Undead and Undermined: A Queen Betsy Novel

I, like other readers, have been following the Undead Series and have not been disappointed...until this book. I have no idea what was going on in the mind of MJD or her publisher, but clearly one of them was tripping on acid and/or on crack. There is not one logical thought or sequence to anything happening in this book. I don't know that we can call it a book. Its like she took a bunch of nonsense sentences and put them into paragraphs. I did not buy this book (borrowed from library) but I wanted to see if I was alone in my discombobulation or if this was truly a hot mess put to paper. Hot mess it is.

Frankly, after reading the first reviews on this site, I really was concerned. I'd gotten to where I preordered all the Betsy books as I enjoyed them so much but I deliberately did not do that for this one because of my unhappiness with the previous book. So I got this one from the library.

Is it as funny as the previous books -- sometimes, particularly in the latter half of the book.
Is it as confusing as the prior book -- often. BUT -- Betsy is a ditz, the books are written in the first person, time travel *is* confusing and (hopefully) the whole point is that the situation is confusing.
Is it badly written -- well, I wasn't overly impressed with the editing (is it Dr. Benton or Benson? Is it "the cop *formally* or *formerly* known as ...") But the style seemed traditional MJD -- the topic, as it were, is confusing.

I'm pretty much leaving this one in the category of "it might be ok." The next book, the last one of the trilogy, will be the test -- do all the threads come together or does it all fall apart into one big tangled mass of HUH? I plan on checking the next one out from the library before determining if I'll spend my money on completing the trilogy and, by extension, continuing with the series.

If you're a huge MJD fan and have money to spare, I encourage you to support her and buy this book -- but only if you've already got at least the prior book and two or three of the early ones in the series. This one is definitely confusing and I can't imagine trying to even vaguely comprehend what is going on if you don't already have an understanding of the players. I don't think this one is drivel or horribly written, but I do think it is most definitely the middle of an obvious trilogy and doesn't really stand on its own very well. I smiled often and laughed out loud a few times, but I'm certainly hopeful that Betsy makes some changes to the past/future in the next offering because this volume left our 'family' a little too changed for my comfort.

Mary Janice Davidson thanks her readers and goes on about how she can't believe this series has made it to ten books. She should have stopped at eight. I was hoping that this book cleared up the problems of the last book, but it is even worse...if that is possible. Betsy was funny in her first eight books with plots and actual stories that were entertaining. Do not waste your time. Check out another vampire series because this one is done.

I am an avid reader of all of MaryJanice Davidson's works. I downloaded this onto my Kindle this morning and just finished it. I cannot stress how disappointing this book is. Betsy comes across as more brain dead then ever, Sinclair is utterly clueless, and Laura morphs into the Antichrist with no explanation. Save your money and get it from the library, instead of wasting your money on this.

I actually really enjoyed the book. I have read the entire series and didn't hate book 9 as much as the others did. There was a lot of crazy stuff going on here. Especially with the Marc Thing (I thought that would've ended differently), but it still piqued my interest enough to add Book 11 to my wishlist. IMO it wasn't a credit wasted, especially since you'll get it back what with the 200+ wishers still on here.

Betsy is still very selfish and very very self-centered. I'm hoping she will get a grip soon before she REALLY does some deep damage. However, I still give the book 4 stars.

(Thar be ***SPOILERS*** below!!!)

Obligatory disclaimer: I've been with the "Undead" series from the beginning, have been cheering for/groaning at Betsy and lusting for/exasperated with Sinclair for years. Tina, Jessica, and Marc are my pals, and I just plain dig these cats, man. I *dig* `em. I even wrote MJ a gushy fan note, way back when. But I'm not in the gal's employ and have no need to curry her or anyone's favor (because if I did, this review would contain no negative comments, which it does. So there, H8TRS.).

Before I picked up "Undermined," I checked out the reviews here and winced. A lot. It was like hearing strangers talk smack about my own sister. And the reviews weren't always very review-y, either, though some posters' comments seemed more balanced than others. So I paid attention to *those* reviewers and decided I'd read "Undermined" with a notebook and pencil in hand.

