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Kana Cold #0.5
Case of the Shinigami
A young girl his haunted by a Death God. Her only hope is a rum-drinking, bar-fighting paranormal investigator with a bad attitude...
After dropping out of Harvard, Kana Cold started a business as a paranormal investigator. Most of her cases are hoaxes, much to Kana’s disappointment, until one case involving a little girl and her powerful demon–a Death God–opens the door to the real Paranormal Underground… changing Kana’s life forever.
Kana Cold: Case of the Shinigami is the prequel novella to the urban fantasy series about a heroine who struggles with knowing she's meant for great things and a paranormal underworld that fights against her every step of the way.
87 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 11, 2018
70 people are currently reading
106 people want to read
About the author
K.C. Hunter
18 books53 followersKC Hunter has been a storyteller since he was twelve-years-old, and through various media during his life, been telling them ever since. He won a National Young Writers Award in 1994 and had several poems published in his teen years.
He later delved into music, live performance and interactive media development, but still continued to write through the early 2000s
In 2008, he developed the concept of merging his skills at web design, multimedia development and writing into a new form of storytelling media: Electronic Media Entertainment. His goal is to expand the universe of a story from being confined to one medium (a book, a game, a graphic novel) into a multi-layered universe that encompasses a variety of media types.
He currently lives in Owings Mills, Maryland and is a member of various clubs in the Baltimore Metropolitan area.
He later delved into music, live performance and interactive media development, but still continued to write through the early 2000s
In 2008, he developed the concept of merging his skills at web design, multimedia development and writing into a new form of storytelling media: Electronic Media Entertainment. His goal is to expand the universe of a story from being confined to one medium (a book, a game, a graphic novel) into a multi-layered universe that encompasses a variety of media types.
He currently lives in Owings Mills, Maryland and is a member of various clubs in the Baltimore Metropolitan area.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
February 22, 2019
This was very short prequel to a series I’m probably not going to read. The writing style was very simplistic and conversations clunky. There is a scene at a biker bar that is so riddled with stereotypes and tough girl cliches I was begging for ghosts. Not for me, unfortunately.
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June 22, 2019🎁 FREE on Amazon today (6/22/2019)! 🎁
July 22, 2019
Case of the Shinigami (Kana Cold 0.5) by K.C. Hunter was a riveting read from start to finish. A horror novel with a dash of mystery, this short story captures well a cast of characters and a premise that is both engaging and endearing.
I’ll preface this review by saying that mystery is not usually my genre, but I do enjoy a bit of fantasy/sci-fi, so this book was well up my alley. I thought it was well-balanced, with strong, believable characters and good dialogue. The writing is simple, suitable for Young Adult readers, and I was glad to find no typos and that there was nothing that turned me off about Hunter’s writing style.
The content of this book is paranormal, but not so scary that younger audiences will not want to read it. (I think there was some profanity in the dialogue, if I remember correctly, in case that’s an issue.) I thought the tension of the “haunting” was written fairly well; it wasn’t heart-pounding, sweaty hands, Stephen King-level thrilling or terrifying, but it was intriguing enough to keep me reading. In fact, for the first time in several months I found myself hooked enough to want to pick this book up throughout the day!
This story does feel like a backstory, by which I mean, it’s paced quickly and almost has the feeling that you should know Kana and AJ’s characters before you read this book. In other words, this book might actually be best read after you’ve read some of Hunter’s other Kana books first. I hadn’t read them yet; this was my introduction to Kana, so I felt something may have been ever so slightly lacking.
Nevertheless, I thought this book was overall well-rounded and the plot had a great flow to it, so I went ahead and purchased the first book of the Kana Cold series, which I plan to read next. The only major complaint I have about this book is that the fact that the haunting is by (spoiler alert, though you might already know from the title) a shinigami seemed to have no purpose. What a Shinigami is and why it did what it did wasn’t explained; it honestly could have been any old ghost or demon in the context of the story. As someone who majored in Japanese Studies it would have been cool to see the culture behind the Shinigami actually incorporated into the story. Perhaps we’ll see more of that in the future books.
Other than that, however, I found this book wholly satisfying, and it whet my appetite for future Kana Cold stories. I’m looking forward to reading more by K.C. Hunter!
I’ll preface this review by saying that mystery is not usually my genre, but I do enjoy a bit of fantasy/sci-fi, so this book was well up my alley. I thought it was well-balanced, with strong, believable characters and good dialogue. The writing is simple, suitable for Young Adult readers, and I was glad to find no typos and that there was nothing that turned me off about Hunter’s writing style.
The content of this book is paranormal, but not so scary that younger audiences will not want to read it. (I think there was some profanity in the dialogue, if I remember correctly, in case that’s an issue.) I thought the tension of the “haunting” was written fairly well; it wasn’t heart-pounding, sweaty hands, Stephen King-level thrilling or terrifying, but it was intriguing enough to keep me reading. In fact, for the first time in several months I found myself hooked enough to want to pick this book up throughout the day!
This story does feel like a backstory, by which I mean, it’s paced quickly and almost has the feeling that you should know Kana and AJ’s characters before you read this book. In other words, this book might actually be best read after you’ve read some of Hunter’s other Kana books first. I hadn’t read them yet; this was my introduction to Kana, so I felt something may have been ever so slightly lacking.
