Okay, I admit it, it's a reread. A nice, lightweight novel about a Denver werewolf who starts a talk-radio show for the supernatural community. Nicely written; enjoyable characters. I admit that the Denver references were part of the draw! ( )

2.5 stars. I could discuss the various and sundry reasons for this rating, but I’m still deciding how I feel about the book. Maybe later. ( )

I am not sure how this one got such a low avg rating.
It's entertaining and surprisingly well crafted.
I had these moments a few times of "are you kidding me? this is bs. no one would do that/act like that" but a lot of times after considering human nature I had to concede that it actually wasn't unrealistic.
In the end, I believe this is one of the more believable stories that describe a coming out for werewolves etc. in a way I believe would actually be much more likely to happen.
This book abuses the strict pack trope to an extreme that has nothing to do with actual wolves anymore. It really abuses the "its the pack" thing to get away with a lot of crap that would neither stand in a wolfpack nor a human group.
One could argue that its different with werewolves but then the constant pounding on the "inner wolf" thing is bs.
Either way, wolf nature is used too much as a scapegoat for acceptance of the unacceptable for plot reasons.
Apart from that, the worldbuilding neglects a lot of possibilities and suggests a rather stark, hopeless and incredibly simplistic situation for basically all vampires and werewolves.
In the next book, it becomes clear that this indeed is just a misconception of our main character but it threw me pretty badly and I would expect an average intelligence human to be able to reason this out on their own. Well, we are told repeatedly that the mc isn't particularly bright. Usually, this is just self-deprecation but in this case, it really is true but only if it is convenient for the plot.
At other times intelligence and quick wit go through the roof.
There are attempts at character growth but sadly none of it goes anywhere. The growth survives exactly as long as it is convenient and immediately regresses if it would get in the way of the plot.
This ultimately was the reason for me to drop the series in book 3.
The circumstances change but the mc doesn't which for some is exactly what they want but that's just not my thing.
I think you can spot a pattern here. Plot convenience is probably the main flaw but I have to say I've read a lot worse with much better ratings. It's mostly subtle and if you just don't think about it too hard and go along for the ride this can be quite enjoyable.
I enjoyed the easy-to-read writing and the pacing was fine. There were no 180s or other big failings that stood out like a sore thumb.
From my experience, I would've expected this to be at around 3.85 avg rating.
This is another example of why I should stop holding onto avg ratings as a measure of what to read. ( )

Kitty and the Midnight Hour
4 Stars

An interesting and entertaining take on the Urban Fantasy genre. The heroine is a radio talk show host whose segment focuses on the existence of supernatural beings such as werewolves and vampires. Being a werewolf herself, Kitty Norville has first-hand knowledge of her subject. Everything appears to be going smoothly until someone puts a hit out on her.

Kitty is an appealing heroine with just the right mix of snark, strength and vulnerability. As a fairly new werewolf, she is still coming to terms with her inner wolf and her position in the pack. On the romance front, there is no clear love-interest although there is potential for one.

The suspense plot revolves around two interlinked threads - the first being the identity of rogue wolf targeting young women, and the second focusing on who wants Kitty dead. Both are intriguing and lead to some compelling twists and turns in the narrative.

Overall, this is a fast-paced and light-hearted beginning to the series and I look forward to continuing.
( )

I love werewolf books and this one was very fun! I’m glad it’s a series so there are a bunch more to read. I really like the world and mythology that Vaughn has created! ( )