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30th out of 243 books
—
936 voters
The Bite Before Christmas (Argeneau #15.5)
by
Lynsay Sands,
Jeaniene Frost (Goodreads Author)
In Lynsay Sands' "The Gift," Katricia Argeneau knows grey-eyed cop Teddy Brunswick is her life mate. She just needs to convince him they belong together, and being snowbound in a secluded cabin will make this a Christmas neither will forget.
It's "Home for the Holidays" in Jeaniene Frost's Night Huntress series. Cat and Bones may long to wrap presents and set up a tree, bu...more
It's "Home for the Holidays" in Jeaniene Frost's Night Huntress series. Cat and Bones may long to wrap presents and set up a tree, bu...more
ebook, 225 pages
Published
October 25th 2011
by William Morrow
(first published January 1st 2011)
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36th out of 216 books
—
993 voters
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Dec 26, 2012
Vilda
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Night Huntress fans!
The Gift by Lynsay Sands: 3 stars
Home for the Holidays by Jeaniene Frost: 4,5 stars
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♦ The Gift was the first story I've read by Sands, even though I've been eyeing her work for quite some time! It was a very sweet story that I definitely enjoyed, even if there is a bit of insta-love going on thanks to the whole life mate thing. It was really interesting to learn more about this different world though and I'm curious...more
Home for the Holidays by Jeaniene Frost: 4,5 stars
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♦ The Gift was the first story I've read by Sands, even though I've been eyeing her work for quite some time! It was a very sweet story that I definitely enjoyed, even if there is a bit of insta-love going on thanks to the whole life mate thing. It was really interesting to learn more about this different world though and I'm curious...more
4 likes · like · see review
view all 4 comments
A Bite Before Christmas was an odd pairing of holiday novellas served up with a fangy twist - Sand's Argeneau vampires are light humorous paranormal romances and Frost's Night Huntress stories are wise cracking sexy urban fantasy. I am a fan of both, but no sure that they belong together and - I have to ask - why are they together in hardback? Anyway on to the important stuff...
(4.5 stars = I really really liked it) "Home for the Holidays" by Jeaniene Frost - A Night Huntress novella - Looks li...more
(4.5 stars = I really really liked it) "Home for the Holidays" by Jeaniene Frost - A Night Huntress novella - Looks li...more
3 likes · like · see review
Overall Rating Clarification: 3.5 stars
The Gift Lynsay Sands
2 Stars
This first Holiday short story was obviously not my favorite of the two. I haven’t had any exposure with Sands as an author, so that might account for me having a hard time grasping her vampire lore and method of developing her story.
In The Gift we meet Teddy who is a sixty four year old, soon to be retired chief of police that finds himself stranded with no provisions and electricity after a snow storm. He stumbles across Katr...more
The Gift Lynsay Sands
2 Stars
This first Holiday short story was obviously not my favorite of the two. I haven’t had any exposure with Sands as an author, so that might account for me having a hard time grasping her vampire lore and method of developing her story.
In The Gift we meet Teddy who is a sixty four year old, soon to be retired chief of police that finds himself stranded with no provisions and electricity after a snow storm. He stumbles across Katr...more
14 likes · like · see review
Oct 27, 2011
♠ Sharon is an emotional book junkie ♠
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
read-in-2011
**Only read Jeaniene Frost's story - Home for the Holidays**
**4.5 stars**
YES!! Back to the Cat and Bones that we so love...finally! The last two books had lost their "edge" for me but this one brings it all back. My only complaint is that it's too short.
As the title says, Cat and Bones are home for the holidays starting off with Bones' surprise birthday party. When Annette doesn't show up, Ian goes to investigate. That leads to an unknown vampire showing up at Cat and Bones' house.
Most of my f...more
**4.5 stars**
YES!! Back to the Cat and Bones that we so love...finally! The last two books had lost their "edge" for me but this one brings it all back. My only complaint is that it's too short.
As the title says, Cat and Bones are home for the holidays starting off with Bones' surprise birthday party. When Annette doesn't show up, Ian goes to investigate. That leads to an unknown vampire showing up at Cat and Bones' house.
