Wanted: Undead or Alive (Love at Stake)

He's a vampire from the big city . . .

Phineas McKinney thought New York City was tough, until he was attacked by Malcontents--evil vampires who consider mortals to be snacks. Saved by the good vampires, Phin swore to devote his now undead life to stopping the Malcontents. He's got his job cut out for him when word comes that their enemy may be hiding in Wyoming. What does a city boy like him know about horses and campfires? Good thing he's got Brynley Jones with him . . . if only she didn't hate every vampire on earth.

She's a werewolf princess . . .

Bryn believes vampires are seductive and charming, and that makes them dangerous. So she's more than a little annoyed about teaming up with Phin, even if he is the only bloodsucker able to make her inner wolf purr. But as they hunt down the new leader of the Malcontents, danger threatens . . . and Phineas and Brynley discover a passion that will rock the foundation of their supernatural world.

I'm way behind on my reviews. This book came out in the Spring, but I wanted to discuss it. Kerrelyn Sparks has found a Niche and is plumbing it nicely. She''s built a light, sweet Vampire world. There are large amounts of people in it and as we get to know them, we begin to guess who is going to get their own story. The Love at Stake series doesn't really pretend to be a dark mix of Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance. It is a fun romantic romp, where the vampires for the most part are the good guys, with the exception of a few evil doers they are always fighting called the Malcontents.

They drink bottled blood, they have a security team that hunts down the bad guys, and they even have a Vampire television station that only the vampires know about (don't ask me how it is only the Vamps see it...I've never really understood that part but it doesn't matter) It is fun and that is all you need to know.

This is book twelve and along the way, we've been waiting for Phinneas, or Dr. Phang, or the Love Doctor, to fall in love. A notorious womanizer and all around joker, he has secretly been longing to settle down with the right girl. There was a cop lady he liked a lot but it turned out she hated vamps so much, that extended to him and there was no way she was getting over it. There is a werewolf Princess he's had sparks with but much like the cop, she hates vampires too. Unfortunately for them but fortunately for us; life, the universe or in this case, the head honcho of Romatech himself, says Phinneas must go track down one of the last Malcontent trouble makers, Corky the former star of her own vampire television show, it turned out she was in league and in bed with the former lead of the Malcontents. After they got their asses handed to them by the good Romatech vampires, Corky went on the lam, but she is still occaisonally broadcasting her lies and Roman needs his crew to shut her down. They have narrowed down where she is hiding to somewhere in the wilds of Wyoming, and that happens to be Brynley Jones's stomping grounds. Phin needs someone to keep his safe during the day (in case Corky is working with humans) and someone to show him the area at night and Brynley is the obvious choice to be his guide, despite her reservations (she's attracted to him and hates vampires).

The timing isn't great for Phin, he's about to star in a Vampire soap opera called, "As the Vampire Turns," And his "Blardonnay" commercials have been so sucessful, he is getting recognized where ever he goes (Blardonnay equals blood with Chardonay of course). And by the way when you picture Phin, think of the guy in the soap shower commercials saying, "Look at your man, now look at me." He should be ecstatic, chicks are throwing themselves at him, and that is what he wants, right? Except maybe some time off in the country with a certain werewolf lady might be what he needs more.

Okay, I know...the whole thing is just ridiculous. But that is what I love about these books, they make me laugh, they are fun. Sparks pokes fun at the vampire sterotypes and at us a little. These vampires are just like humans, and that is what makes them so popular, because making light of the Vampire condition has never been so fun.

Phineas McKinney is a fairly new vamp. Turned by a vicious group of vampires known as Malcontents, Phineas eventually left the dark side and joined the good team. Together they have been battling the Malcontents and recently were the victors when they were able to kill the leader. Now there is a new leader in control of the Malcontents and Phin is working with his vamp security company to bring them down. When it is discovered that the Malcontent leader may be on Werewolf property, he is forced to work alongside female werewolf, Bryn.

Bryn has some issues with vamps, and has an antagonistic relationship with Phin. They are both secretly attracted to one another, and neither one is thrilled with that feeling.

Okay... I had a REALLY hard time getting into this book. I am not sure if it was the writing, or the fact that I have never liked Phin, or a combo platter of both. Phineas is one vamp I hoped Kerrelyn Sparks would never give a story to. He is like nails on a chalkboard to me, just annoying. That entire "love doctor" "Dr. Phang" BS in all the previous stories was nauseating and immature and just never endeared him to me, it just repelled.

That being said the "Love Doctor" was pretty much MIA throughout this story, and that thrilled me to bits. After about the first 100 or so pages I was able to start actually liking Phin. I was able to see him as a decent hardworking man and not some sleazy bar gigolo that's breathing down your neck. By page 200 I was fully and completely into the story, and rooting for Phin and Bryn.

After a slow start for me, things turned around and I ended up enjoying the story and it has me excited for the next one in the series. Now that I don't hate Phin, I may revisit this story at a later date. I am sure I would like it more the 2nd time around.

Cherise Everhard, July 2012

Ever since Phineas McKinney was turned into a vampire against his will by the evil Malcontents, he's dedicated his time and new powers to stopping them from hurting anyone else. When he receives a tip they are hiding in Wyoming, Phin gets ready to follow the trail and he won't be going alone. Werewolf Brynley Jones is the smart choice to take with him because of her extensive knowledge of the area. Not to mention she's the sexiest woman Phin has ever laid eyes on. Only problem, she hates all vampires. Bryn is happy to return home. Too bad she has to accompany a manipulative, blood sucking vampire. At least that's what she use to think but as she spends more time with the funny and caring Phin, Bryn sees she has been too harsh towards him and his kind. As they close in on the Malcontents, things start heating up between them but someone has no intention of letting Bryn ever be with a vampire.

As much as I hate to say this, it took a while for me to get into this book. It starts off with action and excitement but I had an issue with Phin. We begin with him thinking about all his newly married friends and how lonely he is and wishes he had love like that. I understand wanting to be happy but his thoughts kept returning to this and it got to the point where he became depressing to read about. In addition to that, he and Bryn have feelings for each other but it's a case of 'I said one thing but I really feel another'. This happens a lot in paranormal romance at it frustrates me to no end.

