Story:
Betsy Taylor is just trying to live a normal, highly fashionable undead vampire lifestyle while trying to forget about the whole being queen of the vampires thing and the irresistible Eric Sinclair who is the king of the vampires and her (not that she wants anything to do with him either) consort. To this end Betsy decides that it is time to start trying to lead a "normal" life and the first step in the direction is to get a job. After a strange trip to the "re-employment office" Betsy stops by heaven (also known as Macy's designer show department) and is offered employment when she demonstrates her extensive knowledge of the merchandise. If only the world would let her enjoy her new employee discount! First her new house has a few left over previous tenants, then the whole queen of the vampires thing comes backup and to top it all off there is a group of humans going around killing vampires. What's a vampire girl supposed to do?
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This books continues the antics of the reluctant queen of vampires Betsy Taylor. Being it is part of the current supernatural/paranormal romance/mystery/adventure craze its more Buffy the Vampire Slayer than Ann Rice. Not that, that is a bad thing its fun to read something that doesn't take itself that seriously with complicated rules and structures and such. The main character doesn't care, that's other people's problem. She just wants to buy her designer shows and be left alone. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series and hope it keeps up the trend. I would recommend this to anyone who likes the above genres and is looking for a vampire book that has more humor than brooding in it.
m.a.c

Well being a vampire is not it's all cracked up to be, Betsy is now the Vampire Queen and Eric Sinclair (since she had sex with him) is now the King and the two are fated to rule for a thousand years. Wonderful... Along with that and getting a job selling shoes as Macy's, Betsy's also got to deal with the fact that someone is killing vampires around town and appears to be gunning for her.

MaryJanice Davidson is one of my fav authors. This was the first one I ever read. I actually saw this at a walmart & and bought it. This was a really funny book and I LOVED Sinclair. Lol.
I reread this novel alot until the next one came out.

Betsy is a funny childish character. She doesn't act--or talk like 30 years old woman. Her love is shoes is funny, and I feel the same way about mine.

Book 1 in the Queen Betsy series, "Undead and Unwed," was thoroughly hysterical. Book 2 doesn't achieve the same level of laugh-out-loud hilarity, but it's still a good follow-up and fun read. I'm looking forward to reading the third book, though with perhaps slightly less enthusiasm than I had for the second book. Although the novelty of the Betsy Taylor story has worn off slightly in "Undead and Unemployed," the final chapter (not the Epilogue, but the one preceding it), had me bursting out laughing as did most of the first book. By no means is this a "can't miss" book--and I certainly wouldn't recommend it to anyone who hasn't read book one--but for those who enjoyed the first book in the series, I'd recommend this second one.

This is book two in the series of Undead/Queen Betsy. I loved book one and thought that this one was a bit less impressive than it. Background: Betsy was killed and turned into a vampire without even knowing what hit her. Since then she has been fulfilling the prophecies of the Book of The Dead (vampire bible), which is what makes her the queen. In book two she tries to hold down a job (shoe department at Macy's), find the killer of vampires, relocated into a mansion her best friend bought, and is trying with all of her might not to sleep with Sinclair (the vampire king). You'll find it fun and a stepping-stone for book three.

>>>>>>>>Viewer Discretion Advised<<<<<<<<
Everyone has there own opinion but me being me I enjoyed it. I actually started smiling when Betsy founf out that Sinclair was moving in to the mansion. Yes it was funny but I NEVER laugh out loud at thing.. I'm only laughing silently to myself.. or in my head... so you see where this could get a bit confusing. I gave it a 7.6/10.. above averge but not THE BEST. Enjoy.

