Bloody Bones

 

Level: Explicit Lite

Genre: Fantasy> Urban Fantasy > Vampire

Obtained: Purchased at Border's

Reviewed by: Nic Echo

Cover:

I have to say that I really like this cover. First, I think it portrays the book really well: a mix of horror, romance, and sexuality. The photo also pertains to things inside of the book and although the photoshopping isn't perfect, it's still done quite well (much better than Circus of the Damned). The cropping draws your eye to it, and the colouring works well with its blue green hue (blue covers do tend to sell more). I'd say it's a great cover for the book!

About the Book:

A client has Anita visit Branson so that she can raise some zombies to dispute a business transaction. While there, she finds out something is murdering children and that Mr. Stirling, her client, is hiding some major information which can be potentially dangerous. Once again, Anita is finding herself surrounded by vampires and even something more unusual: fae.

Rating: 9/10 

One of my favourite Anita Blake books. Laurell K. Hamilton certainly manages to entertain once more. She creates a steady mix of mystery and the supernatural. Like many of the past Anita Blake books, this one also focuses on a particular creature (vampires for Guilty Pleasures and  Circus of the Damed, zombies for The Laughing Corpse, and werewolves for The Lunatic Cafe). This time we get fairies (though we still see tons of vampire action). Honestly, I am just disappointed that this is the only time we get to see the fae in Anita's world. They were certainly interesting. Sure, Hamilton has the pretty type fae, but they still have a bite to them. She also introduces us to a much meaner looking type. Now, I will admit that I know very little about the sidhe, but from what I can tell (and what others have said), LKH does an excellent job at blending her world and the sidhe mythos together. I certainly enjoyed it and found them to be quite believable.

Then, we have the vampires. Bloody Bones have some of my favourite vampire villains. First, Hamilton introduces us to a new type of vampire (for her world, at least): one that can rot and later reform. Bloody wicked! Give me more! Also, I really enjoyed the way she introduced them. It was an introduction that stuck in my mind for years. Absolutely vile and I am extremely glad that it ended up having a lasting impact on Jason instead of just being glossed over. The other vampire that I found to be quite amazing was Serephina, Master of the City of Branson. First, she is actually older. Always nice to see a vampire that isn't young and pretty. Secondly, her animal to call is ghosts! I mean, how cool is that? Finally, I love how Serephina tries to win people over by promising them something that they truly desire so that they want to be taken and often end up going willingly and happily. That is a frightening thought. This also creates a great moment at the climax of the book where Serephina gets into Anita's head so that Anita will try to save her. What's even better is that Anita knows she cannot win against her. She pretty much wins through luck and a strong enough will to ask for help.

So Bloody Bones had some neat supernatural aspects, but what about the plot? Well, like the other books, the plot is fairly simple, but the characters and the world manage to draw you in. There was a few times that there was needless repetition, but not enough to really be annoying. What's more is I didn't see the characters getting hit with a case of stupid, and Anita actually figures out the murder case instead of the bad guy just telling her. Granted, this isn't the case with the fae plot, but in Anita's case, she is working with a new supernatural creature and took one class on them. She is bound to make a few mistakes and not connect everything.

Overall, Hamilton has managed to bring us another enjoyable junk food type book. Again, it's not the most well written, but it is fun, entertaining, and engaging. Laurell K. Hamilton has a gift and manages to get me to come back to these books over and over again. I would think that speaks for itself.

What I'm Reading Next:

     

Sookie Stackhouse Series/ Southern Vampire Mysteries

Level: Explicit Lite
Genre: Fantasy > Urban Fantasy > Vampire
Reviewed by: Nic Echo

About the Series:
It's the modern world as we know it except with one major difference: the preternatural exist. In fact, the vampires have only recently made themselves known to the general public. Enter our protagonist, Sookie Stackhouse. Sookie was born with an unusual gift; she is able to read people's thought. Although this can have its advantages, it is definitely a curse when it comes to being social and dating so  when Sookie finds out that she can't hear Bill's, a local vampire, thoughts she becomes intrigued and sucked up into the preternatural world. Soon, she finds out that not only do vampires exist but so do shapeshifters, witches, and fairies. She also comes to find out that the preternatural world is a dangerous place to be.

