Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs

Starred review from February 9, 2009
Hysterical laughs are the hallmark of this enchanting paranormal debut. Unceremoniously fired from her job as Half Moon Hollow's children's librarian, Jane Jameson drowns her sorrows with a handsome stranger, vampire Gabriel Nightengale. When Jane is accidentally shot, Gabriel saves her life by turning her undead. As Jane starts to get used to chatting with her dead aunt, finding creative ways to dodge her mother's nosy questions and enjoying the chemistry with Gabriel, she's brought up short by being named a suspect in a recent vampire murder. Jane's snarky first-person narrative is as charming as it is hilarious, retaining enough humanity to connect instantly with readers. Harper keeps the quips coming without overdoing the sarcasm, and her take on vampire lore will intrigue and entertain even the most jaded paranormal fan.

March 1, 2009
Jane Jamesons mama said thered be days like this. Fired as the childrens librarian in Half Moon Hollow, Kentucky; broken-down car late at night. But mama didnt think about the possibility of Jane getting shot by a deer hunter and left for dead. Or being made the undead by Gabriel Nightengale so shed have a second chance at, well, life. Adjusting to life without chocolate and sunbathingnever mind a jobhas its challenges, but sexy Gabriel is one major perk. If only she can figure out how to tell her parents about her new liquid diet. And who is trying to frame her for murder? Harper arrives on the scene with a chuckle-inducing, southern-fried version of Stephanie Plums the Burg. This tale, the first in a series, is less about twisting plots and more about following quirky characters, human and vampire alike. Jane is smartly written and more than a librarian in name only. Fellow pros will recognize the trivia-loving geekiness and well-meaning sarcasm of someone who has long lived in the book stacks.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)