If you like to read about vampire slayers, there's none better than Anita Blake the main character!!!

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.

I enjoyed this book less than the previous four in the Anita Blake series. The beginning through the middle were especially tedious, leading me to put the book down many more times that normal. There are a number of reasons that may have contributed to that:

+ Maybe I'm getting tired of tolerating Laurell K. Hamilton's flaws. It was okay when she spent three pages rattling off useless detail about scenery. While J. R. R. Tolkien excels at this, LKH has no right. But it's excusable. However, it is not okay when she spends an entire page and a half describing Anita's wardrobe. In the second chapter. This ludicrous behavior is continued, as she describes the laughable, Halloween-esque wardrobes (read as: costumes) of Jean-Claude and Jason. Instead of creating the exotic effect she aims for, she instead degrades these once interesting characters into people that dress soft core porn actors. Thigh high leather boots. Please. Also, LKH's tendency to describe an area to the T reeks of her shoving research in our faces. Instead of coming off as well-researched, it comes off as very "look what I did, look what I did." When a writer researches a location, they are supposed to take a few distinctive areas and describe them. They are not supposed to turn a section of the book into a travel guide as LKH has been doing since Book Two.

+ It could be the characterization of Anita herself. Anita Blake has lost any redeemable qualities she had throughout the first book in the series. She is nothing but hateful and purposely rude in this book. Not to mention her internal dialogue (this book is set in first person). It just stinks to high heaven. I'm getting the impression that LKH regrets not making Anita from England, as she often has the character say things like "fancy" and "bloody" and "bloody hell." It screams "wanna be."

+ The writing is also of a lesser quality. Effective phrases are often repeated, such as when 'brain matter' is referred to as "thicker, wetter things." At first, three books ago, it was very effective. By now, when it is said four times in one book, it gets tedious. Also, if Anita rewards someone another "point" I am going to set this book on fire. Every time a character does something she approves of, Anita's internal dialogue says something along the lines of "(brownie) point for them." Enough is enough.

+ It could be Laurell K. Hamilton as a person. If you are a fan, avoid her blog at all costs. Her blogging, like her writing, is often boring, self-indulgent, and unedited for capitalization errors. If you're not reading a post complaining about the writing life, you're reading a post about how stupid the nay-sayers are (you should see her Anne Rice-like post from last summer). Perhaps my dislike of LKH as a person has forced me to open my eyes to her many writing flaws, which are--admittedly--not that hard to miss.

That being said, this book isn't all bad. It does get better about half-way through, and eventually gets to the point where it is as good as the first four. The climax is very emotional, but again, LKH's writing in the end spoils it. The two-paged final chapter reads like an epilogue, forcing all of the many story arcs of this one book to end in a neat one and a quarter page. My main problem with this is that if LKH can spend an entire page babbling about how lacey Jean-Claude's shirt is, couldn't she at least have given us an extra page to satisfy the plot-lines?

5/10

This is the fifth installment of the Anita Blake series, and just keeps getting better and better. I really didn't know what to expect from this book. But from beginning to end I was hooked. I finished this book in two days (didn't get much sleep from it). The plot is amazing and creative. Laurell K. Hamilton is constantly creating new twists in this series and I have yet to get tired of it. The best one I've read so far.

If you see reviews for current antia blake books, you'll notice most people lament that the serries is not what it once was. this is the book many people are talking about. #5 in the serries it is the sort of adventure that inspired the devotion of readers.

Set in a St Louis that has vampires and werewolves and other nasties in it, Anita is the local execution for monsters that get out of control. Her day job, however, is an Animator who can raise the dead as a zombie. this is usually done for legal disputes or family squables -"Where did you put your will?" type stuff.

This book starts with Anita being called out to a construction site near Branson, Missouri where bulldozers on the site of a luxery hotel have exposed an unmarked grave yard. Anita is caleld in to see who the dead were to find out who really has the right to the land.

Sound simple, right? Of course it never stays that way. Add to the mix of corporate greed, a vampire on the prowl who doesn't respect human law, see's humans an interesting play things and who knew Anita's on again vampire boy friend and a local bar tender decended from faeries who wants everyone to stay the heck away from the property and things go down hill faster than life expectancy the guy who announces Barry Manilow will be the lead entertainer at a Hell's Angels convention.

The story wonderfully blends greed, horror, adventure and just a tiny bit of eroticism into a great read.

I am big fan of this particular series and would recommend it to all my friends.

