Flashback Friday: Undead and Unwed by MaryJanice Davidson

Flashback Friday is a weekly tradition started on Bookshelf Fantasies. It's focus is on showcasing a book from at least 5 years ago that holds a special place in your heart and on your shelf.

The year was 2004. It was the of year of a tsunamis in India and the Statue of Liberty reopening. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King took the Oscar for best picture and Jude Law was People's Sexiest Man Alive. Usher, Alicia Keys and OutKast were all chart toppers for the year.

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This book was originally published by Berkley  in March of 2004. But has been translated into many languages and even was reprinted in 2011.

From the back of the book:

It's been a helluva week for Betsy Taylor. First, she loses her job. Then, to top things off, she's killed in a car accident. But what really bites (besides waking up in the morgue dressed in a pink suit and cheap shoes courtesy of her stepmother) is that she can't seem to stay dead. Every night she rises, with a horrible craving for blood. She's not taking too well to a liquid diet.

Worst of all, her new friends have the ridiculous idea that Betsy is the prophesied vampire queen, and they want her help in overthrowing the most obnoxious, power-hungry vampire in five centuries -- a badly dressed Bela Lugosi wannabe, natch. Frankly, Betsy couldn't care less about vamp politics, but they have a powerful weapon of persuasion: designer shoes. How can any self-respecting girl say no?

But a collection of Ferragamos isn't the only temptation for Betsy. It's just a lot safer than the scrumptious Sinclair -- a seductive bloodsucker whose sexy gaze seems as dangerous as a stake through the heart ...

When I first came across this series, I was looking for other MaryJanice Davidson books to read. I had read some of her stuff in a Secret's anthology and then read Thief of Hearts, and was totally digging her snarky, wise cracking heroines. So when I saw this book, it looked like an absolute hoot.  And I was so right.  Elizabeth, call me Betsy, Taylor is a self-centered, shoe obsessed blonde who I couldn't help but adore. She doesn't take herself or anyone seriously and she says those all those things that the rest of us think, but never actually say. Most people would jump at the chance for a seriously hunky husband and to rule for a thousand years as Queen of the Vampires, but not Betsy. There are currently 13 books in the series and numerous novellas and tie ins to two of her other series, and I have read almost all of them.

"Thank you thank you thank you!" Justine's mom was in my arms, reeking of fear and Dune perfume. She was clutching me with not-inconsiderable strength and babbling into my hair. I wriggled, trying to extricate myself without hurting her. "Ohmygod I thought they were going to rape me kill me hurt Justine kill Justine thank you thank you thank you!"

"Err...that's fine, Miss—uh, miss. Leggo now, there's a nice hysteric."

She let go of me, still babbling, staggered a few feet away, knelt, and started picking up the items that had fallen from her purse. I instantly wanted to grab her back.

Something about her—the blood, the—she had scraped herself, or one of the men had cut her, and she was bleeding, the blood was flowing beneath her shirt, on the inside of her upper arm, and it trickled steadily and suddenly I was so thirsty I couldn't breathe.

Justine was staring up at me. Her tears had dried, making her cheeks shine in the moonlight. She looked very, very thoughtful. And about five years older than she'd looked five minutes ago. She pointed. "Doesn't that hurt like crazy?"

I looked down, then jerked the knife out of my side. Very little blood. "No. Thanks. Uh...don't be scared. Anymore, I mean."

"Why'd you ask them to kill you?"

Normally I wouldn't share unpleasant confidences with a strange child, but what could I say? It had been one of those nights. Plus, she had pointed out the knife sticking out of my ribs; I felt obliged to give her an honest answer. "I'm a zombie," I explained, except I was having trouble talking, all of a sudden. "I'm trying to thtay dead."

"You're not a zombie." She pointed at my mouth. "You're a vampire. A good one, so that's all right," she added.

My hand came up so quickly I actually bit myself. I felt the sharp tips of new fangs, fangs that had come out when I'd smelled her mother's blood, fangs that seemed to be taking up half my mouth.

"A vampire? How ith that pothible? I died in a car ackthident, for God'th thake! Aw, thon of a bith!"

"Are you going to suck our blood?" Justine asked curiously.

"Blood maketh me throw up. Even the thight of it—ugh."

"Not anymore, I bet," she said. This was the most level-headed first-grader I'd ever met. I was tempted to make her my evil sidekick. "It's okay. You can if you want to. You saved us. My mom," she said, her tone dropping; it was low, confidential, "was really scared."

She's not the only one, sugar...and by the way, I bet you'd taste like electricity, all that youth and energy coursing through your bloodstream.

I clapped both hands over my mouth and started backing away. "Run," I said, but I didn't have to bother; Justine's mama had finished gathering up her things, taken one look at my new dentition, picked up her daughter, and run in the opposite direction.

"There'th a gath thtathion at the end of this block!" I yelled after her. "You can call triple A!" I stuck my fingers in my mouth. My lisp was going away, and so were my fangs. "And what were you thinking, having your daughter out at four o'clock in the morning?" I shouted after her, freshly annoyed. "Dope!"

People think because Minneapolis was in the Midwest, rapes and murders and burglaries didn't happen there. They do, just not as often as, say, in Washington D.C. I'd bet a thousand bucks the car that had broken down on them was a rental.

Well, the mystery was solved. I was a vampire. How, I had no idea. Car accident victims did not rise from the dead. So I'd always thought, anyway.

It'a been a helluva week for Betsy Taylor. First, she loses her job. Then, to top things off, she's killed in a car accident. But what really bites (besides waking up in the morgue dressed in a pink suit and cheap shoes courtesy of her stepmother) is that she can't seem to stay dead. Every night she rises with a horrible craving for blood. She's not taking too well to a liquid diet.

Worst of all, her new friends have the ridiculous idea that Betsy is the prophesied vampire queen, and they want her help in overthrowing the most obnoxious, power-hungry vampire in five centuries - a badly dressed Bela Lugosi wannabe, natch. Frankly, Betsy couldn't care less about vamp politics, but they have a powerful weapon of persuasion: designer shoes. How can any self-respecting girl say no? But a collection of Ferragamos isn't the only temptation for Betsy. It's just a lot safer than the scrumptious Sinclair - a seductive bloodsucker whose sexy gaze seems as dangerous as a stake through the heart...

Available at the following retailers:
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Waiting on Wednesday Meme for May 8th

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine showcasing upcoming books that we are waiting, often impatiently, to be released.

Undead and Unstable by Mary Janice Davidson

Betsy's heartbroken over her friend Marc's death, but at least his sacrifice should change the future - her future - for the better. But it's not as if Betsy's next few hundred years will be perfect. After all, her half sister, Laura, is the Antichrist. Laura's mother is Satan, and family gatherings will always be more than a little awkward.

What's really bothering Betsy is that ever since she and Laura returned from visiting her mom in hell, Laura's been acting increasingly peculiar. Maybe it's Laura's new job offer': Satan's replacement down under. Unfortunately, the position comes at a damnable price: killing Betsy, her own flesh and blood.

Over Betsy's dead body. And for that matter, Marc's, too, since he's not quite as buried as everyone thought. Now a war has been waged - one that's going to take a sibling rivalry to a whole new level and a dimension where only one sister can survive.

Release Date: May 28, 2013

Why This book?

I am waiting on this book because I just can't seem to get enough of MJD's writing.  There were a couple of times during this series, that I was like "What?" and "Oh HELL No!", but I just keep coming back to it.  And as long as MJD keeps writing the snarkiest, laugh out loud, coolest characters EVER, I will keep reading it, and anything else she writes.

Review: You and I, Me and You by MaryJanice Davidson

This was the third book in the Cadence Jones trilogy by MaryJanice Davidson.  I have Ms. Davidson pretty much on auto read, so this book was a given.  The first book in the trilogy, Me, Myself and Why? came out to very mixed reviews, but I enjoyed it.  I found the second book, Yours, Mine and Ours not quite as good as the first, but sometimes that happens.  This book however, really brought it all together and ended it on a good, if surprising, note.

This is the story is of Cadence Jones and her two "sisters" Shiro and Adrienne.  Cadence has multiple personality disorder and has since she was a child who witnessed her parents murder/suicide.  Cadence is also a member of a secret FBI group called BOFFO or Bureau of False Flags Ops division.  All of the members of BOFFO have some kind of mental illness, from her partner George who is a clinical sociopath, to a member of the crime scene team with kleptomania, and the office secretary who is agoraphobic.  They all work together to fight crime, looking at things through a slightly skewed lens to track down killers.  

