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Urban Fantasy With (Almost) No Sex

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If you are anything like, then you don’t read books because they are “steamy” or “spicy.” In fact, if you are here, you probably don’t like sex scenes in your books much at all. With the line between Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance being blurred, I present to you a list of Urban Fantasy books with (Almost) no sex.

GreyWalker Series by Kat Richardson

This series has literally no sex scenes. It’s mentioned and there are sort of “fade to black” type scenes where you know what is going to happen, but it isn’t described at all. The series itself also has an interesting premise and the main character has a ferret, which is adorable.

Walker Papers by C.E. Murphy

This series is relatively sex-free. It’s not as “clean” as the Greywalker series, but there are no long descriptive sex scenes. This one also has a great premise, with the main character being a (very reluctant) Shaman.

Dresden Files by Jim Butcher

This one falls more into the “almost” category, where there are a few descriptive sex scenes but overall not a lot. Especially considering the number of books in the series, the “steam” is pretty low comparatively.

Cal Leandros by Rob Thurman

Similar to the Dresden Files, there’s more mention of sex in these books than the Greywalker or Walker Papers series. With this one though, I have to put a disclaimer that if you decide to read this series stop at book 9, Downfall. The last book in the series, Everwar was never published and book 10, Nevermore, ends on a huge cliffhanger.

Kitty Norville by Carrie Vaughn

This series does have a bit of sex in it but nothing crazy. What scenes there are, are fairly brief.

Mercy Thompson by Patricia Briggs

Here is where we start getting into more iffy territory. The series starts out relatively sex free. It isn’t until later books, when the main character is in a relationship, that the sex scenes start to happen. Still, if memory serves correctly, the scenes weren’t long or overly explicit.

Kate Daniels by Illona Andrews

This one I’m going to call more of an “honorable mention” because, like the Mercy Thompson series, it starts out relatively sex-free. However, in the later books, when the main character is in a relationship, the sex scenes can be quite descriptive and a bit long. I still think the series is worth reading, the books are fantastic just know that it does get to a point where it crosses more into Paranormal Romance territory than Urban Fantasy.

And that is my list! Please know that this list is pulling only from what I have read so far. I hope to update this list as I continue to read more books. So, if there is a book or series that you think belongs on this list, please recommend it to me as I’m always on the hunt for more books to read. (even if I don’t need more.)

If you’re interested, please also check out my list of Fantasy Novels with (Almost) No Sex in Them.

Thanks for reading!

Review – Legacy of the Sword – Chronicles of the Cheysuli #3 by Jennifer Roberson

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Legacy of the Sword, book 3 of the Chronicles of the Cheysuli by Jennifer Roberson

Title: Legacy of the Sword

Author: Jennifer Roberson

Series: Chronicles of the Cheysuli

Sexual Content: mild

Objectional Content: Violence

Synopsis (from Goodreads):For decades, the magical race of shapeshifters called the Cheysuli have been feared and hated exiles in their own land, a land they rightfully should rule. Victims of a vengeful monarch’s war of annihilation and a usurper king’s tyrannical reign, the Cheysuli clans have nearly vanished from the world.

Now, in the aftermath of the revolution which overthrew the hated tyrant, Prince Donal is being trained as the first Cheysuli in generations to assume the throne. But will he be able to overcome the prejudice of a populace afraid of his special magic and succeed in uniting the realm in its life and death battle against enemy armies and evil magicians?

My Review

Legacy of the Sword picks up 15 years after the events of The Song of Homana. Donal, the son of Alix and Duncan, and now Carillon’s heir, is travelling to the Crystal Isle to bring home Aislinn, Carillon’s daughter and Donal’s betrothed. Aislinn has spent the last two years there with her mother, the exiled Queen, Electra. It quickly becomes evident that Electra has tampered with her daughter’s mind, turning Aislinn against the idea of marrying Donal. This presents some interesting challenges along the way and causes Aislinn to act out in violent ways that she would normally never do.

From the beginning, I didn’t particularly like Donal. He seemed very selfish, often thinking and even expressing out loud, that he doesn’t want to be king or marry Aislinn. He has a lover and children among the Cheysuli who he wants to be with instead. Perhaps if the book had begun when Donal was younger and these relationships were being established, I might have felt more sympathy for him. Instead, I thought him a cruel person and felt sympathy for Aislinn, who is treated as a pawn. She knows from a young age that her only purpose is to bear children, especially sons.