Rating: 6/10
I originally found this series through HBO's True Blood. I remember falling in love with the show and wanting to read the source material. Now, I knew that the books were drastically different from the show, but that also excited me. I was told that it was a wonderful mix of mystery and romance, possibly a replacement for the Anita Blake books. Sadly, I did not get sucked into Sookie as much as Anita, but I hadn't found them to be bad either. All in all, they were just there. I would say that the earlier books were definitely stronger but still nothing to write home about. The world started off interesting but soon grew stale, especially when the books started focusing more on the romance. Now, I have said in other reviews that I am not anti-romance, but neither was I the type to get lost in romance and Harlequin novels. Still, I have been known to oooo and giggle and hope for certain pairings. Yes, I will get with friends and discuss which pairings would work and why. Sookie never really got this reaction out of me. I never longed to talk about the series. Sure I have discussed who was best suited for our heroine, but I never hoped that a certain someone would win (though I did drastically pray to the literary gods that Quinn wouldn't stay with Sookie). Granted, I still seem to be in the minority here. Here is the thing though. Just because I am not in a tornado of feels doesn't mean that I can't enjoy a series. After all, I was highly invested in de la Cruz's Blue Bloods series and most of the romance there had me rolling my eyes!

The plot in  the Sookie Stackhouse books was merely okay most of the time. Of course, good characters can make a mediocre plot much more enjoyable, but I didn't even really find myself liking any of the characters (with the exception of Claude and early Eric). With the exceptions listed, I simply did not find myself getting too invested (and even then, barely) except a smile here and there. I wouldn't go so far to say that the characters were cardboard; I can see why many people like the ones they do. For me though, I simply didn't care a lot of the times. Still, I was easily able to put Harris' characters into scenarios and have an idea of what they would do. I could hear a song and think, "Yeah, this could pertain to Amelia," or "I can picture Claude dancing to this." They just didn't spark enough in me to enjoy the story. Now, I have a friend that says one of the reasons the books and the show are so different is because one is a mystery while the other is the drama. A lot of mystery novels focus more on the plot than the characters (makes sense), but the Sookie novels aren't exactly brain teasers, which means you need something more for support.

Overall, I would simply say that this was an okay series. The mysteries were simple (I actually ended up overthinking about the plots and creating lots of potential paths) and the characters didn't really interest me. As I noted earlier, I didn't find them flat and interchangeable (except some of the female werewolves), but they didn't really come alive for me either. I will say that Harris did create an interesting world and showed how dangerous it could be, but after a while, it was no longer new and no longer interesting. The romance was also a bore, but since I wasn't really invested in the tone or the characters, that makes sense. It does seem that a lot of people enjoyed the romance though so if that is something you like, I would say check it out, especially if you like your romance to be more than just girl meets boy and they get together. The End. In general, I would say that if you like urban fantasy with female protagonists, I would suggest checking out a book or two and deciding from there.

Dead Ever After

 

Level: Explicit Lite

Genre: Fantasy > Urban Fantasy >Vampire

Obtained: Borrowed from library

Reviewed by: Nic Echo

Cover:

I think I finally have seen a Sookie Stackhouse cover that I like. As usual, it still has the illustration, but this one is much better drawn and coloured. Sookie looks older so yay! no icky she looks like a teen on the cover. She's not floating, and her body doesn't seem to be an any extreme angles or missing appendages.  The glitter is also pretty subtle (you can't see it in the photo, but there is some in the skirt and in her hair) unlike Deadlocked which had too much. I also really like the bright colours on the cover. It draws me (and I would assume other readers) every time. It's also very well balanced and it's a lot of fun seeing all the supernatural factors.

About the Book:

It's the final installment of the Sookie Stackhouse series, and as per usual, Sookie has potential murder and danger to face, along with the always constant relationship drama. This time, several people are wanting revenge on Sookie, and it looks like she will need several friends to try to keep her from getting framed for murder. Meanwhile, she is still having major issues with Eric, and now ones have arisen with Sam, Is it because of the wish that was granted, or is it something else entirely?

