Bite Marks - Jennifer Rardin
I tend not to do write ups for the Jaz Parks series, mostly because they are delicious literary junk food for me* and because I read through 1-4 in the space of a month or so and you probably didn’t want to read about me spazzing about how I loved the action and the romance was smushy, but not overly so and the characters had a laugh at themselves too.
But this is the latest book, just released, so I feel as if I should give some points of note (that aren’t commentary).
Firstly, the author is just as much of a laugh as her characters and as such, her blog is quite charming and has none of this word count business and is all about humour (and asking her readers to share their equally wacky experiences and opinions).
Secondly, this book does keep up it’s butt kick quotient, although it is rather tempered with all the Jaz/Vayl relationship. Thankfully, no smut was written. Which is kind of fun, in the way that things left unsaid are.
Thirdly, yet another character has been introduced. Kyphas, the demon. (Who was chasing Cassandra the psychic around but is now temporarily an ally until they find a certain demonic tool and she gets to snack on three senators’ souls.) Who I am unfortunately imagining as a Sentinel clone, as Kyphas is supposed to be turn-you-bi beautiful and Sen’s Gaia’s newest NPC who was a demi-god and who I was a minion of for the Halloween event (in which I participated in shortly before reading this). Even though Kyphas is blonde and wields a boomerang as a weapon.
Fourth… oh good gods, I love the team. I think I love them even more now that plans are being made for them to set a business of their own and for them to form a Trust. But yes, they continue the awesome and even Raoul makes an appearance.
So this is very fun indeed. Especially since it’s set in Australia. Albeit in the country but somewhere I’m sort of familiar with nonetheless.
One teeny thing annoys me though. The resolution is rubbish. It’s only something like two pages long and only barely mentions the clean up. You really have to rely on the preview of 'Bitten to Death' to get an idea of what the clean up consisted of.
Also, I was kind of annoyed that it left out what became of Alice, the little girl who’s already died once.
Now, the fun bit. Me commenting on bits.
The story of Rocenz. This is IMPORTANT PLOT POINT FOR THE NEXT BOOK, but I like mostly because there’s a plucky cowboy as the only person to have ever used the hammer and chisel set successfully.
Cassandra and her can of Febreze. It’s so gloriously cute that she carries it around because she knows David is smelling the same scent. However, there’s also a Bergman moment where Jaz says she can’t wait for him to fall in love so he can be a HUGE dork and she can make fun of him for that. And he just says ‘okay’.
Jaz’s first kill backstory. ;_; It’s so sad. Well, sad and butt-kicky, but saaaad and traumatic.
Vayl digging holes when he needs to let off some… tension is absolutely priceless. Especially the line about how he once struck oil because he was so frustrated. Also, Jaz asking him if he needs a shovel.
And… Astral the robotic kitty going ‘Hello!’ at Bergman’s new haircut. Oh and Tabitha as well, but the kitty is so much more fun.
*There is a story too, about how vampires and assassins are junk food for me. Vampires should be easy enough to understand (except I will maintain that L.J. Smith was my first vampire romance writer and thus holds a mostly fond place in my heart) but the assassins are less so. It probably boils down to me reading Artemis Fowl and Alex Rider and that other series which shadowsinfire also read but I can’t remember the name of right now when I was 12-15. Because yes, I can be a bit of a tomboy when it comes to my reading choices. (Or possibly just plain sensible in that I hate characterless mush, but come on, I read fanfic! That are admittedly better written than some most romance novels and a few books but I’m trying to make a point here.)
But this is the latest book, just released, so I feel as if I should give some points of note (that aren’t commentary).
Firstly, the author is just as much of a laugh as her characters and as such, her blog is quite charming and has none of this word count business and is all about humour (and asking her readers to share their equally wacky experiences and opinions).
Secondly, this book does keep up it’s butt kick quotient, although it is rather tempered with all the Jaz/Vayl relationship. Thankfully, no smut was written. Which is kind of fun, in the way that things left unsaid are.
Thirdly, yet another character has been introduced. Kyphas, the demon. (Who was chasing Cassandra the psychic around but is now temporarily an ally until they find a certain demonic tool and she gets to snack on three senators’ souls.) Who I am unfortunately imagining as a Sentinel clone, as Kyphas is supposed to be turn-you-bi beautiful and Sen’s Gaia’s newest NPC who was a demi-god and who I was a minion of for the Halloween event (in which I participated in shortly before reading this). Even though Kyphas is blonde and wields a boomerang as a weapon.
Fourth… oh good gods, I love the team. I think I love them even more now that plans are being made for them to set a business of their own and for them to form a Trust. But yes, they continue the awesome and even Raoul makes an appearance.
So this is very fun indeed. Especially since it’s set in Australia. Albeit in the country but somewhere I’m sort of familiar with nonetheless.
One teeny thing annoys me though. The resolution is rubbish. It’s only something like two pages long and only barely mentions the clean up. You really have to rely on the preview of 'Bitten to Death' to get an idea of what the clean up consisted of.
Also, I was kind of annoyed that it left out what became of Alice, the little girl who’s already died once.
Now, the fun bit. Me commenting on bits.
The story of Rocenz. This is IMPORTANT PLOT POINT FOR THE NEXT BOOK, but I like mostly because there’s a plucky cowboy as the only person to have ever used the hammer and chisel set successfully.
Cassandra and her can of Febreze. It’s so gloriously cute that she carries it around because she knows David is smelling the same scent. However, there’s also a Bergman moment where Jaz says she can’t wait for him to fall in love so he can be a HUGE dork and she can make fun of him for that. And he just says ‘okay’.
Jaz’s first kill backstory. ;_; It’s so sad. Well, sad and butt-kicky, but saaaad and traumatic.
Vayl digging holes when he needs to let off some… tension is absolutely priceless. Especially the line about how he once struck oil because he was so frustrated. Also, Jaz asking him if he needs a shovel.
And… Astral the robotic kitty going ‘Hello!’ at Bergman’s new haircut. Oh and Tabitha as well, but the kitty is so much more fun.
*There is a story too, about how vampires and assassins are junk food for me. Vampires should be easy enough to understand (except I will maintain that L.J. Smith was my first vampire romance writer and thus holds a mostly fond place in my heart) but the assassins are less so. It probably boils down to me reading Artemis Fowl and Alex Rider and that other series which shadowsinfire also read but I can’t remember the name of right now when I was 12-15. Because yes, I can be a bit of a tomboy when it comes to my reading choices. (Or possibly just plain sensible in that I hate characterless mush, but come on, I read fanfic! That are admittedly better written than some most romance novels and a few books but I’m trying to make a point here.)