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Jane Jameson #1
Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs
Maybe it was the Shenanigans gift certificate that put her over the edge. When children's librarian and self-professed nice girl Jane Jameson is fired by her beastly boss and handed twenty-five dollars in potato skins instead of a severance check, she goes on a bender that's sure to become Half Moon Hollow legend. On her way home, she's mistaken for a deer, shot, and left for dead. And thanks to the mysterious stranger she met while chugging neon-colored cocktails, she wakes up with a decidedly unladylike thirst for blood.
Jane is now the latest recipient of a gift basket from the Newly Undead Welcoming Committee, and her life-after-lifestyle is taking some getting used to. Her recently deceased favorite aunt is now her ghostly roommate. She has to fake breathing and endure daytime hours to avoid coming out of the coffin to her family. She's forced to forgo her favorite down-home Southern cooking for bags of O negative. Her relationship with her sexy, mercurial vampire sire keeps running hot and cold. And if all that wasn't enough, it looks like someone in Half Moon Hollow is trying to frame her for a series of vampire murders. What's a nice undead girl to do?
Jane is now the latest recipient of a gift basket from the Newly Undead Welcoming Committee, and her life-after-lifestyle is taking some getting used to. Her recently deceased favorite aunt is now her ghostly roommate. She has to fake breathing and endure daytime hours to avoid coming out of the coffin to her family. She's forced to forgo her favorite down-home Southern cooking for bags of O negative. Her relationship with her sexy, mercurial vampire sire keeps running hot and cold. And if all that wasn't enough, it looks like someone in Half Moon Hollow is trying to frame her for a series of vampire murders. What's a nice undead girl to do?
389 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 31, 2009
584 people are currently reading
17495 people want to read
About the author
Molly Harper
61 books8,141 followersMolly Harper is the author of more than 40 romance titles including the Half-Moon Hollow series, the Mystic Bayou, the Starfall Point series, and her first murder mystery, A PROPOSAL TO DIE FOR. She lives in Michigan with her family. For more information, go to www.mollyharper.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,166 reviews
May 29, 2019
You all know that I'm a funny-whore. Not a whore that is funny. I'm too old to whore - nobody wants to buy what I'd be selling. It's the equivalent of buying a really really old used car. And not one of those classic cool older cars. More like one that was previously owned by a large family whose kids had incontinence problems, then a chain-smoking stunt man with incontinence problems, and then a gang who used it to do drive-bys while having incontinence problems. So, when I say I'm a funny-whore, I mean that I will practically give my questionable honor to someone who can make me laugh. (Which is why I married my husband.)
This book made this funny-whore really happy! I'm only slightly disappointed in you all for not telling me about this series sooner. You know how I am!!!
I'm not mad.... just disappointed...
Is this the most original story I've ever read? No, not even. But, if you liked Sookie Stackhouse, but wished she was super funny, quirky, and sarcastic, I think you will love this book as much as I did.
Jane has all of the above. She is far from perfect. Really far. And, she dies in the most ridiculous and awesome way: being mistaken for a deer on the side of the road and shot by a drunk hunter. That has potential to make some good stories in heaven. You just know the first question when you meet someone new there is "how did you die?" Unless that's considered a faux pas. Personally, I would want to know. And, that is why my biggest fear is to die on the toilet. Please, oh please, don't let me go like that!
No, Elmo, no!! They'll put it all over the news! Remember Elvis?
Luckily for Jane, a vampire named Gabriel witnessed hernear-death experience while he was creepily following her home to "make sure she made it safely". Right, dude. We believe you. So, he gives Jane the choice of becoming a vampire and she takes it.
What is the first thing you do when you find out that you are immortal? Get your best friend and play the game "What can kill Jane" of course! Jane and her bestie, Zeb, are a great bff pair. I love the fact that Zeb decides to go to a support group for families of the newly undead. That's a good friend for you!
I bet this group is crowded...
Along with Jane's clumsy-yet-hilarious steps towards accepting her new undead status, there is a tiny bit of romance going on with Gabriel. Of course, things get a little awkward when he learns her deep dark secret.
"No, don't go in there!" I cried as Gabriel stepped into my library.
"You have a lot of unicorns," he said, his voice shadowed in both awe and horror...
...the majestic sweep of their horns, their imperious painted eyes held some sort of strange, unholy thrall over me....
"Fine, fine. You know my secret. I have a unicorn collection."
"That's a very sad secret," he said..
Unicorns are pretty magical. I can see it.
This book had me laughing out loud a ton of times. I am eager to continue this series so I truly hope it never does anything silly, like try to become serious.
This book made this funny-whore really happy! I'm only slightly disappointed in you all for not telling me about this series sooner. You know how I am!!!
I'm not mad.... just disappointed...
Is this the most original story I've ever read? No, not even. But, if you liked Sookie Stackhouse, but wished she was super funny, quirky, and sarcastic, I think you will love this book as much as I did.
Jane has all of the above. She is far from perfect. Really far. And, she dies in the most ridiculous and awesome way: being mistaken for a deer on the side of the road and shot by a drunk hunter. That has potential to make some good stories in heaven. You just know the first question when you meet someone new there is "how did you die?" Unless that's considered a faux pas. Personally, I would want to know. And, that is why my biggest fear is to die on the toilet. Please, oh please, don't let me go like that!
No, Elmo, no!! They'll put it all over the news! Remember Elvis?
Luckily for Jane, a vampire named Gabriel witnessed her
What is the first thing you do when you find out that you are immortal? Get your best friend and play the game "What can kill Jane" of course! Jane and her bestie, Zeb, are a great bff pair. I love the fact that Zeb decides to go to a support group for families of the newly undead. That's a good friend for you!
I bet this group is crowded...
Along with Jane's clumsy-yet-hilarious steps towards accepting her new undead status, there is a tiny bit of romance going on with Gabriel. Of course, things get a little awkward when he learns her deep dark secret.
"No, don't go in there!" I cried as Gabriel stepped into my library.
"You have a lot of unicorns," he said, his voice shadowed in both awe and horror...
...the majestic sweep of their horns, their imperious painted eyes held some sort of strange, unholy thrall over me....
"Fine, fine. You know my secret. I have a unicorn collection."
"That's a very sad secret," he said..
Unicorns are pretty magical. I can see it.
This book had me laughing out loud a ton of times. I am eager to continue this series so I truly hope it never does anything silly, like try to become serious.
May 26, 2013
Sometimes I think there is a checklist being passed around among writers of vampiric fiction, a kind of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Writing Vampire Fiction, if you will. If so, this novel ticks off the following standard hallmarks:
--two possible love interests (one noble and one a scrappy rogue) for our female vampire
--creation of a synthetic blood substitute so vampires don't have to kill to get sustenance
--the vampire community "coming out" while other supernatural creatures (werewolves, witches, etc.) hang back to see how that works out for them
--a vampire society with a hierarchal structure and a couple of powerful Old World vamps hanging around
--a predictable mystery that sets our heroine at odds with the vampire elite
Having said that, I enjoyed the hell out of this book. In terms of plot, it is predictable, but what makes this such a refreshing read is the humor provided by the main character, Jane Jameson, a newly turned vampire who has to juggle her new undead status and the pesky societal pitfalls that plagued her in real life. There were times I laughed out loud (particularly after Jane and her best friend, Zeb, spend an evening injuring Jane with increasing degrees of violence just to watch her regenerate).
This is light, fluffy fun and sometimes that's more than enough.
Cross posted at This Insignificant Cinder
--two possible love interests (one noble and one a scrappy rogue) for our female vampire
--creation of a synthetic blood substitute so vampires don't have to kill to get sustenance
--the vampire community "coming out" while other supernatural creatures (werewolves, witches, etc.) hang back to see how that works out for them
--a vampire society with a hierarchal structure and a couple of powerful Old World vamps hanging around
--a predictable mystery that sets our heroine at odds with the vampire elite
Having said that, I enjoyed the hell out of this book. In terms of plot, it is predictable, but what makes this such a refreshing read is the humor provided by the main character, Jane Jameson, a newly turned vampire who has to juggle her new undead status and the pesky societal pitfalls that plagued her in real life. There were times I laughed out loud (particularly after Jane and her best friend, Zeb, spend an evening injuring Jane with increasing degrees of violence just to watch her regenerate).
