LMAO, I downloaded it but haven't read it yet.

Lol!

Well, I did discount the initial phrases so that if you were a new reader it would explain the story. And then of course after the 5th or 6th (can't remember) shot I probably wasn't doing a very good job of counting. I noted in my review each page and what was said for every shot. You know, I'm kind of sick of Bailey's for some reason.

Carolyn wrote: "I finished Divine Misdemeanors and really liked it, maybe because I expected it to be so awful. I did the "Phrases I never want to hear again" drinking game and had 13 shots of Bailey's. Was pret..."

Only 13!

I finished Divine Misdemeanors and really liked it, maybe because I expected it to be so awful. I did the "Phrases I never want to hear again" drinking game and had 13 shots of Bailey's. Was pretty toasted by the end of the day. My family thinks I'm weird. :)

Amy wrote: "I thought Haven was a free agent too. At first I thought Skin Trade was describing Joseph and his Regina because he was the local Rex and his Regina wouldn't let Anita touch him without a fight the..."

I thought so too.

oh yeah, i forgot.

Tiffany wrote: "I though she was still living at her place and like living at the circus every other week?"

Anita moves to the Circus in Skin Trade because of what happens in Blood Noir. She has to be seen as a good little human servant, I can't say more without spoilers.

Regarding the lion discussion for Anita Blake, I don't think it's a continuity issue exactly. I read the LKH blog pretty often (I am a big fan of this series), and she's said that for her, the characters continue to have lives off stage. Anita Blake is from a first person perspective, so if there are developements that Anita does not witness during the time frame of the book, the reader is expected to catch up and fill in the pieces. For Cookie (aka Haven), there were a few hints that made the new Regina make sense (and personally, I don't remember any mention of a human marriage - just the animal mating, which isn't the same in Anita's world). Anita's been struggling with man overload for a while, and it's really getting on JC's nerves. Of course she would do her best to push new men away. Also, she doesn't have to have sex with a guy for him to help her with her inner were - the men can absorb the change from her. Maybe that's how Cookie helps her with her lion.

That's what I'm not clear on!

I though she was still living at her place and like living at the circus every other week?

I don't think the Haven thing is a mistake. I just think some big stuff happened off page and LKH hasn't fully explained it. Keep in mind, we didn't even get to hear what Anita's living arrangements are now, other than she's at the Circus. Maybe that's why she's doing the novelette. Tying up all those loose ends and bringing us up to speed?

Amy wrote: "...It's so hard to keep up with the growing harem."

LOL!! So true.

It's a shame, I was really enjoying them in the beginning. You'd think with all the different characters in the books, LKH would have so many good ideas for stories.

I thought Haven was a free agent too. At first I thought Skin Trade was describing Joseph and his Regina because he was the local Rex and his Regina wouldn't let Anita touch him without a fight then I remembered that Haven had made the former Rex, Regina and enforcer disappear and he was the new Rex...

I just took look at The Harlequin again and Haven is a free agent in that book, definitely a mistake in Skin Trade.

They're supposed to have continuity editors, but often enough the editor is probably just not as invested in(obsessed with) these books as we are. Charlaine Harris had continuity issues, until someone (fans, I suppose) pointed out the errors and she went and hired a new editor.

With this many books in the AB series, a continuity person would be key. No idea if LKH has such a person on her staff. But I think issues like that and the oft-repeated phrases aren't going to go away. I don't think anyone's going to have the balls to tell a best-selling writer: By the way, your shit needs some work.

Amy wrote: "Tiffany wrote: "Understatement of the year. He's the lion. She wasn't scared of him. Just didn't really like him. She was afraid for the other lions, until they pissed her off then she let Have..."

Your right Amy - I forgot what they called each other. I don't remember the wife's name being mentioned either. I thought the wife came out of left field because I thought Cookie was available to be with Anita. I thought there might be a short story I missed but there's nothing. Don't authors have readers who check for continuity?

Tiffany wrote: "Understatement of the year. He's the lion. She wasn't scared of him. Just didn't really like him. She was afraid for the other lions, until they pissed her off then she let Haven come back. Bu..."

Thanks, I remember now. :)

Carolyn, the alpha female lion of a pride is called a Regina and the male a Rex. Her name hasn't been mentioned yet.

I have did exactly that and voted with my feet. I don't read LKH anymore cos I just thought she had lost her way. I'm no prude, but I thought it got so tedious and at times I had to stop, reread a sex scene, while turning the book to try and figure out who went where.

