Undead and Unpopular Review
Betsy is back. And this time she's decided to give up drinking blood. And she has lots of unscheduled visitors to her home at all sorts of hours and it's great.
Still more like lots of little sub-plots, but I am also still glad about that. I read this one in a little more then a lunch hour.
I am a little bummed that there is apparently a short story between the last one and this one - which explains Garrett (formerly known as George the fiend) and Toni the werewolf's relationship. And as a result of Toni, we saw basically no George. Which mad me sad. I don't want another peripheral character to come into the picture if all said character is going to do is take one of my favorite characters out of the picture.
To even that out, we get quite a bit of Cathie - the ghost from the last book. And I am not so sure I like her. She reminds me to much of the way the Ant interacts with Betsy and one character being that way is enough.
I am glad Jessica gets some more time in this book, but I was sad that it was done via an illness. I guess the idea of Betsy turning one or more of her friends had to be addressed at some point and this was a way to do it. But hearing that Jess is cured at the end would have been really nice.
The "European" vamps were poised to be scary but totally weren't. That's keeping in line with the fact that these books are definitely the lighter side of vampire para-romance (versus the dark series like BDB and Midnight Breed, etc. or even for as poorly as they are written the Sizemore Prime books). I was a little shocked by the Zombie sub-plot. Not so much the existence of it, but the way it was resolved. I expected there to be more to it. But maybe more will come of the existence of Zombies in general in the next books.
John's book subplot was really the worst part of this book. I get that John is likely to get his "Bees" (as Betsy calls them) back together or he's going to try for revenge against Betsy as a result but please don't subject me to that. Leave this subplot in the dust of this particular installment? Please? I would rather see way more of Sophie and Liam (although the way Liam handles that situation leaves me with questions...) Although, it was kind of funny to see that the title of the book was "undead and unwed" hehehe!
The steaminess continues to get better as the series progresses. It's still no BDB, but they are enjoyable little scenes. And I like the development of Betsy - into someone not quite so "blond" (as another reviewer put it).
I also love the references to modern popular culture. I know some don't - and some author's don't like to do it because it dates things (like one of the last of the "Prime" books I read had mention of a discman - wow, did that take me back!) but I loved the reference to Korben Dallas and the Fifth Element (I love that movie and am not ashamed to admit it!) - that earned a little ear marked page and I never ear mark pages!
I am looking forward to the wedding in this Series - maybe after that, we can get more romance for the other characters. Or just more "screen time" for the ones that are going on now (Jess and Nick would be a great perspective to see).
The writing is consistent with the rest of this series - I wouldn't say it's any better or any worse. The book was light hearted, funny, and a great escape from the seriousness of the contracts I was reviewing this morning. I am really bummed though that, from what I understand, undead and unwelcome is a new cover theme. I love the artwork on the series so far and I am totally NOT a fan of the cover I saw for that one.
Undead and Unpopular Overview
This New York Times bestselling author's Undead series is more popular than ever!
With her birthday coming up, Betsy isn't in the best frame of mind to face the powerful European vampires who have finally come to pay their respects. Playing politics is not her strong suit, especially when she finds out her best friend Jessica may have a life-threatening illness. Sure Betsy can save her life by taking it-isn't that what friends are for?-but the choice isn't in her hands.
With her fiancé Eric dodging all the wedding plans, Betsy's plate is full-and not with birthday cake. But who has time to pout? Not even a reluctant vampire queen, who is taking it one high-heeled step at a time in MaryJanice Davidson's creative, sophisticated, sexy, and wonderfully witty series.
Available at Amazon Check Price Now!
Related Products
Customer Reviews
Lackluster, typos, less comedy - Jennifer E. Ruotolo -
What is happening to this series? It is going down hill, fast.
The first few chapters have you confused because of what happened between book four and five. Looks like the author put out another book, an anthology, that introduced a new character that alters the undead series. There are 3 Jons, 2 Ants. Just sheer confusion. After I went on wikipedia to read about the Dead Like book(the anthology) to figure out who this new Ant was, I was able to piece together that little mystery. Looks like George, the Fiend, changed his named to Garret, and dates some warewolf, who appears to be a lame one.
Then TYPOS. One part Tina comes back, in search of jon (the teen, one) and the book called him JEN. Bad editing! You would think in this day in age, it would be harder to get something published, but I guess not. Typos are normally something to you bypass, but it does take away from the enjoyment. Since so many new characters were introduced, I had to backtrack to see if I missed one. I didn't
Then the storyline was just so-so. Nothing too interesting. The comedy was even at a lower level.