Nevertheless, I thought this book was overall well-rounded and the plot had a great flow to it, so I went ahead and purchased the first book of the Kana Cold series, which I plan to read next. The only major complaint I have about this book is that the fact that the haunting is by (spoiler alert, though you might already know from the title) a shinigami seemed to have no purpose. What a Shinigami is and why it did what it did wasn’t explained; it honestly could have been any old ghost or demon in the context of the story. As someone who majored in Japanese Studies it would have been cool to see the culture behind the Shinigami actually incorporated into the story. Perhaps we’ll see more of that in the future books.
Other than that, however, I found this book wholly satisfying, and it whet my appetite for future Kana Cold stories. I’m looking forward to reading more by K.C. Hunter!
January 25, 2019
New Supernatural & Paranormal UF Series With a Hint of Death Note*
Author KC Hunter’s inspired storyline, set in the US, introduces a Shinigami to paranormal investigator Kana Cold, who has some Japanese ancestry. This is an interesting choice of demons, because Commodore Matthew Perry and the US Navy forcibly opened Japan to Western trade in 1853—at cannon-point. Later, Western ideas about Death Gods were introduced to Japan, thus changing a Shinto spirit-being called Shinigami into a Death God. (See this info and more by Googling “Shinigami + Geller.”)
In this novella, KC Hunter introduces the Shinigami as a demon. Hazarding a guess, I’d say on a “demon spectrum,” it’s more like UF demons of the Dresden Files or Demon Accords—not the demon of The Exorcist. Perhaps this Shinigami won’t be as violent as Chris Gordon’s inner-demon. I also hope the Shinigami will remain true to its Asian roots by hewing to Eastern mythos.
This is a short novella, but efforts were made to develop the characters. I fell in love with Melody, the demon-possessed 4-yr-old girl. Kana Cold is a bit prickly and lacks people-skills, so she leaves the interpersonal communication with clients to AJ Guiscard, her paranormal investigation partner. The author has laid down hints as to the duo’s turbulent backgrounds, so I’m sure readers will learn more about them in the coming novel(s).
I loved what most readers call “the twist” at the ending, because it’s a recurring theme in Japanese films and literature.
*Death Note 2006 and the manga series by Ōba Tsugumi & Takeshi Obata. For Obata’s art work: Google “Shinigami + Death Note.”
Author KC Hunter’s inspired storyline, set in the US, introduces a Shinigami to paranormal investigator Kana Cold, who has some Japanese ancestry. This is an interesting choice of demons, because Commodore Matthew Perry and the US Navy forcibly opened Japan to Western trade in 1853—at cannon-point. Later, Western ideas about Death Gods were introduced to Japan, thus changing a Shinto spirit-being called Shinigami into a Death God. (See this info and more by Googling “Shinigami + Geller.”)
In this novella, KC Hunter introduces the Shinigami as a demon. Hazarding a guess, I’d say on a “demon spectrum,” it’s more like UF demons of the Dresden Files or Demon Accords—not the demon of The Exorcist. Perhaps this Shinigami won’t be as violent as Chris Gordon’s inner-demon. I also hope the Shinigami will remain true to its Asian roots by hewing to Eastern mythos.
This is a short novella, but efforts were made to develop the characters. I fell in love with Melody, the demon-possessed 4-yr-old girl. Kana Cold is a bit prickly and lacks people-skills, so she leaves the interpersonal communication with clients to AJ Guiscard, her paranormal investigation partner. The author has laid down hints as to the duo’s turbulent backgrounds, so I’m sure readers will learn more about them in the coming novel(s).
I loved what most readers call “the twist” at the ending, because it’s a recurring theme in Japanese films and literature.
*Death Note 2006 and the manga series by Ōba Tsugumi & Takeshi Obata. For Obata’s art work: Google “Shinigami + Death Note.”
May 26, 2019
You can find this review and all of my others over at www.readbookrepeat.wordpress.com
The McNeil family are having issues, big issues. It started around 12 months ago, their four year old daughter had unexplainable bruising, and was having constant night terrors. Her parents, Mark and Alice, have spent a massive amount of money, taking little Melody to all the best specialists they could find, but to no avail. No one can explain what's happening to Melody, no one at all. After a particularly brutal attack on the girl, Mark hears of a paranormal investigator who might be able to help them where everyone else failed. Kana Cold is a rum-drinking, muscle car driving, foul mouthed cold bitch, but she's damn good at her job. With no where left to turn, the McNeil's put all their faith in Kana, can she crack the case?
This was an absolute delight to read. I'm a big fan of paranormal investigation books, especially when the protagonists seem to have a touch of the paranormal themselves. Something about mixing the mystery, the horror and the paranormal just really works for me. This one definitely did not disappoint (hence the 5 star rating). I breezed through this story in the matter of hours between finishing dinner and heading to bed. That's how good of a read it is.
The story is incredibly fast paced and actually opens up with Alice and Mark McNeil talking to a reporter of sorts about their story. So the body of the story itself, can technically be counted as a retelling, but it didn't feel like it at all. I actually totally forgot about this aspect of the story when I reached the epilogue, I almost closed the Kindle app until I realised that it was still going. I became fully immersed in this story because of the solid character's and the flow of the writing. Absolutely brilliantly executed.
Kana definitely comes across as a cold hard bitch, but it works for her. Yes it irked me at times when she took things so personally, but the reason why is explained, so I can cut her some slack. AJ is a great support character and I really enjoyed him in this. Alice just plain pissed me off. I knew why she was terrified, I knew why she was angry and afraid, but she still pissed me off with her actions.
