About the Book: Edward is a sociopathic assassin that hunts the paranormal, and he is ready to call Anita in for a favour. Anita then finds herself in About the Book: Edward is a sociopathic assassin that hunts the paranormal, and he is ready to call Anita in for a favour. Anita then finds herself in Albuquerque. New Mexico, looking at a series of mutilations. Is it the cause of the Master of the City, Itzpapalotl, or something else entirely? Either way, Anita knows she is deeper than she has ever been.
Review: Where Laurell K. Hamilton's last three books took a downturn, Obsidian Butterfly shoots up. Obsidian Butterfly is action packed and full of the creepy and grotesque. Hamilton is able to meld her storylines together quite well (though not perfectly. See: Officer Marks), and although Anita is states away, Hamilton is able to keep Jean-Claude and Richard fresh in the reader's mind, without it being obnoxious and out of place.
One of the great things about Obsidian Butterfly is the tone of the books. If you found yourself loving the early Anita Blake, you are bound to love Obsidian Butterfly as well. It has the darkness and edge to it, complete with sarcasm (and a lot more explosions and gunfights). LKH also does a decent job of bringing in a New Mexico atmosphere to the book. What's more is that there is less repetition in Obsidian Butterfly than in the past books. Laurell's writing skill has certainly evolved. Of course, one of the things that also made the book great was learning more about the mysterious Edward. Not only do we get to see Edward the Assassin, but we get to see his alternate persona, Ted, and we also get to see him as family man while getting more hints of his past and how he became who he was. Hamilton also introduces a new character who has quite the potential to be an awesomely creepy person. This would be Olaf, the misogynistic serial killer. It's just a shame Ms. Hamilton did so little with him character wise. Still, he was fun in this book.
Like many of Hamilton's other novels, Obsidian Butterfly still manages to fall short. It seems everyone has some sort of fascination with Anita, and Edward certainly shows favouritism. Still, it is easy enough to see why he may be invested (I personally see him viewing as some sort of science project). As for the others, well, it's not so bad that you can't look past it yet bad enough to not completely forget.
Overall, Obsidian Butterfly was a very enjoyable read. Hamilton managed to fix many of her problems (well, made progress) so that it was a smoother read. The action and Edward also managed to keep me turning the page. The sexual moments slowed the book down some, but not enough to make it lose a star, in my opinion. I would definitely say check it out, especially if you were a fan of the early early Anita Blake. If you found yourself not liking The Killing Dance, Burnt Offerings, and/or Blue Moon, don't worry. Obsidian Butterfly knocks them away. It's just a shame the rest of the series failed ...more
About the Book: Anita ends up getting a call that Richard is in jail. The problem is that he is a werewolf and a full moon is coming up. Of course, oncAbout the Book: Anita ends up getting a call that Richard is in jail. The problem is that he is a werewolf and a full moon is coming up. Of course, once there other problems arise. The Tennessee werewolf pack has its politics to dance around, and then there is Colin, the Master of the City, who believes that Jean-Claude is now trying to take over his territory. Add a few mutilated bodies and well... no one said Anita didn't have unusual problems.
Review: So many pointless politics. Okay, before I start, let me say that I usually enjoy reading about political manipulation. However, politics are not Hamilton's forte so when we do get them, they often feel trite. In fact, we get a lot of sexual situations and blood. Now, I will say that it makes sense to a point, bit when most of your book is little more than that, it starts to drag. Blue Moon ends up having a lot of scenes so that Anita can appear tough, sexy, and cool. I won't say it is as bad as the later books, but it is still pretty apparent.
"Well, Nic, you seemed to really dislike this book." Actually, no. Will it ever be a favourite? Will I ever highly recommend it? Not likely. Yet the story itself was quite entertaining. Yes, the "sexy", "dark", and "edgy" scenes dragged, but when Hamilton focused more on the story, I really wanted to keep reading. Sadly, most of this was in the last quarter of the book, but it was entertaining enough to warrant another point. Colin's attack and fear of Anita helped to created some tense situations also (I say some since after a while, they also started to drag). However, I would say the thing that upped the rating score the most was the demon. I'm sorry, but it was pretty cool. I really enjoyed how it started out half formed, and even when it had become fully formed, it had an otherworldlyness about it. Personally, I would have liked to have seen the demon do even more damage, but it was still fun.
