Guilty Pleasures: An Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Novel

Not having really been interested in the horror genre before this year (with the exception of Anne Rice's vampire and witch series), I bought this book because I had read reviews and comments on various sites all raving about Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series. I have to say, they were right! This is a great series, and this book sets the tone for the rest of the books in the series. The character of Anita Blake is written with such a strong voice that she becomes totally believable. Her humor is dry and self-deprecating, and is a lynchpin of the story. She is the sort of person you might like hanging around with, even though you know it might get you seriously maimed. The tale is told totally from her point of view - the reader knows what she knows, and other characters' behavior is interpreted through her thought processes. This is one of the interesting challenges of the series, which has given rise to countless message boards - determining character motivations. She is a kick-ass heroine working (mostly) within the confines of the law, doing her licensed job using her unusual gifts while trying to retain her humanity and morality. Ms. Hamilton provides us with such a realistic alternative USA that Anita's powers and the beings that inhabit her world seem believable. Why are the vampires above ground, so to speak? Because of a Supreme Court decision that ruled that they are living beings deserving of legal protections, of course. There should be enough gore here for most horror fans, and for romance fans, there is romance but it is very subtle - more setting the stage for what develops in the subsequent books (but once you read those stories, you remember this book and go "a-ha!"). Some people compare Anita Blake to Buffy, but that's an apples-oranges comparison. Anita is for adults - there is no teenage angst or experimentation, no violence without physical consequence. Anita is dedicated and professional; she is physically weary by the end of her day and constantly wrestles with her fear that she herself is evil because of what she is capable of doing. The vampires are complex and frightening - not cartoonishly evil characters that go "poof" when staked. Start with this book, and read the series in order. Each book, while capable of standing on its own, builds on the previous one in terms of the characters' development and relationships, really adding a whole new dimension to the storyline. These books are like an addiction - once you start, you'll find you crave the rest.

Has it really been over 20 years since I first read this series? 😅 😬 Why yes. Yes it has been… but only because I was just a few years old when I read it 🤷🏻‍♀️🤡 (yeah. I wasn’t in high school/college or anything 🤡🤣🤣 there’s no way I’m that old 🤡🤣). Anita Blake (24) has been a vampire hunter for a while now. In fact, she’s been nicknamed “The Executioner” and for a good reason too- she’s a bad a$$$$$ that can not only reanimate the dead, but she’s incredibly skilled at killing vampires- especially ones that are causing havoc in their town. She gets volun-told to help find out who’s killing vampires (on top of all the other things she needs to do as part of her job 😅), and because she feels a sense of obligation to do the right thing, she has to. She’s fine doing it even if it means meeting with not-so-nice beings, as long as she keeps her head down when she encounters the SEEEEXY AF 🔥Jean Claude (making eye contact= her caving into his seduction 👀). It should be easy… right? Riiiiight? 👀 What I liked/loved: —how much of a bad a$$$$$$ Anita is 👏🏻. They don’t make em like they used to 👀 —Jean Claude 👀. Well. Duh. He’s a vampire 👀 a seeeexy AF one 😅 who oozes sensuality and all the pleasure my girl Anita needs 👀 gah. I can’t wait for them to happen —Anita’s stomach of steel 😅 how does she not throw up more 🤣 proud of your stomach girl —the world building 👏🏻. It’s what got me immersed into this world all those decades ago —Jean Claude’s sneakiness 😈. Muahahaha I see what you did there Jean Claude 💅 —ils parlent français… j’adore les français —the side characters ❤️. I had forgotten some of them, but it felt like seeing old friends again lol —Anita’s quick wit 👏🏻. I love me a smart girl —did I mention Jean Claude yet? 👀 What I didn’t like/love: —Anita. Girl. Make some eye contact with Jean Claude 👀. Ima bout to push you outta the way so I can 🤣 —Phillip 🫶 IYKYK 😭 —some characters needed to suffer more 🤷🏻‍♀️ —not one 🔥 scene 😒. Sigh. But it’s okay cause I know we’re gonna be getting some in a couple of books from now 👀 —how loose some are with 🔥 specifically the males 😒 I gotta pay attention to the ones that matter 😅 Overall, I still loved it 🤷🏻‍♀️

