Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

"Eric is much better looking than I am," Bill said. "He is more powerful, and I understand that sex with him is unforgettable. He is so old he only needs to take a sip to maintain his strength. He almost never kills anymore. So, as vampires go, he's a good guy. You could still go with him. He is still looking at you."

(biggest mistake of Sookie Stackhouse's LIFE!)

This book was fun. I can't really say it's better or not better than the show True Blood because some things from the book are better (background info, for one thing) and some things from the show are better (Lafayette and Tara's characters, everyone's physical hotness, etc.) I think the liberties Alan Ball took with adapting everything were good ones, but character-wise, I honestly couldn't stand anyone from the show's first season; I was most interested in the then-minor characters of Lafayette, Eric, and Pam. How wonderful that they've taken a bigger role in things lately! I wouldn't have cared a bit about Sookie and Bill had I not read this, so I think for any fan of the show, this book is invaluable.

I didn't think I was going to go for this, but I am definitely a fan of Ms. Charlaine. Next windfall that hits, I'll be slamming my money down for the rest of the hopefully-just-as-fun Sookie Stackhouse novels. And dammit, PICK ERIC!