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.

well i'm a little late to the game as far as the series goes. but i'll tell you one thing i just can't get enough. The anita blake series is now my 2nd addiction as far as buying and reading books. laurell k. hamilton's style of writing just cathes me from page one and it's so hard to stop or put the book down once i start. the witty conversations and comments made by the main character are great. i cant wait to read the rest of the series.

Hamilton's writing matures throughout her Anita Blake series. This volume shows more depth than her others and her phrasing is smoother. The plot is not as tired--perhaps it is because Anita finds herself outside the city and Jean-Claude must go to her. In general, the whole book is tighter. Books 1-4 give readers the opportunity to pick up wherever they choose, and Book 5 is no exception. In fact, one might bypass some silliness by starting with Book 5. However, it would be a shame to miss out on all that sexual tension in the first four books!

This series has been progressing nicely, and we have observed how the character of Anita Blake has evolved, become more complex and gained in abilities. In this book, she faces a new challenge, to use her animator skills to raise a whole graveyard from the death in order to settle a dispute over a plot of land. She is not sure she is able to deliver this request, but she does love a challenge!

Of course, the complications do not stop there, since while this is happening Anita has to deal with her dating reality. She is currently dating a nice high school professor, Richard, who also happens to be a werewolf. But since Jean Claude, the master vampire of the city of St Louis, also wants Anita for himself, she has promised to date both at the same time and do with Jean Claude everything she does with Richard. Finally, add a police case to the mix, in which Anita is consulting because something killed three young men with a sword in an unconventional way. As Anita says, "...an uncommon preternatural creature that uses a sword, and is faster than a vampire".

My only criticism for the book has to do with the fact that at times some of the dialogs resemble a soap opera, but this is minor. As a matter of fact, I really enjoy the way in which the author uses Anita as a narrator and makes her have conversations with herself, since these provide the needed humor and a contrast with other parts of the book. As she has been doing lately, Hamilton presents new creatures in this installment, introducing us to fairies, which are creatures that use glamor to cloud the minds of others and control their actions. If you have not done so yet, it is time to jump into this series!

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.

Laurell K. Hamilton, Bloody Bones (Berkley, 1996)

I have to admit I approached Bloody Bones with a good deal of trepidation, since a lot of folks whose opinions I tend to trust told me that this is the point where the Anita Blake series started going downhill fast. This may be the case, as I haven't yet progressed beyond this point, but I have to say that even if I'm careening downhill out of control right now, I'm quite enjoying the ride.

This time, Anita, accompanied by her apprentice Larry, are hired out to a lawyer who's building a resort just outside Branson, Missouri. While leveling the ground, they uncover what seems to be a cemetery. The bodies therein may not be those of the people who sold him the plot; Anita is supposed to raise them--yes, all of them--and establish their identities, to make sure it's not the burial ground of the Bouviers, descendants of whom still live in town, running a bar called Bloody Bones. While they're there, Dolph calls with a local murder and sends Anita over there, as well, and she gets a taste of local law enforcement. Things, of course, are not as cut-and-dried as they may seem.

Hamilton takes little time to get the ball rolling on this one, and it goes flying along with all the speed and readability I've come to expect from the series. I don't think anyone will ever mistake it for deathless literature, but it's still quite fun. If you've been avoiding this one because you've heard how the series plummets in quality starting with this book, I'm offering a dissenting opinion; I liked it just as much as the first four. *** ½

This is about the time in the series that things really start to get wierd. It is still a good story though as Anita and her apprentice take a trip. Anita learns somethings about herself and her abilities that begin to scare her. It is worth the read and leads into the next book in the series. I already own the book in paperback and wanted to buy it hardbound as I have bought the last 7 books that way. I am looking forward to getting the next book in the series- Harlequin.

If you don't mind some erotic scenes and weird otherworld stuff than this is a book (in a series) that I would recommend. It's not your everyday Buffy kind of book. It's better.

I love this series of books. Both my Daughter and I have read the whole series together. I went to the book store to find something to read and the guy in the store said "If you are looking for a good book try this one". He handed me "Guilty Pleasures" (the first book in the series) and I was back the next day for every thing else in the series that was on the shelf. I lent them to my Daughter and she was the same way. She came over and asked me for the next book.