Vampire Queen Betsy Taylor won't let a little thing like being undead keep her from getting a job. She manages to land the perfect job for her, selling designer shoes at Macy's. She'd be happy if she could just work at Macy's and forget the vampire stuff, but someone is killing off vampires and the other vampires want their Queen to stop the killing. When Betsy herself is targeted, she is able to identify and catch the would-be killers, but even they don't know who their ringleader is. Betsy, her vampire friends (including the sexy Sinclair), and her non-vampire friends Marc and Jessica, team up with Father Markus and his group of Blade Warriors to find out just who is behind the vampire killings. As if Betsy wasn't busy enough selling shoes and tracking down vampire killers, she's also trying to help a mysterious little girl, Marie, find her mother.

"Undead and Unemployed" is the second book in Mary Janice Davidson's Queen Betsy series (the first is Undead and Unwed (Queen Betsy, Book 1)). It's a very funny but light read. While Betsy is an engaging character, she's a bit too shallow, especially considering all she's been through. While her job at Macy's is perfect for her, that plot line is never really developed since Betsy never seems to actually go to work. Davidson has a lot of fun tweaking the vampire myth. Betsy is unharmed by Holy Water, crucifixes, and even wooden stakes. The addition of Father Markus is a nice, humorous touch. The other supporting characters are nicely done, especially Jessica, my favorite character in the series. While there are plenty of funny bits in the book, a barbecue at Betsy's father's house is especially funny; the plot line is very thin and relies a bit too much on humor. For example, the Blade Warriors name seems to exist merely so that Betsy can make fun of it (Bloody Warthogs, Word Barriers, Blond Warriors) which is funny for awhile but wears thin. Readers will catch on to Marie's secret long before Betsy does. The ending of the book simply sets up for another sequel.

Readers looking for mindless entertainment will enjoy "Undead and Unemployed".

This is the second I've read in this series of books and I really enojoy them. The plot is light, funny and fast paced. The heroine, Betsy, is a nice humorous twist to the typical type of gal we see in this type of book. She's a little bit shallow, very practical, and clearly swimming out of her depth in her new role as Vampire Queen, but the reader still see a good heart underneath it all. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys the paranormal fiction/romance genre or "chick lit".

This entertaining vampire romance is the second of a series which incongruously combines chick lit romantic comedy and vampire thriller. Think "Sex in the City" meets "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," from the viewpoint of a new vampire.

The "Queen Betsy" series currently consists of six books, as follows:

1) Undead and Unwed
2) Undead and Unemployed
3) Undead and Unappreciated
4) Undead and Unreturnable
5) Undead and Unpopular
6) Undead and Uneasy.

The book begins with a police record of an interview with a taxi-driver, who describes how he witnessed a supernatural attack, and how a mysterious, tall, very pale, and very beautiful girl had driven off a vampire. Those who have not read the first book will have no idea what is going on, but those who previously read "Undead and Unwed" will recognise Betsy Taylor from the description.

The book is mostly told in the first person by Elizabeth Taylor, who prefers to be called Betsy for obvious reasons and is a most unusual vampire. Unlike other vampires, Betsy can say the name of God, and touch the bible or holy water without being burned or hurt.

At the end of the previous book, Betsy was proclaimed as Queen of the Vampires, but she doesn't want the position. Instead she goes looking for her dream job: as death has not changed her fascination with expensive shoes, Betsy tries to wangle herself a job working on the night shift selling designer shoes at top store Macy's.

But although Betsy would prefer to turn her back on her title as Queen of the Vampires, the other undead are not ready to turn their backs on her. A gang is murdering vampires, and the others want Betsy to do something about it. This kicks off a chain of events which soon becomes hysterical - that is, hysterically funny ...


Mary Davidson has great fun with the incongruity of mixing up the vampire genre with chick-lit romantic comedy. An interesting comparison with other authors who have written entertaining comedies by combining incongruous genres would be with Marianne Mancusi and Robert Frezza.

