Customer Reviews

Kitty's House of Horrors (Kitty Norville)

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book has tied Carrie Vaughn with Ilona Andrews as my favorite, never dissapoint authors. Kitty agrees to go on a reality show where a big brother type household of supernatural creatures try to convince Conrad, the world's greatest skeptic that there is magic and other creatures out there. It becomes apparent that this really isn't why they were brought together when one by one they begin to die. Kitty and the others are stranded in the middle of nowhere and without any means of contact with the outside world. Who is doing this to them and why? How can they use their otherly abilities to get out of there? This book was excellent, every page a turner, and not a word to waste. Ben is absent for much of the book as he has gone to try to will Cormac's good behaviour release from prison. We do get to meet up with some new characters in the 'house of horrors' as well as see some of the others we have met along the way. My favorite if the magician from Kitty and the Dead Man's hand, Odysseus Grant. What Carrie Vaughan has done is removed Kitty from the world we know already and has spiced things up by giving us a change of scenery and some different supporting characters. Sure we can't wait to get to more of Ben and Cormac, but thats the great thing! We know that there is more to them to come. This book is such a strong story with such a different feel that it just reminds us that Vaughan stands out as unique when so many other series are failing due to 'same old, same old' syndrome. Kitty's series is definitely fresh and in fact this book may be the most exciting yet. Kitty remains Kitty and reminded me several times in this story why I like her so much. I smiled many times when Kitty did some crazy, and Kitty-like in the story. A quick example: the supernatural group is hiding in the house and they know that they are surrounded by snipers, and Kitty literally jumps out to talk to them. She looks fear in the face, and yet she is so proctective and caring by instinct. And I love every bit of her snark.... This was an A+ tale from an A series and I hope that if you are an urban fantasy fan, you don't hesitate to start this series if you haven't already. It has grown by leaps and bounds from the first book, "Kitty and the Midnight Hour".

This review will contain minor spoilers, so please keep that in mind before reading further.

This seemed to be a transitional book for the series, shifting from relationship/character issues (more typical of paranormal/urban fantasy/romance), to more of a urban focus (an upcoming war between good and evil - the "long game", if you remember this from a previous book). I've noticed this trend in the last couple of books, but the shift was complete here.

There were no relationship issues or tension in this book (both Ben and Cormac were absent for most of the book, and I missed them both). Instead, we have Kitty and several other characters we've previously met stranded in an isolated cabin where everything isn't as it seems, and where the situation goes downhill fast. I don't want to post too many spoilers, but the "monsters" are in a fight for their lives against unknown foes, and not everyone survives.

The plot was fast-paced and interesting, and not everything turns out well... which makes it more realistic than other paranormals I've read recently. That said, I enjoy character or relationship issues mixed in with my adventure - if that tension is missing, then the book falls a little flat for me. And, unfortunately, it was missing in this book. It was worth the time I spent on it, and the idea for the plot was great, but it could've been more than it was.

Kitty Norville is an "out" werewolf with a hit radio show... so it's not surprising that the next step is reality TV.

Unfortunately (for her), "Kitty's House of Horrors" quickly turns from a lighthearted satire on reality TV into a supernatural version of "And Then There Were None." Carrie Vaughn's seventh urban fantasy novel maintains her tongue-in-cheek approach to the genre, but it also takes her series into even darker waters -- there's a big nasty storm brewing, and Kitty is right in the middle of it.

Kitty is approached by a couple of Hollywood reps about "Supernatural Insider," a reality show about the newly-exposed supernatural. After she agrees, she ends up in a mountain lodge with a pair of psychics, a werewolf, a wereseal, two vampires, an annoying skeptic, and the magician Odysseus Grant. Unfortunately, Kitty soon begins to worry about the tensions stirred by the show... particularly since both Grant and the ancient vampire Anastasia suspect that this is somehow entwined with the vampiric Long Game.

Then the vampires' sidekick is found dead, the production crew is strangled, and someone is shooting silver crossbow bolts at anyone who tries to leave. Someone is apparently determined to kill off everybody participating in the reality show, and they've laid elaborate traps all around the lodge. And with no way to get off the mountain, Kitty and her motley band of uneasy allies must find a way to take out their enemies, or be picked off one by one.

"Kitty's House of Horrors" sounds like a pretty standard urban fantasy, except with an Agatha Christie twist. But Carrie Vaughn is picking up some darker plot threads -- the centuries-spanning Long Game, Roman, Anastasia, the prejudice against supernaturals -- and weaving them into a dark tapestry that will stretch into future books. So not only is it a solid fantasy/mystery, but clearly the beginnings of a much more complex, epic story.

And Vaughn does an excellent job with it -- at first there's a lot of tongue-in-cheek humor about reality TV and the contrived stuff they make up; Vaughn even has some fun with Kitty's phone calls, one from an Anita-Blake-style aggressive nympho and a teen vampire wannabe ("I have the innate sense of style and superiority! I feel the music of the night!"). But the tone shifts abruptly when the deaths start.

After that, it's all claustrophobic fear and mayhem, and as the whodunnit builds up to the Big Reveal and a harrowing woodland standoff, she packs the story with guns, booby-traps, bombs, and werewolf attacks. And Vaughn's writing is up to the task -- she has a brisk, steady style with lots of details, and some really beautiful little moments (such as Kitty communicating with a pack of wild wolves).

