Paula’s review of Beauty (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, #20.5) > Likes and Comments
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Woman, I just loved this review. It's like you were a little voice speaking from inside my brain. This is precisely how I felt reading Beauty. And mind me, I too enjoy all the kinky stuff but this fell flat. Did nothing for me, not even tickles. Oh, sorry, it actually annoyed the hell out of me. Probably not Laurell's intentions :P
I'm at the point that I have no interest in reading any more of LKH's books. Like you, I started reading these books when Anita was working as an animator, and solving mysteries. Now it's the polyamory freaknik fest, and oh, so very boring. Aww, well. Thankfully, there are far better writers (gasp Anne Bishop! Nalini Singh etc.) who make the grade. The last book I read was Hit List, and that was a push.
Try Patricia Brigg, her Mercy Series is awesome. The last one was a little loopy, but overall kept me going.
Great suggestion! I did start this series, and got distracted (by my reading voraciousness for other series Ha!). Since you recommended it, I will need to recog back to this one. Cool. I was just coming to understand 'the press' in the series with Mercy doing her mind control thing, and it is out there. Thanks!
I completely agree with your comment. I have committed so much time to this series and I use to be waiting waiting for the next one. Now I find myself just trying to finish the book so I can move on.
Hahaha It's nice to see someone hates it as much as I do but can't stop reading. I hear you, sister. No matter what's she does, there's always the hope it could be as awesome as before... @ Patrice above, the Mercy Series is one of my favs and doesn't go downhill...
I saw the warnings, but I continued reading. Now I'm feeling let down because LKH is not writing the stories about Anita I really want to read. Maybe the next book will be better... Most of my LKH books come from the library, so it's not the $ cost but I'm giving up a lot of time to read 1000's of pages of an okay story. I am reading the Mercy Series by Patricia Briggs and Kitty Norville Series by Carrie Vaughn, --- both are good. I might read Beauty for myself anyways. Through review.
Sorry, meant to say thorough instead of through. Anyways great review Paula.
Awesome review! I stopped reading LKH after Micah. I got bored. Sure I love my kink all kinds of kinky but somehow the books just got ....boring. Where's the plot? It's like the books start out with a bit of plot and then sex,sex, argue, sex....where. is. The. Plot? I might give this a try.
Awesome review, I love the sense of humor you had with this, because I was practically gnashing my teeth as I read. Like you, I've been a longtime fan of ABVH, starting back in around 2002, so I feel compelled to read because every single time, I just can't believe that an author can be so different. Her characters are parodies of themselves at this point.
Have you read her other short story Shutdown? I would love to read your review for that, because I couldn't get through more than the first couple pages without feeling like I needed some anger management. It was that bad. Maybe you'll have a more humorous take on it ;)
Rebecca wrote: "Awesome review, I love the sense of humor you had with this, because I was practically gnashing my teeth as I read. Like you, I've been a longtime fan of ABVH, starting back in around 2002, so I f..."
If you haven't read it check out her anthology, Strange Candy. I really enjoyed it.
She had a fantasy novel that was promising called Nightseer. It was well written and could have used a sequel but she didn't.
Patrice wrote: "She had a fantasy novel that was promising called Nightseer. It was well written and could have used a sequel but she didn't. "
Yup, I actually read Nightseer a looong time ago, maybe five or six books into the ABVH series. I thought it was intriguing and it's a shame the publisher didn't pick up the rest that she'd planned, I think it was originally supposed to be 3 to 4 books. LKH really was the best at worldbuilding and and I'll always admire her for being one of the first to basically establish the whole genre of urban fantasy. Heck, I thought her Merry Gentry series was amazing at first too. Both series just devolved so much though. I guess I can't blame her, she's still making plenty of money off them and I'm sure she attracted new fans who find her new books appealing, it's just hard to read as an old fan. You know what I mean ;)
If you haven't tried it yet, the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews is amazing and I'd really recommend it. I saw above that you've already picked up the Mercy Thompson series and we probably have similar tastes - I've read every Anne Bishop book ever (currently reading her latest) and got into Nalini Singh's angel series a few years ago.
Loved your review, so on the mark, it's the on and on and on descriptions that just have ruined the books (besides more smut than plot in the after NiC books)
I CAN recommend the Jane Yellowrock books by Faith Hunter as books like the earlier kick ass Anita.
Your review is longer than the outtake! 5 stars!!
