Has anyone read her? If so what are your feelings on her books? I am considering reading one, and I'm just curious for some input. :)
Thanks!

Well you just opened a can of worms with this one.  LOL  I'd say read her and make your own decision about the books.  The majority of us agree that up until the 10th book things are good and then it totally changes.  THe good news is that a lot of us agree that the latest book was much better than the previous ones.  LOL

Cool, thanks for the input.

I didn't mean to open a can of worms, but I'm good at that sometimes. :) I guess if I get mixed reviews I'll just jump in and see how it is. I like vampire books, and my husband actually told me I should read her. Haha. We'll see... :)

LOL I personally loved, loved, loved her.  I'm not a huge fan of the author anymore.  she puts her fans down.  But I loved the Anita Blake character and I was happy that she was coming back in this latest book. 

I've read everything Hamiliton has written and enjoyed almost all of it.  Just be aware all of the books contain scenes of sexual nature mostly between more than 2 characters.  What I've noticed about the series is that if the preceeding book was longer than usual the next will be shorter and less developed.  I think Laurell must be under a lot of pressure to turn out material for her fans so not every book gets the same time and attention, just my opinion.  Here's the first books in some series about vampires that I really enjoyed and you may have missed:

• Armintrout_Blood Ties-The Turning, 
• Briggs_Blood Bound, 
• Cole_A Hunger Like No Other, 
• Feehan_Carpathians_Dark Prince,
• KenyonS_Dark Hunter_FantasyLover,
• MacAlister_You Slay Me,
• Viehl Lynn_Darkyn_If Angels Burn,
• Walker Shiloh _Hunters_TheBeginning
• Ward_Black Dagger Brotherhood_DarkLover.

Cool. Thanks.
I don't mind sexual explicit things, I am a big fan of Poppy Z Brite and in a lot of her earlier novels there was a lot of that, particularly gory and homosexual scenes. Maybe that's why I was told to read Laurell. LOL. Who knows.

The books you listed, I assume those are not part of the Anita Blake series? Were they an independant series?
I am new to her books, so I am trying to learn what I can!

Thanks!

I read the first book. Nothing special about it - didn't hold my interest enough to keep reading them. I'm really not into female characters who are tough on the outside and damaged on the inside, though. Anita Blake is not my kind of girl.

Thanks for your input Maya. Who knows, maybe I will share the same feelings after I read the first!

Kristin C.

The books I listed are first books in other authors' series.  Last name of author, name of series, name of book.  Sorry I use this system to label stuff and didn't think about how others might look at them. 

Okay, thank you Holly!! I will look into them! :)

I absolutely LOVED the first few books of the series, then it went downhill for me. I loved the character but I feel the author took some turns with her I didn't think were natural, and while sex in books doesn't bother me at all, how it was suddenly added in felt unnatural to me. If you do like Poppy Z. Brite though and dark humor with your mysteries, you'll probably enjoy the series :)

** SPOILERS START ** I don't rememer which book it was, but I felt like they just ruined the character. Suddenly she went against everything she stood for to have sex with the lead vampire? I actually hate most vampire books because it just seems like endless sex, and I was truly heartbroken when this wonderful series took that turn. ** SPOILERS END **

I feel the same way, I have read all of Laurell K Hamilton's books ( including the meredith gentry series) I really didn't mind most of it , and I always got all the way trough them. But in the last few of her Antia Blake books, I'll admit  I was skiping pages to get to get trough all the sex stuff.  All that aside I'll read the next one when it comes out. 

FYI, L K H  has some short stories (with other authors) I think one was Bite? it was ok. and it helped me find some new authors. 

In responce to the last 2 comments, I tried to read her books! And I couldn't get through "Guilty Pleasures". For some reason, I really thought it was cheesy and I got half way through and just couldn't finish. It sucked, because I HATE stopping in the middle of books. But, I couldn't do it. lol.

Oh well, guess Poppy will always reign surpreme for me. lol

Thanks for all the input for me. ;)

I suggest you pick one of her books and form your own opinion.  Some of her books hold my interest and some don't.  I don't particularly like the Anita Blake character either.  I also don't think her books should be characterized as horror but rather paranormal romance - if they aren't anyway.  They seem cheesey to me - I find it hard to really get into most of her books.

How does she put her fans down anyway?

I loved the character and miss her but I refuse to give Hamilton any more of my money. After reading some of the things she has said about her fans, the people that made her what she is, I just cant respect her or show her support anymore.

I do agree though that you should form your own opinions. Some people loved the direction she took with the series.

What has she said about her fans, Chris?

Although I hated what I read of her's, I'd be interested to know.

Personally, I love LKH. I have all of her books on my keeper shelf. Her books must be read in order as they build on each other. The first in the Anita Blake vampire hunter series is Guilty Pleasures. As the books progress they get darker and more sexually explicit. She also has a series about Faerie, the first book is A Kiss of Shadows.

Tracy,
I am sure they get better- but I couldn't even get past Guilty Pleasures. I thought it was awful..

Which is a major deal for me because I HATE putting down books! :(

Personally I never thought she insults her fans. I did find a post in her blog in response to overwhelming negativity on some fans parts that finally made her feel she had to stand up and speak.

http://blog.laurellkhamilton.org/2006/12/dear-negative-reader.html

I wouldn't call it rude really, but a little extreme.