Kitty's Big Trouble (Kitty Norville #9)

Jul 06, 2011 Chris rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: werewolves-are-awesome, fantasy-urban, fantasy-fairy-tales-influ

Really a 2.5 or a 2.9. It's not quite a three, but it isn't really a two. I liked it much better than Discord's Apple, but not as well as the other Kitty books.

Here's what I like about the Kitty series, including this one. I like the fact that Kitty doesn't get power creeps, unless it is knowledge. The only power she gains is mental and emotional; she is simply a werewolf. I like that. I like the fact that Kitty is married. I like the fact that Kitty questions everything. The books make me laugh...more Really a 2.5 or a 2.9. It's not quite a three, but it isn't really a two. I liked it much better than Discord's Apple, but not as well as the other Kitty books.

Here's what I like about the Kitty series, including this one. I like the fact that Kitty doesn't get power creeps, unless it is knowledge. The only power she gains is mental and emotional; she is simply a werewolf. I like that. I like the fact that Kitty is married. I like the fact that Kitty questions everything. The books make me laugh. I like how Vaughn challenges the vampire/werewolf hierachy that dominates every other Urban Fantasy book. I could live, however, without the vampire politics that seem to appear in each and every series. Really if vampires were that bad, wouldn't everyone else just simply stake them?

So why two stars, you ask? Why this confused rating?

Part of it concerns the plot of this novel. It is very loose, and I never felt that any of the characters were danger, even minor characters. Vaughn is usually good at that, check out Kitty's House of Horrors, for instance. Part of it was the inclusion of certain characters (I'm trying not to use spoilers here). Kitty doesn't power creep, but she is becoming a little too special sometimes. I did like very much, however, Grace's parting shots.

But my main problem is Ben. Now I know some fans of this series really want the Ben/Kitty/Cormac triangle. I don't. I like the fact that Kitty is married. The only author who does that is Kelley Armstrong. I just wish Ben was a bit more of a character. In some ways, he feels like a male version of that interchangable movie chick who is just there to look good running in slo-mo and as a romantic (lust really) lead. This is a shame because Ben didn't start out like that. In many ways, Vaughn is defining him solely in terms of Kitty. While this in some way makes sense, Kitty is the one who eased his transformation into werewolf, I wish they were more equals, at least in how the characters are drawn. Vaughn herself seems somewhat aware of this, and hopefully it will work itself out by the next book, which I will buy and read.(less)

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Mar 22, 2012 NickySatia rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-books, series, fantasy, paranormal, romance, chicklit

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. You know what, I know it's a little lame but I just like paranormal vampire/werewolf/witch novels. But the thing is: I like to pretend that the events in the books could be happening in real life. This is why I like Rachel Vincent's Shifters series. Ok, it obviously fiction but it's not over the top.

The Kitty Norville series starts out that way too. Kitty is likable, snarky and kick-ass. The other characters are fun. But for me, Carrie Vaughn makes the mistake of taking it a little too far ever...more You know what, I know it's a little lame but I just like paranormal vampire/werewolf/witch novels. But the thing is: I like to pretend that the events in the books could be happening in real life. This is why I like Rachel Vincent's Shifters series. Ok, it obviously fiction but it's not over the top.

The Kitty Norville series starts out that way too. Kitty is likable, snarky and kick-ass. The other characters are fun. But for me, Carrie Vaughn makes the mistake of taking it a little too far every time. This last one in the series is a good example of that. Come on really...gods? Cormac and the twisted, does-not-make-any-sense double souls thing? What, he was human and needed to have an paranormal kick as well? If that were the case;have him bitten like Ben was or turn him into vampire, why this far fetched untold/unexplained storyline for him?

I dolike the way Carrie Vaughn writes. She makes me not want to put her books down because I just have to know what happens next. It's fluff, not literature, but on the whole the Kitty Norville series is (very) entertaining. I have read them all and it's not because I thought they sucked.

However, one storyline per book is enough! Carrie Vaughn's editor should have told her that. The whole series suffers from "double storyline"- and/or "some of these events are too far fetched"-syndrome:
- Book #1: why the cult thing on the side?
- Book #2: again, what does the cult thing have to do with anything?
- Book #3: this one was acceptable but if the author had choosen to a) just go with the skinwalker thing or b) go with the angry-humans-with-spells-gone-wrong thing, that would have been fine too. Both wasn't necessary seeing as there was also the love triangle with Cormac and Ben.
- Book #4: this one is just good :)
- Book #5: Did not understand what Ben's kidnapping was needed for, especially since his return was so very anti-climactic
- Book #6: a genie, really?!
- Book #7: storyline (although a little cliche) was fine! enough people died to make it less predictable and no too strange supernatural stuff (except maybe for the were-seal, but ok)
- Book #8: Wizard with the blizzard does not make this my favorite in the series but it's consistent and focused enough. Cormac's double soul was not really a great addition but i've mentioned that already.
- Book #9: Gods? Tunnels with three legged crows and nine tailed foxes? hmpf..

