Category Archives: Carrie Vaughn

Kitty Steals the Show by Carrie Vaughn Review

 

Kitty Steals the Show by Carrie Vaughn

Kitty Steals the Show picks up were Kitty’s Big Trouble ended. Kitty’s heading to London for a Scientific Paranormal Conference with Ben and Cormac in toe. During their trip over to London they make a pit stop in Washington D.C. to see an old friend, Alette. It was great seeing her again even if it was for a few paragraphs. Alette, however it’s not the only old friend or foe that we see throughout the story, from Washington D.C. and Denver.

Kitty as normal thinks her trip is going to be trouble free or I should say she hopes. Per usual this hope is not going to last. As if we’d be happy if it did. Kitty is a guest (keynote speaker) at the conference, yet she has a hard time compiling her speech, and what a speech it turned out to be. When Kitty and her companions land in London they are met by Emma, Alette’s however great daughter. She’s in London learning to be a vamp from one of Alette’s close friends and Master Vamp of London.

London, due to the conference, is filled with Paranormal creatures and protesters. So what could go wrong in the historic town? Lots.

Once Kitty, Ben and Cormac are settled they go out on their adventures. Kitty and Ben go to the conference, while Cormac ventures around London for his, body sharing spirit, Emilia. With Cormac off with Emilia, Kitty and Ben split up and check out the seminars they’re interested in. While at the conference a former flame of Kitty’s is about. Lois, the Brazilian were-tiger from D.C., had come to the conference with his sister. Lois still has a thing for Kitty and he flirts openly with her in front of Ben. Kitty and Ben also run into Dr. Shumacher and Joseph Tyler, werewolf and former US Army special forces.

Ben and Kitty also get invited to the vamp party were things get interesting even in a “free zone”. With the Conference in London, the Master Vamp, Ned, has said London is a no fight zone for the duration of the conference. Again things don’t go as plan; enter one longtime foe Mercedes Cook. Yes, she’s back and up to her old tricks and this time she has more backup. She has both vampires with their werewolf cronies and a human. Can you guess what human is working with Ms. Cook? Enter our even older foe, a human and scientist, Dr. Flemming. That’s right the man that kidnapped Kitty, locked her in a silver cage on the full moon and recorded her change on national T.V. (this happened during Kitty Goes to Washington).

It’s not so surprising that London didn’t remain a neutral zone, because as always Kitty can’t keep her mouth closed, around vamps or were’s. The end result Kitty rocked the boat and put the buzz out on Roman, so that everyone knows about the long game and those not aligned with him could be on the lookout and know their allies. War is coming and Kitty is making more friends, both vamp and were, and foes. She as always is shaking up the Paranormal world as she breaks the silence.

 


Down the Rabbit Hole

These passed few weeks I feel like I’ve fallen down the rabbit hole. We have so many things going on its not even funny.

To start with Flyboy has secret squirrel military stuff going on, it’s not really secret squirrel but I’m not allowed to talk about what’s going on so I’m calling it secret squirrel. His stuff is stressful but when it’s done the stress will move on. On top of his secret squirrel stuff we are fostering a pup from his mom. She’s the sweetest pup around. She just needs more attention then we can provide. She wants all the attention possible and since we have Holly, Jax and Isaac we can’t give her all of our attention. She also isn’t doing so well with Isaac. Considering Isaac is eight years old he doesn’t like having new “monsters” in the house, and Portia gets aggressive when he raises his hackles. Needless to say we’ve had some excitement around here. Don’t you just love life?

As I’m sure you can imagine writing anything has been difficult. I need to write my article for PBD this month and my book review of Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter. I’m now listening to Chloe Niell’s Chicagoland Vampire series, I’m on book one but I need to finish the series before the new releases come out in July and August. As I’ve said before the new Deborah Harkness comes out in July and so does Kitty. Chloe’s new one comes out in August, thankfully I’ve already read all the books I’m just relistening to them so I have everything fresh in my head.

I’m hopeful that I’ll be climbing out of this rabbit hole shortly, it’s not as fun as Alice’s rabbit hole. I think I’d rather fall down her’s, wonderland seems like it would be great right now.


