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Cat McKenzie #1
Bad Vampire
A rookie cop. A team of supernatural misfits. Recalcitrant baby vampires on the loose.
My name is Cat McKenzie, and I’ve been a very bad girl…
No, not in the I-need-a-spanking way...pervert.
Nope, my kind of bad got my partner killed on my first day of the job. And now I’m getting punished by being thrown in as human liaison to PIG — the Paranormal Investigative Group.
Seriously, what were my superiors thinking?
I’m not going to lie: I hate all supernatural beings, but especially those cocky ones like my new partner happens to be. Between baby vampires terrorizing school events, my truck getting totalled and demon sex clubs, I wonder who the hell I pissed off in a different life.
But when the vampire threat becomes personal, I'm hell bent on getting to the bottom of it.
My name is Cat McKenzie, and I’ve been a very bad girl…
No, not in the I-need-a-spanking way...pervert.
Nope, my kind of bad got my partner killed on my first day of the job. And now I’m getting punished by being thrown in as human liaison to PIG — the Paranormal Investigative Group.
Seriously, what were my superiors thinking?
I’m not going to lie: I hate all supernatural beings, but especially those cocky ones like my new partner happens to be. Between baby vampires terrorizing school events, my truck getting totalled and demon sex clubs, I wonder who the hell I pissed off in a different life.
But when the vampire threat becomes personal, I'm hell bent on getting to the bottom of it.
230 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 12, 2021
551 people are currently reading
742 people want to read
About the author
Lauren Dawes
40 books228 followersLauren Dawes is a USA Today Bestselling Author. She's an urban fantasy/paranormal romance writer and the author of the Half Blood Series and the Dark Trilogy. You won’t find any friendly vampires in between the pages of her books; just blood, teeth and violence.
When she’s not writing, she’s reading or designing book covers. She currently lives in Canberra, Australia with her husband, daughter and cat.
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authorlaurend...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/officialldawes
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorlaure...
Website: http://www.authorlaurendawes.com
When she’s not writing, she’s reading or designing book covers. She currently lives in Canberra, Australia with her husband, daughter and cat.
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authorlaurend...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/officialldawes
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorlaure...
Website: http://www.authorlaurendawes.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 164 reviews
June 28, 2021
Unfailing bad, the book and the writing. The vampire is an afterthought in the story. It’s been a while since I met such a failure.
The full title should have been a warning (a “snarky”…), but I read it too late. Snark is a cover up for all the failures a book piles on us and as usual it doesn’t work. At all. It can’t replace characterisation, world building or basically a logical plot. All points sorely MIA here.
Add that there is absolutely nothing fresh (we have the tragic past, the special snowflake who isn’t what she looks, the para police force… I’m not joking there’s not a comma that hasn’t been (better) used before…) In itself this lack of any idea shouldn’t be awful, if you then do something different with the same ingredients. Here we have the same recipe too AND in the hands of a “worst cooks in America” type of writer.
It’s a train wreck.
The full title should have been a warning (a “snarky”…), but I read it too late. Snark is a cover up for all the failures a book piles on us and as usual it doesn’t work. At all. It can’t replace characterisation, world building or basically a logical plot. All points sorely MIA here.
Add that there is absolutely nothing fresh (we have the tragic past, the special snowflake who isn’t what she looks, the para police force… I’m not joking there’s not a comma that hasn’t been (better) used before…) In itself this lack of any idea shouldn’t be awful, if you then do something different with the same ingredients. Here we have the same recipe too AND in the hands of a “worst cooks in America” type of writer.
It’s a train wreck.
July 5, 2021
Rating: 3.5
Romance: none
Pace: fast
World building: negligible
This book Started out with a great premise, snarky heroine, good pace etc.. However, somewhere along the line it started going downhill for me. Not sure whether it was the story itself or just lack of oomph towards the end when the big baddie turned up and another character did a total 180 without even any foreshadow etc..
Cat, after a huge fuck up during her first day as cop is sent to a supe division of cops as a human liaison. Yes, supernatural folks came out to the human world not so long ago and everyone is going through an adjustment period so to speak. Not much is talked about this but I suppose the main story is about Cat and her adventures as a cop and navigating the supe world. She, like everyone else, is definitely full of prejudice and fear towards the supernatural world. She is definitely full of snark and bravado in the face of fear. Well, who isn't? lol
Anyway, my issue was the story was leading into some plot of villian and the mastermind behind vamp children being made to wreck havoc with the city. However, once we found out who was behind it and the reasoning behind it....it just fell flat and too basic. And the person helping the villian to achieve this goal got knocked off without a background story even though there was some lines as if there might have been some history to it.
Sawyer, who is Cat's new supe partner (we find out what kind he is) is arrogant and bad tempered in the beginning. It would have been nice to see the push and pull and maybe some work tension continued. BUT....even that fizzles out eventually.
Romance, there might be no romance/future between Sawyer and Cat considering the type of supe he is....at least, the way the author mentions it. So not sure why it is made to seem there might be.
I may continue with book 2 as it was entertaining overall. Let's see how far I get.
Romance: none
Pace: fast
World building: negligible
This book Started out with a great premise, snarky heroine, good pace etc.. However, somewhere along the line it started going downhill for me. Not sure whether it was the story itself or just lack of oomph towards the end when the big baddie turned up and another character did a total 180 without even any foreshadow etc..
Cat, after a huge fuck up during her first day as cop is sent to a supe division of cops as a human liaison. Yes, supernatural folks came out to the human world not so long ago and everyone is going through an adjustment period so to speak. Not much is talked about this but I suppose the main story is about Cat and her adventures as a cop and navigating the supe world. She, like everyone else, is definitely full of prejudice and fear towards the supernatural world. She is definitely full of snark and bravado in the face of fear. Well, who isn't? lol
Anyway, my issue was the story was leading into some plot of villian and the mastermind behind vamp children being made to wreck havoc with the city. However, once we found out who was behind it and the reasoning behind it....it just fell flat and too basic. And the person helping the villian to achieve this goal got knocked off without a background story even though there was some lines as if there might have been some history to it.
Sawyer, who is Cat's new supe partner (we find out what kind he is) is arrogant and bad tempered in the beginning. It would have been nice to see the push and pull and maybe some work tension continued. BUT....even that fizzles out eventually.
Romance, there might be no romance/future between Sawyer and Cat considering the type of supe he is....at least, the way the author mentions it. So not sure why it is made to seem there might be.
I may continue with book 2 as it was entertaining overall. Let's see how far I get.
June 8, 2023
I’m going to round up on this, because I really enjoyed my first foray into this urban fantasy world. It’s full of snark and poor coping techniques and a myriad of injuries, and it was a hoot. Definitely going to be continuing on with this one.
July 29, 2022
Enjoyed the characters, world and set up enough to continue on. But, I did find it odd that Cat's fear and repulsion of all things supernatural ended rather quickly, even though it's mentioned throughout. Nah. Could've left that out altogether, IMO.
March 28, 2021
Lauren Dawes’ first instalment in the “Cat McKenzie” urban fantasy series is an enticing story, that mixes rookie very human female MC, her not-human-at-all new paranormal police partner, an interesting plot, lots of action and a healthy portion of chemistry into a witty, funny and entertaining solid urban fantasy story.
“Bad Vampire” introduces us to Cat McKenzie, a rookie who managed to get ostracised in her department and thrown out to the pigs in the very first week of her (rather gloomy) career. Let me explain that (the pun was to good to pass on 😊): in her first day on the job, Cat witnessed her partner being torn apart by one of that things that go bump in the night, and did what any other human confronted with the impossible would do, she froze. But Cat is not ‘any other human’ being, but a cop, and let your partner been killed while you freeze, does not endear you to your peers, in fact it gets you be thrown out… into PIG, aka the Paranormal Investigative Group 😉, officially as the human liaison, but let us be real here, Cat knows this is just to get her out, because nobody wants to partner with her.
Cat hates all supernatural beings, but now he is stuck with a group of very ‘super’ and a new partner Sawyer, who she manages to dislike even before she reaches the department. Add in their first case, a vampire child throwing tantrums at school, and a never-ending series of oddities happening around Cat and be prepared to enjoy this story to its fullest. Whatever you relate to Cat, to Sawyer to just recline back let them do ‘their thing’ and enjoy the ride…. there is no escape from those two 😉
This is a fast-paced, funny to the point of snarky, solid story, set in a very well-crafted UF world, with interesting secondary characters, and an endeared main character duo that go out like a house on fire. Cat is too sassy for her own good, hiding her insecurities under a blanket of sarcasm that only add more sparks to the duo.
