Hit List by Laurell K. Hamilton

Hit List by Laurell K. Hamilton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I'm beginning to realize the reason I still read this series, is because it's still fun to criticize how a wonderful series and SO BAD.

About 12 books ago, it was a superb series. This time I picked it up keeping in mind I was in for some porn.

I was wrong.

Yes, Anita is still a slut.

Yes, the ardeur (book destroyer) is still around.

But this was more like the old books. A little bit anyway.

In this book there was ONE sex scene. Would you believe it? For Anita Blake? AND it was a very tame one too. Of course if Laurell is writing only one sex scene to go in this book, she wouldn't make it all the same, so she picked a new guy to add to Anita's man collection.

It has more of Edward in it. I think she was aiming for something similar to Obsidian Butterfly but failed miserably.

Edward in this book goes only by reputation. Everyone is scared of him. Though he is present in the whole book, only once he shows up with a kickass weapon. The credit goes to the weapon, not the person using it.

What I didn't like about this book:

* To make Anita sound so smart, other characters get really dumb down. I'm sick of reading lines like: "But that's not what we learned in the lectures."

* Why the f*** doesn't somebody kill Olaf? He is an awful person, and everyone has been told that if he really kills Anita, Edward will kill everyone else. So why wouldn't they all just kill him and save them some a lot of hassle?

* The long conversations between foreplay and the sex. Get on with, for god's sake. You can't even skip the sex scene because Laurell might drop something important in the middle of it.

* The bad guys have a change of heart right when she is captured? I didn't get that.

* And last but not least, Anita has got all these mad powers, and she never develops them. She is a necromancer, and she can control vampires, heals them. But Ash is still scarred. Stops there. She has all the lycanthrope DNA. What does she do with it? She pictures tigers inside her head. What more do you ask? Once in a while it will heal her. Once in while it will give her a sense of smell. But only when the plot calls for it.


Why 3 stars?

I don't know. I guess if you have kept on going with this series this far this book is much better compared to the last books.


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Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

Nightshade by Andrea Cremer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It's really 2 1/2 stars. That is all for the first half of the book.


I felt cheated by this book. I was so excited when I first started it. It was beautifully written. Calla is this poweful warrior, who holds the loyallty of her pack. She sounded strong. I liked how the author made us wait a few chapters before explaining the worldbuilding to the reader. That was another element that made me have late nights, just so I could find out a bit more.

She's meant to marry Ren. I liked everything about him. Yes, he was (horny) dating other girls. But he's seveteen so I don't blame him. Calla didnt seem to care. She saw as marrying him her duty, and she liked him, but she didn't like him enough to be jealous. She was fine with that until the union, and I was happy she rejected him while she wasn't the only one with him. But once Ren made the decision that he would be with Calla only, even before their union, he stuck to it.

Now, I really don't understand Calla's attraction to Shay. The whole book was cringing worthy, because of Shay. He was pathetic really. He saw she was with another guy, why on earth would humiliate yourself to ask to have a private conversation with someone else's girlfriend?

From there things just went down hill. I hate cheating, so I really started to hate Calla. Especially when she was cheating with Shay. Urgh. For someone who had never kissed before, she was becoming pretty slutty kissing two guys.

She went from a powerful warrior to a cheating bitch.

I'm not such a big feminist, but when someone says "Sit on my lap, woman", a strong warrior would have responded with a right hook, but instead, the powerfull warrior and alpha female, just does what she's told.

It ended with a cliffhanger, and me liking Ren more and more. I would read the next book (only because I devore all books), but I wouldn't recommend it to my friends.

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First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones

A smashing, award-winning debut novel that introduces Charley Davidson: part-time private investigator and full-time Grim Reaper.

Charley sees dead people. That’s right, she sees dead people. And it’s her job to convince them to go into the light. But when these very dead people have died under less than ideal circumstances (i.e. murder), sometimes they want Charley to bring the bad guys to justice. Complicating matters are the intensely hot dreams she’s been having about an Entity who has been following her all her life...and it turns out he might not be dead after all. In fact, he might be something else entirely.

