80) Kitty Saves the World by Carrie Vaughn

The Blurb :

It’s all come down to this, following the discoveries made by Cormac in Low Midnight, Kitty and her allies are ready to strike. But, when their assassination attempt on the evil vampire Dux Bellorum fails, Kitty finds herself running out of time. The elusive vampire lord has begun his apocalyptic end game, and Kitty still doesn’t know where he will strike.

Meanwhile, pressure mounts in Denver as Kitty and her pack begin to experience the true reach of Dux Bellorum’s cult. Outnumbered and outgunned at every turn, the stakes have never been higher for Kitty. She will have to call on allies both old and new in order to save not just her family and friends, but the rest of the world as well.

My Thoughts :

It's the end!  The final installment in the Kitty Norville series.  Fourteen books and ten years later it is time to say goodbye to Kitty and find out how it finishes.  The author has had plans since that first book, plans on how it would end and what would happen along the way but I am sure there have been twists and turns that she didn't even see coming and now it is over.  Kitty fans beware.  When you have read Kitty Saves the World you are done.  No more.

Was it the best ending ever?  Not sure.  It was pretty good but there were some things that went on in this book that I didn't expect.  There were some characters that got involved that I definitely didn't imagine had a place in this series and definitely not right at the end.  It was an interesting development but strange.

Is there a nice happy ending?  Not going to tell you.  Read it yourself.  I don't want to spoil things but there isn't a ending for all the characters and I am hoping that the author is going to do a nice spin-off with Cormac/Amelia at the reins.  It would make for great reading.  The previous Kitty book proved that.

Am I sad it is over?  No.  I thought I would be but after all this time and all the stuff Kitty has dealt with it was time for her to get an ending.  Whatever ending.  I am not telling you ;)  Anyway, it was a great series with ups and downs that kept me reading from book one till this final book fourteen.  I enjoyed it, loved it and am happy to have been a part of it.

For anyone who hasn't even tried this series, now you have no excuse.  It is over. You can read them all as slow or as fast as you want to.  This is one of the best Paranormal Urban Fantasy series out there with original and unique twists and great characters.  The story was always worth reading and I look forward to something new from the author in the same style.

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8) Low Midnight by Carrie Vaughn

The Blurb :

Low Midnight spins out of the series on the wave of popularity surrounding Kitty's most popular supporting character, Cormac Bennett, a two-minded assassin of the paranormal who specializes in killing lycanthropes.

In his first solo adventure, Cormac, struggling with a foreign consciousness trapped inside him, investigates a century-old crime in a Colorado mining town which could be the key to translating a mysterious coded diary… a tome with secrets that could shatter Kitty's world and all who inhabit it.

With a framing sequence that features Kitty Norville herself, Low Midnight not only pushes the Kitty saga forward, but also illuminates Cormac's past and lays the groundwork for Kitty's future.

My Thoughts :

The Kitty Norville series is a pre-order must read for me so I don't even bother reading the blurbs.  I want to be surprised and I don't want to torture myself.  The torture of waiting for a new installment is enough.  So when I started reading this one I was surprised.  Kitty was present but Cormac was taking the reins this time around.  No wonder the book title didn't have Kitty in it for the first time!

Low Midnight is the thirteenth book in the series and this turn around of character perspective was not a bad decision.  I love this series and it has had its ups and downs but there is nothing like the up of doing something different and making it all fresh again.  Also, like any fan of the series, finding out more about Cormac and his guest, witch Amelia, was not an unwelcome plot change.

However it may also feel like a slap in the face because the next book is the last.  Feel cheated?  Well maybe a little but Kitty is in this book, she takes part and she rocks as always.  She just isn't telling this part of the story and that is ok.  This part of the ongoing plot that will obviously see Kitty saving the world (in the last book) needed to be taken care of by someone else.

The story is good, a little different but good.  It isn't my favourite of course but it is an interesting one.  I think I enjoyed finding out more about Amelia than anything else.  I am very eager to see what role she ends up playing in the last book and if she will get a second chance or or or...

If you are a fan of the series then just go get a copy and delve right in.  If you have been waiting to start the series, weren't sure or have fallen behind,  then now is the time to catch up!  The last installment is coming soon and I am pretty sure you don't want to come across any spoilers.  Kitty has come a long way over the years and it would be a shame to miss out on the final hurrah and conclusion to everything Kitty!

