The Vampire and the Virgin by Kerrelyn Sparks

Day Eight of Eight Days of Love At Stake

 

Title: The Vampire and the Virgin
Author: Kerrelyn Sparks
Released: March 9, 2010
Series: Love at Stake, Book 8
How I Got It:  Purchased book

Book Summary
FBI psychologist Olivia Sotiris was looking for a cool ocean breeze, sand between her toes, and a break from her crazy, chaotic, and sometimes all-too-dangerous life. But when she escaped to the small Greek island of Patmos, all she got were meddling grandmothers trying to marry her off. Can't they see that none of the men around interests her-except Robby MacKay? Robby needs to cool off, too, since all he can think about is revenge on the Malcontent bloodsuckers who once held him captive-but then he meets Olivia, the beauty with the wild curls and a tempting smile. When a deadly criminal from a case back home tracks her down, Robby will have to save her life-along with giving her a first time she'll never forget...  

My thoughts
  Kudos to Ms. Sparks for writing this story. I loved it. If I didn't have to do that annoying thing called sleep, I would have finished it in one day. This book had a little action, romance, and humor.

I was hooked after the first few pages. I have never read about a Scottish vamp before. I've always thought their accents were cute, but I get a big kick out of men wearing dresses(oh they call them kilts-yeah whatever)! Not sure why, but I still think they are sexy even if they do wear skirts and I can see their hairy legs!

I loved the romance between Olivia and Robby. It wasn't a whirlwind romance, nor was it a slow one. It was just the right pace. I thought it was sweet that they had a long distance relationship and became friends first.

I really get sick of the caveman vamps that take what they think is theirs. Why do they always think these women are their property? Bone heads! The stalker situation reminded me of the movie, Silence of the Lamb. I couldn't tell who was who and what was going on. To me, everybody was a suspect. Ms Sparks kept me confused until the very end. There were so many suspects to look at. But when the stalker was revealed, it made sense. I just didn't see it coming.  

My Rating
5 Stars I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it. Damn, I wish I could go on vacation and bring back a nice piece of ass as a souvenir!

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Forbidden Nights With A Vampire by Kerrelyn Sparks

Day Seven of Eight Days of Love At Stake

Title:  Forbidden Nights With A Vampire

Author:  Kerrelyn Sparks

Released:  April 2009

Series:  Love At Stake, Book 7
How I Got It:  Purchased ebook for Nook
Lend Me Feature: No

Book Summary
Vanda Barkowski is in trouble.
As the owner of a hot nightclub, she's more unconventional than most of her fellow vampires, and if some think her a little out of control, then so be it. But after three former employees filed a complaint about her temper, Vanda is sentenced to an anger management class. Worse, Phil Jones agreed to be her sponsor. Phil, the mortal who is forbidden to her . . .
If Vanda knew who—or what—Phil really is, she'd reconsider her attraction to him, for his true nature is wilder than anything she'd ever imagined. He has tackled the beast within and now is the perfect person to help Vanda with her rage . . . if only he can keep his cool when she makes him so undeniably hot. But with rogue vamps on the loose, will they ever have their forbidden nights?

My Thoughts
At first, this book was a little hard for me to read because I have never liked Vanda.  I've always thought that she was way over the top.  I especially didn't like her with Phil.

 Phil is a Were shifter and has  been with working security with McKay Security since he was eighteen.  His job has involved protecting Roman Draganesti and others that anyone involved with Draganesti.  Since Vanda is one of Roman's ex harem girls, Phil was had constant contact with her.  And Vanda being herself, never made it easy for him.

Vanda made it her mission to shamelessly flirt and torture the guy knowing that neither could ever act without Phil losing his job.  At that time, Phil had been shunned by his pack and the vamps had taken him in and molded him into the man he is today.  He was duty bound to the vamps and would never betray them.

Phil now an adult, and quite the resident hottie, feels that he can handle the feisty vamp that no one seems to want to bother with.  Even though he has been given specific orders to never mix business with pleasure, he throws caution to the wind and decides to take what he has already claimed in his heart.

Phil has always kept his dual nature a secret, but anyone that really knows him, knows what lurks behind that handsome profile.  And if Vanda had bothered to really get to know him, she would have already figured that out. But who knew that under all that big and bad, Vanda was terrified of wolves? 

My Rating
I still give it four stars.  After tuning out the angry girl shenanigans, I did enjoy the book.  I was impressed that Phil had so much going on for himself but didn't need to flaunt it.  It was good to read a story about that didn't have a woo is me story about why the character could never find love.  Here's a clue fang boy:  you're dead, you drink blood, and you're cold, son.  Warm Were bodies are so much better.

