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Jill Kismet #1-6
Jill Kismet: The Complete Series
Not everyone can take on the things that go bump in the night.
Not everyone tries.
But Jill Kismet is not just anyone.
She's a Hunter, trained by the best --- and in over her head.
Welcome to the night shift...
The omnibus edition of Jill Kismet contains: Night Shift, Hunter's Prayer, Redemption Alley, Flesh Circus, Heaven's Spite and Angel Town.
Not everyone tries.
But Jill Kismet is not just anyone.
She's a Hunter, trained by the best --- and in over her head.
Welcome to the night shift...
The omnibus edition of Jill Kismet contains: Night Shift, Hunter's Prayer, Redemption Alley, Flesh Circus, Heaven's Spite and Angel Town.
1408 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2013
247 people are currently reading
754 people want to read
About the author
Lilith Saintcrow
132 books4,511 followersLilith Saintcrow was born in New Mexico, bounced around the world as a child, and fell in love with writing stories when she was ten years old. She and her library co-habitate in Vancouver, Washington.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
November 28, 2014
Okay, kids. This is over a thousand pages because it's all 6 of Saintcrow's Jill Kismet books: Night Shift, Hunter's Prayer Redemption Alley Flesh Circus Heaven's Spite and Angel Town.
I originally purchased Night Shift on its own. I was already familiar with Saintcrow's writing through her Dante Valentine character, but I wanted to give Jill Kismet a try and holy smack a Hellbreed, I'm glad I did. I finished Night Shift and then downloaded the complete series and read the next 5 back to back.
I read a lot of urban fantasy, and one of the things I really like about Saintcrow's main characters are that they are super bad-ass women. Invariably, they're horribly flawed, often with majorly screwed up backgrounds, but they're thrust into situations that they have to deal with and you're never sure that they're doing it because they flat-out want to survive or they're feeling obligated to serve humanity somehow. I enjoy anti-heros, because if a writer can take someone as messed up as Jill Kismet and make me like her and respect her, then hot damn, that's some good writing. Kismet is one of these characters, who was dealt a brutal childhood that would color her years afterward.
Adult Kismet is a Hunter in the city of Santa Luz, which is reminiscent of a city in southern California/Arizona. It's a hard, gritty kind of place inhabited by the kind of demographic you'd probably find in SoCal or southern Arizona. Or, quite possibly a place like Albuquerque or Las Cruces. Saintcrow is an Air Force brat who grew up in New Mexico, and I'll admit straight up that that's one of the reasons I started reading her. I, too, am from New Mexico and I like throwin' love to the NM creative community, even though she's no longer living there.
At any rate, Hunters in Kismet's world are specially-trained individuals who interface with local police departments and the paranormal communities to keep the bad stuff in the latter communities from causing problems in the human world. To do that, they often have to kill and they have to see really horrific things. Lots of urban fantasy is premised on the parallel worlds track -- scary stuff hidden in plain sight and a whole industry developed to keep it at bay so life can go on as usual. In Kismet terms, "the Nightside" is what she deals with, and throughout this series she has cop contacts she works closely with who are apprised of the Nightside. Other recurring characters include local weres (shapeshifters), exorcists, and her nemesis, the Hellbreed Perry/Pericles.
Kismet, as I've mentioned, survived a horrible childhood and was taken in by Mikhail, a Hunter who trained her. You never actually meet Mikhail, because book 1 starts after his death and Kismet is trying to cope with that, grow more comfortable in her role as the Hunter of Santa Luz, and also negotiate a deal with the Hellbreed Pericles, who has "gifted" her a scar on one of her wrists that connects her to him but also imbues her with extra strength and power, which includes paranormal healing abilities. The price? She has to visit him and do some of his bidding, which only binds them closer together and brings her ever nearer to true damnation. As the series unfolds, Kismet figures out that Perry (as she calls him) is in on some seriously threatening conspiracies. I won't tell you what they are or what they involve, because the clever unspooling of Perry's role is a key subplot throughout the series.
So from book 1 to book 6 we journey with Jill as she moves from a grieving, uncertain Hunter in the wake of her mentor's death to a seriously competent kick-ass Hunter and someone who is willing to make brutal choices to keep her city and loved ones safe. One of the major themes here is the idea of "sacrifice" and how far you're willing to go for yourself, your community, and those you care about most and when you hand that theme to a flawed character like Kismet, it opens all kinds of possibilities for plot arcs.
Speaking of, one of the things I really enjoy reading with regard to Saintcrow is her masterful control of plot arcs and subplots. Kismet's character arc develops subtly so it probably won't be until book 3 or 4 that you'll notice the shifts, due in part to Kismet's own comfort level with the work that she has been charged to do (but fully embraces) but also her relationships with her peers. You'll find recurring themes and secondary characters that appear in one book and then are effectively woven throughout in further books in tight narrative flow. Saintcrow's world-building gets another thumbs-up, as well as her often poetically macabre descriptions of the city and those who inhabit it, whether human or not.
Saintcrow writes Kismet with a hammer-blow, throat-grabbing pacing that will shake a reader hard, especially in the myriad action scenes. Kismet lives on an edge all day every day, and even in the moments of respite that Saintcrow grants her, you'll know it's only that -- a respite -- before she's back in the fray, bleeding, swearing, and fighting. For this reader, the writing floundered just a bit about midway into the series ('round Redemption Alley and Flesh Circus, when Saintcrow suddenly started adding all kinds of italicized internal Jill Kismet dialogue that detracted from the usual tight ferocity of her style, adding some unwelcome literary hiccups in Saintcrow's usual strongly honed pacing. Fortunately (for this reader), that experimentation petered out by the last third of the series, and the last two books, especially, will pound the hell out of your senses.
Whether intentional or not, Saintcrow did leave a few doors open for possible follow-ups, but if she doesn't add to the Kismet series, these six books are a well-crafted, high octane ride through the Nightside.
I originally purchased Night Shift on its own. I was already familiar with Saintcrow's writing through her Dante Valentine character, but I wanted to give Jill Kismet a try and holy smack a Hellbreed, I'm glad I did. I finished Night Shift and then downloaded the complete series and read the next 5 back to back.
I read a lot of urban fantasy, and one of the things I really like about Saintcrow's main characters are that they are super bad-ass women. Invariably, they're horribly flawed, often with majorly screwed up backgrounds, but they're thrust into situations that they have to deal with and you're never sure that they're doing it because they flat-out want to survive or they're feeling obligated to serve humanity somehow. I enjoy anti-heros, because if a writer can take someone as messed up as Jill Kismet and make me like her and respect her, then hot damn, that's some good writing. Kismet is one of these characters, who was dealt a brutal childhood that would color her years afterward.
Adult Kismet is a Hunter in the city of Santa Luz, which is reminiscent of a city in southern California/Arizona. It's a hard, gritty kind of place inhabited by the kind of demographic you'd probably find in SoCal or southern Arizona. Or, quite possibly a place like Albuquerque or Las Cruces. Saintcrow is an Air Force brat who grew up in New Mexico, and I'll admit straight up that that's one of the reasons I started reading her. I, too, am from New Mexico and I like throwin' love to the NM creative community, even though she's no longer living there.
