You're So Vein (The Others, Book 14)

I actually decided not to buy this book based on the negative reviews. Fortunately for me, the book was given as a gift by someone who knew I loved the series. I could not put this book down. The lead characters were funny and exciting AND we got to see characters we loved from the previous books. Is this heroine a B****? Yep, but she's a likeable, hilarious one who has you rooting for her because she has her reasons for being the way she is. Don't miss out on this book!

You're So Vein about Christine Warren is a paranormal romance starring almost eight hundred years old, Dima Rurikovich, and high society model turned agent, Ava Markham. First and foremost with You're So Vein is that Ava is a total snob and b*tch. The only redeeming thing about her is that so does have a few loyal and trustworthy friends who stick by her and love her no matter what. But none of their spouses (all of them are Others: vampires, lupines, changelings, etc.) like her and she is a total b*tch to them. She thinks that they are monsters. One night on her way home from her friend's place, she is attacked and presumably left for dead by a vampire. Except she bit the vampire and is now going to become a vampire herself. She is rescued though by Dima who goes ahead and gives her his blood to help her through the transition, thus making him her sire. Dima, a Russian vampire, is on an undercover assignment from Europe looking for a female vampire who broke out of her prison and is now on a killing spree in New York. When Ava completes the transition, she hits the roof. She has hated vampires and other monsters for a while now, so she doesn't take the news so well, when she finds out that she is a vampire herself. Dima is highly attracted to her and can't figure out why, what with her surly disposition and all. Ava is taken with Dima as well. It doesn't take but a few hours for the chemistry between them to reach explosion levels, and it takes an even shorter amount (ridiculously short amount) of time for Dima to fall in love with Ava. He still has to though find the rogue female vampire who now has set her sights on Ava. While there were things I liked about this novel, the characters were too fleshed out. The chemistry between the hero and heroine could have been built up more before they fell in bed together. And I would have liked to see more sparks fly between the hero and heroine instead of her focusing all of her angst on the spouses of her friends. I give the book 4 stars with the hope that the next Others book is better.

I liked parts of You're So Vein, Ava's story - Ava is the human best friend to all of our favorite 'Other' mates - but there was a lot of unfulfilled promise in this one. One of the things I normally enjoy about Warren's Others series is the incredible tension building between the romantic leads. This build-up is pretty much missing from You're So Vein. The whole story takes place over several days and Ava and her love interest Vladmir (Dima) Rurikovich - though I don't believe she actually ever says the L-word - hook up very quickly after fate steps in and bites the prejudiced Ava on the .... neck. Their connection is very steamy, so this isn't a deal breaker, but this is really a short story romance wrapped in a thin bit of vamp plotting, topped off with a reunion for one of our leading-man 'Others' from the past. Nits aside, the hero Dima very yummy and perhaps that's part of the reason I had nits in the first place - I would have liked to have seen a lot more of the delicious vampire enforcer. It's been quite awhile since I read Fantasy Fix (Fixed, Book 1) so I don't remember Ava that well. (I did make an attempt at FF's revised/re-release One Bite With A Stranger (The Others, Book 6), but I still didn't like the beginning any better than I did in the original - it stuck me as potential serial-killer-creepy instead of sensual). But one thing I have to say about Avas's character here is that Ava is a very unique romantic lead - arrogant, strong, prickly and not at all lovable on the surface, despite her deep sense of loyalty. It was refreshing to see Dima fall for someone like Ava - it's not logical but since Dima admitted that he loves her for all her faults and was perceptive enough to glean the reasons behind them, it was ok. So now, I am itching for the next book Big Bad Wolf (The Others)(which is the reworked ebook Fur Factor finally coming to print.) It stars Missy and werewolf Graham who have been supporting characters throughout Warren's Others series and I can hardly wait to finally get to read their story. I am not a fan of ebooks so I am really excited about this print release.

I fell into this series by accident in August 2008. My mother was in the hospital with Leukemia (RIP mommy) and I had to find a way to pass the time while she slept. Fairie Princess was in their library. I was hooked and subsequently purchased the whole "Other" series. I had this on pre-order and couldn't wait for it to come out. I am very pleased. I love the way all the characters are touched upon, so if you didn't read the other books, you would want to. Ava is fighting a battle within herself, so that is why she is ambivalent. I read this in 1 week and I hope that the lives of the "Others" are brought to life in many more novels to come.

The European Council of Vampires has sent Vladimir "Dima" Rurikovich to America to find the rogue vampire serial killing humans. Although she hates the monsters of the Others, Ava Markham is fortunate that Dima arrives in time to rescue her from the assault of the predator he seeks. However, he failed to arrive in time to prevent her draining and biting. Ava is changing and Dima helps her by giving her his blood. Instead of euphoria, Ava awakens in rage as he has changed her to what she detests most in the world. Almost as bad is her attraction to the eight hundred years old vampire who knows he has found his soulmate, but she prefers ripping out his heart. However, the worst as far as the fledgling is concerned is the demand by a royal vampiress that Ava pledge her loyalty. If a reader was trapped on WALK ON THE WILD SIDE and had to fight an eight century old vampire or the tyro to survive, we would go after Dima. Few characters are as ferociously angry as the heroine, who makes the tale fresh with her shove it up your butt mentality. The arrogant alpha Dima figuratively and literally loses a few gallons of blood while also having his esteem trashed trying to mentor his "Nenaglyadnaya", but knows it is worth every ounce as he will never grow tired of her. Fans will appreciate this super Others urban romantic fantasy. Harriet Klausner