New York Times bestselling author Kerrelyn Sparks delivers the exciting conclusion in the Love at Stake series, where a Marine-turned-vampire finds love with the shifter princess forbidden to him.Russell wakes from a coma to find he's become a vampire. Now he has a thirst for revenge. Determined to hunt down the master vampire who turned him, he's used to working alone - until he meets Jia. She is after the same vampire for murdering her parents and insists she can help Russell on this mission. Reluctantly, he agrees, and sets up some ground Rule #1: Their partnership is strictly business. If he holds her a little too close . . . if she looks at him with those exotic eyes . . . well, that has to stop.Rule #2: He's in charge. Jia isn't used to taking orders and questions every move he makes. So he stops her the only way he knows how.Rule #3: Don't fall in love. But the kiss that was supposed to quiet her awakens something else in him . . . something forbidden. Because Jia is engaged. To someone else.
Kerrelyn Sparks apparently has issues with reality. After writing more than a dozen books about vampires, she has now completely gone off the deep end and wound up on another planet. But how thrilling that she can share this magical new world with her readers! Although she is best known (so far) for the Love at Stake series, which has hit as high as number 5 on the New York Times list and 22 on the USA Today list, she hopes her readers will love The Embraced as much as they did her merry band of vamps and shifters. To learn more about her paranormal, historical, and upcoming out-of-this-world fantasy romances, please visit Kerrelyn on Facebook, Twitter, or her website at www.kerrelynsparks.com.
Kerrelyn loves hearing from readers, even those who howl at the moon. Letters may be sent to P.O. Box 5512, Katy, TX 77491-5512. If you would like bookmarks and signed bookplates, please mail a Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope to her P.O. Box, and she will send those items to you.
OMG this book was good! Please Mrs. Kerrelyn Sparks don't end the series i need more!!
This is Russell and Jia's story and the last book in the series. As a couple I loved them together, they were very playful and cute. I loved how Jia melted Russell who only lived for revenge and Russell gave Jia the one thing no other male in her life had RESPECT! He respected her wishes and seen the fighter she was and she seen the honor and goodness in him when he thought he had none!
"A life of hatred is worthless compared to a life filled with love."
Russell is hott, caring, respectful, but still all kick ass alpha male. I have a thing for soldier boys, and he is Marine turned vampire dayum is there anything hotter? NO!
"What was that?" J.L. demanded. "Did I hear a scream?" "It's nothing. The mating call of a.....water buffalo. Later." Russell hung up
"You're mine, Jia." He moved inside her. "My princess. My tigress. My love."
He nuzzled her neck. "Meow." She grinned. "What was that?" "I've decided to learn tiger language. Did you understand me?" "Hmm." She ran her hands through his wet hair. "I believe you said that you missed me. And nearly went crazy." "Exactly. See how well I'm learning your language?" He flicked his tongue over her ear and whispered "Rawr." She giggled. "Did you understand that?" "I believe so." She slid her hand down his abdomen until she encountered his erection. "Ah, I was correct."
Jia is funny, beautiful, strong, loyal, sassy and determined. Jia tends to see the bright side of things and is very sweet.
"I love it when your eyes turn red. It makes me feel so powerful." "You are powerful. You could destroy me with a single word." Her fingers delved into his hair. "What word would that be?" "Goodbye." Her eyes widened "Then we'll never say it. It would destroy me, too."
"You're so beautiful." He snorted. "Guys aren't beautiful." "You are." She smoothed her hands down his chest to his abdomen. "So many muscles."
The first time Jia and Russell make love was sexy as hell. I loved seeing all of the others that we fell in love with in the last 15 books. Seeing them through out the books start families. Kerrelyn Sparks wrapped the series up nicely. Jia and russell's love was sweet and beautiful and this book was a feel good, happy book. This story had a few surprise plot twist, that I didn't see coming. At the end Roman gave a wedding toast that was very heart warming I won't post it on here, but he pretty much says....
lol
I loved this series and I am sad to see it end. I hope that one day Mrs. Sparks writes a few more for this series because I feel this series still has some life in it!
