Status
Available
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Series
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Collection
Publication
Pocket Books
Description
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?… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member RuthiesBookReviews
Well, Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs is definitely a funny book. Poor girl gets mistaken for a deer and shot ... that is just too funny! Molly Harper's writing is right up there with Dakota Cassidy, MaryJanice Davidson and Christopher Moore. She puts a crazy, snarky spin on things. This is what
Jane is not really good with men and because of her lack of experience she feels strangely unsettled by the fact that she was turned into a vampire. But her sire seems to bring out the best in her. As their relationship goes up and down like a roller coaster, she is caught in a world where vampires live amongst the humans, though they aren't practicularly liked, but they are tolerated. She's unwed, unemployed and lives in her Aunt Jettie's old house and her family is constantly on her back for something. Driving her crazy, but it seems that there is someone out there who wants something that she has and will go to whatever lengths necessary to get it. I was stumped trying to figure out who that person was and when it did come around at the end of the book - I really wasn't all that surprised. But no spoilers from me, you'll have to give the book a chance for yourself!
I will be waiting patiently for the next book to come out to see what's in store for Jane and her friends.
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catches the readers attention and gets them hooked. So now I can officially say that I am hooked to this series (yes, I said series). This is the first book and it is due out in April and the second book: Nice Girls Don't Date Dead Men will be out sometime later in the year.Jane is not really good with men and because of her lack of experience she feels strangely unsettled by the fact that she was turned into a vampire. But her sire seems to bring out the best in her. As their relationship goes up and down like a roller coaster, she is caught in a world where vampires live amongst the humans, though they aren't practicularly liked, but they are tolerated. She's unwed, unemployed and lives in her Aunt Jettie's old house and her family is constantly on her back for something. Driving her crazy, but it seems that there is someone out there who wants something that she has and will go to whatever lengths necessary to get it. I was stumped trying to figure out who that person was and when it did come around at the end of the book - I really wasn't all that surprised. But no spoilers from me, you'll have to give the book a chance for yourself!
I will be waiting patiently for the next book to come out to see what's in store for Jane and her friends.
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LibraryThing member mlsimmons
Listening to audiobook
2.5 stars
This book was okay. It did have a few funny moments, but nothing that made me laugh out loud.
2.5 stars
This book was okay. It did have a few funny moments, but nothing that made me laugh out loud.
LibraryThing member pacey1927
"Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs" may just be the hardest to rate book I have read in the last year. This is the tale of Jane Jameson, a fired librarian, who finds herself in a strange situation that leads to her becoming a vampire. Enter the handsome sire with whom sparks fly. Fill in a cast of quirky
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supporting characters, including a best friend, odd parents, and at least one other paranormal character. In this case, the sire is Gabriel, a guy thats pretty nice for a vampire...and her best friend is an metrosexual straight guy. When Jane is turned she can see the ghost of her beloved deceased aunt who is living in the house with her. I wavered alternately throughout the entire book between thinking, "Why another girl turns into a vampire and has to figure out her new lifestyle with a hunky sire" and then laughing and chuckling outloud. I really did get a 'been there, read that' vibe and nothing much here is original. Yet, this is probably one of the most genuinely funny of those paranormal 'romance' books. I don't often really laugh but I did here. I also related to Jane's love of books and her desire to feel useful. I liked her dad too. He was probably the most realistically drawn character in the tale. Without giving anything away, the scenes involving Jane in various working environments were amoung my favorite scenes. What felt the most ho-hum? Actually the romance scenes between Jane and Gabriel. There is something you might vaguely call a mystery woven through the book, and its conclusion is also funny but not very strong. I have to give this book a solid three stars because yes its entertaining and a good way to pass the time, but there is really nothing unique other than its humor, to make it stand out in an oversaturated genre. Show Less
LibraryThing member jjmachshev
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
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
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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.
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LibraryThing member TheLibraryhag
Jane is having a really bad day. First she is fired from her job at the local library, then she gets drunker than she ever has been, then her car breaks down, then she is mistaken for a deer and killed by a drunken hunter. So I guess the bright side of her day was being found by a vampire and
This book is hilarious. Jane is an intelligent if somewhat clumsy character that has a fun view of life, uh, afterlife. The cast of characters is fun too. I am putting the next one on hold at the library right away.
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turned so she became undead instead of just, you know, dead dead. Since vampires are now a protected class under law, you would think that being a vampire would not be that complicated, but no, there are still people who hate vampires, vampires who just like to beat up on other vampires, vampire gossip and oh yeah, she has to tell her parents.This book is hilarious. Jane is an intelligent if somewhat clumsy character that has a fun view of life, uh, afterlife. The cast of characters is fun too. I am putting the next one on hold at the library right away.
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LibraryThing member elnice
My thoughts...Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs is a very funny, sexy, story that fans of Vampire literature will enjoy. Poor Jane Jameson, after being fired from her job, she is mistaken for a deer, then turned into a Vampire, all in one foggy evening. The book starts with a humorous situation and the
The story line is cute, although similar to other books I have read. That being said, for me this type of storyline never dulls. I like the transition from human to vampire with unique world twists. Molly Harper did a great job adding her own spin on things. The book is full of action scenes, a few on the streets and a few between the sheets. The best part of the book, in my opinion, is the humor. I found myself laughing out loud on several occasions. The characters will full of snark, especially Jane and her ghostly Grandmother. It was not plagued with foul language or unnecessary sex scenes. I would recommend this book to readers who love adult Vampire fiction.
