Friday, March 29, 2013

Review - Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King

Full Dark, No StarsFull Dark, No Stars by Stephen King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Audiobook, Unabridged
Published November 9th 2010 by Simon & Schuster Audio (first published 2010)
Challenges: Mt TBR Challenge, Colour Coded Challenge

Synopsis:
"I believe there is another man inside every man, a stranger . . ." writes Wilfred Leland James in the early pages of the riveting confession that makes up "1922," the first in this pitch-black quartet of mesmerizing tales from Stephen King.

For James, that stranger is awakened when his wife, Arlette, proposes selling off the family homestead and moving to Omaha, setting in motion a gruesome train of murder and madness.

In "Big Driver," a cozy-mystery writer named Tess encounters the stranger along a back road in Massachusetts when she takes a shortcut home after a book-club engagement. Violated and left for dead, Tess plots a revenge that will bring her face-to-face with another stranger: the one inside herself.

"Fair Extension," the shortest of these tales, is perhaps the nastiest and certainly the funniest. Making a deal with the devil not only saves Dave Streeter from a fatal cancer but provides rich recompense for a lifetime of resentment.

When her husband of more than twenty years is away on one of his business trips, Darcy Anderson looks for batteries in the garage. Her toe knocks up against a box under a worktable and she discovers the stranger inside her husband. It's a horrifying discovery, rendered with bristling intensity, and it definitively ends "A Good Marriage."

My Thoughts:
Wow, this is the first Stephen King book I have read in quite a long time and it reminded me of how I never seem to be disappointed in anything that he does.
Full Dark, No Stars is a haunting compilation of four short stories that all seem to centre around human nature and highlight what we could all be capable of as a species if provoked or pushed to our limits.
The first story, '1922', centres around a husband's attempt to stop his family home from being sold off by his wife and is a chilling tale of how our mind can play tricks on us when guilt eats away at our systems.
'Big Driver', the second story, clearly shows us what we can be capable of when pushed to our limits and when the notion of revenge takes hold.
The third story, 'Fair Extension', is a tale that every one of us can relate to who has ever had that one person in our life who seems to have everything and win at every opportunity, and who you may have harboured that tiny amount of jealousy or resentment towards because of it.
Finally, 'A Good Marriage', is a great story that shows us that even the most placid person can be pushed to do the unthinkable in certain circumstances.
I thoroughly enjoyed each one of these stories but have to say that 'A Good Marriage' was probably my favourite.
If you are a fan of classic Stephen King then you certainly won't be disappointed by Full Dark, No Stars. It's full of his trademark psychological horror and vivid detailing that enables the reader to get swept up in the story and completely visualise every aspect as it is happening.
Yet again, this book has ensured that King stays at the top of the list as my favourite author of all time.

Important Links:
Amazon
The Book Depository

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

WWW Wednesday (27th March 2013)


WWW Wednesdays is hosted by Should Be Reading.

To join in all you need to do is answer the following three questions:

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

I have to apologise for being absent lately but things have been very hectic around my place over the past week.

Anyhoo, here is what I have been up to lately:

* What am I currently reading? Currently I am alternating between reading The Hour of Predators and Fifty Shades Freed (Fifty Shades, #3)

I am also in the process of listening to the audio version of Life of Pi which just hasn't grabbed me like I thought it would.

* What did I recently finish reading? Recently I managed to finish reading The Selection (The Selection, #1) which I liked a lot more than I though I would and Seriously...I'm Kidding which actually made me laugh out loud a few times it was so funny.

* What do I think I'll read next? I have a large list that I want to read for April already but I think I'll most likely start reading January Justice: The Malcolm Cutter Memoirs (#1) as part of a blog tour.

What have you been up to lately?

Michelle

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Review - The Girl With the Cat Tattoo by Theresa Weir

The Girl With the Cat TattooThe Girl With the Cat Tattoo by Theresa Weir
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Kindle Edition, 103 pages
Published May 29th 2012 by Belfry Press
Source: Own copy
Challenges: What an Animal Reading Challenge, Ebook Challenge, Colour Coded Challenge, Genre Variety Challenge

Synopsis:
'For cat lovers everywhere, this sweet, quirky, and delightful romance is about a young woman and her matchmaking cat. A little bit of mystery, a whole lot of whimsy.

When a matchmaking cat takes it upon himself to find his young mistress a new mate, he accidentally stirs up memories better left forgotten.

