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Tantalize #1
Tantalize
Are you predator or prey?
CLASSIFIED ADS: RESTAURANTS
SANGUINI'S: A VERY RARE RESTAURANT IS HIRING A CHEF DE CUISINE. DINNERS ONLY.
APPLY IN PERSON BETWEEN 2:00 AND 4:00 PM.
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? TANTALIZE marks Cynthia Leitich Smith's delicious debut as a preeminent author of dark fantasy.
CLASSIFIED ADS: RESTAURANTS
SANGUINI'S: A VERY RARE RESTAURANT IS HIRING A CHEF DE CUISINE. DINNERS ONLY.
APPLY IN PERSON BETWEEN 2:00 AND 4:00 PM.
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? TANTALIZE marks Cynthia Leitich Smith's delicious debut as a preeminent author of dark fantasy.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published February 13, 2007
179 people are currently reading
11.3k people want to read
About the author
Cynthia Leitich Smith
40books1,247followersCynthia Leitich Smith is the New York Times bestselling, award-winning author and anthologist of more than 20 books for young readers. She was named a 2025 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award Candidate, the NSK Neustadt Laureate, Texas Literary Hall of Fame inductee, and winner of the Southern Miss Medallion for Outstanding Contributions in Children’s Literature. Cynthia has also been named to deliver the 2026 ALSC Children’s Literature Lecture. She is the author-curator of Heartdrum, a Native-focused imprint at HarperCollins Children’s Books, and served as the Katherine Paterson Inaugural Chair for the children’s-YA writing MFA program at Vermont College of Fine Arts. Cynthia is a citizen of the Muscogee Nation and lives in Texas.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,062 reviews
May 29, 2012
This turned out to be an original concept that was executed poorly. The story quickly spirals into an insufferable teen drama filled with clichéd characters and terrible choices.
Quincie, the main character, is trying to reopen her family's restaurant after a recent murder on the premises. She has to come up with the menu, hire the staff, and organize just about everything. She tries to act like an adult, but she isn't really one, and so she misses all of the signs an actual adult would have seen. She trusts and subsequently pushes the wrong people away, and ends up making some of the worst choices she could possibly make.
My main problem with this book was how stupid Quincie acts. She's given multiple chances to figure out what's going on, but she chooses to be blind to her surroundings instead of actually dealing with her problems. Instead of following her instincts, she ignores everything and does exactly what she shouldn't do.
She has a best friend who will do anything for her and decides that he's the one whom she needs to fear. It's incredibly frustrating when you can see the signs of what's actually going on. You're practically beaten over the head with who the villain is, and it's incredibly annoying that she can't seem to figure things out. Yet this story is just different and interesting enough to hold your attention to where you want to see how things end.
I've seen that the next book in this "series" isn't actually about the characters from this book, so I'm reluctant to continue. I am curious to see where things will end up, but I'm not exactly chomping at the bit. I just wish I wasn't constantly reading young adult books that failed, even though they're fantasy, in delivering a coherent and believable story. Just because it's fantasy doesn't mean your characters have to be stupid. I'll just have to see if this series continues in this vein, but I'm not optimistic.
Quincie, the main character, is trying to reopen her family's restaurant after a recent murder on the premises. She has to come up with the menu, hire the staff, and organize just about everything. She tries to act like an adult, but she isn't really one, and so she misses all of the signs an actual adult would have seen. She trusts and subsequently pushes the wrong people away, and ends up making some of the worst choices she could possibly make.
My main problem with this book was how stupid Quincie acts. She's given multiple chances to figure out what's going on, but she chooses to be blind to her surroundings instead of actually dealing with her problems. Instead of following her instincts, she ignores everything and does exactly what she shouldn't do.
She has a best friend who will do anything for her and decides that he's the one whom she needs to fear. It's incredibly frustrating when you can see the signs of what's actually going on. You're practically beaten over the head with who the villain is, and it's incredibly annoying that she can't seem to figure things out. Yet this story is just different and interesting enough to hold your attention to where you want to see how things end.
I've seen that the next book in this "series" isn't actually about the characters from this book, so I'm reluctant to continue. I am curious to see where things will end up, but I'm not exactly chomping at the bit. I just wish I wasn't constantly reading young adult books that failed, even though they're fantasy, in delivering a coherent and believable story. Just because it's fantasy doesn't mean your characters have to be stupid. I'll just have to see if this series continues in this vein, but I'm not optimistic.
June 3, 2008
This book annoys me. Not the subject matter, that's ok. I mean, it IS teen-fic. What bugs me is the writing. The author lives in Austin, Texas which is where the book takes place, and so do I, which is part of the reason it interested me. But she really wants to make sure you know the story takes place in Texas, yall! Seriously, every few paragraphs she's name dropping some local landmark or phenomena. Done correctly and respectfully this can add flavor to a story, but it's done so poorly in this book that it's just distracting. So much effort is spent on these minor details that the characters are never developed. In fact, I gained no love for any of them. They all seem too shallow to be real.
I give this book one star for readability in spite of its flaws, and the other simply because I'm a forgiving person.
You know what? I'm going to edit this review. I've been thinking about it and I've decided that the second star is for daring. Some one finally wasn't afraid to have a teenage girl get bitten on the tits by a vampire. Kudos Cynthia Smith!
I give this book one star for readability in spite of its flaws, and the other simply because I'm a forgiving person.
You know what? I'm going to edit this review. I've been thinking about it and I've decided that the second star is for daring. Some one finally wasn't afraid to have a teenage girl get bitten on the tits by a vampire. Kudos Cynthia Smith!
November 7, 2007
Vampire/Werewolf fiction is always a hot seller. CLS has done some research using B. Stoker's Dracula and has made a main character (Quincie Morris) based on some information found within. Our Quincie is from Austin and she is struggling with running a family restaurant. They've decided to close down, re-model, and open a vampire diner. Recently I heard one book reviewer say "You know how you always see those 'KeepAustinWeird' shirts? Well...this certainly fits".
There are some recognizable figures and landmarks (such as Leslie, the homeless tranny that you can sometimes see walking the streets in a thong), and CLS does a decent job of creating a plot that moves quickly enough.
The problem: she has introduced you to an alternate world without adequately setting up the boundaries of the world. For example, humans are supposed to know about were-animals and they are supposed to co-exist. People know about vampires. however, the rules on the interactions are very hazy and seem to switch.
I would have liked some clearer definitions.
I am sure that this will go over well with those looking to fill a void while more vampire fiction is introduced, but to be honest, it wasn't my favorite.
It was right up there with Blue Bloods. Really? Did i just read this whole book to get zero resolution and be suckered into a sequel? I'm not having it...
There are some recognizable figures and landmarks (such as Leslie, the homeless tranny that you can sometimes see walking the streets in a thong), and CLS does a decent job of creating a plot that moves quickly enough.
The problem: she has introduced you to an alternate world without adequately setting up the boundaries of the world. For example, humans are supposed to know about were-animals and they are supposed to co-exist. People know about vampires. however, the rules on the interactions are very hazy and seem to switch.
I would have liked some clearer definitions.
I am sure that this will go over well with those looking to fill a void while more vampire fiction is introduced, but to be honest, it wasn't my favorite.
It was right up there with Blue Bloods. Really? Did i just read this whole book to get zero resolution and be suckered into a sequel? I'm not having it...
March 17, 2011
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
Oh my gosh, what the crap was that? Did that just happen??? Friends, this book makes Twilight look PLAUSIBLE. It makes it look like ART.
I considered for a while giving this only one star, using, of course, as my ruler, and decided this is just as bad - but in a different way. It is certainly full of cliches (the author certainly loves an angsty sentence fragment!), but it is also just plain crazy. She assumes that you will accept the rules she's set up for her world, but doesn't give the reader any time to absorb them or even really hear them in the first place - the vampire/werewolf mythology she uses is quite different from the norm, but I always felt like I was asking "wait...what????". It was overly complex without any payoff, and she was constantly tacking things onto it throughout the story until it was just a mess. She also doesn't allow the reader to get to know the characters at all before weird stuff starts happening, so you don't realize that anything is supposed to be out of the norm - Quincie drinking doesn't seem weird (other than from a personal standpoint) until you are told near the end that this is something that vampires have been compelling her to do and it's not normal for her. Thanks for letting me know that, Cynthia Leitich Smith. There were so many things that just seemed weird (the fact that she misses so much school, the school encouraging her towards home-schooling, her constant fighting with her best friend, being kissed by girls, THE FACT THAT SHE EATS A BABY SQUIRREL), but I just had to assume that it was normal for her since I wasn't given any help from the author. However, it is apparently normal for her to name her planner and then kiss and hug it in a lengthy passage, because once she comes out of her stupor, that's the first thing she does.
And the plot! What? So convoluted and just kind of boring. I assumed that maybe I hadn't been paying enough attention and missed some stuff at the beginning, but even reading synopses make it sound completely crazy. For all its faults, at least Twilight makes sense logically in terms of plot, and it has a narrative that moves forward and encourages the reader to keep reading. It's full of filler, but the story unfolds in a way that makes sense. This book just throws you in and calls it creative. It is not. It is bad.
I can't even go into all the details of what made this so laughably bad - and yes, I laughed out loud many, many times. Everything about it is stupid. What freaks me out the most is that the author teaches creative writing at a university, and uses her self-congratulatory afterward to explain all the literary references she included in the plot. I recognized none of them while reading the book (and I have read most of her "sources"), but then again, I was laughing too much.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
Oh my gosh, what the crap was that? Did that just happen??? Friends, this book makes Twilight look PLAUSIBLE. It makes it look like ART.
I considered for a while giving this only one star, using, of course, as my ruler, and decided this is just as bad - but in a different way. It is certainly full of cliches (the author certainly loves an angsty sentence fragment!), but it is also just plain crazy. She assumes that you will accept the rules she's set up for her world, but doesn't give the reader any time to absorb them or even really hear them in the first place - the vampire/werewolf mythology she uses is quite different from the norm, but I always felt like I was asking "wait...what????". It was overly complex without any payoff, and she was constantly tacking things onto it throughout the story until it was just a mess. She also doesn't allow the reader to get to know the characters at all before weird stuff starts happening, so you don't realize that anything is supposed to be out of the norm - Quincie drinking doesn't seem weird (other than from a personal standpoint) until you are told near the end that this is something that vampires have been compelling her to do and it's not normal for her. Thanks for letting me know that, Cynthia Leitich Smith. There were so many things that just seemed weird (the fact that she misses so much school, the school encouraging her towards home-schooling, her constant fighting with her best friend, being kissed by girls, THE FACT THAT SHE EATS A BABY SQUIRREL), but I just had to assume that it was normal for her since I wasn't given any help from the author. However, it is apparently normal for her to name her planner and then kiss and hug it in a lengthy passage, because once she comes out of her stupor, that's the first thing she does.
And the plot! What? So convoluted and just kind of boring. I assumed that maybe I hadn't been paying enough attention and missed some stuff at the beginning, but even reading synopses make it sound completely crazy. For all its faults, at least Twilight makes sense logically in terms of plot, and it has a narrative that moves forward and encourages the reader to keep reading. It's full of filler, but the story unfolds in a way that makes sense. This book just throws you in and calls it creative. It is not. It is bad.
I can't even go into all the details of what made this so laughably bad - and yes, I laughed out loud many, many times. Everything about it is stupid. What freaks me out the most is that the author teaches creative writing at a university, and uses her self-congratulatory afterward to explain all the literary references she included in the plot. I recognized none of them while reading the book (and I have read most of her "sources"), but then again, I was laughing too much.
October 15, 2008
Again, it could have been a whole heck of a lot better. I found it chaotic for the most part, not that well written, with more of an "ick" factor than anything else.
It was unclear at first if the existence of vampires and werepeople was common knowledge, though it appears that it is in Smith's world. It is simply that they still aren't very well liked, for the obvious reasons, so no one exactly advertises if they happen to be one.
My biggest problems with this book, apart from the vulgarity, as that a)Quincie becomes a vampire, through food tasting and wine, no less. How lame was that? And how stupid could she get? Did it not seem odd that Brad and Uncle D were practically shoving the wine down her gullet? Questionable behavior for anyone, especially a guardian? So, she was practically drunk for 3/4 of the book and being turned into a vampire. Which leads to problem b)Kieran (spelling?) did a bang-up job saving her from being turned. Yeah, swell attempt there you push-over. Surely he could have seen that there was something very wrong with his friend, if only from her being inebriated the majority of the time. Or was he just too self-absorbed in his own issues to try and pay attention to what was happening to his friend? Whatever the case, how incredibly frustrating!
A sequel is coming out next spring, Eternal, but what can there be to write about? She ruined the characters and sorry, but I have read enough about vampires struggling against their damned natures and failing to last me a lifetime. Find a new idea, seriously, because this one has been done to death. No pun intended.
It was unclear at first if the existence of vampires and werepeople was common knowledge, though it appears that it is in Smith's world. It is simply that they still aren't very well liked, for the obvious reasons, so no one exactly advertises if they happen to be one.
My biggest problems with this book, apart from the vulgarity, as that a)Quincie becomes a vampire, through food tasting and wine, no less. How lame was that? And how stupid could she get? Did it not seem odd that Brad and Uncle D were practically shoving the wine down her gullet? Questionable behavior for anyone, especially a guardian? So, she was practically drunk for 3/4 of the book and being turned into a vampire. Which leads to problem b)Kieran (spelling?) did a bang-up job saving her from being turned. Yeah, swell attempt there you push-over. Surely he could have seen that there was something very wrong with his friend, if only from her being inebriated the majority of the time. Or was he just too self-absorbed in his own issues to try and pay attention to what was happening to his friend? Whatever the case, how incredibly frustrating!
A sequel is coming out next spring, Eternal, but what can there be to write about? She ruined the characters and sorry, but I have read enough about vampires struggling against their damned natures and failing to last me a lifetime. Find a new idea, seriously, because this one has been done to death. No pun intended.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 28, 2019
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1.5/5 Stars
*This review is going to be filled with sarcasm - sorry not sorry*
After the death of her parents, Quince is trying to reopen her family's Vampire themed restaurant. Not to mention that her bestfriend (boyfriend????) is a hybrid-werewolf who is almost the age when he will have to leave her to find his own pack. Talk about stressful! But then, the chef is suddenly murdered by what appears to be a were-beast attack and Quince must quickly find a replacement and train him to be the vampire king before the opening night. Mysterious Brad shows up on her doorstep saying that her good ol' Uncle D hired him for the job without consulting anyone so OBVIOUSLY she instantly trusts him and he begins his seduction of the UNDERAGE GIRL.
This book was... not good. Quince is probably the DUMBEST person alive. She's a senior in highschool trying to act like an adult but she acts like she is 5 years old. She spends 3/4 of the book drunk and making dumb decisions because of it. She makes the stupidest decisions left, right and centre and then is surprised when things fall apart. ALSO... she is apparently in the restaurant when her very good friend the chef is brutally murdered and she just goes about her day like its no big deal... like I'm sorry... I thought you considered him to be family? I am mucho confuso... For a good chunk of the book Quince just complained about how her best friend kind of maybe sort of boyfriend Kieran, the half werewolf half human, wouldn't hold her hand. Like girl, no one cares... She goes on and on about how he's going to leave her forever to join his wolf pack but then Bradley shows up and suddenly her best friend kind of maybe sort of boyfriend Kieran, the half werewolf half human doesn't matter to her anymore and is a big bad scary wolf man trying to kill people. Like girl make up your mind damn.
Also... very confused on the whole world building of this book... apparently humans know that vampires, werewolves, and other creatures exist but it's never explained why... like why are there werepossoms... who decided that should be a thing!? For more than half the book I had honestly no idea what was even happening or what direction the book was going and then all of a sudden she's drugged in a basement being groped by a vampire.
dumb.
1.5/5 Stars
*This review is going to be filled with sarcasm - sorry not sorry*
After the death of her parents, Quince is trying to reopen her family's Vampire themed restaurant. Not to mention that her bestfriend (boyfriend????) is a hybrid-werewolf who is almost the age when he will have to leave her to find his own pack. Talk about stressful! But then, the chef is suddenly murdered by what appears to be a were-beast attack and Quince must quickly find a replacement and train him to be the vampire king before the opening night. Mysterious Brad shows up on her doorstep saying that her good ol' Uncle D hired him for the job without consulting anyone so OBVIOUSLY she instantly trusts him and he begins his seduction of the UNDERAGE GIRL.
This book was... not good. Quince is probably the DUMBEST person alive. She's a senior in highschool trying to act like an adult but she acts like she is 5 years old. She spends 3/4 of the book drunk and making dumb decisions because of it. She makes the stupidest decisions left, right and centre and then is surprised when things fall apart. ALSO... she is apparently in the restaurant when her very good friend the chef is brutally murdered and she just goes about her day like its no big deal... like I'm sorry... I thought you considered him to be family? I am mucho confuso... For a good chunk of the book Quince just complained about how her best friend kind of maybe sort of boyfriend Kieran, the half werewolf half human, wouldn't hold her hand. Like girl, no one cares... She goes on and on about how he's going to leave her forever to join his wolf pack but then Bradley shows up and suddenly her best friend kind of maybe sort of boyfriend Kieran, the half werewolf half human doesn't matter to her anymore and is a big bad scary wolf man trying to kill people. Like girl make up your mind damn.
Also... very confused on the whole world building of this book... apparently humans know that vampires, werewolves, and other creatures exist but it's never explained why... like why are there werepossoms... who decided that should be a thing!? For more than half the book I had honestly no idea what was even happening or what direction the book was going and then all of a sudden she's drugged in a basement being groped by a vampire.
dumb.
October 26, 2008
Tantalize itself means to torment or tease with the sight or promise of something that is unobtainable or withheld. I personally cannot think of a better word to describe this dark fantasy!
Quince Morris lives in world that is a little different from our own. Not much different really, just this small thing about werewolves and vampires being real! But Quince isn’t worried about that, her best friend Kieren happens to be a hybrid-werewolf. Not only is he her best friend she wishes they were more, but the fear of his "monster within" keeps him from returning her affection.
Quince doesn’t have much. Her parents have passed away leaving her in the care of her Uncle Davidson, and her prized possession her families restaurant. Within weeks of the reopening of the now vampire-themed restaurant, all chaos breaks loose. The restaurants chef and friend Vaggio is murdered, werewolf style. Quince must now turn the new chef Bradley into Sanguini’s prominent vampire , and deal with the fact that Kieren is leaving her to join a wolf pack.
As Quince becomes closer with Brad she grows farther apart from Kieren. And begins to suspect that Kieren has some involvement in Vaggio’s death. But once Quince finally realizes who the real Brad is, it may be to late to save herself or Kieren
This story "tantalized" me until the end, even after the story was over! I was captivated by Quince and Kieren’s love story, as well as the ongoing mystery of Vaggio’s true killer. I was totally thrown for a loop! I never saw the ending coming, it was totally more engrossed in the plot that I suspected! I really hope there is a sequel.
Quince Morris lives in world that is a little different from our own. Not much different really, just this small thing about werewolves and vampires being real! But Quince isn’t worried about that, her best friend Kieren happens to be a hybrid-werewolf. Not only is he her best friend she wishes they were more, but the fear of his "monster within" keeps him from returning her affection.
Quince doesn’t have much. Her parents have passed away leaving her in the care of her Uncle Davidson, and her prized possession her families restaurant. Within weeks of the reopening of the now vampire-themed restaurant, all chaos breaks loose. The restaurants chef and friend Vaggio is murdered, werewolf style. Quince must now turn the new chef Bradley into Sanguini’s prominent vampire , and deal with the fact that Kieren is leaving her to join a wolf pack.
As Quince becomes closer with Brad she grows farther apart from Kieren. And begins to suspect that Kieren has some involvement in Vaggio’s death. But once Quince finally realizes who the real Brad is, it may be to late to save herself or Kieren
This story "tantalized" me until the end, even after the story was over! I was captivated by Quince and Kieren’s love story, as well as the ongoing mystery of Vaggio’s true killer. I was totally thrown for a loop! I never saw the ending coming, it was totally more engrossed in the plot that I suspected! I really hope there is a sequel.
December 9, 2008
Didn't like it at all. Didn't pull me in. It was too much the old vampire/werewolf story again. The climax was anti-climatic. I didn't identify with any of the characters. It left too many questions w/o answers. What happened at 2 a.m. or where the werewolf was at that time? Why did "Brad" give up so easily? Let down. There really wasn't much of a resolution either. Climax, then nothing. I mean, does the werewolf turn into a vampire, too? Does his blood do anything to her? Does he decide to stick it with her or try to join a pack and take her with him? I STILL don't understand what the deal was with all the were-things. People understand what they are? They don't? How do the police track them or understand HOW to track them? Grr!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2009
This book is for the non-discriminating teen who needs a vampire fix. Were-creatures are mentioned but they don't do anything cool. I thought it was a poorly constructed plot and had weak characterization. Very disappointed.
June 10, 2009
I was so tempted to give this book one star, but I only reserve that honor for ones I simply can't finish. If you're in the mood for one of the worst vamp/were tales, Tantalize is the book for you.
Tantalize, by Cynthia Leitich Smith, ranks up there with one of the most disappointing stories I've come across. There was nothing tantalizing about this story, the characters or the plot. The only thing the book has going for it is good art cover.
The basic premise of the story is that Quincie Morris is attempting to run the family business, long after the death of her parents, with her uncle Davidson. The Italian restaurant is undergoing a change from Fat Lorenzo's to a vampire themed restaurant call Sanguini's. During the renovation, the head chef is murdered, leaving Quincie to find a replacement, while at the same time fielding suspicion that her best friend/love Kieran, who is half werewolf, may have killed the chef during an uncontrolled shape shifting
The characters are poorly developed and shallow, the dialog leaves much to be desired, and there is absolutely no suspense, drama or romance. I was bothered by the author's suggestion that underage drinking is acceptable. There were several parts of the story where I was confused as to whether the vampires are accepted by society as real or considered mythical. I don't think the author could make up her mind. Don't even ask me on the lore Cynthia Leitich Smith created around the were's in her story because that didn't make any sense what-so-ever. I do not recommend this book and I'm surprised I finished it considering how much I didn't enjoy it.
Tantalize, by Cynthia Leitich Smith, ranks up there with one of the most disappointing stories I've come across. There was nothing tantalizing about this story, the characters or the plot. The only thing the book has going for it is good art cover.
The basic premise of the story is that Quincie Morris is attempting to run the family business, long after the death of her parents, with her uncle Davidson. The Italian restaurant is undergoing a change from Fat Lorenzo's to a vampire themed restaurant call Sanguini's. During the renovation, the head chef is murdered, leaving Quincie to find a replacement, while at the same time fielding suspicion that her best friend/love Kieran, who is half werewolf, may have killed the chef during an uncontrolled shape shifting
The characters are poorly developed and shallow, the dialog leaves much to be desired, and there is absolutely no suspense, drama or romance. I was bothered by the author's suggestion that underage drinking is acceptable. There were several parts of the story where I was confused as to whether the vampires are accepted by society as real or considered mythical. I don't think the author could make up her mind. Don't even ask me on the lore Cynthia Leitich Smith created around the were's in her story because that didn't make any sense what-so-ever. I do not recommend this book and I'm surprised I finished it considering how much I didn't enjoy it.
April 1, 2015
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
d 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? TANTALIZE marks Cynthia Leitich Smith’s delicious debut as a preeminent author of dark fantasy.
Quick & Dirty: Tantalize had great potential, but with the frustrating characters and over exaggerated moments it ended up just being an okay read for me.
Opening Sentence: Lousy idea, us sitting like that on the railroad tracks.
The Review:
Quincie Morris has had a rough few months. Her parents were killed years ago in a terrible accident and they left her with the family restaurant. But business at the restaurant hasn’t been going well for awhile so to save it Quincie and her uncle have decided to revamp it. They are going to go with a seductive vampire theme. Just before the renovations are complete the long time chef and family friend is brutally murdered. Filled with grief over the loss of another person she loves, Quincie has to scramble to find a replacement chef before the grand re-opening. Luckily for her Henry Johnson, also better known as Bradley, applies for the job. Not only is he an amazing chef, but he pulls off the role of being a seductive vampire very well, maybe a little too well.
On top of everything going on with the restaurant Quincie’s long time best friend happens to be part werewolf and he is getting ready to join a pack which will separate them forever. Kieren has always been there for Quincie and she has been secretly in love with him for years. She doesn’t know what she will do without him and their relationship has felt stressed ever since Bradley showed up. Can they manage to save their friendship and possibly become something more or will Quincie end up falling for the new seductive chef and forget all about Kieren?
There were honestly two different Quincie’s present throughout the story. One I really liked and the other one drove me crazy. At first I liked her and felt really sympathetic towards her because she has lost so much. I also felt that her relationship with Kieren was very well done. Her insecurities about her feelings for him and the dynamics of their relationship made her a much more interesting character. She felt like a normal girl dealing with normal teenage problems. She was a sweet caring girl that you could rely on and root for. Unfortunately, that Quincie was only present for a short period of time. In the rest of the story she is a whiny, naïve teenager that I found really frustrating. There is a reason that explains why she changed so much that I’m not going to talk about since it would spoil things, but it just made her so unlikeable. Being inside her head was annoying and it really overshadowed the good parts about her. Overall, I ended up not really enjoying her character which was disappointing because she had a lot of potential.
Kieren was my favorite character. He is such a sweet guy and I couldn’t help falling for him. He is smart, loyal, kind, and very protective of the people he cares about. Being part wolf has caused him to be very cautious of how he acts and who he will let close to him. His relationship with Quincie started when they were just kids. They have been friends forever but neither one of them has had the courage to take their relationship further. They have great chemistry, but they also complement each other really well. I thought Kieren was a great love interest!
There is a love triangle in the story and the other love interest was Bradley, the new chef for Sanguini’s. He is mysterious, interesting, and sexy, but his character felt overdone to me. Nothing about him felt realistic and I never really connected to his character. He was there for Quincie when she needed someone to talk to and he seemed to genuinely care about her. They also had some intense attraction between them, but I never felt the appeal of Bradley. He was just an okay character for me and I wish I would have liked him better.
Tantalize was a fun story full of action, romance, and mystery. I listened to this on audio book which is a first for me, and I actually really enjoyed it. I thought that the narrator did a really good job making the book more interesting and I think she did a great job with all the different character voices. The book flowed well, but I felt that nothing really happened for a large portion of the book. The action does pick up about half way through, but it caused the ending to feel rushed. For the most part it was a pretty predictable plot, but there were a few things that took me by surprise which left me intrigued enough to want to read the future books in the series. I realize that this is a paranormal story, but it is set in the real world, so I wanted it to feel more believable. The story as a whole felt over exaggerated at times and while listening to it I can honestly admit I had quite a few eye rolling moments, especially at the end. I feel like most of this review has been pretty negative because this book really had a lot of problems. But in the end it was still entertaining to listen to while I was driving, so I would recommend giving it a try if it sounds interesting to you.
Notable Scene:
“I’m calling to urge you to be careful. The victim…�
“Vaggio,� I said, glancing at his birthday picture. “Hi name was—�
“Mr. Bianchi was an older man, but he was in good health. A the time of the crime, he may have had his guard down. The perp—�
“P?�
“The murderer, the shifter. It’s probably someone he knew. Which means—�
“It’s probably someone I know, too.�
FTC Advisory: Candlewick Press provided me with a copy of Tantalize. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,� or bribes were exchanged for my review.
d 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? TANTALIZE marks Cynthia Leitich Smith’s delicious debut as a preeminent author of dark fantasy.
Quick & Dirty: Tantalize had great potential, but with the frustrating characters and over exaggerated moments it ended up just being an okay read for me.
Opening Sentence: Lousy idea, us sitting like that on the railroad tracks.
The Review:
Quincie Morris has had a rough few months. Her parents were killed years ago in a terrible accident and they left her with the family restaurant. But business at the restaurant hasn’t been going well for awhile so to save it Quincie and her uncle have decided to revamp it. They are going to go with a seductive vampire theme. Just before the renovations are complete the long time chef and family friend is brutally murdered. Filled with grief over the loss of another person she loves, Quincie has to scramble to find a replacement chef before the grand re-opening. Luckily for her Henry Johnson, also better known as Bradley, applies for the job. Not only is he an amazing chef, but he pulls off the role of being a seductive vampire very well, maybe a little too well.
On top of everything going on with the restaurant Quincie’s long time best friend happens to be part werewolf and he is getting ready to join a pack which will separate them forever. Kieren has always been there for Quincie and she has been secretly in love with him for years. She doesn’t know what she will do without him and their relationship has felt stressed ever since Bradley showed up. Can they manage to save their friendship and possibly become something more or will Quincie end up falling for the new seductive chef and forget all about Kieren?
There were honestly two different Quincie’s present throughout the story. One I really liked and the other one drove me crazy. At first I liked her and felt really sympathetic towards her because she has lost so much. I also felt that her relationship with Kieren was very well done. Her insecurities about her feelings for him and the dynamics of their relationship made her a much more interesting character. She felt like a normal girl dealing with normal teenage problems. She was a sweet caring girl that you could rely on and root for. Unfortunately, that Quincie was only present for a short period of time. In the rest of the story she is a whiny, naïve teenager that I found really frustrating. There is a reason that explains why she changed so much that I’m not going to talk about since it would spoil things, but it just made her so unlikeable. Being inside her head was annoying and it really overshadowed the good parts about her. Overall, I ended up not really enjoying her character which was disappointing because she had a lot of potential.
Kieren was my favorite character. He is such a sweet guy and I couldn’t help falling for him. He is smart, loyal, kind, and very protective of the people he cares about. Being part wolf has caused him to be very cautious of how he acts and who he will let close to him. His relationship with Quincie started when they were just kids. They have been friends forever but neither one of them has had the courage to take their relationship further. They have great chemistry, but they also complement each other really well. I thought Kieren was a great love interest!
There is a love triangle in the story and the other love interest was Bradley, the new chef for Sanguini’s. He is mysterious, interesting, and sexy, but his character felt overdone to me. Nothing about him felt realistic and I never really connected to his character. He was there for Quincie when she needed someone to talk to and he seemed to genuinely care about her. They also had some intense attraction between them, but I never felt the appeal of Bradley. He was just an okay character for me and I wish I would have liked him better.
Tantalize was a fun story full of action, romance, and mystery. I listened to this on audio book which is a first for me, and I actually really enjoyed it. I thought that the narrator did a really good job making the book more interesting and I think she did a great job with all the different character voices. The book flowed well, but I felt that nothing really happened for a large portion of the book. The action does pick up about half way through, but it caused the ending to feel rushed. For the most part it was a pretty predictable plot, but there were a few things that took me by surprise which left me intrigued enough to want to read the future books in the series. I realize that this is a paranormal story, but it is set in the real world, so I wanted it to feel more believable. The story as a whole felt over exaggerated at times and while listening to it I can honestly admit I had quite a few eye rolling moments, especially at the end. I feel like most of this review has been pretty negative because this book really had a lot of problems. But in the end it was still entertaining to listen to while I was driving, so I would recommend giving it a try if it sounds interesting to you.
Notable Scene:
“I’m calling to urge you to be careful. The victim…�
“Vaggio,� I said, glancing at his birthday picture. “Hi name was—�
“Mr. Bianchi was an older man, but he was in good health. A the time of the crime, he may have had his guard down. The perp—�
“P?�
“The murderer, the shifter. It’s probably someone he knew. Which means—�
“It’s probably someone I know, too.�
FTC Advisory: Candlewick Press provided me with a copy of Tantalize. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,� or bribes were exchanged for my review.
May 12, 2008
Reviewed by Karin Perry for TeensReadToo.com
Quincie Morris leads a stressful life; playing the part of a responsible adult since the death of her parents has left her the owner of the family restaurant. Fat Lorenzo's was a successful family business until a large Italian restaurant chain moved in down the street. The small business couldn't compete, so in order to keep the doors open, her Uncle Davidson, now her guardian and manager of the restaurant, decided to change Fat Lorenzo's into a vampire-themed Italian restaurant called Sanguini's. The chef would be the center of the act, leading a midnight toast every night. Quincie's close friend, Vaggio, has been with the restaurant for years as its chef and is looking forward to the new challenge.
