Summary:
Meena is a script writer for a very popular soap opera, Insatiable. She's all set to fight for a promotion, when her arch rival shows up already having gotten the promotion, and is taking the show in an impossibly horrible direction. She's going to add vampires, which are, of course, all the rage right now. Her show is about to start a vampire war with their rival show Lust, and Meena thinks the whole thing is stupid. Meena is upset, and feeling downtrodden. But after a early morning (read: 4am) walk with her dog that resulted in a bat attack against her and a handsome stranger, though, things start looking up. The only problem is that Meena doesn't realize she's stepped into a real-life vampire war, and her knight-in-shining-armor is right at the center. Oh, and Meena knows how everyone's lives will end. She's magic like that.
Thoughts:
Anyone that has read anything from me over the last few years knows that I am hopelessly in love with Meg Cabot's writing. This was no exception. Granted, I'm starting to get sick of the vampire wars as much as the next girl. (I still maintain that they don't effing sparkle, and they never will. Dumb books.) But this was a nice twist on the norm. Sure, Meena falls for a vampire and has ridiculously hot sex with him, but she hates the idea of it, and wishes she never heard the word "vampire." She at least isn't crazy in love with the idea of living forever, and doesn't want to die to be able to do so. Cabot's writing was flawless, as usual, though the subject matter was bordering on cliche at this point. The ending left things far too wide-open for my taste, but I'll give her a pass, because I love her so much. Also, there's apparently a second book in the series too. (Shocker, with that ending.) Don't worry, I won't jump on it yet. You do know what a sucker I am for a series, though!
Book 32 of 50
Pages: 464 pages, read as an e-book
Genre: Fantasy, romance, and vampires
Grade: B+
Would I Recommend?: If you're into vampires, sure. If you like Meg Cabot, sure. If you like a fairly good romance novel, sure. Otherwise, it's not a must-read.
Showing posts with label vampires. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vampires. Show all posts
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Dead Reckoning (Charlaine Harris)
Summary:
Sookie's got a vampire hubby who just can't seem to talk things through with her. They have a blood bond that Sookie is worried is the only reason she actually loves Eric. But when the bond is broken, and the love is still there, she's not quite satisfied. She wants Eric to talk to her, include her in his life and his worries. Not that she doesn't have enough to worry about. There's still someone out to kill her, and she can't stand Eric's new boss. She just can't figure out whether it's horrible to want people dead...
Thoughts:
Not bad. I wouldn't say it's one of the best in the series, but it could have been worse. The good news for you, dear readers (all three of you, haha!) is that you're not going to have to hear about Sookie Stackhouse much more. I've got one more published book to get my hands on, and then it'll only be once a year that you'll hear about Sook's adventures in vampirism. But back to the book. I found that this particular book didn't stick with me nearly as much as some of the others in the series. If something's really super-fantastic, it'll stick in my brain and make me want to read more of whatever it is so badly I can't wait to get the next in the series. This book in the series wasn't like that. I got more annoyed with the characters than usual, and was almost looking forward to getting to the end so I could move on to the next book. I'm not as pleased with Harris's work on this one as I have been in the past. Oh well, better luck next time!
Book 25 of 50
Pages: 368
Genre: Mystery, with romance and vampires and a few other fantasy characters...
Grade: B
Would I Recommend?: Yeah, it's still a good book, and the series is fabulous. But be sure to read from the beginning. This one will lose you if you start from the middle!
Sookie's got a vampire hubby who just can't seem to talk things through with her. They have a blood bond that Sookie is worried is the only reason she actually loves Eric. But when the bond is broken, and the love is still there, she's not quite satisfied. She wants Eric to talk to her, include her in his life and his worries. Not that she doesn't have enough to worry about. There's still someone out to kill her, and she can't stand Eric's new boss. She just can't figure out whether it's horrible to want people dead...
Thoughts:
Not bad. I wouldn't say it's one of the best in the series, but it could have been worse. The good news for you, dear readers (all three of you, haha!) is that you're not going to have to hear about Sookie Stackhouse much more. I've got one more published book to get my hands on, and then it'll only be once a year that you'll hear about Sook's adventures in vampirism. But back to the book. I found that this particular book didn't stick with me nearly as much as some of the others in the series. If something's really super-fantastic, it'll stick in my brain and make me want to read more of whatever it is so badly I can't wait to get the next in the series. This book in the series wasn't like that. I got more annoyed with the characters than usual, and was almost looking forward to getting to the end so I could move on to the next book. I'm not as pleased with Harris's work on this one as I have been in the past. Oh well, better luck next time!
Book 25 of 50
Pages: 368
Genre: Mystery, with romance and vampires and a few other fantasy characters...
Grade: B
Would I Recommend?: Yeah, it's still a good book, and the series is fabulous. But be sure to read from the beginning. This one will lose you if you start from the middle!
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Dead in the Family (Charlaine Harris)
Summary:
Poor Sookie. All she wanted was some quiet in her mind after years of telepathy cluing her in to what everyone she's ever met is thinking. That's all she wanted when she started getting into the vampire world. But now she's got her fairy bloodline, not all of whom are pleased with her, whether the door to the fairy world is open or not. She's got a whole other vampire that she's bonded with forever, and she might be in love, but she might not. She's got friends that are werewolves and dealing with their newly exposed existence, and one might be a traitor. And once again, there's someone out to get her. Sookie just can't get a break.
