Unleash the Night, Sherrilyn Kenyon

This was kinda a feel good story. The backstory is still really hard, as they all are, but the ending kinda gives of the warm fuzzies.

It's the first time we see things set right to a degree. In past books the characters find the ability to live with their bad pasts because of the love they find. Here, that happens and the past is rectified to some point, too.

So, here we meet Wren and Maggie. We've seen Wren briefly in the past as a resident of Sanctuary, the were-bear owned bar and hostel. He helped save Bride in Night Play, but he mostly doesn't talk to anyone.

Maggie is a human and daughter of a senator, who is kinda a jerk. I know, I know: A jerk senator? Who'da thunk it?!

Ok, so the good stuff: we get more info into the were world. There's a were council, refereed by Savitar. Now, I don't think I've mentioned him before. He taught Ash how to use his powers. He's referred to as a human, but he has powers that scare the gods. And absolutely zero patience.

We also get more of a glimpse into the Peltier's life, those were-bear's who run Sanctuary. In the past they've been portrayed as a kind, giving family who just doesn't want anymore fighting. Here they're seen as a selfish group who grudgingly puts up with invaders to their home to stay protected. Well, Mama Lo, the matriarch definitely, the others less so, and Aimee not at all.

Mama Lo wants Wren out, so she goes to the council, along with his cousin, to get an execution warrant for Wren killing his parents. Vane and Fang are both on it and try to keep Wren safe, but they're out voted. The only thing to save Wren is to prove he didn't kill them, so he and Maggie travel back in time to find that proof.

Hit List, Laurell K. Hamilton

Weretigers are being murdered all over the country. Anita and Edward are on the case. We join them in Tacoma, Washington. They know who, the bad Harlequin. The know why, to get rid of all the gold tigers and trap Anita for Mommie Dearest, the mother of all vampires. This is the longest Anita's been away from her family (her men and the rest of their people - shifters and vamps). She's even gone days without feeding the ardeur.

My favorite thing, and I acknowledge it's a small thing, is that they finally call her polyamorous! I've been saying it since The Killing Dance!! Edward brings it to Anita's attention, and of course she's still a little prude and reacts as such. :) Love it.

Bullet, Laurell K. Hamilton

This was a setup book. You know the books that have a lot happen, but nothing major? They're just kind of there to put the characters where the need to be, or have the skills they need, or meet the people they need to. I feel like it's more prominent in the fantasy genre. Fantasy series are almost one long story that's just chopped up into little bite sized portions. Sure, the bites have their own flavor, so to speak, but they're still just part of the overall meal.

OK, that analogy is terrible, but the point is valid. All that makes this review a bit long…

Skin Trade, Laurell K. Hamilton

Remember those vampires in Incubus Dreams killing the strippers? Remember how they got away? Not this time, beotch!

Anita is back on the case and headed (no pun intended – wait for it…) to Las Vegas. She heads (keep waiting…) to Vegas after receiving a severed head in the mail (NOW you get it) postmarked Vegas. She calls the cops there and it turns out the head belongs to a cop that was killed by the vamps during the attempt to execute them. A few cops died, but more have gone into a mysterious sleep. Not a coma, they're asleep and can't be woken. I'll give you three guesses as to how they're supposed to be woken up........Did you guess? That's right, sleeping beauty, Love's Kiss. No. Really. It doesn't have to be romantic love, just love. One victim doesn't have any family, so his dog does the trick. Adorable, right?

Blood Noir, Laurell K. Hamilton

I loved this book! Ok, so we're still leaning toward the more relationship oriented story lines, but this book is what I will forever consider Jason's Book. It's still from Anita's point of view, but it's all about Jason and his family.

Jason gets dumped, which he's not too sad about, the same day as he finds out his father, who he's estranged from, is dying of cancer and only has weeks left. Anita gets talked into coming home with him as his girlfriend to prove to his father that he's not gay. Hamilton treats this fairly carefully, I think. She makes clear, through Jason, that it's not his family thinking he's gay that bothers him, but that they don't believe him. His dad was abusive in many ways and always treated Jason like he wasn't a good enough son.

Jason is Anita's friend with benefits. They use the term fuck buddies, but I think friends with benefits is more accurate. It's the only friends with benefits relationship that has ever actually worked. So, of course it's fictional. :) They are best friends, and Jason and Nathaniel are best friends. Jason is Jean-Claude's pomme de sang, his daily blood donor. He lives with JC and the vampires. He's mischievous and adorable. He's one of my favorite characters but he's always been a fairly minor one. He longs for love. He and Anita have a platonic love, though they have sex, but he wants what Anita and Nathaniel have. And he's so likable, you want it for him.