*Spoiler Alert! If you have not read the previous books in this series including this book there will be several spoilers below. Continue reading at your own risk!*
Hello all! So after much discussion between a few friends and I Jen and I decided that instead of having several conversations through e-mail between several different people we would just put a discussion post out for people to have some serious MIND DUMPING after reading the 11th book of this series.
The only rule here is, respect others ideas. We aren’t all going to agree on how we felt about the book, how we think this series is going to end, or which characters we like or don’t like. We just need to go into this with an open mind. This is a way to just get all your feelings about the series as a whole out there. A way to discuss how you feel about it and what you predict for the ending. A way to see others ideas that you can ponder over.
So lets do this! Go discuss the book and series and anything else you want between Charlaine Harris, Sookie Stackhouse and True Blood…
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Book & Movie Review's by Deanna 
Thanks for throwing up this post. I thought my friggin’ head was going to explode. So just some initial thoughts I need to get off my chest…
–Holy crap the Sookmeister and the blond BAMF aren’t bonded anymore!
–Uh, Sandra Pelt’s crazy ass came out of nowhere!
–WTH is up with Sookie’s back and forth with Eric. Yay let’s kill Victor. Boo this is too violent. Dude make up your mind.
–Effin’ fairies with their alterior motives. What do you think they’re planning?
–Anyone else notice some True Blood lines as they were reading?
–I swear if I could I would totally field goal kick Alcide in the damn nads. What is he slow or something?
No problem Jen! I had a conversation with my friend Ashley then an e-mail convo going on with @BookaholicCat and I just couldn’t take it any more!
On your comments:
-I’m glad that Eric and Sookie aren’t bonded any more. It’s crazy though that they are finally seperated. I think they can finally be at peace and have their own feelings.
-I’m happy that Sookie is finally done with the Pelt’s and she doesn’t have to worry about them any more.
-Sookie annoyed the hell out of me with her back and forth! She wanted Victor dead and she’s seen worse then that damn fight and she was all dumb about it once it was over. Although, was anyone else pissed about Eric and his whole biting her without making it feel ok!
-I have no clue what the damn fairies are planning but it is making me very nervous!!!
-I haven’t seen Season 3 of True Blood yet. 😦
-Alcide is a dumbass! I can’t believe he thought staying in Sookie’s bed just waiting for her was a good idea. Idiot!
Ok my thoughts:
– I don’t know how the hell she is planning on ending this series with 2 more books!
-WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE CLUVIER DOR???? How do you think Harris is going to use it in this series? What will be the big thing Sookie uses it for???????????????????????????????
-Who in the HELL is Sookie going to end up with at the end of this series? Bill? Eric? Sam? Alcide? Quinn? Some random ass guy we haven’t met? Will she be single? Why do you think what you think???
-Were you mad at Amelia like Sookie was?
-How about that scene with Sookie crawling into Bill’s sleeping area naked??
-Do you think Eric should marry Oklahoma??
@D:
-You know…I don’t know if I’m liking this whole Cluvier Dor. Too much like a get out of jail free card if you ask me.
-LMAO! Here’s what I’m thinking:
Bill – Maybe (He’s been trying to make it up to her ever since he screwed up)
Eric – I’m thinking no on this one. I get the sense that she wants him to be something he can’t. And what the hell is up with the whole Queen of Oklahoma thing?!?! Dude just pulled a Bill move.
Sam – I say no to this one although I wouldn’t mind it. I think he’s gotten too far into the friend zone to be anything else.
Alcide – HELL TO THE NO!
Quinn – If she ain’t giving Bill another chance I can’t see how she’d give Quinn another one.
Random Dude – Honestly? At this point it wouldn’t shock me.
-Bill seems to keep saving her ass or she keeps running to ol’ reliable. I’m just sayin’…
-If he does then it’ll confirm in my mind the asshole I’ve always known him to be. Sorry Eric lovahs…
LOL. Yes I think Bill could be a possiblity but I just don’t know…could Sookie forgive him for the whole betrayal with Lorena and the reason the met in the first place??
