Ellie’s sister Nina disappeared two years ago. Although most people in her life have given up hope and moved on, Ellie can’t stop thinking about Nina. When a clue to Nina’s disappearance surfaces in Ellie’s world, she cannot help by follow the trail, suddenly finding herself on a cross country road trip with a near strange named Sean, possibly the only person who understands what Ellie is going through. As each clue leads her to another, the mystery of Nina’s disappearance grows deeper…and Ellie finds herself quickly wrapped in a world of murder, mystery and romance.
I was very impressed with Wherever Nina Lies. Not only does it manage to take the mystery/suspense element of the story and turn it into a very fast and exciting read, but it also manages to take the emotional element of Ellie’s loss (not to mention the lack of closure she experiences) and make that sadness palpable. While I will say this is a tearjerker (yes, it made me tear up in public…alas!), it is first and foremost a page turner. From cover to cover, I could not put this book down. Every spare second that I had over the two days I read this, I had my nose buried in this book. Even though I found the ending to be unrealistic and a little “lifetime movie of the week,” I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Recommended to reluctant readers (especially girls). I think readers of both suspense and drama will like this, as there is plenty for everyone. Adult readers open to teen books will enjoy this too…it’s definitely a teen book, but it’s also definitely a quality book.
Reformed Vampire Support Group by Catherine Jinks
Harcourt Children’s Books, 2009.
Nina Harrison is not the kind of sleek, sexy, ultra powerful vampire that you have no doubt read about in other books. No, Nina is a vampire alright, but in Catherine Jinks’ refreshing novel, vampires are pretty much like normal people–except they are weak, tired, whiny, and they are literally dead during daylight hours. Nina is part of a support group of vampires living in Sydney, Australia. Meeting weekly in a church basement for the last 30 years, Nina and her friends groan and moan about the ups and downs on being a reformed vampire (a vampire who does not go around “fanging” humans). When one of their members is found murdered with a stake to the heart, Nina and her friends set out to find the killer, taking them on a caper of an adventure that involves courage, strength, wits, and all the things that this group of misfit vampires generally seems to lack.
The concept for Reformed Vampire Support Group is fantastic. Jinks uses the concept of the whiny, beaten down vampire in a way that is both humorous and realistic (if you were around for 100+ years, don’t you think you’d be feeling tired and whiny?). Aside from that, the reformed vampire concept gives Jinks free range to create a memorable cast of characters who, especially in Nina, must break free from their passivity to overcome. The story is basically a standard mystery, but the characters and concept make it work.
Although I found it to be a little bit long and lagging (a witty concept can only carry you so far…), especially in the second half, I still recommend Reformed Vampire Support Group to readers who like humor, mystery, and (of course!) vampires. Reluctant readers should beware the slowish pace (at parts) and, although there are sparks of romance, die hard Twilight fans will not find any major teenage longings of love in this satirical vampire world. The cover gives you a fairly accurate representation of the tone of the book–it’s cute, it’s goth, and it’s silly.
Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris
Ace Books, 2004
Sookie Stackhouse is in for another foray with the supernatural in Dead to the World, the fourth installment of Charlaine Harris’s popular Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampire Chronicle books. In this novel, Sookie, a sweet and spunky telepathic waitress, deals with vampires, warewolves, shapeshifters, witches, and even a fairy! Eric, the head vampire in her area, is left in Sookie’s care while the entire supernatural community of Bon Temps, Louisisana gathers together to discover and fight a mysterious coven of evil witches. Sookie’s brother is missing and Eric has lost his memories and is a little bit helpless, and therefore all the more irresistible, to our darling Sookie.
Although I have to say that this book was just as quick and addictive a read as any of the other Stackhouse novels, I was just a little bit disappointed with this installment. The supernatural in Sookie’s world have gone from quirky to downright silly in some cases as Harris pushes more and more magical creatures and powers into the already crammed picture. Although the book still combines the genres of mystery, romance, and fantasy/horror, it is becoming more and more rooted in the latter. I’m not saying that it’s a bad thing, however, I think that the books are starting to lose the more widespread appeal that the earlier installments carried. When I read the first of the Southern Vampire Chronicles, I deemed it appealing to readers looking for any kind of offbeat trashy fun book. As I get further into the series, I think that the books are becoming more appealing to fantasy/horror readers, but possibly less appealing for people who aren’t into those genres. I don’t know. I still think these books are a lot of fun to read and I have trouble putting them down. I’ll read onto the next one soon and see where it goes from here.
Club Dead is another fun vampire/mystery/romance novel from Charlaine Harris’s Southern Vampire Chronicles. Centered around the loveable Sookie Stackhouse, a telepathic waitress with a vampire boyfriend, and her misadventures with the supernatural beings of Bon Temps, Louisiana.
In Club Dead, Sookie must go to Alabama to rescue her vampire boyfriend Bill. Getting tangled with Werewolves, Goblins, Shape-Shifters, and, of course, more Vampires, along the way, Sookie charms her way through another mystery, this time showing us how tough she can be.
Club Dead is very much like the previous books in the series. It delivers just as much trashy fun as readers have come to expect from Sookie Stackhouse. I did notice that this book pushes the role of the supernatural just a little bit further than the last two and may start to cross the line for some readers as it delves further and further into the fantasy/horror genre. It’s still a fun read, perfect for relaxed reading on long commutes or during soaks in the tub.
Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine HarrisAce Books, 2002
Book two in the Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampire Mysteries, Living Dead in Dallas delivers yet another fun and fast paced vampire meets mystery meets steamy romance combination.
In Living Dead in Dallas the lovable Sookie Stackhouse takes a break from her waitress job at the bar to travel to Dallas with her vampire boyfriend, Bill, and do a little work for the ruling vampire clan there. But wait, there’s more! Back home in Bon Temps, Louisiana one of Sookie’s has been murdered, there’s a strange and supernatural creature on the lose in the woods, and Sookie and Bill are still facing some bumps in their relationship.
Recommended to readers who enjoyed Dead Until Dark, the first book of the series, and to more readers looking for a fun, fast-paced guilty pleasure of a book.
Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
Ace Books, 2001
The first of the Sookie Stackhouse Southern Vampire novels, Dead Until Dark is a page turner of a book that’s part vampire story, part mystery, and part trashy romance novel.Set in Bon Temps, Louisiana, Dead Until Dark introduces us to Sookie Stackhouse, a beautiful, charming and telepathic sweetheart who lives with her grandmother and works at the local bar.Her telepathy, however, is not seen as a gift to Sookie or the few who understand her ability to read minds.Sookie puts so much mental effort into blocking out the thoughts of others that she’s seen has half crazy by most people who know her. Never able to retain a close relationship, sexual or otherwise, Sookie makes due with her little life, plastering a smile on her face to cover up the inappropriate and awkward thoughts that penetrate her mind.
The story begins when a vampire comes into Sookie’s bar.Now that synthetic blood is available and they no longer have to hide, vampires have “come out of the coffin” in this world.Naturally, Sookie and the vampire, Bill, begin to fall for each other and, not so naturally, a crop of unsavory murders begin to plague the town.Somehow, Sookie becomes the center of it all, delivering us one fun book of murder mystery, supernatural, and steamy romance.
I have to admit, I absolutely could not put this book down.It’s everything you want in a good bathtub or vacation book—it’s exciting, it’s a little bit creepy, and it’s unapologetically trashy!A different kind of romance + vampires than Twilight books, Dead Until Dark might be a good book for the adults who read Twlight and grew frustrated with the chasteness of the action (or lack thereof).I’d also recommend this book to readers looking for an offbeat trashy fun book (because we all need a trashy fun book every now and again).
A Dangerous Man by Chalie Huston
Ballantine Books, 2006
The final installment in Charlie Huston’s modern noir Henry Thompson trilogy, A Dangerous Man is another page turning adventure with Huston’s anti-hero, Henry Thompson. Through each chapter of Huston’s trilogy, Henry has grown tougher and a little less hopeful and this is no exception. Henry is at the bitter end of his saga of murder, mafia, and running for his life.
In this chapter, Henry is working for David, a Russian mafia boss, committing murders, beatings, and other dirty work in exchange for his parents’ safety. It’s an interesting arrangement. Of course, Henry’s past (and his 4 million dollars) catches up to him, leading to a mad scramble of Henry, once again, running for his life. Toughened by his experiences throughout the trilogy, Henry is no longer the regular guy of Caught Stealing–he’s a strong, savvy character with a dangerous criminal mind.
Huston does something new this time and plays around with the narrative structure of the story, creating flash forwards and flashbacks that are a little disorienting, though not too problematic. One thing that struck me about A Dangerous Man is that, while it is sadder than the other books, it is less bitter and less violent than Six Bad Things in a refreshing way. While Caught Stealing remains to be the standout among the series, A Dangerous Man is a satisfying conclusion that is well worth the read. I recommend this one for mystery and action readers who enjoyed the previous book(s). In my case, I was enthusiastic about Caught Stealing, but lukewarm for Six Bad Things…I still found A Dangerous Man to be a satisfying and quick read.