Listened to this on audiobook while at work. The narrator did a great job :) I'm sad to see the series end. I read most of the books in the series, getting to know this unique band of supernatural misfits who make one another family. Russell was always a loner and a mysterious man. His friends didn't know what to make of him half the time but they could count on him being at the right place and time when they needed him. Jia, a tiger were princess, had a quest for revenge that caused her to cross paths with the sexy vamp. After strong reluctance, they end up working with and falling for one another. Of course there are many complications to overcome. I really enjoyed how the plot was built out. The major plot has had a very consistent showing in the individual subplots and are interwoven extremely well. The characters are unique and their personalities are complex. Their romance is instant attraction but a slow burn to develop with the h's innocence playing a big part. I enjoyed the familial and political elements underlying this subplot. There were a few surprises and I was happy to have guessed correctly at some of them. All in all a great addition to and wonderful end to a strong series. Safety: No OW/Sharing. h is unofficially engaged to OM she hasn't met. Her grandfather accepted an alliance and she has the right to refuse but wants to meet him first. This is before she and Russell officially get together. No condoms. No rape/abuse.
The last book in a very fun and entertaining series. I will miss this family of shifters, humans, angels, vampires and mixes of all. All the books ended in a HEA for the two main characters .Even as each had an expected ending, I always felt exhilarated and even giggly when it happened every time. Each book had characters I liked, good people with differences. I was lucky enough to start this series after it was published and went through each book on after the other all in audiobook form. What a treat to not have to wait for the next book to be released. So having spent the last 6 months reading these 16 books, I grew to love them and cherish their happiness. Ah, it is a bittersweet end. This last book is about a very special vampire, Russell, He is the Vietnam Vet who has been through years of torturous heartbreak, mental instability and loneliness. He finally finds someone that is more important to him than revenge. She just might be a challenge that is too feisty for him. Their search for relief ends in love and the evils all get wrapped up in a nice black trash bag. Whaooo for them ! Yes, it is a HEA what else would you expect ?
AHHHHH!!! This was the greatest ending of a series ever!! Everyone is happy and in love! Russell has finally cracked from his emotionless, lonely shell and not only has a lovely wife, but family!! *sigh* I am at peace.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Yes, once again another great series is coming to a close and what a conclusion it is… Don’t fret, look on the bright side… There has to be a bunch of new writing coming from the authors we love read including Kerrelyn Sparks.
Crouching Tiger, Forbidden Vampire is Russell, the vampire found in Han’s cave, and Jia, a were-tiger princess, story.
Russell has a major vendetta burning against Han. Turning Russell took everything away from him, but leaving him in a cave in a near mummified state for decades removed every connection he ever had to humanity until Jia stumbles into his revenge.
Jia wants revenge against Han, too. Han not only killed her family but chopped them up into little pieces so they could not be reborn into their next were-cat lives. Yes, Han is a very evil dude only topped by the demon released by Han.
Jia wants to team up with Russell but he fights it every step of the way. Well, until he sees Jia’s spirit crumble and her life is being placed the line. Then Russell has no choice but help the woman that haunts his thoughts.
This wonderfully twisted plot has inspired our imaginations and wow’d us with Sparks ability to tie it all together. This being the last book of this series, I especially enjoyed how all the characters are brought back into play for this the 16th book in this series.
Can you say, “I didn’t see that coming.” Well, I sure didn’t. In all the ways Sparks could have wrapped this story up, she completely surprised me.
I really enjoyed Crouching Tiger, Forbidden Vampire. I am sorry to see this series end but like I said before I’m looking forward to what might come next from this fabulous paranormal romance writer.
I received this ARC copy of Crouching Tiger, Forbidden Vampire from Avon in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication December 30, 2014.
