Review: Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris

There's been a lot of talk about this last installment in the Sookie Stackhouse series that ends with this thirteenth edition.  Even before the DEAD EVER AFTER was released here in the US, it had already attracted a lot of negative criticism by loyal fans of the Southern Vampire Series that Charlaine Harris is so well known for.  And as a fan myself, I was anxious to find out how Sookie's story would end.

I don't normally do this, but this review DOES include some details that could be viewed as spoilers because I feel it's difficult to talk about the ending of the series without certain comments.

When we last left Sookie, she had been in a battle with her relatives from the Fae world and discovered that not all of them were her allies. She had been in possession of the coveted cluviel dor, the magic 'artifact' left to her by her late grandmother, that could grant one wish to the beholder, changing their life forever. The shock came at the end of the twelfth book when, in desperation, used it to save Sam, her friend and business partner, instead of using it to keep Eric, her vampire boyfriend, from having to marry the Queen of Oklahoma and break all ties with Sookie, whom he claimed to love.

This last book takes up right where it had left off and Sookie, Sam and Eric are still dealing with the consequences of Sookie's choice and what it all means for their futures. Sookie's life is complicated even further when she is arrested for murdering one of her former friends. One of Sookie's own scarves was found wrapped around the victim's neck. She is pleased and humbled to see how many of her friends showed up for her arraignment in support of her, but her best friend Sam, is a no show and he's going out of his to avoid her. To make matters worse, someone is trying to kill Sookie and they don't care who gets in their way.

My Thoughts:

Though I found the mystery of who framed Sookie and who was trying to kill her interesting, the overall feeling I had throughout the book was that something was lacking. That something was the vampire presence in the story. I've read a lot of reviews that said 'the book ended the only way it could have', but that doesn't really convince me that it was necessary that Eric and Bill were basically non-existent in this book. Eric made  two very brief appearances and Bill was basically a passerby. I'm not saying I didn't like the book, I just feel that two such strong and ever-present characters in all of the other books was sorely missed by this reader.

On Goodreads, I've rated this book with 3 stars, which by first glance doesn't look all that good, but it actually means 'I liked it'. And I did. I don't think Charlaine Harris deserves the bashing she's gotten from many of her reviewers, (especially on Amazon),  because I can appreciate that she admittedly stated she had told every story she felt Sookie had to tell and didn't want the series to continue and possibly suffer until nobody cared anymore. Sometimes you have to know when to quit and I think she did the right thing. That said, I am going to miss Sookie and all of her cohorts. They gave me many hours of entertainment and actually introduced me to the entire vampire genre that I had completely ignored previously.

I am not a fan of TrueBlood and I do not watch the show. I am content with the ending Ms. Harris came up with for the book series and I commend her for making the difficult decision to end a beloved series, even though the fans were sure to be upset with her. That takes guts and Charlaine Harris has guts.

DEAD EVER AFTER (Sookie Stackhouse #13) 
Author: Charlaine Harris
Publisher: Ace/Penguin Publishing
Published: May 7, 2013
Length: 353 pp
Source: Purchased

Teaser Tuesday: Dead Ever After

Teaser Tuesday is one of my favorite memes and a fun way to get a peek inside the books that are being read by others. Today I'm taking my teasers from the final book in the Sookie Stackhouse series, which has been getting a lot of buzz since it came out a few weeks ago. Here are my teasers from DEAD EVER AFTER . . .

That was fairies for you.  Always some blowback. ~Location 2806 Kindle Edition

Well, there you go, short and sweet. There's been a lo of talk about the substance of this final installment and some readers have been very vocal about their disappointment in it, but so far, I am enjoying it very much. My only feeling right now is a sense of sadness that there will be no more Sookie. But I'll get into more of the controversy when I post my review.

Ber sure to stop by Should Be Reading for more teasers! Thanks for stopping by!

Review: Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris (Sookie Stackhouse #10) Audio Version

As you can see from my recent blog posts, I have spent alot of time recently getting caught up on the Southern Vampire Series by Charlaine Harris in preparation for the final book coming out next Spring. I promised my BFF that I would get them all read, as she did recently, so we cold discuss! Because I have so many other books I'm also reading it took me much longer than it did her. She is being very patient with me and I'm almost there!

DEAD IN THE FAMILY, which is Book 10 in the series was a real education in family history, and I'm not just talking about Sookie here. Area 5 Sheriff Eric Northman - and Sookie's current lover - spilled everything about his lineage in the vampire world in this book, which explained a whole lot about Eric and his past. For the first time, his maker comes into the story, as does his 'young' undead sibling. Just when things seem to get a little normal for Sookie and Eric, these two come a calling and normal goes out the window. They occupy much of Eric's time and Sookie notices right off that Eric is just not his usual sexy self. But she must be careful because if Eric's sire orders him to kill Sookie, he must comply or reap the consequences.

