I came fairly late to the Sookie Stackhouse stories. I have never seen the TV adaptation of the books and am not a huge vampire fan. i am basically reI came fairly late to the Sookie Stackhouse stories. I have never seen the TV adaptation of the books and am not a huge vampire fan. i am basically reading all of the books back to back and truthfully they are starting to blend together so please forgive me if I start commenting on something for the wrong book.
My general take on the series (so far) is it is a mix of (vampire story) urban paranormal, mystery, and (smutty) romance. On a scale of 1 to 10, the smut level runs between a 4 to 7. While the romance element isn't bad, the smut (sex) sections really don't add anything to the story and usually feel separate from the rest of the story.
Looking at the characters, I am liking Sookie less and less. She is shallow and a bit vain. She is not a genuinely nice person. She does things because her grandmother would have expected it of her. She is quick to judge others (even when she is doing the same thing). Bill never strikes a chord with me. I don't care for him but I don't actively dislike him either. He is very bland and shallow (almost cardboard) to me. Eric is also becoming harder and harder to like. His 'romance' with Sookie seems to consists of each of them getting mad with the other and the occasional bout of 'incredibly great sex'. The more minor characters are more interesting but receive little time in the spotlight to really shine (which may be a good thing since the more the characters are talked about, the harder they are to like). The mystery element is usually decent if not terribly convoluted, but seems to be getting less and less focus in the story. The supernatural politics play a bigger role in all of the later books. The stories read quickly and do pull the reader along. Of course, you need to read the books in order to fully understand the series. There are at least two short stories that contain important information to the series. The author says she "learned her lesson" after the first time and would not do it again but she seems to have changed her mind since she did it again. The worst part is there wasn't even a note to tell the reader about these stories. (It would have been nice to at least have had the titles and where to find them.) Overall, the series isn't bad but it isn't really that different from a lot of other vampire paranormal mystery series out there.I really finished the series mainly for 2 reasons. 1. I expected a bigger payoff for the series if I stuck with it. 2. I had already invested the time to read several books and didn't want to stop in the middle.
I have to say that I really dislike the covers of the paperbacks. The style is unappealing and doesn't convey much of the story. Like my feelings for the series in general, while they aren't the worst I have seen, I have seen much better.
There were editing problems throughout the series. Typos and similar glitches pop up too often for a series at this level of publishing. There are also continuity errors in several spots. A cave becomes a shack and back to a cave and then to a shack again in one book. A character is described as a were-lynx in one book and then changes to a were-fox in later books. Again, I would not expect such obvious problems in a series put out by a major publisher.
This last book is supposed to wrap up Sookie's story. Some things are wrapped up. We get to see some hints of what will happen in the lives of some of the people you met in the series. Sookie and the rest have not really learned that much and didn't have amazing revelations. Sookie did end up in a relationship that might actually work (mainly because she didn't jump into it just because she was sexually attracted to the person). Sookie has dealt with all of her enemies and removed herself from supernatural politics (mostly --which is what caused her to have most of those enemies in the first place) so her life she be more peaceful. Overall, I would say this last book was not very satisfying as a series finale. Since I was caring less for most of the main characters, it was a good time to end the series though.
Strangely enough, I read this series because it served as a foundation (at least in terms of the world and some minor points) for her other series set in Midnight Texas. I read those 3 books and really enjoyed them. It is like she took all of the lessons she learned from writing the Sookie series and wrote that much improved (and shorter) series. ...more
I came fairly late to the Sookie Stackhouse stories. I have never seen the TV adaptation of the books and am not a huge vampire fan. i am basically reI came fairly late to the Sookie Stackhouse stories. I have never seen the TV adaptation of the books and am not a huge vampire fan. i am basically reading all of the books back to back and truthfully they are starting to blend together so please forgive me if I start commenting on something for the wrong book.
My general take on the series (so far) is it is a mix of (vampire story) urban paranormal, mystery, and (smutty) romance. On a scale of 1 to 10, the smut level runs between a 4 to 7. While the romance element isn't bad, the smut (sex) sections really don't add anything to the story and usually feel separate from the rest of the story.
Looking at the characters, I am liking Sookie less and less. She is shallow and a bit vain. She is not a genuinely nice person. She does things because her grandmother would have expected it of her. She is quick to judge others (even when she is doing the same thing). Bill never strikes a chord with me. I don't care for him but I don't actively dislike him either. He is very bland and shallow (almost cardboard) to me. Eric is also becoming harder and harder to like. His 'romance' with Sookie seems to consists of each of them getting mad with the other and the occasional bout of 'incredibly great sex'. The more minor characters are more interesting but receive little time in the spotlight to really shine (which may be a good thing since the more the characters are talked about, the harder they are to like). The mystery element is usually decent if not terribly convoluted, but seems to be getting less and less focus in the story. The supernatural politics play a bigger role in all of the later books. The stories read quickly and do pull the reader along. Of course, you need to read the books in order to fully understand the series. There are at least two short stories that contain important information to the series. The author says she "learned her lesson" after the first time and would not do it again but she seems to have changed her mind since she did it again. The worst part is there wasn't even a note to tell the reader about these stories. (It would have been nice to at least have had the titles and where to find them.) Overall, the series isn't bad but it isn't really that different from a lot of other vampire paranormal mystery series out there.I really finished the series mainly for 2 reasons. 1. I expected a bigger payoff for the series if I stuck with it. 2. I had already invested the time to read several books and didn't want to stop in the middle.
