It seems like troubles keep following Betsy, and she can’t shake it off as quickly as she purchases the latest designer shoes. Fun adventure with a snarky main character. The Undead series is also known as the Queen Betsy series.
Series Title: Undead
Author: MaryJanice Davidson
Genres: Fantasy > Paranormal > Vampires
Read Format: Kindle Edition
Total Pages: ± 5,146 (Approximately – Manual count on the pages for the short stories)
Reading Date: 01st June ~ 2021 ~ 17th July 2021
The Reading Order – How to Read Undead Series by MaryJanice Davidson
- 1 Undead and Unwed
- 1.5 Cravings – Dead Girls Don’t Dance – (Characters appear in book 3)
- 2 Undead and Unemployed
- 2.5 Bite – Biting in Plain Sight – (Characters appear in book 5)
- 3 Undead and Unappreciated
- 3.5 The Incredible Misadventures of Boo and the Boy Blunder – (Didn’t appear)
- 4 Undead and Unreturnable
- 4.5 Dead and Loving It – Fiend in Need – (It’s OK, characters appear in book 5)
- 5 Undead and Unpopular
- 6 Undead and Uneasy
- 6.5 Dead Over Heels – A Honeymoon Story – (It’s OK)
- 7 Undead and Unworthy
- 8 Undead and Unwelcome
- 9 Undead and Unfinished
- 10 Undead and Undermined
- 11 Undead and Unstable
- 11.5 Undead and Underwater – (Characters mentioned in book 14)
- 12 Undead and Unsure
- 13 Undead and Unwary
- 14 Undead and Unforgiven
- 15 Undead and Done
- 15.5 Unreliable – (It’s OK, anytime after book 11)
The book series’ order number is from Goodreads. However, I noticed some of the characters from the short stories did not come out immediately in the next following main book, but after several books. If you want to read it right before encountering them in the main story, I left some notes next to the book’s titles above.
Undead and Unwed
It’s been a hell of a week for Betsy Taylor. First, she loses her job. Then she’s killed in a freak accident only to wake up in a morgue to discover she’s a vampire.
On the plus side, being undead sure beats the alternative. She now has superhuman strength and an unnatural effect on the opposite sex. But what Betsy can’t handle is her new liquid diet…
And whilst her mother and best friend are just relieved to find out that being dead doesn’t mean Betsy’s can’t visit, her new ‘night-time’ friends have the ridiculous idea that Betsy is the prophesied vampire queen.
The scrumptious Sinclair and his cohorts want her help in overthrowing the most obnoxious power-hungry vampire in five centuries. (A Bella Lugosi wannabe who’s seen one too many B-movies.) Frankly, Betsy couldn’t care less about vamp politics. But Sinclair and his followers have a powerful weapon in their arsenal – unlimited access to Manolo Blahnik’s Spring collection. Well, just because a girl’s dead – er undead – doesn’t mean she can’t have great shoes…
My thoughts…
The storyline was interesting enough to hook me up from the beginning, and I had to force myself to put it down to get some sleep. But, even then, some nights, Betsy was still able to let herself into my dreamland 😁.
I loved the story because it seemed realistic. A normal person would react the same as Betsy, telling family members or friends because they deserved to know the truth and put them out of misery. Another reason was that the main character was badass, snarky and funny!
Cravings – Dead Girls Don’t Dance
Four favourite authors present their favourite characters in all-new tales of bloodlust, appetites that must be sated again and again, and the passion that feeds them.
Beyond the Ardeur (An Anita Blake tale) By Laurell K. Hamilton, Dead Girls Don’t Dance by MaryJanice Davidson, Originally Human by Eileen Wilks and Burning Moon by Rebecca York.
“Dead Girls Don’t Dance,” by MaryJanice Davidson
Vampire Andrea Mercer is literally dug up by an old crush, Daniel Harris, and during a trip to Minnesota to see the vampire queen, her desire for him reignites.
