I posted last week about starting a new feature called Author Addiction and, as I mentioned, the first author Kaja and I are featuring is Jennifer l Armentrout, also known as J Lynn. She is an author that people often have differing opinions about, she is a bit like Marmite, you either love her or you hate her.
She is divisive because of her writing style, she keeps things simple in her writing, but that can often be too simplistic. Her tendency to feature popular culture, such as popular TV shows, and she includes phrases used across the internet which can make her writing feel a bit like a tumblr users fan fiction. But it’s not all doom and gloom for Armentrout, after all, there is a reason I adore her writing and often rave on about her to others. I simply felt it necessary to point out the flaws in her writing, because I am aware of her writing and flaws and love her books despite all that. I'll be answering three questions to help fully explain why j love Armentrout and you should give her a chance too.
When did you first discover this author?
The first Armentrout book I read was actually one she wrote under the pen name J Lynn, back when I was first getting into the New Adult genre. It was Wait For You, I was a bit wary going in because, from what I had seen, the storylines of NA books were always so dramatic, and this one was doubly so. It was all about a girl who had a big trauma in her past and was reluctant to get to close to anyone. I have to say, I didn’t think I was going to like it, but I ended up enjoying it and buying the second book in the series, which I think I enjoyed a bit more because it was a bit less dramatic (not that much less dramatic, but you know). I think it was the Wait For You series which made me fully embrace the New Adult genre, the books were dramatic and over the top, and they got steamy, and they were exactly what I was looking for in a romance novel which I could relate to.
I didn’t realise, to begin with, that it was Jennifer L Armentrout writing under a pen name, I’d heard about her on a couple of blogs, but hadn’t been too interested, but after reading that series I later searched out more of her writing, eventually venturing to her YA reads, seeing what she’s written. I wasn’t too fussed with her other writing though, I was on a NA binge, with YA writing boring me for a bit. It was only later in the year I read others series and truly became addicted to her writing.
What's your favourite book by them?
My favourite books is Wicked and it is simply for the fact it is set in New Orleans. There are other reasons for me loving this book, like the whole fae thing and the magic and fantastical elements of the book. And the snark and banter as well. But its mostly the setting that did it because Armentrout was so good at genuinely creating what new Orleans is like. Her writing took me back to New Orleans, and when i book can transport you so completely it’s easy to understand why I loved it.
It was so much fun to read a book set in a place I’ve visited and feel myself be transported back there to how it was. It is well written in the fact it truly tells you what New Orleans is like and the characters are great. Sure, some of the banter and snark and references can get a bit much, but this is a fun easy read that you will enjoy, I am sure. And it’s a girl who can totally kick some ass, I just wish that Armentrout wasn’t so insistent on ending a book with a cliffhanger. They are the worst, but also totally effective because it practically guarantees you’ll buy the next book in the series.
Which book by this author would you recommend to others and why?
You might think I would recommend my favourite book to the unfamiliar with Armentrout's writing, but you'd be wrong, I would recommend The Dark Elements series because it is that series that led me to become addicted to her writing and to want read more of what she's done. I picked up the first book in the series, White Hot Kiss on a whim because it was on offer for kindle and it was that book which reminded me urban fantasy and paranormal romance series are my jam, also Armentrout writes the best cliffhangers. You don't have a mega one in the first book, but the second one the cliffhanger is mega. If you enjoy romance and urban fantasy in your YA fiction then this is the series for you and the third book is put this year, all the better really.
I hope you have enjoyed reading my love Jennifer L Armentrout, she is really an excellent author with books that leave you wanting more, and sweep you into a binge read of all her books. I hope you do pick up a book by her an d give her a go, she is not to everyone’s tastes, but she knows how to write an addictive read. If you feel like participating please leave a link in the comments, we were thinking about creating a linky for you all, but given it’s the first month, we thought it best to leave off this month and just see what happens, we only came up with the idea a couple of weeks ago so this really is a dry run for us.
And if this hasn't been your onth, you've not read Armentrout's books, then join us next month as we fangirl over Sarah J Maas, an author most, if not all, of you will have read.
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