This is light, fluffy fun and sometimes that's more than enough.
Cross posted at This Insignificant Cinder
July 28, 2022
This is quirky and adorable. Librarian Jane was minding her own business when an accident left her dying and an altruistic vampire bit her and changed her into one of the undead rather than allow her to perish. Molly Harper’s voice is hilarious, as is this cast of characters, from Jane’s kindergarten teacher friend Zev, to her ghost of a great aunt, to Gabriel, the vampire sire who has the hots for her and shows up at just the right times.
I loved Jane’s missteps as she struggles to navigate vampire life, as well as the hilarious notes of life in the South. The mystery of who could be out to get Jane and why adds a note of humor and suspense as Jane ticks through the potential enemies she might have made since becoming one of the undead. Although, I must say, the heating romance with Gabriel quickly became my very favorite part. This was a quirky and oh so fun book to read.
I loved Jane’s missteps as she struggles to navigate vampire life, as well as the hilarious notes of life in the South. The mystery of who could be out to get Jane and why adds a note of humor and suspense as Jane ticks through the potential enemies she might have made since becoming one of the undead. Although, I must say, the heating romance with Gabriel quickly became my very favorite part. This was a quirky and oh so fun book to read.
January 7, 2011
The little dot that sits on top of the i is called a 'tittle'. I don't know how I went through my entire life without this piece of information but I'm now planning to slip it into conversation somewhere.
Like this book could have been great but it's like the author wrote a perfect sentence and left out her tittles.
It's not that I actually had any expectations for this book. The title is Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs and it has a kind of trashy cover. I was really just impressed that it didn't stumble in the door, barf on me and shit on my doormat, to be honest.
It seems to be with Paranormal romance:
Good Characters
Good writing
Good plot
Pick two.
This book almost defeated that stereotype but fell short when the ending was way too obvious and the character of Gabriel annoyed me.
Why be eternal if you're going to be an eternal pain in the ass?
Anyway, it wasn't a terrible book. Jenna was actually a funny, interesting character. She had a lot of great lines and she was by no means an idiot. The secondary characters were fun.
Overall, it was a pretty alright book!
Like this book could have been great but it's like the author wrote a perfect sentence and left out her tittles.
It's not that I actually had any expectations for this book. The title is Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs and it has a kind of trashy cover. I was really just impressed that it didn't stumble in the door, barf on me and shit on my doormat, to be honest.
It seems to be with Paranormal romance:
Good Characters
Good writing
Good plot
Pick two.
This book almost defeated that stereotype but fell short when the ending was way too obvious and the character of Gabriel annoyed me.
Why be eternal if you're going to be an eternal pain in the ass?
Anyway, it wasn't a terrible book. Jenna was actually a funny, interesting character. She had a lot of great lines and she was by no means an idiot. The secondary characters were fun.
Overall, it was a pretty alright book!
September 25, 2013
Audio Book Review
Regarding the Story:
Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs is the first book in Molly Harper’s Jane Jameson series, a cross between Contemporary and Paranormal Romance, with just a tiny hint of Chick-Lit.
Jane Jameson is an unemployed librarian and newly turned vampire, living in the quirky small town of Half Moon Hollow. Vampires have been ‘out of the closet’ for a while now, and in this first book of the series, we follow Jane as she acclimates to her life as an undead.
There are plenty of great things about this book, including the cast of secondary characters, many who have stories of their own just screaming to be told. It's a unique world Ms. Harper has created, a refreshing twist on the done-to-death (no pun intended) vampire genre.
Molly Harper is one of the best authors I’ve read when it comes to humorous stories. There’s just something about the way she writes dialog, her dry wit and easy banter, that makes her books a pleasure to read.
My only complaint is a minor one, and it’s in the world building, which can often be a problem in the first book of a series. There were a few times I felt things dragged a bit, but once that foundation was laid, it was smooth listening right through the end.
Regarding the Audio Book:
Amanda Ronconi narrates this book and she is fabulous! Her voice is so comfortable to listen to and she can go from a slight southern drawl to a heavy twang flawlessly. Her reading of the story, her pacing and inflection, brings the story to life in a way that simply reading it from a book just can’t match.
If you’re new to audio books, as I am, and not sure where to start, I can highly recommend this author/narrator team!
Note:
Though there is some relationship development between the two main characters, this book does not have a happily ever after and I'd rank the 'steam' at about 3 of 5.
January 17, 2023
In the space of one day Jane Jameson is fired from her job as a librarian (receiving a $25 voucher to be used at Shenanigans as her severance), is shot by a drunk hunter who mistakes her for an eight-pointer buck, and becomes a vampire.
She wakes up three days later, with a thirst for blood, a bunch of super powers and some seriously zany characters both helping and hindering her in her first halting steps as a night dweller.
This is the second Molly Harper book I have read and it has cemented her place as a favorite author. The way she uses words makes me want to read and re-read her books.
“Wal-mart started selling "Vampire Home Defense Kits", including holy water, crosses, stakes, mallets, and a book of quick blessings to bar vampires from your door. The fact that these kits were generally useless didn't bother me nearly as much as the idea of holy water being sold at wal-mart.”
She wakes up three days later, with a thirst for blood, a bunch of super powers and some seriously zany characters both helping and hindering her in her first halting steps as a night dweller.
This is the second Molly Harper book I have read and it has cemented her place as a favorite author. The way she uses words makes me want to read and re-read her books.
“Wal-mart started selling "Vampire Home Defense Kits", including holy water, crosses, stakes, mallets, and a book of quick blessings to bar vampires from your door. The fact that these kits were generally useless didn't bother me nearly as much as the idea of holy water being sold at wal-mart.”
August 20, 2025
2020 UPDATE:
🎃🎃🎃🎃
It's a sign of how much I enjoyed the Jane Jameson books that I purchased my own copies during these pandemic times. My public library has proven unreliable at maintaining holdings of my favourite books, so I ordered them through a local independent bookstore to help them through a difficult time.
And you know, I still loved Jane this time through. I liked Gabriel a little better this time around and Richard (Dick) Cheney still cracked me up. He and Jane doing their “Dick and Jane" routine. This was just what I needed to save me from reading slump hell. It was better than an antidepressant.
Harper knows how to make me smile.
Cross posted at my blog:
https://wanda-thenextfifty.blogspot.c...
ORIGINAL REVIEW:
Many of you who read my reviews regularly know that I am a devotee of urban fantasy and that I work in a library. The result of these two facts? When I read that there was an urban fantasy series that featured an unemployed children’s librarian who becomes a vampire, I absolutely had to give it a try! And I found it quite entertaining, too.
Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs owes quite a debt to the Sookie Stackhouse series, I think. Like Harris’ series, this one is set in a small town in the Southern States. As in the Sookie books, vampires have recently come out of the coffin (now that there is a source of artificial blood available) and they have a rather hazy and somewhat threatening hierarchy that they are not over-fond of sharing. Quite quickly, we also have a werewolf showing up, so other supernatural people are obviously going to feature in this series too. Also, Jane, the heroine of this series, begins as a relatively sexually inexperienced woman, similar to the virginal Ms. Stackhouse. Several bad experiences have persuaded Jane to just focus on her career and put relationships on hold.
This is where she parts from the Sookie mold, however, because Jane is a well-educated, well-read, feisty and sassy heroine. Her smart cracks remind me much more of Seanan McGuire’s writing (both Toby in the October Day series and Verity Price in the InCryptid series). Once she becomes a vampire, Jane acquires the ability to see ghosts, à la Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson. And her Aunt Jettie’s ghost has a number of wise and hilarious things to say.
I like that the author doesn’t take the whole thing too seriously, but I still completely comprehend her sense of humour. Perhaps because Jane has a tendency to quote Dr. Seuss and obsesses over organizing book shelves, I like her a great deal. It will also be interesting to see Jane continue to deal with her overbearing Southern mama. So far, Harper is following the "no female friends" pattern that most urban fantasy seems to adhere to--I'd be thrilled if Jane acquired a woman friend in the next installment.
