Goodreads Summary:
Welcome to Midnight, Texas, a town with many boarded-up windows and few full-time inhabitants, located at the crossing of Witch Light Road and Davy Road. It’s a pretty standard dried-up western town.
There’s a pawnshop (someone lives in the basement and is seen only at night). There’s a diner (people who are just passing through tend not to linger). And there’s new resident Manfred Bernardo, who thinks he’s found the perfect place to work in private (and who has secrets of his own).
Stop at the one traffic light in town, and everything looks normal. Stay awhile, and learn the truth...
Goodreads Summary:
There is no such thing as bad publicity, except in Midnight, Texas, where the residents like to keep to themselves. Even in a town full of secretive people, Olivia Charity is an enigma. She lives with the vampire Lemuel, but no one knows what she does; they only know that she’s beautiful and dangerous.
Psychic Manfred Bernardo finds out just how dangerous when he goes on a working weekend to Dallas and sees Olivia there with a couple who are both found dead the next day. To make matters worse, one of Manfred’s regular — and very wealthy — clients dies during a reading.
Manfred returns from Dallas embroiled in scandal and hounded by the press. He turns to Olivia for help; somehow he knows that the mysterious Olivia can get things back to normal. As normal as things get in Midnight...
Goodreads Summary:
At Midnight’s local pawnshop, weapons are flying off the shelves—only to be used in sudden and dramatic suicides right at the main crossroads in town.
Who better to figure out why blood is being spilled than the vampire Lemuel, who, while translating mysterious texts, discovers what makes Midnight the town it is. There’s a reason why witches and werewolves, killers and psychics, have been drawn to this place.
And now they must come together to stop the bloodshed in the heart of Midnight. For if all hell breaks loose—which just might happen—it will put the secretive town on the map, where no one wants it to be...
My Thoughts:
So... I never read the Sucky Stackhouse books. No, I didn't spell that name wrong, I promise. I did watch the Sucky Stackhouse TV show aka True Blood. I wouldn't say that I really enjoyed the show. I thought it was mostly stupid, but I did like that attractive dudes took their clothes off. The show often gave me a good eye roll and from time to time a chuckle.
When I saw that the same writer had another series adapted to a show I assumed it would be crap like True Blood. I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed the show. The NBC series isn't great TV but it does entertain and allow you to turn your brain off, if that is what you want.
I thought I would give these books a go since the Midnight, Texas series is thus far better than the True Blood series. I checked all three out via my local library app and read them all in a couple of days. First, I should point out that this rapid reading was not due to the books being overly engaging.
The first book was decent enough that I decided to continue to the second. The second was decent enough that I decided to continue to the third. If there was a fourth, I likely wouldn't have read it at the same time.
The first book I would give three out of five stars. It wasn't terrible, it wasn't great. I was for the most part interested in what was going on in the story. I will say that I prefer the TV characters better than those actually in the book. The characters in the book are lacking diversity and depth. The story is fine so long as you go in not expecting much.
The second book I would again give three out of five. Again, I would say I prefer the TV characters more than the book characters. The story again was okay but nothing special. I wouldn't say this book was well written, but I wouldn't say it was poorly written.
The third book, again, would get three out of five stars. If I was prone to giving half ratings I would say I would give the third book a 2.5 rather than a full three stars. This is because Fiji had a larger part in this book. I want to smack Fiji. Girl, get a self esteem and learn to like your fat ass.
So over all, Charlaine Harris isn't a great writer. She does have interesting things in each book. She has some over the top and annoying things in each book. I found Fiji the most annoying. Manfred wasn't a fully developed person. Olivia's back story and current method of making money are linked but the link felt lacking some how. There are a lot of people who have fucked up childhoods who don't murder for money. I guess I would say I would prefer more in depth character development than these books offer. Also, I would prefer Manfred to be more like the NBC Manfred in description, ability, and action.
It feels so weird to say that I prefer the adaptation rather than the source material. I am not sure I have ever felt that way before.
I will say I don't regret reading the Midnight, Texas books. If she writes another, I will likely read it at some point. I am hoping for a season 2 of the NBC show. I don't really recommend these books unless you like a cheap fast read. I mean cheap in that you aren't expecting great literature. I wouldn't ever pay for these books. If you want to indulge in these read, do what I did, support your local library.
While writing this review I was listening to the Rachel Maddow show. My god I am glad that she is back from vacation. I don't love Joy filling in. Rachel is my kind of nerd. I have such a lady crush on her. I want her to be my second best friend (Obviously, first best friend position is filled).
Also, Happy New Year kids. I will attempt to update more often. Life has changed a bit for me these days. I am one of those adults who had to move in with their Parental Unit's house to work on paying down some debt. It has been a fucked up few months adjusting to living at home again. Who knew that at 36 you could feel like an angry teenager again? The Husband Unit is getting a greater understanding of why I am the way that I am. Yet to be determined if that is a good thing. I have been reading a shit ton and not posting about it. I will be catching up on some of my more recent reads but definitely not all. I don't think I remember everything that I read in the last year and some change since last I posted.
As a different side note I would like to say that while I am an American, Donald Trump does not represent my America. I haven't posted since the election that put him in office. Partially, because I just didn't know how to express all of the anger, fear, hurt, shock, frustration, disgust etc etc etc that I was feeling. I still don't. Just today the Orange One was flexing his nuclear dick at North Korea. Donald Trump very well could be the end of America. I hope he isn't. I hope we the people are stronger than him. I will fight against him and his bullshit agenda as long as there is breath in my body. I am glad that Sen. Orrin Hatch is retiring. We don't need more of congress getting on their knees to suck the cock of such a tyrant. I intend on using my voice, my vote, and my money to support the America that I love. It is hard to see that America these days, but sometimes I get a glimpse. If you too want a glimpse I recommend picking up What Unites Us by Dan Rather. I haven't finished it yet but so far he is making me feel better about my fellow citizens and country.
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