Review of Troll by Ashley C. Harris

Troll
Book 1 of 2 in Troll
By Ashley C. Harris

Star Rating: 
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Number of Pages: 482

Date Started: April 29, 2017
Date Finished: April 30, 2017

Synopsis: (From Amazon)
At the age of sixteen, Abby is undergoing major household changes. Her mom is getting ready to remarry and her new step-brother is driving her insane. She is just trying to keep herself busy with school and her part-time job when a most deliciously handsome stranger moves to her little seaside town and won’t leave her alone.

New arrival Wilhelm is unlike any other student at Abby’s school. His emerald eyes and tattooed body don’t truly reveal what he really is: a creature emerged from thousands of miles underground, seeking revenge, treasure, and a key that once belonged to an old enemy – a key Abby wears suspended from a chain around her neck. Why she has it is a mystery that Wilhelm will need to solve, and fast, in order to defeat a powerful mortal adversary.

As an attraction between Abby and Wilhelm develops, more creatures like Wilhelm are drawn from beneath the ground to Abby’s town; wreaking havoc as they offer Abby’s classmates the fulfillment of their deepest desires. Will Abby and her new family survive as a game of magical warfare is unleashed? Her ability to reverse Wilhelm’s bargain depends on it.

Review:
I really enjoyed this book. It was quite original, and fairly deep with interlocking past and present pieces. It’s impossible not to love Abby, our fantastic and down to earth heroine who refuses to believe that anything so outlandish and supernatural could be anything but a dream.

I quite liked Harris’s interpretation of trolls, and I especially like how they are born. The use of jewels was quite ingenious and ties in well with the old treasure trolls people that grew up in the 90s remember. I enjoyed the trolls having magical powers of persuasion, being able to manipulate earthen things to resemble what someone wants most.

The one thing that I really disliked about this novel, and almost caused me to drop down the star rating to a three, was that there were many errors that could have and should have been caught by an editor. Usually it was merely a dropped word, but in a few cases the wrong word was used. If it had been one or two, it wouldn’t have detracted from the novel, yet this was often enough that I had to keep pushing through because I needed to know what happened next, even though I kept being jarred from the story.

Author Biography: (From Amazon)
Author and film director Ashley C. Harris resides in Florida. Ashley was first recognized for her edgy writing and unique film work when she wrote and directed the teenage film “Lines”. Lines was the first feature film in the world captured using only Mac Laptops.
In 2013 she teamed up with Barclay Publicity to release the first in a new young adult novel series, “Shock Me”. Ashley then went on to author eight other titles, in multiple genres, as she also worked behind-the-scenes on a morning news show that aired on ABC. In 2014, four of Ashley’s books landed on the Amazon’s Best Selling Top-Ten-List. In 2015, she received her first publishing deal for “Troll”, a KindleScout novel winner.When Ashley is not dreaming up new manuscripts and working on film sets, she loves spending time with her family, obsessing about biblical mysteries, and watching lots of Doctor Who. Keep an eye out for her newest releases!

Review of Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris

Dead Ever After
Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood 13
By Charlaine Harris

Star Rating: 
Genre: Mystery, Fantasy

Number of Pages: 368

Date Started: January 24, 2016dead-ever-after
Date Finished: January 25, 2016

Synopsis: (From Amazon)
When a shocking murder rocks Bon Temps, Sookie will learn that what passes for the truth is only a convenient lie. What passes for justice is more spilled blood. And what passes for love is never enough…

Review:
Insert random series of events that rip Eric and Sookie apart. Oh, look, suddenly all the humans care about Sookie and she’s considered human again. While I did enjoy seeing Amelia and the household full of people, I would have liked it better if that was the main plot and shoving Eric on a bus wasn’t the second major decision of the novel.

How did the ending of the book make you feel? I’m glad you asked. I saw from the beginning that Sookie would end with the person she did, but I am more frustrated than anything that, after seeing her run from guy to guy, get swept up in the romance and such, that she decides that she doesn’t want to “go fast” and has to “take it slow” which, from the look of the epilogue, essentially kills all romance whatsoever, really. We heard way too much about “not that anyone asked me to marry them” and “I WANT BABIES” in subtext for the epilogue to be even a touch satisfying.

