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Jaz Parks #7
Bitten in Two
Jaz Parks here. I. Am. Pissed. Just as Vayl and I arrive in Morocco to secure an ancient artifact, he wakes up calling me by another woman's name. And it's not even a good one. But since any form of argument transforms him into an unholy terror, I'm forced to play along until the gang and I can figure out what kind of power has so vastly altered his perceptions.So it's time for me to do what any well-trained assassin in my position might do. I attack. What follows is a hair-raising, breath-taking bullet train ride to the finish as the crew battles on multiple fronts. I now know what I have to do - I must return to hell one last time.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 8, 2010
28 people are currently reading
1706 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Rardin
19 books891 followersI’ve spent all my life in the Midwest, which has certainly shaped my perspective on all kinds of issues, from the question of whether or not we really have an accent, to the many and varied uses of corn.
I was born in Evansville, Indiana on April 28, 1965. Mom tells me almost every year what crappy weather it was that day. However I like to think of my birthday as the first frost-free date for my planting area. See what happens when you grow up around farmers? Scary, huh?
After a youth spent up to my eyeballs in fairy tales, nordic myths and supernatural legends I made the solid and practical decision to go to college and major in English. After which I never really held a well paying job until this gig came along! Which is why my kids love to sing that song to me from the musical “Avenue Q.” The one that begins with the line, “What do you do with a B.A. in English?”
Once I figured out the answer to that question, I wrote Once Bitten, Twice Shy. Now my laptop is my constant companion. We reside in an old farmhouse along with my husband and our two teenagers. No pets since the cat died last winter, but the birds seem to appreciate his absence. They come to feast at the feeders while I write on the back porch in the cool of the morning. Lovely.
I was born in Evansville, Indiana on April 28, 1965. Mom tells me almost every year what crappy weather it was that day. However I like to think of my birthday as the first frost-free date for my planting area. See what happens when you grow up around farmers? Scary, huh?
After a youth spent up to my eyeballs in fairy tales, nordic myths and supernatural legends I made the solid and practical decision to go to college and major in English. After which I never really held a well paying job until this gig came along! Which is why my kids love to sing that song to me from the musical “Avenue Q.” The one that begins with the line, “What do you do with a B.A. in English?”
Once I figured out the answer to that question, I wrote Once Bitten, Twice Shy. Now my laptop is my constant companion. We reside in an old farmhouse along with my husband and our two teenagers. No pets since the cat died last winter, but the birds seem to appreciate his absence. They come to feast at the feeders while I write on the back porch in the cool of the morning. Lovely.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
April 5, 2011
When we last left our heroine Jaz Parks and her team, they were battling gnomes in Australia. In this book, Jaz and the gang are in Morocco. Their mission: Find the Rocenz, a demon hammer and chisel. Their handicap: Vayl seems to think that he is Lord Brancoveanu and the year is 1777. This leads to some rather interesting situations and puts a strain on Jaz and Vayl’s relationship.
Once again the team is assembled. Bergman is still on gadget duty. He is tinkering with Astral the robokitty who now has an awesome play list in addition to offensive and defensive skills. Bergman has died his hair blond in the hopes of attracting more women like Cole. Cole, the babe magnet, in his trademark red high-tops has made an action figure prototype of himself. Cassandra is sitting out this mission in Miami, dog sitting Jack the dog. New additions to the team are Khypas the demon who has been promised the souls of the Oversight Committee as well as Brude. Sterling the wizard has also agreed to help out. Jaz had to wheel and deal to convince him to come out – a brand new guitar and 24 hours of uninterrupted play time on the Wii. I love the banter between the characters. Each character has his or her own strengths, eccentricities, and agendas.
Vayl or Lord Brancoveanu as he is known in 1777 thinks that Cole and Jaz are the married Mr. and Mrs. Borgia. He believes that Bergman is his ward Helena. What an interesting way of giving the reader information about Vayl’s early days. Vayl was a ruthless vampire, feeding on humans. He was also not a very nice man, but he took care of Helena and kept her from some werewolves.
It is heartbreaking to watch Vayl not acknowledge Jaz. The rejection weighs heavily upon her. When Jaz is near Vayl, he calls her Mrs. Borgia and expects her to act as his servant. In addition to the rejection, she is being weakened by the strain of harboring Brude in her mind.
There were touching moments when Lord Brancoveanu sees a photo of Jaz and falls in love with her. He decides to court her, 1777-style by writing letters. Problem is, he can’t write, so he asks his servant Mrs. Borgia (Jaz) to write the letters for him. Absolutely touching.
Of course, this series is not without lots of action, fights, and battles with Hell spawn. The gang battles weres, mages, and a certain demon. I found the ending exciting and I was at the edge of my seat. Oh Cole! Bergman! Wow, what a ride!
While I can’t wait to read the next book, I am sad that it is the last in the series.
November 23, 2010
So Jaz, Vayl and the whole gang are back in Morocco, but Vayl has been cursed and he thinks it's 1777. Which means he has no clue who anybody is, so he identifies them as the people that were around him at that time. They all have to play along, which turns out funny at times. But it's a very sad experience for Jaz.
After losing Matt she didn't want to feel alone again, but now she's lost Vayl. He won't remember who she is, misses her birthday and thinks she's his house maid Mrs. Bergia. And gets herself fired! More than once. And that she's married to Cole! Oh, and he thinks Miles is a girl! Ha!
Jaz picks up a stalker, Yousef! Funniest thing ever. The warlock Sterling, whom she's had issues with before working with Vayl, comes to help. Jaz's voices actually helped her through her difficult times, and were not giving me a headache trying to keep up.
There's a lot of twists to the story, specially at the end, they just kept coming. That part of the ending was my least favorite part of the book.
There's a really funny part where Miles has taken a few too many painkillers.
Definitely a great installment in this series!
After losing Matt she didn't want to feel alone again, but now she's lost Vayl. He won't remember who she is, misses her birthday and thinks she's his house maid Mrs. Bergia. And gets herself fired! More than once. And that she's married to Cole! Oh, and he thinks Miles is a girl! Ha!
Jaz picks up a stalker, Yousef! Funniest thing ever. The warlock Sterling, whom she's had issues with before working with Vayl, comes to help. Jaz's voices actually helped her through her difficult times, and were not giving me a headache trying to keep up.
There's a lot of twists to the story, specially at the end, they just kept coming. That part of the ending was my least favorite part of the book.
There's a really funny part where Miles has taken a few too many painkillers.
Definitely a great installment in this series!
July 30, 2014
Now that Jaz is possessed, she and Vayl have been scrambling to find a way to "cure" her. They may have found the way in an ancient artifact that is located in Morocco. They thought it would be a simple smash and grab, but someone has tampered with Vayl's memory. He wakes up with him mind way back in the past, thinking Jaz is actually his very large housekeeper. She and the rest of the gang must play along less risk his destructive rath. It is a race against the clock to save both herself and Vayl as neither one has long to live if they can't defeat the various fronts they are battling.
This book had a slightly different feel to it as the group wasn't on an actual assassination mission. Their objective was to get a device that will get Brute out of Jaz's head as time seems to be running short. Of course complications ensued, just like they always do, yet the gang has never once thought about giving up. The beginning was slightly rough as Vayl wasn't on board with the mission as he had no memory of anything that has happened since the 1700s. I actually missed Vayl being the top dog in the situation. He is usually the one keeping Jaz's head level, yet the roles were reversed. It definitely made for one heck of an interesting situation to say the least.
Wow, talk about a major road block in Vayl and Jaz's relationship. I still can't believe Jaz didn't just wind up strangling him when he woke up thinking she was another woman, and had no memory of who she really was. I realize Cassandra warned her that she must play along with the "game" or Vayl could be permanently damaged. However, Jaz isn't always the one to see reason when she is angry and being called another woman by the mans she loves, well that is right up there in nuclear proportions to setting off her temper. I cannot count the number of times that the rest the gang had to pull her from attacking him. Granted, he was being a major jerk to her, as he was mentally stuck back in the 1700s, and apparently he was not a very nice vampire back then.
I'm giving this a four start rating due to the fact that the first third of the book was rather confusing. We were thrown into the middle of the situation with Vayl's lost memory yet not given any information. The rest of the characters were playing their parts, and they knew what was going on. So, it was frustrating to be left in the dark for such a long period of time. Otherwise, the book was everything I have come to expect in this series, full of high stakes, danger, romance, and just the right amount of humor to keep me coming back for more. Definitely another highly rated installment in this wonderful series that you won't want to miss!
This book had a slightly different feel to it as the group wasn't on an actual assassination mission. Their objective was to get a device that will get Brute out of Jaz's head as time seems to be running short. Of course complications ensued, just like they always do, yet the gang has never once thought about giving up. The beginning was slightly rough as Vayl wasn't on board with the mission as he had no memory of anything that has happened since the 1700s. I actually missed Vayl being the top dog in the situation. He is usually the one keeping Jaz's head level, yet the roles were reversed. It definitely made for one heck of an interesting situation to say the least.
Wow, talk about a major road block in Vayl and Jaz's relationship. I still can't believe Jaz didn't just wind up strangling him when he woke up thinking she was another woman, and had no memory of who she really was. I realize Cassandra warned her that she must play along with the "game" or Vayl could be permanently damaged. However, Jaz isn't always the one to see reason when she is angry and being called another woman by the mans she loves, well that is right up there in nuclear proportions to setting off her temper. I cannot count the number of times that the rest the gang had to pull her from attacking him. Granted, he was being a major jerk to her, as he was mentally stuck back in the 1700s, and apparently he was not a very nice vampire back then.