The cons...As I mentioned before, the plot is similar to other books of its kind. Readers who may have devoured earlier vampire books, may find it repetitive. However, Molly Harper put her own brand on this one by coming up with creative twists in the story. She has her own set of world rules, vampire origins, and a very fun heroine. This is a fun, light read and I do recommend it.
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humor is carried through the entire story. Jane is as witty as she is like-able. Anyone who has ever said that librarians are dull needs to read this book! We also meet Gabrial, her sweet, sexy sire. He seems like a knight-in-shining armor, but does he have a evil side? Then there is Dick Cheney, the resident bad boy. The book is filled with fun, memorable characters including her sister, whom I believe is truly evil. The story line is cute, although similar to other books I have read. That being said, for me this type of storyline never dulls. I like the transition from human to vampire with unique world twists. Molly Harper did a great job adding her own spin on things. The book is full of action scenes, a few on the streets and a few between the sheets. The best part of the book, in my opinion, is the humor. I found myself laughing out loud on several occasions. The characters will full of snark, especially Jane and her ghostly Grandmother. It was not plagued with foul language or unnecessary sex scenes. I would recommend this book to readers who love adult Vampire fiction.
The cons...As I mentioned before, the plot is similar to other books of its kind. Readers who may have devoured earlier vampire books, may find it repetitive. However, Molly Harper put her own brand on this one by coming up with creative twists in the story. She has her own set of world rules, vampire origins, and a very fun heroine. This is a fun, light read and I do recommend it.
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LibraryThing member Tynga
Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs, is a very light urban fantasy/Chick Lit novel with a good dose of humour. We get to follow Jane in her attempts to deal with her new undead-life, deal with family drama, trying to get a new job, make new friends, and deal with a mysterious
This book wasn't what I expected, I'm used to "deeper" urban fantasy, and I have to admit I was craving for more action. The book is light, funny and a quick read. I enjoyed it even though I was slightly disappointed with the first half or so, but I finally got the action I was looking for in the last 100ish pages.
I already have second and third book in the series at home, and I will indeed keep reading that series hoping it will keep pace with the last half of the first book.
If you haven't read any of Molly Harper's book you should give them a try, it's a refreshing story in the vampire literature!
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"stalker/rumor-spreader/murderer" unidentified stranger trying to get to her.This book wasn't what I expected, I'm used to "deeper" urban fantasy, and I have to admit I was craving for more action. The book is light, funny and a quick read. I enjoyed it even though I was slightly disappointed with the first half or so, but I finally got the action I was looking for in the last 100ish pages.
I already have second and third book in the series at home, and I will indeed keep reading that series hoping it will keep pace with the last half of the first book.
If you haven't read any of Molly Harper's book you should give them a try, it's a refreshing story in the vampire literature!
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LibraryThing member jmchshannon
It has been far too long since I finished a book, and Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs is exactly what was needed to break that streak.
Jane is extremely charming. Her bookishness and gaucheness definitely reminds me of me. I adored the literary references, and I could really see myself being friends
The entire book stays relatively close to the traditional vampire mythology with only the slightest of tweaks to it. Ms. Harper's vampires have fangs, they cannot expose themselves to the sun, they are sensitive to garlic. However, Ms. Harper's vampires have the benefit of fake blood, a la True Blood, have super powers and have an amazing infrastructure and set of rules to help them co-exist in society. Still, its charm lies in the fact that it makes fun of itself.
As with other lighter, more popular contemporary fiction these days, Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs is not going to win any awards for outstanding literature. The writing is trite with very little in the way of detailed descriptions of the backdrop. This novel is character-driven with a subsequent focus on dialogue.
However, these negatives are more than offset by its sly mocking of the fantasy and romance genres. This is not a torrid romance, as one might expect. Even better, becoming a vampire does not solve all of Jane's problems. This is a very refreshing viewpoint, even if Ms. Harper still glorifies the perks of vampirism.
Overall, I found this a great read. The murder mystery is engaging and definitely kept me reading to determine if I had figured out the responsible party. The fact that Ms. Harper continually mocks at the idea of a murder mystery for those who are already dead and winks at the irony of the entire situation. The reader cannot help but laugh along with Jane and the situations she faces. If you are looking for a fun, quick, charming, and relatively easy paranormal novel, I would highly recommend checking out Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs.
Jane is extremely charming. Her bookishness and gaucheness definitely reminds me of me. I adored the literary references, and I could really see myself being friends
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with her. A book is definitely more enjoyable when you can relate to the main character and enjoy every time she appears on the page (which is all the time).The entire book stays relatively close to the traditional vampire mythology with only the slightest of tweaks to it. Ms. Harper's vampires have fangs, they cannot expose themselves to the sun, they are sensitive to garlic. However, Ms. Harper's vampires have the benefit of fake blood, a la True Blood, have super powers and have an amazing infrastructure and set of rules to help them co-exist in society. Still, its charm lies in the fact that it makes fun of itself.
