Graphic Novel: Haunted - Cemetery Girl

Paperback, 120 pages

Published August 9th 2018 by Jo Fletcher Books

The Cemetery Girl Trilogy #3

Thriller /Paranormal 

for review

My thoughts:

I do not read many graphic novels a year so I am not sure, but at least here I have never come across the format of this one. It was like a trade paperback size? And I loved it! It was the perfect size for reading, much better than those bigger ones.

I also came in at book 3, but they had done it really well and I did not feel like I had missed much other than the obvious. Calexa being killed and dumped in the cemetery. Her living there. 2 people dying and going into her (well that sounds freaky)! And it seems meeting some old man and his son and that son getting hurt (and there are obvi feelings between Calexa and the son).

And with that the story began. Someone still wants her dead, but why?

A PI is asking questions and wanting to find her, but can he be trusted?

Winter is coming! Which is bad since she lives in a cemetery ;)

Last thoughts:

A nice conclusion to a series (yes yes I did not read them all), but I am glad a conclusion came. I wanted answers too and now I can not say more cos spoilers.

Great artwork too. That is all that counts for me.

Blurb

Calexa Rose Dunhill died once, just for a moment - but now someone wants her dead permanently

The shocking conclusion to Cemetery Girl by Charlaine Harris, no. 1 bestselling creator of Sookie Stackhouse, and Christopher Golden, bestselling co-creator of Baltimore.

They call her the Ghost of Dunhill Cemetery, but most people think 'the Cemetery Girl' is just a story. In some ways, that's true. Her chosen name is Calexa Rose Dunhill, but she doesn't know her real name. When she first arrived here, all she knew was that someone had tried to murder her: they'd dumped her body and left her for dead. Calexa has been hiding out here, afraid to seek out her true identity for fear that her would-be murderer would find her and finish the job. And someone is searching for her . . . a man named Salazar, who holds the key that will unlock the secrets of Calexa's past.

Calexa has new secrets as well, including the fact that she was murdered: she did die, if only for a moment - but in that moment, something changed inside her. Now, if someone dies near her, their spirit is drawn to Calexa, drawn into her. It has happened twice before, but now, as her worst fears come true and the killers have found her trail, the third ghost to take up residence in Calexa's soul will change everything.

The Cemetery Girl's story is about to reach a shocking conclusion! 

Review: Wolfsbane and Mistletoe anthology

Genre: Urban fantasy 
Pages: 384
Published: 2010
Publisher: Penguin
Source: I won it :)

The holidays can bring out the beast in anyone- particularly lycanthropes. Charlaine Harris and Toni L. P. Kelner have harvested the scariest, funniest, saddest werewolf tales by an outstanding pack of authors, best read by the light of a full moon with a silver bullet close at hand. 

Whether wolfing down a holiday feast (use your imagination) or craving some hair of the dog on New Year's morning, the werewolves in these frighteningly original stories will surprise, delight, amuse, and scare the pants off readers who love a little wolfsbane with their mistletoe.

Giftwrap 
Sookie finds a wounded shifter in the forest, it's Christmas and she is all alone and takes him home. This one had a little heat in it, a tiny bit. But it was a good and surprising story.
Edit: I read this one last year actually in another anthology

The Haire of the Beast by Donna Andrews 
This was a short one (but then they all are short) and I liked what the heroine did...and I am not telling you ;)

Lucy, at Christmastime by Simon R. Green 
Not much happened in this one except for a surprise that was thrown in, and which made me like it.

The Night Things Changed by Dana Cameron 
I am not sure about this one. A vampire sister and brother tracks down a baddie, but I was just not that interested.

The Werewolf Before Christmas by Kat Richardson 
Poor reindeer, lol. A werewolf starts munching on them and Santa is not happy. Good enough.

Fresh Meat by Alan Gordon 
I liked this one and mostly because at first I did not know what to make of it.

Il Est Ne by Carrie Vaughn 
Would this one make me read the Kitty books...ok perhaps not, but still ok.

The Perfect Gift by Dana Stabenow
I was a bit confused but this one, it should be fleshed out more.

Christmas Past by Keri Arthur 
Eh, boring.

SA by J.A. Konrath 
This one was freaky, and you know I like freaky...it also got poop in it..yup, poop.


The Star of David by Patricia Briggs 
Perhaps cos I always expect so much I got disappointed.

You’d Better Not Pyout by Nancy Pickard 
I had not guessed that about Santa, I liked the twist and yes I could see it ;)

Rogue Elements by Karen Chance 
I'd read a book by her, enough said.