Quincie works late many nights a week. She is either working with Vaggio, taste-testing for the new menu, or organizing some of the many tasks left to do before opening night. One night while she is in the office reviewing her "To Do List," she hears a noise from the kitchen. Thinking Vaggio simply dropped something, she continues to work. She is also waiting for Kieren, a half-werewolf that has been the love of her life and best friend for years. She is startled when she hears Kieren's frantic cry calling her name from the kitchen. Immediately going to meet him, she is horrified by the site of Vaggio dead on the kitchen floor, bloodied and mangled as if torn apart by wolves. Kieren is bloodied from attempting to help and is desperate with worry about Quincie. He quickly pulls her from the restaurant and goes down the street to call the police. Once the police arrive, they return to the scene of the crime to answer questions.
Quincie feels her world closing in on her. She has lost her parents and a dear friend within a short period of time. Her Uncle Davidson has been preoccupied with Ruby, his wannabe vampire girlfriend, so much so that he isn't ever home and rarely spends time with Quincie anymore. Now, she learns that Kieren is planning to leave. He is going to join a werewolf pack for support while he learns the ways of his culture. Once he joins, he will never be able to come back. The thought of never seeing, touching, or talking to Kieren again leaves her shaken.
Quincie is in a vulnerable state when the new chef for Sanguini's shows up unexpectedly. Uncle Davidson hired him without even consulting her, which irritates her since she is usually considered a partner when it comes to major decisions. Henry Johnson is the new chef and as he and Quincie work together to make him more vampire-like, they grow closer. The first thing they change is his name, and Henry Johnson becomes Bradley Sanguini. Bradley cooks for her daily, constantly trying new recipes for the possible menu. He also introduces her to wine. Never one for drinking, she quickly develops a taste for it, seeming to always have a glass of wine in her hand while she is working. She is surprised that her uncle doesn't say anything about her drinking. She is even more shocked when Uncle Davidson allows her to drink wine at home.
Quincie's life seems to flash before her eyes. Her mind is occupied with thoughts of the restaurant so much that her grades at school begin to fall. She loses interest in any activity that isn't surrounding Sanguini's. She begins to spend less time with Kieren, both because she is afraid of her feelings when he is gone for good and because Bradley and Uncle Davidson plant the seed of suspicion in her mind that Kieren might have lost control of his change and killed Vaggio himself. All of these thoughts distract her to the point that she is lured into a dangerous situation where there is no way out. Her life will be forever changed.
TANTALIZE by Cynthia Leitich Smith is a stimulating paranormal mystery mixed with romance. The relationship between Quincie and Kieren is touching and so deep that the reader feels Quincie's pain at the thought of losing Kieren, while at the same time understanding Kieren's reasons for keeping Quincie at arms length and never following through on the emotions he feels for her. There are a few loose ends at the end of the book that leave the reader begging for more, which will most likely lead to a sequel.
Quincie Morris leads a stressful life; playing the part of a responsible adult since the death of her parents has left her the owner of the family restaurant. Fat Lorenzo's was a successful family business until a large Italian restaurant chain moved in down the street. The small business couldn't compete, so in order to keep the doors open, her Uncle Davidson, now her guardian and manager of the restaurant, decided to change Fat Lorenzo's into a vampire-themed Italian restaurant called Sanguini's. The chef would be the center of the act, leading a midnight toast every night. Quincie's close friend, Vaggio, has been with the restaurant for years as its chef and is looking forward to the new challenge.
Quincie works late many nights a week. She is either working with Vaggio, taste-testing for the new menu, or organizing some of the many tasks left to do before opening night. One night while she is in the office reviewing her "To Do List," she hears a noise from the kitchen. Thinking Vaggio simply dropped something, she continues to work. She is also waiting for Kieren, a half-werewolf that has been the love of her life and best friend for years. She is startled when she hears Kieren's frantic cry calling her name from the kitchen. Immediately going to meet him, she is horrified by the site of Vaggio dead on the kitchen floor, bloodied and mangled as if torn apart by wolves. Kieren is bloodied from attempting to help and is desperate with worry about Quincie. He quickly pulls her from the restaurant and goes down the street to call the police. Once the police arrive, they return to the scene of the crime to answer questions.
Quincie feels her world closing in on her. She has lost her parents and a dear friend within a short period of time. Her Uncle Davidson has been preoccupied with Ruby, his wannabe vampire girlfriend, so much so that he isn't ever home and rarely spends time with Quincie anymore. Now, she learns that Kieren is planning to leave. He is going to join a werewolf pack for support while he learns the ways of his culture. Once he joins, he will never be able to come back. The thought of never seeing, touching, or talking to Kieren again leaves her shaken.
Quincie is in a vulnerable state when the new chef for Sanguini's shows up unexpectedly. Uncle Davidson hired him without even consulting her, which irritates her since she is usually considered a partner when it comes to major decisions. Henry Johnson is the new chef and as he and Quincie work together to make him more vampire-like, they grow closer. The first thing they change is his name, and Henry Johnson becomes Bradley Sanguini. Bradley cooks for her daily, constantly trying new recipes for the possible menu. He also introduces her to wine. Never one for drinking, she quickly develops a taste for it, seeming to always have a glass of wine in her hand while she is working. She is surprised that her uncle doesn't say anything about her drinking. She is even more shocked when Uncle Davidson allows her to drink wine at home.
Quincie's life seems to flash before her eyes. Her mind is occupied with thoughts of the restaurant so much that her grades at school begin to fall. She loses interest in any activity that isn't surrounding Sanguini's. She begins to spend less time with Kieren, both because she is afraid of her feelings when he is gone for good and because Bradley and Uncle Davidson plant the seed of suspicion in her mind that Kieren might have lost control of his change and killed Vaggio himself. All of these thoughts distract her to the point that she is lured into a dangerous situation where there is no way out. Her life will be forever changed.
TANTALIZE by Cynthia Leitich Smith is a stimulating paranormal mystery mixed with romance. The relationship between Quincie and Kieren is touching and so deep that the reader feels Quincie's pain at the thought of losing Kieren, while at the same time understanding Kieren's reasons for keeping Quincie at arms length and never following through on the emotions he feels for her. There are a few loose ends at the end of the book that leave the reader begging for more, which will most likely lead to a sequel.
December 9, 2011
I read which I found lacking and went back to read this one to see if I’d enjoy it any better. I should have known better.
The writing is still very off putting and the world building just as lame and inconsistent as book #2 in the series. I can’t quite put into words what is wrong but I feel a disconnect between myself and the characters which is annoying and frustrating.
This story is set in a world inhabited by humans, vampires and werewolves but the whole dynamic between the three is sketchy and the author just throws it at you without bothering to explain anything. It drives me nutty when an author does this sort of thing as it just screams lazy to me. I figured with this being book #1 she’d do some decent setup but it’s a no go, instead she spends time describing more important stuff, you know, like clothing and food. Anyway, Quincie is a teenager trying her best to woo her werewolf/human hybrid boyfriend into holding her hand before he runs off to join a wolf pack, never to be seen again apparently. She is being raised by an uncle because her parents are dead and is helping him reopen the family restaurant which has been reinvented as an Italian vampire diner. But, uh oh, the head chef (and her close confidant) is found brutally murdered. She is at the restaurant when the poor guy is torn to bits.
A major problem with this book and its sequel is that it sets up these huge dramatic moments that should be emotionally painful but are just . . . not. The books are emotionally dead. Quincie has two friends, the werewolf/human guy who won’t touch her and the dead chef. Supposedly she admired the chef but when he dies his dreadfully painful death she just goes about her day, worrying about getting the restaurant going and wondering if the new cook can pull off the whole “vampire diner� dynamic because he doesn’t have the right look. Never mind the fact that he’s only 20 and is going to be the head chef (where’s Chef Ramsey when you need him?!). I’m supposed to believe this girl is in her late teens and has the emotional capacity of a mannequin? I haven’t been a teen for awhile but come on; teens are just as emotional as the rest of us jaded [cough:] slightly older, world-weary folks, if not more-so. Much more-so in my experience. I’m supposed to swallow the fact that she doesn’t have even a mini emotional meltdown after this drama? Is she that incredibly shallow? Yes, she is and that’s why I will not bother finishing this book.
The writing is still very off putting and the world building just as lame and inconsistent as book #2 in the series. I can’t quite put into words what is wrong but I feel a disconnect between myself and the characters which is annoying and frustrating.
This story is set in a world inhabited by humans, vampires and werewolves but the whole dynamic between the three is sketchy and the author just throws it at you without bothering to explain anything. It drives me nutty when an author does this sort of thing as it just screams lazy to me. I figured with this being book #1 she’d do some decent setup but it’s a no go, instead she spends time describing more important stuff, you know, like clothing and food. Anyway, Quincie is a teenager trying her best to woo her werewolf/human hybrid boyfriend into holding her hand before he runs off to join a wolf pack, never to be seen again apparently. She is being raised by an uncle because her parents are dead and is helping him reopen the family restaurant which has been reinvented as an Italian vampire diner. But, uh oh, the head chef (and her close confidant) is found brutally murdered. She is at the restaurant when the poor guy is torn to bits.
A major problem with this book and its sequel is that it sets up these huge dramatic moments that should be emotionally painful but are just . . . not. The books are emotionally dead. Quincie has two friends, the werewolf/human guy who won’t touch her and the dead chef. Supposedly she admired the chef but when he dies his dreadfully painful death she just goes about her day, worrying about getting the restaurant going and wondering if the new cook can pull off the whole “vampire diner� dynamic because he doesn’t have the right look. Never mind the fact that he’s only 20 and is going to be the head chef (where’s Chef Ramsey when you need him?!). I’m supposed to believe this girl is in her late teens and has the emotional capacity of a mannequin? I haven’t been a teen for awhile but come on; teens are just as emotional as the rest of us jaded [cough:] slightly older, world-weary folks, if not more-so. Much more-so in my experience. I’m supposed to swallow the fact that she doesn’t have even a mini emotional meltdown after this drama? Is she that incredibly shallow? Yes, she is and that’s why I will not bother finishing this book.
May 27, 2010
Could have been tantalizing but wasn't, 1.5 stars
Cynthia Leitich Smith's Tantalize begins as Quincie Morris, placed into her uncle's care after her parents' death, is helping prepare the family's restaurant for its grand re-opening. Quincie helps runs the restaurant, which is undergoing a renovation to become Sanguini's, a vampire-themed dining experience. When the head chef is murdered, Quincie must decide whether to trust her best friend and crush, Kieran, a half-werewolf hybrid, to not be the culprit. Soon, new chef Henry Johnson sweeps in, complete with quirky comments, red contact lenses, and a wish to make the place as vampirific as possible. Henry also takes a decided interest in Quincie. As things get weirder and weirder, Quincie must decide whom to trust: the now-suspect Kieren or her uncle and the intriguing new chef?
Very rarely have I seen such widely-ranging reviews as I did for TANTALIZE, so I decided to pick up the book and decide for myself. Unfortunately, I fell among those who did not enjoy this book. Smith's writing was stilted and jumpy, and there were little to no transitions between scenes. In the first two-thirds of the book, the plot and setting were somewhat interesting, but the big plot twist that occurred in the final third was very abrupt and unpleasant. The incomplete character development didn't make me care for any of the characters, and the villain was obvious from his first introduction. Overt attempts at sensuality throughout felt forced. Finally, the climax and ending felt very rushed, and the villain and love interest both acted in unbelievable ways.
Underneath these problems, I could see glimmers of what could have been a great story. The restaurant setting, complete with described menus, décor, and subculture, provided a unique backdrop and way to tell the story. Smith's use of inserted want ads and menu displays in the book, along with the segmentation of the book into meal courses, was very clever. In the beginning of the story, Quincie and Kieren are likeable characters and their lifetime history as friends felt endearing and real. The modern-day setting of Austin and a world where vampires and weres exist as known human subspecies could have also provided for an interesting mythology.
Even with this potential, the book was simply an unsatisfying read with too quick a resolution and characters that become unlikeable and difficult to understand. In future books, I hope that Smith uses the creativity and cleverness she obviously has and puts it into a more consistent and enjoyable storyline.
Cynthia Leitich Smith's Tantalize begins as Quincie Morris, placed into her uncle's care after her parents' death, is helping prepare the family's restaurant for its grand re-opening. Quincie helps runs the restaurant, which is undergoing a renovation to become Sanguini's, a vampire-themed dining experience. When the head chef is murdered, Quincie must decide whether to trust her best friend and crush, Kieran, a half-werewolf hybrid, to not be the culprit. Soon, new chef Henry Johnson sweeps in, complete with quirky comments, red contact lenses, and a wish to make the place as vampirific as possible. Henry also takes a decided interest in Quincie. As things get weirder and weirder, Quincie must decide whom to trust: the now-suspect Kieren or her uncle and the intriguing new chef?
Very rarely have I seen such widely-ranging reviews as I did for TANTALIZE, so I decided to pick up the book and decide for myself. Unfortunately, I fell among those who did not enjoy this book. Smith's writing was stilted and jumpy, and there were little to no transitions between scenes. In the first two-thirds of the book, the plot and setting were somewhat interesting, but the big plot twist that occurred in the final third was very abrupt and unpleasant. The incomplete character development didn't make me care for any of the characters, and the villain was obvious from his first introduction. Overt attempts at sensuality throughout felt forced. Finally, the climax and ending felt very rushed, and the villain and love interest both acted in unbelievable ways.
Underneath these problems, I could see glimmers of what could have been a great story. The restaurant setting, complete with described menus, décor, and subculture, provided a unique backdrop and way to tell the story. Smith's use of inserted want ads and menu displays in the book, along with the segmentation of the book into meal courses, was very clever. In the beginning of the story, Quincie and Kieren are likeable characters and their lifetime history as friends felt endearing and real. The modern-day setting of Austin and a world where vampires and weres exist as known human subspecies could have also provided for an interesting mythology.
Even with this potential, the book was simply an unsatisfying read with too quick a resolution and characters that become unlikeable and difficult to understand. In future books, I hope that Smith uses the creativity and cleverness she obviously has and puts it into a more consistent and enjoyable storyline.
May 12, 2013
This story is about an orphaned girl -- Quincie -- who is crushing on her werewolf best friend and trying to re-vamp (literally) her family's restaurant when the head chef and family friend is brutally murdered. The problem? The murder looks like it was done by a shifter -- possibly her best friend? AND the restaurant is opening soon and now there's no chef! Luckily, Bradly show up out of nowhere, ready to fill Quincie full of cheesy lines, heady wine, and promises of a flowering future for her family restaurant. But then more bodies start showing up and Quincie starts to realize the wine-stupor isn't as titillating as she thought it was.
Fast paced and flowed fairly well. Some of the language was a little over...over-something? I think it was just all the Italian and overly "adult" way this character occasionally sounded -- especially when she talked about food. She totally sounds like a critic, LOL.
Either way, I liked Quincie's personality and the supporting characters -- Kierin especially. I also enjoyed the premise and the way the story arc eventually came full circle. You think there's going to be an overly bloody battle, but the end will surprise you. You think it's going to end up being a romance, but really it's more of a coming of age story. ultimately, I want to know what happens next with the restaurant and Kierin, so I'm going to go hunting for the next book.
There were some parts that made me uncomfortable -- a seventeen year old doing a heck of a lot of drinking, the adults being manipulative and unreliable, skipping school, and the unconsensual way that Quincie eventually comes into her ultimate identity. Most of it I could write off when I reminded myself that teens drink and skip school and adults often do what they "think" is right for their children. Still, the unconsensual thing really bothers me and the fact that she seems kind of okay with it and Bradley confuses me...Perhaps it's a thrall thing or a master thing? *shrugs*
Fast paced and flowed fairly well. Some of the language was a little over...over-something? I think it was just all the Italian and overly "adult" way this character occasionally sounded -- especially when she talked about food. She totally sounds like a critic, LOL.
Either way, I liked Quincie's personality and the supporting characters -- Kierin especially. I also enjoyed the premise and the way the story arc eventually came full circle. You think there's going to be an overly bloody battle, but the end will surprise you. You think it's going to end up being a romance, but really it's more of a coming of age story. ultimately, I want to know what happens next with the restaurant and Kierin, so I'm going to go hunting for the next book.
