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Book Review of Halfway to the Grave (Night Huntress, Bk 1)

Halfway to the Grave (Night Huntress, Bk 1)
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Helpful Score: 8


Halfway to the Grave features a half-vampire heroine named Cat who kills vampires in revenge for certain *injuries* her mother suffered -- Cat is the result. Shes quite a young heroine (16-years old when she starts killing and is only 22 or so in this book) and it sometimes shows in her choices. Through dumb-luck & sheer rage she manages to kill at dozen or so vamps over the years, but meets her match in a Master Vampire/Bounty Hunter nicknamed Bones. Cat ends up partnering with him to go after bad vampires and it takes much of this first book in the series for her to accept that there are any good vampires.

After Bones trains her in the skills necessary to keep herself alive against older, stronger vampires, Cat is as tough as they come and has a smart mouth, but she is still insecure and hates herself for what she is (with a lot of help from her mother, who needs a lot of counseling in child rearing, IMO). She is strong and talented in fighting and throwing knives, but its through hard work and training (with some genetic help, of course).

Initially, I couldn't imagine that Bones was going to be the hero. He was physically & verbally rough on our heroine, and his Englishness seemed almost like a caricature (Blimey!) and was grating. I came to see that this was an act, a part of a personna he uses to carry out his chosen profession. He evolves into a yummy hero who respects Cat and her abilities, is tolerant of her foibles and best of all, their growing love isnt Written! Destiny! Or Fate! Its genuine & the obstacles to their relationship seem real and open-ended.

I found some of the action scenes a bit hard to follow, but many others were exciting and visually appealing. There is not a lot of mythology to learn in this first book and it comes in small, agreeable doses. This book isnt a Romance, of course, but romantic elements are there and whether obvious or only hinted at, satisfying. It also isnt a boink-fest, so if you want multiple, steamy sexual encounters youll have to read book 2 (One Foot in the Grave) ;) Grade A-