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Preternatural Private Investigator and Paranormal Huntress Kassandra Lyall is used to working alone. Whenever there's a murder or a mystery to solve that involves the preternatural; she's the witch they call. When she's called in to help the local cops work on a mysterious murder case, she finds herself needing all the help she can get. A bloodthirsty werewolf is loose in the city and on a killing spree. As if her plate weren't full enough, a strange she-wolf seeks Kassandra's aid, asking her to help find her missing brother. Kassandra soon learns that the strange she-wolf serves two masters, and one of those masters has taken quite an interest in her. In a world where vampires have charmed their way into modern society, where werewolves walk the streets with their beasts disguised by human skin, Kassandra Lyall has a secret of her own to protect. She's one of them.
288 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2010
41 people are currently reading
2614 people want to read
About the author
Winter Pennington
13 books306 followersWinter Pennington is the author of the Kassandra Lyall Preternatural Investigator Series. She is an avid practitioner of nature-based spirituality and enjoys spending her spare time studying mythology from around the world. The Celtic path is very close to her heart. She has an uncanny fascination with swords and daggers, and a fondness for feeding loud and obnoxious corvids. In the shadow of her writing, she has experience working with a plethora of animals as a pet care specialist and veterinary assistant. She currently resides in Oklahoma.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
September 27, 2025
**'It's inevitable that you flesh out and know who the main protagonist is when telling your story. It can get confusing to readers..'
Okay read!
........... somewhat readable but still dull --- not even sure that about their sorta relationship and chemistry...
:----- the story reads like a 'to do list'
2.5 stars!
Okay read!
........... somewhat readable but still dull --- not even sure that about their sorta relationship and chemistry...
:----- the story reads like a 'to do list'
2.5 stars!
April 26, 2021
This was a very mixed read for me.
On the one hand, it's entertaining and well written enough. The world and initial character set up intrigued me, dangling a carrot out in front which kept me reading. On the other, I could really do with an overhaul of the lead character, Kassandra, and a deeper dive into the fairly shallow story we get.
Kassandra is a private investigator of paranormal crimes and creatures. She herself is recognized as a subtle witch but is a closeted werewolf that was turned just three years prior. Despite her lone P.I. status she still helps out the police when they encounter a paranormal suspect, specifically a werewolf his time. And she's been hired by another fellow werewolf to find her missing brother. It's a vampire, werewolf, and faeries, oh my! kind of world where just about every paranormal creature exists alongside humans. Some have rights and some don't.
The premise is interesting. But Kassandra is a grump of a character with a capital G. She's sarcastic but not fun.
She's also one of those lead characters that somehow is special and an alpha but the author never SHOWS us. It's like her powers are granted but not earned. And that's frustrating to me. Overall, except for being bitchy to just about everyone, Kassandra is a passive character that kind of bumbles her way along. She's not clever, tying threads of a mystery together or outsmarting anyone. She's not resourceful, redemptive, even a super powerful werewolf in some respects since people keep sneaking up on her...she's rather blah and a curmudgeon.
It's weird to find a story entertaining in one way but then find it completely weak sauce when it comes to the lead character and mystery. I thought some other characters and the world itself were interesting.
As for romance, there are two characters vying for Kassandra's attention so there is sexual chemistry. However, a true romance doesn't really exist here. Nothing deep anyway. In fact, there's one sex scene that screamed dubious consent to me and I was left somewhat baffled and pretty uncomfortable about it. I was so not invested that I didn't want to waste the time to go back and reread it. Kassandra explains it away later but I basically took it to be almost like a date rape situation because she didn't want it and voiced that but somehow it was all okay because her wolf did? It was weird and also super quick as in it didn't even seem worth it. Anyway.
If you want to read a paranormal book, this one is okay. There are much better ones out there. But, if you have a thing for lesbian lycanthropes you might like this? Sort of?
On the one hand, it's entertaining and well written enough. The world and initial character set up intrigued me, dangling a carrot out in front which kept me reading. On the other, I could really do with an overhaul of the lead character, Kassandra, and a deeper dive into the fairly shallow story we get.
Kassandra is a private investigator of paranormal crimes and creatures. She herself is recognized as a subtle witch but is a closeted werewolf that was turned just three years prior. Despite her lone P.I. status she still helps out the police when they encounter a paranormal suspect, specifically a werewolf his time. And she's been hired by another fellow werewolf to find her missing brother. It's a vampire, werewolf, and faeries, oh my! kind of world where just about every paranormal creature exists alongside humans. Some have rights and some don't.
The premise is interesting. But Kassandra is a grump of a character with a capital G. She's sarcastic but not fun.
She's also one of those lead characters that somehow is special and an alpha but the author never SHOWS us. It's like her powers are granted but not earned. And that's frustrating to me. Overall, except for being bitchy to just about everyone, Kassandra is a passive character that kind of bumbles her way along. She's not clever, tying threads of a mystery together or outsmarting anyone. She's not resourceful, redemptive, even a super powerful werewolf in some respects since people keep sneaking up on her...she's rather blah and a curmudgeon.
It's weird to find a story entertaining in one way but then find it completely weak sauce when it comes to the lead character and mystery. I thought some other characters and the world itself were interesting.
As for romance, there are two characters vying for Kassandra's attention so there is sexual chemistry. However, a true romance doesn't really exist here. Nothing deep anyway. In fact, there's one sex scene that screamed dubious consent to me and I was left somewhat baffled and pretty uncomfortable about it. I was so not invested that I didn't want to waste the time to go back and reread it. Kassandra explains it away later but I basically took it to be almost like a date rape situation because she didn't want it and voiced that but somehow it was all okay because her wolf did? It was weird and also super quick as in it didn't even seem worth it. Anyway.
If you want to read a paranormal book, this one is okay. There are much better ones out there. But, if you have a thing for lesbian lycanthropes you might like this? Sort of?
June 27, 2016
Additional tags :
— U-haul at first sight
— Character who's part human, part werewolf, part witch, part psychic, part this, part that, and probably 1/64th cherokee or something like that. New powers will be added to fit the story.
— author mistaking bdsm roleplay for actual social interaction, thus turning this book into a giant sexual harassment lawsuit waiting to happen. Come to think of it, I've yet to read a book where a character explicitly consents to sexually dominant & controlling behavior before it actually happening.
— The crotch, aka the secondary human brain / You may not consent but if I touch your crotch you'll just accept sex anyway / Consent? Rape culture? Never heard of em :o
— Will probably feature a few orgies and quite-a-few-somes before the end of the series
— You need to have sex with this character who's been sexually harassing you domme style for three books in order to catch the killer and solve the plot, and yet it's the most convenient bullshit ever and who needs consent anyway this is vampire fiction
— Characters guilt tripping and manipulating each other into sex. The first book is okay-ish even thought there's a scene of non consensual sex, but as the series goes it just gets more rapey and abusive, damn.
— U-haul at first sight
— Character who's part human, part werewolf, part witch, part psychic, part this, part that, and probably 1/64th cherokee or something like that. New powers will be added to fit the story.
— author mistaking bdsm roleplay for actual social interaction, thus turning this book into a giant sexual harassment lawsuit waiting to happen. Come to think of it, I've yet to read a book where a character explicitly consents to sexually dominant & controlling behavior before it actually happening.
— The crotch, aka the secondary human brain / You may not consent but if I touch your crotch you'll just accept sex anyway / Consent? Rape culture? Never heard of em :o
— Will probably feature a few orgies and quite-a-few-somes before the end of the series
— You need to have sex with this character who's been sexually harassing you domme style for three books in order to catch the killer and solve the plot, and yet it's the most convenient bullshit ever and who needs consent anyway this is vampire fiction
— Characters guilt tripping and manipulating each other into sex. The first book is okay-ish even thought there's a scene of non consensual sex, but as the series goes it just gets more rapey and abusive, damn.
May 5, 2012
If there is such a thing as classical lesbian urban fantasy, then this is it. Protagonist with a furry secret and a badge and attitude that allows for no nonsense.
Kassandra Lyall is the typical loner, until that moment when she more or less trips on her own feet and falls right into werewolf pack politics and fraternisation. Throw in some gore and a hot-as-all-that vampire Countess and there’s nothing original about the book, but neither is there anything that distracts from its entertainment value. Murder, mystery, the “preternatural” and a fair amount of lesbian passion.
The main character might be a little weak in the sense that she feels somewhat underdeveloped. She seems defined mostly through the characters around her, which doesn’t make you feel any real thrill or compassion for her. But the surrounding cast is interesting enough that you keep on reading throughout the fairly cold portrayal of Kassandra Lyall.
The world in which it all took place however felt much more nuanced and immediately sucked you in with the recognisable yet allegoric political inequalities and social attitudes. The explanations and development of the preternatural elements also felt surprisingly fresh. A good mixture of classical mythology and originality.
So despite the fact that I never felt like I was truly let inside of the protagonist’s mind there was still enough entertainment to keep me reading. Not to turn the pages with a feverish frenzy, but enough to allow me to finish. And lets be honest, there really aren’t that many novels featuring lesbian werewolves/vampires so you’ll read it no matter what.
Kassandra Lyall is the typical loner, until that moment when she more or less trips on her own feet and falls right into werewolf pack politics and fraternisation. Throw in some gore and a hot-as-all-that vampire Countess and there’s nothing original about the book, but neither is there anything that distracts from its entertainment value. Murder, mystery, the “preternatural” and a fair amount of lesbian passion.
The main character might be a little weak in the sense that she feels somewhat underdeveloped. She seems defined mostly through the characters around her, which doesn’t make you feel any real thrill or compassion for her. But the surrounding cast is interesting enough that you keep on reading throughout the fairly cold portrayal of Kassandra Lyall.
The world in which it all took place however felt much more nuanced and immediately sucked you in with the recognisable yet allegoric political inequalities and social attitudes. The explanations and development of the preternatural elements also felt surprisingly fresh. A good mixture of classical mythology and originality.
So despite the fact that I never felt like I was truly let inside of the protagonist’s mind there was still enough entertainment to keep me reading. Not to turn the pages with a feverish frenzy, but enough to allow me to finish. And lets be honest, there really aren’t that many novels featuring lesbian werewolves/vampires so you’ll read it no matter what.
November 11, 2014
Paranormal stories involving vampires are my least favorite form of romantic fiction. Its hard to dissociate blood and cold skin from death, Twilight notwithstanding. But this book comes highly recommended. Also, the promise of a good crime story might mitigate somewhat the less-than-appealing romance. The result is, surprisingly, the opposite of what I expected.
Kassandra is built up by the blurb to be a hotshot paranormal PI who likes to work alone. But on her very first investigative outing in the book, she drags someone armed to the teeth with her, lol. She is also built up by the book to be something of an empath--someone who can sense other people's feelings. But this gift rarely came into play, and wasn't much help at all in figuring out the good guys from the bad guys, or even, what two alluring ladies' intentions towards her were. On the other hand, her werewolf-y sense of smell is uncanny, and is undoubtedly her "secret" investigative weapon of choice. :) Which isn't to say that there was a lot of investigating going on. If I recall correctly, it was just one time. And the rest of the time, Kassandra was either called to the scene, stumbled onto it, or was dragged into it. There were no surprises in the case at all and one can pretty much guess who the guilty party might have been from the very first time the name came up. I know that even hotshot PIs make mistakes but it doesn't do the mystery justice if the reader can see through it but the main character can't. Maybe if she had actually spent more time in the field investigating the case, especially the missing person one. After all, 'Investigator' is the title of the book.
As for the romance, there isn't really any, in the traditional sense. No courtship or dating here. Its more of the one-look-and-you're-mine variety, which I suppose, is typical of non-human romances. :) Which is not to say it isn't hot, because it sizzles! I love Lenore even though she is a vampire. The book makes her bigger than life yet humanizes her at the same time. I can totally understand Kass' fascination with her. What I can't understand is what exactly does she see in Kass, other than physical attraction, because in all their encounters, Kass seems more like a helpless though promising protege than an equal lover.
As for the paranormal stuff, I was a little confused. When Kass goes into werewolf form, she retains human-like speech. She also does human-y moves like put on a seatbelt, grabs someone's wrist and twist them to the back, knees someone, etc. I had to re-read several passages to be sure I didn't miss something--maybe she changed back, only to have confirmation a few lines later that she still has a tail so...what is this, a partial-change? a were-lady? a lady-wolf? I had trouble visualizing it but Penny kindly provided a visual that helped somewhat 8-)
THere is also something I've always wondered so when it actually happens in the book, I was like, Yes!, now I finally get to find out. But then nothing happens and they never even talk about it. This is lesfic--they NEED to talk about things, not put it off to the next day or even, the next book :)
While the crime/mystery part was so-so, the paranormal bits iffy, I found the character interactions very engaging. Kass and her stakeout partner, Kass and her police contact Arthur, Kass and Lenorre (of course!), and surprisingly, Kass and her wolf self. The latter are involved in a constant struggle for dominance, control and recognition--and I'd have to say these are the highlights of the book.
Overall, I did enjoy this first in a series. Not as much as I'd hoped, but enough that I just might be interested in the 2nd one...if we get more Lenorre hotness. I want to know what she's all about, what makes her tick, how she became what she is, and who turned her..stuff like that. So yes, its THE VAMPIRE I'm interested in now...
3.9 stars
Kassandra is built up by the blurb to be a hotshot paranormal PI who likes to work alone. But on her very first investigative outing in the book, she drags someone armed to the teeth with her, lol. She is also built up by the book to be something of an empath--someone who can sense other people's feelings. But this gift rarely came into play, and wasn't much help at all in figuring out the good guys from the bad guys, or even, what two alluring ladies' intentions towards her were. On the other hand, her werewolf-y sense of smell is uncanny, and is undoubtedly her "secret" investigative weapon of choice. :) Which isn't to say that there was a lot of investigating going on. If I recall correctly, it was just one time. And the rest of the time, Kassandra was either called to the scene, stumbled onto it, or was dragged into it. There were no surprises in the case at all and one can pretty much guess who the guilty party might have been from the very first time the name came up. I know that even hotshot PIs make mistakes but it doesn't do the mystery justice if the reader can see through it but the main character can't. Maybe if she had actually spent more time in the field investigating the case, especially the missing person one. After all, 'Investigator' is the title of the book.
As for the romance, there isn't really any, in the traditional sense. No courtship or dating here. Its more of the one-look-and-you're-mine variety, which I suppose, is typical of non-human romances. :) Which is not to say it isn't hot, because it sizzles! I love Lenore even though she is a vampire. The book makes her bigger than life yet humanizes her at the same time. I can totally understand Kass' fascination with her. What I can't understand is what exactly does she see in Kass, other than physical attraction, because in all their encounters, Kass seems more like a helpless though promising protege than an equal lover.
As for the paranormal stuff, I was a little confused. When Kass goes into werewolf form, she retains human-like speech. She also does human-y moves like put on a seatbelt, grabs someone's wrist and twist them to the back, knees someone, etc. I had to re-read several passages to be sure I didn't miss something--maybe she changed back, only to have confirmation a few lines later that she still has a tail so...what is this, a partial-change? a were-lady? a lady-wolf? I had trouble visualizing it but Penny kindly provided a visual that helped somewhat 8-)
THere is also something I've always wondered so when it actually happens in the book, I was like, Yes!, now I finally get to find out. But then nothing happens and they never even talk about it. This is lesfic--they NEED to talk about things, not put it off to the next day or even, the next book :)
While the crime/mystery part was so-so, the paranormal bits iffy, I found the character interactions very engaging. Kass and her stakeout partner, Kass and her police contact Arthur, Kass and Lenorre (of course!), and surprisingly, Kass and her wolf self. The latter are involved in a constant struggle for dominance, control and recognition--and I'd have to say these are the highlights of the book.
Overall, I did enjoy this first in a series. Not as much as I'd hoped, but enough that I just might be interested in the 2nd one...if we get more Lenorre hotness. I want to know what she's all about, what makes her tick, how she became what she is, and who turned her..stuff like that. So yes, its THE VAMPIRE I'm interested in now...
3.9 stars
February 26, 2017
Great werewolf read. I enjoyed the main character and laughed out loud a few times at her wit. The vampire's a bit scary but that's part of their mystique I suppose. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
September 2, 2012
One of the best paranormal serie of this last years for me.
Why? It's simple here we have:
- An alluring and so enjoyable protagonist, a werewolf but without a pack and without a real comprehension about her power
- a good mystery
- and with an = intriguing female vampire
For me all of this is enough for a very good read
Why? It's simple here we have:
- An alluring and so enjoyable protagonist, a werewolf but without a pack and without a real comprehension about her power
- a good mystery
- and with an = intriguing female vampire
For me all of this is enough for a very good read
April 16, 2017
I was in two minds whether to read this book. I love anything to do with vampires and werewolves but the witch aspect put me off for a while. I'm so glad I finally read it! I was engrossed from the first page to the last. I'm eager to read the sequel and I'm rooting for Kass and Lenoree's relationship to progress.
October 9, 2021
10/9/21
Two dominant female main characters, a missing person and murder mystery, shape shifters and vampires are all components for a recipe I want to follow every time. Hence having read this 5 times and fully intending on reading again in the future.
This is definitely one of my favorite stories but the audiobook is not the way to enjoy it for me. The narrator has a nice voice for reading but when she reads the dialogue she overacts big time and it really takes me out of the story.
Two dominant female main characters, a missing person and murder mystery, shape shifters and vampires are all components for a recipe I want to follow every time. Hence having read this 5 times and fully intending on reading again in the future.
This is definitely one of my favorite stories but the audiobook is not the way to enjoy it for me. The narrator has a nice voice for reading but when she reads the dialogue she overacts big time and it really takes me out of the story.
September 13, 2014
3.5
I found this uneven, but generally enjoyable. On the up side, Pennington has created a solid paranormal world with a good strong lead and filled it out with plenty of engaging secondaries and enough intrigue to get the reader invested. I'm fairly new to the F/F genre, but I very much want to read more books like this. There is not a huge amount of sex, but those scenes that did appear were fantastic--I found them both hot and moody. Kassandra is an unusually sensual character, which informs her relationship to everything from women, to the woods, to coffee. One of my favorite parts of the book was the interaction between the human Kassandra and her wolf, which focused more on the impressionistic aspects than I'd ever seen in a shifter story before. That aspect definitely played to Pennington's strengths as a writer: like her heroine, her writing at its best was beautifully sensual, in the literal sense of being permeated by sensations, especially scent, sound and touch, giving a distinct sensibility to the narration.
I was less caught up in the "investigator" side of the story: the mystery itself was not very mysterious, which makes Kassandra seem less impressive as a P.I. than she probably needs to be to carry a series. Also, while I greatly admired a lot of the writing and found the book polished, I couldn't help thinking it would have benefited from a stronger editor. The prose is riddled with sentences like "I parked the car and got out," which while totally fine was (in context) also totally unnecessary. They add nothing to the plot, characterization or mood of the story, and create a kind of flabbiness in the narration that slows the pacing and, I thought, muffled the appeal of the heroine.
The problems felt very much like those of the first book in a new series, where the author is too engaged in setting up the world and the relationships to fully develop the mystery plot. I hope the later books work out some of these weaknesses because I definitely think Pennington has put together a very promising set up for a series. At any rate, she is definitely an author I'd like to read more of.
I found this uneven, but generally enjoyable. On the up side, Pennington has created a solid paranormal world with a good strong lead and filled it out with plenty of engaging secondaries and enough intrigue to get the reader invested. I'm fairly new to the F/F genre, but I very much want to read more books like this. There is not a huge amount of sex, but those scenes that did appear were fantastic--I found them both hot and moody. Kassandra is an unusually sensual character, which informs her relationship to everything from women, to the woods, to coffee. One of my favorite parts of the book was the interaction between the human Kassandra and her wolf, which focused more on the impressionistic aspects than I'd ever seen in a shifter story before. That aspect definitely played to Pennington's strengths as a writer: like her heroine, her writing at its best was beautifully sensual, in the literal sense of being permeated by sensations, especially scent, sound and touch, giving a distinct sensibility to the narration.
I was less caught up in the "investigator" side of the story: the mystery itself was not very mysterious, which makes Kassandra seem less impressive as a P.I. than she probably needs to be to carry a series. Also, while I greatly admired a lot of the writing and found the book polished, I couldn't help thinking it would have benefited from a stronger editor. The prose is riddled with sentences like "I parked the car and got out," which while totally fine was (in context) also totally unnecessary. They add nothing to the plot, characterization or mood of the story, and create a kind of flabbiness in the narration that slows the pacing and, I thought, muffled the appeal of the heroine.
The problems felt very much like those of the first book in a new series, where the author is too engaged in setting up the world and the relationships to fully develop the mystery plot. I hope the later books work out some of these weaknesses because I definitely think Pennington has put together a very promising set up for a series. At any rate, she is definitely an author I'd like to read more of.
May 29, 2013
I really wanted to like this book, the part I had a hard time with was the way she wrote her narrative. The book read like a grocery list or to-do list. I went to take a bath in my white tub. Then I turned on the hot and cold water, but first I decided to gather my clothes for the evening. After hoping in the shower, I thought to myself, this feels great. This was not in the book but it is this reminds me how the book read.
June 30, 2020
There's an interesting core to this book, I think, but it really wanted an editor before publishing--someone to take out unnecessary lines of dialogue and mentions of the word "Tiburon."
F/f paranormal romance is pretty rare, so I'm extra annoyed that this book was shorted on that front.
F/f paranormal romance is pretty rare, so I'm extra annoyed that this book was shorted on that front.
October 15, 2018
This is the first book in the series and it deserves 4.5 stars on its own. I minus half a star because the captivative writing about my favorite Lenorre through the perspective of Kassandra is a little short for my maximum enjoyment. The way she was strong yet submissive still made me linger on after I finished the book. It is true that everyone falls for vampires, especially the Countess!
I normally round up to 5 stars, but since book 2 & 3 that I read before this one are so much better, I downgraded this book to 4 stars as it could not be in the same level as the other two.
I normally round up to 5 stars, but since book 2 & 3 that I read before this one are so much better, I downgraded this book to 4 stars as it could not be in the same level as the other two.
September 9, 2021
The story had some interesting elements, but felt unfinished to me. If I come across the next one I would read it, but I won't be searching it out.
February 3, 2013
At page 57/171.....
Has anyone ever read L. K. Hamilton's ABVH series?
I expect that our Winter P. is a fan
and this reads like a lesbo re-make. It's the Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series without the ardeur and before the series became erotic paranorm/Horror. As someone who LOVES LKH despite the series' ups and downs, I'm not sure how I feel about the reference- slightly offended but mildly amused I think.
Cross over:
1. Rupert is Anita's Edward ie. the friendly and unassuming sociopath, bounty hunter and undercover assassin. Of all the law force, only he and Anita/kassandra are close and know each others secret identities. Rupert/Edward is secretive and his life, a mystery but Kassandra has learned to live with it. He's also the one who taught her to be bad-ass and gets her dangerous gifts. There's also the parallel unanswered question of whether the girl or guy is tougher but unlike Ed, it doesn't bother Rupert so much.
Rupert's a little flat though: conveniently travels w/sleazy goth apparel in Kasandra's size,has nothing better to do than drop everything to hunt preternatural for free when she calls and has no qualms about killing for fun even though he gave up the hit-man business.And what's with the hair gel to go hunt in the woods?
The Vampire countess, Lenore (yes, Kass' repeatedly refers with said lengthy title)who is apparently very helpful and trust-worthy (even though Kass just met her and found out that she's been watching and knows damn near everything about her) is ABVH's female JC who, like Lenore, is also King/Queen of the city's preternatural population and irresistible V club owner. Phew, long sentence.
Rosalin is AVBH's drool-worthy Richard Z., before he became a messed up Bitch, as a girl. Both are powerful Werewolves (working for the aforementioned Vamp and)second to a sadistic Alpha (male in LKH's version) who's soon to be overthrown.
Kass/Anita live in a world similar to ours but where Were animals, vamps and witches have come out and are quickly acquiring rights, through congress, after previously being freely hunted. Neither are cops but consultants (for cops) who act like cops and end up taking on and solving murders- like cops. They have anger and trust issues and very few friends prior to the series' kick-off. I wonder if the police will be paying Kass for her services since she's been ordered to take the case? Police giving away their cases to strange PI's and allowing them to interrogate witnesses without an audience..... Not weird at all. Neither is the fact that she went through the human/Were transition ALL on her own, safe in the confines of her indestructible bathroom and all without ever losing control in public nearing or during the full moon even before she quit the force.
And not to be outdone, the friendly cop on Anita/Kass' side who, in both scenarios, swap rude and self deprecating jokes.
The whole thing's less intense, dark or emotional than ABVH- which isn't bad- and less 3D. It's neither exceptionally well told nor written as the characters could use a bit more building and the prose, more story telling. I'd like to see that a character is "nice" rather than told, for instance. I feel beter thinking of this book as a ABVH satire-slash-spoof or an intentionally gay ABVH.
Prediction? Lenore is interested in Kass because she knows she's alpha strong and wants to position her as the new alpha. By the end, Kass will be surprised when she realizes that Lenore had orchestrated the whole thing.
By the end of the this book Kass will have established her love interest(s)and either coupled up (after some conflict) or the book will end on the relationship conflict and the coupling-up (in 2s or 3s)left for the next book- unless the ABVH trend is permeated here as well.
I'll find out in a bit and let you know.
(Sorry- a bit too lazy to proof read at the moment)
Has anyone ever read L. K. Hamilton's ABVH series?
I expect that our Winter P. is a fan
and this reads like a lesbo re-make. It's the Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series without the ardeur and before the series became erotic paranorm/Horror. As someone who LOVES LKH despite the series' ups and downs, I'm not sure how I feel about the reference- slightly offended but mildly amused I think.
Cross over:
1. Rupert is Anita's Edward ie. the friendly and unassuming sociopath, bounty hunter and undercover assassin. Of all the law force, only he and Anita/kassandra are close and know each others secret identities. Rupert/Edward is secretive and his life, a mystery but Kassandra has learned to live with it. He's also the one who taught her to be bad-ass and gets her dangerous gifts. There's also the parallel unanswered question of whether the girl or guy is tougher but unlike Ed, it doesn't bother Rupert so much.
Rupert's a little flat though: conveniently travels w/sleazy goth apparel in Kasandra's size,has nothing better to do than drop everything to hunt preternatural for free when she calls and has no qualms about killing for fun even though he gave up the hit-man business.And what's with the hair gel to go hunt in the woods?
The Vampire countess, Lenore (yes, Kass' repeatedly refers with said lengthy title)who is apparently very helpful and trust-worthy (even though Kass just met her and found out that she's been watching and knows damn near everything about her) is ABVH's female JC who, like Lenore, is also King/Queen of the city's preternatural population and irresistible V club owner. Phew, long sentence.
Rosalin is AVBH's drool-worthy Richard Z., before he became a messed up Bitch, as a girl. Both are powerful Werewolves (working for the aforementioned Vamp and)second to a sadistic Alpha (male in LKH's version) who's soon to be overthrown.
Kass/Anita live in a world similar to ours but where Were animals, vamps and witches have come out and are quickly acquiring rights, through congress, after previously being freely hunted. Neither are cops but consultants (for cops) who act like cops and end up taking on and solving murders- like cops. They have anger and trust issues and very few friends prior to the series' kick-off. I wonder if the police will be paying Kass for her services since she's been ordered to take the case? Police giving away their cases to strange PI's and allowing them to interrogate witnesses without an audience..... Not weird at all. Neither is the fact that she went through the human/Were transition ALL on her own, safe in the confines of her indestructible bathroom and all without ever losing control in public nearing or during the full moon even before she quit the force.
And not to be outdone, the friendly cop on Anita/Kass' side who, in both scenarios, swap rude and self deprecating jokes.
The whole thing's less intense, dark or emotional than ABVH- which isn't bad- and less 3D. It's neither exceptionally well told nor written as the characters could use a bit more building and the prose, more story telling. I'd like to see that a character is "nice" rather than told, for instance. I feel beter thinking of this book as a ABVH satire-slash-spoof or an intentionally gay ABVH.
Prediction? Lenore is interested in Kass because she knows she's alpha strong and wants to position her as the new alpha. By the end, Kass will be surprised when she realizes that Lenore had orchestrated the whole thing.
By the end of the this book Kass will have established her love interest(s)and either coupled up (after some conflict) or the book will end on the relationship conflict and the coupling-up (in 2s or 3s)left for the next book- unless the ABVH trend is permeated here as well.
I'll find out in a bit and let you know.
(Sorry- a bit too lazy to proof read at the moment)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 25, 2011
Plot Summary: Preternatural Private Investigator and Paranormal Huntress Kassandra "Kass" Lyall is a werewolf and a witch. Ever since she was bitten and infected with the lycanthropy virus while on duty as a police officer. Her furry full-moon transitions caused her to quit the force, so she makes a living as a private investigator. In her home state of Oklahoma, Kass is called upon by the police when a case appears to have supernatural involvement.
The only person that is aware of Kassandra's lycanthrope, is Rupert, a weapons expert and former assassin. This is a world where vampires are out in the open, and mostly they are accepted by the public at large. Were's, on the other hand, are not. Not even her former partner in the police Arthur Kingsfisher knows. Kass is one of two people that understands the preternatural world.
When people start turning up mauled by werewolves, Kass is called in by her former boss Captain Holbrook, to investigate. She soon crosses paths with Rosalin, a member of the local werewolf pack and a close friend of Lenorre Countess Vampire of Oklahoma. Rosalin's brother Henry is missing. The wolf within is driving Kass to want to connect, both with the pack and with a potential mate. Lenorre seems to be the alpha female of her dreams, but, can a vampire and a werewolf ever truly be soulmates?
Kassandra has jet-black hair with a white streak in her hair. It designates her as an Alpha wolf. She has no affliation with any pack, and she likes it that way. She also has a raven tattoo in the middle of her back, which comes into the story line when Kass get's scared out of her mind at something Lenorre does to her. She's a devotee of Goddess religion, dedicated to the Morrigan (the Celtic war-goddess.) Even though Kass is a survivor and is tough as they come, when it comes to romances, she's at a loss as to what to do. When Lenorre shows more than friendship to Kass, she feels the cocoon of safety she's built around herself being ripped apart. Her innner wolf has a mind all her own.
This book is a mix of urban fantasy with police procedural/murder mystery. Given Kass' unique brand of lupine femininity and her determination to safeguard it in the male-dominated world of law enforcement, the lesbian theme slips in seamlessly. There are those reviewers who say that if you like True Blood, you're going to love Lenorre.
Thoughts; I liked the premise of this book and have already picked up Raven Mask from my library. I liked that the writer showed a human side to Kass, not just what her wolf was thinking about. This, of course, appears to be the initial release of this series, thus the character building was necessary to keep readers interested in upcoming installments. This book has been labeled as a love story. In all fairness, it should fall into the PNR/F/F category. There's really only one true sex scene involved in this story. The rest is suggestive. I like the fact that Lenorre isn't a twilight vampire. She is stuck in the night, and is dead to the world once the sun comes up. I think Arthur's character might have been stuck in the story for comedy use only. He's not really an expert into the preternatural.
Overall 3 stars.