Melody’s husband was murdered by what seemed a random act of violence. Two years later, the killer hasn’t been caught, and Melody is coping in unhealthy ways. During the day she’s a mild-mannered children’s librarian, but at night she’s a party girl, hanging out in bars, drinking with new friends, and often bringing home strange men. Although acquaintances have tried to keep in touch, Melody has cut herself off from most of the people in her old life. Max, her eccentric cat, doesn’t approve of her new friends, he’s tired of the parade of losers, and he finally takes it upon himself to find Melody a new man.'


My Thoughts:
The Girl With the Cat Tattoo was just such a fun read that was a great book for me to pick up in between some other heavier books so I could get a much needed breather.

This book is told entirely from a cat's point of view, which may make you go 'Yeah right?' and back away slowly, but trust me on this one, it's actually a really well written and fun read that also contains some serious topics as well as being just a little bit adorable at the same time.

Max the cat decides to play matchmaker for his human Melody after realising one day that she is getting nowhere with the unsavoury men she has been bringing home ever since her husband was tragically murdered two years ago.

Therefore, one day he decides to venture out into the big, wide world and eventually comes across a male human who he decides would be the perfect match for his owner Melody. The rest of the story contains some plot twists that are intriguing enough to keep the reader interested, as well as the romance aspect which isn't too sopppy to the point of it being too much to bear.

I'm not usually one for romance books but the cute aspect of this one being told from the point of view of Max the cat totally won me over and made me really wish that I could know what my animals were thinking a bit more.

Overall, this is a quirky story that has all of the right elements mixed in together to make it a quick and interesting read. I highly recommend it to anyone who owns cats or is an animal lover in general as it certainly brought a smile to my face while I was reading it.

Links:
Amazon: The Girl with the Cat Tattoo

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Bye Bye Google Reader

As you may be aware by now (or not!) Google Reader will be retiring as at the 1st July 2013. This means that any of you who follow me through an RSS feed in Google Reader will need to think about another way to stay up to date with my posts (pretty, pretty please :-))

To make it a bit easier for you, I have a couple of other ways that I can be followed, both of which are listed in the right sidebar.

The easiest way I can see for now is most likely Bloglovin' as they have a super easy way to import all of your Google Reader feeds into their platform. I just did it myself and was amazed at how well it worked.


Bloglovin is also great because they have an app for Android and iPhone that allows you to follow all of your favourite blogs on the go.

I am also on Bloggers which is a universal blog site. It's also a great place to find other blogs you might never had noticed before too!


As I said before, the links to follow me on either of these sites are listed on the right sidebar.

If anyone has any other great reader or blog following site suggestions I'd love to know about them!

I hope everyone had a great weekend.

Michelle


Follow My Blog With Bloglovin'

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Friday, March 15, 2013

Book Blast - Matt Archer: Blade's Edge

Matt Archer: Blade's Edge

When Matt Archer was fourteen, he discovered monsters are real. As if that wasn’t enough to go on for a few decades, Matt also found out that he’d been chosen to hunt those monsters--with a sentient, supernatural knife. Now fifteen, Matt has spent the last year working with a clandestine military unit, trying to rid the world of monsters, demons and other vicious creatures, all while keeping it a secret from nearly everyone he knows back home in Billings.

Including his mom.

Add in a new girlfriend, family secrets, sibling drama and enough homework to sink an aircraft carrier, and Matt’s life has become more complicated than he ever imagined. Worse, the knife has developed some very definite opinions about Matt’s personal life and it interferes in his business whenever it wants. More and more, Matt’s coming to realize that sharing brain-space with a spirit kind of sucks.

When stories of decimated towns and hordes of zombies start pouring into the Pentagon from Afghanistan, Matt knows he’ll be called up soon. Between the new mission and the knife’s increasing control over his mind, Matt wonders if he’ll survive long enough to take his driver’s exam.


Review Quotes for Matt Archer: Blade’s Edge

“Blade's Edge is an exciting continuation of the Matt Archer series. Kendra Highley did not fall victim to the sophomore funk. She has written an emotional and power story about Matt's horrific journey to rid the world of monsters.” –Kinx’s Book Nook (Amazon)

“I enjoyed Matt Archer: Monster Hunter to the point I was picking it up every time I had spare moments (which are few in my home), but MA: Blade's Edge has blown me away! Ms. Highley has crafted a story that comes to life with vivid images, exciting adventures, and thrilling mishaps that add a touch of humor (driving test, anyone?)” –Kelly C. (Amazon)