Eric…I think he’s the bad boy we all want to make into marriage material that will just never make it there…I hope he marries Oklahoma and moves on with his life and lets Sookie try to return to a more normal life.
Sam…HELL YEAH! LOL. Yes I agree that he might have gotten into the “friend zone” but how many couples say “he’s my best friend” when talking about their husbands? I think that Sookie is going through a phase in her life…now I’m speaking from my own personal experience…but I think she is going through the “bad boy phase”. The phase where you are dating all the guys who are wrong for you but so terribly exciting. Then you have that guy who is your friend that is your rock and your support but you can’t see past the friend part. Then you get hurt a few times and you realize that that guy who is your friend really is the man you love and rely on and want to spend the rest of your life with. I just hope that she realizes it before it’s too late and he has completely moved on with another woman…that would kinda suck.
Continuing with Sam…I think that Harris has been setting us up the whole time for Sookie to end up with Sam. He has always been there for her, he has never used her for her telepathic ability, when she was about to die the first person she thought of was Sam and how she wanted to say talk to him one more time to at least say goodbye, she can have a normal life with him working at the bar and having kids and being able to go home at night and just sit on at home with her family.
I would also agree that Alcide is a no go at all…he’s an idiot! I think Quinn is completely out of the picture too. But I also agree that it would no surprise me if Sookie’s night and shining armor appears in the last 2 pages of book 13 and then the series ends.
The CD makes me really nervous. I’m afriad that it might be a get out of jail free card…like Charlaine doesn’t really know how to end this series but knows it’s time and if she can’t think of something good she’s going to use it to make Sookie wish that she had never talked to Bill the first night in the bar and then none of the events would have occured. I’ll be pissed if that happens.
One of my friends and I think that she might use it to wish that noone knew about her telepathy so that noone would keep trying to use her and then whoever she ends up with and her could have a normal life and not keep having random people show up at her house asking for her help.
Anyone else have any thoughts on how you think she’ll use this CD in the book??
Hi guys!
I, too, have finished Dead Reckoning and I thought that it felt like a filler book. You know, something to fill up space between the big action 🙂 Here’s what else I thought:
The CD – this thing surprised and disappointed me. I don’t remember there being anything like this in the books before and it’s weird that Harris is using this kind of plot device (?) now. I mean, she’s winding things down what with there only being two more books and all of a sudden Sookie gets something like the CD? Doesn’t make sense and I will be pissed beyond belief if she tries to pull any of that “Who killed JR?” crap. Also, these books have always been about the character interactions, not about mystical artifacts. My mind keeps popping back to the book where Sookie has to smash Calvin’s hand – I just can’t reconcile magic boxes with that sort of thing. Does that make sense or is my brain short-circuiting?
I’ve always felt like Sookie was meant to be with Sam. I liked Eric in the first half of the series (Dead to the World is one of my faves) but in the last few books I’ve been hoping that Sookie would dump him. Esp. after what he did in Dead in the Family! (Yeah, I get he was trying to “protect” Sookie, whatev.) Alcide is a dumbass, that’s for sure!! Doesn’t he know Sookie at all? Sookie is obviously warming back up to Bill but he’s still a tool (but an okay tool) IMHO, too. (That part about her running around naked in Bill’s house? WTF?!?) Sam has always been my favorite though I really REALLY liked Quinn. Weretiger? Whoo boy 🙂 And I can’t believe that after dishing up to us readers all these men in all these books that Harris would throw in a complete stranger at the end for Sookie to fall madly in love with. Wrong, I tell you. Just wrong.
Victor obviously had to go, that was a given. Eric was so the douchebag to bite Sookie and make it hurt!!! I would think it made things easier on her part. Frankly, her wanting the bond broken was a big sign. I think Sookie had a right to be pissed at Amelia and Claude but not THAT pissed though I’ve never been a big fan of Claude. I liked Claudine but don’t care for the rest of the fairies. They sometimes seem worse than the vampires!
