Vampire Hunter Collection 1-5, Anita Blake

This installment of Anita Blake finds her focused on her primary job as an Animator. Anita is contracted for a raising of the dead to settle a property dispute in the Ozark mountains. While in the area, Anita is called in to advise on a preternatural killing. Unfortunately, the cop in charge is a woman with a chip on her shoulder the size of Alaska, and she does not want anyone interfering with her investigation.
To make matters worse, the age of the bodies is about another hundred years beyond what was advertised, the grave site has been wrecked by an earthmover, mixing up everyones bodyparts, the local bartenders are descendants of faries of the Unseelie court, the local master vampire has a few tricks up her sleeve, and there is something wandering the woods that can chop down trees with a single cut. Not a great situation to get thrown into. Fortunately, Anita has been thrown into tricky situations before, and she always comes loaded for bear. 'Bloody Bones' is a great book, and for Anita Blake fans, I can't recomend it enough. Also, Larry plays a major part in this book, and he is starting to mature into a capable vampire layer.
This book is not for the faint of heart (none of them are.) If you are new to Anita Blake, I recommend that you start with Guilty Pleasures, and read through the series, rather than jumping into the middle, as there are complex relationships that have been developed over time, and continue to develop in this book.

This book starts off with real-estate developers and lawyers, wishing to despoil the natural beauty of the countryside near Branson, MO by razing a mountain and building a luxury development. Villians from the world we know! However, fear not, there are also the sorts of villians we look for Anita to be dealing with: Magnus Bouvier, who owns the bar & grill called "Bloody Bones," is a fairy who is not as nice as we might hope - or, as Anita puts it, "f - - ing unseelie court!" We also meet some other new types of characters - a nursery boggle, that is, the kind of monster used to threaten children with, the old "if you don't behave, the monster will come get you!" type of monster. And a vampire who uses a sword- I have to admit, I didn't quite see the point of that, pardon the pun. It is never clear to me why we would have the swords involved.
Much of the action involves Jean-Claude coming down to Branson to help Anita meet the master of the Branson area. He brings Jason the werewolf with him, and Anita has young Larry Kirkland, the animator-in-training, with her, so we get two sidekicks for our leads to deal with.
There's a mass zombie raising, and there's a satisfactory come-uppance for the nasty real estate developer, and there's a gruesome vampire-burning-to-death-in-sunlight if that's your thing... along with the swords, there's even more than the usual amount of violence for the series.
For those wondering about the whole series, some background information. Those who already know that they like vampire novels, anything at all that features a vampire, can skip this review, and likewise, those who hate the whole idea of vampires can skip it. But for those trying to decide whether or not to read more of this genre, or whether the one vampire novel you've already read was a fluke, it may help to have some ways to categorize these novels. Thus: BunRab's Standard Vampire Classification Guide. First, most authors of vampire novels approach from one of the main genres of genre fiction; thus their background may be primarily in romance, or in science fiction/fantasy, or in murder mysteries, or in horror. Second, many vampire novels come in series; knowing whether this is one of a series, and where in the series it falls, may be helpful. Then we have some particular characteristics: Are there continuing characters besides the vampire, through the series? - Are there other types of supernatural beings? - Does the vampire have a few other supernatural characteristics, many other supernatural characteristics, or none other than just being a vampire? (E.g., super strength, change into an animal, turn invisible) - Does the vampire have a regular job and place in society, or is being a vampire his or her entire raison d'etre? - Does the vampire literally drink blood, or is there some other (perhaps metaphorical) method of feeding? - Is sex a major plot element, a minor plot element, or nonexistent? - Does the story have elements of humor, or is it strictly serious? - Is the writing style good, or is the writing just there to manage to hold together the plot and characters?
This particular book is the fifth in a series, and it's a series best read in order. If you read one out of order first, you'll want to go back and start from the beginning - the first volume is _Guilty Pleasures_. The series comes from the hard-boiled detective/thriller genres. There's a large cast of continuing characters - Anita Blake, who is NOT a vampire, she's a zombie animator and vampire executioner. The setting is St. Louis, but the specific city isn't integral to the plot the way being in Toronto is a very specific plot element in Huff's books, or Chicago in Elrod's. The other characters include the police on the Regional Preternatural Investigation Team, who are reasonably good guys - although the series also finds plenty of incompetent and/or corrupt cops along the way. Most of the vampire characters are involved in the entertainment biz - owning, working in, nightclubs. St. Louis in this universe has a very kinky nightclub district! The vampires have not only super strength and speed, but the power to cloud men's minds, and other powers that pop up unexpectedly and that differ from vampire to vampire. We have plenty of other supernatural characters: werewolves, wereleopards, wererats, and for all I know, werewombats; witches and voodoo priestesses, ghouls and zombies and ghosts. In other words, magic of all kinds. And most of them are Not Very Nice. Anita deals with them through a combination of violence and wisecracks; there is a strong dose of sarcasm and irony that runs through the books, and while the plots are serious, violent, and bloody, there are also funny moments; the characters have senses of humor, even some of the vampires!

It is official that I'm addicted to this series. I've even neglected the Merry Gentry series, Laurell K. Hamilton's faerie novels, which I started reading before the Anita Blake one. This is my favorite one to date. This series just keeps getting better and better! And the best part is that there is a lot of Jean-Claude in this one. The most I'd read him was in Circus of the Damned, and there are only bits and pieces of him in the other three, but he plays a more prominent role here. Bloody Bones illustrates the most challenging monsters Anita has ever had to deal with. Teenagers have been slaughtered in a small city of Missouri. The culprit is a creature unlike anything Anita has ever seen. It is stronger than a vampire, more dangerous and immortal to the core. To make matters worse, she has to raise an entire graveyard of three-hundred-year-old corpses to determine the fate of the graveyard's rather lucrative land, which is owned by a family of faeries. Anita suspects that the graveyard raisings and the murders are connected, and with the help of her friends she is determined to bring all of those involved down...

Bloody Bones, like its predecessors, is nonstop action from beginning to end. The suspense is incredible, the fast-paced plot riveting. But it's more than just the action and suspense that kept me glued to this book. I loved that I finally got to know Jean-Claude in a deeper level. We learn more about Jean-Claude's background and history in a rather sexy bubble bath scene. JC and Anita fans will love to know that there is some closeness between them in this offering -- a fleeting closeness, but an important one nevertheless. And the best part is that Anita's werewolf boyfriend Richard is not in the way. I loved it! Laurell K. Hamilton describes Jean-Claude's sensuality in such a way that he's almost tangible. He's definitely one of the sexiest characters I've read. I also got to read about some great characters that were back after some notable absence, like Larry. I also like werewolf Jason. Anyway, this is my favorite offering. As said earlier, this series keeps getting better and better. I cannot wait to read the next one. In the meantime, I recommend Bloody Bones most highly...

"Bloody Bones" by Laurell K. Hamilton is the first Anita Blake novel I have ever read. Wow! This book gripped me from page one and held me captive until it was done - I just couldn't put it down. And while Hamilton's writing is not going to win her any awards, it is ultra entertaining and tons of thrilling fun!
Anita Blake, tough-as-nails necromancer and animator, is sent by her boss to do a job in Branson, Missouri. In order to settle a land dispute, Anita must raise a cemetery of 300-year-old zombies from a bulldozed field of jumbled bones. Anita is less than confident that she will be able to accomplish this, but due to her boss' inability to refuse a fat fee, she is going to give it a try.
However, Anita (and her trainee Larry) are interrupted from the task at hand when Anita is called in to help the police investigate the preternatural murders of three teenagers, killed in a way that even Anita has never seen before. The murders appear to have been committed by the first ever serial-killer vampire in history.
Anita is ostracized by the police investigating the case, and so must work alone as she tries to track down this rogue vampire. Anita soon realizes that she's in over her head, so she calls Jean-Claude, her boyfriend and Master Vampire of St. Louis. After Jean-Claude's arrival in Branson, things really start to heat up. The sexual tension between Jean-Claude and Anita is palpable, and Jean-Claude oozes with sensuality.
Anita and Jean-Claude seek out the local Master, Seraphina, to ask for her help in tracking down this rogue vampire. Seraphina was once Jean-Claude's equal in power, but when they meet her in her home, Anita and co. realize that they are in serious trouble. Seraphina has become immensely powerful, and desires Anita for herself. Anita and Jean-Claude are forced into an all-out war with Seraphina, and their chances of survival, much less triumph, are getting slimmer all the time!
Anita and Jean-Claude are two of the most compelling and intriguing characters I have ever encountered. Hamilton has created a weird and wild world of vampires, shape-shifters, and zombies, which readers can join anytime they pick up an Anita Blake book. Indeed, I feel that this is escapist reading at its best. Speaking for myself, during the hours I was absorbed in this book none of my worries or problems existed.
Hamilton writes in the first person, from Anita's point of view, which is a style I sometimes find awkward and distracting, but in this case it flows beautifully and works very well.
Overall, I highly recommend this book. "Bloody Bones" is filled with thrills, chills, passion and intrigue, and is exceptionally entertaining. So don't miss out on the fun - buy this book today!

