Book Review: The Librarian’s Vampire Assistant Book 2 by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

The Librarian's Vampire Assistant, Book 2 
by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff
October 23, 2018
166 pages

DEAL ALERT! Book #1, Now On Sale for 99c!

From New York Times Bestseller Mimi Jean Pamfiloff comes a humorous, fun standalone mystery, The Librarian's Vampire Assistant, BOOK #2. (Yep! It's a standalone. The boring title is just to mess with you!)

HOW MUCH LONGER CAN HE KEEP HIS SECRET AND HIS FAVORITE HUMAN SAFE?

Michael Vanderhorst has always been a lone wolf. Or lone vampire? Whatever. Point is, this ancient gentleman vampire is obsessed. She's quirky, a horrible dresser, and the cutest librarian he's ever seen. The question is, why her? In four hundred years, no one has ever captured his attention like this. He must find out, which is why he just signed on as her new assistant.

The problem is, she has no idea vampires exist or that she's just broken one of their laws. As the leader of his territory, Michael has been ordered by his council to turn her or kill her. "Over my dead body!"

To overturn the ruling, Michael needs the council on his side, and right now they're asking him to hunt down and execute five hundred vampires no one can seem to locate. Unfortunately, his assassin days are long over, and he's not so sure he can go back to killing.

But with Miriam's life on the line and their unusual bond growing stronger each day, will he dust off the old sword or give her the bite that will make her his forever?

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Michael Vanderhorst is back in the second installment of The Librarian’s Vampire Assistant. Michael continues to pursue those who threaten Miriam his treasured librarian and her treasured library. Having committed to turning Miriam within the year, Michael is struggling with his secret and how to tell Miriam she’s destined for fangdom. Personal problems aside, Michael needs to find 500 unsanctioned vampires and their fugitive makers all the while leading two territories and dodging the bizarre grand poo-ba of vampires Mr. Nice.

The series is cute; a vampiric cozy mystery. It’s entertaining and fun. The central mystery of this installment is resolved by series end with enough lead into the next story to pique the reader’s interest.

Michael is, by far, the best thing about this series. He’s smart, fierce, and wholly hilarious, matched in sass only by his assistant Lulu and the terrifyingly whacky Mr. Nice. I’m perplexed by Miriam and Michael’s intense attraction to her. As a character, she lacks interest or spark. I hope as the series progresses she becomes more dynamic. At this point, she’s merely a foil for Michael’s antics.

This series isn’t my usual reading fare. I love Pamfiloff’s books, but this series hasn’t been my favourite. It’s best suited to fans of cozy mystery. I predict it will one day be a tv movie starring Candace Cameron Bure.

Review: The Librarian's Vampire Assistant (The Librarian's Vampire Assistant #1)

3 ½ sheep

Bianca Greenwood

About the Author:

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MIMI JEAN PAMFILOFF is a USA Today and New York Times bestselling romance author. Although she obtained her MBA and worked for more than fifteen years in the corporate world, she believes that it’s never too late to come out of the romance closet and follow your dream. Mimi lives with her Latin Lover hubby, two pirates-in-training (their boys), and the rat terrier duo, Snowflake and Mini Me, in Arizona. She hopes to make you laugh when you need it most and continues to pray daily that leather pants will make a big comeback for men.

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Book Review: The Librarian's Vampire Assistant (The Librarian's Vampire Assistant #1) by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

The Librarian's Vampire Assistant (The Librarian's Vampire Assistant #1)

by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff
February 26, 2018
169 pages
From New York Times Bestseller Mimi Jean Pamfiloff comes a Horribly Sunny Mystery, The Librarian’s Vampire Assistant.

NOBODY MESSES WITH HIS LIBRARIAN. . .

Who killed Michael Vanderhorst’s maker? It’s a darn good question. But when the trail brings Michael to hellishly sunny Phoenix, Arizona, his biggest problem soon becomes a cute little librarian he can’t seem to stay away from. He’s never met a bigger danger magnet! Even her book cart has it out for her. And is that the drug cartel following her around, too? “Dear God, woman! What have you gotten yourself into?”

