I received this book for free from the library in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Source: the library
Alien in the Family
by
Gini Koch
It is part of the Katherine "Kitty" Katt #3 series and is a romance, science fiction in Paperback edition that was published by DAW Books on April 5, 2011 and has 457 pages.
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Other books in this series include [books_series]
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Touched by an Alien, Alien Tango, Alien Proliferation, Alien Diplomacy, Alien vs. Alien, Alien in the House, Alien Research, Alien Collective, Universal Alien, Alien Separation, Alien in Chief, Alien Nation, Camp Alien, Alien Education, Aliens Abroad
Third in the Katherine “Kitty” Katt science fiction romance series that can’t stop poking fun at everyone and everything as it revolves around Kitty Kat, the former marketing manager, now-Airborne Commander. The action in this one is primarily in Las Vegas.
If you enjoy lots of good laughs (including sex), you will absolutely adore this one. Heck the whole series!
My Take
I thought I knew what I was getting into when I started this story. I was wrong! Koch created something way beyond expectations and I spent the story laughing and quivering, as I wondered how they’d got out of this mess. Oh, that scene where Kitty captures their attention by lifting up her shirt…*I’m gonna pee my pants…*
“Chuckie is thrilled at the idea that she might flash them again if they don’t answer her. And Jerry is ‘…with Reynolds. Punish me for my disobedience.'”
And it just keeps going…LOLPMP.
“‘The United States Navy is proud to serve under those, Commander,’ Jerry said finally. ‘In fact, I’d like a picture, in case we ever need to remind the rest of the troops what it is we fight for.'”
Well, you know how messy all the pre-wedding planning can be, and Kitty has more to deal with than the usual. When you have aliens for in-laws. Then, of course, there’s that minor issue that she’d rather be reading Ms. than Modern Bride or taking down more fuglies than choosing her flowers. Then there’s that minor matter of galaxy-wide rebellion. Oops… Oh, oh, oh, and Kitty just has no respect, none at all.
“With Kevin’s addition, it meant there were three women and just an entire roomful of hunky men with us. I loved briefings.”
I do love that the Dazzlers fall in love with a man’s mind and not his looks. Kitty had to pass a law forbidding them from going after Stephen Hawking — she figures the Earth still needs his brain and is worried that Dazzlers would overwhelm him with love.
For growing up on Earth, the A-Cs have a remarkably inefficient grasp of earth culture.
Poor Reader…they’re replacing him with the maintenance guy…snicker…
Reader makes a good point about the wedding. That all the rituals and the ceremony is really for everyone else, at least for someone like Kitty who’s not into it all. I love how James sets Kitty up to give time to everyone the day before the wedding, to bond with her grandparents, her mom, her future mother-in-law…eek, and her not-to-traditional bridesmaids. And, LOL, Dad gives great advice.
The Story
Chuckie has come out of the closet, so to speak, and now Jeff and Kitty know that he wants to marry Kitty himself. You thought Jeff hated him before…hah! Every move Chuckie makes now is suspect, and Jeff goes on at length.
For allies, there is no love lost, and those flashing lights the CIA is investigating raise all sorts of nasty questions about imminent invasion. When it comes, it’s even more twisted and terrifying.
Planning the wedding is actually a worse worry when only your parents and Uncle Mort know that Jeff is an alien. It’s more of a worry when Kitty suddenly discovers a short, tight deadline!
The Characters
Unusual for someone in marketing, Kitty Katt believes in saying what she’s thinking at all times. Angela Katt is Kitty’s mother, head of the Presidential Terrorism Control Unit (PTCU), and the first non-Jew, non-Israeli in the Mossad. Sol Katt, her dad, has a cover as a history professor at Arizona State University with his real work as a cryptologist for NASA’s ET cryptology division. Major General Mortimer Katt is Kitty’s very protective uncle. Aunts Karen, Carla, and Ruth; Nana Sadie and Papa Abe; and, Nona Maria and Nono Dom (thinks Kitty needs a tomcat to keep her in line) show up in Vegas, all vocally preferring Chuckie to this upstart. Brian, her old boyfriend (see Alien Tango, 2, for the scoop) shows up for the engagement party.
Jeff Martini is her empathic and incredibly possessive, jealous A-C fiancé and the Commander of all the A-Cs on Earth. Turns out he’s also the last of the royal line. Christopher White is Jeff’s cousin, an Imageer, and he wouldn’t mind getting Kitty for himself. Alfred is Jeff’s dad (we met him and the rest of the family in Alien Tango); Lucinda is his mom and very anti-Kitty. Kimmie is one of Jeff’s nieces and the flower girl.
