2010 Challenge Wrap Up

I do love a reading challenge! As a reader, planner and lover of lists (except those annoying "to do" lists), reading challenges hold a special appeal to me. This year I decided to take it easy, however, taking a break from my over-zealousness in past years. It was time to slow down.

I started a feature called the One Night Stand to help quench my challenge thirst--no commitment to complete the challenges, but all the fun of making lists of books I might have read had I participated. Someone suggested I at least read one book from each of the lists, a sampling of sorts, which I did consider doing. In the end, I decided against making such a commitment. My goal was to avoid the commitment aspect, after all. I had an overly ambitious challenge list for my One Night Stand, but only ended up making lists for four challenges (Once Upon a Time, What's In a Name, GLBT Challenge, and Riley's twist to the Cat Book Challenge). Oh well. It was worth a try. And I did have fun in the meantime!

Of the challenges I did take part in, I completed all three. I wouldn't be able to pick a favorite among them as they were all such fun.

The first began in 2009 and continued into 2010. The goal was to read the Southern Vampire series by Charlaine Harris. I already had a head start on the Sookie Stackhouse Reading Challenge (hosted by Beth Fish) being a fan of the series for years. I was only a couple of books behind at the start. I enjoyed revisiting old friends and going along with Sookie on her latest adventures.

The Southern Vampire Series Books:
Dead Until Dark
Living Dead in Dallas
Club Dead
Dead to the World
Dead as a Doornail
Definitely Dead
All Together Dead
From Dead to Worse
Dead and Gone
Dead in the Family
A Touch of Dead (short stories)


The second challenge I took on this year was the War Through the Generations: Vietnam War Challenge (hosted by Anna and Serena). I agreed to read five books about or related to the Vietnam War. This was a personal challenge for as much as a bookish one. My father had fought in the Vietnam War. Even though he did his time there before I was born, it was a part of who my father was and it impacted me in indirect ways. I have read a number of books about Vietnam over the years and was excited to get back into it. I had hoped that with so few challenges, I might have read more for this one, but it didn't work out that way. I am quite content with what I did read, however, and was not disappointed.

Vietnam-Related Books Read:
The Other Side by Jason Aaron & Cameron Stewart
Semper Cool: One Marine's Fond Memories of Vietnam by Barry Fixler
Paco's Story by Heineman (see also read-along discussion posts #1 & #2)
The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien
The Lotus Eaters by Tatjana Soli

Short Stories Read Relating to Vietnam (do not officially count toward the challenge):
"The Boat" Nam Le
"Love and Honor and pity and Pride and Compassion and Sacrifice" by Nam Le



In the fall, I slipped in the Readers Imbibing Peril (R.I.P.) Challenge (hosted by Carl V.), reading books full of fright or thrill. I had such great fun with it and enjoyed my reading choices. It was a great way to kick off the season.

Peril the First:
Damaged by Pamela Callow
Gone Tomorrow by Lee Child
The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins
Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill
Damaged by Alex Kava
Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist
The Art of Disappearing by Ivy Pochoda

Short Story Peril:
"The Pit and the Pendulum" by Edgar Allan Poe
"Best New Horror" by Joe Hill
"20th Century Ghost" by Joe Hill
"Pop Art" by Joe Hill

A lot of hard work goes into putting together a reading challenge, and my hat is off to the hosts of all three of the challenges I participated in this year.

When I first began blogging, reading challenges were few and far between. Today there are challenges for just about any book imaginable. They are addicting and fun. Despite what critics may say, most challenges I've come across are extremely flexible in terms of what books a participant can read--often times, you don't even have to have a list ahead of time and the options to read a small few or a large amount of books is more the rule than the exception. Still, I have no regrets about my decision to take it easy reading challenge wise in 2010. It turned out to be a wise decision for more reasons than one. I enjoyed the challenges I participated in, read a number of memorable books, and enjoyed being a part of the reading challenge community.

Did you participate in any reading challenges this year? Do you have a favorite?