Still, looking forward to book #10! :)
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Jul 05, 2011 All Things Urban Fantasy added it · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed-by-julia

More than any other series, the Kitty Norville books read like a television series. Each episode is action packed, often self contained, with a little romance and character growth thrown in for spice. KITTY’S BIG TROUBLE is no deviation from that recipe, and this particular book worked very well for me. While the action would be accessible to even a new reader, the relationship dynamics (my favorite part), would definitely go right over their head.

The adventure in BIG TROUBLE provides prime cha...more

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Jul 12, 2011 Jess rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads

“Werewolves are all about instinct, emotion. They’re so full of passion. Makes them fascinating, don’t you think?”

It’s like meeting back up with old friends when a new Kitty book hits the shelves. Whether she likes it or not, Kitty always finds herself in the middle of the action and while she might hope for a nice, quiet life with her husband, Ben, trouble seems to find her (or she it) more often than not. After asking many questions about werewolves th...more Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads

“Werewolves are all about instinct, emotion. They’re so full of passion. Makes them fascinating, don’t you think?”

It’s like meeting back up with old friends when a new Kitty book hits the shelves. Whether she likes it or not, Kitty always finds herself in the middle of the action and while she might hope for a nice, quiet life with her husband, Ben, trouble seems to find her (or she it) more often than not. After asking many questions about werewolves throughout history and who might have been a famous shapeshifter, she ends up getting a call from the vampire Anastasia asking for “help” in retrieving the Dragon Pearl, an object of massive power that if in the wrong hands, namely Roman’s, would be devastating. Kitty agrees to help and her pack of 3, Ben, Cormac and herself head west to San Francisco. What starts out as a hunt to find the Dragon’s Pearl, turns into far more than anyone saw coming and battling other werewolves, being brought in to see the local vampire Family, facing off against Roman and even coming face to face with Gods, is all in a nights work for Kitty and Co.

All I could think when reading this book was, Kitty is having one hell of a rough night. The main story takes place during one long day and the majority of scenes are in underground San Francisco, not any underground that would be on a map however. The world is a new one to Kitty and to readers and has a very dreamlike quality to it. Are things really what they seem? Are the people? In a big way, it was an introduction in that we don’t know what all is “out there” and there’s no way to get the answers to everything, even though that will never stop Kitty from asking the questions…any question:

“It’s rude, asking vampires about their age,” said Boss.
I shrugged. “Yeah. I keep doing it anyway.” I was getting my groove back. I came as close as I could to staring at him without looking him in his hypnotic eyes. He had a slight hook in his nose, “I have some questions. You’ve been running San Francisco for almost a century, so you were here during the sixties. Summer of Love and all that, right? You ever meet Janis Joplin? Jerry Garcia? Country Joe? Any of those psychedelic guys?”
“What if I said yes? What do you expect me to say about any of them that hasn’t already been said?”
“Maybe I just wanted to see if you had any concert bootlegs.”

One thing I really enjoyed that stood out most for me was this was a story that showed Kitty’s main pack in action. She, Ben and Cormac were together pretty much from cover to cover and I loved seeing their new dynamic at work. There are still so many questions about Cormac and his "other" side, and we’re slowly seeing how he’s changed and I’m hoping that he has a short story in KITTY’S GREATEST HITS that explains a little more about what happened when he was in prison. Not everything’s all roses and rainbows for the trio though because even though Cormac knows Kitty and Ben, he’s still weary of their werewolves and while Kitty does trust him to have their backs in a fight, I don't know if they 100% trust him to not take one or both of them out if he thought they were a threat. I’d like to think he wouldn’t, but there are just enough references to his weary looks at them, or how he holds his weapon that makes me wonder just what’s going through his mind.

While this book didn’t have a big showdown with a clear cut finish or ending, it set up the next book and the future of Kitty and her potential “army” vs Roman and whatever this Long Game is that will no doubt run right through Kitty – or she’ll run through it! In the short term, Kitty won’t have her calm, quiet life, but that’s not really her to begin with. She finds herself in the middle of everything and this is why I’m a Ben fan – he’s her safe place. When everything was going to hell and back in this story, all Kitty needed to do was touch Ben to calm down and get centered. Their relationship has been one of my favorite things about this series from the start. It’s not really the norm to have a series centered around a heroine in a committed relationship, but Kitty needs the solid, steady presence of Ben (as he does with her) and I love the team they’ve become and it just gets stronger with each book. I hope that Cormac can find his place in their pack, Kitty and Ben want him there, and if the ending of KITTY’S BIG TROUBLE is any indication, Cormac is getting more comfortable with life on the outside again, and is realizing that he’s a part of the “we” when Kitty and Ben talk about hitting the road for another adventure.

