Debbie's Spurts

This reader's personal opinion, ©2012, all rights reserved, not to be quoted, clipped or used in any way by Google Play, amazon.com or other commercial booksellers* 

★★½☆☆ = Liked parts; parts only okay—would read more by author.

A quick, engrossing read I am not real sure how to rate or review.  As is the first book of a series, sometimes that's a hard one to review because parts might just be for series setup versus a standalone story.

I downloaded the sample first and stopped after just a few pages to buy the full version. Hooked immediately, mostly the imagery and action and relating to here's-nearly-literally-the-blinddate-from-hell.

PROS:
Like I said, immediately drawn into the book. Character, story and action.

Not completely same-old-same-old paranormal stuff (the vampire aspects author picked and chose).

Initially, romantic interest, Thierry, poised to be pretty cool. Both a brooding/melancholic type of character and one that when push came to shove could not resist lending a helping hand.

CONS:

Hopefully just because the start of a series, but, the story arc/plot/action did not really pan out to be as good as sample. I seriously disliked number of times heroine was dumbly walking into bad situations. In fact, you could have replaced with a typical ditzy chicklit heroine in urban club scene and made the vampire hunters violent sociopathic gang members and story would not have missed a beat.

Author seemed to choose some of the wimpier vampire powers, presumably to make them less evil and more sympathetic. For example, do not burn up in the sunlight and do not have a reflection were left in. 

Vampires and heroine really dumb (for starters kept going back to clubs so hunters could pick them off). Not only did romantic interest start playing a seldom seen and cardboard role (vibe I got was possibly trying to be Jean Luc from the Anita Blake series but lacked the oomph); but, my least favorite plot device, a love triangle tried to startup with the other leg a hunter that more than once tried to murder them.

Except for heroine in dicey situations and running for her life (the wrong tension), the other tension/cozy-mystery moments in book were rather artificial -- as in BFF supportive even after heroine outs her vampire status, then *poof* furious because heroine not on board with meet-one-night-engaged-next BFF lovestory, with sudden changes in other characters as convenient to plot

IN SUMMARY:

I did enjoy the book while reading but trouble with how it panned out. Was going to buy next in series, but having read the synopsis of rest of books in series, not sure I will be.

Update: 9/30/2012 next book is available for public library ebook download so will be giving it a chance.

*©2012. All rights reserved except permission is granted to author or publisher to reprint/quote in whole or in part. Copyrightholder posted on booklikes, BookRabbit, Leafmarks, The Reading Room and may have cross-posted to other book sites. Posting on any site does not grant that site permission to share with any third parties.

Ratings scale used in absence of a booklikes suggested rating scale:

★★★★★ = All Time Favorite 
★★★★½ = Extraordinary Book. Really Loved It.
★★★★☆ = Loved It.
★★★½☆ = Really Liked.
★★★☆☆ = Liked.
★★½☆☆ = Liked parts; parts only okay. Would read more by author.
★★☆☆☆ = Meh. Okay. 
★½☆☆☆ = Disliked but kept me reading in hopes would get better.
★☆☆☆☆ = Loathed It. Possibly DNF and a torturous read.
½☆☆☆☆ = So vile was a DNF or should have been. Cannot imagine anyone liking.  (Might also be just an "uploaded" word spew or collection that should not be dignified by calling itself a "published book." Or author should take remedial classes for language written in until basic concepts like using sentences sink in. Is author even old enough to sign a publishing contract or do they need a legal guardian to sign for them?)