BOOK REVIEW - INTO THE FIRE by JEANIENE FROST - NIGHT PRINCE # 4 - ADULT PARANORMAL ROMANCE - AVON BOOKS

By: Jeaniene Frost

Published By: Avon

Released: Available Now

Details: Paperback from library, 340 Pages

RATING: 5 VLAD STARS!

Blurb: Goodreads

In the explosive finale to New York Times bestselling author Jeaniene Frost’s Night Prince series, Vlad is in danger of losing his bride to an enemy whose powers might prove greater than the Prince of Vampire’s….

In the wrong hands, love can be a deadly weapon.

For nearly six hundred years, Vlad Tepesh cared for nothing, so he had nothing to lose. His brutal reputation ensured that all but the most foolhardy stayed away. Now falling in love with Leila has put him at the mercy of his passions. And one adversary has found a devastating way to use Vlad’s new bride against him.

A powerful spell links Leila to the necromancer Mircea. If he suffers or dies, so does she. Magic is forbidden to vampires, so Vlad and Leila enlist an unlikely guide as they search for a way to break the spell. But an ancient enemy lies in wait, capable of turning Vlad and Leila’s closest friends against them…and finally tearing the lovers apart forever.



BOOK REVIEW:

I really enjoyed this final installment in the Night Prince spinoff series.

Don’t fear! Ian shall be back in his own series in 2018.

Ian is a wonderfully cheeky character who is teamed up with Vlad and Leila, in their fight to break her free of the violent spell cast on her. And Mencheres... is always a delight to read about.

No sighting of Cat or Bones, but that is okay. 

What I love about any of the books in the Night Huntress World; is how Jeaniene writes. A lot of readers won’t take the time to really notice the detail in her writing, because flipping the pages rapidly comes first. I love the facial movements and all those little things that may not truly get noticed when reading. A lot of work goes into keeping all that...different.

Anyhoo, another wonderful installment—although not as sexy as some of the books in the past—but definitely fast paced and action filled.

I think this was a perfect finale for Leila and Vlad and a nice lead in for Ian and...

Well, I can’t say who, you gotta read this book to find out. ;)

If you haven't started Night Huntress series with Cat and Bones...dayum! Where you been at?

You don't have to read that series first to enjoy Night Prince series, but you really gotta love Cat and Bones. He would be one of my fave PNR characters.

Humma...humma!

Vlad is pretty awesome too.

BOOK REVIEW - BOUND BY FLAMES by JEANIENE FROST - NIGHT PRINCE # 3 - ADULT PARANORMAL ROMANCE - AVON BOOKS

By: Jeaniene Frost

Published By: Avon Books

Released: Available Now

Details: Paperback from library, 342 Pages

RATING: 4.5 VLAD RAWrrRRrR STARS!

Play with fire, pay the price.

Leila’s years on the carnie circuit were certainly an education. What she didn’t learn: how to be a vampire, or how to be married to the most famous vampire of them all. Adjusting to both has Leila teetering on a knife edge between passion and peril, and now the real danger is about to begin…

Vlad must battle with a centuries-old enemy whose reach stretches across continents and whose strength equals his own. It isn’t like Vlad to feel fear, but he does…for Leila, because his enemy knows she is Vlad’s greatest weakness. As friend and foe alike align against him—and his overprotectiveness drives Leila away—Vlad’s love for his new bride could be the very thing that dooms them both…

BOOK REVIEW by Michelle:

I adored the Night Huntress series with Cat and Bones and I simply had to read Vlad’s spin off series, Night Prince.

Bound By Flames showed us there is more to Vlad’s character. He evolved with Leila on a more personal level.

This I enjoyed seeing.

We get some Night Huntress characters involved in this instalment and I simply loved seeing them, especially Cat and Bones.

Marie...ahhh...creepy Marie, Majestic, the voodoo Queen is always a pleasure to read. I see her character played out in my mind so clearly. Well my version of her anyway. The lads always know how to handle her, best her and Vlad is no different, even if they are going in on a wing and a prayer.

Maximus keeps us guessing and some pretty visual scenes played out in my mind. I really liked his involvement and how Jeaniene used Leila and him together.

Whahhh!

Szilagyi is a fine villain, he sure knew how to rock the boat all the time. Vlad needed to be on his toes. Vlad needed somebody good to be able to stand up to him and Szilagyi had the upper hand more times than Vlad.

I liked seeing a more humane side to Vlad, it’s not all you-pissed-me-off-I-am-gonna-impale-you-while-you-think-on-it.

What cracked me up was the Epilogue.

Loved what Jeaniene did there with Vlad’s character.

Another wonderful romp in Jeaniene’s vampire world, I’m looking forward to # 4 because Jeaniene opened up a little somewhere else for the storyline to go and this one could be quite hard to catch. ;)

Michelle

ADULT URBAN FANTASY - NIGHT HUNTRESS SERIES by JEANIENE FROST - SPOTLIGHT SATURDAY # 12 - AVON BOOKS

SPOTLIGHT SATURDAY # 12

JEANIENE FROST

NIGHT HUNTRESS SERIES

Who hasn't heard of the Night Huntress series?

Who hasn't heard of Bones?

If the answer is yes, you need to take the walk of shame.

It's lucky I do this posting on a Saturday, so I can enlighten you.

Bones and Cat

This is some of the sexiest fan artwork I have seen around for Cat and Bones. Lexie Bennett has it up on her Deviant Art page.

I absolutely adore this series. The Night Huntress has sadly come to an end with it's final book, Up From The Grave. I shall miss these two characters and the awesome sub characters.

Those that know this series, know what I'm talking about when I say , Bones owns his name. He is a dead sexy, brilliant male lead. 

