Tara Thornton is a character in The Sookie Stackhouse Novels. She is first introduced in the second book, Living Dead in Dallas, and has appeared in every novel since in either a minor or reasonably prominent capacity. In the HBO show True Blood, Tara's character undergoes a number of changes from book to screen and has a more promient role than in the books.

Family life

In the novels, not much information is given about Tara's family, except for the abuse by her alcoholic parents, and her mother in particular. In the television series it is revealed that Sookie and Tara maintain a close relationship because Tara accepted Sookie for what she was, and as a child Tara would run to Sookie's house to escape beatings from her mother. In the fourth book Dead to the World, it is revealed that Tara has a sister and a brother who left home town as soon as they could.

Living situation

Although little is known about Tara's living situation, the book series mentions that she owns a women's clothing store called Tara Togs. In Living Dead in Dallas , Bill informs Sookie that he owns the strip mall that Tara's store and others are in.

Tara owns a small house which Sookie visits to borrow an outfit to wear to Jackson Herveaux's funeral.

Relationships

In the second book, Living Dead in Dallas , Tara is engaged to 'Eggs' Benedict Talley, but this relationship ends when the secret sex party they are attending ends badly.Sookie meets Tara in Jackson in Club Dead and sees Tara with a vampire named Franklin Mott. In the following book, Dead to the World, Sookie sees Tara in a new Camaro, a gift from Franklin. Franklin leaves Tara and gives her to a vampire Mickey. In subsequent novels, Sookie saves Tara from Mickey's abusive relationship with the help of Eric.

It has also been said she has slept with JB du Rone, who has been friends with Sookie and Tara from their school years. Tara and JB du Rone decide to elope because suddenly something clicked between them and they thought they should marry. Tara is currently pregnant with JB's baby. She confides this to Sookie, telling her that she did not plan on having a baby, but felt she should try her best and be the great mother that she herself never had. Claude reveals that Tara is having twins, a boy and a girl.