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WVMP Radio #2
Bad to the Bone
TURN ON. TUNE IN. DROP DEAD.
If you're just joining us, welcome to radio station WVMP, "The Lifeblood of Rock'n'Roll." Con-artist-turned-station-owner Ciara Griffin manages an on-air staff of off-the-wall DJs including her new boyfriend Shane McAllister who really sink their teeth into the music of their "Life Time" (the era in which they became vampires). It's Ciara's job to keep the undead rocking, the ratings rolling, and the fan base alive without missing a beat.
For Halloween, WVMP is throwing a bash sure to raise the dead. They've got cool tunes, hot costumes, killer cocktails what could go wrong? Well, for starters, a religious firebrand ranting against the evils of the occult preempts the station's midnight broadcast. Then, when Ciara tracks down the illegal transmission, the broadcast tower is guarded by what appears to be...a canine vampire? And behind it all is a group of self-righteous radicals who think vampires suck (and are willing to stake their lives on it).
Now Ciara must protect the station while struggling with her own murky relationship issues, her best friend's unlikely romance with a fledgling vampire, and the nature of her mysterious anti-holy powers. To make it to New Year's in one piece, she'll need to learn a few new tricks....
368 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
15 people are currently reading
1133 people want to read
About the author
Jeri Smith-Ready
29 books1,587 followersJeri Smith-Ready has been writing fiction since the night she had her first double espresso. A steady stream of caffeine has produced twelve published novels for teens and adults since 2001.
Jeri lives in Maryland with her husband and two cats, who often play tag-team "sit in the author's lap and keep her from writing." (The cats, that is, not the husband. Though, actually...)
Jeri lives in Maryland with her husband and two cats, who often play tag-team "sit in the author's lap and keep her from writing." (The cats, that is, not the husband. Though, actually...)
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March 2, 2022
The humour of the first instalment definitely dies down a little here, but it's still a fast-paced and intriguing take on vampire romance. The mild dose of OM drama is handled extremely well - nipped in the bud before it can develop into emotional cheating.
Also, I LOVE Shane's character. He seems like such a laid-back good ol' boy, but there's still a monstrous animal inside him the author isn't afraid to show, and I love that - it reminds me of Bones from the Night Huntress series, where the vampires aren't *evil* but they're still noticeably more ruthless than humans. That's just how a vampire hero should be.
Also, I LOVE Shane's character. He seems like such a laid-back good ol' boy, but there's still a monstrous animal inside him the author isn't afraid to show, and I love that - it reminds me of Bones from the Night Huntress series, where the vampires aren't *evil* but they're still noticeably more ruthless than humans. That's just how a vampire hero should be.
May 30, 2010
I love the world Smith-Ready has created with her vampires, each stuck in their own personal time warp. They are at times hilarious and endearing, some times frightening and disturbing, but always entertaining.
This installment sees Ciara and Shane learning how to make their relationship work - and I must say it had me both laughing and crying. I love that neither of them are simple characters - the each have layers of complexity that come together to form the flawed, but lovable characters that they are. Shane is so uniquely vulnerable in a genre packed with alpha men, that I find it really refreshing to watch him cope with his OCD and trying to learn new things - all with the help and encouragement of Ciara.
We get more background on the other vamps, Regina in particular and we see another side of David. Ciara learns more about her "gift" and she and Shane each deal with family problems. The books ends with an opening and potential for great adventure and I'm really looking forward to what Bring On The Night brings to the station.
This installment sees Ciara and Shane learning how to make their relationship work - and I must say it had me both laughing and crying. I love that neither of them are simple characters - the each have layers of complexity that come together to form the flawed, but lovable characters that they are. Shane is so uniquely vulnerable in a genre packed with alpha men, that I find it really refreshing to watch him cope with his OCD and trying to learn new things - all with the help and encouragement of Ciara.
We get more background on the other vamps, Regina in particular and we see another side of David. Ciara learns more about her "gift" and she and Shane each deal with family problems. The books ends with an opening and potential for great adventure and I'm really looking forward to what Bring On The Night brings to the station.
April 1, 2009
Reading Wicked Game was definitely a highlight of my summer reading last year. It easily made my Best of 2008 list and I've been looking forward to the sequel ever since. Ciara's life has changed just a little bit since she first came to WVMP as a part-time marketing intern. She is now, for all intents and purposes, the station owner. What that means is she is on the clock 24/7 taking care of her little flock of vampire DJs, spinning PR as the vamps spin the tunes that are their lifeblood. She's working towards her degree, taking night classes at the local community college. She is also in an increasingly serious relationship with Shane McCallister--the station's resident 90's grunge rock expert. When a group of anti-undead religious fanatics comes to town determined to stop the signal, dismantle the station, and destroy the vamps for good, Ciara and the gang refuse to go gently into that good night.
This series is just so entertaining. I can honestly say I went in not knowing what to expect plotwise, and I finished it feeling like Jeri Smith-Ready took everything and everyone in exactly the direction they needed to go. I felt thoroughly satisfied and, more importantly, I cared about each of them more than before. Even Regina. Though Jim still scares the crap out of me and Shane should not let him anywhere near Ciara ever again no matter what kind of lousy shape he's in. I continue to be extremely fond of Ciara and so it was both heartbreaking and extremely gratifying to watch her deal with her manipulative, ne'er do well father, her growing feelings for Shane, a new undead pet, and finding herself suddenly homeless. And I do have to say that, within the larger UF world, it's nice to find one without a love triangle. I love reading about Ciara and Shane. They're flawed, messed up, in danger of going off the deep end in more ways than one. And despite all of this, they treat each other carefully. How often do you read about a human/vampire couple in which the vampire is the more vulnerable of the two? She takes care of him. She keeps him tethered to the here and now. It's freaking awesome. The good news? Pocket Books bought two more books in this series. The third one will be out sometime next year.
This series is just so entertaining. I can honestly say I went in not knowing what to expect plotwise, and I finished it feeling like Jeri Smith-Ready took everything and everyone in exactly the direction they needed to go. I felt thoroughly satisfied and, more importantly, I cared about each of them more than before. Even Regina. Though Jim still scares the crap out of me and Shane should not let him anywhere near Ciara ever again no matter what kind of lousy shape he's in. I continue to be extremely fond of Ciara and so it was both heartbreaking and extremely gratifying to watch her deal with her manipulative, ne'er do well father, her growing feelings for Shane, a new undead pet, and finding herself suddenly homeless. And I do have to say that, within the larger UF world, it's nice to find one without a love triangle. I love reading about Ciara and Shane. They're flawed, messed up, in danger of going off the deep end in more ways than one. And despite all of this, they treat each other carefully. How often do you read about a human/vampire couple in which the vampire is the more vulnerable of the two? She takes care of him. She keeps him tethered to the here and now. It's freaking awesome. The good news? Pocket Books bought two more books in this series. The third one will be out sometime next year.
June 24, 2009
Another terrific book by Jeri Smith-Ready. I love the vamps of WVMP. The author walks an interesting line with these guys. They are not the heroes of romance novels and they're not the killers in horror tales. Or maybe they're both. Just like Ciara isn't the normal heroine, she's full of flaws and often as confused by her life as a real person would be. But she's still brave and tough. And Shane (her vamp) is still romantic and sweet, despite the inherent violence of his condition and his often annoying (for Ciara) and occasionally hilarious (for the readers) OCD. Shane's notes about how to load the dishwasher properly made me laugh out loud. And when he told her, "I'll never forget to walk the dog when it's my turn. Sometimes I'll even walk him when it's your turn," I swooned a little. Oh - did I mention the dog? I'm a sucker for books with dogs, and this one is super cool, sweet, smart, and also a vampire. Smith-Redy is an advocate of dog rescue who practices what she preaches, so it was fun to see her include that aspect of her life in the book.
I've seen some comments lately about the value of trade size paperbacks, so I will say that this is a substantial novel. There are no tricks with blank pages or funky line spacing. In fact, the last page of the story is right before the back cover, no ads or author info at the back at all. And not much up front, either. The story is fast paced, but isn't one that I finished in just a few hours. It's not one of those fluffy books that just seems to float by. Considering that it is a silly vampire book, of course. So if you have the money, this is one that I'd say is worth the money.
I've seen some comments lately about the value of trade size paperbacks, so I will say that this is a substantial novel. There are no tricks with blank pages or funky line spacing. In fact, the last page of the story is right before the back cover, no ads or author info at the back at all. And not much up front, either. The story is fast paced, but isn't one that I finished in just a few hours. It's not one of those fluffy books that just seems to float by. Considering that it is a silly vampire book, of course. So if you have the money, this is one that I'd say is worth the money.
February 6, 2011
Synopsis: If you’re just joining us, welcome to radio station WVMP, “The Lifeblood of Rock ’n’ Roll.” Con artist turned Marketing Manager/Promotions Manager and part time student Ciara Griffin manages an on-air staff of off-the-wall DJs including her new boyfriend Shane McAllister who really sink their teeth into the music of their ‘Life Time” (the era in which they became vampires). It’s Ciara’s job to keep the undead rocking, the ratings rolling, and the fan base alive—without missing a beat.
For Halloween, WVMP is throwing a bash sure to raise the dead. They’ve got cool tunes, hot costumes, killer cocktails—what could go wrong? Well, for starters, a religious firebrand ranting against the evils of the occult preempts the station’s midnight broadcast. Then, when Ciara tracks down the illegal transmission, the broadcast tower is guarded by what appears to be…a canine vampire? And behind it all is a group of self-righteous radicals who think vampires suck (and are willing to stake their lives on it).