I'm giving this a four start rating due to the fact that the first third of the book was rather confusing. We were thrown into the middle of the situation with Vayl's lost memory yet not given any information. The rest of the characters were playing their parts, and they knew what was going on. So, it was frustrating to be left in the dark for such a long period of time. Otherwise, the book was everything I have come to expect in this series, full of high stakes, danger, romance, and just the right amount of humor to keep me coming back for more. Definitely another highly rated installment in this wonderful series that you won't want to miss!
February 2, 2013
I'm torn between 2 and 3 stars.
It seems time has not made much of a difference for my relationship with this series. While I admit this installment includes a smattering of interesting details, I'm still contending with the same old issues.
Rardin displays great ideas. Her supernatural world-building incorporates many layers and factions, bringing a wide variety of dangers into play. Her Q-like character Bergman ushers in a fun amount of tech that supports the super spy theme. And her characters engage in constant, good-natured teasing, relieving their fears and frustrations while revealing their closeness.
But none of that is enough to make me care about their fates.
My most common complaint still holds true: Jaz's fractured mind makes it impossible for me to accept her as a capable agent. A character who gets so distracted by her inner dialogue that she repeatedly doesn't notice when she stops dead in the middle of the street...how can I see her as anything but a liability? To herself and her team? Add to this the fact that her companions often seem just as distracted and I have no idea how these people get anything done - let alone stay alive.
This aspect makes it tedious to follow the story. Throw in frequent flashbacks and I'm at a bit of a loss. I can't get invested in the current action because their past is more engaging than their present. Learning about Vayle's relationship with his servants and his ward becomes fascinating when described briefly through Vayl's eyes. The short-lived glimpse highlights a backstory and a writing style that I'd much prefer; Jaz's part in this tale utterly pales by comparison.
I constantly find myself looking for more when reading these books - and not in the good way. Sections focusing on Moroccan architecture could be better used to explain Vayl's change from rogue to buttoned-up agent. Pages describing the antics of Granny May, Teen Jaz, and Inner Bimbo could be better spent on mages, demons, and the place of the Eldhayr. Rardin may display interesting ideas, but she rarely grants fuller explanations, much to my dismay.
I picked this up at the library thinking it was the last in the series. I remembered my prior frustrations but thought it might be worth seeing how the whole thing wrapped up. Question now is, will that same curiosity get me to pick up the truly final book?
No time soon, at least. No use heaping aggravation upon aggravation.
It seems time has not made much of a difference for my relationship with this series. While I admit this installment includes a smattering of interesting details, I'm still contending with the same old issues.
Rardin displays great ideas. Her supernatural world-building incorporates many layers and factions, bringing a wide variety of dangers into play. Her Q-like character Bergman ushers in a fun amount of tech that supports the super spy theme. And her characters engage in constant, good-natured teasing, relieving their fears and frustrations while revealing their closeness.
But none of that is enough to make me care about their fates.
My most common complaint still holds true: Jaz's fractured mind makes it impossible for me to accept her as a capable agent. A character who gets so distracted by her inner dialogue that she repeatedly doesn't notice when she stops dead in the middle of the street...how can I see her as anything but a liability? To herself and her team? Add to this the fact that her companions often seem just as distracted and I have no idea how these people get anything done - let alone stay alive.
This aspect makes it tedious to follow the story. Throw in frequent flashbacks and I'm at a bit of a loss. I can't get invested in the current action because their past is more engaging than their present. Learning about Vayle's relationship with his servants and his ward becomes fascinating when described briefly through Vayl's eyes. The short-lived glimpse highlights a backstory and a writing style that I'd much prefer; Jaz's part in this tale utterly pales by comparison.
I constantly find myself looking for more when reading these books - and not in the good way. Sections focusing on Moroccan architecture could be better used to explain Vayl's change from rogue to buttoned-up agent. Pages describing the antics of Granny May, Teen Jaz, and Inner Bimbo could be better spent on mages, demons, and the place of the Eldhayr. Rardin may display interesting ideas, but she rarely grants fuller explanations, much to my dismay.
I picked this up at the library thinking it was the last in the series. I remembered my prior frustrations but thought it might be worth seeing how the whole thing wrapped up. Question now is, will that same curiosity get me to pick up the truly final book?
No time soon, at least. No use heaping aggravation upon aggravation.
December 22, 2011
This was the second time I tried to read this book. I gave up after 50 pages. However, I am incredibly stubborn and really wanted to finish the series, so I started over again.
The book is fast-paced, but starts in the middle of a new plot twist: Vayl has lost his memory. It isn't until almost two-thirds of the way through the book he gets it back and we realize the main plot line has been ignored until then.
There is only one book left in the series, and I have loved it up till this one. There was a lot of good stuff here, but it was obviously a link to the endgame.
If you have not read this series, I strongly recommend you read them one after another. Otherwise, keep a cheat sheet. Very complicated world view.
The book is fast-paced, but starts in the middle of a new plot twist: Vayl has lost his memory. It isn't until almost two-thirds of the way through the book he gets it back and we realize the main plot line has been ignored until then.
There is only one book left in the series, and I have loved it up till this one. There was a lot of good stuff here, but it was obviously a link to the endgame.
If you have not read this series, I strongly recommend you read them one after another. Otherwise, keep a cheat sheet. Very complicated world view.
October 19, 2024
I liked this one better then the last books. I can't wait to read the next book. But I think it will be a little bit before I read the next book.
September 5, 2011
Read: April 11-13/2011
Re-read: Sept 1-2/2011
Bitten in Two is book seven in the Jaz Parks Series by Jennifer Rardin.
If you’re a Jaz Parks fan, than you won’t be disappointed. Like the rest of the series, this book is filled with smart, quick wit, intense fight scenes and enough love and action to keep you glued to the pages. This is one of the few series where the supporting characters are written with as much love and respect as the mains.
Jasmine ‘Jaz’ Parks is a smart, sassy, CIA Agent and sensitive who spends her time saving the world against paranormal evil and world destruction. Jaz’s first team was killed her a mission and she’s been working on forgiving herself for their loss. Jasmine became an Eldhayer after being brought back to life by her spirit guide, Rhoul. She’s learned to love again and fights evil alongside Vayl, her vampire supervisor. Her gifts have grown after donating blood to Vayl, saving a werewolf, and receiving tears from Asha. Vayl is a strong, intelligent, 2,90 year old vampire and CIA Agent, who's perfection on the eyes. For centuries, Vayl suffered the loss of his two sons and has recently taken steps to move past his pain. Jaz and Vayl started off as a CIA team, became sverhamin and avahar, and are now a hot and heavy couple.
Vayl is the team supervisor, and with Jaz they co-lead their team. Bergman is the technical genius who creates the coolest gadgets. Cassandra is a sophisticated psychic who’s engaged to Dave, Jaz’s twin. Cole is an incredibly charming ‘sensitive’ with mad language and sharp shooting skills. Our fur friends include Jack (Jacket Humper) and Astral the robo-kitty.
In this book, the team is searching for an artefact in Morocco that will release Jaz from Brude’s possession. Lucifer’s Assassin may be locked away in Jaz’s head, but his confinement is killing her. The mission is detoured when Vayl wakes up with his brain stuck in the year 1777. Vayl doesn’t see Jasmine, Cole, Bergman, and the Demon Kyphas but rather sees his servants Mrs Berggia, Mr Berggia, his foster daughter Helena and her handmaiden. Cassandra encourages the team to play along or permanently damage his memory. While Jaz loves Vayl from afar, he discovers her photo and asks Cole to deliver a letter to the beautiful woman. Jaz’s heart is warmed, knowing that ‘past Vayl’ and ‘present Vayl’ both love her. With the help of a powerful warlock, the team discovers Vayl’s memory loss is due to a curse. With the exception of Vayl, the team pulls together and takes out the one responsible, breaking the curse and freeing Vayl. They also learn that the artefact holds different powers in the hands of demons. A demon can use the artefact to take any soul. The team is aware that Kyphas will betray them and sets Astral on spy duty. While Kyphas goes after the map, Vayl and Jaz reunite privately at the home base. Astral takes photos of the map and Jaz’s new stalker acts as a guide to lead them through the tannery. When the demons attack our team, Kyphas retrieves the artefact and begins carving Cole’s name to take his soul and turn him into a demon. Bergman stops the carving but opens a gate with the intension of throwing Kyphas back into hell. The gate sucks in Kyphas, along with Bergman who is held by Jaz and Vayl. Just when all could be lost, Vayl leaps into the gate and chops off the hand holding onto Bergman. They take Cole home and the warlock returns pieces of his essence into his three closest friends. The horns may be gone, but the Cole will never be the same.
I loved this book and I can’t wait for the next and final in the series.
Re-read: Sept 1-2/2011
Bitten in Two is book seven in the Jaz Parks Series by Jennifer Rardin.
If you’re a Jaz Parks fan, than you won’t be disappointed. Like the rest of the series, this book is filled with smart, quick wit, intense fight scenes and enough love and action to keep you glued to the pages. This is one of the few series where the supporting characters are written with as much love and respect as the mains.
