Guilty Pleasures - Laurell K Hamilton

I had high hopes for this book, there seem to be loads in the series (15 plus) so finding a new author would have been good.......but it wasn't to be.

The story is told in the first person by Anita Blake 'Vampire Hunter' - but I hated her! She has no likeable characteristics and by the end I was hoping that she would be skated instead of the vampires!

Firstly she seems to have an identity crisis - she's a Vampire Hunter, and someone who can raise the dead (eg. zombies) - but she doesn't seem that good at any of it.  She's scared of everything, and doesn't even know how to do the things you'd expect - like use a gun, pick a lock or quickly kill a vampire!?  She also doesn't seem to know much about vampires!

Secondly, she's just not a nice person in anyway - why would I be even vaguely interested in seeing her live to the end of the book?!

I thought the True Blood books were badly written, but at least the stories in those are well thought out, logical and the characters are great. Guilty Pleasures is supposed to be the first in the 'Anita Blake Vampire Hunter' series, but I still know little about her or what she does - there is no character descriptions, the book just launches into a half arsed story about Blake having to solve vampire murders - which incidentally I'd solved by 214 (a whole 120 pages before Blake worked it out!!).

Characters are introduced but are instantly forgotten as they aren't given enough description or background only to reappear later - which makes keeping track of things very difficult.

To say I thought this book was a disappointment is putting it mildly - it's shit!  Which is a shame as I friend gave me it, she'd enjoyed it and thought I would too.  I'm going to get a second opinion from someone I know who reads a lot of vampire teen novels.

Given to me by Bob
26th August - 12th September 2011

Dead as a Doornail - Charlaine Harris

I admit it, I'm addicted!  I was going to wait a while before I read the next one - but I couldn't!

Having 10 of the books in the house makes me want to read them all back to back - but then I'd have to wait for more!  So, I really must read something else now.

Anyway, the storyline in this edition of the Sookie Stackhouse novels sees her brother, Jason, turning into a werepanther, Fairies, more werepanthers, shootings, two-natured, vampires and a few normal humans....things are really beginning to get silly, but I just don't care.

I'm a bit disappointed that Sookie and Bill still aren't together, he only makes a brief appearance in this book, but Eric is more than making up for the lack of Bill - and having the look of the actors from the tv show in my head as I read these books makes it even more enjoyable!

The story line centres around the fact that many of the two-natured are being shot, and someone has tried to burn down Sookie's house (with her inside) - there are lots of subplots, and interesting wanders too.

I know I'm looking forward to the next book, but I AM going to wait a while.

Bought from 'The Book Collection'
30th November - 5th December 2010

Dead to the World - Charlaine Harris

Everytime I read one of these books I say it will be the last, but this time I know it won't as I've actually ended up buying a set of 10 of them! And they really are so hard to resist!

This edition of the story sees Sookie looking after an amnesiac Eric, and helping the Weres, Vamps and other Supes fight a coven of evil witches who wish to take over the area.....

There isn't much more to say except that as usual it was an easy, quick and enjoyable read.  I just need to stop myself from reading the remaining editions too quickly.

Bought from 'The Book Collection'
27th - 28th November 2010

Club Dead - Charlaine Harris

I know, I know, I said I wouldn't be reading any more of these.......but I finished watching the second season of the True Blood on DVD and wanted more...

As with the first two this is really poorly written and needs a damn good editor - clunky grammar and sentence structure (and that coming from someone who is slightly dyslexic!).

BUT, the characters are fab and the story is great fun - like before I read this book in a day or so, and couldn't put it down.

Now looking forward to the third season (not on DVD for a while here in the UK), I'm undecided about reading the fifth book, but I'm sure I'll give in at some point.....it's like an addiction (but since when has a reading addiction been bad for anyone!?).

Bought on Green Metropolis

12 - 15th October 2010

Breaking Dawn - Stephanie Meyer

Well, it was inevitable that I wouldn't be able to wait for the paperback - especially since I'd heard that they were holding off releasing it as the hardback was selling so well (greedy bastards!).

So the final part of the Twilight series became my Christmas reading, and it took me longer to read this one than the others - and not because of the length, more as it just wasn't as engaging as the others.

The relationship sparkle between Edward and Bella just didn't seem to be there, and there was very little action until near the end of the book, I'd even go so far as to say that it is overly long. I'll not give the plot away, but needless to say the relationship between the vampires and the werewolves certainly takes a different turn; and of course Bella is under threat again (although this time she's able to defend herself!).

In fact I'm finding it difficult to think what exactly to say about this book except that it finished things off and left an large chance of more sequels. I did enjoy it, and if there are more I'll look forward to them as much as the others, I just hope Meyer can keep the word count down!

24th - 31st December 2009
Bought on Green Metropolis

Living dead in Dallas - Charlaine Harris

I said I'd give Sookie Stackhouse and her friends one more try, and this is the second book in the ever expanding True Blood franchise - but it is the last one I plan to read.

As with the first, I enjoyed it - but in a guilty, slightly dirty way. Afterwards I was left with the feeling that my brain needed some kind of disinfectant.

Having been introduced to Sookie the waitress and her boyfriend, Bill the Vampire, in the first book; the second gets down to business. That business is Sookie using her telepathic skills to help vampires solve crimes.

Flown to Dallas (on an airline that caters for vampires travelling in their coffins, and staying in a hotel which guarantees security in the daylight hours), the couple embark on a search for a vampire who seems to have been kidnapped by a bunch of raving loony religious nutters.

This book is just as badly written as the first, in fact if I'm honest it's probably worse. Try;

"Vampires won't go around in any Geo. Isabel waited until I'd buckled my seat belt (she and Bill didn't bother to use them) before pulling away from the curb, which surprised me."

Would that be that she was surprised that they didn't use seat belts, or (as it reads) that the car pulled away from the curb!?!

Anyway, with everyone (well, a couple of people) raving about the television series from HBO I've bought the box set of the first serious - at least the terrible writing won't be a problem (and hopefully they will have got a good script writer in!).

I'm now off to find something suitably intellectual to read - my brain deserves it!

Bought on Green Metropolis
4th - 5th December 2009

Dead until Dark - Charlaine Harris

I wasn't going to bother, I had a feeling that these books would not live up to the hype (or compare favourably with Twilight or the Anne Rice books) - and I was right!

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it - in a sort of sugar rush, silliness, non-brain taxing way. But I found it very difficult to get over the writing style. I'm not sure if it's just written very badly, or if it's not been edited properly, but some of the sentences were so 'clunky' and their meaning so difficult to understand, even with rereading a couple of times it was very distracting.

I know it's a bit rich to say this, but I found the whole thing so damn 'unbelieveable' - bearing in mind that you first have to get over the idea that the lead characters are a mind-reading waitress and a vampire!

Some of the things that the characters did (particularly Sookie, the main character) were just weird - why would a waitress go into a car park at night with a piece of chain to defend a vampire and expect to survive - if the vampire can be so easily overcome by the attackers what hope has she?

The main problem was that I just didn't care about the Sookie or Bill, or any of the other characters - the writer brings no dimension to them, there is nothing to make me want to know what they are going to do next or even if they survived to the end of the book - I just went on reading as there was nothing else to read at the time.

I'm going to give the series a second chance, I've ordered the second book - but to be honest I'm not holding out much hope. Maybe I've been spoilt by Twilight (which I'll be the first to admit is not a piece of great literature, but is well written and engaging nonetheless) and Anne Rice (again, not stunning literature), when it comes to my vampire reading choices?

Bought on Green Metropolis
20th -22nd November 2009

Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer

I was going to wait, but I couldn't....then I was going to take my time ready it (even reading something else at the same time), but I didn't!

The third book in the Twilight series sees Edward back in Bella's life full time, but with the complication of her close friendship with Jacob Black. It must be very difficult being so close to two men, both with very complicated 'conditions' - not to mention the fact that their types are sworn enemies.

But nearby Seattle is being ravaged by a spate of mysterious killings, and it looks like someone, or something is coming after Bella again.....well, she does attract them! The two factions must work together to destroy a common foe - before it manages to find Bella.

The interaction between the reserve at La Push and the Cullen family is great, I have to admit to loving reading about Alice, the vampire who loves to arrange parties and organise!

Only one more book to go, but I'm forced to wait as it's not out in paperback yet. It will do me good!

Bought on Green Metropolis 12th-27th September 2009

New Moon - Stephenie Meyer

Given how much I enjoyed the first book in the series, it's not surprising that I moved directly on to the sequel.

Although not quite as 'grabbing' as the first, this book was equally as enjoyable, and only took me three days to read - I really should ration myself a little more!

With Edward gone Bella doesn't know what to do with herself, this is much more of a loss than is normal for teenage love - she feels it so strongly that for a time she is unable to function normally and just wanders through life like a zombie.

Until she is re-acquainted with Jacob, and a friendship that starts to rebuild her shattered life.

But as you'd expect, Bella can't choose anyone simple to be friends with.....and Jacob turns out to be as dangerous a friend as Edward was.

I'm amazed at how good these books are, and sorry that they don't seem to have made the cross over to adult reading in the same way that the Harry Potter or His Dark Materials books did. The third in the series has arrived, but I'm going to take a break and read something else first - or at least that's the plan.....

Bought on Green Metropolis. 8th-11th September.

Twilight - Stephenie Meyer

I can't get over how much I enjoyed this book - I really couldn't put it down! Seriously, I was reading it in traffic queues and supermarket toilets!

The basic storyline of the book is a love story between two teenagers - it just so happens that one of them is a vampire!

When Bella moves in with Charlie (her dad) and starts at a new school she makes a few friends, but she soon notices the mysterious Edward - and he notices her. Despite being warned by various people they do start a relationship - with all the problems associated with the fact that he has to control his bloodlust when he's with her.

It's hard to put my finger on why this book was so compelling, it's written for teenagers so is easy to read - maybe that's why I read it in only a few days!

Part one of four, so more to come!

Bought on Green Metropolis. 31st August - 2nd September