The Lunatic Cafe (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, #4) by Laurell K. Hamilton

Aug 25, 2010 Manny rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Manny by: Jordan

Shelves: blame-jordan-if-you-like, mentions-twilight, science-fiction, too-sexy-for-maiden-aunts, if-research-were-romance

If I had to do this review in two words, it wouldn't be a challenge: Twilight Noir. Okay, it's historically inaccurate, since Stephenie Meyer stole the idea from Laurel K. Hamilton rather than vice versa, but apart from that it's close to the facts. We have the basic Twilight scenario: human woman is simultaneously in love with a vampire and a werewolf, but for bizarre reasons can't actually have sex with either of them. Instead of the infuriatingly wimpy Bella, though, we have tough-as-nails An...more

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Jul 12, 2009 Megan rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: vampires, zombies, urban-fantasy

A Date-off?!?! Seriously? Oh, what has become of you John Taylor...er, uh, Jean-Claude...
Hamilton tries to introduce a love triangle. Tries. It ends up being a dating competition, and reminds me of a poorly written sitcom. Not what I would expect from a couple of super powerful, super sexy men. Anita was an even bigger disappointment, relationship wise. We learn that she is such a badass who doesn’t date because of a bad relationship. ONE bad relationship. Big deal. Who hasn’t had their heart b...more

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May 11, 2011 BarkLessWagMore rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, horror

This book begins where the previous left off so your best bet is to read these in order so you can figure out how these tangled relationships develop into the mess that becomes Anita’s love life. Anita, Animator of the Dead, is seriously dating Richard the werewolf and is beginning to realize the perils of dating a “monster”. Jean Claude her other would-be beau is sticking his nose in their business because he’s a jealous little vampire-man and hasn’t been able to woo Anita with his vampire char...more This book begins where the previous left off so your best bet is to read these in order so you can figure out how these tangled relationships develop into the mess that becomes Anita’s love life. Anita, Animator of the Dead, is seriously dating Richard the werewolf and is beginning to realize the perils of dating a “monster”. Jean Claude her other would-be beau is sticking his nose in their business because he’s a jealous little vampire-man and hasn’t been able to woo Anita with his vampire charms and sea blue orbs of promised delight. I’m not a real big fan of the Jean Claude here. He does his best to ruin things for Richard and comes across as a bit of a mean-spirited brat. I was rooting for Richard in this book. His feelings seemed more real and I wanted him to have Anita, his teaching job and a peaceful normal life. If you hope for that too you may not want to read too much further along in this series.

Anita is still raising zombies and helping out the spook squad but I noticed she begins to spend more time with the monsters and their politics here than in any of the previous books. She encounters evil vamp Gretchen as well as enters into the midst of the lycanthrope pack where she meets sadistic Marcus and Raina and sees first hand what the lycanthropes are capable of underneath all of the beauty. We also get more glimpses of hard-ass “I don’t bluff” Anita who refuses to back down from any big boy. It gets a little annoying in later books but here it still works, she’s still got shit to prove. Edward, AKA Death, plays a big role in this one and he’s always an enigmatic character who keeps my interest high.

On the downside, we are once again inundated with endless boring descriptions of the hidden guns and the Nike swish color (mine is silver by the way in case you’re dying to know). Are you one of those freaks who will spend a sleepless night if you don’t have the most insignificant of details about Dolph’s wardrobe? Not to worry, here you go:

”His hands were plunged into pockets of a long black trench coat. The coat looked too thin for the weather but maybe it was lined, though he was a little bit too bulky to leave room for him and a lining in the same coat.”

I don’t know about you but I wasn’t holding my breath wondering if Dolph wore a lined coat or not. Sheesh. Tell me something interesting and relevant to the story, like the fit of his undies or the secret spot he applies his cologne and I may finally stop complaining about these details.

