Wanted: Undead or Alive (Love at Stake) [Mass Market Paperback]

Kerrelyn Sparks (Author)

Book Description

Release date: March 27, 2012 | Series: Love at Stake

“Sparks skillfully infuses her writing with a deliciously sharp wit.”
—Booklist

“Can’t wait for the next book in the series!”
—New York Times bestselling author Lynsay Sands

Nobody does supernatural love stories featuring virile vampires and sexy shapeshifters better than Kerrelyn Sparks! Paranormal romance fans—like Lynsay Sands, superstar author of the Argeneau vampire family novels, who calls Sparks, “an absolute delight!”—simply cannot wait to sink their teeth into a new Love at Stake novel. With Wanted: Undead or Alive, New York Times bestseller Sparks takes the passionate action way out west, as a vamp and a werewolf go undercover at a Wyoming dude ranch...with sizzling results!

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

He's a vampire from the big city . . .

Phineas McKinney thought New York City was tough, until he was attacked by Malcontents—evil vampires who consider mortals to be snacks. Saved by the good vampires, Phin swore to devote his now undead life to stopping the Malcontents. He's got his job cut out for him when word comes that their enemy may be hiding in Wyoming. What does a city boy like him know about horses and campfires? Good thing he's got Brynley Jones with him . . . if only she didn't hate every vampire on earth.

She's a werewolf princess . . .

Bryn believes vampires are seductive and charming, and that makes them dangerous. So she's more than a little annoyed about teaming up with Phin, even if he is the only bloodsucker able to make her inner wolf purr. But as they hunt down the new leader of the Malcontents, danger threatens . . . and Phineas and Brynley discover a passion that will rock the foundation of their supernatural world.

About the Author

A former tap dancer and high school French teacher, New York Times bestselling author Kerrelyn Sparks has always searched for creative ways to express herself. A prolific reader since childhood, she discovered that writing her own stories provided the ideal way to combine her loves of comedy, language, and history. And what a relief that the voices in her head have led to a paycheck instead of a padded room! A native Texan, Kerrelyn lives with her husband in the Greater Houston area.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Avon; Original edition (March 27, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061958069
• ISBN-13: 978-0061958069
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1.3 x 6.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (131 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #96,655 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Kerrelyn Sparks is the New York Times bestselling author of the Love at Stake series. Her heroes are generally fanged or furry, but never suffer from cavities or fur balls. And in spite of a tendency to nibble or howl at the moon, they're still wonderfully romantic. Please feel free to visit www.kerrelynsparks.com where you can read excerpts, play vampire games, join the forum, or send Kerrelyn an e-mail. She loves hearing from readers!

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#84 in Books > Romance > Fantasy & Futuristic

#84 in Books > Romance > Fantasy & Futuristic

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Phin's Story February 28, 2012

By S. McCullough TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

Phineas...I loved him from his very first appearance in the Love At Stake series. He was street wise, cocky, and oh so amusing. This series has been on my automatic pre-order list for quite some time so I delighted to get an opportunity to review an early copy, especially since it was Phineas's story. We have had a good idea for awhile of who Phineas might end up with as he and Brenley had some scenes showcasing their great chemistry in the recent past. The large focus of "Wanted: Undead or Alive" is on the budding relationship between Phineas and Brenley but the arching plotline is about McKay Security attempting to locate and obtain Corky, who is the main bad guy since the previous one's storyline has been resolved. Phineas needs a guard who can watch over him during the daytime and Brenley knows the territory well.

While I really enjoyed this book, I had a couple of disappointments. Phineas has matured and is ready to settle down. That is great, but he is ready to shed his "Love Doctor" persona and in doing so seems to have lost some of the spark and uniqueness that made him stand apart from the other Love at Stake heroes. If the name was changed I may not have recognized him as the Phineas I have come to know and love. It is almost like Ms Sparks knows she is losing something special by having Phineas settle down because the book quickly introduces us to Phineas's younger brother Freemont. Freemont is young and cocky and just learning about the supernatural world. Basically, we have a brand new Phineas- replacement ready to go. The other thing that bothered me is the relationship between the couple. These two are perfect for each other. Both have vibrant and larger than life personalities. But there was no lead up or tension to the story of them coming together.... It just feels lacking somehow.

