Kitty's House of Horrors (Kitty Norville, #7) by Carrie Vaughn

Nov 21, 2012 Kathy Davie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, urban, horror

Seventh in the Kitty Norville urban fantasy series about a radio talkshow host and werewolf in Denver. This particular story takes place in Montana.

My Take
You know the reality show is gonna have a glitch, but it's oh, so much more than I would have expected! It'll make you cry. Especially with all the set-up for this reality show and the games the producers play, the hoops they want the participants to jump through. The ugly truth of why.

All the paranoia at the beginning was rather annoying, alt...more

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Sep 04, 2012 Joshua Burns rated it 3 of 5 stars

As seen on Rabidreads.ca:

I don't know why I'm reading books so far out of order. In this my latest, I've skipped to book seven. I am pleased to say that the book stands on its own although gesturing a lot in its first half to characters I was not familiar with. You will be pleased to know that said characters drop out if you were planning on reading out of order as I have done.

Kitty, our protagonist, displays much more backbone than I can glean from Carmel's review of the first book in this ser...more As seen on Rabidreads.ca:

I don't know why I'm reading books so far out of order. In this my latest, I've skipped to book seven. I am pleased to say that the book stands on its own although gesturing a lot in its first half to characters I was not familiar with. You will be pleased to know that said characters drop out if you were planning on reading out of order as I have done.

Kitty, our protagonist, displays much more backbone than I can glean from Carmel's review of the first book in this series. But it was the supporting cast in this House of Horrors that really added the color and intrigue that I wanted. We have Lee, a were-seal, a concept that is cool even in the abstract. Perhaps even worthy of a spin-off series. We have Odysseus Grant, Doctor Strange knock-off and Las Vegas magician. He might be my favorite character of the bunch, keeping a cool head even under the most dire of circumstances. Plus he has a gateway to another world. I promise that is not a spoiler as much as I wanted to glimpse said gateway. We have Anatasia and Gemma, an old vampire and her beauty queen sidekick. They get a little short-changed but only because this is the first book that they make an appearance in and eighty percent of their allure resides in their mystery. The rest of the cast, telepathics, psychics, and another werewolf o my, did little for me.

But as you may already be noticing a chapter in any of these other characters' perspectives would have been much appreciated. What we have here is the Kitty monologue hour. And as a character she pulls no punches about who she thinks is most interesting. I think Kitty is well-fleshed and often the second-best decision maker, deferring to Grant who is too level-headed to be of this world. But the book stagnates in her rather mundane dialect. The wolf episodes that she brings on/endures occur few and far between; although, the wolf episodes in italects and often presented in sentences without subjects possesses a real thrill. But even bad things can be said about these wolf episodes since they are so hard to orient yourself in, subjectless and objectless as they are. Quite rightly. This brings me to another problem (pro-blemish if you want to be positive about it), namely it is dire hard to keep track of the characters. At the beginning of the book, we have something like ten characters cramped up in a house. It is a miracle that I kept track of names as well as I did.

The plot shifts between an incredibly light, nearly eventless reality show conglomeration and a back up against the wall, fight for your life, death in the woods scenario. In other words, the momentum at the start is practically nonexistent and then hits seventh gear about midway. Yes, there were insinuations of something afoot the entire time. But I would have almost preferred to see the effortless reality show parody formula developed further. The characters that I have mentioned could do with more backstory and gathering around a fire to kumbaya, not spitting venom at each other or debating the fate of the world. Spoiler: It's not good.

Meanwhile, on the home front, boyfriend Ben oversees Cormac's parole case. We see none of this and I am wondering if I am, in fact, arguing that this book could have done with being bigger which makes no sense since its format is so matter-of-fact happenstance. We do have one shining moment in the epilogue when a cat lady calls into Kitty's radio station that proves Carrie can write convincing and intriguing slice-of-life episodes. The lady rambles "then I tried leaving milk in a saucer, because one of the books I read said that works to calm brownies. But every morning the milk is gone and the house is a mess again". I would have liked to have heard more of her story. But if that is too much of a stretch, I would have settled for anyone else involved.
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Aug 30, 2012 Nenia Campbell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: x-series-bk-7, x-2010s

Kitty's House of Horrors is sort of a throwback to those "locked room" turn-of-the-century mysteries. Except, you know, a hell of a lot creepier. Paranormals are continuing to come out of the closet, albeit grudgingly, and Kitty is suspicious - but not surprised - when she gets an invite from a producer of SuperByte productions to be a member of a Jersey Shoresque supernatural reality TV series. After some hesitation, she accepts.

