Bitten and Smitten (Immortality Bites Series #1)

Astounding new series!

Three words for the quickie review. 'I. Love. It!' I hate to say it, and all you Anita Blake and Southern Vampire and Carpathian addicts out there -- don't stake me. This (and its sequel) are my favorite paranormal romance books. (Oh, wait, oops, I probably just offended said Anita Blake audience by lumping the books under that heading. Oopsies -- but I'll go into that when I do my Hamilton reviews...) Why? Because, and I'll just take Bitten and Smitten and not sequel Fanged and Fabulous in this review... it's *not* a true paranormal romance. It has this little thing called plot. And believability. And it's a damned good plot. With bite. I'll stop punning one of these days. One thing I won't ever forget from a writing panel at a sci-fi convention I went to a few years back was a comment an author made about catching a reader right off the bat, and not to take half an hour of reading time to introduce every character before any action strikes. Damn. Does Ms. Rowen take that advice, or what? I love it! Sarah Dearly is a secretary. Er, executive assistant. Then she goes on a bad blind date and ends up in a cemetery. Hmm. Then, quickfire, the local hunter crowd wants to stake her and a hunky vampire rescues her. Ohhh yeah, this book's gonna be good. And it also should be in Toronto's travel packet. I want to go see Toronto now. Heh. Yes, I'm biased. Yes, I love Thierry, Sarah's vamp 'flame'. Yes, I want him... to get with Sarah. Yes, that really was what I originally planned to type. Really it was! Thierry has all the makings to be a 'generic' dark and brooding master-vampire-Angel character. But he's more... human than that. He's got dark and brooding and sexy down, but there's something different. There's an almost, dare I say it... boyish charm to him? And he's really a pain in the ass who does his share of stupid, masculine things. But I love him anyway. The thing that I kept getting through the book is how damned believable it is! No, we're not dealing with the oh-so-soulless Buffy vampires, or the complex and twisted universes where the world has to be 'altered' to let vampires have their play-room. These are real people that are vampires who can sun on a Mexico beach and show up in photographs. All the side characters, all the main characters. Michelle Rowen 'gets' it. Characters that take lots of interesting twists and turns. Though I must wonder -- will Sarah go through a few psychological issues where all her friends end up fangy? Clearly it's not the end of the world, but no more pasta? Ow. That's gotta bite. (I promise to stop punning. Soon.) Also, for the record, I adore Quinn. I am of Sarah's mold -- made for Thierry, but Quinn is... hot in an irresistably sexy-hunter-gone-sympathetic-character way. I'm just glad drooling is allowed for both, and unlike her, I don't really have to decide. Thank God. Oh, yeah, before I forget, I like the 'shard' concept. Like, love it. Heh. And yes, for those that must have their were-thing fix -- we have a werewolf. We do have a werewolf. absolutely adore that name, too. Barkley. And we get Buffyverse mentions! In a word, w00t! Okay, I'll stop, and try not to gush and give away the entire book, but... twists and turns and more twists in an exciting plot that doesn't devolve at all as the novel goes on. Like the eternally-cliche energizer bunny, it keeps going and going and going... and the only disappointing part when it ends only in that it has ended! (Which is why there's 'Fanged and Fabulous'. Go buy it so you can jump from one book to the next with no pain.) The ending, too? Love the ending. And the book hits a good, 'you-start-to-panic' climax, too. In short, I love it! The book rocks. Go buy it. To the author: Fangs for this book!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Great Fun and a Biting Wit!

I was browsing for almost an hour when I finally found this book and I'm so glad I did! It was such a great read -- witty, clever, dark, romantic. Loved the heroine Sarah. She was self-reliant, tough and completely sassy. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes the 'chick lit' genre or a fun, light, paranormal read.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Bitten and Smitten

Sarah knew her date with Gordon was going badly, but really, when he starts burying her in a grave, that is going too far. Still, she didn't mean for the guys she met in the graveyard and asked for help in escaping the psycho who claimed they were both vampires to kill him, much less go after her! Her first bit of good luck is meeting Thierry, who also happens to be a vampire, and suicidal, but is willing to help her adjust to this new life that facts simply force her to accept. Suddenly, Sarah finds vampires or hunters everywhere she goes. Her problems continue to pile up she is fired for attacking her boss, her friends and family are being affected by her little lifestyle change, and she's been accused of dating everyone but the guy she wants to date, Thierry. Now, a vampire hunter turned vampire wants to find the cure for them both, no matter what the price, and Sarah has to find a way to stop the fallout from the guy's crisis. This has got to be the worst week of her life. ..................... ***** Ms. Rowen has created a laugh out loud new version of the vampire legend. Whether or not there will be a sequel is not clear, as the story's loose ends all seem to be tied up neatly. Whether Sarah's adventures continue or not, this is a writer to watch. *****

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Fun vampire book !

