REVIEW: Living Dead in Dallas

Living Dead in Dallas
Author: Charlaine Harris

This year I made a New Year's Resolution that I would read more books that I enjoy....and revisit books that I loved. From Trixie Belden to Sookie Stackhouse, I have enjoyed my year of reading whatever I wanted to read -- with no guilt or book shaming allowed. When you get right down to it, reading is great for learning and exercising the grey matter, but it can also be a wonderful, joyful, fun experience. I have enjoyed this year of free-range reading so much that I have already decided to make the same resolution again. I'm going to read what I want....review it all....and just spend the year loving books. All sorts of books. :)

I started reading the Southern Vampire Series BTHS (Before the HBO Series) and even got my husband to read the novels with me. We watched the TV show faithfully each week and discussed what we thought about the book vs show, characters, etc. It was FUN! When the series ended....and the show ended....I missed our book chats. The books have sat on my keeper shelf since the final book published in 2013. I have fondly gazed at their colorful spines many, many times and promised to revisit the entire story....but never actually did it. Until now. I'm listening to the audio book versions of this series and loving it! So nice to revisit the characters and places that made me love this series!

Now....on to my review of this Charlaine Harris novel....    I do have a point. Really. Promise.

I normally don't read supernatural romance-y books. Most vampire fiction tends to delve down into weird sex, weird vibes and lots of spurting blood. I just don't enjoy the stories. But.....this series, for me, is an exception. The Southern Vampire series mixes Louisiana easy southern manners with humor and supernatural creatures of all sorts. I like the vibe of the series. I can see why they made an HBO series based on these books.

Dead in Dallas is book 2 in the series. After meeting Vampire Bill in book 1 and making a deal with the vampires to use her mind reading powers to help them on occasion, book 2 starts to heat up the clash between humans and vamps. Some groups just don't think vamps should be allowed to live....and are willing to do anything to wipe them off the face of the earth. At the same time, all the supernatural creatures coming out into the open is coaxing some ancient, powerful beings to come out of the shadows. It makes for a dangerous, volatile mix of emotions and violent actions on all sides.....

Dead in Dallas has some great character and setting development and lots of action. A very old vampire has disappeared....and Sookie is called in to help find him. At the same time, an ancient creature called a maenad comes to Bon Temps, loosening the inhibitions, morals and judgement of most of the humans in the area. Sookie finds herself searching for a missing vampire and investigating a murder....makes for an interesting book!

This book is where the HBO show and the books reallly started to veer apart. A minor character in the book series -- Lafayette -- dies in Book 2. Murdered. In the HBO show Lafayette is a main character....and someone else was murdered. Characters and the plot of the show and books were vastly different...so I enjoyed each as different versions of the same story. Lafayette was my favorite character in the show...the actor brought a vibrancy and life to the character that was never in the book version. The short lived character never got a chance to shine in the books. He was murdered at the speed of plot to start the maenad story line.

I am very much enjoying my return to Bon Temps. It's making me want to rewatch the show too!

This series has a lot of sexual references and some adult themes....I would recommend some parental guidance before letting those under 16 read these books. Adults who don't like sexual content might also want to pass on this series. There are some pretty hot and heavy moments in this book because of the maenad...nothing graphic or gross. Just a lot of Bacchus approved moments. Bow-chickie-bow wow. lol The sex is mixed in with the humor and southern charm of the characters.....so it isn't just gratuitous boinking, but part of the plot.

On to book 3! Club Dead.

Just an aside -- but luckily I bought my box set of the first few paperbacks before the HBO series came about and became popular. Most of my books don't have a huge red splotch on the front with "Now an HBO series'' in big letters. I really HATE IT when publishers do that. I get it -- there's a show and they want people to watch it. But I don't like having the covers of my books ruined by advertising. And I don't like it when the covers get changed to pictures of the characters from show/movie versions either. The book version comes first -- leave the cover art alone. By all means include a postcard or bookmark advertising the show -- but don't F with my book! lol Anybody else feel this way? Or am I a book curmudgeon?