In the last book, Haven has a scary wife who hates Anita but will let them "get together" although Anita hasn't taken advantage of that yet. Where this wife came from, I can't figure out. They also call her Reina (sp?) but isn't Anita the Reina? It was like a bunch of story lines were just thrown in that where never talked about in the previous books. I asked around to see if anyone else had noticed this and other people had.

Understatement of the year. He's the lion. She wasn't scared of him. Just didn't really like him. She was afraid for the other lions, until they pissed her off then she let Haven come back. But I don't know what happened with them after that.

Tiffany wrote: "...If Anita is supposed love all of the men in her life, how is that she's hardly with ANY of them..."

Very true. It is very annoying. I think even LKH has realised this when Jean Claude gets upset in Skin Trade because Anita is spending more time with everyone else rather than with him.

"...And what's up with Haven (Cookie Monster)? Is she with him too now or what?"

I have no idea. He's only been in a couple of books hasn't he? Is he lion or tiger I can't remember? Wasn't Anita scared of him or something? He wanted to be near her but she kept running away from him? It's so hard to keep up with the growing harem.

It was at first!!! And that's what I loved about it. The plot is like leaking away.

Michelle M. wrote: "It's more UF, with a shot of horror. Definitely on the darker side. You won't be doing much chuckling during this series!

There's zero sex in the first few books, though there is a sexy vamp as..."


Sounds like a crime drama

That's exactly how I feel. I mean love sex in my books, but I need a story to go with that sex, plus I want LOVE in the books I read too. If Anita is supposed love all of the men in her life, how is that she's hardly with ANY of them. And what's up with Haven (Cookie Monster)? Is she with him too now or what?

After a recommendation, I spent the summer reading the Anita Blake series. I got up to book 13. I was really, really enjoying the series from the start but as I got closer to book 10 I started to get bored. Maybe it's just me. The series started off with some great storylines but now I find it's all about the sex. Don't get me wrong, who doesn't like romance, sex and action rolled into one BUT when there's no interesting storyline (plot), I lose interest. I have book 14 & 15 and will eventually read them but others have caught my attention.

My fave... #1, #6

no, he's barely in them. and when he is he acts like such a sap u just wanna slap him! he's the head wolf for goodness sake! she could do so much more with his character.

Ah, Richard's not doing so well in the newest books is he? Poor guy.

I'm such a Richard fan I'm constantly cheering for him

I really liked the AB series. I just wish she got out of the bed more and did some work. I liked the books when Anita was out in the field with the Spook squad. I thought that was different and no one else has anything like it. I can not stand how she jumps from bed to bed. If she could take Richard's anger away that was her's, how come JC can not take away the sex machine? Good gosh already!!! I think LKH is a wonderful author, I just want more meat in my story, not in the bed!

I meant Micah not Michael, my bad.

I have read the whole series. At first they started getting better and better. But the last couple, not so much. But thats only because some of the main characters that I love are not in there (not enough anyway), like Jason, Jean-Claude and Nathaniel and Michael. And some other things that keep being left out, you'll c what I mean when you continue to read on. If I say anything now it would b too many spoilers for you.

Rochelle, LKH doesn't claim she is a pioneer of the vampire genre, although actually she is. She says she writes Paranormal Thrillers and that she pioneered that genre, which is true. In fact she specifically says in her blog that she has NEVER claimed to be a pioneer of the vampire genre. That is yet another lie from the ex-fans who trash her.

I take up this subject only because Rochelle obviously enjoys the books and likes the author's work and doesn't realize that she is repeating lies told by the author's enemies. Why LKH has ENEMIES is something I've never understood, but I was on the author's own forum when the ugly stuff first started. There were fans who were angry when the Anita series took a turn that they didn't approve of. I've never understood why you start a hate campaign under those circumstances. Personally if I don't like where an author is going, I vote with my feet. I go read someone else.

If you want the real pioneer of romantic vampire books you need to read Chelsia Quinn Yarbro. I found her newest one in the library and brought it home yesterday. She says it is 30 years since she wrote the first one, which sounds right to me. Which is also well before Anne Rice wrote her first one.

I don't mind LKH calling herself a pioneer. Yes Anne Rice broke the ice by writing about vampires but from what I understand (I haven't read anything by her yet - don't shoot me!) her books are centred on male vampires, LKH's books centre on a strong female vampire hunter and necromancer - slightly different. Plus not long after LKH was being published Buffy happened and the urban fantasy genre was born. I'm sure one of LKH's influences was Anne Rice but LKH took the idea of vampires and expanded upon it and others have copied her example.