Thoughts:
Once the ending isn't really there. I won't harp, but Harris, you've really got to work on this. The book itself is good. Sookie and Eric are getting closer, and start dating in this book. Good for them. (Finally.) Jason, Sookie's brother, seems to be growing up a bit. (Finally.) Everyone seems to be settling into their lives (or unlives) well in this book. Of course, there's always problems, because it would be a pretty boring book if there weren't. I'm almost glad I'm getting close to the end of this series, though. (I'm sure you're glad I'm almost done too!) I enjoy them, don't get me wrong. They're just not as intense anymore. They've settled into a groove, which I appreciate, but the groove isn't as groovy as when they were more action-packed. Eric, one of the very major characters at this point, has become more kitten than tiger, thanks to a shift in power. Sookie, who used to be so light-hearted, has become hard. It's almost as though Sookie and Eric have swapped places. I almost want Sookie to get herself turned, just to see what she would do with it. Anyway, I've come this far (10 books into an almost 12 book series. Book 12 comes out in May.) I don't think I'll feel right stopping now. Besides, despite their groove status, they're still entertaining. Just with a little less wow.
Book 21 of 50
Pages: 311
Genre: Mystery, vamps, and romance
Grade: B+
Would I Recommend?: Sure. But please start from the beginning. They're more fun that way.
Poor Sookie. All she wanted was some quiet in her mind after years of telepathy cluing her in to what everyone she's ever met is thinking. That's all she wanted when she started getting into the vampire world. But now she's got her fairy bloodline, not all of whom are pleased with her, whether the door to the fairy world is open or not. She's got a whole other vampire that she's bonded with forever, and she might be in love, but she might not. She's got friends that are werewolves and dealing with their newly exposed existence, and one might be a traitor. And once again, there's someone out to get her. Sookie just can't get a break.
Thoughts:
Once the ending isn't really there. I won't harp, but Harris, you've really got to work on this. The book itself is good. Sookie and Eric are getting closer, and start dating in this book. Good for them. (Finally.) Jason, Sookie's brother, seems to be growing up a bit. (Finally.) Everyone seems to be settling into their lives (or unlives) well in this book. Of course, there's always problems, because it would be a pretty boring book if there weren't. I'm almost glad I'm getting close to the end of this series, though. (I'm sure you're glad I'm almost done too!) I enjoy them, don't get me wrong. They're just not as intense anymore. They've settled into a groove, which I appreciate, but the groove isn't as groovy as when they were more action-packed. Eric, one of the very major characters at this point, has become more kitten than tiger, thanks to a shift in power. Sookie, who used to be so light-hearted, has become hard. It's almost as though Sookie and Eric have swapped places. I almost want Sookie to get herself turned, just to see what she would do with it. Anyway, I've come this far (10 books into an almost 12 book series. Book 12 comes out in May.) I don't think I'll feel right stopping now. Besides, despite their groove status, they're still entertaining. Just with a little less wow.
Book 21 of 50
Pages: 311
Genre: Mystery, vamps, and romance
Grade: B+
Would I Recommend?: Sure. But please start from the beginning. They're more fun that way.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Dead and Gone (Charlaine Harris)
Summary:
Sookie's got more troubles as usual. Her friends and colleagues in the Were community (werewolves, werepanthers, etcetera) are officially coming out of the supernatural closet. The FBI wants to question her about how she was able to help find people in the bombing of the vampire summit a few months back, and they're hoping to exploit her gift. There's fairies that are after her, and want her dead. A former bestie of Sookie's is not cool with the news that their boss is a shapeshifter, and wants to take them all down. There's a crucifixion. And to top it all off, Eric does something really sneaky that ties Sookie even tighter to him. Poor girl.
Thoughts:
Once again, a good one. I am starting to get a bit annoyed, though, at how Harris ends these books. Sure, they leave you wanting more, that's not a big issue. But when the wanting is for a more wrapped up plot, and for an actual ending to a book, not a "to be continued," that's not a good thing. Harris does pack a punch with this one once again, which I appreciate, and there's always something going on. I really enjoy Sookie's growing attachment to Eric, because I always liked his character, and how they interacted. I'll keep going with the series, because there's not much left, but the open endings are starting to bug me, especially considering Harris only puts out one book a year, it seems, and I'm coming very close to the current end of the series. I will say, though, I'd be interested in going back and watching how this would play out on the TV show. I wonder if it'll even be around long enough to get to these plot points, though it might, as it's already in season five, and each season seemed to equate to one of the books in the series.
Book 20 of 50
Pages: 312
Genre: Mystery, romance, and vampires
Grade: B+
Would I Recommend?: Please start from the beginning of this series, if you're going to read it at all. It's too confusing otherwise.
Sookie's got more troubles as usual. Her friends and colleagues in the Were community (werewolves, werepanthers, etcetera) are officially coming out of the supernatural closet. The FBI wants to question her about how she was able to help find people in the bombing of the vampire summit a few months back, and they're hoping to exploit her gift. There's fairies that are after her, and want her dead. A former bestie of Sookie's is not cool with the news that their boss is a shapeshifter, and wants to take them all down. There's a crucifixion. And to top it all off, Eric does something really sneaky that ties Sookie even tighter to him. Poor girl.
Thoughts:
Once again, a good one. I am starting to get a bit annoyed, though, at how Harris ends these books. Sure, they leave you wanting more, that's not a big issue. But when the wanting is for a more wrapped up plot, and for an actual ending to a book, not a "to be continued," that's not a good thing. Harris does pack a punch with this one once again, which I appreciate, and there's always something going on. I really enjoy Sookie's growing attachment to Eric, because I always liked his character, and how they interacted. I'll keep going with the series, because there's not much left, but the open endings are starting to bug me, especially considering Harris only puts out one book a year, it seems, and I'm coming very close to the current end of the series. I will say, though, I'd be interested in going back and watching how this would play out on the TV show. I wonder if it'll even be around long enough to get to these plot points, though it might, as it's already in season five, and each season seemed to equate to one of the books in the series.