At the end of The Song of Homana, Alix had been abducted by the enemy sorcerer, Tynstar, and it was revealed at the end of the book that Alix was pregnant. That child was what I really wanted to know about in this book. Oh, the child, Bronwyn, is there, but she’s such a minor character it felt like a wasted plot point.

There were several events in this book that I thought should have had more weight to them, to the point where I thought some things were actually a fake out. It just didn’t seem like enough of an impact for the importance of what happened. I’m trying really hard not to spoil anything so apologies if this sounds really vague.

For all my dislike of the characters, the Chronicles of the Cheysuli have a really rich world that I enjoy. The overall narrative still has me wanting to know more so I will continue with the series.

My rating for Legacy of the Sword is 3 out of 5 stars.

Thanks for reading!

Review – The Song of Homana – Chronicles of the Cheysuli #2 by Jennifer Roberson

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The Song of Homana, Book two fo the Chronicles of the Cheysuli by Jennifer Roberson

Title: The Song of Homana

Author: Jennifer Roberson

Series: Chronicles of the Cheysuli

Sexual Content: mild

Objectional Content: Violence

Synopsis (from Goodreads): For five long years the land of Homana had been strangling in the grasp of a usurper king—its people ravaged by strife, poverty and despair; its magical race, the Cheysuli, forced to flee or face extermination at the hands of their evil counterparts, the sorcerous Ilhini.

The time had come for Prince Carillon, Homana’s rightful ruler, to return from exile with his Cheysuli liege man, free his land from the evil domination of the tyrant Bellam and his villainous magicians, restore the Cheysuli to their rightful position of grace, and claim his birthright. To do this, he would not only have to raise an army, but overcome the fear and prejudice of an ignorant population and answer the call of a prophecy he never chose to serve!

Since I was reading the omnibus edition, Shapechanger’s Song, I was expecting the narrative to continue from Alix’s perspective. However, the pov changes to first person from Carillon’s perspective. Unexpected, but not an issue.

The Song of Homana picks up five years after the events of Shapechangers, with Carillon and Finn preparing to return to Homana and reclaim the throne. The people of Homana are more than ready for him to return, and rebels are already assembling to fight for him.

I wouldn’t say that I dislike this book, but there were a few things about it that I disliked, especially when it comes to Carillon. He has a sense of entitlement that I tried to see past based on his upbringing. He is a prince and accustomed to having certain things go his way. He knows he has value to his enemies, which isn’t really a bad thing, but there are times when he seems to think he’s more important than he is.

A lot of my dislike of him comes from how he treats women. For example, the first time he sees Alix after five years, he kisses her despite knowing full well that she is married. Upon first meeting Electra, the daughter of the king who usurped the Homanan throne, Carillon immediately decides that he has to have this woman, no matter what she thinks of it. He even decides he’s going to marry her, though he says it’s to unite two kingdoms, and not just because he’s completely in lust with her. Even his own sister is looked at as a pawn in his political games.

Carillon allows Electra to influence him despite being warned by people around him that she is dangerous. She herself admits to be the lover of the enemy sorcerer, Tynstar. She does at one point make it sound like she had no choice in the matter, but later it becomes obvious that even if that is true, she does want to be with Tynstar, not Carillon.

Hi poor decisions nearly cause his downfall, and force him to find an heir in his extended family as he doesn’t have a son of his own.

All that being said, the Song of Homana is still an enjoyable book. The prose is wonderful and there is so much more going on besides what we just see with Carillon. Although I saw a few things coming in regards to Electra, there was a great deal that I would never have predicted would happen. there’s a fair amount going on and more to come as the series continues.

My rating for the Song of Homana is 3 out of 5 stars and I would recommend it to those who enjoy older fantasy with a lot going on.

Thanks for reading!

Shapechangers – Chronicles of the Cheysuli #1 by Jennifer Roberson

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Title: Shapechangers

Author: Jennifer Roberson

Series: Chronicles of the Cheysuli

Sexual Content: suggested

Objectional Content: Violence

Synopsis (from Goodreads): The first book in the Chronicles of the Cheysuli spins a tale of magical warriors and shapeshifters as they battle the sorcerers that threaten their existence

They were the Cheysuli, a race of magical warriors gifted with the ability to assume animal shape at will. For centuries, they had been allies to the King of Homana, treasured champions of the realm. Until a king’s daughter ran away with a Cheysuli liege man and caused a war of annihilation against the Cheysuli race.