Now Ciara, along with David and her vampire co-workers, must protect the station while struggling with her own murky relationship issues, her best friend’s unlikely romance with a fledgling vampire, and the nature of her mysterious anti-holy powers. To make it to New Year’s in one piece, she’ll need to learn a few new tricks.…
Review: This is the second book in the series and the intensity doesn't let up a bit. Shane and Ciara are well into their bizarre love affair, except without all the biting; Ciara doesn't much care to be bitten by a vampire even though she finds herself doing so to save her new friends time and time again. Her blood is being called the Anti-Holy Blood, ever since it saved Shane's life after he was splashed with Holy Water in the last installment. Ciara is trying to keep this information from Control, who she knows, will only exploit her for their own good.
This time around, religious fantatics start pirating WVMP's radio signal, and telling everyone how evil these vampires really are. I love the way Ms Smith-Ready brings the idiots at the FCC into fair context. Trust me, I've worked with these bozo's before, and they are nothing but ignorant and corrupt lackeys at the whim of whatever political party just happens to be in charge in DC.
Our usual vamp suspects are back: Spencer, Monroe Jefferson, Regina (Shanes Sire), Jim, and Noah, along with former PI Travis. Of coruse, we have a new character joining the story. He's called Dexter, and yes, he's a big dog. Of course, he's also a former Control experiment aka Vampire dog that was supposed to be put down. Ciara refuses to part with him.
The thing I love about this series is, the author has a real DJ music listing available to listen to online. (Do a search, and you'll find it!) I appreciate the time and effort that was put into accumulating these songs. I like the fact that none of these characters are perfect in anyway. They all have some sort of problems. The vampires themselves experience Obsessive Compulsive Disorders. For Shane, it's being orderly and putting things in alphabetical order. Ciara's family issues hit the spotlight front and center in this book. With her mother in jail, and her father supposingly on the run from Control, she strives to be her own person.
Summary of events: The Smoking Pig, where the WVMP crew hangs out when doing their promotions and where Lori, Ciara's best friend works, is firebombed by a group calling themselves the Fortress. They are being financed by FAN - Family Action Network. The Fortress is a spin-off of the Control; better known as International Agency for the Control and Management of Undead Corporeal Entities: A mouthful to be sure! They are lead by Benjamin Zadlo, who is out for revenge on Regina for turning someone into a vampire (Sarah); She died due to sun exposure, but it wasn't really Regina's fault. Daylight Savings time is responsible. The also attack a hotel where WVMP is doing another on air promotion, sending up flares saying You ARE going to Die. Most think it's the stations gag, but it's not.
Shane, while visiting his deceased fathers grave with Ciara in Youngstown, gets a huge surprise with the arrival of his mother and sister, who he hasn't seen in 12 years. He mother is overjoyed, while is sister is reserved. The reason it's been so long since he's seen his family is because he was turned into a vampire by Regina, and control doesn't like or want vampires to have anything to do with their families. Later, Shane, with major help from Ciara, gets to visit them for Christmas. A very excellent Christmas to be sure.
Alas, The Fortress captures Ciara, and Journalism major Jeremy Glazer, who was doing a story on the WVMP turnaround, and finds out that her blood can heal vampires. There she meets Luann, who is actually an undercover Control operative working with Ciara's father. Shane and others rescue Ciara, but Benjamin escapes along with Luann. Ciara finds herself in a corner, and reluctantly agrees to join Control for a 1 year committment after graduation from college, or 3 years, which ever comes first. The reason is two fold. 1. They saved her life. 2. Ciara wants a Christmas visit for Shane and his family.
Shocker of the story thus far: Luann and Ronan O'Riley are actually her parents, and they have the same Anti-Holy blood as Ciara's.
Sad ending: Reluctant vampire Travis, is killed while trying to save Regina, Ciara, and Shane's mother and sister from being burned on a stake by Benjamins fanatics. Travis started seeing Lori, against Ciara's better judgment, and also ended up getting a bucket of holy water dumped on his head. Ciara, saved him with her blood. We also finally put the story of Elizabeth, David's former fiance, and station owner to rest. Thanks to Satellite radios generous contract to simulcast the stations vamps.
Bad To The Bone definitely a pretty good sequel to Wicked Game. The next two books are Bring On the Night (07/27/2010) and Let it Bleed (08/01/2011). This series is very cool in that the lead character is not a vampire slayer but a former con artist, who ended up testifying against her own parents. She's resilant, if nothing more, and her love affair with Shane has been ratched upwards with their willingness to try to live with each other. She continues to put herself in harms way to save her co-workers and lover Shane. My favorite vamps still remain Regina, Shane, and Monroe Jefferson.
For Halloween, WVMP is throwing a bash sure to raise the dead. They’ve got cool tunes, hot costumes, killer cocktails—what could go wrong? Well, for starters, a religious firebrand ranting against the evils of the occult preempts the station’s midnight broadcast. Then, when Ciara tracks down the illegal transmission, the broadcast tower is guarded by what appears to be…a canine vampire? And behind it all is a group of self-righteous radicals who think vampires suck (and are willing to stake their lives on it).
Now Ciara, along with David and her vampire co-workers, must protect the station while struggling with her own murky relationship issues, her best friend’s unlikely romance with a fledgling vampire, and the nature of her mysterious anti-holy powers. To make it to New Year’s in one piece, she’ll need to learn a few new tricks.…
Review: This is the second book in the series and the intensity doesn't let up a bit. Shane and Ciara are well into their bizarre love affair, except without all the biting; Ciara doesn't much care to be bitten by a vampire even though she finds herself doing so to save her new friends time and time again. Her blood is being called the Anti-Holy Blood, ever since it saved Shane's life after he was splashed with Holy Water in the last installment. Ciara is trying to keep this information from Control, who she knows, will only exploit her for their own good.
This time around, religious fantatics start pirating WVMP's radio signal, and telling everyone how evil these vampires really are. I love the way Ms Smith-Ready brings the idiots at the FCC into fair context. Trust me, I've worked with these bozo's before, and they are nothing but ignorant and corrupt lackeys at the whim of whatever political party just happens to be in charge in DC.
Our usual vamp suspects are back: Spencer, Monroe Jefferson, Regina (Shanes Sire), Jim, and Noah, along with former PI Travis. Of coruse, we have a new character joining the story. He's called Dexter, and yes, he's a big dog. Of course, he's also a former Control experiment aka Vampire dog that was supposed to be put down. Ciara refuses to part with him.
The thing I love about this series is, the author has a real DJ music listing available to listen to online. (Do a search, and you'll find it!) I appreciate the time and effort that was put into accumulating these songs. I like the fact that none of these characters are perfect in anyway. They all have some sort of problems. The vampires themselves experience Obsessive Compulsive Disorders. For Shane, it's being orderly and putting things in alphabetical order. Ciara's family issues hit the spotlight front and center in this book. With her mother in jail, and her father supposingly on the run from Control, she strives to be her own person.
Summary of events: The Smoking Pig, where the WVMP crew hangs out when doing their promotions and where Lori, Ciara's best friend works, is firebombed by a group calling themselves the Fortress. They are being financed by FAN - Family Action Network. The Fortress is a spin-off of the Control; better known as International Agency for the Control and Management of Undead Corporeal Entities: A mouthful to be sure! They are lead by Benjamin Zadlo, who is out for revenge on Regina for turning someone into a vampire (Sarah); She died due to sun exposure, but it wasn't really Regina's fault. Daylight Savings time is responsible. The also attack a hotel where WVMP is doing another on air promotion, sending up flares saying You ARE going to Die. Most think it's the stations gag, but it's not.
Shane, while visiting his deceased fathers grave with Ciara in Youngstown, gets a huge surprise with the arrival of his mother and sister, who he hasn't seen in 12 years. He mother is overjoyed, while is sister is reserved. The reason it's been so long since he's seen his family is because he was turned into a vampire by Regina, and control doesn't like or want vampires to have anything to do with their families. Later, Shane, with major help from Ciara, gets to visit them for Christmas. A very excellent Christmas to be sure.
Alas, The Fortress captures Ciara, and Journalism major Jeremy Glazer, who was doing a story on the WVMP turnaround, and finds out that her blood can heal vampires. There she meets Luann, who is actually an undercover Control operative working with Ciara's father. Shane and others rescue Ciara, but Benjamin escapes along with Luann. Ciara finds herself in a corner, and reluctantly agrees to join Control for a 1 year committment after graduation from college, or 3 years, which ever comes first. The reason is two fold. 1. They saved her life. 2. Ciara wants a Christmas visit for Shane and his family.
Shocker of the story thus far: Luann and Ronan O'Riley are actually her parents, and they have the same Anti-Holy blood as Ciara's.
Sad ending: Reluctant vampire Travis, is killed while trying to save Regina, Ciara, and Shane's mother and sister from being burned on a stake by Benjamins fanatics. Travis started seeing Lori, against Ciara's better judgment, and also ended up getting a bucket of holy water dumped on his head. Ciara, saved him with her blood. We also finally put the story of Elizabeth, David's former fiance, and station owner to rest. Thanks to Satellite radios generous contract to simulcast the stations vamps.
Bad To The Bone definitely a pretty good sequel to Wicked Game. The next two books are Bring On the Night (07/27/2010) and Let it Bleed (08/01/2011). This series is very cool in that the lead character is not a vampire slayer but a former con artist, who ended up testifying against her own parents. She's resilant, if nothing more, and her love affair with Shane has been ratched upwards with their willingness to try to live with each other. She continues to put herself in harms way to save her co-workers and lover Shane. My favorite vamps still remain Regina, Shane, and Monroe Jefferson.
June 9, 2019
I like this series, and I really like Ciara. One of my favourite paranormal series.
I like almost everything about this series, in particular the characters, and the world-building.
