The Renfield Syndrome (Rhiannon's Law, #2)

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The Renfield Syndrome (Rhiannon's Law #2)

by J.A. Saare (Goodreads Author)

4.22 of 5 stars 4.22 · rating details · 1,414 ratings · 231 reviews

Vampires, and werewolves, and demons, oh my.

Rhiannon thought facing off against a deranged child vampire was the most dangerous task she would ever have to undertake, but she’s about to discover making a deal with a demon is far, far worse. Sent forward into another reality, one in which vampires are now dominating nearly extinct humans, she realizes the sooner she returns...more

Kindle Edition, 212 pages

Published August 23rd 2011 by Mundania Press LLC

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Apr 17, 2012 HeatherJay rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, badass-heroine

WARNING! This review contains mild spoilers as well as a severe case of potty mouth!

Great.Fucking.Book !!!!

This is one of those books where you wish you had taken a speed-reading course because it is so good that you can't get the words into your head fast enough. When I was finished, I actually gave Ms. Saare a round of applause.

emma and rachel applause Pictures, Images and Photos

It starts off at the end of the previous book where Rhiannon has been duped by a demon and has been transported 101 years into the future. The world has changed dramat...more

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Dec 19, 2011 MISS VAIN rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: series-that-i-m-obsessed-with

I absolutely Loved Loved Loved this book from start to finish!!

When I get home I know the first thing I was getting. A tattoo on my forehead that says, "Your ticket to insane shit stops here."

I sat down in bed planning to read a chapter before going to sleep and the next thing I knew it was 4:30 am and I had finished the entire book. Renfield was so exciting and action packed, nothing mattered but finishing, not sleep, not food, only this book. :)

"You have something that belongs to me. And I w...more

12 likes · like · see review

Sep 22, 2011 Elena R a.k.a. Lunies R rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: pnr-fantasy, favorites, top-fav-2011

YAY!!!! Rhonda finally finished this novel and we have hooked up to write an awesome joint review. Check it out here on our blog http://samsawesomness.blogspot.com/20...

or If you're feeling lazy,read it here. LOL!!!

Rhonda: J.A. Sarre had me at “Undead” (Dead, Undead or Somewhere In Between, Rhiannon’s Law #1 ) I loved that book so much, and Renfield Syndrome has been a highly anticipated book for me. I was super excited that Elena decided to join me on this crazy, awesome ride, even though she l...more

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Feb 18, 2013 Tara SG rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: on-kindle, 5-star-books, reread

* * * * 1/2

In Six Words:
surpassed all of my crazy expectations

Why did I read this? And am I glad I did?
I really enjoyed the first in this series, Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in Between, which ended with a HUGE cliffhanger that was so amazing that I could barely be mad about it. So after an epic battle of wills with Amanda (which I won), I started this book as soon as it was available. I was not in any way disappointed. I laughed. I cried. I cussed in surprise on multiple accounts. Just when I tho...more

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Dec 22, 2011 Jamie rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone who reads UF. This is a magnificent series - everyone should read it!!

Shelves: angels, books-i-obsess-over, books-that-break-my-heart, dark-and-gritty, demons, favorites, kick-ass-heroines, killer-cliff-hangers, love-triangles, series-i-can-t-wait-to-continue, vampires, unbelievably-sexy-heros

5 ++++++++ stars. **SPOILERS AHEAD****

If you haven't read Dead, Undead or Somwhere in Between, I wouldn't read this. If you haven't read Renfield, I'm trying hard to hide spoilers, but you may want to skip this, too.

"Rhiannon's Law #22. You can't lie to yourself, so don't bother trying. Doing so only multiplies your douchebag level to umpteenth power and confirms what others have been saying about you for years - that you are an idiot."

The Renfield Syndrome begins right where Undead left off. Rh...more

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Sep 06, 2011 Amy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2read2, favorites

Quick Rundown: The Renfield Syndrome picks up right where Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in Between left off. Being indebted to a demon has little perks and the consequences lead Rhiannon into a time warp which propels her 101 years into the future. Her vampire lover, Disco, is missing, New York looks like a ghost town and there is a shifter by the name of Carter who believes Rhiannon is destined to be his mate and refuses to let her out of his sight. But Rhiannon is tough, tenacious and determined...more
Quick Rundown: The Renfield Syndrome picks up right where Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in Between left off. Being indebted to a demon has little perks and the consequences lead Rhiannon into a time warp which propels her 101 years into the future. Her vampire lover, Disco, is missing, New York looks like a ghost town and there is a shifter by the name of Carter who believes Rhiannon is destined to be his mate and refuses to let her out of his sight. But Rhiannon is tough, tenacious and determined to do whatever is necessary to complete her task and reverse time to where her life had a tad less chaos than her current circumstances.

First Impression: When I think of author J.A. Saare and Rhiannon’s Law, I know to be ready for a mental workout and the ride of my life. Ms. Saare did not disappoint in this second installment. Packed full of action from takeoff, I strapped my seatbelt on and settled in for a turbulent, yet oh so enjoyable ride.

The Heroine: Rhiannon is one of the most badass heroine’s I have read in Urban Fantasy to date. From her snarky “one liners” to her own mental black book of “Rhiannon’s Law” facts which she lists by number, you can bet she is going to grab whatever life throws her by the balls and not look back. While being an extremely clever and independent woman, she also has a very caring heart and vulnerabilities that are witnessed through her thoughts and actions towards others. Rhiannon is the kind of character/woman you would love to have as a best friend because when it comes down to the wire she will always have your back.

The Hero: Ms. Saare brings two heroes to the series and in turn creates a well developed romantic triangle. While we see less of Disco, who is the main hero of the first book, his presence is still very real and his life has made a lasting impression on those that are closest to him. Paine, who stands as more of the main hero in this book, has somewhat of a character transformation and we begin to see his true feelings and desires for Rhiannon which were for the most part hidden in the first book.