Chuckie Reynolds, a.k.a., Conspiracy Chuck, has been Kitty’s best guy friend since high school when he was a geeky brainiac. Now he’s a gorgeous multi-millionaire who is head of the CIA’s ET Division, hoping to win Kitty back. Kevin Lewis is Angela’s second-in-command, and since Alien Tango, has been permanently assigned to Alpha Team. Denise Lewis is his wife and just as hot as Kevin. Naturally, their son is equally gorgeous.
Paul Gower is an A-C, and after events in Alien Tango, he’s now ACE’s habitat. James Reader is a gorgeous former supermodel, who is in a relationship with Paul; Kitty considers him one of her best guy friends. You’ll discover his super powers in this story, *cracking up yet again as I remember…* Michael Gower is Paul’s younger manwhore of a brother and a NASA astronaut (we met him in Alien Tango, too). Ericka and Stanley are Paul and Michael’s parents; Abigail and Naomi are their sisters. Tim Crawford is new to the team as Kitty’s official driver, but man, this human has really picked up on the snarkfest. He’s dating Alicia (see Alien Tango). Lorraine and Claudia are the only girl A-C agents besides Kitty. Nice odds. Kitty privately refers to them, well, all A-C women, as the Dazzlers and not just for their beauty. Melanie and Emily are their moms and just as dazzling. Serene is a new hire, so to speak, after they got her off the drugs; she’s gifted with explosives and can see through the illusions created by imageers and shapeshifters. Gladys is a overall security and seems to be a voice in a box.
ACE is an alien entity created to monitor the PPB force field surrounding earth and preventing its inhabitants from venturing too far out into space. Through the years, he absorbed many Earth values and now wants to protect earthlings. Specifically Kitty; he thinks she walks on water. He’s pretty magical himself.
Richard White is the Supreme Pontifex and reigning religious leader of the A-Cs. He’s also Christopher’s dad. Theresa, “Terry”, was his mom, and she left a part of herself behind to protect Christopher and Jeff.
The Airborne Command
Jerry Tucker is one of Kitty’s Navy Top Gun pilots and a good teacher. The other four Top Guns include Hughes, Walker, Joe Billings, and Randy Muir. The first three are busy playing the Dazzler field; Joe and Randy are seeing Lorraine and Claudia. The boys only go into Supreme Military Mode when outsiders, ahem, the CIA, shows up.
Tito Hernandez is a maintenance guy in Vegas who is pre-med; another of his jobs is cage fighting. He’s about to get yet another job.
Kitty’s friends whom she wants in her wedding include:
Amy and Sheila are her best girlfriends from high school; Caroline is her sorority roommate; and, Lorraine and Claudia.
Hostile A-Cs on Earth include:
Barbara Coleman had fully intended that Jeff marry her daughter Doreen. Doreen, however, is happily in love with Irving. Robert Coleman is the Head Diplomat of the Corps. Moira and her mate Kyrellis are shapeshifters from The Free, a.k.a., the Planet of the Really Pissed Off Amazons, and hate and despise men. All men. A little legacy drummed into the women of the planet by their PPB net.
Alpha Centaurions from A-C
Poofs are able to increase their size massively, choose their owners, and are incredibly protective. I want one. Harlie has chosen Jeff; Poofikins has attached to Kitty; Fluffy is with Chuckie; I can’t tell if Fuzzball is with Paul or Michael; Gatita has picked James; and, Toby is with Christopher. Tenley belongs to Alexander’s mother, Princess Victoria.
An embassy from the not-too-legal Planetary Council from A-C arrives consisting of two “Iguanadons”: Neeraj and Jareen; two Cat People, a.k.a., Feliniads, from Beta Fifteen: Arup and Felicia; three Major Doggies, a.k.a., Canus Majorians, from Beta Fourteen: Willem, Wrolph, and Wahoa; Queen Renata of the Free Women; Gregory and Alexander are part of the royal A-C line from Alpha Four; Lenore; and, the raving Uma, the head delegate from Alpha Six.
The chief councillor on A-C is Leyton Leonidas. Adolphus is king of A-C and Jeff and Christopher’s grandfather.
Mister Joel Oliver is a photographer for World Weekly News and knows too much about aliens, the CIA, and Area 51. Len (an engineering student) and Kyle (pre-med) are part of the USC Trojan football team that comes to Kitty and Jeff’s rescue. Pierre, a.k.a., MC Peterman, is a fabulous hairdresser, DJ, and a friend of James’.
Caliente Base is the new home base for refugees from the refugees. The A-C Diplomatic Corps has a great deal of power on Alpha Centauri.
The Cover and Title
The cover is too perfect for this story — absolute chaos surrounding Kitty, who is wearing her blood-spattered wedding gown and the Unity Necklace. Gun in hand.
The title barely hints at yet more chaos when there’s an Alien in the Family, LOL.