Rating: 7/10

I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about this book going in as so many people were in a rage about how it ended (well, the romance aspect at least). On the one hand, I was never invested in Sookie's relationships, but on the other hand, I hadn't found the books overly enjoyable either. If the fans felt let down, how would I feel? Actually, I enjoyed it. Was it a favourite? No. Could I see me recommending it over and over? Not really. However, I certainly wouldn't say it is as bad as many would have you believe.

So what did I find enjoyable about this novel? To start off, it was a fast paced read. Harris managed to keep me turning the pages and wondering how the plot  was going to play out. It was also a lot of fun to see tons of characters coming back for the final show. I would also say that Dead Ever After wrapped up the series fairly well.

Of course, there had to be something I disliked about the book since I clearly did not give it a perfect score. Honestly, I cannot say there was a lot I disliked. Part of it was Eric's jealousy of Sam. Although it makes sense for his character, I couldn't help thinking, "Of course," when you find out about it. Plus, you can see it coming from a mile away. The other issue I had is when you find out who the villains are. A couple were more memorable from past books, but others ... well, I certainly hadn't remembered them. Of course, these books didn't exactly have a strong hold in my memory bank. If I am recalling correctly though, each of the villains, with the exception of one, only showed up in one other book. Luckily, Harris did let you know who they were later on so it  wasn't as if I was going through the entire book going, "Who is this again?" Other than that and the relationship subplots (more on the later), there was really only one other thing I took issue with, but that does cause us to delve into the land of

        

 At the climax of the novel, Sookie ends up getting captured by Steve Newlin and Johan Glassport. It turns out that Claude was the one behind it. Now, I had no issue with Claude coming back though it did feel like a trope that has been trod on too often. No, the issue that I had was that Claude had convinced both Steve and Johan to murder someone and try to frame Sookie for it. That's some pretty heavy stuff.  However, both Steve and Johan end up turning on Claude when they find out he is gay. Yes, Claude does use his powers to make them feel lust for each other, which I found both insulting and a bit stupid on Claude's part. Even so, Steve and Johan get so pissed and freaked with Claude that they actually attack him while he is driving, causing an accident and allowing Sookie to escape. Now, I realise there are plenty of close-minded people out in the world, but it seemed a bit of a stretch that they would completely turn on Claude when they found out he was gay (before Claude pulls his magic lusty trick). I mean, murder was involved! That seems like an awful lot of hate toward Sookie, but it is forgotten when ohmygawdthegay! appears. It just felt like a stab and an easy way out.

END SPOILERS

This leaves me with one more section to talk about before I wrap up: the romance. As you probably know, there had been a leak involving Dead Ever After, and there was an uproar in the community, especially concerning who Sookie had ended up with. If you don't know who and still don't want to know, stop reading now.

Let's cut to the chase, first. Eric and Sookie are officially over, and Sookie starts dating Sam. Now, a lot of people thought this came out of nowhere (both the Sam thing and even the Eric thing) and was out of character. First, I am going to focus on Eric, and I would like to start off by saying, "What?" I am completely dumbfounded on how the breakup came out of nowhere.  I mean, Sookie and Eric have been fighting for several books now. Okay, they love each other. Surely they can work it out. Sorry but even if they fixed the smaller issues, Eric and Sookie still had one giant issue that could not be solved if Sookie was to remain in character. After all, from book one, Sookie was saying that she would never become a vampire; that hasn't changed so you have an ever youthful Eric and a constantly aging Sookie. You think they have issues now? However, if you can show me examples that Sookie and Eric were meant to be, I would love to hear them.

