I am in dire need of new urban fantasy books to read.

Here’s the deal: I’ve been reading urban fantasy since 2010.  What I’m finding now is that a lot of my favorite series are either nearing their end, or have already ended.  I’ve tackled many of the established favorites, but I haven’t found many new authors to read lately.  Between my own writing and my otherwise busy schedule, I just haven’t had the time to go out and explore blogs the way I used to.

But no more.  I’m seeking book recommendations, specifically urban fantasy, and here’s what I’m looking for:

LIKES: Strong, female protagonists; well-developed characters; well-developed, complex, unique worlds or paranormal creatures; slow-burning romances with lots of sexual tension; time travel (paradoxes be damned); historical elements (e.g. steampunk); dragons (they’re just awesome); ghosts (why don’t we see more ghosts in UF?).

DISLIKES: Damsels in distress; tired tropes (if I’m going to read about vampires, I’d better read something new or different about them); editorial or continuity errors; awkward writing (I want to concentrate on the story, not the writing); rape scenes (I know these are common in urban fantasy, but they’re a pet peeve of mine); asshole heroes.

It would be great if some of the suggestions already had more than one book in the series.

Some favorites of mine:

The Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews; the October Daye series and Sparrow Hill Road by Seanan McGuire; the Cassandra Palmer series by Karen Chance; the Downside Ghosts series by Stacia Kane; the Disillusionists trilogy by Carolyn Crane; the Jane True series by Nicole Peeler; the Women of the Otherworld series by Kelley Armstrong.  I’m sure there are tons more that I’m just not thinking of right now.

Ready…set…GO!