GUILTY PLEASURES by Laurell K. Hamilton is the first book in the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series. It is a series that I have re-read countless times and I never fail to enjoy myself. This is the only time I’ve attempted to review them, I’m not sure why I never got around to it, but I guess this is as good a time as any. “Welcome to Guilty Pleasures. We are here to serve you. To make your most evil dream come true.” Anita Blake is the ever popular zombie animator for Animators, Inc., licensed vampire hunter, and the bogeyman—dubbed The Executioner—to vampires everywhere. After the Master of the City not-so-politely blackmailed her into investigating the vampire murders shocking Saint Louis, Missouri, Anita must use her skills as preternatural expert, vampire hunter, and even as a zombie animator to solve the mystery and save her friends from harm. Anita Blake is a character I’ve admired for years. The woman is flawed. She’s frustrating, stubborn, and judgemental, but she’s also tough-as-nails, loyal, and will never stop seeking justice for victims, humans or otherwise. The facets of her personality never fail to fascinate me. She will kill to protect her loved ones. She is feared by monsters, respected by cops, deeply religious, prude, compassionate, and collects stuffed penguins. Plus, she’s a reader. How can I not be in love with her? Another beloved Anita Blake character is Jean-Claude, a master vampire and local business owner. He’s deliciously French and is intrigued by the challenging vampire hunter. He’s not my favorite character of the series, but I am a fan of the seductive vampire. He is a puzzle that I doubt I’ll ever truly understand, but that is one of his draws. Hamilton created a world that stands out from other horror or urban fantasy stories. It is detailed and dazzling and sports an alternate history where humans and supernatural creatures live in recognition of one other’s presence, but certainly not harmoniously. Though the police and average humans do live woefully ignorant of preternatural species and their cultures, which gives more depth and conflict to GUILTY PLEASURES and the rest of the series. It does also make for a plausible human race. When aren’t we ignorant of other cultures? Every time I re-read this series, I find new books have been written. I am a die-hard fan of Laurell K. Hamilton and no doubt I always will be, though it is crazy to think this series was first published in the early ’90s and new books are still coming out. Yet somehow, I am still eagerly awaiting more Anita Blake adventures. Romance does not come into play in GUILTY PLEASURES, but there are a couple of heated scenes to enjoy. Fear not, there is intricate world building, supernatural creatures out the wazoo, and a captivating mystery to devour in the first book of this treasured series.

“You can’t save everybody. In fact, there are days when I think you can’t save anyone. Each person has to save himself first, then you can move in and help.” You have to love the first book in a series, at least to some extent, because it’s what opens you up to the world your characters live in. Gives you that initial glimpse into how things work, into how exciting they may be. And oh boy, is Anita’s world quite something. The protagonist of this book is Anita Blake. Local zombie raiser, works with the regional cops occasionally, and oh, is also known as The Executioner of the vampire kind. A couple years previous to the start of this book, vampires became legal citizens. This world isn’t like your old school Dracula. Humans always knew vampires and shapeshifters existed. And they killed them. Now days, that’s a bit more difficult, since they’re now considered “alive” and all. But that’s why Anita is known as the Executioner. When bad little vampires decide to no longer be law abiding citizens, they send Anita after them to end them before things get worse. She’s worked hard for her title and to establish herself, and has plenty of scars to prove it. But when vampires are being killed around town, no one knows who could possibly be doing it. Who is stronger and faster than a vampire? Not only does the Regional Preternatural Investigation Team, known as RPIT (rip it), ask for her expertise, but so do the local vampires. And they’re not willing to ask so nicely….or take no for an answer. This book is great. Not only is the main character wonderful to get to know, but the whole book is packed with richly written characters that just make the book pop as if it were something alive and brightly colored instead of just words on pages. It sucks you in (no pun intended) and keeps you guessing what the hell, after everything, will happen next. Needless to say, the author doesn’t take it easy on her main character, and Anita goes through quite a lot throughout this book. This is one of those books that it’s hard to truly describe. There are just so many characters or events that I would love to mention…..but then this would be a very, very long review. As for the writing, I can honestly say it is new and refreshing; that I could pick up one of her books without looking, and know it was hers just by her writing style, it’s that distinguishable. Also, the snarky, sarcastic humor that the protagonist has is just wonderful to read. There’s so many great one liners and thoughts that run through Anita’s head (and often out her mouth as well, much to the chagrin of some the other characters), that it’s just a nice blend of everything needed for a story like this. I definitely recommend this book. If you like vampires or shapeshifters, or just a kick-ass female lead, than you’ll probably like this book. It’s a nice spin on the whole vampire/paranormal thing that makes it interesting and fresh. And I believe it’ll be well worth it to check out the rest of this series to see just what else Anita will have to endure, snarky humor included.