Book 20 of 50
Pages: 312
Genre: Mystery, romance, and vampires
Grade: B+
Would I Recommend?: Please start from the beginning of this series, if you're going to read it at all. It's too confusing otherwise.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
From Dead to Worse (Charlaine Harris)
Summary:
The next installment in the life of Sookie Stackhouse finds her dealing with the aftermath of the explosion at the vampire summit. Many of the vamps she'd known got killed in the blast, or burned by the sun. Quinn, her hunky weretiger (think werewolf, but with stripes.) boyfriend got seriously hurt, and after seeing him in the hospital, Sookie hasn't heard from him again. The vampires of Louisiana are really hurting, particularly the Queen, who lost both her legs in the fire. Their already weakened state was made even worse by the explosion, and now they've got an impending war to deal with. Sookie's werewolf friends aren't fairing much better, and although they had nothing to do with the summit, they've got their own serious war issues to worry about. People are turning up dead or missing, and the two factions of the pack are butting heads worse than ever. Sookie's brother and his new wife are being idiots, which is no surprise to Sookie, though she worries about what might happen if either of them steps too far out of line. And of course, there's the little matter of Sookie's extended family, which didn't much exist until now, but she's just learned that there are people out there that are her blood, and now she's trying to learn more about them.
Thoughts:
So good. (Shut up, I know I said I'd take a rest with the Sookie, and I will. I've got a few more books in line that are not related at all!) This one was easily as good as the last, if not better. I always love when people that have very little or no family find a little more for themselves. (Prisoner of Azkaban was always my favorite Harry Potter book primarily because he finds his godfather.) There's a lot more going between Eric and Sookie, which I'm totally down for. (Hunky vamp that he is!) I appreciate the stuff with the Were community, though it feels like a much bigger invasion into Sookie's life than it had previously. I wouldn't mind if that plot line were mostly finished after this book. I wouldn't be too upset if we didn't see Alcide much more, as sad as that is. This particular book made me lose a little of my endearment toward him. The most interesting thing about this book, as well as the last book, though to a smaller extent, is that Sookie has become harder and harder. In the beginning of the series, when she knew little of the vampire world, and nothing of the Weres, let alone anything else. She was much more lighthearted and sunny than she is now. I would equate it to how Buffy changed in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV series. Buffy started out a perky teenager who managed to utter the line "If the apocalypse comes, beep me!" in all seriousness before scampering off to a school dance. By the end of the series, she takes the death of some of her close friends as casualties in battle. Sookie is turning out very much the same. When thinking about the casualties from the battles that arise within this book, Sookie doesn't get weepy and upset, she's shaken, but she moves on. It's a very interesting shift in Sookie's mindset, and I'll be looking forward to reading more from Harris. (Though not so soon, I promise!)
Book 18 of 50
Pages: 303
Genre: Mystery, vampires, romance
Grade: A
Would I Recommend?: Here comes the broken record. This series really needs to be read from the beginning, and if you don't, you'll really feel as though you're missing something big. Promise. But hell yeah, read it!
The next installment in the life of Sookie Stackhouse finds her dealing with the aftermath of the explosion at the vampire summit. Many of the vamps she'd known got killed in the blast, or burned by the sun. Quinn, her hunky weretiger (think werewolf, but with stripes.) boyfriend got seriously hurt, and after seeing him in the hospital, Sookie hasn't heard from him again. The vampires of Louisiana are really hurting, particularly the Queen, who lost both her legs in the fire. Their already weakened state was made even worse by the explosion, and now they've got an impending war to deal with. Sookie's werewolf friends aren't fairing much better, and although they had nothing to do with the summit, they've got their own serious war issues to worry about. People are turning up dead or missing, and the two factions of the pack are butting heads worse than ever. Sookie's brother and his new wife are being idiots, which is no surprise to Sookie, though she worries about what might happen if either of them steps too far out of line. And of course, there's the little matter of Sookie's extended family, which didn't much exist until now, but she's just learned that there are people out there that are her blood, and now she's trying to learn more about them.
Thoughts:
So good. (Shut up, I know I said I'd take a rest with the Sookie, and I will. I've got a few more books in line that are not related at all!) This one was easily as good as the last, if not better. I always love when people that have very little or no family find a little more for themselves. (Prisoner of Azkaban was always my favorite Harry Potter book primarily because he finds his godfather.) There's a lot more going between Eric and Sookie, which I'm totally down for. (Hunky vamp that he is!) I appreciate the stuff with the Were community, though it feels like a much bigger invasion into Sookie's life than it had previously. I wouldn't mind if that plot line were mostly finished after this book. I wouldn't be too upset if we didn't see Alcide much more, as sad as that is. This particular book made me lose a little of my endearment toward him. The most interesting thing about this book, as well as the last book, though to a smaller extent, is that Sookie has become harder and harder. In the beginning of the series, when she knew little of the vampire world, and nothing of the Weres, let alone anything else. She was much more lighthearted and sunny than she is now. I would equate it to how Buffy changed in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV series. Buffy started out a perky teenager who managed to utter the line "If the apocalypse comes, beep me!" in all seriousness before scampering off to a school dance. By the end of the series, she takes the death of some of her close friends as casualties in battle. Sookie is turning out very much the same. When thinking about the casualties from the battles that arise within this book, Sookie doesn't get weepy and upset, she's shaken, but she moves on. It's a very interesting shift in Sookie's mindset, and I'll be looking forward to reading more from Harris. (Though not so soon, I promise!)
