Vampires, werewolves, zombies, shapeshifters, lamias... did I forget anyone? This is the world Anita Blake inhabits, where most of these 'monsters' live alongside humans in relative peace. I mean, vampires have rights and even vote, for crying out loud! Where else can you raise someone from the dead (a zombie) so they can make a will to protect their family or give the police testimony about a murder (usually their own)? Anita Blake is an animator who temporarily raises the dead to assist the li...

I'm not giving it 5 stars because that's what I gave the previous two books, and I'd be embarrassed to be so generous, but it easily could have earned it. Really, its only flaws are that the pace is a little too breakneck and the characters are a bit dim, but you'll love it for the ironic dialogue and how quickly it hooks you. Very subjectively, I get tired of the super-abundance of hot guys described with infatuation by Laurell K. Hamilton, but well, it's forgivable I guess. This is the third b...

Anita Blake to the rescue again???!!!I'm afraid my love affair with Anita's badass ways may be coming to an end. Too much of a good thing, I suppose.It's kinda like when you have a crush on someone, so everything they do is wonderful. But a few months into the relationship, the actions you once loved start to annoy the crap out of you. I'm starting to feel that way towards Anita. I loved her bitchiness, no soft edges, tough as nails, "I don't date vampires, I kill them" attitude. But now I am ge...

I'm still really into the Anita Blake series, but I gotta say, Anita doesn't strike me as a 24-year-old. Honestly, I'd buy her more as someone in her late 30s or even early 40s, considering how world-weary she comes across and how experienced she thinks she is. It's a bit of a stretch, even for a vampire hunter. I wonder if Laurell K. Hamilton got a sweet deal from Nike for product placement? She mentions those shoes by name what feels like every chapter. Although, I guess I could say the same ...

Okay, so Anita Blake in Laurell K. Hamilton's *Circus of the Damned (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, Book 3)* is really testing my patience. This girl is OBSESSED with her Nikes. Nikes are mentioned so many times in this book that if you played a drinking game with "Nike" as your word, you'd be absolutely hammered by the halfway point. Seriously, someone get this girl a sponsorship deal! But don't worry, she always color-coordinates her Nikes with a sporty fanny pack. You know, to look extra fashi...

"Your questions will make something simple last all...day."Only three books in, and we're already seeing a pattern. Guys come to Anita asking her to do something; she flat-out says, "No." Dolph calls her to investigate a murder; it turns out to be the weirdest, most messed-up murder Anita's ever seen. Jean-Claude hits on her; Anita tells him to F@#$ off. Anita does some light investigating, bad guys crawl out of the woodwork to try and kill her, Anita's rude and sarcastic to a bunch of people, a...

I absolutely love Laurell Hamilton’s work. The Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series is just outstanding!The first two books in this series, *Guilty Pleasures* and *The Laughing Corpse*, are amazing pieces of work.*Circus of the Damned (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, Book 3)* declares no less awesomeness. This is the book that wraps you around the series and pulls everything together. This book is really the beginning of the journey that whips and turns you into a reality that is completely twisted, ...

“I could have made this pleasant, but now I think I want you to hurt. Look into my eyes, mortal, and despair.” - Alejandro 4th Listen: The end was awesomely brutal! I like to pretend Richard passed too.3rd Listen: Edward makes everything better! Also, I’m a big fan of the lamia, even if she did portend Anita the succubus. And Richard, jee-zusz Richard: “We were fighting and we hadn’t even had one date, that was a record even for me.” -Anita Blake on the subject of Richard2nd Listen: Still a g...

I'm really enjoying rereading this series. Going back to the beginning has reminded me why I kept reading, even as it morphed into something else entirely. These early books were so great because the men and the sex weren’t the main focus of the entire plot.Here, Anita is still working as an animator and an assistant to the preternatural police force. She's got a full plate, as usual. After a night of raising corpses, she's hounded by members of some vamp-hater church to give up the resting plac...

Without a doubt, *Circus of the Damned* is better than the first two books in the series. I really like Jean-Claud. Honestly, he's the reason I'm reading these books. I've never rooted for the villain to win the girl before, it's a fun change. Anita was a bit disappointing in this one, though. I'm starting to think Jean-Claud deserves someone better.The swearing is over the top and repetitive. And I get that in a series, each book needs to be somewhat standalone, so you have to re-explain certai...