In which Sookie Stackhouse, small-time Louisiana bar waitress and her vampire lover, Bill, solve more mysterious vampire shenanigans in Dallas Texas.

I thought this book started out kind of slow, but I warmed up to it as it progressed. By the end I was fully engaged and now am hankering to get my hands on the third one.

My only comment is I kind of like Vampire Eric more than Vampire Bill. Maybe it's just because the guy who plays him on the HBO series is so....Viking. Valhalla is looking pretty good. ( )

After I finished Sookie Stackhouse #1, I tried to read a library book I had rented out (Murder with Peacocks) because it was recommended to me. The entire time I was wishing I was reading the next Sookie book, so I ended up giving up on the recommendation (sorry Peacock :( ) and reading Living Dead in Dallas in a very short amount of time.

My biggest shock was the amount of action that made it nearly impossible to stop reading. There was the normal 'big' action scene that many mysteries have, but after that was done there were several others, some even just a few pages from the end. I couldn't believe how much I was sucked in - moreso than the first book times one hundred. And that's hard to do because I really liked the first book, too - perhaps I felt more invested with the characters this time around. I even recommended this series to my fiance after I finished #2. If you haven't given Sookie a try, it's time! ( )

Living Dead in Dallas is the second book in the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris. The HBO show True Blood is based on this series. This book continues the story of mind-reading Sookie Stackhouse and her vampire boyfriend Bill Compton. Eric, a very old and powerful vampire in Louisiana, sends Sookie and Bill to Dallas to use Sookie's "special talent" to help another vampire find a missing friend. Their search leads them to the Fellowship of the Sun, a "church" that hates vampires, but the Fellowship is anything but a typical church. Meanwhile, a murder is being investigated back home in Bon Temps.

I really liked this book. I thought it was just as good as the first book, Dead Until Dark. I'm glad that Eric was in this book more than the first. I think he's my favorite character. It doesn't hurt that the guy who plays him in the show is pretty hot! The sex scenes in this book were a bit steamier than in the first one. Not necessarily a bad thing but possibly not OK with some people. I'm really glad that I finished the book very early on in the season of the show. It seems like they may not follow the book exactly, though. I can't wait to read the next book in the series! ( )

Another delightful little paranormal mystery! In the second book of the Southern Vampire series, a good friend of Sookie's is murdered but before Sookie and Bill can find the murderer, they are "loaned out" by Eric to find a missing vampire in Dallas.

Again, I listened to the audiobook and Johanna Parker's narration is breathtaking. The amount of emotions she puts into her words makes me wonder if I'll ever be able to properly read these books or if I'll be stuck only being able to listen to this series on audiobook. I strongly recommend that if you have a chance to listen to this book versus reading it, you take advantage and do so. It only heightens the experience. I don't think I'd like this series quite as much as I do if it weren't for Parker.

Now that Bill and Sookie's relationship has been established, this book focuses heavily on the action going on and man, is there a lot of action! There's almost no time to breathe. We learn more about other supernatural creatures this time as well, such as shapeshifters and a maenad. I must admit, the constant adding of various supernatural creatures tends to get a little annoying (why can't anyone just be happy with vampires? why does there need to be vampires and werewolves and shapeshifters and maenads?). Even more annoying, though, is how every vampiric male is instantly drawn to Sookie. I'll give Harris credit in that she created a character with enough flaws to never really be considered a Mary Sue, but sometimes she treads a thin line.

While not an intelligent read by any means, Harris's books remain fantastic mind-candy! ( )

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