Burnt Offerings

Everything about thr Anita Blake is levels upon levels of complexity. I applaud the author for that. My constant for the series thr further I get into it is her failure to accept her physical want. She has zero issue killing, a sin for her catholic upbringing just thr same as sex. Why can she accept and embrace that part, yet not the other. It makes her whiny and a bit pathetic. I can kill easier than having sex? How does that translate at all? Perhaps there is something more psychological that i can not comprehend, but I find that thr farther we get into the series, the more it bothers me. For wanting to be one the boys and their hard core death dealer, she balks at idea of sex. There is also how quickly they rise in being able to kill beings so much more powerful than they are, then to have problems with lower powerful people. Its doesnt quite make sense. However, I love the overall storyline and many of thr characters are dear to me.

Fallout from the last book has Anita, Richard and Jean-Claude as a triumvirate, yet theyre having some problems because Richard has cut himself off from them and is out of town working on a degree while looking for a new lupa. The leopards were left leaderless when Anita killed Gabriel and they need her help since Sylvia, 2nd in the Pack, refuses to let anyone help them. Anita is still lupa and forces others to accept the position in order to protect both one of theirs as well as a leopard.

Then there are members of the vampire council who came to town and takes over the Circus. Not only do Anita and Jean-Claude have to save their own people and allies, but their presence is causing problems with weaker vampires. And if that wasnt enough on their plates, Humans First is causing problems.

Theres a great deal going on in this book and you get a really good idea of just how seriously Anita takes what she feels is her responsibility for others. Shes not about to back down from anyone or anything and the council learns more about her.

This book has been reread a number of times throughout the years and many things that occur here are important to the rest of the series. This is the only book so far in the series where Anita is in the physical presence of the council members other than in the metaphysical. Youll love to see how she deals with one and how youll feel about another; well youll have to make up your own mind.

A variety of situations are faced and there is plenty of action. Something really interesting occurs between Anita and Richard that you wont want to miss. I love the world and character building and could easily accept seeing many of these characters walking down the street.

I have to be honest, it’s been awhile since I read these earlier books in the series. So i don’t quite remember all the details, but that’s ok (no spoilers)

I have one question, and I know that there are some explicit scenes in these novels now, but why does each cover get more and more risque? There is still plenty or fighting, killing, stabbing, shooting, taking down of the big bad meanie. Anita is growing as a person and as a “not quite all the way” human.

I do wonder also if she will ever be saddled with a man that isn’t a whiner and who doesn’t toy with her emotions. Richard is still getting annoying.

At the end of The Killing Dance, I was extraordinarily enthusiastic of the potential triumvirate power to come from the binding of the Wolfe, Vampire, and Necromancer. It was implied that the power was enormous and incomprehensible to the involved parties, but Burnt Offerings really gives you a taste of what that kind of power can do.

Anita has now vowed herself to her Vampire lover and Master of the City, Jean Claude, and Richard, Alpha Pack Master and ex boyfriend, which comes with certain responsibilities and obligations that she has discovered at the dawning of Burnt Offerings. Her non-regretting guilt from unavoidable events have led her to bestow protection to the shifters that can not help themselves. She also learns that Richard has let his emotions get the best of him; the nonacceptance of his beast, where he stands morally, and her rejection; thus, putting her in the position to take action as lupa and make decisions she feels are necessary to protect the ones she has promised.

On a date with her yummy sex vamp, Jean Claude, they encounter the council minions and have concluded that this visit is far from pleasant. The council is convinced that Jean Claude and the triumvirate that he has created is a threat and that mutiny is in store. Although Jean Claude has expressed that he does not have any disposition to go that route, they refuse to believe him and insist on taking out their anger on the ones that follow him.

Anita will not stand for threats to her and those that she loves and is willing to protect. She somehow is able to use the triumvirate power several times to show not only herself, but all others, what she is capable of. She is able to channel both Richard’s pack (alive or dead) and Jean-Claude’s power by way of emotion, chokingly thick anger or a sexually arousing gesture; such as a kiss, to release this build up of strength. The taste of this ability leaves the council begging for mercy.

Although Anita is humanly hesitant to give all of herself to Jean Claude, I, on the other hand, am yearning to take him to that next level. Ill admit, Jean Claude, has hooked me with with his vampire lore. Technically she has chosen, but inwardly, she is still confused with her feelings. I hope that she makes a decision between her wolfe and vampire; her indecisiveness is becoming a bit unrelenting. I fantasize about what I would do if put in her position. Hey, a girl can dream!

This sensuous and seductively biting series has me oozing with fervor. Ecstatic for what is to come next!

I love this book series and it had a special place in my heart… but i have to admit that i didn’t enjoy this instalment as much as i did the others. However, that is not to say that i didn’t enjoy, especially since it was packed full of Anita & Jean-Claude romance. Due to their deepening relationship we’re getting to see a softer side of Jean-Claude, one that makes you realise that he isn’t the cold and selfish man that he has been portrayed as since book one. I especially enjoyed learning more about his past and key events that have made him who he is in the present.
Like i said before, i didn’t enjoy this book as much as the others because i thought the whodunnit aspect that i usually can’t predict for the life of me, was extremely obvious! Also, when the vampire council turned up i thought that all hell was going to break loose due to the way they have been described in previous books and the fact that just the mention of them strikes fear into most vampires… don’t get me wrong, they were terrifying and full of potential but in the end they just fell a bit short and the conflict between them, Anita and Jean-Claude was resolved far too easily.
That said, i loooooooove Anita’s character development over the past 7 books; instead of the whole ‘protagonist slowly becomes a better person’ development… Anita is becoming colder, sociopathic, crueller and completely conflicted about it. I really like this as it’s something i’ve never seen before and to be honest it’s a development that makes far more sense under the experiences that Anita has had thus far. I also have to agree with a majority of the bad things she does… makes me worry about myself! Looking forward to book 8!

Galaxyaudiobook Member Benefit

- Able to comment

- List watched audiobooks

- List favorite audiobooks

- Bookmark will only available for Galaxyaudiobook member