This is a thrilling debut novel from an exciting newcomer to the world of paranormal romantic suspense

Charley Davidson is the Grim Reaper. The Grim Reaper.

Yes, I know what you're thinking. This is another 'I see ghosts stories'. But it's a damn good one! The way I see it, there are many ways to tell a story. And Darynda Jones does a spectacular job. I was hooked from the first chapter.

Charley is funny, and doesn't take herself serious. She has a bad case of ADD, that makes me laugh out aloud.

Somethings in the story didn't make sense to me, as in, how can she have a crush on someone who threatened to rape her. But then I figure, she is so weird and different, that it became understandable why she doesn't see things quite the way I would.

The story is sexy, sometimes light, sometimes just damn roll-on-the-floor-laughing-and-other-people-look-at-you-funny funny.

Congratulations to Darynda Jones for start out a series with a BAM!

Rating: 5 stars

White Night by Jim Butcher

I have been listening to the audiobooks of the Dresden Files Series, and I, being an aspiring author, feel more and more inadequate after every book.

The only cons that I have while listening to it, is that I also want to read the book, to see how Jim manages to construct his sentences so vividly, and sophisticated and at the same time maintaining the snarky sense of humour. I have had been in horrible situations that I listened to the book, while pausing and looking up pages to see how he did it.

I have tried to reading the books from beginning to end, and James Marsters voice continues to sound in my head, and I end up craving more of his voice. Thus, swicthing back to the audiobook.

Harry Dresden is a wizard in Chicago who can't stay away from trouble. This time he is brought in by a Murphy to investigate deaths of young witches in Chicago, and soon he finds himself in midst of the Vampire Courts power struggles.

At this point in the series, I have grown to love all the characters in it. Thomas, Murphy... I love Bob, a spirit that resides in a human skull, and loves to read romantic novels. I think he is hilarious. If anyone has read this series, and has reached this far out, they are bound to be an addict.

I usually read Urban Fantasy, with a touch of romance. I enjoy a first person POV. Usually a tough heroine going soft over a guy. The Dresden Files is the only series that I enjoy which doesn't fit my victim profile. Though, I have to say, I'd recommend it to anyone. Jim is an excellent writer, and he has created a world full of myths, and loving and hateful and livid characters.

I want to be just like Jim Butcher when I grow up. Just whithout the hair... and the beard, and the manly parts... Well.. I mean, I want to write just like Jim when I grow up.

Rating: 5 Stars

Review - Queen of Shadows by Dianne Sylvan

Meet Miranda Grey-music and magic are in her blood.

Overwhelmed by her uncanny ability to manipulate people's emotions through her music, Miranda Grey comes to the attention of vampire lord David Solomon. Believing he can help bring her magic under control, David discovers that Miranda's powers may affect the vampire world too...

I read this book last week  Mariya from GoodReads had recommended it some thread that I can't find any longer.

I had never heard of it before, nor of the writer. It was one of those books I could not sleep until I finished it. I absolutely loved it, and I was upset it's only the first one of the series and I have to wait another 6 months for the next one.

It's written on third person, it has PNR feel, but it has a happy for now end, instead of HEA. The style reminds me of Guild hunter series, and the story line reminds me of the Eternal Kiss of Darkness mixed with Chicagoland Vampires. It's still original (even though it's about Vampires),

Miranda goes through a traumatic event, and nearly dies. She kills her assaultants using her magic as n empath before being saved by totally handsome and badass vampire David.

David looks after Miranda while she recovers, and keeps her around while teaching her how to control her magic.

I'm a bit of geek myself so I love how David is an expert with computers. I loved that how he comes across cold (without showing any emotions) to anyone but he's not really he feels but it stays hidden except from Miranda and Faith (David's second in command).
I liked Miranda too. I liked seeing her grow, it did come across that she could be a very strong person, and she really did.

Even though, I was totally hooked on the romance, the book has a plot. It's dark, it's sexy, and it's full of action. It has that "destined to be" element, a powerful handsome hero, a heroine that grows strong, but has never been stupid or silly.

I only picked it up by pure luck, and I was glad I did.
5 Stars - Can't wait for the next one!