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Shadows & Dreams

(Kate Kane, Paranormal Investigator #2)

Alexis Hall (Goodreads Author)

4.11 · Rating details · 599 ratings · 97 reviews

Previously published; newly revised by author

I like my women like I like my whiskey: liable to kill me.

The two parts of being a paranormal private investigator I could really do without are being forced to eat bananas by an animated statue with a potassium fixation, and being put on trial for murder by a self-appointed council of vampire oligarchs.

To be fair, I did kind of ...more

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ebook, 1st edition, 362 pages

Published June 16th 2014 by Riptide Publishing (first published June 14th 2014)

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F/F Paranormal and Urban Fantasy

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Mar 20, 2014 Julio Genao rated it it was amazing

Shelves: loved

my spirit was lifeless, and then alexis hall gave me liiiiiiiife.

description

*makes expansive i-totally-haz-life-now-u-gaiz gesture*

what a ride.

again.

i'm in love with a lesbian alcoholic and a marble automaton with excellent deep-oral skills and inexhaustible stamina.

also the witchy earth-mother type in the comfy jeans.

also the vampire prince with the velvet and the epaulets and the big hats.

also the OMFG I HAVE TO GO READ IT AGAIN BRB

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Nov 30, 2019 Lex Kent rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: cops-feds-pi-read-in-19, f-f-action-romance, urban-fantasy, 2019-favorites, f-f-paranormal, comedy, paranormal-crime, uk

4.50 Stars. I just love this series. This is book two in the Kate Kane, Paranormal Investigator series. Those of you who read my reviews will notice I don’t do rereads often, there are just so many book so little time. This book I have actually read 3 times so I think that shows just how much I love this series. Paranormal/urban fantasy lesfic books are my absolutely favorite genre to read and this series fits what I love perfectly. The reason I am reading this series again now is that it is 4.50 Stars. I just love this series. This is book two in the Kate Kane, Paranormal Investigator series. Those of you who read my reviews will notice I don’t do rereads often, there are just so many book so little time. This book I have actually read 3 times so I think that shows just how much I love this series. Paranormal/urban fantasy lesfic books are my absolutely favorite genre to read and this series fits what I love perfectly. The reason I am reading this series again now is that it is being re-released. Carina Press picked this up and this new version has the new cover that does NOT include Kate in her hat. Alexis Hall revised the story, keeping most things the same but fixing up the writing a bit. And what I am most excited about is that after waiting almost 6 years, a book three is coming out February 2020. Talk about going right on the list of my most anticipated 2020 reads. I did not think Hall would ever write another Kate Kane book and I could not be happier.

If you are new to this series I highly recommend reading book one Iron & Velvet first. The same cast of characters are entwined in both books and there are some threads that stay open. I think you could figure out enough to understand this book if you started right here, but I don’t think your enjoyment would be as high.

These books star Kate Kane who is a private investigator working in England. Kate mostly deals in matters of the paranormal. While Kate is technically human, her mother is Queen of the Wild hunt in Fairy so Kate can at times tap into her powers. The problem is if she invites her mother in too often her mother would love to take over her mortal body and that would be the end of Kate. Kate is a strong and sarcastic woman who has a weakness for badass women. Her ex is the Witch Queen of London, an alpha werewolf is currently trying to get in her pants, and a Vampire Prince is her new girlfriend. If her social life wasn’t complicated enough she now has to figure out who is turning a bunch of humans into vampires to make an army, that is if Kate can stay alive long enough to find out.

This series is really entertaining with plenty of excitement. It also has a sarcastic humor that keeps the book from being too dark. These books were originally written in 2013 and 14 so it’s pretty funny the way Hall pokes fun of the Twilight books. I also really like the chemistry between Kate and her vampire girlfriend. It’s a little more sex than an actually romance, but the longer they are together the more real feelings are starting to emerge.

If you are a paranormal or urban fantasy fan I think you will enjoy this series. It’s sarcastic, fun, and just pure entertainment. While there are a few loose ends open, these books do NOT end on cliffhangers so you can start this series now with no problems. I’m going to be counting down the days until Feb when I can read the book three that I have been waiting over half a decade for. I can’t wait!

An ARC was given to me for a honest review. ...more

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Dec 02, 2016 Lex Kent rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: f-f-paranormal

4 1/2 Stars. This is a re-read for me. I wanted to see how these books held up, and if I still loved them as much as I remembered. The answer is yes, though book 1 is a bit better than this one. This is still a great paranormal adventure. As sarcastic an ornery Kate can be, you can't help but love her.
I really wish Alexis Hall would write more of these. If you are interested read book 1 first.

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Nov 30, 2019 Jude rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Iron & Velvet, the first Kate Kane book, had taken me by surprise, in the best way. I’d really enjoyed the gothic vampire / film noir atmosphere, and the cynical but benevolent Kate. I therefore had great expectations for the next one, Shadows & Dreams. I was not disappointed.

