Muerto hasta el anochecer (Sookie Stackhouse, #1)

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Muerto hasta el anochecer (Sookie Stackhouse #1)

by Charlaine Harris

3.91 · rating details · 120,135 ratings · 10,629 reviews

No es facil ser una camarera sexy con poderes telepaticos y enterarse de los terribles secretos que todo el mundo esconde. Tal vez por eso Sookie Stackhouse termina enamorandose de Bill Compton, cuya mente no puede leer. Sookie suspira de felicidad por haber encontrado a su media naranja, y no le importa que sea un vampiro de mala reputacion. Hasta que una companera suya e...more

Published (first published May 1st 2001)

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Mar 28, 2010

Vanessa rated it

· review of another edition

After reading a succession of more serious books, I felt the need to read something light and trashy. As I discovered from reading this book, you should be careful what you wish for. Light? Yes. Trashy? Oh yes. Oh yes, yes, yes. But not in a good way - just trash, trash, trash.

It is hard to say what I disliked more about this book - the sophomoric writing, or the annoying, vapid, 2-d, Harlequin-romance-heroine-helpless-twit persona of Sookie Stackhouse. Sookie is a psychic, an...moreAfter reading a succession of more serious books, I felt the need to read something light and trashy. As I discovered from reading this book, you should be careful what you wish for. Light? Yes. Trashy? Oh yes. Oh yes, yes, yes. But not in a good way - just trash, trash, trash.

It is hard to say what I disliked more about this book - the sophomoric writing, or the annoying, vapid, 2-d, Harlequin-romance-heroine-helpless-twit persona of Sookie Stackhouse. Sookie is a psychic, and this fact is used to explain everything from why she didn't do well at school and became a cocktail waitress to why she spends all of her free time sunbathing to why she can't see an obviously dangerous situation until she's up to her eyeballs in it. It does not, however, explain why she has such bad dress-sense (denim mini jumper dress with yellow bandana hair clip to impress the vampire who comes to dinner; Tweety Bird night gown that drives him wild with desire), or why her sexual naivete comes and goes like a rash - at times she is very confident about her sexual attractiveness (wearing "fuck me" red high heels etc) and other times wondering what Bill the vampire and all of the other men in Louisiana could possibly see in "l'il ole me".

The sex scenes are either squirmingly bad or tedious. After reading two I just had to skip ahead a few pages any time sex with Sookie looked like it was going to rear its ugly and badly-written head.

I know a lot of folks have enjoyed this series, and have devoured every book written by Charlaine Harris. From reading other reviews, it seems to be a very polarizing book. As for me, I could barely choke this one down and will look to satisfy my literary appetites elsewhere.

3/28/10 - After having viewed the first two episodes of the HBO series "True Blood", I can now understand why people have gone bananas over this series of books. The show (what I've seen so far) is exceptionally good, thanks to a great cast and the writing talents of Alan Ball, who has turned a sow's ear into a silk purse. I can see how a reader might enjoy the books if they had viewed at least some of the series first and kept it in mind while reading Charlaine Harris's less than stellar prose. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case for me - and while I won't be reading any more of these books, I will continue to enjoy the show!(less)

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May 23, 2008

Shannon rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: vampires, urban-fantasy, 2008, mystery-suspense

I'd never heard of these books until a few months ago, and as usual, once one person recommends them, everyone seems to be talking about them, you see them everywhere, and you get curious. They're in the fantasy section, though for some bizarre reason I was under the impression, at first, that they were YA and silly. They are fun, but they are definitely for adults. The vampire/mystery style reminds me of the one Anita Blake book I read, the first one, which was horrible (can't say that enough t...moreI'd never heard of these books until a few months ago, and as usual, once one person recommends them, everyone seems to be talking about them, you see them everywhere, and you get curious. They're in the fantasy section, though for some bizarre reason I was under the impression, at first, that they were YA and silly. They are fun, but they are definitely for adults. The vampire/mystery style reminds me of the one Anita Blake book I read, the first one, which was horrible (can't say that enough times) - the similarities aren't obvious or anything, but perhaps because Dead Until Dark isn't paranormal romance, and it's not like The Turning or the Black Dagger Brotherhood books, Anita Blake is the closest comparison.

Oh but this book is soooooo much better! After a slightly rocky start in which the writing confused me a bit (something that also reminded me of Guilty Pleasures, perhaps unfairly), the story really gets going and in new and surprising ways.

Sookie Stackhouse is a waitress at a bar in Bon Temps in Louisiana. She has what she calls a disability: she can read minds. She's spent her young life trying to guard against the babble of other people's thoughts, and because of the level of concentration that takes she never did particularly well at school and never went to uni. But she likes working at Merlotte's, likes living with her Gran since her parents died, even though she can't have a relationship - it wouldn't be fun hearing what a man thought of you while being "intimate", would it?

She's also fascinated by vampires and has been waiting to meet one since they "came out of the coffin", so to speak, and became legal citizens. One night her wish comes true: a vampire called Bill (!) comes into Merlotte's and, joy of joys, his mind is silent. She can't hear a thing. Finally a man - an undead man, true - she can relax with.

But while Sookie and Bill are trying to have a normal relationship, working class women are being murdered in the area and while at first it looks like vampire work, soon the police are looking at Sookie's womanising brother Jason. On top of that, the most powerful (and dead gorgeous) vampire in the area, Eric, has his eye on Sookie and her ability for his own uses.

