Dead To The World by Charlaine Harris

(Sookie Stackhouse series, book 4)
It’s not every day that you come across a naked man on the side of the road. That’s why cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse doesn’t just drive on by. Turns out the poor thing hasn’t a clue who he is, but Sookie does. It’s Eric the vampire – but now he’s a kinder, gentler Eric. And a scared Eric, because whoever took his memory now wants his life. Sookie’s investigation into who and why leads straight into a dangerous battle among witches, vampires, and werewolves. But a greater danger could be to Sookie’s heart – because this version of Eric is very difficult to resist…

WOW! There is so much going on in the fourth book of the series that I’m not even sure where to start! Okay, here it goes. At the very beginning of the book Bill informs Sookie that he will be going to Peru to collect information for the vampire Queen of Louisiana. I have to admit, I was kind of glad that he would be out of the picture for a while. I know, I know…I was such an advocate for Team Bill during the first two books, but I have to say I’m almost positive I’ve been swayed to a different team. You’ll find out what team I’ve parked myself on for now very soon.

I knew there would be a new or reignited love interest for Sookie since Bill wasn’t going to be around at all, and I couldn’t have been happier with the storyline. As Sookie is driving home from work one night, she sees a naked man running alongside the road. She can’t just drive by, so she stops and attempts to help the man. He has no idea who he is, where he is, nothing. Luckily, Sookie knows exactly who he is. It’s Eric, the vampire Sheriff of Area 5. A coven of witches have completely erased his memory; he doesn’t remember anything about himself and his domineering, controlling personality has been washed away as well. He is a scared, helpless, dependent Eric. He reveals his feelings for Sookie and I have to admit…Eric with amnesia is HOT! I liked his old personality, but there’s just something about him being so vulnerable and raw that makes him so damn delicious. With Eric staying at her house and Bill out of the country, Sookie begins to think about exploring her feelings for Eric, mentally and physically. Y-E-S! It’s about damn time! Sookie finds herself falling hard for Eric, but in the back of her mind she keeps wondering just how long it will be before he starts to piece back together his memories and turn back into the old Eric. Can you guess what team I’m on now? :)

The witches who erased Eric’s memory and now want him dead are no ordinary witches. This is a coven of witches who also happen to be shapeshifters and vampire blood addicts. Needless to say, they’re crazy powerful and extremely scary for the vampires, werewolves, and humans in the Louisiana area. As Sookie delves deeper into finding out why the witches want Eric’s life, a fatal battle occurs between Sookie, the witches, vampires, and werewolves that results in lives lost from all sides of the war. After the battle, Sookie is confronted by Alcide’s ex, Debbie, who is also a Were and they have a blood-filled, faceoff in Sookie’s kitchen. I have hated Debbie from the very beginning, and I just can’t imagine sweet Alcide ever being with such an awful person like her. Yuck.

In one final twist, Sookie’s brother Jason has come up missing. Oh boy…whatever is going to come of Jason?? As I stated in my review of Dead Until Dark, I watched the first season of True Blood before reading this series and I fell in love with Jason. He is just gorgeous and I think that’s why I’ve rooted so hard for Jason throughout the series, even though his role is minimized in the books as opposed to the show. As I was reading the book for the first time, I had an idea of what would happen to him and it’s not exactly what I had in mind. FYI: If you watch True Blood, this particular storyline with Jason in the show DOES NOT follow the storyline exactly as in the books. I don’t want to give away the spoiler for his situation, because it’s a big one! I just felt so bad for him, and the mental picture I got in my mind of what he looked like during this time period just made me so sad. Poor Jason.

Whew. I told you there was a lot going on in this book, and not only that, but you’ll be introduced to a whole slew of new characters. (I told you in my review of the third book to brace yourself for a crazy amount of new characters.) Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining but at times it can get slightly confusing with this many characters and storylines to keep up with. That being said, I loved this book! The relationship between Eric and Sookie was so adorable and yet so sexy. Is Bill out of the picture now? Will Sookie still want Eric if he regains his memory…or better yet, will he still want Sookie? What happened to Jason? There are a ton of questions to be answered, so go out and sink your teeth into the fifth book, Dead As A Doornail!  

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Club Dead by Charlaine Harris

(Sookie Stackhouse series, book 3)
There’s only one vampire Sookie Stackhouse is involved with (at least voluntarily) and that’s Bill. But recently he’s been a little distant – in another state distant. His sinister and sexy boss, Eric, has an idea where to find him. Next thing Sookie knows, she is off to Jackson, Mississippi, to mingle with the under-underworld at Club Dead. It’s a dangerous little haunt where the elitist vampire society can go to chill out and suck down some type O. But when Sookie finally finds Bill – caught in an act of serious betrayal – she’s not sure whether to save him…or sharpen some stakes.

