There are three rules when it comes to being a vampire in New Orleans. 1) Don’t kill dinner. 2) Don’t feed from people you know. 3) Don’t tell anyone. Not too hard, right? Wrong. Kenna is a new vampire filled with a passion that has turned into an uncontrollable lust for blood. Will Arthur be able to stop her feeding spree before the coven comes after her or is Kenna beyond saving? Arthur has been watching Kenna for years, wanting her to try her own hand in life before he gave her the ultimate proposal. Now that she has accepted, will his love be enough to save her? *Mature Audiences Only*
I like to think of myself as a beautiful conundrum. When I am not writing, I can be found surrounded by my amazing family or doing yoga at the beach. I love who I am and don’t mind at all when I get strange looks from people. I am a tattoo covered, child and animal lover who looks forward to destroying peoples preconceived notions of what “someone like me” would be interested in. You only live life once… you may as well make it interesting.
I love to get lost in a good book and hope that everyone will get lost in mine.
Kenna is a new vampire with a lot to learn. What I have to say made me laugh the hardest is the rules. And you will see why...
The premise of the rules reminded me a bit of fight club... Rule number 1 Don't Kill Dinner, Rule number 2 Don't feed from people you know... Rule number 3 Don't Tell ANYONE! I had a bit of a giggle over the rules and fight club really did enter into my mind.
Kenna was turned by Arthur. Arthur meanwhile has basically been stalking her for years. I'll be nice and say he has kept her safe from harm and is really doing it because he really does love her. Kenna meanwhile has been living a normal life, and hating every second of it. Then one day something changes and Arthur approaches her and reveals himself and well the rest as they say is in the book.
I didn't really like Kenna. I thought she was a headstrong, self-serving person for quite a bit of the book. She says she loves Arthur and that he is her soul mate, yet she lies to him repeatedly. She does things that are against the vampire rules all in the name of cleaning up the city. But what I found is that she may use that excuse what she is really doing is empowering herself by killing. She is also a very vengeful person deep inside. So because of this I can't say she is my perception of a heroine. Arthur meanwhile is the perfect man in quite a few ways. He loves her unconditionally and even when he discovers what she is doing he forgives her and tries to help her.
Now that being said, I have to say all in all the story is good, and by the end I actually liked all the characters. And when I turned that last page, i went NOOOOOOOOOOOOO I need more! So that being said I can assure you that I will be reading book 2 when it comes out.
I can't give half stars here on Amazon or I would definitely give it a strong 4.5, but it just didn't hit that 5 star mark with me. I am looking forward to more from this very talented author.
*Details/Disclaimer: Review copy was provided to me in exchange for a fair and honest review. The free book held no determination on my personal review.
Don't Kill Dinner is a new twist on a classic creature. Kenna is a new vampire with a lot to learn and a lot to forgive. They say it is your past that makes you who you are. In Kenna's case, its a 50/50 shot. She can either come out sweet and loyal or bitter and Jaded. Arthur, her sire, tries to keep her away from the edge and shows her the beauty and happiness but when the seed for revenge strikes, Kenna's past finally wins out. This book has some steamy romance, mild language and some exciting action. Will Arthur be able to save Kenna from the edge of destruction or is she too far gone?
Don't Kill Dinner will be available in Paperback from Amazon and in e-books everywhere March 15, 2013. Be sure you check out my webpage and facebook for teasers and discussions before the release :)
WOW! For a first novel, this author shows an amazing talent. The story flows so well, you can't stop reading, don't want to put it down, and are held captive by Kenna. The notion of a heroine is blasted away in Don't Kill Dinner. Your notion of good, thoughts of vampires and ideas of evil are twisted and changed forever. There's an actual plot and I loved it. This is a strong story.
Kenna, after being turned into a vampire, experiences real love, strength and power she's never had before, and much more.
Arthur, who has been in love with Kenna, secretly, for years, is her sire. They fall in love fast, but will they burn out?
To say this is not your average Vampire story, is a discredit to this author. It's an phenomenal story, leaving you begging for the next installment.