Dead Until Dark is a great mix of urban fantasy and mystery, and the crime side of the story didn't bore me a bit. I loved Bill, he was kinda adorable while also a bit unpredictable and scary (very nice), and while I didn't understand all the expressions I've seen enough movies set in southern US states that I could picture the people, places and culture fairly well. The book could have done with better proof-reading to catch all those missing prepositions and, at one point, an interesting way of spelling "complexion". There were also a few times where Sookie, who narrates, is musing about something and then another characters replies - it threw me off because it wasn't all that clear that she'd voiced her thoughts.

Sookie is a great protagonist, lively, fiesty, quirky and strong without being stubborn and bitchy, and her telepathy makes her especially interesting. She's definitely one of the better heroines of vampire novels I've come across to date. I loved Sam too, and Dean was great! Oh and the Elvis thing was funny too, though I was a bit slow in catching on. Anyway, if vampire books aren't your usual cup of tea, you might want to try this series because it's very enjoyable and fast-paced, yet with nice slow moments where you get to enjoy and understand the characters (so good character development, always important). So I guess this means I'm joining the Sookie Stackhouse bandwagon?(less)

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Oct 05, 2009

Ceridwen rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Wal*Mart shoppers

Recommended to Ceridwen by: Elizabeth

Shelves: for-teh-ladies, urban-fantasy, necrophilia, what-would-scooby-do, baying-at-the-moon, america-and-environs

There are two reasons why I thought this book was alright: fanboats and gumbo, or the complete and total lack thereof. I'm going to use my kids as a shield again and try to cover up the real Scooby Doo fan in this scenario, but I've watched probably hundreds of hours of Scooby Doo in my day. (Alright, line up, Mum needs a human shield again!)

Anyway, one of my favorite parts of a Scooby Doo episode is when the Mystery Inc gang lands in whatever foreign/ethnic land, and there's a scen...moreThere are two reasons why I thought this book was alright: fanboats and gumbo, or the complete and total lack thereof. I'm going to use my kids as a shield again and try to cover up the real Scooby Doo fan in this scenario, but I've watched probably hundreds of hours of Scooby Doo in my day. (Alright, line up, Mum needs a human shield again!)

Anyway, one of my favorite parts of a Scooby Doo episode is when the Mystery Inc gang lands in whatever foreign/ethnic land, and there's a scene where all the fun ethnic stereotypes are trotted out, you know, for authenticity. "We're in Australia, gang!" Fred says, loosening his ascot. Suddenly a surfer riding a kangaroo hops by the Sydney Opera house, and calls out "What a right sheila" to Daphne. Then Shaggy and Scoob pile some Vegemite onto their Scooby Snacks. We really are in Australia! Can't you feel it?

Anyway, Dead Until Dark is set in Louisiana, and there wasn't one fanboat, Voodoo priestess eating gumbo, or alligator. Sookie's semi-talking dog never ate a po' boy sandwich, no one called New Orleans "Nawlins", and not one peep of Zydeco could be heard floating over the bayou. The people in this story - and I mean this term specifically; I mean people, not supernatural beings - were from an ethnicity not generally visited by Scooby and the Gang*: the ethnicity of poverty.

So much of this romance-y chick-lit has a plucky middle-class heroine falling in love with a super hot rich guy. "She was sitting the library, having just done up her raven locks in a sensual twist using a pencil, which is how you can tell she's a librarian. Manly Hardsteed strode in the room, making altogether too much noise. She shushed him, and their eyes locked in combat" Sex ellipses. "Manly touched her face,** 'I'm not just hot and rich,' he said. 'I'm also a Duke.'" The occupations for these heroines amount to sartorial choices, a sort of Scooby Doo montage of their bourgeois worthiness.

Sookie's social milieu is the American working poor, and this felt kind of unexpected. In the little mystery part of the plot, someone is killing slutty, trashy poor women, and the cops pretty much don't care because these women are disposable tragedies who are asking for it. Vampires end up being this metaphor for the blood-sucking elite, who blow into town with their drugs and parties, and use up and discard the authentic locals. But the blood sucking elite aren't really real either; they're an urban legend used to scare the downtrodden into minding their place.

The thing that bugs me about Sookie is that I feel like Harris spends far too much time letting us know exactly how Sookie may look like one of these women, especially to a deranged killer, but she isn't really. She's a virgin, she has an income from something other than her waitressing job, she doesn't really drink like all the other floozies. I wonder if Vampire Bill isn't some sort of embodied noblesse oblige as a counter-point to the other inhuman richy riches. Is all the loving description of her fancy fashion choices - and I have to say the love scene where her banana clip features prominently is one of the most unintentionally funny things I've ever read - a sort of poor girl dress-up? Is Vampire Bill a hot, rich Duke?

I don't know. I think I've probably over-thought this, as usual. These sorts of stories are not about fancy prose or sparking dialogue or other literary whatnot; they're personal. Whether I like one of these things tends to come down to whether I like the main character. I hated Bella Swan because she seemed like one of those girls that doesn't really like other girls; the kind that disappears from your life when she gets a boyfriend because she doesn't see relationships with women as having any real value.

