I came across a very interesting article about the Urban Fantasy genre in a blog called "Pat's Fantasy Hotlist." I have mixed feelings about the stuff. First of all, I didn't even know it was called Urban Fantasy. I thought it was called Paranormal Romance. Shows you what I know.
I am attracted to the genre for it's butt kicking women, and funky fantasy elements. I get turned off by a couple of the common elements I have run into, however, and its always a crap shoot on whether I will like a book or not.
To list some examples, I am a bit tired of completely unsuitable boyfriends, such as vampires. Not. Good. Husband. Material. (Do not get me started on Twilight.) I also don't really want to read huge long descriptions of blood and guts. No thanks, I am done with Anita Blake Vampire Hunter.
I don't think every hot guy and girl in a book should be actual honest to god "Gods." (Sorry, Sherrilyn Kenyon). Go light on the pantheon, please.
Also... I'd like to ask about the preponderance of books where the heroine has two boyfriends and can't choose between them. I liked Mary Janice Davidon's book about Fred the Mermain, "Sleeping with the Fishes", but its a perfect example of this - she's got the marine biologist, and the mermaid price both panting after her and she kissed both and doesn't seem inclined to pick either one.
And Christine Feehan, well, I think her writing style is just not that good.
Now - - what do I like? I like fresh ideas with a touch of steamy relationships, mixed with an adventure, and winding up with a happy ending. I am just a sucker like that. The first paranormal romances I read were by Jayne Castle. LOVE her stuff - Jayne Ann Krentz is my favorite author in any or her pen names, but the paranormals based on the future of humans who have colonized the planet Harmony are my favorites.
I also really like the Dirk and Steele books by Marjorie Liu. I really like the way her characters have such strong mental connections with each other which adds an extra dimension to their relationships. Then, there is all kinds of wonderful action as the Dirk and Steel team tries to save the world from the evil progeny of the Magician. I am not as big of fan of her other series "Hunter's Kiss" which are about a woman with Demons tattooed all over her body. See - I don't like the darker side of Urban Fantasy as much as the mushy romantic side.
Another side of the genre that doesn't appeal to me very much is the lightly humorous, madcap, comedies that seem to like to feature witches in high heels prancing around being silly and dating gods or vampires. In my experience madcap humor is usually an attempt to cover up bad writing.
I did enjoy Barbara Bretton's book "Casting Spells" even though it's a bit madcap. It probably doesn't hurt that it takes place in a yarn store, since I happen to be a knitting enthusiast.
Pat, from the above mentioned blog Pat's Fantasy Hotlist, says he had enjoyed Carrie Vaughn's Kitty and the Midnight Hour and the rest of the Kitty Norville series. I am adding it to my Amazon cart. I read voraciously and need to have a stack of novels to keep my book addiction at bay.
Another series on my list to read are the Sookie Stackhouse books by Charlaine Harris. I am in the midst of watching the first season of the HBO series True Blood, based on the books and now I want to read the books. (Yeah, I know I did this in the wrong order. They have been on my list to try for a while but I never got a hold of the books and didn't realize the show was based on them until I started watching and put two and two together.)
Now, I don't know if the Urban Fantasy genre has any hope of gaining critical respect. I'm pretty doubtful in fact. Fantasy in general doesn't get much respect, and the Romance genre is probably the most ridiculed subset of books out there. So combining the two is not likely to garner a author a Pulizer Prize in fiction. Let's face it. But in the measurement of how many books you sell, and how many people enjoy your stories, its clear that Urban Fantasy is one of the hottest genre's out there today. I am happy if it keeps me stocked in interesting, action-packed, and creative stories with a female bent to them.