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Kate Kane, Paranormal Investigator #2
Shadows & Dreams
I like my women like I like my whiskey: liable to kill me.
The two parts of being a paranormal private investigator I could really do without are being forced to eat bananas by an animated statue with a potassium fixation, and being put on trial for murder by a self-appointed council of vampire oligarchs.
To be fair, I did kind of do it (the murder, not the bananas). But I was kind of saving my girlfriend, who is kind of one of them.
On top of this, I've also wound up with a primordial queen of the damned trying to strangle me in my dreams. And the conspiracy of undead wizards who tried to sacrifice me 15 years ago has decided that now is the best possible time to give it another go.
Throw in the woman who left me for a tech start-up, the old girlfriend who I might sort of owe eternal mystical fealty to and a werewolf "it girl" who can't decide if she wants to eat me in the good way or the bad way, and I'm beginning to think life would be easier if I made better choices. Then again, it'd be a whole lot less fun.
The two parts of being a paranormal private investigator I could really do without are being forced to eat bananas by an animated statue with a potassium fixation, and being put on trial for murder by a self-appointed council of vampire oligarchs.
To be fair, I did kind of do it (the murder, not the bananas). But I was kind of saving my girlfriend, who is kind of one of them.
On top of this, I've also wound up with a primordial queen of the damned trying to strangle me in my dreams. And the conspiracy of undead wizards who tried to sacrifice me 15 years ago has decided that now is the best possible time to give it another go.
Throw in the woman who left me for a tech start-up, the old girlfriend who I might sort of owe eternal mystical fealty to and a werewolf "it girl" who can't decide if she wants to eat me in the good way or the bad way, and I'm beginning to think life would be easier if I made better choices. Then again, it'd be a whole lot less fun.
10 pages, Audible Audio
First published June 14, 2014
70 people are currently reading
1101 people want to read
About the author
Alexis Hall
59 books15k followersOne of those intricate British queers.
Please note: I don’t read / reply to DMs. If you would like to get in touch, the best way is via email which you can find in the contact section on my website <3
Please note: I don’t read / reply to DMs. If you would like to get in touch, the best way is via email which you can find in the contact section on my website <3
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 189 reviews
December 1, 2019
4.50 Stars. I just love this series. This is book two in the Kate Kane, Paranormal Investigator series. Those of you who read my reviews will notice I don’t do rereads often, there are just so many book so little time. This book I have actually read 3 times so I think that shows just how much I love this series. Paranormal/urban fantasy lesfic books are my absolutely favorite genre to read and this series fits what I love perfectly. The reason I am reading this series again now is that it is being re-released. Carina Press picked this up and this new version has the new cover that does NOT include Kate in her hat. Alexis Hall revised the story, keeping most things the same but fixing up the writing a bit. And what I am most excited about is that after waiting almost 6 years, a book three is coming out February 2020. Talk about going right on the list of my most anticipated 2020 reads. I did not think Hall would ever write another Kate Kane book and I could not be happier.
If you are new to this series I highly recommend reading book one Iron & Velvet first. The same cast of characters are entwined in both books and there are some threads that stay open. I think you could figure out enough to understand this book if you started right here, but I don’t think your enjoyment would be as high.
These books star Kate Kane who is a private investigator working in England. Kate mostly deals in matters of the paranormal. While Kate is technically human, her mother is Queen of the Wild hunt in Fairy so Kate can at times tap into her powers. The problem is if she invites her mother in too often her mother would love to take over her mortal body and that would be the end of Kate. Kate is a strong and sarcastic woman who has a weakness for badass women. Her ex is the Witch Queen of London, an alpha werewolf is currently trying to get in her pants, and a Vampire Prince is her new girlfriend. If her social life wasn’t complicated enough she now has to figure out who is turning a bunch of humans into vampires to make an army, that is if Kate can stay alive long enough to find out.
This series is really entertaining with plenty of excitement. It also has a sarcastic humor that keeps the book from being too dark. These books were originally written in 2013 and 14 so it’s pretty funny the way Hall pokes fun of the Twilight books. I also really like the chemistry between Kate and her vampire girlfriend. It’s a little more sex than an actually romance, but the longer they are together the more real feelings are starting to emerge.
If you are a paranormal or urban fantasy fan I think you will enjoy this series. It’s sarcastic, fun, and just pure entertainment. While there are a few loose ends open, these books do NOT end on cliffhangers so you can start this series now with no problems. I’m going to be counting down the days until Feb when I can read the book three that I have been waiting over half a decade for. I can’t wait!
An ARC was given to me for a honest review.
If you are new to this series I highly recommend reading book one Iron & Velvet first. The same cast of characters are entwined in both books and there are some threads that stay open. I think you could figure out enough to understand this book if you started right here, but I don’t think your enjoyment would be as high.
These books star Kate Kane who is a private investigator working in England. Kate mostly deals in matters of the paranormal. While Kate is technically human, her mother is Queen of the Wild hunt in Fairy so Kate can at times tap into her powers. The problem is if she invites her mother in too often her mother would love to take over her mortal body and that would be the end of Kate. Kate is a strong and sarcastic woman who has a weakness for badass women. Her ex is the Witch Queen of London, an alpha werewolf is currently trying to get in her pants, and a Vampire Prince is her new girlfriend. If her social life wasn’t complicated enough she now has to figure out who is turning a bunch of humans into vampires to make an army, that is if Kate can stay alive long enough to find out.
This series is really entertaining with plenty of excitement. It also has a sarcastic humor that keeps the book from being too dark. These books were originally written in 2013 and 14 so it’s pretty funny the way Hall pokes fun of the Twilight books. I also really like the chemistry between Kate and her vampire girlfriend. It’s a little more sex than an actually romance, but the longer they are together the more real feelings are starting to emerge.
If you are a paranormal or urban fantasy fan I think you will enjoy this series. It’s sarcastic, fun, and just pure entertainment. While there are a few loose ends open, these books do NOT end on cliffhangers so you can start this series now with no problems. I’m going to be counting down the days until Feb when I can read the book three that I have been waiting over half a decade for. I can’t wait!
An ARC was given to me for a honest review.
June 30, 2014
my spirit was lifeless, and then alexis hall gave me liiiiiiiife.
*makes expansive i-totally-haz-life-now-u-gaiz gesture*
what a ride.
again.
i'm in love with a lesbian alcoholic and a marble automaton with excellent deep-oral skills and inexhaustible stamina.
also the witchy earth-mother type in the comfy jeans.
also the vampire prince with the velvet and the epaulets and the big hats.
also the OMFG I HAVE TO GO READ IT AGAIN BRB
*makes expansive i-totally-haz-life-now-u-gaiz gesture*
what a ride.
again.
i'm in love with a lesbian alcoholic and a marble automaton with excellent deep-oral skills and inexhaustible stamina.
also the witchy earth-mother type in the comfy jeans.
also the vampire prince with the velvet and the epaulets and the big hats.
also the OMFG I HAVE TO GO READ IT AGAIN BRB
June 16, 2014
I loved the first one in this series, Iron & Velvet, and I loved this. The voice is hilarious, the adventure/mystery is twisty and exciting, the supporting cast are amusing and engaging, the sexytimes are hot and I love the range of fantasy characters and UF tropes that the author plays with. I laugh out loud at this author's work more than I do at almost anyone else. A terrific series. Love it. Also, what a fabulous cover.
April 2, 2020
She's back! Snarkier, sexier and always in trouble.