Once I got about 30% in, Phin finally snaps out of his depressing state and shifts his focus back to what's important. Things really took off from there and it became the book I hoped Phin would have. Phin is just as sweet and funny as he has been in past books. I loved that he takes charge in the hunt for Corky and her minions and he opens up to Bryn, allowing us to see his past. He had a hard upbringing and thankfully Bryn was able to see past his fangs to comfort him. Bryn is not without her own sad tale. As daughter of the most powerful alpha in the country, she had little freedom and was treated as nothing more than a prize to be won. We see how truly awful it got for her and I now understand where her strong dislike of vampires came from. Once all walls were removed between them, they were able to help heal the other. What started out as frustration ended in me loving this couple almost as much as they love each other.

The Malcontents are still front and center as the villains of the series but in this book they take a back seat when compared to the werewolves. Bryn ran away from her home in Wyoming because it was the only way she'd ever have freedom. When she goes back to help Phin on his mission, she and her wolf are happy to be home but at the same time she must be careful because if her father Caddoc finds her, he'll force her into a loveless mating. As Bryn explains her situation to Phin, I found myself getting more upset at her father for the archaic and cruel ways he'd handle situations than anything the Malcontents were doing. It's not about love but power with him and loyalty was something he demanded but didn't give. I wasn't happy how things were left with Caddoc in the end and I hope sometime down the road he gets what's coming to him.

Wanted: Undead or Alive took a while to get into but I was glad I stayed with it. Once they were finally honest with each other and themselves, Phineas and Bryn's chemistry became undeniable and their love unbreakable and you know with a nick name like the love doctor, Phineas even made my toes curl. Caddoc is absolutely despicable but he and his wolves gave me a much needed break from the Malcontents, who the good vampires have been after for 12 books. Plus I always give kudos when an author can write a character so well I feel actual hatred towards him. Some new characters were introduced and some of my favorites were back for brief appearances. I think fans of the series will like this book and will be pleased to know that Howard, the loveable bear who loves his honey covered pastries, will be next to get his book.

Sensationally sensual, humorous and explosive, Wanted: Undead or Alive is paranormal romance at its best!

Kerrelyn Sparks has a wondrous way of combining paranormal romance, humor, sensuousness, tenderness and heat all in one delicious and intoxicating package. This is the twelfth book in the "Love at Stake" series and though I have only read one other one (Eat, Prey, Love) I had absolutely no trouble following along with the story or the characters. Each book, I believe, is crafted so that they can be read in order or as a standalone. I truly hope to one day be able to read each and every book in the series.

In Wanted: Undead or Alive, we are treated to Phineas McKinney's story. Phin previously had been turned into a vampire, against his will and by the vicious and malicious order of vampires, the Malcontents. It is now Phin's desire to stop the Malcontents at whatever price it takes. Or so he thinks.

Brynley Jones escaped the clutches of her brutal father, a dominant leader of one of the most powerful wolf clans around. She now has a satisfying life, living with caring people, among them her brother who was banished from their home in Wyoming for taking a stand against their father. Bryn has a great dislike for bloodsucking vampires and when she is asked to help Phin pursue the self-named Queen of the Malcontents, she is anything but pleased.

The chemistry between Phin and Bryn fairly smolders from the pages. Their witty and snide comments that they battle back and forth is entertaining to say the least. The desire that they feel for one another is a heady fight they try to resist. Together, they make the perfect couple. Both are intelligent, slightly self-conscious, and have inner demons that they are forced to confront day in and day out. With taunts like "snout face" and "bloodsucker", Phin and Bryn a delightful couple - whether they like it or not.

Ms. Sparks has a wonderful talent to entertain and draw the reader into the worlds that she creates. Her stories are very quick reads that feel almost like guilty pleasures. With the perfect mix of sizzle, suspense, humor and love, her books never cease to delight me. I greatly look forward to reading more by Ms. Sparks and highly recommend her books to any lovers of excellent paranormal romances!

Favorite Quote:

As Phineas relaxed into the swaying movement of the horse, he congratulated himself. This cowboy stuff wasn't so hard after all. Brynley would have to stop calling him a city boy. Unfortunately, at that moment his horse decided to leave the path and turn right into the forest.

"What the hell?" He sat up. "Horse! What are you doing?"

Brynley glanced back over her shoulder. "Where are you going?"

"I don't know."

Brynley pulled to a stop. "Steer her back onto the path."

"There's no steering wheel!" He looked frantically about as his horse continued to walk into the forest. "How do I put this thing into reverse?"

Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Hilarious paranormal romance that follows a werewolf and a vampire's hot, sweet, sexy and sometimes tumultuous relationship.

Opening Sentence: "Get real, Phineas! You can't expect me to believe this crap!"

Review:

I have never read a Kerrelyn Sparks novel and I was a little leery about jumping into a story twelve books into a series. Yes, I was a little overwhelmed by the huge cast of characters and who is married to whom and what kind species they are but ultimately Wanted: Undead or Alive was a story about Phineas and Brynley. A story that was hilarious, sexy and entertaining.

Phineas McKinney aka Dr. Phang aka the Love Doctor aka the Blardonnay Guy was transformed into a vampire five years ago. He begins the novel trying to convince his brother, Freemont, that he is a vampire including filling him in on his various nicknames. Freemont takes a little convincing before he realizes his brother isn't playing a huge joke on him. He then insists on being Phineas' agent since his Blardonnay commercials have women falling at his feet. There are many tongue-in-cheek jokes between the brothers that come off ridiculous but are still funny.

Phineas is being interviewed on live television about his role in the Old Spice commercials; oops I mean the Blardonney commercials. He takes the opportunity to tell off his employers and declare that he hates working for them and that he pretty much believes in the Malcontents ideologies. The Malcontents fall for this and take Phineas back to their lair to their queen Corky (such a queenly name). Unfortunate for them, Phineas has a tracker device planted on him ready for backup so they can take Corky prisoner for her "crimes". Sadly, the best laid plans go to waste and Corky escapes.

