Halfway to the Grave
One Foot in the Grave
At Grave’s End
Destined for an Early Grave – July 28, 2009

About 100 pages into Halfway to the Grave, I called my friend who shares my love of reading and I told her to finish whatever book she was on, because she was going to read this one. I knew from there I would love this series and Jeaniene Frost would become an auto-buy. For me, it is the perfect mix of urban fantasy and romance. The action never stops, but there is just a enough romance (and hawt alpha male) to keep my interest.

Catherine Crawford, aka Cat, is half human, half vampire. Her human mother was impregnated by a newly turned vampire who still had little sperm with fangs floating around..so five months later Cat was born. Her mother was tricked into having “demon sex” as she calls it, so Cat makes it her life goal to rid the earth of the vampire species. She meets, (or is kidnapped..guess that matters) by Crispin Russell, aka Bones, master vampire who wants to know why Cat is out to destroy his kind. Bones has the best British accent. I feel the need to use the words Bloke, and bloody and say hello like “hallo” after I read these books. Anyway, Bones also has taken it upon himself to kill his own kind (so he gets paid for it…whatever). After many issues with trust (like – why did you kidnap me, you are a vampire I must destroy you), Cat and Bones become a team – in both killing vampires and in bed :)

In each book there is a mystery that must be solved and lots of good twists and turns. Cat ends up working for a secret department of Homeland Security in the second book and a fun set of supporting characters come into play.

What surprised me most was the amount of romance in these books. I just assumed they were more urban fantasy. However, there are some very tender moments between Bones and Cat. If you like alpha males, Bones might do it for you. To say he is protective of Cat is an understatement. One of the most romantic, steamiest sex scenes I have in a long time is in the second book, One Foot in the Grave. Those of you that have read it, know exactly what I am talking about. The books are definitely urban fantasy, especially in the third book, the sex is very limited, I don’t want to mislead you. But she gets Bones and Cat to a point in there relationship where the story works.

I like that Bones and Cat relationship is progressing – if they were still breaking up and getting back together in book six, it would get old. I would like to see Bones have some weaknesses, or at least be put into a position of danger for a change. He seems quite indestructible with all of his super vampire powers. I love it when he comes swooping in to save Cat, I am just wondering if there is anything badder than he is out there.

From reading Jeaniene Frost’s blog, it looks like she plans seven, maybe eight books in this series. She is also starting a spin off series called Night Huntress World. Her first book, tentatively titled, First Drop of Crimson, will be Spade’s book!! (Spade is Bones’ best friend). I would love Tate to get a book too…he is such a cranky bad ass.