Dead to the World

Sookie has made a promise to herself; she will no longer get beaten up. It has been a rough year for her. She was greatly injured in Dallas and again when she was trying to rescue Bill. She will not be the Supernaturals' bunching bag anymore.

After a late shift she heads on home, and on the way home she sees a strange sight. When she gets closer she notices that Eric is running in the middle of the cold night only wearing pants. She stops to ask him what he is doing and his reaction is quite curious. Instead of his usual 'charm' with her - he extends his fangs and hisses at her. Startled, Sookie asks Eric what is going on, and his reply is even more confusing. He does not know who she is. Worried that something is wrong with Eric she convinces him to get into her car and then drives back home.

When she gets home she calls Pam and tells her that she has Eric. Pam's directions to Sookie are simple: stay there and don't let Eric out of the house. Starting to worry even more, Sookie does as she is told. When Pam arrives Sookie gets let in on what is going on. Witches have cast a spell on Eric and erased his memory. There are no ordinary witches though; some are weres and they all feed on Vampire blood. What's worse is they're trying to take over the Sherveport area and will stop at nothing to make sure they win. Sookie has to try and help Eric while keeping her New Year's resolution. Can she? To complicate things even more - Jason has gone missing.

I like how the series is progressing. We are getting to know more characters like Pam and Eric. I am really starting to enjoy Pam's character - she is almost like the dry British humor. One cannot forget Eric though either. Last night while thinking over this book I couldn't help but think the Eric/Sookie action reminded me too much of Anita/Jean-Claude. On one of the covers someone praised Ms. Harris for her ability to add the Anita Blake quality but make it her own. I don't know if this is exactly true. I have been watching TrueBlood on HBO and I find it very irritating. The actress who plays Sookie reminds me of nails on a chalk board. What do you guys think?

Dead to the World by by Charlaine Harris (New York: Ace Books, 2004.)

Club Dead

Sookie's boyfriend Bill, or Vampire Bill to the locals of Bon Temps, has been glued to the computer for weeks. Every time Sookie tries to glean information from him, she gets no where. One day Bill tells Sookie that if, for whatever reason, he does not return from his 'trip' that she is to swear allegiance to Eric and hand over the files he is keeping at her house. Sookie agrees.

One night after work, Sookie talks to Pam, Chow, and Eric - and they all have bad news about Bill. He is missing. They question Sookie relentlessly about his project and if she knew anything about it, for there is going to be hell to pay if they cannot recover Bill or his project. She says she does not know a thing, when she in fact does. Eric sets up a way she can go into Mississippi and recuse Bill.

She meets Alcide, her way into Mississippi and Club Dead. Club Dead is what the Shifters and Weres call the club owned by the Vampires. While at Club Dead they run into more trouble and invite the attention of the King of Mississippi - Russell. Sookie needed Russell's attention, because she believes he is the one holding Bill captive. But where? Is he even still alive?

I really enjoyed this book. Even though the last book was featured in Dallas, I felt that this book had better feel to it. This might have occurred because of the introduction of Alcide, which I secretly hope he and Sookie will get together. I must admit that when I first started reading this series, and she had to chose between Sam and Bill, I voted for Bill. But now, I don't think they would be a good fit. At times, this book feels very similar to the Anita Blake series (Eric reminds me a lot of Jean-Claude). I also enjoyed the development of Sookie; she is becoming more independent and smarter. I must admit, I love reading the Souther dialect - it makes me homesick sometimes.

One final note: I have often seen the advertisements for TRUEBLOOD and I have been curious to watch at least one show, but I do not own a television (shocking, is it not?) and I do not subscribe to Netflix. With that being said, I have seen who they chose to be Sookie and I do not like her for that part - nor Bill. From the glimpse I've seen of Bill on TRUEBLOOD he does not fit the persona I would have chosen. I've heard TRUEBLOOD is really good - is that so? For those of you who watch it - do you like it? What aspects of the show do you like? Does it follow the book series closely?

Club Dead by Charlaine Harris (New York: Ace Books, 2003.)

Kitty and Dead Man's Hand

The only problem facing Kitty is how to tell her mother that she does not want a fancy wedding. No frilly dresses, no expensive photographers, no bridesmaids . . . you get the point. One night while talking to Ben Kitty gets the idea to go to Vegas. It's the quick wedding capitol of the world. But how to tell her mother? Well just inviter her along for the ride. She'll understand right?

Kitty tells her boss that she's getting married in Vegas and he comes up with the bright idea for her to have a live show in Vegas. Finally she'd have a TV show on her own terms and it won't be broadcasting her shapeshifting. With a sort-of wedding to plan and a TV show to plan Kitty's Vegas trip is looking pretty busy.