He really is something special.

Cat, is the lucky woman who nabbed him. I think this series really took off for me from book # 2, One Foot In The Grave. It has that famous chapter 32. 

O.M.G!

Rawrrrrr!!!

I started reading this series in September 2011. Three years later I'm still as addicted as I was back then. Now I have Vlad's spinoff to keep me warm.

This was taken from my review for 

Halfway To The Grave.

Catherine aka Cat, half human, half vampire. Blame her father who raped her mother while he was a new vampire and still had some giggle juice left in his loins... 5 months later out pops Cat.

Now Cat is 22 yrs old and she has spent the past 6 years slaying vampires, using herself as bait , a total of 16 vampires she has notched up. Slaying vampires keeps her mum happy as mum has a rather large chip on her shoulder when it comes to vampires. Mum needs a bit of a wake up call, in my opinion.

Enter Bones...the British ex pick pocket, beggar, ex whore, now vampire bounty hunter, who lives in a cave and is over 200 years old.

Now, I didn’t watch a lot of Buffy , but the bit I did see , I can see where Bones visually has a bit of a Spike thing going on. Bones having got his fingers caught thieving in his early twenty’s was sent to Australia to a penal colony in 1790. He eventually gets bitten by his fellow penal colony mate, Ian, who is now his master. Twenty years later he manages to get himself back to England, having picked up a couple mates from the penal colony along the way who are now vamps as eternal friends.

Bones has great dialogue/banter with Cat. I love the way he calls her ‘Kitten’. He teachers her who is boss, but she doesn’t go down without a fight.

Halfway to the Grave was a nice easy read that I really enjoyed, a fun romp. I do love me a bit of smexi , for book #1, it was reasonably quick Cat’s relationship, considering the number of books in the series, but then I haven’t read past book #1 so things could get hairy. 

There was a fave scene in 'Bite' nightclub, Ralphie and Martin had helped Cat along and it turned into a rather smexi dance.


So, that was some of my first impression of Night Huntress series. Each book for me got better and better.

This was taken from my review for

 One Foot In The Grave.

Where to start with this installment in the series.

I want to go straight to chapter 32...* fans oneself ... and then fans oneself again ... and throws a bucket of ice cold water over my head *, but I will get to that shortly. Well, I might just give you these quotes.


"You’d better out perform any service you gave to her or anyone else, because if I don’t wake up tomorrow red in the face from embarrassment at what you did to me. I’ll be disappointed.”

“...I promise you this...” His voice deepened. “You’ll be scandalized in the morning when you can think again.”

Half Way to the Grave, book # 1 was a fun read and I hoped the following books in the series would get better and better. I liked Cat’s character, but could see that she was still getting her footing in book 1.

Bones was visually too much like Spike from Buffy, BUT!! then we get to book # 2.

Jeaniene wisely gave Bones a makeover, taking that Spike visual away, which I really liked. I wanted Bones to stand out more, get his own identity.

The time lapse between book 1 and book 2 is 4 years. Jeaniene gave Cat and Bones space. Cat has become this FBI paranormal agent who has a team of great guys. Tate, Juan ( Bless Juan and the things he says), Cooper, and Dave. After the Dear John letter, she got on with her life and kept those she loves safe. Sure she sacrificed a lot, but she did what she felt was right.

Don has been keeping things from Cat and she isn’t happy, now Cat is keeping things from Don.

When Bones comes back into Cat’s life he comes back in Bones style. I really love Bones now. I thought he was a bit of a lad in Half Way to the Grave, but in this book you see a much deeper Bones.

Boy, did they get better!

This was taken from my review for

 At Grave's End.

Well didn’t Jeaniene Frost let it all fly in this installment in the Night Huntress series.

Yehhaaaaa!!! 

At Grave’s End brings the smexi, not as hot to trot as One Foot In The Grave, Chapter 32!! But, seriously, how is that ever going to be topped?

Bones, Cat and her team are working hard to get rid of one bad vampire, at a time. Cat is using herself as bait, disguising herself, she is getting a reputation as the ‘Red Reaper’ and being recognized too easily, which is turning dangerous. Time to find a new piece of bait to help take down these bad guys. But can this bait be trusted?

A very funny moment, I totally felt Bones’s joy, ha!! It involves, Justina.

Oh , Tate and Cat... on the job, of course, but ... OH MY. The things one must do when undercover .

Mencheres is an interesting Master Vampire. I really like him, but even the best of them let a woman rule their emotions and the line between right and wrong blurs. Mencheres doesn’t appear scary the way Cat talks to him, but I don’t think I would attempt to think or talk to him the way she does.

I love Spade/Charles, there is just something so loyal about him.

OH MY... one assignment at Marquis Bar, I won’t say what type of bar, but it is one of my fave scenes. I’ll give a hint it has to do with their clothes.

Hehe.

...and then Vlad enters the story.

I have myself a lady boner for Bones. He simply rocks my Kazbah with his personality and down right smexi attitude.

This was taken from my review for Destined For An Early Grave.

Another, most awesome installment from Jeaniene Frost’s , ‘Night Huntress’ series.

Oh the quotes that I can’t put up. Hehe!

Ms. Frost certainly had me feeling a tad upset whilst reading this book with Bones getting so upset with his Kitten. Be still my heart. I was looking over Cat’s shoulder when she was looking at the Satellite footage and I was holding my breath, inwardly crying, ‘noooOOoo’.

There was a bit of corker biffo going on between Cat and Bones and the verbals... I thought it was very clever of Jeaniene to show us a deeper side to Bones and to show Cat that she needed to wake up to a few things. It made for a real page turner this book.