Cadence, Shiro and Adrienne all know about each other and see each other as separate individuals who just happen to live in the same body.  Cadence is the tall, blonde, blue-eyed Scandinavian decent primary personality, Shiro is a small logical, dangerous Asian woman and Adrienne is the red haired, fire starting wild child.   Adrienne's appearances are sporadic and erratic. While on the other hand, Shiro and Cadence were the more dominant personalities with some differences.  Shiro could look through Cadence's eyes and know what was going on, but Cadence could not.  Cadence would then come back not knowing the date, time or even geographic location of where she was.

This book is the one that brings out all the secrets, lies and brings the sisters the closest to reintegration that they have ever been.  I know that the reviews for the previous two books have been very diverse, but if you have read the first one, or the first and second, you must read this one.  It completely flips everything we thought we knew on its head and changes the rules.  I was very impressed how Ms. Davidson pulled it all together and made it make sense.  I gave this book 4 stars on Goodreads for shocking me with the outcome.  

The final book in Davidson's laugh-out-loud trilogy featuring an unconventional FBI agent who finds love in the most unexpected places.

Candice (and her sisters) has moved in with Patrick and everything is more than she could have ever dreamed. Except why does the dreamy Dr. Gallo keep popping up unexpectedly in her fantasies? When her pleasantly steady love life suddenly starts looking pretty darn shaky, Candice and her sisters find themselves knee-deep in a new case that brings the escaped Threefer Killers back onto the scene. The stakes are higher, the danger more real, the hijinks more hilarious, and the love and passion are more delicious in this final book of an unforgettable trilogy.

Review: Undead and Underwater by MaryJanice Davidson

This is a book of 3 novellas all by MaryJanice Davidson.  I was very intrigued to see that one of the stories is set from the perspective of Betsy Taylor in the Undead series crossing with the Fred the Mermaid Trilogy.  The Mermaid Trilogy was a favorite read of mine and I was excited to revisit old friends from that world. This is the story from which the title of the book gets its name. One of the other stories features the Wyndham Werewolves 20 years in the future and Betsy and Fred make a small cameo appearance.  The third story was a completely unrelated story to any of the three worlds.

In Undead and Underwater, Vampire Queen Betsy is called upon by one of her subjects to go to Boston and resolve a situation.  There we also meet Dr. Fred Bimm, mermaid and marine biologist, who is asked to help resolve the same situation by another person.  The hilarity that happens when these two meet is priceless.  Sometimes, especially when an author writes multiple series, you play the "what if?" game and imagine your favorite characters meeting.  Well, apparently, Ms. Davidson played it as well, and wrote this story out of that "What if?" If you are fan of either series, you really have to check this one out.

Incomer, is another wonderful play on the "what if?' game.  Take the the Wyndham Werewolf pack, who have already been successfully crossing with the Undead Betsy world, add in Fred the Mermaid and then set it 20 years in the future.  Here we get a look at how young Lara is handling life as the new Pack Leader.  It is a great little glimpse into where some of our favorite characters from the Wyndham series have ended up and  just very nicely lets us know that everything turns out great for them. Betsy and Fred have only a small cameo appearance, but it is enough to catch us up on how they are doing.  

The final story in the book is call Super, Girl!  This short story is set in Savage, Minnesota.  We are introduced to Hailey Derry, head of Human Resources and a superhero known as the It Girl. Her two worlds are colliding. Someone keeps sending her cryptic post-its notes at work and she keeps having to rescue more and more people, which keeps her away from work.  The point of view keeps changing back and forth between Hailey and Jaime Linus, the new hire and guy that Hailey has the hots for.  The story was campy, funny, and yet retained a sweetness to it that was refreshing to see.  

Let me say, I love MaryJanice Davidson stories.  She writes great dialogue and although the stories seem outrageous and inconceivable to reality, they somehow manage to stay relate-able to the everyday person.  I know when I read one of her stories, she is going to leave me with a smile on my face.  And she doesn't disappoint.  If you  are on the fence about the Undead series, the Wyndham Werewolves series, the Fred the Mermaid series or even one of Ms. Davidson's many other series, check out Undead and Underwater.  This is MaryJanice Davidson at her best, snarky, campy and just laugh out loud funny.  4 stars on Goodreads.

Goodreads:

Betsy Taylor and the Wyndham werewolves are back in three all-new outrageous novellas from New York Times bestselling author MaryJanice Davidson.

MaryJanice Davidson “continues to put her own unique spin on paranormal romance” (Fallen Angel Reviews) in these hilarious and sexy new novellas featuring Undead Queen Betsy Taylor as she meets Fred the mermaid, an all-new female superhero, and Lara Wyndham, the daughter of the Pack leader of the Wyndham werewolves.