Oh my - old timers! I thought I had this book, but couldn't find it. For some reason I'd collected the next 4, but didn't have the first, which was weird. I hadn't realized I read it! Well, I'm going to re-read it & then read the others that I have. I guess it wasn't particularly memorable.I barely got into it & remembered it fairly well. I blame my lack of memory on me & reading dozens of similar books over the past few years. It was fun! On to the next!!!------- From 27Oct08 -------------The book started off slow for me, but was readable. I actually didn't like the heroine much. About halfway through & I couldn't put it down, as the heroine came into her own (a little too rapidly, but it worked for me). It's not great literature by any stretch, but it was a fun, quick read. It wasn't quite as predictable as so many of these books are & while sex happens occasionally, it isn't graphic. I'll look forward to reading another. ( )

Perfect for : Personal reading, anyone who likes vampire or werewolf stories

In a nutshell: In Kitty in the Midnight Hour, Carrie Vaughn has cleverly created a wonderfully entertaining start to a very promising new supernatural series (there are currently six books available). In this book, the author weaves a tale of fantasy and adventure as she lays the groundwork for characters and new realities that includes vampires, werewolves, bounty hunters, etc. Carrie Vaughn has created werewolf packs and vampire families in a way that makes the dynamics seem very believable. I've never given a lot of thought to how different members of a pack would treat each other, and exactly how much power the alpha dog/wolf in a pack would have, but these issues and more are explored throughout the book. I picked this book on a whim, wanting to read something new and was very surprised at how much I love the series! I've been reading the books for a few days now and I'm already on book three. If you are looking for something new, and haven't read books like this before, give this one a try - but beware - before you know it, you'll have all six books on your shelves!

Extended Review: Kitty Norville is a night DJ for a local radio station in Denver. One evening, she decides to talk with callers on the air instead of playing the same old songs that are always requested. The next morning, she expects to get fired, and instead, the station manager asks if she can do the show again - and that is how her show "The Midnight Hour" gets its beginnings. Because of her show, she unintentionally brings the reality of vampires and werewolves to the general population's attention, especially as her show catches on in more markets.

While her status as a radio show host grows, so does her confidence in her pack, which starts to change her position in the pack, creating challenging situations for all involved. . . and don't even get me started on the tension between Cormac and Kitty!

Cormac is hired to kill Kitty, and ultimately ends up being one of the few people Kitty trusts enough to call when she needs help. Could this develop into something more? I sure hope so - I've got a soft spot in my heart for this supernatural predator hunter!

Characters: Kitty is a radio dj who is hiding a secret life as a werewolf. Cormac is a werewolf hunter who happens to get hired to kill Kitty. TJ is Kitty's best friend/werewolf support. Carl and Meg are the alphas in the pack that Kitty belongs to. I think the character development in this book has been amazing. As a reader, I was drawn into the dynamics of many of the characters and can't wait to see what they do next.

Story-Line: The story is well-developed with plenty to keep the reader entertained.

Readability: A fun and easy read.

Overall: A fun and fast-paced read that is sure to keep you entertained and coming back for more! I can't wait to see what happens next with Kitty! ( )

I don't usually read vampire or werewolf books, but this series was recommended and so I gave it a shot- boy am I glad I did! This book is at heart a murder mystery with a protagonist who just happens to be a werewolf. The irony of it all is that Kitty is much more human than many of those around her, and it is her human side that makes her radio program so popular. Though there are a few spots where the werewolf humor is a bit forced, overall this is a wonderful introduction to a series that only gets better with each book. Highly recommended even for those who normally don't read this genre. ( )

Meh. It was OK, but not great, a wonderful example of what happens when a genre gets really popular and many things are published just because they are perfectly moderate examples of what is currently "hot." I wonder what will come after the urban fantasy craze? I blame you Stephanie Meyers. ( )

In Carrie Vaughn’s Kitty and the Midnight Hour, book one in the Kitty Norville series, main character Kitty Norville works as a late night radio DJ and has great taste in music. These late nights fit well into her new nature as a werewolf. One night in between songs, a caller phones in and begins a discussion about the paranormal. Since this is something that Kitty understands very well, she answers. More people begin to call in claiming to be vampires or werewolves, or humans with vampire/werewolf concerns. Pretty soon Kitty is running her own late night talk and advice show for the paranormal called The Midnight Hour. Her pack leader, the Alpha Male Carl, is upset by this exposure of their kind. Upset even more is local Vampire Family leader Arturo who feels that she will upset the balance of his power by giving out advice to vampires. Both leaders want Kitty to stop the show, but Carl is begrudgingly willing to let Kitty go ahead with it for a cut of the profits. Though she is a weak werewolf, she is a strong talk show host and for the first time since she became a werewolf, Kitty is feeling independent and happy.

But if good times were made to last, the book wouldn’t be nearly as exciting as it is. First a werewolf hunter is sent to kill her, exposing her for what she is live on air. Second, there is a rash of killings that were obviously done by a werewolf. As the resident paranormal expert, Kitty is brought in by the police to scope out the crime scenes, but Kitty does not recognize the scent of this werewolf and knows he is not one of her pack-- he is a rouge in their territory mutilating young human women. Third, a church is claiming to ‘cure’ paranormal creatures and everyone who goes there for help seems to disappear. Fourth, things within the pack itself have become a bit tense. Carl is making moves and suggesting she try to take the place of the Alpha Female Meg, her own maker Zan is becoming aggressive, and someone is working against her to get her killed by the hot werewolf hunter. How can a women so consumed by problems possibly give advice to others?

Kitty is certainly not infallible. She is definitely not a tough girl capable of beating up men twice her size complete with roundhouse kicks like so many paranormal heroines. Sure, she is stronger than even a powerful human male, but she doesn’t go around flaunting it. Kitty just wants to be normal. Even as a wolf she is submissive and uncertain, deferring to Carl as the Alpha Male as any wolf would do by instinct. Vaughn seems to have a good understanding of the hierarchical dynamics of wolf packs, which makes the book more realistic in terms of how werewolves as creatures would behave. I think too many authors are afraid to make submissive female characters for fear of playing into the stereotypes of women, and therefore realism suffers. Vaughn found a way to make Kitty real but also strong in her own way.

There are many different plots and conflicts going on at once. Vaughn balances all of the issues very well, putting together a story that is fluid and easy to follow without becoming a tangled mess. Kitty is dealing with a lot of complicated stuff, but you don’t feel overwhelmed by everything while reading. It all comes together in the end in a very intense scene, but the resolution is left open in certain ways to allow for the rest of the series to proceed. I have to admit that I like books that come in a series much better than stand alone novels.

Usually, when given the choice of vampire or werewolf, I always choose vampire. Most werewolf characters are too animalistic and it is hard to relate to them. Yet Vaughn makes Kitty someone easy to understand and find commonalities with. So now I can say that there is at least one werewolf book that honestly enjoy. I enjoyed it most of all because of the flowing way Vaughn made her wolves human but wolf at the same time, never too much of either and certainly not just the best of both worlds. I am definitely excited to read the rest of the series. ( )