
Back for more blood sucking!
Once the Harry Potter experience was over, I decided to go back to my exploration of the vampire world as told through young adult and adult novels. This post will be entirely about young adult books and in the next I will talk about the adult novels, which I have yet to begin. As you know, I had success with the other two post-Twilight series I attempted, The House Of Night series and The Sookie Stackhouse books. Both worked for me for different reasons and I’m happily going to follow them to their completions. This time I out I found one series to continue but the rest were epic failures. I’ll talk a bit about those first and then talk about the one I truly enjoyed.
Evermore by Alyson Noel
I heard about this book, I think possibly on a Twilight sight. And I know someone mentioned it being as addictive and better than Twilight. I wish I knew exactly where I read this because I would happily go back and tell the poster that no, not remotely. I didn’t like it at all. There was one aspect that I found possibly interesting but the writing was terrible, hard to follow and not really enlightening. One scene she seemed to be describing a dream but then it appeared to be real. Very strange and disjointed.
This book tells the story of Ever Bloom, a 16 year old former beauty queen whose whole family was killed in a car accident. She nearly died but lingered while her family crossed over the bridge to the afterworld and instead was brought back to life. She moves to California to live with her aunt and instead of embracing being popular again she keeps mostly to herself and a couple of “freak” friends. A new guy, Damon Auguste, comes to school and starts drawing her out. He is not a “vampire” per se, he’s apparently an “immortal”. I guess he doesn’t feed from people at all but he drinks some red drink that is never really defined, although Ever suspects there is some blood base to it. Damon can also read minds, which calls back to Edward; as can Ever, ever since the accident which nearly killed her.
The one interesting aspect to the novel is that Ever is Damen’s soulmate reappearing over and over again over the 600 years of his life. His former wife keeps killing her and then he finds her again in another place and time. That could have been interesting but the idea got buried beneath her ghost sister visiting her, the stalking ex and this idea that she could choose immortality. The concepts were there but I didn’t feel like the story explored anything to my satisfaction. Another book is coming but I won’t be reading it.

The days of the solitary vamp in the shadows seem to be gone.
The Vampire Diaries by LJ Smith
I decided to look into this one since it’s being made into a show on The CW that I plan on checking out. In this series, we have Elena, who like Ever looks exactly like a girl from the past of Stefan and Damon (there’s that name again), a pair of vampire brothers who happen across her. Like Ever, Elena’s parents died in a car accident and she and her little sister are living with an aunt. Unlike Ever, Elena is still the popular queen of the school and has to deal with the catty politics of high school hierarchy. Stefan appears on the scene and Elena decides she must have him at all costs. Initially he tries to resist her but they eventually get together. Until Damon appears, that is.
Damon is the “bad” brother, the one who embraces being a vamp and lives for the darkness. Stefan is Cullenized, generally only drinking from animals although occasionally he will drink from a person without killing them. Damon’s not quite so concerned with people living and dying. What he is concerned with is Elena, who looks like the girl, Katherine, that both brothers loved. She’s the one who turned them both into vamps, instead of choosing between them, she chose to turn them both. When they got angry with her for not picking one and thinking they’d be happy to live together with her for all of eternity, she apparently left herself out in the sunlight to die. These vamps could be out in sunlight if they wore a special ring but she took hers off. Stefan carried it on a chain for hundreds of years til he fell for Elena, then he gave it to her.
I read the first two books in the series, they were packaged together and the story was alright. I would have probably pursued it but I did some reading up online and didn’t like where the author went with the story so I decided against it. I liked the concept, a good vamp and a bad vamp vying for the same girl years later. The characters were just okay, as usual the female protagonist didn’t really appeal to me. She was kind of a bitch and not the kind of bitch I generally enjoy. Stefan was alright and Damon had a lot of appeal but we didn’t get much of him. I imagine the 3rd and 4th books explore him a bit more but I wasn’t interested enough to continue.
