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3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
Recommended as "steamalicious." A very accurate description. Surprisingly fun.
Couldn't get much of a sense of the characters or the world they inhabited. It seemed like only the parts of the world that were relevant to the story were described, and that made the story feel quite rushed, since there were almost no "normal life" breaks from pushing the plot forward. At one point it's stated that Cat gets good grades, but I have no idea what her college life is like, even though it's supposedly the setting for the story. Why bother to put her at college if you aren't going to incorporate that setting into the story. The relationships felt rushed. I agree with another review I read which suggested that the relationship between Cat and Bones would have been better if it had been allowed to develop slowly over the length of a few books (as in Lynn Flewelling's Night Runner Series). The awful attempt at British English for Bones's character got on my nerves at first. It wasn't so much the artificial addition of supposedly British words, but rather that he seemed to speak American English all the rest of the time. I got used to it and was able to ignore it after a while though. The action scenes were ok, but Cat seemed to be a bit too invincible towards the end. I couldn't get a proper sense of her character as she seems naive and insecure one minute but cocksure and self-confident the next. I didn't like her mother at all and so didn't buy the decision to drop Bones for her mother's sake. I probably won't bother with any more books from this series, unless I'm very desperate. Although to be fair I did hate the first Vampire Academy book and loved them by the end of the series... We shall see.
3.5 Stars
Let's all be honest, we're here because of Spike. We're here because we love Buffy The Vampire Slayer and it's absence has left a void in our hearts. Literally the only reason I started this was because of all the five star reviews and the promise of a Spike wannabe. Right from the get-go, the plot didn't sound too original and I was very skeptical. I mean come on—girl meets vampire. Girl falls for vampire against better judgement. Drama ensues.
via GIPHY
But damn it, this was a pretty entertaining read. I admit it. It was good in the way a lot of pop songs are good—like you know they're crap, but you find yourself liking them anyway. Bones was the best and I loved all the action. I listened to the audio book and the narrator made Bones sound a little too Eliza Doolittle for my taste, but he still kicked ass. Definitely had to deduct some points for Cat because I personally found her to be extremely aggravating at times. I understand that Cat's character had to grow from her beginning insecurities, but more than once I found myself slapping my palm against my forehead in classic "doh!" fashion. Gurl what are you doing?? That whole scene with the vampy ex-nun? Cringe worthy.
Still, this was a great way to pass the time and I was very entertained. I don't know if I can stand Cat for another six books, but I'll definitely be checking out the next one out of curiosity. Gotta find out how these two wacky undead kids get back together!
Let's all be honest, we're here because of Spike. We're here because we love Buffy The Vampire Slayer and it's absence has left a void in our hearts. Literally the only reason I started this was because of all the five star reviews and the promise of a Spike wannabe. Right from the get-go, the plot didn't sound too original and I was very skeptical. I mean come on—girl meets vampire. Girl falls for vampire against better judgement. Drama ensues.
via GIPHY
But damn it, this was a pretty entertaining read. I admit it. It was good in the way a lot of pop songs are good—like you know they're crap, but you find yourself liking them anyway. Bones was the best and I loved all the action. I listened to the audio book and the narrator made Bones sound a little too Eliza Doolittle for my taste, but he still kicked ass. Definitely had to deduct some points for Cat because I personally found her to be extremely aggravating at times. I understand that Cat's character had to grow from her beginning insecurities, but more than once I found myself slapping my palm against my forehead in classic "doh!" fashion. Gurl what are you doing?? That whole scene with the vampy ex-nun? Cringe worthy.
Still, this was a great way to pass the time and I was very entertained. I don't know if I can stand Cat for another six books, but I'll definitely be checking out the next one out of curiosity. Gotta find out how these two wacky undead kids get back together!
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault
The audiobook was wonderful - a lovely performance of this entertaining novel.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The idea of a vampire and half-vampire hunting bad vampires together was intriguing, but ultimately bogged down by both the point of view of the main character and her inability to grow or retain new information. Cat and the really awful decisions she made throughout the book was what really prevented me from loving Halfway to the Grave.
(Click here to read the rest of my review.)
(Click here to read the rest of my review.)
I choose this book because it was the first available fantasy title in Overdrive. I had some misgivings about reading anything with a woman wearing thigh high stiletto boots on the cover, but fantasy novels have notoriously bad cover art so I decided to go with it. I don't know how I would have felt about the book if I had read it, but it worked well as an audiobook. The reader, Tavia Gilbert, was phenomenal. I will definitely be looking for other audiobooks that she has read.
Catherine "Cat" Crawfield is half vampire, half human. She found out about her true parentage from her mother when she was 16. Her mother was raped by a newly turned vampire, and ever since she found out the truth about her conception, Cat has been hunting and killing vampires, hoping to one day find her father and avenge her mother's honour. She goes out late as often as she can, trawling bars for vampires, then lures them to secluded spots and kills them. One night things go wrong, and she is taken capitve by Bones, an English vampire bounty hunter who thinks she is working for his enemy.
Cat manages to convince Bones that she is half-vampire (once she is angry or upset, her eyes glow green, just like vampire eyes), and he is amazed that a mere slip of a girl like her has successfully hunted his kind without any proper training for more than five years. Bones is on a mission to discover who is kidnapping and killing young women in the area, and realizes that he and Cat can help each other. He proposes an alliance with Cat (and if she refuses, he'll kill her). After weeks of gruelling training, and a few dangerous missions, Cat realizes that she was lucky to have managed to well before. She is also coming to see that maybe not all vampires are the evil monsters her mother and her own experience have led her to believe they are.
Halfway to the Grave is the first in Jeaniene Hunter's Night Huntress-series. Like a lot of paranormal fantasy out there, it features first person narration by the heroine. Cat is a very angry and insecure young woman, who even before she found out about her father was harassed in the little town she grew up because of her mother's percieved promiscuity. She is truly shocked to meet a vampire who hunts his own, and to discover that vampires might not all be truly evil. Bones is clearly modelled on Spike in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He has the platinum blonde hair, the British accent and the slightly condescending pet names for the heroine. He has no problem hunting and killing his own kind for money, especially when the vampires he hunts are vicious kidnappers and killers.
The gradual attraction between the two is very predictable, but also well done. Cat has huge self-esteem problems and trouble accepting that she herself may have any good qualities. Her realization that Bones may be a good person, even if he is undead, and that she is attracted to him, is incredibly hard for her to accept. The book is a good beginning to Frost's series, where the characters and their relationship continues to grow and develop, as well as Cat's unique powers.
Cat manages to convince Bones that she is half-vampire (once she is angry or upset, her eyes glow green, just like vampire eyes), and he is amazed that a mere slip of a girl like her has successfully hunted his kind without any proper training for more than five years. Bones is on a mission to discover who is kidnapping and killing young women in the area, and realizes that he and Cat can help each other. He proposes an alliance with Cat (and if she refuses, he'll kill her). After weeks of gruelling training, and a few dangerous missions, Cat realizes that she was lucky to have managed to well before. She is also coming to see that maybe not all vampires are the evil monsters her mother and her own experience have led her to believe they are.
Halfway to the Grave is the first in Jeaniene Hunter's Night Huntress-series. Like a lot of paranormal fantasy out there, it features first person narration by the heroine. Cat is a very angry and insecure young woman, who even before she found out about her father was harassed in the little town she grew up because of her mother's percieved promiscuity. She is truly shocked to meet a vampire who hunts his own, and to discover that vampires might not all be truly evil. Bones is clearly modelled on Spike in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He has the platinum blonde hair, the British accent and the slightly condescending pet names for the heroine. He has no problem hunting and killing his own kind for money, especially when the vampires he hunts are vicious kidnappers and killers.
The gradual attraction between the two is very predictable, but also well done. Cat has huge self-esteem problems and trouble accepting that she herself may have any good qualities. Her realization that Bones may be a good person, even if he is undead, and that she is attracted to him, is incredibly hard for her to accept. The book is a good beginning to Frost's series, where the characters and their relationship continues to grow and develop, as well as Cat's unique powers.
Next up on my to read list. Really looking forward to this one.