Review: Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris

Genre:   Paranormal

Release Date:  May 2011

Series:  Sookie Stackhouse, Southern Vampire, Book #11

Publisher:  Ace Books/Penguin Group

Author Website:  Charlaine Harris

Format Read:  Ebook

Pages:  336

Source:  Borrowed

Rating:  Three Flowers Of Love

Review: Kiss Of The Rose by Kate Pearce

Series:  The Tudor Vampire Chronicles, Book #1

Genre:  Historical Paranormal Romance, Vampires

Release Date:  August 2010

Publisher:   Signet Eclipse

Author Website:  http://www.katepearce.com

Format I Read:  Paperback

Pages:  312

Source:  Won on Goodreads

Read an excerpt

Book Blurb

Desperate to defeat King Richard III and gain the English crown, Henry Tudor made a pact with the Druids that bound him and his heirs to the Druid’s deadly struggle against the Vampires. Ever since, the Llewellyns, an ancient Vampire slaying family, have been in the permanent employ of the monarchy.

Now Henry VIII is on the throne, and his father’s bargain has almost been forgotten. Until corpses drained of blood start turning up in the most inappropriate of places, including the king’s bedchamber. But are these people the victims of the Vampires-or of the Druids?

To save the king from a nameless assassin, Rosalind Llewellyn, Vampire hunter extraordinaire, must form an uneasy alliance with a known Druid slayer. Sir Christopher Ellis hails from a family that has protected the Vampires for centuries, yet Rosalind has no choice but to rely on his help. And with her life threatened and her loyalty tested, Rosalind may even have to acknowledge the unthinkable. This sworn enemy may be her soul mate.

Awesomeness:

He cursed as the sharp blade caressed his skin and knocked her hand away.  “God help the man who marries you, Rosalind.  He had better guard his prick with his life.”

She glanced down at the shadows of his groin.  “You are right, sir.  Should I be displeased with a man, there apt to be a terrible accident.”

My Thoughts

First of all, I was super excited to win this book from Goodreads.  I had never read anything by Kate Pearce but I loved the cover and the book blurb, and reading this book has made me a fan.  

I’m still on a historical romance high so I’m reading any and everything in the genre so I thought the vampire slaying and the Tudor era would be an interesting read.

The story opens with vampires running amuck in King Henry’s court.  Thinking that vampires are a myth, King Henry is reluctant to believe in their existence until bodies start turning up in his personal space.    He also can’t believe that a female has been sent to protect him.

Rosalind and Christopher are both sent to court to find out who the rogue vampire is and must work together to eliminate the threat to the Kind and Queen.

Rosalind comes from a long line of vampire slayers, so to keep her family’s favor with the King, she must eliminate the threat, oh and find a husband in her spare time.  Christopher, on the other hand, is a vampire protector and Rosalind’s sworn enemy.   But of course, they fall in love and can’t be together.  Working side by side with someone you love, but can’t have proves to be a bitch, but that’s where the story starts getting really good.

I love a good vampire story, but the book focused more on the finding and the slaying of the vampire.  I didn’t get a lot of vamp interaction, but just enough to know that Rosalind was no Buffy and Christopher was no Angel or Spike, and there was no epic love-yet.  Despite that,  I did find myself being wrapped up in their adventure and unable to put Kiss Of The Rose down. 

This is the first book in the series and even though it didn’t wow me like I wanted it to, I still have a good feeling for future books in the series.

Rating

I give Kiss Of The Rose four flowers of love and can’t wait until the next book.

 

Other Books In This Series:

Blood Of The Rose coming February 2011

Other Reviews Of This Book:

Goodreads

Shelfari

Review: Born To Bite by Lynsay Sands

Series:  Argeneau Series, Book # 13

Genre:  Paranormal Romance

Published:  August 2010

Publisher:  Avon Books

Author Website: www.lynsaysands.net 

Format I Read:  Paperback Copy

Pages: 358

Souce:  Purchased

Read an excerpt

Book Summary:

Eshe d’Aureus is sent to Armand Argeneau under the auspice that she needs a safe place to hide from a rogue out for revenge, but Eshe is really on the job. She's been saddled with the task of finding out why Armand's wives keep dying, and what it has to do with his son Nicholas and the murder Nicholas is accused of committing 50 years ago. She's Nicholas's only hope of avoiding being executed for a murder he may or may not have committed. Eshe's agreed to take on the task, but that was before she realized she couldn't read Armand and he is the life mate she's been waiting for.

