Title: Deadlocked
Author: Charlaine Harris
Series: Sookie Stackhouse #12
Format: Audio
Audiobook length: 9 hrs 29 min
Release Date: May 01, 2012
Publisher: Ace
Source: personal copy

Rating: ★★☆☆☆ 

Read the back of the book

My thoughts:

This book was pretty much on par with the other recent Sookie novels. Okay, but not great, or even particularly good. On the plus side, at least one major plotline (about the fae) in the series has been wrapped up, and none too soon, in my opinion. In a series already full of vampire and were- politics, did we really need fae politics on top of it all?

Sookie’s love life is still a mess, and at this point I’m not sure where I want her to end up. She is feeling a little lost, and so is this book.

One big problem Harris continues to have is the constant need to either repeat things that the reader should already know (especially this far into a series) or to go on and on and on about the day-to-day drivel of Sookie’s life. I get that she wants to insert some normalcy into her life, but I really don’t need to read about everything Sookie does to get ready to go visit her lawyer.

Overall, I enjoyed it enough, but the series doesn’t excite me as much as it used to. I listened to it on audio, and I probably would have been more bored with it in print.

Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | WorldCat

Other reviews:

• “I’m struggling with whether or not I truly liked this book, as a stand alone novel, or if I’m just biased because of my attachment to the Sookie series.” — From Left to Write Book Club
• “After all of that, I wouldn’t say I did not enjoy the book. I’m just sad about the outcome.” — the literary life of the well-read wife
• “For me, Deadlocked was a thrilling read. Some fans are exasperated with the series, but not me.” — Mina Burrows

Back of the book:

Lily Yu is a San Diego police detective investigating a series of grisly murders that appear to be the work of a werewolf. To hunt down the killer, she must infiltrate the clans. Only one man can help her–a were named Rule Turner, a prince of the lupi, whose charismatic presence disturbs Lily. Rule has his own reasons for helping the investigation–reasons he doesn’t want to share with Lily. Logic and honor demand she keep her distance, but the attraction between them is immediate and devastating-and beyond human reason. Now, in a race to fend off evil, Lily finds herself in uncharted territory, tested as never before, and at her back a man who she’s not sure she can trust ….

My thoughts:

This is pretty much your run-of-the-mill paranormal romance. Lily is human, for the most part. She does have some psychic powers. Rule is not only a werewolf, he’s the prince of the local dominant pack. Of course, sparks fly, and angst ensues.

There is one major flaw. I felt that you’re thrown into the story a bit suddenly. The book opens with the murder scene, and there you are in the middle of everything with very little world-building. It took me several chapters to feel like I had a handle on the world and its various creatures and politics. I was so confused I actually checked to make sure this was indeed the first book in the series. This meant it took me that much longer to connect with the characters.

Overall, it wasn’t a bad read, it just could have been better. I’m sure I’ll read more in the series.

Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | WorldCat

Other reviews:

• “In the hands of a less skilled writer, Tempting Danger probably would have been fairly mind numbing.” — The Romance Reader
• “I can’t wait to read the next book in the series” — Badass Book Reviews
• “This is definitely a series with great potential.” — A Book Obsession

Past reviews:

2011: The Cypress House (Michael Koryta)
2010: Little Children (Tom Perrotta)
2009: Summer (Edith Wharton)
2008: Dead Witch Walking (Kim Harrison)
2007: Between Friends (Debbie Macomber)
2006: The Rule of Four (Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason)
2005: D is for Deadbeat (Sue Grafton)

Mercy Thompson’s life is not exactly normal. Her next-door neighbor is a werewolf. Her former boss is a gremlin. And she’s fixing a VW bus for a vampire. But then, Mercy isn’t exactly normal herself.

I didn’t know much about this series when I started this book, other than a few mentions here and there about it being good. It definitely lived up to the good things I’ve heard.

The world Briggs has built is a little bit different than the typical urban fantasy/paranormal universe. There’s vampires and werewolves, but there is also a whole class of fae that includes creatures other than faeries. There’s goblins and all sorts of "lesser" fae, and then there’s Mercy, who is a skinwalker. She’s sort of like a werewolf, but she turns into a coyote and she can do it whenever she wants; she isn’t slave to the moon.

Mercy was raised by werewolves, so she quickly spots the young man who comes to her shop looking for work for what he is — a were on the run. It’s her understanding of the weres and their politics that helps her survive the events of the novel.