Six Bad Things by Charlie Huston
Ballentine Books, 2005
A sequel to Caught Stealing, Six Bad Things follows Hank Thompson in the aftermath of the noir fiasco that took place in Caught Stealing. Hank is living peacefully in Mexico with $4 million buried beneath him, when his past catches up with him, dragging him back to the US and into a another bloody crime caper. Though it maintains the same bitterly sarcastic tone, the character of Hank Thompson loses a little of what made him so likable in the first book. Though Hank is still uniquely normal, the steady stream of violence that always seems to catch up with him has made him tougher, more cynical, and ultimately a little less interesting. The plot, also, has gotten a bit more convoluted in terms of the sheer number of bad guys who are after Hank. With most of the bad guys from Caught Stealing killed off, there’s a whole new cast of players after him.
Despite these complaints, I have to admit that Six Bad Things is just as hard to put down as any other Huston book. It is pulpy and delivers an exciting caper with plenty of action and mystery throughout. Although he has gotten darker (and really, who wouldn’t under these circumstances?), Hank is still a likable anti-hero. It seems as if Huston must defeat his hero to further this trilogy along to what will hopefully be a satisfying conclusion. I’ll let you know soon, since I’m going straight to A Dangerous Man, the final piece to this trilogy. I recommend this book to readers of the first book who still want more. While I mentioned that older YA might enjoy some of Huston’s other books, Six Bad Things crosses the line, in terms of violence and treatment of violence, for me say with confidence that this would be for anyone other than adult readers (though I’m sure I would have loved this book at 16!).
Caught Stealing
by Charlie Huston
Ballantine Books, 2005
Okay, I admit it. I liked the “Vampyre” book by Charlie Houston (Already Dead, mentioned previously) that I was quite pleased when my dad handed me a copy of Caught Stealing to read on a plane. Caught Stealing is a fast paced mystery that’s as pulpy and fun as it is dark. Hank Thompson, the narrator and hero of Caught Stealing, is an everyman who gets unwittingly sucked into a world of crime and violence as one situation seamlessly snowballs into another. Hank is just a normal guy. He’s a bartender in New York, a baseball fan, and a respected and friendly neighborhood do-gooder. His life may not be glamorous and he may be scarred from his tragic past, but he manages and appears to have things under control…until one day, he agrees to watch his neighbors cat. One event leads to another and pretty soon, gangsters, good cops turned bad, professional criminals and the Russian mafia are all after Hank, dragging him into a violent struggle that he was never meant to be apart of.
The best thing about Caught Stealing is the hero, Hank. He’s not so much a hero as an every day kind of guy who has no choice buy to toughen up. He thinks logical thoughts and seems, well, normal, even though the world has gone crazy around him. He is not a one dimensional tough guy from a bad action film–he reacts to these situations with a great range of fear, adrenaline, and sobriety. The plot of Caught Stealing might be generic noir, but the characters, especially Hank, give it an interesting twist that makes it so much more, well, identifiable.
I think Caught Stealing is a great selection for anyone who is not quite into hardcore mystery thrillers, but enjoys a good bit of pulp. It’s faced paced and hard to put down, which made it the perfect companion to an airplane flight. Older young adult reluctant readers, especially boys, might appreciate the Pulp Fiction-like qualities of this book, though I advise them to only do so if they can handle the firmly R-rated subject matter. This book has violence. It has bad words. It has drug and alcohol use. If any of these things offend you, you probably shouldn’t read it.
My sister gave me a copy of Already Dead as a birthday gift. I’m glad she did because I probably would not have picked up this book if not for that. Already Dead is a part horror and part mystery novel chronicling Joe Pitt, a mystery solving private eye and a vampire…except in Already Dead it’s spelled “vampyre.” Joe Pitt is an interesting character. He is, in part, a typical pulpy mystery novel sleuth. He’s a hard boiled loner with street smarts a tough guy exterior. He’s also, however, a vampyre who drinks blood, deals with a variety of mafia-like vampyre clans who run the city, and kills zombies. Oh yeah, that’s something worth mentioning. Already Dead has vampyres AND zombies.
I liked the way Already Dead used the horror genre to recreate the mystery genre. The situations are typical mystery novel situation, filled with interesting characters and plot twists, but the bloodthirsty, undead twist makes them even more entertaining.
Call me a snob, but normally, I tend to avoid vampire books (and “vampyre” books even more so) and modern day mysteries. They’ve just never been my thing. The combination of these two genres in Already Dead however, has opened my eyes. I truly enjoyed the book. It’s pulpy and silly and fun.
Wherever Nina Lies by Lynn Weingarten
Reformed Vampire Support Group by Catherine Jinks