The Other Half of the Grave by Jeaniene Frost Narrator: Will M. Watt
Series: Night Huntress #1.1
Published by Nancy Yost Literary Agency on April 26, 2022
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Length: 13 hours 13 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Purchased
Goodreads
From the New York Times bestselling author of the Night Huntress series comes a thrilling new look at the iconic origin story of Cat and Bones, as experienced by Bones…from the other half of the grave.
There are two sides to every story–and the sizzling British alpha vampire, Bones, has a lot to say…
Ever wondered what Bones was thinking and feeling when he and half-vampire Cat Crawfield first met? Or how their story might differ if he were the one telling it? Now, relive the beginning of Cat and Bones' bestselling love story through Bones' point of view, which reveals a darker, sexier take on their early days, as well as a deeper dive into Bones' past, the vampire world, and other things that Cat didn't see when their story was told only through her eyes in Halfway to the Grave.
Cat had her say. Now, it's Bones' turn.
My top thoughts:
I was so excited to read this and the timing could not be better, since I’m (re)reading the series for Anne’s Readalong this year. It was really great to get the story from Bone’s perspective. Funny enough, even though I had JUST read the book from Cat’s POV just a few month’s ago, there were still details I had forgotten! My memory was quickly jogged though, as opposed to when I was utterly shocked about things with my reread, so that’s something.
What I liked/didn’t like:
I think there are two great things about getting the story from Bone’s POV.
- you have access to understanding the paranormal world so much more thouroughly and earlier than in Cat’s POV. I don’t know how much good it did me, since I’ve read the oher books. But if you were a new reader to the series and read this directly after reading the first book, that could be a real treat.
- You get to see his impressions of Cat. I wonder if the Cat haters would be softened by his impressions? IDK, I’m not a Cat hater, as I’ve always been a lot like Bones in loving her BECAUSE of her flaws, rather than despite them. And he sees her so clearly. His patience with her, his compassion and understanding… whoa. They just make you fall even harder for him.
I did have two disappointments:
- since we’re getting things from Bone’s POV I was really hoping to see some filling in of gaps from the end of book 1 / start of book 2 and that was glossed over (maybe it’s coming in a future book?)
- If you were reading the series for the first time and decided to read this book after book 1 (which you would expect to make sense with the numbering as well as content), the end of this book would really spoil a part of book 2 that doesn’t happen for quite a ways in. I don’t know how that would have impacted my reading of book 2.
Narrator thoughts:
Perhaps the BEST part of this book was the change in narrators! I do not enjoy Tavia Gilbert’s narration for Bones in the series — so much so that I really avoid listening all together. But I am a SLOW reader and that makes getting these books read very challenging for me. Thankfully this book was narrated by Will M. Watt and he delivered a very solid Bones. Such a different personality comes through with his voice in comparison. I hope he continues to narrate (as I understand there will be a book 2 from Bones’s POV as well). 
I agree totally that it really give much more a foundation about the supernatural world. I think maybe one would want to read it after book 2 of the original series but I guess maybe we will have to see what the second Bones book tells us. Excellent review!
Yes! I’m really curious for book 2. Maybe book 2 will rewind a bit and give us those missing details? I want them if I’m reading from Bones’s perspective!
I still need to read the last book in the series. Glad the narrator was better. That can really ruing a book – especially with a character like Bones.
Karen @For What It’s Worth
Oooh you should read it with us for the readalong and join in the chat! I agree about narrators, they can make or break a book for me sometimes!
“If you were reading the series for the first time and decided to read this book after book 1 (which you would expect to make sense with the numbering as well as content), the end of this book would really spoil a part of book 2 that doesn’t happen for quite a ways in. I don’t know how that would have impacted my reading of book 2”
Oof I don’t like that.
Yeah I felt like that was a definite no-no. I an see how it either worked if you were reading his books INSTEAD of Cat’s or if you were reading them (like many of us are) after having read the entire series. But as a new reader, I think I would be irritated. Or mabye I wouldn’t know any better and it would just change the way I read book 2 rather than spoil it? IDk.
Nice! I still need to read this one myself! I’m so behind and I apparently read so slow! lol. Glad to see it was mostly a winner! Nice review!
I read really slow too, if it weren’t for audio books I would read maybe 50 books a year! You’ll enjoy it when you get to it 🙂
One of these days I will get to this series, I remember loving the first one and then I didn’t continue and now I need to reread book one.
I am jumping in on the readalong with Vlad’s books and it has been years since I read the earlier Night Huntress books so I almost felt like I was getting a new story when I read this one from Bones’ POV. I couldn’t remember where the storyline for books one and two ended, but good to know that this one does cross into that one for new readers. I feel I missed out by not getting it in audio- oh well, relisten. Glad you loved it, too.
I hope that the gaps from the end of book 1 and start of book 2 will be filled in with the next book, which is coming so at least we can hope for that!