Monday, August 19, 2013

Chicks Who Kill It! robgirlbooks' Mini-Reviews of Halfway to the Grave and Magic Bites

You've seen these book covers around. Heck, I've never checked out such tattered paperbacks from the library before. And I am so happy my friends boasted about these two series until I just had to see for myself.

5 STARS Halfway to the Grave starts off bloody. With a murderous chip on her shoulder, Catherine Crawfield spends her evenings luring and eventually blissfully killing vampires. She's scary in a serial killer kind of way, a lovable serial killer. We meet Bones at the very beginning. He loves long necks and idiots foolish enough to get in his way. Cat (or Kitten) gets in his way and we're all the better for it. I absolutely loved reading this book. Cat has a ways to go with her prejudice against vamps (which seems reasonable enough to have, right). Bones is an island, yet he tangles his world with Cat's from the start. I love that they're both unrepentant killers. I enjoyed Cat's transformation from the girl with poor social skills to a confident woman. And I laughed. So much. No one does jealous like Cat. There's mystery and adventure. The breakneck speed never slows down, even the steamy scenes leave you breathless and dizzy. I'm on book 2, with 3 waiting for me at the top of my library stack. 

5 STARS Magic Bites is a fantastical read like no other. Magic has eaten away the flashy modern world, leaving behind a wrecked landscape full of underworld baddies, wonky electricity, dilapidated cities, and hunters like Kate Daniels. Oh the beasts she hunts. And let me tell you, author Ilona Andrews creates vampires you never want to cuddle with! Puppets with teeth and skin-wrapped bones. They crawl up walls. They open their mouths only to have the voice of their puppet master speaking. Ack! There is so much gore and fantasy, I gave this book 4 stars originally, but really it's a 5 star read. I can't stop thinking about it. The characters are perched on my shoulder, teasing me that I don't know enough about them. I want more. More! And never once did I step out of the world Andrews created. I loved that cars were unreliable and mostly for the rich. I loved that Kate has no qualms with riding a horse or enduring intense pain. She's scared all the time and whenever that happened, the woman opened her mouth and practically made her death a certainty. There wasn't enough romance in the first book, but that's my preference. I was scared often, grossed out just as much. The monsters were terrifying. The good guys were borderline insane. How can you resist a series like that? I cannot wait to read the next book!



12 comments:

  1. I haven't read Magic bite- I'm intrigued. Thanks for posting-
    ~Summer
    My Blog

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    1. If you like urban fantasy heavy on the fantasy, Magic Bites is so good. I hear it only gets better. I only wish I was a faster reader! Thanks for stopping by. Now I'm heading over to your blog.

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  2. Ahh, you're making me want to re-read them, Robyn! :) Both these series are on my absolute favorites list. And they each get better and better! You'll have to check out the Andrews' The Edge series sometime as well. Happy Tuesday!

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    1. Brandee, you're killing me! Okay, mid-writing this reply I added The Edge series. Does the story take place at some point in the Kate Daniels series? Every night after sifting, sorting, and packing I break out these awesome books you guys suggested. I'm a lucky girl!

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  3. Yes! Love both of these and so glad to see you reading these series :D Kate's romance comes on slow since she's a character that shies away from the lovey-dovey. Once it happens though it's a BAM that I love! Cat and Kate are two of my fav heroines, and you did their reviews justice. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts! Jaclyn @ JC's Book Haven.

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    1. Thanks, Jaclyn! Cat and Kate rock for sure. "it's a BAM that I love!" is awesome. Can't wait, but I do like how grown up Kate is and how much she just wants the easy (but not so easy) alone path. There is nothing like a good book taking you away pages at a time.

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  4. Well, these books sound good. Especially the first one. And I love the title.
    I haven't read many books with vampires. Of course I've read the VA,the VD and Twilight but that's it. Some of my firends have read countless books with vampires. I'd like to read vamps again, but now, I'm reading Days of Blood and Starlight. It's book #2 in The Daughter of Smoke and bone series and it's is good.

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    1. I've heard a lot of good stuff about that series. I look forward to your reviews. I have a couple YA contemporary romance novels waiting that I keep renewing at the library, but I can't seem to stop reading urban fantasy right now. We'll see if I can branch out anytime soon.

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  5. Both books are enticing. I think what attracted me to the first is the "scary in a serial killer kind of way" comment. And Magic Bites sounds good, too. I like the premise of magic setting away the flashy world. A new addition to my ever-growing TBR.

    Thanks a for sharing, Robyn. Have a wonderful week.

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    1. Halfway to the Grave is solidly in the paranormal romance category and Magic Bites is solidly in urban fantasy, especially with the dark world building. I'm happy to fatten that TBR list. Mine is bursting.

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  6. I'm so glad you loved Cat and Bones! So much fun, and I love their couple :) I haven't read Magic Bites yet... do you think it would be possible to have just a few extra hours each day for reading?

    Excellent reviews, Robyn :)

    Lexxie @ (un)Conventional Bookviews

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    1. Did you ever read that awesome blogger series Jaclyn did a few months back where she interviewed bloggers? She asked each of them what superhero power they'd want most. Almost all of them said they wished to manipulate time so they can read more. Ha! I can just see if (when) you start Magic Bites. You'll gobble up that series in a few days. I have book 2 already. That's fast work for me.

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