Vampire Interrupted by Lynsay Sands

Synopsis
In over 700 years of existence, Marguerite Argeneau has never held a job. Her fledgling career as a PI seemed like such a simple plan - track down Christian Notte's father and convince him to give up the name of his son's mother. But, the best laid plans...Julius Notte has loved Marguerite for a long time - a very long time. When she turns up on his doorstep, demanding answers to very sensitive questions, it's clear that something is wrong. Certain he's the only one who can save her, Julian is determined to rekindle their love. But, someone is standing in their way; someone who will stop at nothing - not even murder - to ensure that Marguerite's past stays in the past.

My View
Finally Marguerite's story! Marguerites husband is dead all her children have found their lifemates and only Marguerite hasn't ... until now! Christian Notte believes his mother to be dead and has believed that for the last 500 years but, he sets out to find out her name and hires Marguerite to help him. The more the story goes on the more you find out Marguerite is not the quite headstrong vampire she would have us to believe.

I loved the ending and though all of Marguerites children have found their lifemates it still leaves a little there for other characters to find theirs so hopefully that will mean more books, I was very sad to come to the end as I have loved each and every book from this series.

Just one tip if you don't want to know how the story pans out DO NOT read the 'helpful' family tree at the beginning of the book!

Vampires Are Forever by Lynsay Sands

SYNOPSIS
Ines Urso is not pleased. After dragging herself out of bed and running to the airport at 5 am, Thomas Argeneau has the nerve to ignore her! Here she's gone through all this trouble, and disrupted her carefully planned life, and he acts like she's not even there. Once she tracks him down, she's going to give him a piece of her mind - if she can ignore his charming good looks long enough. When Thomas opens his hotel room door to an irate woman, he knows he's in big trouble. But it's not his fault no one told him he was going to have a partner! He's determined to make it up her though, because he's starting to believe she's going to have a permanent place in his life. On a wild search to track down his aunt and with his entire family descending upon them, Thomas and Ines are finding out that when it comes to happily ever after, no one does it quite like the Argeneaus.

My View
The main objective of this book was finding a missing vampire not just any vampire though, Marguerite Argeneau!

Thomas Argenau is the centre of attraction on this instalment and when he meets the Portuguese Inez he realises almost straight away that she is his lifemate, she is also an employee of Bastiens, Thomas's cousin. Because Thomas is trying to find Marguerite this makes his attentions not wholly on Inez and they travel to Amsterdam and then to York, UK to try to find Marguerite but, someone is on their trail and keeps trying to wipe Inez's memory ...

Another good instalment but, sadly not a great one, the plot seemed to waver off a little and seemed a little incomplete as if nothing got resolved. Thomas and Inez were great characters but, just wish they had been given a meatier styoryline.

Still essential reading if your planning on completing the Argeneau series.

The Accidental Vampire by Lynsay Sands

SYNOPSIS
FATE GAVE HER FANGS . . .

Ever since an accident turned her into a knockout vamp, Elvi Black’s been catching her z’s in a coffin, staying out of the sun, and giving up garlic. She knows there’s more to being undead than what she saw in Dracula, but she can’t very well ask her mortal friends about proper biting etiquette. But when her neighbors placed a personal ad for her in the local paper, she never imagined she’d meet Victor Argeneau, a vampire who could have his pick of any woman—dead or alive.

HE’LL SHOW HER HOW TO USE THEM . . .

Rich, powerful, and drop-dead gorgeous, Victor’s the perfect man for a novice neck-biter like Elvi. He’s willing to teach her everything he knows, but he’ll have to do it fast. Someone’s out to put a stake through her new vamp life, and only Victor can keep her safe – and satisfied – for all eternity.

My View
This series just gets better and better, this one focusses on Victor, one of the eldest of the Argeneau's. Victor heads off to Port Henry in response to a lonely hearts ad, the ad at first Victor is not going as a prospective suitor but, things soon change . Elvi, meanwhile is very confused as to what it means to be a vampire and believes all the typecast vampire myths and sleeps in a coffin and hasn't eaten since she was turned. But, someone is out to attack Elvi.

This was very funny, and brilliantly written by Ms Sands, I keep thinking I am going to start to get bored with this series soon and I never do, I have a few Vampy books at home to read after these and they are going to have a hard time living up to these fun vampires!

Bite Me If You Can by Lynsay Sands

Once Bitten . . .

One minute Leigh is walking home in the early hours of the morning, and the next a vampire is sinking his teeth into her neck. Turns out it was a rogue vampire marked for termination, but it does Leigh little good because the damage's already been done. She's become one of them.

Lucian Argeneau, hunter of rogue vampires, has been alive for over two thousand years, and there's very little to excite him anymore. Food has become tasteless, sex is ordinary. Then Leigh drops into his life. Suddenly he finds himself craving coffee . . . and imagining the sassy brunette atop the black satin sheets on his nice big bed. It's Lucian's job now to enlighten Leigh on the inner workings of being immortal . . . and tutoring her is igniting a fire in him that hasn't burned in centuries.

But until they stop a renegade bloodsucker from destroying the human race, passion will have to wait!

Oh as if this series was not brilliant enough this one has to be my favourite out of the series so far!

Again like the last one this is a little darker than other books in the series.

Lucian can be a bit of an old grouch but, Leigh seems to make him less like that or she doesn't see it, and Lucian has not even kissed a woman for something like 1700 years!! Nothing excites him anymore until Leigh starts popping up into his sexy dreams! But, then he is one of the oldest members of the Argeneau family having been around for 3500 years.

Silly as this may sound I don't normally read books with covers like these but, preferred the previous cartoon covers but, the old adage definitely applies here "never judge a book by its cover".

This series just gets better and better and with only 3 left to read (although another is due) I will be very sad when I get to the last one.

A Bite To Remember by Lynsay Sands

Rule #1: Never get involved with someone who won't be there for you when the sun comes up.

Once bitten, twice shy, and sexy PI Jackie Morrisey wasn't going there again. Vincent Argeneau may be the hottest guy she's ever met, living or dead, but she's here to stop a killer from turning this vampire into dust, not to jump into bed with him.

Rule #2: Never kiss a vampire . . . it can be a pain in the neck.

Okay, so Vincent's had four hundred years to perfect his kissing skills, and he does look rather tempting when he runs around the house shirtless. He's also charming, protective . . . did we mention he can kiss? Jackie needs to be on her guard, or else she'll have to come up with a new rule: If you're going to fall in love with a vampire, make sure it's a bite to remember.

I have to say of all the Vampire series out there (and there are quite a few) this has to be my favourite, I love love love the Argenau's. They are great and so funny and after the last one I was just a teensy bit scared that the books were goinmg the same way as the others hence why its a while since I read the last one.

But, no this one is a little different to the others in that it is a little darker - though I would say the female interest here - Jackie - I did not like as much as I did Rachel and Kate but, Jackie is ok just didn't find her terribly exciting!

Vincent on the other hand made the book IMO!

I don't want to give too much of the story away but, if you love fun light reads with Vampires this series is it - love it!

Waifs & Strays by Charles De Lint

Synopsis
Mythic fiction is at its best in this anthology of stories of memorable heroines, rooted not in a secondary world but in an urban environment. The author introduces each selection, providing insight and interesting biographical information. The subject of two stories is a 16-year-old vampire named Apples who receives "the Gift" from a stranger during a Bryan Adams concert. She hopes to "turn" her sister Cassie when she is older, if she agrees, so they can live together forever. Poking fun at the television version of a teenage vampire, the heroine offers a more pragmatic view of her lot in life as she avenges evil doings in her neighborhood. In the section "Bordertown," where magic and reality coexist, an elf named Manda saves the life of a Harley-riding black man who is the neighborhood peacekeeper in a city rife with prejudice and violence. Elements of Robin Hood, Merlin, Native American mythology, and Celtic music weave through each story. Some of the heroines are humans who briefly tiptoe into a magical realm or are skeptical about its existence. De Lint's characters are often lonely and intelligent misfits whose self-discovery triumphs over plot. Described as "urban fantasy," these stories represent a hybrid genre for readers who only want one arm through the door into another world.

My View

Another fantastic collection from Charles De Lint, this collction is about teenagers and possibly more Young Adult focussed. I loved the first three stories being about Merlin, Vampires and fairies.

There was a really good cross section of characters here and the last couple of storis I found nost as good as the first but, another really good mixed assortment of stories.

My favourite story of the bunch was 'Sisters' about 2 sisters called Cassie and Apple one of whom is a vampire, and whether or not she should 'turn' her sister.

Loved this so another definite one to read from CDL, can this guy do no wrong?

Dreams Underfoot by Charles De Lint

This short story collections features 19 short stories from CDL's Newford. There is a real mixture of stories here sort of like a chocolate assortment box in a book! Lots of different and very interesting characters and many of them featuring the very likeable Jilly Coppercorn.

I love how he makes fairy tales and folklore into a modern setting and that is so prevelent here and although this is a short story collection per se the stories somehow interlink ino to each other, all being based in Newford as well.

Some say the characters are unrealistic but, for me if the characters are real and more like people in our everyday lives would it really make for such interesting reading? I think not. I love CDL's characters they are so different, some quirky mostly likeable.

I find myself with each book saying if you haven't read De Lint before then read this and I would say it about this one too - I think his short story collections are the best way to get a feel for the type of characters he creates.

If you ever want to get away from your day to day life dive into one of CDL's books they are real escapism.

A Quick Bite by Lynsay Sands

That hot guy tied to Lissianna Argeneau’s bed? He’s not dessert—he’s the main course!

Lissianna has been spending her centuries pining for Mr. Right, not just a quick snack, and this sexy guy she finds in her bed looks like he might be a candidate. But there’s another, more pressing issue: her tendency to faint at the sign of blood… an especially annoying quirk for a vampire. Her mother thinks she has the perfect solution, and serves up the therapist on a silver platter (or at least a wrought iron bed). Of course it doesn’t hurt that this psychologist has a delicious looking neck.

What kind of cold-blooded vampire woman could resist a bite of that? Dr. Gregory Hewitt recovers from the shock of waking up in a stranger’s bedroom pretty quickly—once he sees a gorgeous woman about to treat him to a wild night of passion. But is it possible for the good doctor find true love with a hemophobic vampire vixen, or will he be just a good meal?

That’s a question Dr. Greg might be willing to sink his teeth into… if he can just get Lissianna to bite.

This is the fourth book but, should have been the first, sounds confusing? But, it does not detract at all from the story in fact I think if you wanted you could read this first to get Lissiana's story before reading the others but, I really think it doesn't matter.

Every inch as good as the other three I have so far read although, Etienne's story is my favourite so far.

Tall, Dark & Hungry by Lynsay Sands

New York hotels cost an arm and a leg, and Terri had flown from England to help plan her cousin's wedding. The new in-laws offered lodging. But they were a weird bunch. There was the sometimes-chipper-sometimes-brooding Lucern, and the wacky stage-actor, Vincent. (She couldn't imagine Broadway casting a hungrier singing-and-dancing Dracula.). And then there was Bastien. Just looking into his eyes, Terri had to admit she was falling for him - someone even taller, darker and hungrier than the other two. She was feeling a mite peckish herself. And if she stayed with him, those bloodsucking hotel owners wouldn't get her!

Bastien is a workaholic and lives in the gorgeous penthouse over the top of the Argeaneau offices. Kate has to go out of town and so it is left to Bastien and his brother to pick Terri up from the airport and she will also be staying at his gorgeous apartment!

Terri has no idea Bastien is a vampire, in fact she has no idea any of the Argenau's are vampires. So Bastien has to try and keep it from her for the 2 weeks she is staying. Just to make matters worse, Chris - Kate's editor colleague also has to stay at Bastien's apartment (apparently Chris is based on Lynsay's own editor).

I loved this one and despite the not so favourable reviews on Amazon this was a brilliant instalment in the Argenau's. Of course the end is fairly predictable but, its all nice and sweet!

Love Bites by Lynsay Sands

Etienne Argeneau's three hundred years of bachelorhood were at an end. Either that, or he'd be forever alone. He could only "turn" one human in his lifetime, and most of his kind reserved that power for creating a life mate. If he turned the wrong woman . . .

But what choice did he have? He had to save Rachel Garrett. He didn't know her very well, but the beautiful coroner had saved his life. To save hers he would make her immortal.

We first met Etienne in Single White Vampire but, this time its his own story. While Etienne is in the morgue, after having been shot and as Rachel prepares Etienne for a post mortem when Etienne wakes up sending Rachel into shock and subsequently fainting.

After having a week away from work Rachel returns and Etienne is back in the morgue again, only to find a madman trying to kill Etienne but, Rachel saves him and in turn Etienne saves Rachel by turning her into a vampire.

This was another hilarious romp in the life of the Argenau vampires, slightly different in that Rachel didn't really have much choice in being turned. All the great characters from SWV are back here although of course, we don't see them as much because this is Etienne's turn to take centre stage.

I'm beginning to like this world of Vampires even more than Charlaine Harris's!

Single White Vampire by Lynsay Sands

This is the first in Lynsay Sands Argenau vampires series, although it can be a bit confusing as the website has book 3 listed as the first but, apparently this one is, but anyway ...

This is the story of Lucern Arganeau, from a family of vampires consisting (so far) of a mother, two sons and a daughter. Lucern is over 400 years old so has seen a lot and lived through many eras! Lucern is also a vampire firstly writing historical books and now onto Vampire romances.

Because of his books he meets Kate who is his book editor and she is trying to convince him to go to book signings etc which he is very reluctant to do and finally she gets him to agree to go to a book convention which is where the fun starts.

Of course at first he doesn't want to go but, is convinced to go not only by Kate but, also by his Mother and his family, they like Kate and think she will be perfect for Lucern. And so of course, Kate & Lucern nenture on a romance which isn't as easy as it seems. Lucern isn't exactly up on all the things of the 21st century.

The trouble starts when Kate discovers Lucern is a vampire, she doesn't know at first, he only told her he had problems with the sun (haw haw) and when she sees him taking some blood from her colleague Chris then he just has to own up!

This was a very funny feast! Every vampire series I think has to be compared to Anne Rice's vampires and you couldn't get further from lestat and his crew than these, it was so funny and I loved every minute!

I hope to read them all there are 9 so far I think!