Night World No 1 by LJ Smith
These books caught my eye because they were in the same display at the House of Night novels. Since I found them so appealing, I thought why not? Why not indeed…there’s a lot of reasons why not. The book contained 3 separate stories that almost read like short stories instead of novels. I again, liked the idea behind the books but not the actual stories themselves. The Night World is a secret world of vamps, witches and werewolves. They hold themselves separate from society and consider humans to be an inferior race. Falling for a human or sharing their secrets with a human is a death sentence. I liked that idea and had the actual Night World been explored, I could have enjoyed it.
Instead I got 3 short love stories which did nothing for me. In the first, a vampire turned his best friend/secret love into a fellow vampire because she was dying of cancer. His evil cousin was actually tempted to turn them in to the Night Council but didn’t and that was that. The second story had evil cousin fall for a human, which would have been kinda cool but it was too short and again, not a payoff with the Night World. The third had a witch falling for a human and choosing to leave the Night World for him. Nobody had any consequences for going against Night World law and it never felt like there was any threat there. Kinda ruins the story. There are 2 more books but again, I’m not pursuing it.
The one thing I did enjoy in this series was that there were two kinds of vampires, those that were made and those that were born. Yes, vamps could marry and have kids and those kids would grow up until they decided to stop. Then they were immortal. Vampires could also feed on humans in these books without killing them. I do like that concept quite a bit.

Again vamps feeding without killing.
The Vampire Academy Novels by Richelle Mead
Just when I was ready to declare my second go round with vamp lit a failure, I happened across these books. And lo and behold, I got sucked in again! When I saw the title I thought of House of Night, immediately, and this has some similar aspects although it’s very different in tone and setup. Like I mentioned in the last paragraph, these novels also have two sets of vampires, the born and the made kind. There are names for these and I’ll go into them momentarily. Like HON, these take place at a school for vampires and dhampirs. Dhampirs are half human/half vampires, generally born when a dhampir sleeps with Moroi. Moroi are full blooded, born vamps. There are 12 royal Moroi families, most of whom have some representation at the school. Moroi vampires are not immortal, they live and they die. The immortal vampires are called Strigoi. These are made vampires, via biting, or born vampires who kill Moroi or humans. It’s kind of strange to embrace the names and whatnot but you grow used to them after awhile.
The 3 books, with a 4th coming out in a couple months, are told again in first person, but this time our heroine is likable. I mean, really and truly likable! She’s Rosemarie Hathaway, a dhampir. Dhampirs generally have two paths in life, they can either become a guardian of the Moroi, protecting them from Strigoi, or they can sleep with Moroi men and have and raise their illegitimate children. Rose is in training to be a guardian and she’s protecting her best friend, Moroi royalty Lissa Dragomir. The novel kicks off with them out on their own living among humans and for a few chapters I was actually afraid they’d been introduced as characters in another book and I’d just missed it. But no, the author just immediately immerses you into this world and you have to puzzle it out through the first novel. Sometimes I find that annoying but it worked here.
After Rose and Lissa get dragged back to school, which is not a spoiler as it happens in the first chapter, they are brought back into the world of the Moroi/Dhampir life. The first novel focuses heavily on friendships and relationships within the school while subsequent novels bring a lot more of the battle with the Strigoi into it. And I really liked all of it. Rose and Lissa have a blood blond, but it’s one sided. Rose can sense Lissa’s moods at all times and she can even enter into her head and see things the way Lissa does, but Lissa does not have the same read on Rose. Lissa is the last of the Dragomir line, her family was all killed in a car accident that she and Rose survived. It was after she and Rose lived that their bond formed and Rose got the ability to read Lissa.
If the books had been told through Lissa’s eyes I might not have enjoyed them as much. She’s a definite good girl queenly type, but she’s not annoying. Just kinda bland. She does have a dark side to her, a battle with depression and power addiction that Rose constantly has to help her with. Rose, though, Rose is awesome. She’s an act first, think later kind of a girl. She’s sarcastic, smart alecky and a badass. Although another virgin, she doesn’t give a damn about her reputation for hooking up with guys and having a good time. I really like that attitude amidst all the purity in most of the books.
Rose has major mother issues, a common theme in most of the novels I’ve read. Her mom turned her over to the academies when she was four and continued her quest to be one of the top guardians in the world. There’s a lot of resentment there but she and her mother do bond a little over the 3 books.