What worked: Just when you think you know where the story is heading, you get slapped in the face with the opposite outcome. The plot and action is full throttle from beginning to end and the emotional level of the characters as they live through it is prominent and clear to the reader. You are physically laughing, screaming, and at times teary in witnessing the drama of Rhiannon and those closest to her.

What didn’t work: There was really nothing that didn’t work. The pace of the story was steady, solid and there were a lot of “wow”, “what the ?”, “omg” moments. At times, I questioned if I would be okay with the outcome of several pivotal moments, but in the end I definitely felt the vibe of emotion, circumstances and how it all played out.

Final Conclusion: Ms. Saare has definitely grown into her comfort zone of Urban Fantasy and it is evident in this second installment of Rhiannon’s Law. What I enjoy most about her writing style is her strong characters, fast paced storylines, and lack of fluff! She does not settle by leaving the reader with a quickly wrapped HEA. She takes her characters on an emotionally dark and gritty journey that would have the normal human begging for the alcohol and a lifetime prescription of Xanex. Thank goodness we can escape into her world and witness the journey without chronic anxiety attacks! The Renfield Syndrome delivered the action, humor, grit, and emotion I have come to expect from Ms. Saare and I cannot wait for the next installment (The Ripple Effect) in this “fly by the seat of your pants” series.

Favorite Quote:

“You have a lot to answer for, love. I can’t decide if I want to take you to my bed and bust that perfect ass of yours-or rip off your clothing and take you here and now against the wall.”

Originally posted at http://www.fictionvixen.com/2011/09/r...(less)

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Sep 15, 2011 Alisha rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: EVERYONE who read book one and liked it even a little bit.

Shelves: favorites, tour-book

Quick Take: Violent, brutal, and gory. But also tender, sweet, and resonant. I loved the ride this book took me on, and cannot--CANNOT--wait to check out the next book.

Review:
First things first. Reading the first book in this series is a must. Upon finishing the book Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in Between, I was wrecked--in the best possible way. Yes, there was a cliffhanger. Yes, said cliffhanger was a doozy. And yes, Lucy has a lot o' splainin' to do. ^_^ But the anticipation that the ending en...more Quick Take: Violent, brutal, and gory. But also tender, sweet, and resonant. I loved the ride this book took me on, and cannot--CANNOT--wait to check out the next book.

Review:
First things first. Reading the first book in this series is a must. Upon finishing the book Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in Between, I was wrecked--in the best possible way. Yes, there was a cliffhanger. Yes, said cliffhanger was a doozy. And yes, Lucy has a lot o' splainin' to do. ^_^ But the anticipation that the ending engendered within me was caused most by the sheer possibility that was left for the following book. It practically switched genres (or at least broadened the range of classification that was possible for Renfield)! So upon opening this new book, I literally had no clue what to expect. What a fabulous and exhilarating feeling to have, especially with a book that's part of a series--and thus tends to come with a number of expectations.

The world that was created in this book was quite engaging. There was barely anything recognizable about this New York City, but it was definitely fun getting to figure out its new rules and intricacies. The world has got its fair share of violence and gore. But it definitely works and it's not gratuitous for its own sake.

Saare's got some brass ovaries, man. She's not trying to play shit safe. The plot of Renfield is unrelenting, and no promises are made for the characters or their situations. The best thing about that fact is that I still trusted that the story would end up just the way it should--which is not to say I thought it would end up how I thought it should. Rather, Saare did a wonderful job of making whatever happened make logical sense. Gonna blow up the universe? Okay, great! Here's why it's gonna be that way.

A note about characters. I love 'em. Rhiannon, for one, is such a pure pleasure to "hear" as a narrator. She's got a measure of sass, but the way she processes the world around her reveals a range of emotion and insight. This is the Rhi that I've been waiting for. And even so, she goes through a hell of a lot of growth and change. The Rhi at the end of the book is even more developed and changed from the one of the book's beginning. Outside of Rhiannon, I'd hate to reveal who's in the book (since at the end of book one, we're not mean to know what's befallen the main cast), but will say that I luuurve the guy that takes up most of this book's focus. Sexy? Brooding? Intense? Check, check, check.

Good graciousness, I enjoyed this book. If you want to know deets, just pick the book up and make it happen; anything else would be a spoiler, and believe me when I say you want the story to unfold before you. There's a lot of action, lots of intrigue, and some fabulously juicy romantic development. Put this one up on my "favorites of 2011" shelf, thank-you-very-much.(less)

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Aug 23, 2011 Mandi Schreiner rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: uf

I’ve been waiting a long time to get my hands on The Renfield Syndrome, book two in J.A. Saare’s Rhiannon’s Law series. Book one ends in a big cliffhanger. Making a deal with a demon, to save her lover Disco, Rhiannon ends up 101 years into the future. End of book one. Hello there book heart attack!

The Renfield Syndrome picks up right where book one leaves off. Rhiannon sees a newspaper and knows she has traveled 100 years into the future. She also knows to pay her debt to the demon, she must de...more I’ve been waiting a long time to get my hands on The Renfield Syndrome, book two in J.A. Saare’s Rhiannon’s Law series. Book one ends in a big cliffhanger. Making a deal with a demon, to save her lover Disco, Rhiannon ends up 101 years into the future. End of book one. Hello there book heart attack!

The Renfield Syndrome picks up right where book one leaves off. Rhiannon sees a newspaper and knows she has traveled 100 years into the future. She also knows to pay her debt to the demon, she must deliver a message to Disco for the debt to be served. Finding Disco is going to be the tricky part. Even worse – this is not the New York she remembers. No one is out walking around. There is no noise in the big city. What she doesn’t know is that over these past 100 years, there was a war with the vampires. During this war, the Renfield vaccine was created. If a vampire bit you, the vampire died. Seemed like a great solution, until the side effects started kicking in about 30 years later. All of a sudden those that had taken the vaccine started to age rapidly. They all die within hours of each other. The vampires won the war, and forced all living humans into blood slavery. A new race of shifters became the vampires main enemy, and that is who Rhiannon discovers first as she searches for Disco.