Gregor, the Dream Snatcher in a way gave Bones a run for his money because Cat has a running list longer than me of all Bones’s conquests and this tipped the scales a bit to show that Bones really had a deep fear of losing Cat. Even though she didn’t remember Gregor and her past with him, no fault of her own * gives Mencheres a dirty look * , she did have a past.

Their passion for each other and their fear of losing each other, made for some fiery Cat and Bones scenes.

Bones has such an incredible fear of his wife being taken away from him due to Vampire Law, first dibs and all.

There is action, loads of jealousy, biffo, some attempted dream snatching, ex wife and a wife ( depends on who you are speaking to), some hot smexi ( like duh!) , ghouls, Vlad needing a bit of a platonic snuggle ( awwww), tempers flare, rescue attempts that aren’t really needed, a past memory erased, trust issues, may the best man win issues, Juan is still Juan. Tate thinks all his Christmas' have come at once.

Justina is still ... well Justina.

As the book blurb states, it is intense and emotional, but it’s also that wonderful rollercoaster ride you take with Cat and Bones like no other Urban Fantasy couple I have read.

Bones is just ... just ... one of a kind.

This is now where I interrupt transmission and we head off and SHOULD read Denise and Spades book - First Drop of Crimson and THEN read Mencheres and Kira book - Eternal Kiss of  Darkness. 

Now , I did not and kept on my merry way reading Night Huntress # 5 and got me some SPOILERS!! :p  Dang! I did not know that!!! That was when I realized I should have read these two books before # 5. It's just my tip for y'all.

I have let enough time go by , I shall go back and read these two books. If you haven't read this series, read # 1 to # 4 and then these two Night Huntress World books and then get back onto # 5 and so forth.

You can find all my Night Huntress reviews including any novella's I've read HERE. I still have a few novella's to read.

I highly recommend this urban fantasy series. Bones is one hell of a character and Ian will have you laughing at his snark. Filled with vamps, ghouls, villains, kickass characters and smexi that made my eyes boggle.

A series truly not to be missed.

******

Just for kicks here is Vlad's spinoff

Night Prince Series

Bound By Flames - 2015

Michelle

BOOK REVIEW - UP FROM THE GRAVE by JEANIENE FROST - NIGHT HUNTRESS # 7 - ADULT URBAN FANTASY - AVON

By: Jeaniene Frost

Published By : Avon

Released : Available Now

Details: Paperback from library, 372 Pages

RATING: 5 BRILLIANT URBAN FANTASY SERIES STARS!

Blurb : Goodreads 

There’s always one more grave to dig.

Lately, life has been unnaturally calm for vampires Cat Crawfield and her husband Bones. They should have known better than to relax their guard, because a shocking revelation sends them back into action to stop an all-out war…

A rogue CIA agent is involved in horrifying secret activities that threaten to raise tensions between humans and the undead to dangerous heights. Now Cat and Bones are in a race against time to save their friends from a fate worse than death…because the more secrets they unravel, the deadlier the consequences. And if they fail, their lives—and those of everyone they hold dear— will be hovering on the edge of the grave.

BOOK REVIEW by Michelle:

“Yeah, well, Bones and I had a couple months of relative quiet. 

Guess it’s time to liven things up again.” 

I have to admit it is hard to say goodbye to Cat and Bones, they have been such a pleasure to read about in the urban fantasy world.

From the great book titles to the humor and romance, this series is a must read for lovers of urban fantasy.

Cat and Bones, are one of the best adult urban fantasy couples around, in my opinion. I'm not forgetting some others, that is why I said one of the best. 

Bones will make you purrrrr, he is just something special to read when he loves his woman, Cat. He is loyal and a whole pile of thesaurus words.

Jeaniene knows how much her reader audience love Bones and we enjoy a nice long descriptive of him when he first enters the room. We soak up her words and our imaginations go wild.

Eyes so dark they were nearly black met mine. Once they did, my amusement turned into feminine appreciation. Bones’s cheeks were flushed, and the color accented his flawless skin, chiseled features, and sensually full mouth. Then he took his coat off, revealing an indigo shirt that clung to his muscles as if reveling in them. Black jeans were snug in all the right places, highlighting a taut stomach, strong thighs, and when he turned to hang up his coat, an ass that could double as a work of art. By the time he turned back around, his slight smile had turned into a knowing grin. More emotions enveloped my subconscious while his scent-- a rich mixture of spices, musk, and burnt sugar-- filled the room.

“Missed me, Kitten?”



I love Bones’s humor.

“Something’s up,” I said in a gasp.

White teeth flashed before Bones lowered his mouth to my chest. “How cliched, but true nonetheless.”



Cat is a kickass lead who often puts others first. She takes plenty of knocks, but gets up every time. I’m going to miss her.

Bones and Cat have a romance that is hard to forget. This widely popular series has many devoted fans. There will never be another Bones. I doubt another character will be called Bones in urban fantasy. He took that name and wore it well.

He owns it.

I was never worried about how Jeaniene would handle the last book in this series, she just has a talent for giving the readers an entertaining, memorable time.

The way Jeaniene finished this series off, I felt satisfied, a little emotional, I felt like I had lost some very special friends to spend time with.

Who knows? There is a brilliant opportunity for a spinoff, but sometimes it’s good to go out on a high.

I’ve still got Vlad’s series, Night Prince, to keep me happy. Who knows, you might be able to find some of the gang popping up in there?

Will Ian get a series? Sure hope so, he is such fun to read. The lad grew on me as the series continued.

Damn, Ian was already here. I braced myself as he came out from behind the RV. He sniffed, his nose wrinkling. Then he looked over me and my blond captive, grinning.

“Managed to squeeze in a golden shower along the way? How lecherous. I’m impressed.”



