Book: Club Dead by Charlaine Harris

Published September 2006 by Penguin|292 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the e-book from the library

Series: Sookie Stackhouse #3

Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy

Sookie’s boyfriend has been very distant-in another state, distant. Now she’s off to Mississippi to mingle with the underworld at Club Dead-a little haunt where the vampire elite go to chill out. But when she finally finds Bill–caught in an act of betrayal–she’s not sure whether to save him…or sharpen some stakes.

I liked Club Dead!  It’s been a pretty entertaining series to read so far, ad even though I’m not in love with the series, I’m still having fun reading it.

Sookie is still having a lot of adventures, and trouble definitely seems to find her.  This time, Bill disappears and ends up with someone he used to be involved with.  Things don’t end well for them, and things also get really interesting with Eric too.  I feel like it’s being set up for her to end up with Eric at some point, but I tend to be wrong about things like this sometimes, so my guess could be completely wrong.  But I really feel like things are headed in that direction, even if it ends up not being a relationship.  We’ll see what happens for Sookie romantically because there’s always the chance she’ll get back together with Bill.

We meet some werewolves in this book!  In a world with shapeshifters and vampires and people with special powers like Sookie, it stands to reason we’d meet some werewolves along the way.  It makes me wonder who else we’ll meet in this series.

We also learn a little more about how the vampires are structured.  It’s cool, though, because I feel like we’re getting deeper into this world.  We’re definitely learning things as Sookie does, which works well.  We’re right there with her as she finds herself in this really interesting situations.  I think that’s why the series is fun and entertaining for me.  And this kind of book is right up my alley.  I’m really looking forward to seeing where things go from here.

Even though I liked Club Dead, I also feel like I’ve said everything I wanted to say, so I think I’m going to cut this one short!

3 stars.  Club Dead is fun and an enjoyable read.  Sookie is great, as always, and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Book: Living Dead In Dallas by Charlaine Harris

Published March 2002 by Penguin USA|196 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the e-book from the library

Series: Sookie Stackhouse #2

Genre: Adult Fantasy/Urban Fantasy

Cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse is having a streak of bad luck. First her co-worker is killed, and no one seems to care. Then she comes face to-face with a beastly creature that gives her a painful and poisonous lashing. Enter the vampires, who graciously suck the poison from her veins (like they didn’t enjoy it).

The point is: they saved her life. So when one of the bloodsuckers asks for a favour, she obliges – and soon Sookie’s in Dallas, using her telepathic skills to search for a missing vampire. She’s supposed to interview certain humans involved, but she makes one condition: the vampires must promise to behave and let the humans go unharmed. But that’s easier said than done, and all it takes is one delicious blonde and one small mistake for things to turn deadly….

The Sookie Stackhouse stories are delightful Southern Gothic supernatural mysteries, starring Sookie, the telepathic cocktail waitress, and a cast of increasingly colourful characters, including vampires, werewolves, and things that really do go bump in the night.

I liked Living Dead In Dallas!  I needed something light and fluffy and this book was a good choice for that.

Sookie finds herself in some interesting situations in this book, and some of it is traveling to Dallas.  I wonder if she’ll have to do more work for Eric, and if something will ever happen with them.  I know she’s with Bill, but I can’t help but feel like there’s the possibility she’ll be with Eric at some point.  Maybe I’m reading a lot into it but I get the impression he’s really interested in her.  Whether it’s romantic or not, I just want to know where things stand with them.

We really see Sookie use her abilities in this one, and I am kind of curious to see if it’s something she can hone or develop more, and if there are different ways to get what she needs.  Assuming she’s asked to get information from people in future books.  It seems like there are ways to turn it off, or at least mute it, so it’s not overwhelming or horrible.

As Sookie spends more time in the supernatural world, we see different groups and creatures.  The world she lives in is opening up to both her and to us, and I have no doubt that it will continue to open up.  She lives in an interesting world, and the South is the perfect setting for all of the weird happenings.  It makes a perfect backdrop for the vampires and shapeshifters we see.

Like the first book, this is one that I don’t have a lot to say about.  It’s an enjoyable read, and good for this time of year, when I don’t want to read anything heavy.  It’s a fun, quick read.

3 stars.  I liked Living Dead In Dallas, and I can’t wait to see what adventures Sookie has.