Pretty When She Dies by Rhiannon Frater

From Goodreads: Amaliya wakes under the forest floor, disoriented, famished and confused. She digs out of the shallow grave and realizes she is hungry... ... in a new, horrific, unimaginable way... Sating her great hunger, she discovers that she is now a vampire, the bloodthirsty creature of legend. She has no choice but to flee from her old life and travels across Texas. Her new hunger spurs her to leave a wake of death and blood behind her as she struggles with her new nature. All the while, her creator is watching. He is ancient, he is powerful, and what's worse is that he's a necromancer. He has the power to force the dead to do his bidding. Amaliya realizes she is but a pawn in a twisted game, and her only hope for survival is to seek out one of her own kind. But if Amaliya finds another vampire, will it mean her salvation... or her death?

So I'm a read-a-thon addict, which isn't news to anyone. We just finished a read-a-thon called Fraterfest, hosted by Kimbacaffeinate at The Caffeinated Book Reviewer, the whole point of which, aside from reading in general, is to read books by Rhiannon Frater, Kimba's a fan.  So being in the spirit of things but unfamiliar with the author, I picked out one to try, and managed to not start it at all last year during Fraterfest.  Go me.  This year I was determined, it was Fraterfest, I was going to read a Frater book, darn it!  So I did, and even though I didn't finish it during the read-a-thon, finish it I have, and I enjoyed it!

I like Amaliya, poor thing gets beat up in about every imaginable way yet comes out fighting every time!  She has a feisty little Grandmama too, do not mess with little Mexican Grandmamas, no sir!  The vampires in this world have the traditional weaknesses of legend, so in a way it's a good old-fashioned, but in a modern setting vampire story, with some necromancy thrown in for good measure.  I do like Cian, and even though she's kind of annoying, Samantha is pretty spunky too, but it's definitely Amaliya for me.  She just doesn't quit!

Rhiannon Frater's Website