So, yeah, I’ve found another series that I’ll be working my way through as I have time. Yay?
🎃🎃🎃🎃
It's a sign of how much I enjoyed the Jane Jameson books that I purchased my own copies during these pandemic times. My public library has proven unreliable at maintaining holdings of my favourite books, so I ordered them through a local independent bookstore to help them through a difficult time.
And you know, I still loved Jane this time through. I liked Gabriel a little better this time around and Richard (Dick) Cheney still cracked me up. He and Jane doing their “Dick and Jane" routine. This was just what I needed to save me from reading slump hell. It was better than an antidepressant.
Harper knows how to make me smile.
Cross posted at my blog:
https://wanda-thenextfifty.blogspot.c...
ORIGINAL REVIEW:
Many of you who read my reviews regularly know that I am a devotee of urban fantasy and that I work in a library. The result of these two facts? When I read that there was an urban fantasy series that featured an unemployed children’s librarian who becomes a vampire, I absolutely had to give it a try! And I found it quite entertaining, too.
Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs owes quite a debt to the Sookie Stackhouse series, I think. Like Harris’ series, this one is set in a small town in the Southern States. As in the Sookie books, vampires have recently come out of the coffin (now that there is a source of artificial blood available) and they have a rather hazy and somewhat threatening hierarchy that they are not over-fond of sharing. Quite quickly, we also have a werewolf showing up, so other supernatural people are obviously going to feature in this series too. Also, Jane, the heroine of this series, begins as a relatively sexually inexperienced woman, similar to the virginal Ms. Stackhouse. Several bad experiences have persuaded Jane to just focus on her career and put relationships on hold.
This is where she parts from the Sookie mold, however, because Jane is a well-educated, well-read, feisty and sassy heroine. Her smart cracks remind me much more of Seanan McGuire’s writing (both Toby in the October Day series and Verity Price in the InCryptid series). Once she becomes a vampire, Jane acquires the ability to see ghosts, à la Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson. And her Aunt Jettie’s ghost has a number of wise and hilarious things to say.
I like that the author doesn’t take the whole thing too seriously, but I still completely comprehend her sense of humour. Perhaps because Jane has a tendency to quote Dr. Seuss and obsesses over organizing book shelves, I like her a great deal. It will also be interesting to see Jane continue to deal with her overbearing Southern mama. So far, Harper is following the "no female friends" pattern that most urban fantasy seems to adhere to--I'd be thrilled if Jane acquired a woman friend in the next installment.
So, yeah, I’ve found another series that I’ll be working my way through as I have time. Yay?
March 15, 2010
Molly Harper straddled the borders of plagiarism to the point of embarrassment. Each page you opened has a pop culture reference that I was ashamed to actually know but each time she dropped a name of a book, movie or person (Dick Cheney & Lindsey Lohan) it made me want to throw the book across the room. That is not the plagiarism part.
Sookie Stackhouse Similarities (Stackhouse books are not something you should be proud to steal from)
Fake bottled blood you have to microwave
walmart references
vamps coming out of the coffin - witty banter kept me reading cause i would have dropped the book about here.
Mind reading
Gabe’s old home and family history of being a resident of wherever it was the book was located
Southern vampire (Texas)
Dick Cheney (gag me with a spoon)
Mind reading
Worrying about money
Not taking money from Gabe when help offered
Vamps crying blood
Dead grandmother
Sexually inexperienced
House of fire – Dick’s trailer blows up.
Werewolves
were-creatures
Twilight
The council of elders
Teenage elder
Dead and unwed
Losing a job
Overbearing mother
Senseless death
There is so much more in this book that made me think Molly was actually a librarian who decided to write her own novel or a computer program that chewed up a whole bunch of crappy vamp novels and spat out this book.
On the flip side – I read the whole book, which is a tribute to the writer, if not for the witty lead character and quips that make you put the book down and laugh, I would not have read the book.
Also I think I read the whole thing to see just how much as in how far Molly would go with the literature references, granted the main character was a librarian, I enjoyed the jumbled mess that was the plot, the characters (pink Juicy tracksuit) come on.
It gave me joy to read this book because I thought if she could get published there is hope for me.
Sookie Stackhouse Similarities (Stackhouse books are not something you should be proud to steal from)
Fake bottled blood you have to microwave
walmart references
vamps coming out of the coffin - witty banter kept me reading cause i would have dropped the book about here.
Mind reading
Gabe’s old home and family history of being a resident of wherever it was the book was located
Southern vampire (Texas)
Dick Cheney (gag me with a spoon)
Mind reading
Worrying about money
Not taking money from Gabe when help offered
Vamps crying blood
Dead grandmother
Sexually inexperienced
House of fire – Dick’s trailer blows up.
Werewolves
were-creatures
Twilight
The council of elders
Teenage elder
Dead and unwed
Losing a job
Overbearing mother
Senseless death
There is so much more in this book that made me think Molly was actually a librarian who decided to write her own novel or a computer program that chewed up a whole bunch of crappy vamp novels and spat out this book.
On the flip side – I read the whole book, which is a tribute to the writer, if not for the witty lead character and quips that make you put the book down and laugh, I would not have read the book.
Also I think I read the whole thing to see just how much as in how far Molly would go with the literature references, granted the main character was a librarian, I enjoyed the jumbled mess that was the plot, the characters (pink Juicy tracksuit) come on.
It gave me joy to read this book because I thought if she could get published there is hope for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 16, 2018
This book was a lot of fun, especially as an audiobook, and kept me company during a long drive to and from a conference in Tampa. Jane Jameson has one really bad day - she loses her job as a children's librarian, where she has been working in her home town in Kentucky, gets drunk, gets shot, and gets turned into a vampire. Now life is different and she has to navigate vampire culture in rural America, relationships with people who were her friends before her change, and avoiding her family. Oh yeah and someone seems to be trying to kill her, again.
(See? Super fun!)
(See? Super fun!)
October 18, 2022
A simple but enjoyable modern vampire book.
It's a pretty predictable story, but in a pb&j way, where knowing what is coming does not ruin the experience.
Lots of things to like here, for example the female lead is not a teenager and there is a dog.
I'm not crazy about her role in her toxic immediate family, the scapegoat but it's hard to draw boundaries when you're used to being abused and your only ally is now a ghost. Hopefully part of the series is her reestablishing this relationship in a healthier for her way.
Excited to see where this series goes.
It's a pretty predictable story, but in a pb&j way, where knowing what is coming does not ruin the experience.
Lots of things to like here, for example the female lead is not a teenager and there is a dog.
I'm not crazy about her role in her toxic immediate family, the scapegoat but it's hard to draw boundaries when you're used to being abused and your only ally is now a ghost. Hopefully part of the series is her reestablishing this relationship in a healthier for her way.
Excited to see where this series goes.
May 13, 2018
This was a fun read that I got a kick out of.
January 15, 2021
4 Snarky Fun Stars!
Jane Jameson is fired from her job as a children’s librarian, goes to the local bar, gets drunk, and is shot by a drunk hunter who mistakes her for an eight-point buck. Luckily for Jane, Gabriel a Vampire she met earlier that night is following to make sure she gets home okay....Gabriel saves Jane. There’s a catch, Jane is saved by becoming a vampire.
Jane wakes up three days later, with a thirst for blood, some super powers, and some fun quirky new friends. Some of these characters are helping her navigate her new life but it seems there is someone in her new Vampiric undead life who’s out to get her.
I love Molly Harper and her fun sense of humor and I love the narrator for MH’s books, Amanda Ronconi does a fantastic job bringing MH’s characters to life.
1.12.21
Rereading so I can review and read the rest of the series.
4.30.13
Love Molly Harper's humor. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
Jane Jameson is fired from her job as a children’s librarian, goes to the local bar, gets drunk, and is shot by a drunk hunter who mistakes her for an eight-point buck. Luckily for Jane, Gabriel a Vampire she met earlier that night is following to make sure she gets home okay....Gabriel saves Jane. There’s a catch, Jane is saved by becoming a vampire.
