Review: Cerulean Sins

Cerulean Sins by Laurell K. Hamilton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was another of Laurell K Hamilton's books that have a description on the back that doesn't really depict what the book is about. I'm sensing that this is going to be a recurring thing with her writing, so I'm not going to make a big deal out of it. This is the only reason that it lost a star to have 4 out of 5. Please don't let this put you off.

This is still a very good book, that is worth reading; especially if you have been following the series so far. There is a lot of action and violence (as per usual), Anita has a client with a questionable motive, and enough vampire politics to make your head spin (or Anita's at the very least). Things go up a notch between Jean-Claude, Anita and Asher. This has some political effects in vampire land, with advantages and disadvantages depending on who's side your on. Dolph has some major issues that could have some devastating effects, I'm guessing we get so see the fall out of this in the next book. But best of all, we get to hear Jason talk like a grown up. Honestly, if I had to pick a favourite character, I would probably say Jason. For a some what secondary character he always seems to be the one that has the most sense about things, and see the situation for what it really is. I love him, never fails to make me laugh, but that's just me.

This book really sets things up for more dramatic vampire council related things to come. I think it's going to be really interesting to see how things go.

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Review: Narcissus in Chains

Narcissus in Chains by Laurell K. Hamilton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a really good book over all. However, if you have to rate how great a book is, based on how much of the book revolves around the plot described on the back cover, then this wouldn't get many stars at all (I've only knock 1 star off for this, because like I said, it's still a very good book). You have the first 2 or 3 chapters on the plot and then nothing for about 400 pages. So from this 678 page book, I would say the only 200-250 of those pages contain the supposed plot. Now in that 400 odd page gap was a whole lot of character development. Ordinarily this may have been something that I would have complained about; but in this instance it was necessary. A lot happens that really need to to explained, and that is exactly what Laurell K. Hamilton has done; she set things in motion and then took the necessary time to explain and illustrate the consequences of this.

This is the installment where we discover how Anita plans to work things out with both Jean-Claude and Richard since deciding that she needs a break from things, so this is the first contact that she has with the guys in 6 or more months. Things happen that will have very long term if not permanent effects on the relationship between Anita, Jean-Claude and Richard. They will certainly have a major effect on Anita's life and any future choices that she has to make. From events that happen right at the very start of the book, the relationship that Anita and Richard have will change, as will Anita's relationship and status within both the Pack and her Pard.

We have a bunch (or should I say Pard) of new characters in this book. As Anita is human, and a "temporary" Nimir-ra for the wereleopards, she is interviewing for the real thing. Of course, not everything goes quite the way that Anita had planned, but she does find (in an unusual way) a Nimir-raj and his leopards to help her out. There are also some new wolves, and we meet the werehyenas.

This book has plenty of action, blood, violence, near death experiences, and Anita may or may not buy a fur coat (make of that what you will).

All in all a good book, an improvement on the previous (Obsidian Butterfly), I would recommend this if you have been reading the series so far.

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Review: Obsidian Butterfly

Obsidian Butterfly by Laurell K. Hamilton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a good book.

This tells Edward's story. We find out where he lives and who he is when he's not helping Anita kill things. He's helping the local police on a case and calls Anita in for her expertise, because the number of victims has reached double figures and the cops are still none the wiser as to who or what is causing chaos.

However it only earned three stars form me as I felt that it was a bit slow to start; as in the first 200 odd pages could probably been condensed into 60 or 70 pages. There was a lot of debating who was more macho, and who's the better killer, and Edward not wanting to tell Anita the details of the case because he "doesn't want her to get stuck on the same ideas that the cops have already thought of". Once you get past the first 200 pages it starts to pick up a it more. Everyone focuses a bit more on the case and the story takes off.

There are none or the usual characters besides Edward in this installment. There's Edward and Anita, although there is one of the FBI agents that we have met in a previous book, but I'm not counting him. In this book Anita does a fair amount of contemplating on her relationship(s) with Jean-Claude and Richard, the whole do-I-don't-I-love-him/them? thing, I guessing we get to see the results of that in the next book. We get to see the softer side of Edward as well, I won't say anymore on that because spoilers.

Despite the slow start this is still worth a read; maybe not if you're the squeamish type. If you read the Dexter series by Jeff Lindsay it won't seem as bad, but it's still pretty horrific. This still had plenty of action, violence, horror, some deaths and near death experiences. This felt like a bit of an interim kind of book, and I hope that the next one picks up more, and continues the flow of previous books in the series.

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Snail Mail

So we've been talking in the +Dead With Tequila Tomb about doing an email subscription newsletter thingy (If you follow me on twitter you already know this), but I was wondering what sort of things people might want to see in it. 

• Firstly if we did a newsletter would you sign up?
• We were thinking doing one either once a month or once every two months. What sounds better to you?
• We thought of announcing new items that are being launch in the store via a newsletter. At the moment if you want to receive an email when we add new items to the store you have to have either bought items from us previously or create an account on Storenvy and Watch our store and then Storenvy will send you an email. We understand that most people (ourselves included) don't want to create an account just to see new products that they may or may not intend to buy (It's like asking someone to create an Amazon account when they don't shop on Amazon) We thought that this would be a good way for people to stay in the loop without having to create any accounts that they don't want.
• As an when we do Giveaways, they would be announced here first.
• Sales would be announced here first (And maybe do sales that only subscribers will know about, just because they're awesome and deserve some special treatment :-P )

These are the ideas that we have so far. Suggestions are welcomed as are opinions on the ideas above; they can be left in the comments below you and message me on Twitter or message Dead With Tequila on Twitter (links at the top of the column on the right) failing that email you thoughts to deadwithtequila@gmail.com

Your thoughts and ideas really would be greatly appreciated. 

Also keep your eyes peeled for the Dead With Tequila Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale...details coming soon.