I'm almost all caught up with the Sookie Stackouse series! For those of you who are new to Alison's Book Marks, or new to the Southern Vampire Mysteries, here are the three things you need to know:
1. This is the vampire series on which the HBO series, True Blood, is based.
2. Sookie Stackhouse is not a vampire, she is a telepath (she can read minds).
3. There are 9 books in this series so far, and I have taken the challenge to get all caught up from Beth Fish Reads.
In Charlaine Harris's 8th installment of the adventures of Sookie Stackhouse, From Dead to Worse (Southern Vampire Mysteries, No. 8)
, we finally find out the details of Sookie's bizarre family tree, thanks to a visit from her great-grandfather. It's a lesson in mythical blood lines. We meet some mysterious new characters, and one that melts your heart right at the end.Sookie stays in Bon Temps for once -- no plane trips, limos, or hotels. Being close to home doesn't mean she won't find herself in mortal peril. Of course, there are some great fight scenes, battles to the death, and Sookie once again has some crazy luck getting out of all of it alive. On the flip side, Sookie finds herself the peace-maker, rescuer, and finally has some favors of her own she can call in if she needs them.
Her love life has calmed down in this one -- there is some flirting, and some smooching, but it's all PG-13 in From Dead to Worse. Call me a prude, but I was glad not to blush while reading about Sookie's bedroom antics. It was also a relief that we didn't have to read about Sookie's bike shorts and baggy t-shirts or slacks suits. She's mixing navy blue and black, but there are no plastic yellow earrings -- alas, the banana clip is still alive! I haven't seen a banana clip since 1985, but maybe this is the "Worse" Harris refers to in the title of "From Dead to Worse," because there's nothing worse than bad 80s fashion trends. Speaking of the title, I have to get something off my chest. I think Harris was reaching with this title. Most of her other titles are very clever, all including "dead" but always relating to the storyline. I'm still scratching my head over this one.
Now, I just need to decide if I can borrow Dead and Gone from the library, borrow it from a friend, or spring for the hardcover...it's a recession, you know.
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