Written by: Kerrelyn Sparks Series: Love at Stake Sequence in Series: Book 16 Page Count: 384 pages Publisher: Avon Publication Date: December 30, 2014 Rating: 4.25 Stars ISBN-10: 0062107771 ISBN-13: 978-0062107770 Genre: Paranormal, Romance Find this book on: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
I was reluctant to read Crouching Tiger, Forbidden Vampire. Why? I’m saying good-bye to a family that I have known forever and have fallen totally in love with. No, not just one character, but all of them. It’s weird knowing that I won’t be reading about the Draganesti’s … hearing about how many donuts Howard ate at once. But, I’m fine with it now that they all have their happily-ever-afters, that their lives are settled and filled with love. Yes, Ms. Sparks left the door open with a few of the characters, but I don’t think we will hear from them in the near future. So, as we say good-bye to everyone that we have loved, it’s only fitting that she ends it with the enigma that has been Russell. Bringing a close to the series with Russell and Jia in a book called Couching Tiger, Forbidden Vampire, you know that you will be dealing with a Vamp and a Shifter. A pairing that seems a little unreasonable. A Princess and a reclusive vampire … there is no way for this to work. But, in true Kererlyn Sparks style, she brings them together, she solves the mystery of Master Han and opens us up to a man that finally has a reason to live. As we walk through the world of vampires, shifters, dragons and demons, we are brought to a hillside cave with running water and electricity, to a royal castle, back to Scotland and into the bowels of hell. Yes, everyone is back and everyone has one goal – rid the world of Master Han and Darafar, again. The arch-angels make an appearance and we even get to say good-bye to those we hated throughout the series. Now, as you can tell, I am not giving away anything in this story. It wouldn’t be fair to this wonderful author …. you are going to have to read the book if you want to find out just how Russell and Jia work through their problems, fall in love and live happily-ever-after. I cried as Roman gave his toast, as gifts were exchanged, as we all said good-bye, have a wonderful life together. Thank you, Ms. Sparks, for allowing me the honor and pleasure of reviewing your books. You have brought us so much love and heart-warming stories over the years – each story unique. You have a way with the written word that brings to life things that we would have never imagined. You wrote each book with style and flare, made sure everyone was happy and satisfied (extremely), made us appreciate eyes turning red and understand what was going to come next. You made us laugh, you made us cry, then you made us wish for that all-consuming love that you had leaping off the pages. I look forward to see what you are coming up with next and extremely excited to see who you bring into my world.
It hurts to say goodbye to old friends. I have been reading The Love At Stakes series since 2005 the very first book How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire. How do you say goodby to characters you have read about for 10yrs. I hope it is just for now and not forever!!
Crouching Tiger Forbidden Vampire was everything I hoped for in Russells story and I think the were-tiger Princess Jia was a perfect match. The series ended very well with all questions answered and a final catch up with all the characters of previous LAS books. The were-dragons are a great addition to the LAS series. The story starts a little slow but builds up and moves along to a very good end. So I shall say Goodby to all my old friends in this series. I hope we meet for a reunion some day!! I Highly Recommend the Love At Stakes series it is one of the best uniquely written paranormal series I have read.
Thank You Kerrelyn Sparks for taking all of your Fans on a fantastic reading adventure.
Finally finished this long amazing series, I honestly hope she would continue writing this series, I have fallen in love with the characters and it's just so sad to see it end.
In this book we follow Russel who has been in a vampire coma since the Vietnam war and was made a vampire by Angus and 5he other when they found him in a cave in Thailand
Years later he is hell bent on killing master han but what he doesnt know is that there is someone who wants master han dead more than him
This is how he meets Jia a were-tiger and soon they develop an attachment and it would appear that her so called engagement to a prince wont be taking place
The surprise in this book shocked me Master han is someone known
Crouching Tiger, Forbidden Vampire brings a long running storyline to a close as our hero, Russell Hankleburg, solidifies his revenge against Master Han, the evil vampire who changed him and then left him in a coma for 39 years, with the help of a were-tiger who has her own reasons for wanting Han dead.
