The slow editorial trudge continues.
Saturday:
Sunday:
Mod R is my witness, I keep cutting and cutting and somehow there are more words.
Thank you for all of the encouragement. You guys are too nice!
I received an interesting question the other day: if you could choose a comfort read among your books, what would you choose?
It’s probably Silver Shark for me. It grew out of my experiences more than any other. Don’t get me wrong, when I think about my childhood, it’s sun-filled and bright. The garden, the flowers, the River Street with the huge river flowing slowly past, the parks, the friends…
However, the older I grew, the more aware I became and the bleaker my life looked. It’s normal for teenagers to be nihilistic, but everything was truly falling apart by the time I was 14, and it only got worse from there. My adolescence is desaturated in my memories.
I had a chance to Google-drive past the house where I grew up, and it was in ruins. It really hammered home the point: that life is over. The place of my childhood exists only in my memories. It’s bittersweet, but the place where I live now is wonderful. It’s vivid, and bright, and I’m grateful for it. Yes, US has its problems, and I will complain about them as much as any American, but it’s a huge upgrade compared to the life I left behind.
Which brings me to another question:
Could we get a post sometime where folks share their favorite comfort read portions of House Andrews books?
This sounds like fun. Of everything we’ve written, what scenes or books do you go to when you need a little bit of comfort? One lucky commenter will get a signed book from our shelves.
Please don’t recommend other authors, as we will have a separate thread for that.
I reread Innkeeper. The entire series. But then when I finish that, I usually reread Hidden Legacy. Sometimes, I’ll also go back and reread Kate Daniels, but I’m rarely in so much need of comfort that I need all of KD after Innkeeper and Hidden Legacy.
The Fall of the Sahanu in Magic Triumphs. I love that moment, both because it feels like an actual triumph and because I feel like it’s when Kate fully accepts who she’ll be for the rest of her life. As Julie said in Blood Heir, “As the Heir of Shinar, I am my people’s sword and shield. If a threat arises, I will be the first and sometimes only one to respond to it. I am their atomic bomb. It is my duty to put myself between the kingdom and its enemies”.
When Kate ends the Sahanu, that’s the moment she accepts her place as the sword and shield of In-Shinar, whether or not the kingdom officially exists on a map, whether or not she rules more than her own home. And I love it for that.
I really like reading the Order meeting transcript in Blood Heir – I remember when it was posted on the blog. I cracked up reading it then, and then I crack up every time I reread it in the actual book too.
Otherwise, I do really like the scenes in Magic Stars, Derek’s POV is oddly soothing, even when he’s doing a silent brooding thing. Reading him and Julie solve a murder is a fun and calming reread for me. An outsider POV on all the things that are normally happening in the Kate Daniels verse
Of swine and roses.
(I wonder if you ever thought of going YA. Because this bud seems promising)
I love the whole Katie Daniel’s series as a whole!
But the one scene I find as my favorite is when Kate first meet Curran.
Here kitty, kitty…
He literally knocks her on her ass, but it how she handles it gives me warm feeling. Many people would be hurt or vengeful, try to show off. She knows he is powerful Beast Lord and have to deal carefully. They interact with each other, sparks fly!
I love that scene from his point of view too!
-Maggie Gajda-Chan
I love Silent Blade.
Spoilers below:
The part near the end where Meli states she’s had to live with his actions for over 10 years and he “can’t fix it with one night of reading my old thoughts.” It’s so emotionally cathartic. To know she wasn’t going to capitulate because she’s had years of dealing with the aftermath of his decisions and the emotions and repercussions attached to those decisions don’t just disappear with a simple apology. Chef’s kiss!
I also always go back to Nevada’s story in Hidden Legacy. My favorite bits from those:
In White Hot the elevator scene where Rogan asks if Cornelius is his replacement and Nevada has to tell him he’s a civilian to keep him from crushing Cornelius’s windpipe.
Also the conversation between Bug and Nevada where he asks her to stick around for a while because Rogan “has a human expression on his face” when she’s around.