My thoughts…
This short story is not about Betsy but about Andrea Mercer. I have no idea why Andrea has her story told in this book and her connection to Betsy. I guess we’ll find out in book two, Undead and Unemployed. (I Only read about them in book #3, so, I think this should be placed in #2.5).
In Dead Girls Don’t Dance, Andrea accidentally runs into Daniel, a guy she had a crush on when she was still alive. She bites him, but not only that Daniel doesn’t mind it, but he also offers to give her a ride to meet Betsy, the queen.
Andrea has long resigned to her fate of being a vampire, and she hopes that Betsy will end her suffering if the queen deems her useless. However, Daniel opposes her decision and thinks they would have a happy life together.
P/s: I only read MaryJanice Davidson’s short story – Dead Girls Don’t Dance because I do not want to read any spoilers if I decide to read the other author’s book in the future.
Undead and Unemployed
And the first who shall noe the Queen as a husband noes his Wyfe shall be the Queen’s Consort and shall rule at her side for a thousand years. – ‘ The Book of the Dead. ‘
If that rat bastard Sinclair thinks I’m going to be his wife for a thousand years, he’s out of his f***** mind.’ – From the private papers of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth I, Empress of the Undead, Rightful Ruler of the Vampires, Consort of Eric I, Lawful King.
Nothing can make Betsy Taylor give up her shoe fetish – even dying and rising as the new Queen of the Vampires. Only being royally undead doesn’t mean there aren’t still credit card bills to be paid.
Things couldn’t be better – except for her new friends who keep pestering her while she’s at work. As if she has time to socialise when there are deliciously sinful shoes to try on – and buy at a discount. It seems there’s been a string of vampire murders in town and they’re all clamouring for Betsy to do something about it.
The worst part is she’ll have to enlist the help of the one vamp who makes her blood boil: the oh-so-sexy Eric Sinclair. Only the last time she ran into Sinclair she accidentally fulfilled an ancient prophecy – and ended up married to him.
My thoughts…
A new life, a new identity, and a whole new set of problems await Betsy, the queen of the undead. Although she’s a queen, which she still refuses to admit the title, it doesn’t come with a paycheck, and she has bills to pay and shoes to shop for. Hence, she’s out in the mall, looking for a job.
Betsy is such a fun character to be around. Trouble seems to like her and is determined to make her life miserable. I enjoyed the story so far, and I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the books in the series.
Oh, and by the way, I didn’t read about Andrea, the vampire who’s in the short story – Dead Girls Don’t Dance in this book. Hurm, did I miss the memo?
Bite – Biting in Plain Sight
The Bite is back in vampire fiction as five of today’s most provocative authors cast their irresistible spells on you. A collection of five vampiric tales of supernatural seduction includes a never-before-published Anita Blake story by Laurell K. Hamilton, a new Sookie Stackhouse adventure from Charlaine Harris, and new stories from authors MaryJanice Davidson, Angela Knight, and Vickie Taylor.
“Biting in Plain Sight”, by MaryJanice Davidson
Davidson revisits her Undead universe with a touching love story about a benevolent vampire, a veterinarian named Dr Sophie Trudeau and her human suitor, Liam and the tragedy that brings them together.
My thoughts…
A vampire is causing problems in Embarrass, Minnesota, the town Sophie and Liam are residing in, and they got really close during their trip to report the case to the vampire queen, Betsy. Eric Sinclair, the queen’s consort, also made an appearance in the story, and for once, it’s great to see that both of them work together without hassle.
I’m not sure if Sophie and Liam will be in the main book; the same goes for Andrea and Daniel. I’ll have to read the rest of the main story books to find out. If they don’t make it there, then it will be a waste of space, and I’ll be disappointed because I kind of like them.
P/s: I only read MaryJanice Davidson’s short story – Biting in Plain Sight to avoid reading any spoilers if I decided to read the other author’s book in the future.