From the negative notes from some other reviews, I agree that:

* Betsy's manic stream-of-consciousness was worse than ever and distracting. (Then again, maybe that's what a trip to hell and through time does to a person?) Still, it frequently jarred me out of the flow of the story.
* Some chapters were unbecomingly short and would've been better combined with others (for example, chapters 37 & 38, 41 & 42 - an ellipsis would've done the dandy job of splitting the action while maintaining more overall cohesion, leading, I think, to less ADD-like feelings for the reader) .
* Too much re-cap - a few of the short chapters were either completely or mostly bits lifted from previous "Undead" books. The opening summary of action MJ provided was the right place to address things the reader needed to remember, not throughout the current narrative.

A few other things seemed sillier in Betsy than usual: her having a problem with her mom dating, her big fail in hell, asking Lena -I mean - Satan for shoes instead of what she'd actually gone for, but whatevs; none of these did more than remove a star from my overall rating of the book, because...

Here's what I thought was wonderful:

* MJ turns some danged funny phrases, y'all. *Danged* funny.
* Great dramatic build-up in the prologue, between Betsy's changing her mind about dying and the saw. Fantastic interplay of the bits, during and after, as Benton deals with his aftershock - and great descriptors!
* Nick's Betsy's friend again, yay!
* Characters we thought lost to us returned, yay!!!
* OMG, y'all, SO MUCH BETSY/SINCLAIR SWOONY MOMENTS WIN!!!!! Their relationship grew in bounds in this book - the self-disclosure, Sinclair admitting his fears to her, Betsy's belief that she could handle anything so long as she had Sinclair's love - so freakin' sweet! For me, this was easily one of the more romantic reads in the series. Some folks complained that Sinclair didn't have much to do here - BS. All of his work was internal, y'all. OK, and between the sheets, but you can't tell me that's without merit and expect me to take you seriously. *Woof*.
* Crazy twists, turns, and falls!
* Betsy promised we'd get him back (and y'all know who I mean), so I know we will, `cause Betsy's a BAMF (she throttled Satan, W00000T!!!).
* I find Betsy's willingness to tackle the hard things herself inspiring (and no, I don't just mean Sinclair).

Why I think this book's worth reading:

* Betsy's grown and keeps growing. In death, she's exploring her humanity and her power.
* The Sink-lairish lovin'. Again, I say: *Woof*
* It's not a stereotypical progression - it challenges the reader's notions of identity, who we were, are, and will become...and who we *can* become.
* In the case of one of Betsy's friends, we are shown the acceptance, forgiveness, and self-sacrifice inherent in real love.

MJ, I just really can't wait to see what Betsy, Sinclair, and the rest of mah peeps get up to next and when the next hardcover comes out I am SO THERE TO SNATCH IT UP! You keep rocking the Casbah and taking those risks, Lady, and I will keep reading, giggling, and swooning. OK, and maybe even drooling a bit (did I mention *WOOF*?).

Awful, just awful. I loved this series, and watching the decline is sad. Reading this was like being awake for several days and your mental acuity failing you. The plot is schizophrenic, the characters are as unaware of what's going on as the reader is. Confusing, disorganized, and has lost the humor of the series in its subpar rambling

I told myself I wouldn't continue reading this series after the last edition, but read this new one anyway. Unfortunately, I should have listened to myself. This book is 4/5 rambling regurgatation and 1/5 actual story. Ms Alongi does not seem to have a clue about where she is going with these characters and they have become trite and boring. What used to be fun and amusing has become tedious and cartoonish. I'll still enjoy re-reading this series, the first book is one of my favorites, but I'll stop with 'Unwelcome' and call it a day.

I was very disappointed in this book and Betsy #10 just before it. I know that our author has said to hang in there and we'll understand it all eventually. However, at this point, I am not sure I care to understand. This book is confusing and just plain old badly written. Being as I love all of MJD's books except these last two, that's saying a lot.
MJD if you happen to read this, I love you much, but these last two books have been truly Undead and Unreadable.

