Charlaine Harris: Dead Reckoning

I don't know what to think.

I love the fact that some of my favourite characters get to star in novel after novel but I also wish those novels would be on par with the beginning of the series.
I am not terribly happy with this installment of Sookie Stackhouse adventures, especially after having the series in my mind, which I have to admit that even though they don't really stick to novels, are very well done in my opinion.

The moment that made most impact on me in the whole novel was the part where Sookie thinks about sins and says that she doesn't think  a child molester and a person who doesn't pay taxes make for equal sinners and goes on to say that you can't choose what to obey when it comes to not sinning.
But I can't help but agree that not all sins are equal and you aren't supposed to choose yourself which sins you are going to commit, you're supposed to do your best not to make them.
This is all in deliberation of what she is about to attempt and there might be some who might not agree with her thoughts. I can't really say what my thoughts are on the subject as I'm having problems understanding Sookie's character as it is. Although I've known this for some time now, I just don't understand her frame of reference.

But that has nothing to do with how much I like the book. It's just feels like taking advantage of the fact that series is so well known (not a new thing in the publishing world to be sure). I can't seem to gather much enthusisasm about it. Yes, I read it as fast as I could as I love the series, and I will certainly buy the next one as soon as it's out but it didn't make me feel exhilarated and anticipating the next one as I feel good books should.

I sincerely hope this changes with the next one.

Charlaine Harris: Dead in the Family

Finally! I got my copy late Friday afternoon and wasn't able to start reading it until Saturday (and had no pressing stuff so I finished it yesterday evening). I feel like someone lifted a little burden I was carrying since the book came out and I didn't have it. :)


This is not going to be only about the book - I was thinking a lot about the series I was able to watch in between the last book two books in the series. I wasn't particulary thrilled with the choice of Sookie (Anna Paquin) but now, I think they got it absolutely right. And I'll tell you why.


When I started reading the series, I thought of Sookie as this really nice blonde girl who just happens to have a problem (she can hear other people's thoughts) and that makes everyone think she's a bit crazy (only her friends consider her normal). Anyway, she sounded stereotypically blonde in most ways. And it hit me with this book. I mean I changed my opinion of her character before (she is terribly nice but goes through a lot of bad things) and then I was thinking about the series and who could have starred as Sookie instead of A. Paquin. The problem with blonde actresses is that they all seem nice and gentle and in need of protection, without that inner core of steel which Sookie obviously has and Anna is portraying wonderfully.


So, I'm also looking forward to the new season of True Blood. :) It actually took for me watching the series to realize how dark and bloody these stories really are. It's never that dark in my head.


On to the book. Since I love the series, I enjoyed it very much - I love the fact that Sookie and Eric are in love (even as complicated as he is). And I loved the Bill surprise in the book (definitely didn't see that one coming).


The rest was a less bloody Sookie story than I keep remembering from previous books. Maybe that's because it's been a while since I finished the last. I mean, there is some bad stuff happening but after the ending of the previous one (where there is the Fae war), this one was a walk in the garden for Sookie. So, the ending was a bit anti-climactic for me even though it ended with a serious fight. Well, it's Mrs. Harris who has put the bar so high with the previous one.


This doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it - quite the contrary. I will be awaiting the next one with the same anticipation as this one. Can't help it - I love the Sookie world. :)





P.S. The previous books I read weren't mine, a colleague lent them to me. In order for me to explain how much I enjoy them, I plan on buying the whole series to be able to enjoy them again at my own leisure.





Pic by: www.charlaineharris.com/

Charlaine Harris: Grave Sight

Well, it seems I will be doing more book reviews than just writer features since I'm participating in several reading challenges and I need to post reviews of books for them.

So, to start with my first suspense and thriller review, one of Charlaine Hariss' books. Honestly, I didn't know CH had another series besides Sookie Stackhouse. I accidentally stumbled upon them the other day in my favourite bookstore. I ended up going home with one, Grave Sight - love the name. :)

Anyway, Harper Connolly has a special gift, she can find dead people. And she goes around when people call her to find their missing/killed loved ones. Of course, since she can do that she is exposed to quite a lot of prejudice and you can find that in the book. I don't want to talk much about what happens but it's interesting how much CH has to say about injustice in our world (or the American South world).

I also understand that vampires are much more interesting reading these days so that might be the reason why this series progressed to 3 books, while Sookie is aroung book 12 or 13, I'm not sure. Not that I mind. I can hardly wait for the next one. :)

But I alse look forward to reading the following book in Harper's series. I wonder if that one will be as interestingly provocative and that I won't be able to find the killer before the end (or get the idea what is happening). :)

Pic by: http://www.amazon.co.uk/

New book series discoveries

I've been starting to get a bit anxious, even though my free time has dwindled to almost non-existing, I didn't have anything new reading-wise to look forward to. Sure, I have dozens of unread books at home but since they are already mine and I'm not in the mood for most of them, I was looking for something new and interesting in the manner of Kresley Cole and Kim Harrison. And just in time, here come Lilith Saintcrow and Charlaine Harris. LS name came to my attention after reading about her on Keri Arthur's site and browsing Amazon for similar books to those I usually read, and I am very happy I ordered the first book in her Dante Valentine series (Working for the Devil) and although I only started, I can tell I'm going to enjoy this one. :) The only problem, I have to wait now for the sequels to come (after I order them today). And yes, she is actually working for the Devil.

It seems I'm a bit late to Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse series and I wouldn't have ventured even now if my colleague hadn't borrowed me the first 4 books in the series to read. And I was asking him how come he was reading that because I thought they were children's books? Which is stupid I know, because first, I'm a huge Harry Potter fan and secondly I also read Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series. But the cover for Harris's books just made me think they are not something I might be interested in - just check the cover and the heroine's name is Sookie (it sounds like a little girl to me, but I'm wrong on that account) :

Anyway, it seems I was wrong about that one - I started reading it just to see if it's interesting.

I like it and the series already already progressed to book 9, so I'm set for some time to come. Btw, I do that a lot - read more than one book at the same time. At almost any point in time, there are at least two books I started and am reading according to how I feel at the moment. Currently, it's 3, the two I just described, and Sharing knife trilogy by L.M. Bujold. :)

And it seems that there's actually a TV series True Blood made after the books. Hmmm, I do have to read the books first before going to watch them though. There is absolutely no pleasure doing it the other way.

Images by: http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/