Genre: Urban Fantasy
Copyright: 2005
Pages: 276
Book Source: Own purchase
Kitty Norville is a midnight-shift DJ for a Denver radio station - and a werewolf in the closet. Sick of lame song requests, she accidentally starts "The Midnight Hour", a late-night advice show for the supernaturally disadvantaged.
After desperate vampires, werewolves, and witches across the country begin calling in to share their woes, her new show is a raging success. But it's Kitty who can use some help. With one sexy werewolf-hunter and a few homicidal undead on her tail, Kitty may have bitten off more than she can chew...
This book got off to a slow start, probably in part due to the radio show setting and the emphasis on dialogue as Kitty plays amateur psychologist to all the 'supes' that phone in to her talk show. But as the show's success skyrockets, the action picks up along with the pace of the novel.
I didn't like Kitty much at first. She's a pup, a wolf with lowly pack status, at the bottom of the pack hierarchy. Now I think I've read enough in the shifter genre to have a pretty good understanding of pack dynamics and Kitty is beyond submissive, she snivels and cowers and whimpers which I found rather unappealing. Her relationship with pack leader Carl, is gag-worthy. I don't think I've read a novel where I loathed the pack alpha, in truth I found him to be a truly disgusting character. Carl expects Kitty to be completely obedient, in everything, he beats her and then finishes things with sex. Not to mention that Carl has sex with whoever he wants in the pack, whenever he wants - one of the perks of his position ... Ughh!
On the upside, as Kitty's talk show grows in success so does her confidence as a woman and pack member and this personal growth brings about some pretty significant changes. Cormac, the bounty hunter, and one of the characters I liked, turns out to be one of the few people that Kitty trusts. There was certainly some chemistry happening between the two so hopefully we get to see that develop in the next installment.
Kitty grew on me as the novel progressed and as I already have book 2, I'll definitely continue with the series. With the book titled Kitty Goes To Washington, hopefully that means NO CARL. The radio talk-show setting was refreshingly different for an urban fantasy novel and while there were a few instances that pushed the boundaries of believability, overall I found this an entertaining read.
There are six novels in the series and the seventh, Kitty's House Of Horrors, is due out January 2010.
In March 2010, Carrie's first YA novel, VOICES OF DRAGONS, will be released.
Visit Carrie Vaughn's website and blog Filling the Well to find out more.
I am so silly, had the biggest deja vu feeling and could not wrap my head around it, duh!
ReplyDeleteLove Kitty! You're right, the first book I think laid the foundation of where she was so the reader could watch and appreciate her growth. She was a bit annoying in the first book but after that she was great.
ReplyDeleteHeard great things about this book, but i dont know if i'm up to read series, i have so many to read. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the nice review.
I thought I saw this review. :)
ReplyDeleteYou have now reviewed two books in two series that I have been wondering about for a bit of time now. I am thinking that I will give this series a go...later in 2010. I am going to start with the the Mercy novels first.
I started this series a long time ago and I've always thought about picking it up again, but actually, it was one of my first shifter books. That's so funny you hate Carl so much - I wonder if I would've had that reaction if I read it now that I've read tons of shifter books.
ReplyDeleteI've only read the first one, but I liked it, and definitely have to pick up the rest of them.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great review.
I actually didn't like this book at all. Glad to hear you liked though. :)
ReplyDeleteI've never read anything in the shifter genre. It sounds interesting. :-) That's a kick ass book cover!
ReplyDeleteI randomly picked this one up & its waiting for me to read it. I had no idea it was one of 7.
ReplyDeleteI'm really not too sure how I feel about this one. I do, however, want to read her YA book.
ReplyDeleteI have this series on my TBR list but they haven't been demanding my attention or anything. So I'll be getting to it eventually =)
ReplyDeleteI felt the same way about Kitty in this book. She was way too whiny and submissive. It does get better. I just finished book 7. I can't say I'm in love with the series but some of the books are better than others.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment on my review - I've added your link :o)
ReplyDeletehttp://bookreviewsbysarah.blogspot.com/2010/02/review-kitty-and-midnight-hour-carrie.html
Thanks for the comment on my review - I've added your link :o)
ReplyDeletehttp://bookreviewsbysarah.blogspot.com/2010/02/review-kitty-and-midnight-hour-carrie.html