But other issues arise to keep her mind from over analyzing the situation with Eric. When the Were's converge on Sookie's property for a monthly ritual, and inform her that there is a fresh corpse buried at the back of her property, Sookie gets very nervous.  Thing is, Sookie already knows of one body buried on her property, but who did this new body formerly belong to?

My Thoughts

I have to say that this installment is one of my favorites of the series. What I like about this series as a whole is that eventually everything is out in the open. It may take a few books, but things do come out. The fact that there is another body on Sookie's property was a great way to remind the reader that there was already one body buried there from several books ago and with the discovery of this new corpse, it was inevitable that old secrets would rise to the surface.

I thought it was high time we learn more about Eric's past and boy, did we! The fairies were also a big part of this book as well as the budding relationship between Sookie and her young cousin, the son of her dead cousin, Hadleigh. The boy brings yet another supernatural element to the story because we've recently learned that as young as he is, he also has a 'disability', as Sookie calls her telepathy. I found the motherly side of Sookie to be very becoming and showed a whole other side to our heroine.

As I plow through these last books, I am wondering what my next literary guilty pleasure will be? I'm so glad I've taken the time to read these crazy books. They may not be your usual cuppa tea, and that's why I put off reading them for so long but now I accept them for what they are and just have fun with them. I call them my 'in-between' books. Because sometimes we just need something light and fun in our lives!

As usual, Johanna Parker does a great job with the narration. I never thought I would enjoy listening to books as much as I have been lately. Choosing the right reader is the most important aspect of an audio and they picked the perfect one for this series!

DEAD IN THE FAMILY, Sookie Stackhouse #10
Author: Charlaine Harris
Publisher: Recorded Books
Published: May 2010
Length: 9 hr 32 min
Rating:: 4 out of 5 Stars
Source: Audible.com

Review: Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris (Sookie Stackhouse #9) Audio Version

Charlaine Harris has provided me with my favorite guilty pleasure for a few years now, as I've read through the Southern Vampire Series and followed Sookie through her trials and tribulations of living her life among the Supe world. That's why it is quickly becoming bittersweet as I get closer to the inevitable end. 


In DEAD AND GONE, the ninth book, Sookie's brother, Jason, suffers a terrible loss, along with a heartbreaking betrayal and once again, Sookie finds herself in the middle of all of the turmoil. Not only are the Were's dealing with the repercussions of coming out to the rest of the world, the faeries are in an all out war amongst themselves. Since Sookie's newly discovered great-grandfather is the very powerful leader of one of the gighting groups, she is put smack-dab in the middle of it and is likely being used as a pawn. And now that she and vampire Eric Northman, the Sheriff of Area 5, have come together again as a couple, it is taking some getting used to for alot of people, including Sookie.. 


My Thoughts:


As with the previous books, I found this one to be equally as entertaining and I loved finding out more about the fairies that are now in Sookie's life. I also love seeing Eric and Sookie together, even though I was a huge Quinn fan. But back in Book 4 when Eric had lost his memory due to a witch's curse, Eric won me over with his love for Sookie. I was so happy when he remembered everything and now they are in a real relationship...or are they? Hmmm...you never know when there's a blood bond involved.

What impresses me about Charlaine Harris and this great series is that she keeps coming up with new ways to keep the story from getting repetitive. Mainly with how she keeps coming up with new supernatural beings that bring even more excitement and wonder to the story. And the most impressive thing is that these new beings fit right into existing stories and make them even better and more interesting. Nothing is ever out of sync and it all melds together perfectly. Bottom line - she weaves a great tale!

I listened to this installment on audio through my Kindle and as before, I was completely satisfied with it. The narrator, Joanna Parker, does such a fabulous job and her southern accent is perfectly done. That is a big pet peeve of mine. 

For those of you who have yet to pick up this series...What are you waiting for?! It's fun, quick and so entertaining! And if you are a TrueBlood watcher and you're afraid it's going to ruin the show for you, there is no need to worry!! I've seen a few episodes of the HBO series and I almost didn't recognize the story. Everything is so different - it's nothing like the book version, which in my opinion is the BEST version.

