Bad Blood(House of Comarré 3)Author: Kristen PainterPublisher: Orbit, 2011Genre: Paranormal/ Urban Fantasy
Samhain approaches, bringing with it the final melding of the mortal and othernatural worlds. No one knows just how much power the night holds...
Violent murders occur in Paradise City as counterfeit comarré are systematically hunted. The police and the Kubai Mata have more than enough trouble to keep themselves occupied. As war erupts at home, Malkolm and Chrysabelle head to New Orleans to recover the Ring of Sorrows. Chrysabelle is forced to make a life and death decision and will realize that her relationship to Malkolm may have fatal consequences.
The clock is ticking . . .
Violent murders occur in Paradise City as counterfeit comarré are systematically hunted. The police and the Kubai Mata have more than enough trouble to keep themselves occupied. As war erupts at home, Malkolm and Chrysabelle head to New Orleans to recover the Ring of Sorrows. Chrysabelle is forced to make a life and death decision and will realize that her relationship to Malkolm may have fatal consequences.
The clock is ticking . . .
My Review:
After the ultimate showdown in the Everglades on the last book, the witches haven't had enough. This time they're back for revenge, and they already have to unwilling minions to carry it out. Tatiana seems to have forgotten about the Ring of Sorrows, right now she just wants Chrysabelle's head on platter. Her evilness and cunningness are as always boring, and I ended up skimming all of her POVs. The witches were pretty silly too, I was always cheering the demon to get free of the stupid aquarium tank they'd sealed him in.
Chrysabelle has recuperated beautifully, but her anger about how it was done is a bit uncalled for. I mean, he saved your life and you're alive. Who cares if your blood is tainted now!? Her anger quickly dissolves because now she has a goal. She'll go to any lengths to find her brother, including (but not limited to) manhandling/threatening/persuading others, and having molten gold tattooed on her. Luckily Mal will be there for her, but sadly there's not a lot of romance in this third book, which was kind of disappointing. That one hot massage chapter didn't satisfy my expectations on their relationship.
Meanwhile the secondary characters are all running around with problems of their own. Creek gets dragged into the murder investigation of the mayor's daughter, who was one of Dominic's fake comarré. He'll have to find the real murderer, or else the Mayor Lola will pin it on him. Doc and Fi have some very interesting news for Mal, if only they could get a hold of him. Once again, I felt that there were too many POVs. And while I've grown to love some secondary characters like Creek and Fi, I'm just not that interested in hearing Tatiana's or even the Mayor's side.
Overall for me the series has lost its initial steam and allure. Like I've said before, I started reading this series because of Chrysabelle and Mal and now they've just become another one in the bunch of characters. I could just read their chapters and be done with it, because it's all the interests me. The short preview of Out for Blood (House of Comarré 4) after the ending just made me chuck my book at the nearest wall. (Rant: For shit's sake Chrysabelle, stop being unreasonably angry at Mal. Whose idea was it to use THAT gold for the tattoo, huh? Yours! That's right! Not Mal's!) I'll probably buy it, only because I don't like leaving series half-way.
Favorite Quotes:
"Shut up, Mal. Every time you patronize me, I just want to stick something sharp in you."
Smart girl. "I wasn't patronizing you." He backed up a step, her demeanor more serious than he'd seen before. "There's not a sword hidden iun that cane, is there?"
"Maybe. Maybe not."
"I'll put money on maybe."
The shadow of a smile danced across her face, quickly replaced by stern determination again.
~
"No questions? My, my, you are giving this your all, aren't you?" She looked at him, a wicked smile bending her lush mouth. "How are you not hyperventilating?"
"I've never hyperventilated. I don't even breathe, for crying out loud." Hades on a cracker, he wanted to kiss her in the worst way. Literally. With fang.
~
He loved her. Chrysabelle knew that was what Mal had wanted to tell her. The very idea both elated her and made her want to shove her sacre through him. Not anywhere fatal, just someplace it would leave a mark.
