Archive for August, 2008
Undead and Uneasy by MaryJanice Davidson
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If you’re looking for a light summer read you might want to try Undead and Uneasy by MaryJanice Davidson. I’ll forewarn you that it has its moments of silliness, but if you approach it knowing that, you should might be okay. Maybe. Perhaps.
Most of the humor in the book occurs because of the heroine, Betsy. Or I should say, Queen Betsy. You see, Betsy is a 30-year old super master vampire with powers that other vampires would die for. Sorry about that.
Betsy can:
- walk outside on a sunny day;
- go for several weeks without needing to feed;
- survive being stabbed through the heart (it hurts a bit, but it’s not life threatening);
- drink holy water;
- attend church or other religious ceremonies.
However, Betsy is also:
- incredibly vain and egocentric;
- petty and shallow;
- dense as a thick fog.
These qualities can make her character a bit irritating.
Anyway, this installment in the Queen Betsy series finds Betsy finally preparing for her wedding to the incredibly handsome Sinclair, the “King” of the vampires. Sinclair makes it clear that he’s not interested in the marriage ceremony because according to vampire lore, he and Betsy are already married. He sees no reason for participating in a wedding, a human tradition. This results in an argument between he and Betsy and as a result, Sinclair leaves.
Betsy’s best friend Jessica is still battling cancer. This is a theme that you’d think wouldn’t fit in a lightweight book like this but it does. It gives Betsy someone to worry about besides deciding which shoes to wear and helps balance out the ridiculous machinations of the heroine. Jessica spends most of the book in the hospital and things are at times pretty grim.
Marc, the gay physician that lives in Jessica’s mansion with Betsy and Sinclair, suddenly disappears. Garrett and his werewolf girlfriend Antonia (who also live in the mansion) disappear as well. And Tina, another live-in vampire, is away in France attending a meeting. As a result Betsy ends up mysteriously alone and unable to reach anyone. Not even Sinclair, who has never left Betsy alone for an extended period of time. However since Betsy is such an airhead someone else has to connect the dots for her. Duh. Thus the central “plot” in the book focuses on Betsy’s attempts to find out who’s responsible for Sinclair’s disappearance.
Okay, you can probably tell that I wasn’t incredibly pleased with the book, even though I’ve read the other books in the series and knew what to expect from Betsy. The problem is that the “Betsy is a dumb blonde” theme can be a bit tiring. I’m not sure where MaryJanice Davidson is going to take this series because it’s starting to get repetitive. Let’s see: Betsy obsesses over some new designer shoes. A mystery occurs. Betsy has sex with Sinclair. She selects a new designer outfit. Betsy works on the mystery. She gets new shoes. Betsy stumbles upon the solution to the mystery. The End.
But then again perhaps the fans of this romantic paranormal fantasy series really like these qualities about Betsy. I wonder: is it just me?
So I went looking for other reviews of the book. Although what I found was a mixed bag the reviews were primarily positive. At Amazon.com, 79% of the 63 reviewers gave it 4 or 5 stars. Interesting. It doesn’t affect how I feel about the book though. I still think MaryJanice Davidson spends too much time trying to make us laugh about Betsy’s flaws which tends to overshadow and weaken the plot. Because so much time is spent on this effort the book, at 270 pages, feels more like an extended short story than a complete novel.
Unless you’re a big MaryJanice Davidson fan and are willing to overlook Betsy’s tiresome personality, I recommend that you borrow Undead and Uneasy from the library. I really wanted to like this book more but I just couldn’t get past the heroine’s tendency to plod along oblivious to the people and events around her.
For more about MaryJanice Davidson’s Betsy the Vampire Queen series see:
Hot New Releases – Best Urban Fantasy Books for August 2008
Posted by: | CommentsThe following fantasy books are being released this month, August 2008. Several of these books are written by very popular fantasy book writers and are sure to be good.
| August 2, 2008 | 
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Breaking Dawn (The Twilight Saga Book 4) by Stephenie Meyer This is the last book in the incredibly popular Twilight Saga series. |
| August 3, 2008 |  |
Seaborn by Chris Howard Corina Lairsey goes from one bad relationship to the next. However this new guy has taken a few liberties that Corina can’t possibly allow – he’s taken control of her body. As Corina struggles to get rid of him he starts selling off pieces of her life in order to gain additional power. What follows is an adventurous race against time and a to-the-death battle of wills. |
| August 4, 2008 |  |
The Last Angel by Kayla Steele “An angel is found murdered on the streets of Sunset Boulevard. To the media gossip mongers, it’s the biggest story ever. To the Hunters, an underground monster-fighting hit-squad, it’s just another case of ‘whodunnit’. To Kayla Steele, their youngest and newest member, it means a last, desperate chance to bring her murdered fiancé back from the dead . . .“ |
| August 5, 2008 |  |
Storm Born (Dark Swan Book 1) by Richelle Mead I’d seen weirder things than a haunted shoe, but not many. Sending some of my will into the wand, I tapped it against the shoe and spoke in a sing-song voice. “Come out, come out, whoever you are.” “Go away, bitch.” Great, a shoe with attitude. Fantasy Girl: I just bought this one – check out my Storm Born review! |
| August 5, 2008 |  |
Enchantment Place by Denise Little To say that the stores in Enchantment Place are unique is an understatement. They cater to customers that are looking for specialty items. “Here are seventeen shopping trips you’ll never forget, from a store that sells the highest quality familiars…to the non-magical daughter of a magic-filled family who is left to mind the family jewelry store though she has no means to defeat an enchanting thief…to a woman running a Wiccan supply store who is suddenly faced with an IRS audit…“ |
| August 5, 2008 |  |
Necking by Chris Salvatore “Gia Felice has a Rolodex full of vampires, werewolves, witches, and aliens – not to mention the livestock suppliers, undead-friendly hotels, and sleazy bars that cater to her clients’ more carnal needs. Sometimes being the premier book publicist to the underworld can suck – literally. Especially if you’re human. Especially if you’ve got the hots for irresistible Johnny and his sly half smile that shows just a little fang!” |
| August 5, 2008 |  |
Gale Force (Weather Warden, Book 7) by Rachel Caine “Weather Warden Joanne Baldwin is on vacation when her Djinn lover, David, asks Joanne to marry him. She’s thrilled to say yes, even if some others may be less than happy about it. Unfortunately, Joanne’s pre-marital bliss is ended by a devastating earthquake in Florida. And she can’t ask David and his kind for assistance. Because the cause of the quake is unlike anything Joanne has ever encountered—and a power even the Djinn cannot perceive.” |
| August 5, 2008 |  |
Underground (Greywalker, Book Three) by Kat Richardson “Harper Blaine was your average small-time P.I. until she died—for two minutes. Now Harper is a Greywalker—walking the thin line between the living world and the paranormal realm. The local homeless are turning up dead and mutilated, and zombies have been seen roaming the underground—the city buried beneath modern Seattle. But the killer is no mere murderer—it is a creature of ancient legend. And Harper must deal with both the living and the dead to stop the monster and its master…unless they stop her first.” |
| August 5, 2008 |  |
Kiss of Fury (Dragon Fire Book 3) by Deborah Cooke “Alexandra Madison has discovered an invention that could change the world. When her partner is murdered and their lab destroyed, Alex knows she has to rebuild her prototype in time… Donovan Shea knows the Madison project is of dire importance to the ongoing Pyr/Slayer war. So when he sees Alex being followed by a Slayer, he reacts and defends her, never imagining that she’s his destined mate… As Slayers close in on their prey, Donovan knows he’ll surrender his life to protect Alex—and lose his heart to possess her…“ |
| August 12, 2008 |  |
Bitten to Death (Jaz Parks, Book 4) by Jennifer Rardin “Jaz Parks here. My latest mission has taken me to the ancient Greek city of Patras; but instead of soaking up its splendor, I’m here to infiltrate a Vampere Trust. Only two vamps have ever escaped the tightly bound communities and lived to tell the tale: Edward “The Raptor”Samos, the most reviled criminal mastermind in recent memory, and Vayl, the CIA’s number one assassin who also happens to be my boss.“ |
| August 26, 2008 |  |
The Gypsy Morph (The Genesis of Shannara, Book 3) by Terry Brooks |
| August 26, 2008 |  |
Hunter’s Prayer by Lilith Saintcrow “Another night on the Nightside…An ancient evil looms over Santa Luz. Prostitutes are showing up dead and eviscerated. And Jill Kismet just might be able to get her revenge against an old enemy. There’s just one problem. Someone wants Jill dead–again. And if they have to open up Hell itself to kill her, they will.” Fantasy Girl: I have every Lilith Saintcrow urban fantasy book in publication and they’re all fantastic! |
| August 26, 2008 |  |
Legacy (Anna Strong Vampire Chronicles, Book 4) by Jeanne C. Stein “The sinister vampire who transformed her is dead, and Anna is entitled to his vast fortune. But a predatory werewolf comes forward, claiming the inheritance as her own—and she’ll kill to get what she wants most: blood and money.” Fantasy Girl: I have every book in the Anna Strong urban fantasy vampire series and highly recommend them! Reviews: |
| August 26, 2008 |  |
Pandemonium by Daryl Gregory “A demon had possessed a man, and O’Hare security had sealed off the concourse between the gates and baggage claim. Reactions varied from exasperation to excitement. It was another travel delay, but at least it was an interesting delay. Fantasy Girl: I’ve added this one to my shopping cart! |
| August 26, 2008 |  |
Pure Blood by Caitlin Kittredge “In the shadows of Nocturne City, witches lurk and demons prowl, and homicide detective Luna Wilder must keep the peace—while living life as a werewolf. Now bodies are turning up all over town, the brutal murders linked by a cryptic message: We see with empty eyes… To make matters worse for Luna, she can’t get wolfishly handsome Dmitri Sandovsky out of her mind . . .“ |
See also: Best Selling Urban Fantasy Books for 2008
Magic Burns by Ilona Andrews
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Kate Daniels has her hands full:
- While attempting to apprehend a homicidal madman (wielding a deadly fire-throwing salamander) a mysterious assassin with a crossbow kills her prisoner. He then appears to vanish into thin air. Kate needs to find this guy, determine the motive for the killing, and if needed, take him out because he’s apparently very dangerous.
- A female member of The Pack, the local werewolf clan, visits Kate to inform her that she plans to marry Kate’s ex-boyfriend. If that’’s not shocking enough, she also tells Kate that in order to do this she’ll need the permission of Curran, the Pack Master, and that she wants Kate to approach Curran to obtain his approval. By the way, Kate and Curran don’t get along.
- A different member of The Pack hires Kate to find the crossbow assassin who just recently stole some valuable maps from them.
- While looking for the mysterious archer Kate comes upon a distraught young girl searching for her missing mother. She decides to help the child find her mother, a witch last seen in the presence of a new coven leader, because a 13-year old girl alone on the streets of the city probably wouldn’t make it through the night.
Speaking of the city, Kate lives in an urban city which fluctuates between periods of “magic” and “tech.” When the magic is “up” strange and deadly supernatural creatures come out. Buildings crumble upon themselves. Technology like telephones don’t work. Overall it’s a time when humans without supernatural abilities are vulnerable.
When “tech” is up man-made technology devices start working again but most protections, like wards against magical creatures, cease to function. Although in the past fluctuations between tech and magic were somewhat predictable the city has recently experienced infrequent shifts between the two phases.
Throughout most of the book Kate has to juggle looking after her new ward while trying to capture the assassin. This makes for a great action adventure story with lots of twists and turns. Additionally, the tension between Kate and Curran is great and adds an element of romantic suspense to the book. By the way, Curran definitely qualifies as one of those Sexy Werewolves to Howl About.
Ilona Andrews has done a great job balancing all of the plotlines in this book, especially since it comes in under 300 pages. This is due in part to Andrews’ great world building; it’s not hard to imagine Kate and the supporting cast in this environment.
Overall Magic Burns was a good read that gets my recommendation. Check Prices
Demons Are Forever by Julie Kenner
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In this, the 3rd book in the Julie Kenner soccer mom urban fantasy series, our heroine, Kate Connor is back attempting to keep her town (San Diablo, California) safe from body swapping demons.
It appears as if the town is being overrun with newly made demons that are targeting Kate, her teenage daughter Allie, and Allie’s hunky teacher, David. If you read California Demon you know that in that book Allie was kidnapped by a demon who had endeared himself to the family. Because of that ordeal Allie now knows that her mother does a lot more than just bake cookies (badly) and care for the family.
Unfortunately, Allie has decided she wants to follow in her mother’s footsteps and become a Hunter. This makes for some interesting exchanges between mother and daughter:
“No, you can’t go demon hunting with me. It’s a school night.”
“But Mom!”
“No, and that’s final.”
“Whatever!”
Okay, I totally made up that scene but you get the picture. My point is that Allie is a typical American teenager who sometimes does the exact opposite of what her parents tell her to do. This potentially puts her in harm’s way since it looks like the local demon population has her in its cross hairs. However, as we discover in the book, Allie’s a fairly smart and resourceful young lady.
Which brings me to the main mystery in the book: the demons are attacking Kate, Allie, and David, but they’re not going for the kill shot. Instead they’re attempting to extract information about a mysterious stone in which one of their fire-and-brimstone leaders has been imprisoned. Kenner does a nice job keeping us in the dark about the stone while the 3 main characters race against time to find it ahead of the bad guys.
Demons Are Forever further promotes Kate’s growth as a main character. In some of the earlier books we saw more of the domestic side of Kate, primarily because she was trying so hard to keep her hunter persona secret from her family and friends. In this book she’s forced to share her secret with a close friend and as such, I believe her character gets more fleshed out. In this book Kenner downplays the “soccer mom” aspect of Kate’s life and focuses more on the well-trained, smart and calculating kick-butt demon slayer persona. It’s a good move.
David, Allie’s high school teacher, is still somewhat of a mystery to Kate (and to us). In the previous book Kate began suspecting that David was hiding something – that he wasn’t exactly who/what he appeared to be. That mystery continues in this book and adds a level of suspense and uncertainty that keeps the storyline interesting.
As in previous books Kate’s husband Stuart is totally in the dark about her secret life. In the earlier books I was exasperated with his character because he seemed to be too preoccupied with building his political career and not plugged in to what his wife was going through. In this book he’s still clueless but we get to see a different side of him which makes him much more endearing. I still think he’s too easy to accept Kate’s explanations about her bruises and injuries but it’s clear that seeds of doubt are starting to take root. I used to wish he’d walk in on her while she was in slayer mode but to be quite honest it’s sometimes funny watching her rush to kill a demon before Stuart comes around a corner. However, I’m still eagerly awaiting the day when he discovers the truth – uh, he will eventually learn the truth right?
I really love the fact that these books don’t take place in an urban city. Likewise, there are no sophisticated weapons, the heroine doesn’t have magical powers, and leather bustiers/stiletto heels are never mentioned. These books are about a woman who uses her intuition, common sense and physical training to rid her little part of the world of evil.
If you’re looking for something different from your average Hunter/Slayer type urban fantasy book pick up one or all of the books in the series:
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| Book #1 | Book #2 | Book #3 | Book #4 |
Give the series a spin – I think you’ll like it.