Read an excerpt of Forbidden Nights With A Vampire

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Don't miss The Vampire and The Virgin book review tomorrow!

Secret Life Of A Vampire by Kerrelyn Sparks

Day 6 of Eight Days Of Love At Stake Author Spotlight

Title:  Secret Life Of A Vampire
Author:  Kerrelyn Sparks
Released:  March 2009  
Series:  Love At Stake, Book 6
How I Got It:  Purchased it for my NOOK
Lend Me Feature:  NO


Book Summary
Nothing's sexier than an man who can keep a secret.
A typical bachelor party is all about beers and beautiful women. A vampire bachelor party is no different — except the men are drinking Blissky (whiskey-flavored synthetic blood). And no one can throw a party quite like Jack, the illegitimate son of the legendary Casanova. But when the party gets out of hand and the cops show up, Jack has some explaining to do . . . if only he wasn't struck speechless by the beauty of Officer Lara Boucher.
Lara is sure there's something more than a bachelor party going on. What is Jack hiding? And why is he so interested in the recent disappearance of young women all over town? Her investigation uncovers more than she wants to know, especially about this modern-day Casanova. But if she's ever to make detective, she'll need to expose all his secrets . . . if only her heart wasn't on the line. 

My Thoughts
I circled this book so many times at Barnes and Noble, but never bought it.  I'm kinda mad at myself for not picking it up sooner.  This is the sixth book in the super funny Love At Stake Series.


I loved the story because it kept me laughing.  Jack is a fun character. He's been in past books, but nothing has really been mentioned about him except that women love him.   Even though he's the son of the legendary Casanova, and women fall at his feet, he has trouble keeping the attention of the one he really wants.  Of all the women in the world, he falls for one of NYPD's finest, a wanna be detective that is convinced that he's an alien from another planet.


Lara is a former beauty queen turned police officer after a near death experience.  She has decided to make a difference in the world by catching all the bad guys.  Little does she know, she's about to meet the ultimate bad guy. Bad boy of love, that is.

While Jack is throwing his friend, Ian, a bachelor party, things get seriously out of hand, and police are called to the scene. Lara is the would be arresting officer, if only it could have been that simple.

Jack is immediately drawn to Lara, but realizes that he can't control her mind.  At first it doesn't matter, because no one will ever believe her, but when Lara manages to track him down, Jack realizes that he has a serious problem.

Not only can he not manipulate her mind, but he finds that he doesn't want to.  After years of persuading women to do whatever he wanted, Lara's immunity to his powers is exciting.  He realizes that she likes him naturally and he wants to earn her love.

He plans to be as sweet and romantic as he knows how, but when she keeps pressing him to trust her with his secrets, it quickly creates a dangerous glitch in Jack's master plan.

I found myself not liking Lara or her friend Latoya.  I hate nosy chicks that can't seem to follow directions.  If someone tells you a situation is dangerous, can't you just go with that.  Curiously can leave your seriously dead.  I'm guessing they were rookie cops, because they were very lame at their jobs.

My Rating
I give Secret Life Of A Vampire four stars.  It was funny and very entertaining.  It's a nice change to read about vampire that live normal lives-minus the blood drinking.

The only problem that I have, and i realize that I've had this same problem for a minute.  Please somebody just go ahead and stake Phineas!  I can't take another reference to the po po, or Dr. Phang, the love doctor.  Ms. Sparks, you are killing me with the slang.  I am seriously starting to get offended here.  I know it's meant to be funny, but it's  starting to become very annoying. Just teleport his ass into the sun and be done!


Read an excerpt of Secret Life Of  A Vampire

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All I Want For Christmas Is A Vampire by Kerrelyn Sparks

Day Five of Eight Days of Love At Stake

Title:  All I Want For Christmas Is A Vampire 

Author:  Kerrelyn Sparks

Released:  October 2008

Series:  Love At Stake, Book 5

How I Got It:  Purchased ebook for NOOK

Lend Me Feature:  NO 

Book Summary

Toni Davis’s Christmas Wish List

1. Springing my best friend from the psych ward.
2. Living somewhere that doesn’t have coffins in the basement. Occupied coffins.
3. Finding Mr. Right. Please make him tall, dark, handsome, and ALIVE.