With a casual swipe of his hand, he ripped his shirt open, causing buttons to fly everywhere. Another swipe took his sleep mask all the way off. Finally, he finger-combed his shoulder-length hair and smiled at his reflection in the rearview mirror.

“I am, after all, irresistible.”

... "Ian,” Bones drew out warningly. He waved a hand. “Stop growling, Crispin. I’m well over my former attraction to your wife, but the point remains that I’m stunning.”



There was a scene that just had me drooling and laughing at the same time. Jeaniene had a lot of fun with Ian and gave us readers a little moment too.



“For the record, I tried to stop this,” I said grimly. Then I turned my attention back to Ian.

The afternoon sun gave his copper-hued hair golden highlights and he made sure that the hard lines of his chest and abdomen were on full display as his pace kept his shirt billowing behind him. Grudgingly, I had to admit that several heads turned, and more than a few cars slowed down as female drivers gave him a second, third, and fourth look. Ian responded by flashing them a dazzling smile, making him appear almost angelic to anyone who didn’t kow that he was a conscienceless slut.

As he crossed the street, a downward tug on his waistband had his jeans sitting even lower on his hips. Another couple inches, and he’d be flashing groin cleavage, and from the avid stares aimed his way, that could be met with spontaneous applause.

“Have some dignity, ladies,” I muttered.



The last book in this series finished up tidyly, we got Bones moments, Ian moments, Cat kicked ass, Mencheres did the Mencheres thing, we got a strong villain with some hidden extras, sub characters popped up for some more air time before the curtains came down and I had a bonza time. 

We also got some noooOOoooOOooo, moments.

I take my hat off to Ms Frost, she sure brought it when she gave us Bones and Cat.

* glove clap *

Michelle

These are two of my fave Cat and Bones fan artwork from Alex Bennett.

You can find all her deviant art HERE 
Just scroll about she is brilliant. 

She does different books/series fan art.

BOOK REVIEW - TWICE TEMPTED by JEANIENE FROST - NIGHT PRINCE # 2 - AVON BOOKS - ADULT PARANORMAL ROMANCE

By: Jeaniene Frost
Published By: Avon Books
Released : Available Now
Details: Paperback from Library, 360 Pages

RATING: 4  VAVOOM VLAD STARS!

Blurb: Goodreads

Dating the Prince of Darkness has its challenges...

Leila's psychic abilities have been failing her, and now she isn't sure what the future holds. If that weren't enough, her lover, Vlad, has been acting distant. Though Leila is a mere mortal, she's also a modern woman who refuses to accept the cold shoulder treatment forever–especially from the darkly handsome vampire who still won't admit that he loves her.

Like choosing between eternal love and a loveless eternity...

Soon circumstances send Leila back to the carnival circuit, where tragedy strikes. And when she finds herself in the crosshairs of a killer who may be closer than she realizes, Leila must decide who to trust– the fiery vampire who arouses her passions like no other or the tortured knight who longs to be more than a friend? With danger stalking her every step of the way, all it takes is one wrong move to damn her for eternity.

BOOK REVIEW by Michelle:

I’m going to start by saying I would buy any book without checking the blurb or a review that Jeaniene Frost writes. It is a done deal for me. I love her Night Huntress series like a vampire addict. Bones and Cat just do it for me. They are one of the great couples in Urban Fantasy/ Paranormal Romance.

Vlad is THE VAMPIRE he is THE MAN you don’t want to mess with. He is not known as THE IMPALER for no reason. The lad loves to impale and torture you if you have done him or his wrong. He doesn’t even ponder on it, he DOES IT!

Shish kebab time!

This series is called Night Prince. Cat’s series is called Night Huntress. It is her series. I couldn’t help acknowledging that although this series is called Night Prince and has Vlad on the front, it currently appears after two books to be Leila’s series. Cat is on the front of her books as she is the focal character of her series. I don’t feel like Vlad is the focal character and that this is truly his series. I don’t feel like he is owning it. Leila takes the series under her wing like Cat takes her series.

I enjoyed this book, but it wasn’t as powerful a read as it could be, for me. Vlad should be this stand out character as he is THE VAMPIRE history was written about, no matter how much they got it wrong.

Just saying, Vlad says they got it wrong, he should know he is DRACULA.

I enjoyed this second instalment in the Night Prince series, but I want to be reading about Vlad more. Or else to me it should be called the Night Princess series.

Leila has got herself some more enemies in this instalment and she needs to leave Vlad, because he is not bringing it to their relationship. Now we know he has been honest and said he can’t bring the luuurrvvveee. Far too much has happened in his long, long life to be able to conquer that word, this early into knowing somebody , or even at all.

His snort cut me to the bone. “Anything but that. You and I have been together mere months. Do you know how insignificant that is to someone my age?”


He can impale you without a backwards glance. He can torture you without raising a sweat about the cruelty.

Part of that was my fault. I’d let the emotional standoff between us go on too long because I didn’t want to lose him. Problem was, I never really had him, as tonight had forced me to acknowledge. 

“You see, you don’t want me to love you. You want the version you’ve made up. The knight, even though I’m the dragon and always will be.”


But, to get Vlad to bring out the ‘L’ word.

Well, it takes a special woman to do that. Does she exist?

Of course she does. Her name starts with ‘L’.

I totally get that Vlad needs a woman that is going to make him work for that word. He can get any woman, and he needs somebody, just like Bones needed somebody that was different to every girl that crosses their path.

Leila does what not many women would do and leaves him, humiliates him and lives to walk away.


“You’re the scariest man I’ve ever met, but I am not afraid of you. As for your enemies, let them come. I’ve survived them before and I will again.”


