At Grave's End by Jeaniene Frost

Title: At Grave's End

Author: Jeaniene Frost
Publisher: Avon
ISBN: 978-0-06-158307-0
Pages: 342
Series: Night Huntress #3
Type: Adult Paranormal Romance
Source: Purchased
Goodreads


Cat Crawfield has spent years hunting vampires, first alone then with her lover Bones and finally with her FBI team. Now Cat's secret is out, and now the vampires know all about the deadly half-breed chasing them down. With her cover blown, Bones is desperate to keep her safe. But the greatest danger isn't to Cat as a deadly master vampire sets her sights on destroying Bones using any means necessary, including the darkest of magics.

This is the third book in the Night Huntress series (after Halfway to the Grave and One Foot in the Grave) and I was really looking forward to seeing what happened next. This book didn't disappoint, managing not only to pick up some unsolved issues from previous books and bring them to surprising conclusions but also introducing a totally new bad guy determined to destroy Cat and Bones forever.

The storyline is full of twists and turns, not only in the more action-based parts but also in the backstory. Even Cat's mother goes in a whole new direction. Several characters from previous books return, including Spade, Mencheres and Ian, and it's great to see them take a larger role in the storyline. New characters like Vlad (yeah...THAT Vlad) also add interest and give some interesting side story.

It's great to see Cat and Bones more settled in their relationship as it allows for both more action and a more intricate backstory involving other characters. Tate's interest in Cat is still present, but thankfully completely unrequited meaning that there is no overused love triangle here. On the whole, this is an incredible read that sucks you in and doesn't let go.

All in all this was a great read and I can't wait to read Destined for an Early Grave.

Plot: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 9/10

Overall: 49/50

Top Ten Tuesdays (1)

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by the Broke and the Bookish where a new top ten list is posted each week. This week is: Top Ten Books That Are On The Top Of My TBR List For Fall. Well mine are all books that have been out for a while, but have moved up my list due to recommendations, time limits or just plain guilt out of how long they've been sitting there.

1. Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
This has been sitting on my TBR for ages. It's got great reviews and the only reason I have yet to read it is that I love the cover so much I don't want the book to let my expectations down. I'm hoping to go to a signing in October though, so I'll definitely be reading the book before then.

2. Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick
Exactly the same reasons as above, it's just been waiting to be read for slightly less time.

3. Paranormalcy by Kiersten White
This was an impulse pick for me when my sister offered to buy me some new books, but I got sooooo many positive comments when I mentioned it in my IMM post I had to bump this to my read-it-soon list.

4. Glass Houses by Rachel Caine
I have the first ten books in this series waiting to be read, purchased purely from how much I love the Weather Warden books. I'll definitely be reading the first one, but will most likely end up reading all of the rest too.

5. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
I've had this out from my library for literally months and I keep putting it off because of the size. My Mum has read it during that time and loved it, so I really need to read it. Also at some point the library will probably want their book back.

6. Hook, Line and Sink Him by Jackie Pilossoph
This is my guilt pick. I won this last year from a Goodreads giveaway and haven't managed to read it yet. It isn't that there's anything wrong with the book, it sounds really good but other books just seem to be catching my interest more when picking what to read.

7. Les Liasons Dangereuses by Choderlos de Laclos
I love the movie Cruel Intentions and actually started reading this before only to lose the book! Now I have a new copy and a road trip coming up that makes the letter format of this book ideal. Plus I loved what I managed to read before and still can't believe some of the humour in a book that is that old!

8. Lover Eternal by J.R. Ward
I read Dark Lover a few years back and loved it so much I brought the rest of the series, and then forgot about them. I've just had them recommended to me (again) as part of a pick-it-for-me challenge so they're moving back up my list.

9. The Hidden by Jessica Verday
Not a book that I own and, given my resolution not to buy any books this year, not one I can buy myself but one I desperately want. I'm hoping my continual whining, begging and offers to trade babysitting, chores, body parts...whatever will get one of my family to get it for me. Hopefully. Or I may cry :(

10. Something by Jane Austen
My Mum and I have been saying for ages we'll do the whole Jane Austen book club one per month thing but never get round to it. I've only ever read Pride & Prejudice and Emma so I'm hoping to finally get them read.

Teaser Tuesdays (2)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers.

My teaser:

The sick part of me wondered if Bones would cover those boxes with Christmas wrapping paper. Talk about getting an unwanted present.

~ Page 208, At Grave's End by Jeaniene Frost

One Foot in the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Title: One Foot in the Grave
Author: Jeaniene Frost
Publisher: Avon
ISBN: 978-0-06-124509-1
Pages: 357
Series: Night Huntress #2
Type: Adult Paranormal Romance
Source: Purchased
Goodreads

It's been four years since Cat left Bones behind to protect him from her new life. Now Cat is head of an FBI team dedicated to hunting down the more homicidal vampires. However, Cat has a price on her head and each hunt gets her closer and closer to being caught. Only Bones can save her, but if he finds her he won't let her leave again...ever.

This is the second book in the Night Huntress series (after Halfway to the Grave) and I was really looking forward to reading it. There's a huge gap between the end of the first and beginning of this, but somehow the author manages to slip in all the relevant backstory without info dumping or getting off track.

The story is just as action packed as before, just with a wider cast as Cat's FBI team now play a key role in her hunts and she's made friends during her time away from Bones. Other characters from Bones's past are also introduced leading to a better understanding of his character. The storyline manages to pick up threads from Cat's past and combine them with her present in a way that creates a tale that sucks you in and doesn't let go.

Cat has matured since the previous book and doesn't react quite as instinctively as before, although she still gets annoyed easily and kicks serious butt. Bones has also become more open and got over his fear of losing Cat, which means there are some big revelations of how the vampire (and ghoul) world works which really adds to the realism of the books. Annoyingly Cat's mother returns and is just as hysterical as before.

All in all, this was a great read and I'm really looking forward to reading At Grave's End.

Plot: 10/10
Characters: 9/10
Ending: 9/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 9/10

Overall: 47/50

Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Title: Halfway to the Grave
Author: Jeaniene Frost
Publisher: Avon
ISBN: 978-0-06-124508-4
Pages: 358
Series: Night Huntress #1
Type: Adult Paranormal Romance
Source: Purchased
Goodreads

Catherine Crawfield was born as a result of a horrifying attack on her mother. Raised in a town that regarded her mother as a liar, Cat has always been driven to fight so when her mother reveals Cat is half vampire she finds a whole new target. Now having spent years hunting the undead a chance meeting draws her into an alliance with Bones, a vampiric bounty hunter. But going after more powerful vampires comes with greater risks...and greater revelations about Cat's true nature.

This is the first book in the Night Huntress series, and I really enjoyed reading it. The storyline is cleverly told with a few twists and turns that change the direction of the book. This sits on the border between urban fantasy and paranormal romance with a little too much romance for the former and a little too much action for the latter. However it is classified it is a fast paced story that draws you straight in from page one.

Cat is a great lead character, and it was interesting to see how she dealt with her heritage as Bones exposed her to some home truths about vampires. I loved Bones, although at times he sounded a little too English (kind of Oliver-esque). I've seen Cat and Bones compared to Buffy and Spike, but the resemblance stops pretty quickly as these characters are really well fleshed out. The only character I disliked was Cat's whiny judgemental mother who I really hope doesn't feature much in the later books.

I really enjoyed the ending which manages to create a plausible continuation of the story into a series while still maintaining the completeness of this book.

All in all this was a great read and I'm looking forward to One Foot in the Grave.

Plot: 10/10
Characters: 9/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 9/10

Overall: 48/50

Forever by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: Forever
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic
ISBN: 978-1-407121-11-6
Pages: 489
Series: Wolves of Mercy Falls #3
Type: Young Adult Paranormal
Source: Purchased
Goodreads

Sam and Grace have loved each other for years. First Sam watched her as a wolf, then he held her in his arms as a boy before he lost her to the woods and wolf pack he had escaped from. Now faced with the possibility of a life without her, Sam must put his faith in genius rock-god turned wolf Cole and the potential for a true cure. However, their time is running out as a local lawyer is determined to exterminate all the wolves in Boundary Woods.

This is the third and final book in the Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy (after Shiver and Linger). I loved the first two books and was really looking forward to reading this. I wasn't disappointed and I loved every minute I spent reading.

Grace and Sam's love is one of those that sticks with you long after the pages are closed, and this book raises the stakes even higher than the previous ones. When the book begins Grace is a wolf while Sam is human and it takes a while for them to reunite. I really enjoyed how their stories were told as you get to see their individual lives as well as their combined one, and their enduring love still tugs at the heartstrings.

Cole and Isabel still take key narrating roles in this book which I really enjoyed. The relationship between the two is still as complicated as before and they each have their own dramas to contend with. Cole is risking his own life and health fighting to understand the cause of werewolfism in order to find a cure, while Isabel's father is the one organising the wolf hunt.

In terms of the ending it's hard to talk about without spoiling it, so all I'll say is that while it doesn't go for the standard Hollywood-esque everything tied up in a neat bow I loved it. It's great to think about the characters going on and living their lives after the books have ended, and it fits with the more realistic portrayal of true love that these books have shown since page one.

All in all this was a great ending to an amazing trilogy which I totally recommend.

Plot: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 9/10

Overall: 49/50

In My Mailbox (1)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. Each Saturday I'll post about any new books I've gotten either in my mailbox or from a store or library that week. If I haven't gotten any new books, I'll wait until I do.

All my books this week are courtesy of my kid sister who thankfully believes in trading books for babysitting. Niece time plus books is a great win-win for me :)

Friday Blog Hops (1)

Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee and Allison Can Read and is a great way to find new book blogs.

Q. In books like the Sookie Stackhouse (True Blood) series the paranormal creature in question "comes out of the closet" and makes itself known to the world. Which mythical creature do you wish would come out of the closet, for real?

Selkies :) I loved any story about them as a kid, and then Virginia Kantra's Children of the Sea series brought it all back. Seals are super cute, and I love anything to do with the ocean so selkies are a win win. Plus have you seen those covers? Total man candy!

Want to play? Original posts are here and here.

Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Crazy for Books and is another great way to find awesome book blogs.

"Non-book-related this week!! Do you have pets?"

At the moment I don't have any pets. I'd like to get a dog though, preferably a little rescue one. Is it possible to walk in with a copy of Garfield and ask for an Odie?

Want to play? Original post is here.

Booking through Thursday

Sometimes I feel like the only person I know who finds reading history fascinating. It’s so full of amazing-yet-true stories of people driven to the edge and how they reacted to it. I keep telling friends that a good history book (as opposed to some of those textbooks in school that are all lists and dates) does everything a good novel does–it grips you with real characters doing amazing things.

Am I REALLY the only person who feels this way? When is the last time you read a history book? Historical biography? You know, something that took place in the past but was REAL.

The last time I read a history book was probably a few years ago in college. While I love history, I don't tend to read many non-fiction books. So many are written in such a dull way that it can really suck the fun out of the topic. That said there are some history books out there where the author's love of the subject shines through and makes for a fascinating read :)

Teaser Tuesdays (1)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers.

My teaser:

Uncertainty made an indigestible lump in my stomach. The possibilities sown by that action seemed to grow rapid and fierce.

