Rebecca – Daphne Du Maurier

Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again... Working as a lady's companion, the heroine of Rebecca learns her place. Life begins to look very bleak until, on a trip to the South of France, she meets Maxim de Winter, a handsome widower whose sudden proposal of marriage takes her by surprise. She accepts, but whisked from glamorous Monte Carlo to the ominous and brooding Manderley, the new Mrs de Winter finds Max a changed man. And the memory of his dead wife Rebecca is forever kept alive by the forbidding Mrs Danvers...

Genre: Fiction, Modern Classic, Gothic
Publisher: Virago Press
Year: 1938
Rating: 5/5

Rebecca follows the story of the new Mrs de Winter, a young, shy woman who finds herself whisked away from her employment as a lady's companion, to the impressive Manderley, to be wife to the rich and aloof, Mr Maxim de Winter.

At first, this seems like a dream come true. Inexperienced in love and life, and totally smitten with Maxim , she wants nothing more than to please him. But this isn't an easy task. Once the newlyweds return from their carefree honeymoon to Manderley, Maxim seems to change. He no longer seems happy with her, or comfortable in their home. A place that was once home to him and his late wife, Rebecca.

Remnants of his life with Rebecca seem to be everywhere. Rebecca seems to reach out from the grave and her presence permeates throughout the house. Mrs Danvers, Rebecca's faithful maid does all she can to keep Rebecca's memory alive and the new Mrs de Winter can not seem to escape her influence.

Will the memory of Rebecca come between Maxim and the new Mrs de Winter? What is Mrs Danvers up to? And what is the dark secret that Manderley is hiding? Are things really as they seem?

What did I think?

I loved this novel. Talk about a great gothic mystery! Du Maurier has taken a relatviely "normal" situation, and added an air of suspense, menace and foreboding the makes for great reading.

This is the ultimate "other woman" story. We have a young, naive girl trying to not only figure out who she is as a person, and how to be a wife, but then having to juggle this with the feeling of a third person intruding in her marriage. For someone ill-equipped, this is a hard task. 

The new Mrs de Winter feels as if she just can't match up to the beautiful, worldly and sophistication Rebecca. Everywhere she turns, she is faced with the sort of competition that is impossible to fight – a dead woman. And a "perfect" one at that. But things aren't always as they seem. Everyone has secrets.

Just when I thought I had this novel all figured out, Du Maurier threw me a curve ball that took me by surprise! Oh what a twist it is!

Du Maurier's prose is elegant and insightful. Her descriptions of places, people, thoughts and feelings realistic and engrossing. I couldn't put this novel down.

I also love it how Du Maurier never gives our heroine a name, she is only known as Mrs de Winter. Never forming her own identity, but continually being defined by others perceptions. This lack of a name is effective in the characterisation of our heroine and allowing us to sympathise with her. We can understand why she won't take control of the household, and feels like she lives in Rebecca's shadow. She never really comes into herself until the events that transpire at Manderley.

I also love how the decisions she makes are questionable. Her morality debatable... yet understandable. What would you do in that situation? It's easy to hypothesise but who really knows until they are faced with a similar dilemma?

I'd recommend this novel to anyone who loves a good gothic novel or mystery. This novel is extremely well written (so much so that the implausible seems plausible!) and I can see why this novel is considered a modern classic. I can't wait to devour more books by Du Maurier!

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The Thirteenth Tale – Diane Setterfield

Angelfield House stands abandoned and forgotten. It was once the imposing home of the March family – fascinating, manipulative Isabelle, Charlie, her brutal and dangerous brother, and the wild, untamed twins, Emmeline and Adeline. But Angelfield House conceals a chilling secret whose impact still resonates...

Now Margaret Lea is investigating Angelfield's past – and the mystery of the March family starts to unravel. What has the house been hiding? What is its connection with the enigmatic author Vida Winter? And what is it in Margaret's own troubled past that causes her to fall so powerfully under Angelfield's spell?

Genre: Fiction, Gothic, Mystery, Ghost Story
Year: 2006
Publisher: Orion
Rating: 4/5

Margaret Lea lives above the antiquarian bookstore she operates with her father.  A lover of the classics, Margaret spends her days reading, and compiling biographies on long dead writers. 

