Sunday, November 21, 2010

Book Review: One More Bite by Jennifer Rardin


Jennifer Rardin
Book 5 in Jaz Parks series
*so probably will contain spoilers for you if you haven’t read the series yet*

It's Jaz Parks. I've already smoked the guy who was the pain in the CIA's you-know-what for the past few years. But now, in the power vacuum left by the death of Edward "The Raptor"Samos, a struggle for supremacy has begun between his former allies. 


The CIA feels the balance must be maintained. So when an agent planted among the Weres discovers a plot to assassinate the Coven's leader, my vampire boss and I are brought in to take out the woman hired to do the deed, a killer who might be as wily and Gifted as ourselves.


So it's off to the Scottish Highlands for some twisted fun among murderers, demons and half-crazed relatives. Sometimes being a top-secret CIA assassin isn't all it's cracked up to be.



Jaz, Vayl, Cole, and we can’t forget Jack, head off to Scotland and GhostCon to intercept an assassin before she can make the hit on a powerful coven leader and guess what? Jaz’s dad, Albert, is along for the ride!  Which is a major buzz kill when flames finally start to ignite between Jaz and Vayl. Do some people have the worse timing or what? Then come to find out the coven leader they are suppose to protect is one evil old witch, literally, so do Jaz and Vayl want to stick with the original mission or do some improvising? Hmm…hard decision.  But first they must figure out who the assassin Bea really is; the cheapskate jewelry storeowner or his disgruntled wife, the shy mute girl who survived a horrific assault, her aloof friend & interpreter, or her ghost obsessed mother? It’s like playing the game of Clue!

One More Bite is a well-written, fast-paced, character-driven plot that’s a good addition to the series. I especially like Rardin’s world building because there is not an overabundance of it, just enough to put you in that place and not get overwhelmed.
The suspense keeps you guessing because you see some points that could make these new side characters assassins, all of them have oddities, and then you see another side and you’re like, no she couldn’t do that.
Smart and funny with interesting creatures; demons, ghosts, witches and Eldhayrs (Which every time I read that I think of Charmed.)
Like I said, things start heating up between Jaz & Vayl, their relationship finally starts progressing and I would just like to say, it’s about damn time! Geesh, anticipation much! Vayl definitely gets the uber sexy on in this book; you could practically melt on the floor at his feet imagining the look on his face and his eyes. Mmm….
Cole is still sweet, funny and loveable but he seems to finally be accepting the fact that Jaz will never be his. Cassandra and Bergman are absent in this book, which was a bit disappointing because they were pretty much absent in the last one as well and I love them but I guess Rardin thought they needed a break. Maybe so they wouldn’t get old or something but I couldn’t see that happening with the way she writes, she seems to have a knack keeping all of her characters interesting.
One More Bite is filled with Rardin’s classic catchy phrases and funny one-liners like this one on page 56, “Not killing the annoying one. Some days that’s the hardest part of this gig.”

LOL scene, pg 59-60
“I just thought of a new game”
“What’s that?”
“Splat the Specter.”
“Rules?”
“You can help me make them up. Right now all I know for sure is that it involves water guns filled with grape Kool-Aid and two ferrets named Biff and Chlamydia.”
Vayl’s voice filled our ears. ‘Why ferrets?”
“Really?” I asked. “You want to know about his choice of pets when he’s named one of them after an STD?”

The ending was sweet and left you feeling good about the characters and looking forward to the next book in the series. There were also some interesting points that if you catch kind of foreshadow what’s to happen in upcoming books.

Favorite quote, pg 123 “When I bite you, it’ll be because I want to make your toes curl and your hair stand on end. And you won’t need stitches afterward. You’ll need crutches.”


Rating: 4 Wine Glasses
Steamy





1 comment:

  1. What a great review! I haven't read any of these books yet but certainly sounds Like I should add it to my TBR list.

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