Three months ago, in a moment of christmassy optimism, I posted a draft quiz meant to help answer that question: Which Ilona Andrews series should you start next?
The idea was simple:
New Hordlings would arrive on our welcoming BDH shores after reading This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me. They would discover multiple Ilona Andrews series waiting for them, each with a different tone and entry point. A shiny treasure trove!
But sometimes even treasure can be overwhelming. The quiz was meant to be one extra quick, fun way to point them toward the best starting point according to their preferences. (We all know they will end up reading everything anyway.)
The Horde very generously tested the first version. And by “tested,” I mean you had many thoughts about how much you hated it haha.
Back to the drawing board I went. Thank you!
The original quiz has been reworked and simplified so it requires much less reading and thinking than the first draft. There are no more jokes or questions about anything to do with morally grey characters or pacing. There is one constraint I can’t change: the quiz plugin cannot produce a reasonably accurate result across five different series with only 3 questions, as many of you requested.
So, new version: same question count, but trims everything down to the shortest prompts I can possible write while still allowing the quiz to hopefully point readers somewhere useful.
You can let me know below whether we succeeded this time, please and thank you!
Take 2:
Please remember the quiz plugin does not work in the email newsletter, so if you’re seeing this in your inbox you’ll need to click here to try it through the blog.
First?
Acing the test! 😀
Anyone else wondering what Mod R will change her avatar into for the Maggie release? 😄
that cute fox like creature obviously
Great update to the quiz Mod R!
I think it will really help the newbies as they become assimilated into… I mean enthusiastically join…the BDH!
Proposal: All new readers must join BDH immediately upon arrival or be devoured.
Do you wish to discuss?
😂😂 Perfect!
love it
Truly laughed out loud. Awesome!
Devour or be devoured, this is the way!
Trust me; they will be devoured and won’t even realize it until sometime late into their chosen series. They all will become one with the hoard… Bwahhhhh!
+1 – great quiz
Loved it!
One question…. What is HEA? In the romance question? That’s not a term I know.
Happily Ever After ^^
so much fun!
thanks ModR
Great job on the quiz, and once again a great idea.
The quiz took me to my favorite series and asked great questions.
Great quiz! It was fun!. I had a good idea of which series each answer choice referred to so I may have forced it to Innkeeper. I think this will definitely help new horde-ians? Horde initiates?
Much better! I think this will really help new readers. Also closest I’ve ever gotten to first…
Thank you Mod R for all your hard work and Horde-taming!
Huh Im surprised that I got the Edge. Dont get me wrong, I love the edge but its not my usual reread reach. I like the Quiz better, although I still think that there are too many answer choices but the House Andrews world is wide
It worked very well! And was fun to do.
I got Kate Daniels.
In reality it was my first HA series.
But because it was translated first.
Don‘t get me wrong, I love Kate but I reread Hidden Legacy and Maude‘s story more often.
Sadly these are not available as Paperback in german.
much much better! being knowledgeable I knew what series the answers referred to but they were good enough to not be tied to a specific. I’m pleased I got Kinsmen, which suits my current mood
Cookies! Cookies! Cookies! My oven died two weeks ago.
Same for me. I got Innkeeper, as expected and desired (no shade on Kate or the Baylors, also beloved).
I endorse an “all of the above” choice, although the initial question was “Where to start?” and that would leave the indecisive with “Any of them, just dive in!”
But I can’t put all of the above . . . crying so much. Why do I have to choose? Why?
Totally should be able to choose all of the above, and then a theme, welcome to the jungle newest member of the horde!!!! and list all the series groups. Cause that would be me.
My feelings exactly!
It is a pitty,that I missed the first quiz. I like to tick more than 1 choice.
But:Well done!
It is amazing, that I ended up with Kate who I know and love for so many years. I also love Dina and the Baylor Familie and the Breach story and everything else you wrote!
By the way: Is there and chance to get a full book about Arabella or how did Derek become a minty wherewolf? Also I would love to be a guest at Mauds wedding!