“"Matt Archer Blade's Edge" more than delivers what a reader wants from a sequel. The tension and action are taken up a level, as are the mysteries and plot developments.
Best of all, you feel the time passing from book to book and see the characters really grow and change.” –Picky Reviewer (Amazon)

“The Matt Archer books are the best young adult books I've read since I was a young adult! Think Supernatural for a younger audience, but better. I'll be ordering paper copies for my Favorites shelf. Not to be missed!” Sarah G. (Amazon)


Buy Links for Blade’s Edge:




Matt Archer: Monster Hunter

Fourteen-year-old Matt Archer spends his days studying Algebra, hanging out with his best friend and crushing on the Goddess of Greenhill High, Ella Mitchell. To be honest, he thinks his life is pretty lame until he discovers something terrifying on a weekend camping trip at the local state park.

Monsters are real. And living in his backyard.

But that's not the half of it. After Matt is forced to kill a strange creature to save his uncle, he finds out that the weird knife he took from his uncle's bag has a secret, one that will change Matt's life. The knife was designed with one purpose: to hunt monsters. And it's chosen Matt as its wielder.

Now Matt's part of a world he didn't know existed, working with a covert military unit dedicated to eliminating walking nightmares. Faced with a prophecy about a looming dark war, Matt soon realizes his upcoming Algebra test is the least of his worries.

His new double life leaves Matt wondering which is tougher: hunting monsters or asking Ella Mitchell for a date?



Review quotes for Matt Archer: Monster Hunter:

“Terrific page turner; I stayed up half the night reading it, and now I can't wait for the next installment.”  --Amelia Anne (Goodreads)

“The action is quick-paced, abundant and so much fun!!! I can't get over just how awesome of a read this book is; I can't wait for more!!!” --Danielle S. (Goodreads)

“I can't remember the last time I had this much fun reading a book. The eponymous narrator is a very likable and believable hero, the world is rich and detailed….
It has been a long time since I was a teenager, but I'm pretty sure that this book would appeal to an audience of all ages.” -- Misha B. (Goodreads)

“The action doesn't stop. Seriously! I was up until after 1am because I couldn't put it down!” --Riamachia (Amazon)

“It's funny - I thought I was too old for YA stories, and then I realised that I was just looking for the right kind of stories to hold my interest. This is one of those. If you're looking for vampires or angels or similar things that tend to make up YA novels at the moment, you won't find that here - you will, however, find something a bit more awesome.” –Sweartoad (Amazon)


Buy Links for Matt Archer: Monster Hunter:



Author Kendra C. Highley

Kendra C. Highley lives in north Texas with her husband and two children. She also serves as staff to two self-important and high-powered cats. This, according to the cats, is her most important job. She believes chocolate is a basic human right, running a 10k is harder than it sounds, and that everyone should learn to drive a stick-shift. She loves monsters, vacations, baking and listening to bad electronica.







Book Blast Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 3/2413

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the authors. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Tour Spotlight - Between Dark and Light by D.A. Adams



Synopsis:
The stakes are higher than ever in the fourth installment of the popular dwarven saga!

The Great Empire has surrounded the Kiredurks and are preparing to conquer the kingdom, but unknown to them, Kwarck, the mysterious hermit of the plains, has his own plan in action. To the east, he has summoned an elven army and charged Crushaw with leading them into battle. To the south, Roskin will gather an army from the fractured Ghaldeon lands. But to the west, an ancient and powerful evil stirs.

The Great War is about to errupt, if Roskin can overcome the Dark One...


Author Bio:
D. A. Adams is a novelist, a farmer, a professor of English, and in my estimation, a true gentleman. His breakout fantasy series, The Brotherhood of Dwarves, transcends genre and illuminates the human soul in all its flashes of glory and innumerable failings.

He is active on the Con circuit and has contributed writing to literary as well as fine art publications, and maintains his active blog, "The Ramblings of D. A. Adams". He lives and works in East Tennessee, and is the proud father of two boys, Collin and Finn.

His ability as a storyteller breathes life into every character, and his craftsmanship as a writer makes these stories about relationships; human or otherwise.

Author Links:




Synopsis of the rest of the Brotherhood of Dwarves Series Novels:
 
The Brotherhood of Dwarves
The dwarven saga begins... Roskin, heir to the throne of a remote, peaceful kingdom of dwarves, craves excitement and adventure. Outside his own kingdom, in search of fortune and glory, he finds a much different world, one divided by racial strife and overrun by war. The orcs to the south want to conquer all dwarves and sell them as slaves. The humans to the east want to control the world's resources. Caught in the middle, Roskin finds himself chased by slave traders and soldiers alike as he discovers that friendship is the best fortune of all. Just when he thinks he has triumphed, an act of betrayal sends him into bondage. His only hope of escape is the faltering courage of a disgraced warrior whose best days are behind him...