As with other lighter, more popular contemporary fiction these days, Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs is not going to win any awards for outstanding literature. The writing is trite with very little in the way of detailed descriptions of the backdrop. This novel is character-driven with a subsequent focus on dialogue.
However, these negatives are more than offset by its sly mocking of the fantasy and romance genres. This is not a torrid romance, as one might expect. Even better, becoming a vampire does not solve all of Jane's problems. This is a very refreshing viewpoint, even if Ms. Harper still glorifies the perks of vampirism.
Overall, I found this a great read. The murder mystery is engaging and definitely kept me reading to determine if I had figured out the responsible party. The fact that Ms. Harper continually mocks at the idea of a murder mystery for those who are already dead and winks at the irony of the entire situation. The reader cannot help but laugh along with Jane and the situations she faces. If you are looking for a fun, quick, charming, and relatively easy paranormal novel, I would highly recommend checking out Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs.
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LibraryThing member paranormalsweetie
Fired from her job as a librarian due to financial cut backs, Jane Jameson decides to drown her sorrows at a local bar, where she meets a charming and mysterious man Gabriel Nightingale. Nothing comes of that, so drunk out of her mind she is riding along at a back road when her car(Big Bertha)
Throughout the book you follow Jane as she tries to get a handle on being a vampire, attempts to get the courage to tell her parents, deals with her feeling for Gabriel, and has someone spreading rumors about her and the vampire Dick Cheney in the bathroom at Denny's.
Jane is certainly one of the most funny female leads that I have had the opportunity to read in a while. The book is chock full of witty banter between Jane and a bevy of characters throughout the book. There are tons of lines in this book that had me laughing out right. Like the fact that her dog Frisk looks like the unfortunate product of a one night stand between a Great Dane and and loofah.
Every chapter has a excerpt from The Guide for the Newly Undead at the beginning. With gems like: "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." It sets up the chapter nicely, letting you know generally what it is going to be about.
Overall, great book. Can't wait to read the next in the series.
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breaks down. She starts walking/stumbling down the road when all of a sudden a drunk comes along, and mistakes her for a deer and fatally shoots her in the side. But before she can die the man from the bar offers her the chance to become a vampire, and she accepts.Throughout the book you follow Jane as she tries to get a handle on being a vampire, attempts to get the courage to tell her parents, deals with her feeling for Gabriel, and has someone spreading rumors about her and the vampire Dick Cheney in the bathroom at Denny's.
Jane is certainly one of the most funny female leads that I have had the opportunity to read in a while. The book is chock full of witty banter between Jane and a bevy of characters throughout the book. There are tons of lines in this book that had me laughing out right. Like the fact that her dog Frisk looks like the unfortunate product of a one night stand between a Great Dane and and loofah.
Every chapter has a excerpt from The Guide for the Newly Undead at the beginning. With gems like: "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." It sets up the chapter nicely, letting you know generally what it is going to be about.
Overall, great book. Can't wait to read the next in the series.
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LibraryThing member crazybatcow
It's so similar to Charlaine Harris' Sookie series that I'm still not convinced it's a different writer.
From what I can tell, the only difference between Jane and Sookie is that Sookie doesn't actually get turned into a vampire. Jane does. But, otherwise, they have the same story-line,
Of course, I like the Harris books so it was a fast enjoyable read, just not particularly original.
From what I can tell, the only difference between Jane and Sookie is that Sookie doesn't actually get turned into a vampire. Jane does. But, otherwise, they have the same story-line,
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misunderstandings and vampire-boyfriend lust scenes. Complete with the 'temptation' of another, more evil, vampire man, big old 'family home' and small Southern town attitudes.Of course, I like the Harris books so it was a fast enjoyable read, just not particularly original.
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LibraryThing member irunsjh
A nice start to a series. A very light hearted book. I did like the main character, she was pretty funny. I would have liked a bit more on the rest of the characters in the book. As the book was written in first person, I guess this is expected though.
A recommendation for fans of urban fantasy, if
A recommendation for fans of urban fantasy, if
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you want something does not require much thought. I can see myself moving on with rest of the series for sure. Show Less
LibraryThing member krau0098
This looked like a fun read and I was in the mood for something funny. This book met all my expectations it is a very funny, light, and clever read. Incredibly entertaining. It is the first book in the Jane Jameson trilogy. I listened to this on audio book; the audio book was very well done and
Jane Jameson is a children's librarian...at least she is until her evil boss lays her off because of budget cuts. After spending the night after her lay-off drowning her sorrows in mud-slides, her day just gets worse. She gets shot walking home by a drunk man who drives by in a truck and shoots her thinking she is a deer. Well this is the beginning of her undead life, as sexy Gabriel (a man she meet at the bar that night) saves her life...kinda...by turning her into a vampire. Now Jane must find a job, figure out how to navigate her new vampire lifestyle, and defend herself against murder charges.