Overall, this is another very entertaining Kitty adventure. The story flows so well and the ending leaves me wanting the next book now!(less)

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Jan 22, 2013 Kathy Davie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban, fantasy

Ninth in the Kitty Norville urban fantasy series about a radio show host who turns into a werewolf. While Kitty is based in Denver, this story takes place in San Francisco.

My Take
Well we gets into the woo-woo here. And really dorky as well. This one is off in a new direction, gaining new life, I guess. Setting Kitty up for the next stage in her leadership role.

It was a fun and imaginative tour of San Francisco's Chinatown and the touristy parts of the City. Took me right back to all the lovely a...more

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Apr 01, 2012 Fangs for the Fantasy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Kitty has received a call from Anastasia – Roman is acting again. The ancient vampire playing a game of nothing short of world domination is on the move again with a new plot and a new plan. This involving a magical artefact of great power that could severely twist the balance in the struggle. Anastasia needs backup – and of course that involves Kitty.

So Kitty finds herself travelling to San Francisco. But the action is not nearly as simple as she imagined as she delves deeply into Chinatown and...more

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Feb 23, 2012 Melani rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy

So this is obviously a play on the movie Big Trouble in Little China. Kitty goes to San Francisco at the behest of Anastasia, the vampire opposing Roman, in order to retrieve a magical item from San Francisco’s China Town before he does. I wasn’t fond of this one. The emotional pull of the story really wasn’t there. Partly because the main emotional story was Anastasia’s, and for the most part we don’t know her that well. Kitty’s arc is more about deciding to really step up and lead, not just he...more

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Oct 20, 2011 Bookmom rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Kitty gets a call from Anastasia, the vampire she’d survived escaping with in Kitty’s House of Horrors, asking for Kitty’s help and to meet her in San Francisco. Kitty only knows it means going up against Roman, the ancient vampire from Las Vegas that has been causing problems for a number of books now and the thought of finishing him off is enough to bring Kitty, Ben and Cormac to the West Coast.

Roman is looking for the Dragon’s Tear, a magical item that when placed in a bag with another item,...more Kitty gets a call from Anastasia, the vampire she’d survived escaping with in Kitty’s House of Horrors, asking for Kitty’s help and to meet her in San Francisco. Kitty only knows it means going up against Roman, the ancient vampire from Las Vegas that has been causing problems for a number of books now and the thought of finishing him off is enough to bring Kitty, Ben and Cormac to the West Coast.

Roman is looking for the Dragon’s Tear, a magical item that when placed in a bag with another item, replicates that item. Anastasia needs to find it first just to keep it out of his hands. We meet the local vampires, Grace, another human magic user whose family has guarded the item for centuries, are introduced to some Chinese culture and a little mythology, interact with a couple of Chinese gods and find out that vampires have always viewed werewolves as their slaves. We’ve also got the use of some magic compliments of both Grace and Cormac/Amelia. Much of the story takes place in the tunnels under Chinatown. There’s magic in these tunnels, making them difficult to get out of without a guide.

As a little side story, Kitty has become interested in finding out if well known historical figures might not have been lycanthropes or vampires, and how history might change if that information were to come out. She’s especially interested in General William T Sherman as things said and done make her believe he was a werewolf.

This appears to be a transition book with Kitty’s focus taking on a new direction in the next one. And with most transitional stories I’ve read, that means this one isn’t as good as other books in the series. I wouldn’t call the story bad, but as with a few others in the series, it’s just not nearly as good and would have been easy to set aside. There is some action and suspense and Kitty’s relationship with Ben is stronger than ever. Cormac’s character felt funny this time. He’s not an especially emotional guy but he felt incredibly wooden in this story. He does sum up the story nicely though, when he asks near the end if they’d won or lost. That’s exactly how it felt.
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Oct 17, 2011 Phaedra rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, nook

If I think about this for a while, my rating my change. Right now, I liked it. It was satisfying, plenty of cool new things for Kitty to poke at and wonder about. I also liked that Kitty keeps growing - she's curious if General Sherman was a werewolf and when she finds her answer she realizes that not everything that she thinks or that she knows has to come out of her mouth for the whole world to see or hear. This is a big change for her. I also liked that this book kept the shifting boundary li...more If I think about this for a while, my rating my change. Right now, I liked it. It was satisfying, plenty of cool new things for Kitty to poke at and wonder about. I also liked that Kitty keeps growing - she's curious if General Sherman was a werewolf and when she finds her answer she realizes that not everything that she thinks or that she knows has to come out of her mouth for the whole world to see or hear. This is a big change for her. I also liked that this book kept the shifting boundary line of wolf or human in play but we got to see more of how wolf thinks and how that affects what Kitty does. As a character I think she's fairly predispositioned to acting on her instincts anyway, it's the animal nature that gives Kitty problems.

I was on the fence about Chinese gods making an appearance but I had to giggle at the appearance of Sun Wukong (who I know I as Son Goku from Journey to the West) because the author described him so well I knew who he was before the reveal. I did like that their (Cormac, Kitty, and Ben's) time with the gods became hazy as time went on, but part of it had to have remained with them because they knew what happened with Anastasia. I also liked that Carrie Vaughn's gods were so approachable but still inscrutable.

All the Kitty books have a very earth feel to them for me and this one was no exception. I like how things are shaping up between Kitty, Ben, and Cormac. I wasn't so fond of the addition of Amelia to Cormac, maybe I'd like her better if I read the short story where it explains what happened to mesh them together. However, when reading it feels like a way to make sure that there is always something for Cormac to do other than be a menacing bodyguard. They get into enough situations where they need a bodyguard that diversifying him just feel like a cop out. I keep waiting for Ben and Kitty's relationship to explode but so far they've been a very stable couple. I'm kind of liking that and it's nice to see a functional married couple thrown into these crazy situations and have them come through them with the relationship made stronger.

Nice set up for the next book at the end but I get the feeling that as Kitty gets deeper into her crusade the Midnight Hour will end up suffering. Or maybe she'll talk radio the bad guys into submission? lol(less)

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Sep 05, 2011 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

There wasn't anything in this book that really stands out. Vaughn clearly has a Grand Plan for the series, and this book is simply a bridge to get the series a bit closer to the end. Another words, it doesn't work particularly well as a stand alone book, but moves a few storylines along nicely - mainly, Kitty and Roman have another facedown they have been building to; some interesting secrets - and ones that will hopefully come into play later about Rick were revealed - and the powers of Cormacs...more

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Aug 25, 2011 Mel rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy, werewolves, san-francisco

This book could easily be called Kitty Goes To San Francisco as she spends most of the time in Chinatown trying to beat Roman to a powerful magical artefact. As usual I enjoyed my time with Kitty. Over the course of the series so far, she’s grown in strength – yet remains practical about what she and can’t do. She – and her inner wolf have no qualms about running away when the enemy is more powerful. She remains a regular werewolf – not an all powerful, world saviour. It is this element of Kitty...more

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Aug 18, 2011 Sheyla rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Book 9 starts with Kitty's questioning how many important people throughout history have been werewolves, vampires or something else. She thinks that General Sherman was a werewolf and is looking for proof. What she finds is more than what she bargained for.

In the mist of this, she gets a call from vampire Anastasia asking for her help. There is a powerful artifact called the Dragon Pearl and it needs to be protected before Roman gets to it.

She takes her pack, meaning Ben, her husband and Cormac...more

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Jul 18, 2011 Ratkin rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As a preface, let me say that I first started reading the Kitty Norville series when the first book hit the stores. Okay, I'm shallow...I liked the cover. I loved the book, and I've bought every book since then as soon as I've found them in the stores. I've enjoyed the entire series. Until now.

This is likely to get a little nebulous, because I'm still trying to put my finger on exactly what I found so disquieting this time. It's not the writing or the characters, which are still just fine. I thi...more

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Jul 07, 2011 ***Dave Hill rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: text

Vaughn's newest novel of Kitty Norville, werewolfe radio talk show host, is one of the best, and shows the series is still going strong. This one advances the larger metaplot of ancient vampire politics and, in particular, "the Roman," a very old vampire out to expand his already vast power.

The setting this time is (mostly) in Chinatown, San Francisco, which provides a lot of great opportunity for myth and magic. It also provides the title, since Kitty gets into Big Trouble in ...

Vaughn contin...more

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Jun 30, 2011 Jennifer (Books&Barks) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Kitty is a werewolf. Yes, you heard me right, a werewolf named Kitty! Leader of the Denver werewolf pack and host of a supernatural radio show, Kitty is fresh off dealings with military werewolves and a magic wielding convenience store owner.

The discovery of a werewolf led group of soldiers has caused Kitty to wonder about other potential werewolves in wars and battles throughout history. Thus starts Kitty's quest to discover if General Sherman was a werewolf. Of course, this being Kitty, nothi...more Kitty is a werewolf. Yes, you heard me right, a werewolf named Kitty! Leader of the Denver werewolf pack and host of a supernatural radio show, Kitty is fresh off dealings with military werewolves and a magic wielding convenience store owner.