I have to say that I really dislike the covers of the paperbacks. The style is unappealing and doesn't convey much of the story. Like my feelings for the series in general, while they aren't the worst I have seen, I have seen much better.
There were editing problems throughout the series. Typos and similar glitches pop up too often for a series at this level of publishing. There are also continuity errors in several spots. A cave becomes a shack and back to a cave and then to a shack again in one book. A character is described as a were-lynx in one book and then changes to a were-fox in later books. Again, I would not expect such obvious problems in a series put out by a major publisher.
Eric is even more than he was in the last book (but less than he will be in the last book). Things are starting to draw to a close in this next to last book....more
I came fairly late to the Sookie Stackhouse stories. I have never seen the TV adaptation of the books and am not a huge vampire fan. i am basically reI came fairly late to the Sookie Stackhouse stories. I have never seen the TV adaptation of the books and am not a huge vampire fan. i am basically reading all of the books back to back and truthfully they are starting to blend together so please forgive me if I start commenting on something for the wrong book.
My general take on the series (so far) is it is a mix of (vampire story) urban paranormal, mystery, and (smutty) romance. On a scale of 1 to 10, the smut level runs between a 4 to 7. While the romance element isn't bad, the smut (sex) sections really don't add anything to the story and usually feel separate from the rest of the story. Looking at the characters, I am of mixed feelings towards Sookie. She has some annoying traits. She blames herself for everything. if someone gets hurt while they are trying to kill her, she feels guilty especially if she hurt them while fighting back. She seems to pick her romantic interests for some pretty shallow reasons (she dates vampires because she can't hear their thoughts and they're 'pretty'). She is very thin skinned and never seems to let anything go and it keeps being brought up. (Of course, some of that is to let new readers know what happened in earlier books but some of it is repeated in the same book time and time again.) Bill never strikes a chord with me. I don't care for him but I don't actively dislike him either. He is very bland (almost cardboard) to me. Eric is pretty much a jerk but he is at least interesting. The more minor characters are more interesting but receive little time in the spotlight to really shine. The mystery element is usually decent if not terribly convoluted. The stories read quickly and do pull the reader along. Of course, you need to read the books in order to fully enjoy the series to its fullest. Overall, the series isn't bad but it isn't really that different from a lot of other vampire paranormal mystery series out there.
The vampire that created Eric shows up with his new "protege". Unfortunately the protege is nearly out of control and threatens to cause even more harm to Eric's precarious position in the new vampire regime of Louisiana. On top of that strange vampires and fae are wandering through the woods around Sookie's house. Then there is the body of the dead werewolf that is discovered in those same woods. Everything is normal, Sookie is in more supernatural trouble....more
I came fairly late to the Sookie Stackhouse stories. I have never seen the TV adaptation of the books and am not a huge vampire fan. i am basically reI came fairly late to the Sookie Stackhouse stories. I have never seen the TV adaptation of the books and am not a huge vampire fan. i am basically reading all of the books back to back and truthfully they are starting to blend together so please forgive me if I start commenting on something for the wrong book.
My general take on the series (so far) is it is a mix of (vampire story) urban paranormal, mystery, and (smutty) romance. On a scale of 1 to 10, the smut level runs between a 4 to 7. While the romance element isn't bad, the smut (sex) sections really don't add anything to the story and usually feel separate from the rest of the story.
Looking at the characters, I am liking Sookie less and less. She is shallow and a bit vain. She is not a genuinely nice person. She does things because her grandmother would have expected it of her. She is quick to judge others (even when she is doing the same thing). Bill never strikes a chord with me. I don't care for him but I don't actively dislike him either. He is very bland and shallow (almost cardboard) to me. Eric is also becoming harder and harder to like. His 'romance' with Sookie seems to consists of each of them getting mad with the other and the occasional bout of 'incredibly great sex'. The more minor characters are more interesting but receive little time in the spotlight to really shine (which may be a good thing since the more the characters are talked about, the harder they are to like). The mystery element is usually decent if not terribly convoluted, but seems to be getting less and less focus in the story. The supernatural politics play a bigger role in all of the later books. The stories read quickly and do pull the reader along. Of course, you need to read the books in order to fully understand the series. There are at least two short stories that contain important information to the series. The author says she "learned her lesson" after the first time and would not do it again but she seems to have changed her mind since she did it again. The worst part is there wasn't even a note to tell the reader about these stories. (It would have been nice to at least have had the titles and where to find them.) Overall, the series isn't bad but it isn't really that different from a lot of other vampire paranormal mystery series out there.I really finished the series mainly for 2 reasons. 1. I expected a bigger payoff for the series if I stuck with it. 2. I had already invested the time to read several books and didn't want to stop in the middle.
