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serynI re-read a book I own in paperback on my Kindle, How To Marry a Millionaire Vampire by Kerrelyn Sparks.
What astonished me is that I liked it so much better this time than previously. I can't decide whether that is because I have such lower expectations of Kindle books or because the ambient quality of books has declined in 5 years to the point that it actually seems better comparatively
2011's comments:
I still disagree with the title. They don't get married in the book.
I liked how the main characters fell into a relationship. I remember that kind of instant attraction and I know about being an adult where responsibilities and long-term planning counteract that kind of hormonal reaction. (Though they didn't co-exist for me, I stopped making instant connections with people before I left high school.) The story starts out with a depressed vampire who ends up meeting this woman who is part of the witness protection program and whose cover has just been blown. He's got that vampire strength and power and uses it to save her. Her reactions are on key for someone with paranoia and having people actually after her being rescued by a stranger.
The plot wasn't ridiculously cumbersome. Stuff happened, but it seems organic and like things the characters would mostly do. I really enjoy that in a book, especially since lately authors suck at that. Most authors treat their characters like Jobian constructs.
I thought the characterization was weak for the heroine. We're told about her foibles and she reacts with them, but it comes across as poor acting. The vampire hero character's characterization goes massively downhill when the author introduces too many other players. You just have to accept that the vampire hero guy has stopped being depressed even though there's not a lot of rationale for it beyond the, "Ooh, pretty girl!"
I liked a lot of the side characters a lot and I found some of the world building quite interesting. I really enjoyed the conflict between the "good" vampires and the "bad" vampires, especially in terms of the setup where the book started. It didn't seem as clear cut as it was presented. Although the bad guys were definitely evil, and they were led by someone monstrous, there was a point behind what they were saying... that 20 years doesn't change the entire culture of a long-lived people. If everyone lives to be 500+ years old, 20 years really wouldn't change how they all think, and it isn't really long enough for them to assimilate the changes without nostalgia for the old ways.
My original complaint was that this felt like a setup for sequels. There is a sample from another book in the series at the end of the Kindle book. I'm considering buying it because it focuses on one of the more interesting side characters.
What astonished me is that I liked it so much better this time than previously. I can't decide whether that is because I have such lower expectations of Kindle books or because the ambient quality of books has declined in 5 years to the point that it actually seems better comparatively
Written: 2006-01-18 22:23:00
book: How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire (Sparks) {3/4}
How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire by Kerrelyn Sparks
[I liked it.] [It was OK.] [Sorry to have read it.] [Need a brain rinse.]
-- {&&&&}
I liked it, except it's got that ham-handed, "OMG! They said I could write a sequel! OMG! Squee!" cliffhanger ending and the title has absolutely nothing to do with what the book was about.
The main female character isn't interested in the vampire guy that way, and certainly isn't recommending it to other people. Nor does she need a self-help guide to get him interested. And guess what? They don't get married in the book.
Otherwise, good characterizations, nice plot, fun story. It's not literature by any means, but it is coherent and tolerable.
2011's comments:
I still disagree with the title. They don't get married in the book.
I liked how the main characters fell into a relationship. I remember that kind of instant attraction and I know about being an adult where responsibilities and long-term planning counteract that kind of hormonal reaction. (Though they didn't co-exist for me, I stopped making instant connections with people before I left high school.) The story starts out with a depressed vampire who ends up meeting this woman who is part of the witness protection program and whose cover has just been blown. He's got that vampire strength and power and uses it to save her. Her reactions are on key for someone with paranoia and having people actually after her being rescued by a stranger.
The plot wasn't ridiculously cumbersome. Stuff happened, but it seems organic and like things the characters would mostly do. I really enjoy that in a book, especially since lately authors suck at that. Most authors treat their characters like Jobian constructs.
I thought the characterization was weak for the heroine. We're told about her foibles and she reacts with them, but it comes across as poor acting. The vampire hero character's characterization goes massively downhill when the author introduces too many other players. You just have to accept that the vampire hero guy has stopped being depressed even though there's not a lot of rationale for it beyond the, "Ooh, pretty girl!"
I liked a lot of the side characters a lot and I found some of the world building quite interesting. I really enjoyed the conflict between the "good" vampires and the "bad" vampires, especially in terms of the setup where the book started. It didn't seem as clear cut as it was presented. Although the bad guys were definitely evil, and they were led by someone monstrous, there was a point behind what they were saying... that 20 years doesn't change the entire culture of a long-lived people. If everyone lives to be 500+ years old, 20 years really wouldn't change how they all think, and it isn't really long enough for them to assimilate the changes without nostalgia for the old ways.
My original complaint was that this felt like a setup for sequels. There is a sample from another book in the series at the end of the Kindle book. I'm considering buying it because it focuses on one of the more interesting side characters.