Milk and Cookies by Rob Thurman 
At first I was not sure but the end, oh that messed up ending was the best. Christmas joy.

Keeping Watch Over His Flock by Toni L.P. Kelner 
And I can't remember a single thing about this one...

Some good ones, some not so good ones. But that is me and anthologies, I never like all the stories. Because in the end I want long stories and things are never really fleshed out in these and it is hard to connect. But as an xmas anthology it works well.

Review: Dead and Gone - Charlaine Harris

Sookie Stackhouse, book 9

Genre: paranormal romance
Pages: 312
Published: 2009

Except for Sookie Stackhouse, folks in Bon Temps, Louisiana, know little about vamps-and nothing about weres.


Until now. The weres and shifters have finally decided to reveal their existence to the ordinary world. At first all goes well. Then the mutilated body of a were-panther is found near the bar where Sookie works-and she feels compelled to discover who, human or otherwise, did it.


But there's a far greater danger threatening Bon Temps. A race of unhuman beings-older, more powerful, and more secretive than vampires or werewolves-is preparing for war. And Sookie finds herself an all-too human pawn in their battle.

I think it's time for a short review again, what else to do after 9 books. How much could I have to say? Other than go on and on about Eric.

1. Reason you chose this book.
After 8 books I want to know what happens. I can give up now. Not cos I love the series, just cos I get a bad case of what happened OCD

2. Reasons you liked or disliked this book.
- Eric, omg, I liked page 92
"Darling you can nail my ass anytime." Lol, if she does not end up with him I will be so mad!
- Same old same old, not bad, not excellent.
- The plot is the same as in all books, Sookie has man problems, someone tries to kill her and there is a mystery. Yes it works better than in previous books but something must happen soon or they will truly stagnate.
- I honestly thought something more would happen when the shifters came out but nothing. Instead there was a fairy-war.
- In the end a nice book that I read really fast, simple and ok.

3. Reasons you are recommending this book.
- If you have read the previous ones then I guess keep on reading. If you haven't read the books then give book 1 a chance, if only so to get to book 4 with the famous shower scene.

Btw. I do hate the covers.

Review: A touch of dead - Charlaine Harris

Genre: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 224
UK publication: August 2010 Gollanz

Now, for the first time, here is every Sookie Stackhouse short story ever written—together in one volume.

Stories include “Fairy Dust,” “One Word Answer,” “Dracula Night,” “Lucky,” and “Giftwrap.”

Since this book consists of 5 short stories I am going to review them all.

Fairy Dust

In this one Claudine, the fairy needs Sookie's help.

This was an ok short story, Sookie used her power, and the fairies showed their true nature.

One Word Answer

A man shows up at Sookie's house to give her that which belonged to her cousin.

This one explains more about Hadley. I remember reading the book where Sookie went to New Orleans and being a bit confused. SO this one could have been good to read beforehand.

Dracula Night

Eric is going crazy planning a party because every year Dracula himself attends one, and Eric really wants it to be his.

This one was my favourite, and I am not saying that because Eric was in it, ok that played a part. But it was interesting with the whole myth about Dracula, and there was Sookie and Eric interaction.

Lucky

An insurance agent asks Sookie for help and together with Amelia she plays detective.

A little detective work and an ok story.

Giftwrap

Sookie finds a wounded shifter in the forest, it's Christmas and she is all alone and takes him home.

This one had a little heat in it, a tiny bit. But it was a good and surprising story.

Overall I found myself enjoying these stories more than the books. Sookie fits really well in a short story, and these were from different times during her life after she met Bill. This one explains some things, and some are just pure amusement. A little treat for Sookie Stackhouse lovers.

But, I do feel like you should have read the first 8 books so you really grasp things. Like the fairies, her grandfather and who Amelia is, no to mention the whole were community. In the book it also says when the stories takes place.

Blodeuedd's Cover Corner: Simplistic

Reason for reading: From the publisher

Final thoughts: I was amused, and it reminded me that I really need book 9.

3,25

Review: From Dead to Worse - Charlaine Harris

From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris

Book 8

Published: 2008
Pages: 368
Genre Urban fantasy mystery romance

After the natural disaster of Hurricane Katrina and the manmade explosion at the vampire summit, everyone--human and otherwise--is stressed, including Louisiana cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse, who is trying to cope with the fact that her boyfriend Quinn has gone missing.

