Review: Eternal Kiss of Darkness by Jeaniene Frost

Publisher: Avon/Harper Collins
Pub Date: July 27, 2010
Pages: 361
ISBN: 9780061783166

Color me surprised, but I didn't expect to like this one. Mencheres has always seemed--well--old every time he appeared in the Cat and Bones series. But since we've only seen him described from Cat's point of view, it stands to reason that there might be more to him than meets the eye.

And he is ancient. No doubt about that. Scary, too.

But Frost was able to not only counter my preconceived notions of how he would act and what he would do--she made me love him more than just a little bit.

As with the previous book in the "Night Huntress World," this one is told in the 3rd person--instead of the 1st person narration found in the Cat and Bones stories.

What made this one work a bit better for me than the Spade's book (although I enjoyed that one, too) was the fact that this is not a damsel in distress story. Not really. This book is about Mencheres. His past, present, and future. And about his realization that even after thousands of years, life can still surprise him.

We get a few cameos from other characters, but they remain firmly on the sidelines of the story. And I adored the heroine, Kira. She's just an incredibly solid person who had some bad things happen to her both personally and professionally. But she doesn't whine about it. She learns from it and moves on.  Even her borderline TSTL moves that endangers her life  make moral sense for her. She just doesn't have the information she needs to avoid getting into trouble.

My Grade: A-

You can pick up your copy at Amazon , Bn.com, Borders.com, Book Depository, Books a Million

Jeaniene Frost: Book Watch

I am officially a Jeaniene Frost fangirl. I blasted through all of the Night Huntress books in one gluttonous rush. I've read the first Night Huntress world spin-off and even downloaded the first Cat and Bones book in audio format from audible. So, of course, I am now impatiently waiting for any new books set in that world.

Here's what's coming:

July 27, 2010
Eternal Kiss of Darkness
ISBN: 978-0061783166
Format: Mass Market Paperback
List Price: $7.99
(Currently 10% off at BN for preorders and 25% off at Book Depository!)
#2 in the Night Huntress World spin-offs. This one is about Mencheres.

It's also available at Borders, Powells, and Booksamillion.

August 3, 2010

Death's Excellent Vacation (anthology) ed. by Charlaine Harris and Toni Kelner.
Contains a Cat and Bones short story. Oh, and there's a few stories by other authors also. *g*
ISBN: 978-0441018680
Format: Hardcover
List Price: $24.95
(Currently 45% off at Amazon and Barnes and Noble via Preorder)
More buying choices: Book Depository,  Borders, Booksamillion, Powells



February 22, 2011
Cat and Bones #5

*sniffle* Yeah, it's really 2011!

Also, there's a novella set outside the NH world. It's in an anthology called Haunted by Your Touch, which has a release date of October 26th, 2010.

Disclosure: other than the Amazon links, I do not earn any commission for the book links provided. I just thought I'd include as many choices as possible for those interested. :)

Review: First Drop of Crimson by Jeaniene Frost

Spoiler Warning: Do not read this review or this book unless you've read At Grave's End. Or you don't care about having a significant plot point spoiled.

I was a little reluctant to read this book after I finished my Cat and Bones marathon read. I'd read the reviews posted by admitted Frost fangirls and was almost regretting the fact that I'd already purchased the book. Most of the reviews were less than stellar. They spoke of disappointment and annoyance. Of being let down. Of sub-standardness.

Again, it's probably because I haven't been waiting for months on end for this book that I think I might have a different perspective here. This is not and was never meant to be a Cat and Bones book. For one thing, the Night Huntress books are written from Cat's first person POV. This book is written in the 3rd person. So you're not going to get the same connection from it that you do from the NH books--because you're not hearing Cat's snarky one liners.