Book 18 of 50
Pages: 303
Genre: Mystery, vampires, romance
Grade: A
Would I Recommend?: Here comes the broken record. This series really needs to be read from the beginning, and if you don't, you'll really feel as though you're missing something big. Promise. But hell yeah, read it!
Sunday, May 6, 2012
All Together Dead (Charlaine Harris)
Summary:
Sookie's being dragged to the vampire summit in Rhodes, (I believe in Michigan, but it could be Illinois. One of the northern central states, anyway...) to be Queen Sophia-Anne's personal telepath. Her job is to keep a mental ear out, and try to learn what the other kings and queens (and their minions) are up to at this summit. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Louisiana is hurting, along with many other states in the Gulf area. Louisiana's vampire population is hard hit, too, and the Queen of Louisiana is no exception. Sophia-Anne's position is not only crippled due to the storm's abuse, she's being accused of unjustly killing her recently acquired husband for the sole purpose of getting her hands on his Arkansas territory. Sookie gets unhappily jammed up right in the middle of all this, with no consideration for the fact that she's got other pressing things at home, not least of which is her brother's wedding to a girl she doesn't care for at all, and her witch friend from New Orleans coming to stay at her house for a while as she works to rebuild more than just her home. Disaster is around every corner for Sookie, just another average day for poor Sook.
Thoughts:
Yes, I know. Another Sookie book. I'll branch out soon, I promise. I'm almost done with the series anyway! It's a good one, though. I really enjoyed it (shocker). Harris puts so many balls up in the air that I hardly know when another one's going to come down, let alone what's going to happen. This one had the return of the telepath Barry, who we hadn't seen since "Living Dead in Dallas," and it was interesting to see Sookie deal with another telepath. The reader is treated to more vampire lore, and a few extra bits for the other supernatural areas in Sookie's life too, which definitely helps Harris broaden her fantasy world. It was interesting, too, to see how Harris dealt with the Katrina issue. She didn't go into much detail, but the book did begin with a lot of talk about what had happened to Louisiana vamps thanks to the flooding. To be honest, this is near the top on my list of good books within the series. I will highly recommend this series to anyone who asks. It's a fun series (with no damn sparkly vampires.) with a lot going on, but never too much to handle. Good stuff.
Book 17 of 50
Pages:323
Genre:Mystery plus romance plus vampires equals Sookie!
Grade:A
Would I Recommend?:Once again, this is a read the whole series kind of book. There's too many things wrapped into this series to pick up in the middle.
Sookie's being dragged to the vampire summit in Rhodes, (I believe in Michigan, but it could be Illinois. One of the northern central states, anyway...) to be Queen Sophia-Anne's personal telepath. Her job is to keep a mental ear out, and try to learn what the other kings and queens (and their minions) are up to at this summit. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Louisiana is hurting, along with many other states in the Gulf area. Louisiana's vampire population is hard hit, too, and the Queen of Louisiana is no exception. Sophia-Anne's position is not only crippled due to the storm's abuse, she's being accused of unjustly killing her recently acquired husband for the sole purpose of getting her hands on his Arkansas territory. Sookie gets unhappily jammed up right in the middle of all this, with no consideration for the fact that she's got other pressing things at home, not least of which is her brother's wedding to a girl she doesn't care for at all, and her witch friend from New Orleans coming to stay at her house for a while as she works to rebuild more than just her home. Disaster is around every corner for Sookie, just another average day for poor Sook.
Thoughts:
Yes, I know. Another Sookie book. I'll branch out soon, I promise. I'm almost done with the series anyway! It's a good one, though. I really enjoyed it (shocker). Harris puts so many balls up in the air that I hardly know when another one's going to come down, let alone what's going to happen. This one had the return of the telepath Barry, who we hadn't seen since "Living Dead in Dallas," and it was interesting to see Sookie deal with another telepath. The reader is treated to more vampire lore, and a few extra bits for the other supernatural areas in Sookie's life too, which definitely helps Harris broaden her fantasy world. It was interesting, too, to see how Harris dealt with the Katrina issue. She didn't go into much detail, but the book did begin with a lot of talk about what had happened to Louisiana vamps thanks to the flooding. To be honest, this is near the top on my list of good books within the series. I will highly recommend this series to anyone who asks. It's a fun series (with no damn sparkly vampires.) with a lot going on, but never too much to handle. Good stuff.
Book 17 of 50
Pages:323
Genre:Mystery plus romance plus vampires equals Sookie!
Grade:A
Would I Recommend?:Once again, this is a read the whole series kind of book. There's too many things wrapped into this series to pick up in the middle.
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Definitely Dead (Charlaine Harris)
Summary:
Sookie Stackhouse is once again shoved unrepentantly into vampire business. Her cousin, Hadley, who was turned into a vampire a few years previously, was permanently killed, and Sookie was named as her benefactor. Sookie has to now go to New Orleans to get Hadley's affairs in order, and collect any belongings Hadley's left behind. For once, though, Sookie's got something good going for her. She's got a hunky guy drooling over her, and he's not even a vamp! Quinn is a weretiger (think werewolf, only he turns into a tiger instead) that spotted her in the prior book, and they developed an... interesting connection. Add in a witch landlady, a vampire queen demanding help, and Eric and Bill (Sookie's exes) still trying to vie for Sookie's attentions, and there you have the next chapter in Sookie's crazy life.
