Guilty Pleasures question

Initially, I did like that Hamilton was giving a reasonably positive view of alternative relationship structures. However, I now feel that it's:
a) gone so far it's a bit ridiculous
b) Anita is having sex with so many partners that it has now devolved from relationships to just pure sex with anyone who happens to be handy and (worst of all)
c) has moved the plot from paranormal mystery/thriller to an endless series of conversations about who is having sex with whom, and how they all feel about it.

Then there is the issue of all these men with long hair and thigh-high boots. Hamilton obviously finds this a turn-on, but she doesn't appear to consider that for some people, long hair on a man might be a turn-off. To me, it's cliched and ridiculous.

And, all these men with hair down to the ankles? Does she know anything about the life-cycle of hair? Hair doesn't grow constantly - only in its growing phase (anagen), and then the hair falls out. So the majority of people's hair will only grow to up to a metre long even if they never cut it (most people's shorter than this).

I have to admit, I find myself thinking that the sudden explosion of sex in the Anita Blake series was a result of events in the author's personal life. She wanted to write sex, so she put some in the Anita Blake books (quite well, at first). What she should have done is started the Meredith Gentry books earlier, if she wanted to write what has basically become soft porn.

Furthermore, I wonder whether the sudden turn in the type of book from thriller/mystery to erotica is partly because by the time Hamilton realised how sharply she had changed direction, there was no way back: she had to go on, because the changes she had made to the world and the story meant that Anita's situation had changed too much to reclaim her old place as an action heroine (vertical).

I have to say, I really enjoyed the first books in the series; I even enjoyed the ones where the sex started to become a major part of the plot - because Hamilton did it so well. Now, there's far too much relationship angst (just get over yourselves, people!), far too much indiscriminate sex, and not enough actual plot. And the number of men with long hair, thigh high boots, and 'issues', is just a total turn-off. I find myself wanting to shout "You! Get a hair-cut!" and that's probably not the reaction Hamilton was going for.

I agree that the books now are just totally about sex and not about plot/the paranormal. I've pretty much given up on the series now - it's got a bit too perverted for my taste and seriously, the men Anita gets off with, wake up and smell the coffee, it's a new century not the 70s. Long hair was OK on a young David Cassidy but now, I think not.

I have giving up on this author....just a waste of a once great story.

I loved these books, but after awhile it did start to become tedious. Hey I'm all for sex in books, but then they became only about sex. There was one book; I can't even remember which one, but it was one massive orgy from beginning till end with a little killing in between. Then don't forget,the discussion of having sex with whom before it even happens. I have her last three books in the Anita series, but I have yet to read them. I don't know if I'm up to all the nonsense that goes on now.

Speaking of the males in her books. Did you notice that not only as mentioned they all have long hair but most tend to be short too? I mean what's with these paranormal short men? (Not that I have a problem with short men, it just seems weird) She must have a thing for short guys.

"Obsidian Butterfly" was the last of Hamilton's I could stomach & I agree with the more porn vs. less story critiques..
It's funny that Tanya Huff's "Blood Price (1991)" Flew under the radar- while Laura K. Hamilton's "Guilty Pleasures (1993)" was huge. If you read "Blood Price (1991)" it's almost as if Hamilton read it & slightly changed stuff for her books. I always wondered why Huff never sued? I personally think it's a better series.

I used to love these books. However, I gave up on this series a long time ago. I believe Obsidian Butterfly was the last one I read. The series devolved from this kick ass urban fantasy mystery series to a series of poorly written sex scenes with conversations in between.

Don't get me wrong, I love kink and the darker the better but, it has to be well written. These books, well, they're not.

I haven't read anything after Cerulean Sins. At that point, the series was ridiculous. The love triangle trope between a vampire, werewolf, and "special" human is tired. Anita sleeping with every single attractive male who needs her help is ridiculous. At some point, instead of focusing on character development, the author just gave Anita a new power every book without any real purpose. The series should just be labeled Supernatural Romance/Erotica and left at that.

Anita has evolved, in doing so she's also became a better person for it. In my opinion despite the fact that sex has take the forefront of her life, it actually is something I that that was needed. She was becoming too dangerous, as an Executioner. The police were leery and any form of law enforcement were becoming even more so. I think also that LKH is raising awareness to the different lifestyles that are out there. It is not for everyone, I will say that, but for me personally, I find it very intriguing.

Anita loves her long haired men, but she also likes men that have a persona that actually matches her own. There are other men that are in her field of vision, but they don't get as much on time in the books. Mainly I'm talking about Damien, her vampire to call. He rarely is in the books, and I do think LKH made a mistake where that character was concerned. Actually even though I love the author, I do think she's made several mistakes with certain plots.

I think LKH has to reroute all that has happened and to form another type of plot that will pull the other aspects of Anita out. We know that Anita is getting comfortable with sex and the life she leads. Now maybe it's time to shake it up enough that make her realize that what she has is something special in her world.

It's sad, but you're correct :( I loved the series in the beginning, even though I kind of hated Anita at first. Her stuck up attitude drove me crazy but the plot line was enough to get me through the first few books until she lightened up a little and realized not all vampires and lycanthropes are monsters.

I stopped reading at book....16, maybe? I just got bored with all the sex. While I liked it at first, I miss the paranormal and the zombie raising. Hamilton writes good sex, but the books started to lack a real plot line.