Laurell K Hamilton "Anita Blake Vampire Killer"

Just wanted to know how many of you read these and to tell those that don't that they should start now. Start with "Guilty Pleasures"

First off, I do recommend these novels. But stop after Blue Moon. From Obsidian Butterfly on it just turns into bad pseudo-Harlequin romance crap with occasional violence and a supernatural twist. If you want porn, buy porn. If you want decent vampire novels, buy PN Elrod. If you want an odd mix (especially in the later novels) give Laurel Hamilton a try.

I LOVE the entire series. Yes, it does sort of degenerate into some romance centered plots, but I think she manages to keep the novels fresh and interesting. There are always new villains and plot twists, and yes, plenty of violence and blood.

too much mary sue, for me.

What is "mary sue"?

It's from fan fic. It refers to a character who is a self-insertion by the author and is a) perfect and b) all powerful. This is a reasonable description of Anita after Blue Moon. Which is a shame, because the novels are otherwise delicious brain candy.

I've read the first five.

On one level they are great stories. But, like with Harlan Coben's Myron Bolitar books, sometimes the private-dick wisecracking gets annoying.

The almost-menage-a-trois that built up with Anita, the vampire and the werewolf was pretty intense.

I'll read the rest, but with the provisos noted above kept in mind.

EXACTLY, and I get really tired of hearing about what she's wearing and what colour her Nike Airs are that night.

Other than that, they're fun brain candy. I can read an entire book in an evening, and it was a good way to fill up time during a recent vacation. I've read the first four so far... maybe five... I was in the middle of the fourth or fifth when I started the semester.