This Side of the Grave (Night Huntress #5) by Jeaniene Frost

Well, I liked this book, but didn't LOVE it. It's kinda hard for me to explain why. On the one hand, I DID think that Cat grown up in this one, learnt to trust herself, trust Bones, learnt to appreciate the people around her (even had a sort of a "heart to heart" with Mencheres). But it felt in a way, all over the place. 

The main "objective" in this book is dealing with Apollyon the Ghoul. If you remember from the previous book, Apollyon says that Cat is trying to become this Mega Vampire Ghoul combination bent on world domination.. There is a reference to Masterless Vampires being killed by Ghouls which is Apollyon's way of trying to start a war between the two species. 


I didn't feel there was a real organized plotline considering their war with Apollyon, it was them basically dealing with "small fires" most of the book until Cat realizes what she has to do and then 4 (not that long) chapters later - The End. I don't know, it's like we didn't even FEEL that Apollyon was a rival / threat. 

There IS some interesting staff going on between Cat and Marie Laveau but there, too. I would have liked for Cat to show her worth a little bit more. 

There were emotional staff going on as well, but for some reason I felt like Cat is turning into this over emotional, love sick girl. Her attraction to Bones' body was a quite over the top.. and her emotional speeches (both "live" and in her mind) were quite tiring. We DID have a great sex scene with Cat taking the lead which was nice for a change. But all in all, though she shows maturity in right about anything she does, it's like she matured into this sappy emotional woman taken from the corniest romance novel.  At least she remembers how to fight like her old self! 

I had my fun with Vlad, Mencheres and Kira. We got insight into Marie Laveau's past and present scheming. This is one HELL of a strong and manipulative woman, er, Ghoul. 

One last thing, I also felt like Tavia, the Narrator did a too good a job in this one. On the one hand I liked that I could FEEL what the character was going through in her voice, but it was a little bit too much somehow. Also I don't like Bones' voice, I really would like him to sound more masculine. Before I heard her version of the other men - Ian and Charles especially (since they, too, are British) I didn't mind THAT much, but knowing she can do better kind of makes me sad that she didn't give Bones more powerful substance through his voice. 

Not my favorite book, especially after enjoying myself so much in the outside books of Mencheres and Kira / Charles and Denise. I think that both Kira and Denise are somehow more appealing to me as woman characters (even if they are less bad ass). I also really enjoyed hearing someone else beside the woman narration. Charles and Mencheres' voices gave a lot to their story. 

One more book before I delve into Vlad's spin off trilogy! I'm really excited about that! oh Vlad... ~sigh~

Additional Details: Audiobook, 9:28 Hours, 11-13 August 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 ]