One day she is unexpectedly contacted by Vida Winter. Miss Winter is a popular contemporary novelist, who is known for being mysterious and reclusive. For some unknown reason she wants Margaret to write her life story. At first, Margaret hesitates. She has never dealt with a living subject before, nor has she read any of Miss Winter's work. 

Being a born researcher, Margaret picks up a copy of one of Miss Winter's book which her father happens to have in the bookstore. Surprisingly, she finds herself hooked. So she agrees to meet with Miss Winter and discuss the possibility of working together. 

Soon she finds herself engrossed in a story like no other. A story filled with eccentric characters, ghosts, mystery and madness. 

Is Miss Winter telling the truth about her origins? Is she finally allowing the world in on the secrets of her childhood? Or is this just another one of her stories? 

"All children mythologise their birth. It is a universal trait. You want to know someone? Heart, mind and soul? Ask him to tell you about when he was born. What you get won’t be the truth: it will be a story. And nothing is more telling than a story. " 

My thoughts.... 

This book has been called "a book for book lovers" and I can see why... not only is much of this book set in libraries, and not only are the characters the ultimate book lovers, but this book is filled with literary references. It was fun discovering them. It was also warming to read a novel that talks about the love of books and reading with such passion. This was something I felt I could connect with.

"Do you know the feeling when you start reading a new book before the membrane of the last one has had time to close behind you? You leave the previous book with ideas and themes–characters even–caught in the fibers of your clothes, and when you open the new book, they are still with you."

Being a big fan of a good mystery, and lover of gothic and ghost stories, I found this novel a real treat to read. And to make it even better, I loved the way this book was written. Setterfield writes her prose in a way which is poetic. Each page is just dripping with the beauty of language. A little melodramatic of me yes, but I loved every minute of the writing in this novel. It is one of those novels that is an absolute pleasure to read. I think setterfield says it best herself:

"There is something about words. In expert hands, manipulated deftly, they take you prisoner. Wind themselves around your limbs like spider silk, and when you are so enthralled you cannot move, they pierce your skin, enter your blood, numb your thoughts. Inside you they work their magic." 

This novel explores how people can be haunted by the ghosts of the past, and how these ghosts can have an impact on their lives. Some things just can not be forgotten, although sometimes we need to learn to let go and just live!

I must admit that I felt parts of this story were a little far fetched. Often, the joy of a good story is that it isn't realistic but in this case, I just couldn't reconcile some parts of this story with others. Despite that, I still loved this novel. 

I'd recommend this novel to anyone who loves gothic literature, ghost stories and books about books!

Want to grab a copy of this novel? Try Book Depository or Amazon!

Dead in the Family – Charlaine Harris

After enduring torture and the loss of loved ones during the brief but deadly Fae War, Sookie Stackhouse is hurt and she's mad. Just about the only bright spot in her life is the love she thinks she feels for vampire Eric Northman. But he's under scrutiny by the new vampire king because of their relationship. And as the political implications of the shifters' coming out are beginning to be felt, Sookie's connection to one particular Were draws her into the dangerous debate. Also, unknown to her, though the doors to Faery have been closed, there are still some fae on the human side - and one of them is angry at Sookie. Very, very angry.

Genre: Fiction, Series, Paranormal Romance, Vampire, Werewolves, Faery, Gothic, Mystery, Fantasy
Year: 2010
Publisher: Penguin
Rating: 3/5

Sookie Stackhouse. How I love thee. Sookie is one of my favourite heroines! She is feisty, assertive and smart. She knows how to kick arse and refuses to let the big bads get her down. On the other hand, she has a soft side when it comes to the sexy and complicated Eric Northman. She can't seem to work her love life out and suffers from all the same insecurities most of us have felt at one time or another. Sookie is a well-rounded and realistic character... well, besides all the mind-reading and love affairs with paranormal beings.

I just can't get enough of the Southern Vampire novels. This is book number 10 in the series. It came out in May last year but I had to wait until April this year to purchase it. Why, you may ask? Because all my books in series need to be in the same covers. Sad but true. So I will always have a 11 month wait between the release date and when I get to buy the new Sookie book.... *sigh* isn't life hard? 