The gang at MacKay S and I believe Corky has escaped to Europe or Russia and break into groups to go search for her leaving Phineas to stay behind and act as security for the home office. A few days into the search Phineas receives a tip that a busty blonde attacked a man in Wyoming. He is the only vampire that can be spared to investigate this clue. Since he is going into werewolf territory he looks for someone who can help him and look after him during his death sleep. He is paired with the only wolf that can be spared, Brynley.

Brynley fully intends to tell Phineas off but instead agrees to go to Wyoming. She is reluctant to go back home but her wolf is impatient to run free in the Wyoming wilderness. She knows the area and helps Phineas with his investigation all while she tries to hide her identity. She doesn't want her father to know that she has come back home for he will force her back into a life that she ran away from.

Phineas and Brynley appear to hate each other. It is easier to pretend to hate someone when you desperately don't want them to know you are crushing on them. It doesn't take long for their attraction to be revealed but they both believe they are not right for each other. They are a mixed race couple in more than one way, he is a vampire, she is a werewolf, he is black and she is white. He grew up a poor boy from the Bronx while she grew up a Princess in the werewolf world with plenty of wealth. But these two opposites soon learn they have a lot more in common than they thought and when these two come together the sparks fly and it is H.O.T.

The novel does start off a little slow; it was a full 75 pages into the book before Brynley even shows up. The plot moved quickly from there. The point of view switches between them more often instead of staying on one character for a long time. Some of the jokes can be a little annoying especially Da Freeze jests but the truly funny jokes outweigh the annoying. The tension to the plot is enough to keep me reading but not terribly spectacular.

Overall, Wanted: Undead or Alive was an entertaining read. I was invested in the relationship between Phineas and Brynley and was excited when they finally hooked up. If I have the time I would really like to catch up on this series and get to know the other characters better.

The Love at Stake Series:

1. How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire

2. Vamps and the City

3. Be Still My Vampire Heart

4. The Undead Next Door

5. All I Want for Christmas is a Vampire

6. Secret Life of a Vampire

7. Forbidden Nights with a Vampire

8. The Vampire and the Virgin

9. Eat Prey Love

10. Vampire Mine

11. Sexiest Vampire Alive

12. Wanted: Undead or Alive

FTC Advisory: Harper/Avon Books provided me with a copy of Wanted: Undead or Alive. No goody bags, sponsorships, "material connections," or bribes were exchanged for my review.

I got this Advance Reading Copy (not yet cleaned up in final edit) via the Vine program. As a professional reviewer, I often get ARCs like this from publishers, but Avon hasn't been sending me as many as, say, DAW has. So I was delighted to find Wanted: Undead or Alive in the Vine list.

This is the 12th in a series, but the cover doesn't label it that way. The author calls it the Love at Stake series, an apt label for Vampire Romance!

The titles are all clever, too, "How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire" for example was another in this series I grabbed just for the title, and it is apparently #1 in the series. I haven't read the intermediate 10 novels.

Why is that important? Because Wanted: Undead or Alive is perfectly readable, cogent, comprehensible, and completely enjoyable despite the missing material!

There are no long, boring, bewildering recitations of what happened in previous novels. This story picks up as the Vampire Phineas is explaining that he's a Vampire (and vampires, by the way, are actually real) to his brother Freemont.

Gradually, we learn that Phineas works for a Vampire security firm, but is going "undercover" into the world of Vampire TV doing commercials for a synthetic blood drink. He's been approached to do more acting. He was a boxer before being turned, and is still utterly ripped! His voice is sexy and mesmerizing even to vampires.

This series is somewhere between pure comedy and light humor, so Phineas has a number of really silly nicknames. The writer manages to convey and use these nicknames with just enough straight-faced seriousness and self-deprecating embarrassment to give us a good laugh. This is a difficult writing effect carried off with elegance.

In the course of his undercover work, Phineas must take on a woman as a partner, Bryn. She's a werewolf pack outcast, daughter of the pack Alpha. The two seriously dislike each other. They have a history together, and each has good reasons for wanting nothing to do with the other.

This is a Romance, though, and sparks do fly. The sexual encounters are well woven into the plot as they pursue their quarry through the wilderness meeting other were-creature characters, and making friends and dealing with enemies.

I particularly appreciated the deep psychological work the author has woven into the characters and relationship. They have their opinions and attitudes for reasons, and change those opinions and attitudes when those reasons become invalid. That's sane behavior modeled in a way that I feel younger readers need to see.

At no time do the sex scenes impede the "action" or plot progress - and at no time do the plot events obliterate the romance.

This is not easy stuff to write, and Kerrelyn Sparks has made it look easy.

Kerrelyn Sparks has and comfortable and engaging writing style. This book contains all of the desired elements in a novel. The story has tension in the beginning, an undeniable attraction that is initially resisted, conflict, devotion, evil intentions, and humor all rolled together in a way that is not only entertaining but deeply satisfying without being completely predictable.

The underlying story is that of an independent woman, Brynley, who views all cages as prison, no matter how comfortable or gilded it might be, tormented by conflicting loyalties to her family and her inner wolf, desperate to keep her freedom in the face of a marriage designed by her father to a werewolf that only wants her for the land and inheritance she would grant him. She comes into contact with a well known personality on the Digital Vampire Network that is sexy and handsome with the voice that sends shivers down the female spine. Yet, while surrounded by adoring fans, Phineas is unable to find a connection with a woman that could love him for himself rather than for his notoriety. They at some point find that they have a lot more in common than they could have ever suspected.

This unlikely pair are wrapped up in an adventure focused on locating and capturing a self proclaimed Queen of the Malcontents, vampires who are not satisfied with synthetic blood and bent on mayhem, destruction and ruling the world. During the pursuit, it is revealed that the Queen and Brynley's unwanted fiancé are working together in an attempt to gain power and "rule" together over both the were-community and the vampire community.

The story is well written and I found myself hoping the good guys would figure it out, the bad guys would be caught and the ambiguous relationships between dominating father and independent daughter coming to an understanding. In the end there is enough resolved to feel the story is complete and enough revealed to make me eager for the next in the series. Well done in my opinion.

