I'm Jaz Parks. My boss is Vayl, born in Romania in 1744. Died there too, at the hand of his vampire wife, Liliana. But that's ancient history. For ...
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Feb 26, 2011
Seth
rated it: 
I read a lot of this subgenre (light, modern fantasy with a horror twist and usually a female protag). This book and series is getting a lot of press and a heavy and fast push to get more out, putting it in the more-mainstream and lighter-weight end of the spectrum. Combined with the garish cover, the horrible "Meet Jaz Parks in..." cover copy and the cover quotes clearly intended for non-genre readers, I expected a guilty pleasure at best.
It's better than that, fortunately More...
It's better than that, fortunately More...
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Nov 14, 2007
Katie
rated it: 
Before I started reading 'Once Bitten, Twice Shy' I had read several reviews that claimed that this was a good book, a great book even. But in no way was I prepared for how truly wonderful Once Bitten, Twice Shy turned out to be. I loved it, plain and simple as that.
The story kicks off with Jaz and Vayl working together in Miami. Vayl is a vampire assassin, one of the CIA’s best, and Jaz is his bodyguard/assistant assassin. Six months previously Vayl had requested that she be assig More...
The story kicks off with Jaz and Vayl working together in Miami. Vayl is a vampire assassin, one of the CIA’s best, and Jaz is his bodyguard/assistant assassin. Six months previously Vayl had requested that she be assig More...
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Sep 01, 2010
AH
rated it:
3.5 stars
As I started reading this book, I felt a tinge of déjà vu. The main character is a kick-ass girl, and assassin. The main male character was a vampire. I then thought of the Night Huntress series and began comparing the two. Well that’s not very fair of me. The two series are very different, and I like each series on their own. So here begins my review.
Jasmine Parks or Jaz is an assassin for the CIA. Her claim to fame seems to be the amount of car wreckage she se More...
As I started reading this book, I felt a tinge of déjà vu. The main character is a kick-ass girl, and assassin. The main male character was a vampire. I then thought of the Night Huntress series and began comparing the two. Well that’s not very fair of me. The two series are very different, and I like each series on their own. So here begins my review.
Jasmine Parks or Jaz is an assassin for the CIA. Her claim to fame seems to be the amount of car wreckage she se More...
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Mar 26, 2008
Sayuri_x
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Once Bitten, Twice Shy revolves around a smart, sassy, paranoid, crazy and dangerous to know in a ‘Lethal Weapon’ kind of way, female character Jasmine ‘Jaz’ Parks. She works for the CIA with her boss, Vayl, who is a 291 year old vampire. (played in this reader’s imagination by Gerard Bulter…gulp.) Vayl is one of the good guys. He has chosen to live in peaceful co-existence with humans. Working for the CIA as an assassin helps him channel his ‘agression’. In this first installment Jaz and Vayl a
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Apr 24, 2008
Felicia
rated it:
This book is not great. I say that off the top to anyone who picks it up after reading what I have to say, because I don't want any nagging or resentment. The characters are pretty cliche'd, they don't even act sensically from chapter to chapter. What this book does provide (along with the other 4 I've read in the series) is just a fun popcorn snack of cliches that I gobbled up and had a ton of fun reading. If you're into mindless action-adventure vampire stuff (think Anita blake meets James
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Sep 20, 2011
Katharine
rated it: 
With all of the vampire books that have come out since the popularity of Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight Saga, this story just seems to be yet another one to add to the collection. But, Rardin’s Jaz Parks series puts a unique spin on it. Yes, Jaz Parks is a vampire hunter, but she works for the CIA and her boss’s name is Vayl. He was born in Romania in 1744…and died there, too. Yes, Vayl is a vampire, but a good one. The two of them work together to bring down the bad vampires.
This More...
This More...
Aug 01, 2011
Mlle.
rated it: 
Wherever ONCE BITTEN TWICE SHY is shelved (I picked it up in the sci-fi/fantasy section), don't be deceived: it's really chick-lit. And the worst kind of chick-lit, where there's a whole lot of "defining the relationship" and not a lot of action or romance. The book starts six months after protagonist Jaz is partnered with vampire assassin Vayl, and their relationship is already completely unprofessional. We miss out on all the fun, getting-to-know-you, tension-building parts of their
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Apr 15, 2011
Books-treasureortrash
rated it:
Book Review: 2 Treasure Boxes
Monster and vampire terrorists are trying to destroy the world and it is up to CIA agent Jaz Parks and her gorgeous vampire partner Vayl to save the day. This book introduces the characters and the world that this story takes place. It is similar to our world and occurs in modern times with the addition of supernatural beings including vampires, werewolves and witches. Jaz and Vayl are on a special assignment to find and stop the terrorists. This is a t More...
