79) Grave Secret by Charlaine Harris

The Blurb :


Lightning-struck sleuth Harper Connelly and her stepbrother Tolliver take a break from looking for the dead to visit the two little girls they both think of as sisters. But, as always happens when they travel to Texas, memories of their horrible childhood resurface...

To make matter worse, Tolliver learns from his older brother that their father is out of jail and trying to reestablish contact with other family members. Tolliver wants nothing to do with the man - but he may not have a say in the matter.

Soon, family secrets ensnare them both, as Harper finally discovers what happened to her missing sister, Cameron, so may years before.

And what she finds out will change her world forever...

My Thoughts :

I read the whole Harper Connolly series back when it released.  However I have a thing with Charlaine Harris and always end up reading her books again but via Audible.  Why?  One reason is that she has been graced by the audio book gods and always has amazing narrators.  Another reason is that her books are just so good they are worth reading again.  Especially when the series is over and you can binge listen to them.

The Harper Connolly series was always hard to get hold of on Audio but I noticed a while ago that they had become available and I couldn't wait to revisit the series.  Despite having read the whole series I found that I had forgotten so much about all the books.  I knew the general story about Harper and the lightning strike, what happened after, her abilities, her family and so on but the details that I had completely disappeared were the mysteries from each book.  The plots came across, in most instances as completely new.  Sounds bad in a way but it meant that this second visit to the series was even more fun.

This fourth and last book in the series tied up the loose ends.  As everything started to come together there is a sense of shock but relief as Harper finally finds out what happened to her sister all those years ago and more surprisingly finds out she lost another family member around the same time.  She just didn't know.

In Grave Secret is all about family.  Harper and Tolliver go back to their hometown to visit some family, both welcome and unwelcome.  People get hurt and people die.  It is dim at times but the story is compelling and has a story you can't give up on.  Especially if you have read the rest of the series.

Charlaine Harris recently released a new Aurora Teagarden Mystery and I have to wonder if she will do the same for her other series.  It would be nice to catch up with Harper and Tolliver.  See how they are doing.  Maybe a collection of short stories.  Other cases they have worked on.  I feel like Harper's ability keeps filling their lives with mysteries.

A great series, interesting characters and an unique paranormal twist.  Well worth reading.  Definitely worth listening to.

75) All The Little Liars by Charlaine Harris

The Blurb :

Aurora Teagarden is basking in the news of her pregnancy when disaster strikes her small Georgia town: four kids vanish from the school soccer field in an afternoon. Aurora’s 15-year-old brother Phillip is one of them. Also gone are two of his friends, and an 11-year-old girl who was just hoping to get a ride home from soccer practice. And then there’s an even worse discovery—at the kids’ last known destination, a dead body.

While the local police and sheriff’s department comb the county for the missing kids and interview everyone even remotely involved, Aurora and her new husband, true crime writer Robin Crusoe, begin their own investigation. Could the death and kidnappings have anything to do with a group of bullies at the middle school? Is Phillip’s disappearance related to Aurora’s father’s gambling debts? Or is Phillip himself, new to town and an unknown quantity, responsible for taking the other children? But regardless of the reason, as the days go by, the most important questions remain. Are the kids still alive? Who could be concealing them? Where could they be?

With Christmas approaching, Aurora is determined to find her brother…if he’s still alive.

My Thoughts :

A decade after the last installment in the Aurora Teagarden series, Charlaine Harris has delighted and surprised us all with a new story!  This ninth book in the series starts a few weeks after the last book finished but the author manages to bridge the ten years difference very well making this one feel more up to date but not too advanced.  Aurora is as pleasant and inquisitive as always and all the regular cast of characters are either mentioned or play a part in the story.  All The Little Liars was a reunion and an update of sorts and it was a wonderful read.

I have read and enjoyed every single book in the Aurora Teagarden series and then, like all of Charlaine's other books, I read them again via Audible book.  So when I saw All The Little Liars pop up I couldn't believe that fans of her series were being so blessed!  It was always a little annoying how the series ended.  A nice happy cliffhanger but not the place I felt it should have been left.  Thankfully it seems many more readers of the series also had the same attitude and the author managed to make something happen.

The mystery was a complicated one that wasn't too confusing but mostly mind-boggling.  This is just the way Harris does things.  A great twisted plot that keeps you guessing until the end.  You may think you know what has happened but you really only get there when the amateur sleuth does.  The author does a great job of keeping the reader hooked and offers up a good amount of information to keep you in the know and not confused or overwhelmed.  This series is one of the best cozy mysteries out there and it shows even in this new release years after what we thought was the end.

