Summer ReadJanuary 7, 2009 "Summer Read" in my mind means overdone sex, campy mystery, and humor.
From prior reviews I expected a mix of Evanavich's Stephanie Plum character and Meyer's Bella character but that's not what I got.
I bought the whole series but will probably not read them.
Ending was terribleJanuary 7, 2009 Overall, this book was a fun interpretation of an over utilized genre. It was a fast read, but my main issue was the ending. No spoilers, but I was totally let down by Harris' actions of Bill, the vampire. He is supposed to be Sookie's hero, and I am surprised that people gave this book 5 stars. Not that all heroes are supposed to "save the day," but the route he took was similar to those seen in other books (Breaking Dawn) that killed the whole experience for me.
Easy, Fun ReadJanuary 5, 2009 I've watched TrueBlood on HBO and am a huge fan, but I have to say that I actually enjoy the book more than the series. I would recommend it to anyone who likes books by Janet Evanovich, but wants a supernatural spin. The characters are believable and the ending's a real surprise. Read it!
It's no Twilight or Interview...January 4, 2009 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
While this book is written on about a 7th grade level, the subject matter is mature. The writing was dull, the characters shallow and at times I found myself thinking "Why am I still reading this?" Because I try to always finish a book when I start it, I pushed myself through hoping it would get better, but alas, it only got worse.
Reviewed for Midwest Book ReviewJanuary 2, 2009 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Book one of the Southern Vampire Mystery series introduces young, attractive Sookie Stackhouse, cocktail waitress in a small town in Louisiana. Sookie has telepathic abilities which she and others look upon as a disability. She lives with her grandmother and cat and keeps to herself because she desires silence after hearing other people's thoughts while working. Sookie is intrigued when she meets Bill, her first vampire, not only because he's a vampire but because she can't read his thoughts. Sookie rescues Bill from a couple intent on draining him, and she and Bill become friends, which leads to a romantic relationship.
Since Bill's appearance, people are turning up dead, including Sookie's grandmother. The police initially suspect Bill but begin to focus their investigation on Sookie's brother, who had contact with each of the victims. With Bill's encouragement, Sookie uses her telepathic abilities to try to find the murderer, placing herself in danger.
This is an engaging concept, a mind reader in a world in which vampires are attempting to integrate into society. Vampires drink synthetic blood and are surrounded by fans called fang-bangers, which makes for intriguing scenes. Harris provides a good read, wrapping a well-done mystery around a plethora of interesting characters, vampiric and human.