Anita is sent out of town to do a mass raising of an ancient graveyard, a job that she might not be up to. While out of town, she visits a bloody vampire slaying of three boys, and then another slaying of a young woman. All of this weaves together, and she must join with Jean-Claude to confront the local master vampire, an old foe of Jean-Claude's.
I don't know how the reader below found this hard to get into. Like all the other books, it was unputdownable - I was so engrossed, I annoyed my wife, and was late for work two days running. Fortunately they are short, and I read quickly, so I finished it in a couple of days.
This felt the most formulaic of the five books in this series so far. There is almost nothing about Anita's relationship with the man she loves, and a lot about the man she lusts after. But we have been over a lot of this territory before. As always, there are some new creatures to learn about, and this is interesting, but all of the territory is very familiar. There is only so much you can do with the same ingredients, I guess.
The bottom line, though, is that Ms Hamilton writes a cracking good story, and these books are gripping and satisfying reads. The characters never do anything illogical, and there are no loose ends. I can't imagine not being able to get into this book, as one reviewer found - my problem is getting out!

The Anita Blake series is a wonderfully fresh take on a somewhat tired genre. Imagine a female Spencer (cf. Robert Parker) turned loose in a world in which vampires, zombies, were-creatures, and ghouls really exist. Hamilton's originality and creativity even prompted her to have the Supreme Court recognize the constitutional rights of vampires, so that staking them is a crime. A fun combination of the vampire and female PI genres that really works.
Several books in the series have been among the few books to which that the old cliche about "not being able to put it down" really applies. For me, Bloody Bones was not one of them. It is something of a transitional novel with two major plot lines that intersect only loosely. Anita's antagonists here are not as fully realized or even as scary as those she's faced in other novels. Yet, I don't want to overly criticize. Hamilton is a wonderful writer and there are some truly great scenes and lines here. "Wounded master vampires get cranky as hell"!! Or the scene in which Anita discovers the pitfalls of French kissing a master vampire.
In sum, recommended for fans of the series. It is an important transition in Anita's relationships with Richard and Jean-Claude. NOT the place newcomers should start. Go back to "Guilty Pleasures," and get hooked first.

The one thing missing from this book was Richard, but, after Lunatic Cafe, he seems to be fading into the woodwork anyway. I found it very telling that she calls Jean Claude rather than Richard in this book when she is in trouble. I enjoyed this book too, because Larry, Anita's protege from previous novels returns and we get a bigger glimpse into HIS psyche. Anita and Larry develop a kind of big sis, little bro relationship that works well. He also serves as keeping her moral compass pointing straight. I loved the sexy scenes with Jean Claude here. Unfortunately, they don't last long. *BIG POUT!* There are hints that Jean Claude is...something more than just Master of the City. I can't wait to find out what. Also, we get a glimpse of Anita's power, as she discovers new, previously hidden talents. The most poignant thing in this book was the way Seraphina, the evil master vampire, used mind tricks on Anita to make Anita think she was her mother, who died years ago. That was so sad, and yet, it reminds you that we all see what we want to see. The book has *alot* of plots going on...and the time that goes between the zombie raising, the fairies and the police and the vampires is a bit much. I got confused as to who was doing what and when. But, thankfully, it ties up rather neatly by the end, still leaves you wanting to know more. I am already ready to read The Killing Dance because I'm now hooked on these books. They keep getting better and as Martha Stewart says, That is a good thing.

This book is a little bit of a departure from the previous. She is sent to a town outside of Branson, Mo., to investigate a possible vampire attack and finds much more. Coincidently, she was in the area on an assignment to raise a very old cemetery to solve a property dispute. A developer wants to build a resort and an old local family lays claim to the land. The own a restaurant and bar with the appetizing name of Bloody Bones. They also turn out to be fairies guarding the prison of an ancient and monstrous fairy named Rawhead and Bloody Bones who preys on children. Anita is busy, and the vampires in addition to the fey may be more than she can handle, so she asks for Jean Claude's help. The rogue vampires are causing all sorts of problems in the area, and the Bouvier family does not want Anita to raise the dead in their cemetery. Apparently, they are holding the monster in place.
This is a very quick moving and action packed addition to the series. Jean Claude is still proving himself as a Master of the City, and seems to really need Anita's help. Larry is really coming along as animator and vampire slayer, a very good addition to the cast of characters. The relationship between Anita and Jean Claude is also heating up nicely. All in all, a very good read.

This is the 5th story in a series of murder mysteries set in America and works on the premiss that vampirism has been made legal after vampires have been given rights under the US constitution.

Anita Blake, the heroine of these book, is a bounty hunter, executioner (she's paid by the state to kill vampires who are sentenced to death) and zombie raiser (oh yes, these exist too). She doesn't entirely trust them, but given the way the world presents them, can you blame her?

In this book she's approached to raise a boat load of zombies, which naturally gets her suspicions up (who really needs that many zombies?), and she sets off to investigate.

All in all it sounds like an interesting premiss doesn't it? It's clever, I must admit, but as the series has progressed I've started to notice more and more sex (and less and less of a murder mystery) in the books. Don't get me wrong, I'm no prude, but it's the sex, not the story that I'm noticing more and more.

All the guys in the books now have taught this, 6 pack that and tight the other and there seems to be ever increasing amounts of sex in the series. I have issues with any book in which people (of either sex) are primarily described through their "primary sexual characteristics" (which is a phrase I thought I'd never say in a book) and so won't be reading any more of these books.

In Bloody Bones, the fifth installment of the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series, Anita Blake becomes the busiest vampire executioner/zombie raiser in the world. Ok, she may be the ONLY vampire executioner/zombie raiser in the world, but still a busy one nonetheless. First, she is hired to raise an entire graveyard full of dead people nearly three centuries old. But on top of that, the police decide to include her in the investigation of the latest gruesome killings, of three young men. Gory details ensue, and soon Anita finds herself everywhere at once - everywhere dangerous. Oh, and did I also mention she has to contend with a very sexy Jean-Claude after she asks him for his help?
Of course, Laurell K. Hamilton does not stint on the blood and guts. I'm not real big on either one..., but I put up with all of the grotesque scenes because they are very crucial to the story. I think Laurell K. Hamilton has great ideas, and is very creative. Yes, I would prefer to have less gore, but I won't complain.
Unlike the book that came before this, 'The Lunatic Cafe', this is a real Anita/Jean-Claude book. They seem to be getting a little closer all of the time. There are a few scenes in this book between the two of them that are utterly priceless. This includes one []scene in a hotel room, and one life-saving scene. I have to say I like Jean-Claude a lot more than I do Richard, and I hope that Anita's relationship with him blossoms some more, and I hope we keep getting that wonderful []tension between them. I haven't been into a series this much since Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum books, but I almost think I'm liking these even more - Hamilton mixes romance, drama, comedy, suspense and horror beautifully, and makes her readers come back for more.

Yet another Anita Blake book where a lot is added without warning. Thankfully, Bloody Bones is an interesting enough read that you can forget that not all of it makes sense.