I will read the rest of the series, because I belive the author has a good character here. I just Hope Betsy becomes the swearing fashinosita she once was
Quick easy read - Athenna R. Grissom - San Jose , Ca
Undead and Unpopular by Mary Janice Davidson
I tapped my pencil on the pad, trying to come up with a plan to tell my fiancé, Eric Sinclair, that I had decided to completely give up the blood-drinking thing. I figured being the vampire queen had a few advantages--as it was, every vampire I'd ever known had to drink every day, even Eric. But I could go up to a week without so much as a drop of O-neg. So, in honor of my birthday, and being in this job for a year, I figured I'd give it up completely. I would be in a blood-free zone!
Vampire Queen Betsy Taylor already has plenty on her plate. For one thing, next week is her birthday--the big 3-1 in human years, and one in undead years. (Yes, she bit the dust on her birthday last year.) On top of that, she still has wedding plans to finalize--and it's not helping that the prospective groom is avoiding anything to do with it. And then there's her decision to stop drinking blood--something she has yet to share with Eric Sinclair, her fiancé--who also happens to be the vampire king.
The last thing she wants to deal with is uninvited guests, even if they happen to be the powerful European vampires who have finally come to pay their respects the week before her birthday. Some of them don't want Betsy as their queen and will do anything to get ride of her. As if turning 30 last year (not to mention dying) hadn't been traumatic enough. And trying to give up blood is making her really cranky.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Betsy Wail trying to juggle putting a wedding together with little if no help from her son to be husband, she has to also tend to her royal duties as Queen of the Vampires. She is finding out she isn't as capable of handling it all by her self as she thought .
Some very old very powerful vampires come in town to check her and see if she is to be tolerated or destroyed, and instead of the warm welcoming committee they should have gotten they were attacked by one of the vampires visiting the Queen . The Woman claimed the older vampire was who turned her so she was to say the least pissed and proceeded to try and rip his head off. Once Sinclair got the woman to leave Betsy tryed to get to the bottom of the problem, but the uncaring responses from the elder vamp and the lack of blood from fasting was to much and she lost it and yelled at them and surly insulted them . Only to find out the elder vamp was all the more taken by her but will he convince the others of the same ? Can Betsy come to a fair disition on what to do with the elder vamp for payment to the vamp he turned and abandoned? Will she and Sinclair make it to the wedding ?
This book was good i enjoyed all of the books in this series. It is a easy light read packed with humor romance and a little action. I think Sinclair is great he reminds me a lot of Henry from blood ties the TV show. Any way if you haven't started this series i totally recommend that you do it . They are all small books so they are very quick to get through.
Getting On My Nerves in Book 5 - sk94 - Alexandria, VA
Gosh, I don't even know where to start. I loved the first book in this series and recommended it to my friends. The second book was funny, but the idea lost its originality (obviously sequels usually stink). The third and fourth book started going downhill from story line to character (lack) development and the constant cussing and immature behavior of the "Queen".
Now this 5th book seriously TANKS. I have no idea why Davidson insists on making the lead character whiney, annoying, unreasonable, selfish, rude, disrespectful and haughty. It is just horrid and more frightening than the thought of vampires living among us. The relationships aren't quite developed and there are a lot of characters that are still stuck in limbo with nothing new to revive them since their introduction in the first or second book.
I also dislike the way the lead character (Elizabeth/Betsy/Queen) treats everyone around her. She is ruthlessly selfish and has an "I don't care" attitude throughout the books. No one really stands up to her and she continues to blindly stumble through situations without EVER learning her lesson. I know Davidson is trying to make "Elizabeth/Betsy" be a fun loving character, but she misses the point of compassion and politeness.
I am also really sick of all the cussing and rude remarks and the constant use of "uncool" words like: "pal", "oh boy", and "cutie". What? I thought she was supposed to be a cool 30 something vampire not some house mom from Fresno. Either way, the dialogue is hard to work through and Betsy seems to think the weight of the world is on her selfish shoulders and gives the reader dose after miserable dose of negative dialogue. She never gives her friends and lover a benefit of a doubt and then ends up in stupid situations that really aren't THAT entertaining - even though they're meant to be.
Sadly, this is the last book I'm waisting time on. I cannot torture myself any longer. I want to be a fan, but I just can't wrap around a negative, cussing, sassy brat character. Just can't do it.
*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Sep 04, 2010 03:34:04
No comments:
Post a Comment