I have to say that I really dislike the covers of the paperbacks. The style is unappealing and doesn't convey much of the story. Like my feelings for the series in general, while they aren't the worst I have seen, I have seen much better.
There were editing problems throughout the series. Typos and similar glitches pop up too often for a series at this level of publishing. There are also continuity errors in several spots. A cave becomes a shack and back to a cave and then to a shack again in one book. A character is described as a were-lynx in one book and then changes to a were-fox in later books. Again, I would not expect such obvious problems in a series put out by a major publisher.
This time, Merlotte's is firebombed. The weres and other two natured are having problems and Eric is being secretive (he never really stops for the rest of the series). Sookie is in danger, worries about how she looks, and has some of her enemies die but there are always more waiting.
I came fairly late to the Sookie Stackhouse stories. I have never seen the TV adaptation of the books and am not a huge vampire fan. i am basically reI came fairly late to the Sookie Stackhouse stories. I have never seen the TV adaptation of the books and am not a huge vampire fan. i am basically reading all of the books back to back and truthfully they are starting to blend together so please forgive me if I start commenting on something for the wrong book.
My general take on the series (so far) is it is a mix of (vampire story) urban paranormal, mystery, and (smutty) romance. On a scale of 1 to 10, the smut level runs between a 4 to 7. While the romance element isn't bad, the smut (sex) sections really don't add anything to the story and usually feel separate from the rest of the story. Looking at the characters, I am of mixed feelings towards Sookie. She has some annoying traits. She blames herself for everything. if someone gets hurt while they are trying to kill her, she feels guilty especially if she hurt them while fighting back. She seems to pick her romantic interests for some pretty shallow reasons (she dates vampires because she can't hear their thoughts and they're 'pretty'). She is very thin skinned and never seems to let anything go and it keeps being brought up. (Of course, some of that is to let new readers know what happened in earlier books but some of it is repeated in the same book time and time again.) Bill never strikes a chord with me. I don't care for him but I don't actively dislike him either. He is very bland (almost cardboard) to me. Eric is pretty much a jerk but he is at least interesting. The more minor characters are more interesting but receive little time in the spotlight to really shine. The mystery element is usually decent if not terribly convoluted. The stories read quickly and do pull the reader along. Of course, you need to read the books in order to fully enjoy the series to its fullest. Overall, the series isn't bad but it isn't really that different from a lot of other vampire paranormal mystery series out there.
The weres and other shifters have followed the vampires in revealing themselves to the world. But it isn't going as well as they hoped. Jason's estranged wife, Crystal, is brutally murdered. Sookie is determined to discover the killer but secrets from her family's past are coming to light and she may not be able to survive the revelations....more
I came fairly late to the Sookie Stackhouse stories. I have never seen the TV adaptation of the books and am not a huge vampire fan. i am basically reI came fairly late to the Sookie Stackhouse stories. I have never seen the TV adaptation of the books and am not a huge vampire fan. i am basically reading all of the books back to back and truthfully they are starting to blend together so please forgive me if I start commenting on something for the wrong book.
My general take on the series (so far) is it is a mix of (vampire story) urban paranormal, mystery, and (smutty) romance. On a scale of 1 to 10, the smut level runs between a 4 to 7. While the romance element isn't bad, the smut (sex) sections really don't add anything to the story and usually feel separate from the rest of the story. Looking at the characters, I am of mixed feelings towards Sookie. She has some annoying traits. She blames herself for everything. if someone gets hurt while they are trying to kill her, she feels guilty especially if she hurt them while fighting back. She seems to pick her romantic interests for some pretty shallow reasons (she dates vampires because she can't hear their thoughts and they're 'pretty'). She is very thin skinned and never seems to let anything go and it keeps being brought up. (Of course, some of that is to let new readers know what happened in earlier books but some of it is repeated in the same book time and time again.) Bill never strikes a chord with me. I don't care for him but I don't actively dislike him either. He is very bland (almost cardboard) to me. Eric is pretty much a jerk but he is at least interesting. The more minor characters are more interesting but receive little time in the spotlight to really shine. The mystery element is usually decent if not terribly convoluted. The stories read quickly and do pull the reader along. Of course, you need to read the books in order to fully enjoy the series to its fullest. Overall, the series isn't bad but it isn't really that different from a lot of other vampire paranormal mystery series out there.