Update 15/6/21: (I Only read about Sophie and Liam in book #5, so, I think this should be placed after book #4).
Undead and Unappreciated
At least Betsy Taylor’s priorities are clear. While most women would love to live as royalty, Betsy has found that being a vampire queen has more problems than perks, except for always being awake for Midnight Madness sales. And the employees at her nightclub Scratch have been giving her nothing but grief since she killed their former boss. Some people…
But Betsy’s “life” takes an interesting turn at a shower for her wicked stepmother, who lets it slip that Betsy has a long-lost half-sister. Now twenty years old, this woman just so happens to be the devil’s daughter – and destined to rule the world…
My thoughts…
Oh well, I’ll be damned! I loved the story more than the previous books, and I read this in one sitting because I was curious about Betsy’s half-sister, Laura. The mystery behind the devil’s daughter, the short moment when Betsy became evil, and the moment when Betsy finally realised her mistake was the plots I cherished.
The arrival of Laura was exciting. She is kickass despite being sweet, and I liked her, but I’m worried about what the devil has in store for her. As for George, the fiend, I hope that he will contribute something to the future plot. Another thing is that since there are still plenty of books in the series, I’m sure there are still more dramas that await the Queen and the King of the Vampires, testing their relationship.
The Incredible Misadventures of Boo and the Boy Blunder
A classic tale of love and laughter with a touch of the Undead from the New York Times bestselling author of the Vampire Queen Betsy Taylor novels.
A vampire hunter gets the surprise of her life when the man she saves from a bloodthirsty vampire is so grateful for her service that he decides to become her sidekick—much to her dismay.
The novella was included in Kick @ss, but if this e-book is just the novella, the sole author is MJD.
My thoughts…
It’s weird. I find myself struggling to finish reading this short story! I don’t enjoy it as much as the other books. The story is about a vampire hunter named Boo. The Boy Blunder refers to her sidekick, Eddie, whom she saved during one of her many vampire-hunting trips.
I liked Boo. Her physical appearance gives mysterious vibes, and people are intrigued by her. Plus, she also has remarkable skills up her sleeves. Eddie is enthusiastic, active and talkative, and like Boo, I find him quite annoying.
Because this is a short story, I don’t blame the author for the lack of character development. So, forgive me for not liking Eddie or remembering the vampire’s name who pair up with Boo 😂. Nevertheless, I hope they will join the Betsy team in the main book.
Undead and Unreturnable
As if she needed yet another reason to shop, Queen of the Vampires Betsy Taylor is in the middle of planning the perfect wedding to drop-dead gorgeous vamp Eric Sinclair. And she’s not about to let little things like death and blood drinking get in her way.
But all is not bouquets and bridal showers—Betsy is plagued by ghosts who demand her help in rectifying their past mistakes, and a serial killer is on the loose. With his victims all being tall, blond women, Betsy fits the profile exactly…
My thoughts…
Overall, quite an exciting progress in the story. Some dramas in the relationship but not to worry, the wedding plan is still on, at the moment. The librarian, a character we read from the short stories, finally appears in this book. Here are some updates on Betsy in this story.
- She’s a ghost whisper – The ghost seems to be attracted to her and looking for help to solve the unfinished business.
- She’s a nanny – Betsy’s little stepbrother, Jon, seems to prefer her to her birth mother, and the Ant wants her to babysit.
- She’s busy planning for her wedding.
- Serial killer on the loose, and she fits the profile of women the serial killer prefers.
- She needs to write a column for the Vampires paper.
One thing is for sure, Betsy’s story is still a long way to go, and I wonder what other power is in Betsy’s sleeves. Also, is something wrong with Laura? What about George? Will he finally be as normal as a vampire could be?
Dead and Loving It – Fiend in Need
Dead and Loving It is a collection of four novellas. Three of them feature the Bad Wyndham werewolves, and another one is from the Undead series.
“A Fiend in Need”, by MaryJanice Davidson
Following the events of Undead and Unreturnable, a psychic werewolf, Antonia Wolfton, receives a vision to show up at Queen Betsy’s Minneapolis home to help and falls hard for George, the fiend in the basement. It’s all pure Davidson fun.
My thoughts…
I liked this short story because Antonia is a funny character, almost as amusing as Betsy, and I’m always curious about George, the fiend. Antonia’s talent is also helpful for the team, and I hope she will be a part of the team and read more about her in the main story.
P/s: I only read A Fiend in Need story to avoid reading any spoilers if I decided to read the Wyndham Werewolf series in the future.
Undead and Unpopular
As Vampire Queen Betsy Taylor approaches the big 3-1 (in human years, that is), she has a lot on her plate. There are wedding plans to finalize, with no help from her fiancé Eric.
And Betsy’s decided to stop drinking blood, something Eric, the vampire king, may not understand…
So when some guests show up uninvited, and they happen to be the powerful European vampires who have finally come to pay their respects the week before her birthday, Betsy gets really cranky…
My thoughts…
Never a dull moment in Betsy’s life! Besides vampire politics, Zombie on the Attic, Betsy also is troubled by her best friend Jessica’s health issue, and to top it off, she decides to stop drinking blood which makes her moody.
I’m still puzzled by the Zombie’s existence. Where did it come from, I wonder if there’s any complication to the Zombie bite or whether Betsy will gain an extra ability to top her power shelf. Also, I’m worried about Jessica.
Undead and Uneasy
Weddings are never easy. But when you’re Vampire Queen Betsy Taylor, they can become downright deadly…In the days leading up to The Big Day, Vampire Queen Betsy Taylor seems to have a full house and the wedding guests have yet to arrive.
Along with her human buddies, there’s a ghost, a werewolf, and a Fiend crashing at her place. And though her fiance, Vampire King Eric Sinclair, conveniently disappears when the conversation turns to seating charts and flower arrangements, he does manage to make his oh-so-sexy presence known at other moments.
Cold feet are no surprise, especially with an undead groom. But when Sinclair truly goes missing-and not just to avoid wedding preparations-along with most of her friends and loved ones, Betsy is frantic. Alone and afraid for the fate of everyone she loves, Betsy can’t trust anyone as she tries to find them and whoever is behind all the disappearances. And what happens next will shake the foundation of the vampire world forever.
My thoughts…
In the time she needs her friends’ support, Betsy finds herself all alone. Just a few weeks before her wedding, Sinclair disappears, Tina is on a mission in Europe, Betsy’s parents pass away (shocker), Jessica stays in a hospital for her chemotherapy, Antonia and George both missing in action, and Marc goes away on holiday. Hence, poor Betsy!
The letter to readers and prologue had made me dread to read the book. It was pretty scary, at least for Betsy. That was a fair warning from the writer, and I appreciated that for my mental sake.
With all the events happening around Betsy, I thought it was time for her to be more independent, and mature and turn into the queen she was destined to be. The outcome of the story wasn’t disappointing, and I was delighted with it.
Dead Over Heels – A Honeymoon Story
Three all-new paranormal stories of lust, laughter, and love from the New York Times bestselling author, including an original novella featuring Undead queen Betsy Taylor.
“A Honeymoon Story”, by MaryJanice Davidson
Betsy, Queen of the Vampires, and her new hubby, Sinclair, head off to New York for their honeymoon. when they arrive they discover its no longer just the two if them on this vacation. they have some King and Queenly duties to attend to while sharing their honeymoon with some unwanted guests.
My thoughts…
The story is about Betsy and Sinclair’s honeymoon in New York. They travel on a Private Jet and then a limousine, courtesy to her best friend. However, Jessica surprised them by showing up in the hotel with her boyfriend, Nick, who loathed them both. Jessica hopes to fix the relationship whilst there, but it’s complicated when dead bodies show up.