On the plus side, I loved seeing my favorite characters again. I am enjoying the direction Ms. Sparks is taking the overall plotline. She is keeping it very fresh. She does a fantastic job of bringing in new blood. When we meet a new character I automatically wonder when he will get his own book! I loved reading about Phineas and Brenley's well developed back stories.

If you have enjoyed the series, this book is a must read. It was a fast and fun story. I just wish Phineas could have found his happily ever after with a little more zing and while retaining a little more of his trademark personality. Read more ›

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars LOVE this series! February 26, 2012

By J. Howard VINE™ VOICE

Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

In the earlier books, Phineas was an occasional, marginal character. He was fairly one-dimensional, portraying himself as "Dr. Phang" or "The Love Doctor" but with a nerdy immaturity that belied his big mouth. This book lets us get to see more of Phin. It develops his character to the point that the reader can understand his motivations and share his hopes & dreams.

Some of the werewolf machinations are explained weakly or not at all, but readers learned of the abuse of the werewolf "Princess" at the hands (paws) of her Alpha father in earlier books. That made it easy to sympathize with her fears and how she overcame them.

As always, the love story is a strong element in the plot, and did not disappoint.

If you have enjoyed any of the earlier books about Romatech and Blissky and the Malcontents, you will certainly appreciate this latest installment.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Phin's Book March 5, 2012

By RVAbooklover VINE™ VOICE

Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

Phineas McKinney was "turned" after he was attacked by the Malcontents, the bad vampires, in order to secure the availability of a drug that renders vamps immobile. The human Phin supplied the Malcontents with Nightshade, and the Malcontents wanted a way to keep that drug pipeline secure. Phin was rescued by the good vamps, and has turned his afterlife around. He works for the good vamps as a security professional for MacKay S and I, helping to rid the world of the Malcontents. He was introduced at the beginning of the series as a swaggering horn dog who prefers the moniker Dr. Phang or the Love Doctor. He's never been one of my favorite characters, but in Wanted, we see more depth to Phin. His shame for his past mistakes is a driving force behind his current behavior.

Brynley Jones, twin sister to Phil from book 7 and werewolf princess, has run away from her controlling, Alpha monster of a father. She is a teacher at Dragon Nest Academy, the school for the offspring of the past heroes and heroines, and a few other assorted supernatural children. When Corky, the self proclaimed Queen of the Malcontents, shows up in Wyoming, Bryn is tapped to help Phin hunt her down. Wyoming is home turf for Bryn and Phin needs a guard as well as a guide. Bryn is ever so prickly, full of anger and snark. We find out why she is so angry in Wanted.

Phin and Bryn have been striking sparks off of each other since their first meeting. Bryn hates vampires, and is kind of horrified when she finds herself attracted to Phin. Phin knows how Bryn feels about his kind, and resists his attraction to her. Their attraction to each other has been set up since their initial meeting, so it felt very believable. Both Bryn and Phin have some serious issues to work through.... Once they stop fighting their desire to be together, they light up the pages. A surprisingly sweet pairing.

Several new characters with hero potential are introduced - Nate, Bryn's friend who owns the ranch next to Phil and Bryn's fathers and Zoltan, one of the Vampire leaders. Zoltan's name has come up before, but I can't recall him ever having page time prior to Wanted. Freemont, Phin's brother, is also introduced to the world of Vamps and Shifters.

The humor that dominated the earlier books in the series is a little more subdued. As I said, Bryn and Phil have issues of a serious nature to work through. There are still some laugh out loud moments, but this book is a little more bittersweet.

