A Touch of Dead by Charlaine Harris

Read For:

ROR Fall Reading Challenge

Synopsis:

New York Times bestselling author Charlaine Harris has re-imagined the supernatural world with her "spunky" (Tampa Tribune) Southern Vampire novels starring telepathic waitress Sookie Stackhouse. Now, for the first time, here is every Sookie Stackhouse short story ever written-together in one volume.

Stories include "Fairy Dust," "One Word Answer," "Dracula Night," "Lucky," and "Giftwrap."

My Review:

For the most part, the five stories were excellant as usual, though I did not care for what happens in "Giftwrap" but I don't really care for how the "fairy family" story thread has progressed in the books either, so I'm not surprised.

Of the five, "Dracula Night" was the best as we get to see a whole new side of Eric:)

4 stars.

The Last Vampire by Patricia Rosemoor &Marc Paoletti

Read For:

ROR Fall Challenge

RYOB Challenge

1st In A Series Challenge

Chick Porn Reading Challenge

Synopsis:

Spawned of alchemy and blood, he was the last of a brutal, ancient line. Now he has just been reborn.

Deep in a Texas cave, the military unearths a five-hundred-year-old corpse, its desiccated flesh teeming with mysterious DNA that can transform mortals into beings of unimaginable power.

Captain Scott Boulder, leader of a Black Ops unit that has been endowed with these superhuman abilities, is among the first to benefit from the find. But when, with the help of a voodoo priestess, the creature is conjured to life, unleashing an ancient evil bent on reinstating its poisonous kind on earth, Scott knows he must return the monster to the grave. But this is no ordinary vampire. Once a brutal torturer in the Spanish Inquisition, it can bend the laws of science and magic in horrifying new ways.

Powerless to fight this evil alone, Scott grudgingly seeks the aid of reclusive anthropologist Leah Maguire, an expert in the mystical rituals of the past. To keep humanity from entering a new Dark Age, Scott and Leah will battle unspeakable horrors and will sacrifice everything they hold dear–perhaps even their own humanity -- to destroy the last vampire.

My Review:

A pretty good Urban Fantasy/Horror Light/Paranormal Romance. In this book Vampires are not your typical "sexy, misunderstood" characters but are vile and evil creatures who love to kill. The heroine, Leah, is a sort of "anthopoligist/good witch" who is kinda a female Van Helsing. She's devoted her life's work to fighting against Vampires after a creature she believes to be a Vampire kills several of her family members as a child. The hero, Scott, is part of a Government military "Special Ops" type unit that is experimenting with creating a group of "supermen" from the DNA of a mummy the Government found in a Texas cave. Really bad idea as the mummy is actually a unawakened super powerful Vampire that by taking him from the cave, they now awaken him.

The action was a B+, the characters about a C+ (Leah was a little weak but she will hopefully improve in book 2) and the Romance was a C-. Don't read The Last Vampire if your looking for typical Paranormal Romance, as the romance is only a secondary issue. Do read this book is you like action and horror with a little romance thrown in.

Note: While the love scenes between the hero and heroine are pretty tame=PG, there are sex scenes with a secondary female character that are pretty raunchy and graphic, like NC 17. So a heads up if you don't like graphic books.

3.5 stars.

Review: Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris

My Amazon Review:

why are they hot for Sookie?......,

December 9, 2008

like many other fans of the series, the increasing male supernatural characters getting lathered up for Sookie in previous books was getting a bit odd and off putting. Finally, in book six, we learn there may be a supernatural reason for their lust-though I will not blow it for you. Needless to say, it was a quirky new addition to the Southern Vampire world built by Ms. Harris.

Overall, I really enjoyed book 6, though it did have as many flaws as perfections. Like other reviewers, my biggest complaint was the sudden introduction of Sookie's cousin Hadley storyline. The story was introduced like such a "given" that I wondered if I had somehow missed it in a previous book. It seems like it was actually introduced in a short story, so I have to knock off half a star for thoroughly confusing this reader. Bad Charlaine! LOL
But there was enough supernatural action, laughs, drama, and Southern sexiness to satisfy this reader.
4.5 stars-recommended!