Dead and Gone review

Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris
Why I read this: It's Sookie, baby!

Except for Sookie Stackhouse, folks in Bon Temps, Louisiana, know little about vamps -- and nothing about weres.
Until now. The weres and shifters have finally decided to reveal their existence to the ordinary world. At first all goes well. Then the mutilated body of a were-panther is found near the bar where Sookie works -- and she feels compelled to discover who, human or otherwise, did it.
But there's a far greater danger threatening Bon Temps. A race of unhuman beings -- older, more powerful, and more secretive than vampires or werewolves -- is preparing for war. And Sookie finds herself an all-too human pawn in their battle.

I'll start by linking you to the review of the last Sookie Book I wrote. Just like it was for me then, it will be hard for me now to write a review without giving away spoilers. I'll black any out so that it isn't ruined for those who want to find out key things on their own.

Just like other Sookie fans, I started to watch True Blood last year. I liked the first few episodes, but it soon got on my nerves. Tara and Sookie were both so wrong that I couldn't get past it. The plot changes were so off course that I didn't even feel like I was watching something that was created in the authors mind. The only reason I continues on with the series is because my friend's husband had a recurring role on True Blood, and I always like to watch any show that he is on.

A big fear I had was that the True Blood would ruin the books for me. I was convinced that I would be picturing Anna Paquin (ugh!) while I was reading. That would have been bad. No way would I have been able to read even one page.

Ah, but Charlaine Harris is a fantastical author who truly knows her stuff. The sheer wrongness of True Blood wasn't a blimp on my radar screen while reading the book. Yay!

As always, Sookie was a strong heroine who didn't allow herself to be pushed around, but at the same time knew when to back down from any type of situation where she could get herself hurt.

The dynamics between Eric and Sookie are sheer fireworks. I enjoy Eric and I am pleased with any scene that he is a part of. My only complaint is that Sookie's relationship with Eric is starting to feel too much like the one between Anita Blake and Jean-Claude. (Laurel K Hamilton) Sookie isn't sure if what she feels is real or if it has to do with the blood exchanges, so she is reserved with her feelings for him. That is near to how things were with Anita and Jean-Claude, except Anita didn't know if it was real or because she was his servant.
It's subtle, but still made me aware enough to think of the other series (which I stopped reading, by the way)

All the usual characters play a role in one form or another, and poor Sookie is betrayed by someone she has known for a very long time. Readers wont be as surprised as Sookie was, though.

Dead and Gone was awesome. It was perfect except for the LKH reminder. For that, I'm going with an A- rather than the A+ I wanted to give it. Still pretty damn good, though, if you ask me :)

And because I have to tell someone, I'm going to post some major spoilers that I can't wait to start chatting about. *Highlight with your mouse to read spoilers)


Eric and Sookie are MARRIED!! Okay, not married the way you or I are married, but in Vampire society she is married to Eric and belongs to him and only him. Oh yeah!

Bill express his love for Sookie and nearly dies trying to protect her. There were a few pages where I thought he really had died. That was sad for me because I had started to forgive him for the shitty thing he did to Sookie. I'm relived he is not dead. Well, not dead dead. LOL.

Two deaths. One was Crystal. Meh. I hated her anyway. The other... Claudine! And she was pregnant. I was not expecting that at all.

One last thing is that I think we have seen the last of Sookie's great grandfather. Pity. I liked him. He didn't leave without telling her that he (he, as in Bill or Eric) really does love her. She didn't know which man Niall was talking about. I hope Sookie figures it out in the next book. I hope it's Eric.

That's it. That's all I wanted to spill.