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A very modern vampire, Betsy Taylor is facing some formidable challenges. She is getting ready to negotiate her way through a highly political meeting with powerful European vampires. She just found out her best friend, Jessica, may have a fatal illness. And her fiancée Eric continues to evade every wedding plan. What to do? Put on high heels, hug her friend, and splash on something special for Eric, of course.Tags
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I think this is my favorite Queen Betsy book so far. The mysterious European vampires – are they friend or foe? What’s wrong with Jessica? Is there really a Zombie in the attic? And if so, what’s he doing there? Along with appearances from some of our favorite guest stars, Sophie and Liam and Garrett and Antonia (the werewolf, not the stepmom…although, the stepmom makes an appearance as well). Betsy herself actually seemed a little bit brighter, as well, which is nice, because the one thing I lament about her is her dim superficiality. She does state it rather eloquently though when she mentions that Eric is regal and commanding, Tina is smart, Jessica is a gazillionnaire, Antonia is a psychic werewolf, Marc is a doctor, Laura show more is the devil’s daughter, Cathie can walk through walls and she, Betsy, has the least to offer of all her friends even though she is, nominally, the Queen. When looked at from that perspective, Betsy becomes a more sympathetic character, and her foibles can be overlooked. She didn’t ask to be the queen, she just is. And apparently, vampire queens aren’t chosen for their I.Q. Okay. I can live with that, as long as there are enough other fascinating characters surrounding her. That number continues to grow, so I am optimistic. show less
Maybe I'm just burnt out on Betsy. Maybe it was the wrong time of the month to try and read UNDEAD AND UNPOPULAR. Maybe the full moon made my brain hurt. Regardless of the reason, I couldn't even finish this story, and that saddens me.
I love MJD, I love her sense of humor, I love her writing style. I didn't love this book. It seemed to be missing that irreverent sense of witty snarkism that always make me enjoy an MJD story. There were plot lines that seemed totally unimportant (and, in fact, ridiculous) to the plot--can anyone say zombie in the attic?
The fact is, sometimes the story was amusing. Sometimes I liked Betsy. Sometimes I thought Eric was still hot. Most of the time, though, I was simply bored and uninspired.
I love MJD, I love her sense of humor, I love her writing style. I didn't love this book. It seemed to be missing that irreverent sense of witty snarkism that always make me enjoy an MJD story. There were plot lines that seemed totally unimportant (and, in fact, ridiculous) to the plot--can anyone say zombie in the attic?
The fact is, sometimes the story was amusing. Sometimes I liked Betsy. Sometimes I thought Eric was still hot. Most of the time, though, I was simply bored and uninspired.
I was disappointed by this entry in Mary Janice Davidson's Undead series. Undead and Unpopular lacks any real tension. It suffers from too much exposition and dialog. They are talking in the kitchen. They are talking in the parlor. They are talking in the bedroom. There really didn't seem to be much actual action at all. The menace implied by the European vampires never really seemed all that menacing. When I got to the end of the book I had to go back and check. I couldn't find a real climax to any of the action. I think that's the point. The action in this book was sorely missing. Betsy's self-centered whining is starting to get old, and there seemed to be a chapter I missed somewhere along the line. Probably some short story in an show more anthology. I dislike when authors assume you'll read every anthology they contribute to. I like to read anthologies to check out new authors, not to keep up with all the series I'm reading. I expect series to be self-contained in the books, or at least given some explanation in the text if there has been a significant change that was in a short story. show less
This light hearted series about a woman who wakes up to find herself a vampire makes for great summer reading. The writing is smart and pithy, the characters engaging and lovingly snarky.
In this particular book, the author throws an inventive curve ball by incorporating the first book in the series, Undead and Unwed, as a book written about the main character, Betsy Taylor. Which of course, it is. Except in this book credit for the penning is given to “anonymous.”
According to book, the description in the publisher Berkeley’s fall catalog reads, “Hilarious new take on the vampire genre!” Along with critical comments (probably real) such as “abrupt transitions make for a rollicking ride all the same” and, most fittingly, show more “low on plot but high on fun!” show less
In this particular book, the author throws an inventive curve ball by incorporating the first book in the series, Undead and Unwed, as a book written about the main character, Betsy Taylor. Which of course, it is. Except in this book credit for the penning is given to “anonymous.”
According to book, the description in the publisher Berkeley’s fall catalog reads, “Hilarious new take on the vampire genre!” Along with critical comments (probably real) such as “abrupt transitions make for a rollicking ride all the same” and, most fittingly, show more “low on plot but high on fun!” show less
A fun, fast read, as expected. And I liked it a smidgen better than Undead and Unappreciated. Betsy has a couple of real dilemmas in this one--a friend has a serious illness, and a foreign vampire dignitary turns out to have killed another of Betsy's friends.
I am addicted and not ashamed to admit it.
If you took Anita Blake, mixed in Buffy, added Prada pumps, horniness, a gay roommate, a psychic werewolf, a lot of airheadedness, sarcasm, materialism, and hilarity... then you might have a sense of Davidson's creation. It has the least content of this 8 part semi-series, yet still ranked high enough to inspire chuckles, head shaking, and outright laughter.
If you took Anita Blake, mixed in Buffy, added Prada pumps, horniness, a gay roommate, a psychic werewolf, a lot of airheadedness, sarcasm, materialism, and hilarity... then you might have a sense of Davidson's creation. It has the least content of this 8 part semi-series, yet still ranked high enough to inspire chuckles, head shaking, and outright laughter.
Queen Betsy is having a birthday, but of course first she has to deal with vampire business. Being Queen, she has a lot on her plate, the whole blood fasting she is doing for her birthday, the visitors from Europe, the ghost claiming there’s a zombie in the attic, and something is up with Jess too. All while planning her wedding.
Book 5 ….. Miss Congeniality uh?, well Dictionary lookup says - agreeable: pleasant and suited to somebody's character or tastes, friendly: having an outgoing pleasant character - Nope, none of them fit the Queen Betsy of this book. She is conceited, selfish, self involved, basically a royal pain. Normally Eric Sinclair is enough to pull me through, but in this one his stupidity in consistently backing and show more believing in Betsy is glaring and annoying. The only saving grace is Jess, but I am not sure even Jess and Mark are enough. Not sure if I will make the time for the next one (Undead and Uneasy) after this one was so disappointing. show less
Book 5 ….. Miss Congeniality uh?, well Dictionary lookup says - agreeable: pleasant and suited to somebody's character or tastes, friendly: having an outgoing pleasant character - Nope, none of them fit the Queen Betsy of this book. She is conceited, selfish, self involved, basically a royal pain. Normally Eric Sinclair is enough to pull me through, but in this one his stupidity in consistently backing and show more believing in Betsy is glaring and annoying. The only saving grace is Jess, but I am not sure even Jess and Mark are enough. Not sure if I will make the time for the next one (Undead and Uneasy) after this one was so disappointing. show less
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Author Information
124+ Works 32,019 Members
Author MaryJanice Davidson was born in August 1969. She writes primarily paranormal romance, but she has also written young adult literature and non-fiction. She is the author of the Undead series, the Jennifer Scales series, and the Fred the Mermaid series. She won the 2004 Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Award. (Bowker Author Biography)
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Undead and Unpopular
- Original publication date
- 2006-06-06
- People/Characters
- Elizabeth 'Betsy' Taylor; Eric Sinclair; Jessica Watkins; Alonzo; Sophie Trudeau; Marc Spangler, MD (show all 21); Laura Goodman; Garrett Shea; Antonia Wolfton; Christina "Tina" Caresse Chavelle; Jonathon Peter 'BabyJon' Taylor; Liam; Christophe Benoit; David Edourd; Caroline Alonzo; Antonia 'The Ant' Taylor; Marjorie; Cathie Robinson; Nicholas J. "Nick" Berry; Jonathon Michael aka Jon Delk; Elise Taylor, PhD
- Important places
- St. Paul, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota, USA; Jessica's mansion, a.k.a. Vamp Central, 607 Summit Avenue, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA; Scratch nightclub (Betsy's vampire nightclub)
- Epigraph
- 'And the Queene shall noe the dead, and keep the dead.'
--THE BOOK OF THE DEAD
'Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer.'
--SUN TZU,
The Art of War
'Victory is mine!'
--STEWIE GRIFFIN,
Family Guy [TV show] - Dedication
- For Mr. Fogarty,
who got me my first rejection slip. - First words
- "There's a zombie in the attic," George the Fiend informed me over breakfast.
- Quotations
- BabyJon blatted and I felt his diaper get warmer. And heavier. No! Hull integrity would not hold! She's losing it, Captain, she's losing it! (chapter 22)
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)'I do mind you,' he replied, and we got busy in the closet under the stairs, and it was only later that I thought about what he said and got pissed, but he just laughed at me.
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- ISBNs
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- 11