Up From the Grave by Jeaniene Frost Narrator: Tavia Gilbert
Series: Night Huntress #11
Published by HarperAudio on January 28, 2014
Genres: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy
Length: 8 hours, 41 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Purchased
Amazon,Ā Audible,Ā Libro.fm,Ā Barnes & Noble,Ā Apple
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....
I did a complete revisit of this Night Huntress series (along with Spade’s and Mencheres’ stories, I plan to revisit Vlad and Ian, but haven’t done so at the time I’m writing this). I love this world and the characters the Frost created here. They are all such fun. The entire story arc of this series has been fun too. Which makes this book very bittersweet, even the second time through. Even though I know I will still get to see these characters in future books set in this world, I know that I will not have Cat and Bones as the primary anymore. I also miss this great story arcĀ we’ve been following for seven or nine or eleven (depending on how you count the books and if you include any of the spin off stories). For me, I’m at nine, since I didn’t include Vlad in my revisit yet.
The last book in a series is always hard. You know this is the last hoorah and you want everything to end perfectly and exactly the way you want it. However, every person has a different ending in mind, so the author cannot please everyone. I’m sure it is harder on them than for us, as readers. Most of the time, authors also like to fit all the characters from the series for just a little bit of page time before walking away from them. And as readers, at least for me, I love to do the same. And Frost does exactly that with this book. We get time with everybody and even get to meet a new person which changes everything.
I will say my biggest disappointment in this book is that after all of this time, Cat and Bones still have trust issues between the two of them. I feel like so many of their issues would be resolved with basic communication (isn’t that always the truth, and yet, still so hard to do at times). I just feel like they are both so bad about hiding things from each other to protect them, but then also overreacting when they misread something. I feel like they should question each other if they think something seems wrong. But then, I guess that would remove a lot of the story, so I also get it.Ā
Personally, I had a great time with the entire series and felt this book wrapped up the Cat and Bones story really well. It is a fast paced story with a lot going on, and also in the introduction of that new character. I’m glad that Frost has continued writing in this world. I love that we got Vlad and Ian’s stories. I’m hoping we will get to see a few more (Marie Laveau is number one on my wishlist. I also wouldn’t be sad to read about Tate, Dave, Juan, Cooper or Annette).
Favorite quote that kinda sums up the book for me. I also love how it shows that Ian hides his smarts behind his lecherously.Ā
Then the person I least expected to take my side strolled into the kitchen, wearing nothing but a bed sheet wrapped around his hips.
“Why do you bother, Crispin? You married a fighter, so stop trying to convince her that the sidelines suit her better.”
“The day you love anyone but yourself is the day I’ll take your marital advice, Ian,” Bones bit back in an icy tone.
“Then today is that day,” Ian replied sharply, “for I love you, you wretched, pig-headed guttersnipe. I also love that arrogant, overprivileged dandy smirking at us”āa wave indicted Spade, whose aforementioned smirk vanishedā”as well as the emotionally fractured, malfunctioning psychic who sired me. And you, Crispin, love a bloodthirsty hellion who’s probably killed more people in her thirty years than I have in over two centuries of living, so again I say, don’t bother trying to convince her that she isn’t who she is.”
Narration:
I’ve been a huge fan of Tavia Gilbert’s narration of this series from the beginning. For one, I think she’s a wonderful performer, as I’ve listened to her read several different stories outside of the Night Huntress world. But I also feel she picked wonderful voices for each of the characters. I think Bones’s voice suits him to a tee. I think his cockney accent suits how he grew up in an 18th century British brothel, where Ian and Spade’s voices are a much more cultured British accent. People tend to either love or hate his accent. Personally, I’m a huge fan. (as a matter of fact, I tried The Other Half of the Grave and struggled with the new narrator. I will admit that I didn’t give him much of a chance and will give it a try again). I also feel like Gilbert does an amazing job with the amount of snark in this series. If you’ve never tried any of her audiobooks, you’re really missing out and I highly recommend giving her a try. And if you’re a fan of this series, I recommend Angie Fox’s Demon Slayer series.Ā
Listen to a clip:Ā HERE
Games:
Who said (enter the answer in the Rafflecopter, don’t put in the comments)
Who saidĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āOf course. Who else could cause such trouble?”
There are other options in the rafflecopter for you to enter discussion questions and quotes to share.
The quote forĀ Who said āāWhatever she might have been worth to him alive, she’s less dangerous to us dead”. ā in Twice Tempted is Cynthiana.
The villain was Szilagyi and Cynthiana.
Share your review/ thoughts onĀ Ā Up from the Grave:
I thought it might be fun to link up reviews so we can find them all easily.Ā It can be a link to Goodreads or a blog, or wherever you have a review (short or long).
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If this widget does not appear, click here to display it.
Quotes you readers shared fromĀ Twice Tempted:
“You should be afraid, very afraid. Before, I told you if you wanted to end things between us, I would let you go, but, Leila” – his voice deepened – “I lied. “
“What’s Wrong?” I repeated, days of pent up grief and stress making my voice shrill. “You slapped smoldering body parts onto me without even a warning, that’s what’s wrong!”
“What happened to the steering wheel?”
“It was in my way when you needed help.”
“I didn’t expect you to be happy but I didn’t think you’d get homicidal. ā
“I left my phone in the car while I found someone to eat”
“Vlad’s smile held a hint of savageness. “Love is a terrible weakness. It gives your enemies a perfect target, clouds your judgement, makes you reckless… and that’s on a good dayā
“I don’t blame you for being upset, Dad. If my daughter told me she was marrying the undead Prince of Darkness, I’d flip out, too. You don’t have to like it or approve, but you can’t stop me, and I hope…” I swallowed to relieve the lump that suddenly shot into my throat.” I hope you’ll be at my wedding.”
“You’re using sex as blackmail?”
“I lost my concern for social niceties when you shot my friend up with liquid silver,” I replied in an even tone.ā
“They call you Vlad the Impaler, not Vlad the emasculated. “
COYER FB Chat – Sunday October 9
Challenge is adopting our Read-along.Ā You can read about COYER and join that challenge Ā HERE. Ā On the Sunday after the review posts, they will host a FB room (like we do for COYER book club) at 12 PT, 2 CT, 3 ET and 9pm Europe, for a one hour chat.Ā You do not have to join the COYER challenge to participate, only the Facebook group.
If you canāt attend, there is also a Facebook messenger chat which has been fun and active, set up following the live chat.
Here’s your to-do list:
- Find your copies of these books, borrow them from a friend, get them at the library or buy them.
- Read Book 12, Bound by Flames, by November 4th.
- Make note of a favorite quote or two as you read the book.
- If you haven’t read the books before, make a list of questions you have for the discussion. If you have read them, please don’t spoil new readers.
- Link up your review on Goodreads, FB or other site to the post.
- Join the COYER book chat on the Sunday following the post.
- Enter the giveaways!
Schedule:Ā Ā
We are doing one book every 3-4 weeks, posting on Fridays. We will have a review for the books with the team here at Books of My Heart plus some of our friends.Ā We are following the author recommended reading order.
Oct 7:Ā Ā Ā Up from the GraveĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā –Ā Melanie
Nov 4:Ā Ā Ā Bound by FlamesĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā –Ā Sophia
Dec 2:Ā Ā Into the FireĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā – Berls @ Because Reading
Q & A with Jeaniene Frost
Miss a post?
Jan 14:Ā Ā Halfway to the GraveĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā – Melissa @ Tea & Books
Feb 11:Ā Ā One Foot in the GraveĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā –Ā Victoria @ First of All
Mar 11:Ā Ā At Grave’s EndĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā –Ā Kimberly @Caffeinated Reviewer
AprĀ 1:Ā Ā Ā Destined for an Early GraveĀ Ā –Ā Stephanie @ Once Upon a ChapterĀ Ā
Apr 29:Ā Ā First Drop of CrimsonĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā – Kai @ Fiction State of Mind
May 20:Ā Eternal Kiss of DarknessĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā – Jen @ That’s What I’m Talkin About
Jun 10:Ā Ā This Side of the GraveĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā – Brandee @Unconventional Bookworms
Jul 8:Ā Ā Ā Ā One Grave at a TimeĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā –Ā LornaĀ
Aug 5:Ā Ā Ā Once BurnedĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā –Ā Lexxie @Unconventional Bookworms
Sep 9:Ā Ā Ā Twice TemptedĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā –Ā Angela @ Angel’s Guilty Pleasures
Jeaniene Frost has also been kind enough to commit to a Q & A post of 3-5 questions.Ā I will post her answers in the December 2 post.
Bonus round – Read a Series in a MonthĀ January 2023:
Jan 8:Ā Ā Shades of WickedĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā –Ā Carole @ Carol’s Random Life in Books
Jan 22:Ā Ā Wicked BiteĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā –Ā Robin
Feb 5:Ā Ā Ā Ā Wicked All NightĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā –Ā Ā Anne
These are Sunday posts.Ā Ā Ā There will be one COYER FB Chat at the end of the series on Feb 5th.
Be sure to enter the giveaways!!!
Giveaway:
For a US winner, this will be one digital copies ( your choice of her books) generously provided by Jeaniene FrostĀ (US only) but they can be from Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Kobo.
For an Intl winner,Ā it will be a print copy of Shades of WickedĀ from Book Depository.
Grand-Prize Giveaway:
For a US winner, this will be 12 digital copies ( your choice of her books) generously provided by Jeaniene FrostĀ (US only) but they can be from Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Kobo.
For an Intl winner,Ā it will be $50 at Book Depository.
About Tavia Gilbert
Tavia Gilbert (SAG-AFTRA) is an award-winning narrator with more than 150 audiobooks under her belt. Contemporary and literary fiction, biography and memoir, fantasy, romance, childrenās literature, science, religionā¦Taviaās range of genres is a direct result of her intuitive interpretation, clever diction and pacing, and sensitivity to each authorās or publisherās needs.
Classically trained in voice and theater, Tavia attended the University of Washington and earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Original Works in Acting from Cornish College of the Arts. She has been singing in choirs since she was 12 years old and has been working full time as a voice actor since 2006.
Tavia is also a producer with nine years experience. After moving to Portland, Maine in 2001, she studied audio documentary production at the Salt Institute. With 11 years of paralegal experience, Tavia has a clear understanding and appreciation for the business side of her world, including contractual language and legal strategy. Her creative eye, vivid personality, and experience and contacts help her cast the highest caliber of artists, including actors, musicians, videographers, and other talent. Her clients hire her again and again, recognizing her exceptional work and the advantage they have in someone with both a creative and business mind.
About Jeaniene Frost
Jeaniene Frost is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of paranormal romance and urban fantasy. Her works include the Night Huntress series, the Night Prince series, the Broken Destiny series, and the new Night Rebel series. Jeanieneās novels have also appeared on the Publishers Weekly, Wall Street Journal, ABA Indiebound, and international bestseller lists. Foreign rights for Jeanieneās novels have sold to twenty different countries.
Jeaniene lives in Maryland with her husband Matthew, who long ago accepted that she rarely cooks and always sleeps in on the weekends. In addition to being a writer, Jeaniene also enjoys reading, writing, poetry, watching movies, exploring old cemeteries, spelunking and traveling ā by car. Airplanes, children, and cook books frighten her.
About Melanie at Books of My Heart & Hot Listens
Iām Melanie, and I like to live vicariously through fictional characters. I enjoy reading and listening to mostly fictional books in the paranormal genre, including Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance and Horror. I will read contemporary romance on occasion, but not often. I will occasionally throw in a biography, usually autobiographies of people that I find interesting. Listening to autobiographies that are narrated by the author have been great in my experience.
I started listening to audiobooks when a new book in a series was coming out and I wanted to get a refresher, but didnāt have time to read all the books (I think it was Anita Blake). I fell in love. I stayed with strictly re-reading books that Iād already read for a long time. I eventually tried an audiobook for something that I hadnāt read first and was hooked there too. Now, I listen to audio for both re-reads and first time. I have some series that Iāve given up reading and only listen. I try to get any many books/audiobooks from the library to help save on my budget. Books on CD and the newer digital downloads from the library really allow me to listen more. I then purchase my favorites (because who can wait in line for your favorite book??) and less mainstream books from Audible or some other online retailer.
I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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- š§ Pay Dirt by Sara Paretsky @SaraParetsky #SusanEriksen @WmMorrowBooks @HarperAudio ā#LoveAudiobooks - April 16, 2024
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- Series on Saturday: Texas Edition @ilona_andrews @atticalocke @kidell @donna_grant #MaryBurton #CarolynBrown #SeriesOnSaturday - April 13, 2024
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 22-COYER
I remember putting off reading this because I hated seeing the series come to an end. But I really enjoyed it and was satisfied where it landed.
Exactly Jonetta! I owned the book but did not read until 10/1/22! I couldn’t bear for it to end. Now after something like 10 years I am finally finishing reading this series. I thought this was a great read. Thanks for sharing your review!
Up from the Grave was a great book and brought the series to a satisfying end, it had a lot going on and had quite a few surprising twists!
There were a lot of surprises. Thank you for joining and participating so much in the Read-along Eva.
This book was soooo action packed! I poved reading it but also sad because I didn’t want the series to end š
loved*
yes I certainly waited a long time after buying them at the release because I didn’t want it to end. I waited until this month roughly 8 years! I loved the action here, other than the endless Don questioning at the beginning. Denise was the kickass star!
I love this series so much! I completely agree that Tavia Gilbert does a great job with all of the character voices.
Thanks for joining us here. We are loving the series too. I’m enjoying finishing it. I hadn’t read this book or the Vlad or Ian ones so it’s great to be finishing. Our chat group is about 50/50 on whether they like Tavia Gilbert narration. on these.
Up From the Grave is bittersweet. I hate that the series had to end but this current arc felt like it was at an end. Lots of surprises though! I’m so glad Jeaniene is writing the series from Bones’ POV! And we also get mini arcs with other characters in the series. I’d love to find out what Tate and the guys are up to!
It was hard to finally read this and know the completion. But I was excited to read it. I hope someday she might do a novella with more futures of various characters. I have yet to read the last 2 Vlad books and the Ian books so I hope I will learn some things there also.
Awww I hate saying goodbye to a good series D:
I found it difficult but am continuing on with Vlad and Ian spin-offs now.
I loved it, but it is sad to see the end of the series.
Well said. It is hard to let favorites go. That’s one reason I do the Read-alongs to revisit them.