Armand Argeneau’s first sight of Eshe was her roaring up on a motorcycle that appeared to be aflame. That was inconspicuous?! She had the grace of a panther, the attitude of a pit bull and openly enjoyed thwarting Lucian’s orders whenever possible . . . all of which delighted him immensely . . . until he realized he couldn't read the woman and she might be a life mate. Having already lost a life mate and two wives to suspicious circumstances, Armand isn't willing to risk losing another. Unfortunately, sending her away was pretty difficult when he couldn't keep his thoughts, not to mention his hands, off her. It seems it's time to once again try to get to the bottom of the deaths of his first three wives. While Armand's tried before, he's also failed, but this time he could lose his son as well as his life mate.

My Thoughts

First of all I’m glad that Lyndsay Sands has kept this series going for so long.  I haven’t read all the books in the series so some of the characters are foreign to me, but I’ve enjoyed each story that I have read.

I also like that the vamps are referred to as immortals and that their origins are based on the fall of Atlantis.  They don’t bite humans, but they do consume human blood.  I’ve always thought that it was clever and funny each time they feed by “popping” the blood bags to their fangs.  It’s weird and different and I guess that’s why I like the series.

Eshe is an immortal enforcer sent to find out if Armand has become a rogue immortal.  Everyone has always suspected him of being a cold hearted bastard, but Eshe must find out if the women in his life are dying from accidents or if he is murdering them. 

I liked the story and the characters, but Eshe and Armand didn’t do for me as a couple.  Sure they were entertaining, but their story is just not one of my favorites.

I did enjoy Bricker’s presence.  He was always good for blunt observations and witty comments.

The mystery of who the killer was kept me reading.  I am a sucker for a good mystery and while I saw the killer’s identity coming a mile away, the outcome of the revelation totally surprised me.

My  Rating

I give Born To Bite three and a half flowers of love.  It’s not my favorite of the series, but I enjoyed reading it.

 

1/2

Review: Watch Me, Desire Me by Carolina Barbour

Genre:  Erotica, Paranormal, Vampires

Published:  September 2010

Publisher:  Siren-Bookstrand

Format Read: ebook

Pages:  314 (Nook pages)

How I Got It:  Reviewed for Black Raven Reviews

Read an excerpt

Book Summary:

Striking beauty Saxby Darling weds Lord Milo DeCapri and has all the world to do with as she pleases until one foolish action leaves her life in shambles. When she tries to kill her husband, he dispatches word to his brother, Juden Van Zandt-DeCapri, to come to his aid, and Juden arrives like the eye of a storm. Saxby has reason to fear Juden. She knows he didn’t come for revenge. He came for blood.

Juden is a variant, human and vampire, with an unforgiving and dangerous countenance. He immediately turns on Saxby. Unsettled by his appearance and actions, Saxby distrusts Juden right away and tries to keep him at arm’s length. The idea is impossible, however, as she is thrust into a world of twisted plots where she fears for her life and unwillingly is forced to side with Juden to save herself. What terrifies her most? Saxby can’t decide if she is fighting with or against Juden.

My Thoughts:

Saxby has been trapped in a sexless marriage since the accident that caused her husband Milo’s paralysis. She continues to be the dutiful wife by caring for him and seeing to his every comfort. Overcome with guilt, she feels she has no right to refuse when Milo hires random men to share her bed while he watches.

Milo is disgusted with his wife and blames her for taking away his manhood. Since he can no longer enjoy sex, he makes sure that Saxby will never be able to. He rejoices each time he sends a new man to her bed with strict instructions of using his wife as the whore he believes her to be.

Watch Me, Desire Me is a very hot read. It has so much family drama; I could swear I was watching my favorite soap opera. It’s full of lies and deceit, and enough sex to make you want to smoke a cigar after reading.

I felt sorry for Saxby in the beginning because she was stuck in a loveless marriage and didn’t have control over her own household. After Juden arrived, I started to dislike her. Of all the people she should defy or stand up to, she chose the one that had her best interest at heart.

I loved Juden. Although he was brought into the story for scandalous reasons, his character demanded attention. Despite the reputation that he carried, he turned out to be an awesome guy.

The one problem I had with the book was the abundance of sex. I did feel that some of the sex scenes could have been left out because at one time, it really overshadowed the storyline and caused me to skip ahead.

Don’t get me wrong, Juden is a true sex god. His scenes with Saxby were scorching hot, but after so many back to back romps, I lost interest and wanted more of the real story.

My Rating:

I give Watch Me, Desire Me four and a half flowers of love. The story is hot and will leave you wanting more. If you love romance with a touch of drama and suspense, you’re definitely in for a treat.

