BOOK REVIEW ~ WANTED: UNDEAD OR ALIVE BY KERRELYN SPARKS

Title: Wanted: Undead Or Alive (Love At Stake, Book 12)

Author: Kerrelyn Sparks

Publisher: Avon

Mass Market Paperback: 374 pages

Release Date: March 27, 2012

ISBN 0061958069

ISBN13: 9780061958069

 

**Reviewer purchased own copy of book.

 

Links to purchase book:

Amazon / B&N / BAM

 

Links for author:

Website / Goodreads / Twitter

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.

Book Review

4 Stars

For those of us who have faithfully read Spark's Love At Stakes series, we are all familiar with the fun-loving, sexy, vampire known as Dr. Phang, AKA the Love Doctor (Phineas McKinney). He has been amusing us throughout the books, since book 3 in the series, Be Still My Vampire Heart.

I have always had a soft spot for Phineas and was excited to find out that he would get his own HEA. Despite his hilarious lines in the books, he always seemed so one-dimensional, lacking any real depth. And I was very curious on how Kerrelyn would write a more compelling character.

Phineas was transformed to a vampire against his will by a Malcontent (think evil vamp). Prior to his transformation, he sold drugs to help support his family and ailing mother.  It was during one of these drug sales that he was attacked and his life forever changed.

Now, Phineas works for MacKay S & I  in NYC and finds himself the spokes vamp for Blardonny--a wine mixed with blood for the vampire community. The ads themselves are hilarious--similar to the Old Spice commercials featuring Isaiah Mustafa.

"Hello ladies. Look at your man. Now back to me." 

But Phineas has grown tired of being seen as a sex object, and wants to find the one special woman who will love him for himself.

He sees all of his friends happily married and longs for things that he can never have-particularly one woman with pale blue eyes that remind him of the summer sun he will never see again.

He longs to be one of the good guys, and overcome his horrible past.

Brynley Jones is a Were and twin sister of Phil (his book is Forbidden Nights of a Vampire). She loathes Vampires-they are dangerous and cannot be trusted. Despite her aversion to vampires, she finds herself sexually aware and attracted to the devestatingly handsome Phineas McKinney.  However, she refuses to succumb to the wickedly  delicious male.   

Phineas goes undercover to capture Corky Courrant, but she slips from his grasp and escapes to parts unknown. With the other vamps out searching for Corky, Phin stays behind at Romatech in charge of security. A hot lead comes in, and Phineas suspects that Corky may be hiding out in Wyoming. Problem is, everyone is tied up and unavailable to check it out.

Needing someone to protect him during his death sleep, Phin is left with the one person who he has tried to avoid -Brynley Jones--to guard his back.

Bryn has  avoided going back home after she left to escape the arranged marriage by her father, but her inner wolf longs to run the woods where she grew up. Now she finds herself back in Wyoming with the possibility of having to face her father and a life she does not want.

How can two people who seem totally wrong for each other make a life together? Is love truly enough?

Kerrelyn Sparks neatly ties things up and gives the reader its well-deserved HEA.

Although WUOA is not my favorite of this series, it is charming, funny, and has its sexy moments that made me swoon. New characters are introduced and instead of fighting Malcontents, the vampires face off with Werewolves.

Overall, Wanted: Dead or Alive is a light and entertaining read that tickles my funny bone in the appropriate places.



3.5 Horny Devils