Review: The Bite Before Christmas by Lynsay Sands and Jeaniene Frost

The Bite Before Christmas

by Lynsay Sands and Jeaniene Frost

(Argeneau Vampires # 15.5 and Night Huntress # 6.5)

The Gift by Lynsay Sands
3.5 Feathers

Following in the Argeneau Vampires series we now get the story of Katricia Argeneau, and forgive me if I was supposed to know who she is, I'm behind on my Argeneau reading; and Teddy Brunswick. Who is Teddy? I thought this was cute. He is the sheriff of Port Henry, he is an older gentleman, close to retiring age. He's never married, and now decides to go on a vacation for the Holidays instead of going to friends houses. Of course he gets help from Marguerite Argeneau, Matchmaker by Excellence.

She just happens to arrange for Katricia to be spending the Holidays in the house next to Teddy. See Marguerite has a good eye for finding people's life mates and as it turns out Katricia can't read Teddy's thoughts.

They end up stuck due to a snow storm and power outage, and even though Teddy knows about vampires he is not the most comfortable around Katricia. He shouldn't be noticing how enticing she looks in those leotards, or is it leggings she calls them?

This was a pretty sweet story but it wasn't anything crazy special. Not a lot of the crazy humor. ut I actually enjoyed it more than the last full length book I've read in the series.

Home For The Holidays by Jeaniene Frost
4 Feathers

OMG This is a MUST READ for Night Huntress fans! In my opinion this story could've been made into a full length book! There was so much potential and I think some things were over-simplified because it was a novella.

However, don't let that fool you. This story rocked! I don't want to give too much away, but basically here's what you can expect: Someone from Bones' past comes back, and brings back with him a curse that Bones's was not even aware of. The whole gang (almost) is under this spell and everyone is basically possessed and it's up to Ian and Cat to save the day.

Yes, Ian plays a pretty big role in this story. I love him! And we even get to see Ian make out with.... I won't tell you who!!!

This story might make you want to kick Bones in the balls, pull Mencheres hair out, kiss Ian to death and comfort Cat.

Purchase Links: Amazon

Reading on the Dark Side: Night Huntress

Night Huntress

by Jeaniene Frost

It's that time of the month again!  We are featuring another favorite series of ours that, if you haven't read you need to get to it immediately, and if you've read it, then you'll love what we've put together.



Name: Crispin Russell
Vampire Name: Bones
Books: The Night Huntress Series by Jeaniene Frost
Appearance: Brown eyes, pale perfect skin, naturally has slightly curly brown hair but keeps it short and platinum blonde. Sharp cheekbones and drop dead (haha) sexy
Previous Employment: Man whore and more recently Mercenary
Species: Vampire
Sire: Ian
Quote: "There is only one way to fight, and that's dirty. Clean gentlemanly fighting will get you nowhere but dead, and fast. Take every cheap shot, every low blow, absolutely kick people when they're down, and maybe you'll be the one who walks away."

Name: Catherine Crawfield aka Cat
Affectinately known as... The Red Reaper
Books: The Night Huntress Series by Jeaniene Frost
Appearance: Red hair and grey eyes that when pissed turn vampire green, clear pale skin and a killer body
Species: Half Vampire, Half Human
Family: Her mother Justine Crawfield, her father she has no idea but when she finds him, she is gonna kill him.
Quote: "I'm saying that I'm a moody, insecure, narrow-minded, jealous, borderline homicidal bitch, and I want you to promise me that you're okay with that, because it's who I am, and you're what I need."

Name: Baron Charles De Mortimer
Vampire Name: Spade
Book: Appears in the Night Huntress Series regularly but also has his own book: First Drop of Crimson (Night Huntress World #1)
Species: Vampire
Past: When they were human Spade, Ian and Bone's were all sent in the same convict ship to Australia.
Apperance: Inky black shoulder length hair, dark amber eyes and the pale perfect skin of a vampire.
Quote: "I wanted you to watch, so I stomped around the room to wake you before I got in the shower. Didn't you wonder why the light was on? It wasn't for me, I can see in the dark. And then I kept the water cold so the glass wouldn't fog."

Name: Denise MacGregor
Book: Appears in the Night Huntress Series but also has her own book: First Drop of Crimson (Night Huntress World #1)
Appearance: Hazel eyes and mahognany hair with a roses and cream complexion
Species: Human
Friends & Family: Became best friends with Cat after Cat saved her from a vampire attack, and she was married but her husband was viciously attaked and killed by zombies.
Quote: "A vibrator can last all night too Vampire!"

Name: Mencheres
Book: Apears in the Night Huntress Series frequently but has his own book: Eternal Kiss of Darkness (Night Huntress World #2)
Appearance: SEXY!!! Egyptian looking with golden skin and long black hair and coal coloured eyes he appears like he is in his mid 20's
Species: Vampire, one of the oldest
Classic Quote: "The shit’s gonna splatter, start buggin’, yo,"
Quote: Dead or not, you must be bored with women telling you how you look like the hottest, most exotic wet dream they’ve ever had. No wonder the thought of you, grapes, and some scented massage oils crossed my mind – and if you drop that towel again, I’m going to need a cold shower."