Jane wakes up three days later, with a thirst for blood, some super powers, and some fun quirky new friends. Some of these characters are helping her navigate her new life but it seems there is someone in her new Vampiric undead life who’s out to get her.
I love Molly Harper and her fun sense of humor and I love the narrator for MH’s books, Amanda Ronconi does a fantastic job bringing MH’s characters to life.
1.12.21
Rereading so I can review and read the rest of the series.
4.30.13
Love Molly Harper's humor. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
July 22, 2013
4 Stars! Molly Harper writes the kind of humor I love and Amanda Ronconi's narration makes it even funnier!
Set in Half Moon Hollow, Kentucky, this quirky town breeds some of the most amusing characters. In Molly Harper's paranormal world, mankind is aware that vampires exist, and for the most part they are accepting, but not everyone.
Jane Jameson isn't having a good day, she just lost her job, and after being shot on her way home, she wakes to find out she is now one of the undead. Life just got a whole lot harder. She has to find a job, tell her family, adjust to a new sleeping schedule and her limited menu choices. Her sire, the handsome Gabriel, and the man responsible for saving her life, or rather giving her a new undead one, is there to guide her through it, and along the way sparks fly as they find themselves attracted to each other.
So many laugh out loud moments. I love Jane's character, her amusing take on her new life and her steamy interactions with Gabriel. I'm hooked, this is where Molly Harper shines, in the paranormal world. Amanda Ronconi's voice was made to read these books and her delivery is perfect. She nails each and every character, from the young to the old, and through her voice, I can imagine them all!
Molly Harper and Amanda Ronconi...perfect together!
dnf
May 12, 2017I'm sorry. I just couldn't do it. Finish it, that is. The book just wasn't for me. Sucks, really, considering it had things that I normally like: sarcasm, sass, funny. However, I just couldn't take things serious. Or I couldn't take Jane serious. Also, I have a feeling that this type of humor just didn't work for me. At least not this time. I just didn't find it all that funny, and ended up skimming. AND there was way too much information. Way too much. It became quick boring. Plus, the male character, Gabriel (love the name though) just didn't do it for me. All in all: I gave up.
DNF at 44%
Quick basic facts:
Genre: - (Adult) Urban Fantasy
Series: - Series, Book One
Would I read more by this author/or of series? - Probably not.
Would I recommend this book/series? -No.
Will I read this again in the future? - No.
Rating - No rate due to not finishing.
DNF at 44%
Vampirism: (n) 1. The condition of being a vampire, marked by the need to ingest blood and extreme vulnerability to sunlight. 2. The act of preying upon others for financial or emotional gain. 3. A gigantic pain in the butt.
Quick basic facts:
Genre: - (Adult) Urban Fantasy
Series: - Series, Book One
Would I read more by this author/or of series? - Probably not.
Would I recommend this book/series? -No.
Will I read this again in the future? - No.
Rating - No rate due to not finishing.
November 26, 2023
4 Stars
Delightful and hilarious. Now I must read all the Molly Harper books I can get my hands on.
Delightful and hilarious. Now I must read all the Molly Harper books I can get my hands on.
July 18, 2009
If you prefer your vampires with loads of humor and chicklit style, then "Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs" by Molly Harper should be right up your alley. The author is a former humor columnist and is shows in the snark and hilarity that's part and parcel of this book.
Jane Jameson is almost as dull as her name. She's a book-loving librarian who lives just a few miles from her parents and whose dating life could be its own humor series. But nothing can compare to being fired, getting drunk, shot to death by being mistaken for a deer, and then waking up to a new life...make that unlife. Now her humdrum unexistence is filled with newly undead dilemmas. And let's not forget that someone apparently wants to kill her all over again...for good this time.
Hilarious! From the Undead Welcome Wagon to hot sex with her maker/boyfriend/mentor, Jane's life teeters between side-splitting snark and death threats; all while learning about her new life, her new abilities, and how to talk to her dead grandmother. There's a mystery included and I would be hard-pressed to select whether this first book of a series should be shelved under mystery vice romance. I'd probably come down on the mystery side since, for me, the emphasis was weighted towards solving the death threats/murder attempts with her romance being a side issue. But however it's shelved, I did enjoy reading Molly Harper's new book; even when I got funny looks from laughing out loud.
Jane Jameson is almost as dull as her name. She's a book-loving librarian who lives just a few miles from her parents and whose dating life could be its own humor series. But nothing can compare to being fired, getting drunk, shot to death by being mistaken for a deer, and then waking up to a new life...make that unlife. Now her humdrum unexistence is filled with newly undead dilemmas. And let's not forget that someone apparently wants to kill her all over again...for good this time.
Hilarious! From the Undead Welcome Wagon to hot sex with her maker/boyfriend/mentor, Jane's life teeters between side-splitting snark and death threats; all while learning about her new life, her new abilities, and how to talk to her dead grandmother. There's a mystery included and I would be hard-pressed to select whether this first book of a series should be shelved under mystery vice romance. I'd probably come down on the mystery side since, for me, the emphasis was weighted towards solving the death threats/murder attempts with her romance being a side issue. But however it's shelved, I did enjoy reading Molly Harper's new book; even when I got funny looks from laughing out loud.
May 30, 2017
“Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs” is not lesfic; it’s a hilarious book about coming to terms with being a vampire in a world where vampires are known to exist, but are viewed with suspicion.
Jane Jameson, a twenty something librarian, is shot and killed by a drunk who mistakes her for a deer. Rather than allowing her to die permanently in such an embarrassing manner, Gabriel turns her into a vampire…one of the undead…not truly dead. As Jane tries to adjust to her new “life”, someone seems determined to make things difficult. She’s harassed, shunned, shot and brought up on a vampire murder charge. Despite all these events, Jane maintains her quirky sense of humor, and the narrator does a fantastic job bringing her personality (and that of her too-funny friends, family and work colleagues).
Despite being very inexperienced sexually (she is a librarian, after all), Jane is pursued by two vampires and she isn’t hesitant to enjoy “naked fun time” with one of them. The scenes are so darn’d funny that I didn’t even mind them being hetero!
This is a very light-hearted comedy; despite the vampire theme it is light and fluffy with a terrific MC and lots and lots of delightful side characters. Highly recommended: 5*
Jane Jameson, a twenty something librarian, is shot and killed by a drunk who mistakes her for a deer. Rather than allowing her to die permanently in such an embarrassing manner, Gabriel turns her into a vampire…one of the undead…not truly dead. As Jane tries to adjust to her new “life”, someone seems determined to make things difficult. She’s harassed, shunned, shot and brought up on a vampire murder charge. Despite all these events, Jane maintains her quirky sense of humor, and the narrator does a fantastic job bringing her personality (and that of her too-funny friends, family and work colleagues).
Despite being very inexperienced sexually (she is a librarian, after all), Jane is pursued by two vampires and she isn’t hesitant to enjoy “naked fun time” with one of them. The scenes are so darn’d funny that I didn’t even mind them being hetero!
This is a very light-hearted comedy; despite the vampire theme it is light and fluffy with a terrific MC and lots and lots of delightful side characters. Highly recommended: 5*
November 17, 2025
Author: Molly Harper
Title: Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs
Series: Jane Jameson
Cover Rating:
Book Rating:
Maybe it was the Shenanigans gift certificate that put her over the edge. When children's librarian and self-professed nice girl Jane Jameson is fired by her beastly boss and handed twenty-five dollars in potato skins instead of a severance check, she goes on a bender that's sure to become Half Moon Hollow legend. On her way home, she's mistaken for a deer, shot, and left for dead. And thanks to the mysterious stranger she met while chugging neon-colored cocktails, she wakes up with a decidedly unladylike thirst for blood.Jane is now the latest recipient of a gift basket from the Newly Undead Welcoming Committee, and her life-after-lifestyle is taking some getting used to. Her recently deceased favorite aunt is now her ghostly roommate. She has to fake breathing and endure daytime hours to avoid coming out of the coffin to her family. She's forced to forgo her favorite down-home Southern cooking for bags of O negative. Her relationship with her sexy, mercurial vampire sire keeps running hot and cold. And if all that wasn't enough, it looks like someone in Half Moon Hollow is trying to frame her for a series of vampire murders. What's a nice undead girl to do?
