I admit my expectations for vampire books are low. While I loved Buffy the series, the last vampire stories I truly enjoyed were by Anne Rice. No one sense has captured me. The concept has grown stale but it's hard not to love Sookie's narrative voice. The humor and characterization here is top notch. The plot is solid but it's character driven. It's about a small town and relationships and a girl's coming of age. But it's done with such smartness and sassiness and just the right touch of silliness mixed with drama that it's picture perfect. It's a fast, fun read. And I look forward to more.