Review Don’t Bite the Messenger by Regan Summers
The vampire population may have created an economic boom in Alaska, but their altered energy field fries most technology. They rely on hard-living—and short-lived—couriers to get business done…couriers like Sydney Kildare.
Sydney has survived to the ripe old age of twenty-six by being careful. She’s careful when navigating her tempestuous clients, outrunning hijackers and avoiding anyone who might distract her from her plan of retiring young to a tropical, vampire-free island.
Her attitude—and immunity to vampires’ allure—have made her the target of a faction of vampires trying to reclaim their territory. Her only ally is Malcolm Kelly, a secretive charmer with the uncanny habit of showing up whenever she’s in trouble. Caught in the middle of a vampire turf war, Sydney has to count on Malcolm to help her survive, or the only place she’ll retire is her grave…
Dont’ bite the Messenger was amazing. Like completely different from anything I’ve ever read when it comes to the vampire world. First she is a courier, in a world where couriers don’t live long mainly because they are bought and sold and buy nd sell their loyalties like one would acquire property. Sydney has managed to stay alive mainly because she runs faster, and delivers her packages safely and doesn’t get involved in vampire politics. Oh and she has this ability to not be influenced in a vampiric way which makes her incorruptible.
As a result of her inability to be corrupted the most powerful vampires in Alaska use her services because they know she won’t give up her secrets for money or because she can’t help it. But when she gets caught in the middle of a vampire turf war she becomes collateral against the vampires she has come to somewhat respect and who have conversely sort of quietly protected her as a resource because she is honest, can’t be corrupted and does her job so well.
When a turf war erupts between two vampire factions, Sydney because she is so well known as a courier who is liked by one particular faction she becomes a symbol for those vampires, and she becomes a target.
This is a fantastic vampire novel. I LOVED it, it was so unique so exciting, so dark. Sydney is on her way out, she has an exit strategy she is not at all enamored or enraptured with the vampiric lifestyle, in fact she kind of hates it, yet thats what makes her good at her job, she doesn’t like them as a whole but respects what they are capable of so she knows how to walk the thin line keeping her life separate from theirs, but when this turf war starts its the vampires, and one in particular who comes to her rescue.
If you can’t tell by now I loved this book. it was such a breath of fresh air in a crowded paranormal field. I will be buying ALL of Regan Summers Books.
Overall Rating: A