This book was a hoot. Jane is just your normal girl, turned vampire. She is snarky and funny, and is surrounded by polite southern-woman doing their best to insult sweetly. This book drops the mystery surrounding vampires and represents them as the normal people they probably would be if your average everyday Joe got turned. For example, when Jane is awake at 2am trying to figure out what to do with her night she decides to go where any proper southern girl would go at 2am....Walmart...and finds it to be a secret hang-out of the undead. When her new found friend Andrea offers to take her to a vampire bar...Jane is braced for the worst but finds herself in a sports bar not unlike the ones she went to when she was a bit more alive.
The chemistry between Jane and her sire, Gabriel, is off and on but more realistic because of that. There are a lot of great characters in this book besides Jane, and Gabriel is one of them. Gabriel is kind of your brooding mysterious type, but he is also a normal guy. He occasionally does something stupid or finds himself at a loss for words, making him a more real vampire than most you read about. Then there is the ghost of Jane's Aunt Jettie who is always there to add some humor to the situation (as if Jane needed help with that).
The book does have a good mystery woven into the plot. Jane is accused of murder and becomes the victim of increasingly brutal attacks on her person. She needs to figure out what is going on else the Council order a decapitation. The plot moves as a quick pace and never gets boring. This book doesn't have a lot of action and is more a mix of paranormal, mystery, humor, chick lit, and romance.
Overall a fresh take on vampire society, very engaging and lots of fun. I really enjoyed this book, it was a nice departure from what I normally read and had me laughing out loud a number of times. I can't wait to listen to the next book "Nice Girls Don't Date Dead Men".
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probably contributed to me liking the book so much.Jane Jameson is a children's librarian...at least she is until her evil boss lays her off because of budget cuts. After spending the night after her lay-off drowning her sorrows in mud-slides, her day just gets worse. She gets shot walking home by a drunk man who drives by in a truck and shoots her thinking she is a deer. Well this is the beginning of her undead life, as sexy Gabriel (a man she meet at the bar that night) saves her life...kinda...by turning her into a vampire. Now Jane must find a job, figure out how to navigate her new vampire lifestyle, and defend herself against murder charges.
This book was a hoot. Jane is just your normal girl, turned vampire. She is snarky and funny, and is surrounded by polite southern-woman doing their best to insult sweetly. This book drops the mystery surrounding vampires and represents them as the normal people they probably would be if your average everyday Joe got turned. For example, when Jane is awake at 2am trying to figure out what to do with her night she decides to go where any proper southern girl would go at 2am....Walmart...and finds it to be a secret hang-out of the undead. When her new found friend Andrea offers to take her to a vampire bar...Jane is braced for the worst but finds herself in a sports bar not unlike the ones she went to when she was a bit more alive.
The chemistry between Jane and her sire, Gabriel, is off and on but more realistic because of that. There are a lot of great characters in this book besides Jane, and Gabriel is one of them. Gabriel is kind of your brooding mysterious type, but he is also a normal guy. He occasionally does something stupid or finds himself at a loss for words, making him a more real vampire than most you read about. Then there is the ghost of Jane's Aunt Jettie who is always there to add some humor to the situation (as if Jane needed help with that).
The book does have a good mystery woven into the plot. Jane is accused of murder and becomes the victim of increasingly brutal attacks on her person. She needs to figure out what is going on else the Council order a decapitation. The plot moves as a quick pace and never gets boring. This book doesn't have a lot of action and is more a mix of paranormal, mystery, humor, chick lit, and romance.
Overall a fresh take on vampire society, very engaging and lots of fun. I really enjoyed this book, it was a nice departure from what I normally read and had me laughing out loud a number of times. I can't wait to listen to the next book "Nice Girls Don't Date Dead Men".
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LibraryThing member louisetoet
So what do you do when you get fired, well get drunk and flirt with a good looking man is what Jane did. But she also got herself killed, but that was just more bad luck. But that good looking man, she flirted with in the bar followed and lucky for her, he is a vampire and to save her, he gives her
Ans so now Jane has to find a job, that has nightshifts, tell her family to stop trying to steal her things, since she still needs them, try not freak out and figur out how is out to kill her.
Funny from page 1. Could not put in down and i loved the fact, that Jane is a children librarian, that gets to kick ass.
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a bite.Ans so now Jane has to find a job, that has nightshifts, tell her family to stop trying to steal her things, since she still needs them, try not freak out and figur out how is out to kill her.
Funny from page 1. Could not put in down and i loved the fact, that Jane is a children librarian, that gets to kick ass.
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LibraryThing member trishalynn0708
This book was awesome! I have not read a book this funny in a long time. The book starts off in Half Moon Hollow, I just love that name, with Jane Jameson, the main character in Shenanigans bar after she gets fired from her librarians job and a gift certificate is all to Shenanigans is all she
This book just gets better as you read it. I found myself laughing out loud at this book. Molly Harper is an amazing author.
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gets. So she gos to drown her sorrows in some liquor only to be shot on her way home and turned into a vampire by the sexy Gabriel Nightengale. This book just gets better as you read it. I found myself laughing out loud at this book. Molly Harper is an amazing author.
