Part-Time Monster Hunter

Kat Drummond #1

by Nicholas Woode-Smith

There’s a ghost inside in my head…

And I need to slay three monsters by lunchtime.

What could go wrong?

Well, there’s a new monster in Hope City every day, I’m competing with countless other hunters and I’m trying to track down the man who killed my parents. On top of all that, I’ve got rent to pay, a cat to feed, and I’m pretty sure the local grocery store is haunted.

This is a crazy world we live in. Monsters roam the streets, vampires run nightclubs, necromancers sacrifice little girls. Somebody has to do something about it.

My name is Kat Drummond, and I’m a Part-Time Monster Hunter.

Part-Time Monster Hunter is the first book in the Kat Drummond Series, a thrilling urban fantasy for fans of strong female protagonists, monster hunting, snark and edge-of-your-seat action.

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Paranormal, Zombies, Magic, Ghosts, Audiobook

303 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 25, 2019

About the author

Nicholas Woode-Smith is a fantasy and science fiction author from Cape Town, South Africa. He has been writing since the age of twelve, writing short stories, novels, and RPG campaigns. In 2013, he published his first book, Fall of Zona Nox. Five years later, he published it again after greatly improving his skills.

Since then, he’s written dozens of books in the urban fantasy and sci-fi genre. Notably, the best-selling urban fantasy series, Kat Drummond.

Nicholas has a degree majoring in economic history and philosophy, and minors in political science, international relations, and English literature from the University of Cape Town. He has been involved in politics, civic activism, and political analysis since 2014.

Reviews

[Denisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Yay, so much potential with this one!


Ok, so I don't really like that the MC is a teen. What I usually get in these types of books is something like 'oh, I am awesome, I am powerful, I am the best, and I'm 17!'. I mean, all 17-year-olds feel this, right? And when you see that the whole world in that series shows that yes, a 17-year-old is the best of the best, it raises some questions (and A LOT of annoyance).

So, I'm always really happy when I don't get this type of YA. And I'm always surprised (doesn't happen very often).

What I see here is a normal teen in an unusual situation who is trying to do the best she can.

Yay, fun series! Great work, author! I really appreciate a good start to a YA series.

[Nicholas Woode-Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ignore this review. I'm biased.

[Meenaz Lodhi · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Do not lust after reward, a hero acts for valour alone.”
A fascinating and original urban fantasy story, with a unique plot! The world building is fabulous, with a dystopian concept, unimaginable and utterly terrifying! It develops what is South Africa now, where the fight against all kinds of monstrosities and terrible beings takes place with Kat, the main protagonist. With the strength that vengeance and revenge gives her, and help from a strange being, Kat takes upon herself the task to eliminate the threats, she is resilient, strong, but also sensitive and emotional. I’m totally hooked to this series! Captivated from the beginning, I read it in one seat! Woode-Smith has demonstrated fabulously his dominion of multiple genres. Looking forward to reading more about this series!
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and my review is entirely voluntary.

[Mlpmom (Book Reviewer)]

I really really wanted to like this story and I tried my best to get into it but after 25% in, I just couldn't anymore. I do think it has promise and it seems very original, I just for whatever reason, can not get interested in it. Maybe I will try again in the future.

[Kathy Brenzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kat Drummond wants to finish her course at uni, but doesn't have the money. Her income is from disposing of monsters who are causing problems - like eating people's pets. She sometimes get paid for small jobs in her neighborhood, but she needs more, so she works for an agency. What no-one knows is that she has been joined with the ghost of a long dead knight, who helps her when she needs it. She discovers that someone is creating and stockpiling zombie type creatures with great strength with unknown intentions. She means to stop them.

[Chelsea Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book so much! Such a great storyline and captivating characters! Never a dull moment with Kat! Highly recommend to anyone looking for a kick@$$ book about a bad@$$ chic kicking the sh!t out of some monsters while trying to keep a normal life! So so so good a book!

[Lexy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought that this book was good

[Thom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Looking for good, clean fun? Earn extra money battling Monsters. OK, maybe it’s not so clean!

Fighting Monsters is REALLY Messy Work. And exhausting. Many students would prefer something simple, clean and easy. Something you could almost do in your sleep. But Kat Drummond is not your usual student. Watching your parents die can do that to you.

Nicholas Woode-Smith has crafted an enchanting, if somewhat disturbing tale of Zombies, Vampires and other Undead who need to be dispatched. And who better than an eager young student looking to settle a score. No midnight gaming for this gal. Unless you consider wholesale slaughter of dark inhuman beasts and those who create them a game.