The show takes place in a mountain retreat. The other guests? Two...more Kitty's House of Horrors is sort of a throwback to those "locked room" turn-of-the-century mysteries. Except, you know, a hell of a lot creepier. Paranormals are continuing to come out of the closet, albeit grudgingly, and Kitty is suspicious - but not surprised - when she gets an invite from a producer of SuperByte productions to be a member of a Jersey Shoresque supernatural reality TV series. After some hesitation, she accepts.

The show takes place in a mountain retreat. The other guests? Two female vampires and their male human servant, two male shifters (were-seal and werewolf), a male aura reader, a female mediator, a male magician, a female voodoo witch, and a male skeptic - who basically is supposed to be convinced of the supernatural during the course of the show. Oh, and Kitty, of course.

At first, the show goes pretty well. The isolated location of their cabin causes some tensions at first, but then the guests start to relax and accustom themselves to the outdoors, and even start having fun. Walls are lowered, and Kitty learns a bit more about the other paranormals out there - until a seance goes horribly, horribly wrong, and the female mediator, Tina, senses something dark and evil surrounding their cabin. Something that frightens her so much she doesn't want to speak about it. At all.

. . . And then, people start dying. One by one. Because something out there is hunting them. And it might just be part of a bigger conspiracy.

I really liked the way Vaughn set this book up. All of the characters were interesting, and unlike other PR writers out there, Vaughn is definitely not afraid to kill off her characters. Some of my favorites ended up dying, and I was pretty bummed by the end of the book.

I also like the overall direction the series is taking. I get the feeling Vaughn is leading up to some kind of overarching conspiracy, a last stand kind of thing. Going from book 2 to book 7 was a bit of a leap, but now that I know that these books are at the library I'll be catching up pretty soon!

A great addition to the Kitty Norville series, and perfectly readable as a standalone. Recommended for urban fantasy fans and mystery lovers.

4 stars.(less)

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Jun 12, 2012 Liviania rated it 4 of 5 stars

Once upon a time, when the dinosaurs (and my parents) roamed the earth, series weren't popular. Every once in awhile you'd get a trilogy, like The Lord of the Rings, but most titles were standalone. Now that everybody and their dog write series, certain qualities make authors stand out from the pack. I like Carrie Vaughn because she does things that I don't expect. But what I really respect her for after finishing KITTY'S HOUSE OF HORRORS is her pacing.

The fifth and sixth books of the series (KI...more Once upon a time, when the dinosaurs (and my parents) roamed the earth, series weren't popular. Every once in awhile you'd get a trilogy, like The Lord of the Rings, but most titles were standalone. Now that everybody and their dog write series, certain qualities make authors stand out from the pack. I like Carrie Vaughn because she does things that I don't expect. But what I really respect her for after finishing KITTY'S HOUSE OF HORRORS is her pacing.

The fifth and sixth books of the series (KITTY AND THE DEAD MAN'S HAND, KITTY RAISES HELL) were the first too have a truly interweaving plot. Vaughn has been sowing the seeds of an overarching conspiracy, but first she takes the time for another standalone adventure that appeals to knew readers even as it rewards those who are caught up on Kitty's adventures.

Kitty is invited to participate in a reality show with various other paranormal celebrities. Then the participants begin to die. And boy howdy, does KITTY'S HOUSE OF HORRORS have a body count. Kitty Norville 7 is on level with HP7 for characters death. Some of the people at risk are new characters, and Vaughn does well making them sympathetic quickly. But many at risk are triumphantly returning secondary characters, including two of my favorites: Jeffrey from KITTY GOES TO WASHINGTON and Ariel from KITTY TAKES A HOLIDAY. It both ups the suspense and makes the deaths more meaningful.

In addition, being part of the show separates Kitty from Ben. It's nice to see her on her own again, though I think their relationship is wonderful. It's also a breather from the relationship antics that will be back in full force in Kitty Norvill 8, considering that Cormac is up for parole and he and Kitty have some sexual tension to work out.

KITTY'S HOUSE OF HORRORS was a good breather from the one-two punch of KITTY AND THE DEAD MAN'S HAND and KITTY RAISES HELL. Vaughn put new characters into play and removed some old ones permanently in an exciting, if sometimes heartbreaking, way. I'm eager for the next book, but I feel like KITTY'S HOUSE OF HORRORS was far better than most breather books. (I did miss the radio show. I always love the really weird calls.) (less)

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Apr 20, 2012 Sara rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 5-stars

Plot: 5 Stars
I love this series, and this was the best one yet! Kitty just can't seem to keep herself out of trouble. What I love most about Kitty's world is how much the Supernatural has come out of the closet. The general public doesn't just know about them, they're bombarded by them (in comparison to most Urban Fantasy novels). And the plot behind this novel would bring them into the spotlight even more. The beginning of this novel has quite a bit of humor, and definitely pokes fun at reality...more Plot: 5 Stars
I love this series, and this was the best one yet! Kitty just can't seem to keep herself out of trouble. What I love most about Kitty's world is how much the Supernatural has come out of the closet. The general public doesn't just know about them, they're bombarded by them (in comparison to most Urban Fantasy novels). And the plot behind this novel would bring them into the spotlight even more. The beginning of this novel has quite a bit of humor, and definitely pokes fun at reality tv. Then everything hits the fan and becomes a roller coaster ride. Normally, I don't really fear for the main character's safety because I know there are more books to come after so obviously the MC doesn't die. But even though the next novel, Kitty Goes to War, is on my bookshelf I really didn't know how Kitty was going to pull through at some points. And that is exactly why I loved this novel so much. Plus, a special someone makes a special appearance at the end. I won't spoil anything, but readers who have been following this series will be very excited!

Pace: 5 Stars
I could not put this novel down. I don't remember the last time I finished a novel in less than 24 hours. (I think it was Hex Hall last March). I almost didn't go into work because I couldn't put this book down. I loved that there were still scenes in which Kitty hosts her radio show, The Midnight Hour, even though it's not the focus of the plot. I love reading about her taking calls. There was no downtime, unneeded scenes, or overwhelming amounts of detail in this novel, and that helped the plot fly by.

Characters: 5 Stars
Although it was great to see Kitty reconnect with a bunch of characters she's met along the way, I missed some of the characters that play a bigger role in her life. As she ventured out to the middle of nowhere to shoot the television show, she left a few awesome characters home in Denver. But that just leaves me anticipating the next novel even more, in hopes that they're back to center stage. Some very interesting relationships were forged at that cabin, and I wish some things could've worked out differently. Kitty's sarcasm and wit really kept the producers of the reality tv show on their feet. It was quite funny, but when it came time to be serious, Kitty became a leader. Somehow throughout all of the mayhem, Kitty stayed strong and was everyone's rock. She kept a level head in the face of danger.

Cover: 4 Stars
Although this is one of my top five Urban Fantasy series, they haven't had the greatest covers. I must've picked the first book up at the bookstore to read the back multiple times and put it back multiple times. I finally bought it, and am so glad I did. But it's proof that covers do matter. While the cover for the first book almost kept me from starting this series, I feel like these covers have definitely progressed. The monochromatic coloring is actually something I like to see in covers when done well. And the font color choices have definitely gotten better over the years. (Book one was royal blue with red text... A little too much for the eye...) This cover specifically is the perfect color; the purple gives it a mysterious feel that definitely fits the novel. My favorite part these covers is the consistency: Kitty is always the focus, and there's always an animal in the background.

Overall: 5 Stars

Disclosure: I bought this book for my own enjoyment. (less)

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Feb 21, 2012 Fangs for the Fantasy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Kitty Norville has been given a new opportunity to garner more publicity for her radio show – reality television. Yes, some rather dubious studio has a plan, gather the few celebrity supernatural beings together – werewolves, vampires, psychics, sorcerers, put them in a cabin in the remote wilderness while filming them all as if it were Big Brother. Sounds like fun?

Well, things get considerably less fun when people disappear. And the power goes out. And the phones stop working. And then people s...more Kitty Norville has been given a new opportunity to garner more publicity for her radio show – reality television. Yes, some rather dubious studio has a plan, gather the few celebrity supernatural beings together – werewolves, vampires, psychics, sorcerers, put them in a cabin in the remote wilderness while filming them all as if it were Big Brother. Sounds like fun?

Well, things get considerably less fun when people disappear. And the power goes out. And the phones stop working. And then people start dying.