The plot in this book gets a lot darker, and there were a few moments that had me wincing and being disturbed. But given the world we're in, you can't be too surprised that really bad things happen.
The writing is really good, the pacing is perfect, and there is a ton of action. But there's also some excellent character development in the main characters - especially Ciara and Shane. I liked that particularly. They are both complicated people with a full set of baggage each, but they're really trying to figure things out and make their relationship work. I was in with that part of the story.
There were some interesting aspects to the ending of this book, and I look forward to seeing where things go in book 3, which I have already purchased and will definitely read.
I like almost everything about this series, in particular the characters, and the world-building.
The plot in this book gets a lot darker, and there were a few moments that had me wincing and being disturbed. But given the world we're in, you can't be too surprised that really bad things happen.
The writing is really good, the pacing is perfect, and there is a ton of action. But there's also some excellent character development in the main characters - especially Ciara and Shane. I liked that particularly. They are both complicated people with a full set of baggage each, but they're really trying to figure things out and make their relationship work. I was in with that part of the story.
There were some interesting aspects to the ending of this book, and I look forward to seeing where things go in book 3, which I have already purchased and will definitely read.
May 1, 2021
If you're looking for something different from the usual urban fantasy with vampires or a unique plot twist, you won't find it here. This is a fun, standard urban fantasy installment.
Things I loved: the music station angle, the chapter headings of song titles, inclusion of a playlist and Dexter, the vampire dog.
I enjoyed this book but I felt it drug on a little too long. No new territory. Not sure if I'll continue at the moment with the rest of the series. The books are hard to find, Kindle prices are way to high for backlist titles and the only thing that would push me forward is the dog and the music.
Things I loved: the music station angle, the chapter headings of song titles, inclusion of a playlist and Dexter, the vampire dog.
I enjoyed this book but I felt it drug on a little too long. No new territory. Not sure if I'll continue at the moment with the rest of the series. The books are hard to find, Kindle prices are way to high for backlist titles and the only thing that would push me forward is the dog and the music.
September 11, 2018
WVMP radio... all vampires, all the time. Even if during the daytime it's prerecorded. WVMP radio... where the hits just keep on coming.
I wonder who is going to hit them next? I think I'll find out.
I wonder who is going to hit them next? I think I'll find out.
June 17, 2014
Et voilà le second tome de cette nouvelle série de Bit Lit que je trouve très différente des autres mais que j'avais beaucoup apprécié. J'avais été bluffée par le souffle de nouveauté que cette auteure avait insufflé: des vampires différents souffrants de névroses diverses et de TOC, des vampires bloqués dans le temps à la période de leur changement et accrocs à la musique.
Ce deuxième tome commence quelques semaines après le grand chamboulement, Chiara tient donc à présent deux rôles: le sien Directrice de marketing de la station de radio WVMP et aussi ( mais uniquement sur le papier) celui d'Elisabeth l'ex-directrice morte précédemment. Une mystérieuse organisation religieuse pirate les ondes de la station à chaque fois que Régina (notre unique DJ vampire) passe à l'antenne ou qu'une chanteuse soit programmée, des incidents surviennent, des graffitis apparaissent: Chiara en vrai mère poule mène l'enquête car elle tient profondément non seulement à la station mais aussi aux DJ vampires qu'elle considère comme sa famille.
Parallèlement a cette enquête, notre héroïne est confrontée à de nouveaux soucis qui mettent a rude épreuve son self-controls; son étrange pouvoir d'anti-sacré qui l'entraine plusieurs fois à sauver ses amis semble sans limite , son petit ami Shane est en plein marasme émotionnel familial et souhaite donner un sens plus profond à leur relation ce qui la fait paniquer, ses sentiments ambigus pour son patron David lui amène des rêves sensuels dont elle se serait bien passer, sa meilleure amie Lori qui tombe amoureuse d'un vampire nouveau-né, un nouvel ami avec du poil et quatre pattes pas du tout ordinaire extrêmement protecteur et un journaliste de Rolling Stone très fouineur et pas net du tout.
Encore une fois je me suis laissé entrainer avec grand plaisir dans le monde si particulier mais si inventif de Jeri Smith-Ready: mixe de réel et de paranormal, de romance et de thriller, d'humour noir et de tragique, rythmé par les chansons et une intrigue joliment ficelée.
Les DJ vampires sont moins présents cette fois ci et n'interviennent que de temps en temps mais c'est toujours avec bonheur que leurs interventions décalées coupent l'histoire, la part belle étant faite à l'enquête.
L'idée de génie introduite par l'auteure de faire de l'ennemi des vampires une secte ancrée dans des opinions ( que ne dévoilerais pas au risque de vous gâcher le plaisir de la découverte) qui ont la vie dure encore au XXIème siècle et en faisant le parallèle dans sa façon d'agir et de penser a ce mouvement tristement célèbre qu'est le Ku Klux Klan est particulièrement géniale. J'espère sincèrement qu'il existe un troisième volet car je pense que l'auteure a encore beaucoup de choses à écrire et à nous dévoiler, son imagination innovatrice me paraissant sans limite.
Ce deuxième tome commence quelques semaines après le grand chamboulement, Chiara tient donc à présent deux rôles: le sien Directrice de marketing de la station de radio WVMP et aussi ( mais uniquement sur le papier) celui d'Elisabeth l'ex-directrice morte précédemment. Une mystérieuse organisation religieuse pirate les ondes de la station à chaque fois que Régina (notre unique DJ vampire) passe à l'antenne ou qu'une chanteuse soit programmée, des incidents surviennent, des graffitis apparaissent: Chiara en vrai mère poule mène l'enquête car elle tient profondément non seulement à la station mais aussi aux DJ vampires qu'elle considère comme sa famille.
Parallèlement a cette enquête, notre héroïne est confrontée à de nouveaux soucis qui mettent a rude épreuve son self-controls; son étrange pouvoir d'anti-sacré qui l'entraine plusieurs fois à sauver ses amis semble sans limite , son petit ami Shane est en plein marasme émotionnel familial et souhaite donner un sens plus profond à leur relation ce qui la fait paniquer, ses sentiments ambigus pour son patron David lui amène des rêves sensuels dont elle se serait bien passer, sa meilleure amie Lori qui tombe amoureuse d'un vampire nouveau-né, un nouvel ami avec du poil et quatre pattes pas du tout ordinaire extrêmement protecteur et un journaliste de Rolling Stone très fouineur et pas net du tout.
Encore une fois je me suis laissé entrainer avec grand plaisir dans le monde si particulier mais si inventif de Jeri Smith-Ready: mixe de réel et de paranormal, de romance et de thriller, d'humour noir et de tragique, rythmé par les chansons et une intrigue joliment ficelée.
Les DJ vampires sont moins présents cette fois ci et n'interviennent que de temps en temps mais c'est toujours avec bonheur que leurs interventions décalées coupent l'histoire, la part belle étant faite à l'enquête.
L'idée de génie introduite par l'auteure de faire de l'ennemi des vampires une secte ancrée dans des opinions ( que ne dévoilerais pas au risque de vous gâcher le plaisir de la découverte) qui ont la vie dure encore au XXIème siècle et en faisant le parallèle dans sa façon d'agir et de penser a ce mouvement tristement célèbre qu'est le Ku Klux Klan est particulièrement géniale. J'espère sincèrement qu'il existe un troisième volet car je pense que l'auteure a encore beaucoup de choses à écrire et à nous dévoiler, son imagination innovatrice me paraissant sans limite.
September 14, 2010
Review courtesy of AllThingsUrbanFantasy.blogspot.com
Jeri Smith-Ready's greatest strength in her WVMP series is the often ugly truth she brings to her writing and characters. Jeri's vampires are just as damaged and screwed-up as the humans. But that strength is also her greatest weakness.
I think I've figured out what it is about this series that keeps it firmly in the good-but-not-great camp: It's kind of depressing. Urban fantasy in rarely full of happy skippy sunshine, but there is usually some tiny sliver of hope, some small moment of genuine happiness, something that keeps the protagonist--and the reader--from taking a bath with her hairdryer. In the WVMP series, not so much.
In BAD TO THE BONE, all of the vampires are slowly Fading. They are unable to acclimate to the changing times and grow increasingly neurotic, agitated, and compulsive until they can no longer survive in society. Even Shane starts showing his decline through his increasing OCD and the cold, hard fact that he and Ciara are just going to grow further apart. He's trying, but it's not going to be enough.
Then there's Ciara herself, the recovering con-artist with all the emotional maturity of a toaster. She panics at the first sign of intimacy then tries to hide her fear with her dry bravado, but she can't hide from herself. Ciara knows the inevitable screw-up is coming, and so do we. Again, depressing.
BAD TO THE BONE is solidly written, and I have to once again give Jeri Smith-Ready credit for creating vampires who are utterly believable. If vampires truly existed, they would probably be a lot like the WVMP vamps. But even the little happy moments are tempered by the knowledge of that it's fleeting. Ciara makes a comment in BAD TO THE BONE where she wishes she could go back in time to when she first met Shane and stop herself from ever caring about him because its too late now. I know exactly how she feels since I already have the 3rd WVMP book, Bring on the Night, just waiting to be read
Sexual Content: References to sex. References to homosexuality. A couple semi graphic sex scenes. A m/m/f sex fantasy.
Jeri Smith-Ready's greatest strength in her WVMP series is the often ugly truth she brings to her writing and characters. Jeri's vampires are just as damaged and screwed-up as the humans. But that strength is also her greatest weakness.
I think I've figured out what it is about this series that keeps it firmly in the good-but-not-great camp: It's kind of depressing. Urban fantasy in rarely full of happy skippy sunshine, but there is usually some tiny sliver of hope, some small moment of genuine happiness, something that keeps the protagonist--and the reader--from taking a bath with her hairdryer. In the WVMP series, not so much.