So many things could be said about the plot and I could write a lot more about the story.  However I don't want to give away all the surprises to fans who have been waiting for this new addition or spoil things for anyone who haven't gotten this far into the series yet.  All I can say is that it was worth the wait.  All The Little Liars was not a disappointment and I read it all in a few hours.  I was completely and utterly hooked from the first chapter.

Now I hope that there will be more Aurora books.  It would make me really happy to have a few more stories but maybe one more would be enough.  However if there aren't any more I could handle it.  After all this ninth book was a surprise I wasn't expecting and am very grateful for.  I wonder if the author has plans for any other of her series to get new installments. I wouldn't mind catching up with Lily Bard or Harper Connolly but for now I will just say thanks and well done for All The Little Liars.

66) An Ice Cold Grave by Charlaine Harris

The Blurb :

Hired to find a boy gene missing in Doraville, North Carolina, Harper Connelly and her brother Tolliver head there, only to discover that the boy was the only one left of several who had disappeared over the previous five years. All of them teenagers. All unlikely runaways.

All calling for Harper.

Harper soon finds them—eight victims, buried in the half-frozen ground, all come to an unspeakable end. Afterward, what she most wants to do is collect her fee and get out of town ahead of the media storm that's soon to descend. But when she's attacked and prevented from leaving, she reluctantly becomes a part of the investigation as she learns more than she cares to about the dark mysteries and long-hidden secrets of Doraville—knowledge that makes her the next person likely to rest in an ice-cold grave.

My Thoughts :

August hasn't been a great month for reading any kind of Kindle or physical books.  However I am doing pretty well on the audio book front.  All fans of Charlaine Harris will of, like me, have already read the Harper Connelly series but Charlaine Harris has managed to achieve something that rarely happens.  I want to read her books again.  So far I have read listened to all the Sookie Stackhouse, Aurora Teagarden, Midnight and Lily Bard books so I only have the Harper Connelly ones left.  Yes I have read all of them before but the audio books are so good!

I only just listened to the second book in the series, Grave Surprise the other week.  While I have many other books to listen to I just couldn't resist this third installment.  Just like the second book, I couldn't really remember anything about what happened.  It has been a long time since I read An Ice Cold Grave and the majority of the plot was forgotten long ago.  Which made listening to this one even more interesting.

As with all other books by Charlaine Harris it was a great listen and once again a pleasure to read.  The series is unusual, exciting and keeps you guessing until the end.  I was happy see Manfred again in this third book.  A character who also appears in the Midnight series. Most of the characters from Midnight have made appearances in other books but they have been forgotten over the years. One thing I didn't forget is Harper and Tolliver changing their relationship status.  You can see it coming throughout the series but it was still an interesting development.

I am looking forward to listening to next and final book in the series.  I really can't remember why this series stopped after the fourth book but with a new Aurora Teagarden installment due for release soon maybe there will also be a new Harper Connolly book sometime in the future.

64) Grave Surprise by Charlaine Harris

The Blurb :

When I was fifteen, I was struck by a bolt of lightning through an open window of the trailer where we lived...I recovered, mostly. I have a strange spiderweb pattern of red on my torso and right leg, which has episodes of weakness. Sometimes my right hand shakes. I have headaches. I have many fears. And I can find dead people. That was the part that interested the professor...

At the request of anthropology professor Dr. Clyde Nunley, Harper Connelly and her stepbrother Tolliver come to Memphis to give a demonstration of Harper's unique talent. And what better place to have that demonstration than in a very old cemetery?

Dr. Nunley doesn't bother to hide his skepticism, especially when Harper stands atop a grave and senses two bodies beneath her - one of a centuries-dead man and the other of a young girl, recently deceased. When the grave is opened, Harper's claim is proven true.

The dead girl is Tabitha Morgenstern, an eleven-year-old abducted from Nashville two years previously - a child whom Harper had tried, and failed, to find. The coincidence raises suspicions about her among the police - so she and Tolliver undertake their own hunt to find the killer. They make a nocturnal visit to the cemetery, hoping that Harper can sense something further about the murder.

And then, the next morning, a third dead body is found in the grave...

My Thoughts :

Any fans of Charlaine Harris will of, like me, have already read this series.  However Charlaine Harris has managed to achieve something that no other author has.  She has me going back to re-read or at least to listen to her books again.  I have read nearly all of her books and slowly but surely I have been listening to them all too.  I have already read and listened to all the Sookie Stackhouse, Aurora Teagarden, Midnight and Lily Bard books so I only have the Harper Connelly ones left.

