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Bite Marks (Jaz Parks #6)

by Jennifer Rardin

4.03 · rating details · 1,081 ratings · 91 reviews

Jaz Parks here. But I'm not alone. I'm hearing voices in my head - and they're not mine.

The problem, or maybe the solution, is work. And the job's a stinker this time -- killing the gnomes that are threatening to topple NASA's Australian-based space complex. Yeah, I know. Vayl and I should still be able to kick this one in our sleep. Except that Hell has thrown up a ...more

Paperback, 314 pages

Published October 29th 2009 by Orbit

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Aug 14, 2010

The Flooze (Michelle M.) rated it

Shelves: urban-fantasy-paranormal, vanquished_2009, owned, glutton_for_punishment

I keep reading these books...and yet I've only really enjoyed one installment. What is it that keeps me going?

I suppose it's the handful of moments toward the end of each that show what Rardin is capable of accomplishing. There's usually a fight scene or a splattering of gore that's particularly exhilarating.

In this one, the final showdown is entertaining, as is the audacious use of kangaroos. It's exciting, but I saw the resolution coming many, many chapters before, so....more

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Mar 20, 2011

Tracy rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy

Looking for a turbo-charged actionfest? Want a solid urban fantasy read with a heroine that doesn't make you want to smack her for being stupid or neurotic? Want a fine hunk of a vamp to partner with her? Protect her? Be willing to die for her? Even though she doesn't need him to because she's strong in her own right?

Well then look no further, peeps, because Rardin's Jaz Parks series delivers it all on a silver platter for your reading delight.

If you're unfamiliar with the se...more

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Mar 17, 2011

Kt from A Book Obsession.. rated it

Shelves: p-z

Vayl and Jaz's assignment is of the utmost importance. If they fail, NASA's entire infrastructure will crumble leaving one heck of mess in its wake. The job should have been just another notch in their belts, but when Cassandra's Demon comes out to play things get a little hairy as she is one heck of a force to be reckoned with. Add in some crazy voices in Jaz's head, and you have one heck of bumpy ride that may just lead to disaster for this assassin team. They haven't failed a mission yet, but...moreVayl and Jaz's assignment is of the utmost importance. If they fail, NASA's entire infrastructure will crumble leaving one heck of mess in its wake. The job should have been just another notch in their belts, but when Cassandra's Demon comes out to play things get a little hairy as she is one heck of a force to be reckoned with. Add in some crazy voices in Jaz's head, and you have one heck of bumpy ride that may just lead to disaster for this assassin team. They haven't failed a mission yet, but this one may be the one to knock them down. Permanently.

Something I have loved about this series is that while it is full of action and high stakes, there also is plenty of humor and witty comments from the characters. This book however took the humor to a whole new level, yet still maintained that sense of looming danger making it one heck of a ride. Between Cole's kangaroo issues and Jaz's conversations with the "crew" her head, I can't count how many times I burst out laughing. There was another hilarious aspect that was a new element to the series. I won't say too much to keep from spoiling things, but just wait till you meet Jaz's new cat. She sure has one heck of "personality" that will leave you in tears from laughing so hard.

Jaz and Vayl's relationship is still growing and there are some trust issues on Jaz's part. However, since she is literally what you would call damaged goods, I imagine full trust is still a long ways off. She has either lost or been betrayed by everyone she has ever cared about in her entire life, so it is no wonder none of this comes easy. She also has a tendency to let her temper over run her and jump the gun in certain situations. However, this is all why Vayl is the perfect match for her as he calms her fire and stays the voice of reason she so desperately needs at times. It also seems like Cole has finally realized he just wasn't they guy for her, and is taking it with his usual sense of humor. Which of course causes problems of its own, but at least he isn't trying to come between them anymore.

This book had a whole lot going on. Between Jaz's possession, the gnomes and their plot to destroy NASA, and a Demon that is bent on dragging Cassandra to Hell, I barely had time to catch a breath. A lot of series by this point can give a sense of deja vu with the dangers just seeming to be a rehashment of previous ones. This is definitely not the case in these books, and I really admire the author's ability to keep things fresh. Bite Marks is a must read that will suck you right in and make you desperate for more. I'd recommend having the next book ready as you won't want a delay in being able to dive into reading it. Definitely another great installment in a fantastic Urban Fantasy series!(less)

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Dec 30, 2010

Karissa Eckert rated it

This is the 6th book in the Jaz Parks series by Jennifer Rardin. The 7th book "Bitten in Two" will be out in 2010. Last I read there are 8 books planned for this series. This was another great book; tons of action and humor.