In this novel Sookie is recovering both physically and emotionally from the Fae War; she is working out her relationship with Eric; she finds herself entangled in a problem with a dead body; the Weres call in a favour and the the portal to the Faery world may not be as closed as it seems. Phew! Once again Sookie has a lot to contend with, not to mention trying to juggle the everyday tasks of running a house and holding down a steady job! Life sure is busy. 

If you are a fan of the Southern Vampire Series then I am sure you'll enjoy this book.

Want to grab a copy of this book? Try Book Depository or Amazon!

Dead and Gone - Charlaine Harris

Dead and Gone is book number nine in the Sookie Stackhouse, Southern Vampire series. This book has Sookie dealing with not only vamps and weres, but her long lost family members who never seem to show up with good news!


Genre: Fiction, series
Publisher: Ace Books
Year: 2009
Rating: 3/5

Except for Sookie Stackhouse, folks in Bon Temps, Louisiana, knew little about vamps - and nothing about Weres. Until now. The Weres and shifters have finally revealed their existence to the ordinary world, and the backlash may have claimed the life of someone Sookie knew. But her determination to find out who is responsible for the murder is put aside in the face of a far greater danger. A race of unhuman beings - older, more powerful, and more secretive than vampires or werewolves - is preparing for war. And Sookie will find herself an all-too-human pawn in their battle....

The Sookie Stackhouse series is my guilty pleasure. Along with crime fiction or a good mystery, I love nothing more than to curl up with a Sookie Stackhouse novel to forget my troubles. I had wanted to read book number nine in this series since last year but I had a hard time finding it in a cover that matched the rest of my books. It has to match right? size.. cover art.. all that is important. At least to me.  So I waited, I searched bookstores and the internet, untilI finally found this copy on eBay and I was very excited to get it in the mail last week! 

This book picks up from the last. Like all Sookie books it is a fun read, full of mystery, suspense and humour. I have said it before, and I will say it again, one of the things I love about the Sookie books is the fact that Sookie still goes about her normal life (running errands, working, paying bills) all while the supernatural world is chaotic around her. Sookie is a refreshing heroine. Full of spark and 'normality'... well as normal as you can get when vamps, weres and fae are knocking down your door! 

I don't want to say too much about this book as I feel this series is something you need to experience yourself. It would be too easy to ruin the plotline of this book if I attempted to review it in too much detail. But this book was a quick and fun read! I can't wait to read Dead in the Family... although I am not looking forward to the even longer wait to get book number ten in the right cover!! 

The Angel's Game - Carlos Ruiz Zafón

As some of you may recall, I suffered from P.A.B.D. after reading The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón . So, it was only natural that I would seek out more books by Zafon. The first one being, The Angel's Game.

Genre: Fiction, Gothic, Mystery
Publisher: Phoenix
Year: 2008
Rating: 3/5

In an abandoned mansion in the heart of Barcelona, a young name, David Martin, makes his living by writing sensationalist novels under a pseudonym. The survivor of a troubled childhood, he spends his nights spinning baroque tales about the city's underworld. But perhaps his dark imaginings are not as strange as they seem, for in a locked room deep within the house lie photographs and letters hinting at an unsolved mystery.

Like a slow poison, the history of the place and an impossible love bring David close to despair. But then he receives a letter from a reclusive French editor who makes him the offer of a lifetime. He is to write a book unlike any other - a book with the power to change hearts and minds. In return, he will receive a fortune, perhaps more. But as David begins the work, he realises that there is a connection between this haunting book and the shadows that surround his home...

When I purchased this book I was under the impression that it was a prequel to The Shadow of the Wind, as that is what the publisher called it. In some ways, this book is a prequel, but only in a small way... mostly, this book is its own story. 

David Martin survived an abusive and poverty stricken childhood to be taken under the wing of a rich man named Pedro Vidal. Vidal sees potential in David so gets him a job at his fathers newspaper as a journalist. Eventually, David is given the job of writing a fictional serial that takes up the back page of the newspaper. The public love this serial but other journalists at the paper do not, taking a disliking to Davids success. Eventually, he is thrown out of the paper and lands a job writing a popular crime series under the name Ignacius B. Samson. His life as a writer has begun.

Enter Andreas Corelli. An elusive French editor who seeks out David to write a book. But not just any book... a book that has the potential to change the world. Corelli wants David to invent a new religion. 

