I have no idea how this came to be on my library request stack. But seeing as it was there and my brain was not up to any deep thought books, I gave it a whirl. Werewolves, vampires, modern day, non-romance/smut book, not dystopia. Amusing writing, easily put-down able during puppy training, but happy enough to pick back up. I requested the first one.

Really a 2.5 or a 2.9. It's not quite a three, but it isn't really a two. I liked it much better than [b:Discord's Apple|8559095|Discord's Apple|Carrie Vaughn|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51HC%2B68s9JL._SL75_.jpg|9724451], but not as well as the other Kitty books.

Here's what I like about the Kitty series, including this one. I like the fact that Kitty doesn't get power creeps, unless it is knowledge. The only power she gains is mental and emotional; she is simply a werewolf. I like that. I like the fact that Kitty is married. I like the fact that Kitty questions everything. The books make me laugh. I like how Vaughn challenges the vampire/werewolf hierachy that dominates every other Urban Fantasy book. I could live, however, without the vampire politics that seem to appear in each and every series. Really if vampires were that bad, wouldn't everyone else just simply stake them?

So why two stars, you ask? Why this confused rating?

Part of it concerns the plot of this novel. It is very loose, and I never felt that any of the characters were danger, even minor characters. Vaughn is usually good at that, check out [b:Kitty's House of Horrors|6620129|Kitty's House of Horrors (Kitty Norville, #7)|Carrie Vaughn|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1308972324s/6620129.jpg|6328275], for instance. Part of it was the inclusion of certain characters (I'm trying not to use spoilers here). Kitty doesn't power creep, but she is becoming a little too special sometimes. I did like very much, however, Grace's parting shots.


But my main problem is Ben. Now I know some fans of this series really want the Ben/Kitty/Cormac triangle. I don't. I like the fact that Kitty is married. The only author who does that is Kelley Armstrong. I just wish Ben was a bit more of a character. In some ways, he feels like a male version of that interchangable movie chick who is just there to look good running in slo-mo and as a romantic (lust really) lead. This is a shame because Ben didn't start out like that. In many ways, Vaughn is defining him solely in terms of Kitty. While this in some way makes sense, Kitty is the one who eased his transformation into werewolf, I wish they were more equals, at least in how the characters are drawn. Vaughn herself seems somewhat aware of this, and hopefully it will work itself out by the next book, which I will buy and read.

There wasn't anything in this book that really stands out. Vaughn clearly has a Grand Plan for the series, and this book is simply a bridge to get the series a bit closer to the end. Another words, it doesn't work particularly well as a stand alone book, but moves a few storylines along nicely - mainly, Kitty and Roman have another facedown they have been building to; some interesting secrets - and ones that will hopefully come into play later about Rick were revealed - and the powers of Cormacs' new buddy were better explored.

Overall, however, there is something about the book that feels like the whole thing was really an excuse for Vaughn to write off a vacation to San Francisco as a tax line as her work as an author (file under "research"). While taking Kitty and crew into Chinatown and the introduction of asian mythology into Kitty's world was an interesting sideline, it is exactly that - a sideline. It appeared out of nowhere, and didn't really integrate well into the entire plot line, since it started - and ended with just passing references to historical figures in American History that may or may not werewolves. And given how much weight is given in the books to vampire territory and werewolf pack territory, the complete lack of regard that Kitty and her crew give to either in this book (and how easily they get out of the consequences) also doesn't fit well with what has been presented elsewhere.

3.5 stars

I read the previous book about a year ago, and I went into this one with a fresh, open mind ready for adventure.

This book did deliver excitement - but I do have a few minor issues with the characters in this book (mostly the portrayals of Sun Wukong and the Queen Mother). I'll get straight to it.

I have a slightly above average understanding of the story of Sun Wukong due to my childhood obsessive watchings of the show "Journey to the West". Based on that alone, I must say, I was extremely disappointed at how small a role Sun played in the book. He's supposed to be REALLY strong - he rampaged through heaven and the only person able to control him was Buddha. But in the book he was simply a minor character that, it seems, Vaughn simply decided to throw in there because he is a huge part of Chinese legends and mythology.

On top of that, I was surprised at the way Kitty and her friends reacted to the Queen Mother. I mean, realistically, is that how you act when you discover that you are facing a god? The way Kitty reacted was like how one would react if one meets a new neighbor. It was strange for me to read, and utterly unrealistic.

Besides those faults however, the pacing of the story was really nice, and kept me reading throughout the night. Kitty isn't really one of the most memorable heroines in the paranormal genre, but she delivers enough variety in her adventures that it's always interesting to see what kind of mess she ends up getting herself into.

I think I might have liked the book before this slightly better. This one's still great, though. I love Kitty.

Not bad, but not my favorite in the series.

I got a copy of this book through Goodreads and have had a hard time writing a review. I really enjoy the Kitty books, but I think a lot of that is because I've read all of them, and am very familiar with the multitude of characters and plot twists.

Kitty's Big Trouble was lots of fun. It was very action-packed, and once it got going, it didn't stop. I enjoyed the inclusion of the more Asian mythology/religion aspects, because it was an interesting addition to the standard western mythology that so many urban fantasy books are based on. I like that Kitty always wants to learn and this means she keeps asking questions even if she isn't sure she'll get the answers. It's brains and brawn folks! Not that she's not good at fighting her way out of stuff, either.

One downer to me is Cormac and Ben. I'm kind of over them as characters. Ben seems so bland, and Cormac, while he was always a quiet character, has lost some of the tension I associated with him in the past. The whole being possessed by a 100 year old sorceress is strange, too, and I'm not quite sure how I feel about that yet.

Overall, Kitty's Big Trouble isn't going to cause me to stop reading the series, but it wasn't a big improvement over the previous installments. I still like Kitty, so I'll stick with it!

Plot: Werewolf attempts to help vampire find and rescue magical artifact before the big bad can get his hands on it.

1. I very much enjoyed all of the Chinese mythology stuff and I've yet to read a book where surprise! Sun Wukong hasn't left me squeeing in delight.

2. Everything else was pretty much par for the course. Ben and Kitty engage in a lot of pda and Ben gets low-key jealous. There's a lot of running and fighting. Cormac kinda sorta uses his newfound Amelia powers. You know, same old.

3. It's probably just me but I think books 6 and 7 of this series were the best, and everything after that ended up being more and more of a disappointment not because they were bad but because they weren't as compelling. Maybe I'm just mad that all my favorite supporting characters have dropped off he face of the Earth. And I loved the supporting cast in this one but they weren't enough to make up for the less intense storyline.

Theological crisis and broken bones lol

I'm not sure if it's the book or I'm just bored of the series. It just didn't do it for me.