Suddenly the monsters are the hunted ones and there are booby traps and guns and bombs and a hidden enemy lurking the forest trying to pick them off one by one.

At this point, the only thing left is to try to survive and try to escape.

Ok, after a brief problem in the beginning (which I’ll get to) I liked this story. I liked the novelty of it – the monsters being confined and hunted so. I liked the tension of it – it was really well paced and the suspense was built beautifully. I liked the character dynamics, everyone was unique enough to be interesting without any convoluted tension or dubious interactions that made no sense. Everything was natural, tense and a little scary

And speaking of scary, I’m impressed by how the enemies were made to be scary. Considering the powers in the house, the different kinds of preternatural creatures, it would be easy to just think “why doesn’t Kitty and Co just walk out the house and eat them?” but we never get that. The enemies, normal humans, are always threatening always a danger and never once do you just think “they’re just human, eat them!”

There is an element of mystery, but that is solved relatively quickly, it is far more an issue of survival horror. And I don’t think I’ve ever really seen survival horror done this well when written, it’s rare for a book to have that atmosphere of fear or even that sense that anyone could die (I had an idea of who was expendable and the characters that would definitely live and I was wrong, very very wrong). The tension, fear and loss was very well maintained and there were moments of utter shock for me - in short, everything you’d expect from a survival horror.

I generally like Kitty as she has grown so much over this series. And here we see that growth – she doesn’t like leading or confrontations. Yet at the same time she’s good at it, she knows what she’s doing, she has charisma and common sense. She’s a peacekeeper, navigating through the personalities and egos around her with charisma, wit and intelligence and she continually has good plans and insight to lead the whole group through the whole siege and, despite the greater power and age of many present, sets herself up as the one in charge with the best ideas without it being convoluted or silly or horribly Spunky.

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Dec 18, 2011 Lynda Tatad rated it 5 of 5 stars

I've been a fan of this series since book one that introduced us to Kitty Norville, werewolf who is also a radio DJ with a show called Kitty and the Midnight Hour! She had been "outed" as a werewolf 3 years before, and her show is more popular than ever! *****************spoilers************************ Approached by 2 Hollywood men with a proposal about bringing together known supernatural celebrities in a lodge in the widerness of Montana, Kitty agrees to give it a shot after talking it over w...more I've been a fan of this series since book one that introduced us to Kitty Norville, werewolf who is also a radio DJ with a show called Kitty and the Midnight Hour! She had been "outed" as a werewolf 3 years before, and her show is more popular than ever! *****************spoilers************************ Approached by 2 Hollywood men with a proposal about bringing together known supernatural celebrities in a lodge in the widerness of Montana, Kitty agrees to give it a shot after talking it over with her husband Ben (also a werewolf). Ben is busy working on helping to get his cousin Cormac out on parole for good behavior. Cormac is a Hunter of the supernatural that Kitty met in the first book, and was able to talk him out of killing her. Some of the people she's encountered before are coming, as well as a few others. Another werewolf who's a pro-wrestler; two psychics, Tina and Jeffrey, another radio host who talks of the supernatural, Ariel, a were-seal from Alaska; the mysterious magician from Vegas, Grant; 2 vampire women and a gorgeous human companion; and an author who is a skeptic on amything supernatural. It starts out pretty interesting as they all get to know each other, but when a freak accident kills one of their group, the film crew has disappeared and the power is out! Soon, it becomes apparent that they are being picked off one-by-one, and they need to figure out a way to turn the tables on the evil closing in before they are all killed! This was a page turner from the start! Loved every minute, and couldn't put it down! Great characters, and even the reality show twist made it a relevant story with how our entertainment industry works. Of course for poor Kitty, nothing is ever as easy as it seems on the surface!(less)

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Jan 12, 2011 Ithlilian rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

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 nonsens...more 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. (less)

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Dec 30, 2010 Karissa rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is the seventh book in the Kitty Norville series by Carrier Vaughn and it was a great addition to the series.

In this book Kitty gets invited to participate in a reality TV show. Her and a bunch of other paranormal celebrities are supposed to spend a week at a house out in the middle of nowhere. With them will be a skeptic; they are supposed to convince the skeptic that paranormal creatures exist. Of course things start going terribly wrong when people start turning up dead. It is up to Kitt...more This is the seventh book in the Kitty Norville series by Carrier Vaughn and it was a great addition to the series.