Now I will go off and try not to dwell on the fact that the end of an era is coming.  I just hope Carrie Vaughn knows what she is doing and doesn't disappoint the fans with the last piece of the puzzle.

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149) Paranormal Bromance by Carrie Vaughn

The Blurb :

Sam has been a vampire for 15 years, and now he's having a midlife crisis. That is, if he were still human, he'd be turning 40 and having a midlife crisis. He's just met exactly the kind of woman he's always wanted -- but these days, all he really wants is blood. Maybe he could work through it, but his vampire roommates just don't understand. Wasn't unlife supposed to get easier?

My Thoughts :

I came across this novella totally by accident and I am really glad I did!  The book was in one of those recommendations lists on Amazon and the cover looked so out of place compared to the rest.  The title was the next thing that struck me and finally I noticed the author!  Carrie Vaughn, author of the Kitty Norville novels is a must read for me and I was surprised to see something looking so quirky from her.

As if I wasn't surprised enough by finding this novella I also saw that this short story hasn't been out long and it is set in the Kitty universe!  Although Kitty does make an appearance this story has no impact on the ongoing story in the series so if you haven't read the series yet you are quite safe reading this one to get a feel for the author and the concept.

It isn't worth going into depth about the story because the blurb says it all and I would be giving too much away.  It is a great short story that I really enjoyed and can highly recommend.  A definite must read for any fans of the author and nice the Kitty series.  I hope the guys in the book get to show themselves again sometime.  They were interesting and different from your typical vampires and I am sure they have more stories to tell.  Maybe they have a future!

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111) Kitty in the Underworld by Carrie Vaughn

The Blurb :

As Denver adjusts to a new master vampire, Kitty gets word of an intruder in the Denver werewolf pack’s territory, and she investigates the challenge to her authority. She follows the scent of the lycanthrope through the mountains where she is lured into a trap, tranquilized, and captured.

When she wakes up, she finds herself in a defunct silver mine: the perfect cage for a werewolf. Her captors are a mysterious cult seeking to induct Kitty into their ranks in a ritual they hope will put an end to Dux Bellorum. Though skeptical of their power, even Kitty finds herself struggling to resist joining their cause. Whatever she decides, they expect Kitty to join them in their plot . . . willingly or otherwise

My Thoughts :

We are twelve books into the Kitty story and I admit I am having mixed feelings about it all.  I loved this series and couldn't wait for the next installment.  However the last few books haven't been what I have come to expect and this latest release also disappointed me.  It was a nice story in theory but I think a lot of people will be as disappointed as I was.  There wasn't, in my honest opinion, any progress made in this twelth book and the close world of Kitty (her pack etc) were once again nowhere to be seen.  Oh and the Underworld title is very misleading.  It wasn't what I was expecting at all.

There is a whole new story arc that has appeared over the last few books and I am finding it really hard to understand why it is Kitty's problem.  I am sure somewhere along the line something happened but things seem to be dragging along.  If anything the whole 'Roman' thing is just runing the feel of the series.  I loved Kitty getting into some kind of trouble and it was always exciting but she still managed to do some great shows inbetween and the pack, Ben and Cormac all got involved and it felt like things progressed.  Now Kitty is beating the same bush all the time and even her shows are on the backburner.

I realise that to keep the series going there must be some kind of continuing story but why that has to be to do with vampires and not closer to home on the werewolf front is making me slowly bored of the series.  Sure the writing style is still great and I still enjoy Kitty and her strength but I miss the good old days of running with the pack and having a mystery to solve.  Instead I have another series who is hunting/fighting the big bad evil.  Saving the world and all that is great but that wasn't what Kitty was about for me.

Devoted fans of the series, like myself, will be eager to read this new release and I won't be telling them not to.  After all this is Kitty we are talking about and she is hard to give up on.  I will also be keeping up with Kitty because I have already come this fair and want to see how things play out.  Although I wonder how many more books Kitty really has in her and how long this story arc will drag out because I didn't feel that this book really got us any closer in the 'quest'.

  

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46) Kitty Rocks the House by Carrie Vaughn

The Blurb :

On the heels of Kitty's return from London, a new werewolf shows up in Denver, one who threatens to split the pack by challenging Kitty's authority at every turn. The timing could not be worse; Kitty needs all the allies she can muster to go against the ancient vampire, Roman, if she's to have any hope of defeating his Long Game. But there's more to this intruder than there seems, and Kitty must uncover the truth, fast.