The scene in Magc Breaks when Kate is stuck floating in the water with Ghastek in Mishmar was so touching . No matter how desperate the situation was becoming, she never gave up hope and she always had faith that Curran would show up and save her just because of the love they shared. It just warmed my heart. When things get bad, you need to hold on tight to hope and faith. The end may not always be good, I’ve learned, but hope and faith and love makes the bad bearable.
Silver Shark is not just my favorite HA comfort read; it’s my favorite, period. There’s nothing superfluous AND it’s full of vivid detail. It makes so much sense that this story is deeply connected to your life experience, Ilona. Thanks for sharing that.
I love all the Kinsmen stories as comfort reads. The language is just as brilliant as the Province of Dalia. With a few sentences HA reveals complex, coherent worlds and characters. Claire, Meli and Ramona are all self-possesed, experienced adults: coming back from betrayals with grace and taking no prisoners. The dialogues radiate intelligent humor. The men are worthy partners.
Claire’s words (though taken out of context!) summarize the appeal the Kinsmen universe holds for me:
“Yours is a strange culture,” Claire said. “Beautiful, vibrant, and passionate, but also savage.”
Gotta say that I just love the first Innkeeper. I can read and reread it. I love the ups and downs. I just love the whole concept of an inter dimensional tree that can be built with the mind. I can’t wait to read about Arlan overdosing on coffee. Ok, who doesn’t want a scrumptious werewolf living next door????!!!!
I enjoy Small Magics and reread it when happy thoughts are called for but the very best is “Of Swine and Roses”. I see the events in my mind as I read the story. I am always laughing out loud when she faces her family with the pig in her arms as they sit frozen in shock.
While I love all of the Innkeeper series, when Arland refers to Helen as his daughter after the fight with the always makes me melt a bit. Arland and Maud’s future relationship is still undetermined at that point, but he loves and accepts Helen regardless.
My favorite comfort read is Burn for Me, and really, the entire Hidden Legacy series. The family dynamic you have created appeals to me greatly. The way they care, support, and unite with one another is something I have missed in my life. The series has heart, action, and plot. I love it dearly and look forward to you dipping your toes into that pond again. 🙂
I reread the entire Innkeeper series each year. It is the perfect mixture of funny and heartwarming without being saccharine. Life just sucks sometimes, and these books (all IA books, really) have characters who have to do hard things or make hard choices because they cannot be avoided. I want those types of happy endings and Orro in the kitchen.
My favourite comfort read is Silver Shark. I love Claire’s journey: her determination to make the best of what is, her loyalty to her team and to the people from her mother’s building on Uley, her acceptance of her role as leader. When I love a character I can imagine their life going forward and I can see Claire as a key person both in Ven’s family and business but also in the Uley expatriate community. She earned her happy ending.
That said,the other Kinsmen stories come a close tie for second. I love the Kinsmen world for its nod to Medici families and intrigue, the action, the romance, the whole world building, the disparate skills the various characters exhibit. Wonderful! Just the thing to perk me up if I’m tired or feeling blue. Truly a comfort read. Thankyou House Andrews.
Hidden Legacy, especially Burn For Me and Wildfire. I love the Nevada/Rogan pair and am instantly in my happy place when I read their books. Ok, I love everything put out by House Andrews, but I especially connect with the HL world and N/R dynamics.
Blood Heir is another favorite. And I love re-reading it with the knowledge and perspective that we gain at the end of the book!
My comfort read is absolutely Silver Shark. I probably read it a few times a year when I’m stressed out. It’s long enough to let my mind settle, and no so long that I feel guilty about not working on the 7 million tasks in my to-do list.
I’ve loved all of the HA books for so many years now – so much great world-building and character development! They are all such a comfort read, but my comfort listen (is that a thing?) is for sure Steve West in Iron & Magic. He is now Hugh for me. I can’t re-read any book with Hugh in it without hearing his voice in my mind. And the fact that Hugh’s own book sort of came about from an April Fools joke is perfect
Innkeeper. It was the first series by you guys that I read and I found it while I was in a horribly abusive marriage. Disappearing into that world really saved me, your humor and the general goodness of your characters really made such a huge impact( and this may be weird to say, saved me). I’ve since re-read the books so many times and all your other series because there is just something in them that not only helped me escape the world for a little while but also the humor and content really make them stories that I recommend to others.