Jaz and crew are assigned to a mission in which some gnomes are trying to take out the Australian based NASA complex. Not a straight-forward mission in and of itself. Things get even more complicated when Jaz discovers she's been possessed by King Brude,...moreThis is the 6th book in the Jaz Parks series by Jennifer Rardin. The 7th book "Bitten in Two" will be out in 2010. Last I read there are 8 books planned for this series. This was another great book; tons of action and humor.

Jaz and crew are assigned to a mission in which some gnomes are trying to take out the Australian based NASA complex. Not a straight-forward mission in and of itself. Things get even more complicated when Jaz discovers she's been possessed by King Brude, Lucifer's assassin. Then when they arrive in Australia they find out the demon Cassandra has been fleeing from has finally found her. To add to this mess Cole is set on petting a kangaroo and Bergman has created a new robo-kitty called Astral that is making life a little crazy.

Like all the previous books in this series this book was a great read. It is fast-paced, with awesome action scenes, great gadgets, and hilarious dialogue and plot points. Vayl and Jaz have great chemistry together and there are a number of nice steamy scenes that bring tension to the story, yet never get really graphic. The characters, as usual, are what make the story, coupled with all the great fight scenes.

The addition of Jack (Jaz's dog) and Astral (the robo-kitty) really made for some hilarious scenes. We got to spend more time with the celestial Raoul and met the demon that has been plaguing Cassandra for centuries.

Rardin does a good job at keeping Jaz's inner dialogue (with her possessor) easy to read and non-confusing. The plot is twisty-turny but never confusing. Some of the side items, like Cole's kangaroo petting adventures and Astral's quirks, really add some fun into the story.

The only thing I didn't like about this book was that it kept losing the main story line. So much of the first half of the book dealt with Cassandra's demon problems that I forgot what their original mission was. Then in the second half of the book a lot of time was spend dealing with Jaz's demon possession problems. The mission sounded really cool, but not much page space was actually spent on the mission itself. That being said everything was nicely tied together in the end. And new plot points were left opened up for the next book.

I would definitely recommend reading the previous books in the series before this one. Rardin does a great job of reminding you what happened in previous books, but I still think you need the back-story from previous books to understand what is going on in this one.

Overall a fun read. I enjoyed the book a lot and look forward to the next book in the series.(less)

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Jan 28, 2010

Ellz Readz rated it

My thoughts...I am a series reader. Picking up a book from a series is like having lunch with an old friend or (wiggles eyebrows) an old flame. In true Jaz Parks style, Jennifer Rardin does not disappoint with the sixth installment in this action packed series.

Jaz and her team find themselves trying to save the Space Program. She also finds herself with some extra company who makes their mission even more difficult. All of my favorites are around to take part in the action inc...moreMy thoughts...I am a series reader. Picking up a book from a series is like having lunch with an old friend or (wiggles eyebrows) an old flame. In true Jaz Parks style, Jennifer Rardin does not disappoint with the sixth installment in this action packed series.

Jaz and her team find themselves trying to save the Space Program. She also finds herself with some extra company who makes their mission even more difficult. All of my favorites are around to take part in the action including Cole, Cassandra, Raul, Vayl and Bergman. He was my favorite in this book, we really see him start to come out of his shell. I love the new side of him and I am continually impressed with his inventions. Big props to Rardin for her latest idea, I want one for myself. As in the other books, the team dynamic made the story interesting, funny, and even emotional at times.

Although the plot seemed slower than previous books, a lot happened. This book seemed to be a turning point in the series. There were plenty of fight scenes with high-tech weapons, magic from Cassandra and her Enkyklios, and wit from Cole. The end had a smooth finish, but definitely left the reader itching for more. For any new readers, I highly recommend going in order. The characters have developed so much at this point that you need to know their history.

The cons...I have two small issues with this book. I am a devout Jaz Parks fan but this one did not hold my attention as well as the others. I am not a huge fan of Science Fiction. I love the vamps, witches, and all the paranormal creatures but aliens and mutant larvae are close to the edge for me. That being said, little green men did not come down from Mars, I still enjoyed the story. Secondly, I kept forgetting what mission they were trying to preform. There were so many subplots that were much more interesting.

Overall, I am a huge fan of the Jaz Parks series and I do recommend this series to new readers, especially if you like urban dark fantasy. If you are already a Jaz fan, you need to read this book because the there are some huge events that I believe will shape the rest of the series. (less)

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Jan 20, 2012

Charlotte (Buried in Books) rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy, vampires

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Better the second time round. Although there are still bits I don't quite get (why they have to go to Morocco to find the Rocenz for example), maybe my mind wasn't quite on it.