Monster and vampire terrorists are trying to destroy the world and it is up to CIA agent Jaz Parks and her gorgeous vampire partner Vayl to save the day. This book introduces the characters and the world that this story takes place. It is similar to our world and occurs in modern times with the addition of supernatural beings including vampires, werewolves and witches. Jaz and Vayl are on a special assignment to find and stop the terrorists. This is a t More...
Mar 06, 2011
Kt from A Book Obsession..
rated it:
Meet Jaz Parks, a kick butt covert operations assassin that has been partnered with the agency's top assassin, who just happens to be a vampire. She's not sure why she's partnered with him as he really doesn't need the help, but like all good mysteries, there is a reason behind it all. Their latest assignment is a plastic surgeon, and it was supposed to be a simple job. Drag out all the intel they can from him, and then silence him forever. However, nothing is as it seems with this case, and the
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Jan 11, 2011
Ithlilian
rated it: 
A kick butt assassin, a complex mystery, and a vampire love interest. Sounds good, but it wasn't. Jaz is not your typical tough chick main character. She is whiny, helpless, and a bit incompetent. Her comments belong in a chick lit book, not an assassin book. Can you imagine CIA operatives going around saying things are icky? Exactly. The beginning of the book kept my interest because I wanted to know why the main character was having blackouts. Also, there are numerous references to her past an
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Dec 30, 2010
Karissa
rated it:
This is the first book of the Jaz Parks series by Jennifer Rardin. So far there are 8 books planned for this series. The fifth one comes out Jan '09 and is called "One More Bite". This was a great book.
Describing this book as James Bond meets the supernatural community is definitely accurate. Jaz Parks works for the CIA. 6 months after she starts reporting to her new boss; the group's top assassin, Vayl, requests that Jaz join him as an assistant. What Jaz and Vayl thinks i More...
Describing this book as James Bond meets the supernatural community is definitely accurate. Jaz Parks works for the CIA. 6 months after she starts reporting to her new boss; the group's top assassin, Vayl, requests that Jaz join him as an assistant. What Jaz and Vayl thinks i More...
Dec 12, 2010
Jasmine Parks is one the best vampire hunters in the CIA, but after the death of her entire team she is surprised when the best hunter in the agency requests her to be his partner, the legendary vampire Vayl. Once Bitten, Twice Shy by Jennifer Rardin follows Jaz and Vayl as they undertake what should have been a routine capture of a rogue vampire. As the two go undercover to stop the leader of the terrorists group ‘Sons of Paradise’ they discover a much more menacing threat to humanity and vam
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Nov 03, 2010
Angie
rated it:
Déjà longtemps que je me dis qu'il faut que je lise cette série et j'ai enfin commencé.
Au début, je me suis dis que Jaz était complétement tarée, puis ça avait l'air d'un roman axé espionnage, chose que je n'attendais pas du tout, mais finalement pas tant que ça...parce qu'il faut reconnaitre qu'elle a un gros problème dans sa petite tête quand même. MDR! Ok, ce n'est peut être pas totalement de sa faute, peut être qu'elle était "normale" 14 mois plus tôt.
Bref, pour un premie More...
Au début, je me suis dis que Jaz était complétement tarée, puis ça avait l'air d'un roman axé espionnage, chose que je n'attendais pas du tout, mais finalement pas tant que ça...parce qu'il faut reconnaitre qu'elle a un gros problème dans sa petite tête quand même. MDR! Ok, ce n'est peut être pas totalement de sa faute, peut être qu'elle était "normale" 14 mois plus tôt.
Bref, pour un premie More...
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Aug 18, 2010
Naoise
rated it:
"I'm Jaz Parks. My boss is Vayl, born in Romania in 1744. Died there too, at the hand of his vampire wife, Liliana. But that's ancient history. For the moment Vayl works for the C.I.A. doing what he does best--assassination. And I help. You could say I'm an assistant assassin. But then I'd have to kick your ass."
-from the back cover of Once Bitten, Twice Shy
Jaz and Vayl are aiming to take out a terrorist group with ties to some especially foul supernaturals in t More...
-from the back cover of Once Bitten, Twice Shy
Jaz and Vayl are aiming to take out a terrorist group with ties to some especially foul supernaturals in t More...
Aug 03, 2010
Once Bitten, Twice Shy was a spur-of-the-moment pick that I'm glad made it home with me. Jennifer Rardin's Jaz is a butt-kicking, gun-toting, smash-talking, vampire-smelling, car-crashing, highly-efficient assassin. Yup, you heard me. And, she's hilarious. Excerpt:
No doubt about it, I am the only item in this office under the age of fifty.
