Review: Black Dog (#1) by Caitlin Kittredge

Title: Black Dog (#1)

Author: Caitlin Kittredge

Published by: Harper Voyager

Released: 2014

Source: Library

Synopsis: The first installment in a fabulous dark urban fantasy series—think Kill Bill with demons and gangsters instead of martial arts—from the award-winning author of the Iron Codex trilogy and Vertigo comic Coffin Hill...

Ava has spent the last hundred years as a hellhound, the indentured servant of a reaper who hunts errant souls and sends them to Hell. When a human necromancer convinces her to steal her reaper’s scythe, Ava incurs the wrath of the demon Lilith, her reaper’s boss.
As punishment for her transgression, Lilith orders Ava to track down the last soul in her reaper’s ledger . . . or die trying. 

But after a hundred years of servitude, it’s time for payback. And Hell hath no fury like an avenging Ava . .  (Synopsis from Goodreads)

My Thoughts: I liked the idea of this story, but there was something about it that didn't grip me all the way. Something was holding me back from loving it. This whole story felt like it was told in fast forward, and I think I would have appreciated it more if it was slowed down. There were times I felt a little lost, questioning how we got to where we were, and where we were going next.

I also thought some characters needed more development. I can't be expected to fall in love or trust someone after just a few pages. I really felt this way about Leo. One minute he's torturing Ava, and the next page she's into him. It just seemed very sudden and abrupt.

Ava was okay. I feel like out of all the characters, she was the one who was the most fleshed out.

I thought this book was all right. I'll continue with the series because I'm curious. It had parts that were cool, it just needed to slow down, relax a little.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 3.5/5

Slow Down Dog