 1/2

Review: The Stoker Sisters: Daughters Of Dracula by Kailin Gow

Title: Daughters Of Dracula

Author:  Kailin Gow

Series:  The Stoker Sisters, Book #1

Genre:  Young Adult, Paranormal, Shapeshifters

Published:  October 12, 2010

Publisher:  The Edge

Format I Read: ARC print copy

Pages:  243

How I Got It:  Reviewed for Pump Up Your Book Tours

 

Book Summary:

Two sisters... Born during the time of Jane Austen... Set to marry for advancement, but escaped their fates by becoming vampires. Now vampires in the 21st century, hunted by a sect of rogue hunters, the sisters live in a small beach town of California where they meet Keegan Knowles, a mysterious boy. For hundreds of years they've shared clothes, books, and their home, but will they share the same boy or is it there going to be war?

My Thoughts

In Daughters Of Dracula, Sadie and Alexis Stoker are the last human relatives of Vlad Dracule.  The sisters are complete opposites.  Sadie has always been quiet and reserved, while Alexis has always been wild and carefree.  The girls' sheltered lives are changed forever with the arrival of Lord Ashwin.

Lord Ashwin is a handsome, mysterious traveler claiming to be in town on business.  In truth, he brings darkness and death to their peaceful English town.  On one faithful night, he turns both girls into vampires, and vanishes.

Three hundred years later, the sisters have managed to lead separate lives until Alexis blows into town with hunters in tow and wrecks havoc on Sadie’s attempt at passing for human.

Being a fan of vampires and being intrigued by the myths and origins, there was no question that I was going to love this book.  The book made several references to Bram Stoker’s Dracula, which for some reason I have never read, but will be putting on my TBR. 

Daughters Of Dracula was a great change of pace from the other vampire books that I’ve been reading.  It’s a story of two young women that do their best to blend into society despite being vampires. They run into new and old acquaintances and have a hard time trying to figure out who to trust. Through it all, they remain loyal to each other and continue to learn more about their heritage and why everyone is being so damn secretive.

I liked both main characters.  Although Sadie is compassionate, and Alexis can be a serious bitch, I couldn’t decide who I liked more.  I didn’t like the fact that both girls fell for the same guy twice, but I loved the drama that the triangle brings.

I’ve often stated that I’m not a big fan of YA because most young adult books do not hold my attention well, but Daughters Of Dracula keep me interested.  Although the plot and characters did remind me of The Vampire Diaries show, I will be picking up the next book.  The story leaves you with a felling that all hell is about to break loose and you want to be there when it does.

My Rating

I give Daughters of Dracula four and a half flowers of love.  I am a new fan of Kailin Gow’s work.  If you love Vampire Diaries and Twilight, you’ll love this book.

1/2

     

Author Spotlight: Interview with Margie Church

I hope you enjoyed my review of Love Bites earlier today, if you missed it, here’s the link.  I got a chance to interview Margie and here’s what she had to say:

Diva:  Describe yourself in five words.

Margie:  Funny, creative, deep, smart, surprising

Diva:  Who or what inspired you to become a writer?

Margie:  It chose me. I've been writing since I was a child, and I've spent my entire professional career as a copywriter/publicist/communications manager. I've only been writing books for about three years.

Diva:  Why did you decide to write erotica instead of general romance novels?

Margie:  If I'm going to tease you on the couch, or under the stars, and the reader knows exactly how that makes the character feel and readers are flipping the pages, totally engrossed in this love story, why would I shut the door and make them use their imagination about what happened next? To me, that's a huge bucket of frustration. Part of being a good writer is being able to draw the reader into the story with all their senses. What happens between the sheets or under the stars is part of that romantic journey. I want to share it with readers.

Diva:  How do you come up with your characters?  Are they combinations of people you know or totally made up?

Margie:  I'm sure there are traits and physical attributes of people I know in some of my characters, but the rest is fantasy. To begin, I look at photos of models and I research names and their meanings. Depending on what the character is supposed to be like, I might look at psychological disorders, court cases, medical websites, etc. If the character has a major role, I'll have a pretty good idea of what they're like from the beginning, right down to nicknames, favorite phrases, food, how they wear their hair, what car they drive, any relevant genealogy, etc. I keep that information handy to make sure I keep them in character throughout the story.

Diva:  What was your road to publication like?

Margie:  Most writers will cringe when they read this, but it was straight. First submission, first contract and it has been like that for five novels and a children's book. What has been a challenge – before you throw bricks at the screen and curse – is learning to write fiction properly. Editing really had me by the tail the first few books (bless my editors for their patience).  Although I've been writing for a few decades, every discipline of writing is different – from radio to novels – I had to learn it.

Diva:  What are some of your favorite books that you like to read over and over.

