Dead as a Doornail

I just finished reading Dead as a Doornail. I forgot I had been reading and I tried to figure out when I was watching the show. I read this book quickly as I have been providing myself at least 30 minutes to read each night and I wanted to read this set of books so I could get to the ones that I had borrowed from J. The book was interesting, but it made me think that poor Charlaine has never really had a man love her. It seems that she is constantly bringing men into the picture - men that never really develop a relationship with Sookie. It is sad in a way. Sookie only has this one love, but has a longing for other men, it seems. I think the worst thing in this book is that there is an insinuation that Sookie will owe a male a favor that she will  have to repay with her love. I was involved in the book, did enjoy reading it, even with the themes I didn't quite agree with. I recommend it if you follow the series. It is slightly ridiculous, but what book in this series isn't?

Educating Esme

I finished Educating Esme just a couple days ago. I haven't had time to post until today, but I am getting caught up. I read this book because I thought it had some great ideas that I could incorporate into my therapy sessions, my classes, or some other aspect of my life. I didn't expect it to be as good as it was. The great thing about the book is that I was interested enough to read the entire book in a couple of hours. The only thing I found off-putting is the attitude that this teacher took. She seems to be a smart-aleck. I don't know how she wasn't fired in her first year.

Don't get me wrong - I had run-ins with my principal and on occasion, I would have liked to punch her in the face, but I held my tongue because I wanted to be professional even if she wasn't. Esme isn't like that. She is hateful and she disengages. I think that is why she is able to teach effectively. I couldn't do that. I was always involved with my students.

The book is full of fun suggestions, though. I would love to have an ounce of the creativity that she employs in her classes. I want to come up with some of those ideas. I was inspired. I highly recommend this book, though I am still suspicious that it was all true. I doubt it is all true, but it is nevertheless entertaining.

I really do recommend this. I am, in fact, planning on mailing the copy I just read to a friend who teaches high school. Read it and enjoy it.

Club Dead

I finished Club Dead  while at a friend's house. I guess I'd forgotten about it because I wasn't able to blog while with her. She let me borrow the book to finish it while she was waiting to see her boyfriend. I liked the book well enough. It was quite interesting and I did learn to love Alcide here. I hate his girlfriend and will continue to hate her. The book was one of my favorites. It has been a while since I read it, though, so I will skip on the details and just suggest that you read it.

Dead to the World

Oh, I can't believe it has been so long since I actually finished a book! How sad this is! Well, Charlaine has been getting on my nerves. Her skills as an author are still lacking. I am glad she can tell a story, because she can't write. There was one line in this book that made me want to close it and just stop reading altogether. I believe it was "Yikes. Yahoo. Yum." I was offended. What adult would use language like that, especially when Sookie has been learning a word a day for the past however long? Oh, well!

I did like the book as a whole, though. I thought it was light and funny and it let me fall in love with Eric a little, even though I have been resisting from the beginning. (Alcide is still my pick.) The book was interesting and I hope it is a bit of a forecast for the season to come on HBO.

I don't want to give away what happens, but there is a mystery, a fight, and a strange resolution. The worst part for me is that as soon as I start to love Eric, I am left without that love. I hate that there is even the possibility that Sookie with return to Bill, who I don't love. I am also slightly concerned with Sookie's apparent loss of shame and ability to sleep with and want to sleep with so many men who are all in the same circle. It seems a bit incestuous. (I wasn't joking for those of you who have read the book... It just popped out.)

I will start the next novel soon, simply because I feel that I am already 4 books in and I have to keep going, but I am starting to think that I am not a fan of this type of literature, or maybe just of this author. Ms. Harris writes novels that seem cheap, and I really don't like that.