Grave Surprise is the second book in the series and even though I definitely read it when it releases, I couldn't remember anything about it while I listened to it.  Sure this book was released ten years ago and a lot has happened since then but I expected to at least remember some of the plot.  Which I didn't.

The book was a great listen and once again a pleasure to read.  The series is unusual and exciting with some interesting details.  I was pleasantly surprised to meet Manfred in this book.  A character who also appears in the Midnight series.  I know a lot of the characters from Midnight have made appearances in other books but some of them have been long forgotten over the years.  So I love putting those pieces together.

I can't wait to listen to the next book in the series.  Luckily they all seem to be available on Audible and I can revisit the series in full.  Well worth the listen, the narrator does a great job of bringing the series to life and I look forward to hearing her voice again soon.

33) Night Shift by Charlene Harris

The Blurb :

At Midnight’s local pawnshop, weapons are flying off the shelves—only to be used in sudden and dramatic suicides right at the main crossroads in town.

Who better to figure out why blood is being spilled than the vampire Lemuel, who, while translating mysterious texts, discovers what makes Midnight the town it is. There’s a reason why witches and werewolves, killers and psychics, have been drawn to this place.

And now they must come together to stop the bloodshed in the heart of Midnight. For if all hell breaks loose—which just might happen—it will put the secretive town on the map, where no one wants it to be...

My Thoughts :

Sorry about the silence lately.  It has been a busy couple of weeks and the books haven't been left untouched but they definitely didn't get enough attention.

Charlaine Harris is one of my favourite authors.  She has offered many a great cozy mystery and paranormal or not she always tells a great story with characters that are full of strange and interesting backgrounds. The Texas Midnight books keep to this trademark and with Night Shift bringing the trilogy to an end there are more and more unusual revelations and some intriguing twists and turns.

The crossroads town is waking up and not in a good way.  Finally the residents have noticed that not everyone is who they seem to be and that the new hotel isn't what it claims to be but very strangely there is a new resident that nobody seems to care about meeting.  However the most bizarre thing of all is the suicides and the voice that is talking to one of the residents.

If things were somewhat spooky and odd in the last two books then this third installment is even more peculiar and extraordinary.  There are a lot of surprises and revelations but most of all there are some fascinating developments and depth in the stories of the town and residents of Midnight.  I was hooked after a couple of chapters and found it really hard to put down.  Like most of Charlene's books you can't help but get sucked completely.

After listening to the first two books I actually read this one and I have to say it was just as enjoyable.  The characters are likable and compelling and each has its own strange quality.  Also the tie ins to her other books/series are enough to make any fan love this book and the previous ones.  Vampires, werewovles, witches and a nod or mention to many other aspects of the well known books from years past.

While there is always a 'I want more feeling' when a series is over I have to say that this trilogy is definitely ending too soon.  Usually a series coming to and end feels right despite wanting more but I was only left thinking that Midnight or at least the residents still have more stories to tell.  Maybe Charlene will have a change of heart and continue writing stories about this crossroads in Texas but I guess I would also be happy to see another 'spin-off' type of story where Midnight is mentioned and some of its characters show up just like in this trilogy.  Whatever comes next will however be on my reading list.  So far the author hasn't disappointed me and I can't wait to see what she has in store for us readers next.

7) Grave Sight by Charlaine Harris

The Blurb :

Harper Connelly has what you might call a strange job: she finds dead people. She can sense the final location of a person who's passed, and share their very last moment. The way Harper sees it, she's providing a service to the dead while bringing some closure to the living - but she's used to most people treating her like a blood-sucking leech. Traveling with her step-brother Tolliver as manager and sometime-bodyguard, she's become an expert at getting in, getting paid, and getting out fast. Because for the living it's always urgent - even if the dead can wait forever.

My Thoughts :

Charlaine Harris is one of my favourite cozy mystery writers.  Her Sookie Stackhouse series was my first find and then I read her Lily Bard series.  Aurora Teagarden was next and ten years ago when the Harper Connelly series started I remember pre-ordering it. I have revisited all of the series over the years via Audio book but the Harper Connelly series was somewhat hard to get hold of.  The first in the series didn't seem to be available for a long time and I didn't want to listen to them out of order.  So when Grave Sight finally popped up I knew it was time to check out the series again.  After all, shock and horror, it has been over ten years since it released!!!!