The only person that is aware of Kassandra's lycanthrope, is Rupert, a weapons expert and former assassin. This is a world where vampires are out in the open, and mostly they are accepted by the public at large. Were's, on the other hand, are not. Not even her former partner in the police Arthur Kingsfisher knows. Kass is one of two people that understands the preternatural world.
When people start turning up mauled by werewolves, Kass is called in by her former boss Captain Holbrook, to investigate. She soon crosses paths with Rosalin, a member of the local werewolf pack and a close friend of Lenorre Countess Vampire of Oklahoma. Rosalin's brother Henry is missing. The wolf within is driving Kass to want to connect, both with the pack and with a potential mate. Lenorre seems to be the alpha female of her dreams, but, can a vampire and a werewolf ever truly be soulmates?
Kassandra has jet-black hair with a white streak in her hair. It designates her as an Alpha wolf. She has no affliation with any pack, and she likes it that way. She also has a raven tattoo in the middle of her back, which comes into the story line when Kass get's scared out of her mind at something Lenorre does to her. She's a devotee of Goddess religion, dedicated to the Morrigan (the Celtic war-goddess.) Even though Kass is a survivor and is tough as they come, when it comes to romances, she's at a loss as to what to do. When Lenorre shows more than friendship to Kass, she feels the cocoon of safety she's built around herself being ripped apart. Her innner wolf has a mind all her own.
This book is a mix of urban fantasy with police procedural/murder mystery. Given Kass' unique brand of lupine femininity and her determination to safeguard it in the male-dominated world of law enforcement, the lesbian theme slips in seamlessly. There are those reviewers who say that if you like True Blood, you're going to love Lenorre.
Thoughts; I liked the premise of this book and have already picked up Raven Mask from my library. I liked that the writer showed a human side to Kass, not just what her wolf was thinking about. This, of course, appears to be the initial release of this series, thus the character building was necessary to keep readers interested in upcoming installments. This book has been labeled as a love story. In all fairness, it should fall into the PNR/F/F category. There's really only one true sex scene involved in this story. The rest is suggestive. I like the fact that Lenorre isn't a twilight vampire. She is stuck in the night, and is dead to the world once the sun comes up. I think Arthur's character might have been stuck in the story for comedy use only. He's not really an expert into the preternatural.
Overall 3 stars.
July 23, 2016
Kass was a cop - a good cop - before an attack by a werewolf left her turning furry once a month. She left the force and started her own investigation service. She's a skilled witch, but she's still learning about her beast side. When she's called on for help by a client and the cops, plus a rogue werewolf is out killing people, she's got to find help wherever she can - even from those she thought she'd never turn to.
I really enjoyed the story and the characters were wonderfully written. I loved how the preternaturals were out in the open and not just whispers in the wind - just thought to be imaginary. There was a great mystery plot and wonderful romantic tension, as well, between Kass and Lenorre - the head vampire in town. Kass has a few extra tricks up her sleeve and I'm intrigued to see how much more there is to meet the eye with her. I'll definitely be picking up the second in this series when it comes out in September!
Kassandra Lyall Preternatural Investigator Series: Witch Wolf (1), Raven Mask (2), Bloody Claws (3), 'Harvest Sins' (Short story in Breathless: Tales of Celebration), 'Eris' (Short story in Women of the Dark Streets)
I really enjoyed the story and the characters were wonderfully written. I loved how the preternaturals were out in the open and not just whispers in the wind - just thought to be imaginary. There was a great mystery plot and wonderful romantic tension, as well, between Kass and Lenorre - the head vampire in town. Kass has a few extra tricks up her sleeve and I'm intrigued to see how much more there is to meet the eye with her. I'll definitely be picking up the second in this series when it comes out in September!
Kassandra Lyall Preternatural Investigator Series: Witch Wolf (1), Raven Mask (2), Bloody Claws (3), 'Harvest Sins' (Short story in Breathless: Tales of Celebration), 'Eris' (Short story in Women of the Dark Streets)
July 21, 2014
This book, like this series so far, is an easy, fun, and unfortunately all-too-quick read.
An overall rather enjoyable experience, the world building and character development in this novel is a little slow at first, especially the world building aspect. The next two books really pick up the pace on fleshing that out, so it seems to be more of a symptom of its first novel status. However, the main character is well-fleshed-out. Looking over her shoulder made for an enjoyable narrative, from the perspective of an interesting, relatable individual.
While the story pacing in the beginning is also a little slow, it begins to pick up alongside the development of the protagonist's relationships. It seems that this is what this series is really centered around- the relationships and character development happening all around the protagonist. And in my opinion, as impressively as the characters are written in this series, that's a good thing.
I would highly suggest is that if, by the end of the book, you like it at all, give the next book or two in the series a read as well. I did, and definitely did not regret it.
An overall rather enjoyable experience, the world building and character development in this novel is a little slow at first, especially the world building aspect. The next two books really pick up the pace on fleshing that out, so it seems to be more of a symptom of its first novel status. However, the main character is well-fleshed-out. Looking over her shoulder made for an enjoyable narrative, from the perspective of an interesting, relatable individual.
While the story pacing in the beginning is also a little slow, it begins to pick up alongside the development of the protagonist's relationships. It seems that this is what this series is really centered around- the relationships and character development happening all around the protagonist. And in my opinion, as impressively as the characters are written in this series, that's a good thing.
I would highly suggest is that if, by the end of the book, you like it at all, give the next book or two in the series a read as well. I did, and definitely did not regret it.