The plot. Kate. Fucking. Kane. If you thought she couldn't get herself into more trouble than in book one, think again. While she's on trial for the murder of an ancient vampire, an army of newly turned vamps is destroying London, a five thousand year old enemy returns, the woman who killed her partner is back, her ex girlfriend puts Batman to shame and her dreams are literally trying to kill her. And it's only Monday.
The characters. Once again the crazy bunch of secondary characters from book one are back and they are even more delightful. Vampire prince Julian sizzles as the 800 year old femme fatale while brooding emo ex boyfriend Patrick is still just a hot mess. The person who stole the show however is Elise. Practical, always helpful, assistant extraordinaire Elise is the perfect 'straight man' to deal with Kate's crazy antics.
The writing. What's there to say? The writing is once again brilliantly done and had me instantly hooked. Alexis Hall has really found a great balance between action and comedy and I have no doubt book three will be just as entertaining.
The special. I have only two paragraphs worth of notes on this book and one and half pages of highlighted quotes. Take a peak at the ones below this review if you really want to know what's so special.
The negative. Only one more book to go. *groan* Do I read it now? Do I save it? Does the Corona virus have Alexis Hall locked away safely but furiously writing another book? I sure hope so!
The verdict. Even better than book one. Full 5* rating!
I get captured a fair bit. It’s kind of an occupational hazard. I should probably take up tai chi or something to pass the time while I’m waiting for the villain to come in and explain their master plan to me.
“I’ll be right down.” I hung up and called to Elise in the kitchen. “I’m being arrested by vampires again. Don’t wait up.”
“I don’t have many friends, but I think you’re one of them. And friends don’t send friends to get their souls sucked out.”
The plot. Kate. Fucking. Kane. If you thought she couldn't get herself into more trouble than in book one, think again. While she's on trial for the murder of an ancient vampire, an army of newly turned vamps is destroying London, a five thousand year old enemy returns, the woman who killed her partner is back, her ex girlfriend puts Batman to shame and her dreams are literally trying to kill her. And it's only Monday.
The characters. Once again the crazy bunch of secondary characters from book one are back and they are even more delightful. Vampire prince Julian sizzles as the 800 year old femme fatale while brooding emo ex boyfriend Patrick is still just a hot mess. The person who stole the show however is Elise. Practical, always helpful, assistant extraordinaire Elise is the perfect 'straight man' to deal with Kate's crazy antics.
The writing. What's there to say? The writing is once again brilliantly done and had me instantly hooked. Alexis Hall has really found a great balance between action and comedy and I have no doubt book three will be just as entertaining.
The special. I have only two paragraphs worth of notes on this book and one and half pages of highlighted quotes. Take a peak at the ones below this review if you really want to know what's so special.
The negative. Only one more book to go. *groan* Do I read it now? Do I save it? Does the Corona virus have Alexis Hall locked away safely but furiously writing another book? I sure hope so!
The verdict. Even better than book one. Full 5* rating!
I get captured a fair bit. It’s kind of an occupational hazard. I should probably take up tai chi or something to pass the time while I’m waiting for the villain to come in and explain their master plan to me.
“I’ll be right down.” I hung up and called to Elise in the kitchen. “I’m being arrested by vampires again. Don’t wait up.”
“I don’t have many friends, but I think you’re one of them. And friends don’t send friends to get their souls sucked out.”
July 8, 2017
4 1/2 Stars. This is a re-read for me. I wanted to see how these books held up, and if I still loved them as much as I remembered. The answer is yes, though book 1 is a bit better than this one. This is still a great paranormal adventure. As sarcastic an ornery Kate can be, you can't help but love her.
I really wish Alexis Hall would write more of these. If you are interested read book 1 first.
I really wish Alexis Hall would write more of these. If you are interested read book 1 first.
November 30, 2019
Iron & Velvet, the first Kate Kane book, had taken me by surprise, in the best way. I’d really enjoyed the gothic vampire / film noir atmosphere, and the cynical but benevolent Kate. I therefore had great expectations for the next one, Shadows & Dreams. I was not disappointed.
Kate is on trial for the murder of one of the London Vampire Princes (read the first book). As she waits for the Council to decide whether her killing him was indeed murder, Kate, with the help of her assistant Elise, a living statue, tries to stop some sort of vampire zombie army from killing everyone in London, all the while dealing with too many girlfriends, past and current, including the one who killed her partner, and all sorts of witches, werewolves, sorcerers and even more vampires.
I won’t even try and get into the details of the story, spoiling it would be a shame. Suffice it to say it’s just as fun, dark, cynical and zany as the first instalment. There’s an excerpt from the third episode at the end of the book, which I didn’t read because I’d rather wait for the whole story, but what matters is that there’s a third episode coming (the first two were reprints, this one seems entirely new). And that’s really good news.
I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Kate is on trial for the murder of one of the London Vampire Princes (read the first book). As she waits for the Council to decide whether her killing him was indeed murder, Kate, with the help of her assistant Elise, a living statue, tries to stop some sort of vampire zombie army from killing everyone in London, all the while dealing with too many girlfriends, past and current, including the one who killed her partner, and all sorts of witches, werewolves, sorcerers and even more vampires.
I won’t even try and get into the details of the story, spoiling it would be a shame. Suffice it to say it’s just as fun, dark, cynical and zany as the first instalment. There’s an excerpt from the third episode at the end of the book, which I didn’t read because I’d rather wait for the whole story, but what matters is that there’s a third episode coming (the first two were reprints, this one seems entirely new). And that’s really good news.
I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 8, 2022
Great sequel, loads of fun. Now that the novelty has worn off, I can say that I didn't enjoy it as much as the first but it's still a really great book for when you need something quick and satisfying. If I were Kate, I'd turn that into a dirty joke.
Only one complaint: author and editor forgot about the clay shard Kate pocketed (the beaker seemed whole when she eventually got it?) which was really annoying since it was yelling I'M A PLOT DEVICE; USE ME, this whole time.
I love this series and will savor it.
Only one complaint: author and editor forgot about the clay shard Kate pocketed (the beaker seemed whole when she eventually got it?) which was really annoying since it was yelling I'M A PLOT DEVICE; USE ME, this whole time.
I love this series and will savor it.
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February 19, 2016There are so many things I could mention to point out why this book hits me right in my queer little gal's heart. Like how all plot driving characters are female or gender diverse. It's erotic, but not written like erotica - and I'm not about putting one above the other, because I love good erotica - but it suits the mood of this book so well. And there's the almost flawless use up to the point of parody of the traditional noir first person POV. There is also a lingerie model werewolf with a harness and the obvious attachment. I'm just saying. And so much more.
But mostly, what the KATE KANE series does to me, is putting a grown queer woman's life story into a witty, action filled, supernatural world. My favourite thing about fiction, is finding myself in the texts I read, making the characters simultaneously me - and not me (I know there are fancy words for this, but I can't be arsed today). So, there was that inevitable first, oh-so-embarrassing boyfriend, who turned out to be a horrible choice, but you did it anyways, so let's own it, yeah. And then there are all of the exes you aquired over the years. All over town. Who you cannot avoid interacting with in awkward/half-exciting fashions (because you have good taste, damnit); because you still have to move in the same circles, and the town ain't big enough for all of them and you to avoid each other. Well, I don't know about you other queer girls, but this. This is my story. And I love the fuck out of Alexis hall for making a heroine with this background.
And now, if you'll excuse me, I'll go hunt down some Ashriel/Elise fanfiction. If none exists, I expect 10k words by Monday, kids. Featuring an ample amount of Rammstein.
