Helpful Score: 13
Be aware that there are only five stories in this book, and all of them were previously published. Reading the forward, it appears the author did a little rewriting on Dracula Night.
Collected in chronological order from Sookie's life, the stories are:
Fairy Dust (after Dead to the World; from Powers of Detection, 2004)
Dracula Night (before Dead as a Doornail; from Many Bloody Returns, 2007)
One Word Answer (after Dead as a Doornail; from Bite, 2005)
Lucky (after All Together Dead; from Unusual Suspects, 2008)
Gift Wrap (before Dead and Gone; from Wolfsbane and Mistletoe, 2008)
Collected in chronological order from Sookie's life, the stories are:
Fairy Dust (after Dead to the World; from Powers of Detection, 2004)
Dracula Night (before Dead as a Doornail; from Many Bloody Returns, 2007)
One Word Answer (after Dead as a Doornail; from Bite, 2005)
Lucky (after All Together Dead; from Unusual Suspects, 2008)
Gift Wrap (before Dead and Gone; from Wolfsbane and Mistletoe, 2008)
Helpful Score: 7
I am thankful I did not spend the money on this book and was able to borrow it from the library. All the short stories in this book have been collected from previously published anthologies. I love Sookie, but reading this book made me feel like I was watching a preview for my favorite show, and when the show aired the cable went out. Unless you are a collector, I strongly suggest waiting for the paperback or borrowing this book.
Karissa E. (ophelia99) reviewed A Touch of Dead (Sookie Stackhouse: The Complete Stories) on + 2527 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 7
This is collection of 5 short stories featuring Sookie; "Fairy Dust," "One Word Answer," "Dracula Night," "Lucky," and "Giftwrap." If you are someone who faithfully reads all of the Sookie Stackhouse short stories in previously released anthologies; then you can skip this book completely. I personally had only read "Dracula Night" which was released in the "Many Bloody Returns" anthology. This book was okay and a super quick read.
Personally I didn't like "Fairy Dust" and "One Word Answer" all that much. I thought these two stories were kind of boring. I had already read "Dracula Night" and I thought that one was okay. The two stories that stood out in this anthology for me were "Lucky" and "Giftwrap". Both of those were very entertaining and "Giftwrap" added a little to Sookie's background.
Even if you haven't read any of these stories elsewhere I wouldn't buy this book new; I would either get it from the library or buy it used. It is super short, maybe took me 1-2 hours to read all of the stories. I didn't think any of them really added a lot of understanding or background to Sookie's character. I guess if you are an absolute die-hard Sookie fan you might want this book for your collection, or if you really need to get your Sookie fix before the next book comes out.
Overall the book was okay, but most of the stories are forgettable. It's a good way to get all the Sookie short stories if you really want to read them.
Personally I didn't like "Fairy Dust" and "One Word Answer" all that much. I thought these two stories were kind of boring. I had already read "Dracula Night" and I thought that one was okay. The two stories that stood out in this anthology for me were "Lucky" and "Giftwrap". Both of those were very entertaining and "Giftwrap" added a little to Sookie's background.
Even if you haven't read any of these stories elsewhere I wouldn't buy this book new; I would either get it from the library or buy it used. It is super short, maybe took me 1-2 hours to read all of the stories. I didn't think any of them really added a lot of understanding or background to Sookie's character. I guess if you are an absolute die-hard Sookie fan you might want this book for your collection, or if you really need to get your Sookie fix before the next book comes out.
Overall the book was okay, but most of the stories are forgettable. It's a good way to get all the Sookie short stories if you really want to read them.
Brandy (familygogreen) - reviewed A Touch of Dead (Sookie Stackhouse: The Complete Stories) on + 26 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 5
I am a HUGE Sookie fan but these "Stories" were not stories- they are scenes that were cut from other plots. They are so short and the book was so expensive I am depressed I bought it (the hard cover version was the only one I could find). I am a Charlaine Harris fan but these were TERRIBLE. Not even worth the paperback price.
SookieNorthcutt reviewed A Touch of Dead (Sookie Stackhouse: The Complete Stories) on + 3 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
I read this book and honestly was disappointed. I have all of the Sookie Series and love to read the books. I was disappointed because this was just a book filled with short stories. It had no real romance except for the last story gift wrap which if I had to choice a favorite that would be my favorite of the short stories. I honestly just cant wait for the next book in the series and maybe that is why I wasnt thrilled with this book. It just seemed like a tease. And honestly if your going to make a book of short stories that have been published in other books why not put it out in paperback. I know that the book publishers dont normally do this but to me it would make more sence than paying Hardcover price for a very short book. Besides this I have loved the series and plan to continue to read the series.