In this book Kitty gets invited to participate in a reality TV show. Her and a bunch of other paranormal celebrities are supposed to spend a week at a house out in the middle of nowhere. With them will be a skeptic; they are supposed to convince the skeptic that paranormal creatures exist. Of course things start going terribly wrong when people start turning up dead. It is up to Kitty and her housemates to figure out what is going on before everyone is killed!

I was worried that this story line would be a bit cheesy for Kitty, but it really worked. I loved learning more about a lot of the paranormal celebrities that Kitty has interviewed on her radio show or talked about, but never really got to know. Then of course Odysseus Grant shows up and he is a whole lot of mysterious and interesting. The subtext that goes on between Odysseus and Anastatia (a very old vampire) is intriguing and leads this book to a whole new level and potentially a whole new story arc.

The book was fast-paced and super easy to read. Vaughn's writing style is just so readable and personable; reading the book is such a fun pleasure. There were some very well done action scenes but not until later in the story. It takes a while to set up the story but Vaughn does a good job of making the setup suspenseful. The really strong feature of this novel is the characterization, there are some awesome characters in this book. Kitty especially has grown even more comfortable in her role as a leader and really steps it up in certain scenes of this book...knowing where Kitty started, it makes me proud of her :-)

Given the horror house theme of this book I was happy that it wasn't too scary. It is definitely suspenseful and creepy just not crazy scary (I am too much of a wimp to read really scary books). The story arc that is developing longer term, that deals with the vampires' "long game", is fascinating. I was so happy that we got to spend more time with Grant...he is just super intriguing to me and my favorite character. Grant gets a chance to show his human side in this book as well as demonstrate some somewhat disturbing magician's skills.

The only bad thing about this book was that it was over too soon. I can't wait to read the next book! I am also looking forward to checking out Vaughn's new young adult book "Voice of Dragons".(less)

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May 23, 2010 Gail rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance

Think Ten Little Indians and "The Most Dangerous Game" mixed up with vampires, psychics, magicians, and were-folk. I love the Kitty the Werewolf books and this one is as good, suspenseful, and interesting as the others. Some Hollywood promoters convince Kitty to participate in a reality show. Everyone is flown to a remote lodge in Montana and are filmed. Returning are some people from the other books including the magician from a previous book.

As the show unfolds like you think a reality show w...more

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Feb 10, 2010 Chris rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: werewolves-are-awesome, vampires, fantasy-urban

Kitty meets Ten Little Indians. (Okay, not really, but it is quite close).

Do you want to read an Anita Blake smack down? Read the early part of chapter two. At least another UF author is willing to make fun of Blake.

Vaughn’s Kitty novels aren’t particularly deep. Her novels are short, quick reads. Fun reads that don’t take very long to finish, like a B movie that knows it is a B movie and embraces it, like Snakes on a Plane.

In this installment, Kitty meets a reality show that bites back, and out...more Kitty meets Ten Little Indians. (Okay, not really, but it is quite close).

Do you want to read an Anita Blake smack down? Read the early part of chapter two. At least another UF author is willing to make fun of Blake.

Vaughn’s Kitty novels aren’t particularly deep. Her novels are short, quick reads. Fun reads that don’t take very long to finish, like a B movie that knows it is a B movie and embraces it, like Snakes on a Plane.

In this installment, Kitty meets a reality show that bites back, and out misnamed werewolf faces a fight for her life. Some of the plot points raise an eye brow or two. One has to wonder about background checks, for instance, but there are several things to like about this book.

The first good thing is the pacing. The book is under three hundred pages and moves briskly. Even the set-up section of the novel moves along, thanks to the humor.

The second good thing is that Vaughn is not frightened to kill her characters off. Not everyone makes it out alive, and of those who die, not all are walk ons.

The most important likable thing about this book, however, has to do with the women. It is wonderful to see women treating each other as equals, as friends, and talking about something other than men and clothes. Vaughn places such conversations prior to the fight for life, so it isn’t simply a question of timing. My complaint about some of the earlier Kitty novels was that Kitty seemed not have female friends, outside of her family. Vaughn seems to be starting to change that in this novel.