This book felt like a bridge to me. It read like the author decided to wrap up several elements but none of them needed a full length novel to take care of them. It reads like several parts (almost short stories) tacked together to make a full length book. So necessary but not as satisfying as some of the others. I would give it 2.75 stars.
I came fairly late to the Sookie Stackhouse stories. I have never seen the TV adaptation of the books and am not a huge vampire fan. i am basically reI came fairly late to the Sookie Stackhouse stories. I have never seen the TV adaptation of the books and am not a huge vampire fan. i am basically reading all of the books back to back and truthfully they are starting to blend together so please forgive me if I start commenting on something for the wrong book.
My general take on the series (so far) is it is a mix of (vampire story) urban paranormal, mystery, and (smutty) romance. On a scale of 1 to 10, the smut level runs between a 4 to 7. While the romance element isn't bad, the smut (sex) sections really don't add anything to the story and usually feel separate from the rest of the story. Looking at the characters, I am of mixed feelings towards Sookie. She has some annoying traits. She blames herself for everything. if someone gets hurt while they are trying to kill her, she feels guilty especially if she hurt them while fighting back. She seems to pick her romantic interests for some pretty shallow reasons (she dates vampires because she can't hear their thoughts and they're 'pretty'). She is very thin skinned and never seems to let anything go and it keeps being brought up. (Of course, some of that is to let new readers know what happened in earlier books but some of it is repeated in the same book time and time again.) Bill never strikes a chord with me. I don't care for him but I don't actively dislike him either. He is very bland (almost cardboard) to me. Eric is pretty much a jerk but he is at least interesting. The more minor characters are more interesting but receive little time in the spotlight to really shine. The mystery element is usually decent if not terribly convoluted. The stories read quickly and do pull the reader along. Of course, you need to read the books in order to fully enjoy the series to its fullest. Overall, the series isn't bad but it isn't really that different from a lot of other vampire paranormal mystery series out there.
Sookie has a new romantic interest in the weretiger, Quinn. The vampires are having a huge summit to take care of some business. But there are people that don't like the vampires and are willing to do anything to bring down the summit. This is one of the best entries in this series....more
I came fairly late to the Sookie Stackhouse stories. I have never seen the TV adaptation of the books and am not a huge vampire fan. i am basically reI came fairly late to the Sookie Stackhouse stories. I have never seen the TV adaptation of the books and am not a huge vampire fan. i am basically reading all of the books back to back and truthfully they are starting to blend together so please forgive me if I start commenting on something for the wrong book.
My general take on the series (so far) is it is a mix of (vampire story) urban paranormal, mystery, and (smutty) romance. On a scale of 1 to 10, the smut level runs between a 4 to 7. While the romance element isn't bad, the smut (sex) sections really don't add anything to the story and usually feel separate from the rest of the story. Looking at the characters, I am of mixed feelings towards Sookie. She has some annoying traits. She blames herself for everything. if someone gets hurt while they are trying to kill her, she feels guilty especially if she hurt them while fighting back. She seems to pick her romantic interests for some pretty shallow reasons (she dates vampires because she can't hear their thoughts and they're 'pretty'). She is very thin skinned and never seems to let anything go and it keeps being brought up. (Of course, some of that is to let new readers know what happened in earlier books but some of it is repeated in the same book time and time again.) Bill never strikes a chord with me. I don't care for him but I don't actively dislike him either. He is very bland (almost cardboard) to me. Eric is pretty much a jerk but he is at least interesting. The more minor characters are more interesting but receive little time in the spotlight to really shine. The mystery element is usually decent if not terribly convoluted. The stories read quickly and do pull the reader along. Of course, you need to read the books in order to fully enjoy the series to its fullest. Overall, the series isn't bad but it isn't really that different from a lot of other vampire paranormal mystery series out there.
You might feel like you missed a chapter at first. I found out that some important background material for this story took place in a short story. You can get by without reading the story but you will need to figure out some stuff as you go along.
Sookie's cousin, Hadley leaves her everything after her true death. Hadley was the vampire lover of the vampire queen of Louisiana. But vampire politics and a witch in training means that claiming her inheritance won't be an easy task....more
I came fairly late to the Sookie Stackhouse stories. I have never seen the TV adaptation of the books and am not a huge vampire fan. i am basically reI came fairly late to the Sookie Stackhouse stories. I have never seen the TV adaptation of the books and am not a huge vampire fan. i am basically reading all of the books back to back and truthfully they are starting to blend together so please forgive me if I start commenting on something for the wrong book.