I don't recommend starting the series with this book. I mean, it is book 12. The earlier books are so much fun, it's worth it to start at the beginning.

I was kind of surprised at how much this book, and Bryn's story, touched me. I read the book because I have read the rest of the series. I wasn't expecting too much because neither Phin nor Bryn have been particular favorites of mine in their past appearances in the series. I was won over, though. I really enjoyed this latest installment of the Love at Stake series. Read more ›

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Wanted: Undead or Alive ([...]) August 18, 2012

By L. Blanchard

Format:Mass Market Paperback

He's a vampire from the big city . . .

Phineas McKinney thought New York City was tough, until he was attacked by Malcontents--evil vampires who consider mortals to be snacks. Saved by the good vampires, Phin swore to devote his now undead life to stopping the Malcontents. He's got his job cut out for him when word comes that their enemy may be hiding in Wyoming. What does a city boy like him know about horses and campfires? Good thing he's got Brynley Jones with him . . . if only she didn't hate every vampire on earth.

She's a werewolf princess . . .

Bryn believes vampires are seductive and charming, and that makes them dangerous. So she's more than a little annoyed about teaming up with Phin, even if he is the only bloodsucker able to make her inner wolf purr. But as they hunt down the new leader of the Malcontents, danger threatens . . . and Phineas and Brynley discover a passion that will rock the foundation of their supernatural world.

I'm way behind on my reviews. This book came out in the Spring, but I wanted to discuss it. Kerrelyn Sparks has found a Niche and is plumbing it nicely. She''s built a light, sweet Vampire world. There are large amounts of people in it and as we get to know them, we begin to guess who is going to get their own story. The Love at Stake series doesn't really pretend to be a dark mix of Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance. It is a fun romantic romp, where the vampires for the most part are the good guys, with the exception of a few evil doers they are always fighting called the Malcontents.

They drink bottled blood, they have a security team that hunts down the bad guys, and they even have a Vampire television station that only the vampires know about (don't ask me how it is only the Vamps see it......I've never really understood that part but it doesn't matter) It is fun and that is all you need to know.

This is book twelve and along the way, we've been waiting for Phinneas, or Dr. Phang, or the Love Doctor, to fall in love. A notorious womanizer and all around joker, he has secretly been longing to settle down with the right girl. There was a cop lady he liked a lot but it turned out she hated vamps so much, that extended to him and there was no way she was getting over it. There is a werewolf Princess he's had sparks with but much like the cop, she hates vampires too. Unfortunately for them but fortunately for us; life, the universe or in this case, the head honcho of Romatech himself, says Phinneas must go track down one of the last Malcontent trouble makers, Corky the former star of her own vampire television show, it turned out she was in league and in bed with the former lead of the Malcontents. After they got their asses handed to them by the good Romatech vampires, Corky went on the lam, but she is still occaisonally broadcasting her lies and Roman needs his crew to shut her down. They have narrowed down where she is hiding to somewhere in the wilds of Wyoming, and that happens to be Brynley Jones's stomping grounds. Phin needs someone to keep his safe during the day (in case Corky is working with humans) and someone to show him the area at night and Brynley is the obvious choice to be his guide, despite her reservations (she's attracted to him and hates vampires).

The timing isn't great for Phin, he's about to star in a Vampire soap opera called, "As the Vampire Turns," And his "Blardonnay" commercials have been so sucessful, he is getting recognized where ever he goes (Blardonnay equals blood with Chardonay of course). And by the way when you picture Phin, think of the guy in the soap shower commercials saying, "Look at your man, now look at me." He should be ecstatic, chicks are throwing themselves at him, and that is what he wants, right? Except maybe some time off in the country with a certain werewolf lady might be what he needs more.

Okay, I know...the whole thing is just ridiculous. But that is what I love about these books, they make me laugh, they are fun. Sparks pokes fun at the vampire sterotypes and at us a little. These vampires are just like humans, and that is what makes them so popular, because making light of the Vampire condition has never been so fun. Read more ›