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A review by alesia_charles
Blood Bath & Beyond by Michelle Rowen
2.0
I wanted to like this book more than I did. In fact, I wanted to want to finish it. But alas, all I could come up with was a big "ho hum."
I did think the author was being a bit daring by starting her series after the heroine and the romantic lead had hooked up. Apparently, according to Sarah, it was quite the adventure - what with her being turned into a vampire and pursued by "hunters" and falling for a much older vampire named Thierry. The actual novel, though, starts when Thierry gets an assignment in Las Vegas, just like the cover blurb says.
I also kind of thought the pint-sized century-old vampire trying to make a living as a beauty pageant contestant was an interesting touch. (Though I also thought that perhaps modern vampire enthusiasts don't read Interview with the Vampire any more.)
And I'm of two minds about the Sarah + Thierry relationship. It seems to be very secure and healthy ... except for the part where vampires of Thierry's age can lose control when they get really upset. Ooookay then.
But. I'm really not a big fan of the idea that vampires and vampire-hunters can be running around the world and nobody but them knows about it. I mean, okay, these are the kind of vampires who can live just fine sipping from glasses of blood acquired (somehow) from blood donors, but they also need an organization dedicated to keeping themselves more or less in line. As in not murdering people. But apparently they don't have a system for helping support people like the 6-year-old pageant girl, who obviously can't hold down a job. And the vampire hunters? Self-appointed vigilantes run around killing people and every last one of them is great at keeping secrets? Suuure.
And then there's the plot. I didn't sign up to see Sarah make a foolish mistake and get herself captured by the vampire hunters. She'd given me the impression that she'd learned how to take care of herself, but instead she lurks outside their hangout for hours on end? Nuh. This is where I put the book down, and I just couldn't be bothered to pick it up again.
I guess I'm just not up for a wacky vampire mystery-type novel. It might actually be amusing to people who like the vampire genre more than I do - as long as they don't mind a book that doesn't take itself too seriously. But for me, well, it's gone back to the public library.
I did think the author was being a bit daring by starting her series after the heroine and the romantic lead had hooked up. Apparently, according to Sarah, it was quite the adventure - what with her being turned into a vampire and pursued by "hunters" and falling for a much older vampire named Thierry. The actual novel, though, starts when Thierry gets an assignment in Las Vegas, just like the cover blurb says.
I also kind of thought the pint-sized century-old vampire trying to make a living as a beauty pageant contestant was an interesting touch. (Though I also thought that perhaps modern vampire enthusiasts don't read Interview with the Vampire any more.)
And I'm of two minds about the Sarah + Thierry relationship. It seems to be very secure and healthy ... except for the part where vampires of Thierry's age can lose control when they get really upset. Ooookay then.
But. I'm really not a big fan of the idea that vampires and vampire-hunters can be running around the world and nobody but them knows about it. I mean, okay, these are the kind of vampires who can live just fine sipping from glasses of blood acquired (somehow) from blood donors, but they also need an organization dedicated to keeping themselves more or less in line. As in not murdering people. But apparently they don't have a system for helping support people like the 6-year-old pageant girl, who obviously can't hold down a job. And the vampire hunters? Self-appointed vigilantes run around killing people and every last one of them is great at keeping secrets? Suuure.
And then there's the plot. I didn't sign up to see Sarah make a foolish mistake and get herself captured by the vampire hunters. She'd given me the impression that she'd learned how to take care of herself, but instead she lurks outside their hangout for hours on end? Nuh. This is where I put the book down, and I just couldn't be bothered to pick it up again.
I guess I'm just not up for a wacky vampire mystery-type novel. It might actually be amusing to people who like the vampire genre more than I do - as long as they don't mind a book that doesn't take itself too seriously. But for me, well, it's gone back to the public library.