In the same way that this series gets plenty of laughs by combining chick lit with Vampires, Frezza write two very funny books which combined Vampires and Science Fiction ("McLendon's Syndrome" and "The VMR Theory") and Mancusi combined chick lit with time travel in "A Connecticut Fashionista at King Arthur's Court" and "A Hoboken Hipster in Sherwood Forest." Anyone who likes the "Queen Betsy" series is likely to enjoy all four of those, and vice versa, if you have read and enjoyed one of those books you may well enjoy this one.

OK, this is never going to win the Booker Prize or any other great award for classic literature but if you have the right sort of sense of humour, it is pretty good fun. I can recommend both "Undead and Unwed" and "Undead and Unemployed," and am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

MaryJanice give a new twist to vampire stories....not the usual dark love novel , or getting out of control Anita Blake series - just a great story.

I have been reading this book for a few days now and CAN'T seem to get through it. I don't think it is funny and find it to be rather boring. I was thinking about giving up on it until I came on here and read the reviews. I guess I have to stick with it since so many people raved about it--PAINFUL!!

Oh no, no no no no (she says shaking her head) another series of books I just HAVE to read, the first two where consumed with great zest, they are halarious with some raucuous laugh out loud moments ..... the credit card, it really has to go !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! shopping (she says in defeat)

The 2nd book in the series and I think better than the first. We get to know our characters better, and again I love the interaction and the wit, especially Betsy's. I love that Betsy is such a "real" character, and a "modern" vampire. I completely laugh out loud. Can't wait for more...

The idea of a vampire book being funny may seem strange, but this series defintiely makes me laugh!

I wasn't sure what to expect, but the book is a riot! Sure, she's dead. Or undead. But why let that make you lose your sense of humor? Or your love of designer shoes?

She's a vampire. She's sarcastic. She has a warped sense of humor. But she's determined not to let the whole not-alive thing get in her way. What's not to love?

I've seen these books called romance, but don't really think of them in that genre. As with many other series books, there's a guy in the picture, but the focus of the story isn't romance or horror.

Betsy Taylor is still dead, still obsessed with shoes and fashion, and still unhappy with her newfound role as queen of the vampires. And "Undead & Unemployed" is every bit as much fun as its predecessor, "Undead & Unwed." Betsy is an irrepressible vampire queen, obsessed with the finer things in life while still somewhat queasy over the realities of walking death.

MaryJanice Davidson has a deft hand for her chosen genre niche -- and, believe it or not, humorous romantic horror seems to be a growing field. Fortunately for fans, Davidson seems to have a deep well to draw from.

by Tom Knapp, Rambles.NET editor

Betsy Taylor is still dead, still obsessed with shoes and fashion, and still unhappy with her newfound role as queen of the vampires. And "Undead & Unemployed" is every bit as much fun as its predecessor, "Undead & Unwed." Betsy is an irrepressible vampire queen, obsessed with the finer things in life while still somewhat queasy over the realities of walking death.

MaryJanice Davidson has a deft hand for her chosen genre niche -- and, believe it or not, humorous romantic horror seems to be a growing field. Fortunately for fans, Davidson seems to have a deep well to draw from.

by Tom Knapp, Rambles.NET editor

Valley-gal-turned-vampire Betsy returns in this comedic romance sequel. What started off amusing seemed to have fallen a little flat in this novel. Betsy's air-brained antics can only take you so far. Plus her "love/hate relationship" with Sinclair gets a bit old. To be honest, I think Sinclair's a little too good for Betsy. Betsy dishes on him for most of the book, and then suddenly is hopelessly attracted to him? Please. I guess I dislike the "I LOVE you I hate you crud." Its boring. Plus I found the story about the murdered kid and the outcome... Exceedingly creepy. Instead of feeling uplifted at the end of that subplot thread I found it disturbing. I don't care for maudlin stuff in my humorous romance. 3 stars. An average read. Nothing to get excited about.

