Dead Ever After

By: Charlaine Harris

Narrated by: Johanna Parker

Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's summary

Sookie Stackhouse has one last adventure in store. Life has taken her from a waitress in Merlotte's Bar, Bon Temps, to part owner; from social outcast to the heart of her community; from a vampire's girlfriend to the wife of one of the most powerful vampires in the state. She has survived explosions, revolutions and attempts on her life. Sookie has endured betrayal, heartbreak and grief…and she has emerged a little stronger, and little wiser, every time. But with life comes new trials…

The question is, in the end: who will love, who will live, and who will be dead ever after?

Read by Johanna Parker. Johanna Parker is the narrator of over 40 audiobooks to date, best known for her mesmerising Southern Belle accent: the voice of Charlaine Harris' best-selling Sookie Stackhouse Southern Vampire series. She is a two-time AUDIE-nominated audiobook narrator and winner of Audiofile's 2006 EARPHONES AWARD.

©2013 Charlaine Harris, Inc (P)2013 Recorded Books

Ends with a bang but still fizzles

I was basically just 'getting through' the series by this time, I was so glad the end was in sight. Sookie Stackhouse is a self important, bigoted character and I found it difficult to enjoy everything through her skewed sense of the world, at the same time I was sick of so many characters blaming her for their own faults or having to deal with the consequences of their actions. I know it's realistic, but it's frustrating and I'm not reading a series about a telepathic waitress' dealings with werewolves, vampires, witches, fairies and shape shifters for realism. Though this final volume ends with a bang (hardy har har), it feels like the relationships were thrown together (or pulled apart) at short notice to serve a different, unknown purpose of the author's. If you've persevered with the series you'll probably be content with how it's all wrapped up, but not what I'd call satisfied. This was the protein shake of stories, all the necessary ingredients/nutrients are there, but you're still left with wanting.

Very poorly written

Would you try another book from Charlaine Harris and/or Johanna Parker?

Charlaine has lost her passion, this book was simply slapped together in a disinterested manner.

Has Dead Ever After turned you off from other books in this genre?

No, but I will be very hesitant to waste my money on CH again

Any additional comments?

If you have fallen in love with this series as I have, then do not read this book. I wish that I had read the reviews before hand, but alas Sookie has crashed and burnt.

Did someone else write it?

Did someone else write it? Why was it so different? Was it rushed?

I am not a huge fan of the vampire genre but was attracted to this series because of the heroine's name. With a name like Sookie, I thought, there has to be some humour. It wasn't all funny but it did get me hooked regardless.

I loved the first books in the series, but like many others whose reviews I have read, I have been disappointed in the last two or three, especially the last one. All the fun and sparkle seemed to have disappeared. This last book was exceptionally dull comparatively with the most feebly developed characters taking the lead.

After thirteen books a reader/listener can't help but have an investment in the characters and I feel that the story lines of the main characters were rushed towards the end. Throughout the series we were shown one thing about the characters that didn't match up with the ending at all. I was left feeling empty and deflated because this series finished like a balloon letting out air slowly, complete with the whining noise which was Sookie.

The Southern Vampire Mysteries had hardly any vampires or vampire action in the last book, and the heroine finished up with the boring, brotherly shifter! It was almost incestuous for me. OK, I get it - but I wish the author had included a bit more "couple" development for Sam and Sookie so that it was satisfying and more believable. Also, with a vampire series one expects suspense and bad boy love so why have such a safe ending which translates into boring.

I am really trying not to question the author's plot as it is her concept not mine and I am not going to recommend anyone not read the book because if you're like me you will want to make up your own mind especially after reading all the others in the series. Personally, I have rarely felt this disappointed.