Rule number 1 Don't Kill dinner is harder than excepted for Kenna recently turned Vamp by her Sire Arthur. Looking for a love story, yeap got that, looking for action, yeap has that by the truck loads. In her adventures Kenna roams the streets of New Orleans and runs into some trouble with her new found powers, proving that even with super human powers that no one can escape life and its twist and turns . Check out this totally awesome read by Jennifer Martinez that comes out on March 13.
First let me say, I really, really, really wanted to love this book and despite the less than lukewarm reviews I read when it first came out, I still read it when I got the chance. I mean, look at that fabulous cover! That alone had me drooling. Throw in the awesome title and hey, it's gotta be good- right? I mean even after originally giving it only two stars, I went back and changed it to 2 1/2 stars cause it did have potential. I loved it in the very beginning, although I thought Kenna's reason for wanting to be changed to a vampire was not real compelling. I loved the setting though. New Orleans has got to be my fav place for vampires and all other paranormals. And I loved the concept that allowed the vamps to walk in daylight, very unique. But nearly every other aspect of the story failed. Dismally! It felt really rushed to me. I mean seriously, it was only 152 pages, surely the writer could have expanded more on the world and the rules (yeah, yeah, I know only 3 rules- see the book's description) but I did not buy for one instant the inability of Arthur to not recognize what was going on with Kenna. Ding, ding, ding--soul mates here! What happened to his and all the other "older" vampire's ability to read minds and know what she was hiding. Never bought that at all. Nope, that was it for me. At that point I was seriously glad the book was soooo short as I just wanted it to end. It just saddens me to see such potential fall flat. I'm not saying I definitely won't read the other books in the trilogy (I probably won't though) but I certainly won't rush out to get them.
Kenna and Arthur..sighs...the perfect couple right? Maybe not, Arthur is a vampire and wants to turn Kenna, so they can be together forever. After all Kenna isn't happy with her life as it is going, what could it hurt?
Reading this story I became so involved in it I could not put it down. It is beautifully written and has that OMG factor. It is definitely going on my treasured read list and I will read it again and again...well at least until the second one comes out. I would highly recommend this book to anyone, especially if they enjoy stories about vampires. It's a fresh take on anything out there these days and screams read me, read me!! I would like to thank Ms. Martinez for giving me this book to read, you rock!!
On a side note, the author is donating the proceeds on the release date, which is March 15th, to the Rain Pet Rescue to help save animals from high kill shelters. Please consider buying your copy on March 15th to help a wonderful cause!!
This book absolutely surprised me. I loved the beginning, the middle, and the end. The surprise is that it took a turn I hadn’t expected and it was a surprise and made me love it even more. Kenna is a regular girl that wants to be an actress and is given the gift of eternal life by her Vamp boy friend Arthur. They are together and share something really special even in the vamp world. When Kenna learns of her friend being killed something snaps inside of her she goes out one night and finds out that something is more addicting than she could have imagined. Is it the kill, the thrill, the blood, or is it the power that grabs her and won’t let go or is it that she is just tired of the bad people in the world winning over the good. You will have to read and decide for yourself.
This is the first book by Jennifer Martinez I have read. Her words lead you into a story that grasps the imagination. I look forward to more of her stories. I give it five stars. Bella Doerres Ma Ed. 03/21/2013
This book was a fresh taste (get it taste haha) on vampires! I loved being in Kenna's mind, "Oh, here we go. Of course he can't be perfect and like me... He's a nuttter. I knew it was too good to be true." Sh'es sarcastic and I found that very entertaining, "Awesome, so you are going to kill me, bring me back and I will be temporarily back to the state of my 1 year old cousin still learning how to walk." Sh'es a trooper after she's turned, she's a strong willed woman, "Not bad, got smacked with some pretty interesting memories the first time I tried to sit up. Is there anything you want to tell me?" Arthur was a little to goodey-two-shoes for me, but I liked how happy he made Kenna. Disappointed in the ending (can't say why as it will be a spoiler) Ready to see how Kenna handles herself in the next installment.