"Guilty Pleasures" is the first Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter novel by Laurell K. Hamilton, but when you read it you will wish that it was not. What I mean by that convoluted sentence is that Anita is well into her career as an Animator when this book opens and the more you find out about her backstory the more you want to learn. One of the most important things in this story is when the master vampire Jean-Claude puts the first two marks upon Anita, which links them psychically and makes her somewhat immune to the mental powers of the vampires. Obviously this will have long term repercussions in the series, but it is not as momentous a change since this is the first novel in the series; when it happens Anita has talked about killing vampires, but we have yet to see her ply her trade. If there had been a prequel to this story, in which Anita earned her reputation as "The Executioner" and we learned the rules of the game in terms of vampires and this brave new world they inhabit, then her transformation in "Guilty Pleasures" would have the weight it deserves. Similarly, the idea that the thousand-year-old Master Vampire of St. Louis wants to hire Anita to solve the sudden rash of vampire murders also has less impact than it would if this story was told further down the line. Hamilton comes up with some excellent ideas in this novel, but you can imagine how much more of an impact they would have if this was the third or fourth Anita Blake novel instead of the first. However, Hamilton gets high marks for giving us the feel that we have stepped into an ongoing story, always a laudable goal. You have to be quite optimistic about her ability to up the ante as the series continues. The world of Anita Blake is one in which the Supreme Court has granted the undead equal rights, so that you cannot kill a vampire without a warrant and you can just imagine the legal morass involving zombies, ghouls and were-beasts. Hamilton has created a world in which the undead are still creatures of the night but have become a part of society, which runs the spectrum from vampire strip clubs such as the Guilty Pleasures of the title to the Church of Eternal Life where becoming a vampire can help you achieve that particular goal. This is a thoughtful look at the "realities" of such a world and although you will recognize elements from Stoker and Rice in this world, Hamilton has constructed one that stands on its own. As for our heroine, she is also extremely realistic: Anita Blake has horrible scars on her body from her battles against the undead, her dreams are tormented by what she has seen and done, she is terrified by her current situation and does not know who she can trust or turn to for help. The fact that she feels fear, cries, gets sick to her stomach, add to her heroism because despite all these obstacles, she gets the job done. There is a much harder edge here than what you find with other vampire slayers. Anita Blake is not a two-dimension character, which is why once you read "Guilty Pleasures" you have to move on to the next novel in the series. All in all, this is an excellent start.