Red Sky at Dawn
The dwarven saga grows... Crushaw, Molgheon, and Vishghu have liberated the Slithesythe Plantation. They must make their way to safe lands before being caught and returned to certain bondage. Across the orc lands, they and Roskin recruit and train an army of freed slaves, for between them and freedom are thousands of well-armed, well-trained orc warriors. Near the Pass of Hard Hope, in the shadows of the eastern mountains, they make their desperate stand. But even if they succeed, Roskin's ordeal is far from finished, as he is haunted by visions of something awful back in Dorkhun...

The Fall of Dorkhun
The dwarven saga continues…

The Fall of Dorkuhn, the third installment in The Brotherhood of Dwarves series, continues the adventures of the dwarf Roskin. Having escaped slavery, and survived the Battle for Hard Hope, Roskin returns home to a kingdom divided by war with the ogres.

On one side, his father desires to restore peace. On the other, Master Sondious, hungry for revenge after having been crippled, seeks to escalate the aggression. Roskin and his friends hasten to the capital, to make a desperate attempt to resolve the growing rift, but unknown to the dwarves, new and powerful menaces threaten to destroy the entire kingdom...

Seventh Star Press Links:



Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Cover Reveal - Dreamscape by Christie Rich



 
Blurb:
Every night before Amelia falls asleep she makes a wish to dream of him – the man who calls her to their beautiful private oasis, her sanctuary where she is free of her greedy landlord’s threats. But tonight, he will not call Amelia to him. Tonight, another man will step into her world to claim her. Tonight, Amelia’s shattering reality will crumble - and disappear into the Dreamscape…along with her freedom.

When Amelia dreams tonight, her nightmare becomes her new world where Seth is her captor and anything is possible…except escape. Seth needs Amelia to break the curse that binds him to the Dreamscape. He must convince her that she was made to free him, that she was made to join him.

For if he fails, he will never escape his prison, and he will lose Earth to the Netherworld where the evil Erobos wait to consume the human realm and everything in it. If he fails, Seth will lose the one thing that matters to him: Amelia.

Author Bio:
I grew up daydreaming about fairytales, and my love for discovering new worlds has never died. I am not one of those writers who always knew I would write. I thought that was what other people did until one day a few years ago, I took a challenge from a friend and typed my first words. My journey has been wonderful, and I cannot imagine a day where I would ever give up writing now. My love for reading is what fueled my imagination in the first place and still does. When I am not writing or reading, I am enjoying family time with my husband and two children. We live in a quiet community under the Wellsville mountains in Utah, and I am so thankful for the rich life I have been blessed with.

Author Links:

Monday, March 11, 2013

Review - Making Marriage Simple: Ten Truths for Changing the Relationship You Have into the One You Want by Harville Hendrix

Making Marriage Simple: Ten Truths for Changing the Relationship You Have into the One You WantMaking Marriage Simple: Ten Truths for Changing the Relationship You Have into the One You Want by Harville Hendrix
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
208 pages
Expected publication: March 12th 2013 by Harmony
Source: Netgalley
Challenges: Ebook challenge, A-Z Title challenge

Synopsis:
'Welcome to the Relationship Revolution! Making Marriage Simple is the accessible, essential road map to building a strong marriage in the modern world. Bestselling authors Harville Hendrix and Helen LaKelly Hunt distill into ten essential truths what they've learned about how to create a successful and satisfying relationship—both from their decades of “R&D” in the marriage lab of their workshops, and from their own relationship journey. In each chapter, Harville and Helen introduce a simple truth—such as “a frustration is a wish in disguise,” “incompatibility is grounds for marriage,” or “conflict is growth trying to happen”—and then walk couples through easy yet effective exercises to help them apply each truth in real life, every day.

Harville and Helen have spent their careers helping couples transform their marriages through research, workshops, and counseling. But marriage—even for marriage experts—is never easy, and a number of years ago they found themselves on the brink of divorce. Harville and Helen put themselves back through the exercises they’d coached so many other couples through, saving their marriage and helping them achieve a true partnership.

This book is for all couples. It offers the practical tools needed to transform one’s relationship into a rewarding and joyous marriage. Written with humor, compassion, and honesty, and illustrated throughout with engaging line drawings, Making Marriage Simple is a strategic blueprint for creating a stronger, more satisfying partnership in today's world.'


