Halfway to the Grave, Jeaniene Frost

Night Huntress, Book 1

5 out of 5 knives (out of respect for Cat's weapon of choice)

The Blurb from the book jacket

Flirting With The Grave…

                                                    

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? Pretty soon Bones will have her convinced that being half-dead doesn’t have to be all bad. But before she can enjoy her status as kick-ass demon hunter, Cat and Bones are pursued by a group of killers. Now Cat will have to choose a side … and Bones is turning out to be as tempting as any man with a heartbeat.

My Review

Ah. Be still my heart.  One of the greatest accomplishments of Jeaniene Frost is dragging me kicking and screaming into a world of fantasy. And I don’t just mean this book! I have avidly avoided reading anything that challenges me to accept otherworldy beings and defies the laws of life as I have known them. And, while they say “Don’t judge a book by its cover”, I admit to being drawn in at the first glimpse of Halfway to the Grave. The book did not disappoint! Readers are blessed to enter into the chaotic, snarky mind of Catherine “Cat” Crawfield as she fights her heritage (half-vampire, half-human), her sworn enemies (vampires), and her narrow view of them (evil). Frost draws readers into the twisted, unique mindset from the first scene where Cat’s silent ramblings rival any stand-up comedy act. Page-turning action and a vivid emotional roller coaster keep the reader immersed into a wonderfully scripted world.

The novel toes the line between Urban Fantasy (UF) and Paranormal Romance (PNR) in a provocative and enticing twist that I find difficult to pin down. Both genre elements are present. The book slides into UF with Cat’s kick-ass, take-no-prisoner attitude as well as PNR, reveling in the increasing tension between her and Bones. In what genre to classify the book had no real impact on my reading and enjoyment of it. In fact, until after I was finished, I didn’t even think of it.

Not only did I read this book, fall in love (with Cat and Bones – hey screw hetero and mono, these characters rock!) and read each book in the Night Huntress series and Night Huntress World series, but I’ve gone back and re-read the books. Glancing at this one in particular, I see at least 15 pages that are turned down at the corner – a habit of mine when a particular line, scene or description intrigues my inner writer. I can honestly say, I was never bored reading this book. Some UF and PNR can get bogged down with trying to explain the world the writer has created or the rules the supernaturals have to live by. Those elements were so entwined in the story line, I never really noticed. The information given was pivotal to the scene. This helped to involve the reader in the world without overloading them with a lot of information to remember. In addition, we learned about the world as Cat did, adding to the experience of first person narration.

In closing, whether you’ve been reading in these genres for years or are just having your interest peaked, I highly recommend checking into this book and adding the rest of the series to your To Be Read list before the next book is released August 30, 2011!

My Favorite Lines

*Cop: “Whatcha got back there?”

  Cat: Oh, nothing unusual. A dead body under some bags and an ax.

*Bones about Cat: “She has a tendency to shrivel someone first and then introduce herself afterwards.”

*Cat to Bones: "Hey," I slid back a few inches on the couch. "Dinner's not served. Don't go all glowy at the blood."

*Spade: "Where is she off to?"
Bones: "To hand you your arse."