So anyway, I have no idea where Harris is going here. I’ve read interviews where she claims to know how everything will end and in DR, she started changing the rules. Sookie wishing that no one knows about her ability is an interesting theory and would completely keep her off the vampires’ radar. I have no idea what she will do with it.
Later 🙂
Jen!!! Glad you could make it roomie!
I agree with the filler thing. I’m not a fan of fillers and it feels like the last couple of books have been just that.
I’m not liking the CD thing at all. The way I understand it is that it has to be a wish based on love but, it can’t change you’re actual being. Am I getting that right? You know what would be worse. If this stupid thing was introduced and then never used.
Yeah, I guess I could see where a stranger would make you all kinds of mad. Looks like the general consensus is leaning toward Sam, huh?
For me Eric has always been a douche. So the bite didn’t really surprise me. Gosh I’m still made about the Queen of Oklahoma thing. He damn well knew Sookie got pissed as hell at Bill for ‘hiding’ stuff from her and now he goes and does it. Speaking of which why isn’t she madder at Eric for doing it? Double standards I tell ya….
Dead Reckoning was better than last two books, but is not what Sookie used to be.
And getting naked not to leave footprints… WTF. Also there was an incongruence with the description of Bill’s hidey-hole. When Sookie enters the place, she describes it as a big space and then she ends up naked, on top on naked Bill because there was no other place for her to lay down, WTF again.
Sadly I felt as if Harris was molding the book to agree better with what would be convenient for True Blood.
I’m sure Eric will marry Oklahoma. In this book Harris pictured him as power hungry vampire, and made us love him less. *cries*
I’m not sure about Sam. If he ends up with Sookie it will be kind of awkward, for me is like almost marrying your cousin.
The (magic) solution of everything at the end it’s gonna be the CD.
Harris brought back Bill in this book as the calm and nice vampire that is still in love with Sookie. That made wonder if there is a bigger plan for him. Also Sookie is thinking about what Niall said to her before returning to Fairy, something in the line of The vampire is not bad and he really loves you. I always thought he was referring to Bill not Eric and I think Sookie is getting the same impression.
One of my theories is that Sookie is going to end with Bill. She is going to use the CD to turn Bill back to human (if that is possible) or do something to be able to live with him as normal as possible.
I wanted to kill Amelia for what she did. A real friend don’t do shit like that, but I think Harris did it to take Alcide completely out of the picture as a possible suitor for Sookie.
I don’t think Harris will bring a new random guy for Sookie, that would be very lame if she does something like that.
I’m sure Claude is plotting something, the question is what, but whatever it is for sure Sookie is gonna be in the middle of everything as always.
Agree with your comment that it’s not the same Sookie it used to be. I guess that’s what happens when you have to survive numerous attempts on your life.
LOL! Yeah the whole naked thing didn’t make sense. Especially if you’re dripping wet. Duh! I also thought Bill’s hidey hole was smaller. I didn’t think you could crawl around in the damn thing.
That’s a really interesting theory. (About turning Bill back into a human). I hadn’t even thought of it.
Yeah, Amelia done messed up. I would have been equally pissed if she’d been blabbin’ my business to my ex. Especially if I’d just told her that I loved my current boyfriend.
I agree. That sneaky fairy is up to something and poor Sook will suffer the consequences.
The CD has to be used now, one way or another. You’re right, it would be worse if she left it hanging.
You know, I’m not all that surprised about Eric and Oklahoma and all the secretive-ness. Over and over, Sookie keeps finding out about stuff he’s done that affects her directly but hasn’t bothered to mention. And I know that they say that they love each other BUT. I agree with what you said before, Jen, about Sookie wanting Eric to be something he’s not. She was so hurt and betrayed by Bill because I think she really did love him and I think she cares A LOT for Eric but knows in her heart that he’s also with her for reasons other than that he “loves” her. He certainly didn’t make it difficult for her to walk away either.