Jia, our heroine, is a royal were-tiger princess whose parents and siblings were slaughtered by Master Han. She has vowed revenge but is stymied by her cousin, Rivja, the Grand Tiger of her village. She escapes her guards and while hunting Han on her own, inadvertently ruins Russell’s killing shot. Russell grabs her and takes her back to his hideout in order to discover who she is and why she interfered with his plans. Upon discovering her identity, he instantly takes her back to Tiger Town and from there, a somewhat controversial relationship begins between them. The romance is slow to start but builds in balance with the conflict.
Though well written (in terms of mechanics) and fast paced, I couldn’t help but feel rather underwhelmed with the story overall. I have followed this series on and off since the beginning. Interesting dynamic characters, silly tongue in cheek humor, and some steamy romance is what made this series fun but in this installment there was a faint mocking and moronic quality to the characters and the storyline. Dialogue flips from funny and mature to juvenile and imbecile in a heartbeat. Formulaic to the point of redundancy, it follows a noticeable groove worn track and stays one-dimensional. The emotional conduits seem to be missing. We are told more than shown. Russell constantly waxes on how attracted he is to Jia but I never felt the chemistry between them. Jia comes off strong and smart in regards to their mission but naive and somewhat stupid in the affairs of the heart. The romance and the conflict are streamlined and whittled down to the bare bones. No anticipation. No real heart stopping moments or genuine feelings that something bad will happen. It’s all very circumspect.
Almost every couple from the series makes an appearance, bringing some humor as they help wrap up the multiple story lines and close the series out. I did enjoy seeing many old faces and of course seeing where they have all ended up. I admit the angel squad was a bit strange and visiting Hell left me rolling my eyes. The one liners and character caricatures over reached at times and fell flat. The coup de grace concerning Master Han came out of left field and was almost annoyingly easy to figure out. I do wish more time had been spent on the little boy-dragon hostage. His story was rather good and there was a wonderful area to expand there that wasn’t taken.
Overall I think that Sparks was right to wrap it all up and end it here. The stories have become repetitive. The last few installments, this one in particular, have lacked the “spark” that drew me to the series to begin with. While I’m sure die hard fans of the series will be thrilled with the couple and route Sparks chose for this bon voyage, this one just wasn’t for me.
Crouching Tiger, Forbidden Vampire es el ultimo libro de la saga Love At Stake y narra la historia de Russell y Jia, personajes secundarios en las novelas anteriores.
Para ser completamente justa con este libro necesitaria las medias estrellas que GR sigue sin querer darnos, ya que tres estrellas me parece poco para valorar esta historia y cuatro me parece un poco demasiado.
Esta lectura me gusto muchisimo, se me hizo mas ligera de leer que su antecesora ( con la que me costo un poco engancharme ) y muy entretenida, la relacion de Jia y Russell me parecio muy tierna y adorable, tambien me gusto el giro en la trama que creo la autora, me sorprendio y agrado a partes iguales.
Como cierre de la saga me dejo muy satisfecha aunque quizas eche en falta un epilogo mas largo y con mayor presencia de antiguos personajes.
En fin, unas novelas muy agradables de leer, te haran reir a carcajadas!
I am sad it’s over but happy I pushed through and listened to this one. Russell is kinda awesome I do like that he pushed back because he wanted to be to finally get justice. But Jia had other plans and I do like how bad ass she was. These two danced around each other and in all the best ways. It was a great way to end the series.
"I love it when your eyes turn red. It makes me feel so powerful."
I think this my favorite quote in the book. Fantastic narration.
Russell has spent the last two years hunting the vampire that turned him over three decades ago. He wants answers and won't be slowed down by a partner. Well, that's too bad because Jia wants retribution against the same vampire for killing her family. Despite his best attempts, Russell can't convince Jia to back off so together they search for Master Han while avoiding the obvious spark that could threaten their mission and Jia's impending engagement.