Jasmine ‘Jaz’ Parks is a smart, sassy, CIA Agent and sensitive who spends her time saving the world against paranormal evil and world destruction. Jaz’s first team was killed her a mission and she’s been working on forgiving herself for their loss. Jasmine became an Eldhayer after being brought back to life by her spirit guide, Rhoul. She’s learned to love again and fights evil alongside Vayl, her vampire supervisor. Her gifts have grown after donating blood to Vayl, saving a werewolf, and receiving tears from Asha. Vayl is a strong, intelligent, 2,90 year old vampire and CIA Agent, who's perfection on the eyes. For centuries, Vayl suffered the loss of his two sons and has recently taken steps to move past his pain. Jaz and Vayl started off as a CIA team, became sverhamin and avahar, and are now a hot and heavy couple.
Vayl is the team supervisor, and with Jaz they co-lead their team. Bergman is the technical genius who creates the coolest gadgets. Cassandra is a sophisticated psychic who’s engaged to Dave, Jaz’s twin. Cole is an incredibly charming ‘sensitive’ with mad language and sharp shooting skills. Our fur friends include Jack (Jacket Humper) and Astral the robo-kitty.
In this book, the team is searching for an artefact in Morocco that will release Jaz from Brude’s possession. Lucifer’s Assassin may be locked away in Jaz’s head, but his confinement is killing her. The mission is detoured when Vayl wakes up with his brain stuck in the year 1777. Vayl doesn’t see Jasmine, Cole, Bergman, and the Demon Kyphas but rather sees his servants Mrs Berggia, Mr Berggia, his foster daughter Helena and her handmaiden. Cassandra encourages the team to play along or permanently damage his memory. While Jaz loves Vayl from afar, he discovers her photo and asks Cole to deliver a letter to the beautiful woman. Jaz’s heart is warmed, knowing that ‘past Vayl’ and ‘present Vayl’ both love her. With the help of a powerful warlock, the team discovers Vayl’s memory loss is due to a curse. With the exception of Vayl, the team pulls together and takes out the one responsible, breaking the curse and freeing Vayl. They also learn that the artefact holds different powers in the hands of demons. A demon can use the artefact to take any soul. The team is aware that Kyphas will betray them and sets Astral on spy duty. While Kyphas goes after the map, Vayl and Jaz reunite privately at the home base. Astral takes photos of the map and Jaz’s new stalker acts as a guide to lead them through the tannery. When the demons attack our team, Kyphas retrieves the artefact and begins carving Cole’s name to take his soul and turn him into a demon. Bergman stops the carving but opens a gate with the intension of throwing Kyphas back into hell. The gate sucks in Kyphas, along with Bergman who is held by Jaz and Vayl. Just when all could be lost, Vayl leaps into the gate and chops off the hand holding onto Bergman. They take Cole home and the warlock returns pieces of his essence into his three closest friends. The horns may be gone, but the Cole will never be the same.
I loved this book and I can’t wait for the next and final in the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 24, 2010
Bitten in Two starts right where Bite Marks left off with the team going from Australia to Morocco to find the Rocenz, a demon forged tool that can reduce a creature to it’s most basic elements and the only way to free Jaz from Lucifer's Assassin Brude’s possession. The night they arrived in Marrakech though Vayl developments a weird case of amnesia that has thrown him back to 1777. He doesn’t remember the last 230 years and thinks him and his trusty servants (Jaz & Cole) are in Morocco for the protection of his ward Helena (Bergman). Jaz must persuade the warlock Sterling to help lift the possible curse put on her lover/boss but they have an explosive history, literally, they brought a house down on their last mission! Then while roaming the streets of Marrakech trying to save Vayl from himself Jaz picks up an unwanted admirer, err...stalker, who seems oddly turned on by her violent behavior. And now she also has to worry about the Demon Kyphas carrying a torch for her buddy Cole and hope that he isn’t falling for the demon as well. Talk about a birthday from Hell.
Bitten in Two continued the series with Rardin’s trademark humor and non-stop action and I found the characters to be smart, funny and engaging. This is definitely one of my favorites in the series; once I started it I found it very hard to put down and only did so when my kids started tugging on me practically yelling because they were hungry. I guess they had been trying to tell me this for a while. Oops.
I spent this whole book either biting my nails, smiling/laughing or getting all teary-eyed.
At the beginning there was a lot of transitioning from past to present with Jaz & Vayl but I found it pretty easy to follow and you get a good look into Vayl’s not-so-sweet past and see the major personality and moral adjustment he went through the last 200 years to be the sexy vamp we love today.
The middle of the book reminded me of A Midsummer Night’s Dream with all the girl likes boy but boy doesn’t like girl because he likes other girl and so on but I thought it was a great addition to the whole story. You can see that Jaz & Vayl’s relationship has really matured and Bergman’s personality is maturing as well, then you have Cole who is such a good guy, he tries to see the good in everyone around him including a soul-stealing demon.
There are a lot of intense emotions going on in Bitten in Two but also the classic snarky dialogue and evil butt-kicking that you’ve come to expect in the series and another favorite of mine, Astral the robo-kitty, pops up quite a bit.
The end wrapped up some events nicely but definitely left it wide open for the next book with a major plot point left unresolved and some other little tidbits that I’m interested in seeing how they turn out.
There is a hilarious scene when Jaz takes you back a few days to when they all find out that Vayl believes Bergman is his young ward from the past, Helena.
LoL, pg 191 Bergman on painkillers;
I said, “So Miles, how long are you in for?”
“Overnight. Monique’s going to stay with me the whole time. She says she’s worried about me. But I think she might be one of those cougars. You know what I mean? Rrrrrow.”
And you have to imagine Bergman rolling the R’s. He had the best funny scenes and I loved them!
The next and last book in the series, which Jennifer completed before passing away, is The Deadliest Bite and is due out June 02, 2011
And if anyone has read this I had a thought pop into my head when I read that Helena had twins in America. Could they be distant relatives of Jaz?
Bitten in Two continued the series with Rardin’s trademark humor and non-stop action and I found the characters to be smart, funny and engaging. This is definitely one of my favorites in the series; once I started it I found it very hard to put down and only did so when my kids started tugging on me practically yelling because they were hungry. I guess they had been trying to tell me this for a while. Oops.
I spent this whole book either biting my nails, smiling/laughing or getting all teary-eyed.
At the beginning there was a lot of transitioning from past to present with Jaz & Vayl but I found it pretty easy to follow and you get a good look into Vayl’s not-so-sweet past and see the major personality and moral adjustment he went through the last 200 years to be the sexy vamp we love today.
The middle of the book reminded me of A Midsummer Night’s Dream with all the girl likes boy but boy doesn’t like girl because he likes other girl and so on but I thought it was a great addition to the whole story. You can see that Jaz & Vayl’s relationship has really matured and Bergman’s personality is maturing as well, then you have Cole who is such a good guy, he tries to see the good in everyone around him including a soul-stealing demon.
There are a lot of intense emotions going on in Bitten in Two but also the classic snarky dialogue and evil butt-kicking that you’ve come to expect in the series and another favorite of mine, Astral the robo-kitty, pops up quite a bit.
The end wrapped up some events nicely but definitely left it wide open for the next book with a major plot point left unresolved and some other little tidbits that I’m interested in seeing how they turn out.
There is a hilarious scene when Jaz takes you back a few days to when they all find out that Vayl believes Bergman is his young ward from the past, Helena.
LoL, pg 191 Bergman on painkillers;
I said, “So Miles, how long are you in for?”
“Overnight. Monique’s going to stay with me the whole time. She says she’s worried about me. But I think she might be one of those cougars. You know what I mean? Rrrrrow.”
And you have to imagine Bergman rolling the R’s. He had the best funny scenes and I loved them!
The next and last book in the series, which Jennifer completed before passing away, is The Deadliest Bite and is due out June 02, 2011
And if anyone has read this I had a thought pop into my head when I read that Helena had twins in America. Could they be distant relatives of Jaz?
November 19, 2010
Jaz, Vayl and their crew have just landed in Morocco to find an artifact that will send the demon possessing Jaz back to hell. Only one problem. A mysterious curse is placed on Vayl that has him thinking he is in 1777. Now Jaz, Cole and Bergman must play the roles Vayl currently envisions them in or risk him losing his dangerous temper. They must do this while trying to find a way to lift Vayl's curse and find the artifact to save Jaz before this becomes her last mission.
You are thrown into the action from page one. Cole and Jaz are hunting a vampire you think is their mark but we find out that it is Vayl and he has lost the last 230+ years of his memory. While the book does explain what happen to Vayl, I felt like I was missing out because we jump into the middle of things rather than be there from the start. This threw me off a bit and several pages are spent trying to figure out who is who in Vayl's mind and why he sees them as that person from his past. There are a few funny moments during this time but these chapters felt a little messy and started things off a bit rocky. After a few chapters things do get sorted out and the story finds a familiar tone.
While trying to find out what happen to Vayl and who is responsible, the team must also track down a tool that will rid Jaz of the demon who is currently trapped in her head. Kyphas is a female demon we meet in the last book and she says she will help Jaz find the tool she needs. But you never believe what a demon says. Aside from constantly having Jaz on her guard, Kyphas has set her eyes on Cole. She claims to have real feelings for him but Jaz believes that it is Cole's soul she wants. Jaz does what she can to help protect Cole but he has began to fall for her and this brings tension to Cole and Jaz's relationship. I've loved Cole since Once Bitten, Twice Shy and even though I do love Jaz and Vayl being together, I feel bad for him. You know that his feelings for Jaz are genuine and he is such a lovable man that I just want him to be happy. Of course he deserves way better than a demon and I loved that Jaz feels protective over him.