Another hit for Kerrelyn Sparks. I love this series. I wasn't interested in this one at first. Not because I don't like the series or the author. I love it. I've read every book in the series so far. Which is why I took the chance on this one. I love an ongoing series(can't miss a single book). Phineas had always impressed me as a supporting character. Why...I do not know. Maybe because his character has always been just a little more over the top. This book was a very pleasant surprise. Hooked me from the first page & held me until the last. The story pairs Dr. Phang with Brynley( a werewolf & sister to Phil). The two first met during Phil & Vanda's story. Sparks flew between the two. But Phin feels that he is unworthy of Bryn. She has to overcome her aversion to vampires. They team up to locate Corky who has declared herself the "Queen" of the malcontents after Casimeres death.He he... a villain named Corky. But Queen Corky isn't their only problem. Soon they have to deal with a group of evil werewolves as well. We are introduced to several new characters. Freemont, Phins younger brother, comes to work at McKay S&I along with the rest of the gang. We meet rancher Nate Carson as well. Both of these characters promise to be very interesting characters. We also meet Caddoc, Bryn & Phil's father. He is a jerk. I can see why Brynley fled her home. It was nice to see Dr. Phang finally get his HEA ( as well as being turned into a werewolf). I enjoyed this book a lot. Probably because I was snickering half of the time. " Leroys House Of Class" ... I would love to shop there. Can't wait for the next book in this series.

Phineas aka the Love Doctor is looking to retire his ladies' man status. Only problem is he wants to do it with Brynley Jones. She's a were-shifter with a real chip on her shoulder about vamps.

Brynley grew up in the lycon world as the daughter of a rich and power alpha. She's sick of the users and abusers. Even though she's taken refuge with vampires she can't help but compare all of them to the users she grew up with. All except the gorgeous Phineas.

After the defeat of the malcontents leader Corky Courrant claims she's the heir to the malcontents throne. When she repeatedly ignores summons to appear before the vampire council to answer for attempting to out vampires to the mortal world she goes into hiding. A tip comes in that she may be hiding in Wyoming and Phineas is assigned with checking it out. In need for a day guard he's teamed up with none other than his female dream some true; Brynley Jones. Can Brynley overcome her prejudices? Will the Love Doctor ever find true happiness?

Once I got started I couldn't stop! Kerrelyn Sparks' hilarious brand of humor and pop culture references had me literally laughing out loud. Open shows of affection don't come easy for Pheneas and Brynley but the journey to get there was filled with adventure, misunderstanding, and tons of giggle worthy taunting. After the last installment of the Love at Stake series I was a little weary of continuing but am I glad I stuck with it. I feel Mrs. Sparks has found her voice again and it shines. I can't recommend Wanted: Undead or Alive enough!

I really enjoyed reading about Phineas and Brynley. Their story is filled with surprises and gasp worthy twist and turns. Lots of action, adventure and laughter. A romance that starts with their attraction to each other but grows from them spending time together and actually getting to know each other.
The Malcontents are involved and they have some new allies to help cause the Vamps problems.
Quite a few new characters are brought in. Some are bad guys, some are good guys.
Some old questions about Brynley and her brother Phil are answered.
My favorite part though is what happens to Phineas! Love it!
Wanted: Undead or Alive (Love at Stake Book 12)

I am a true reader, I read approximately three books a week of different genres: science fiction / fantasy (paranormal: vampires, shape-shifters, demons, faeries, and aliens), mysteries, romance (contemporary, historical, erotica), novellas, and series. However, I have not read the other books in this series; surprisingly it didn't seem to matter.

I enjoyed this paranormal tale. Hell, I thought I had grown a tail because it was waggling for most of the book. Of course, it was like watching a movie that started 15 minutes ago. You know that there are some jokes that are going over your head but for the most part you feel the warmth and good spirits surround you. I just enjoyed being in the moment watching it unfold around me. The teasing and consistent buzz of sexual tension between Phineas (the main character) and Brynley was intriguing. There are only a few sex scenes which I felt were rushed. Given the build these scenes could have been more climatic but again it was obvious that was not the focus of the book. I wouldn't classify this as an erotic read; it's more like a romance with a little sex drizzled in. The author provided enough background on Phineas and Brynley so they were dimensional, wounded giving souls who seek being loved. So a vampire and a werewolf lull you into accepting them as a perfect match for one another because they have so much commonality.

There are so many secondary characters: shape shifters, mortals, and vampires that I can see that this author is stacked with plot options. Of course, there are some choices that the author made that I would not have chosen but I respect that it's her story to tell. For one, why does Phineas stay in a cabin for his dead sleep when he could teleport back to base to sleep? I also recognized that this could have been a better story; the possibilities with this mix of characters are endless. I guess that's why it's a series. Nonetheless, the author does seem to set up the next book rather than provide her reader with a fulfilling action pack read. Don't get me wrong, this is a nice read but there is such a build and then poof it's over. You expect an inferno and get smoke. I don't want to provide spoilers so I will just say the villains don't really get their just deserts. Though I found this book to be a charming tale, I will not be seeking any more installments; because the author is satisfied with pacing the action of the series instead of providing the reader with a thrilling read each offering.

Ok, this was an interesting novel, it held my attention and was an enjoyable read. First, though, you have to suspend your disbelief in the notions of vampires and werewolves stalking at night. The novel wasn't scary at all but it had some good tense moments of suspense and interesting creature descriptions.

The characters in the story are Phineas, who is a "good" vampire because he doesn't kill or drink the blood of animals or people; and Brynley, who it turns out is a werewolf and must change into a wolf at the full moon and hunt in the forests and kill animals. Phineas drinks an artificial synthetic blood which must be refrigerated. Brynley kills and eats deer and smaller animals that she runs down as a wolf and tears them apart.

An important note is that unlike in the Anne Rice vampire novels, where most of the vampires are gay--these vampires and werewolves are heterosexual.

The story of how these two individuals meet and work together on a mission to hinder the "bad" vampires (the "Malcontents," the ones who drink human blood and kill them sometimes, and sometimes turn their victims into vampires) is the basis of the book. There is a good story and in the end, romantic entanglements and a surprise ending. I enjoyed reading the story and for what it is, it is well done. I recommend for light reading and a "cozy" suspense and murder story.