Most of my f...more
4 likes · like · see review
4.5 stars for the Jeaniene Frost story.
In typical Cat & Bones fashion, and Jeaniene Frost style, the story was exciting, gave us significant character development with characters we have come to love (and perhaps even some we love to dislike), fattened parts of the world and lore up, and opened up some possibilities for long arc storylines, all wrapped up in a very satisfying ending.
I also read the preview peek at the new Vlad series (Prince of Darkness) and I'm really looking forward to t...more
In typical Cat & Bones fashion, and Jeaniene Frost style, the story was exciting, gave us significant character development with characters we have come to love (and perhaps even some we love to dislike), fattened parts of the world and lore up, and opened up some possibilities for long arc storylines, all wrapped up in a very satisfying ending.
I also read the preview peek at the new Vlad series (Prince of Darkness) and I'm really looking forward to t...more
This book is a twopher.....The first story is by Lynsay Sands. A little novella based in her Argeneau world. The second story is by Jeaniene Frost and is a Night Huntress story.
The Gift by Lynsay Sands: Barely a 2 Star read for me. To be perfectly honest I have never read anything by this author and after reading this short novella I probably won't bother. Let's just say I could barely get through the 60 page story without wanting to just fall asleep. BORING. I didn't give a crap about any of it...more
The Gift by Lynsay Sands: Barely a 2 Star read for me. To be perfectly honest I have never read anything by this author and after reading this short novella I probably won't bother. Let's just say I could barely get through the 60 page story without wanting to just fall asleep. BORING. I didn't give a crap about any of it...more
1 like · like · see review
Dec 12, 2011
Anna (Bobs Her Hair)
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
PNR fans
Shelves:
paranormal-romance,
anthology
“Home for the Holidays” by Jeaniene Frost – 4 Stars or B+
The Story
Cat arranges a surprise birthday party for Bones with his closest friends. When Annette doesn’t arrive Ian ventures to her hotel to investigate and then some and discovers she has been attacked. Bones, Cat and company cannot get Annette to reveal her attacker. Then, a surprise visitor throws everyone into a tailspin. When Bones, Mencheres, Kira, Spade, and Annette begin acting strange Ian, Denise and Cat work together against a ne...more
The Story
Cat arranges a surprise birthday party for Bones with his closest friends. When Annette doesn’t arrive Ian ventures to her hotel to investigate and then some and discovers she has been attacked. Bones, Cat and company cannot get Annette to reveal her attacker. Then, a surprise visitor throws everyone into a tailspin. When Bones, Mencheres, Kira, Spade, and Annette begin acting strange Ian, Denise and Cat work together against a ne...more
4 likes · like · see review
The Bite Before Christmas contains two short stories from established series. In The Gift, Linsay Sands gives us the story of Katricia, one of the Argeneau family vampires, and Teddy, a small town cop. The two are stranded in neighboring cabins after a snowstorm blocks the roads and knocks out the power. They decide to stay in one house together, and Katricia quickly realizes that Teddy is her life mate. The only problem will be convincing the 64-year-old man that Katricia, who looks like she is...more
I've read most of Sands' Argeneau books - and one of her historical romances - and I love her writing. Her story here, however, while enjoyable, was also a little boring, a little slow, a little same old same old. Fun but nothing special. Teddy is the police chief of and lives in the same little town as Elvi and Victor, from Book 7 in the Argeneau series, AN ACCIDENTAL VAMPIRE. So he's already familiar with the Argeneaus and their kind. Wanting to get away on his own during the holidays, Marguer...more
Also at: weaklingno14.blogspot.co.uk
The Bite Before Christmas (Argeneau #15.5; Night Huntress #6.5) - Lynsay Sands; Jeaniene Frost
This review may contain spoilers.
I only read Home For the Holidays in this little anthology, so the review is for that. If I ever read 'The Gift' I will update this review pronto...
So, this is set directly after One Grave at a Time, almost literally, considering One Grave at a Time ends at Halloween, or around there, so just before christmas, when this is set.
In this...more
The Bite Before Christmas (Argeneau #15.5; Night Huntress #6.5) - Lynsay Sands; Jeaniene Frost
This review may contain spoilers.
