Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in Between (Rhiannon's Law #1) in SOS: Serious Overload of Series

Dec 28, 2010 Sharon rated it really liked it

This story has all the things I love in a PNR/UF, but it was a little different. Usually the vampire hero is the angry, tortured soul and the human heroine is the one that calms the angry beast. In this story the heroine is one foul mouthed, messed up chick and the vampire is the one who helps her find peace. I really liked the pissed off Rhiannon, there were so many great quotes that came out of her mouth such as "If you were anyone else, your nuts would be taking a long vacation, and the desti ...more

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Nov 30, 2011 Katie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This was the run of the mill vamp book for me...until I got hooked - line and sinker! The author got me with a charater reveal I wasn't expecting. I love surprises! To be honest there wasn't much in the way of character development. (That is probably why I was surprised(view spoiler) because you don't know anything about anybody!) There were many chapters that the author introduced random party goers; only later to be inserted in chapters with ...more

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Sep 22, 2010 Chelsea rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: vampires, uf-pnr

This review was originally posted at Vampire Book Club.

Rhiannon can see dead people. It kind of blows. Mostly, she tries to ignore it. Instead she focuses on her gig as a bartender at a gentleman’s club, where she often ends up playing the role of backup bouncer. She’s tough and mouthy, but the local vampires just don’t want to leave her alone. Whatever magic allows her to see the recently departed also lets her identify the half-undead. Rhiannon would rather not deal with the vampire Disco, but This review was originally posted at Vampire Book Club.

Rhiannon can see dead people. It kind of blows. Mostly, she tries to ignore it. Instead she focuses on her gig as a bartender at a gentleman’s club, where she often ends up playing the role of backup bouncer. She’s tough and mouthy, but the local vampires just don’t want to leave her alone. Whatever magic allows her to see the recently departed also lets her identify the half-undead. Rhiannon would rather not deal with the vampire Disco, but as it’s best not to get on the bad side of a vampire she agrees to hear him out when he shows up at her bar.

Local vampires are disappearing, and Disco wants Rhiannon’s help to find out why. With the help of another necromancer, Rhiannon is to find the ghosts of the dead vampires and get answers as to who is killing them. It quickly becomes apparent Rhiannon doesn’t realize just how much power she has, and the tale becomes part self-discovery and part murder mystery. Add that Disco is utterly handsome and willing to do whatever it takes to protect his family and Rhiannon, and you’ll find yourself wondering more about when Rhiannon and Disco will hook up than who’s taking out his fellow vamps.

I loved J.A. Saare’s Crimson Moon. While I know she’s got the second Crimson book in the works, I needed more and decided to give her Rhiannon’s Law series a shot. Several of my favorite bloggers have nudged me on this one saying one can’t help but fall for the leading man Disco. In a quick, two-day read I can tell you: Don’t read it for Disco, read Dead, Undead or Somewhere in Between for Rhiannon.

Don’t get me wrong: Disco is easy to like, if not a little too perfect. But Rhiannon had depth, and Saare made me work to get to know her. She felt real. She’s an ass-kicker who uses her brash, take-no-prisoners front to seal away her past trauma. She’s funny. She’s strong. She’s tortured. Basically, if she were a guy, I’d swoon. As much as I like Disco, I only like him in relation to Rhiannon. Their interactions — especially their banter and his reactions to her foul-mouthed ways — are highlights to be sure.

Those who love a strong heroine and pretty vampire boys in an urban fantasy setting will get a kick out of Dead, Undead or Somewhere in Between. After beginning the series — and enduring the what?! ending — I’m curious to see where Rhiannon’s story goes. I’ll be on the lookout for the second novel The Renfield Syndrome. However, I’m still going to say Crimson Moon has more universal appeal.

Sexual content: Sex, references to sex and allusions to rape. (Though, looking back, it felt much lighter than all that….) ...more

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Dec 13, 2010 Vivian rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: first-in-series, read-2012, freebie

3+ stars

This book took me by surprise. I started off reading the book and kept thinking, "this has been done". Vampires, ~~"V"~~humans drugging up with vamp blood, necromancers, heroine with attitude, blah blah. And what's with all the "shit kicker" business, the girl is a bartender in a big city, not a cowboy. But in the end, I really enjoyed the read.

Rhiannon is a flawed, likable character. The attitude in the beginning was a bit over the top crossing the line from snarky to plain old mean. But I ...more

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