It's clear that things are changing--whether the weres and vamps of her corner of Louisiana like it or not. And Sookie--Friend to the Pack and blood-bonded to Eric Northman, leader of the local vampire community--is caught up in the changes.

In the ensuing battles, Sookie faces danger, death, and once more, betrayal by someone she loves. And when the fur has finished flying and the cold blood finished flowing, her world will be forever altered.

I choose this cover because I really don't like those other, they are kind of ugly to me and I would not pick up the books. Well, the style is not for me, this one on the other hand I like. I am glad others love them though.

Where to start, this one was confusing. A bunch of things were going on and it didn't follow the normal pattern. One mystery to solve and working towards that to the end. Here the obstacle was quickly overcome, very fast and then a number of more things happened. How can I then explain it then when I have already forgotten most of the book?

Things are happening in her state, relative, or was that the last book? Weres, fighting, I honestly can't say, it felt like a big mess, and I finished and started it this week. This one, ok, but it will not go down as a memorable book. On the contrary, I will have forgotten most of it by next week.

And I do think she is taking in too many paranormal beings and things. And then with Sookie's new status. Felt a bit, I don't know. Perhaps she has a bigger idea with it.

By now it must feel like I hated the book, I didn't, I felt the same thing I have felt for awhile now, they are ok, and I don't have much to say about them. I will not go screaming for the next and I fear that I feel like she is loosing her touch. Book 4, wonderful, mm, shower scene, but after that everything is one big blur, she seem to be getting worse. Not bad, just lingering on the big scope I have for ok (it's a big one, I am very harsh.)

And how many more books will there be? How long can she go on and stretch it out? There comes a point when a series needs to have an end. But perhaps they will get better again, more fun, more Eric, because I know more things are coming, big war surely. Since the FOTS are bad and people are not that understanding.

I am sadly loosing interest, but if my friend keeps buying them I will keep reading.


Borrowed from a friend

Reviews: 2 in 1 Sookie again + DNF read

Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris

Book 6

Spiked with a frothy fusion of romance, mystery, and fantasy, this bestselling series sends the supernaturally gifted cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse to New Orleans, where she has to deal with the legacy of one of her own family and a host of potentially dangerous characters. (GoodReads)

All Together Dead

Louisiana cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse has her hands full dealing with every sort of undead and paranormal creature imaginable. And after being betrayed by her longtime vampire love, Sookie must not only deal with a new man in her life-the shapeshifter Quinn-but also contend with the long-planned vampire summit.

The summit is a tense situation. The vampire queen of Louisiana is in a precarious position, her power base weakened by hurricane damage to New Orleans. And there are some vamps who would like to finish what nature started. Soon, Sookie must decide what side she'll stand with. And her choice may mean the difference between survival and all-out catastrophe.

So more Sookie books. In the first one she goes down to New Orleans because a family member died (when did that happen btw, did I miss it?) She meets the Queen and there is trouble as always.

In the next book she travels with the queen to a summit, but someone is out to get them all, and who can she trust?

Here she has Quinn and I do like him, he has potential. I also like her new buddy Amelia. About all the shifters, well I guess they will be outed too soon. And what is up with all the things showing up in every book? Soon the Easter bunny will show up.

Even if I like the mystery part I do get annoy at one thing, she always figures everything out even if there are not many clues. I guess she is the smartest chick around. There were also some historical facts that bothered me in this one.

But mindless fun, easy reads, even if she get beaten up always. And Eric is still yummy. I have started to wonder how many more books there will be, you get to a certain point with all books where they can be no more. I still want more but I do wonder.

As always not much to say about these books.

Then the DNF read:

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

 It was a great book, the language flowed and to have the dog narrate was masterful. But it was a sad book, and I was not even halfway when I could take no more, I had been sad, then angry and then I got too upset. It was not the right time to read this book, I am not good with these thins so perhaps in the future. Cos to the point I read it was a good book, worth reading.

Recommended.

Enzo knows he is different from other dogs: a philosopher with a nearly human soul (and an obsession with opposable thumbs), he has educated himself by watching television extensively, and by listening very closely to the words of his master, Denny Swift, an up-and-coming race car driver. Through Denny, Enzo has gained tremendous insight into the human condition, and he sees that life, like racing, isn't simply about going fast. Using the techniques needed on the race track, one can successfully navigate all of life's ordeals.

On the eve of his death, Enzo takes stock of his life, recalling all that he and his family have been through: the sacrifices Denny has made to succeed professionally; the unexpected loss of Eve, Denny's wife; the three-year battle over their daughter, Zoë, whose maternal grandparents pulled every string to gain custody. In the end, despite what he sees as his own limitations, Enzo comes through heroically to preserve the Swift family, holding in his heart the dream that Denny will become a racing champion with Zoë at his side.