Thoughts:
I really enjoy this series. Often when I start a book, within the first twenty pages or so, I see how many more pages I have, so I know when things are really going to ramp up, and then finish off. For Harris's page-turners, it easily takes me eighty or more to think about the page check, and then it's usually more to see how far I got and less to see how far I have yet to go. Harris has a way of building characters that you become completely enamored of, and who you wish you'd see more. (Personally, I'm crazy about Eric's character, because he's predictable in his unpredictability. Gotta love that guy!) Sookie's making more of a stand this time around, and trying not to jump straight into another shaky relationship that's based mostly around lust, so she's trying to take it slow with Quinn, a trait I appreciate and admire in not only a fictional character, but in an actual person. Something to note about this particular edition to the Sookie books: It seems there is a short story that comes between the previous book, Dead as a Doornail, and this one. The story of how and why Hadley died is touched on briefly, but I'm fairly positive there is something more than just flashbacks to rely on for the full story. I'll be hunting for it, but I'm not sure if/when I'll find it. Just something to think about. Overall, barring the lack of info about Hadley's early exit, this was another great turn for Sookie, and for Harris.
Book 16 of 50
Pages:324
Genre:Mystery with a side of supernaturality
Grade:B+
Would I Recommend?:Yes, but please read the previous installments before you get here. It'll just be confusing otherwise.
Sookie Stackhouse is once again shoved unrepentantly into vampire business. Her cousin, Hadley, who was turned into a vampire a few years previously, was permanently killed, and Sookie was named as her benefactor. Sookie has to now go to New Orleans to get Hadley's affairs in order, and collect any belongings Hadley's left behind. For once, though, Sookie's got something good going for her. She's got a hunky guy drooling over her, and he's not even a vamp! Quinn is a weretiger (think werewolf, only he turns into a tiger instead) that spotted her in the prior book, and they developed an... interesting connection. Add in a witch landlady, a vampire queen demanding help, and Eric and Bill (Sookie's exes) still trying to vie for Sookie's attentions, and there you have the next chapter in Sookie's crazy life.
Thoughts:
I really enjoy this series. Often when I start a book, within the first twenty pages or so, I see how many more pages I have, so I know when things are really going to ramp up, and then finish off. For Harris's page-turners, it easily takes me eighty or more to think about the page check, and then it's usually more to see how far I got and less to see how far I have yet to go. Harris has a way of building characters that you become completely enamored of, and who you wish you'd see more. (Personally, I'm crazy about Eric's character, because he's predictable in his unpredictability. Gotta love that guy!) Sookie's making more of a stand this time around, and trying not to jump straight into another shaky relationship that's based mostly around lust, so she's trying to take it slow with Quinn, a trait I appreciate and admire in not only a fictional character, but in an actual person. Something to note about this particular edition to the Sookie books: It seems there is a short story that comes between the previous book, Dead as a Doornail, and this one. The story of how and why Hadley died is touched on briefly, but I'm fairly positive there is something more than just flashbacks to rely on for the full story. I'll be hunting for it, but I'm not sure if/when I'll find it. Just something to think about. Overall, barring the lack of info about Hadley's early exit, this was another great turn for Sookie, and for Harris.
Book 16 of 50
Pages:324
Genre:Mystery with a side of supernaturality
Grade:B+
Would I Recommend?:Yes, but please read the previous installments before you get here. It'll just be confusing otherwise.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Dead as a Doornail (Charlaine Harris)
Summary:
Sookie Stackhouse, resident telepath and friend to vampires, werewolves, and all sorts of other creatures, finds herself once again wrapped up in a supernatural mystery. There's someone out to get shifters. Several shootings in Bon Temps sets Sookie on a search to find the shooter, who has killed one person, and wounded several others. Adding to that, Sookie gets roped into werewolf pack politics as her friend Alcide's pack tries to choose a new leader. Worse yet, Eric, who has no memory of the time he spent in Sookie's care after a witch's spell was cast on him, is trying to get Sookie to tell him what happened, which Sookie doesn't want to do, thanks to the little mishap Sookie had near the end of Eric's stay. Tara, a friend of Sook's from childhood, is also having some vampire issues of her own that Sookie obviously needs to help out with, because who is Sookie if she's not a good friend. And to top it all off, it looks like someone has it in for Sookie too! Just another average day in good ol' Bon Temps, Louisiana.
Thoughts:
Very good. I'm becoming more and more enamored with this series as it rolls on. I liked the early books, but the last two have been great. I'm looking forward to the next six books, to see exactly where things go with Sookie. This book sees Sookie getting into all kinds of mischief with all kinds of men. She's got Bill and Eric, the vamps that are vying for her attentions, but she's also got Alcide, the Were who's finally free of his crazy ex-girlfriend, Calvin, the werepanther that's looking to expand his breed and add in some new blood to the mix, Sam, her boss and a shape-shifter, who there's always been some tension between, but nothing ever really came from it, and then there's the new guy. I'll leave him for you to find, but all those men make for an interesting set of curiosities on Sookie's part. The book has a lot of different things going on, but not so many that it's hard to keep up. I've read some stories that have tons of different plot points that aren't all connected, and that the author does a crap-ass job of pulling together. In this particular installment, there are a bunch of different plots going on, seven or eight, if I'm counting right, but Harris brings things together very well. You as the reader won't feel tossed from story to story wantonly, instead you're led with great care, so nothing gets dropped, and all the points get resolved (or resolved for now, at least. A writer can't resolve everything and keep a series going, now can she?) Sookie's universe is ever-expanding, and the series is only getting better as it goes. Well done, Ms. Harris, keep up the good work.
Book 11 of 50
Pages:295
Genre:mystery, vampires
Grade:A
Would I Recommend?:Yes, but start at the beginning of the series. There are, of course, brief callbacks to prior books, but you wouldn't really get the references unless you read the books they come from.