Mercy is a strong lead, but she’s not reckless. She doesn’t take unnecessary risks, which puts her above some other strong leading ladies. Usually they’re assertive, but have a tendency to think with their emotions rather than their head.

The book was a little heavy on world-building and were politics, but that’s not unexpected in the first book of a series. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I will definitely be reading more in the series.

Other reviews:

Patricia Briggs: Moon Called – Book Review
strange and random happenstance: Book Review – Patricia Briggs Moon Called
Book Review: Moon Called « Obsessed With Books
Book Review – Moon Called (Mercy Thompson, book 1) by Patricia Briggs
REVIEW – Moon Called by Patricia Briggs — Babbling Book Reviews

Page count: 336 (’11 total: 10,665) | Word count: 97,103 (’11 total: 4,069,953)

2010: Strawberry Shortcake Murder (Joanne Fluke)
2009: Tribute (Nora Roberts)
2008: Curse of the Spellmans (Lisa Lutz)
2007: The Fiery Cross (Diana Gabaldon)
2006: The Footprints of God (Greg Iles)
2005: Into Thin Air (Jon Krakauer)

Used in these Challenges: Countdown Challenge 2011; 2011 E-book Challenge; New Author Challenge 2011; Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge 2011;

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…

I felt pretty good about this book. I’ve been lukewarm about a lot of the books in the latter half of this series, but here we had a little bit of an old fashioned whodunit, rather than a lot of vampire/fae politics. Of course, we can’t get away from the politics altogether. I’ve always preferred action over talk in this series, and there was plenty of action here. Sookie makes some interesting decisions in this book, and I quite enjoyed the return of Bubba. It was enough to keep me interested in the next novel.

Other reviews:

Dead Reckoning (True Blood) by Charlaine Harris : Book Review
Book Review: Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris
Candace’s Book Blog: Book Review: Dead Reckoning
Review of “Dead Reckoning” by Charlaine Harris « Rhapsody in Books
Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris « Book Monkey

Audiobook length: 10 hrs 23 min | Approximate word count: 84,000 (’11 total: 3,972,850)

2010: So Much For That (Lionel Shriver)
2009: Drop Shot (Harlan Coben)
2008: Creation in Death (J.D. Robb)
2007: Final Jeopardy (Linda Fairstein)
2006: All Through the Night (Mary Higgins Clark)
2005: The Count and the Confession (John Taylor)

Used in these Challenges: Countdown Challenge 2011; 2011 Audiobook Challenge; Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge 2011;

When Anita Blake meets with prospective client Tony Bennington, who is desperate to have her reanimate his recently deceased wife, she is full of sympathy for his loss. Anita knows something about love, and she knows everything there is to know about loss. But what she also knows, though Tony Bennington seems unwilling to be convinced, is that the thing she can do as a necromancer isn’t the miracle he thinks he needs. The creature that Anita could coerce to step out of the late Mrs. Bennington’s grave would not be the lovely Mrs. Bennington. Not really. And not for long.

This novella was just okay for what it was meant to be — a short exploration of flirtation, a return to Anita’s day job, and a way to give Anita one more animal to call.  Unfortunately, the flirtation stuff was a little overdone.  In a scant 156 pages of story, the word flirt is used 31 times, and the word flirting 21 times. Too. Much. I wanted to mail her a thesaurus. There’s also a lot of the usual Anita self-reflection, analysis, and denial, all of it telling us nothing new about her character or her situation. If you’re stubborn like me (yes, I finally admit it) and intend to follow this series to the end no matter what, then give this a read.  Or email me and I’ll share the salient points. If you’re ready to put the Anita Blake series to bed, this book isn’t going to change your mind.