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LibraryThing member ShelleyJax
Category: Chik-Lit
Plot Summary: After being laid off from her job as Half Moon Hollow's children's librarian, Jane drowns her sorrows in Electric Lemonade and Mudslides using her severance package (a $25 Shenanigans gift certificate). At the bar she's kept company by a magnetically attractive (if a
If Gabriel doesn't turn Jane, she'll be, as the saying goes, dying young and leaving a pretty corpse. Being undead, though, is just the beginning of Jane's problems. She's still unemployed, has "family issues," a best friend who finds love with a werewolf (werewolves and vampires don't mix well); she's also being framed for murder, stalked by a former crush, and romanced by her moody sire. What's an undead girl to do?This hilarious, delightful debut novel combines MaryJanice Davidson's sass and Charlaine Harris' small town Southern charm to form the perfect read for lovers of paranormal romantic comedy.
Review: Plot-wise there's nothing new here. Nice girl gets turned unexpectedly into a vampire with ensuing light romance hilarious hi-jinx has already been explored by several popular authors and there isn’t a huge amount here to make Nice Girl’s Don’t Have Fangs stand out from that crowd.
Jane narrates the story with sarcasm and snark so while some of the humour is situational, mostly it’s her reactions to the situations, and the words that flow out of her mouth that make the story funny. A high point of the book is Jane’s re-evaluation of her career options now that she can only work nights and includes her unfortunate foray into telemarketing, a career that even as a vampire she just isn’t evil enough to pursue…
Jane, isn’t just another one-dimensional character, though. She’s portrayed as a normal, nice girl, not overly neurotic, who loves to read, is kind to babies and small animals, and puts up with her bad-mannered family with aplomb.
This is a fun start to a wild new series.
Plot Summary: After being laid off from her job as Half Moon Hollow's children's librarian, Jane drowns her sorrows in Electric Lemonade and Mudslides using her severance package (a $25 Shenanigans gift certificate). At the bar she's kept company by a magnetically attractive (if a
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bit pale) stranger, Gabriel Nightingale - who follows her out and takes matters into his own hands when Jane's car breaks down and she's mistaken for a deer by a drunk with a rifle as she's headed home in the dark, on foot.If Gabriel doesn't turn Jane, she'll be, as the saying goes, dying young and leaving a pretty corpse. Being undead, though, is just the beginning of Jane's problems. She's still unemployed, has "family issues," a best friend who finds love with a werewolf (werewolves and vampires don't mix well); she's also being framed for murder, stalked by a former crush, and romanced by her moody sire. What's an undead girl to do?This hilarious, delightful debut novel combines MaryJanice Davidson's sass and Charlaine Harris' small town Southern charm to form the perfect read for lovers of paranormal romantic comedy.
Review: Plot-wise there's nothing new here. Nice girl gets turned unexpectedly into a vampire with ensuing light romance hilarious hi-jinx has already been explored by several popular authors and there isn’t a huge amount here to make Nice Girl’s Don’t Have Fangs stand out from that crowd.
Jane narrates the story with sarcasm and snark so while some of the humour is situational, mostly it’s her reactions to the situations, and the words that flow out of her mouth that make the story funny. A high point of the book is Jane’s re-evaluation of her career options now that she can only work nights and includes her unfortunate foray into telemarketing, a career that even as a vampire she just isn’t evil enough to pursue…
Jane, isn’t just another one-dimensional character, though. She’s portrayed as a normal, nice girl, not overly neurotic, who loves to read, is kind to babies and small animals, and puts up with her bad-mannered family with aplomb.
This is a fun start to a wild new series.
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LibraryThing member shelleyraec
Iv'e given it four stars - though probably 3 and a half would be more accurate - because I couldn't help but laugh out loud, alot and really that's enough for me. The plot is not exactly original and there were some glaring editing errors particularly in terms of continuity, but perfect wit and
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sarcasm. Thoroughly entertaining with likeable characters, and I love the snippets from the Guide for the Newly Undead. Show Less
LibraryThing member ShariDragon
loved it, lots and lots of fun.
LibraryThing member Linnnnie
Such a fun read. Has me chuckling
LibraryThing member BrianneRS1979
This was a light fluffy read for me, I did enjoy the humor and will read the rest of the series
LibraryThing member Liz_S
This is your classic girl gets shot by drunk driver, girls gets turned into vampire by sexy guy, girl gets into hilarious trouble right off the bat romance novel! I had mixed feelings about this book. At first I didnt think I was going to be able to finish it, but about three quarters of the way
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through it caught my interest. I will be reading the second one before I pass judgement. There were alot of funny parts towards the middle and end but in the beginning it was like she was trying to hard to be funny kind of like stand up comedy. I want to read the second one before I recommend it to a friend. Show Less
LibraryThing member Annesanse
This wasn't as great as I was hoping. I'd heard it was really funny and was looking for something to hold me over until the next Janet Evanovich or Darynda Jones book is released. I liked a lot of the characters (didn't really like Gabriel), and there were some funny parts, but nothing else was out
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of the ordinary. The plot/mystery was barely existent. I'm not opposed to reading the sequels, but they're definitely not at the top of my to read list. Show Less
LibraryThing member DarkFaerieTales
Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: Quirky, sarcastic, almost normal—the vampire next door.
Opening Sentence: I’ve always been a glass-half-full kind of girl.
The Review:
Meet Jane Jameson, normal everyday small town girl. Jane is a children’s librarian in the public library in
Jane has had a bad day. Her boss fired her from the job she loves for “budget reasons” and gave her a gift certificate for a bar as a severance package. After getting decidedly piss-drunk she is met by a man who has perfect teeth, good skin, nicer hair, gorgeous eyes and more upper-class type clothes. In short, “definitely a metrosexual, possibly gay, with a spontaneous yen for mozzarella sticks.” Jane’s car craps out on her way home from the bar, and she trips and lands face first in a ditch while walking home. Then, in some sort of strange cosmic accident, she is mistaken for a deer by a drunk redneck and fatally shot. Thankfully her new cheese-stick loving friend from the bar is actually a vampire and is able to turn her before she permanently kicks it.
The GQ model vamp who likes to pick up drunk girls in bars is Gabriel Nightengale. A long time resident of the Hollow (and by long I mean over 100 years). Gabriel is pretty decent for a vamp. He’s not all I’m a prince of darkness, an ancient being, humans are nothing but food. And he can take a joke, and even make a few himself. Even since the Great Vampire Coming Out in 2000, Gabriel had preferred to live a quiet existence, which is next to impossible in a town this size. In true old world chivalry, he follows Jane home to make sure she is OK, but cannot stop her from getting shot. So, he gets her permission to be turned into a vampire and takes her to his home for the three days it takes to reawaken.
When Jane wakes back up she is frightened, and runs for home—that’s after she spends some time attached to the ceiling. Upon her return she is met by her BFF Zeb and she practically attaches herself to his jugular. Gabriel arrives just in time to stop her, save Zeb, read her the riot act, get a lecture in return—along with a quote from Dr. Seuss “I will not drink it in a house, I will not drink it with a mouse,” take care of her feeding, take Zeb home…you know, basically save the day again.
Jane spends a lot of time getting used to being a vamp, making new friends, both vamp and human, fighting with her family members—who don’t learn of her condition until the end. She also starts a new job working in an occult bookstore, a relationship with her vampire sire, and a couple of permanent friendships with some awesome people.
In this first installment, Jane gets caught up in some weird plot to build a luxury housing development specifically for vamps, one which would require the property her current home sits on. The antics of the criminal mastermind behind the plot, a blond bottle of vampire Pepto named Missy, makes her a suspect for some vampire deaths in the neighborhood. Jane ends up on a sort of vampire probation, which she finds hard not to break. Eventually, Missy just tries to kill her straight out, but loses the duel, and Jane inherits all of her considerable possessions, which is a cool rule if you ask me.
Oh, and before I go, I want you to meet some of the other characters who play a big role in these books.
Zeb is Jane’s best friend, a kindergarten teacher with his own family issues, whom she is expected to eventually marry.
Jolene is a werewolf Zeb meets when they both attend meetings of a group called Friends and Families of the Undead, sort of like Al-Anon, but for families of blood drinkers, not booze drinkers. Jolene is as Southern as one could get, and boy does she have an appetite.
Andrea is a blood surrogate, a human who willingly donates her blood to vampires who are willing to pay her prices. Gabriel sends Andrea to Jane’s house for a feeding, and the two sort of hit it off from there.
Jane has also acquired another house guest, her Aunt Jettie’s ghost, who has actually been there all along; she has just now decided to show her face. And in Aunt Jettie we find where Jane contracted her attitude. Jettie is a hoot.
And last, but certainly not least, is the vampire Richard “Dick” Cheney. Yup, that’s right. Dick is a sexy smart-ass you’ve got to hate to love. Dick rescues Jane from a bar fight with a redneck vamp, and they just hit it right off. Girls, you’ll just love him and his god awful T-shirt collection. Dick and Gabriel go way back, back to their human infancy, and the past causes some animosity, some jealousy over Jane, etc.
So, now that this review is LONG, I will leave you saying that I really liked this book, and the others. I traditionally don’t get into a series that solely revolves around the same few characters; in fact I have only kept up with two of them in the past. And it’s no small coincidence that these three females are all sarcastic, smart and accident prone. Always a good time when you are sitting somewhere, like say the waiting room at the dentist office, and you have to laugh out loud, and people stare at you like you’ve grown an antenna or something. So, yeah thanks Ms. Harper for making me look like an idiot.
Notable Scene:
Sometime between my sustaining multiple gunshot wounds and losing my panties, Dick had called my cell phone to leave me a cryptic voice-mail message.
“Hey, Jane, it’s Dick,” he said, his voice unusually quiet and subdued. “Do you think you could stop by my place sometime tonight? I need to talk to you.”
It was almost four by the time I heard the voice mail. And Dick wasn’t answering his phone, so I risked some early-morning exposure to drive to his trailer. Because if I was at home, I would be cleaning up broken glass and thinking about what I had decided to call “the incident.”