But mostly, what the KATE KANE series does to me, is putting a grown queer woman's life story into a witty, action filled, supernatural world. My favourite thing about fiction, is finding myself in the texts I read, making the characters simultaneously me - and not me (I know there are fancy words for this, but I can't be arsed today). So, there was that inevitable first, oh-so-embarrassing boyfriend, who turned out to be a horrible choice, but you did it anyways, so let's own it, yeah. And then there are all of the exes you aquired over the years. All over town. Who you cannot avoid interacting with in awkward/half-exciting fashions (because you have good taste, damnit); because you still have to move in the same circles, and the town ain't big enough for all of them and you to avoid each other. Well, I don't know about you other queer girls, but this. This is my story. And I love the fuck out of Alexis hall for making a heroine with this background.
And now, if you'll excuse me, I'll go hunt down some Ashriel/Elise fanfiction. If none exists, I expect 10k words by Monday, kids. Featuring an ample amount of Rammstein.
November 30, 2021
In short:
Love Kate. LOVE ELISE. Bizarrely fond of Patrick. Hate Corin. Vexed with Julian. Greatly enjoy the posh werewolves. Eve is on the bubble.
Love Kate. LOVE ELISE. Bizarrely fond of Patrick. Hate Corin. Vexed with Julian. Greatly enjoy the posh werewolves. Eve is on the bubble.
June 12, 2016
If you haven't read Iron & Velvet, the first book in the series, you're looking in the wrong place, because you should start at the beginning. If you have read it and loved it, as I have, there's no need to read my review, just go buy the book and you'll have a blast with the sequel, too.
Still here? Ohhh, maybe you will just read anything related to Alexis, like me, because you're sad you've already read the last one of his books? *sniff* I'd be devastated if I didn't know there were new ones coming this year...
Anyway, let's get to Shadows & Dreams :-)
So, to get out of this alive I had to win over two vampire princes, one of whom I'd had thrown out of a window by the guy I'd killed, a bloke I'd met once when I was seventeen, a crazy priestess, a power player from the place that invented plotting, a five-thousand-year-old adolescent, and honest-to-God member of the Spanish Inquisition, and my ex-boyfreind's dad.
I was so fucked.
Yes, she was :-) And if they weren't already against her, she'd tell them to fuck off. How the hell does she make it out of this alive?
But to only need to not get sentenced to death would be a bit lame, right? Shadows & Dreams has all kinds of crazy going on and somehow this all involves people Kate has either fucked, wanted to, or still is fucking:
- 800-year-old vampire prince and pudding loving ninja nun Julian
- richer than hell and vampire hunting Eve
- most powerful witch and sweet Nimue
- psychopath Corin
- Tash the Teetotal Lesbian
- Schmatrick-Patrick
Yeah, okay, there are some evil villains involved, too, and there's one of these otherworldly, mysterious, always-the-winner, not-fitting-into-a-category-but-this-kind-of-catergory kind of person: "I am the Merchant of Dreams. Everything is for sale and nothing is free and I always get my share." They is kind and scary all at once.
And I was very glad to see a lot more of Kate's assistant Elise. She is fascinating! And while Ashriel still made an appearance, I kinda missed him and his and Kate's banter from the first book.
There is not one boring moment in Shadows & Dreams. It's full of action and fun and, cough, some hot lesbo sex... Enjoy :-) It's a feel-good and have-a-good-time book for sure, but I especially love that there is a lot under the surface happening too.
Here's one example:
We have a hundred-and-something year old vampire, Patrick-Schmatrick, and a 17-year-old girl, Sofia. Patrick is under-cover at school, they meet, the love is epic. Not. Their 'epic love story', in facts, resembles a certain very famous vampire-human couple, with all it's 'OMG, he is so awesome and loves me' and 'OMG, I am not good for her and must protect her from myself' and 'OMG, the world is against us' talk-bla-shit.
Difference is, Alexis does not show this relationship in a romanticised way, and while I think his parody could be understood as a full-blown-out criticism of said famous book-couple, I don't believe that is all there is to it. Because, for one, that's not who he is, in my humble opinion, and on the other hand, Kate is Sofia 15 years later, and that gives this whole constellation more depth to think about. Kate, when she was still a teenager at school, was in the same kind of relationship with Patrick, but today we can see that she grew out of it. It's really interesting to see her interact with Sofia—or her younger self—because there is no condemnation, only the knowledge that Sofia has to make her own mistakes and learn from them. Yes, Sofia and Patrick are trying our patience, but to put them together on page with Kate shows there's hope for every silly teenager out there. Not so much hope for patronising glitter-vamps, though ;-) Or is there?
It's really great that Alexis writes about places he's been to himself. You really notice and feel the difference. It's like he puts his own connection, that he has to a location, on page. For example, there is this one scene in which Kate is at the tube station where the bombing took place in 2005, and this is really quite intimate because of her thoughts and reminiscing about it. I couldn't but think this was what Alexis himself had thought and experienced, making it more real for me.
My recurring-death-joke favourites:
Here lies Kate Kane. Executed by vampires underneath a portrait of a hot woman. Beloved daughter. Sorely missed.
Here lies Kate Kane. Eaten by a lingerie model and not in a good way. Beloved daughter. Sorely missed.
Yeah, so... I missed the quiet times between Kate and Julian. They were rare. Well, not only the quiet times. There is so much trouble around them, they can't spend much time together.
I can't quite decide if I want to rate with 4.5 or 5 stars. This book was amazing and smart and fun and all the good things, but I liked Iron & Velvet a bit more.
August 28, 2014
4.5 stars
“Good morning, Miss Kane,” she said. “Did you have a pleasant evening?”
“Got put on trial, got in a fight, got laid. I had a blast.”
I had a blast too. Reading this book.
I liked Shadows & Dreams more than Iron & Velvet. Don’t know if it was because there is more Elise or because I knew a lot of the characters from the first book, but the fact is, I couldn’t stop reading until I reached the last page.
Shadows & Dreams starts three months after the events in Iron & Velvet.
It’s a new adventure for Kate, beginning with the investigation of a missing person that leads her to frightening discoveries. Also, she has to face the consequences for what she had to do in her rescue mission in Iron & Velvet. So things go crazy very quickly (as if it could be any other way when Kate is involved).
This time, not only vampires, werewolves and mages play part in the story but also all of Kate’s ex-lovers and it was entertaining, to say the least, to watch Kate trying to be cool and collected in the strangest situations.
The events keep Kate and Julian separated for most of the book but the moments they share together showed that their relationship has evolved. I enjoyed this aspect of the story a lot.
Once again, I adored Kate with her ridiculous Plans B (which weirdly enough worked in many occasions), with her lack of small talk skills and her concern about her hat that seemed to be bigger than the concern for her own life. But mostly because she would always do what she believes is the right thing.
And my favourite Elise who finds Rammstein’s music soothing and wishes for her hair to be styled differently even though it can’t be cut.
There are many hilarious situations but the banter between Kate and Elise is one of the most amazing things in Shadows & Dreams, I don’t remember laughing so much while reading before.
Exiting mystery and awesome fun. Loved it.
December 18, 2020
I ship Ashriel and Elise. The Twilight allusions give me great joy. So does the girl power.
"But I'm just an ordinary girl. Patrick is the only special thing that's ever happened to me."
"There's no such thing as an ordinary girl."
"But I'm just an ordinary girl. Patrick is the only special thing that's ever happened to me."
"There's no such thing as an ordinary girl."
January 18, 2023
I like my women like I like my whiskey: liable to kill me.
