Book Review: Dead in the Family - Charlaine Harris

Summary from GoodReads: Sookie Stackhouse has finally settled into a relationship with the Viking vampire Eric, and her errant brother Jason seems to have his life in order, too. But all the other people in Sookie’s life – Eric himself, her former lover Bill, her friend and boss Sam – are having family problems. Eric’s maker shows up with Eric’s ‘brother’ in tow, the ailing Bill can only be healed by a blood sibling, and Sam’s brother’s marriage is about to take place... or will it? The furor raised by the coming out of the two-natured has yet to settle; some people are just not ready to sit down to dinner with a man who turns into a dog. And Sookie herself is still recovering from her last ordeal. She’s definitely improving, physically and mentally, but she’s always going to have some dark moments now. The werewolves tell her that there have been strange and ominous passers-by in the Stackhouse woods; now Sookie is about to come face-to-face with one of her more distant relatives...

My Review: {This book is for adult readers} --Sookie Book #10: Well, this time around I'm not sure where to start. I, unfortunately, was disappointed. I am so devastated. I've loved these books and this one left me completely unsatisfied.

Eric's a mess, Sookie tells everyone EXCEPT Eric that she loves him, Eric reminds her over and over how much he loves her. Enough already!

To me, Jason's life does appear in order in this book and it's very refreshing. He's standing by his sister, he's alright with her vampire boyfriend and he's got a girlfriend that he's happy with. Jason has finally come together. I sure hope he stays this way.

Sookie is lapping up Eric's attention like mad, but still puts on to him that she doesn't know if she loves him or not. But she tells quite a few others that he's her boyfriend and that she loves him.

There's an issue with Bill that comes out and seems to go well. So that was definitely a nice conclusion to a little thing Bill had been doing for more than a few books now. However, he ends up with another issue...and his *sister* showing up. This is another area that's kind of left unclosed in the book.

The ending, again, I was disappointed with. I sure know how I would have ended it. I imagine that it's thought to be a good place to pick up for the next book, but I think it could have been closed a little better and still left a great start for book 11.

As I said, and this is only my opinion, as a HUGE Sookie book fan, this book just didn't do it for me. The awesome sex scenes were lacking, the ending was just OK, Eric was a confused mess...which makes him less hot {lol} and Sookie's really getting on my nerves {almost as much as Bella from Twilight does}.

Sookie and Eric don't need to be confused or driven apart...it's a great potential match up and it's definitely time to put them together. There are so many things that could still happen with the two of them as a couple--and without all the in and out of love drama--there could be 100 more books.

Needless to say, as I was reading this book, while I did finish it up in just a few hours, I did find myself putting it down, doing some things, and then going back to it. I've never managed to do that with any of the other books. I DO still want to read book 11, but I'm not in a huge hurry for it.

Pages: 311

Hardcover

Review copy of this book purchased by me.

Book Review: Unlaced by the Outlaw by Michelle Willingham

Description

A lady and an outlaw…When straitlaced spinster Margaret Andrews tries to stop her headstrong younger sister Amelia from eloping with the wrong man, the last thing she expects is to be caught in a coach accident. Stranded in Scotland with a dangerously handsome Highlander, she must put aside her genteel sensibilities and learn to survive.

Cain Sinclair rescues the prim and proper Margaret, but he knows she’ll never want a man like him. As a self-proclaimed sinner, he lives his life from one day to the next. He unravels every thread of decorum she possesses, tempting her to throw away propriety.

Margaret sees a man worth saving, but Cain fights her efforts to reform him. When Cain risks everything to save his brother from the hangman's noose, Margaret must break all the rules to get him back…or lose him forever.

My Thoughts:

Can you hear me sigh? Seriously. Here's another that I didn't catch a series from the beginning. If you've been following my recent reviews, you'll know this is starting to make me feel as though I haven't been paying much attention to all the authors out there. In allowing for full disclosure, I have read viking romance by this author so I was curious as to where things would go with this.

The great part? There were three plots/story lines working their way through the story. I love when more than one thing is going on. However, at points I wondered if perhaps it was too much and perhaps drawing away from the main concept of what was the real story of this novel.

There were also several unrealistic parts based on the time period and setting of the story. However, all in all not a bad read.