This short story was entertaining yet sad. I understand both parties’ feelings and Betsy’s conflict when forced to kill the child vampire. I just wished that the ending was different tho. Nevertheless, Betsy being Betsy, it was hilarious, and I had fun reading it.
P/s: I only read A Honeymoon story to avoid reading any spoilers if I decided to read the Wyndham Werewolf series in the future.
Undead and Unworthy
Betsy Taylor thought entering the world of the undead was a big adjustment. Being a new bride isn’t much easier. The blush has only been on for two months, and Betsy has a lot to do: set up the new house, finish writing thank-you notes, and raise BabyJon, her half brother and legal ward. Just another happy American family adjusting to marital bliss.
Betsy’s husband, Sinclair, has been perusing the Book of the Dead, and Betsy’s visited by a ghost who’s even more insufferable, stubborn, and annoying in death than she was in life. She not only blames Betsy for her condition but insists she fix it. It’s all just a prelude to the fun and games awaiting Betsy and Sinclair when a pack of formerly feral vampires, hungry for blood and power, pays a visit to the happy couple.
My thoughts…
Besty just wants to enjoy her married life, but it proves difficult considering she’s the queen of the vampires. First, she gets a surprise visit from her dead stepmother and then Nick asks for help in his case. But the biggest threat is the fiends trying to kill her.
I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m addicted to Betsy’s life story. I’ve been reading the books in this series continuously, and this one, I read in one sitting!
In this book, Betsy gains yet another ability, and she (sort of) able to control it. She, as the queen, is looking more promising as the story progresses, and I can’t wait to read the rest of the story. Also, in the next book, I hope to read that some miracle happens to the lost comrades. I liked them 😢.
Undead and Unwelcome
“Ms. Davidson has her own brand of wit and shocking surprises that make her vampire series on of a kind” (Darque Reviews). And heroine Betsy Taylor has problems that only a suburban vampire-queen housewife could possibly understand, such as…
FIFTY THOUSAND ANGRY WEREWOLVES.
That’s what Betsy is facing when she takes her werewolf friend Antonia’s body to Cape Cod, where the Pack resides at Wyndham Manor. Because Antonia died in her service, Betsy is alive and well—and wracked with guilt. She has no idea if the Wyndham werewolves will greet her with fangs or friendship.
While Betsy and her husband, Sinclair, try to make nice, their legal ward, BabyJon, freaks out every werewolf he meets. Meanwhile, Betsy’s posse back at the St. Paul mansion is not LOLing. Increasingly frantic e-mails alert Betsy to her half sister’s increasingly erratic behavior. Looks like the devil’s daughter is coming into her own—and raising hell. All in the name of making Betsy’s life easier, of course.
My thoughts…
Damn, no miracle this time 😢. Anyway, there’s something different in this book – we get to read Marc’s diary. Yay! And most of the entries were funny. Just one thing tho, he wrote his diary quite well, but not in the email he sent to Betsy 🤔.
I know, I know… It was purposely left that way. By the way, I was also having a problem reading it and had to refer back when Derik told them the meaning of it 😂. Thanks for the lesson, Marc. Hurm, I wonder what else in store for Betsy. Besides the old issues – Laura, her late stepmother, vampires rebellion, duh! I can’t wait to read the next book!
Undead and Unfinished
There’s only one thing Vampire Queen Betsy Taylor hates more than the threat of hosting a traditional Thanksgiving dinner (after all, how traditional is her family?), and that’s trying to get through the Book of the Dead without going insane.
Every time she’s tried reading it, she just gets blindsided – until this time, when the devil strikes a bargain. She offers Betsy a chance to get through the cursed (literally!) thing cover to cover and finally discover all its mysteries. There’s just one teensy little catch.
Betsy and her half sister, Laura, have to go to Hell. Just long enough for Laura to finally embrace her dark heritage (after a rebellious youth of charity work and teaching Sunday school) and make nice with her mother, aka Lucifer, by picking up such skills as slicing through time and the universe with a hellfire sword.