Valley-gal-turned-vampire Betsy returns in this comedic romance sequel. What started off amusing seemed to have fallen a little flat in this novel. Betsy's air-brained antics can only take you so far. Plus her "love/hate relationship" with Sinclair gets a bit old. To be honest, I think Sinclair's a little too good for Betsy. Betsy dishes on him for most of the book, and then suddenly is hopelessly attracted to him? Please. I guess I dislike the "I LOVE you I hate you crud." Its boring. Plus I found the story about the murdered kid and the outcome... Exceedingly creepy. Instead of feeling uplifted at the end of that subplot thread I found it disturbing. I don't care for maudlin stuff in my humorous romance. 3 stars. An average read. Nothing to get excited about.

The second in MaryJanice Davidson's Undead series is the best so far. Marvelously funny, witty, and clever. Who would hav thought that chick lit and the supernatural would go together like Carpina sandals and an Allison Patch handbag. Very chic and "biting".

The second in MaryJanice Davidson's Undead series is the best so far. Marvelously funny, witty, and clever. Who would hav thought that chick lit and the supernatural would go together like Carpina sandals and an Allison Patch handbag. Very chic and "biting".

I was unsure about this book when I ordered it, but noticed the good reviews and decided to give it a shot. I adored this book. It was a little hard to understand in the beginning, but I later found that was because there was Undead and Undwed that came out first. If you read that first, then this book, you'll be right on track. I was very impressed with this book, and now consider it to be a better vampire series than the Anita Blake series by Laurell K. Hamilton.

This book was amazing. I loved how Erick Sinclare was in it a lot. When they got together i was like !yay! then it all went down hill i was really surprised by the killer. Also by the stepmom being preg and her biomom not caring. I highly recomend this book to everyone. It is one of the best books i have read in a while it only took me one day. i'm totaly geting the next one!

The new Queen of the Vampires has a problem. She's undead and out of a job. So when there's a chance to educate a saleswoman at Macy's, Betsy takes it and lands herself a job. Things couldn't be better, except vampires keep turning up dead, and she's still the consort to the hunky Sinclair. What's a girl to do?

New to Ms. Davidson's Undead Series, I found I could jump into this book and go. Betsy is a fun, believable character who grabs at your sympathies and with great friends to back her up, creates the centerpiece of a truly wonderful ensemble cast. All the usual vampire tropes are present in this book, but it's written in such an entertaining and humorous way that it doesn't feel like yet another vampire story.

Sinclair comes across as cool and sophisticated, and really makes everyone, including some of the characters, wonder why Betsy hasn't tied a chain around his ankle and tagged him for life. But Betsy isn't just a funny woman with a shoe fetish. In this book, she shows that she has a deeper side, as the book takes some dark turns.

I found this to be an entertaining read and will certainly be looking for the rest of Betsy's stories to find out more about the Queen of the Vampires.

I absolutely loved this book, too! It is a great follow up to Undead and Unwed. I laughed a lot! I read it in less than 8 hours. I will definitely not regret making this purchase! I would totally recommend this book to anyone!

I loved this book more than the first one. I cannot wait to receive the third book and and am already looking forward to the rest. Highly recommend! Sinclair is such a hottie! Betsy is a fool not to jump on him daily.....I wouldn't kick him out of my bed.

I have to say that I found `UNDEAD AND UNEMPLOYED' to be much more entertaining than it's predecessor `UNDEAD AND UNWED'. While I enjoyed `UNDEAD AND UNWED' I found the main character Betsy to be excessively irritating and the story, although funny at parts, to be a bit predictable. However, in Mary Janice Davidson's second novel in this series, Betsy is still somewhat irritating but not excessively so and the story was much better thought out adding a bit more mystery to the story. Also new and interesting secondary characters were thrown in with the very charming vamps Sinclair and Tina (my favorite characters in both books) making for an even more interesting read.

