Are there books that make you feel as though you're about to indulge in a slice of seven-layer chocolate cake?
The seventh installment in Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse Southern Vampire Series, All Together Dead, was my guilty pleasure this week, without the calories. *big smiles*
These books, laden with dark humor, are Harris' quirky take on the Deep South, when vampires come out of their coffins -- literally -- to live alongside humans, after the invention of a synthetic blood called Trueblood.
The heroine of this series, Sookie, is a waitress and telepath who falls in love with one of these vampires in the first novel and soon discovers that "blood-suckers" aren't the only supernatural beings living among the blue-collar residents of Bon Temps, Louisiana.
Supernatural humor aside, discrimination is an issue that threads the series when vampires become the new underclass, which is ironic, seeing as Harris' vampires are "superior" in intellect and physical strength to humans.
Something that tickles my imagination when inside Sookie's head is what it might be like to be telepathic. Would I use that power? In the first six novels, Sookie despises her ability. She's constantly barraged by the intrusiveness of it, which explains her fondness for vampires: their brains are dead. It's not until this seventh installment that she discovers a positive application for her power.
Light, but thought-provoking reading for mature audiences, The Sookie Stackhouse Series is my chocolate cake, with a smidgeon of social justice thrown in for good measure.
Tell me, what's your chocolate cake? : )
Sookie Stackhouse: Southern Vampire Series
(I have four to go!)
Ezzy, I didn't even know the Sookie Stackhouse series existed in book form! I've seen parts of the Trueblood series on HBO (it has vampires, too, so I am assuming it is the same series?) It is amazing that you mention this because one of my all-time favorite guilty pleasures in reading is vampire stories. I love vampire books. It started with a passion for Ann Rice and most recently focused on Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series. I read the Twilight book with my students soon after it came out and was hooked. I haven't watched all of the movies, though. (I love the pictures in my head from the books and don't want to lose them...)
ReplyDeleteI have many other guilty pleasures in reading. I am a sucker for action-thrillers by authors like Michael Connelly, Daniel Silva and Lee Child. My husband loves those kinds of books, so they are entertaining for me AND they give us something to talk about besides our kids... lol!
One of my guiltiest pleasures is re-reading one my all time favorite books--The Mists of Avalon. Have you read it? It is a re-telling of the King Arthur story from the female perspective. Only female characters are given voice. It truly sends me to another world--one that is shrouded in mist and magic. I love Marion Zimmer Bradley's new take on such an old story, so much that I used to read it once a year (before my children demanded so much attention ;)
I will definitely be reading Sookie Stackhouse this summer! I need a good book to read while I bus my children to three different camps next week. Sitting and waiting is good reading time. Thanks for sharing!
Jen, thanks for the book recommendations! Will check out the King Arthur story, for sure. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE vampires. Always have. In all forms. *smiles* You know, another book I think you might enjoy is THE HISTORIAN. It's lengthy, and a little "stuffy," but Dracula is the main character, although not explicitly on the page. It gets a little snoozy in some parts, but takes you to whole other world.
ReplyDeleteI think you'd really enjoy the Sookie Stackhouse Series. It's no where near as raunchy as the HBO series, which deviates quite a bit from the novels in plot and characters. The books are definite beach reads and always put me in a really good mood. I always end up wishing I had some super-human power, like being able to shape-shift. : D
Hope you're enjoying your summer! I'm jealous. <3
I tried to get into these books but I couldn't take the constant change of characters or POV. However i LOVE True Blood. HBO has the formula down. I'm totally addicted. I cannot wait till next season. ;)
ReplyDeleteAs for my chocolate cake????? That's a superhard question. My all time fav book is Count of Monte Cristo. I just love a good revenge story but I also really enjoyed Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles.
Letty, I'm counting the days for TB to come back on. My weekend TV indulgence. Confession: I only watch three shows: Vampire Diaries, TB and The Walking Dead. ; ) I've never read The Count of Monte Cristo. Will check it out.
ReplyDeleteI had to get used to the changing characters at first in the Sookie Stackhouse novels, but now look forward to the fresh meat.
Ezzy, OH HOW I WISH I HAD TIME TO READ, facebook, blog, tweet, work, cook, you know all that stuff. This series sounds really good and like something I would LOVE! I may have to look into it more and put it on my to do list. I love vampires as well and know i'd be so into this series. Thanks for posting!
ReplyDeleteEzzy, I think I will toss aside the books I got last week from the library and look for both Sookie Stackhouse and The Historian. I will have some time to read next week. Child number one has basketball camp at 8:00AM. Child number two has art camp at 9:00AM and child number three has acting camp at 10:00. I have nothing more to do than drive them there and then pick them up. I look forward to the quiet time and can't wait for some good vampire reading :)
ReplyDeleteTara, I know what you mean. I didn't read for several years after our son was born. I didn't have the energy for it. Making the time for it means cutting something else out, and that's tough, too. I think we all love vampires! *LOL*
ReplyDeleteJen, you go! Although, now I feel bad. I don't want you kicking your library books to the curb. That sounds like a crazy schedule you've got, there. I always wonder how people juggle schedules with multiple children. I'm convinced there's a reason why God only blessed me with one. : )