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© 2010, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved.If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Reviews: Dead in the Family & A Touch of Dead by Charlaine Harris

Dead in the Family (Ace, 2010; 311 pgs)
& A Touch of Dead (Ace, 2009; 192 pgs)
by Charlaine Harris

Reading a book in the Southern Vampire series is like soaking in a steamy bubble bath. Or, how I imagine it would be if I actually enjoyed baths. I'm more of a shower girl myself. But I digress. Dead in the Family is the latest novel featuring my favorite mind reader, Sookie Stackhouse, by Charlaine Harris, and it did not disappoint.

Picking up after the last book in the series, Sookie is healing from the injuries she received during the fae war. She doesn't have much time to rest, however, as trouble is brewing on all fronts. Vampire Eric's maker is in town with a not-so-little problem he is hoping Eric will help him resolve, Sookie has a new roommate, and someone whose intentions are less than savory is lurking in the woods. Add to that the recent tensions caused by the coming out of shape shifters and weres to the public. And that's just for starters. Dead in the Family is chock full of fun and suspense.

I always enjoy my time in Sookie's world, hanging out with old friends and seeing what trouble everyone's getting into. Over the course of the series, I've grown to really dislike Sookie's brother Jason, but I have to admit I actually liked him this time around. He seems to be growing up, finally. I'm still not completely convinced he will stay on the right track though. Hunter, Sookie's five year old nephew, makes an appearance. I hope I get to see more of him in future books.

As much as Sookie has been through over the course of the series, in particular the last several books, it would have been impossible for her to remain unscathed. Her view of the world has shifted and she is a bit harder; however, she still maintains her sense of fairness.

I am a big fan of the television show, as different in tone and style as it is from the books. While I usually can keep the two separate in my head, I found myself getting the two mixed up in a couple of spots this time around. I think that is more from my having read the early books in the series so long ago. One of these days I might get around to rereading the series.

After reading Dead in the Family, I was not quite ready to leave Bon Temps, Louisiana and so finally dived into A Touch of Dead, a compilation of short stories featuring Sookie written by Charlaine Harris over the years. Some of the stories I had read before as they appeared in various short story anthologies, while others were new to me. I have to say, I'm glad the author and publisher decided to put the stories all in one place--it makes things easier for those of us who follow the series.

Some of the stories are better than others, but one thing that was clear was just how much Sookie has grown and how intricate the world Harris created has become. My favorite of the stories is "One Word Answer," which is actually among the ones I had read before. It only got better in the rereading. In this particular story, Sookie learns about the death of her cousin, who had been a consort of the vampire Queen of Louisiana. There are four other stories, one about Eric's birthday bash for Dracula, a Christmas surprise for Sookie, a request by a fairy friend to look into the murder of her sister, and an insurance caper. I enjoyed this collection of stories quite a bit.

Upon completion of Dead in the Family and A Touch of Dead, I am now officially done with the Sookie Stackhouse Reading Challenge. I thought I was done back in July when I wrote my closing summary, but the release of these two most recent books meant I could drag it out a little longer.

The Southern Vampire series is light and entertaining. It's pure fun and I have enjoyed reading each of the novels. I sure hope Charlaine Harris is busy writing the next book in the series! Until then, I'm anxiously awaiting June 13th, the start of the third season of True Blood. I'll get my fix anyway it comes.

Ratings: (Very Good)

You can learn more about Charlaine Harris and her books on her website.

Source: I bought both books with my own hard earned money.

The Southern Vampire Series Books:
Dead Until Dark
Living Dead in Dallas
Club Dead
Dead to the World
Dead as a Doornail
Definitely Dead
All Together Dead
From Dead to Worse
Dead and Gone
Dead in the Family
A Touch of Dead (short stories)

Many thanks to Beth Fish for hosting the Sookie Stackhouse Reading Challenge!