Stacy W. (whatstacy) -
Helpful Score: 4
I didn't realize this book was a collection of short stories until i received it. But have you ever wanted to read all those stories in the anthology collections, but didn't really want to get the book? Here's your chance. It's a quick read with cute Sookie stories, that fall between some of the stories in the series. You won't be dissapointed if you are a true Sookie fan.
Sheryl S. (sunshine79) reviewed A Touch of Dead (Sookie Stackhouse: The Complete Stories) on + 10 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
I didn't realize that this was a book of short stories that had already been published elsewhere. They were ok but if I were to decide whether or not I wanted to read other Sookie books based on these short stories I would probably pass.
The book is very slim and I read it in less than 2 hours. With the bigger print and the spacing between lines, and the drawings at the beginning of each story, I felt short-changed by buying this book new.
The Sookie books are among my favorite ones and are keepers for me but I will probably be posting this book on here.
The book is very slim and I read it in less than 2 hours. With the bigger print and the spacing between lines, and the drawings at the beginning of each story, I felt short-changed by buying this book new.
The Sookie books are among my favorite ones and are keepers for me but I will probably be posting this book on here.
Jennifer M. (lpeogirl) -
Helpful Score: 2
These short stories were good to read. I wish that I would have known about them when I was reading through the series. It filled in some gaps in the storyline. I wondered where cousin Hadley came from...now I know. It is a quick read and it was nice that they were all put together in one book so I didn't have to search around for all of the anthologies in which they the stories were previously published.
Victoria (YSB) -
Helpful Score: 1
I think I set my hopes a little too high for this book... I had been hoping for some type of sneak-peek or short story taking place after the events of _Dead & Gone_, but these short stories all take place before the events of _Dead & Gone_. They were all fun to read, and I am definitely looking forward to re-reading the series with the short stories in the right chronological order. This was a fast read, and now it will be a long wait until the nest book comes out!
Veronica S. (snowkitty) -
I just read this book recently, long after publication, because I'm not a fan of short stories. When I heard Sookie would be ending soon, I decided I wanted to read everything, and so glad I did. I thought the first four were very good, but especially liked the fifth one, The Gift. It's a Christmas story and was so sweet. Four stars from me.
Christina B. (KittenBooky) reviewed A Touch of Dead (Sookie Stackhouse: The Complete Stories) on + 28 more book reviews
This was an interesting set of very short stories. You really had to have read the series in order to understand the short stories because there is so much back story to it from the main series. I thought they were cute, but did not fulfill my need for more Sookie Adventures!!
Donna G. (donaverde) reviewed A Touch of Dead (Sookie Stackhouse: The Complete Stories) on + 17 more book reviews
A great read if you are up to date on the Sookie stories, I read this waiting for the next book. If you don't know the Sookie books, I think it might be a confusing mash of short stories with characters you would not know.
Tiffany K. (tiffanyak) -
A quick, fun read. Really fast, but I enjoyed it. It's just a series of short stories from the Sookie Stackhouse universe, but they do offer some new insights into characters and events, so it's certainly worth reading.
Barbara R. (geckflac) -
Got to say, really a great contribution to series, even tho are short stories of Sookie. Kinda like Evanovich,s "Between the numbers". Any fan of Charlaine Harris I'm sure will agree.
Amanda B. (chefbeyerlein) -
This anthology collects all the previously published Sookie Stackhouse short stories into one volume. Although I had read two of them before, I enjoyed re-reading them now that I have read all the books and understand how they fit into the overall storyline. My favorite story is "Gift Wrap" - the twist at the end took me completely by surprise!
Erin S. (nantuckerin) reviewed A Touch of Dead (Sookie Stackhouse: The Complete Stories) on + 158 more book reviews
I'm not a huge fan of short stories. It always seems like as soon as I get engrossed in a plot, it's over. However, for Sookie Stackhouse, I'm willing to make an exception.
A Touch of Dead is a little lean on content (only 208 pages and large print), but the five Southern Vampire stories in the collection are all funny and full of Harris' characteristic light suspense.
Stories include "Fairy Dust," "One Word Answer," "Dracula Night," "Lucky" and "Giftwrap." I most enjoyed "Dracula Night," a cute little vignette featuring a star-struck Eric planning a bash for Dracula's birthday, the most sacred of all vampire holidays. "Giftwrap" was also a lot of fun, starring a hunky, random werewolf who makes an unexpected (and steamy) visit to Sookie on Christmas Eve.