I felt for Jaz when Vayl forgot her. It brought up painful memories of when she lost Matt, her fiance who died and made her feel alone. She did teeter on the brink of feeling sorry for herself and I'm glad she had her inner voices to snap her out of it. Bergman, the teams tech man, is clueless when it comes to the advances of a more mature woman who has her eyes set on the tech genius and in the end he surprises me by showing a darker side I didn't know he had. Sterling is a new character we meet. He is a very powerful warlock that once got into a fight with Jaz and they ended up blowing up a house. He fits in with the team perfectly.
Jaz and her team will battle demons, a dark magic wielder, and werewolves in order to restore Vayl's memory and find the only thing that can save Jaz's sanity and life. Like the rest of the books in Jennifer's Jaz Parks series, Bitten in Two is packed with action and I found myself laughing out loud so many times I lost count. This is one of my favorite urban fantasy series and I was very sad to hear of Jennifer's passing this past October. She did finish the 8th book in her Jaz Park series before her death and The Deadliest Bite, the final book, is due out in June 2011.
~Stephanie G
You are thrown into the action from page one. Cole and Jaz are hunting a vampire you think is their mark but we find out that it is Vayl and he has lost the last 230+ years of his memory. While the book does explain what happen to Vayl, I felt like I was missing out because we jump into the middle of things rather than be there from the start. This threw me off a bit and several pages are spent trying to figure out who is who in Vayl's mind and why he sees them as that person from his past. There are a few funny moments during this time but these chapters felt a little messy and started things off a bit rocky. After a few chapters things do get sorted out and the story finds a familiar tone.
While trying to find out what happen to Vayl and who is responsible, the team must also track down a tool that will rid Jaz of the demon who is currently trapped in her head. Kyphas is a female demon we meet in the last book and she says she will help Jaz find the tool she needs. But you never believe what a demon says. Aside from constantly having Jaz on her guard, Kyphas has set her eyes on Cole. She claims to have real feelings for him but Jaz believes that it is Cole's soul she wants. Jaz does what she can to help protect Cole but he has began to fall for her and this brings tension to Cole and Jaz's relationship. I've loved Cole since Once Bitten, Twice Shy and even though I do love Jaz and Vayl being together, I feel bad for him. You know that his feelings for Jaz are genuine and he is such a lovable man that I just want him to be happy. Of course he deserves way better than a demon and I loved that Jaz feels protective over him.
I felt for Jaz when Vayl forgot her. It brought up painful memories of when she lost Matt, her fiance who died and made her feel alone. She did teeter on the brink of feeling sorry for herself and I'm glad she had her inner voices to snap her out of it. Bergman, the teams tech man, is clueless when it comes to the advances of a more mature woman who has her eyes set on the tech genius and in the end he surprises me by showing a darker side I didn't know he had. Sterling is a new character we meet. He is a very powerful warlock that once got into a fight with Jaz and they ended up blowing up a house. He fits in with the team perfectly.
Jaz and her team will battle demons, a dark magic wielder, and werewolves in order to restore Vayl's memory and find the only thing that can save Jaz's sanity and life. Like the rest of the books in Jennifer's Jaz Parks series, Bitten in Two is packed with action and I found myself laughing out loud so many times I lost count. This is one of my favorite urban fantasy series and I was very sad to hear of Jennifer's passing this past October. She did finish the 8th book in her Jaz Park series before her death and The Deadliest Bite, the final book, is due out in June 2011.
~Stephanie G
December 30, 2010
This is the 7th book in the Jaz Parks series, you do need to read previous book to understand what is going on in this book. There will be eight books total in this series with the 8th book, The Deadliest Bite, being released in June 2011. This book starts out a bit rough, but ends up being a very good addition to this series and resolves a lot of plot lines that were left hanging in the last book.
Jaz and crew are in Morocco on a mission to retrieve the tablet that can free Jaz from her possession by Lucifer's Assassin, Brude. Unfortunately something has happened to Vayl and he now believes that he is living in the year 1700 something; as a result he doesn't recognize any of his crew for who they really are and thinks they are actually people from his past. While Jaz and crew try to figure out how to fix Vayl, Jaz's possessions symptoms are starting to affect her physically and are making her increasingly ill.
This book starts out pretty horrible. It jumps right into the story and, as the reader, you are totally confused. Vayl is calling everyone with different names and I couldn't figure out when/why he had lost his memory. It was really confusing, boring, and incredibly hard to get through the first fifty pages or so. But, trust me, get through that part and you will absolutely adore the rest of the book.
Once you get past that beginning part there are fight scenes galore, wonderful humor, and many resolutions to plot threads that were left dangling in the last book. Once Vayl gets back to himself the book gets even better; but I will admit some of the parts where Vayl thinks he is still living in the past are pretty darn funny. Seriously this book had me laughing so hard at points I was almost in tears. Astrid, the robo-cat, plays a pretty large role in things and she is absolutely-fricking hilarious.
There is a lot more tension between the characters than in previous books. Vayl kind of assigns everyone characters of people in his past and some of those don't agree with Jaz's crew (for example Vayl think Bergman is a little girl named Helena). Cole and the demon have some romantic tension going on. Bergman has romantic tension going on with the lady who owns the house they are staying in. Jaz is having her heart ripped out everyone time Vayl sees her but can't recognize her.
We also get a lot of info about Vayl's past (since he is kind of living in the past). We get to see the type of guy he was and some of the things he went through, this helps fill him out even more as a character.
Overall, despite a rough start, this book ended up being a wonderful addition to the series. I thoroughly enjoyed it. There are lots of awesome fight scenes, some romance, good character development, tons of humor, and many dangling plot points are resolved. I am super excited to see how Rardin tied up this series and can't wait to read the last book in the series, The Deadliest Bite.
Jaz and crew are in Morocco on a mission to retrieve the tablet that can free Jaz from her possession by Lucifer's Assassin, Brude. Unfortunately something has happened to Vayl and he now believes that he is living in the year 1700 something; as a result he doesn't recognize any of his crew for who they really are and thinks they are actually people from his past. While Jaz and crew try to figure out how to fix Vayl, Jaz's possessions symptoms are starting to affect her physically and are making her increasingly ill.
This book starts out pretty horrible. It jumps right into the story and, as the reader, you are totally confused. Vayl is calling everyone with different names and I couldn't figure out when/why he had lost his memory. It was really confusing, boring, and incredibly hard to get through the first fifty pages or so. But, trust me, get through that part and you will absolutely adore the rest of the book.
Once you get past that beginning part there are fight scenes galore, wonderful humor, and many resolutions to plot threads that were left dangling in the last book. Once Vayl gets back to himself the book gets even better; but I will admit some of the parts where Vayl thinks he is still living in the past are pretty darn funny. Seriously this book had me laughing so hard at points I was almost in tears. Astrid, the robo-cat, plays a pretty large role in things and she is absolutely-fricking hilarious.
There is a lot more tension between the characters than in previous books. Vayl kind of assigns everyone characters of people in his past and some of those don't agree with Jaz's crew (for example Vayl think Bergman is a little girl named Helena). Cole and the demon have some romantic tension going on. Bergman has romantic tension going on with the lady who owns the house they are staying in. Jaz is having her heart ripped out everyone time Vayl sees her but can't recognize her.
We also get a lot of info about Vayl's past (since he is kind of living in the past). We get to see the type of guy he was and some of the things he went through, this helps fill him out even more as a character.
Overall, despite a rough start, this book ended up being a wonderful addition to the series. I thoroughly enjoyed it. There are lots of awesome fight scenes, some romance, good character development, tons of humor, and many dangling plot points are resolved. I am super excited to see how Rardin tied up this series and can't wait to read the last book in the series, The Deadliest Bite.
November 15, 2010
I confess, I was given this book and hadn't previously read the first six installments in the series. Still, it sounded decent and I decided to give it a try. The book does a good job of filling the reader in on where the plotline is, so I was able to enjoy the book despite being a newcomer to the series.
Yes, it's yet another urban fantasy about a butt-kicking chick and her vampire boyfriend. Aside from the general descriptor, though, it's not a carbon copy of every other similarly-premised book. Its strength, and presumably the series' strength, is in the undercurrent of humor running through it, particularly in the interactions between characters. The character banter is smart, funny and engaging; one can tell the author has a strong sense of who the characters are and how they interact with each other. I thoroughly enjoyed the way the team played off each other. Good stuff.
Deftly blending elements of comedy, action, fantasy and horror, the book has almost a movie feel - I could definitely see these guys on a big screen. There are elements of drama, but they come off as less earnest than the lighter moments.
Now for some of the weaker points. The main character, Jaz, has a habit of talking to these many voices in her head - presumably just aspects of her personality. It was cute at first, but at least in this installment of the series, it was seriously overused. No one spends that much time talking to themselves. They'd be constantly immobilized for lengthy periods of time. :p
Secondly, and this may be an issue on my end, I'm not sure I buy the concept of CIA assassins. I CERTAINLY don't buy the idea of CIA assassins with virtually no supervision, no bureaucratic red tape,etc. Now I'm drawing these assumptions based on the description of the characters given on the book jacket. If that's erroneous or incomplete, fair enough; as is, I get the impression that they're these rogue agents given leeway to do whatever they want. That's just not how things work.
Thirdly, at one point Jaz goes on a tangent imagining all the fantastic, expensive gifts her super rich boyfriend might have gotten her, promptly giving me the impression she's vapidly greedy and inherently unlikeable. I just don't see the advantage of having that particular scene in there. There are gentler ways of exposing character flaws (if that was the intention).