4 stars. This was so much better than book one. A lot of the issues that I had with that book were ironed out and fixed in this one which was great. This was such an entertaining and fun read that kept me engaged from beginning to end. Kate Kane is a riot. She’s funny and snarky and a really great character. I thought the plot of this one was great and I liked the way it ended. I don’t have much to say about it but it was a fun time. I’m excited to continue on with the series.
4 stars. This was so much better than book one. A lot of the issues that I had with that book were ironed out and fixed in this one which was great. This was such an entertaining and fun read that kept me engaged from beginning to end. Kate Kane is a riot. She’s funny and snarky and a really great character. I thought the plot of this one was great and I liked the way it ended. I don’t have much to say about it but it was a fun time. I’m excited to continue on with the series.
October 9, 2024
If you've ever read the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews and thought, "but make it queer" then you have this. It has the added bonus of me liking Alexis Hall's humor and writing better. It's also lighter in tone overall in my opinion. (3.5)}
November 5, 2023
look I just love Kate and her passel of cheerfully violent exes
September 27, 2016
I love this book and Kate. So much fun, I laughed out loud all the time. This is like a summer blockbuster; full of explosions, one-liners, and characters that fit a role, but done with style and wit, as few blockbusters manage.
As usual, Alexis Hall gives us something completely different from his other books (other than the first in the series, obvs). If you are looking for a fast paced, fun, and sexy read this definitely fits the bill.
As usual, Alexis Hall gives us something completely different from his other books (other than the first in the series, obvs). If you are looking for a fast paced, fun, and sexy read this definitely fits the bill.
May 13, 2014
*Warning: contains spoilers, bad words, and quite a long rant*
To be honest, I was very disappointed in this book. It had a great premise, which meant it had the potential to be a really good story, but the writing style of the author just completely ruined this book for me.
The basic idea behind the story is that Kate Kane, a paranormal PI, sets off on a case to find the brother of a woman she slept with once, and during this investigation, she runs into ALL MANNER OF TROUBLE. There are vampires and werewolves and ex-girlfriends around every corner, just lurking and waiting to pounce on Miss Kane. It's a very busy and involved story, and if it had been better written, I would have easily given it four stars at least, but there was just TOO much about this book -- style-wise -- that drove me insane.
For instance:
1. The plot, itself, is actually fairly well thought out and developed and is nowhere NEAR as cheesy as it sounds when you hear, "Vampires fighting werewolves," -- which, let's be honest, these days is so trite and overdone that it is scoffed at on a regular basis. However, there IS a good story in this novel. But the way Hall writes the not-cheesy story is so cheesy that it makes you THINK the story is cheesy. A lot of cheese, huh? A little confusing? Well then, let me give you an example.
Page 7-8: "Truth be told it was a little bit awkward, but my social weirdness threshold has gone way up since my girlfriend tried to murder my ex-girlfriend because her ex-girlfriend tried to murder her."
Okay... a bit ridiculous, especially seven/eight pages in, but I can roll with it. However, at the bottom of page eight:
Kane asks, "Who saw him last?"
Her assistant -- who is actually a statue brought to life and gifted to Kate by a group of rats who are apparently all seeing and all knowing God-types -- says, "I don't know. [...] Probably somebody at the hospital."
Kane asks, "Which one?"
And the assistant replies with this fantastic line: "The Whittington. He broke his leg changing a light bulb. Because he was standing on a swivel chair because he's an idiot."
Okay, I concede that maybe this line is supposed to sound ridiculous and funny, so I can even let that one slide. But then, three pages later, Hall completely turns me off to the book with this:
"Well, fuck. I was about to be hired by a woman I'd very nearly slept with to find her missing brother who was working for the woman who'd left me for a tech startup at the tech startup she left me for."
Wh-wh-what?! Are you kidding me? Could that sentence BE anymore convoluted or that plot-point any more ridiculously stereotypical?
And what is truly awful is that the story itself REALLY WASN'T THAT BAD. I mean, the writing was awful, which, overall, meant that the novel was -- in my opinion, of course -- bad, but the way the story progressed WAS interesting. It was nowhere near as bad as these 'recaps' by the main character make it sound, but the problem is that Hall throws in these inner-monologues for Kane ALL throughout the book, and they are terrible! Which, in turn, decreases the value of the entire story.
Another example falls right on the heels of the page 11 jewel.
Page 14: "I really really hoped this wasn't going to be another zombie plague. There'd been an outbreak when I'd taken Eve up to Lake Windermere for our third anniversary, and we'd spent the whole weekend under siege in the hotel, making molotovs from the minibar and clubbing re-animated tourists to death with souvenir walking sticks."
Really? Zombies now? On top of the vampires, witches, and werewolves? Can we POSSIBLY fit anymore para into this normal?
Enough with that.
Now on to point number 2. The girl on girl sex scenes in this book between sexy, snarky PI and her vampire girlfriend, the Prince (yes, Prince) of Cups, should be hot, right? No. They are forced, fake, and ridiculous. Halfway through the first one, I thought, "Jesus. This isn't lesbian sex. This is lesbian sex if it was written by a man who WISHES he could see some lesbian sex." That was the point at which I decided to look up more info on Alexis Hall, and I found out that he is, in fact, a man, which at least explains the sex scenes.
#3. Speaking of sex scenes, Hall also has this really irritating -- and distracting -- habit of throwing in random, explicitly sexual thoughts at TOTALLY inappropriate times. Right in the middle of the most stressful situations -- being locked up, about to be killed, thrown in prison/on trial -- Kate Kane begins inner-monologuing with herself about how much she'd like to fuck whatever female happens to be standing in front of her. RIDICULOUS! And annoying. Hated it.
4. One of the MOST annoying things about this book, however, was that it was in DESPERATE need of a SERIOUS case of editing. All throughout the book there were glaring errors that any first year college student should have caught while reading. I'm willing to discount SOME of these "errors" as simply being lost in translation, as the book is written with a British tone, and I am very much American. However, SOME of these errors simply CANNOT be due to anything other than careless editing.
For instance, page 113: "It's main distinguishing feature, right, was that was it was blue."
WAS that WAS it WAS blue? What does that even mean? Oh, yes, it means that no one bothered editing this beast before printing.
Page 141: "Piercing the heart will paralyse, but it won't kill, and anything will do, it doesn't have to wood."
Okay, so maybe the "paralyse" is simply British, but surely the "doesn't have to wood" bit needs a "be" in there somewhere, right?
Page 157: "Have we have achieved case closed, Miss Kane?"
Yes, yes have we have.
There are several -- SEVERAL -- more examples of these type errors, but I'm not about to point them all out. If you read the book, I'm sure you'll easily catch them on your own.
5. Another thing that drove me NUTS was the repetition. The awful thing is I'm fairly certain that Hall used these repetitious lines PURPOSELY to create some kind of effect -- humor, maybe? Whatever the desired result, it failed to do anything other than annoy me.
For instance, page 163: "'Hi. So. Look.' I tried to find a way to express the fact I had some good news and some bad news that wasn't I've got some good news and some bad news. 'I've got some good news and some bad news.'"
...blink... ...falls over...
Page 177: "All the more reason to tell them. [...] If they know that we know that she has returned, then they will not be tempted to conspire against us out of the false belief that we do not know. Of course, they may already know, but at present, we have no way to know what they know. If we tell them, we will know what they know, and all we will not know is how long they have known it."
Oh. Jumping. Jesus. On. A. Pogo. Stick. Please tell me you aren't serious.