Seriously though, I like this book a whole bunch and think it is a solid entry in the series. Its old school Anita and her conflicted feelings about her two sexy men way back before she was uber powerful and attractive to every male in sight. Here she is still human with benefits just starting to make an appearance. She is vulnerable and I can relate to her need to be a tough girl. There are several subplots (but not enough to hurt my brain), lots of paranormal action and a whole lot of gore along with that slow burning sexual tension between the characters that I remember so well. I’m having a lot of fun revisiting this series and the imaginative world Laurell K. Hamilton built a decade or so ago.
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Dec 31, 2011 Tilly Slaton rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviews-completed

WARNING: This book is twisted and brilliant! Review contains certain details that are upsetting and some sexual reference is used. Thus .. the review will touch on a few details that are disgusting and unacceptable to sensitive and closed minds. If you are either of the above, please do not continue to read this review

I love this book! The Anita Blake series is AWESOME! Unfortunately, there are a few books in this series that just flat-out stink. The Lunatic Cafe is most definitely NOT one of t...more

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Feb 08, 2012 Freckles rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2vampires, 2zombies, 2werewolves-and-shifters, 2witches-magic

4,5/5 za to, že se Jean-Claude a Richard chovali jako párek pitomců...

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Dec 29, 2009 Ranata rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: people who like werewolves and a woman with a trigger finger of death

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Nov 22, 2011 Myvampfiction rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

review by Ciara

*Warning: possible spoilers ahead.*

The Lunatic Café, the fourth book in Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series, opens with Anita Blake talking with a client. His wife has gone missing, and he needs Anita’s help to find her. Why not go to the police, like most people? Well, his wife is a werewolf, and he doesn’t believe the police will be any good. Who better to find a werewolf than a werewolf’s girlfriend?

As in the first three books, Anita has more than one crime...more

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Jan 24, 2010 Kati rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: het, 2010, in-czech, urban-fantasy

I freely admit that I have problems with Hamilton's writing. You see, she has a great gift for tense plotting and engaging writing. But instead of utilizing her talents, she turns her books into ridiculous will-they-won't-they soaps. Basically, this book was all about Anita facing off Jean-Claude on the one hand and mulling over Richard on the other. And the back and forth of that quickly became more than annoying. The plot itself - the search for the killer - took what? 60 pages? Everything els...more

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Jan 22, 2009 Tonya rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I think this was my favorite so far. Or maybe they are just getting better because I read them in order. I would like to see Anita give in to Richard a little but she really never does and that is a major part of her character, keeping her focus. Edward makes an appearance in every book so I wonder if anything romantic will happen between the two. Anita is always complaining that the men in her life perusing her are all monsters so what gives.

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Jun 06, 2013 Lindsey rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2013, tbr-challenge-2013

Quotes:
"'You've just hit a dry spell," I said.
"And you've hit a wet spell."
"Very funny."
She laughed." pg. 5 Ronnie and Anita

"'Polly, is it? I have been on my feet for over thirteen hours. If you do not put Richard on the phone right now, I am going to come down there personally and bust your ass. Am I making myself clear?"
"Who is this?" She sounded a little miffed, and not in the least afraid.
"Anita Blake."
"Oh," she said. "I'll get Richard for you, right away, Anita, right away." There was an ed...more

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Jun 02, 2013 Erin rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Oh, how life can get tricky. Anita may have thought Jean-Claude was old news, but the master vampire still believes he's ahead of the game, his hostility and jealousy growing in this twisted love triangle. Anita's relationship with Richard furthers, despite the fact he wants to rush into a heavy situation where she's just not ready enough to trust anyone completely.

It brings out an interesting aspect in Anita, as she has to come to terms with the monster side of Richard, not yet ready to face it...more Oh, how life can get tricky. Anita may have thought Jean-Claude was old news, but the master vampire still believes he's ahead of the game, his hostility and jealousy growing in this twisted love triangle. Anita's relationship with Richard furthers, despite the fact he wants to rush into a heavy situation where she's just not ready enough to trust anyone completely.

It brings out an interesting aspect in Anita, as she has to come to terms with the monster side of Richard, not yet ready to face it - perhaps never ready - but not wanting to admit it to him or herself. On the other hand, he can't stomach her bloodthirsty ways and sees her as more of a monster than he is. The mixing of blood and water. Oh, yeah, and a female vamp Gretchen, who has the hots for Jean-Claude, would be happy to see Anita lying on the ground with her throat a bloody mess.

Anita isn't enthused to be recruited by Marcus, leader of the St. Louis werewolf clan, to track down eight missing lycanthropes. She has to consistently push through the testing of the furry clan and the power struggle streaming in the air between Marcus and her beloved. Still, she can't ignore the problem, especially when it may eventually damper Richard's personal safety.

