Undead and Undermined by MaryJanice Davidson

Undead and Undermined by MaryJanice Davidson

I have been reading this series for quite a while now.  Here is the goodreads description:

So this is what being dead feels like. Vampire queen Betsy Taylor has awoken in a Chicago morgue, naked as a corpse. Her last memory is reconciling with her husband, Eric Sinclair, after a time-traveling field trip, including an indirect route to hell (literally), with her sister, Laura. Now she’s Jane Doe #291, wrapped in plastic with a toe tag. Betsy can’t help but wonder, what in hell happened?

Grabbing clean scrubs, Betsy hits the pavement and heads back to her St. Paul mansion to find that her family and friends have been frantically searching for her. And not one of them can explain how she ended up dead and naked in Chicago until Betsy realizes that she and Laura didn't time-travel alone

Why do I still bother with this series. It is just going down hill. And now it has a three book thing going on in the middle of the series. So this is book two. Most of the book is spent talking about things that have nothing to do with the plot. I am tired of the sex and the shoes. I want a story! This was just a whole book leading up to the third book. I forgot what the story is even about. UGHHH!!!

The author new the book before this was bad so she even said she was sorry at the beginning of the book promising readers this book would be much better.  Well I am done.  No more reading this series. Betsy the lead character was so annoying in this book.  I ended up being totally confused when the book was over.  What were we trying to accomplish anyways?  I am looking right now through all the comments on goodreads and they are all negative.  I don't know how an author loses their mojo but this one certainly has.  Maybe it's time for her to start another series and move on from the Undead series. 



OH and by the way... I miss the old art work that was on the covers.  I hate the new illustrations.

Young Adult Book Club

Are you apart of the YA Book Club ?  If so remember you have one more day to vote for October's book club read.  If not.. well... feel free to join us!  It is a great group and I have discovered many many great books there!!

Poll

What book would you like to read in October

Switch by Carol Snow
How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff
Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols
Trigger by Susan Vaught
Stolen: A letter to my captor by Lucy Christopher
The SeasonSarah MacLean
Picture the Dead by Adele Griffin
The DUFF by Kody Keplinger
Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott
Just Jane by Nancy Moser

5 comments
·
show results
·
invite friends

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher review

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

This book blew me away! I read it for my book club's pick for August YA Book Club Goodreads description:  

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers thirteen cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker, his classmate and crush who committed suicide two weeks earlier.

On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list.

Through Hannah and Clay's dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.

What can I say about this book other then FABULOUS! 
SUICIDE. No one talks about it enough. Yet most people have thought about it. This book amazingly follows a young girl's life and the events that lead up to her Suicide. I think it does a great job of showing how someone who is depressed can just tumble down through a series of events. Really you have no idea how you can affect someone's life with a smile or a snide comment.  I am happy to hear there is going to be a movie based on this novel!  Thirteen Reasons Why Movie!
Possible spoilers:   
Once I hit the half way mark of this book I can tell why things went downhill for Hannah. I think she had serious depression. I say this because someone in their right minds wouldn't allow things like the raping of that girl to happen. I think that her type of behavior showed serious mental problems. She possibly OK definitely needed medication.

I don't think Hannah should've made the tapes. That really wasn't fair to everyone else. Now mind you some serious things happened to her... far more serious then ever happened to me. The rape of the girl, the car accident, those were some pretty serious things for any teen to go through. It just seemed like things kept getting worse for her. But I still don't like that she made the tapes.

I guess I do think one thing could've changed whether Hannah committed suicide and that was the teacher Mr. Porter. Now he didn't mean to do this and I am NOT blaming him. But he was her last resource and unfortunately for him he was the breaking point. He didn't say anything wrong to me but he didn't say anything right either. Makes me sad.

The worst part or I should say the hardest part about reading this was that Hannah really was trying to get out of the funk. She tried poetry and that back fired. She tried fishing for compliments with her new hair and that didn't work, she tried so much and yet failed every time. I hate to say it ... but I have had real depression before. I remember this one time my cats got in a little fight and I just bawled over it like it was the end of the world. That is what Hannah made me think of.

I read this book in two sittings and I can say that it really got emotions riled up inside me.

 Did you know you can listen to the tapes.  I found them on the Jay Asher's website!  Here is a video of tape 1...