This series fulfilled my need to get some kind of read on the society being set up. Where Stephenie Meyer only briefly touched on the Volturi, this one explores the Moroi royalty dynamic, courts, punishments, etc. I won’t spoil the who’s should I convince anybody to read it, but someone Rose cares very much about appears to become Strogoi at the end of the third and novel and the fourth is going to explore her quest to kill that person. Where I didn’t get the battles that I longed for in Twilight, here you get them plentifully.
There is a romance aspect for both Rose and Lissa, Lissa with an outcast fellow royal and Rose with an older guardian. That’s not the driving interest of the stories for me but I like both situations all the same.
I mentioned The House Of Night novels and there is another similarity here besides the school factor. In these books, the vampires specialize in one of the elements as well. Lissa has yet to specialize but it turns out there’s a reason for that I won’t spoil. I did find it interesting that calling the elements comes to play here but there is less of a spiritual aspect than in HON.
I thought it was interesting that 3 of the series revolved around dead families. Evermore & Vampire Diaries were about gorgeous blond girls and Lissa in Vampire Academy is also a gorgeous blond. Rose is statuesque brunette though, so there’s a little diversity. I’m about to graduate into the big person books so we’ll see if there’s any different themes brought to life there. I really find the vampire hierarchies to be quite interesting and that’s what made me enjoy Vampire Academy so much more than the rest. None of these books are gripping me like Twilight did, but that was because of the love story for me. I’m enjoying exploring the other worlds out there though and finding a couple of good series to continue with. Back soon with more!
Great, I’m always glad to have your input on books before I read them, I just started book 3 in the House of Night series(which I am totally engrossed in) and will look into Vampire Academy when those are done!
Yay, I’m glad, I really think you’ll get a kick out of Rose. She pleases me! And I’m really excited you’re into HON!
You all read so FAST! I’m slow and easily distracted, I can never keep up! I need to start a list of good vampire books to read, which ones are good (like “Twilight” and “Dead Until Dark”), and which ones are NOT good (like “Sunshine”). I did pick up the first “Vampire Diaries”, but one of my girlfriends said it was so bad she returned it to Barnes and Noble without finishing it (I didnt read your review out of fear of spoilers). I’ll read it, hopefully it’ll at least be entertaining.
Haha I do, I do indeed read fast. Especially when I like something. I started another vamp book last night and I’m only 3 chapters in so I think it’s a bad sign. hehe For me, Vampire Diaries wasn’t that bad, it just wasn’t that good either. The characters didn’t do a lot for me and that’s always a problem. I still plan on watching the show but I didn’t like it enough to buy the other books. Vampire Academy was definitely the best of this bunch. I don’t get too spoilery in my reviews, won’t reveal anything you don’t learn quickly in the first book of the series generally!
You keep recommending and I’ll keep reading!! I should have enough material to last me the whole summer as I don’t read nearly as fast as you! Let me know how the adult books are. I may want to start there when I finish up with the Southern Vampire Mysteries.
I have to do something with all this lack of new TV! I’m still plodding through the first book, it’s more like vampire porn than anything else. haha Not high on my list, let me tell you. You should consider the Vampire Academy books, I really enjoyed them!
*head meets desk*
I’ve missed so much since I’ve been gone. And I still owe you an email Nole, but I have time. It’s not June 14th yet. 😉
Incidentally, have you seen Lady GaGa’s Paparazzi music video?
How long did it take you to read a Sookie book? I’m only asking you because I’m asking everyone else too… it takes me about 9-10 hours to read one, if I’m in the reading mood that is. The problem is that the less there is Eric, the less interested I’m reading on. Starting book 7 next. Just mentioning in case you were wondering the lack of activity in my blog.
But back to subject. I don’t know about these books you’ve read, but I think I’ll bear your comments in mind while I choose what to read next.
I don’t know if they are vamp books or not, but I was recommended The Forbidden Game series by LJ Smith. I just managed to track those down and hopefully I’ll find some time to read them. Have you read these three: The Hunter, The Chase, The Kill?
If you keep this up, we might need to make an pseudo-official book club. How does that sound?