At first, David is not interested. He is sick. David has a brain tumour and is going to die. So Corelli offers him a deal he cannot refuse. Corelli will heal David if he writes the book.

When David awakes the morning after their meeting, tumour free, he is shocked and excited! His whole life now lies before him and he begins the task of writing. Soon, however, David comes to realise that the book he is writing is not good for his soul and Corelli is not what he seems. 

I know it isn't wise to compare one book to another, even if they are by the same author, but this book was no The Shadow of the Wind. I admit I felt a little ripped off when I first started reading this book, as I came to realise it was not really a prequel in the sense I was expecting. 

It could be because of this that I found the character of David hard to connect to. I didn't really feel him. Nor did I really feel any of the other characters, except possibly that of Isabella, the over-opinionated teenager who befriends David.

This story was a good gothic horror. It has all the right elements. It had a good mystery, it was creepy and it kept you guessing... but then, it kept you guessing, even at the end. 

Was Corelli real or was he imaginary? Was he some sort of devil? Or was David just insane? I really don't know. I must admit, I get a little frustrated with books that leave more questions that answers sometimes. 

Zafón 's prose was eloquent as I have come to expect. No matter what I thought of the characters, Zafón sure knows how to write with grace and passion. I feel his books are worth reading just for the pure enjoyment of his way with words. I am looking forward to reading more of his work.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good gothic story or mystery.

The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafón

Every once and a while, you find yourself holding a special book. A book that makes you go "wow". A book that is complex, intriguing, colourful, intelligent and written with such beauty and grace that you just don't want to let it go. For me, The Shadow of the Wind, was that kind of book. 

Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Gothic, Romance
Year Published: 2001
Publisher: Text Publishing
Rating: 5/5

This novel is set in Barcelona after the Spanish Civil War.  It is about a young boy named Daniel who is grieving for his mother, who recently died. He lives with his father and they run a second hand bookstore specialising in hard-to-find books.

As Daniel nears his 11th birthday, his father takes him on a special journey. A journey to a secret  place called "The Cemetary of Forgotten Books". A huge, old maze of a library full of books with no homes. According to tradition, Daniel being a newcomer to this library must choose one book to take home with him, which he must protect for life. 

"As I walked in the dark through the tunnels and tunnels of books, I could not help being overcome by a sense of sadness. I couldn't help thinking that if I, by pure chance, had found a whole universe in a single unknown book, buried in that endless necropolis, tens of thousands more would remain unexplored, forgotten forever. I felt myself surrounded by millions of abandoned pages, by worlds and souls without an owner sinking in an ocean of darkness, while the world that throbbed outside the library seemed to be losing its memory, day after day, unknowingly, feeling all the wiser the more it forgot."

After much searching, Daniel finds a book called "The Shadow of the Wind" by Julián Carax. A book that seems to speak to him, that needs him to take it home. Daniel quickly devours this book and finds the most brilliant story he has ever read. 

This sets Daniel on a search to find more out about Julián Carax and his other works. Much to Daniel's surprise, no one seems to know much about Carax and his novels are no where to be found. Instead, he is confronted by creepy stories about a man who calls himself Laín Coubert (which just happens to be the name of the Devil in "The Shadow of the Wind" by Carax), a haunting figure who also is seeking to find all of these novels... so he can burn them. 

Soon Daniel finds himself caught up in a mystery that consumes his life, and the lives of those around him. A mystery full of terror, heartbreak and evil. 

This novel follows the story of what happened to Julián Carax alongside the story of Daniel, his search for answers and his journey into manhood.

I LOVED LOVED LOVED this book!!! This book was a fantastic mystery, a  tragic love story and a story of passion - a great passion for literature! This book was made for those of us who love books. 

This novel was beautifully written, the words just flowed seamlessly from page to page. Although complex, with many characters and twists, it was easy to follow and very engrossing. The characters were  endearing (despite their obvious faults) and I really felt that they were like 'old friends' by the end of the novel.

Like Clara, the blind and misguided woman who first steals Daniel's heart but refuses to give him hers. To, Nuria Monfort, the woman who gave her life for Julian even though she knew his heart would always belong to Penelope. And, of course, Fermin. A man who had fallen on hard times, who Daniel showed great kindness and was re-payed with great friendship.

