CROUCHING TIGER, FORBIDDEN VAMPIRE is book number sixteen
in the Love at Stake series by Kerrelyn Sparks.
It's a
quick and light paranormal romance read. It is presented
by the publisher as the exciting conclusion to the series,
although the author's blurb at the end of the book
says, "With the end of Russell's story, I'll be bringing
the series to a close, a temporary one, perhaps, since I
still have a few plans."
Russell is a former Marine who awakens from a thirty nine-
year long coma, only to discover that his friends and
family are long dead, he's lost his home, and he's a
vampire. He's been working, mostly alone, for years to
find and kill Han, the master vampire who turned him.
Poor
Russell has been living in an isolated cave, stealing
supplies and tracking down Han as a lone cowboy in search
of his revenge. He's well, if superficially, presented as
the archetypal lone man making a stand against evil, only
to find he has more friends than he realized.
Jia is a tiger shifter princess. Han killed her family,
and Jia is determined to be the one to extract vengeance
for her family as well as the countless others that Han
has
killed. Jia insists that she can help Russell, and
inserts
herself into his plans over and over. Russell finally
gives in, I think in exasperation over the tempting but
not
very bright kitten who thinks she is a big, bad tiger, and
agrees that they can partner to destroy Han. Russell
insists, though, that this partnership will be strictly
business. Mmmm, who wants to take bets as to whether
they'll stay platonic?!
Jia and Russell do manage to find Han, fall in love in the
process, and there is much typical Sparks hilarity along
the way. Familiarity with the previous books is not
necessary, but helps with the stroll down memory lane, as
a
number of dead villains from prior books are present in
the
final battle scene. At the finale, most of the heroes and
heroines from the earlier books also make cameo
appearances. References to VANNA (Vampire Artificial
Nutritional Needs Appliance a type of inflatable blood
donor doll) as well as Blisky, a mix of blood and whiskey,
and a number of other inside jokes are trotted out.
To me,
the book fell victim to the desire to bring back all the
old characters, like so many TV show finales do, at the
expense of the storyline. CROUCHING TIGER, FORBIDDEN
VAMPIRE
is very much a wrap-up book, throwing in all the
main characters and the kitchen sink.
New York Times bestselling author Kerrelyn Sparks delivers
the exciting conclusion in the Love at Stake series, where
a
Marine-turned-vampire finds love with the shifter princess
forbidden to him . . .
Russell wakes from a coma to find he's become a vampire.
Now
he has a thirst for revenge. Determined to hunt down the
master vampire who turned him, he's used to working alone
.
. . until he meets Jia. She is after the same vampire for
murdering her parents and insists she can help Russell on
this mission. Reluctantly, he agrees, and sets up some
ground rules:
Rule #1: Their partnership is strictly business. If he
holds
her a little too close . . . if she looks at him with
those
exotic eyes . . . well, that has to stop.
Rule #2: He's in charge. Jia isn't used to taking orders
and
questions every move he makes. So he stops her the only
way
he knows how.
Rule #3: Don't fall in love. But the kiss that was
supposed
to quiet her awakens something else in him . . . something
forbidden. Because Jia is engaged. To someone else.
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