Happy Halloween!

Merlotte’s T-shirt? Check.  Short black skirt? Check.  Blonde wig? Check.  Tru Blood bottles? Check.  Gory nasty looking vampire bite? Check.

Transformation Sookie Stackhouse complete!

Sookie Stackhouse - my alter ego

Have a fun and safe one everyone!

YAY HALLOWEEN!

True Blood: Season 3

My favorite is still the VILF poster – see it here:  http://www.loveofvampires.com/2010/true-blood-promos/ – but this new one is up there!

June can’t come soon enough.  Warm nights, True Blood and hot blood!

From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris

Sookie is back in Bon Temps from the Vampire Summit – where a horrible explosion nearly killed all of our beloved characters.

But, her on-again-off-again (lets hope he stays gone! ok ok, he’s not that bad…) boyfriend/weretiger Quinn is MIA.

But, that’s not the only thing Sookie has to worry about.  She has a stronger blood-bond with Eric now (oh darn…), she finds herself pulled into more vampire affairs while the King of Nevada tries to take over while the Queen of Louisiana is injured.  All the while being dragged into the middle of the warring were tribes.  What is a girl to do?  Oh right, bring us all our beers.

Sookie

So, I found that this book started to pull in a slightly different direction with the introduction of Sookie’s great-grandfather and Sookie’s discovery of some details about her family tree.  I’m thinking that I like the direction, but it I can see that the story could stray.  I really don’t think it will, I have faith in Charlaine Harris and her wonderful creation of this world only slightly different than our own.  Ok, maybe “slightly” is a bit of a soft word to use!

Although I wished for a bit more vampire story lines (hey you can’t take the vampire love out of the lady!!), the story definitely adds to the overall series and, again, I can’t wait to read the next one.

VVVV (4 fangs for From Dead to Worse)

All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris

Now, this probably has something to do with the fact that this has been the one book since the first book, Dead Until Dark, that has almost it’s entire focus on vampires.

Sookie accompanies the Queen of Louisiana to the US Vampire Summit on the shores of Lake Michigan so she can use her powers of telepathy to help keep the queen safe. The Queen has been accused of killing her vampire husband and must stand trial at the summit. And of course the summit is attended by most of the high ranking vampires in the US.

This book is stock full of danger, not only because Sookie is surrounded by vampires, but the vampires themselves seem to be in danger by the fanatical group, The Fellowship of the Sun. Sookie has some juicy encounters with her ex-boyfriend, Bill (le sigh, Sookie you’re crazy!) and Eric (le double sigh!!!) all the while learning more about Quinn, the weretiger she has been involved with. I love the story that has developed and is still growing between Sookie and Eric. Nuff said!

Vampire Eric Northman

The mystery in this book is good, the story has good pace from the very beginning, and when the end of the book starts approaching I felt on edge and breathing harder! And it wasn’t just from Eric! (or was it…?)

I really don’t know what I’m going to do when I finish reading this series. Cry? (ha!) No, I’ll probably read it again and watch True Blood over and over. Or get addicted to yet another great vampire series! But this one, The Sookie Stackhouse Series, is my favorite at the moment.

VVVVv (4 1/2 fangs for All Together Dead)

Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris

Again, I read through this book in about a day even though getting thouroughly frustrated with Sookie for pursuing a relationship with a were!

I mean, come on Sookie!!  You have 2 unbelievably sexy vampires right in front of you!  If only I had that choice!

Now this book had the usual page turning goodness that all of author Charlaine Harris’ previous books in the series had.  An intriguing story set mainly in pre-hurricane New Orleans, more of all of our beloved characters and yes, another mystery!

Sookie’s vampire cousin is dead!  Well, dead…again!  Her cousin Hadley was a vampire who was a lover of the Queen of Louisiana – and was found completely dead and Sookie has to find out what happened!

This book was great.  I thought that the development of the Sookie – Bill – Eric love triangle got particularly juicy in this book, especially considering she was involved with a ginormous tiger in this book.  Ok, I have to admit, Quinn seems like a nice tiger..er….guy.  But he’s not a vampire!

Quinn

I also loved getting to see more and more of the supernatural world that exists right along side the world that we know – all of course thought up by the author.  I think I love this world so much because even though it’s a bit far fetched, it seems as though it could really exist.  Well done Charlaine!

So, on to the next!  More Eric and Bill please!