I recommend this novel to anyone who loves to be overtaken by a good story. Because that is really what this novel is all about, telling a good story.

The prequel to this novel, The Angel's Game has been released! Now I have a mission... get my hands on this this book!

Note: There is so much more to this novel than what I have talked about in this review that I really don't feel like I have done it justice. All I can say is that this is one of those novels that I will recommend to anyone I know who loves books and reading. It is also one of those novels I will come back to and re-read in the future. I am adding this to my "all time favourites" list. 

Her Fearful Symmetry - Audrey Niffenegger

I must admit that I had high hopes for Her Fearful Symmetry. Having read The Time Traveler’s Wife, and loving it so much, it was hard not to hold Audrey Niffenegger’s next book up to some very high standards. But, as any good book lover and reviewer should do, I tried to put these standards aside and enjoy this book for what it is – a different story.

Her Fearful Symmetry is the story of Valentina and Julia Poole, mirror-image American twins who inherit an old flat from their estranged (and now dead) Aunt Elspeth. The flat is in London, overlooking Highgate Cemetery, and there are only a few stipulations in the will. The first of these is that the twins will move into the flat when they are 21 and live there for 12 months and the second is that their parents are never allowed to enter.
 

This may seem like an odd request but Aunt Elspeth and her twin sister Edie (Valentina and Julia’s mother) have not spoken to each other for a long time. Why you may ask? This is a mystery that the twins really want to find out, so they travel to London and begin their new lives.

Enter Robert, Elspeth’s bereaved boyfriend who lives in the flat downstairs. Martin, the reclusive man who suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder who is living upstairs. And finally, Elspeth herself who just can’t seem to leave her flat. Here you have a cast of unwittingly strange characters.

The story follows the lives (and death) of all of these characters as Valentina and Julia settle into their London life and their struggle as they try to make their way into adulthood. Not only do they have to navigate all the normal life changing moments (and the not so normal, like finding out they are sharing their flat with its previous occupant), but they have to try and work out a way to juggle their desire to do different things with the bond they share as twins.

I found this book to be a little hard to get into at first (as I struggled not to compare) but once the twins moved to London and the pace picked up, I found this to be an easy and enjoyable read. It had just the right levels of spooky mixed with normality to make it interesting.

That said, I found the story to be quite predictable. I guessed the mystery surrounding Elspeth and Edie early on and I guessed the ending of this story as soon as Valentina came up with her plan to try and sever the twin bond between her and the overpowering Julia.

Did I love this book? No. I did not. Did I like this book? Yes I did. This book is an engaging read, a little slow in parts but the characters are well fleshed out and interesting. I found Martin to be quite loveable (in a Monk kind of way) and Valentina was lovely. I could almost feel her frustration as she had to try and deal with Julia and her desire for everything to remain as it always has been, not understanding that life needs to change.

It brought up the issue of how hard it is to be an identical twin. To spend your time in utero and your childhood so close to another person who is basically a sum of yourself, then to have to move into adulthood and take your own paths and begin your own relationships. Harder still if one twin is willing to make the change yet the other is not.
 

Highgate Cemetery was a nice addition to the story. The stories of the people buried there and their deaths, was something I found very interesting. I love browsing old cemeteries and doing so through this novel was no exception.

If you are looking for another The Time Traveler’s Wife then don’t bother with this book. You won’t find it. This book is a work on its own and different in too many ways. But to me that is a good thing. It shows that Niffenegger is willing to take risks and try new things in order to write very different stories. It would be too easy to rehash the same things just because they worked the first time. I am glad she wrote something new and I hope she continues to do so.

Rating 3/5

From Dead to Worse - Charlaine Harris

From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris is Sookie Stackhouse book number 8. In this novel, New Orleans is trying to recover from Hurricane Katrina and Sookie is trying to recover from the attack at the vampire summit. Her boyfriend Quinn has gone missing and forces have been put into play that could change the supernatural and human world as Sookie knows it.