When they arrive at the hotel a problem already arises. The hotel they are staying in is also hosting a gun show and you can bet the people that are attending the show also hunt Kitty's kind. To make matters worse Ben's former friends have spotted him and don't necessarily like the fact that he's associating himself with the enemy or Kitty.

Everything is going well: Kitty's show went off without a hitch and Ben's even won at a poker game. Her parents have arrived but are doing their own thing until the "wedding" - it's easy street until the wedding. Well almost. Ben tells Kitty the night before their wedding that he's gotten into to a bigger poker game and it's at the same time as their wedding. Kitty and Ben decide to push it back. As the time draws near for the wedding Kitty get a call . . . Ben's gone missing and she knows it's not because he has cold feet. Now instead of getting married she has to find her fiance. But who kidnaped him?

This was a nice break from her power struggle books. It was fun to see Kitty doing more "human" activities :)

My only problem was trying to guess how the title of the book correlated to the plot of the story.

Books in this series :

1) Kitty and the Midnight Hour

2) Kitty Goes to Washington

3) Kitty Takes A Holiday

4) Kitty And the Silver Bullet

5) Kitty and the Dead Man's Hand

6) Kitty Raises Hell

Kitty and the Dead Man's Hand by Carrie Vaughn. New York (c) 2009

Soulless

This book was recommended to me by Darla D! Her review of this book is right here!

Britain during the time of Queen Victoria, oh how I would have loved to have been there! Ms. Alexia Tarabotti is something of an unusual person; she has no soul. This would concern most people but Ms. Tarabotti takes it in stride. She is also a spinster, which doesn't bother her the least. Her mother on the other hand is less than thrilled to have a spinster for a daughter who is also Italian. One evening Ms. Tarabotti, hungry and miffed that she cannot eat (even though promised there would be food at the party) goes to sit down and snack on some food but is attacked by a vampire!

She is shocked for naturally vampires do not do such a thing! This is a proper British society after all. As the vampire goes to bite her she places her hand upon him nullifying his vampire-ness, a trait which is only allowed to the preternatural (a term referring to her kind). After trying to dissuade the vampire who won't take the hint, Alexia mistakenly kills him. Just as the vampire dies Lord Maccon walks into the study and finds the messy situation. The vampire though is not from the local hive (as no hive would allow a half starved crazy vampire with no etiquette training to be about London). Lord Maccon, leader of BUR or Bureau of Unnatural Registry begins an investigation. The investigation begins to uncover some very unpleasant news that will drag Alexia into the supernatural world.

I just love this book! From the mannerisms of Ms. Tarabotti (she's not the typical Victorian lady - she has a mind and speaks out) to her interactions with Lord Maccon (again, not a feeble woman but one to be reckoned with) to the way that Victorian England is cast into a sci-fi world with floating dirigibles, werewolves and vampires (of high class and breeding no doubt!) this book just has it all and told so wonderfully. I must say that I had a lovely surprise when a certain character that I had written off as lame came back to be a key player. How delightful! My favorite character though had to be Mr. Akeldama! He was such a fun character to get to know and I quite liked his 'loud' style.

Books in this series:

The Parasol Protectorate Series

1) Soulless

2) Changeless (May 2010)

Soulless by Gail Carriger. New York (c) 2009

Need by Carrie Jones

Everyone has a fear, even if they don't want to admit it. I have a fear of spiders - I hate them and I think it's because of their eight little beady eyes staring back at me. They creep me out and every time I see one I jump and run screaming from the room. I then convince someone to 1)not kill it and 2) to peacefully remove it from the room and throw it outside.

Zara knows all about fears; she can list them alphabetically and even tell you what they mean. Since the death of her step-father Zara obviously hasn't been the same. Her mother is worried about her and decides to send Zara to her grandmother's (the mother of her step-father) house in Maine. Maine couldn't be any different that Charleston. Where Charleston is warm and populated Main is cold and desolate. Since leaving Charleston Zara has been seeing a strange man where ever she goes.

On her first day of school she runs into Nick Colt a hot cross-country runner and Ian or Mr. Class President. Instantly those two boys are vying for her attention but there is something not quite right about Ian but Zara can't put her finger on it. She quickly befriends Issie and Devyn and it doesn't bother her one bit that Nick hangs around them. One day at lunch she notices the same man standing outside the cafeteria pointing at her. Issie and Devyn see him too and they decide to do some research. The only explanation that makes sense is that the person stalking Zara is a pixie - but come on, everyone knows pixies don't exist. Another strange thing is happening in the town, boys have started to disappear. When Zara, Devyn, and Issie do some more research on pixies and discover that when the pixie king becomes weak boys start to disappear. But Zara is having a hard time believing in pixies, I mean come on . . . they can't exist. When another boy disappears Zara and her friends decide to uncover the mystery.