In BAD TO THE BONE, all of the vampires are slowly Fading. They are unable to acclimate to the changing times and grow increasingly neurotic, agitated, and compulsive until they can no longer survive in society. Even Shane starts showing his decline through his increasing OCD and the cold, hard fact that he and Ciara are just going to grow further apart. He's trying, but it's not going to be enough.
Then there's Ciara herself, the recovering con-artist with all the emotional maturity of a toaster. She panics at the first sign of intimacy then tries to hide her fear with her dry bravado, but she can't hide from herself. Ciara knows the inevitable screw-up is coming, and so do we. Again, depressing.
BAD TO THE BONE is solidly written, and I have to once again give Jeri Smith-Ready credit for creating vampires who are utterly believable. If vampires truly existed, they would probably be a lot like the WVMP vamps. But even the little happy moments are tempered by the knowledge of that it's fleeting. Ciara makes a comment in BAD TO THE BONE where she wishes she could go back in time to when she first met Shane and stop herself from ever caring about him because its too late now. I know exactly how she feels since I already have the 3rd WVMP book, Bring on the Night, just waiting to be read
Sexual Content: References to sex. References to homosexuality. A couple semi graphic sex scenes. A m/m/f sex fantasy.
May 15, 2009
Wicked Game, the first book in the WVMP Vampires series, was one of my absolute favorite Urban Fantasy books of 2008. Waiting for Bad to the Bone to come out was torture! I needed more of these vampires (especially Shane) ASAP! The best part is that I didn't end up disappointed after all the waiting and hype I had built up for it. Each character, that Smith-Ready has created, has their own distinct personality with quirks, issues, and history. Making her vamps a taste of fresh blood in this genre where so many vampires are cookie cut outs from others.
One of the best parts of this series is the use of music to tie the whole story together. I love music because it's always been a huge part of my life, and it's great to see someone so knowledgeable in the subject use it to make each scene better. Shane still continues to be my favorite vamp with his grungy Kurt Cobain feel, although in BTTB we get to learn more about Regina, which is great since in Wicked Game she seemed so...uptight? mean? scary? Yeah, all those things. Plus, there is the way cool addition of a vampire dog. Ciara is still trying to figure out her relationship with Shane, and they definitely take some steps in a direction, I guess we'll see if that direction ends up being bad or good in the future! All I know is that it's great to have a heroine that's NOT a vampire slayer, monster hunter, idiot, or all of the above!
Bad to the Bone is a fantastic second book, and now sadly I must wait until 2010 for book three (no title yet). If you have not read Wicked Game and are a fan of the genre I don't know what you're waiting for! You are in luck as WG was just released in mass market paperback!
You can also visit Jeri on her website for short stories about the characters, play lists, quizzes, ways to get signed book plates for your books, and her always entertaining blog! She even has an a website for WVMP Radio with merchandise!
November 21, 2012
We're back with the vampire DJ's at WVMP radio and Ciara Griffin. There are quite a few things going on: (1) a journalist is pressing the station for an in depth interview for Rolling Stone Magazine - looking for the real story; (2) a religious group is attacking WVMP's airwaves and spouting religious gobble-de-gook while plotting to kill all vampires; (3) a vampire dog is rescued by Ciara (yes I did say Vampire dog); and (4) we mustn't forget Ciara's special holy blood.
I enjoyed the story but felt the writing was choppy. I kept having to reread passages to find out what I missed. Turns out I didn't miss anything as the plot just jumped from one subject to another missing a few details. This didn't detract from the story but it was disconcerting.
I really liked the chapter titles - very clever and appropriate song titles. Definitely not my kind of music but the use of the songs and lyrics was a neat touch and definitely something a DJ would be able to spout without question. I will definitely be continuing this series.
I enjoyed the story but felt the writing was choppy. I kept having to reread passages to find out what I missed. Turns out I didn't miss anything as the plot just jumped from one subject to another missing a few details. This didn't detract from the story but it was disconcerting.
I really liked the chapter titles - very clever and appropriate song titles. Definitely not my kind of music but the use of the songs and lyrics was a neat touch and definitely something a DJ would be able to spout without question. I will definitely be continuing this series.
August 27, 2010
This book starts up right were Wicked Game left off-Shane and Ciara are dating and there is some serous doubt added to their relationship. Can a vampire and a human be in a long term relationship ? Ciara finds her feeling confused a bit when she dreams of a human man. Meanwhile the radio station Dj's are under attack from a religious anti-vampire group, one that seems to hate women. The local pub is fire bombed after a vamp party and it's just beginning to get "hot" for the vamps. Threats and danger are ever present some from within the tight group of friends. Dexter rocks as a vampire dog !
Action packed, romantic, frightening, and hopeful, this books covers all the bases, now I need the next book ...
Action packed, romantic, frightening, and hopeful, this books covers all the bases, now I need the next book ...
December 28, 2011
I am so loving this series I new twist and something new and fresh. The author draws you in and you can't help but, fall in love with all her dysfunctional characters.The main characters Ciara and Shane create such a spark together and they both are learning to live as one for the first time together is so cute and endearing as she has been learning patience as Shane is someone with OCD and it is a funny new twist. Ciara is different and we are not sure How her special talent came about being able to heal vampires we are journeying with her to find out.There is alway's a plot about that Ciara seems to get mixed up in reminding me a little bit of Sookie Stakhouse.Had several laughs throughout the series and looking forward to the next in the series.
May 27, 2013
3.5 stars. Lots and LOTS of surprises and also lots going on - Ciara and Shane, Ciara and her father, Ciara and her mother, Lori and Travis, religious fanatics attacking the station, vampire hunters, and more. It was a bit much at times, and some of it maybe could have been extended into another book. That said, I do like that Smith-Ready has a blend of long-term plot lines and short-term ones. She doesn't drag everything out endlessly.
While the book is about vampires, there's more to the stories. We get philosophy, ethics, the consequences of choices, and the tangled web of families. You can enjoy just as a vampire story or go beneath to the deeper topics. I'm intrigued and want to see where this series goes. Happily I have the next two books on my shelves. :)
While the book is about vampires, there's more to the stories. We get philosophy, ethics, the consequences of choices, and the tangled web of families. You can enjoy just as a vampire story or go beneath to the deeper topics. I'm intrigued and want to see where this series goes. Happily I have the next two books on my shelves. :)
April 9, 2011
What I loved about the first book was how steeped in music it was. There was so much about the culture of radio and music and the role that it plays in both culture and life. This book didn't have as much of that and that's why I didn't like it as much. I still love the main characters and watching them develop their relationship. But it looks like the series is turning more away from the DJs and the radio station more toward The Control and vampire police type stuff. I hope I'm wrong and the DJs stay front and center because there's a bajillion vampire hunter/cop type books out there. But this one gets a fourth star for Dexter, the awesome vampire dog.
June 28, 2009
http://janicu.livejournal.com/71094.html
This is the second book in the WVMP series by Jeri Smith-Ready. The main character is college student and reformed con-artist, Ciara Griffen, who finds out that the DJs at the radio station she's doing PR for are all real vampires. Ciara, being the enterprising marketing student that she is, uses the truth to sell the station - no one believes it anyway and think its a great gimmick - all the DJs are vampires, trapped in the time period they died so that's the music they specialize in! Of course while this solves the problem of losing the station, it seems to paint a big target at WVMP. Unhappy campers range from local vampires afraid of their secret becoming public, to fundamental christian groups who are convinced that eliminating the vampires will save humanity.
Wicked Game, the first book in the series was one of my favorites of last year
*** minor spoilers for the first book from this point ***
Bad to the Bone starts out not too far off from the events ended in Wicked Game. Ciara has managed to stop the radio station from being sold to a media conglomerate and thus all the vampires in it (including her now boyfriend Shane) are safe for now. Not is resolved however - her con-artist father has disappeared, and Ciara's relationship with Shane is the longest and most serious she's ever had, so while Ciara and Shane are happy, the idea of commitment frightens her. These become minor issues however when at the station's Halloween bash, their signal is suddenly hijacked by a fundamental christian radio station, and a reporter from Rolling Stone who happens to be doing a piece on WVMP becomes a bit too nosey about the vampires.
Excerpt of Chapter 1
My thoughts: There is something about Jeri Smith-Ready's writing that just works for me. It's simple, not flowery, but it flows well from one scene to the next. You would think that the first person *present* tense would be odd, but I didn't have a problem with it. When I think about what happened in this book - it seems like a lot, but I never felt overwhelmed with the information or that the pacing was too fast. It's just that the relationships evolve along with the story at an appropriate pace: so while Ciara is dealing with figuring out who it was who took over their airwaves and what is the meaning of the ominous "YOUR GOING TO HELL" sign at the Smoking Pig, she's also dealing with her own personal issues. That means - going to school and writing papers, deciding if she wants to make the next step with Shane, and worrying about her best friend Lori's taste in men.
Ciara's big flaw seems to be more about trusting people and making commitments because of this fear than anything else. Despite this fear she also has a huge amount of loyalty and common sense. So I knew she was sometimes a little overwhelmed by committing to Shane but I was a little surprised at how this manifested as in this book! I can't really go into it because it would be a spoiler, but whoa, it's interesting! I'm not sure I quite *liked* it, but Ciara really never betrays anyone, I think her panicked brain was considering escape plans, so that's why I could accept it. Also whoa is Ciara and Shane's sex scenes. This book is urban fantasy so romance is not a focus, the sex seemed more of a fact of being a "normal couple", but I think Katiebabs should peer at them to consider them for her sex positions post. They are evolving as a couple and I'm very interested in seeing how it goes. Shane is still a bit mysterious though - he seems quite perfect, but we're only seeing him through Ciara. I wonder how he really feels sometimes because with Ciara he seems very sure about the two of them - he has to have worries that he has to work through too.
Again I am going to say that if you like Carrie Vaughn's Kitty series, you will like this one. Not because it combines supernatural plus radio (and they both do this in very different ways), but because the main character is a woman who isn't particularly badass or a hunter/killer, they are women who use their own wits to solve problems and help others. Things have a feeling of "realness" to them because of the characters and relationships, and also the world is ours - the same time, the same geography, just with a supernatural element.
Random bullet time:
Every chapter is named after a song. I would see the song name and immediately this song would be in my head. Sigh, I wish my brain wouldn't do that!
There is a dog in this story which I think you may have guessed from the cover. I love this dog, he is cute and he advances the plot. I am apparently a sucker for this type of thing.
As with Wicked Game, Ciara is quick to think on her feet and uses her talents as a grifter to get inside information about the people who have been targeting the station. She also brings in her best friend Lori. I like their relationship and what happens when they team up. There's a scene after Lori and Ciara infiltrate a support group for people who have been bitten by vampires, which had me cracking up out loud.
The older a vampire is, the more they lose their humanity and become more "stuck" in their own era and more obsessive compulsive traits pop up. Knowing people with OCD myself, this is particularly tragic to me, and a reason for Ciara to worry about Shane and her future. There is also something monstrous in all of them which shows up from time to time, in some vampires more than others. It's interesting to see how this is dealt with and I am wondering how Ciara and Shane will fare later on. I'm also wondering what Ciara is going to do when she and Shane can no longer rein in a certain vampire DJ's baser instincts. I sense it could be a problem later.
We do get some back story on Shane and Regina which explains some of Regina's over protectiveness.
There are I think 6 vampire DJs in WVMP, but probably 4 of them have more face time than others, so sometimes I get a bit confused about who certain people are because they aren't mentioned as much and my brain is a little fuzzy on the details of book 1. I think my memory is getting bad. I should probably have read the free short stories about each one of the vampires and how they were turned that Jeri Smith-Ready put up online (4 of the 6 are up).
Overall: I really like this author, and this is my favorite series of hers so I think I'm already predisposed to like this book (um, full disclosure: I may have hugged my ARC when it arrived). Compared to book 1, I prefered Wicked Game slightly more because of the sweet romance in it that begins there, and it worked for me almost like a stand-alone, but it would be impossible to replicate that in the second book, so other than that, both books are equally well-written for the reasons I described in "my thoughts" above. Bad to the Bone ends in a good place but it more strings are left untied which make me want to read book 3 (Ciara's uniquiness, the Control, Ciara's family). I also am most curious to see what is going to happen with Ciara and Shane. Is Ciara just going to have to accept that she will lose Shane to time (which will bring her aging and his fading?) or is there some other solution for them? I am dying to know
This is the second book in the WVMP series by Jeri Smith-Ready. The main character is college student and reformed con-artist, Ciara Griffen, who finds out that the DJs at the radio station she's doing PR for are all real vampires. Ciara, being the enterprising marketing student that she is, uses the truth to sell the station - no one believes it anyway and think its a great gimmick - all the DJs are vampires, trapped in the time period they died so that's the music they specialize in! Of course while this solves the problem of losing the station, it seems to paint a big target at WVMP. Unhappy campers range from local vampires afraid of their secret becoming public, to fundamental christian groups who are convinced that eliminating the vampires will save humanity.
Wicked Game, the first book in the series was one of my favorites of last year
*** minor spoilers for the first book from this point ***
Bad to the Bone starts out not too far off from the events ended in Wicked Game. Ciara has managed to stop the radio station from being sold to a media conglomerate and thus all the vampires in it (including her now boyfriend Shane) are safe for now. Not is resolved however - her con-artist father has disappeared, and Ciara's relationship with Shane is the longest and most serious she's ever had, so while Ciara and Shane are happy, the idea of commitment frightens her. These become minor issues however when at the station's Halloween bash, their signal is suddenly hijacked by a fundamental christian radio station, and a reporter from Rolling Stone who happens to be doing a piece on WVMP becomes a bit too nosey about the vampires.
Excerpt of Chapter 1
My thoughts: There is something about Jeri Smith-Ready's writing that just works for me. It's simple, not flowery, but it flows well from one scene to the next. You would think that the first person *present* tense would be odd, but I didn't have a problem with it. When I think about what happened in this book - it seems like a lot, but I never felt overwhelmed with the information or that the pacing was too fast. It's just that the relationships evolve along with the story at an appropriate pace: so while Ciara is dealing with figuring out who it was who took over their airwaves and what is the meaning of the ominous "YOUR GOING TO HELL" sign at the Smoking Pig, she's also dealing with her own personal issues. That means - going to school and writing papers, deciding if she wants to make the next step with Shane, and worrying about her best friend Lori's taste in men.
Ciara's big flaw seems to be more about trusting people and making commitments because of this fear than anything else. Despite this fear she also has a huge amount of loyalty and common sense. So I knew she was sometimes a little overwhelmed by committing to Shane but I was a little surprised at how this manifested as in this book! I can't really go into it because it would be a spoiler, but whoa, it's interesting! I'm not sure I quite *liked* it, but Ciara really never betrays anyone, I think her panicked brain was considering escape plans, so that's why I could accept it. Also whoa is Ciara and Shane's sex scenes. This book is urban fantasy so romance is not a focus, the sex seemed more of a fact of being a "normal couple", but I think Katiebabs should peer at them to consider them for her sex positions post. They are evolving as a couple and I'm very interested in seeing how it goes. Shane is still a bit mysterious though - he seems quite perfect, but we're only seeing him through Ciara. I wonder how he really feels sometimes because with Ciara he seems very sure about the two of them - he has to have worries that he has to work through too.
Again I am going to say that if you like Carrie Vaughn's Kitty series, you will like this one. Not because it combines supernatural plus radio (and they both do this in very different ways), but because the main character is a woman who isn't particularly badass or a hunter/killer, they are women who use their own wits to solve problems and help others. Things have a feeling of "realness" to them because of the characters and relationships, and also the world is ours - the same time, the same geography, just with a supernatural element.
Random bullet time:
Every chapter is named after a song. I would see the song name and immediately this song would be in my head. Sigh, I wish my brain wouldn't do that!
There is a dog in this story which I think you may have guessed from the cover. I love this dog, he is cute and he advances the plot. I am apparently a sucker for this type of thing.
As with Wicked Game, Ciara is quick to think on her feet and uses her talents as a grifter to get inside information about the people who have been targeting the station. She also brings in her best friend Lori. I like their relationship and what happens when they team up. There's a scene after Lori and Ciara infiltrate a support group for people who have been bitten by vampires, which had me cracking up out loud.
The older a vampire is, the more they lose their humanity and become more "stuck" in their own era and more obsessive compulsive traits pop up. Knowing people with OCD myself, this is particularly tragic to me, and a reason for Ciara to worry about Shane and her future. There is also something monstrous in all of them which shows up from time to time, in some vampires more than others. It's interesting to see how this is dealt with and I am wondering how Ciara and Shane will fare later on. I'm also wondering what Ciara is going to do when she and Shane can no longer rein in a certain vampire DJ's baser instincts. I sense it could be a problem later.
We do get some back story on Shane and Regina which explains some of Regina's over protectiveness.
There are I think 6 vampire DJs in WVMP, but probably 4 of them have more face time than others, so sometimes I get a bit confused about who certain people are because they aren't mentioned as much and my brain is a little fuzzy on the details of book 1. I think my memory is getting bad. I should probably have read the free short stories about each one of the vampires and how they were turned that Jeri Smith-Ready put up online (4 of the 6 are up).
Overall: I really like this author, and this is my favorite series of hers so I think I'm already predisposed to like this book (um, full disclosure: I may have hugged my ARC when it arrived). Compared to book 1, I prefered Wicked Game slightly more because of the sweet romance in it that begins there, and it worked for me almost like a stand-alone, but it would be impossible to replicate that in the second book, so other than that, both books are equally well-written for the reasons I described in "my thoughts" above. Bad to the Bone ends in a good place but it more strings are left untied which make me want to read book 3 (Ciara's uniquiness, the Control, Ciara's family). I also am most curious to see what is going to happen with Ciara and Shane. Is Ciara just going to have to accept that she will lose Shane to time (which will bring her aging and his fading?) or is there some other solution for them? I am dying to know
November 10, 2023
Ciara Griffin is a normal ex-grifter who is dating Shane, a vampire, who is one of the DJs at WVMP, a radio station with all vampire DJs.
This is the second book in a series so I came in slightly handicapped but the book is fairly easy to read. Ciara and her vampiric friends are being targeted by the Fortress, a quasi-Christian group who is specifically targeting Regina, the vampire who made Shane. They're doing this by blocking the station's radio waves whenever either Regina is on the air or one of the DJs plays a woman artist. Searching out how the Fortress is doing this, Ciara and the others find Dexter, a massive dog who also happens to be a vampire.
Something rotten is going on and Ciara winds up captured by the Fortress and there's a threat she could be sacrificed to a rival, dangerous vampire. But there's more to the story and Ciara's father is tied up in all of this in some way...
I enjoyed this novel. Ciara and all her friends are interesting, if somewhat dangerous. I particularly liked Dexter, the dog, but I do like intelligent dogs.
This is the second book in a series so I came in slightly handicapped but the book is fairly easy to read. Ciara and her vampiric friends are being targeted by the Fortress, a quasi-Christian group who is specifically targeting Regina, the vampire who made Shane. They're doing this by blocking the station's radio waves whenever either Regina is on the air or one of the DJs plays a woman artist. Searching out how the Fortress is doing this, Ciara and the others find Dexter, a massive dog who also happens to be a vampire.
Something rotten is going on and Ciara winds up captured by the Fortress and there's a threat she could be sacrificed to a rival, dangerous vampire. But there's more to the story and Ciara's father is tied up in all of this in some way...
I enjoyed this novel. Ciara and all her friends are interesting, if somewhat dangerous. I particularly liked Dexter, the dog, but I do like intelligent dogs.
March 22, 2018
Fast, blood, and a whole lot of crazy. Ciara should be used to this since she works at a radio station with vampire DJs. Sure, it sounds corny, but it's actually a lot of fun. This is the kind of book you need every once in a while. The kind of book that takes you by the hand and whips you into something wild. Ciara really steps into it this time, but hey, she got a new friend out of it: Dexter, her new pupper. Well, he's a vampire pupper, but lazy and love-able.
Looking for a good break? Read this.
Full Review:
https://beentherereadthat.blog/2018/0...
Looking for a good break? Read this.
Full Review:
https://beentherereadthat.blog/2018/0...
December 19, 2017
same category as Carrie Vaughn's Kitty books.
July 26, 2020
ok reading, good but not great.
January 2, 2023
Who knew a vampire DOG could steal my heart lol!
July 17, 2023
Another amazing book in the series
July 3, 2024
Great follow up; and as I am a dog lover, I’m all for pit-vamp, Dexter!
April 23, 2012
Bad to the Bone by Jeri Smith-Ready
Goodreads Description:
elcome to WVMP, “The Lifeblood of Rock ’n’ Roll,” where conartist-turned-station-owner Ciara Griffin manages an on-air staffof off-the-wall DJs—including new boyfriend Shane McAllister—who really sink their teeth into the music of their “Life Time” (theera in which they became vampires). Ciara keeps the undeadrocking, the ratings rolling, and the fan base alive—withoutmissing a beat.
For Halloween, WVMP is throwing a bash. With cool tunes, hotcostumes, killer cocktails—what could go wrong? To start, areligious firebrand ranting against the evils of the occultpreempts the station’s midnight broadcast. Then, when Ciaratracks down the transmission, the broadcast tower is guarded bywhat appears to be . . . a canine vampire? Behind it all is a groupof self-righteous radicals who think vampires suck (and arewilling to stake their lives on it). Ciara must protect the stationwhile struggling with her own complicated relationship, her bestfriend’s romance with a fledgling vampire, and the nature of hermysterious anti-holy powers. To make it to New Year’s in one piece,she’ll need to learn a few new tricks. . . .
Why did I pick it?
I read the first in the series not too long ago and I fell in love with it. You can check out my review HERE. I just had to know more about Ciara and Shane. HAD TO. They have to be one of the best book couples ever. So I picked up the next one in the series. And read.....and read....and read..... ;-)
What did I think?
This book picks up right where the last one left off. You really don't miss a beat at all.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I absolutely love the series so far.
There were 3 main things I loved about this book:
1. Ciara & Shane. 'Nough said. (If you don't know what I'm talking about, read the book and you'll find out)
2. All the action
3. Dexter
Seriously. This book had me guessing the entire time. I had no idea what would happen next and it was awesome.
Ciara and Shane are seriously a perfect match. Shane is the absolute eiptomy of what a man is. Or what he needs to be. Ciara is a woman who knows who she is and isn't afraid to show it. It works phenominally.
I'm always wary about reading the second book in a series. Sometimes it doesn't live up to the first one. This one totally kept up the pace. It had the right amount of romance and mystery. I was completely enthralled.
I love everything about this book. I think my absolute favorite thing in it is Dexter. I mean how cool is it to have a vampire dog? He is just so bad ass. LOL
I can't really say too much about it because of spoilers. But let me just say that with Jeri's playlist and the characters, it satisfies every need.
Sidenote: Shane is perfect. In every way. That is all.
Favorite Quote:
"Sometims in the middle of the night," he says, "when I'm in the studio, a song will remind me of you. One line of lyrics, or even just a riff that travels up my spine the way your fingers do. And suddenly I'll miss the way your skin smells in all the hidden places....And sometimes this happend in the middle of the day whn I'm at the station, and I know you're upstaurs in the office, and I could walk up and see you in less than a minute,"
I somehow find my voice. "Why don't you?"
His gaze meets mine, stealing what's left of my breath. "Because I want you to miss me, too."
*swoons*
Goodreads Description:
elcome to WVMP, “The Lifeblood of Rock ’n’ Roll,” where conartist-turned-station-owner Ciara Griffin manages an on-air staffof off-the-wall DJs—including new boyfriend Shane McAllister—who really sink their teeth into the music of their “Life Time” (theera in which they became vampires). Ciara keeps the undeadrocking, the ratings rolling, and the fan base alive—withoutmissing a beat.
For Halloween, WVMP is throwing a bash. With cool tunes, hotcostumes, killer cocktails—what could go wrong? To start, areligious firebrand ranting against the evils of the occultpreempts the station’s midnight broadcast. Then, when Ciaratracks down the transmission, the broadcast tower is guarded bywhat appears to be . . . a canine vampire? Behind it all is a groupof self-righteous radicals who think vampires suck (and arewilling to stake their lives on it). Ciara must protect the stationwhile struggling with her own complicated relationship, her bestfriend’s romance with a fledgling vampire, and the nature of hermysterious anti-holy powers. To make it to New Year’s in one piece,she’ll need to learn a few new tricks. . . .
Why did I pick it?
I read the first in the series not too long ago and I fell in love with it. You can check out my review HERE. I just had to know more about Ciara and Shane. HAD TO. They have to be one of the best book couples ever. So I picked up the next one in the series. And read.....and read....and read..... ;-)
What did I think?
This book picks up right where the last one left off. You really don't miss a beat at all.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I absolutely love the series so far.
There were 3 main things I loved about this book:
1. Ciara & Shane. 'Nough said. (If you don't know what I'm talking about, read the book and you'll find out)
2. All the action
3. Dexter
Seriously. This book had me guessing the entire time. I had no idea what would happen next and it was awesome.
Ciara and Shane are seriously a perfect match. Shane is the absolute eiptomy of what a man is. Or what he needs to be. Ciara is a woman who knows who she is and isn't afraid to show it. It works phenominally.
I'm always wary about reading the second book in a series. Sometimes it doesn't live up to the first one. This one totally kept up the pace. It had the right amount of romance and mystery. I was completely enthralled.
I love everything about this book. I think my absolute favorite thing in it is Dexter. I mean how cool is it to have a vampire dog? He is just so bad ass. LOL
I can't really say too much about it because of spoilers. But let me just say that with Jeri's playlist and the characters, it satisfies every need.
Sidenote: Shane is perfect. In every way. That is all.
Favorite Quote:
"Sometims in the middle of the night," he says, "when I'm in the studio, a song will remind me of you. One line of lyrics, or even just a riff that travels up my spine the way your fingers do. And suddenly I'll miss the way your skin smells in all the hidden places....And sometimes this happend in the middle of the day whn I'm at the station, and I know you're upstaurs in the office, and I could walk up and see you in less than a minute,"
I somehow find my voice. "Why don't you?"
His gaze meets mine, stealing what's left of my breath. "Because I want you to miss me, too."
*swoons*
July 19, 2014
More Reviews Here: Readers Live A Thousand Lives
Addictive…. that is the best word to describe this series. You could also use words like hysterical, fast-paced, steamy, and sweet. Bad to the Bone was a great follow up to Wicked Game. The characters continue to be great and the plot was once again captivating. I was on the edge of my seat for the majority of this book and I had a very hard time putting it down, so I didn’t.
Ciara (keer-ah) is a kickass heroine. She is the kind of character that is perfectly capable of taking care of herself and does not put up with anyone’s crap. She is capable of delivering sarcastic comments even in the most dire of circumstances. She is trying to move beyond her con-artist past, but every now and then it pops back up. However, now she uses her con-artist powers for good rather than evil. She is not perfect, she has her flaws, but she also does her best to try and move beyond those flaws. She has commitment issues and the thought of being tied down frightens her. However, she knows this and she works to move past that and learns to put her trust in others that are worthy.
Shane has skyrocketed his way to the tippy top of my book boyfriend list. I love everything about him: from his flannel shirts to his guitar playing to his obsessive compulsive behavior to his music snobbery to his 90s slang, there is just something incredibly endearing about him. He is super sweet and protective without being overbearing and jealous like a lot of other male vampire love interests out there. Simply put, I adore him. For the past few days, everyone I come in contact with gets an earful of Shane McAllister. I have always had a soft spot for vampires, but Shane is better than most others out there. Actually, I would say he is better than all other vampires out there. I. WANT. ONE.
Shane and Ciara make a great couple. They complement each other nicely and it is clear that they are madly in love with each other. Also they make for some really great steamy scenes. While they struggle through the complications of a vampire-human relationship, they somehow manage to make it work. Ciara trusts him more than she trusts some humans. I also loved the addition of Dexter to this book. Dexter is a part lab, part Great Dane vampire dog. As someone who once had two Great Danes, Dexter was one of my favorite parts of the book. I love Ciara’s love for dogs because it mirrors mine very closely.
Bad to the Bone continues this very original take on vampires. I love the way Jeri has crafted these vampires and I love the way each time period is represented. Also, the way they compensate for time moving forward with their obsessive compulsive behaviors is just brilliant. I loved the way Shane was constantly organizing everything in the apartment and I especially loved the list he left Ciara on the proper way to load the dishwasher. Bad to the Bone mixes the paranormal with mystery and romance seamlessly. All of these aspects flow together to create a truly great read.
