This Side of the Grave (Night Huntress #5)
Jeaniene Frost
Published: Feb. 22, 2011 (Avon)
Purchase at: Book Depository or Amazon
Rating (out of 5): 5 stars
A quick word of caution: We’re going to reference events in earlier books. If you haven’t read earlier Night Huntress novels, there will be spoilers ahead.
Sometimes you run into an old friend at the mall to suddenly realize just how much you missed seeing them in your daily life. That’s how I feel about Cat and Bones, the lead couple in Jeaniene Frost’s Night Huntress series.
It’s not like I didn’t know how much I love Frost’s sharp, often laugh-out-loud funny writing. Or how much I enjoy the feminine strength Cat exudes and the protective roughness of Bones. Nope, I just didn’t realize how ready I was for more of it until I started reading This Side of the Grave.
All the strong features of the Night Huntress series are prominent in this fifth installment. Cat and Bones are happily married, but dealing with the societal fallout of Cat’s transition to full vampire. One of the ghoul leaders is trying to use her as a rallying point to ignite war between the ghouls and vampires. In the meantime, he has ghouls taking out the weak and master-less vampires throughout the country.
The list of reasons I enjoy reading Frost’s writing is long and spans from her stellar world-building to her defined and endearing characters to her ability to pepper in humor amid death and darkness. The last was particularly strong in This Side of the Grave.
Example: Cat and Bones are meeting with a human who has become aware of the existence of vampires. Here’s a quick little exchange I’m sure you can appreciate:
Timmie gave Bones and me a speculative glance. “Before we go, I gotta know: If mind-reading abilities are real, there’s something else I wondered if fiction got right about vampires–”
“Ask me if I sparkle and I’ll kill you where you stand,” Bones cut him off with utmost seriousness.
We’ll spare you the spoiler-y details, but we’ll hint. With This Side of the Grave you may expect a curious encounter with a ghoul queen, an exciting reaction to new powers for Cat, lots of the undead, a bit of family drama and requisite time with Cat, Bones, Vlad and Mencheres.
In other words, drama, mayhem and vampires. All the things you’ve come to love from Night Huntress novels.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by The SpecFic Database. The SpecFic Database said: RT @VampBookClub: We really missed Cat & Bones. Our early review of @Jeaniene_Frost's THIS SIDE OF THE GRAVE: http://ow.ly/3tyh3 [...]
I envy you soooooo much! I am dying to read this book and your review proves that I will most definitely will not be disappointed. You just made me want to read it even more than I did before. =D
And that small teaser…way too funny…=D
AHHHHH you’re so lucky! I can’t wait to read this. I don’t think there are enough words to describe how much I love Bones and Cat:)
What a wonderful review! This just makes me really excited for February 22nd to get here! Time is not going by fast enough. I have always loved Jeaniene’s sense of humor and she always places it at just the right time.
I think a re-read of all the books before this one comes out (to the rest of us) is in order! 
Chelsea: I too have been lucky enough to read TSOTG. Your ‘old friend’ analogy is spot on. I was so happy to be back in the world of Cat and Bones. Yes, I have other authors whose work I love, but, it just seems eons since I visited with C&B.
It’s a new story, but the familiarity of visiting with them just feels right. Jeaniene has lost nothing. The writing is strong and the humor is sharp. There are some gasp out loud moments as well, just what you expect from Jeaniene.
My fave Mencheres even made my eyes roll back in my head!
In my opinion, this is a happy addition to the Cat and Bones world.
OMG this is fantastic! I LOVE CAT & BONES (especially BONES)! I can’t wait to read this! It is so true that it does feel like old friends or family you haven’t seen in a long time! OMG I LOVE the wit “Ask me if I sparkle and I’ll kill you where you stand,” Bones cut him off with utmost seriousness” BONES IS COMPLETELY IRRESISTIBLE! February please get here soon!
You are way too Lucky!! I have been dying to read this book. This series is my absolute favorite and I think Jeaniene Frost is a genius! Her books are always wonderful and it puts me through agony when I have to wait for the next book to come out!
Yes old friends indeed, cannot wait for my own turn to “visit” with them both!!
Chelsea you just made my wait longer but thanks for the good news that there are some really good reading times ahead!
jackie >_<
Omg I’m so jealous you got to read this! I effing love Cat!! Eeekk I can’t wait to read this for sure!!
[...] from Vampire Book Club just posted an early review of This Side of The Grave by Jeaniene [...]
I’m a huge fan of the sparkling vampires and I saw that jab as funny but it’s rather lame and immature for vampire authors to make fun of an author who didn’t something different. Other then that I look forward to the book.
who did something different. Different is good. That author who wrote about sparkling vampires sold 130 million books for a reason and she bought people like me to appreciate other vampire books.
[...] of books, THIS SIDE OF THE GRAVE got a nice early review from Vampire Book Club, and my fan site currently has a contest running for an advance early copy [...]
Hey…is that Timmie Cat’s old neighbor in the first book? I can’t remember if that was his name.
[...] did an early review of the fifth book in the series during the Winter Book Preview (don’t read it if you haven’t already [...]
You have no idea how many people envy you right this second! Including me. I can’t wait for this book, it’s my number one favorite series ever, it even replaced The Black Dagger Brotherhood in number 1.
OMG!! I can’t wait to read this! You’re the luckiest person in the world, haha. Not only is 2/22 the release date for this it’s also my my daughter’s bday!! What a great day, I’m so excited I almost piddled. haha
[...] know some of you were a little jealous of our early review of Jeaniene Frost’s This Side of the Grave. However, now you can read the first two chapters [...]
Cat and Bones, they just go together so well. You never think of them as individuals, only as a couple. Kinda like Luke & Laura, Victor & Nickie, Rhett & Scarlet (sigh), they are linked forever!
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