[book] One Foot in the Grave - Night Huntress 02 by Jeaniene Frost

[ice_of_dreams]

After one month sans books and 36 hour duties I finally settled down to read something from the paranormal genre. I picked up One Foot in the Grave because I liked the lead characters Cat and Bones... and yes the Spike undertones in Bones character was all right.

Spoilers...



However, I think I was mostly disappointed with the second book of the Night Huntress series. It mostly revolved around the sex that Cat and Bones missed out on the first book. I feel like most of the plot progression, finding Cat's father, solving the mystery in this particular book (mostly, it was just murder close to home) and challenging Ian for separation of loyalties, leadership to a house took a back seat to Cat and Bones' relationship... mostly a non-issue because I always knew she had hang ups when she left Bones, and we all knew that Bones, being the character that he was made out to be was never going to be a homicidal maniac nor would he betray Cat. And with the number of issues they actually finished in this one book, it was kind of surprising that they didn't spend more time with it (they found Cat's other side of the family, they tried to challenge and defeat her father, she found the man she loves etc etc... you kind of wonder at what else they could do in the next few books)

The way they resolved the entire issue ... marriage was something which was so EXPECTED I didn't expect it to come out. (Well look at it this way, I always knew they were ending up together, I just didn't think that they'd marry since most non-romance urban fantasies end up with 'mutual understandings' anyway... I don't know in that track it made it look more like a romance novel with paranormal stints rather than urban fantasy with some romance hitns.) Well, I'd buy the next book, but the next book would be the deciding factor for me. Most of the loose ends in book 1 were already tied up in book 2, hence me not knowing what a book 3 could accomplish... okay finding Cat's way in the middle of a vampire society for one, but how many ways could that go. She's married to the head of the house, and there's no divorce.

I would like to see how Bones adopts to the Cat's world, although I kind of know that it's going to be Cat's team adapting to his rather than the other way around. The sex was all over the place... so I was wondering half of the time if I was reading erotica or urban fantasy... I do applaud Ms. Frost in the way that she actually varies the sex at least, and the sex kind of fits Crispin's background as an ex-whore in London, sometimes some people forget the characteristics that they build into their characters.

But since there are only a few threads left to this book, I'd probably wish for one final book to tie the last few loose ends left in the plot before hoping Ms. Frost starts on another series all together.

Comments

[shartyrant.livejournal.com]

I was disappointed with it. All the sudden we have Cat being super duper special. NO growth. And the way the reunion of CAt and Bones went...disappointing. I really enjoyed the first book. Cat came across as a sociopath in a way which sounds realistic with how her mom raised her. Bones realized that and appreicated it. I never understood why she left him in th eend of the first book. It seemed so contrived and then it is barely touched on the emotional and other ramifications in the sequel. I wasn't up to the marriage thing. It just didn't jive. Seemed to forced. But what do I know?

Overall, I would've rated it a C except for the fact I really do like Bones who is the main reason I keep reading.

[ice-of-dreams.livejournal.com]

Exactly on the marraige thing. Gah, now I don't have anything to read. Bummer.

I kind of wish they didn't do that. Making her a part of Ian's house would have been a better ending in the second book than having Cat and Bones marry. It sort of dooms the entire third book for continuity. And she didn't even THINK about it. She's scared of commitment, as evidenced by the fact that she even ran away the first time, they've been apart for four whole years! Marriage was really not something that would have been expected so soon.

I think the main reason she left in the first book was because they wanted a sequel (hehe) but her being scared of the ramifications of a life with Bones was all right, I could actually swallow that reason. With the way she was raised by her mother, I could understand it.

*sigh* I'm looking for Elizabeth Vaughan's next book Dagger Star, but with the way we import books here it looks like it might be some time before I finally get my hands on a copy.

We'll see what turns out for the next book. Waah I wish it was november. I really want to read Swallowing Darkness. And yes, Acheron just to see if Kenyon's writing style for her main character will be better at least for this particular book.

[shartyrant.livejournal.com]

Totally understand. I have been meaning to ask, do you have a library of any sort nearby? Just something to tide you over?

I think the reason why the ending of the first book bothered me slightly was the fact that I could see she was going to use it as a plot point for the second. Then when the second book arrived, she barely skimmed on it. If your going to do something that major at the end of the first, then make sure to use it with great effect in the sequel. Does that make sense?

Plus, would've been interested in seeing Cat learn to be what she became for this group. I liked the training sessions she had with Bones in the first. It made it more realistic. Now she is beyond that which starts going into Sue terrority.

Something to tide you over or at least get you excited hopefullly...anne bishop has the new cover and blurb for THE SHADOW QUEEN on her site. http://www.annebishop.com/s.b.shadow.queen.html
I've also been wondering what you thought of TANGLED WEBS. Did you ever get it before work/school took you over? I thought the story would've been fine to read in paperback format. Hardcover format I expect great changes and more 'oomph" than what I got from this story so i was a bit disappointed. Still enjoyed it though. I love Surreal so how can I not? And the whole thing with Jannelle and Daemon is always interesting to watch. But I have to admit, lucivar stole the show for me on this one which was interesting because he didn't have that effect except in his short stories on me. Gotta love the dangerous guys.

I also managed to get a paperback version of BELLADONNA which I am going to re-read again. I still need to get my own copy of SEBASTIAN. The series wasn't my favorite, but I still enjoyed it.

[ice-of-dreams.livejournal.com]

Libraries here are univtersity based. If you don't study you don't hvae a library. I'm based in a university, however, our library is primarily a medical library so there are no fiction books there.

Yeah, I somewhat get your point. *sigh* I'm still looking at the third book, but I don't have high hopes.

My problem with Anne Bishop... is that though I love her to death, is that she has one formulaic writing style and sticks to it. So ... in leiu of that, Belladonna and Sebastian was predictable because I read the Dark Jewels trilogy. Does that make sense? Taken alone they're great books, but when compared with her standard of Dark Jewels it doesn't compare. As for Shadow Queen, I am dreading and looking forward to it at the same time Dark Jewels trilogy was an epic, Invisble Ring was predictable but readable, I enjoyed Tangled Webs a lot becuase it was more about family (I love family stories) ... I wrote about reading it here somewhere... around March I think... but from the blurb of Shadow Queen it sounds a bit too much like the plot for Invisible Ring to me... although I will have to wait and judge for myself...

Thanks for Mentioning Shadow QUeen, I forgot that she will be coming out with that book too. I hope I manage to land a copy :( I might not since gah... well so many factors... but anyway...