Funnily enough, Kana is noted as being underage in this story, yet it doesn't feel like it. I feel that this is a big plus for the story itself.
This was a fantastic prequel to the Kana Cold series, and I cannot wait to dive in and find out more. It really sets up what is obviously going to be a continuing story line through out each of the individual instalments in the series itself, so I feel like it's really important to read this one before the rest of the series (I could be wrong, I haven't touched the series itself yet, but I can't wait to). I feel like this really gives us a good view on why certain things may be happening in the main body of the series itself.
This felt a lot like another series that I devoured and absolutely adored, the Peri Jean Mace ghost thriller series. To be honest, they're totally nothing alike, but the grittiness of the protagonist made it pop into my head while reading this. I actually adore when a main character has flaws, has serious issues and is not just all rainbows and lollipops. It's refreshing. And it comes across as a lot more believable. Generally if you're in this 'game' of paranormal investigations, there's a serious reason for it as it can consume someone's entire life. So it's nice to have that little bit of realism in a story.
I thoroughly enjoyed this, I flew through it in one sitting (yes, I know, it's not that long, but still...), and I cannot WAIT to get the rest of the series!! I just have to get through this ridiculous TBR pile first...
The McNeil family are having issues, big issues. It started around 12 months ago, their four year old daughter had unexplainable bruising, and was having constant night terrors. Her parents, Mark and Alice, have spent a massive amount of money, taking little Melody to all the best specialists they could find, but to no avail. No one can explain what's happening to Melody, no one at all. After a particularly brutal attack on the girl, Mark hears of a paranormal investigator who might be able to help them where everyone else failed. Kana Cold is a rum-drinking, muscle car driving, foul mouthed cold bitch, but she's damn good at her job. With no where left to turn, the McNeil's put all their faith in Kana, can she crack the case?
This was an absolute delight to read. I'm a big fan of paranormal investigation books, especially when the protagonists seem to have a touch of the paranormal themselves. Something about mixing the mystery, the horror and the paranormal just really works for me. This one definitely did not disappoint (hence the 5 star rating). I breezed through this story in the matter of hours between finishing dinner and heading to bed. That's how good of a read it is.
The story is incredibly fast paced and actually opens up with Alice and Mark McNeil talking to a reporter of sorts about their story. So the body of the story itself, can technically be counted as a retelling, but it didn't feel like it at all. I actually totally forgot about this aspect of the story when I reached the epilogue, I almost closed the Kindle app until I realised that it was still going. I became fully immersed in this story because of the solid character's and the flow of the writing. Absolutely brilliantly executed.
Kana definitely comes across as a cold hard bitch, but it works for her. Yes it irked me at times when she took things so personally, but the reason why is explained, so I can cut her some slack. AJ is a great support character and I really enjoyed him in this. Alice just plain pissed me off. I knew why she was terrified, I knew why she was angry and afraid, but she still pissed me off with her actions.
Funnily enough, Kana is noted as being underage in this story, yet it doesn't feel like it. I feel that this is a big plus for the story itself.
This was a fantastic prequel to the Kana Cold series, and I cannot wait to dive in and find out more. It really sets up what is obviously going to be a continuing story line through out each of the individual instalments in the series itself, so I feel like it's really important to read this one before the rest of the series (I could be wrong, I haven't touched the series itself yet, but I can't wait to). I feel like this really gives us a good view on why certain things may be happening in the main body of the series itself.
This felt a lot like another series that I devoured and absolutely adored, the Peri Jean Mace ghost thriller series. To be honest, they're totally nothing alike, but the grittiness of the protagonist made it pop into my head while reading this. I actually adore when a main character has flaws, has serious issues and is not just all rainbows and lollipops. It's refreshing. And it comes across as a lot more believable. Generally if you're in this 'game' of paranormal investigations, there's a serious reason for it as it can consume someone's entire life. So it's nice to have that little bit of realism in a story.
I thoroughly enjoyed this, I flew through it in one sitting (yes, I know, it's not that long, but still...), and I cannot WAIT to get the rest of the series!! I just have to get through this ridiculous TBR pile first...
May 13, 2021
A prequel novella to the Kana Cold urban fantasy series.
Mark and Alice McNeil have a terrible problem: no doctor or psychologist can find out what’s the matter with their little girl. She has bruises all over her little body and screams so much she’s hoarse. One night in front of Mark’s eyes something invisible seems to attack the girl. She falls and breaks her arm. Desperate, Mark decides to contact a supernatural investigator.
Kana Cold is just starting her work investigating the supernatural. But all the cases she’s had so far have been hoaxes or misunderstandings. So, when Mark tries to hire her, in a seedy biker bar, she’s skeptical and not really interested. But a bit reluctantly she agrees.
This is a mystery story with a little bit of horror elements.
Kana is young but already a hard drinking tough girl, and she really wants to get concrete proof of the existence of the supernatural. We find out a bit about her reasons later in the story. However, a lot of her background is still left unexplored, as is usual for a prequel. She’s half Japanese. She’s pretty distant and cold towards the clients. Her partner AJ is a gadget man and also usually handles the clients, because Kana is too blunt. AJ approaches the supernatural from a science angle and he uses a couple of tech devices he’s built himself.
This was a good introduction to the characters and the setting. The biggest problem I had was with the framing story. Mark is telling the story to a reporter but the main POV character is Kana, and she certainly didn’t share her emotions with him. So it felt a bit strange. Otherwise, this was a quick, enjoyable read.
Mark and Alice McNeil have a terrible problem: no doctor or psychologist can find out what’s the matter with their little girl. She has bruises all over her little body and screams so much she’s hoarse. One night in front of Mark’s eyes something invisible seems to attack the girl. She falls and breaks her arm. Desperate, Mark decides to contact a supernatural investigator.
Kana Cold is just starting her work investigating the supernatural. But all the cases she’s had so far have been hoaxes or misunderstandings. So, when Mark tries to hire her, in a seedy biker bar, she’s skeptical and not really interested. But a bit reluctantly she agrees.
This is a mystery story with a little bit of horror elements.
Kana is young but already a hard drinking tough girl, and she really wants to get concrete proof of the existence of the supernatural. We find out a bit about her reasons later in the story. However, a lot of her background is still left unexplored, as is usual for a prequel. She’s half Japanese. She’s pretty distant and cold towards the clients. Her partner AJ is a gadget man and also usually handles the clients, because Kana is too blunt. AJ approaches the supernatural from a science angle and he uses a couple of tech devices he’s built himself.
This was a good introduction to the characters and the setting. The biggest problem I had was with the framing story. Mark is telling the story to a reporter but the main POV character is Kana, and she certainly didn’t share her emotions with him. So it felt a bit strange. Otherwise, this was a quick, enjoyable read.
October 3, 2021
3.5 Stars
I enjoyed the story of two up-and-coming paranormal investigators. Great to have read about an Asian-American, bad-ass, lead female character Kana Cold. The story made me think of the movie, The Conjuring, which I love.
There are editing mistakes; the biggest one is a timeline issue at the beginning. The father, Mark McNeil, shares a horrifying story of his daughter, Melody McNeil, falling. My Kindle has location 82 of 1163, 2nd paragraph, where the McNeils meet a blogger a week after their daughter's fall. There, they are selling the story of their whole paranormal experience, including the investigators they hire to help. Then location 109 of 1163, you have Mark McNeil admitting it took eight days to track down said paranormal investigator Kana Cold. Mark shares the story of his daughter's fall to persuade Kana to accept his case. You'll find this at location 257 of 1163. The problem, the timeline does not add up. If it took eight days to find Kana, how can they sell the story a week later?
That horrifying story Mark tells at the start drew me in and had me quickly turning pages, even with the discrepancy. The world in which Kana and her best friend, slash business partner, AJ, work has piqued my interest. I'm excited to continue reading the series.
I enjoyed the story of two up-and-coming paranormal investigators. Great to have read about an Asian-American, bad-ass, lead female character Kana Cold. The story made me think of the movie, The Conjuring, which I love.
There are editing mistakes; the biggest one is a timeline issue at the beginning. The father, Mark McNeil, shares a horrifying story of his daughter, Melody McNeil, falling. My Kindle has location 82 of 1163, 2nd paragraph, where the McNeils meet a blogger a week after their daughter's fall. There, they are selling the story of their whole paranormal experience, including the investigators they hire to help. Then location 109 of 1163, you have Mark McNeil admitting it took eight days to track down said paranormal investigator Kana Cold. Mark shares the story of his daughter's fall to persuade Kana to accept his case. You'll find this at location 257 of 1163. The problem, the timeline does not add up. If it took eight days to find Kana, how can they sell the story a week later?
That horrifying story Mark tells at the start drew me in and had me quickly turning pages, even with the discrepancy. The world in which Kana and her best friend, slash business partner, AJ, work has piqued my interest. I'm excited to continue reading the series.
April 3, 2019
An interesting - but short - novella that pulls the reader in immediately. This is a good story full of vivid dramatisations and characterisations, and I love the fact that the main character is Asian.
Kana, must have had run-ins with demons as a youngster herself, in order to be able to help this family and their little girl. But just how far is Kana willing to go?
This is very much a teaser for the novel(s) to come, and I will carry on with this series as I enjoyed this story, except for one (very small) bit.
I chose this novella from a number of other books in a BookFunnel giveaway. I then voluntarily read and honestly reviewed it. All opinions are my own.
Kana, must have had run-ins with demons as a youngster herself, in order to be able to help this family and their little girl. But just how far is Kana willing to go?
This is very much a teaser for the novel(s) to come, and I will carry on with this series as I enjoyed this story, except for one (very small) bit.
I chose this novella from a number of other books in a BookFunnel giveaway. I then voluntarily read and honestly reviewed it. All opinions are my own.
February 14, 2019
Wow!!! Wonderfully written cant wait to read next installment!
April 3, 2019
This book reminds me a lot of a mix of butchers dresden mixed with several of the urban heroines out there but good enough to stand on her own merits....an excellent read and thank you kc for letting us read this prequel....you have a new fan😎
May 28, 2019
Great Story.
April 20, 2020
Wow, a powerful beginning to what promises to be an intense series. Thank heavens it is in Kindle Unlimited!
March 11, 2019
This is not a genre I usually enjoy (I'm a complete sook and get ongoing nightmares from horror stories so tend to avoid them) but I actually rather enjoyed Kana Cold: Case of the Shinigami. Hunter writes in a clear easy to read style with just enough fear factor to keep you on edge, but not so much that you are afraid to close your eyes at night.
December 20, 2019
I am trying to curb my TBR, and alternating between my spfbo, guilty pleasure and short book reads. At around 40,000 words, Case of the Shinigami is a bite sized story that can be read in less than 3 hours which delves into an upcoming demon hunter named Kana Cold.
