A review by zerisse
Halfway To The Grave by Jeaniene Frost

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This is one of my favorite PNRs of all time and I’ve reread this book multiple times since I first read this in 2015. This book kickstarted my love for paranormal romance!

I’ve reviewed this book before so I am focusing my review on the Graphic Audio format.

I absolutely LOVE this format! The different voices and additional sound effects were perfect! Since I’ve already read this book, the sound effects were not distracting at all! I found myself smiling and laughing along as the plot unfolded. This type of format is immersive and 1000 times more enjoyable! Yasmin Tuazon and Chris Davenport brought Cat and Bones to life! This format reminds me of the very first audiobook I listened to that hooked me to audiobooks years ago.

The Graphic Audio has additional sound effects and music in between scenes and during the actual scene, which adds to the listening experience. This Graphic audio is very similar to radio shows or old. I grew up in the Philippines so we had afternoon radio shows featuring stories – sort of like a Telenovela – with dual voices and background sounds.

One of the changes that I am on the fence about in this narration is Bones’ accent. In my review of Tavia Gilbert’s narration, I loved the Cockney accent she used for Bones’ voice. In the Graphic Audio/Dramatized Narration, Bones is read by Chris Davenport and he uses the standard British accent.

I honestly miss Bones’ Cockney accent, but Suzanne of The Fangover Podcast has said that she’s never heard of Tavia’s Cockney accent in real life before. As someone who hasn’t been to England, and one who has only heard British accents on TV, I enjoyed Tavia’s accent! Maybe because I don’t know any better! I feel like it made Bones more endearing. With that said, I also love Chris Davenport’s Bones accent. This one is more decadent and sensual and also perfect for Bones!

One negative to the graphic audio is that some of the effects – like the club music effect – are a little bit loud. However, I also feel that this was intentional to immerse you into the story. It just bothered me a bit.

Abridged or Unabridged?
I’m not entirely sure if this is an abridged version since the original audiobook is 11 hours and 18 minutes in length while the Graphic Audio is 9 hours and 30 minutes in length. Since I have reread this book multiple times, I did get a feeling that there were a few minor parts that were missing but I can’t say that this has been abridged for sure.

Overall, this did not alter the plot or my total enjoyment of the audiobook.

I am stoked to find out that they are releasing On Foot in the Grave, book 2 in the Night Huntress Novels o January 27, 2023! I am so excited to listen to it! Book 2 is one of the spiciest books in this series!

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