MaryJanice Davidson's Undead Series: A Review

Recently I wrote a review about the young adult Jennifer Scales books written by MaryJanice Davidson and her husband, Anthony Alongi. In that review, I mentioned what initially attracted me to this series was the author; upon reading a book of hers, I usually snort my coffee. I loved her Undead Series.

Well... I just finished reading her newest installment in this series...and once again, I loved it. Since I only read this book at night... snorting my coffee was not an issue.

This series has allowed the heroine, Elizabeth (goes only by Betsy) Taylor (and now you know why) to grow and mature as we all are apt to do with time and age. (Though she will no longer age and has all the time in the world now, as she is Queen of the Undead.)

When we first met Betsy in Undead and Unwed... she turns thirty... she loses her job (which always sucks... especially is you have the shoe wardrobe Betsy does). A car hits her and kills her... however... she awakens in the morgue... hilarity ensues as she tries to accept her new Queen of the Undead throne and stop a crazed vampire as well as keep her friends alive and safe.

She is quirky and real and the laughs keep coming until the final page. It is a good thing that I discovered this series in 2007 and not 2004, thusly I did not have to wait a year until the next book... Undead and Unemployed. This I have to admit was my favorite of all her books. I have enjoyed them all... but this one I simply laughed louder and longer as I read and reread the book. Not wanting to "live" off her friends, she takes a position as Macy's Department Store selling shoes. This proves to be not the smart choice for her as she keeps spending her paycheck on shoes.

Following Undead and Unemployed is Undead and Unappreciated. In this book, Betsy meets her long lost half sister, who just happens to be the daughter of the devil. Yep.... Once again, Betsy meets the entire hullabaloo that is the chaos of her life with typical Betsyism charm... and the need for midnight madness sales shopping.

Undead and Unreturnable takes up with a Yuletide offering about Christmas and the act of giving. Betsy discovers she can talk to ghosts and that ghosts have problems that need tending to- just like regular folk before they can move on...

Undead and Unpopular brings us to Betsy being undead for one year and preparing to celebrate her thirty- first birthday (really) by giving up blood. She has decided she no longer will partake in that age-old custom that is the essence of vampirism all over. Oh, and some annoying out of town guests arrive who will do anything to thwart Betsy's wedding.

Undead and Uneasy brings us to the wedding... except for the fact that Betsy's groom is missing and soon Betsy finds herself alone and striving to believe more in herself that she ever has. Will she find her fiancé and her friends? With frantic style, that is all Betsy.

Undead and Unworthy brings with the plot a new look to the book, a sign that with the conclusion of the last book... Betsy is maturing and changing. Trying to accept being a new bride as well as having a new husband can be challenging in its own self but when MaryJanice Davison throws in a Book of the Dead ( made from human skin)... Betsy must really put her foot down. A climax will make all Betsy fans cry and laugh at the same time.

This brings us to her latest release, Undead and Unwelcome. Betsy and her entourage must return the body of a fallen friend (I do not want to give too much away to those of you who have not read any of these books yet, but plan on going do) to her family. They are not fully welcome and chaos is happening at home... but as some people have taken email lingo to heart, Betsy has not and almost arrives home too late because she could not understand the techobabble she was reading. (There is a lesson there!!!!!)

Read these books. They are funny and are written, not for literary prose, but for fun. If you do not immediately identify with Betsy, then as you read on you will find yourself identifying with one of her friends. These books are that good. Anyone can see him or herself doing or saying what goes on in these books. My suggestion is to not be intaking any liquids while reading though.