Sookie's not this bad, not even close. But I can't really see myself sliding on the jelly shoes and emptying a can of AquaNet into my full, lustrous blond hair before heading out for a night on the town with Sookie, because she seems to cultivate a casual cluelessness that I find truly frustrating. There are maybe 600 instances where Sookie puts on some hot mama outfit, prances in front of one of the guys who want to do the nasty with her, and then they guys get all still and look at her with darkened eyes. "What?" says Sookie, "Do I have something on my face? Why are looking at me like that?" Internal monologue: "Omg! I can't understand why all of these guys hate me." For a psychic, she seems awfully un-psychic. The men have gotten all still, Sookie, because they have transferred computer power from their brains to their throbbing manhoods. Of course he got a chubby when he looked at that one white dress with the little red flowers, matching red high-heeled shoes, and white plastic earrings. Of course.

*On of the more recent Scooby Doo movies takes place in Louisiana, and in addition to the things mentioned already there are also: catfish, hot peppers, a plantation, pirate treasure, zombies, and a vengeful Cat Goddess. It's called "Scooby Doo on Zombie Island" and features a slumming Adrienne Barbeau. Unlike Scooby Doo classic, the zombies and cat goddess are actually real, which made me have nightmares and a theological epiphany. I love Scooby Doo.

**I don't like it when people touch my face. Why does it always happen in these kinds of stories? Is there a whole sexual expectation of face-touching that I'm missing out on? Is it because I'm a Midwesterner, and we need something like 6 feet of personal space just to feel comfortable? (less)

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Jul 09, 2011

Buggy rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: shelf-08, para-rom, vampalicious, shelf-11, re-read

Opening Line:"I'd been waiting for the Vampire for years when he walked into the bar."

I must be one of the last people on the planet to read Dead After Dark. I also haven’t had a chance (yet) to watch True Blood, although because it’s been all over the media I had a pretty good visual reference for the characters here without actually having to compare the two. I was able to just go along for the ride. And what a ride, I can definitely see now what all the fuss has been abo...moreOpening Line:"I'd been waiting for the Vampire for years when he walked into the bar."

I must be one of the last people on the planet to read Dead After Dark. I also haven’t had a chance (yet) to watch True Blood, although because it’s been all over the media I had a pretty good visual reference for the characters here without actually having to compare the two. I was able to just go along for the ride. And what a ride, I can definitely see now what all the fuss has been about.

Honestly I had a hard time putting this down. Harris has created the perfect mixture of paranormal romance, mystery and action. With intriguing, humorous characters and situations and an absorbing, fast moving plot. Her take on Vampiric society is fresh and fascinating and I appreciated how we were continually reminded that despite “coming out” vampires are still very much predators.

I also found Sookie to be incredibly relatable despite her “disability” and supernatural circumstances. Harris just has a way of making her feel all girl next door so that we discover everything right along with her. I also loved Harris’s portrait of small town America and in this case it’s unique bar patrons whom I felt like I knew. This could be in part because I’m from a small town and I also cocktailed for years so the characters seemed familiar to me. Whatever the case I’m glad I finally got around to reading this series.

Sookie lives in the real world of small town Louisiana. She is a pretty cocktail waitress, lives with her grandmother and because of her telepathic “disability” keeps to herself. The people in Bon Temps tend to think that Sookie’s a little crazy because she knows things she shouldn’t and acts strange while her mental “guard” is up.

Everything changes the day Bill walks into her bar and orders a bottle of synthetic blood. Bill is a vampire and ever since they entered mainstream society she’s wanted to meet one. To make things even more interesting Sookie can’t hear a word he’s thinking, Bill might just be her perfect match, except of course for the fact that he’s dead.

Unfortunately soon after Bill arrives people start turning up dead, in particular waitresses. After an attack at her grandmother’s house Sookie fears she might be next. Then there’s Bill’s creepy group of friends, the recent Elvis sightings, her brothers illicit behaviour and all of a sudden her boss isn‘t quite who he appears to be either.

So like I said I really enjoyed this, the love scenes are steamy and dirty (think outdoors, mud, and covered in blood dirty) and Bill well he is just delicious in a dangerous bad boy wanting to brush your hair kinda way. The romance aspect here was very good. I also really liked Sam’s character and appreciated how his true self wasn’t revealed right away. Bubba was another awesome little addition and the many townsfolk and their idiosyncrasies were fantastic.

There are some surprising moments here and I never really knew where things were going to go next. Although I’ll be honest I had a tough time keeping straight who was who. Getting many of (the many) secondary characters mixed up so that even at the end when the killer was revealed I had to back track to figure out who it was. As a former waitress (which Harris must also have been at one time) I found the bar scenes realistic and fun. Can’t recommend this one enough.(less)

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Jan 03, 2009

Trin rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, mystery, american-lit

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Sigh. I tried to give this a fair chance, I really did. I went into it hopeful, despite some other negative reviews that I’ve read, because I quite liked the pilot for True Blood, the new HBO series based on these books. Dark, however, loses points from me right away because the two most interesting characters on the show—Sookie’s cranky best friend Tara, and Lafayette, the fabulous (in every sense of the word) chef at the bar where Sookie works—either completely don’t exist or have only the tin...moreSigh. I tried to give this a fair chance, I really did. I went into it hopeful, despite some other negative reviews that I’ve read, because I quite liked the pilot for True Blood, the new HBO series based on these books. Dark, however, loses points from me right away because the two most interesting characters on the show—Sookie’s cranky best friend Tara, and Lafayette, the fabulous (in every sense of the word) chef at the bar where Sookie works—either completely don’t exist or have only the tiniest of roles, respectively. Lame. Still, I find the basic premise Harris has cooked up intriguing: in this world, vampires have come “out of the coffin” and are public knowledge; they can drink Japanese-manufactured synthetic blood and have basic human rights. (On the show I believe they are still working toward those rights, but it hasn’t been made entirely clear.) That’s an idea that seems rich with symbolic significance that, correctly handled, could be truly fascinating.