I have a real love-hate relationship with Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series. On the one hand I love the social and political world of supernatural creatures that she has superimposed on America, as we know it. I enjoy the mysteries and the interplay between the various vampires, lycanthropes (and an enormous variety of lycanthropes at that), ghouls, zombies, and, of course, necromancers in the books. On the other hand, I cringe every time she writes about sex or romance. I know that really Anne Rice is to blame for this unfortunate alchemy, but Hamilton is nearly as inept as Rice in writing about sex (of course, if you are into S&M then Rice is, I suppose, a delight, but if your aren't she can be a tedious bore). Add to this the fact that Jean-Claude is one of the least compelling and interesting vampires in literature, and then I find that in most of her books the more Jean-Claude and sex, the worst the book. I nearly scream every time she writes of skin accidentally touching skin and the extreme reactions that result.

My other beef with Hamilton is St. Louis and that isn't merely because I live two blocks from Wrigley Field in Chicago. St. Louis is quite possibly the dullest major city in the Northern Hemisphere and there is not a great deal that even vampires and other assorted beasties can do about that. As a result her books seem to take place in no-where-land of little or no character. This novel, however, has by far the most interesting locale of any of her books: the Missouri Ozarks not too far from Branson, Missouri. It is a fitting setting for a sorry about the supernatural and works extremely well in this novel.

Also, the use of Jean-Claude is vastly less irritating in this one than in the other books. As a character his greatest flaw is having little or no personality. But the elegant city slicker out in the sticks motif makes him more interesting than usual. The overall story is also more original and less derivative than the earlier stories. Her previous novel, THE LUNATIC CAFE, had introduced some interesting new creatures, such as an honest to god naga (which I had previously only encountered in computer games), and the inclusion here of faeries and a wider variety of vampires is compelling. Also welcome is the use of Larry, her even younger necromancer colleague, throughout most of the book.

Still, even here there is too much Jean-Claude, though mercifully there is very little Richard. OK, I know there must be fans of these two and even fans of the erotic elements in the books. But for me I believe the supernatural and the romantic are like oil and water. I find that Hamilton writes compellingly and interestingly of the supernatural, but murkily and vaguely of matters of the heart (or the libido). When Anita transforms from vampire executioner and zombie master to turned-on female she reminds me too much of Victorian maidens with heaving breasts. Perhaps I'm alone in not wanting bad sex to interfere with a good adventure story. But the few people I have talked to who have read these books seem to feel the way I do. Though maybe the group of us is in the minority. Either way, this is a very good adventure story and I recommend it heartily.

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.

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.

This was a great book. If you like Anita Blake, then this book will not disappoint!

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.

I am just starting on this series and I can't stop!! Normally serial books eventually fails to meet my expectations or fail to maintain my excitement, but nope, not this series.
The good news is Marvel Comics has started printing graphic version of guilty pleasures........

"Bloody Bones" is the fifth novel in the Anita Blake series. If you're reading this review and you haven't read the prior novels in the series, then I highly suggest you start from the beginning ("Guilty Pleasures"). Not that you couldn't read this book first mind you, as each novel acts as a story within itself. But there is also an underlying story, particularly involving the love triangle between Anita, Richard and Jean Claude, that really needs to be followed chronologically to be completely understood.

In "Bloody Bones", Anita finds herself once again up to her neck in the undead. She is called in to settle a land dispute between two disagreeing parties by raising several 300 year old corpses in an attempt to find out which family they originally belonged to. Of course, there is much more to the case than it first appears, and Anita unwillingly releases a powerful force that has been lying dormant for centuries.

As with all previous volumes we are treated to a wonderfully entertaining book filled with action, intrigue and tons of gory horror. Every novel in the series seems to introduce interesting characters and "Bloody Bones" brings forth the world of the faeries into the mix. It's amazing how a plot can include vampires, werewolves and faeries, while still maintaining a semblance of continuity, all contained within less than 400 pages. But the author has also made much more of an attempt this time round to build on each of the existing characters and I think it makes for an even more satisfying read than the already high level of the first four books. In fact, Laurell's writing skills in general are definitely superior than they were previously. She takes her time to flesh out all aspects of the book rather than just throw constantly humorous and action-packed scenes at the reader. I found myself in the first few books thrown from one thing to the next so fast that it was almost bewildering, not to mention fairly unbelievable. By being more descriptive and spending a bit more time studying the emotional aspect of the characters, I think this book is showing a bit more literary class, which bodes well for future releases, even if it does pad out the length beyond the "read-on-a-rainy-weekend" level.

I'm still not completely convinced with the three way relationship that appears to be taking centre stage within the series, but I am enjoying Anita's mentoring of Larry into the dangerous world of vampires and all things that dwell in the darker side of life. I continually hear that the series starts to go downhill in its latter stages, but "Bloody Bones" is certainly not where this decline begins. It's entertaining, it's dark, it's intriguing, but most of all it's downright fun. Another 5 stars!

