Review: Destined for an Early Grave (Book 4) [Dramatized Edition] by Jeaniene Frost & GraphicAudio.net

 

💬: N/A

📖Genres: fantasy, romance, urban fantasy, paranormal, vampires

📚Page Count: N/A

🎧Audiobook Length: 07h 33min

👩🏾‍🏫My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 5/5 

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Destined for an Early Grave (Dramatized Edition) is a graphic audio published by the company Graphic Audio and written by Jeaniene Frost, based on the fourth book in her Night Huntress series, Destined for an Early Grave. Cat and Bones decided to take a vacation to France, but all is not well because Cat is now having dangerous dreams about a vampire named Gregor. A vampire that Cat has a history with, but even she doesn't remember that. How can Cat and Bones confront Gregor for his transgressions?

This story started off in a really convoluted way and I was not expecting to like this novel as much as I did. I thought the idea that Cat had a history with a "secret" vampire but she didn't know it was very sloppy writing at first, but when the pieces started to fall into place I could see that the author put much more thought into this book than I had originally suspected. (This of course is the dramatized adaption so it's not exactly like the book, but the execution of this adaption was awesome.)

The spicy scenes were good and I liked them even more after Bones and Cat were reunited (IYKYK [if you know, you know]). I'm giving the spicy scenes three point five chilies 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5 out of five chilies

After finding out the premise of this addition to the Night Huntress series, I was not expecting the story to be good. The story was great, it had action, it gave me mini heart attacks, and I sat on the edge of my seat while reading this. I'm giving this 5 stars, not only because I really liked it but because it subverted my expectations, and I'm happy about that. I'm giving this 5 out of 5 stars.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 5/5  Stars

I listened to this for free on [Hoopladigital.com]

Review: Devil to Pay (Book 3.5) by Jeaniene Frost

 

💬: "“Why did you try to jump in front of the train?” she asked. Blake closed his eyes. That’s right, the last thing he remembered was the train. “Did you stop me?” he asked incredulously. “Damn it, why?” She raised a brow."

Frost, Jeaniene. Devil to Pay (Night Huntress) (p. 7). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition. 

📖Genres: fantasy, romance, urban fantasy, paranormal, vampires

📚Page Count: 89

🎧Audiobook Length: 02h 18min

👩🏾‍🏫My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 3/5 

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Devil to Pay is a novella and it's book 3.5 in Jeaniene Frost's Night Huntress Series. Blake, a human possessed by a demon and Elise, a vampire sired by Mencheres are the main characters of this novella. The story starts off with Blake trying to commit suicide and Elise saves him. I don't want to say much else (just so I don't spoil things) about this story other than, Elise and Blake start to get to know each other after she saves him. 

This was just okay. I understand that it's a novella and it's supposed to be short, but it was just too short for my liking. The specific parts of the story were there, like the plot and climax, the problem is that just about every scene/chapter was too short to make me care. I will say that the story did have an interesting start.

There was a singular spicy scene and it started spontaneously and, in my opinion, it was too short. I'm giving it 2 🌶️ chilies out of 5 chilies🌶️.

Overall, this novella was just okay. Although we somewhat got backstory on the main characters of this novella, it was too short to make me care about the characters that were new. I'm going to give this 3 stars out of 5.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 3/5  Stars

I listened to this for free on [Hoopladigital.com]

Review: Happily Never After (Book 1.5) by Jeaniene Frost

💬: "He didn’t budge. “Plenty of room, Kitten. I’ll stay here.” “Don’t call me Kitten.” My voice was sharper than romance dictated, but I was seriously aggravated. The sooner he was truly dead, the better."

Frost, Jeaniene. Happily Never After (Night Huntress) (p. 83). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition. 

📖Genres: fantasy, romance, urban fantasy, paranormal, vampires

📚Page Count: 97

🎧Audiobook Length: 02h 47min

👩🏾‍🏫My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 3/5 

----

Happily Never After is book 1.5 in the Night Huntress series, it's about a human named Isabella and one of Bones' friends, a vampire named Chase. Isabella somehow was promised to be engaged to a wanna be mob boss, one that she is repulsed by and one that wants to kill her brother. Well, Chance is going to try to make sure this wedding doesn't happen, even if he has to "die" several times to ensure it.

This was okay, it was somewhat interesting so it kept my attention for the short duration of the audiobook (which was about 3 hours long.) I was disappointed to find out that this novella wasn't about Bones but just one of his former acquaintances. 

There was one spicy scene and it was okay, I think it could have been more exciting so I'm going to give this scene 2.75🌶️ chilies out of 5 chilies🌶️.