Overall, amusing, if slight. I will consider reading the rest of the series.
Yes, it's yet another urban fantasy about a butt-kicking chick and her vampire boyfriend. Aside from the general descriptor, though, it's not a carbon copy of every other similarly-premised book. Its strength, and presumably the series' strength, is in the undercurrent of humor running through it, particularly in the interactions between characters. The character banter is smart, funny and engaging; one can tell the author has a strong sense of who the characters are and how they interact with each other. I thoroughly enjoyed the way the team played off each other. Good stuff.
Deftly blending elements of comedy, action, fantasy and horror, the book has almost a movie feel - I could definitely see these guys on a big screen. There are elements of drama, but they come off as less earnest than the lighter moments.
Now for some of the weaker points. The main character, Jaz, has a habit of talking to these many voices in her head - presumably just aspects of her personality. It was cute at first, but at least in this installment of the series, it was seriously overused. No one spends that much time talking to themselves. They'd be constantly immobilized for lengthy periods of time. :p
Secondly, and this may be an issue on my end, I'm not sure I buy the concept of CIA assassins. I CERTAINLY don't buy the idea of CIA assassins with virtually no supervision, no bureaucratic red tape,etc. Now I'm drawing these assumptions based on the description of the characters given on the book jacket. If that's erroneous or incomplete, fair enough; as is, I get the impression that they're these rogue agents given leeway to do whatever they want. That's just not how things work.
Thirdly, at one point Jaz goes on a tangent imagining all the fantastic, expensive gifts her super rich boyfriend might have gotten her, promptly giving me the impression she's vapidly greedy and inherently unlikeable. I just don't see the advantage of having that particular scene in there. There are gentler ways of exposing character flaws (if that was the intention).
Overall, amusing, if slight. I will consider reading the rest of the series.
July 13, 2014
Love of all kinds grabs every character by the balls and squeezes which didn't always end happily. Loss has always played a big part in this series but it's showcased in a new light in this one. I found Jaz's approach to not leaving Vayl even though he wasn't himself (he'd regressed to his 1777 self and viewed everyone close to him as characters from his past), possibly permanently so, very moving. Their love letters to each other were very emotional and not cheesy in the least. I appreciated her finally understanding the pain of Cole's unrequited love, there's nothing like experiencing something for yourself.
I'm worried about Cole. He goes through hell. I'm figuring he's going to have trouble with PTSD and will probably have to work through some trust issues. Physically, I'm wondering what the after-effects of what happened to him will be. I hope we haven't seen the last of this adorable and jovial man.
Bergman, another source of hilarity, exposes his secrets in a drug-filled haze and jeez, were they embarrassing. I'm so glad he was surrounded by friends, or rather family as I like to think of them, to help him get passed his issues.
Now for a one-off character: Yousef -masochistic stalker. What do you do with a man who won't back off? Who grins when you hit him? Loved his advice about women: Let them beat you...but don't let them break you.
Despite the many funny lines and emotional scenes it wasn't the easiest of reads. I did quite a bit of skimming because I simply didn't think I could finish the book without doing so. I'm not sure why.
The Deadliest Bite is the last in the series and I hope it wraps everything up as there are quite a few loose threads and unanswered questions.
2.5 stars.
I'm worried about Cole. He goes through hell. I'm figuring he's going to have trouble with PTSD and will probably have to work through some trust issues. Physically, I'm wondering what the after-effects of what happened to him will be. I hope we haven't seen the last of this adorable and jovial man.
Bergman, another source of hilarity, exposes his secrets in a drug-filled haze and jeez, were they embarrassing. I'm so glad he was surrounded by friends, or rather family as I like to think of them, to help him get passed his issues.
Now for a one-off character: Yousef -masochistic stalker. What do you do with a man who won't back off? Who grins when you hit him? Loved his advice about women: Let them beat you...but don't let them break you.
Despite the many funny lines and emotional scenes it wasn't the easiest of reads. I did quite a bit of skimming because I simply didn't think I could finish the book without doing so. I'm not sure why.
The Deadliest Bite is the last in the series and I hope it wraps everything up as there are quite a few loose threads and unanswered questions.
2.5 stars.
November 25, 2010
It kind of drives me crazy how Jennifer Rardin likes to jump you in the middle of a situation or relationship in her books. Usually she's nice and actually gives you descriptions of what has happened but I would really rather she had just started from the beginning. Sometimes that works in books but here it drives me up the wall.
But otherwise it was similar to previous books and was still entertaining. It was kind of sad too remembering the author's recent passing this year. I hear the last book in the series will still be published though and I'm looking forward to it.
But otherwise it was similar to previous books and was still entertaining. It was kind of sad too remembering the author's recent passing this year. I hear the last book in the series will still be published though and I'm looking forward to it.
May 18, 2014
Es ist so ein kleines Auf und Ab - mal gibt es recht durchschnittliche Passagen und Ausflüge, die im ersten Moment so unnötig erscheinen und dann dreht sich wieder alles. Aber es ist nicht so, dass es mich durchgehend packen könnte... mal sehen wie das mit dem letzten Band der Reihe wird. Wobei man nicht den Eindruck bekommt, als würde die Autorin ihre Handlungsstränge schön langsam zusammen führen und ein Ende vorbereiten...
March 14, 2011
***3.5***
It was alright, but I wasn't as engaged as I was on earlier books. And there didn't seem to be much forward motion to the story... it read like a bridge book. Laying the groundwork for the next book, which, I hear, wraps the overall plot for the series.
It was alright, but I wasn't as engaged as I was on earlier books. And there didn't seem to be much forward motion to the story... it read like a bridge book. Laying the groundwork for the next book, which, I hear, wraps the overall plot for the series.
January 14, 2011
Fun addition to the series. The author will be greatly missed.
January 8, 2011
Loved it!!! Stalker! LOL! if yea read it you'll know what I'm talking about! A definte read! I can't wait fr the 8th book!
September 8, 2020
Bitten in Two is the seventh and penultimate book in the Jaz Parks series written by Jennifer Rardin. It centers on CIA operative Jasmine "Jaz" Parks, who is regularly partnered with her boss, the enigmatic vampire Vayl. They are tasked with stopping paranormal or mythological beings who've taken criminal roles in human society, or humans engaged in related activities.
Jaz Park and her team are in Morocco, where Rocenz, a demon formed that Jaz needs to save her life, but her search is hampered by Vayl’s inexplicable memory loss, the result of a curse laid on him in Scotland a couple of books ago. In a desperate bid to restore Vayle from his 1777 time warp, Jaz drags Sterling, a wizard into the fight and along with Cole Bemont, Miles Bergman, and a bit of help from a local stalker, the gang face down a vicious clan of werewolves, a greedy mage, and Kyphas’s betrayal.
Bitten in Two is written rather well. As always, Rardin jumps right into the narrative feet first and it is a mad dash from beginning to end. The action sequences are written rather well, despite the many inner dialogue and retrospection, which at times could hamper the sequence. Furthermore, Vayle's amnesia and Bergman on painkillers provide much comedic moments that litter throughout the narrative.
All in all, Bitten in Two is written rather well and is a good continuation to what would hopefully be a wonderful series, which I plan to continue in the very near future.
Jaz Park and her team are in Morocco, where Rocenz, a demon formed that Jaz needs to save her life, but her search is hampered by Vayl’s inexplicable memory loss, the result of a curse laid on him in Scotland a couple of books ago. In a desperate bid to restore Vayle from his 1777 time warp, Jaz drags Sterling, a wizard into the fight and along with Cole Bemont, Miles Bergman, and a bit of help from a local stalker, the gang face down a vicious clan of werewolves, a greedy mage, and Kyphas’s betrayal.
Bitten in Two is written rather well. As always, Rardin jumps right into the narrative feet first and it is a mad dash from beginning to end. The action sequences are written rather well, despite the many inner dialogue and retrospection, which at times could hamper the sequence. Furthermore, Vayle's amnesia and Bergman on painkillers provide much comedic moments that litter throughout the narrative.
All in all, Bitten in Two is written rather well and is a good continuation to what would hopefully be a wonderful series, which I plan to continue in the very near future.
July 24, 2019
It's been a while since I read anything from this series, so this book took me a bit to get into to be honest. Jaz and Co are in Morocco this time trying to find the Rocenz, a demon object that will free Jaz of her curse - I couldn't remember what her actual curse was and a bit more background info would have helped here.
The problem with this whole situation is that Vayl is now cursed as well into thinking he is back in 1777 and Jaz is one of his servants, not his lover and sverhamin. It was really upsetting to see how he didn't remember her at all, and yet she still pined for him, grasped every touch she could. It was heartbreaking at times.
The gang eventually work out how and who cursed Vayl and a joint effort from new and old friends and colleagues tracks down the perpetrators in the end.
While I enjoyed the book, I didn't find it an easy book to get into, which is a shame as I have loved this series so far. The plot was good enough, but I felt Jaz was a hard character to follow in this one. She has too many voices in her head and they became much of a distraction at times. I also got confused with who was who as the names seemed to alternate between first names and surnames and then add on top of that the names 1777 Vayl was calling them all and I was very puzzled!
Now I'm kind of caught up a bit more I will read the next and final book in this series. Sad that there will be no more as well.