Instead, as Harris handles it, it’s just another boring romance between a powerful, possessive alpha male and his frail human woman who’s in need of his protection. Sookie isn’t, to be fair, as helpless and hopelessly devoted to her man as Bella Twilight Swan is, but the basic power dynamic between her and Vampire Bill is still incredibly boring. In general, as a couple, they are boring. So there’s that dullness—bad enough—which Harris proceeds to combine with several shakes of sheer lunacy. Sookie completely under-reacts to incredibly traumatizing things, like waking up with a naked shapeshifter in her bed, or a loved one’s murder. She believes the PR that vampirism is a virus and is really surprised when someone points out that that doesn’t make sense considering that shapeshifters and telepathy also exist, and, you know, vampires can fly. Despite being telepathic, Sookie’s only able to solve the oh-so-complicated mystery when the killer attacks her. (Handy!) Oh, and Elvis shows up. I am not kidding.

I wish I were, though. I also wish I was wrong when I say that I can predict pretty much exactly how the rest of this series will go, with Sookie, like a less lubricated Anita Blake, fighting off the affections of two (or more!) men and unable to make up her goddamn mind. Both of those men will devote their (un)lives to protecting her, and Sookie will say, “God! I’m a grown woman, I can take care of myself! I don’t need you to protect me!”—and then, instantly, need them to protect her. And then Kurt Cobain and Jimmy Hoffa will show up to hang out with Vampire Elvis.

Gimme a break. I can only hope that the show proceeds to more interesting ground, because reading this book, all I could think was: been there, done that, have the lousy fang marks.(less)

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Jan 18, 2009

Jennifer rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 2006, charlaine-harris, vampires, sexy, paranormal, paranormal_mystery, paranormal_romance

The first book in the Sookie Stackhouse series.

I confess - I picked this up at the bookstore for a few reasons:
1. The cover was sparkly and I liked the art.
2. Vampires! Having spent a huge chunk of my youth hoping the vampires in Anne Rice's novels would knock on my window late at night (shut-up, like you didn't???) I have been looking for the next Brad Pitt with fangs. (shut-up, like you aren't???)

And yeah. That was all it took. Sparkles and vampires - SOL...more

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Sep 07, 2011

Keely rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: chick-fiction, vampirical-nonsense

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Dec 08, 2007

Vampire Lady rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: naive twenty-somethings who don't know good writing if it hit them upside the head

Shelves: read-in-2007, vampires, straight-romance

When I first read the premise for the book, I thought it was slightly intriguing. Nothing I would rush out to get and read right away, but still enough for me to put on my list of to-read. Now that I've read it, I want my brain back. I like the idea that vampires are a known part of the human world. I really do. I liked Sam, about the only character in the entire book I did like, and how Harris explained him. I just think it took to long for her to reveal it all and to get her point across.
...more

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Nov 14, 2008

Beth F. rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: vampires, urban-fantasy, 2008

Even though Bon Temps, Louisiana ain’t urban by any stretch of the imagination, I would still classify this book as urban fantasy. So if you enjoyed popular series such as The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher and/or The Anita Blake Vampire Hunter Series by Laurell K. Hamilton, you might want to give Sookie Stackhouse a try.

I’m a fan of both and Sookie’s series has been on my to-read list for at least a year at the time I write this. I’ll admit the reason I hadn’t picked this series u...moreEven though Bon Temps, Louisiana ain’t urban by any stretch of the imagination, I would still classify this book as urban fantasy. So if you enjoyed popular series such as The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher and/or The Anita Blake Vampire Hunter Series by Laurell K. Hamilton, you might want to give Sookie Stackhouse a try.

I’m a fan of both and Sookie’s series has been on my to-read list for at least a year at the time I write this. I’ll admit the reason I hadn’t picked this series up sooner is because the name “Sookie Stackhouse” was a major turnoff for me. Sookie? Stackhouse? That name is incredibly silly-stupid in my vocabulary and I had to jump a huge hurdle just to get past that. I don’t know, maybe that kind of name is normal or cute when you’re in Louisiana, but that’s a world away from where I live in Minnesota, so it was a stretch for me and I had hard time NOT laughing anytime someone said/whispered/shouted Sookie’s name. Although then I reminded myself that one of our TV stations in Minneapolis employs a weatherman named Sven and I have known several people over the course of my life who share names with Scandinavian mythological beings such as Freya, Odin and Thor and while that is perfectly normal in Minnesota and nobody bats an eye at names like that up here, the rest of the country is probably snickering behind their hands and thinking we’re loony for clinging to our ancestors’ pre-Christian pagan traditions (hellooo Minnesota Vikings!)

Sookie Stackhouse is a blonde-haired, blue-eyed ditz with a “substantial bosom” (her own words, by the way, this is a first-person narrated novel) who has made it to the ripe old age of 25 with her v-card still intact, mostly because she’s a mind-reading telepath who can hear the thoughts of her would-be suitors (including the not-so-flattering stuff about her butt, her boobs, you name it) so she doesn’t date much, and who can blame her? She also happens to be living in a parallel universe where vampires are “out of the coffin” and are recognized as a separate race of citizens in the United States.

