Once Bitten, Twice Shy

Wherever ONCE BITTEN TWICE SHY is shelved (I picked it up in the sci-fi/fantasy section), don't be deceived: it's really chick-lit. And the worst kind of chick-lit, where there's a whole lot of "defining the relationship" and not a lot of action or romance. The book starts six months after protagonist Jaz is partnered with vampire assassin Vayl, and their relationship is already completely unprofessional. We miss out on all the fun, getting-to-know-you, tension-building parts of their relationship and pick up when they start to trudge glumly through the Swamp of Complicated Emotions. Rardin tries to convince us that Vayl is an uber-alpha male, but he spends so much time talking about his feelings it's really hard to buy. He also lets show more Jaz push him around a lot...and not in that "I'm humoring her" sort of alpha-male way, more in a "I'm totally whipped" sort of way.

The fact that one of villains the duo have to face is Vayl's late wife (she's a vampire too) means that even when Jaz and Vayl head out to kick some ass, they always end up right back at that Swamp of Complicated Emotions. The super-villain plot is drenched in Eau de Catfight.

The urban fantasy/paranormal elements are poorly realized and confusing. The growth of Jaz's "Gifts" is pretty botched - each new development is greeted with less explanation than the last. I never got a clear handle on what it meant to be a vampire in Rardin's alternate reality. And Rardin was trying to do a techno-mystical fusion with her uber-villain plot, something to do with a cult of demon-worshippers and a biological WMD (these basic elements are revealed early on), but devoted very little time or effort to explaining either.

The other main plot point is the slow reveal of Jaz's tortured past to the reader. We are informed a number of times that there is a HUGE TRAUMA in Jaz's past, and then we start to get hints about what it is, and eventually we learn the whole story. This just made me think, again, that this book starts after all the real action is over. I was also kind of annoyed by the way that the story came out - she blabs the whole thing in pieces to totally random people, and actually seems over-eager to talk about it, but when she's not in chatter mode she goes on about how her HUGE TRAUMA is too huge and traumatic to talk about, or even think about. It's exactly the kind of drama queen behavior that makes you wonder how this girl ever got a job in the CIA. show less

I've been wanting to start the Jaz Parks series for a while. Jennifer Rardin's unexpected death in 2010 led to a resurgence of interest in her series, and with the final book to be posthumously published in June, I am determined to get up to date by then.Once Bitten, Twice Shy introduces Jaz Parks, a CIA assassin who enjoys her job but is struggling with the recent loss of her team, and fiance, in a mission gone awry. At his request, Jaz is paired with Vayl, a 300 year old vampire. The partnership is unusual but Vayl see's potential in Jazmin's abilities and so far it's been successful, despite Jaz's tendency to crash cars and drool over Vayl's bare chest. Their latest mission involves tracking down a terrorist who plans to unleash a show more plague on the population but the operation is complicated by a corrupt senator, Vayl's ex wife and an ancient evil.The plot contains a good mix of mystery, action and humor and moves along at a strong pace. There is quite a lot happening but it doesn't feel crowded, perhaps because there is no elaborate world building or rules to be concerned with. This leaves room for the story and character relationships to unfold without distractions which I appreciate. Jaz's sarcastic sense of humor contributes to the flow of the book, but that isn't to say the plot is without depth. Jaz is recovering from real heartbreak and dealing with a cantankerous father. There is a subtle complexity that sits just below the surface of this book, that may be overlooked. While the relationship between Jaz and Vayl is part of the story it doesn't overwhelm the plot - their attraction is hot but I'm satisfied to watch it build slowly. The secondary characters that will perhaps create a core team in the series are also appealing with their own quirks and ability to contribute to the story. Bergen is the socially inept computer expert, Cassandra a witch and I expect Cole, a private investigator, will continue to be involved in further story lines.I can see that I am going to enjoy reading the Jaz Park's series. Once Bitten, Twice Shy is an entertaining and engaging read and I look forward to starting [b:Another One Bites the Dust|1820174|Another One Bites the Dust (Jaz Parks, #2)|Jennifer Rardin|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1188793686s/1820174.jpg|1819754] show less

The first in the Jaz Parks story introduces a CIA assassin partnered with a vampire as they try to keep the villains from unleashing a great evil on the world.

I enjoyed the complex character of Jaz Parks and enjoyed gradually learning about the events that made her the person she is in this first novel about her. I liked her smart-ass personality and her, sometimes, inappropriate sense of humor. I liked her equally complex vampire partner.

The worldbuilding was intriguing as it was just a tweak on our world with the addition of vampires.