I cannot get enough of this book, seriously. Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs is hilarious, its sweet and I cannot believe it hasn't been turned into another vampire tv series. Dick supporters need to rally together and get this on air. Go Dick! I love how Jane finds herself a part of the undead community I mean talk about a really bad day.
I really enjoyed the humor and author personality that is just unique to itself. Harper is a great writer. Granted its not an epic scale journey kind of thing but its the small friendships the little every day life thing that keeps this story reality based. Its keeping a small job, balancing your new life, hiring others in the community in your small town area and making a mark with the little bookstore and the relations between those they trust and those who are out to do harm.
I read Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs after receiving a recommendation from Debbie's Spurts.
Krissys Bookshelf Reviews purchased a copy for personal collection. All thoughts, comments and ratings are my own.
If any of Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews has been helpful please stop by to like my post or leave a comment to let me know what you think. I love hearing from you!
July 5, 2012
Jane’s Secret Unicorn Collection?
★★★½✩ (This is a review of the audiobook.) The first in the Jane Jameson series is wonderfully narrated by Amanda Ronconi; she does the snarky inflection of Jane’s first person POV just right. I think the biggest problem I had with this book was I wasn’t in the mood for snarky. (I know, I know! But, it was on my iPod/Touch and I couldn't get to what I wanted.) Too bad. Maybe at another time. Ditto with continuing the series: maybe later. I know I like this author; however, as Carolyn F said in her review: “There were some funny parts, but more smirks not laughs.”
I know I need to work on suspending my belief in RomanceLandia, or Paranormal ChickLit City, or wherever this book is set. However, the fact that Jane was given a gift certificate instead of a severance check just pushed my button. It was so against the law, I was rolling my eyes.
I guess I was in the mood for romance and this one doesn’t really go there. Well, there is the whole relationship between Jane and Gabriel, but that runs hot and cold. This dude, who happens to be Jane’s Sire, needs to roll it back a bit and give Jane the benefit of the doubt. The poor woman has gone through enough, already! She doesn’t need his ambivalent feelings.
Jane also doesn’t seem like a librarian, or my mind’s stereotype of a librarian. I was so glad to come across the part where she starts craving a book instead of blood. But all that isn’t the basis of the story, which involves framing Jane for murder - more than once - and dealing with the upshot of that from the Vampire Council.
By the way, each chapter started with an excerpt from The Guide for the Newly Undead, which was entertaining.
photo credit: http://artbymichelewilson.com
★★★½✩ (This is a review of the audiobook.) The first in the Jane Jameson series is wonderfully narrated by Amanda Ronconi; she does the snarky inflection of Jane’s first person POV just right. I think the biggest problem I had with this book was I wasn’t in the mood for snarky. (I know, I know! But, it was on my iPod/Touch and I couldn't get to what I wanted.) Too bad. Maybe at another time. Ditto with continuing the series: maybe later. I know I like this author; however, as Carolyn F said in her review: “There were some funny parts, but more smirks not laughs.”
I know I need to work on suspending my belief in RomanceLandia, or Paranormal ChickLit City, or wherever this book is set. However, the fact that Jane was given a gift certificate instead of a severance check just pushed my button. It was so against the law, I was rolling my eyes.
I guess I was in the mood for romance and this one doesn’t really go there. Well, there is the whole relationship between Jane and Gabriel, but that runs hot and cold. This dude, who happens to be Jane’s Sire, needs to roll it back a bit and give Jane the benefit of the doubt. The poor woman has gone through enough, already! She doesn’t need his ambivalent feelings.
Jane also doesn’t seem like a librarian, or my mind’s stereotype of a librarian. I was so glad to come across the part where she starts craving a book instead of blood. But all that isn’t the basis of the story, which involves framing Jane for murder - more than once - and dealing with the upshot of that from the Vampire Council.
By the way, each chapter started with an excerpt from The Guide for the Newly Undead, which was entertaining.
photo credit: http://artbymichelewilson.com
July 5, 2016
5 Stars:
I cannot remember laughing aloud as I did with Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs sense Dakota Cassidy. Molly Harper is hysterically funny with one of the best comic heroes I have met in a long time. I love MH’s writing it is quick and witty, and the humor never seems forced. The secondary characters are engaging and funny, and the Southern culture and stereotypes add color to the book.
My absolute favorite and will read again and again. I strongly recommend! It has outstanding qualities. The characters are wonderful and surprising and multi-dimensional. The writing is luring, engaging, and well-crafted enough to keep me interested from cover to cover and beyond. The plot is astonishing with twists and turns weaved into a well thought and planned story. There’s no pretense and romance was well balanced and done entirely correctly with properly distributed amounts of hints, behaviors and incredible, undeniable chemistry. Predictability is at an all-time low. With the exception of series based books that follow the same path but are just as good. Overall, Favorite, must read again, recommend!!!
I cannot remember laughing aloud as I did with Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs sense Dakota Cassidy. Molly Harper is hysterically funny with one of the best comic heroes I have met in a long time. I love MH’s writing it is quick and witty, and the humor never seems forced. The secondary characters are engaging and funny, and the Southern culture and stereotypes add color to the book.
My absolute favorite and will read again and again. I strongly recommend! It has outstanding qualities. The characters are wonderful and surprising and multi-dimensional. The writing is luring, engaging, and well-crafted enough to keep me interested from cover to cover and beyond. The plot is astonishing with twists and turns weaved into a well thought and planned story. There’s no pretense and romance was well balanced and done entirely correctly with properly distributed amounts of hints, behaviors and incredible, undeniable chemistry. Predictability is at an all-time low. With the exception of series based books that follow the same path but are just as good. Overall, Favorite, must read again, recommend!!!
August 20, 2019
Well, this one didn't really work for me. Part of the problem is that I really think I needed to be in the mood for this sort of story. It is meant to be cute and funny and quirky, especially when compared what was the normal paranormal fare at the time it was published. I'm sure it is cute and funny and quirky, but I wasn't feeling it. Because I wasn't in the mood for the style of this novel I felt more irritation than love for the writing style. I couldn't love the main character, so I couldn't love the story.
I think another issue is that we are well past the peak of the paranormal craze, and this story felt a little dated to me. Countless time spent explaining the nuances of vampire laws and customs was uninteresting to me. What was left to me was a story that was nice enough but not all that special. I may have felt differently if I had read this at another time in my life. For some reason I have the second audio book in this series, so I'll read it and see if I feel different reading it at a different time. We shall see. For now I give this one three stars. I liked it, but definitely not my favorite paranormal ever.
I think another issue is that we are well past the peak of the paranormal craze, and this story felt a little dated to me. Countless time spent explaining the nuances of vampire laws and customs was uninteresting to me. What was left to me was a story that was nice enough but not all that special. I may have felt differently if I had read this at another time in my life. For some reason I have the second audio book in this series, so I'll read it and see if I feel different reading it at a different time. We shall see. For now I give this one three stars. I liked it, but definitely not my favorite paranormal ever.
April 23, 2019
This is a fun, light and funny read. Molly Harper pokes fun at the paranormal romance genre in this, the first book in the half moon hollow series starring our heroin, Jane, a newly fired children’s librarian, newly turned vampire and self – described girl with Jane Austen issues. The characters are hilarious but also recognizable staples for anyone who’s ever spent time in a small town, especially one in the south. From Jane’s new vampire buddy, Dick Cheney, the consummate man whore to missy, the trashy real estate agent and a constant irritant to Jane it was delightful to spend a little time in half Moon Hollow.
One minor quibble I have with this book is that the world Harper creates isn’t particularly original. I really like these characters, and enjoyed Harper’s writing style which is quick and casual but this isn’t a place I’ll come back to if I’m looking for fresh perspectives on any of my favorite supernatural creatures.
