Showing posts with label charlaine harris. Show all posts
Showing posts with label charlaine harris. Show all posts

Friday, October 10, 2008

Favorite Author Fridays - Books I've Been Reading

OK so normally Favorite Author Fridays are prompted by something I read that week. However, this week I've been either re-reading stuff or reading things by authors I've already blogged about. So I just thought for this week I'd give you a breakdown of what I've been reading:

Bleachers by John Grisham - this is our Book Club book this month and it was way better than I expected it to be. I'm familiar with John Grisham as a lawyer, political thriller writer, which isn't really my genre. But this book was about a high school football player coming home for his couch's funeral. It was wonderfully written and I would definitely call it a Man's Sniffle Book. Loved it.

Dragon Bones by Patricia Briggs - I swear this woman can do no wrong to me. I love EVERYTHING she writes. This is the first of a duology, but can be read alone since it wraps up quite nicely. It's about a boy... oh I won't do it justice. Here's a blurb from googlebooks, "To protect himself from his abusive father, Ward of Hurog has spent a lifetime convincing everyone that he is a fool, but now, with his father's death, Ward becomes the new lord of Hurog and must quickly prove himself worthy of the title to keep his throne." Way good. I'll definitely read the 2nd one.

The Black Jewels Trilogy by Anne Bishop - These were a reread. A trilogy consisting of Daughter of the Blood, Heir to the Shadows and Queen of the Darkness. "Ancient prophecies have foretold the coming of a powerful witch, one who would in reality be not a mere human female but "dreams made flesh," nothing short of Witch herself. She comes in the form of a tremendously brave little girl, whom we first meet at the age of 12 or so when she comes to Hayll seeking instruction in the Craft from none other than Saetan himself. Human beings don't just come over into the land of the demon-dead, and Saetan quickly recognizes who this young girl truly is and will become. "

I love the premise and story but somehow the ending always disappoints me a little. After I read these Nate read them and felt about the same I do. You get drawn in but 3 books later you're pretty emotional exhausted and just want a darn happy ending for your troubles. You get sacrifice and compromise- probably more realistic but not as satisfying.

However, I just heard there are 4 more books set in the same world, one written as in between the original 2nd and 3rd. I think I'll try them and see if they help me feel more settled. Over all recommended but they do deal with abuse (including sexual) so at your own risk.

Dead Over Heels by Charlaine Harris - The 5th Aurora Teagarden book. I really like these. They're cute mysteries without too much stress but a lot of real emotions (which are usually less dramatic). I read this one on an hour at Hastings and it was the perfect way to relax for a bit.

Playing with Fire by Katie MacAlister - cute paranormal romance. Very fun if a little questionable. The 2nd one is out and I'll definitely get it. I read all the other Aisling Grey series that led to this series spin off.

Snakecharm by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes - This is the 2nd book in the Kiesha'ra series. It's what I'm currently reading and since it's so small it'll be done today I'm sure. It looks to be as good as Hawksong, the first book in the series.

Friday, September 5, 2008

Favorite Author Fridays - Charlaine Harris

Charlaine Harris does several series of books: Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampire, Aurora Teagarden, Lily Bard "Shakespeare", Harper Connelly, and has done a couple non-series books. All of her books I would consider mysteries.

I was first introduced to her for her Sookie Stackhouse books, the ones she's most famous for. I love them. I will caution, however, that, as happens with most series vampire books, they're starting to get pretty questionable. The same thing happened with Laurel K. Hamilton. Her first books were really good but slowly they got more and more sexual until they were practically (in my opinion) erotica and I had to stop reading them. I might have to stop reading Sookie Stackhouse books soon. It just happens with the same vampire character in the same world with the same basic cast- all that's left if for them is to have sex with as many people as possible. Very Sad!

Don't let that steer you away from her other series however. I have never not liked a book I've read of hers. She just overall does an amazing job. She creates characters you love and root for and situations that seem real in spite of their obvious fantasy aspects (i.e. vampires). On an interesting note, Charlaine was raped when she was younger and so none of her books will ever have 'forced sex' put in a positive light. If you're familiar with a lot of fantasy/sci-fi books this is a relief to you also.

So here you go. A bibliography broken up by series. Remember ones in red I've read and loved.

Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampire


The Southern Vampire Mysteries is about a telepathic barmaid in northern Louisiana, named Sookie Stackhouse. Each book follows Sookie as she tries to solve mysteries involving vampires, werewolves and other creatures of the night.

Dead Until Dark
Living Dead in Dallas

Club Dead

Dead to the World

Dead as a Doornail

Definately Dead

All Together Dead

From Dead to Worse

Aurora Teagarden

Aurora Teagarden, a diminutive Georgia librarian whose life never turns out quite the way she plans, ends up solving real mysteries. These have all been released before but are being rereleased now.

Real Murders
A Bone to Pick
Three Bedrooms, One Corpse
The Julius House

Dead Over Heels
A Fool and His Honey
Last Scene Alive
Poppy Done to Death

Lily Bard "Shakespeare"

The heroine of the Shakespeare books is Lily Bard, a tough and taciturn woman whose life has been permanently reshaped by a terrible crime and its consequences. In Shakespeare's Landlord, the first in the series, Lily is caught at a moment when the shell she has built around herself is just beginning to crack. The books capture Lily's emotional re-entry into the world, while still remaining sound mysteries.

Shakespeare's Landlord
Shakespeare's Champion
Shakespeare's Christmas
Shakespeare's Trollop
Shakespeare's Counselor

Harper Connelly

Harper's been struck by lightning and the experience has left her with a strange ability: she can find corpses and see how they died. Afterward, Harper and her step-brother, Tolliver Lang, make their living from finding the dead.

Grave Sight
Grave Surprise

An Ice Cold Grave

Non-Series

Sweet and Deadly
A Secret Rage

*I have not included anthologies she has short stories in*
Also, most series information was gotten off of wikipedia.com