Review: This Side of the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

This Side of the Grave by Jeaniene Frost - WARNING! This is the fifth book in the Night Huntress series, and I cannot review it without spoiling the other books in the series. Do not read any further ff you plan on reading them and don't want them spoiled for you.

The highly anticipated continuation of Jeaniene Frost's New York Times and USA Today bestselling Night Huntress series, in which Cat and Bones face an enemy unlike any they've met before.

Danger waits on both sides of the grave.

Half-vampire Cat Crawfield and her vampire husband Bones have fought for their lives, as well as for their relationship. But just when they've triumphed over the latest battle, Cat's new and unexpected abilities threaten to upset a long-standing balance...

With the mysterious disappearance of vampires, rumors abound that a species war is brewing. A zealot is inciting tensions between the vampires and ghouls, and if these two powerful groups clash, innocent mortals could become collateral damage. Now Cat and Bones are forced to seek help from a dangerous "ally"--the ghoul queen of New Orleans herself. But the price of her assistance may prove more treacherous than even the threat of a supernatural war. ...to say nothing of the repercussions Cat never imagined. From Amazon US

Regular readers will know by now how much of a fan I am of Jeaniene Frost and her Night Huntress series. I absolutely cannot get enough of Cat and Bones, and so it is with no surprise that I was hugely excited when This Side of the Grave arrived, and started reading immediately.

Unfortunately, I was a little disappointed with this book. There was Cat and Bones being Cat and bones, so there was laughter and a few hot moments. There were some really sad moments, and some really lovely moments. For all this, this novel is well worth a read. But there was just too much missing for me.

There was very little action in this book, and the action there was didn't last very long. The story took quite a while to get going and felt quite slow, but as it was Cat telling the story, you weren't too bothered because of how amusing she is. I was thinking at times that it was probably a bit more realistic; things can't be happening all the time, there has to be moments where they're playing the waiting game. But the pace never really picked up for me. As well as there being little action, it wasn't very gorey either.

Cat goes through some important changes in this book, and there is another important event that takes place. This important event and the changes will probably lead to more things happening in later books, but it felt to me that the whole point of this book was for these two things, and a story was built around them.

Now, don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed the story. If this was a first book in a series, it would definitely make me want to pick up the others, it's not exactly boring or anything like that. It's just having read all the previous novels - including the two in the Night Huntress World series... this book doesn't really touch them. I'm sad to say I have read better by Frost, but I really do think this is a book Cat and Bones fans need to read for the important things do occur. And you'll probably enjoy it, too - just don't expect the usual fireworks.



Published: 22nd February 2011
Publisher: Avon
Jeaniene Frost's Website

My other reviews from the series:
Halfway to the Grave
One Foot in the Grave
At Grave's End
Destined for an Early Grave

My reviews from Night Huntress World series (stand alone companion novels, events which take place before This Side of the Grave):
First Drop of Crimson
Eternal Kiss of Darkness