In all honesty I don’t think he loves her loves. I’ve always thought he’s kept her for his own agenda. On a side note….WHAT THE HELL IS UP WITH HIM SPYING ON HER WITH HER NIALL AND HER NOT ACTING LIKE THAT THE WEIRDEST SHIT IN THE WORLD?!?!
WHAT THE HELL IS UP WITH HIM SPYING ON HER WITH HER NIALL AND HER NOT ACTING LIKE THAT THE WEIRDEST SHIT IN THE WORLD?!?!
DITTO TO THE 100TH DEGREE!!!! I was trying to figure that shit out too! It annoyed the hell out of me but I couldn’t remember all the details and didn’t know how to go back in my kindle to figure out the place we found that out!
Actually I have a problem with this because it doesn’t make sense timeline-wise. Someone pointed this out and I am glad I wasn’t the only one to notice. We find out Sookie is Fae in book 6 and doesn’t Eric find out later or in book 7? So how could Eric tell Niall about her heritage if he didn’t know yet? How could Eric know enough to tell Niall to watch Sookie for him to send Claudine, who we meet earlier in book 4? Book 4 being the book Eric had no memory of himself? Even if Eric and Niall met each other before, how would Eric know Niall is Sookie’s grandfather? And why would Niall approach Eric when Sookie and Eric weren’t really together at the time, she was with memory loss Eric? Please tell me I am not crazy here. Has Harris really forgotten some of the plots to her own books?
Oh Diana, I think Niall approaches Eric because Niall has known about her her entire life. Remember him going and visiting her when she was a baby. Niall didn’t need someone else to tell her she was fae because he already knew. Now I do remember Eric talking about speaking to Niall but for some reason I thought it was because Niall talked to him. Now I don’t remember when Eric figured out that Sookie was Fae from Sookie…that one I will have to try to think back on. Isn’t it also book 5 that Terry is sent to help clean up Sookie’s burned kitchen? I know that was mentioned because Eric and Niall had approached him to look after Sookie for them…can anyone else help us figure this out??!!
@Deanna – I know Niall has known Sookie was fae all her life, but Eric didn’t. My point is does Claudine come in because of Eric when it was the time he had no memory. Also how could Eric know Sookie is fae before she does, I am sure he found out after she did? I wouldn’t see any reason why Niall would tell Eric at the time she wasn’t with him. I don’t know, maybe I am missing something here. Just something seems off.
Oh gotcha Diana. Yeah I’m not sure about Eric knowing Sookie was Fae before she did. I know Claudine was sent to Sookie by Niall not Eric that’s how she came into it. Eric just approached Terry to start keeping an eye on Sookie and make sure that she was ok and taken care of. I’ll have to go back and read that part again to get all the details back in my head. 😀
Oh happiness! Lots of discussion already and I know that at least one more person will be joining in to put in her comments…now I’ll try to get to points you have all made (which will require lots of scrolling up and down on this page, tehehe).
-Jen, yes the CD surprised me and did disappoint. I agree that it doesn’t really go along much with the rest of the damn series…we haven’t heard anything from the fairies about any kind of magical object and then BAM with only two books left she throws it in! If Charlaine doesn’t use the damn CD in this book for ANYTHING I’ll be pissed too! Why write about something if you aren’t going to use it??!! BookaholicCat…still pondering Sookie using it to change Bill into a human…I mean if she does that and then other vampires come back to use her for her ability Bill wouldn’t be able to protect her and I think that would make him angry.
-I do still believe that Sookie is meant to be with Sam. I think that she is trying to make Eric the Eric he was in book 4 but we all know that is not going to happen. OMG, what is if she uses the CD to take away Eric’s memories for good???!!! That thought just hit me…must ponder!
-I do think Eric biting her and making it hurt will make it easier for her to sever their tie completely. Getting rid of the blood bond is a big indication that she is starting to fall away from him. I’m also pissed about the whole Queen of Oklahoma thing! Sookie was hurt by Bill for keeping things from her that affect their relationship and yet Eric did the exact same thing! Yeah Sookie keeps stuff from them but it’s not stuff that will affect their relationship! 😦 Eric keeps going down hill fast in my eyes. I hope he marries Oklahoma and moves on…the problem is that he knows about Sookie’s ability and I’m afriad that he and Oklahoma will try to take advantage of her in the future.
