Halfway to the Grave Favorite Moments

Can you believe it has been 10 years since Jeaniene Frost’s Halfway to the Grave was released? Cat, Bones and the whole Night Huntress crew have been in my life for a whole decade. Of course, there are many books that have been out for 10 years or more and many books that I read 10 years ago. Yet unlike many of those books Halfway to the Grave hasn’t slid away, forgotten, in a tiny nook of my mind.  Instead, it’s a book that I read again and again. I still laugh at the funny parts, the action is still just as exciting and Bones and Cat still sweep me off my feet with their witty, and sexy, back and forth.

To celebrate the 10 year anniversary we are going to reminisce about some of our Halfway to the Grave favorite moments. If you haven’t read this series yet, we hope it will entice you to give one of the best urban fantasy series out there a try. If you have read it then we hope we have captured some of your favourite moments.

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The Red Reaper energy

So this isn’t exactly a scene, but I have to mention Cat’s sheer bravado and guts. In Halfway to the Grave she is at the beginning of her journey of being bad ass, the boogeyman that scares misbehaving vampires; the Red Reaper. Of course, she needs a little bit of training from Bones first but the will to succeed and be the most lethal vampire hunter is all hers!

You’re not a woman, you’re the Grim Reaper with red hair!

That line feels like a mission statement. Cat is not here to be liked. She’s here to be effective.

The drunk ghost interrogation

I love a book that has humour in and somehow Frost manages to cram sexual tension, romance, action, fantastic world building, unforgettable characters AND humour all into one book. Case-in-point Cat’s interrogation of a drunk and handsy ghost. Not only was it hilarious to watch Cat and the ghost get slowly inebriated, but that scene also gave us a peek into Bones’ feelings about Cat. Once again showing that Frost doing a great job of combining humour, character development and romance all into one scene.

“Winston poltergeisted my panties…”
“Why, you scurvy, lecherous spook! … If my pipes still worked, I’d go right back there and piss on your grave!”

Urban fantasy can get grim fast. Jeaniene Frost’s superpower is tossing you into danger and then breaking the tension with a scene so absurd you have to pause and laugh.

The ghost interrogation is classic Frost and way funnier than it should be. It’s also sneakily useful because it shows how Cat handles the supernatural without turning it into a big dramatic moment. She’s annoyed but still in control, even when a ghost is literally messing with her underwear.

This is the exact flavor of humor that made the Night Huntress series stand out early.

The couple that kicks ass together

Halfway to the Grave kicked off my love for vampires but it was this scene that totally made me fall in love with Cat and Bones. Not your typical vampiric couple, these two definitely have their ups and downs and I think this quote nicely displays their natural chemistry. If you’re unfamiliar with the two, they’re much more badass than other urban fantasy couples you’ll meet. That’s why a lot of my fave scenes in this book are the action ones, especially when they are working side by side to kick some butt. I just love how unapologetic they are!

“I’m saying that I’m a moody, insecure, narrow-minded, jealous, borderline homicidal bitch, and I want you to promise me that you’re okay with that, because it’s who I am, and you’re what I need.”

Cat doesn’t sell herself as lovable. She basically hands Bones the full list of her worst traits and asks him to agree anyway. It’s vulnerable in the most Cat way possible, which is to say it’s phrased like a threat and a confession at the same time. She’s showing her teeth and hoping he doesn’t run.

Bones does not run. Of course he doesn’t.

The “training” scene that is absolutely not about training

Bones is a master in more ways than one. He’s a menace and he loves a technicality. Managing to get Cat to talk dirty to him all in the guise of vampire killing training. He is a sneaky sexy devil. And boy, the whole scene was HAWT, despite the fact that they never even touch. The sexual tension between these two is reaching it’s peak and you just know SOMETHING has to happen before you go mad. Then the dirty talking ‘training’ scene happens and it may just be words, but you have the sneaking suspicion that they mean every word. I needed an ice cold drink and a fan to get through it!

“Is that a stake, Bones, or are you just happy with my new dress?”
“In this case, it’s a stake. You could always feel around for something more, though. See what comes up.”

Their first meeting

Don’t expect a moonlit meet-cute.

It would be impossible to go through our Halfway to the Grave favorite moments without thinking about how Cat and Bones first met. The Night Huntress is a fairly romance heavy urban fantasy, so you might expect something romantic and heartfelt…well think again. Cat and Bones aren’t your conventional couple and neither is their meeting. It’s kind of seedy, kind of murderous, kind of hilarious and absolutely crammed full of tension. After reading their initial meeting, how could I do anything but read on?

“Don’t you want to go outside and… shag?” It was a strange word, but much better than fuck.
A quick grin lit his face before he responded. “Oh no. Right here. Love to do it in a truck.”

They’re both dangerous and stubborn and happy to make things worse on purpose.

And somehow, it’s romantic.

The quote that time-travels me back into the book

Some lines are basically a trigger for instant reread cravings. This is one of ours:

That’s Bones for you, devoted and a little bit threatening.

Grab Halfway to the Grave on Amazon

What are your Halfway to the Grave favorite moments?

There’s something unfair about how rereadable this book is. You can come back for the banter and realize the action still slaps. You can come back for the romance and realize how much character work Frost sneaks into the chaos. Cat is still a menace in the best way. Bones is still a walking red flag with impeccable timing. And together they’re basically a mutual destruction pact, but make it flirty.

If you’re reading along the Night Huntress series with us, this is the part where I need you to tell me what I missed.

Which scene made you laugh out loud, or which quote did you highlight?

Drop your Halfway to the Grave favorite moments in the comments. Small things count too, like one line of dialogue or one look from Bones.

Final thoughts

If you like your paranormal romance with bite, chaos, and chemistry that refuses to behave, Halfway to the Grave is still the blueprint. It doesn’t waste time trying to be delicate. It throws you straight into Cat’s world, hands you a morally gray vampire with a filthy mouth, and dares you to stop reading.

If this is your first time, the series only gets better.

Next up: One Foot in the Grave
Catch up: my Halfway to the Grave review and podcast chat

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