Lover's Bite (Wings in the Night, Book 2)

I'm so hooked on this series, so glad Jack in now officially in Reaper's gang. I can't wait to see what happens with Briar... will she turn to the good side like Jack did or will she be Reaper's doom?? I can't wait!!

I love this series of books from Maggie Shayne. Vampire and paranormal books are my favorites starting with Anne Rice. I have read this entire series and love it. The characters are believable and draw you in as do the stories. What i hate now is that i have to wait for her to write the next one.

Oh lordy, did I ever enjoy this one! Out of all of them, IMO, this one's tops. In the last book, you get the sense that Topaz is the spoiled, rich girl. This one may begin that way, but you quickly find out that it's far from the truth. Topaz isn't some spoiled brat, a rich girl that everyone else gets the sense of, but rather a sad, lonely, confused woman who feels cheated and unlovable. There's a depth to her anguish that has the reader sympathizing with her completely. Jack sticks to her like glue, for his own con man reasons, telling himself that he's not in love with her, no matter what his feelings are. He learns the truth - when it's almost too late. By trying to pull the biggest con of his life, he sets in motion what happens throughout the novel. Excellent action and suspense, twists you don't see coming and the most perfect ending have me on pins and needles for the next novel, Angel's Pain, which isn't due out until October 2008. The four-month wait may just make me pull out a few hairs, LOL!

With a respite from the Gregor hunt and while her teammates are occupied elsewhere, royal vampiress Tanya "Topaz" DuFrane decides the opportunity to learn more about her roots is now. She knows her mom was movie star Mirabella DuFrane, who was murdered in an unsolved case and that four men claim fatherhood. Ironically she thinks none stepped forward when she was an infant with no mother. Topaz plans to bring her brand of justice to the unknown killer. Vampire Jack Heart insists on assisting Topaz who wants nothing to do with the rogue as he broke her heart and absconded with a half million dollars of her money the last time he helped her. She distrusts him and cannot afford the fee for his services especially in the bedroom, but figures she is safer to keep your known enemy close when you are at war. As they investigate the cold case, she fears déjà vu is happening all over again as he steals her heart and who knows what else from her. Few writers can combine humor, romance, and the paranormal in action-packed yet character driven thrillers like Maggie Shayne consistently achieves (see her Twilight tales). Her latest winner is a terrific romantic suspense vampire investigative thriller that never slows down from start to finish as Topaz needs to know and act once she knows. She quickly learns she don't know Jack who is a loving rogue with a deep need to keep her safe while also trying to con a few zillion bucks out of his princess. Fans will enjoy this excellent tale as Topaz fears her LOVER'S BITE comes with a high price that to her chagrin she wants to pay. Harriet Klausner

"Lover's Bite" starts where "Demon's Kiss"( Seth & Vixen) left off. In "Demon's Kiss" Maggie introduced us to a very bizarre league of characters. Seth, a young kid, newly turned, who idolizes Reaper, ex-CIA agent turned Vampire) without actually realizing he is doing it. Vixen, a shape shifting Fox, that is turned against her will. She was held captive and tortured by Gregor, and the Vampiress Briar. Topaz is introduced into the mix as the bastard daughter of a dead movie star who is taken in by a confidence man-Vampire Jack Heart-who not only takes Topaz for millions, but steals her heart as well. At the end of "Demon's Kiss" we all know that 1. Seth and Vixen are in love. 2. Briar and Reaper definitely have a thing going for each other-but where will it lead and will Briar mend her evil ways now that Gregor has shown that he looked upon her as expendable. 3. Will Topaz ever be able to forgive Jack Heart for breaking her heart and is Jack actually sincere or just running another scam on Topaz. In the beginning of" Lover's Kiss" -Briar is withdrawal because Gregor tortured her, and uncooperative because Reaper has decided that instead of charging on to find Gregor, it would be in everyone's best interest to disperse-leaving him alone. There is still someone besides Gregor who is helping the CIA find him, and he doesn't want any of the Vampires or chosen surrounding him to be caught in the crossfire. Topaz has decided to go to California and find out more about her dead mother and who might have killed her. Jack insists on trailing behind her. Reaper still doesn't completely trust Briar so he keeps her with him. Throughout most of the book I was never quite sure if Jack intended harm to Reaper or not. He was giving the CIA information on Reaper's movements and this kept Reaper on the move. Jack was definitely playing a con on the CIA-but was he informing on Reaper for money, to get more information on Topaz's dead mother, or just because he had been a confidence man so long-it was all he knew? A few chapters into this I thought the story would be pretty cut and dry-but the further I read, the more thrilled and fascinated I became, because Maggie never does fail to amaze and delight me. The action moved from what seemed logical, to consequences and situations I could not have foreseen-and just kept me guessing, and second guessing until the action-packed ending. I simply adore Maggie Shayne's novels, don't get me wrong, and more than a few of my friends know that I found "Demon's Kiss" entertaining, but not exactly one of my favorites. I found Vixen too child-like and Seth too goodie to shoes, but having read "Demon's Kiss" before "Lover's Bite", I can only say that "Demon's kiss" was a fantastic way to introduce this group of new Vampires . And in "Lover's Bite"-Seth and Vixen fit right in with Briar and Reaper, Roxy and Ilyana (the two chosen) and the nutcase (as Briar refers to her)-Crisa. One character complimented the next, and moved this