I've read all of the Dresden Files books twice. I just finished the newest one. I actually thought it was less rivoting than the previous books. I was actually introduced to the Dresden series by a guy who rear-ended my car on a rainy day. He was telling me about the series while we were waiting for the police to arrive
I'm reading the first of the Alera series now, and I like it pretty well. I, too, think it seems a bit Pokemon-ish but not in a terribly childish way.