To make matters bizarrely worse - life always sucks for this girl - she finds her friend, the cold-blooded assassin Edward, in her apartment. He's been hired to track down and kill the creator of a snuff video. It's awkward enough watching a sex tape with the strange man, but it's even worse when lycanthropes are behind the filming, and no one in Anita's new-found furry family is safe from the determined Edward. The scenes between these two are great, he's one of my favorites. Why can't we have more of this man in the later books??

As a member of the police's Regional Preternatural Investigation Team, she must battle the hinted suspicions dropped by head honcho Dolph, on what really happened to Harold in the cemetery. "There was blood all over that chair, Anita..."

Characters are as strong as ever, my heart keeps bursting and my loins grinning. Hot damn, Hamilton is amazing at building up suspenseful sex scenes! Story tension is top-notch, and she never shies away from blood, gore, and extreme violence. Although the twisted love triangle is present - and great too! - this is certainly still a horror series up to this point. Look into my magic wand and repeat after me: "Read the series, read the series..."(less)

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Jun 02, 2013 Erin rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Oh, how life can get tricky. Anita may have thought Jean-Claude was old news, but the master vampire still believes he's ahead of the game, his hostility and jealousy growing in this twisted love triangle. Anita's relationship with Richard furthers, despite the fact he wants to rush into a heavy situation where she's just not ready enough to trust anyone completely.

It brings out an interesting aspect in Anita, as she has to come to terms with the monster side of Richard, not yet ready to face it...more Oh, how life can get tricky. Anita may have thought Jean-Claude was old news, but the master vampire still believes he's ahead of the game, his hostility and jealousy growing in this twisted love triangle. Anita's relationship with Richard furthers, despite the fact he wants to rush into a heavy situation where she's just not ready enough to trust anyone completely.

It brings out an interesting aspect in Anita, as she has to come to terms with the monster side of Richard, not yet ready to face it - perhaps never ready - but not wanting to admit it to him or herself. On the other hand, he can't stomach her bloodthirsty ways and sees her as more of a monster than he is. The mixing of blood and water. Oh, yeah, and a female vamp Gretchen, who has the hots for Jean-Claude, would be happy to see Anita lying on the ground with her throat a bloody mess.

Anita isn't enthused to be recruited by Marcus, leader of the St. Louis werewolf clan, to track down eight missing lycanthropes. She has to consistently push through the testing of the furry clan and the power struggle streaming in the air between Marcus and her beloved. Still, she can't ignore the problem, especially when it may eventually damper Richard's personal safety.

To make matters bizarrely worse - life always sucks for this girl - she finds her friend, the cold-blooded assassin Edward, in her apartment. He's been hired to track down and kill the creator of a snuff video. It's awkward enough watching a sex tape with the strange man, but it's even worse when lycanthropes are behind the filming, and no one in Anita's new-found furry family is safe from the determined Edward. The scenes between these two are great, he's one of my favorites. Why can't we have more of this man in the later books??

As a member of the police's Regional Preternatural Investigation Team, she must battle the hinted suspicions dropped by head honcho Dolph, on what really happened to Harold in the cemetery. "There was blood all over that chair, Anita..."

Characters are as strong as ever, my heart keeps bursting and my loins grinning. Hot damn, Hamilton is amazing at building up suspenseful sex scenes! Story tension is top-notch, and she never shies away from blood, gore, and extreme violence. Although the twisted love triangle is present - and great too! - this is certainly still a horror series up to this point. Look into my magic wand and repeat after me: "Read the series, read the series..."(less)

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Jun 02, 2013 Erin rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Oh, how life can get tricky. Anita may have thought Jean-Claude was old news, but the master vampire still believes he's ahead of the game, his hostility and jealousy growing in this twisted love triangle. Anita's relationship with Richard furthers, despite the fact he wants to rush into a heavy situation where she's just not ready enough to trust anyone completely.

