Bitten & Smitten: An Immortality Bites Novel (Immortality Bites, #1)

by Michelle Rowen

Blind dates can be bad, but Sarah Dearly's date is a true contender for worst ever. His neck nibbling didn't just leave a bruise; it turns her into a vampire - and the newest target for a pack of zealot vampire hunters.

With her date now their latest victim, Sarah runs for her immortal life - straight into Thierry de Bennicoeur, a master vampire who is just a wee bit suicidal. Thierry can't resist a damsel in distress and agrees to teach Sarah how to live the vampire life if she'll help him end his own. But as it turns out, Sarah may be his best reason for living.

• ISBN10: 0575094001
• ISBN13: 9780575094000
• Publish Date: 15 July 2010 (first published 1 January 2006)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Imprint: Gollancz
• Format: Paperback (B-Format (198x129 mm))
• Pages: 400
• Language: English

Reviews

It's your standard paranormal/slightly urban fantasy novel. There wasn't anything particularly memorable about this addition to the genre but it was enjoyable and had me laughing. It's not bad - it's just you've read one, you start to feel like you've read them all. The main character is your typical hopeless female with snark. The romance was sweet enough although instalove, so depends on what you're looking for in a story. But it's a great beach type read. 3 stars.

[Jo]

I was in the mood to try out some new-to-me adult urban fantasy, and so picked up Bitten and Smitten from my TBR pile, expecting a lot of action and possibly some romance. But got a lot more than I expected. Not only is this a really good book, but it's funny!

Sarah is your normal fashion-concious young woman. Her money is gone before she's even earnt it, spent on those gorgeous new shoes, or that to-die-for dress. Her life is pretty much based on earning money so she can buy material things, going on the odd date, but little else. And then this extremely sarcastic and seemingly shallow woman is turned into a vampire. Life stops being simple when you accidentally start sucking on your female boss' bloody papercut finger. Yeah, not good.

There is your fair amount of action in ths novel, but because Sarah is so new to being a vampire - to the point she didn't even actually believe they existed, so thought she was surrounded by nutjobs for the first 24 hours - that a lot of it is trying to survive without knowing how to fight, and involves a lot of running. When vampire hunters are hot on your tail and you're own your own, there's not much else to do.

It wouldn't be so bad if the vampire who said he'd help, Thierry, actually did more than look down on her and actually help her. But... this is a vampire who actually wants to die, can she really expect much help from him? Even if he is gorgeous, he's frustrating.

But there's more than just shallowness and running in this book. There is a plot. Someone is selling information from the inside and the vamps are in danger. Serious danger. The vampire hunters are slowing burning down all the vampire clubs in town, and they're getting closer.

It's not the most brilliant book going, but it's good for a laugh. There could have been more to the romance element, but there is still excitement and edge-of-yuour-seat suspence, but the real focus is put on the humour, an so it seems lighter. If there ever was an urban fantasy beach read, this would be it. I loved it, and I'm so excited to read the next in the series, Lady and the Vamp.

From Ink and Paper - fantasy book blog.