And there was this one thing that repeated over and over again throughout the book. The first time, it was actually pretty clever. The second time, even, was okay. But by the time I'd read it nine times -- yes, NINE TIMES, no exaggeration whatsoever -- I was ready to never EVER read anything like it ever again.
This particular phrase was something Kate Kane internalized or muttered aloud to herself each time she decided to do something stupid OR she felt her life was in danger. The basic format went something like this:
"Here lies Kate Kane, died peacefully in her sleep aged 94. Beloved daughter."
The "Here lies Kate Kane" part remained constant, as did the "Beloved daughter." It was only the middle part that changed, for instance, "Here lies Kate Kate. Should have minded her own business. Beloved daughter." Or perhaps, "Here lies Kate Kane. She made a difference to dozens. Beloved daughter."
This continued NINE TIMES. It is not cute, funny, or clever after about the second time, definitely after the third. BUT NINE TIMES?! Come on!
And finally, my last complaint.
6. Several of the items, scenes, quotes, etc. in this book seemed waaaaaaaaaay too close to things from other books for my taste. Perhaps it is simply a coincidence and the author did not intentionally siphon plot points and details from other authors -- except, of course, when he obviously did in his quotations, such as his use of "Not all those who wander are lost" and "As old as my tongue, a little bit older than my teeth" which are DIRECTLY taken from other books, but I'm hoping those were intentional and not attempted-to-get-away-with-it plagiarism.
But there are several things in this novel that could have been taken from Jim Butcher's "Dresden Files", Lewis' "Narnia" chronicles, and Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" series. I'm hoping, however, that they weren't, but they were very, very similar.
All in all, I'm disappointed to say that I was not a fan of this book at all, and I will most likely not be reading anymore Kate Kane books.
To be honest, I was very disappointed in this book. It had a great premise, which meant it had the potential to be a really good story, but the writing style of the author just completely ruined this book for me.
The basic idea behind the story is that Kate Kane, a paranormal PI, sets off on a case to find the brother of a woman she slept with once, and during this investigation, she runs into ALL MANNER OF TROUBLE. There are vampires and werewolves and ex-girlfriends around every corner, just lurking and waiting to pounce on Miss Kane. It's a very busy and involved story, and if it had been better written, I would have easily given it four stars at least, but there was just TOO much about this book -- style-wise -- that drove me insane.
For instance:
1. The plot, itself, is actually fairly well thought out and developed and is nowhere NEAR as cheesy as it sounds when you hear, "Vampires fighting werewolves," -- which, let's be honest, these days is so trite and overdone that it is scoffed at on a regular basis. However, there IS a good story in this novel. But the way Hall writes the not-cheesy story is so cheesy that it makes you THINK the story is cheesy. A lot of cheese, huh? A little confusing? Well then, let me give you an example.
Page 7-8: "Truth be told it was a little bit awkward, but my social weirdness threshold has gone way up since my girlfriend tried to murder my ex-girlfriend because her ex-girlfriend tried to murder her."
Okay... a bit ridiculous, especially seven/eight pages in, but I can roll with it. However, at the bottom of page eight:
Kane asks, "Who saw him last?"
Her assistant -- who is actually a statue brought to life and gifted to Kate by a group of rats who are apparently all seeing and all knowing God-types -- says, "I don't know. [...] Probably somebody at the hospital."
Kane asks, "Which one?"
And the assistant replies with this fantastic line: "The Whittington. He broke his leg changing a light bulb. Because he was standing on a swivel chair because he's an idiot."
Okay, I concede that maybe this line is supposed to sound ridiculous and funny, so I can even let that one slide. But then, three pages later, Hall completely turns me off to the book with this:
"Well, fuck. I was about to be hired by a woman I'd very nearly slept with to find her missing brother who was working for the woman who'd left me for a tech startup at the tech startup she left me for."
Wh-wh-what?! Are you kidding me? Could that sentence BE anymore convoluted or that plot-point any more ridiculously stereotypical?
And what is truly awful is that the story itself REALLY WASN'T THAT BAD. I mean, the writing was awful, which, overall, meant that the novel was -- in my opinion, of course -- bad, but the way the story progressed WAS interesting. It was nowhere near as bad as these 'recaps' by the main character make it sound, but the problem is that Hall throws in these inner-monologues for Kane ALL throughout the book, and they are terrible! Which, in turn, decreases the value of the entire story.
Another example falls right on the heels of the page 11 jewel.
Page 14: "I really really hoped this wasn't going to be another zombie plague. There'd been an outbreak when I'd taken Eve up to Lake Windermere for our third anniversary, and we'd spent the whole weekend under siege in the hotel, making molotovs from the minibar and clubbing re-animated tourists to death with souvenir walking sticks."
Really? Zombies now? On top of the vampires, witches, and werewolves? Can we POSSIBLY fit anymore para into this normal?
Enough with that.
Now on to point number 2. The girl on girl sex scenes in this book between sexy, snarky PI and her vampire girlfriend, the Prince (yes, Prince) of Cups, should be hot, right? No. They are forced, fake, and ridiculous. Halfway through the first one, I thought, "Jesus. This isn't lesbian sex. This is lesbian sex if it was written by a man who WISHES he could see some lesbian sex." That was the point at which I decided to look up more info on Alexis Hall, and I found out that he is, in fact, a man, which at least explains the sex scenes.
#3. Speaking of sex scenes, Hall also has this really irritating -- and distracting -- habit of throwing in random, explicitly sexual thoughts at TOTALLY inappropriate times. Right in the middle of the most stressful situations -- being locked up, about to be killed, thrown in prison/on trial -- Kate Kane begins inner-monologuing with herself about how much she'd like to fuck whatever female happens to be standing in front of her. RIDICULOUS! And annoying. Hated it.
4. One of the MOST annoying things about this book, however, was that it was in DESPERATE need of a SERIOUS case of editing. All throughout the book there were glaring errors that any first year college student should have caught while reading. I'm willing to discount SOME of these "errors" as simply being lost in translation, as the book is written with a British tone, and I am very much American. However, SOME of these errors simply CANNOT be due to anything other than careless editing.
For instance, page 113: "It's main distinguishing feature, right, was that was it was blue."
WAS that WAS it WAS blue? What does that even mean? Oh, yes, it means that no one bothered editing this beast before printing.
Page 141: "Piercing the heart will paralyse, but it won't kill, and anything will do, it doesn't have to wood."
Okay, so maybe the "paralyse" is simply British, but surely the "doesn't have to wood" bit needs a "be" in there somewhere, right?
Page 157: "Have we have achieved case closed, Miss Kane?"
Yes, yes have we have.
There are several -- SEVERAL -- more examples of these type errors, but I'm not about to point them all out. If you read the book, I'm sure you'll easily catch them on your own.
5. Another thing that drove me NUTS was the repetition. The awful thing is I'm fairly certain that Hall used these repetitious lines PURPOSELY to create some kind of effect -- humor, maybe? Whatever the desired result, it failed to do anything other than annoy me.
For instance, page 163: "'Hi. So. Look.' I tried to find a way to express the fact I had some good news and some bad news that wasn't I've got some good news and some bad news. 'I've got some good news and some bad news.'"
...blink... ...falls over...
Page 177: "All the more reason to tell them. [...] If they know that we know that she has returned, then they will not be tempted to conspire against us out of the false belief that we do not know. Of course, they may already know, but at present, we have no way to know what they know. If we tell them, we will know what they know, and all we will not know is how long they have known it."
Oh. Jumping. Jesus. On. A. Pogo. Stick. Please tell me you aren't serious.
And there was this one thing that repeated over and over again throughout the book. The first time, it was actually pretty clever. The second time, even, was okay. But by the time I'd read it nine times -- yes, NINE TIMES, no exaggeration whatsoever -- I was ready to never EVER read anything like it ever again.
This particular phrase was something Kate Kane internalized or muttered aloud to herself each time she decided to do something stupid OR she felt her life was in danger. The basic format went something like this:
"Here lies Kate Kane, died peacefully in her sleep aged 94. Beloved daughter."
The "Here lies Kate Kane" part remained constant, as did the "Beloved daughter." It was only the middle part that changed, for instance, "Here lies Kate Kate. Should have minded her own business. Beloved daughter." Or perhaps, "Here lies Kate Kane. She made a difference to dozens. Beloved daughter."
This continued NINE TIMES. It is not cute, funny, or clever after about the second time, definitely after the third. BUT NINE TIMES?! Come on!
And finally, my last complaint.
6. Several of the items, scenes, quotes, etc. in this book seemed waaaaaaaaaay too close to things from other books for my taste. Perhaps it is simply a coincidence and the author did not intentionally siphon plot points and details from other authors -- except, of course, when he obviously did in his quotations, such as his use of "Not all those who wander are lost" and "As old as my tongue, a little bit older than my teeth" which are DIRECTLY taken from other books, but I'm hoping those were intentional and not attempted-to-get-away-with-it plagiarism.
But there are several things in this novel that could have been taken from Jim Butcher's "Dresden Files", Lewis' "Narnia" chronicles, and Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" series. I'm hoping, however, that they weren't, but they were very, very similar.
All in all, I'm disappointed to say that I was not a fan of this book at all, and I will most likely not be reading anymore Kate Kane books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 3, 2021
Here likes Kate Kane. Should’ve minded her own business. Beloved daughter. Sorely missed.
Another spectacular romp of a story that had me both smiling and engrossed the whole way through. It's really just the perfect mix of tongue-in-cheek, witty humour, parodies and references, but it's still very much a paranormal adventure with all the shenanigans you could ask for and a great cast of badass, messy women. I love the theme of Kate being surrounded by all these complicated women who she's attracted to, some of them her enemies, some of them her exes, some of them who really want to bang her, and one of them her gf. It makes me desperately wish that this were poly/reverse harem, because I just love (almost) everyone so much? I REALLY love her main love interest, so no quibbles there, but I also wouldn't mind if the romance were to open up, so to speak. Again, this'll probably be the ONLY time you see me say this but... I kinda want a love triangle. Or love square. 👀
My reviews will probably get shorter as the series goes on, as I want to avoid spoilers, but this was just as fast-paced, funny and action packed as the first. We get introduced to a couple more of Kate's exes, one of whom I loved so so much; the other, I've got some Questions about. Slight spoilers:
But these things didn't stop me from having fun with this. I must repeat: I had a LOT of fun. The continued gentle poking fun at a certain vampire series was a delight. We got more insight into a few side characters that I love. The plot is moving in interesting places. Listened to the audiobook as read by Cat Gould, and really enjoyed it again. I had the same thoughts: great work character-wise, but I wasn't in love with the way she rendered the action scenes.
Super intrigued to see where things go next!
Content warnings: .
November 27, 2020
Alexis Hall just has a gift and at this point he is an auto-buy because I will read whatever he wants to write. Some of what makes his writing magical is how his characters feel so feel because they have insecurities and flaws, as well as talents. He allows them to just be, and doesn't try to 'fix' them.
In the case of Kate, she is trying hard to be a good person, but she also freely admits that she can be a bit of a jerk. So while i wouldn't want to date her, being inside her head while reading is a fun ride. Some of my quibbles from the first book were that it felt frantic at times, with a large unwieldy cast that was hard to keep track of half the time. However, with this installment, he has smoothed out the pacing and now that the world is familiar, the amount of characters feels fun instead of a burden on the story.
Additionally, Alexis tends to excel at writing emotionally compelling sex scenes and in my opinion, that was lacking a bit in the first book. Here he has proved again to be the adept of that special blend of hot/vulnerable/emotional sex scenes that make up the strong bedrock of most of his romances.
Furthermore, his humor was on point and I laughed out loud several times. My favorite is how he can make things that seem to hold mysterious appeal, like bdsm clubs or magic rituals, and instead of marveling at them , he pulls out the absurdness of how absolutely mundane they can be at times. Also his sly wink at Twilight with Patrick never gets old.
Overall, I love how Hall subverts tropes and expectations; he finds humor in poking fun of very serious things. Gah, he's the best and I look forward to reading the next books in this series.
In the case of Kate, she is trying hard to be a good person, but she also freely admits that she can be a bit of a jerk. So while i wouldn't want to date her, being inside her head while reading is a fun ride. Some of my quibbles from the first book were that it felt frantic at times, with a large unwieldy cast that was hard to keep track of half the time. However, with this installment, he has smoothed out the pacing and now that the world is familiar, the amount of characters feels fun instead of a burden on the story.
Additionally, Alexis tends to excel at writing emotionally compelling sex scenes and in my opinion, that was lacking a bit in the first book. Here he has proved again to be the adept of that special blend of hot/vulnerable/emotional sex scenes that make up the strong bedrock of most of his romances.
Furthermore, his humor was on point and I laughed out loud several times. My favorite is how he can make things that seem to hold mysterious appeal, like bdsm clubs or magic rituals, and instead of marveling at them , he pulls out the absurdness of how absolutely mundane they can be at times. Also his sly wink at Twilight with Patrick never gets old.
Overall, I love how Hall subverts tropes and expectations; he finds humor in poking fun of very serious things. Gah, he's the best and I look forward to reading the next books in this series.
September 12, 2020
I laughed so many times reading this... The gentle making fun of Twilight is just amusing. A sentence here, a mention there... Makes the book entertaining.
The main character and narration style reminds me a lot of First Grave on the Right. And it turns out I enjoy the style and I want more.
The main character and narration style reminds me a lot of First Grave on the Right. And it turns out I enjoy the style and I want more.
April 15, 2023
I really like - even love - individual bits of this world, but when it comes to actually reading the books, it just doesn't click for me. I don't know what it is.
And yet I'm reading the next one, so take that as you will.
And yet I'm reading the next one, so take that as you will.
December 26, 2022
2 out of 3
The is the second in the Kate Kane, Paranormal Investigator series by Alexis Hall. It is not a standalone, as all the major players and the "rules" of this universe are introduced in the first book. Unfortunately, this story did gel the way the first one did. This is still a parody of hard-boiled detective noir but didn't have the charm or wit of the first book. There were too many mini-arcs that weren't resolved in a satisfactory manner and didn't form a cohesive meta-arc.
I found myself skimming through the last 25% not really caring much how any of the arcs resolved.
The is the second in the Kate Kane, Paranormal Investigator series by Alexis Hall. It is not a standalone, as all the major players and the "rules" of this universe are introduced in the first book. Unfortunately, this story did gel the way the first one did. This is still a parody of hard-boiled detective noir but didn't have the charm or wit of the first book. There were too many mini-arcs that weren't resolved in a satisfactory manner and didn't form a cohesive meta-arc.
I found myself skimming through the last 25% not really caring much how any of the arcs resolved.
January 25, 2023
I do so enjoy this UF series about a lesbian paranormal investigator getting in all kinds of trouble with and without involvement of many of her exes ;-) The narration of the audio is spot on.
June 7, 2014
How many ex-girlfriends does Kate have who are not on the best of terms with her? And how many strong females in this story want to tie Kate down and have their wicked way with her? This second book in the series is a decent read. The first one made a bigger favourable impression upon me. This one, there are a few repetitions which became old after a bit.
First, Kate is in trouble. She seems to always be in trouble. Her life is exhausting to read about because something is always going wrong. She's attracts trouble and it's the worst kind. Kate's unresolved relationships with her previous lovers is also exhausting. At first it is amusing, but after the fourth or fifth one (who's counting?) I'm done with it. I get that Kate must be this awesome sex goddess in bed. But really, why are all her exlovers crazy? And why are the current ones a bit crazy too? I comes across as over the top drama which is not my favourite kind of story to read. The only female who seems stable in this story appears to be made of stone. What does that say? Basically all the women in this book are fucked up beyond belief.
Second, I do like the monsters in this story. I love how the vampires are written. They are creatures with no morals and they feel they are above the law. The werewolves are territorial passionate animals. Yes, this is a bit stereotypical. Still, Mr. Hall does a great job of creating his vampires, werewolves, fae and witches. I like how they are all different factions with similar political issues. None of them are perfect and the way they hamstring each other when trying to fight one common enemy is hilarious and realistic. Makes me think of all the alphabet soup agencies in the States trying to work together.
Third, I love the location. Set in London, it's good for me because I lived there for a while and I miss it. This story brings up a feeling of nostalgia so I can relate better to it. Mr. Hall does a stand up job of describing the locations and buildings. I can see everything clearly and this story plays like a kinky lesbian Underworld movie in my mind. For this, I give it props.
So why did I end up giving this a 3.5 star? I became tired of Kate. She came across more whiny in this story which I'm not fond of. In addition, she kept visualizing and changing the saying on her gravestone. The first couple of times it was funny. After that, it became eye rolling for me. This is a matter of personal preference. The other thing is that I felt the main female villain got the shaft. There is so much build up for this villain and when it came to a head, it fizzled out which disappointed me. Still, Mr. Hall drops hints for a reveal of an enemy which no one is aware of yet. This intrigues me and makes me want to read the next book.
I'd like to learn more about Kate's mother and her Fae powers. What does Kate do to the Fae land she now owns it? She claimed it in the last book and there is nothing but maybe a two sentence mention of it in this book. Is there anyway there can be a grudge gang bang with Kate bound and abused by all her previous, current and possible future lovers? It may finally ease the tension and let Kate do her job. (Or maybe not and that's just my own deviant girl on girl fantasy.) This f/f paranormal mystery is recommended to those who understand and appreciate the relationship status "it's complicated".
*provided by NetGalley
First, Kate is in trouble. She seems to always be in trouble. Her life is exhausting to read about because something is always going wrong. She's attracts trouble and it's the worst kind. Kate's unresolved relationships with her previous lovers is also exhausting. At first it is amusing, but after the fourth or fifth one (who's counting?) I'm done with it. I get that Kate must be this awesome sex goddess in bed. But really, why are all her exlovers crazy? And why are the current ones a bit crazy too? I comes across as over the top drama which is not my favourite kind of story to read. The only female who seems stable in this story appears to be made of stone. What does that say? Basically all the women in this book are fucked up beyond belief.
Second, I do like the monsters in this story. I love how the vampires are written. They are creatures with no morals and they feel they are above the law. The werewolves are territorial passionate animals. Yes, this is a bit stereotypical. Still, Mr. Hall does a great job of creating his vampires, werewolves, fae and witches. I like how they are all different factions with similar political issues. None of them are perfect and the way they hamstring each other when trying to fight one common enemy is hilarious and realistic. Makes me think of all the alphabet soup agencies in the States trying to work together.
Third, I love the location. Set in London, it's good for me because I lived there for a while and I miss it. This story brings up a feeling of nostalgia so I can relate better to it. Mr. Hall does a stand up job of describing the locations and buildings. I can see everything clearly and this story plays like a kinky lesbian Underworld movie in my mind. For this, I give it props.
So why did I end up giving this a 3.5 star? I became tired of Kate. She came across more whiny in this story which I'm not fond of. In addition, she kept visualizing and changing the saying on her gravestone. The first couple of times it was funny. After that, it became eye rolling for me. This is a matter of personal preference. The other thing is that I felt the main female villain got the shaft. There is so much build up for this villain and when it came to a head, it fizzled out which disappointed me. Still, Mr. Hall drops hints for a reveal of an enemy which no one is aware of yet. This intrigues me and makes me want to read the next book.
I'd like to learn more about Kate's mother and her Fae powers. What does Kate do to the Fae land she now owns it? She claimed it in the last book and there is nothing but maybe a two sentence mention of it in this book. Is there anyway there can be a grudge gang bang with Kate bound and abused by all her previous, current and possible future lovers? It may finally ease the tension and let Kate do her job. (Or maybe not and that's just my own deviant girl on girl fantasy.) This f/f paranormal mystery is recommended to those who understand and appreciate the relationship status "it's complicated".
*provided by NetGalley
March 10, 2016
4.5 Stars
Well kids, I’ve got another squicky paranormal under my belt.
This lacked the toilet humor of the first book in the series. I don’t know if I should be relieved or a little saddened—or ashamed of myself for wanting more of that in this book.
This was abundant in the Brit-com that I love so very much…so I *think* I can forgive the above.
The story was, again, a bit more heavily weighted toward vamped up magical mystery/suspense than toothy romance (pun intended). And, while I was kept guessing at every twist and turn I really wanted more of the relationship between Kate and Julian. The hook-ups were scorching hot, but they were few and sort of random as their busy schedules allowed and, to me, lacking the growing intimacy of a budding relationship.
I’m admittedly a very greedy reader. I want what I want. Unapologetically. So….gimme!
The thing is though, I absolutely ADORE (to the point of near-rabid fangirl) the writing of Alexis Hall. He doesn’t always give me everything I want. But with the way he consistently delivers gorgeous prose and unpredictable stories with nuanced characters I can’t be mad when I’m left wanting. I just can’t. I’ll keep coming back for more for as long as he’s got stories to tell.
While I was left wanting more of the romance, I can’t deny that everything else about this book was more, more, more ramped up mystery, suspense and dastardly evil genius that had me thoroughly engaged.
I like this Kate Kane chick. I kinda want to be her with her ability to just stroll right in to these immortally dangerous situations, survive them with maybe a little blood-loss, then go toss back a whiskey and a smoke as though it was just all in a day’s work. She’s brash and cynical and a bit socially awkward—and…god, I kinda am her except for the part of me being a scaredy cat. I’d be sending Elise-the-animated-statue in my stead or cowering behind her because, dude, INDESTRUCTIBLE.
The baddies in this…were really bad. Something called the Morrigan…an evil bitch of a crow-commanding, be-winged vampire with unspeakable dark powers. And other vamps and things who appear to be all cute and unassuming—but that just means they’re way more twisted and demonic.
There was this whole other story taking place in dreams…and that is frightening as all fuck when you really think about it. I mean…yeah, bad dreams suck, but to think that dreaming about scary things and those scary things ACTUALLY happening to you while you’re dreaming them? The hell? It’s hard enough for me to sleep, now this?!
Kate’s ex Patrick—freaking hilarious with his melodramatic wrist to forehead emo grandiosity. Lots and lots of snorting laughter.
There were so many little twists, some that were meant as distractions, some that were tiny little puzzle pieces to the bigger picture—this to me is just nothing short of genius in writing. I was a little worried as I neared the 90% mark that all the little threads weren’t going to be tied up, that they’d be rushed. And, well…some things were a little rushed at the bitter end. But I got my answers so no real complaints.
I also found out there’s to be a third book. So, there ya go. More icky-squicky goodness to look forward to.
Also posted on BackPorchReader.com.
Well kids, I’ve got another squicky paranormal under my belt.
This lacked the toilet humor of the first book in the series. I don’t know if I should be relieved or a little saddened—or ashamed of myself for wanting more of that in this book.
This was abundant in the Brit-com that I love so very much…so I *think* I can forgive the above.
The story was, again, a bit more heavily weighted toward vamped up magical mystery/suspense than toothy romance (pun intended). And, while I was kept guessing at every twist and turn I really wanted more of the relationship between Kate and Julian. The hook-ups were scorching hot, but they were few and sort of random as their busy schedules allowed and, to me, lacking the growing intimacy of a budding relationship.
I’m admittedly a very greedy reader. I want what I want. Unapologetically. So….gimme!
The thing is though, I absolutely ADORE (to the point of near-rabid fangirl) the writing of Alexis Hall. He doesn’t always give me everything I want. But with the way he consistently delivers gorgeous prose and unpredictable stories with nuanced characters I can’t be mad when I’m left wanting. I just can’t. I’ll keep coming back for more for as long as he’s got stories to tell.
While I was left wanting more of the romance, I can’t deny that everything else about this book was more, more, more ramped up mystery, suspense and dastardly evil genius that had me thoroughly engaged.
I like this Kate Kane chick. I kinda want to be her with her ability to just stroll right in to these immortally dangerous situations, survive them with maybe a little blood-loss, then go toss back a whiskey and a smoke as though it was just all in a day’s work. She’s brash and cynical and a bit socially awkward—and…god, I kinda am her except for the part of me being a scaredy cat. I’d be sending Elise-the-animated-statue in my stead or cowering behind her because, dude, INDESTRUCTIBLE.
The baddies in this…were really bad. Something called the Morrigan…an evil bitch of a crow-commanding, be-winged vampire with unspeakable dark powers. And other vamps and things who appear to be all cute and unassuming—but that just means they’re way more twisted and demonic.
There was this whole other story taking place in dreams…and that is frightening as all fuck when you really think about it. I mean…yeah, bad dreams suck, but to think that dreaming about scary things and those scary things ACTUALLY happening to you while you’re dreaming them? The hell? It’s hard enough for me to sleep, now this?!
Kate’s ex Patrick—freaking hilarious with his melodramatic wrist to forehead emo grandiosity. Lots and lots of snorting laughter.
There were so many little twists, some that were meant as distractions, some that were tiny little puzzle pieces to the bigger picture—this to me is just nothing short of genius in writing. I was a little worried as I neared the 90% mark that all the little threads weren’t going to be tied up, that they’d be rushed. And, well…some things were a little rushed at the bitter end. But I got my answers so no real complaints.
I also found out there’s to be a third book. So, there ya go. More icky-squicky goodness to look forward to.
Also posted on BackPorchReader.com.
February 4, 2021
I would say that this book is not as tightly plotted as the first one, even as wild as the plot of the first book is. But you just can’t beat Kate Kane for sheer entertainment. She takes you on such a fun ride. Buckle up and go with it, you won’t be disappointed.
September 24, 2024
4.5 stars
Read
December 1, 2019Categories
Urban Fantasy, Vampires, Noir, Paranormal, Fantasy & Paranormal, Female/Female
Miniseries
Kate Kane, Paranormal Investigator (Book #2)
Urban Fantasy, Vampires, Noir, Paranormal, Fantasy & Paranormal, Female/Female
Miniseries
Kate Kane, Paranormal Investigator (Book #2)
February 6, 2021
As with the first book in this series, this was quite the wild ride! It is pretty much nothing but Kate getting in and out of one near-death experience after another and this could make for a dizzying reading experience. What saved it from feeling over the top—even though it is over the top when I stop to think about it—is the tone and sense of humor. Kate’s dry wit and sensibility made this a fun experience, even if I wish she’d take a moment to think before rushing toward certain doom. I loved her interactions with Elise and I was really here for the hint of possible future romance between Elise and Ashriel. Beyond that, there’s not much interpersonal interaction or even character growth and so Kate continues to have a drinking problem and a bit of a death wish. Even her interactions with Julian felt lacking and I’m not sure why they refer to each other as girlfriends since there’s no depth there. Kate has an array of ex-girlfriends and if I’m going to root for any of them as endgame, it’ll be Nim. We’ll see if I’m right.
Note: This installment really leaned into Kate’s ex-boyfriend being a parody of Edward from Twilight. Bless his tortured heart. As such, we have a 150 year old vampire dating a 17 year old girl and Kate doesn’t shy away from telling him how messed up that is, especially because he did the same thing to her.
Character notes: Kate is a 33 year old half-faery lesbian with purple eyes. This is set in London.
CW: violence, attempted murder, multiple murders by vampires (including a family), , past kidnapping and attempted murder, past institutionalization (secondary character), brief Islamaphobia (countered), brief slut-shaming (countered), reference to past torture and enslavement (secondary character), reference to vampire who attempted suicide, gendered insults, alcoholism, cigarettes, ableist language
Note: This installment really leaned into Kate’s ex-boyfriend being a parody of Edward from Twilight. Bless his tortured heart. As such, we have a 150 year old vampire dating a 17 year old girl and Kate doesn’t shy away from telling him how messed up that is, especially because he did the same thing to her.
Character notes: Kate is a 33 year old half-faery lesbian with purple eyes. This is set in London.
CW: violence, attempted murder, multiple murders by vampires (including a family), , past kidnapping and attempted murder, past institutionalization (secondary character), brief Islamaphobia (countered), brief slut-shaming (countered), reference to past torture and enslavement (secondary character), reference to vampire who attempted suicide, gendered insults, alcoholism, cigarettes, ableist language
January 10, 2023
Kate Kane is amazing. But Patrick is kinda the star of this book.... I am all for a sexy vampire boyfriend, but in a life where the Vampire's girlfriend moves on without him, and he's still dating 17 year olds, the deeply disturbing creepiness of the age gap becomes SO ridiculously apparent.
Am I here for a vampire boyfriend? Absolutely
Can I also see the ridiculousness of the age gap where a 200 year old can be passionately in love with a 17 year old? Absolutely.
They are not mutually exclusive.
The established relationship of Julian and Kate was also nice to see. They are both complete people with their own lives and goals and can co-exist without needing to be codependent. Come to think of it, maybe I'm here for Vampire Girlfriends?
All in all, a good mystery with a fully fleshed out backdrop of interesting characters, (most of them Kate's exs).
I'm excited to see where things go with Elise... because if she doesn't find someone in the upcoming books, I may need to do some fan fic shipping of my own.
Am I here for a vampire boyfriend? Absolutely
Can I also see the ridiculousness of the age gap where a 200 year old can be passionately in love with a 17 year old? Absolutely.
They are not mutually exclusive.
The established relationship of Julian and Kate was also nice to see. They are both complete people with their own lives and goals and can co-exist without needing to be codependent. Come to think of it, maybe I'm here for Vampire Girlfriends?
All in all, a good mystery with a fully fleshed out backdrop of interesting characters, (most of them Kate's exs).
I'm excited to see where things go with Elise... because if she doesn't find someone in the upcoming books, I may need to do some fan fic shipping of my own.
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