We’ve finally stumbled onto one of my guilty reading pleasures. Usually, I’m not a big on urban fantasy or werewolves, but Carrie Vaughn’s Kitty Norville series caught my attention a few years ago. I must admit, I was hooked quickly.  I’ve never finished the series, but I have the first four as audiobooks, and I’ve listened to each multiple times. In fact, #5 & #6 on my list for 2015 are the first 2 of the series and my third time through each.

Carrie Vaughn’s series follows Kitty Norville, a radio talk show host who also happens to be a werewolf.  The Midnight Hour traces the rise of her show, the public outing of her werewolf-ness (though most don’t believe it) and the the power struggle with her Alpha and her pack.  Kitty Goes to Washington takes her to a Senate committee hearing in DC where she encounters a different way to live as a werewolf, a good vampire ally, and the political and religious trappings of it all.

The series is not particularly complex, but it is one of those “candy” series, as I call it. Addicting, quick, and heartpumping stories (especially as audiobooks). They make for something lighthearted to read when you don’t want to think too much.  I picked these up for their third read because after finishing Rothfuss, I didn’t want to quite get his world out of my brain right away.

Kitty is a fairly independent character, and Vaughn paints her struggle for independence and self value very realistically. I think that is part of what draws me back to the stories. Kitty isn’t a superhuman hero or weak, sexually hungry animal.  Instead, she’s clever with a sharp tongue and a calm demeanor (when she’s focusing). She’s a great listener, thus the radio show success, and she works to build a tight knit group around herself for support.  Of course, there is some ass kicking, a little bit of sex, and a lot of wolfishness, but Vaughn doesn’t really overdo the wolf nature of her characters.  The two bleed together cohesively.  The action, however, can be a bit unbelievable. I mean really, just how many problems can one person encounter?  However, I guess I can say the same thing about Buffy or Angel or Supernatural.  When you’re in the limelight or at the center of some larger mythological plot, the trouble often looks for you.

Like many of these long series, the Kitty Norville series does run the risk of getting repetitive, which is the reason I’ve never gone past book 4. I can tell the action and the relationships may start to struggle. I still want to know more, see where it leads, one day.  For now though, it’s time once again to move onto other books.

If you want something lighthearted, quick, and just plain fun, pick up Vaughn’s books.