Living Dead in Dallas (Sookie Stackhouse, book 2) by Charlaine Harris
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Edition Reviewed: Paperback
Amazon: Paperback | Kindle
Goodreads: Living Dead in Dallas (2)
Cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse is having a streak of bad luck. First her co-worker is killed, and no one seems to care. Then she comes face to-face with a beastly creature that gives her a painful and poisonous lashing. Enter the vampires, who graciously suck the poison from her veins (like they didn't enjoy it).
The point is: they saved her life. So when one of the bloodsuckers asks for a favour, she obliges - and soon Sookie's in Dallas, using her telepathic skills to search for a missing vampire. She's supposed to interview certain humans involved, but she makes one condition: the vampires must promise to behave and let the humans go unharmed. But that's easier said than done, and all it takes is one delicious blonde and one small mistake for things to turn deadly....
The Sookie Stackhouse stories are delightful Southern Gothic supernatural mysteries, starring Sookie, the telepathic cocktail waitress, and a cast of increasingly colourful characters, including vampires, werewolves, and things that really do go bump in the night.
Review:
Living Dead in Dallas is a fabulous follow-up. It's just as fun and sassy! Dark and gruesome. Complex in its characters and the world building. It's been so long since I hungrily devoured a book in one day. (My birthday treat to myself.) I didn't feel obligated, or bored, to do it. I wanted too because it was soooooo good. I miss that feeling.
Sometimes it's hard to remember that Bill is Sookie's first real relationship. Toss in being a vampire and Sookie's telepathic gift you can see why she's willing to tough it out with Bill. Of course there are darker—survival—reasons for it. Not to mention the great sex and the blush of first love. Though I think at times Bill acts just as childish, or more so. Not to mention that he wants all the benefits of modern a relationship where women can have sex out of wedlock and so on. But then he wants to go all old school—read sexist—on Sookie sometimes.
There was this strange moment when it's revealed that Sookie thinks she sees the world in black and white. When I'm convinced many of her thoughts, actions, and feelings support the mindset that she sees those shades of gray. After all she can read people's minds. Not to mention that by the end of the book even Sookie can't stay positive on how dangerous it is being with a vampire. Even if love can make it better. Not to mention that people have been killed by Bill for her. Her whole life has been in grays, and her love life is no exception.
Overall I enjoyed the mystery and the introduction of The Fellowship of the Sun. It was interesting see the hardcore members, the spies, and the polite people who have no idea what they're in for. Also the psychotic people and actions they're willing to take to hurt vampires. Even hurting other people. It's the threat of every religion. To be so over zealous that every action seems justified to meet the end goal.
(On a side note I do see why Godric/Godfrey was actually expanded on in the show. He actually became a more interesting character that way. Not only that but it made both Godric and Eric sympathetic. Especially Godric as he was a murderer and child molester. Not only that but one of the characters who died was one I always wished would have been around for later books. It's fun comparing True Blood and the Sookie Stackhouse books that way.)
There's nothing I love more than solid follow up books. It always feels like book two is cursed as a stepping stone or bridge to build the story for future books. Living Dead in Dallas breaks the mold. Fans will be thrilled by this. As it shows what vampires would want Sookie for, builds up America with vampires out of the coffin and how citizens would react, introduces more supernatural creatures without over doing it. Oh, and keeps Sookie and readers on track in the mindset that Vampires are no longer human. The honeymoon is over, sharpen your stakes! Be prepared to save yourself not only from vampires, but humans.
Sexual Content: Sexual humor, sex scenes, and dark twist in which Sookie is almost raped. Also, some other dark themes are discussed.
5/5- Fabulous, a beautiful obsession!
| Previous book(s) in series: | ||
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| Dead Until Dark (1) Living Dead in Dallas (2) Club Dead (3) Dead to the World (4) Dead as a Doornail (5) Definitely Dead (6) All Together Dead (7) From Dead to Worse (8) Dead and Gone (9) Dead in the Family (10) Dead Reckoning (11) Deadlocked (12) Dead Ever After (13) | Dead Until Dark (1) Living Dead in Dallas (2) Club Dead (3) Dead to the World (4) Dead as a Doornail (5) Definitely Dead (6) All Together Dead (7) From Dead to Worse (8) Dead and Gone (9) Dead in the Family (10) Dead Reckoning (11) Deadlocked (12) Dead Ever After (13) | Dead Until Dark (1) Living Dead in Dallas (2) Club Dead (3) Dead to the World (4) Dead as a Doornail (5) Definitely Dead (6) All Together Dead (7) From Dead to Worse (8) Dead and Gone (9) Dead in the Family (10) Dead Reckoning (11) Deadlocked (12) Dead Ever After (13) |
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