You wouldn't know it to look at my clothes, though. I'd come straight from an American Airlines flight during which an aviophob More...
No doubt about it, I am the only item in this office under the age of fifty.
You wouldn't know it to look at my clothes, though. I'd come straight from an American Airlines flight during which an aviophob More...
Jul 25, 2010
Yvette
rated it:
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Jul 16, 2010
Amanda
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In a genre that contains such heavy-hitters as Kelley Armstrong and Kim Harrison, Jennifer Rardin's debut novel is heralded as a fresh new take on the 'paranormal fantasy' (or whatever tag it is going by these days!) spectrum.
Indeed, the idea that the main character is a CIA operative is intriguing, and the vamp/supernatural elements of the story are dropped in without any painful info-dumps or unnecessary explanations.
In fact, the whole story invites you to cling onto a *ver More...
Indeed, the idea that the main character is a CIA operative is intriguing, and the vamp/supernatural elements of the story are dropped in without any painful info-dumps or unnecessary explanations.
In fact, the whole story invites you to cling onto a *ver More...
Jul 09, 2010
Hope
rated it:
This book has been sitting on my bookshelf for a while now, along with book two and three from this series. It took me forever to make myself pick up the first book and read. Now that I have I am kind of annoyed at myself for not doing it sooner. But usually I have to be in a certain mood to read books, I pick books from my reading pile according to my mood.
Jaz park’s series is awesome, I just love it. It had it all, action, vampires, crazy villains who want to rule the world, kick More...
Jaz park’s series is awesome, I just love it. It had it all, action, vampires, crazy villains who want to rule the world, kick More...
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Feb 28, 2010
Nicola
rated it:
Per the Official UF Style Guide, Jaz is a kick-ass, heavily armed, slightly neurotic red-head who tells her story in first person. However, Jaz's voicing of this story is outstanding. It's appealingly conversational and wise-cracky; perceptive and smart but fallible; layered and full of personality. Jaz has a complicated history but there's no info-dumping -- the tidbits about her character are handed out in the perfect balance between tantalizing and satisfying.
I really liked the po More...
I really liked the po More...
Feb 02, 2010
Samantha
rated it:
In Once Bitten, Twice Shy, we meet Jaz Parks who is an assasin for the C.I.A. and is partnered up with a very powerful vampire named Vayl. Their newest assignment is to take out a plastic surgeon who has to ties to a dangerous group of terrorists. But Jaz and Vayl soon find out that their assignment is more complicated than they thought and before they know it they are up against an ancient evil.
Will someone please tell me how I have not heard more about this author before?? This boo More...
Will someone please tell me how I have not heard more about this author before?? This boo More...
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(1 person liked it)
Aug 20, 2009
Tamora
rated it:
Woot! Another vampire hunter, female, kicks major @ss, makes almost enough smart remarks to annoy (but not quite), now teamed up with a very hot vampire who came across in the 1700s. They are government operatives, he legendary, she big tough, who are partnered because he asked for her, which leaves her much confused. They hunt bad guys of all stripes for the CIA: evil vampires, terrorists, big nasty transdimensional things, and magic critters. She is the lone survivor of a strike team that
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Aug 04, 2009
Jackie says:
Fans of Laurel K. Hamilton,Charlaine Harris and Buffy the Vampire Slayer have a brand new series to sink their teeth into, and it's good to the last drop.
Author Jennifer Rardin introduces CIA "assistant assassin"(though don't call her that to her face) Jaz Parks and her 250 year old boss (and kinda, maybe, love interest) Vayl--in the first book of the series Once Bitten Twice Shy. In this first installment, Jaz and Vayl are just supposed to assassina More...
Fans of Laurel K. Hamilton,Charlaine Harris and Buffy the Vampire Slayer have a brand new series to sink their teeth into, and it's good to the last drop.
Author Jennifer Rardin introduces CIA "assistant assassin"(though don't call her that to her face) Jaz Parks and her 250 year old boss (and kinda, maybe, love interest) Vayl--in the first book of the series Once Bitten Twice Shy. In this first installment, Jaz and Vayl are just supposed to assassina More...
Jul 26, 2009
Christine
rated it:
Once Bitten Twice Shy
Jennifer Rardin
Orbit
Paranormal Romance
Print
Book Rating: ♥♥♥♥1/2
Heat Rating: MILD
Reviewed by: C.S. Morehouse
ABOUT THE BOOK:
I’m Jaz Parks. My boss is Vayl, born in Romania in 1744. Died there too, at the hand of his vampire wife, Liliana. But that’s ancient history. For the moment Vayl works for the C.I.A. doing what he does best–assassination. And I help. You could say I’m an Assistant Assassin. But th More...