*What AM I doing? I can barely keep up with all the fanfic reading I’m immersing myself into while chasing down tlydf fic recs. Seriously*
*head meets desk*
Hee, I look forward to that email! And I will appreciate it! Two weeks! Exciting. I read a Sookie book in a few hours time. Lucky for you, the Eric factor in books 7 and 8 ups a bit so I think you’ll be able to read them at a faster clip 🙂 I know how it is though, I’m going more slowly through these other books I picked up because they don’t hold nearly the interest the other ones did for me!
LJ Smith wrote two of the series I wrote about above and I was less than impressed with both of them. They are older books though so perhaps if those are newer she’s improved. I am not familiar with The Forbidden Game but I like the title.
I’d love a book club! hehe Lord knows I’ve been doing little other than reading since the new TV shows faded away. And when you consider it’s only been a couple of weeks and I’ve devoured Harry Potter and several vamp series, hehe, well I need to find a way to occupy myself for a few more months, don’t I? Still need to pick up your Dexter recommendation. I love Dexter.
I have to read Wide Awake when I finish this last load of books. Maybe that’ll occupy me for a week? 🙂
It took me a week to read Wide Awake, Ago managed in four days, you’ll probably plough through in two days and then spend a week or two going through it slowly and picking up things you missed. Though you should take your time with it, savour it, because it really is that good. And it’s about a chapter and an epilogue away from being finished. I’ve been waiting a month, can’t imagine what’s it been like for people who have read it from the start.
*shakes head* It’s my own damn fault for dividing my time between real books written in two different languages and fanfiction.
P.S. PC or Mac?
I have a PC…laptop actually. I adore it and I think it has become my extra appendage. But that’s just me! hehe
I’ll try to go slow through Wide Awake, I really will! I have to pace myself clearly or I will go bankrupt trying to entertain myself all summer long. Maybe I should haul myself to the library, it is right across the street. hehe It’s been years since I thought of going to a library!
Before I start though, does this writer stay true to the characters? Because I like the one fanfic you sent me on Jasper but I went to another one where they were still human and Edward wanted Rosalie and Alice and I couldn’t read on…freaked me out. hehe I don’t mind a reimagining but that was way too much for me!
Email sent.
Wide Awake is an AH (All Human) story with familiar names slapped on the characters. Their back stories have been twisted to suit the authors purposes but if looking only skin deep, Emmett is Emmett, Rose is Rose, Alice is Alice etc.
I tend to prefer the AH stories though I read some of the Canon (vamps are SM vamps) stories too. For me, people as people are far more interesting than anything else.
I probably should remember to mention all the warnings in my next fic rec blog. Sorry about that. TLYDC have more than their share of fic recs and I’m making myself mad trying to read a fraction of the stories they recommend. Helps if I ignore all B&E stories, though I can’t seem to be able to do that.
Okay, I don’t mind if they’re human but I don’t want Edward sounding like a horny perv. I can’t handle it! You and AGO liked it so I imagine I will as well!
You can’t handle Edward sounding like a horny perv? Damn… my fic rec list just shrivelled to mere handful. 😀 And you should also avoid a site called The Perv Pack’s Smut Shack. Not that I am a regular visitor there. No, I’m not.
Are you interested in non Edward fics? Seth centric perhaps? I know one (another tlydf rec) that I forgot to add to my post. Maybe I should fix that now.
Yep, loved WA. And even though they were all human, it didn’t bother me in the least. In fact, I thought while reading it that they could change the names to George and Jane and I wouldn’t like the story any less. It is good as a stand alone, IMO. I agree with you Rameau, I finished it just a few days ago and I keep checking back to see if she has finished the last chapter yet. I can’t imagine reading this from the beginning. It sounds like she started writing it sometime last year. I’ll have to go check out your list of other fanfics. To be honest, the first fic I read I hated. I thought I would hate them all until I read Wide Awake. Maybe I’ll check out some more. Like you Nole, I need a break from buying a book every other day. Fanfic is free!!
I’m enjoying The Southern Vampire Mysteries, but it’s not the same. I love books that make me emotional. At one point, while reading WA, I had to stop because I was seriously emotionally drained. And nothing has yet to touch my heart like Twilight did.