Kate is on trial for the murder of one of the London Vampire Princes (read the first book). As she waits for the Council to decide whether her killing him was indeed murder, Kate, with the help of her assistant ...more

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Aug 17, 2014 Wart Hill rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: arc2014, adult-scifi-fantasy, netgalley, lgbtq

You can read this and other reviews at Things I Find While Shelving

[I received a free ARC via NetGalley. This fact has no bearing on my review]

That. Was. AWESOME.

Seriously, that was so. So good.

Kate Kane is a Private Investigator in London. But not the London you're used to. Her girlfriend is a vampire, one of her ex girlfriends is the Witch Queen of London, there are werewolves and fae and all kinds of supernatural beings running around and generally making Kate's life difficult.

I loved ...more

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Nov 27, 2015 Iben added it

Shelves: wlw, things-that-make-me-happy, good-things

There are so many things I could mention to point out why this book hits me right in my queer little gal's heart. Like how all plot driving characters are female or gender diverse. It's erotic, but not written like erotica - and I'm not about putting one above the other, because I love good erotica - but it suits the mood of this book so well. And there's the almost flawless use up to the point of parody of the traditional noir first person POV. There is also a lingerie model werewolf with a ...more

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Dec 16, 2013 K.J. Charles rated it it was amazing

Shelves: urban-fantasy, contemporary, gay, fun-fun-fun, hard-drinking-lesbians

I loved the first one in this series, Iron & Velvet, and I loved this. The voice is hilarious, the adventure/mystery is twisty and exciting, the supporting cast are amusing and engaging, the sexytimes are hot and I love the range of fantasy characters and UF tropes that the author plays with. I laugh out loud at this author's work more than I do at almost anyone else. A terrific series. Love it. Also, what a fabulous cover.

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Mar 19, 2014 MostlyDelores rated it it was amazing

Shelves: urban-fantasy, action-adventure, paranormal-horror, funny, favorites

In short:
Love Kate. LOVE ELISE. Bizarrely fond of Patrick. Hate Corin. Vexed with Julian. Greatly enjoy the posh werewolves. Eve is on the bubble.

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Feb 10, 2015 Mel rated it it was amazing

Shelves: protagonists-lesbian, genre-sff

If you haven't read Iron & Velvet, the first book in the series, you're looking in the wrong place, because you should start at the beginning. If you have read it and loved it, as I have, there's no need to read my review, just go buy the book and you'll have a blast with the sequel, too.

Still here? Ohhh, maybe you will just read anything related to Alexis, like me, because you're sad you've already read the last one of his books? *sniff* I'd be devastated if I didn't know there were new ...more

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Apr 26, 2014 Bob rated it really liked it

Shelves: lgbtqa, vampires

I'm honestly not sure what compelled me to request a digital ARC when I saw Shadows & Dreams show up on NetGalley. I hadn't read the first Kate Kane, Paranormal Investigator novel and knew nothing about the author, Alexis Hall, but something about the sarcastic tone of the cover blurb hooked me. I'm a sucker for a good vampire novel, and it's been a while since I dabbled in the sub-genre that Anita Blake made famous, so figured I'd give it a shot.

Damn, but I'm glad I did.

This was one hell of I'm honestly not sure what compelled me to request a digital ARC when I saw Shadows & Dreams show up on NetGalley. I hadn't read the first Kate Kane, Paranormal Investigator novel and knew nothing about the author, Alexis Hall, but something about the sarcastic tone of the cover blurb hooked me. I'm a sucker for a good vampire novel, and it's been a while since I dabbled in the sub-genre that Anita Blake made famous, so figured I'd give it a shot.

Damn, but I'm glad I did.

This was one hell of a fun read. Alexis Hall demonstrates more imagination and inventiveness here, in this single book, than many authors do in an entire (endless) urban fantasy series. Yes, you've got vampires and werewolves (both with an interesting mythology), but you've also got faeries and nymphs, demons, animated marble statues, angry unicorns, and even a Buffy/Batman figure. There's almost too much going on, like a superhero movie that tries to horn in one too many villains, but it actually works. This was a book that had me thinking, "Oh, that's cool" or "Hey, I like that" on a regular basis.

Much of the novel's charm, of course, rests on the weary shoulders of Kate Kane herself. She walks a fine line between parody and irony, being both a hard-drinking, heavy-smoking, hardboiled detective and an over-sexed, smart-assed urban fantasy heroine. She's also an out-and-proud lesbian, one who has left the landscape littered awkward relationships. She's currently in love/lust with a lesbian vampire prince, while being chased by a lesbian werewolf pack leader, with a lesbian ex-girlfriend (the aforementioned Buffy/Batman figure) still very much in the picture, and yet another lesbian ex-lover just having escaped from prison, where she was serving time for murdering Kate's business partner. Kate is conceited and self-assured, to the point of assuming that every woman who crosses her path is looking to flirt . . . and, you know, she's generally right.

In terms of plot, there are several interwoven stories here that not only cross paths naturally, but which each get a worthy climax. It all starts with a simple missing person's case, but ends in one of those paranormal battles upon which the fate of the entire world rests. The ways in which the stories cross paths keeps the novel moving from one scene to another, and prevents the story from ever lagging, even for a moment. It's an intense tale, full of both action and lust, but all of that is balanced with a steady dose of sarcastic humor. Again, like I mentioned earlier, there's almost too much going on, but Kate's narration keeps it all in check. She's a great character, and one I look forward to reading more about, especially with the very innocent and down-to-earth Elise as her every-curious marble sidekick.