Harper Connelly was struck by lightening and can now feel the dead.  She feels their remains and can see the cause of death.  With no other skill set available to her she has turned this ability/curse into a paying job.  She finds the graves of lost people who have passed on.  She doesn't find it morbid or cruel because she is bringing closure to all concerned but some people don't see it that way and her career choice can cause some trouble.

Brother Tolliver travels with Harper and is her manager/bodyguard.  Although they are not blood related they have been through more than enough with each other and have a special relationship that even they aren't quite sure about sometimes.  There is a lot of history between the two and throughout the series the other siblings come into play as well.

Now I read this years ago and remembered the general concept and plot. When I started listening to the book I even had some 'Oh yeah' moments as my memory was jogged about certain aspects.  However as things progressed I realised how much I had forgotten.  It made revisiting this book even more fun because, for instance, I couldn't remember how it ended or how they solved the mystery.

This is a great series and I can't wait to read (listen) to the others again.  It is a great way to have some Charlaine Harris time while waiting for the new installment in the Midnight Series and the narrator for Grave Sight was very good.  If you haven't already tried this paranormal cozy then I suggest you do!  Unique, well written and exciting this is on par with all of Charlaine's other series!

62) Day Shift by Charlaine Harris

The Blurb :


There is no such thing as bad publicity, except in Midnight, Texas, where the residents like to keep to themselves. Even in a town full of secretive people, Olivia Charity is an enigma. She lives with the vampire Lemuel, but no one knows what she does; they only know that she’s beautiful and dangerous.

Psychic Manfred Bernardo finds out just how dangerous when he goes on a working weekend to Dallas and sees Olivia there with a couple who are both found dead the next day. To make matters worse, one of Manfred’s regular—and very wealthy—clients dies during a reading.

Manfred returns from Dallas embroiled in scandal and hounded by the press. He turns to Olivia for help; somehow he knows that the mysterious Olivia can get things back to normal. As normal as things get in Midnight…

My Thoughts :

So I got an ARC of this one and failed miserably at reading it.  I just couldn't get into the book when reading it and then realised that I listened to the first book, Midnight, and decided to wait for the audio version to be released.  It was the best decision because as soon as I started listening I was hooked.  I can't believe that listening to the book would make such a big difference but the narrator really does a great job and obviously my reading brain connected this series with listening.

Oh Midnight I love you!  The connections to the other Harris universes continue in this second installment of the series and fans will be happy to see some familiar faces make an appearance.  I won't give away the surprises but the hardcore fans, who have read all of Charlaine's other series, will make the connections and put together some of the mystery because of their familiarity with her other books.  It was a delight to catch up with some of the characters and it is so nice of the author to incorporate her other books into this series.

This time around there are some more revelations about the inhabitants of Midnight and it seems that all of the residents are now 'out of the closet' so to speak.  Many of the paranormal questions have been answered and as the reader now knows who is what and some other interesting information about the characters.  That isn't to say that we now know everything and it also doesn't mean that everyone in Midnight knows everything about each other.  There is still a lot of unanswered questions and stories to be told and I can't wait to listen to them.

Don't expect everything in this second installment to be tied-up in a neat bow.  The main mystery is solved and there is a feeling of closure but there are some other mysteries in this book that are not solved.  The Hotel remains a mystery as well as who will take over the gas station.  I expect these subjects will take up some of the focus in book three when it comes out next year.

Another wonderful cozy series from a brilliant must read author.  I love how the paranormal elements in this series are trying to be subtle but actually play a huge role in the series.  I enjoy the ties to Sookie, Lily, Harper and Aurora and look forward to more in the next book.  Anyone who has enjoyed any of Charlaine's previous works will definitely want to take a trip to Midnight, Texas and if you haven't read all of her books yet then you will want to catch up and see how they all come together and meet in this small crossroads of a town in the middle of nowhere.

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53) Midnight Crossroad by Charlaine Harris

The Blurb :

Welcome to Midnight, Texas, a town with many boarded-up windows and few full-time inhabitants, located at the crossing of Witch Light Road and Davy Road. It’s a pretty standard dried-up western town.

There’s a pawnshop (someone lives in the basement and is seen only at night). There’s a diner (people who are just passing through tend not to linger). And there’s new resident Manfred Bernardo, who thinks he’s found the perfect place to work in private (and who has secrets of his own).

Stop at the one traffic light in town, and everything looks normal. Stay awhile, and learn the truth...