My general take on the series (so far) is it is a mix of (vampire story) urban paranormal, mystery, and (smutty) romance. On a scale of 1 to 10, the smut level runs between a 4 to 7. While the romance element isn't bad, the smut (sex) sections really don't add anything to the story and usually feel separate from the rest of the story. Looking at the characters, I am of mixed feelings towards Sookie. She has some annoying traits. She blames herself for everything. if someone gets hurt while they are trying to kill her, she feels guilty especially if she hurt them while fighting back. She seems to pick her romantic interests for some pretty shallow reasons (she dates vampires because she can't hear their thoughts and they're 'pretty'). She is very thin skinned and never seems to let anything go and it keeps being brought up. (Of course, some of that is to let new readers know what happened in earlier books but some of it is repeated in the same book time and time again.) Bill never strikes a chord with me. I don't care for him but I don't actively dislike him either. He is very bland (almost cardboard) to me. Eric is pretty much a jerk but he is at least interesting. The more minor characters are more interesting but receive little time in the spotlight to really shine. The mystery element is usually decent if not terribly convoluted. The stories read quickly and do pull the reader along. Of course, you need to read the books in order to fully enjoy the series to its fullest. Overall, the series isn't bad but it isn't really that different from a lot of other vampire paranormal mystery series out there.
In book 5, sookie has to deal with Jason becoming a werepanther. There is a sniper targeting shapeshifters and Jason is a prime suspect. Sookie needs to clear him before the next full moon. That is if the killer doesn't get her first. ...more
I came fairly late to the Sookie Stackhouse stories. I have never seen the TV adaptation of the books and am not a huge vampire fan. i am basically reI came fairly late to the Sookie Stackhouse stories. I have never seen the TV adaptation of the books and am not a huge vampire fan. i am basically reading all of the books back to back and truthfully they are starting to blend together so please forgive me if I start commenting on something for the wrong book.
My general take on the series (so far) is it is a mix of (vampire story) urban paranormal, mystery, and (smutty) romance. On a scale of 1 to 10, the smut level runs between a 4 to 7. While the romance element isn't bad, the smut (sex) sections really don't add anything to the story and usually feel separate from the rest of the story. Looking at the characters, I am of mixed feelings towards Sookie. She has some annoying traits. She blames herself for everything. if someone gets hurt while they are trying to kill her, she feels guilty especially if she hurt them while fighting back. She seems to pick her romantic interests for some pretty shallow reasons (she dates vampires because she can't hear their thoughts and they're 'pretty'). She is very thin skinned and never seems to let anything go and it keeps being brought up. (Of course, some of that is to let new readers know what happened in earlier books but some of it is repeated in the same book time and time again.) Bill never strikes a chord with me. I don't care for him but I don't actively dislike him either. He is very bland (almost cardboard) to me. Eric is pretty much a jerk but he is at least interesting. The more minor characters are more interesting but receive little time in the spotlight to really shine. The mystery element is usually decent if not terribly convoluted. The stories read quickly and do pull the reader along. Of course, you need to read the books in order to fully enjoy the series to its fullest. Overall, the series isn't bad but it isn't really that different from a lot of other vampire paranormal mystery series out there.
This time, Sookie is dealing with the aftermath of saving Bill when she comes across Eric the vampire running down the side of the road. Eric has lost his memories and needs a place to hide from the group of witches that cursed him. Sookie has trouble resisting this new version of Eric (cause let's face it Sookie always fall into bed with whomever seems nice to her at the time). ...more
I came fairly late to the Sookie Stackhouse stories. I have never seen the TV adaptation of the books and am not a huge vampire fan. i am basically reI came fairly late to the Sookie Stackhouse stories. I have never seen the TV adaptation of the books and am not a huge vampire fan. i am basically reading all of the books back to back and truthfully they are starting to blend together so please forgive me if I start commenting on something for the wrong book.
My general take on the series (so far) is it is a mix of (vampire story) urban paranormal, mystery, and (smutty) romance. On a scale of 1 to 10, the smut level runs between a 4 to 7. While the romance element isn't bad, the smut (sex) sections really don't add anything to the story and usually feel separate from the rest of the story. Looking at the characters, I am of mixed feelings towards Sookie. She has some annoying traits. She blames herself for everything. if someone gets hurt while they are trying to kill her, she feels guilty especially if she hurt them while fighting back. She seems to pick her romantic interests for some pretty shallow reasons (she dates vampires because she can't hear their thoughts and they're 'pretty'). She is very thin skinned and never seems to let anything go and it keeps being brought up. (Of course, some of that is to let new readers know what happened in earlier books but some of it is repeated in the same book time and time again.) Bill never strikes a chord with me. I don't care for him but I don't actively dislike him either. He is very bland (almost cardboard) to me. Eric is pretty much a jerk but he is at least interesting. The more minor characters are more interesting but receive little time in the spotlight to really shine. The mystery element is usually decent if not terribly convoluted. The stories read quickly and do pull the reader along. Of course, you need to read the books in order to fully enjoy the series to its fullest. Overall, the series isn't bad but it isn't really that different from a lot of other vampire paranormal mystery series out there.