Comprised of equal parts urban fantasy, paranormal romance, vampire soap opera, and vigilante action heroism, this was one hell of a read. It's fun and feisty, with snappy dialogue and witty repartee, but it never cheapens the drama. There are some very large stakes here (pun intended), and while I thought Alexis Hall was writing Kate into a corner, I was entirely satisfied with the way everything came together to resolve the story. Shadows & Dreams is a book that knows very well that it's responsible for fitting into a niche, but which has a lot of fun claiming and twisting the genre tropes for its own end.

Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins ...more

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Jul 14, 2014 Maya rated it really liked it

Shelves: crime-mystery-thriller, humor, urban-fantasy, favorite-characters

4.5 stars

“Good morning, Miss Kane,” she said. “Did you have a pleasant evening?”
“Got put on trial, got in a fight, got laid. I had a blast.”

I had a blast too. Reading this book.

I liked Shadows & Dreams more than Iron & Velvet. Don’t know if it was because there is more Elise or because I knew a lot of the characters from the first book, but the fact is, I couldn’t stop reading until I reached the last page.

Shadows & Dreams starts three months after the events in Iron & Velvet.

...more

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Sep 26, 2016 Allison rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, 2016-reads, anthology

I love this book and Kate. So much fun, I laughed out loud all the time. This is like a summer blockbuster; full of explosions, one-liners, and characters that fit a role, but done with style and wit, as few blockbusters manage.

As usual, Alexis Hall gives us something completely different from his other books (other than the first in the series, obvs). If you are looking for a fast paced, fun, and sexy read this definitely fits the bill.

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Dec 15, 2013 ♆ BookAddict ✒ La Crimson Femme rated it liked it

Shelves: mystery, vampire, fae, erotica, arc, netgalley-reviews, werewolf, ff

How many ex-girlfriends does Kate have who are not on the best of terms with her? And how many strong females in this story want to tie Kate down and have their wicked way with her? This second book in the series is a decent read. The first one made a bigger favourable impression upon me. This one, there are a few repetitions which became old after a bit.

First, Kate is in trouble. She seems to always be in trouble. Her life is exhausting to read about because something is always going wrong. How many ex-girlfriends does Kate have who are not on the best of terms with her? And how many strong females in this story want to tie Kate down and have their wicked way with her? This second book in the series is a decent read. The first one made a bigger favourable impression upon me. This one, there are a few repetitions which became old after a bit.

First, Kate is in trouble. She seems to always be in trouble. Her life is exhausting to read about because something is always going wrong. She's attracts trouble and it's the worst kind. Kate's unresolved relationships with her previous lovers is also exhausting. At first it is amusing, but after the fourth or fifth one (who's counting?) I'm done with it. I get that Kate must be this awesome sex goddess in bed. But really, why are all her exlovers crazy? And why are the current ones a bit crazy too? I comes across as over the top drama which is not my favourite kind of story to read. The only female who seems stable in this story appears to be made of stone. What does that say? Basically all the women in this book are fucked up beyond belief.

Second, I do like the monsters in this story. I love how the vampires are written. They are creatures with no morals and they feel they are above the law. The werewolves are territorial passionate animals. Yes, this is a bit stereotypical. Still, Mr. Hall does a great job of creating his vampires, werewolves, fae and witches. I like how they are all different factions with similar political issues. None of them are perfect and the way they hamstring each other when trying to fight one common enemy is hilarious and realistic. Makes me think of all the alphabet soup agencies in the States trying to work together.

Third, I love the location. Set in London, it's good for me because I lived there for a while and I miss it. This story brings up a feeling of nostalgia so I can relate better to it. Mr. Hall does a stand up job of describing the locations and buildings. I can see everything clearly and this story plays like a kinky lesbian Underworld movie in my mind. For this, I give it props.

So why did I end up giving this a 3.5 star? I became tired of Kate. She came across more whiny in this story which I'm not fond of. In addition, she kept visualizing and changing the saying on her gravestone. The first couple of times it was funny. After that, it became eye rolling for me. This is a matter of personal preference. The other thing is that I felt the main female villain got the shaft. There is so much build up for this villain and when it came to a head, it fizzled out which disappointed me. Still, Mr. Hall drops hints for a reveal of an enemy which no one is aware of yet. This intrigues me and makes me want to read the next book.

I'd like to learn more about Kate's mother and her Fae powers. What does Kate do to the Fae land she now owns it? She claimed it in the last book and there is nothing but maybe a two sentence mention of it in this book. Is there anyway there can be a grudge gang bang with Kate bound and abused by all her previous, current and possible future lovers? It may finally ease the tension and let Kate do her job. (Or maybe not and that's just my own deviant girl on girl fantasy.) This f/f paranormal mystery is recommended to those who understand and appreciate the relationship status "it's complicated".