There's a lot of good stuff here though. A lot of vampire hunting, corpse animating action, and even some supernatural creatures that haven't made appearances in this series yet. I won't tell you what they are, but they're always good to see.

Jean-Claude fans will be pleased with his amount of page time and the ever increasing sexual tension between him and Anita. Jason fans (like myself) will enjoy seeing him again back in his prime bad boy days. People who like seeing Anita actually solve cases and in general kick butt will enjoy this.

It's not groundbreaking literature, but it is an all around good read with some great developments to a promising series.

The titles of Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake novels always refer to some sort of establishment frequented by monsters and while "Bloody Bones" is the name of a eating place out in the sticks it is also the name of something much, much worse. Anita Blake and her trainee Larry (not Lawrence) Kinkaid are out in the sticks of Missouri to raise a bunch of really old zombies to settle a development issue. But then Dolph calls Anita to tell her the local cops need her help with a murder investigation that sure looks to our heroine like an incredible fast vampire using a really big sword. Of course, these and every other plot line in the book are all related. The "romantic" triangle between Anita, Jean-Claude and Richard is pretty much on the back burner this time around, although Jean-Claude and his pet werewolf Jason show up to help Anita meet Serephina, the local master. Boy, does that ever turn out to be a mondo-mistake.
"Bloody Bones," the fifth book in the Anita Blake "Vampire Hunter" series, is similar to the previous couple of books. The menagerie of monsters continues to grow, with faeries and worse being added to the roster, while Anita's powers as a Necromancer continue to grow at the most opportune moments. In terms of writing pure horror, Hamilton knows how to lay it out big time. If Hollywood ever dared to film these books as she writes them they would be NC-17 (at least). Yes, Hamilton tends to play the same cards in getting Anita out of her dire predicaments, but as a writer of horror novels with scenes of disquieting intensity that will make it difficult for you to sleep at night, she has Lovecraft, King and Barker beat. She is so good at coming up with scenes of outright horror that go on and on, that I will not let my teenager daughter read these books.

Well, let me get right to the point. I've thoroughly enjoyed all of the previous books in this series up until now. While this book was good, it lacked "something" that the others had. As a result, I didn't enjoy it as much.
Don't get me wrong, it's still good, but the story seemed to drag on a tad longer than it had to. In fact, at the very end, I started skipping paragraphs (notice I DIDN'T say pages) just so I could finish it.
The characterization is good, as always, and the plot was interesting. The action sequences were also good, if a little gory. I even enjoyed the introduction of a new type of "monster" that we can look forward to in future books. But even with all that, the book lacked the "umph" that the previous books have.
Maybe it's because I like Jean Claude and he didn't have as big a role in this book as in previous ones. Or maybe it was the lack of tension between Jean Claude and Richard, Ms. Blake's other beau. Whatever it was, it's missing.
Would I recommend the book? Yes, because it's part of one of the best vampire series that I've ever read. Besides that, it held my interest from beginning to end. Ms. Hamilton has an easy writing style that I like, and her books are always interesting. And besides, if this is as "bad" as it gets in this series, then we're still in luck because the author is good and she knows how to keep your interest.

This book is amazing!! Each books keeps getting better and better. I also like how Anita grows as you get further and further in the series. She's getting more powerful.
As the plot of the book opens, Anita has to raise a few dead bodies that are a couple hundred years old to settle a dispute over who actually owns some land. Simple enough, right? Well if your a fan of this series you know that nothing is what it seems. This book is no exception. Soon Anita is in the middle of vampires, Zombies, and people who want her dead. This is nothing new in the life of Anita Blake. To make things more difficult, she has to call on Jean Claude, a master vampire for help. What's the big secret that people are being killed over? Read Bloody Bones and find out.
As I said eariler, Anita is growing as the series goes on. She's tough as nails and twice as sharp.
So far, this is my favorite book of the series. If you want to get as much pleasure from the book as you possible can, you need to start with the first book and work your way through. Give yourself a treat and read the seires.
Hamilton has a writing sytle that keeps the reader glued to the page, and never let's them go. If you read this book, you won't be sorry.

Bloody Bones is the fifth in Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake vampire hunter series, and it's fantastic. This time, Anita is forced by her commercially driven boss Bert to take a zombie- raising job away from her native St Louis: she must assist in a land dispute issue on the outskirts of Branson by reviving the dead buried there, to ask them whether they are members of the family asserting ownership interest. Seems straightforward enough. But then the killings start, and Anita joins forces with the local constabulary to solve what initially appears to be a serial vampire-murderer investigation. Her novice apprentice Larry provides comic relief throughout, and proves to be a staunch character himself, as the murders and the land dispute begin to intertwine.

This book can stand alone, but it's better to read it in the context of the series as it's a pivotal installment. Anita's already complex character is further unveiled and pushed both morally and emotionally as she is forced to call upon her dangerous suitor Jean-Claude ( vampire Master of the City) for help. Does Anita continue to resist the musky appeal of Jean-Claude and remain loyal to Richard, her true-blue lycanthrope fiancé? How does she deal with the vulnerability and karmic debt she now owes Jean-Claude? Is she able to defeat the sinister fairie Magnus and his overtly evil master Serephina.? And how does she deal with Jean-Claude when the two are forced to share a hotel room, and Jean-Claude's coffin goes missing? Who gets the sofa?

Sink your teeth into this one, and enjoy the rush

This was the most suspenseful, exciting and complicated story line of all the books so far. There are multiple villains. Anita, Larry, the police and the FBI and even Jean Claude learn just how dangerous the super natural world is. And they also learn they are not as in control as they think they are.

Oy. I've tried to be positive about the Anita Blake books, but this book has been the worst in the series, by far. I almost gave up on it a few times, but I stuck with it.

There weren't as many issues with this one & the blatant copy-paste issue that existed in The Lunatic Cafe or other books from the series, but I would've almost traded anything to have those instead of the awkward prose that did exist. I wondered at times if maybe I got a version of the book that just had a choppy writing technique, but I have a feeling that there was no difference in the edition I had as compared to the original hardback version.

The plot was not as easy to follow, and the bad guys were all way too transparent. The only character that really had any decent development was Jean-Claude. (His past was nice to learn about.) Anita's past, though, became almost too annoying to constantly go over. I understand why her past had to be covered, but I almost felt like reading about her "pain" was some kind of cruel chore that an abusive parent might force a child to do.

I don't understand why Anita, as the narrator, cannot be more of sympathetic character. Sometimes, it seems like reading her thoughts is like having insight to the school bully. She's such a jaded and rude character that her snide remarks don't come off as some kind of snarky wit, but instead come off as the ideas of a character that thinks that she is truly better than anyone else in existence. That arrogance is extremely off-putting. She's also extremely fragmented in her personality when it comes to monsters. Anything or anyone who has any sort of superhuman ability seems to be labeled as a monster & all monsters must be killed, but if she has any kind of warm fuzzy feelings for you, then you're safe. This seems to be a major conflict in her mind, and (since she's the narrator) it gets brought up over and over. It makes me, and probably others, just wish that some big bad monster would off her already.

And why must we keep being reminded that she hold such a moral standard with regards to sex? It's disgusting to read about her saint-like prudence, and then turn a page and see that she will kill anyone and not have the slightest bit of grief over their death. She's practically a sociopath when it comes to violence, so it makes the quasi-virginal attitude all the more intolerable to read about.

I will continue to read the novels, but I hope the rest get better.

This is the fifth book in Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series and in my opinion it's the best one so far! While the previous book (The Lunatic Café) began to focus in on the twisted "love triangle" between Anita, Richard her werewolf boyfriend, and Jean-Claude the Master vampire of St. Louis, this book returns to the formula that made the first books in the series great. Richard only makes an early cameo appearance and then Anita is off on a job that her to the outskirts of Branson. She is then quickly pulled into a murder investigation in the same area and the action takes off from there. Like the first couple of books in the series the action is fast and furious, with Anita winding up in one desperate battle after another. This time she tangles with a pack of powerful vampires and for the first time we run into "faries." This book has all of the violence, blood, and gore you could ask for.

