Dead Until Dark

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

292 pages

ISBN: 978-0441008537

Paperback: 6.7" x 4.2" x 1"

Illustration: Lisa Desimini

Publisher: Ace Books (May 1, 2001)

Books in series: 9 (plus a few short stories)

From Ace Books:
Sookie Stackhouse is just a small-time cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana. Until the vampire of her dreams walks into her life-and one of her coworkers checks out....

Maybe having a vampire for a boyfriend isn't such a bright idea.

Consensus: I couldn't find an official summary online so I'll have to supplement.

Sookie has the unfortunate talent of being able to read people's minds and this skill has prevented her from doing normal things like dating and going to college. Vampires have recently been revealing their presence in the world and are lobbying for civil rights. None of this means anything in Bon Temps, Louisiana until Bill comes in the restaurant in which Sookie waitresses. The townfolk start to suspect him (as well as Sookie's brother) once women in the area are found murdered. Sookie has to worry about her safety, with regards to the murderer as well as her budding relationship with Bill.

I really enjoyed this book, especially after watching the first season of True Blood (which covers the entire book). It was an easy read, which I liked, but the dialogue can be pretty funny despite the severity of the events surrounding Sookie. I commend Harris for expanding upon the problems regarding dating a vampire as well as being able to read people's minds. Looking forward to reading the next book and I do recommend the tv show, though keep in mind it can be pretty graphic (hello, it's on HBO for a reason).

Update 6-15-09

Currently reading:

Mortal Coils by Eric Nylund (yes still)
Rebel Fay by Barb & J. C. Hendee
The Cry of the Icemark by Stuart Hill

Last books read:

The Other Queen by Phillipa Gregory
Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris


Library books to be read:

Furies of Calderon by Jim Butcher
Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
The Warded Man by Peter V. Brett
The Pessimist's Guide to History by Doris Flexner and Stuart Berg Flexner
Child of a Dead God by Barb & J. C. Hendee
The Dark Mirror and Blades of Fortriu by Juliet Marillier
Legends (short novels by Jordan, Goodkind, etc)
Inferno by Larry Niven
Death : a life with George Pendle
Interworld by Neil Gaiman
The Mermaid in the Basement by Gilbert Morris
Wolfsbane and Mistletoe various authors
Death's Daughter by Amber Benson
Forged by Fire by Janine Cross
Feast of Souls by C. S. Friedman
Elizabeth and Mary: Cousins, Rivals, Queens by Jane Dunn
Gone by Michael Grant
Santa Olivia by Jacqueline Carey
Every Which Way But Dead by Kim Harrison
Vampire Knight Vol 1 by Matsuri Hino (lol yes manga)


Books I own remain the same. I check out way too much stuff at work.

Internet is down again at home but I'll try to prepare some posts while at work. It's been pretty busy though.

Working for the Devil

Working for the Devil by Lilith Saintcrow

416 pages
ISBN: 978-0446616706
Paperback (6.5” x 4.2” x 1.1”) 7.99
Illustration: Larry Rostant
Publisher: Orbit/Yen (September 2007)
Books in series: 5

From LilithSaintcrow.com:

Necromance-for-hire Dante Valentine is choosy about her jobs. Hot-tempered and with nerves of steel, she can raise the dead like nobody’s business. But one rainy Monday morning, everything goes straight to Hell.

The Devil hires Dante to eliminate a renegade demon: Vardimal Santino. In return, he will let her live. It’s an offer she can’t refuse.

There’s just one catch. How do you kill something that can’t die?

Consensus: This was probably the first dark, paranormal/urban series I read and what attracted me were the cover and the title. The series has a few faults, one being that the author uses some of the same descriptive phrases over and over; I stopped wanting to hear about Dante’s “black molecule drip” manicure. She’s a badass, though over time, she gets a little whiney but I don’t blame her since she’s kept in the dark about information she ought to know. That also creates another problem: because Dante doesn’t know that info, the readers don’t either. Saintcrow never really answers some of our questions about the relationship between the Fallen and their lady "friends".

Despite all this, I really enjoyed Dante and her profession, as well as her friends. Readers seem to like Jace, an ex-flame, quite a bit. I also really liked some of the historical tangents or segues the author provides to explain how we have all the unlikely professions that are commonplace – like Necromance, for example. Besides demons (and Lucifer), the books also feature werewolves and vampires and a few other mythical creatures that I haven’t encountered in popular fantasy.

Update 6-4-09

Currently reading:

Paint It Black by Janet Fitch
Mortal Coils by Eric Nylund
The Cry of the Icemark by Stuart Hill

Last book read:

Hunted by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast

I'm being really bad, I know. Haven't finished much of anything lately. I'll post a few books in the next day or two.

Have a good weekend. :)