Destined for an Early Grave (Night Huntress, #4)

by Jeaniene Frost

Tavia Gilbert (Narrator)

After their recent war with rogue vampires, Cat thinks a little rest and relaxation are in their future. But she's plagued by dreams of a Master vampire who claims to be from her past. As the dreams intensify and the shadowy figure in them proves to be more than a figment of her subconscious, she realizes there are parts of her past that have been hidden. To unlock these memories and deal with a growing danger to herself and Bones, Cat may have to venture all the way into the grave. But finding out the truth could rock what she knows about herself - and her relationship with Bones.

• ISBN10: 1441771204
• ISBN13: 9781441771209
• Publish Date: 1 January 2011 (first published 28 July 2009)
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 6 July 2021
• Imprint: Blackstone Audiobooks
• Edition: Library ed.
• Format: Audiobook
• Language: English

Reviews

[Berls]

Well my 4 star rating from last time stands! I wish I had written a review so I could compare my thoughts - but one things holds true... I remembered ALMOST NOTHING about this book. And some BIG things happened. I have no idea why these books, which are so good are also so forgettable for some reason! It's unusual for me to like books so much and forget so much.

The one thing I did remember - irritation with Bones. OMG these two struggled to communicate in this book! And felt particularly annoyed with Bones because (1) I felt like he disregarded everything he knew about Cat and expected her to be other than who he knew she was; and (2) he really didn't use his years of experience to create any wisdom for handling a very difficult situation. That said, I think it's realistic for a relationship to have challenges and it makes them more believable to have some internal conflict.

Other than that - it was all surprises for me! So much happened that it's hard to believe I forgot - so much that I can't tell you because it would be a spoiler - but lots of things that evoke strong emotions. I can say I felt sadness, anger, frustration, love, and so much more. There's a lot of action in this book, it's very gripping and I found myself not wanting to put it down. One of my favorite tidbits was Vlad - what a fantastic character! I love the friendship that he and Cat have developed and I'm so excited to eventually read his books.

I'm curious to see where things will go next because (1) I don't remember and (2) I've never read the spin off books. Looking forward to continuing later this month!

[Angie]

Proceed With Caution:

This book contains violence, death, murder, blood, torture, and coercion.

The Basics:

Destined for an Early Grave picks up around where the last book left off, with Cat and Bones trying to have a relaxing vacation after the chaos of At Grave's End. Unfortunately, Cat is having some strange dreams, which are more than just dreams. Soon they find themselves in Paris where another vampire known as the Dreamsnatcher is hoping to get his hands on Cat.

My Thoughts:

I had originally put off reading Destined for an Early Grave for three years after being spoiled by a major event, but while reading, knowing that it was coming didn't bother me because everything else that was happening was so ridiculous. Six years later, I have to agree with that assessment, although I do think I enjoyed it a bit more this second time around. Reading it nearly back-to-back with the other books gives it a bit more context.

I'm disappointed in Destined for an Early Grave. It reads like random filler and doesn't fit the tone of the series thus far at all. Gregor is such a dull villain, and he comes out of nowhere! Suddenly there's this vampire with the very powerful talent to pull people out of their dreams, and he wants to have Cat as his bride. Um, okay? Of course there has to be a prophecy surrounding Cat which makes her that much more appealing, but it didn't work for me.

I still don't like Gregor as a villain. He's cliched and annoying. I don't doubt that there's some crazy stuff in Cat's past that we maybe wouldn't know about. Especially, since we do know that Mencheres tends to keep important information to himself until the last possible second. Perhaps he believes his foretelling ability means he has things under control and doesn't need to speak up. But we've seen how that turns out. So yes, I believe something like this could have happened given what we know about Cat and Mencheres. But Gregor just didn't fit. He felt like a forced puzzle piece for the sake of drama.

Which brings me to my favorite part of Destined for an Early Grave: how this all affects her relationship with Bones. I had a new appreciation this time around for the scene of Cat returning to Bones, and him just going off on her. He had some choice words and I agreed with everything he had to say. He let her have it! It's not like this was the first time she didn't trust his plan and took matters into her own hands. I totally get her wanting to help and not just sitting there, but come on! She didn't even give him a chance and it comes back to bite her. I believe Bones is irreparably hurt by her actions. Good on him. Although, I obviously still wanted them to kiss and makeup. This was a good lesson in trust and communication for those two, which continues to plague them for the rest of the book. It's about time they face it.

Destined for an Early Grave also really kick starts the series' overarching plot, which is everyone's fear of what Cat will become if she decides to be raised as a ghoul. Something she hasn't even considered. But it's a valid fear, because she'd be the first known human-vampire-ghoul hybrid, and what the heck kind of powers would she have then!? What it would it mean for the supernatural community at large?

In the end though, Destined for an Early Grave felt like some detour where one person wants to see some obscure landmark that no one cares about, and then you get lost on the way back to the main road, drive in a circle, and end up right where you started. There was no point to any of this at all. The only important event was that thing I was spoiled on which happens toward the end. That will actually have ramifications for the rest of the series. That whole mess with Gregor....will not. I'm going to pretend that it never happened.

[nitzan_schwarz]

2015 tbr challenge + cleaning my shelves 2015

Read in one sitting~

[kimbacaffeinate]

3.5 rating

Destined for an Early Grave delivered tons of action, life and death situations and created problems for Cat and Bone’s relationship. It kept me riveted from page one and I quickly consumed this over the course of one day.

