Skin Trade by Laurell K. Hamilton

This review is one big spoiler.

When a vampire serial killer sends Anita Blake a grisly souvenir from Las Vegas, she has to warn Sin City's local authorities what they're dealing with. Only it's worse than she thought. Ten officers and one executioner have been slain - paranormal style. Anita heads to Vegas, where's she's joined by three other federal marshals, including the ruthless Edward. It's a good thing he always has her back, because when she gets close to the bodies, Anita senses 'tiger' too strongly to ignore it. The weretigers are very powerful in Las Vegas, which means the odds of her rubbing someone important the wrong way just got a lot higher.

Series: Book #17 in the Anita Blake Series

Reason for reading: We all know now that I don’t have a reason – I’m addicted to this shizz like it’s crack.

Summary: Skin Trade picks up not too long after the events of Blood Noir. In a bid to appear more servant-like to the Master of the City, Jean-Claude, Anita has moved into the Circus of the Damned. I think that’s the only concession Anita makes though, because it quickly becomes apparent that this woman is going to do what needs to be done, with or without approval from her “Master.” So what has Anita done this time? Well, after receiving a severed head at her work, some quick calls reveal that the head belongs to a body in Las Vegas and that an old vampire friend has left a message written in blood for Anita for everyone to see. So Anita rushes down to Vegas to save the day. And I really do think she’s there for all of a day – two at the most. So 486 pages for two days. Fun times.

But back to what happens. The friend I’m referring to is a vampire Anita has come across before, Vittorio. He’s a serial killer and he got away a couple of books ago. In Vegas, Anita is reunited with US Marshalls Edward (playing good time guy Ted), Olaf (another serial killer who has a crush on Anita, LOL) and Bernardo. Good times are had by all. Olaf gets his jollies by feeling up dead people with Anita, Anita gets mind-raped by Vittorio and sleeps with a bunch of strangers (one of whom is 16, thank goddess we don’t get that in detail) and oh yeah, Marmee Noir dies! And Anita all this time is pondering her life and if she’s truly happy and does she even want to be a vampire executioner even more?

My Thoughts: First of all – the 16 year old weretiger. WRONG WRONG WRONG. I’m sorry, using the excuse that he’s legal in Vegas does not work for me. And the fact that Anita wasn’t even aware of what she was doing doesn’t work for me either. That shit just pissed me off.

Second – and this is a biggie – the lazy writing! I noticed this in the last two books. Someone likes to use the phrase “what does that mean?” way too much. I had picked up on it enough that I went back and counted how many times that phrase or a variation of it was used in Skin Trade. Want to know how many times it was used? 37!! That’s a bit excessive in my opinion. I find it a lazy way to get the characters talking. And also the fact that Anita says that phrase 85% of the time? HOW THE FRICK IS ANITA SO KICKASS IF SHE DOESN'T KNOW ANYTHING?????????????

I’m frustrated.

Also, there was a lot of repetition. The description of Anita’s tigers running up the forested path inside her head, that was repeated quite a bit. Every time it happened actually.

The basic plot of Skin Trade was ok (despite the fact that it’s the second book in a row featuring Anita out of town). Anita goes to Vegas to hunt for a serial killer vampire. Hijinks ensue with Edward and the rest of the team, they save the day and she goes home. But no, more crap has to be going on with the ardeur (I mean after 9 books don’t you think Anita would realize she needs to eat and feed more often before it goes out of control???? ) and yet even more men are added to her menu – despite the fact that she emphatically tells everyone she doesn’t need anymore men in her life. So my thinking is, if she doesn’t want to collect more men, she should use the men she’s already sleeping with to keep that freaking ardeur under control. That just makes sense right?

One more thing – I hate how Marmee Noir dies. Can we say anti-climactic?

AND I just knew that Anita was going to use the hated ardeur to save the day, again. I mean why does she hate it? She should freaking embrace that shit and rule the world already.

Skin Trade gets a D from me. And yet despite all that, I’m still going to keep reading this series in the hopes that one day things will get better.

This review is cross-posted at Twisted Kingdom.

ANOTHER purse post

So back in February, I blogged about my purse obsession and shared my purses with you all. Well it's time to revisit my purses and show you the new ones I've added. I was feeling really guilty until I realized that 5 months have gone by - I thought I blogged about my collection more recently than that. So there. LOL

Now before you all think I'm crazy, I have to tell you that I did not pay full price for any of these purses. I'm not just a thrifty reader, I'm a thrifty shopper of purses.

Spring was the season of Guess. I saw this silver Guess purse and I just had to have it. But at first I wasn't completely sold on it and I didn't buy it. I couldn't stop thinking about it though, so I went back a few days later to get it. haha

A week later, I was just browsing (really I was!) when I saw this dark gray Guess purse. I loved my silver purse so much, I had to buy another one in a different color. LOL I said to myself, "Self, you just bought a purse last week. But you don't care, you have to have this one too."
The thing with these two purses is that they're perfect for work. They're nice and big and I had a LOT of meetings this spring. They were just right for carrying my papers and such. WIN

Then March came and I got really busy with going out of town. Remember that? Well one trip was an overnighter and after my coworkers and I were done our business, we decided to explore Brandon, the town we were staying in. Before this trip, I had gone to a hockey game and I didn't have a good neutral (read dark) colored purse that I could use just to go out with. Then I found this lovely purple one. SCORE It's just perfect for going out. Small and compact.

Then after all that traveling and hard work, I had to reward myself. Perfect for spring.

Do you see how my brain justifies each purchase?? I have a sickness!!

THEN tragedy happened. My favorite purse, this ONE, broke at the end of May. So of course I had to go out and buy a replacement black purse. LOL This is a Kathy Van Zeeland purse - I love that brand.

Then the beginning of June rolled around and my DAD of all people sent me a link about a sale at my favorite store. And since I got my purple crossbody purse at this store, I had to take advantage of the sale and got another crossbody since I love that style so much. And I needed a neutral color. This bag is going to last until I die. Go ahead and laugh, but its true.

So my black purse that broke? I got that at a purse party - and my coworker just happened to have a purse party the first week of my vacation. I decided to go to see if maybe I could find a similar purse. I did - a beautiful red and white striped one. I also bought a yellow (not bright yellow) Prada knock-off. WELL, neither of those are pictured here because I sold them. LOL My aunt bought the yellow purse and my coworker (the one I always go purse shopping with) bought the red and white one. So here I am, out TWO purses. LOL So that's how I got this white Kathy Van Zeeland! Isn't it super cute?

And finally! I love Coach purses. I've always wanted one. And Friday, July 10 that dream came true. Look what I bought!
So now I'm done. Until Christmas. Really, I am.

So You Think You Can Dance

I know I have a tv blog, but I just wanted to share this with everyone over here.

I love SYTYCD and here's the perfect example why. I've been waiting for a dance to wow me and this one did it. We're finally down to the top 10 and I'm glad to say Janette, one of my early favorites, made it.

Oh and I usually don't watch the group dances but I had to share this one too. It's my favourite so far! Watch from 38 seconds to about 2:39 for the dance.

movie review @ the Boob Tube

It's quite the day for collaborations! LOL Izzy and I have a buddy movie review of the Proposal up at the Boob Tube.

Check it out HERE.