Well...this is the first book of the series (granted it’s only 3 books in) that made me question how much I really still like Bill and Sookie’s relationship. I had a feeling that new love interests would be introduced as the series progressed, but I really thought I was going to be Team Bill until the end. Now, I’m questioning my loyalty! In the second book, Living Dead In Dallas, they delve into the sexual tension between Sookie and Eric which I’m not completely sold on yet. He can be charming and seductive, but his mannerisms still bother the crap out of me. He is becoming increasingly more interested in Sookie, and she doesn’t exactly love all of the attention she’s getting from him. Now, let’s move on to the newest love interest we meet in this book; Alcide Herveaux. He’s a buff, brawny, rugged werewolf who has recently had his heartbroken and accompanies Sookie to Jackson, Mississippi. Why is she going to Jackson, you ask? Well, let me tell you…but first, I might take a minute to swoon over Alcide. ;)

Now that I’ve collected myself, I’ll continue. Sookie finds out from Eric that Bill has been kidnapped by his maker and ex-lover, Lorena, who intends to seduce then torture Bill for top-secret information he may have in his possession. Eric then realizes that the powerful king of Mississippi, Russell Edgington, may be allowing Lorena to keep Bill somewhere locked away in his mansion. Of course Sookie rushes to save her love, Bill with Alcide in tow for protection. As expected, things don’t go smoothly when Sookie eventually finds Bill…in a compromising position with Lorena. Whaaat?!? There was also an incident involving Bill and Sookie in the trunk of a Lincoln town car…well…that’s all I can really say without giving away a spoiler , but I am so glad she didn’t immediately forgive him even if he wasn’t in the right state of mind necessarily when it happened.

I love the addition of Alcide if you hadn’t guessed from my swooning earlier. I just think he and Sookie would make an adorable couple and they developed a very quick, trusting bond with each other (dumping a body with someone can have that effect on you, I guess!) I liked getting deeper into the werewolf community and learning about Josephine’s (AKA Club Dead) which kind of added an additional storyline for all upcoming books in the series. I did enjoy this book, although slightly less than the previous two. All in all…I’m still hooked on this series and Sookie continues to be one kickass heroine. 

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Living Dead In Dallas by Charlaine Harris

(Sookie Stackhouse series, book 2)
When a vampire asks cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse for a favor, she complies. And soon she’s in Dallas, using her telepathic skills to search for a missing vampire. She agrees to interview the humans involved as long as the bloodsuckers promise to let them go unharmed. Easier said than done. All it takes is one delicious blonde and one small mistake for things to turn deadly.

Living Dead In Dallas is the second book in the Sookie Stackhouse series, and while it isn’t quite as good as the first book, it doesn’t disappoint. The book doesn’t waste anytime jumping into action and by page 8 we have a brand new mystery to solve when Sookie finds her flamboyantly gay co-worker Lafayette dead in the back of cop Andy Bellefleur’s car. I was seriously sad about this…I adored Lafayette. In the midst of a new murder investigation in Bon Temp, Sookie is propositioned to do some investigation work for Area 5 Sheriff, Eric Northman. A vampire has gone missing in Dallas, and he wants Sookie to interview the humans and use her gift of telepathy to see if they know anything about the missing vamp. She obliges and heads off to Dallas with vampire Bill, Sookie’s boyfriend. It’s in Dallas that we first learn of “Vampire Safe” hotels that come equipped with windowless rooms and synthetic blood on the room service menu. Wild stuff.

The vampire safe hotels aren’t the only thing we are introduced to in Dallas. More importantly, we learn about a fanatical Christian cult called the Fellowship of the Sun, who despise vampires and want to destroy them all…or get them to destroy themselves.  An additional antagonist looms in the woods back home in Bon Temp threatening the small town, and soon Sookie realizes there may be more to the mythological world than just vampires and shapeshifters.

The introduction of more mythical creatures expands the storyline a little more, but it’s a welcome development in my opinion. As much as I love the interaction between the vamps and humans, I like the idea of them exploring the lives of other creatures that are still in hiding to the general public. The relationship between Bill and Sookie still seems rather strong, however we do get to see the growing sexual tension between Eric and Sookie continue to rise. As much as I do love Bill, there is just something about Eric that makes me wish Sookie would explore  the the option of her and Eric together. He’s kind of an asshole, but oh my gosh, he’s just so seductive. Sookie has some major willpower to keep him at a distance, but just how long can she keep that up?

I read this book in one day, and although it wasn’t as good as the first book I really enjoyed it. If you read Dead Until Dark and enjoyed it, I would definitely recommend reading this book. As I stated in my review of Dead Until Dark, I am currently getting ready to start book 12 of the series, so I’ll just give you a heads up in case you are interested in reading this book and then continuing on in the series. Brace yourself. You’re about to get bombarded with a ridiculous amount of new characters from the third or fourth book on.

If you want to read a book that has mystery, vampires, and some pretty hot makeup sex…go grab yourself a copy of Living Dead In Dallas.  

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Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

(Sookie Stackhouse series, book 1)
Sookie Stackhouse is a small-time cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana. She’s quiet, keeps to herself, and doesn’t get out much. Not because she’s not pretty. She is. It’s just that, well, Sookie has this sort of “disability.” She can read minds. And that doesn’t make her too dateable. And then along comes Bill. He’s tall, dark, handsome – and Sookie can’t hear a word he’s thinking. He’s exactly the type of guy she’s been waiting for all her life…

But Bill has a disability of his own: He’s a vampire with a bad reputation. He hangs with a seriously creepy crowd, all suspected of – big surprise – murder. And when one of Sookie’s coworkers is killed, she fears she’s next…

I have a confession to make…I started reading this series after I was hooked on the first season of True Blood. Now, reading a book after I’ve seen the movie/TV show adaptation is one of my bugaboos, but I just had to know what happened next and I didn’t want to wait until the second season. Some people don’t understand why I don’t like to read a book after I’ve seen the movie/TV adaptation, and I always give the same answer; I can’t use my imagination as much. I visualize the characters, places, etc. that I already saw on the screen; I don’t get to create the images in my head first and then compare them once they’ve been brought to life. Anyway, back to the book review!

Vampires have come out of the coffin, and are now part of mainstream society. Well, most of them anyway. One night when Sookie, a telepathic waitress, is working her shift at Merlotte’s, a handsome vampire named Bill wanders in and sits in her section. After rescuing him from drainers in the bar parking lot, Sookie realizes that Bill’s mind is quiet; she can’t hear vampires’ thoughts. This heightens her attraction to him considering her dating life up until Bill has been a disaster. Honestly, if I was telepathic, I wouldn’t want to go on dates either! It would be kind of crushing to hear a guy’s thoughts if they were thinking negative things about you while you’re sitting across the table from them on a date. Or even worse...to know if they were thinking awful things about you while you're sleeping together! Talk about a blow to your ego!

Sookie and Bill continue to further their relationship, and he introduces her to some fellow vampires in Bon Temps, the main two being Eric and Pam who both work at Fangtasia, a hot vampire nightclub and tourist hot spot in Shreveport. Well, it was time to throw a wrench in their plans of a perfect vampire/human relationship. Not only does Eric have his eye on Sookie and the idea of using her “disability” to his advantage, but now a serial killer is on the loose in Louisiana and is targeting young women who we find out are all “fangbangers.” I’m sure you can guess what that means, but in case not, a fangbanger is a human who has sex with vampires. As if this wasn’t bad enough, the police seem to think the killer is Sookie's womanizing brother, Jason. In an attempt to free her brother and clear his name, Sookie is determined to find out just who is killing these women and keep her relationship with Bill intact at the same time.

This was my favorite book in the Sookie Stackhouse series so far, and I’m up to book 11 as of right now. Dead Until Dark is wonderfully written, and flows between the different storylines flawlessly; I couldn’t put this book down! The serial killer twist had me constantly on my toes, and I was SO shocked when I finally found out who was killing these girls! I also love Sookie’s personality. She’s stubborn, feisty, outspoken, and her telepathy adds to the intrigue of her character. And where do I begin with Bill?! He just seems like the perfect Southern gentleman…you know, besides the whole being-a-vampire-and-drinking-people’s-blood thing. After I finished this book, I was so thirsty to see where Bill and Sookie took their relationship in the second book of the series. (See what I did there? I was thirsty…get it? The book is about vampi…oh, forget it.)

I’ve kind of fallen into the vampire craze, and I can say that I 100 percent prefer the Sookie Stackhouse series over Twilight…although I didn’t think very highly of Twilight in general. The vampires in Charlaine Harris’s are more traditional; they sleep in coffins underground, they will burn if they go outside in the sun, you can kill them using a stake, etc. It’s not like Twilight where they sparkle in sunlight. I mean…really?? Sparkling vampires? Yeah, okay.  ANYWAY, the Sookie Stackhouse series is an adult book series and does involve sex scenes but it’s nothing too graphic. For anyone interested in vampire fiction, I would highly recommend Dead Until Dark. 

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Lies That Chelsea Handler Told Me by Chelsea Handler

It’s no lie: Chelsea Handler loves to smoke out “dumbassness,” the condition people suffer from that allows them to fall prey to her brand of complete and utter nonsense. Family, friends, and coworkers have all been tricked by Chelsea into believing stories of total foolishness and into behaving like total fools. Luckily, they've lived to tell the tales and, for the very first time, write about their humiliating experiences.

It doesn’t matter if you’re minding your own business, busily working, or honeymooning thousands of miles away. No one is ever safe from Chelsea’s fake e-mails and phony pregnancies, bogus smuggling schemes and made-up sports bets. Because whether it’s premeditated or spur-of-the-moment, Chelsea will do anything for a laugh. And that’s the truth.

I have read all three of Chelsea Handler’s previous books and loved them, so I had high expectations for Lies. Unfortunately, I think my expectations were a little too high. Don’t get me wrong; it was still a good book and made me laugh out loud on few occasions, but it just wasn’t quite as good as her previous books. In my opinion, the humor is a little weaker in this book because it isn’t written by Chelsea; it’s written by her friends, family, and coworkers, most of whom are funny…but they’re just not Chelsea funny.

On the jacket cover of the book is the following quote by Chelsea Handler: “My tendency to make up stories and lie compulsively for the sake of my own amusement takes up a good portion of my day and provides me with a peace of mind not easily attainable in this economic climate.” I knew that her lies would be somewhat large, but I had no idea they would be on such a grand scale. I mean…holy crap! After I read this book, I’m actually a little bit grateful that I’m not friends with Chelsea just for my own sanity. Her lies range from faking a pregnancy to forging co-workers emails, but my favorite story involves her convincing a fellow bridesmaid to sing a duet with the bride to her new husband, because the bride was “too scared to do it alone.” After the poor bridesmaid starts singing and sees the bride’s reaction, she finally realizes that this was just another one of Chelsea’s schemes to keep herself entertained.

I actually thought the stories written by her family members were a lot funnier than the stories written by the comedic writers on her show, which kind of surprised me. Also, some of the stories made her seem almost vicious, although I honestly don’t think that is ever her intention with her pranks. She’s almost like an 8-year-old boy with a severe case of ADD. All in all, I thought it was a good book and it did make me laugh out loud a few times, but it doesn’t hold a candle to Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea.  

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The Sunset Strip Diaries by Amy Asbury

(The Sunset Strip Diaries series, book 1)
There comes a time in every girl’s life, where she has to choose good or choose bad. Amy Asbury chose bad, hands down. Good meant wallflowers, secretaries and subservient wives. Bad meant power – and a possible escape from a life of secrets.

At twelve-years-old she was trying to make sense of a drug-addicted father and his disturbing behavior. By fifteen she was dealing with horrendous depression, blackouts and rape. At sixteen she was in a mental institution for suicidal tendencies and violent behavior. She could never be normal. The only place for a girl like her was Hollywood.

This is a true story of the social ascent (and eventual decline) of a girl in the Sunset Strip music scene of the early 1990’s. From crazy parties to glittered junkies and man-eating strippers, Amy has chronicled what life was like back in the days of excess and debauchery. It is not just a fascinating look into an amusing time in pop culture, but also details the mindset of a young woman trying to find confidence and self-worth in a life full of pain and chaos.

The party came screeching to a halt when the Grunge movement took over and heroin became more prominent. How far off track can a person go before it’s too late?

WARNING: This book contains substance abuse, profanity, and disturbing sexual situations,

This book chronicles the life of a confused teenage girl trying to find her way in life, and desperately wanting to become a part of the party scene on the Sunset Strip. She succeeds, and the stories of her three wild years being a popular staple on the Strip are shocking, somewhat depressing, and at some points even a little bit horrifying.

Amy’s childhood was anything but normal; her mother has completely turned her back on her and acts like she doesn’t exist and she is coping with the realization that her father may have sexually molested her when she was just twelve-years-old. She does however show off her humor to lighten up the book in some situations, whether it’s from her dousing herself in knockoff perfume (where she says “I’m sure I smelled like an old lady’s crotch"), to trying to teach herself about sex by listening to the Beastie Boys album, Licensed to Ill, to finally describing herself as “a giant heaving bowl of crazy with sprinkles on top.” Even through the humor, it was easy to see this was a troubled girl. By the age of fifteen, she had been date raped, videotaped, blackmailed, contracted VD, was bulimic, suicidal and failing school. By the age of sixteen, she had been put in a psych ward twice. That just sounds like the definition of path of destruction.