At any rate, Hunters in Kismet's world are specially-trained individuals who interface with local police departments and the paranormal communities to keep the bad stuff in the latter communities from causing problems in the human world. To do that, they often have to kill and they have to see really horrific things. Lots of urban fantasy is premised on the parallel worlds track -- scary stuff hidden in plain sight and a whole industry developed to keep it at bay so life can go on as usual. In Kismet terms, "the Nightside" is what she deals with, and throughout this series she has cop contacts she works closely with who are apprised of the Nightside. Other recurring characters include local weres (shapeshifters), exorcists, and her nemesis, the Hellbreed Perry/Pericles.
Kismet, as I've mentioned, survived a horrible childhood and was taken in by Mikhail, a Hunter who trained her. You never actually meet Mikhail, because book 1 starts after his death and Kismet is trying to cope with that, grow more comfortable in her role as the Hunter of Santa Luz, and also negotiate a deal with the Hellbreed Pericles, who has "gifted" her a scar on one of her wrists that connects her to him but also imbues her with extra strength and power, which includes paranormal healing abilities. The price? She has to visit him and do some of his bidding, which only binds them closer together and brings her ever nearer to true damnation. As the series unfolds, Kismet figures out that Perry (as she calls him) is in on some seriously threatening conspiracies. I won't tell you what they are or what they involve, because the clever unspooling of Perry's role is a key subplot throughout the series.
So from book 1 to book 6 we journey with Jill as she moves from a grieving, uncertain Hunter in the wake of her mentor's death to a seriously competent kick-ass Hunter and someone who is willing to make brutal choices to keep her city and loved ones safe. One of the major themes here is the idea of "sacrifice" and how far you're willing to go for yourself, your community, and those you care about most and when you hand that theme to a flawed character like Kismet, it opens all kinds of possibilities for plot arcs.
Speaking of, one of the things I really enjoy reading with regard to Saintcrow is her masterful control of plot arcs and subplots. Kismet's character arc develops subtly so it probably won't be until book 3 or 4 that you'll notice the shifts, due in part to Kismet's own comfort level with the work that she has been charged to do (but fully embraces) but also her relationships with her peers. You'll find recurring themes and secondary characters that appear in one book and then are effectively woven throughout in further books in tight narrative flow. Saintcrow's world-building gets another thumbs-up, as well as her often poetically macabre descriptions of the city and those who inhabit it, whether human or not.
Saintcrow writes Kismet with a hammer-blow, throat-grabbing pacing that will shake a reader hard, especially in the myriad action scenes. Kismet lives on an edge all day every day, and even in the moments of respite that Saintcrow grants her, you'll know it's only that -- a respite -- before she's back in the fray, bleeding, swearing, and fighting. For this reader, the writing floundered just a bit about midway into the series ('round Redemption Alley and Flesh Circus, when Saintcrow suddenly started adding all kinds of italicized internal Jill Kismet dialogue that detracted from the usual tight ferocity of her style, adding some unwelcome literary hiccups in Saintcrow's usual strongly honed pacing. Fortunately (for this reader), that experimentation petered out by the last third of the series, and the last two books, especially, will pound the hell out of your senses.
Whether intentional or not, Saintcrow did leave a few doors open for possible follow-ups, but if she doesn't add to the Kismet series, these six books are a well-crafted, high octane ride through the Nightside.
August 19, 2013
I read the first book, and even though nothing specifically made me want to put it down, I found myself more "getting through it" than enjoying it. Now about a quarter of the way through the second book, I'm finally out of steam. It's not that it's so awful that I can't stand it, it's just that there's nothing all that interesting driving me to finish it. The main character's primary ability seems to be to break ribs and bleed a lot while solving supernatural crimes, and the same old descriptions of her broken bones and bloody boots got old. Her romance was unconvincing and not all that exciting, and her relationship with Pericles lost a lot of scary factor pretty quickly as he continually failed to actually do anything terrifying. Ultimately, it was blandness with a bucket of blood poured over it.
June 21, 2020
Whew. This may be the longest book I’ve ever read. In the top five at the very least. Granted, it's really six books under one set of covers, excellent value for your money.
I had originally planned to write a review of each individual novel as I finished them, but I just couldn't bring myself to pause long enough to collect my thoughts before diving back in. Jill Kismet is a compulsively readable character.
So we're definitely in urban fantasy territory here. Jill is a Hunter, working with regular law enforcement to battle paranormal foes: Hellbreed, traders, rogue weres, Elder Gods cultists, scurf … She's aided in her fight by a Hellbreed mark, a scar on her wrist that allows her to draw on etheric energies to enhance her strength, speed, and healing. Naturally, there's a price … With her enhanced abilities and a plentiful supply of ammo, she manages--just barely--to keep the streets of Santa Luz safe from supernatural threats.
There's a very gritty, noir feel to these stories. Jill takes a LOT of punishment. The first book, Night Shift, almost overdoes this aspect. Jill takes so much damage over the novel’s course, that I honestly wondered whether I’d be able to finish all six books. It's very dark and very painful. Fortunately, the series is generally better balanced throughout the rest of the books. Jill’s life has its ups and downs, but the first book seems a little too focused on the latter. It's either a slight adjustment in the tone, or else it simply took me one book to get used to Jill’s world.
I am in awe of Lilith Saintcrow’s imagination. Her descriptions are so vivid and cool. There's so much detail and cleverness to, for instance, the Hellbreed carnival in Flesh Circus, or the haunted asylum in Heaven’s Spite. I felt as if I were there, and that's not necessarily a good thing.
As I said, the novels are compulsively readable. They move at a brisk pace, with some truly epic set pieces and action scenes. The suspense is palpable, and there's a constant feeling that just maybe this time Jill’s in too far over her head to make it. One advantage to having all six books in one: when you hit the end of Heaven’s Spite, you will be glad to have Angel Town just a page or two away, because you won't be able to turn them fast enough …
Excellent characters, a wonderfully immersive world, a seemingly infinite page count, and enough heft to give your forearms a serious workout … this book has it all! Highly recommended!
I had originally planned to write a review of each individual novel as I finished them, but I just couldn't bring myself to pause long enough to collect my thoughts before diving back in. Jill Kismet is a compulsively readable character.
So we're definitely in urban fantasy territory here. Jill is a Hunter, working with regular law enforcement to battle paranormal foes: Hellbreed, traders, rogue weres, Elder Gods cultists, scurf … She's aided in her fight by a Hellbreed mark, a scar on her wrist that allows her to draw on etheric energies to enhance her strength, speed, and healing. Naturally, there's a price … With her enhanced abilities and a plentiful supply of ammo, she manages--just barely--to keep the streets of Santa Luz safe from supernatural threats.
There's a very gritty, noir feel to these stories. Jill takes a LOT of punishment. The first book, Night Shift, almost overdoes this aspect. Jill takes so much damage over the novel’s course, that I honestly wondered whether I’d be able to finish all six books. It's very dark and very painful. Fortunately, the series is generally better balanced throughout the rest of the books. Jill’s life has its ups and downs, but the first book seems a little too focused on the latter. It's either a slight adjustment in the tone, or else it simply took me one book to get used to Jill’s world.