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© 2010, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved.If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Review: Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris (& Challenge Wrap Up)

"Caucasian vampires should never wear white," the television announcer intoned. [first sentence from Dead and Gone]

Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris
ACE Fantasy, 2009
Fantasy; 312 pgs


There are times when I wish I could read people's minds. I imagine it would get tiresome after awhile--not to mention the headache! And would I be able to block out the voices and images that flood my mind? I am sure there are some thoughts I would rather not be privy to. No, I don't envy Sookie Stackhouse at all.

Dead and Gone is the 9th book in Charlaine Harris' Southern Vampire mystery series, featuring Sookie Stackhouse, a Southerner in Bon Temps with the ability to read minds. It's a series filled with supernatural beings, a bit of magic, romance and mystery. Sookie and I have been through a lot together over the years. We have shared laughs, tears, and many frightening experiences. I was with her when she met her first vampire and discovered that the world around her was not the world she'd grown up believing it to be.

In this latest installment of the series, the were-people and shape shifters have decided it is time to announce their existence to the world. The vampires have been more of less integrated into society for quite a while, and the two-natured folk feel the time has come to step outside of the proverbial closet. Their coming out is met with a mixture of fascination, excitement, fear and anger. When the body of a woman, partially shifted into her animal form, is found hanging from a cross in the back of Merlotte's, the bar and grill where Sookie works, it's a sure sign of a hate crime. The real question though is whether the murder took place as a warning to other shape shifters or was it more personal?

As if that wasn't enough, a civil war is brewing between the fairies, and Sookie is right in thick of it. Add to that the inquisitive FBI agents who are breathing down her neck and a rather disturbing turn in her relationship with one of her vampire friends.

Trouble always seems to find Sookie and it does not waste time finding her again in Dead and Gone. She is joined by some of her usual crowd: her brother Jason, whose neck I wasn't quick to want to ring this time around; the ever sexy and confident vampire Eric; Sam, Sookie's charming boss; Amelia, Sookie's witch roommate; ex-boyfriend and vampire Bill Compton; and, of course, a special appearance by none other than the King Bubba himself. And that's just for starters.

I enjoyed Dead and Gone overall. I gobbled it up quite quickly as I often do Harris' books. That said, it left a little something to be desired. I liked the story well enough, but a couple of major scenes fell a little flat for me, especially towards the end. There were also side story lines that I would like to have seen more fully developed. All in all though, it was still a fun novel and a good escape from an otherwise stressful day.

It's been interesting to watch Sookie grow as a character. She isn't quite as innocent as she once was. The series has definitely taken a darker turn with each book. While Dead and Gone is not my favorite book of the series, it will tide me over until I can get my next Sookie fix.

In the meantime, let's get back to supernatural powers we wouldn't mind having. Now telekinesis . . . There's a gift I wouldn't mind having.

Rating: (Good)


Challenge Commitment Fulfilled: 2009 Pub Challenge, Buy One Book and Read It Challenge, & Sookie Stackhouse Challenge

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Well, what do you know? I have completed my first challenge! Technically, I suppose, it's the second one I have completed, but since I have have yet to prepare a wrap up post for that particular one, it's fair to say this one will end up being tallied as number one. It also happens to be the most recent challenge I joined. What challenge is that, you ask? Why the Sookie Stackhouse Challenge!

When I signed up, I mentioned that it felt like cheating, considering I only had the one book to go. I am now officially caught up with the Southern Vampire mysteries.

The True Blood television show that is based on the series is one of my favorite shows on the air today. Whereas the books are light and somewhat humorous, the television show is edgy and dark (not to mention graphic in terms of violence and sexual content). While the two are very different, they both are deliciously good.

Dead and Gone is the first novel in the series I have read since the start of the television series. It did make the reading experience different for me. The characters in the book blended a bit with the characters in the show. For some, it was important to keep them distinct, however, since their story lines vary so much from page to screen. I have to wonder if my warming to Bill a little in Dead and Gone has something to do with his television persona. I've never been a fan of his in the books before now.