Overall, this novella wasn't as good as the first novella in the series, "Reckoning" the story about Bones. I even Happily Never After has spicy in it and Reckoning doesn't, I still think Reckoning was a more exciting story. I'm going to give this 3 stars out of 5.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 3/5  Stars

I listened to this for free on [Libbyapp.com]

Review: Reckoning (Book 0.5) by Jeaniene Frost

💬: "It was past nine when Bones came back. His coat was lined with several knives, both steel and silver. No telling whether Delphine and Louis might have vampiric help with them, so best to have all bases covered."

Frost, Jeaniene. Reckoning: From Unbound (Night Huntress) (p. 34). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition. 

📖Genres: fantasy, romance, urban fantasy, paranormal, vampires

📚Page Count: 59

🎧Audiobook Length: 01h 50min

👩🏾‍🏫My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 - 3.5/5 

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Reckoning is book 0.5 in the Night Huntress series, it's about Bones before he meets Cat. I wasn't sure what to expect with this novella, but the audiobook kept me interested throughout. Bones is in New Orleans and he ends up doing some work for real world historical figure Marie Laveau the herbalist, midwife, and Voodoo practitioner, the Queen of New Orleans. There are tourist that are getting eaten by a couple of ghouls and Laveau wants the issue and the ghouls taken care of. 

There's a lot of gore scenes and decapitation going on in this novella. It was action packed. I don't think it's necessary to read this novella before continuing with the series, it's just an interesting sided story about why Bones is no longer allowed in New Orleans. 

There were no spicy scenes in this novella, I will not be giving a spice rating. N/A 🌶️.

Overall, this novella was action packed and it revealed a bit of information about Bones' past. It was exciting and a little gross. I'm giving this novella 3.5 stars out of 5.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 - 3.5/5  Stars

I listened to this for free on [Hoopladigital.com]

Review: At Grave's End (Book 3) [Dramatized Edition] by Jeaniene Frost & GraphicAudio.net

💬: N/A

📖Genres: fantasy, romance, urban fantasy, paranormal, vampires

📚Page Count: N/A

🎧Audiobook Length: 07h 27min

👩🏾‍🏫My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 5/5 

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At Grave's End (Dramatized Edition) is a graphic audio published by the company Graphic Audio and written by Jeaniene Frost, based on the third book in her Night Huntress series, At Grave's End.  In this book someone new is after our favorite couple, we meet new but also very old vampires, there's a ton of action, and even some sad and emotional bits. This addition to the series was a roller coast, one that I want to continue to ride. 

There was only one thing I didn't like, and that was the minor sexual assault that happens to Cat while she's in the club scene. She does end up beating up the people who touched her without permission, so I supposed there was that at least. 

There weren't many spicy scenes in this, if I remember correctly there was one. It was done well so I enjoyed it. I'm giving the spicy scenes three chilies 🌶️🌶️🌶️ out of five chilies

Each addition to this series is better than the last, and book 3 (Dramatized) is no exception. I'm so delighted to be experiencing this series for the first time. I'm giving this 5 out of 5 stars instead.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 5/5  Stars

I listened to this for free on [Hoopladigital.com]

Review: Both Feet in the Grave (Book 2.2) by Jeaniene Frost

 

💬: "Bones traced the lines in Cat’s tattoo. Every notch and curve was identical to the one he had on his upper arm. She’d memorized his cross-bones so thoroughly that a picture couldn’t have been more accurate. His emotions fired like the finale of a fireworks show."

Frost, Jeaniene. Both Feet in the Grave: A Night Huntress Novel (pp. 80-81). NYLA. Kindle Edition. 

📖Genres: fantasy, romance, urban fantasy, paranormal, vampires

📚Page Count: 335

🎧Audiobook Length: 10h 06min

👩🏾‍🏫My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 5/5 

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Both Feet in the Grave written by Jeaniene Frost, is an alternate perspective book based on the second book in her Night Huntress series, One Foot in the Grave. Both Feet in the Grave was more exciting than the original second book in the series, I really love Bones as a character and his thoughts and decisions are interesting to follow. I'm really excited to read the third book from his perspective (if the author ends up writing it), but for now let's discuss Both Feet in the Grave. 

Cat and Bones have been separated at this point for 4 or 5 years, neither of them has contacted the other in this time span. Cat is now working as a special agent in a Supernatural department of a special government agency. By happenstance Cat and Bones end up once again crossing each other's paths. 

