This Side of the Grave

This Side of the Grave (2011) Jeaniene Frost

The head of the ghouls is fomenting trouble, claiming that Cat is involved in an attempt to subjugate the entire supernatural world, and if they don’t take care of her now, they’ll end up her (and the vampire’s) slaves. Unfortunately, some of Cat’s unique abilities and needs now that she has been turned aren’t helping.

Then Cat turns to Marie–head of the ghouls in New Orleans–for help, and things get even more difficult.

Regardless of what else happens in these books, Cat and Bones remain happily married and dedicated to each other. And that is, to be honest, one of the things I think I love best about this story. It doesn’t matter what happens, you know they are going to be together and to stay together. There are problems, but they face them together.

Which is as it should be. I think there is little that is more annoying than a series where the the couple has “issues” with their relationship throughout the book, resolves it at the end, but yet a the start of the next book, more problems. (Why yes, Kathy Reichs, I do in FACT mean your books!) I love the idea of a strong and happily married couple! So thank you Jeaniene Frost for that.

But don’t relax, there are bad things aplenty in this book–unexpected bad things that Cat has to deal with despite everything else going on in her life (like the ghouls attempting to hunt her and Bones down).

I do want to make note that kudos are deserved for a problem that did NOT come up in this story, that I was afraid would when I saw the turns the plot was taking. Things with Denise could have taken an ugly turn once they decided how they were going to use her, and I was half expecting something horrible along those lines, but no, it was played straight and I was very glad not to have to deal with where things could have gone.

If you have not been reading the Night Huntress series, this may not be the best place to start. Additionally, if you have not read First Drop of Crimson (which has, IMO, an absolutely AWFUL cover), you may have a good degree of confusion regarding Denise, so you may want to check that out as well (only in ebook form, or perhaps under a brown paper wrapper, because that cover is awful).

But if you have been reading along, this is another good entry into the series, and well worth reading.
Rating: 7/10

• Browse the archives:
  
• Under Heaven » »
• « « Magic Slays