It seems that these days, everybody is obsessed with vampires. Since “Twilight” burst onto the literary scene, an entire genre of vampire fiction has emerged. However, Charlaine Harris with her Sookie Stackhouse novels (as they are known) was present long before Stephanie Meyer. And for those of you who enjoy a slightly supernatural twist on your reading, but feel a bit too mature for “Twilight,” Harris will fill that void.

You may recognize the name Sookie Stackhouse from the popular HBO series “True Blood,” which was inspired by Harris’ series and characters. The book and the TV show are very similar; same characters, same situations. However, as I often find, the book is better than the television or theatrical interpretation.

Sookie is a completely lovable character. Living a simple life in the simple town of Bon Temps, Louisana, her whole world is twisted when a vampire enters the bar where she works. In Sookie’s world, vampires have “come out of the closet” and live among humans, sometimes peacefully, sometimes……not. Sookie takes a particular interest in vampire Bill and soon enough, they develop a relationship.

What I found intriguing about this novel is that Harris parallels real-life relationship struggles with the vampire-human relationship, such as the ever-present issue of different races and religions. Harris uses the vampire platform to demonstrate how couples of different races or religions face criticism from their community and their family and friends.

I found myself completely and totally lost in “Dead Until Dark.” Harris is a great writer; simple, but to the point. I could not put down Sookie’s story and often imagined myself walking along with her and Bill. As with all of my summer reads, the story and language need not be complicated for the book to be entertaining. I fully enjoyed “Dead Until Dark,” and recommend it to anyone who is looking for a more mature “Twilight” or just a supernatural summer read!

So lately I have, like the rest of the world it seems, been anticipating the release of Dan Brown’s “Angels and Demons” film. I’ve re-read the book (I have the nice copy with pictures!) and “The Da Vinci Code” in preparation and cannot seem to satisfy my historical-thriller appetite. So along with “The Reincarnationist,” here is another book that filled my need for some serious reading adrenaline.

“The Historian” by Elizabeth Kostova is a LARGE book. I have the hardcover copy and let me tell you, this thing is by no means dainty. At a whopping 642 pages, you’re in for the long haul with this one. But what a fast-paced, exciting and intriguing haul it is!

Kostova takes the classic story of Dracula and weaves it into a story about the hunt for the real man, Vlad the Impaler, who supposedly did discover a way to become immortal. With vivid descriptions of the majestic countries of the Eastern Bloc (if you’re ever been, you will be drooling with jealously) and scary dives into crypts and ancient castles, Kostova is sure to please a history or travel buff purely with her settings. Read More »

It’s summertime and love is in the air. While I’m lucky enough to have an amazing long term boyfriend, most girls our age are still playing the dating game. Online dating sites like EHarmony.com and Match.com have been everywhere lately- from billboards to TV’s to your sister’s computer screen. But what happens when you don’t fit the traditional mold and would like to look for someone… a bit more unusual? Maybe you have something specific that defines your personality or a certain style of living that cannot be compromised in a romantic relationship.

Hoards of specialized dating websites have begun to crop up around the web, resulting in matchmaking opportunities for weirdos everywhere. Radar Magazine’s list of some of the most obscure dating sites inspired me to search for a few strange dating sites of my own. I figured there must be something stranger than Datemypet.com…and boy was I right.

Redneckandsingle.com- The name of the site is pretty self-explanatory. If you enjoy beer, trucks, fishing, and rodeos this is probably the place for you.

Laffpersonals.com- Been around the block one too many times? This site is for singles openly infected with herpes, HPV, or your choice of a variety of other nasty STD’s. The site argues that 1 in 4 people have an STD anyway, so it’s safer to date someone who’s up front about it…and maybe they have a point. Read More »