Sookie works as a waitress in a small-town bar so most of the characters in the book are introduced in relation to the bar. If they don’t work there, they’re bar patrons, and they all know “crazy” Sookie, nicknamed so because of her ability to read minds (which she tries to keep under wraps, but a lot of people are on to her).

Even though vampires are “out” in Sookie’s world, she doesn’t meet one until two years after their existence is announced. Bill Compton walks into the bar and Sookie is immediately drawn to him because he is the only man she’s ever met whose mind she can’t read. Bill is attempting to live in mainstream human society and is an interesting character because he has historic roots in Bon Temps, Louisiana. The Compton family has lived in the area for over a century and Bill himself was alive during the Civil War and fought on the side of the Confederacy. He was married with kids at the time so the family name was passed down over the generations. The latest Compton had recently passed away before Bill moved back to Bon Temps to take up residence in the family’s home.

Shortly after Bill arrives in Bon Temps, a number of mysterious deaths occur in rapid succession. So whodunit? Well, that’s for you to find out for yourself when you read the book, which is straight up murder mystery with a vampy twist. A few other things to keep your eyes peeled for are an Elvis sighting, a handful of not-hot sex scenes and probably the worst ever come-on I’ve ever heard in my life: "I want to enter you again." Ew, Bill. Just ew.

This book read like a first novel to me, even though it's not. There were several awkward sentences and there were parts of it that felt choppy. I felt the same way about the first couple books in LKH’s Anita Blake series, which improved significantly over time (before spinning off in another oh-so-weird direction, but we won’t go there because this is about Sookie, not Anita,) so I definitely plan to give the next Sookie book a shot and see where it goes, because Anita’s series started off slow and awkward as well and blossomed into a series that, for me, is at crack-addition level, even though Anita’s sex-life does sort of gross me out (but again, now isn’t the time or the place go there).

So while I can’t say I’m totally in love with Sookie at this point, I did enjoy this novel quite a bit and see some potential for a fun time, so I’m glad I put the request in at the library for the second novel because Sookie has some potential. It was an entertaining fast read and now I don’t have to feel guilty for watching HBO’s “True Blood”, which is based off this series. (less)

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Nov 18, 2010

Sizzlin Miss Kenjii rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: fans of PNR-lite, mystery, thrillers

Recommended to Sizzlin Miss Kenjii by: Library friends, GR friends

Shelves: romance-vampires-demons, romance-paranormal-lite, romance-shifters, books-read-2010

Sookie Stackhouse is a waitress in a small Louisiana bar, that can read minds. She lives with her Gran and has a promiscuous brother, Jason.

Vampires are "out" and when one comes into Merlotte's one night, Sookie is thrilled. Bill is a vampire. He is in awe of Sookie. Her gift, her blood. Together they make for good reading.

The story skips back and forth between Sam[Merlotte's bar owner:] and his affections for Sookie. Sookie and Bill, and the brutal murders of...more

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Jan 15, 2009

Kristianne rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2009

Let's get one thing straight...Sookie Stackhouse is no Bella Swan. You may have read the myriad reviews that list the similarities between Charlaine Harris's novels and the Twilight Saga and I can assure you that most of them are true. Harris refers to her vampires 'glowing', Bill drinks synthetic blood, Sookie can read minds...the list goes on and on.

But after finishing this book, what I can assure you is that in so many ways these books are so completely different that they bear ...moreLet's get one thing straight...Sookie Stackhouse is no Bella Swan. You may have read the myriad reviews that list the similarities between Charlaine Harris's novels and the Twilight Saga and I can assure you that most of them are true. Harris refers to her vampires 'glowing', Bill drinks synthetic blood, Sookie can read minds...the list goes on and on.

But after finishing this book, what I can assure you is that in so many ways these books are so completely different that they bear no comparison. The Sookie Stackhouse novels are fun and action-packed where Twilight is contemplative with a more restrained plot. Neither one is better...they're just different.

What I enjoyed so much about Dead Until Dark is the incredible, break-neck pace the plot moved along at. This was like watching a blockbuster movie and truly didn't take much more time than that to read. Harris threads the hooks of the story expertly. When you get to the end of a chapter, she'll write something to stop your heart dead in your chest. You literally HAVE to turn the page to find out more.

The other major strength of this novel is Sookie. She is one of the most fun characters. She's kooky, she's kick-ass and I loved being able to step right into her mind. I would've taken tough-stuff Sookie over Bella any day.

But Bill is not comparable to Edward. He's HOT and he oozes that sexy bad-guy image but I just don't know if I 100% believes he loves Sookie. I know his character is supposed to be stiff and uncommunicative but I did find it a challenge to warm to him as much as I have done with other romantic heroes. He doesn't really have the 'swoon factor' Edward does.

I will absolutely continue to read this series with great pleasure. I do want to know what happens with Sookie...I secretly hopes she shacks up with Sam. Is that too much to ask?

Readers should be warned that this novel is quite violent. It also discusses issues that some could find disturbing and upsetting (incest etc). For more conservative readers, please be aware there are multiple explicit love scenes.

I would certainly recommend this book to Twilight fans looking for an enjoyable vampire series.(less)

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Feb 15, 2009

Jess rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: nope

Recommended to Jess by: previews of True Blood and Casey's rave review

Shelves: 09, paranormal-romance, vampires

Vampires--now recognized by the government as virus ridden people--have come to Bon Temps and that's just fine with Sookie Stackhouse. These murders, however, have got to stop.

How can a book including a vampire, a mind-reading waitress, and at least four murders be so boring? (I was going to use suck but this book doesn't deserve that pun.)

Least sexy vampire ever. He's in love...maybe? I don't know. I can't tell. I'm not sure he has a personality. The girl is annoy...more

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Apr 25, 2011

Jen (Red Hot Books) rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: sookie, urban-fantasy

If you’ve learned everything you know about Sookie Stackhouse from watching True Blood, you are missing out in a big way. Yeah, yeah, there is definitely something to be said about the joys of watching Alexander Skarsgard brood and wear muscle shirts. But the books put the tv series to shame. The biggest difference is that these books are all first-person Sookie. Everything is about her and the world from her perspective. (Most of the more ridiculous subplots of the series don’t even exist i...moreIf you’ve learned everything you know about Sookie Stackhouse from watching True Blood, you are missing out in a big way. Yeah, yeah, there is definitely something to be said about the joys of watching Alexander Skarsgard brood and wear muscle shirts. But the books put the tv series to shame. The biggest difference is that these books are all first-person Sookie. Everything is about her and the world from her perspective. (Most of the more ridiculous subplots of the series don’t even exist in the books.)

Sookie is a waitress in small town in northern Louisiana. She can read minds and it’s a curse that has plagued her for her entire life. It has isolated her and prevented her from ever developing real relationships… until she meets Bill. He is a vampire; his kind has just “come out” to the world. And when she is with him, there is no noise… just peace and silence. Their relationship kicks off when she saves his life from a wayward couple, planning to drain him and sell his blood as a drug. Not long after she rescues him, he ends up doing the same for her, when the couple returns to retaliate.

The relationship between Bill and Sookie develops quickly. (There are definitely some sexy scenes between the two that can get your blood racing, but nothing likely to make you blush if you’re reading in public.) But there is much more to the story than their relationship. Women are being murdered in their small town of Bon Temps. The victims all seem to have ties to vampires –and eventually, the murders hit very close to home for our heroine. There is action and suspense –and a great element of surprise when the killer is finally revealed.

Sookie is a likeable lead… a sweet country girl who is often underestimated. We see Bill through her eyes as this dashing, sexy, larger-than-life guy, who straddles the line between man and monster. There is a great supporting cast, lead by her boss Sam, her slutty brother Jason (who, despite his portrayal on tv, is not a complete idiot,) and the enigmatic Viking vampire Eric. This first installment really only gives us a peek into the supernatural world that will eventually be revealed as the series progresses. But it’s a great start. It’s fun and fantastic series for any fan of the Urban Fantasy genre. 4 1/2 stars.

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Dec 27, 2010

Joyzi rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Peeps who don't mind crappy writing

Recommended to Joyzi by: Youtube

Shelves: e-book, disappointing-books, adult, didn-t-finish-skimmed, don-t-judge-me, book-series, erotica, mystery, chick-lit

Look for the CRAB!

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Oct 04, 2009

± Colleen of the Crawling Chaos ± rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy, vampire, romantic

So, what can I say? I enjoyed the book, but in a guilty pleasures, sort of embarrassed to admit kind of way. Let's admit it - this is hardly well written, but it's quick and light and fun, and there's something to be said for that.

That said, I didn't really like Sookie's voice. I found it rather irritating right from the start. And the dialogue - ugh, who talks like that? And if people really do talk like that, then I'm glad I don't know them.

And there's not much cha...moreSo, what can I say? I enjoyed the book, but in a guilty pleasures, sort of embarrassed to admit kind of way. Let's admit it - this is hardly well written, but it's quick and light and fun, and there's something to be said for that.

That said, I didn't really like Sookie's voice. I found it rather irritating right from the start. And the dialogue - ugh, who talks like that? And if people really do talk like that, then I'm glad I don't know them.

And there's not much character development to speak of. Sookie is annoying in her so-called naivette. It just seemed like manufactured drama to me. I mean, she accused Bill of being hot and cold, but, really, Sookie was just all over the place. She loves him, she hates him, she's not talking to him, she needs him - and over silly little trivial stuff. Talk about high maintenance.

And Bill's pretty one-dimensional. "I'm violent, Sookie, but I'll never hurt you." And those clothes?

Speaking of clothes - I didn't need to know about the print on Sookie's dress, or whether or not she washed her hair and shaved that day in the shower. Really, there are some details which are just extraneous. (Not to mention her fashion sense seems stuck in the 80s. If you're going to talk clothes, then talk clothes, dahling.)

Anyway... the whole thing with Sam was pretty damn obvious, too.

Erm, as far as characters go, I liked the grandma, and every one else (well, including her, really) seemed pretty much like a pastiche.

Actually, I think the best way I can say it is that it was like reading a soap opera. Over-the-top melodrama, with thin characters, and horribly bad dialogue.

I won't run out to get the next episode (this one was lent to me by a coworker), but I won't turn it down should she hand me the second, either. (I really need to start looking into this whole library thing... )

Oh, but I do have to say, the whole "PR thing" about it being a virus. Ok - I could buy that people would buy that there's a virus that makes people avoid the sun and be allergic to garlic, or whatever... but the virus also makes their hearts stop and live forever? Really? And the fact that Sookie is surprised to discover it's supernatural? Ugh!

I'd probably rate it lower, because it was just horribly written and ludicrous, but I liked it, damnit... so take it for what it's worth.(less)

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Feb 15, 2009

Alaine rated it

· review of another edition

Recommended to Alaine by: Kristianne

Shelves: fantasy-sci-fi, all-time-favourites

This book is one of the most entertaining books I've ever read. It has comedy, suspense, romance and fantasy! What more could you possibly want? Clearly the author has a very twisted sense of humour which I loved! There was one 'incident/character' that had me laughing so hard I nearly fell of my chair!
At this point I should say that I'm not a huge Vampire fan and I've only recently come to the Paranormal Romance sub genre. I've read and loved the Twilight series but when characters of Twi...more

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Jan 01, 2009

Christy rated it

· review of another edition

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. S...more

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Oct 02, 2008

Rosa rated it

· review of another edition

I started reading these books because of the show on HBO, which I find somewhat uneven in tone, but mostly enjoyable in execution and very interesting in terms of its premise. Because I was so intrigued by the premise, I figured I'd dig the books. They have not disappointed me. I find them dangerously cheesy at times (not just all the love scenes, which are rendered in a way that always makes me feel like Fabio should be posing on the cover, but also the minute descriptions of Sookie's attire - ...more

like 12 likes

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May 22, 2008

lynne naranek rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 2008

Firstly, what sort of name is "Sookie" anyway? Especially when it is paired with an alliterative surname like "Stackhouse", it already makes the heroine/main character of this tale hard to take seriously.

I like many of the premises of this tale, the main one being how vampires have fought for and won rights to "live" as other people in the United States, claiming their condition is due to a virus that has made them allergic to silver & sunlight and need...more

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Aug 03, 2008

Deborah rated it

· review of another edition

Recommended to Deborah by: Mrs. Optimus

Shelves: paranormal

When I first started reading the book I thought that it was going to be juvenille because of its seeming simplicity, but as I got further along (and stopped rolling my eyes) I changed my opinion and did not want to put it down. I enjoyed the aspect of two "unusual" people getting together and falling in love, which was an oddity especially for a vampire who supposedly has no emotions.

I like that Charlaine Harris put a simple spin on this tale and did no drag it out. She ...more

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Jul 10, 2010

Miss Kim rated it

· review of another edition

Recommended to Miss Kim by: Fans of the show Tru Blood

Shelves: paranormal, 2010, keeper

Why do the covers of this series have to be so dorky?

I went into this with low expectations, and I was pleased! This is different from the show, but I loved it. No need for a play by play review since most know it.

I liked getting to know more of Sookies thoughts.

I loved that Elvis is a dim-witted vampire named Bubba, though he is not named. "It is that man from Memphis..the singer". Too bad that was not in the show!

I missed Tara and Laf...more

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Sep 23, 2007

Trina rated it

· review of another edition

Let me start off by saying I am not a prude. I may live in Utah. I may have only kissed one man in my life- but I have no problem with a little sex in a book. This went far beyond that. To the point that the story was no longer the story of clairvoyant girl meets vampire and they try to catch serial killer together. The story quickly became girl and vampire have sex together a lot. That bugged me. Rather than being interesting or even exciting- it was boring. Sex does not a plot make. The story ...more

like 15 likes

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Oct 08, 2008

Logan rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Lori

Shelves: horror, mystery-thriller, blood-suckers, the_south_will_rise_again

Cute! Fun and imaginative take on the vampire story. I came to this series due to True Blood and am pleasantly pleased to find that, despite any differences with the show, the book is just as engrossing. I didn't want it to be over when I put it down. Luckily there are seven more books in the series yet to read. Harris has a fun little universe swirling around Bon Temps and I can't wait to see what is in store for Sookie next.

like 3 likes

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Jan 12, 2012

Stephen Knapp rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2012, tv-and-movies, detective-stories

I've held off reading this because I saw and loved the HBO series and was afraid that this book wouldn't live up to the "new and improved" version as broadcast. However, the novel was still enjoyable in its original form and was a fast fun read.

The novel was improved in the series and several of the characters were more fully realized than in the original book. Given that the series came years later, involved scores of talented people and devoted almost 12 hours to a singl...more

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Apr 07, 2009

Csquared rated it

· review of another edition

Wow, these are shocking in how poorly they're written. Yet, I can't put them down. At the very least they're entertaining, quick reads. I'm currently on the fourth in the Sookie Stackhouse series and "Dead Until Dark" has not been my favorite. Perhaps that's because after seeing the HBO show, hence knowing the storyline and ending, all I was left with was the terrible editing, under-developed story and repetitive content. Oh and the sex too. I'm enjoying the other books in this s...more

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Nov 04, 2009

Meghan rated it

· review of another edition

You know when you buy a pint of ice cream and you think it is a good idea because it is smaller than a big tub of ice cream but as soon as you start eating it, you can't stop and then before you know it you've eaten the entire thing. You feel sick and guilty but you know you will go back and do it again.
That sums up my feelings for this book. I knew when a friend handed me the first three books that I should have said no. We had talked about Twilight, we had talked about being addicted des...more

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Nov 19, 2008

Lori rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Lovers of A.Lee Martinez, Christopher Moore, Odd Thomas Series...

