Reviews
I started reading this in the hopes it was something like the Kate Daniels series, but with vampires. And even though I didn't hate it, the only thing I can say about it was that it was okay. Cat is a great character, a real badass, but her 'I hate vampires attitude is annoying', also the fact that she pretty much throws herself at Bones. (view spoiler)[I don't understand why book series that have more than three books, matches the two leading characters in the first book. It pretty much ruins the whole series for me. (hide spoiler)] I will continue on reading the series, maybe I'll enjoy the next book more, although I doubt it.
Liked everything up until the end. Didn't appear to got and I felt like they let things happen at the end that should not have happened. They easily took care of some of the same situations in the first half, but in the last half they just seemed to have given up on any training.
Cat is on a mission...to kill as many vampires as she can find. Cat is half vampire and half human, her father raped her mother and she was born. She didn't truly know about her special "gifts" until she was sixteen and her mother told her the truth about herself. One night on the vampire hunt, she becomes the hunted and being kidnapped by the most powerful vampire she has ever come across. They come to an agreement, he will train her to be a better vampire hunter and she will help him destroy other vampires, who he hunts as well. Bones is a seasoned vampire and has many abilities, he is currently a bounty hunter for his kind. When he comes across Cat, he knows she is unlike any human he has ever run across. Too sexy for her own good. When it becomes apparent that one fellow vampire is much harder to get, they know that they will have to work together to defeat him. Cat starts to question her own beliefs and standards, and Bones is the first person she has ever truly cared for with a desperation and he has shown her a road down desire and love, but will she be able to walk away when their mission is over or stand by his side?I have read this series before and just LOVED it! I have just found it to be sound thrilling and full of adventure, passion and danger. Cat and Bones are just classic characters-deeply woven in the story in such a way that takes your breath away. I love both of them. Cat is a bit insecure about who she is, but Bones is NOT! LOL He is fully aware of who he is and his capabilities. He has a alpha side, but he also is the kind that will stand by his woman. I love how protective he can be, and other times be sensitive (but in a good manly and alpha fashion). I love the pace of this story, never ending thrill one after another. I always find myself so entertained when I read this. There is also a complexity to their relationship that I always find so provoking at times. There is never a dull moment in this one, and I always am cracking up. I love the dry yet witty humor that definitely has me hooked and reeled in the story. Just a sexy adventure with a hero to die for and a story that will draw you into a adventure you will never forget. One that no one should miss out on!!!
Half-vampire Catherine Crawfield is going after the undead with a vengeance, hoping that one of these deadbeats is her father—the one responsible for ruining her mother's life. Then she's captured by Bones, a vampire bounty hunter, and is forced into an unlikely partnership. In exchange for help finding her father, Cat agrees to train with the sexy night stalker until her battle reflexes are as sharp as his fangs. She's amazed she doesn't end up as his dinner…are there actually good vampires?
Alright here we go. For those just looking for a short answer on whether or not they should read this I will tell you I did not like it, at all. It was very poorly done. It is also not an urban fantasy but a paranormal romance. Now if you want more of an explanation, I invite you to keep reading. Also I would warn of spoilers if there was any story line to give away, I hid the only spoilery thing that you don't learn in the first few chapters.
Audiobook: I ended up purchasing this book off audile.com and listening to it at work, as work is boring and I do anything I can to make it more interesting for myself. Now this book was already at a disadvantage as I had just finished listening to the Dresden files (at least all of the released books, Jim Butcher I need more!!). If you haven’t listened to or read these books you need to! Like, Really, stop reading this and go do that! This book is narrated by Tavia Gilbert; she has a nice voice but they way she voiced Bones made me cringe. That’s the only bad thing I had to say about the audio book. Now to the book itself!
Characters: To sum up the character development in this book is easy; there was none. So we’ll start with the mother, whom as you’ll see I don’t have any warm feelings towards. She gets raped by a vampire and has a daughter that is half vampire out of wedlock, which turns her into a loner as the whole town is revolted by her now (I mean when did this happen? The 50’s? There is no way an entire town would hate her that much for being raped and if they did why the hell would you want to live there anyway?!). Mother then spends the rest of her life never moving forward or healing, while simultaneously making her daughter hate herself. I. Hate. Her.
Cat was supposed to be this strong vampire killer but half the time she sounded like a 16 year old who had just been grounded. It was like she was two completely separate people, one second she is strong and independent (which I loved) and then right back to whiny teenager. She has absolutely no friends because she was born out of wedlock, which I am still finding hard to believe. She has only ever had sex once and blushes at pretty much anything and everything Bones says. In one chapter she makes a blowjob joke and then is blushing because Bones said something remotely sexual.
Then there is Bones. who is Spike from Buffy. I understand pulling inspiration from other sources, but Frost didn’t do anything to make him her own. He falls deeply in love with Cat, why, I have no clue. Their love did nothing for me. I didn’t understand why they were in love or how it happened so fast. There was no building of their relationship and the sex scenes were oddly placed and made me uncomfortable. It is also mentioned several times that both Bones and Cat are SO attractive. We get it! They are hot, stop saying it. Do they have any other qualities at all!?!?
World Building: Same as the character building, there is none. I have no idea where this book takes place. All I know is that there has to be a city nearby because there is lots of clubs available and a university, but there is also a forest. This is all we learn.
Absolutely nothing happens with the story line about her father. That would have been cool to read about. This book had all the makings of a great book but a bad execution. The book was fast paced which made me at least listen to the whole thing but it is also the very first audiobook I returned.
Rereading after years, what a bittersweet thing
I'm still pissed about the ending....
Spoil Free Review Starting the New Year right with a Wicked read and hands down one of the best book couples, Cat and Bones. Halfway To The Grave has been many re-reads through out the years for me. I can't seem to get enough of Jeaniene Frost writing style and wonderful characters she has brought to life. I loved that I got a kick butt heroine Cat who is not over the top and a building romance. I still find Halfway To The Grave refreshing and to date I do not think I have found another Paranormal Romance that the main character is a woman. It seems novels with the main character being the heroine tend to be in Urban Fantasy. With Urban Fantasy the romance tend to be not so much and not as hot as romance novels. Jeaniene Frost brought to readers a nice blend. Love that Cat is strong will, a smart mouth but still has her moments of weakness. She is known to act before think and at times kill before ask questions. Bones rolled his eyes and clapped him on the shoulder. “I’m glad you’re still upright, Charles, and the only reason you are is because she didn’t have any silver. She’d have staked you right and proper otherwise. She has a tendency to shrivel someone first and then introduce herself afterwards.” Now Bones is a yummy alpha male Vampire that still get's me all giddy with "Hello Kitten". He is possessive and at times a bit jealous. “Nice to meet you, mate, and here's some advice: Don't even think about it. You try anything with her and I'll neuter you with my bare hands. ” Loved his smart remarks with everyone and his sense of humor through out the story. Bones held me upright. I would have protested, but I couldn’t remember how to. “What are you saying?” “Winston poltergeisted my panties, that’s what!” I announced with a loud hiccup. “Why, you scurvy, lecherous spook!” Bones yelled in the direction of the cemetery. “If my pipes still worked, I’d go right back there and piss on your grave!” Overall Bones is wickedly delicious. “I can’t wait to find out how you taste, and you won’t want me to stop even after I’ve completely exhausted you. You’ll think you were on fire, your skin will burn. I’ll suck all of your juices out of you. And then I’ll drink your blood.” Their relationship starts off as friends and he trains her to be a better hunter. Their chemistry is hot and Jeaniene Frost knows how to tease her readers with some yummy scenes. My favorite scenes are the training and of course the bar scene with Crispin. They have to work on their relationship and at times do have to come across some obstacles. I loved the pacing of their relationship with fun and playful banter. "Is that a stake, Bones, or are you just happy with my new dress?” “In this case, it’s a stake. You could always feel around for something more, though. See what comes up.” Loved all the secondary characters as they add so much to the storyline. Her mom is a hoot and love the interaction with her, Bones and Cat. Halfway To The Grave is a fun, hot read with a delicious Bones. It will have readers giggling, can not wait to see what happens next, unpredictable and wanting more of Cat and Bones. Halfway To The Grave is a novel that I wish I can go back and experience for the first time. Originally poste at Wickedly Delicious Book Blog
I loved this, it was hilarious and fun and I couldn’t put it down! It reminded me a bit of Buffy and Bones is definitely a carbon copy of Spike and I was living for it!! I did find Cat to be somewhat a bit annoying and the ending broke my heart but I’m super excited to keep going with the series!!! I loved the romance so much and Bones is everything
Buddy read with Danae, Asya, Shelly, Mariana, Lea, Vicky & Robin (our official, cape-wearing stalker) starting Feb. 13, 2015. 💀 DNF at 74%. Thou art not dreaming dear friends, it happened again. I'm the freak who didn't like the book with a stellar average rating. First of all, let me say that my rating for this book has nothing to do with the book itself and everything to do with what I expected it to be. I had made some silly assumptions before reading this (don't ask me where they came from, I have no idea (view spoiler)[might be early Alzheimer's though (hide spoiler)]), which pretty much ruined everything for me. To be honest I did enjoy the first part of this book. The problem is it all went downhill very fast after I hit the 40% mark. My name is Sarah and I'm an idiot. It's my own fault if I didn't like this book. Silly assumption #1: I thought that this was dark Urban Fantasy. Oh please don't look at me like that, it's bad enough as it is. Since I'm a reformed self-spoiling queen, I no longer read book blurbs. I read somewhere this was UF, saw the title for the series (night=dark right? Right.) and my brain short-circuited. My two grey cells went from PNR to dark UF in less time than it takes to blink. So here I was, rubbing my hands in anticipation, expecting wonderfully gritty times. If this isn't PNR with Chick Lit tendencies I don't know what it is. I almost went into sugar shock from all the luuuurrrrve oozing from these pages. Oh get off your high horses will you? I'm not saying it's a bad thing and I understand a vast majority loves it but I just can't stand all that romantic crap. There, I said it. I'm the alien from outer space who wants to scream every time Bones says "I love you Kitten." Silly assumption #2: I expected Bones to be an aggravating Alpha male. Oh please don't even think about laughing okay? Most of my very good friends here go in heavy panting mode whenever he is mentioned (you know who you are people) so I logically assumed Bones was a total (hence irresistible) asshole. What I failed to take into consideration is that my dear friends are lovely girls who like lovely guys. Me? The bastards get me in heavy panting mode every time. Bones? A decaffeinated, diet alpha male. I thought he was cute at first but cute gets old really fast in my book. And I didn't think he was a particularly butt-kicking lead either. Or mysterious. Or edgy. Then he went overboard with the "I love you Kitten" machine gun and I just couldn't take it anymore. Ultimately I though he was just kind of… boring? Okay, go ahead, unleash your rage on me now. Then again, you should actually be thanking me for this. Maybe even consider throwing a party here. "Why" you ask? Consider this: that's one book boyfriend I won't be stealing away from you. WOW! Silly assumption #3: I thought Cat was supposed to be a totally awesome badass heroine. The cut, cut, cut, slice, slice, slice type. Or better said the slay, slay, slay type. I mean night + huntress + grave that surely means total badass right? Right . Silly little me also expected a complex character (she is half-vampire, half-human after all) with lots of depth. Cat? A badass? Please. So she kills vampires here and there. That doesn't make her a particularly fierce, butt-kicking character in my book. But that's not the worst of it. The problem with Cat is that she is so immature she makes me want to scream. Okay, I have to admit she's not as bad as dear Sookie. Because, frankly, no one can be as silly as Sookie. But I digress. Cat. The girl acts like a 15-year-old. With Bones, with her mom. With Bones because of her mom. With her mom because of Bones [insert scream here] I thought my eyeballs were going to pop out of their sockets from eye-rolling so much. And then Cat decided to pretend Timmie was her boyfriend. That just did me in. How old are you exactly? Twelve? So there you have it. I got to 74% and couldn't take it anymore. Mostly because of all the ♫ lovey-dovey ♫ feels but also because I was pretty much bored to death. I mean, let's be honest here, the plot is virtually non-existent. If you take out all the Bones/Cat relationship blah blah there is very little left. And what's left isn't particularly interesting. BUT. Let's end this on a more positive note. This book features pretty much everything I don't like: romance, nice male lead *shudders* and immature female lead. SO. If you like everything I don't like, there's a good chance you will LOVE this book. Besides, the mere fact that I disliked this book should give you an indication of how extremely enjoyable it is. YOU WILL LOVE IT I TELL YOU. Still unsure about this? Make sure you go and read these enthusiastic reviews: Shelly's, Danae's, Robin's, Jo's and Vicky's (if she ever gets over her laziness and finally writes it that is). After you do you probably won't believe these lovely girls and I actually read the same book. We did. It's just that I'm the cold-hearted freak who didn't get it. Come on, off you go now!
bONES
I have wanted to read this book for so long now so when I picked it up I was terribly excited. And it turns out I had good reason to be. Twenty Two year old Cat Crawfield is a half-vampire who spends her spare time slaying vampires constantly trying to prove to her prejudiced mother that she is not evil despite her heritage. One night Cat tries to slay the wrong vampire and ends up facing a vampire named Bones. However they comes to a deal, Bones will let Cat live if she helps him bring down a vampire who Bones has been chasing for the last 11 years. Right off the bat this book had me hooked. Cat is an amazing heroine and she knows more or less what she wants most of the way. She doesn't make stupid decisions in the moment but thinks things through before acting. Her story made me feel real sympathy and she was so strong despite her past. Bones, oh how I love you! I'm not really sure if its you amusing dialogue or his irresistible charm he just seemed to trigger this uncontrollable insta-love effect whenever he spoke. He was so sweet to Cat and listened to her past and told her about his in return despite how horrible it was. The relationship between Cat and Bones was sweet,loving yet it had a lot of passion. The pair clicked right off and I loved all their scenes. It was also great because the whole book didn't revolve around their relationship but had action and kept a nice pace. In all honesty I think this has to be the best adult book I have read in my life. My review does it no justice and I am really looking forward to Christmas so I can continue the series.
1.5/5 stars. I tolerated this book, thinking that it would most likely get better as the story progressed, but if anything it got more and more ridiculous. The plot, the dialogues, the characters, ... it was cringe-worthy and not entertaining. I have a list of grievances a mile long. I read a lot of paranormal romances and most of their first installment are the weakest but they display potential. I don't know if I see potential in this book except for more waves of secondhand embarrassment. But if you've read the series recently please do let me know if the writing improves. There were loose ends and I'm not hating the place where the story ended so I could see myself picking up the next one, but not any time soon.
This book was quite graphic at times. I wasn't expecting the decisions the author made regarding the plot and writing. It reminded me of Laura Thalassa's writing which can be very dark and unexpected. Despite that I had a hard time getting into the story and although I was enjoying the story by the end of the first book my enjoyment of it was mediocre. I thought everything was well written and well developed, but there was just something lacking for me that I can't describe. I guess I would say you might enjoy this book if you enjoy reading more graphic darker romances and action scenes. You might enjoy this book if you like blushing virgin turned vixen type of characters. Finally, you might enjoy this book for some of the more unique concepts it takes regarding common paranormal elements. Overall, I think it's worth giving a try to see if it's your cup of tea. Warning though it is slightly open-ended, but not a cliff-hanger so it will make you want to read the next book.
This was definitely a "why did I wait so long to read this?" kind of book! I won't bore anyone with yet another review of it...there's not much left to say. But one thing is for sure, I can't wait to read on into Cat and Bones' story! For those of you who have been putting this one off...wait no longer!
I first started reading this series years ago, and bought the first book, then immediately bought everything else in the series that was out. I decided to re read (again) before reading the last in the series! I love this series. It is fun, well written, full of great banter, sexy and has a great main couple! And this book is pretty much all about setting Cat and Bones up. In the next books in the series, more characters are introduced and more of the "vampire world" shown to us. So it just gets better! An excellent 5 stars and if you have not started this series, then you need to!
Dan toch uitgelezen. Maar moet zeggen dat het wel een beetje tegenviel. Deed me denken aan Buffy. Ondanks dat Bones op Spike lijkt had ik Angel (😍) voor me. Ik miste een bepaalde feeling bij dit boek.. iets mysterieus... En had meer achtergrond informatie gehad. Vond het allemaal een beetje oppervlakkig en het einde was te explosief... Dus voor mij blijft het bij deel 1 en ga op zoek naar andere urban fantasy.
The book equivalent of a nice fast food meal. Trigger warning for the book: sexual assult, violence, rape, drugs, blood Whenever I'm in the mood for a quick, exiting spicy read, I read something like this. Cat is half vampire half human and she hates all vampires (because she was raised that way) so when she meets Bones her first instinct is to kill him. But from hatred springs an unwanted partnership when they need to join forces. Cat is a smart, dangerous, badass heroine and I adore her. The relationship between Cat and Bones is laced with sarcasm and witty banter (which i absolutely enjoy). *Spoiler ahead* The only thing that slightly bothered me was how quick the enemy-to-lovers trope was. They fell in love within a few months (and I personally am a sucker for a slow burn), although I get that it was necessary for the story. Next time i have a craving for a fast food read I will absolutely pick up the next book in this series! If you love badass heroines, undead british guys, anction and a bit of spice this book is for you!
Highlights