The problem with this whole situation is that Vayl is now cursed as well into thinking he is back in 1777 and Jaz is one of his servants, not his lover and sverhamin. It was really upsetting to see how he didn't remember her at all, and yet she still pined for him, grasped every touch she could. It was heartbreaking at times.
The gang eventually work out how and who cursed Vayl and a joint effort from new and old friends and colleagues tracks down the perpetrators in the end.
While I enjoyed the book, I didn't find it an easy book to get into, which is a shame as I have loved this series so far. The plot was good enough, but I felt Jaz was a hard character to follow in this one. She has too many voices in her head and they became much of a distraction at times. I also got confused with who was who as the names seemed to alternate between first names and surnames and then add on top of that the names 1777 Vayl was calling them all and I was very puzzled!
Now I'm kind of caught up a bit more I will read the next and final book in this series. Sad that there will be no more as well.
June 23, 2020
The second to last book in the series not sure what I am going to do when this series finishes I have thoroughly enjoyed them. I have loved reading about the characters and watching them grow and develop though the books. Jennifer has a way with words and detail that you can clearly picture the characters and scene around them
The story does not get off to a good start when Vayl wakes up calling another woman's name - poor Jaz! I love the relationship between the two of them, how they fit together and fix each others broken parts.
The story does not get off to a good start when Vayl wakes up calling another woman's name - poor Jaz! I love the relationship between the two of them, how they fit together and fix each others broken parts.
July 6, 2021
I read the entire series back to back so one review for all. Great characters, lots of action and a decent overall storyline. I suspect Rardin had more planned but she passed away in 2010. Fortunately, the last book gave a solid ending.
January 7, 2018
I love Jaz and her friends. Her adventures are always entertaining. This story was no different. Can’t wait to read the next book.
July 25, 2018
First half two stars. Second half four. Split the difference for three. Onto book 8.
July 26, 2019
The writing is perfectly serviceable, though without any distinguishing characteristics. It's like those MFA bores all are.
June 6, 2011
Fire & Thud by Arctic Monkeys. Do yourselves a favor, listen to this song after you read the book. You'll understand why I'm shouting this song out as a good theme song for "Bitten in Two" (Of course there a few others but this one happened to be on my iPod while I wrote this and it was an a-ha moment)
"The day after you stole my heart
Everything I touched told me
It would be better shared with you, with you"
Knowing that this was going to be the second to last book in the Jaz series, I am ignoring a few things that irk me (Jaz's head dialogue with her Granny and such that was confusing because of the way it was framed; the fact that Cassandra wasn't in this one; and the flashback explanations at the beginning of the book that were confusing and needed to be read thrice) and instead am going to focus on the things that I liked.
I liked the idea of Vayl not remembering anything about Jaz and the rest of the team. There was something visceral about Jaz's reaction anytime she looked at her love and realizing that he had no idea who she was. It was also bittersweet
I wanted to wreck Kyphas throughout the whole book. I think there might have been one spot where I sympathized with her and then quickly shoved it aside Especially
There were a few more scenes that really stood out to me, like when Jaz walks through Vayl's memories or any of their battle/fight scenes. Not to mention
Jaz is still kick-ass but she's a little more emotional in this installment and it balances real well. She still has Brude rattling around her head and the fact that she has two problems to deal with really stretch her out and make the final battle that much more poignant when you realize what she's had to endure throughout the book.
Despite it's jumpiness and slightly fractured narrative, I still enjoyed this book. It will also carry a bittersweet connotation because the author died a few months before this was published. Not to mention, that this book might have made more sense in the long run (don't mind this if you haven't started the next book)if Ms. Rardin had still been alive. There's a lot in the book that could've been carried for another couple of books. I believe that she had planned for ten before she passed.
In this case, while this book may not be a shining example of her excellent writing and biting dialogue, this is still a good entry in this series.
"The day after you stole my heart
Everything I touched told me
It would be better shared with you, with you"
Knowing that this was going to be the second to last book in the Jaz series, I am ignoring a few things that irk me (Jaz's head dialogue with her Granny and such that was confusing because of the way it was framed; the fact that Cassandra wasn't in this one; and the flashback explanations at the beginning of the book that were confusing and needed to be read thrice) and instead am going to focus on the things that I liked.
I liked the idea of Vayl not remembering anything about Jaz and the rest of the team. There was something visceral about Jaz's reaction anytime she looked at her love and realizing that he had no idea who she was. It was also bittersweet
I wanted to wreck Kyphas throughout the whole book. I think there might have been one spot where I sympathized with her and then quickly shoved it aside Especially
There were a few more scenes that really stood out to me, like when Jaz walks through Vayl's memories or any of their battle/fight scenes. Not to mention
Jaz is still kick-ass but she's a little more emotional in this installment and it balances real well. She still has Brude rattling around her head and the fact that she has two problems to deal with really stretch her out and make the final battle that much more poignant when you realize what she's had to endure throughout the book.
Despite it's jumpiness and slightly fractured narrative, I still enjoyed this book. It will also carry a bittersweet connotation because the author died a few months before this was published. Not to mention, that this book might have made more sense in the long run (don't mind this if you haven't started the next book)if Ms. Rardin had still been alive. There's a lot in the book that could've been carried for another couple of books. I believe that she had planned for ten before she passed.
In this case, while this book may not be a shining example of her excellent writing and biting dialogue, this is still a good entry in this series.
January 17, 2011
This is the 7th, and next to last book in the Jaz Parks series. Unfortunately, the author passed before this book was actually released to the public. The next book, The Deadliest Bite, will be out (June 2, 2011).
Thoughts: Val, Jaz, Cole, Bergman and Astral the cat, are all on an operation in Marrakech, Morocco looking for the Rocenz, the stone that will once and forall release the demon Brude, Lucifer's assassin, from Jaz's mind. Then again, Jaz has a bunch of voices in her mind: Grandma May, Teen Me, Lush Jaz, and Librarian, along with her Eldhayr guide Raoul.
The problem? Val has lost his memories due to the fact that he has been cursed by one of his oldest nemesis Rolden. There are some brief flashbacks to when Val fought Rolden over a girl named Helena, who Val took in. Rolden has been peeved ever since and gets a Mage named Abdul to curse Val. Val thinks he is in 1777, and Jaz is Madame Berggia, and Cole is her husband. In a funny sort of way, Bergman is portrayed as Helena. When Val, as his 1777 self, visits a seer, the seer tells him that his love is right in front of him, and that Jaz's ultimate future is in his hands.
Jaz has some serious anger and whining issues to deal with over the first 100 pages or so. That is until a strong Mage by the name of Sterling finally shows up and things really pick up. There is the flashback to when Jaz and Sterling worked together that is interesting, but not really necessary to the overall storyline.
At this point, I was ready to give this book an awful rating. However, once Sterling comes along, the action really kicks into pace. In fact, I would say that Sterling along with Miles Bergman are the ultimate heroes in this book. The only funny part was when a kid named Yousef starts to hound Jaz. By the way, Youself is also not what you think he is.
Of course, there's betrayal when Kyphas, who once tried to take Cassandra's soul from her, and is supposed to be bound to Vayl's Trust, tries this time to take Cole's and nearly succeeds in turning him into pure demon. Thanks, of course, to Sterling, she fails.
It appears that Cass and Jaz's brother David are going to be married, but that doesn't happen in this book. What else doesn't happen, which really truly irked me, was that they never used the stone to release Brude from Jaz's mind. What exactly what the point of almost losing Cole if they weren't going to use it?
If you read the Extra at the end of the book, you will see that there is a major spoiler that is shown. Let's just say that Valy has alot to do with the next book and leave it at that.
Questions: Will Cole come back as human, or will he have any lingering effects of Klyphas attempts to turn him evil? Grandma May tells Jaz that she knows who Cole will fall in love with, will that be uncovered in the last book, or go unanswered? Will Val, Jaz, and Bergman actually go into business together, or is there another future in store for all three?
Overall, after finishing this book, I was struggling with my feelings toward how to rate it. It was truly boring as all hades for the first 1/3, then it picked up. The ending was perfectly fine for this book. However, we can all thank the arrival of Sterling and the unusual gumption of Bergman for making this more than a 3.5 rathing.
Thoughts: Val, Jaz, Cole, Bergman and Astral the cat, are all on an operation in Marrakech, Morocco looking for the Rocenz, the stone that will once and forall release the demon Brude, Lucifer's assassin, from Jaz's mind. Then again, Jaz has a bunch of voices in her mind: Grandma May, Teen Me, Lush Jaz, and Librarian, along with her Eldhayr guide Raoul.
The problem? Val has lost his memories due to the fact that he has been cursed by one of his oldest nemesis Rolden. There are some brief flashbacks to when Val fought Rolden over a girl named Helena, who Val took in. Rolden has been peeved ever since and gets a Mage named Abdul to curse Val. Val thinks he is in 1777, and Jaz is Madame Berggia, and Cole is her husband. In a funny sort of way, Bergman is portrayed as Helena. When Val, as his 1777 self, visits a seer, the seer tells him that his love is right in front of him, and that Jaz's ultimate future is in his hands.
Jaz has some serious anger and whining issues to deal with over the first 100 pages or so. That is until a strong Mage by the name of Sterling finally shows up and things really pick up. There is the flashback to when Jaz and Sterling worked together that is interesting, but not really necessary to the overall storyline.
At this point, I was ready to give this book an awful rating. However, once Sterling comes along, the action really kicks into pace. In fact, I would say that Sterling along with Miles Bergman are the ultimate heroes in this book. The only funny part was when a kid named Yousef starts to hound Jaz. By the way, Youself is also not what you think he is.