Sadly, there was still a lot I disliked about Blue Moon. Like I mentioned, there were too many "politics" and look how tough Anita is scenes. Luckily, the tones of the book made it much easier to swallow except the rape/chase/sex scene. So there is a scene where Raina, the last werewolf queen, takes over Anita and sets something off so that all the male wolves want to sleep with her. Anita manages to make it back to her cabin, and soon after Richard gets there. Although Richard does ask and Anita does say yes, it is still very sketchy as she is very on edge with "hormones," and well, the only way to end the chase is to sleep with someone. Yeah... Okay so that may not bother everyone as Anita and Richard are both in love and in lust with each other, but the sex scene itself was just laughable. Seriously, I was giggling aloud at some of the phrases used, especially from "edgy" author Laurell K. Hamilton, who goes on and on about how daring she is with sex. So what sort of phrases came up during this "arousing" scene? "He kissed me there like he kissed my mouth, all tongue and exploring," or my favourite orgasm ever: "He pulled me into his mouth until the warmth spread from my groin upward in a golden rush that left the world hazy and edged with white guaze like I was seeing through a mist." Now, I am not one of those people who like excessive use of the word penis, dick, cunt, and pussy, but Hamilton can't even bring herself to use the word member. She used there for the vagina/clit for god's sake. What's more is we don't even get a great mood for the scene like we did with Jean-Claude. Well, I guess all the sexual tension between Anita and Richard helped some, but Hamilton's writing certainly did not.
Okay, okay, maybe I am getting into it too much, especially since the sex scene is only a small part of the overall novel. Still, Blue Moon was definitely not without its faults, causing it to drag in many places. However, the tones and the ending certainly saved it and made it fairly enjoyable. It is middle of the road but still fun. Again, if you liked the other Anita Blake books, I would still suggest checking this one out. ...more
About the Book: Anita has always led something of a dangerous life, but now the danger has hit a new level when The Vampire Council comes to call. TheyAbout the Book: Anita has always led something of a dangerous life, but now the danger has hit a new level when The Vampire Council comes to call. They are accusing Jean-Claude of trying to start a new council in America, but even if Jean-Claude convinces them otherwise, The Council will be wanting their payment of blood and sex.
Review: Burnt Offerings has many of the same downfalls that The Killing Dance had, mainly the repetition. The enjoyment of the plot is able to make it more bearable, but the repetitiveness is still pretty in your face. The good news is that there is a lot less focus on the metaphysical abilities (though this may be a downfall to those new to the series). However, the sex, rape, and torture are at an all time high. Now, when I first read this, I hadn't minded, but I was also in high school then and although the Anita Blake books did feature a lot of rape and torture, they weren't in the spotlight as often as the later books where it seems every person is obsessed with sex and violence. Now, that isn't to say that there aren't some terrifying and gruesome things that The Council does, such as skinning the back off of someone or breaking bones through the skin of the legs. Still, the sex and pain went on much too long.
Honestly, there were two things that made this book slightly better in my mind: Asher and Warrick. Warrick has been one of those characters that have stayed in my mind for years even though he was only featured in one book. Part of it is his love for God, but we have seen that plenty of times before. No, the thing that made me remember him is when we see his animal to call, and he is so thrilled even though his animal to call is butterflies. Yes, precious, beautiful, delicate butterflies. I adore this touch that Hamilton brought. It is such a simple thing but managed to bring so much to a character, and speaking of characters, let us talk about Asher. This was the Asher that I had fallen in love with. He was snarky, emotional, and dramatic without being whiny just so we could have some "tension." Here I could feel his anger and loss, feel the weight of being mistreated for centuries. Sadly, there was still one major issue I had involving Asher. At the end of the book, Jean-Claude and the others have to pay prices to The Council. For Anita, she is required to let Asher take blood. She ends up "seducing" Asher out of it by touching and caressing his scars, and he ends up so moved that he cannot bear to harm her, even though he had been planning on killing her for a long while now. Anita is just that awesome. Can I get some more eye rolls, please? Yeah... Oh, and JC and co. manage to get out of every one of The Council's demands as well. The really nefarious ones I am okay with (such as Yvette wanting to rot on Jason), but every single one? Ugh.
