Rise of the Poison Moon by MaryJanice Davidson

Rise of the Poison Moon (Jennifer Scales)

"Jennifer's ex-boyfriend, werarachnid Skip Wilson, is out of control. His powers have grown as strong as his hunger for revenge, leaving her little choice but to confront him-hopefully without giving in to her own dark side..." (Description by Author on Amazon.com)

1000 + Books to Read Rating:

The description sums this book up pretty much.

This is the 5th book in the series (read previous reviews here) and I was really excited to finally dig into Rise of the Poison Moon.

The residents of Winoka are still stuck inside the Big Blue sphere, that Slider spun before his untimely death, with no way out. They have begun to turn on each other while under the attack of Skip and Andi as the rest of the world turns a blind eye. Jennifer, the Ancient Furnace, is faced with having to figure out the key to the Big Blue before it's too late and before she loses everyone she cares most about.

To be honest, this book was disappointing. I was so excited to get back into Winoka and see what had developed. Unfortunately this book really missed the mark. It seemed there was so much time spent in plot development that the writers forgot all about the Characters and their personalties. The Characters fell flat compared to previous books and even the storyline here seemed uneventful right up to the very end of the book.

I love the first 4 books in the Series and do hope that this 5th book was just a fluke. I am looking forward to seeing another book in the Series and the ending of this one did leave a little more to develop.

Available on:

Amazon.com

Penguin

Barnes and Noble

Borders

~ 1000 + Books to Read 

Undead and Unfinished by MaryJanice Davidson

I was extremely excited to dig into the next chapter of the Queen Betsy series. 

I was on Amazon.com and noticed there were A LOT of negative reviews. Normally before I read a new book I've check it out on Amazon and read a couple of good reviews (none with spoilers though) and a couple of negative. I'm not sure why I do this. Maybe just to get any idea of what to expect. 

I will say that overall I really do like the Queen Betsy series. This book, I did not like. I think a lot of it was because I was confused half the time (some of the sentences I really just couldn't follow or put into context). The idea behind the book, once I got through it, was really good. Time traveling with the devils daughter and Betsy 'fixing' things in the past to create a better future. Sounds like a great book and in parts it was good. We traveled through distant past and recent past with Betsy and Laura. However, by the end I was even more confused.. maybe confused isn't the best word.. maybe it is... than I was to begin with. We end with the future Betsy and Laura. Granted the ending makes me want to know what happens next but jeez this is a 1000 years in the future. So does the next book gloss over the 1000 years or do we end up back where we were with no mention on what the heck happened at this end of this book? 

It leaves me with more questions than answers and almost irritated enough to not want to pick up the next book (though I know I will because I can't leave it at this.)

If you are anything like me and would be more annoyed by not reading it than reading a semi bad book.. then go to the library and get it. If you can stand to pass up a book in a series until a better book comes along.. then this would be the one to skip. 

Better luck next to MaryJanice. Hopefully her next book out in the Jennifer Scales series does much better!

More Single Titles with MaryJanice Davidson

These are all books that have stories written by MaryJanice Davidson and some other great authors! 


 Bewitched, Bothered and Bevampyred 

 "After the Christmas 2004 tsunami, 20 extraordinary authors banded together to aid the International Red Cross by donating their talents and royalties -- and a portion of the publisher's profits! -- to the disaster relief fund. BEWITCHED, BOTHERED & BEVAMPYRED is the often hilarious, frequently touching, and always fabulous result."

 MaryJanice happened to be one of those authors. This book was quite.. different. I've never read a book that showcased various authors  stories revolving around the same town/idea/characters. It was hard at  first to understand that this was not a book like most books were  there was one set storyline from start to finish. This was more like.. a patchwork quilt.. and each piece told a different story than the next while still belonging to the same quilt. Not my cup of tea as it was all over the place. BUT it was/is for a good cause. So cheers to that!


Forgotten Wishes

This book has 3 stories by 3 different authors in it.

The first story, Love's Tender Fury written by MaryJanice Davidson, follows the life of a best selling romance author who despises her work. She is also still in love with her ex-boyfriend.. her gay ex-boyfriend. Her life is changed when two people enter her life.. and show her how to believe in herself, how to be happy and how to love.