Meanwhile, Cormac pursues an unknown entity wreaking havoc across Denver; and a vampire from the Order of St. Lazaurus tempts Rick with the means to transform his life forever.

My Review :

I have been following Kitty's story since it began. I actually can't believe that this is book #11! Where has the time gone? Has Kitty really been doing this so long? This is a question I asked myself while reading this latest release. Why? Well however amazing this series has been along the way I have to admit that it is starting to lose its appeal. Is there an end in site? What was really achieved in this book?

As stories go it was a nice one. There was quite a few things going on and it kept me interested to the end. However it doesn't feel like this book really got the general story any further along. If anything this book threw a few troubles Kitty way and stopped her from making any new progress. Every time she takes one step forward she may as well take two back. Will things ever slow down and get easy for Kitty?

I love the characters and concept and wouldn't be without it and actually would read as many books about Kitty as possible. Despite that I want to see things evolve. I also would like to see the story move along a few years. Even the pack and Kitty's family were saying the same thing in this book. I don't feel like the character has time to tell me anything more than a small piece of what is really going on.

Of course this series stays on my must read list and I will pre-order the next book. I can't stay away from Kitty and love the DJ werewolf. She has come a long way since the series started and it is always a pleasure to catch up with her. I just want her to catch a break and be able to settle down.

A must read for any fans of the series and a must read for anyone who hasn't yet been introduced to Kitty. Just make sure that you start this series at the beginning if you haven't met Kitty before. There is a lot of background story that you need to keep up with if you want to enjoy this series.

121) Kitty Steals the Show by Carrie Vaughn

The Blurb :

Kitty has been tapped as the keynote speaker for the First International Conference on Paranatural Studies, taking place in London. The conference brings together scientists, activists, protestors, and supernatural beings from all over the world—and Kitty, Ben, and Cormac are right in the middle of it.

Master vampires from dozens of cities have also gathered in London for a conference of their own. With the help of the Master of London, Kitty gets more of a glimpse into the Long Game—a power struggle among vampires that has been going on for centuries—than she ever has before. In her search for answers, Kitty has the help of some old allies, and meets some new ones, such as Caleb, the alpha werewolf of the British Isles. The conference has also attracted some old enemies, who’ve set their sights on her and her friends.

All the world’s a stage, and Kitty’s just stepped into the spotlight.

My Thoughts :

Kitty Norville has been one of my favourite werewolf characters ever since the series came out. Ten books ago this series made me go wow and kept surprising. So when this book opened up with Kitty off to London I wasn't just surprised but very excited! Kitty off to my homeland? That sounded like a lot of fun.

The first half of the book was pretty cool. I liked the whole run up to going, the worry about the plane journey and meeting up with Ned, the master vampire. His story was very intriguing and I hope this isn't the last we see or hear of him. The conference was also interesting. The subjects the author came up with sounded good and I would have liked to have taken part in if the conference was real. The little side story of Amelia was also a nice fresh angle. I think I liked that part the most.

However after the halfway mark I felt the story slipping away. Politics got in the way and so many characters crawled out of the woodwork. It was hard to keep track of who was who and what they all wanted. The conference was practically forgotten and things were just a rush of getting from A to B and finding that person and saving the other. The paranormal aspect was entertaining but the reasoning behind it all was weak and unappealing. Also there was a huge lack of Kitty's wolf.

I have to say I admire the author for keeping the British aspect of this book real. She didn't try and make it something it isn't or add pieces of her own imagination to make it sound cool. She kept London and the culture how it should be. However I still don't understand why the conference had to take place in London. It sounded plausible but at the end of the day does everything have to be in London? Paris or Vienna would have been nice for a change.

All in all it was great to visit Kitty again. She has come a long way and I have enjoyed following her. However maybe it is time for Kitty to get a nice peaceful life with her pack, family and friends. Is it probable that this could happen? I hope for her it is. I love this series but all good things must come to an end and I would like to see the author give this series a well deserved nice ending and wow us with something else new and unusual.

Fans will love this new addition to the series and it is a must read. Although I will admit that this wasn't my favourite of the series so far. I am still a huge Kitty fan and she stays on my must read and must buy lists but I hope the next book has more to offer.