Starting book 7 of Sookie tomorrow. I’m so glad to hear that Eric makes a reappearance in the next books. Quinn isn’t doing it for me. If you start a book club…I’m in!!
Rameau, sure, I love Seth! He’s adorable and I wouldn’t mind spending more time with him at all. But yeah, I don’t want my Edward to be messed with too heavily in any fics. hehe The second one I tried to read was like that and I didn’t get more than a page in before I said forget it. I hope Wide Awake doesn’t do that!
AGO, nothing has grabbed me like Twilight and likely nothing ever will again. I’ve never been so invested in a story. While I have clearly found others I like, I like them in a very different way than the Twilight Saga. I’m so gonna have to read it again soon. hehe
Yes, Eric is going to be around more in the last couple of books. I’m hoping it’s something she’ll stick with but I still fear her bouncing back to Bill…we’ll talk about it after you finish the last one!
Well, she did mess with Edward a little bit in Wide Awake. For me, she didn’t mess with him so much that I didn’t like him anymore. In WA he is much edgier, sexier, smokes and curses up a storm. But, he is still in love with Bella and her only. I completely fell in love with Stephenie Meyers Edward. I didn’t fall in love with WA Edward, but I loved him in a hot sexy bad boy kind of way. Not sure if that made sense. You’ll have to read a few chapters to see what you think. Hopefully it wont bother you too much, because it really is a great, well written story.
I have always read books, but I don’t think I have ever read so many books so fast before in my life. One of the reasons is that my daughters are finally old enough that I have time to read again, but the main reason is that if I don’t keep finding books to read, I know I’ll pick up Twilight again. I’ve held off for two months, but I know I’ll be reading it again soon.
In my defence, I loved AG’s Edward much, much more than I loved Meyers Edward. This version of Edward could have been my favourite character in Twilight.
And Ago, while I agree that she could have changed the names and I would have enjoyed the story just as much, I can’t really see George as an adjective. Can you? 😉
Here’s the link to that Seth story I mentioned. I added it to my blog post too. Prepare to laugh.
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4513209/1/
Haha of course you loved a bad boy Edward more than the actual one, Rameau. That does not surprise me in the least! I will give it a try and see how it goes. I’ll check it out soon, probably this weekend so I don’t endanger my work schedule. I’m so bad about that!
I’ll check out the Seth fic this evening Rameau, I’d love a laugh!
Ha ha ha!! Point taken Rameau. George isn’t the sexiest name out there. But then I used to think the same thing about Edward. Now I have a completely different reaction to that name.
Okay, after reading you all’s endorsement I think I’m going to HAVE to read “Wide Awake”, despite my previous traumatic fan fic experience.
I’m so glad you all are reading The Southern Vampire Mysteries, they’re awesome! I just finished the first Vampire Diaries book, and you’re right Nole, not great, but now I feel like since there’s only one more book I HAVE to read it…I’ll let you know how it turns out. I think I will read Vampire Academy though, if you say it’s good!
Lady, glad you are going to give Vampire Academy a try. I really enjoyed it. Diaries, not so much as you saw. You’ll have to let me know what you think of how it ends up.
Read Wide Awake, loved it beyond belief. Where’s Chapter 50????
How did you do it?
So glad you liked it!!! I loved it too. Don’t know when chapter 50 is coming, but I can’t wait. I hope she updates it soon. I joined Live Journal so that I could get an email as soon as she posts it!!
And man you read that fast! 🙂
Ha, I started it about 5 PM last night and read til about 1 AM. Then I picked it back up this morning about 7:30 AM and ended about 4. Couldn’t make myself quit. I think my cats are going to punish me for neglect.
In all seriousness, I’ve had some major personal health stress happening and it was a great escape from my mind. So thanks!
And I thought I could be obsessive… I hope AG updates soon and you’ll be able to unwind. Just remember to feed the cats.
Hehe if a story catches me, it catches me. I adored it and I’m very anxious to see how Edward meeting Carmen goes. Hard to believe it’s nearly finished.