Next question: What is Gaston doing when not being the moderator of a big event?
(I am sorry for any misspelled words, the German autocorrectione is doing a horrible job….)
Very gratefull for every story and eager to get the next one with love from
Germany,
Cordula
That’s OK, the straight English automistake is just as bad!
Seconded!
Good job! And I think an nice improvement on the first round. Still hard for me to answer and choose. ‘Cause of course, I want them all! My answer is always It Depends!! 🙂
Thanks for everything, Mod R!
Yeah I also think it depends on what you want to read in a certain moment. Kate will always be my favorite, but it scares me to begin a 10 book series at the moment, so Hidden Legacy would be more appropriate now if I was a new Hordling. And that was the result this time!
Good job Mod R!!
I purposely tried to answer as if I wasn’t familiar with any of the books. There’s some really tough choices in there, Mod R!
I landed on INNKEEPER again, so the quiz seems pretty darn accurate to me!
Me too, although I changed some answers… but I will tell you, having just listened to Hidden Legacy Nevada’s story, I am sitting on my hands, trying to hold out re reading Catalina’s story…
Love the upgraded quiz. Interestingly it prompted me with the series that was my intro to HA. woot woot
Good job! Do overs are the worst, but this was a much better quiz! I kind of want to take the test multiple times to see how weighted some questions are – but that might just be the obsession talking🤪
lol, I actually do this with more quizzes than not. I did it with this one, in fact. A few questions came down to a dead heat between two answers, like SF episodic series vs. sitcom.
So I went back and did it again with the alternate answers on those questions. Got Kate the first time – which was in fact my own intro to HA. Then Innkeeper, which is the series I would suggest as entry point for many, though not all, newbies.
I think this quiz will work well for potential BDH members.
Not sure how I got Kinsmen when I prefer a long story arc that continues over many books. Still interesting.
Have been reading IA for years. Was initially drawn in by Hidden Legacy that I stumbled over on my own.
Me too! I love the Kinsmen, but I found KD first. Was thinking I’d pull Inn Keeper. But great upgrade for the quiz, I am happy….if it was 13 days into the future. LOL!
That is my exact scenario, although I think Kinsman… might…. be my favorite reading experience. Maybe. So hard to choose. Also, not the same thing as being my favorite story.
For me it’s about the mood I’m in at the time. Sometimes cozy is really necessary. Sometimes I’m up for something dark. So nice to have both, and everything in between, as options.
Although my idea of cozy, the HA version, is not necessarily congruent with everyone’s. That’s why the BDH is my tribe.
haha I got Kate last time too 😆
Love the updates to the quiz. Is it possible for the quiz to also give a runner up?
Love it! Great job.
Lots better than the other quiz to lure new members. For us in the Horde now, lots of us might say “It depends on…”
I got Kate as the end result. I had a feeling I would get this series. It was the first one I started way back. 😁
I did the quiz again. This time I got Kinsmen. I just read that series including “A Mere Formality”. Hmm…this is interesting. 🤔😁😂
I would agree that this may be the series to start with since each book has the story contained even though all the stories are on Rada.
Good point, although the romance element is probably strongest in this series, which might turn off some readers. That’s what the quiz is supposed to determine though, and send prospective readers off in the direction most likely to be right for them. It’s a quest! lol, reading Matt Dinniman currently; can you tell?
True. A quest that brings new Horde members to the same conclusion we established Horde members were brought to after a while.
Conclusion: no matter which series is a favorite, we always want more to read. 😁
Great job! I really do think this will help new members find the right fit!
Mod R,
First and foremost, thank you so much for all you’ve done and continue to do to make this group so great and for building a great quiz!
Having read all of the series, I could have skewed my answers to return my absolute favorite series – Kate Daniels; however, I answered honestly just to see what would happen. It returned Hidden Legacy, which I also love. Truthfully, any answer would have been something I loved, because HA writes THE BEST. So again, thank you so much for the work that you did; I really enjoyed the quiz!
