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Do you like gritty cities but also want inhuman characters? Do you love reading about magic, but aren't interested in world building that reimagines the medieval? Urban fantasy mixes the magic, monsters, and mythology of high fantasy with the dark and gritty city underworlds of noir. The five books below will get you started.
Midnight’s Daughter by Karen Chance
Half human, half vampire Dorina must team up with full blooded vampire Louis-Cesare to recapture the most infamous vampire in history - Dracula, yes, that Dracula - who happens to be her uncle. What could possibly go wrong? Midnight’s Daughter is fast paced, action packed, and surprisingly humorous.
Deadtown by Nancy Holzner
In Boston’s quarantined section full of non-human and undead citizens, demon hunter Vicky must face off against the ruthless demon that killed her father a decade ago and is now coming for her. Zombies, shapeshifters, vampires, demons, and the biggest monsters of all - plain old humans - Deadtown has a little something for everyone.
Destiny Kills by Keri Arthur
Burned out on vampires? Bored with werewolves? Looking for something just a little bigger, a little more dangerous? Dragons it is! Destiny wakes up with no memories but a terrible sense of danger. She must figure out who and what she is, where she came from, and how to stop whoever is after her.
Hot Lead, Cold Iron by Ari Marmell
Historical PI noir meets urban fantasy with Fae detective Mick Oberon in 1930s Chicago. Mick is hired to find the human child of a mobster who was replaced by a changeling over a decade ago. Unfortunately, clues lead to the Seelie Court so Mick must navigate Fae politics and mobster violence in his quest to find the missing child.
Spider’s Bite by Jennifer Estep
Urban fantasy fans looking for a new heroine like Kate Daniels should check out Gin Blanco in Estep’s Elemental Assassin series. Gin has two elemental powers but power is unpredictable so she prefers to rely on her blades when she ends a target. But Gin’s days of anonymity and not using her power are running out and she has to take a stand to keep her city safe and avenge her family, both past and present.
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About the Author: Melissa is a Assistant Manager and a freelance copy editor. She spends the majority of her waking hours reading romance, cozy mysteries, urban fantasy, and history. She also enjoys traveling and the theater.