The discovery of a werewolf led group of soldiers has caused Kitty to wonder about other potential werewolves in wars and battles throughout history. Thus starts Kitty's quest to discover if General Sherman was a werewolf. Of course, this being Kitty, nothing can ever be simple. After receiving a phone call from vampire Mistress Anastasia, Kitty, Ben and Cormac find themselves traveling to San Francisco in search of a powerful artifact called the Dragon's Pearl. According to Anastasia, ultra powerful vampire Roman is also after the Pearl and must be stopped.

For me, this was another good edition to the Kitty world. Kitty's and Ben's relationship and marriage are strongly growing. It no longer feels so much like there is a love triangle going on among Kitty, Ben, and Cormac - now they seem more like a cohesive "pack" of three, a family. There is still some tension when Ben almost gives into his wolf a time or two; Cormac the hunter has issues with his cousin showing "wolfy-ness." He's still the protector though, because as Cormac himself says, "Somebody's got to look after you crazy kids" (291).

Kitty's Big Trouble is an apt title for this addition. I don't know if its even possible for Kitty to stay out of trouble! She wouldn't be Kitty if she did. Only this time she gets herself into a bigger situation then even she is used to. Its to be expected in a story involving a vampire that has been around for what seems forever, building up a power base of unimaginable strength. Only this time, Roman might be surprised by the allies that Kitty has aligned herself with.

Its now time for Kitty to be the alpha that has been growing in her over the course of the series. Werewolves are expected to submit and be slaves to the higher beings that vampires see themselves to be. As Boss of the San Francisco vampires points out, "It's been a long time since the werewolves had a leader step forward" (170). By the end of this novel, I think the werewolves have their new leader.(less)

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Jun 26, 2011 Tonya rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-urban, paranormal-weres-vamps-fae-etc, kitty-norville

I'm not going to regurgitate the book blurb & I'm not going to retell the whole book what I am going to do is tell you that Carrie Vaughn is an author I've been following now for years, ever since the first Kitty Norville book came out & I've picked up EVERYTHING else she's ever written I can get my hands on.
The Kitty books are always a treat to read, they always have a great arc, great action, and Kitty is just Kitty, always. Kitty is a character we can all relate to in ways we can't w...more

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Apr 25, 2011 Vicky rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'll just start this off by saying I have been a fan of Carrie
Vaughn's Kitty books since the first one. The books are fast, funny,
full of action and imaginative. And this one fits right in.

In this book, Kitty is attempting to find out if any famous historical
generals were werewolves (specifically Gen. Sherman of Civil War
fame). During her investigation, she gets a call for help from the
vampire Anastasia. Kitty, her husband Ben, and the split human/spirit
Cormac/Amelia head to San Francisco and de...more

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Jul 20, 2011 ALPHAreader rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Kitty Norville is one curious werewolf. When she gets wind of a rumour about Civil War icon, William T. Sherman’s possible wolfy side, she turns into a dog with a bone. Kitty becomes desperate to pick the brain of every vampire and find out which other historic legends had a supernatural helping hand.

But Kitty gets side-tracked in her mission when the vampire Anastasia calls asking for help. She’s in San Francisco and on the hunt for an artefact of extreme power – and she needs to find it befor...more

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Mar 21, 2012 Dana "dew" rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

***************** 2.5 stars *********************

Overall, I have enjoyed this series. It's not one of my absolute favories, but I find the characters & radio show premise interesting enough. As with many series, there are some books that you like better than others. Some you love and some that are just "meh." This one falls into the latter category for me. It seemed a bit lackluster/ felt like it was missing something to me. I'm not sure exactly what or why. Not sure if it was the story, its...more

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Aug 26, 2011 Vanessa rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy

With all the trouble Kitty has gotten into since she was turned into a werewolf, it's hard to imagine that it could get any worse. But there's a reason why book #9 is named KITTY'S BIG TROUBLE—and by the end you'll understand.

But, instead, let's go back to the beginning. In the last book, KITTY GOES TO WAR, she learned about the U.S. government's use of werewolves in combat, and she asked herself: how long have they been doing it, and who else in U.S. history could have been hiding their own sup...more With all the trouble Kitty has gotten into since she was turned into a werewolf, it's hard to imagine that it could get any worse. But there's a reason why book #9 is named KITTY'S BIG TROUBLE—and by the end you'll understand.

But, instead, let's go back to the beginning. In the last book, KITTY GOES TO WAR, she learned about the U.S. government's use of werewolves in combat, and she asked herself: how long have they been doing it, and who else in U.S. history could have been hiding their own supernatural origins?

These questions lead her on a strange chase across state lines and eventually points clues to Roman, a very old vampire she's crossed paths with before. So is it coincidence that vampire ally Anastasia calls Kitty the very next day asking to help stop Roman from acquiring an ancient and powerful artifact?