There is the air of change in this story - the feeling that Jazz's time working for the government is coming to an end.

After finally getting busy with Vayl (between books), while she recovered from her injuries picked up in the last book, the whole crew arrive in Australia. This time to stop Gnomes fr...moreBetter the second time round. Although there are still bits I don't quite get (why they have to go to Morocco to find the Rocenz for example), maybe my mind wasn't quite on it.

There is the air of change in this story - the feeling that Jazz's time working for the government is coming to an end.

After finally getting busy with Vayl (between books), while she recovered from her injuries picked up in the last book, the whole crew arrive in Australia. This time to stop Gnomes from destroying a NASA space station based in Canberra. Interesting take on Gnomes - blue noses, terrible eyesight, live underground.

There are a couple of major roadblocks to their mission though. The Demon that's after Cassandra makes an appearance - because Cassandra admits she's engaged to Dave - which means she spends a large part of the book hiding.

Second roadblock is Brude, after biting him in the last book and accidentally ingesting some of his blood he's taken up residence in Jazz's mind, causing a nasty rash and in some cases complete paralysis (which means no kissy kissy, or bumping uglies with Vayl). It means that Jazz is completely excluded from certain parts of the plan, as it becomes clear that Brude has ulterior motives and is watching everything they do.

There are some great touches - Astral the robokitty, who goes from mild mannered kitty to slightly creepy talking and dancing kitty after Jack accidentally takes her head off.

Learning that Vayl likes to dig holes when he becomes "frustrated" (knowing that he once struck oil).

The introduction of "Teen Me" was another nice touch - to understand where Jazz tripped that switch that made her the person that she was. That in order to protect her sister she took the life of another and wasn't affected by it - to feel that she was broken in some way because of it. But Vayl never saw her in that way - because he's just the same.

Oh, I can totally picture Gerard Butler as Vayl as well. Tall, dark, built and smoking hot. Hmm, hmmm, hmmm. I would totally break me off a piece of that.(less)

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May 29, 2010

Malin Engdahl rated it

Jasmine "Jaz" Parks is an assassin working for a special branch of the CIA. Bite Marks is the sixth book of Jennifer Rardin's paranormal fantasy series. In this book, Jaz finds herself in Australia. With her is her boss (and lover), the centuries-old vampire Vayl; her nerdy and brilliant former college roomate Bergman, who creates marvellous gadgets for her and her team; the ex-PI turned CIA-sniper Cole (who used to have a crush on her); and Cassandra, the gorgeous centuries-old seeres...moreJasmine "Jaz" Parks is an assassin working for a special branch of the CIA. Bite Marks is the sixth book of Jennifer Rardin's paranormal fantasy series. In this book, Jaz finds herself in Australia. With her is her boss (and lover), the centuries-old vampire Vayl; her nerdy and brilliant former college roomate Bergman, who creates marvellous gadgets for her and her team; the ex-PI turned CIA-sniper Cole (who used to have a crush on her); and Cassandra, the gorgeous centuries-old seeress and former oracle who is now dating (and may be marrying) Jaz' brother Dave.

Jaz' mission in Australia revolves around saving NASA's Australian-based space complex from being sabotaged by evil gnomes. Said mission is complicated by the fact that Jaz seems to be possessed by the spirit of a malevolent Scottish warrior king, and because a very determined and ruthless demon has shown up to drag Cassandra to Hell.

Jennifer Rardin's Jaz Parks series is light entertainment fodder, and its heroine is the paranormal equivalent of Sydney Bristow from Alias. She's smarter than Sookie Stackhouse, a lot less annoying (and has vastly less sex) than Anita Blake, and has a fascinating cast of characters in her head to help her stay on top of her game. The books contain witty banter, sexual tension, gadged-filled undercover missions and action-packed set pieces. Like a James Bond-movie, each books features more or less the same cast of quirky characters, having to save the world from some paranormal disaster.

Normally, I find the Jaz Parks books and easy and entertaining read, but this time, the book was less engaging than some of the previous books in the series. I don't know if it was the lack of a proper villain, or that some of the excitement has gone out of the books now that finally Jaz and Vayl have given in to the sizzling sexual tension between them and become and item, but this book did not entertain and amuse me as much as some of the others have. Hoping for an improvement with book 7. As book 6 in a series, it is also not the best place to start, if one is interested in checking out Jennifer Rardin's writing - Once Bitten, Twice Shy is the first book in the series. (less)

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Jan 18, 2012

Amy A rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: jaz-parks-series

Bite Marks is probably a little weaker than the previous two installments. The whole team is back together again and this time they are headed to Australia to help NASA from being taken over by Gnomes. Besides NASA our group is also dealing with the reemergence of Cassandra's demon (the one who helped her out of servitude all those centuries ago) and Jaz's mind being taken over by voices (King Brude).