This time , Sookie goes to Jackson Mississippi when Bill the vampire goes missing. Sookie is determined to save her boyfriend but she may end up finding out things she never wanted to know about him. That is if she manages to live....more
Sookie is drawn into helping the vampires. They want her to go to Dallas and use her telepathic powers to help the vampires there. BSecond in series.
Sookie is drawn into helping the vampires. They want her to go to Dallas and use her telepathic powers to help the vampires there. But not everyone is happy with the vampires coming out.
I did enjoy the vampires in Dallas and most of the ones in Shreveport. I still don't care for Bill and Sookie still annoys me frequently. She has a habit of repeating things. She points out multiple times (and continues to point it out in later books) about how Bill is her first lover and how wonderful it is that she can't read the minds of vampires. (It seems to be the main reason she jumped into bed with Bill.) The sex still distracts from the story more than it adds to it.
This does not effect the story but the covers are some of the worst I have ever seen on a book series.
Still the mystery is decent and the good aspects of the book outweigh the bad. Since they are such quick, easy reads that are worth looking into reading them....more
I find it interesting that the first season took parts from the entire trilogy. You get the basic story The third part of the Midnight, Texas trilogy.
I find it interesting that the first season took parts from the entire trilogy. You get the basic story for the main characters with a few modest changes from the books to the TV show. The main differences is that secondary characters that are introduced in the second and third book are left out so the stories have to be reworked for the main characters to take on those roles. Appearances of the characters were also changed. But overall the TV show does a decent job of dealing with most of the trilogy. It really makes me wonder where the Tv show will go next without any more books (hopefully just for now) to draw inspiration.
As for this third book, Lemuel has the books he has searched for years and they are revealing secrets about Midnight, Texas. Those secrets could prove to be deadly not just for the people of the town but the whole world. In Fact, it is time for all the secrets to be revealed.
This series is linked to the author's Sookie Stackhouse series. It is not necessary to have read the other series (I haven't.) but the are a few minor points that the author seems to assume you will know from that series but they are easy to figure out or ignore.
I would definitely recommend this series but you do need to read all three books to get the full story even if each part can be read on its own. The enjoyment will be greater if you read all three parts. From the ending in part three, I think the series is finished but I wouldn't mind reading more if the author can think of a believable story for such a small group of characters (don't make it like a Murder She Wrote where Jessica Fletcher finds a dead body every week everywhere she goes even if she stays in her small town.)...more
I find it interesting that the first season took parts from the entire trilogy. You get the basic storyThe second part of the Midnight, Texas trilogy.
I find it interesting that the first season took parts from the entire trilogy. You get the basic story for the main characters with a few modest changes from the books to the TV show. The main differences is that secondary characters that are introduced in the second and third book are left out so the stories have to be reworked for the main characters to take on those roles. Appearances of the characters were also changed. But overall the TV show does a decent job of dealing with most of the trilogy. It really makes me wonder where the Tv show will go next without any more books (hopefully just for now) to draw inspiration.
As for this second book, the reader gets to find out more of the secrets of the residents of Midnight when the long deserted hotel is refurbished as a long term residence for people working at the nearby computer game company and for seniors waiting for a permanent place in an elderly residence. But not everything adds up with the new hotel. On top of that, Manfred comes under scrutiny when one of his clients dies as he is doing a psychic reading for her. The townsfolk want to get rid of the reporters that are looking for a story and to figure out the secret of the hotel.
One thing about this story is that Charlaine Harris does not waste time with unneeded details. There were parts that could have been expanded but were not essential to the story. Ms. Harris gave just what was needed and went on with the story. Some of these will be looked at more in the final part of the trilogy.
This series is linked to the author's Sookie Stackhouse series. It is not necessary to have read the other series (I haven't.) but the are a few minor points that the author seems to assume you will know from that series but they are easy to figure out or ignore. The backstory of a character that gets introduced in this book seems to part of the other series. (Again, this is just a guess since I haven't read those.)
I would definitely recommend this series but you do need to read all three books to get the full story even if each part can be read on its own. The enjoyment will be greater if you read all three parts. From the ending in part three, I think the series is finished but I wouldn't mind reading more if the author can think of a believable story for such a small group of characters (don't make it like a Murder She Wrote where Jessica Fletcher finds a dead body every week everywhere she goes even if she stays in her small town.)...more
Everson Croft here, professor of mythology and behind-the-scenes wizard is in charge of making sure no amateur conjuror gets in over their heads and sEverson Croft here, professor of mythology and behind-the-scenes wizard is in charge of making sure no amateur conjuror gets in over their heads and summons something really dangerous in th epost crash New York City. But nothing seems to be working out for him. His teaching job is on the line, a rash of conjurors are summoning demons all over New York City, an he has gotten on the bad side of an acient vamire, the new China Town mob boss, the police and even the Order of magicians that he works for wants him to cease and desist what he is doing.