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Woman, I just loved this review. It's like you were a little voice speaking from inside my brain. This is precisely how I felt reading Beauty. And mind me, I too enjoy all the kinky stuff but this fell flat. Did nothing for me, not even tickles. Oh, sorry, it actually annoyed the hell out of me. Probably not Laurell's intentions :P
I'm at the point that I have no interest in reading any more of LKH's books. Like you, I started reading these books when Anita was working as an animator, and solving mysteries. Now it's the polyamory freaknik fest, and oh, so very boring. Aww, well. Thankfully, there are far better writers (gasp Anne Bishop! Nalini Singh etc.) who make the grade. The last book I read was Hit List, and that was a push.
Try Patricia Brigg, her Mercy Series is awesome. The last one was a little loopy, but overall kept me going.
Great suggestion! I did start this series, and got distracted (by my reading voraciousness for other series Ha!). Since you recommended it, I will need to recog back to this one. Cool. I was just coming to understand 'the press' in the series with Mercy doing her mind control thing, and it is out there. Thanks!
I completely agree with your comment. I have committed so much time to this series and I use to be waiting waiting for the next one. Now I find myself just trying to finish the book so I can move on.
Hahaha It's nice to see someone hates it as much as I do but can't stop reading. I hear you, sister. No matter what's she does, there's always the hope it could be as awesome as before... @ Patrice above, the Mercy Series is one of my favs and doesn't go downhill...
I saw the warnings, but I continued reading. Now I'm feeling let down because LKH is not writing the stories about Anita I really want to read. Maybe the next book will be better... Most of my LKH books come from the library, so it's not the $ cost but I'm giving up a lot of time to read 1000's of pages of an okay story. I am reading the Mercy Series by Patricia Briggs and Kitty Norville Series by Carrie Vaughn, --- both are good. I might read Beauty for myself anyways. Through review.
Sorry, meant to say thorough instead of through. Anyways great review Paula.
Awesome review! I stopped reading LKH after Micah. I got bored. Sure I love my kink all kinds of kinky but somehow the books just got ....boring. Where's the plot? It's like the books start out with a bit of plot and then sex,sex, argue, sex....where. is. The. Plot? I might give this a try.
Awesome review, I love the sense of humor you had with this, because I was practically gnashing my teeth as I read. Like you, I've been a longtime fan of ABVH, starting back in around 2002, so I feel compelled to read because every single time, I just can't believe that an author can be so different. Her characters are parodies of themselves at this point. Have you read her other short story Shutdown? I would love to read your review for that, because I couldn't get through more than the first couple pages without feeling like I needed some anger management. It was that bad. Maybe you'll have a more humorous take on it ;)
Rebecca wrote: "Awesome review, I love the sense of humor you had with this, because I was practically gnashing my teeth as I read. Like you, I've been a longtime fan of ABVH, starting back in around 2002, so I f..."If you haven't read it check out her anthology, Strange Candy. I really enjoyed it.
She had a fantasy novel that was promising called Nightseer. It was well written and could have used a sequel but she didn't.
Patrice wrote: "She had a fantasy novel that was promising called Nightseer. It was well written and could have used a sequel but she didn't. "Yup, I actually read Nightseer a looong time ago, maybe five or six books into the ABVH series. I thought it was intriguing and it's a shame the publisher didn't pick up the rest that she'd planned, I think it was originally supposed to be 3 to 4 books. LKH really was the best at worldbuilding and and I'll always admire her for being one of the first to basically establish the whole genre of urban fantasy. Heck, I thought her Merry Gentry series was amazing at first too. Both series just devolved so much though. I guess I can't blame her, she's still making plenty of money off them and I'm sure she attracted new fans who find her new books appealing, it's just hard to read as an old fan. You know what I mean ;)
If you haven't tried it yet, the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews is amazing and I'd really recommend it. I saw above that you've already picked up the Mercy Thompson series and we probably have similar tastes - I've read every Anne Bishop book ever (currently reading her latest) and got into Nalini Singh's angel series a few years ago.
Loved your review, so on the mark, it's the on and on and on descriptions that just have ruined the books (besides more smut than plot in the after NiC books)I CAN recommend the Jane Yellowrock books by Faith Hunter as books like the earlier kick ass Anita.
Your review is longer than the outtake! 5 stars!!
What?! Women don't think it's hot to see guys willing to cry and beg to have Anita sleep with them? They want men who are commanding in the bedroom?! Well why didn't you say so before? Okay. I'll just rework the scene to have JC topping...