Undead and Unwed by Mary Janice Davidson

This is the latest series that I have been listening to on audio cd. Let me say that this series has quite a bit of profanity and is very graphic with its descriptions of the heroines "sexual escapades". This wouldn't bother me too much except that I listen to these at work! The heroine is kind of annoying, this is especially true of the audio cds. She is suppose to be snarky, wise cracking, and dare I say witty but mostly it just comes across as immature. It is very hard to take her seriously and therefore hard to really care what happens to her. She agrees at one point to help overthrow one of her areas current vampire leaders in exchange for the latest line of designer shoes.
She befriends a gay doctor (one of her first victims?!?), has a best friend that basically supports her financially and who the author makes spout off the most ignorant anti racist remarks that even though they are often in jest, become grating after awhile.
This series is meant more as a humorous take on modern day vampires with the heroine making fun of the stereotypes and vampire cliches. I find it kind of annoying that Betsy has none of the traditional vampire weaknesses however. Yes, I know that she is suppose to be the vampire queen but even royalty has weaknesses! What fun (and how interesting or relate able) is it when the heroine has little if any threat to her and seems to have almost everyone (including dogs) fawning at her feet. I personally find it hard to feel any connection with someone who's biggest worry is possibly scuffing her newest pair of designer shoes!
I also am getting really tired of vampire love interests named Eric! Especially when they continually spout off sexist, "no woman of mine is going to", lines.
Okay, to be fair, it is an easy listen and the story isn't hard to follow at all but die hard (no pun intended) vampire fans will probably want to pass this series up. If you are looking for something to pass the time, that isn't too deep, then you might enjoy this series.

The Southern Vampire Series by Charlaine Harris

I have to admit that I first became curious about these books after catching the television series "True Blood" on HBO. Since becoming a mother and because I am working full time, I rarely have time to sit down and read for pleasure anymore. I decided to get these books on CD. I was very pleased with the narrator and the fact that they are unabridged versions of the books. I have to say that there are characters in the books that I am enthralled with. The same characters in the "True Blood" television series version haven't held much interest for me at all. Maybe this will change in future seasons of the television series as characters are developed more.
If you are thinking that the television series follows the book closely enough that you really aren't missing anything by not reading (or listening) to the books...you are wrong, dead wrong in fact. The character development for one is so much more in depth in the books and some of the characters are so much more compelling in the books (Eric for one). I found myself not really liking Bill in the books and that really surprised me. But then I like Tara in the television series and feel she isn't really fleshed out in the books. Honestly, if you like supernatural love stories, then these are certainly not to be missed. But be forewarned, these are not the Twilight books filled with teen longing and restraint. Sookie, the heroine, although a late sexual bloomer, explores and lives her fantasies in some detail with more than one supernatural being. I am not saying that she is promiscuous, just that she is a happy, healthy 20 something with normal desires that she acts on with unconventional partners.
As I mentioned before, the narrator that voices Sookie in the recorded books is very good. She draws you in and makes the story come alive. I often find myself smiling in remembrance of my time in Louisiana and the accents the narrator so effortlessly affects.
You can order you copies of the recorded books HERE!