A major shift is made in Anita's perceptions that will obviously effect the ongoing plotlines in this series. In this book Anita is forced to call on Jean-Claude for help in dealing with the Master of the area she's in. Through this interaction the author very subtly changes the relationship between Anita and Jean-Claude. The last lines of the book say it best: "Somehow Jean-Claude has crossed that line that a handful of other vampires have crossed. I don't think of him as a monster anymore. God have mercy on my soul." This is obviously setting up for the next books in the series to take more of a "romance novel" turn as Anita will now be open to furthering that relationship with Jean-Claude. Anyway, this book has piqued my interest, so I'll continue on to The Killing Dance, next.

If you've enjoyed the first four books in this series, don't stop there, you'll love Bloody Bones as well. If you haven't read any of these yet, start with Guilty Pleasures as there is a lot of character building that goes on and you'll probably be lost jumping in here. Highly recommended!

Bert, the owner of Animators Inc., and Anita Blake's nominal boss, is too greedy to refuse a fat fee. This time his compulsive avarice has got Anita in over her head. Her new client needs her to raise an entire graveyard of bones, many of which are over 300 years old. In addition, the client seems to have run a bulldozer through the remains - several times. Anita may be the only animator who is capable of accomplishing this, but even she is less than confident.
No sooner is she at the gravesite when Anita is called in to help investigate some gruesome killings. Deaths which appear to have been done by the first serial killer vampire on record, one who specializes in the young. In her efforts to prevent further deaths Anita manages to alienate both the local police and the FBI. She also discovers that the small country town of Branson is sheltering several people with fairy heritage, and that they are not happy about her efforts at raising the graveyard.
Realizing that she needs more help than Larry the apprentice animator, Anita decides to call in vampire Jean Claude. Unfortunately, Branson has it's own master vampire, Seraphina, who is much stronger than Jean Claude and will stop at nothing to take over the control of his own territory, St. Louis. In the process of trying to get information from Seraphina about the rogue vampire, Jean Claude and Anita are forced into an all out war with Seraphina and her powerful cohorts.
The suspense goes from intense to extreme as Anita has one confrontation after another with her clients, the Fae, master vampires, and creatures from legend. She, Jean Claude, Larry, and Jason the werewolf are badly overmatched in a struggle where no one can be trusted and nothing is what it seems to be. Laurell Hamilton has put together a truly gothic roller-coaster ride.
I am particularly fond of "Bloody Bones." Rather than perpetually introducing new cast members, Hamilton takes the time to dive deeper into characters the reader already knows from earlier volumes in the series. Even Bert gets a good bit of attention. This makes the characters come alive, and sets the stage for subsequent volumes where Anita has to deal directly with her problematic relationships with Jean Claude and alpha werewolf Richard Zeeman. If you are a Blake fan this is required reading. If you are new to the series I would suggest starting with an earlier volume in the series, although this volume still stands on its own

Disputed land, zombie raising goes awry...all that combined with another city's vampires to deal with makes this another action filled adventure. A little more is revealed on the romance front...will keep you read.

I have been reading this series in order and have been somewhat impressed so far. I like Anita, she's a tough character, even if she is poorly dressed. All though Jean-Claude is a bit too much stereotypical vamp [...] for me, he's got a good personality. And, gosh darn it, I like Richard too, he's humble (no one seems to root for Richard!) With that said, this book was a big let down. The only reason it got three stars was because of the Jean Claude - Anita interaction. I don't know if the hardcovers have been re-edited but there were sooo many spelling mistakes and gramatical errors in this paperback that it was nearly as distracting and the horrible clothing choices. I didn't care for the villians in this book . . . in the first book, Nickolaos is a 1000 years old, then Mr. Olive is a million years old . . . and yet . . . Serafina is suppose to be all mighty powerful Master Vamp of BRANSON???? Please! Bloody Bones, Xavier, and Janor . . . just pick a bad guy and stick with it. Bloody Bones (the character) would have been a better villian if there was more background information. I was thoroughly disappointed by this book. It just seemed sloppy and at the end . . . almost hurried like she didn't know what to write so just wrote something. I have read the reviews of the following books in the series and I hope that it doesn't get as bad as they report. However, if Bloody Bones is any example . . . I won't be looking forward to the rest of the series.

In this book Anita finally seals her wicked repuation with a big old bang. Asked by her boss to settle a land claim dispute by raising a graveyard of zombies she meets the proprietors of a bar, but they just happen to be fey. In the midst of all this she manages to attract the attention of a vampire mistress and pushes too many buttone. This time the one that can save her is her own courage. This book is quite scary in some parts, but again Hamilton manages to make it stay interesting by bringing the unknown element of the Fey and their secrets. It is still quite graphic, but you either love that about the Blake books or you read something else.

Ok, so I found myself saying this before - not really becuz Guilty Pleasures was my fav til this one. NO - not because of the sex scene w/Jason in it (that whole deal actually ended up pretty gross). Not because of the bath & towel scene w/Jean-Claude, although that was a mighty nice addition. It's my favorite because it showed different sides to both Anita and Jean-Claude; vulnerable sides. It showed Anita's weakness to memories of her mother and her yearning for those memories to return, even though she knows they're just memories. And it also shows how she is susceptible to the power of an older vampire, Serephina. In books like Circus of the Damned, she became Alejandro's human servant but she managed to kill both Mr. Oliver & Alejandro quite easily. In this one, she shows resistance & also self-sacrifice for JC & Larry's well being.

What bugs me is how Anita says in each book that Jean-Claude hid his powers under the rule of Nikolaos & that he's much more powerful than he seems to reflect. There's no denying he's intelligent since he's able to turn every situation w/Anita to his benefit & the fact that he's a very successful businessman. But this human (ok, necromancer but still human) Anita has killed her 4th master vampire in this novel (sorry for the spoiler but you knew it was coming anyway, right?), each of which are centuries older than JC. He couldn't go up against masters one-on-one. Not w/Nikolaos, Mr. Oliver or even Janos. Speaking of Janos, that makes Anita's count 6 master vampires including Janos & Ivy (regardless of the use of fire). Sorry for the spoiler again.

Anita saves his butt yet again. Although you could predict the bath scene w/JC was to up the volume on the sexual tension between the two, it was nice how LKH fit in a glimpse of JC's past. Then there's Anita's internal struggle with her feelings/lust towards JC. When they move to the bedroom, that must have been one of the best parts of the book. NO - they don't "do it". JC admits to Anita that he loves her as much as he is possible. Then not only does he not hide his fear of what the sun can do (regardless of the centuries worth of practice) he even allows her to watch as he dies in his sleep. LKH has an afterward that explains it as a transitional book. I saw some of Anita's transitions in The Lunatic Cafe too though (her lack of sympathy to killing) which shines even more in this novel as Larry continues to remind her right from wrong.

Now I just have to prepare myself for the downfall of Anita (as other readers explain happens) as she give herself to lust novel after novel. I will try to keep an open mind. I don't mind the sex scenes but I'm not waiting for plots to falter either. If it was a preference between shallow storylines or steamy love scenes, I'd prefer a good story line - hands down.

I love these books. I have already read 4 in the series and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I am not happy about that. Hamilton slams the pedal down from the very opening of all her books. My only criticism is she really doesn't know how to end her stories. Bloody Bones is perhaps the best example. Anita Blake is scared to death of the female master vampire. She is almost killed many times and she is starting to realize she is as monstrous as some of the "real" monsters. Instead of taking a much needed vacation to sort some of that out, she goes back to St Louis and continues to date the vampire and the werewolf. Hamilton accomplishes this trick with one sentence at the end of the book. But I pick. If you are a vampire lover, read these books. You will not regret it.

Anita Blake the tough as nails vampire killer is up to her neck in faeries, zombies, vamps and lots of other undead in the fifth novel of the series. Although Anita is as good as ever, I found the story here a little confusing. I did however enjoy the advancement of the Jean Claude storyline. With Richard almost no where in sight in this book, there was a lot of interaction between JC and Anita, and we learn a bit more of his background. I also enjoyed the development of of the character of Larry, Anita's protege. I think this book is more of a turning point in the series, and although I don't think it is as good as the previous four books, a not so great Anita book is still better than a lot of the other stuff out there.