Sookie Stackhouse, resident telepath and friend to vampires, werewolves, and all sorts of other creatures, finds herself once again wrapped up in a supernatural mystery. There's someone out to get shifters. Several shootings in Bon Temps sets Sookie on a search to find the shooter, who has killed one person, and wounded several others. Adding to that, Sookie gets roped into werewolf pack politics as her friend Alcide's pack tries to choose a new leader. Worse yet, Eric, who has no memory of the time he spent in Sookie's care after a witch's spell was cast on him, is trying to get Sookie to tell him what happened, which Sookie doesn't want to do, thanks to the little mishap Sookie had near the end of Eric's stay. Tara, a friend of Sook's from childhood, is also having some vampire issues of her own that Sookie obviously needs to help out with, because who is Sookie if she's not a good friend. And to top it all off, it looks like someone has it in for Sookie too! Just another average day in good ol' Bon Temps, Louisiana.
Thoughts:
Very good. I'm becoming more and more enamored with this series as it rolls on. I liked the early books, but the last two have been great. I'm looking forward to the next six books, to see exactly where things go with Sookie. This book sees Sookie getting into all kinds of mischief with all kinds of men. She's got Bill and Eric, the vamps that are vying for her attentions, but she's also got Alcide, the Were who's finally free of his crazy ex-girlfriend, Calvin, the werepanther that's looking to expand his breed and add in some new blood to the mix, Sam, her boss and a shape-shifter, who there's always been some tension between, but nothing ever really came from it, and then there's the new guy. I'll leave him for you to find, but all those men make for an interesting set of curiosities on Sookie's part. The book has a lot of different things going on, but not so many that it's hard to keep up. I've read some stories that have tons of different plot points that aren't all connected, and that the author does a crap-ass job of pulling together. In this particular installment, there are a bunch of different plots going on, seven or eight, if I'm counting right, but Harris brings things together very well. You as the reader won't feel tossed from story to story wantonly, instead you're led with great care, so nothing gets dropped, and all the points get resolved (or resolved for now, at least. A writer can't resolve everything and keep a series going, now can she?) Sookie's universe is ever-expanding, and the series is only getting better as it goes. Well done, Ms. Harris, keep up the good work.
Book 11 of 50
Pages:295
Genre:mystery, vampires
Grade:A
Would I Recommend?:Yes, but start at the beginning of the series. There are, of course, brief callbacks to prior books, but you wouldn't really get the references unless you read the books they come from.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Dead to the World (Charlaine Harris)
Summary:
Sookie Stackhouse the reluctant mind reader is at it again. This book finds her starting a new year by taking care of the most powerful vampire in Area 5, Eric Northman, who has lost his memory thanks to a new witch in the area. The new Eric is thoughtful and insecure, and wants to be wherever Sookie is, so long as it's night time. His second in command, Pam, negotiates with Sookie and Sookie's brother, Jason, for Sookie to take care of Eric and hide him at her house until his underlings can deal with the witch and her coven. The same night that Jason and Pam strike a deal for Eric's hiding safely at Sookie's, Jason goes missing from his house. The book follows as Sookie deals with Jason's disappearance by day, and Eric's safe keeping by night.
Thoughts:
To be quite honest, I enjoyed this one far better than previous installments in the series. I'm not as big a fan of Bill anymore (who is Sookie's ex, and Eric's subordinate), and I was okay with him being in Peru for the majority of the story. I do like Eric better, but there wasn't much of the old, usual Eric to be seen in this. It was more the memory-less Eric that Sookie spent time with, and while he was a fun character to watch, I wished we could have seen more of the old Eric as well. I want to get to know him better. There was also a couple of appearances of Sookie's friend Alcide, a werewolf from the area that helped her in her adventure to Jackson, Mississippi in the previous book. It seems I tend to like the heroes that the heroine ISN'T dating at the start of a series better than the one she is dating. Ah, but I digress. Back to Sookie and friends. I like her strong personality, and that she's beginning to hold her own a little better around the two-natured (vamps, werewolves, shape-shifters, etc.) and can stand up for herself in a fight. Good for her.
Book 9 of 50
Pages: 291
Genre: mystery and romance, with the vampire twist
Grade: A-
Would I Recommend?: Yup. It's far better than previous ones. I'm glad I started up with this series again.
Sookie Stackhouse the reluctant mind reader is at it again. This book finds her starting a new year by taking care of the most powerful vampire in Area 5, Eric Northman, who has lost his memory thanks to a new witch in the area. The new Eric is thoughtful and insecure, and wants to be wherever Sookie is, so long as it's night time. His second in command, Pam, negotiates with Sookie and Sookie's brother, Jason, for Sookie to take care of Eric and hide him at her house until his underlings can deal with the witch and her coven. The same night that Jason and Pam strike a deal for Eric's hiding safely at Sookie's, Jason goes missing from his house. The book follows as Sookie deals with Jason's disappearance by day, and Eric's safe keeping by night.
Thoughts:
To be quite honest, I enjoyed this one far better than previous installments in the series. I'm not as big a fan of Bill anymore (who is Sookie's ex, and Eric's subordinate), and I was okay with him being in Peru for the majority of the story. I do like Eric better, but there wasn't much of the old, usual Eric to be seen in this. It was more the memory-less Eric that Sookie spent time with, and while he was a fun character to watch, I wished we could have seen more of the old Eric as well. I want to get to know him better. There was also a couple of appearances of Sookie's friend Alcide, a werewolf from the area that helped her in her adventure to Jackson, Mississippi in the previous book. It seems I tend to like the heroes that the heroine ISN'T dating at the start of a series better than the one she is dating. Ah, but I digress. Back to Sookie and friends. I like her strong personality, and that she's beginning to hold her own a little better around the two-natured (vamps, werewolves, shape-shifters, etc.) and can stand up for herself in a fight. Good for her.
