Ohana Talks: The Night World Series by L.J. Smith

   In 2009 I read the Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer, it being the first time I became fully obsessed with a book series I needed more ASAP. Dragging my mom to the book store, that was when I met the Night World Series by L.J. Smith. It immediately became my favourite book series, and it's still in my top 10 today. But along with the fabulousness of the series, it also came with a lot of waiting.

  

   Secret Vampire, the first book in the series released in June 1996, it was a short 242 page book that melted a lot of hearts with a best friend love story, but with other supernatural creatures not just vampires and werewolves like Twilight. The series went on to have 9 books, each book containing a new set of characters and supernatural creatures. It wasn't until the final 4 that the books started to connect more then just sharing a world. 

Secret Vampire by L. J. Smith

Release Date: June 6th, 1996

Publisher: Archway Paperbacks

Series: Night World, #1

Format: Paperback, 242 pages

Description from GoodReads:

   The diagnosis for Poppy was death. there was no hope--until James, her best friend and secret love, appeared in the hospital. But this was a James she didn't know. He offered Poppy eternal life. Only he could open the door to the Night World. They're soulmates--but can she follow him into death and beyond?

   The series was fabulous, with 3 books leading up to the finale everyone was dying to get their hands on it. We got love, adventure, supernatural and soul mates. Witchlight, the last book to be released before the final book released in January 1998.

Witchlight by L. J. Smith

Release Date: January 1998

Publisher: Archway Paperbacks

Series: Nightworld, #9

Format: Paperback, 224 pages

Description from GoodReads:

   Keller is a black panther. A least when she's not being a tough, no-nonsense seventeen-year-old girl. She's a shapeshifter who grew up on the streets and will do whatever it takes to survive. But when Circle Daybreak hires her to protect a new Wild Power, Keller meets her match

   And finally the last book in the series released a year later right? Wrong. The book never was published, and to some people they even think it wasn't even written. GoodReads, along with a few other online book places say that there was 2 editions already published, but if you were to go to the authors site you can see that she admits to it never being published and that she's still in the process of writing it. 17 years and counting for her book, and I've only been waiting 5 years! I don't know how people could mange to wait that long, it bothers me when new books take a year to publish as it is! 

   Then the series was bought/transferred to Simon Pulse where they republished the series as bind ups in 2008 to get everyone excited again. The bind ups each contained 3 of the already published books. Strange Fate, the supposedly final book in the series was supposed to be published in 2010 after the last bind up went to stores in April 2009. About 5 months after the last bind up released was when I first discovered the series. 

  

   Even with the long disappointing wait I find myself still excited for Strange Fate to be released, the characters really connected with me. I always find myself thinking of Raksha Keller from Witchlight, or Poppy and James from Secret Vampire. I understand that most people would have given up at this point, because 17 years is enough but I still have hope. 

   So I hope you guys go ahead and give the Night World series a try! It will always have a place in my heart, hopefully it'll find a place in yours as well!

   What's the longest you've ever waited for a book? Are you still going to consider reading the series after what I said? Let me know!