For me, there was just too much going on here. And the events take place only over t...moreBite Marks is probably a little weaker than the previous two installments. The whole team is back together again and this time they are headed to Australia to help NASA from being taken over by Gnomes. Besides NASA our group is also dealing with the reemergence of Cassandra's demon (the one who helped her out of servitude all those centuries ago) and Jaz's mind being taken over by voices (King Brude).

For me, there was just too much going on here. And the events take place only over the course of a day. While still fast paced, I just felt like we were getting off track by dealing with and switching what we are dealing with so much. I don't even think it was explained why Cassandra's demon showed up in the first place. They talked about how she had to be summoned, but who summoned her? It's one thing that seems to get lost in amonst everything else going on.

Then we have Jaz's "voices" or King Brude. He appeared in the Thin in the previous book and instantly decided he wanted Jaz as his queen. I just wish Jaz could have a break. She's already got a lot going on in her life in general with her job and everything and now she has to worry about someone controlling her through her mind. I would much rather prefer that Brude was on outside force to deal with instead of in Jaz's mind. I also didn't really care for the way he was linked to the original conflict, it almost made everything too easy.

While it seems that there was a lot that I didn't like, I still enjoyed the book. Just not as much as the previous two books which I thought were great. I liked that the whole crew was together this time. I liked that we got to see Raoul on a more personal level. It started in One More Bite and I like it that Raoul is not just this spirit entity anymore. We see him converse with Jaz and everyone else he even strikes a deal with Cole which proved to be pretty interesting.

This book really felt like a set up for the next book in line

. Not all of the problems started in this book are solved as they have been in previous installments. Therefore, they carry over into the next book. Only two left until the end of the series. I'll be sad to see it end. Until Then!(less)

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Jan 07, 2012

Cecilia rated it

I like series, I like urban fantasy and kick-ass heroines, and I've enjoyed the books in this particular series to different degrees so far. At this point, though, it just seems to be spinning its wheels. I've had to force myself to get halfway through this book, and it's taken weeks! (I'm not a slow reader). I'm giving up.

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Dec 03, 2009

Darcy rated it

Shelves: 2009

Jaz and company are back with another adventure. I loved this book because the whole crew was back!! The just seem like such a dysfunctional family, and I love how they all give each other so much crap!! Although the mysterious bad guy was pretty easy to figure out, I still thought the book was great as Jaz really had to confront some hard issues in her life.

Seeing Jaz deal with all of her inner voices was cracking me up, especially seeing as how one of those was a possession for ...more

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Nov 05, 2009

Amy or "Ames" rated it

Shelves: urban-fantasy, read-in-2009, vampires, hunters-warriors-assassins

For me Bite Marks was all about the characters and the laugh-out-loud moments. I wasn't too invested in the story I was more interested in Jaz and Vayl's new relationship and Bergman's transition from paranoid geek to brave field agent. The funniest moments (and there are many) revolve around Cole's need to track down and pet a kangeroo and Astral the robokitty, Bergman's latest invention.

The inclusion of a sneak preview of Bitten in Two has me thinking that Bergman will be fighting ...more

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Feb 04, 2011

Jessica Halley rated it

Took a little time to get past how the main character talks in cliches but ultimately the storyline was interesting & the characters had page turning chemistry. Totally mindless entertainment but believe me when I say I burned through this series. The cliches come less and less as the characters develop throughout the series.

Don't come here looking to have your intelect stimulated. Great for getting away from your humdrum life for a while.

I'm really sad to know that this aut...more

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Aug 08, 2011

Nixy Snow rated it

Shelves: books-i-own

Jaz and crew are assigned to a mission in which some gnomes are trying to take out the Australian based NASA complex. Not a straight-forward mission in and of itself. Things get even more complicated when Jaz discovers she's been possessed by King Brude, Lucifer's assassin. Then when they arrive in Australia they find out the demon Cassandra has been fleeing from has finally found her. To add to this mess Cole is set on petting a kangaroo and Bergman has created a new robo-kitty called Astral th...more

· see review

Apr 16, 2011

Angie (Mind Malfunction) rated it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I can’t get enough of Jaz and Vayl and their kick-ass supporting cast.

