Dead in the Family (Sookie Stackhouse, #10) in Around the World in 80 Books

Jun 02, 2010 Katie rated it liked it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I really enjoy these books. They're enjoyable and fun to read, and they have very interesting characters. I do have a few complaints about this book, and the series in general. First of all, I don't understand why only one of these books is being printed per year. As much as I do enjoy them, I'm well aware that they're not literary masterpieces - I really don't think it takes a year to write a book like this. And my second complaint, in a similar vein, is if they must keep us waiting a year betw I really enjoy these books. They're enjoyable and fun to read, and they have very interesting characters. I do have a few complaints about this book, and the series in general. First of all, I don't understand why only one of these books is being printed per year. As much as I do enjoy them, I'm well aware that they're not literary masterpieces - I really don't think it takes a year to write a book like this. And my second complaint, in a similar vein, is if they must keep us waiting a year between each book, I think the readers need a little bit of background prepping at the beginning of the book. It's been over a year since I read the last book, and I barely remembered a thing about it. I slowly put the pieces together as I read this book, but it would have been much better and more useful to have a very quick summation of past events in the beginning of this novel.

I'm also starting to have a tough time reconciling between the books and the TV show. I'm a really big fan of True Blood, and while I generally adhere to the tenet that the book is always better, I'm starting to have mixed feelings in this case. I think the True Blood writers made some really good decisions on plot changes (with the exception of that Mary Anne plotline, ugh) and there was some REALLY great casting done for that show. So I think my real enjoyment of True Blood is making it difficult for me to enjoy these books as much.

I thought this was one of the better books in the series to come out in a while, though! I thought the change in the relationship with Claude was excellent, as well as the arrival of Eric's maker and Eric's subsequent change in personality. I think I like where things are going with Bill (I'm going to assume that he's not actually interested in his creepy, obsessive vampire 'sister'). I would have liked to see a little bit about that before the book ended. In fact, I didn't find this ending to be among the book's strong points at all - I didn't think it was climactic enough, and while it wasn't a cliffhanger by any stretch of the imagination, there were a lot of unnecessary loose ends. I really like Eric as a character a lot; in fact, I think he might be my favorite. That being said, I think the relationship between Eric and Sookie has reached it's full potential and Sookie's love life needs to move on. Everyone reads these books because they're thinly veiled romance novels, let's be honest, and the love plotline is getting a little boring.

Looking forward to the True Blood season premiere on the 13th! :)

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