I breathed a sigh of relief after I finished BLOODY BONES. Finally, Laurell Hamilton brings together all the elements she has tried to write about in the last four books; An original story with horror, mystery, passion, sharp dialogue, great settings, clear action, and believable characters that are consistent with their decisions. Some other improvements include fewer spelling errors... although I found a mistake regarding one of Hamilton's descriptions where she wrote, "stop action" instead of "stop motion". Where's the editor? No big deal, but this shouldn't happen with a New York Times Bestseller. BLOODY BONES, while not perfect, has raised the bar a little higher for Anita Blake. I'm off to book six!

I like Larry as a character and wish there was more of him in later books than flash-cameos. It was a rather good read, with a few too many subplots at times. The heroine still seems believable, getting herself in over her head and having to use her wits and pure luck to get herself back out of it. This book of the series concentrates on the first true fae seen (a pair of fairy siblings and a nursery boggle) as well as vampires and a few murders outside of St. Louis instead of the city itself. It also starts to emphasize that Anita isn't truly a cop, although she works for the Regional Preternatural Investigation Team as a consultant. I think BB is setting up a bit more of the future books than some of its predecessors have done.

The Anita Blake series just keeps getting better and better. And Jean-Claude, the Master Vampire of the City (St. Louis) is back in business. Anita has to leave her werewolf-boyfriend Richard and her vampire-boyfriend Jean-Claude (In a previous novel she agreed to date both of them to find out who she wants (to have sex with)) back in St. Louis, when she is asked to travel to another part the country and raise a whole cemetery. A builder wants to use some land, but a local family is agaist him, because they say that the old cemetery beneath the ground is their family-burial ground. Anita has to raise the dead and ask them exactly what their family relations are. All is well, until something starts killing young boys in the woods, and a teenage girl dies from a vampire bite in her room. Anita has to look into a lot of stuff, being helped by her assistant, vampire-hunter-in-spe Larry. She is away from her usual turf, and the police in this part of the country are not too happy about the famous vampire-hunter doing what they think is their job. Anita has to call for help, and the only one who can help her is Jean-Claude, the gorgeous vampire who wants Anita as his lover and human servant. Anita has resisted him for a long time, and she is not so sure what she feels. There is a lot of drama, a lot of bad vampires and the fey are introduced in this book, which make for some new and exciting ways to cheat, do magic and much more.
Another triumph for Laurell K. Hamilton

Okay, kind of disappointing that there was no Richard, but I didn't really miss him.

I'm glad Laurell K. Hamilton gave Anita a chance to go out of town for awhile. It gave her a chance to get to know herself...and her feelings toward Jean-Claude. I was a little surprised when she called him instead of Richard but I was happy nonetheless. The small foreplay between Anita and Jean-Claude was hot but I was very upset when it ended. Anita needs to lighten up!

We got to know a character a little bit more who was in the last book. Jason. I like him a lot. If he shows up more in the series, he is likely to become my favorite character.

I like the brother and sister relationship Anita is building with Larry. I guess she needed somebody like that in her life to get a sense of watching over somebody.

Serephina scared me a little bit, so I was glad that she died. It would have really tortured Anita if she stayed alive anyway.

I don't know why but for some reason at first I could not believe Hamilton put fairies in the book. I don't know why I found that weird, but I'm glad she did it. It was fun learning about them.

Also, uh oh, Anita can raise vampires during the day? I can't wait for the next book.

This wasn't the greatest book in the series but it was still a really good book. This book didn't quite have the same bite, if you will excuse the pun, as the other books did. I just didn't think the action or the jokes were as good, but I still finished it in one sitting. Anita is growing closer to the dead at each step whether she want's to or not, adn this also means she is growing closer to Jean Claude. Dispite all her efforts to get rid of him he moved from monster to someone she cared for. And the saga continues. This book was well written and amusing, and introduces us to an all new "magical" group and their slave, Bloody Bone

I bought this book (Bloody Bones), the Killing Dance, and Blue Moon one evening a week and a half ago. It had been a couple of years since I read Guilty Pleasures and other Hamilton books. I've now read these three books and found them rather entertaining. I read the other reviewers' comments with interest. I found the Killing Dance to be the least strong of the three. In Bloody Bones and Blue Moon, however, I enjoyed Hamilton's efforts to expand the plot beyond the usual cast of characters.
In all, I concur with other reviewers--this series is better started somewhere near the beginning--these three books are great stories, but are better informed by the background of the earlier Blake stories.
Enjoy and have fun!

A co-worker got me into these books because I was reading the "House of night series". I am a big fan of fictional series.
I was skeptical about the first few chapters of the first book, but after that I was hooked. I have loved all the books since. Right now there are 17-18 (I think "Hit List" just came out". I am on book 9 I think and have to say, I am eager to read the rest.

If you are looking for an entertaining read, that you will have issues putting down, and if you like this type of genre, you will fall in love with Anita Blake!

I BOUGHT A BOOK CALLED "THE MIDNIGHT CAFE" A 3 IN 1 NOVEL. "BLOODY BONES" IS THE 2ND BOOK OF THE THREE. IT IS FAST PACED ACTION FROM START TO FINISH. I FINISHED IT IN 6HOURS. I COULD NOT PUT THE STORY DOWN. "BLODDY BONES" WILL MAKE THE HAIR RAISE-UP ON THE BACK OF YOUR NECK AND MAKE YOU GRIP THE BOOK TIGHTER AND NOT REALISE IT UNTIL YOUR FINGERS HURT. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE SERIES THAT MAKES YOU WONDER WHAT IF? THEN SENDS YOU LOOKING DEEPER NOT ONLY INTO YOURSELF, BUT MAKES YOU LOOK AROUND AT THE PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE.
SORRY ABOUT THE ALL CAPS JUST SAW SOME ONE LOCK IT IN.

Anita is hired to raise a whole cemetary in order for the property to be sold. She brings her protege, Larry, with her and he is a good recurring character. She also asks Jean-Claude for help and their relationships heats up. Anita finally softens to him when he is at his weakest! There is the 'baddest' Master Vampire of them all-Seraphina and she really knows how to get to Anita.
This series is so imaginative and Anita is wonderful to watch. I love strong, vulnerable heroines. Several stories within a story here can get confusing to keep everyone in order but Anita conquers all in the end.

It's a good series so far but if any one else hasn't said it yet, I got the impression that this book was like the Wizard of Oz. When the four go to meet the Master Vamp of Branson, it's like each one of them is a character from Oz. Anita is Dorothy and she is going home in ways she doesn't want to, Jean-Claude is the Tin Man with his love for Anita, Larry is the Scarecrow in that he lacks knowledge and is a newbie to the business, Jason is the Cowardly Lion as he comes more into his own and Serephina is the wicked witch/the great and powerful Oz... etc. At least that's how I saw it.

I really loved this book because it features the Missouri Ozarks in which I live. This time around Anita is heading to Branson, MO to raise the dead in order to settle a land dispute. Unfortunately, some Ozark Fairies and a vampire killer make that job more difficult. The author also gives us the opportunity to see the relationship between Anita and Jean-Claude grow stronger without the werewolf Richard on hand to cause trouble. This book also introduces us to Master Vampire, Seraphina, who is one of the most evil introduced to date, and the battle between Seraphina, Anita, and Jean-Claude is one of the best.

I think that Hamilton is learning character development as she writes. Moving back to evil vampires was a smart move and filling in more of Jean Claude was even smarter. Anita has been shrugging and sighing through the other novels. She gets a new move, "circling her waist with her arms", but the book is worthwhile for avid fans of Anita Blake.
Although Hamilton makes each book stand alone by filling in background details, she is writing to her cult fans and should only be read in order. Saying this, spending less time on background would be more appreciated by her loyal fans, as I am one.
There are some plain silly moments in this book and Hamilton weaves in too many characters for respectability, but what she does with Jean Claude's history is admirable.

A co-worker got me into these books because I was reading the "House of night series". I am a big fan of fictional series.
I was skeptical about the first few chapters of the first book, but after that I was hooked. I have loved all the books since. Right now there are 17-18 (I think "Hit List" just came out". I am on book 9 I think and have to say, I am eager to read the rest.

If you are looking for an entertaining read, that you will have issues putting down, and if you like this type of genre, you will fall in love with Anita Blake!

I BOUGHT A BOOK CALLED "THE MIDNIGHT CAFE" A 3 IN 1 NOVEL. "BLOODY BONES" IS THE 2ND BOOK OF THE THREE. IT IS FAST PACED ACTION FROM START TO FINISH. I FINISHED IT IN 6HOURS. I COULD NOT PUT THE STORY DOWN. "BLODDY BONES" WILL MAKE THE HAIR RAISE-UP ON THE BACK OF YOUR NECK AND MAKE YOU GRIP THE BOOK TIGHTER AND NOT REALISE IT UNTIL YOUR FINGERS HURT. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE SERIES THAT MAKES YOU WONDER WHAT IF? THEN SENDS YOU LOOKING DEEPER NOT ONLY INTO YOURSELF, BUT MAKES YOU LOOK AROUND AT THE PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE.
SORRY ABOUT THE ALL CAPS JUST SAW SOME ONE LOCK IT IN.

Anita is hired to raise a whole cemetary in order for the property to be sold. She brings her protege, Larry, with her and he is a good recurring character. She also asks Jean-Claude for help and their relationships heats up. Anita finally softens to him when he is at his weakest! There is the 'baddest' Master Vampire of them all-Seraphina and she really knows how to get to Anita.
This series is so imaginative and Anita is wonderful to watch. I love strong, vulnerable heroines. Several stories within a story here can get confusing to keep everyone in order but Anita conquers all in the end.

It's a good series so far but if any one else hasn't said it yet, I got the impression that this book was like the Wizard of Oz. When the four go to meet the Master Vamp of Branson, it's like each one of them is a character from Oz. Anita is Dorothy and she is going home in ways she doesn't want to, Jean-Claude is the Tin Man with his love for Anita, Larry is the Scarecrow in that he lacks knowledge and is a newbie to the business, Jason is the Cowardly Lion as he comes more into his own and Serephina is the wicked witch/the great and powerful Oz... etc. At least that's how I saw it.

I really loved this book because it features the Missouri Ozarks in which I live. This time around Anita is heading to Branson, MO to raise the dead in order to settle a land dispute. Unfortunately, some Ozark Fairies and a vampire killer make that job more difficult. The author also gives us the opportunity to see the relationship between Anita and Jean-Claude grow stronger without the werewolf Richard on hand to cause trouble. This book also introduces us to Master Vampire, Seraphina, who is one of the most evil introduced to date, and the battle between Seraphina, Anita, and Jean-Claude is one of the best.

I think that Hamilton is learning character development as she writes. Moving back to evil vampires was a smart move and filling in more of Jean Claude was even smarter. Anita has been shrugging and sighing through the other novels. She gets a new move, "circling her waist with her arms", but the book is worthwhile for avid fans of Anita Blake.
Although Hamilton makes each book stand alone by filling in background details, she is writing to her cult fans and should only be read in order. Saying this, spending less time on background would be more appreciated by her loyal fans, as I am one.
There are some plain silly moments in this book and Hamilton weaves in too many characters for respectability, but what she does with Jean Claude's history is admirable.

Loved having more Jean-Claude on stage! Like learning a little more of his backstory and seeing him in action against enemies. Interesting to see Larry & Jason filled out more. Anita's powers are definitely growing too!

This is one of my least favorite books in the series. It's not a bad book at all but I just don't like it as much as the others. The fairy sub plot didn't interest me at all and the vampire one wasn't much better. I liked how Anita and Jean-Claude's relationship started to change. I also liked how Larry and Jason got a lot of face time. (Whatever happened to Larry? Did he drop off the face of the earth or something?) Oh well, at least it made up for the lack of Jean-Claude in the previous book.

I love the early anita blakes books. And this one is my favorites out of the series. Anita is taken out of her natural element and plopped down into a country setting. Asked to raise zombies out of a mass burial ground, brought into a murder, has to deal with a new master vampire, and forced into sharing a hotel room with Jean-Claude. The story line was great and entertaining and kept the book in high gear. I'm also a fan of Jean-Claude and like how much time he got in this book, along with Larry and Jason. An enjoyable ride and one I've revisited many times.

"Why do I put up with you? You insult me at every turn."

Well, LKH broke the formula with this book. Anita takes a client and leaves St. Louis to head to Branson, Missouri, where she is being paid to raise an entire graveyard to see who owns the property. While she is there, she learns that something is killing young boys AND a vampire is on the loose.

This book, more than any of the earlier books, set my teeth on edge. Anita has to be one of the most rude, obnoxious protagonists I've ever read. As I continue to read through this series, instead of growing fonder or closer to Anita, I find myself gathering an arsenal of weapons to take her out.

What does Anita do that strikes the wrong chord with me? Well, we have this, for starters:

"I admit, I took comfort in the fact that I was better dressed than most of the girls. Petty as hell, but I had been chunky in junior high."

You are in your mid-twenties. You have a great career, two of the hottest guys fawning all over you, you are highly skilled in your field, and YOU ARE GLOATING OVER BEING BETTER DRESSED THAN GIRLS HALF YOUR AGE?!?!!! (Girls, may I add, whose bodies are changing, whose parents are picking out their clothes, who aren't able to slip into Victoria's Secret with their uber fashionable friend, Ronnie.) Wow, just...wow.

Then we also have the fact that Anita doesn't seem to be the sharpest tool in the shed:

"It hadn't been my idea to date the Master of the City. Jean-Claude had given me two choices. Either he could kill Richard, or I could date both of them. It had seemed like a good idea at the time."

When had dating Jean-Claude ever seemed like a good idea? Honestly and not just, "This is a plot device to get Anita and Jean-Claude together"? Jean-Claude was the guy she spent several books trying to avoid. And here's the woman who'd rather shoot first, ask questions later--and her choice, when faced with the death of her boyfriend, is to date the guy she supposedly hates (I know she supposedly "loves"/"lusts" him, but I believe that as much as I believe that Peeps are magical fairies descended from Yoda of Vulcan).

What about the fact that Anita wallows in false modesty?

"I'm not the kind of woman to elicit jealousy on sight. Not tall enough, not blonde enough, not Nordic enough, not exotic enough. I'm pretty, but I'm not beautiful."

Yup, Anita is just the every woman. It's not like she has two hot boyfriends--one a Master Vampire, the other an Alpha werewolf. Or was hit on by a bartender after knowing him all of 10 minutes. Or men catcall her or anything...

"The construction workers were appreciative. Whistles, catcalls, and one offer to check under my skirt."

Oh...RIIIIIIGHT.

(By the way...is this 1960? What construction workers are going to be that openly sexist? I've worked in a male-dominated field, and NO MAN has EVER done anything like that to me, because they know they'll get a nice, fat harassment settlement.)

What about being judgmental? Does that count as a reason to dislike her?

"She always this judgmental?"
Larry nodded. "Usually."

Or what about knowing she can get away with things everyone else can't?

"I could get away with being a pain in the ass, and most people wouldn't take a swing at me."

Or what about demanding very rudely to be called "Ms." instead of "Miss", but when someone asks her to refer to them as "Mr. Sterling", Anita refuses and calls him by his first name? I think I agree with Jean-Claude, who provides this review's title: "Why do I put up with you? You insult me at every turn."

But enough about Anita. What else upsets me about this book?

How about the fact that LKH feels that a novel is just non-stop action scenes piling one on top of each other until they explode into one big shootout at the end that SOMEHOW solves all the previous mysteries?

How about ignoring that a child is missing (and thought to have been captured by a pedophile vampire) in order to have some vampire posturing?

How about the fact that nearly every male in these books is a stripper/hottie and if this were a men's novel, people would be criticizing the male gaze?

How about how we can't have a person enter the scene without a blow-by-blow of what horrible fashion they are showcasing?

"[Jason] was wearing black leather pants tight enough that I knew he wasn't wearing the underwear anymore."

How about how, in books that are supposed to be celebrating a woman's sexual freedom, Anita is embarrassed to look at Jean-Claude's naked body--not for being caught, but just for looking and admiring?

"I was spared another glimpse of [Jean-Claude's] naked body. Now that the hormones were receding, I was embarrassed."

If this doesn't clarify what I didn't like about "Bloody Bones", I have no idea what will.

"But, Crystal, why are you rating this 2 stars? It sounds like you really hated this book."

Yes, the dislike/hate for this book runs strong. However, there were things I liked. I liked Larry and how he is learning and coming into his own. He feels like the Anti-Anita: he says some rude things occasionally, but he also has boundaries and knows when to say things and when not to. I actually really liked Jason; he seems pretty no-nonsense, confident in his position and straight-shooting (for the most part). I also thought the initial mystery was pretty interesting (too bad it got buried in vampire posturing and overlong shootouts). I liked being away from St. Louis, being away from Anita's relationship drama (though, Jean-Claude does appear and bring it with him).

When I started reading "Bloody Bones", I thought this would be my favorite of the 5 books I've read. But if I had to list only one reason why I didn't like it so much, it would be Anita. I just do not like her as a character; I don't care whether she survives; I don't care about her dating life; I don't care if she ends up as a rug at the end of the book. If I weren't trying to follow the series to the turning point in "Narcissus in Chains", I would probably abandon the series right here.

If you are already a fan, I doubt you will be as annoyed by this book as I was, particularly if one of the reasons you are reading these is because you like Anita. Newcomers can probably just jump in at this book and not have too much problems catching up. If you weren't very sold on this series with the earlier books, however, I don't think this one will suddenly change your mind about Anita and the series.

Brought to you by:
*C.S. Light*

Bloody Bones was just really good. Anita seems so much more human. It's funny because she's always going on and on about the other "monsters" and how Jean Claude the vampire isn't human but Anita had too much of an idealistic quality about her before this book. You could see changing starting in Lunatic Cafe, the title before this on, but the changes are really happening.

It's hard for me to imagine this as a stand alone title because so much of the previous books brings meaning to this one.

All in all...continuing a great series for vamp fans.

Something new is in the woods, something that could be worse than a vampire, and it's up to Anita Blake to find it. While she's looking she's got a cemetary of zombies to raise, a whole new set of vampires who are out to get her, and it seems she's found a few fairies as well. Anita's got monsters crawling out of the woodwork...and she's got a vampire sleeping in her bed. Well, at least life's never boring.
Another page-turning addition to the Anita Blake series.

Quick as a whip with both her gun and her mouth Anita Blake is someone you don't want to cross. Armed with guns, knives and a silver cross she takes on monsters in many forms, be they vampire, Were, or human even.
In this novel she is called out to Branson to raise some old dead as only she can, whilst she is there on business she is called out to a murder scene which has the locals, some city Dees, and even the Feds baffled.
This story is a large mix of action, mystery and intrigue. Even if you don't like the idea of Vampires and werewolves you should give it a try, I promise you'll be hooked and soon reading all the Anita Blake series.
WARNING: BUYING THIS BOOK CAN LEAD TO AN ANITA ADDICTION

I am obsessed with this series!! It blows my mind that here I am 5 books in and they just keep getting better and better! There are NO lulls in these books..its nonstop action!!! Im so happy that I discovered this series after so many had been written...the thought of having to wait a year or more for the next book is just too much. I cannot wait to get started on the next installment. I would DEFINITELY recommend reading this series. It is WILDLY ENTERTAINING!!

In Bloody Bones Anita heads out of town, to do a necromantic gig. She has young Larry, a fellow employee along for the ride, and is trying to teach him enough to stay alive.

She has to work out whether vampire serial killings are happening, and what the strange, deadly supernatural force is, and what to do about it, while dealing with yet another different bunch of supernaturals in fae types.

Anita is getting tougher. I like the fact that her powers continue to grow...Yeah she is a master storyteller. LOve the conflicts she sets up in the main character...little but tough...hates monsters but loves a vamp and a werewolf...pretty but mean...has a friend that may kill her...or she may kill him... fights vamps becuase she thinks they are evil (falls in love with one), thinks all the supernatural folks are bad (but she is a NECROMANCER) conflict conflict conflict

Anita Blake gets a job to raise a crushed and disturbed cemetary over 300 yrs. old. At this same time a crazed THING is on a killing masacer and she must be the one to stop it. Anita faces all of the childrens classical fears in this series such as vampires,werewolves,and other supernatural beings.(I am 12 yrs. old and after reading this book i suggest to read this if you are 15 yrs. or older)

After listening to several of my friends rave about this series, I finally decided to pick it up. While I really enjoyed the first three books by the time I got to "Lunatic Cafe" my interest was starting to wane. "Bloody Bones" killed it all together. I had to struggle just to finish it.

While I loved many of the minor characters, I found Jean-Claude and Anita insufferable. He is a vampire straight from central casting, who exudes zero sex appeal while Anita is a misogynistic, self-centered, bully. I just stopped having fun reading about them.

After three books, I grew to hate the extremely repetitive and overly simplistic style of writing and the fact that the books regularly contradict one another.

One major beef is the premise that in Anita's world, monsters are a part of everyday life yet somehow (in spite of scholarly journals, newspaper articles and other media, and college courses available in paranormal beings), Anita is the only one who knows ANYTHING at all about how they operate. Heaven forbid she meets another female character, because the sexist comments seem to roll out of Anita's head and mouth quicker than any man. Other women are quickly judged and dismissed and sometime (as in the case of female werewolf Rashida from TLC, don't even get referred to by name -- only her race -- when Anita interacts with her.)

Like I mentioned earlier, I did really like the minor characters in the book, I just wish a more talented writer could get a hold of them and write something worth reading and recommending.

She's BAAAACK! Anita Blake, vampire hunter, is summoned to Branson, Missouri to raise the dead in a family cemetery to determine who the land actually belongs to. Quickly enough, she's up to her neck in trouble with numerous bad guys: vampires, a monster from a Scottish nursery rhyme and a wealthy local lawyer. It's one of those books that you can't put down and are sad to see end

I thought this book was totally awsome, I really think it was great. The book brought in some new feelings from Anita to Jean-Claude, and I am so in love with Jean-Claude. Not in a creepy way, I just love his character! I think his whole crew is so mysterious and dark, I like all his werewolves and other 'creatures'. Whatever happened to Gretchen? Does anyone know? I am totally in love with Anita Blake and her stories, it's very well written and interesting. I look forward to reading "The Killing Dance".

Don't get me wrong, I love the Anita Blake books, but once I found out what bloody bones was I was reminded of rawhead rex from the books of blood by clive barker. Two creatures buried for an uncertain amount of time and bound by a stone. Deadly and dangerous. While the addition of the fey made this book interesting it still felt a bit too familiar to books I have read before.

Once again we find ourselves in the Anita Blake world and once again Anita is going up against supernasty bad guys while having to deal with officialdom. A horrible combination for anyone. I like how we learned more about Larry and Jason and JC but even more I love how this book shows us what really haunts Anita. This book is tightly written and sure to please.

While I will continue to grab and devour anything by
Ms. Hamilton and most especially the novels about
Anita Blake, in this one she has Ms. Blake act hopeless
and helpless not one, but three times. This was not her best.
I would award that honor to "Lunatic Cafe." Can't wait for
"Death Dance."

Just when you think it couldn't get any better Laurell K. brings in the fey to add to the mix of shapeshifters, vampires, zombies, police o boy, thanks to Jean-Claude for all his help in this book I think it brings Anita and him a little closer together.