Celebrity Vampire Phineas "Love Doctor" McKinney has become famous for his TV commercial on the Digital Vampire Network selling Blardonnay, a blood and Chardonnay concoction. Since good vampires saved his life, Phin has adjusted well to being a blood diner after the initial shock of being converted by having his throat ripped open by an evil Malcontent. While his stunned human brother Freemont takes him to the Brooklyn studio of DVN, MacKay S and I works on capturing Corky Courrant, the de facto new leader of the Malcontents following the death of Casimir whose head was cut off.

Not long afterward, Phin goes undercover in Wyoming to help catch Corky. The city slicker feels out of place in the mountainous state except that he shares a cabin with his obsession Brynley Jones the werewolf who to his chagrin loathes all vampires. She is his day bodyguard while her father Caddoc demands she marry one of their kind.

The latest Love At Stake romantic urban fantasy continues the post Casmir Malcontent era (see Vampire Mine and Sexiest Vampire Alive) with Phin's tale. The plot focuses mostly on the dysfunctional love story between the only known female alpha and Dr. Phang the Love Doctor though a second subplot involves the Malcontents. Although the Love Doctor's persona is somewhat muted and a late twist abates some of the tension, fans will appreciate this entertaining entry.

Harriet Klausner

Wanted: Undead or Alive by Kerrelyn Sparks
Love At Stake Series Book 12
The Love Doctor finally gets his side of the story told. It seems everyone around Phineas is falling in love...accept for the Love Doctor himself. Oh the women want him and his uniqueness until the next thing comes along but there is no love in the air for the doctor. And the one person who makes him think of the blue sky he'll never see again every time he looks into her eyes...well she's a bit furry and has a deep hatred for the fanged community. When Corky decides to take her show into hiding and making herself Queen of the Malcontents...Phineas and Brynley are thrown together to hunt her down in the Jone's old stomping grounds, Wyoming.

Brynley loved watching the commercials with Phineas. She could listen to his sexy voice and look at that sculpted body. He was always calling her Snout Face so she knew he would never care for a werewolf. Not that they could ever make it anyway. Vampires used people and seduced them. And her father would hunt down and kill anyone he didn't approve of. When she was needed to go protect Phineas during the daytime and help him search the area for Corky during the night...was it too close for comfort and or comfortable closeness? You'll have to read the book to find out the rest of the story. Brynley is the twin sister to Phil, Forbidden Nights with a Vampire.

I enjoyed this book as I have with the previous 11. I like that each book brings back the characters and as in this book...we get to see some updates in the couples lives. Being we have seen Dr. Phang and all his antics since the time he was rescued from the Malcontents in Angus and Emma's story, Be Still My Vampire Heart, it was nice seeing him in his own tale and hearing about his past. Kerrelyn writes in such a way that the characters come to life. You can feel their anxiety, sadness and desires.
*Contains sexual situations.

Phineas McKinney has fought the good fight since Malcontents stole his life and turned him into a vampire. He's been rockin' the Love Doctor persona of Dr. Phang since then, making all the undead ladies happy, but after a few years of that, it's gotten kind of old. Phineas wants what so many of his friends have. Love. Family. Commitment.

It doesn't matter that his professional life is super sweet right now, or that all sorts of attention is rolling his way since he started doing the commercials for the vampire's newest fusion drink, Blardonney - half synthetic blood, half Chardonnay. That, on top of his security job, has set him up right. But he's still feeling that emptiness inside him. That need.

Going undercover on a job for MacKay Security and Investigation has him playing turncoat in the hopes of catching Corky Courrant, current leader of the remaining Malcontents. The setup was going well until the self-proclaimed Queen Corky got away from Phineas and the security team sent in to catch her. When fresh intel reaches the vampires about Corky's possible location, Phineas heads to Wyoming to try to track her down.

Problem is, Phineas is a city vamp, born and raised...and killed and raised again, so he's going to need a bit of help in the form of one vampire-hating, prickly werewolf named Brynley Jones. She knows the area, it's where her pack lives. Phineas has some hot memories of Brynley from when they first met. Memories like how strong and proud she is. How her eyes remind him of a cerulean blue sky he can no longer see. How much she loathes vampires in general and him in particular.

Yeah, that last one is a problem. But he needs her help, and if working with the lovely but caustic woman as they spend time in very close quarters ends up leaving his heart feeling like she's taken a stake to his chest, well then...so be it. After all, love hurts.

~*~

I haven't read a book in the Love at Stakes series since Secret Life of a Vampire, the sixth installment, but I am familiar with the series. I enjoyed several of the earlier books, appreciated that it was lighter in theme than my normal paranormal romance reading, but had some darker elements that appealed, too. Almost nothing about this book appealed to me.

Not only did I find the plot one dimensional and the story absurd, but I thought the main characters...and more than one secondary and ancillary character...had the emotional maturity of average twelve-year-olds. And frankly, while I commend Sparks on writing a romance that crosses racial lines, I would have preferred the characterizations of both Phineas and his brother had they not been limited to sad, overused punchlines in off-color jokes. It would have been very nice had they been defined by something more than a mess of egregious racial stereotypes.

I felt the dialogue was adolescent and unrealistic and the relationship evolution between Phineas and Bryn raced from contentious to lusty to love with such alacrity that it gave me whiplash. The humor, a strength in other books of the series, was juvenile in this one...though I have to admit, one scene with Phin and a particular item of Bryn's did make me laugh out loud. Character actions and reactions lacked logic and I struggled to find any sense at all in some places.

Why does Phin need to stock up the cabin and sleep in the basement in Wyoming? He can teleport (and does) back and forth between there and New York any time he wants, with no apparent drain on his energy. Why does Bryn care about her father's feelings about her being with Phin? She banished herself from her pack five years ago with no intention of ever going back, and sacrificed her relationship with her sister for her freedom. For that matter, what does she fear her father would do about it that she hasn't already done to herself? Illogical stuff like that, prevalent in the book, drives me bonkers, even when it doesn't have a large impact on the overall story.

I know this series is wildly popular and my opinion is in the minority. I had fun reading several of the earlier books, too. Hell, I still chuckle to myself when I think about Angus MacKay checking under his kilt every time he teleports just to make sure all his bits made the trip. That's still funny to me. After this installment, though, I think my reading tastes and preferences have diverged a bit too far from where this series is now to consider reading any more of it.

