Another One Bites the Dust

This second installment of the Jaz Parks series, finds Jaz and her CIA partners in Corpus Christi, Texas for the Winter Festival . A treacherous Chinese agent is in the area. He has stolen a secret weapon, one so dangerous that Jaz and her vampire partner Vayl, both highly gifted agents where the supernatural is involved, have been sent to Corpus Christi in order to retrieve the weapon - a near impossibility - or to keep Chien-Jung from using it - also close to impossible. Vayl, a vampire of the good guy variety and the agent in charge, decides that the group, which includes Bergman, a brilliant creator of gadgetry with little patience for most things supernatural, Cole, who is also a sensitive like Jaz and can detect troublemakers before anyone else can even see them, and Cassandra, a several hundred year-old psychic who knows a bit about casting spells. Immediately after arriving in Corpus Christi Jaz encounters a demonic force which first impersonates its victim and then devours its soul. This entity, says Cassandra's mystical database, is difficult to kill, but when fighting this monster called a reaver, Jaz finds a way. A good swift sword thrust, for those who dare to get up close and personal, will do the job. There are other evil beings for Jaz and friends to overcome thanks to the brilliant imagination of author Jennifer Rardin. At the moment the top of the must-destroy list is Chien-Lung, the man who has now learned to use the stolen weapon. It is a biological suit designed for combat soldiers which will give them all the fearsome attributes of a fire-breathing dragon. The only way to regain the suit is to kill the wearer. The novel's brisk pace propels the plot but still allows the reader to understand the interconnection of the characters and the personal baggage each brings to their job. This is especially true for narrator and heroine Jaz Parks. Throughout the story Jaz has blackouts accompanied by terrifying dreams that include sleep walking, often putting her in perilous situations. Each time, fortunately, someone like Cole or Vayl find her in time to save her. The dreams always concern her twin brother David blaming her for causing the death of his wife Jess as well as Jaz's fiancé Matt. So disturbing are the dreams for Jaz she must solve the mystery behind them before she can give proper attention to the current case. The special connection Jaz has with Vayl strengthens. Since the moment she gave her blood to him, at a time of his desperate need, the intensity of their bond has grown. Although there is a sexual tension in the companionship they enjoy, it remains for now firmly in the background. Through Jaz's barbed humor and salty language the reader is taken on a thrilling action packed adventure.

Jaz and Vayl's latest mission finds them pursuing stolen biotechnology, and saving the world...again. :) Also along for the ride are Cole, Bergman and Cassandra. The group goes undercover at the Corpus Christi Winter festival - fighting reavers, human extremists and dragons. Jaz is still dealing with her unresolved issues and once more the ultimate villain (Samos) proves to be elusive. The thing I adore about this series is the relationship between Jaz and Vayl. They have great chemistry together, but the situation doesn't feel forced or rushed. They are still having misunderstandings, very realistic as he's a vampire and is over 300 years old. At certain points in the book Jaz is somewhat self-involved, and thus there's a delay between Vayl's actions and her grasping what he's about. Unfortunately by the time she's up to speed, he's brooding. It's realistic though, because she's still dealing with the death of her fiance. She's trying to resolve the issues in her sleep, so you have to pick up the cues when surreal stuff starts happening, as she doesn't always realize she's dreaming. Very well written. The dialogue is again snippy, sarcastic, witty and self-depracating and I find Jaz's internal commentary hilarious. The banter between the characters means you are racing through the pages whilst at the same time not wanting it to end. There are so many quips to choose from. "Something was stuck in my throat. If I was a guy, I'd have sworn they were my testicles." My favourite is the 'snippy' comment on p59 of the UK issue. Just like book 1 the story is peppered with moments that make you laugh, wince and surprise you. And for those of you who've read book 1 and remember the hula dancing quote, p3 'belly dancing'. nuff said. We learn more about the other members of the team in this book. Especially Bergman and Cassandra. Though it's not necessarily in what they say, but more in their behaviour and actions towards each other. There's a definite friction between them, which makes for some snappy dialogue. He's very much of the technological and Cassandra is of the magical. There are also things left unresolved here that I think it will be important in upcoming books. Especially Cassandra's vision. Of some concern is that it's hinted Jaz might be developing new powers. Always a bit of a worry in urban fantasy that your hero/heroine is going to be 'The One' and become super-powerful and boring. But that's a concern for a future book. Also available:- Book 1 - Once Bitten, Twice Shy Book 3 - Biting the Bullet

I am a total book addict, I read at least two books a week. I read a lot of this type of book. I keep up with the majority of the most popular series out there right now. (Sookie Stackhouse, Eve Dallas, Joanna Archer (Zodiac series), Joanne Baldwin (Weather Warden series), Dante Valentine, Rachel Morgan, Betsey Taylor (Undead/Unwed series), Aisling Grey, etc. etc.) However, I hate talking the time to write a review. The fact that I'm doing so for this series is a sign that I really, really, like it. Honestly, I've O.D.'d on this genre. I picked up the first book in the series (Once Bitten, Twice Shy) from the library only because I couldn't find anythig better to check out that day. I really wasn't expecting much. Wow! What a nice surprise. The books are smart, action packed and well written. Jaz Parks (the heroine) has a great, snarky sense of humor. Some of her observations and comments had me literally laughing out loud. In addition, I'm a sucker for romance, and the chemistry between Jaz & Vayl is great. If I have any complaints about the series so far it's that it's taking too long for the two of them to REALLY act on their attraction. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to hang in there. I can't wait for the 3rd book to be released. I hope it's as good as these first two have been.

After defeating an ancient demon in ONCE BITTEN, TWICE SHY, CIA field operative Jaz Parks and her vampire partner Vayl have forged a special squad with their new associates they met on the last case. Millennium old Cassandra the seer, technological genius Bergman, and sensitive Cole have joined Jaz and Vayl in hunting down evil doers. Their current assignment is to prevent an invincible Chinese vampire, Chien-Lung from starting WW III. Bergman is especially sensitive to this malevolent being as Chien stole one of his gizmos from the army's White Sands Missile Range, a body armor that has made him unbeatable when combined with his supernatural abilities. Finding this cold blooded killer will not be easy as they also must dispatch the soul stealing Reavers who want to snack on the team members especially Jaz while she goes undercover as a belly dancer in Corpus Christie. They also know somehow malevolent vampire Edward "The Raptor" Samos, who believe he should rule the world, is somewhere in the mix The second Jaz urban fantasy mystery thriller is an exciting tale that grips the audience from the onset. The heroine forges her new team into a cohesive fighting and bickering until, seeks to defeat the evil ones, belly dances at a winter festival and learns more about her relationship as Vayl's avhar than she wants to know. With romance, espionage, and mystery enhancing the fantasy, sub-genre fans will appreciate the adventures and missteps of Jaz and her mates. Harriet Klausner

Jaz Parks is back the whole crew. This time, they're after a Chinese vampire who stole advanced biotech armor. Going undercover as carnival entertainers, Jaz and the gang show off their talents while tracking down rogue vampires. With more action and tougher bad guys, this sequel doesn't disappoint. The storyline is developing through the series installments, as well as character development. Jaz's past begins to haunt her in an extremely dangerous way, creating an intense subplot. And her relationship with her boss, Vayl begins to change as well. With the vivid backdrop of a carnival setting and an array of other-worldly beings, anything can happen. My favorite ingredient to Rardin's series is Jaz Parks' personality. And she's as witty and headstrong as ever.