I only read Home For the Holidays in this little anthology, so the review is for that. If I ever read 'The Gift' I will update this review pronto...
So, this is set directly after One Grave at a Time, almost literally, considering One Grave at a Time ends at Halloween, or around there, so just before christmas, when this is set.
In this...more
***Rating Only For Frost's Contribution***
Home for the Holidays by Jeaniene Frost
The plot of this in a nutshell: Cat and Ian are forced to work together when Bones and the rest of their merry crew become entranced.
I gave up on reading Frost's Night Huntress series around book 5 because, honestly, the series started boring me. Frost has the unfortunate habit of giving her vampires way to many powers for my taste. They can mind read, hypnotize people, fly, heal super fast, regenerate limbs, and t...more
Home for the Holidays by Jeaniene Frost
The plot of this in a nutshell: Cat and Ian are forced to work together when Bones and the rest of their merry crew become entranced.
I gave up on reading Frost's Night Huntress series around book 5 because, honestly, the series started boring me. Frost has the unfortunate habit of giving her vampires way to many powers for my taste. They can mind read, hypnotize people, fly, heal super fast, regenerate limbs, and t...more
Honestly,
I picked up this book because I know Bones and Cat were in it. And I will read all of the book but I just really need to vent.
I ABSOLUTELY IRREVOCABLY LOVED IT. Home For the Holidays was seriously a roller coaster ride from start to finish.
It just shows how Frost can draw us in with less then one of her full books. The story was so surprising. I read the sneak peek of the first chapter and couldn't wait to get my hands on the book from my library.
Bones and Cat get thrown into trouble wh...more
I picked up this book because I know Bones and Cat were in it. And I will read all of the book but I just really need to vent.
I ABSOLUTELY IRREVOCABLY LOVED IT. Home For the Holidays was seriously a roller coaster ride from start to finish.
It just shows how Frost can draw us in with less then one of her full books. The story was so surprising. I read the sneak peek of the first chapter and couldn't wait to get my hands on the book from my library.
Bones and Cat get thrown into trouble wh...more
Two novelettes in one book. They are both delightful. They are a good Christmas romance read.
They also have two completely diverse canons - or rules of how the ‘vampire universe’ works. In the first novel, the vampires are sanitized and don’t drink ‘from the hoof’ preferring bagged blood.
In the second novel, a short from the Night Huntress/Reaper series, the vampires are properly running around mesmerizing people, fighting, killing, and doing the time honored ‘stickin’ their fangs into necks. A...more
They also have two completely diverse canons - or rules of how the ‘vampire universe’ works. In the first novel, the vampires are sanitized and don’t drink ‘from the hoof’ preferring bagged blood.
In the second novel, a short from the Night Huntress/Reaper series, the vampires are properly running around mesmerizing people, fighting, killing, and doing the time honored ‘stickin’ their fangs into necks. A...more
This review is for Jeanienne Frost's " Home for the zholidays" only. Cat and Bones are two of my favorite characters in the paranormal romance genre. What makes this story so endearing is that all of my favorite characters from the series are together in this novella and with Ian in the mix there will be no shortage of comic relief.
The story begins right before Thanksgiving with Cat planning a surprise birthday party for Bones. On the evening of the party Annette (Bones former friend with Benefi...more
The story begins right before Thanksgiving with Cat planning a surprise birthday party for Bones. On the evening of the party Annette (Bones former friend with Benefi...more
Home For the Holidays- Jeaniene Frost
To be honest, I bought this book just for the Night Huntress short story. I liked the short story, for sure, but at the same time, I have some minor critiques... mainly that there wasn't enough Cat/Bones time together in said story.
Cat and Bones have decided to have a good old fashioned Christmas at home, with their closest family and friends. But, when a long-lost member of Bones' blood family from when he was alive shows up, things start to get a little......more
To be honest, I bought this book just for the Night Huntress short story. I liked the short story, for sure, but at the same time, I have some minor critiques... mainly that there wasn't enough Cat/Bones time together in said story.