While such things might sound fun, time travel is proving to be an alarming journey for Betsy and Laura. Not only are they interacting firsthand with their own family’s past, but in doing so, they’re dangerously impacting the future in ways they never anticipated.
Of course, that’s what Mother wanted all along. Damn her.
My thoughts…
Sadly, I find the first 20% of the book quite boring because most of the contents were recap, and I already knew all that because I read the series continuously. Thankfully, the story gets exciting after that with Betsy and Laura’s journey to Hell and the time travelling.
However, I didn’t quite enjoy Betsy’s comments this time. Maybe I lost my patience waiting for some actions, and she talked so much rubbish 😂! Also, I get a terrible feeling reading the epilogue, not sure if I’ll like where the story is heading.
Undead and Undermined
So this is what being dead feels like. Vampire queen Betsy Taylor has awoken in a Chicago morgue, naked as a corpse. Her last memory is reconciling with her husband, Eric Sinclair, after a time-traveling field trip, including an indirect route to hell (literally), with her sister, Laura. Now she’s Jane Doe #291, wrapped in plastic with a toe tag. Betsy can’t help but wonder, what in hell happened?
Grabbing clean scrubs, Betsy hits the pavement and heads back to her St. Paul mansion to find that her family and friends have been frantically searching for her. And not one of them can explain how she ended up dead and naked – not to mention, in Chicago – until Betsy realizes that she and Laura didn’t time-travel alone. What followed them had a wicked agenda: to kill Betsy in a time when she was still young and vulnerable and end her future reign as queen.
But it’s not just Betsy’s future that’s taken an unexpected detour. Everyone in her circle, alive or undead, is feeling the chill. Betsy can’t let the unthinkable happen. It would be a day in hell if she did.
My thoughts…
Gosh! This series is going downhill. While I thoroughly enjoyed the stories from book one until eight, the previous book and this one were boring as hell. The lead character, Betsy, was talking rubbish/rambling all the time. The few plots they have in the story could be summaries in less than ten pages, I guess.
Also, this book has a sad ending; we gained one but lost the other one. Overall, it wasn’t a pleasant read. But, since I have all the books ready in my Kindle, I might as well continue with Betsy’s journey. Let’s hope Betsy in the following story contradicts the title – Undead and Unstable. We need her to stay sane, stop yapping and earn her title!
Undead and Unstable
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: as 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 war has been waged—one that’s going to take sibling rivalry to a whole new level, and a dimension where only one sister can survive.
My thoughts…
Argh! True to the book title, Betsy is Undead and Unstable! Why did I bother to read this and put up with Betsy’s babbling, yowling, nagging, and whatever else she did that’s annoying as hell. The only plus side in the story is that we got Marc back. Hurray!
Occasionally the team get a surprise visit from the ancient/future Betsy, the Antichrist and Lucifer. But, nothing significant happens during the visit, not until the end when we finally get the answer/solution to the ongoing mission to change the future’s outcome.
Undead and Underwater
Three short novellas in this book – Betsy Taylor from the Undead series meet up Fred from Fred the Mermaid series, Super, Girl! an all-new female superhero, and Lara Wyndham, the daughter of the Pack leader of the Wyndham in Crying Wolf.
“Undead ad Underwater”, by MaryJanice Davidson
Betsy, Queen of the undead, and Fred, the dour could’ve-been-a-princess mermaid, reluctantly team up to help a mutual friend in trouble. After all, a friend in need is a friend who, well, can really test your patience—because Betsy and Fred aren’t exactly BFFs. What they do have in common is the source of the problem: a man. And what’s more troubling than love?
My thoughts…
Betsy is still acting silly in the story, which makes me feel ashamed that she represents Vampires during the meet-up with other species 😞. As for the other main character, Fred from Fred the Mermaid, I haven’t read the series yet, and there are some spoilers in the story, which is unavoidable.
Fred reminds me of Antonia, the werewolf in the Undead series, while Jonas is more like Marc. It would be nice if there’s a part where Jonas meets up with Marc in the main book. Overall, the story is okay, and what we learned so far, which is related to the Undead series, is that Sinclair is crazy about the two puppies they adopted.
P/s: I only read the Undead and Underwater story to avoid reading any spoilers if I decided to read the Wyndham Werewolf series in the future. I’m not sure if there’s a series for the other short story – Super, Girl!
Undead and Unsure
It’s no surprise to Betsy that her trip to Hell with her sister Laura landed them in hot water. Betsy isn’t exactly sorry she killed the Devil but it’s put Laura in a damnable position: assuming the role of Satan (she may not have the training but she looks great in red)—and in charge of billions of souls as she moves up in the world. Or is that down?
But Betsy herself is in an odd new position as well—that of being a responsible monarch suddenly in charge of all things more earth-bound: like her vampire husband Sinclair who has gone from relieved to ecstatic to downright reckless now that he can tolerate sunlight. And if Sinclair isn’t enough to contend with, Betsy’s best friend Jessica is in her sixth (and hopefully last) trimester. Considering she’s been pregnant for eighteen months, she’s become a veritable encyclopedia of what not to expect when you’re expecting. Oh, the horror…
And speaking of growing pains, Betsy and Sinclair’s adopted little BabyJon is finally starting to walk. And if the increasingly unpredictable toddler is anything like his extended family, precisely where he’s headed is anyone’s guess.
My thoughts…
In my opinion, if you never read the previous books or haven’t read them continuously, Betsy will entertain you with her silly comments, and you will still be up to date with the current situation.
Because what takes up most of the pages is the characters’ description, her opinion towards them and some useless thought/daydreaming from Betsy, so yeah, no worries, you will be able to catch up pretty quickly.
As for me, I got bored and wanted to finish the series and move on. I hope and pray that in the following three books, we get to see some improvement in Betsy, that she will grow up, and that I’ll get to enjoy the story. Amen.
Undead and Unwary
First: kill Satan. Second: reorganize Hell. Sounded simple enough back then, but for Betsy Taylor, managing “down below” isn’t as easy as she’d hoped – even if she is doing it with her sister, Laura, a bona-fide Antichrist.
So yes, Betsy has been shirking her hellish responsibilities, but she’s been just so darn busy these days. And she’s not just yanking Laura’s chain. There’s a brand new baby drama involving a pair of uncanny (ok, terrifying) toddler twins, an upcoming birthday party that has to be planned, and, are you ready for it? Betsy’s dad – once so very dead – has been spotted in downtown St. Paul.
Now, despite all the chaos, Betsy’s friends rally around, helping her to handle all this fire and brimstone jazz. As for Betsy’s sister and dad – they have their own surprises in store for the vampire queen. And jolt by jolt, Betsy will discover that there’s nothing as heartwarming as family. Yeah, like Hell.
My thoughts…
I finished reading this book yesterday but have no idea what else to comment about the book. It’s the same as the previous books. The story progresses very slowly, with significant development almost towards the end of the book.
The storytelling has gone from excellent to suck, repetitive, with many unimportant conversations before the heroine progresses in her quest. She loves spacing out too, which is nothing unusual; she’s just a weirdo. Well done to the author for making the character not likeable.
Also, I don’t understand why the queen of vampires has to take up the role in Hell. Betsy barely shows her authority in the vampire world – nothing needs her attention anyway. Laura is more fitting for the job with her lineage. Nevertheless, I have to congratulate her for finally figuring things out in Hell.
Undead and Unforgiven
If Betsy Taylor has learned anything about ruling Hell it’s:
1) she can’t do it alone, and
2) she doesn’t have to.