Book 9 of 50
Pages: 291
Genre: mystery and romance, with the vampire twist
Grade: A-
Would I Recommend?: Yup. It's far better than previous ones. I'm glad I started up with this series again.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Club Dead (Charlaine Harris)
Summary:
The next book in the True Blood series. Bill gets kidnapped, and Sookie has to help by going to Mississippi to hunt him down. She spends time with Alcide, a werewolf with a good heart. And when Sookie finds out that Bill's been hanging around with the vampire that he used to be completely enamored of for a great many years, she gets angry and hurt. Who can blame her when she takes second looks at both Alcide, and Bill's boss, Eric.
Thoughts:
It's good. Honestly, though, it's not really my favorite series. I liked the show, and the books are good, but something about them isn't quite doing it for me anymore. I probably will keep up with them, to be honest, because I'm really bad at giving up midstream. I really liked how this one ended up. It felt like the end brought Sookie to a much more independent place in her life, and I liked that. I really hope to see Alcide again, because I loved his character. And I hope when we do see him again, Sookie's in a place to welcome him into her life a little more. Apparently, I'm more fond of werewolves than vampires when it's down to one or the other.
Book 25 of 30
Pages: 292
Genre: Mystery, vampires, romance
Grade: B-
Would I Recommend?: Sure, if you're a vampire mystery type.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Vampyres of Hollywood (Adrienne Barbeau & Michael Scott)
Summary:
Ovsanna Moore is a Hollywood scream queen who runs a very successful horror movie studio. She's also a 500-year-old vampyre. Peter King is LAPD officer investigating multiple murders that keep leading him back to Ovsanna. What he doesn't know is that Ovsanna's vampyre clan is getting attacked, and she's determined to find out why.
Thoughts:
This is another book that is written alternatively between the two main characters, though not as evenly alternating as Will Grayson, Will Grayson. This vampire book, like most others written in the last five years or so, tries to turn all the old vampire stories on their heads. The murder mystery part was good, but the "vampires really do THIS" stuff is getting old to me. I guess I should probably stop reading vampire novels. There's another of the Sookie Stackhouse novels in the wings, but that series doesn't turn everything completely around. Other than, we'll see.
Book 14 of 30
Pages: 325
Genre: Fantasy/Mystery
Grade: B
Would I Recommend?: Kinda interesting for the writing style, but Will Grayson, Will Grayson was the same style done better. If you're into vampires and don't mind changing up their background, go for it.
Ovsanna Moore is a Hollywood scream queen who runs a very successful horror movie studio. She's also a 500-year-old vampyre. Peter King is LAPD officer investigating multiple murders that keep leading him back to Ovsanna. What he doesn't know is that Ovsanna's vampyre clan is getting attacked, and she's determined to find out why.
Thoughts:
This is another book that is written alternatively between the two main characters, though not as evenly alternating as Will Grayson, Will Grayson. This vampire book, like most others written in the last five years or so, tries to turn all the old vampire stories on their heads. The murder mystery part was good, but the "vampires really do THIS" stuff is getting old to me. I guess I should probably stop reading vampire novels. There's another of the Sookie Stackhouse novels in the wings, but that series doesn't turn everything completely around. Other than, we'll see.
Book 14 of 30
Pages: 325
Genre: Fantasy/Mystery
Grade: B
Would I Recommend?: Kinda interesting for the writing style, but Will Grayson, Will Grayson was the same style done better. If you're into vampires and don't mind changing up their background, go for it.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Tales of the Vampire Slayer, vol. 3 (Various)
Summary:
More tales from the non-Buffy slayers. Only four of them in this collection. The first is a Native American girl, the second is a Chinese girl, the third is an American in the South, and the last is an American in Tokyo.
Thoughts:
There was one that was more than 100 pages (the one about the Chinese girl), and honestly, it was the least engaging. I think I might stop here on these books. The quality has gone downward for sure.
Pages: 319
Genre: Mystery-ish
Grade: C-
Would I Recommend?: Probably not. The older ones are much better than this.
34 down, 16 to go!
More tales from the non-Buffy slayers. Only four of them in this collection. The first is a Native American girl, the second is a Chinese girl, the third is an American in the South, and the last is an American in Tokyo.
Thoughts:
There was one that was more than 100 pages (the one about the Chinese girl), and honestly, it was the least engaging. I think I might stop here on these books. The quality has gone downward for sure.
Pages: 319
Genre: Mystery-ish
Grade: C-
Would I Recommend?: Probably not. The older ones are much better than this.
34 down, 16 to go!
Monday, March 8, 2010
Tales of the Vampire Slayer, vol. 2 (Various)
Summary:
This is a collections of short stories about slayers through the ages. It starts and ends with Buffy, and passes through Japan, in the year 980, France in 1320, the Caribbean in 1661, London in 1843, Georgia in 1864, London again, 1897 this time, New York in 1922, and Chicago in 1943. This volume, like its predecessor, is a glimpse at all those who came before the Slayers we knew, and gives a little more insight to the way things worked according to the Whedonverse.
Thoughts:
Some stories were good. Others shouldn't have even made it to print. But that's the risk you take when diving into a book of short stories, isn't it? Even when they're all based in the same subject matter, they still have varying levels of quality, and this book is, of course, no exception.
It starts with a Buffy story set in 2000. It's absolute crap, and reads like fan fiction. Most of the rest are fairly good, though some seemed to run a little too long for my taste. The 1843 London one is a rip-off of Dickens' Christmas Carol, only with a Watcher meeting Slayers of the past, present, and Buffy, from the future. There are two with Slayers masquerading as men (one as a pirate captain in the Caribbean, the other as a Lieutenant in the Union army during the Civil War), and both are very interesting stories. I'm torn over a possible favorite, though, because I liked the Caribbean one, the 1943 Chicago Slayer, and I really liked the ending Buffy story, written by one of the show's regular writers.