Unfortunately for Rhiannon, Carter one of the head shifters, has decided Rhiannon is his destined mate. He refuses to let her leave their compound, for her own safety. But Rhiannon could care less about her safety she wants to get out in the city to find Disco, deliver the message and be done with the demon.

It’s hard to go into much more of this book because we start drifting in big spoiler areas. I will say this book takes a very unexpected turn. I did the “Oh. Wait. What?” several times. By the end of the book, I’m kind of excited by how things turn out. Do I think everyone will be excited? I think there will be a few not happy. I think we need to remember this is an urban fantasy series with several more books to go. But I think J.A. Saare writes this book really well. She builds up to the twists and turns and by the end I really am on board with where this story is headed (or at least where I hope it is headed).

Rhiannon is still a very sarcastic heroine, but very amusing, she doesn’t cross the sarcastic annoying line. I did expect her to be a bit more sad and upset when she realizes she is 101 years into the future and Disco can’t be found. Her sadness didn’t come through to me. I also had a hard time remembering the details of the demon deal at the end of book one and I don’t think it is hashed out well in this one. I was confused by exactly what is going on with the demon. Otherwise she goes on quite an emotional journey that I really enjoyed. She finds herself doing things that she isn’t absolutely proud of, but she does them to survive. And to make her situation and circumstances for those she cares for better. She doesn’t always choose the right path, but that is why I like this story so much. As Rhiannon says, “now that is some fucked up shit,” and that pretty much covers a lot of what happens to her in this story.

We meet many new characters in the future – and for as much as I wanted Rhiannon to kick Carter’s butt for demanding that she be his mate, I think he is a really fun dude to read about. All alpha and stubborn. And he poses a new direction for Rhiannon to take. She could live with him and be safe, and start her life over again in this future world. But Rhiannon is anything but stubborn and I love her determination to find her love ones and figure out a solution.

We also revisit past characters, most notably Goose and Paine, and they both play a very big part in this story.

I can’t wait to hear everyone’s thoughts after they read this book. We have much to talk about!! The third book is called, The Ripple Effect due out next year. If you haven’t read book one, Dead, Undead or Somewhere In Between, I highly recommend it.

Rating: B(less)

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Aug 23, 2011 Julie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011

Posted at http://yummymenandkickasschicks.com/?...

“Rhiannon’s Law #22. You can’t lie to yourself, so don’t bother trying.”

*happy sigh* And with that first line, Rhiannon is back and I am so happy she is. Not only because JA Saare left us hanging with one hell of a cliffhanger at the end of Dead, Undead and Somewhere in Between, but because Rhiannon is awesome.

The Renfield Syndrome starts off exactly where the last book ends off. For months I have been wondering what (and this is the part where...more Posted at http://yummymenandkickasschicks.com/?...

“Rhiannon’s Law #22. You can’t lie to yourself, so don’t bother trying.”

*happy sigh* And with that first line, Rhiannon is back and I am so happy she is. Not only because JA Saare left us hanging with one hell of a cliffhanger at the end of Dead, Undead and Somewhere in Between, but because Rhiannon is awesome.

The Renfield Syndrome starts off exactly where the last book ends off. For months I have been wondering what (and this is the part where I must warn you that there is going to be a spoiler for the first book right about now) happens to Rhiannon after she gets dumped off 101 years in the future by that awful demon. The awful, conniving, trickster, arse-wipe of a demon. Well, I have to tell you that since reaching the end of book one, I have been speculating about what could happen to Rhiannon, Goose, Paine, Disco and the others. Let me tell you that what actually happens isn’t anywhere near what I thought might happen. The reality didn’t even cross my mind! Maybe I was too narrow-minded in my thinking, but wow! JA really pulled something spectacular out of her hat. Even if at times I wanted to say “Why? Why?” I trusted that she would take the book to a good place and I was right. This is still very much an Urban Fantasy book, so there aren’t any fluffy little cupid babies running around on fluffy white clouds, but I felt satisfied with how everything turned out.

I still really enjoy Rhiannon. Spunky and full of fire, she makes me wish I was more like her. I would love to have her clever retorts! There weren’t quite as many in this book as the last one, but with everything she goes through, she doesn’t really have the chance to be her snarky self. Does that mean that she is quiet and subdued? If you think that is even a possibility, you have not read book one and you really need to. I not only like her for her wit, but I like how real she is. She is not afraid to show her fear or confusion or vulnerability. Even though she is surrounded by vampires and demons and other such creatures, she is still easy to connect with. She is a fantastic read.

The other character that is unforgettable from the first book is Disco. Oh Disco. So, so delicious that Disco is… But as yummy he is, you really get a taste of his power and a reminder that he is in fact a vampire in this book. I was even almost angry with him for a half a second. But how can you stay mad at him? I am very curious to see what happens with him in the next book. After reading this one, Disco’s character can go anywhere really.

Paine was a surprise for me. A good one. And Goose? I really like him and he is so good for Rhiannon. The villain was just a piece of work and I’m sure we’ll see her again in the next book. There were plenty of new characters but Carter seems to be the one that stands out the most. At first he seemed alright, then I may have wanted smack him a little from time to time. Oh, who am I kidding? I wanted to flat out backhand him!

The story takes you to so many places, it’s amazing. And the pace is so quick. It’s very hard to put this book down once you start it. It just flies by and by the end, you want The Ripple Effect (the third book in the series) to come out Now as opposed to next year!

