the latest Sookie Stackhouse novel

[lorijds]

Anyone read it yet? Want to discuss it?

[Sarah W]

OMG! Is it out?

Great, it isn't on Kindle yet. I was so excited to read it.

[lorijds]

Yes, Ma'am. Go read it so we can discuss it!!!

[Alyantavid]

Oh man, my library doesn't have it yet!

[amcal]

I'm a couple chapters in.

I have to say, I'm not loving the tone so far. One thing about Sookie is that she's always sort of a bright light. One of those people that things happen to yet she always comes out the other side.

Like I said, I'm only a few chapters in but, goodness, it's sort of a downer so far.

And yeah, I know all she went through would make anyone depressed but, she's gone through a lot in all the other books but yet sookie still had life to her. In this book - at least so far she seems so blah.

[TEAK's Mom]

Originally Posted by Sarah W

OMG! Is it out?

Great, it isn't on Kindle yet. I was so excited to read it.

I know. The last couple were on the Kindle right away. I wonder why this one isn't.

[Viola]

My husband read it and thought it was just kind of meh. It's not on the Kindle because Penguin is negotiating with Amazon because they are not happy with Amazon setting the price for Kindle books, they want more leeway with that like they have with other places, I think. So now Amazon is selling the hardcover version for $9.99 just to be a pain, I suppose.

http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat...zon_157040.asp

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...194024292.html

[Monarchgrrl]

I'm getting it this weekend and will be back to discuss! I thought it came out later in May so I'm so glad you posted this! Woohoo!

[TEAK's Mom]

Originally Posted by Viola

My husband read it and thought it was just kind of meh. It's not on the Kindle because Penguin is negotiating with Amazon because they are not happy with Amazon setting the price for Kindle books, they want more leeway with that like they have with other places, I think. So now Amazon is selling the hardcover version for $9.99 just to be a pain, I suppose.

http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat...zon_157040.asp

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...194024292.html

The politics of all of this is so fun...sigh.

[raksmama]

Funny, I devoured the whole Sookie Stackhouse series last summer and was so sad when I finished that I started thread here asking for suggestions on what to read afterwards.

Turns out a lot of the suggestions were really good, so good. I have discovered lots of good writers so, I am not keen to go out and pay $30 for the hardback which is what it cost in the local grocery store. I will read it because I do really like the series. But I can wait until the price lowers!

I felt that the last book, Dead and Gone was not as good as the others. My personal favourites are books #3, #4, and #5. Maybe this partly comes from the fact that in each book Sookie gets badly beaten up. Yes, I know this is Urban fantasy vampire literature, but still, when she gets beaten up for the like, the 20th time I started getting a bit weary of it.

[Lindsay1234]

Hey Jalilah,

I know this is a SS thread but what books did you read next? Im looking for a good series

[enkmom]

I haven't read one in years, but my daughter has read them all and was eager for this one. She read it in a couple of hours, dropped it on the table, and said "That was stupid!" with such a look of disgust I almost had to laugh. She cuts Sookie (well, Charlaine) a lot of slack, but she thought this book was terrible.

[zippy_francis]

I am getting mine this weekend! And I am so excited, I have the series and have read it 2 times through already, i just cant get enough. I love the show too, books are better though. I have to go add HBO to my programming for the Season 3 coming in June. I am so cheap, I just add HBO for the show and when it is over I cancel it. Also, pp I am curious what other authors you have found too? I consume so many books, and I like to try new authors on good recomendations!

[amcal]

Still not loving it. Sookie as a constant victim is getting irritating.

[raksmama]

Originally Posted by Lindsay1234

Hey Jalilah,
I know this is a SS thread but what books did you read next? Im looking for a good series

Here are some of the recommendations I liked:

The Mercy Thompson Series by Patricia Briggs http://www.patriciabriggs.com/books/books.shtml

Mercedes Thompson or Mercy is a Native American shape shifter, turning into a coyote, who was raised by a pack of Werewolves. The first one is Moon Called. In addition to Werewolves, there are also vampires and Fae. In this series it is the Fae who have gone public. In spite of how the covers look, there is actually a lot less sex than in the Sookie series. It took me a while to get into them, but then I really enjoyed them. I think that was because I had just finished the Sookie Stackhouse series. I now realize about myself that when I switch from one series to the next in always takes me a while to get into the new series.

There are no supernatural characters in the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich but the tone is quite similar to Sookie Stackhouse. The leading character plays a bounty hunter. They are quite funny. I only read the first 4 books, but there are over 15 I think.

The Newford series by Charles De Lint http://www.sfsite.com/charlesdelint/ is becoming my favorite all time Urban Fantasy series. His books were not recommended to me on this forum. I actually found his books by chance in the library. His books are not as easy reading as the Sookie Stackhouse series but they go a lot deeper in terms of character development as well as plot. They can be almost spiritual.
De Lint combines Celtic and Native American mythology into his own unique fiction Memory and Dream is a good book to start with . http://www.sfsite.com/charlesdelint/memory-desc01.htm .

A lot of people recommend the Anita Blake series and the Queen Betsy series but I couldn’t get into either of them.

Sunshine by Robin Mckinney was good too!

[amcal]

Originally Posted by Lindsay1234

Hey Jalilah,

I know this is a SS thread but what books did you read next? Im looking for a good series

Have you read the Black Dagger Brotherhood by JR Ward? I loved them. She also has a new series coming out - The Fallen Angels - I really liked the first book in the series Covet

I hated the Anita Blake books - they were incredibly gory and violent - with violence against children. I could only get through the first few books and then I was so disgusted I quit.

[Viola]

Originally Posted by jalilah

Yes, I know this is Urban fantasy vampire literature, but still, when she gets beaten up for the like, the 20th time I started getting a bit weary of it.

My husband complained along these lines as well. I think also with this book is he felt like it didn't really advance the story all that much and there wasn't much to it. Also, the author brings things into the story for one book that have never showed up before, and that don't show up again. I don't know if she did it in this story, but he hates when something has been important all along and they've just never talked about it before.

The Anita Blake books are basically porn with some violent story around the edges, at least after book 5 or so. And it's all Anita with 1 man then 2, then 5, then 10; she never even puts another woman into the mix. It's like the author thinks a good story is directly proportional to the number of male members involved, or something.

[amcal]

Viola - I agree with your husband exactly. I'm 3/4 of the way through the book and I've yet to see the point of it. It's added absolutely nothing to the Sookie storyline. Nothing. Not a single thing has really happened. It's just Sookie talking to this person, Sookie talking to that person. She gets a little beat up - what else is new? BORING.......

[zarasmom07]

I did not like this newest book. I thought that she had too many things going on at once, and it's really getting annoying that eveything suddenly gets cleared up in the last 10 pages. i agree with pp, this did nothing to advance the story line, it was all just a huge set-up for the next book.

[NiteNicole]

I can not get into this book at all. I feel like I'm half way through and nothing has happened. It starts to feel a bit yucky when you pay for a book that could be condensed to an hour tv show.