I think, though, if I were to choose which volume I enjoyed more, I would probably say vol. 1. This set had all happier endings, except for Buffy's second story, and a Slayer's existence is not all rainbows and puppies. Also, this seemed to focus a little too much on the Watchers' points of view, pointing out that the Watchers were there to take care of their Slayers, and were always right about one thing or another. I wasn't looking to read Tales of the Watchers. If I were, I'm fairly sure there's something like that out there. I wanted Slayers' stories.
That said, I'll probably hunt down the other two volumes, in the hopes there's more good material, and also because I'm the crazy type that loves Buffy and needs as much material about the show as possible. Sad, but true.
Still reading the Kermit book, and will probably pick something else up too.
7 down, 43 to go...
Pages: 351
Genre: Fantasy, and a little mystery?
Grade: B-/C+
Would I Read Again?: I don't regret reading it...
This is a collections of short stories about slayers through the ages. It starts and ends with Buffy, and passes through Japan, in the year 980, France in 1320, the Caribbean in 1661, London in 1843, Georgia in 1864, London again, 1897 this time, New York in 1922, and Chicago in 1943. This volume, like its predecessor, is a glimpse at all those who came before the Slayers we knew, and gives a little more insight to the way things worked according to the Whedonverse.
Thoughts:
Some stories were good. Others shouldn't have even made it to print. But that's the risk you take when diving into a book of short stories, isn't it? Even when they're all based in the same subject matter, they still have varying levels of quality, and this book is, of course, no exception.
It starts with a Buffy story set in 2000. It's absolute crap, and reads like fan fiction. Most of the rest are fairly good, though some seemed to run a little too long for my taste. The 1843 London one is a rip-off of Dickens' Christmas Carol, only with a Watcher meeting Slayers of the past, present, and Buffy, from the future. There are two with Slayers masquerading as men (one as a pirate captain in the Caribbean, the other as a Lieutenant in the Union army during the Civil War), and both are very interesting stories. I'm torn over a possible favorite, though, because I liked the Caribbean one, the 1943 Chicago Slayer, and I really liked the ending Buffy story, written by one of the show's regular writers.
I think, though, if I were to choose which volume I enjoyed more, I would probably say vol. 1. This set had all happier endings, except for Buffy's second story, and a Slayer's existence is not all rainbows and puppies. Also, this seemed to focus a little too much on the Watchers' points of view, pointing out that the Watchers were there to take care of their Slayers, and were always right about one thing or another. I wasn't looking to read Tales of the Watchers. If I were, I'm fairly sure there's something like that out there. I wanted Slayers' stories.
That said, I'll probably hunt down the other two volumes, in the hopes there's more good material, and also because I'm the crazy type that loves Buffy and needs as much material about the show as possible. Sad, but true.
Still reading the Kermit book, and will probably pick something else up too.
7 down, 43 to go...
Pages: 351
Genre: Fantasy, and a little mystery?
Grade: B-/C+
Would I Read Again?: I don't regret reading it...
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Living Dead in Dallas (Charlaine Harris)
Summary:
The second in the Sookie Stackhouse series.
Sookie is a telepath, dating a vampire, and working for a shapeshifter. She has become a usually-unwilling detective for the Louisiana town of Bon Temps. In this second installment, she is ordered to go to Dallas and help the Dallas vampires find one of their own who has gone missing, while still trying to figure out who killed a co-worker/friend. The HBO series, True Blood, is based on these books.
Thoughts:
Not bad. It was better than some of the books I've read, sure, but I was continually comparing the book to the TV show. It killed off a fun character in the series, so I was disappointed about that. And the TV show delved more into some things that the book just barely glossed over. It's different, and I don't know that I like it better than the show version of events.
The writing is good, though. There's not a ton of cursing or obscene discussion of sexual situations, which I appreciate. I also found myself liking the not-boyfriend vampire more though, and it seemed that Harris was trying to get the readers to like him a little more. Though I could be crazy. Who knows.
Could be worse.
Pages: 291
Genre: Mystery/Fantasy
Grade: B-/C+
Would I Read Again?: I won't reread, but it's not bad enough to completely avoid.
6 down, 44 to go.
Buffy: Tales of the Slayer 2 or Before You Leap next. Not sure which... we'll see. Maybe both!
The second in the Sookie Stackhouse series.
Sookie is a telepath, dating a vampire, and working for a shapeshifter. She has become a usually-unwilling detective for the Louisiana town of Bon Temps. In this second installment, she is ordered to go to Dallas and help the Dallas vampires find one of their own who has gone missing, while still trying to figure out who killed a co-worker/friend. The HBO series, True Blood, is based on these books.
Thoughts:
Not bad. It was better than some of the books I've read, sure, but I was continually comparing the book to the TV show. It killed off a fun character in the series, so I was disappointed about that. And the TV show delved more into some things that the book just barely glossed over. It's different, and I don't know that I like it better than the show version of events.
The writing is good, though. There's not a ton of cursing or obscene discussion of sexual situations, which I appreciate. I also found myself liking the not-boyfriend vampire more though, and it seemed that Harris was trying to get the readers to like him a little more. Though I could be crazy. Who knows.
Could be worse.
Pages: 291
Genre: Mystery/Fantasy
Grade: B-/C+
Would I Read Again?: I won't reread, but it's not bad enough to completely avoid.
6 down, 44 to go.
Buffy: Tales of the Slayer 2 or Before You Leap next. Not sure which... we'll see. Maybe both!
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