There were some parts that made me uncomfortable -- a seventeen year old doing a heck of a lot of drinking, the adults being manipulative and unreliable, skipping school, and the unconsensual way that Quincie eventually comes into her ultimate identity. Most of it I could write off when I reminded myself that teens drink and skip school and adults often do what they "think" is right for their children. Still, the unconsensual thing really bothers me and the fact that she seems kind of okay with it and Bradley confuses me...Perhaps it's a thrall thing or a master thing? *shrugs*
July 25, 2019
This book has been haunting me for years. I swear I used to see it almost every time I went to my local library when I was younger. I bet I even checked it out a couple times. And now I finally FINALLY read it!!
Tantalize tells the tale of young Quincie Morris. She's an orphan raised by her uncle and loves the restaurant her parents established. Together, she and her uncle are re-opening Sanguini's to be a vampiric delight. When their head chef is murdered weeks before the opening, they scramble to find a replacement. Quincie struggles to help turn Brad into a culinary Dark Lord while juggling her strained relationship with her best friend Kieran who is a hybrid were-shifter.
This was such a cool twist on normal paranormal books. In this, we have the were community as a whole is outed to the normal humans and there are even movements by humans to support were-rights. It was such a different set-up, but I did really enjoy it.
I'm a sucker for culinary books, especially with Italian cooking. I loved being in the restaurant with Quincie and seeing the menu come together. Her relationship with both Brad and Kieran was very strange and I'm still not sure I like either of them??
The murder and paranormal aspects of this were a wild ride. I did enjoy this overall, but I wasn't really compelled by the story as a whole. I hope to eventually finish the series.
Tantalize tells the tale of young Quincie Morris. She's an orphan raised by her uncle and loves the restaurant her parents established. Together, she and her uncle are re-opening Sanguini's to be a vampiric delight. When their head chef is murdered weeks before the opening, they scramble to find a replacement. Quincie struggles to help turn Brad into a culinary Dark Lord while juggling her strained relationship with her best friend Kieran who is a hybrid were-shifter.
This was such a cool twist on normal paranormal books. In this, we have the were community as a whole is outed to the normal humans and there are even movements by humans to support were-rights. It was such a different set-up, but I did really enjoy it.
I'm a sucker for culinary books, especially with Italian cooking. I loved being in the restaurant with Quincie and seeing the menu come together. Her relationship with both Brad and Kieran was very strange and I'm still not sure I like either of them??
The murder and paranormal aspects of this were a wild ride. I did enjoy this overall, but I wasn't really compelled by the story as a whole. I hope to eventually finish the series.
August 29, 2012
I try to let every book settle on my brain a good 24hrs before doing a review, especially if I feel it might be unfavorable.
I'm a longtime fan of Paranormal YA literature. I've seen it evolve. I've read the good and the bad. You say it, I've probably read it.
When I read the back of this book, I immediately thought it was going to be good. I liked the idea of it revolving around a restuarant. My own father has been a chef all my life, so I know kitchen life like the back of my hand (even though I could burn water). I'm so glad that I only paid $1.00 for this. It had to be the biggest letdown book I've read all year.
For the longest time, I had no idea what the story was supposed to be about. Like, what was the storyline? What was I supposed to follow? There were so many substorylines coming off and then veering that it's almost as if the author just sat down with the idea to write a book and didn't bother polishing the prose to make it fluid. It's choppy. It's undecided. It's just bad.
Someone else mentioned detail overkill with the fact that it was in Texas. Agreed.
A better alternative: 'Blood and Chocolate' by Annette Curtis Klaus
I'm a longtime fan of Paranormal YA literature. I've seen it evolve. I've read the good and the bad. You say it, I've probably read it.
When I read the back of this book, I immediately thought it was going to be good. I liked the idea of it revolving around a restuarant. My own father has been a chef all my life, so I know kitchen life like the back of my hand (even though I could burn water). I'm so glad that I only paid $1.00 for this. It had to be the biggest letdown book I've read all year.
For the longest time, I had no idea what the story was supposed to be about. Like, what was the storyline? What was I supposed to follow? There were so many substorylines coming off and then veering that it's almost as if the author just sat down with the idea to write a book and didn't bother polishing the prose to make it fluid. It's choppy. It's undecided. It's just bad.
Someone else mentioned detail overkill with the fact that it was in Texas. Agreed.
A better alternative: 'Blood and Chocolate' by Annette Curtis Klaus
May 23, 2009
I hate it when you are halfway through a book and finally realize that the story isn't going to get any better, but you can't put the book down because in the back of your mind you are hoping that there will be some redeeming quality that justifies the time you have spent reading the book. I am so sorry that that didn't happen with this train wreck of a book. The story is so all over the place and disjointed that it was very difficult to follow the plot let alone care at all about the characters. The author has werecreatures and vampires and werewolf hybrids (whatever that is!) and all sorts of random, nonsensical things that didn't add to the story only made it more ridiculous. It took until almost the last chapter to get to the action in this book and then it was extremely anti-climactic and wrapped up so quickly that if you blinked you would have missed it. I never seem to learn my lesson about buying a book just because it "looks" like it may be a good read. Bottom line: don't judge a book by it's tantilizing cover.
August 15, 2009
I'm not really sure what to say about this book. It's . . . strange. And not strange in the good, wow-that-was-crazy-scary-and-I-would-totally-see-that-movie! strange. Not the creepy, sexy thing I thought it was.
Think about it: Girl has best friend/werewolf/potential lover. Girl runs wierd restaurant that needs a new theme -- and it's a vampiric one!
Sounds crazy right? In the crazy-look-'em-up way.
And I'm just so confused by the whole book that I have no idea what to write.
Confession: The only reason I read this book is because I read raving reviews for the "sequel" which isn't really a sequel at all, but a companion book that features none of the characters in this one. (?)
And another thing! Did anyone else notice how in the beginning of the novel (what's her name? I can't even remember) used Italian words all over the place? It was like: Yeah, I'm Italian. I own an Italian restaurant. Got that? I-T-A-L-I-A-N.
Yeah, I got it.
Oh, and by the way? Really stupid ending.
Think about it: Girl has best friend/werewolf/potential lover. Girl runs wierd restaurant that needs a new theme -- and it's a vampiric one!
Sounds crazy right? In the crazy-look-'em-up way.
And I'm just so confused by the whole book that I have no idea what to write.
Confession: The only reason I read this book is because I read raving reviews for the "sequel" which isn't really a sequel at all, but a companion book that features none of the characters in this one. (?)
And another thing! Did anyone else notice how in the beginning of the novel (what's her name? I can't even remember) used Italian words all over the place? It was like: Yeah, I'm Italian. I own an Italian restaurant. Got that? I-T-A-L-I-A-N.
Yeah, I got it.
Oh, and by the way? Really stupid ending.
February 16, 2009
This was somewhat unique. I found the "restaurant" to be an interesting bend...
It had humor, but I felt that the author could have done more with this book!
It had humor, but I felt that the author could have done more with this book!
December 29, 2018
I really liked this book it was a bit weird but in a really interesting way I tend to like books like this. I really liked the characters especially Quincie and Keiran although I did dislike her obliviousness I liked the relationships between the characters as well. I liked the story even if it was a bit weird it was still rather enjoyable. So overall I liked this book and will continue the series soon.
October 30, 2024
This story was so disjointed and oftentimes so confusing I feel like bits were just missing. The characters were all so flat and uninteresting. It’s hard to say what this story was trying to be. And then it just ended. This was supremely unsatisfying.
June 11, 2013
Bleh. Horrible ending, okay plot, shallow characters, and just a whole lot of weirdness. Like, the entire story is about their stupid vampire restaurant. And then at the end You never find out what happens to her, only that her half-werewolf boyfriend (yes, I did say HALF werewolf.) will be with her forever. This is the same friend who stabbed through her hand with his half-werewolf claws one time - if not for some extreme healing efforts, she would have lost the use of her hand. What a FANTASTIC boyfriend, right?
Oh, yes, and there's this pathetic sub-plot about her half-werewolf boyfriend needing to get accepted into a werewolf pack. Like, he needs to apply or something, like an office job. And Quincie is all heartbroken all the time because her little, adorable wolfie is going to be leaving her to go join a pack. *sob* :( Poor little shallow Quincie.
One other thing about the story. Prepare for a huge amount of hearing what food tastes like. Probably a third of the book is spent with Quincie taste-testing food for the restaurant. And let's just say she ate a baby squirrel and described what it tasted like. She ate it to impress some dude she's crushing on. I mean, really? I never considered baby squirrel breath to be attractive. Unless it's some sort of guy thing. Or Texas thing. (by the way, this book takes place in Texas)
The reason why this book even gets 2 stars is because it was so ridiculously stupid that it was mildly funny. I mean, the major conflict of the story is that Quincie is trying to recruit a new chef to their vampire themed restaurant, and then she's trying to train "Brad" (that's not even his real name, just one Quince made up for him), the new employee, to be a good vampire king. Plus there's all the conflicts with half-werewolf boy and the whole classic orphan backstory. Authors just love orphans, don't they?
Read this book if you like major disappointment and seriously stupid characters and plots. :)
Oh, yes, and there's this pathetic sub-plot about her half-werewolf boyfriend needing to get accepted into a werewolf pack. Like, he needs to apply or something, like an office job. And Quincie is all heartbroken all the time because her little, adorable wolfie is going to be leaving her to go join a pack. *sob* :( Poor little shallow Quincie.
One other thing about the story. Prepare for a huge amount of hearing what food tastes like. Probably a third of the book is spent with Quincie taste-testing food for the restaurant. And let's just say she ate a baby squirrel and described what it tasted like. She ate it to impress some dude she's crushing on. I mean, really? I never considered baby squirrel breath to be attractive. Unless it's some sort of guy thing. Or Texas thing. (by the way, this book takes place in Texas)
The reason why this book even gets 2 stars is because it was so ridiculously stupid that it was mildly funny. I mean, the major conflict of the story is that Quincie is trying to recruit a new chef to their vampire themed restaurant, and then she's trying to train "Brad" (that's not even his real name, just one Quince made up for him), the new employee, to be a good vampire king. Plus there's all the conflicts with half-werewolf boy and the whole classic orphan backstory. Authors just love orphans, don't they?
Read this book if you like major disappointment and seriously stupid characters and plots. :)
December 7, 2010
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.
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.
September 28, 2011
This book was slow pretty much up until the end. I am not sure why I kept reading on, but I did, and the end made me glad I did.
Okay... So I was glad that I stuck through it because I had the next book "Eternal," or what I thought was the next book. Turns out, "Eternal" has all different characters and I am not going to find out what happens with Kieran and Quince until the third book "Blessed". I am actually annoyed with myself that I made myself finish Tantalize now...
That being said, this book was not all bad. I mean, I did keep reading on, so that counts for something. I think it had the potential of being much better. Quince claims that she is in love with her best friend Kieran, but it seems more like lust than love. There are times in the book where there calls for more emmotion from Quince, but she seems really detached from the world, her family members, and the one she claims to have loved her entire life, kieran.
For me, a book is all about the emotions the author can bring out in their readers. It is important to be able to be sucked into a book and almost feel like you are right in the story, feeling what the characters feel, experiencing what they experience. This book did not drag me in and I am hoping the next book (which I am currently reading) is much better.
Okay... So I was glad that I stuck through it because I had the next book "Eternal," or what I thought was the next book. Turns out, "Eternal" has all different characters and I am not going to find out what happens with Kieran and Quince until the third book "Blessed". I am actually annoyed with myself that I made myself finish Tantalize now...
That being said, this book was not all bad. I mean, I did keep reading on, so that counts for something. I think it had the potential of being much better. Quince claims that she is in love with her best friend Kieran, but it seems more like lust than love. There are times in the book where there calls for more emmotion from Quince, but she seems really detached from the world, her family members, and the one she claims to have loved her entire life, kieran.
For me, a book is all about the emotions the author can bring out in their readers. It is important to be able to be sucked into a book and almost feel like you are right in the story, feeling what the characters feel, experiencing what they experience. This book did not drag me in and I am hoping the next book (which I am currently reading) is much better.
December 3, 2008
The beginning of the book gives you an edge and its action. What i like about books, because your intrigued and have your face buried in the book. Tantalize was thrilling and mysterious because you don't know who the killer is, she gives clues about certain people and your guess gets thrown off. So you keep going into the book and its amazing how the turn out is because you never suspected it coming. The bad guy is actually the guy that is with her 24/7 and she doesn't even realize it. I didn't either. Its vampirlious and werewolflicious, thats if you like that kind of stuff. The end leaves you on the edge because she just leaves the scene with both guys that absolutely hate eachother. OH! and she gets turned into a Vampire, but see at the end she tells you that Brad (bad guy) was posoining her all along by giving your different brands of wine, its spicy. What i learned again is that Paranormal books rule!!!
October 5, 2009
Ugh. Just, ugh. Ok, I'll try to be coherent...
I can't tell you how many times throughout this book that I said "wait...what??" I literally had no idea how we just got to the point of action we were in!! The transitions and scene building, not to mention character and plot building, were practically non-exixtent! I honestly couldn't wait to finish this book. This author is better suited to children's horror ala Goosebumps.
The story is basically a vampire/werewolf rivalry story with the ever- present vulnerable human girl who gets caught in the middle. Sound familiar? Except, it played out like an R.L. Stine sitcom for 10 year olds.
Unfortunately, I have a really hard time giving up on a story because I have to know the end, no matter how bad the journey is to get there.
Do yourself a favor and DO NOT waste your time!
I can't tell you how many times throughout this book that I said "wait...what??" I literally had no idea how we just got to the point of action we were in!! The transitions and scene building, not to mention character and plot building, were practically non-exixtent! I honestly couldn't wait to finish this book. This author is better suited to children's horror ala Goosebumps.
The story is basically a vampire/werewolf rivalry story with the ever- present vulnerable human girl who gets caught in the middle. Sound familiar? Except, it played out like an R.L. Stine sitcom for 10 year olds.
Unfortunately, I have a really hard time giving up on a story because I have to know the end, no matter how bad the journey is to get there.
Do yourself a favor and DO NOT waste your time!
March 21, 2009
This book was terrible. I should have known, and I was clued in by even just the description on the back cover, that this was going to be a "teen vampire novel." But, I was a big fan of Buffy when I was a teen, and I thought I'd give it a chance. From the start, this book annoyed me. I listened to the audio book while working, and the narrator's voice was so irritating I had to shut it off a few times. She also attempted to do accents and voices, which was equally terrible. Plot-wise, the main character was irritating, the dialogue was boring and also irritating, and I just felt like the whole thing was laughable. I would not recommend this book to anyone, no matter how desperate they were for a vampire novel fix.
September 25, 2007
I adore a good vampire novel and I enjoy young adult novels, and this book combines some of the best of both. If you have read Twilight, you will definitely enjoy this book. In some ways it feels like Twilight meets Like Water for Chocolate. There are menus and a fun sub-plot involving opening a vampire-themed restaurant. However, the vampires really weren't compelling to me and the "head" vampire, if you will, did not give off that sexy vibe. I thought that the main character was unfortunately naive, but I still liked her. I found this book to be a page turner, but not as good as my favorites in the genre.
July 16, 2009
There is one word to describe this book: BORING.
I disliked all of the characters, and grew tired of hearing the name of the main character, Quincie, as well as the name of the restaraunt, Sanguinis.
Everything about this book annoyed me and seemed frankly ridiculous. I mean, werearmadillos and werepossums? This book was a mess. There was no character development at all, the ending was poor, and the writing style was quirky and overdone.
Random, unimportant sidestories were thrown in, and nothing really ever happens. There was just nothing to like about this book. Instead of an escape, it was more of an imprisonment.
Never again will I read this book.
I disliked all of the characters, and grew tired of hearing the name of the main character, Quincie, as well as the name of the restaraunt, Sanguinis.
Everything about this book annoyed me and seemed frankly ridiculous. I mean, werearmadillos and werepossums? This book was a mess. There was no character development at all, the ending was poor, and the writing style was quirky and overdone.
Random, unimportant sidestories were thrown in, and nothing really ever happens. There was just nothing to like about this book. Instead of an escape, it was more of an imprisonment.
Never again will I read this book.
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