Overall, Bad to the Bone is a book paranormal and urban fantasy fans really need to pick up. Fans of Sookie Stackhouse are sure to enjoy this series. Personally I think it is better. But anyway, my point is if you like books along those lines then you are sure to love this one.
Addictive…. that is the best word to describe this series. You could also use words like hysterical, fast-paced, steamy, and sweet. Bad to the Bone was a great follow up to Wicked Game. The characters continue to be great and the plot was once again captivating. I was on the edge of my seat for the majority of this book and I had a very hard time putting it down, so I didn’t.
Ciara (keer-ah) is a kickass heroine. She is the kind of character that is perfectly capable of taking care of herself and does not put up with anyone’s crap. She is capable of delivering sarcastic comments even in the most dire of circumstances. She is trying to move beyond her con-artist past, but every now and then it pops back up. However, now she uses her con-artist powers for good rather than evil. She is not perfect, she has her flaws, but she also does her best to try and move beyond those flaws. She has commitment issues and the thought of being tied down frightens her. However, she knows this and she works to move past that and learns to put her trust in others that are worthy.
Shane has skyrocketed his way to the tippy top of my book boyfriend list. I love everything about him: from his flannel shirts to his guitar playing to his obsessive compulsive behavior to his music snobbery to his 90s slang, there is just something incredibly endearing about him. He is super sweet and protective without being overbearing and jealous like a lot of other male vampire love interests out there. Simply put, I adore him. For the past few days, everyone I come in contact with gets an earful of Shane McAllister. I have always had a soft spot for vampires, but Shane is better than most others out there. Actually, I would say he is better than all other vampires out there. I. WANT. ONE.
Shane and Ciara make a great couple. They complement each other nicely and it is clear that they are madly in love with each other. Also they make for some really great steamy scenes. While they struggle through the complications of a vampire-human relationship, they somehow manage to make it work. Ciara trusts him more than she trusts some humans. I also loved the addition of Dexter to this book. Dexter is a part lab, part Great Dane vampire dog. As someone who once had two Great Danes, Dexter was one of my favorite parts of the book. I love Ciara’s love for dogs because it mirrors mine very closely.
Bad to the Bone continues this very original take on vampires. I love the way Jeri has crafted these vampires and I love the way each time period is represented. Also, the way they compensate for time moving forward with their obsessive compulsive behaviors is just brilliant. I loved the way Shane was constantly organizing everything in the apartment and I especially loved the list he left Ciara on the proper way to load the dishwasher. Bad to the Bone mixes the paranormal with mystery and romance seamlessly. All of these aspects flow together to create a truly great read.
Overall, Bad to the Bone is a book paranormal and urban fantasy fans really need to pick up. Fans of Sookie Stackhouse are sure to enjoy this series. Personally I think it is better. But anyway, my point is if you like books along those lines then you are sure to love this one.
September 24, 2011
Review by OCD Reader
So I was recently wandering around our local Borders, everything is pretty picked over by now, but I found this little beauty. It looked interesting, so I picked it up. I needed a book because I didn’t have one with me at the time, plenty at home, but none with me. Anyway, what a satisfying novel! I just finished it and had a really good time reading this book. I didn’t read the first one, and while I do want to know the backstory to how the characters got to where they are in Bad to the Bone, it wasn’t necessary. But I am planning on picking up Wicked Game as soon as I can. In this storybook world, vampires get “stuck” in the decade they are changed, as in they never move beyond that time period. Ciara helps run a radio station with vampire DJs who each specialize in their own decade. The older they get, the more OCD and confused vampires can be and they have a harder time understanding and processing new technology or even new songs. The vampire DJs are part of the marketing for the station, they are the “lifeblood of rock and roll” nudge nudge wink wink. Ciara is the PR person for the station, she is dating one of the DJs and she is trying to learn to have a normal, trusting relationship. Her parents were religious charlatans who taught her to grift and to never trust anything or anyone, so this is new and somewhat difficult for her.
So besides all that, the radio station is being targeted by a religious group who interrupts their broadcasts with religious rhetoric. It gets more involved, fire-bombing and kidnapping and then more dangerous from there.
This book sucked me in pretty quickly, no pun intended. Ciara is funny, wry and a little wicked and since it is first person narration, she makes it enjoyable to be in her head. She and Shane have a sweet relationship, he is from the 90s and they are working to get his mind into the next decade. They got together in the first book and are exploring and figuring out their relationship in this one. There is a little bit of relationship angst, but not too much. She does some worrying but doesn’t linger, so you don’t feel bogged down. Ciara’s relationships with her new friends, co-workers and her mother and father take a little while to grasp, since I didn’t have the background from book 1, but I caught on pretty quickly. In fact, her relationships really progress in this book. Because she doesn’t trust easily, it is interesting to see who she allows close to her and why. The vamps are quirky, though they aren’t all “nice”, and even the ones that are, have issues. The dog is great, he added much enjoyment to the story. The mystery of who is targeting the station and why, is well done. The action culminates and the game gets trickier and much more dangerous. Ciara puts herself on the front line and gets her war wounds. She loses some things and gains others and learns a lot more about herself in the process. I will look for the next book, after I finish Wicked Game of course. Four stars.
So I was recently wandering around our local Borders, everything is pretty picked over by now, but I found this little beauty. It looked interesting, so I picked it up. I needed a book because I didn’t have one with me at the time, plenty at home, but none with me. Anyway, what a satisfying novel! I just finished it and had a really good time reading this book. I didn’t read the first one, and while I do want to know the backstory to how the characters got to where they are in Bad to the Bone, it wasn’t necessary. But I am planning on picking up Wicked Game as soon as I can. In this storybook world, vampires get “stuck” in the decade they are changed, as in they never move beyond that time period. Ciara helps run a radio station with vampire DJs who each specialize in their own decade. The older they get, the more OCD and confused vampires can be and they have a harder time understanding and processing new technology or even new songs. The vampire DJs are part of the marketing for the station, they are the “lifeblood of rock and roll” nudge nudge wink wink. Ciara is the PR person for the station, she is dating one of the DJs and she is trying to learn to have a normal, trusting relationship. Her parents were religious charlatans who taught her to grift and to never trust anything or anyone, so this is new and somewhat difficult for her.
So besides all that, the radio station is being targeted by a religious group who interrupts their broadcasts with religious rhetoric. It gets more involved, fire-bombing and kidnapping and then more dangerous from there.
This book sucked me in pretty quickly, no pun intended. Ciara is funny, wry and a little wicked and since it is first person narration, she makes it enjoyable to be in her head. She and Shane have a sweet relationship, he is from the 90s and they are working to get his mind into the next decade. They got together in the first book and are exploring and figuring out their relationship in this one. There is a little bit of relationship angst, but not too much. She does some worrying but doesn’t linger, so you don’t feel bogged down. Ciara’s relationships with her new friends, co-workers and her mother and father take a little while to grasp, since I didn’t have the background from book 1, but I caught on pretty quickly. In fact, her relationships really progress in this book. Because she doesn’t trust easily, it is interesting to see who she allows close to her and why. The vamps are quirky, though they aren’t all “nice”, and even the ones that are, have issues. The dog is great, he added much enjoyment to the story. The mystery of who is targeting the station and why, is well done. The action culminates and the game gets trickier and much more dangerous. Ciara puts herself on the front line and gets her war wounds. She loses some things and gains others and learns a lot more about herself in the process. I will look for the next book, after I finish Wicked Game of course. Four stars.
December 21, 2012
Rated 3.5 really.
Excerpt from my review - originally published at Offbeat YA.
Pros: Original take on the overused vampire theme. Interesting, mostly tridimensional characters. Radio station and music play a big role (if you love them passionately, that's a real bonus). Plenty of action in this one.
Cons: Can get a bit confusing at times, with all the twists and turns. A couple of graphic sex scenes (if you aren't into the stuff). Gorier than the first.
Will appeal to: Those who liked Wicked Game but are thirsty for more action.
First off, so many things happen in around 400 pocket-format pages, it's difficult to keep up with them all at times. The core of the novel is the threat posed to the station by an alleged cult, that turns out to be a schismatic leg of the Control - an organization that is busy protecting humans from vampires and vice versa (see book 1). But the truth isn't so simple - the final revelation (or not so much, if you follow a certain clue) opens a whole new can of worms, though the two things are closely linked. Also, we have Ciara's dad who could be in league with the bad guys or not, given his con artist status and his recent treachery (again, see book 1), plus his usual double-dealing attitude. Luckily, the station gained two more allies lately, though one of them will meet a sad fate at the end of this novel. Also, Ciara's anti-holy blood (discovered in book 1) comes into the equation a couple of times, with life-changing results both for her and some of her friends; one could say its discovery will actually boot the next installment in the series. You want more? One of the vamps get dangerous (guess who? it was hinted in the previous novel, though I'm not sure Smith-Ready had meant to take this thing so far right from the start)...and oh my, I was forgetting this very small detail...Ciara and Shane take the next step in their relationship, sharing a flat and parenting a...vampire dog (or maybe he's parenting them!). Plus Ciara's friend Lori gets a taste of the vamp side of love. But wait, there's more...like weird and/or sweet family reunions, red hot sex and lots of blood - this time. So this book is packed with everything you ever dreamed of and more, especially action-wise...though, like I said, all this stuff can confuse the hell out of you, especially when reading it for the first time. So, basically, this second installment is more exciting than the first, but watch out for a bad case of vertigo! [...]
Whole review here.
Excerpt from my review - originally published at Offbeat YA.
