Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris

The vampires have a public face and a public explanation for their condition - they claim an allergy to sunlight and garlic causes severe metabolic changes - but I've seen the other side of the vampire world. My eyes now see a lot of things most human beings don't ever see. Ask me if this knowledge has made me happy.

No.

-Dead to the World

So feels Sookie Stackhouse, our heroine and telepathic waitress extraordinaire. At the beginning of Dead to the World, Sookie is on the outs with former boyfriend Vampire Bill (again), thanks to his behavior in the previous book. Coming home from work late one night, she is astonished to see a nude man running along the side of the road. She is even more astonished to discover that it's Eric, the vampire sheriff (!) of her part of Louisiana. She quickly ascertains that Eric has lost his memory, rendering the vampire best known for his power almost helpless. What sort of mischief is afoot? Why, it's the work of witches, of course! Sookie takes Eric in, and then must help the vampires and werewolves who have banded together in an attempt to fight off the evil, power-hungry coven. All this, and Sookie's roguish brother Jason has gone missing....

The addition of witchcraft to the mix once again widens the universe of Sookie Stackhouse. It's not quite as fun as the werewolf storyline from Club Dead, but there is certainly potential. Just to clarify, by the way, not all of the witches involved in the goings on of Dead to the World are evil. Only the V-addicted, were-vampires. Naturally.

I actually don't have a ton to say, I'm realizing. This book is very much in line with the previous books I've read in the Sookie Stackhouse series, and it hits all of the points that have made the previous books entertaining: Sookie's spunk, supernatural hijinks (as well as some mayhem), Southern Gothic atmosphere, and sexy vampires. I mean, it's a pretty good combination. It was rather contrived to have an amnesiac Eric shacking up with Sookie, of course, but it doesn't mean the results weren't enjoyable.

Up next: When Will There Be Good News? by Kate Atkinson - I've been waiting for this one for awhile, so I'm quite ready to start reading (After Glee, of course. Or perhaps during the commercial breaks.)