I've never heard anyone in this forum mention them.  Any thoughts?  I personally couldn't read L.A. Banks because most of the time I had no idea what was going on, and felt like a dope.

And Jennifer Armitrout (sp?), I thought the sex scenes were pretty scary, and the blah ending sucked.

I read a story by L.A. Banks in the anthology My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding and absolutely hated it.  I had to force myself to read it.  However I just read another story in the Hotter than Hell anthology by her and it wasn't bad.  It didn't have all of that urban slang but I still can't see myself reading a stand alone book or series by her because I've noticed a lot of people in this forum have stated that they can't make heads or tails of what she is talking about. 

I also have tried both authors and really don't care to read anything more from them.  I actually don't even remember what I read, but only know not to get any of their works again!!

Does this mean that I am a book snob?

why were the sex scenes scary? i haven't read her yet

as for banks, I can't stand her writing.

Ashley...the heroine in the book had sex, (she was automatically drawn to the head vampire, bad bad guy) and therefore forced to have sex with him.  I really can't remember why she had to go to him.  He had long fingernails, cut her up you know where, and she liked it because it was him, or whatever.  It grossed me out.  Plus, the book just kind of ended...there was no guy and gal get together...HEA...like I thought was going to happen through out the book.  And, there was one young vampire I grew to like, and she killed him off. 

I'm glad to know I'm not the only one that doesn't like them. 

Never read Banks, haven't heard much good about her. 

Jennifer Armintrout seems to get mixed reviews... I just got her first two books though, so I hope she isn't too bad!  I have to admit though, I , like Ashley, am curious about the scary sex scenes? 

I haven't tried Banks, but I like Jennifer Armintrout's series pretty well.  It's not the best ever, but I've been happily following.  The second book was the weakest, I thought (and focused a lot on a character I don't care for), but the third made up for it.  It ends with four books and I've got the fourth here in my soon-to-be-read pile.

But yeah, it's slides toward horror instead of fluff.  The bad guys are bad, but I like that the gray areas of a person show up too -- the bad in the good guys and the good in the bad. 

1st and 4th of the Armintrout books were okay.  3 and 4 sucked. 

Never read Sands.

both Banks and Armintrout have been mentioned off and on in this thread: What series or books to avoid?

I read one of Banks and decided that I am not the targeted audience.  I do not like hip hop.  I don't like poetry slams.  I know there are folks out there who fit into the targeted audience, and I'm glad they have her books.

Armintrout didn't even tempt me.   At least L A Banks has something new to offer.

I've tried Banks, and don't care for her stuff.    I have read all 4 Armintrouts.    I have mixed feelings.   I liked the first one.   I didn't like how the series ended.    Too fairy tale-like for me. 

I read the Armitrout. Actually I read all 4 of them  because I was curious what came next.  I didn't really care but I was curious..  I liked Nathan and the first book was okay so I figured the 2nd would be better. it wasn't.. lol oh well..

Banks I have heard too many people that don't like her to bother. I read 1 short story and hated it.

I don't care for Banks, but I enjoyed Armitrout's series.

Nicole

I'm reading the Armintrout series, about to start the last book....when I force myself to.  I couldn't really decide whether I liked the first book or not, and 2nd and 3rd through me for a complete loop.  I'm only finishing the last book because once I start a series, I finish it whether I like it or not. 

I haven't started the Banks series yet...but I do have a few of them and before I write them off as something I wouldn't enjoy I'm going to have to read the first (but that will just mean that I'm gonna read the whole series because I'm weird like that).  I hope I like them....I don't mind hip hop slang...I can understand most of it.

Jenni

Those are my two least favorite authors.  Hated both of their books.