~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.

What can I say about Phineas? In the previous books in this series I though he was a complete idiot and almost didn't even read this book because he was the main character. I'm so glad I listened to the other reviews and bought it. Phineas is now my absolute favorite character in the Love at Stake series!! His inner dialogue revealed him for the selfless guy he was and he truly showed Brynley what it is to be loved and cherished! The ending was a huge surprise and exciting! There were a lot of new players introduced... this will make the next books interesting. I can't wait to get my hands on them! I don't want to go into the details and spoil a great book for other readers, but do yourself a favor and read this book. There is plenty of comedy involved as well, so you get the serious heart-warming romance and the fun, uplifting laughs. Kerrelyn Sparks is a great author. Thank you Ms. Sparks for a wonderful read!

The thing I love about paranormal romance series is that you can almost always jump in at any book and enjoy the story. Then if you like it you can read the back-list. This is usually very true for 'light' paranormal titles known for their hilarious dialog and tongue-in-cheek situations. Unfortunately, I haven't had much luck with this of late. Along with another similar series I attempted the 'just jump in and enjoy' theory, WANTED: UNDEAD OR ALIVE, managed to completely turn me off to an entire series.

Call me curmudgeonly for saying so but WANTED: UNDEAD OR ALIVE was so cheesey it choked me. I only made it about 70 pages before I had to give up. The bad vamps versus good vamps plotline seemed like it would be great and just as I was starting to get interested in the heroine I realized I couldn't stand the hero. I'm usually a big fan of the slutty, lady's-man types getting their romance match but Phin was... squicky. The way he treated Tiffany (is that her name? I can't even remember now), his Blardonnay co-star rubbed me the wrong way. I hate it when men treat women like bimbos--whether they are or NOT--and lost all respect for him quick.

I spent a couple of weeks trying to get into this one before I finally caved to the advice of my Goodreads friends. Sometimes you just have to give up on a book because you're not enjoying it enough to finish it. That said, based on what I did read I'm pretty sure readers who already love the series will find this one especially great. It just was not for me, I found little things a bit offensive about it and would rather read lighter paranormals that don't rub me the wrong way.

Wanted: Undead or Alive is yet another success from the pen of Kerrelyn Sparks! Set in the world of Ms. Sparks' Love at Stake series of novels, it chronicles the story of Phineas McKinney, former drug dealer turned security man for Romatech Industries. When he is asked to hunt down Corky, the self-appointed queen of the Malcontents, he chooses to bring along Brynley Jones, a werewolf with a mistrust of all vampires and not just the Malcontents, to assist him in his task. This is where the fun begins!

I really did enjoy reading about Phineas and the Romatech crew again. I've had an interest in paranormal romance ever since I bought my first Love at Stake novel, but this one makes me want to keep reading them over and over again, it was such a delight.

I may be at a disadvantage, having never read any of this series prior to trying out this book, but I have to say, although I had no problems following the characters, this book really was disppointing. The writing was fine and the author has a very creative imagination, but the world the author built was somewhat corny, the danger non-existent, and the romance was completely flat.

Phineus McKinney is tired of his alter ego, sex symbol, the Love Doctor. He admires his friends as they've each found someone they can love forever and he longs for someone to call his own, only his reputation precedes him and women generally don't take him seriously for anything but a one night stand. Although he can't picture his ideal woman, he has no problems whatsoever imagining the worst woman possible, Brynley Jones. He's constantly thinking of her and wouldn't mind starting something with her, but she's a werewolf who hates vampires and he's unfortunately a vampire. When Phin needs backup to investigate the whereabouts of their enemy, the only one available is Brynley, but he thinks she's more likely to stake him herself than keep him safe. Brynley hesitatingly agrees to help him out, not because she hates him, but because she's completely infatuated with him, and is afraid of what could happen once they're alone together.

By reading the synopsis, I thought there was going to be some major fireworks with these two in complete denial of their feelings for one another with each of them trying to one up the other, but surprisingly enough, it didn't work out that way. The relationship was slow and a little bit dull. Everything is left off until the end and it all came off as anticlimactic. The danger wasn't that dangerous, the romance, not particularly romantic, and the revelations, not that exciting. Combined with elements of the hokey, including Blardonney (blood and chardonnay), a large breasted brainless twit named Tiffany who had no purpose in the book at all, a skunk smelling werebear who makes his dog wear a football helmut to protect him from aliens, and Vampire Housewives on the Vampire Network, and I'm not quite sure what to make of it all. It's a shame since it really had some great potential, but ended up being completely flat.

Former drug dealer, Phin McKinney, used to work for the evil Malcontent vampires until they turned on him and turned him into a vampire. Now he follows good vamp Roman Draganesti and works security with McKay S and I. Phin has long been known as the sassy, swaggering "Love Doctor" and has recently found fame as the Blardonnay Guy in very popular vampire TV commercials. But all this fame is working against Phin because he really wants to settle down with someone special and women either idolize him or overlook his more serious qualities.

When a Malcontent, who wants to set herself up as Queen, shows up in Wyoming, Phin is sent to help uncover her operation. Phin's partner is werewolf Brynley Jones. Brynley grew up in Wyoming under the thumb of her controlling father and Alpha of her pack and really doesn't want to go back. And she really doesn't want to go back with Phin. Brynley doesn't trust vamps and she doesn't trust him. But underneath her distrust is a reluctant attraction. And Phin has long been attracted to Brynley but doesn't think she will ever be able to return his feelings. Will Brynley and Phin manage to forge a relationship and find the new Malcontent Queen before she or Brynley's father finds them?