Vaughn does stretch the connections here a little thinly, as Kitty, her husband Ben, and friend Cormac, traipse through Kansas and then San Fransisco. But once they get to California, and Anastasia explains why she asked for their help, then things really get moving. And from there on out the pace moves quickly, and in a direction you won't expect.

Set in San Fransisco's Chinatown, most of the action actually happens underground, in a series of mazes that shouldn't exist. In rooms that shouldn't exist. That houses people who Kitty once thought of as myths.

But it's less the setting than the people who will keep you reading. I enjoy Kitty and Ben's relationship more and more. We get to learn more about Cormac and the sorceress spirit he houses in his body, and their unusual partnership. Anastasia and Roman, as vampires, are old and mysterious and rather self-absorbed, so it's hard to really enjoy them as characters. There are other, new characters who are fun to read about, but I don't want to spoil your fun.

Sure the title alludes to the movie Big Trouble in Little China, since they are both set in the same city/neighborhood. But it's more than that. Something happens, and Kitty is given a new responsibility that's bigger than ever. Sure KITTY'S BIG TROUBLE is a good, consistent addition to the series, but in a lot of ways it's really a segue of what Vaughn promises will follow. And Kitty doesn't disappoint.

Recommended Age: 14+
Language: A handful of instances
Violence: The usual smattering, but not particularly gory
Sex: Vaguely referenced by a married couple, otherwise just some cuddling(less)

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Jul 08, 2011 Julia rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: werewolves, vampires-weres-witches, urban-fantasy

In the beginning of the novel, a listener sends Kitty information that perhaps General William Tecumseh Sherman was a werewolf. (And that’s just silly: anyone who’s read Chelsea Quinn Yarbro’s In the Face of Death from a few years back knows that his lover was a vampire.) Then she checks out that Wyatt Earp, who, in addition to the duties we know about, was also a vampire slayer. (In Emma Bull’s Territory he’s a powerful magic wielder. He’s also in Doc: A Novel, by Mary Doria Russell, that I am...more

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Jul 20, 2011 Mickey (I'm A Book Shark) rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Kitty fans, Werewolf fans

Shelves: 2011, audio

Man, I hate to give this only two stars but I really didn't enjoy this one as much as the other Kitty novels! I don't know why, really. The story just didn't suck me in like some of the others. I get really sick of hearing about "hackles rising," "fur standing on end," "back of neck prickling," etc. I kind of feel like a thesaurus would be good sometimes. And the epilogue just felt like it was never going to end! :o(

I also need to comment on the narrating since I listened to this book at work. I...more

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Jul 15, 2011 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: supernatural, vampires, werewolves

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Dec 27, 2012 Jacob Proffitt rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy, owned

I'm not really sure what was up with this book. It seemed kind of pointless, and I kept asking myself what Kitty was doing messing around in San Francisco. I mean, I get that Anastasia has asked for her help, and all, I just don't get why Kitty is putting herself, her mate, and her friend in danger for someone she doesn't really know all that well.

And it doesn't help that you have Roman on the edge of things rather more actively than we have in the past—and that he so clearly outclasses everyone...more

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Aug 11, 2011 Liz rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-reads, urbanfantasy-paranormal

Most of the book was a typical Kitty book. She, her husband Ben, and their cousin Cormac (possessed by the spirit of Amelia - when did that happen anyway?) travel to San Fransisco to help the vampire Anastasia find the Dragon's Pearl. The Dragon's Pearl, while not a pearl, is a mystical object that duplicates anything in a container - food, money and even ancient Roman coins.

One little disappointment - this book touches on the idea of the role that supernatural elements may have played in histo...more

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Jul 20, 2011 Matt R. rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A pretty solid read, though not the best Kitty book. I'm not sure what it was about this one -- the idea of the story is very intriguing, there's plenty of action, and the whole "meta" story concerning Roman is moved forward a bit, but something about the book felt "loose." It was like all the pieces didn't totally connect completely right.

I think maybe it was that Kitty, Ben, and Cormac didn't so much help advance the story as they were just carried along in its current, as though the story cou...more

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Jul 25, 2012 Kate rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adventure, alternate-history, families, fantasy, fiction, horror, international-interest, occult-paranormal, romance-romantic, urban-fantasy, china-chinese

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The original concept for this book seemed to be "Investigating historical figures to see if they might have been werewolves." That's what the back cover text advertises, and what the setup suggests will happen. However, that plotline is quickly abandoned (then easily resolved at the end) in favor of something pretty much unrelated.

The actual story was about Kitty helping her Chinese vampire friend Anastasia (from Kitty's House of Horrors) to retrieve a priceless Chinese artifact-- the Dragon's P...more The original concept for this book seemed to be "Investigating historical figures to see if they might have been werewolves." That's what the back cover text advertises, and what the setup suggests will happen. However, that plotline is quickly abandoned (then easily resolved at the end) in favor of something pretty much unrelated.