DEAD AND GONE (Sookie Stackhouse #9)
Author: Charlaine Harris
Publisher: Recorded Books
Audible Release Date: May 2009:
Length: 9hs 1mn
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Source:  Audible.com

Review: FROM DEAD TO WORSE by Charlaine Harris (Sookie Stackhouse #8) Audio Version

As you know, the Sookie Stackhouse Mystery Series has been around for years and sadly will be coming to an end next year, with the final book being released in May 2013.  This unique, addictive and always entertaining series has been my guilty pleasure for awhile now. I am probably one of the few fans that has chosen to not watch the very popular HBO series, TrueBlood, which was based on the books. I did watch a few episodes but found it conflicting to the characters I have imagined in my mind for so long. I prefer simply to read the books, which in my opinion are always better anyway. I have a pretty vivid imagination and I didn't want to take away from the characters that Charlaine Harris has built up in my mind.  

In this 8th installment,  FROM DEAD TO WORSE, Sookie is once again put in danger because of her relationships with the Supernaturals, or Supes, as they are commonly known. Her Weretiger boyfriend, Quinn has been missing for a few weeks and when he does reappear, its apparent he is on opposite sides in a war that  has been brewing.  There is a deadly takeover that completely changes the vampire's Area 5 forever, included the sheriff, Eric Northman, whom Sookie has blood ties to, among other things....

My Thoughts:

I began reading the hardcover version of this book, but early on I switched to the audio version and I must say, I was pleasantly surprised by how good the narrator, Johanna Parker portrayed each of the characters.  She did a great job distinguishing between the different voices and even her Southern accent was very believable and not over the top like many are.  I'd like to add that I typically listen to audios with my iPod but for some reason my iPod wouldn't cooperate with me, so I sent the download to my Kindle. Wow! I was so impressed by the sound quality that I plan to listen to all my books on my Kindle from now on. What a surprise! Now on to the story...

Although I enjoyed FROM DEAD TO WORSE, I have to admit that it isn't my favorite book in the series. (Book 4 holds that title!!) It took awhile for me to get into it.  Not alot was happening in the beginning pages. But with that being said, one of the most interesting aspects of this book was that we learned much about Sookie's heritage. I mean, we thought we already knew about her family but new light was shed from a most unexpected source. It was enlightening and leaves more than one door open to new possibilities. 

What else can I say?  I have so much fun reading these books and reacquainting with the most diverse group of characters I've ever known in books.  Book 12 just came out a few weeks ago and there's only one more after that, so I'm going to savor each one. If you're looking for a fun, quick way to spend some quiet time this summer you should check Sookie out - she certainly leads an interesting life.

FROM DEAD TO WORSE (Audio Version)

Author: Charlaine Harris

Publisher: Recorded Books

Published: May 2008

Length: 10h 3m

Rating/Audio 4.5 Stars out of 5

Rating/Story  3.5 Stars out of 5

Overall Rating: 4 Stars out of 5

Review: Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris (Sookie Stackhouse #4)

The Southern Vampire series featuring telepath Sookie Stackhouse, a cocktail waitress from Bon Temps, LA, and written by the amazing Charlaine Harris has become my favorite guilty pleasures.  I've been taking my time reading these books, mainly my 'in-between' reads.  I have enjoyed all four I've read but DEAD TO THE WORLD is my favorite by far. Here's a quick rundown on what this installment is about but don't worry, I won't give anythingt away.

THE BOOK


After Sookie and a few of her two-natured friends rescue vampire Bill Compton in book 3, CLUB DEAD, she is looking forward to some piece and quiet without any drama. But, as usual, drama is always looking for Sookie. And it finds her on her way home from Merlottes's, the bar where she works, late one night. To her amazement, she runs across Eric, the Sheriff of Area 5, and owner of Fangtasia, a very successful vampire bar in Shreveport. She nearly runs him over with her car and upon stopping, discovers that he is not only buck-naked, but completely without his memory.  He has no idea how he got there, why he is naked and most frightening of all, he doesn't know who he is.

Never before has she felt such compassion for this normally over-confident, arrogant, not to mention very sexy vampire. But she can't help herself. Obviously, someone has put a spell on Eric which has turned him into a vulnerable, even likable vampire and Sookie simply cannot turn her back on him no matter how much she may end up regretting it later.

While Sookie and the other vamps try to figure out who - or what - has done this to Eric, she agrees to let him stay with her at her family home for his own protection. To make matters even worse, her brother Jason, has become missing and no one seems to know where he is. So Sookie, once again has her plate full.  Between worrying about her brother, taking care of Eric while concealing his presence at her house, Sookie is stretched pretty thin. Complicating the situation further is having this helpless, vulnerable version of Eric in her home. She is taken off guard by the innocence and caring nature of this new Eric. She must keep reminding herself that things will surely return to normal once the culprit is exposed and the spell is reversed.