This Christmas isn’t so merry for Toni. Her best friend’s been locked up in a mental hospital ever since she told the police she was attacked by vampires, and the only way for Toni to get her out is to prove that bloodsuckers really do exist. So she’s taken a job as a bodyguard for the Undead, but she gets more than she's bargained for, especially when she meets Ian MacPhie, a Scottish rascal looking for Ms. Right.
Although Ian’s nearly five centuries old, he looks and acts like a twenty-seven-year-old hunk. How can a dead man be so damn sexy?  Could Mr. Wrong be Mr. Right?  One forbidden kiss could lead to an eternity of passion—and all it takes is one moment under the mistletoe . . .

My Thoughts

Okay, this book was good and disturbing in so many ways.  First let me explain the hot mess that is Ian's life, and then I'll get to Toni's.

 Ian is the too cute, century old vamp that's stuck in a fifteen year old body.  Sure he's deadly, but all the ladies think he's a little too young below the belly button to get freaky with him.  It's a hard knock life for a vamp trying to get laid.

So, when Ian has the opportunity of the lifetime, thanks to  Roman Draganesti, he goes for it.  The secret and still experimental stay away drug is just what Ian needs.  Although the drug is painful to use, with each use it ages a vamp a year.  And right now, years are exactly what Ian wants.

 He's gotten to the point in his life where he just wants to settle down and have his own Ms. Right.  All the other vamps around him are in love and he just wants the chance to have someone love him.  

So, his friend Vanda, one of Roman's ex harem girl agrees to help him out.  Anyone who knows Vanda, knows that her help is not always the help one needs. 

Instead of fixing him up on a date or two, she creates Ian an online persona on a local dating site that has human and vamp women stalking him and demanding a chance to be his one true love.

For awhile, Ian enjoys the attention, but when his attention focuses on Toni, a female co worker that won't give him the time of day, all sorts of fun begins.

Toni's attracted to Ian, but...he's a vampire.  She only agreed to guard them so she could prove that her friend is not crazy, but Ian is totally hot...and arrogant.  And what's with him and the fan club? 

My Rating 

I give this book four stars because it was a great read.  Toni and Ian were so cute together.  It was about time for Ian to have a happy ending.

I was also glad to finally see the vamp war amped up.  I love the way Kerrelyn Sparks tells her stories.  A little bit of love, some crazy friends, and a whole lotta disasters.

Read an excerpt from All I Want For Christmas Is A Vampire 

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The Undead Next Door by Kerrelyn Sparks

Title:  The Undead Next Door
Author:  Kerrelyn Sparks
Released:  January 2008
Series:  Love At Stake, Book 4
How I Got It:  Purchased ebook for NOOK
LendMe Feature:  No

Book Summary:
Three signs that something is very different with your new man:
1. He sleeps all day . . . which would be annoying except he's so attentive at night.
2. He's attacked by sword-wielding assailants, yet insists he can handle it on his own.
3. He never seems to age.
Heather Westfield has always lived a quiet life, but that all changes when she helps a very handsome, very mysterious stranger. There's something not quite right about Jean-Luc, but still, she's never been with a man so charming, so attractive . . . so wonderful. Now if only a murderous villain wasn't after them, they might get their happily-ever-after.


My Thoughts:
My first thought was...daaaaaamn this cover guy is hawt!  Come stay next door to me!

I'm still not sure why I have been missing out on this series.  So far, I have read three books from the series and have not been disappointed.  I love these flirtatious, but deadly vamps.

Jean Luc (swoon) is the latest vamp in the Love At Stake to find his bride to be. Now I immediately had a problem with him back in book three.  First of all, he's a fashion designer...what?  What kind of vamp can skewer his opponent with his mighty sword, and design the latest fashions in his spare time?  Gay much? 

Anyway, Jean Luc turned out to be a real sweetie.  He sees Heather stealing his designs, or so he thinks, and demands to know who she's working for.  In the process of interrogating her, he manages to flirt with no shame.

In order to pursue her, he offers her a designing job.  It is considered an honor to work with the famed designer since no one has ever personally met him.

Being a few hundred years old, sometimes these vamps need to lay low and come back as a grandson or great grandson so the public won't figure out that they never age. But, if laying low means missing the opportunity to to court (yeah, these old people say court) Heather, Jean Lu is totally against it...until being near him puts her on the top of his worst enemies' hit list.

Now Heather and her family have been thrust into the position of knowing a little too much about the vampire world to be allowed to leave it.  The only option is to give herself to the charms of the handsome, Jean Luc. And Jean Luc wouldn't have it any other way.


My Rating:
I had so much fun reading the latest in the series.  I give it a 4.5.  The only problem I had was how Heather's weight kept coming up.  So what if a girl is curvy.  Her model friend kept trying to make her feel bad about herself.  If anything, that racehorse really needed to eat something and put some pounds on her little ass.  Being thin as wind is soo not sexy! 