Twenty-five years later the Cheysuli were hunted exiles in their own land, feared for their sorcery, their shapeshifting.

This is the story of Alix, the daughter of that ill-fated union between Homanan princess and Cheysuli warrior, and her struggle to master the call of magic in her blood, and accept her place in an ancient prophecy she cannot deny.

*Note: I am reading the omnibus edition, Shapechanger’s Song, but I will be reviewing the books seperately as they were originally published.

I picked up Shapechanger’s Song on something of a whim. I’d been in a bit of a reading slump but wanted to read. I just didn’t know what. So, I looked at my book shelf and my eyes fell on Shapechanger’s Song. It has been on my shelf for quite some time so I decided it was now the time to read it.

In the omnibus edition, there is an introduction from the author, Jennifer Roberson, which I kind of wish I hadn’t read because I think it may have influenced my expectations a little. The gist of it is that Alix, the main character, is supposed to be a strong female character who changed some reader’s perspectives on women.

Now, this book was originally written in 1984 and people’s world views would be different than they are now.

I started this book, expecting a great female character, a woman that younger women reading this book could really look up to and aspire to. This isn’t quite what I got.

Alix is seventeen years old, a crofter’s daughter, who has lead fairly simple and sheltered life. She meets the prince of the land, Homana, quite by accident and the two of them form a relationship that isn’t quite romantic, but could potentially be. One day, when the two meet, they are abducted by a Cheysuli warrior and brought to the rest of the Cheysuli against their will.

This is the catalyst for the entire story. The warrior, Finn, who abducts the two, desires Alix. Because of the king’s purge of the Cheysuli race, their numbers are dwindling and some warriors have started taking Homanan women to bear children. It is soon discovered that Alix isn’t the simple crofter’s daughter she has always believed. In fact, she is the King’s granddaughter and Cheylusi.

Earlier in this review I said that Alix is supposed to be a strong female character, and while I wouldn’t say that she isn’t, there are very few other women in the story to actually compare her too. There are a couple of other women who appear, but their appearances are so brief as to be inconsequential.

There are things that Alix does and decisions that she makes that I can’t really agree with. In one case I was even disappointed in her choice. This book is very male dominated, and no less than three men are in love with Alix. Though she ultimately chooses who she will be with, she was never given the choice to not be with anyone. The misogyny was fairly irritating.

Despite it’s flaws, I did enjoy reading the book and have continued on to the second part, The Prince of Homana.

My rating for Shapechanger is 3 out of 5 stars and I would recommend it to fans of older, classic fantasy.

Shaman Rises – Walker Papers #9 – By C.E. Walker

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Shaman Rises by C.E. Murphy

Title: Shaman Rises

Author: C.E. Murphy

Series: The Walker Papers

Sexual Content: suggested

Objectional Content: Violence, Language

Synopsis (from Goodreads):Joanne Walker has two choices:

Defeat the enemy…or lose her soul trying

For over a year, Joanne has been fighting the Master—the world’s most abiding evil entity. She’s sacrificed family, friendships, even watched potential futures fade away…and now the Master is bringing the final battle to Joanne’s beloved Seattle.

Lives will be lost as the repercussions of all Joanne’s final transformation into her full Shamanic abilities come to her doorstep. Before the end, she’ll mourn, rejoice—and surrender everything for the hope of the world’s survival. She’ll be a warrior and a healer. Because she is finally a Shaman Rising.

My Review

Going into Shaman Rises, I really didn’t know what to expect. There were a lot of elements that I felt needed to be tidied up. I wasn’t sure how it was all going to come together and I was apprehensive about how it would end.

Once I started Shaman Rises, I did not want to put this book down. There are so many twists and turns, I just had to keep reading. This book was so emotional. I admit I cried quite a bit. There were several times where I knew if I were Joanne, I would have just sat down and given up.

I’m a bit sad to see this series end as I’m sure there is more the author could do with it if she wanted. At the same time, I’m very satisfied with the ending and wouldn’t want to see it drag on and lose out on quality.