While this series may not have gotten off to a roaring start for me it seems to be getting better with every novel and has the potential to be very good if Betsy tones down the sarcasm a little and Davidson turns up the romance between Betsy and Sinclair. This is an amusing and very likable series and I look forward to reading the next installment and in keeping with the theory of each one being better than the last, I am hoping `UNDEAD AND UNAPPRECIATED' will garner a 4 star rating but for now this one gets 3 ý stars!

Sometimes you come across an author who can keep the good things coming. Mary Janice Davidson is such an author. When you buy a sequel to a good book, you're never sure what you're going to get. Queen Betsy continues to be one of my favorite characters. In this one, she has to get a job and, lo and behold!, she manages to get one in a shoe store (could it be any better for a person with a shoe fetish?). From there until the end of the book, I was rolling with laughter. I recommend grabbing this book and reading it cover to cover with no breaks. I promise it will be worth it!

I enjoyed this book as much as the first, really good reading if you like vampire romance. (I ended up liking it quite a bit despite never having been an avid reader of anything romance.) Still funny, the characters are great. Still a few editing errors though, although few.

Ok, I do not like science fiction type of stuff, or paranormal, any of that. My husband bought me these books when I was sick and desperate, I loved them. Some of the funniest books I have read. He bought me this one first, when I realized it was a second book, I stopped and he got me the first one. They are both so hilarious, I was dissapointed there wasn't a third.

Who can't love the irony of a blond Ditsy Queen of Vampires?!?!?
This is not a book for hard core vamp-enthusiests who believe all vamp stories must be dark and gloomy. With that said READ THESE BOOKS.
Taking yourself and/or your reading materials to seriously is a dreadful sin and should be avoided at all costs. Laugh for cripes-sake.
You'll live longer *wink*

I've always been a fan of supernatural fiction (Kelley Armstrong, Laurell K Hamilton, etc), but not always a fan of the darker elements of it. I've found other authors who've attempted a lighter version of supernatural fiction to be a substandard attempt to infuse wit while keeping the supernatural elements entwined. Thus, I was skeptical of MJD's ever-growing popularity with her Undead books, appropriately titled "Vamp-Lite".

Two sentences in to the first book, I was hooked. I thought she couldn't do any better than Unwed, but reading Unemployed, she proved me wrong. Just as good as, if not better than, the first!

I've purchased every MJD book I could get my hands on, and I can't put them down. She's an absolutely hilarious writer, with an excellent way of giving only just enough information to keep you hooked, without showing all her cards too quickly. Her storylines are unique, and the storylines that have been done before are done in her novels in a fresh, new way.

I finish her novels within hours of starting them, and recommend them at every chance. Aside from her Undead series, I also enjoy her "Royal" series (Royal Treatment, Royal Pain)!

I enjoyed this book a lot. My favourite part was when Betsey, who acquires a job at Macy's, is talking to her manager and Sinclair comes behind her and demands her attention. And she responds, "Yes, Satan?" turns around and then says "Oh, I mistaked you for someone else."

I know, it's kind of dorky, but I can't help using it on people! The story has these little twists and it's like WHO WHAT HUH? I really enjoyed it. I picked it up after reading The Royal Treatment.

If you love to have a good laugh, then MaryJanice is your girl! It's not a deep read, but it makes you feel so much better after a hard day. And I relate to Betsey's shoe obsession, and was thoroughly envious of her Macy's job!

while the first book in this series was cute and refreshing, sadly this one was, to be honest, just dumb! While Betsy seemed frank and funny, kind of like a "sex in the city" vampire in "unwed"- she is a screechy, whiney b*tch in this one.

The tendancy of the writer to have Betsy continually think how sexy Sinclair is while all the time pushing him away, calling him vile names and saying "I hate you"?!??! What, are we in kindergarten? The worst-when Betsy calls him Finkclair-sounds like a after school special :( And the plot? What plot!

Glad I haven't purchased any more of this series. If you must read this, I suggest used or from the library.