The second story, Becareful What You Wish For written by Joanna Wylde, is about a massage therapist whos life drastically changes when she accepts a new client. A client who unknowingly gets her kidnapped and taken hostage by a dangerous felon who escaped from prison. Her life is changed forever when she falls in love with her kidnapper.. and vows to never let HIM go.

The third story, Threads of Faith written by Joey W. Hill, is about a young emphath/witch who creates a potion for a stranger that will be bring him his true love. Turns out, she is his true love. A lot of sex in this short story, almost too much for me.

I really enjoyed the first two stories of this book and the third.. not so much.

Bad Boys with Expensive Toys

 Yet another book with 3 stories by 3 different authors. 

The first story, The Fourteen Million Dollar Poodle by Nancy Warren, follows Vince a labor negotiator (nicknamed the Bulldog of his industry) who inherits from his late aunt her beloved  toy poodle Mimi. Mimi inherits fourteen million dollars to continue on with her lavish French lifestyle. Vince quickly finds that caring for a French speaking spoiled toy poodle is quite hard for a very American speaking macho male and thus hires a French nanny for Mimi that he met one day at the park. The plot thickens with murder attempts and love. It all comes down to love doesn't it? Very cute story!

The second story, The World Is Too Darned Big by MaryJanice Davidson, follows Dr. Ben. An extremely gifted and intelligent man who specializes in designing gadgets used by the government in undercover field work. A field that he himself wishes to be in. Enters a beautiful blonde named Tara who turns Dr. Ben's world upside down when she informs him that one of his latest and greatest gadgets was bought by bad guys and NOT the government as his paperwork showed. Dr. Ben decides to tag along to help Tara get the gadget and to hopefully get the girl. Another great story. 

The third story, Anything You Can Do by Karen Kelley, follows Alex a software designer by day and a playboy by night. Alex meets his match at his little sisters wedding and is 'pinky sweared' into not pursuing his sisters new husbands best friend Kagen. Imagine his surprise when Kagen shows up at the newlyweds apartment to decorate while they are away on honeymoon while he was supposed to be house sitting. This story gets steamy when Kagen tries to break Alex and ends up stealing his heart. This was probably my favorite story of the book. 

I couldn't put this book down. I read it in one setting. Usually I'm not a big fan of books with many authors as not every story is as great as the rest. This book is one in which each story really holds it own and keeps you into it and entertained from start to finish. 

Jennifer Scales Series by MaryJanice Davidson & her husband Anthony

I think this series topped everything I've read of MJD's!

It's only four books (so far.. news from http://www.jenniferscales.com/ says more books are coming soon) but MAN what books they are.

Book One: Jennifer Scales and the Ancient Furance: "Jennifer Scales is a 14 year old girl. Her mom is a doctor and her father is a workaholic who is off on business trips routinely. She thinks she has a 'normal' family and finds out she has no idea what 'normal' means. Her world is shaken up when she learns her fathers (and now her) secret... He is a Weredragon and so is she. With the help of her parents and grandfather she is learning about her inner dragon.. an 'illness' is what is being told to her friends and outsiders.. as she dissappears at the time of the Crescent moon. The moon that makes her change. The plot thickens when her father is kidnapped and the people around her can no longer be trusted.. or can they?"

The following books just get better and better. Book Four Seraph of Sorrow is my favorite out of the series thus far and I really enjoyed how they worked the book into the telling of the story from different characters perspective that still drove on the story without any weird hiccups. GAH! Book Five.. come out NOW! I want to know what happens next!!

Even though this is a YA series (hey sometimes I'm a YA at heart!) I really enjoyed these books. How can you not? Teens alone are entertaining with their mood swings and unique points of view but a Weredragon teen? A whole other set of problems arise! If you can't talk to your friends about such a huge change.. who can you talk to? Can you imagine?


As usual MJD and co-author, her husband Anthony, deliver an excellent, well written book series.

