Delirity discussion

Here's the deal. Even in the later books some have great plots. I liked book 15 and 17 a lot. The issue is that during, oh...book 5... sex comes into play. It's not that big of a deal at first, but as the books go on they go from clean to full on orgies. It seems there are good and bad plots interspersed throughout the series. Some books the sex is a side issue, but with some you feel like there isn't a plot and Hamilton just wanted to write sex scenes. There's a reason, plot wise, for sex coming into play, but part of the reason why we love Anita is that her character kicks ass. Something that's hard to do when she spends most of the book on her back, front, and other positions I didn't know were possible... I think the big issue is that they started out so "pure" and then went the complete opposite direction. If they were more consistent I think there would be less of a fuss over the sex issue.
Before reading I'd just ask if sex bothers you. Especially if it involves multiple people. If it doesn't you should be fine. If you get shocked easily, like me, you'll freak out a bit. If I hadn't fallen in love with the characters before the sex started, I would have been too shocked to keep reading. Other people don't have that issue and they're fine.

FYI: If you do decide to read them Micah and Flirt are novellas so expect them to read differently than the rest.

I think you should give them a try, even with the decline after book 10 or so this is my favorite series, I love Anita, if some day there are no longer Anita books I shall probably cry. Sad but very true!

This is yet another series that is on my TO READ lsit...Right now I just started with the Black Dagger Brother hood....

I have the first book on my TBR pile, but because of things I heard I decided I probably won't read it. I like a good smutty scene, but I don't want it throughout the book. One or two scenes is enough for me.

Sometimes I change my mind because a lot of people really love Anita the character. But I also know a lot of people that stopped reading it even though they loved her, so I go back and forth.

Can I ask why they stop reading the books??was it just cause of the sex scenes? Like I said I have not read any of these books yet..

Yeah, in different groups I hear a lot of people complaining about how the books turned into just straight sex and hardly any plot. They don't mind the sex, but don't want to feel like it's beyond ridiculous. When they started reading them they weren't erotica type books. If they were the level of Night Huntress or BDB, I don't think they would care, but like Heather said, the books changed so drastically from when they started. Some people just didn't like reading it anymore. some feel that although there is a reason for all this sex (I haven't read them so I don't know what that is), it could have been shortened or described less, or just not so much of it.

Personally, I like when characters change and grow. It makes it more realistic. But I'm also kind of a prude. Ok, I guess prude isn't really the right word, but I am not sure I would be comfortable with the way the books are once all the crazy sex and orgies start.

I would be happy with shorter scenes. The frustration lies in the fact that sometimes the sex is so prominent that you feel like it over runs the plot instead of works with the plot. Like I said before, if it hadn't been such a drastic difference it wouldn't be such an issue. I remember talking about the series after book 2 with someone and I was saying how amazed I was that it was a fun, clean series. At the time, I couldn't figure out why she was laughing at me so much.

Here's my opinion: Book 1 was okay, book 2 got me addicted. 2, 5, 6 and 8 all got 5 stars from me. Around book 11 things started to taper. I didn't like book 12 that much, 13 was worst (didn't know it was a novella at the time so now I wouldn't be as hard on it as I was a year ago). 14 wasn't great either. I was getting ready to give up the series, but book 15 got me interested again. Book 16 made me question the series again, but 17 got 5 stars from me. 18 was fun for a novella, 19 was iffy again. 19's issue is that they never left the circus of the damned once the story got going. If they had it would have been more interesting.

I guess I will have to see for my self...But I think once I read BDB I might not go to the Anita Black series first. ONlY bc I have a million other books that I might beable to get in to an have less book in the series...

I think you should at least try it eventually. Bare minimum, you can discuss the books with other people. If you end up enjoying them then great.

True..I just don't think it is going to be the next one that I read...

I think what you all have said rings true. The first ones were so great, you loved Anita and the world she lived in. I don't like them as much as I first did, but still keep reading in hopes that the Anita that I learned to love will show back up. I do know now I don't have to run right out to get them.