Anita Blake is an animator, she brings zombies to life. She is also a court approved vampire slayer. Due to previous unsavory dealings with vampires, she doesn't like to work with them. Thus, Anita refuses when she's asked to do a job for vampires, hunting down and exposing who is killing off the eldest of the vampires. But, it's hard to refuse a master vampire. When they want something done, they have ways of convincing people to get it done. Putting her friend's lives in danger is one such way to get Anita's attention. Anita's friend, Catherine, is getting married soon and they go to a strip club called Guilty Pleasures for the bachelorette party. Guilty Pleasures is not your typical strip club though. It's a vampire strip club where they not only dance on stage, but they put their vampire skills to work in hypnotizing the audience. The master, Nikolaos, has recruited Jean-Claude, owner of Guilty Pleasures, to get under Anita's skin and get her to help them. During the show, Catherine is lured into a trap by vampire Aubrey and linked to him to do whatever he asks. This link could prove fatal for Catherine. Anita is blackmailed into working for Nikolaos with Catherine as the bait. Anita agrees on one condition, that Nikolaos agrees Catherine will be freed from vampire control and no harm will come to her. This necessitates a meeting with Nikolaos, which is no small feat. Nikolaos is the oldest vampire in the area and she is extremely powerful. Anita may have some immunity to other vampire's charms, but it's hard to keep the master out. Anita will have to make some tough decisions on this assignment. She knows she can't trust Nikolaos, but she must help solve the murders or she'll be killed herself. This was an ok read. It has the potential to be an interesting series with zombies, vampires, and were-creatures. I enjoy the supernatural aspect of the book. I have seen the book tagged as erotica (which I don't fully agree with...but perhaps my definition is a bit off from mainstream?). If the series goes into the erotica direction, I'm not sure it will hold much interest for me. Thus far I'm not really drawn to any of the characters or have an invested interest in them. We'll see what the next book holds, but I'm not chomping at the bit to read it. Some quotes: "I raised the dead and laid the undead to rest. It's what I do. Who I am." "Remember, no one can make you feel inferior without your consent. Eleanor Roosevelt said that. It is a quote I try to live by. Most of the time I succeed."

Anita Blake aka the executioner aka animator. In every day terms, that means vampire killer and zombie raiser. Anita lives in a world where vampires have rights and you don't mess with them unless they had your friend or loved one for lunch. That's when a court order is issued and Anita the Vampire Killer goes after her vamp. When Anita gets dressed for the day, it includes knives at her wrists and hidden gun-filled holsters. A vampire attacked her once before and she has the scars to prove it. They won't catch her unarmed again. In Guilty Pleasures the tables are turned. Vampires are being murdered and the fanged world wants the best person for the job of finding the killer--Anita. She refuses the job but they play dirty and threaten a friend of hers. Along the way, Anita gets involved with a male stripper who works for hunky vampire, Jean Claude, at Guilty Pleasures. Though human, Phillip is a junkie of sorts. He craves the bite of the vampire and the euphoria that comes with it. His body is covered with scars from these encounters and Anita is filled with disgust and pity. Anita also encounters the oldest master vampire she has ever come across and the most powerful. Even Jean Claude is afraid of her. Besides dealing with this case, Anita has a regular job of raising zombies. If a person dies without a will or is the victim of a murder, Anita raises the person, now a zombie, and the police can question him about his murderer or a lawyer can make out a will. She also works on supernatural cases with the police, nicknamed The Spook Squad. Anita is the expert in everything supernatural and her talents are called on with regularity. Though Anita is petite, she is a kick-behind ball of fire and even the vampires have a problem overpowering her. She doesn't take any grief from anybody and will shoot you as soon as look at you. Smart mouthed and sassy, Anita is a handful that nobody can tame. This series is my very favorite, bar none! I own it in paperback and hardback. Very addictive. If you buy Guilty Pleasures, be prepared to order the rest of the series because you will not want to stop reading. If you aren't hooked by the end of this first book, you will be by the second one.