Teaser Tuesday (#9) Thirteen Reasons Why

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 

My teaser this week comes from the book I am reading called Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. 

"No one knows for certain how much impact they have on the lives of other people. Oftentimes, we have no clue. Yet we push it just the same." 

Can't wait to read this book!  

 UPDATE:  Read review here:  Thirteen Reasons Why 

The 39 Clues: Vesper's Rising #11

 The 39 Clue Series: Vespers Rising #11 by Rick Riordan, Peter Lerangis, Gordon Korman, Jude Watson

I love this series!!  Here is the Goodreads description:

The Cahills thought they were the most powerful family the world had ever known. They thought they were the only ones who knew about Gideon Cahill and his Clues. The Cahills were wrong.

Powerful enemies — the Vespers — have been waiting in the shadows. Now it’s their time to rise and the world will never be the same. In Vespers Rising, a brand new 39 Clues novel, bestselling authors Rick Riordan, Peter Lerangis, Gordon Korman and Jude Watson take on the hidden history of the Cahills and the Vespers, and the last, terrible legacy Grace Cahill leaves for Amy and Dan.

I really liked this book.  It was great to go back in time and find out where exactly the 39 clues come from.  I have kept up with this series ever since I found out about them.  I love how the books switch authors back and forth.  This particular book has four authors.  I always have to get the library editions so I am curious what the normal editions have that is different.  Does anyone know?  I also have never been able to play with the card games since the library does not have them and have been curious what those include.

If you have not jumped on the 39 clue book wagon... do it!  These books are great!

Also... if you are reading along have you joined the hunt on the website?  If not... what are you waiting for?? ?   39 clues Log IN 

In My Mailbox (#8)

Another Weekend, Another Mailbox!! This is a feature where we all share with each other the yummy books that showed up at our doors! WARNING: In My Mailbox can lead to extreme envy and GINORMOUS wishlists!! In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren  Head on over to add your blog to the linky link and share your newest acquisitions with other book lovers. 


This week I received a few books I am excited about it. Hopefully I get to these books before they are due back.   I received Smokin Seventeen by Janet Evanovich, Vespers Rising by Rick Riordan, Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare, and The Silent Blade by RA Salvator.  Yes the picture is sideways.  But I don't know how to flip it on the blogger program!!   :)

Leave me a link to your books!!!

Smokin Seventeen by Janet Evanovich Review

Smokin Seventeen by Janet Evanovich

I just love this series.  It is such a fun short read!!  Here is the goodreads description of this book:

Where there's smoke there's fire, and no one knows this better than New Jersey bounty hunter, Stephanie Plum. The bail bonds office has burned to the ground, and bodies are turning up in the empty construction lot. To make matters worse, Stephanie is working out of a motor home she shares with a dancing bear, and Joe Morelli's old world grandmother has declared a vendetta against her. And just when Stephanie decides it might be time to choose between the two men in her life, Morelli and Ranger, a third man from Stephanie's past moves back to Trenton...

Break out a cold drink and slap on some sunscreen, this summer is sure to be a scorcher with Smokin' Seventeen.

I was really hoping this book would include a new love interest.  SOMETIMES I get sick of going back and forth between Morelli and Ranger. I just want Stephanie to show them that she is not just a sex toy and is datable.  I am so glad though that all my favorite characters are back in the book.  I really thought Morelli's grandma is hilarious in this book.  I see that book #18 is coming out in November this year!  I am not sure why there are two books in one year.  I hope that doesn't mean that the series is going to be over soon. :(  This book included a set of TWO stickers in the back of the book (see picture below).  I had a library copy of the book... so my question is to take the stickers or not to take the stickers?  I mean they are in a library book.. someone is going to take them.  But then again I want others to see the stickers.  What would you do?

 

 

 

The Power of Books

George RR Martin Book Signing

Recently I had the wonderful opportunity to see George RR Martin in person! Denver was one of his ten stops on his book signing tour.  I was so thrilled to find this out.  I was a little bummed because the book store told me to be there at 3 (it started at 2) because I was number 395 (there was up to 700 people).  We were told he would NOT speak.   So OK I get there about 2:20 and sure enough he is speaking!  They have it on the loud speakers and I only hear like 5 minutes of his talk.  THAT was a bummer.  But otherwise it was fun. I was able to get three books signed! 

 Lines for the signing!

 Me and Mr. Martin!