Jaz is a smart, sassy, CIA Agent. She’s a sensitive who’s died twice and been brought back by her spirit guide to help fight evil. Her gifts continue to grow when she donates blood to Vayl, a werewolf and received tears from Asha. Jasmine lost her old team including her sister-in-law and fiancé. With Vayl’s help, she’s been working on moving past the loss.

Vayl is a strong, intelligent, 290 year ol...moreI can’t get enough of Jaz and Vayl and their kick-ass supporting cast.

Jaz is a smart, sassy, CIA Agent. She’s a sensitive who’s died twice and been brought back by her spirit guide to help fight evil. Her gifts continue to grow when she donates blood to Vayl, a werewolf and received tears from Asha. Jasmine lost her old team including her sister-in-law and fiancé. With Vayl’s help, she’s been working on moving past the loss.

Vayl is a strong, intelligent, 290 year old vampire and CIA Agent, who's perfection on the eyes. Vayl suffered from the loss of his two boys and is now trying to move past his loss and work towards his future with Jasmine.

Jaz and Vayl started off as a CIA team, became sverhamin and avahar, and are now a hot and heavy couple. I love their chemistry.

Bergman is a genius who creates the best high tech gadgets. Cassandra is a sophisticated psychic who’s engaged to Dave, Jaz’s twin. Cole is an incredibly charming ‘sensitive’ with mad language and sharp shooting skills. Our fur friends include Jack (Jacket Humper) who’s a great tracker and animal chaser. Astral is a robo-kitty created by Bergman to assist Jaz in her missions.

This book is based in Australia where the team must stop gnomes from destroying NASA satellites and causing billions of dollars of destruction. The shaman has abducted a family and is forcing the father to give his life to birth of the gnome larve. There’s lots of twists in this book and we’re surprised to find out who the shaman is and what the real story is all about. There are multiple missions within this mission. Cassandra’s demon returns to claim her soul and ends up supporting the team in her mission and trading Cassandra’s soul for some evil politicians. Jaz is possessed by Brude and she must lock him away so he doesn’t use the possession to ruin her relationships and destroy the mission. The team loses two of their own and Jasmine considers leaving the CIA with Vayl and joining Bergman in his business. A change would mean more time off and not having to worry about being double crossed by evil politicians.

I’ve loved every Jaz parks book and this one is no exception. Keep them coming Jennifer Rardin!
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Mar 28, 2011

AH rated it

Shelves: vamps, demons, fantasy, humor, read-mar-2011, gnomes

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 just because....

There are gnomes in this book! Not those cute little gnomes you may see in your grandmother’s garden or in those travel ads, but meat-eating, nasty, larvae sprouting, musically-challenged gnomes. These gnomes have plans: they want to take over NASA’s Canberra Deep Space Complex.

This installment of the Jaz Parks series finds Jaz and her crew down under in Australia. Getting a crew that consists of an assassin, a sniper, a vampire, a ...more3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 just because....

There are gnomes in this book! Not those cute little gnomes you may see in your grandmother’s garden or in those travel ads, but meat-eating, nasty, larvae sprouting, musically-challenged gnomes. These gnomes have plans: they want to take over NASA’s Canberra Deep Space Complex.

This installment of the Jaz Parks series finds Jaz and her crew down under in Australia. Getting a crew that consists of an assassin, a sniper, a vampire, a seer, a gadgets guy, and a dog and all their gear to Australia is no mean feat, especially when a member of your team is sunlight challenged. Solution – a funeral marching band complete with mourners to meet your team at the airport.

And so begins the hysterically funny book, Bite Marks.

Please don’t read this book if you are looking for something serious. This book is anything but serious. Prepare to suspend belief and I assure you that you will enjoy this book.

I love the camaraderie of the team. They have inside jokes. They are able to laugh at each other (rolling on the floor laughter) and are able to laugh with each other. Each character brings their own strengths to the team. Vayl brings his vampiric talents and special abilities. Bergman is an amazing inventor of most useful gadgets. Cassandra has the ability to see the future. Cole is their GQ good looking sniper. Jaz has her own talents as well.

Bergman’s gadgets are wonderfully creative. I absolutely loved Astral the robokitty. The robokitty became an integral part of the team, providing some of the funniest moments in the book. Other notably funny moments included Cole’s quest to pet a kangaroo with no thought to his own safety.

Jaz’s internal dialogue during this book was a little confusing. Jaz seems a little schizophrenic in that her mind is occupied by a whole slew of characters. It takes a little getting used to, but once you’ve figured it out, Jaz’s mind becomes a fascinating place with Granny May dispensing advice, librarian Jaz filing information, teen Jaz acting like a love sick girl/spoiled brat, and Lush Jaz falling off her barstool. It’s hard to notice that one voice that doesn’t belong to Jaz…

For those of you wondering about Jaz and Vayl’s relationship, let’s just say that there is a lot of sexual tension in this book.

