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The Last Dance of Caitlyn Murphy
In the years since the accident that shattered her family, darkness has occupied Caitlyn’s home. Bad decisions have followed one another, and one night, Cait finds herself alone, hunted, dying. But the morning brings life, and Cait is changing. She’s stronger; she’s quicker; she’s angrier.
As Cait clings to the remnants of her humanity, and grasps at the protection offered by people she has never met before, the kindness of strangers just isn’t enough. No one can protect Cait from herself as she struggles to decide if she is the hunter or the hunted.
A fresh take on dark fantasy, The Last Dance of Caitlyn Murphy follows a young woman struggling to feel anything as her life spirals out of her control.
As Cait clings to the remnants of her humanity, and grasps at the protection offered by people she has never met before, the kindness of strangers just isn’t enough. No one can protect Cait from herself as she struggles to decide if she is the hunter or the hunted.
A fresh take on dark fantasy, The Last Dance of Caitlyn Murphy follows a young woman struggling to feel anything as her life spirals out of her control.
- GenresFantasyParanormalFiction
271 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 12, 2013
7 people are currently reading
108 people want to read
About the author
Kristine Croto
1 book13 followersFiction writer, freelance blogger, constant reader. Lover, dreamer, me
I write because I love to write. I write because, if I don’t write the characters down, they take over more of my brain than is acceptable for day-to-day functioning. I write because of the joy of seeing the words fall down like leaves, one by one, until the pattern of a story is revealed in its sun dappled wonder. I write because I have been half-asleep, and I have heard voices. I write to find out if they are, in fact, calling my name.
My first novel was about twenty pages long, hand written in pencil on a yellow legal pad that I snagged from my dad’s office. The details of the plot have long since been lost to time, but I remember that the story was barely more than a glorified My Little Pony fanfic. I believe I was 7 years old.
I wrote throughout grade school. I was that kid with the Five-Star, five subject note book (because the ruling was smaller), writing bad poetry when she was supposed to be paying attention in class. I was that kid writing an epic fantasy novel with poorly written sex scenes and dramatic themes from multiple points of view at 14. I was that girl, in college, who had to be startled out of her own world more often than not, especially if I had pen and paper in front of me.
I’ve sold a few short stories over the years; more recently, I’ve found some success freelance blogging for websites like WhatToExpect.com’s Word of Mom, Lifescript, and Angie’s List.
The Last Dance of Caitlyn Murphy, a new adult novel which is equal parts dark fantasy and paranormal romance, is available as an ebook through Amazon. The print edition will be available shortly.
I write because I love to write. I write because, if I don’t write the characters down, they take over more of my brain than is acceptable for day-to-day functioning. I write because of the joy of seeing the words fall down like leaves, one by one, until the pattern of a story is revealed in its sun dappled wonder. I write because I have been half-asleep, and I have heard voices. I write to find out if they are, in fact, calling my name.
My first novel was about twenty pages long, hand written in pencil on a yellow legal pad that I snagged from my dad’s office. The details of the plot have long since been lost to time, but I remember that the story was barely more than a glorified My Little Pony fanfic. I believe I was 7 years old.
I wrote throughout grade school. I was that kid with the Five-Star, five subject note book (because the ruling was smaller), writing bad poetry when she was supposed to be paying attention in class. I was that kid writing an epic fantasy novel with poorly written sex scenes and dramatic themes from multiple points of view at 14. I was that girl, in college, who had to be startled out of her own world more often than not, especially if I had pen and paper in front of me.
I’ve sold a few short stories over the years; more recently, I’ve found some success freelance blogging for websites like WhatToExpect.com’s Word of Mom, Lifescript, and Angie’s List.
The Last Dance of Caitlyn Murphy, a new adult novel which is equal parts dark fantasy and paranormal romance, is available as an ebook through Amazon. The print edition will be available shortly.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
July 25, 2013
I'm a friend of the author, so while the friend part of me would like to pile the stars on this review, it wouldn't be in keeping with how I typically distribute ratings.
Croto's story and characters are revealed, Whedon-style, in the light of pains past and present. The development of relationships and the personal revelations from the main character ring emotionally true, which I imagine is both difficult to capture and essential for maintaining suspension of disbelief in this genre. I stayed up well past my bedtime to keep reading, and that's pretty high praise from someone with a young child.
