Tantalize (Tantalize, #1)

by Cynthia Leitich Smith

"Readers will be tantalized by this dark, romantic, and disturbing fantasy of vampires, werewolves, and a strong no-nonsense heroine. " — School Library Journal

CLASSIFIED ADS: RESTAURANTS
SANGUINI'S: A VERY RARE RESTAURANT IS HIRING A CHEF DE CUISINE. DINNERS ONLY.
APPLY IN PERSON BETWEEN 2:00 AND 4:00 PM.

Quincie Morris has never felt more alone. Her parents are dead, and her hybrid-werewolf first love is threatening to embark on a rite of passage that will separate them forever. Then, as she and her uncle are about to unveil their hot vampire-themed restaurant, a brutal murder leaves them scrambling for a chef. Can Quincie transform their new hire into a culinary Dark Lord before opening night? Can he wow the crowd in his fake fangs, cheap cape, and red contact lenses — or is there more to this earnest face than meets the eye? As human and preternatural forces clash, a deadly love triangle forms, and the line between predator and prey begins to blur. Who’s playing whom? And how long can Quincie play along before she loses everything?Tantalize marks Cynthia Leitich Smith’s delicious debut as a preeminent author of dark fantasy.

• ISBN10: 076364059X
• ISBN13: 9780763640590
• Publish Date: 22 July 2008 (first published 13 February 2007)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Candlewick Press,U.S.
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 336
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780763640590

Reviews

[wyvernfriend]

While the concept sounded good, a vampire themed restaurant with vampires and werewolves and a love triangle but it ends up being somewhat of a letdown, for me at least. I didn't see that Quincie was falling in love with the vampire, interested, a little attracted but not really falling for her. The reason the vampire is attracted to her didn't really come through and it all seemed to be a bit "must try harder" to me.

Some of the details were a bit interesting, like the concept of a vampire themed restaurant caught my interest. However the menu was kinda sparse and the descriptions fell a bit flat.

It's not the worst thing I've read but I have no real urge to hunt up the sequel.