-I understood Sookie taking off her wet clothes so she wouldn’t drip on the floor but I was annoyed that she didn’t take 2 seconds to at least grab one of Bills shirts before tip-toeing through the house. I know that the guys were after her but there was still a lot of time that went by before they showed up and her getting into Bill’s hidey hole thing.
-PLEASE elaborate on the whole True Blood references. One person said that she quoted the TV show and another person said that she feels that Charlaine is molding the books to fit the TV show! Anyone else agree with them? What are your reasonings for saying this? Sadly, I have not seen Season 3 yet so it’s driving me bonkers trying to figure this part out!
-Good point about Bill getting angry but, he might be so happy to be human again he’ll load up on tons of stakes and guns and stuff to keep her safe.
-Oof..the Eric theory is brutal. That would be like him turning her into a vamp. OMG what if someone turns her and she uses the CD to turn back to human?!?! Yes, I know that’s far fetched but hey so was the CD.
-LOL! Well the line I remember off the top of my head is when Pam says something to the effet of “You picking up when I’m putting down?” or something like that. It’s straight out of one of the TB episodes.
ANOTHER think that has been BUGGING the HECK out of me is Sookie being able to read vampires minds. Throughout the first few books Sookie could read vampires minds every now and then, then when she would talk about her ability she would always mention that she sometimes could read vampires minds (when I say talk, I mean when she was thinking about it in her head for the readers reference) but then all of a sudden it switched to how she could never hear vampires minds. Harris stopped mentioning that Sookie could sometimes read their minds…so why is that??!! Did she just decide to not take that anywhere big? I mean if it was so rare for her to sometimes read their minds I figured that Charlaine would have been leading up to something!!! Oh another quick wonder…Sookie was able to read Eric’s mind TWICE so you’re telling me after the love, sex and blood bond that didn’t enhance her ability to read his mind??!! This just all makes me worry that Charlaine sometimes uses things to build up to something and then can’t decide what to do with them and then tosses them to the side hoping people won’t notice…
Hmm…I don’t remember which parts you’re referring to.
I am not done with the book yet, so if there is a secret that would explain this, excuse this. But just in case, I want to bring up the scene where Sookie got ambushed. Umm, Sookie’s house is protected against people who want to do her harm, yes? So how did the humans get in? And don’t get me started on Sookie being naked hiding with Bill who she knows sleeps naked too. I can understand taking off the clothes to not leave waterdrops, but the underwear? Did those get soaking wet too? Sookie definitely doesn’t seem like the going commando type. So I call BULLSHIT!
The way the humans get in is brought up and explained not too long after it happens so ask if you still missed that part and I will explain. 🙂 I agree on the Sookie and naked thing. Now I think she was completely soaking wet and if you are it would have gotten on her underwear but she can read peoples minds so she should have known she had enough time to get a shirt of Bills and at least put that on. And I also agree that Sookie doesn’t seem like the going commando type so I’m not sure what was up with that either.
It’s fine hon I found out literally two pages after from the point I was at LOL! Talk about awful timing LOL!
I have been through plenty of heavy rain, like today. I live in Florida, hurricanes are our past times LOL! My point is, you may get soaking wet, but the underwear doesn’t get so wet that it drips. I am just saying, I am not sure I like how Harris is giving us all of Sookie’s dirty laundry. Bill should be old news, but I don’t know.
If anyone is still reading this I had another huge question that I forgot to ask the first time around…we now know what Sookie is and why she came to have her Telepathy…the problem how does Barry fit into that??!! Is he a long lost relative of Sookie’s? Did his family just happen to have the same cross with faries as Sookie’s family? But only certain faires have that ability. So how the hell does Barry have it? Charlaine’s explination covers Sookie and Hunter but what about Barry??!!??!! Any thoughts at all?