There were so many cool actions scenes and we all know that Cat is a badass, but these alternate perspective books are definitely where Bones shines. I think both the main characters are really cool but these books tell so much of Bones' background story, it's all so interesting. 

The spicy scenes were really enjoyable. I'm giving the spicy scenes three point five chilies 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5 out of five chilies

There was a lot of action in this novel, but there was also a bit of romance. I think the action overweighs the romance, but the story is still a good one either way. I'm giving this 5 out of 5 stars. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️- 5/5  Stars

I listened to this for free on the library app [HooplaDigital.com]

Review: One Foot in the Grave (Book 2) [Dramatized Edition] by Jeaniene Frost & GraphicAudio.net

💬: N/A

📖Genres: fantasy, romance, urban fantasy, paranormal, vampires

📚Page Count: N/A

🎧Audiobook Length: 07h 27min

👩🏾‍🏫My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 - 4.5/5 

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[SPOILERS BELOW]

One Foot in the Grave (Dramatized Edition) is a graphic audio published by the company Graphic Audio and written by Jeaniene Frost, based on the second book in her Night Huntress series, One Foot in the Grave. Cat Crawfield hasn't seen Bones in about four or five years, but after she's targeted for assignation, Bones might be the only one who can help her. After having worked as Special Agent Crawfield for the last four (or five) years she definitely has acquired some new (and old) enemies. Will Bones be able to save Cat from the impending danger? Will they be able to rekindle their lost relationship?

I really enjoyed this addition to the Night Huntress graphic audio series, it was so entertaining. There was so much going on and the music, sounds, and voice actors really came together to help tell an exciting story. 

The spicy scenes were okay in this. They weren't the best but they weren't terrible I'm giving the spicy scenes three chilies 🌶️🌶️🌶️ out of five chilies

This was really exciting and all the elements came together to make a really nice dramatized adaption of One Foot in the Grave. I'm giving this 4.5 out of 5 stars instead.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 4.5/5  Stars

I listened to this for free on [Hoopladigital.com]

 

Review: The Awakening (Book 1) by Christine Feehan

 

💬: "The breath slammed out of her lungs. Flames shot through her body, from her breast to her deepest core. The strange roaring was back in her head. Need was on her. Not some gentle emotion, not a pleasant feeling, but a raging tidal wave of hunger, of craving."

Feehan, Christine. The Awakening: The Novella That Introduced the Leopard People (Leopard series Book 1) (p. 51). Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. 

📖Genres: fantasy, romance, urban fantasy, paranormal, shapeshifters

📚Page Count: 121

🎧Audiobook Length: 3h 38min

👩🏾‍🏫My Rating: ⭐️⭐️.5 - 2.5/5 

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The Awakening by Christine Feehan is a novella and it's the first story in her series "Leopard People". Maggie inherits a house in the jungle and if I read this correctly, she just "wakes up" or "awakens" in the jungle (I'm unsure of how she actually got there.) Maggie is on the cusps of a physical and mental evolution, and she meets a man named Brandt who's supposed to help, he also says he's her mate. 

It was really evident that this was a novella with the rushed pacing. The two main characters talk for what seems like a day and after that, it seems like Maggie already trusts him. At one point Maggie mentions that she used to be asexual (or at least she thought she was asexual) but now she's having sexual cravings for Brandt and she can't explain why. Before evening knowing if she was interested Brandt kind of flashes her while he sits in the nude in her house or bungalow, he claims that she's his mate so I guess he thinks this is acceptable. 

The spicy scenes were alright, it was hard to get into them because the male protagonist was so pushy with his sexual advances, the part where he surprises and flashes her with his nude body really bothered me, he didn't even know if she was truly interested at that point. I'm giving the spicy scenes two chilies 🌶️🌶️ out of five chilies

Overall this story was a bit strange and baffling. I wish the pacing was a little smoother, and it would have been nice if we saw the characters interact with each other outside of their sexual cravings. I will read the next book in the series and give this series another chance, as of now I'm giving THIS novella 2.5 out of 5 stars. 

⭐️⭐️ - 2.5/5  Stars

I listened to this for free on [Libbyapp.com]

Review: The Other Side of the Grave (Book 1.1) by Jeaniene Frost

💬: "There is only one way to fight, and that’s dirty. Clean, gentlemanly fighting will get you nowhere but dead, and fast. Take every cheap shot, every low blow, absolutely kick someone when they’re down, and then maybe you’ll be the one who walks away.”

Frost, Jeaniene. The Other Half of the Grave: A Night Huntress Novel (pp. 47-48). NYLA. Kindle Edition. 

📖Genres: fantasy, romance, urban fantasy, paranormal, vampires

📚Page Count: 398

🎧Audiobook Length: 13h 14min

👩🏾‍🏫My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 - 4.5/5 

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The Other Half of the Grave written by Jeaniene Frost, is an alternate perspective book based on the first book in her Night Huntress series, Halfway to the Grave. The Other Half of the Grave was entertaining and just as exciting if not more exciting than it's original predecessor. In this book, Cat and Bones meet for the first time but everything is from Bones' perspective, and even though he makes some interesting decisions, I still like him as a character.  I appreciate Cat and Bones' relationship that much more. 

There are still outdated scenes in this book, but that's because the original was outdated and had poorly aged scenes. I think the outdated scenes were handled much better than they were in the original story. For example, there were less triggering details about these particular scenes this time around. That might be because it's from Bones' perspective, it might be because the author realized her mistake from the past and maybe she understood that rewriting these scenes was a way to make up for the outdated scenes from the past. I'm unsure, either way they're done better around this time. 

The spicy scenes were enjoyable and the audiobook narrator made them even more interesting than they normally would be. I'm giving the spicy scenes three point five chilies 🌶️🌶️🌶️.75 out of five chilies

This was an entertaining story and I enjoyed it a bit more than reading the original from Cat's point of view. There was still an okay amount of triggering content in this story but most of that stuff was glossed over in this version. I'm giving this 4.50 out of 5 stars. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 4.5/5  Stars

I used an audiobook credit to buy this audiobook. I was not able to locate the audiobook on hoopla, libbyapp, or everand. (as of 3/4/2024)

 

Review: Halfway to the Grave (Book 1) [Dramatized Edition] by Jeaniene Frost & GraphicAudio.net

💬: N/A

📖Genres: fantasy, romance, urban fantasy, paranormal, vampires

📚Page Count: N/A

🎧Audiobook Length: 09h 30min

👩🏾‍🏫My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25 - 4.25/5 

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Halfway to the Grave (Dramatized Edition) is a graphic audio published by the company Graphic Audio and written by Jeaniene Frost, based on the first book in her Night Huntress series, Halfway to the Grave. This was my first time listening to a production by the company Graphic Audio and I was not disappointed. Catherine Crawfield is a half-vampire and she's made it her mission to kill other vampires because one vampire in the past, destroyed her mother's life. Bones, a full fledged vampire agrees to help train Catherine and help her find her father as long as she agrees to help him take out some of his vampire enemies. 

[SPOILERS & POTENTIALLY TRIGGERING CONTENT BELOW]

The story itself was outdated at certain parts, but it was very exciting otherwise. There was a very outdated and poorly aged part where;these two guys at the club try to drug Catherine to date rape her. Because she's a half-vampire, the drugs don't fully work on her so they end up triple dosing a human woman after it didn't work on Catherine. The human woman died, Bones found the perpetrators while they were assaulting the victims dead body. Further spoilers, Bones kills the perps for their crime. This entire scene made me uncomfortable. I see a trend with older (circa - mid 90's - late 2000's) paranormal or urban fantasy stories where the author includes copious amounts of sexual assaults'.  Other than the issues with date rape and sexual assault, the graphic audio was enjoyable because the story's twist and turns were so interesting. This audio is action packed and it really has me excited to read the second installation. 

The spicy scenes were good, I enjoyed them and I really liked the voice actor for Bones. He has a very attractive voice. I'm giving the spicy scenes three point five chilies 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5 out of five chilies

Overall, disregarding the sexual assault issues I found this graphic audio to be really riveting. If the outdated parts in the story weren't there, I would definitely have to give this the max stars, but because of the triggering content, I'm giving this 4.25 out of 5 stars instead.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 4.25/5  Stars

I listened to this for free on [Hoopladigital.com]

Review: Shadowblade by Seressia Glass

💬: “By the Light, the dagger really was four thousand years old, and possessed of so much magic that it was almost sentient. That knowledge wasn’t the cause of the sudden cold in the pit of her stomach. The dagger’s owner, the dark warrior with the baritone voice, was still . . . somehow . . . alive. And looking for his blade."

Glass, Seressia. Shadow Blade (Shadowchasers Book 1) (p. 20). Pocket Books. Kindle Edition. 