One minor quibble I have with this book is that the world Harper creates isn’t particularly original. I really like these characters, and enjoyed Harper’s writing style which is quick and casual but this isn’t a place I’ll come back to if I’m looking for fresh perspectives on any of my favorite supernatural creatures.
March 21, 2010
This was a snarky, light-hearted paranormal book. I enjoyed the author's style and will be continuing the series. I liked how the author included snippets from the GUIDE FOR THE NEWLY UNDEAD book at the beginning of each chapter.
One of my favorite bits in this book takes place in Chapter 5. Jane, a brand new vampire, goes to visit her best friend to tell him what she has become. She is greeted with him repeatedly saying things like: "The power of Christ compels you" and violence. They take it upon themselves to try to test out her vampire healing abilities, causing scenes that made me think of something that would show up on youtube videos.
It was definitely an entertaining book, with a small amount of romance. I look forward to seeing what the author has in store in the next book.
One of my favorite bits in this book takes place in Chapter 5. Jane, a brand new vampire, goes to visit her best friend to tell him what she has become. She is greeted with him repeatedly saying things like: "The power of Christ compels you" and violence. They take it upon themselves to try to test out her vampire healing abilities, causing scenes that made me think of something that would show up on youtube videos.
It was definitely an entertaining book, with a small amount of romance. I look forward to seeing what the author has in store in the next book.
May 12, 2011
I was worried, like many others, that this would be a blatant Sookie Stackhouse rip-off. I'm sure the author gets that a lot, and frankly, it's undeserved. This book (I listened in audio form) is filled with wry humor and a fun new take on the vampire coming-of-age story. Jane Jameson is a likable and relatable heroine, in many ways reacting far more convincingly to vampires in her world than the Bellas and Sookies.
As far as fun Summer reading goes, this series is off to a good start for me!
As far as fun Summer reading goes, this series is off to a good start for me!
December 23, 2009
Jane Jameson gets mistaken for a deer by a drunk guy and ends up a vampire – not quite the way she pictured her life to turn out. Jane lives in a small town and for the most part lives a small life. She loves working in the library, loves her old house that her aunt Jettie bequeathed to her in her will. She hasn’t had much of a love life, but her best friend Zeb keeps her company and her dog Fitz (named after Darcy Fitzwilliam – I heart her already!) is the joy in her life.
So after being fired from her library job when her boss decides to take the nepotism route, after drinking away her sorrows at the local bar, and after her car breaks down, it really sucks for Jane to be shot and left dying in a ditch. Good thing for her, Gabriel, a handsome vampire she met while drinking away her sorrows, has followed her home. He gives her the choice to die or he will turn her to the dark side. As Jane replays her life in her head, she realizes she doesn’t want to die and three days later she awakes a vampire.
Vampires are “out” to the public. They have been for sometime so it is not a huge shock to Jane when she confronts her new life. In fact, her appearance doesn’t necessarily change, so she is in no rush to tell her extremely overbearing mother about this new development. Gabriel insists on guiding her through her transition, but Jane will hear nothing of it. She just wants to get on with her life – that is until her first night where she tries to eat her best friend Zeb – who finds it quite rude to discover your friend is a vampire while she is trying to suck you dry. Thankfully, Gabriel comes to the rescue yet again and Jane realizes her new life might be a bit more complicated than she thought.
As Gabriel starts teaching her the ins and outs of being a vamp, a natural attraction draws them together. Jane can’t deny Gabriel is pretty cute, and Gabriel is drawn in my Jane’s quirky humor and quick wit. As Jane starts to get use to her new vampire self, and her new love interest, she also realizes she has new enemies, ones that want to set her up for a crime she didn’t commit. Jane doesn’t know what is worse – convincing the vampire council she is innocent, or coming out to her parents!
I heart Jane. She actually uses the phrase “woo and hoo” which is a favorite of mine! (Yes, it is the simple things in life that make me happy.) As I read the book, I called her plain Jane in my head. Before she is a vampire she is just a regular jeans and t-shirt kind of girl. And after she becomes a vamp – she still wears jeans and t-shirts! No leather pants, or fancy hair-do. She shops at Walmart – of course now she is shopping for blood enhancement products. She still has mommy issues, and although their is a definite adjustment period for Zeb, they are still best friends and there for each other. Jane is wickedly funny and I found myself laughing throughout the entire book.
Gabriel has sired Jane and a lovely little relationship develops between them. Gabriel is an old vampire, and old fashioned too. He doesn’t always catch on to the slang Jane uses, and her abrupt humor at first has him quite stunned, but he soon finds her very amusing. Although he is more of a quiet hero, he reminds Jane that they are first and foremost predators, something Jane easily forgets. He has a very serious underlying vibe. Although we don’t get a lot of information on Gabriel, he is set-up quite well for the second book.
I thought there wasn’t going to be a dilemma for Jane to solve for awhile and then some things start happening and Jane does get into some trouble and develops a nemesis. I did like how events turned out in the end, although I thought a little more build up to the end would have been beneficial. This is really a story about a girl and her drama of being a vampire now. Molly Harper has a wonderfully witty voice and she has definitely made my auto-buy list.
Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs is the funniest vampire romance book I have read this year and a wonderful start to the series.
So after being fired from her library job when her boss decides to take the nepotism route, after drinking away her sorrows at the local bar, and after her car breaks down, it really sucks for Jane to be shot and left dying in a ditch. Good thing for her, Gabriel, a handsome vampire she met while drinking away her sorrows, has followed her home. He gives her the choice to die or he will turn her to the dark side. As Jane replays her life in her head, she realizes she doesn’t want to die and three days later she awakes a vampire.
Vampires are “out” to the public. They have been for sometime so it is not a huge shock to Jane when she confronts her new life. In fact, her appearance doesn’t necessarily change, so she is in no rush to tell her extremely overbearing mother about this new development. Gabriel insists on guiding her through her transition, but Jane will hear nothing of it. She just wants to get on with her life – that is until her first night where she tries to eat her best friend Zeb – who finds it quite rude to discover your friend is a vampire while she is trying to suck you dry. Thankfully, Gabriel comes to the rescue yet again and Jane realizes her new life might be a bit more complicated than she thought.
As Gabriel starts teaching her the ins and outs of being a vamp, a natural attraction draws them together. Jane can’t deny Gabriel is pretty cute, and Gabriel is drawn in my Jane’s quirky humor and quick wit. As Jane starts to get use to her new vampire self, and her new love interest, she also realizes she has new enemies, ones that want to set her up for a crime she didn’t commit. Jane doesn’t know what is worse – convincing the vampire council she is innocent, or coming out to her parents!
I heart Jane. She actually uses the phrase “woo and hoo” which is a favorite of mine! (Yes, it is the simple things in life that make me happy.) As I read the book, I called her plain Jane in my head. Before she is a vampire she is just a regular jeans and t-shirt kind of girl. And after she becomes a vamp – she still wears jeans and t-shirts! No leather pants, or fancy hair-do. She shops at Walmart – of course now she is shopping for blood enhancement products. She still has mommy issues, and although their is a definite adjustment period for Zeb, they are still best friends and there for each other. Jane is wickedly funny and I found myself laughing throughout the entire book.
Gabriel has sired Jane and a lovely little relationship develops between them. Gabriel is an old vampire, and old fashioned too. He doesn’t always catch on to the slang Jane uses, and her abrupt humor at first has him quite stunned, but he soon finds her very amusing. Although he is more of a quiet hero, he reminds Jane that they are first and foremost predators, something Jane easily forgets. He has a very serious underlying vibe. Although we don’t get a lot of information on Gabriel, he is set-up quite well for the second book.
I thought there wasn’t going to be a dilemma for Jane to solve for awhile and then some things start happening and Jane does get into some trouble and develops a nemesis. I did like how events turned out in the end, although I thought a little more build up to the end would have been beneficial. This is really a story about a girl and her drama of being a vampire now. Molly Harper has a wonderfully witty voice and she has definitely made my auto-buy list.
Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs is the funniest vampire romance book I have read this year and a wonderful start to the series.