Ya, just check them out of the library rather than pay for them. Then come back and talk about them as you read them.
Despite the fact that they do taper off, talking about them is making me want to reread.

I really want to re-read the first ones but I dunno about reading all of them again

The next Blake book will be called Hit List. I'm searching for new on Meridith Gentry since it should come out first, but I'm still looking. She's horrible about keeping her site updated.

I know she's writing the Anita book right now (I follow her on facebook)

I read the first 5 then I couldn't take it anymore. Sex in a book doesn't bother me, but I want a book to be more than just sex. That's why I don't read Christine Feehan anymore.

I liked The Drake Sisters series, but I have problems with the other ones.

I'm trying to listen to the first one now Magic in the Wind. No sex yet, but I feel it is coming.

Book 1 is kind of a short. I think maybe it started out as a short story. Don't make any judgements until at least 2. The last few were really good. Good romance and nice action scenes without the "you will be mine" vampire philosophy. They lack some of the chessiness of the Carpathians. I haven't read her others.

I just finished rereading all of the ones I own (which is all of the up until Blood Noir). I didn't realize that I had missed that many... and I am on a "no-purchase" rule until I finish the ones I still need to read, AND I finish the first part of the CPA exam...
I guess I was a little surprised about the sudden importance that sex had in a few of the books (though I can see why it could be argued as an actual plot point).
Anyone else want to hit Anita occasionally for making even the most simple things difficult?

Hillarie wrote: "Anyone else want to hit Anita occasionally for making even the most simple things difficult?"

So very much!!

I think we all felt that way at some point :) but I still love Anita

I`ve read the first three,I am really hoping I`ll be able to finish reading them
These first ones are just great,sad to hear about the rest of them

She has 2 that aren't great and then you get 1 really good one. Then you get iffy ones, and another good one. It gets inconsistent. That's what happens with most 20 book series.

At first I really enjoyed this series. When sex came into the books some it just made it a bit more interresting. But then it got to the point for me to where there was too much sex. I was like get off ur back and do something interresting. Also one particular sex scene still kind of grosses me out

(SPOILERS--When Nathaniel semi turned and had animal features during--human/animal is not for me)

I like how in the beginning there was a lot of her zombie work. Edward is my fav character and I liked the way he had a larger role in the beginning. I can't remember which book it was, but the one she went to help him is one of my favs. I stopped reading them after Skin Trade. I hated to give up on the series, but it just got to a point to were I was yelling in my head for it to come on and get going with the plot.

Hillarie wrote: "I just finished rereading all of the ones I own (which is all of the up until Blood Noir). I didn't realize that I had missed that many... and I am on a "no-purchase" rule until I finish the ones I..."

Hillarie wrote: "I just finished rereading all of the ones I own (which is all of the up until Blood Noir). I didn't realize that I had missed that many... and I am on a "no-purchase" rule until I finish the ones I..."

Darcy wrote: "Hillarie wrote: "Anyone else want to hit Anita occasionally for making even the most simple things difficult?"

So very much!!"

I love the character of Anita but do have to admit I have on occasion wanted to slap her, but than I remember that she could kick my butt and decide that I like features where they are.

Lisa wrote: "At first I really enjoyed this series. When sex came into the books some it just made it a bit more interresting. But then it got to the point for me to where there was too much sex. I was like get..."

Edward is one of my favorites too. The book where she goes to New Mexico to help him is Obsidian Butterfly, which is also one of my favorites in the series.

I couldn't get through the first Anita Blake book. It just depressed me. I do however like reading the reviews and discussions about Anita Blake. For me, since I'm not going to pick up another Anita Blake book, the spoilers are great.

I love Anita so much that it makes me sad to read that Paula

I was hoping to like the book, but I just didn't. My sister loves the series.

yeah we all have different taste...but I still cry inside a little

lol

Paula, it was book 2 that finally got me interested. Some day maybe you'll just one more book to see if it changes our mind. If it doesn't then stear clear.

I forgot the new one was out in June. Sorry guys.