As I read this book, I kept saying one thing over and over and that is: “Ho-ly shit!” The Renfield Syndrome is how a second Urban Fantasy book in a series should read. It grips you from beginning until the very end while giving you high action moments, happy moments, OMFG moments and tender moments. Fans of UF should not miss this series. With characters you will not forget and a storyline that will enthrall you, you will be hooked like the rest of us are.(less)

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Sep 27, 2011 Fallon Blake rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-uf

The Renfield Syndrome is one helluva sequel. J.A. Saare gives readers a cocktail of urban fantasy, horror and a good dose of post-apocalyptic goodness. I can't give a thorough review without spoiling the story. What I can say is that TRS starts right where Dead left off and hits the ground running.

*NOTE* If you have not read Dead Undead or Somewhere in Between please do yourself a favor and pick it up before you jump into this one.

Back to TRS, it's an emotional, action-packed thrill ride. Certai...more

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Feb 07, 2013 Ezinwanyi~For you, Agron (Mira, Crixus, Gannicus & Spartacus) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Ezinwanyi~For you, Agron by: Jenne

Shelves: tower-team-b-books-2013, demon-succubus-incubus, dystopian, february-fun-facts-challenge, ghosts, magic, necromancer, post-apocalypse, paranormal-romance, shapeshifters, time-travel, urban-fantasy, vampires, werewolves, witches

WOW! WOW! Let's me catch my breath!!!

Last book ended with Rhiannon making a deal with the demon Zagan, in order to settle her lover Disco/Gabriel's debt. If you remember, Gabriel told her that one should avoid making a deal with demons because they aren't trustworthy and you end up selling your soul in the process. Does Rhiannon listen? NOPE! She had the good intention of saving her lover, but she got tricked by Zagan and sent 101 years into the future. When she arrived New York City was a war z...more WOW! WOW! Let's me catch my breath!!!

Last book ended with Rhiannon making a deal with the demon Zagan, in order to settle her lover Disco/Gabriel's debt. If you remember, Gabriel told her that one should avoid making a deal with demons because they aren't trustworthy and you end up selling your soul in the process. Does Rhiannon listen? NOPE! She had the good intention of saving her lover, but she got tricked by Zagan and sent 101 years into the future. When she arrived New York City was a war zone, completely depleted of his glamour.

Rhiannon was immediately seized by one faction of the fighters (the werewolves) and their leader Carter immediately claimed her for his own. So Rhiannon devises a plan to get back home to Disco and her new family, but she quickly learns that many things had changed in 101 years. She makes some hard choices due to her grief and uncertainty, including another deal to get back home and owing another entity a debt.

When she arrives back into the future, it appears she was only gone for 2 weeks, but the choices she had made in the future have a major impact in the presen and Rhiannon ends up paying for in a major way.

None stop action, and non-stop snarkiness from our smart-mouthed heroine. But even this time she was brought to heel by her choices. I thought I knew who I wanted for Rhiannon as a mate, but after this book I am just flipped. The future revealed some things that I can't close my eyes too, and neither can Rhiannon and the other players involved. The future has been altered by Rhiannon's time travel, so now book 3 will reveal the ripple effects of her decision to play hero.

Great writing, great suspense, great story. I will say that one thing that I love about Rhiannon is that she doesn't make the same mistake twice. She also is a lot more loving and caring than she lets on. I think Gabriel's love gave her the confidence to start trusting again, just a little bit, but she is definitely extending herself in a way she wouldn't have in book 1. Great character development and evolution.

**Set in New York 2101 for a major part of the book**(less)

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Jun 04, 2012 Isamlq rated it 3 of 5 stars

3.5/5

This one almost broke the “I love you, UF/PNR’ streak I've been having of late. A string of complaints were running through my head up until 63%. Prior that, just about everything wasn’t working for me:

Seriously, that cliffy had me thinking something else, something bigger, something that would up the ante was coming. Instead I got more of the same old same old. Wait, maybe it’d be fairer to say it went places I didn’t think it would go:

Did we really, seriously have to go there? I mean, I...more 3.5/5

This one almost broke the “I love you, UF/PNR’ streak I've been having of late. A string of complaints were running through my head up until 63%. Prior that, just about everything wasn’t working for me:

Seriously, that cliffy had me thinking something else, something bigger, something that would up the ante was coming. Instead I got more of the same old same old. Wait, maybe it’d be fairer to say it went places I didn’t think it would go:

Did we really, seriously have to go there? I mean, I know we started with the idea of bad ass vampires and an even more bad ass necromancer, but Lycae? Really? Was completing that tried/tested opposition really necessary? It felt so down the beaten path for me; haven’t we all been there and done that? And beside that tried/tested formula, did we really have to suffer some more love unrequited?

Carter. What to say, what to say? How about an ‘Eew.’ Yes, that about sums it up for me. I. Didn’t. Like. It. Specifically? How his miniscule part in it all was handled… on his end specifically. It all felt glossed over. No remorse from him; as for her, a bit incomplete despite the shooting and the blood, because for all that, all I got was her fallback response of ‘fuck me sideways.’

It could have gone the ways of never-ending change in bed partners, (ala Anita in those vampire books.) I exaggerate. But, it could have been like that. (view spoiler)

Despite all that, I’m so glad to have pushed through. If at first I was predicting ‘great groundwork, but not so great execution,’ things turned around in totally unexpected ways somewhere around the time I hit 41%, then 63% then 84%.

It’s that last 20% that I’m in love with. By that point more than one person had reacted both predictably and then not quite predictably. It’s for those same reactions that the tension shot up to almost unbearable limits. I like how those little things I was familiar with were taken and allowed to progress in totally unexpected ways. Sure, Rhianon’s was more of a bleeding heart in this one, but she could also be so much more blood thirsty than I ever thought she could be. So many facets of her came out in this one. Heck, even the typically overly lovey-dovey love interest revealed more of himself… but who could blame him, eh? Wait, that right, Rhiannon could. I need book three. NOW

3.5/5

(less)

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Aug 23, 2011 Liza rated it 5 of 5 stars

Loved! Loved! Loved! So ready for The Ripple Effect now!

