Rating: 
Summary: Cerulean Faux Pas
Review: I think that the greatest challenge in any series is to have the characters grow beyond the initial boundaries that defined them, characters that fail to do so are either poorly written OR are defined by that lack of growth (in this series, Richard who is rooted in self-hatred and always will be). Anita, through the first 8 books grew and changed and discovered more about herself morally and mystically... but she also stagnated. Several of the characters in the series have noted that Anita will change, make concessions and discover acceptance.. and then immediately snap back to the old starting points. So a change in that hyper-rigid morality is probably a good thing. On the other hand, I'd like her not to be a gun-toting bimbette, as she is in some ways in this book and the last. Yes there is the ardeur by way of explanation? But there's also a lot of romance novel worthy physical sex, which seems a bit beyond 'growth' for her. It's my hope that the next book in the series encompasses more of Anita's understanding of the various men she's bonded with, more of her coming to comfort with NEW aspects of those relationships (as opposed, y'know to the same ones she's dealt wih three or four times now) and, I would hope, an exploration of the metaphysical. We seemed for 3 or 4 books... heck more than that, to be building towards a realization of just WHY the council fears necromancers and just how powerful a triumvirate can be. Perhaps it's time to wrap up some of the more soap opera worthy plot lines (i.e. Richard) and move forward with exploring those new ones. It's worth reading for the teasing glimpses of an Anita that doesn't completely hate herself, but all in all the promises of this book can be numbered equally bad and good. It continues the trend of Narcissus in Chains, which makes it two disappointing follow-ups to the best book of the series 'Obsidian Butterfly'.
Rating: 
Summary: Anita At Her Best
Review: Before I purchased this book, I read all of the reviews on this site. After doing so I was worried that I wouldn't enjoy it. Now that I've bought and read this book, I feel like I need to comment here so that others won't be turned away from this book. This book, and Narcisuss in Chains before it, have taken Anita into a much darker and sexually charged world. And I am loving every second of it. This seems like a natural and exciting progression for her, and all of the other characters. If you're a prude, don't read the books. It's as simple as that. But if you've grown to love all of the characters and this world as much as I have, then dive in and hang on. You won't be disappointed.
Rating: 
Summary: What went wrong?
Review: Only 3 story lines - all of them too weak and undeveloped.
The crimes - fit Olaf, but he is never even mentioned.
Lack of connections to earlier books.
She no longer carries guns.
A LOT of POINTLESS talk, litle action.
Most of the time she spends in bed - ... and being sick after it, instead of doing something useful with her time.
The [physcial activity] is impressive, but no amount of [that] can capture you for 405 pages. And if I wanted just [[physcial activity], I wouldn't be paying [money] for Anita books.
The big threat of the story is not convinsing at all. Just not scary. And almost doesn't do anything.
Jean-Claude became a boy scout!! Toothless, No evil plotting, no nothing. In general - "All Anita Wants Anita Gets", and "I Won't Do It Because You[Anita] Would Be Upset"!!!! IN EVERY SITUATION!
Discussion of the 4 mark - ten lines! No real discussion at all.
Story line with the Were-Pards - almost non existant.
Basically - She should have worked on the book for at least 6 more months. It's undeveloped.
DO HOPE THAT THE NEXT BOOK WILL BE MORE WORKED ON!
Rating:
Summary: ahhhhhhhh
Review: LKH does it again. Thank goodness for an author who can consistenly put out interesting books, each with a new spin. Lately it seems that authors with series just keep spitting out the same book over and over again. Of course, even if it was the same book over and over again, the main character would make it worthwhile, she's a necromancer and succubus with a leopard beast inside her. How awesome is that!!
Rating: 
Summary: Eh?
Review: Okay. Anita Blake has undergone some serious changes since Guilty Pleasures. She still has the same humor as before and she still deals with things that go bump in the night, but now she happens to love and care for some of those things....Okay, many of those things. =]
The subject of the supernatural is basically what made Hamilton's previous books so enticing for me. I'll agree that now I do miss the added mystery that has slowly started to leak away from the plots, but what I've read in this book makes up for that by far. The view of the vampire world is broadened a little in this installment, as a few of Belle Morte's line drop in for a visit and force some pretty interesting changes for Anita, as well as revealing something about Jean-Claude that is just downright surprising. Add that to the fact that I'm waiting for Anita to pick the person she's really going to love, this book was very fascinating. Also, there is some major foreshadowing in this book, and it's sort of like Anita is unconsciously gathering her troops and power for some big showdown with "Mommy Dearest," a very dark and scary vamp that's been sleeping for years. It's almost as if Hamilton is promising some sort of war among the non-human creatures, and this vampire's awakening is the starting point. By the way, another candidate has dropped into the running for Blake's love again, one that I find is most interesting. I, personally, am not annoyed by the fact that Anita has so many lovers now. In fact, I think that many of them are attracted mainly to the power she holds, and will continue to stay in her life if she rejects them because they want to be close to it. And after, she won't be so promiscuous (or I predict she won't). So, for those of you that have recently been unsatisfied with Anita Blake, take some time off from reading and don't be so uptight. She's still there.
Rating:
Summary: Look Deeper
Review: Anita has become something of a sexpot in recent books, much to her chargin. She hates the slippery slope her morals are on but is forced to go around them in order to stay alive. This was made apparent, to a sickening degree, in Narcissus in Chains, the previous Anita book. In this one, the moral ambuiguity she is losing herself in becomes more ambiguous. But what this book does is set up the next one. By hinting at a threat that is not addressed directly, Blake is set up for one of her biggest confrontations. One that is likely to either bring her into total depravity or that will free her from the moraly mucky-muck that she's become wrapped up in and let her be herself again.
