Suck It Up Buttercup: A Paranormal Women's Fiction Novel (First Fangs Club Book 2) by Kristen Painter - Review

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At 49, Belladonna Barrone’s life has taken some interesting turns. She unwittingly married into the mob but managed to get free when her husband died in a car accident. Most recently she was attacked and turned into a vampire, something else she never intended. As with everything, she’s made the best of her situation.
​
She just didn’t know this newest situation would also result in her becoming the vampire governor of New Jersey. It’s cool, though. The perks are great, the penthouse is spectacular, and the salary couldn’t have come at a better time. Vampire politics, on the other hand, might be more complicated than she anticipated.

She’s handling it all pretty well, including dealing with another governor who thinks she ought to do his bidding and telling her kids that she’s now one of the immortal, when a new wrinkle from her old life complicates things in ways she would rather ignore. But Belladonna isn’t the kind of woman who runs from her problems.

Instead, she makes a plan and attacks. With her friends at her side, everything goes off without a hitch. Or at least she thinks so until a video shows up telling her the one person who’s been instrumental in making sure her past life stays in the past is in serious dangerous. Belladonna suddenly fears she’s bitten off more than she can chew.

​But she’s not about to sacrifice a single one of her friends, so there’s nothing left to do but suck it up, buttercup.

Review

At this point I think anyone who has seen anything about me anywhere probably knows I LOVE Kristen Painter books and this one was no different.  Although some of her other series are very dear to my heart, this particular heroine definitely resonates with me in a different way, as I am sure she does with many "not 20 something anymore" women out there.

Book 2 picks up literally right where book 1 ends, which doesn't always work, but in this case it really allowed me as the reader to feel that I was getting to follow Belladonna's complete journey and transformation.  I LOVE that with the vampire stuff being all new to her she asks the questions that often we as readers want to know to (especially as most paranormal worlds have their own unique rules).  She's not afraid to let people know that "There should be a handbook for that!".  Fans of book 1 will definitely appreciate where book 2 leads you.  Personally I prefer it as with all the background set the book is able to move at a faster pace, and I do love a little action (of the fighting kind in this case), and showing that although family is important, sometimes that family can be formed from the outside.  

I do feel the need mention that this definitely has a little more of a cliffhanger than the first, which is different from the Nocturne Falls series with each completely wrapped up with an HEA - but the main story is completed and it definitely isn't one that I would classify as "throw the book worthy" (I know you readers all know what I mean) - more like just hurry up and get the next one out required! 

An easy, 5 stars from me  and my official Melanie's Muses Approved status! (Yes this is new - Yes this is the first time I am posting it - Yes there will be more details soon!)