I've long been a fan of author Kerrelyn Spark's Love at Stake series and this book, Wanted: Undead or Alive, is book number twelve. Some of Spark's books have been extremely good, others more so-so, some have been funny, and others more serious. I really expected this book to be much more funny than it is since Phin has long been sort of a comic relief character. Not that being more serious is bad. It's really nice that Phin has grown up and realized that he doesn't want a frothy, light weight relationship. But at the same time, this more serious Phin just didn't seem to quite fit. Maybe it would have worked a little better for me if his growth had taken a little longer or if he had had more of a drastic turning point, I'm not sure. At the same time, the addition of Phin's brother Freemont just didn't seem to fill the old "Love Doctor's" shoes. Brynley also seemed a little weak as a character. She has some trust and anger issues but they just seemed a little light weight to me and the whole thing with her father just didn't seem to pack as much punch as I expected. However, the story, itself, was an enjoyable and light read. I really love the Love at Stake universe and I enjoyed the continuing effort to root out the Malcontents and it was nice to see some regular characters pop up again. We also got several new characters who may eventually get their own starring role.

Overall, I love the Love at Stake series and I liked this book, Wanted: Undead or Alive. Phin and Brynley are a sweet couple but I expected a book starring the Love Doctor to be much more funny. The Malcontents continue to stir up trouble and favorite characters continue to reappear. While this book wasn't quite what I expected, it is still a good entry in the series and the series itself is still full of steam. I am eagerly awaiting the next book.
My copy of Wanted: Undead or Alive is an advance uncorrected proof which I got from the store Vine for the purposes of review.

Lonely, sexy young vamp in love with angry, sexy werewolf who hates him and all other vamps. Not only does she hate him, she is also the daughter of the Supreme Pack Leader. They find themselves forced to work together and eventually admit to loving each other. In order to marry Brynley he must first save her from her father who wants to force her to marry a werewolf he has picked for her. The surprise occurs at the end when she discovers that she is unique.

There are many writers in this genre and while this is entertaining there are others who I think do it much better.

2.75 STARS ** Receiving this book through the store's Vine Program did not influence my rating or review of this book**.

Phineas is a vampire. He works for MacKay Security and Investigation. What Phineas is really known as is Dr. Phang. He is a super star on the Vampire Network (think if it as the CW Network)

The Malcontents, an evil group of vampires are making a move in Wyoming. Phineas is being sent to stop them. He will be accompanied by Bryn. If Phineas was alive, he would probably slit his own throat. Bryn is the daughter of a very powerful werewolf pack and she hates all things vampires. This is going to be one wild ride.

It has been a few books since I have read anything in the Love at Stakes series. What first drew me to this book was the cover. Partly the guy's abs but also his outfit. I am a sucker for a cowboy.

I was not feeling this book as much as I had hoped to. The book moved slowly in the beginning and I was not feeling the characters. This might have been different regarding the characters or Phineas in particular, if I had been following this series and than I would have built up a connection to him. Although, I do have to admit that I did enjoy the witty banter between Phineas and Bryn. While, the banter was great, it was not enough to get me to stick with this book. I gave up on it about a third of the way in. This book had no bite!

Picking up a novel by Ms. Sparks insures the reader will find a unique read that will keep them laughing and wanting more. While Wanted: Undead or Alive did have some of the author's comedic moments, there were not as many elements of humor that are usually within the pages of her books. I found the characters had some amazingly powerful features, such as the way their pasts were quite similar in some things. I also liked how I got to see more than just a vampire world as I experienced this paranormal universe full of bears, wolves, and cats as well. It will be interesting to see where the author takes us from here.

Danielle
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More

Sexy vamp Phineas is not only a Security specialist for MacKay S & I, but one of the most noted stars on the DVN (Digital Vampire Network, that caters to the supernatural). Known as "Dr. Phang, The Love Doctor, Phin only has thoughts of the sexy, blue eyed werewolf princess, Brynley Jones. Having escaped her domineering father, who wanted to marry her off to someone who would strengthen his position as the alpha, she dislikes the vamps and while secretly attracted to Phin, fights her attraction with all she has. While they partner to fight against a common foe, they must also fight against those that wish to keep them apart.

To be honest, there was a lot that I should have liked about this book. There were werewolves, vampires, treachery and all kinds of backstabbing plot twists and turns, but there was also a lot of corniness (I am not sure if that is a word) that distracted from what would also be a decent story). There was almost too much stuff in there...there was an underlying story of a disfunctional family, sibling rivalry, not to mention the love story mixed in with multiple stories of additional characters who are probably central to the series, but because I am not familiar with the series, I wasn't sure what they were talking about.

What I did like, hence the 2.5 or 3 rating.....was the whole concept of Romatech Industries...a group of supernaturals working together towards a common goal, riding the world of Malcontents, a group of bad guys. I also liked Phin's character and see tons of storyline potential in the future. I just wished that the writing had been cleaner and a little more concise. Overall, I didn't think that this was the worst novel that I read....I just thought that it could have been better.

I like this series, its funny and not over dramatic which is a nice break from some of the "dark" leaving paranormal romance books. That being said it took me forever to finish this book just becase I could not get it to it.

The 1st half of this book was so ridiculous to me, that I kept thinking it had to get better, that a writer of Kerrelyn Sparks depth would not think the stereotypes she used of blacks for the 1st half of the book could possibly be funny?

Fineas, aka "The Love Doctor." has never been one of my favorite characters, he was always just to cartoony of a character and not relatable, just annoying. The first couple of chapters are mainly about him and his brother. His brother is his agent as Fineas is doing the Vampire Commercials for their brand of blood and wine called "Blardonnay. (which is funny!)" So as his agent, of course he has to go get a purple limosine and where a fedora with a feather in it and an animal print velvet jacket, what is this 10960? In a different context it would have been funny but not in this. Which was actually serious vampire "save the world" business and they were trying to be taken seriously, a continuation of the verabl humor and banter would have been better than devoting pages to writing that nonsense?? And of course he is a black male, so he has to be a reformed drug dealer, right?

Once Fineas met his wearwolf lady love again, it got better, with more action. But it took forever to get to that point.

The first half of the book just set a bad tone, as schtick and not commedy. Not just for Fineas but most of the characters: the villan "Corky" and the other Blardonnay acttress Tiffany, they were coookie cutter molds of the dumb blondes witht the cornious lines, that were just n really all that funny. I kept waiting for the "ba dump dump" sound or at the very least a gong!.

This book was totally awesome. This series gets better and better. Phineas and Brynley were so perfect for eachother. This book had so much action,romance and HOT passion with edge of your seat thrills I didnt want to put it down. The ending was just amazing. You will not be disappointed. I cant wait for the next book in this series.