Enter Maximus again, to be her guard until she is safely deposited back with her carnie life. But a story would not be a story without betrayal and things not being as easy as getting back to the life you were taken from.

Now, seriously, did anyone really believe that Vlad could hurt Leila? Me thinks not. I did see through the story when it came to the villain at the end of the drama, but I still can’t help being addicted to anything Jeaniene writes.

She could write on a piece of toilet paper, and I would read it.

Now the smexi in this book, I am having trouble with feeling it. I want to feel that connection with Leila and Vlad. I am virtually on fire when I read Cat and Bones together.

Anybody for CHAPTER 32!!! ( Book # 2 - Night Huntress series)

So for me personally, I need Vlad to bring home that for me. I did feel it more towards the end of this book, due to circumstance.

I really like Leila’s dad. He hasn’t been the total role model of a parent, but he has a great love and need to protect his daughter and he will not let THE IMPALER forget that. He will make Vlad explain himself. Not many would get away with that.

“I dare because I want no misunderstanding between us. I am everything you think I am, but I love your daughter, and what I love, I protect with all of the violence in me, which, as you’ve guessed, is considerable.”

I saw a lot of growth with Leila’s character, she can be quite funny with her thoughts.

“This place stinks.”

“Did the guards forget to spray Febreze?” Vlad asked in mock indignation. Then he gave me a jaded look. “It’s a dungeon, Leila. They’re supposed to smell.”

Mission accomplished. The stench might have actually killed my new appetite. If Hell could fart, it would smell like this.


But with Vlad, I am having trouble pin pointing what I want to say. I wanted him to be more determined not to be involved with the ‘L’ word for another book. He nabbed the girl in Once Burned and then he flipped back on it all in Twice Tempted. I think I am trying to say, maybe it was too soon. I wanted to understand Vlad more in his own series.

When I read the excerpt at the back of this book for, ‘Up From The Grave’ , Night Huntress # 7 . Bones was straight back in there being Bones and all things that we love about him. He just captures the reader with his personality.

BAM!

It felt like we had not been apart for a year between Night Huntress reads.

I need my BAM ! moment from the big fella, Vlad. I want more presence from him. I am getting more Leila in the books and I thought Vlad was going to be the focal character.

In saying all that, hell, just keep throwing books written by Jeaniene at me. I will devour them and lick my fingers clean afterwards. I am rather itchy for some Ian. The lad grew on me in Night Huntress series.

Michelle

BOOK REVIEW - ONCE BURNED by JEANIENE FROST - NIGHT PRINCE # 1 - AVON BOOKS - ADULT PARANORMAL ROMANCE

By: Jeaniene Frost
Published By : Avon Books
Released : Available Now
Details : Paperback from library, 346 Pages

RATING: 4.25 VAVOOM VLAD STARS!

Blurb : Goodreads

She's a mortal with dark powers...

After a tragic accident scarred her body and destroyed her dreams, Leila never imagined that the worst was still to come: terrifying powers that let her channel electricity and learn a person's darkest secrets through a single touch. Leila is doomed to a life of solitude...until creatures of the night kidnap her, forcing her to reach out with a telepathic distress call to the world's most infamous vampire...

He's the Prince of Night...

Vlad Tepesh inspired the greatest vampire legend of all—but whatever you do, don't call him Dracula. Vlad's ability to control fire makes him one of the most feared vampires in existence, but his enemies have found a new weapon against him—a beautiful mortal with powers to match his own. When Vlad and Leila meet, however, passion ignites between them, threatening to consume them both. It will take everything that they are to stop an enemy intent on bringing them down in flames.


BOOK REVIEW by Michelle:

I wasn’t sure how Vlad’s spinoff series was going to play out, but carnies wasn’t one of my thoughts.

But!

I liked what Jeaniene did with her story. She gave Leila backup for how she got through life with her Achilles heel, she can electrocute people.

A downed power line transformed thirteen year old Leila into essentially an electric eel. Her right hand can also get visions, premonitions when she touches an item or person.

What better place to hide your curse, than in a carnival setting.

Smart thinking, 99. ( I couldn't help throw a Get Smart quote in there)

Once this news gets out you become every villain’s urge to capture you and either do away with you or exploit you for their own evil uses.

Insert evil laugh. * mwah ha ha ha haaaaa*

Enter Vlad aka Tepesh. The Impaler.

Oh dear Vlad, you do live up to your name. You would have met Vlad in the Night Huntress series. He is a great character. We now get to see more sides to the big fella. You just don’t want to get on his Impaling side. Gahhh!

Shish kabob anyone?

Marty is a great sub character. I loved this little guy and his affection for Leila. He is a gutsy little man. I hope he pops up in further books.

Bones and Cat make an appearance and Bones brings that cocky , loveable personality, striding in happy to upset Vlad if he can.

Cat looked at Bones with open suspicion. “I think I know why you’re doing this, and it’s mean-“

“Tepesh has it coming,” Bones interrupted, his tone hardening. Then he smiled at me.



“Perfect. Repeat that whenever Tepesh is around you, and he’ll run screaming in no time.”

Cat shook her head. “You are really twisted, honey.”

Bones just smiled. “As I said, he had this coming.”

But then Vlad gets one back via Leila, lol!

He was also handsome in a too-pretty way that made me think with less muscles, a wig, and some makeup, he'd look great in a dress.
Vlad's scowl vanished into a smile as the brunet's gaze swung in my direction as though he'd somehow heard that.
"Looks as though she's put you in your place as well, Bones," Vlad drawled.”

Shrapnel and Maximus are the rather cool, trusted staff of the almost Superman in characteristics, Vlad. Well apart from being a vampire. Vlad owns that one. But the lad can fly and it is pretty darn hard to knock this warrior off. He has a cocky nature and knows who he is.

