Review: Vegetarian Vampire hooked me right in
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 20, 2011
Vegetarian vampire. Stop right there. Say what now? Welcome to the alternate universe of Dana Marie Bell's Blood of the Maple and the set-up for some fantastic lines aiming straight for the jugular of our hero, Parker. "She turned you into Bunnicula," was a particular favorite of mine.The 'she' is an ex of Parker's who curses him after he leaves her. Decades later he is still dealing with the aftermath of being unable to drink blood. And then he meets of heroine, the lovely, fey Amara, a dryad outcast in the town of Maggie's Grove (which is also a haven for all supernatural folk, by the way).Cue visions of tiny flying cupids, white picket fences and vamplings. It is true luurrrrvvveee. And boy, do they express that love. Everywhere. Explicitly. But it can't all be happy endings (boom tish!) for our couple. They have to deal with the psycho with stalking Parker and the strange animosity that the other supernatural folk demonstrate towards Amara, who has some secrets of her own to deal with. I won't spoil it, but when you find out what she is, you will laugh out loud (in a good way- it's totally out of left field!)I loved the premise for this book- the supernatural community (just as closed minded as any human one), the vegetarian twist, the unique, slightly off heroine and the amazing battle scene were all highlights.I just wish the author stopped and wrapped it all up there at the big battle, it felt like a very natural climax, but I guess she wanted to tie up more of the loose ends for the readers.But overall, a fun read with twists galore to keep your attention even if you are a long time fantasy reader.Disclosure- I received a digital ARC for review.