My phone rang as I jogged up the steps to Dick’s trailer. The caller ID said it was Gabriel. I debated picking it up but finally hit the ignore button. I knocked on the door and—
WHHHOOOOOMMMMMMPPFFF
Red and gold stars exploded at the base of my skull as I was blown off Dick’s porch and onto the hood of my car. My frustration at being thrown through yet another windshield was superseded by the fact that my sleeves were on fire. It seemed to be a more pressing concern. I slapped them out just before a secondary explosion knocked me back again. The blast threw me off the car, thwacking the back of my head against the cement blocks supporting the nearby El Camino. The flames burned orange behind my eyelids. I slipped into a soft black place where the burns on my arms didn’t leave me screaming.
The Jane Jameson Series:
1. Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs
2. Nice Girls Don’t Date Dead Men
3. Nice Girls Don’t Live Forever
4. Nice Girls Don’t Bite Their Neighbors
FTC Advisory: Simon & Schuster/Pocket Books graciously provided me with a copy of Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: Quirky, sarcastic, almost normal—the vampire next door.
Opening Sentence: I’ve always been a glass-half-full kind of girl.
The Review:
Meet Jane Jameson, normal everyday small town girl. Jane is a children’s librarian in the public library in
Show More
the town of Half-Moon Hollow, Kentucky where she was born and raised. Jane is super smart and quirky, but sarcasm and useless trivia are her strongest points. Jane is so universal she fits right in, like she could just move in right next door. Jane lives in the family home her Great Aunt Jettie left her, and the rest her family never lets her forget how little they feel she deserves it.Jane has had a bad day. Her boss fired her from the job she loves for “budget reasons” and gave her a gift certificate for a bar as a severance package. After getting decidedly piss-drunk she is met by a man who has perfect teeth, good skin, nicer hair, gorgeous eyes and more upper-class type clothes. In short, “definitely a metrosexual, possibly gay, with a spontaneous yen for mozzarella sticks.” Jane’s car craps out on her way home from the bar, and she trips and lands face first in a ditch while walking home. Then, in some sort of strange cosmic accident, she is mistaken for a deer by a drunk redneck and fatally shot. Thankfully her new cheese-stick loving friend from the bar is actually a vampire and is able to turn her before she permanently kicks it.
The GQ model vamp who likes to pick up drunk girls in bars is Gabriel Nightengale. A long time resident of the Hollow (and by long I mean over 100 years). Gabriel is pretty decent for a vamp. He’s not all I’m a prince of darkness, an ancient being, humans are nothing but food. And he can take a joke, and even make a few himself. Even since the Great Vampire Coming Out in 2000, Gabriel had preferred to live a quiet existence, which is next to impossible in a town this size. In true old world chivalry, he follows Jane home to make sure she is OK, but cannot stop her from getting shot. So, he gets her permission to be turned into a vampire and takes her to his home for the three days it takes to reawaken.
When Jane wakes back up she is frightened, and runs for home—that’s after she spends some time attached to the ceiling. Upon her return she is met by her BFF Zeb and she practically attaches herself to his jugular. Gabriel arrives just in time to stop her, save Zeb, read her the riot act, get a lecture in return—along with a quote from Dr. Seuss “I will not drink it in a house, I will not drink it with a mouse,” take care of her feeding, take Zeb home…you know, basically save the day again.
Jane spends a lot of time getting used to being a vamp, making new friends, both vamp and human, fighting with her family members—who don’t learn of her condition until the end. She also starts a new job working in an occult bookstore, a relationship with her vampire sire, and a couple of permanent friendships with some awesome people.
In this first installment, Jane gets caught up in some weird plot to build a luxury housing development specifically for vamps, one which would require the property her current home sits on. The antics of the criminal mastermind behind the plot, a blond bottle of vampire Pepto named Missy, makes her a suspect for some vampire deaths in the neighborhood. Jane ends up on a sort of vampire probation, which she finds hard not to break. Eventually, Missy just tries to kill her straight out, but loses the duel, and Jane inherits all of her considerable possessions, which is a cool rule if you ask me.
Oh, and before I go, I want you to meet some of the other characters who play a big role in these books.
Zeb is Jane’s best friend, a kindergarten teacher with his own family issues, whom she is expected to eventually marry.
Jolene is a werewolf Zeb meets when they both attend meetings of a group called Friends and Families of the Undead, sort of like Al-Anon, but for families of blood drinkers, not booze drinkers. Jolene is as Southern as one could get, and boy does she have an appetite.
Andrea is a blood surrogate, a human who willingly donates her blood to vampires who are willing to pay her prices. Gabriel sends Andrea to Jane’s house for a feeding, and the two sort of hit it off from there.
Jane has also acquired another house guest, her Aunt Jettie’s ghost, who has actually been there all along; she has just now decided to show her face. And in Aunt Jettie we find where Jane contracted her attitude. Jettie is a hoot.
And last, but certainly not least, is the vampire Richard “Dick” Cheney. Yup, that’s right. Dick is a sexy smart-ass you’ve got to hate to love. Dick rescues Jane from a bar fight with a redneck vamp, and they just hit it right off. Girls, you’ll just love him and his god awful T-shirt collection. Dick and Gabriel go way back, back to their human infancy, and the past causes some animosity, some jealousy over Jane, etc.
