#4 Kitty's House of Horrors by Carrie Vaughn
I don't consider this review to have and spoilers for previous Kitty books, but some people are more sensitive than I am. As a result, it goes 
under the cut. There are no spoilers for Kitty's House of Horrors.
I knew if I stayed in this business long enough, I'd get an offer like this sooner or later. It just didn't quite take the form I'd been expecting.
One of most interesting things about 21st century America is that you can be famous for pretty much anything: whether it's for being rich, having a lot of kids, or being the best lip-syncher on youtube. Radio DJ Kitty Norville has seen her popularity sky rocket since revealing herself as a werewolf on the air. As a result of being the first celebrity werewolf, she's been invited to take place in a celeb-reality show where almost all of the cast members are supernaturals. Kitty scoffs at the idea at first, but is pulled in when she learns that a few of her friends will be taking part in the show. Before she knows it, she's arrived at the isolated nature lodge where the filming is to take place. Things seem like paradise at first, until events take a dangerous turn, turning Kitty's life from reality TV to horror film.
Kitty's House of Horrors is the seventh book in the Kitty Norville series, and it doesn't disappoint. One thing I've always liked about this series is how takes real world elements and gives them a fun supernatural twist. In this case, the idea of making a supernatural Big Brother-esque reality TV show seemed completely realistic to me in a world where the supernatural community is out. Kitty's House of Horrors is a little different from previous Kitty books as it's focuses less on Kitty's life and relationships, and more on the issues facing a supernatural community at large. It's also the first book that falls directly into the horror genre. Hollywood has a habit of creating these darkly horrific films filled with creepy imagery, but no characterization, a trap which Vaughn side steps well. She dedicates near 140 of this 292 page book to establishing the characters before she starts to bring out the terror. This makes watching them suffer at the end even more terrifying.
Kitty's House of Horrors is a satisfying read. I found the more lighthearted first half of the book a lot of fun. I really enjoyed becoming reacquainted with old characters and meeting new ones. The second half of the book was quite suspenseful, and at times disturbing to read. Although the book is very stand alone, Vaughn also does a good job of hinting at events that will take place in later books, specifically those involving The Long Game. I know that Vaughn currently has ten books planned for this series (and a Kitty short story anthology), with the possibility of more. I'm very curious to see where she'll go with The Long Game, and with Kitty and her friends.
Rating: four and a half stars
Length: 292 pages
Source: Mr Paperback
Challenge: this book is not part of any challenges
Similar Books: Stolen by Kelley Armstrong, and of course Richard Connell's "The Most Dangerous Game."
Other books I've read by this author: Kitty and the Midnight Hour, Kitty goes to Washington, Kitty takes a Holiday, Kitty and the Silver Bullet, Kitty and the Dead Man’s Hand ( my review), Kitty Raises Hell ( my review)
xposted to bookish and temporaryworlds
Next up I'll be reading Steven Brust's The Sun, The Moon, and the Stars
under the cut. There are no spoilers for Kitty's House of Horrors.
I knew if I stayed in this business long enough, I'd get an offer like this sooner or later. It just didn't quite take the form I'd been expecting.
One of most interesting things about 21st century America is that you can be famous for pretty much anything: whether it's for being rich, having a lot of kids, or being the best lip-syncher on youtube. Radio DJ Kitty Norville has seen her popularity sky rocket since revealing herself as a werewolf on the air. As a result of being the first celebrity werewolf, she's been invited to take place in a celeb-reality show where almost all of the cast members are supernaturals. Kitty scoffs at the idea at first, but is pulled in when she learns that a few of her friends will be taking part in the show. Before she knows it, she's arrived at the isolated nature lodge where the filming is to take place. Things seem like paradise at first, until events take a dangerous turn, turning Kitty's life from reality TV to horror film.
Kitty's House of Horrors is the seventh book in the Kitty Norville series, and it doesn't disappoint. One thing I've always liked about this series is how takes real world elements and gives them a fun supernatural twist. In this case, the idea of making a supernatural Big Brother-esque reality TV show seemed completely realistic to me in a world where the supernatural community is out. Kitty's House of Horrors is a little different from previous Kitty books as it's focuses less on Kitty's life and relationships, and more on the issues facing a supernatural community at large. It's also the first book that falls directly into the horror genre. Hollywood has a habit of creating these darkly horrific films filled with creepy imagery, but no characterization, a trap which Vaughn side steps well. She dedicates near 140 of this 292 page book to establishing the characters before she starts to bring out the terror. This makes watching them suffer at the end even more terrifying.
Kitty's House of Horrors is a satisfying read. I found the more lighthearted first half of the book a lot of fun. I really enjoyed becoming reacquainted with old characters and meeting new ones. The second half of the book was quite suspenseful, and at times disturbing to read. Although the book is very stand alone, Vaughn also does a good job of hinting at events that will take place in later books, specifically those involving The Long Game. I know that Vaughn currently has ten books planned for this series (and a Kitty short story anthology), with the possibility of more. I'm very curious to see where she'll go with The Long Game, and with Kitty and her friends.
Rating: four and a half stars
Length: 292 pages
Source: Mr Paperback
Challenge: this book is not part of any challenges
Similar Books: Stolen by Kelley Armstrong, and of course Richard Connell's "The Most Dangerous Game."
Other books I've read by this author: Kitty and the Midnight Hour, Kitty goes to Washington, Kitty takes a Holiday, Kitty and the Silver Bullet, Kitty and the Dead Man’s Hand ( my review), Kitty Raises Hell ( my review)
xposted to bookish and temporaryworlds
Next up I'll be reading Steven Brust's The Sun, The Moon, and the Stars