Dead In The Family

Dead In The Family is Charlaine Harris’s tenth book in the Southern Vampire Mysteries.. Ten books about Sookie Stackhouse and her eventful life! I think this might be the only long series where I’ve read every novel in it.

The title of book ten is very appropriate to what the story is about, family. We get an expanded look at Sookie’s family. Sam has to deal with his family problems. New light is shone on Bill’s vampiric family. Eric opens up to Sookie about his family, then his Maker shows up, complicating their lives. Death is also a theme among a couple of these families. Someone dies or a death in the past has repercussions in the present.

In this installment, possibly more than any of the others, the reader really gets to see how Sookie has changed as a person. Sookie was, perhaps, idealistic in the first book, Dead Until Dark. So much has happened since then. Things that Sookie once thought were wrong, don’t seem so bad anymore. What she had to endure in the last book, Dead and Gone has really affected her. Her morality has shifted; she has problems calling herself a Christian. You see Sookie change throughout the series, but I think Dead In The Family underlines that change.

I know Dead In The Family has gotten mixed reviews. Some have called it just a “set-up” book and now they’re waiting for the next one. I don’t completely agree. I’m with the people who enjoyed it. Even though there are a bunch of loose ends just waiting for the next installment, I feel that Dead In The Family gives us more knowledge about our main characters than some of the other books have.

Other Reviews:
The Steel Bookshelf
Lucybird’s Book Blog
On A Pale Star
Let me know if you've reviewed it and I'll add your link.

Back and Stylish

I’ve been awarded the Stylish Blog Award by Teacher/Learner at Whatcha Readin’, Books? Thank you! For just over a month now, I’ve been out of the blogosphere. It’s nice to know that I’ve been missed. So what’s kept me away from blogging for the last little while? Two words, my friends, Morning Sickness. That’s right. My husband and I are expecting our second baby this summer. I’m hoping that with the second trimester now starting, I’ll get back to my usual blogging pace and back to life in general. That is, until the baby is born and life gets turned upside-down all over again.

Back to my lovely, first award ever! Here are the rules:

- Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them in your post.

- Tell us 5 things about yourself.

- Award 5 super-stylish bloggers this award

- Contact those bloggers and let them know they have won.

I did the first thing (thanks again!)

Five things about myself:

1. I already told you one thing; it’s baby time again!

2. My average novels read per year is just over 50.

3. I majored in English and philosophy.

4. My favourite movies are probably Dirty Dancing and The Fifth Element.

5. My toddler doesn’t say, “blueberries”, she says, “boobies”. I’m serious. I guess that’s not really something about me, but I think it’s hilarious and I have to tell everyone.

Five Stylish Bloggers:

1. Adam at Roof Beam Reader

2. Lydia at The Lost Entwife

3. teadevotee at amused, bemused and confused

4. Brenna at Literary Musings

5. Robbie at Pink Sheep Café

They are five different blogs with intersesting reading tastes, review styles and looks. I enjoy them all.

I have a few posts on the go. I hope to have them up soon. I’d also like to get back into participating in the memes I enjoy so much. I’ll probably not do every meme, every week. My participation will likely be part topic based and partly based on how yucky I’m feeling. Yay Babies!