BITTEN & SMITTEN

Author: Michelle Rowen ISBN: 0446617008 1/2006 PARANORMAL Publisher: WARNER FOREVER

Dear Mom, I might be a wee bit late for Cousin Missy's wedding. It's been a tough week. Turns out, my blind date from hell was literally from hell. Guy bit me. Next thing I know, I'm being chased all over the city by vampire hunters. And did I mention that I got fired, too? Bright side-I met a man. Thierry de Bennicoeur. How great is that name? Anyway, he's sexy, six-hundred years old, and a tad suicidal, but no one's perfect, right? And we have a deal-he's gonna show me the ropes of the vampire world, and I'm supposed to help him end his existence. Or maybe I'll just try to convince him life is worth living-no small challenge with the mostly immortal, let me tell you. I'll admit it's a complicated relationship. But with any luck, I just might have a date for that wedding after all... Hugs and Kisses, Sarah

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

BITTEN & SMITTEN is the silly and cute debut book from Michelle Rowen that takes the vampire world and turns it from scary and dark, to goofy and fun. Not an easy task, I am sure, but one Rowen attacks nicely.

The humor in this story is absolutely priceless. I haven't laughed so hard in long time. It's quirky and dumb, and totally makes this light read worth your time. From flamboyant and zany characters, to scenes comprised of goofball situations, the jokes keep on coming. Sure, there are some serious moments and even parts that I completely disliked, but Rowen's sense of humor is just too good to pass up.

Speaking of dumb, the only problem I have with this story is the heroine, Sarah. Yes, she can be charming, witty, and is privileged to have some great one liners courtesy of the author. However, she is dumber than the wooden stakes she tries to outrun. At first, I thought maybe it was the shock of being turned into a vampire without her consent, or the fact that she was faced with such weird and strange things that made her thoughts less than stellar. So, I gave her the benefit of the doubt. But as the story progresses, it becomes apparent that she truly has bats, not brains, in that head of hers.

BITTEN & SMITTEN works because it's funny. Even the fact that you know who the turncoat is, leading vampire hunters to kill innocent vamps, can't distract from that. And, just because the romance is lukewarm at best, and that the only cure for vampirism is a stake through the heart, thinking otherwise is, well, dumb, and can't distract from that. Laughter is a powerful thing.

Shannon Johnson