“Bad Vampire” introduces us to Cat McKenzie, a rookie who managed to get ostracised in her department and thrown out to the pigs in the very first week of her (rather gloomy) career. Let me explain that (the pun was to good to pass on 😊): in her first day on the job, Cat witnessed her partner being torn apart by one of that things that go bump in the night, and did what any other human confronted with the impossible would do, she froze. But Cat is not ‘any other human’ being, but a cop, and let your partner been killed while you freeze, does not endear you to your peers, in fact it gets you be thrown out… into PIG, aka the Paranormal Investigative Group 😉, officially as the human liaison, but let us be real here, Cat knows this is just to get her out, because nobody wants to partner with her.
Cat hates all supernatural beings, but now he is stuck with a group of very ‘super’ and a new partner Sawyer, who she manages to dislike even before she reaches the department. Add in their first case, a vampire child throwing tantrums at school, and a never-ending series of oddities happening around Cat and be prepared to enjoy this story to its fullest. Whatever you relate to Cat, to Sawyer to just recline back let them do ‘their thing’ and enjoy the ride…. there is no escape from those two 😉
This is a fast-paced, funny to the point of snarky, solid story, set in a very well-crafted UF world, with interesting secondary characters, and an endeared main character duo that go out like a house on fire. Cat is too sassy for her own good, hiding her insecurities under a blanket of sarcasm that only add more sparks to the duo.
April 28, 2021
Looking to solve a mystery with a gang of supernatural misfits? Yes? Well, here ya go. No? Well, neither was Cat McKenzie and here we are.
Cat is a rookie cop sent to work with the Paranormal Investigative Group (PIG) after freezing during deadly attack. Supernatural creatures have been openly living amongst humans for 6 months now, but Cat hasn't warmed to them, so working for PIG is not looking too good for her. Partnered up with Sawyer, a handsome and seductive supe, she is exposed more magic than she ever thought possible.
The characters really grew on me. I can tell I'm going to love Sawyer and Cat as a crime-solving duo. I'm already invested in the chemistry and tension between them, as well as their budding feelings. The last handful of chapters were enough to get my heart-pounding and feeling so much. If you want a witty paranormal mystery with a spunky heroine and a the beginning of an impossibly complicated romance, Bad Vampire has got it!
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Cat is a rookie cop sent to work with the Paranormal Investigative Group (PIG) after freezing during deadly attack. Supernatural creatures have been openly living amongst humans for 6 months now, but Cat hasn't warmed to them, so working for PIG is not looking too good for her. Partnered up with Sawyer, a handsome and seductive supe, she is exposed more magic than she ever thought possible.
The characters really grew on me. I can tell I'm going to love Sawyer and Cat as a crime-solving duo. I'm already invested in the chemistry and tension between them, as well as their budding feelings. The last handful of chapters were enough to get my heart-pounding and feeling so much. If you want a witty paranormal mystery with a spunky heroine and a the beginning of an impossibly complicated romance, Bad Vampire has got it!
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 16, 2021
I received an ARC of Bad Vampire in exchange for an honest review.
Bad Vampire is a riveting start to a new series. Lauren Dawes has created an intriguing new world full of supernatural species. The dialogue between characters is fast-paced and refreshing.
The main character, Cat, is a rookie police officer transferred to the Paranormal Investigations Group (PIG). She enters her new role with a lot of preconceived ideas about supernatural beings, who are now her colleagues. It is interesting to see her views change throughout the course of the story. Cat’s character uses snarkiness as a shield to hide her true emotions. Many times, I found myself laughing out loud at her snarky comments.
I loved her partner, Sawyer, and look forward to getting to know him better.
Now, the waiting begins for the next installment in the series, Bad Witch!
Bad Vampire is a riveting start to a new series. Lauren Dawes has created an intriguing new world full of supernatural species. The dialogue between characters is fast-paced and refreshing.
The main character, Cat, is a rookie police officer transferred to the Paranormal Investigations Group (PIG). She enters her new role with a lot of preconceived ideas about supernatural beings, who are now her colleagues. It is interesting to see her views change throughout the course of the story. Cat’s character uses snarkiness as a shield to hide her true emotions. Many times, I found myself laughing out loud at her snarky comments.
I loved her partner, Sawyer, and look forward to getting to know him better.
Now, the waiting begins for the next installment in the series, Bad Witch!
May 21, 2021
*Source* Kindle Unlimited
*Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Rating* 4.0
*Thoughts*
Bad Vampire, by author Lauren Dawes, is the first installment in the authors Cat McKenzie series. Dawes main character is Cat McKenzie. She's a rookie officer who on her first day of work, lost her partner to something that is still at large. After a forced 7 day leave, Cat is transferred to PIG. (PIG stands for Paranormal Investigative Group). Cat is designated as the human liaison officer where she will spent 12 months. For Cat, this is a major slap in the face since she absolutely is terrified of supernaturals. Cat will be the only human among this group of supernaturals who all know what happened to her.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
*Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Rating* 4.0
*Thoughts*
Bad Vampire, by author Lauren Dawes, is the first installment in the authors Cat McKenzie series. Dawes main character is Cat McKenzie. She's a rookie officer who on her first day of work, lost her partner to something that is still at large. After a forced 7 day leave, Cat is transferred to PIG. (PIG stands for Paranormal Investigative Group). Cat is designated as the human liaison officer where she will spent 12 months. For Cat, this is a major slap in the face since she absolutely is terrified of supernaturals. Cat will be the only human among this group of supernaturals who all know what happened to her.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
March 23, 2021
Love! Love! Love!
Cat McKenzie is my type of woman! And Sawyer, I'm hooked. I received an ARC copy of Bad Vampire and I devoured this book in a day.
Lauren has imagined and created a captivating world of Supernatural creatures that just completely drags you in and captivates you from the first line.
Cat McKenzie is a rookie cop that has been transferred into the Paranormal Investigations Group. When she first enters her new role she is holding lots of hate towards the Supernaturals, but as she works along side them you see her question and change some views throughout the story. Her personality had me smiling like an idiot the whole book.
I absolutely cannot wait for the next instalment.
Cat McKenzie is my type of woman! And Sawyer, I'm hooked. I received an ARC copy of Bad Vampire and I devoured this book in a day.
Lauren has imagined and created a captivating world of Supernatural creatures that just completely drags you in and captivates you from the first line.
Cat McKenzie is a rookie cop that has been transferred into the Paranormal Investigations Group. When she first enters her new role she is holding lots of hate towards the Supernaturals, but as she works along side them you see her question and change some views throughout the story. Her personality had me smiling like an idiot the whole book.
I absolutely cannot wait for the next instalment.
March 23, 2021
What do you get when you mix a snarky human with magical objects and supernatural beings? A fast-paced, humorous, page-turning thrill you won’t be able to put down!
Cat Mackenzie is all kinds of awesome from her Jack of filter, to her obsession with unicorns, and let’s not forget the snarky attitude wrapped in a tiny human body. She’s kickass, sarcastic, and an amazing heroine.
While there are sparks between her and her supe partner, Sawyer, it’s a secondary story thread that makes for an awesome read. However, the action-packed mystery behind the baby vampires takes center stage.
If you like urban fantasy with all sorts of things that go bump in the night, Bad Vampire is a must-read! Very much looking forward to book 2!
*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Cat Mackenzie is all kinds of awesome from her Jack of filter, to her obsession with unicorns, and let’s not forget the snarky attitude wrapped in a tiny human body. She’s kickass, sarcastic, and an amazing heroine.
While there are sparks between her and her supe partner, Sawyer, it’s a secondary story thread that makes for an awesome read. However, the action-packed mystery behind the baby vampires takes center stage.
If you like urban fantasy with all sorts of things that go bump in the night, Bad Vampire is a must-read! Very much looking forward to book 2!
*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 21, 2021
This is the first book in a new series and the first time I read the authors writing. I love to read urban fantasy especially with a strong leading lady especially one that can state truths and acknowledge that. This is a strong start for the series and have you wanting more. I am curious to see how the relationship between Cat and Swayer grows. I wouldn’t say it is a slow burn novel but it’s also not just outright sex the entire time. It is a police investigation or procedural that involves supernaturals. I can’t wait to see how the series develops.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 14, 2021
I absolutely loved this book. It's fun and exhilarating. The scenes had me in awe at the adventure, the funny dialogue and the epic characters. Cat, a rookie cop, was a fiesty and sarcastic FMC... It was refreshing to have a female lead with such spark.
The world building and the world as a whole was beautifully designed. It's gripped me and just kept me on the edge of my toes all the way through. I finished this book with a big smail on my face knowing there's more to come and Cat's story isn't over. Bring on book two!
The world building and the world as a whole was beautifully designed. It's gripped me and just kept me on the edge of my toes all the way through. I finished this book with a big smail on my face knowing there's more to come and Cat's story isn't over. Bring on book two!
March 25, 2021
Lauren has created a world that is gripping, thrilling, and has you sitting on the edge of your seat from the very first page. Cat is witty, honest, fiery and has a lot of spark about her. The dynamic between Cat and Sawyer is intense. All the characters and the world has a lot of depth and layers to it, I can't wait for Book #2 to come out! If you like edgy, dark, witty, paranormal mystery/investigations, then I highly recommend this book.
March 24, 2021
I loved this story so freaking much. Cat especially was so dang great as well as Sawyer. This is mu favorite book by this author so far. Which is saying a lot as I love her other books as well. Could not put this down once I started. So ready for the next book because I need more.
August 4, 2021
Pros: Lots of magical beings/people. Unexpected bad guy/plot twist. Fast read. Entertaining.
Cons: Sometimes the protag's actions didn't make sense -- I wished there were more internal commentary/deep thinking on the page, so I could better understand why she did (and didn't) do certain things.
Cons: Sometimes the protag's actions didn't make sense -- I wished there were more internal commentary/deep thinking on the page, so I could better understand why she did (and didn't) do certain things.
October 18, 2021
somehow a bit different
This took me a bit of getting into, but by about 40% I couldn’t put it down.
A very enjoyable read.
This took me a bit of getting into, but by about 40% I couldn’t put it down.
A very enjoyable read.
October 1, 2021
Overall: 3/5
Plot and themes: 3/5
Characters: 3/5
Writing style: 3/5
Attention-grabbing: 4/5
Bad Vampire is the first book following Cat McKenzie, the newest detective in the Paranormal Investigation unit. It's only been a few months since the supernatural world was revealed to the regular humans and society is still reeling. The Paranormal Unit is a new department used to bridge the gap and solve the crimes that the regular cops cannot. Cat is assigned to this unit as a punishment due to her failure to save her partner from a supernatural threat, but it's actually a little more complicated than it seems.
It's an interesting premise and I'm a sucker for supernatural detective stories. My only complaint is that the vampire itself wasn't really all that much of a threat. When you see that the title includes it, you tend to expect it to be a bigger deal than a couple of references and the final boss battle. The whole way that the vampire was integrated into Cat's entire plot line felt just kind of weird and like it didn't really fit in with the rest of what was going on.
All in all, I think it was pretty good but could've had more action. It might get better once we learn more about Cat's past and get a little more into the probable romance. I definitely liked it but I feel like I could have loved it.
This review and all my others can be found at: https://aworldshapedbybooks.blogspot....
April 30, 2024
Well, I wrote a review, and Goodreads crashed. So, I can't be bothered to rewrite it.
Cat is a cop with a bad rep.
Sups have recently been outed, and the human world is cautious.
Cat new partner is a wet dream on a sundae. Sparks and smoulder but no smut.
There is more to Cat and her family, and book 1 is the set up to the main plot. A discovery of who and what her and her parents are...were.
Funny, dark humour, snarky banter, gore, and blood. There is no descriptive smut, but they don't shy away from it in their chats and banter.
3.7 stars
Cat is a cop with a bad rep.
Sups have recently been outed, and the human world is cautious.
Cat new partner is a wet dream on a sundae. Sparks and smoulder but no smut.
There is more to Cat and her family, and book 1 is the set up to the main plot. A discovery of who and what her and her parents are...were.
Funny, dark humour, snarky banter, gore, and blood. There is no descriptive smut, but they don't shy away from it in their chats and banter.
3.7 stars
June 23, 2024
Bought this at the supernova con today- started reading at 8:30pm- finished at 1am and it really was like watching (reading) an episode of lucifer with more supernatural things and I had a great time! Definitely fun and easy (some parts are slightly cringey but quite rare!) so I actually will be going and starting the next one right now😈
Ttyl I can’t wait to have way more fun in this world🙌🏻
Ttyl I can’t wait to have way more fun in this world🙌🏻
March 8, 2021
Bad Vampire: A Snarky Paranormal Detective Story... hum… how to review? Well, truth be told, I want to write something smart and brilliant and fill of snark just like this story. But there is simply no way I can do it justice, so that said… here are my thoughts on this freaking fantastic story:
Bad Vampire is the story of Cat, a police officer who has had a run of bad luck and finds herself assigned to PIG (the Paranormal Investigative Group). She has had some bad experiences with supernaturals in the past, so she is not too excited for her new position: partner to a supernatural (a hot sexy and smart one at that).
As their relationship develops (strictly professional of course. *wink, wink*) they must figure out the mystery behind the sudden emergence of baby vampires and increase in local crimes.
The story is packed full of the supernatural creatures and objects, magic, action, steamy scenes, and snark of course. The author creates such a brilliant world for Cat, that the pages just flew buy with utter enjoyment. And while there is not a character within the story I did not enjoy, I have to say as far as Cat goes, she is my new fictional BFF!
Bad Vampire is a laugh out loud, funny, awesome read that will lighten any reader’s mood and give them one of the best reading experiences in the supernatural realm. Bad Vampire is now sitting at the top of my favorite reads of 2021 list!
Oh!! And my favorite quote? “I flipped him off again. Twice in ten minutes? We were going to be best friends.” – Cat McKenzie in Bad Vampire.
Bad Vampire is the story of Cat, a police officer who has had a run of bad luck and finds herself assigned to PIG (the Paranormal Investigative Group). She has had some bad experiences with supernaturals in the past, so she is not too excited for her new position: partner to a supernatural (a hot sexy and smart one at that).
As their relationship develops (strictly professional of course. *wink, wink*) they must figure out the mystery behind the sudden emergence of baby vampires and increase in local crimes.
The story is packed full of the supernatural creatures and objects, magic, action, steamy scenes, and snark of course. The author creates such a brilliant world for Cat, that the pages just flew buy with utter enjoyment. And while there is not a character within the story I did not enjoy, I have to say as far as Cat goes, she is my new fictional BFF!
Bad Vampire is a laugh out loud, funny, awesome read that will lighten any reader’s mood and give them one of the best reading experiences in the supernatural realm. Bad Vampire is now sitting at the top of my favorite reads of 2021 list!
Oh!! And my favorite quote? “I flipped him off again. Twice in ten minutes? We were going to be best friends.” – Cat McKenzie in Bad Vampire.
April 6, 2021
Cat McKenzie isn’t happy when she’s transferred to PIG – the Paranormal Investigative Group – after her first partner dies on her first day on the job as a police officer, but the newly formed, unorthodox division might be just where snarky, stubborn Cat belongs.
I flew through Bad Vampire, loving Cat and the world that Dawes created. Cat’s first-person point of view is perfect to show off her snark and attitude while keeping her an extremely sympathetic character. The story is action-packed and though not terribly romantically sexy, very sexual in places with some intense and graphic scenes. And, while Cat is definitely attracted to her mysterious new supe partner, and there might be something ahead for them in future installments in the series, romance isn’t in the cards for readers in Bad Vampire. This story is more urban paranormal adventure, with lots of focus on the policing aspect and how it meshes in a paranormal world, and plenty of twists and turns to keep things moving. I enjoyed the characterization and the world-building in the story, and the mystery that Dawes is developing around and about Cat, and look forward to see what her next adventures are!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I flew through Bad Vampire, loving Cat and the world that Dawes created. Cat’s first-person point of view is perfect to show off her snark and attitude while keeping her an extremely sympathetic character. The story is action-packed and though not terribly romantically sexy, very sexual in places with some intense and graphic scenes. And, while Cat is definitely attracted to her mysterious new supe partner, and there might be something ahead for them in future installments in the series, romance isn’t in the cards for readers in Bad Vampire. This story is more urban paranormal adventure, with lots of focus on the policing aspect and how it meshes in a paranormal world, and plenty of twists and turns to keep things moving. I enjoyed the characterization and the world-building in the story, and the mystery that Dawes is developing around and about Cat, and look forward to see what her next adventures are!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 26, 2021
I felt that Cat's actions and commentary were inconsistent. For example she said that she doesn't trust easily, but she gave up her blood to an unknown witch who was clearly acting creepy on the advice of her new partner who just got the witch's number from a guy he previously admitted was lying to him about the case. The transition from I hate paranormal to I'm part of a family was too quick with very little substance to back it up. It felt like everything happened within a week and a half.