After the natural disaster of Hurricane Katrina and the man-made horror of the explosion at the vampire summit, Sookie Stackhouse is safe but dazed, yearning for things to get back to normal. But her boyfriend, Quinn, is among the missing. And things are changing, whether the Weres and vamps in her corner of Louisiana like it or not. In the ensuing battles, Sookie faces danger, death… and, once more, betrayed by someone she loves. And when the fur has finished flying and the cold blood has ceased flowing, her world will be forever altered…

Once again, another great Sookie Stackhouse story! Charlaine Harris is consistent in bringing us a book full of drama, mystery and action! One thing I really love about these books is that Sookie is just an average girl (well, not quite) but she balances work, her everyday chores and relationships with the supernatural.This works really well and I am looking forward to reading Sookie book number 9 as soon as I can find it in the right cover (they all have to match you know). This book ended in a way that was very interesting and I am looking forward to seeing how this new development pans out.

Rating 4/5     

All Together Dead - Charlaine Harris

All Together Dead is the 7th book in Charlaine Harris’ Southern Vampire Series. In this novel, Sookie Stackhouse must attend the vampire summit to work for the queen of Louisiana. The queen is having a bad time of it at the moment, not only does she have to go on trial for the murder of her husband, the king of Arkansas, but hurricane Katrina has hit New Orleans with full force devastating the state. She must also face other vampire royalty that would love to see her found guilty of murder, so they can sink their claws (or fangs) into her kingdom. Sookie must use her telepathic abilities to find out who is for, and who is against ,the queen… but Sookie finds out that siding with the queen of Louisiana may cost her more than she realised.

Betrayed by her longtime vampire love, Louisiana cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse must now not only deal with a possible new man in her life – the oh-so-handsome shape-shifter Quinn – but also contend with a long-planned vampire summit. With her power base weakened by hurricane damage to New Orleans, the local vampire queen is vulnerable to those hungry for a take-over. Soon, Sookie must decide what side she’ll stand with. And her choice may mean the difference between survival and all-out catastrophe…

I enjoyed this book (no surprise there!), like all other Sookie Stackhouse books it was face paced and action packed. The majority of the book took place at the vampire summit and there was much to do with the queen and Sookie’s new lover, Quinn. This book did a good job of progressing Sookie’s story but I just didn’t find it as gripping of some of the other books – I think although the vampire summit was interesting, it just lacked something that the other books had.. maybe variety of scenes and events?. Either way, I am looking forward to reading book number 8!!

Rating 3.5/5

Definitely Dead - Charlaine Harris

Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris is the 6th book in the Sookie Stackhouse, Southern Vampire Series. In this novel, Sookie has to travel to New Orleans to clean out her cousin Hadley’s apartment after her death (well, second death, Hadley was a vampire). Hadley was murdered by a fellow vampire, but being the Queen of Louisiana’s lover you would think Hadley would have been protected right? The Queen married the King of Arkansas the night before Hadley’s death in a bid to bring about diplomatic relations and Hadley was none too happy about it. And what about the man in Hadley’s closet? Sookie must unravel all of these secrets to work out what really happened to her cousin.

She also has started dating Quinn the shapeshifter but Weres keep attacking them while they are together, making their dates almost deadly, but who is the target, Sookie or Quinn?

On top of all of that Sookie makes a new friend in a witch named Amelia and learns a shocking secret about her ex-lover Bill that could tear apart their relationship forever.

Since Louisiana cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse has so few living relatives, she hates to lose one – even her cousin Hadley, undead consort of the vampire Queen of Louisiana. Hadley’s left everything she has to Sookie, but claiming that inheritance has a high risk factor. Some people don;t want her looking too deeply into Hadley’s past, or Hadley’s possessions. And they’re prepared to do anything in their power to stop her. Whoever it is, they’re definitely dangerous – and Sookie’s life is definitely on the line..

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Like all Sookie books it was fun, interesting and kept you reading til the very end! I barely put it down. My only problem was that I was confused as to why it felt like there should have been a book between Dead as a Doornail and Definitely Dead. Turns out there is! It is a short story called One Word Answer. I will have to see if I can read that too! It is basically spelt out in this book what happens in the short story (as you know, all Sookie books do a great job of rehashing the last one throughout the story) but I still HAVE to read it.

Overall, this book was just like every other Sookie Stackhouse book – really really good! I am on to the next one now! Last one in my boxed set. I don’t really want to finish it because I still haven’t got around to getting books 8 and 9… but I am sure once I start reading I won’t be able to stop!