Micah wasn't even like a real book, it was like a short story. I enjoyed it, but you could read the series without reading that book.
Danse Macabre is much better than Micah. There is a ton of talking and a ton of sex, but she has a really beautiful scene in it about a vampire ballet (think flying ballerinas!) which I adored.
But overall, LKH is a pretty terrible writer, grammar- and consistency-wise! Her editor does a terrible job, in my opinion. I also don't like her attitude how she is a "pioneer" of the vampire genre and how it's not fair that "lesser" books get all of the buzz (like Meyer's or Harris'). Um, ever heard of Anne Rice? Now, she can claim to be a pioneer. I just don't like people who are full of themselves!

I tore through her books after reading Guilty Pleasures. *Sigh* Then I read Micah and got really really pissed off and took a break. Now I have to take the series in small doses. One book every couple of months.

Michelle wrote: "...the word "cervix" should not come up in your love scenes. ever."

Lol!

oooh, Ana! do tell, what was that one final straw that killed it for you? when i gave up on LKH, it was due to the un-ignorably awful writing. i totally loved the first few anita blake books, but when it got to mostly just badly written sex, i stopped buying them. i'm just sayin', the word "cervix" should not come up in your love scenes. ever.

I had to read the first book twice before I started enjoying it. I read a lot of mediocre stuff in between which made me appreciate her writing more. Give it a little while (mine was over 6 months) and then you may be surprised.

I'm going to be very honest. I couldn't get past page 100 of the first book because I hated everything about this series. From the characters, to the writing, to the boring, nonsense-filled plot. I really had to struggle to get to where I was in the book, but then came a part I just couldn't ignore, and I closed the book, not to ever open it again.
I just hated it!
But, everyone likes different things, and that's good. I just found that this is not a series for me. Not even Jean-Claude could save it for me.

Gem H wrote: "I'm rather glad they decided not to go ahead with it. I think the first few books would be fine, but when anita's relationships get rather complicated, then there is no way it would go any further..."
I agree about the comment about TV stuffing up Harry Dresden. Perhaps it would be an ok series for those that have not read the books. But for everyone who is a fan it is just a big disappointment.

Yup, makes sense to me.

I think HBO or Showtime could do them plenty justice. I don't like to compare movies and books because movies/tv can't be from the perspective of ONE person, it has to multiple unlike the books. Mind you they have the prime main character, in the show, but each character has a story of its own going on too.

if that makes sense.

I'm rather glad they decided not to go ahead with it. I think the first few books would be fine, but when anita's relationships get rather complicated, then there is no way it would go any further. Plus look what the numbskulls on TV did to Harry Dresden!!!

Tricia, i've always thought a tv show (or movie franchise) would work out alright if they stick to the mentality of the first few books. make it a CSI-style crime thriller, and you can show as much gore as they do on tv with that, only + fangs. the books where things get too much into anita's relationships would be unfilmable (or at least unshowable on regular tv!).

i'm with you though, that a show would never be as good as the books. if they ever did do it, i hope they'd come up with original plots rather than try to cut up the books into tame 1 hour chunks.

LKH tweeted a while back about this and linked ber blog about it. She stated she rather it not happen at all then for it to come out and her ending up hating it.. which she hinted would happen.

When this was first announced I hated the idea.. not because I hate the books.. on the contrary I love them.

But a movie or show will NEVER ever do the books justice. Ever.

The books are too graphic for even HBO or an R movie. I mean how would they do the rotting scene with Jason? You really think that should be left out? It was a MAJOR scene.

Granted, this was a bit in the series but how can you think of doing a show without all of the books?

Anyhow just my two cents, I am super glad it's not happening and am in line with LKH's vision on it.. that if its not going to be good and stay true to the books then it shouldnt happen at all.


Here is the blog post:
http://blog.laurellkhamilton.org/index.p...

Kyle wrote: "the tv series has been cancelled"

Already? They were just in talks and already it's cancelled?

Kyle wrote: "the tv series has been cancelled"

I didn't know there was going to be a TV series or a movie but I'm glad one of them was cancelled although it would have been better to cancel the movie rather than the series, hard to put the books across in just a couple of hours of screen time.

The books are nearly always better than the screen adaptation, I don't want to see these books ruined in that process but if anyone was going to do it then it should be HBO, they've done fairly well with True Blood.

the tv series has been cancelled

On amazon.co.uk. there is a pre-order for a book called 'Flirt' and it states that i..."</i>

Looks like it's only a novella (is that right?) since it is only 192 pages long. I'll definitely read it though.

Thanks for letting me know about it.

I read the first book too, stopped, then came back to it about six months later and read the whole series, ending up liking it a lot more. And contrary to other reviews I've read, I actually liked it more and more as the books went on than I did the first couple of books. But that's just me.