MY THOUGHTS


OK, I've already mentioned that this is my favorite book so far and now I'll tell you why.  First and foremost, even though I am a Bill Compton fan, I've always enjoyed the chemistry between Eric and Sookie and Harris has taken it to a whole new level with this latest twist.

Another plus is that with each adventurous installment, we are introduced to more magical creatures. In this book, we encounter witches, faeries and even the deadly werepanthers. But Harris weaves these new characters masterfully with the already established vampires and shapeshifters. It makes for a great landscape of exciting storytelling.

I love that each new book starts within days of the previous books ending. It is like one continuous story and nothing is lost in between. I love the characters, old and new, in this book and the mystery of Jason's disappearance and Eric's spell makes for a very interesting ride. I love the unexpected change in Sookie's relationship with Eric, even though I'm a die-hard Bill Compton fan. I must warn you though - some of the scenes with Eric and Sookie are hot, Hot, HOT!! Charlain Harris has done a fantastic job with DEAD TO THE WORLD and makes me want to dive right into the next book! If you're looking for something different, quick and fun to read, pick up a Sookie Stackhouse mystery and you will not be disappointed!

DEAD TO THE WORLD
Author:  Charlaine Harris
Publisher: Ace
Published: 2004
Pages: 304
Rating 4.5 out of 5

Teaser Tuesday: A Vamp Thing

Teaser Tuesday asks you to:

• Grab your current book and let it fall open to a random page
• Choose 2 teaser sentences 
• DO NOT INCLUDE ANY SPOILERS
• List the title, author and page you took your teasers from
• Go to Should Be Reading and post your answers to share with other participants

My Teaser:

I'm taking my teasers from DEAD TO THE WORLD by Charlaine Harris.  This is the fourth book in the Sookie Stackhouse series and I've been enjoying it every bit as much as Book one, DEAD UNTIL DARK. My teasers are from page 128

It didn't take much to make me happy.  A long night with a dead guy had done the trick. - Sookie on just having a very pleasurable night with the very sexy Eric.

Club Dead by Charlaine Harris (Sookie Stackhouse Mystery Book #3)

After recently reading a couple books with serious content, I was ready for something light and fun and that is when I reach for a Charlaine Harris book. One of my guilty pleasures is the Sookie Stackhouse Southern Vampire Series. CLUB DEAD is the third book and it takes up with Sookie recovering from a broken heart after her vampire boyfriend, Bill, has apparently left her for another vamp, which is odd in itself. Here's a blurb from the back of the book to get you caught up...

There's only one vampire Sookie Stackhouse is involved with (at least voluntarily) and that's Bill. But recently he's been a little distant - in another state distant. His sinister and sexy boss, Eric, has an idea where to find him. Next thing Sookie knows, she is off to Jackson, Mississippi, to mingle with the under-underworld at Club Dead. It's a dangerous little haunt where the elitist vampire society can go to chill out and suck down some type O. But when Sookie finally finds Bill - caught in an act of serious betrayal - she's not sure whether to save him...or sharpen some stakes.

My thoughts:

As with the previous two books in this charming series, I was completely taken in by Sookie and her group of misfit compadres. We also get to meet another character, a Were by the name of Alcides, who takes Sookie under his arm (his very big and muscular arm) and helps her around Jackson to find Bill. He is a great character and I loved the attraction that he and Sookie share. Bill's boss, Eric, is once again ever-present and he becomes less sinister to me during this story. Almost likable.

Although I didn't feel the mystery surrounding Bill's disappearance was as intriguing as the mysteries in DEAD UNTIL DARK and LIVING DEAD IN DALLAS, I still enjoyed it very much. The precarious situations that Sookie finds herself in were entertaining and kept me wanting to keep reading.

Unlike many Sookie fans, I have only watched a few episodes of the True Blood series on HBO. Honestly, I much prefer the books. I have all of these amazing characters etched in my imagination and when I saw the TV show, it kind of blew it all out of whack for me. I would much rather keep my mental pictures of all of them, so I have decided to stick to the books.

I can't say that this one is my favorite, but it is still worth the time in reading. I've already picked up DEAD TO THE WORLD (book #4) and have read a few chapters and I can already tell I'm really going to enjoy it.

CLUB DEAD

Charlaine Harris

Published: 2003

Publisher: Ace Books

Pages: 292

Grade: B-

Living Dead In Dallas (Book 2 Southern Vampire Series) by Charlaine Harris

Late last year, I decided to give vampires a try. Though most of the world was reading the wildly popular TWILIGHT books, I was hesitant to go that route. I don't normally read a book simply because its the 'in' thing to do and I really wasn't all that excited about the romantic dilemma between Bella and Edward. I was looking for something a little different, so I went with Harris' Southern Vampire Series and met Sookie Stackhouse. I was instantly a fan. Admittedly, I liked it more than I thought I would. For those who are unfamiliar, these are the books from which the HBO series True Blood is taken.

In the first book, DEAD UNTIL DARK, we get to meet the characters that we will be following in this series based in small town Bon Temps, Louisiana, including Sookie Stackhouse, the main character and Bill Compton, a local vampire who becomes her boyfriend. However, there's more to this series than just a budding romance between a human and a vamp. There's also murder. In LIVING DEAD IN DALLAS, Sookie uses her mind-reading ability to try to find out who killed Lafayette, her friend and co-worker at Merlottes Bar. As if that isn't enough to keep Sookie busy, Eric, the sexy and scary leader of the local nest of vampires has become privy to Sookie's 'special talent' and insists that she go to Dallas to find out about one of his missing vampires who was last seen there.

Feeling they have no choice but to do as Eric says, Bill and Sookie travel to Dallas and it doesn't take long to figure out that this is going to be a dangerous trip for both of them. They encounter some strange and scary characters along their journey and wonder if it's safe to trust anyone.

What I like about this series is the mystery element. It constantly keeps you guessing yet still manages to add just the right amount of romance to keep it sexy. The ever-growing cast of supporting characters are fun to get to know and I find myself liking them more and more as the pages turn. Another great plus is that Sookie continues to be a strong, independent woman with a vulnerable side that is very likable.

LIVING DEAD IN DALLAS was even more dangerous and exciting than the first book so I'm really looking forward to continuing with Book 3, which is CLUB DEAD. I honestly never thought I'd enjoy the vampire genre, but Charlaine Harris has created a series that I find completely entertaining. I enjoy taking a break from some of the more serious books I read and just lose myself in Sookie's adventures. I guess you could say this is my guilty pleasure!

LIVING DEAD IN DALLAS

Author: Charlaine Harris

Publisher: Ace Publishing

Published: 2002

Pages: 320

Rating 4 Stars out of 5

Dead Until Dark (Sookie Stackhouse Mystery Book 1) by Charlaine Harris

So many of you have already been reading the Sookie Stackhouse Southern Vampire Mystery Series, but as usual, it has taken me awhile longer to warm up to the whole vampire-loving themed books that are so popular these days. I've heard so much about these books and I was drawn to this particular series because of the southern influence. I've never seen the television show on HBO, True Blood, which is based on the books and I think I'll wait until I've read more of the books before I watch it. I don't want to spoil the characters images I have formed in my head.

For those who have yet to read these books, let me just quickly give you a rundown. In the first installment, DEAD UNTIL DARK, we meet Sookie Stackhouse, a twenty-something waitress at a bar in Bon Temps, Louisana. Sookie lives with her grandmother and has a pretty close relationship with her brother, Jason, who is a ladies man around town. Sookie isn't your average single white female. She has what she refers to as a 'disability'. She can read peoples thoughts. Sometimes they're clear, other times they can be jumbled up, which makes Sookie crave peace and quiet and is also the reason she has never had a real boyfriend. We also meet Bill Compton, local vampire. He has come back to Bon Temps to live in his family home and try to live peacefully and quietly among humans. This proves to be more difficult when young human waitresses start showing up dead and the locals are quick to accuse the vampires. This also complicates Sookie's life when she starts a relationship with Bill.

As I mentioned before, I'm not usually into books about vampires, but I must say that I really enjoyed DEAD UNTIL DARK. I found the characters to be interesting and likable and the story, although not an edge-of-your-seat thriller, was completely entertaining. I had my ideas of who the killer might be and there were times that I'd change my mind, only to change it back again. I'm looking forward to the second book in the series, LIVING DEAD IN DALLAS to see what Sookie is up to next. I plan to continue to read all of the books or until I feel like I've had enough, but honestly, I don't think I'll get tired or bored of this series. It has the right mix of mystery, drama and romance that is needed to keep me entertained. I believe I'll be reading them all. I do have a ways to go since there are nine books in all and another new installment coming in October 2010. I'd better get busy!

DEAD UNTIL DARK (Southern Vampire Mystery Series) Book 1

Author: Charlaine Harris

Publisher: Ace Books

Published: 2001

Pages: 336

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars