Reviews

Eternal Kiss of Darkness by Jeaniene Frost

rebeccareadsmut's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

7/12/2022 Finished second reread as an audiobook! I seriously love this series. They are all so good. Mencheres is still not my favorite vampire that Frost has written but what I do love about this and Spade's book is that they have Dual POV, when all the rest full length books don't. I love seeing inside the guy's head too.

He glanced away, almost chuckling at this unexpected absurdity from him. How many centuries had it been since he’d been caught ogling a woman’s breasts? A woman’s clothed breasts, no less. His co-ruler, Bones, would fracture a rib laughing if he knew.

I can't lie Mencheres has never been my favorite vampire of this series. I always read him as too powerful and old and serious to think of him as a future love interest for someone. This book definitely changed my mind!  I'm so glad that he got his own book.

“Mencheres—” “Don’t,” he whispered, resting a finger against her lips as he held her in an unbreakable grip. “Don’t tell me if you would prefer to stay in the grave, Kira, for no matter what you say—I am bringing you back.”

I thought Kira was perfect for him.  Strong and never questioning loyalty to Mencheres and her family.  With all of the huge events going on I think a person with less loyalty and devotion would have buckled under the pressure.  I also admired at the end that she saved herself too.  She didn't wait around to be rescued.

“Tell me again what your mentor’s credo was?” he asked, though he remembered her answer from before. “Save one life,” Kira said softly. Mencheres drew her into his arms. “You did,” he whispered before his mouth claimed hers. “You saved mine.”

I also loved that Vlad was in this book a lot!  I can't wait to get to Vlad's books.  After Bones I think Vlad is my favorite.  I can't wait until he gets his HEA.

“You want me to bite someone while on the Haunted Mansion ride?” she asked incredulously.

I loved the Disneyland stuff.  Cracked me up in an otherwise VERY serious and slightly depressing tone of the book. I think it was a good move to balance out the heartbreak.

Really my only complaint, and it's kind of nitpicking is the ending. It would have been nice to atleast have a small scene where Mencheres and Kira together again after all that happened.  When I realized that I had just finished the book I was like REALLY?!  lol  Makes me want to read the next Cat & Bones book again that comes after this again (even though I just read it) because you get to see them together again, happy.


“It’s fine, Mencheres. Though if you’d told me I was about to meet such a legendary vampire, I would have grabbed the nicer silk drapery to wear instead,” she replied, meeting Vlad’s coppery green gaze with an arched brow.

jla's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I'm glad Mencheres got a book finally. 

boatreads's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

Such a good read , loved it

chaari's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

Ich muss ganz ehrlich sagen. Ich liebe die Nighthuntress-Serie. Cat und Bones sind mein comfort-Read zu jeder Jahreszeit. Ich liebe, liebe, liebe diese Bücher einfach.
Rubinroter Schatten kommt chronologisch gesehen zwischen Der Sanfte Hauch der Finsternis und Dunkle Sehnsucht und sollte auch nicht unbedingt eigenständig gelesen werden, obwohl es streng genommen ein Stand-Alone ist. Zu viel geht sonst verloren meiner Meinung nach.

Ich hab mich eine ganze Weile um dieses Buch gedrückt, einfach weil ich absolut kein Mencheres-Fan war. Ich meine, er ist schon interessant, aber eben nicht... sexy? Er hatte irgendwie immer asexuelle Vibes wenn er in den anderen Büchern aufgetaucht ist und auch wenn er hin und wieder mal beschrieben wird als jemand der vom außen her um die 20 sein könnte, war er in meinem Kopf einfach steinalt, inklusive Falten und allem drum und dran.

Aber hallo, dieses Buch hat meine Wahrnehmung von ihm einmal um 180° gedreht. Ich fühle mich Mencheres jetzt tatsächlich viel näher und kann seine Handlungen, unter anderem auch aus den anderen Geschichten ein Stück weit besser nachvollziehen. Es war wahnsinnig interessant mehr über seine Geschichte zu erfahren, obwohl ich da nicht mal halb zufrieden bin. Es hätte für mich viel mehr erklärt werden können, aber Mencheres ist in meinem Kopf tatsächlich hot und steamy geworden. Who knew?

Kira hat ihm aber nochmal ordentlich die Show gestohlen. Ich bin ganz begeistert. Kira ist eine starke, intelligente Frau mit gut funktionierendem Moralischen Kompass. Kompromisslos, furchtlos, mit starkem Willen. Kira ist fast die perfekte Hauptperson. Mir hat fast so ein Charakterzug gefehlt, der nicht ganz so perfekt ist, einfach damit sie nahbarer wäre. Ich fand auch ihre ganzen Reaktionen nach der Wandlung leicht unglaubwürdig, ich weiß nicht, ob ich alles einfach so hingenommen hätte. Auch wenn sie keine andere Wahl gehabt hat. Ein bisschen mehr Struggle wäre glaubhafter gewesen.

Insgesamt ein tolles Buch aus der Welt von Cat und Bones. Ich hab mich auch besonders über die ganzen bekannten Gesichter gefreut, die uns hier begegnen. Ich komm mir ein bisschen blöd vor, dass ich es solange hab liegen lassen, denn es ist echt toll und ließ sich einfach in einem Aufwasch wegatmen.

cruzm1's review

Go to review page

3.0

3.75 stars

booksumed's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

Starting 2023 with a big fat reading slump wohuu why

smitch29's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

I really enjoyed this one. Loved the main characters and the plot was good. Plot could've been a bit more mysterious/surprising. But I was entertained. Much better than the one with Denise and Spade. I wish there were more stories centered on Mencheres and Kira.

EDIT: I just re-read this book, and can't say I loved it as much the second time around. I will drop it to a 4.5 for now, but perhaps next time I read it, I'll drop it all the way to 4 stars.

starknits13's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

Oh Mencares you silly old vampire

honey1382's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

Mencheres is my favorite because of his long history. This tells all of it.

chaoticsteph's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark mysterious
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0