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Blood and Moonlight #2

Better Off Undead

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Detective Jane Hart is just getting used to paranormal life in New Orleans. Monsters are real, and she’s the lucky cop who has to deal with them on a daily basis. Werewolves, vampires, witches, and demons—she has to face them all and keep their paranormal madness in check.

When a killer targets human men—and leaves their bodies scattered in local cemeteries–Jane suspects she may be looking at the crimes of a werewolf gone rogue. In order to hunt down the beast, Jane once again teams up with her werewolf lover, alpha Aidan Locke. But Aidan has been keeping secrets from Jane, dark secrets that will destroy her world.

Because Jane isn’t the hunter on her latest investigation. She’s the prey. And when a vampire attack leaves her helpless, the woman that Jane was before will vanish. She’ll become the one thing she fears most and Aidan…

Her fierce lover may have to become her executioner.

347 pages, Paperback

First published January 12, 2016

129 people are currently reading
771 people want to read

About the author

Cynthia Eden

310 books6,802 followers
Award-winning author Cynthia Eden writes sexy tales of contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and paranormal romance. She is a New York Times, USA Today, Digital Book World, and IndieReader best-seller. Since she began writing full-time in 2005, Cynthia has written over one hundred novels and novellas.


Cynthia lives along the Alabama Gulf Coast. She loves romance novels, horror movies, and chocolate. Her favorite hobbies including hiking in the mountains (searching for waterfalls) and spelunking.

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5 stars
469 (38%)
4 stars
471 (38%)
3 stars
233 (19%)
2 stars
37 (3%)
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8 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
Profile Image for Maya.
858 reviews498 followers
February 5, 2016
4,5 STARS

When I finished the first book and saw that the second one is already out, I was like this

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And, boy, Cynthia Eden did not disappoint!!! I loved the first one but this story, dare I say, is even better! YES! There is more action, more romance, more heartbreaking moments and simply said just more of everything! I freaking loved it!!!

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Now, the blurb is already saying a lot plotwise but what actually happens just blew my mind. This story is full of twists that keep your attention throughout the whole book. There was even a time, when I thought 'Oh no, this cannot be happening but IT IS!'. I loved seeing the dynamic relationship Jane and Aidan have build up, they are a great team and couple. Both would do just about everything for each other and in their line of work, that means a heck of a lot, since you never know who might be out to end your life. And believe me, there are many who would love to see them dead...

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What surprised me the most are the new characters. Apart from the delusional killer and Jane's insane brother, I quite liked the rest of them. Their personalities make for a even better story. And those, who you might think were the worst, turned out to be the best. ;)
I can't wait to read the final third book. I'm sure it will be amazing, just like this one.

They’d done it. They’d survived the storm. Survived the hell that came for them.

Safety-gang: Safe.
Profile Image for Claire.
2,324 reviews738 followers
June 22, 2016
4 - A new dead body, a new night... Stars!

I really enjoyed Better Off Undead, being book two in the Blood and Moonlight trilogy, you definitely need to read its predecessor, as questions from the first book are answered in this one, as well as new ones posed, which I expect to be answered in the final book.



Jane and Aidan are trying to come to terms with their new normal, being the lead police Officer on all crimes of a paranormal nature Jane is still coming into contact with some pretty sketchy characters, Aidan as you would expect is being all wolfy Alpha about it and is trying to keep her safe without her knowing it.

"… your fangs are showing."
"The better to bite you with, my dear."


I like these two together as a couple though, Jane although only human and therefore of the more fragile in constitution is not afraid to get right in with the bad guys whatever the risks to herself, and Aidan with all of his over-protective brusqueness is happy to jump right in beside her, although he is not so happy that she’s managed to get herself in the situation to begin with.

"When you say sweet shit it makes me want to jump your bones…"

New threats against Jane are looming though, and as is usual with Cyntiha’s books, everything is revealed at a steady pace around some pretty stellar banter, sexy-times and the general flow of the story.

"Some bonds are stronger than pack. Time for everyone to start realizing that."

As I said a lot of questions from the first book are answered in this one, but with everything that occurs as the story progresses in Better Off Undead, as well as a whole new bunch of revelations around Jane, her family and the paranormal scene in New Orleans in general, Bitter Blood is sure to be an action-packed finale.

It’s not over. Not yet…



Profile Image for Kelli C .
1,053 reviews362 followers
November 24, 2016
4.5 Stars!

Getting better and better. Mary Jane and Aidan...werewolf and vamp...or some strange mix? This story is awesome!!! Cannot wait for the new battle to begin!
Profile Image for  Leo (Queen of the Rants and Spoilers).
1,147 reviews92 followers
December 14, 2017
4.5 stars.

I'm still loving this series.
The heroine still badass and kick ass. Loved, loved her.
I liked the hero in book 1 but this time around I fell in love with him, he was an amazing hero, protective and possessive just how I like my heroes.

“She was the one person in the world who made him completely happy. She fucking completed him”

“You look like heaven,” he said. “My own angel.”

“I love you, Mary Jane.” The words were deep and strong and they made her feel warm inside. “Know this…I will fight anything, anyone in order to keep you alive and with me. I don’t want to lose you.”


“You are Mary Jane Hart. The woman I love. Always. The most beautiful person I have ever seen”


Doesn't he sound amazing?

~Safe.
~No OW drama.

Profile Image for Lynsey A.
1,970 reviews
December 17, 2018
Definitely enjoyed this one better than the first in the series. This book continues the story of Jane and Aidan. Aidan is desperate to keep Jane safe so he is still over protective of her. But of course, things happen that causes Jane's violent death and she wakes up to be the vampire that Aidan is destined to end...or is she?

This is a good series (if you can get past some of Jane's abrasive behavior from the first book. I didn't dislike it but she wasn't my favorite heroine) and I loved how it all ended. There is one more book after this one where so many things come to a head.

Definitely recommend this series! The overall angst increased in this second book. Some very heart-wrenching moments!

Quotes & Faves:

Just as he would fight anyone or anything who ever came between him and the woman he needed more than he needed air to breathe.

“Jane.” Aidan began to rock her in his arms. Tears slid down his face. Paris had never seen the alpha cry before that moment. “Don’t leave me. I don’t…I don’t want to be without you. Please, Jane, please…”

“I love you, Mary Jane,” Aidan whispered. “You are my world. The person who always makes me smile. You bring me so much happiness…why, Jane, why? Why did you take that fucking bullet?”



Profile Image for Trish R..
1,772 reviews58 followers
April 9, 2017
Wow! Great read..

This one was so much better than the first. All the other characters were so afraid for Jane to die because they didn’t want her to come back as a vampire and Aidan have to kill her. And, there was Jane, always taking chances with her life in order to keep everyone safe. And, wow, Aidan’s love for Jane was just incredible. Then all the excitement that went on when Jane did die. Whew, couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. There was so much going on when that happened. Enough that Aidan didn’t have time to lose his mind over the loss of Jane. And now, I can’t wait to read Bitter Blood to see what happens to Aidan and Jane.

Then there was the other alpha that showed up in town and started killing, and then Vincent who came to town for Jane’s transition, and the voodoo queen, Annette, who was just awesome, and Paris, Aidan’s second, that was crazy for Annette, and Dr. B, the medical examiner who worked with the paranormals and was Jane’s friend, and Vivian, the police captain, and goofy Garrison, the werewolf who was always looking out for Aidan and Jane, even though he shot Jane in the last book. Garrison was pretty funny and immature.

There is explicit sex in this book, but not erotic. And the F-bomb was used exactly 100 times. So, if you have a problem with that word don’t buy this book.

As to the narration: Perfect! Sophie Eastlake does everything just right, most of the time. In this one she was terrific, the voices and emotions were awesome.
Profile Image for LIA  Kh. .
329 reviews38 followers
July 15, 2017
I'll write a better opinions for this second installment after I finished the third installment (my mind currently wander to the book 3). done edited it.

I just realize that Cynthia Eden always start with a slow pace. quite annoying and boring. but what make it worth is because after the climax the plot will twist, gone wild, unpredictable, and feel like all hell broke loose.

I still feel something missing in the characters! I can't bonded with the characters. but this second book really have a good plot twist. love it!

"I don't know how much time I have, but you know what? no one does. we all go through life, doing the best that we can. we wake up each day and never know --- will this be it? is this the day it ends? we don't think like that, though, we don't think constantly about the end because we can't."

you see how human fight each other now ---- because of different beliefs, different races, different religions.

Death came. no matter how hard you fought to avoid it.
Profile Image for Abby .
239 reviews50 followers
January 13, 2016
Squeeee!!!! I can't even begin to explain how much I loved this book! The romance, the drama,the mystery,the shockers. . it had it all! I can't wait for the next one but its too bad it's only a trilogy and not a whole series like Jeaniene Frost's Night huntress ...
Profile Image for Annette Dahl "Old Vicarious Reader".
686 reviews25 followers
April 6, 2017

An awesome continuation of this paranormal action packed story. I highly recommend you reading book 1 first. You'll be missing to much great stuff if you don't. And, book 2 was equally as good as book 1.

Even though with this story I got my happily ever after, I just can't say "The End". Now onto book 3 with the audio... Excellent read!
Profile Image for Jennifer.
2,905 reviews6 followers
December 19, 2017
Let's start with what I liked:
1) The multiple povs.
2) A safe story with no OP drama.

Per my GR friends, this book is much better than the first, so I had high expectations going into it. It probably would have been better if I'd just gone into it blind, but as it was, I was disappointed. It was still a safe story with no OP drama, but that wasn't enough to keep me engaged. I was still left with the same impression I had upon finishing the first book of the series. Everything just felt underdeveloped. The relationship between the MCs still felt superficial and the plot was rushed and skimmed along without the h really understanding anything better. The angst of "I'm destined to kill you" was dragged out until almost the end of the book.

I tried, but this is going under the not-finishing-this-series shelf. Hard to believe I know, what with my reading OCD and all. And if the third book were available at my local lending library, I might read it just to find out what happened to everyone in the end. Because, like I said, OCD. But there's no way I'm paying for a book that'll probably underwhelm me. I'm sure this author's books have a high entertainment factor for many. Unfortunately, that number doesn't include me.

Profile Image for Beth.
844 reviews75 followers
May 28, 2016
Yay she didn't go the TSTL route. Moving on to the final book to see where the author is going with this.
Profile Image for Elizabeth Neal.
1,786 reviews146 followers
May 3, 2016
If you've read book one, Bite the Dust, then you know what's going on. If you haven't, I highly recommend you one-click that now, and read it first. As all three books in this trilogy focus on the same couple, Aidan and Jane, you'll need to read them in order for the sake of continuity and a full understanding of what's happening in their world.

"He and Jane weren't supposed to be together, but he'd fought his pack for her. Just as he would fight anyone or anything who ever came between him and the woman he needed more than he needed air to breathe." - Aidan

Jane is now officially the homicide detective that's always on call for certain cases, as in all paranormal cases. Aidan, Jane's boyfriend and the wolf pack alpha, is still just as protective of her. Which makes sense considering what we learned about Jane's true heritage in book one.

"I want her always." - Aidan

Keeping Jane as is, human, is their priority and they've got their hands full with that and another killer on the loose, not to mention someone that is very interested in Jane and what she could become. Someone is determined that Jane reaches her "full potential."

"In order to save the woman he loved, Aidan may have crossed a line-a line that would bring them all pain." - Annette, voodoo queen

But Jane's past, her possible future, are on a collision course and it's impacting her present. Can Aidan keep Jane safe as he's continually vowed to? Can Jane solve her current case without losing herself? Will Annette, the voodoo queen's, premonitions come to pass? Or can Aidan and Jane change the outcome? If Jane becomes more as her heritage and future have predicted, when the man still wants to love and protect her, how will the animal within Aidan react? Will it follow it's instinct to always get rid of its natural enemy, or will it feel differently towards its mate? Will they get their HEA?

"Yes, Jane, you are. You are...everything." - Aidan

One-click now and find out all this and more. This is book two of the trilogy and while I cannot wait to see how this plays out, I also admit I'm sad to know there's only one book left of this awesome couple. This story is yet another example of why Cynthia Eden is always an automatic read for me. I swear her books trigger a Pavlov-like response in me. "She's releasing a book? One-clicking that now." LOL

**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**
Profile Image for Sofia.
704 reviews102 followers
April 11, 2016
Freaking loved it! I can't wait for the next one! I'm in love with these two!

Better off undead is the second book in the Blood and Moonlight series and it continues Jane and Aidan’s story. I wouldn’t recommend reading this one without reading the first book!

This book picks up almost exactly where the previous left off. There are still secrets waiting to be unfold. While Jane and Aidan are trying to balance their relationship, their worlds collide. Jane has done a great job at keeping the supernatural in order but how good a job can you actually do when you’re a mortal fighting against supernatural creatures? Jane is about to discover that her mortality comes at a price and playing “hero” has consequences.

Better off undead was mind-blowing! I expected something like that to happen but OMG the author did an incredible job with them. Since I’m trying really hard not to give anything away, I’m just going to say that the second book in the series changes everything. I’m also loving the dynamics between Annette, the Voodoo Queen and Paris, Aidan’s second in command. There’s definitely something going on there and I hope it works out.

I really can’t wait to read Bitter Blood. I’m so into Jane and Aidan’s world and I’m not ready to let them go yet!

Posted on: http://sofialovesreading.blogspot.co....
Profile Image for Linda.
2,042 reviews64 followers
January 19, 2016
Jane and Aidan both know that their love can end in tragedy, with what Jane is, and what Aidan will have to do if she fulfills her destiny, but they´re both willing to risk it.
Aidan is determined that despite what Annette sees in her cards for Jane, he´ll protect her from all danger and they´ll have their life together. Shifter and Vampire-to-be.
But now someone is slashing people to death, and Jane has a case to investigate. Will Aidan be able to keep her safe, and can they stand united against what is coming?
PNR suspense, action and smutty fluff in an awesome combo, with twists and turns you won´t see coming.
Can´t wait for the third and final part in this series!
Disclaimer; I was given a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Anino .
1,069 reviews71 followers
March 22, 2016
This was super-freakin fantastic!

My only regret is that I will have to wait a few weeks until the last book in the trilogy (boo hiss!!)...

Other than that, I am well pleased with this smorgasborg of Urban Fantasy, Romance, and Mystery-Suspense. It was so good that I found myself actually talking back to the characters in the book..

Now that's what you call captivating fiction done right!


Giving this one: 5 humongous stars...


Profile Image for Speed.
994 reviews2 followers
January 31, 2018
A 5 star read!!! This is the continuing story of Aidan and his Mary Jane...in this story Jane knows that monsters are real and she is now in charge of all paranormal murders that happen in her city, along with her partner and lover Aidan Locke, alpha werewolf of his pack. Together they help solve the crimes that cannot be readily explain and prevent Jane from dying a horrible death that will change her from a vamp in waiting to an actual true vampire. Werewolves are unable to prevent themselves from killing vampires, it's coded in their DNA and they cannot help themselves, however Aidan loves his Jane and he will not allow her to die that horrible death and become the one thing that he would have to kill, or will he? Filled with nice surprises, suspense, action, blood (love the blood, Lol), I could not read it fast enough, stupid work kept interfering, Lol. This was an awesome ride and I cannot wait for the continuing story of Aidan and Jane. The secondary characters Garrison, Paris and Annette are absolutely great! I hope they get a story as well. Ms. Eden never disappoints! Loved IT!!!!!!
Profile Image for Karen.
1,424 reviews2 followers
July 17, 2017
Undead

In book one, Bite the Dust, New Orleans detective Mary Jane Hart met Aiden Locke, an alpha werewolf and the paranormal law for N.O. Now they know Jane is a "vampire in waiting", a rare born vampire. As an alpha werewolf, Aiden is programmed to kill vampires, but he refuses to believe he could ever harm Jane. He has even marked her as his. But as this book opens, the body of a young man is found, apparently mauled by a werewolf. And an ancient born vampire appears stating he has come for Jane. Aiden is determined to keep her safe, but the question remains. What will Aiden do if she dies a violent death and rises...as one of his enemies? While this second addition to the trilogy seems repetitive at times, it introduces the antagonist who will challenge Jane and Aiden at every turn, even when it's him just pulling the strings. The conclusion, Bitter Blood, is up next.
Profile Image for Mickey.
627 reviews48 followers
August 5, 2017
Pretty good

Not quite as fast-paced as the last book in this series,but it was still good. Fun catching up with old friends, but even more exciting being introduced to new ones. I also enjoyed how Ms. Eden introduces new concepts as well as those characters, ramping up the energy level of the novel....
Profile Image for Lacy.
292 reviews5 followers
August 19, 2018
Better than the first

I'm hurrying to write this because I can't wait to start the last book. This one was amazing, it had everything the first book did but I thought it was better. Everything changed and nothing will be the same. I can't wait to see if Paris and a certain voodoo priestess will have a book.
Profile Image for PepperP0t .
5,108 reviews86 followers
July 26, 2021
Big varied threats are relentless Detective Jane Hart and her werewolf lover Aiden Locke is going insane trying to keep her safe. A powerful vamp is trying to convince Jane to become a vampire, the voodoo priestess is predicting Jane’s violent death daily, a rogue alpha werewolf to go on a killing spree and Aiden’s been feeding Jane his blood.
Rating: 4stars
Profile Image for Heather.
3,364 reviews33 followers
August 27, 2022
3.5 stars

Enjoyable, but a little overly dramatic for my taste. Only one more to read in the trilogy so I'm off to finish the story.

A few more thoughts:
I like the cover.
The narrator is doing a decent job but shouldn't the Voodoo Queen of NOLA have a Cajun accent?

The entire trilogy was available on hoopla.
Profile Image for Jenna’s love of books.
27 reviews2 followers
August 24, 2017
I loved it. This book was just as well written as the first book, the plot was so good, I just wanted to race through the book to find out what happened, as quickly as I could..

Can't wait to find out how it all ends..
Profile Image for Nomims.
1,793 reviews12 followers
July 20, 2018
4 stars

It took me a while to read mostly because of the world cup (we wooon) and work (bleh) but i liked it even if Jane stuborness bothered me.
The last chapters were too rushed and a bit messy.
Now for the conclusion !
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