One thing that makes this book stand out from others is that Kana is barely starting out and as a result she is barely making a name of herself in a difficult industry, she is stil stuck working the run-of-the-mill fake haunted house and big foot type cases from either the mentally deranged or bored con artists.
Kana is tired of these mediocre jobs, so when a desperate sububanite father with a posessed daughter visits a seedy biker bar for her help, she accepts the job and discovers this case is real, and she might not be truly prepared for it.
One thing that stroke me about this book is now similar Kana is to Alex Villlavasso's Sailor Ray, albeit at an earlier stage of her demon hunting profession. The problem with a rather popular series with so much similarities is that one starts to weigh on which book is better, and Sailor Ray wins on every account with better pacing, more interesting characters and an overall stronger story. Kana sort of lacks personality and seems more like a generic angsty teenager ready to punch a classroom bully. Moreover, while the preview is supposed to be a taste of the main plot, I felt like the worldbuilding was very lacking and just not enticing enough to want me to read the main story over so many better urban demon hunting fantasies out there.
Setting that aside, it was still an okay read that didn't make me utterly hate it either.
One thing that makes this book stand out from others is that Kana is barely starting out and as a result she is barely making a name of herself in a difficult industry, she is stil stuck working the run-of-the-mill fake haunted house and big foot type cases from either the mentally deranged or bored con artists.
Kana is tired of these mediocre jobs, so when a desperate sububanite father with a posessed daughter visits a seedy biker bar for her help, she accepts the job and discovers this case is real, and she might not be truly prepared for it.
One thing that stroke me about this book is now similar Kana is to Alex Villlavasso's Sailor Ray, albeit at an earlier stage of her demon hunting profession. The problem with a rather popular series with so much similarities is that one starts to weigh on which book is better, and Sailor Ray wins on every account with better pacing, more interesting characters and an overall stronger story. Kana sort of lacks personality and seems more like a generic angsty teenager ready to punch a classroom bully. Moreover, while the preview is supposed to be a taste of the main plot, I felt like the worldbuilding was very lacking and just not enticing enough to want me to read the main story over so many better urban demon hunting fantasies out there.
Setting that aside, it was still an okay read that didn't make me utterly hate it either.
May 1, 2019
There is potential here and enough for an interesting setup. 3.5 stars.
Kana a no-nonsense tough-girl is approached by a desperate family to help them get rid of an awful ghost that is after their daughter. Begrudgingly Kana and her partner gear-up and apply their skills to solve the case.
CotS hits all the major Urban Fantasy highlight while adding an interesting twist in the form of science-based Ghost-Hunters. The story is a prequel setup for the first novel of the series and does a good job of establishing both the characters and feel of the story. The more grounded approach to Urban Fantasy was refreshing, though the characters themselves (especially Kana herself) may be a bit too familiar for those who regularly read UF.
Overall I liked this short prequel 3.5 stars.
*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Kana a no-nonsense tough-girl is approached by a desperate family to help them get rid of an awful ghost that is after their daughter. Begrudgingly Kana and her partner gear-up and apply their skills to solve the case.
CotS hits all the major Urban Fantasy highlight while adding an interesting twist in the form of science-based Ghost-Hunters. The story is a prequel setup for the first novel of the series and does a good job of establishing both the characters and feel of the story. The more grounded approach to Urban Fantasy was refreshing, though the characters themselves (especially Kana herself) may be a bit too familiar for those who regularly read UF.
Overall I liked this short prequel 3.5 stars.
*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 24, 2019
This is a fun read! It reminded me of Supernatural. It is short, but very interesting and I couldn’t put it down. I liked Kana and I’m very interested to see how her future endeavours play out. The only thing that would make it better would be to elaborate on what exactly the Shinigami demon was. But it’s a prequel novella so it’s not surprising that it doesn’t have tons of detail on the backstory of the demon. I’ll definitely be reading more in this series!
October 17, 2019
I received this book as part of an ARC review. The story draws you in and you are finished before you even realize it. I'm looking forward to more in this series. A desperate dad searches out Kana when something is attacking his daughter and none of the conventional methods can help. Kana is tough and skeptical of him at first. She agrees to help but their investigations don't show much. Kana and AJ debate leaving but when they return to house, another attack is taking place. When the attacks accelerate while Kana is out after a sensory deprivation experiment, Kana returns to find AJ and the parents knocked out. She tries to help Melody but can't get near. Kana enters the sensory deprivation without backup and makes a deal with the shinigami to save Melody. Kana has a new burden which AJ wants to help her with. Unfortunately the parents sold the story to unknown persons and the results may lead to more problems for Kana and AJ of which they weren't warned about.
August 30, 2019
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Case of the Shinigami is a prequel novella to the Kana Cold series and it a great introduction to the characters. Though it is short it is a great setup for what will be a paranormal series. This book is about Kana and her partner AJ as they tackle a case where a small child is being terrorized by an unseen force.
Glimpses of Kana's personality and references to her past are few at first, but as the story goes on you start to learn some of the things that have shaped her and motivate her. She's not the most likable person, doesn't deal well with people and has a quick temper, but there are reasons that are slowly revealed.
I will definitely be picking up the first full book in the series as I feel like things that happened in this prequel will be playing a part in the series as a whole. This is creating a beginning to what looks to be an interesting and thrilling series full of adventure.