Other reviews:

Graeme’s Fantasy Book Review: ‘Flirt‘ – Laurell K. Hamilton (Headline)
Flirt by Laurell K. Hamilton | Reading with Tequila
[REVIEW] Flirt – Laurell K. Hamilton « Tez Says
The Good, The Bad and The Unread » REVIEW: Flirt by Laurell K Hamilton

Page count: 192 | Approximate word count: 28,800

2009: Skin Trade (Laurell K. Hamilton)
2008: Dead Witness (Joylene Nowell Butler)
2007: Plum Island (Nelson DeMille)
2006: Letters From An Age of Reason (Nora Hague)
2005: Therapy (Jonathan Kellerman)

Used in these Challenges: 2010 100+ Reading Challenge; Pages Read Challenge Season 2;

After enduring torture and the loss of loved ones during the brief but deadly Faery War, Sookie Stackhouse is hurt and she’s angry. 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 because of their relationship. And as the political implications of the Shifters coming out are beginning to be felt, Sookie’s connection to the Shreveport pack draws her into the debate. Worst of all, though the door to Faery has been closed, there are still some Fae on the human side-and one of them is angry at Sookie. Very, very angry…

And with this book, I am officially caught up with the series! Unfortunately, this one wasn’t that great.  There was no overall story or theme here, just a bunch of smaller problems that have to be solved all at once. Sookie is starting to lose some of her depth, and is almost becoming a parody of herself.  I’m hoping that the next book is a little more thoughtfully written.

Other reviews:

Dead in the Family by C. Harris | Literary Escapism
All About {n}: Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris
Writings Of A Wicked Book Addict – Dead In The Family
Charlaine Harris – Dead in the Family « Fyrefly’s Book Blog
Review: Dead in the Family « Stiletto Storytime

Page count: 320 | Approximate word count: 87,939

2009: High Noon (Nora Roberts)
2008: A Living Nightmare (Darren Shan)
2007: The End (Lemony Snicket)
2006: Narcissus in Chains (Laurell K. Hamilton)
2005: Nora, Nora (Anne Rivers Siddons)

Used in these Challenges: Countdown Challenge 2010; 2010 100+ Reading Challenge; 2010 Pub Challenge; E-book Reading Challenge; Finish That Series Challenge; Pages Read Challenge Season 2;

For Sookie Stackhouse, the day to day activities of the vampire and were communities in and around Bon Temps, Louisiana, are of vital interest, She’s blood-bound to the leader of the vamps, a friend to the local were pack, works for a man who is shifter, and has a brother who is a were-panther…

But for most of the humans in Bon Temps, the vamps are mysterious seductive creatures-and they don’t even know about the weres.

Until now. The weres and shifters have finally decided to follow the lead of the undead and reveal their existence to the ordinary world.

At first it seems to go well. Then the mutilated body of a were-panther is found in the parking lot of the bar where Sookie works. The victim is someone she knows, so she feels compelled to discover who-human or otherwise-did the deed.

But what she doesn’t realize is that there is a far greater danger than the killer threatening Bon Temps. A race of unhuman beings–older, more powerful and far more secretive than vampires or werewolves– is preparing for war. And Sookie will find herself an all-too human pawn in their battle…

A lot happens in this book.  A lot.  And it seems like every character that’s ever made an appearance in the series shows up. I think that in the end, too much happens, and the stuff that’s important isn’t fully developed.  I was a little surprised at what happens to some of the characters at the end of the book, but I’m glad that Harris has the guts to kill off major characters, not just the minor ones.  This isn’t the best book in the series, and it’s full of holes, but it’s still candy for my supe-loving brain.

Other reviews:

REVIEW: Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris | Dear Author
Whimpulsive: Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris
Charlaine Harris – Dead and Gone « Fyrefly’s Book Blog
Musings of a Bookish Kitty: Review: Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris
Dead and Gone (True Blood) by Charlaine Harris : Book Review

Page count: 320 | Approximate word count: 87,939

2009: Bad Things (Michael Marshall)
2008: Key of Light (Nora Roberts)
2007: Born in Death (J.D. Robb)
2006: Dark Angel (Karen Harper)
2005: Godplayer (Robin Cook)

Used in these Challenges: Sookie Reading Challenge; 2010 100+ Reading Challenge; E-book Reading Challenge; Pages Read Challenge Season 2;

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.

Lots of moving and shaking in this book, both for Sookie and for the supernatural world in general.  I really like how Harris has used Hurricane Katrina to really drive the overall story arc of the series.  She could have easily just mentioned it and moved on, but instead she has shown us some far-reaching implications. There’s no overall plot to this book, but a lot of loose ends are tied up (or are at least an attempt is made). Sookie also discovers a branch of the family she didn’t know about. I read this in about a day, so I must have been pleased.