Around, and around we go

I know I haven’t been blogging for a few days. I’ve been working on gathering information for the new blogs and editing. I’ve also had ideas come to be in my dreams for stories. I life is just getting away from me and you’d think with school ending I’d have more time, and maybe that’s my issue. I have too much time on my hands that I can’t get anything done. That and I’ve been trying to listen to my favorite series that have new releases this summer. I’m starting the last Kitty Norville book tonight, Carrie Vaughn‘s new one comes out at the end of July. Next I’ll re-listen to Discovery of Witches since the next one comes out at the beginning of July. Than I have to listen to all of Chloe Neil’s Chicagoland Vampires books with the new book being released in August.  I also have a couple new books I want to listen too. The books help me get the creative juices flowing but they also make it difficult to write since I don’t want to stop listening.

I’m working on gathering pictures and info for Wicked Relaxation and Life in Military Flight. It’s a pain it the butt but I hope to have some things posted in the next few days so be on the look out.


Most anticipated of 2012

– A Perfect Blood by Kim Harrison,

Biting Cold by Chloe Neill,

Whatever Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files book will be called ;) ,

Kitty Steals the Show by Carrie Vaughn,

Fair Game by Patricia Briggs,

and last whatever MLN Hanover’s next book is in the Black Sun’s Daughter.


2011 favorites and disappointing

Top five favorite books of the year –

Pale Demon by Kim Harrison,

A Discovery of Withes by Deborah Harkness,

Kitty’s Big Trouble by Carrie Vaughn,

The Neon Graveyard by Vicki Pettersson,

Hard Bitten & Drink Deep by Chloe Neill.

Disappointing books of 2011 –

Something Deadly This Way Comes by Kim Harrison,

Passion by Lauren Kate,

Ghost Story by Jim Butcher,

Even though I like River Marked by Patricia Briggs a lot it wasn’t as good as some of the above.

 


Kitty’s Greatest Hits Review

Carrie Vaughn’s Kitty’s Greatest Hits

Let me start by saying Kitty’s Greatest Hits is a collection of short stories from the Kitty Norville Series. Some of the stories we have seen in different anthologies that Carrie has been involved with and some are new. None of the stories are vital to the series, so you don’t have to read them, but you will miss out on getting to know Carrie’s characters a little better if you don’t. Kitty’s Greatest Hits has thirteen hits within its pages and while I’m not going to review all thirteen short stories I’ll at least give you a taste or tease, J about who’s in the story and if it falls in the time line.

“Il Est Ne” – Is about Kitty helping another werewolf in the aftermath of Kitty Goes to Washington and before the events of Kitty Takes a Holiday.

“A Princess of Spain” – This is not a Kitty story and I’m not sure where it falls within the Kitty series. It does have a vampire who plays a part in a historical story involving Catherine of Spain and King Henry VIII.

“Conquistador de la Noche” – This is all about Rick, who never wants to tell Kitty is history, so now we get to learn a little.

“The Book of Daniel” – Not a book about Kitty but it does tie in to the Kitty series if you think about it, this takes place in Babylonia and we have seen weres and a vampire who were trying to bring back the culture.

“The Temptation of Robin Green” – This is the first Vampire testing centers and one of Carrie’s first Kitty stories, Rick is in this one but it’s not really the Rick we know though Rick is the name she used.

“Looking After Family” – This is a young Cormac and Ben story. This takes place after Cormac has to come live with Ben’s family when Cormac’s father dies.

“God’s Creatures” – This is another Cormac story, in this one Cormac is hunting a werewolf and it takes him to the most unlikely of places a Catholic Reform School and Church.

“Wild Ride” – Here we have T.J.’s story and how he became a werewolf. T.J. was Kitty’s best friend in Kitty and the Midnight Hour.

“Winnowing the Herd” – Kitty’s life before she started the Midnight Hour, it’s a good thing she came out of the supernatural closet.

“Kitty and the Most Pit of the Damned” – Kitty goes to a club gig to get interviewed with a band whose concerts are hell on fans.

“Kitty’s Zombie New Year” – Kitty attends a party with Zombies. Carrie does a twist on zombies.

“Life Is the Teacher” – Here we look at Emma’s story as she explores what happened to her after the events in Kitty Goes to Washington.

“You’re on the Air” – Kitty gets a call from a vamp that’s been down on his luck, from Kitty and the Silver Bullet.

“Long Time Waiting” – The story we’ve been waiting for, this is Cormac’s story from prison and where we meet Amelia.

As you can see most of the stories fall within the realm of the Kitty universe, but they are all standalone stories. And it was great getting to know some of Rick’s history and seeing in side Cormac’s methodical head (as scary as that may sound). So if you love the Kitty series as much as I do this is a must read.

Until next time have a wickedly awesome Thanksgiving and see you on my next flight.

Teresa


%d bloggers like this: