We have another Moment post for you in the works, but we are waiting on a couple of people to send their stories in. Luckily, Mod R prepared this quiz prior to taking leave. Yes, Mod R managed to work while on vacation. People sometimes ask why we lock comments on weekend posts. This is why.
From Mod R:
With the release of This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me just three months away now (yay!), something very exciting is about to happen.
New readers will find their way here.
I know the BDH will be its usual wonderful self: helpful, enthusiastic, generous with knowledge, and more than ready to recommend favorite scenes and characters, anoint new members to the Metal Rose crew, share info on best harness practice for ferrets and highest quality cask-aged coffee for vampires in distress.
But stepping into a long-established community can feel a little intimidating at first, no matter the welcome.
In order to help the new Hordlings (baby Hordkins?) settle in, I thought we could create a quiz that answer the age-old question: “Which Ilona Andrews series should I start with?” For that, I need your help and feedback.
Below is the first draft of the quiz, The goal here is balance. It needs to be accurate enough to point new readers in the right direction, engaging enough to be fun rather than homework, and simple enough not to overwhelm someone who’s just discovered House Andrews and is staring down a very impressive backlog. For that reason, it can only focus on the main series and has to avoid too much deep lore, inside jokes, or Horde shorthand.
Please comment with your thoughts and suggestions and I will read all of them when I’m back from hols:
- Did this quiz point you toward your favorite series, or the one you’d recommend someone start with?
- Was it engaging enough? What would you change?
- If you were a brand-new Hordlet (curious, excited, and maybe a little overwhelmed), would this feel like a helpful place to start?
Thank you all! Please remember if you’re getting this in the newsletter email that the plugin doesn’t work for that purpose, and you’ll have to click here to come to the blog page and take the quiz.
Sent me to the series I recommend my friends as a good House Andrews starting point! Thanks for making this quiz and thinking of the poor overwhelmed forthcoming horde members. There’s a lot to take in!
Fascinatingly, it sent me to InnKeeper, which is one of the 2 series of yours I’ve never managed to get into. Clearly, I should 🙂
I would say the questions/answers are really deep and might be a bit overwhelming for a new reader.
Sent me to Kate. I would probably recommend anyone new to start there.
Although…… I could have picked a different answer to several of the questions on another day. (Great job on them)!!
+1 I agree with what you said, Diana!
I agree, Kate is always my #1 pick!!!!!
+1 here too! I’m actually listening to Magic Binds so that could have influenced my answers 😁
Sent me to Hidden Legacy, which is one of my favourite series and for a hording probably more accessible than Kate.
But I also love Kate, so that is just a mood thing.
Interestingly, not that my opinion will shape much but my two favourite stories are Silver Shark and Sweep of the Blade. More please 🥹
I agree Amanda described answers should be less detailed ex: Family a strong presence.
I got sent to Kate. This is the one I was thinking about for a first time reader. For a couple reasons. It was the first Series of yours that I read , and it made me love your books. Also the series is complete and they are able to enjoy the complete story Arc. Waiting on books to come out is sometimes hard and it puts me in mind of Robert Jordon’s “Wheel of Time” which took over 20 years to come out. I loved the story, but that is tuff waiting so long.
+1
I have read Clean Sweep only once, but One Fell Sweep and Sweep of the Blade are two of my top IA stories which I read over and over in times I need comfort.
sweep of the blade is my go-to comfort read too.
took me to my favorite series so that was good. thought all the questions/choices were good except the pacing (?) question was confusing
I agree that the questions need to be simpler and more direct about kinds of story elements a person is interested in.
Under romance, there needs to be an option, “romance is not important to me.” The way it is currently written, it sounds like all the books are primarily romances.
The quiz recommended Innkeeper, which I would agree is a good place to start. However, I disagree with the description of the series including elements and characters from multiple books. I think it should be a more basic overview.
seconded!
for the ‘is there a place for romance?’ question, the only options were romance, intense romance, meaningful romance, slow burn romance, or romance at the center of all.
but some of us don’t want romance to be the main focus, and there should an option for that. there really needs to be an answer choice of “romance is not important to me” or something similar. i would never have picked up the first kate daniels book if it hadn’t been shelved in the fantasy section of the library. i don’t go browsing in the romance section. if i hadn’t started with kate daniels and gotten sucked in so wholly and completely, i wouldn’t have read any of their other books.
Agreed, I also wouldn’t have picked up the books if they’d been shelved with romance instead of fantasy.
When someone asks me about romance level, I’m happy for there to be a romantic relationship but I’d rather know where it falls on the range between “emotional intimacy, clothes stay on and I could comfortably recommend it to my gran and/or a young adult” and “OMG TMI *covers eyes and shuts bedroom door firmly*”.
Did this quiz point you toward your favorite series, or the one you’d recommend someone start with?
Yes and No, the IA backlog is diverse so I tend to try and tailor my recommendations but if I don’t know the person I say KD as it has something for everyone.
Was it engaging enough?
It is engaging and a little quirky which we are so it gives you a taste of the fandom. The questions aren’t simple but they are thought provoking. I agree with an earlier comment you should give a very little romance option but I disagree with changing the number of questions too much. 10-12 is a good number anymore feels like a test and any less feels to short in my opinion.
What would you change?
If you were a brand-new Hordlet (curious, excited, and maybe a little overwhelmed), would this feel like a helpful place to start
Oddly enough I have been following a booktok gal who gives cozy recs and I think, something about cozy factor might be good. She defines that by triggers. IA books can be triggering especially in KD but over arching they have hope all the hope which makes it soothing. A lot of the recommendations now days are high on intensity and low on what I call palette cleansing. Sometimes a filling appetizer, with likable characters all around is better than the full multi course dinner with strangers. Wow sorry it’s early here that might not make sense but I can’t get the right words out pre coffee.
Lol! Or recommend to my 20 something son. He called “The Forth Wing” a horny novel! 😂
i wanted to clarify that i have read ALL ilona andrews books that are out, and they were all good! some i enjoyed more than others.
but if your aim is to direct brand spanking new readers to the best series FOR THEM, labeling ALL the books as romance can be off-putting for those of us less interested in romance and more interested in fantasy and scifi.
So very true. HA has brought me to the point where I’m willing to try some books labeled as romance, but prior to The Edge I had basically given up on the romance genre. There’s probably a subset of us out there. Don’t scare them off.
It sent me to Kate and that is still my favorite series. I didn’t realize fans recommend starting with book 3 and I’m curious as to why. I loved the first book.
I adore the Innkeeper series
I got KD series which is definitely where I would send a first time reader who has similar interests to me
I got Kate!! Woohoo! My first, and favorite, series of Ilona’s!
The quiz sent me to Kate, which honestly is where I’d suggest a newbie to start. You get a really solid feel for the Ilona Andrews style and if you like it you’ll honestly like most, if not all, of the rest. I started with Kate. Hidden Legacy wormed it’s way into my absolute favorite happy place, but that’s how it goes with House Andrews sometimes.
My favorite part is that there is something for everyone and it really steers you toward where you are in the moment when you take the quiz. Also, I need to calm down and take better care of myself LMAO.
Questions that lead to Inn Keeper seem good. They fit the world well 🙂
Did this quiz point you toward your favorite series, or the one you’d recommend someone start with?
Yes.
Was it engaging enough? What would you change?
I would a little more lighthearted questions too.
If you were a brand-new Hordlet (curious, excited, and maybe a little overwhelmed), would this feel like a helpful place to start?
Maybe. It’s a bit intense.
Excited for the new book!
I agree. The options themselves are a bit much (long). It’s okay for those of us who are invested, but as a starting place…
Agree about it being a bit too long. Also, I’d suggest an ‘I don’t mind’ option on the questions. Maybe new readers will care deeply about whether the main character keeps calm or has dark humour when it gets stressful, but not mind what kind of family they have. Or vice versa. The ability to skip a question might make the whole thing a bit lighter.
100% agree on the “I don’t mind” or “no strong opinion” as an option. I actually DNF’d the quiz because I was trying to take it like a person who hadn’t read the different series and hit too many questions that I didn’t have a strong opinion about (like the family question… I never think of the family dynamics when trying to pick a book).
+1
I agree with this as well. if it’s possible to have less questions it might be better for somebody brand new. if I wasn’t familiar with your work, I think after five questions I may stop taking the quiz.
It sent me the Hidden Legacy which which is probably my favorite
And makes sense, given the responses I gave.
I thought it was going to send me to The Inn Keeper series but it was a long quiz and I could tell some of my later responses would contradict the Inn Keeper. It said I should start with the Kate series. I do love them all! If you want family/magic/ romance go for Hidden Legacy. if you want to curl up with a cozy story of fantastical power and wondrous places that’s the Inn Keeper. If you want a kick butt protagonist with a total reimagining of the vampire/wolf related stories of old then the Kate series is it!! That’s just the three main series….
It pointed me to the Innkeeper Series. It is indeed one of my favorites (probably my favorite?), though it might not be the best for new readers?
Or at least, I think it’s better when you can spot and delight in all the little references, cameos,characters and stuff from the Edge (and other series? I don’t remember, it’s very late, don’t devour me)
Same. It is definitely the most cozy, but half the fun is in the Easter eggs. So while the quiz definitely pointed me where I expected to go, I am not convinced it is the best place to start… But that’s me.
Also, I agree with other posters above that the quiz goes very deep and can feel a bit much. Maybe leave out some questions?
I started with Innkeeper and loved it!
Innkeeper was my starter series. I’m also listening to it now 🤣
I think the quiz seems likely to steer a newbie as I might. It’s all good, how could they go wrong?
before taking the survey, I thought to myself that Innkeeper was the best intro to House Andrews. That’s where my answers led me. I love, love the Kate Daniels world and characters but it takes more time and books to learn the world and really get into it. Nice work Mod R!
It did not point to my favorite series, but yes to one I would recommend people start with (Innkeeper). I felt like there were too many answers in several questions – that people won’t read the lower choices because the answers are so long and so many that they are more likely to just pick a higher up one once they find something that’s close-ish.
I do think it is a good fun thing to have.
I always love your Quizzes ModR but I think this one may need to be simplified or make the main pointers clearer. It’d take Slide 3 out and maybe even 7.
Being on Reddit’s r/fantasyromance and forever recommending Ilona Andrews the main pointers I use are: how much romance vs plot & spice level; how long a series; follow one main couple or several (The Edge); amd cozy to gritty meter. Also what type of fantasy world: everyone knows, it’s a secret, or full-on fantasy magic world (This Kingdom).
Oops, meant to post this as it’s own thing not as a reply to another comment.
It pointed me towards Hidden Legacy which is my happy place in book form.
The questions are a bit intense though even though I thought I might know which led in each direction.
This 100 percent
It gave me the Innkeeper series. It’s my second favorite series. The best are the series about the Baylors, Hidden legacy, and I long for more reads in that world.
I got The Edge, not a favorite of mine. I’ve only read the first book as the setting is a bit dark for my taste and I prefer urban fantasy. HL and Innkeeper would have been the right choices for me.
9 questions is a lot. I’d say 3-5 would be better for someone new. Short and simple just to get to the recommendation.
I think the longer the better. These questions bring out nuances to the books I may not have realized before.
I got The Edge, and I’m happy enough there. The Innkeeper is my go to comfort read and was my stumble upon Ilona Andrews gateway series. I read The Edge later, and much later still realized I read them in the wrong order and corrected that much to my delightful. You can have one without the other, and The Edge is dark, but oh my, getting the backstory on those crossover characters makes reading The Edge immediately followed by The Innkeeper well worth it.
Katharina, Don’t stop with just the first book of the Edge series. All the rest of the series is so good! William’s story is next level good and ties into the rest of the series characters. I think you will be shocked at how good the rest of the series is compared to the first book.
It was fun….maybe a little long 8 vs 10 questions maybe? I can never decide which one to recommend. I think the romance factor is a big one – is it a romance or a story with some romance- the romance factor is usually the “off putting” factor for a lot of my friends (but not me!)….and I understand TKWNKM is more adventure than romance….so as the horde we should think more of pushing Kate and Dina…..
That’s a really interesting point (regarding This Kingdom being more adventure than romance). Maybe a question that asks how much romance the reader enjoys having in their books?
In enjoyed the questions and it lead me to my comfort read – Innkeeper.
I agree that having a question related to favorite aspect of TKWNKM might give people better recs.
I was in a cozy mood and I got Innkeeper, which is absolutely an awesome series to start off with. I actually started reading the Edge books first because the library doesn’t have book 1 of KD.
I started with Kate Daniels, but my favorite series is Hidden Legacy. But my comfort series that got me through Law School was Innkeeper Chronicles. And Innkeeper Chronicles was where I started going I will read anything these authors write.
The quiz gave me Innkeeper, which I think is a good answer. If I were a new reader coming to Ilona, I would recommend innkeeper or Hidden legacy to myself as my own starting point. It asked some questions that I don’t really care about per se and wasn’t sure how to answer, but I think other readers might.
I think having a quiz like this is a great idea, and I think you did a really good job. I think readers looking for a place to start will find the quiz really helpful.
This was exactly my experience. I started with, love, and occasionally reread all of Kate Daniels, but my comfort place is Innkeeper, and that’s where it sent me. It’s also what I would recommend to a newcomer. The quiz is a little long, though – if you could get it down to 7 questions it might be more helpful.
As far as my tastes go, the quiz was spot-on!
Did this quiz point you toward your favorite series, or the one you’d recommend someone start with? I knew by the end based on my answers it would give me Innkeeper Chronicles (which it did) and one I do recommend as a starting place. It’s not my favorite series by house Andrews but one that’s easier to get into in my opinion.
Was it engaging enough? What would you change? It was a cute mix of questions that leaned more towards what are you liking to read now which accomplishes the goal and I think is clever. It could have asked what have you liked to read most ever and I would have probably given answers that ended up giving me my favorite series instead of what the quiz was actually looking for.
If you were a brand-new Hordlet (curious, excited, and maybe a little overwhelmed), would this feel like a helpful place to start? I do, though it didn’t hurt that my final answer was the series most often recommended as the starter place for new fans.
Loved the quiz.
Was pointed to Innkeeper, which is a great series but I would agree that it might not be the best starting point.
Couldn’t say which one is my actual favourite, but I’m fairly sure that my current craving for everything comforting explains the result.
I would think with the high cortisol reality a lot of people will lean towards the comfort answers.
I like it! It took me to my favorite series that introduced me to the authors long ago. OK, so they’re weren’t so many options back then but the series made me a die hard fan of every bit of writing to emerge in the public domain from them since, up to and including every blog post.
The quiz took me right where I expected–Kate–which is also where I would recommend someone start. I agree with a previous comment that the quiz was a bit intense. When you have so many answer options AND each option is a bit wordy, it might be overwhelming to certain readers.
I got the world of Kate Daniels. This is my go to series whenever I need a place to escape to. I did have to think through some of the choices, only because I wasn’t sure what I really wanted. I think the quiz is good. People will find a place they like.
Huh. It sent me to the series I *don’t* tend to re-read. While I love the Kate Daniels series I re-read the books selectively, not as a series, and haven’t read them all through in order since the first read through. When I re-read all the rest of the series (except the edge) I tend to start at the first book and happily read through to the end.
So, either I answered the questions a bit differently than was expected or perhaps I should take the suggestion and go start over from the beginning.
Yup, worked for me. Pointed me towards the Innkeeper series, which are my comfort reads. I think it’s a good place to start with House Andrews!
I started with Kate Daniels and it pointed me there. It worked well for me although I can’t play favorites with your series!
One of my all-time favorites when get frustrated with real world. Kate Daniels!
Fun! Not sure how accurate it is. Might be tough with me because I love all the series so much. Maybe you could let people pick more than 1 of the options? Sometimes it was tough to pick. Also for the “how do you feel about grey characters”, seems like there should be a “love them!” option? Thank you!!!
Sent me to Kate…which is where I actually started my journey with House Andrews. I had a two week vacation that fell through due to the Plague and thought I’d try the first book. I had two weeks free, a cozy comfy home, and a 9 book arc (plus the side stories with Andrea and Dali) to just wallow in and shut out the world. BEST VACATION IN YEARS! After that, I wanted more HA. I was hooked & devoured!!! Ahhahahahaha!
It gave me the Series I started with, which is fine. I recommend IA works depending on the tastes of my friends.
I found some answers too “on the nose” of specific series while others seemed to overlap making choice difficult. As a fan, I enjoyed the quiz, though.
Cool quiz. I had started with Kate Daniel’s, then Edge and plunged on. Ilona Andrews writing style, characters, world building and story intrigue (great historical info, villains to semi hero’s, life slaps you, but you figure a way back) makes me love each new story. Plus, I see the growth and great nuances IA has gained in each new story. The Hordets will be amazed
it worked! results were my fave series Innkeeper. Mod R is magical when it comes to a quiz
Did this quiz point you toward your favorite series, or the one you’d recommend someone start with?
No, it pointed me towards Kate Daniels and I usually recommend people start with the Innkeeper series.
Was it engaging enough? What would you change?
I’d make it shorter.
If you were a brand-new Hordlet (curious, excited, and maybe a little overwhelmed), would this feel like a helpful place to start?
Yes, but I think it should be a little bit shorter. 🙂
It sent me to the series I recommend to start, overall a good quiz!!
I got Hidden Legacy and that’s my favorite! Very happy with the quiz. I wish it listed what I got second and third though, and by how much.
The question about browser tabs made me wonder how it relates. I chose the one saying I had like 170 but real talk: I have exactly 1,549 tabs open on my laptop. I just checked. They are aggressively organized into 14 subjects. Probably I should close some. Shrug emoji.
I think a quiz like this is a fun and helpful way to jump into your backlist. Great idea!
I tried to answer to get Kate Daniels, and I got Kate Daniels. That makes me think that directory works. (Although in some of the questions I wasn’t sure which would lead me to Kate).
I would have been happy with a couple less questions.
Also I’m always sad to see the recommendation to skip Kate 1/2. I love them all, and it help builds to the relationship dynamic we see in 3.
Thanks Mod R! I agree re the intensity.
I answered in ways that (I think) pointed to different series (I love them all) and ended up with Innkeeper …
That fits. I have read Hidden Legacies many times, and hope for another one.
The quiz sent me too Kate Daniels, but I always start people with Inn Keeper or Hidden Legacy. I use Kate as the added benefit of “If you like the Authors, they have another much longer series”
Nine questions seemed long.
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year! Thank you for all the great words!
it led me directly to Innkeeper which is my forever favorite <3
Love the quiz, but also agree with what was said before. For someone new, the questions might be to long and to intense. For a dedicated addict like me, it was just right and promptly got me my favourite series (though I love all of them).
So, Kate is my favorite series but it led me to Inn Keeper. However Inn Keeper is honestly the type of book I’m usually drawn to. My Love for the kick a$$ and take names Kate is a fluke. I think it’s because usually when someone tries to make a strong woman character, they make her cold and hard, and seemingly uncaring. Kate isn’t like that she cares and she tries to do what is best for those she loves.
Did this quiz point you toward your favorite series, or the one you’d recommend someone start with?
Not usually, no. I almost always suggest Kate Daniels or Hidden Legacies first depending on the type of book the person wants. However, as I was answering, I knew I was about to get Inkeepers — which I love, but it’s not what I usually recommend. you are going to inspire a re-read though.
Was it engaging enough? What would you change?
Very engaging. Maybe add something about the types of books we usually read (or shows we usually watch). If I’m recommending to a Sanderson fan, I’m giving them KD. Patricia Briggs? KD or HL. If I’m recommending to a Howls Moving Castle or heavy manga fan, I’d give them Inkeeper’s. Etc. ((I work at a library, so I often use questions like this to recommend books to people that I don’t know)).
If you were a brand-new Hordlet (curious, excited, and maybe a little overwhelmed), would this feel like a helpful place to start?
I would. Yes. If I was invested in starting a new author but didn’t know where? I’d use this. If I read the blurb and didn’t feel it, I’d retake it. So, maybe a link for “Not quite feeling this? Try again!”
I’m tempted to give this to my friend who keeps saying she’s going to poke your books. I sent her the post about Sanctuary, and she was massively intrigued.
I got The Edge which is the series where I discovered Ilona Andrews and BDH.
Yes, the quiz got me to my favorite series. Hooray! There were two personal questions at the end, which I didn’t want to answer. So think about reframing them.
I got Kate, and that was the first one I ready, too. okay, maybe because of Hidden Legacy and Innkeeper weren’t written then 😄 But Kate got me absolutely hooked for the writings of House Andrews, so it fits.
the first one I read, thank you, mobile….
It pointed me to my favourite series (Kate) but not the one I usually recommend (Legacy or InnKeeper)
It was engaging and fun to do.
And yes, if I was new this would be an extremely helpful starting point
1 – no, my favourite series is Innkeeper, followed by Hidden Legacy. It got me Kate Daniels.
2. Yes, but what is it with the browser tabs? It’s a little long, so maybe fewer questions?
3. Maybe. But honestly, Kate Daniels is not my recommendation to start…
It recommended one of my favorites! Was it my first? No, but I don’t think the series had yet been written. 😉
My first series was Kate way back when, and the quiz confirmed that. So I guess it works? Thank you Mod R. We are ready to welcome the incoming flood of Hordelings! The more the merrier, always.
It also sent me to Inkeeper which I think is a good starting series. I like the Quiz, it was the right length.
It sent me to inn keeper. My favorite series and the one id recommend.
Well. It works! That took me to my favorite series and I was careful to be honest with each answer.
Sent me to the series that started it all for me – Kate’s world.
I found the quiz to be well done. The selectable answers read a bit “intense” but would recommend the quiz to newbies I know who’ve heard me wax poetic about all things “Ilona Andrews”
The quiz suggested the Edge series, which is one I haven’t been able to get into yet. It’s on my TBR pile just waiting for the right mood to strike me. Currently I’m doing a lot of rereading due to a stressful situation at work. I really need my comfort series (both book & TV) at the moment. When I’m recommending IA books to others, I pay attention to their genre preferences. Sci-fi: Innkeeper or Kinsman. Romance: Hidden Legacy. Fantasy: Kate Daniel’s or Innkeeper. The first IA book I ever read was Burn for Me, and I read a good chunk of the IA backlog while waiting for the next book.
It did not point me toward my favorite series (Kate), but instead to the one that was appropriate for my answers (Innkeeper). I’m in a place where I need more cozy and less drama in my books, so IMO the quiz worked perfectly.
I am surprised at all the responses that say it should be shorter. We’re readers, we … read. Right? Clearly I didn’t find the quiz to be too much, lol. +1 to the suggestion to add a “which of these authors is your favorite” question, if possible.
Definitely helpful for a brand new fan; I think this is awesome!
Yeah! I did not expect all the I don’t want to think about it feedback. Or the lack of attention, asking for questions and answers that are already there.
While the quiz sent me to Kate Daniels there are times when I prefer to reread the Inn Keeper series, but I start with the Edge series before the Inn Keeper because we learn just who George and Jack are before they became Arbitrators.
Kinsmen series
I was thinking in terms of new to HA and could figure out which might steer one to each series. I’m Kate, Curran and Conan fan however for newer reader, those are loads of books, side books and so on. My next favorite reread are Kinsmen 😎
Thank you for the quiz.
I got Kate Daniels, but I don’t know if I would recommend it as a starting point, because there is so much lore and plotlines – and, well, so many books it might seem intimidating. For an urban fantasy fan who loves long (finished!) series and badass characters, though, it’d be great – and I deliberately chose answers that would point there, so the quiz did well in that respect!
For the record, my first was actually On the edge, which I loved because of the family dynamics and the fascinating world (but read the rest of the series much later because they were centered on different characters).
it pointed me to Kate Daniels, which makes complete and utter sense to me right now. good job as always mod R. Hope your time off is filled with all good things 🙂
I got Kate Daniel series which is my favorite bur not the one I usually recommend. though I have never done the suggested recommendations of starting with Book 3. maybe for my 1000x reread i will try that and see if that changes. I usually recommend Hidden Legacy as the world is easy to follow, lots of action and a slow burn for romance similar to KD.
It works!
This pointed me to the right series…the one I recommend most often to newbies. This could work for someone looking for a new author to dig into.
I was shooting for HL and got The Edge. Some of the answers are very similar, which leads me to believe fewer answers with weighted values (8 pts 1 series / 4 points a different one) would be better, but that makes the “behind the curtain” more complicated.
Would I recommend The Edge as a starter? This one is interesting because even though The Edge is shelved with Sci-fi/Fantasy, it feels more “romance.”
Burn For Me is shelved with “romance” yet to me it feels like it was written to be urban fantasy adventure then edited to fit in with other romance titles.
Both series have a strong “survival” tone. One is from the shit storm that is everyday existence, the other from deep conspiracies that seek to overthrow a careful balance (that isn’t perfect, mind you, but it’s what we have).
So, back to your question. Would I recommend The Edge? No. I always share / give away Burn for Me first. I warn people about the tension (which is delicious) but tell them it’s really an adventure story with crappy romance novel cover art (which is gone, thank God).
yes, pointed me to a good start (Clean Sweep); yes, engaging; i thought it was fun and have no suggestions; yes, if I were a new Hordkin it would be a helpful quiz 🙂
thanks!
I ended up with innkeeper which is what I would be in the mood to read right now.
I think it asked good questions and I would definitely tell someone new to the horde to start with this series.
+1
Kate Daniel’s all the way! No surprise. I’ve been here since pretty much the beginning and even I think the BDH can be a lot but I’m sure new Hordies 😆 will have fun.
I love Kate 🤍
Awesome! The quiz recommended Clean Sweep 🧹 which it my favorite! I reread the entire series at least once a year, sometimes twice. I restrict myself to twice a year because I don’t want to burn out on it, as I’ve done with previous favorites.
Innkeeper Chronicals!! Yay!! I would definitely recommend starting with this series because I love this world. Dina is a listen first, talk second, and fight last person, which makes me want her as a best friend!!
I actually started with Kate, then added in the Edge, Innkeeper, and Hidden Legacy. At one point I was juggling several series at once, but I read the way the Borg assimilate entire worlds.
This quiz was a bit intimidating and intense. Well, I sometimes like that in my reading choices, I prefer quizzes to be less introspective. This felt like a test I could fail!
However, the result was the book I would recommend to start reading with the BDH.
It sent me to the Hidden Legacy series, which makes sense because that’s definitely the one I’d recommend for a newbie.
I got InnKeeper. That makes sense because at this moment emotionally, I need the cozy. So the quiz steered me in the right direction
I like the quiz but I’m not sure how I wound up getting Innkeeper – I expected the Inheritance, or a Kate spinoff. Seems like several people are saying that.
It does feel like a bit much for someone new to the universe. I’m not sure the mc personality really matters that much, beyond fluffy to dark scale of the series in general. The mcs’ history and struggles reflect the grittiness of the story, and it’s all competence porn of one stripe or another (no shade, I live for it).
Can’t wait for Maggie and the growing of the horde!
Love the quiz! No surprise that I got Kate. It WAS the first series I started out with and is my comfort read.
Thanks!
Maybe 1 question too long – although I couldn’t tell you which one to drop.
But I was happy with how the quiz came out and it seemed like many of the questions would help differentiate between the major series.
Sent me to hidden legacy which is probably my favourite series.
Yep, it took me to hidden legacies and that is the one I recommend the most for first timers, or the innkeeper if they are a bit younger.
mod R nailed it- got my favorite and what have been recommending to new readers ( Innkeeper)
I liked the vibes questions as it made me think where I was personally
This quiz pointed me to my favorite series (Kate Daniels) which I would recommend starting with anyway. It has so many offshoots.
I could tell most of the series by the questions so I felt it was a good gauge of what style of story a person would want to read.
I think it was engaging enough although a question about side characters would be fun. Especially as some of them crossover.
I really don’t have a favorite…all of the Andrews series are epic. That said, the quiz came up with Hidden Legacy for me, which I think is a really good intro into the world of House Andrews.
Interesting; I got Kinsmen which is not what I would have expected, but on reflection was exactly what I would recommend.
I agree with the others who indicated there were possibly too many long descriptions. I could see which answers would lead to what recommendations, but my answers jumped all over the place.
As a Readers Advisor, I’d like to recommend “NoveList The Secret Language of Books” (I believe 2021 is the latest version and it’s freely available online; I wasn’t sure if I could put a very long link in my comment) if you’d like to condense the descriptions into short appeal elements: Pace, Storyline, Tone, Character, and Writing Style. Each chapter provides descriptive vocabulary for one of these and you can pick and choose what and how many to use. I hope it helps, but you really did a great job capturing the spirit and feel of each series regardless!
Thank you, ModR, for thinking of / preparing for the new Hordlings! You are the best!
Thank you, Lynne, for the reply above! Was trying to wrap my head around my initial impression and your reply encapsulates it – keep questions and options concise to avoid requiring the user the need to think through anything but just reply with their gut reaction.
Sending peace, health and safety to all!
Pointed me at my favorite series – well done ModR!
Sent me to my series of choice. Some of the ans were wordy and required too much thought. for me*
The quiz led me right to my favorite series – Kate Daniels.
Mind you, I like all of your series. The longer and more complicated they get, the better I like them! 😉
Spot on for me! Innkeeper is my absolute favorite and it was my result.
worked for me, although I may have been a little biased remembering back to the series I started with – Innkeeper!
It’s a good quiz, and sent me to one of my two top favorite House Andrews series. I would have found it useful as a newcomer. It’s a good idea and thank you for thinking of it!
lol the quiz did not point me to my Favorite set. it pointed me to one I only read 1 or 2 of. The Edge I went to start twice I think. But my head won’t let go of Curran and Kate. Definitely my favorite so far. I pre-ordered everything since then.
The quiz was pretty engaging but 3 of the questions I wanted to select 2 answers. Of course my brain couldn’t just pick one. ugg
I would recommend a different series from the one selected for me. And depending on the friend I could suggest one that’s not my favorite. It just all depends on friend. one friend I may say Kate series and another I may say Innkeepers. Do they prefer Audio? that may change my mind again. some books are better read others listened to. GraphicAudio Innkeepers was how I met this awesome duo authors through my library app. That threw me down the rabbit hole of audio lol. It took a lot of training for me to do audiobooks I had to keep rewinding it. I wanted to never stop the world when I got busy and GA grabbed my attention better and helped me with the transition from reading to listening. But some books do not need all the fireworks. there is still much to be said for solo. look at me rambling lol. maybe you shouldn’t take my thoughts into consideration.
It led me to the Edge. It’s crazy because it’s not the series I would recommend to start but it is the series I started with!
It lead me to the Edge which I wouldn’t say is my favorite but I think the description of the series is perfect.
I’m not quite sure what helpful feedback I would have for the quiz.
I think you cover the main categories: level of anxiety it may create, ease of entry (how much brainpower it will take to understand the world), romance, and cliff hangers. those are probably the things I would want to know before I jump in.
I think it’s a brilliant idea to have one. maybe make it more succinct?
But I think part of it is getting someone over the genre bias. I loved and started with innkeeper. I had no idea it was a serial or there was a blog or the BDH. When I finally found my way to the website to find out what else they wrote, I read everything but Kate. Urban Fantasy just seemed too dark and gritty and then Hugh came along and I plunged in and found it wasn’t too dark or gritty, and I have now read everything. But it took me several years of circling Kate & Co. because my biased against the genre.
So I think a quiz could really help someone get over that stumbling block.
Did the quiz point me to my favorite series or series I would recommend someone to start with?
Considering I started reading the Kate Daniels series with Magic Breaks, my answer is a yes and no situation. When I discovered Kate and company, I was looking for something to read. The cover and back of cover blurb caught my interest to read. Then I was curious as to how Kate and Curran met, and all the others in Atlanta that I started from the very beginning and worked my way through the series.
The quiz led me to the Innkeeper series. Depending on what someone wants to read, I would recommend Dina and company to them. The series is very relatable to everyday life. It just happens to unfold in an intergalactic bed and breakfast.
Was the quiz engaging enough? What would I change?
I agree with everyone else that the quiz could be shortened in the number of questions and/or length of the questions. Even my eyes started to cross with the long choices. When a member of the Horde’s eyes starts to cross, imagine someone who is new will think?
If I was a new Hordlet would this quiz be helpful?
Yes and no. Yes, to give a recommendation on where to start reading. However, if I didn’t want to read Innkeeper, I would want to ask what other series to read.
Whenever you do these I try to match the questions to the series. Sometimes I do the opposite, though, because I like all of them. I ended up with Kate, which is fine, fine, fine!!!
I got Kate – which is my all-time favorite series. I recommend it all the time. 🙂
I got Innkeeper, a great place to start!
Innkeeper series. My Fav! Eagerly waiting for a new one. So many unanswered questions!
The quiz sent me to the Edge. Interestingly, this is the series I started with entirely by accident. It is a good starting point because there are a lot of great characters, but the series is not so long as to seem intimidating. After I read the Edge, I then began to devour all of the existing books in other series and every new book as it came out.
Yup! It was perfect! Sent me to the Kate Daniels world, which is where I my answers would have led me. Love this quiz!
So I got Hidden Legacy, which is where I started with House Andrews. Seems apropos.
Hordlet and Hordling are both cute 😆 If I were a newly-hatched Horde chick, this absolutely would feel helpful.
For consideration: I appreciate the types of tests that show me my score for all categories, so I can also check out my top 2 and 3.
I got Kate and fantastic suggestion to start with Magic Strikes, fully agree!
Fun quiz! The only questions I can think to add are- how much mystery or action do you like?
I also agree with Amanda that the options may be overwhelming for a new reader. Maybe fewer options, options that are organized by intensity, or shorter descriptions? A really simple option (but less fun) would be a spectrum: 1-5 fantasy vs. scifi, 1-5 how spicy you prefer your romance arcs, with a few silly options like how cute do you think space foxes are, etc.
My answers gave me Kate Daniels, which is almost what I would recommend to someone as a gateway book, which is “Sanctuary.” It is part of her world but this story is a stand alone that does not depend on knowing Kate’s whole saga.
Also, it is shorter (and delightful) which makes it a good “Do I want to read more from this author?” book. I find people often don’t want to start a long series unless they already like the author.
I tried to reply like I was looking for something new to read; I got Hidden legacy and – based on my answer about family – didn’t expect that!
I had some “difficulty”with question number 6 (gray characters) and 9 (coping with stressing situations) because I don’t usually think about those things while looking for something to read but I agree that the current mood is something that influence the choice.
Hope this was useful someway.
Happy holidays everyone! ✨
I agree with some of the questions being too probitive and long. However, it made me go look at the book section of the website.
When I am looking at a new author, I want to start at the beginning of the series/world and some author sites are confusing or don’t clarify which series is the beginning of the world (two or three small series set in the same world, but don’t indicate which one should be read first.)
IA has an awesome book area that explains each world and lists the books of the series in order. They even have a link to the booklist that puts all the books/novellas of a world in order (looking at you KD!). The only thing I would possibly add is a publishing date so the newbies could get a feel for the authors growth over the years.
Happy Holidays everyone!
Ha! Spot on, Innkeeper was the first favorite of mine.
It recommended Kate Daniels to me which is my first Ilona Andrews series and what I would expect to get from the answers I chose. I have read every single House Andrews book and I do think most would make a good entry point.
The second time I took the quiz it recommended the Edge series which fit with my choice of morally grey characters in that iteration. I think that the quiz works!
I still think Kate is the best intro series but I am a bit biased.
Got selected for the “InnKeeper”, which is a close second to my favorite “Hidden Legacy”.
Spot on. As much as I love all of the series, the Innkeeper books are my go to comfort read. The quiz was the right length and not too onerous.
I think I like this one- the options are great for those “in the know “ to spot their preferred series, but general enough to direct well. It also directs me to one of my comfort rereads, so it’s done its job!
sent me to Kate . But I know this . These books are my happy place . ❤️
Sent me to KD.. so spot on and very accurate! But like almost everyone else here, I love all these series for different reasons.. I can’t wait to love Maggie just as much!
I got Innkeeper, which definitely which definitely reflects my current life mood. I might get something else if I did this quiz in a few months. That makes it a good quiz, IMO. It covers the “mood” bases well.
I got The Edge, which I haven’t read yet 😂 I guess this is my sign to jump in!
(KD is my favorite fwiw.)
It sent me to Kate Daniel’s, which is the first series I read and my absolute favorite. Questions were deep and required self reflection to answer. Obviously they worked!
The quiz did indeed point me toward my fave series (Kate Daniels).
And this is a great way to bring new readers into the Horde1
I was pointed to my favourite (Innkeeper), but I struggled to answer the questions because a lot of those things don’t matter to me. When I pick up a new author I am solely looking for quality, engaging writing.
I reread the various series based on what kind of humor I am in the mood for, as all of House Andrews’ books are quality, engaging writing. ☺️
I actually liked that the quiz had more detailed responses. It made me think and really consider what I like in general and what type of story I was in the mood for now.
I got the KD series, which is my favorite and what I would have recommended to someone, depending on their preferences. Great job!
The quiz suggested I start with Burn for Me, which is actually where I started, and the book I recommended to my husband. It is possible I skewed my answers, although I tried not to overthink. I thought the quiz might come up with the InnKeeper series.
I feel the number of questions was good, not too many. However, some of them asked two questions at once, which I found difficult because my answers were split.
I answered the questions with an intention toward the Innkeeper stories…and that’s where I ended up! Nicely done! Thank you, ModR
The quiz worked well for me and gave me back my favorite Kate Daniels. That said, Innkeeper will always be my cup of soup for the soul. Love that series too, just in a whole different way <3
The quiz picked perfectly for me, Kate Daniels. Her stories were my introduction to the genre and to my favorite authors. I re-read them and listen to the Graphic Audio versions over and over.
Interesting. I always recommend Kate. My favorites are everything you write but where the quiz sent me was to the Edge.(the one series I’ve never re read). Perhaps I should. Seriously think I’ve read everything at least 7 times.
These questions were really different than most similar surveys and engaging. I definitely landed where I would start a friend with IA. Now, I almost wish I could erase my memory and come to the series as a newby again!
I got to Kate without any problems.
It gave me Kate Daniel’s, this the first book I read of Ilona Andrews, never looked back. A friend recommended it after she found it at the library as we liked the same genre
I got the Innkeeper series! I would change it but also I think it was accurate for what I picked. I think any series is a good place to start but I may be biased. My only critique is I’m on mobile and when I tried to scroll it accidentally selected an answer on the first question and I couldn’t go back without completely backing out. an ability to go back a question might be helpful.
Interesting. I like the Edge but vastly prefer Hidden Legacy.
I got Kate which is where I started, and the suggestion to start with book 3 is good. The questions give a few too many choices, I think, but the topics of the questions are good for figuring out what someone wants to read.
The quiz sent me to the Kate Daniels series, which is where I normally recommend people start. Worked for me!
I was sent to KD which is by far my favorite series but I would point someone just starting out towards the InnKeeper series. It’s a bit more light hearted and is a wonderful example of the world building you can expect from this dynamic duo.
I would have maybe a few less questions? I have a very short attention span though
Love the quiz. I’m surprised it send me to Innkeeper but based on my answers it makes sense. I always suggest Hidden Legacy to first timers. I was introduced to House Andrews via a short story in Kate’s world but found it a tad intimidating to start there.
Great questions. The response was pretty much on target. I love all the series, but Kate Daniels will always be my favorite.
The quiz was great. It told me what series I should start with. It was the series/books that I started with and branched out to your other series.
I did work put to Hidden legacy which is my favorite place to visit, so spot on. Innkeeper comes in a close second.
The quiz led me to the Innkeeper series, which I think would be a good entry point to someone new. But I would need to read This Kingdom Will Not Kill me to see if I think it would be a natural second series to read (this is like creating a mix tape, there should be some sort of natural flow). I started with the Edge, but the ones I re-read the most at this point in my life are the new Kate novellas, Inheritance, Kinsmen, then Hidden Legacy. I could see the quiz as being a permanent thing on your blog, as people’s preferences change.
Sent me to HL, that and KD are my favs – looking good to me! Thank you Mod R for looking after us!
Works perfectly. I’m in a place where I’m reading for comfort and it recommended Innkeeper, which is my comfort read.
Series correct.
Good length and engagement.
Absolutely.
Took me to Kate which is one of my favourites (I like them all!). Definitely where I would want to start though I actually started with Hidden Legacy.
Sent me to Kate Daniel’s and for sure that would’ve been the one I recommend people start with. Most of the time it is my favorite series, followed very closely by Innkeeper.
And Kate‘s story is the first one I ever read by House Andrews.
Sent me to Kate which is where I started, and the series I always recommend to others looking to dive in 😊
Sent me to Kate, which is a comfort read for me. Thumbs up!
The quiz sent me to Kate Daniels which is the series I recommend people start with the most.
I love the idea of this quiz. I almost felt like I was getting sorted for my Hogwarts house again! I really think this will help newcomers figure out where they want to start with the other series!
It sent me to Kate, which is the series I recommend for newbies.
Sent me to Kate, which surprised me, as a lot of my answers seemed to me to be ‘Not Kate’. I will say I have read more Kate stories than any other Ilona Andrews stories. Oh, wait…. I think there is a reason for that.
Innkeeper! I love everything House Andrews writes but in these stressful times I find the Innkeeper series comforting. I’ve been doing a lot more charity sewing this season than usual as well as less than usual baking and decorating. My husband having been retired for a full year probably has something to do with it. It’s the first year I didn’t make dozens of cookies for his workplace at Christmas ! We also celebrated our 50th anniversary this last spring. Just a few changes!
Perhaps add a back-up recommendation (e.g. “Inkeeper would be a good place to start, or you might try (x)” ) based on their responses. You could also consider offering a free link to the first 3 chapters of the recommendation so they can dip their toes in.
Yes it works – not too long -engaging and fun! Good job, Mod R.
I took this several times, pretending I was in a different ‘mood’ each time and it gave me the series I would reach for in that ‘mood’, so it’s accurate.
However, it felt too long for me. I found the answers were too wordy, given there are so many to choose from, so it takes too long to read them and answer
I also feel there are too many questions because when I am trying to find something new to read, I am already kind of antsy, maybe cut 3 and 6 or 7?
This might be a fun addition? I already find your series descriptions helpful, this is what I tend to look at when choosing were to start. I discovered K.F. Breene last year, who has a similarly diverse back catalogue and used the series descriptions to choose where to start. That worked well for me, I have now read most (though not all) of the series, I like being able to find something I am ‘in the mood’ for. On that note, I would say the only thing missing is a short descriptor of the romance level and style e.g. Edge series would be “Each book has a strong romantic element with a HEA and follows a different couple in the same world.” whereas Kate would be “This action packed urban fantasy series has a slow burn romance across the series arc.” or something, I don’t know, I switched from sci fi and urban fantasy in paranormal romance and related genres relatively recently and am still getting used to the lingo, even though I am now a proud romance reader. (Ain’t nobody dissing this massively diverse and popular genre with many excellent books just because they don’t like a particular sub-genre or book! Sure, I really don’t enjoy an awful lot of the sub genres and the majority of the books but guess what? There’s room for everyone and that’s what makes it great, besides, I had exactly the same issue when reading sci fi, so I am not sure where people get off knocking this entire behemoth of a genre, is it the HEA?)
Sent me to Innkeeper, my favorite series, so I’d say it worked pretty well.
Did this quiz point you toward your favorite series, or the one you’d recommend someone start with? No. I got the Innkeeper and which is probably my least favorite series.
Was it engaging enough? For me yes, but I also could figure out exactly which book most the answers were about.
What would you change? I’d make it simpler.
If you were a brand-new Hordlet (curious, excited, and maybe a little overwhelmed), would this feel like a helpful place to start? Maybe.
I think it should be simplified. Some of the questions should be yes/no. Like the morally grey one, all the options were a bit much.
I personally recommend on prefer genre. Like if someone tells me they prefer romance, start with Hidden Legacy or Innkeeper. They’re into scifi inheritance. They like something slightly grittier, Kate.
Maybe one of those yes/no chart would be an easy source for new readers
It pointed me to my favorite series and seemed newbie friendly.
It did send me to my favourite series Hidden Legacy, but overall the quiz felt a bit too long and I wondered how some of the questions could be relevant to choosing a book series.
Yes, it sent me to one of the two series I consider my favorite. Kate (Innkeeper is the other favorite). If I were recommending where to start, it would either be Kate or Innkeeper. In fact, my husband is not a member of the horde but we listened to the graphic audio of first Kate and then Innkeeper on our vacation in May last year. He came in while I was listening to the midnight games, and insisted on me waiting for him to finish out the series.
funny enough it sent me to the first series I read by you guys and what hooked me! The Edge series and I still love that series and reread it at least once a year
It was pretty obvious that I was choosing the Innkeeper answers, though towards the end I did have few that were more Hidden Legacy or Kinsmen. however it did come out with Innkeeper as the final result, which is both my favourite series and the one I started with!
The questions and answers seemed fine to me, but since I know all the series I’m not the best judge… it seemed pretty obvious which option was tied to which series.
Haha. It gave me innkeeper. I’ve not been able to sink in there. My repeat reads are hidden legacy and anything KD. I like the edge series and inheritance too. I guess I should give these a go again.
I love all your books and the quiz was interesting to me but I could steer the series because I was fairly sure of where some of the answers were pointing by the descriptions. My quiz led me to the Innkeepers. It is wonderful and cozy. I love Kate and Curran though too. Her ideals and choices have helped me in some of my decisions too.
Sent me to Innkeeper, which is definitely my happy place!
It sent me to Hidden Legacy which is the first that I read and where I became a BDH member. From there I dove into The Edge, but found my happy place with Kate and the Pack!
I thought the questions helped to direct me to the correct starting point. 🙂
Yes, Kinsmen for the win!
Seems fine.
Seems fine.
Good quiz. Should work nicely to get the new readers to their starting series.
I often point folks to Innkeeper as an entry point even though I started with The Edge. So I ended up with Innkeeper from the quiz. But I expect folks who are already big urban fantasy fans (Nalini Singh, Jeaniene Frost) would want to start with Kate. Technically, only The Edge is finished, though. I did not start Kate until magic Triumphs was in the queue for publication.
yes, it pointed me to what I’d recommend to start, the Innkeeper series.
as someone who has read all of your books, some of the questions felt a little too specific, but I definitely have a skewed perspective. but, making the questions a little more vague might help readers make easier choices.
it’s a great idea though!
I got KD world, which was one of my first books by IA. I did start on the Edge books as I had 2 of them with one KD.
Years ago my husband found them in an old book store for me and the rest is history. Love ALL IA books/series now 💜
Yep. Ended up exactly where I thought it should
Of course I get the Innkeeper Chronicles… when is the next book!?! I’ve read them all already haha My husband keeps asking me if the next one is out yet too. He likes Sean
Hello! I got Innkeeper Chronicles!
I didn’t end up with my favorite series, Kate Daniels, but I’m not really sure the Innkeeper would be the one I’d recommend to start with. It could be, as it is a short series, funny and also really cozy, but in my opinion other series show more of House Andrews’ strongest points. I like rich plots and complex characters, with a dash of romance, sometimes in the background and other times very prominent, depending on the moment.
I don’t know if I explained it well, English is not my first language!
Some questions were more engaging than others, which were a bit “dry”.
Overall I think this could be very useful to a new fellow member of the BDH!
It pointed me to Innkeeper, which is my favorite series. Fantasy and magic in unexpected places with “normal” people reactions.
The quiz was too many questions, 6 would be better.
Sent me to Kate which is my favourite series ever. As to whether I recommend people start with it, that depends on what they prefer (which I question them on) so great job with the quiz Mod R.
Interestingly, it sent me to the one series I haven’t read.
But I think the questions need to be trimmed down a tad (one or two less) and reduce the number of answers per question.
It felt overwhelming.
Innkeeper! Good mix of comfort & new! A perfect starting point t!!
The quiz brought me to Innkeeper, which is my favorite! I really tried not to answer questions with that series in mind 😅, not sure how successful I was.
I think this could be a good tool to help them choose what to read first, especially since they might be bright here by a single book in a series and want more from the author.
I was expecting it to send me to Hidden legacy as it’s my confort series but it sent me to Kate. I’m happy though, it’s where I started on my horde journey and although other series are my comfort reads Kate and her world will always be the world at the centre of it all that lead me to all the other amazing places and people I love to visit. It might be time to say ‘Here kitty kitty’ again. 🥰 xxx
with the choices I picked I expected (and got!) Innkeeper, so that works 🙂
I feel 9 questions might be a little on the long side, I think I would go for 7
I liked the questions presented. Sent me to Kate Daniels which is my favorite and the series I return to when I find myself in a reading slump!
Interesting
* Did this quiz point you toward your favorite series, or the one you’d recommend someone start with?
– I got Kate which is a series I love, but I’d probably rec Hidden Legacy or Innkeeper for new readers. I took the quiz a second time and selected the answers I assumed would lead me to HL & it did. (I love all the series, but by a hair I’d say Hidden Legacy is my favorite.)
* Was it engaging enough?
– It was definitely involved. I liked a lot of the choices listed so that made it hard for me to pick one answer. The second time through it was a breeze because I was trying to get a specific series to show up.
* What would you change?
– I found the “how do you deal with stress” question slightly stressful – hahaha. Maybe you could take that one out or change it to something like “how do you like characters to deal with stress”
* If you were a brand-new Hordlet (curious, excited, and maybe a little overwhelmed), would this feel like a helpful place to start?
– Yes.
– Someone suggested a shorter quiz as people might find this too intense. Maybe you could have 2 different style quizzes. A short & sweet one for those who just want a quick recommendation without needing to think too much & a longer one for those who are interested in really digging in. More work for you, but might be worthwhile…
Thanks for all you do Mod R & I hope you enjoy(ed) your vacation!!
Pointed me to the one I thought is best for newcomers (and the one I started with!).
First question seemed a bit confusing. But I’m also tired.
The quiz was good. it pointed me towards Kate Daniels, and she’s my favorite.
The quizz sent me to Hidden Legacy, though it’s not my favorite series. It’s KD that got me hooked (and that I started with).
I found the second and third question complex and wished I could have picked 2 answers.
I hope this is helpful.
I retried the test, changed a few answers, it send me to KD. I would like to select more than one choice in questions 2 and 5
It was perfect. I was thinking about innkeeper all the way through And it led me right there.
The quiz directed me to my favorite series, Innkeeper.
I can see where if I was in a different mood, I would get a different series. I think that is a great aspect of the quiz.
If you were to add to it, perhaps a crazier set of questions using some of the wilder aspects or themes of the series or perhaps your favorite animals!
Great quiz ModR!
This sent me to Kate and I love the synopsis and helpful thought to maybe start with book 3. Great job.
I ended up on the Edge which is not where I thought I’d end up but is what I’d recommend to several folks who aren’t romance folks.
I would suggest maybe less questions if possible. That was a lot of deep thinking and may scare off hordkins.
I got Clean Sweep, and it’s correct for the answers!!
Questions looked good and I didn’t see any odd things of overly ‘us’ language
I feel like question #4 might be enough to lead people to a good starting point.
The quiz here might be a bit too intense for a newbie.
Maybe have some answers be pictures instead of blocks of text.
I took the quiz, and it pointed me to Kate Daniels which I feel is a good place to start. I think the quiz was helpful
It gave me Inn Keeper which is my go to for comfort when I’m feeling stressed
I took this quiz and I got recommended the series I would recommend to most readers first! How funny.
love the quiz, but I’m already a convert. for new initiates, I would consider shortening it, even if it’s just by one question.
Yes it pointed me to the series I would recommend
It was engaging enough. Too many questions would lose me. And sound like you were *sneakily* getting a review. But House Andrews does not need those kinda games. Their writing speaks for itself and the BDH gladly gives reviews for great literary work!
Yes, this it a good place to start.
I am on an Urban fantasy book recommendation FB site that is pretty decent. IA gets positively mentioned often! Intelligent reviews and comments.
Interestingly, it actually gave me the series I started with. Although I’ve read every single book that has ever been created and published by House Andrews. I guess it was the best start for me.
I hope you have had a lovely holiday! I found that the questions did lead me to my favorite series but I did have trouble deciding which answer to pick a couple of times! I do think it will be a great place for a Hordelet to start.
So, I tried it twice. Each time I had a series in mind. It worked beautifully for both! Excellent work! I hope your holidays were a chance to reset and relax.
It did lead me to my favorite series (Kate), but I think that might be a result of having read all that can be read by House Andrews and being able to pick out the answers that more aligned with Kate’s world. I did get my start initially with KD back in 2009 and was hooked immediately, so I always recommend it as a good place to start. However, I do think Innkeeper may be an easier entry. The quiz was engaging and I liked that it was only 9 questions.
It worked perfectly! I selected answers that I thought would give me Kate Daniels (and that’s actually what I like the most anyway), and it worked. great job!
Amazing job ModR!
Hope you savored your well-deserved break, even as you spoil the Horde from afar.
The questions really made me think – which I liked. I imagine a new, aspiring member of the BDH might as well. I tried to answer reflecting on non-IA books I enjoy and what I‘m looking to read in general. The quiz pointed me to Hidden Legacy, which I think is a very accessible and enjoyable entry to the IA worlds.
I generally recommend Silver Shark, Fated Blades or even Grace of Small Magics to newbies, since these stories showcase IA strengths in a very compact form; a sort of IA „elevator pitch.“ I was a bit surprised my answers didn’t lead to Kinsmen, since I am biased towards space operas at the moment.
The only question that felt a bit out of place to me in the quiz was the one on the number of open tabs.
we will be completely chalant around all new reader
This sent me straight to the series I always recommend for new House Andrews readers (Innkeeper), yay! I thought it was really well tailored to what a person’s “vibes” are for what they like to read or in the mood for. 10/10 no notes.
The quiz worked perfectly. It sent me to The Innkeeper Chronicles which is my go to comfort place.
This did point me toward my favorite, but honestly favorite is relative here. I LOVE THEM ALL.
Ahem.
On a different note, I am torn between Hordlings and Hordlets.
I took the quiz, which recommended Innkeeper series. This is the series I re-read the most and recommend to others. Quiz worked!
I appreciate the quiz. 170 tabs though… that’s way too low….
hehehe I got Kate Daniels, which is literally my first ever House Andrews book. I had a feeling it was going to point there based off some of the answers, but I’m still happy it pointed there.
Even though I started them years ago, I’m still pretty new to the BDH specifically. Mostly because I take my time reading each book because they take me on an emotional roller-coaster and I don’t want to run out of your books to read. For example, I still haven’t read the last KD book because I dont want the series to be over and I know it’s going to pack all the punches.
All in all, I feel like the quiz serves its purpose. I think if I went at it again in a different mood or thinking it would lead me to something new to read.
I think the quiz is a good length (not too short not too long) and engaging.
It pointed me to innkeeper which i think of as “my” fluffy series. Warm, easy going, not particularly intense.
Positives for a newbie… each book is self contained (until recently) and the first book an easy read.
But is it my favourite series? No, that would be Kate Daniels a series which builds, is immersive and, for me, it ends. A story needs a beginning, a middle and an end.
I see Wilmington, Iron Covenant, Sanctuary etc as separate but related series.
My favourite story is probably Silent Blade, possibly Silver Shark.
If I might digress House Andrews seems to be creating multiple beginnings…. And I love them…. REALLY looking forward to the next Inheritance book. Love the black volv (and his family interactions 😂)
But please can we also have some ends?
Loving your work, please keep breathing and writing.
Summary re the quiz.
Helpful? Yes
Right length? Yes
General observation: a helpful addition for the newbie. How lovely of you to make it.
Have a super Christmas
Danny
I started with Kate Daniels, and I guess that is what I would recommend. Now I need to go back and listen to Magic Strikes again, I like listening to the books after reading them.
a little too deep in the questions, but great to keep these BDH entertained while trying to hide on some sandy beach with margaritas and entertainment. hope the holiday helps before the season really picks up. would like one more question. Do you prefer to read a book once and be done or do you need to come back and dig deeper for those Easter eggs? or Do you have time where you can curl up with a good book, or do you need to be able to walk away occasionally?
This quiz pointed me to my favorite series. I thought it was quite good at helping someone looking for a new series to find the right fit. No matter how much you love an author’s body of work or might love it, if you start with a book/series that isn’t what you are looking for at the time, it could mean missing out on the author’s work altogether. I felt the questions would also actually work quite well for someone, who had just finished a series of yours and was looking for the next. So kudos for a well-built quiz!
Love the idea of the quiz! It was engaging and fun, pointed me to The Edge which was not where I started but would have served me well. Great work!!
I got The Edge, which I never read, so it’s hard for me to say if the quiz works for a newbie. I thought for sure it was directing me toward Innkeeper, which I love and I think is perfect for a first dip into the House Andrews pool.
I though the quiz was ok, perhaps a little too heavy.
Have to agree that Innkeeper is what I’d recommend for newbies. Like you, I ended up with the Edge after the quiz. I’ve read it, but it never grabbed me like Helen or Arabella.
The quiz led me to my least favorite series. The options I hoped to see weren’t there for at least half the questions. Though it was interesting to see the options you came up with, some of which I’d not considered to BE options.
Before the quiz, i was thinking Innkeeper is the best intro, because it has a little bit of everything, the books are not long, and it is a little lighter. The quiz gave me Kate, which is my favorite, but, if you’re not in the headspace for it, book 1 is very dark (and gross by the end: the Upir children), but “here, kitty, kitty” sets such a tone for the series. I agree that the series really hits its stride with book 3 of Kate.
The quiz sent me to The Innkeeper Chronicles which is my go to comfort read and my recommendation to friends who are starting to read Ilona Andrews books. I love Kate Daniels and have reread the series several times, but Dina and Sean have my heart. Looking forward to Maud’s wedding. I’m sure there will be more ripper cushions in the upcoming story.
The quiz is a little long , but I think the choices give correct pathways to the different series. Thanks for your hard work Mod R! Have a Happy Christmas!
I liked the “how do you live your life” aspects balanced with reading preferences and the way the options were engagingly phrased. I answered honestly and endes up with my favorite as my suggested start. I also can see people taking it again with maybe “second choice” answers to see other series they would enjoy.
The clarity, depth, and organization demonstrated here show a high level of expertise and elevate the discussion significantly.
Sent me to the series I originally started with. She’s my go to hero, if I’m ever in trouble
Worked for me! KD all the way.
Spot on, baby!
I started with Kate, and while I truly eat up everything you guys write (and each world is special in its own way), Kate is my comfort reading. I brought my husband on board, too. I enjoy the romances, but they don’t usually get me coming back for reread after reread. Kate does.
Ha! It pointed me to Innkeeper which I do recommend to folks, particularly if there is a long car ride involved with different genders and ages. My personal favorite though is Hidden Legacy.
I got through the quiz, but was bored by question 3 asking when are we there yet by 5 and oh it’s finally over by 9. That’s not a typical problem for me taking quizzes. I typically love them. Especially yours. I think a lot of the questions either have too many options to pick from, or the descriptions were too long. One line questions, single word answers, or single sentences answers. Would make it more doable. Or maybe switch it up pick vibing artwork, pet of choice, magic powers of choice, bad guys of choice? It took me to kate, which was the series I started with. But If I was a new reader I wouldn’t have gotten through the quiz at all.
It pointed me to Hidden Lagacy, which is the series I first started with, and also my favourite. Although my responses may have been skewed, because I could tell which answers would lead to Hidden Legacy, and deliberately picked them.
The quiz as it is detailed, interesting and accurate. However, I agree with other commenters that for newcomers, the answers may be too long and detailed. 1-2 line answers would be better. Also a “skip”, or “any of the above” option would make the quiz more approachable.
… Another suggestion: Maybe you don’t need to have a unique answer for each series. Part of the reason the answers are so long is because you had to add enough detail to distinguish each series from the others.
The quiz would be more streamlined if the 5 series shared answers. Eg. for the romance question there could be 2 answers: “romance central to the story”, and “romance present but takes less page space” (or something like that), and then all the series could be fitted into those 2 categories.
The quiz pointed me to Innkeeper, which is probably where I’d point a baby Hordling, however; if I weren’t already invested and had to do a pop quiz to figure out where to start, I might not start. Good draft quiz, though for newbs I’d make it shorter.
Yep, the quiz led me to Kate, which is what I recommended to my son, and would recommend to others new to the IA oeuvre.
I found the quiz quite clever and therefore engaging. I didn’t try to “mind-read” it, which made it more fun and genuine.
I’m not sure the quiz done as a one-and-done would be actually that helpful for a new reader, because no one has precise preferences. But maybe it would be helpful for someone to run through it two or three times to see if (and how) the outcome varies?
Strange I took the quiz twice with different answers and both times ended up with the Edge. I can’t remember whether I started with KD or the Edge. It was a quick purchase at an airport. But today if I was making a recommendation of which to start with it would be to start with Innkeeper. The first Innkeeper book simply has the best opening line. I read constantly and in between other authors I have read each of the series at least 5 times. And always supplement with the free fiction (thanks for that!) and Of Swine and Roses. Just restarted Innkeeper for the holidays. ☃️
It sent me to the Innkeeper series. I knew it wouldn’t go to the one that really got me started with all the Ilona Andrews books when I answered contrary to the obvious lead up to the Edge series. So I can’t blame the quiz for that.
I got Kate, which is where I would recommend new readers start.
The question on setting sounds. Sorry I can’t quote exactly. I had to read several times before I could reset from song birds and crickets to settings that match my mood. 😀😀.
Great fun quiz.
I’ve seen two people (out of the last 20 responses I’ve read) who refer to questions that I never saw. They also sound rather interesting. Was the quiz modified in the last few hours?
I’m curious about how many questions you saw. I had nine in the quiz I took.
Yes, the quiz and my responses landed me in Hidden Legacy, where I’ve reread the books multiple times because I love both the world and the characters.
There were a couple of quiz questions that I could have gone another way on, which I suspect would have landed me on the Innkeepers. This series grew in scope for me over time. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve reread Sweep of the Blade. However, in the case of the Hidden Legacy series, I’ve reread ALL the books at least 5 times each, more in some cases, whereas in Innkeepers, I’ve reread Sweep of the Blade many many times, but the other books once or twice only. Maud’s character grabbed me from the get-go, and her being a single mom with a precocious daughter resonated, since that was my life for many years.
Not series, but other rereads, I really liked and reread Sanctuary and The Inheritance a couple of times each. Also wanting the end of Hugh and Elara’s story – another pair of complicated people with many things to overcome.
Re: Kate – really enjoying the Wilmington books, but while I’ve read a few of the Kate books more than once, and have all of them, I’m not likely to reread in the way I reread Hidden Legacy whenever I have a case of the blues and need cheering up. They don’t hit me that way. FWIW, I have gifted both HL and Innkeepers to a friend of mine and gotten her hooked. Doing my part as a cared-carrying member f the Book Devouring Horde!
Sent me to Kate Daniels world, which I have often suggested to many new-to-Andrews readers. Haven’t read a bad story yet, but Daniels is what started my path to the BDH.
The quiz led me to Kate Daniels which is where I would recommend someone start.
I got sent to Innkeeper. I love innkeeper but I’m not sure it’s my favorite. Although really my favorite is typically whatever I’ve read most recently.
I agree with a previous poster that the questions felt really deep.
Loved the quiz! It recommended my favorite of your series, The Innkeeper Chronicles. I have suggested it often. Thanks for a good read.
I got The Edge series which tracks. I’ve always loved that series. I have re-read it the most of all your series.
I’m a Kate too! I adore this series, and re- read it yearly. I thought the quiz was very engaging, maybe a teeny tiny bit leading with the questions, specifically Hidden Legacy (the genetics mentioned popped out the most to me). I do think this would be a great quiz to start new hordlets with though, at minimum it would be a great jumping point for whatever their tastes are at the moment (some days I need a fantasy, others a sci-fi!).
Have a Happy Holidays Mod R and House Andrews!
I loved the quiz. I thought it was fun and funny. It pointed me to my favorite series yes, but that’s not the one I recommend to newcomers fwiw.
While taking the test, I understood that each choice strongly suggest a particular series. I also understood that my choices were ecletic and varied across all series. For me, this test is accurate because Innkeeper is my most go to series. While Hidden Legacy is my first series and had reread the whole thing several times, I found Innkeeper as my goto read especially when I want to empty my mind.
The quiz was fun. I would consider shortening some of the questions/answers. They feel a little long, which could become overwhelming. I landed in Hidden Legacy, which is definitely my absolute favorite series (Kate Daniels being next). I could sorta guess which questions would have led to each, but there was some cross-over feel to several. Shortening them may help the quiz feel more clear.
Wow, the quiz nailed it for me. I found the Innkeeper serialized on the blog – I think it was even “Clean Sweep” and that introduced me to Ilona Andrews. I loved what I read, and looked around and I think it was Hidden Legacy next, which is a series dear to my heart because I grew up around Houston and then lived there for 15 years. Only then did I get around to Kate & Curran but now I love them all
It didn’t point me to my favorite series, though I think it was the second one I read (might have been the first? I honestly can’t remember, it’s been so long lol). So I’d say it’s actually pretty accurate. KD is my happy place, but this sent me to the Edge series, which I do also enjoy. And honestly it has more romance, each book has different protagonists, and there is both blood and found family in it, which I normally do prefer. So I’d say it’s actually pretty accurate for the kinds of books I normally gravitate to. I did like the questions, and it goes pretty in depth into what kind of stuff I normally look for in a new book series, which I appreciated!
The quizz pointed towards my favorite and the one I would recommend to start with. Hidden Legacy.
(I would have recommended the Innkeeper chronicles too in order to slowly get acquainted with the world and the writing style).
Cool quiz!! It works!!! Interestingly enough, my series turned out to be Kate. It was her world I started out with, then branched out to all of the others. * Grin*
It sent me to Hidden Legacy, which is the first series of yours I read (back when it was just Nevada and Connor). I end up returning to the first three books in that series at least once a year because I’m in love with Mad Rogan.
sent me to Nevada. I didnt answer trying to get a particular series, but more with a vibe. some answers were IK, some Kate, some HL. I don’t think I had any Edge or Kinsmen, but I wasn’t paying attention.
I think overall if I were to pick up a series in my current mood I’d be satisfied with HL’s tone, so the quiz did a good job. 😀
I wasn’t a fan of the browser tab question as it pulled me a bit out of the settle in and read mindset. Maybe a BDH-style twist would be to ask what someone’s mug collection looks like?
Yes, I got Innkeeper, which is what I would recommend as a starting point. Like others have said, the quiz was a bit too long. Good idea however.
Recommended KD which is where I started and became a devout member of the BDH. Awesome quiz!
Sent me to Innkeeper, which is in my top 3 series that I love! I honestly really loved the survey questions. There’s a level of detail you don’t often find in surveys, and it made me feel like I was in good hands for whatever they would recommend. Good work!
it worked perfectly for me, brought up my favorite series and in my opinion a great series for everyone to start with.
I got the Edge series of books!
Did this quiz point you toward your favorite series, or the one you’d
recommend someone start with? My favorite is Kate Daniels, and because that was my entry point, I’d probably still recommend it first!
Was it engaging enough? What would you change? I thought it was engaging! Maybe a question or two about food, as that does play such a key role in your books and on such unique ways!! Kate and Curran — high stakes it always had extra meaning, Innkeeper: Orro Red Cleaver chef high end galactic cuisine, but then family style in Hidden Legacy…
If you were a brand-new Hordlet (curious, excited, and maybe a little overwhelmed), would this feel like a helpful place to start? Yes! I think super fun and creative! I really love this blog , it’s my favorite haven on the internet. I hope the new readers dive in deep and get to all the devouring! Can you imagine … being new again? Having all these books to fill the time before Maggie #2? They are very lucky!
It sent me to the Innkeepers, which is definitely my comfort read/what I’m in the mood for right now. I would agree with Amanda that some of the questions/answers seem overwhelmingly existential. I think the questions I’d focus on are pace, scope/length, where you want to be on the cozy dystopian spectrum, and overall relationship intensity among the characters.
(Maybe it’s just me, but I feel like the family and romance dynamic intensities in each series kind of complement each other, so I’m not even sure if you need to distinguish those specifically.)
Loved the Comfort browsers answer (^o^)
based on the choices I made, I got the series that I was aiming for.
I was sent to the Inn keepers series, which makes sense from my answers. also one of my favorites
I’m in a more Innkeeper frame of mind and that’s exactly what it directed me to, so at least that path is working! I feel like the quiz nuance makes people curious in a good way so I like some previews of inside jokes. As a suggestion are you able to show a % of likelihood towards each series (or top 3) vs one definitive answer? That would be my only suggestion if possible
Sent me to The Edge which I haven’t read but plan to. I had a different series in mind but I think any of them would be a good starting point.
Thank you Mod R for the quiz. Yes I got Kate, my favourite though I love all of house Andrews books, kate always has a soft spot in my heart.
I understand why people might recommend going straight to three but without one you miss out on the three great words that Kate first speaks to the Beast Lord.
Without two where would team Metal Rose be seeded
Also in the first we get introduced to Dolittle and his long suffering journey with unruly patients (mostly kate) with a pinch of honey, just a pinch Hehe
Plus, one has a dragon in it. Dragon, Dragon,Dragon.
Know I’ll just go back to my hoard and re-read the kate daniels series again like a good dragon should.
I ended up in the Innkeeper World, which I think is a great place for someone new to start.
I liked the variety of choices, especially since mine might change depending on day/mood/what is happening IRL.
I thought I was answering questions to get to Hidden Legacy, but instead ended up with The Edge. LOL Honestly, I’d read the phone book if House Andrews wrote it, so I’m happy with whatever result I get.
The question about browser tabs didn’t really make sense with the rest. You need to edit the answers more to fit with the finding a book theme that the rest of the questions have.
test found my favorite series on the first try
Enjoyed the list but my preferred series to start with is hidden legacy. I tried to answer for that series and gotten the edge instead. I don’t think any of us would recommend a newbie start with that.
I thought some of the descriptions were wordy and confusing.
You do so many good Mod R. You are the glue, inspiration and everything. But
But I think this quiz is too long and too involved for new comers. As a Hordling, I apprecated it. It was a good time.
As a new comers- meh.
I was thinking you would start with feel and fighting.
E.g. Do you want to start dark and gritty or light and empowered?
Do you love fight scenes? Or More into magical outside the box fighting?
Are you here for romance or fantasy sci-fi more?
I really enjoyed the quiz and it accurately predicted the series I should have started with. Ironically, it was the last series I ended up reading after discovering you guys as authors. However, I think you should have something that does explain the inside jokes, shorthand, terminology, etc., of this community. As someone who found the blog only a few months ago, I have had difficulty understanding different references in the blog. I’ve been able to figure some out, but still have no clue what or who mod R is, for example.
Mod R is the Moderator that works with House Andrews to manage the blog. She is also like the #1 BDH (Book Devouring Horde) member, too.
Mod = moderator. She runs the blog posts for the most part, answers our question &/or takes them to Ilona & Gordon. Mod R adds links, quizzes, finds snippets & generally organizes the BDH (of which she is part) in a fun manner. Mod R is awesome!
But yes a ‘translation’ page might be a good idea.
It sent me to exactly where it should according to the questions.
Kate:) I actually started with the Edge series and I would recommend that as a good stating point for the Hordlings:)
It sent me to Innkeeper, which was actually my ‘gateway’ series. Then I branched out into everything else. 🙂
I like all of House Andrews books, so I couldn’t get a wrong answer….I actually started with Kate, which I loved. But this quiz gave me Innkeeper which is actually my favorite and a great place for anyone to start I think. I didn’t even recognize Innkeeper in the questions. I did see one question that made me think of the Edge series, but I couldn’t easily pick my way to a specific series.
In summary, worked great!
I accidentally clicked on an answer to the first question while scrolling and then couldn’t go back 😬 so I don’t know if that affected anything, but I got Hidden Legacies, which is my second favorite series after Innkeeper. But I think my answer to the romance question popped me into that camp. I think my answers to a lot of the questions more fit with what I’m currently in the mood for, which changes from time to time… so I wonder if questions should be directed more to what you’re in the mood for rather than what you like. Just a suggestion!
Accurate for me – Hidden Legacy. Recommended numerous times.
Sent me to Hidden Legacy and that is actually my favorite, although I think I’ve read close to everything. Thanks! This was fun….
Excellent
Your quiz pointed me towards my favorite series…The Innkeeper! My second favorite is Hidden Legacy..,but I love all of your series. Thank you for sharing your talents and art with us!
This worked for me! I would say that of the already published series, Kate Daniels is my favorite but Hidden Legacy is such a solid gateway for people like me who found House Andrews through the romance books subreddit. My survey results recommended Hidden Legacy. (To be honest, I think Kate Daniels probably edges HL out only because there are so many more books that I can rotate and re-read without things getting repetitive to quickly. Also the graphic audio adaptations are incredible.)
I got The Edge which I love, love, love as a series. I like the idea of another world similar to ours existing right around the corner… I like to imagine I could cross the Border. Of course I also liked the Chronicles of Narnia and the Oz series for much the same reason. I love post-shift Atlanta, and Hidden Legacy’s alternate worlds. However I know they don’t exist, and if they did exist , they are on an inaccessible alternate universe timeline. Whereas one day if I explore more country roads that seem to dead end, I might stumble into the Edge…
I also love KD. I have great hopes for Maggie as I think she’ll combine the best of KD with the best of the Edge.
spot on Mod R. It gave me the edge which is my favourite. In true BDH style I’d love more of it, but the cross into the Inn makes me just as happy. I’ve had a hard couple of weeks and it was lovely to be distracted even for a bit.
Sent me to Kate, who i love, but not as much as Innkeeper, which is where I recommend everyone start
I really liked the quiz! It pointed me to Innkeeper, which I think is a great place to start.
I found IA through Innkeeper, but my favorite will always be Kate. Clearly the quiz sensed my favoritism.
I also want to know (CHALANTLY) which crazy people recommend STARTING at book 3??? And miss the Boy Wonder entrance? The Dr. Crest lore? The first time Kate sees Curran in all his *ahem* glory? No, no, no. You need more context before going into (admittedly) one of the best books in the series.
Start at the beginning, folks. It’s all a joyous ride right out of the gate.
Agree! Maybe on a reread, you want to start with number three, but you have to start writing from this beginning! Kate is alone, lonely, scorned and hidden. Her journey starts and book number one!
+1
+1
Great quiz! I got Hidden Legacy, which I do enjoy but not as much as Kate Daniels.
Personally, I would recommend KD to new readers because of the longer storyline and how the writing and characters get so much better by the later books. The books are also quick to get through, so it’s not a massive commitment.
The quiz is great! Did not lead me to where I was expecting (Innkeeper) but towards the Edge series…which actually I think is a better fit for a new reader.
The quiz was extremely engaging, I loved it!
I think this is great for new readers. Well done ModR!
Huh. My favorite series is Kate Daniels and the one that I would recommend to people as a starter is Innkeeper. And yet I ended up with Hidden Legacy. I think that says more about the fact that I want it ALL and not in any inherent flaw in the quiz.
I got the Kinsmen, which I’ve read many times and adore! I also love Hidden Legacy so it’s perfect
Sent me to Innkeepers. My comfort reads are the KD, Edge, and Hidden Legacy. I like the Innkeeper series but not my favorite. I struggled with the questions/answers in that some were very similar.
I got Kate while most of the prompts made me expect Innkeeper. Two pieces of feedback: the protagonist question was buried at point 5 of 9 – House Andrews characters are the driving forces of your series. The first few questions should be more character focused than setting/genre focused. Second point is secondary characters. Your secondary characters add depth to your worlds. Julie, Roman, and Hugh would not be the protagonists of their own tales if they were limited to being background characters in Kate’s world. Ask about the supporting characters. Bonus suggestion – make dark humor its own question. On a scale of not my taste to i have multiple tattoos in my body of my favorite quotes, what’s your level of appreciation for dark humor.
The quiz works for me, took me exactly where I needed it to go! Awesome job!
Sent me to Hidden Legacy which is where I always send people to start!!! #teammadrogan
I was sent to Innkeeper, which is definitely the one I would recommend to people as a starting point.
So it has worked well for my own preferences.
The quiz was spot on. I got the Innkeepers, which is my comfort read. I think the quiz would be helpful as it is for any new Hoard member. There might be a mention, not in the quiz, about the Hoard and our enthusiasm for House Andrews, which can be a bit overwhelming, but also our caring and kindness towards each other.
Sent me to hidden legacy which is my most comfort read
Did this quiz point you toward your favorite series, or the one you’d recommend someone start with?
-It gave me Kate which was my first IA series. I feel like the questions and answers available made me think of kate and hidden legacy. It got me thinking about what I love most about those series and what makes them special. The questions didn’t make me think of what would be the best series for a newbie, but if they are after something specific, the quiz should help.
Was it engaging enough? What would you change?- I didnt understand the browser question and its relevance but it was a fun quiz.
If you were a brand-new Hordlet (curious, excited, and maybe a little overwhelmed), would this feel like a helpful place to start? I would have probably started with goodreads like I do with any author Im interested in. I never go to an authors website… yours is the only one because you are my favorite author.
Did this quiz point you toward your favorite series, or the one you’d recommend someone start with?
Yes, kinsmen was one of the series I picked up after Innkeeper and actually fit my style of reading better.
Was it engaging enough? What would you change?
Too many words, not enough direction.
I would have a quiz that is only 3-5 short questions and then give the user a short description of the books which they can have more indepth either information or do another quiz (that even BDH can do) that is more detailed and provides you with a character, place, etc. at the end
If you were a brand-new Hordlet (curious, excited, and maybe a little overwhelmed), would this feel like a helpful place to start?
It is very similar to previous quizzes done on the blog, so I don’t know how much leeway you have to change the format of it. It might be too much for a new fan who might feel they don’t know enough about the authors in order to do a quiz.
I think that this is a great idea! would any rhough that the quizz is maybe a tad too long / intricate for newbies. Also, got the edge as a result which is not what I would recommend personally for newbies to start with.
arggg typos. *would say though
I love all of IAs series and what book to read next depends on the mood I’m in. The quiz is a nice idea and since your answers will change with the mood you’re in, you will get different results.
In regard to the questions themselves: To be honest, I found them to be a bit boring. If you want to know, whether I’m in the mood for more or less action, you could describe a made up situation and ask, how I would like the heroine to react or something else more fun than just asking outright.
Also, you could attach a kind of ranking to the questions. Like if I am really in the mood for some romance, the questions related to that would be more important to me than f.e. the question about the kind of world (fantasy / scifi / …) the story should take place in. Or just add a neutral “I don’t care” option.
i got innkeeper which I do love and think it’s a good starting point for intro to HA.
I only think the phrasing might change because I personally do not do Any of those things to deal with stress lolol
maybe phrase “how would you Like to deal with your stress” or “pick the closest to your feelings”
I got sent to the edge.. which I love but I wouldn’t necessarily start there. I’d probably start with Kate… because to be honest the world building was what drew me into House Andrews in the first place. I love all the unique ideas they come up with and how genre is often just a suggestion and they reach over them and ransack concepts until something works. That in the progression over the series as House Andrews got better and better at their craft.
also Kate and Curran FTW
and now I devour anything and everything they write as soon as it comes out.
but I agree, it’s a bit much for new readers and I think a bit lighter would be better.
Awesome job! I took it twice, and got Innkeeper then Hidden Legacy which is what I knew was happening as I answered and fits, because I am in a cozy mood at the moment and those are the two I have most recently been revisiting. In other words, you are a master and the quiz is spot on. Now… as far as taking it as a new Hordling – I think the summaries at the end should have a bit less spoilery material (Like if I know there is a giant hedgehog chef, there would be no suspense when Dina goes to visit Orro). I agree with other comments that the questions could be fewer/less detailed. The current level of detail is enough for a devoted BDH member to know which series you are pointing towards, but a newcomer doesn’t need that level of detail. The new Hordlings are so lucky to have you to guide them Mod R!
Super helpful — bookmarked for future reference.
Sent me to Kate. Funnily, that is where I first started with House of Andrews and fell in love with the series.
the quizz chose my favourite series!
Kate Daniels for the win!
I understood what the questions were driving at but some of them hit the note of “I’m torn between these two answers” (especially where I just wanted to take half of each answer and smoosh them together), so it felt more like they should have been “check all that apply” questions.
With some questions I also felt like there should have been “I’m fine with it being included” and “I’m not really interested in it” answers (like for the romance angle) where the type of romance might of necessarily influence what I’m looking for.
I liked the quiz, but I felt I got more out of it as someone already familiar with Ilona Andrews work than as a newcomer. Also, as someone who does have some series of Ilona Andrews as my comfort reads right now, the series recommended to me is probably the second to last series I would personally recommend to a newcomer.
I guess the choices would be obvious for me which series I’d start with and is quite accurate.
It sent me to the Innkeeper chronicles, although I would recommend reading the On the Edge series first……I guess it depends on my mood…
took me to the Innkeeper which was right, so that’s good. a few questions were a bit “um, some of all of these,” esp the one about how I respond in stressful situations. and the browser tabs question came out of nowhere.
Glaedig Jul! The quiz is completely accurate – I started with Kate, and hers is the world I find the most interesting. However, if you’re just joining us, Innkeeper or Hidden Legacy are my favorites as well. I can’t wait for Maggie! Squeee!
Since Kate Daniels was not only my first book from Ilona Andrews and love at first sight, I even started reading in English to get the next book before it had been translated. I buy everything IA writes but KD is still my long time favorite. Closely followed by Hidden Legacy Nevadas Story which is very different but fun to read as well. I can recommend both series. But there are no bad choices at all.
This is the reason I chose the multiple choices answers which point in the KD direction. Go ahead dear newbie and pick any book at all but start with Magic Bites 😊
The quiz nailed it for me. Kate is my kind of protagonist. I read all the other series because I loved your writing in the Kate Daniels series so much.
Love the quiz, took me a while to think through. Amazingly, sent me to Hidden Legacy, which I have read like ten times!
Currently, rereading Innkeeper 😄
Even though i tried for Innkeeper since that is the series i would suggest to a newcomer, the quiz wasn’t fooled and send me to Kate 🙂
Hi,
Great idea! We’re all looking forward to the new Hordlings <3
I did the quiz intending to get Kate – although I usually recommend Inkeeper to new readers and I got… Inkeeper 😀 So, all is good (they are both my favorite series, comfortable sharing the top spot).
I do have some feedback regarding the specific questions:
Question 1: option 1 seems a little strange compared to the rest – don't the other options also have good pacing and precise details, etc.? I would expect that from, e.g., the long-running series and therefore found it hard to pick between option 1 and option 3.
Question 2: I cannot picture what you mean with option 2. What is "high-octane, intense romance" but without the mushy stuff? Reading the first half of the answer I thought this was the option for no or little romance, but the "high-octane, intense" confused me.
Question 5: The option for Kate (option 1) seems to do her a disservice by describing her (only) as "tough" and a "capable fighter". The great thing with Kate is how freaking competent and knowledgeable she is. I wish you would revise the wording here.
As a new reader I would find most options overwhelming to be honest. Not because of the content, but because of the wording – I think longer answers explaining the option a bit more would be helpful even if the quiz takes a minute longer to complete.
Hope this is helpful and not too blunt (I'm German, hehe). Thanks again for the great work and entertainment!
I got Kate, which was my first, and my favourite, and what I spend my reading career trying to find (and honestly failing to find) equivalents too.
Also made my partner (who hasn’t read any HA) do it too, and she got Inkeeper, which is exactly what I have been recommending her so I’d say successful quiz!
Sent me to Innkeeper, which is what I would send people to and is also my comfort series. I do take issue it’s the question about “what do you do in a stressful situation?” You did not include either “ignore and hope it goes away” or “None of the above.” Negligent of you. 😉
Sent me to Innkeeper which I loved,
First IA book I found was KD but stopped after only 2 chapters,
Came across, read and enjoyed the Edge series, found KD again with the Saiman short story in a different collection, decided to read the series.
I don’t necessarily agree that KD is the best starter series as Book 1 is not as polished and can feel a bit odd.
Knowing the authors wrote 2 other series that I thoroughly enjoyed prompted me to push through the first KD, and now I’m Team Metal Rose all the way.
Wow thank you Mod R that was really insightful. Some of the options I knew were why I gravitate to books but most I have never thought about. This was 100% accurate for me that Hidden Legacy is what I should start with, it is also my favorite series.
The funny thing is that the result was The Edge and this is the series that I first read from this power couple.
Around question 3 I inevitably started thinking of myself rather than books themselves! I actually think questions are superb, but for some might be too deep. A bit psychoanalytical of their own personality. But very good. I thought it would bring me the Kinsmen Universe but I got Hidden Legacy. Both are my faves
Sent me to Kate, but I already had Kate in mind. Always start with Kate! I devour everything from House Andrews, but Kate will forever have a special place in my heart. It’s the first series that I read from IA and Kate is the best book heroine ever.
Great quiz.
The quiz took me to Kate Daniels, my first read and still my favorite with Legacy and Innkeeper close seconds.
Always re-listen now depending on my mood.
The quiz got it spot on – Kate Daniels is my absolute fave !
i knew it!! kate daniels through and through!!
i love the other series as well, but my go to is always kate daniels…..
thanks House IA and Mod R for this quiz.
Quiz took me to Kate and that is my favorite series to date! So very accurate!
Wow. It worked.
I started with The Edge, and that’s what popped up. I still think it was great place to fall in love with the Andrews’ style, pace and world building talents before meeting everyone else in all the other worlds.
Brilliant quizz, Mod R!
Also: happy holidays to all!
Great quiz. I tried to answer without trying to figure out which series the points might link to and I came out of it with Innkeeper as my start point.
As this is probably my favourite series (closely followed by hidden legacy) I’d say the quiz works!
Interesting. quiz took me to my 2nd favourite series, the Kinsmen.
Having said that, there are very few House Andrews books I have not enjoyed.
got my fav series to a tee. Kate Daniels. very accurate quiz. though a little long.
It took me to Kate, where my BDH life started more than twenty years ago…. I still love it, but depending on my mood I wouldn’t be able to decide which series I like most… I love The Hidden Legacy and The Innkeeper Chronicle S. as much as Kate Daniel’s. So no wonder I had difficulties with deciding for an answer with a couple of questions and would have liked to be able to choose at least two options…. What about the possibility with the option of more than one answer with a ranking? And than later get more than one recommendation… like: start with Kate Daniel’s and then move on to Hidden Legacy?
I just love them ALL!
Sent me to Hidden Legacy….my favorite series. My second favorite is Kate Daniels that ties with Silver Shark and Sweep of the Blade.
Hmm. It’s time to reread the favorites….or all of HA books. Favorites first.
The quiz was great. Took me to my favorite series. Was easy but had to think. In my opinion, the only people who would be intimidated would be people who aren’t avid readers so don’t know their preferences.
Cool. I did read the Edge series, though Kate is my favorite of your worlds. Anyway, great quiz!
This was tricky. In the one hand I knew which series I’d started with so I was trying hard not to pick the answers that obviously led me there because of the prompt in the post. In the other hand, that hard work to be completely honest and neutral paid off because I got the series that enthralled me the most even if it wasn’t the speed that got me hooked. Overall a successful exercise.
The problem with this quiz is that it doesn’t let you rate things. I enjoy most of the options depending on mood, etc. Maybe rating things from love it to hate it might be useful?
Worked perfectly to the series that introduced my to HA and the BDH. However, it was also pretty clear what each choice pointed to in terms of series, so mileage may vary, as it were.
*me even.
It sent me to the Innkeeper! I love this series, and it is exactly my mood right now.
Had my husband take it and it did lead him to the Innkeeper Chronicles which is where I would point him towards to start. But the description seems a bit vague when I read it and if I hadn’t already read it I might not quite get the jokes about the characters it is referencing. He wasn’t sure what it was about and described it as “it sent me to a weird option”
Thought the quiz was great! Sent me to my favourite series. (Although I love them all of course). I agree that Magic Bites is a bit darker than the rest of the Kate Daniels stories but I’d say skip to book 2 not book 3. The flare is awesome and the tone is more in keeping with the others.
Quiz was accurate! I started with The Edge books, and read everything I could get as soon as it was published and love them all. But my favorite is Innkeeper and that’s where this quiz said to start.
Side note: when traveling in Israel a book jacket in a window caught my eye—closer look revealed it was the Hebrew language edition of Emerald Fire! Different cover, but it still immediately appealed to an established House Andrews fan without before I knew what it was. My request for that series is a lesbian central romance please. 🙏🏼
Sent me to Kate Daniel’s- yaaay!!! My first series read with the BDH. Kate and Maude are my favorite characters. Love how each series builds depth of the world, characters and continuity
For a new reader, any series is a good start but may fav is Kate
It took me to the Edge Series, which was a surprise to me. Yes I have read them but I wouldn’t have guessed with the questions it would lead there.I guess that’s the point? I hate to say this, but I didn’t really like the questions, they weren’t appealing. I was just clicking what sounded better than maybe what I really believe. Good Luck it must be hard to write something like this.
I needed a comfort read this week and decided on Innkeeper. I took the quiz with the same decision process and landed right there. I think if you know the books it’s easy to see which answers lead to which series but for a new reader they should lead to the right series to get started.
pointed me to the Innkeeper. I would love that as a start for my Ilona Andrews journey
It sent me to my favourite series, the Innkeeper chronicles. It’s also the one I started with, so I’d say a good choice.
What a fun idea! I tried my best to answer the questions without thinking about what series they would be pointing to and was sent to Hidden Legacy, which I enjoy but was not my favorite. (I’m innkeeper 💯.) That series isn’t a bad one to start with though. I found the first question to be a little intense; you might want to shuffle it and start with something that people don’t have to think about as much. I would have appreciated being able to choose more than one option, although I don’t know if that would mess up your algorithm!
This was very accurate for me. I discovered HA through HL,and would recommend as a starting point.
That said, when I discover a “new” writer I’m excited when there’s a large backlog of books to enjoying think I read Edge series next, then tackled KD and beyond.
The choices were HARD! Sometimes a little confusing but since I ended up with Kate Daniels, obviously I made the right choices for me. YAY!
A number of responses felt the choices were too long or that there were too many questions on the quiz. I didn’t think that at all. The quiz took less than a minute to take, but I didn’t mull over my choices.
This sent me to my first series from IA that I read and that I re read pretty regularly. I think there’s plenty of options for those whose needs are different. I think this works.
Yes, yes and yes!
Excellent quiz
It sent me to the series I expected it to and one of my favorites. The quiz is at the right level, friendly and not overwhelming.
I found the choice of answers complex and hard to choose from, but it did result in The Innkeeper for me and thinking about it, that’s probably true. If I had one new book in front of me from each series, The Innkeeper would be the one that I would be most excited about reading. Kate Daniel’s world is where my introduction to House Andrew’s came in. Each series is fantastic and I’ve read them all. I love everything House Andrew writes, books, stories, blogs, the weather report, truly anything. There’s always some humor to be found and I want that.
Sent me to the InnKeeper, although I was trying for the Edge. I’ll admit Hidden Legacy is my favorite, though I love Dina. For Baby Hordkins, I think the Edge provides so much backstory, although maybe that is changing?
Great quiz
one of my 2 favorite series was the choice
Quiz sent me to the InnKeeper series and that was my goal.
It is clearly working – it sent me to Hidden Legacy, my favourite series of you! I like all of your books but my heart goes for House Baylor! 🙂
This works great! Thank you for the work. I could answer depending on the series just because I’ve read all the novels several times. But I love Kate for her feisty demeanor. The Inn keeper I’ve re read multiple times when under lots of stress because it’s such a beautiful world and lovely characters. I would like to be Dina when I grow up.
I started with Kate, but the quiz sent me to Innkeeper. I’m good. As part of the BDH, I could see the different aspects of the different series, but, if I am being honest, the one I reread the most is Innkeeper. No matter where the quiz takes them, they will be good. I envy them, the Hordlets, they are in for some great reads…
Ps, I would love for Dina to find here parents and brother. Hint, hint
Tried to answer to my usual reading habits and not which series I thought the questions pointed to and got Kate Daniels – love the whole series, and especially the spin offs!
I’m not sure how this might be useful quiz feedback, but the series I tend to recommend first is Innkeeper because it’s the one I’ve reread most and it checks so many boxes; sci-fi/fantasy, romance, humor, great characters, stellar writing, manageable size.
(One friend ended up reading the whole series, made the first a book club choice, which then lead to at least one other [who typically prefers psychological thrillers] reading through the series!)
Good starting point, I feel the Ilona Andrews books are not probably going to be a regular first series for a reader, probably someone who already loves sci-fi/fantasy so the quiz is great.
This was so much fun! Mod R is a gem. give her a raise!
I love that my answers led right to the series I started with. (I’ve read them all, and am a true member of the Horde.)
When I began, the newsletter said BDH everywhere, but it took me months to know what it meant. just saying, maybe a page just for the newbies with some yummy enticing info?
Love you all, Iona, Gordon, Kid #1, Kid #2, all the sweet pets, the Horde, all the recipes, knitting info, book recommendations, the PRESENTS!!! ALL THE PRESENTS! You take extremely good care of us. thank you for all your hard work, transparency and love!
Melissa
I got the Kinsmen Universe which is the one my daughter recommended me to start with and the one I have reread most often. I agree with other posts that some of the options are too detailed.
Always love a quiz!
Wow! I got the Innkeeper Chronicles, without trying to influence the outcome, which is my favorite series. Although, a second Hugh would not go unread.
This led me to my third favorite series. Some of the questions were about the reader, for example, “how do you deal with a stressful situation?” I read to escape my stress and want to read about someone who deals better than I. I also think the questions are a little too complicated and specific. And perhaps the results give the reader two options? “We think you’ll enjoy this series because…or perhaps this one because…then they can look into the two and choose from them. This is a great idea for new readers!
It sent me to The Edge, which I haven’t had a chance to read yet, but it’s now on my TBR.
I thought the questions were really fun and the answer options were very relatable.
As someone who only joined the Horde a a year or so ago and still has so many books to read, this quiz is going to be awesome for new Hordlets.
Great quiz! The questions are thought provoking and the result pointed me to my favorite series—Kate Daniels!
Great job on the quiz! Took me to my favorite, InnKeeper and the one I recommend most!
I felt myself figuring out which response went with what series, but tried not to let that influence my choices. (new readers would not have that issue, obviously). I think new readers would find this helpful, but if they are like me, they will read everything and love it all! At the end, my recommended next read was Innkeeper – spot on, that series is indeed my favorite!
Bang on!
The quiz seemed awesome to me! Led me to my favorite series 🙂 and I never felt like “eww – none of the above” when having to pick an answer. Well done!
My only quibble is that it felt a bit long/dense. Anything you can do to shorten and lighten the amount of text (without compromising content) would be a good thing. (In other words … yep – it’s a first draft and needs an edit – but it’s a great first draft! 🙂)
Quiz was accurate and told me the edge was my series and that waswas my first series that I read by you. I enjoyed it so much. I went out to find your other books quiz with one.
sent me on the correct path to what I need right now. Innkeepers.
It sent me to Kate Daniels, which is the series I started with. A bit surprising since I was expecting Innkeeper.
The quiz was one of those where I mostly knew which question went with which series. Not a problem for newcomers but I did have to concentrate on not throwing my results.
The quiz was right. Hidden Legacy is my favorite, although Kate’s world is a close second.
I just wish we could get more of the hidden legacy stories.
Please more… more…
It sent me to Kate Daniels
Kate came up for me and I was pleased because while reading this installment my first thought was “of course Kate!” The series was my introduction to the Horde and I became an avid reader of all things Ilona Andrew’s going forward. Thank you for many hours of reading pleasure!
While it did not send me to the first series that got me hooked on Ilona Andrew’s (Hidden Legacy!) did send me to my comfort favourite (Innkeeper Chronicles) – considering I am
On my third read through (via the graphic audio version) seems like the most fitting answer!
What I always wanted to ask: Is there something like a discord server for the BDH? Would be nice to get to know ppl here better, even with the different time zones ._.
(I don’t use facebook, or twitter, or instagram, because it makes me depressive)
Love this! And FWIW, our favorite innkeepers are the perfect entry point!
yup, the survey nailed which series I love the best…Innkeeper Chronicles.
love it but I usually recommend Burn for Me to start. that series is manageable and other characters don’t bleed in. This gave me Innkeeper but I don’t think people should start with that. to get the most out of Innkeeper I think you need Edge Series first.
Hurdling. Definitely. :-).
OMG – Hordeling. Damn autocorrect!!
Yep, pointed me right at the series I would recommend for most. I really enjoyed taking the quiz as well, gave me a lot to think about in terms of my own life and values.
It gave me Hidden Legacy, which is one of my favorites. I also loved the Edge series. But I think Hidden Legacy is a good intro into the world of House Andrews. The quiz was fun! I liked the questions, some were unexpectedly deep!
It sent me to Hidden Legacy which is my favorite. I think the two trilogies (and bonus Diamond Fire) is a more manageable intro than Kate plus her novellas.
Great quiz ModR I think you nailed it.
Yes! My answers took my right to Innkeeper, which is where I usually recommend starting. I think the question about what brings you back for a second book is excellent.
It picked my favorite of your series, go Kate!! Although, Hidden Legacy, Kinsman and Innkeeper are very close. I’m pretty sure I skewed it because I recognized things. If I were a clueless Hordlet, it would have done a great job.
No surprise for me on my results, although, I love and follow all IA books. Keep them coming!!
Hidden Legacy for the WIN! That’s what I usually recommend as a starter series for people, because Kate is an INVESTMENT. The reward is HUGE, but I want people hooked before introducing them to her. Anyway, quiz is beautiful! Thank you. 🙂
Sent me to Kate. I would recommend this series as it was the first of your books I read and fell in love with all your books.
I’m die hard Kate Daniels, but I have to say I was very sure I would get
The Baylor Diamonds for my choice, based on my answers. Lo and behold, I ended up at Gertrude Hunt, and after really thinking about my quiz answers, this was actually the right choice. The questions are complex enough, and at the same time I wonder if the answers were a skoche too “deep.” Methinks that’s what you want. Or, that’s what I assume you want forvour new bdhlings…
I must confess… I’ve read all IA books except for a couple books in the Edge series.
I have even read all the Free Fiction here on the IA website… (Love the Frinn-days cross series interviews. I think my favorites were the ones with Roman and Curran and Arland. Those three characters were so wonderfully antagonistic which made the “interviews” hilarious.)
THIS quiz pointed me to the Innkeeper Chronicles, which is perfect.
After reading the near apocalyptic books in the Kate Daniels series, Dina’s world is a fun escape that’s just a few shades brighter and funnier — especially with “an oversized, hysterical hedgehog with a martyr complex.” We all love ❤️ Orro! 💕
Anyway, just like my mood dictates the book I choose to read at any given moment, IA has covered most of the moods I love to read in a book.
Thank you, IA!
Cheers to all and to all a good night!
Too many questions for a newbie. They’ll decide it’s more work than it’s worth, particularly if they feel like “wrong” answers will land them with books they won’t like.
Love the quiz! It sent me to Innkeeper – which is my favourite series!
Good evening HA and Horde
Thank you to Mod R for the quiz – I got Innkeeper Chronicles, which is apt – this is in fact the first HA series that I actively sought out!
I would like to add that my current favourite is Hidden Legacy, though there is SERIOUS salivation for This Kingdom, as well as a follow-up to The Inheritance.
A nice bit of info for Horde newcomers on a budget – as I recall, Hidden Legacy is available on KU! I remember borrowing it there first before eventually buying the series…
This was well crafted and had lots of outcomes. Thanks for the hard work ModR
That was fun. and yes accurate. I love all House Andrews works, and choose to re-read according to my mood today. Tomorrow it may change, Iron and Magic, (When Are we being rewarded for our patience, Hugh 2?)or Hidden Legacy or our favourite sexy Dark priest?(Again, pretty please, more!) Love them all!
Sent me the series I would recommend anyone start with which is Kate. Might be I was looking for Kate in the options.
I got KD, which is where I started, and suits my normal reading tastes well. It was through Kate I got into House Andrew’s.
Questions:
1) Pacing. Odd question, especially to start with. It’s not how I tend to think of how I categorise my fiction. Probably better to ask about the surrounding word – do you want it detailed with new things to discover? Do you want there to be spin-offs to read set in the same world? The answer about details paying off across the series arc, I think covers all the HA books – it’s one of the things which makes them a good author, so I don’t know how you’re pointing that towards one series over others. The other answers are more on the style of fiction rather than the pace of the fiction.
2) A place for romance. I agree with a lot of the earlier answers. There should be an option for “I don’t care about romance”. I love the world building, the characters, the setting, the stories of the HA books. The romance is wholly incidental, it makes it real – romance is often a large part of people’s real lives – but it’s not why I read books at all. Non of your options let me say this, and thus give the impression that all the HA books are primarily romance, which I would argue log and hard they aren’t. The Hidden Legacy books, and the Edge books, yes, romance is a main part of them. And the Kinsmen. But Kate Daniela and the Innkeeper, while they have romance in them, it isn’t a focus of the story. It’s not why we’re reading. And so far the Inheritance doesn’t have romance at all (although I believe there is a possibility of romance in possible new books).
3) Browser tabs. The question is cute, but I’m not sure how you’re pointing the answers to different series at all. I don’t think how you use a computer or how lazy you may be in deleting browser tabs actually affects what style of fiction you enjoy reading? Is this question in just because everyone can answer it and it makes people feel comfortable having an easy answer?
4)Setting. Seems perfect. Quite a good basic description of all relevant series. Happy.
5)Type of protagonist. Generally, also good. Although, by a process of deduction, I’m assuming “A caring protector who balances responsibility, compassion and quiet strength” points towards the Kinsmen series. But I don’t know that any of those protagonists could be described as having a “quiet strength”, so I’m confused by this answer. Who is it?
6) Moral greyness. I’m not sure this fits with HA. None of the main characters are what I would consider morally grey. They are all complicated, make tough choices to the best of their knowledge, but all try to do the right thing in a complex world. It’s another thing I like about HA – the answers aren’t always obvious, but you end up agreeing that the characters all made the best choices they could with their current knowledge. I guess Iron and Magic with Hugh could be considered different, but even then you come to see Hugh’s point of view, and he comes right by the 1st quarter of the book, you get to see his attempts at doing the right thing, and that he always had attempted it. So I’m deeply confused as to how you’ve categorised this answer – I think *every* answer points to *every* book series…
7) Stress response. I think this question is too complex for the answers you’ve provided – and I don’t think it helps with picking fiction. Although it is in keeping with other quizzes of he type. How I respond in stressful situation is actually strongly two of your options – they’re not mutually exclusive – and a little bit of two of the others. It also doesn’t affect how I like my fiction. How I respond in stress doesn’t mean I don’t like reading about others who react differently. For example, the one option I never do in person is use dark humour, but I love reading oops with dark humour in. I don’t see how this question helps.
8) Family dynamics in stories. I like the question. But I find myself wanting to select multiple answers. I like reading about realistic families – both good and bad, with strong found family overtones. I don’t mind if family is a strong motivator for a protagonist – although be aware that “a strong motivator” could be both positive – protective, supportive – or negative – dislike, rebellious – or neutral – live up to expectations. So that particular answer should be clarified as to which ind of motivation you consider strong. The second option – family as motivation but no strong presence on the page – is weird. I like my protagonists to have an explainable motivation. I don’t care what it is, family or otherwise. And it’s the only option which is close to “I don’t care about family”. Which isn’t an option. I can take or leave family in my books, which is why I lean more towards the “found family” answer, but not every book has a strong family dynamic. Kate, for instance, is I guess your found family, but that’s not how I perceive Kate to think about it. She protects those she cares about, but that includes people she wouldn’t herself consider family, so I wouldn’t say her “found family” is a big ting for Kate. I’m also confused as to which series you’ve put towards which answer. Kinsmen could be the dynasties and business, but they could also be the complicated, betray and motivate. Hidden Legacy could be constant presence, loyalty and expectations, or the dynasties and business. The Edge could be constant presence with loyalty and expectations or complicated with love and hurt.
9) Motivation to read the next book. They all seem good answers. The only issue with this is that again, I want to tick more than one box. None of them are “stand out” reasons for me. I like learning more about the world, seeing how characters struggles work out, and reading is my happy place (although I’d never describe a character as a friend). I’m sure there are others who have a different mix. I can see how some of these answers relate to a specific need – seeing the world from other perspectives is a good one for the kinsmen and the edge, as both don’t stick with the same characters. The relationship works well for HL as that is more of a relationship-focussed series than the others (although I love it for it’s world building and the complex web of conspiracies, along with the inter-weaving relationships of all varieties the characters have). But Kate could be the bigger world or the character fighting for a better future, as could the Edge. Putting the wide-reaching conspiracies in with the relationship is odd. Kate could be said to have a “conspiracy” (Roland kind of fits), as well as HL and the Innkeepers. I don’t think it fits with needing to see a relationship develop at all. If your motivation is primarily to see how the relationship works out, the conspiracy would be icing, not interdependent. And if reading is your happy place, every series fits that one. So you’d want to change that o you’ve connected to the characters and want to spend more time with them. Although again, that could be said of every series. Again, I don’t know how you’ve managed to make the different series fit into these boxes.
This all feels very negative. It’s not meant to be. I think the quiz is a great idea. I’d change it slightly:
1) What length of story are you looking for?
KD – long, with spin-offs (finished)
HL – shorter stories which fit into a longer series
Edge – stand alone stories which meld together
Kinsmen – stand alone stories in the same universe
Innkeeper – fairly long, with spin-offs (unfinished)
2) How do you feel on Romance?
KD / Innkeeper – it’s fine, but I can take it or leave it
KD / Innkeeper – slow growing romance over a series, not the main focus of the story, alongside danger and character development
Kinsmen / HL – strong attraction, romance at the centre of everything.
Edge – Romance shaped by hardship, against the odds
– fewer answers but some point equally to different series.
3) Setting – keep this the same as your question 4
4) Type of protagonist – sae as your 5, but I don’t know how you’d use this to point to Kinsmen currently, as non of them seem to match that.
KD – tough fighter with big heart
HL – newcomer navigating power, intrigue and attraction
Edge – overlooked by society, refusing to stay powerless
Innkeeper – competent professional, shaped by duty and choice (This may also be the protector with a quiet strength, now I come to think about it)
Kinsmen – Deadly, strong, certain of their place
5) what feel of story do you most enjoy?
KD – gritty, real-world adjacent but with magic and monsters. Fighting is normal, and one person can make all the difference.
HL – slightly polished, rich meets poor, real world adjacent with magic where the people are the monsters and to survive you must embrace your own strengths.
Edge – Struggle to improve, hidden strength, worlds collide, your desire to protect is your strength
Innkeeper – cozy adjacent, magic and tech, meet new people and civilisations, your own personal mysteries to resolve while still doing your job
Kinsmen – sci-fi where technology could be magic, but the people are still people and deal with betrayal and family.
6) Feeling on mysteries?
KD – Not so much mystery as a problem I can’t yet overcome
HL – is that a conspiracy? It is, and I accidentally got in the way. Great, now I have to investigate and deal with it.
Innkeeper – My life is defined by a mystery in my past. It motivates me, I want to solve it, but I can’t abandon the rest of my life for it
Edge – the world is a mystery and I just have to live in it
Kinsmen – The only mystery here is why people choose to act the way they do, and how I’m going to respond to it.
I took out some questions I didn’t feel relevant, and some which I think went to all of HA’s work, not just one, and I added in two questions. Sorry for the very long feedback!
loved the quiz and sent me to Kinsmen, which I like but not a favorite
some feedback: some answers were long so I skimmed
I kept rereading “setting sounds” and picturing an airplane landing so had to read the answers to figure out the question (and then realized how tired I am…)
for the response in a crisis, I was looking for overreacts/falls apart because that is how I react (but not the characters I realize) and question was asking us…
fun quiz! good number and variety of questions
The Innkeepers have always been my Favorite and now I know why. Second Favorite is Hidden Legacy.
These two series I would listen to again.
I got sent to Innkeeper, which is usually my “hook” to try to recruit new members to the Horde. I agree that the questions are a little too complex, wordy. Maybe more of the type where you describe a situation, and ask the “do you” question, with shorter answers?
This quiz is perfect. It gave me my favorite series to read, which is what I would recommend to anyone new to House Andrews. I like the longer descriptors, but I think that is a very personal thing. Younger readers might prefer more concise options.
Sent me to Kate (my fav), but I think if the goal is to direct newbies to a series, the questions should be more explicitly book preference-related. The question about the tabs on your browser didn’t make any sense to me and isn’t necessarily applicable to all readers. The straightforward questions were very on point.
It sent me to the Innkeeper chronicles which was my first foray into the Andrews-Verse 😀
With the pacing question, I love IA books because I find all of them to be fast paced. They never leave me any time to feel board, even in the first chapters when settings and characters are being introduced, there’s enough action to keep my tried brain focused on the story. I got Hidden Legacy, but I think Innkeeper is my favorite. Unless miniseries count, and then Iron Covenant gets first place. I usually recommend Innkeeper to folks who are new to IA. The romance questions are hard because IA writes all of their different romance components so well, that I will happily read all of it.
Innkeeper, for the WIN. I started with Kate Daniels, and I enjoyed that a LOT. But the Innkeeper I loved more. Loved the Hidden Legacy as well. To be honest, I like anything you guys write, I really do. But Innkeeper is my fave.
The quiz was spot on! I believe that “The Edge” would be a wonderful jumping off point for baby Hordites!
Then they will fall in love with Kate Daniel’s, Nevada and all the others.
The quiz sent me to Kate Daniel’s. My most favorite series! It’s a great series to start with…great world building, intriguing characters…and just a great series.
It sent me to Innkeeper though I would say Kate Daniels is my actual go to. That said, Innkeeper might be a better place to start, though I did start with Kate myself.
Sent me to Kate! Perfection!
Great ‘test’ as the answer is my favorite series!
I like it. I wasn’t sure if it was going to give me Innkeeper or Hidden Legacy and got Innkeeper. I’ve read them all but those two are the ones I reread/listen to most often.
It did indeed give me the series I started with, and zero regrets!
I got Hidden Legacy, which is definitely my favourite, but not the one I’d recommend (Innkeeper is the one I usually recommend) as a starting point. That being said, if it were my sister I knew liked romances, HL is definitely the one I’d recommend first!
As to the questions, one or two I did wish for a “all the above” option, but it was easy enough to navigate and definitely lead me to a series I enjoy reading a lot.
I was sent to Kate! I’d say that’s pretty accurate, I was expecting either Kate or Hidden Legacy so I think it works well!
I got Innkeeper series! ironically I started with Kate too but when I started playing Graphic Audio on long road trips with my husband, I started with Innkeeper first and now we are working our way through the Kate Daniel’s series, so definitely a good order!
The quiz seemed very accurate to me. It said the Kate Daniels series was where I should start (and is where I found House Andrews) and KD is my favorite, BUT it is by an incredibly slim margin. I love everything I have read by HA.
Sent me to the Edge series- which is not the one I recommend to folks just approaching House Andrews. I, honestly, forget about the Edge series which means I should revisit it (darn and tarnation).
Depending on the Hoardkin candidate, I usually suggest the Hidden Legacy series or Inn Keeper chronicles, because of the approachable length of the series’.
Kate Daniel’s is my favorite (I’ve read or listened to it SO MANY times) but a ten-plus- book series is a lot for most readers.
The BDH is abnormal and perfect, but to get new people here I think your quiz is long enough to get to the answer but short enough to stay interesting.
Perfectly stated. My HS English treasurer used to assign essays that way. He called it the bikini principle. Short enough to be interesting, long enough to cover the subject.
It sent me to Inkeeper, which is not my favorite – that would be Kate.
I think the quiz was engaging but some of the questions seemed to serve no real purpose other than humor. My open tabs are probably not indicative of my reading preferences?
Any start is better than having no starting point at all (for the indecisive), so maybe it’s enough if the quiz gives someone the final push no matter the outcome.
I will get hate mail for this, but…Snippets from Maggie and This Kingdom have left me… meh… no immediate desire to read. Still based on House Andrews track record I will PROBABLY eventually download samples from Amazon.
Quiz responses:
1. Definitely
2. It was very engaging. No changes needed.
3. Very helpful!
This sent me to my favorite — Hurray! Considerations: Too long. I’d quit if I wasn’t an established reader. TLDK. Not Maggie centric. As a potential Horde member, direct me to books that gel with what I liked about Maggie — not what I like in general. I got Innkeeper which is a good match for me in general, yet, it would be a poor suggestion if I wanted more like Kate. What about a quiz identifying things the reader like about Maggie?
Innkeeper is my favorite series, so the quiz was 100% accurate. (Though Silent Blade remains my #1 comfort read)
Completing the “what to read” did point me to my favorite series, Innkeeper Chronicles. I could see how the questions would lead to various series, so well done(!) on that aspect of the quiz. Bring on the new baby Hordelets!
1. Nope, it didn’t lead me to my favorite (Innkeeper Chronicles) or to what I’d recommend starting with (either Innkeeper or Kate Daniels) – led me to Hidden Legacy
2. Definitely engaging, and I enjoyed taking the quiz.
3. I do think a quiz is a helpful place to start.
The Innkeeper series = I KNEW it!
Sent me to Innkeeper which I do think is a good starting place, but not to Kate which is my actual favorite series. But that might be because I do find it difficult to jump into a well established series with lots of books
Really, any of the series could have been my answer (I got Hidden Legacy)… except for Kate. I have read all multiple times, and it’s not my norm to reread. Except for Kate – I don’t dislike the series, but it’s not my favorite, and I think it might be too long and involved a place for a newbie to begin with. The Edge, Innkeeper, or HL would all be a good start, depending on the tastes of the reader.
I chose Clean Sweep to introduce Ilona Andrews to my Book Club. I have read every series and eagerly await the next book in each series. ( when is Iron Magic II coming?)
EXCELLENT. I was sent directly to the series that pulled me in to HA world. Excellent job ModR
I got recommended The Edge, which I think suits me (might’ve actually been where I started, come to think of it).
The questions were well-framed to think about elements and reactions you seek in your preferred stories. It seemed engaging and a good length, to me.
The series description, title of the first book, and relation to other series is helpful, concise and, for readers who already found the authors’ site, seems like plenty to start from.
Sent me to Kate, a series I love, but I’d recommend Innkeeper for newbies. Innkeeper is so entertaining, unexpected, offbeat.
Yes, The Edge is what I started with and recommend beginners to read first.
It sent me to Kate which I love to bits, but my favorite is actually Innkeeper and I was certain that my answers would lead there. Some questions were confusing because I would have gladly chosen any one of 3 answers. And then there was the question about things getting stressful which stopped me for a while, as it was lacking the “hide under the blanket with cookies and good book” answer. Not sure if it is helpful.
Loved this quiz, Kate Daniels all the way. But I want to be part of the Metal Rose crew! How do I make it so? I reread Blood Heir every 3 months without fail and I want to see what happens next so badly.
It sent me to my favorite series. Some of the questions were a bit long. Partway through I read the first line and skipped the rest unless I needed clarification.
First things first: my vote is for “hordlets”.
The quiz felt slightly bulky, with the possible answers to each question a like too long and a little too on the nose. I think a more abstract approach to the questions/options could flow better for a hoardlet. As a long time BDH member (Kate Daniels book 2 first printing!) it was obvious which world you were referencing with each answer.
That being said, I did get the result I expected based on my answers, so it was effective.
it took me to Kate Daniel’s. She is what I was going to suggest before I took the quiz. I was hesitant because I’m still waiting on Hugh’s story. they shouldn’t be sent to one with parts unfinished.
Maybe the Clean Sweep series would be better
I sometimes wish that I haven’t read Kate Daniels yet, just to discover it again.
I agree with the comments the quiz was a bit intense, but I don’t see that as a negative thing! The way the questions & answers were worded were a promising sign I would receive good results worth checking out.
The potential answers to each question covered a solid spectrum (i.e., not too much the same, and not ridiculously broad).
My result was the Kate Daniels world, which was the 1st I read (and funnily enough the one I’ve been binging on this past week, with only Blood Heir left to read).
Honestly, I love all the Ilona Andrews series, and have reread them all multiple times. They do have different flavors.
Have you considered adding a one- or two-liner alternate or 2nd recommendation? Like “The Kate Daniels series is a fan favorite, but if you’re in the mood for a shorter series, consider [Hidden Legacy]!”
Thanks, Mod R, for all you do — wishing you and House Andrews a wonderful holiday season 🙂
I think the quiz did point me to my favorite series – Kate Daniels.
It was engaging, but I think people, especially a Hordlet might be intimidated by the questions that focus on my personality vs the type of books I like to read…
There were several questions where I thought that multiple answers applied.
It would be nice to have a back button if I wanted to change any of my answers.
Fun idea. Thanks for doing this.
It pointed me right to Kate Daniel, which is perfect. This is amazingly well done.
I think the Innkeeper or Hidden Legacy series would work best for new BDH’s. They have a short number of editions (so far) and that would allow the new people to feel the fun that comes from turning fantasy tropes into advanced civilization and planets instead the usual fantasy tropes. Hidden Legacy shows a small family helping to accomplish big things.
The questions led me to Kate Daniels, which is the first series I read, and it’s great, but it is also a very long series and that might scare off new people but who knows?
Huh. I got The Edge which, funnily enough, WAS the first IA book (series of books) that I read.
(Cue the Twilight Zone music!)
Odd that it gave me Kinsmen, as I thought I was gearing it towards Hidden Legacy. I assume this is because my answers were rather all over the place despite what I thought I was aiming for (guess I was trying to see what popped up organically).
My first read in IA was The Edge series which was cool because it went through both Urban Fantasy and regular Fantasy in those books. And is the series I most like to reread (partly because it is a shorter series, but also that the magic is unique).
I did devour Kate Daniels after my introductory series was done. But I think my favorite series is Hidden Legacy. Therefore Gateway series does not necessarily relate to favorite series as a whole.
It took a long time for me to get to reading Innkeepers as I did not understand the premise (did not wow me). I might never have gotten to if not for the email blog read-along I came into the late part of the books.
Kinsmen was really a finishing up point for me while waiting on a new Hidden Legacy book. Nostalgic because I came to Fantasy mostly after Science Fiction had paled for me.
Depending upon a new readers interests: The Edge or Kate Daniels for darker (Urban) Fantasy; Hidden Legacy or Innkeepers for “straight” fantasy.
How fun is that….time to reread Hidden Legacy! Thank you so much for the consistent entertainment!!!!
Love the author interviews too.
😍
Led me to Kate Daniels, although not sure if my answers were influenced by the fact that I am currently rereading Magic Bites and I can literally see the front cover out of the corner of my eye.
Couldn’t finish the quiz because I was so torn between KD and HL. lol.
It sent me to Innkeeper series – which is one of my favorites – the other is Hidden Legacy. When I first started out and wasn’t a Hordling (yet!), I read Kate Daniels. And immediately dropped it. I can’t explain why but I just couldn’t get into it.
I’m reallllyyyy glad I gave it another chance because now I devour all their books. Nom nom nom.
Suggested Kinsmen, which I think makes sense for me. only proposed revision is in the description where it says “start anywhere”. That’s probably ok, although if you started with Siver Shark, you’d miss the joy of unfolding the whole Dahlia district and that romance. (sorry – forgot the title, ❤️ loved the book.)
It sent me to Edge, which is not a favorite because it skews more heavily to romance.
My favorite is Innkeeper, but I totally see how my answers landed me where they did.
Innkeeper! I do love it and I think the easy bites are a great way to get into the DEEP catalog of wonderful stories. The questions really got me thinking!
The quiz lead my right to my favorite series, “The Innkeeper Chronicles”. I did start out with Kate Daniels originally, and love that series as well.
I agree with what many have said, that the favorite series can change with the mood one is currently experiencing. I think this is a tribute to the House Andrews writing team. We , the Book Devouring Hoard, love all your series!
Great writing and impressive comedic timing, paired with interesting and genuine relationships is a winning combination in any genre.
Definitely worked and came up with my favorite series and the one I told my sister to start with.
What a thought provoking questionnaire! Excellent job. Can only hope it’s helpful to new aficionados.
This was interesting to take. I think my answers would be different on another day. I started with Kate and read everything else after. I was thrilled with all of them. I did love the edge. I am part of the BDH, definitely! LOL
I remember asking for the ‘trilogy’ I’d seen a while before for birthday/xmas one year and my mum said “… you know there’s more?”
yup. it picked the Kate daniels series. I’ve read those books at least 10 times. it’s my comfort food when I don’t have a new thing to listen to
The quiz definitely came to the same conclusion that my recent conversation with my son on this exact subject did! The Kate Daniels series is our favorite with all its complexity, different characters (all equally favorite), and myriad stories to finish, hoped-for sequels, and potential spin-offs.
While it’s the gateway drug, we do both hesitate to recommend the first book to some people because the gruesomely intense sexual nature of the bad guy may be too much for some, or lead to a wrong impression of the rest of the series, but ultimately, if you start on book 1 or 2, just start: the characters and the KD world are the best…
But Innkeeper. It’s also awesome, but there’s just so much less of it. (More please!)
Then HL. The family dynamic. Fell in love with this after resisting futilely – it’s a romance and I don’t like romance! My son just went through the same discovery, he’s a guy, guys don’t read romance… except this one. A favorite for both of us now. A true comfort read.
The inheritance!! OMG! Most promising new series award! We’re both biting nails waiting for the next one!
Chalantly awaiting Maggie. Not expecting to be disappointed.
Sent me to Kate, which is one of my two go-to recommendations. It’s normally either Kate or Hidden Legacy, depending on the person. I default to HL a little more since it is a shorter series, which helps avoid scaring off as many folks.
Sent me to my favorite series
Innkeeper for me, probably a good shout for new hordelets.
Feedback: question 4 was *very* series specific. I could name each series based on the options
House Baylor was quiz result which I knew would be my suggestion
Sent me to Innkeeper -which is tied with Hidden Legacy as my favorite series. Id say your quiz works!
Lovely quiz. It took me to Inkeeper, which is where I started, but I found myself oscillating between the answers that pointed to Inkeeper and HL. It might be good to have the quiz show the result you ended up with, plus maybe a little bar graph showing how strongly you pulled for the other series. In the end, there’s really no wrong place to start, after all!
That was a great quiz! I knew right away which answers I was gravitating to, and which series that was leading me to! It was through and fun, and I agree with a newbie starting with this particular series!
I adored and still do the Kate Daniels series. She was my introduction to Ilona and Gordon and I have not left. Do I want more – of course. I admit I am waiting for Hugh’s story and let’s not forget Julie and Derek. I need results 🙂 But you were a wonderful discovery and I have shared your books with my nieces. So there are a few of us out there that buy every series you put out, but Kate and Curran own me
I love Breach Wars, Hidden Legacy, Kinsmen, Innkeeper and Iron Covenant. I want more of them!!!!
Took me to the Edge, which is actually the first HA book I bought for myself rather than read from the library. You know it’s a great place to start when you draw me away from the library!!
worked for me. I wasn’t trying to aim for a particular series, but the Edge is such a brilliant starting point I often suggest that one first.
Already read that whole series! I need more Hidden Legacy and Innkeeper Chronicles!
I landed on my favorite series and it’s the one I would recommend to others, so the quiz certainly works for me. Wouldn’t change a thing. Hope your holidays were lovely!
OK, the quiz recommended Kate Daniels but my favorite is the Innkeeper Series. That’s where I started (book version not the serial). It took me a long time to try out Kate – when I did I loved her but the sheer volume was intimidating.
I’m thinking that instead of coming up with one series to recommend to new hoarders that instead you should provide a comparison chart so they can pick for themselves. How many books in the series, how much romance, etc. I love them all but which to read at a given time depends a lot on my current mood and book needs. Also maybe a warning not to judge Nevada by the original covers.
This sent me to my favorite series and the one I usually suggest to friends. The quiz iz a good length. The questions and answer choices were clear and accessible. It was engaging and I would feel welcomed if I saw this type of quiz on the page of a new-to-me author.
I love the idea of offering a quick quiz to help someone get started!!
I got the Innkeeper Chronicles, which I do absolutely love, so I would say a success there! The quiz was definitely engaging, and I liked the length – long enough to get a good sense for the reader without being too long. The questions were cute, and good at getting at different parts of the stories. The one thing I would maybe recommend is to show the top 2/3 results instead of just one, if possible? That way if someone has already decided they weren’t into the top result, for whatever reason, they have another option instead of being stuck. Also, maybe add a question in about length of series (or make it more explicit?), just to get an idea of whether someone is looking for a long series or not.
Yes! The series I was thinking Hordelings need to start with is Kate Daniels, and that is what my answers chose.
Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE ALL of the series, spin-offs, etc. and am currently going back through them all to re-read or listen to them, but Kate Daniels was the one I got started with way back, and I think it’s a good introduction to the worlds of Ilona Andrews.
I love all HA series, but it sent me to my comfort place, which I think if I wanted a reread right now, that would be where I’d go.
It felt fun and engaging!
Sent me to Hidden Legacy. I’d recommend this to a first time reader but would recommend Kate series before this one, likely since it’s my most favorite, but Hidden is a fav as well. Maybe the questions a little less wordy as another commenter suggested. I can see as is being a bit much for someone who’s just getting into reading or a casual reader vs the avid, must read daily or day isn’t the best of days type reader (me 😎)
Seems spot-on, it sent me to Kate Daniels, which is my all-time favorite series. 🙂
This quiz is a great idea!
I’d reorder the questions. Reading experience, setting, protagonist, morally gray characters, family dynamics, then romance. Then the quirky (and lovely) questions about browser tabs, stress, etc. Maybe even include a transition to signal that you’re moving general quiz sections.
I didn’t come to these books for the romance. In fact, I didn’t read Hidden Legacy for a while because of the cover and the fact that it’s published by a romance group. Romance and “morally gray” have various meanings right now. “Romance” usually means the romance is at the center of the plot. There are a lot of books with “morally gray” characters, who are really just evil but set up as protagonists (mafia lords who torture people or “sexy serial killers”). House Andrews characters are nothing like that. And maybe figure out another term instead of “morally gray.” Complex? Conflicted?
Have you considered asking a question about fandom? Like, someone’s favorite drink/food–tea, gourmet coffee, etc.? Maybe something that hints to an inside joke, so when the new reader arrives at the joke, they feel like the group. Or “what do you like best in a fandom?”
1. Favourite (Kate).
2. Shorter answers? Shorter questions?
3. Yes, it’s a bit of fun.
The quiz sent me to the edge series witch is where I actually started and I have read and highly recommend anything that comes from House Andrews without any questions one of the best houses out there
Sent me to Kate but I could already tell which answers would point there so I maybe steered it. 🙂
Newcomers may be overwhelmed by all the choices/wordage though I liked the tone of the choices.
I think it’s a great way to ease our new friends into things though. Because this Horde be intense!
(I love this Horde so much even though I mainly lurk. You too are a big sprawling group of good souls)
Surprising results! If we were speaking over a nice cuppa, I would have recommended that you (Newbie you) start with the Innkeeper series. Love the worldview and want to visit Bahachar so very badly.
The quiz said I should have started with The Edge, which is (I think) a good place to start although I personally started with KD and went to The Edge between book releases.
Regarding the quiz itself, I thought it was long and there could be people that would not finish and be put off diving into the HA catalog rather than further engaging them. I felt the family dynamic question was really out of left field in particular; it is definitely not an aspect of storytelling I would care about when selecting a new book/series. I also thought the romance question was a bit confusing, (I literally thought to myself, “I need to read that again, I don’t get it.”) I would expect categories more like “I like a slow-burn romance arc spread out over an entire series” or “I like when each book in a series is a self-contained romantic story in a shared world” or even “Romance level or lack thereof does not dictate my book preference” (aka Romance, shmomance – whatever!) The browser tab question made me laugh. Boost the level of fun, reading is about enjoyment. Honestly the quiz felt like a chore rather than something fun to do in the moment, with the bonus of directing me to some new book-fun at the end.
My feedback on the quiz:
1. I recommend indicating the point of view of the stories at some point in the quiz. First person point of view female perspective, third person, etc. This point of view knowledge is important to a lot of readers. I assume This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me is first person point of view?
2. Indicating which series are completed is very helpful for new readers. I’m so angry at cliffhangers and series that never get finished. Knowing a series is complete is a huge selling point for me as a frustrated reader.
3. I would put a link at the beginning and end of the quiz to your reader’s guide, publication order reading guide, something like that. “Here is the link to our official reader’s guide, but this quiz can help you figure out what series might fit you best.” “Thanks for taking our quiz and here is a link to our full reader’s guide.”
+1
Yaaay The Innkeeper Chronicles! One of my favorite happy places in all of the known worlds
Q: Did this quiz point you toward your favorite series, or the one you’d recommend someone start with?
A: Yes! Surprisingly because my answers were all over the place
Q: Was it engaging enough? What would you change?
A: Yes and nothing.
Q: If you were a brand-new Hordlet (curious, excited, and maybe a little overwhelmed), would this feel like a helpful place to start?
A: Yes. I prefer Hordeling btw.
Short answer: I will say that although HL is my favorite IA series. I was introduced to IA through Innkeeper. Thankfully by the time I finished book 1, book 2’s birthday was 2 months away so I tried out Burn For Me in the meantime. Then since I had to wait 2 years for the next HL book, I went through all the IA back catalogue.
It sent me to KD (which was in fact my entry point into House Daniels). Some of the choices re the Kinsmen and Hidden Legacy worlds are quite similar (to be fair those two worlds are arguably the most similar).
Perfect fit and great job on the quiz! I have read them all and always go back to Innkeeper!
Thank you Moderator R you brilliant person!
Turns out it’s the series I am currently rereading. Hidden Legacy.
It sent me to the Inn Keeper which is the series that introduced me to Ilona Andrews. I do recommended it more to friends and it is my soft comfort.
Having said that, I have multiple facets to my personality and each Ilona Andrews series seems to speak to a different one.
There are few book I have my husband read with me. Ilona Andrews books are the exception as I make him read almost any Ilona Andrews book with me. Primarily Inn Keeper and Kate Daniels. He really appreciates the relationships as they are written in these series.
I got The Edge. Which actually probably would work for me.
My actual start point was Hidden Legacy and that was pretty perfect at the time.
Fun quiz. I have read every book they have ever written and loved all of them so it’s hard for me to say if I would start with Kate. I do think it’s the most approachable series I love the edge, but I feel like it’s more niche and of course I love innkeepers, but that’s even more out there
The Edge series! it’s the one I would have recommended as well, it’s not as overwhelming as the KD series, and in Inkeeper Brutus dies in the first line…. poor dog. Some people may find that harder to work through.
I enjoyed the “which-series” quiz. It led me to Kate Daniels, not surprisingly. My most frequent “re-reads” may also be telling, as they are “Iron and Magic” and “Sweep of the Blade”. Love them ripper-cushions!
I was sent to the Hidden Legacy series which is where I started and what I would recommend to anyone. Great quiz! Excited to have more people enter the fold!
Interesting. It sent me to innkeeper, which is indeed where I started. And it’s still a favorite, but I do t re read it any more than the others. Right now I’m binging Hugh and Elara again for probably the third time this fall.
I feel like the biggest question for people who are new to IA is whether they are traditionally a romance person or a fantasy person, or already into both, and I’m not sure the quiz really gets at that dynamic. For people that come from a romance but not fantasy background, I recommend Hidden Legacy. For people that come from a fantasy background but not romance, I recommend Kate Daniels. Age matters too! For those under 18, Innkeeper for sure.
Yes! Kate Daniels! This is my first & where I fell in love with all of Ilona Andrews’ characters! Im currently rereading the Inkeeper Chronicles, but Kate’s stories are my comfort go to LOVES!!!
It gave me Kate, which I didn’t expect from the answers I gave, but would probably be my own recommendation of where to start (indeed, it was, when I got my parents into reading House Andrews).
I would suggest adding a question on what other genres they like to read: if people like sci-fi, I think they’d like Innkeeper; if they like Contemporary Romance, Hidden Legacy; Crime/Thriller I’d recommend Kate Daniels; Horror, I’d go with the Edge series (which definitely touches on body horror and has a super creepy antagonist…).
Dead on
Clean Sweep
I loved the questions, but half the time my answer would have been “all of the above”. Every option sounded great. Maybe a ranked choice?
I got sent to Kate and I’m more prone to Innkeeper. Hmmm
I got recommended to The Edge. Great series but not my favorite or one I would recommend for new comers. Dont get me wrong, I love that series as well! But I have series that sit higher on my list of recommendations that The Edge. The quiz was engaging and I had fun though!
When I recommend IA books to people, it depends on the person. I know different readers and they like different things. Some people I would certainly say start with Kate, but others would be better starting with Innkeeper.
I think the quiz should identify a handful of main decision points when people pick up a new book. We already know they like the writing style if they’re on this site, so that’s done. But finding out if a reader wants Action or Relationship focus; standalone/short series or long series; MC is snarky or sincere or cautious; Sci/fi or Urban Fantasy or Romance; magic or science… you get the idea. 🙂
Once you have your main points, you’d want to ask short questions or possibly bi-nary questions, but always include a “don’t matter to me!” option. With the idea being whichever series they selected more options for would be the Chosen One. And if they always select the “doesn’t matter” option, maybe it gives them a selection of some short stories?
That’s my advice! But the quiz was fun to take and did give me Innkeeper, which was how I got my husband into reading IA. 😀
The quiz is fun! I am not at all sure how to answer the question about new readers because I haven’t been one for more than a decade and know all of the books/series to which the questions pertained. But my answers led me to my one of my happiest places (Hidden Legacy) as my answers suggested, so I think it works as intended. Of course, Hugh is my other happiest place… 🙂
Sent me to Innkeeper Chronicles and I agree. Clean Sweep is a fun place to start.
It sent me to Innkeeper, which was my entry point. Frankly, I chose my answers accordingly. I love them all, but I do think Innkeeper remains a good entry point. I can see others preferring the immediate grittiness and complexity of Kate, however, or the relationships and structure of the Hidden Legacy series. There probably is no one right answer.
Did this quiz point you toward your favorite series, or the one you’d recommend someone start with?
No. It pointed me towards the one series I don’t care for.
Was it engaging enough? What would you change?
It was engaging, but too long.
If you were a brand-new Hordlet (curious, excited, and maybe a little overwhelmed), would this feel like a helpful place to start?
If it was shorter and more accurate, then yes. Given the result I got, I think it could point people to a series that turn them off HA.
The quiz was fun, thank you! I’m not feeling qualified to say what you should do, but my answer was to start with the InnKeeper series. I actually found Ilona & Gordon through the Edge series, which I loved so much that I made it my mission in life to find every book they had written up to that point in time. I still make it my mission to purchase every book, novella, etc that I can find.
Me too!
All of the above!
I worked in public libraries for years and would see the Kate books go by without checking them out myself. I get weirdly stubborn about whatever is currently popular). For some reason On The Edge grabbed me. I find it an emotionally hard series to read but it sent me looking for more.
Sent me to the series that was my first taste of House Andrews and which I still love and recommend.
I love the quiz! I was recommended to start with Kate Daniel’s world.
Yes that quiz is accurate!
Kate Daniel’s world is my happy place 😁❤️
I patiently continue to wait for new stories in her world and a resolution to the spinoffs storylines.
Sent to Hidden Legacy, which is true to my current reading mood. 😊
I like the questions, but reading through the possible answers was more effort than I would expect for a intro quiz. When viewing on a mobile, it’s a pretty block of text to read.
Also, I vote for baby Hordekins to be the new term for people falling in love with the HA worlds.
I have been looking for an appropriate post to land my current thought on – thank you for the great timing!
I am rereading (listening) the Innkeeper chronicles for the umpteenth time.
My favorite series is often whichever one I am currently absorbed by but I always start a full catalogue reread with Innkeeper.
The Edge brought me into the Horde, Innkeeper built my happiest place and when I need to feel especially empowered go looking for Kate. Adaline might be my new Kate. I definitely need more Adaline!
The series preference is always current life/mood driven but Innkeeper is my comfort read.
The test was good! I tried to be careful not to steer my answers to where I thought the questions would lead and I still got my favorite!
P.S. Thank you IA, your writing (including this blog) really helps.
Sent me to Kate Daniels which is a fav of mine and where I send people to start with!
It sent me to the Edge which I was just thinking I wanted to re-read since I just finished Innkeeper series (again). I really hope there is more Innkeeper and ripper cushions.
You know, this is interesting: I thought I was answering the questionnaire in a way that would get me to Kate Daniels, however, it brought me to The Edge which, oddly enough, was the first Ilona Andrews book I read! Too weird. But I do like the questionnaire and think new readers will enjoy answering it.
I answered everything with my current mood and the quiz responded beautifully.
The questions are fun and definitely point to both tastes and my personality. On the other hand, this quiz took more thinky thoughts than I was expecting. So you may want to try – if you can – to either shorten the answer choices or make fewer of them for any particular question.
The quiz worked!! I was pointed to Kate. I am obsessed with Kate and want to know more.
Ok pretty spot on! Really well chosen questions that if answered honestly should get you the series you would probably like best to start. Good job!
Sent me to Innkeeper Chronicles, which is the series that hooked me into the Horde. I’m aware this is going to offend a awful number of fellow BDH, but I’d tried Kate and couldn’t get interested enough until I’d read a number of insider jokes and references which intrigued me and incited me to try again. I found the Hidden Legacy easier to get into than Kate, anyway
While I love all of House Andrew’s books, I love one a bit more and it showed up in the Quiz… The InnKeeper Series is my longtime favorite.. but really each book and series is wonderful on it‘s own.
Sent me to Innkeeper which is indeed my favourite! Although maybe I answered some questions with that in mind?
I took the quiz and it gave me the result I was looking for. Cozy, loving, protector, fun story = Innkeeper. Yes!
I got Innkeeper, which was both my starting point and is my favourite! Though I’ve now read everything you’ve published
Did this quiz point you toward your favorite series, or the one you’d recommend someone start with?
Right on the moneyKD’s world all the way!!!!
Was it engaging enough? What would you change?
I thought it was engaging enough. But I’m biased. I went in to it wandering what the questions answers I selected would bring about my desired result. I need to test this on someone that is not familiar with House of Andrews
If you were a brand-new Hordlet (curious, excited, and maybe a little overwhelmed), would this feel like a helpful place to start.
I believe so. Based on the how you answer the questions it should bring you to a series you would be happy to read( If It’s not KD’s universe I think any new Horlet is missing out, but again I’m unashamedly biased.
As a 15+ year Ilona Andrews fan who’s read it all, this quiz is perfect! Fun, detailed enough to actually feel like your answers will point you to different places, and short enough to keep you interest. A truly new reader who doesn’t really know what they like may have trouble answering and may guess, but anything more generic will be just that–generic. It pointed me to my second-favorite series (Hidden Legacy) but it IS the one I often recommend new readers (especially ones new to this genre) start with.
It sent me to the Kinsmen series. I find this very appropriate because whenever I’m considering a new author, I try to begin with a collection of their short stories to get a feel for their writing style. I will read almost anything if I enjoy how the writer uses language.
Great quiz asks all the right questions. I have a friend who would benefit from this quiz right now as she has similar tastes in reading to me but different personality, I find it hard to recommend where to start as I can’t pick a favorite series to start with.
I got Kate! Which was indeed the first series I read back in the day.
I took the quiz and made sure I didn’t ‘cheat’. Tried to think honestly not try to guess which series went with which question.
And I got the innkeeper series which I thought would be the best introduction to IA before I ever started the questionnaire.
Thanks! I really enjoyed this post.
It sent me to Kate Daniel’s, which is probably my second recommendation to new readers; I normally suggest Hidden Legacy first. But to me, all our books are excellent recommendations.
Yeah, I took the quiz and my favorite series came up: Hidden Legacy.
Yup, the quiz is spot on.
The quiz didn’t take me to what I would have recommended. However there were definitely a few questions that I could have answered completely different. It listed the Kinsman which would be great if it was somebody that needed a small bite with immediate resolution. I love those books. But I think when trying to recommend something that you love when it comes to books it’s best to recommend something that leads to the obsession which means a more comprehensive story and where the series is finished as somebody said earlier because then there’s no drawback. I would maybe have a question that tied into how much or what type of fantasy do they like? Innkeeper has that secret life component which some people believe could exist today. Inheritance absolutely gives a future you could envision. Hidden legacy and Kate are more fantasy alternate reality. And then you have Kinsman which to me is a hodgepodge fantasy, futuristic, alternate reality with components of real world.
1) yes, sent me to one of my fav series!
2) yes, it was engaging. It was fun and included thorough questions that readers know about their own preferences, which I appreciated. Thanks for the quiz. 🙂
3) I’d change two things: in the innkeeper result I’d add that it’s a b&b for outer space guests because it’s confusing without that.
And for the question of in a stressful situation what do you do I’d edit it to ‘in a story what kind of response do you enjoy reading? ‘ or something like that. Because often times I enjoy reading how I wish I acted when stressed rather than how I actually do, gotta love wish fulfillment in stores haha. I hope this feedback was helpful.
I tried it five times. Three were answered with a particular series in mind and I got that series each time (Innkeeper, Kate Daniel’s, Hidden Legacy). Once was an ordered selection and the result made sense for those answers (Innkeeper). Once was a completely random selection and the result still made sense with those selections too (The Edge).
So, I think it will work how you want? It made sense to me!
And obviously I found it interesting enough to do five times! 😄
I got a series that I love (Innkeeper), but not my favorite one. Maybe my second favorite. I do think this would be a great starting series, though. I liked the quiz; it was fun, not too long, and interesting.
Yes, sent me to the series that started me on House Andrews & that I recommend
I got The Edge series. I had already read the first Kate Daniels’ book, maybe the second as well, but The Edge was the series that hooked me. I would say the quiz was accurate an engaging!
I did end up with my favorite series. Sometimes I could tell from the questions where I was going and sometimes I couldn’t pick a series specific answer, so that was good. But I love everything in the Ilona Andrews’ library so no matter where they’re directed, I think new readers will be happy.
I don’t find anything awry in the quiz. In fact, it took me to the series I started with, Dina and company at the Gertrude Hunt. In fact, I’m gifting the first two of the series and the first in Kate Daniels’ world to my brother for Christmas. He asked for something along with lines of Tolkien or Jim Butcher so who else would I recommend but House Andrews? Excellent quiz. General enough and yet specific enough for the new Hordelings to find their happy place. I do have to say that there are very few authors where I read more than one of their series. Mercedes Lackey is one, House Andrews is the second in line, and funnily enough Preston and Child are the other members of this esteemed group. Hope this helps Mod R.
Innkeeper! The only book I’ve ever read that my entire family has enjoyed. Although they all enjoyed the forced holiday goodness of Sanctuary.
Honestly, it’s a great book for newcomers and it’s pg-13 so appeals to folks who aren’t dependent on the romance.
Great job Mod R!!
LOL – I got the series I started with, The Edge. This is a great quiz! The BD hordlets will be safe with us while the learn to be very Chalant.
the quiz took me to exactly what I would’ve recommended to anyone who asks – “The Innkeeper Chronicles”!!! Dip your toe into another universe, then go home and have a fantastic meal.
Spot on Kate Daniels is who I would have recommended to a Hordette, can’t go wrong .
Hmmmm
I got Innkeeper, which is where I started, my favorite, and what I would recomend.
I love this idea. Love, LOVE the idea of a quick quiz to help a newbie decide which series to go to next. Im not sure I love this particular quiz though. Many comments say its a bit much, and I, personally, only actually enjoyed it because I was having fun trying to figure out what series went with each answer.
I think if someone came to me and said ‘Where to start’ I would ask
>cozy scifi fantasy (Innkeeper)
>tough urban fantasy (Kate)
>gritty/dark different earth fantasy (Edge)
> romance fantasy (Kinsman)
>magic heavy fantasy (Hidden Legacy)
Then I would ask about getting overwhelmed by sheer # of novels. I love Kate but that was the last series I read because there were so many books and that was just the main series.
Im pretty sure I could give someone a good recomendation based on those 2 question alone… but that wouldn’t have the fun ‘quiz vibe’…
On a seperate note, I would love to see a basic glossary. When I first came here I spent far too long being confused by the term ‘BDH’.
It pointed me to the Innkeeper Chronicles, which is the series I started with! So I think it did a good job on me.
Ended up with Clean Sweep which is where I started and a total comfort read.
I like the quiz but the descriptions are a bit long.
Bingo! Despite answers that might have covered the gamut, you sent me to my Gateway Series.
Interesting. It sent me to my LEAST favourite series (Edge), lol. I do love the found family trope, so that’s probably why. Potential issue with the quiz is that I was equally drawn to multiple options. Still fun, though.
I just read The Inheritance and couldn’t believe how much I loved it. Thanks for the amazing stories; I’ll read anything you write.
I got the Kate Daniels series, which is my favorite and I’m on my third reread. However, I don’t understand why some suggested starting on book 3. For some series book 1 is hard to get through, but that’s not the case for any of their Kate Daniels books. I recommend to first time readers start with book 1.
Kate Daniels is one of my all-time favorite series, so I recommend beginning with one, but warn them it might take a couple books to warm-up to the series. I don’t want them to give-up. (Many people say they have a hard time getting interested in the first book, before they get to know the characters and the humor kicks in.) I think the first couple books are better during re-reads, because we know the characters.
How interesting! The Innkeeper Chronicles is indeed my all time favorite 🙂 Tough picking between series though; they are all pretty stellar.
Sent me to Hidden Legacy which is where I actually started and a good fit for me! Overall I think the quiz was a bit dense and felt academic. It seemed good for a very well-informed reader on different writing styles. So if you think the incoming audience will be deep into reading subculture, it’s probably a good fit.
A little less accessible for a more casual reader. So consider making it simpler if you’re aiming for a casual reader. For example, Romance = steamy v. romantic v. slow burn v. ancillary to the plot.
Also, I liked the question about values. Maybe consider a question about how you like your protagonists to solve problems – hack with sword, leverage encyclopedic knowledge about alien species, use your cunning investigative skills, etc.
The quiz did not quite work for me. I got Kate, but Innkeeper is the one I would personally recommend to someone who had similar tastes to me. It is the one that really drew me into the BDH
I was recommended to start with my HA fave. I guess the quizworks.
I thought the quiz was far better than most interest-quizzes. It was entertaining and it made sense. I didn’t feel conflicted about choosing someone else’s constructed answer, and it accurately pointed me towards my favorite IA series.
(I could see where each answer was headed because I’ve read everything multiple times. A new reader wouldn’t, though.)
Yes, pointed to my fav…one of my fav….the favorite that introduced me to Ilona Andrews.
Yes, it was engaging and fun.
Yes, and if you have room for other starting points consider bio’s and pics of key people in series.
haha – I knew I would get Kate Daniels’ World! I love this series & I LOVE watching the characters grow & change. I love that they DEVELOP & don’t stay stagnate. The cast is large & oh so interesting. Thank you for continuing finding new ways to write their journeys. I have read & reread this series…some of my absolute favorite! Thank you!
Thanks for the quiz! It aligned quite well for me with the Inn Keeper series.
Whatever Ilona Andrews story I’m reading is my happy place. And when a new book comes out I reread the series from the beginning!
It pointed me to Kate Daniels. Love this series. I want more more more books.
Going through the quiz, it gave me The Innkeeper Chronicle’s series. It is already one of my favourite book series. I have read them many a time. Please can I have some more. ☺️
Thank you. X
Yes please. More please!
I started with Kate Daniels because I tripped over her and liked her competence and the magic world was intriguing; after 6 books or so I found the On the Border books, which were iffier, but I finished them all (telling). Then I found Sweep and fell in love! You really should mention Clifford Simak’s book “Way Station” in your introduction (to at least your first book)! I fell in love with Simak’s book a looong time ago. It has the same basic concept as Sweep, but you develop it delightfully into much more! Then I found the Hidden Legacy Series – AND WANT MORE OF THAT! I’ve probably listened to it at least 12 times. I’m totally unlike Nevada – so I like living through her. I identify more with and really like Catalina. And the rest of the family (I’m grandma’s age now) and side characters are ALL interesting in and of themselves! I really like that there’s a lot of action (and personal change)- and I love all the characters (did I mention that already?).
I like strong women and rarely read books with male heroes any more – since those were the only kind of books available to me as a youngster and teen. Mrs. Peele (with her karate) in the Avengers TV series was my first view of a woman who could fight.
Comment on quiz: it took me to Kate Daniels (which I started with). I really dislike the wording of the question that starts with “I” and identifies my type – as I don’t want to read about women like me. I want women who are physically, emotionally, socially, and mentally stronger than me.
Other than that, I found myself dithering between at least two answers on all the questions except one: the emphasis on “family is all there is” in Legacy could be jarring, but the characters’ charms keep me mellow (and I like that family loves and is kind to each other and are pulling themselves through life together).
Overall, I found the questions complex. They seem to use a lot of concepts/words I’m not that familiar with (authoreez language?) and also seem to be asking at least two questions inside every one question.
It was accurate for me. My only feedback is that there are too many questions for girl eyes who are not yet obsessed.
Ty!
Sent me to my favorite! Enjoyed taking the quiz.
Yes to all, great job!
Only suggestion is to add a vote button next time so you don’t have to review 100’s of responses 🙂
I answered questions thinking that it would point me to innkeeper based on my mood and it sent me to edge interestingly. I love all of the series but wondering why it picked this one.
My first impresion:
Too much reading in the options in first questions.
It discouraged me from proceeding
I would suggest starting with something shorter at the begining to capture engagement.
Questions with more descriptive answers later and and mabey mixed with some sort opitons for quick rewarding 🤔
love
* I meant mixed with questions with short answers options
sorry for bad spelling!!!
ps. probably just my tired, foggy brain talking
1. IT did not work for me, IT send me to my least favourite series
2.it was engaging but the answers where often too similar and I couldn’t decide what option to choose
3. I think that IT would be helpful for new readers
Yay, it worked out for me ^.^ I’ve got the feel of the questions on the second slide. Not a bad thing, thou.
I think you need to leave out the personality test questions, and keep in only the ones that help determine reading/story preferences. I *don’t* enjoy characters who are just like me, and I think a person who likes House Andrew’s is someone who likes to be immersed in something different and creative not something that is what they would make for themself.
Quiz gave me Kinsman. It would be a good place to start. Short self contained stories are useful when starting with a new author. Jumping into a long series can be intimidating.
Wonderful quiz! Not only did it take me to the series I would recommend, but it did so in a fun, Horde way. Yes, I think this quiz would be viewed as a good place to start.
I enjoyed the quiz and was surprised by the recommendation. I haven’t read Kate Daniel’s series yet, but I’ve read almost everything else. 🙂
It pointed me towards the edge. Since that is the series i started with and i still reread it every 5 yeras i would say the quiz isr oretty accurate and very helpful 😉
I got Hidden Legacy!!! my fave. I liked the quiz. like others in the horde I could choose 2 or 3 of the options. I think it works well. thanks Mod R. Happy holidays all.
Ooof, it is avery tough thing to put into one quiz because it varies so much what is important to readers.
My opinion on the questions, please do not be offended by my frank opinion, you put a lot of effort into this and I see this and want in no way to be mean or rude. Just my personal opinion:
I was confused about the tab question, I honestly do not know the aim of the question.
There was a confusing mix of self related questions (how many tabs…, what do you do if stressed…) and what do you look for in books questions (what setting…, morally grey characters,…).
I understand that you tried to include questions for every type of reader (self inserter vs. observer) but perhaps it would be better to make two seperate quizzes, because this is a very different approach to reading and questions that are valuable for one type are not so useful for the other.
Also, some of the questions are very long and detailed. I read a lot on the subreddits romanceBooks and FantasyRomance and I feel that the book recommendation requests are more bulletpoints like tropes, genre, type of character (shadow daddy, golden retriever,…) so perhaps it would be better to go in this direction? More like romance.io where you can select certain tags or tropes that you want and exclude the ones you don’t want? Because in my experience the points that are asked for are:
– how much spice?
– one couple over course of several books or one couple per book?
– Slow-burn or insta lust?
– genre
– overarching plot or one story per book?
– is the series completed or not?
– Is there cheating, love triangle, harem etc. going on?
– kind of characters (grey, controlling, nice,…)
Again, just my personal opinion.
Also:
– First person or third person seems to be important for a lot of people
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Recommended Kate Daniels, which is where I actually started reading y’all, but I tend to recommend the Innkeeper Chronicles in real life.
I actually had a hard time focussing on the answers because my brain wanted to treat this as a guessing game rather than a quiz. Figuring out which series the options applied to would have skewed the results, making it difficult to gauge how effective this would be for a newbie. I suppose if the the descriptions are identifiable to a regular Hordster, they would likely give fairly accurate results for a new reader. I suspect many of the BDH reread widely and might answer differently depending on the mood of the moment.
It took me to Clean Sweep. I love that series and think it would have been a great place to start. I think the quiz is a great idea. I can see how some people think the questions could be a bit lighter but I was fine with it and it took me to a series that would have been a great place for me to start.
The quiz recommended the Edge which is in fact my favorite and a series I reread regularly. I recommend Innkeeper to people I know who are interested starting the books though, or maybe Hidden Legacy depending on the person. I do agree with others that it would be better if some of the questions had an option for “don’t care/not important”.
Thanks for the breakdown — the comparisons were particularly useful.
It sent me to Kate, which is my favorite. It’s also the one I’d recommend to anyone who enjoys urban fantasy or just asking for a general recommendation. If they are a romance reader, I’d send them to Hidden Legacy. If they are more science fiction, I’d send them to Innkeeper.
It sent me to the Edge, which was the first of the series I discovered and loved, and so it seems accurate! Although I admit I had hidden Legacy in mind as I was taking it as I finished a reread of that recently. In terms of specifics, 9 questions is kind of a lot for one of these, and they are very long answers. Agree with the person that suggested maybe an option for neutral or no preference would be good, and I was not sure about the distinction between answers for some. I do love a quiz!
I was thinking Kate , the place to start and after the quiz I did, end up with Kate
It pointed me to Innkeeper, which is my second favorite after Kate Daniels World
It was engaging, I don’t have any suggestions for that
If you were a brand-new Hordlet (curious, excited, and maybe a little overwhelmed), would this feel like a helpful place to start?
Yes. However, I think if they are coming from Maggie Kate Daniels is the closest thing.
Sent me to Innkeeper which is my favourite series. Agree with comments about simplifying questions.
If it is helpful: from the quiz I got Innkeeper Chronicles which I do love, but I was thinking Hidden Legacy the whole time.
frankly, I didn’t find it to be all that welcoming etc…and I’m merely waiting for the end of maud’s story before I bid adieu. no harm, no foul, but it isn’t as you describe it. and that may be important to any newbies.
joan of Arc
I thought it was a good quiz, and pointed me back to Innkeeper, which I plan to re-read. I think it would help a new reader find where to begin
It worked perfectly for me!!
This took me to the Baylors. Love them & the Kate series. I recommend both. The Innkeeper didn’t interest me as much until Sweep of the Blade, so that wouldn’t be the first I would recommend to an HA newbie. So Mod R the quiz was correct for me 😊
I think you knocked it out of the park. You explored aspects I hadn’t considered (browser question and family dynamics) and yes, I got the Innkeeper series which is both my favorite and the one I recommend most people start with because it is so approachable.
Sent me to Kate which is perfect and always the series I recommend as an Ilona Andrews jumping off point.
Really liked how the questions were framed.
The quiz is a fun way to bring new readers into the Horde 🙂
Excellent work— content, function, and format! Great job! Correctly steered me to Innkeeper Series from the answers I gave.
the quiz recommended the Inn Keeper series which o love, and I do think it’s a great series to start with.
the world and story builds book by book and is easy to get into.
Sent me to Kate, which would always be my first pick, but I would never recommend starting with book 3. I know y’all would like a do-over for Magic Bites, but it’s a damn good story and a far sight better than a LOT of other books I’ve read…and I’ve read thousands. Also, start at the beginning, or miss out on, “Here kitty, kitty” and a couple other references that appear in later stories.
Sent me to Innkeeper. In real life I started my horde journey with Kate Daniels, but both Innkeeper and The Edge were hidden gems for me that I listen to over and over.
Sent me to Hidden Legacy. I think this was my original gateway series, and what I was thinking of when I did the test.
I thought some (more than some?) of the descriptions/choices were too long and too specific, for someone who is new and wants a fun quiz. Also not sure about the “grey” type questions – it’s not like HA writes evil killers as the main leads.
But those types of books seem to be in / a thing lately, could confuse people who don’t want that, make them not read more HA.
It sent me to Kate Daniels. I do recommend this one a lot, and it’s where I started! Though the Edge and Hidden Legacy books are my favorites. Mostly depending on my mood. hahaha.
The quizz is fun, not like a chore at all.
The questions are not too easy to answer for part of them which I find a good thing. Makes you really think.
Was a bit hard not to judge my answers based on what I know of the different series so I do not think the BDH is a truly partial party but that we knew.
I love the suggestion of Hidden Legacy, based on my answers today that is spot on. And it does currently – due to the Grapic Audio books coming out bit by bit – hold my interest.
Happy Holidays everyone!
It sent me to Innkeeper, which I have to admit I’ve only read once (though I am just about to start it over).
I normally recommend Kate, though I have once recc’d The Edge Series, because I knew for a fact she’d be a Kaldar fan.
I guess it is that reliant on who you are.
The questions were good, I feel like they were written by a neurodivergent because honestly, that browser question was 👌👌👌
🤭
As almost always, I could have gone with multiple answers on many questions. It’s partly a current mood thing, and some questions specified current mood. The first time through, I got The Edge, which I love, but next to Alphas it’s the IA series I love least. It’s also not one I would recommend as a starting point, because it has elements of horror that could be tough for some readers.
Second time through I went with alternate but equally accurate answers, and got Innkeeper. This is in fact the series I recommend to newbies. It’s got everything we all love about HA, in a slightly lighter flavor that still packs an emotional wallop at times.
I agree with the posters who recommended simplifying the options a bit. As an example: Faced with adversity, I feel deeply, push through anyway, and *do* pretend otherwise. Sometimes the granularity becomes actual grit in the works. I love the humor though, and the whole idea of this quiz. Thanks ModR! Let us know when we get to read *your* book (although every post of yours is already a gift).
I got Kate! Who was admittedly my own introduction to House Andrews! I love Kate, her world, and all the characters in it. Whenever a new Kate book, or novella drops I gobble it up instantly! 🩷
I loved the wuiz! It was very engaging. It pointed me to one of the series, but not necessarily my favorite.
I would suggest starting with Clean Sweep if this is their first time reading this genre.
I think the quiz would be very helpful for new hordlers.
I did successfully end up at Hidden Legacy which is I think my favorite overall. I don’t know how it’s weighted but the first two questions felt to me very defining for if I wanted to go towards the kinsman worlds or not. That’s 1000% biased by me being an upstanding horde member though, and trying to guess outcomes based on questions.
Did this quiz point you toward your favorite series, or the one you’d recommend someone start with?
It did! I will be honest, I love all the series, but every single one started off with a bit of skepticism reading whatever #1 was of that series. The Innkeeper Chronicles had me hooked from the very beginning though, no skepticism at all!
Was it engaging enough? What would you change?
Yes, I felt like it was engaging enough. I feel like I could take or leave the little pictures at the beginning of each question. Or make them more abstract? I liked the heart for the romance question, but the two knights jousting (I think?) felt a little odd.
If you were a brand-new Hordlet (curious, excited, and maybe a little overwhelmed), would this feel like a helpful place to start?
I definitely feel that this would be helpful if I didn’t know where to start! If I had no knowledge of the Innkeeper series that little blurb would have me hooked!
It sent me to Kate Daniels. Oddly enough, a short story of Kate Daniels is how I originally found Ilona Andrews. I think it might have been the saiman story. At the time, I was intrigued ad then forgot about for a number of years. Years later, I was in a book swap and I had stuck the most recent novel (Magic Breaks) on a to read list. My swap partner got me the first book in the series. More years pass and I realized that was the world building I had fallen in love with in the short story and actually read the whole thing.
These days I would probably recommend hidden legacy or Innkeeper to most people. Few people I know read as much or as quickly as I do. I mean, I tend to reread series when a new book comes out if it’s a book I’m into. Even if that’s a 15 book reread.
It sent me to Kate, just as expected. The world of Kate daniels for me was so intriguing that when I finished, I had to look for other books written by the authors.
No matter which choices I made I never ended up at The Edge, which is the series that drew me in and then I found Kate Daniels and Dina
Innkeeper!
In real life was my introduction to House Andrews. The quiz questions felt awkwardly worded, but led me back to my true starting place. Kudos
Sent me to Kate! My favorite series!
The series I’d recommend someone start with would highly depend on the person so the quiz is a great place to start for a new Hordlet.
Quiz was perfect and made me want to “choose my own adventure” to see where it would take me.
Might want to put a disclaimer there that chalantness is infectious. 😀
oh I love the quiz and I got the Edge series, which is one of my favorites. I admit, I almost hoped I’d get Hidden Legacy but the Edge.. Perfect.
I got Katie Daniel’s! which was my first read in the series. I loved the quiz. I could see how things could fit each book. Great job! This will most definitely help guide those newbies!
my suggestion ended up being my least favourite series that House Andrews has written. but I did very much enjoy the quiz, and it gave some really great descriptions of what can be found in HA books. very well done!! I always suggest Kate, Innkeeper, or Hidden Legacy to start. which is a lot, but each series appeals to different people, so it depends on who I’m talking to!
while I enjoyed Kinsmen I’d recommend the Dina’s Inn as an easier approach to the great Andrews House world.
It sent me right to Kate, my all time recommendation.
It sent me to my favorite series! Innkeeper ❤️
I could somewhat guess which series the answer choices were pointing to (though browser tabs question kept me guessing), but perhaps a link to the descriptions for the other series at the end of the quiz could be helpful for new readers?
Like have the recommended series description pop up like it already does, but maybe also have a small prompt at the bottom to either take the quiz again if people feel like experimenting with answers, or a direct link to an overview of the other series in case people want a quick reference sheet?
Kate. Which is not surprising because it’s my most recommended urban fantasy series to anyone who asks 🙂
It was easy to use and sent me to the series I always recommend to people to start first.
Depends on their primary interest:
Science Fiction – Kinsmen
Fantasy – The Edge
Urban Fantasy – Kate Daniels
Fantasy SciFi – Inkeeper
Thanks for creating this fun quiz, Mod R! It’s a great idea to help new readers navigate the amazing (and extensive) Ilona Andrews universe. I took it myself, and it was fun to see if it would recommend my personal favorite.
I noticed a common theme in the comments about potentially adding a ‘No romance’ or ‘Romance is not important to me’ option to that question. The current answers all assume romance is a given, and I think that’s a great point for making the quiz even more welcoming to all types of readers.
My question is about the results: When someone takes the quiz and gets a result (like “Innkeeper Chronicles”), will there be a short, non-spoilery blurb that explains why that series was recommended for them, based on their answers? I think that extra bit of context would be incredibly helpful and reassuring for a new “Hordlet” wondering if they should trust the quiz’s advice.
Great work on putting this together!
Hello,
After doing the quizz, while being equally entertained and anxious about « getting things right », here are my answers:
1/The quizz did point me to my favorite séries (as i did the quizz for myself).
2/I found it engaging as I pondered over the nuances in each choice.
3/ About suggestion of changes: I was surprised I wasn’t more appealed to the choices that would have led me to the Innkeeper (whereas I could more or less see which were pointed at the Edge or Hidden Legacy) Might be something to fine-tune?
4/ If I had been a brand-new Hordpup (oh the joy, as I would have so many delicious reading in front of me!), I think it would have definitely helped me.
I hope this has been helpful… if not, forgive my rambling!
And as always, thank you House Andrews and ModR for the joy you bring!
I got the Innkeeper Series and I agree it is a great way to start the wonderful journeys with Ilona Andrews. There are so many! But Innkeeper is welcoming, mysterious, funny, complicated but simple. A beautiful way to find out what awesome writers Ilona and Gordon are.
On the other hand, (heehee) I cannot seem to stop rereading The Inheritance!
It sent me to Kinsmen, which I don’t know that I personally would recommend as starting place. Maybe because I don’t reread it compulsively like I do some others? I discovered HA via Andrea’s Cerberus story which I tried to replicate when taking the quiz.
The quiz questions are evocative and I can see what they are pointing to, but they’re not what I’ve asked when suggesting books for friends. I usually start with the following criteria:
-acceptable levels of violence (ex: off page torture is fine, but any eye stuff is not)
-acceptable levels of romance in the plot (ex: none at all or the biggest barn doors you’ve ever seen are wide open)
-Fantasy or Sci-fi
-what level of series commitment are they looking for
-maybe how deep/complex they want the worldbuilding/magic system to be
From there, I might get into family dynamics, tropes, or themes. But, even if someone LOVED a marriage of convenience trope, I wouldn’t recommend Hugh to them if guts in a plastic bag was a violence deal breaker.
It sent me to Innkeeper, which is my favorite (eagerly awaiting the next one). It is the one I recommend most often because it has a good balance of the warm and fuzzies, humor, action, and mystery.
Took me to Clean Sweep, which is the series I suggested my daughter start with. She loves the series and is eagerly awaiting the next book in the series. I thought the questions had enough detail to help someone find an option that might really fit them. Nice job!!
A follow on question of who’s your favorite love interest archetype with the same response options as the protagonist question would be great.
This gave me Kate Daniels which is my second favorite series. My favorite is Hidden Legacy because it’s not as dark. In Kate Daniels it feels like most people are closer to the edge of life and death than in Hidden Legacy. I’m not sure how you’d capture weighting aspects of the quiz differently though.
It worked for me.
The quiz sent me to Innkeeper. The House Andrews books I started with and still turn to when I need comfort reading. Huzzah! It is also the series I tell others about the most frequently 🙂 The quiz made me look at my relationships with characters differently, probably more deeply and was just short enough to stay interesting but long enough to give a deep answer. Thanks!!
Spot on! The quiz works very well. Great starting point for new Hordlings.
I was aiming for kate daniels series but the quiz gave me the edge. the mortal/tech vs magic threw me off i guess. love both series though
It sent me to Innkeeper, which I would also advise for new readers. That or Kinsmen. I probably would Not start with Kate – which could be a little overwhelming…
Sent me to edge series which is funny cuz I started with that series from library years ago then found Kate! I loved the quiz one of the questions was a little vague for me but think that’s just my mood at moment lol. Merry Xmas all!!
My results came back Hidden Legacy as an entry point, which was interesting and not what I expected. That series was initially a non-starter that I went back to later and then burned through as quickly as I could. As others have stated there were questions that I could have answered differently on a different day – I’m definitely a “mood reader.” I started out with Kate Daniels when the series first began, but would also recommend someone could dive in with the Innkeeper world. Perhaps having a question or two with series art to represent the setting choices or some of the world elements would be helpful. I’m very visual and like quizzes where that’s a component.
Well done. My result was the Innkeeper Chronicles, which is realistically my favorite and most re-read series. I would say this quiz works brilliantly.
Sent me to Kate, which is where I actually began, so I think the quiz was perfect for me. I do tend to recommend Hidden Legacy to new readers, though, because there are fewer books in that series and I think it’s more doable for someone new.
I thought this quiz worked out well, and led me to my favorite re-readable series.
Mind you, it is kind of annoying that I can’t pick all the answers I want. Sometimes it is yes to everything! LOL.
Yes, the quiz picked my favorite series. But, I have several high ranking favorites, it could have gone either way.
As a fan, I could tell which answers leaned which way (mostly), which made this feel very accurate as a predictor. I think it would help pick where to start amongst many good choices if one hadn’t read anything yet.
Either way, I plan on trying it again, to see if I’m consistent, or to try a different choice, some were so evenly matched!
Nice job, as always
The quiz gave me the Kate Daniels books, which – fittingly enough – was the series that started me on this love affair with your works. ♥
I’ll have to send it to my friend and let her take it next~ I’ve been trying to get her to read your stuff for years, but she always squirrels, lmao.
1. Yes it did send me to my favorite comfort series. Bravo. (Dina and Sean 4eva)
2. It was engaging although I did think some of the answers could be simplified. I found the family question and answers to be a little clunky.
3. I think this would actually be a huge help. When you’ve found a new author that you think you could love it is SO hard to know where to start. This is such a great idea, all authors should do it 🙂
Thank you as always for the interesting and engaging blog. We appreciate you, even if we do be devouring the books 😉
Pointed me to Kate. Which I love completely- but starting a series with that many books can be daunting to some. I’d recommend the Edge (where I first started) followed by Inn Keeper then Hidden Legacy if they’d like more humor or Kate if they like mythology with snark.
It sent me to hidden legacy but I could also see how some of the questions would have sent me to innkeeper or Kate, which I also love.
I agree with some of the comments that the questions were a little too long. The first one especially, I had a hard time following that one.
As someone else pointed out, I wouldn’t label all of them as romance. I think Kate is a fantasy novel with a romance subplot, HL is a romantasy, and innkeeper is a sci-fi fantasy with a romance subplot. This is how I explain them to my friends who are new readers getting into the genre.
I can’t speak for the edge series, it was the only one I couldn’t quite get past the first book.
Enjoyed the quiz though and can’t wait for Kingdom!
Sent me to Kate, the series that brought me to House Andrews (even before we were named Horde 😜) and which I expected according to my answers. So: I think the quiz works – and it‘s a cool idea to give the newbies, erm Hordlings, orientation without to much fuzz.
I thought the quiz was great, and it did point me towards my favorite series. But even if it generated random results, there are no wrong answers IMHO! 😁
The quiz sent me to Kate, who is absolutely my favorite and the series I recommend people start with, mostly because I love it so much. 😉 I thought the questions were well written and the concept of a quiz to find a starting point is really fun!
Sent me to edge series which is a great series but I also thought my answers were leading more towards innkeeper so that’s interesting. But I guess edge series leads into inkeeper chronicles anyway 🤣
Did point me to my favorite series.
Very engaging.
It sent me to the Edge, which is actually where I started it all!
My only feedback is that sometimes I don’t overthink what I want when looking for a book, I don’t decide that I want particular tropes or environments. To that end I think there’s could be scope for an option along the lines of “stabby stabby the bad guy!!” “No head wreaking plot holes here!!!” “Internal Magic system work good” “B plot consistency across books!”and just have all of them lead back to Kate. It’s a great series that serves almost everything without any of the pitfalls I get annoyed at in long series.
Thanks Mod R!!
I was trying to get Kate Daniels and I did get Kate Daniels 😁 I’ve loved that series since 2016 I can’t remember how many times I’ve reread it