This is a wonderful book! The first thing I think when reviewing the main character is she is a self-less young teenage girl. Zara is deeply involved in the group Amnesty International constantly writing letter to free political prisoners around the world. As you first start reading this book there is no feel of fantasy of sci-fi it's just a real girl with real problems and trying to deal with the death of her father. As the book continues you slowly slip into the fantasy world where pixies and weres (were animals) exist. I think this is a wonderful book and I can't wait to read the 2nd book!

Books in this series:

1) Need

2) Captive (Hardcover release 1/5/2010)

Need by Carrie Jones. New York (c) 2009

Kitty and the Silver Bullet

2 things come to the front of my mind before I begin this review.

1) I'D LIKE TO THANK DARLA D. FOR SHOWING ME THIS SERIES and. . .

2) I love guessing how the title of the book relates to the plot.

For those of you that follow this series you will recall with no problem that Kitty has been on the move for about a year. She had to leave her pack in Denver after her best friend T.J. was murdered by the Alpha Male Carl. Kitty and T.J. were a huge threat to Carl and Meg (the Alpha female). When Carl kills T.J. she has no choice but to leave Denver and ne'er return.

The journey that Kitty's been on in the past year has had many highs and extreme 'lows'. Well does public humiliation qualify as a "low"? She has come away from her adventures on the road as a strong person: more sure in the power of who she is both Human and Wolf. She has meet many helpful people (vampiric and lycanthropic alike) and has also helped to take down corrupt people in high places.

When she receives a call on night her world is turned askew. She receives a phone call telling her that her mother is ill and Kitty is needed immediately. Instant fear strikes kitty. This isn't a cold, not it's much worse: her mother might have breast cancer.

However, it won't be easy for Kitty to return to Denver. Her old pack still roams the lands, and Carl and Meg would be all too happy to end Kitty's life. Plus one of her friends Rick (a vampire) has asked for Kitty's help in staging a coo with the Master of the City. The coo won't be easy - for Carl has sided with the old Master - and this is a fight that will involve everyone.

I love these books. I know, I know I say that about every book but it's true! I've only picked up 1 book (ok 2) that I haven't been able to get past the first 100 pages! I can always trust Darla D's advice when she recommends me books. Kitty has grown much more in this last book - and she'd have too. Facing and illness is never easy for any party involved, but it makes your stronger (and I mean mentally). She also had to finally face the fact that she's a leader and can't always fun from her problems. Sure, she still may try - but don't we all?

I'm trying to think of any parts I might of hated in the book, and I can't think of a single on. Ok, maybe 1 but it's more of my opinion - but when I think about it - there is really no point. I sometimes which she'd gone with Cormac. I mean, Ben's alright and stuff but Cormac is like the rough and ruggedly handsome type and I see Ben as more of a rather drab person (even though he can clean up enough to be on GQ covers).

Recommend to me by Darla D.

Books in this series :

1) Kitty and the Midnight Hour

2) Kitty Goes to Washington

3) Kitty Takes A Holiday

4) Kitty And the Silver Bullet

5) Kitty and the Dead Man's Hand

6) Kitty Raises Hell

Kitty and the Silver Bullet by Carrie Vaughn. New York (c) 2008

Kitty Takes A Holiday

Kitty needs a break. The past year has taken a toll on her. She was kicked out of her old town by a lunatic alpha, then a Senator looking to become president targeted her and publicly humiliated her. It's no wonder she decided to get lost in the woods and be wolf.

Before she becomes one with nature - her agent asks her to write a book about the past year and what it was like. She gets a call from Ben and she heads out to meet him. Ben is her lawyer and acts as a liaison between the outside world and Kitty.

After Kitty and Ben take care of the paperwork Ben tells Kitty that he has to leave to help Cormac with a job. When Kitty arrives back home - it's not all peace and quite anymore. In the middle of the night she hears a scream. She finds a dead rabbit on her porch and blood smeared into a cross on her door. Blood magic - but who would hate Kitty enough to do that? Who knows she's there besides Ben and her new neighbors?

The killings of rabbits keeps happening and it's starting to anger Kitty off. This is her home and no one has the right to attack her home. One night Kitty hears wheels on the driveway and it's Cormac with Ben - who's been attacked by a werewolf. Cormac tells Kitty of the case he's on - a family in New Mexico hires Cormac to kill their son, who turned werewolf. The only problem was that the werewolf wasn't alone. It was with a dark evil creature with red glowing eyes.

Comrac and Ben stay with Kitty. Cormac finds crosses spread around Kitty's house - and it's not a good sign. Someone is trying to scare Kitty away - and when dead dogs appear skinned and hanging from the trees, Kitty can't take it anymore. The local police aren't helping either. When the evil that Cormac faced in New Mexico comes to haunt them in Colorado - Kitty's wits are at an end and prepares to fight back.

This books was definitely a good read. The action grows by each book and the tension between Cormac and Kitty intense and a new relationship began between Ben and Kitty. I liked how Kitty realized how strong she is - and how she realized that her show is even more important to her than she once thought.

This book has been recommend to me by Darla D.

Books in this series :

1) Kitty and the Midnight Hour

2) Kitty Goes to Washington

3) Kitty Takes A Holiday

4) Kitty And the Silver Bullet

5) Kitty and the Dead Man's Hand

6) Kitty Raises Hell

Kitty Takes A Holiday by Carrie Vaughn. New York (c) 2007

Blood and Chocolate

Before I begin my windy and lengthy review of this book [ ;) ] I'd like to tell you a little snippet about myself. When I read a book - one of my favorite things to do is to guess how/why the author came up with the tittle of the book. Sometimes in the middle of the book I slap my forehead and go "AH! So that's where the title comes from!!" At other times I scratch my forehead and go "I don't get how the title fits with the book?" This book would be the later or the two. Well with that being said ladies and gents, the review awaits! . . .

Adam and Eve have nothing on the forbidden fruit (that was sooo 2006) what's new is: forbidden love! I'm sure at one point in time we have all been told that we can't have X - that X is bad for us. We were never told that we couldn't have X because it could 1) kill us or 2) endanger our family. When your a werewolf the whole "endangering your family" thing makes sense. You don't want a horde of slobbering humans (or in the book humans are referred as "meat-toys" ) with pitchforks and sliver running after you. It's a no-no win all around. When we meet Vivian her and her pack are in the mountains of West Virginia and are trying to escape with their lives. The humans are attacking! The only problem is not everyone escapes.

The pack has to relocate - and I'm sorry to say I can't remember where they relocated. I believe it's Maryland. Things are very tough for her - she lost her dad in the fire back in W.V., and she doesn't have any friends. The kids at school ignore her and the kids in her pack are hooligans (which she doesn't want to hang with.) What's worse is the Pack is in unrest since the death of their Alpha died (Viv's dad.) I'm sorry but that just sounds awful! No friends at school and no friends at home? Too bad she doesn't read ;)

Viv is a talented artist and when her teacher tells her to put on of her paintings in the local paper she does. When she looks at the picture she prays that there isn't some dodgy piece of art next to it - it would contaminate her work from the other page! There is a poem - and after reading it she notices that the poem is pretty dead on with what werewolves are. Two questions come to her mind - 1)Is he one of us? 2)If not then how does he know?

Viv decides that she will hunt (pun!) this guy down and find out the truth. When she does track him down, she never suspected that she would become his prey. It turns out that he is a human - and forbidden by pack law. Viv won't let that stop true love and still goes out with him - and one night she decides to show her true self to him (the boy is into magic and satan and all that stuff.) However, when she does he doesn't accept her - and she runs. A problem begins to brew when killings have started - and Viv has been blacking out. Adien (the boy) knows know of her true identity. She can't think back to those nights - they're blank - all she knows is that when she wake up there is blood all over her. But it can't be her! Can it?

Ugh. I'm not very impressed with my review - and I think that falls in line with my overall feeling of the book. Vivan annoyed me so much!!! I hate ABSOLUTELY HATE arrogant people! MY GOD! Ok, well you see why I didn't like her ;) At times there were some moments where she redemmed herself in my eyes, and by the next paragraph she was back to square one. Her mother was no help, being selfish and only caring about men.

Sorry for the horrid review!! It wasn't that bad - just not my cup of tea.

Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause. New York (1997)

Kitty Goes to Washington

The closing chapter in "Kitty and the Midnight Hour" is a sad one - I almost cried.

Towards the end of the first book, Kitty is finally becoming a stronger wolf at the irk of the alpha female Megan. Megan has always been jealous of Kitty - and sees the way Carl looks at Kitty. So what would any women do when jealous? Well get rid of the competition of course! Sure it's a little harder when the competition is a werewolf who has superhuman strength and heals a lot quicker than your average bear but thats why you hire hitmen or create a psychotic werewolf to take out the alpha male. Only problem: your target is smarter than you think.

Kitty uncovers the hideous truth of her pack - and challenges Megan. TJ comes to the aide of Kitty and the cost is TJ's life. Carl bans her from her home in Colorado and makes her a lone wolf. She has no choice but to wander the wilderness of the US.

Our Kitty is not scared to travel the United States by herself. She sees it as an adventure which she is more than willing to do. However the lose of TJ weighs her down, and not having a pack is something she misses as well. While on the road she gets a call from her friend Ben (who also happens to be her lawyer). Ben tells her that the US Senate would like her to appear in a hearing for her knowledge on the matter of the Supernatural World - and she has no choice but to show up in DC.

In DC she is stopped by a roadblock and a MIB (Man in Black) asks her to pull over. When she does she is told that Alette, the Master of the City, is offering Kitty her hospitality. Now, we've all read books were the Master of the City kills without remorse and doesn't offer anything without getting anything in return. Alette is not like that; she is 'old world' and still clings to that which made her human.

When Kitty arrives to the Senate hearing she is gets face to face with Senator Duke - a bible thumping senator that believes all that is Supernatural is by caused by demons, and in leagues with Satan and therefore evil. Kitty had hosted the Senator on her talk show a couple months back. The hearings begin with Dr. Flemming - who leads the study of Pre-natural Biology. As the hearings continue, Kitty's time to testify gets pushed back, closer to the full moon which Duke knows and counts upon.

When you get a hunch you follow it right? Kitty has a feeling that Flemming is up to no good, and calls on Cormac for help (Cormac and Kitty become quite good friends). They break into Flemming's lab and find that there are 2 cells - on with garlic paint and the other with silver flecked paint. This 'scientist' knows more than he puts out.

Once again Kitty must play the role of Sherlock Holmes and uncover the darker side of Flemming, Duke, and Leo. Leo is Alettes second in command that will sell her out for his own selfishness.

As the series continues we follow Kitty on her adventures that become more intense, and we see her grow from submissive little wolf to a stronger wolf.

I love how Vaughn mixes the Supernatural with the everyday - it's SiFi without being ridiculous.

Recommend to me by Darla D.

Kitty Goes to Washington by Carrie Vaughn (c) 2006

Next Book : Kitty Takes a Holiday

Kitty and the Midnight Hour

Trying to make a place for yourself in this world can be tough. Your friends, co-workers, family, and even strangers on the street always seem to have advice that is either "what's best in mind for you" or "well meaning". How would you cope though - if you have a pack leader that wouldn't let you be yourself and follow your dreams?

Kitty Norville is trying to balance her wants and need with that of the Supernatural world - a balance that is often hard to keep. She entered the world not by her own choice but by that of a Werewolf out on the prowl. She was in her college years and with a man who took advantage of her; by raping her and then leaving her in a secluded dark park.

Now adapting to her pack, she finds that she is the bottom of the pack - something she doesn't mind too much as long as she can keep her pride and joy - her radio show. They say all good things must come to an end, and our Kitty does not agree to that saying. A local Vampire leader comes to her alpha and demands that she stop her radio show - for it might bring attention to the supernatural world. Wold you let something go that you've worked so hard to create? I did not think so.

Kitty whines and begs for Carl (the alpha pack leader) to let her keep the show after it becomes syndicated, after all she'll be giving Carl a nice fee to let her keep the show. That does not bode well with the Vampires and other pack members especially her best friend TJ. He agrees with Carl (naturally so, since he is the Beta male) and tells Kitty to shut the show down.

One night while doing the show she gets a rather interesting call.

"Hello Kitty I'm in the lobby and I'm here to kill you."

Quickly thinking Kitty knows the only way to save her life is to keep the guy on the line, and then make him her friend. Cormac (the hitman) tells her the rules set forth - he must kill her on air. However, our Kitty is smart and a fast thinker - and comes to the conclusion that both she and Carmac have been set up. She quickly explains this to Cormac who then makes a deal with Kitty.

The death threat on Kitty is only one of many. She now begins to play detective, and finds that all that glitters is not gold within her pack. The police begin to call on her as a retainer to help them solve a slew of murders that have yet to be solved. Can Kitty find out who has been orders the hits - is it the Vampire leader or someone within the pack? Who has been slaughtering helpless victims in the city? Kitty has to solve the riddles while fighting for a place in the world.

Recommended to me by Darla D

Kitty and the Midnight Hour by Carrie Vaughn (c) 2005

Books in this Series:

1) Kitty and the Midnight Hour

2) Kitty Goes to Washington

3) Kitty Takes a Holiday

4) Kitty and the Silver Bullet

5) Kitty and the Dead Man's Hand

6) Kitty Raises Hell