Anyway, Burnt Offerings had a lot of issues yet it was still fairly enjoyable. It had a lot of the sarcastic feel the earlier books had, but the issues mentioned really bring this down and are likely to put many off. Still, several of the characters managed to up it a bit more, and it still remained fast paced and gruesome. It is no where near as a bad as the later books, but it still fails to hold that certain darkness the early books did. I would still recommend it if you liked the Anita Blake books so far, but it may also be a stopping point for many....more
About the Book: Anita has always been used to having enemies, but for the first time, she has a professional hit on her. Then, if that wasn't bad enougAbout the Book: Anita has always been used to having enemies, but for the first time, she has a professional hit on her. Then, if that wasn't bad enough, she is also having to deal with her two boyfriends, Richard and Jean-Claude. On one hand, she is starting to see Jean-Claude as less and less of a monster while Richard, on the other hand, seems to becoming less and less perfect, and Anita isn't quite sure if he can fit into her life.
Review: Originally when I read this back in high school, this was one of my favourite Anita Blake books. I'll admit that I loved the sexual tension and romantic drama mingling with Anita's adventures. Now? Well, it's definitely lost its pleasure. That's not to say I hate it, but with how the current books are, anything focusing mainly on Anita's love life bores me. Still, that's not to say everything was a complete drag. I found the werewolves to be a lot of fun. LKH did a wonderful job at mixing humanity with the monstrous. It was especially nice to see LKH not blaming the animal for all the killing and blood lust. I will say that The Killing Dance made me mourn on how LKH used to write her wereanimals. They used to be frightening, and powerful creatures used to be a rarity. In here, Richard seems to be the only alpha (except Raina) that can share his power. In the recent books, it seems that every lycan and their uncle are able to. Speaking of powers that used to be rare, this is the book that introduces the triumvirate. I won't go into it too much for those who haven't read the book, but this ends up being only the third one Jean-Claude knows about. The later books seem to introduce a new one every other book. As far as this particular book, originally when I read it, I had found the triumvirate to be really interesting. It was new, fresh, and I wondered where it would lead to. Upon the reread, I couldn't wait for it to end.
However, whether it is a reread or a first time read, the exploring of the triumvirate went on much too long, I do understand that it is something new, but it felt as if chapters went by just TALKING about the power and the zombies. Yes, just talking. It's like get on with it already! This is definitely the book where the talking and repetition really come into play (though still not as bad as the more recent books). Hamilton starts referencing blue, blue eyes, and I lost count of how many times I was told Richard had brown eyes. This is also where Hamilton starts focusing on clothing more. Personally, I did not find it excessive, but those who could care less about clothing may.
So I have talked about some major issues that I had with The Killing Dance, but there is still plenty to enjoy. I already mentioned the werewolves but in particular, I love Richard. I really enjoyed the way Hamilton showed the shades of grey of morality. I love getting to see Richard try to use other means than death to become Ulfric (main alpha) and the cost upon him when he makes the decision to do otherwise. Granted, I did feel that Richard started threatening death too often after that, but my head cannon has him not fully realising his decisions so it's all words really. Even so, it was great to see Richard and Anita arguing about what is right in such a grey tinted world. Another thing I liked was more Edward! We get more action, more mystery, and even humour! The Killing Dance also had a fairly fast moving plot as assassins try to off Anita, and there was also lots of steamy scenes for those interested in the romance. All in all, The Killing Dance was an enjoyable book (even if it had more negative aspects than the prior Anita Blake novels). It had action. It had sexual tension. It was definitely better as a first time read, but it is still rereadable. Not as good as the first five, but still plenty of fun....more
About the Book: It's the final installment of the Sookie Stackhouse series, and as per usual, Sookie has potential murder and danger to face, along witAbout the Book: It's the final installment of the Sookie Stackhouse series, and as per usual, Sookie has potential murder and danger to face, along with the always constant relationship drama. This time, several people are wanting revenge on Sookie, and it looks like she will need several friends to try to keep her from getting framed for murder. Meanwhile, she is still having major issues with Eric, and now ones have arisen with Sam, Is it because of the wish that was granted, or is it something else entirely?
Review: I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about this book going in as so many people were in a rage about how it ended (well, the romance aspect at least). On the one hand, I was never invested in Sookie's relationships, but on the other hand, I hadn't found the books overly enjoyable either. If the fans felt let down, how would I feel? Actually, I enjoyed it. Was it a favourite? No. Could I see me recommending it over and over? Not really. However, I certainly wouldn't say it is as bad as many would have you believe.
So what did I find enjoyable about this novel? To start off, it was a fast paced read. Harris managed to keep me turning the pages and wondering how the plot was going to play out. It was also a lot of fun to see tons of characters coming back for the final show. I would also say that Dead Ever After wrapped up the series fairly well.