Why three stars, then? Five-star books I know I'll read again and again, and four-star books at least once more. By itself, Last Dance is thinner in pages and story and more overwritten than I'd grab for a re-read--but that's also true of the beginnings of some of my favourite modern fantasy series (Dresden Files, Iron Druid). I hope to see more from both this author and these characters.
Croto's story and characters are revealed, Whedon-style, in the light of pains past and present. The development of relationships and the personal revelations from the main character ring emotionally true, which I imagine is both difficult to capture and essential for maintaining suspension of disbelief in this genre. I stayed up well past my bedtime to keep reading, and that's pretty high praise from someone with a young child.
Why three stars, then? Five-star books I know I'll read again and again, and four-star books at least once more. By itself, Last Dance is thinner in pages and story and more overwritten than I'd grab for a re-read--but that's also true of the beginnings of some of my favourite modern fantasy series (Dresden Files, Iron Druid). I hope to see more from both this author and these characters.
September 8, 2013
*I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*
The Last Dance of Caitlyn Murphy is a dark, turbulent ride. It's gritty and emotional, giving the reader a look into a family broken by tragedy. Main character Caitlyn has spent the last years of her life merely existing after the accident that claimed the lives of her father and sister. Caitlyn's mother handles life by drowning herself in a bottle and is never there for Caitlyn. The family life is tragic, heart-wrenching, and raw.
Caitlyn tries to escape her emptiness by dancing in clubs where she can lose herself to the dance then later to her dance partner. She flits from guy to guy, unable to form any lasting relationship out of fear. Caitlyn is a tragic figure, so lost in her misery that it's sometimes difficult to read. When she's attacked in the woods after a night clubbing, everything goes from bad to worse. She moves back in with her mother, trying to set things right, to help her mother get the ground under her feet again. I despised Caitlyn's mother, didn't see a single redeeming quality in the woman. And that was at the beginning of the novel; her mother just got worse as the story progressed.
There are two potential romantic interests for Caitlyn: Eli and Wes. Wes is mysterious, having just blown into town. He seems to fall hard for Caitlyn who has an undeniable physical attraction for him. Eli gives off the savior vibes. He knows what Caitlyn is going through and seems to genuinely want to help her. Of the two, I preferred Eli since something about Wes' behavior always seemed off. Neither of these two are completely honest with Caitlyn, a fact she doesn't miss. She does manage numerous steamy encounters with both of these hot guys, so my pity for her only goes so far.
Author Kristine Croto paints beautiful imagery that at times really makes a scene pop. On the flip side, I sometimes felt a bit mired in descriptions and found myself skimming through. To be fair, I'm not a long description kind of gal; I prefer lighter descriptions and more dialogue. The pacing of the story starts out great but then lags a bit in the middle. It picks up again about 3/4 of the way through. I can't say the ending surprised me much, I had a feeling the story was leading to this. I do like the last few pages though, the way it's left open for a potential series.
I recommend The Last Dance of Caitlyn Murphy to everyone 17+ (due to sexual scenes) that enjoys a dark urban fantasy. Just know going in that this is not a lighthearted read. Caitlyn and her mother are about as screwed up as people come. When the truth comes to light, it really only makes it worse. So, if you're up for a dark read that steps into the paranormal, add this to your to-read list.
The Last Dance of Caitlyn Murphy is a dark, turbulent ride. It's gritty and emotional, giving the reader a look into a family broken by tragedy. Main character Caitlyn has spent the last years of her life merely existing after the accident that claimed the lives of her father and sister. Caitlyn's mother handles life by drowning herself in a bottle and is never there for Caitlyn. The family life is tragic, heart-wrenching, and raw.
Caitlyn tries to escape her emptiness by dancing in clubs where she can lose herself to the dance then later to her dance partner. She flits from guy to guy, unable to form any lasting relationship out of fear. Caitlyn is a tragic figure, so lost in her misery that it's sometimes difficult to read. When she's attacked in the woods after a night clubbing, everything goes from bad to worse. She moves back in with her mother, trying to set things right, to help her mother get the ground under her feet again. I despised Caitlyn's mother, didn't see a single redeeming quality in the woman. And that was at the beginning of the novel; her mother just got worse as the story progressed.