Of course, there's betrayal when Kyphas, who once tried to take Cassandra's soul from her, and is supposed to be bound to Vayl's Trust, tries this time to take Cole's and nearly succeeds in turning him into pure demon. Thanks, of course, to Sterling, she fails.
It appears that Cass and Jaz's brother David are going to be married, but that doesn't happen in this book. What else doesn't happen, which really truly irked me, was that they never used the stone to release Brude from Jaz's mind. What exactly what the point of almost losing Cole if they weren't going to use it?
If you read the Extra at the end of the book, you will see that there is a major spoiler that is shown. Let's just say that Valy has alot to do with the next book and leave it at that.
Questions: Will Cole come back as human, or will he have any lingering effects of Klyphas attempts to turn him evil? Grandma May tells Jaz that she knows who Cole will fall in love with, will that be uncovered in the last book, or go unanswered? Will Val, Jaz, and Bergman actually go into business together, or is there another future in store for all three?
Overall, after finishing this book, I was struggling with my feelings toward how to rate it. It was truly boring as all hades for the first 1/3, then it picked up. The ending was perfectly fine for this book. However, we can all thank the arrival of Sterling and the unusual gumption of Bergman for making this more than a 3.5 rathing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 8, 2011
Jaz, Vayl and their crew have just landed in Morocco to find an artifact that will send the demon possessing Jaz back to hell. Only one problem. A mysterious curse is placed on Vayl that has him thinking he is in 1777. Now Jaz, Cole and Bergman must play the roles Vayl currently envisions them in or risk him losing his dangerous temper. They must do this while trying to find a way to lift Vayl's curse and find the artifact to save Jaz before this becomes her last mission.
You are thrown into the action from page one. Cole and Jaz are hunting a vampire you think is their mark but we find out that it is Vayl and he has lost the last 230+ years of his memory. While the book does explain what happen to Vayl, I felt like I was missing out because we jump into the middle of things rather than be there from the start. This threw me off a bit and several pages are spent trying to figure out who is who in Vayl's mind and why he sees them as that person from his past. There are a few funny moments during this time but these chapters felt a little messy and started things off a bit rocky. After a few chapters things do get sorted out and the story finds a familiar tone.
While trying to find out what happen to Vayl and who is responsible, the team must also track down a tool that will rid Jaz of the demon who is currently trapped in her head. Kyphas is a female demon we meet in the last book and she says she will help Jaz find the tool she needs. But you never believe what a demon says. Aside from constantly having Jaz on her guard, Kyphas has set her eyes on Cole. She claims to have real feelings for him but Jaz believes that it is Cole's soul she wants. Jaz does what she can to help protect Cole but he has began to fall for her and this brings tension to Cole and Jaz's relationship. I've loved Cole since Once Bitten, Twice Shy and even though I do love Jaz and Vayl being together, I feel bad for him. You know that his feelings for Jaz are genuine and he is such a lovable man that I just want him to be happy. Of course he deserves way better than a demon and I loved that Jaz feels protective over him.
I felt for Jaz when Vayl forgot her. It brought up painful memories of when she lost Matt, her fiance who died and made her feel alone. She did teeter on the brink of feeling sorry for herself and I'm glad she had her inner voices to snap her out of it. Bergman, the teams tech man, is clueless when it comes to the advances of a more mature woman who has her eyes set on the tech genius and in the end he surprises me by showing a darker side I didn't know he had. Sterling is a new character we meet. He is a very powerful warlock that once got into a fight with Jaz and they ended up blowing up a house. He fits in with the team perfectly.
Jaz and her team will battle demons, a dark magic wielder, and werewolves in order to restore Vayl's memory and find the only thing that can save Jaz's sanity and life. Like the rest of the books in Jennifer's Jaz Parks series, Bitten in Two is packed with action and I found myself laughing out loud so many times I lost count. This is one of my favorite urban fantasy series and I was very sad to hear of Jennifer's passing this past October. She did finish the 8th book in her Jaz Park series before her death and The Deadliest Bite, the final book, is due out in June 2011.
You are thrown into the action from page one. Cole and Jaz are hunting a vampire you think is their mark but we find out that it is Vayl and he has lost the last 230+ years of his memory. While the book does explain what happen to Vayl, I felt like I was missing out because we jump into the middle of things rather than be there from the start. This threw me off a bit and several pages are spent trying to figure out who is who in Vayl's mind and why he sees them as that person from his past. There are a few funny moments during this time but these chapters felt a little messy and started things off a bit rocky. After a few chapters things do get sorted out and the story finds a familiar tone.
While trying to find out what happen to Vayl and who is responsible, the team must also track down a tool that will rid Jaz of the demon who is currently trapped in her head. Kyphas is a female demon we meet in the last book and she says she will help Jaz find the tool she needs. But you never believe what a demon says. Aside from constantly having Jaz on her guard, Kyphas has set her eyes on Cole. She claims to have real feelings for him but Jaz believes that it is Cole's soul she wants. Jaz does what she can to help protect Cole but he has began to fall for her and this brings tension to Cole and Jaz's relationship. I've loved Cole since Once Bitten, Twice Shy and even though I do love Jaz and Vayl being together, I feel bad for him. You know that his feelings for Jaz are genuine and he is such a lovable man that I just want him to be happy. Of course he deserves way better than a demon and I loved that Jaz feels protective over him.
I felt for Jaz when Vayl forgot her. It brought up painful memories of when she lost Matt, her fiance who died and made her feel alone. She did teeter on the brink of feeling sorry for herself and I'm glad she had her inner voices to snap her out of it. Bergman, the teams tech man, is clueless when it comes to the advances of a more mature woman who has her eyes set on the tech genius and in the end he surprises me by showing a darker side I didn't know he had. Sterling is a new character we meet. He is a very powerful warlock that once got into a fight with Jaz and they ended up blowing up a house. He fits in with the team perfectly.
Jaz and her team will battle demons, a dark magic wielder, and werewolves in order to restore Vayl's memory and find the only thing that can save Jaz's sanity and life. Like the rest of the books in Jennifer's Jaz Parks series, Bitten in Two is packed with action and I found myself laughing out loud so many times I lost count. This is one of my favorite urban fantasy series and I was very sad to hear of Jennifer's passing this past October. She did finish the 8th book in her Jaz Park series before her death and The Deadliest Bite, the final book, is due out in June 2011.
November 4, 2010
Jaz and the gang are back! It's been awhile since I last read Bite Marks, so it took some time for me to get back into the swing of things in Jennifer Rardin's Bitten in Two.
The tension was just great! Seriously! As much as I sometimes hate it, I love it because I hate it. Vayl is living in the past, the year 1777 and he thinks Jaz is one of his old servants and Cole is her husband. It was quite comical, but frustrating as well, since Jaz was frustrated.
Jaz more than ever wants to find out who cursed him and more importantly how she can reverse the curse to get her Vayl back. The one who loves and remembers her. And that's hard to do when she doesn't have much of a clue as to where to start and to top it off she does have another mission she needs to be working on.
I truly missed hanging out with Jaz. Her and her friends/crew are just too funny. Bergman has a slightly stronger role this time and made me laugh more than once with his current situation. It seems the owner of their temporary "headquarters" has developed a crush on him and Bergman is Bergman. Too smart for his own good.
Cole is once again his charming and snarky self. There are times I truly forget how old he is supposed to be by the way he acts. Outrageous and pretty damn funny too! Tensions run high between him and the demon chick that they made a deal with last time around--another thing I forgot with the passage of time.
But the book was just filled with tension and wondering if the old and normal Vayl will ever return. Plus to make matters worse or more entertaining, Jaz has developed a stalker who is literally always around hiding in the shadows with his young friend/translator. Yup, he doesn't even speak English. There were several encounters with this guy and all were pretty entertaining, for Jaz was Jaz and not Lucille when dealing with him!
The story itself was Jaz and crew trying to find an important artifact that was somewhat demon related and would help Jaz out with her little problem currently residing in the recesses of her mind.
The book ended well, but not all the problems were resolved. More problems arose, including betrayals and other secrets being revealed. Plus a new character from Jaz's past comes back to help, despite having threatened Jaz that if she ever contacted him again, after their first and last mission, he would likely kill/punish her.
Can't wait to see where the last and final book in the Jaz Parks series takes us. The Deadliest Bite will conclude the series and from what I recalled hearing early this was where Jennifer planned to end the series. I will truly miss Jaz and her crew, but can't wait to see how the series ends like I do with all my fave series.
Overall I give the book 4/5 stars!
This is a remarkable series to read if you haven't read it yet. And plus it's the cheapest way to travel as Jaz goes somewhere new in just about all the books!
The tension was just great! Seriously! As much as I sometimes hate it, I love it because I hate it. Vayl is living in the past, the year 1777 and he thinks Jaz is one of his old servants and Cole is her husband. It was quite comical, but frustrating as well, since Jaz was frustrated.
Jaz more than ever wants to find out who cursed him and more importantly how she can reverse the curse to get her Vayl back. The one who loves and remembers her. And that's hard to do when she doesn't have much of a clue as to where to start and to top it off she does have another mission she needs to be working on.
I truly missed hanging out with Jaz. Her and her friends/crew are just too funny. Bergman has a slightly stronger role this time and made me laugh more than once with his current situation. It seems the owner of their temporary "headquarters" has developed a crush on him and Bergman is Bergman. Too smart for his own good.
Cole is once again his charming and snarky self. There are times I truly forget how old he is supposed to be by the way he acts. Outrageous and pretty damn funny too! Tensions run high between him and the demon chick that they made a deal with last time around--another thing I forgot with the passage of time.
But the book was just filled with tension and wondering if the old and normal Vayl will ever return. Plus to make matters worse or more entertaining, Jaz has developed a stalker who is literally always around hiding in the shadows with his young friend/translator. Yup, he doesn't even speak English. There were several encounters with this guy and all were pretty entertaining, for Jaz was Jaz and not Lucille when dealing with him!
The story itself was Jaz and crew trying to find an important artifact that was somewhat demon related and would help Jaz out with her little problem currently residing in the recesses of her mind.
The book ended well, but not all the problems were resolved. More problems arose, including betrayals and other secrets being revealed. Plus a new character from Jaz's past comes back to help, despite having threatened Jaz that if she ever contacted him again, after their first and last mission, he would likely kill/punish her.
Can't wait to see where the last and final book in the Jaz Parks series takes us. The Deadliest Bite will conclude the series and from what I recalled hearing early this was where Jennifer planned to end the series. I will truly miss Jaz and her crew, but can't wait to see how the series ends like I do with all my fave series.
Overall I give the book 4/5 stars!
This is a remarkable series to read if you haven't read it yet. And plus it's the cheapest way to travel as Jaz goes somewhere new in just about all the books!
February 21, 2012
Bitten in Two (Jaz Parks #7)
by Jennifer Rardin
4 out of 5 stars
http://angelswithattitudebookreviews-...
Jaz. Is. Pissed. She and Vayl had been operating like a couple of finely carved gears…until now. Just as they’re arriving in Morocco to secure an ancient artifact that must carve the name of Jaz’s possessor into the gates of hell if he’s to be vanquished, Vayl wakes up calling Jaz by another woman’s name. And it’s not even a good one. But since any form of argument transforms Vayl into an unholy terror, Jaz is forced to play along until she and the gang can figure out what kind of power has so vastly altered his perceptions.
My Thoughts
I have reading this series and loving it ! Vayl and Jaz's chemistry really make these books great !This story they are in Morocco to secure a artifact that is going to save Jaz's life. It will lift a curse upon her.She is running out of time .The story gets complicated as her would be lover Vayl is living in the year 1877 as he thinks her a lord. In his previous life or would could say centuries ago yes he was.Jaz and her team of friends still have to find the artifact but, it difficult as Vayl is off on his own tangent trying to save someone from his past.He needs protection so Jaz and her friends impersonate themselves and become part of his staff in order to follow him and make sure no harm comes to him while staying uncover .The cast hopes by doing so that Vayl's memory will return on its own.
This adventure is so much danger and betrayal.So much is going on beyond the scenes that danger lurks everywhere. Jaz is a sarcastic tough girl with her kick as attitude ,who you don't want to mess with and then there is Vayl being his charming self but , who's one deadly vampire even though he can't remember it.Vayl emulates power just being himself.The other characters blended well with the story and then there is her Spirit guide and her mechanical cat that are added some fun into the mix of the other serious ones.Its was a fun read full of suspense a little heart wrenching at times as Jaz thought she lost her mate for ever. There were funny scenes where Vayl talked of meeting other women that got the best of her but, she had to show restraint as Vayl isn't in his right mind but, the scenes that unfolded had me laughing out loud. And then there is my favorite part where Vayl is shown a picture of Jasmine and right away feels a connection to her picture believing she is his savior and soul mate. He has lost his mind but, not his heart as it still realizes his one true love giving Jaz hope after all.
A Recommended series to read !
by Jennifer Rardin
4 out of 5 stars
http://angelswithattitudebookreviews-...
Jaz. Is. Pissed. She and Vayl had been operating like a couple of finely carved gears…until now. Just as they’re arriving in Morocco to secure an ancient artifact that must carve the name of Jaz’s possessor into the gates of hell if he’s to be vanquished, Vayl wakes up calling Jaz by another woman’s name. And it’s not even a good one. But since any form of argument transforms Vayl into an unholy terror, Jaz is forced to play along until she and the gang can figure out what kind of power has so vastly altered his perceptions.
My Thoughts
I have reading this series and loving it ! Vayl and Jaz's chemistry really make these books great !This story they are in Morocco to secure a artifact that is going to save Jaz's life. It will lift a curse upon her.She is running out of time .The story gets complicated as her would be lover Vayl is living in the year 1877 as he thinks her a lord. In his previous life or would could say centuries ago yes he was.Jaz and her team of friends still have to find the artifact but, it difficult as Vayl is off on his own tangent trying to save someone from his past.He needs protection so Jaz and her friends impersonate themselves and become part of his staff in order to follow him and make sure no harm comes to him while staying uncover .The cast hopes by doing so that Vayl's memory will return on its own.
This adventure is so much danger and betrayal.So much is going on beyond the scenes that danger lurks everywhere. Jaz is a sarcastic tough girl with her kick as attitude ,who you don't want to mess with and then there is Vayl being his charming self but , who's one deadly vampire even though he can't remember it.Vayl emulates power just being himself.The other characters blended well with the story and then there is her Spirit guide and her mechanical cat that are added some fun into the mix of the other serious ones.Its was a fun read full of suspense a little heart wrenching at times as Jaz thought she lost her mate for ever. There were funny scenes where Vayl talked of meeting other women that got the best of her but, she had to show restraint as Vayl isn't in his right mind but, the scenes that unfolded had me laughing out loud. And then there is my favorite part where Vayl is shown a picture of Jasmine and right away feels a connection to her picture believing she is his savior and soul mate. He has lost his mind but, not his heart as it still realizes his one true love giving Jaz hope after all.
A Recommended series to read !
April 11, 2019
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94 points, 4 ¾ stars!
Jaz and Vayl are in Morocco to secure an ancient artifact they need to free Jaz from the voice in her head. Only, as soon as they get there, Vayl forgets all about them and believes he is the person he was a few hundred years ago. They're forced to play along with Vayl's lack of recent memories, keep him safe, keep him from betraying the person he has become, and find the artifact they came from. The fight is coming on multiple fronts, and there is only one thing left to do: go back to hell.
There is a lot coming together now. Bitten in Two is the penultimate book in the series, and there is a lot left to set up, and a lot left to happen before that end can come. This is a much slower book, and while I like it better than the first, Once Bitten, Twice Shy, it is only barely. This is just kind of boring vs. kind of not well put together.
Not only that, but nothing is really solved in Bitten in Two. As I kind of come to expect from penultimate books, everything is pushed off for the last book in the series. This just adds on more to the pile of things that have to be solved. And does it so slowly because for most of this book nothing really happens due to Vayl's memory loss.
Memory loss is pretty much my least favourite trope. The entire book is centered on Vayl and trying to get his memory back while saving him from his destructive past. At least the memory loss isn't on the main character. It adds a nice emotional element that is typically missing when it is centered on the main character.
Thankfully, the story is coming together a lot, now. While more is added onto what has to happen in order to finally relieve Jaz of Brude's possession, everything that is added, save the memory loss, is there to help Jaz. However, even the memory loss does serve some purpose. It connects Vayl's past to the last major player left in the Raptor's confidences - Roldan, the Sol of the Velencia Weres.
Again, not much happens until the end, where everything seems to happen at once. Seriously the worst part, though, was how little Jaz and Vayl time I got because of the memory loss that takes most of the book to resolve. This is also just super serious, and has little of the funny humor I've come to expect out of the series.
Overall, kind of depressed. Still really good, just not what I wanted.
94 points, 4 ¾ stars!
Jaz and Vayl are in Morocco to secure an ancient artifact they need to free Jaz from the voice in her head. Only, as soon as they get there, Vayl forgets all about them and believes he is the person he was a few hundred years ago. They're forced to play along with Vayl's lack of recent memories, keep him safe, keep him from betraying the person he has become, and find the artifact they came from. The fight is coming on multiple fronts, and there is only one thing left to do: go back to hell.
There is a lot coming together now. Bitten in Two is the penultimate book in the series, and there is a lot left to set up, and a lot left to happen before that end can come. This is a much slower book, and while I like it better than the first, Once Bitten, Twice Shy, it is only barely. This is just kind of boring vs. kind of not well put together.
Not only that, but nothing is really solved in Bitten in Two. As I kind of come to expect from penultimate books, everything is pushed off for the last book in the series. This just adds on more to the pile of things that have to be solved. And does it so slowly because for most of this book nothing really happens due to Vayl's memory loss.
Memory loss is pretty much my least favourite trope. The entire book is centered on Vayl and trying to get his memory back while saving him from his destructive past. At least the memory loss isn't on the main character. It adds a nice emotional element that is typically missing when it is centered on the main character.
Thankfully, the story is coming together a lot, now. While more is added onto what has to happen in order to finally relieve Jaz of Brude's possession, everything that is added, save the memory loss, is there to help Jaz. However, even the memory loss does serve some purpose. It connects Vayl's past to the last major player left in the Raptor's confidences - Roldan, the Sol of the Velencia Weres.
Again, not much happens until the end, where everything seems to happen at once. Seriously the worst part, though, was how little Jaz and Vayl time I got because of the memory loss that takes most of the book to resolve. This is also just super serious, and has little of the funny humor I've come to expect out of the series.
Overall, kind of depressed. Still really good, just not what I wanted.
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