Jennifer Rardin
Orbit
Paranormal Romance
Book Rating: ♥♥♥♥1/2
Heat Rating: MILD
Reviewed by: C.S. Morehouse
ABOUT THE BOOK:
I’m Jaz Parks. My boss is Vayl, born in Romania in 1744. Died there too, at the hand of his vampire wife, Liliana. But that’s ancient history. For the moment Vayl works for the C.I.A. doing what he does best–assassination. And I help. You could say I’m an Assistant Assassin. But th More...
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Dec 08, 2010
Jen
rated it:
This was apretty good book - but I don't think I"m going to keep reading into the series .. at least not at this time.
I do have 6 of them from the library - but I didn't like the book as much as I thought I would.
I have a few other books I really WANT to read now - so these next 5 are going to be put on hold for a while.
What I liked about the book was her sence of humor - I loved it - she and Vayl have a great relationship - and I had to look up avhar to figure ou More...
I do have 6 of them from the library - but I didn't like the book as much as I thought I would.
I have a few other books I really WANT to read now - so these next 5 are going to be put on hold for a while.
What I liked about the book was her sence of humor - I loved it - she and Vayl have a great relationship - and I had to look up avhar to figure ou More...
Dec 04, 2010
Sabina
rated it:
I'm not going to summarize the plot. It's a sexy old vampire and smart, talented yet traumatized young woman (always early twenties) who fight the villains. When you get past the fake Romanian names and language, it really gets you turning page after page after page.
If you're looking for "romance" you won't find it here. But I guess it'll come, sooner or later. There are some candidates for that. The two main heroes, the vampire Vayl and the human girl Jaz are quite interest More...
If you're looking for "romance" you won't find it here. But I guess it'll come, sooner or later. There are some candidates for that. The two main heroes, the vampire Vayl and the human girl Jaz are quite interest More...
Dec 06, 2011
Danielle
rated it:
This book was boring. I didn't even finish it. The idea of this book is good, with a female CIA agent who can kick your butt and her partner who is a a 300 year old vampire. The whole thing didn't keep my attention. It was lacking in many things, such as the character development, plot, description, and some of the sentences didn't seem to flow together.
Ok the characters didn't seem to feel real to me. You get some what of a background, but it wasn't entirely convincing. The descripti More...
Ok the characters didn't seem to feel real to me. You get some what of a background, but it wasn't entirely convincing. The descripti More...
Jan 28, 2009
Kristina
rated it:
Oh wow, I absolutely adored this book! The protagonist, Jaz Parks, is snarky and kicks ass like no one else, exactly the way I like them. Add in a great mystery with action to the ten, a hot partner of the Vampire sort with the ability to make things freeze to ice, a couple of intriguing minor characters and a complicated yet intriguing back-story that is slowly unwinding as we read, and you've got me hooked. The dynamic between Jaz and Vayl, said hot partner of the Vampire sort, is fun to watch
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Nov 12, 2011
AstrogirlM42
rated it:
It is really hard to review this book. I had just finished reading The Hunger Games series (which I loved) and I didn't really feel in the mood for reading. However, this was my book group's monthly read so I read away. I am not sure whether my so-so feeling towards this book was to do with the book itself or was more to do with me not being in the right state to read it.
What worked for me
Well for once I actually like the female lead. Most books I have read in a similar gen More...
What worked for me
Well for once I actually like the female lead. Most books I have read in a similar gen More...
Jun 09, 2010
Anita
rated it:
This is a vampire urban fantasy with a CIA operative twist. I don't really like reading spy novels, but even though that's not my thing, I still found myself invested in the characters. I really liked Jaz and her boss/love interest vampire Vayl. I'm intrigued to see what happens between them down the road. This book was well written and won me over, despite my initial reluctance with the story. I recommend this one.
Premise: CIA top assassin (and vampire) Vayl requested Jaz as his app More...
Premise: CIA top assassin (and vampire) Vayl requested Jaz as his app More...
Jun 19, 2011
Roxanne
rated it:
3.5 Stars
I enjoyed this book, Jaz was a great heroine. She has a dark past and most of it she can't remember but she's still a surprisingly upbeat character. She gets paired up with Vayl a vampire for missions, her job is to be his bodyguard. I would have liked more to happen between these two. By the time it gets into the story they already know each other and we never get to read the growing feelings between them. But still there seems like there is still a lot going on between these More...
I enjoyed this book, Jaz was a great heroine. She has a dark past and most of it she can't remember but she's still a surprisingly upbeat character. She gets paired up with Vayl a vampire for missions, her job is to be his bodyguard. I would have liked more to happen between these two. By the time it gets into the story they already know each other and we never get to read the growing feelings between them. But still there seems like there is still a lot going on between these More...