June 4, 2010
This book is kind of hard to rate. I enjoyed it and read it quickly, but I felt kind of let down when I finished it.
Jane Jameson is fired from her job as a librarian. After going out and getting drunk she wakes up to find that she's a vampire. The circumstances that lead to her being turned are like none I've ever read. I thought it was hilarious. After she wakes up Jane has to learn how to deal with her new life. There's a lot of funny supporting characters throughout the book. I particularly like her friend, Zeb. I liked that he didn't wholeheartedly embrace her becoming a vampire. I thought it was a lot more authentic that he had to work at not being freaked out by her.
I think the most stand out quality of this book is the humor in it. Jane makes for a very hilarious narrator. At times her schtick wore thin and I just wanted her to take things seriously and think. As I was reading I was strongly reminded of Mary Janice Davidson's Undead series and the Lynsay Sands Argeneau Vampires series. Jane is not like Betsy, but the slapstick quality of the humor reminded me of both those series.
I really enjoyed the excerpts from The Guide for the Newly Undead. I thought that was a fun way to start each chapter.
Even though I enjoyed Jane I also couldn't help but question her intelligence at times. ***Begin Spoilers*** She is being investigated by the Council because they suspect her of killing someone. Instead of going to the Council when bad things start happening to her, she just ignores it. Maybe if only one of those things had occurred I could understand it, but all of them put together should have made Jane conclude that someone has it out for her. Especially when she was shot! But no, she thought it was smarter to just ignore what was happening and hope the council found some other reason why someone put her purse at the crime scene.
Also, she felt someone watching her house while these things were happening to her. Shouldn't she have connected the dots and figured out they might be connected? Why didn't she ask her Aunt Jettie (who's usually there anyway) to hang around the house and watch for anything suspicious. If something happened her aunt could have passed on who was doing it. ***End Spoilers***
I didn't really get the attraction between Jane and Gabriel. They had witty banter going on, but he seemed like another Zeb to me. By that I mean just a platonic good friend. I never felt any sexual tension between them. I found the parts that dealt with their attraction to be pretty boring because it truly seemed out of the blue. Why are they hooking up? Because they're both there? I didn't see many other reasons. I did like how Jane was honest about the oddness of some of her actions. Toward the end she has an... encounter with Gabriel that I thought came out of nowhere. It didn't really seem like the ideal reaction to the discussion they were having. I liked that afterward she admitted that it was a stupid reaction and that it didn't change anything.
I'll probably read the next one. I'm unsure if I like this series or not, so I figure book 2 will help me decide one way or another.
Jane Jameson is fired from her job as a librarian. After going out and getting drunk she wakes up to find that she's a vampire. The circumstances that lead to her being turned are like none I've ever read. I thought it was hilarious. After she wakes up Jane has to learn how to deal with her new life. There's a lot of funny supporting characters throughout the book. I particularly like her friend, Zeb. I liked that he didn't wholeheartedly embrace her becoming a vampire. I thought it was a lot more authentic that he had to work at not being freaked out by her.
I think the most stand out quality of this book is the humor in it. Jane makes for a very hilarious narrator. At times her schtick wore thin and I just wanted her to take things seriously and think. As I was reading I was strongly reminded of Mary Janice Davidson's Undead series and the Lynsay Sands Argeneau Vampires series. Jane is not like Betsy, but the slapstick quality of the humor reminded me of both those series.
I really enjoyed the excerpts from The Guide for the Newly Undead. I thought that was a fun way to start each chapter.
Even though I enjoyed Jane I also couldn't help but question her intelligence at times. ***Begin Spoilers*** She is being investigated by the Council because they suspect her of killing someone. Instead of going to the Council when bad things start happening to her, she just ignores it. Maybe if only one of those things had occurred I could understand it, but all of them put together should have made Jane conclude that someone has it out for her. Especially when she was shot! But no, she thought it was smarter to just ignore what was happening and hope the council found some other reason why someone put her purse at the crime scene.
Also, she felt someone watching her house while these things were happening to her. Shouldn't she have connected the dots and figured out they might be connected? Why didn't she ask her Aunt Jettie (who's usually there anyway) to hang around the house and watch for anything suspicious. If something happened her aunt could have passed on who was doing it. ***End Spoilers***
I didn't really get the attraction between Jane and Gabriel. They had witty banter going on, but he seemed like another Zeb to me. By that I mean just a platonic good friend. I never felt any sexual tension between them. I found the parts that dealt with their attraction to be pretty boring because it truly seemed out of the blue. Why are they hooking up? Because they're both there? I didn't see many other reasons. I did like how Jane was honest about the oddness of some of her actions. Toward the end she has an... encounter with Gabriel that I thought came out of nowhere. It didn't really seem like the ideal reaction to the discussion they were having. I liked that afterward she admitted that it was a stupid reaction and that it didn't change anything.
I'll probably read the next one. I'm unsure if I like this series or not, so I figure book 2 will help me decide one way or another.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 5, 2020
So. I made it to 74% before I called it quits. I actually enjoyed it up till then for the most part but it started to disappoint me the farther I went along.
This feels like a revamped (hah) version of True Blood. Southern, racism issues, a kinda creepy obsessed male love interest who murders people as acts of love. It's also very funny, definitely my sense of humor.
But I was disappointed in the sense that even though all these serious topics kept coming up, it never went deeper than a witty quip and a healthy dose of denial. I wanted to see emotion and what the character had going on underneath all the banter. I wanted some real internal examination of what was going on in the MC's head.
There were a lot of heavy moments, coming out as a vampire, being ostracized, people trying to kill you for existing while trying to ruin your life in every way possible. But, it never went beyond the author just telling me it was happening and the MC just smiling and nodding her way through it before the story continued on without further reflection.
I was also fine with the love interest to a point too. Then it became more clear he was a very shallow flat character whose only characteristics were 'Hot' and 'Possessive'. and I guess a dash of 'Murdery' thrown in there.
This is more of a 'don't think too hard' about it and enjoy the steamy scenes kind of story. Which is fine and dandy if that's what you're looking for, but it felt a little off to me with all the traumatic stuff going on in the background. Kinda like being at a rock concert while watching the city burn down in the background with everyone just acting nonchalant lol.
Not the kind of story I wanted, but for sure a favorite for many.
This feels like a revamped (hah) version of True Blood. Southern, racism issues, a kinda creepy obsessed male love interest who murders people as acts of love. It's also very funny, definitely my sense of humor.
But I was disappointed in the sense that even though all these serious topics kept coming up, it never went deeper than a witty quip and a healthy dose of denial. I wanted to see emotion and what the character had going on underneath all the banter. I wanted some real internal examination of what was going on in the MC's head.
There were a lot of heavy moments, coming out as a vampire, being ostracized, people trying to kill you for existing while trying to ruin your life in every way possible. But, it never went beyond the author just telling me it was happening and the MC just smiling and nodding her way through it before the story continued on without further reflection.
I was also fine with the love interest to a point too. Then it became more clear he was a very shallow flat character whose only characteristics were 'Hot' and 'Possessive'. and I guess a dash of 'Murdery' thrown in there.
This is more of a 'don't think too hard' about it and enjoy the steamy scenes kind of story. Which is fine and dandy if that's what you're looking for, but it felt a little off to me with all the traumatic stuff going on in the background. Kinda like being at a rock concert while watching the city burn down in the background with everyone just acting nonchalant lol.
Not the kind of story I wanted, but for sure a favorite for many.
August 22, 2019
This was ok. I probably won’t continue the series though. It was an easy enough read but didn’t really *do it* for me.
September 3, 2013
Main characters:
Jane Jameson
Gabriel, Jane’s sire
Zeb, her friend
Richard "Dick" Cheney
What I Liked: This is a comedy and, in a way, also a parody of all the vampire books out there. Jane, as you saw in the blurb is an honest to God librarian. She suffers an untimely accident and to keep her from dying Gabriel changes her into a vampire. After this she tries to adapt to the life, and for us, the readers, is hilarious. The writer has a tongue-in-cheek style that is very attractive. I loved “The Guide for the Newly Undead” quotes at the start of each chapter, I think this was what I liked most from the book :D
Jane’s budding power…
What I didn't like: Too much rambling. There were about at least 10% that were not necessary for the narrative or the characters. The start also was kind of weird and it took me a little to get into the book.