Cat and Bones have decided to have a good old fashioned Christmas at home, with their closest family and friends. But, when a long-lost member of Bones' blood family from when he was alive shows up, things start to get a little......more
This would be 5 stars if I like the Lynsay Sands story better.
It was just a little ummm.. I hate to say this but a bit creepy with the old man love.
*SPOILERS*
Yes, I know he turned young again, but if you listen to the audio version is voice is still old and raspy even after the change. Plus, there really wasn't much of a story. She finds her soul mate and stays in a cabin with him til he conviently almost dies and she changes him with the conviently delievered blood on the snow mobile. He eve...more
It was just a little ummm.. I hate to say this but a bit creepy with the old man love.
*SPOILERS*
Yes, I know he turned young again, but if you listen to the audio version is voice is still old and raspy even after the change. Plus, there really wasn't much of a story. She finds her soul mate and stays in a cabin with him til he conviently almost dies and she changes him with the conviently delievered blood on the snow mobile. He eve...more
This anthology consists of two novellas, first by Lynsay Sands, part of the Argeneau series, is "The Gift" and the second is "Home for the Holidays" by Jeaniene Frost, as part of the Night Huntress Series.
"The Gift" is a short version of a full Argeneau novel, with a new storyline that can stand on its own. It's the story of Teddy Brunswick and Katricia Argeneau, both stranded in the middle of nowhere, unable to get out of a cabin because of a snow storm. It's simple, sweet and fun to read. As i...more
"The Gift" is a short version of a full Argeneau novel, with a new storyline that can stand on its own. It's the story of Teddy Brunswick and Katricia Argeneau, both stranded in the middle of nowhere, unable to get out of a cabin because of a snow storm. It's simple, sweet and fun to read. As i...more
MICHELLE'S REVIEW:
HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS # 6.5
RATING : 4.5 BONES & IAN STARS
I am working my way through The Night Huntress novellas and outtakes, my little fixes before I get another book in the series to read.
Bones and Cat are that addictive!!
I loved this 153 page read. I could quite easily have seen this story as a full blown book.
A relative comes to visit and all is a bit squiffy. Ian is absolutely t-shirt worthy in this novella. Ian has slowly been creeping into my t-shirt hemisphere. He...more
HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS # 6.5
RATING : 4.5 BONES & IAN STARS
I am working my way through The Night Huntress novellas and outtakes, my little fixes before I get another book in the series to read.
Bones and Cat are that addictive!!
I loved this 153 page read. I could quite easily have seen this story as a full blown book.
A relative comes to visit and all is a bit squiffy. Ian is absolutely t-shirt worthy in this novella. Ian has slowly been creeping into my t-shirt hemisphere. He...more
Okay, so I've only read the second part of this book, Jeaniene Frost's "Home for the Holidays". All I can says is: BLOODY AWESOME! :))
5/5 stars!
Really, Bones, you cracked the hell out of me on that one. Hahahaha. Vampire Territorialism, huh?
Honestly, this novella's waaaay better than One Grave at a Time (Night Huntress #6).
Cat's back to being a kick-ass bitch we all knew of her. She's tougher and her possessiveness over her husband, Bones, is finally showin...more
5/5 stars!
"Get your bloody hands off my wife!"
Really, Bones, you cracked the hell out of me on that one. Hahahaha. Vampire Territorialism, huh?
Honestly, this novella's waaaay better than One Grave at a Time (Night Huntress #6).
Cat's back to being a kick-ass bitch we all knew of her. She's tougher and her possessiveness over her husband, Bones, is finally showin...more
This book is comprised of two novellas, one by Lynsay Sands and the other by Jeaniene Frost. The 4-star rating was really meant for the JF story though...
Warning: My reviews below may contain spoilers...
The Gift, by Lynsay Sands
2 stars
I actually have not yet read the Argeneau vampire series by this particular author, but I have heard about it before. However, I didn’t think I needed to have read any of the Argeneau books to figure out the jist of this story. This novella was centred on Katricia...more
Warning: My reviews below may contain spoilers...