In Once Bitten, Twice Shy, we meet Jaz Parks who is an assasin for the C.I.A. and is partnered up with a very powerful vampire named Vayl. Their newest assignment is to take out a plastic surgeon who has to ties to a dangerous group of terrorists. But Jaz and Vayl soon find out that their assignment is more complicated than they thought and before they know it they are up against an ancient evil.

Will someone please tell me how I have not heard more about this author before?? This book rocked and I was swept away within the story. Jaz is a great main character: she's strong but has her weak points, is a bit haunted, and has a mysterious past (although there is light shed on some of it). And Vayl is just awesome in my opinion. Jaz show more respects him a lot but can't seem to figure out why he chose her to be his partner. It gives Vayl and his motivations an air of mystery which added to the story. The chemistry between the two is great and makes me really excited to see how their relationship develops further along in the series because right now they are strictly partners. The story was fast paced and exciting and I flew through this book in a matter of days. The storyline itself was original and I found that the details surrounding the ancient evil to be very interesting (I'm not saying any more in fear of spoilers). Suffice it to say that I couldn't get enough of this book while I was reading it and am already itching to get my hands on the 2nd book.

All in all, a promising beginning to a new to me series and a series that I will most definitely be continuing on with. I'd recommend this book to anyone that enjoys urban fantasy or a good paranormal read. show less

This book has been in my TBR pile longer than most. When I heard the author passed away I moved it to the top of my pile. I am glad I did because I found a lot to like about this series and especially these characters.

Why the book rocked and I can't wait to read more: Jaz is an awesome character. She is strong but vulnerable. She has expereienced serious trauma and heartbreak in her past. She does some weird stuff because of it and she questions herself a lot. I found all that to be realistic and therefore more likeable. Also I really liked Vayl. I usually don't care for the dark vampire in these books, but Vayl is such a nice guy! He could end up being my favorite vampire character ever. I want to see more depth in his character show more through the series' progression. I also liked her sometimes inventor sidekick. So yes, a very good group of characters. I liked the explantion of what happens when someone dies and what Jaz sees. While the theme of vampire/human detectives isn't exactly unique, there are enough twists to this tale to make me excited to read more.

Why the book couldn't be rated higher than four stars: This was Rardin's first published book. The pacing was off a little but wasn't distracting. What did distract me from the enjoyment of the novel was the constant "Like a blah blah, her movements were blah blah" or "Jazz did this, like a blah blah". Too many similes. Sometimes three a page! From what I hear this does get better as the series progresses.

Overall the tale was enjoyable and the characters were standout, in my opinion. I am definitely on board to read the rest of the series and I feel badly that I waited this long to read this. My condolences to the family of Mrs. Rardin. She created a fabulous world and I am thankful she was able to share her talent with us. show less

Once Bitten, Twice Shy, by Jennifer Rardin, is not some ordinary spy novel.

Jaz Parks is a government agent. Her partner Vayl is a 300-year-old vampire. Their latest assignment is to assassinate a plastic surgeon involved in terrorism. But after one night of investigating Assan, they discover he's into a lot more than just helping to fund terrorism. Assan and his conspirators begin talking about releasing a deadly plague. And a high-ranking senator seems to be pulling the strings.

I can't begin to tell you how much I enjoyed this novel. Rardin ads a perfect blend of humor and humility to an otherwise strong female lead character. The story and characters pull you in and don't let go. I'm simply amazed that this is her debut novel. I show more can't wait to see Rardin's skills develop further in future releases. If I don't receive review copies for the sequels, you can bet I'll be standing in line at the bookstore on the release dates. Once Bitten, Twice Shy is in now in my list of top favorites for the year.

With a seemingly over-abundance of vampire novels, Once Bitten, Twice Shy stands out as a fun, light-hearted, supernatural, spy novel. Blending some of my favorite elements: fantasy, espionage, mystery, action, and just a touch of romance, makes a recipe for one extremely entertaining story. show less

I'm not sure how I feel about this book. I liked all the action, but some of the story seemed a little too much for me. Jaz Parks works for the CIA as a vampire assassin. The Vampire Vayl has requested she work for him. She is officially his assistant, but really is much more. They are sent down to Miami to investigate, kidnap and then kill a suspected terrorist ring leader. In the end though people are out to kill them, it appears there is a leak in their department, Jaz has to find a nurse for her dad and Vayl has family issues. There was a lot going on in this book. So much it felt like you were supposed to just accept and move on, but I wanted more of an explanation for what was happening.