It brings out an interesting aspect in Anita, as she has to come to terms with the monster side of Richard, not yet ready to face it...more Oh, how life can get tricky. Anita may have thought Jean-Claude was old news, but the master vampire still believes he's ahead of the game, his hostility and jealousy growing in this twisted love triangle. Anita's relationship with Richard furthers, despite the fact he wants to rush into a heavy situation where she's just not ready enough to trust anyone completely.

It brings out an interesting aspect in Anita, as she has to come to terms with the monster side of Richard, not yet ready to face it - perhaps never ready - but not wanting to admit it to him or herself. On the other hand, he can't stomach her bloodthirsty ways and sees her as more of a monster than he is. The mixing of blood and water. Oh, yeah, and a female vamp Gretchen, who has the hots for Jean-Claude, would be happy to see Anita lying on the ground with her throat a bloody mess.

Anita isn't enthused to be recruited by Marcus, leader of the St. Louis werewolf clan, to track down eight missing lycanthropes. She has to consistently push through the testing of the furry clan and the power struggle streaming in the air between Marcus and her beloved. Still, she can't ignore the problem, especially when it may eventually damper Richard's personal safety.

To make matters bizarrely worse - life always sucks for this girl - she finds her friend, the cold-blooded assassin Edward, in her apartment. He's been hired to track down and kill the creator of a snuff video. It's awkward enough watching a sex tape with the strange man, but it's even worse when lycanthropes are behind the filming, and no one in Anita's new-found furry family is safe from the determined Edward. The scenes between these two are great, he's one of my favorites. Why can't we have more of this man in the later books??

As a member of the police's Regional Preternatural Investigation Team, she must battle the hinted suspicions dropped by head honcho Dolph, on what really happened to Harold in the cemetery. "There was blood all over that chair, Anita..."

Characters are as strong as ever, my heart keeps bursting and my loins grinning. Hot damn, Hamilton is amazing at building up suspenseful sex scenes! Story tension is top-notch, and she never shies away from blood, gore, and extreme violence. Although the twisted love triangle is present - and great too! - this is certainly still a horror series up to this point. Look into my magic wand and repeat after me: "Read the series, read the series..."(less)

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Jun 02, 2013 Erin rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Oh, how life can get tricky. Anita may have thought Jean-Claude was old news, but the master vampire still believes he's ahead of the game, his hostility and jealousy growing in this twisted love triangle. Anita's relationship with Richard furthers, despite the fact he wants to rush into a heavy situation where she's just not ready enough to trust anyone completely.

It brings out an interesting aspect in Anita, as she has to come to terms with the monster side of Richard, not yet ready to face it...more Oh, how life can get tricky. Anita may have thought Jean-Claude was old news, but the master vampire still believes he's ahead of the game, his hostility and jealousy growing in this twisted love triangle. Anita's relationship with Richard furthers, despite the fact he wants to rush into a heavy situation where she's just not ready enough to trust anyone completely.

It brings out an interesting aspect in Anita, as she has to come to terms with the monster side of Richard, not yet ready to face it - perhaps never ready - but not wanting to admit it to him or herself. On the other hand, he can't stomach her bloodthirsty ways and sees her as more of a monster than he is. The mixing of blood and water. Oh, yeah, and a female vamp Gretchen, who has the hots for Jean-Claude, would be happy to see Anita lying on the ground with her throat a bloody mess.

Anita isn't enthused to be recruited by Marcus, leader of the St. Louis werewolf clan, to track down eight missing lycanthropes. She has to consistently push through the testing of the furry clan and the power struggle streaming in the air between Marcus and her beloved. Still, she can't ignore the problem, especially when it may eventually damper Richard's personal safety.

To make matters bizarrely worse - life always sucks for this girl - she finds her friend, the cold-blooded assassin Edward, in her apartment. He's been hired to track down and kill the creator of a snuff video. It's awkward enough watching a sex tape with the strange man, but it's even worse when lycanthropes are behind the filming, and no one in Anita's new-found furry family is safe from the determined Edward. The scenes between these two are great, he's one of my favorites. Why can't we have more of this man in the later books??

As a member of the police's Regional Preternatural Investigation Team, she must battle the hinted suspicions dropped by head honcho Dolph, on what really happened to Harold in the cemetery. "There was blood all over that chair, Anita..."

Characters are as strong as ever, my heart keeps bursting and my loins grinning. Hot damn, Hamilton is amazing at building up suspenseful sex scenes! Story tension is top-notch, and she never shies away from blood, gore, and extreme violence. Although the twisted love triangle is present - and great too! - this is certainly still a horror series up to this point. Look into my magic wand and repeat after me: "Read the series, read the series..."(less)

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May 29, 2013 Gigngogn rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

And you don't fall in love with a werewolf. It interferes with your work. Especially when you're a preternatural expert, like me. My business brings me up close and personal with all shapes and sizes of monsters. And not ALL of them want to kill me. Take, for instance, the local pack of lycanthropes - they're werewolves to you. A number of them are missing, and they've come to me for help. Maybe because I'm dating the leader of the pack. I've survived a lot - from jealous vampires to killer zom

...more

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May 28, 2013 Pete rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: lkh

Lunatic Café is a book following Circus of the Damned where Anita is in a different battleground containing more lycanthropes than other ghouls and preternatural creepy crawlies. The Richard vs. Jean-Claude, werewolf vs. vampire, conflict for her amorous attention continues. This book is very grisly. (view spoiler)...more Lunatic Café is a book following Circus of the Damned where Anita is in a different battleground containing more lycanthropes than other ghouls and preternatural creepy crawlies. The Richard vs. Jean-Claude, werewolf vs. vampire, conflict for her amorous attention continues. This book is very grisly. (view spoiler)

I truly liked this book, was somewhat put off by parts, but I’m going on to the next book in the series.
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May 13, 2013 Casey rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

On a second read through I felt that this book in the series lacked the pacing of the previous books. Looking back this is where all the conveluted plots start (3 murders all tie in together.......) This is where Anita the start of Anita's bad relationship with cops. This is also where the plots become more interconnected than ever, which isn't a bad thing, just a thing that gets tiresome after a while. On the second readthrough I realized how much I loved Anita and her supporting cast (Irving,...more

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Nov 16, 2012 Hope rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: crime, library, paranormal, raising-the-dead, st-louis, vampire, witch, zombies, shape-shifters, anita-blake

The Lunatic Cafe is the 4th book in Laurell K. Hamilton's "Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter" series. And no, she still isn't hunting vampires, which causes me to question why she has this title.That said, I am still enjoying the series, although this book wasn't as good as the other 3. It is a little difficult to explain, but this book just doesn't have the same energy - it isn't as exciting or chilling, and it doesn't get as close to falling over into the "horror" genre as the others. I think it is...more

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Aug 14, 2012 İlkim rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: e-book, fantasy, paranormal-romance

Bu yorumu Kitap Esintisi adresinde bulabilirsiniz.

Anita'nın bu kitabı kayıp likantroplarla başlayıp genel olarak likantropları ele alıyordu. Her kitabında farklı bir tür sorun yaratıyor, fark etmedim değil. Richard'ın sürüsü ile Anita sürtüşüyor bu kitapta, hatta ilk görüşmede silahını çekip üyelerden birini öldürüyor. Kayıp likantroplar, aslında pis bir oluşumun arka perdesi. Olay likantrop avlamayı seven kişilerin onlar için para ödemesini ve likantrop cemiyetinden birinin de ihanetini anlatı...more

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Jul 26, 2012 Brittney024 rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

So to be honest... I sort of struggled at the begining of this series. The first was good, which got me wanting to read the second. I didnt really care to much for the second as much as the first and then with the circus of the damned it got better, took me a while to read but it was better than The laughing corpse. Although it was slow to really pick up and get into some real interesting things in the series for me, but my sister-in-law (she's read the books) was persistant and wanted me to kee...more

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Jul 07, 2012 Una Black added it · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 23, 2012 Fangs for the Fantasy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Anita Blake has a new case brought to her through several angles – shapeshifters are going missing, disappearing without a trace. And when you’re a person who can change into a vicious predator with a grip that can rip a person in half, it’s difficult it disappear without a trace.

The police also have a man, a human, who has been savaged by a massive, wild animal with human intelligence. Unfortunately the shapeshifters and police aren’t sharing information, leaving Anita to work both sides as bes...more Anita Blake has a new case brought to her through several angles – shapeshifters are going missing, disappearing without a trace. And when you’re a person who can change into a vicious predator with a grip that can rip a person in half, it’s difficult it disappear without a trace.