📖Genres: paranormal action, magic, urban fantasy, fantasy, Egyptian mythology

📚Page Count: 345

🎧Audiobook Length: 09h 05min

👩🏾‍🏫My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 - 3.5/5 
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Shadow Blade by Seressia Glass is a paranormal/urban fantasy. The story is about Kira, who is a shadow hunter (beings who fight demons and creatures with chaos energy.) Kira is a shadow hunter by night and an artifact appraiser by day. Her friend brings her an especially rare blade, one that's thousands of years old. Soon the original owner of the blade comes looking for it, and Kira needs to decide if she's going to work alongside them to keep dark forces off of the blade, or if she's going to keep the blade for herself to keep the dark forces at bay, alone. 

The beginning of the book held my attention because it was interesting and action packed. Unfortunately, the middle of the book was very flat. Not much happened in the middle of the book and that caused all the initial steam, from the beginning of the book, to blow out. By the time the end of the book came along, the action scenes picked back up but because the middle had been so slow, I found myself uninterested in the rest of the book. 

Another thing I didn't like was that the antagonist didn't show up until 68% of the way through the book. The main characters talks about the evil forces at work against her and her companions but, I repeat, the antagonist doesn't show up until 68% of the way through the book. 

There was sexual tension, other than that, this book has no intimate scenes in it. I'm giving it zero chilies -🌶️ out of five chilies

I really wanted to love this book but I didn't. I only kind of liked this book, which is disappointing. When this has the action going and everything is exciting, it's good. When this book dials down the excitement for quieter moments, it falls flat. I will continue to read the series until I've completed it. Overall the story was okay, it was disappointing that there wasn't an intimate scene in there. I'm giving this 3.5 out of 5 stars.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 - 3.5/5
 

Review: Temple of the Inner Flame by Amber Fisher

 

💬: “Fair has nothing to do with it. The universe doesn’t give a damn about your free will. We all must fight to make our own choices. That right isn’t a given.”

📖Genres: adult, paranormal action, paranormal mystery

📚Page Count: 275

🎧Audiobook Length: 08h 41min

👩🏾‍🏫My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 

Temple of the Inner Flame is the first book in the "Rest in Power Necromancy" series by Amber Fisher. This book is an urban fantasy, paranormal action story about a necromancer named Kezia and a cult named "Temple of the Inner Flame". The story, main character, and magical systems all came together to make an interesting story. 

Kezia is a necromancer and a bartender and she's been asked by the owner of a somewhat cult, The Temple of the Inner Flame, to investigate some suspicious things that have been happening around the temple. During her investigation she runs into her ex-husband, who decides to stick around and help her solve the mystery. 

Overall, this was a pleasant surprise, and I'm glad I read it. I thought this story was really interesting and I was happy that it kept it's up a steady pace. I'm going to give this 4 stars out of 5.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 
4/5

I listened to this audiobook for free on [Libbyapp.com]

Review: Blood Debts by Terry J. Benton-Walker

 

💬: "People in expensive-looking suits and flashy cocktail dresses cling to glasses filled with champagne or cocktails and amble up and down the hallways and rooms, enjoying an evening of gambling and debauchery. It’s like a scene from one of Gatsby’s parties, except Black people are invited."

Benton-Walker, Terry J.. Blood Debts (pp. 70-71). Tor Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. 

📖Genres: Fantasy ,Young Adult ,LGBT ,Mystery, Queer, Young Adult Fantasy, Magic , Fiction, Urban Fantasy

📚Page Count: 400

🎧Audiobook Length: 14h 30min

👩🏾‍🏫My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 

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Blood Debts is a queer mystery novel about getting justice for one's past crimes. 30 years ago there were murders and a lynching and it was considered the greatest massacre in magical New Orleans history. This has 5 different perspectives and I thought it wasn't going to work but everything went together really nicely. My reading experience was a good one. This book is a rollercoaster, the plot starts right away in the first chapter and that's one of the things I really liked about this book. 

The book starts off with twins, Clem and Christina, tending to their mother and waiting for the Dr. to come and give them an update on their mother's condition. Their mother hasn't been doing well and her health has slowly been declining. They soon discover that 

their mother isn't sick, she's cursed! 

Will they be able to find out who's trying to harm their family? 

A lot of the surprises were predictable but the book was still enjoyable. I think I left probably around 5 notes to myself about the plotline, just of me guessing what the next surprise was going to be. In this regard, the book was really predictable, but that didn't stop the book from being entertaining. There were some secrets I didn't guess but there were more secrets that I DID guess and I thought that was worth mentioning in my review. 

This was my first time reading a book by Terry J. Benton-Walker and they did not disappoint me! This was exciting, entertaining, intriguing, and it was just down right good! I'm giving this a 5 out of 5.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️