Name Kira Graceling
Book: Eternal Kiss of Darkness (Night Huntress World #2)
Appearance: Pale green eyes, curly shoulder length hair which is golden at the tips, slender body.
Profession: She is a Private Investigator, but she wanted to be a cop.
Species: Human, one of the rare humans that Vampires cannot read or control their mind.
Family: She has a sister called Tina who is terminally ill and a brother.
Quote: "First bubble baths. Now Disney parks. You're shattering every creep vampire myth I've ever heard."

Name: Vlad
Also known as...Dracula!
Appearance: Brown hair, and has a goate cooppery green eyes. Not exactly handsome but intriguing.
Books: He is the Night Huntress series BUT he is also getting his own series, the first book is Once Burned and is due out March 2012
Species: Vampire
Special Powers: He is a pyrokinetic, he can cast and control fire.
Quote: "You arrogant, overpublicized, showy old bat, what are you waiting for? Aren't you the king of all bogeymen? The legend children fear will devour them if they misbehave? Come on Vlad, live up to your reputation! If you can't burn to death one Egyptian vampire chained to a wall how did you ever drive the Turks from Romania?"
"Premature inflammation,” he replied. “Happens sometimes. Very embarrassing. I don’t like to talk about it."

Name: Ian
Appearance: Pale skin vampire skin, chestnut hair and turquoise eyes
Species: Vampire
Sire: Mencheres
Books: Ian is in the Night Huntress series from One Foot in the Grave (Night Huntress #2) but is mentioned from the first book
Quote: Ian laughed. “Charles, mate, you fret too much. I’m a grown man, I am, and I can blood my handle.”
"Handle your blood?” Bones offered dryly.
Ian grinned. “Exactly."
"Before you go, mate, turn on the telly. Something raunchy, too. Think I’ll rub one off before I sleep."

Name: Tate Bradley
Appearence: Buzz cut brown hair and navy blue eyes, in his late twenties.
Books: He appears in all the Night Huntress Series book, we are hoping he gets a book of his own!
Species: Human
Profession: He works for the Military on a top secret project on Vampires, Cat is now his commander and they try and protect humans from naughty vampires.
Secret Crush: Okay it isn't so secret, but Cat

Name: Justine Crawfield
Books: Justine is in all the Night Huntress books
Species: Human
Family: Justine is Cat's mother and is Justine's only child.
Pet Hates: She HATES with a burning and fiery passion all vampires; including Bones.

Are you a fan? Show Your Love!

We know a lot of you are fans of the Night Huntress series and what better way to show your support then telling the world who you love!?!?  Just take one of these buttons by copying the code in the box below the button you want. The link will bring people back to this exact page so they can read all about this wonderful series.

<a href="http://underthecoversbookblog.blogspot.com/2011/10/reading-on-dark-side-night-huntress.html"><img src="http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h367/utcgraphics/buttons/bones-button.jpg" border="0" /></a>	<a href="http://underthecoversbookblog.blogspot.com/2011/10/reading-on-dark-side-night-huntress.html"><img src="http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h367/utcgraphics/buttons/spade-button.jpg" border="0" /></a>	<a href="http://underthecoversbookblog.blogspot.com/2011/10/reading-on-dark-side-night-huntress.html"><img src="http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h367/utcgraphics/buttons/mencheres-button.jpg" border="0" /></a>
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<a href="http://underthecoversbookblog.blogspot.com/2011/10/reading-on-dark-side-night-huntress.html"><img src="http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h367/utcgraphics/buttons/kitten-button.jpg" border="0" /></a>	<a href="http://underthecoversbookblog.blogspot.com/2011/10/reading-on-dark-side-night-huntress.html"><img src="http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h367/utcgraphics/buttons/cat-button.jpg" border="0" /></a>	<a href="http://underthecoversbookblog.blogspot.com/2011/10/reading-on-dark-side-night-huntress.html"><img src="http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h367/utcgraphics/buttons/vlad-button.jpg" border="0" /></a>

 

Jeaniene Frost is graciously giving away any book from her backlist, winner's choice! IT'S SIGNED!  So if you want to win one of her books, all you have to do is:

1. Be a follower

2. Fill out the form below

This giveaway is international. 

Winner will be chosen via random.org

Good luck!  Contest is open until October 31!

Review: One Grave At A Time by Jeaniene Frost

One Grave At A Time (Night Huntress #6)

by Jeaniene Frost

Urban Fantasy

Here at Under the Covers we love the Night Huntress series, between the three of us all the guys in this series have been taken and hidden away in our harems to be boinked brainless at our leisure…*trails off into a day dream involving silk ties, whipped cream and big... fangs* Anyway you can see we were really looking forward to this book; however, we are mutually of the opinion that this isn’t one of the best books in the series so far.

Cat’s got her hands full in this one. As the Red Reaper, she’s been on death’s door plenty of times. But when she receives a plea for help from a ghost who is seeking to kill another ghost she faces one of her biggest challenges, how can you kill something that’s already dead? But vengeance must be served and Cat is more than willing to dish it out. Kramer is a sick-minded ghost who has the ability to become flesh and bone on All Hallows Eve so that he can torment and rape women before he then burns them at the stake, believing all women to be either whores or witches.

We felt that one of the main reasons this book wasn’t as good as the other was that it felt like a novella that had been stretched as much as possible to try and reach a full length novel. There seemed to be tracts of time where not much seemed to be happening; the beginning felt lacklustre with little action and the plot slowly plodding along. It did pick up towards the end and there was a really good action scene towards the end, but then it ended really abruptly leaving us turning the pages looking for more.

Mencheres and Vlad also weren't present in this book, which was a little disappointing we look forward to seeing them almost as much as Cat and Bones, they have become crucial members of the Night Huntress gang. However, we did have Spade, Denise and Ian in this, so we saw a different set of the gang. And Ian! Can’t wait for his book, love his character’ watching him wind up Cat and Justina were some the funniest bits in the book.

Now, finally, Cat and Bones, they are a solid couple now so all the drama that we saw in the first books in this series has gone, so instead of this we get to see the deepening of their relationship instead, which was all "aww" but it isn't as exciting as when they first got together. And is there a Chapter 32 3.0 ‘fraid not but there is a nice scene that gets the heart racing but it is more heart then heat. But it is these moments where you see the deep bond between Cat and Bones and are torn between murderous jealousy towards Cat and feeling happy for her.

Overall, this book was still a solid instalment to the ever-growing series. And we are anxious to read the next one!

Favourite Quote: Ian, ever tactful, had another form of hello.
“Christ, Reaper, with your bald head and all that soot, you look like a mannequin someone attacked with a blowtorch.”
“Ian, if I weren’t holding this sod, you’d be on the ground right now,” Bones gritted out.
“I’m not holding anyone,” Spade said, and whacked Ian hard enough to make him stagger.

Waiting on Wednesdays

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.  The pre-publication release we are eagerly anticipating this week is:

 One Grave at a Time

by Jeaniene Frost

(Night Huntress # 6)

Release Date: August 30th

How do you send a killer to the grave when he’s already dead?
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 one wrong step and they’ll be digging their own graves.

For the first three chapters of the book, click here.

Hey guys, it's Annie here! This week on WoW I'm looking forward to the next installment in the Night Huntress series. I'm currently reading the fourth book of the series, Destined for an Early Grave right now and loving it! Suzanne is also another big fan of this series, so we'll probably be doing a buddy read when this comes out! What book are you looking forward to reading?

Review: This Side of the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

I was so excited to get this book, and start reading it as soon as it came out! I've been on Cat & Bones withdrawals because the 4th book in the series was a bit mehh, and then we got 2 books in the Night Huntress World spin-off, and I was not so happy with Spade's, and I did liked Mencheres.

But here we are back with Cat & Bones.... Ahhhh... Opening scene... LOVED IT! I wouldn't mind having him shackled to a cave wall! After that though it started going really slow for me.

The story was ok enough, but it wasn't GREAT. I had really high expectations for this book, and didn't feel like it met them 100%, even though it was a good book (I did rate it 4 stars!) I mainly feel like Cat lost some of her spark and spunk from the beginning of the series, and she didn't feel like she was as confident.  Where's the bad ass Reaper? And although she was funny at times, sometimes she got a little on my nerves. And that's not good since we're getting the story from her POV.

Bones was amazing in this book however! OMG! I'm in love with him, he can do no wrong! His connection to Cat felt rekindled in this book where it was a bit lacking in the last NH book. And yeah, of course, that brings up the elephant in the room... Chapter 21!!!! I knew before hand from reading other reviews to watch out for that chapter, so I paid extra attention (I might've read it twice)  It was HOT, YOWZA, INTENSE and did I mention REALLY HOT? It has been compared to Chapter 32 of One Foot in the Grave, and I'll agree it gives it a run for the money. It all depends on your preferences. I actually went back and re-read Chapter 32 after finishing this book to be able to compare with a fresh image (for research purposes only, I keep telling myself that). There's a lot of biting involved in both, except OFITG was Bones doing the biting, in TSOTG was Cat. But biting aside, I think this book gives us a little bit more intense view of what else they were doing aside from all the biting ;) And I loved seeing Bones lose control! Enough said!

One of my favorite lines in the book is from Bones, when he tells Timmy to ask what he wants about vampires but then he says "If you ask me if I sparkle I'll kill you" LMAO!

Vlad... where do I start... He's the best! He had the best lines in the book ("Premature inflammation! Very embarrassing, I don't like to talk about it!" Come on! I was ROTFLMAO) There was plenty of him in this book and I still want more!

Mencheres... two things.... 1 - Him having sex with Kira while Bones and Cat where waiting to see and could hear him... LOL 2 - The shorts and t-shirt at the airport?!?!? That I would have to see!

Ian... Not enough of him in this one. I would love to see his character developed a bit more, I know he has to mature before he can get his own book but he has so much potential. And I couldn't believe his comment about Veritas... I always picture her as a kid! Even though she's old as dirt.

The twist at the end.... I could've used at least one more page after the last word!!!! WHAT?!?!?!?!? I'm dying to read the next book and see what the hell happened there!!!!!