Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris

Publisher: Ace
Publishing Date: May 7, 2013
Paperback: 338 pages

Rating: 1 stars

There are secrets in the town of Bon Temps, ones that threaten those closest to Sookie—and could destroy her heart…

Sookie Stackhouse finds it easy to turn down the request of former barmaid Arlene when she wants her job back at Merlotte’s. After all, Arlene tried to have Sookie killed. But her relationship with Eric Northman is not so clearcut. He and his vampires are keeping their distance…and a cold silence. And when Sookie learns the reason why, she is devastated.

Then a shocking murder rocks Bon Temps, and Sookie is arrested for the crime.

But the evidence against Sookie is weak, and she makes bail. Investigating the killing, she’ll learn that what passes for truth in Bon Temps is only a convenient lie. What passes for justice is more spilled blood. And what passes for love is never enough.

As we say a last goodbye to Sookie Stackhouse, Sookie is still reeling from watching Sam Merlotte die–actually die in front of her. Thankfully Sookie still had the cluviel dor (a fairy magic wish) and she used it to bring Sam back to life.

You would think that saving her friend’s life would make things wonderful for Sookie. But now Eric is unhappy with her because he wanted her to use the dor for his benefit to get him out of the arranged marriage to the Queen of Oklahoma. Eric then summons Sookie to Fangtasia to divorce her and release her from their vampire binding.

And if that is not enough to leave Sookie an emotional wreck, Sam has been acting very odd toward Sookie since he returned from the dead. You’d think he’s at least say thanks.

As if her friends acting odd wouldn’t be bad enough, Sookie has accumulated quite a few enemies over the last few years. Amelia’s father, Copley Carmichael sells his soul to a devil (no, not the devil) so that he can have Sookie’s cluviel dor, only to learn that Sookie has already used the dor and now he has sold his soul for nothing, and he plans on taking out his anger on Sookie.

There are another two men who have returned from Sookie’s past who have plans to ruin Sookie’s life as well and their first move is to have Arlene Fowler released from prison. Arlene, who had previously been arrested for her part in setting up Sookie to be crucified by her racist friends. Arlene is just happy to be released, and she doesn’t know that she is being set up as a pawn in a game to frame Sookie for Arlene’s murder.

When Sookie is arrested, she finds out who her true friends are when they rally around her and help her to find the real culprits.

THOUGHTS:

In what should be an epic conclusion to a popular series which has been turned into a TV show to make it an even more popular series, you would think Charlaine Harris would go out with a bang as explosive as the 4th of July. This book fizzled more like a cheap, wet sparkler.

Although I had given up on this series and didn’t read the last two books, I had no problem keeping up with the happenings of this story. There is a guest appearance from almost every character that has ever shown up in this series, except for Bubba (f/k/a Elvis). Bubba seemed to have been written out of the series about halfway through which was sad, because I liked him. He was always there to help out Sookie or protect her if needed. Even Quinn, the pathetic weretiger, showed up to help out and support Sookie, and just as quickly disappeared again.

I started out enjoying this series, and then quickly became bored with the characters and storylines. I got disgusted with Sookie after the fairy fight where Bill said he would gladly die to protect her and when she looked at her love, Eric, he was “Mmmm, not so much.” Then in the next book, the witch Amelia indicated that Sookie might just be with Eric because of the blood bond, and maybe they could see about breaking it before Sookie changed to a vampire, and Sookie’s concern about that was “Meh.” Then I was thinking “meh” about the whole series.

I don’t know that I have read such a boring, tedious finale to a series ever. If you haven’t purchased your copy, save yourself the time and the money and don’t. If you weren’t planning on it, you are that much smarter than I. I purchased an audiobook copy and wasted almost 11 hours and several days listening to this torture.

Good-bye Sookie. I don’t think anyone is going to miss you.

Favorite Scene:

I can’t say that I had a favorite scene, but just as an example of the excitement presented in this story…Here’s Sookie inventorying her nightstand.

No one at all was at my house when I unlocked the back door. That was strange, since it had been such a beehive that morning. Moved by an impulse, I went into my bedroom and perched on the side of the bed, close to my bedside table. Thanks to my compulsory cleaning during my three days off, neatly located in the top drawer were all the things I might need at a moment’s notice during the night: a flashlight, Kleenex, ChapStick, Tylenol, three condoms Queen had left when we’d dated, a list of emergency phone numbers, a cell phone charger, and old tin box (full of pins, needles, buttons, and paper clips), some pens, a notepad…the usual mixture of handy items.