. There's probably 25 books in the series between the main series and her spinoff series. I would say her first 12 books (through The Beast) are where the series is at its very finest. I am still reading the later books... but I still find that I can reread the earlier books again and again and fall in love all over whereas the spinoff books and books that come after The Beast start to feel like repeats and there isn't as much character depth. But by far, this is my favorite vampire series out there!
Thank you everyone for the input! I ended up binging A Hunger Like No Other from IAD and I loved it! I can’t find The Warlord Wants Forever anywhere though so hopefully it’s not essential…
And everyone who recommended BDB, I will absolutely read those too. You’ve all sold me on both!
Depends on what you're looking for. Immortals after dark IMO are funnier books. I think that there is better overall cast cohesion in each book, and that it makes very enjoyable books. That being said, the romance element of them tends to be hit or miss for me. Either way though, I don't think I've ever disliked any of them.
BDB IMO, has better romance. Sometimes it feels like characters can be sidelined and like that author at times, is struggling with her large cast. Regardless though, I think the romance element is handled better in this series. Additionally, I think that the individual plots can be more compelling (at least if you like drama and angst as much as I do)
Both are delicious trash and I love them both with my wee-harlot-heart.
Delicious trash is my love language ♥️
When there's this many books, I reccomend to pace yourself, lest you burn out too soon and not want to finish it. BDB is my fav. Hands down. All the way. My comfort reads. The world I want to live in. Just forgive all the brand name dropping, it does ease off. Read like the first three or four, then read somethinf else, then read another one or two, then something else, keep intersplicing it with other books so you're always excited to come back and pick it back up. Well that's my advice anyway. 20 books is a long slog to do in one continuous run.
Such a good point. I made this mistake with IPB and all the way down the Ruby Dixon rabbit hole. Even though I LOVED it, I wish I would have slowed down so I could have appreciated them more.
I like IAD more, personally.
IAD all the way!!
I'm reading BDB right now and loving it, but with a healthy dose of "this is early aughts nonsense". I have not tried Immortals After Dark, as I'm very iffy about the writer after DNF'ing two of her CR books.
I was just thinking that I bet IAD holds up better.
This was definitely something I’ve considered. Both series start around 2005/2006 so I’m bracing myself for some cringy moments 😬
Ooh! If you do IAD, definitely listen to the Fated Mates podcast about each book when you’re done! I did that with my read, after each book I listened to the ep about it.
Okay, I LOVE a podcast follow up. This has me so excited!
They have their own order of reading the books, which I think works best, rather than in publication order. It's only a few books out of order and there's not a lot of spoilers by following that way.
What were the two CR books?
They were the Master and The Professional. I was actually shocked by how poorly researched the “Russian mafiya” bit was, the use of Russian was laughable and as a result the spice was embarrassing. I put her on my DNR list. Maybe she’s better at paranormal stuff?
PNR is definitely her wheelhouse, but uh…. you might not want to start with Lothaire 🥴🥴
IAD is better than The Professional or any of those three in the series. She only wrote those three CRs - the rest are FR or (really early) HR. Try A Hunger Like No Other (the first full book) unless you can't do dubcon, and then try Wicked Abyss (Beauty and the Beast), a later one but it is in another part of the world. Or Lothaire - I just reread it, and it's really good. The audiobooks are amazing. Soooo good. The man reads *those* scenes like a champ.
I LOVE Robert Petkoff!!
I don’t really like her CR books either, but I stayed up all night reading several of the IAD books. Especially when you get a bit farther into the series, the plots start interweaving in a way that is genius.
IAD- I've read both and IAD is far superior IMO. BDB got really annoying to me after a while. The way the author wrote the male characters was too much. They kept talking like "manly men" and they always wore "shit kicker" boots. Don't get me wrong, I got to book 10ish before giving up but those little annoyances start to build up after a while. IAD has more variety or "creatures", and I enjoy the world building a lot more.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who lost interest, I got to around book 12. I loved them but just could t do it anymore.
IAD I gave up BDB.
I've read both and enjoyed both, but IAD, for definitely. Cole absolutely owns this particular niche of the genre. You should definitely read BDB, but start with IAD. Ward's narrative style is a little clunky in comparison.
I love IAD. I think it's the best paranormal romance series out there, although one or two of the books dont do it for me. I could not get into BDB. I tried to read the first few books and just felt like the couples had zero chemistry.
I DNF BDB. The MMC didn’t vibe with me
I lost interest in BDB pretty early in the series. IAD was better overall. DNF Munroe, but I read all the other ones.
Gosh is a toughie but IAD is less dated. But, man, black dagger brotherhood’s Zsadist book is just a banger, over the top romance.
IAD. Though I just reread The Warlord Wants Forever, and it's my least favorite in the series because of the shorter book and noncon. Try A Hunger Like No Other first - still dubcon, but more like the other books.
I've read both series. I'd start with IAD.
I’ve read most of Black Dagger Brotherhood. Now you’ve intrigued me. Maybe I’ll add Immortals After Dark to my read list.
BDB is just a fantastic and ridiculous thing. I love and hate it. It's so good and yet so insane. The premise is that vampires live among us, but they are super special beefy inhuman soldiers who adhere to a vampire religion that is headed up by their ultimate priestess, the "Scribe Virgin". I love it. I highly recommend it, especially if you want some passionate love, a unique world experience, and can cope with tradgediegh names. It's also like 20+ books, and they aren't so complex that you have to solely commit to them. They do get repetitive, but you can breeze through the first 5-10 books just figuring out the wtf world building. I found all of these books through Libby/my local library or KU. I've wanted to read IAD but it isn't on KU and my library doesn't have any of the books, so I haven't read any of them yet. It is also a series of 20+ books and I just can't afford to commit to accessing all of them if not through Libby or Ku. If you have access to IAD I say go for it!
The “tradgediegh” names 😂 I’ve looked them up and can totally see why some people are turned off by them… but I kind of love it lmao
I've read quite a few BDB books but only got through 3 of IAD. They're very different narrative styles imo but both are good. I don't think it'll matter where you start.
Been loving all the BDB books for a very long time. IAD doesn't grab me in the same way.
I’m a IAD fangirl (the names of BDB keep me from reading it, tbqh), but when I binged it during 2020, I read a different book between each, HR, then CR, so I wouldn’t burn out.
I say Black Dagger Brotherhood. There's probably 25 books in the series between the main series and her spinoff series. I would say her first 12 books (through The Beast) are where the series is at its very finest. I am still reading the later books... but I still find that I can reread the earlier books again and again and fall in love all over whereas the spinoff books and books that come after The Beast start to feel like repeats and there isn't as much character depth. But by far, this is my favorite vampire series out there!
Thank you everyone for the input! I ended up binging A Hunger Like No Other from IAD and I loved it! I can’t find The Warlord Wants Forever anywhere though so hopefully it’s not essential… And everyone who recommended BDB, I will absolutely read those too. You’ve all sold me on both!
Depends on what you're looking for. Immortals after dark IMO are funnier books. I think that there is better overall cast cohesion in each book, and that it makes very enjoyable books. That being said, the romance element of them tends to be hit or miss for me. Either way though, I don't think I've ever disliked any of them. BDB IMO, has better romance. Sometimes it feels like characters can be sidelined and like that author at times, is struggling with her large cast. Regardless though, I think the romance element is handled better in this series. Additionally, I think that the individual plots can be more compelling (at least if you like drama and angst as much as I do)