2 stars

These are pretty much a rip off of Charlaine Harris books. Poorly written romance fluff. I was expecting better. Characters are cardboard and plot is....well, pretty much non-existant & she tries to hard for the laughs. Harris did it so much better.
I'm glad I didn't buy this book but I won't even look for more in the library.

Betsy, reluctant Queen of the Undead, is back! And she's decided to get a job & quit mooching off of her billionaire best friend. So she's working in the shoe department of Macy's at the Mall of America!Where else would you find a vampire queen?

Also her house is terminexed so Jessica buys her a mansion. Marc, Jessica, Queen Betsy, & Marie the mansions ghost all move in together...& maybe Sinclair & his buddy Tina? Oh, & theirs the little problem of the Blade Warriors who are trying to stake as many vamps as possible including Betsy. Oh, & the other vamp who wants to see a stake in her...hmmm, our girl may have a busy schedule. Plus her evil step-monster is pregnant!

Catch all the books in the series!

Undead & Unwed
Undead & Unemployed
Undead & Unappreciated
Undead & Unreturnable
Undead & Unpopular (coming June '05)
As well as short stories:
Dead Girls Don't Dance - from anthology Cravings
Biting in Plain Site - from anthology Bite

I just had to read UNDEAD AND UNEMPLOYED by MaryJanice Davidson the second after reading its prequel, UNDEAD AND UNWED. It didn't let me down! In UNDEAD AND UNEMPLOYED, foul-mouthed airhead Betsy Taylor continues her antics as the reluctant vampire queen, this time by getting a dream job in the shoe department as Macys. In the meantime, she has to figure out who is killing vampires in her city. Of course, she's accompanied by her human friends and her vamp archenemy, namely that hottie Eric Sinclair.

I read this book in just a few hours, non-stop. It was light and fun, and it made me laugh. It's not a perfect book - for one, the bad guy was obvious - but it still got me anxious to read the next one! Betsy is just hysterical, in my opinion.

Just so you know, this isn't really a romance. It's part of an ongoing series about the crazy antics of a whiny, vain, slightly idiotic designer-shoe aficionado who is not only a vampire, but a vampire queen. The book does have its erotic moments, however. Sinclair is a yummy vampire king.

Anyway, if you are interested, begin the series in order, starting with UNDEAD AND UNWED, then read Davidson's short story "Dead Girls Can't Dance" in the anthology CRAVINGS, which features Betsy and Sinclair. Then read this book (UNDEAD AND UNEMPLOYED), followed by UNDEAD AND UNAPPRECIATED and UNDEAD AND UNRETURNABLE.

I had nothing but good to say about Undead and Unwed the first in this series, and I loves this second book, especially the part about Betsy going to work at the Mall, because for anyone who has worked retail AND worked in the mall (I did for 9 years!) we all know its a bunch of zombies, bloodsuckers, and demons in there anyway. I really think that in the third ring of hell is a folding table and an endless pile of sweaters with my name on it (just in case i do something wrong in this life).

MaryJanice Davidson's Undead and Unemployed could be described as Jennifer Crusie and Janet Evanovich meet Anne Rice. This is the second book in the series, and I was prepared to dislike it, but it really was funny.

Betsy Taylor is 30-something, unemployed, and desperate for a job to support her habit of buying expensive shoes. She finally lands her dream job, selling shoes in Macy's at the Mall of America. She lives in Apple Valley with her roommates Marc (a gay doctor) and the seriously wealthy Jessica. And... she's been dead for three months and is the Queen of the Vampires. Betsy has superhuman strength, and can't eat any more; she is disgusted by the idea of drinking blood, and falls asleep as soon as the sun comes up.

In addition to trying to keep her job and find a new place to live (her old Apple Valley house has termites), she has to discover who is behind the murder of several good female vampires. Her vampire friends Eric Sinclair (annoyingly handsome and charismatic King of the Vampires), and his good friend Tina, help her discover who is manipulating the gang of enthusiastic teenaged vampire slayers. Betsy confronts the gang after they follow her home and she explains the good vampire/ bad vampire thing, and gets them on her side.

