Review: Bullet by Laurell K Hamilton

Title: Bullet
Author: Laurell K Hamilton
Published: June 1, 2010
Publisher: Penguin Group Canada
Format: Hardcover ($33.50 CDN) Discounts available @ Chapters Online & Amazon
Age Group: Adult
Book: Provided by Penguin Group Canada
Click here for a complete list of other books in this series

From the Publisher: 

"The music came back up and the next group of little girls, slightly older, came out. There was a lot of that in the next hour and change. I liked dance, and it was no reflection on the kids, but my will to live began to seep away on about the fifth group of sequined children... " 

Anita Blake is back in St. Louis and trying to live a normal life-as normal as possible for someone who is a legal vampire executioner and a U. S. Marshal. There are lovers, friends and their children, school programs to attend. In the midst of all the ordinary happiness a vampire from Anita's past reaches out. She was supposed to be dead, killed in an explosion, but the Mother of All Darkness is the first vampire, their dark creator. It's hard to kill a god. This dark goddess has reached out to her here-in St. Louis, home of everyone Anita loves most. The Mother of All Darkness has decided she has to act now or never, to control Anita, and all the vampires in America. 

The Mother of All Darkness believes that the triumvirate created by master vampire Jean-Claude with Anita and the werewolf Richard Zeeman has enough power for her to regain a body and to immigrate to the New World. But the body she wants to possess is already taken. Anita is about to learn a whole new meaning to sharing her body, one that has nothing to do with the bedroom. And if the Mother of All Darkness can't succeed in taking over Anita's body for herself, she means to see that no one else has the use of it, ever again. Even Belle Morte, not always a friend to Anita, has sent word: "Run if you can..."

My Review:  

*Warning: This novel has a high volume of sexual content and this novel and my review may not be appropriate for young readers.  Read at your own risk!* 

Before I get to my review I would like a moment to gush and tell you that throughout this novel I had to repeatedly put this novel down and fan myself before I spontaniously combusted.  When I finished the novel and my husband asked what I though about it I was momentarily speechless.  This novel is very, very naughty and very, very, very delicious....


Onto my review!

I have had the pleasure of reading the Anita Blake Vampire Hunter Series for more years then I can remember and she is one of the few authors who's characters have become like old friends.  Some protagonists I am able to identify with because I see myself in them but I don't see myself in Anita; for me that is what is so thrilling about her as a character.  While reading an Anita Blake novel you can escape to another exciting world where all the dark desires you have and those you didn't even know you have can be explored.

In the beginning of the series there was more of a focus on Anita as a necromancer, the solving of a paranormal crime, and the development of her romantic life.  As many readers of Hamilton know, throughout the series the level of sexual content has increased dramatically which has had mixed reviews.  At times I have felt that the sexual content has overshadowed the main plot of her novels but despite this I am never disappointed because Hamilton writes erotic sex scenes better then anyone else I have ever read. 


The newest addition to this Anita Blake Series, Bullet had the best balance of sexual content and paranormal plot lines that I have read in this series to date.  Readers be aware that Hamilton takes Anita's sexcapades to a whole new level of eroticism.  While reading the sex scenes in this novel I felt like a naughty voyeur and many times I felt myself blushing.  Much of the reason for this progression seems to be because Anita has become more accepting and comfortable with the Ardeur, the men her life, and her own needs.  The level of sexual content is also necessary because Anita gains power for herself and her people through sex and with the unexpected return of The Mother Of All Darkness Anita, her loved ones, and the entire population of humans and paranormal people alike will need Anita and those she is connected with to be at their most powerful if they have any hope of defeating her.


This book also delves back into the history of vampire and shifter lore and further explores the politics of the paranormal world Anita lives in.  The characters I have come to love are spotlighted well throughout the novel and an old romantic love of Anita's that I had all but written off makes a surprising comeback.  New characters are introduced that I was at first apprehensive about but surprisingly I feel that they help to complete an already large family unit and I can't wait to see their characters develop in future books. 


This book was tantalizing, suspenseful, erotic, and very well written.  Hamilton's ability to describe scenes in such vivid detail allow me to see into her world better then any other author I have ever read in the paranormal urban fantasy genre.  This novel exceeded my expectations by engaging me from beginning to end and I expect that future novels in this series will do the same.

If ever we create a personalized virtual reality system I know the first place I am going to visit ;) Hello Nethaniel, Jason, Jean-Claude, Asher, and Micah...which way to the bedroom?

My Rating: The highest I can give!