There are two potential romantic interests for Caitlyn: Eli and Wes. Wes is mysterious, having just blown into town. He seems to fall hard for Caitlyn who has an undeniable physical attraction for him. Eli gives off the savior vibes. He knows what Caitlyn is going through and seems to genuinely want to help her. Of the two, I preferred Eli since something about Wes' behavior always seemed off. Neither of these two are completely honest with Caitlyn, a fact she doesn't miss. She does manage numerous steamy encounters with both of these hot guys, so my pity for her only goes so far.
Author Kristine Croto paints beautiful imagery that at times really makes a scene pop. On the flip side, I sometimes felt a bit mired in descriptions and found myself skimming through. To be fair, I'm not a long description kind of gal; I prefer lighter descriptions and more dialogue. The pacing of the story starts out great but then lags a bit in the middle. It picks up again about 3/4 of the way through. I can't say the ending surprised me much, I had a feeling the story was leading to this. I do like the last few pages though, the way it's left open for a potential series.
I recommend The Last Dance of Caitlyn Murphy to everyone 17+ (due to sexual scenes) that enjoys a dark urban fantasy. Just know going in that this is not a lighthearted read. Caitlyn and her mother are about as screwed up as people come. When the truth comes to light, it really only makes it worse. So, if you're up for a dark read that steps into the paranormal, add this to your to-read list.
November 12, 2013
I was provided a free copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
The Last Dance of Caitlyn Murphy by Kristine Croto:
Some people are just broken. Others have to be broken even more before they can be fixed. Caitlyn Murphy is one of those people. After finding that her father and sister, Sophie, have died one day, she and her mother have to face the world alone, and that’s when she cracks. In this paranormal fantasy, you follow a young woman who is destructive and manipulative along her twists and turns, and watch as she makes one bad decision after another.
Caitlyn Murphy is not your typical young lady. She goes clubbing, initiates’ sex with random men, and she seems to have a death wish. After receiving the news that her father and big sis have been killed on the way to the store one day, she and her mother just seem to drift a part and shut down. “We’d been the anti-Gilmore Girls, operating in totally separate worlds, interacting only when we had no other choice.” 14% thru Caitlyn says this in reference to her interactions with her mother. One night while dancing and shedding her inhibitions, she meets Wes, Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome and things turn down a very dark and very snaky road.
Not wanting to give anything away, there is also Eli. The knight in shinning armor. He’s tall and slim with red hair and all he wants is to protect Caitlyn, or does he…
I’ve read other reviews; some love this book, other like it but only just. Some find that it needs more polish and that the story has too many twists and turns. I feel that it’s good like it is. I didn’t go into this ebook with any lofty expectations, and I was pleasantly surprised. I felt that the story did hop around a bit, but it didn’t take anything away. It was more like real life. Not everyone’s life is a straight arrow, sometimes there are bumps in the road and in some cases, poor Cait, Goodyear blimp sized potholes. I like this book. I would like to see a second one come out. I would be interested to see how Cait’s story continues on, does she find Eli? Does she develop her talents more? Does she run into those all so interesting vampires? Good on ya’ Miss Kristine, I may just re-read this one later next year.
The Last Dance of Caitlyn Murphy by Kristine Croto:
Some people are just broken. Others have to be broken even more before they can be fixed. Caitlyn Murphy is one of those people. After finding that her father and sister, Sophie, have died one day, she and her mother have to face the world alone, and that’s when she cracks. In this paranormal fantasy, you follow a young woman who is destructive and manipulative along her twists and turns, and watch as she makes one bad decision after another.
Caitlyn Murphy is not your typical young lady. She goes clubbing, initiates’ sex with random men, and she seems to have a death wish. After receiving the news that her father and big sis have been killed on the way to the store one day, she and her mother just seem to drift a part and shut down. “We’d been the anti-Gilmore Girls, operating in totally separate worlds, interacting only when we had no other choice.” 14% thru Caitlyn says this in reference to her interactions with her mother. One night while dancing and shedding her inhibitions, she meets Wes, Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome and things turn down a very dark and very snaky road.
Not wanting to give anything away, there is also Eli. The knight in shinning armor. He’s tall and slim with red hair and all he wants is to protect Caitlyn, or does he…
I’ve read other reviews; some love this book, other like it but only just. Some find that it needs more polish and that the story has too many twists and turns. I feel that it’s good like it is. I didn’t go into this ebook with any lofty expectations, and I was pleasantly surprised. I felt that the story did hop around a bit, but it didn’t take anything away. It was more like real life. Not everyone’s life is a straight arrow, sometimes there are bumps in the road and in some cases, poor Cait, Goodyear blimp sized potholes. I like this book. I would like to see a second one come out. I would be interested to see how Cait’s story continues on, does she find Eli? Does she develop her talents more? Does she run into those all so interesting vampires? Good on ya’ Miss Kristine, I may just re-read this one later next year.
December 14, 2014
The Last Dance of Caitlyn Murphy has a lot of potential, and you can tell that the author is really creative; and even though the idea behind the plot was really good, it needs a little bit of polish when it comes to its execution. It needs to have a clear structure that would allow the reader to follow the story without getting lost, which I was in several occasions. The storytelling was a bit messy. However, the book has some very good twists, and it is very unpredictable right until the end, which I appreciate. I hate to guess the ending of a book when I’m just in the middle.
I really liked the characters, and the way they interacted with each other. Specially Cait, I definitely felt sorry for her, and thought she was very resilient to get over and move on from everything she had to face. If you look in perspective, she wasn’t half as messed up as she should have been.
The writing is good. It is immediate, active and it shows rather than tells you what is happening.
Nevertheless, the weakness of the book is that it is really confusing. I think that the author’s intention was to create suspense and mystery up until the end, when everything is uncovered, but that was not achieved, because more than mysterious, it was very confusing. It kind of threw information at you, not following a clear train of ideas, like jumping from one thought to another, making it difficult for me to follow along, at least for the first half of the book. It caused my attention to wander off. However, I will say that the end of the book was good. I liked the fact that it tied together almost every lose end.
*Note: I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review, but my opinion was not biased in any way by this fact.
I really liked the characters, and the way they interacted with each other. Specially Cait, I definitely felt sorry for her, and thought she was very resilient to get over and move on from everything she had to face. If you look in perspective, she wasn’t half as messed up as she should have been.
The writing is good. It is immediate, active and it shows rather than tells you what is happening.
Nevertheless, the weakness of the book is that it is really confusing. I think that the author’s intention was to create suspense and mystery up until the end, when everything is uncovered, but that was not achieved, because more than mysterious, it was very confusing. It kind of threw information at you, not following a clear train of ideas, like jumping from one thought to another, making it difficult for me to follow along, at least for the first half of the book. It caused my attention to wander off. However, I will say that the end of the book was good. I liked the fact that it tied together almost every lose end.
*Note: I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review, but my opinion was not biased in any way by this fact.
August 4, 2013
I know the author personally, so I'm trying hard to be objective. The Last Dance of Caitlyn Murphy is a good first book, and definitely shows promise, even with out me knowing the author, I'd probably pick up the next book in the inevitable series.
I could tell that it was definitely a small press publication, there were certain risks that Croto took with the story and plot that probably would have been edited out in a large market press. Some of them worked, and some of them didn't - in particular, the plotting was very uneven, I wanted about 75-100 pages in the middle where the protaginist, Caitlyn, became clued in, instead, there was about 75% of the book fumbling from one dramatic internal monologue, scrape, and poorly chosen sexual partner; and then suddenly Caitlyn and the audience are brought into many of the secrets and a dramatic, gun smoke and violent conclusion.
I just wanted more of the middle portion.
Hmmm. As I'm writing this, I realize now what this book feels like - "Book Zero." That is, the book the author writes about where the protagonist comes from and how she came to be where we found her in book 1 of her story. With that sort of framing, I could see me loving this story, where I have the bits filled in and flushed out - but right now, it was just too much exposition/"Clarissa Explains It All" for the last chunk of the book.
So yeah, I look forward to the next book.
I could tell that it was definitely a small press publication, there were certain risks that Croto took with the story and plot that probably would have been edited out in a large market press. Some of them worked, and some of them didn't - in particular, the plotting was very uneven, I wanted about 75-100 pages in the middle where the protaginist, Caitlyn, became clued in, instead, there was about 75% of the book fumbling from one dramatic internal monologue, scrape, and poorly chosen sexual partner; and then suddenly Caitlyn and the audience are brought into many of the secrets and a dramatic, gun smoke and violent conclusion.
I just wanted more of the middle portion.
Hmmm. As I'm writing this, I realize now what this book feels like - "Book Zero." That is, the book the author writes about where the protagonist comes from and how she came to be where we found her in book 1 of her story. With that sort of framing, I could see me loving this story, where I have the bits filled in and flushed out - but right now, it was just too much exposition/"Clarissa Explains It All" for the last chunk of the book.
So yeah, I look forward to the next book.
July 16, 2013
I've been trying to figure out what to say about this book since I read it. It stirred up such a variety of impressions and feelings. Caitlyn is a deeply flawed character and at times, she can be hard to read because she's so real and so broken. I wanted to root for her, but at the same time I was scared for her and wasn't so sure things would turn out okay for her.
So yes, this is a dark fantasy, yes there are some paranormal elements and they're intriguing and well-written. But for me, the book is primarily about this character and her struggle to make sense of her past and to try to imagine any kind of future for herself. It is an emotionally-charged, gripping novel and it left me desperately wanting to know more about Caitlyn and her world. I love dark fantasy, but I so much appreciate reading a book in this genre that doesn't get too narcissisticly caught up in world-building, losing sight of the character. And while I was eagerly turning every page looking forward to and dreading the end (because I was worried for Cait!) I was so pleased that the ending was complicated, real, and left a little bit to the imagination. I could definitely see more books following this one. I hope Kristine Croto writes more!
So yes, this is a dark fantasy, yes there are some paranormal elements and they're intriguing and well-written. But for me, the book is primarily about this character and her struggle to make sense of her past and to try to imagine any kind of future for herself. It is an emotionally-charged, gripping novel and it left me desperately wanting to know more about Caitlyn and her world. I love dark fantasy, but I so much appreciate reading a book in this genre that doesn't get too narcissisticly caught up in world-building, losing sight of the character. And while I was eagerly turning every page looking forward to and dreading the end (because I was worried for Cait!) I was so pleased that the ending was complicated, real, and left a little bit to the imagination. I could definitely see more books following this one. I hope Kristine Croto writes more!
July 19, 2013
A well-crafted story leaves the reader wishing for more and this is no exception. Kristine Croto's characters are grounded and real, their world is full of the familiar, and this makes the fantastic elements all the more believable. This journey is full of exquisitely sensual prose, but like the world of light and dark the author has created, it is balanced with the solid observations of a girl simply trying to live her life. The path of the story is well-paced and engaging, with each twist a revelation; a bit of light that only casts more shadows until the end and even then, there are still choices to be made. One choice is easy: read the book and discover the magic for yourself.
July 24, 2013
Loved this book. Took a chapter or two for me to get into it but, after that, I couldn't put it down. It's told in the first person, so things become clearer to the reader as they become clearer to Cait. The story unfolds beautifully. Some graphic sex and violence but nothing that troubled my delicate self. REALLY hope there are sequels and prequels in the works! I recommend it very highly.
August 27, 2013
A paranormal romance without the cliche, the vapid empty heroine or even the constantly repeating phrases. Cait begins a new life - in more ways than one, after a late night attack leaves her forever changed. Highly recommended for lovers of the werewolf/vampire/fae series out there. Waiting for the sequel.
September 1, 2015
This was written by a previous supervisor. Because of our previous working relationship I had a hard time getting through it, not because the writing was horrible, the writing is actually great, I just heard it in her voice in my head, and so the sex parts were a bit rough to get through. It's a great read if you like sci-fi books!
March 4, 2017
I loved this book. The writing is gripping, felt like i knew the characters intimately. The book is filled with the dialogue of Caitlyn and ii is fascinating how Kristine pulled this off, never straying. The book is highly focused and intense. No surprise though, Kristine is an exceptional writer!
July 19, 2013
Very non-cookie-cutter dark fantasy which is so refreshing. I really hope that this book becomes a first in a series. I would love to revisit this world.
August 31, 2013
LOVED!
September 23, 2013
Loved this character. I hope there's more Caitlyn. The author wrote all her characters well, from the mom to the friend, they were real. Great dark fantasy.
January 15, 2014
easy to read and hard to put down.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews