The only problem I ever have with Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse books is that they're so damn good, I devour them in a heartbeat and am once again left morosely staring at the calendar, trying to figure out how long I have to wait until the next series installment. Dead in the Family was no exception.

In Dead in the Family, Sookie is recovering from her brutal attack during the war with the fairies. She and Eric are settling into a normal relationship pattern, and she's come to terms with her feelings for him, admitting that she loves him and wants to be with him.

Of course, nothing is that simple in Bon Temps. This time, family issues cause stress on her relationship -- both from her own family, in the form of her 5-year-old nephew and fellow telepath, Hunter, and from Eric's sire and brother, who come into town without warning in need of help. (Incidentally, these new characters were a real treat, and must have been fun to write. I enjoy the nuggets of history readers are provided through these immortal characters -- and it's always fun to see what famous figure Harris will throw in to the mix next.)

More plot tension is also provided when "ghosts" from the past pop up again to cause trouble for Sookie, and add even more drama to her life. You can't help but feel sorry for the poor girl.

We say goodbye (at least temporarily) to series regulars like Amelia, Sookie's roommate, but meet other new and interesting additions to the Bon Temps community -- like Judith, a vampire "sibling" of Bill's who bears a surprising resemblence to his Civil War-era, human wife. Harris is once again expert in keeping the action moving through use of supporting characters, without neglecting her fan favorites, and I'm especially intrigued to see where this storyline will go in future novels.

It's no secret that I am hugely "Team Eric" when it comes to Sookie's love life, so I'm cautiously optimistic about the path Harris seems to have her herione on. However, since Ms. Harris is also a genius of mystery and surprising twists at the end, I won't get too comfortable as I settle in for the long wait for her next book.

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A FILLER BOOK....Super-Disappointing. Wasn't even worth my time.

No suspense, no mystery, no plot really. No romance, no sex, barely a mention of all the major characters.

It was like she wrote this book just because her publishers said "Hey, write us up about 300 pages to be published next May"....and boom, there it was--a BORING book.

I was waiting to find out what would happen with Sookie & Erik. With Sookie & Bill. With Alcide....and what did I find out with this book? NOTHING.

She left more loose ends than she tied up. I was left feeling emotionally void after reading it. YAWN.......don't waste your time!

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This has so far been the most atrocious book in the series. I was so incredibly disappointed. The book felt like there was no real story. It seemed to drag on to no end. I love the rest of the series and this one falls short horribly. The characters weren't remotely recognizable. It appears that Ms. Harris has lost a good amount of interest in the series. I had so much hope and anticipation for the book and it was a huge let down. There were some interesting points in the book. Overall though it all seemed to blur together. I am hoping the next book is far better.

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I've come to expect great things with each book in the Sookie Stackhouse series and simply put Charlaine Harris' latest was a disappointment. Yes, I liked it but at times it was boring and I found myself having to read bits and pieces because I would just simply drift off. This book just fell flat on her usual suspenseful writing style. I must say though, best comment of the book goes to Pam with her, "F**k a zombie!"

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Just finished this tonight. Much as I loved the other books this one seemed to drag on and on and on. Too much politics and too little action for lack of a better word. It wasn't a bad book but it definitely wasn't one of the best. I wish I had waited for the paperback. One other thing I did notice is that with every new book it gets a bit more explicit regarding sex. Could have done with the exposition in this book in one case.

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I'm not going to get into the plot..it's been done and one well. But I'm hugely disappointed in this series and with this author. The last two books are horrible. They are filler with no plot or substance. Very disappointing. I guess this author will go into the pile w/ LKH & MJD... and waste of $$ and time.

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This book did absolutely nothing for me. It started out slow and never did pick up pace...just nothing ever happened. I love the Sookie books, but this one left much to be desired. I have to agree with a previous reviewer and say that the fact I'm not anxiety ridden waiting on the next book pretty much sums it up. Just very...blah!

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Not one of her better books. Eric all but disappears in this book. The charming guy that we all love is MIA in this one replaced by someone that is defeated and indecisive. In the end, Sookie's love for Eric is in question. The two parts that come out okay are Hunter's appearance and Bill gets a nice closure. I hope Eric gets back to charming the pants off of us in the next book. This book just left me....wanting.

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Let me start by saying that I LOVE the Sookie Stackhouse series. I preordered this book in February, and I reread all nine books in the series in April in excited anticipation of the arrival of this book. Unfortunately, I have to agree with many of the other reviews of this book, it really fell short of expectations. I still enjoyed reading it and blew through all 300+ pages in just over a day, however, it didn't have the same passion and suspense of the other books, it felt like there was barely a plot at all. Also, the characters (besides Sookie) that make the series so interesting, Eric, Sam, Pam, Jason, etc, were barely present at all. I did like the fact that Hunter had a larger part in the book, I am hoping she will contiune to include him in future books. All-in-all, I would have to say that this is not one of the better books in the series, but it is still worth reading if you are interested in a continuation of the lives of the characters in the series. I am keeping my fingers crossed that this is a mediocre prequel to a fantastic eleventh book!

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Just a warning, I may mention a spoiler from previous books in the series, it's pretty impossible not to....

OK, I really have mixed feeling with this book. While I really enjoyed it the whole time I was reading, I also felt really disappointed when it was over. This book was a lot about Sookie's recovery after the faery wars and her dealing with everyone in her life moving on and having a life of their own. While I appreciated just getting to visit the Sookie world and the characters without it being a constant crisis, one right after the other, I still felt that the storyline should have been more evolved and more of the loose strings from previous books should have been resolved.

There were a lot of great things that I did love about this book. Hunter (Hadley's son that is like Sookie) finally gets some time in this book and those parts were a lot of fun to read. Claude gets some time and I actually came to like him as a character, which is a big change, because I hated him before...lol. I'm sad that Amelia leaves at the beginning of the story, I really liked her character.

All in all, it just seemed that this book was a bunch of little subplots all stuck together instead of having a main plot that drove the story. While each subplot was interesting on it's own, and there was some good character development, I'm still a little disappointed by the time the end came around with no big bang

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It seemed like i had read the last book a long, long time ago. I had to skim thru it to refresh my memory of what happened. This book seemed almost tame compared to the previous ones. The "edge of your seat" thrill just wasn't in it. It did have it's tense moments, it was not boring by any means. But just not quite as exciting as previous ones. I would have liked to delve more into the side stories with Eric's maker and Bill's blood sister. And Sookie's relationship with Eric gets deeper, and as always the were's are stirring up their own trouble, Alcide still has the hots for Sookie, i wonder if they will ever be together again? But we do get to know Claude a little better, and somehow Sookie still lands on her feet......

You really have to start at the beginning of this series to understand it all. And don't compare the TV series "trueblood" to the books. The story gets "tweaked" to make it great television. But i am biased and like the books better....


www.texasreader-stacy.blogspot.com

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First, a disclaimer...I love Charlaine Harris...that being said I feel comfortable telling you this book (like all her Sookie Stackhouse books) ROCKS! I adore the way she has more that one mystery in each of her last few books, it moves along so well and keeps you on the edge of your seat. The characters are better than ever and by now (book 10) I am so attached to them I don't know what I will do having to wait a year for the next one! Ms. Harris writes with ease and grace and is a master at telling an enthralling, humorous story. I would suggest this book to anyone, but by all means, read the previous nine first.

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Thrilling, Campy, Southern-fried-romance of supernatural proportions! Oh yeah, lots of blood too! I found myself unable to put the book down because of all the twists and turns.

The only minor gripe I have is the amount of characters Harris has (and this is an issue with most of the books). I feel like I need cliffs notes or some kind of a flow chart to keep up with every being, their personality, if they are a shifter, fae, were, etc.

Overall, a great read and if you are a fan of the series, you won't be disappointed.

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This book didn't seem to have the pazazz that the rest did, (especially the last one) but, do not skip it. I still enjoyed it cover to cover. Pam was particularly amusing, and her personality seemed to pop, and also her friendship with Sookie. 4.5 stars from me.

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Paranormal Romance by Charlaine Harris, Book 10 in the Sookie series. This book felt a little different to me, but in a good way. Sookie is healing from the torture she received from the Fairies. The violence has changed Sookie in some way; she's jumpier, and more suspicious of people. Her relationship with Eric is strong, but as with any relationship, the more you get to know someone, the more you notice other facets of their personality. Sookie sees a different side to Eric, as he handles the new Vampire politics, and when his Sire shows up. And, all around Sookie, some of her friends are getting pregnant, and she notes that this is not something she'll get to experience, with Eric. Sookie's relationship with her brother is better, and she spends more time with her cousin Hadley's son, and her cousin Claude. Through all of this, Sookie finds that there's a Fairy in the area who is out to get her. This part was not hard to figure out. I enjoyed the book. We get to see some familiar characters, such as Bill, Alcide and Pam (love her!). Good Book.

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I enjoyed this book almost as much as the others. Its true there isnt as much action, its more just pulling the story together but I liked how Sookie is evolving. The ending seemed rushed thru but over all I am still happy with the series and ready for the next book.

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This book was a major dissappointment. Though it was a fast read and that was only because I was sure the next chapter would be more interesting. I was wrong. The book just dragged on and on.I cant help but think that maybe Ms Harris has given up due to the hbo series "true blood". Maybe she has just decided to hand the reins over to Alan Ball. Too much competition. I really wish that I would have waited for it to come out in paperback instead of spending $25 on the hardcover.I will not buy another book of hers until i hear favorable reviews about it.

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I've never watched the HBO series, and I don't plan on it anytime soon. I've loved the book series so much, the TV show is guaranteed to disappoint me.

The 1st book made me fall for Sookie and her men, and after I finished it, I immediately ordered every other book in the series. I just finished Dead in the Family and I can't wait until Charlaine publishes her next one. I hope they go on for at least several more. I'm so involved in these books that when I finish one, I don't read anything else for days so I can just think about the one I've finished.

And I'm very much Team Eric.

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I really love Charlaine Harris books! This one was really great i give it 4 out of 5 because there wasnt nearly as much action and suspense in this one, but it was still amazing!!!!

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The book was good, not my favorite but good. The thing is that I have given up on the series. The books are all just good, nothing I feel compelled to re-read. The story line is enjoyable,the characters are easy to like and there are some humorous parts scattered throughout but there is no WOW factor to any of it. I love paranormal/sci-fiction books and compared to the others that I have read I feel like this series is plain. Even the fight scenes can be a bit dull... maybe because Sookie just isn't hard-core enough for me.

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Sookie is healing from the fairy and vampire war that happened to her and friends.
Alcide asks her if they can have the pack night on her property, but when they are leaving one of the members tell her that their have been strange smells of fairies on her land. All the fairies except a few are back in thier land.
Sookie also tries to help bill out with his silver sickness and finds a "sister " vampire of the same bloodline to help with the healing.
Eric finds himself in trouble with his Maker coming to visit with another young, but mentally disturbed vampire.
A good book and leads up to more interesting conclusions for a later tome.

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This book is one of the best of Charlaine Harris' series. The character development was very strong. Eric Northman's character is continuing to evolve, and the addition of Sookie's cousin, Hunter, is interesting.

I enjoyed this almost as much as the first Sookie novel. Can't wait for number 11!

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as I have been debating continuing to read this series, I jumped ahead a few books and read Dead in the Family. I have been pleasantly surprised by this installment in the series. I am looking forward to completing the series.

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Not my fav of the Sookie Series, but entertaining none the less. I am a loyal fan of this series but this one just didn't have as much story as I would have liked. BUT if you have been a fan of the series then def read this one! I will keep on reading them!

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I read this book in a few hours. It was a nice quick read and was like most of the other books in the series. I liked this one because it showed a different side of Eric and gave a little more insight to the fairies. This book would have to be one of my favorites in the series.

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I was kind of disappointed with this latest installment and I am not quite sure why... I am certainly happy with Sookie's lovelife, but there was something missing with the plot, and in Sookie's relationships. Though Sookie's character is understandably darker now, she is also a little less charming... And this book hinted, for what seems to be the first time, that Sookie may want to be turned into a vampire. Which is a twist I did not see coming. I liked the development of her friendship with Sam (he will always be one of my favorite characters) and I do hope to see more of Hunter in future books.
Mostly I feel strange that I am not anxiety-ridden about the yearlong wait for the next book in the series. This might be because I did not re-read the whole series first, but I am not sure...

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i love series but am starting to think that they should be limited to about 5 books because as they go on they get boring. this is one of those series. barely a plot, and barely any focus on the previous characters except Sookie. The only good thing about this book is Sookie is losing her innocence, and becoming more ruthless - which should have happened a long time ago as far as i'm concerned.

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I was terribly disappointed with the last Sookie book (Book #9) so I didn't have high hopes for this one.

Thankfully, "Dead in the Family" exceeded my expectations. I enjoyed this book very much. It was slightly lower key than some of her earlier Sookie books, but that makes sense given the characters' development at this stage of the series.

One thing that amused me was Charlaine Harris' reference to the song "Bad Things" by Jace Everett - which is the True Blood TV show theme song. Very cheeky!

Anyway, for those who were disappointed in the last Sookie book, have no fear, this book totally redeems the series. Can't wait for Book #11!

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After reading books 1-10 of this series I am probably done with Sookie and the gang. I feel like this book lacked any plot that drove the story forward. It seems like the author is just tossing out books because she knows they will sell, and the more she gets out the more money she makes... not impressed.

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Love this author and the storyline. The book was in great condition and I plan to keep it so I can re-read it over and over.

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As a reader of this series I can't say I was impressed with this one. Of course it had it's humor and love, but it seemed as if Charlaine Harris was running out of things to write about with Sookie. Either way if you are a reader of the series there is no reason not to read this one.

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It was better than some of the books from the series but sort of boring. I suspect Miss Harris creativity well is running a bit dry. I can't say I blame her. I still stay interested enough to keep reading this series and comparing it to the HBO show.

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Dead in the Family (Sookie Stackhouse, #10) Charlaine Harris

Sookie Stackhouse, the gifted bartender is back in this installment. She is overcoming the emotional and physical scars of the fairy war. She is also trying to adjust to her relationship with Eric (the Vampire). Then it seems someone or something is lurking in her woods, could it be a fairy?

A bit disappointing, The story line was slow, and lacking in excitement (compared to the others in the series). I can not say much more because I never write reviews with spoilers. I am a big fan of Charlaine Harris and intend to read more by her.

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This book marks the point where the Sookie Stackhouse series has begun to royally stink. It introduces several boring, annoying new characters whose roles are basically pointless. The pace is sluggish, the central mystery is a yawn, and the climax is predictable and ridiculous. It feels as if Harris rushed this one and/or was bored while writing it. Unfortunately, the next book in the series is even worse. Stick with the first nine, and hope that #12 is back to their high level of quality.

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I like this series and I read them fairly quickly. This one was no exception. However, it was a big let down. The author seems to be dropping a lot of good characters to bring in the fae storyline which just doesn't interest me. I thought the previous book was the end of it but no, here they are again. And at the end of the book, who cares? So little happened that I don't really anticipate the next book in the series.

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great sookie stackhouse book

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Another enjoyable story of Sookie Stackhouse . . . this one was a recovery time from the last book. She still has to deal with someone out to frame her, a bad fairy and bad vampires (Eric's boss, maker and 'brother' to name a few). Got to learn more about family in this one for both supes and humans.

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This is the only Sookie Stackhouse book that I really didn't find to be an enjoyable read. The whole tone of this book was depressing & kind of dark. Quite a change from the previous EXCITING and dark books in the rest of the series.

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I listened to this book on a playaway and enjoyed much of it, but felt I may have been left out on some parts due to it being audio instead of my actually reading it. Regardless, another fantastic book in the Sookie series. I'm so intrigued with the Sookie/Eric relationship and can't wait to see what happens with that!

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Let me say that I love Charlaine Harris. The last book in the Sookie Stackhouse series left me a little upset. For those of us who read the books and follow the series it left us wanting more. So when I picked this book up I was ready....Not alot of action...But some intersting..SPOILER...................................................................................................................................................................
Changes in possible love connections that had me smiling at the end. Claude turns out to be ok...but has a unnatural interest in Sookie...Hummmmm....Alcide is back...Yummyyy...and Hummmm....He ends up not having a love interest and we all know that he has always had a thing for Sookie...So this book really did make me want more...Can't wait til the next one...But remember not alot happens, it is kind of going with the flow...but it reignites those possible love triangles.....you all hope for...And well Bill makes an appearance...He has a "family member" show up....And Eric is a cutie pie....but is blowing it majorly with Sookie...His maker shows up .....And it is not Godric (like the series)...

I was REALLY happy to read his and can't wait til Sunday when Season 3 starts!!!

I was REALLY happy to read his and can't wait til Sunday when Season 3 starts!!!

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This is the tenth book in the Sookie Stackhouse series. Honestly I wasn't all that thrilled with Dead and Gone (book 9) and was worried that this series was going down the tubes. This book was better than book 9, but it was still pretty unfocused. It does tie up a lot of loose ends though; I just wish there had been a good solid plot to follow through the book.

Sookie is recovering from the horrible torture and deaths in Dead and Gone (Book 9). She is looking for fairies lurking around every corner and is jumpy. Sookie is trying to make her relationship with Eric work, but there is a lot of outside interference. Society is still reeling from the revelation that weres dwell among normal people and this is causing strain within the local packs. A dead body shows up in Sookie's backyard and she has to figure out how it got there. Then to make tense things more difficult Eric's maker shows up with an out of control vampire child. Additionally Sookie's fairy brother Claude wants to be Sookie's roommate and Bill is still incredibly sick from the silver poisoning he got in Dead and Gone. As I said there are a ton of little things going on here.

This is a book that mishmashes a whole bunch of little plots together. Many things are resolved but there is no over-arcing storyline and really no engaging plot to push you through the book. Sookie's problems with the fairies are, for the most part, dealt with. Some trouble with the pack is also resolved. The trouble with the werewolves coming out in society never really comes to a head but is always lurking in the background. Bill's issues of silver poisoning are also dealt with.

Sookie was much more herself than she was in book 9. I thought in general the characters acted more like themselves than they did in Book 9 too. The writing was better and I didn't catch any blatant grammatical errors (like I did in book 9).

Overall this was a somewhat entertaining read. A lot of loose ends are tied up but there really isn't a large story to carry over to the next book. I am hoping that Harris starts a new story-arc in the next book. This wasn't the most engaging Sookie book I have read, but it wasn't as bad as Dead and Gone either. It was a bit scattered and I wish it had had a more contiguous plot, but it was okay overall. I am starting to worry that the Sookie Stackhouse series is dying the slow death that the Anita Blake series has died, but this book gives me hope that maybe things are getting better.

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I have to say i've been disappointed with this book overall. I LOVED the others in the series but i'm kind of tired of all the 'wars' between the different species. I wish that she could produce a book of happy things instead of all the fighting. I probably won't get the next one unless everyone exclaims over it.

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THis was the best book ever. Lots of action,and some dead bodies. Really loved it. If you can,buy it. THis is A KEEPER

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Im not a huge fan of Sookie, but I do enjoy the story line, and this one was just as much fun as the other books.

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I absolutely LOVE the Sookie Stackhouse books!! Read 1-11 all in one summer!

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I love all the sookie stackhouse books! I am rereading them all again now! I have recommended them to all my reader friends!

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Harris doesn't like her characters too much which must be why she kills so many.

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i luv it so far i am about eight chapters in .

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