Margie:  I don't re-read books and I don't even re-watch movies very often. I'm strange that way.

Diva:  What new releases are on your To Be Read list?

Margie:  Serenity's Dream by Brita Addams and Summer Heat by K.B. Cutter.

Diva:  What else can we expect from you?

Margie:  Dangerous Love, the sequel to Love Bites, will be released by Noble Romance November 22. There are several great new characters you'll love to hate and a plot that will be just as unpredictable, gritty, and dramatic as Love Bites. And the romance between Jui and Wade? Totally hot and angst-filled.

I'm also working on a novella and my children's books.

Margie's Bio 

Margie Church has a degree in writing and editing and has been a professional writer and editor for over 25 years. She works as a copywriter and editor for a small direct marketing firm specializing in the credit union market and freelances feature articles for business-to-business magazines.

Her first three novels are erotic suspense in keeping with her moniker: Romance with SASS (Suspense, Angst, Seductive Sizzle). She also writes children's books under the pen name, Margaret Rose.

Margie lives in Minnesota and is married and has two children. Vegetable and flower gardening, biking, walking her dog, listening to music, and making people laugh are some of her passions.

Margie’s Web site and blog: http://www.romancewithsass.com

Facebook: Margie.Church

Twitter: @MargaretRChurch

And BTW, Margie will be guest posting and giving away ebook copies of her Love Bites series for my Spooktacular Halloween Bash.  Stay tune for dets.

Review: Love Bites by Margie Church

Author:  Margie Church

Series:   Love Bites

Genre:  Parnormal, Erotica, Romance

Published:  August 2010

Publisher:  Noble Romance Publisher

How I Got It:  Reviewed for author

Book Summary:

An accidental encounter turns into high stakes love when Jui Fabrice meets Wade Kairos in Germany. She has no idea he’s a vampire and Wade has every intention of keeping his secret.

A vineyard cottage is the perfect place for Jui and Wade to make love until he discovers her unique link to his living years. He vows to stay away from her forever, but he can’t let her go completely. Wade’s repressed human feelings continue rising. He invades Jui’s dreams and communicates telepathically with her at will. Evil jealousy consumes him when Jui becomes involved with Rob Hawthorne and she rebukes Wade for his controlling behaviors.

Then Wade’s lifelong companion dies in a vamp war and his desolation is too much to
handle alone. He turns to the only person who cares about him—Jui—and for one hot night, he becomes the man she’s wanted all along.

The Ancient One, Ladislav Husek, learns of Wade’s risky human behavior and gives Wade a taste of how viciously he’ll die if he doesn’t bury his tracks with Jui. Husek promises to turn Jui into his personal playmate and Wade has to choose. Can love prevail over evil in a relationship that never was supposed to happen?

My Thoughts

I love a good vampire story and Love Bites did not disappoint.

Wade is a typical vamp.   He’s handsome and doesn’t mind using his vamp charm to secure as much blood and sex as he desires.  He’s also arrogant as hell which makes for plenty of temper tantrums when he doesn’t get his way. 

Jui is the object of his affections and while she pretty much offers herself up on a platter, he chooses to torment the both of them by not giving in to what they both obviously want.  For one, her mysterious tie to his past haunts him, and two, he would rather her remember him as what she thinks he is:  a stranger that she almost had random sex with and not a creature from her worst nightmare.

I loved the fact that Jui and Wade had an unspoken romance.  They were worlds apart, but always in each other’s thoughts and hearts.  Despite the fact that I thought they were causing themselves unnecessary drama, their idiot drama is what kept me flipping pages.

In most vampire stories you read about the possessive vamp that acknowledges his mate, takes her like a brute, and pretends to be totally confused when she doesn’t return his love.  Most of the time its destiny and the female must learn to love her beast or suffer.   In Love Bites, Wade forces Jui to live her human life, without him.  It hurts them both in the long run, but he is determined not to let her catch a glimpse of his private hell. 

And while Jui is living her human life, Wade is always lurking in her shadow slowly losing his grip on his last human emotions.

My  Rating  

This is my first book by Margie Church and I loved it.  I give Love Bites five flowers of love and a place on my fav bookshelf.   Margie served up the perfect HEA, with an unexpected twist. 

Read an excerpt  

BTW, interview with Margie will post later today.

Shadow Of The Vampire by Meagan Hatfield

Title: Shadow Of A Vampire
Author:  Meagan Hatfield
Released: July 1, 2010
Book Series:  None
How I Got It:  Received ebook from Net Galley to review

Book Summary:
Even vampires should never sleep with the enemy.