~ Page 336, Forever by Maggie Stiefvater

Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: Linger
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic
ISBN: 978-1-407121-08-6
Pages: 416
Series: Wolves of Mercy Falls #2
Type: Young Adult Paranormal
Source: Purchased
Goodreads


Freed of his wolf skin Sam and Grace finally have a chance at a future together, if they can overcome the obstacles in their present. Sam has been left with the responsibility of not only caring for the pack as a whole, but mentoring the new wolves Beck brought back to Mercy Falls. Grace struggling to deal with her parents suddenly taking a parental role and their new dislike of Sam. But neither realises that Grace is slowly slipping away...

This is the second book in the Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy (the first being Shiver and the last Forever). I loved the first and couldn't wait to read this and it pretty much met my expectations. Shiver told the story of how Grace and Sam fell in love, and this continues that story on showing their relationship. Unlike the first book, however, this is less intimate introducing a wider cast and taking the focus wider.

The first sentence sets up the entire novel 'this is the story of a boy who used to be a wolf and a girl who was becoming one' so tension is introduced from the beginning as once more Sam and Grace's relationship comes with an expiry date. The story is well told but has a feeling of inevitability which carries through, and without the influence of the other characters (like Cole and Isabel) it wouldn't have been as enjoyable to read.

One of the most interesting parts is the new wolf Cole. I love his back story and it was great to see what could motivate someone to choose the werewolf way of life. It was also great how he brought a new perspective to the scientific aspect of being a werewolf and I can't wait to see how his theories carry on.

All in all this was a great read and I'm looking forward to Forever

Plot: 9/10
Characters: 10/10
Ending: 9/10
Enjoyment: 9/10
Cover: 9/10

Overall: 46/50

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: Shiver
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic
ISBN: 978-1-407115-00-9
Pages: 434
Series: Wolves of Mercy Falls #1
Type: Young Adult Paranormal
Source: Purchased
Goodreads


Grace is fascinated by the wolves that live in the woods behind her house. Despite being bitten as a child, Grace loves to watch them and is drawn to the one with yellow eyes. Content just to watch and listen to their howls, Grace has no idea she is about to be drawn into their world. When a classmate is attacked and killed by wolves, the town decides to hunt the pack down and soon Grace finds herself face to face with a boy whose yellow eyes seem oh-so-familiar.

This is one of my favourite books. The whole book is written using beautiful descriptive prose and has an amazing lyrical and haunting quality. The book has quite a slow pace but I enjoyed watching the story develop gradually and found that it meant that even simple moments were able to tell a story. This is more about the relationship between Grace and Sam than anything else, but there is a secondary storyline involving the dead boy which adds a little action. There is also a vein of tension running through the novel as each chapter begins with a temperature, steadily dropping throughout the book as Sam and Grace's time runs out.

I really liked both Grace and Sam. Grace is a very down-to-earth focused person who likes everything to make sense while Sam is artistic and literary living in a world that makes very little sense at all. I loved watching two people from such different worlds interact, and it was great to see how their friends and families had shaped who they were as individuals as well as how they related to one another. The narrative switches between Grace and Sam's perspectives which I really enjoyed. Each has a clear voice, although each chapter still indicates the narrator at the start.

With any young adult paranormal book there is the now inevitable comparison with Twilight. I've read both and I must say that I prefer this. It lacks the passion and intensity of the latter but makes up for that with a beautiful and sweet representation of first love. However just because I prefer this doesn't mean everyone will, as with all things it's a matter of personal taste and opinion.

All in all this is an incredible read and I can't wait to get stuck into Linger.

Plot: 9/10
Characters: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 10/10

Overall: 49/50 

 

Hi there

Hi there and welcome to my blog :) My name is Claire and I'm a bookaholic. I have over 500 books on my to-be-read pile and I've started this blog to track my journey through them as well as any other books that manage to sneak into the pile.

You see, the problem with me is that I buy and borrow books at about the same rate that I read them which would be fine if I didn't reread my other books as well. Add to that all the books I get as presents for birthdays and the like and all of a sudden my to-be-read pile became a mountain.

At the top of the page is a link that will take you to my to-be-read books as they stand today. If there's something there you think I should read sooner rather than later (or vice versa) let me know :)