The Gift, by Lynsay Sands
2 stars
I actually have not yet read the Argeneau vampire series by this particular author, but I have heard about it before. However, I didn’t think I needed to have read any of the Argeneau books to figure out the jist of this story. This novella was centred on Katricia...more
I read this book and wonder if I shouldn't have. I've started both series but am not caught up with either. I've read the first 4 ( out of 6) in Night Huntress but only again the first four in the Argeneau series (out of 16). I enjoyed the Night Huntress but I was reading the whole series at once (including shorts) and just went on overload and needed a break. The Argeneau series I stopped because they all seemed to be the same but I do intend to go back and finish it.
So onto this book. I just...more
So onto this book. I just...more
6 Stars! Home For the Holidays - Jeaniene Frost
Cat and Bones are celebrating the holidays with their "family" but when a mysterious vampire appears their celebrations are cut short.
Thank God for this novella! After This Side of the Grave I was worried that JF had lost her touch for the passion between Cat and Bones but after reading this story I'm so happy to see that she hasn't! This story was everything you expect of the Night Huntress series, full of romance, passion, adventure and shocking s...more
Cat and Bones are celebrating the holidays with their "family" but when a mysterious vampire appears their celebrations are cut short.
Thank God for this novella! After This Side of the Grave I was worried that JF had lost her touch for the passion between Cat and Bones but after reading this story I'm so happy to see that she hasn't! This story was everything you expect of the Night Huntress series, full of romance, passion, adventure and shocking s...more
This review is for "Home for the Holidays" by Jeaniene Frost.
While Jeaniene Frost’s Night Huntress series remains one of my favorite paranormals, I (together with many other fans) have felt that the last few installments were missing the spark that was so prevalent earlier in the series. I’m glad to say that this hefty-lengthed novella dispelled many of my misgivings for the future of the series, as Frost brings together Cat, Bones, and all of our favorite supporting characters for a story that...more
While Jeaniene Frost’s Night Huntress series remains one of my favorite paranormals, I (together with many other fans) have felt that the last few installments were missing the spark that was so prevalent earlier in the series. I’m glad to say that this hefty-lengthed novella dispelled many of my misgivings for the future of the series, as Frost brings together Cat, Bones, and all of our favorite supporting characters for a story that...more
Nov 25, 2011
Judy
marked it as to-read
The Bite Before Christmas
The Gift by Lynsay Sands
Teddy Brunswick had watched his two best friends, Elvi and Mable, find life mates and they were both more like twenty-five year old rather than looking like him at sixty-four. He envied them. They had youth and love in their lives and he was just looking at a lonely life of retirement. Christmas made him feel like a charity case as he would be invited to join other families so he would not be alone. When Marguerite offered him a cabin this Christm...more
The Gift by Lynsay Sands
Teddy Brunswick had watched his two best friends, Elvi and Mable, find life mates and they were both more like twenty-five year old rather than looking like him at sixty-four. He envied them. They had youth and love in their lives and he was just looking at a lonely life of retirement. Christmas made him feel like a charity case as he would be invited to join other families so he would not be alone. When Marguerite offered him a cabin this Christm...more
1 like · like · see review
Its hard to rate this book... I loved the first book (its two books in one, by two different authors) The first one, The Gift, by Lynsay Sands was the reason I bought it, I just wish it were longer, It was too quick a read :( I love this series and am sad that I have to wait till may for the next installment! I was glad for the new life mate... I have been waiting a while for Teddy to "get his" :)
As for the second book, I had never heard of this author... obviously had never read any of her boo...more
As for the second book, I had never heard of this author... obviously had never read any of her boo...more
Oct 26, 2011
Ann aka Iftcan
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Shelves:
anthology,
demons,
fantasy,
holiday-theme,
humour,
magic,
pnr,
psychic-powers,
romance,
series-book,
urban-fantasy,
vampire
The first story in this 2 novella book is Teddy Brunswick's finding a life-mate in the light and breezy Argeneau Vampire series. I really would advise making sure that you've read at least a few of these books--especially The Accidental Vampire for sure--and even a few of the ones after that, since there are definate references to things and people that occur in them in this story. As with most short stories/novella's things are a little rushed, but since most of the "background" in this series...more
Rating is for Jeaniene Frost's "Home for the Holidays" story.