I really don’t want to post any spoilers, so I’m going to be very limited in what I say about The Renfield Syndrome. I have been waiting to see what happened to Rhiannon since Jamie threw us the big twist at the end of Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in Between. Not only was Rhiannon’s new world completely different from the one she left behind, but she immediately is thrown into a situation where she has very little control. We get to spend tim...more

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Aug 23, 2011 Melissa Hayden rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal-fantasy-romance, urban-paranormal-fantasy

Rhiannon shocked beyond belief, finds herself in a 2112 Hell on Earth version of New York after a deal with the demon Zagan trying to resolve Disco's debt to him. The sneaky bugger sent her one hundred and one years in the future from her time. She now has to relay the short message to Disco from Zagan to exonerate her from her deal. Humans are becoming extinct from the Renfield Syndrome in this future reality were vampires, werewolves, and demons are out in the open and rule over breakable huma...more Rhiannon shocked beyond belief, finds herself in a 2112 Hell on Earth version of New York after a deal with the demon Zagan trying to resolve Disco's debt to him. The sneaky bugger sent her one hundred and one years in the future from her time. She now has to relay the short message to Disco from Zagan to exonerate her from her deal. Humans are becoming extinct from the Renfield Syndrome in this future reality were vampires, werewolves, and demons are out in the open and rule over breakable humans. New York is silent. Nothing in or on the streets. The homes are desolate and ransacked, until night falls and the town becomes deadly as sin. This is a future no one would want for their future children's children. Zagan comes to Rhiannon again as their is complications with the deal regarding the Amulet and Disco. Rhiannon has 13 days to give Zagan what he wants or lose her soul. Werewolves, demons, and ghosts all are after Rhiannon for different reasons in a future that Rhiannon finds is Hell on Earth.

Rhiannon becomes more focused in her ability to see ghosts and talk with them. Her powers have evolved more here with some unexpected help. Rhiannon is still the kick arse woman we remember. She takes nothing laying down, and will gouge out any eyes along the way. Yet we start to see Rhiannon has a softer side when she starts to realize how much she loves her friends she has, or had.

Rhiannon has so many things happening in this book. It's fast moving and she never seems to get out from underneath the falling piano. Everyone wants her for one reason or another; love, mating, to resolve a ghost haunting, or most of all her soul. And all she wants to do is deliver her message and go home to her love. But that may not be as easy as she had hoped.

I just have to say Saare takes this series to a new platform with this book. The first book was a great read for me and it stuck with me long after, even to now. But this one is beyond that with new pieces to learn; of the new world, and of the vampires Rhiannon loves. Even the werewolves have things for us to learn. Oh and the DEMONS! This book opens up the world greatly. This book is new and fresh. This is the wonderful thing with authors who take each book to a new level, to keep the series from becoming boring and stagnate. This series is far from boring! This book was a page flipper and kept me wanting more. This is the way to go with a series, keeping it new all the way.

This book left me feeling okay in the end. Oh, hell yes I want the next book. But I'm good with waiting with were we ended here. It didn't feel like the huge cliffhanger of a lifetime this time. I want to know what the replications will be! Also known as The Ripple Effect.(less)

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Feb 01, 2013 Jenne rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2012-cover-challenge, read-in-2012, demons, vampires, ghosts, shifters, read-in-2013

Reread Review:
This was a reread for me and it was just as good the second time around. This time it was a lot sadder to me knowing how things happen in the next book. I love Paine! It's so hard to pick who's my favorite between him and Disco. The vulnerability he shows in this book is sad and touching. Of course Rhiannon kicked some major a$$ in this one whether it's a vamp, werewolf or demon. For a human she can hold her own.

Original Review
This one picks up where #1 ended. Rhiannon is thrown...more

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Aug 19, 2011 Michelle, the Bookshelf Stalker rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'll write my review when I can figure out how to write the review without ruining it for everyone. With the major cliffhanger in book 1, if I talk about any characters in book 2, you'll know who "survived" in Rhiannon's new future.

In the meantime, I will say this...

I read this book during work hours, I read it when I should have been sleeping and I was so sad when the pages came to an end. It was...

... much better than book 1 and I LOVED book 1.
... full of action, was dark and gritty.
... hear...more

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Mar 13, 2013 SirenBookReviews rated it 5 of 5 stars

In Dead, Undead and Somewhere in Between, we are basically left hanging. Wondering... oh no what will happen next, The Renfield Syndrome picks up exactly where Dead, Undead leaves off. The Renfield Syndrome continues as smoothly as if it was just the next chapter. It does, however, also leave you hanging, waiting for the next book, because again there are so many changes that we need to know...what will happen next.

In the first instalment Rhiannon learns to trust and love. She finally lets her h...more In Dead, Undead and Somewhere in Between, we are basically left hanging. Wondering... oh no what will happen next, The Renfield Syndrome picks up exactly where Dead, Undead leaves off. The Renfield Syndrome continues as smoothly as if it was just the next chapter. It does, however, also leave you hanging, waiting for the next book, because again there are so many changes that we need to know...what will happen next.

In the first instalment Rhiannon learns to trust and love. She finally lets her hair down and tries on a relationship. Throughout Dead, Undead though, I suspected there was someone on the side, watching this relationship develop and wishing it were him instead. The Renfield Syndrome moves from the development of Rhiannon, to the education of Rhiannon. Now she has been thrown 101 years into the future by flippantly accepting a deal with a demon. In the future, everything she just earned is gone. People are blood slaves. The world is a wasteland. Demons are masquerading as vampires, driving the destruction.