This series will definitely draw comparisons to Jim Butcher's Dresden Files. Both are modern day magic users in a world that doesn't really believe in magic. Both start with a probationary staus with the wizards that are in charge. Both have large cats (Croft's is possesed by a succubus though and can talk). Both end up working with a tough as nails female police detective that is in charge of the impoosible to explain cases. Ther are other similarities but there are also several differences as well. So yes, they are the same type of story but I wouldn't call Everson a rip-off or clone of Harry. If you like Harry, especially his earlier days when he wasn't quite so powerful, you should like Everson....more
Dracula, Sherlock Holmes, and the Invisible Man solve a murder.
John Pirillo has created a world where literary figures, their authLiterary fan fiction
Dracula, Sherlock Holmes, and the Invisible Man solve a murder.
John Pirillo has created a world where literary figures, their authors, and other famous historical figures all live together in the same time. It is an appealing concept but doesn't totally work. For example, one reason Leonardo da Vinci was so amazing was because he developed his theories so far ahead of his times. Putting him with all of these others diminishes his work in a way. Also many of the literary figures that he features were very complex with both noble traits and often tragic flaws. In making them all heroes (and friends), the author has removed much of their negative features and thereby reduced their character a bit.
The story itself was fairly weak. It was more a series of loosely connected scenes featuring one or more of the characters having a bit of excitement and then suddenly having the bad guy caught without any real effort on their part. Also, the creature described as being responsible at the beginning seems to be utterly forgotten in the reveal.
The story needs a thorough editing. Verb tense errors, sentence fragments, run on sentences, and other grammatical errors occur throughout the story. There are also some strange timing issues. One example is Dracula visits Holmes at a crime scene in the morning. Several pages later as Dracula returns home at night, it is revealed vampires can go out during the day. This should have been stated when he was in the daylight and not during a scene taking place on a foggy night.
If I could offer advice to Mr. Pirrilo, it would be the following. Pull back on the scope of his world. Allow some of the characters to exist at different times so it seems it has a history. Get some proofreading. Whether it is a professional or just a beta group of readers, they should be to eliminate many errors and other awkward bits. Expand the story. Show the characters actually planning and working towards the goal. Try to eliminate the feeling that you are just showing the highlights.
I have only read a couple of stories by the author (and one of his books of fractal photographs). At the end of both stories, the author uses the exact same afterword. These seems lazy to me. Make the afterword fit or don't bother including it.
I realize that the author already has many stories out there so he obviously has the drive. But right now they are reading more like fan fiction than professional writing. Go for quality over quantity.
This is a collection of young adult stories by multiple authors. These are all long short stories (Maybe novellas, is there a difference?). All of theThis is a collection of young adult stories by multiple authors. These are all long short stories (Maybe novellas, is there a difference?). All of the stories are paranormal stories with witches, vampires or some other supernatural type of being and usually have a romantic element as well.
Some nice features with this collection is that all of the stories are given and age rating so it is easy to decide if the story would be appropraite for younger readers. Also, each story has author information and descriptions of some of there other works. There are links provided to follow the author or to get to other writings but some of the links have already expired.
The best thing about collections like this is that you get to try several authors with little commitment on the reader's part. With the aditional information at the end of each story, it is quite easy to be able to jump into other works by authors that catch our eye. Since the authors all write in similar styles and genre, you have a better than average chance of finding multiple new authors to start reading....more
A man awakens in a strange place. All he can think about is getting home to his daughter. Along the way, he encounters strange creatures.
This is a claA man awakens in a strange place. All he can think about is getting home to his daughter. Along the way, he encounters strange creatures.
This is a classic type of tale. It is a short story, so everything has to happen very quickly. The writing is good but there a couple of awkward bits. It is fairly easy to guess the ending. Still, it is a nice introduction to the author and his writing. It is worth a read especially while you can get it for free....more
This collection has a really interesting premise. Julia Proud made a challenge on Twitter. She let her followers offer a phrase and then vote on them.This collection has a really interesting premise. Julia Proud made a challenge on Twitter. She let her followers offer a phrase and then vote on them. The winning phrase was used to inspire a short story that she would write in one day. Now, she has taken the stories and put them out as an e-book. Again, she is letting the readers vote on the short stories, The winning short story will be turned into a novel (or perhaps a series). The only catch is that the voting ends June 30, 2015. So, if you want to vote (and perhaps get a free book), hurry up.
I haven't heard which story won even though the voting has been over for a week or so now. But I guess it is time to look at the book as a normal collection of short stories. Now, the stories cover a fairly wide of genres. Some of the stories are more developed than others. I don't mean that in a bad way, just some went more in-depth to the characters and their world than others. It was like the difference between eating a meal or just a snack. Taking those facts into account, I can say that I liked some of the stories better than others. I feel this will be true for most people. I could appreciate the writing on all the stories but I am just more drawn to certain genres than others.
