Undead and Unpopular: A Queen Betsy Novel

MaryJanice Davidson has a uniquely humorous voice, which makes her the only romance author out there from whom I will eagerly purchase a book. The "Queen Betsy" series is one of my favorites in one of my favorite genres - the "silly vampire" books. In this, the 5th outing for the unlikely vampire queen, Betsy (from Minneapolis), we find Betsy a few days from her 31st birthday, which will also be one year from the day she was killed by being hit by an Aztek (what a plebian way to go!) and awoke as a vampire - horrified to find that The Ant (as she calls her stepmother) had dressed her for her funeral in absolutely dreadful shoes. Betsy is planning for her non-existent Surprise Birthday Party (which she doesn't want), as well as the wedding to her Vampire King Eric Sinclair, which is scheduled for three months away. Additionally, some hot-shot vampire big-wigs from Europe are showing up. To complicate matters, Sophie (a vampire friend of Betsy's) wishes to "turn" her boyfriend Liam, which leaves Betsy rather discombobulated. Until Betsy learns her best friend, Jessica, has myeloma, whereupon she finds herself pondering the same course of action for her friend. That is, of course, if she changes her mind about never drinking blood again. Then, when Sophie and Liam run up against the big shot European vampires - that's when things really hit the fan, because one of the European contingent is the vampire who killed Sophie and turned her into a vampire and she is out for blood. What's a benevolent vampire queen to do? Written with an always wry and witty outlook on life, the Betsy books are truly a terrific way to relax and enjoy a nice evening with a cup of tea. Do yourself a favor, pick up a couple and have a few laughs with Betsy!

I read the whole series and can't wait to read the next book. I liked it so much I started reading her Fred mermaid series. She is hilarious! Some of their conversations sounds like something out of my own journal not that I am a vampire or would want to be. I caught myself laughing out loud. If you like Betsy try FRED! I liked them so much I am buying the books for my home library so I can read them again and again.

Aah, Betsy. She amuses the hell out of me. So many times when I read this series I think, she did not really just say that did she? And as always, yes, yes she did. And this is why I eagerly awake the release of these. In paperback though. Hardcovers are useless and cumbersome for commuting. :P In this story we find Betsy is her usual self-absorbed, spunky queen of the vampires. She's distracted from planning her upcoming wedding by her fast approaching thirty-first birthday, not to mention the one year anniversary of being vampire queen. So, she's focusing on her surprise birthday party that she says she doesn't want, but then writes out a guest list regardless. She also decides to stop drinking blood. She's going cold turkey. And that's when things get topsy turvy. There's the arrival of the Europeans vamps, her sick friend, a vamp that wants to turn her human lover, her step-mother continually dropping Betsy's infant brother off and disappearing, a chatty ghost, a zombie in the attic and more. And through all of this she's going through withdrawal from not drinking blood and grouchy and snapping right and left. I found it fun, albeit chaotic to read. I could related to her getting twitchy over not drinking blood, only substitute Diet Pepsi there. :P I also enjoy the fact that no matter how wonky she gets, Sinclair takes it all in stride, as do all her friends for that matter. All in all, I enjoyed this book. Fast read. Fitting for summer reading. My only caveat was that it was short. Very. And with the character count continually rising, not to mention all the subplots...she should really take a breather and finish some of the storylines instead of carrying so many on to the next book. It gets a bit whirlwindy in the read otherwise. Still though, lots of fun. :)

Engaged to marry his highness Eric Sinclair, vampire Queen Betsy Taylor keeps telling the dead and undead not to throw her a surprise birthday party; everyone says they will honor her wishes. The European royal vampires visit, but Eric says they insult them as they should have come last year. Still Eric tries to be the diplomat when a follower Sophie goes berserk. She recognizes Alonzo the vampire who killed her in the late nineteenth century. As Betsy tries to clam down Sophie, the raging vampire's human lover Liam wants to convert and to kill Alonzo not in that order. Betsy is a bit cranky as she has given up blood and her visitors don't make it easier on her as they believe she is undeserving to be queen let alone a vampire. Life after death interferes with buying midnight shoes as she plans her wedding, rehearses to act surprised at her surprise birthday bash, calm down Sophie, and let the Europeans know to stuff their opinions on her in the part of the anatomy that does not see sunshine (of course that is the entire body). Now less than one week before she turns one, there is so much to do and so little time to do it. This is a terrific Taylor tale that starts off zany ("There's a Zombie in my Closet") and never slows down as all hell breaks loose on several fronts. Though often amusing there is a more serious undertone to the fantasy than in previous Undead tales. Besides the Alonzo "crime" that puts quite a spin on cold cases, Betsy best friend human Jessica is ailing with the vampire queen pondering the ethics of bringing her across against her will. As always MaryJanice Davidson provides an amusing entertaining vampiric fantasy. Harriet Klausner