More Anita. More sex. More people trying to kill Anita, more of Anita killing other people. More pouting and stupidity from Richard. A Jean Claude who is nearing maudlin. Jason begging (again). Nathaniel wanting rougher sex (again). Men and women both bespelled by Anita's cuteness and charm (again...and, yet, what?).

Basically, for followers of the series, you'll read it, because even if someone told you it was made up of only three 20-chapter sex scenes, you'd still read it. But please, do yourself a favor and borrow it from the library. At least that way you can save your money, even as you give up your common sense. ( )

We leave the city and vampires behind and Anita spends some quality time with her kitten, Jason. Good story and lots of twists that will lead to more complications in her life in future.

If you liked the first 5 books of the Anita Blake series, thought the next 5 were going downhill somewhat & thought the next 5 descended into romance & page counts, then you feel about the series as I do. If you thought the writing got poorer in the past few, we also agree. If you felt ripped off by "Micah", we still agree. In that case, don't bother to read this book. Seriously, keep the few good memories you have.I'm afraid that Hamilton has had it as a writer. This was the worst book I've read in the past couple of years. Certainly the worst one I finished. Why did I? Because I've read the all the previous ones & I skimmed a LOT with the forlorn hope that things would get better. Also, the book was given to me.The plot was poor & half the book took place in one hotel room. Bring lots of cheese, because all the characters do is whine about & to each other about their lives, feelings, relationships & powers. The only displays of the last are filled with remorse, anger & desire - but the last isn't even very well done. It's not even good soft porn. Basically, it's a very negative play of how to have bad, supernatural relationships & spend hundreds of pages whining about it. There is no suspense. Every possible suspense element is obvious & hackneyed. They're usually immediately revealed. One is saved for the very end, but it is so obvious that I knew it from the start & kept hoping for a twist. Didn't get it though. The book was nothing, if not predictable. I think Hamilton is just tired.Finally, I got to the last chapter which could have been a good book - should have been the book, with all the wasted pages beforehand edited down to a couple of chapters - at most. In a few terse paragraphs, all the action that should have been in the book is summarized in a very passionless voice. "This happened, that happened, end of story." Yeah, it's the end of the Anita Blake story for me. It's a shame. I loved the first books but I can't bear to read another. ( )

I finished this book on Sunday. It took me a little over a week to finish; for most of the book, I had to force myself to read it. I really don't understand why there would be a pair of scissors on the cover. Oh wait - now I remember, but the pair of scissors used was pretty small, not like the huge pair on the cover.

Some people might like this book. Except for 24 pages of suspense, unfortunately toward the end of the book, I really didn't like it much. If you like books about relationships, with lots and lots of dialogue regarding relationships and childhood memories, then you might like this book. If you like books with lots of dialogue, endless talking before, during and after the sex scenes, then you might enjoy this book. If you like most of your books to be the same, with similar arguements, disagreements, sex scenes, pointless episodes of Anita being challenged by macho men just because she's a girl, and the knowledge that no-0ne important to the main character is going to die, then this is the book for you.

Anita, Nathaniel and Jason start out the book with 4 chapters discussing, negotiating sex, and having sex. Then Jason and Nathaniel talk Anita into accompanying Jason to visit his dying father, who happens to be an angry homophobic who believes Jason is gay. Of course the trip goes wrong, Jason who looks like someone famous (along with half of the town), is of course mistaken for this famous person and they are deluged with the press and bodyguards of the famous.

There is trouble with visiting shapeshifters and Marmee Noir. There is trouble - again, who would have guessed? - with Richard. Anita suddenly is able to swallow Richard's rage. There is endless talking and angst, again. Then suddenly......

There is FINALLY some excitement when Anita and Jason are kidnapped. Anita has to get herself free, and save Jason. She gets to kill some vampires. This is within 24 pages, toward the end. These 24 pages are worth reading. These 24 pages prove that if LKH wanted to, she could still write a suspenseful, compelling book. I wish she wanted to a little more. I became nostalgic for earlier Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter books (rather than the more recent Anita Blake, Vampire Humper books). I feel like she is teasing her readers with this 24 pages. If it were only the added sex in the books, I think I could handle it, (even though it's been a little boring). What kills it for me is the ENDLESS TALKing. Before the sex, interrupting the sex, after the sex; before the danger, during the danger, after the danger; before the meetings (of anyone), during the meetings, after the meetings....you get the idea, right? Less angst, discussions and pointless confrontations, and I would have enjoyed the book more.

Here's hoping her next book (Skin Trade) has less angst, pointless arguements, and stupid confrontations. Here's hoping there will be more of Anita using her Necromancer skills, more suspense, more scary. But based on the current average reviews by readers, I am going to wait for the paperback of Skin Trade. ( )

I just have to keep reading this series; I keep hoping for a return to the total enjoyment of the earlier books, and Blood Noir does shows glimpses. Discounting the first few chapters – though I suppose the sex could be considered plot-related - sadly this book read mostly as padding. Whilst offering an insight into the depths behind the regular character of Jason there were only a few small snippets further developed in, and integral to, the complex density of what is now Anita Blake’s life.

The premise for this segment: Jason’s father is dying; Jason is estranged from his father; Jason asks Anita, with help from Nathaniel, to come home with him as his girlfriend, in an attempt to prove to his homophobic father that he ‘likes’ girls, and to possibly reconcile with his family. Simple, really. Against her better judgement, but unable to refuse a friend in need, Anita accompanies Jason to small-town America and is instantly embroiled in his home-town antics, when Jason is immediately mistaken for his identical-looking, distantly-related cousin, who is also the son of the Governor (the most powerful man in the district and running for President) and who is now getting married. Caught unaware by a huge media contingent, and hoping to resolve this identity mistake, Anita and Jason are recognised in their own right, and rumours begin to abound that Anita has left the Master Vampire of St Louis for Jason, ultimately threatening the lives of Anita and Jason, along with Jean-Claude’s power base amidst the ruthless world of the vampires. But when Marmee Noir intervenes personally, Anita’s world spirals dangerously out-of-control.

It has to be said: this book was poorly written in comparison to her other books, despite a determined effort for much less erotic detail. Essentially an over-long attempt to convey meaning to Anita’s many and varied relationships, the continual explanations and repetitive descriptions of Jason’s characterisation became wearisome, dare I say boring; this story possibly better suited to a novella form, similar, perhaps, to that of Micah. The plot did progress somewhat, even with most of the main players’ missing-in-action. Anita’s powers, and her wavering control over them, are further enunciated; resulting in a surprising liberation for Richard and a greater self-awareness of her burgeoning capabilities, in chorus with her many and varied weaknesses. This intricate balance, carefully built by the author, especially in respect to such contentious concepts as 'evil', is the solid foundation which underscores Anita’s whole existence, and a critical factor in my continuing enjoyment of this tale.

Merely a minor diversion in this long road I have travelled with Ms Hamilton, I can only hope that the rationale behind Blood Noir, a seemingly almost unnecessary chapter, will become more obvious on a future path. Regardless of my ongoing misgivings I am still invested enough in Anita to wish to learn what upcoming books may disclose. It can’t be easy being the first necromantic, panwere succubus to inhabit this world in a very long time; and whose exceptional powers are coveted by the most powerful vampire that ever walked this earth. Happily, the preview of the next book holds a much-needed promise of a return to the vampire hunter of old.

(July 11, 2009) ( )