Vlad is almost indestructible. His kryptonite would be Leila. She keeps finding herself in a situation where she needs to send an SOS out to Vlad.

He is this fearless vampire warrior who can give her anything but love. 


“That one tickled. If electrocution is your way of flirting, I commend you on your originality.”

“Yeah, well, I remember you weren’t impressed by the word please,” I responded tartly, my brief embarrassment gone.


Leila and Vlad start off with him taking charge , you are coming with me, do as I say, attitude. It is a nice time of year to visit Romania. 

I really want to be cliche here and throw in , I want to suck your blooood. But Vlad is all about the non Dracula cliches.

“I’m the only authentic Vlad. Everyone else is merely an envious imitation.”

Leila does her best to hold the rather cocky, no pun intended, vampire at bay.

Challenge accepted!

His smile didn’t slip. “You’re still half expecting me to harm you, yet you don’t hesitate to needle me. Aren’t you afraid to make me angry?”

He could read my mind, so I didn’t bother answering with anything except the truth.

“You’re scarier when you’re nice, and you’ve already decided if you’re going to kill me. No amount of bantering or begging on my part will change your mind, so I’ll keep on being myself. You’re not the only one who doesn’t care for pretense.”



“What were you thinking , risking yourself that way?” Vlad muttered.

Did he miss the part where Maximus was about to get killed? “I’m drunk,” I said testily. “I’ll try anything if I’m drunk.”

His teeth flashed in a quick grin. “I’ll remember that.”


Vlad wants Leila. He is intrigued by her. I think Leila is assuming too much with the big fella when it comes to his bed post notches.

“Yes. People frequently bore me, sometimes amuse me, most often irritate me, but rarely intrigue me. You do, which is why I’ll enjoy having you as a lover.”


“My body is the only thing that’s truly mine, so I don’t give it away as though it is worthless.”


“Beautiful and diabolical. You make me impatient indeed to claim you.”


Leila doesn't want to give in to the cocky Vlad, so she needs Vlad to clear a few things up first. Will she like what he has to offer her? Is she playing with emotional fire?

His teeth bared in something too predatory to be called a smile. “You’ll soon find out.”

I stretched out my hands as if to ward him off. “Not yet. I want to know what your end game is first.”

Another flash of teeth, this time showing his fangs. “To have you screaming my name within the hour.”



“I never set a standard that I won’t keep myself, and if you ever want out, you need only say the word. But mean it, Leila, because once I leave, I’m gone forever.”



His lips twisted. “No. I can give you honesty, monogamy, and more passion than you can stand, but not love. That emotion died in me long ago, as I suspect you already know.”


Vlad is pretty hard to resist. There's not much of an argument you can give yourself when he goes all smexi Vlad on you.


“This is our true tie,” he whispered, his breath falling hotly onto my lips. “You’re meant for me, and I will have you.”

Then his mouth lowered in a hard, claiming kiss.

“Not tonight, but soon. And when I do, you will come to crave my bite as much as my kiss.”

I enjoy anything Jeaniene Frost writes, she always brings it. Currently as it stands with me, Bones is still right up there with his personality, but Vlad is a close second. I am looking forward to Twice Tempted to see what Vlad is doing in the love stakes. I think he isn't going to say those three little words without a fight. 

Michelle

BOOK REVIEW - HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS by JEANIENE FROST - NIGHT HUNTRESS # 6.5 - NOVELLA

By: Jeaniene Frost
Published By : William Morrow, Harper Collins
Released : Available Now
Details : Hardcover from library, 153 Pages

RATING : 4.5 BONES & IAN STARS!!

Book Blurb : Taken From Goodreads

It's "Home for the Holidays" in Jeaniene Frost's Night Huntress series. Cat and Bones may long to wrap presents and set up a tree, but this Christmas, an evil vampire and long-buried family secrets will threaten to take a bite out of their holiday cheer.

BOOK REVIEW by Michelle :

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS # 6.5

I am working my way through The Night Huntress novellas and outtakes, my little fixes before I get another book in the series to read.

Bones and Cat are that addictive!!

I loved this 153 page read. I could quite easily have seen this story as a full blown book.

A relative comes to visit and all is a bit squiffy. Ian is absolutely t-shirt worthy in this novella. Ian has slowly been creeping into my t-shirt hemisphere. He is so blunt and honest about how he feels about a situation. He is a real keeper..... such a smart pants, I have a big crush on him.

This is the second time Jeaniene has paired Ian and Cat up in a humorous and this time, a little lusty , scene. All in the name of good, although I can’t help thinking Ian is enjoying himself a little too much.

This novella mixes, demons, lust, love, a birthday party, of course the uber smexi moments between Bones and Cat * fans one self* and a little mystery/puzzle that needs to be solved to save the ones they love.

The next spinoff is ‘Night Prince # 1’ , Vlad and Leila’s story, titled ‘Once Burned’ , due for release 26th June 2012. Vlad is a fave of mine, so I am looking forward to his book.

FAVE QUOTES:

He unzipped his pants and tugged them down. I whirled just in time, barking, “ I don’t care what you think, your junk does not have special abilities. And I already heard about the piercing,” over my shoulder.


“ That’s not what I wanted to show you,” he replied in an implacable voice. “Now stop being a twit and look.”

“This better not be one of your sick jokes,” I muttered, turning around. Thankfully , the first thing I saw wasn’t Ian waggling Mr One Eye at me, though he didn’t seem concerned that his hand didn’t totally conceal the flesh behind it.



“Wow,” I whispered.

He grunted. “If I had a pound for every time a girl said that while in your position.”

HA!

