Partners (Laws of the Blood, Book 2)

Char McCairn is the Enforcer. Her job is to enforce the Laws of the Blood, the rules and regulations all vampires must live by or run the risk of being exterminated. She is approached a nest leader to track down a young renegade vampire. It seems the young vampire hasn't quite learned all the rules of survival and has taken off on his own. Should be an easy job for the Enforcer, but there is one little problem. Char has received orders to get rid of Jebel Haven, a vampire hunter. Why is this a problem? Well, apparently Char hasn't had to enforce the laws before now and isn't quite sure how to go about taking out Jebel Haven. So as any smart woman would do, she sets aside the big problem of Jebel and decides to work on the small problem first to get some experience. Practice makes perfect, right? Jebel Haven used to be the scum of the earth. You name it, he did it including spending time in prison. A chance encounter with some vampires bent on destruction changed his life. Now he has teamed up with some friends to rid the world of vampires. Unwillingly, but at the urging of his buddy, he has agreed to help track down the runaway son of a FBI agent. This is quite a turn around for our former criminal, working within the law instead of against it. As fate has an interesting way of intervening, Char and Jebel find out they are looking for the same runaway. The missing teen is now a vampire and someone needs to stop him before he does any more damage. Putting aside differences, (and unknown to Jebel, Char's orders to execute him) the two team up only to become aware they have bigger problems on their hands then they first thought. Something is out there that your worst nightmare doesn't compare to. Jebel and Char have to stop it before it gains control of Seattle, both humans and vampires. This is my second book by Susan Sizemore, and so happens her second book in the Laws of Blood series (never let it be said I read anything in the proper order since I read the third book first). It doesn't disappoint. While not as hard-hitting or dark as her third book Companions, Partners is just as compelling. I loved the fact that the Enforcer was new to the job and not quite sure how to handle things. Jebel maybe our hero of the book, but let's face it, he definitely not the stuff heroes are made of. While the story is definitely dark and violent, there are some almost lighthearted moments that keeps the story moving. Being a romantic fan, I loved the relationship between Char and Jebel. For those of you who don't like the romance angle, rest assure there is plenty of blood and gore to keep your interest.

Partners by Susan Sizemore is the second in the Laws of Blood series. I read and enjoyed the first book in the series, but Partners is a much better book than the first, The Hunt. You don't have to read the The Hunt to enjoy this book, but it does give a lot of background on the Stigoi community.Partners deals with a young enforcer coming to terms with her new powers and a vampire killer with a criminal past coming to terms with his thoughts on 'monsters'. The Hunt is suspenseful, violent, sexy and often funny. If you are a fan of the Anita Blake series by Laurell K. Hamilton, I think you'll LOVE this book. :)

In my review for Susan Sizemore's previous book, "The Hunt," I said that she introduced too many concepts without enough explanation, and gave us too many characters without taking enough time to develop them all. I am happy to say that these are not mistakes she makes in her second book--indeed, in almost every way, the second book is a tighter, more focused story--a delight to devour!A quick note: while this is technically a sequel to "The Hunt," there are very few references between the two--you don't really have to have read the first one to understand the second, though you'll get more out of it for the extra little details you'll notice.Once again, this is the story of an Enforcer--the judge, jury, and executioners of vampire law. But instead of the experienced Selim of the previous book, we are introduced to Char, a young, bookish, lady vampire who tries to see herself as a superhero who occasionally has to eat people (but finds jokes about such activites in poor, ahem, taste). Because she is new to the job, we learn as she does, giving us a more complete world-view and understanding of what it means to be a vampire, and an Enforcer. Char is sent to Seattle to look for a newly-created vampire who has gone missing. Seattle holds a great deal of memories for the Enforcer, however--it was her home town, when she was human, and it's where she and her lover/sire lived in happier times. Char must come to grips with all these memories and jumbled emotions, while at the same time try and find out what is behind the recent string of horrific murders that have taken place there--is her missing vampire to blame?On the opposite side of Char, we have Jebel Haven, a vampire hunter whose own origin story sounds like a take-off of the movie "From Dusk Till Dawn." He is approached by a worried FBI agent, who is afraid her son has fallen in with a serial killer. His trail also leads him to Seattle, where he will quickly have to decide if all vampires are monsters that need to be killed--or if there are worse things than vampires to worry about. Excellent, nicely-paced book--I can't wait for the next one!

This is a vampire-lover's vampire book, make no mistake -- blood is shed, blood is savored, and an arsenal of weapons are put to good use, from stakes and silver daggers to shotguns and a chainsaw. Given the right director, this book would make a FANTASTIC action-adventure film!But more important than the dark and dangerous setting -- Seattle threatened by a demon-led cult -- and more memorable, are the fascinating characters. Char, the young Enforcer, worries about doing justice to her first field assignment. She's confident in her abilities as researcher and scholar, but now she has to go one step further, and fulfill the duty of every Enforcer, when called to defend vampire society and its Laws, to be judge, jury -- and, if warrented, executioner. Jebel, former convict, current crusader against the forces of evil, runs headlong into a conflict between his straightforward defitions of "right" and "wrong" and the much more complicated, and messy, reality of the underworld in which Char lives and works.Every one of the supporting characters in the book -- a former vampire Companion, Jebel's vampire-hunting buddy, an FBI agent, cult members, a lost vampire fledgling -- is a well-rounded, intriguing individual in his or her own right, people you won't soon forget.If you enjoy wit and humor and penetrating insight into human nature and our definitions of good and evil, all gleefully intermixed with an exciting horror-mystery adventure, buy this book now! Buy two, and give one to a friend! You'll smile, you'll worry, you'll cheer -- and you'll end up well satisfied by a tale wonderfully told.

Jebel Haven used to be the lowest scum of the earth until the former con found his true calling of killing vampires and other creatures of the night. He and his compatriots make their kills in a cloak of darkness that keeps other mortals ignorant of their deadly tasks. However, the Vampire Council is well aware of his success rate and fears he could turn into a bigger problem for them. The Chief orders the relatively new enforcer Char now a Nighthawk, to terminate Jebel.Before she can hunt her prey, a vampire mother visits Char to tell her that one of her nestlings Danny has vanished. At about the same time, FBI agent Brenda Novak coerces Jebel into helping her find her missing son Danny. Eventually Char and Jebel meet in Seattle and each wants to kill the other at first. However despite their mutual distrust of each other, they join forces to find Danny and battle a cult and its demon to the death.Once again, Susan Sizemore has created a fantastic vampire story that brings fresh life to the Nosferatu legends. The action is intense, but easy to follow, which is a tribute to Ms. Sizemore's storytelling abilities. However, the heart of this work lies in the protagonists, two partners who find themselves in a very shaky business relationship and alliance. These two natural enemies not only are attracted to one another, but are also struggling against a common opponent. The "Laws of the Blood" series is deservedly becoming a cult favorite.Harriet Klausner