Fortunately, I had only read one of the five previously published pieces, so A Touch of Dead was just enough to whet my appetite for Dead in the Family, due in May 2010. A must-read for Charlaine Harris fans who are willing to forgive paying hardcover price for only five short stories -- as long as those stories are about Sookie.
A Touch of Dead is a little lean on content (only 208 pages and large print), but the five Southern Vampire stories in the collection are all funny and full of Harris' characteristic light suspense.
Stories include "Fairy Dust," "One Word Answer," "Dracula Night," "Lucky" and "Giftwrap." I most enjoyed "Dracula Night," a cute little vignette featuring a star-struck Eric planning a bash for Dracula's birthday, the most sacred of all vampire holidays. "Giftwrap" was also a lot of fun, starring a hunky, random werewolf who makes an unexpected (and steamy) visit to Sookie on Christmas Eve.
Fortunately, I had only read one of the five previously published pieces, so A Touch of Dead was just enough to whet my appetite for Dead in the Family, due in May 2010. A must-read for Charlaine Harris fans who are willing to forgive paying hardcover price for only five short stories -- as long as those stories are about Sookie.
Robin M. (robinmy) -
Five Sookie Stackhouse short stories. All of the stories were enjoyable, but way too short to really get into. This book is for people who want to read every word of the adventures of Sookie Stackhouse. My rating: 4 Stars.
Jeannie H. (ilovebooksanddogs) -
This was such an easy book to read and a guilty pleasure for me. I just can't get enough of Sookie Stackhouse! The stories are all pretty basic stuff but if you love the series you'll enjoy reading these.
Christine H. (solarawynn) reviewed A Touch of Dead (Sookie Stackhouse: The Complete Stories) on + 724 more book reviews
Five short stories,really good.
Danielle L. (DanielleFM) -
great sookie stackhouse book!
Marie S. (mts1178) reviewed A Touch of Dead (Sookie Stackhouse: The Complete Stories) on + 32 more book reviews
Interesting little glimpses of Sookie. If you've read all the other books this would be a cute and quick views into her world. They take place between her other books and in some cases give a little more insight into the plots. Don't even bother if you have not read the rest of the series. It's going to be interesting to re-read the series with these read between the appropriate books.
Sharon B. reviewed A Touch of Dead (Sookie Stackhouse: The Complete Stories) on + 14 more book reviews
Great read!
Jan S. (phoenix49) reviewed A Touch of Dead (Sookie Stackhouse: The Complete Stories) on + 31 more book reviews
Every bit as wonderful as the books which are so far and above the Show True Blood! This book fills in so many gaps between the other books!
Patti S. (Pattakins) reviewed A Touch of Dead (Sookie Stackhouse: The Complete Stories) on + 365 more book reviews
But be warned: this is not a new book, it's a short story collection. It's got five stories and rather enlarged print.
In "Fairy Dust," Sookie is already in a bad mood when fairy Claudine arrives at Merlotte's, seeking her psychic brand of help -- she and her brother Claude want to find the murderer of their sister from a local strip club. They have three suspects tied up at their house, and they want Sookie to do her mind-reading thing to discern who murdered Claudia.
"One Word Answer" has Sookie receiving an unexpected legacy when her wild cousin Hadley meets with an "Unfortunate Incident" ("My cousin Hadley, the cheerleader, had become a vampire lesbian
voodooienne. Who knew?"). But she suspects that she isn't getting the whole story from a slick lawyer and weird vampire. And "Dracula Night" comes up when Sookie is invited to celebrate the birthday of Dracula -- and like Linus, Eric is sure that Dracula himself will appear. Of course, nothing goes that smoothly.
Then Sookie gets "Lucky" when Greg Aubert reveals that he thinks his insurance agency is being sabotaged, and Sookie soon discovers a supernatural "in" using one of his family members. But the answer might be something a bit more bizarre... and it might have to do with his flourishing business. And Christmas in Bon Temps inevitably leads to "Gift Wrap" -- a lonely Sookie goes for a walk, and stumbles across a strange, naked young man, who gives her a Christmas to remember... and not just in the way you think.