Vampire princess Alexia Feodorovna has been undead for 125 years, so it's been a while since any man has made her pulse race. Until Declan Black. One look at his bronzed body and a fire like no other consumes her. Then she discovers that he's a dragon lord come to take revenge on the vamps who killed his parents. And claim a crystal said to imbue its owner with incredible powers.

Alexia is ordered to torture and kill the dragon lord. Yet with each reckless encounter, she finds herself consumed by his fiery passion. A passion Declan battles, as well. Will he be able to resist the fire of lust she kindles within him and keep revenge in his heart? Or will he risk everything to quench the burning desire and claim the vampire as his own?

My Thoughts
Alexia is a vampire princess getting ready to become a queen.  Her mother, the Queen, is showing signs of Alzheimer, and her evil almost stepfather is busy plotting to take over the world.  Alexia's world is about to come tumbling down if she doesn't find that sacred crystal.  And having a handsome, very naked dragon shifter in her dungeon is not helping matters at all.

Declan should be ruling his kingdom, but instead he's counting his days.  These vamps have already tortured and killed his parents so he's sure that he won't survive either.  As long as his dragon kin are safe, he has no problems with dying.  But each time that little blonde vampire comes near him, he hopes to live another day just to touch her.  Even though she appears to be as barbaric as the others, his heart yearns for her. 

From the time Alexia and Declan met, I could tell that these two were destined to be together.
The heat from these two made it impossible for me to put the book down.  Shadow Of A Vampire is my kind of book because it had me up half the night trying to finish it.  

My Rating
I give it five stars because it was good from start to finish.  I was completely drawn it to the book and felt the passion between the two characters leap right off my computer screen.

Read and excerpt from Shadow Of A Vampire

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!

Read an excerpt of The Vampire and the Virgin

Win a copy of The Vampire and the Virgin.  Contest ends June 25.

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

Enter to win The Vampire and the Virgin, Book 8 in the Love At Stake Series
Don't miss The Vampire and The Virgin book review tomorrow!

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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Be Still My Vampire Heart by Kerrelyn Sparks

Day Three of Eight Days Of Love At Stake

Title:  Be Still My Vampire Heart
Author:  Kerrelyn Sparks
Released:  April 2007
Series:  Love At Stake, Book 3
How I Got It:  Purchased ebook for NOOK
Lend Me Feature:  No

Book Summary:
If it was still beating. Angus MacKay has been undead for almost five hundred years and it's not often something, or someone, surprises him. Until Emma Wallace. The sight of this luscious agent from the CIA's elite Stake-Out team was enough to stop Angus in his tracks. But then he discovers that she's a vampire slayer, intent on killing the "monsters" who killed her parents. And it's Angus's job to stop her.
The only good vampire is a dead vampire. It's been Emma's motto since she committed her life to the destruction of these things. Now Angus MacKay wants to convince her differently.
Sure, he's a sexy Highland warrior who seems to have stepped off the cover of a romance novel, complete with brogue, kilt, and sword, but he's also one of them. And it's her job to kill him.
The war is on, but will it end in the destruction of one or both of them . . . or in total surrender to a passion for the ages?


My Thoughts


I truly get tired of the heroines that think they can take on the world alone.  And they have the nerve to get mad when they are labeled as a damsel in distress.  Please get over yourselves because their are a host of other labels that would fit.  Can we say stupid...

When will we puny humans learn that we are no match for vamps.  They are so much stronger, faster, and can make us do whatever they feel like, just to amuse themselves.  Then, they fall in love with us...or they kill us.

I vote for the first one.  If we were all smart, we'd just make friends with all the  good vamps and have a little sex on the side.  No killing please.

Anyhoo, this book centers around Emma, another member of the infamous Stake Out Team.  She thinks she's Buffy the Vampire Slayer simply because her parents were killed by vampires.  Okay, I can get with that, but when she goes out on her own trying to avenge someone who is already dead by getting herself killed...problem.

As always, there are better ways to handle all things.  Like I said, be friends with the good vamps.   Especially when a good, hawt vamp in a skirt, sorry kilt is trying to protect you.

Angus is one of the good vamps, and while the good vamps are on the verge of going to war with the Malcontents, the bad vamps, he still finds time to protect Emma.

Of course Emma is not having that, but in the end, she'll sue for the love of Angus.  Yes, sue, she subpoenas him and everything.  You will die laughing when you read why.


My Rating
Have I told you how much I love these books?  Kerrelyn Sparks outdoes herself each time.  She writes the craziest romances ever!  In this one, she kicked the fun up a notch, so I'll give it four stars.


Read an excerpt from Be Still My Vampire Heart

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