Kitty is her usual self in this book -- strong, kind, snarky and constantly balancing out her human self with her inner Wolf. The rest of the cast is pretty odd, but Vaughn handles them well, especially Anastasia and Gemma, a pair of vampires who still have very human emotions of loss. The best work is the less sympathetic characters -- Conrad initially seems like a whiny snotty skeptic, but Vaughn fleshes him out and makes you like him.

"Kitty's House of Horrors" serves as a solid whodunnit with lots of blood, bombs and claustrophobic fear, but it also paves the way for more epic stories to come. Nice piece of work.

I was hesitant to read this book because I felt like I was getting Kitty-ied out but I'm glad I did. I don't know if it's because there wasn't much Ben or if the story line just really grabbed me this time but I didn't want to stop reading. Not only was Kitty participating in this reality show but we also saw some of my favorite characters back like Odysseus Grant, Jeffrey-the TV psychic, Ariel-Kitty's fellow radio personality and Tina the paranormal investigator who has her own psychic talents. From reading the book blurb I was dying to know which characters would make it through and which ones would end up being killed. I liked them all so I was really biting my nails. It truly was like watching a horror movie and wondering who would be the next to go.

We also saw a few more moves in the Long Game that the vampires have had going on as Kitty meets another ancient vampire. And the best part and I hope this doesn't ruin anything for anyone but Cormac is finally going to be paroled! I cannot wait to see where this goes. I really would like to see Kitty and Cormac together but unless Ben dies I really don't see how that could happen.

If you want to find out who makes it out of the house of horrors you definitely need to pick this one up!

I hate to say this, but Kitty's House of Horrors is a bunch of fluff shoved into a fuzzy teddy bear, wrapped in more fluff. In other words, there is absolutely no depth here. I understand that urban fantasy is not the most compelling and deep genre in existence, but I expect more than this. I love urban fantasy for the grit, realism, and character development. The Kitty series has become cheesy and silly. Kitty "tells it like it is" supposedly on her talk show, she is supposed to be a no nonsense type of girl, yet she never really comes off that way. She tries to take control in the reality TV show lodge presented in this book but it's just not believable. Ancient vampires and other powerful supernaturals are ready to take her lead, but to me she doesn't deserve their respect. She still seems like the submissive character from book one, even though she isn't being portrayed that way. I guess that is because I never really saw any progression. One second she is weak, two books later she is married and tough. I also don't think she has any room to talk giving her guests attitude and wanting to tell them to get a life, but I'll save that rant for another time.

Aside from lack of character development, this story is just too simplistic. Supernaturals go to a reality TV show, people start dying, it's obvious who is killing them, then the supernaturals hunt down the bad guys. That is it. Literally, that. is. it. I'm sorry but I'm sick of authors cranking out new books in a series that serve no purpose. I wish for once an author would plan the number of books in a series and plan what is to happen in each instead of going off on random unimportant tangents through 15+ books. This book is a complete waste of time. Nothing new is learned, there is no character progression, and if you read the jacket you've basically read the book. If you like fluff, love triangles, flimsy main characters, and unimportant storylines, then by all means read this.

I liked strong and confident Kitty from the first few books, not love triangle, married, boring Kitty from these last books. I should have stopped reading this series much earlier, so take my review with a grain of salt if you will. If you have enjoyed the more recent books in the series you may like this one, it's more of the same. I haven't liked the past few books, I really haven't liked many of the books since Ben came into the picture. Wedded bliss, a stable career, and urban fantasy don't seem to go well with each other. Adding another love interest just irritates me more if possible. If you are going with the happily married couple angle why add that in there...sigh. I'm sure there will be fighting and a war of supernaturals vs nonsupernaturals to come, but I honestly don't care about it in the slightest.

I discovered this series 2 years ago - every book has been a fun read. However, this book was definitely one of the best in the series!! I couldn't put it down. I read 1 half one night, then the 2nd half the following night. Well written, fast paced, engaging, exciting... and no offense to Ben & Kitty, but it was nice to get a break from their mushiness from the last few books. Kitty kicked butt... She's a true heroine. It's been wonderful seeing the development of others characters (Grant, Tina) and seeing them have such large roles in this book. Now with Cormac out on bail, I can't wait to see what happens next. Great characters in this series.

So long story short - this one will definitely rock your socks off.

I'm not going to do a long review on this one, since others have given such good recaps already. But I just want to say that the Carrie Vaughn books keep getting better and better. This one may be the best of all. It is well-written, as always, and full of dark, heart-stopping suspence...just the kind of book I love. If you are looking for a good "young adult" read that will keep you up all night turning pages, this one will not disappoint.

Others have given a run down on the plot and setting so I will simply say that this kept me riveted from page one to the very last. One of the most gripping Kitty books to date. And carries the ongoing story line to a whole new level. The characters are all nuanced and multi dimensional and this is definitely a must read. If you have not read the others, do so and get to this one in due course. You will not be disappointed.

The basic premise blows the plot although the author comes up with some good twists. But Kitty says it well when she says "Didn't Agatha Christe investigate this". Very reminiscent of "10 Little Indians".

Well done and a good read though.

Another horrid cover. The publisher needs to find a cover atist that knows what an angry wolf looks like.

I love this series, and this new installment doesn't disappoint. Although you know bad things are going to happen when Kitty takes the offer, the story keeps you guessing. Some very unexpected things happen, and the end sets up the next book very nicely.