Well, the soft-porn element is still here, and the gore is still graphic. Either I am becoming desensitized, or Hamilton has been scaling it back to where it fits into my comfort zone [if you haven’t read my journal entry about the first in the series, I had to put the book down several times to go purge images out of my head].

Character development is going well. This reader appreciates Blake’s growth/skill development as she learns more about vampires and other undead. While the new love triangle is entertaining on one level, I’m getting uncomfortable with Jean-Claude’s disrespect of Anita’s wishes.

I’m hoping that Hamilton does not plan to end all or most of the Blake novels in the same manner. I’ll just say that there must be multiple ways out of a situation where magic or a stronger will is operative.

Previously published on BookCrossing.com, 2003

Description from back cover:
“Hamilton introduces Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter. She’s small, dark, and dangerous. But when the city’s most powerful vampire comes to her for help, Anita is faced with her greatest fear—a man capable of arousing in her a hunger strong enough to match his own.”

I have to be honest, I almost didn’t make it through this book. I had to put it down several times over the first 40 pages or so. Definitely a book that pushed my buttons.
This one claims to be the first in the series, but there’s a lot of history (in terms of character and plot), some of which could have been gone into with more detail (I would have appreciated it anyway).
Anita’s world is a violent one, and I’ll probably get through this series slowly (not good to dwell on such energies as a regular emotional diet).

Order to be read:
Guilty Pleasures
Laughing Corpse
Circus of the Damned
Lunatic Cafe
Bloody Bones
Killing Dance
Burnt Offerings
Blue Moon
Obsidian Butterfly
Narcissus In Chains
Cerulean Sins
Incubus Dreams
Micah

Previously published on BookCrossing.com, 2003

Description from amazon:
“The zombie-raising business gets slow in December, so Anita Blake is starting to see some oddball cases. She’s got a neatly typed list of eight missing lycanthropes given to her by Marcus, the leader of the local werewolf pack, who wants her to find them. The trouble is, Anita’s occasionally furry boyfriend Richard is locked in a power struggle with Marcus. Jean-Claude, master vampire of the city and Anita’s other love interest, is getting jealous as well. To top it off, Anita has to solve some horrific murders and keep her bounty-hunting friend Edward from killing Richard and Jean-Claude. Hamilton alternates between funny and fearsome in this larky series about a monster hunter with a few dark secrets.”

My thoughts:
As good as the plot was (multiple twists included), I was very concerned for the pattern that could be forming…Anita tends to solve cases in between injuries and sleep deprivation. Heck, no wonder the men in her life think they can call the shots. I really hope she learns to take care of herself.
I also really have to wonder about the Hamilton universe in general. All of these preternatural creatures hve been legislated certain rights within the overall society, but they certainly seem to get away with a lot in terms of bad behavior. I’d also like to see Anita get more respect from her police co-workers (rogue cops aside).

Previously published on BookCrossing.com, 2003