Tantalize (Tantalize #1) by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Title: Tantalize

Author: Cynthia Leitich Smith

Series: 1st in series

Pages: 336

Published: February 2007 by Candlewick

ISBN: 9780763627911

Source: Library

Description: Quincie Morris has never felt more alone. Her parents are dead, and her hybrid-werewolf first love is threatening to embark on a rite of passage that will separate them forever. Then, as she and her uncle are about to unveil their hot vampire-themed restaurant, a brutal murder leaves them scrambling for a chef. Can Quincie transform their new hire into a culinary Dark Lord before opening night? Can he wow the crowd in his fake fangs, cheap cape, and red contact lenses — or is there more to this earnest face than meets the eye? As human and preternatural forces clash, a deadly love triangle forms, and the line between predator and prey begins to blur. Who’s playing whom? And how long can Quincie play along before she loses everything?

I Give This ...

 

I accidentally read the second in the series first.  Since it's actually a companion novel, it turned out it didn't matter.  I wanted to read this one because the 3rd in the series comes out soon and it's suppose to contain characters from both books.  It wasn't as good as I had hoped, but wasn't a complete disappointment either.

For half of the book, I wasn't even sure the direction it was going to take.  It seemed to be more about werewolves than vampires.  And neither seems to be very well explained.    I was confused by certain events and what there place in the story actually was.  I also had a hard time with Quince.  Her characteristics changed during the story.  And while we learn there is an explanation why, it just made the story feel off.  

Oddly enough, I guess I also didn't get the whole point of the vampire restaurant and so much of the story focuses on it.  I get why the vampires were on board with the idea.  The were using it as a way to increase numbers.  But, I didn't get why Quince thought it was a good idea to start one.  I think my problem was I never fully understood how vampires and werewolves functioned in society.  It seemed to be similar to the idea in The Sookie Stackhouse series, but it was never very clear.

I'm still glad I read it so the characters are familiar when I read Blessed.  But, I probably would have been fine with out it.