Bitten In Two Review

Bitten In Two (Jaz Parks 7)

-       Jennifer Rardin

Publisher: US – Orbit

Jaz Parks here. I. Am. Pissed. Just as Vayl and I arrive in Morocco to secure an ancient artifact, he wakes up calling me by another woman's name. And it's not even a good one. But since any form of argument transforms him into an unholy terror, I'm forced to play along until the gang and I can figure out what kind of power has so vastly altered his perceptions. So it's time for me to do what any well-trained assassin in my position might do. I attack. What follows is a hair-raising, breath-taking bullet train ride to the finish as the crew battles on multiple fronts. I now know what I have to do - I must return to hell one last time.

Vayl doesn’t recognise Jaz or any of the team – in fact he thinks it’s 1777 and Jaz is his middle aged, rotund house keeper. And for anyone who knows Jaz will be aware, there is nothing that will stop from her from regaining his memories – whatever the cost. And with a set up like that we are thrown headlong into Jaz Parks world where the CIA top assassin is a vampire, souls can be bartered with demons and robotic cats can fire grenades out their butts. Once again I loved being immersed in the world where half a dozen life threatening events happen at once and emotions are always near the surface – whether it’s cracking up at your friends painkiller-fuelled ramblings or weeping over your lost partner’s memories.

Jaz is under a lot a pressure here and while there is a lot going on, I felt it flowed better than the previous book. The missions are much more personal to the team and therefore I was more invested in whether they succeeded or not. What shines through here is how strong Jaz’s relationship is with the men in her life; Vayl, her assassin partner, Bergman, old college roommate and Q of their group and Cole, former crush and recruit. She is on solid ground with all three and her reliance and trust of them shows how much she has changed since we met a cold, hearted Jaz in the first book.

This was so much fun and I had such fun reading it that it saddens me there aren’t many more adventures for my favourite CIA assassins left due to Jennifer Rardin untimely death last year. Still this is one to savour while you can – like a glass of fizzy of pop. But don’t take too long as it may go flat if left out too long! J

Recommended for fans of Buffy and Ilona Andrews. 8 out of 10.