Bloody Bones and The Killing Dance by LKH ponderings.

(Going for a non-spoilerish note in this one)

Yet another review on the Anita Blake series – I love it when I can marathon a series this large and find myself not bored with the characters or story. Bloody Bones finds us in a different location – facing down a different Master of the City… with all new problems at hand.

We go to a new location (Branson) because Anita has been asked to raise several corpses for a law firm who wishes to purchase the land, but needs to know if it belongs to the Bouviers. We also encounter another crime solving issue – murders have been happening in the area, and Anita is called in for her expert opinion.

Honestly though, what interested me the most in this novel would be the vampire portion of the book. We meet the Master of the City Seraphina… and we finally find someone who nearly gets Anita Blake – all because she can give Anita the illusion that she is her dead mother. I found this to be such an important thing in the development of Anita’s character… it’s nice to see that she isn’t invincible, that she isn’t infallibly, that some things can get her goat, so to speak. Of course, as with all vampire issues, they’re generally up to no good.

I also love the introduction of Faeries as a species in this novel. Magnus and Dorcus are both of the fae, and being able to see their power, as well has simply having the vampire world expanded is a wonderful thing. The more that Hamilton gets into all of the facets of her world, the more that I want to read.

Overall, the plot was amazing – the story was wonderful, and there was quite a bit of character development between both Anita and Jean-Claude. It’s yet another advancement in the series that makes me happy to be re-reading!

—-

The Killing Dance by Laurell K. Hamilton

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ah, the Killing Dance. On my little venture of re-reading the Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series, this was probably one of my favorite books. Not only did it have quite a few of my favorite characters in it, but it had some of my favorite character/plot development in it… and I’m not even sorry that this particular arc was one of my favorites.

Anita Blake, vampire hunter, is now herself a hunted woman. Who put the $500,000 price on her head–a man or a monster? It’s not just her own skin she needs to save; the rivalry between her werewolf boyfriend, Richard, and Marcus, the other alpha werewolf in his pack, has come to full boil. And there’s always Jean-Claude, the vampire who’s been waiting for just the right moment to slip inside Anita’s head and heart. Don’t assume anything, though–Hamilton’s probably got a few more surprises in store. (Taken from Amazon)

There is you a good little snippit of what the book is about. This book has so many elements in it that I love. First of all… Jean-Claude. I have been a softie for him since the beginning of the series. Secondly… Edward. It’s wonderful to see Edward in this, because I think it gives him a bit of character development – Anita is wanted, someone puts a hit on her… and they contact Edward to take the job. Instead of sating his curiosity for which of them is better, and taking the rather lucrative payoff… he tells Anita what is going on and chooses to protect her, as opposed to killing her. Even though Anita plays it off as Edward simply wanting to kill more things, I think it’s a bit of show that Edward does care about Anita.

This book also has the huge development of the Triumvirate. It’s something that joins Anita, Jean-Claude, and Richard very, very close… all those marks that Anita was trying to avoid, and she takes them willingly. (Albeit to save the boys lives… but still.)

Also, this book features Gabriel and Raina yet again, which is always a bit of fun. Don’t let anyone know I said it, but I really enjoyed their characters quite a bit.

Anyway, the main plotline of this book revolves in a few different ways. First, Anita dealing with the fact that someone has put a hit out on her. Secondly, Anita trying to heal a vampire named Sabin who is rotting due to the fact that he chose not to feed for the love of a woman.

There is also a HUGE relationship development that I simply will not spoil, but Anita finally chooses between her two men, and might I say it is a tasty, amazing choice moment.

Honestly, this is my favorite Anita Blake book overall… if I could give it more than five stars, I would. Go, pick it up. Read it. It’s amazing. *Shooos you off*

View all my reviews