So, now that this review is LONG, I will leave you saying that I really liked this book, and the others. I traditionally don’t get into a series that solely revolves around the same few characters; in fact I have only kept up with two of them in the past. And it’s no small coincidence that these three females are all sarcastic, smart and accident prone. Always a good time when you are sitting somewhere, like say the waiting room at the dentist office, and you have to laugh out loud, and people stare at you like you’ve grown an antenna or something. So, yeah thanks Ms. Harper for making me look like an idiot.
Notable Scene:
Sometime between my sustaining multiple gunshot wounds and losing my panties, Dick had called my cell phone to leave me a cryptic voice-mail message.
“Hey, Jane, it’s Dick,” he said, his voice unusually quiet and subdued. “Do you think you could stop by my place sometime tonight? I need to talk to you.”
It was almost four by the time I heard the voice mail. And Dick wasn’t answering his phone, so I risked some early-morning exposure to drive to his trailer. Because if I was at home, I would be cleaning up broken glass and thinking about what I had decided to call “the incident.”
My phone rang as I jogged up the steps to Dick’s trailer. The caller ID said it was Gabriel. I debated picking it up but finally hit the ignore button. I knocked on the door and—
WHHHOOOOOMMMMMMPPFFF
Red and gold stars exploded at the base of my skull as I was blown off Dick’s porch and onto the hood of my car. My frustration at being thrown through yet another windshield was superseded by the fact that my sleeves were on fire. It seemed to be a more pressing concern. I slapped them out just before a secondary explosion knocked me back again. The blast threw me off the car, thwacking the back of my head against the cement blocks supporting the nearby El Camino. The flames burned orange behind my eyelids. I slipped into a soft black place where the burns on my arms didn’t leave me screaming.
The Jane Jameson Series:
1. Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs
2. Nice Girls Don’t Date Dead Men
3. Nice Girls Don’t Live Forever
4. Nice Girls Don’t Bite Their Neighbors
FTC Advisory: Simon & Schuster/Pocket Books graciously provided me with a copy of Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
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LibraryThing member Kaetrin
This audiobook was a nice surprise for me - the writing was witty and snappy and really funny - I had many LOL moments during the listen and the narrator, Amanda Ronconi, was excellent. Recommended for those who like light and funny PNR.
LibraryThing member beckymmoe
How can you not love a main character who has a dog named Fitz (after Jane Austen's Fitzwilliam Darcy, of course)? The first book in the Jane Jameson series has helpful quotes from The Guide for the Newly Undead at the start of each chapter ("When you encounter unpleasantness from the human
I absolutely cannot wait to read more of this series. It's laugh out loud funny!
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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."), a book that Jane actually receives in a "Welcome to your new life" gift basket. As a former librarian, a book to guide her on her new life path is just what she needs. On the bad day to end all bad days, Jane loses her job, receives a gift certificate to a clichéd chain restaurant in lieu of a severance check, has her car break down on the way home from said restaurant, is accidentally shot by a drunken hunter, and finally turned into a vampire by the cute guy she met in the restaurant's bar…and that's just the beginning. Before you can say "Where's Wal-Mart's 'special dietary needs' aisle?" Jane finds herself in the middle of even bigger problems—someone is killing off vampires in town and trying to frame her for their murders. Her first undead "date" consists of visiting Cracker Barrel to defend herself to the local branch of the World Council for the Equal Treatment of the Undead, a group that is not big on sticking to the fine points of the whole "innocent until proven guilty" maxim. (Yes, they meet at Cracker Barrel. Just wait until you find out where their holding cell is!) But, as her mother would point out, at least she's dating, right? Surely that must be a plus? Or is it?I absolutely cannot wait to read more of this series. It's laugh out loud funny!
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LibraryThing member JaneKLibrarian
I had to read this book because the main character (Jane) is a librarian and I read enthusiastic reviews of the book elsewhere. Jane was a public librarian before losing her job and becoming a vampire. She is an independent, smart, and strong character but also asks for advice or help when needed.
The story also reminded me of old Moonlighting (1980s television show) episodes because of the verbal sparring, frequent jokes, and sexual tension between Jane and her vampire sire, Gabriel.
The paranormal romance could have been a little better done but since this is a series it might be further explored in later sequels. Don't be put off by the vampire or paranormal aspects to the story. Overall this is a light romantic comedy that was a lot of fun to read. I am eagerly awaiting the sequel.
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Throughout the book she makes funny or sarcastic references to pop culture or her favorite books/movies. The brilliant southern characters interact in witty ways and the mystery within the story was good but not complicated. The world that Jane and the other characters inhabit is similar to Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse series.The story also reminded me of old Moonlighting (1980s television show) episodes because of the verbal sparring, frequent jokes, and sexual tension between Jane and her vampire sire, Gabriel.
The paranormal romance could have been a little better done but since this is a series it might be further explored in later sequels. Don't be put off by the vampire or paranormal aspects to the story. Overall this is a light romantic comedy that was a lot of fun to read. I am eagerly awaiting the sequel.
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Original publication date
2009-03-31
ISBN
9781439158579
Local notes
Jane Jameson, 1
DDC/MDS
| Fic SF Harper |