Russell wants to know why was he turned and then left in a cave in coma for 30+ years. Master vampire Han is the only one with the answers and even with the good vampires dismantling more of his army each day, he has eluded capture. Enter Jia, a princess were-tiger with the ability to scent vampires who refuses to be left out of the hunt.
Their sparring and Russell's crumbling resistance to Jia's charm is fun to watch. I applaud her defiance against the Tiger Town customs of docile princesses and arranged marriages. They're a sweet couple that deserve the best after what Han has put them through but I don't feel they're strong enough to end the series. Russell has spent most of his time avoiding everyone and Jia is new so I haven't had time to get to know them or grow to care like with established characters, such as Howard or Phineas. I know there really isn't anyone left that the series could have ended on but I still wanted more of a BAM in the romance department.
Crouching Tiger, Forbidden Vampire feels like 2 different books. In the first half, Russell is coming to terms with Jia being his partner and fighting their growing attraction while hunting for Han. This part drags and feels repetitive as Russell searches, thinks about Jia then chides himself for thinking of her, and Jia tries to convince Russell to partner up. Then when they finally catch up to Han, his identity is revealed and that big shocker pulled me back into the story when I was contemplating calling it quits. I'm not going to spoil it and say what happens but it involves a demon, angels, and a trip to a place I didn't think the series would go. As interesting as it is, the second part of the book does feel a little off compared to the rest of the series. Still, it gave the book the shot in the arm it needed to keep me be glued until the end.
Although romance doesn't have quite the same kick as previous books, Russell and Jia are still really sweet and have no problems steaming up the pages. All loose ends are tied up, including the relationship status of a certain Grand Tiger, and it leaves fans of the series with the warm and fuzzies as a lot of the much beloved characters make one final appearance. - Stephanie
This series Love at Stake started with the story of Roman and now was closed by Roman. This latest couple, Russell and Jia brought the series to a temporary close. I absolutely enjoyed this book. It was thrilling, adventurous and sweet. And we get to see Hell. It was exciting book and brought the end of Master Han regime. Discovering the real identity of who Master Han is was something unexpected. Lots of twists. Seeing everyone again in this book was amazing. Rajiv finding his HEA. Watching the connection between Russell and Jia grow was beautiful. I loved Roman's speech. The ending of this book opened to a new beginning that I can't wait to read it and I'm guessing the wait is going to be very long one.
I loved this paranormal series and the exciting grand finale in this last book was great with all the characters coming together. The intrigue and outcome of this story was good too and I particularly like the heroine's assertiveness. Vampire Russell is attempting to kill his nemesis when were-tiger Jia gets in the way.
I was quite pleased with the way Kerrelyn Sparks ended her Love at Stake series. The way she wrote her last few books was rather disappointing. I suppose as a writer pushes through a series and spits out two books a year, they begin to lack detail and it shows that the love begins to fade. The work starts eating the enjoyment of writing. It's showed in her previous books.
While it somewhat showed in this book, she did a much better job. For about the first half of the book, it was like her last few. I read it just because I own every single book she'd ever written, and I wanted to read another of her series to finish it off. This book is, after all, the last of her famous series.
Shortly after you get into it, the story picks up and begins to build between the two characters. It's a pretty fun cat-and-mouse game of foreplay. Lots of teasing going on.
In various parts of the book, the story is from the dragon child's point of view. I thought it was a fantastic interpretation of how captured children have to struggle to survive during times of war.
Near the third quarter of the book is when I began to really enjoy it. It's not really the romance that lulls me in, though, as it is the story. The sex is pretty good compared to her few previous ones. Master Han's real identity is revealed and Russell's shocking response is really good. One thing I enjoyed a lot about this book, though, is the battle in Hell.
You heard me. Hell. After Master Han, they send Darefer back to hell (again) but he doesn't go back alone. So the whole team gets together (the WHOLE LaS team), and they invade Hell. I was rather amused with how Kerrelyn Sparks portrayed Hell. It wasn't that bad, but it certainly wasn't a Dante's Inferno rendition.
One thing I am super pleased with was how Kerrelyn Sparks brought every character back to tie up the series.
Every. Single. Character.
Not only did she bring back all the main characters and all the side characters during a great big party at the very end, including every child we knew about and those we didn't know about, but she also brought back all our lovable villians from the whole series. They were seated in Hell, and they acted pretty much the same way. It was a nice reminder of their hatred.
Another thing I greatly enjoyed was how, during the wedding celebration, Roman gave a speech that drew you back to book one. He reminded everyone how all of this (to us: the series; to them: every happy marriage and all the many children) began by him biting something he shouldn't have. It was a very good reminder.
Now keep in mind, the way Kerrelyn Sparks wrote this book is still like her past several, in that it was lacking some detail and the love. It didn't have the same feel as her first few books, and the humor wasn't as great. Needless to say, it was still a great ending to the series, but despite my feelings of missing another installment, I'm glad it's ended. I want to see her love in a story again, and I think not pushing out two books a year will help.
Just keep in mind, you can't read this book until you've read all the others. Her series generally doesn't require you to read them all in order, but after you pass Vampire Mine, you generally have to.
After all these years, it is finally time to bid this series adieu. I have followed this series from the beginning although not religiously. I have a difficult time with series that start with one couple starring in several books and then each subsequent book stars a new couple. I never really get the feel for the later romances and the main story line of seeing the end put to great evil, seems to fall to the wayside.
Many fans of this series are going to be - either greatly upset at the way this book plays out or very happy with the ending and the fact that somewhere down the road there may be more written later about these characters. My guess would be that there would be some novellas interspersed between books in the authors’ new series.
This book follows the romance/speculative fiction formulas perfectly. We start with the foiled attempt at the enemy, followed by many self-recriminations on the part of the hero and heroine. We then neatly segue into the building of the romance and the heroine Jia acting as if she were a small child. (I didn’t like the fact that the author made the heroine seem so utterly immature and naïve even though she is only 21). However, we soon get to the meat of the story, although and of course, not without many setbacks and deaths and one very, very large and unpleasant surprise!
And true to the formula, Russell soon overcomes his 42 years (39 of them in a vampire coma and three on the hunt for Master Han) of pain and misery with the love (and hot sex) of a good woman!
The style of writing is not totally my cup of tea anymore, but it is a fun read nonetheless.
Crouching Tiger Forbidden Vampire by Kerrelyn Sparks Love at Stake Series Book 16 Ex-Marine and vampire Russell is a loner. A loner with a mission. Three years ago he woke up to find that he not only lost thirty-nine years of his life, but he’d also been turned into a vampire. His mission: Find and kill Master Han after pulling the evil vampire’s mask off and asking one question. Why me?
Were-tigress Princess Jia has a mission as well. She wants to be the one to kill Master Han because he killed her family. She just has to get the stubborn and oh so handsome and ripped man to agree they should be partners. And he has to let her stay with him so her cousin, Grand Tiger Rajiv, don’t order her to cease her mission of vengeance. Simple. Not.
I love the characters in this series and noticed that many had cameos in this story. It was so nice seeing all the couples and their children and remembering the comical things that happened to each of them in their own books. It looks like this might be the last in this series. But alas, never say never, right? The loose ends get tied up and there are several surprises. Adding one more awesome book to this series. **Sexual content & Language **Received from author for honest review http://justjudysjumbles.blogspot.com/...