I’m in a better place now 😌 sorry for kind of making this heavy.
At some point every IA book has been a comfort read for me because there is one to fit every shade of mood I get in and there’s always something to make me laugh, and not a silent inside laugh either. Because HL was the first series I read it maybe jumps to to top of my list. I love the characters and the world. Though Blood Heir is right up there as well, I love the story and Julie/Derek, but the description of her house within the house with the stream, plants, and the amazing soaking pool… it’s so close to the imaginary house I wanted to build as a kid that it just makes me happy. Side note – not the ruined outside bit… though how fun could that be in the right situation! …I feel like I’m being cruel to all the other books because they have all been there when I’ve needed a comfort read and they haven’t gotten a mention. Yes, I do in fact have an anthropomorphizing problem. Hehe
My favorite comfort read is Iron and Magic. I love an anti-hero. I feel so much empathy for a character like Hugh, who hits rock bottom, struggles to face his demons, and then begins the difficult journey to recover and to change. There’s a scene in the beginning of chapter 14 after the battle at Aberdeen, where the soldiers are trudging towards the castle and they realize people are waiting to welcome them with lights, food, showers. Bucky is prancing and Bale jokes that he’s going to cry. There’s such warmth in that small scene. It’s my favorite “comfort read” moment.
My comfort read is specifically the scene in White Hot when Cornelius’ animals do the break in. It is so cute and never fails to boost me up.
Mauds story is my favorite and I come back to it all the time
+1
I love her story also! It’s my favorite of that series and have reread just this one several times. 🥰
Innkeeper
Clean Sweep.
BURN FOR ME is my go to comfort read. In fact, I read it about once every 1-1.5 years. And of course, once I read that, I need to finish the entire series to Catalina’s conclusion 😁
Prehaps a little odd, but it’s ‘The Edge’ series for me. It is a fairly gritty series but for some reason it feels all the more comforting for it. I really enjoy all of them.
I have enjoyed reading everything you have written. And I have read everything. A particular KD favorite of mine is Magic Burns because I love Bran, loved the way he kept stealing the map and thought he would’ve been a worthy early rival to Curran. I love the Innkeeper series, little Helen is a particular fave of mine, and I like the ways she and Maud expand this world. I also love the Hidden Legacy series. And can’t wait to see what you come up with for Arabella and Leon.
I also have greatly enjoyed Claire & Venturo in Silver Shark. She had some really touching things to overcome.
I could go on and on but I’ll stop here. Thanks so much for everything you write!
All your books are comfort read for me. When life gets tough, I escape in one of your stories. I have to say though, that I have a favorite: I do not know how often I have read Sweep of the blade by now. It’s just awesome. Thank you so much
For me? The Nevada books of the Hidden Legacy series. I love Catalina too, but, for me? Nevada’s books just hit me perfectly. I can read them over and over.
Honestly I’d have to say that your entire library is a source of comfort reading for me. I’ve read the entire hidden legacies series, Innkeeper and Kate Daniels.
When I found out about the graphic audio adaptations of your books I jumped on it and have been quickly making my way through the ones available.
And I have to say that Innkeeper would probably be my comfort series read out of all three. especially book 2, Sweep in Peace. Any and every scene with Orro is a scene stealer in my opinion and having him voiced in the graphic audio just brings me even extra joy. He definitely ties for me with Wing.