At least Pam got what she deserved. That’s something.

 

charlaineAuthor Biography: (From Amazon)
For information on Charlaine Harris, please view her Amazon author page here.

Review of Deadlocked by Charlaine Harris

Deadlocked
Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood 12
By Charlaine Harris

Star Rating: 
Genre: Mystery, Fantasy

Number of Pages: 352

Date Started: January 23, 2016
Date Finished: January 24, 2016

Synopsis: (From Amazon)deadlocked
Felipe de Castro, the vampire King of Louisiana (and Arkansas and Nevada), is in town. It’s the worst possible time for a human body to show up in Eric Northman’s front yard—especially the body of a woman whose blood he just drank.

Now it’s up to Sookie and Bill, the official Area Five investigator, to solve the murder. Sookie thinks that, at least this time, the dead girl’s fate has nothing to do with her. But she is wrong. She has an enemy, one far more devious than she would ever suspect, who’s set out to make Sookie’s world come crashing down.

Review:
Eric’s becoming more and more engrossed in vampire politics while Sookie tries to hold on. As always, Sookie has more enemies than we are aware, and there is a definite friction between Eric and Sam like there is between Sookie and Jannalynn.

While Sookie is trying to figure out her future she’s also learning more about herself, that she can be devious and ruthless, and that she’s smarter than she’s usually given credit for.

Unfortunately, things are not well in Sookie relationship land, and Sookie refuses to do anything to try to solve it. I get that before Bill she had no relationships, but seriously, between having had a few in the past years of the book series, having female friends to chat with, and being able to buy a Cosmo magazine like any other girl (not to mention the supposed long list of romance novels Sookie has read) one would expect she would have some idea how things were done, and not act like a prepubescent girl.

charlaineAuthor Biography: (From Amazon)
For information on Charlaine Harris, please view her Amazon author page here.

Review of Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris

Dead Reckoning
Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood 11
By Charlaine Harris

Star Rating: 
Genre: Mystery, Fantasy

Number of Pages: 368

Date Started: January 23, 2016
Date Finished: January 23, 2016

Synopsis: (From Amazon)dead_reckoning_novel_cover
With her knack for being in trouble’s way, Sookie witnesses the firebombing of Merlotte’s, the bar where she works. Since Sam Merlotte is now known to be two-natured, suspicion falls immediately on the anti-shifters in the area. Sookie suspects otherwise, but her attention is divided when she realizes that her lover, Eric Northman, and his “child” Pam are plotting to kill the vampire who is now their master. Gradually, Sookie is drawn into the plot-which is much more complicated than she knows…

Review:
This novel is starting to get the series back on track, and I love it for that. I love the continued work on relationships between Sookie and others, particularly the development of her friendships with Sam and Pam. I was glad to FINALLY see Bill again, since we heard about him in the last couple of novels but it was more a passing mention. I’m not certain Bill actually loves Sookie or is more infatuated with the idea of her, but we’ll see in the long run.

I love the fae connections in this novel, though I wish we had gotten to see more of them and learn whatever they are up to, which is likely the plot of the next novel.

I was quite disappointed that Sam’s brother’s wedding, which has been mentioned in I believe three books, was completely glossed over and nothing said about it except a few brief mentions that Sookie went with him.

While I think Sookie still has to do quite the bit of introspection to figure out who SHE is and what she feels/thinks/believes, it was nice for her to be there for Tara and to have a really human moment, and it was especially nice to see that some supernaturals can appreciate those basic life moments too.

charlaineAuthor Biography: (From Amazon)
For information on Charlaine Harris, please view her Amazon author page here.

Review of Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris

Dead in the Family
Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood 10
By Charlaine Harris

Star Rating: 
Genre: Mystery, Fantasy

Number of Pages: 368

Date Started: January 22, 2016
Date Finished: January 23, 2016

Synopsis: (From Amazon)dead-in-the-family
After enduring torture and the loss of loved ones during the brief but deadly Fae War, Sookie Stackhouse is hurt and she’s mad. Just about the only bright spot in her life is the love she thinks she feels for vampire Eric Northman. But he’s under scrutiny by the new vampire king. And as the political implications of the shifters’ coming-out are beginning to be felt, Sookie’s connection to one particular Were draws her into the dangerous debate. Also, though the doors to Faery have been closed, there are still some fae on the human side-and one of them is angry at Sookie…very, very angry…

Review:
In this novel Sookie seems to be drawn into far too many directions. It’s hard to truly get a grasp on anything going on, because there are too many side stories to keep track of.