I always loved school but Kat takes it to a whole new level. She gets first-hand experience eliminating the very subject of her studies. Hands-on easily beats book-work at the best of times. And it seems there is always someone around who is eager and willing to help you get that real-life (or is that: real-undead) experience. Messy but oh, so satisfying. And it even helps pay the bills. Just don’t get killed. That takes all the fun out of it.

I could not put this book down. Well written. Lots of action. Thought-provoking. Spell-binding. Now where can I buy some swords? And register for the next semester…

[Suzee Haney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before I begin, Mr. Woode-Smith, I attempted to send you an email via my phone, who is quite cranky most of the time.
I loved this tale of a young warrior fighting 'ba' creatures. I really liked the practical twist to the storyline. You did a great job n! Thank you again for this tale. I hope I see the rest of the series.Thank you, again.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

love this one. she's got a lot going on. can't add much to synopsis, just thought it was perfect, beautiful

[Jeanny · Rating 1 out of 5]

The h is TSTL dnf 50%

[Mary T · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grabs your attention and keeps it.

Kat is a student at university. She hunts undead creatures to pay for her rent, food and tuition. She is friends with Trudie and Pranish, Duer, a pixie, Alex the cat and Treth a ghost. Her life is anything but boring.

[C.C. Sommerly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn’t put it down

I loved this book. It kept me interested from over 1. Amazing story and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.

[Scarolet Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part-Time Monster Hunter (Kat Drummond Book 1) by Nicholas Woode-Smith is an amazing story to read. This is book number one in this amazing series I started reading and love. I highly recommend this story to everyone who loves reading about vampires and urban fantasies.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book

[Charles Donahue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pleasntly surprised!

So, like the subject says I was pleasntly surprised. Why you might ask, well let me enlighten you.😁 The book has a strong driven heroine who has her own dark begining. Driven by a past she can't shake, a cadre of friend who care for and support her, and a villain that is truly worthy of a tormented hero. The twist and turns as you walk with her while she managers her life, college, and a burgeoning monster hunting career grabs and holds you. Without giving away spoilers, I will say generally if I revie a book that is a series and it hasn't already been over reviewed or made me go "erhmagerd!" at the end, I usually wait till the last book and review all of them. This one however is amazing, compelling, well edited (that's very important) and well worth reading twice (I know, I did). Now on to the next book!

[Sam Hearn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. The author has a writing-style I really enjoy. The story plays off in an alternate reality, modern Cape Town renamed Hope City. So far (I am on Book 3 now) the world seems well thought-out, and the characters are interesting. If you enjoy urban fantasy, you will enjoy this. Good pace, enough action, and very little (if any) irrelevant info and drama.

[Melanie Ricchetti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very likeableMC. Smart and capable without being arrogant. She is someone who you could imagine being comfortable spending time with.

[Maliha Tabassum Arna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I should've liked it more. But I don't know why I didn't liked it that much....
Have to finish the next books in this series.

[Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome action/adventure series

Awesome protagonist that gave Buffy the vampire slayer vibes without as much of the cheesyness that was in Buffy. Really enjoyed the world and the action scenes were really well described. This would be such a good show.
Doesn't have romance but does have interesting characters and friendships. Pranish was my fav and hope he does more in the future.

[DENICE · Rating 4 out of 5]

IS REVENGE WHAT WE REALLY DO THINGS FOR OR IS IT LOVE?

A post-apocalyptic story of a young woman trying to be a student, but also being a part-time monster hunter to get the revenge and satisfaction for her parents’ murders. Kat Drummond is paired soulfully to a medieval knight from another world. She can’t see Treth, but she can hear him and feel his feelings. Together, she discovers some of the things that her destiny has in store for her that he can’t or won’t tell her. She must experience it to see what he means. Her ultimate fate is to take a human life in order to save others. Once upon that trail, she needs to know if she can continue in the manner in which she has now started. This book leads to a semi cliff-hanger for you to decide if you want to continue with the stories or not.

I received this ARC for free and am giving my honest and voluntary review.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part-Time Monster Hunter is Book 1 in the Kat Drummond series. The story line is unique in that we have Kat Drummond, a poor college student, who has the ghost of a dead knight in her head who helps her when needed in her part-time job of monster hunting which she needs to help make ends meet. There is so much to love about this superbly written urban fantasy with a kick butt female main character. This is a medium paced, action filled, page turning adventure with lot of monsters, some humor, magic and someone creating zombies for who knows what purpose. This is an awesome start to this series an one I'm anxiously looking forward to Book 2 to see what adventure Nicholas Woode-Smith has in store for Kat. I highly recommend this book. Received an ARC and this is my voluntary and honest review.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kat Drummond is a very busy person. When she is not trying to pass her university courses, make friends, find the man who killed her parents, and earn money to pay rent and feed the cat, she uses her spare time to hunt monsters. In this world now, monsters freely roam the streets, vampires run successful nightclubs, and necromancers sacrifice little girls. Since someone needs to do something about the situation, Kat has stepped forward to fill the role.

This was a surprisingly fun book with appropriate world-building for the quirky hunter’s new activity. It was well-paced with lots of amazing characters to get used to! Lots of action and laughable moments keep the reader eagerly moving forward to see what’s going to happen next! This is the start of something new – grab a copy and see if you can survive the fun!

[Genelle Themann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Monsters don't care if you need to sleep. It's not unusual for a college kid to pick up a part-time job to make ends meet. However, when that job involves hunting zombies, ghouls, guls, wights and other such monsters, it takes quite the toll on one's college life, friends, and sleep. Kat Drummond is having a tough time making it on her own because the small bounties on her solitary kills barely pay the bills. So, when approached by an "agent" who offers her the opportunity for much bigger and better paying kills, Kat decides to go for it, and she begins to reap the larger paydays. Things seem better, but are they really. Maybe she has bitten off more than she can handle, both physically and emotionally.

I received an ARC of this book from the author. I am reviewing the book because I absolutely enjoyed the read and can't wait for the next installment of the series.

[Sarah Metcalf · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love UF and am not usually into the zombie thing, but I really liked this book! They’re not your typical zombies, these are controlled by necromancers. Kat is an unlikely college student hero with an invisible ghost companion only she can see and hear. She manages to get a monster hunting agent and a live in pixie as well! Which leads her to a deranged necromancer who eventually comes after her. There is tons of action and lots of monster guts. And it’s almost like you’re really there with the descriptions, for better or worse depending on if it’s a monster scene or not! This series quickly became of my favorites and I’ve now read this twice as well as listened to 2 different versions of the audio book.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

A female monster Hunter with a ghost in her head. Sounds weird but it is one of the better books I have read this year. Kat is a gritty woman hell bent on stopping monsters the only way she know how, killing them. A portal opens in our world and magic starts bleeding through, people find they can use magic but magical creatures also come through. Dragons, ogres, fairies, you name it and it's now loose in the world. But not all magic is good, necromancy starts to become a problem and Kat specializes in the undead. Great character building, enough background to bring you up to speed, and keeps you engaged every step of the way.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new series. Kat Drummond has a lot on her plate in this dystopian world where a rift has opened letting in monsters. She’s got classes to pass, food and rent to manage and a cat to feed. She manages all this as a part-time monster hunter.

Great world building and a snarky main character who doesn’t hide from life. The pace is fast and furious. You won’t want to put the book down. She is not down and dark and horrible but a matter of fact person doing the best she can, learning from her mistakes and moving forward. I’m looking forward to more of this world. Thoroughly enjoyable read. (I voluntarily reviewed an ARC).

[Dinees Ponton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kat Drummond and Treth make an amazing team.
I really enjoyed this book. Kat is a very motivated young lady. She and Treth are learning about each other and about working together as a team. Treth is the ghost in Kat's head. He is enjoying some of her college classes and he can even help her out when she falls asleep due to working overnight. They are dynamic. The book has a lot of adventure. And it is interesting. I didn't want to put the book down. I look forward to seeing what happens next.

[Shawnta · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing book. It has a great storyline and characters. I love strong female characters and the author really delivered with Kat. She is a true kick*ss heroine with some serious skills thanks to the assistance of Treth, her spirit sidekick, she is at the top of the game. This interesting tale is full of action, adventure, danger and suspense that will keep you hooked from beginning to end. A truly enjoyable read with an ending that will have you wanting more. I look forward to reading the next installment.

[Alina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part-Time Monster Hunter is a fun exordium into the world of Kat Drummond. This book introduces you to our main heroine and the monster's she hunts.
I enjoyed the humor and the world build. The pacing was steady, yet quick and I don't believe there were any portions in reading this book in which were slow or dragged on.
Filled with action and monsters, Part-Time Monster Hunter is a great read and a fun start to a new series.

[Billie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an absolute action packed read this was.
You have a bit of it all in here when it comes to the monsters; and heroine that can take it all on.
Fantastic urban fantasy. Amazing plot and storyline that is so engaging.
Phenomenal characters that have been fleshed out well
Can't wait to read more!!!!
Highly recommended.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this; it in no way reflects on my objectivity of the novel