The police also have a man, a human, who has been savaged by a massive, wild animal with human intelligence. Unfortunately the shapeshifters and police aren’t sharing information, leaving Anita to work both sides as best she can

But there’s also Anita’s love life. Her relationship with Richard has depend but she has her own doubts about settling down – and, the more she learns about lycanthropes, even more doubts about being with Richard at all. And that’s without the complication of Jean-Claude, master vampire of the city who is determined to win Anita’s affections one way or the other; Gretchen, a vicious vampire who is besotted with Jean-Claude and determined to remove the competition and, of course, Marcus – Richard’s packleader who would love to see his second in command dead

I love how the story works in this book. We think it’s answered – but no, there’s more! And there’s more! Ok maybe 3 is a bit of a stretch for coincidence, but I like that there isn’t just one pat answer. That just because you’re working on one dramatic mystery doesn’t mean that the whole world will now centre on that mystery to the exclusion of everything else and not everything has a single, simple, clean answer.

And, again, it’s paced well – with enough twists and revelations to keep things interesting without it being convoluted. We have side-plots but they all come elegantly together. We also, unfortunately, have the Gretchen storyline that adds nothing – I think it’s a clumsy insert to drag Jean-Claude into the story somehow rather than serving any story purpose. Still, despite that the story flows, is never boring, is coherent and keeps you reading without pause.

I love the world still and there’s some wonderful development into the nature of shapeshifters and shape shifting – the many methods and what each means. We continue to have suggestions of supernatural creatures from around the world, from every culture and every mythology, albeit we still have a western focus on the dominant characters. In all it’s broad and it’s exciting.

I’m increasingly clinging to Ronnie as a character in these books because Anita is surrounded by a lot of men. Lots and lots of men. Lots and lots and lots of men. Other than Ronnie and bit parts, the only other women we saw in this book were Raina (evil and tangentially attached to Anita’s man) and Gretchen (unstable and jealous of Anita’s man). Admittedly part of this stems from already having read the series and knowing what’s coming so I can see the early pattern emerging - but here is the foreshadowing of the future women of Anita Blake’s world.

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Nov 15, 2011 David Fenstersheib added it · review of another edition

Being the 4th book in the serious, the main focus has not shifted to sex yet and we are still shown plenty of violence and gore. Hamilton has an amazing talent for writing engaging text that allow you to be absorbed into the story. Although sometimes I find Hamilton's writing to be cliche at times, and somewhat predictable she does stray from the normal when it comes to the hero, Anita. The hero is someone who is actually frustrating and unpredictable, that it keeps people wanted to see what she...more

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Oct 29, 2011 Noodle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: top-reads, paranormal-romance, urban-fantasy

Well, it's about time! I have battled with this series from the start, it was just so not what I had expected. I read the first two books out of curiosity and because the Anita Blake series had garnered such high praise, but was left dumbfounded. The third, I even stopped reading halfway through, it just was not doing it for me, but I hate not completing a mission, so I came back to it, after re-reading the entire Cassie Palmer series, and managed to fall a little further into the world created...more Well, it's about time! I have battled with this series from the start, it was just so not what I had expected. I read the first two books out of curiosity and because the Anita Blake series had garnered such high praise, but was left dumbfounded. The third, I even stopped reading halfway through, it just was not doing it for me, but I hate not completing a mission, so I came back to it, after re-reading the entire Cassie Palmer series, and managed to fall a little further into the world created by Hamilton.

Book four however, grabbed me by the collar and pulled me in from the get-go and I am so relieved. Finally, I am starting to enjoy this series.

This time round we see a lot more of Jean-Claude, and correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that why read these books, to see the evil/sexy vampire in action? He is still a little leery, has terrible centuries-old dress sense, perverted, powerful and in lust with Anita, but he's also compelling, intriguing and a little funny.

Anita's other love interest was an enigma from the start. What did she see in him, Richard seemed so weak and OK sexy, but still, under Jean-Claude's thumb, well, this time it becomes more apparent. He is not your average sex-on-a-stick love interest and may just rival Jean-Claude in the power stakes, so things are looking up.