This series is a guilty pleasure of mine. Jennifer Rardin creates such a wacky, zany world that is fun to escape to.

(less)

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Nov 22, 2010

Crystal ♥ RBtWBC rated it

Jaz & Vayl’s steamy vacation on his private island (BTW- I want, I want!) is cut short when Pete asks them to travel to Australia and stop a group of gnomes from wreaking havoc on and ultimately taking out the Canberra Deep Space Complex. With the whole team back together they head to their safe house but then come under attack by the demon Kyphas, who has a contract for Cassandra’s soul. Raoul arrives to help out with his demon fighting weaponry and with Bergman’s latest invention, a cute but k...moreJaz & Vayl’s steamy vacation on his private island (BTW- I want, I want!) is cut short when Pete asks them to travel to Australia and stop a group of gnomes from wreaking havoc on and ultimately taking out the Canberra Deep Space Complex. With the whole team back together they head to their safe house but then come under attack by the demon Kyphas, who has a contract for Cassandra’s soul. Raoul arrives to help out with his demon fighting weaponry and with Bergman’s latest invention, a cute but kick-ass robo-kitty, Astral; they just might make it out of this mess. That is, if Jaz can stop the unknown voice in her head from taking over.

Like the rest of the series Bite Marks is creative & imaginative with a fast-paced plot that includes lots of twists & turns, action, cool gadgets, laugh out loud comic relief and great characters. Jaz & Vayl have great chemistry and a few steamy scenes but not graphic ones. The beginning of the book is hilarious where Cole meets Jaz off the plane with a jazzy funeral precession for Vayl that includes a golf bag coffin! And Jaz’s improve when Vayl starts to awaken, too funny! Cole’s quest to pet a kangaroo while down under is also a fabulously hilarious scene.

This isn’t one of my favorites in the series but still good. I felt here, unlike the rest of the series, there were a few instances when the story dragged and the sub plots were more interesting then the main plot/mission.
Also, some of Jaz’s inner dialogue got a bit confusing for me, that girls got a heck of a lot of voices yammering on in her head!
Jaz’s teammates doubt her ability to perform in the mission because of the extra hitchhiker she has peeping in on her thoughts & actions and some of the subterfuge with her team was a bit over my head but since you’re reading in Jaz’s POV and she is the one having one put over on her I guess that is the point. And some scenes were kind of nasty, like gnome larvae exploding everywhere out of a body. Yuck. Everything came together at the end though leaving some plot points open for future books that I am interested in seeing. (less)

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Jan 15, 2011

Shelley R rated it

Shelves: urban-fantasy, vampires

Plot Summary: Jaz and Vayl's vacation is cut short when Pete sends them out to deal with a threat against a NASA space complex in Australia. Gnomes have concocted a plan to infiltrate the complex and cause problems to ensure the privacy of their god, Ufran, who lives on one of the rings of Saturn. While in Australia, Kyphas, the demon Cassandra made her deal with, has finally found her and come to collect on the debt. And as if killing gnomes, assassinating gnome larvae carriers, and battling de...more

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Feb 13, 2010

Stacey rated it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I held on through book 5 hoping that book 6 would bring back the great protagonist I'd initially met, the fun and interesting story lines I'd seen in the first four books, and the snappy writing and dialog which helped push it along.

Not so much.

The story line for this one involves Jaz and her crew going to Australia to battle gnomes. I'm all for introducing new levels to alternate world and paranormal landscape but this came off as trying too hard. Each book has introdu...moreI held on through book 5 hoping that book 6 would bring back the great protagonist I'd initially met, the fun and interesting story lines I'd seen in the first four books, and the snappy writing and dialog which helped push it along.

Not so much.

The story line for this one involves Jaz and her crew going to Australia to battle gnomes. I'm all for introducing new levels to alternate world and paranormal landscape but this came off as trying too hard. Each book has introduced a slightly new element which added different dimensions to the world this story inhabits. The gnomes felt like they were an invention made up entirely to put something new in, not because it added anything to the world. *Come to think of it, I got a little preview of that feeling in book 5* On top of that, there were a lot of new details about things that had already been introduced (like the fact that there are different Vampire families) which just seemed to be dropped out of no where. Why wasn't this something that came up earlier in the other books? Why is it important now? It started to feel a bit like info dumping.

The editing and continuity of the book also left me frustrated. There have been bits here and there which didn't add up throughout the books, but it reached a level I couldn't handle any more. I kept having to re-read sentences because they didn't make sense, didn't flow right, or there were pieces left out.

There were sentence fragments which I assume were intended to make the book read more like inner dialog. It didn't work for me at all. And there was a strange switching of style that happened at several points in the books where it looked like a script. If it had brought something to the story then it would have been easier to swallow. As it was, it felt like an easy out or a frilly new style that Rardin wanted to test out. The tactic fell flat with me.

The plot was very disjointed and the emphasis was misplaced. At one point during the middle of the book I had to re-read the back cover because I couldn't remember what the mission was they were on. Was it to see if Vayl and Jaz had time for a quickie between shooting people? Was it to fight a demon that was tormenting the crew? Or was it to figure out why there is a new voice in Jaz's head? Wait, none of those things. It was about gnomes and NASA. Or that is what the back of the book said.

Which leads me to my final gripe about the story; the Vayl/Jaz relationship. I don't want to read romance novels in particular. A good romantic interest, a hot and steamy scene here or there, maybe even some drama and turmoil to keep it spicy. But for the love of all things good, pick a format and stick with it. This series started out with a relationship that was already in the works, which was fine with me, and explored the sexual tension that arose as each discovered more about the other one. Now they are supposed to be in a relationship but they continue to waver back and forth between commitment, constant flirting and sexual inuendos (which don't really add anything new to their relationship or the plot) and kisses that alternate between stopping Jaz cold and sending fireworks through her body. No sex scene, no movement forward or backwards on the relationship, and all this hinted at stuff that just seems awkward and out of place.

As you can probably guess I'm on the fence with what to do about the next book. I want to see it get better but I'm not sure it will. I think I'll have to wait for someone else to read it first and see how they sus it out.(less)

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May 18, 2010

Larissa rated it

Series Rating: 4 out of 5 starts!
This is a Series Review:

A kick-ass heroine, a hot vampire boss, quirky and fun sidekicks and a lot of action and adventure… What else can you ask of an Urban Fantasy series? The Jaz Parks series by Jennifer Rardin definitely has all that and so much more.

Jaz is an assassin’s assistant for the CIA. She works for Vayl, a Vampire who was killed by his Vampire wife almost 300 years ago. From the start we get to see that they have a great...more

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Nov 13, 2009

BookWhisperer rated it

Jennifer Rardin never disappoints and always leaves me craving more. In each new novel Rardin creates an intricate web of smaller stories that all mesh perfectly in the end to create all of the awesome Jaz Parks stories. After all of the major movements in the last book, this was what I call a turnaround book. The last book wrapped a lot of things up, so to continue this series this book consisted of several changes. Vahl and Jasamine are making quite the romance; the rendezvous are also short a...more

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Nov 23, 2009

Dorri rated it

Shelves: urban-fantasy

Picking up where book 5 left off, Jaz and Vayl's vacation gets cut short when Pete sends them out to deal with a threat against a NASA space complex in Australia. Apparently the Gnomes religious leaders have concocted a plan to infiltrate the complex and cause problems to ensure the privacy of their god, Ufran, who lives on one of the rings of Saturn. Unfortunately for Jaz and company, their cover as an American film production company gets put to the test when the demon Cassandra made her deal ...more

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May 25, 2010

Natasha rated it

This is Jennifer Rardin’s sixth ‘Jaz Parks’ book. I've been a big fan from book one.
Jasmine (Jaz) Parks is an assassin with the CIA, who works with her handsome Romanian vampire boss, Vayl, to track down supernatural terrorists around the world. Since book one there's been sexual tension between Jaz and Vayl, and this book is all about them finally becoming a couple and trusting each other to rely on one another.
Jaz and the team (Vayl, Cole, Bergman, Cassandra) are back and are in ...more

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Feb 25, 2010

Morgan Ryan rated it

Shelves: demons, fiction, mysteries-and-thrillers, paranormal, romance, sci-fi, vampires

I can't say enough good about this series. This book brought back all of my favorites to the team and even added a new member--Astral the Robokitty! Oh and there was a demon. Not sure what they are going to do with Kyphas in #7.

It was great to see all these threads coming from earlier in the series to add to the plot of this book (and so much more to be added to the continuing plot thread that I can't wait to see what happens).

