Review: A Vampire Christmas

A Vampire Christmas
(A Dark Dates Short Story)
by Tracey Sinclair

Plot Summary:

It’s Christmas in London but Cassandra Bick, owner of the human/vampire dating agency Dark Dates, doesn’t feel much like celebrating. There’s a rogue vampire running loose on the streets and Cassandra and her friends must try to stop him before he strikes again – even if that means enlisting the help of Laclos, the flirtatious vampire with very definite ideas of what (or who) he wants to unwrap this Christmas…

A note: 

I read and reviewed the first book in the Cassandra Bick Chronicles - Dark Dates, and really enjoyed it, so I was happy to read this short story.  It's a little spoilery if you haven't read the first book in the series so I highly recommend you picking it up!

Review:

This was a very light read - there's not much to the mystery of the rogue vampire as it is so soon solved and dealt with, so it's Cassandra's snarky sense of humor and her thoughts on Christmas that really make up the heart of the story.  It's a filler piece that comments somewhat on how things ended for Cassandra and her love interests in the first book.  Quick, and entertaining this is a fun and thoughtful short story to read around the holidays that makes you appreciate life's blessings.

review copy kindly provided by the author

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Review: Dark Dates

Dark Dates
by Tracey Sinclair

Plot Summary:
All Cassandra Bick wants is to be left to get on with doing her job. But when you’re a Sensitive whose business is running a dating agency for vampires, life is never going to be straightforward – especially when there’s a supernatural war brewing in London, a sexy new bloodsucker in town and your mysterious, homicidal and vampire hating ex-lover chooses this moment to reappear in your life…

Witty, sharp and entertaining, Dark Dates is a heady mix of vampires, witches and werewolves – with the occasional angel thrown in – and introduces Cassandra Bick, a likeable heroine destined to join the ranks of fantasy’s feistiest females.

Expectations:
A feisty heroine and vampires and London - what was this book?  Written for me?

Review:
This reminded me of the Sookie Stackhouse novels - with an increasingly chaotic plot surrounding a hilariously snarky heroine who has a powerful ability.  There are constant surprises as Cassandra's unknown enemy reveals more of their power and their determination to put an end to her integrationist activities.  And Cassandra proves to have some surprising friends as well who have their own unique abilities.

This is a fun, supernatural mystery romp with great one-liners and a little steamy romance.  I especially loved the pop culture references that Cassandra makes - even calling for the Doctor!  There is a refreshingly realistic view on vampires and inclusion of a variety of supernatural creatures, one in particular you don't often read about. The pace and writing are excellent with strongly realized characters.  I highly recommend this story for fun escapist reading!

review copy kindly provided by the author

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