I can't get enough of Sara Harvey, the main character of The Cold Ones and this book, Blackfire. She is definitely a hardass, but she has her share of problems to keep her from being too much the Strong Female Character™. The narrative takes "interludes" that fill in some of the blanks of The Cold Ones, but not too many to get in the way of the pace of the plot. The author has a unique take on the whole zombie phenomenon, although she chooses to parcel it out in maddeningly short sections. I'm definitely looking forward to the next book.
If you enjoyed "The President's Vampire" by Chris Farnsworth, do yourself a favor and check this series out!