Other reviews:

REVIEW: From Dead To Worse by Charlaine Harris | Dear Author
From Dead To Worse (True Blood) by Charlaine Harris : Book Reveiw
Darque Reviews: From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris
Review of “From Dead to Worse” by Charlaine Harris « Rhapsody in Books
Charlaine Harris – From Dead to Worse « Fyrefly’s Book Blog

Page count: 336 | Approximate word count: 92,336

2009: City of Thieves (David Benioff)
2008: Full Tilt (Janet Evanovich)
2007: The Color of Magic (Terry Pratchett)
2006: City of Bones (Michael Connelly)
2005: J is for Judgment (Sue Grafton)

Used in these Challenges: Sookie Reading Challenge; Countdown Challenge 2010; 2010 100+ Reading Challenge; E-book Reading Challenge; Pages Read Challenge Season 2;

Louisiana cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse has her hands full dealing with every sort of undead and paranormal creature imaginable. And after being betrayed by her longtime vampire love, Sookie must not only deal with a new man in her life-the shapeshifter Quinn-but also contend with the long-planned vampire summit.

The summit is a tense situation. The vampire queen of Louisiana is in a precarious position, her power base weakened by hurricane damage to New Orleans. And there are some vamps who would like to finish what nature started. Soon, Sookie must decide what side she’ll stand with. And her choice may mean the difference between survival and all-out catastrophe.

A lot of the time, later books in a series can feel watered down or old, but I’ve really enjoyed the path this series is on. Despite the heavy vampire politics in the recent books, things are not too difficult to follow here. In fact, some of the clues were neon-sign obvious to me, though Sookie doesn’t figure things out until way too late.  She also makes some logical jumps that I’m not sure I would make in her shoes. I’m finding myself warming to her relationship with Eric, and disappointed in Quinn.  I thought the most interesting part of this book was the action Sookie takes that can possibly expose her "gift" to the public at large. I’m already on to the next book, so we’ll see what happens!

Other reviews:

All Together Dead (True Blood) by Charlaine Harris : Book Review
Charlaine Harris – All Together Dead « Fyrefly’s Book Blog
All Together Dead « reading comes from writing
All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris « Scooper Speaks
Whimpulsive: All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris

Page count: 352 | Word count: 96,733

2009: Breathers (S.G. Browne)
2008: Twisted (Andrea Kane)
2007: Hollywood Station (Joseph Wambaugh)
2006: The Slippery Slope (Lemony Snicket)
2005: The Rebels (John Jakes)

Used in these Challenges: Sookie Reading Challenge; Countdown Challenge 2010; 2010 100+ Reading Challenge; E-book Reading Challenge; Pages Read Challenge Season 2;

Spiked with a "frothy fusion of romance, mystery, and fantasy" (Publishers Weekly), this "deliciously fiendish…increasingly riotous series" (Dallas Morning News) sends the supernaturally gifted cocktail waitress to New Orleans, where she has to deal with the legacy of one of her own family and a host of potentially dangerous characters.

Some parts (the relationship parts) of this series keep getting better.  Maybe because Sookie’s moving further away from Bill with each book?  I now feel totally justified in my dislike of him from the start, plus, I like Sookie with a shapeshifter. Unfortunately, the plot here wasn’t that great.  It seemed a little cobbled together, like the author just needed a reason to get Sookie out of town and to New Orleans for a while.  There’s a couple of small bombshells dropped that will impact later books, but overall, the plot didn’t do much to further Sookie’s story (and the reenactment stuff was just plain weird).  Though now that I’m thinking of it, what *is* Sookie’s story arc?  I’m really not sure. I’m not a fan of Bill, but I would like to see Sookie interact more with Eric and Pam again.

Other reviews:

Definately Dead (True Blood) by Charlaine Harris : Book Review
Review of “Definitely Dead” by Charlaine Harris « Rhapsody in Books
Review: Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris « I’m Booking It
Charlaine Harris – Definitely Dead « Fyrefly’s Book Blog
Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris « Scooper Speaks

Page count: 352 | Word count: 100,899

2009: For a Few Demons More (Kim Harrison)
2008: Exit Music (Ian Rankin)
2007: Dark Angels (Karleen Koen)
2006: Survivor in Death (J.D. Robb)
2005: We’ll Meet Again (Mary Higgins Clark)

Used in these Challenges: Sookie Reading Challenge; Countdown Challenge 2010; 2010 100+ Reading Challenge; E-book Reading Challenge; Pages Read Challenge Season 2;