Review: Dead Until Dark & Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris

I was in need of some comfort reading and chose to visit the world of Sookie Stackhouse again. I tend to do this sort of reading when I am feeling stressed. Am I the only one who does this?

Dead Until Dark
Author: Charlaine Harris
Publication: Ace (September 1, 2006)


Description: Sookie Stackhouse is just a small-time cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana. Until the vampire of her dreams walks into her life-and one of her coworkers checks out....Maybe having a vampire for a boyfriend isn't such a bright idea.


My Thoughts: This book was as compelling to read a second time as it was the first. Sookie is an interesting character. Another character once describes her as an eclair on the outside and a pit bull on the inside. On the outside she is cute, blond, buxom and looks brainless; on the inside she is hiding that she is a tough-minded woman. She has had to be. She can read others' thoughts whether she wants to or not. When she meets Bill Compton she is initially fascinated because vampires are rare in her part of Louisiana. Later she comes to love him because she can't hear his thoughts. The main problem in this book is that someone is killing young women who have had sex with vampires. Sookie herself is targeted. Her brother Jason is under suspicion because he dated the women who were killed.


The writing is seemless. It doesn't get in the way of the story. It is easy to get involved in the story and care about the characters.


Favorite Quote:

"I read a policeman's mind," I muttered. I snuck a look to see how Eric was taking this, and he was staring at me the same way the Monroe vampires had. Thoughtful. Hungry.


"That's interesting," he said. "I had a psychic once. It was incredible."


"Did the psychic think so?" My voice was tarter than I'd meant it to be.


I could hear Bill's indrawn breath.


Eric laughed. "For a while," he answered ambiguously.

Living Dead in Dallas
Author: Charlaine Harris
Publication: Ace (September 1, 2006)


Description: When a vampire asks cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse to use her telepathic skills to find another missing vampire, she agrees under one condition: the vampires must promise to behave and let the humans that are involved to go unharmed. Easier said than done. All it takes is one delicious blond and one small mistake for things to turn deadly.


My Thoughts: Now that Eric knows that Sookie is psychic and that she has agreed to work for him, he loans her out to the vampires in Dallas. They have lost a member of their nest and want him back. Sookie and Bill travel to Dallas where they run afoul of the Fellowship of the Sun. This anti-vampire hate group has kidnapped the other vampire and also kidnaps Sookie. Sookie also meets a vampire named Godric who wants to commit suicide because of the many evil things that he has done. She is rescued from the Fellowship by Godric and by a shapeshifter. The shapeshifter was undercover at the Fellowship spying for other shapeshifters who are determined to remain unknown to the human population.


Again, the writing does not get in the way of the story. The book is a fascinating read. Sookie is gradually losing her innocence as she sees things that don't fit into her former idea of right and wrong. She is also expanding her world view as she meets other supernatural creatures.


Favorite Quote:

I glared at him, so incensed I could hardly speak. "I am a message to you," I said, almost in a whisper. "this woman in the woods made Bill's car stop, and maybe even made us argue, and then she came up to me with this hog."


"A pig?" Eric could not have been more astonished if I'd said she had a canary up her nose.

Now I am ready to begin reading Club Dead and watch the further growth and development of Sookie Stackhouse. I think this is why I love reading series so much. One book - even a very good book - can't tell me enough about characters I care about. A good series adds depth and richness to a character and to a world. I recommend this one to lovers of the paranormal.


Check this link to find out about all of Charlaine Harris's books.


Challenges: RYOB Reading Challenge, Flashback Reading Challenge