The actual story was about Kitty helping her Chinese vampire friend Anastasia (from Kitty's House of Horrors) to retrieve a priceless Chinese artifact-- the Dragon's Pearl, which is sort of like a Cauldron of Plenty-- before the evil ancient vampire Roman can get his hands on it. So Kitty, Ben, and Cormac go to San Francisco, meet some werewolves (who don't really talk much), meet some vampires (who don't really do much) and descend to the tunnels beneath Chinatown with the help of a Chinese-American guide named Grace Chen.

The story could have been really good. It's always nice to see authors branching out into new flavors of folklore. Cormac is out on parole and back in the thick of things, and there are some tantalizing hints of his interaction with his new friend Amelia. (I think there's supposed to be a story about the two of them in Kitty's Greatest Hits?) I'd like to have read this story from his perspective, because it's clear from his behavior that there's a lot going on inside his head. The San Francisco setting was a nice change, I guess, though I would have liked to see more of Chinatown.

The plot, unfortunately, was... disappointing. Every time a tense situation developed, it was resolved a few pages later with almost no conflict. "Oh, no! A vampire is trying to eat Kitty! Oh, it's okay; Cormac staked it." "Oh, no! How will we get out of here? Oh, it's okay-- a door, a fall, and a staircase later, Kitty's out and safe." "Oh, no! Where are Ben and Cormac? Oh, it's okay-- there they are!" It was like the author was suddenly afraid of doing any serious damage to her characters-- a sharp departure from Kitty's House of Horrors, which was my favorite of these books so far.

As for Kitty herself... she got the hell on my nerves. Her character seemed forced in this installment-- she's been established as this plucky, impertinent, inquisitive journalist type, and Vaughn seems to be bound and determined to make her keep playing to type. She also seemed to be holding the idiot ball for most of the story. The problem is that Kitty's been severely traumatized over the course of the series, and her character should have changed-- has changed, if I'm recalling the last books correctly. To see her asking impudent questions of supernatural beings, and taking unnecessary risks that put her "pack" in danger, was a bit annoying.

The book also made a huge deal of the relationship between Kitty and Ben and Cormac. Kitty keeps thinking of them as a "pack of three"-- which is great and cute and all that, but Kitty and Ben are the alphas of an actual pack in Denver (who are barely mentioned in the story) and as such have important responsibilities that they never seem to consider. Ben himself is a non-entity in this book-- he doesn't appear to have any personality left besides his love for Kitty (and the one time he chides Cormac for picking up a gun). Their relationship bothered me in the first place, because it developed so quickly and progressed with so few conflicts, and now it's just cavity-inducing. Cormac's feelings of jealousy and exclusion are much more interesting.

As for Chinatown... it really wasn't. I mean, there were mentions of paper lanterns, Chinese writing, and unusual smells, but that was pretty much it. The only Chinese human in the story is Grace Chen, and she's left weirdly undeveloped. The gods are thrown in at the end-- the Great Mother of the West appears for the first time more than halfway through, and Hundun doesn't show up until the climax-- and it's like Vaughn didn't figure out till the very end that this is what she wanted to write about. The book would have been stronger if the Chinese elements had been woven in from the beginning.

I think in part I've gotten pickier about my books, and am noticing story and character flaws that I wouldn't have noticed before. At the same time, though, Vaughn is a prolific working author who's been branching out into different subgenres lately-- I would have expected the new blood to have infused this story with a bit more life. Overall, I found this book disappointing, and will probably not be buying the next one new. (I'll probably take a peek at it at the library, though, since it has an interesting premise.) I hope Kitty's Big Trouble was just a one-time fluke, and that the series will pick up again after it.(less)

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Jul 06, 2011 Hobart rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-reads

It's been far too long since we've had a new Kitty Norville adventure, and Carrie Vaughn didn't disappoint with this one.

We begin with Kitty's most recent hobby--trying to out historical figures as weres or vampires or whatever. Which is a lot of fun, and is a well Vaughn hopefully returns to.

But the main action focuses on the Long Game between various vampire factions that we've seen a few peaks into lately. Kitty's ally Anastasia is racing against Roman for possession of a magical artifact th...more

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Sep 02, 2011 Nancy O'Toole rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: library, paranormal

Kitty Norville, werewolf radio DJ, has been called to San Francisco to help the vampire Anastasia locate a mystical artifact of immense power. Kitty doesn't appreciate being called in as cannon fodder, but assisting Anastasia will also mean hindering Roman, and she can't turn that down. Kitty, Ben and Cormac arrive in San Francisco to find that there are even more powerful forces involved in the search than ancient vampires.