And then there's Anita. I mentioned in my review of book three that I wasn't sure if I even liked Anita, and I'm still not entirely convinced, but she did improve in this one. However, we are made abundantly clear that Anita is not only capable, intelligent and a kick-ass protagonist able to hold her own with the baddies of the night albeit with the most horrible dress sense, but she is also a staunch feminist. I only wish we didn't have this thrust down our throats. A little less don't open the door for me and a little more tenderness and we might just understand what both Jean-Claude and Richard see in her.

Finally, what couldn't please me more, is Anita didn't raised too many zombies, well at least none we got to participate in. I have said it before and I'll say it again now, I don't get zombies, never had, never will, and I can't stand the blood and guts Anita wades through to do her day job. But, this time round, we were firmly in vampire territory, hardly a zombie to be seen. Hooray!

So, what do I give book four in the Anita Blake series?

Finally a Blake book worthy of further pursuit of the series, this one gets an 8/10: " Excellent read, well written, fell right into the fictional world created". (less)

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Sep 13, 2011 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I liked this. It was a good Anita Blake book and the more I read them and the more I understand of her world the more interesting it gets. Anita is a complicated character and I like her for her old fashioned views on love and her crazy views on life. She's a pretty cool kick-ass heroine but jeez does she get a hard time of it. I gave up counting how many times she got attacked in this book.

I thought the plot was good but at the same time I thought there was a hell of a lot of things going on a...more

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Aug 18, 2011 Emma rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This latest instalment of the Anita Blake vampire hunter series was an odd one... I think I liked it the least of all 4 that I have read so far.

I found the mystery part was a bit lacking, it became a filler in between the romance/love triangle issues. I feel it needed more than the last 20 pages to round up what was actually quite a good idea for a story. It also required no sleuthing, it was a bit of a cookie cutter ending where everything fell into place a bit too neatly just so that the book...more

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Apr 22, 2011 Linda rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Another on one of my Fang Fictions - book 3 or 4 on the Anita Blake series; she's growing on me and I do love my vamp Jean-Claude.

This book is a (3), I enjoyed it and there is a love triangle of sorts between Richard , her school teacher boyfriend werewolf and Jean-Claude, Master Vampire and Anita starting. She's engaged of sorts to Richard but having second thoughts b/c she's realizing he's as much a monster as J-C is but in a different way, the beast within and she values her independence and...more

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Jan 24, 2011 Ana rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011

Ack! So predictable! Even the twists were predictable! Except maybe the last one, though I thought it was something like that. And jeez, let the girl sleep for once!

Aside from knowing most of the plot in the first few chapters, I am enjoying the Anita Blake series. I just wish that either the protagonists would recognize things earlier and actually THINK about things for a moment before rushing headlong into danger for once. I suppose a big part of that is the eternally sleep-deprived state Anit...more

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Jan 11, 2011 Ithlilian rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy

I enjoyed this book a little more than the last one due to the interesting characters involved. The Jean Claude, Richard, and Anita triangle is interesting, and the weres are feisty and exciting. The actually mystery in this book is about a chewed up corpse found in the woods around some good ol boys. That's about all we hear about it until the last 20 pages of the book. Anita focuses some of her attention in this book to the 8 were disappearances, investigating a missing person for a client, an...more

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Sep 28, 2010 Mary Grace rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As I said in the first three reviews, Laurell K. Hamilton creates a new world of supernatural that keeps everybody hooked and enthrall new reader to picking a book and reading the series. I never get tired or bored of reading this series and I just keep on wanting more. This story continues with Anita's adventure as Executioner and a part of the RIPIT.

What I also love about this story is the continuing struggle in the love department as Jean Claude and Richard fights over Anita's affection. Ani...more

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Anita Blake Vampi...: The Lunatic Cafe (Book 4)	13	31	Aug 07, 2012 04:41am
Goodreads Librari...: Page numbers not listed	2	31	Sep 16, 2011 04:25pm

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avg rating	preview: The Lunatic Cafe Goodreads rating: 4.09 (39544 ratings)
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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9258356-the-lunatic-cafe?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1355046939l/9258356.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9258356-the-lunatic-cafe?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Lunatic Cafe by Laurell K. Hamilton[/url]

The Lunatic Cafe (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #4)

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