I really love Kerrelyn Sparks series Love at Stake. I have most of the series and to tell you the truth I was surprised when Dr. Phang got his own story. I love it. The introduction of his brother into his story made it real. Iwas glad to meet him. I'm glad Phineas was hooked up with Bryn because she made him work for it!!!!

It was an enjoyable sparring relationship and nice to see Dr. Love get what he deserved. I enjoy getting to revisit old characters and see how their lives are getting on and seeing how the entire world of Kerrlyn Sparks continues forward.

What was everyone else reading? I felt the dialogue was adolescent and unrealistic; there was so much slang that I had to wonder if maybe this was for adolescents, then the cursing and womanizing talk began and I realized that this was going to be through the whole book. Honestly Phin felt one-dimensional, like a caricature of Young African-American culture. I only made it about 20 pages before and had to give up.

Kerrelyn Sparks never leaves a reader wanting for more as she fulfills every promise of writing a great book and delivering on that promise. Whatever you are looking for comes thru here and Ms. Sparks truly knows how to rock the world with those that own the night.

I liked this book. Catching up on prior characters, intro to Digger (love him he cracked me up) and Nate who hopefully gets his own book as well as Glynis she needs to break out and live a little. I'm glad there is more to come with all the potential storylines and characters to choose from this is a good series that is still holding it's own.

Latest book in the Love at Stake Series. This story was good but not great. In my opinion, I didn't feel the love like from the other books in the series. It was not as intense. But still a good read.

I was really looking forward to my advanced copy of this book through the Vine Program. I love this series. However, the anticipation was for naught. The book was slow and I found myself barely skimming large chunks to get to the better stuff. However, the "better stuff" was few and far between. Phin is a back story character introduced in book 3 of this series. He should have stayed a back story. His character is flat and silly. Bryn's history is barely touched on leaving the reader to wonder why she is the way she is. You would have to go back and re-read the other twelve books in the series to refresh your memory since the author does gives bit and pieces of Bryn's past in older books. However barring that one is left trying to make sense of something that can not be made sense of in this one book. It is definitely not a stand alone book and you would have to have read the previous books in the Love at Stake series to make heads or tails out of this story. If you've read the other books and remember the back stories you'll probably enjoy this book. If you're new the series do not start here -- go back and start at book one. And for those that read the series but aren't die hard fans you'd probably be better off skipping this book as well as waiting for the next installment, you might have better luck.

Kerrelyn Sparks transports you to her fantacy world of vampires, and make you believe that you as reader is part of the family as you learn to know all her characters from previous books. We then share in the adventure that follows and I for one, love the way she always has a bad villian.

I LOVE all of Kerrelyn Sparks "Love at Stake" series. Very well written characters with a great back story. Just enough romance to make me happy without it turning into a porn. Quick reads with lots of humor. Enjoy!

I got this Advance Reading Copy (not yet cleaned up in final edit) via the Vine program. As a professional reviewer, I often get ARCs like this from publishers, but Avon hasn't been sending me as many as, say, DAW has. So I was delighted to find Wanted: Undead or Alive in the Vine list.

This is the 12th in a series, but the cover doesn't label it that way. The author calls it the Love at Stake series, an apt label for Vampire Romance!

The titles are all clever, too, "How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire" for example was another in this series I grabbed just for the title, and it is apparently #1 in the series. I haven't read the intermediate 10 novels.

Why is that important? Because Wanted: Undead or Alive is perfectly readable, cogent, comprehensible, and completely enjoyable despite the missing material!

There are no long, boring, bewildering recitations of what happened in previous novels. This story picks up as the Vampire Phineas is explaining that he's a Vampire (and vampires, by the way, are actually real) to his brother Freemont.

Gradually, we learn that Phineas works for a Vampire security firm, but is going "undercover" into the world of Vampire TV doing commercials for a synthetic blood drink. He's been approached to do more acting. He was a boxer before being turned, and is still utterly ripped! His voice is sexy and mesmerizing even to vampires.

This series is somewhere between pure comedy and light humor, so Phineas has a number of really silly nicknames. The writer manages to convey and use these nicknames with just enough straight-faced seriousness and self-deprecating embarrassment to give us a good laugh. This is a difficult writing effect carried off with elegance.

In the course of his undercover work, Phineas must take on a woman as a partner, Bryn. She's a werewolf pack outcast, daughter of the pack Alpha. The two seriously dislike each other. They have a history together, and each has good reasons for wanting nothing to do with the other.

This is a Romance, though, and sparks do fly. The sexual encounters are well woven into the plot as they pursue their quarry through the wilderness meeting other were-creature characters, and making friends and dealing with enemies.

I particularly appreciated the deep psychological work the author has woven into the characters and relationship. They have their opinions and attitudes for reasons, and change those opinions and attitudes when those reasons become invalid. That's sane behavior modeled in a way that I feel younger readers need to see.

At no time do the sex scenes impede the "action" or plot progress - and at no time do the plot events obliterate the romance.

This is not easy stuff to write, and Kerrelyn Sparks has made it look easy.

Ok, this was an interesting novel, it held my attention and was an enjoyable read. First, though, you have to suspend your disbelief in the notions of vampires and werewolves stalking at night. The novel wasn't scary at all but it had some good tense moments of suspense and interesting creature descriptions.

The characters in the story are Phineas, who is a "good" vampire because he doesn't kill or drink the blood of animals or people; and Brynley, who it turns out is a werewolf and must change into a wolf at the full moon and hunt in the forests and kill animals. Phineas drinks an artificial synthetic blood which must be refrigerated. Brynley kills and eats deer and smaller animals that she runs down as a wolf and tears them apart.

An important note is that unlike in the Anne Rice vampire novels, where most of the vampires are gay--these vampires and werewolves are heterosexual.

The story of how these two individuals meet and work together on a mission to hinder the "bad" vampires (the "Malcontents," the ones who drink human blood and kill them sometimes, and sometimes turn their victims into vampires) is the basis of the book. There is a good story and in the end, romantic entanglements and a surprise ending. I enjoyed reading the story and for what it is, it is well done. I recommend for light reading and a "cozy" suspense and murder story.