This book is a kick. I laughed out loud. FInally, I found in a book what is missing from the ever-so-popular MaryJanice Davidson's endeavors = real spunk and terrific wit. Fun dialogue. Witty situations. No gory old-fashioned details about vamps, or sex scenes that don't fit the story. Highly recommended for folks who like a light read and real page-turner. An author to watch for in the future.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

terrific vampiric chick lit tale

Her blind date Gordon Richards is tossing a dirt sandwich on Sarah Dearly in a gravesite at a cemetery. She thinks he is lunatic, but he reminds her that he offered her eternity and bit her in the neck. He claims she belongs to him as her vampiric creator, but Sarah assumes the word lunatic is not strong enough. That is until the hunters arrive and kill Gordon. --- Sarah flees into what she thought was the night, only to end up in the arms of another crazy person claiming to be a vampire, six century old Thierry de Bennicoeur. She soon realizes that she was changed and her only hope to survive remains Thierry as her bloodsucking mentor. Meanwhile someone has sold out the vampires to the hunters who are killing them one at a time. Sarah falls in love with her teacher, but he insists it is time for him to die once he uncovers and kills the traitor. She has waited a lifetime for love so, refusing to allow Thierry to not exist, she plans to teach him a thing about life. --- BITTEN & SMITTEN is a terrific vampiric chick lit tale filled with biting humor due to the caring antics of Sarah who goes from one calamity to another. She is the Perils of Pauline of the undead and other paranormal species while Thierry is her reluctant Dudley Do-Right always coming to the rescue when all he wants is to end his existence. Ironically, he has eternity to do so except he seems to spend all of his time kissing, biting, or saving the newest bloodsucker. Readers who appreciate a witty lighthearted supernatural romantic romp will want to read this fun tale of love and rescue amongst the night crowd. --- Harriet Klausner

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

I'll keep trying

I've read four other Michelle Rowen books which I loved and could not put down. This one I had a hard time keeping focused on. I found at times that Sarah's actions twanged the nerves. I'll still stay with the series because I think the author is a really good one. I just would put this one at the end of my list of her books to recommend.

A great read

Great for young adults who like vampire's and sex and the city

Cute & Hilarious Story

The lead character, Sarah Dearly, just can't catch a break! Her best friend sets her up on a blind date who just so happens to be a crazy vampire who is enthralled by Sarah and wants to spend eternity with her. As if the night couldn't get any worse right? WRONG... As she's running for her life from one danger she quickly runs into another, vampire hunters! They murder Sarah's sire and she's next! Until she meets Theirry, the ancient vampire master who despite his suicidal thoughts, saves her! This is a very cute story and will reel you in. The read goes very fast and will have you laughing out loud! There isn't any inappropriate behavior in it so it would be okay for teens to read also

Bitten & Smitten

The idea of this book is what sparked my interest--A girl, on a blind date, being turned into a vamp against her will. For some reason, the plot caught my eye. But, I read the book because I've read Michelle Rowen's Demon Princess series for YA's and I loved it.
This book wasn't much different! It was exciting and new, and I really enjoyed it! I finished it in about five hours (reading non-stop), and I thought that each page flowed smoothly and was written nicely.
The first chapter is action packed, and I was thinking 'Wow' by the second paragraph! I don't want to give too much away, but the main character, Sarah, waking up in a grave is definitely new...and cool!
Sarah was a funny character: always finding something to joke about in even the worse situations had me laughing out loud on numerous accounts.
Overall, this is a very cute, fast story that should captivate fans of anything 'vampire'. I know it did me.

Its cute... nothing more than a lite read

It is a cute story. lite reading material. really easy to go along in the story. I wouldn't really consider it a romance story, for the fact that it hardly has any romance in it. The ending is off, she should have done more with the characters together before they professed there un-dieing love for each other. Its off for me. the action is interesting and graphic. It is a thriller more then anything. I probably won't read the rest of the series because of this book.

Main guy not strong enough!

Although this book did make me laugh and the plot was ok, I didn't think the main male character was strong enough. Too depressing. But all said I will read more by this author eventually.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Don't waste your money

I didn't like this book at all! If you are a true vampire fan you would see where this book falls short. Vampires aren't weak in strength or intelligence. The plot was weak as well I knew who the traitor was before it was revealed by Sarah. I¿m sorry but this book will be going to the second hand book store and will not be added to my collection of vampire books.

0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Page Turner... Great Read

This book was excellent. It had romance and action plus the plot twists was very interesting.. I recommend this book to any one and everyone..

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

I can't recommend this book enough!

This author is fabulous and the book is brilliant! I can't recommend it enough. It has everything a book needs. A little romance, a great sense of humor, and non-stop action. Fans of Katie MacAlister's Aisling Grey series, and Mary Janice Davidson's Betsy Taylor series will be in heaven with this book.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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