Amazon discontinued the ability to create images using their SiteStripe feature and in their infinite wisdom broke all previously created images on 12/31/23. Many blogs used this feature, including this one. Expect my archives to be a hot mess of broken book cover images until I can slowly comb through 20 years of archives to make corrections.

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Random Romance Sunday: Wendy Vs. The Vampires

The Book: Just One Sip by Katie MacAlister, Jennifer Ashley & Minda Webber

The Particulars: Love Spell, 2006, In Print

The Blurb:
Bring Out Your Dead by Katie MacAllister

Battling a demon lord is all in a day's work for the Dark One named Sebastian. But now he must take on a horde of unhappy zombies and an obnoxious teen vampire if he wants to win the hand of the one woman who can make him whole.

Viva Las Vampires by Jennifer Ashley

A sunbathing vamp in Vegas? Meredith Black is absolutely positive the tanned god with the gorgeous smile couldn't have possibly made her his for eternity with just one glance. But he'll sure have fun proving it.

Lucy and the Crypt Casanova by Minda Webber

Talk show host Lucy Campbell has made a career of interviewing Druid witches, trolls, and an occasional goblin. But now she wants more. Only she wasn't expecting to get involved with a vampire detective who has a slight incubus problem.
Is It In Wendy's TBR?: Nope, I apparently have read it. I was trolling around The Romance Reader archives and stumbled across this one. I didn't remember it, so clicked on my review - at which point it all came rushing back to me like I had just read it yesterday.

Any Reviews?: A treasure trove!

The Romance Reader (uh, this would be my review) gave it 2 Hearts (equivalent to a D grade):
With Katie MacAlister leading the pack, it’s safe to assume that this latest vampire anthology is going to fall under the “light-hearted” and “humorous” umbrella. Unfortunately it also falls under the “infuriating” and “brain-melting” ones as well.
All About Romance (Lisa handled the duties here) was kinder with a C+:
While there were some problems, I wouldn’t take back choosing this one. It might have averaged slightly above mediocre, but each author has a good voice and a novel take on the myth.
The gushing (Get it? Gushing? Vampires? Ha!) is saved for the more mainstream review publications. Publisher's Weekly said:
...this fast, funny and twisty collection proves good to the last drop.
And Booklist says:
All three tales are entertaining and enjoyable, and it is a delight to see nongruesome takes on vampires.
Booklist and PW reviews can be found in full at Amazon.

Anything Else?
: Not really. The first paragraph from my TRR review pretty much says it all. Although I will add that Katie MacAlister is still churning out titles in her Dark Ones series, so if you're hooked on it, this anthology may be worth your time if you're anal about continuity.

2 comments:

Kristie (J) said...

Funny vampire romances are at the bottom of my list of books I ever want to read. So this is one I will never be getting.

JamiSings said...

Aw Kristie, don't write off funny vampire romances off entirely. Blood Is The New Black was pretty good. Though a lot of vampires in that were vicious.

Best part - the heroine finds out that vampires, who, BTW, control the fashion and modeling industries, are the reason models are urged to be painfully thin and the heroine says how evil they are.