Rhiannon must find Disco and deliver a message in order to complete the Demon's deal. But before she can do that, she'll have to escape the compound of a lovesick werewolf and his crazy werewolf stalkerette. Carter, the werewolves' leader, had Rhiannon scooped up by his team, the instant she stepped out of the past. He intends to keep her for himself, for her own good of course, he explains. Once that issue is dealt with, Rhiannon discovers that Disco is dead. He has been for 101 years. Deals with demons never work out like you think. In this world, demons are in charge and they are interested in Rhiannon.

Paine, steps forward and claims Rhiannon before the demon in charge can have her way. It seems that on Disco's passing Rhiannon's mark passed to Paine. He is more than happy with that arrangement and has been waiting 101 years for her. Over time, Goose and Paine had figured out what happened to Rhiannon, but they did not know when she'd reappear. Paine has been waiting a long time to touch someone, and Rhiannon is the only person that fits the bill.

So, in this instalment, let's call it educating Rhiannon, Rhiannon learns there are consequences to brash acts. Love has many forms, even if some of them start as heartrending empathy. And finally, you can't go home again, even when you can. To do that, she lost the love she found with Disco, as he no longer trusts her and she has a small piece of future Paine in her heart. Rhiannon has not learned enough though, to know that you probably shouldn't make deals with fallen angels either. To return home, save Disco and save the human race, Rhiannon enters into a deal with a fallen angel to free her in one years’ time. Has she forgotten, aren't fallen angels... devils? What could possibly go wrong with this arrangement? We'll have to wait for book three to see. The Renfield Syndrome is an excellent weekend read.(less)

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Mar 10, 2013 Cindy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: necromancy, demons, e-book, favorites, ghost-haunting, magic, own, rom-suspense-mystery, same-narrator-series, scarydarkbits-uf-pnr, shifters, time-travel, vampires, uf

WOW. This book was a-frickin-mazing. Even better than the first in series! There's a lot going on in the course of this book, and a lot of different characters involved. As Rhiannon puts it,
“Vampires, and werewolves, and demons, oh my.”
I feel like almost anything I get into will be all spoilery, so I won't write any details. I'll just say that this installment in the series was FANTASTIC. It was exciting, and heartbreaking, and funny, and frustrating, among other things, and left me desperate t...more

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Oct 07, 2012 Vivian rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2012

Minor spoilers from the first book, Dead Undead or Somewhere in Between.

This was a quick, engaging read. Continuing right from where book one ended, Rhiannon has just been screwed over by a demon and sent 101 years into the future. While I don't generally buy the time travel business in stories, this one worked for me.

Rhiannon finds herself in a post-apocalypic world where humans are going extinct and creepy crawlies run the place. She meets Carter, who decides in a non-attractive alpha way tha...more

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Sep 04, 2012 Ferdy rated it 2 of 5 stars

2.5 stars - spoilers

After making a deal with a demon to help her vampire boyfriend, Disco, Rhiannon ends up 101 years in the future. In the future Rhiannon finds things are very different - Disco is dead, werewolves are real and humans are dying from a disease known as the Renfield Syndrome. Rhiannon fights to find a way back to her own time in order to change the future.

-Rhiannon was an absolutely awful heroine. In the first chapter, Rhiannon's nearly killed by a vampire and when she's saved by...more 2.5 stars - spoilers

After making a deal with a demon to help her vampire boyfriend, Disco, Rhiannon ends up 101 years in the future. In the future Rhiannon finds things are very different - Disco is dead, werewolves are real and humans are dying from a disease known as the Renfield Syndrome. Rhiannon fights to find a way back to her own time in order to change the future.

-Rhiannon was an absolutely awful heroine. In the first chapter, Rhiannon's nearly killed by a vampire and when she's saved by humans she acts like an ungrateful bitch - snarling and snapping at them for no reason when all they'd done was save her life.
I didn't understand why so many men fell for her - she was an insufferable, raging bitch. There were times when she was likeable for example her visiting Jennifer in hospital and her getting closer to Paine but those moments were few and far between.
I got tired of hearing about Rhiannon's fucked up knee - every other paragraph she kept mentioning it...surely there could have been other things to write about. Rhiannon's one-liners' and quips weren't funny AT ALL - her sense of humour was rubbish.

-I liked that it was set 101 years in the future, I was actually quite keen on finding out what happened to everyone.
I was disappointed that at the end Rhiannon went back to her own time - the future was far more interesting.

-Paine and Rhiannon's romance was a lot more endearing than Rhiannon and Disco's. I think Paine's past and personality make him better suited to Rhiannon, Disco and Rhiannon don't really seem to fit together. Disco's a boring, typical hero who just seems to fall in love with any old human. Paine's admission to Rhiannon about his celibacy, lack of love in his life and his loyalty towards her showed how much she meant to him. I really do think that Disco could move on and find love after Rhiannon, his love for Rhiannon doesn't seem all that epic or special but it's obvious that Paine hasn't felt the feelings he has for Rhiannon before. I really hope Rhiannon ends up with Paine, Disco is so blah.

-The reasons behind Paine's decision to not warn people of the deaths he sees in his visions was pretty dumb. Basically he saw his dog die in a vision, so he saved him from that death, and then his dog later died in a slow and painful way instead of the quick death he would have had, had Paine not intervened. So because of what happened to his dog Paine made a rule not to change what happened in his visions in fear of making things worse, so he just let people around him die when he could have helped or given someone the option of knowing about their death even if that would mean a more painful death later. He really shouldn't have based all those rules on his dog's death when that could have just been a coincidence. He thinks he's not meant to stop the death he sees in his visions because it messes with fate but doesn't he question why was he given the visions in the first place??