Jessica finds a wonderful mansion on Summit Avenue as her new place to live. Betsy discovers that another of her talents is that she can see and hear ghosts, and discovers a small child ghost, Marie, who haunts her new bedroom. It takes a while for Betsy to notice that she is a ghost; at first she thinks Marie is the child of one of the mansionâ??s workers wandering around and bored. Betsy finally is able to reunite Marie with her mother.

Armchair Interviews says: A book set in Minnesota at the infamous Mall of America--and vampires, what a combination in this fun and funny novel.

It's only 5% less funny than "Undead and Unwed" but still thigh-slapping good.

Betsy may be the queen of the undead but she is impoverished, so she applies for a job as a shoe saleswoman for Nordstroms. Meanwhile her richer `n Croesus best friend buys a huge house in St. Paul and they move in after her house is overrun by termites.

Betsy starts to meet vamps paying tribute ad also realizes she can see dead people in a hilarious sequence that builds slowly and perfectly with a girl named Marie.

However some people are ambushing and killing female vamps. Betsy finds them and does she kill them? No, sits down to tea and OJ with them! Some vamp is paying them to kill other vamps and they try to discover who it is. But they need the help of super delish Eric Sinclair, King to Betsy's Queen, and top of her s**tlist.

Betsy once again naïvely makes her way through vamp politics in a very funny story. Towards the end we see more of Eric's feelings for Betsy and you want to smack her for being so callous towards him. But if she wasn't, she wouldn't be our Betsy.

A must read. Sexy, funny, compelling and highly enjoyable!

Very enjoyable peace of fluff, If you are looking for steven king this ain't it. But if you just want a light way to enjoy a few hours Very Very Good. On the Other hand check out the saberhagen dracula books if you perfer your vamps in a thicker vein. ;)

I was very much looking forward to this one because Undead & Unwed hit all of the right notes for me. Unfortunately, for the most part, I was seriously disappointed. Nothing much at all seemed to be happening besides lots of quips being thrown about. Sadly, they lacked the bite and fun of the 1st book or maybe I'm just a complete crab. Also, the sexual tension, which was so much a part of book #1, seems to be nearly non-existent here :(

Eventually things picked up and this was an amusing enough read but it did not live up to the promise and originality of Undead & Unwed. Still, I like Davidson's sass and will read the next in the series.

Not so many laughs here, but more character development for Sinclair, and more development of the romance. The small misses (like a different attitude about the Mall of America than in book 1) had no real effect on this reader's enjoyment of the book. Less earthy than the first, and perhaps not quite as tight, but still delightful and fun. Maybe 4.85 stars. Betsy does nearly become, as she herself states, too stupid to live, but she's always been a flighty character -- that's been part of her charm. A shoe-crazy bimbo as queen of the vampires! The big pull here is the better use of Sinclair and the furtherance of the romance. Nice.

I am enjoying this book!!! It's light and its fun. I can't wait for more.....

If you like Charlaine Harris' "Dead" series, featuring the character, friend of the vampires, "Sookie Stackhouse", you will probably enjoy this series also. Davidson's lead character, "Betsy" IS a vampire and a ditzy one at that. Inexplicably, she has powers that no other vampire has, but because she is so silly, none of the vampire community takes her seriously and problems ensue.
I could like this character much better if there was some sort of cunning beneath her outer "blonde behavior", but the constant whining and shallow repetitive protests as she denies her feelings for Eric (big handsome undead King)and complaints about her duties as the new queen of the vamps grow tiresome.
I will buy the next book when it comes out in paperback, but I'm hoping it'll have more meat (pun intended).

Wow! It is an absolutley fantastic book. Love the characters! Love the story! Love the humor! Love Eric Sinclair! Who wouldn't want to be immortal and a queen?