My Thoughts:
I decided to review this book not because I have a bad marriage, but because hubby and I do have some annoying ongoing arguments that I really wanted to nip in the bud and rectify in a nice way if possible. Therefore, I hoped that I might be able to pick up some good pointers from this book to do just that.
Making Marriage Simple is arranged in short, to the point chapters that each describe a certain aspect or 'truth' of marriage that it recommends you think about and work on. After reading through each chapter there are specific exercises that you are then supposed to do as a couple to highlight and discuss certain factors that you can either work on together or that you can take note of and hopefully understand your partner a bit better.
I found that this book was very easy to read and didn't bog me down in too many details which I liked. There was also an underlying humour throughout the book which made it more enjoyable than a book that feels like a life lecture.
Working through some of the exercises really made us focus on each other more and also made a few issues that were underlying in our relationship be dealt with in a calm and positive manner.
I definitely recommend this book as a good way to overcome any issues in a marriage before they become past the point of no return. It's a lighthearted read that both husbands and wives could benefit from whether you are having problems in your marriage or not.

Links:
Amazon: Making Marriage Simple: Ten Truths for Changing the Relationship You Have into the One You Want

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Review - Fortress by Gabrielle Lord

FortressFortress by Gabrielle Lord
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Mass Market Paperback, 154 pages
Published March 12th 1982 by Ballantine Books (first published 1981)
Source: Own Copy
Challenges: Aussie Author Challenge, Mt TBR Challenge, A-Z Title Challenge

Synopsis:
'At school, the morning bell rang well enough. The children were cooperative and eager to help in preparation for the inspector.

Without warning, their peace was shattered by the appearance at the window of a grotesquely masked figure. It was the start of a forty-eight hour ordeal of terror for Sally Jones and her small band of pupils, kidnapped by a gang of sinister and sadistic men asking a cool million dollars ransom for their victims.

Sally's first concern was to protect and comfort the children but as their nightmare continued she became determined to escape and then, together with the children, to destroy...'


My Thoughts:
This book is a very fast read that I just hated to put down once I started it.
It centres around a young female teacher, Sally Jones, who is almost at the end of her rural posting in a remote town in NSW, Australia and her small batch of students and the frightening event of their kidnapping by some young men wanting to hold them for ransom.
What I loved about this story was that a seemingly weak group made up of a young woman and some children never have a moment where they give up hope or just await their fate in the hands of the kidnappers. They manage to overcome their fears and use all of their combined resources to do a complete about turn from innocent, unarmed victims, to savage and strong defenders of their lives.
I've seen a few other reviews that compare this book a little to Lord of the Flies and I think that is definitely a great comparison to make. This is one of those stories that makes you realise how we have the ability to become a product of our environment and that you have the choice of either accepting your fate without attempting to change it, or you can fight with everything you are made of and try to come out the victor.

Links:
Amazon - Fortress

Monday, March 4, 2013

Release Blitz - Devour by Andrea Heltsley




Description:

He wasn’t supposed to remember.

Callie is a royal vampire. She hunts by taking the blood from her victims and erases their memories afterwards. She goes undetected until a victim named Chase approaches her with all his memories intact. He is intrigued and attracted. She is terrified.  What happens when a human mixes with the immortal world? Chaos. 

Callie’s 18th birthday has passed and she is coming out at the annual blood ball. Will she find a mate or will she suffer the repercussions of her indiscretion? She is brought to the Vampire council and they must decide what to do with Chase. Do they kill him, or turn him to protect their secret?


Devour Playlist:

1. When Your Heart Stops Beating- Plus 44

2. The State of Dreaming- Marina and the Diamonds

3. Waking Up- One Republic

4. All Good Things- Mandy Moore

5. A Part of Me- Katy Perry

6. Fleurs Du Mal- Sarah Brightman

7. When It All Falls Apart- The Veronicas

8. These Times- Safety Suit

9. They Can’t If You Don’t Let Them- A Fine Frenzy

10. Ooh Love- Charlotte Sometimes

11. Original Love- Cassidee Pope

12. Timeless- The Airborne Toxic Event

13. Give Me Love- Ed Sheeran

14. Never Let Me Go- Florence and the Machine

15. Rumor Has It- Adele

16. Love Story- Taylor Swift

17. Amber Waves- Erin McCarley

18. Leave the Pieces- The Wreckers

19. Better Dig Two- The Band Perry

20. I Love You- Avril Lavigne

21. Zero Gravity- Kerli
 

Excerpt:
Present day

I sit in the bed cross-legged and gently bang my head against the bars behind me. The sheets are stiff and scratchy. The pillow is flat and the room is sparse. The only amenities accessible are a bed and a small, basic bathroom. Fortunately, I don’t have to pee in public. That’s something, at least.
My hair feels stringier than usual and the desire to wash my face with something other than plain soap is strong. It’s hard to believe how much I actually miss the normal creature comforts I’m so accustomed to. I don’t think I’ll ever take them for granted again, if I live that is.