I was a little nervous about picking up Kitty's Big Trouble, as a lot of...more Kitty Norville, werewolf radio DJ, has been called to San Francisco to help the vampire Anastasia locate a mystical artifact of immense power. Kitty doesn't appreciate being called in as cannon fodder, but assisting Anastasia will also mean hindering Roman, and she can't turn that down. Kitty, Ben and Cormac arrive in San Francisco to find that there are even more powerful forces involved in the search than ancient vampires.

I was a little nervous about picking up Kitty's Big Trouble, as a lot of the reviews have not been good. Still, as I had enjoyed all eight previous books in the series, I decided to give it a try. Unfortunately, I found myself feeling a bit let down. Although Kitty's Big Trouble has it's moments, the novel is strangely absent of many of the elements that makes the Kitty series so much fun to read. I love how the series normally puts a paranormal spin on ordinary events (for example, in Kitty Goes to War a group of soldiers returning from Afghanistan are suffering from PTSD, because they were turned into werewolves overseas). There are some elements of this in Kitty's Big Trouble, but the main plot is a very typical “find the magical artifact” storyline. Another element I've come to depend on from the Kitty books is Vaughn's knack for creating tension (Kitty's House of Horrors portrays this the best). Kitty's Big Trouble on the other hand is often empty of excitement and fun. Occasionally, it's even a little boring.

There were a lot of things that just bothered me about this book. I know a lot of people don't like Ben, and I'm not one of them. I like the fact that Kitty's in a stable relationship with a decent person instead of picking up a new love interest with each book. Still, I can't help but wish that Vaughn would do more with him as a character. Beyond being Kitty's husband and a werewolf, he doesn't seem to have much of a purpose at this point in the series. On a larger scale, I couldn't help but feel as if the book was mainly filler. The plot had very little to do with Kitty. I often felt as if she could have been taken out and any token paranormal heroine could have been thrown in, and the book wouldn't have been that much different. Fortunately, by the time the book comes to the end, we do see a little development with The Long Game storyline.

I'm not saying that Kitty's Big Trouble doesn't have it's strengths. I enjoyed the scenes that focused on Kitty working as a DJ (as I always do). I also thought that the San Francisco setting was a really nice touch, as well as getting to learn more about vampires Rick and Anastasia. Unfortunately, the book on a whole fell short to me. I hope that Kitty's Big Trouble is just a misstep of Vaughn's part and not a sign that the series has overstayed it's welcome.(less)

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Jul 08, 2011 Stacy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: from-publisher-author

reviewed by http://urbanfantasyinvestigations.blo...

After reading Eight Kitty Norville books I really thought I would have gotten to know all there is about Kitty but she still manages to entertain me and surprise me at every turn with her humor, strength and devotion to her pack. One of the best things about the series in my opinion is that the series has a long running plot but it is also its own book that has its own events that are resolved by the end of each book. Does that make sense? I li...more reviewed by http://urbanfantasyinvestigations.blo...

After reading Eight Kitty Norville books I really thought I would have gotten to know all there is about Kitty but she still manages to entertain me and surprise me at every turn with her humor, strength and devotion to her pack. One of the best things about the series in my opinion is that the series has a long running plot but it is also its own book that has its own events that are resolved by the end of each book. Does that make sense? I like not having to wait until the next book to see how Kitty's most recent adventure ends, yet i know that there will be another action packed adventure coming to my bookshelf soon. I'm sure you have seen the same complaint from many other reviewers I know i have but I'm having a hard time with Cormac's "possession" I just don't get it. I don't get how its going to play out to benefit everyone and I'm just kinda all around blah about it. Hopefully Carrie has some great big plans for it and I will end up being pleasantly surprised at the development.

The romance is very thin In KITTY'S BIG TROUBLE but I really do love Kitty and Ben. I love how Carrie describes there interactions with each other and I love seeing them work as a team. I'm also still hoping that Kitty will be the one werewolf that defies science and gets pregnant with little wolf babies =). KITTY'S BIG TROUBLE is jam packed with action and trouble almost from the beginning. I was kinda hoping for some bigger pack action but the "pack of three" (Kitty, Ben and Cormac) go on the road to help out Anastasia in San Fransisco. Kitty goes through a lot as usual, ends up meeting new players in the game as well as fighting Roman, and gets more responsibilities piled on her shoulders. She find out that the supernatural world is even bigger then she thought it was and has a hard time swallowing all the information down. The last chapter of the book makes it clear that Kitty will be traveling again but overseas this time so I'm excited to see what will happen next. Carrie has defiantly continued to keep me interested in reading about her characters and stories and I don't see myself stopping anytime soon (less)

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Kitty's Big Trouble (Kitty Norville #9)

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