*provided by NetGalley ...more

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Nov 07, 2015 Katie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: t-series, p-amazon, g-paranormal, g-mystery-suspense, k-steamy_enough, f-fucking_twisted, l-novel_over_201_pgs_over_50k_wds, f-laughed_my_ass_off, read_2015, v-1st_person

4.5 Stars

Well kids, I’ve got another squicky paranormal under my belt.

This lacked the toilet humor of the first book in the series. I don’t know if I should be relieved or a little saddened—or ashamed of myself for wanting more of that in this book.

This was abundant in the Brit-com that I love so very much…so I *think* I can forgive the above.

The story was, again, a bit more heavily weighted toward vamped up magical mystery/suspense than toothy romance (pun intended). And, while I was kept ...more

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Apr 28, 2014 NaTaya Hastings rated it did not like it

Shelves: netgalley-books

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. *Warning: contains spoilers, bad words, and quite a long rant*

To be honest, I was very disappointed in this book. It had a great premise, which meant it had the potential to be a really good story, but the writing style of the author just completely ruined this book for me.

The basic idea behind the story is that Kate Kane, a paranormal PI, sets off on a case to find the brother of a woman she slept with once, and during this investigation, she runs into ALL MANNER OF TROUBLE. There are vampires ...more

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Nov 19, 2019 Andi rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Second book in the Kate Kane Paranormal Investigator series, and you DO need to read book 1 (Iron & Velvet) first. But you'll enjoy book one and will eagerly snap up this book 2!! This was so good.

Kate Kane is a (mostly) human PI, with a fairy queen mum, dating a vampire sex-goddess, and a reluctant knight pledged to the witch-queen of London. Totally normal life... nothing could possibly go wrong. Except being tried by the vampire Council for the murder of one of their own, a missing ...more

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Mar 26, 2014 P. Industry rated it it was amazing

Shelves: lesbian, fantasy, paranormal, vampires, comedy, private-eye, shapeshifters

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I have been waiting for this book since I finished "Iron and Velvet", with some trepidation. Iron and Velvet is so good, and the premise and characters so complex, that I was very much afraid it was a fluke. Luckily "Shadows and Dreams" immediately grabs you and then drags you through a superb, swirling plot full of drama and unfortunate surprises (for Kate).

It is only a few months after the "King of the Court of Love" disaster, and Kate's life is roughly back on track. She's still dating I have been waiting for this book since I finished "Iron and Velvet", with some trepidation. Iron and Velvet is so good, and the premise and characters so complex, that I was very much afraid it was a fluke. Luckily "Shadows and Dreams" immediately grabs you and then drags you through a superb, swirling plot full of drama and unfortunate surprises (for Kate).

It is only a few months after the "King of the Court of Love" disaster, and Kate's life is roughly back on track. She's still dating Julian, the Prince of Cups. She's still the Knight of the Witch Queen of London. She's still eating her bananas for breakfast. Life seems pretty good - albeit clearly it's not going to stay that way. Arrested for the murder of the Prince of Swords, hired to find a missing person, and caught in the middle of a vampire war, Kate has to navigate politics, uncertain death, and all her ex-girlfriends to solve the mysteries and prevent the apocalypse.

Bearing in mind this is a fantastic book and I gave it fully five stars without any hesitation whatsoever, here are some of the minor comments on the opposite side of the ledger. Firstly, sometimes Chekov's guns were introduced only to lead nowhere. Kate picks up one of the four pieces of pottery knocked off a pot the Scary Evil Vampire Lady desires, puts it in her pocket, and it's never spoken of again. This might be a very clever foreshadowing for the next book, but I had a brief moment of confusion later when it was revealed that the Vampire Lady can track the pot unless magic is done to prevent it. I am not sure if this was an oversight or if I misunderstood something (I read this book like I was devouring dessert) but I was constantly waiting for the Morrigan to show up at Kate's apartment to have a throw-down with the living statue.

Secondly, and perhaps more seriously, some of the jokes repeated through the book. Obviously some are intentional, and link the two books together. (Here lies P. Industries, murdered for being churlish. Beloved daughter. Sorely missed.) Others were genuine repetitions, which wasn't enough to make me stop, but was just enough to make me blink. Mr Hall has written this book with great flair and style - it is well edited and the plot is wound together tightly - but perhaps the repetition was a symptom of how swiftly it was written?

And now that is over, let me muse on some of my favourite things about these books. The madcap dashes across London, of course, and the sparkling humour. Those are givens. The sly little literary references are also fantastic, although there is nothing so great as the middle English that the King of the Court of Love spoke last time. The juxtaposition of the utterly mundane and the powerfully magical (especially the mages of London, who are all the more unsettling when they get serious). The way each and every one of Kate's ex's has fallen in love with a different part of her character while finding the full package irritating (I keep thinking they need to work out a share arrangement). I won't lie; I am a huge fan of Nimue, who strikes me as seeing Kate both the most and the least clearly. She's also ridiculously awesome, as a sweet bonus.

So that's the next thing; all the characters are pretty bloody awesome, especially the ladies. Mr Hall is a complete champion in this regard - reading this book is a spectacular education in how to write female characters. In fact it seems to be a delicate balance for Mr Hall to keep Kate from being totally outclassed around characters of such strength. He was walking along the edge; Kate seemed to blunder from situation to situation, getting bailed out by these strong characters (and at one point by her mother. Wow, Mum is scary. Eve is a total badass.) Anyway, while at times Kate was the object, she was also the actor enough times for her BAMF status to remain intact, which I truly appreciate.

Obviously some things have been left hanging in the wind, probably in preparation for the next book (albeit the plot in this closed off neatly, even if there is never any other). There are the obvious threads that get explicitly pointed out in text - Patrick's new girlfriend the Oracle, Sybil the snakey Vampire Prince. These are along with more background things, like what happened to the werewolves, etc. But frankly each and every one of these characters has an agenda, so pretty much the whole set up is ripe for potential disaster.

Mostly I want to reassure everyone that Alexis Hall is legit; that Iron and Velvet was NOT a fluke, the man is a talented author, and this book is just as rollicking and fun as the last one. I very much look forward to the next, with the satisfied disappointment of someone who will very much enjoy reading her copy again before the next installment. ...more

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Jun 16, 2014 Love Bytes Reviews rated it really liked it

3.5 star review by Roberta.

I thought that the premise based on the blurb on this book was pretty funny. It sounded like it would be a great book to read. Well, I was kinda right.

Kate Kane is the main character in this book and she’s a PI who works mostly for the paranormal community. She does regular PI work, but she seems to get caught up mostly in the paranormal. Kate is half human and half fairy princess. She’s able to tap into her mother’s power when needed. That’s kinda cool. She’s dating 3.5 star review by Roberta.

I thought that the premise based on the blurb on this book was pretty funny. It sounded like it would be a great book to read. Well, I was kinda right.

Kate Kane is the main character in this book and she’s a PI who works mostly for the paranormal community. She does regular PI work, but she seems to get caught up mostly in the paranormal. Kate is half human and half fairy princess. She’s able to tap into her mother’s power when needed. That’s kinda cool. She’s dating a Vampire Prince, who is in fact a woman. Kate seems to be the kind of person that whines A LOT about what’s happening to her. She is witty and sarcastic and whiney all the time. Kate seems to get caught up in so much crap it borders on the ridiculous. She’s got so many ex’s in this story it was almost hard to keep them all straight.

The secondary characters in this book were in my opinion the very best part of the book. Elise, her assistant who is an animated statue was great. I loved her enthusiasm for being human and doing the most mundane things. Julian, Kate’s girlfriend was such a fun character as well. She is a Vampire Prince who runs a Night Club called Velvet and has a bunch of lesbian groupies that she calls kitties. She’s tough and powerful and a bit on the mysterious side. Eve is another ex of Kate’s. She owns a computer company and is also a crime fighter against the paranormal’s that are hurting innocents. Tara is the Shifter Alpha for lack of a better word. She is a very tough and sexy woman who is all about taking care of her people. There was one character that was in the book, Kismet, she’s a child vampire who is kinda creepy, but she’s so very old and knows her shit!! I really liked her, but she kinda creeped me out. Now, Kate’s mom, who’s power Kate kept drawing from, Wow!! Now that is one Bad Ass Woman who doesn’t have morality issues. She’s dangerous and I would have liked to have more of her. That woman isn’t plagued by the niceties of human behavior at all. She’s all about the very primitive and it worked for her.

There was a bit of sex in the book. It didn’t overpower the story at all. It was alluded to most times and give screen time once or twice. It helped to show another part of Kate and Julian’s relationship. There was mention of other people having sex, but again it was alluded to. It was nice to see a book that showed a lesbian relationship that was sexual and sensual.

I had some issues with this story. Kate was written to be a snarky character, however, what she seemed to be in my mind was more of a sixteen year old girl who was horny a lot. She would be in the middle of some stuff and she’d be thinking about sex. It was rather teenage-esque to me. I found that she kept repeating this phrase “ Here lies Kate Kane. Beloved Daughter. She’ll be miss” repeated so many times, I almost wanted her to bite it. Just to see if that would be on her headstone. I find that she reminded me of Stephanie Plum from another series and that she just kept getting into more and more ridiculous situations and how she kept making it out alive. That kept me from enjoying this character. I also didn’t like the fact that there was so much happening in this story. I don’t mind if there is one or two things going on, but this book had so much flying at you, that it really took the enjoyment of reading this book.

Overall, it’s not a bad book. I think that if it was edited down for content and Kate wasn’t so damn whiney, I’d have really enjoyed this book. Don’t get me wrong, this book had bunches of wonderful characters in it. They made me laugh multiple times. It was just the main character that I had issues with. I will say that there was a fair about of humor and the many mysteries of this book were good. I’d say that if this book had less going on and really given more insight into the characters, that would have made it way better for me.

A copy of this book was provided for reviewing. Please visit www.lovebytesreviews.com to see this and many more reviews! ...more

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Apr 17, 2014 Yzabel Ginsberg rated it liked it

Shelves: arc-netgalley, urban-fantasy, magic, romance, paranormal-supernatural, vampires, lgbtq, fae, golems

[I got an ARC of this novel through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.]

I liked this one better than the first one. Partly because I already know the characters, but also, I think, because I found it less heavy on some of the things that had bothered me in the previous volume.

Characters, first. The reader will meet known ones again: Julian, Nimue, Ashriel, and get to know more about others (such as a Eve). Kate remains a fun point of view character, with a good dose of humour even in [I got an ARC of this novel through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.]

I liked this one better than the first one. Partly because I already know the characters, but also, I think, because I found it less heavy on some of the things that had bothered me in the previous volume.

Characters, first. The reader will meet known ones again: Julian, Nimue, Ashriel, and get to know more about others (such as a Eve). Kate remains a fun point of view character, with a good dose of humour even in dire situations. She has a tendency to do things that aren't exactly good for her, but at least she acknowledges it... even though it doesn't prevent her from getting into dangerous situations. Elise plays a more important part, being here from the beginning, this time, and I must say she's also a character I've taken quite a liking to. She's discovering life as a normal human being (well, as normal as possible in the circumstances, that is), has an interesting way of speaking and apprehending the world, and I found that her becoming Kate's assistant actually helped with furthering the plot. In "Iron & Velvet", I sometimes felt that Kate stumbled upon information; Elise being tasked with finding information streamlines things a bit, and makes the investigation more believable in my opinion. Last but not least, Eve: she may seem bigger than life to some, but I found her geeky, Batman-wannabe side quite funny. And she gets the job done; no comic-relief useless sidekick on her part here.

There was less romance/erotica this time, and for me, it was for the best. I guess I'm used to the Kate-Julian relatioship now, so I wasn't bothered by insta-love or anything similar. Owing to the plot, the two women didn't spend as much time together, which wasn't pleasant for them, sure, but also allowed less room for the sex scenes. (I don't have anything against sex scenes, only they didn't work for me in book 1, in part because of the weird similes often associated with them. So, yes, less of those here meant less clunky scenes in my opinion.) Although I still think Kate should learn to keep her dick in her pants, metaphorically speaking, she wasn't as unfocused as previously, and therefore felt more believable as a PI.

I must admit that the Patrick/Sofia routine, while funny at first (with all the drama queen antics and the woe-is-me-I-totally-shape-the-world-to-my-beliefs attitude that clearly hints at bad emo stories), became a little tiresome after a while. I must've rolled my eyes as often as Kate did. But then, Patrick is an infuriating character, and one that is meant to serve as a comic relief.

The bit about the Vampire: the Requiem game made me smile. No irony lost here. It reminded me a bit of the RPG bit in Jim Butcher's Dresden Files, and I wonder if this was intentional or not? On the other hand, I'm certainly not holding that against the author here, because it's the kind of scene I like (and would probably write as well at some point).

Not the best book of 2014 for me, but definitely an improvement on the first one. I think I've warmed up to this world and characters. ...more

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Apr 23, 2014 Anne rated it really liked it

I liked Shadows & Dreams, but didn't love it possibly because I hadn't read Iron and Velvet, book 1 in the series. There is a nice prologue at the beginning to catch new readers up with what happened in book 1, but obviously there is a limit to how much information can be provided. As the blurb mentions, Kate gets arrested for a murder she committed in book 1 and an abundance of characters must have been introduced as well. I frequently complain about there not being enough interaction I liked Shadows & Dreams, but didn't love it possibly because I hadn't read Iron and Velvet, book 1 in the series. There is a nice prologue at the beginning to catch new readers up with what happened in book 1, but obviously there is a limit to how much information can be provided. As the blurb mentions, Kate gets arrested for a murder she committed in book 1 and an abundance of characters must have been introduced as well. I frequently complain about there not being enough interaction between the main character and the others, not a problem here. Even background characters like some game players get some page time with Kate. There were so many characters and relationships going on that it almost got confusing. If I hadn't read the book in one day and instead put it down overnight, I may have actually gotten confused.

I didn't find Kate, the half human half fae heroine that likable. She wasn't very professional, seemed to have a high opinion of herself that was not shared by others and at 33 seemed...how to put this???...sexually obsessed? She talks a lot about sex, former girlfriends, women she's attracted to, wanting to stray, etc. She actually doesn't really sleep with anyone else other than her vamp partner, though there was a kiss with a former lover, but I got the feeling the thought that her lover could break her in two might have given her the control to resist more than her personal code of honor. This detracted a bit from the story for me, though I realize a Riptide Pub. book would have more emphasis on sex than the average main stream book.

On the positive side, the world Hall builds is chock full of interesting characters that don't follow the conventional guidelines for the supernatural. I also liked that the most powerful characters were women. (I was surprised to read that Alexis Hall is a man.)The most interesting character who I would like to see developed further is Kate's assistant, Elise, a concrete statue that is sentient. She's has a Mr. Data (Star Trek reference) type of role. Besides lots of characters, there's lots of storyline from her missing persons case, to her murder trial, to a were/vamp war, to a goddess awakening and more. No fluff or filler here.

The author is English and the book is full of Brit speak/expressions, a couple of which, even I, a huge PBS/BBC fan, didn't know(though you can tell what they mean from the context). So, beware if you're an American reader who doesn't like that kind of writing.

Despite not reading Iron and Velvet, I would recommend reading it first and if you like it, get Shadows and Dreams. The extra background would probably increase your enjoyment of this book, though it isn't necessary to understand what's going on.

I received a copy of S&D from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. ...more

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Feb 09, 2014 All Things Urban Fantasy rated it liked it

Shelves: reviewed-by-kate, earc

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy.

Kate Kane is the epitome of my mental image of a noir detective – smoking, drinking, and always quick with the sarcastic quip. That alone is one of the reasons this series is so enjoyable. However, a few personality traits of one main character can’t hold up an entire book, and while we’ve got an interesting plot and side characters, along with some great writing, there were some unfortunate flaws that took away from my enjoyment of SHADOWS & Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy.

Kate Kane is the epitome of my mental image of a noir detective – smoking, drinking, and always quick with the sarcastic quip. That alone is one of the reasons this series is so enjoyable. However, a few personality traits of one main character can’t hold up an entire book, and while we’ve got an interesting plot and side characters, along with some great writing, there were some unfortunate flaws that took away from my enjoyment of SHADOWS & DREAMS.

The mystery itself was very intriguing, and one of the reasons this book moves along so quickly. Plus, this time we find out a little more about Kate’s back story. There’s a multitude of characters to keep the reader’s attention, and I found that they were actually differentiated enough that they didn’t blend together, and each had their own individual personality, so I wasn’t forgetting who was who. Elise, the marble statue who lives with Kate, added a certain sort of charm to all the scenes she was in, and some of the vampires were creepy to the extreme.

My biggest problem with SHADOWS & DREAMS is the fact that so much of the plot seems driven by characters who all happen to be Kate’s previous significant others or they want to get in her pants in the present tense. This description covers at least half the major characters, and this really bothered me. I’d like to see Kate’s actions not defined by who she used to sleep with or is currently sleeping with, but by herself, as a character in her own right. One other minor irritation is that Kate seems to have Gin Blanco syndrome – she tends to repeat a few key phrases a bit. For the most part, it worked, but it did start to get a bit annoying near the end.

All in all, SHADOWS & DREAMS is an enjoyable urban fantasy, with a fun mystery, well thought-out details, and a story that flows. I am looking forward to book three in the Kate Kane series, and hopefully Kate will have opportunities to make decisions that aren’t based on relationships. I’d love to see an independent Kate – I can only imagine how much more awesome this series would be.

Sexual content: Several sex scenes ...more

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Sep 01, 2015 Romancing the Book rated it really liked it

Shelves: paranormal, mystery, f-f

Reviewed by Amy W
Book provided by the publisher
Originally posted at Romancing the Book

It only took me a few pages to realize I was definitely in the wrong part of town. Maybe I received the first clue when there was a reference to the main character’s girlfriend being a vampire prince. Then I considered whether “Kate” could be a man’s name. By that time, I had picked up some context clues that pointed me in what was ultimately the right direction. Yes, the main character is a lesbian.

Kate Kane ...more

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Jan 28, 2017 Liz rated it it was amazing

Shelves: paranormal, romance, lesbian, couldn-t-put-down

Having read book 1 (which I recommend you do), I hoped that the first book was not a one off and the follow up would be equally good. As soon as I started to read it, my concerns disappeared and I was in for another fast paced, action packed story which picks up after the ending of book one.

The style of the book may not be to everyone's taste, and so is like marmite. I happen to like marmite and I enjoy different styles. The main thing is a book entertains me and a good sign is that I did not ...more

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Oct 21, 2016 Fran (The Ramblebee) rated it it was ok

Shelves: 2016

2 stars.

Unfortunately, this book suffered from the same issues as the first one in the series, mostly caused by a lack of editing. The writing was, again, repetitive and would-be witty, and the plot was somewhat incoherent. Not even lesbians could save this for me, especially because I dislike Kate's girlfriend. I'd prefer every other love interest of hers over the one she's actually in a relationship with.

In my book, reading two installments is a good-faith effort to enjoy a series, and I'm ...more

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Mar 18, 2015 Lotta rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: lgbtq, favourite-authors, fantasy, british, urban-fantasy, vampires, shapeshifters, magic, fairies, private-investigators

This worked so much better than the first book for me. Probably because much of the basic information was dumped on me in book one and so I didn't feel as overwhelmed in this one. Also, I kind of like how it plays on Twilight with Kate's and Patrick's relationship (yes yes, I liked twilight back in the day, move on, nothing to see here), and how I recognise the whole supernatural PI genre (if there is such a thing?). All in all a quicker, funner read than the first book. Will read the sequel.

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Jun 19, 2014 Alicia rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: to-be-read

Not worth it

I now know why it took me forever to read this, I will sat the first book was way better. I got so tire of Kate just saying here lies beloved daughter whether she was in danger or not.

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May 12, 2018 Ziel Nielsen rated it it was amazing

Let's see you get out of this mess, Kate.

A continuation of the previous installment that will confuse unless you have read the first. If you haven't go read it. Then get back to read this one, because part 2 rocks just as much as part 1.
I wish there were more!

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Sep 27, 2014 k reads rated it liked it

Shelves: read-2014, quiltbag, fav-2014

Fun, entertaining read. I enjoy the main character quite a bit.

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Jan 20, 2018 Stephanie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: gay

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. 4.5 stars. A fun romp. As fun as the first book. Though I'm not a fan of first person, the Kate Kane series has more than endeared me and is one of the few books that literally makes me laugh how loud every few pages.

I think the plot was much stronger this time around, with the stakes a bit higher since, ya know, Kate was on trial for murder, the Morrigan raised a vampire army and tried to slaughter all of London, the vamps and werewolves went into civil war, and some dude tried to ascend to 4.5 stars. A fun romp. As fun as the first book. Though I'm not a fan of first person, the Kate Kane series has more than endeared me and is one of the few books that literally makes me laugh how loud every few pages.

I think the plot was much stronger this time around, with the stakes a bit higher since, ya know, Kate was on trial for murder, the Morrigan raised a vampire army and tried to slaughter all of London, the vamps and werewolves went into civil war, and some dude tried to ascend to godhood. I really want the third book to come out to see how much crazier things will get after that.

The side characters are amazing as always, especially Elise, who's too good for this world. Also Eve, who we finally meet. She's basically a lesbian Batman with a ninja army, and loves D&D, gadgets, and history. She's perfect.

Honestly, all of Kate's exes and love interests are a blast, even the terrible ones that need to be locked up. When Kate shares screentime with Tara, Nim, or Eve, I almost forget how much I like her with Julian, or how much I like her with the any of the others she's not with.

Speaking of, Julian wasn't in this as much. It was for plot related reasons, but I still missed her presence.

Nim and Eve had a very large role helping Kate not get killed during the story, and we find out more on exactly why Eve and Kate fell apart after 5 years together. Though it's prettiest obvious there's still feelings on each end, with the way they talked to each other and interacted, I feel it's a relationship that best remain dead.

On that note, with how much screen time Nim and Kate shared, the end of their relationship still remains a mystery. It interests me greatly, seeing how affectionate they both are to each other while still on good terms. They're relationship is probably the... healthiest? Maybe? As much as Kate is capable of healthy anything.

Julian and Kate are fun, and they definitely care for each other, but they're mostly just sex. Nim and Kate clearly still care a great deal, but there's something holding them back, and I wanna know what it is. I kinda maybe ship Kate and Nim the most. Sorry Julian. ...more

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Dec 04, 2019 Angel Hatfield rated it liked it · review of another edition

The Sorceress raised her hand to the sky. Kate raised her sword and put it through the Sorceress’s throat. Kate had been having these dreams since she swore fealty to Nimsue. But Nim had given her help when Kate needed it. There was a knock at her door “It’s eight oclock Miss Kane”. Elisa had been fostered on Kate by a crazy rat god for some vague information . She turned out to be an animated statue . She brews coffee and fixed Kate’s washing machine. They were just wrapping up a case than very The Sorceress raised her hand to the sky. Kate raised her sword and put it through the Sorceress’s throat. Kate had been having these dreams since she swore fealty to Nimsue. But Nim had given her help when Kate needed it. There was a knock at her door “It’s eight oclock Miss Kane”. Elisa had been fostered on Kate by a crazy rat god for some vague information . She turned out to be an animated statue . She brews coffee and fixed Kate’s washing machine. They were just wrapping up a case than very little to do until after Christmas. Kate was looking forward to spending some time with her vampire girlfriend. Than Tash Than tash walked into Kate’s office. She’d pulled Tash at the Candy Bar about three months ago but never called her. Kate never expected to see Tash again. Tash said she needed Kates help. Kate was a P I that had a lot of paranormal cases. Tash’s brother Hugh had disappeared . he had broken his leg and went to the hospital and then disappeared. They had called the police and it’s been more than two days and Tash is worried Hugh isn’t answering his phone and no one has seen him. Tash doesn’t know what to do. Kate asked who saw Hugh last and Tash said she wasn’t sure probably someone at the hospital. H had no signs of depression or personal problems. After visiting the going to the hospital about Hugh, Kate was picked up by some vampires and locked in the cellar and was to stand trial for the murder of thier Prince Of Swords.
I liked this book but didn’t like the F/F aspect as I don't like to read M/M or W/W love aspect or sexual aspects. Just not my thing. I do think this was well written and bypassed the sexual scenes as well as I could. This book had a lot to it: vampires, vampire princes - that aren’t necessarily male- a werewolf model, mystery, evil, rituals, action, a ninja nun, a vampire hunter, a psychopath, witches, and undead wizards and just so much more. I chuckled a couple times reading this. Kate can sure get her self in some situations. I advise you to read the books in this series in order for a better read. So you can see I do have mixed feelings about this book. ...more

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