I am in awe of Lilith Saintcrow’s imagination. Her descriptions are so vivid and cool. There's so much detail and cleverness to, for instance, the Hellbreed carnival in Flesh Circus, or the haunted asylum in Heaven’s Spite. I felt as if I were there, and that's not necessarily a good thing.
As I said, the novels are compulsively readable. They move at a brisk pace, with some truly epic set pieces and action scenes. The suspense is palpable, and there's a constant feeling that just maybe this time Jill’s in too far over her head to make it. One advantage to having all six books in one: when you hit the end of Heaven’s Spite, you will be glad to have Angel Town just a page or two away, because you won't be able to turn them fast enough …
Excellent characters, a wonderfully immersive world, a seemingly infinite page count, and enough heft to give your forearms a serious workout … this book has it all! Highly recommended!
December 18, 2014
Oh the quotes.... Especially if you role-play, then you will find a few useful epic statements :)
These books are full of pure fun, kick ass fights , adrenaline junkie stunts and some moments that will have you rereading them just to feel the goosebumps... Plus a very very likeable villain!!! And plots aplenty!
Read this!
These books are full of pure fun, kick ass fights , adrenaline junkie stunts and some moments that will have you rereading them just to feel the goosebumps... Plus a very very likeable villain!!! And plots aplenty!
Read this!
November 19, 2020
To be fair I read this series some years ago and the paperbacks are on my keeper shelf. A UF that is so different to many books, it's one of those series that stays with you over the years, with scenes that live on in your mind. I highly recommend it. The fact it's available as a complete series is great.
January 19, 2014
Saintcrow writes about a tainted heroin with the weight of the world on her shoulders. There's crimes to solve, hell breed to be stopped and souls to save, most notably Kissmet's own. The action and drama are thoroughly enjoyable in each of these books and though the resemblance to the Dante Valentine stories is striking the story in my opinion reads much better.
Saintcrow needs to work on her repetition. Reading the books back to back brings to light cases where cut and paste seems to be the writing style of choice. Don't get me wrong this doesn't happen too often or in more than a paragraph at a time, but for me it was glaring. I would have also liked to see some of the more emotional topics of Kissmet's life broached on a deeper level. Kissmet doesn't develop as a character she is more a constant of the universe; whilst that fits with the description of a trained hunter the more human aspect is sadly escaped. The over-arcing storyline was subtle but there, though again could have been made more interesting on a character interplay level.
I don't want this review to sound over critical as I hugely enjoyed reading these books, hence the 5 star rating.
Saintcrow needs to work on her repetition. Reading the books back to back brings to light cases where cut and paste seems to be the writing style of choice. Don't get me wrong this doesn't happen too often or in more than a paragraph at a time, but for me it was glaring. I would have also liked to see some of the more emotional topics of Kissmet's life broached on a deeper level. Kissmet doesn't develop as a character she is more a constant of the universe; whilst that fits with the description of a trained hunter the more human aspect is sadly escaped. The over-arcing storyline was subtle but there, though again could have been made more interesting on a character interplay level.
I don't want this review to sound over critical as I hugely enjoyed reading these books, hence the 5 star rating.
April 25, 2017
A contemporary/urban fantasy reader's dream. Binge on this series all at once. You definitely want to. It has echoes of famous demon hunter series like Supernatural and the writing genius of Lilith Saintcrow. Saintcrow never disappoints.
July 5, 2020
I've had this on my watch list for a while, and when it went on sale I finally grabbed it and was happy I did.
Lots of adventure, mystery and non stop action. While each book is pretty much a stand alone book, there is a continuing thread through each, and the characters develop a bit more through each. I loved the world building here, and the interaction between species, some good and some bad. The creatures that walk the night are really the stuff nightmares are made of. Since Jill is a Hunter, there are lots of bad guys that don't go down easy, with some scenes a bit graphic but appropriate for the creatures involved.
I had a bit of a hard time reconciling her developing relationship with Saul. It was almost painful to read some of it. i think though, that is part of what made it good. Anything that makes you feel, good or bad, is a work you can appreciate.
And Perry - I can't even get into the issues there, far too many to mention.
All in all a unique world definitely worth the read.
Lots of adventure, mystery and non stop action. While each book is pretty much a stand alone book, there is a continuing thread through each, and the characters develop a bit more through each. I loved the world building here, and the interaction between species, some good and some bad. The creatures that walk the night are really the stuff nightmares are made of. Since Jill is a Hunter, there are lots of bad guys that don't go down easy, with some scenes a bit graphic but appropriate for the creatures involved.
I had a bit of a hard time reconciling her developing relationship with Saul. It was almost painful to read some of it. i think though, that is part of what made it good. Anything that makes you feel, good or bad, is a work you can appreciate.
And Perry - I can't even get into the issues there, far too many to mention.
All in all a unique world definitely worth the read.
November 10, 2018
Another new favorite
After finishing the "Kismet" Omnibus, I now have a new favorite author to add to my list. Her plot twists, world building and character development rank right up there with Ilona Andrews, Nalini Singh, Sherrilyn Kenyon and Jim Butcher. I love discovering new authors (new to me that is) and can't wait to read her Dante Valentine series.
After finishing the "Kismet" Omnibus, I now have a new favorite author to add to my list. Her plot twists, world building and character development rank right up there with Ilona Andrews, Nalini Singh, Sherrilyn Kenyon and Jim Butcher. I love discovering new authors (new to me that is) and can't wait to read her Dante Valentine series.
September 27, 2022
Overall, a decent action-packed series full of very dark paranormal themes. Saintcrow isn't afraid to make her female leads gritty and flawed, nor is she afraid to make her stories grotesque and gory.
I'll be honest, I didn't like this series as much as I liked the Dante Valentine series. Where Dante had the constant push and pull with Japhrimel, Jill has a very stable (read: very boring) relationship with the Were named Saul throughout the ENTIRE series. While the action & chaos is always very present, I was just utterly uninterested in Jill's relationship with Saul, there was absolutely no tension. He felt very bland as a character, where Saintcrow really fleshed out Perry, who Jill has an extremely intense relationship with for many, many reasons. I mean, who could not be fascinated by a character that literally sets up problems just so he can swoop in and pretend he's the hero every book (even though he is the villain)? I've forgotten how many times he saved Jill from death across the series. Usually from machinations of his own design, but still, it was amusing.
I honestly would have rather seen an entire arc of Jill & Perry based off how well these two were characterized together. I thought there was a perfect opportunity for it in the final book when Jill has amnesia and runs into Perry, totally forgetting why she feels uneasy around him. Man, the plot could have gone waaaay more interesting if it took longer for Jill to figure out where Perry really sat in her life, but she figures it out in only a few pages, which seemed unrealistic and unfortunate. Not only that, it felt like Jill as a character literally only ever had one response to everything that irritated her: she'd pull out her weapons and put them in a person's face without thinking. Got quite annoying, but I digress.
Vaguely interesting story, not pleased with how Jill & Perry were handled though. Saintcrow spent so much time building these two as the most interesting characters, would have liked to see a better payoff there.
I'll be honest, I didn't like this series as much as I liked the Dante Valentine series. Where Dante had the constant push and pull with Japhrimel, Jill has a very stable (read: very boring) relationship with the Were named Saul throughout the ENTIRE series. While the action & chaos is always very present, I was just utterly uninterested in Jill's relationship with Saul, there was absolutely no tension. He felt very bland as a character, where Saintcrow really fleshed out Perry, who Jill has an extremely intense relationship with for many, many reasons. I mean, who could not be fascinated by a character that literally sets up problems just so he can swoop in and pretend he's the hero every book (even though he is the villain)? I've forgotten how many times he saved Jill from death across the series. Usually from machinations of his own design, but still, it was amusing.
I honestly would have rather seen an entire arc of Jill & Perry based off how well these two were characterized together. I thought there was a perfect opportunity for it in the final book when Jill has amnesia and runs into Perry, totally forgetting why she feels uneasy around him. Man, the plot could have gone waaaay more interesting if it took longer for Jill to figure out where Perry really sat in her life, but she figures it out in only a few pages, which seemed unrealistic and unfortunate. Not only that, it felt like Jill as a character literally only ever had one response to everything that irritated her: she'd pull out her weapons and put them in a person's face without thinking. Got quite annoying, but I digress.
Vaguely interesting story, not pleased with how Jill & Perry were handled though. Saintcrow spent so much time building these two as the most interesting characters, would have liked to see a better payoff there.
November 27, 2020
Today's review is on Night Shift by Lilith Saintcrow. It is 227 pages long and is published by orbit. The cover is purple with the main character in the center looking tough. It is the first in the Jill Kismet series. there's foul language, very mild sexuality, and in this volume. The intended reader is someone who likes gritty Urban fantasies, strong female leads and creative worlds. The story is told from the first-person perspective of Jill, the main character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.
From the back of the book- Jill Kismet. Dealer in Dark Things. Spiritual Exterminator. Demon Slayer.
Not everyone can take on the things that go bump in the night.
Not everyone tries.
But Jill Kismet is not just anyone.
She's a Hunter, trained by the best - and in over her head.
Welcome to the night shift…
Review- A wonderful first novel in a series by Saintcrow. Jill Kismet is the Hunter for the city of Santa Luz. And she has a very busy night life. Her night goes from stopping a Trader, someone who trades in human flesh to the underworld to the brutal slaying of five police officers and werewolves hunting one of their own. Kismet is an interesting character. She is flawed, difficult, but ultimately her heart and her mind are in the right place. She understands that her sacrifices may not earn her a place in heaven but they keep others out of hell. Saintcrow loves to write these kinds of characters, women who are difficult, women who are not easy to understand, or like. Ultimately her characters are more than their difficult characteristics; they are heroes who are just doing the best they can with what they have and the dark worlds they find themselves in. I will be interested to see where Kismet and her, probably new lover, Saul Dustcircle go in the next volume.
I give this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this book with my own money.
From the back of the book- Jill Kismet. Dealer in Dark Things. Spiritual Exterminator. Demon Slayer.
Not everyone can take on the things that go bump in the night.
Not everyone tries.
But Jill Kismet is not just anyone.
She's a Hunter, trained by the best - and in over her head.
Welcome to the night shift…
Review- A wonderful first novel in a series by Saintcrow. Jill Kismet is the Hunter for the city of Santa Luz. And she has a very busy night life. Her night goes from stopping a Trader, someone who trades in human flesh to the underworld to the brutal slaying of five police officers and werewolves hunting one of their own. Kismet is an interesting character. She is flawed, difficult, but ultimately her heart and her mind are in the right place. She understands that her sacrifices may not earn her a place in heaven but they keep others out of hell. Saintcrow loves to write these kinds of characters, women who are difficult, women who are not easy to understand, or like. Ultimately her characters are more than their difficult characteristics; they are heroes who are just doing the best they can with what they have and the dark worlds they find themselves in. I will be interested to see where Kismet and her, probably new lover, Saul Dustcircle go in the next volume.
I give this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this book with my own money.
April 1, 2021
This is 6 books in one. I picked this up for Massive March. It has 1371 pages.
Night Shift is 2 1/2 stars - My favorite part was Saul bumping into her all the time
Hunter's Prayer - 3 Stars Trigger Warning for Sexual Assault
Redemption Alley - 3 Stars We get to meet another hunter face to face
Flesh Circus - 3 Stars
Heaven's Spite - 2 Stars I wish I could tell you what happened, but we are introduced to another female hunter which is cool
Angel Town - 3 Stars
It's hard for me to like Jill Kismet because she is written like she is this bad @$$ heroine, but almost every time she needs help or gets herself close to dying. She goes in tough, but comes out like a bumbling fool. The secondary characters are what really saves these stories. I personally like her Dante Valentine books better.
Night Shift is 2 1/2 stars - My favorite part was Saul bumping into her all the time
Hunter's Prayer - 3 Stars Trigger Warning for Sexual Assault
Redemption Alley - 3 Stars We get to meet another hunter face to face
Flesh Circus - 3 Stars
Heaven's Spite - 2 Stars I wish I could tell you what happened, but we are introduced to another female hunter which is cool
Angel Town - 3 Stars
It's hard for me to like Jill Kismet because she is written like she is this bad @$$ heroine, but almost every time she needs help or gets herself close to dying. She goes in tough, but comes out like a bumbling fool. The secondary characters are what really saves these stories. I personally like her Dante Valentine books better.
March 25, 2023
You get what you expect from this series: a lot of kickass urban fantasy action (and some steamy werewolves). I don't have any criticisms. The only miss for me was the heavy reliance on the hellbreed aspect. I'm not especially disposed to demon stories. Lilith Saintcrow does a really fine job with it, though, and weaves thay into plots in interesting ways.
July 23, 2020
I found this series listed on a "Seanan McGuire’s Personal Top Ten Urban Fantasy Books For Adults."
I enjoyed it...sure there was some repetition, and I skimmed parts, but all in all a satisfying, enjoyable read.
I enjoyed it...sure there was some repetition, and I skimmed parts, but all in all a satisfying, enjoyable read.
January 3, 2022
Not for me
I liked the first book, but DNF the 2nd book. Ended up not liking Jill at all, the relationship with Saul was not very interesting after first book, and it was overall very tedious to keep reading.
I liked the first book, but DNF the 2nd book. Ended up not liking Jill at all, the relationship with Saul was not very interesting after first book, and it was overall very tedious to keep reading.
Want to read
April 28, 202027 April 2020: $2.99 on Kindle
March 13, 2021
I preferred the characters in these books but I was reading at the same time as the Kate Andrews books and the storytelling didn't quite grab me in the same way. Would go back and try again, though.
August 11, 2013
Night Shift- Kismet is a character that just jumps off the page at you. She's compelling and simply draws you into the mystery of who she is. One compliant I have about this first book is that Saintcrow just dumps Saul into the mix and, as a reader, I don't feel that I have a good idea of why he's there or what Jill sees in him. All in all an enjoyable first book that doesn't suffer from a second reading.
Hunters Prayer- This one is so much better than I remember it being. From the Sorrows to the growing mystery of Perry to Jills past to the absolutely punch you in the gut, visceral climax this installment delivers. The fact that at least a year has passed since NS makes me a lot more comfortable with the Saul/Jill relationship as well. I'm still not sure how I feel about them...I don't have the immediate huh that I did with Dante and Japh. Guess I'll have to keep reading.
Redemption Alley- So this is the last of the re-reads for me in this series and I liked it a whole lot more than I remembered. There was little to no Saul and Perry in this one and I don't feel that as a reader I suffered. Theron and Leon more than fill in any gaps and the ending with Carp...well some things better left unspoiled. Still a lot of gruesome descriptions and some pretty awesome action scenes. Can't wait to see what comes next.
Flesh Circus- Well this one was particularly dark and full of despair. I was wondering why I had moved onto this one when it came out and as I was reading I realized this book had voodoo. Anyone who knows me knows how not fond of books with voodoo in them. They just almost always seem full of cliches. I'm happy to say that this one side stepped most of those and went straight into plain old tragedy. Some great moments and in the end I was pleased...and full of hope for both Jill and the next book.
Heaven's Spite- Wow. Just wow. This one was really focused on Jill, Perry with a helping of Belisa. Secrets and truths come out, Saul is the damsel in distress, a new hunter is in town (Anya)and the ending. Oh my the ending. I don't know if I can keep reading.
Angel Town- I was so very reluctant to read this simply because it meant this series was ending. Well that and the way HS ended (I mean come on!). Now that I'm finished, and before I write a few words overall, I'll just say that I'm pretty deeply content with how it all ended. While not full of any great surprises it hit the spot just right. And made me cry through most of the ending.
Overall thoughts - some SPOILERS.
This might be a bit jumbled as my brain is all over the place about things I liked, things I didn't and the ending. However, I need to get this all out and I don't want to wait.
Jill Kismet was, in the end, an amazing character. I loved that LS made her so brutally honest with herself. Sure there were times of self deception (don't we all have those moment?s), but in the end Jill always came to the truth. Part of that was being a hunter and part of that was just her. Survivors usually only make it by being sure of themselves and those around them. I still wasn't 100% sold on her and Saul, but that's because he just wasn't fleshed out enough for me. Which is fine. We had such meat with Jill and Perry.
Perry, Pericles, Hyperion, Argoth. Yowzer. Evil lies and cheats and does the most heinous things, but the thing that scares me the most is when it is honest. In the end that is the truth Jill embraces- that she and Perry are two sides of the same coin. That no one will ever know her like he does. Accepting that truth is what sets her free in the end. He really was an excellent villain and there were times when I wanted them to just work things out because of that bond. Powerful stuff.
Galina, Theron, Avery, Eva, Monty, Carp, Rosie, Badger- I don't feel that I ever got enough of any of them, but I still loved each and every one of them. I really wish we'd gotten a more intimate look at Galina and how Sancs worked cause she was awesome.
Hunters (Leon, Anya, Gil)- I think the thing I enjoyed most was the description of the hunters bond. The pure love and honesty that they always displayed with each other. The absolute trust and faith. More about her and Gil's apprenticeship would have been great, but regardless the love they all had for each other jumped off the pages.
And finally Mikhail. Such a complex relationship, not the least of which is him being dead before the first book even starts. Lover, father, brother, teacher, enemy. All of these things and more. Huge secrets hidden, coming to light and still the bond between them was radiant. I must admit to crying at the end of AT when he came to her (as I'd hoped he would).
There were some issues for me with this series, not the least of which is the Weres. I'm not quite sure how they fit into the world, how they can't fight Hellbreed, etc. I loved some of them, like Theron, but could take or leave them really. Still overall this was a 4.5 series for me as a whole so that's what I'm going with.
Hunters Prayer- This one is so much better than I remember it being. From the Sorrows to the growing mystery of Perry to Jills past to the absolutely punch you in the gut, visceral climax this installment delivers. The fact that at least a year has passed since NS makes me a lot more comfortable with the Saul/Jill relationship as well. I'm still not sure how I feel about them...I don't have the immediate huh that I did with Dante and Japh. Guess I'll have to keep reading.
Redemption Alley- So this is the last of the re-reads for me in this series and I liked it a whole lot more than I remembered. There was little to no Saul and Perry in this one and I don't feel that as a reader I suffered. Theron and Leon more than fill in any gaps and the ending with Carp...well some things better left unspoiled. Still a lot of gruesome descriptions and some pretty awesome action scenes. Can't wait to see what comes next.
Flesh Circus- Well this one was particularly dark and full of despair. I was wondering why I had moved onto this one when it came out and as I was reading I realized this book had voodoo. Anyone who knows me knows how not fond of books with voodoo in them. They just almost always seem full of cliches. I'm happy to say that this one side stepped most of those and went straight into plain old tragedy. Some great moments and in the end I was pleased...and full of hope for both Jill and the next book.
Heaven's Spite- Wow. Just wow. This one was really focused on Jill, Perry with a helping of Belisa. Secrets and truths come out, Saul is the damsel in distress, a new hunter is in town (Anya)and the ending. Oh my the ending. I don't know if I can keep reading.
Angel Town- I was so very reluctant to read this simply because it meant this series was ending. Well that and the way HS ended (I mean come on!). Now that I'm finished, and before I write a few words overall, I'll just say that I'm pretty deeply content with how it all ended. While not full of any great surprises it hit the spot just right. And made me cry through most of the ending.
Overall thoughts - some SPOILERS.
This might be a bit jumbled as my brain is all over the place about things I liked, things I didn't and the ending. However, I need to get this all out and I don't want to wait.
Jill Kismet was, in the end, an amazing character. I loved that LS made her so brutally honest with herself. Sure there were times of self deception (don't we all have those moment?s), but in the end Jill always came to the truth. Part of that was being a hunter and part of that was just her. Survivors usually only make it by being sure of themselves and those around them. I still wasn't 100% sold on her and Saul, but that's because he just wasn't fleshed out enough for me. Which is fine. We had such meat with Jill and Perry.
Perry, Pericles, Hyperion, Argoth. Yowzer. Evil lies and cheats and does the most heinous things, but the thing that scares me the most is when it is honest. In the end that is the truth Jill embraces- that she and Perry are two sides of the same coin. That no one will ever know her like he does. Accepting that truth is what sets her free in the end. He really was an excellent villain and there were times when I wanted them to just work things out because of that bond. Powerful stuff.
Galina, Theron, Avery, Eva, Monty, Carp, Rosie, Badger- I don't feel that I ever got enough of any of them, but I still loved each and every one of them. I really wish we'd gotten a more intimate look at Galina and how Sancs worked cause she was awesome.
Hunters (Leon, Anya, Gil)- I think the thing I enjoyed most was the description of the hunters bond. The pure love and honesty that they always displayed with each other. The absolute trust and faith. More about her and Gil's apprenticeship would have been great, but regardless the love they all had for each other jumped off the pages.
And finally Mikhail. Such a complex relationship, not the least of which is him being dead before the first book even starts. Lover, father, brother, teacher, enemy. All of these things and more. Huge secrets hidden, coming to light and still the bond between them was radiant. I must admit to crying at the end of AT when he came to her (as I'd hoped he would).
There were some issues for me with this series, not the least of which is the Weres. I'm not quite sure how they fit into the world, how they can't fight Hellbreed, etc. I loved some of them, like Theron, but could take or leave them really. Still overall this was a 4.5 series for me as a whole so that's what I'm going with.
February 25, 2017
Jill kismet series by Lilith Saintcrow (Book Review)
Original review HERE: http://miss-mistwraith.tumblr.com/pos...
Okay guys! I read this series as one book really, because I bought the one that had all six books in one. I will review all 1371 pages of it as one book.
This series threw me off at first. Having read the Dante Valentine series (once again in the complete series book) first, I was confused when I first started reading it. I was kind of expecting it to be the same world in a different city and a different character. This was not the case at all. This book is set in a regular city. Even the drugs are the same as our drugs. The only difference is the supernatural underground that most civillians do not know about. The underground that the police work with the hunter to keep under control. Jill Kismet is the hunter of her city. She is mostly human, excepting the demon mark on her arm (kind of like Danny’s) that grants her extra power. She heals almost instantly, she is faster and stronger than any other human or hunter, and her body puts up with a lot more abuse.
This book is very well written. When I saw it on the shelf next to the Dante Valentine series that I had already read, I was all excited to read it. There are certain similarities between the two series of course. There are certain phrases that are reused, and the characters are sort of similar in ways that you wouldn’t notice unless you are completely immersed in the book. The extreme detail and long-winded paragraphs left me feeling detached from my real life when I finally surfaced from the pages.
Now, lets talk about some of the other characters. Saul is her mate. He is exactly what one would expect from a mated cat were. He was perfect. She did very well with Saul, and with the other weres as well. In one of the books, and I am not exactly sure which one it was, there was some drama between Jill and her mate. I would have liked to see a little more of that in the book. Jill kind of pushed him to the side too much in my opinion. I know the world was ending and blah blah but she could have taken five minutes out of her day to figure out what was wrong.
Perry was.. A very complex character. He was a demon but he seemed to want to be human in some ways. However, that was, of course not in his nature, and he didn’t really know how to be anything resembling human. He was very unlike Japh from Danny’s story. He was manipulative and cruel, and involved in plots within plots. Perry was what you would expect in a demon. Especially a demon who marked several hunters in the decades-long plan to do something very naughty.
Galina is I think one of my favourites. I love the idea of one neutral character in the whole multi-sided series. Galina is sort of like the spider in Danny’s story, except that she is immensely powerful in her own house, and she sells supplies, not just information. In Galina’s place, her will is cast iron. She is God, basically. She tells someone to leave, they pop out of existence and back on the street outside, and if she is attacked, we don’t eve want to consider what would happen. Galina is not only the place where Jill sends people for protection until she kills the bad guy, but a healer, ammo supplier, and a good friend. She is sort of the motherly figure in the story. She takes care of everyone, especially her hunter. I do not think our lovely heroine could have survived more than a chapter without the Sanctuary.
Now that I have given a brief overview of the main characters, lets get back to Jill and our writer. Saintcrow writes very detailed backstory for Jill, much like she did for Dante. Jill’s past was her greatest strength and her greatest weakness. Her hatred of things and people from her past sometimes clouded her judgement, not to mention the psychological damage she suffered. However, her past beat the child out of her very quickly, and gave her the switch. She is able to flip it and do what needs to be done without feeling anything. She would never have made it through training and hunting without having been far more emotionally mature than anyone else her age.
This story is fraught with dramatic irony. However, it was not in such a way that we always knew what was going on when our heroine did not. I would say that this author is one who would write mystery books very well, should she ever tire of supernatural themes (let us hope not!).
All in all, kiddies, a great book I would totally recommend.
March 16, 2017
Jill Kismet an Interesting Character
This is an opportunity to become acquainted with some well written heroes and their escapades. The first two books go a little slower but the series begins to build in intensity but the final book it is difficult to put down.
I would recommend this series to the readers of urban fantasy.
This is an opportunity to become acquainted with some well written heroes and their escapades. The first two books go a little slower but the series begins to build in intensity but the final book it is difficult to put down.
I would recommend this series to the readers of urban fantasy.
June 28, 2016
The most exciting about this series was finishing it and knowing I'll never have to pick it up again.
I don't even want to think about this waste-of-paper story anymore, so only four short things:
1. The main character is an unlikable bundle of forced badassery and callousness. Congratulations, you have a hard job and a rough childhood: welcome to 80% of the population's demographic. You can win me over by doing your job without sacrificing compassion and turning into a Tough Girl stereotype. Naturally, this doesn't happen. She takes real pleasure in intimidating others, and there was literally no facet of her personality that I found compelling.
2. She's also kind of terrible at her job. Jill drones on and on about her protective feelings for "her city," but in truth she seems to do it more harm than good. "HOW COULD THIS BE GOING ON IN MY CITY? IT IS MY FAULT!" Well...yeah? If you're the one who's supposed to be looking out for supernatural crazy business and it turns out it took you over a month to find a house full of bodies killed by a rogue werewolf, maybe it's time to reassess your level of competence.
3. If there's one thing Jill IS good at, it's getting herself hurt and crying about it afterward. There's a perpetual cycle of 1) she arrives, 2) she bites off more than she can chew, 3) she's bleeding uncontrollably, and 4) she blacks out. It sure is nifty that she's got her super special demon powers that fix her right up.
4. The "romantic" relationship was pointless, and I feel like she added it in just so she could check the box in the genre's traditional requirements. His job was to serve as the butt of racist jokes and smoke cigarettes in her car. There was no reasonable development to their relationship, and it was obvious that the author wanted nothing much to do with them. They were married between books, she met his family between books, and okay, fine, it was kind of nice to avoid the "will they, won't they" drama altogether, but god, it was boring. There is zero spark. It should have been left out altogether.
Time to donate the book. The sooner it is out of my hands, the better.
I don't even want to think about this waste-of-paper story anymore, so only four short things:
1. The main character is an unlikable bundle of forced badassery and callousness. Congratulations, you have a hard job and a rough childhood: welcome to 80% of the population's demographic. You can win me over by doing your job without sacrificing compassion and turning into a Tough Girl stereotype. Naturally, this doesn't happen. She takes real pleasure in intimidating others, and there was literally no facet of her personality that I found compelling.
2. She's also kind of terrible at her job. Jill drones on and on about her protective feelings for "her city," but in truth she seems to do it more harm than good. "HOW COULD THIS BE GOING ON IN MY CITY? IT IS MY FAULT!" Well...yeah? If you're the one who's supposed to be looking out for supernatural crazy business and it turns out it took you over a month to find a house full of bodies killed by a rogue werewolf, maybe it's time to reassess your level of competence.
3. If there's one thing Jill IS good at, it's getting herself hurt and crying about it afterward. There's a perpetual cycle of 1) she arrives, 2) she bites off more than she can chew, 3) she's bleeding uncontrollably, and 4) she blacks out. It sure is nifty that she's got her super special demon powers that fix her right up.
4. The "romantic" relationship was pointless, and I feel like she added it in just so she could check the box in the genre's traditional requirements. His job was to serve as the butt of racist jokes and smoke cigarettes in her car. There was no reasonable development to their relationship, and it was obvious that the author wanted nothing much to do with them. They were married between books, she met his family between books, and okay, fine, it was kind of nice to avoid the "will they, won't they" drama altogether, but god, it was boring. There is zero spark. It should have been left out altogether.
Time to donate the book. The sooner it is out of my hands, the better.
July 18, 2014
I couldn't pass up a 6-in-1 urban-supernatural-hell vs heaven omnibus told from the view of a kickass female. At first it was great to see how Jill Kismet dealt with hellbreed, and basically tore up the place without whining. Except as the series went on, she was do nothing BUT whining and repeating herself like a broken record.
By book 3, I was only reading to finish the omnibus. I could give you the *exact* wording Kismet would use to describe a person/place/thing... before she said it, which is bad writing. I was skipping whole paragraphs, because I knew what was contained in them. Generate new descriptions!
Books 2-4 could have been condensed into one for how little that happens in them. I disliked "Flesh Circus" most of all, because voodoo seemed thrown in out of the blue, and has no important connections in the last two books. Kismet basically gets her ass handed to her the entire book, and only stumbles on the villain by accident and almost too late.
Books 5 & 6 should be combined too. The pace picked up in "Heaven's Spite" with Kismet's death and carried over to her resurrection and "showdown" with Perry in "Angel Town," but I felt cheated by the ending. I knew Kismet and Saul were going to drive off into the sunset, but Perry's death was completely glossed over. I didn't even know she had killed him until four pages later. I thought she'd cut him loose from the goalpost and chain to show mercy.
Side note: Maybe this is just me, but I don't really see why Perry is all that bad. I kind of pitied him. Was he a jealous psycho who wanted to kill Kismet's lover and friends? Sure, but he didn't ever seem like he was wholeheartedly into it. Compared to other hellbreeds, he didn't seem hellbent (ha) on destruction. He wanted to be flesh-and-blood for Kismet... and recreate the world but... Perry wasn't really a big villain for me.
I really did enjoy "Night Shift," but it was a steady downhill ride for me.
By book 3, I was only reading to finish the omnibus. I could give you the *exact* wording Kismet would use to describe a person/place/thing... before she said it, which is bad writing. I was skipping whole paragraphs, because I knew what was contained in them. Generate new descriptions!
Books 2-4 could have been condensed into one for how little that happens in them. I disliked "Flesh Circus" most of all, because voodoo seemed thrown in out of the blue, and has no important connections in the last two books. Kismet basically gets her ass handed to her the entire book, and only stumbles on the villain by accident and almost too late.
Books 5 & 6 should be combined too. The pace picked up in "Heaven's Spite" with Kismet's death and carried over to her resurrection and "showdown" with Perry in "Angel Town," but I felt cheated by the ending. I knew Kismet and Saul were going to drive off into the sunset, but Perry's death was completely glossed over. I didn't even know she had killed him until four pages later. I thought she'd cut him loose from the goalpost and chain to show mercy.
Side note: Maybe this is just me, but I don't really see why Perry is all that bad. I kind of pitied him. Was he a jealous psycho who wanted to kill Kismet's lover and friends? Sure, but he didn't ever seem like he was wholeheartedly into it. Compared to other hellbreeds, he didn't seem hellbent (ha) on destruction. He wanted to be flesh-and-blood for Kismet... and recreate the world but... Perry wasn't really a big villain for me.
I really did enjoy "Night Shift," but it was a steady downhill ride for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 7, 2013
Okay, so I had read another series done by Lilith Saintcrow, the Dante Valentine books. That series started out great for the first two books, and then slid downhill faster then a kid on a bobsled going down a mountain. I say this because I want to let you know how tentative I was about reading another one of her books since I associated every book she could make as being all about whining.
HOWEVER, this series started off a little differently then the other one. Took me longer to get caught up into it but it kept me grabbed so much I had to keep reading. These books managed to keep making me want to go back and read them, something I never expected.
Jill Kismet, Hunter of the things that go bump in the night, namely Hellbreed, which are demons, and Traders, humans who trade away something important to gain something they want. So they could trade away their sight for better sense of smell, etc. She made a deal with a Hellbreed, hereafter called 'Breed just like in the books, to give her special powers. This 'Breed, named Perry, is the badass of the city she takes care of, Santa Luz. Now she has to do exorcisms, fight lots of bad guys (because there are always Traders willing to trade), and struggle against the machinations of uber-bad guys, most of which turn out to be involved with Perry in some way.
The books were very interesting, keeping you turning those pages to see what would happen next and how, and that final book...Woowee! Made it worth all of the reading because it ends with a bang....mostly. A few holes that you kinda have to fill in for those last 30pages, but it still ended well.
I give the series 4 stars because it deserved that many but couldn't go all the way for #5. Maybe I won't write this author completely off yet!
HOWEVER, this series started off a little differently then the other one. Took me longer to get caught up into it but it kept me grabbed so much I had to keep reading. These books managed to keep making me want to go back and read them, something I never expected.
Jill Kismet, Hunter of the things that go bump in the night, namely Hellbreed, which are demons, and Traders, humans who trade away something important to gain something they want. So they could trade away their sight for better sense of smell, etc. She made a deal with a Hellbreed, hereafter called 'Breed just like in the books, to give her special powers. This 'Breed, named Perry, is the badass of the city she takes care of, Santa Luz. Now she has to do exorcisms, fight lots of bad guys (because there are always Traders willing to trade), and struggle against the machinations of uber-bad guys, most of which turn out to be involved with Perry in some way.
The books were very interesting, keeping you turning those pages to see what would happen next and how, and that final book...Woowee! Made it worth all of the reading because it ends with a bang....mostly. A few holes that you kinda have to fill in for those last 30pages, but it still ended well.
I give the series 4 stars because it deserved that many but couldn't go all the way for #5. Maybe I won't write this author completely off yet!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 3, 2013
3/3/13 - Jill Kismet is a compelling character. She's kick-ass, but not bullet-proof. Well, maybe she's bullet-proof, but she's not "bullet-proof" in that she understands she's flawed. How she handles the incredible situations Lilith Saintcrow heaped upon her is amazing and plausible. All Lilith's characters are larger than life, but still humane enough to be sympathetic. Jill's story arch is complex and multi-layered, but presented so masterfully that you absorb it without feeling like you're being force-fed or overwhelmed. The action scenes are powerful and pack plenty of punch. The twists will have you hanging onto the book with both hands, holding your breath, and loving every minute of it. I highly recommend this series to urban fantasy readers.
I finished the entire series probably a week ago and am just getting around to updating this. Apologies. I loved being able to read the entire series in one "swell foop." Series are wonderful, but the necessary delays between books can create gaps for me (my memory being more "seive" than "steel-trap"). Having an entire series in one hefty tome is heavenly.
2/1/13 - I am roughly half-way through the first book in the series, NIGHT SHIFT. Jill Kismet is a hunter, a kind of paranormal sheriff. She helps maintain the separation of paranormals and humans, protecting humans from the things that go bump in the night, punishing paranormals who cross the line, and working with the police to enforce the law. I like her because she's not perfect, she has flaws but those flaws and how she deals with them, make her sympathetic. She's smart, smart-mouthed, dedicated, and, in her mind, damned. That's all I'm saying for now.
I finished the entire series probably a week ago and am just getting around to updating this. Apologies. I loved being able to read the entire series in one "swell foop." Series are wonderful, but the necessary delays between books can create gaps for me (my memory being more "seive" than "steel-trap"). Having an entire series in one hefty tome is heavenly.
2/1/13 - I am roughly half-way through the first book in the series, NIGHT SHIFT. Jill Kismet is a hunter, a kind of paranormal sheriff. She helps maintain the separation of paranormals and humans, protecting humans from the things that go bump in the night, punishing paranormals who cross the line, and working with the police to enforce the law. I like her because she's not perfect, she has flaws but those flaws and how she deals with them, make her sympathetic. She's smart, smart-mouthed, dedicated, and, in her mind, damned. That's all I'm saying for now.
February 23, 2016
Darker urban fantasy fare
The beginning of this series was more enjoyable than the end and i think it's because it just starts to feel like recycled lines and plots. Jill is a tough character from a hell of a background that she is always trying to outpace. The problem is that she never seems to learn from her mistakes. Most of the books follow a rapid never let up pace where jill is constantly saying how she is missing something, she is, and going Lone Ranger. The first time sure this makes sense but as the series continues and she is called out on this by her allies, told to stop doing it because it's putting her in too much risk, and she is missing the greater picture by not sharing and allowing her allies to help it becomes irritating that she STILL DOES IT. It got to the point where I felt like the conflict existed because Jill was not being a team player. There was also just way too much use of the exact same phrases in doing descriptions such as having to say sea urchin spikes of her exorcist aura every single time, or having to throw in "a hunter..." type stuff every other paragraph. The books aren't bad, they are decent urban fantasy, readers might want to space out their reading them to try and make the next book seem a little fresher and not so repetitive.
The beginning of this series was more enjoyable than the end and i think it's because it just starts to feel like recycled lines and plots. Jill is a tough character from a hell of a background that she is always trying to outpace. The problem is that she never seems to learn from her mistakes. Most of the books follow a rapid never let up pace where jill is constantly saying how she is missing something, she is, and going Lone Ranger. The first time sure this makes sense but as the series continues and she is called out on this by her allies, told to stop doing it because it's putting her in too much risk, and she is missing the greater picture by not sharing and allowing her allies to help it becomes irritating that she STILL DOES IT. It got to the point where I felt like the conflict existed because Jill was not being a team player. There was also just way too much use of the exact same phrases in doing descriptions such as having to say sea urchin spikes of her exorcist aura every single time, or having to throw in "a hunter..." type stuff every other paragraph. The books aren't bad, they are decent urban fantasy, readers might want to space out their reading them to try and make the next book seem a little fresher and not so repetitive.
July 1, 2013
This book was pretty good, I give it a 3 and a half to a 4 star's. I loved Jill Kismet and her bad-ass attitude! It was fun and a sometimes dark read. I thought that Percy was interesting and thought out the whole book he kept me guessing as to what/why/how he did anything; was it twisted love? part of his plan?.. I don't know, i think it was a little pit of both. I was in love with Saul and I wish had a hubby like him lol. There were a few things that kept it from being a 4.5 for me. First was not really that big a deal because it was a series, but i did feel like Lilith repeted herself ALOT and it was like she copy and pasted from one book to the next. Another thing that put me off a bit was that i did not feel that Jill developed all that much, and it was 6 books and the storyline was drawn out in years! I think the biggest let down was that Jill never talked about her past with Saul and it was kind of an important conversation that would have given her a little more depth and help give you insight. All in all, it was good and i may even read it again in a few years after the story has dulled some detailed in my mind.
May 28, 2015
The stories are fairly fast paced and keep the reader interested. Storyline is fairly unique and flows well from story to story with the culmination last story. I enjoyed reading it, though I think once through is enough for me. Certainly worth the time it took to read once.
That said, the author tends to rely very heavily on repetition of certain traits of the characters and while it can be a useful tool, it's used too much and becomes weary to read. The last book too quickly wraps up some of the loose ends, trying to tie everything neatly together but tends to leave the reader wanting more from it. There are spots in the middle of the book where the author tends to languish, bogged down into details or subplots.
Overall I think the stories are fairly imaginative, the world created is broad yet neatly confined and presented, and the pace is fast enough to keep the reader interested despite the occasional slow points. There is plenty of action to keep most adrenaline junkies satiated with enough well thought out details to make it fun.
That said, the author tends to rely very heavily on repetition of certain traits of the characters and while it can be a useful tool, it's used too much and becomes weary to read. The last book too quickly wraps up some of the loose ends, trying to tie everything neatly together but tends to leave the reader wanting more from it. There are spots in the middle of the book where the author tends to languish, bogged down into details or subplots.
Overall I think the stories are fairly imaginative, the world created is broad yet neatly confined and presented, and the pace is fast enough to keep the reader interested despite the occasional slow points. There is plenty of action to keep most adrenaline junkies satiated with enough well thought out details to make it fun.
July 19, 2015
The Jill Kismet series is a fun urban fantasy read. Found in the snow by a hunter, Jill is trained how to combat the denizens of hell, Hellbreed, and those that trade with them. I had previously read some of the Anita Blake books and the Dresden Files, so this series is not a re-invention of the wheel, but it is a good read with fun characters. Even though it does not deal with the typical monsters found in urban fantasy, I think most people will be able to get into the book. The only common element are the "weres" of every variety that work cooperatively with the hunters. Along with Jill is the deal she made with the chief Hellbreed of Santa Luz, Perry, a deal to make her more than human but also keep the big bad in her life. The first five books in this series are really good, and the last book is also good, but feels very different than the others and it seems that it was written just to provide a better ending than the fifth book would have. Still, I think if you are a fan of urban fantasy, then Jill Kismet is a series for you. It is six books long.
July 7, 2013
There are 6 books in this series and well worth the price of the complete book. It weighs bit but since it is a paperback, you won't receive a nasty note from the mail carrier when they deliver it. I ordered this thru Amazon when I could not find the books in my local library. I had an advanced copy of one of the titles and one of the other books I happened on from a thrift store by had run into a dead end on any of the others.
This is a great series with a tough heroine that takes no crap from anyone. Jill has traded a bit of herself to gain an edge in the war against evil. She bears a mark that makes her stronger, faster and harder to kill but she only has because she has made a deal to hold on to a bit of nasty and see Pericles monthly for fun and games demon-style.
This is a good and worthy addition to anyone's urban fantasy collection.
This is a great series with a tough heroine that takes no crap from anyone. Jill has traded a bit of herself to gain an edge in the war against evil. She bears a mark that makes her stronger, faster and harder to kill but she only has because she has made a deal to hold on to a bit of nasty and see Pericles monthly for fun and games demon-style.
This is a good and worthy addition to anyone's urban fantasy collection.
February 3, 2017
Within the first five minutes, I was hooked. I read all these in record time.
If you like the idea of strong women, hellish things, a little romance (But not to the point where it's all the books are about), and some serious killing, these books are for you.
I don't like putting spoilers in reviews, so I won't, but trust me when I say, these are worth getting your hands on.
If you like the idea of strong women, hellish things, a little romance (But not to the point where it's all the books are about), and some serious killing, these books are for you.
I don't like putting spoilers in reviews, so I won't, but trust me when I say, these are worth getting your hands on.
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