Now.. I just have to wait.. gosh I hate waiting. July 27th come on!
Reading order is as follows:
 
Book One: Jennifer Scales and the Ancient Furance
Book Two: Jennifer Scales and the Messenger of Light
Book Three: Jennifer Scales and the Silver Elm
Book Four: Seraph of Sorrow
Book Five: Rise of the Poison Moon out July 27th!

Single Titles by MaryJanice Davidson

I wasn't joking when I said I tend to read everything that an author I like has!

Here are some single books/stories from MJD:

Adventures of the Teen Furies - is a YA book about a group of teenagers that come together and bond over the playing of a game. From mental issues to teenage coupling this is a cute read.

Beggerman Thief -  is a short story featured in the book "Romance at the Edge: In Other Worlds" involving a very rich handsome Cyborg with treasures who meets and captures a mutant thief who attempts to steal from him. A short little love story.

By Any Other Name - is a story about family, friendship and love in various forms. Stephanie has lived with Sir, her guardian, since her parents passed on shortly after her birth. Stephanie meets Eric, a young friend of Sir's and the plot thickens when Eric and Stephanie fall in love with each other but won't admit it and Eric learns of Sir's secret: Stephanie's father is still alive. Very well written book that had unexpected plot twists and charismatic characters. Out of all the various titles I do recommended this one.

 Dying For Ice Cream - is about a teenage girl with juvenile diabetes and a boy who stumbles upon her in a hospital cafeteria and can't let her go. They face her illness and his recent loss together while learning about how to handle life's issues and create close relationships. A great story.

Thief Of Hearts - is a story of a modern day Robin Hood who is wanted by the DA and a few crooked crooks whom she has stolen from. And then she meets Jared, a doctor who walks in on fight between her and a man who wants her dead. She appoints herself to be the good doctors bodyguard and just like the movie, they fall in love, but first.. they have to survive. I enjoyed this book a lot.

Under Cover - is 3 short stories revolving around a Bio tech firm, a former Head of Security, a bad boy security guard and the genius of the Bio tech firm. We find love, humor, theft, hidden agendas, do gooders and I did mention love right?

I have yet to run into a MJD book that I wasn't able to read without enjoying myself. Obviously some way more than others but everything I have picked up as been entertaining.

And I believe I still have some work by her that has yet to be read. Yay for me!

The Gorgeous Series aka Cyborg Series by MaryJanice Davidson

Meet Caitlyn, a hair stylist/owner, who died in a tragic limo accident while out partying with her friends. Only.. she doesn't die. The government takes her life or rather death into there hands and behold... a super powered human.

The two books that have so far come out (Hello, Gorgeous and Drop Dead, Gorgeous) follow Caitlyn as she struggles to understand and accept what has been done to her, struggles against working for the very government agency that did this to her, and struggles with her non-boss the BOSS who ends up falling in love with someone very close to Caitlyn.

There is love, madness, assassination attempts, death wrapped up in these two books.

Not a favorite of mine, but a decent read. Then again.. I've never really been a sci-fi ish girl. Give me a Vampire any day!

Alaskan Royal Family by MaryJanice Davidson

This series is tied with the Queen Betsy series as my FAVORITE of MJD.

These books aren't about vampires or weres, just Royal Alaskan families or THE Royal Alaskan Family. It follows the kooky (penguins in a castle) Royal Family and their very kooky lives. The King, who disguises himself with a beard and then does fishing tours, stumbles upon a sassy little woman who he brings home to the castle to marry his son! Did I mention there are penguins? We go through weddings, health crisis's, children, bodyguards and hysterics!

All of the characters in these books are unique, hilarious and entertaining. I could not put these books down and laughed out loud a so many times.

Please do pick up these books. I'm sure you'll enjoy them and may end up laughing out loud too!

Canis Royal Series by MaryJanice Davidson

Next on the list from Miss MaryJanice was the Canis Royal Series (3 short stories found in the book Really Unusual Bad Boys).

This is 3 short stories in one book and I do not know whether any books will follow. I honestly don't see how the story line could continue but you never know.