My Thoughts :

Every series that Charlaine Harris has written has come to an end and all her fans have been waiting for what comes next.  With this new book you find out that despite putting everything else to bed she isn't ready to leave them be.  Midnight Crossroad actually seems to be the junction that has all of Charlaine's series meeting up. There are links to the Sookie Stackhouse world, Lily Bard's old friend Bobo is all grown up and living here in Midnight, Harper's friend Manfred has just moved in and there is even an Aurora Teagarden character involved in the story.  As a reader and fan of all these series I was surprised, happy and intrigued by the mixture.  Any fan would be!

The usual Southern style characters, location and attitudes that are always present in Charlaine's books are also present here in the very small town of Midnight.  The only thing that is slightly different and unusual at first is that this book is told from various perspectives.  Each character seems to have a turn at the reins which is not a style I am used to from this author.  At first it was a little confusing but once I got to know the characters it was easier to tell them apart.  The narrator of the book (I listened to this one) did a fine job of trying to distinguish each character but I got the feeling that she sometimes missed the ball when it came to the character change and didn't change her voice in time.

The mystery was well written and kept me guessing till the end.  There are a lot of secrets in Midnight and it took a while for the ones relating to this mystery to be revealed.  As the story unfolded the possibilities grew.  It was interesting and exciting to follow lives of these people and see how it all fit together.  I got hooked and found myself listening to the last hour yesterday, a Saturday, when I usually only listen to audiobooks during the week while on the way to and from work.

Fans of Charlaine's work will be happy with this new addition.  There is something for everyone and she has kept a few paranromal elements alive that make this one even more special.  Now I hope the next book about Midnight doesn't take too long to come out.  It would be a shame to have to wait so long to visit Midnight again.   I am sure there are more secrets hidden amongst this small group but I am sure they will come out in the other books about the town.

A must read for fans of any of Charlaine's books and a definite must read for anyone who likes paranormal cozy mysteries. If you haven't checked out the other books by Harris then this one will make you want to check out Lily Bard, Aurora Teagarden and Harper Connelly. Just don't let the changing POV's put you off or annoy you. Get to know each character and enjoy the stories they have to tell. This is another great idea from a great writer and I am happy with how it has started and can't wait to see how it continues.

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2) Dark Duets by Various Authors

The Blurb :

DARK DUETS: New Tales of Horror and Dark Fantasy will be published in January, 2014 by Harper Voyager. Edited by Christopher Golden, it features an extraordinary lineup of collaborative stories, with the authors of each story collaborating for the very first time. And here they are!

My Thoughts :

Dark duets is exactly what the title suggests.  A collection of dark stories written by duets of authors.  I am not a huge anthology lover but this book caught my eye as well as some of the authors with stories inside.  To be honest the Charlaine Harris and Rachel Caine combination was the one that made me want to try this book.

Each story is dark and some are really not tales you want to read before bed.  Stephen King lovers will enjoy these novellas and paranormal lovers will also like the weird and twisted supernatural elements in some of the short stories.  The collection isn't anything spectacular but there are some stories that will stick with you.  I can't say I enjoyed it enough to give it a glowing review but it was a nice read and a few of the stories were well worth my time.

Below is a list of the stories and the authors.  The first four stick in my mind as being some of the better in the collection and there are a few in the middle of the book that also caught me by surprise.  I wouldn't rush to check out any of the unknown authors because this book was mostly horror.  However it was nice to read something totally different to my usual reads and I am sure a lot of people would find some new authors to add to their wish list.

Do not read before going to sleep and maybe read this collection in a fully lit place.  Nice anthology with some very well known authors.  I wonder how they managed to write the stories together and make them so well thought out and written.

-TRIP TRAP by Sherrilyn Kenyon & Kevin J. Anderson
-WELDED by Tom Piccirilli & T.M. Wright
-DARK WITNESS by Charlaine Harris & Rachel Caine
-REPLACING MAX by Stuart MacBride & Allan Guthrie
-T. RHYMER by Gregory Frost & Jonathan Maberry
-SHE, DOOMED GIRL by Sarah MacLean & Carrie Ryan
-HAND JOB by Chelsea Cain & Lidia Yuknavitch
-HOLLOW CHOICES by Robert Jackson Bennett & David Liss
-AMUSE-BOUCHE by Amber Benson & Jeffrey J. Mariotte
-BRANCHES, CURVING by Tim Lebbon & Michael Marshall Smith
-RENASCENCE by Rhodi Hawk and F. Paul Wilson
-BLIND LOVE by Kasey Lansdale & Joe R. Lansdale
-TRAPPER BOY by Holly Newstein & Rick Hautala
-STEWARD OF THE BLOOD by Nate Kenyon & James A. Moore
-CALCULATING ROUTE by Michael Koryta & Jeffrey David Greene
-SISTERS BEFORE MISTERS by Sarah Rees Brennan, Cassandra Clare, and Holly Black
-SINS LIKE SCARLET by Mark Morris & Rio Youers



 

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145) After Dead by Charlaine Harris

The Blurb :

Dead Ever After marked the end of the Sookie Stackhouse novels—a series that garnered millions of fans and spawned the hit HBO television show True Blood. It also stoked a hunger that will never die…a hunger to know what happened next.

With characters arranged alphabetically—from the Ancient Pythoness to Bethany Zanelli—bestselling author Charlaine Harris takes fans into the future of their favorite residents of Bon Temps and environs. You’ll learn how Michele and Jason’s marriage fared, what happened to Sookie’s cousin Hunter, and whether Tara and JB’s twins grew up to be solid citizens.

This coda provides the answers to your lingering questions—including details of Sookie’s own happily-ever-after…

The book will feature extensive interior art by acclaimed Sookie artist Lisa Desimini, including a Sookieverse Alphabet, color endpapers, and several full-page black and white interior illustrations.

My Thoughts

The last Sookie Stackhouse novel got some very mixed reviews.  Where some loved it and were sad to see it all come to an end, others hated it and attacked the author for her decisions regarding Sookie and the 'Happily Ever After' she ended the book with.  I actually am one of those people who liked the last book and was sad to see it go but was happy with how it ended.  I don't think many share my opinion.

Anyway, for all those questions left unanswered there is now 'After Dead'.  What I expected was a nice bunch of short stories tying up/explaining what happened to some of the main characters in the series.  What I got was an over priced book which took me about 15 minutes to read.  As I started reading and saw what was really in this book I was quite mad.  A fan for all these years and this is what I get?

Every page was reserved for a different character from the series.  Some of the characters were very obscure, met them once and can't remember who they are people.  While some of the characters got a nice paragraph explaining what happened to them others only got one sentence.  Yes on each page there was only a few lines giving a short, brief and sometimes frustrating account of how the characters life played out after Sookie 'retired'.

While some of the characters were nice to read about, for example Sookie herself, Tara, Bill, Eric and Pam, the others were boring and unnecessary.  Characters that I didn't care about had long write ups with an interesting story while characters I really liked and appeared more frequently only got a short mention. There were some that I wanted to know more about and there were some that could have done with a few more lines.  It was all quite disappointing.

What added insult to injury was the 'And he/she had many more adventures' line that the author had added to some of the notes.  What??? Isn't this the book to tell us about them?  Too lazy to think of something cool?  Will there be spin-off books?  This sentence appeared a couple of times and not for characters who meant nothing.  It hurt to read this.  It felt like I was being teased and tested.  If I give you more tasty treats will you stick around and read them?

To not be completely negative about this book I will say that the artwork was really nice.  I appreciated it very much and even though I only read this on my Kindle I was impressed with the thought and work that had gone into it.  If only the author had also put that much effort into this book.

I don't think I have ever said anything bad against this author before but this time I can only shake my head in disgust.  After all these years I expected more and am really upset that I pre-ordered this and paid so much for it. So if you are a Sookie fan and have been looking forward to this book, you have been warned.  Yes it is nice to find out what happens to all those characters you came to know and love over the years but No it isn't worth buying it right now.  Wait until it is reduced or put it on your wishlist and let someone else buy it for you.  Maybe pool your money together with some other Sookie lovers you know and sit down for coffee and all of you can read a few out loud and be done within about half an hour.   Review over, I am off to see if I can get a refund for this book.

 

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59) Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris

The Blurb :

There are secrets in the town of Bon Temps, ones that threaten those closest to Sookie—and could destroy her heart...

Sookie Stackhouse finds it easy to turn down the request of former barmaid Arlene when she wants her job back at Merlotte’s. After all, Arlene tried to have Sookie killed. But her relationship with Eric Northman is not so clearcut. He and his vampires are keeping their distance…and a cold silence. And when Sookie learns the reason why, she is devastated.

Then a shocking murder rocks Bon Temps, and Sookie is arrested for the crime.

But the evidence against Sookie is weak, and she makes bail. Investigating the killing, she’ll learn that what passes for truth in Bon Temps is only a convenient lie. What passes for justice is more spilled blood. And what passes for love is never enough...


My Thoughts :

(If you are worried about me giving something away.  I don't! )

It wasn't easy starting this book.  Knowing it was the last one, knowing that there were no new Sookie stories after this one made it hard to read.  I wanted to keep it safe somewhere for a special day but at the same time I needed to know how things ended.  What happens to Sookie when all is said and done and most of all who does her heart belong to when the end comes.

I was just over on Goodreads and couldn't believe the feedback people over there are giving this last installment in the Sookie Stackhouse series.  So many readers and long time fans are giving the book just one star when in my honest opinion it deserves at least 4.  Why are people being so negative?  Because they just don't understand and don't like the ending that Charlaine Harris gave Sookie.

To be honest I am not 100% happy with the end.  The story itself was as good as expected and it was full of  characters I have come to know and love over the years.  There were some nice little twists and the loose ends got tied up.  However as with ending any series there are always some things left open.  Actually the series was left pretty open and could continue if the author really wanted to write more Sookie but I respect her decision to let the series and Sookie go and I also think she ended things well.

You may not be happy with who Sookie ends up with at the end of all the Bill and Eric trials and tribulations but if I think about it, well she ended up with the guy I always, deep down inside, knew she should be with.  We will most likely never find out if the relationship works out or if Sookie has a nice happy long life but the final pieces of the puzzle were put together and I can be happy that I was along for the ride all these years.  It was fun!

If you are a fan of the series then you need to get this read before someone spoils the ending for you!  If you still haven't read this series, well now it is safe to read them all in a nice marathon and enjoy everything you have been missing.  I will definitely be doing a re-read via audiobook sometime soon.  I will always go back and revisit Sookie, she was an inspiration and a friend.

An end of an era!  What Charlaine brings us next?  I don't know but I will be checking it out when the time comes!

     

   

           

 

49) Poppy Done to Death by Charlaine Harris

The Blurb :

Not just any woman in Lawrenceton, Georgia, gets to be a member of the Uppity Women Book Club. But Roe's stepsister-in-law Poppy has climbed her way up the waiting list of the group-only to die on the day she's supposed to be inducted.

Sordid stories of infidelity in Poppy's marriage lead to a rash of suspects, and Roe begins to question her own heart. But her passion for the truth will drive her on-into the path of the cold-blooded killer.

My Thoughts :

The Aurora Teagarden Mystery series has been taking up a lot of my time lately. After reading the books a long time ago I decided to revisit them on Audiobook and found myself enjoying them even more than my first visit. Maybe it was the great narrator that made the stories that little bit better but it could just have been due to my not so secret love for cozy mysteries.

While all the murders throughout the series have somehow had something to do with Roe, it hasn't always been up close. So for the finale we get to see the family Roe inherited via her mothers second marriage and it was nice to finally get to know them. Sure it is always nicer to meet under better circumstances but the quick introduction in the previous book didn't give much away. We get thrown in at the deep end this time with the victim being one of her step sisters-in-law.

The title of the book gave away the person who was up for the knife. How, when, why and who were still open for answers. Being a wife and mother obviuosly wasn't time consuming enough and Poppy managed to rack up some extra curricular activities. Poppy's secrets were interesting revelations but for me it was pretty obvious who killed her. I doubted myself now and again as more skeletons came out but ultimately my first choice was the right one.

In this eighth and last installment we see Roe ready to settle down for real. Quite a few events in her life had gotten Roe to this point and it was like everything was finally coming full circle. It was obvious that the character would evolve during the series and it was easy to follow how and why. I think the changes in Roe over the last couple of books would annoy some readers though. However for me it was just the natural course of things and I can only hope that dealt the same hand that Roe had been given, I too would be strong enough to go the route she takes in this last book. I was delighted to have Roe get her happy ending and even though another book or just an epilogue would have cleared up a few loose ends, well it was a fitting end to everything.

Charlaine Harris is a great author and even though there is no vampires or anything Supernatural in this series you can still expect a great story, characters and style. This is a series I will be visiting again in a few years because it is enjoyable and pleasant to listen to. Not sure if I would read the books again but the Audio versions were just too good not to come back to again some day. Well worth trying if you like cozies or enjoyed any other Charlaine Harris books.

47) Last Scene Alive by Charlaine Harris

The Blurb :

Roe is still in mourning over her husband's death when a movie company arrives in Lawrenceton. They've come to make a film based on a book written by her one-time boyfriend Robin Crusoe, a book that detailed their shared investigation of a series of murders that occurred years before.

But when the lead actress-who is playing Roe-is killed, Robin and Roe join forces once again to thwart a killer, without knowing that Roe herself is the next target.

My Thoughts :

I am nearly done revisiting the Aurora Teagarden Series. It is book #7 and the end is near. I have throughly enjoyed my time listening to the books and the further into the series I get, the more I realise, how much better they are on audio. The narrator does such a great job of capturing Roe and making the story come alive. I am extremely glad that I have taken the time to go back and listen to the series.

This time around Roe isn't at her best. It isn't surprising after everything she has gone through. However there is enough to keep her mind occupied and take her away from her mourning. Robin Crusoe, a writer Roe dated a long time ago, is back in town because his book about some murders they were both caught up in (book 1 in the series) is being made into a TV Film.

Of course this book involves a murder and as usual Roe manages to get unwillingly involved in the whole thing. It should be a storyline that feels old but Charlaine Harris always manages to put a fresh and interesting new spin on things. Always making the plot very addictive and hard to put down the story evolves and grows till Aurora and the reader finally manage to put the pieces together and solve the case.

I like this series for so many reasons that I can't even begin to explain them all. I can say that even though I have read all the books I am, again, being constantly surprised by the books. I remember bits and pieces of the stories but listening to the stories again is like I am experiencing them for the first time all over again.

If you haven't tried this series and like a good audio book then I highly recommend these books. I haven't been able to get enough of them and already have book #8 on my iPod and nearly finished. I just can't help catching up with Aurora any free time I get.

43) A Fool and His Honey by Charlaine Harris

The Blurb :

Aurora’s been around long enough to know that when a day starts out with your handyman going crazy in your front yard, it probably won’t get any better. Sure enough, her husband Martin’s niece Regina shows up with a baby whom no one knew she was expecting. Then she disappears, leaving behind the child—and a murdered husband. To find her, Roe and Martin retrace her steps from sunny Georgia back to snowy Ohio, where they will uncover dark family secrets—at their own peril.

My Review :

The Aurora Teagarden series by Charlaine Harris is a very special cozy mystery collection. Just when you think the author and characters have done and seen everything, even more comes along to surprise everyone. Any lovers of the Sookie Stackhouse series will know that the author has a knack for weaving up some interesting mysteries and just because there is nothing paranormal involved in Aurora's world, it doesn't mean that she isn't worth reading about. She is a strong woman and knows what she wants. I have been enjoying revisiting the series via Audible and I am actually enjoying this visit more than when I read the books.

Lots of different things comes together in this book that even I, who has read the book before, didn't see coming. There were certain aspects of the story that I remembered quite clearly but most of it was new to me. I ended up putting the puzzle pieces together as Aurora also started seeing the full picture of what was really going on but it wasn't easy and the story even took her away from her family and friends.

Big changes are obviously coming along in the last two books and that will mostly be due to the events of this sixth book in the series. A Fool and His Honey managed to shock me and I wasn't expecting the end that came along. I am sure the author has a reason for what she did I am more than eager to listen to the next book and find out what the future now holds for Aurora.

Anyone looking for a good cozy series should look up this old gem. It is really worth checking out even if you aren't a Charlaine Harris fan. If you are a fan and only like paranormals, well give this one a try anyway. Charlaine's style shines through without any vampires and these books are amazing reads.

31) Dead Over Heels by Charlaine Harris

The Blurb :

What's the world coming to when you cant relax with a glass of ice-cold beverage in your own backyard without a body falling from the sky into your garden?

Part-time librarian and amateur investigator Roe Teagarden has good reason to ask herself this question when the remains of one of the Lawrenceton, Georgia police departments finest catapults into her flower bed. The mystery deepens as two federal agents arrive to investigate the murder. Its only when Madeleine the cat provides a clue that Roe begins to realize that using her yard as a temporary landfill may have been no accident and that Roe herself could be in terrible danger.

My Review :

My return visit to Lawrenceton via Audible was fast and furious at first. After listening to the first four books one after another I didn't have any Audible credits left and listened to something else. With my new credit I jumped on book #5, Dead Over Heels and from beginning to end I had to wonder if I had missed out this book when I read the series all those years ago.

There was only one part of the story that I really remembered but it could have also been mentioned later in the series. All the rest of the story seemed completely new to me. Nothing felt familiar and maybe, just maybe, I missed this one out? I will have to check because until now I have vaguely remembered the plot and storyline of the series.

So this felt new to me but it didn't feel bad. It was another well written Charlaine Harris cozy and I loved listening to it. The characters are interesting and the setting has become familiar and it really feels like I have been there and know the people. I can't wait to listen to the rest of the books in the series and already have them on my Audible wishlist.

If you are a Charlaine Harris fan and haven't tried her other books then you really should give them a go. Aurora Teagarden is no Sookie but they could be sisters or cousins.