I honestly can’t recommend this series enough! If you are a fan of Urban Fantasy, I strongly suggest giving this series a read. My rating for Shaman Rises is 5 out of 5 stars, and my rating for the Walker Papers overall is 5 out of 5 stars. I think fans of Mercy Thompson would really like this series as there are similarities between the main characters.

Have you read the Walker Papers? Please let me know what you think!

And as always, thanks for reading!

Mountain Echoes – Walker Papers #8 – by C.E. Murhpy

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Mountain Echoes, Book 8 of the Walker Papers by C.E. Murphy

Title: Mountain Echoes

Author: C.E. Murphy

Series: The Walker Papers

Sexual Content: suggested

Objectional Content: Violence

Synopsis (from Goodreads): You can never go home again.

Joanne Walker has survived an encounter with the Master at great personal cost, but now her father is missing – stolen from the timeline. She must finally return to North Carolina to find him – and to meet Aidan, the son she left behind long ago. 

That would be enough for any shaman to face, but Joanne’s beloved Appalachians are being torn apart by an evil reaching forward from the distant past. Anything that gets in its way becomes tainted – or worse. 

And Aidan has gotten in the way. 

Only by calling on every aspect of her shamanic powers can Joanne pull the past apart and weave a better future. It will take everything she has – and more. 

Unless she can turn back time… 

My Review

After her adventures in Ireland, all Joanne Walker really wants is to sleep for about a week and maybe eat everything in sight. A phone call from an old friend sends her back to North Carolina. Her father is missing and whatever is going on is Joanne’s kind of problem.

Mountain Echoes, like Raven Calls before it, is basically non stop action. Joanne barely has any time to recover from her previous ordeal in Ireland when she’s thrust into another harrowing situation. And then another.

In previous books, we learn some of Joanne’s past, of how she grew up with her father, how she has twins when she was 15 and how the little girl didn’t survive and the boy was put up for adoption. Being back in Qualla Boundary, other things about Joanne’s past come to light. I really enjoyed learning all these things about her and seeing her look at her past from a new, more mature, perspective.

There was honestly nothing about this book I didn’t like. From beginning to end, I was riveted. I felt like I was on the edge of my seat and didn’t want to put the book down for a moment. C.E. Murphy has a knack for ending books on a cliffhanger. I can’t wait to start the final book in the series, Shaman Rises.

My rating for Mountain Echoes is 5 out of 5 stars. I would highly recommend reading the previous books if you haven’t already. I think anyone who enjoy Urban Fantasy would love this series.

Thanks for reading!

Raven Calls – Walker Papers #7 – by C.E. Murphy

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Raven Calls by C.E. Murphy

Title: Raven Calls

Author: C.E. Murphy

Series: The Walker Papers

Sexual Content: suggested

Objectional Content: Violence

Synopsis (from Goodreads): Something wicked this way comes…

Suddenly, being bitten by a werewolf is the least of Joanne Walker’s problems.

Her personal life in turmoil, her job as a cop over, she’s been called to Ireland by the magic within her. And though Joanne’s skills have grown by leaps and bounds, Ireland’s magic is old and very powerful…

In fact, this is a case of unfinished business. Because the woman Joanne has come to Ireland to rescue is the
woman who sacrificed everything for Joanne—the woman who died a year ago. Now, through a slip in time, she’s in thrall to a dark power and Joanne must battle darkness, time and the gods themselves to save her.

My Review

After the cliffhanger that Spirit Dancers left on, I couldn’t wait to start Raven Calls. I was devouring it, I couldn’t put it down! And then…I just stopped. And I don’t know why. This book is so good! It’s basically non stop action from start to finish. At some point I had to put it down and then I just didn’t pick it back up again for quite some time.

When I did pick it back up, I finished it in one session and honestly I’m kicking myself for not picking it up again sooner.

Joanne is in Ireland for this book, trying to find a cure for the werewolf bite she got at the end of Spirit Dances. Along the way, she ends up time travelling, meeting her own ancestor and joining up with a cousin in Ireland. Shennanigans ensue. It feels odd to say that, but it’s probably the best way to describe it. It’s all one thing after another and the entire book takes place in the span of about a day.

It’s hard to say much more about Raven Calls, as it’s the seventh book in the series. The characters are mostly established and the few new ones that come in aren’t necessarily going to be around for the next book.

I’m really excited to read the next book, and I really hope I don’t put it down for months at a time.

My rating for Raven Calls is 5 out of 5 stars and I’d recommend it to anyone who loves Urban Fantasy. Just don’t forget to read the previous books in the series.

5 Ways to Maximize Your Reading Time

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We all want to read more, right? There’s so many books out there just waiting for our attention. So, how do we get more words into the day? Here’s 5 way to maximize your reading time!

  1. Keep a book with you wherever you go. You never know when you’ll have some time to kill. If you find yourself waiting for any reason, instead of pulling out your phone, pull out your book and read.
  2. Audiobooks can be a good way to absorb a book. Listening while exercising, doing chores or driving can really increase the amount of books you get through.
  3. Replace TV time with reading time. It’s very easy to get home after a long day and just flop on the couch and watch random youtube videos. Grab a book instead and devour the written word!
  4. Forgo socialization. No need to spend time with your friends or family. They are only distracting you from more reading. Ignore those messages asking you to go out and have fun and bury your nose in a book instead.
  5. Don’t have children! Kids are the ultimate time consuming thing on this planet. They demand constant attention and supervision. Remain childfree and your reading time will never be cut short. Already have them? Well, they’re probably old enough to fend for themselves, right?

Have you tried any of these steps? How did they work for you? Were you able to maximize your reading time? Do you have any tips for cramming in more reading time in your day? Share them in the comments.

Note: this list is meant as satire and should be read as such

Spirit Dances – Walker Papers #6 – By C.E. Murphy

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Title: Spirit Dances

Author: C.E. Murphy

Series: The Walker Papers

Sexual Content: suggested

Objectional Content: Violence

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

For Seattle detective Joanne Walker, spring is about new beginnings. She’s mastered her shamanic abilities (mostly), survived a cannibalistic serial killer (barely) and now she’s facing the biggest challenge of her career–attending a dance concert with her sexy boss, Captain Michael Morrison. But when the performance–billed as transformative–actually changes her into a coyote, she and Morrison have bigger things to deal with.

And there’s more. Homeless people are disappearing, a mystical murder puts Joanne way out of her jurisdiction and with the full moon coming on, it’s looking like the killer is a creature that can’t possibly exist.

But Jo could probably handle all of that, if one ordinary homicide hadn’t pushed her to the very edge….

My Review

I literally just finished this book and I am basically chomping at the bit to start the next one because OMG! this series just keeps getting better and better.

Joanne Walker may have accepted her life and powers as a Shaman, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t above epically screwing up still. Her intentions are always good but sometimes, unexpected things just happen.

I would really love to see a real performance of the Ghost Dance that happens in this book. I’m sure that the written description couldn’t begin to do justice to an actual dance like that.

I was not expecting the ending of this book at all! It absolutely floored me. The moment I am done writing this, I’ll be picking up the next book.

I can’t recommend this series enough! 5 out of 5 stars! If you haven’t read it yet, go pick up Urban Shaman and get started!

Demon Hunts – Walker Papers #5 by C.E. Murphy

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Title: Demon Hunts

Author: C.E. Murphy

Series: The Walker Papers

Sexual Content: suggested

Objectional Content: Violence

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Seattle police detective Joanne Walker started the year mostly dead, and she’s ending it trying not to be consumed by evil. Literally.

She’s proven she can handle the gods and the walking dead. But a cannibalistic serial killer? That’s more than even she bargained for. What’s worse, the brutal demon can only be tracked one way. If Joanne is to stop its campaign of terror, she’ll have to hunt it where it the Lower World, a shamanistic plane of magic and spirits.

Trouble is, Joanne’s skills are no match for the dangers she’s about to face—and her on-the-job training could prove fatal to the people she’s sworn to protect….

My Review

I don’t really have a lot to say about Demon Hunts. Honestly, I loved the hell out of this book! There was nothing I didn’t like about it. The Walker Papers just keeps getting better and better. I really enjoy reading it and I’m always looking forward to the next book. I think I will be sad when I finish the last one. Thankfully, I still have a few to go!

My rating for Demon Hunts is 5 out of 5 stars! If you’ve read the previous books, definitely read this one and if you haven’t read the previous books, what are you waiting for?