Case of the Shinigami is a prequel novella to the Kana Cold series and it a great introduction to the characters. Though it is short it is a great setup for what will be a paranormal series. This book is about Kana and her partner AJ as they tackle a case where a small child is being terrorized by an unseen force.
Glimpses of Kana's personality and references to her past are few at first, but as the story goes on you start to learn some of the things that have shaped her and motivate her. She's not the most likable person, doesn't deal well with people and has a quick temper, but there are reasons that are slowly revealed.
I will definitely be picking up the first full book in the series as I feel like things that happened in this prequel will be playing a part in the series as a whole. This is creating a beginning to what looks to be an interesting and thrilling series full of adventure.
February 17, 2019
I loved this story. Original story line that kept me reading it till the very end, in one day. The ending was surprising, I was not expecting that. Well worth reading.
June 2, 2020
Disclaimer : I received an advanced review copy via booksirens for free via their website, I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This was an interesting book about a paranormal investigator and her friend. The story follows Kana Cold's proper real case about a girl that is haunted and having nightmares. It is relatively a short read, to get you to know the characters and give you a taste of the series. It took me about an hour or so to read.
Good points :
- Short chapters, faced paced action gets you straight into the world of Kana Cold
- Non-standard characters - race of characters diverse
- Concept is relatively simple, Kana hunts down ghosts with her friend AJ. Nice easy read for the evening
- Each character has a distinct personality that makes you either love or hate them. Kana's character has a 'resting bitch face' but she is good at getting the job done. As Kana and her friend are teenagers, they act like teenagers ( a bit of tempers) rather than adults which is good because its a story about teenagers.
- Easy to read, language is quite simple, good for if you want something relaxing to read
- Atmosphere is set right away - you already immerse yourself in the world within a few pages.
I would have liked :
- Well Alice and her husband were annoying characters fact. How Kana tackled the conflict with them was not so great, it felt like the conflict was there to prolongue this short story. While this is only one case, I hope that Kana will develop as a character in the next series of books.
Overall rating : 4 out of 5 - It was hard rating this because I did like it. The characters made me feel strong emotions ( I hated Alice and I think I was supposed too), I wanted to get to know Kana's backstory e.c.t but I think it is a 4 because there was not enough material in the story for me to connect with Kana fully. I will however, be looking out for the first official book ( I think this is a prequal) .
Overall, a nice, light read.
Disclaimer : I received an advanced review copy via booksirens for free via their website, I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This was an interesting book about a paranormal investigator and her friend. The story follows Kana Cold's proper real case about a girl that is haunted and having nightmares. It is relatively a short read, to get you to know the characters and give you a taste of the series. It took me about an hour or so to read.
Good points :
- Short chapters, faced paced action gets you straight into the world of Kana Cold
- Non-standard characters - race of characters diverse
- Concept is relatively simple, Kana hunts down ghosts with her friend AJ. Nice easy read for the evening
- Each character has a distinct personality that makes you either love or hate them. Kana's character has a 'resting bitch face' but she is good at getting the job done. As Kana and her friend are teenagers, they act like teenagers ( a bit of tempers) rather than adults which is good because its a story about teenagers.
- Easy to read, language is quite simple, good for if you want something relaxing to read
- Atmosphere is set right away - you already immerse yourself in the world within a few pages.
I would have liked :
- Well Alice and her husband were annoying characters fact. How Kana tackled the conflict with them was not so great, it felt like the conflict was there to prolongue this short story. While this is only one case, I hope that Kana will develop as a character in the next series of books.
Overall rating : 4 out of 5 - It was hard rating this because I did like it. The characters made me feel strong emotions ( I hated Alice and I think I was supposed too), I wanted to get to know Kana's backstory e.c.t but I think it is a 4 because there was not enough material in the story for me to connect with Kana fully. I will however, be looking out for the first official book ( I think this is a prequal) .
Overall, a nice, light read.
Disclaimer : I received an advanced review copy via booksirens for free via their website, I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 1, 2020
*Thank you to BookSirens for allowing me to read this book in exchange for a honest and unbiased review*
Hello Fellow Readers,
So this is the first book I've read in the Kana Cold series, which I really wanted to like, but now I realize that instead of starting with this book I probably should have started with the first book then came back and read this one. You must be wondering why, well since this is a such a short books (148 pages) you don't really get enough information to really get to know the characters.
As far as Kana goes, Hunter makes it obvious from the beginning that Kana had gone through some trauma but unfortunately we don't get too much information about this. Due to this, Kana seems cold and uninteresting. As far as the other characters went, I really liked AJ he seemed to be the only one who really seemed likable and fleshed out despite Kana being the main character.
There was one instance that made me upset and it was the confrontation between the child's mother and Kana, which never have a resolution or even a conversation, which that combined with the ending made the mother look ungrateful. The case was intriguing and interesting, so much so that I really wished it was longer and we got to see more of the investigation, given that it was good the resolution seemed rushed and anti-climatic.
Overall, it really needed more, but it did get me interested in the series to see how a longer story would be written.
Hello Fellow Readers,
So this is the first book I've read in the Kana Cold series, which I really wanted to like, but now I realize that instead of starting with this book I probably should have started with the first book then came back and read this one. You must be wondering why, well since this is a such a short books (148 pages) you don't really get enough information to really get to know the characters.
As far as Kana goes, Hunter makes it obvious from the beginning that Kana had gone through some trauma but unfortunately we don't get too much information about this. Due to this, Kana seems cold and uninteresting. As far as the other characters went, I really liked AJ he seemed to be the only one who really seemed likable and fleshed out despite Kana being the main character.
There was one instance that made me upset and it was the confrontation between the child's mother and Kana, which never have a resolution or even a conversation, which that combined with the ending made the mother look ungrateful. The case was intriguing and interesting, so much so that I really wished it was longer and we got to see more of the investigation, given that it was good the resolution seemed rushed and anti-climatic.
Overall, it really needed more, but it did get me interested in the series to see how a longer story would be written.
May 3, 2019
3.5 stars, actually.
Short story prequels are tricky. Authors can't give too much away...but they also have to weave an interesting story. Kana Cold is an interesting story, but for my personal taste, did not give me enough of a sense of Kana herself to make me want to read further.
The main POV of this story seems to be the father of a child who is being haunted. He tracks Kana Cold down in a biker bar where he witnesses the young adult face off against a belligerent biker. That was really interesting, and I expected to see more of her fighting skills or find out a little bit about why she has them, but......not so much.
We do get some of her and guy Friday AJ the paranormal scientist POV as well as they take on the case of the haunted girl. For my own taste, the emotional reactions of kana and the belligerent mother were just a bit....off. The mother was portrayed as crazy. Kana felt inconsistent to me and not enough of her back story was presented to explain why she'd be so dedicated and insistent she wants to help....and then leave midway.
I was excited to see Japanese-sounding name "Kana" along with a Japanese inspired spirit "shinigami" but didn't get a deeper cultural sense of what a shinigami was. It didn't push my Asian myth buttons.
Not my personal taste in character development and emotional impact, but your mileage may vary.
Short story prequels are tricky. Authors can't give too much away...but they also have to weave an interesting story. Kana Cold is an interesting story, but for my personal taste, did not give me enough of a sense of Kana herself to make me want to read further.
The main POV of this story seems to be the father of a child who is being haunted. He tracks Kana Cold down in a biker bar where he witnesses the young adult face off against a belligerent biker. That was really interesting, and I expected to see more of her fighting skills or find out a little bit about why she has them, but......not so much.
We do get some of her and guy Friday AJ the paranormal scientist POV as well as they take on the case of the haunted girl. For my own taste, the emotional reactions of kana and the belligerent mother were just a bit....off. The mother was portrayed as crazy. Kana felt inconsistent to me and not enough of her back story was presented to explain why she'd be so dedicated and insistent she wants to help....and then leave midway.
I was excited to see Japanese-sounding name "Kana" along with a Japanese inspired spirit "shinigami" but didn't get a deeper cultural sense of what a shinigami was. It didn't push my Asian myth buttons.
Not my personal taste in character development and emotional impact, but your mileage may vary.
June 8, 2019
Kana Cold: Case of the Shinigami: A Paranormal Thriller Short Story Paperback – January 1, 2019
by KC Hunter (Author)
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
It is a rare thing for an Urban Fantasy to focus on Asian paranormal legends and mythologies. Ms Hunter does a good job introducing us to the world of Kana Cold and the Shinigami. As people who haven't watched/read Death Note, a Shinigami is a Japanese Death God.
Kana Cold is called into to investigate the terrors and possible possession of a little girl. She discovers that it is more than just your avergae possession and more than a poltergeist. She has to make a decision that will change her life. She also reflects a little big on her own past.
The story is told in varying omniscient third person between Kana and the father of the little girl. The solution to the mystery does at times seem to be telegraphed with Kana's own story. Kana and AJ are supposed to be teenagers yet seem to act like they are in the mid-twenties, yet we are not given a clear idea of why. The mother is a bit stereotypical.
Overall, it is enough to make me want to read the next book for the mythologies explored.
4 stars out of 5.
https://www.amazon.com/Kana-Cold-Shin...
by KC Hunter (Author)
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
It is a rare thing for an Urban Fantasy to focus on Asian paranormal legends and mythologies. Ms Hunter does a good job introducing us to the world of Kana Cold and the Shinigami. As people who haven't watched/read Death Note, a Shinigami is a Japanese Death God.
Kana Cold is called into to investigate the terrors and possible possession of a little girl. She discovers that it is more than just your avergae possession and more than a poltergeist. She has to make a decision that will change her life. She also reflects a little big on her own past.
The story is told in varying omniscient third person between Kana and the father of the little girl. The solution to the mystery does at times seem to be telegraphed with Kana's own story. Kana and AJ are supposed to be teenagers yet seem to act like they are in the mid-twenties, yet we are not given a clear idea of why. The mother is a bit stereotypical.
Overall, it is enough to make me want to read the next book for the mythologies explored.
4 stars out of 5.
https://www.amazon.com/Kana-Cold-Shin...
April 17, 2019
This is the prequel story of the Kana Cold series. A young girl has become ill with bruises and other injuries appearing overnight in a series of alarming attack’s. Her parents are at their wits end and call in Kana Cold.
Although this short story is not my usual fare (I don’t usually read haunting/possession stories, especially involving children), it is well written and grabs the interest. I only noticed one typo - people were drinking bear rather than beer - but this could be a drink I’ve never heard of.
Although this short story is obviously a prequel to a series of books, it does not have a cliffhanger ending. It sets up several very interesting plot points for the future series, that almost have me buying them, even though this is not my cup of tea in terms of content. If you are into well written books, containing hauntings with excellent, interesting and exciting storylines, then this is definitely the series for you.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Although this short story is not my usual fare (I don’t usually read haunting/possession stories, especially involving children), it is well written and grabs the interest. I only noticed one typo - people were drinking bear rather than beer - but this could be a drink I’ve never heard of.
Although this short story is obviously a prequel to a series of books, it does not have a cliffhanger ending. It sets up several very interesting plot points for the future series, that almost have me buying them, even though this is not my cup of tea in terms of content. If you are into well written books, containing hauntings with excellent, interesting and exciting storylines, then this is definitely the series for you.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 15, 2020
(FYI I tend to only review one book per series, unless I completely change my mind on a series, so want to change my scoring down a lot)
How I rate Stars: 5* = I loved (must read all I can find by the author)
4* = I really enjoyed (got to read all the series and try other books by the author).
3* = I enjoyed (I will continue to read the series)
or
3* = Good book just not my thing (I realised I don't like the genre or picked up a kids book to review in error.)
All of the above scores means I would recommend them!
-
2* = it was okay (I might give the next book in the series a try, to see if that was better IMHO.)
1* = Disliked
Note: adding these basic 'reviews' after finding out that some people see 3* differently than I do - hoping this clarifies how I feel about the book. :-)
------------
First time read the author's work?: Yes
Will you be reading more?: Yes
Would you recommend?: Yes
How I rate Stars: 5* = I loved (must read all I can find by the author)
4* = I really enjoyed (got to read all the series and try other books by the author).
3* = I enjoyed (I will continue to read the series)
or
3* = Good book just not my thing (I realised I don't like the genre or picked up a kids book to review in error.)
All of the above scores means I would recommend them!
-
2* = it was okay (I might give the next book in the series a try, to see if that was better IMHO.)
1* = Disliked
Note: adding these basic 'reviews' after finding out that some people see 3* differently than I do - hoping this clarifies how I feel about the book. :-)
------------
First time read the author's work?: Yes
Will you be reading more?: Yes
Would you recommend?: Yes
April 9, 2020
I don't normally read paranormal stories, but this one sounded intriguing, so I thought I'd give it a go. A little girl has been waking up in the middle of the night, screaming, and her body shows bruising, so her father tracks down Kana and AJ, in the hope that their background with paranormal activity can help uncover what is really going on. It was an interesting story, touching on various types of ghosts, demons, and other ethereal beings. It could have used a bit more back story in several places and more questions were left unanswered than were answered. I think it could be an interesting series, but unfortunately, I was never really able to connect with any of the characters.
I received a free ARC from BookSirens and have reviewed it willingly.
I received a free ARC from BookSirens and have reviewed it willingly.
May 25, 2020
Amazing. It captured my attention with first pages and hold it until the end. It is novella so I gulped it down in two hours unable to stop myself.
I was a little afraid to read it at first because the paranormal activity is something I am not really comfortable with. But I was surprised and thrilled, the story was really amazing, showing us little of the Kana, main heroine past.
Be ready with action, suspense, and mystery.
Sometimes it reminded me of the Constantine, a movie with Keanu Reeves, which I really liked.
I enjoyed every minute reading and want to know more. I can not wait to read other books in the series.
Note: I received a free copy (from https://booksirens.com/) in exchange for an honest review.
I was a little afraid to read it at first because the paranormal activity is something I am not really comfortable with. But I was surprised and thrilled, the story was really amazing, showing us little of the Kana, main heroine past.
Be ready with action, suspense, and mystery.
Sometimes it reminded me of the Constantine, a movie with Keanu Reeves, which I really liked.
I enjoyed every minute reading and want to know more. I can not wait to read other books in the series.
Note: I received a free copy (from https://booksirens.com/) in exchange for an honest review.
May 11, 2019
I thought the story was a bit slow at first, but it soon picked up pace. There are lots of twists and turns to the story that held m interest. The story is told from a few of the characters points of view. This is a fairly short book that is meant to introduce the main characters in the series and set the background as to who they are and what they do. This book does a good job of doing just that and includes the paranormal investigators dealing with a nasty demon.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 29, 2019
This is definitely not a Christian novel and the author is not a Christian as far as I can determine. The theology is not adherence to Biblical values or doctrine.
But I was curious when offered as a freebie and it was an enjoyable read. I will read the next in the series.
I would not be surprised if the depiction of the demons was close to what they are like.
I give it 4/5 based on solely on the enjoyment value, novel structure and writing skill of the author and not on any Christian/Biblical standard as there is not any and it would be unfair an inappropriate to do so.
But I was curious when offered as a freebie and it was an enjoyable read. I will read the next in the series.
I would not be surprised if the depiction of the demons was close to what they are like.
I give it 4/5 based on solely on the enjoyment value, novel structure and writing skill of the author and not on any Christian/Biblical standard as there is not any and it would be unfair an inappropriate to do so.
April 2, 2022
A couple find themselves trapped in an Exorcist remake so they turn to Kana Cold, a young paranormal investigator. For the first time inher career she has a clear, unambiguous encounter with the supernatural, but can she save the couple's girl from a shinigami (Japanese spirit)?
This was a prequel to Kana's series so I imagine it would have more punch if I were familiar with that (such is the nature of prequels).It's an enjoyable short story of the genre with the plus of having a Japanese-American protagonist.
This was a prequel to Kana's series so I imagine it would have more punch if I were familiar with that (such is the nature of prequels).It's an enjoyable short story of the genre with the plus of having a Japanese-American protagonist.
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