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kathydavie's review against another edition
4.0
Concurrent with Halfway to the Grave, 1, even though technically ninth publication-wise, in the Night Huntress urban fantasy series revolving around a pair of vampires: Cat and Bones. The focus is on Bones' perspective of his first meeting with Cat with some updating for the times — see if you can pick out what's changed.
My Take
This is such a crack-up with Bones on to Cat's plans almost from the start. Using his perspective on her continuing actions will keep you grinning and flipping those pages to find out what happens next . . . from his perspective. I gotta wonder how good Cat can be as Frost uses third person protagonist point-of-view from Bones' perspective, and he notes all the mistakes Cat makes.
I do like that Bones is upfront about what he's thinking. He doesn't care if he hurts someone's feelings. Oops, I just got to thinking how awful that makes me sound. That I think this is okay. Okay, therapy time. Part of his honesty is admitting to the negatives in his past.
It's that politeness that has been bred into my generation (and earlier) that hasn't prepared us to be forthright, but too accepting of other's boorishness. So I usually appreciate it in others for their honesty.
Back to the review. It's so creepy how Bones describes Devon's "shopping", comparing it to us checking out produce at the store.
Then there's Cat's bigotry. It's these adventures that force Cat to look back and discover evil is not all one-sided. For one, Cat's family. A. Don't blame the child for being born. B. Rape is not a choice, at least on the victim's part. I do have to agree with Bones though, Cat's mum is a monster.
Those rules about killing a vampire from another Master's line reminded me of those Mire rules in Ilona Andrews' Bayou Moon, 2. Oooh, so nitpicky, lol.
Poor Cat. I don't think she's ever had a lick of fun in her life. She certainly feels guilty every time she experiences a nibbit of fun.
Bones' past history related in The Other Half of the Grave conflicts with history we've learned in other stories, particularly The Bite Before Christmas: "Home for the Holidays", 6.5. So is Frost giving up on continuity or just doesn't care? And remember that The Other Half of the Grave is ninth publication-wise. We do learn how Bones got that nickname. Creepy. A bit more past history reveals the "truth" behind the origin of vampires. Or ghouls depending on who you're listening to, lol.
I am confused about the six years ago bit that Danny Milton complains about. Has the guy been dead for six years? Was Felicity killed today or six years ago?
This is a painful seduction . . . on both sides! Although I must say that Cat is a quick learner in this story packed full of action with quite the characters driving it.
I have GOT to re-read Halfway to the Grave, 1, to remember Cat's side of it.
The Story
Bones is hunting evil vampires and his current target goes off with some sexy redhead. Only Bones is mistaken about who is the victim. Anxious to learn more about that redhead, he captures her and forces her into an unlikely partnership.
The bargain on his part is to keep Cat alive — he wants her to have a better chance of staying alive and changing her mind about defining evil. At least until a group of killers and government agents pursue the couple.
The Characters
Bones, a.k.a. Crispin Phillip Arthur Russell III, who has been a vampire since 1790, is now a bounty hunter with a purpose. Baron Charles "Spade" DeMortimer is Bones' best mate, from their days as prisoners along with Timothy and Ian at the New South Wales penal colonies in the late 1700s. Giselda had been Charles' love one hundred-some years ago=. Ian is Bones' and Spade's Master. Ted is a human hacker friend. Rodney is a ghoul and a friend of Bones'. He makes new IDs for those in need.
Catherine "Cat" Kathleen Crawfield is a girl on a mission. Bones prefers "Kitten" or "Red Reaper". Justina is her nasty, hypocritical mother. Her boring, mean grandparents, Grandpa Joe and Grandma, own a cherry orchard.
Bite is an old, very particular club owned by the fashionable Verses, a poetry-loving ghoul. Trixie has been the bouncer for over a decade. Mina is a customer. Ralphie and Martin are other customers with their own mission.
Hennessey, an old, powerful, well-connected Master vampire owns Flat Creek Inc. Sergio Ricci, a pampered aristocrat before he was turned, is one of its sloppy clients. Lola is tight with Hennessy. "Switch", a.k.a. Vincent, is Hennessy's enforcer. Francesca is part of Hennessy's line. Tony is a nasty bit of business, cheating customers with his abilities.
Devon runs the books for an undead cabal. Winston Gallagher was a railway worker with a side business of moonshine. Judge John Simms was the bigot who didn't get away with it. George Shayne wanted to find whoever killed his daughter, Aurora.
Victims include Samantha King, Felicity Summer, and Suzy Klinger. Timmie is Cat's sweet neighbor. Detectives Mansfield and Black are ticked at Cat.
Tanacharisson had been an angry Mingo when the Indian Removal Act forced his people from their lands. The Law Guardians appear to be the highest level of law for supernaturals. Red Dragon is a drug, tainted blood that affects vampires. Danny Milton is the entitled jerk. Ethan Oliver is the governor of Ohio. Randy is the groom marrying Denise. Cristine Russell is her maid of honor.
The Cover and Title
The cover is menacing with its range of deep blues in the sky, the brilliant moon with bats flying past it, and the silhouettes of crosses and tombstones in the background. It's only slightly warmer with that close-up of the green-eyed Bones with his stubble and naked shoulder. At the top is an info blurb in a gradated pale blue to white with the same pale blue used for the author's name immediately below it. To the left of Bones' head is a testimonial in white and just above his shoulder, in that pale, pale blue reminds us that this story is "Bones' turn . . ." The title is in a pale green under Bones' chin. Below the title is the series info in white.
The title is all about Bones' perspective from his side, The Other Half of the Grave.
My Take
This is such a crack-up with Bones on to Cat's plans almost from the start. Using his perspective on her continuing actions will keep you grinning and flipping those pages to find out what happens next . . . from his perspective. I gotta wonder how good Cat can be as Frost uses third person protagonist point-of-view from Bones' perspective, and he notes all the mistakes Cat makes.
I do like that Bones is upfront about what he's thinking. He doesn't care if he hurts someone's feelings. Oops, I just got to thinking how awful that makes me sound. That I think this is okay. Okay, therapy time. Part of his honesty is admitting to the negatives in his past.
It's that politeness that has been bred into my generation (and earlier) that hasn't prepared us to be forthright, but too accepting of other's boorishness. So I usually appreciate it in others for their honesty.
Back to the review. It's so creepy how Bones describes Devon's "shopping", comparing it to us checking out produce at the store.
Then there's Cat's bigotry. It's these adventures that force Cat to look back and discover evil is not all one-sided. For one, Cat's family. A. Don't blame the child for being born. B. Rape is not a choice, at least on the victim's part. I do have to agree with Bones though, Cat's mum is a monster.
Those rules about killing a vampire from another Master's line reminded me of those Mire rules in Ilona Andrews' Bayou Moon, 2. Oooh, so nitpicky, lol.
Poor Cat. I don't think she's ever had a lick of fun in her life. She certainly feels guilty every time she experiences a nibbit of fun.
Bones' past history related in The Other Half of the Grave conflicts with history we've learned in other stories, particularly The Bite Before Christmas: "Home for the Holidays", 6.5. So is Frost giving up on continuity or just doesn't care? And remember that The Other Half of the Grave is ninth publication-wise. We do learn how Bones got that nickname. Creepy. A bit more past history reveals the "truth" behind the origin of vampires. Or ghouls depending on who you're listening to, lol.
I am confused about the six years ago bit that Danny Milton complains about. Has the guy been dead for six years? Was Felicity killed today or six years ago?
This is a painful seduction . . . on both sides! Although I must say that Cat is a quick learner in this story packed full of action with quite the characters driving it.
I have GOT to re-read Halfway to the Grave, 1, to remember Cat's side of it.
The Story
Bones is hunting evil vampires and his current target goes off with some sexy redhead. Only Bones is mistaken about who is the victim. Anxious to learn more about that redhead, he captures her and forces her into an unlikely partnership.
The bargain on his part is to keep Cat alive — he wants her to have a better chance of staying alive and changing her mind about defining evil. At least until a group of killers and government agents pursue the couple.
The Characters
Bones, a.k.a. Crispin Phillip Arthur Russell III, who has been a vampire since 1790, is now a bounty hunter with a purpose. Baron Charles "Spade" DeMortimer is Bones' best mate, from their days as prisoners along with Timothy and Ian at the New South Wales penal colonies in the late 1700s. Giselda had been Charles' love one hundred-some years ago=. Ian is Bones' and Spade's Master. Ted is a human hacker friend. Rodney is a ghoul and a friend of Bones'. He makes new IDs for those in need.
Catherine "Cat" Kathleen Crawfield is a girl on a mission. Bones prefers "Kitten" or "Red Reaper". Justina is her nasty, hypocritical mother. Her boring, mean grandparents, Grandpa Joe and Grandma, own a cherry orchard.
Bite is an old, very particular club owned by the fashionable Verses, a poetry-loving ghoul. Trixie has been the bouncer for over a decade. Mina is a customer. Ralphie and Martin are other customers with their own mission.
Hennessey, an old, powerful, well-connected Master vampire owns Flat Creek Inc. Sergio Ricci, a pampered aristocrat before he was turned, is one of its sloppy clients. Lola is tight with Hennessy. "Switch", a.k.a. Vincent, is Hennessy's enforcer. Francesca is part of Hennessy's line. Tony is a nasty bit of business, cheating customers with his abilities.
Devon runs the books for an undead cabal. Winston Gallagher was a railway worker with a side business of moonshine. Judge John Simms was the bigot who didn't get away with it. George Shayne wanted to find whoever killed his daughter, Aurora.
Victims include Samantha King, Felicity Summer, and Suzy Klinger. Timmie is Cat's sweet neighbor. Detectives Mansfield and Black are ticked at Cat.
Tanacharisson had been an angry Mingo when the Indian Removal Act forced his people from their lands. The Law Guardians appear to be the highest level of law for supernaturals. Red Dragon is a drug, tainted blood that affects vampires. Danny Milton is the entitled jerk. Ethan Oliver is the governor of Ohio. Randy is the groom marrying Denise. Cristine Russell is her maid of honor.
The Cover and Title
The cover is menacing with its range of deep blues in the sky, the brilliant moon with bats flying past it, and the silhouettes of crosses and tombstones in the background. It's only slightly warmer with that close-up of the green-eyed Bones with his stubble and naked shoulder. At the top is an info blurb in a gradated pale blue to white with the same pale blue used for the author's name immediately below it. To the left of Bones' head is a testimonial in white and just above his shoulder, in that pale, pale blue reminds us that this story is "Bones' turn . . ." The title is in a pale green under Bones' chin. Below the title is the series info in white.
The title is all about Bones' perspective from his side, The Other Half of the Grave.
kini83's review against another edition
5.0
Yet another reread. I just reread this at the end of 2022 too. I will always reread this series!!
Jeaniene kills it again. I love seeing the story from Bones’ point of view!
Jeaniene kills it again. I love seeing the story from Bones’ point of view!
lyndz_'s review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
joyreads2024's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Rating this book was HARD. First and foremost, I’ve read this series for over a decade, but ngl, I barely reread the first book because of Cat’s fookin attitude. Which I was warned by the bookshop employee was even worse from Bones’ perspective. Add into reading this with COVID, and well, you can imagine how much I wanted to yeet Cat out of the book for the first 3/4 of the book and shake her. And don’t even get me started on Justina. I think my feelings towards THAT particular character is what Bones thought he should do, which is bite her until she becomes nice. Do you know how much easier the coming several books will be to read? Dear LORD.
I actually don’t know how Bones survived this book in terms of brain cells because it was hard. Now in terms of Bones, first book boyfriend, fav character… what the fuck. Babes, babes.. INSTA LOVE REALLY. I was hoping for a bit more angst but I guess it was more fated mates vibes, and kinda made me roll my eyes at him for the 3/4 of the book. And the sex scenes… Jeaniene, babes, I’ve seen you write some good ones, but what the tuck was that. Sucked with immortal strength? Please. The detailed thoughts at the start of the first scene? GIRL. I rolled my eyes so hard I got a headache.
Also the pacing at the start felt very clunky, and it just made it a bit difficult to get through.
Now by this point, your probably wondering, if you disliked it so much, why did you rate it highly? Well, first of all, it’s Cat and Bones and they’re my babies, even if they’re my stupid ones. Secondly, Bones’ wit and humour CARRIES the series. Thirdly, we had this beautiful sentence from Ian, and man have I missed the man we hate to love and who honestly is the most chaotic bitch on the planet, “What part of ‘be more careful’ did you take as ‘whee, murder spree!’ Crispin?”. Fourth, Rodney, I have missed that man. Fifth, the epilogue. Mm mm mmmm there’s that angst I need. Also, Cats growth always slays and it gets really romantic at parts.
I feel like I can critique it as I would a misbehaving child because the characters live rent free in my head, but love it dearly at the same time.
While this book made me question whether or not to buy the second book from Bones’ perspective (for fear it’ll ruin the second book for me), it was a good homecoming, and idk, while I didn’t LOVE it, I’ll probably read it again in the next half decade.
End of rant, thanks for listening xx
I actually don’t know how Bones survived this book in terms of brain cells because it was hard. Now in terms of Bones, first book boyfriend, fav character… what the fuck. Babes, babes.. INSTA LOVE REALLY. I was hoping for a bit more angst but I guess it was more fated mates vibes, and kinda made me roll my eyes at him for the 3/4 of the book. And the sex scenes… Jeaniene, babes, I’ve seen you write some good ones, but what the tuck was that. Sucked with immortal strength? Please. The detailed thoughts at the start of the first scene? GIRL. I rolled my eyes so hard I got a headache.
Also the pacing at the start felt very clunky, and it just made it a bit difficult to get through.
Now by this point, your probably wondering, if you disliked it so much, why did you rate it highly? Well, first of all, it’s Cat and Bones and they’re my babies, even if they’re my stupid ones. Secondly, Bones’ wit and humour CARRIES the series. Thirdly, we had this beautiful sentence from Ian, and man have I missed the man we hate to love and who honestly is the most chaotic bitch on the planet, “What part of ‘be more careful’ did you take as ‘whee, murder spree!’ Crispin?”. Fourth, Rodney, I have missed that man. Fifth, the epilogue. Mm mm mmmm there’s that angst I need. Also, Cats growth always slays and it gets really romantic at parts.
I feel like I can critique it as I would a misbehaving child because the characters live rent free in my head, but love it dearly at the same time.
While this book made me question whether or not to buy the second book from Bones’ perspective (for fear it’ll ruin the second book for me), it was a good homecoming, and idk, while I didn’t LOVE it, I’ll probably read it again in the next half decade.
End of rant, thanks for listening xx
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Trafficking, and Kidnapping
Minor: Alcohol, Cannibalism, Bullying, and Grief
trudyd's review against another edition
5.0
As a huge fan of Night Huntress (I will never confess to how many times I have read the series) I have been counting down to Bone's POV since I heard it was a possibility. After all Bones is my all time favorite vampire. I am not sure if it is because he is a Brit, his gorgeousness or his love of Cat, but I can't resist Bones.
The other half of the Grave not only gave me Bone's POV, but allowed me to get in his head thanks to the author. She shared what he was thinking. It really added to the story.
The story was packed full of action. Bones is sort of a vampire bounty hunter. He comes across some really interesting characters that never just surrender. While searching he comes across Cat. He is not impressed with her until he gets to know her. Who would have thought a person like her existed. He is besotted. He is in love.
She can't stand him, at least in the beginning. You don't have to like your partner, to work together. Action hits the extreme. Bullets Fly. Knives are thrown. Bones and Cat end up in the thick of things. There will be consequences. Will it destroy their love or make it stronger?
I needed more Bones and Cat when I finished the story. I went back and read Halfway to the Grave and then read The Other Half of the Grave. Now I am thinking about alternating both books. I can't think of the last time I have been so completely satisfied with a book, refusing to move on.
The other half of the Grave not only gave me Bone's POV, but allowed me to get in his head thanks to the author. She shared what he was thinking. It really added to the story.
The story was packed full of action. Bones is sort of a vampire bounty hunter. He comes across some really interesting characters that never just surrender. While searching he comes across Cat. He is not impressed with her until he gets to know her. Who would have thought a person like her existed. He is besotted. He is in love.
She can't stand him, at least in the beginning. You don't have to like your partner, to work together. Action hits the extreme. Bullets Fly. Knives are thrown. Bones and Cat end up in the thick of things. There will be consequences. Will it destroy their love or make it stronger?
I needed more Bones and Cat when I finished the story. I went back and read Halfway to the Grave and then read The Other Half of the Grave. Now I am thinking about alternating both books. I can't think of the last time I have been so completely satisfied with a book, refusing to move on.
aefy's review against another edition
5.0
This is like coming back to an old friend and finding it even better. I read this along with a re-read of the sections in the original series. Was nice to get Bones POV in some of my favorite scenes, really enjoyed this read through. :)
sup3r_xn0va_maya's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
💬: "There is only one way to fight, and that’s dirty. Clean, gentlemanly fighting will get you nowhere but dead, and fast. Take every cheap shot, every low blow, absolutely kick someone when they’re down, and then maybe you’ll be the one who walks away.”
Frost, Jeaniene. The Other Half of the Grave: A Night Huntress Novel (pp. 47-48). NYLA. Kindle Edition.
📖Genres: fantasy, romance, urban fantasy, paranormal, vampires
📚Page Count: 398
🎧Audiobook Length: 13h 14min
👩🏾🏫My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 - 4.5/5
----
The Other Half of the Grave written by Jeaniene Frost, is an alternate perspective book based on the first book in her Night Huntress series, Halfway to the Grave. The Other Half of the Grave was entertaining and just as exciting if not more exciting than it's original predecessor. In this book, Cat and Bones meet for the first time but everything is from Bones' perspective, and even though he makes some interesting decisions, I still like him as a character. I appreciate Cat and Bones' relationship that much more.
There are still outdated scenes in this book, but that's because the original was outdated and had poorly aged scenes. I think the outdated scenes were handled much better than they were in the original story. For example, there were less triggering details about these particular scenes this time around. That might be because it's from Bones' perspective, it might be because the author realized her mistake from the past and maybe she understood that rewriting these scenes was a way to make up for the outdated scenes from the past. I'm unsure, either way they're done better around this time.
The spicy scenes were enjoyable and the audiobook narrator made them even more interesting than they normally would be. I'm giving the spicy scenes three point five chilies 🌶️🌶️🌶️.75 out of five chilies
This was an entertaining story and I enjoyed it a bit more than reading the original from Cat's point of view. There was still an okay amount of triggering content in this story but most of that stuff was glossed over in this version. I'm giving this 4.50 out of 5 stars.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 4.5/5 Stars
I used an audiobook credit to buy this audiobook. I was not able to locate the audiobook on hoopla, libbyapp, or everand. (as of 3/4/2024)
Frost, Jeaniene. The Other Half of the Grave: A Night Huntress Novel (pp. 47-48). NYLA. Kindle Edition.
📖Genres: fantasy, romance, urban fantasy, paranormal, vampires
📚Page Count: 398
🎧Audiobook Length: 13h 14min
👩🏾🏫My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 - 4.5/5
----
The Other Half of the Grave written by Jeaniene Frost, is an alternate perspective book based on the first book in her Night Huntress series, Halfway to the Grave. The Other Half of the Grave was entertaining and just as exciting if not more exciting than it's original predecessor. In this book, Cat and Bones meet for the first time but everything is from Bones' perspective, and even though he makes some interesting decisions, I still like him as a character. I appreciate Cat and Bones' relationship that much more.
There are still outdated scenes in this book, but that's because the original was outdated and had poorly aged scenes. I think the outdated scenes were handled much better than they were in the original story. For example, there were less triggering details about these particular scenes this time around. That might be because it's from Bones' perspective, it might be because the author realized her mistake from the past and maybe she understood that rewriting these scenes was a way to make up for the outdated scenes from the past. I'm unsure, either way they're done better around this time.
The spicy scenes were enjoyable and the audiobook narrator made them even more interesting than they normally would be. I'm giving the spicy scenes three point five chilies 🌶️🌶️🌶️.75 out of five chilies
This was an entertaining story and I enjoyed it a bit more than reading the original from Cat's point of view. There was still an okay amount of triggering content in this story but most of that stuff was glossed over in this version. I'm giving this 4.50 out of 5 stars.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 4.5/5 Stars
I used an audiobook credit to buy this audiobook. I was not able to locate the audiobook on hoopla, libbyapp, or everand. (as of 3/4/2024)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Body horror, Misogyny, Murder, Sexual assault, Death, Child abuse, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Sexual content, Violence, Kidnapping, Cursing, and Trafficking
keeneam's review
4.0
I have loved Cat and Bones for years. It was great revisiting this story and reading it from Bones perspective. It gives a greater impact of their romance and relationship. It was great having a deeper understanding of his feelings for Cat. It is also written in a way that this could be read as a stand alone for those new or unfamiliar with the series. The one mildly annoying things was the references to current pop cultural tv shows and items that did not exists when the first book was written.
mistysreads's review against another edition
5.0
I started the Night Huntress series years ago and loved the chemistry and interactions between Cat and Bones. These two are so different from a lot of characters we see and they overcome so many obstacles throughout the series. Going back to the beginning and seeing everything from Bones' perspective is fun. Cat is a very strong woman and knowing that Bones feels the same way but gives her the space she needs makes me love Bones even more. I have always been a fan of this series and am even more so now. Thank you Jeaniene Frost for allowing us to fall in love with Bones all over again.
Received ARC in exchange for voluntary honest review
Received ARC in exchange for voluntary honest review