Review: Guilty Pleasures

Title: Guilty Pleasures

Series: Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #1

Author: Laurell K. Hamilton

Pages: 272

Publisher: Penguin Group

Published Date: August 26, 2002 (Originally published in 1993)

ISBN 13: 9780515134490

Rating: 3/5

When St. Louis's most powerful vampire comes to Anita Blake for help, she is faced with her greatest fear-a man capable of arousing in her a hunger strong enough to match his own.

Review: 

There was so much hype surrounding this book, that I couldn't resist temptation. I had to see for myself what had captivated so many of my friends. 

My opinion?

While it was a very good start to what sounds like an incredibly interesting series, I just didn't love it as much as everyone said I was going to. The plot was well thought out, and the characters were very nicely developed, but aside from that, there was really nothing special to keep my interest going to the end of the novel.

Anita, the main female protagonist, is likable enough, but I found myself focusing more on the secondary characters. Yes, she is able to shoot a gun and raise the dead, but seriously? The woman couldn't make a decision to save her life. I felt like the entirety of the novel was us listening in on her inner battling with herself. Also, the fact that she never seemed to own up to anything she did really hit a nerve with me. Every time something even remotely undesirable happened to her, like oh, I don't know, an incredibly sexy vampire bestowing his attention upon her, she'd piss and moan about how she was "forced" to do it. It just seemed like she could never take responsibility and just say "Yeah, I did it, but I had a hell of a time, so what's it to you?"  

Another thing that bothered me, is that I've never liked books where every male character seems to be attracted/devoted/hopelessly in love with the leading female. Completely unbelievable.  

On the flip side, I like that she isn't just a normal human, or some typical form of supernatural creature (vampire/werewolf). The necromancy really caught my interest, since it wasn't something I came across often in my reading. And her relationship with Jean-Claude; just amazing. ;)

Overall, I give this three stars for creativity, interesting plot, and sexy, sexy men.