She’s got the help of a devoted vampire king, a dateless zombie, an exhausted new mom, an unshowered cop, a bitchy ghost, a kindly dead priest, and her late stepmother (“Go Team Satan!”). But the latest major hurdle in her post-dead life is so big she can’t even see it until it’s on CNN.
Betsy’s father and half-sister Laura (a former Anti-Christ with a grudge) have outed Betsy to the world. It doesn’t take long for the story to become 24-7 headline news. What’s more, people are not only prepared to believe in vampires, they want to kill them. For Betsy, social media has never felt so…unsocial.
Before long the mansion on Summit Avenue is swarming with reporters, would-be vampire/zombie killers, and desperate emos begging to be turned. Betsy has been forced into the unenviable role as the reluctant face of the vampire nation. All she knows is, she has to look good—this is hi-def!—and stay true to who she is. H8ers be damned.
My thoughts…
I’ll say the contents are slightly better than the previous books—more plots and a twist that I didn’t expect. Congrats, Betsy, for figuring out the deception. As for Laura, I still cannot believe she’s that evil. I think she might have her reason behind it all. We’ll have to read the final book to find out.
Another thing I forgot to mention in my previous few book reviews, which still applies to this book, is that the title of some of the chapters could use some extra info – the person’s name. I was often left confused and had to re-read before finally figuring out who was talking 😂 – Will Mason’s part was alright, by the way.
Undead and Done
Vampire Queen Betsy Taylor continues her rule in Hell in the scorchingly funny finale to the Undead series from New York Times bestselling author MaryJanice Davidson.
It had been a well-kept secret for centuries, but now the existence of vampires is all over the news, thanks to Betsy Taylor’s half-sister (and frustrated former Antichrist), Laura. Life for the undead will never be the same, and it’s up to Betsy to do some damage control. But her interview on the local news doesn’t exactly put out the fire. It more or less pours kerosene on it.
With all the added attention on supernatural beings, the werewolves are more than a little agitated (never a good thing) and demand that Betsy gets her interview skills, and her family, in order. And while things go from bad to worse in the world, Hell continues to be hell—especially when Betsy’s new parole program gets about as complicated as you’d expect.
With a PR team launching a vampire-friendly campaign, the Devil at large and out to make trouble, and mermaids on hand to see who falls—and how hard—the end isn’t just near. It’s here. And if anyone knows how to go out with a bang, it’s the Queen of Hell.
My thoughts…
I finally finished reading this series, and I’m still alive and done with it. The story in this series has its ups and downs – the beginning was good but not towards the end. As for this last book, it’s better than the previous one. Less, Betsy, more of the other characters. Also, I loved it when all the other species joined together in this final book!
The story wrapped up nicely, tied up all the loose ends. But, I can’t get rid of the niggling feeling of not knowing what’s BabyJon and the twins’ story/contribution in Betsy’s world. It’s just some speculation that BabyJon would take over hell one day.
P/s: No sign of Boo and the Boy Blunder in all the main books.
Unreliable
Betsy the vampire queen is back, and this time she’s up against her most diabolical enemy to date: reality. And witches! (Or militant vegans.) And worst of all, her friends, all of whom remember a life-changing story very differently.
Unfortunately, when you live in a mansion with vampires, at least one ghost, the only zombies in the world, and the occasional human, it can be hard for everyone to end up on the same page. But Betsy is determined to clear up the mystery, and she’s not letting anyone hijack her narrative. Really. She’ll pull it off. Everyone will have to admit she’s right. Yep. (Really!)
My thoughts…
A very short story about Dick, not Nick, kidnapped by witches, as claimed by Jessica: Betsy is trying to explain to the team what had happened. The kidnapping timeline is after Marc died. Frankly speaking, it was so short that I felt it was not worth reading. Nothing here will affect the main book storyline.
Also, in the recap, it sounded wrong when Jessica mentioned Marc is ‘temporarily’ dead when she opposed the idea of bringing Marc back to life in the main story!