Eric’s maker had an appearance, and all in all I did find that story interesting, except it seemed far too quick. Usually characters are introduced and have a long lasting effect.

I didn’t think any of the mysteries in this were something that people couldn’t easily deduce from reading previous novels, though the one with the Weres really didn’t matter that much in the overall scheme.

Hopefully the series gets back on track instead of going X-Men and becoming only about the varying human/supernatural relations. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for equality, but that’s a very different direction than what the series has been about overall thus far.

charlaineAuthor Biography: (From Amazon)
For information on Charlaine Harris, please view her Amazon author page here.

Review of Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris

Dead and Gone
Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood 9
By Charlaine Harris

Star Rating: 
Genre: Mystery, Fantasy

Number of Pages: 320

Date Started: January 21, 2016
Date Finished: January 22, 2016

Synopsis: (From Amazon)dead-and-gone-ch
When the weres and shifters finally come out, the residents of Bon Temps, Louisiana, must deal with the violent aftermath. But a far greater danger threatens. A race of unhuman beings-older, more powerful, and more secretive than vampires or werewolves-is preparing for war. And Sookie will find herself an all-too human pawn in their battle…

Review:
Ah, back to the usual swing of a Sookie Stackhouse novel! While not quite back up to par, this novel was far better than the last one, and I hope that the next will bring it back up to the level the previous books were at.

This novel had a mystery within a mystery which was quite stellar. There were some vampire tricks, and a few Were situations. All in all, this was a great story.

This story does a lot behind the scenes, and a lot of time is spent being introduced to concepts just to have them dashed away in very close succession to the reveal. There was a lot of things that didn’t necessarily need to be added, though I believe they will likely be pivotal in the next novel.

charlaineAuthor Biography: (From Amazon)
For information on Charlaine Harris, please view her Amazon author page here.

Review of From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris

From Dead to Worse
Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood 8
By Charlaine Harris

Star Rating: 
Genre: Mystery, Fantasy

Number of Pages: 321

Date Started: January 21, 2016
Date Finished: January 21, 2016

Synopsis: (From Amazon)from_dead_to_worse
After the natural disaster of Hurricane Katrina and the manmade explosion at the vampire summit, everyone—human and otherwise—is stressed, including Louisiana cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse, who is trying to cope with the fact that her boyfriend, Quinn, has gone missing.

It’s clear that things are changing—whether the weres and vamps of her corner of Louisiana like it or not. And Sookie—Friend to the Pack and blood-bonded to Eric Northman, leader of the local vampire community—is caught up in the changes.

In the ensuing battles, Sookie faces danger, death, and once more, betrayal by someone she loves. And when the fur has finished flying and the cold blood finished flowing, her world will be forever altered.

Review:
This book was drawn out. It was hard for me to sit and read it. There were so many loose odds and ends all trying to make their way together, and although the mysteries usually are somehow congruent there were several different story lines meshed into one telling and not really well put together.

There was no romance to speak of, though there were several times I wondered if Sam was going to man up and kiss her, or if Eric would sweep her off her feet. While I approve of women getting out there and being okay on their own, I almost wonder if the lack of a relationship is what drove the book to be so random, to fill space.

While I’m certain she will forgive him in the next book, I’m still quite mad at Jason. If you read this novel, you will be too.

Looking forward to reading the next one, and hoping that it fits together in the usual way of these novels instead of the jumbled mess that this particular story presents.

charlaineAuthor Biography: (From Amazon)
For information on Charlaine Harris, please view her Amazon author page here.

Review of All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris

All Together Dead
Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood 7
By Charlaine Harris

Star Rating: 
Genre: Mystery, Fantasy

Number of Pages: 342

Date Started: January 20, 2016
Date Finished: January 21, 2016

Synopsis: (From Amazon)all_together_dead
Betrayed by her longtime vampire love, Louisiana cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse must now not only deal with a possible new man in her life—the oh-so-handsome shapeshifter Quinn—but also contend with a long-planned vampire summit. With her power base weakened by hurricane damage to New Orleans, the local vampire queen is vulnerable to those hungry for a takeover. Soon, Sookie must decide what side she’ll stand with. And her choice may mean the difference between survival and all-out catastrophe.

Review:
Sookie became useful… so much more useful than she likely wishes she had become.

While she learns some things about Quinn, what she learns more is that she has quite the loyalty to one particular vampire, and a large loss of respect or desire to help another. The mysteries in this novel mostly have to do with vampire politics, but it also revealed important revelations about Sookie’s romantic interests and just how much they cared for her.

The mysteries were well done, and while I managed to figure one out, I hadn’t figured out the second one in entirety. Unfortunately, part of my ability to reckon what was going on may have been highly influenced by the acknowledgements, which would have been much better off in the back of the book and not the front, considering the spoilers within.

charlaineAuthor Biography: (From Amazon)
For information on Charlaine Harris, please view her Amazon author page here.

Review of Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris

Definitely Dead
Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood 6
By Charlaine Harris

Star Rating: 
Genre: Mystery, Fantasy

Number of Pages: 342

Date Started: January 20, 2016
Date Finished: January 20, 2016

Synopsis: (From Amazon)book06definitelydead
As a person with so few living relatives, Louisiana cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse really hated to lose one. But she never guessed that it would be her cousin Hadley—a consort of the Vampire Queen of New Orleans. After all, technically speaking, Hadley was already dead. And now, as unexpected heir to Hadley’s estate, Sookie discovers the inheritance definitely comes with a risk.

Someone doesn’t want Sookie looking too deeply into Hadley’s past—or for that matter, Hadley’s possessions. And they’re prepared to do anything in their power to stop her. But who? The range of suspects runs from the Rogue Weres who reject Sookie as a friend of the Pack to the Vampire Queen herself, who could be working through a particularly vulnerable subject—Sookie’s first love, Bill.

Whoever it is, they’re definitely dangerous—and Sookie’s life is definitely on the line…

Review:
No matter her thoughts, Sookie is going to end up deeper into vampire politics than she ever wanted to.

Relationship wise, this book hits the jackpot. We have so many new faces introduced with good characterization, and you also get to see some already known faces and watch as their relationships with Sookie shift and deepen.

I had guessed of what the king might be trying to do, but what really blindsided me and made me truly sympathetic towards Sookie was the betrayal she learned of. As for the second side of the mystery, I figured it out far too soon, but I sure was glad Quinn was there to help Sookie deal with it (Eric too!)

charlaineAuthor Biography: (From Amazon)
For information on Charlaine Harris, please view her Amazon author page here.

Review of Dead as a Doornail by Charlaine Harris

Dead as a Doornail
Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood 5
By Charlaine Harris

Star Rating: 
Genre: Mystery, Fantasy

Number of Pages: 320

Date Started: January 19, 2016
Date Finished: January 20, 2016

Synopsis: (From Amazon)200px-dead_as_a_doornail
Small-town cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse has had more than her share of experience with the supernatural—but now it’s really hitting close to home. When Sookie sees her brother Jason’s eyes start to change, she knows he’s about to turn into a were-panther for the first time—a transformation he embraces more readily than most shapeshifters she knows. But her concern becomes cold fear when a sniper sets his deadly sights on the local changeling population, and Jason’s new panther brethren suspect he may be the shooter. Now, Sookie has until the next full moon to find out who’s behind the attacks—unless the killer decides to find her first…

Review:
There were a few discontinuities in this novel, things that didn’t match up with previous books, like mention of Sookie never having a dishwasher before, when in a previous novel Arlene had put dishes in the dishwasher when looking over her, but this didn’t disrupt the overall novel.

I only had a tiny idea of who to suspect at all, and it was a very very faint one. Like the rest of the novels, this one had not just one but two rather good mysteries. Thank goodness Sookie has a fairy looking out for her!

While Sookie remains unattached in this novel, it’s interesting to see the relationship dynamics between she and the vampires she is familiar with, especially with Bill starting to see someone else.

charlaineAuthor Biography: (From Amazon)
For information on Charlaine Harris, please view her Amazon author page here.