VVVv  (3 1/2 fangs for Definitely Dead)

Everyone has probably already heard that Stephenie Meyer is going to release the newest addition to her amazingly successful Twilight Saga.  It’s called The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella.

The Second Short Life of Bree Tanner

Not sure how I feel about this.  She was never a character that particularly captured my attention for more than a chapter or two and made me want to know more about her.

Nevertheless, it’s a book. With a vampire. ….Can’t……resist…..reading…….it!!

Actually, now that I think about it… it could be interesting. A young woman, who never saw a thing coming, made a vampire for nothing other than lies and vengeance.  Oooooo, if told right, it could be good.  ….I’ll read it.

Which reminds me… better review those Twilight books I read a couple years back here! May have to revisit those too.

Dead As A Doornail by Charlaine Harris

All I needed from this book was more vampires!  Ok, ok, at least there was a vampire pirate bartender in this one!

Along with the fact that  Sookie’s Were-friend, Alcide, needs her help and support during his father’s bid to be the new packmaster, she has to try and figure out who is shooting and trying to kill her and all the weres/shifters, who tried to burn her house down and yes, who will be her next love interest!

Although the story and the mystery in this particular book was great, I thought that the conclusion of the actual mystery came out rather abrupt.  I remember reading just a few passages in the chapter and thinking – oh, ok, that’s all, huh?  And then happily finished the book.

Yes, I think the resolution of the mystery could have been a bit better – and I definitely wanted more vampire action – but this lovely development in the series definitely did not disappoint!  I am having so much fun with this series!

VVV (3 fangs for Dead as a Doornail)

Dead To The World by Charlaine Harris

Dead to the World starts out on New Year’s Eve, and our beloved Sookie is driving home from Merlotte’s and spies a man, seeming running for his life, and buck naked. I must admit I did a little happy dance when you find out that it’s Eric!

But there’s something wrong with him, and Sookie’s newest adventure is to find out why he’s lost his memory and whodunnit.

I did enjoy this book, but I didn’t like it as well as the last one.  I found myself missing Bill (who doesn’t??) and wishing that the story stayed more on the vampire track rather than get too deep into the stories with the shifters and witches and weres (oh my!).  There were some interesting characters introduced again as well as some more of the intriguing and handsome Alcide.

When I got about 3/4 through the book, it started getting really good again, and I thought to myself – back on track!  And the sex scenes – good in this one, I’ll leave it at that!  Yum.

VVV (3 fangs for Dead To The World)

Club Dead by Charlaine Harris

Dare I say it’s my favorite so far??

First off, I *heart* Bubba.  I love that he likes cat blood over human blood and that he’s just not quite right in the head.

Secondly, Alcide Herveaux.  Um, YUM!  I’m not usually one for the werewolf genre, but leave it to this author to get me all hot and bothered.  And then there’s Eric, who even though he’s a little… uh… forward, I am liking more and more.

The story of Sookie and her adventures gets bolder, scarier, sexier as she investigates the disappearance of her beloved (yet cheating!!!! say WHAT??!) boyfriend, Vampire Bill.  I love Sookie as a character.  She is developing into even a more fascinating character with each book.  She is becoming more mature, harder and more worldy, yet keeping her sweet, charming and quirky disposition.  She’s got spunk, and I like her.

Yes, this book was better than the second book, Living Dead In Dallas. And I can’t wait for the next one!

VVVVv (HA! 4 and a half fangs for Club Dead.)

Living Dead In Dallas by Charlaine Harris

That being said, I finished the book in a day.  And I want more!

The author, Charlaine Harris, weaves another fantastic tale stocked with vampires, shifters and some new crazy characters.  We get more of Sookie (who I adore!!) and her developing relationships with the vampire clan… and yes! that means more of Bill (still passionately alluring) and Eric (I’m starting to like him, uh oh!!).

We also get to delve more into the scary and fanatical religious organization called The Fellowship of the Sun that is vehemently set about to destroy vampires.

I am finding the parallels between the vampire rights movement and all of the civil rights movements that have happened in the US uncanny.  I know the author has done it on purpose, but it’s interesting perspective to take and maybe (and hopefully) it will open a few more eyes.  I found this concept more in the forefront in this book with the characters from The Fellowship of the Sun expressing their political and religious views.  So scary, in my opinion!  Even more scary than the concept of bloodsucking fiends!  Hey, maybe that’s her point!

All in all, I want more!  And thank goodness I have 6 more books in this series to chew through!

VVVV – another 4 fangs for Living Dead In Dallas!