I’m curious about Carmen and Edwards encounter as well. I take it you didn’t mind Edward being messed with too much. It was a great read read. I got so obsessed I found myself printing out chapters to take with me to my girls swim lessons and to bring with me out by our pool. I read as much as I possibly could. And it still took me four days. But it was worth it. Not sure I will ever be able to hear the word ‘unicorn’ ever again without having some very inappropriate thoughts. And ‘cookie’ is not much better!
Hope everything is okay with your “personal health stress”!
Thanks AGO. I’ll let you know when I know!
Hahah yes, unicorn and cookie are certainly taking on new meanings. Plus, I have always had a great fondness for the word “fuck” so I enjoyed this Edward’s vocabulary quite a bit. Now I just have to make sure I don’t slip it into my every sentence!
Ahh…the word “fuck” has never been so sexy! lol. I know what you mean about it slipping into every sentence. While I was reading, one of my girls made a huge mess and when I saw it, I almost said out loud, “Fucking Christ”. Thank God it didn’t slip out! I know I have never uttered that phrase before in my life!
I finished the last of the Sookie Stackhouse books last night. They were very enjoyable. I liked the format they were written. You were right, they did remind me a lot of Nora Roberts’ books. I spent most of the series wondering why you thought Sookie may end up with Bill. After the second book, he was hardly ever mentioned. He would make an appearance for a line or two, but really he was absent from most of the books 3-8. I got to the last part of book 9 and realized why you thought that. But, I still don’t feel that we are supposed to be rooting for him. I got the impression that we are supposed to be rooting for Eric. Their relationship builds every book. It seems like it is Eric who is there to save her…not always, but many times. I don’t know. I think Bill is there just to cause tension in the love triangle. But as always, I can be completely wrong.
I was unhappy how she finished book 9….what a cliff hanger! I am sure to buy number 10 when it comes out. Do you know if 10 is the final book?
Thanks again for the book recommendation. I guess it’s time to start my next series.
Ahhh I’m not sure, it sure felt like Niall was talking about Bill. I would like to believe that the author was smart enough to see that she had built Sookie/Eric very well and go with it. I just worry the next book we’ll have Eric reveal why he didn’t come to save her right away and she’ll be pissed and that’ll be that. I’m hoping that maybe he was so incapacitated by her pain that he was incapable of acting. Something that doesn’t put him in a bad light.
I will never root for Bill, even if they want me to! I don’t care if he saves her every other day. He’s a liar and dishonest and many other things. I could rant but I won’t.
I don’t know how many the author has planned. I’ll try to find out and let you know!
Hee, I’m rereading Wide Awake a little more slowly and it’s really hard not to slip fucking into every sentence…especially since I do love the word. Hilarious that you nearly said that to one of your girls though!
I’m hoping that the reason why Eric wasn’t there to save Sookie from the fairies, was because he was busy saving her from another threat aka the King and what ever he has planned for her. And since it’s vamp business you know that Eric wont tell her everything. He’ll tell the truth but leave something crucial out making himself look like a heartless fool. Additionally I’m hoping that Pam will sneak away to scold Sookie and to tell the truth to her or that she tries but Eric orders her not to in front of Sookie. Or Sookie will hear about it later (perhaps Bill lets something slip) and she’ll go to Eric demanding him to tell her everything. It also would be a nice touch if what ever problems do follow with the King, happen because Eric wasn’t thinking clearly due to his blood connection to Sookie and feeling her pain.
I too will never again root for Bill, but it isn’t simply because he lies to Sookie and is dishonest. It’s been a while and I can’t remember all the details, but I began to loathe him simply because of the way he acted towards Sookie in the first book while he was supposedly falling in love with her. I didn’t know anything about the betrayal at that point but it couldn’t have made things much worse. In fact it seemed like an overkill.
My first thought was also that Eric didn’t come because he was so completely absorbed in Sookie’s pain that he couldn’t. I got the impression that he really wanted to be there for her because of his comment when she told him she was pleading for him to come find her. He kept saying, “your killing me”. I know it hurt him to not be there. It wasn’t like he didn’t want to. Hopefully his explanation, whenever it it revealed, will be acceptable to Sookie. I will be really upset if she ends up with Bill. I think Niall may have been talking about Bill too…since they spent time together looking for her. But I hope not!
