Customer Reviews

Vamps and the City (Love at Stake, Book 2)

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

This story revolves around the DVN, or Digital Vampire Network, a television station with shows like "All My Vampires" and "General Morgue" and stars by the name of Don Orlando de Corazon and Corky Courrant. The Heroine Darcy, is part of the harem, (girls previously belonging to Roman, who found love in the last book, and are now between Masters and in desperate want of one). Darcy was turned 4 years ago, she's a very modern thinking woman who lost everything when she was turned, by Connor, one of the many yummy Highlanders that provide security, all in full Highland garb; kilts, wooden dirks, and sexy long hair. Darcy is hired on by the DVN to produce a new show called "The Sexiest Man on Earth." Where the winner will receive a cash prize and the harem. There's a tense vampire war brewing, we have CIA Vampire Hunter's who call themselves the "Stake-Out" team who think all Vamps are demons in need of killing, in which our hero Austin is a member. Using the name Adam he becomes a contestant on the show to gather information but really to get close to Darcy, he's convinced that she's human and being held against her will. I have to admit that I thought that there was a lot more chemistry between Darcy and Connor the Highlander, but hey, I didn't get a vote. And Austin was a good 2nd.

This really is a fun series. Yes, some say it's full of "Vamp clichés," but I'm not picky when it comes to that. Part of liking Vamp books, I expect the basics, no reflections and all that. The author has done a great job with all of the elements that she incorporates in this series. It's a mixture of perilous situations with a lot of comic relief. We have the "Malcontents" who prey on humans and usually rape and murder their victims, and the good law abiding Vamps who all just seem miserable with their lot in life. They don't want to be Vampires and that's the one thing that I don't like about the series. When an author goes this route, showing us that their ashamed and disgusted with their natural biting instincts and inventing Vampire Fusion Cuisine drinks like "Chocolood" (blood mixed with chocolate) it takes the romance out of Vampirism and in turn, tends to make their dining experiences a bit disgusting to read. When our heroine has her "Blood lust" moment after being intimate with Austin, with the hissing and red eyes we all cringe. I prefer it when the author can write the scene in a way that any level headed girl would want to get in line to be next. The Hero Roman from the first in the series "How to Marry a Vampire Millionaire" is a Scientist (once a Monk before being attacked and turned) and is constantly working on formulas and ways for them to be "normal" again. So, it was weird in the first that the heroine Shanna did not want to become a Vampire ever, under any circumstances, but has decided to marry Roman, who is happy to have her for however long he can. I will probably continue with the series because of the Characters we have met thus far, but I prefer the route Kenyon and Feehan have taken. This series, like Lyndsay Sands, provides the comic relief sometimes needed in between the more gripping reads and endears you to the characters in a way that you just have to know who you'll read about next. I gave it 5 stars because it is not flawed in any way and is really a great read.

I thought the book was pretty silly actually. The love conflict between Darcy and Austin kept enough of my interest to finish the book but there were times when I was ready to be done and move on to something better. I absolutely hated the "Holy Seduction", "Holy Moley", "Holy Crap", "Holy Sexual Tension" phrases....they really got on my nerves. I honestly don't think I would recommend this book to anyone.

Most of the great characters from the first novel in the series, How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire, are back including lovable Gregori, The Harem Ladies, Shana & Roman, & highlander Conner who is this time portrayed as slightly more dangerous...

Catching up 8 days after the finale of Millionaire Vampire, the Stake-Out team is still up to their usuaul tricks. Sent to spy on the Digital Vampire Network in hopes that it will reveal the location of Shana, the head of Stake-Out's daughter, Austin Erikson spies something he likes in the form of Darcy. He falls totally in love at first site.

Now that Roman's harem has been kicked out thanks to Shana, Darcy is being allowed the opportunity to work again- as long as its in the vampire community. Gregori has implored her to get the rest of the harem out of his house ASAP. So when her new boss is set to fire her for being female she coerces him into keeping her with the idea of a reality show. The Sexiest Man on Earth will be the winner of millions of dollars, the disfunctional harem, and the darling of female vamps everywhere. Only Darcy is adding a secret twist-5 of the contestants are human!

Seeing their chance to infiltrate vampires, Austin & Garret are assigned by Stake-Out to infiltrate the show as contestants. When the spies beat vampires in the challenges their getting closer & closer to winning the competition. Austin's main goal though is to solve why Darcy went missing four years ago, figure out if she's human or vamp, & get a lot closer to her with the aid of the penthouse hot tub...

This was a very quick but great read,especially after the show starts taping. I cried at the end as well, but something in the resolution of the story was missing for me. Oh, well! We're sure to get to see more of these fantastic characters in the next book in the series. Bring it on as fast as you can please!

Although some people might enjoy the benefits of being a vampire (can you say live forever and superhuman strength?), Darcy Newhart did not. Four years ago, she lost her job, her family, and her freedom (not to mention her life) when she was turned without her consent. Yet things are looking up. Now that Roman Draganesti, the Master of the harem to which she belonged (how medieval is that?!), was engaged to a mortal woman, she has the chance to change her life (okay, afterlife). Contacting the Digital Vampire Network (DVN for short), she pitches a new show and is hired to direct the first Vampire reality show: The Sexiest Man on Earth. Using five of the female vampires from Roman's harem as judges and a combination of vampire and human (talk about ratings boosts!) contestants, she sets out to create a hit as well as a new life for herself. Yet what happens when she can't resist one of the mortal contestants? Will she risk her new job and life for him?

Austin Erickson (AKA Adam on The Sexiest Man on Earth) is actually an undercover CIA operative working to gather information about vampires. With his off-the-chart psychic abilities, he's able to infiltrate the enemy's lair (so what if it's a luxurious penthouse?), gather information (including photos of the gorgeous Darcy), and prepare to rid the world of a few evil vamps. Yet once he really gets to know Darcy, he realizes he may just be falling in love with her. Can he compete with the vampire contestants long enough for him and Darcy to decide just what to do about their relationship...and his vampire slaying job?

How did I ever miss this series? Kerrelyn Sparks has created a wacky, witty, wonderful world in Vamps and the City. The characters are fresh and most definitely unique and the story is so much more that what you'd expect. On one level there is the romance that builds between Darcy and Austin. Both know that nothing can come of it yet neither can resist the pull between them. They each get into quite a few escapades while trying to deny their feelings and jumping each other's bones. On top of that, there is the growth of the harem vampires who learn to value their self worth. Their outlooks on life, sex and masters will leave you laughing out loud and have you cheering for them. Finally, the shift in prejudices between both the vamps and the humans is skillfully woven into this lighthearted reality spoof. I can easily recommend Vamps in the City as one book that you won't want to put down. Not only that, it will leave you eagerly anticipating the next story in the series.


Georgia
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

I was looking forward to this sequel like crazy. I absolutely loved How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire, but I'm afraid that this book didn't come close to that first book. In fact, I still haven't finished VATC. I didn't get into it right away, but hoped that I would. I never did. Something just didn't click. After thinking about it, my conclusion is that I like it when the guy is a vampire (Roman, in HTMAMV, was absolutely delicious. He is in my Hall of Fame), but when it's a vampire woman and mortal man, it doesn't work for me.
The minor characters that I loved in the previous book weren't as wonderful as I remembered them.
I will eventually finish this book. I will have to re-read it to finish it because I can't even remember half of it. I hope Ms. Sparks re-reads her first vamp book and gets inspired for the next. I still have hopes for Connor and Ian. (I hope they weren't killed off in this one. I didn't get that far).

The anticipated sequel to HOW TO MARRY A MILLIONAIRE VAMPIRE is even more hilarious than its predecessor!

Austin Erickson believes all vampires are evil and must die. As a member of the CIA's Stake-Out team, the vampire slayer agrees to go undercover at the Digital Vampire Network (DVN).

Darcy Newhart, former television reporter and now one of the undead, has devised the perfect program for DVN- The Sexiest Man on Earth contest. Vampire and mortal men will compete against one another for cash and to be master of Roman Draganesti's ex-harem (all of whom are temporarily residing with vampire Gregori and driving him absolutely nuts!). No one will know who is vampire and who is mortal except for Darcy and her staff. Austin gets a berth on the show but what will happen if he actually wins? And how will Darcy cope with her growing attraction to a mortal who detests vampires?

From start to finish, Kerrelyn Sparks has written a story that will have readers laughing at scenes long after finishing the book. She again demonstrates her ingenuity with the portraits of the candidates on the reality show and the manner in which the candidate is revealed as mortal or vampire.

Darcy and Austin are very strong characters who are polar opposites when it comes to their beliefs about vampires. Darcy is still struggling with the vampire lifestyle and dreams of seeing the sun again while Austin is torn between his growing love for Darcy and his loyalty to the Stake-Out team. Their love story is one readers will relate to as they must learn to accept one another's differences.

The harem is the true highlight of this novel, however. Between Cora Lee and her ridiculous hoop skirts and Lady Pamela's snootiness, the harem kept this reviewer in stitches with their antics. Darcy drags the reluctant harem into the modern world, helping them develop not only their sense of style but also teaching them that they are intelligent women capable of making their own decisions. Overall, this is a novel that is sure to delight readers!

COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES

I loved HOW TO MARRY A MILLIONARE VAMPIRE very much! I enjoyed finding more about Shanna, Roman, and Romantech. Darcy's antics were very funny at times(imagine a vampire not wanting to explore all the benefits until she must)FUNNY!! Autin a.k.a. Adam was funny at times. But overall, this was a BLAH story. The hero and heroine didn't have much depth. It seemed to drag through most of the book, but it finally got interesting at the end.

This second book the Love at Stake series almost put me off of the series completly. I could not relate to the herione and her constant whining of becoming a vampire when the alternative was to die was just too much..as well as her anxiety toward Connor the vamp who changed her. She made you want to throw things at her for most of the book. Oh just buck up and shut up already!! Lucikly the next installment "Be Still My Vampire Heart" recaptures the magic of the first book "How to marry millionare vampire". I say skip this book...some small things happen with Roman and Shanna from the first book, but nothing you can't grasp in the next book.

This was the 3rd book in the series I have read and I am so glad I didn't start with this one. I probably wouldn't have continued reading the other books. I almost didn't finish this one because I didn't like the main characters and to be honest I didn't care about them that much. I got so sick of Darcy whining about being a vampire and I feel like I barely got to know Austin at all, but what I did see really turned me off. I hated how disgusted he was with her after he found ouT she was a Vampire, couldn't even look at her. I hated how she forgave him so easily for betraying her and trying to kill her entire race. Also, i found it kind of creepy at the beginning when he was taking all those pics of her from the parking lot. It was also alittle silly how fast they fell in love. They had only known eachother for a few days and had barely spoken an entire sentence to eachother. Do yourself a favor and skip this one and read Ian's, Jean Luc's or Roman's stories.

This book started out innocently enough, but I didn't find the hero all that likeable. He seemed like a stalker who only had lascivious ideas in mind with regards to the heroine. Likewise, I didn't understand why the heroine liked him. She knew nothing about him. Her attraction was all based on how he looked and visa versa. I put the book down after around 200 pages.