Once you get started on the Anita Blake series, you will be searching for the next one.

Bloody Bones continues the Anita Blake series by exploring Anita's "gifts" and developing characters that are very well utilized in later novels. While I give this novel four stars, I consider the series in total to be of five star quality and they get much better as the storylines become more complex. This novel emphasises her skills as a necromancer, and has a ton of vampire action (and introduces few new types of supernatural creatures). Also, it is worthwhile to note that from the cover art, one may assume that this novel would fall in the paranormal romance genre, but I do not believe that to be the case; instead I would be more inclined to classify this book as an action adventure with a touch of noir. Later books in the series however, do shift a bit to include elements from the romance genre (in my mind, book six "The Killing Dance" marks the change in tone for the series). Even after the genre shift however, the books retain a strong emphasis on action and the macabre. As for The Bloody Bones, it is light, fast-paced and all-in-all a fun read.

Anita Blake, Mexican-American necromancer and licensed vampire executioner, is once more wading into supernatural doo-doo right up to her over-the- shoulder gun holster. Anita has conflicting jobs and loyalties. Her day job is working as a zombie queen raising the dead for those who have unfinished business with the dead, along with her job working for the police as a consultant to the Preternatural Investigation Team. Both of these jobs seem to require her services 24 hours a day. Her love life is complicated and time consuming since she dates both a handsome werewolf and a seductive vampire, who are competing to be Anita's lover.

In this episode Anita is called in to raise a whole graveyard of zombies to clarify a land dispute. Anita stumbles onto a small town's secrets which keep captive an ancient and unstoppable evil. Meanwhile, a rogue vampire is seducing and kidnapping teenagers.

Anita Blake is an edgy, hard-boiled hero with a laconic communication style and mordant wit. She has a tiny build and compensates by being a master of weapons and fighting. Anita loves to challenge authority and never gives in except to help others. Her pithy observations and tendency to crack jokes in the midst of dire peril endear her to readers and alienate her foes. Highly recommended!

Anita Blake, mexican-american necromancer and licensed vampire executioner, is once more wading into supernatural doo-doo right up to her over the shoulder gun holster. Anita has conflicting jobs and loyalties. Her day job is working as a zombie queen raising the dead for those who have unfinished business with the dead. Then there is her job working for the police as a consultant to the Preternatural Investigation Team. Both of these jobs seem to require her services 24 hours a day. Her love life is complicated and time consuming since she dates both a handsome werewolf and a seductive vampire, who are competing to be Anita's lover.

In this episode Anita is called in to raise a whole graveyard of zombies to clarify a land dispute. Anita stumbles onto a small town secrets which keep captive an ancient and unstoppable evil. Meanwhile, a rogue vampire is seducing and kidnapping teenagers.

Anita Blake is an edgy, hard-boiled hero with a laconic communication style and mordant wit. She loves to challenge authority and never gives in except to help others. Her pithy observations and tendency to crack jokes in the midst of dire peril endear her to readers and alienate her foes. Highly recommended!

To settle a dispute over the ownership of a land, a large legal firm approaches Animators, Inc. Their request is very specific: raise the corpses and determine which family is the rightful owners. It sounds rather easy except that the corpses are at least two-hundred-years old; a job that only the best animator could possibly do.

Enter our heroine Anita Blake. As usual, it wouldn't be a normal day for her if she only had one problem to deal with. While inspecting the land, she gets a call from the police asking for her opinion on three gruesome murders. However, it doesn't stop there. Shortly after, she is called to investigate the murder of a dead girl who was obviously slain by a vampire. In just a few hours in Branson, Missouri, Anita realizes that they are dealing with something more sinister; something that would require the help of the Master of the City--her boyfriend, Jean-Claude.

Welcome to the world of Anita Blake--animator, necromancer and vampire-slayer extraordinaire. She is tough, cynical, and witty, and possesses a warped sense of humor. While she is ruthless when it comes to annihilating the monsters, you just can't help but love her. Hamilton has created such a fantastic character and storyline that one can't help but be enticed and be drawn into Anita's world. She knows how to blend mystery, supernatural theme, romance and humor. She also has a real talent for seducing the readers by giving just enough hints of what to expect in the future, such as revealing a teeny weenie bit more about Anita's real powers or divulging something interesting about the other central characters, or taking her relationship with Jean-Claude one step further, just enough to whet your appetite. And it works! Because if it doesn't, I wouldn't be reaching for the next book as soon as I get to the last page of one.

BLOODY BONES is the fifth book in the series. While this volume can stand alone, it is worth reading the first four books to give you a richer understanding of the characters and their lives.

This is not great literature, but it is great summer reading stuff. This is one of a series and they are pretty well written and defiinitely addictive. Enjoy.

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.

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.

Anita Blake, necromancer and vampire executioner extrordinaire, drags her protege, Larry, on a trip to Branson to raise the 300 year old zombies of an open grave. When she gets there though the police have other expectations. Something has been slaying teens in a gruesome way. Anita runs across a group of vampires with scary powers and their pet elves who are power hungry in their own way. In need of reinforcements she calls in everyones favorite master vampire, Jean-Claude to negotiate. Anita and Jean-Claude end up sharing a room due to the theft of his coffin. Jason the werewolf tags along as protection. Larry starts losing more of his naive sheen and admits that one of the scariest killers of all is Anita. When the Master of Branson gets the idea in her head to make Anita her new pet, Anita gives her a firey good time and ends up back in the hospital for her troubles.

The rest of the books in the series are:
Guilty Pleasures
The Laughing Corpse
The Circus of the Damned
Lunatic Cafe
Bloody Bones
The Killing Dance
Burnt Offerings
Blue Moon
Obsidian Butterfly
Narcissus in Chains
Cravings Anthology
Cerulean Sins
Bite anthology
Incubus Dreams
Micah
Danse Macabre

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!

Seeing how this book ends and knowing what happens later in the series, this will probably be my final Anita Blake book. It is has a very good premise and I like that it is set away from St. Louis. It makes for good times. It develops the story of Anita's powers and brings Jean-Claude into focus. A good read.

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

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.

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

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 fiancý? 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

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 just finished reading Bloody Bones and immediately bought the next two in the series.

While Anita Blake's insistence on not having sex until she gets married is annoying, as it's so unbelievable when taking into consideration the rest of her character, the character overall and the book are phenomenal.

Well-written, quirky and weird - with a world of vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters all spoken of so matter-of-factly that it's beautifully believable. This isn't usually my type of fare, as I like the 'real' fantasy/vampire/horror stuff not the type that are written like pseudo-30s detective novels, but this series is well worth the effort.

Anita got a little bitchier in Bloody Bones, which became a tad annoying, but her relationship with Jean-Claude developed even more, which made up for Anita's bitchiness.

Can't wait to see what happens in book 6!

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 Cafý) 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!

This is a wonderful novel. Ms. Hamilton REALLY has the "right stuff"

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.

This installment was truly one of the most interesting, enthralling and frightening tales I have read in this great series. The baddies were probably the worst that Anita has faced (Serephina, Xavier, the human Stirling) and the sheer evil creepiness of these characters made my skin crawl and actually made me afraid of what was to happen. The direction of the book got a little off course with Bloody Bones finally taking a back seat to a fathomlessly evil vampire coven--but it delivered in the end with an edge-of-the-seat finale that honestly had me gasping. Everyone it seems has an opinion of what is "classic" Anita Blake and where Hamilton goes wrong in this series. It may occur in the next installment that I'm reading now--but not this one. Bloody Bones delivers one of the best books I have read in the entire genre.

This installment was truly one of the most interesting, enthralling and frightening tales I have read in this great series. The baddies were probably the worst that Anita has faced (Serephina, Xavier, the human Stirling) and the sheer evil creepiness of these characters actually made me afraid of what was to happen. The direction of the book got a little off course with Bloody Bones finally taking a back seat to a fathomlessly evil vampire coven--but it delivered in the end with an edge-of-the-seat finale that honestly had me gasping. Everyone it seems has an opinion of what is "classic" Anita Blake and where Hamilton goes wrong in this series. It may occur in the next installment that I'm reading now--but not this one. Bloody Bones delivers one of the best books I have read in the entire genre.

Anita Blake is a feisty, independent, 21st century lady who's got attitude with a capital "A." Animator, necromancer, called by vampires everywhere "The Executioner, she is tops in her field and a woman of many talents. The St. Louis Police Department's Regional Preternatural Investigation Team has made her a full fledged member, a civilian expert, and she is on call 24/7 to help solve their more grizzly cases. Unfortunately Anita prefers to date the undead and the "lunarly disadvantaged." She is involved with Richard Zeeman, rugged, outdoor type, science teacher by day, and otherwise a werewolf. Jean Claude, Master Vampire, sophisticate, unbelievably handsome and sexiest vamp around town, also has a hold on her affections. What's a girl to do?