Read an excerpt from The Undead Next Door

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Vamps And The City by Kerrelyn Sparks

Day Two of Eight Days Of Love At Stake

Title:  Vamps In The City

Author:  Kerrelyn Sparks

Released:  May 2006  

Series:  Lover At Stake, Book 2

How I Got It:  Purchased ebook for NOOK

Lend Me Feature:  No

Book Summary
Who says a vamp can't have it all? 

Darcy Newhart thought it was a stroke of genius – the first–ever reality TV show where mortals vie with vampires for the title of The Sexiest Man on Earth. As the show's director, Darcy's career would be on track again. And she can finally have a life apart from the vampire harem. Okay, so she's still technically dead, but two out of three's not bad. Now she just has to make sure that a mortal doesn't win. If only she wasn't so distracted by a super–sexy and live contestant named Austin... 

But Darcy doesn't know the worst of it. Austin Erickson is actually a vampire slayer! And he's got his eye on the show's leggy blond director. Only problem is, he's never wanted any woman – living or dead – as badly. But if he wins her heart, will he lose his soul? And if it means an eternity of hot, passionate loving with Darcy, does that really matter anyway?


My Thoughts
In the second book in the Love At Stake series, we catch up with Roman's ex harem.  By the title of the book, we know the vamps are about to go Hollywood.  At first, the way they did it, I thought was super cheesy.  But of course you know these vamps are always cheesy, but funny.

Since Roman is a married man, and Shanna is not into the orgy thing, the harem had to  go.

Trouble is most of these ladies were turned so long ago, they don't know what life outside of the mansion is like. They are so used to being mistresses, that they can't function without a master.

So, being the loyal friend that Gregori is, he offers to be their captain save a hoe, I mean friend, and take the gold diggers in for a spell.  Little does he know that these heifers were going to take over his house and make him feel like a house guest.

Darcy, on the other hand, isn't the typical harem girl.  She hasn't been a vamp long and has never forgotten how she got her fangs.  I thought it was really odd to see her trying to shun her vampireness to hang on to her human habits.  For awhile, I found myself questioning if she were still human or not.

I was so curious to find out why Darcy was being such a vamp snob.  When I found out her story, I didn't love her , but I started to like her, a little .

Anyhoo, Kerrelyn Sparks created diva monsters when she decided to put them on a VH1 type reality show to help the girls find a new master.  Now at this point, I'm thinking a Sex In The City type of show, but it turned out to be more of The Bachelorette type of show.  But in any reality TV show, there's always a train wreck. Of all the other girls, Darcy turned out to be the biggest train wreck thinking she could help the other girls, but didn't have the guts to get her shit straight.

In the quest to crown The Sexiest Man On Earth, the ladies actually started to get a little sense and realized that they didn't need a master after all, but the money the winner received would come in quite handy.  What did Kanye say?  "I ain't saying she a gold digger, but she ain't messin' with no broke..."

Now the show is suppose to be for vamps only, but to make it a true hit, Darcy manages to add two human males to the mix.  Of course the two she selects are the worst ever.

Not that the guys were  paper bag moments, they were actually the most handsome of the bunch.  They just happened to be part of The Stake Out Team, the psychic CIA team that Shanna's crazy father heads.  And keeping with the crazy, these two were suppose to play Romeo long enough to find out where Shanna is being held prisoner so the team can continue with their retarded operation of staking all vampires.

Austin couldn't believe that he would have to put up with this. Out of all  the Stake Out Members, Austin's psychic ability is the highest, meaning he can resist all vampire threats to control his mind.  Instead of parading around like vampire chow, he feels that his talents can be better used doing anything else.  But the boss seriously disagrees. When being around Darcy comes with the job, he's suddenly eager to do his job.

Of all the idiots on the team, Austin appears to be the only one with a brain. After interacting with all the vamps on the show, Austin is more than convinced that Shanna has been right all along.  The concept of good and evil vampires is starting to sound about right, especially when he's fallen head over heels for Darcy.

And what is a reality show without drama?  The shit hits the fan when Darcy discovers who and what Austin really is.  To show Darcy that he truly loves her, Austin tries his best to get thrown out of the competition.  Image his surprise when he actually wins-the money and the harem!
 
My Rating
This book wasn't as good as the first book, but it was still a good read.  I give it 3.5 stars.  The reality show was crazy.  The harem girls were divas to their hearts and dumber than a bag of rocks. On with the girl power!