Things go from bad to worse when local vampires won’t play nice.

Can this four-hundred-year-old vampire keep his librarian safe and himself out of hot water? Can he bring his maker’s killer to justice? Yesterday, he would’ve said yes. But yesterday, he didn’t have a strange connection with a librarian. Yesterday, people weren’t trying to kill her.

Michael Vanderhorst is a 400-year-old vampire set to find his maker’s killer. The trail leads Michael to a vampire coven in sunny Arizona, and its leader clearly has something to hide. While in pursuit, Michael’s path crosses with that of a studious librarian and a connection is forged. Michael quickly finds their present predicaments are interconnected.

I’ve read two of Pamfiloff’s previous series, The King Trilogy, and Mr. Rook’s Island. The Librarian’s Vampire Assistant is remarkably different from these series. It’s a light-hearted mystery largely devoid of romance. The action and intrigue is well-crafted, and the dialogue witty. So while it certainly wasn’t what I expected, it was mostly entertaining.

The story is told by Michael, a self-professed gentleman who’s both erudite and cynical. His running wry commentary is amusing and lends a rather jovial tone to the book. The dynamic between him and his assistant Lula is comical, if not puzzling. It’s Michael’s connection to Miriam, the librarian, I find most perplexing. Miriam, after whom the book is titled, is still a mystery to me. Not much is revealed about the “danger magnet” and her character remains vaguely developed. She’s kind, naïve, and clumsy, evoking Michael’s protective urges. But the mousy, klutz attracting the notice of a beautiful centuries-old vampire is a pretty played trope, at least for me. I’ve grown more accustomed to Pamfiloff’s feisty, self-assured female characters.

I like Michael. He’s piqued my curiosity. While I’m not sold on the Librarian, her Assistant has me hooked. I look forward to the second installment.

3 ½ Sheep

Bianca Greenwood

About the Author:

Website-FB-Twitter
Goodreads-Newsletter

MIMI JEAN PAMFILOFF is a USA Today and New York Times bestselling romance author. Although she obtained her MBA and worked for more than fifteen years in the corporate world, she believes that it’s never too late to come out of the romance closet and follow your dream. Mimi lives with her Latin Lover hubby, two pirates-in-training (their boys), and the rat terrier duo, Snowflake and Mini Me, in Arizona. She hopes to make you laugh when you need it most and continues to pray daily that leather pants will make a big comeback for men.

Book Review: Mack (The King Trilogy #4) by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff + giveaway

Mack (The King Trilogy #4)
by Mimi Jean PamfiloffFebruary 15th 2016
"THEY THINK KING IS EVIL, BUT HE'S GOT NOTHING ON ME." -Mack

MY NAME IS MACK. And if I play my cards right, I will soon be dead. Permanently. Not even my powerful twin brother will be able to resurrect me. A good thing. Because a man like me has no business living. Not when I have killed. Not when I have betrayed everyone I have ever cared for. Not when I know I'm destined to do it again.

This is why I have come looking for her--the only one capable of ending me once and for all. But will she think I'm just another insane patient? Or will she believe the truth? I am thousands of years old, my heart too dark to be salvaged. And my name isn't really Mack.

MY NAME IS TEDDI, short for Theodora. My entire life has been a canvas of grays, whites, and black. I can't feel, I can't understand joy, I've never truly lived. Until now. His name is Mack, and though he believes he's cursed, my degree in psychology tells me otherwise. Besides, someone who's capable of bringing so much light into my life can't be anything but good.

But I can save him. If he'll let me. 

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Mack is a follow up to Pamfiloff’s King Trilogy and while it could be read as a stand-alone, I don’t recommend it. The book is a spin-off of sorts and tells the tale of King’s twin brother, Mack, and his own torturous curse. Like the King Trilogy, Mack’s plot line moves from present to ancient past and back again. The author acknowledges that Mack is primarily a love story and that no new ground is being broken with this installment. That being said, Mack is a satisfying read for fans of the King’s Trilogy. And, if you haven’t read Mimi Jean Pamfiloff’s King Trilogy, put it on your TBR list ASAP.

