The main reason I am giving Burnt Offerings only 3 stars, where I have given all the rest in the Anita Blake series 5 stars, is because it took me so long to read. I'm talking months. This is because I would read a chapter, then go on to a different book, then come back to it a few weeks later and read a few more pages, then abandon it again, and so on and so forth. I'm not saying I did this because the book was bad (it isn't that bad, really) - it's pretty much just because nothing that exciting happened. Throughout the last installment, The Killing Dance, I couldn't wait to get to the next page to see what would happen (especially between Anita and Jean Claude), but I never felt that way with Burnt Offerings. It felt like more of a chore to read it than a pleasure. The same old stuff is happening here: Anita is having major problems in the love department; she is having major problems with the Wereamimals; and she is having major problems with the vampire council. And once again, every male character in the book seems to want to sleep with her. Nothing new here. Despite the summary on the back of the book, this installment seems to have more to do with the Pack than vamps - which is okay, I guess, but I can only take so much of the Wereamimals.

Call me crazy, but my two favorite characters in the series are her mysterious "friend" Edward, and her sometimes partner-in-training Larry - both 100% human. Larry appears in the novel only briefly, and Edward not at all, which is a shame if you ask me. As much as I love Jean-Claude and Richard, I think Anita should start spending more time with her fellow humans. Maybe then she won't have so many problems. Then again, we also wouldn't be getting any more new books from Hamilton. If you have read the entire Anita Blake series thus far, you should definitely still read this one (you wouldn't want to skip one, no matter how much you may not like it). If you have never read any of the books in the series, do not start with this one - it most likely will not get you hooked. Start with Guilty Pleasures and work your way up. It's a great series - and even the best series have at least one in the bunch that's not as good as the rest. Be warned: this is it.

"Burnt Offerings" is the seventh book in Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series, and it is just too much fun to miss! Hamilton takes her readers on a non-stop, action-packed thrill ride that will captivate readers from the very first page. This book is immensely entertaining - filled with heart-pounding action and suspense and highly erotic romance. Not for the faint of heart, readers will find this book to be a truly satisfying read.

The book begins as Anita, tough-as-nails necromancer and animator, agrees to help the police find a psychic firestarter. She is also policing the local werewolf pack, acting as their lupa, despite her split with Richard, the pack's alpha. In addition to this, Anita suddenly finds herself as the protector/leader of the local wereleopard pack (Anita killed their alpha, Gabriel, in an earlier novel).

Then Anita's boyfriend Jean-Claude, the city of St. Louis' super-sexy Master Vampire, has his home invaded by the immensely powerful and frightening Vampire Council, the ruling body for all vampires. Anita and Jean-Claude confront them together, and must defend themselves against wild accusations claiming that Jean-Claude is a threat to the hierarchy, planning to set-up his own rival council. They also must explain how they were powerful enough to destroy a Council member some months ago.

The Council members present, the Traveler, who inhabits the bodies of those around him, and Padma, Master of Beasts, and their many violent and twisted associates have been torturing and raping Jean-Claude's people. Tensions run high as Jean-Claude and Anita barter for the safe return of all their people and from that point on, the action and violence escalates.

Anita and Jean-Claude aren't exactly sure what the Council wants from them, but they aren't too sure they'll get out of this alive. Richard arrives to assist them, though he is hurt and angry with Anita and the world in general. But these three must find a way to get along, because the only way that they are going to keep from getting killed is if they work together!

Anita's relationship with Jean-Claude is highly passionate and actually very touching. Jean-Claude accepts all of Anita, the light side of her nature as well as the dark, and his devotion to her is really lovely. Anita and Jean-Claude's scenes together are full of passion and sensual delights for the readers.

Hamilton does an amazing job of portraying all of the characters, monster or human, as rich and real individuals. Half the time, the monsters show more compassion than the humans, and Anita begins to wonder who the REAL monsters are. The character development is a strength in this book, as we learn more about not just Anita, Jean-Claude and Richard, but also the new and interesting secondary characters.

Reading these Anita Blake books is pure pleasure for me! For a few hours I get to join a wild and wonderful world of shape-shifters and vampires, and pretend for a little while that I am a part of it. Hamilton so skilfully portrays her deep and vivid characters, that it is easy to forget that they aren't actually real people. So buy this book today, I guarantee you won't regret it!

"Burnt Offerings" the latest in the Anita Blake series, was so worth the wait. (dramatic sigh) I just wish that Jean Claude was real! The growing romance between Anita and Jean Claude is the hook that lures me back every time. Although I feel sorry for Richard, Anita's jilted ex, I think that she truly belongs with Jean Claude.
The plot of the novel is lost a bit behind the menace of the Vampire Council's visit, but this is neatly tied up at the end of the novel. I find that Anita becomes more human the more she considers herself one of the monsters....self-doubt and all is very human. I got quite a laugh out of a master vampire's animal being a butterfly, and the humor that was a bit lacking in "The Killing Dance" is back in full force. I was a little disappointed not to see as much of Anita using her own Necromancy powers and more of her 'pack' powers instead, but this just shows the growth of the character.
All in all this was a fantastic book that I will recommend and read again.

Being a huge horror fan, I decided to try the Anita Blake series after a recommendation from a friend. I was not disappointed. The fast paced chapters and the originl ideas kept me turning pages. It was a quick three day read. However, the cover of the book claimed, "A heady mix of romance and horror". I saw the horror, but where's the romance? The only hint of romance happened on page 148... and the book is only 266 pages long! I expected some really steamy scenes, but I got none of that. My only other complaint is the random rules Laurell Hamilton seems to make up regarding the raising of zombies and ghouls to fit her storyline. But don't get me wrong, the danger and villains are plentiful. Instead of the standard ways in which to kill a vampire, characters use syringes to inject silver nitrate into the undead's bloodstream. This is something I really like. Putting a spin on the classic vampire mythology by incorporating today's technology. I'm looking forward to the second book in the series, "The Laughing Corpse".

The paralells between Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the Anita Blake series are virtually infinite. Both are tough, slim, short hot girls whose main goal in life is to free the world from the baddies. Both seem to have more than their fair share of relationships with some of these supernatural "baddies". Both of them love weapons. And both of them kick major .... while cracking tongue in cheek jokes.
I love Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And I love these books.
I read several reviews pertaining to the lack of sex in this first book. Well if you want sex, read on....the series soon becomes permeated with it. Ms. Hamilton seems to either give us too much or too little. Personally I prefer too little. I'm more on the ride for the action and plots, not the sex. If I want sexual satisfaction from a book I'll read a romance novel. This is not a romance novel.
In the same way Buffy the Vampire Slayer has become more and more "sexual", so do Hamilton's books. Since it is a series, some of the books are more for setting the scene and creating sexual tension than supplying a release for it. I would say on the whole though this series (taken as a whole) has something for everyone. Humour, Horror, and lust.
An easy writing style and a killer character make this book a must read for anyone who likes things along the line of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

The Anita Blake series, which began with this novel, is an entertaining light read about an "animator" (someone who raises zombies from the dead for a living, for eg. to check the details of their will) who also is a legal vampire slayer - she's sent out with a court order to slay vampires who break the law. As you can guess, this series is set in an alternate reality where fantasy creatures exist and vampires have recently gained legal "human" status.

Anita herself has some interesting personal conflicts - she is a committed Christian who works with dark forces and kills a little too easily, and a very dainty and pretty-looking person who considers herself to be "tough as nails" (it makes it hard for the bad guys to take her seriously).

Each of the books is loosely based around a supernatural mystery and the ongoing story of Anita's life (she's 20-something at the start of this book). The writing is a little sloppy, but quite compelling, and the series steadily improves for the first few novels (the later ones get a little bogged down with Anita's issues).

The biggest challenge facing Laurell K. Hamilton in her Anita Blake Vampire Series is upping the ante volume after volume. In this 8th volume our heroine drops everything to rush to Tennessee where Richard has been arrested for attempted rape. Obviously somebody is trying to frame Richard, who was down studying Lesser Smokey Mountain Trolls to finish up his M.A. degree in biology. "Blue Moon" focuses on Anita as the lupa of the Thronnus Roke Clan lukoi and Nimir-ra of the pard, although her being a necromancer, animator, vampire hunter and human servant all come into play. Her ability, and willingness, to call the munin becomes crucial. Hamilton continues to expand the roster of monsters and their ilk with not only a sorcerer and a psychic this time around, but also a full-fledged demon. The final fight between good and evil in "Blue Moon" is rather anticlimactic, since the most important development in the book happens in the aftermath of the battle.

I think that this is an excellent move on Hamilton's part, because the constant attempts to top the confrontation with evil from the previous novel ends up tampering with the credibility of the story being told. This novel is about Anita's relationships, not with Richard and Jean-Claude, but rather with the supporting cast of Jason, Nathaniel, Zane, Jamil, Cherry, Asher and Damian. "Blue Moon" is not a great novel in the series, but it is certainly above average and whets our appetites for the next adventure. One thing that is absolutely clear now is that the Anita/Richard/Jean-Claude triumvirate is never, ever going to be over. Final warning: while the level of graphic violence has abated a wee bit, the sexuality of these novels has increased big time. These are novels for adults and I pity the Buffy fans that stumble upon this series, misled by the "Vampire Hunter" title which is more of a marketing ploy that an accurate description of our heroine.

First of all, don't even think about reading Blue Moon without reading the other seven books in the series first. You don't want to miss all the history and character development preceding this story. That said, in Blue Moon Anita Blake once again finds herself "ass deep in alligators," this time in Tennessee where she's gone to get one of her two "preternatural studs," Richard, out of a phony rape charge. Between her own growing powers, trouble from the local bands of vampires and werewolves who don't know what to make of her, and the escapades of the vamps and wereanimals Jean-Claude sent along to help her, and you've got a fast-moving story with plenty of plot twists and turns. Anita is a fascinating character; a human whose powers as necromancer and one-third of a triumvirate with Jean-Claude and Richard have lately caused her to question her humanity; a woman whose ability to kill without blinking keeps her and her friends alive while at the same time appalling her. Like any truly well-crafted character, Anita Blake is growing and changing. One hopes Laurell K. Hamilton will continue to let us share Anita's journey.

I've read all the Anita Blake books. I actually have very mixed feelings about them, mostly because I find Anita Blake a hard character to truly like and relate to, and as the books are written in a first person narrative you are stuck in her head, reading only her thoughts (a very limiting style of writing). And with her ever increasing powers, she is more Mighty Morphin' Super Anita now then the very human, complicated woman she started out as. However, I liked her in Blue Moon and I liked how the story took us out of St. Louis.

The plot has been described numerous times here, so I'll just give my overall impressions. I liked the storyline, I liked Anita getting away from Jean-Claude for a bit (his pouting boyfriend scene in the beginning of the book is cringe-worthy). I prefer Richard, and frankly have a tough time figuring out why he gets so much [heat] from other readers...except, perhaps, that he's serious competition for Jean-Claude. People seem to forget every manipulative and underhanded thing Jean-Claude does. Hey, I expect it from him, he's Master of the City, but it hardly makes him a good guy. You'd think that having morals, and very human conflicts about being a werewolf was some sort of criminal offense. I think Richard is a far more complex character *because* he struggles with his conscience and his morals and has difficulty reconciling his 2 selves. And frankly THANK GOD for ONE character that has some qualms about Anita's penchant for violence and killing. One of my favorite parts of the book is Richard telling her that if he can't have monogamy from her, she can't have it from him. ITS ABOUT TIME somehow finally called Anita on her annoying double standards. I'm for Richard all the way, but also find myself hoping that all 3 players in the TRI continue to be bonded, and their relationship continues to evolve (after book 10 though, forget it...author blows it BIGTIME).

Even though I enjoyed this book a lot, I still can't say that I think Laurell Hamilton is a particularly gifted writer. She has the talent to tell an engaging and imaginative story. I particularly find her idea of having lycanthropy be a disease, like AIDS, very creative (though she doesn't really flesh out this idea very well). But she repeats phrases over and over, her scenes can be very repetitive (past the 3rd book, most readers could probably write the numerous "Anita pulls her gun almost instantly on someone, makes some sarcastic quip and must extracate herself from the room" scenes). She has described at least 3 different characters as "raising as though lifted by strings" and her attention to continuity and detail is not even close to being the best. She also has a very disconcerting fascination with rape and attempted rape. How she has used it over and over in her books gives me pause. Was there any real reason for its inclusion in this book?

But of all the books, Blue Moon is the one I would recommend most highly, and the one I would most likely want to reread. It really is a fun read, even with the problems. And just because it isn't said enough, GO RICHARD !!

Laurell K. Hamilton's latest effort featuring her heroine Anita Blake - Vampire Hunter. Another page-turner finds our heroine uping her body count in New Mexico after coming to the aid or her sometime associate, Edward - a professional assasin. Long-time readers will miss the normal interplay with her two boyfriends - Vampire Jean-Claude, Master of the City, and Richard - Alpha werewolf, but there are plenty of new friends to take their place.

Edward calls in his "favor" owed to him by Anita and she responds, wondering what could bring this element of fear to stone-killer Edward. She finds out in a hurry.

Not for the faint of heart, readers will find Anita remains the Queen of Slaughter that we know and love, presented with the spikey ironic humor that has marked her previous appearances.

High on my recommended reading list for those who enjoy a very different type of horror book that doesn't take itself entirely seriously. But I am willing to bet new readers of LKH will be running back to find the previously issued adventures of Anita Blake - Vampire Hunter.

"Obsidian Butterfly" by Laurell K. Hamilton is an enthralling addition to the Anita Blake series. It is filled with expertly rendered horror and action sequences that will have readers nervously looking over their shoulders for days!
In this 9th instalment of the series, Edward the cold-blooded assassin calls in the favour Anita owes him for killing one of his back-ups some time ago. Edward, alias Ted Forrester, needs Anita, tough-as-nails necromancer and vampire executioner, to come act as his back-up in a case that has him seriously spooked (and Edward being spooked is absolutely unheard-of!). So, Anita packs her bags and travels to New Mexico.
Anita is horrified when she sees the gruesome and gory murder victims and the even more horrific "survivors". Everyone is at a loss as to what would be capable of committing these atrocities. In hope of gaining some insight into the case, Anita seeks the help of the local Master Vampire Itzpapalotl (English translation: Obsidian Butterfly), a self-proclaimed Aztec goddess. From that point on, Anita runs into all kinds of nasty people and preternatural creatures, and readers are treated to some fantastic (and violent) action-adventure sequences. Anita is determined to stop whatever is committing these heinous crimes, and as she tries to do just that, she has to fight her way through many perilous situations. The non-stop conflict builds to a wonderfully simple but thrilling climax that is sure to satisfy readers.
I really, really enjoyed this book. I thought it was a fascinating departure on Hamilton's part, though it is certainly not appropriate for the faint of heart. "Obsidian Butterfly" provides a refreshingly different storyline and a very interesting up-close look at the inner workings of Edward. Edward is a highly intriguing character, and his contrasts and mysteries, along with the exciting storyline make the nearly 600 pages of this book fly by. I couldn't help but miss Jean-Claude a little, but the strengths in this story more than made up for his absence. Anita continues to grow and evolve as a person, and I think she is a fabulous character. "Obsidian Butterfly" is truly wonderful entertainment, so don't miss out. It is suitable for first time readers of the series as well as long-time fans, and is sure to be enjoyed by all!

I loved this book. I have liked Edward's character for years, since I started the series in 8th grade. Although no Jean-Claude or Larry :(, I was not disappointed by the story. Anita is still as savvy as ever! Wonderful folk-lore with the right amount of horror added in, along with a pleasing set of sub-stories, a neato vampire enemy and a bit of who's tougher than who. Possibly, this vampire villain has to be one of the more interesting characters in the series. Edward's unmasking is interesting and Anita's reactions to the other characters are markedly different than what we've seen before. Plus a truckload of guns and knives, a few new monsters we haven't encountered (heck, Edward doesn't even know what they are at first!) and a few extra goodies for surprise kick. Lara Croft, eat your heart out. I read it in three days, only stopped because I had to go to work. I have to say, it was a good book; I got three people Anita-addicted with only the first chapter of the thing! I've been waiting since a week after Blue Moon came out for this one and it was worth waiting for.

I must agree with many of the other reviewers that this book is not worth your time. In the beginning of the series we got a good supernatural murder mystery, some great character building and interaction, great fight scenes, witty dialogue,and some good supernatural politics. Anita was much more "real" than she has become and thus this series has lost my interest. I own the first 8 books in the series, but have used the library for the last two books and I am so glad. I used to recommend this series to friends, but would no longer do so.

For those fans of Ms. Hamilton, it will be hard to believe but Cerulean Sins is actual better than her last entry in the Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter Series. Sadly, it's only better by a hair due to a slightly more cogent plot even if that plot is pale rehash of Burnt Offerings. As well, it looks like an editor actually worked on CS because the typos and grammatical mistakes do not leap off the page in this latest offering.

Even sadder is that fact that what made NiC so horrid is still laced throughout the book. Numerous sexual encounters that push this book so far past erotic romance that it misses erotica altogether and goes straight to porn. Possibly this is due to the complete lack of romance between the characters or more probably because the sex is more often than not something you'd see in an video tape from the back room of a seedy adult book store.

Gratefully none of these encounters are with Micah, the latest of Anita's significant others. In point of fact, there is a pleasing absence of abnormal genitals describe, thank goodness. Ms. Hamilton seems to have gone to great efforts to restrain herself in that respect.

In summary, those expecting a miracle in the form of Ms. Hamilton writing returning to it's more creative origins after reading Narcissus Chains will be disappointed. Those readers who loved Ms. Hamilton's last book will be pleased.

I am such a fan of this writer and I love this series! If you are into books that keep you on the edge of your seat for hours on end...then "Cerulean Sins," by gifted storyteller Laurell K. Hamilton is definately the book for you! Fun, exciting, and hot! "A Must Read" to be sure...

This series used to have a strong female lead, conflicted by her prejudices in a brave new world of the undead, fairies, werewolves, etc. It was a great premise, and the reader got to follow Anita as Dorothy in her trip through the author's facinating new Oz.

In this book, Dorothy goes to Oz's red light district and becomes every man's nympho fantasy. Anita's role in this book was to have sex with just about everyone, because....well, there's no other way to highlight group sex scenes and slash (that's same sex action), which we are now to understand Jean-Claude will be pursuing on the side, now that he's been given "permission" by Anita.

As for Ms. Blake, she continues taking on every power, sleeping with every male within the city limits, and becoming de facto head of every shapeshifter group....in between group sex.

The last few books convinced me that this series had run out of steam....except for the porno kind. I almost didn't pick this one up, but I was in an airport and had a long flight......any lingering hopes I had that this series or character could be redeemed were totally blown away.

This book cannot be read with ANY suspension of disbelief. If you just want the sex, go right for it-there's plenty to be had. If you are looking for the original Anita Blake character and her moral conflicts, forget it. She's gone. And unlike her zombies--she ain't rising again.

Unfortunately, this series continues to go downhill, sinking into a morass of gore, sex, S&M, rape and complete immorality. So hey, if thats your cup of tea, this is the book for you. Sadly, many of the things that made this series so interesting and unique initially are now gone. Getting through this book was like pushing jello uphill with a pitchfork. Slow, frustrating and ultimately pointless.

The book is mostly about Anita's love life, so....

In a nutshell, Richard is out and apparently having a nervous breakdown (bummer, but nobody seems to care anyway), JC is still the same (but more big brother/teacher than passionate lover), Micah is the new hot stud and soulmate ("who needs a personality when you have a big tool?"). Damian went on a murder spree and killed 2 people, but he's feeling much better now so its ok with Anita (this plot twist is covered in about 2 pages). Asher is still moping and feeling unloved (why doesn't he find his own city to be master of?). Nathanial is still doing his best to audition for the lead in the Perils of Pauline ("oh Anita, I fell down a well...HELP ME!!"). Jason fares the best, bless his furry little heart. And of course, they are all anxious to throw themselves at the feet of Anita and have sex with her(I suggest they take a number, at this rate, she'll . . . them all eventually...but it won't be because she WANTS to, but because she HAS to).

Can this series be saved? Sure, but I doubt Ms Hamilton is up to it. Stick with the Merry series, I understand that one is still fresh and fun.

Anita is so far from the original character we fell in love with when the series began and not for the better. She's not a vampire but now has a vampire as her human servent, she's not a werewolf but is now lupa and enforcer of Richard's pack, she's not a were leopard but managed to be leopard queen of her pard and now Micah's. Anita is always the best, always the one in charge, always the most powerful, always the one that rescues, always the one that beats the bad guys, always the one everyone is afraid of. The list goes on and on, it's too much for even my level of disbelief and I no longer root for her. The author keeps telling us that God still thinks Anita is good all the while telling us over and over again how she can kill and feel nothing. Who is she trying to convince, herself? LKH has really painted her into a corner and there is no going back. I never thought I'd say this but this is it for me, I doubt Laurell can pull the series out of the mess she's made with it nor recapture the magic of previous novels. Too much, too fast for our heroine. I not only don't recgonize her anymore but my biggest surprise was that I don't even like her either.