Rating 4/5

Dead as a Doornail - Charlaine Harris

Dead as a Doornail is book number 5 in the Sookie Stackhouse, Southern Vampire series by Charlaine Harris. In this book Sookie is trying to find out who is the sniper intent on shooting shifters in the area, a concern for Sookie since her brother Jason has been bitten and is displaying new abilities. She must also help her Were friend Alcide Herveaux in his father’s bid for pack leader, try and keep Eric from finding out the truth about what happened when he lost his memory, fight her attraction to her boss Sam, deal with her house being partially burn down (thank god Sookie has a fairy godmother to look out for her!) and on top of all of that she makes friends with a pirate vampire – Charles Twinnings – and meets a shifter who she also finds herself very attracted to (my oh my Sookie! you sure do love supernatural men!). Phew! This book is jam-packed with action, adventure and romance! Gotta love a good Sookie novel to fill in a boring afternoon!

Small-town cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse has had more than her share of experience with the supernatural – but now it’s really hitting close to home. When Sookie sees her brother Jason’s eyes start to change, she knows he’s about to turn into a werepanther for the first time – a transformation he embraces more readily than most shape-shifters she knows. But her concern becomes cold fear when a sniper sets his deadly sights on the local changeling population, and Jason’s new panther brethren suspect he may be the shooter. Now Sookie has until the next full moon to find out who’s behind the attacks – unless the killer decides to find her first…

I think this is my favourite Sookie novel so far! I am pretty sure I said that last time.. but this novel was fast paced, action packed and just a lot of fun! I am on to the next one already!

Rating 4/5

Dead to the world - Charlaine Harris

Dead to the world is the fourth novel in the Sookie Stackhouse series. In this book Sookie and Bill have parted ways as he has to go to Peru on a business trip. Driving home from Merlotte’s one night, Sookie finds a confused Eric by the side of the road and apparently he has forgotten who he is. She takes him home to find out that he has been cursed by a witch named Hallow who wanted to take over Shreveport and make Eric her own.

Sookie must hide Eric so the witches can’t find him and hurt him even further. But where will this lead? In the mean time, Jason has gone missing and no one seems to know what has happened to him. With her brother missing and a vampire with amnesia living in her house, a very sexy vampire at that, how will Sookie cope?

It’s not everyday that you come across a naked man on the side of the road. That’s why cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse doesn’t just drive on by. Turns out the poor thing hasn’t a clue who he is, but Sookie does. it’s Eric the vampire – but now he’s a kinder, gentler Eric. And a scared Eric, because whoever took his memory now wants his life. Sookie’s investigation into who and why leads straight into a dangerous battle among witches, vampires and werewolves. But a greater danger could be to Sookie’s heart – because this version of Eric is very difficult to resist…

I liked the developments in this Sookie book. I have never really warmed to Bill so I was glad he wasn’t featured a whole lot in this book. Eric on the other hand, although normally a bit of a brute, sounds divine so I was quite glad he played such a prominent role in the story. The inclusion of witches in the novel (and a lone fairy) was really refreshing and it makes me wonder what other supernatural creatures and myths Charlaine Harris is going to explore next. This book was much needed to move Sookie’s story along and I am looking forward to seeing what happens next!

Rating 3.5/5

Club Dead - Charlaine Harris

Club Dead is the third novel in the Sookie Stackhouse series. In this novel Bill goes missing and is said to have reunited with his ex-girlfriend (also a vampire) Lorena. It turns out Bill has been kidnapped and Sookie must use her telepathic abilities to find him. She sets off to Jackson, Mississippi to look for Bill and is helped along the way by a werewolf named Alcide. Will Sookie find Bill before it is too late? What secret project was Bill working on that caused his kidnapping and can Sookie and Bill’s relationship survive his unfaithfulness or will Sookie find comfort in the new man in her life, Alcide?

