I’m also incredibly neurotic and feel the need to finish a series once I start. Facing the 10 books (so far) in the series was just a bit daunting, but they’re relatively short and it was doable. Of course, that presents a challenge when doing a review because I’m like, “Wait, which book did that happen in?” and I liked some books more than others.
In doing an overview, omitting spoilers is almost impossible. I haven’t included any detailed information about each individual book, but, obviously, some of the major plot lines running through the entire series are revealed. Like who becomes a werewolf and who doesn’t die. Maybe.
I went in not knowing if I’d finish the first book, Kitty and The Midnight Hour because of some negative reviews, but Kitty grew on me. The surprisingly fun series revolves around the adventures of Kitty Norville, a 20-something werewolf DJ and host of her own radio talk show, The Midnight Hour, dealing with all things supernatural. After being outted as a werewolf on the air and making the existence of vampires and werewolves public knowledge (or more confirmed public knowledge), Kitty becomes somewhat of a celebrity – and a magnet for trouble.
I saw potential.
Each book takes on its own mini-mystery as well as contributing to the ongoing conflict regarding a two-thousand-year-old vampire vying for world domination. Obviously, the long game conflict begins to come to a head at the end of the tenth book. Some books were better than others. Occasionally there were too many subplots thrown in, leads that go nowhere and interesting leads not pursued.
One of the things I liked best about the series was that it isn’t just about vampires and werewolves. Alongside Kitty, we learn about the existence of djinns, fairies, were-animals that are not wolves, gods, and probably more that I’m forgetting. Not knowing what creature we’d learn about next kept an air of unpredictability to each book.
Kitty goes from a submissive member of a pack lead by the abusive alpha couple, Carl and Meg, to a strong, smart and snarky on-air personality traveling the country (of course that’s because she got kicked out of Denver when she left her pack, but still). I was thrilled to see her continue to mature in the second book, Kitty Goes to Washington, in which Kitty is called to the Nation’s capitol to testify in a hearing about the supernatural. She’s strong-willed and cunning, even managing to turn her own kidnapping into free publicity. If I could summarize her at this point, it would be through the words “You go girl!”
New characters are introduced – a very old vampire master of Washington D.C., Alette, who isn’t at all like the controlling, scheming vampire Arturo from Denver; Louis, handsome a were-tiger from Brazil; and Ahmed, a neutral go-with-the-flow pack “leader.”
Returning, of course, is Cormac, the hunter who was hired to assassinate her back in Denver (who she’s become friendly with, although there is a certain tension between them that indicates more) and Ben, Cormac’s cousin and both of their lawyers.
In Kitty Takes a Holiday (book three), I had a few qualms. Kitty seemed to be running away from the publicity she drummed up in D.C. – it seemed like a step backwards – but she’s forced into an alpha role in a major way when Cormac shows up with Ben, who has been bitten by a werewolf. As Kitty cares for Ben and shows him the ropes of his new life, they instinctually become romantically involved and, now, mates. The burning will-they-or-won’t-they romance between Cormac and Kitty is extinguished.
And thus begins my major complaint about the series: Ben and Kitty (or “Bitty”). Superficially, the two had absolutely no prior romantic connection whatsoever. I honestly pictured Ben as a seedy, middle-aged, overweight, balding lawyer until this book portrayed him as young and hunky. They fell into a relationship for no other reason than the fact that Ben was now a werewolf – though unspoken, they even seem to recognize it. The passion between them feels forced and instinctually evolves into codependence (I get it, that’s their pack nature. But Kitty would’ve been so much better without it).
So, naturally, I thought, “When is Ben going to die so Kitty can hook up with Cormac?” I’m still asking that question seven books later even after Ben and Kitty tie the knot. I don’t think I’ve ever wished so much death on a nice, good-guy character. But, really, Kitty and Cormac need to happen.
Warning: this is probably not the best series to listen to on audiobook. I switched over to audio format during Kitty’s House of Horrors to listen to while I was stuck in bed with the flu and the narrator didn’t do the characters justice. She made Kitty sound like a 50-year-old two-pack-a-day smoker and all the male characters sounded apathetic, unenergetic and, occasionally, like Eeore from Winnie the Pooh.
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