My thoughts on Hit List

For me this book was one of the better ones, but I think that is because I really liked Obsidian Butterfly. Edward is one of my favorite characters, Bernado is one that leaves me chuckling, but Olaf, well he is one that creeps me out, but I love reading about him any way.

Edward and Anita's friendship has really changed over the course of the series. I find it interesting that lately Anita is more free with what she tells him and that "Death" takes it as well as he does. He even manages to tell her what she really needs to take care of all the crap that has become her life. I also think that we are at a point where Anita can "beat" Edward. I didn't used to think that. I also found it interesting what Bernardo was saying about Edward would be like if Olaf would kill Anita. Edward is scary, but he would be off the charts in this case.

Olaf was beyond creepy in this one, he moved officially to scary. His obsession with Anita his now off the charts. The greeting between them and the interaction later at the hospital are enough to give me nightmares. But no, Hamilton can't leave him like that, it isn't that he is scary enough, (view spoiler)[she has to make him a shifter. WTF!! I really think at some point no matter his skills someone should have just walked up to him and shot him until his brains leaked out. Harsh, yes, but then again it is Olaf. It is sort of funny that Olaf is now on the run because he doesn't want to become like Nick.

Also I am a little creeped out that Nick and Olaf know each other. That they are sort of fans of the others work. That really makes me want to know more about Nick, but also am glad that he is under complete control of him. (hide spoiler)]

One thing that I did like about Anita in this book is that she really and truly don't care what people think of her. She keeps getting so much crap from one of the Marshall's, but she keeps putting him in his place. Some of the things that she was getting questioned about were somewhat valid, but so much was just petty jealousy based on rumors. But I do wish that she would quit over thinking things. She has to talk things to death.

It drives me nuts how Anita keeps collecting men like crazy. But with this book I have come to realize that for some of them it is better for them. It seems like these new men are ones that are ostracized in their current packs/groups. There is nothing wrong with them other than politics and they are just looking for a place to belong. St. Louis seems to have become that, a place for these odd ball shifters and vamps to be welcomed, that they all seem to get more powerful is just a bonus. Maybe soon their own people will start to value them.

Darcy, I agree with your spoiler about Olaf...I have said that so many times! I also really enjoyed this book and am interested where she will take the next one.

(view spoiler)[ I almost think it was too easy to get rid of The Mother of all Darkness. With all the issues with her in the past she defeated her so easily once she posessed a body...seemed a bit like a cope out bur I guess I don't now what else I would have done with it either. (hide spoiler)]

I took an instant liking to Ethan so that is probably the first gut she has collected in awhile that I wasn't like "Really? Another one?" Of course most the other guys have grown on me by now.

Angela, I agree with you about your spoiler, it was very anti-climatic. Also your thoughts about Ethan were the same as mine.

Yeah, I was a little disappointed with certain spots in the book but overall I was impressed

I should finally get this one in this week or next. I dropped the ball on getting my hold put on it quickly.

Well, I'm just going to jump on the "in-agreement" wagon. I liked this one. I felt like it was well balanced between fights and the sex instead of overrun with Anita's unhumane and almost inhumane sexcapades. This one was more focused on the plot. The last one killed me because I got clausterphobic with her being underground the whole time. This time, scenery changed, situations changed... etc. etc. I do agree that I expected more out of the ending and I was shocked that (view spoiler)[Olaf is a shifter. LKH is building up to their fight, but she had to make it harder now that Anita is gaining abilities. I'm going to hate that book.
I love that the marshal boys were all back together, but I also missed the main characters. There's not even a phone call in this book, just a few vauge mentions. Where was my fav. wolf? Or even Richard? Asher? JC got a mention a few times, as did Nathaniel and Micah, but it would have been nice if one of them had shown up as her guard. I vaugly remember the other boys. If I had re-read then I'd have been fine, but with a year between books, it would be nice to have at least one scene with the boys, even if it's at the end. Them greeting her at the plane would have been enough for me. It's nice not to have all of them all the time, but I like it when at least one of the originals drift in. I'm sure she did it for Ethan to have his moment so I'm not pissed or anything, it just seems to be my only disappointing moment. (hide spoiler)]
I think it's funny that I was having fun reading it, but wasn't going "This is AMAZING!!!" or anything, but the minute I got to the end I said, "WHAT??? NO! It can't end! Keep going!" and then stared at the pages for a few minutes expecting the book to magically sprout new ones.