Favorite character: Dick. He’s irreverent and doesn’t take 95% of the things that happen seriously. He’s a great friend to have, always there but also helping to keep your spirits up. His only problem: he sleeps with any female on 2 legs! Besides that I really loved his character, even his man-slut persona is funny :D
My least favorite character: Missy, GOODNESS she was the most annoying character in the history of characters! Even the narrator mad her annoying, that accent almost killed me.
Favorite scene: The telemarketer scene, it was disturbing but very funny! You have to read it to get the humor :D
Favorite quotes:
“If you want to hurt me fine. Take my books. Burn down my house. Shave my head while I'm sleeping. But nobody nobody screws with my dog.”
….
“The love of a good woman can save a man" I remember Gabriel saying. "Or it can drive him to fits of unspeakable madness.”
….
“The brain may die, but my compulsion for useless trivia lives on.”
“Wal-mart started selling "Vampire Home Defense Kits", including holy water, crosses, stakes, mallets, and a book of quick blessings to bar vampires from your door. The fact that these kits were generally useless didn't bother me nearly as much as the idea of holy water being sold at wal-mart.”
….
“When we were kids, Mama used to ask, “If Zeb wanted to jump off the roof, would you do it, too?” And as it turned out, the answer was yes.”
…..
“Would you kick her ass already?" Dick said, shoving me back toward Missy. "Come on, Stretch, man up. You do better than this! Get mad."
I nodded, rolling a dislocated shoulder back into place with a grunt and staggering back toward my opponent.
Behind me, Zeb yelled, "She tried to hurt Fitz!" He turned to Gabriel and Dick. "That'll get her mad."
Gabriel rolled his eyes. "She's been framed for murder twice over, shot in the back, her arms were set on fire, and her parents are being held hostage. You think tampered dog water is what's going to make her angry?"
"You tried to hurt my dog!" I wheezed as I lurched toward a grinning Missy.”
Would I recommend the book: Yes, it’s a great way to spend time.
Final rating:3.5*
Jane Jameson
Gabriel, Jane’s sire
Zeb, her friend
Richard "Dick" Cheney
What I Liked: This is a comedy and, in a way, also a parody of all the vampire books out there. Jane, as you saw in the blurb is an honest to God librarian. She suffers an untimely accident and to keep her from dying Gabriel changes her into a vampire. After this she tries to adapt to the life, and for us, the readers, is hilarious. The writer has a tongue-in-cheek style that is very attractive. I loved “The Guide for the Newly Undead” quotes at the start of each chapter, I think this was what I liked most from the book :D
Jane’s budding power…
What I didn't like: Too much rambling. There were about at least 10% that were not necessary for the narrative or the characters. The start also was kind of weird and it took me a little to get into the book.
Favorite character: Dick. He’s irreverent and doesn’t take 95% of the things that happen seriously. He’s a great friend to have, always there but also helping to keep your spirits up. His only problem: he sleeps with any female on 2 legs! Besides that I really loved his character, even his man-slut persona is funny :D
My least favorite character: Missy, GOODNESS she was the most annoying character in the history of characters! Even the narrator mad her annoying, that accent almost killed me.
Favorite scene: The telemarketer scene, it was disturbing but very funny! You have to read it to get the humor :D
Favorite quotes:
“If you want to hurt me fine. Take my books. Burn down my house. Shave my head while I'm sleeping. But nobody nobody screws with my dog.”
….
“The love of a good woman can save a man" I remember Gabriel saying. "Or it can drive him to fits of unspeakable madness.”
….
“The brain may die, but my compulsion for useless trivia lives on.”
“Wal-mart started selling "Vampire Home Defense Kits", including holy water, crosses, stakes, mallets, and a book of quick blessings to bar vampires from your door. The fact that these kits were generally useless didn't bother me nearly as much as the idea of holy water being sold at wal-mart.”
….
“When we were kids, Mama used to ask, “If Zeb wanted to jump off the roof, would you do it, too?” And as it turned out, the answer was yes.”
…..
“Would you kick her ass already?" Dick said, shoving me back toward Missy. "Come on, Stretch, man up. You do better than this! Get mad."
I nodded, rolling a dislocated shoulder back into place with a grunt and staggering back toward my opponent.
Behind me, Zeb yelled, "She tried to hurt Fitz!" He turned to Gabriel and Dick. "That'll get her mad."
Gabriel rolled his eyes. "She's been framed for murder twice over, shot in the back, her arms were set on fire, and her parents are being held hostage. You think tampered dog water is what's going to make her angry?"
"You tried to hurt my dog!" I wheezed as I lurched toward a grinning Missy.”
Would I recommend the book: Yes, it’s a great way to spend time.
Final rating:3.5*
August 15, 2016
I have heard lovely things about this book and I started it with Great Expectations...Then I had a strange reading experience .
What I liked :
Jane
Jane was a librarian who got turned in a very embarassing manner. She loved, books, trivia, pizza and her dog Fitz.
Her family was eccentric and interesting, her dad was a supportive professor, her mother was a Savant at being passive aggressive, she had the sister from hell and she was closest to her Aunt Jettie.
Gabriel
He was Jane's sire, patient, proper and protective. He had a fabulous past and a coffin full of secrets.
Dick Cheney
He was Gabriel's arch enemy and damn entertaining, I would love to read more about him.
The Guide for the Newly Dead
Most of the quotes from this book made me grin :)
When you encounter unpleasantness from the human population, try to keep in mind that you will be able to dance on their graves long after they’re dead. It’s a cheering thought.
Fine, fine. You know my secret. I have a unicorn collection.”
“That’s a very sad secret,” he said as he allowed me to shove his foot from the door.
“Strong words coming from someone who was ‘devoured’ by a sea lion.
How is your grandma?”
“Fine.” Zeb sighed. “Driving my grandpa slowly insane gives her a reason to live.
What I didn't like :
The story had a mystery but I wasn't even trying to figure out who the Mischief maker was.
Troubling, very troubling.
The story had some witty one liners, funny sequences but all I managed was a grin.
The worst part is I kept comparing it to another vampire series as I read, this got irritating pretty soon.
I felt like a spectator as I read this, the mystery didn't pull me in and I felt disconnected from the characters.
This could be a case of right book, monstrously wrong time...
I will definitely give this series another try after some months
What I liked :
Jane
Jane was a librarian who got turned in a very embarassing manner. She loved, books, trivia, pizza and her dog Fitz.
Her family was eccentric and interesting, her dad was a supportive professor, her mother was a Savant at being passive aggressive, she had the sister from hell and she was closest to her Aunt Jettie.
Gabriel
He was Jane's sire, patient, proper and protective. He had a fabulous past and a coffin full of secrets.
Dick Cheney
He was Gabriel's arch enemy and damn entertaining, I would love to read more about him.
The Guide for the Newly Dead
Most of the quotes from this book made me grin :)
When you encounter unpleasantness from the human population, try to keep in mind that you will be able to dance on their graves long after they’re dead. It’s a cheering thought.
Fine, fine. You know my secret. I have a unicorn collection.”
“That’s a very sad secret,” he said as he allowed me to shove his foot from the door.
“Strong words coming from someone who was ‘devoured’ by a sea lion.
How is your grandma?”
“Fine.” Zeb sighed. “Driving my grandpa slowly insane gives her a reason to live.
What I didn't like :
The story had a mystery but I wasn't even trying to figure out who the Mischief maker was.
Troubling, very troubling.
The story had some witty one liners, funny sequences but all I managed was a grin.
The worst part is I kept comparing it to another vampire series as I read, this got irritating pretty soon.
I felt like a spectator as I read this, the mystery didn't pull me in and I felt disconnected from the characters.
This could be a case of right book, monstrously wrong time...
I will definitely give this series another try after some months
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