I loved everything about this book, except that, though it was based outside Branson, MO, there was NO mention of Springfield, Branson would NOT have a Master to itself, it would have been a Master of the Sprinfield Metro area, which includes Branson. There just is not enough Kine to support a large Vampire population, But that's my V:tE "training" But besides the making Branson look like the only city, and larger than it really is, the book is GREAT, FAIRIES in the OZARKS! YA

After the last few books it's refreshing to have a book where the mystery and action carries the entire way through. In this installment Anita is called to raise an entire cemetery of 200+ year old dead people. While working on that the police ask her to investigate a murder-by-vamp of a young girl. In the process of the investigation we meet some fae, a pedophile vampire, and a group of mean vamps that have it out for Anita and Jean-Claude. The sexual tension between Anita and Jean-Claude keeps mounting, and Anita's morals and beliefs get challenged. There is non stop action throughout this book, and an easy to follow yet exciting mystery. Definitely a step up from the last few.

BLOODY BONES was actually the first book by Ms. Hamilton that I read. It hooked me and I'm now impatiently waiting for the 10th Anita Blake book. In BLOODY BONES Anita faces her most powerful enemy to date, Serephina. Serephine wants to control Anita and nearly succeeds. Another great story from Ms. Hamilton.

this series is basically my paranormal encyclopedia. . . it always seems like every book i read after is just a book but these are the "real way its supposed to be" hahahah. . . .definately the best vampire/paranormal series ever written i think

This is a book that take fantasy and makes it history. What Gene Rodenberry did with space travel in Star Trek, Laurell K. Hamilton is doing with Vampires, Warewolves and the Undead. Anne Rice could take pointers on vampire personalities from the cool but deadly Anita Blake.

Hamilton's stories are just what they say they are on the book jacket, scary and sexy. but i don't know... they're going downhill. if i have to read one more detailed 2 page description of the clothes blake is wearing... the books were an odd blend of romance novel and horror fiction which i liked. i'm not a romance novel kind of guy but they were cool. the further i get into the series the more the emphasis is on the romance and the less it is on the horror. i don't think i can take it anymore honestly. who cares how "yummy" blakes werewolf boyfriend looks? you might, but i don't. i don't want to read about short skirts or tight pants. i want to read about vampires and werewolves and zombies. there's less and less of that in every book. its getting to the point where i like the STORY but not the WRITING. i feel bad because the earlier books were so good, but... if you must buy them buy them used.

So last book was pretty much a focus on Anita and Richard. This book centers more on Anita and Jean-Claude! The ending was a shocker! It took place in a different town so a lot of the original characters are not in it. Anita takes Larry along with her and of course Jean-Claude lends a hand too. You also meet a whole bunch of new characters also. It was a different. I highly reccomend it. After this book who knows who Anita will end up with Jean-Claude or Richard... hmmmmm.

This is my favorite Anita Blake novel. It's gruesome and full of action and susepense, especially when Anita and the cops go out in the woods hunting nightmares. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Anita kicks ass in this book, which is so much better than how she is in later books. I actually stumbled upon this book before Guilty Pleasures, so I started the series off with this one. After I read it I was hooked, and now I own all of the books in the series.

_Bloody Bones_ is the fifth book in the Anita Blake series. I have to say first that Anita is one of the coolest heroines I've ever "met." She's tough, savvy, resourceful, brave, and compassionate, and she knows how to get dirty jobs done when no one else will do them. This book involves interesting character development on Jean-Claude's part, and a lot of cool evil vampires, as Anita travels to Branson, Missouri from St. Louis to investigate some strange (possibly vampiric) murders.

It's about damn time Ms. Hamilton mentioned the fey! A good book. I will never forget the lines:
"Please don't tell me he just went poof!"
"He didn't just go poof."
A great read for any Anita fans

I have to admit I did not read the books in order. I started with this. Book #5. And I have to admit again, I'm very proud of myself for doing so. Because personally, I did not find Guilty Pleasures(#1) intriguing enough to make me want to read the entire series but Bloody Bones reminded me how much I love LKHs' work. No matter if there are bad parts of her books all I have to do is remember all the excitment I felt while reading this book and I will pick the book back up and finish it.

First, before I lose all credibility with the Buffy comment, let me say that I am NOW a 33 year old woman who enjoyed the Buffy series back when I was still part of the 'MTV Generation'. I fondly remember Buffy as a clever series with gobs of girl-power bravado. So, when a friend recommended The Anita Blake series, saying that it was Buffy for the more mature woman, I was all a twitter to dive in.

I started in the middle with Bloody Bones, and was relieved to find that I could keep up with the plot without having read the previous books in the series. What disappointed me was the character herself, Anita Blake. Sadly what I found was a badly dressed, frigid heroine with a lot of baggage and a bitchy streak a mile long.

I'm all for the take-no-crap, tough girl routine, but there was never a moment in the book where she was remotely feminine or soft. And her outfits! I cringed when the writer dressed her in a crimson mini-skirt and black Nike sneakers! And her male characters...oh Lord! They wore puff shirts, thigh-high boots and dog collars...I was picturing a bad gay porno from the 70s!

I suppose what I found most disappointing was to learn that this was the fifth book in the series and Anita STILL hadn't had sex with the main hot vampire, Jean-Claude! To top off the sexual frustration, it turns out that she and the Werewolf she's been dating have decided to wait til they get married to have sex! What tha?? Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the tease, the sexual tension, the build-up as much as anyone, but five freaking books of it?

Nope, not a series for me. To be fair, I do plan on reading Guilty Pleasures, the first book in the series. Perhaps past events have created the frigid, painfully bitchy woman I read about in Bloody Bones. Frankly though, I like my books with a slightly softer heroine and touch more erotica. If that happens to be your cup of tea, I recommend anything and everything by Karen Marie Moning. Her Highlander series dabbles in Druid and Fey magic and there's plenty of spice to boot.

I really enjoyed the first few chapters of the book. I liked the character of Larry, the idea of him being Anita's apprentice. Where the book started to take a nosedive was when Serephina and her cohorts joined the picture. There were too many plot threads that she tried to tie in. If the book had continued in the same vein as it started, it would have been at least a 3 1/2 maybe a 4 star review. Instead, it fizzled out.

Living in Missouri has made these books fun to read, and this one was definitely not an exception!! This one's setting is in Branson, unlike the first four that are set in St. Louis.
More bad master vampires, a new and unexpected evil monster, and more intensity between Anita and Jean-Claude make this a good read!!
I am definitely a Team Jean-Claude fan!
Richard who? (hee hee)

I absolutly loved this book! If it wern't for stumbling on this book at a 2nd hand store I would have never know the world of Anita Blake! I just wish i would have started at the begining!
Laurell is one of the very few writes I've found that can make a story flow through your mind like a movie! I highly recomend this book to all vampire novel people alike or even if your just into it for an awsome story to beter your imagination!

Thanx for your time,
~Michael

I got this because it sounded interesting. MAJOR MISTAKE It should come with a warning. OBNOXIOUS MAIN CHARACTER ON BOARD Anita's demeanor grated on me. Not only was she petty but the entire time she kept complaining and gloating it just made me want to slap her. The entire book isn't worth your time. Skip this and pick any title by Sandra Brown.

Bloody Bones was truly an interesting foray for Anita. She introduces us to Larry Kirkland, Animator-in-training. We also get to meet a very scary Master Vamp that makes even Jean Claude nervous. This one also has little sex - which helps you concentrate more on the story.

Good show!

Man, this story had a lot to offer and it was pulled off exceedingly well. I'm impressed with the story as a whole. Anyone who enjoys a good vamp read with other weirdos involved should check this out

OK OK OK, so you're getting bored with me reviewing everything she writes positively; TOO BAD! This one's great too; she brings the fey into the mix! If you're reading this than you probably have never read one of LH's books; we(the readers) don't NEED reviews - we KNOW what we're getting into. Anyway, buy it, it's number 5. You'll want the others at some point though...

I came across Bloody Bones as I was in search of a genuine scary book. I do have to say I have not been disapointed at all. This is a book that you find hard to put down. From beginning to end you are taken into Anita Blake's world of monster hunting. Laurell Hamilton takes the adventure to the next level. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to take a break from their everyday life and escape into a world of adventure, romance and excitement.

I loved this book, no matter how off track i was when i read it! I read it after i had read only Guilty Pleasures so i was kinda lost on the whole Richard part. i would of course rather see Anita with a sexy vampire by the name of Jean-Claude!
This was just as good as the first and the second, which i am FINALLY reading!