For me it’s hidden legacy for sure! Something about their family dynamic, the chaos, their love for one another and everyone living together and genuinely liking each other. There’s also something really satisfying about the way Rogan says Nevada’s name in the audiobook- it really conveys the love he feels for her
One Fell Sweep/Sweep the Blade. The first gives you the formation of Maud and Arland’s attraction and the second fleshes it out. Maud is such a bad-ass and I cannot wait for her wedding book. I also can’t wait to read how she punches her ex mother in law right in the face (that better be in the book)! After that probably Magic Stars and Blood Heir. Julie becoming a bad-ass and then Julie the bad-ass. And I think the 2nd books of the HL trilogies are fun to read where Nevada/Catalina accept their attraction and end up happy with their man. Man, the scene in Emerald Blaze where Catalina announces to the family that her backup will be Allesandro makes me laugh every time.
I go to any of the Inkeeper books when I need some self soothing. I love the family – both real and adopted – that Dina surrounds herself with.
I go to the scenes in Sweep of the Blade where Maud is calmly demonstrating extreme competence. I need comfort the most when I’m feeling incompetent and Maud always inspires me to delve deeper. I always yell “Hoorah!”when the stable master is totally flabbergasted by her riding skills.
I love rereading in Blood Heir when Saiman shows back up.
Clean sweep or silver shark!
It’s definitely the Kate Daniels series for me. Just so many great scenes, from the beginning with “here kitty kitty” to the Hugh and Kate fighting scene, and countless others.
My Ilona Andrews comfort reads:
Sweep of the Blade (Innkeeper #4)
Clean Sweep (Innkeeper #1)
I’ve reread both of them 12 times.
I like all of the Innkeeper stories. And I can’t wait to find out how the new Inn gateway plays out.
I reread all of it, a lot. But for me, my House Andrews comfort books are Sweep of the Blade and Questing Beast, for completely different reasons. No matter what’s going on in the real world, they make me smile.
For the rest, they are comfort series. If I read one, I read them all.
I would say that while I love the stories and the families in the Hidden Legacy series, and the Inkeeper series, my favorite go to books would be the Kate Daniel series. I started reading the first book, Magic Bites, and it was one of those books where I loved the story, but wasn’t sure if I liked Kate… she was kind of an a**hole at times. But I just seriously liked that broken world. I kept reading… and realized how much she really cared, how much she bled both inside and out for that world. And I love how much hope is in every book, that no matter how desperate, or horrible the evil in the world was, there were people fighting not just to survive, but to build again, and create communities again. How the same old prejudices that keep us apart are still there, but so are the commonalities that bring us all together. I read and re-read this series when I need some hope… so, quite a lot.
I actually told my therapist that your Hidden Legacy novels are my emotional support books. 😉
As for comforting passages… I enjoy the entire assembly scene, but I especially love the scene in White Hot where Nevada is in the parking lot of the assembly and she calls Connor, “Mr Rogan”, and he turns to Cornelius and says, “Oh no. We’re back to formal ground. I’m clearly out of favor.” It cracks me up every time.
I also really enjoy the scene from Burn for Me when they’re buried beneath the rubble, and Rogan is asking her questions about her family to get her mind off the fact that they are buried under all the rubble.
Oh I LURVE the under the rubble scene! It’s so bonding and dealing with crisis, and so sexy! Perfection on a page!
Sweep of the Blade
Innkeeper has always been a go to for me. Yes family is important but the protagonist is so very balanced emotionally and I fan girl for Sci-fi and this very sci-fi lite but for House Andrews I love it.
Lately I just get overwhelmed often. My life got real shortly after my first kids were born 6 years ago. Being a parent is often lonely and unappreciated. Maude had to really let go some of her guilt and endure to keep her daughter alive. I need that redemption/ resurrection in my life. plus the humor is there and my one daughter’s name is Helen. I have biracial children which is sort of like bi/species for Maude. and the guy who voices Arland has the yummiest English accent. There are so many relatable moments in there for me. It really helps me through tough times .
Blood Heir is my fav comfort read. The world building is expanded and has so many possibilities but Aurelia is very relatable for me in the way she makes choices
There are quite a few of IA works which are comfort reads for me but if I had to choose I’d say Curran’s POVs. They always make me laugh out loud.