Things have gotten desperate. I never thought something like this could ever happen, let alone to me. Due to the bizarre set of circumstances, I’m being held for possible treason. The thought that anyone would ever purposely betray our kind is unthinkable and makes me shudder.
Then there’s the fact that this is dragging two royal families’ reputations through the mud. That means I have practically ruined four council members in the process. I can’t help but be ashamed of myself. It’s not really my fault, but that doesn’t change the situation.

Being royalty brings with it so many expectations to uphold, but being a teenage vampire is what really sucks. Ha, ha sucks. Anyways, I digress. I close my eyes and let my mind take me back to a time when things were simple, before him.

I’m a biologist turned writer.  I write YA/NA paranormal romance books mainly.  I’m the author of Devour and have several more books scheduled to come out later in 2013. I book blog for fun.  I also have a strong addiction to caffeine and fruit snacks.  You can find me in Tennessee with my husband and two Italian greyhounds.
About The Author:
If you ask anyone, I’m a total fangirl!  I love the entertainment industry.  I love Revenge and the Vampire Diaries on television.  My favorite movies are Elektra and P.S. I Love You.  I have a definite weakness for Tim Burton movies too. I’m beyond a huge fangirl for Shakira, both her English and Spanish music; Jack’s Mannequin comes in a close second.   I have too many favorite authors to list, but Kelley Armstrong and Rachel Vincent are two of them.  I’ve read all their books J
 
Links:

Friday, March 1, 2013

Review - Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton

Guilty Pleasures (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, #1)Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Kindle Edition, 332 pages
Published September 24th 2002 by Jove (first published 1993) 
Source: Own copy
Challenges: Ebook Challenge, A-Z Title Challenge
 

 



Synopsis:
'Anita Blake may be small and young, but vampires call her the Executioner. Anita is a necromancer and vampire hunter in a time when vampires are protected by law—as long as they don't get too nasty. Now someone's killing innocent vampires and Anita agrees—with a bit of vampiric arm-twisting—to help figure out who and why.

Trust is a luxury Anita can't afford when her allies aren't human. The city's most powerful vampire, Nikolaos, is 1,000 years old and looks like a 10-year-old girl. The second most powerful vampire, Jean-Claude, is interested in more than just Anita's professional talents, but the feisty necromancer isn't playing along—yet. This popular series has a wild energy and humor, and some very appealing characters—both dead and alive.'


My Thoughts:
I had a few mixed feelings about this book while reading it. Although I thought the story was great and I loved the unique differences in some of the characters so that it wasn't just your typical vampire slayer story, there was something about the way it was written that just bugged the hell out of me.
Anita Blake is a very confident and seemingly fearless woman who doesn't like to take any crap and who loves getting in the middle of situations that she really shouldn't be in. There is also a definite soft side to Anita though which comes through in parts where she openly admits to being scared or gets upset over certain developments which made me enjoy her as a lead female character.
Anita is what they call an 'Animator' where she has the ability to bring the dead back to life in zombie form plus some other weird talents.
Anita is also very prominent and well-known in the vampire world as a slayer of their kind and is enlisted to use her contacts and skills to help solve a series of vampire murders that have been occurring. This mission puts her and some of her closest friends in quite a substantial amount of danger that Anita herself soon becomes doubtful that she can get out of.
The one thing I liked most about this book was the fact it didn't just centre on the vampire world but also featured zombies, were-animals of different types as well as ghouls and black magic. It was a supernatural mixed bag which is what kept it interesting and fresh.
I have to admit that I hadn't heard of this series until recently and didn't really look into it much before starting this book so I had a completely open mind about what I was getting myself into. After reading some of the negative reviews that are out there about the whole series I don't know if I'll continue with it myself but we'll see.
In my opinion Guilty Pleasures is much darker but still very similar to the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris, so if that series is one you found yourself enjoying then you should like this one too.

Links:
Amazon
The Book Depository
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