There should be something for everyone in this collection. While you can no longer vote on the stories, I still love this concept....more
A woman joins the undead community of Seattle when she is turned into a zombie (also called a ghoul at times). She isn't one of those mindless mistakeA woman joins the undead community of Seattle when she is turned into a zombie (also called a ghoul at times). She isn't one of those mindless mistakes that are basically walking hunger that will eat anything that gets in their way. She can think. When one of her new friends goes missing, she gets drawn into an ever deepening mystery which just might lead to a more permanent death.
I am pretty sure that I know what the author was aiming towards when he wrote this story. I think he figured that it would be fairly hard to make a truly sympathetic character that went around eating people. So he decided to make an over the top, sardonic character that was in no way apologetic for her actions. She would be an edgy, non-politically correct character that is more interested in fashion than in being a hero.
Before I go into how I felt about this story, you need to answer a question or two. Did you enjoy the TV show Sex in the City? How about South Park or Beavis and Butthead? Would you like to see these shows combined? If you answered yes to any or all of these, then skip this review and read this book as quick as you can because you will love it. If you answered no to all of them, then skip it because you will hate it. If you still aren't sure, read on but know that there will be mild spoilers.
First off, the characters are horrible. The main character is vain, not very bright, rude, crude, and vulgar. She is so inept at solving the mystery (which she even admits) that I doubt she could solve the mystery in a game of clue even if she cheated. She is cowardly. She suffers from low self-esteem which she tries to overcome by insulting anyone around her, including her so-called friends. Speaking of her friends, they are basically poor copies of her. The villains of the book are barely defined. Anyone else in the book is solely there to be ridiculed (and then killed) or to act as dues ex-machina for the lame main character.
The author does deserve credit for devising a way to make a thinking zombie. But there are some things that just don't work or make sense. She becomes a zombie because a zombie "breathed" on her. Since zombies don't breathe, I am sure the author thought this made perfect sense. I am also guessing that he totally forgot that you have to breathe when talking. So even if zombies don't need to breathe, air has to be going in and out for them to talk. The zombies also have the ability to unhinge their jaws letting them take much bigger bites. This would be fine except that they snap them shut with great force while they are unhinged. Creatures unhinge their jaws to be able to swallow more but it causes them to lose pressure required to snap their jaws at that time. The zombies are described as eating people in as few as five bites. Two zombies manage to eat 3 teenage boys in just a few minutes. I have no problem with them eating flesh, bones, and the rest of the human. But there is no way they could fit that much mass into their stomachs without some serious distortion. Also the zombies suffer explosive diarrhea if they eat anything besides human or drink alcohol. (For some reason, all of the different undead can drink alcohol. The only reason seems to be so they can all hang out in bars all of the time.) Finally, the solution of wearing adult diapers when they eat other things just wouldn't work. From his several descriptions, the reaction was explosive and highly fragrant which a diaper would not stop or prevent others from noticing.
Looking at the mystery, it is a joke. The initial mystery wasn't really a mystery. The mystery that develops while she is stumbling around is fairly convoluted and easily avoided if the bad guys had just left the main character alone.
Let's look at plotting, the humor, and finally those inserts and footnotes. The plotting was pitiful. You hear about the friend going missing in the first chapter. This is followed by a flashback that lasts for nearly a hundred pages and even has a another flashback inside of it. The reader is often given large lists of fashion or furniture setting (and their prices) in the middle of conversations. The main character will stop her "investigation" for days at a time to basically hang out in bars, Characters and events will be discussed only to be never talked about again. Finally the author contradicts himself on multiple occasions. The humor is best described as toilet humor, The main character says that she refuses to be politically correct but it is really an excuse to make jokes about a person heritage, accent, or sexual orientation. No matter which character (male, female, gay, straight) they end up sounding like a 12 or 13 year old boy making fart jokes. The inserts of playlists and drink recipes were wastes of space. One even had the recipe for a shot of alcohol. The footnotes just seemed to be an excuse to make more snide comments.
The last thing that brings this story down to one star is that the author tried to redeem the main character at the end. She says that while she would not have helped a certain individual at the beginning of the story, she would at the end. Now the entire book, the main character has refused to make apologies for anything. That was supposed to be part of the joke. There was no point of redemption for the character. It does not come across as believable or make her more sympathetic. It also seems as a sort of sell-out by the author in that he backs off from his vision of the character as he presented her for the rest of the book.
I wish I could have given this book a higher rating. It had a good premise with some nice potential. I also understand that some people really liked it. If you did, more power to you. But for me, it failed in almost every aspect. The nicest thing I can say about it is that it was a quick read and since I found it on a bargain rack, it was cheap. I liked one thing that the main character said. She gives the advice that if you get plastic surgery, try to keep it to small changes and to keep the look natural for the most part. Sounds like good advice so it is hard to believe that she would actually say that though.
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