A few things to consider before picking up this book; first, the love story between Mack and Theodora (Teddi) follows a fairly similar trajectory to that of King and Mia, but it’s crammed into one book. There’s a lot of information that intersects with the previous three books. I concluded reading the King Trilogy in 2014 and did not immediately recall details. Pamfiloff does a good job reminding readers of the big facts, but I had certainly forgotten the minute. Next, it’s steamy. The love scenes are vividly descriptive. While I enjoy that brand of writing, I realize it’s not for everyone. Finally, just when you think the book is going to be wrapped up in a saccharine-saturated package, there’s a momentous plot twist. The plot twist gives this book a bit of bite and also sets the table for an additional installment, The Ten Club. I’m not going to say it ends with a cliff-hanger, but things are definitely not settled for once and for all.

I am grateful Pamfiloff is not finished with these characters. I adored The King Trilogy. In fact, I proclaimed Mia Turner one of my favourite heroines in last June’s Favourite Heroines Blog Hop. While I found King and Mia infinitely more interesting than Mack and Teddi, I look forward to another installment in this series. But, really, can it still be called a trilogy? I’m a bit of a stickler.

Excerpt

Darkness was the one thing in this world I didn’t care for—probably because I felt most comfortable with facts. Seeing objects equated seeing facts. There is the floor. There is the couch. Facts. Guessing where things were—I think the leg of this table is around here somewhere—ouch!—was inefficient, useless. It was why nightlights were invented. So when I entered John Doe’s dark room, the first thing I wanted was to bring in some light. “Mr. Doe?” I said to the dark figure seated in the corner of the small room, staring at me like an eerie scarecrow waiting to frighten the shit out of anything that crossed its path. “My name is Dr. Valentine. I’m the new director. May I turn on the lights so we can discuss the reason you are here?” “I asked not to be disturbed.” The man’s deep, masculine voice felt like a cold, chilling slap. Yet strangely, it was also…Well, I didn’t know really. Hypnotic, perhaps. I squinted, my eyes straining to see his face but only able to make out his silhouette—broad shoulders, short hair, and fit-looking arms from the shadows of biceps I was able to spot. “That’s exactly why we need to talk,” I said. “It’s come to my attention that you are not here to seek therapy—” “Leave.” My mouth flapped for a moment. “I’m sorry, but did you—” “I said leave,” he growled. Sadly for him, intimidation didn’t work on me. Not that I was stupid and wouldn’t get out of harm’s way. The question was, did he intend to harm me? “And if I don’t?” I asked, testing the waters. His response would tell me everything I needed to know. Reading people’s internal emotional state was another gift of mine. I waited for a reply. And then I waited some more. He’s not going to answer me. Fine. This was silly and a completely unproductive use of my time. I would just have to see him with my own two eyes. My gift would do the rest. “Okay. These lights are going—” I flipped the switch, and the moment my eyes met his, I was hit by a hard wave of… “Holy fuck,” I gasped. I flipped off the lights, turned, and left the room. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. What was that?

4 Sheep

Bianca Greenwood

About the Author:

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Contemporary Romance. Her books have been #1 genre sellers around the world. Both traditionally and independently published, Mimi has sold over 600,000 books since publishing her first title in 2012, and she plans to spontaneously combust once she hits the one million mark. Although she obtained her international MBA and worked for over 15 years in the corporate world, she believes that it’s never too late to come out of the romance closet and follow your dream. When not screaming at her computer or hosting her very inappropriate radio show (Man Candy Show on Radioslot.com), Mimi spends time with her two pirates in training, her loco-for-the-chili-pepper hubby, and her two rat terriers, DJ Princess Snowflake and Mini Me, in the San Francisco Bay Area. She continues to hope that her books will inspire a leather pants comeback (for men) and that she might make you laugh when you need it most. Sign up for Mimi’s mailing list for giveaways and new release news!

The King Trilogy Box Set

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