That leaves us with Sam. Now, the biggest complaint I have heard was that he had come out of nowhere. I would have to agree and disagree here. Honestly, I had seen Sookie getting together with Sam very early on. There were plenty of hints; however, they were also pretty subtle. In this case, I can't say it comes out of nowhere. Sam always treated Sookie a little special. Both Sookie and Sam will get dirty and bloody when needed but rather have a simple and quiet life. Plus, Sookie can't read Sam's thoughts so extra point. However, the romance between the two went from so subtle that it was nearly nonexistant to full on heart pounding and sweaty bodies with no transition. It was startling to say the least, and there really should have been more time given to it. Bigger hints, at least. Now, I figure that Sam decided to carpe diem a bit more after he died and what not, but Harris really should have built up to to it through the books, even if it was only one book beforehand. It was just too jarring this way.

END SPOILERS

So, all in all, I would say that Dead Ever After was an enjoyable read. The plot was fun, and although the basic outline was similar to the other Sookie books, it didn't feel like we had tread the same path too many times before. In fact, it was fairly fresh. The romance angle had its issues, but overall, it made sense for both the story and the characters. Dead Ever After certainly wasn't a book that went out with a bang, but for Sookie, I think a smaller, quieter closing works.

What I'm Reading Next:

Vamphyri!

 

Level: Explicit

Genre: Fantasy/Horror >Vampire

Obtained: Purchased at  Border's

Reviewed by: Nic Echo

So it's been forever and a day since I have posted, and for that I apologise. I could come up with a variety of excuses, but no, I simply did not feel like reading. It was one of those I enjoyed reading when I opened the book, but the thought of picking up the book was simply very meh to me. Bad reviewer. Shame on me, I know, and because of it, I am now very far behind on my Anita Blake reread. Anyway, on with the review.

Cover:

Like the Necroscope cover, this cover also easily conveys that you are about to delve into a book of terror. Although I personally do not like it as much as its predecessor, it is still wicked awesome. Even without it having the word Necroscope on it, you would be able to tell that it was part of the series. It's also neat to see the skull take on a wolfish appearance as many vampire lore has it where they can take on the shape of a wolf or have the ability to control wolves. Once again, we have a terrifying yet simple cover that is bound to bring in it wanted readers.

About the Book:

The UK E-branch had thought all of the vampire menace was eradicated. Boy were they mistaken. Not only is there still vampire spawn in the world, but it's in their very own country. Harry Keogh, nercoscope, finds this out when he learns more of Thibor's past and that Thibor has planted a bit of himself in a pregnant woman, resulting in the dreaded Yulian Bodescu. Meanwhile, they have the KGB getting in their way as they try to take out the source, causing more danger for our heroes.

Rating: 9/10

Before I go more in depth of my review, I would like to point out that this barely made a nine instead of a ten, and honestly, I felt that was more a personal choice than the book's quality. Really the only thing that brought this book down for me was when I was reading about Thibor's past (well until we got to Faethor). He was just very much the fearsome warrior, which is not something I find all that interesting so getting through that was a bit of a drag. Still, it was interesting to see where Thibor had come from, what he was like, and how he had become a vampire. It was also interesting to see the power play between Faethor and Thibor as both constantly try to come out on top.

Easily, my favourite bit of the book was when Yulian Bodescu was on the page as we got to witness his coming into power and his depravity worsen as his vampiric nature took a hold of him more. We also get to see the going ons of the E-Branches and Harry Keogh. Sadly, for reasons I am unable to divulge, Harry had less to do in this book and pretty much just went around collecting information. He still managed to have some major problems of his own though, which ended up leading to an amazing twist at the book's end. Brian Lumley certainly knows how to write some amazing climaxes. I guess that leaves us to look at the E-branches. This time, there is less of the UK vs. USSR as both want the vampire problem dealt with. Well, someone in the USSR E-Branch wants to use them and is still determined to get any information they can on the UK E-branch so the KGB start sticking their noses into the E-branch's affairs. 

Unfortunately, I don't really feel there is much else I can comment on when it comes to Vamphyri! as its good qualities and features are pretty much on par with Necroscope. Both are unique, but as Vamphryi! is the second is the series, it's not as new. Still, it leads us deeper into the world and its characters and still manages to have an entertaining plot that, while similar to the one in Necroscope, varies enough that it doesn't feel that we are walking the same path. Is it one of my favourites in the Necroscope series? No. Would I still recommend it? Hell yes!

What I'm Reading Next: