Destined for an Early Grave by Jeaniene Frost – SPOILER EDITION

JFrost-Destined for an Early GraveSo I posted my review of Destined for an Early Grave by Jeaniene Frost about a month ago, but there was so much that happened, that I really wanted to add a spoiler section.  However, since I did give out the review a month before it was released, I didn’t think that would be very fair.  So, here’s the review again, but now with a spoiler section at the end and I’m hoping everyone has read it even though it’s only been out for a couple of days.

Since half-vampire Cat Crawfield and her undead lover Bones met six years ago, they’ve fought against the rogue undead, battled a vengeful Master vampire, and pledged their devotion with a blood bond. Now it’s time for a vacation. But their hopes for a perfect Paris holiday are dashed when Cat awakes one night in terror. She’s having visions of a vampire named Gregor who’s more powerful than Bones and has ties to her past that even Cat herself didn’t know about.

I am so going to repeat myself….OMG this was fabulous!  You will not be prepared for the events that take place in Destined for an Early Grave.  Not only are we given some great character development on Cat, plus we’re given even more uniqueness that she is as a half-breed.  Cat is thrown a bunch of obstacles in Destined for an Early Grave, and her relationship with Bones is put to the ultimate test.  An outside force is threatening their relationship and their very volatile natures do not help them at all when dealing with it.  The very presence of Gregor throws everything out of whack and let’s just say that they don’t handle his threat very well.

I have to say that I am loving the villain that Gregor is.  It’s not only a new twist (to me) in a vampire novel, but it’s executed so well that you can’t help but be instantly absorbed.  I read Destined for an Early Grave awhile ago and I wasn’t planning on reading it again until it came out on July 28th; but when I went looking for one simple sentence to tease my fellow Frost Fans members, I was sucked back in and didn’t surface for 30 pages.  We’re given a lot of great action, intrigue and dialog, but there are also moments of intense laughter and hilarity.  One such instance is when a certain character says this:

The shit’s gonna splatter, start buggin’, yo.

I’m not going to tell you who says it, but seriously, when you find out who does, I’m sure you’ll be thinking the same thing as I did – it so should not be coming from this mans mouth.  Just imagining him saying this cracks me up every time, but while it adds a bit of humor to the novel, it also describes the forthcoming tension perfectly.  The shit does hit the fan and no one is safe from the backlash.

“Bones has always been smart,” I muttered.  “His intelligence was just camouflaged under a mountain of pussy.”

Yeah, I just threw that quote in because it’s just a great line.  Overall, if you’re a fan of Frost’s Night Huntress series, you’re going to love this novel.  If you thought At Grave’s End took you on an emotional roller coaster ride, that is going to be nothing compared to Destined for an Early Grave.  This was not only fabulous, but it so made me want to read the rest of the series again.  What Bones and Cat go through is fantastic and I’m really curious to see what we’re given next.  I will say that the ending occurred way sooner than I thought it did.  What Frost gives us at the end of this novel…never saw it coming and I just know that we’re going to be in for another wild ride with the fifth book.  Now that the book has been out for a week, what do you guys think?

Read order:
Halfway to the Grave (Read the first 20% here)
One Foot in the Grave (Read the first 20% here)
At Grave’s End (Read the first 20% here)
Destined for an Early Grave (Read the first 20% here)

—- SPOILER —- SPOILER —- SPOILER —-

Holy crap batman, Cat went vampire! Seriously, I figured she would always end up there at some point, I just didn’t think we would get there in the fourth novel.  And seriously though, Bones totally nailed it when he said that Cat was still thinking vampire equaled evil and Spade pretty much confirmed it when he said Cat was already a vampire except for the whole living and breathing thing.  I have to say that I’m not disappointed that Cat turned already, but I’m curious to see what happens in the next novel.  I know Frost is contracted for at least two more Night Huntress novels (not including the two spinoffs), but where they are going to go I have no clue.  Something tells me that there is going to be a fight with Gregor’s allies, but I’m really not sure there is much for them to start a war over.  I get that they are not amused that Cat killed Gregor when she thought he killed Bones, but the Law Guardians acquitted her of it.  So they may not like it, but what basis are they going to use to get back at them?

OMG….Justina as a vampire!  So didn’t see that coming.  I mean, who would want to have their mother-in-law with them for eternity.  I honestly don’t think it would be that big of a deal if Rodney was around, but of course he had to be killed off.  Why I’m still not sure and I cried when I read that, but damn.  Although, the interactions between Bones and Justina are going to have a whole new spin on them now.

I seriously cried when Bones walked out on Cat.  There was a second there that I thought that they may have been over and that the next books were going to be Cat dealing with it.  Then I got my head on straight.  Seriously…no Cat and Bones?  Not going to happen and Cat pretty much clinches that idea at the end when she was ready to die for helping Bones when she thought he was dead.

About Jackie 3282 Articles
I am a 30-something SAHM with two adorable boys and a supportive husband who is very tolerant of my reading addiction. I love to read and easily go through about a dozen books a month – well I did before I had kids. Now, not so much. After my first son was born, I began to take my hobby of reviewing a little more serious and started Literary Escapism to help with my sanity. I love to discuss the fabulous novels I’ve read and meeting all the wonderful people in the book blogging community has been amazing.

10 Comments

  1. This line from Mencheres: The shit’s gonna splatter, start buggin’, yo. had me busting a gut. Jeaniene has so many great lines. The scenes between Cat and Bones had me hurting and the twists, OMG!!

  2. Loved this book…totally agree with your review:) The things you were surprised of in the spoilers surprised me as well. I was sad when the one thing happened at the end. And the fight between cat and bones was written amazingly!!!

  3. I thought seriously about doing a spoiler post, but in the end decided to just do a review. But since you did one, that gives me a great chance to think out loud.

    Gregor belonged to Mencheres, right? That means that, since Bones is co-head of Mencheres line, that Justina will now be his. Right? Someone else can’t come along and claim to be her grandsire or something… unless I’m wrong about Gregor being one of Mencheres vamps.

    And I totally agree that I didn’t expect Cat to turn so soon. I can’t wait to see if she holds onto the fire thing or not. If she does then she could become very powerful. I wonder how Bones would deal with her being more powerful than him some day? Mr Alpha Male Master Vampire would certainly have issues with that, I’m guessing.

    Why does Mencheres not see the future anymore? I have no idea what’s going on with that.

    I have a feeling the next book will have something to do with whatever is wrong with Don. If he’s at death’s door (and that was certainly hinted at by the way Vlad talked to him) then Cat may have to get back involved with the Agency in some way.

    This is still my most favoritist series ever.

  4. Gregor wasn’t apart of Mencheres’ line, hence the reason he was willing to start a war over Cat. At least, I’m 99.9% sure he wasn’t a part of Mencheres’ line.

    As for the fire thing, it’s doubtful Cat will keep that. It’s explained towards the end that Cat may be able to siphon abilities from the vamps she drinks from, but for only so long. Since Vlad was the last person she fed from, he’s a pyro so she is now too. At least, for however long it takes the blood to leave her system.

    The whole thing with Don caught me off guard too. I didn’t realize something was off with him. I think once Cat goes back and talks to him, she’ll notice something is off to since she has her super vamp nose now. :)

  5. I don’t even think Jeaneine has started teh fifth book yet. She’s currently focusing on First Drop of Crimson, Spades story, since that one comes out next (I think or at least I’m 90% sure). Plus I want to say the next one is Mencheres story, but I’m not sure. I know we’re getting his story, just not when. I’m hoping we get the fifth one next year.

  6. I guess I’m one of the few that was really disappointed with this book. My sister and I were both at the stand in Wal-Mart on the release date – badgering the poor guy who sets out books to find Frost’s effort. We both ran home to read it, and both gave each other a “HUH?” expression the next morning.

    I don’t like Cat and Bones nearly as much as I did before – they behaved so out of character in this book. Three-quarters of their actions never rang true for me. I truly, truly dislike the Cat turning vampire plot point. What made her special was her humanity tied to her vampirism. Just making her a different kind of vampire is not gonna cut it.

    There were some parts that were exactly what I have come to love about Frost’s books – humor, world building, character development (especially Vlad!), but all-in-all, it just fell very short for me. I probably will buy the next one, but not until I read a review from some of the reviewers I trust to be impartial, and perhaps I’ll sit in front of the shelf and read the last page or two…

  7. Ok, so I haven’t read this yet, but as a huuuuuge fan of the series I’m kinda worried that this one is gonna ruin it for me. I always knew there was the threat of her turning vamp, and I always was glad she didn’t and didn’t want to because that was what made her her. I mean…that’s why she was hunted because she was the Red Reaper. Although I get that she’ll still be the Red Reaper, it’s just. Ian wouldn’t want her now cuz well..she’s not so special anymore. But I think I’ll just have to wait and see how the book is cuz I can’t imagine she’d be like just any other vampire. And Rodney getting killed seriously ticks me off, I really liked him. And Justina as a vamp…weeeeiiird lol. I hope I like the book, I’ll be very bummed if I don’t. I loved Kim Harrison’s series until she killed off one of the main characters and I gotta say after that I lost interest in them. I hope that doesn’t happen with these. I think I’d be heartbroken.

    • Without ruin/spoiling it, I will say that Cat remains special. There is no one like Cat in the vampire world, dead or undead, that Bones knows about. *grin*

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