Michelle

BOOK REVIEW - ONE GRAVE AT A TIME by JEANIENE FROST - NIGHT HUNTRESS # 6

By : Jeaniene Frost
Published By : Avon Books
Released : Available Now
Details: Paperback from library, 358 Pages

RATING : 4 DELICIOUS BONES STARS!!

Book Blurb : Taken From Goodreads

The grave is one wrong step away. 

Having narrowly averted an (under)world war, Cat Crawfield wants nothing more than a little downtime with her vampire husband, Bones. Unfortunately, her gift from New Orleans' voodoo queen just keeps on giving--leading to a personal favor that sends them into battle once again, this time against a villainous spirit.
Centuries ago, Heinrich Kramer was a witch hunter. Now, every All Hallows Eve, he takes physical form to torture innocent women before burning them alive. This year, however, a determined Cat and Bones must risk all to send him back to the other side of eternity--forever. But how do you kill a killer who's already long dead?

BOOK REVIEW:

The Night Huntress series is like a delicious chocolate that you savour and you are licking your lips for more. Nothing beats a piece of chocolate that you find yourself reaching back into the packet to get another piece until you are so satisfied that you go to bed happy. It is your guilty pleasure.



Bones is my guilty pleasure and in turn Cat is his. I am addicted to this series based on these two characters. Then Jeaniene stirs in a little at a time, Vlad, and now Ian is growing on me and getting stirred in to the storyline. But when I don’t get a lot of Bones and Vlad seems to have disappeared and Ian although he has popped into the mix a bit more, he isn’t Vlad... well, something was a tad missing from this installment.


I do enjoy some sub characters getting a bit of air time, but Elisabeth and Fabian didn’t really satisfy me in this book. Every time I heard the name Kramer , I was thinking of Seinfeld, now that isn’t a good sign.


It was a great little mystery, but it didn’t have all the regulars playing their part. Juan and Tate and the banter were gone. Don, well he is playing super sleuth and Madigan adds interest but then that kind of faded in and out of the storyline.


I think when Cat can heal herself with all her Vampire mojo, makes it hard for Bones to be that guy he was in the early books. Cat needs his protection even less. I like the female lead to get a bit of a beating , be strong , but also need a helping hand. Cat, really no longer needs a helping hand. She kind of has it all going on which leaves little room for needing protecting. A car gets slammed on top of her, bones are broken etc, but just give me a jiffy and I will be good to go another round. Sure she ends up bald in this installment, like that is going to worry Bones, but apparently there was a solution for Vampire Baldness as well... ha!


I want Cat to lose some powers that she is garnering off certain more powerful characters and need to be protected again. I want her to be a strong character but she is getting too strong, which starts to leave no room for needing anybody to be there for her when she can heal in seconds, fly, leap tall buildings in a single bound ( well you get what I mean) , be stabbed, shot, body slammed by a car and not to mention set on fire. It’s a case of give me a jiffy and I will be all good.


Helsing and Dexter get more air time than Vlad. I liked Tyler and his love of ogling the boys and his comments, they were fun. I do enjoy Jeaniene’s banter she has with her character’s, it lightens all the killing that is inevitable in her books. I enjoy the uber smexi, but , I was having a tad trouble with the mile high club, like ... really?


I still recommend this book and love the series dearly, but I did think that maybe the story was not overly satisfying like it usually is. I want to get back to fighting the good fight and maybe the pro bono for the ghosts is one for a novella.

FAVE QUOTES:

"Tyler, meet Ian," I said without bothering to turn around.
"Daddy like," Tyler breathed.
.........."I thought Bones looked like a little slice of heaven, but you're the whole cake, aren't you, sugar?"


That face , that body....and you know he's packing , look at the angle of that dangle!



"Killer ghost?" Ian perked up, gently batting Tyler aside with a  "Yes, yes, I'm truly stunning, but this interests me," remark.

Michelle

BOOK REVIEW - THIS SIDE OF THE GRAVE by JEANIENE FROST - NIGHT HUNTRESS # 5

By: Jeaniene Frost
Published By : Avon Books
Released : Available Now
Details : Paperback from library, 357 Pages

RATING : 4.5 BONES STARS!!

Book Blurb : Taken From Goodreads

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.




BOOK REVIEW:



I must start by saying that I didn’t read ‘First Drop of Crimson’ ( Spade’s book) and ‘Eternal Kiss of Darkness’ ( Mencheres’ book) before I went onto ‘This Side of the Grave’. Maybe I should have as there is reference to Spade and Mencheres’ relationships which are talked about in this book. Their stories are Night Huntress World # 1 and # 2. I would recommend reading those 2 books before going onto # 5 or else you get a couple spoilers, nothing too major but, enough. Dang me for not realising!!


Cat has some extra grief in this instalment. Not only is Apollyon with the whip around hairdo trying to start a war over Cat, Vampires vs Ghouls, truly, she should feel flattered the amount of trouble that follows her, hehe! But, she has Majestic pushing her buttons and keeping Bones on the clock for a couple days. No wonder he needed a cigarette *waggles eyebrows*.


Bones is picking up strays and ghouls are doing their best to eliminate vampires. Cat takes a thrilling elevator ride ( one of my worst fears) and prepare for a major lump in your throat. You just want to bawl. Justina for once has grown a set, even if it was just to snatch some extra time and Tate is not happy, Jan!


Dave goes undercover and Cat has a new fragrance she wears..ha!


Cat has to work out Marie’s secret in saying goodbye to Remnants on command and Vlad and Cat have a rather interesting scene together. Shame she didn’t work out the less painful answer beforehand.


Denise was a surprise to me, because well that would be one of the spoilers if you don’t read Spade’s story first, but she came in handy.


