Nice Girls Don't Live Forever

Completely loving the Jane Jameson series set in Half Moon Hollow. As this starts out, Jane and Gabriel are off in Europe for some much-needed alone time, but Gabriel, who has been mysteriously disappearing for weeks at a time over the course of the last two books, begins receiving strange letters at every hotel they arrive in. So once again he pulls his vanishing act and won’t tell Jane the truth about what’s going on.

I rather enjoy the push/pull between Jane and Gabriel. Jane doesn’t take any nonsense, and although Gabriel may be an expert in all things vampire, he’s a bit of a novice in how to have a relationship with anyone, and that makes their interactions that much better. I loved the way the mystery behind why he’s show more been disappearing and hiding things from Jane finally came to a head, as well as the further development of the relationships between Jane and her family members. So many cool things in this book!

Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader. show less

Continuing the ongoing dramedy that is Jane Jameson’s afterlife, Nice Girls Don't Live Forever picks up roughly two months after the shenanigans from Nice Girls Don't Date Dead Men. This time, instead of weddings, the reader gets the pleasure of following Jane through store ownership and burgeoning civil responsibilities through her experiences with the local Chamber of Commerce, and her best friend’s impending parenthood. Wackiness ensues in typical Jane-like fashion.

What makes this third novel so special is the fact that Jane truly grows into her own as a vampire and strong female. While Jane always had sass, she did not always have the gumption for confrontation. She was not spineless, but there were quite a few paragraphs show more devoted to the proverbial wringing of her hands as she kept her frustration to herself. Thankfully, in her desire to become a new and improved Jane, she finally starts taking matters into her own hands, not shying from painful truths and open dialogue. This leads to some of the funniest and best scenes in the entire series, while the reader is torn between wanting to cry with laughter and cheering Jane as she does so.

Amanda Ronconi continues in the same vein as in the previous novel/audiobook experience – absolutely brilliant. She adds the perfect level of snarkiness and Southern twang to the story that epitomizes Jane. After listening to her for two novels, she has definitely become a narrator I would seek out and to whom I would listen again and again.

Nice Girls Don't Live Forever remains the fun, funny, and romantic story that one has come to expect from Molly Harper. The continual subtle mockery of the genre only adds to the overall fun. Everyone needs a good laugh every once in a while, and Nice Girls Don't Live Forever provides some much-needed comic relief from whatever ails you. show less

Reviewed by: Rabid Reads

I don’t usually pace myself whenever I read series, I’m more of a back-to-back kind of girl, but the Molly Harper / Amanda Ronconi duo deserves to be savoured because they make outstanding audiobooks together. NICE GIRLS DON’T LIVE FOREVER is a winning amalgamation of smart aleck humour, three dimensional characters, snappy writing, and excellent narration. The story is more action-packed than usual, and I loved the werewolf tidbits that are scattered throughout this book. It’s the little details that make a series stand out, and JANE JAMESON’s got them in abundance!

These novels usually tend to be pretty straightforward in the plot department, so I was pleasantly surprised by the complexity of this show more installment’s story. The Courtneys were hilariously stereotypical blondes, and I loved the dynamics between Jane and her two BFF’s: Jolene and Andrea. The latter character is also involved in another thread that was unexpected, but due. And, of course, there’s no shortage of laugh-out-loud moments including Dick’s attempt at “cheering” Jameson up after her supposed break-up with Gabe which proves to be oddly effective. Who knew that getting drunk, swallowing your feelings, and starting a bar fight could be so therapeutic!

I did have one major beef with this novel, and that was Jane and Gabrielle’s continued on-again-off-again relationship woes. I’m not big on the whole “create drama within the main couple with miscommunication” ploy unless the protagonists’ love is still fairly new. Jameson and Nightengale have been together pretty much since book 1, yet they haven’t learned to talk to each other which frustrated me to no end. However, the werewolf morsels did help to distract me from this minor annoyance with their unique details that were both enlightening, and a little scary. I am just thanking my lucky stars that human babies are not born with a full set of teeth like weres are. Ouchie!

What can I possibly say about Amanda Ronconi’s narration that I haven’t said already? Harper’s writing is entertaining enough on its own, but when paired with this talented woman’s voice, it achieves a level of awesomeness that puts it in a league above the rest. Ronconi navigates Jane’s world like it’s her second skin while also doing an excellent job of the secondary characters, and delivering all of the punch lines with pizzazz. She’s one of my top 3 favourite narrators, and this series is the reason why.

NICE GIRLS DON’T LIVE FOREVER is another fun filled installment in a series that consistently delivers barrels of laughs. show less

You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2012/02/nice-girls-dont-live-forever-jane-jameson-3...

I have to admit, I loved this one, even though my annoyance level was high through most of the book. But that wasn’t Jane’s fault! Please allow me to explain… When book 2 ended, we found our intrepid vampire heroine, Jane, being offered a romantic overseas getaway with her vampire beloved, Gabriel. However, as we start book 3, we soon realize that the trip is going terribly, especially since Gabriel seems to be dashing off to constant meetings, frequently leaving Jane to her own devices, and we know that can get scary…but I digress. Gabriel is also receiving what seem to be love letters, yet he absolutely refuses show more to explain to Jane what’s going on. So, Jane does the only thing she can think of to do. She goes back home. Without Gabriel. At least her friends Andrea, Dick, Zeb, and Jolene are waiting for her back in Half-Moon Hollow, but if Jane thinks things will be calmer at home, she’s got quite another thing coming!

I suppose I should explain my irritation. Not at Jane, at Gabriel!! I wanted to smack him for about three quarters of this book! I was just as frustrated as Jane that anytime she would confront him about the suspicious notes, he usually ran away. Literally, ran away. Poor Gabriel. So smooth, so handsome, so clueless when it comes to women! No worries, though. Gabriel’s behavior makes sense when you get the whole story, but up until then, be prepared to want a scene where Dick and Jolene hold him down while Jane kicks him. Seriously. But, I love Gabriel and Jane as a couple, and of course would follow them anywhere, plus they can get past a bit of drama, right? Well, at least until said drama starts threatening Jane’s life. Other fun for Jane includes Mr. Wainwright’s simpering nephew Emery, returned to claim some of his uncle’s things, but generally getting underfoot as they try to renovate the bookstore and prepare for the grand re-opening, and more drama (of the good kind) with Zeb and Jolene. Also, Jane joins the Chamber of Commerce, not realizing it’s like a cult of robo-blondes time warped from high school, bent on causing Jane as much misery as possible. Jane comes into her own quite a lot in this one, however, and I also loved how the author really explored the relationships between Jane and her friends, and also her family, which sets up Book 4 rather nicely. I’ll hang with Jane and the gang in Half-Moon Hollow, and hope to be able to visit time and time again! Love this series! show less

Another fun installment in the Jane Jameson series--loved it! Besides the offbeat humor of these books, I really like the fact that even though Jane's situation pretty much stays the same throughout the series (she is an immortal vampire, after all, how much CAN she change?), things don't just remain static as they do in other books (that shall remain nameless but drive me crazy because *nothing* ever changes in them--so why did I have to spend so much time reading the newest book, then???).

In this one, Jane and Gabriel are in the middle of their world tour, and things aren't going well. At each hotel they stop at--and they're changing hotels frequently, even more than once a day at times--mysterious envelopes are waiting for Gabriel, show more envelopes that have him taking off for hours at a time leaving Jane with little or no explanation. When Zeb calls with the news that her store has been broken into, Jane heads back home, not even sure if she and Gabriel have a relationship anymore. And...it pretty much takes off from there. Whether she's dodging evil Chamber of Commerce members or sounding off against her equally evil maternal grandmother, Jane does it all with humor and aplomb. Not to be missed, for fans of the series--can't wait for the next one! show less

Plot Summary: Nothing sucks the romance out of world travel like a boyfriend who may or may not have broken up with you in a hotel room in Brussels. Jane Jameson's sexy sire Gabriel has always been unpredictable, but the seductive, anonymous notes that await him at each stop of their international vacation, coupled with his evasive behavior over the past few months, finally push Jane onto the next flight home to Half Moon Hollow -- alone, upset, and unsure whether Gabriel just ended their relationship without actually telling her.

Now the children's-librarian-turned-vampire is reviving with plenty of Faux Type O, some TLC from her colorful friends and family, and her plans for a Brave New Jane. Step One: Get her newly renovated occult show more bookstore off the ground. Step Two: Support her best friend, Zeb, and his werewolf bride as they prepare for the impending birth of their baby...or litter. Step Three: Figure out who's been sending her threatening letters, and how her hostile pen pal is tied to Gabriel. Because for this nice girl, surviving a broken heart is suddenly becoming a matter of life and undeath....

Review: Wielding the double-edged sword of witticism and sarcasm and brandishing a shield of self deprecation to cover insecurity, Jane manages yet again to charm and amuse as she deals with the doubts and fears of a potential cheating sire/lover, the annoyance of family, the terrors of the pink Courtneys, and the danger of a potential stalker, all while she opens her bookstore and helps her best friend and his new wife get ready for cubs.

I enjoyed the story development surrounding Jane's family. Jane's mother is finally embracing Jane's vampirism with embarrassing results. Jane's sister tries to exact her own revenge by outing her to the merchant guild only to alienate herself. Jane's grandmother orders Jane to apologize to her most recent fiancé--apologize for insulting him after he tried to kill Jane.

Other than the above, there is a lot of snarkiness like usual and a lot of fun. I thought this book was much better paced than the second one, there weren't any boring spots or spots where I was really annoyed at the characters. Some of the time is also spent working on Dick and Andrea's relationship after Andrea is turned into a vampire by one of the less savory characters in the novel. show less

I enjoyed this one better than the last but it still didn't match the greatness of the first book. I liked the humour surrounding the twins, some things were wrapped up a little too quickly and easily but overall I'm just glad the series is over.