Positive: I borrowed rather than purchased the book. Negative: I actually read the book.

I have questioned for some time what Betsy brings to the table in regards to relationships. She makes me tired. The whining! The self-absorption! Is MaryJanice Davidson no longer invested in her readers? The series was fun and entertaining as it began its journey. Now it feels like an insult to loyal readers.

This was an absolute waste of time. The story didn't seem to go anywhere. Nothing was resolved from the last book. All of the conversations were hard to keep up with and made no sense. Betsy came off as whiny and pathetic.

After spending less than an hour in frozen July 3015 and a side trip to Hell and a visit with mother dearest Lucifer, Betsy Taylor and her half-sister Laura the Antichrist return to present day St. Paul where they agree they must somehow fix the time line to prevent what they witnessed in the future. Nutso vampire Marc-Thing follows the siblings back from the thirty-first century. Betsy knows she needs to read the Book of the Dead without going insane; thankfully she has a deal with Satan allowing her to peruse the Book in exchange for watching Satanist movies with Laura.

However, her shoes lead her to even crazier scenarios. The strangest being awake in a Chicago morgue as plastic bagged Jane Doe 291. Back at the mansion in St. Paul, Betsy compares notes with Eric and others to understand what is going on as no one is quite like they were before her time traveling ended on a slab. That is until she realizes someone in the future wants Betsy Taylor dead before she can become the powerful Queen of the Vampires.

The magnificent muddled middle book in the time altering miniseries (see Undead and Unfinished for the opening act) is a zany frolic that contains the consistent restraint of self indulged yet caring in her insane way Betsy. The excessive superego with a muted edge as she has seen in her future Betsy has gone too far with her selfishness. Over the top of the Metrodome, fans will relish the second thriller in the changing Taylor landscape as the jocular story line is a fun urban fantasy at the usual lunatic pace expected from MaryJanice Davidson.

Harriet Klausner

I have read all of the Queen Betsy books.....Undead and Unfinished left me feeling really sad for Sinclair. I thought that was the end
of the series...but no......I struggled and struggled to try to finish this book....there really didn't seem to be a story line, just a lot
of rambling. Had this been the first book, I never would have read any others. In the others, you actually cared about the characters. In this
one...not so much.....
I finally gave up. Normally I WILL finish a book...but I just couldn't do it....I gave up.

wow ... even after reading this ... it was like.. wow.. why ?.. why did i bother ?.. is it that mj davidson is upset with charlaine harris ?.. i just can.t figure out just what this was about .. sure .. we did learn something, but gee .. that could have been done in one chapter... and whine, whine, whine.. even betsy can do more than that ..will i read the next book to find out the future? WHO CARES !!

Okay, I understand a lot of peoples beefs with this book. However, I don't understand them.
I think what it is is that people are expecting Betsy to change as the books go along, but she's really staying the same despite all these life lessons.
But she doesn't.
And I think a lot of people are bothered by how she acts in regard to all these changes in the books.
This one? I thought it was great. I loved the person who came back, and I cried over the one who left this time.
I liked the twists going on with laura.
I thought it was interesting to see the changes. And I can't wait for the next book.

Not sure how to review this one. Binge reading rather than waiting for a year each time makes a difference. While many said book 9 lost the plot, I liked it. This one though. A lot of it was superfluous admittedly but there were a few high spots. I hope after this the next 6 at least see Betsy less scatterbrained and more in control. Time will tell.

Okay, I understand a lot of peoples beefs with this book. However, I don't understand them.
I think what it is is that people are expecting Betsy to change as the books go along, but she's really staying the same despite all these life lessons.
But she doesn't.
And I think a lot of people are bothered by how she acts in regard to all these changes in the books.
This one? I thought it was great. I loved the person who came back, and I cried over the one who left this time.
I liked the twists going on with laura.
I thought it was interesting to see the changes. And I can't wait for the next book.