The Sprout

If You Like Dracula And James Bond. . .

Posted by DeadAngelLover22 from Caerphilly - Published on 15/09/2009 at 00:00
3 comments » - Tagged as Creative Writing, Culture, Topical

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This review is about the Jaz Parks collection, well books 1-4 since I haven’t read the other’s yet sorry to say, but I haven’t been able to get my hands on them yet. In this review I am going to discuss how Jennifer Rardin’s books are different to any other Vampire stories you have ever heard/ watched in the cinema or read, This series of books is most known to be Dracula meets James bond and it defiantly does, the story lines are powerful with action and romance.
I’m writing about this series of books, because I really enjoyed reading them, I think they are even better than the Twilight series I but then that’s my opinion. Also within this review i have spoken to the author and shall be getting her opinion of the books, why she wrote them and how she got the ideas.
Once Bitten Twice Shy – Jaz Parks is just an ordinary CIA assassin, or is she, she’s got a new boss called Vayl who asked for her personally, he just happens to be a Vampire, Vayl has never failed a black ops operation and so taking on Jaz could cause trouble, she’s known to get angry and not pay attention when damaging stuff such as crashing cars and so on. Here is a quote from the back of the book itself. “In a world where the bad guys aren’t always human the CIA needs some very specialised help. . .”

At first i read the back of this book and was taken in by it, but it took me awhile to actually get into the storyline, once i did like many other books i was hooked, i love the way Jaz acts like she just dosent care and as you read more into the story you find out why she is that way, i’m not giving too much away but if you like the weird and freaky type of stories with Passion, Action, Love, Loss, Death and so much more i suggest you grab this book and hold onto your loved one’s cause i tell you this can get pretty sad on times and you may be left feeling like you need a hug.

The difference here is simple between James Bond and Dracula you have Buffy/ Twilight/ Sex and The Single Vampire and im sure you can think of many more, Jennifer Rardin brings a Vampire called Vayl (i.e. like Dracula) in with a Assasin called Jaz (i.e like James Bond) and when they are together well sparks do fly, as you read the different books you see the pain and the connectoions, it is quite sad on times and that is why i say you need to keep your loved one near, you'll need that hug.

I asked Jennifer Rardin (The Author) How she came up with the title and the main storyline, she replied as follows:-

“I actually called the first book "Club Undead" until I learned I couldn't use that title because it was too close to one that was already in print. After tons of e-mails containing long, sometimes hilarious, lists of titles, we settled on "Once Bitten, Twice Shy" for several reasons. It's a well-known phrase in America, so we figured it would be easy for readers to remember. It also perfectly describes Jaz's frame of mind romantically speaking. And the inclusion of the word "Bitten" gives reference to our vampire hero, Vayl.

Naturally the characters' line of work frames the plotting quite a bit, so once I decided they'd be assassins for the CIA, I knew any assignment they took on would have to protect national security. Since, at the time, we were all still reeling from the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers in New York, on the Pentagon, and the thwarted attack that ended in a plane crash killing hundreds of American heroes, I felt strongly that Jaz and Vayl's first mission would have to involve conflict with terrorists. Mine are a lot funkier and possibly even scarier than the ones who attacked the US on September 11, but then fiction is all about stretching reality, right?

The story is also about Jaz coming to terms with her own, personal nightmares. But don't get me wrong, it's not paragraph after paragraph of life's-in-the-crapper prose. Because Jaz and her crew turn out to be pretty humorous at times. In fact, the more you get to know them, the funnier they turn out to be. Most of my fans tell me the books make them laugh out loud--which can be somewhat embarrassing if you take them with you on the bus. So be warned!”

The book list is as follows:-
Once Bitten, Twice Shy (Jaz Parks #1)

I’m Jaz Parks. My boss is Vayl, born in Romania in 1744. Died there too, at the hand of his vampire wife, Liliana. But that’s ancient history. For the moment Vayl works for the C.I.A. doing what he does best–assassination. And I help. You could say I’m an Assistant Assassin. But then I’d have to kick your ass.
Our current assignment seemed easy. Get close to a Miami plastic surgeon named Assan, a charmer with ties to terrorism that run deeper than a buried body. Find out what he’s meeting with that can help him and his comrades bring America to her knees. And then close his beady little eyes forever. Why is it that nothing’s ever as easy as it seems?

Another One Bites the Dust – (Jaz Parks #2)

In their latest mission, Jaz and Vayl are sent to kill an ancient Chinese vamp who’s stolen a vital piece of biotechnology. The catch? They’re undercover as street performers…and Jaz has to bellydance.

Biting The Bullet – (Jaz Parks #3)
The Raptor, the CIA’s longtime nemesis, is back. Jaz Parks and her vampire boss Vayl are asked to join her brother David’s special ops team to take him down. But when her spirit guide tells her that she’s being lead to the wrong man, and she starts asking the wrong questions, her life — and her job– are threatened. And the one person who can help her–her boss– is off on a wild goose chase. Add to the mix a pack of reavers bent on revenge along with a small army of desert monsters, and BITING THE BULLET will take you so close to the edge of your seat you may want to leave a pillow on the floor just in case.

Bitten to Death (Jaz Parks #4)

Jaz Parks and her vampire boss, Vayl, have already fought demons, vampires, and reavers. Now, juggling work and family takes on a new dimension as she tackles her latest challenge: nail the Raptor before he can reduce her to Jaz-bits, survive a head-on crash with Vayl’s violent past, and lever her twin’s military career back on track before a dishonorable discharge ruins his life. To top it off, she must also contend with her father’s issues. Is he losing his mind? Or is someone really trying to kill him – from beyond the grave?

One More Bite (Jaz Parks #5)
Jaz and Vayl have been assigned to travel to Inverness to prevent an assassination that has the potential to upset the balance between the west coast vampire nests and allow another Raptor to emerge. In the power vacuum left by Edward “the Raptor” Samos’ death, a struggle for supremacy has begun between his former allies: The Coven of Inverness, the Valencian Weres and The Flock. The struggle takes on a new twist when Pete learns that the Valencians have hired an assassin to take out the Coven’s leader, a powerful witch named Floraidh Halsey. Jaz and Vayl must stalk a killer as wily and Gifted as themselves as they travel through the wild, stark beauty of the Highlands. Their travels also bring new heights to their romance, a new depth to their passion, and a bond they are both, at last, willing to seal.

Bite Marks (Jaz Parks #6)
Jaz is possessed. After biting the neck of a domyter during a forced visit to his territory, she now has unwelcome voices in her head. While fighting for supremacy in her own mind, she finds herself confronted with a near-impossible task: perform perfectly on her next mission or face the unemployment line.

Below is the website where you can find out more about these books and the author
http://www.jenniferrardin.com/