Archive for the ‘Mary Janice Davidson’ Category

• "Love’s Prisoner" in the Secrets: The Best in Women’s Sensual Fiction, Vol. 6 Anthology
• "Jared’s Wolf" in the Secrets: The Best in Women’s Sensual Fiction, Vol. 8 Anthology
• Derik’s Bane (Berkley Sensation)
• "Santa Claws" in the Naughty or Nice Anthology (This story is also available in the anthology Dead and Loving It)
• Dead and Loving It (Berkley Sensation) (as per the author’s website: The Wyndham Werewolves meet Betsy’s clan in this 4-novella anthology)
• Dead Over Heels (as per the author’s website: Now she returns to that sensual and irresistible after-dark realm of werewolves, vampires and mermaids in three more original novellas—including an all-new Betsy Taylor novella.)

However, after perusing the author’s website, I was enlightened to some reading order details. Considering her books overlap (her werewolf series, vampire series, and mermaid series), this is her recommendation when reading her stories (including her novellas that are included in certain anthologies):

To keep continuity you should read the books in the following order:

• Secrets: The Best in Women’s Sensual Fiction, Vol. 6: Love’s Prisoner
• Secrets: The Best in Women’s Sensual Fiction, Vol. 8: Jared’s Wolf
• Undead and Unwed (Queen Betsy, Book 1)
• Cravings: Dead Girls Don’t Dance
• Undead and Unemployed (Queen Betsy, Book 2)
• Bite: Biting in Plain Sight
• Derik’s Bane (Berkley Sensation)
• Undead and Unappreciated (Queen Betsy, Book 3) (Berkley Sensation)
• Undead and Unreturnable (Queen Betsy, Book 4) (Berkley Sensation)
• Dead and Loving It (Berkley Sensation)
• Undead and Unpopular (Queen Betsy, Book 5)
• Over the Moon: Driftwood
• Undead and Uneasy (Undead/Queen Betsy)
• Dead Over Heels
• Undead and Unworthy
• Undead and Unwelcome (Queen Betsy, Book 8 )

The 2nd and 3rd installments of this series have been my favorite so far, and I believe it is due to the romantic tension between Betsy and Eric. Despite being furiously angry at Eric for “tricking” her into becoming his “wife” (as per vampire law), and ruling by her side as king to her queen, she can’t deny her attraction to him. While she does her best to snub him, and combat his every move, she finds herself unable to resist and ends up tangled with him in the most intimate situations.

In book two of the series, Betsy, despite being “comfortably set” in her living arrangement, decides to become employed. She winds up with her dream job working in the shoe department for Macy’s. While all seems to be going well enough for her, vampires under her rule are being murdered, and being queen, she must help find who is responsible.

During a late night undercover plan, Betsy is used as bait to attract the potential vampire murderers. After an unsuccessful night, her vampire team leaves, and she finds herself alone at her car, being shot at by a group of teenagers that have named themselves the “Blade Warriors”. They claim to be doing God’s work and after further investigation, Betsy’s team discovers that they have been enlisted by a priest, who receives anonymous funding and instructions on which vampire to kill next. Who could be funding them? I’m not telling, but it’s worth the read as you will chuckle all the way to the end!

Here are some moments that I found hilarious:

Witty internal dialog when Betsy comes home to find her best human friend Jessica, sick with the flu:

I noticed that she hadn’t had time to turn on the bathroom light in her headlong gallop, and had initially missed the toilet. Oh well, the wall needed re-painting anyway.

This was a laugh out loud moment even as I re-read now. Betsy is at work (Macy’s shoe department, helping a customer), when Eric Sinclair shows up to give her a hard time about her decision to get a job. As she asks her customer if there is anything else she can help her with, she hears his deep voice behind her:

“I have a question.”

All the hair on my arms stood straight up and I nearly shuddered. I knew that voice. Eric Sinclair, bad-ass vampire and all-around sneak. And my consort, God help me. How’s this for ludicrous: most of the vampires think I’m their queen, and that Eric’s their king. My king.

I straightened up and stared off in the distance, cocking my head attentively. “Yes Satan?” I turned slowly, and faked a big smile for Sinclair. “Oops! Sorry, Sinclair. I got you mixed up with someone else.”

Another amusing moment when Betsy struggles internally with her feeling towards Eric:

“Seriously. I don’t want him, I never wanted him.”

Okay, that last one was  a lie. I mean, I wanted wanted him, you know, like you want a juicy steak, but I didn’t want to be married to him, not without him at least asking. Which he never did. Not once. Was that so much to ask? A marriage proposal? I didn’t think so. Not that anybody asked my opinion. Oh, God forbid, anybody should ask my opinion!

In this novel, the friendships between the diversified characters continue to grow, and we are introduced to some new characters that will be integral to future works.

The tone of this series is similar to a weekly sitcom, and Betsy’s clever dialog is of a similar style to that of the mother in the “Gilmore Girls”. Witty, somewhat “snarky”, a touch of drama, a bit of romance (and tension), lots of laughs, and very easy going all around.

I am absolutely LOVING this series. I wasn’t certain I was in the mood for a silly fun female vampire series, but it is suiting me nicely! We’ve got laugh out loud moments, a nice romantic conflict, a sexy strong Vampire king, and some danger that never gets too intense.

This particular book looks into the life of the ”newly” made Vampire “Betsy” (real name Elizabeth Taylor), who doesn’t think her “undead” status should change her life from how she used to live it.

Betsy, a slightly underachieving “girly girl” fashionista, was attacked and bitten by multiple “somethings” and after a trip to the hospital, was released. Shortly thereafter, she was hit by a car, and killed. Shortly thereafter that, she rises from her coffin, at the mortuary, before her funeral, and decides to visit her family and friends, to let them know that she is not really dead (in fact, she has just discovered she is a vampire, but all is well, let’s get back to living!).

Her mom and best friend are thrilled and accept her for what she is, her father and his conniving wife are appalled, and request that she “stay dead” since this is an abomination.

Head strong, and slightly air-headed (despite being extremely witty), she shrugs off the reactions of her entourage, and continues on with her life (Why not? She can go out in sunlight, religious artifacts do not affect her, and in fact, she is not deliriously blood thirsty). She becomes annoyed (yes, that’s pretty much her reaction, she is rarely fazed but much) when she is kidnapped by vampires, and explained the “rules” of the undead (secret underworld, feedings, etc.. etc..). She doesn’t buy it, and doesn’t need it. The vampire society are shocked when they discover that she is not a “typical” vampire, and astounded by her disinterest (and bold refusal) in joining them.

One gorgeous male vampire (Eric Sinclair) is intrigued (there is *something* very special about her vampirism), and he pursues her aggressively. While she cannot deny her attraction to him, being the independent stubborn girl she is, she rebuffs his every advance.

While, on occasion,  I do find her confrontational nature with Eric to be somewhat irritating, and mean-spirited, (hey I like Eric, I can’t help it), it is fun to have a bit of romantic tension that they do not so easily yield to.

Here is a funny situation where her new Vampire “team” tries to bribe her to help them against the evil Vampire “Nostro”, with designer shoes. Eric says:

“I saw your shoe collection when we were at the house the other night, and had my ladyfriends do some shopping while we slept. Mitzi sends her regards.”

I made a mental note to check the rest of the shoes for scorpions. “These are so, so pretty! Amazing!”

“What a pity you can’t keep them.” Sinclair sighed theatrically and motioned to Dennis, who started putting the lids back on the boxes.

I nearly wept. “What? Why?”

“Well…you’re so adamant about not helping us. Not being a kingmaker, as you put it. Very wise and practical, but of course useless for our purposes. Thus, Plan B must be put into effect. Perhaps Nostro will accept these as a token of peace.”

Nostro? Nostro putting his nasty clammy finger over the buttery soft suede, the delicate embroidery? Giving them to Shanara? Using them for Fiends to play fetch? Never, never never!

“Don’t touch! Bad vampire!” I snapped and Dennis froze in mid-reach. “I’ll help you. And I get to keep the shoes.”

“Done and done,” Sinclair said, his lips twitching as he tried not to smirk. I’m sure he thought I was vain and weak-willed and a complete idiot. Who cared? I was a vain weak-willed idiot with the season’s coolest shoes.

The whole book is witty like this! So many scenes that had me giggling. I loved it, but I loved the next two books in the series, even more. Ms. Davidson was on a writing roll, the further into the series she got!

More reviews to come. I’m off to read the 4th in this series (I’m completing one a day, as they keep me interested enough to read them right through).

This looks like it’s gonna be a fun and easy read! I have started collecting this series, and will be happy to post about it soon.

• Undead and Unwed (Queen Betsy, Book 1)
• Undead and Unemployed (Queen Betsy, Book 2)
• Undead and Unappreciated (Queen Betsy, Book 3)
• Undead and Unreturnable (Queen Betsy, Book 4)
• Undead and Unpopular (Queen Betsy, Book 5)
• Undead and Uneasy
• Undead and Unworthy (Queen Betsy, Book 7)
• Undead and Unwelcome (Queen Betsy, Book 8 ) (will be released on June 2, 2009)

However, after perusing the author’s website, I was enlightened to some reading order details. Considering her books overlap (her werewolf series, vampire series, and mermaid series), this is her recommendation when reading her stories (including her novellas that are included in certain anthologies):

To keep continuity you should read the books in the following order:

• Secrets: The Best in Women’s Sensual Fiction, Vol. 6: Love’s Prisoner
• Secrets: The Best in Women’s Sensual Fiction, Vol. 8: Jared’s Wolf
• Undead and Unwed (Queen Betsy, Book 1)
• Cravings: Dead Girls Don’t Dance
• Undead and Unemployed (Queen Betsy, Book 2)
• Bite: Biting in Plain Sight
• Derik’s Bane (Berkley Sensation)
• Undead and Unappreciated (Queen Betsy, Book 3) (Berkley Sensation)
• Undead and Unreturnable (Queen Betsy, Book 4) (Berkley Sensation)
• Dead and Loving It (Berkley Sensation)
• Undead and Unpopular (Queen Betsy, Book 5)
• Over the Moon: Driftwood
• Undead and Uneasy (Undead/Queen Betsy)
• Dead Over Heels
• Undead and Unworthy
• Undead and Unwelcome (Queen Betsy, Book