-I hated the werewolf Carter. I hope he doesn't make an appearance in future books. He was a controlling, hypocritical, smug, sexist douche. I don't why he felt so betrayed by Rhiannon choosing to stay with the vampires when she made it clear to him that she wasn't interested and that she didn't want his help. He acted like she made him promises and that she owed him - he forced her to stay and then was all over her when he knew she didn't want him. He was so delusional.

-There were a few too many female characters that were portrayed in a negative way and there was too much girl on girl hate. There were a couple of decent female side characters but because their parts were so small it just seemed like pretty much all the female characters were evul bitches. I'm so tired of all the rubbish female characters.

The plot was enjoyable, the Rhiannon/Disco drama at the end was gripping and the romance between Paine/Rhiannon was intriguing but Rhiannon's personality let the book down. If Rhiannon had been less of a snapping, snarling, bitchy mess I would have rated this higher. I'm not sure how long this series is but I hope her character tones down because otherwise I'll seriously consider dropping the series.(less)

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Apr 13, 2012 Kathy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Rhiannon's Law Part Deux

I strongly recommend you read the previous book in the series (Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in Between) prior to reading this book.

I have been looking forward to reading this sequel for over a year now and it was well worth the wait!

This installment was very dark, very tragic and very exciting. If you are looking for a love conquers all book, this series is not it! The heroine is tough, powerful in her own right, unafraid to make the hard decisions and unapologetic for the...more

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Jan 01, 2012 Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: action-adventure, non-erotic, paranormal, science-fiction-fantasy

Originally posted at: http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.c...

The sweeping next installment you can not miss!

I had the honor of reading Ms. Saare's first installment, Dead, Undead, or Something in Between. To say I was emotionally involved in the characters was an understatement. I thought about Disco and Rhiannon long after the book closed. When I found out there was another installment... let's say I jumped at the chance to read it.

I'm glad I did.

I was hooked from page one. The writing flows a...more

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Dec 31, 2011 Mariana rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: saare-ja, fav-books, i-wished-this-guy-was-real

Okay I don't know how I'm doing this bc I need my sleep.

It's a gooodd book that will keep you hooked until you finish the last page and want more

Nevertheless, I just finished the book and I'll I got to say is:OMFG!
I can't believe so many things happened in a couple pages!!

I give kudos to Mrs. Saare for making me cry one minute and then get me mad at some characters *cough* Paine, Carter, Victoria, Rhia everyone haha *cough*

It was still good tho! Yet I can't believe Paine...
Ugh why oh why
What a...more

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Oct 03, 2011 Jenny rated it 5 of 5 stars

MY THOUGHTS
The Renfield Syndrome is a challenging read, not in the sense it’s difficult to understand or navigate, but in the way it affects us emotionally, forcing us to face events and situations along with Rhiannon that turn us inside out and lay us uncomfortably bare with our soft underbellies blatantly exposed. Ms. Saare, though it’s crystal clear how important her characters are to her, is not the type to write a story in which she’s content to hold our hand by following up tragic events w...more MY THOUGHTS
The Renfield Syndrome is a challenging read, not in the sense it’s difficult to understand or navigate, but in the way it affects us emotionally, forcing us to face events and situations along with Rhiannon that turn us inside out and lay us uncomfortably bare with our soft underbellies blatantly exposed. Ms. Saare, though it’s crystal clear how important her characters are to her, is not the type to write a story in which she’s content to hold our hand by following up tragic events with soothing words and meaningless murmurs that everything will work out as it’s supposed to. Instead, she allows things to unfold in ways that are painful and raw and have us walking away from Rhiannon’s tale just to seek brief sanctuary in our reality, but ultimately we are forced to return and put our hands back in the fire for the simple reason we cannot bear to allow Rhiannon to face it alone. Despite being the product of simple letters put together to form words and then sentences, the characters and world are undeniably tangible and our experiences with them far more real than vicarious in nature.

Rhiannon is the same smart-mouthed woman we met and fell in love with in Dead, Undead or Somewhere in Between, her no-nonsense attitude making the 101 year leap through time with no difficulty. What is so appealing about Rhiannon is the vulnerability thriving beneath the tough exterior, her skin able to be punctured as easily as anyone else’s if one knows just where to strike. Her body’s haunted topography of puckered scars serves as a reminder to us of both her unbelievable strength but also her weakness, and we watch in horror in this installment as the one person trusted with this physical map to her soul betrays her more intimately than the repeated violations responsible for the marks themselves. Our hearts belong entirely to Rhiannon in this tale, her pain ours as we suffer together.

Introduced to us in this alternative future Rhiannon finds herself in is another love interest, a man we’ve met before and adored but whom we never thought a romantic threat. Ms. Saare manages to beautifully avoid the petty drama that often surrounds a love triangle (though that hardly seems a fitting term for this particular situation), elevating it out of the superficial stages of a dual attraction to two men and plunging us head first into the depths of pain, love, and torment all heartbreakingly combined into something we never expected. While we might tell ourselves Rhiannon’s choices are wrong and her decision to act as she does misguided, the entire situation is written in a way that makes her relationship with this newest man feel so disconcertingly right that we find any anger we’ve mustered melt away in a haze of confusion. We are left with a churning mess of an emotional reservoir, one that begins to spill over the edges and drown us in torn allegiances as we struggle to separate the chaos into recognizable feelings.

The Renfield Syndrome will be a story that many will love but is also one that will most likely give many a reader pause, Rhiannon’s actions and the actions of those around her creating a visceral and gritty reading experience. This is not a story we walk away from feeling light and happy, rather we carry the emotional weight of it for weeks after reading. Ms. Saare isn’t afraid to leave a mark on her characters or her readers, and even as we wallow in pain wishing she would make it stop, we silently thank her for drawing us in so deeply.