These stories are about an alternate universe (which may very well be a different planet though it was never really said) that may be crossed over into (never really determined whether it was near suicides, sadness or just the wish of one on the other side that got you there). The sky was differently colored, the foods were very different but good, and there were people that could shape shift into various forms of large cats.

These stories were about the King and his sons (of this other universe) finding love. As I said above I can't see how the storyline could continue once all of the sons and the King found love. And they did.

This wasn't one of my favorite books although I didn't hate them or stop reading them. They were interesting enough to capture my interest. I do appreciate that the author seems to know when to cut the story so that you aren't reading a 200+ book full of mundane happenings and silly details.

If you happen to want a quick book that is mainly filled with the chase and falling of love.. then this is for you.

Fred the Mermaid Series by MaryJanice Davidson

I have found that once I like an author I try to read EVERYTHING they've ever written and so after my Queen Betsy/Wyndham Werewolf read-a-thon I found myself trying to find everything MJD has. And I did.

The next series of hers I dove into was Fred the Mermaid. Fred is a girl and a mermaid (or as they prefer Underwater People).

I was very sad to find out that this series is only a trilogy.

The books follow Fred, a marine biologist/biped/mermaid, who finds love, a prince, a biped (ha human) and learns more of her Mer-side. It was refreshing read considering I've mostly follow Vampires and Weres. The idea of Underwater People was different and the characters themselves were funny.

I'd recommend these books if your looking for a quick read that is non vampire related.

Reading order:


Book 1 - Sleeping with Fishes
Book 2 - Swimming without a Net
Book 2.5 - Surviors (found in Dead over Heels Betsy/Werewolf collection)
Book 3 - Fish out of water

Queen Betsy and Wyndham Werewolf Series by MaryJanice Davidson

This series was recommended to me by a friend of mine who told me the series was HILARIOUS! Now.. as you can see from the previous books I've read in the Paranormal Genre.. none of them could be considered hilarious or even anywhere near comedy. Sure, some had some funny things happen here and there but not an overall laugh out loud book. I was kind of worried that reading a HILARIOUS! Vampire and Werewolf series would not work out so well and that the books would be bad. I'm glad to report I was wrong.

First off let me say that while the Queen Betsy series and Wyndham Werewolf series are two different book series the reading order suggested by the author (which I will post for you just in case a) you happen to be reading this blog and b) you are interested in reading these books) has you reading them in such an order so that when the two series come together you have a better understanding of what was happening in both series. I would follow the reading order if I was you. I know some others haven't and it didn't make that big of a difference but if you read as many books as I do you make forget some of what happened previously.

I really enjoyed all the books in these series. They both had great characters and great character development. I am really hoping that she continues on with the Wyndham Werewolf series though I haven't seen anything listed.

The Queen Betsy series seems to be the bigger deal out of all her book series (she does have quite a few which I'll go into on another post). It follows Betsy, a secretary, who becomes a Vampire and shortly after her 'rebirth' becomes the Queen of all Vampires. Did I mention that Betsy is a shoeaholic? A stereotypical blonde? She is HILARIOUS! This series mixes humor with love, friendship, murder, police, vampire wars, demon child, devil worshippers... can I go on? Betsy will.. so I'm sure there will be lots more to come!

If you are looking for a light hearted, funny vampire world.. you have found it with the Queen Betsy, Undead series!

Reading Order:

To keep the continuity of the story, you should read the books in this order:


1. Love’s Prisoner (in Secrets 6)(2000)

2. Jared’s Wolf (in Secrets 8) (2002)

3. Undead & Unwed (2002)

4. Dead Girls Don’t Dance (in Cravings) (2004)

5. Undead & Unemployed (2004)

6. Biting in Plain Sight (in Bite) (2004)

7. Derik’s Bane (2005)

8. Undead & Unappreciated (2005)

9. Undead & Unreturnable (2005)

10. Dead & Loving It (2006)

11. Undead & Unpopular (2006)

12. Driftwood (in Over the Moon) (2007)

13. Undead & Uneasy (2007)

14. Dead Over Heels (2008)

15. Undead & Unworthy (2008)

16. Undead & Unwelcome (2009)

17. Undead & Unfinished – July 7, 2010 - COMING SOON! YAY!