How about any and all of the above? Honestly, I will buy and read anything by Ilona Andrews. Hmm, speaking of which, I seem to recall something about a cookbook being considered?
It was good quiz, but the first question put me off a little bit. I personally have read everything (really, eve-ry-thing) by House Andrews. But I can imagine for a new reader, that question would give the impression of an overwhelming commitment if they start any of the back catalogue. Maybe move that question to later in the quiz?
What do you mean? The Horde IS an overwhelming commitment.
Agree that I would like the first question later in the quiz.
I agree that first answer on the first and second questions let me know that answering with the first answer would give me Kate’s world. If the quiz plugin allows, it would be better to mix the answers so (a) is not automatically Kate, (b) is not automatically Kinsmen, et cetera. Also, having taken thousands of tests, answering the same letter for all the questions would make me suspicious.
A is not automatically Kate, and B is not automatically Kinsmen 🙂. There are 9 questions in the quiz, in some of them Kate will be first.
Your quizzes are always the best. Thanks so much for your time and energy!
Very nicely done! This is a very difficult task as none of the BDH are able to set aside our love for all things IA. The truth is we love everything they write for different reasons. I am so happy for and jealous of everyone discovering our authors for the first time! I think this quiz was just right as a gateway drug, uh, I mean helpful introduction into our favorite worlds.
I thought there was going to be a super yummy, secret recipe for chocolate chip cookies in this post 🤪
Interesting–I do think this overall stronger! The TV show question threw me just because I really don’t watch any TV. No shame to those who do, I just don’t like my stories via that medium. For existing BDH it’s pretty obvious what questions correlate to which series, but I don’t think that’s bad, since this isn’t actually intended for people who’ve already read everything ;-).
I haven’t watched TV in 30 years, but saw enough of it as a kid and young adult to consider Star Trek TOS vs. Cheers and All In The Family in my answers (GH didn’t make the cut).
I got Innkeeper but I was kind of aiming for it because Innkeeper was my gateway to Ilona Andrews. Kate was intimidating because there were so many books, but once Innkeeper had me hooked, I had to read every other Ilona Andrews I could find.
Worked like a charm. Kate!
Perfect! I adore Kinsmen.
I liked it. Pointed me to my favorite series.
I liked the prior quiz, but this one is very well done! It doesn’t show BDH’s/your humor, but we can keep Steve contained until the new Hordlets get well and truly hooked. >: )
I think I heard Steve scream “No! Don’t keep me contained! Noooooo!”
I hope Steve can be contained until we get the new members hooked. It’s looking like he might get loose.
I git Hidden Legacy, which matches very well for me.
Great quiz! I got Kinsmen the first time, which kinda surprised me but I’m not sure why. Then I took the quiz 4 more times so I could read all the final pages :p
I think the questions are very thoughtful and well-written. Nice work!
I liked the old one, but this seems better for new people. If I remember correctly, I think there were some BDH jokes in the last one that might be confusing if someone didn’t know.
I got Innkeeper, which was my first and is my favorite, so I would say it did its job! I tried to answer honestly and not skew it, but I’ll probably take it again, just to check.
Thank you for everything you do, Mod R! You are much appreciated and valued! (ps, I LOVE polls and quizzes, so extra thanks for today!) 🤗
well, thanks for the quiz, got Kate. made me laugh, since that was the series I started with, of course, I don’t have to wait for them to be published like I did back then, also started the edge at book 1 in that time if that gives everyone a clue how long I’ve been BDH member
Me too. This is why BDH has such a vested interest in IA’s health. They’ve been part of our lives for so long.
As someone who did come from reading Maggie first and actually just recently finished the first Hidden Legacy trilogy, this quiz was perfect because it also gave me Hidden Legacy😂 Love this!!
Yay! A real-life new Hordling confirmation! Welcome!
Welcome to the Horde! Mod R is the best Horde wrangler on the planet.
Welcome, welcome hordling!
Do not be afraid (much…), the Horde doesn’t bite (that hard) and Mod R is the best wrangler a Horde could hope for (no kidding)!
Welcome! Have fun storming the castle! I mean, reading the books.
Welcome to the Horde! We have cookies!
This was fun.
Fun quiz, you did a great job with it Mod R. Let’s face it, once you read one book of Ilona Andrews, you’re going to want to read them all!
All of the above.
Fun! Plus I got my favorite series (Hidden Legacy), so I would say it worked for me.
Always interesting results
The questions are pretty pointed for those of us who have devoured all of the IA universes, but I tried not to think too hard and just answer.
It pointed me to Kate. Which is my most reread of IA books. So I think it will definitely help newbies.
I like it, much more doable than the previous iteration, so that works 😊 picked the answers I felt like *now*, and it’s telling me to reread Kinsmen, works for me 😉
Mod R, thank you. I love all your quizzes, whether it is based on minutiae of the books or broad based. It makes me think, which is one of the finest points of Ilona Andrews’ writing. Always clever and unexpected!! Counting down the days! Happy ☘️☘️☘️! Éire go deo!
And all of this. You can zoom through the story’s surface, or you can dive into the various levels of meaning. That’s what I love about all the books and authors I love reading. It’s why I love speculative fiction and mystery novels in general. That strong narrative thread helps pull me through the depths, and I can keep going back for more.
Love this reworking.
Suggestion to include all the other series blurbs at the bottom of each quiz result so people can get a sense of what the other options are!
Yes, agree!
Great quiz. Innkeeper this time, I think it was Kate last time. Fun!
Y’all are mean!! Mod R, I loved the first quiz. I didn’t see anything wrong with it!! However, I’ll take this one, too! Yay!!
kinsman, I accept it. I won’t beg for more at this time. I do love the edge greatly though.
this quiz is perfect for beginners but I miss the juicy first edition mod R. thanks for dialing back your amazingness for the newbies, they probably aren’t ready for your star quality yet.
heheh I got Kate Daniels, kate is always the mood. I just reread the willimington books and love them so much. it’s like going home and a wood fire is already lite making the room cosey.
‘Meet Kate Daniels, that is where I started my love of read IA books way back when after a friend introduced me to world. Unfortunately the friendship isn’t as it was but still collecting and reading whatever IA write
this quiz is awesome! I was afraid my choices were steering me towards Innkeeper (which I liked but is not my fav, except for Maud’s book) but I got Kinsman (which is accurate, it is my fav!).
I like the update! It does feel more stream-lined. It was hard to choose as I like all the things – my precious-es! (said in Gollum’s voice).
The first time I took the test I tried not to go for a specific series although I started with “a huge world to fully sink into…” so I wasn’t surprised I ended up with Kate. I retook the test five times specifically aiming for certain series to see if I got them & to read the results page for each. Just mentioning it in case you’re trying to keep track of how many people have taken the test. I have a feeling I’m not the only one who took it multiple times… 🙂
lol, not hardly!
Awesome Fun!! And since I know what goes where I had fun picking a lesser know series for me !
I stalled briefly on the tv show question. I watch a lot more documentaries, true crime or creative competition tv than anything else. I had to figure out of the shows I do watch, what fit best.
I got the world of Kate Daniels. It seems fitting, since I first stumbled across the siaman short story, and was really hooked by the setting. It took me years before I reread that anthology and realized there was an entire series with kate.
Innkeeper and Hidden Legacy are more of a comfort read to me though.
Wow, so interesting. I can pick out the series by the questions usually, but some make me think. What fun you must have had, as well as deep philosophical queries, to do this, Mod R! Also, what does Gordon think of the proposed Firefly anime series?
I got Kate!
Well done! Got Kinsmen this time which does fit with “short and sweet because my attention span is shot” as my quiz vibe, lol. Much more accessible for new readers. Thanks in advance for the lovely, chalant welcome to the new horde members!
I think the quiz worked well. I thought either Hidden Legacy or Innkeeper would be my entry series pick. Love Kate but it is a lot to take on for a newbie.
I don’t think it works. Kinsmen is my least favorite series. I would have said Kate or innkeeper
Seems great! Very user friendly 🙂
Well, it pegged me right. Dina and the Inn are my jam.
I liked the quiz. It took me to my favorite series – Kate Daniels.
This quiz was great….good work 🙂
I love the new quiz Mod R! The questions were very straightforward and I immediately understood what the options were.
Hidden Legacy…that works ‘cus Ruby Fever is one of my top favorite books!
And are we not p*tiently waiting for Panthercakes to conclude and Arabella’s arc? Though I do hope that those do not then lead to the conclusion of the series…
I agree, Ruby Fever is awesome, though when rereads happen I always start at Burn for Me and work my way through, since there are just so many moments to re-enjoy and I love the way the trilogies build and conclude. Thus, Wildfire is also a great re-reading pleasure of mine.
Watch out for those ferrets. They’re sneaky thanks to their handler, Cornelius Harrison.
**Cue the Mission Impossible theme song.**
Any quiz any format? I’m Kate all the way, although I do love the other books
Great quiz!
Works well and is pretty easy to review. It’s tough for current BDH because we know what books each answer goes with!
Great quiz, and I landed on my no 1 world – so clearly it works 👏
Small suggestion: as non-native English speaker, the option of “just desserts for villain” really had a whole different meaning for me, which may be worth rewording.
Or maybe not since it lead me down a whole: “why do villains get cakes” – “are these cakes made by Orro?” – “I thought crime didn’t pay “tangent, which was enjoyable 😄
I have everything , and I love all of the books.
That was fun.
I was trying to think as a new reader but I am not sure I succeeded.
As an example …the last two releases I have read over 3x.
I get in a slump waiting for This World … start other style books that most turn into DNF ( other LitRPG can be a slog from poor writing)…although I found 2 out of 20 that were pretty good.
That just proves the great writing of House Andrews!
much better! it was fast and gave me the correct answer.
Kate! Kate! Kate!
I think it’s much better, a lot of the references to the series have been stripped out to make it more neutral.
We who have read and re-read the books would pick up references, but I doubt that new readers would be so savvy (yet)…
Brilliant job! So well done, this should work for everyone I reckon.
Sending to my friends who are stubborn and not read your books yet!
I was trying to get the Innkeeper Chronicles and I did. Great job!!
Great quiz! I also knew me and Kate were meant to be together.
Despite all logic, it still feels like I am going to fail when I pick an answer. It’s bizarre. I’ve read all the books – I know there is no failing, just a different adventure to love.
Great fun, Mod R. You are one of the Horde’s greatest treasures.
This Quiz stresses me out. I love how they write. I have read everything but the edge series. I love the innkeeper, Kate Daniels, Hidden Legacy. I have enjoyed the one offs. Just please, keep writing!
None of it is mandatory 🙂
I second the idea of quiz giving a runner up series. or somehow allowing people to see all the series descriptions if they want to read them?
The Read our Books page will remain, so will the Complete Book List, all the blurbs and book descriptions on Goodreads and everywhere else – I am not disappearing them 😅.
The quiz is in *addition* to book descriptions that anyone can find 🙂
Definitely improved. I got the Kinsmen. I do love those novellas, but in my view there is not enough content to consider it a “series” to “recommend” to new readers. So, not sure about that.
Do we get a cookie?
All I know is Kate is known for her apple pie and sausage😊 That’s the series that the quiz recommended for my reading pleasure 🥰
Great Quiz, I liked the old one but I think this one’s better for newbies. Got stuck on TV because I do like fantasy (because dragons or beautiful landscapes), I like it more for the relationships, intrigue and schemes. Which is why I also like crime dramas and thrillers. Can be dark but must have sprinkling of humour.
It’s probably why I got Kate because although I like all Ilone Andrews works, my book preferences are similar to my TV ones.
Kates usually the one I read again and again. Second being the edge series, then innkeeper, then Puffles(not a book, yet). OK, I did chose all the ones with dragons but in my defence their dragons.
Also I watch alot of craft and baking shows when I need some comfort which is why I love the blog and all the books because theirs always a mention of knitting/crochet or cooking/baking.
Thank you, I will now go back to my cave and continue my reread of Ilona Andrews books until the new precious comes
P.S Will the new precious have any dragons or similar mythical reptail?
DRAGONS!
The quiz was fun but somehow the answer took me to the series that I get the least urge to reread, so I’m not sure about your algorithm!
The question about what TV I like to watch threw me off. I love long book series, but I hate long TV epics. (Mostly I don’t watched TV, I read.)
Hidden legacy. Still any one of the series would be a winner. This was like vanilla or chocolate ice cream? It was a fun quiz & I truly enjoyed it.
Thank you Mod R!
You are the Best!
Same! Any series would be a winner for me, as well. But there likely is that ONE series that is just a teeny-tiny bit more beloved than the others for each of us…
My result: Kate Daniels. Complete lack of surprise.
I liked the last quiz and I like this quiz too! Thank you for keeping it fun for all of us!
I got Inn keeper yay! Was just thinking about starting something to tide me over til release day this should work for timing in audiobooks for me. One thing maybe add a link to where it says the book you should start with so they can click to the series page and find out more? Thanks so much for the hard work you do for us and the new fans that are coming!
Great quiz for newbies! I got Kate Daniels (yay!) and my one teeny tiny point of disagreement is that the first books are still very good and shouldn’t be skipped – just maybe a note that the series get even better.
This is awesome Mod R….great job (always!) I also love that you’re doing this. I know it will help sell books (though they will sell themselves!)😁 but I love that you and HA are doing so much to welcome the multitudes of new fans that are coming. 🥰
I have to share something my daughter said the other day as I told her that I think this series is going to expand the BDH exponentially. She said “now remember, no ‘gate keeping’ against the newbies.”
I asked her what ‘gate keeping’ means in relation to a fandom (I never heard that term used that way before.) She explained that’s where long-time members of a group (in this case the BDH) act like they are more knowledgeable, loyal, etc. than new members, all to try to make the new members ‘less than’.
I started sputtering, quickly saying “NEVER would we ever….” and without skipping a beat, she laughed and said “oh relax, I’m kidding you!!! Everything you’ve told me about the BDH shows they are very welcoming and supportive!!! I know they will welcome new fans with open arms!!!”
I know this was a long story, but I wanted to share it because it really summarized what I truly love about the BDH…I have never encountered a fandom quite like this one (and I mean that in all the very best ways!!!) 🥰💕💕
Sometimes, I think, it’s more of a “sink or swim” scenario for new readers. I remember reading the back of “Magic Breaks” (this was my first Ilona Andrews book) in Barnes and Noble, shrugging my shoulders, and giving it a try. I didn’t realize there were 6 books before this one. Once I started reading at the beginning of the series, a lot of things made more sense.
That was before the BDH was founded, established, and had our wonderful Mod R.
Love this! Worked for me!
Goooooooooooood morning HA, Modr (you angel, you!) and Horde
I got Innkeeper!
While I absolutely love, love, love Hidden Legacy to pieces, I agree that it used to be Innkeeper, which does tend to more closely fit my preferred reading style.
Good job, ModR – don’t listen to the haters!
Ok. So I enjoyed the new quiz!! I thought the answers through( or so I thought😳). I got Kate! Don’t get me wrong I may like Kate. I don’t know. She’s the ONLY one so far I’ve not read. I don’t think I’ve been avoiding her it’s just I’ve been so busy reading & revisiting everybody else.
So now I have to read Kate!!!!!! Mmmmm.
You are so lucky, to have that whole series ahead of you. Have fun!
But I already read all the books…
Excellent
love the new quiz, thank you for the revamp! i think its much more streamlined, easier to follow. and i appreciated the ‘how much romance’ phrasing of the question.
That was amazing! I think this will be really helpful. Great job!
I did my best to answer genuinely and forget anything I know about the books and got Hidden Legacy which is my favorite series so I would say it’s working!