Review Courtesy of AllThingsUrbanFantasy.blogspot.com

I’ve been bitten, and I’m ready for more. Author Jennifer Rardin does a nice job of combing the fun of a spy novel (think Jennifer Garner from Alias) with the paranormal elements that define the urban fantasy genre.

Jasmine (Jaz) Parks, a military brat turned vampire hunter (aka Helsinger as in Van Helsing), has spent most of her life honing her skills as an elite hunter of the undead--for the government no less. After surviving a devastating personal trauma that only intensified her foolhardy reckless streak (and gave her some unique abilities in the process), Jaz is given a new assignment as bodyguard/partner to a 300 year old vampire hitman named Vayl, who personally requested Jaz for reasons she can’t begin to fathom.

Together, the pair track down a terrorist cell whose leader has Nazi-like aspirations, the uber nasty head vampire Raptor, and the demon goddess someone's trying to unleash on the world, all the while fighting the growing attraction they have for each other. The plot gets a little confusing at times and certain scenes feel like filler. The big action at the end also seemed too long, but it was the character dynamics that make those minor complaints.

Jaz was a surprisingly likable character for me. She is self-deprecating without wallowing in self-pity; she is sarcastic and snarky without being in permanent PMS mode; and she is able to own up to her mistakes and actually apologize for them. I did wonder about Jaz’s lack of animosity towards vampires in general. Given her past, I would have expected—and enjoyed—reading about her struggle to work for, trust, and, maybe even love, a vampire. She has spend the majority of her life killing them after all, but she is oddly un-conflicted.

As far as real criticism goes, the world building was a bit scant and there isn’t any new territory explored in terms of vampire mythology. My biggest beef is about where the story begins: six months after Jaz and Vayl start working together. I hope Jennifer Rardin writes a prequel about when they first meet. There is already a level of comfort and intimacy when we meet them that I would have loved to watch develop.

I tend to respond more to the gritty, darker urban fantasy’s. And while Once Bitten, Twice Shy throws in a healthy does of humor and chic-lit like emotional examination, it worked for me. Next time I want a fun quick read, I’ll be picking up book 2 in the Jaz Parks series: Another One Bites The Dusk

Sexual Content: None ( )

My thoughts...In this installment Jaz and Vayl find themselves surrounded by ghost hunters. I have always thought ghost hunting was interesting so I was immediately drawn into this storyline. Although they are missing some of their team, they still manage to tackle some pretty fierce situations. This book explains a lot more about Jaz's character. Her Dad tags along with them and I feel like they make some progress in their fragile relationship.

The relationship with Jaz and the vampire Vayl continues to develop. This series is so much fun to read, there is something for everyone. Guns, action, paranormals, high-tech gadgets and magic lead the story from beginning to end. The only thing I would like to see are more details. Jennifer does a great job of building up to the love scenes. You can feel the tension between the characters, but then the scenes are skipped. I'm not talking about explicit details, just a peek.

If you haven't read this series yet, I recommend them. If you enjoy stories with tough, kick-butt heroines and sexy vamps, you will not be disappointed.

My daughter liked this series better than I did. It's OK, but I didn't read past the second book, although I bought the first 4 for her. ( )

Loved this book. I thought the characters were really well developed, and the plot was really fast paced and kept my attention. I love that Jaz is a no-nonsense, smart ass :) ( )

Readers Annotation:
After having her entire team killed by vampires years earlier, Jaz is paired with one of the CIA’s best assassins, who also happens to be a vampire. She must learn to overcome her fears and prejudice in order to save the world from a deathly virus.
Plot Summary:
Jaz Parks is a CIA agent for the supernatural community, and also what they have termed a Sensitive. A sensitive means that she can "smell" vampires, sense power, and has very accurate intuition. Jaz gets partnered with Val a centuries old vampire. They are given an assignment to take out a terrorist who turns out to be working with a powerful entity everyone thought was just a myth. Together they must unravel a complex mystery in time to save the world from a horrible virus.

Evaluation:
I liked Jaz’s character she is sarcastic and strong willed and a very hard core CIA agent. Although I don’t like to compare authors, it is hard not to compare this series against the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. It is a funny murder mystery series that happens to have vampires in it. The vampires in this novel are not dark and gothic like traditional vampire tales. Add to this the romance mixed though-out and you have a fun, easy read, that doesn’t take a lot of thought. Ages: 13+/Interests: Murder, Mystery, Vampires, Romance.
*Adult crossover-a book written for adults that teens may appreciate. ( )