I won’t ever root for Bill either. I can’t say that I loathe him. But, the moment I absolutely did not like him was when Sookie just saved him from his ex. She knew he had cheated on her and he had the nerve to tell Eric, “she’s mine”. All I could think was…”Asshole”. And I never liked any of her other suitors. She needs to end up with a Vampire. Not sure why I think they are so sexy…just do. The shape shifters are just as interesting, but I can’t get into anything that turns into an animal. Too weird. Maybe that’s why I didn’t like Jacob either. Don’t know. Not that being with a dead person is any better. Ah…I just shouldn’t think about it too much..he he.
I know these books needed to have action, and if you live in a world with a bunch of Supes, things are gong to be dangerous. But, I was slightly surprised at how many times Sookie ended up getting her ass kicked or was almost murdered. That girl has one exciting life. Any other person would have been dead ten times over already.
See, that’s what I am saying! Sookie gets hurt SO often that it’s pretty hard to justify her being involved in that world at all. I don’t mind the occasional wound or peril but faerie attacks, nymph attacks, stakings, bites, stalkings…it’s all too much! I can’t get totally lost in that world because I keep thinking it would be better to just walk the hell away for her. Or take Eric up on his offer and go live at his house permanently, staying out of the world at all. Hehe
I’m kinda the same way when it comes to shape shifters and whatnot. For me, it’s more the kid angle. The passing of those genes on to a kid, seems kinda mean to me but I guess if Mom and Dad were on board…I dunno. Selective breeding and that kinda thing, it just doesn’t work for me.
Vamps are sexy. Extremely sexy. I particularly have a penchant for vamps with E first names. hehe
Rameau, I think I truly started disliking Bill because he was so clueless about Sookie’s every day existence. He was willing to throw tons of money at his very very extended family but didn’t really process that his “woman” needed help too. Eric just focuses in on what she needs and takes care of it. Yes, it’s probably controlling but at least he’s helpful, I dunno. Plus I found Bill boring and stiff.
I suddenly feel so behind! I can’t believe I still have not read “Dead and Gone” sheesh! I have started “Wide Awake” though and am almost done with the 4th book in the “Vampire Diaries”. If I have not recommended it already (and since you like Edward using the word “fuck”) I recommend “Growing Up Cullen” here is the link to my post on it, and the link is included: http://heylady-blog.blogspot.com/2008/12/growing-up-cullen.html
sorry, link is broken, here is the link, it’s not really a story, but it’s funny once you get used to how it’s written: http://oxymoronassoc.livejournal.com/462027.html
Ha, I was sure you’d read it by now Lady! Sorry if we spoiled you any!
Thanks, more Edward works for me. I’ve been missing him. After I finish my reread of Wide Awake I plan on picking Twilight up again I think.
No worries, I just skipped over the comments about “Dead and Gone”, I actually lent it t one of my girlfriends so I have to wait til she returns it. But thats alright, I’m so caught up in “Wide Awake” I hardly notice!
Hee, Wide Awake is amazing isn’t it? I’m rereading more of it again, something about the early chapters just keeps me coming back to them.
Hmmmmm I think perhaps I like “Wide Awake” too much… I’m not getting anything else done. I’m so jealous of you and your fast reading skills, I read “Wide awake” for 7 hours today (off and on) and am only on chapter 21 (this does not include the 5 chapters I read yesterday). *sigh* Oh well, I guess we’ve all got different skills and talents… I can’t believe I’m not reading right now! It’s been 5 minutes! (is this a symptom of insanity? Do I really care….)
Haha I hear you. I’m giving it the Twilight treatment. Printed the whole thing out and just keep grabbing chapters to read. I guess it’s the Edward factor hitting me all over again.
I saw in one of the comment sections on live journal someone had converted all of WA into a file to be put on the kindle. So I downloaded it. And of course once I did, I started reading it all over again too!
Lady don’t worry about reading slow. I do to. Not all of us can read as fast as Nole 🙂 Plus this book is good to read slow and savor.
