Dead Until Dark (Southern Vampire Mysteries, No. 1)

I fell in love with Sookie. After reading this book I couldn't wait to get my hands on the second one. I read the whole series in a week. My favorite characters are Sookie and Eric. I look forward to seeing how these characters develop. If you are looking to escape reality for a little while this is a great series to get hooked on.

The Southern Vampire Mysteries is a must-read vampire story since Anne Rice. Forget "Twilight", considering the author has completely ripped off Charlaine Harris' beautiful tale of the supernatural.
You will NOT be able to put this down. I ordered every book and every short story, reading day and night.

I have been watching the HBO TrueBlood and became interested in the written series. I loved the book even better than the TV series which I didn't think was possible. It was smart, funny, mysterious and sexy. It was also easy to read.
Luv'd it!!

I bought this book because I really enjoy the HBO sensation, True Blood. There are spoilers in this review.
There are apparently 8 books in the series, and this is the first and left me unconvinced I should carry on. Unlike the show the book is done in first person entirely from Sookie's standpoint. This is very limiting because (in the show) there are many interesting characters with many different storylines. Not in the book though.

Other than Eric and Bill (vampires that are 'super-hot') all of the other characters are mentioned in passing. Some included in the television show are excluded (Tara) or completly watered down (Lafayatte, Jason, Amy Burley). The extra characters that Sookie isn't thinking about getting intimate with become shadows, when people die in the book (including Sookie's grandmother) it gets all of 2 sentences of attention. When Sam reveals his big secret she throws up and carries on.

Overall it's not the worst but bland and undeveloped. The show is much more enjoyable.

I absolutely love the fast pace of this book which only propelled me into reading all eight of the books in this series in one week. Yes, I'm totally serious. Of course, since I had them all sitting there - I would grab the next as soon as I finished the previous. Okay, I got laid off and I'm home with my little kids. Every time they were playing nicely together or sleeping I was devouring the books!!!
I love Sookie's character and how easy it seems to be to fall into her mind and follow her story. She's pretty, confident, smart and misunderstood and always polite no matter the totally bizarre situation. I just love all of the characters.
Also, you should know that I have been watching True Blood on HBO and found myself mildly addicted...when I found out that the show was based on a book, I was in a panic to read this book immediately and subsequently stayed up until 4AM to finish it once it was in my hand. (perhaps more than a mild addiction?!)
HOWEVER, some of the graphic stuff on the show is a little disturbing to my fragile little mind. At least when I'm reading, I can picture things as PG-13 as I want (everything but the romance parts!) :)
After reading the entire series of books, I far prefer them to the show...but I still watch with anticipation. I would HIGHLY recommend these books.
BEWARE!!! If you read this book you will want to read the next (and the next, and the next...) The hangers at the end of the show seem to replicate the feeling you have at the end of the books...keep 'em coming!!!