Pros: Original take on the overused vampire theme. Interesting, mostly tridimensional characters. Radio station and music play a big role (if you love them passionately, that's a real bonus). Plenty of action in this one.
Cons: Can get a bit confusing at times, with all the twists and turns. A couple of graphic sex scenes (if you aren't into the stuff). Gorier than the first.
Will appeal to: Those who liked Wicked Game but are thirsty for more action.
First off, so many things happen in around 400 pocket-format pages, it's difficult to keep up with them all at times. The core of the novel is the threat posed to the station by an alleged cult, that turns out to be a schismatic leg of the Control - an organization that is busy protecting humans from vampires and vice versa (see book 1). But the truth isn't so simple - the final revelation (or not so much, if you follow a certain clue) opens a whole new can of worms, though the two things are closely linked. Also, we have Ciara's dad who could be in league with the bad guys or not, given his con artist status and his recent treachery (again, see book 1), plus his usual double-dealing attitude. Luckily, the station gained two more allies lately, though one of them will meet a sad fate at the end of this novel. Also, Ciara's anti-holy blood (discovered in book 1) comes into the equation a couple of times, with life-changing results both for her and some of her friends; one could say its discovery will actually boot the next installment in the series. You want more? One of the vamps get dangerous (guess who? it was hinted in the previous novel, though I'm not sure Smith-Ready had meant to take this thing so far right from the start)...and oh my, I was forgetting this very small detail...Ciara and Shane take the next step in their relationship, sharing a flat and parenting a...vampire dog (or maybe he's parenting them!). Plus Ciara's friend Lori gets a taste of the vamp side of love. But wait, there's more...like weird and/or sweet family reunions, red hot sex and lots of blood - this time. So this book is packed with everything you ever dreamed of and more, especially action-wise...though, like I said, all this stuff can confuse the hell out of you, especially when reading it for the first time. So, basically, this second installment is more exciting than the first, but watch out for a bad case of vertigo! [...]
Whole review here.
May 15, 2009
Bad to the Bone by Jeri Smith-Ready
Urban Fantasy- May 16th, 2009
4 stars
Bad to the Bone will delight vampire readers as well as dark fantasy lovers. While many romance books glamorize the vampire, Jeri Smith-Ready characterizations are realistic and edgy. She explores the scarier and more serious aspects of being a vampire. In her world there is no black or white.. As a result her series makes for exciting and fascinating reading that is unexpected as well as chilling.
Ciara works at a radio station where the big secret is that all the DJ are vampires. The radio station is under Control a secret agency aimed at integrating vampires into society safely. And this is important because these vampires are: volatile, compulsive and unpredictable. Because they are harder to control, which makes working around them very hazardous. These vampires are stuck in the period they are turned they are unable to evolve and grow emotionally or psychologically. And it gets worse as they get older. But having vampire DJs from each era musical era is the perfect ‘time warp’ for listeners. And a ‘safe’ haven for vampires who can’t adapt to an every changing new world.
Ciara’s life is difficult as she leads a double life, tries to market the radio station and protect the vampires and society from each other. Plus Ciara’s relationship with the vampire Shane is a complication that only makes her life more confusing.. When she gets pulled into a cult that reviles vampires things only get more perilous.
Jeri Smith-Ready’s novels are always thought provoking and complex as I wondered how Ciara can navigate her life with so many difficulties. The main question in my upper most mind was how Ciara will end up long term in her rocky relationship with the enigmatic, yet earnest and charismatic Shane. He can’t be ‘alive’ and she doesn’t want to become a vampire. It will be interesting to find out if or how the author resolves this dilemma. Jeri Smith-Ready also introduces the fascinating canine vampire which I hope will play a larger role in her next book as well as delving deeper into, David (my new favorite!) another fascinating character that I would love to read more about. This is a deep book that shows all points of view, not just the main characters. And that makes it more real and emotionally charged for the reader. If you haven't read her books before you must try this series, I highly recommend it!
Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
Urban Fantasy- May 16th, 2009
4 stars
Bad to the Bone will delight vampire readers as well as dark fantasy lovers. While many romance books glamorize the vampire, Jeri Smith-Ready characterizations are realistic and edgy. She explores the scarier and more serious aspects of being a vampire. In her world there is no black or white.. As a result her series makes for exciting and fascinating reading that is unexpected as well as chilling.
Ciara works at a radio station where the big secret is that all the DJ are vampires. The radio station is under Control a secret agency aimed at integrating vampires into society safely. And this is important because these vampires are: volatile, compulsive and unpredictable. Because they are harder to control, which makes working around them very hazardous. These vampires are stuck in the period they are turned they are unable to evolve and grow emotionally or psychologically. And it gets worse as they get older. But having vampire DJs from each era musical era is the perfect ‘time warp’ for listeners. And a ‘safe’ haven for vampires who can’t adapt to an every changing new world.
Ciara’s life is difficult as she leads a double life, tries to market the radio station and protect the vampires and society from each other. Plus Ciara’s relationship with the vampire Shane is a complication that only makes her life more confusing.. When she gets pulled into a cult that reviles vampires things only get more perilous.
Jeri Smith-Ready’s novels are always thought provoking and complex as I wondered how Ciara can navigate her life with so many difficulties. The main question in my upper most mind was how Ciara will end up long term in her rocky relationship with the enigmatic, yet earnest and charismatic Shane. He can’t be ‘alive’ and she doesn’t want to become a vampire. It will be interesting to find out if or how the author resolves this dilemma. Jeri Smith-Ready also introduces the fascinating canine vampire which I hope will play a larger role in her next book as well as delving deeper into, David (my new favorite!) another fascinating character that I would love to read more about. This is a deep book that shows all points of view, not just the main characters. And that makes it more real and emotionally charged for the reader. If you haven't read her books before you must try this series, I highly recommend it!
Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
August 13, 2012
After finishing 'Wicked Game' I was desperate to get my hands on the sequel. I wanted to know exactly what happened to Ciara and the vampire gang next. 'Bad to the Bone' was equally as exciting and packed full of adventure. I loved it!
It’s hard enough trying to live a normal life in the company of 6 vampire DJs, but Ciara Griffin’s life could not be more complicated. Caught up in the vampire world, Ciara has a pretty neat existence: A marketing job that seems to be an extension of herself, fabulous friends and a fantastic boyfriend who is crazy about her. But when a religious sect hijacks WVMP’s wave length to run anti-vampire segments, Ciara has to find a way to get her station back on track. It’s no surprise that when vampires pop up, religion is not far behind: the evils of blood sucking and living forever. I really enjoyed seeing this play out in ‘Bad to the Bone.’ Jeri Smith-Ready’s vampires follow some of the ‘traditional’ vampire myths and restrictions – such as sunlight and stakes to the heart – but they also face troubles with religious objects and holy water, so it was interesting to see the holy/religious take on their ‘fake’ existence. We get to see Ciara’s struggle with her own ideas on religion too, which helps us understand her a bit more – unravelling another layer of Ciara, because she has so many!
But it’s not just religious sects the vampires have to deal with in this book. There is a secret government organisation that is proving to be more trouble than help. The Control is not new to this series, but their history and involvement in the story can’t be overlooked. Like the rest of the DJs, The Control does not want the truth about vampires leaked; any chances of exposure could mean the death of a vampire or at least their detainment. I still have mixed feelings about The Control. For the most part, they seem to be trying to contain threats and protect vampires, but they’re sneaky and withhold information. I’m curious to find out more about their involvement in the supernatural world.
While not the biggest storyline for the book, I wanted to mention again that I love how unique Jeri’s stories are. Not only are there normal vampires in ‘Bad to the Bone’ but we’re introduced to animal vampires! Seriously, who would have thought anything like that could happen? Not me. It was a super cool concept, and Dexter the Dog is awesome.
Fantastic sequel to ‘Wicked Game’. Very exciting and action-packed; a really fun read!
5/5 stars
It’s hard enough trying to live a normal life in the company of 6 vampire DJs, but Ciara Griffin’s life could not be more complicated. Caught up in the vampire world, Ciara has a pretty neat existence: A marketing job that seems to be an extension of herself, fabulous friends and a fantastic boyfriend who is crazy about her. But when a religious sect hijacks WVMP’s wave length to run anti-vampire segments, Ciara has to find a way to get her station back on track. It’s no surprise that when vampires pop up, religion is not far behind: the evils of blood sucking and living forever. I really enjoyed seeing this play out in ‘Bad to the Bone.’ Jeri Smith-Ready’s vampires follow some of the ‘traditional’ vampire myths and restrictions – such as sunlight and stakes to the heart – but they also face troubles with religious objects and holy water, so it was interesting to see the holy/religious take on their ‘fake’ existence. We get to see Ciara’s struggle with her own ideas on religion too, which helps us understand her a bit more – unravelling another layer of Ciara, because she has so many!
But it’s not just religious sects the vampires have to deal with in this book. There is a secret government organisation that is proving to be more trouble than help. The Control is not new to this series, but their history and involvement in the story can’t be overlooked. Like the rest of the DJs, The Control does not want the truth about vampires leaked; any chances of exposure could mean the death of a vampire or at least their detainment. I still have mixed feelings about The Control. For the most part, they seem to be trying to contain threats and protect vampires, but they’re sneaky and withhold information. I’m curious to find out more about their involvement in the supernatural world.
While not the biggest storyline for the book, I wanted to mention again that I love how unique Jeri’s stories are. Not only are there normal vampires in ‘Bad to the Bone’ but we’re introduced to animal vampires! Seriously, who would have thought anything like that could happen? Not me. It was a super cool concept, and Dexter the Dog is awesome.
Fantastic sequel to ‘Wicked Game’. Very exciting and action-packed; a really fun read!
5/5 stars
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