One of the things that I loved right off the bat about this book was that all the old vampire clichés are there (they can't go out in the sun; silver, crosses, holy water burns them; sleeping on coffins; etc) More often than not, the author's try so hard to separate their vampires from the typical stereotypes we have associated with them, that they become too much like superhero's and less like what they really are; the living dead. Personally, I found that refreshing. Also, I thought this was a supernatural romance book so I was initially a little let down that there was not dirty stuff.......but I got over that pretty quick. The ending, I thought, was a little lacking. There was a lot of drama that led up to the last fight scene, and when it came time for her to kill some vampires, I thought Anita took the easy way out. It was kind of a letdown and my actual reaction was, `Really? That's it?' The only other thing I didn't care too much for was the amount of unimportant side characters. There were a BUNCH of them and I found it a little confusing to keep up with everyone. Fortunately, a bunch of them die in this one so hopefully the next book won't have this same problem. (Sorry for the spoiler, but I don't think it gave anything away) Other than those two little things, I really enjoyed this book!! This book was very well written and the plot had just the right amount of intrigue to keep me guessing at what was coming without overwhelming me with pointless side drama. Anita is a very likeable, very relatable heroin. Right from the start, she establishes herself and what she does, she is true to herself, and does not compromise herself or her beliefs throughout the book. She's also a bit of a wiseass and had me laughing on several occasions. My favorite word she uses in the book is `Fang-Face.' I can't explain exactly why I think that's funny, but to me looking a super old, super scary vampire in the eyes and calling him Fang-Face was hilarious. I do kind of wish that her relationship with Jean-Claude would have been a little more developed; however I am really-REALLY looking forward to where it goes from here. It's obvious that he has feelings for her and I can't wait to see if she feels the same way about him. (We shall see) Conclusion: Good book, quick read, entertaining without being overwhelming. Book was well written with a definite beginning and ending. Currently reading the second book.

this is the very beginning of an amazing urban fantasy that will give you as many different emotions as there are characters. This is my all time favourite paranormal/urban fantasy series. In Guilty Pleasures we meet Anita. She is a kick arse no apologies given Vampire Hunter with a talent for raising zombies. The beginning is innocent - we are learning to embrace this new world where Vampires are legal citizens of the USA and Anita can no longer run around killing them at her pleasure. I say this is innocent compared to where we find ourselves in book 25! Anita starts out pretty tough but that does nothing to describe where she finds herself in the books to come. The world Anita lives in can be gruesome she helps fight preternatural crime - the regular police just are not ready for dealing with the 'monsters'. It is a wonderful blend of all things paranormal, violent and romantic in one fantastic book. And that is just the beginning. It is very aptly named Guilty Pleasures.

A friend recommended this series and despite my initial doubts I bought Guilty Pleasures. That was 5 days ago, I'm now on the fourth book, closing in fast on the fifth of the series. Anita Blake has become one of the best heroines (debatable use of language) I've had the pleasure to encounter. She is realistic, down to earth and complex. If theres one thing I hate in a novel its a woman with no real character or who clings stubbornly to stereotypes. Anita, despite her profession in the books and her dealings with the supernatural feels real, she has fears, doubts, prejudice and she walks the line between good and bad - I'm still having trouble deciding if its morally correct to call her the good guy in the stories, sure, she has a reason for everything she does and compared to many of the other character she's as sweet as pie, but objectively its really hard to decide. As for the story itself, in this particular book we get the full introduction to both the characters and the world they live in, but its not a dump of information, its spread throughout the book and fits in perfectly with the goings on. There was, for me, not a single dull moment in reading this. My only regret is that it ends before I want it too - both a compliment and a curse really. I so far love this book and the series and if you're into supernatural stories you'll want to give this a try, its like a loving cross between supernatural, horror and thriller genre's.

I did not like the characters that much. Story is cute but I never felt any sympathy. The idea of a world with vampires laws is great and enjoyable.

J'ai adoré ce livre, la manière d'écrire de l'auteur et il correspond à mes attentes selon son registre donc je le recommande.

I vampiri non cessano di emozionare, comunque li si presenti. Quelli di questo romanzo non sono particolarmente innovativi, alla fin fine: un misto di Bram Stoker ed Anne Rice. Eppure, spaventano e affascinano come se li si incontrasse in un romanzo per la prima volta. Quella che è davvero unica, però, è la protagonista, Anita Blake. Immersa nel soprannaturale fino al collo, lo vive con spirito pragmatico nella quotidianità, senza arie da strega o sacerdotessa. È tosta e fragile, coerente e coraggiosa, cinica e umanissima. Una cacciatrice di vampiri in cui qualsiasi donna moderna può rivedersi. L'ho adorata fin da subito.