Nole, do you like this Edward as much as Stephanie Meyers Edward? Just curious. I can’t decide.
I think that I do. For some reason, he’s just Edward to me in both. Yeah, in WA he cusses a lot more and has different issues, but the protectiveness and love for Bella is all just familiar to me I guess? I don’t know how to explain it. I love both forms of him is I guess what I’m trying to say.
I printed the whole thing out and just keep going back and rereading. I will admit though that I stop somewhere around chapter 35 on reread. Just like New Moon, I can’t really deal with…well, you know. hehe I don’t want to spoil Lady!
Here is an article I found I thought you might enjoy! (It’s vampire themed, so I thought I’d post it here)
http://scifiwire.com/2009/06/what-secrets-does-true-bl.php
Why thank you, Lady, I always like reading about Eric! I think that the actor really gets him and I liked the hint of promise that maybe Eric/Sookie will evolve some. I hope so!
OKAY! At long last I finished “Dead and Gone”! I know, took forever, but I read the book it’s self in 4 days, just too so long to start it! (I can’t believe I read the “Vampire Diaries” first, there is so much ridiculous stuff in there… AND they just came out with the first in a new trilogy, if you get a chance, read the back of that book, beyond stupid and ridiculous).
So, better late then never, about “Dead and Gone”, I think Eric had to have had a really good reason for not coming to Sookie’s aid, whether he sent Bill, or Bill came on his own, Eric knew and something must have happened to stop him from coming. In this book it almost seemed like Eric was far closer to telling Sookie he loved her then she was to confessing any such feeling for him.
I was always wondering why Charlaine Harris never had Sookie really have anything with Sam, and I think I’ve figured out why. Sam is always the “good” guy. He ALWAYS puts Sookie first and would do ANYTHING for her. If she were to actually date him any reason it would end would make Sookie look bad. It’s not in Sam’s character to just leave her, or cheat on her, or anything that can be seen as bad in anyway. But honestly, being with Sam would most likely be boring, she’d have to marry him and raise telepathic shape shifters… who wants to read about that?
Ha, I did glance at the newest Vampire Diaries book and I was quite glad that I gave up after the first two. Just not my cup of tea. I am still considering watching the show, but I hold no high hopes for it either. hehe
I agree, something major had to have been happening for Eric not to come to Sookie’s rescue, he’s done it too many times for there not to be a good reason. I don’t know what it was but she better make it good. I hate how she writes him as giving some sort of non-explanation and then in the next book gives us an answer. Uncool. I do think he’s coming closer to loving her as well, or admitting it. I just fear stupid Bill will be back in the picture before she has him do it. Annoy.
I hear you on the Sam thing. Really, he is the best of all her choices (the MANY MANY choices) as far as how he treats her and feels about her. But, as you said, they’d be boring together. No angst, no drama. Maybe that’s how she’ll end the series, cause that would effectively end it.
I just read the first Vampire Academy book. I agree with your assessment. I liked Rose, she reminded me of a teenage version of Anita Blake from the Laurell K Hamilton books, which I also like. I thought it was better then the first HON book, but I agree that they’re similar. And it was WAY better then VD. Evermore, I once considered, but after your review, I won’t bother.
I remembered your recommendation of this book and read it a year and a half later. It’s apparently takes me that long to take your advice.
🙂 So glad you liked it! Of all the YA vampy type books I read, this by far has the best heroine. Rose has that same issue where several guys fall for her but it’s way more understandable and way less annoying in these books as well. It’s definitely a series that I’ve kept up with!
Hee…now you know to listen to me! Some people like Evermore but it truly did nothing for me.
I just read the first two “Dead is…” books, by Marlene Perez. My review is here: http://supernaturalbookclub.blogspot.com/2010/08/dead-is-new-black-by-marlene-perez.html
It had a problem some YA novels have, treating the audience like they’re idiots. VD also did that, I thought. Though not as bad.
You’d like the Anita Blake books, Anita is A LOT like Rose.
HA! I think I can safely say I won’t be checking that out. It doesn’t sound remotely appealing, though maybe for the laughs? I still have Anita on my list, I just barely read anything anymore. One day I’ll sit down and really pick up a book again….one day!