'Bite Marks' Jaz Parks #6 by Jennifer RARDIN

From the BLURB:

Jaz is possessed. After biting the neck of a domyter during a forced visit to his territory, she now has unwelcome voices in her head. While fighting for supremacy in her own mind, she finds herself confronted with a near-impossible task: perform perfectly on her next mission or face the unemployment line.

This is Jennifer Rardin’s sixth ‘Jaz Parks’ book.

Jaz is back, along with Cole, Bergman, Cassandra, malamute Jack and official boyfriend, Vayl. Rardin has set this 6th novel in Australia’s capital, Canberra. As an Aussie I should be patriotic and proud – but Canberra, really? The most boring Australian city? Rardin does not exaggerate when she comments on its ugliness and the complete lack of nightlife.

One set-back to Rardin’s series is her reliance on reader’s memories. She picks the story up right where Jaz left off in ‘One More Bite’, including references to Cassandra’s complicated demon-warding rituals and the state of Jaz’s soul. There were a few times reading ‘Bite Marks’ when the references to past books were over my head – and I just had to smile, nod and keep reading in the hopes that it would all eventually make sense. Which it usually did, kind of.

But I also kind of love how fervently Rardin jumps into the story – from page one everything is helter skelter, full-throttle peddle-to-the-meddle and I love it! Jaz and Vayl are at their best when their fighting back-to-back because Rardin clearly relishes writing action scenes.

I kind of wish Rardin had as much fun writing Jaz/Vayl sex scenes. After finally making their flirtation official in ‘One More Bite’, I was looking forward to reading about Jaz and Vayl in couple’s bliss in ‘Bite Marks’. And while it is quite clear these two are loved up and blissed out – Rardin doesn’t go into the nitty gritty (unfortunately), she just offers readers tantalizing glimpses of Vayl and his sexy tush and hints at Jaz and Vayl’s passion:

Rising so deliberately that I could see the muscles bunch and relax in his shoulders and chest, he took my hand and lifted it to his lips. Every finger got a light caress. Then he kissed Cirilai solemnly before looking up into my eyes, his own telling me things only my heart could understand. “We are sverhamin and avhar now. That means we walk in our own Trust. Together.”

This was my biggest disappointment. I thought that after such a build-up to their relationship, Rardin would gift readers with some seriously sexy smut. Not the case, and I feel a little cheated.

I really liked this sixth installment. A ‘Jaz Parks’ book is always a fun read, and Rardin delivers ten-fold in ‘Bite Marks’. Plenty of action, lots of Jaz/Vayl developments (which are good, even without detailed sex – damn!) and plenty of funny Cole comments.

3.5/5

'Jaz Parks' SERIES by Jennifer RARDIN

From the BLURB:

I’m Jaz Parks. My boss is Vayl, born in Romania in 1744. Died there too, at the hand of his vampire wife, Liliana. But that’s ancient history. For the moment Vayl works for the C.I.A. doing what he does best–assassination. And I help. You could say I’m an Assistant Assassin. But then I’d have to kick your ass.

This is another one of those underrated Urban Fantasy series that I can’t believe doesn’t get more props.

‘Jaz Parks’ reminds me a lot of Jeaniene Frosts’s ‘Night Huntress’ series – and not only because it’s about a woman working as a vampire assassin alongside a vampire mentor. Jaz and Cat are somewhat similar; they both spout self-deprecating humor. Both of them are somewhat uneasy about their vampire alliances, and both women have serious psychological baggage. In Jaz’s case it’s haunting memories about a vampire take-down that went terribly wrong, resulting in the death of her fiancée, her brother’s wife and subsequent estrangement from her twin.

Unlike Frost’s series, ‘Jaz Parks’ is a little light on the romance. Rardin writes a brilliant ‘will-they-or-won’t-they?’ between Jaz and Vayl with just enough simmering chemistry between the two that you’re not so much frustrated every time one of them pulls back, but rather gunning for the next ‘almost’ moment between them.

Vayl is a fantastic leading man for Jaz. He’s dark and mysterious, quietly intense and absolutely deadly. Even though Rardin skimps on steamy romance scenes, the sparks between Jaz and Vayl are fascinating enough to read, and both their checkered pasts act as a plausible excuse for trepidation on the romantic front.

Furthermore, Rardin writes pretty fascinating plots dealing with everything from stolen biotechnology to peace negotiations between vampire packs. So even if you feel deprived of a more substantial romantic plot, Rardin keeps the ball moving with complex whodunit storylines.

If you like kick-ass female leads, action and reading about complex relationships I highly recommend this series.

4/5