Wonderful holiday story for Cat/Bones fans! I enjoyed seeing all my favorite characters meet up like Spade, Denise, Mencheres, and Kira. And then there was Ian who completely stole the story for me. His interactions with Cat are always fun, but they just went to a whole other level. There was plenty of paranormal action and romance in this novella that just made me eagerly anticipate the next NH book even more!
Wonderful holiday story for Cat/Bones fans! I enjoyed seeing all my favorite characters meet up like Spade, Denise, Mencheres, and Kira. And then there was Ian who completely stole the story for me. His interactions with Cat are always fun, but they just went to a whole other level. There was plenty of paranormal action and romance in this novella that just made me eagerly anticipate the next NH book even more!
Vampires are forever young, eternally fascinating…and done to death. They proliferate television, cable, films and books. Too much of a good thing (or a bad thing) can get to be really boring.
But the Argeneau vampires are a different breed. That makes them noteworthy and this volume explores that difference with vampires that are as unique as humanity. Funny, sexy, roguish, devilish, practical, serious or joking, these creatures live to seek a life mate among humanity and each finds one as speci...more
But the Argeneau vampires are a different breed. That makes them noteworthy and this volume explores that difference with vampires that are as unique as humanity. Funny, sexy, roguish, devilish, practical, serious or joking, these creatures live to seek a life mate among humanity and each finds one as speci...more
This is actually 2 stories.The first is The Gift by Lynsay Sands (Argeneau #15.5)The second is Home for the Holidays by Jeaniene Frost (Night Huntress #6.6, Night Huntress-Complete World #8.5)As you can see both are parts of a series(or 2).I was not familiar with either series before I read this book.
The Gift tells the story of an aging sherriff taking a Christmas vacation in a secluded cabin.When a storm traps him and kills the power, he meets his beautiful neighbor.While this might be most guy...more
The Gift tells the story of an aging sherriff taking a Christmas vacation in a secluded cabin.When a storm traps him and kills the power, he meets his beautiful neighbor.While this might be most guy...more
The Gift by Lynsay Sands - 3/5
This is the first book/short story I’ve read by this author, to be honest what drew me to this book was the story with Cat and Bones ♥
The Gift tells the story of a man named Teddy and a woman named Katricia. The two get stuck in a cabin during a blizzard at Christmas. The woman is actually an immortal a.k.a a vampire and in Sands world, vampires drink blood because of some sort of science…the enzymes in their blood. I think the book also mentioned immortals coming f...more
This is the first book/short story I’ve read by this author, to be honest what drew me to this book was the story with Cat and Bones ♥
The Gift tells the story of a man named Teddy and a woman named Katricia. The two get stuck in a cabin during a blizzard at Christmas. The woman is actually an immortal a.k.a a vampire and in Sands world, vampires drink blood because of some sort of science…the enzymes in their blood. I think the book also mentioned immortals coming f...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goodreads Librari...: The Bite Before Christmas audio | 3 | 17 | Apr 12, 2013 07:01am | |
| Goodreads Librari...: Wrong Series Number Placed! | 17 | 58 | Apr 30, 2012 07:28pm | |
| VAMPS-R-US: CHIRSTMAS VAMPS!!!!!!!!! | 17 | 21 | Apr 14, 2012 06:03pm | |
| FrostFans - The O...: Scavenger Hunt | 1 | 15 | Oct 23, 2011 11:41am |
Lynsay Sands is the nationally bestselling author of the Argeneau/Rogue Hunter vampire series, as well as numerous historicals and anthologies. She's been writing stories since grade school and considers herself incredibly lucky to be able to make a career out of it. Her hope is that readers can get away from their everyday stress through her stories, and if there are occasional uncontrollable fit...more
More about Lynsay Sands...
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“I don't care what you think, your junk does not have special abilities.”
—
36 people liked it
“I heard the car door shut and then Fabian's voice. "You won't believe what I found around the edge of your property," the ghost announced. "A cave with prehistoric painting inside it!" I rolled my eyes. That was the best tactic Fabian could come up with? This was a vampire he was trying to stall, not a paleontologist.”
—
30 people liked it
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