Rating: 4.5/5 (less)

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Aug 23, 2011 Roxanne rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 5-stars

Wow, nothing in that book went as I expected it to. It amazes me the twists and turns J.A. Saare has managed to write into the story and still keep in from getting too much.

This book picks up right where the first one finished. Rhiannon has just made a deal with a demon and he transported her 101 years in the future where a thing called 'The Renfield Syndrome' has managed to wipe out millions of humans. Vampires are at the top of the food chain and are using humans as their slaves. Needless to...more

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Nov 16, 2012 Michelle(Chelle) aka Nightshade - Cake Whisperer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

WOW!!!! This series just gets better. I loved Book 1 and the ending threw me for a loop. I couldn't wait to see where Ms. Saare was going to take the story and how I was going to feel about it. She did not disappoint me in the slightest.

So, when we last see Rhiannon she has indebted herself to Zagan in order to clear Disc's debt. Unfortunately he tricked her and sent her 101 years into the future....a future where humans are pretty much accepted as pets of vampires and were-shifter creatures are...more

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Sep 17, 2012 Katyana rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: ass-kicking-women, ebook, demons, fantasy, series, uf, time-travel, vampires, abuse, fuuuuuck, w-t-f, why-am-i-reading-this

Upon shit-canning book 3, I am forced to revise this review. Fuck this series. ***negative 1 billion stars***

This is a rough one to review. Mostly because (view spoiler)

And whether I love this series or begin loathing it depends on where the series goes from her. If she forgives him, I'm done. Because (view spoiler)...more

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Dec 29, 2011 Claire rated it 5 of 5 stars

Right let me just say I loved book 1 Dead, Undead or Somewhere in Between but I loved this book even more. We see Rhiannon trying to come to terms and live with the events that happened at the end of book 1. There was a HUGE shock early on that had me reeling but once I pulled myself together I thought to myself ‘come on Claire shit happens lets see how Ms Saare deals with this I’m sure it will be worth it’ and let me tell you it was worth it. Now Ms Saare doesn’t seem the type of author to let...more Right let me just say I loved book 1 Dead, Undead or Somewhere in Between but I loved this book even more. We see Rhiannon trying to come to terms and live with the events that happened at the end of book 1. There was a HUGE shock early on that had me reeling but once I pulled myself together I thought to myself ‘come on Claire shit happens lets see how Ms Saare deals with this I’m sure it will be worth it’ and let me tell you it was worth it. Now Ms Saare doesn’t seem the type of author to let her fans get comfortable and complacent because towards the end of the book when everything seems to be moving along nicely there is another HUGE shocker. I actually couldn’t believe that a certain character could behave in such a way. I wanted to reach into the book and give this character an ass kicking for what they had done, but then again this character is extremely tough and would probably hand my ass back to me with bells on top. I cannot wait to see the repercussions of this and how things will play out in the next book. We are introduced to quite a few new characters in this instalment too. Carter seemed to be an interesting guy and I was originally routing for him and Victoria was ace, a right glamorous evil bitch. Paine, another hot sexy vampire is featured heavily. I really like him and I enjoyed finding out much more about him. But for me the star of the book is Rhiannon. Oh boy I love her she is still mouthy but my girl seems to be growing up a bit. I love her attitude and how she talks and find the put downs she comes out with hilarious. The plot was brilliant and clever and I was enthralled throughout. I seriously did not put the book down and read it within a day which is very very fast for me. There is another cliff hanger but nothing like book 1 and Ms Saare does give us a clip from book 3 The Ripple Effect which is out in summer/fall 2012 (so so long to wait) which helps hugely. Please please try book 1. I would say try this book but if you have read book 1 and enjoyed it I can pretty much guarantee you have already got this book. I would like to give this book 5 stars it is immense, funny, clever, sad and hot and it only cost £2.57 from Amazon.co.uk(less)

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Sep 13, 2011 Anna (Bobs Her Hair) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Urban Fantasy fans

Recommended to Anna (Bobs Her Hair) by: GR friends, Carolyn Crane

Shelves: ebook, urban-fantasy

What a ride! The Renfield Syndrome is a fast-paced, dark, and gritty urban fantasy. I know this phrase is used a lot but I counldn't put my ereader down! It was that good.

The Story
After making a deal with a demon, Rhiannon finds herself in a future where humans are an endangered species. A vaccine was created to protect humans from vampires but things went horribly wrong causing the Renfield Syndrome. Humans are a rare commodity and vampires are out in the open, along with other things. As Rhian...more

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Jan 15, 2013 Estelle (E) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: vampire, series-to-finish, fantasy, demons

Not sure how I feel about this book. It was definitely better than the first one.. then again, I wanted to give it 2 stars throughout the whole book until the end came and the 3rd star appeared.

As the previous book, the end was the best part.

The negative points for me: couple of 'situations' Rhiannon 'finds' herlself in are a bit disturbing and made me say 'commmmme On'!!
I had another one of this moment from the switch from fantasy world to normality. The story got fuzzy there.. it was really...more

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About J.A. Saare

J.A. Saare is a multi-published author who has written stories featured in horror
magazines, zombie romance anthologies, and flash fiction contests. Her work has a notable dark undertone, which she credits to her love of old eighties horror films, tastes in music, and choices in reading, and have been described as “full of sensual promise,” “gritty and sexy,” and “a breath
of fresh air.”

Currently sh...more

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Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in Between (Rhiannon's Law, #1)

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Quotes from The Renfield Syndrome

“Rhiannon's Law #68: If you're going to fly by the seat of your pants, rock out with your cock out. The landing is going to hurt either way, and you might as well make an impression when you nail it.” — 28 people liked it

“Rhiannon's Law #22. You can't lie to yourself, so don't bother trying. Doing so only multiplies your douchebag level to the umpteenth power and confirms what others have been saying for years - that you are an idiot.” — 21 people liked it

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