I was so happy to see Cassandra and Ber...more

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Oct 26, 2009

CJ - You Carry On As If I Don't Love You rated it

Shelves: familyconflict, fantasy, fiction-for-women, mystery-meets-supernatural, romance, sci-fi-fantasy-romance, vampires, women-detectives

Really good follow up to the the 5th book and as always I love Vayl and Jaz but I agree with another reviewer when she said - Enough already, Vayl loves you - learn to deal.

However, Jaz's insecurities came to the forefront but I definitely think she is growing as a character and learning how to be more comfortable in her own skin. Vayl has his own hidden depths and I definitely want to learn more about this new ability that Jaz has that links the two of them.

Cole, Miles ...more

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Feb 03, 2012

Kathy rated it

I like these books but I think this was one of the weaker books in this series. It felt like there was too much going on. Each bit whipsawed back and forth between several plots as well as the main character's emotional issues and mental issues and other's issues and blah blah blah. Too much to accomplish in too little time.
Having read the next book I can see that the author was looking forward to what happens there and desperately trying to get it all set up. It still felt too crowded.

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Mar 12, 2011

Christina rated it

Shelves: fantasy

Maybe I wasn't paying close enough attention, and maybe I shouldn't be so hard on something that's clearly so outrageous. But I'm kinda thinking the series should wrap up. The characterization's getting thin (perhaps relying on the reader having read all the preceding books in rapid succession, the plot's getting really hard to follow, and the primary relationship is less interesting now they've starting sleeping together. I'll read the next one since I've got it already but then I think I'll...more

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Sep 30, 2011

Sandra rated it

Shelves: pnr-uf, vampires, jennifer-rardin, own

Book 6 in the Jaz Parks series, set in of all places, Canberra.

Vayl, Jaz and all the team including Raoul get to come to Australia and get stuck fighting Gnomes to save the Canberra based NASA Space Command Centre.

Jennifer Rardin obviously did a lot of research on Canberra, kangaroos and our Space Command Centre. And only one glaring mistake did I spot, "flaming jerk", which hasn't been used here in at least 60 years, but there were certainly a lot of 'mates' throw...more

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Aug 06, 2011

Stacey Molina added it

I finished it!!! It took me three days to do because of stupid things like work and sleep. And it was sooo good! Except I missed Albert. And I can’t wait for book seven. It needs to come out soon! And it wasn’t as good as book five, but it was still good.

And the series is so much better than Sookie or Anita. I don’t understand why it isn’t as popular. And I still say it needs to be made into a movie or T.V. show.

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Mar 31, 2011

Sara rated it

I don't know where to start!
This book was amazing!
The dog Jack reminds me too much of my dog Winnie, lmao! It was hilarious!
The robokitty cracked me up with laughters! Really funny! I think it was the part that made me laugh the most! lol
Vayl's sexy as hell! Hmmm...
Jaz also cracks me up! Her inner-voices are so hilarious! lmao! Really funny!
I laughed so much reading this book!
I'm really liking this series! Some books more, other books less, but still they're a...more

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Jun 18, 2010

Yodamom rated it

Another awesome book in this series. Jaz, Vahl, and the gang head to Australia to save NASA and find that Jaz has been possessed.You will not believe who. Bergman designs a robokitty that steals the show. Between the kitty and Jack there are some hilarious scenes. A new character, a female demon bring a nice twist to the gang. I love this group of characters, their history's, their loves, their baggage !

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About Jennifer Rardin

I’ve spent all my life in the Midwest, which has certainly shaped my perspective on all kinds of issues, from the question of whether or not we really have an accent, to the many and varied uses of corn.

I was born in Evansville, Indiana on April 28, 1965. Mom tells me almost every year what crappy weather it was that day. However I like to think of my birthday as the first frost-free d...more

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Another One Bites the Dust (Jaz Parks, #2)

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Quotes from Bite Marks

“Besides my professional goals, I have a couple of private ones, my man. One of those is to pet a kangaroo before I leave Australia. I understand there's lots of Eastern Grays around this area. What do you say? Are you in?'
Bergman looked at him like he'd just made the worst financial investment of his life. 'Kangaroos are wild animals. I've heard they claw like girl fighters and kick like jackhammers. You're going to get your skull crushed.'
Cole held up a finger. 'Or I'm going to pet a kangaroo. How cool would that be?” — 18 people liked it

“Seriously?"
I shrugged. "He can't suspect much if every time we're alone instead of talking I have my way with him." Cole shook his head. "You don't think it'll work?" I asked.
He rolled his eyes. "Vayl might be a vampire, but he's also a guy. Who's about to be deliriously happy. Good God, if you work this right, he won't even be mad if finds out because of the way you decided to hide it from him.” — 9 people liked it

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Bite Marks (Jaz Parks #6)

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