Bert, the greedy, unscrupulous owner of Animators, Inc., and Anita's boss, has already taken money in exchange for Anita's services on a new case; services he doesn't know whether she is able to perform. Millions of dollars are at stake, and Anita may be the only animator powerful enough to do the job. So she leaves St. Louis for the rural town of Branson, Missouri. Her mission is to raise an entire graveyard of zombies in order to settle some land dispute issues. The bones have been disturbed and separated, and the corpses are at least 300 years-old. The older the corpse, the bigger the sacrifice needed for a raising, and the more powerful an animator has to be. Another matter of great concern - someone, or something is killing local youths. An ancient, psychotic, sword-wielding vampire, and his renegade cohorts, are most likely involved in the grotesque multiple murders. Against her better judgement, Anita calls on Jean Claude for help, since she isn't receiving any from the local police. The idea is to go through the area's Master Vampire - Serephina - and petition her to rein in her monsters. The story can only become scarier with Serephina in on the action.

And yet another complication arises - a fey family, the Bouviers, is involved in the graveyard-land dispute. Brother and sister, Magnus and Dorcus Bouvier are faeries, Homo arcanus, and proprietors of The Bloody Bones, a bar and eatery in the Ozarks. Anita and Larry Kirkland, an animator trainee and Anita's new protégé, pay a visit to ask the owners some questions about their estate holdings and discover that faery magic, glamour, is being used, illegally, to bring in customers.

The tone of the series gets darker and richer with every book, as does Anita's character. Initially, she is only an animator and The Executioner, a vampire hunter, convinced that fighting monsters is the right thing to do. Now, as her necromancy powers become stronger, she's not so sure that all the monsters are all bad. What exactly is the price she is paying for each new victory? Action and adventure-wise, "Bloody Bones" is one of Ms. Hamilton's best books yet. She is an excellent writer who, with much flair and pizzazz, mixes fantasy with mystery, romance and dark humor. The mystery is at the fore of her novels and the supernatural takes second place, almost taken for granted as part of Anita Blake's natural world. And Ms. Blake is a delight - witty, savvy, hard-boiled, as in tough and a major cynic with a tender heart. I highly recommend this series. A Warning, however - to really enjoy these novels, and the characters' development, the books should be read in order. (at least the 1st four).
JANA

You know, I always thought it was RAWHIDE and Bloody Bones....

Great installment! I gave it four instead of five because the 'main baddie' (he is in the title after all!) seemed to be an afterthought near the end. I enjoyed getting to know a little bit about fairies, I hope that they are in future installments. And like a number of other reviewers, I liked the fact that Larry was in the story. I almost enjoyed reading more about Anita's relationship with him, than I did her relationship with Jean Claude. I liked the character of Jason as well, thought he didn't get to change in this book.

LKH hinted that Larry has "an aura' all his own, and I am anxiously awaiting the results of that statement.

All in all, out of the five books I have read so far, I enjoyed this one the most. The characters were well fleshed out, and it was just fun.

CAn't wait to see what The Killing Dance has in store for me!

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.

Fifth in the "Anita Blake, vampire hunter" series, this book may well be the best so far. Which is really saying something, considering how good the others have been. As usual, the character of Anita is a compelling one, and the background world that Hamilton has set up is fascinating. The fact that we get the story first person from Anita's point of view works wonderfully, as it gives us a very intimate look at her engaging personality, and it also gives us a great deal of necessary information about the way supernatural things work in this world, as Anita is well-versed in supernatural lore, without knowing EVERYTHING and spoiling all of our surprises. But all of this could have been said equally about any of the books in this series; what makes this one special is getting a bit better look at the characters of Larry Kirkland (Anita's trainee in both necromancy and vampire slaying) and Jean-Claude, the vampire who has been trying to establish a relationship with her of one sort or another ever since book one. Also, we see a bit of the fay in this book, which doubtless provides a bit of a bridge to Hamilton's "Meredith Gentry" novels.

No more sleep filled nights for me! My nights will be spotted with sleep because of the zombies and other night creatures contained in Bloody Bones. Ms Hamilton has captured and illustrated zombies at their best (or worst). This is a must have for your personal library! Spooky, scary,and it gets your heart pounding! I also recommend "Eternal Undying Love" by Brett Keane

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...

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

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.