Her stories while on the Sunset Strip are just outrageous…that’s really the only way I can describe it. She tells of her relationships with glam rockers from various bands like Swingin’ Things, Alleycat Scratch, Glamour Punks, and Big Bang Babies, befriending various strippers (and as she finds out, one hooker), and details partying and frequently blacking out at hot spots on the Strip; The Rainbow, The Roxy, Whisky, El Compadre, and Gazzarri’s were a few of her most frequent hangouts. She rarely worked, never had any money, and relied solely on her looks and mooching off of her friends to support her Hollywood lifestyle. She’s determined to make it to the top no matter what the consequences. She eventually does become a hot commodity on the Sunset Strip, and then the Grunge movement takes over and she soon realizes the whole scene that has been her life for the past three years is in serious decline, if not already dead. Should she stick around Hollywood and live life as a has-been, or should she try to turn her mess of a life around?

I won’t lie; some parts of this memoir are actually rather disturbing. The number of times she gets raped is shocking, and her complete disregard for everyone is just sad. Overall, it was an easy read, and her writing style coupled with frequent diary excerpts makes you feel like you are right there partying on the Sunset Strip with her. You get an inside view of the crazy, glitter-covered Sunset Strip in the late 80’s and early 90’s, and I can’t wait to read the sequel to see just what became of Amy after the death of glam rock. 

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Beyond The Phog by Jason King

Since the turn of the century, not many college basketball teams in the country have enjoyed success quite like Kansas. Winning the 2088 national championship was certainly the highlight, but the most dominant era in school history also includes a national-best 300 wins, three Finals Fours and nine Big 12 titles since 2001.

The consistency was unmatched.

As a sportswriter covering the Jayhawks, first for The Kansas City Star and then for Yahoo! Sports, Jason King was there to chronicle it all. From Roy Williams’ stunning departure to Mario’s Miracle against Memphis to Kansas’ 69-game winning streak at Allen Fieldhouse, King witnessed all the highlights – and lowlights – from 2000 and beyond. In short, he was the ultimate insider.

Now you will be, too.

With Beyond The Phog, King provides Kansas fans with an unprecedented glimpse into one of the most memorable eras in the program’s rich history. Extensive interviews with nearly 40 players from the last decade, as well as both head coaches, reveal fascinating details about the inner workings of a true college basketball dynasty.

You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll be riveted – and, at times, shocked. Whatever the case, even the most ardent Kansas supporters will be exposed to candid, behind-the-scenes stories and anecdotes that, until now, had been confined to the Jayhawks’ locker room.

I debated on whether or not I should post a review for this book, but ultimately I figured why not?! Now, one thing you should know about me is that I am a huge sports fan; I am also a die-hard KU fan. I read this book when it first came out about a year ago, but I figured there was no harm in posting my review. Yes, I am a biased KU fan. Yes, I cry when KU basketball loses a game. Yes, I have trained to hate Missouri since I was a little kid. BUT…I appreciate sports, and even if this book wasn’t about KU basketball I would be tempted to read it; unless it was about Mizzou. You couldn’t pay me enough to read anything about anything to do with Mizzou. I digress.

This is an insider view on the most dominant decade in Kansas basketball history with interviews from prominent players and both head coaches, Roy Williams and Bill Self. Now...I love to see the camaraderie between both former and current players, as well as the coach-player relationships. The individual chapters for each player give you an insight to what they thought of their fellow players, the coaches, and how they managed to pass the time when they weren’t in class or on the court. As a KU student, I know how the basketball players are treated off the court; they are celebrities in Lawrence, Kansas. They get free drinks, free cover at any club or bar, and have girls throwing themselves at them. In Beyond The Phog, they admit that being a basketball player does have its perks in regards to girls and social life.

I loved reading about Bill Self’s boot camp, the locker room vibe at halftime of big games, finding out who the jokesters were on each team…all of it. The one thing that just crushed me was reading the chapters of players involved in the heartbreaking NCAA tourney losses; Nick Collison and Kirk Hinrich talking about the loss to Syracuse (which still stings 8 years later by the way), both first round losses to Bucknell and Bradley, and Brady Morningstar and Tyrel Reed discuss the feeling in the locker room after their VCU loss.

If you are a college basketball fan and enjoy reading about the dynasties, I know you’ll enjoy this book. I am a KU fan, so I am completely biased but this book is just awesome. Rock Chalk Jayhawk.

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