Of course, there had to be something I disliked about the book since I clearly did not give it a perfect score. Honestly, I cannot say there was a lot I disliked. Part of it was Eric's jealousy of Sam. Although it makes sense for his character, I couldn't help thinking, "Of course," when you find out about it. Plus, you can see it coming from a mile away. The other issue I had is when you find out who the villains are. A couple were more memorable from past books, but others ... well, I certainly hadn't remembered them. Of course, these books didn't exactly have a strong hold in my memory bank. If I am recalling correctly though, each of the villains, with the exception of one, only showed up in one other book. Luckily, Harris did let you know who they were later on so it wasn't as if I was going through the entire book going, "Who is this again?" Other than that and the relationship subplots (more on the later), there was really only one other thing I took issue with.
(view spoiler)[ At the climax of the novel, Sookie ends up getting captured by Steve Newlin and Johan Glassport. It turns out that Claude was the one behind it. Now, I had no issue with Claude coming back though it did feel like a trope that has been trod on too often. No, the issue that I had was that Claude had convinced both Steve and Johan to murder someone and try to frame Sookie for it. That's some pretty heavy stuff. However, both Steve and Johan end up turning on Claude when they find out he is gay. Yes, Claude does use his powers to make them feel lust for each other, which I found both insulting and a bit stupid on Claude's part. Even so, Steve and Johan get so pissed and freaked with Claude that they actually attack him while he is driving, causing an accident and allowing Sookie to escape. Now, I realise there are plenty of close-minded people out in the world, but it seemed a bit of a stretch that they would completely turn on Claude when they found out he was gay (before Claude pulls his magic lusty trick). I mean, murder was involved! That seems like an awful lot of hate toward Sookie, but it is forgotten when ohmygawdthegay! appears. It just felt like a stab and an easy way out. (hide spoiler)]
This leaves me with one more section to talk about before I wrap up: the romance. As you probably know, there had been a leak involving Dead Ever After, and there was an uproar in the community, especially concerning who Sookie had ended up with. If you don't know who and still don't want to know, stop reading now.
(view spoiler)[Let's cut to the chase, first. Eric and Sookie are officially over, and Sookie starts dating Sam. Now, a lot of people thought this came out of nowhere (both the Sam thing and even the Eric thing) and was out of character. First, I am going to focus on Eric, and I would like to start off by saying, "What?" I am completely dumbfounded on how the breakup came out of nowhere. I mean, Sookie and Eric have been fighting for several books now. Okay, they love each other. Surely they can work it out. Sorry but even if they fixed the smaller issues, Eric and Sookie still had one giant issue that could not be solved if Sookie was to remain in character. After all, from book one, Sookie was saying that she would never become a vampire; that hasn't changed so you have an ever youthful Eric and a constantly aging Sookie. You think they have issues now? However, if you can show me examples that Sookie and Eric were meant to be, I would love to hear them.
That leaves us with Sam. Now, the biggest complaint I have heard was that he had come out of nowhere. I would have to agree and disagree here. Honestly, I had seen Sookie getting together with Sam very early on. There were plenty of hints; however, they were also pretty subtle. In this case, I can't say it comes out of nowhere. Sam always treated Sookie a little special. Both Sookie and Sam will get dirty and bloody when needed but rather have a simple and quiet life. Plus, Sookie can't read Sam's thoughts so extra point. However, the romance between the two went from so subtle that it was nearly nonexistant to full on heart pounding and sweaty bodies with no transition. It was startling to say the least, and there really should have been more time given to it. Bigger hints, at least. Now, I figure that Sam decided to carpe diem a bit more after he died and what not, but Harris really should have built up to to it through the books, even if it was only one book beforehand. It was just too jarring this way. (hide spoiler)]
So, all in all, I would say that Dead Ever After was an enjoyable read. The plot was fun, and although the basic outline was similar to the other Sookie books, it didn't feel like we had tread the same path too many times before. In fact, it was fairly fresh. The romance angle had its issues, but overall, it made sense for both the story and the characters. Dead Ever After certainly wasn't a book that went out with a bang, but for Sookie, I think a smaller, quieter closing works....more
About the Book: A client has Anita visit Branson so that she can raise some zombies to dispute a business transaction. While there, she finds out sometAbout the Book: A client has Anita visit Branson so that she can raise some zombies to dispute a business transaction. While there, she finds out something is murdering children and that Mr. Stirling, her client, is hiding some major information which can be potentially dangerous. Once again, Anita is finding herself surrounded by vampires and even something more unusual: fae.
Review: One of my favourite Anita Blake books. Laurell K. Hamilton certainly manages to entertain once more. She creates a steady mix of mystery and the supernatural. Like many of the past Anita Blake books, this one also focuses on a particular creature (vampires for Guilty Pleasures and Circus of the Damned, zombies for The Laughing Corpse, and werewolves for The Lunatic Cafe). This time we get fairies (though we still see tons of vampire action). Honestly, I am just disappointed that this is the only time we get to see the fae in Anita's world. They were certainly interesting. Sure, Hamilton has the pretty type fae, but they still have a bite to them. She also introduces us to a much meaner looking type. Now, I will admit that I know very little about the sidhe, but from what I can tell (and what others have said), LKH does an excellent job at blending her world and the sidhe mythos together. I certainly enjoyed it and found them to be quite believable.
Then, we have the vampires. Bloody Bones have some of my favourite vampire villains. First, Hamilton introduces us to a new type of vampire (for her world, at least): one that can rot and later reform. Bloody wicked! Give me more! Also, I really enjoyed the way she introduced them. It was an introduction that stuck in my mind for years. Absolutely vile and I am extremely glad that it ended up having a lasting impact on Jason instead of just being glossed over. The other vampire that I found to be quite amazing was Serephina, Master of the City of Branson. First, she is actually older. Always nice to see a vampire that isn't young and pretty. Secondly, her animal to call is ghosts! I mean, how cool is that? Finally, I love how Serephina tries to win people over by promising them something that they truly desire so that they want to be taken and often end up going willingly and happily. That is a frightening thought. This also creates a great moment at the climax of the book where Serephina gets into Anita's head so that Anita will try to save her. What's even better is that Anita knows she cannot win against her. She pretty much wins through luck and a strong enough will to ask for help.
So Bloody Bones had some neat supernatural aspects, but what about the plot? Well, like the other books, the plot is fairly simple, but the characters and the world manage to draw you in. There was a few times that there was needless repetition, but not enough to really be annoying. What's more is I didn't see the characters getting hit with a case of stupid, and Anita actually figures out the murder case instead of the bad guy just telling her. Granted, this isn't the case with the fae plot, but in Anita's case, she is working with a new supernatural creature and took one class on them. She is bound to make a few mistakes and not connect everything.
Overall, Hamilton has managed to bring us another enjoyable junk food type book. Again, it's not the most well written, but it is fun, entertaining, and engaging. Laurell K. Hamilton has a gift and manages to get me to come back to these books over and over again. I would think that speaks for itself....more
About the Book: In this book, someone comes to Anita to help find a missing person -- a missing lycanthrope to be precise, which is why the client isn'About the Book: In this book, someone comes to Anita to help find a missing person -- a missing lycanthrope to be precise, which is why the client isn't going to the police. Later on, Anita finds out that this isn't the only lycanthrope to have gone missing recently. Because of this, the local wereanimals are also keen on having Anita search for their missing brethren and that is causing Anita to learn more about the lycanthropic culture, which Anita ends up learning that it is both dangerous and bloody.
Review: I'll admit that I found more flaws in The Lunatic Cafe than the previous Anita Blake books. However, they have pretty much all have been forgotten as well. Of course, these now mostly forgotten flaws can still pull a reader out of the story when reading. Because of this, I kept debating whether to settle on a four or a five. Still, even with the teetering rating, I would say that The Lunatic Cafe is worth a read. First off, it's nice to get to see more of the lycanthropes in the Anita Blake universe. Before you ask, I like seeing my werewolves monstrous -- and Laurell K. Hamilton delivers. Are they the most terrifying werebeastie out there? No. Not even close. Yet Hamilton still manages to show us a savage side to these creatures while also having many try to maintain their humanity.
Well, what about the plot? It's no Agatha Christie mystery, but it's not as bad as Guilty Pleasures where Anita only figured it out after the bad guy told her. In The Lunatic Cafe, we get more of a mix. Anita does figure out some things on her own so
[image]
Okay, I may be a little harsh. Although Anita helps the police with preternatural type of information, she is not a dectective so it makes sense that she is going to miss a few things. Still it can be quite annoying when the protaginist is simply told the evil plan.
So The Lunatic Cafe may not have the strongest plot, but it still contains several interesting characters, a highly entertaining world to play in, and a narrator with a good amount of sarcasm that is bound to make many readers smile. Of course, if you didn't like the earlier Anita Blake books, skip this one. If you enjoyed them, keep on reading! It may not be written gold, but it has me returning to it time and time again....more
Loading...