The stories in "A Touch of Dead" have all been published elsewhere, just never before in one big Charlaine-Harris-exclusive volume. These stories are relatively lightweight compared to the full-length Sookie Stackhouse novels, but they are really entertaining and well-written -- and though each story has Harris' pleasant, down-to-earth Southern charm, they also have a good range of emotion -- from bittersweet to creepy, hilarious to mysterious.
And Harris infuses the prose of each story with gentle humor, from vampiric holidays to Sookie having to read the minds of an average suburban family. Her prose has plenty of lovably tongue-in-cheek moments ("I wouldn't have thought northern Louisiana was very hospitable toward beings of the fairy persuasion, anyway"), and Sookie has plenty of fun little moments with witty humor ("I hate it when fairies come into the bar. They don't tip you worth a toot").
Sookie herself is the same as always -- a sensible, matter-of-fact woman with a wee ruthless streak, and a tendency to find herself in the middle of the supernatural action. Sometimes it comes to her, and sometimes she goes to it. And assorted other favorites appear in the story: the cool and calm Vampire Bill, an unusually fanboyish Eric, the fairy Claudine (plus her hot stripper brother), the adorable Bubba, and the ever-awesome Pam.
"A Touch of Death" is a little buffet of previously published Sookie Stackhouse stories, but it's nice to have all these little nuggets of light urban fantasy fun in one volume. At the very least, it might tide you over until the next novel.
Credit Nailane Sanchez
In "Fairy Dust," Sookie is already in a bad mood when fairy Claudine arrives at Merlotte's, seeking her psychic brand of help -- she and her brother Claude want to find the murderer of their sister from a local strip club. They have three suspects tied up at their house, and they want Sookie to do her mind-reading thing to discern who murdered Claudia.
"One Word Answer" has Sookie receiving an unexpected legacy when her wild cousin Hadley meets with an "Unfortunate Incident" ("My cousin Hadley, the cheerleader, had become a vampire lesbian
voodooienne. Who knew?"). But she suspects that she isn't getting the whole story from a slick lawyer and weird vampire. And "Dracula Night" comes up when Sookie is invited to celebrate the birthday of Dracula -- and like Linus, Eric is sure that Dracula himself will appear. Of course, nothing goes that smoothly.
Then Sookie gets "Lucky" when Greg Aubert reveals that he thinks his insurance agency is being sabotaged, and Sookie soon discovers a supernatural "in" using one of his family members. But the answer might be something a bit more bizarre... and it might have to do with his flourishing business. And Christmas in Bon Temps inevitably leads to "Gift Wrap" -- a lonely Sookie goes for a walk, and stumbles across a strange, naked young man, who gives her a Christmas to remember... and not just in the way you think.
The stories in "A Touch of Dead" have all been published elsewhere, just never before in one big Charlaine-Harris-exclusive volume. These stories are relatively lightweight compared to the full-length Sookie Stackhouse novels, but they are really entertaining and well-written -- and though each story has Harris' pleasant, down-to-earth Southern charm, they also have a good range of emotion -- from bittersweet to creepy, hilarious to mysterious.
And Harris infuses the prose of each story with gentle humor, from vampiric holidays to Sookie having to read the minds of an average suburban family. Her prose has plenty of lovably tongue-in-cheek moments ("I wouldn't have thought northern Louisiana was very hospitable toward beings of the fairy persuasion, anyway"), and Sookie has plenty of fun little moments with witty humor ("I hate it when fairies come into the bar. They don't tip you worth a toot").
Sookie herself is the same as always -- a sensible, matter-of-fact woman with a wee ruthless streak, and a tendency to find herself in the middle of the supernatural action. Sometimes it comes to her, and sometimes she goes to it. And assorted other favorites appear in the story: the cool and calm Vampire Bill, an unusually fanboyish Eric, the fairy Claudine (plus her hot stripper brother), the adorable Bubba, and the ever-awesome Pam.
"A Touch of Death" is a little buffet of previously published Sookie Stackhouse stories, but it's nice to have all these little nuggets of light urban fantasy fun in one volume. At the very least, it might tide you over until the next novel.
Credit Nailane Sanchez
Lenna W. (bratz54) -
Collection of 6 short stories from her cousins the faeries finding out who killed the triplet Claudette, Dracula's Birthday Party at Fantasia, When the demon lawyer showed up about Hadley's will and first meeting the Queen Sophie-Ann, Sookie and Amelia helping out the witch lawyer in town to a special faerie that can shape shift into a were to help Sookie for Christmas per arrangement from her great grandfather.
It was alright, not to cheer for in my opinion.
It was alright, not to cheer for in my opinion.