Things between cocktail waitress Sookie and her vampire boyfriend Bill seem to be going excellently (apart from the small matter of him being undead) until he leaves town for a while. A long while. Bill’s sinister boss Eric has an idea of where to find him, whisking her off to Jackson, Mississippi to mingle with the under-underworld at Club Dead. When she finally catches up with the errant vampire, he is in big trouble and caught in an act of serious betrayal. This raises serious doubts as to whether she should save him or start sharpening a few stakes of her own …

I really enjoyed this novel, more so than the first two. I thought throwing Bill and Sookie an obstacle in their relationship was a good way to keep the story fresh and interesting. The introduction of Alcide came at a good time. I felt myself really warming to this character and I must admit I spent the novel hoping the he and Sookie would hook up and she would ditch Bill because Alcide is so much nicer (I won’t say what does happen though, you will have to read it). I feel like I am taking the position of “Team ” so to speak.

This was by far my favourite novel in the series yet, but I will read the rest before I pass judgement. On to book four now!

Rating 3.5/5

Living Dead in Dallas - Charlaine Harris

Living Dead in Dallas is the second book in the Sookie Stackhouse, southern vampire mystery series. It follows Sookie as she is employed by Dallas vampires to help them find one of their vampire companions who has gone missing. Sookie must use her telepathy to find out information but soon she finds herself up against an anti-vampire organisation called “The Fellowship of the Sun” who are doing all they can to convince the world that vampires are an abomination and should be eliminated, along with any human who associates with them.

Cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse is on a streak of bad luck. First, her coworker is murdered and no one seems to care. Then she’s 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).

Point is, they saved her life. So when one of the blood-suckers asks for a favour, she complies. And soon, Sookie’s in Dallas using her telepathic skills to search for a missing vampire. She’s suppose to interview certain humans involved. There’s just one condition: The vampires must promise to behave – and let the humans go unharmed. Easier said than done. All it takes is one delicious blonde and one small mistake for things to turn deadly…

I enjoyed this book a lot. The story was a bit more action packed than the first and Charlaine Harris was able to develop the characters further, showing the reader that there is more to Sookie Stackhouse than meets they eye. It was a fun story (just like Dead until Dark) and really help set up the tone of the coming books a lot better than the first. I feel that in this book, you can really feel Charlaine Harris growing as a writer and series storyteller. Right after i finished this book I found myself picking up Club Dead and starting on that to see what is going to happen with Sookie. Like the last book it doesn’t take itself too seriously, which is what makes this series so enjoyable. It’s a nice change from heavy literature.

Rating 3.5/5

Dead Until Dark - Charlaine Harris

After much recommendation from fellow bloggers I decided to give the Sookie Stackhouse, Southern vampire series a go. I managed to buy a 7 book box-set off Amazon for half the price it would have cost me in an Australian bookstore and that was including postage! What a bargain!

Dead Until Dark is book number one in this series. It introduces Sookie Stackhouse, a waitress who has the gift of being able to read minds, and her new love interest, a vampire named Bill Compton. They live in a small town called Bon Temps, Louisiana and there have been some violent murders since Bill came to town.. can Sookie use her mind reading ability to find the killer before he kills his next victim? Can she prove her brother and bill are both innocent of these crimes and more importantly, can you really have a relationship with a vampire

Sookie Stackhouse is a small-time cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana. She’s quiet, keeps to herself, and doesn’t ge out much. Not because she’s not pretty. She is. It’s just that, well, Sookie has this sort of “disability”. She can read minds. And that doesn’t make her too datable. And then along comes Bill. He’s tall, dark, handsome – and Sookie can’t hear a word he’s thinking. He’s exactly the type of guy she’s been waiting for all her life…

But Bill has a disability of his own: He’s a vampire with a bad reputation. He hangs with a seriously creepy crowd, all suspected of – big surprise – murder. And when one of Sookie’s coworkers is killed, she fears she’s next…

I enjoyed this book. It was fun, easy to read and the main characters were likeable and interesting. It was a good introduction to the series, which looks like it is going to be a lot of fun to read. I was a bit surprised at first at the amount of sex in the first half of this book… I felt like I was reading vampire erotica! But the mystery plot in this book was interesting enough to keep my attention, as was Sookie’s mind reading ability. I am looking forward to seeing how the next book develops the characters and story.

The TV series, True Blood is also based on these books. One of the many series I have been meaning to watch. Maybe now i’ve read one of the books i will finally get around to it.. or maybe I will just finish reading the books first..

Rating 3.5/ 5