Home of the Alpha Showdown, and one-stop shop for urban fantasy, paranormal romance and fantasy news and reviews.
Up From the Grave (Night Huntress #7)
Jeaniene Frost
Published: Jan. 28, 2014 (Avon)
Purchase at: Book Depository or Amazon
Review Source: Copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review
Reviewed by: Chelsea
Rating (out of 5): 4 stars
Cat and Bones have been through a lot in the seven Night Huntress novels from Jeaniene Frost. Now, here we are at the final book, Up From the Grave, and readers had to wonder if they could say good-bye to these two. Hell, would we really be leaving the same characters we’ve fallen in love with?
Yes. Unequivocally yes.
This book, you guys. This book. We’ve seen so many series end on a whimper, but can you honestly see Cat and Bones doing anything half-assed? Yeah, I didn’t think so.
The beautiful thing about this series-ending novel is that it brings together everything we’ve loved about this series. Jeaniene Frost takes us down memory lane with nuance and care. Every element that’s a callback to a prior book is pivotal to the plot instead of being a “hey remember that time…” bone thrown to fans.
In other words, you get to see Marie Laveau, Mencheres, Denise, Ian, Vlad, Don, Tate, Cooper, the vampire council, and the list goes on. And every time you run into one of them it’s with purpose. Cat is consistently blunt and direct, and the plot here is treated similarly.
Her single-mindedness rings throughout the novel, as does Bones’s determination to put his wife’s wellness above everything else. He’s still every bit that rogue we met in Halfway to the Grave. He doesn’t use kid gloves when others would find them warranted, and he’s unabashedly naked on more than one occasion.
The plot of Up From the Grave is wicked and twisty and has more than one moment when you have to keep reading because you’re angry or worried or hopeful. The latter-half is edge-of-your-seat madcap pacing—the very thing we’ve come to expect from Night Huntress.
Cat being bold and standing up to government types? Check.
Bones ignoring everything in the name of what’s best for Cat? Check.
Epic battles? Check.
Sexy times? Check.
Creating vampires and ghouls? Check.
Possible supernatural war? Double check.
In other words, Up From the Grave has taken the strengths of the previous books and melded them into 350 pages of reader delight.
Love these books can’t believe they are over already. But I understand some series go on past their prime glad jeaniene frost had the forethought to stop while they were still amazing and not when they go stale. Still with that said I’m gonna miss Cat and Bones.
I’m gonna miss these two!
I hate to say good-bye as well! They were always my favorite couple. OTOH…I don’t like it when series run on for too long. The story can get stale after a while. I just hope that Frost has something else up her sleeve. A new series by her would be terrific.
She does! In addition to the next Vlad book (Night Prince series), she has a new series launching soon. Details: http://jeanienefrost.com/2014/01/description-for-the-beautiful-ashes/
I’ve had this book for 2 weeks now and I can’t bring myself to read it. It’s been sitting on my coffee table, judging me.
I’m having the worst case of book anxiety. :-/
You’re not the only one who does that! I promise it’s a great read, but even I read it in little snippets because I didn’t want it to be over.
Did you read the same book I did? No spoilers here, but I really think this series could have ended better. It’s almost like someone else wrote it, and from other reviews I read on Amazon I’m not alone in my head-scratching. I’ll stick with Jeaniene Frost through the other series, but I’m gun shy now. Cat & Bones deserved a better send-off.
spoilder alert!
I agree I wish there was more to it then on a boat and happily ever after. =\ I just wasn’t ready to let go of them both expecially bones and I don’t like how when he dies this book shes not oerly emotional like last time what changed? It was a bit hard for me to be happy about the finish.