I take comfort in the family dinamycs in Hidden Legacy, so I can’t pinpoint one particular scene. But Nevada coming home to her sisters arguing stands out. All their problems are forgotten when one of them needs help. “The baby’s hurt!” Love it. Grandma listening without judging to all their grandkids. The girls working together to get Nevada ready for her date.
But sometimes I need to know that even if I’ve had a horrible day I can keep going on my own, and then I turn to Silver Shark and Silent Blade, because those women saw their lives ruined and kept going and found happiness.
I love reading and rereading Hugh’s return in Magic Triumphs. “I have come to help you with your dragon problem” all the way till the end of next chapter where he has breakfast with Lennarts and the multiple interruptions.
Wow, mine varies. It’s been Catalina’s set of the Hidden Legacy books, but I do a phase for the Nevada ones, and some for the Innkeeper. While ai have re-read some of the Kate books, I don’t use them as comfort reads.
When I need a short and sweet comfort read, for some reason Of Swine and Roses has always been one of my go-to’s. Something about it just lifts my mood every time. 🙂 And I love imagining how their story continues.
My other comfort reads of yours are the kinsman books, especially Silver Shark. Her resilience and healing are beautiful.
I love Kate Daniels, but I definitely wouldn’t call her books comfort reads haha.
But whether it’s comfort or humor or catharsis or drama or just good entertainment, I get something I need from every one of your books. I love the worlds you build and the characters and relationships you create and develop. Thank you both so much for writing!! ❤️
Blood Heir is my comfort read, because it references characters I love from other series, but features Julie and Derek’s story–a story I always wanted.
I also reread Silent Blade often because I love the main character’s story arc.
Hey, from Bartlesville, OK my favorite comfort read is Sweep of the Blade. I love Maud Demille’s story. I have found comfort when the days seem to long and my mind is racing with things I need to do. I can lay in my Lazy Boy with my dogs on my lap. I have three dogs, two Shih Tzu and my best girl Sky ( a mutt )who’s the smartest of the bunch and the queen. The boys know who the second boss. I have found great peace in the storyline. Maud doesn’t quit and she’s a great example. I love listening to this story. Thank you for an excellent book.
Pretty late reply but it’s Magic Bites for me too! I start a re-read/re-listen every other year or so, especially when things are in turmoil and I need something familiar. Kate being kickass feels familiar and encouraging – like listening to “Eye of the Tiger” or “Hit me with your best shot” on repeat when I need to pick myself up. That said, restarting any of your series is a go-to comfort for me – Hidden Legacy, Innkeeper, On the Edge. There’s an undertone of warmth in all of them.
Silent Blade, specifically the part where he has read her old notes.
I love Maud’s story Sweep of the Blade
Sweep of the Blade — which is exactly the book I read when I want to detach from the “actual world.” Maud helps me believe that there can be a place where you are a desperado (the desert world), or maybe unloved and unappreciated (her ex husband’s planet and family), and then another world where you are valued and loved. . . Go Maud! I love the family that is emerging in this book. Hope to see their adventures continue — you did kinda leave us hanging with that ending. . . Again, like so many here,all your books are a gateway to a different world. Thanks for your writing and imagination.
If we’re talking specific to the Ilona + Andrews sphere, then it has to be Magic Bleeds. I love Erra’s character; there are also a lot of forward steps in this book that I absolutely adore! (but also, noooo, weredingo!!!!! x_x)
Sorry I’m having a morning and missed that it was just for yall’s books.
My comfort read choice bubbles down to two books, I always come back ton the first two books from the Kate Daniels series. Must have read them 5 times already (mind you, I almost never reread something); they somehow do the trick for me. The Kate Daniels series is also my all time favorite of all the urban fantasy/post apocalyptic series I ever read. You guys did such a terrific job creating that universe, the plot, the characters, their development throughout the interesting stories…. I just love it. I come from Romania so I have all the Kate Daniels books bought on my kindle but no hardcover copies. Those would have been very complicated and expensive for me to get. Hope you have a brilliant rest of your weekend and a lovely week following that.