Bones and Cat are recovering from being practically eaten by zombies from the previous novel and are enjoying a little R&R, when Cat begins having dreams. A vampire that Cat has the niggling feeling she knows is calling to her in these dreams. When Bones asks her where she wants to vacation she chooses Paris and it surprises her. She’s never really wanted to go there. When they arrive we learn the person haunting her in her dreams is a Master Vampire known as Gregor; nicknamed the Dreamsnatcher. He is a powerful vampire who has escaped capture and is now trying to claim Cat belongs to him. Eep! What follows is suspenseful, has Cat and Bone’s relationship in jeopardy and will keep you turning the pages, praying for some kinds of HEA.

First let me just get this confession of my chest..I adore Vlad and I want more! I love the characters Frost brings to this urban fantasy. Cat and Bones are well fleshed out and even the secondary characters have depth. Now I love Bones and tolerate Cat ( cause Bones belongs to me!) but in this book I wanted to throttle them both. The fighting between them and the insecurities made me want to scream. These two have been to hell and back, you think by now they would be secure in their relationship. Master Vampires are manipulative and each had a hidden agenda. This was the case with both Gregor and Mencheres. Vlad was wonderful, supportive and totally had Cat’s back. I would adore a spin off book about him. Other key characters make an appearance, as well as the Queen of New Orleans and a ghost.

The plot is intense and the stakes are high. Frost kept me guessing as to how it would all turn out. The transformation of Cat in this novel was perhaps my favorite thing. Frost is very clever and I look forward to seeing how this develops. Overall I enjoyed this tale, but sadly it was my least favorite. The plot was wonderful, the pace delightful but Cat and Bones were whiny little snots, bickering like kiddies in a sandbox. I felt their insecurities and lack of trust were unjustified. They literally had me ripping my hair out. The ending wrapped up nicely and I still love my favorite fighting duo.
Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer

[mitabird]

1/27/2018: 4.5 stars

Update: 6/6/2011 - Very good read. It wasn't as stressful this time around since I knew what was going to happen, however, my heart still dropped at some of the scenes between them.

Original review: 9/10/2009 - I have to say that this was my least favorite of the series, but enjoyable nonetheless. I just want Cat and Bones to be happy and there was way too much emotional angst going on. I get that things need to be a bit spicy to keep things interesting, but it was almost like a soap opera. There was one point that I was really wondering how things were going to get resolved. It almost seemed hopeless, but the author did a great job with the resolution. She has a knack of keeping things real and I can't help but get sucked into the upheaval as well. The ending was a bit abrupt, but I am anxiously awaiting the next adventure featuring Cat and Bones.

[Linda]

WOW, this was awesome! Janine writes the fighting scenes with extraordinary detail. There's always some fluff. Although there was a LOT of angst in this book.

[Jo]

I am a huge fan of the Night Huntress series, but after reading At Grave’s End, the previous book in the series, which was just unbelievably good, and seeing the trailer for Destined for an Early Grave, I wasn’t too sure if this novel would match up. The story idea seemed a little off to me; after everything that’s happened to Cat, suddenly some vampire guy from a past she doesn’t remember starts trying to say that she’s married to him? It just didn’t sound like it fitted in with the other books, or that it should have been before At Grave’s End. However, being a huge fan of Jeaniene Frost, of course I was dying to reading it despite my misgivings. You would have thought I’d have learnt by now that if a book gives me the slightest inkling of doubt, I’m going to love it. It’s happened so many times, and has happened yet again with Destined for an Early Grave.

I cannot tell you how much I loved this book! In my review for At Grave’s End, I mentioned that Cat was at her strongest. Considering the events of that book, and how everyone dealt with it all, what happened in this, well, I never saw it coming. Cat and Bones’ relationship is strained to its limits, Cat takes some drastic steps, and a lot more people are put at risk – and I loved every second of it!

With each novel Jeaniene writes, there is more and more of an emotional rollercoaster! We have the same characters we’ve come to know and love, and we get even more involved in their lives, and their emotional dramas are just as heart wrenching as the action is an adrenalin rush. I can’t really go into detail about how or why it’s emotional without spoiling the book, but there are several events when my heart just falls for Cat, and I really feel for her because of the things she goes through.

Then we have the action. I am always amazed at how brilliantly Jeaniene choreographs her fight scenes. As I have mentioned before, I have a very visual imagination, so every book I read is like watching a movie, but sometimes fight scenes can get a little confusing for me to see. This is not a problem with these books; I see every punch, every kick, every slash, every bite, and every stab. It’s exciting, but it’s also scary; you’re worried about the people who are fighting and how they could possibly get out of what’s happening alive. And finally, being fight scenes, they’re quite violent and gory; at one point towards the end, I was so nervous for the characters, and it got quite a bit gory that I had to put the book down and get a drink as it made me feel a bit sick. All of this shows just how awesome a writer Jeaniene is!

I could go on about how amazing this book is, but I would be spoiling a lot of the book. This book is just amazing, and I really can’t wait for the next in the series. Luckily enough, to tide me over until the next Night Huntress series book, First Drop of Crimson, the first book in Jeaniene Frost’s Night Huntress World series, is due out 9th February, and I can’t wait to read it!I’d highly recommend this novel, and if you haven’t read any of the books in the Night Huntress series yet, I would go get Halfway to the Grave ASAP if I were you! Don’t miss out any longer!