Review: Blood Therapy by Lynda Hilburn

Blood Therapy by Lynda Hilburn (Kismet Knight, Ph.D., Vampire Psychologist #2)

Review copy courtesy of Quercus Books UK

Synopsis from Goodreads
Kismet Knight knows exactly how to handle her clients, but when it comes to her love-life, she's on less steady ground. That was until she met master vampire Devereux, an 800-year-old hunk, who not only managed to convince the entirely rational shrink that vampires really do exist - he also persuaded her to start dating him.

Kismet's still having nightmares after being kidnapped by Lucifer, a psychotic vampire. From a therapeutic perspective she finds his split personalities fascinating - but she's constantly terrified. And Dev's become obsessed with finding Lucifer - before he comes after Kismet again.

So much for her nice, ordinary life...

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8.5/10

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I reckon that Lynda finally found perfect middle ground with this series. Last year when I reviewed The Vampire Shrink it was heavily leaning towards paranormal romance, albeit quite an awkward one. 

Blood Therapy feels like a better, stronger book. Although it's still cross-genre between paranormal comedy and mystery, PNR factor is diminished to the point of it being almost farcical.



Not surprisingly I really enjoyed this book, once I let go of all my expectations, and I'm sure you'll do too. Kismet has a full life having to deal with her stunningly beautiful and perfect in every way master vampire as a lover, but as a psychologist she sees that his confidence and sense of well-being is slowly unravelling because he failed to catch and still can't track a serial killer vampire who attacked him and Kismet few months ago. 

Kismet's vampire self-help group also doesn't work as well as she hoped. Some of her patients hoard dead bodies like toy soldiers, others keep trying to kill themselves or fail to move out from their overweight masters who remind them of their mothers... It's a frustrating mess, but someone has to clean it up.

Not only Lucifer is still after our psychologist, she finds out the unfortunate truth that unless she learns how to protect her brain from Devereux's power, soon or later it will turn to mush. What a revelation, and in a middle of a vampire ball hosted by Brad and Angelina, no less!

Poor Kismet is desperate for any help, be that from an overly-amorous FBI buddy, mystical zen-vampire in charge of vampire library or even perverted Dracula... Plus the annual Psychology convention is coming up, and someone keep killing pretty psychologists.

Crazy, twisted fun. Recommended.

* * *

Хахаха, с большим удовольствием прочитала Кровавую Терапию!

Главное, что нужно сделать когда погружаешься в книги Линды Хилбурн, это отбросить все ожидания о том, как и что должно в них происходить. Дело в том, что они - эта такая мешанина жанров, паранормальной комедии, романа и детектива, что из них получается фарс на паранормальный роман с хорошей долей иронии и совершенно повернутыми персонажами с различными психическими заболеваниями, которые Кисмет как настоящий специалист и рассматривает.

Даже её совершенный любовник и мастер-вампир Дэверо не избегает психоанализа, когда превращается в невротика после неудачной попытки поймать сериального убийцу вампира - Люцифера, что до сих пор гоняется за Кисмет.

Добавьте к этому вампирские группы поддержки, с которых просто выпадаешь, вампирский бал Брэда и Анжелины, советы Анны Болейн, извращенства Дракулы, дзен-вампирскую библиотеку, ежегодную конференцию психологов, на которой Кисмет предстоит выступить, чересчур игривого дружка из ФБР и...*вздох* только и успеваешь охать, ахать и пересчитывать мёртвые тела.

Советую, ибо смешно и суматошно.