I also like the fact that Kitty is married, though I don’t quite buy the whole Ben romance thing. Very few authors are willing to keep moving the relationship along after marriage, and this makes a nice change. What is even better is the fact that Vaughn doesn’t feel it necessary to explain absolutely everything.
There is one problem, however. What is this obsession with vampire politics in UF? Geez. Every single time I pick an UF series, it always, sooner or later, morphs into vampires as the godfathers of the world.
Still, a fun read.
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Jan 08, 2010 Debbie rated it 4 of 5 stars

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....more

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Mar 23, 2012 Cece rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Aside from the first page which I read yesterday night, I read this in one sitting. I picked it up hours ago and have barely put it down since. Hands down, best one in the series I've read so far. Vaughn wastes no time getting down to business in this book. But man... I'm still seriously hurting over certain events, dang, I feel like I'm gonna go cry in a corner. Still my favorite in the series though. Great ending (end of the epilogue). It's going to be awhile before I read the next book, I'm s...more

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Feb 08, 2010 Lori Whitwam rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy, paranormal

I love this series and eagerly await each new release. Kitty, a reluctant werewolf who must embrace her "otherness" or lose her sanity, is a delightful blend of strength and vulnerability. This edition sees Kitty and some friends (psychic, weres, a magician... and a skeptic) sign on for a reality series set in a very remote Montana lodge. (This next part is NOT a spoiler... it mentions it on the book jacket... but if you're squidgy about those things, stop reading now.) When it becomes clear tha...more

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Aug 16, 2012 Muttix rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: vampire, shifter, paranormal, books-read-in-2012

Sometimes I want to smack Kitty upside the head, then I read a few more pages and discover that she's actually right and realize I've been reading too much trite fiction lately.

This book was a welcome addition to the series. I'm going to add a big...

***SPOILER ALERT DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVE ANY INTENTION OF READING THIS BOOK***

***SERIOUSLY, I MEAN IT***

***AT THIS POINT, IF YOU READ THE SPOILER, IT IS ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT***

I could not believe the absolute carnage of this book. I'm used to a person...more

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Nov 30, 2011 Tina rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook, own-it, adult-fantasy

What this book brought to the series ...

Yeahs::

* Kitty and the friends she has made over the last few books are stuck in a house shooting a reality show. It was nice seeing all these characters together. Whose is back: Tina, Grant, Jeffery and some new ones.

* When the action gets going, it's crazy! People are popping off like crazy. Vaughn had no problems killing characters in this book.

* Cormic is up for parole (view spoiler).

Nays::

* Ben fans will be...more

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Aug 02, 2012 Yodamom rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: audio, action-jackson, crack-a-smile, mystery, shifters, tissue-box-special, werewolves, wizards, yummy-men

Kitty what now ??? Kitty falls under the spell of a producer that wants to open the eyes of his watchers, to educate them about the supernatural. The famous supes from other 'races' will all be there. They have a loge rented, everything will be taken care of, it will be like a 2 week vacation. Tina her physic friend, Grant the magician and others she's heard of. It's supposed to be like a slumber party where we all have fun and learn. Located out in the middle of nowhere Montana. How could this...more

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Jul 28, 2010 Sandi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, 2010

I really like the direction Carrie Vaughn is taking the Kitty Norville series. She does a really good job of tapping into pop culture and dragging it into her novels. In Kitty's House of Horrors, she uses the phenomenon of reality TV shows that throw celebrities together to live in a house for a few weeks. Things start off pretty well when Kitty and a dozen other members of the paranormal community begin their stint on reality TV. However, things go south quickly and people die. It's a well-done...more

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Apr 25, 2010 Spuddie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review refers to the audio version.

#7 Kitty Norville series, featuring werewolf Kitty who hosts a late-night talk show called The Midnight Hour. Kitty is approached by the producers of a bunch of cheesy reality shows who invite her to join the cast of a new reality show featuring all "Supernatural" guests--lycanthropes, vampires, psychics, magicians and other odd types. Kitty balks until they mention some folks she's met previously and liked who are already on board.

The cast of the show wi...more This review refers to the audio version.

#7 Kitty Norville series, featuring werewolf Kitty who hosts a late-night talk show called The Midnight Hour. Kitty is approached by the producers of a bunch of cheesy reality shows who invite her to join the cast of a new reality show featuring all "Supernatural" guests--lycanthropes, vampires, psychics, magicians and other odd types. Kitty balks until they mention some folks she's met previously and liked who are already on board.

The cast of the show will be whisked away to an isolated lodge in the mountains of Montana, alone but for the production crew who will be filming almost all of their interactions. Of course Kitty realizes they're hoping for something juicy, like an on-camera shapeshift to boost their ratings, so does whatever she can to keep the participants--some of whom aren't all that fond of one another--on an even keel. That is until all hell breaks loose one morning when Kitty finds one of the vampire Anastasia's human minions dead--an apparent accident involving a faulty deck railing until further investigation shows it was tampered with.

The power is out, and there is no cell phone reception, so Kitty and Odysseus Grant head to the small plane that brought them in, only to find the radio smashed with three of the production crew brutally murdered and stuffed inside. Soon it's evident that someone is hunting them, but who? Does the powerful vampire Roman have his finger on the control button, or is it a band of paranormal bounty hunters determined to wipe the supernatural creatures off the face of the earth?

I really enjoy this series, but this is my least favorite so far, for a couple of reasons. First, I like Kitty and the whole idea that she would have anything at all to do with a reality show really ticks me off. I guess I just can't quite imagine her doing such a thing. The story itself wasn't bad once it got going. But secondly, this is the first audio book I've listened to of this series and I really did not care for the reader. The whole tone of the storytelling just didn't seem "right" to me, and her voices were terrible--all the men sounded alike and all the women sounded alike, with minor variations. Just really, not very good at all--I will definitely stick to reading the print versions from here on out, and most of the lowered grade comes from the poor audio performance. (less)

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Mar 05, 2012 Nicolle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

I've always enjoyed the Kitty books, some a little more than others, because somehow Vaughn managed to take the basic elements of urban fantasy that many books contain and make her series stand apart. Perhaps it's her relationship with Ben or the fact that Kitty actually grows as a character, going from the bottom of a pack to being an alpha. Or maybe it's just because she's a werewolf named Kitty that draws me in.

Either way I have to say this is probably my favorite of the books so far because...more

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Nov 15, 2009 Veronica rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: yes

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

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Feb 11, 2010 William Bentrim rated it 5 of 5 stars

Kitty’s House of Horrors by Carrie Vaughn

Kitty is a radio talk show host. She deals with paranormal questions on her show. She is invited to a retreat with other paranormal experts. Oh, yeah, Kitty is a werewolf.

Once again, I am surprised. I was very dubious as to my liking this book. I really enjoyed it. Mz. Vaughn does a great job fleshing out the characters. You find yourself pondering the ramifications of being a supernatural being. Intolerance is highlighted and it doesn’t take a rocket sc...more

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Apr 29, 2011 Susan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Kitty's House of Horrors is another exciting addition to Vaughn's Kitty series. Kitty finds herself invited to participate in a reality show about supernatural beings to help educate people. She along with several other participants find themselves stranded in the middle of nowhere with the cameras running. Things take a horrible turn when someone decides to make this reality show a hunting show with the supernatural beings as targets. Vaughn delivers a fast paced exciting story as Kitty tries t...more

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Apr 29, 2010 Donna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy, 2010-read

I was a bit leery about the synopsis for the book since is based around a reality TV show. I do not care for reality TV, at all. Luckily, that wasn't a problem. Vaughn turned enough of the reality show business, to make it shine in the same light I think of it -- for most part pretend, with plenty of humor I could enjoy.

After the initial start and setup of this novel, around 30 pages or so, the story became a nonstop page turner for me. I couldn't put the book down, almost every scene left me w...more

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Mar 03, 2013 Kathy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: action, fantasy-other-world, magic, vampire, werewolf-shapeshifter

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Setting: secluded hunting lodge in Montana;

Theme: hate; fear; survival; death; rescue

Characters:
Kitty Norville: accepts a 2 week stint on a reality show of supernaturals thrown together in a hunting lodge; Kitty is the peacemaker of the group; and when trouble comes, Kitty tries to protect/lead them to safety;

Cormac and Ben: Ben is left behind, in part because not invited, and mainly because Cormac has a parole hearing; when Ben can’t connect with Kitty, he sends in the calvary;

Odysseus Grant: a...more

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Jan 26, 2010 All Things Urban Fantasy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-by-abigail

Review courtesy of AllThingsUrbanFantasy.blogspot.com

Kitty’s House of Horrors is the seventh book in the series about werewolf DJ Kitty Norville. If you haven’t read all the previous Kitty books there are significant spoilers in this one especially regarding Kitty’s love life.

This time out, Kitty signs up for a Big Brother-esque reality show that drops her and a houseful of other supernaturals (and one skeptic) in a lodge in the middle of nowhere for two weeks of carefully planned reality. Kitty...more Review courtesy of AllThingsUrbanFantasy.blogspot.com

Kitty’s House of Horrors is the seventh book in the series about werewolf DJ Kitty Norville. If you haven’t read all the previous Kitty books there are significant spoilers in this one especially regarding Kitty’s love life.

This time out, Kitty signs up for a Big Brother-esque reality show that drops her and a houseful of other supernaturals (and one skeptic) in a lodge in the middle of nowhere for two weeks of carefully planned reality. Kitty is initially reluctant, but agrees in the hopes of educating the public about the personhood of werewolves etc. The drama is decidedly low-key, however, until cast members start dying.

Fans of this series will be happy to see quite a few familiar faces from previous books in the lodge with Kitty. But I’m stuck wondering how a book with an established (and much loved) heroine amidst such a significant amount of carnage came off as, I hate to use the word, boring.

The set up for the reality show takes only pages, and then for the next 100 pages or so NOTHING HAPPENS! Kitty and the other characters just sit around the lodge for the most part exchanging innocuous pleasantries. When the body count starts rising, things get more interesting, but at the expense of any real character development.

What keeps these types of series so compelling for me is getting to watch the main characters grow and change over the series, with each book delving deeper into his/her makeup. And in that sense, Kitty’s House of Horrors seems like empty calories. To be fair I’ve only had the chance to read the first book in the Kitty series and one short story prior to this, but I enjoyed them. I thought the character of Kitty was worthy to stand alongside with Mercy, Rachel, and Kate as the best in the urban fantasy genre, but if I had to judge her solely on this latest installment, I wouldn’t be so sure.

To be clear, there is nothing really wrong with this book, but there isn’t anything remarkable about it either. I did like that this book features a married protagonist as I can’t think of another urban fantasy that does that and it presents an interesting twist, but we got only the barest glimpse of how that relationship works or affects Kitty. I am still looking forward to catching up on the previous titles in this series and the next installment as well, because I like the world Carrie has created here and, despite what she showed us here, I know that Kitty has more to offer.

Sexual Content: Sex is referred to but not described.(less)

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Jan 23, 2013 Webster Library rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was another great story in the Kitty Norville series. Kitty is a late-night DJ who has come out to her listeners as a werewolf, and now hosts a late-night radio talk show to discuss "supernatural" occurrences. In this book Kitty is invited to participate in a reality TV show, along with some others from the supernatural community. The result is an adventure/mystery story along the lines of Agatha Christie (albeit a little more gory). I like Kitty because while she's an Alpha wolf, and Vaugh...more

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Aug 08, 2012 Cynthia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Carrie Vaughn once again brings the world of the supernatural to life with her 7th installment in the Kitty Norville series. What an imagination this woman has!

Our intrepid DJ-slash-werewolf agrees to appear on a reality show about supernaturals. The group, which includes several shapeshifters besides Kitty, a couple of vampires and their person, a few psychics, the ineffable Odysseus Grant (remember him from Vegas?) and a skeptic of the abnormal and the religious are taken to a mountain lodge...more

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Dec 08, 2012 Judy (Geeky Reading) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, favorites

~4/5
[Also available on my blog.]

This book was fantastic; exactly what I wanted, very exciting. I read it in one day, almost one sitting, because it was so good and I did not want to put it down.

It’s the same Kitty, wanting to do some publicity stunt, only ending up in a much different scene than she expected, with a lot more murder going on.

There was really only one main plot going on here, with perhaps the mention of something happening with Ben and Cormac, but in this book Kitty is out of town...more

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Aug 24, 2012 Deena rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Val

Shelves: bosler, fantasy-paranormal

It's been quite a while since I read #6 and it took a bit to get back into the flow of the series and remember who various continuing characters are. Once I did, however, I quite liked this one. The one big flaw it had for me was WAY too many characters. Yes, I know it's not necessary for us to keep them all straight under the circumstances, but that's not the point. If an author is going to bother writing them and putting them in a story then I figure I should at least sort of understand who th...more

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Kitty's House of Horrors (Kitty Norville #7)

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