Certainly, not the best Anita book (that was Blue Moon). But not the worst either. You just have to be willing to look a little deeper.
Rating:
Summary: When's #12???
Review: I broke with tradition and read this book FIRST . . . and I couldn't wait to read the others to catch up on all the details and intrigue, then I read it again and enjoyed it all the more!! Extremely well written, complex, and utterly captivating. Anita has grown and changed through these eleven books, and like the rest of us, her experiences change her forever . . . Other reviewers seem to lament the "loss of Anita", but she isn't lost - she's even more gutsy, brainy, confused, and loveable as ever. Every book gets better, and Ms. Hamilton gets deeper and deeper into the psyche of all the characters with each subsequent novel. Bring on #12, and #13, and #14 . . .I want to grow old with Anita, Jean-Claude, et al.
Rating:
Summary: Ummm, Rewrite Please!
Review: Ok, I love Hamilton's books. Her creativity is boundless, and her characters fly off the pages. But this book was so one-dimentional and I was really dissapointed. I gave it two stars because even though it's kind of a let-down, it still manages to nudge the story along and you should read it if you want to keep up with the series. But it's a total "filler" book. There is tooooo much pointless sex, (most of which is totally pointless to the story). Enough with the ARDEUR crap! If Hamilton wants to write porn, she should just get on with that. And don't get me wrong, I totally love good sex scenes, but in this book they took over to the detriment of a decent story line. Hamilton's signature preternatural crime hook suffered badly here, becoming almost an afterthought to the Anita's being in constant heat. I mean phleaz! Get the woman a vibrator already....
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: I was disappointed in this book and regret that my first review of an Anita Blake series novel will not be flattering. To offset this, I will revisit the earlier novels and write a more apt review for the series. First off, I found this novel less entertaining than Narcissus In Chains. The plot was weak, non-directional, and did nothing to develop the main characters. The only redeeming quality it had was to leave the door open for future story arcs. This, in and of itself, is something of a weakness also, as it leaves the resolution of the story is somewhat flat. The basic plot of Cerulean Sins does not even follow a previous model, as nothing really happens. Oh, there is the office scene at the beginning with Anita interviewing a rather unsavory client that Bert sent her way. In this case though, there was little follow up to it, even though she initially took the case. There seems to be a lack of focus, almost as if it was rushed to publication, without regards to direction. There is not a good supernatural mystery, as so little time is spent developing the story, almost as if Hamilton was sleepwalking through the composition. This is not to say there isn't a supernatural mystery, it is just that it is more of an afterthought than an important aspect of the plot. There are some new characters but they lack the depth of character development that was present in earlier novels. Overall this was a weak effort on Ms. Hamilton's part. It is perhaps an indication that she is losing interest in this series, or perhaps an indication that she is very busy with her new series. Though I will purchase this book, when it arrives in paperback, I can not honestly recommend this book to anyone but a truly hard core Anita Blake fan, and even then I can only recommend it in the hopes that it is a prequel to a better novel, a deep breath before you plunge in to icy water. Some Plot Items
- not really spoilers - Some baddies come to town threatening Jean-Claude's power base.
Richard continues in his self-righteous meanderings, but seems bent upon self-destruction.
Some people tail Anita.
Anita questions herself about her own monstrosity, though not convincingly.
Anita gets angry and threatens some people, disregarding the political situation.
Edward does not show up.
Ronnie does not show up Some more plot items
-- may contain spoilers -- Sergeant Zebrowski is more professional than Lieutenant Storrs.
Anita does not kill a master vampire.
Jean Claude begins to come into his own.
Asher and Jean Claude are again intimate.
Anita is forced to take another partner.
Rating:
Summary: Highly Enjoyable
Review: First of all, if you have not read any other Anita Blake book do yourself a favor and read Guilty Pleasures first. This is not the type of series that you can just pick up in the middle. Also be aware that this series is full of intense violence and sex, along with action, wit, and romance. If you liked Sigorney Weaver in Aliens then you are going to love Anita Blake! For those that have read the other 10 books, CS picks up where NIC left off and continues on in much the same vein (so to speak :-)). If you absolutely despised NIC you probably will not like CS. I thought NIC was pretty good and I liked CS even better. What I loved about CS:
I love the way the characters continue to grow and develop in this book. In so many series, the main characters either stagnate or become caricatures of themselves as the series advances. But in the Anita Blake series, the characters are becoming more real and complex. It's wonderful! It's so much fun to think about what the real motivations are and where these characters will be heading. Even Richard has begun to grow and I must admit I still have hope that he and Anita will form a relationship that will be even stronger than before.
I also loved the sex in this book. I thought there was just the right amount of sex and it was very erotic and well done. I never thought I would like the fact that Anita is having sex with more than one man but in CS the sex seemed very natural and relevant to the book. So many people have criticized how much sex is in CS that I went back and counted the pages. I counted approximately 27 pages of sex (in the French sense) being described. If you add in all prose of an erotic nature you probably come up to about 50 pages max. 50 Pages out of 400 does NOT seem like an excessive amount to me! Please keep up the good work Ms Hamilton (and could you try to include Damian somewhere :-)). What I didn't like about CS:
Although the book is highly readable and enjoyable I saw many signs of sloppiness. The plot was rather weak and at one point there was a time disconnect. The book end B plot was not well integrated into the A plot which made it feel disconnected and abrupt. Finally, the use of a dues ex machina (once again a major character effortlessly acquires a new power) to resolve the A plot seems lazy. Please Ms Hamilton, this series is too good to shortchange it this way. Give us a plot like Guilty Pleasures along with the character development of CS and you will have one outrageously fantastic book!
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