A heart-wrenching but deeply funny and ultimately uplifting story of family, love, loyalty, and hope, The Art of Racing in the Rain is a beautifully crafted and captivating look at the wonders and absurdities of human life...as only a dog could tell it. (GoodReads)

2 in 1 review: Dead to the world and Dead as a doornail

Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris

It continues the story of psychic waitress Sookie Stackhouse, who has fallen out with her undead lover, Bill. Bill has no sooner departed for Peru, than Sookie finds the head vampire, Eric, running naked and terrified through the rural night. She helps Eric, and discovers his memory has been destroyed by a coven of unscrupulous, astonishingly powerful witches, newly arrived in her small Louisiana town, and offering a huge reward for Eric. Sookie tries to hide Eric, but her brother sees him--and immediately disappears. And Sookie finds herself caught in a war among witches, vampires, and werewolves.

(GoodReads)

Dead as a Doornail

When Sookie's brother Jason's eyes start to change, she knows he's about to turn into a were-panther for the first time. But her concern becomes cold fear when a sniper sets his deadly sights on the local changeling population-and Jason's new panther brethren suspect he may be the shooter. Now, Sookie has until the next full moon to find out who's behind the attacks, unless the killer decides to find her first.

Another 2 in 1 review cos honestly not much to say, and many have already read them too. In Dead to the world Sookie meets Eric and he has amnesia. He needs to be protected and she takes him in. Oh no wonder this was my fav story so far and I am sure the rest can't take on this one. I liked it, oh yes.

In Dead as a Doornail Jason is in trouble and someone goes around shooting people. She must find out who that is, we also get more were and shifter action, and meet Quinn.

The books are like the rest, a mystery, she gets beaten up (or at least watches someone get beaten up). Some kissing, and meets a new fellow.

Eric, sighs, but sweet Eric was nice, now he is an ass again. Alcide is cool but they wont be together, I am still betting that she in the end will end up with Sam and I don't like that. I don't know why, but Sam, there is just something I don't like which is weird when he is such a nice guy,

Never liked Jason either but he showed a nice side and he is all right. Bill, I can't forgive him after book 3. And it annoys me a bit how she is thinking about it.

The books are ok, romance, mystery and a great deal of action. for some reason I never have much to say though.

Review: Living Dead in Dallas & Club Dead

Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris
Book 2

When a vampire asks Sookie Stackhouse to use her telepathic skills to find another missing vampire, she agrees under one condition: the bloodsuckers must promise to let the humans go unharmed.

Club Dead
Book 3

Sookie's boyfriend has been very distant-in another state, distant. Now she's off to Mississippi to mingle with the underworld at Club Dead-a little haunt where the vampire elite go to chill out. But when she finally finds Bill-caught in an act of betrayal-she's not sure whether to save him...or sharpen some stakes.

Genre: Paranormal mystery romance
Published: 2002 and 2003

Short 2 in 1 review:

Since I finished them both pretty close to each other I thought I should do a 2 in 1 review. Since I have the same things so say about both in a way.

First, now I like them. With the first one I just kept thinking of TB, and seeing the actors. With this one I could create my own world, and I did not now what would happen.

I have come to like Sookie, she has guts, even if she does get beaten up a lot. Bill, well, dunno about him. I do like seeing Bubba around, but most of all I crave Eric. When he sneaks up next to her, where ever that may be, oh, I am smitten. I have hopes for Sookie and Eric, cos I do like him more than Bill who is just rather grey.

Oh and I loved Alcide in book 3, perhaps because I prefer werewolves these days and he is a were shifter. I do hope we get to see more of him. As for Sam, meh.

The story in book 2, that's right, those scary Fellowship of the sun guys, oh those were creepy and what a bunch of idiots. I did not like them for one second, and sadly I am sure we will see more of them. I did like that we got to see shifters and that freaky meanaed.

Book 3, Alcide, yes he and Eric were the highlights. I liked this book up to a point, Sookie and Bill in the back of his car. Ok that was wrong, gross, and I could never have forgiven him, it was horrible reading it, and then she just went back to normal. It's those kinds of scenes that makes me throw a book across the room. Here I didn't, but I sure will if it happen again.

The book series is so much better than the tv series. I am enjoying them, and I will get to read more now in September, for which I am really happy.