I discovered Anita while browsing Barnes & Noble during a stop-over in New York. I bought the first book of the series - Guilty Pleasures - and got immediately hooked. It took me about three days to finish the book. Then I stormed the next bookstore I could find to get all the sequels available. :-) Yes, I like Anita Blake that much! :-) I had to read all the following novels because I just NEEDED to know what's happening in Anita's life! :-) And it got juicier and juicier with every book...

In this book, introducing Asher... sigh... ;-)

Found on amazon.com, very well describes the book:
"Ms. Hamilton's plots are extraordinary, but the reason I am so addicted to the Anita Blake books is because of the characters. Anita is not the only one who has developed in a major three-dimensional way through seven novels. The other main characters: Vampire Master Jean-Claude; Werewolf Ulfric, Richard Zeeman; Larry Kirkland, vampire executioner trainee; Ronnie, Anita's best friend, and several minor personages have also grown, as have their relationships with Ms. Blake and each other. As exciting as the storylines are, I am constantly drawn back to the folks who people these novels. And the characters are what makes the series so unique and special.

"Burnt Offerings" has Sergeant Storr asking Anita for assistance with an outbreak of serious fires throughout St. Louis. Both Storr and Anita think the culprit may be a "firebug," a being who uses supernatural power to cause conflagrations. In the previous book, Anita, Richard, (her old boyfriend), and Jean-Claude, (her present lover), had formed a Triumvirate of power. In other words, when the three connect, they exude tremendous force and are able to do much more magic than any one or two can do alone. The three are still bound to each other, even though Richard is furious with Anita for dumping him, and jealous of Jean-Claude for obvious reasons.

Their Triumvirate has attracted the attention of the Vampire Council. This body of old and magically powerful vampires decide policy, and will condemn those who question their authority to a terrible undeath. They travel to St. Louis to investigate Jean-Claude, Richard and Anita, whom they view as a threat to their power. Some of these ancient beings have hidden agendas which make it almost impossible for our gang of three to survive the trials and tribulations before them. Anita is put in a position where she is forced to rescue not only friends, but enemies as well.

Ms. Hamilton's narrative is written with much flair and pizzazz, mixing fantasy with mystery, romance and dark humor. Her take on this derivative genre is a most unusual one. As I mentioned before, the characters and their relationships take precedence over the plot - which certainly doesn't suffer. The novel is chock-full of action, suspense and adventure, of the intelligent sort. Big pluses: introduced here are the Traveler, a Master Vampire who does not inhabit a body of his own, but moves from vampire to vampire, and Asher, someone from Jean Claude's past. The humor, dark as always, adds much to the novel....and there are plenty of laughs to counteract the violence. Overall, I cannot recommend this series enough. "Burnt Offerings" is the most complex novel yet."

Books #5 - #13 in the series will be made into a book spiral.

cathepsut (Egypt) / Intl.
Rianonne (AT) / Europe
sweetf (UK) / Europe
mikime (IT) /
CandyDarling FI / intl.
adeps (SE) / ???
joasik (NL)

Some guidelines:
1. Please journal the book when it arrives (so we know it's safe and sound with you), once you read it (to let us know how you liked it) and when you ship it off (so we know it's on its way to the next reader).

2. Please PM the next person in line before shipping the book off, not only for the adress, but also to ask if they are still interested in the ring! (please do that ALWAYS before shipping anything off, even if it's a book spiral!)

3. Try not to take longer than four to six weeks to read the book. But we all understand that sometimes life (and bookrings...) just happens. :-) In that case, please make another journal entry to let us know that the book is not forgotten.

4. Surface shipping is perfectly acceptable.

5. And the most important thing: Have fun!

RELEASE NOTES:

Travelling - together with "The Killing Dance" - to Egypt... Enjoy! :-)

Will get to it straight after reading The Killing Dance. The suspense is killing me....

*Clapping my hands in front of my eyes*.... nonono, not reading your summary, Moragaine, evil woman.....

Amazon.co.uk Review:
"When the vampire Master of St Louis starts an affair with the city's most notorious necromancer and executioner of vampires, it was bound to cause comment. Anita Blake finds out, that there is something even her lover Jean-Claude fears--and that is the Council, the body of old and magically powerful vampires who decide policy and can condemn those who question their authority to a lingering undeath of supernatural torture. Among their servants is Jean-Claude's ex Asher, who blames him for his disfigurement at the hands of the Inquisition and for the death of the woman they both loved--and Asher has a perfect vengeance in mind."

Anita's powers grow and grow. Never mind raising the dead. Dating a vampire, being alpha-female to a pack of werewolves, acting queen and protector of wereleopards and friend to some two-legged rats, where can she go from here? She has crossed the line from fighting the monsters to snuggling with them. Very erotic, violent, funny, disgusting, suspenseful... Actually, this is the first Anita Blake novel, where it took me more than a day to get past the first 100 pages. The main character is going through so many severe changes, that it affects the pace of the story. The series is changing from crime novels with a supernatural twist to not-quite-sure-what-yet. I can't wait to see, how the Anita/Richard/Jean-Claude triangle will develop in the next book. And I hope we'll get back to some real sleuthing and mystery solving...

9/10: Great book - just a nitpick stands between it and a 10.
My book #36 in 2006, first published in 1998; 392 pages; Total pages for 2006: 11,060.

Off to Austria, together with Killing Dance!

Arrived safe and sound in Vienna!

As I have a couple of other rings and rays ahead of this one, it will take some time till I come around to reading it. But I will give my best that it will be as soon as possible!

Wow, this installment of the series was packed thight with action! I really enjoyed how Hamillton is developing the possibilities of calling, building and targeting the power Anita has through the triumvirate. But it would be a pity to see her grow all-powerful.

Oh, I just have to know how the story goes on LOL

Received today..Thanks xxx

>>>>>>>>>>>
12/11
I'm up to page 100 and I'm really not getting into this one. I'm going to send this copy and Burnt Offerings on and ask to be skipped from the rest of the spiral..I'll probably puick them up again in a couple of years..THanks MOrhgaine for your generosity sharing these

I really enjoy reading these books. Another entertaining read in the series.

I will get the next address and post it off this week.

The Killing Dance and Burnt Offerings arrived in the mail yesterday. I can't wait to read these, but I have other bookrings ahead in my reading queue. Argh! :)

I'll edit this entry and add my review here later.

I'm finally sending this to adeps tomorrow. Sorry for the delay!

What a pleasant surprise! I am really looking forward to read more about Anita!

This book was just lying around for quite some time. Partly due to me being busy, but mainly due to the repetitive story which didn't grip me. A bit more gross and a bit more erotic, but no real development..

Sending to joasik tomorrow. Enjoy!

I'm so late registering this one. Sorry about that - was a bit of a hectic time. Reading it right now.

RELEASE NOTES:

Sent it back yesterday. Thanks!

Arrived safely back home. Thanks all!