Dead Until Dark

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Summary: Southern Fried Vampire served up with gravy!
Review: How could anyone not adore Sookie Stackhouse? She's plain spoken, God fearin', and lives in a small parish in Louisiana with no aspirations other than to work on her tan, and make ends meet at Merlotte's as a cocktail waitress. All would be seemingly hum-drum if not for the otherworldly gift she has:clarivoyance (which has been a pain in the tookus to her)until Vampire Bill steps into her life and lights her up like the big Pabst Blue Ribbon sign.
From that moment forward, this plucky heroine is entangled in a net of murderous vampires, scared-out-of-their-wits country bumpkins, inept law enforcement, and Bill's sexy boss Eric to boot.
Get out your Daisy Dukes for a hilarious and thoroughly enjoyable read from Charlaine Harris. I found Sookie to be the best of sports, and this Southern Vampire Series was hard to put down!

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Summary: If you could read my mind....
Review: But, would you want to? Some folks might think reading another's mind would prove advantageous. Not so for Everywoman Hero, Sookie Stackhouse.

Sookie Stackhouse is what folks in her small town call 'different.' Though attractive, she doesn't go on dates. The local males are not comfortable around her. She works in a bar as a cocktail waitress and if you think that's a fun job to have when you're psychic--think again.

In general, she doesn't have many friends---only her boss, Sam, her co-workers at the bar, and her philandering little brother Jason stick by her.

She'd expected a vampire to come in the bar for a long time. They're legal now with rights. Vampirism is the result of a virus. In this world, synthetic blood is available to stave off the cravings.

But, the entrace of a pale-faced stranger turns her world around. At last, someone whose mind she cannot read.

Charlaine Harris creates a heroine most of us can identify and like. Her writing is fast paced and sticks to the point. Unlike some of the writers in the vamp genre, she paints the gore with a realistic brush but doesn't hammer it into your face. This book and the series are definitely worth reading.

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Summary: Dead Until Dark
Review: This is the first book in a series by Charlaine Harris. Once I picked this book up I couldn't put it down! I had to finish it! Once I finshed it I had to get the rest of the books in the series. If you like Laurell K. Hamilton and Anne Rice, I assure you that you will enjoy this book. I guarantee that you will be as hooked as I was, and will have to read the others. I am always eager to read the next installment of the Sookie Stackhouse tale and I am sure that you will be too after reading "Dead Until Dark"!

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Summary: More entertaining that I thought!
Review: Sookie Stackhouse is a waitress at the local bar of a small town in Louisiana. People in her town think she's a little nuts, but that's because Sookie has a little secret of her own. She can read minds. However, she doesn't like to, so she keeps a barrier up in her own head to block out the boring voices that is the minds of other people. One night, a mysterious stranger appears at her bar. She is instantly fascinated by his 'glow' and instantly classes him as a vampire. However, others in her small town notice that too and they are up to no good. After saving the vampire (Bill) from a near 'draining', Sookie finds herself caught up in a life she never imagined she would have and discovers things below the surface of her normal-looking town. Involving (of course) vampires, other supernatural, mystery, suspense, thrill, romance, and humour, Charlaine Harris creates a new, and intriguing story that I found hard to put down.

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Summary: Vampires - Down Home Southern Style! Great Fun!!
Review: Sookie Stackhouse is an attractive, telepathic barmaid from Bon Temps, a small backwater town in northern Louisiana. She has always been ashamed of her "gift," the ability to read other people's minds, because other people have always treated her as if she had a disability. What were they thinking?? The major disadvantages to her telepathy are Sookie's inability to keep the voices at bay, even though she has learned to shield herself somewhat. She has also been unable to have a relationship. How can you fall in love when you know everything your boyfriend is thinking? All in all, however, she has lead a quiet, ordinary life with her grandmother and brother Jason. The siblings were orphaned at an early age. Sookie's life is about to become exotic, Bigtime! She has always wanted to meet a vampire, since vampirism became legal a few years before the novel begins. Most vampires stick to themselves and feed without killing humans. They drink bottled synthetic blood with human supplements in limited amounts. Some even attempt to assimilate into the general population. Occasionally there are "unfortunate incidents," a euphemism for the bloody slaying of a human, but that would mean a stake through the heart for the undead perpetrator. There are also humans who exploit vampires by draining their blood to sell on the black market, or by finding ways to use their supernatural powers for their nefarious human purposes. This vampire exploitation figures mightily in the plot.

Anyway, back to the new excitement in our heroine's life. Sookie is overjoyed. (her words not mine), to discover a vampire at one of her tables in Merlotte's Bar - a tall, dark and very handsome one, if unfortunately pale. When asked his name, he
replies, "Bill." Sookie exclaims, "The vampire Bill! I thought it might be Antoine, or Basil, or Langford! Bill!" Just plain Bill is in town because he inherited a piece of land, and wants to make his home in Bon Temps and live as normal a life as possible, under his circumstances. He was alive to fight for the Confederate cause, which gives him a major "in" with the town's Descendants of the Glorious Dead Society. He is immediately attracted to the very appealing Sookie, with her all American girl looks and sweet innocence, as opposed to the more skanky women he meets in vampire society, the "fang-bangers" or vamp groupies. Sookie is not able to read Bill's thoughts, so there is blessed quiet when they are together. And they fall in love.

Bill's arrival in Bon Temps coincides with the murders of several young women, all bar maids known to hang-out with vampires. These gruesome murders have a major impact on Sookie and on her relationship with Bill. I might add that the mystery is a tough one to figure out, for a change. I like to be stumped!

Author Charlaine Harris's "Dead Until Dark," is a terrific romantic suspense novel - and very refreshing. The writing is excellent, as is the humor and plot. There are no unnecessary elements or ploys here. The characters are wonderful and well developed. I really like the Anita Blake Vampire series by Laurell K. Hamilton and was ambivalent about beginning Ms. Harris' Southern Vampire series. How different could the characters and plots be from each other?? Very Different!! Anita Blake is a dark, cynical lady with a darker sense of humor, (and I love her for it)! She's a big city gal. The folks/creatures who surround her, the scrapes she gets into, and out of, are of a more sophisticated nature. Sookie Stockhouse is a real sweetie, though somewhat naive, living in a small town with Louisiana Cajun ambiance. Her adventures are dark also, but there is more romance here and a lighter comedic touch. "Dead Until Dark" is Book One in the series. I had so much fun with this novel, I plan to read the others. ENJOY!!
JANA

Rating:
Summary: Delicious!
Review: If you enjoy brilliant imagination surrounded by a modern and realistic setting, you'll love this series of books from Charlaine Harris. The supernatural becomes quite natural in these laugh-out-loud stories that feature a sexy, small-town mind-reader and her new vampire "friends", (as well as a host of other outrageous characters). Each book also contains delicious eroticism as described and experienced by the heroine barmaid, Sookie Stackhouse. She finds herself in the company of many virile and handsome creatures of the night and there are times I actually envy her!
Each book is an immensely enjoyable read. I highly recommend them all.

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Summary: Better than Anita Blake
Review: I bought "Dead in Dixie" from a book club which had all three novels (Dead Until Dark, Living Dead in Dallas and Club Dead) compiled into one hardback book. I had never read anything from this author and I bought it mainly b/c I had to fulfill my book club agreement, and I have got to say it was well worth my money. I've been a fan of the Anita Blake series for awhile now and I thought it was one of the best vampire stories that was until I read these books. Its more lighthearted and not so much focused on sex that I enjoyed the southern vampire series more. I just love Sookie Stackhouse. These books are well written and makes you wish you were Sookie, although sometimes I could have strangled her. I can't wait to read the rest of the series b/c I'm looking forward to seeing how her character developes. So BUY THIS BOOK AND READ THE WHOLE SERIES! You want be disappointed.

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Summary: Light and Entertaining
Review: I bought Charlaine Harris's "Dead Until Dark" to meet the $25 qualification for free shipping, and I was doubtful as to whether I'd really like the book or not. I remember reading the reviews and thinking, "Boring." I don't take any particular liking to the South, or to small-town waitresses, and the clipped, professional critiques from editors didn't spark any interest. I was surprised to find it a attention-holding, solid read!

I am a vampire fan, so it was the only reason I had to buy the book. I jumped into the Laurell K. Hamilton loop a few months ago, and her vampires have gotten me hooked! Harris's vampires are more believable, more down-to-earth, maybe, but still enthralling and addictive.

Her characters, like Hamilton's, are deep and well-developed. Heroine Sookie Stackhouse, though, like every heroine crosses the line from individual to stereotypical a few times. Blonde, blue-eyed, attractive, and gifted, it seems like most men in the story want to screw her. Aside from that, Sookie is very real and very loveable.

The story runs at a reasonable pace--not too fast, and definitely not too slow. Sookie's encounters are detailed but not overwhelming; Harris's writing brings out clear pictures and active senses. The plot constructs something of a romance/suspense persuasion, but I guess it could be classified as a mystery. The story kept me turning pages 'til the very end!

Overall, I consider my money well-spent. As a 14-year-old, I considered this book more appropriate to my vampire addiction than Hamilton's Anita Blake series. Harris didn't get carried away with the sexual encounters; they are not especially emphasized or over-detailed, but still intimate, for lack of better term. I would recommend "Dead Until Dark" to anyone with a partiality to supernatural romance; the story is a light one, a refreshing change to the usual hot and heavy style. I've already obtained the second book of the Southern Vampire series; I really hope it is as good as the first--going to read it right after this!

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Summary: Lovedit!!!
Review: I recently read Dead Until Dark and Living Dead in Dallas. What a fun trip. It is light hearted reading, that is impossible to take seriously. I almost fell out of my chair laughing when I encountered "Elvis" the vampire. Read it! They are good suspense that will keep you entertained.