Guilty Pleasures

Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton (1993)

Reader's Annotation

Vampire hunter Anita Blake is hired to find out who has been murdering innocent vampires.

Summary

Anita Blake lives in Saint Louis, Missouri, but it's not exactly our Saint Louis. In Anita's world, magic, vampires, werewolves, and the like are and have always been "out of the closet."  Anita is an animator with the ability to raise and lay to rest zombies. She also works as a vampire executioner; however, in her world, vampires have rights just like anyone else. That means she needs a court order to kill one.

At the story's open, Jean-Claude, master vampire and proprietor of the vampire strip-club Guilty Pleasures, tries to hire Anita to investigate a recent string of vampire murders—the vampires were the victims NOT the perpetrators—but Anita isn't interested; she doesn't like vampires and would much rather be killing them. Jean-Claude, who literally cannot take no for an answer, must blackmail her into taking the job.

Anita finds herself working for Nikolaos, the master vampire of the city. She is a thousand years old, very powerful, and looks like a prepubescent girl. She is not a good boss.

In the curse of her investigation, Anita befriends Philip, a human vampire junkie who strips at Guilty Pleasures. When Nikolaos' minions torture and kill Phillip then bring him back as a zombie, Anita vows to bring Nikolaos down.

By story's end, Anita has not only stopped the vampire killer but also, with Jean-Claude's aid, destroyed Nikolaos, leaving Jean-Claude master vampire of the city.

Evaluation

I enjoyed this book. It was a quick fun read. The writing and plot have a bit of the clunkiness of a first novel but I'd definitely read another. The world of the novel goes beyond just vampires and seems to have the potential to grow into something rich and complex as the series progresses. And I expect to see Anita Blake's relationship with Jean-Claude grow into something more as well. The tone of the writing is hard-boiled with a fair bit of violence, blood, and sex.

If you like this book, you should try Kim Harrison's Rachel Morgan series and Jeaniene Frost's Night Huntress series.

Genres: Romance, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery/Crime
Subgenres: Urban Fantasy, Vampire Romance, Paranormal Romance

Halfway to the Grave

Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost (2007)

Reader's Annotation

Half-vampire Cat hunts vampires hoping one day to kill the one that fathered her.

Summary

Half-vampire Cat Crawfield hunts vampires—any vampires. They're all evil, according to her mother—especially the one that raped her and fathered Cat! Then one day, Cat tries to kill a vampire so old and experienced that she might just as well have been a kitten. But the ancient vampire—Bones is his name—doesn't kill her. Instead he agrees to train her in the art of vampire killing, IF she will agree to kill only evil vampires—the ones he says are evil. Soon she is ready, and together they begin to hunt. As she and Bones fight side by side, Cat begins to think that Bones may not be so evil after all—she may even have feelings for him! But as Cat's feelings for Bones' grow, she worries that her mother will never understand.

Evaluation

I enjoyed this one and intend to try more in the series. The characters are likable—especially Bones—and the action is fun and suspenseful. The world seems likely to develop a richness as the series progresses—ghosts have already been added into the mix. The book does have a good bit of sex and violence including vampiric blood exchange but the descriptions of vampiric sex are brief and don't become tedious as they do in some other vampire romances—at least for my tastes.

If you like this book, you should try Kim Harrison's Rachel Morgan series and Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series.

Genres: Romance, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery/Crime
Subgenres: Urban Fantasy, Vampire Romance

The Perfect Husband

The Perfect Husband by Lisa Gardner (1998)

Reader's Annotation

What if the perfect man you married turned out to be a human monster?

Summary

Tess thought police officer Jim Beckett was the perfect white knight who would save her from her abusive father, but after two years of marriage, she knew that he was something far worse. After Tess provided enough evidence to put him away for brutally murdering ten women, Beckett hunted her down and nearly killed her. 

Now he's escaped from prison, and Tess fears the police won't be able to protect her any better than they did the last time. She turns to alcoholic, ex-mercenary J.T. Dillon for help. He helps her learn to protect herself while she helps him come to terms with his failure to protect his sister from their own abusive father. Together they deal with the seemingly unstoppable Jim Beckett.

Evaluation

This was a suspenseful and involving horror story of a human monster and at the same time a romance between two people who were damaged in very similar ways. Serial killer Jim Beckett served as the perfect cathartic stand-in for their respective fathers. The writing had its flaws but the story kept me interested to the very end. This is one of Gardner's earlier efforts; from the reviews on Amazon, I suspect that her writing has improved since. I would certainly try another in her FBI Profiler series. If you are bothered by graphic violence and explicit sex, you should avoid this novel.

Those who enjoy this novel should try the suspense novels of Thomas Harris, which include Red Dragon and The Silence of the Lambs.

Genres: Horror, Thriller, Romance
Subgenres: Human Monster, Serial Killer, Romantic Suspense

Christmas Letter

Christmas Letters by Debbie Macomber (2006)

Reader's Annotation

Katherine thinks Dr. Wynn Jeffries' book on child-rearing is ridiculous, but he's irresistible.