Oh, and there is another one of those uber , uber smexi chapters...* fans oneself and throws bucket of ice water over my head, repeatedly*


It’s all hands on deck trying to sort the Apollyon problem out which makes for a kick butt action scene.


I loved this instalment, Jeaniene writes Bones like no other lead guy, he is something spesh.


FAVE QUOTES:


“You think I look like an angel? Well, Kitten , your hands are my heaven and your eyes are my home.”




“Sweet bleedin’ hell , luv, this was a smashing idea.” His voice strained , and his hands were now clenched into fists.



“Am I the only one who has a wood over that little vixen?” Ian asked cheerfully even as he cleaved his sword right through the center of a ghoul.

Michelle

BOOK REVIEW - DESTINED FOR AN EARLY GRAVE by JEANIENE FROST - NIGHT HUNTRESS # 4

By : Jeaniene Frost
Published By : AVON BOOKS
Released : Available Now
Details : Paperback from library, 355 Pages

RATING: 5 SMOKIN' BONES STARS!!!

Book Blurb : Taken From Goodreads

Her deadly dreams leave her in grave danger .

Since half-vampire Cat Crawfield and her undead lover Bones met six years ago, they've fought against the rogue undead, battled a vengeful Master vampire, and pledged their devotion with a blood bond. Now it's time for a vacation. But their hopes for a perfect Paris holiday are dashed when Cat awakes one night in terror. She's having visions of a vampire named Gregor who's more powerful than Bones and has ties to her past that even Cat herself didn't know about.

Gregor believes Cat is his and he won't stop until he has her. As the battle begins between the vamp who haunts her nightmares and the one who holds her heart, only Cat can break Gregor's hold over her. She'll need all the power she can summon in order to bring down the baddest bloodsucker she's ever faced . . . even if getting that power will result in an early grave.



BOOK REVIEW:



Another, most awesome installment from Jeaniene Frost’s , ‘Night Huntress’ series.


Oh the quotes that I can’t put up. Hehe!


Ms. Frost certainly had me feeling a tad upset whilst reading this book with Bones getting so upset with his Kitten. Be still my heart. I was looking over Cat’s shoulder when she was looking at the Satellite footage and I was holding my breath, inwardly crying, ‘noooOOoo’.


There was a bit of corker biffo going on between Cat and Bones and the verbals... I thought it was very clever of Jeaniene to show us a deeper side to Bones and to show Cat that she needed to wake up to a few things. It made for a real page turner this book.


Gregor, the Dream Snatcher in a way gave Bones a run for his money because Cat has a running list longer than me of all Bones’s conquests and this tipped the scales a bit to show that Bones really had a deep fear of losing Cat. Even though she didn’t remember Gregor and her past with him, no fault of her own * gives Mencheres a dirty look * , she did have a past.

Their passion for each other and their fear of losing each other, made for some fiery Cat and Bones scenes.


Bones has such an incredible fear of his wife being taken away from him due to Vampire Law, first dibs and all.


Oh , the wonderful Marie Laveau, Majestic, most powerful ghoul, Queen of New Orleans. Isn’t she a corker? I love Cat’s way of handling her.


“Oracle?”


“Bingo!”


Ode to ‘The Matrix’.


Ha! Creepy Jacques leading Cat through the Indiana Jones style booby trapped way to meet Marie. Be hard pressed to get out of there alive if you didn’t know the ropes or have a creepy tour guide.


I love the introduction of new characters. Fabian du Brac 1877 -1922 , you just want to hug him, if you could. He just needs to be needed, noticed. What a softie, Bones.


There is action, loads of jealousy, biffo, some attempted dream snatching, ex wife and a wife ( depends on who you are speaking to), some hot smexi ( like duh!) , ghouls, Vlad needing a bit of a platonic snuggle ( awwww), tempers flare, rescue attempts that aren’t really needed, a past memory erased, trust issues, may the best man win issues, Juan is still Juan. Tate thinks all his Christmas' have come at once.

Justina is still ... well Justina.


As the book blurb states, it is intense and emotional, but it’s also that wonderful rollercoaster ride you take with Cat and Bones like no other Urban Fantasy couple I have read.


Bones is just ... just ... one of a kind.


FAVE QUOTES THAT I CAN WRITE IN MY REVIEW:


Bones gave a low chuckle. “I can’t stop wondering how I’m going to take you whilst you’re in it. Right now I’ve decided on from behind, although that may change by the end of the opera.”
 “Why did we go to this if you’ll just be mentally molesting me and not watching the performance?”


“Because that’s right fun in itself,” he responded with a wicked grin.



“I was trying to wake you,” Bones answered crisply. “I cut you, threw water on you, slapped you, and set a lighter to your legs. For future reference, which one of those do you think worked?”



“Hey, Walks Like An Egyptian, how about for once you drop the formal stuff and talk like you live in the twenty-first century?”


“The shit’s gonna splatter, start buggin’, yo,” Mencheres responded instantly.



“Querida, no kiss for your hombre?”


“Juan?” I laughed. “ Don’s got you on chauffeur duty?”


“I’d drive a tractor to see you.” He grinned, turning around. “ I missed your smile, your face, your round luscious---“



“Bloody hell, Kitten. Never thought to be flogged by my own furniture. Do you know I saw stars when that cracked over my nog?”



“Damn you for being a conscienceless whore.”


Bones didn’t take his eyes off me, nor was his response any louder.


“That’s what you married, Kitten. A conscienceless whore. But if you recall, I never pretended to be anything else.”



“Did you really think I’d ceased to care? Kitten, I care so much it wrecks me.”



“Oh . Well.” A slumber party with Dracula? All things considered , why not? “Okay , but I snore.”


He grinned. “I have been under the same roof with you for a week, so I already know that.”

Michelle