Book 16 in the Love at Stake series (the last one… maybe)
Wow! This was such a great book! I absolutely loved Russell AND Jia! They are so perfect together and for each other. Russell is on a revenge quest to kill Master Han, the evil vampire lord who put him in a vampire coma for 39 years. Jia, a were-tiger princess, is also seeking revenge on Han because he killed her family. They end up teaming up together even though Russell was extremely resistant. However, things are more difficult than they seem… and there is a reason why Han wears a mask…
It was very nice to see most of the gang again at two different celebrations at the end of the book. I can’t believe the series is over. Ms. Sparks says that this may be a temporary thing as she still has some plans, but she currently has other ideas calling her. I am hopeful that she will revisit this series in the future sometime, even if it’s a spin-off series. Ms. Sparks has grown into an incredibly talented writer. I remember her first few books, solid and funny, but nothing great (no offense meant!), but she kept writing and writing and she has just gotten better and better. I’m sure I’ll be buying and reading whatever Ms. Sparks comes up with next! And I can’t wait!
I just loved this book. What a nice way to close a series that I've have loved for years. Russell's character was a tough egg to break but I loved the way Kerrelyn told his story and what made Russell the was he was. Out of the heroine she chose for him, Jia was perfect for him. She challenged him and actually got under his vampire skin.
Jia took a heart that was cold from so many years of seeking revenge and caused it to melt. I think people will be surprised to find out who Master Han is. It will blow your mind. I loved also how the Dragon shifters are brought to life in her last two books. Could this lead to a spin off for a new series?
I love how she brought Rajiv as an important character into this book to help out the Vamps and he get's his own surprise. I have to admit I cried in this book. For I hate to say good bye to all of these wonderful characters. But knowing their all in a happier place with their children. Robbie, Ian, Dougal, Conner, Gregori, Howard, Phineous, Jean-Luc, Angus, Zoltan, Carlos, Jack, Phil, Roman and all their beautiful spouses. Most of them have children now and it's lovely to see them get their happily ever after.
I will miss this series so much! Thank you Kere, for making this a memorable series.
I love a great paranormal romance series that has steamy romances, amazing world building, fascinating cast of characters and a sense of humor. The Love at Stake series has all that in spades and apparently Crouching Tiger, Forbidden Vampire is the last book in the series, for now.
Of course, because this is one of my fave series and since we don't know when or even if we are getting more novels in the series, I went into this newest installment with very high expectations.
I am very glad to be able to say that Crouching Tiger, Forbidden Vampire not only met my expectations but went above and beyond.
This was an amazing book and a perfect addition/finale. Although I would not be upset at all if we got more and more books in this lovely series.
I really don't want to spoil a second of this fantastic and thrilling journey, so I will just say that if you are a fan of the Love at Stake series, Crouching Tiger, Forbidden Vampire is definitely a MUST read!
Russel and Jia were as utterly lovable couple and the conclusion to the story line we had been following for a while is pretty amazing.
Russell wants revenge against Master Han, the vampire who turned him and kept him in a coma for 39 years. After tracking him for two years, Russell finally has him in his sights. But an arrow shot from the other direction alerts Master Han to the danger and he vanishes. Were-Tiger Jia wants revenge too. Master Han killed her family and she has vowed to bring him down in return. As Russell and Jia team up to kill the evil vampire, their business relationship starts to change into something neither of them expected.
This is the sixteenth and last book in Kerrelyn Sparks' Love at Stake series. After reading the last few in the series which were a bit boring, I found this book to be much more entertaining though predictable. It wraps up the loose ends in the series and brings back cameos from other characters throughout the series. My rating: 4 Stars.
Omg I'm so sad this series is over, but it ended on a very high note. I wanted Russell to get his HEA and Jai was the perfect partner. The princess and the cowboy won my heart with their journey to forever. I was so happy to get to see many of my old favorites. Thank you Kerrelyn Sparks for sharing these adventures with us.
A good ending to the series. Wish the ending could have been drawn out a bit more or an epi since this is the last book of the series. I wasn't surprised at who Han was once the clues started being given.
Der Vampir Russel und die Gestaltenwandlerin Jia könnten unterschiedlicher nicht sein. Jia ist eine Gestaltenwandlerin und eine Prinzessin, aber ein ehemaliger Mariene-Soldat, aber beide wollen sich an Meister Han rächen, denn er hat ihnen großes Leid angetan. Diese Rache bringt die beiden zusammen und sie schließen ein Bündnis und profitieren von den Fähigkeiten des anderen. Aber je länge die beiden zusammen unterwegs ist, um so näher kommen sie sich. Nur ist eine Beziehung zwischen den beiden wirklich undenkbar.
Bei diesem Buch handelt es sich mittlerweile um den 16. Teil der Reihe, wenn man die Kurzgeschichten nicht mitzählt, und immer noch kann mich die Autorin mit ihrer Reihe begeistert. Bei Teil 16 handelt es sich dann leider auch um den letzten Teil der Reihe. Die Autorin will sich neuen Ideen widmen, schließt aber eine Rückkehr zu diese Reihe nicht aus. Auch wenn ich etwas traurig bin, dass die Reihe jetzt zu Ende ist, finde ich es eine gute Entscheidung von der Autorin. So bleibt mir die Reihe immer als einer meiner Lieblingsreihen in Erinnerung. Ich hoffe natürlich, dass ihre neuen Projekte bei uns in Deutschland übersetzt werden. In ihrem letzten Teil dreht sich die Handlung um den Bösewicht Meister Han, der ja bereits seit einiger Zeit sein Unwesen treibt. Der Vampir Russel und die Gestaltenwandlerin Jia sind auf seinen Fersen und wollen ihn vernichten. Mit Russel und Jia präsentiert uns die Autorin wieder ein sehr interessantes Paar. Beide Charaktere sind so unterschiedlich, dass man gar nicht glauben kann, dass sie zusammen passen. Aber das tuen sie doch, nur lässt die Autorin die beiden natürlich wieder zappeln, bis sie zusammen kommen. Russel ist der mürrische Einzelgänger, der niemanden an sich heran lassen will. Jia hingegen ist sehr offen und auch wenn sie manchmal etwas naiv wirkt, ist sie ein starker Charakter. Die Mischung hat mir wirklich sehr gut gefallen. Insgesamt hat mir dieser Abschlussband wirklich sehr gut gefallen und ich vergebe 5 von 5 Punkten.
Dies ist nun der 16. und letzte Teil der Reihe. Ich hätte nicht gedacht, dass diese Reihe mal ein Ende finden wird. Aber ich glaube, dass Kerrelyn Sparks alles richtig gemacht, denn die Geschichte ist auserzählt.
Russell ist ein Vampir und Krieger, der nur ein Ziel hat: Meister Han töten. Dabei kreuzen seine Wege die der Prinzessin und exotischen Schönheit Jia. Jia hat das gleiche Ziel und so willigt Russell widerwillig ein, dass die beiden zusammenarbeiten, denn Jia könnte mit ihren Fähigkeiten nützlich für ihn sein.
Die Geschichten sind immer nach dem gleichen Schema aufgebaut, aber ich mag die Bücher. Es ist locker leichte Vampirromantik. Die Dialoge sind humorvoll, die Liebesgeschichten sind immer zuckersüß und der Story kann man leicht folgen. Durch die Kämpfe gegen die Feinde der Vampire gibt es dann auch noch ein wenig Action in den Büchern.
Ich mochte die Reihe, auch wenn die ersten Bücher weitaus besser waren als die letzten Teile.
Another fun book in the Love at Stakes series, and unfortunately, the last. I am still hoping that Kerrelyn Sparks will decide to continue with it sometime in the future. I will miss this fun family! This book was about Jia (the princess) and Russell (the cowboy)...another sweet, happily ever after romance, as is typical in all of the books of this series. There is a wrapping up of sorts at the end with one final battle, bringing everyone together once more...representing the overall theme of family which is present in all of these books. A great ending to an awesome series!