Books like Don’t Kill Dinner really test my reviewing abilities. This was a unique and creative story, but the characters and components just weren’t to my liking. Therefore, I must been very particular in reviewing and careful not to base the entire rating of this story on my interest, and rather look into the authors talent and abilities of the story alone. That being said Martinez is a talented author, and that is apparent when you are faced with continuing a story lacking the intrigue of your perfect story. Something about this stories character and developments just seemed to not move in a directions I desired. The difference in taste preference did not keep me from noticing the talent and creativity. This tells me that there is definite future for this author, and that this was just a unique moment of a story not designed for me. Here’s to seeing what Martinez has to come.
This book is very well written and Jennifer did a really great job pulling me into Kenna’s story. I was able to finish this book in just a couple hours and I almost got online to harass Jennifer to find out what happens next LOL! But I am going to be a good girl and not beg (ok I don’t know how long this whole “Good Girl” thing will last so be prepared Jennifer hahaha!) All I know is y’all need to go download this book!
"Don't Kill Dinner" is a completely unremarkable piece of paranormal fluff until just after the halfway point and then it takes a darker turn. Kenna's life isn't working out the way she thought it would when she moved to New Orleans. Instead of a glamorous acting career she's a waitress. When one of her regular customers, Arthur, offers her immortality she leaps at the chance. As a vampire she's stronger, faster, shares Arthur's memories and knowledge, and gets lots of sex. During this part of the book it reads like a fanzine, and not a particularly good one. The second part of the book is better, but not enough to lift it out of the rut it has already dug. It could have done with a tighter edit and there are some howlers that should not have slipped through;- "offspring didn’t develop their powers until they were fourty", "As we all poured over the two crime scenes". 2.5 Stars, reduced to 2 Stars.
Where to start... Actually, I know. Let me just say I wanted desperately to love this book. All of the reviews from my friends were so positive. I don't want to say that reading it was a waste of time, because it most certainly wasn't. I enjoyed reading a different author's style and I even picked up one of the author's other books because I felt horrible having not liked this book. Anyway, let me explain my rating...
The paragraph structure was the first thing to get me. The paragraphs were long and needed broken up severely. Unlike I am used to, two or more people would speak in the exact same paragraph. At one point, a single paragraph took up nearly two whole pages on my Kindle.
It felt like everything was only described in the most minimal way possible. Even though the build-up to major events was lacking, the events themselves would be done and over with so quickly I had to re-read them just to be sure they really happened. That's the primary reason I found I just couldn't love this book. I picked it up expecting gripping action only to be left with semi-detailed descriptions of sex and bloodlust and nothing more.
Maybe it was just me, but before the very anti-climactic ball that was held for Kenna, Arthur mentioned her best friend Brittany and I felt so lost. I don't know if I just got distracted and missed the part where she was mentioned prior to this or if she really wasn't mentioned. Even if she was though, I found other similarly confusing parts. It felt like the dialogue and events were just severely disjointed. **I do realize Brittany may have been the friend that was with Kenna when she first met Arthur, but I want to say that was actually Becca. I don't know, but the mention of Brittany just left me severely confused.**
The sex scenes seemed to be jumbled. At one point, Arthur immediately had his head between her legs but then he was straddling her and slowly making his way down her body to the previously mentioned position.
Another problem I had, and perhaps one of my biggest pet peeves, is the lack of continuity. Kenna landed a job as a lawyer, but after that, there is absolutely no mention of her professional life. It was as if she didn't even have a job with the hours she kept. Brittany tells Kenna she wants to move to New Orleans very soon, but then she never does. A whole year and then some passes and Brittany is only briefly mentioned twice more, but both times she is in California still. I might be odd for focusing on that, but continuity and following events through can make or break a story for me.
All in all, I just want to say it felt rushed to me. There was so much potential and even talent, but it was lost on poor sentence structure, disjointed timelines and conversations, and an ending that made very little sense. I didn't feel connected to the characters at all even though I enjoyed Kenna's sarcasm from time to time. The story didn't even draw me in like I know it could have. I believe were the story more detailed and a bit longer, it would have been a much better read for me. Unfortunately, as it is, I have to give it two stars.
Pros Sarcastic female protagonist
Cons Very few details Lack of action Disjointed conversation and timelines Flat characters
This has to be one of the quirkiest books I've ever had the pleasure of reading. I found myself either smiling or outright giggling at a lot of the sarcastic remarks Kenna made. And Arthur was simply priceless as he threw the sarcasm right back. I did find a couple of what I like to call "Lost in the moment" errors, but nothing that will slow the reader down at all. Just a simple missing apostrophe here or a missing letter on the word thought there. Nothing world ending. The story is very unique as this is truly the first vampire themed book I've ever read where the vampires have rules that include "Don't Kill Dinner" which is the number one rule they live by. The story is very well written and it will definitely catch the reader and not let go. There's tons of fast paced action..And Jennifer has managed to create a creature I had never heard of coming in male form at all. I absolutely loved this story and I need my Kenna fix.... Suddenly crackheads on flowers makes a whole lot more sense! I give this book 5 of 5 paws
Kenna's life has never been boring. With Arthur by her side, she's been introduced to a world she never imagined existed. Who knew that vampires could co-exist with humans? Granted, there are some who wreak havoc on the population on occasion, but it doesn't change the fact that these creatures exist.
Kenna knows that Arthur has watched over for her for ages. She also knows that he loves her. He'd do anything for her, including wanting to turn her so that she could remain with him forever. While the thought of becoming a vampire is mind-boggling, she knows being one does have benefits. They live longer, they're stronger, and they can do just about anything they put their minds to.
Agreeing to become one of the undead, Kenna never once imagined just how much her life would change. Part of her thought that becoming a vampire would be easy. That she'd be able to do whatever she wants to. Sadly, that's not the case. If she's to co-exist with other immortals, she'll need to follow a pre-determined set of rules. While doing so does sound easy, for her it's anything but. She's used to doing things her own way, after all.
When the bloodlust claims her, a series of events begin to unfold. Kenna knows she'll need to get herself together if she's to succeed in vanquishing the darkness roiling through her veins. Yet she can't help herself when it comes to making bad people pay for their misdeeds. There's a certain thrill in seeing them squirm as they pray she'll let them be. As her feeding sprees gets out of control, she soon wonders what will become of her. Will she be able to vanquish the urges coursing through her system? Or will she able to come to terms with who and what she's now become, once and for all?
Don't Kill Dinner is a good start to this series. We meet Kenna, who's new to the vampire scene. She's dealing with so much at once, hoping to make something of herself as one of the undead. Her world is turned topsy-turvy when the lure of blood does its best to claim her.
Jennifer has penned a story that definitely captures interest. The action is consistent, and flows at a nice pace. My only peeve is the paragraphing. There are way too many paragraph blocks that span several pages. Aside from that, I definitely enjoyed the story.
If you were freely offered the opportunity to become a vampire, would you choose to do so? AND if you did, what would you do with the powers that came with the transformation?
Jennifer Martinez looks at one possible scenario with “The Rules Trilogy”, starting with Book 1: “Don't Kill Dinner”. I enjoyed reading the book, and it was a relatively quick and easy read. The characters, notably Kenna and her beau Arthur, were very likable but with all-too-human (to use that word loosely) flaws to keep them grounded. The back story provided an interesting and well-thought-out look into the authors interpretation of vampire culture, including their interactions with the humans and with other paranormal creatures of the world.
Some of the things I didn't like about this book appear to be things that turn up consistently in today's YA / NA books – which perhaps is more a reflection on this reader / reviewer than on the book(s) themselves. For starters, the novel is narrated in the first person (Kenna), and is very comfortable with the word “I”. (I prefer my first-person narratives where the protagonist is describing the action and the surroundings rather than their own reactions to them – I call it the inverse “I”-disease.) Secondly, we have a cliffhanger … I am not a fan of unresolved major plot threads. On that basis, I CAN cut “Don't Kill Dinner” a break, as the major plot threads of this novel ARE largely wrapped up; the cliffhanger is more of a bridge to (and a hook into) the next novel in the series. (WHICH I already have ordered, and am patiently waiting for my signed copy to arrive!)
I found Don't Kill Dinner to be one of the most entertaining and engaging YA / NA paranormals that I have read in the past couple of years, and I am eagerly awaiting Book 2.
Considering that this is Jennifer Martinez's first novel, she certainly has a successful writing career ahead of her. Don't Kill Dinner is book 1 in a 3 book series, 'The Rules Trilogy'. Don't Kill Dinner is a fast paced read, but doesn't feel too rushed. I enjoyed the fact that the book is fast paced, there isn't too much lolly gagging around with unimportant details to fill page space like we sometimes see. The story line is intriguing and unpredictable. The two main characters Kenna and Arthur are SMEXY (Smart & Sexy) Vampires. Kenna is this smart, tough, independent, amazing chick who wants to save humanity in her beloved city. Arthur is an intelligent, wise, and loyal guy who is kind of stuck between traditions, rules, laws and his soul mate.
I haven't always been a paranormal reader, but it is a genre that I have completely fallen in love with. It's really hard not to, when the stories are full of amazing characters & story lines, excitement, suspense, and mystery! Not to mention that Vampires can be sexy as hell and completely swoon worthy. So, even if you aren't typically a paranormal/fantasy/supernatural reader, I urge to read this book...and see how amazing this other world can be!
Kudos to Jennifer Martinez for a job well done! I truly enjoyed DKD!
I liked the story for the most part. There were some minor grammatical errors, but not enough to make it difficult to read. It started well enough, but honestly, I'm not sure what I think of Kenna. On the one hand she is loyal and protective, on the other she goes down a path that she knows is forbidden and tries to justify it under the guise of doing a public service. She gets egotistical. She thinks she is as strong as vampires much older than herself, and she relishes her notoriety after breaking rule 1. Now, she always had a bit of a problem which was why Arthur changed her. He hoped with time and the new life she would have, she would grow. He just never imagined it would be in the direction she takes. And it will cost him. I liked Arthur too, but there are times I didn't feel like he was strong enough for her, and yet he should have been.
Overall, the book had merit, but there were times when it did feel like Kenna and Arthur's relationship took off fast, and then plateaued quickly. They were supposed to be soul mates, but it didn't always come across that way. The cliffhanger at the end definitely means I'll read the next book to see what happens to Kenna and Arthur.
Wow.....This was an amazing story!!! I was only reading it on my break time from work, but once I hit 41% of the book, I couldn't put it down. I finished the book in a hour. First off, I want to congratulate Jennifer on an amazing first release. You have an amazing talent and an eye for detail. I told you I'd be honest so here it goes.....Main character Kenna, is my hero. I love her personality and what she believes in. I really like the way she puts love over everything and her friends and family are her life. Arthur is the perfect male role. He loves Kenna without question and I just think he is perfect. I'm not gonna lie, because of him I cried at the end. I won't spoil it!! You'll have to read to find out why!! The storyline was a new twist on a stale world of vampires in books. I really liked the route this book went and I do see bits of Edwards life from the twilight saga and that was my favorite aspect that wasn't focused on in twilight. This was a major plus. Overall I give this book 5 stars for a new twist on an overplayed storyline with a main character, who is my idol, even being a vampire, lol. I can not wait to read book 2!!!
My Thoughts - 4 out of 5 unicorns - I really liked it!!
I picked this book up last May for 99 cents, and it still is 99 cents :) I like deals :)
The cover rocks, but I like feisty redheads especially since I am one ;) lol
I love the author’s humor in this book. I was totally laughing out loud throughout the book. Kenna baffles me a little. I think I would be totally freaked if I found out my friend was a vampire but not Kenna. She is a very protective person of her friends and people she thinks need protecting, but if you are a bad guy it is okay if you die. You will have to read it though to see what I mean :)
Arthur sort of reminds me of a knight in shining armor who always does the right thing. He is Kenna’s soul mate, and I love their love story.
Okay, I did not like the end of the book or rather where it ended, but I’ll deal with it because I’m starting book 2 next.
I think if you are a paranormal vampire fan that you will definitely enjoy this book and should give it a try :) There is a cool twist regarding their tattoos that I thought was really well thought out, but you have to read it to see :)
Kenna moves to New Orleans to become an actress instead she works at Cafe du Monde where she meets Arthur. The three rules of being a vampire: “Don't Kill Dinner. Don't feed from people you know and don't tell anyone.” The plant nightshade protects them from the sun. This is a quick, entertaining little read. Kenna quickly agrees to being turned into a vampire and things get interesting with vampire politics. Juicy and complicated plot twists abound. I liked the romance between Kenna and Arthur. And then when things were getting really interesting, it ends! What?! Why?! I was so getting into it and now I have to wait for another book? So unfair. Kenna does some things that I don't exactly approve of but I understand her motives. I will be interested in reading the next book.
This would actually be 4.5 stars for me. The reason for missing that .5? Well, I wanted more. More book and more story. Love the spin that was put on this tale. The characters are amazing. I so relate to Kenna. A bad ass that doesn't want to be left out and has no time for any b*llsh*t. I sympathize with her trouble for following "the rules". Though there are only 3 rules you would think.....easy to follow.....this is not the case. I now have a soft spot for Arthur who has loved Kenna from their first meeting. Usually this doesn't happen for me, but he is such a sweetie (in his own way lol). A fun read and looking forward to the next book in the series, thanks to a well written cliffhanger.
I love the spin Jennifer Martinez put on Don't Kill Dinner. Kenna is absolutely bad a**. She tries to follow the 3 rules that vampires are supposed to live by. 1) Don’t kill dinner. 2) Don’t feed from people you know. 3) Don’t tell anyone. She does well with 2 of them, but not so good on rule #1. I completely understand her way of thinking and I am sure a number of us have thought the same thing, but is it the right thing to do? The very handsome and yummy Arthur wants to be with Kenna, but can he help her to control her appetite?
Great book and characters to die for. I cannot wait to read Don't Feed book 2 in The Rules Trilogy.
I'm all about vampires and I loved this book! Jennifer did a great job in bringing this story to life and I felt like I was right there in the book. Kenna and Arthur are great characters. Arthur is Kenna's sire. Arthur explains all the rules and she goes through so much and a test. Something devastating happens and things change and not necessarily for the best and she starts losing it all. Looking forward to seeing what happens next with this story.
I selected this book first because it is based in New Orleans but I just did not enjoy it. I almost stopped reading it but decided to stick it out but my initial impression did not change in the end. I agree with another review that states "I wanted to love the book and the story line has great potential. I just wished the author put more depth into her scenes so you could feel like you were there and it wasn't just jumping to the next action to move the story along" (a.and).
Ienjoyed Dont Kill Dinner from the start. I was shocked with some of the twists and turns. At one point I wanted to bodily injure Kenna for the choices she makes. I would like to know more about Arthur, he seemed to be very passive, not really apart of the story. I cant wait for more to see what happens and how Kenna redeems herself and where she ends up.
A different kind of concept here. The book was really fast paced, I would have liked to see more of their past...how good of friends they are, etc. Cause her just being all of a sudden in love with him was a little hard to take. I liked how she knew everything he did as soon as he bit her, that was pretty cool. The tattoo idea was also cool. I'm excited about the next in the series.
This was a good book considering its her 1st. There were lots of spelling errors but nothing I couldn't figure out. Parts of the book moved along to quick. Wished the book was longer. I will definitely buy her next book because I want to see Jennifer grow as a new author.
Great Vampire book!!! Loved the Characters, loved the action!! looking forward to book 2!! This is Jennifer Martinez's First book of the Rules Trilogy!!!