Elizabeth (Betsy) Taylor is not your usual vampire. She's sort of a cross between an ego-centric fashion-crazed shoe-obsessed Valley girl and a post-modern independent feminist who isn't going to let a little thing like being dead get in the way of family, friendships, and shopping at Macy's. However, Betsy has some problems the first of which is that she's grossed out by the whole drinking blood thing. The local head of the vampires, Nostro, expects her to worship him -- a dorky, cliche vampire fashion victim. A strong "Not happening, guy" just doesn't seem to penetrate his ego and thus begins Betsy's involvement and problems with the vampire community and its politics.

Her lifestyle baffles the vamps as with her friends she manages to carve out a new life that takes into account her changed sleep pattern and nutritional needs. And she fulfills vamp prophesy written in their holy book by being immune to holy water, crosses, and sunlight. She finds herself attracted to Eric Sinclair, an older vamp who also annoys her with his condescending attitude. She needs help in adapting to her new life and its rules before she does damage to someone she cares about so she swallows her pride and takes Eric's help. But, mostly she goes her own way and adapts to her changed circumstances.

It's the vamps insistence that she is their new queen and her insistence that the vamps just leave her alone and lead their own lives/deaths/whatever that forms the center of the plot which develops into a story filled with cliches, new twists on the vamp theme, and of course lots of one-line barbs that keep you reading with a chuckle and some outright laughs.

Who knew that paranormal romance could be this much fun? I didn't. Now that I know I'll keep my eye on the romance section of the bookstore for the sequel.