Tag Archives: Anita Blake

October 17, 2016 · 1:28 am

Quote-tastic Monday and a Giveaway! Crimson Death by Laurell K. Hamilton

I have already posted a quote once from this book, but now that it is actually out I want to give you a little bit more from it. Not to mention that I also want to give everyone a chance at the giveaway that Berkley Publishing has been nice enough to sponsor. They are donating a previous book from the series (no, you don’t get to choose) which will be mailed directly to one of my commenters. I plan on selecting someone the end of this week – October 21st.

Anyway, now for another tidbit from the book. Do you know how hard it is to choose something without spoilers??

Edward has called Anita from Ireland and he is in full-on Ted mode. Those of you who are familiar with the series will know what I mean.

“Tell Jean-Claude howdy for me?”

“Howdy? Even Ted doesn’t say Howdy.

I’m American, Anita, we’re all cowboys, didn’t you know that darling?” he said in a drawl so thick it sounded like you should be able to do a Texas two-step on it.

Coming from someone born in the South, but raised out west, I completely understand stereotyping. Yes, I have a Southern accent (although Southerners always said I sounded like a Yankee -sigh-), but that does not mean I am a hick, or stupid, or conservative, or any of another thousand things that have been displayed in books and on film. And no, all Americans are not cowboys either.

Okay, off my soapbox.

Be sure and comment on this post or the previous review of Crimson Death to be eligible for the giveaway and Good Luck.

Quote-tastic Monday: Crimson Death

I am reading Laurell K. Hamilton’s new Anita Blake for the second time BECAUSE I neglected to write the review the first time I read it. The release date is tomorrow, October 11th and it’s only been a month since I read it. You would think I would be able to remember it well enough to review and I can. I just don’t think I can give it the justice it deserves. It’s a great book although there are things that happen that I really, really didn’t like.

Anyway, that’s why this week’s quote is coming from Crimson Death. I am reading it again. -sigh-

As long time readers of this series will know, Anita is terrified of flying. She doesn’t like takeoffs, landings, or anything in between. In this book, she has no choice but to take a multi-hour flight. Because she knows her emotions will be out of control, she has to contact everyone she has a metaphysical link with and that’s a really long list.

Her solution: group texts.

Yay technology. making polyamorous relationships better since the iPhone was invented.

And, once again, how did we survive without our cell/smart phones?

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Filed under Contemporary, Erotica, Paranormal, Romance

Tagged as Anita Blake, Quote-tastic Monday

October 9, 2016 · 1:28 am

Crimson Death (Anita Blake, #25) by Laurell K. Hamilton and a Giveaway

Crimson Death by Laurell K. Hamilton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Review to follow.

But, wow. WOW!

UPDATED ON 10/9/2016

Title: Crimson Death
Author: Laurell K. Hamilton
Series: Anita Blake, #25
Pages: 576
Publisher: Berkley
Date: October 11, 2016

Summary:

Now, in her twenty-fifth adventure, vampire hunter and zombie raiser Anita Blake learns how far she’ll go to save someone she loves…

When Damian—Anita’s sometimes lover, servant, and friend—is kidnapped, Anita heads to Ireland. There she must face off against the vampire who created him. M’Lady, Moroven, Nemhain…under every name she brings terror and destruction. But Anita brings her own weapon to the party: Edward, the man known as Death itself…

Review:

I read this book the first time (Yes, I know. It’s not even out yet and I’ve already read it twice. That should tell you something.) in August. Because I didn’t review it then AND I enjoyed it so much the first time, I decided it deserved a re-read before a formal review. However, I did post to Goodreads my original reaction.

“Review to follow.

But, wow. WOW!”

After a second reading, I have to add Oh, wow!

It’s really that good. Are there things that happen that I don’t like?

Yes! Definitely. However, the one that bothers me the most really worked in the scene. And no, I’m not telling. Spoilers, people. Spoilers.

The main plot is Anita and a lot of her extended group go to Ireland to help them with a vampire problem. Ireland has never had vampires before or at least so they thought. Damian lived in Ireland for centuries although I had forgotten about that.

To me, the real plot is Anita’s triumvirate with Nathaniel and Damian. They are still learning how it works. The only one Anita has any experience with is the one she shares with Richard and Jean Claude and that one does not work well due to Richard’s issues. Longtime readers of this series know exactly what I am talking about.
Again, to me, it looks like the one she shares with Damian and Nathaniel is going to give her even more power than the one she shares with Jean Claude and Richard.

The main problem I had with the book is there are too many characters. I can’t keep everyone straight. I feel like I need an annotated list of who is who. Even Anita feels overwhelmed at times with all the people she is responsible for. -grin-

Would I get rid of anyone? No! I am just struggling to keep everyone in the correct role.

All of my favorite characters are there: Jean Claude, Nathaniel, Micah (but not enough), even Jason shows up for awhile. There’s a hint that he may have a role in the next book as well. I miss Jason. Edward has a large part, although he is mostly in his Ted character.

Even Asher shows up who I could have done without. I do see though how he added to the main plotline.

There is nothing to dislike about this book. No, I didn’t like everything that happened, but everything was important.

Read it! You’ll understand.

I ALMOST FORGOT! The publisher has very nicely offered a free book from the series to a random commenter. You can comment here or on my Goodreads review. If you are selected, I will contact you for your mailing address.

This book was sent to me by NetGalley in return for an honest review.

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Tagged as Anita Blake, Giveaway

November 2, 2014 · 4:14 pm

Jason (Anita Blake, #23) by Laurell K. Hamilton

Jason by Laurell K. Hamilton

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Jove
Format: ebook
Date/Year: December 2, 2014
Series: Anita Blake, #23

This book was provided to me through NetGalley for an honest review.

“Enjoying pain with your pleasure is something you either get, or you don’t. If you get it, then you don’t really need it explained, because you know how good it feels, and if you don’t get it then no amount of talking is going to convince you it makes sense.”

But sometimes you have to explain the unexplainable, especially if the love of your life needs to understand, or she’ll leave you. Jason Schuyler is one of Anita Blake’s best friends and favorite werewolves, with benefits. J.J. is his lady love, an old flame from childhood who dances at one of the top ballet companies in New York. She’s accomplished, beautiful, and she’s crazy about him, too. Neither of them wants to be monogamous, so what could go wrong?

J.J. is enthusiastically bisexual, with an emphasis on the female side of things. She plans to keep sleeping with women, because Jason can’t meet that need, just like she can’t meet Jason’s need for rough sex and bondage. J.J. doesn’t understand why Jason isn’t content to go elsewhere for a need she can’t fulfil, so Jason asks Anita to help him explain.

Anita is having her own relationship growing pains with her only female lover ever, Jade. Jason suggests that J.J. might be able to help Anita with her girl problem, while she helps him with his kinky explanations. With some encouragement from a few other lovers in Anita’s life she reluctantly agrees, and J. J. makes plans to fly into town for an experience that none of them will ever forget.

I love the Anita Blake books. Some of them more than others, just like any other series, but I love them. I know a lot of reviewers have issues with the extended sex scenes, but I enjoy them.

This book, however, starts out as being about just the sexual relationships. It has too much dialogue with nothing else happening. There is no plot besides the relationships. There is not a bad guy/vampire/demon/etc. for Anita to fight. It is all about the people.

And you know what? It worked.

I especially liked the fact that Anita is forced into recognizing she can’t be the emotional support for everyone she is linked to. She has said that before, but in this book I believe she really accepts it and realizes she has to take a stand with some of her partners.

My main criticism of the book is that neither Jean Claude nor Micah make an appearance. I love both of these characters and I want my fix!

However, beautiful, beautiful Nathaniel does have a large part, so I guess I can’t complain too much.

Yes, this book is all about the relationships, especially the sexual relationships, but it really does add a lot to Anita’s emotional growth. I can’t wait to see how that is manifested in the next book: Dead Ice. The release date is June 5th, 2015.

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Tagged as Anita Blake, Jason Schuyler