I frequently have those "Wait, there are going to be new pages right? Maybe if I just wish hard enough...." moments

So, I wrote a response to someone's comment about everyone who bitches about Anita and the promiscuity. I then deleted it because I realized that nothing I said would change her mind.

One of her arguments was that we were all American's from red states.
My response was:
I grew up in a blue state, and even then a chain-bang wasn't socially acceptable. I'm sure more people are open minded about reading about one, but not that many would line up and allow 15+ men to have sex with them in one night unless that's there given profession.

I went on to mention that if the sex has a plot roll then whatever... I'm not going go out and attempt the scenes, but at least they're advancing even a minor plot line. But, writing scenes just to see if Anita can bend her body in a new way, defeated the point of the series having "Vampire Hunter" as part of the title. If it's just Anita Blake, than the author can go anywhere she wants, but since it's Anita Blake Vampire Hunter, she has to actually crawl out of bed, pull her skirt down and hunt something at some point during the story. (Another of her arguments had to do with the fact that an author is a creator and can therefore do whatever they pleased.)

I don't think she realizes that, yes, the scenes are shocking for some of us, but the biggest issue is that we fell in love with a vampire killing machine. We kept reading because of that. So yes, I'm a little let down where the vampire killing part is second shifted for Anita the blow-up doll. If the hunting stays primary, then Anita can have 30 people in bed. I don't agree with it, but that's the authors prerogative. When I get to the end of a book and feel like LKH has said, oh ya, we needed a fight so here you go... I'm pissed. Meredith Gentry has a lot of sex too, but Merry's trying to get knocked up so at least there's a plot connection, although, it's frequently vague without looking at the overall picture. Most people don't complain about the sex in those books. It's all about purpose. Sometimes the Anita series nails it, sometimes it doesn't. (Pun intended.)


*Apparently I've come a long way since I actually used the phrase chain-bang in a sentence.

Good assessment of the current Anita books Heather. I really don't know why the red/blue states were mentioned. I never learn which was what. But it did sound as though the woman you are writing about meant it as an insult. Not cool. I've often say that I like a little sex with my story, not a little story and almost all sex. But there are readers who like the way the Anita books are being written and that doesn't bother me. Now back to the red/blue thingy. Is blue promiscuous and red sexually repressed or vice versa?

Blue is democrat and red is republican. Apparently if you're a democrat you're a sexual deviant and believe in the devil. If you're a Republican you hate poor people, never have sex, and it's all God all the time.
That's the stereotype at least.
Some books are erotica, and that's fine. But, when you start a series squeaky clean and then move to erotica, you just shock a good portion of your readers. That's why everyone fusses so much. The change was too drastic.

I'm about to start book 3. I loved book 2, but there wasn't enough Jean Claude for me. I don't know why but I stinkin' love that guy.

Good luck.
He comes and goes depending on the plot of the story.

So...I don't like Anita. At all. And I found that even constant action is really boring if there's nothing to balance it out (especially if its a pretty safe bet that nothing too terrible is going to happen to the main character). I don't think this series is for me. I also REALLY hated Larry. I don't think I know of the last time I hated a character so immediately and completely.

Tya, I know what you mean about Larry. I used to really like him, but with this book, he is showing his small mindedness.

Ummmmm I started the first book this morning and ummmm Idk. It's actually not that good but I must finish it. Also the rat scene what the very loving blankity blank.

Okay about 70 percent into Guilty Pleasures and I'm getting kind of sad because I have heard and also guess at some stuff and if I end up liking Anita even though she is stupid at the most stupid times it will not be the same strong willed Anita in a few books. How is her other series? It is a better investment?