April 22, 2016

Review: Club Dead

Club Dead (Sookie Stackhouse, book 2) by Charlaine Harris

club dead charlaine harris

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Edition Reviewed: Paperback
Amazon: Paperback | Kindle
Goodreads: Club Dead (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 betrayal---she's not sure whether to save him...or sharpen some stakes.


Review:

Ah. The book. The one that I love despite Bill and Sookie's rocky relationship. Actually I love it because of that reason. It's been clear from the beginning that there has been issues between them. Sookie has always wanted that extra umph from Bill. Bill has never even cared enough to give her a heartfelt, and simple, gift. I truly believe he relies on Sookie's feelings of unconditional love. That because he is her first love and first bedroom partner that she would never truly get rid of him. Not to mention that she runs away and comes back. A lot.

The two are fire! But sadly fire fizzles out. You can stoke it again and again to create another blaze. But you'll have to constantly work at it. It will almost go out, you'll burn yourself from it, it can get out of control, and in the end it's just constant work.

Harris starts up the story really interesting. You get the idea that Bill is tired of Sookie. In the last book I could see he missed other vampires. He wanted to impress upon Sookie that he was not human. Period. Well he succeeded. To be honest if I was Sookie I would have dumped him after book two. Those events, I just wouldn’t want to deal with it. Harris keeps it real. Sookie does love him and she needs a protector from the other vampires who know what she is. It's scary.

That's why no one can begrudge Sookie her temptations. In the form of Eric. Damn you fine Norseman. It was very interesting to see more of Eric. He's mainstreaming like Bill. However, he lives and interacts with other vampires still and is older than Bill. Yet Eric is more . . . real. He's a vampire, but there's an actual person in there. Bill feels cold and aloof. He's a monster with out the fluff. But Eric is oh so fluffy!

Speaking of fluff. Alcide! Yes, a werewolf love interest. (The other temptation.) Sam may be a shifter, but he's not that obligatory werewolf. I'm pretty positive that Alcide is the reason why so many vampire books feature the hot third wheel of a werewolf. Because with every page I felt more confidence in why I always new Alcide was one hot motha—you get my point. Sure we can see some issues, and towards the end Sookie can see that Alcide may not be for her. She's growing. However, he's a warm blooded man—hot werewolf!—who could give Sookie the kind of life she wants. Maybe. Either way I loved Alcide and Sookie in this book. The chemistry! The fact that it actually made me think “forget Eric, Alcide is where it's at” is a testament to Harris's skills as a writer. To not only create man candy, but interesting man candy. Well fleshed out man candy. (Take that however you want.)

Club Dead is a fun fast paced read. I enjoyed the murder mystery, even if I guessed it. The rescue that transpires that sets the whole thing into swing. It was fun seeing other things beside vampires and getting to know the craziness of werewolves. How the mechanics work in the animal shifting realm. Not to mention the foreshadowing, the bigger picture! I adore Sookie and all her quirks. The running jokes are great. (Though the word of the day calendar might get old at this rate.) The man from Memphis was so much fun, and I love that he wasn't just a one time joke. Bubba is too cool not to utilize. It's a great sign that even up to book three, Club Dead, on my reread of this series the five stars are sticking.

Sexual Content: Sex scenes, rape scene (guys let's be honest it really is), dark themes, bisexual and homosexual elements. (Prrrrrrrr Eric.)

 
5/5- Fabulous, a beautiful obsession!


Previous book(s) in series:
Reviewed on BW: Amazon: Goodreads:
Dead Until Dark (1)
Living Dead in Dallas (2)
Club Dead (3)
Dead to the World (4)
Dead as a Doornail (5)
Definitely Dead (6)
All Together Dead (7)
From Dead to Worse (8)
Dead and Gone (9)
Dead in the Family (10)
Dead Reckoning (11)
Deadlocked (12)
Dead Ever After (13)
Dead Until Dark (1)
Living Dead in Dallas (2)
Club Dead (3)
Dead to the World (4)
Dead as a Doornail (5)
Definitely Dead (6)
All Together Dead (7)
From Dead to Worse (8)
Dead and Gone (9)
Dead in the Family (10)
Dead Reckoning (11)
Deadlocked (12)
Dead Ever After (13)
Dead Until Dark (1)
Living Dead in Dallas (2)
Club Dead (3)
Dead to the World (4)
Dead as a Doornail (5)
Definitely Dead (6)
All Together Dead (7)
From Dead to Worse (8)
Dead and Gone (9)
Dead in the Family (10)
Dead Reckoning (11)
Deadlocked (12)
Dead Ever After (13)

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