I finally got time to read Dead reckoning. Eric was an ass in this book but i think he still love Sookie. Dont forget Eric was more understanding and intuned to Sookie than Bill was. Though Bill loves her too. I also wanted to point out that the CD can only be used on someone Sookie loves. I dont think she can undo the past with it.Charlaine harris was very carefull to put restrictions on its abilities like taking away the telepathy. Im thinking Eric is going to be so meserible trying to seperate from Sookie or Sookie just cant let Eric go so she uses it to free him from his makers last wish. But it would be just like Sookie to use it on Eric and not be with him because they are too different. I like Sam but that would be too safe for sookie. There is so much about faries we dont know i wont be surprised is Sookie ends up unlocking some hidden fairy power or if hanging out with her fairy family changes her more. I cant wait to see how the series ends.
Or Sookie uses it to seperate Eric from Appius’s wish and they live happily ever after. Although I do believe Sookie wants normalcy. A family. Friends. She needs to have the best of both worlds and as I have been reading, I am realizing Eric won’t bend to give her what she needs, so he won’t work out. 😦
Just finished the book, and I have no one to talk about it with!
First of all, did anyone else notice the theme at the beginning? She discussed things like going back to school, getting an education, and I believe the Bud Dearborn thing about her having sme children soon was a hint. I also believe that possibly the fae have a similar idea. They mentioned female fae being important to them. Also, Dermot does not think it is wrong to impersonate someone. Charlaine has a ton of options to go on, and I have about 10 theories, but the main point of all of them is this: Sookie wants a normal life. She wants children.
If she ends up with Eric or Bill, she couldn’t have children. Eric and a sperm donor? Ha! The only way would be if Dermot impersonated one of them and impregnated Sookie.
Alcide is not off the table. Not completely. Sookie has forgiven men for far worse.
Sam! I have always loved Sam and truely believe Sookie would have ended up with him if Bill had never come into the bar that night. I think he still has a chance.
Quinn is long gone. I don’t think we will be seeing him again.
Random guy is actually a pretty good guess, but she can’t get rid of the telepathy and it sounds awful to think of knowing my own husband’s thoughts.
As for that, my husband was the bad boy, the guy at parties who always had a girl but left her still sleeping in the morning. The guy who I honestly believe would be in jail or rehab if he hadn’t met me. He is now a stand up guy, married to me, working 2 jobs so he can support me and my pregnant self, and a total nerd. But he is also my best friend. So, both Eric and Sam are combined here, and they both still have chances in my eyes. No one is really ruled out.
The CD! I see the possibility of her making Eric human. But would Eric do it? Would he be happy?
If Charlaine let’s her use it to erase her life for the last few years, I will throw a fit like no other!
Also, Amelia and Claude. I kind of found the Alcide thing amusing. Bad Amelia, but still very funny on Claude’s part. Amelia is a female, and is not as self obsorbed as Claude, so she should have known better! Yes, Sookie will forgive her, but it will take time, and honestly we may never see that since we only have 2 books left.
Whew!
Does anyone else think that the fairies want to use Sookie for mating purposes and that’s why dermot and Claude are staying with her. maybe them being together really is making her more fae ,and the more chance they have of keeping their race alive. The thought grosses me out since they are related but sam did mention how fae didn’t care about those things.
I really think/hope she used the CD to break the bond between Erics maker so he doesn’t have to marry oklahoma. And as much of a dick Eric can be, I do think he loves her he just doesnt know how to show it in the way he should. But I feel like Sookie can change that. She knows how to not take bull shit for the most part. Even tho in this book I felt she was taking more than usual, In other books she has been better at standing up for herself.
The whole naked thing bothered me too. I think it was just something CH wanted to put in the book to make it sexy, sometimes I feel like she has to put a pulsating member in there somewhere, even when it’s not really needed. Don’t get me wrong, some of sex scenes are pretty great, but I do feel this particular incident was uncalled for. Even tho as someone else said perhaps it was a way of re introducing bill as a lover.
We will see what happens. Hopefully it’s not a disappointment.