Recommended to Lori by: Logan

Shelves: fiction, fricken-awesome

Ok.
This novel has taught me to Never.Ever.Ever. judge a book by its cover Ever.Ever. again!

I would see these books all over Borders and Barnes and Nobles and never give them a second glance.

Not because it was sci-fi (which I like). Not because it was Vampire sci-fi (which I like). But because of the super cheesy covers and the super cheesy titles.

Logan, I am thanking you for picking this book up and for recommending it to me.

One of THE bes...more

like 11 likes

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Oct 27, 2008

Jim rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal-urban, fantasy

I wondered if watching the HBO series, "True Blood" first would have an ill effect on reading this book, but it didn't. There were differences; no Tara & a few others, but nothing that ruined it for me. I'm looking forward to reading the next books soon.

It's an interesting take on vampires coming out & getting legalized. Our heroine, Sookie, is able to read human minds, isn't particularly powerful, but she is a tough young lady. No over-powering sex, which I appreciate....more

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Sep 28, 2008

Carmen rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: people willing to try out vampire novels different from the mainstream YA ones.

A good series but sadly with really ugly covers

A few years ago I tried reading this book. I just couldn't get into it. I've noticed how some people in their reviews wrote about how Harris didn't explain things off the bat. I actually agreed with that before, it was so aggravating. BUT THEN a few weeks ago I started watching True Blood on HBO, and I fell head over heels in love. Which goes against my policy of: Read first, then watch. But I couldn't help myself. So I began reading De...more

like 5 likes

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Sep 26, 2007

Schnaucl rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: borrowed, fiction, urban_fantasy, read_2007, september, series

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

like 3 likes

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Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
True Blood TV series love it or hate it?	488	1017	6 hours, 48 min ago
Goodreads Librarians: Reader Response	2	30	Jan 15, 2012 10:18am
Book Boyfriends: Eric Northman	14	13	Jan 13, 2012 10:47am
Familiar...	39	255	Jan 03, 2012 11:48am
Sookie Stackhouse...: favorite female leads	6	3	Oct 27, 2011 03:58pm
What are your favorite and least favorite parts about this series?	43	186	Oct 24, 2011 05:23pm
Sookieholics: Things You Would Never Hear in the Sookie Stackhouse Books	52	5	Oct 15, 2011 07:06pm

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About Charlaine Harris

Charlaine Harris has been a published novelist for over twenty-five years. A native of the Mississippi Delta, she grew up in the middle of a cotton field. Now she lives in southern Arkansas with her husband, her three children, three dogs, and a duck. The duck stays outside.

Though her early output consisted largely of ghost stories, by the time she hit college (Rhodes, in Memphis) Char...moreCharlaine Harris has been a published novelist for over twenty-five years. A native of the Mississippi Delta, she grew up in the middle of a cotton field. Now she lives in southern Arkansas with her husband, her three children, three dogs, and a duck. The duck stays outside.

Though her early output consisted largely of ghost stories, by the time she hit college (Rhodes, in Memphis) Charlaine was writing poetry and plays. After holding down some low-level jobs, she had the opportunity to stay home and write, and the resulting two stand-alones were published by Houghton Mifflin. After a child-producing sabbatical, Charlaine latched on to the trend of writing mystery series, and soon had her own traditional books about a Georgia librarian, Aurora Teagarden. Her first Teagarden, Real Murders, garnered an Agatha nomination.

Soon Charlaine was looking for another challenge, and the result was the much darker Lily Bard series. The books, set in Shakespeare, Arkansas, feature a heroine who has survived a terrible attack and is learning to live with its consequences.

When Charlaine began to realize that neither of those series was ever going to set the literary world on fire, she regrouped and decided to write the book she’d always wanted to write. Not a traditional mystery, nor yet pure science fiction or romance, Dead Until Dark broke genre boundaries to appeal to a wide audience of people who just enjoy a good adventure. Each subsequent book about Sookie Stackhouse, telepathic Louisiana barmaid and friend to vampires, werewolves, and various other odd creatures, has drawn more readers. The Southern Vampire books are published in Japan, Great Britain, Greece, Germany, Thailand, Spain, France, and Russia.

In addition to Sookie, Charlaine has another heroine with a strange ability. Harper Connelly, lightning-struck and strange, can find corpses… and that’s how she makes her living.

In addition to her work as a writer, Charlaine is the past senior warden of St. James Episcopal Church, a board member of Mystery Writers of America, a past board member of Sisters in Crime, a member of the American Crime Writers League, and past president of the Arkansas Mystery Writers Alliance. She spends her "spare" time reading, watching her daughter play sports, traveling, and going to the movies. (less)

More about Charlaine Harris...

Books by Charlaine Harris

Living Dead in Dallas (Sookie Stackhouse, #2)

Dead to the World (Sookie Stackhouse, #4)

Dead as a Doornail (Sookie Stackhouse, #5)

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Quotes from Muerto hasta el anochecer

“Woo woo, secret vampire stuff!” — 180 people liked it

“I snuck a look to see how Eric was taking this, and he was staring at me the same way the Monroe vampires had. Thoughtful. Hungry.
"That's interesting," he said. "I had a psychic once. It was incredible."
"Did the psychic think so?” — 140 people liked it

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Muerto hasta el anochecer (Sookie Stackhouse #1)

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