Undead and Unwed captured me and I was totally on the lookout for Undead and Unemployed. I finally got my hands on it and I absolutely loved this book! The book is SO funny and it will not fail to give you the out-loud giggles when reading this. I enjoy reading about her relationship with the sexy Eric Sinclair and the mystery of the "Puppet Master", a benefactor to the Blade Warriors and the mastermind behind the vampire murders taking place. Witty, vain, and hilarious Betsy tells another wonderful tale in this book!

...and if that job involves shoes then the more the merrier. Betsy Taylor, Queen of the Dead is coming to terms with her new found Vampire-deadness. She can only work at night, she has super-human strength and she is broke.

She isn't garnering the respect of the rest of the vampires but then she doesn't care that much, especially if garnering their respect means having to have anything to do with her consort, the fabulous Eric Sinclair. She would rather work in a shoe shop - and she does, well Macy's anyway.

Mary janice Davidson's second book in the Queen of the Dead adventure/romance series is, if anything, better than first. Funnier, and tighter plotting. Lots of laugh out loud moments, and room for lots more development as Betsy sorts out the vampire empire - her own way.

I picked up _Undead and Unemployed_ while visiting my parents. I had no idea what it would be like, but I was very pleasantly surprised.

The main character, Elizabeth Taylor, is vain, self-centered and annoying, but also believable as a character. I actually have met people who can take one look at a person and know the brand name of their clothes, and whom will also keep track of the shoe market better than the people who actually sell shoes for a living. It is interesting to see how someone who has led a very sheltered and fashion-centered life reacts when thrown into a situation where bigger things are at stake. Underneath all the vanity, Betsy has a heart of gold which makes her endearing to the reader.

The secondary characters are also quite interesting, including Jessica, Tina, Sinclair, Marc, the priest, Jon, and a number of others. While some of them (particularly Eric Sinclair) are pretty annoying for most of the book, the dialog and interactions are well-written and humorous. And even the annoying characters have their good traits.

There are also some interesting plotlines going on in the background. For example, Betsy has some abilities that are far beyond what most vampires can do. Whether this is because she is the foretold queen of the vampires, or because of something special about Betsy, or both, is an intriguing question. Hopefully that will be explained in later books. Equally intriguing is what other surprises are in her new house, what will eventually become of the Fiends,and who will win the battle of wills between her and Eric Sinclair?

I also have to commend MaryJanice Davidson for her excellent eye for detail! Betsy doesn't just work at a mall, she works at the Mall of America and Davidson even describes the parking lots. Clothes, hairdo and overall appearance aren't just "nice" or "striking", they are described by brand (Prada, Armani, etc.) and in such detail that I can almost literally see the person. Other small details (such as the hazards of setting down a water pitcher in a house full of antiques) are also included.

The reasons I gave this book four stars instead of five are:
- I wish the book were longer.
- I wish Betsy would clue in to things just a BIT faster (like with Marie, and also with Monique).
- It's mildly unbelievable that none of the other characters would figure out the (very obvious) pattern to the vampire slayings before Betsy stumbled onto it.

But all in all, a very enjoyable book. I am looking forward to reading the first in the series, and also the third (which I see will be released July 5th).

I love all the characters... especially Sinclair (for the obvious reasons). This book a fun and easy read. I read it in a matter of hours because it was just too good to put down. I look forward to the upcoming books in this series. It should be interesting to see what happens to Betsy next.

The 2nd in the Undead series...Betsy returns as the flightly, shoe-obsessed 'Queen'. Still somewhat oblivious to vampire politics, still upset with Eric (her new King), and well, still just Betsy. She's funny, sexy, and playing the games her way. Deciding that she needs to work again, she lands a job at Macy's in the shoe department. However, vampire issues quickly interfere. She's dealing with Eric, a group of vampire slayers, and visiting vampires - all there to meet her, the new Queen. MJD again delivers a funny, sassy story.