by Wendy R.

Created on: April 10, 2009

Sookie Stackhouse is a mind reading waitress in small town in Louisiana. She has never had a boyfriend because she can read people's minds and that really interferes with everything. But one day, Bill the Vampire enters the restaurant where she works and orders some blood ( which they are currently out of) and things are about to change.

Recently, vampires have come out of the coffin, so to speak and are now part of society. They can live on artificial blood and are no longer considered a danger to the rest of society. However, they still have some of their own places; a hotel named Blood in the Quarter and a bar called Fangtasia. Sookie becomes very interested in Bill when she realizes he is a vampire and that she can't read his thoughts. So since Sookie considers her mind reading capability a disability, she feels that Bill is perfect for her. After all, he really is dead, a definite disability by people standards.

However, many people still don't like the vampires and believe them to be quite dangerous. When women start turning up strangled, with bite marks on their legs, the vampires, including Bill become suspects. Sookie doesn't believe Bill has anything to do with the deaths, especially after she realizes she is also a target. Sookie's brother Jason is also considered a murder suspect for a short time because he dated some of the victims.

Then someone sets some of the vampires on fire, causing Bill to be concerned about his own safety and that of some of his friends.

This is a great first novel and I was surprised that I enjoyed it so much. The idea of the vampires is a little far fetched, but it makes for fun reading. Sookie is a great character who is strong and fun, but who takes her job and her family seriously. While she cares a great deal for Bill, she is not sure how their relationship can continue, even though she appreciates the fact that he is trying to become a bigger part of human society. She finds it difficult to only see him at night, and even though she loves him, she is a little apprehensive about some of his vampire friends. This has become an issue since Sookie has gone through some physical and mental anguish at the hands these friends.

Bill and Sookie are a fun pair and I look forward to more of their adventures together in books to come. The author does a good job with character development with Sookie and Bill and you also get a good look into the character of Sam, Sookie's boss. Definitely a great beginning to the series.

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