Up from the Grave (Night Huntress #7) by Jeaniene Frost

I was waiting for this one a LONG time. But when it was actually published it was like I was scared to read the last book in the series. I LOVED the previous ones and saying goodbye seemed a little bit too soon. Sure, there will be at least two more - one in the Night Huntress World as Jeaniene had promised and another one of the Night Prince which I absolutely in love with. I think the Night Prince is my all times favorite series! 

Jeaniene wanted to have two more books in the series but after publishing "Home for the Holidays" (Night Huntress #6.5) she said she will be finishing the series after only one book since that's all she has planned for Cat and Bones. I get that and I really supported that though some people were disappointed. OK, I was also disappointed but I rather have a great series then a medium one continuing to no end.. 

So after two weeks of contemplating I finally picked this one up. The writing as usual was a pleasure, witty, funny and in an excellent pace. BUT there were some things that threw me of my "happy zone". 

First lets talk Don. The guy's an ass. Always have been always will be (maybe it runs in the family?). I couldn't stand him from the start. He kept betraying Cat no matter what and in the end she forgave him, he is family after all.. This book started with Cat trying to figure out what he was keeping from her. Well, about time.. I don't understand why Don has to wait until being pushed to tell Cat the truth. She deserved it! Firstly because she does.. and secondly because HE OWES HER that! So everything about him in this book, what he kept from her REALLY annoyed me. Not to mention what it was which just felt "too much". I don't want to give anything away but I don't like when a book goes THAT far into "end of the world" concept (and that's all I'm going to say about the matter you need to read it for yourself since everything else would be a HUGE spoiler..).

Secondly, Cat herself. There is something terribly annoying about her not being able to trust Bones or to actually listen to him as a call of reason.  She HAS to say the last word which means that in order for her not to DIE Bones have to lie and cheat so he could save her from HERSELF. Isn't it a bit too old? I remember the book Bones left her because she didn't trust him. He was right. As it seems she didn't change her ways. Sure, it's her nature but after so many years together, so many battles fought she should have grown up, learned that Bones is as bad ass as it gets and planning with him is MUCH better then planning without him - failing - then being angry with him for lying to her. 

Thirdly, Tate vs Bones. Really? Still? Too much damn ego between the two of them. When 90% of the times it's Tate behaving like a spoiled brat.. not a soldier that knows tackling down someone WAY stronger is just stupid and well, futile.. 

My rescue came form Ian, who, as usual, was a pleasure to read. Jeaniene said that the book planed in the Night Huntress World would be about him so I can't wait for that to happen! Too bad we don't have even a date yet! 

I have one other thing to say, and I've been thinking about it and how to write it down so I would get it out of my system while NOT spoilering..  I'm still not sure to tell you the truth.. at about 50% of the book we get an idea thrown in the air. Later on it is revealed what it is. But as soon as that happened I knew exactly where this  book is headed and I felt resigned.. I wasn't even sure I want to continue reading because that is the thing I hate the most in vampire related books. You have to know me quite well for that to be the HUGE spoiler that this statement is.. Yet I don't think anyone will get it.. hehe 

I remember reading a quote by Jeaniene saying that since there are no vampires to be found she can write her vampires as she pleases. There is no "right" or "wrong". I agree with her, moreover I love her books, love her writing so I was SO disappointed when she did that to me. I just felt broken. I believe that vampire are what they are and that there is always a price to be paid for being that way. You can't have everything. You get to have what you get to have - there are limits. For me what Jeaniene did in this book is take the "punch" out of that.

I kept on reading, sure I did, but as the book continues Cat started changing in front of my eyes. Yes from the start she said she wanted a little peace. That she and Bones deserved that and I agree, but somewhere along the way she changed so much it was just, I don't know... There were parts near the end that instead of being swept with emotions I just mumbled - Really? THAT cheesy? 

So from about half of the book right about to the last 10% of the book I was just reading and thinking to myself that this was one of my absolute favorite series and now I can't even read this without flinching. Last 10% percent was a lot of action so I was on with that, since it means I didn't have time to think about MY feelings and then it ended. A happy note of course because that's who Jeaniene is. I do hope that it the next two books or others to come we won't hear of Cat and Bones because this have been too much for me. I feel cheated because in my eyes Jeaniene cheated out the rules even if there are no rules. I'm going to say something nasty, I'm sorry, but I feel like I "have to". This ended for me just like Twilight. I remember reading the first two and it was a nice series (no way NEAR Jeaniene brilliance!) then the last two came and it was just, well, stupid.  It switched from been a paranormal romance to being a freaking fairy tale. I do love myself a happily ever after but that one was over the top HEA, I felt I was injected with too much sugar! somehow this one felt exactly the same to me. Sugar overdose. WAY too much sugar. Vampires are about the gloom and doom. Happy ending, Happily EVER after, yeah. but popsicles and balloons? naaa

Additional Details: Kindle Ebook, 384 pages, 12-14 February 2014 / On GoodReads

 

 

ABOUT THIS SERIES

 

The Night Huntress is a great, action packed, funny and romantic Urban Fantasy Series by Jeaniene Frost. The Series follows Cat the half breed Vampire and Bones her Vampire lover. Together they fight humans as well as mythological creatures (like other Vampires, Ghouls, Ghosts and more). The Series contains a total of 7 full novels and one short novella finishing their story line. Besides these, there are also 2 more short novellas, one of Bones before he met Cat and another of the both of them with no real connection to the main plot line (published after the 4th novel). There is no significant to the series in reading these two. After the series was finished another book was published - Outtakes from the Grave containing a "Director's Cut" of deleted scenes and alternate versions. 

There are a few more outside novels listed as "Night Huntress World". Two short novellas of outside characters (Happily Ever After & Devil to Pay) with no significant or relevant to the Night Huntress series as well as two full length novels of Charles and Denise - First Drop of Crimson / Mencheres and Kira - Eternal Kiss of Darkness. I inserted those books in the right reading / publishing order in the list bellow. Even though you don't have to read them to understand Cat and Bones' series, the two full length novels explain how the two couples came together and mind you, both of them are GREAT! :) They have a different feel to them since they have alternation POV of the MC and also, naturally they are not Cat and Bones, yet it is in their world and there are "guest appearances" of our favorite characters. 

There are two spin-off series to the Night Huntress World. First "Night Prince" of Vlad the Impaler finding his HEA with Kira which is currently my absolutely FAVORITE PNR / UF books! Second is "Night Rebel" of Ian and Veritas these are superb as well! While these two sub-series can totally be read as "stand alone" series, just bare in mind, characters from all over the Night Huntress World at times make an appearance. I don't think it's necessary to read them if you don't feel like it though.  

I really recommend this series to all PNR and UF lovers. Though Cat CAN be a overly stubborn and sometimes childish she is one hell of a Grim Reaper (with red hair :)). She kicks ass, and it's always fun reading of a strong woman who can handle her opponents as well as hold her liquor. I enjoyed the extra "Night Huntress World" novellas but mostly loved the two full length novels of Cat and Bone's friends as well as Ian and Veritas' spin-off. The absolute joy, the cream and the cherry as well as the chocolate cake and banana muffins are the Night Prince novels. MY GOD I don't know how I lived before reading them..

 

Books:

-- Reckoning (Short- Bones) (published 29 November 2011) ★★★½
1. Halfway to the Grave (published 30 October 2007) ★★★★½
-- Happily Ever After (Short- Chance & Isa) (published 19 July 2011) ★★★★★
2. One Foot in the Grave (published 29 April 2008) ★★★★½
3. At Grave's End (published 1 January 2009) ★★★★★
-- Devil to Pay (Short- Mencheres, Elis & Blake) (published 23 August 2011) ★★★★★
4. Destined for an Early Grave (+ deleted alternate sub plot August 2014) (published 28 July 2009) ★★★★½
4.5 Magic Graves: One for the Money (published 1 September 2011) ★★★
-- NH World 1. First Drop of Crimson (Charles & Denise) (published 9 February 2010) ★★★★★
-- NH World 2. Eternal Kiss of Darkness (Mencheres & Kira) (published 27 July 2010) ★★★★★
5. This Side Of The Grave (published 22 February 2011) ★★★½
6. One Grave at a Time (published 30 August 2011) ★★ 
[ Night Prince 1 + 2 ]
6.5 Home for the Holidays (published 5 November 2013) ★★★★★
7. Up From the Grave (published 28 January 2014) ★★★½
7.5 Outtakes from the Grave (published 22 December 2015)
[ Night Prince 3 + 4-> Night Rebel Series ]