Many hugs and thanks,
Ioana
My go to comfort read from House ANDREWS was always the burn for me – the scenes with Nevada and her family, strange wacky family but one that worked and was united. They always ended up backing each other up and comforting each other through the awful and challenge that life brings. Loved that. There was some of that in other series…later in the KD series as she built her menagerie of misfits and then a really close family – post glorious resurrection parts, very feel good … family.
I go with Hidden Legacy-Nevada for a comfort read. I love the big family that sticks together always, Grandma Frieda and her charm and comedic relief, all the times Nevada surprises Rogan. It’s just so warm feeling. So much love there.
I love all of your books but I reread hidden legacy for comfort and Kate Daniels for empowering myself. Thankyou for writing them.
I can’t pick just one. I have read and reread all the books so many times I can anticipate the dialogs.
Like everyone else I go back to everything and constantly read, listen to the audio book or graphicaudio for all of these books. I didn’t see these items mentioned above (but didn’t read them all) so I wanted to share them:
– Dina and Maud’s parents meeting. I’d love if that was extended to show the freeing of Gerard.
– Curran and Rogan’s point of view. I’m loving this on Kate’s graphicaudio.
– A while ago you shared snippets of things started and abandoned and the one that I still think about is the one where the guy is stalking the girl buying dog food and ends up having to help her instead of killing her.
Thank you for writing.
all the innkeeper books are comfort reads for me. I want to be an innkeeper when I grow up!
Magic Claims is my favorite re-read. It’s perfect and it’s my cozy comfort book.
My comfort read has been the InnKeeper series. Specifically ‘One Fell Sweep’ It can be so sad but when the Hiru get their new home world it’s such a beautiful moment it always makes me cry happy tears. Helen makes it a perfect book.
I also love the scene in ‘Sweep In Peace’ where all their memories are shared. Reading it I didn’t think it could be more moving but the graphic audio version blew me away. Your story telling brings your characters to life.
Silent Blade. I know I’m late, but I don’t care. It’s exquisitely written and fills my heart whenever I read it.
When life was rough and I needed a moment, or when I wanted to quietly celebrate a win, I would go to a local sushi restaurant and read Magic Rises. Starting with the fight scene between Kate and Hugh, after they make their bet. There is a line where Kate says she lets herself off the chain and the feeling of just being yourself is beautiful.
The restaurant didn’t survive Covid. So now I make sushi rolls at home and revisit that scene. The sense of peace you can get being anonymous in a busy restaurant is gone, but the memory still brings me joy.
Hmmm, usually I will go to Dina and Sean for comfort. I love KD and HL so freaking much and reread/relisten to them on a pretty regular basis but Innkeeper is like a balm to my emotions. I’m not sure I could pick a favorite book but I can say that sometimes I need my emotional support Innkeepers 😂
I like to read the short stories in Small Magics. It’s very rare when all of the short stories in a collection hit a home run.
For a bit of comfort I go to Fated Blades – especially the dance scenes fire up my imagination. For shorter time frames I like to re-read the short story with the swine or the one with Grace in Small Magics. There are other scenes in KD or the Andrea novellas or Maude or Hidden Legacy… so many to choose from…
I need another innkeeper book! Please!
Late to the comment-party, but I still feel compelled to represent my most warm-and-cuddly favorite re-read. Partly because I was just thinking this morning of digging through my stacks to do so again (thanks to Christmas chaos and apocalyptic election warnings…)
So please add me to the Hidden Legacy subsection of the Horde (though I applied for dual citizenship with KD World immediately upon travelling there, HL will always have the edge on “home). There’s something special about Nevada and Rogan and how they develop, but even more, about the family. If I could move to an IA world, that would be it.
Blood heir. One particular scene when Derek reveals that he’d known it was Julie all along and they hash it out. Oh the potential of that scene. I have read it so many times and just love it. It literally puts a smile on my face everytime I read it.
Magic Strikes… there’s just something about the 3rd book in a series that makes me happy
I love of swine and roses! It’s my favorite comfort read.
Iron & Magic is my comfort read.