Customer Reviews

Tall, Dark & Fangsome (Immortality Bites, Book 5)

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I may be a little biased seeing as the second I read Bitten and Smitten I was hopelessly hooked on the tales of Sarah Dearly and her hunky vampire love interest, Thierry. I know people say this all the time in exaggeration, but I quite literally couldn't put it down. Since then I have eagerly awaited the release of each and every Immortality Bites addition, and Tall, Dark and Fangsome was no exception.

Well, let's just say I wasn't disappointed! Another one I couldn't quit manage to put down (I read the entire thing in less than a 24 hour period despite having to work both days!) Fangsome is definitely more of a roller coaster than the previous books in the series. Its ups and downs keep you gripped so that by the end of every chapter you swore was to be the last one for the evening, you get sucked right back in. There's a lot of emotion in this one too. I laughed out loud. I found I couldn't keep from grinning at some of the lively dialogue between Thierry and Sarah. And at times, I almost thought I was going to cry because, yes things do get rather difficult for poor Sarah in this one.


This book does an excellent job at throwing in lots of twists and turns that keep the reader on her toes. Just when I thought I knew what was going to play out, something new popped up sending it in a different direction. But it also delivers a lot of that charming punch I've loved since the first book. The interaction among Sarah, Theirry, George...and yes even Quinn...is just as intriguing as ever.


Fangsome is witty, clever, and a stunning swan song for the Immortality Bites series. I only wish she'd change her mind and write more because I personally can't get enough of Sarah and Thierry.

Author Michelle Rowen has sold twelve novels in paranormal romance, futuristic romantic suspense, and young adult fantasy to some of the top publishing houses. She has been on the Waldenbooks romance bestsellers list, is the winner of the 2007 Holt Medallion for Best First Book, and her alter ego Michelle Maddox as nominated for a Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Award. Other titles include: Stakes & Stilettos, Angel With Attitude, Bitten & Smitten, Lady & the Vamp, and Fanged & Fabulous. Michelle resides in Southern Ontario , where she is the Vice President of the Toronto Romance Writers.

Sarah Dearly's vampire life began about a year ago when a blind date went horribly wrong. It's not all bad, but it's not all B-positive cocktails either. A curse has made her a nightwalker, the most vicious and almost extinct kind of vampire there is. It forces her to wear a charm that keeps her deadly appetite at bay, but it's starting to wear off. Her master boyfriend, Thierry, is in a century long marriage that he cannot get out of, and her friends are still trying to hook her up. To top it off, a hunter from hell named Gideon Chase has forced her to break up with her very sexy, very French boyfriend to help him escape a doom of eternal hellfire. Turning up the heat, he threatens to kill the ones she loves if he doesn't obey his orders. As if that wasn't bad enough, her growing feelings for Gideon, a bad boy who keeps showing a sensitive side, is clouding her judgment. Will her dark side take over before she can cure herself of the curse in time to stop Gideon? More importantly, can she still have a happily forever after with Thierry?

I don't get to say this very often, but Michelle Rowen is truly a unique voice in this genre. It is no wonder at all how she has gained such a large following or won as many awards. To take a supernatural element in books like vampires, and put a different spin on it is tough, but she pulls it off. Vampires walking by day, a curse is what makes them evil, etc. Inventive. Add to the mix that this is a clever and humorous spin on a usually serious paranormal romance genre, and you have a lethal combination. Told in first-person point-of-view, you will be laughing until your sides ache by the time you get to chapter two. Witty, distinct, and imaginative- you will be dying to read more of her work, (pun intended).

Kelly Moran,

Author and Reviewer

It is a sad day when I finish reading a series, especially one that is as good as "Immortality Bites". I have been reading the tales of Sarah Dearly, her own (hysterically funny) narrator for her first days as a fledgling vampire, since the first book was released.

Goodbyes are never very fun. I think I may have teared up a little bit.

The only thing that makes up for the misery of knowing that there won't be any further misadventures of Sarah is that this book was so damned good. Picking up right where "Stakes and Stilettos" left off, "Tall, Dark and Fangsome" finds Sarah still afflicted with a curse from a malevolent witch: the heroine has been changed from a relatively mildly, docile sort of vampire to a "nightwalker" -- sunlight can now kill her, and she has an uncontrollable bloodlust. In short and to her great dismay, she has become a Hollywood cliche.

The unfortunate vampire is not without her share of allies, however. Her series-long boyfriend, the enigmatic Thierry de Bennicoeur, master vampire of Toronto and hero extraordinaire, is always ready to help her, even in spite of her curse, and so is the Red Devil, an equally mysterious vampire vigilante ready to take up Sarah's cause. But to her dismay and fascination, she is also pursued by the infamous vampire hunter, who wants her to turn him into a vampire and can't seem to keep her hands off of her...

Of course, the outstanding side characters of "Immortality Bites" make their appearances, as well as a few new humorous additions; these guys really take this series from "another good paranormal romance" to funny, funny chick-lit and the best brand of urban fantasy.

I'd recommend reading this book as part of the series, though it could also stand alone; readers wouldn't be lost jumping in with "Tall, Dark and Fangsome", but they would miss so much that it's worth the extra time with the earlier books.

Amazing series, with an amazing finale. Wonderful!

In the short three-month period since Sarah Dearly became a vampire she has gotten herself elevated to Slayer of Slayers status, worked really hard to control her Nightwalker Curse by keeping that really ugly necklace on and snagged the hunky master vampire Thierry de Bennecoeur as her new boyfriend. Not all things have exactly gone according to plan especially when Gideon Chase turns up alive (sort of) and not dead as everyone thought. He was supposed to have burned up in hellfire but here he is scarred and thriving in a limbo that requires Sarah's assistance to get him out of in just three days time. Gideon needs her to turn him into a vampire utilizing all her power, magic and revved up vampire blood to make him the strongest vampire around. None of this sounded like a great plan especially when she is forced to appease Gideon and keep her friends alive by breaking up with Thierry.

Turning Gideon into a vampire is the greatest of ironies since he had used all of his great wealth and resources to slay vampires without regard for anyone or anything. He holds Sarah's very life in his hands and he will manipulate her future to free himself from the destiny he set up for himself with his prior acts of brutality. Gideon is dealing with the pain from the scars from hellfire and may be weak he is not in any way down for the count and he can very well manipulate the entire scenario to suit his own agenda.

But Sarah has a trick or two up her sleeve as she in turn is using Gideon to try and break the spell that has turned her into a Nightwalker. He has the grimoire - a book with a spell to undo the damage that has been done to her. But while he dangles this in front of Sarah behind his back she is still seeing Thierry and working on a plot or two of her own to stop Gideon and regain her life. Or could it be she is really falling for Gideon and trying to save him from himself and redeem him from his evil ways. Sarah is a good hearted vampire that tries to help the weak be strong and the wicked see the light but is this evil inside Gideon too strong even for her to redeem.

Thierry is not happy with any of her plans and even recruits friends and a few enemies to try to stop Gideon. Thierry brings back the Red Devil to be Sarah's bodyguard and the Red Devil may have been on a 100-year absence he is still an ever vigilant protector and a force to be reckoned with. Sarah is deeply in love with Thierry and will do everything to try and save him even risk her own life at his very hands and let him stake her if she cannot be saved. But that has got to the "evil" talking because who asks their boyfriend to stake them?

This latest in the Immortality Bites series brings all the elements from the prior books into a dramatic and fulfilling crescendo. While Sarah has always had a quirky and fun edge in this book you see that she has a kind heart as well and has trouble not wearing her heart on her sleeve. Perhaps she has too much on her plate what with the curse and all but I don't think there is anything that Sarah Dearly cannot do and this book reiterates that for me nicely. While Sarah is given a fork or two in the road she always seems to know that the path least traveled maybe the one you take.

I must say that I thought this book was going to be a bit "edgy" when I agreed to read and review it for Hachette Books. I"m not into reading just any vampire story. I want fun, excitement, romance and just enough adventure without getting to gory and graphic.

Personally, I loved this book! I learned that Tall, Dark & Fangsome is the fifth and final book in Michelle Rowen's humorous Immortality Bites paranormal romance series. I didn't realized that it was a series until I started reading this one. I didn't have time to get the others so I just jumped in and read! I was able to follow the store line and Michelle added tidbits of history to keep me into the current story without feeling lost. I am going to read the other four. She filled the book with twist and turns to keep her reader from getting bored! I loved the charming personality of her characters. It wasn't overly mushy! If you love fun romance and adventure with a side of paranormal then this is a series you must read!!!

I received Tall, Dark & Fangsome (Immortality Bites, Book 5) almost a year ago. Since this is the 5th book in Michelle Rowen's Immortality Bites series, I wanted to read the first four books before I started to read this one. Yeah, that didn't happen. Even though I didn't read the first four books, I wasn't lost as I read this book. I really liked that Michelle Rowen gives you "The Basics," telling you everything that happened before, and as you keep reading, you get a glimpse of what happened before.

I really enjoyed reading Sarah Dearly's final story. Sarah is a vampire who was cursed by a witch to become a nightwalker. She wears a necklace to help her not go crazy and drink anyone's blood, vampire or human. She is getting blackmailed by Gideon, the head of the vampire hunters. He wants her to turn him into a vampire because he's been touched by hellfire from killing a vampire. She had to break up with her master vampire Thierry or get all her loved ones killed.

Sarah is very sarcastic which I love! Sarah is such a great character, she knows what she wants (most of the time) and is willing to do whatever she can to get it. She needs to figure out a way to be able to get rid of her curse and deal with Gideon so she could go back with Thierry and finally be happy.

I will definitely be getting her previous books to get more details on her story, even though I know what happened.

My thoughts...This is the fifth and final book, so if you are new to the Immortality Series, I recommend you start with book 1, Bitten and Smitten. This last installment did a great job of wrapping up the series. The ending was very satisfying and I wasn't left hanging. Picking up from the previous book, Sarah is dealing with the fact that she is a Nightwalker. This means horrible blood lust, sun allergy, super vamp strength and a wild side. She is really tested in this book as she has to learn to control her evil side without destroying her friends. We do get to see some favorites again such as Quinn, George, Amy and even a new character called The Darkness.

Like the other books in the series, this one a fast-paced, easy read. Rowen stays true to her writing style with witty characters, exciting twists and unexpected turns. It was hard to put down. I could have used more Theirry, but he was the mysterious man as usual. Although we do see a slightly different side of him, a bit more vulnerable. I was slightly frustrated by one relationship, I felt random and a bit forced, but I do not want to give away any spoilers. Overall it was a great read, I would recommend the whole series to an fan of vampire lit.

This is a great series. Loved how the first book, Bitten and Smitten, it was great. I love the main characters, Sarah and Thierry. The whole series is great. She fights the forces of evil and even Thierry to stay together; even when the forces are against them. I'm just sorry this is the last book in Michelle Rowen's Immortality Bites series. I hope she does another vampire series.

I was in a small used bookstore while on vacation this summer and I really wanted something to read. I am a notoriously picky reader so I didn't have high hopes. As I am browsing the shelves I come across the first two books in this series. They are less than $3 each so I figure why not give them a try. I start reading them later that day & I am pleasantly suprised! They are funny (full of one liners & sarcastic comments), suspenseful, action packed and all-in-all a fun read! I read the two books I found before that week was up & when I got home it was off to the bookstore where I got this and the other books in the series (this is book 5).

Sarah Dearly is a character you instantly start to identify with ... she is a reall, everyday woman with everyday problems made even worse by one bad date! As the series goes on you empathize with her even more as you fall for her even more. She is fun and witty and even a little vapid (in a fun way) ... she makes good friends and is loyal to a fault ... she loves with all of her being and makes you want to just give her a hug! The supporting cast is great, varied & well written. Give this series a try ... you will like it!

Sarah is having quite a week ... a curse made her a nightwalker, the most vicious vamp there is and all that is keeping her from annilating the human race is an amulet. When Sarah finds out the amulet is losing its power she is desperate to find a more permanant solution ... does one exist? Then there is the return of Gideon ... oh why can't the bad guys ever stay dead?

Gideon may have the fix that Sarah needs but there is a steep price. How will Sarah end the curse, stay alive & keep the life she has ...

The first time I got to read Michelle's first book for this series, I was completely and utterly smitten with the way she wrote, her characters and overall everything! I cannot fully explain in depth how in love I am with this series! This is the last book in the immortality bites series, which I was very sad indeed to see it end. This book starts off where it ended in book 4, with Thierry and Sarah broken up, G. Chase still seeking Sarah to sire him, among other things like Sarah's nightwalker curse. My favorite part of the series overall is just the voice she gives Sarah. You could see her transform from this girl who is just materialistic to one who completely and helplessly tries to see the good in people rather than the bad. Sarah's character is strong, beautiful and an abs romantic. Her relationship with her friends, family and even Thierry is just what makes her have those qualities about her. Amy, her best friend, is just like someone I knew back in high school. The way she writes the dialogue for every single character is just so different. I can clearly hear each and every characters voice through those words! Thierry, oh Mr. Hot Sexy Fangsome love interest. He's everything a girl could wish for, strong, secretive and extremely good looking and protective. Their relationship is just pure awesome! I started reading this like Richelle Mead's Georgina Kincaid's character from her Succubus series, at five pages a day but I just had to know what was going to happen to everyone! I'm sad to see the series go, but the way Michelle ended it was filled with closure and left me very satisfied. With that being said, I give this book 4.5 out of 5 paws.