Read an excerpt of Vamps In The City

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How To Marry A Millionaire Vampire by Kerrelyn Sparks

Day One of Eight Days Of Love At Stake

Title:  How To Marry A Millionaire Vampire
Author:  Kerrelyn Sparks
Released:  July 2005
Series:  Love At Stake, Book 1
How I Got It:  Purchased it for NOOK
Lend Me Feature:  NO

Book Summary
So what if he's a bit older and usually regards a human female as dinner, not a dinner date? Yes, Roman Draganesti is a vampire, but a vampire who lost one of his fangs sinking his teeth into something he shouldn't have. Now he has one night to find a dentist before his natural healing abilities close the wound, leaving him a lop–sided eater for all eternity.
Things aren't going well for Shanna Whelan either...After witnessing a gruesome murder by the Russian mafia, she's next on their hit list. And her career as a dentist appears to be on a downward spiral because she's afraid of blood. When Roman rescues her from an assassination attempt, she wonders if she's found the one man who can keep her alive. Though the attraction between them is immediate and hot, can Shanna conquer her fear of blood to fix Roman's fang? And if she does, what will prevent Roman from using his fangs on her...

My Thoughts
This book had me cracking up nonstop.  How is it that vampires do the same dumb stuff that humans do?

Roman Dragonesti is a brilliant scientist, a powerful millionaire, and a vampire coven master.  He's got money, friends, and a harem.  Yep, he's got a vampire harem of women that would love to rock his world.  Despite that, he longs to have one woman that could truly love him.

Shanna Whelan is a dentist that is in danger of losing her practice as well as her life.  She's in the Witness Protection Program because she witnessed her friend's murder and the Mob has put a hit out on her.  On top of that, she can't function as a dentist because the site of blood brings back too many painful memories.

Here's where all the fun begins.

Like I said, Roman is a brilliant scientist because he has discovered a way to make synthetic blood.  This invention is wildly popular with most good vamps because it encourages them not to bite humans.

There are still vamps that prefer the thrill of biting and taking blood straight from the source, so Roman's assistant Laszlo has come up with a new idea.  They have invented a sex toy called VANNA (Vampire Artificial Nutritional Needs Appliance) that you can screw and bite. 
 
Yes, a VANNA is just like the Kimber doll from the FX series Nip/Tuck.  LOL!  Ok, maybe I got carried away with that, but you get the gist.

VANNAS aren't just vamp sex toys,  they come equipped with veins that you can fill with blood so if the need to bite ever strikes, you don't risk biting a human.

The idea was great but the trial test was a disaster. Since Roman is the HVIC (head vamp in charge), he gets the first go at the VANNA.  Well Roman enjoys biting the doll, but recoils when he realizes that he has lost one of  his fangs!

Now imagine a one fanged vamp and I dare you not to laugh.  The whole scenario was  funny as hell.  Despite his anger and utter embarrassment, Roman seeks out an all night dentist to repair his fang.  If he doesn't get it repaired before the sun rises, he'll forever be the butt of all vamp jokes because after tonight, it can never be replaced. 


Since they don't have vamp dentists, they seek a human dentist that is open at night.  They locate Shanna's office, unaware that the Mob has also found her and are on their way to kill her.  Being the good guy that Roman is, he helps her escape in exchange for getting his winning smile back.

In the process of hiding Shanna and helping her get over her fear of blood, Roman begins to fall in love with her.  The odds are stacked against them though.  Shanna turns out to be the daughter of a CIA agent that has put together a team of psychics that can resist vampire mind control whose sole mission is to rid the world of blood sucking vampires.

My Rating
I give this book five stars.  I loved the romance between Roman and Shanna.  Normally I hate heroines that have too much of the goodie too shoes qualities, but Shanna was very likable.   I also love the world that Ms. Sparks has created.   Vamps that have regular lives and jobs.  They love, they live, and they suck...sometimes.


Read an excerpt from How To Marry A Millionaire Vampire

Don't forget to enter my first contest to win Book 8 of the Love At Stake Series, The Vampire and the Virgin

My Very First Contest!!!

Starting Sunday,  I will be doing a review fest featuring Kerrelyn Sparks called Eight Days of Love At Stake.  I will be doing an eight day review of all the books in the series.

I absolutely loved reading this series, and couldn't wait to get to the next book. 

And to show love to all of my followers, I have decided to offer my paperback copy of her latest, The Vampire and the the Virgin.

This is my very first contest.  It's been a long time coming, but it's finally here.  The contest will start today and end on June 25 at 8pm central.

The winner will be announced on my blog on June 26.   I will contact the winner and they will have 48 hours to contact me to claim their prize.  After this time has expired, I will randomly select another winner.

This contest is only open to US residents.


Contest closed!