I think my favorite books in the series fall somewhere in the middle. Dead to the World, book four, is at the top of that list. I have not been quite as impressed with the later books in the series, including Dead and Gone, however, I still find the novels entertaining. They're pure brain candy, and who does not need that once in awhile? I will continue to follow Sookie wherever she may go. I enjoy the world Charlaine Harris has created and look forward to seeing what new directions she will take Sookie and I next.

The Books:
Dead Until Dark
Living Dead in Dallas
Club Dead
Dead to the World
Dead as a Doornail
Definitely Dead
All Together Dead
From Dead to Worse
Dead and Gone

Many thanks to Beth Fish for hosting this fun challenge!

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©2009 Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All rights reserved.

Sookie Stackhouse: Five Years of Memories

My first foray into the urban fantasy genre featuring vampires was Anne Rice with Lestat and Interview with a Vampire. Then it was the Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series. Then I met Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden, wizard extraordinaire, who knocked my socks off. It was still in the early years, when vampire and werewolf fiction was really beginning to take off. I cannot remember how I came to read the Southern Vampire series. Most likely someone mentioned it in one of my books groups. However it happened, from book one, I was hooked.

I nearly did not sign up for the Sookie Stackhouse Challenge. I only had one book left in the series to read at the beginning of the challenge. Our gracious hostess, Beth, welcomed me in spite of that, saying that everyone was welcome no matter where the participant was in the series. At her encouragement, I am taking a trip down memory lane, revisiting the many adventures I have been on with Sookie Stackhouse over the last five years.

I began reading the series long before I started blogging. As a result, there are no links for old reviews to send you to. However, wouldn't you know it, this month five years ago, I read my very first Sookie Stackhouse book. I had begun keeping a reading journal in late 2003, and so happen to have a record of my thoughts on all the Sookie books I read before blogging. I have read all the published short stories as well, but, alas, no reviews. The best I can do is open up my reading journal for you and give you a glimpse at the trouble Sookie and I have gotten into over the years through Charlaine Harris' full-length novels.

Keep in mind if you continue on and read my "reviews" of the first six books in the series, these were never meant for the public's eyes. They are rough and often very brief. Another word of warning: there may be spoilers as each book piggy backs on the next. I tried to keep the majority of the spoilers out, and so there are no major plot points revealed. Regardless, read at your own risk.


Dead Until Dark (2001)
Harris, Charlaine (fantasy) (260 pgs)
Completed: 07/08/2004

Dead Until Dark is the first book in the Southern Vampire series. While compared to Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake series quite often, the books do indeed have similarities and yet are very different. In Dead Until Dark, the reader is introduced to Sookie Stackhouse, a small town cocktail waitress who has the uncanny gift to read minds. She’s always longed to meet someone whose mind was closed to her, and when suddenly a vampire walks into the bar, her dream comes true. However, with the brutal murders of several women who were known to have relationships with vampires, suddenly Sookie finds her new vampire friend, Bill, and her own brother at the top of the suspect list. She strikes out on her own to clear both their names only to learn the hard way that she is a target for the killer as well. Unlike the darker and more violent Laurell K. Hamilton books, in the Southern Vampire series, Charlaine Harris paints her story with much softer strokes. The mystery and tension, with a twist of romance, is still there, however, and I thoroughly enjoyed every page of this book. I admit to being a little put off by Sookie at first, worried that she would be a little too bubbly, however that did not last long. I look forward to reading the other books in the series.


Living in Dead in Dallas (2002)
Harris, Charlaine (Fantasy) (262 pgs)
Completed: 12/26/2004

When a friend and coworker is murdered, mind reader and waitress Sookie Stackhouse sets out to uncover who could have committed the crime. However, almost immediately after the murder, she is pulled away from home and sent to Dallas to help in the investigation of the disappearance of a vampire. It proves to be a dangerous undertaking, which could very well end in Sookie’s death.

Although I did not find myself mesmerized with this book as I was with the first in the series, I did enjoy it. Sookie is a smart and yet sweet heroine who is hard not to like. This was a fun, light and entertaining read.


Club Dead (2003)
Harris, Charlaine (Fantasy) (258 pgs)
Completed: 01/02/2005 (12:55 a.m.)

It is always fun to spend time with Sookie Stackhouse and this time was no different. Thanks to her involvement with the vampire Bill, she often finds herself in danger way over her head. When Bill disappears under suspicious circumstances, and rumors of his being unfaithful abound, Sookie agrees to help find him and bring him home. She teams up with a werewolf and hobnobs with the king vampire of Mississippi in order to learn where Bill is being hidden. Ever the endearing woman, who just happens to have the gift of telepathy, Sookie shows grit in this novel, taking on an ex-girlfriend, weres, ill intended-humans and vampires. She is not so innocent anymore.


Dead to the World (2004)
Harris, Charlaine (Fantasy) (291 pgs)
Completed: 12/24/2005 (1:30 a.m.)

On her way home from work, waitress and telepath, Sookie Stackhouse, finds the sheriff of the local vampires running barefoot down the road with no memory of who he is; an evil coven of witches appears to have moved into the area and wants to take over; and her brother has gone missing. Sookie finds herself embroiled in the middle of a battle between Weres, witches and vampires. Sookie is her usual likeable self in the fourth novel of the Southern Vampire series: witty, charming and genuinely good-hearted. Dead to the World was suspenseful, sexy and funny. I enjoyed the book immensely and cannot wait to dive into Dead as a Doornail.


Dead as a Doornail (2005)
Harris, Charlaine (Fantasy) (295 pgs)
Completed: 12/25/2005 (4:56 p.m.)

Ever since Bill the vampire appeared in her life, Sookie Stackhouse finds herself in the middle of trouble regularly. Between the upcoming contest for a new pack leader for the local werewolves, someone killing shapeshifters, suspicion falling on her brother, and an attempt on her own life, Sookie has her share of problems in Dead as a Doornail. This particular novel was not quite as focused as the previous novels, multiple story lines vying for center stage. Even so, I enjoyed reading the book. Sookie is an extremely likeable character. It’s obvious all the men in her life think so too.


Definitely Dead (2006)
Harris, Charlaine (Fantasy) (324 pgs)
Completed: 05/06/2006 (1:17 a.m.)

I love this series! It’s such a fun lighthearted series full of laughs and heartwarming moments mixed in with action and suspense. Telepath Sookie Stackhouse finds herself in all sorts of trouble in the latest of the Southern Vampire series books. Sookie is summoned to New Orleans to clean out her deceased cousin’s apartment. She’s being attacked be Weres and the Vampire Queen of Louisiana has desires on Sookie’s talents. I was really sad to see the book come to an end, but Ms. Harris made sure to leave behind a lot of hope that there are plenty more Sookie stories left to come.


Reviews for the Remaining Three in the Series (so far):
All Together Dead
From Dead to Worse
Dead and Gone

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© Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty 2004-2009. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Sookie Stackhouse Reading Challenge

Hosts: Beth Fish
Goal: Catch up on Charlaine Harris' Southern Vampire series.
Time Frame: July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2009

The Books:
Dead Until Dark
Living Dead in Dallas
Club Dead
Dead to the World
Dead as a Doornail
Definitely Dead
All Together Dead
From Dead to Worse
Dead and Gone

I read most of the books in the series in my pre-blogging days. but you can find my reviews of the ones I have read by clicking on the linked titles above. I asked Beth if I would still qualify to join having only one book to catch up on in the series (I am not going to be re-reading them at this time--too many other books in my TBR stacks to get through that haven't yet read once). And so it is with her blessing that I am signing up. Somehow it still feels like cheating.

I have been a fan of the series for a number of years now and am excited to see so many others take an interest in it. Hopefully they won't be disappointed!

Reviews: All Together Dead and From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris

When I first heard that Charlaine Harris' Southern Vampire Series was being turned into a television show, I was skeptical. It would never work, I thought. As time went by, however, my excitement grew and I became more and more curious as to how HBO would handle the show. I convinced my husband that subscribing to HBO for the final season of our favorite show, The Wire, and for the upcoming True Blood series was a good idea. I talked one of my coworkers, a diehard Harry Potter fan, into reading the series and, despite the strain it put on her budget, she didn't hesitate too long before subscribing to HBO either.

My husband and I watch the show faithfully every Sunday, and when I arrive at work every Monday morning, two of my coworkers and I get together to discuss what we thought of that week's episode. True Blood is edgy and fun. I love the spin the television show has added to the series. For those who demand every detail be the same between book and movie, it probably comes as a big disappointment. While some of the details are similar, many others are very different. I haven't been too keen on television's take on vampires in the past and there are certainly some things about True Blood I could offer up a complaint about, but I do enjoy the show. My husband and a coworker who have never read the books have had no problem following the show and are quite smitten with it as well.

The coworker I convinced to read the Southern Vampire Series finally caught up to me in the book series and cajoled and pouted until I agreed to set aside my current reading commitments to read the last two books published in the series. She wanted someone to discuss the books with and did not want to have to hold back for fear of giving away spoilers. And so, it was with great anticipation that I picked up All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris.

Some might think that the television show would harm my reading of the series, inserting the characters from the television show straight into the images of the characters I was reading about. And sure enough, I did hear Anna Paquin’s voice, southern accent and all, as I read the novel narrated by Sookie Stackhouse. I saw Stephen Moyer in the place of Bill. And even Eric took on the look of Alexander Skarsgård (the jury is still out on whether I like the casting for this role). Despite that though, my enjoyment of the series has not been compromised in any way. It's been enhanced, if anything. I'm even more excited about the book series (if that is even possible, as it's always been among my favorites).

All Together Dead was an exciting and fun romp with old friends. I hadn't realized just how much I missed them until I began reading the book. Charlaine Harris has created a cast of characters that are memorable and interesting. In this edition of the Southern Vampire Series, Sookie joins the Louisiana contingency of vampires for a summit in Rhodes, Illinois. The vampire queen needs Sookie's expertise, her gift of reading the minds of humans. The queen is not only facing murder charges but also is in a weakened position after the damage to her area caused by Hurricane Katrina and is not sure who she can trust. When the vampire bringing the charges against the queen is murdered, it sets off a chain of events that Sookie finds herself neck deep in. Sookie reunites with fellow mind reader, Barry, and the two join forces to try and find answers as well as to save lives. If that isn't enough, the sparks are flying between Sookie and her new beau, weretiger Quinn, while Eric, the vampire sheriff, struggles with his own feelings for the blond mind reader. All Together Dead was impossible to put down and I had my own little read-a-thon as I raced to the end to find out what would happen next.

I was so entranced in Sookie Stackhouse’s world that I jumped right into the next book of the series, From Dead to Worse. Sookie finds herself in the middle a were war, a vampire coup, and a completely unexpected family discovery. With her boyfriend, Quinn, missing, an old enemy in town, and her brother’s marriage on the rocks, Sookie is feeling rather desperate. Thank goodness for her shape shifting boss, Sam, and her roommate, Amelia, the witch. From Dead to Worse seemed to be a bringing together of the series, reminiscing of past events and tying up loose ends while adding to the story lines here and there. The novel read more like a series of short stories, with the main story arc was much more personal and internal this time around.

It has been interesting to see Sookie grow over the course of the series. She led a relatively simple life when Dead Until Dark opened. In the eighth book of the series, Sookie has come into her own. Her life is much more complex and dangerous. Whereas so much in the world seemed so black and white once upon a time, Sookie finds herself straddling the line more and more. There are many more shades of gray than she ever could have imagined.

The Southern Vampire Series continues to be one of my favorites. The characters grow even more interesting with each book and the stories are intriguing. Charlaine Harris had yet to let me down.

All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris
ACE, 2007
Fantasy; 323 pgs
Rating: (Very Good)

From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris
ACE, 2008
Fantasy; 359 pgs
Rating: (Very Good)

Check out the author's website for more information about her books.