Summary

Katherine "K.O." O'Connor makes extra money writing Christmas newsletters for other people. Dr. Wynn Jeffries is a child psychologist whose book The Free Child has a chapter called 'Bury Santa Under the Sleigh.' When K.O. discovers that she and Dr. Jeffries live in the same building, her sister, a big fan of his book, asks her to get his autograph. Instead K.O. ambushes him at the local coffee hangout, accusing him of taking Santa away from her nieces. This does not go well.

Later that very same day, K.O.'s neighbor LaVonne fixes her up on a blind date...with Dr. Jeffries! To both their surprise, K.O. and Wynn hit it off in a big way—as long as they can stay off the subject of child rearing. Can they just agree to disagree? LaVonne knows they'll wind up together—didn't she read their future in the kitty litter?

Evaluation

This was a cute story, definitely a romantic comedy. I could easily imagine Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks as the leads. I chose this book as one my mother might have liked—and I think she would have. Christmas Letter is what's known as a sweet romance, in which the romance doesn't go beyond kissing—no sex. And, while the novel is not explicitly a Christian romance, it contains nothing to offend a Christian's sensibilities. Macomber has written a number of other novels with a Christmas theme.

Genres: Romance
Subgenres: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Comedy

Wild Ride

Wild Ride by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer (2011)

Reader's Annotation

Restoring the Dreamland Amusement Park is a dream come true for Mab, but FunFun the Clown is NOT what she expected.

Summary

The Dreamland Amusement Park is not like any park Mary Alice Brannigan (Mab for short) has restored before. Turns out it's actually the prison of five ancient demons known as The Untouchables. Mab doesn't know this yet and, while putting the finishing touches on the statue of FunFun the Clown, she accidentally releases the first of the demons, the trickster Fufluns. Mab soon discovers that Fufluns isn't so bad as demon gods go and actually makes a pretty good boyfriend. Unfortunately not all the ancient demons are as easy-going as Fufluns and soon more have escaped confinement. As Halloween fast approaches, Mab and her friends must return the demons to their confinement before the evil demon boss god Kharos gains his freedom, initiating the apocalypse.

Evaluation

This novel was good frothy fun if a bit slight. The amusement park was a fun backdrop for an urban fantasy novel. The Romance aspect of the novel kept me guessing a bit. Would Mab wind up with the hunky Army Ranger? Nope, turns out he's her half-brother by the demon god Kharos. What about the trickster Fufluns? Nope, he has to go back into confinement, though he does get her pregnant. Turns out that the Homeland Security agent who's been in the background for most of the novel is crazy about her, even if she is carrying a demon spawn. I thought it was interesting that Jennifer Crusie wrote the chapters that are from Mab's point of view and Bob Mayer wrote those from the Army Ranger's point of view. (I guess you can tell which point of view I enjoyed more.)

If you really liked this novel, you should try the other collaborations between Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer; Agnes and the Hitman sounds pretty fun. But if you particularly enjoyed the humorous urban fantasy aspect, you must try Christopher Moore. In my opinion, his urban fantasies are funnier and better written, and many even include a bit of romance.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance
Subgenres: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance

Devil's Cub

Devil's Cub by Georgette Heyer

Reader's Annotation

When Mary spoils the young Marquis's non-matrimonial plans for her social-climbing sister Sophia, he abducts Mary to France instead.

Summary

The young Marquis of Vidal leaves highwaymen dead in the road and eats social-climbing little chits like Sophia Challoner for dessert but, when it comes to Sophia's fiercely protective older sister Mary, the Marquis has met his match. Mary knows that Vidal will never marry Sophia, so, when she intercepts a message inviting Sophia to run away with him, Mary puts on a mask and goes in Sophia's stead. Then when Vidal discovers the switch, Mary deepens the deception by claiming that the switch was all Sophia's idea for a joke at his expense. This so enrages Vidal that he forcibly abducts Mary onto his yacht and sails for France. There, after many misunderstandings, interfering friends and relatives, a shooting, and a duel, Mary and Vidal realize they are a perfect match and are betrothed.

Evaluation

This fun novel is a well done Comedy of Manners set during the British Regency era. The Marquis of Vidal is the perfect rake, drinking, gambling, dueling, and pursuing women with the most dishonorable of intentions. Mary Challoner is the perfect spunky heroine who tames the rake. The repartee among the supporting characters is tres amusant and there's enough action for any adventure novel. The historical details and language seem accurate to the best of my limited knowledge. Georgette Heyer is considered the queen of the Regency Romance and has inspired many imitators. Her fans include many men like myself who enjoy the adventure and humor of her Regency Romances.

Fans of Jane Austen may enjoy Heyer's Regency Romances. Those who enjoy the adventure in them may also enjoy the historical novels of Rafael Sabatini, while those who enjoy their humor may like the aristocratic buffoonery of P.G. Wodehouse.

Genres: Romance, Historical
Subgenres: Regency Romance