August 17, 2014
This is a fun, easy read with all kinds of things that I love. Lesbians, Pagans, Vampires, Werewolves, Magic, and snark. I love it. It's not the best writing there is, but it's solid and fun. I would say that the author's writing in this book is amateurish, but the BEST end of amateur writing. She's someone who, with practice, will write with the pros. I enjoyed the characters and their interactions most. The plot was better than expected at first. Nothing groundbreaking, but not too cliche'd and certainly not boring. Well-played, Ms. Pennington. I applaud your work here. A bit heavy-handed at points with the references perhaps, but maybe it only feels that way because these elements are usually so under-represented in mainstream works. Thank you for an enjoyable book where I, as a lesbian witch can really relate. :)
dnf
December 19, 2021DNF @ 16%
Wolf Witch was dragging from the beginning, but I would have given it more of a chance if it weren't for the coded anti-semitism and then seeing other reviews warning of future issues around consent. Nope, not interested.
(Vampires have historically been coded as Jewish in some extremely ugly ways (source, source, CW for graphic description of historical anti-semitism in links), so maybe don't say that vampires are controlling the media and hiding things from the public? I didn't keep reading to see whether this was a throwaway comment or part of a pattern, but even if it was just the one remark, it left me with a very gross feeling about the book.)
Wolf Witch was dragging from the beginning, but I would have given it more of a chance if it weren't for the coded anti-semitism and then seeing other reviews warning of future issues around consent. Nope, not interested.
(Vampires have historically been coded as Jewish in some extremely ugly ways (source, source, CW for graphic description of historical anti-semitism in links), so maybe don't say that vampires are controlling the media and hiding things from the public? I didn't keep reading to see whether this was a throwaway comment or part of a pattern, but even if it was just the one remark, it left me with a very gross feeling about the book.)
April 25, 2020
A strong start to the book, with a great opening, an intriguing protagonist, and a developing cast. I thought I was in for a great new to me UF series that I could devour and enjoy. Umm, not sure where it went wrong but I didn't gel with the weirdness. The trust that was suddenly there with no character build up between Kass and the head honcho vampire of the city. If she's so old and powerful, why does she suddenly let Kass in? The introduction of Rosalin, who displayed constant conflicting characteristics and so did other peoples reactions to her. One minute meek, weak and needy and the next a so called powerful wolf. The beginning and ending felt like two different books. It could have been so good, with a sensual build up and it was just wham, lust, conflict, trust and issues everywhere. The mystery was actually good but sadly not the author for me.
February 16, 2023
It was fun
March 11, 2017
Pretty good book, I will possibly be buying the second one in the future, because the story line and the characters are intriguing, I just wish there was--more to read so we could get to know the characters a little better. It's short (omg so short you have no idea. Do not buy, just get it on your nook or kindle or whatever you have, but do not actually buy in paperback form. Not worth it.) and to the point, but a good read none the less.
April 27, 2013
I have to say that this book seems to be a compilation of a series or two, I kept thinking, I have read this and I didn't really like it THEN either, but the author name wouldn't match in my head, then I remembered an author, and another and...possibly even three series of books. Kind of a cheese and egg scramble,with green peppers it's all stuck together here. But the taste buds recognize the flavors.
March 23, 2016
The blurb for this caught my interest as I've been looking to read more F/F relationships, especially in fantasy. However this just couldn't hold my interest. I've read a lot of urban fantasy and the plot didn't feel like it was anything new or different in any way. The characters, particularly the protagonist, didn't interest me either. It wasn't terrible so perhaps someone less exposed to urban fantasy may like this more but it just left me disappointed.
January 29, 2017
Not bad!
This story is told by the main character. Now normally I avoid these books because I just can't seem to get into them. Maybe it's the supernatural storyline, because I do love wolves. But this one I enjoyed. The author told the story well, and also introduced other supernatural beings. It's well written and an enjoyable story. If you like mystery with a supernatural twist you'll love this.
This story is told by the main character. Now normally I avoid these books because I just can't seem to get into them. Maybe it's the supernatural storyline, because I do love wolves. But this one I enjoyed. The author told the story well, and also introduced other supernatural beings. It's well written and an enjoyable story. If you like mystery with a supernatural twist you'll love this.
September 4, 2020
I’m quite sure I’ve read this before. In fact, Goodreads says that I already read the second one, so I don’t get how is it I never rated this or just marked it as read. I was looking for something good to read, this game up on my recommendations and something told me to check my books first, and then it was, in my library. Anyway, good book, entertaining, a lot of stuff to digest and at the same time it felt incomplete, but it’s the first one of a series, so it must be on porpoise.
January 8, 2012
Suelo leer muchos libros de Tematica y este es por mucho uno de los mejores libros que me he leido en un tiempo.
Despues de leer tantos libros malos y encontrarte una bueno como este, te da esperanza para seguir leyendo libros con tematica lesbica.
Despues de leer tantos libros malos y encontrarte una bueno como este, te da esperanza para seguir leyendo libros con tematica lesbica.
January 26, 2014
Somehow I thought this was appropriate for my 6th grade son to read and downloaded it from our library. It's not.
December 12, 2014
Loved it
I now need to read the 2nd ebook to see what happens next. I love the main characters and supporting characters as well. Let's see what else Kassandra will turn into
I now need to read the 2nd ebook to see what happens next. I love the main characters and supporting characters as well. Let's see what else Kassandra will turn into
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