I also thought the dynamics of human/paranormal interaction did not fit the premise that they came out to society 6 months ago. She was given a hard time by her human colleagues for not taking action against a demon when it attacked her new partner. But what exactly was she supposed to do? And what happened other than she froze up? Why is all the anger directed at her rather than the new-to-the-world supernaturals?
Also, why didn't the evil vampire guy snatch her off the street at the beginning? She didn't need to join the super cops to get kidnapped and burned alive per the revenge plan.
I also thought the dynamics of human/paranormal interaction did not fit the premise that they came out to society 6 months ago. She was given a hard time by her human colleagues for not taking action against a demon when it attacked her new partner. But what exactly was she supposed to do? And what happened other than she froze up? Why is all the anger directed at her rather than the new-to-the-world supernaturals?
Also, why didn't the evil vampire guy snatch her off the street at the beginning? She didn't need to join the super cops to get kidnapped and burned alive per the revenge plan.
November 30, 2021
DNF.
Sorry, I don't know how to say it in a nice way.
This is just an incredibly low-IQ book all around.
The writing is atrocious. The main character is ... I don't know why she exists? To be hated by the reader?
She hates everything supernatural, and, I quote "I was terrified of them, the irrational fear probably stemming from my father's gruesome and unsolved murder."
She is not just 'snarky', she is 'snarky' in a way a very mean 5 year old psychopathic child would be snarky. <-- actually, this might be the most accurate description of the main character, what I saw of her from the beginning of this book. She is a mean 5 year old psychopath with a very low IQ and that's it.
She is a also a "cop". She got her partner gruesomely killed on the first day of her job, than the very next case involved her killing a child 'possessed by a vampire' with a sword. Nothing in this book makes any sense.
I don't know this book gains any redeeming qualities later on, and I don't want to waste my time and energy to find out.
I saw not a single even remotely positive thing about it, it's a complete horror show of a reading in the worst way possible.
Sorry, I don't know how to say it in a nice way.
This is just an incredibly low-IQ book all around.
The writing is atrocious. The main character is ... I don't know why she exists? To be hated by the reader?
She hates everything supernatural, and, I quote "I was terrified of them, the irrational fear probably stemming from my father's gruesome and unsolved murder."
She is not just 'snarky', she is 'snarky' in a way a very mean 5 year old psychopathic child would be snarky. <-- actually, this might be the most accurate description of the main character, what I saw of her from the beginning of this book. She is a mean 5 year old psychopath with a very low IQ and that's it.
She is a also a "cop". She got her partner gruesomely killed on the first day of her job, than the very next case involved her killing a child 'possessed by a vampire' with a sword. Nothing in this book makes any sense.
I don't know this book gains any redeeming qualities later on, and I don't want to waste my time and energy to find out.
I saw not a single even remotely positive thing about it, it's a complete horror show of a reading in the worst way possible.
April 19, 2021
*I received a free copy of this book which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.
This is a fantastic start to a new series!! We meet Cat a human cop in a world where the paranormal were brought public about six months before. After her fathers murder she is terrified of the paranormal which is why she just about panics when she is assigned as the human liaison to the paranormal team known as PIG at the police department where she works after a bad incident where her partner was killed. Her new partner is sex on two legs leading her into all sorts of situations she never thought she would be in. She totally kicks some butt though even if it is accidental at times. Full of action, suspense, and intrigue the story will keep you turning the pages all the way to the end leaving you ready for more books in this great new world. A total must read for fans of paranormal cop stories. I totally loved it so I give it 5/5 stars.
This is a fantastic start to a new series!! We meet Cat a human cop in a world where the paranormal were brought public about six months before. After her fathers murder she is terrified of the paranormal which is why she just about panics when she is assigned as the human liaison to the paranormal team known as PIG at the police department where she works after a bad incident where her partner was killed. Her new partner is sex on two legs leading her into all sorts of situations she never thought she would be in. She totally kicks some butt though even if it is accidental at times. Full of action, suspense, and intrigue the story will keep you turning the pages all the way to the end leaving you ready for more books in this great new world. A total must read for fans of paranormal cop stories. I totally loved it so I give it 5/5 stars.
March 18, 2021
Cat McKenzie is here and ready for action. I had so much fun writing Cat's story! It's unfiltered, laugh-out-loud writing that always made me smile so hard. Bad Vampire is book #1 in a 5-books series that follows this snarky, unicorn-loving, coffee-guzzling rookie cop with a heart of gold as she tries to navigate this strange new world where supernaturals are living among the human population.
If supernatural creatures are your jam, you won't want to miss this!
"Walking into a roomful of supes who had claws and fangs at their disposal? I had a feeling I’d find out how fast I could really run."
April 7, 2021
Cat McKenzie is a rookie police officer transferred to the Paranormal Investigative Group (PIG) when her freezing up on the job causes the death of her partner. She enters her new role with a lot of preconceived notions about paranormals. Cat uses her snark to hide what she is really feeling, which probably doesn’t help anyway since supernaturals usually have other ways of detecting that. But her comments are hilarious and that’s just what this reader loves!
Her partner, Sawyer, seems like he will provide her lots to snark about! Their initial assignment together is to find out what’s going on with those vamp kiddies! And this sets the tone for their partnership.
This is a good beginning for this story and leaves the reader wanting more. Great dialog, great pacing, and fun characters to keep you laughing. It certainly has my attention and I am eager for the next book.
Her partner, Sawyer, seems like he will provide her lots to snark about! Their initial assignment together is to find out what’s going on with those vamp kiddies! And this sets the tone for their partnership.
This is a good beginning for this story and leaves the reader wanting more. Great dialog, great pacing, and fun characters to keep you laughing. It certainly has my attention and I am eager for the next book.
January 4, 2022
I hate writing negative reviews. Just because I do not like a book, doesn't mean it is necessary a bad book or poorly written. In this case, however, it was just a bad book. The author clearly mistook "snarky" for "juvenile". The MC was supposedly a trained police officer who had a very bad first day on the job. As the story proceeded, at no point did the woman appear to have any interest in actually being a police officer. Throw in the tired trope of the centuries old guy who suddenly can't resist the lure of a girl who is, relatively speaking, basically a teenager. Throw in gratuitous sex club. throw in a bad guy totally out of left field. Basically, a very poorly crafted story. I was one third into the story and had no idea what the case was they were supposed to be investigating.
February 3, 2024
3.75?
I liked the story and the mystery. The chemistry was a little bland between the two main characters ... Maybe this isn't a romance though? ... I have no idea what genre I'm reading anymore.
What I liked:
1. Cat was snarky, which I liked, I'm not sure it felt completely authentic though. First book roughness ?
2. The pacing and writing was good overall
3. I liked the fact that she saved herself in the end and didn't have to be rescued
What I didn't love:
1. I'm not a huge fan of the incubus/succubus character type. I was kind of hoping her partner was a vampire.
2. As I said above ... If this was a paranormal romance, the chemistry was a little lacking.
I liked the story and the mystery. The chemistry was a little bland between the two main characters ... Maybe this isn't a romance though? ... I have no idea what genre I'm reading anymore.
What I liked:
1. Cat was snarky, which I liked, I'm not sure it felt completely authentic though. First book roughness ?
2. The pacing and writing was good overall
3. I liked the fact that she saved herself in the end and didn't have to be rescued
What I didn't love:
1. I'm not a huge fan of the incubus/succubus character type. I was kind of hoping her partner was a vampire.
2. As I said above ... If this was a paranormal romance, the chemistry was a little lacking.
April 7, 2021
While this was an entertaining book, I think that the author may have overdone the snarkiness a little too much which is something I never thought I would say. Too much snarkiness just comes off as defensive and boulder on the shoulder. I think with a little more editing and refining this could be an excellent book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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