'Thirteen' Women of the Otherworld #13 by Kelley Armstrong

From the BLURB:

War is coming to the Otherworld. A sinister cult known as The Supernatural Liberation Movement is hell-bent on exposing the truth about supernaturals to the rest of the world. Their violent, ruthless plan has put everyone at risk: from werewolves to vampires, from witches to half-demons.

Savannah Levine - fiery and unpredictable - stands at the heart of the maelstrom. There is a new, dark magic inside her, granting her the power to summon spells of terrifying strength. But whether this magic is a gift or a curse, no one knows.

On the eve of battle, all the major players must come together in a last, desperate fight for survival - Elena and Clay; Adam and Savannah; Paige and Lucas; Jeremy and Jaime; Hope, Eve and more... They are fighting for lives. They are fighting for their loved ones.


They are fighting for the Otherworld.

This review contains spoilers for all previous 'Otherworld' books

‘13’ is the thirteenth and final book in Kelley Armstrong’s epic urban fantasy ‘Women of the Otherworld’ series.

This is the all-star final showdown, slow-clap finale to Armstrong’s much loved series. This is the book fans have been waiting for, but I’ve got to say … I was not impressed. Much as it pains me to admit.

Savannah Levine is again narrating, rounding out her POV books to a nice trilogy – ‘Waking the Witch’, ‘Spell Bound’ and now bringing it all together with ‘13’. But even though this is, again, Savannah’s book, every previous female protagonist gets one chapter devoted to them, so throughout the book we’re switched to Elena, Hope and Paige’s point of views.

Armstrong certainly has made ‘13’ an epic finale (maybe a little too epic?) with supernatural in-fighting between all supernaturals. The Supernatural Liberation Movement want to ‘out’ supernaturals (and presumably take over the world?) but they have a fight on their hands, against those who would prefer to keep their secrets. So all species are drawn into this one – vampires, werewolves, witches, psychics, necormancers, angels and most especially demons (many of whom are watching over their human offspring, and hedging bets on which side will come out victorious). Savannah Levine seems to be in the middle of it all – a powerful witch with a demon grandfather, deceased witch mother and warlock father who now have ties to the otherworld.

If it sounds like there’s a lot going on, that’s because there is. And that was actually a real problem for me – the helter-skelter plot really detracted from the characters and turned this into a rather cold, impersonal ‘sayonara’.

This feeling of detachment was particularly prevalent with the ‘romance’ aspect of this final book, between Savannah and Adam Vasic. It’s partly the fact that the groundwork for them really hasn’t been there in previous instalments. In Savannah’s other two narrated books, Adam was a bit player, and it was Savannah’s feelings for him (even in his absence) that were the focus. They literally came together in the last few pages of ‘Spell Bound’, and now we jump into the very chaotic events of ‘13’, when they really don’t have time to reconcile their newfound feelings and it just generally makes for a jumble. But, like I said, that’s partly due to the groundwork not being there for these characters in previous books . . . and you realize that maybe Savannah’s previous narration turns were a little too plot-heavy and not focused enough on her relationships. Really, the two books Savannah narrated followed similar storylines of Savannah going solo on an investigation into a small country town. We’ve really only got to know her on her own, and what we know of her in relation to other characters (Paige, in particular) we’ve only garnered when she was a secondary character in their books or short stories.

It’s actually reiterated a few times that Savannah and Adam are kind of testing the waters – this will be the first major relationship for both of them, and they’re wary about losing a friendship if the romance doesn’t work out. Then there’s the age-gap (Lucas, creepily, points out that Adam is only one year younger than him). But Savannah maintains that if it’s a mistake, she’ll have to make it on her own terms. Now, I completely understand that fast-tracking Adam and Savannah’s relationship from ‘childhood crush’ to ‘soul mates’ would have been disingenuous and would have had readers scoffing. But at the same time, this is the last book, and for that reason I would have liked more fireworks and epic love, as opposed to the rather ho-hum ‘let’s just see how it goes’ and ‘we’re taking things slow’ route. All in all, Adam and Savannah were a fizzle, not a sizzle. I was actually more invested in the small snippet scenes between werewolf, Karl, and his pregnant psychic wife, Hope because they had that deep, connected love story between them – and it just added more weight and meaning to all of their scenes. Karl and Hope actually ended up highlighting the hollowness of Savannah and Adam.

I did spend a bit of ‘13’ thinking this felt more like the book before the last book. Like Armstrong was still laying a lot of breadcrumbs and setting up her long-game ending … maybe because the many character reappearances, near-deaths and open-ended relationships felt more like build-up than finale.

There’s ‘a word from Kelley Armstrong’ at the beginning of the book, where she acknowledges the fact that many fans would have preferred that this final book finish with Elena narrating (and coming full-circle in the series that she started, with ‘Bitten’). Armstrong acknowledges that, but says she’s had the idea for Savannah to be the final narrator for a while now – since she’s the character we’ve seen grow from teenager, into young adulthood. Nevertheless, it just so happens that some of the most interesting exchanges and moments in ‘13’ are concerned with the Pack, and involve Clay and Elena anyway. It’s these moments that far outshine the rest of the goings on with Savannah, demons, angels and Adam. I feel like Armstrong inadvertently touched on this in one particular scene. . .

I grinned. “Yes, typical five-year-olds – playing Metallica and learning French for fun. As for the bunnies, I’m not going there.”
“Don’t. Anyway, sounds like situation normal at the Lester house tonight. The kids fighting, while Mom’s telling them to stop bickering before their dad comes down to chew them out.”
“Except at our place,” Clay said, “it’s me saying ‘Cool it before Mom comes down.’”
“Because I’m much scarier than he is,” Elena said. Now if I could just convince every mutt in the country to see it that way.”
Adam said, “So Lester’s upstairs?”
“Oh, sure, bring the conversation back on track,” I said. “Spoilsport.”

My sentiments exactly.

But I think Armstrong must have been more swayed by readers clamouring for Elena’s POV than she let on, because there’s another note from her at the end, followed by an Elena short story called ‘From Russia, With Love.’ In this ‘final note from Kelley’ she admits that ‘13’ didn’t wrap with the ‘Otherworld’ characters going quietly into the night, their stories neatly tied up.

“God, we’re getting responsible,” I said.
He smiled. “Being careful just means we’ll live long enough to have more adventures.”

If readers feel like this universe is still expanding, that’d be because it is – with Armstrong planning three short story anthologies (the first of which is slated for 2014) and she’s also not saying ‘no’ to a possible revisit to the ‘Otherworld.’ I certainly hope she does, particularly because a certain basement discovery in ‘13’ has great impact on the Pack, and the short ‘From Russia, With Love’ reminds readers that there are still some interesting, untapped werewolf secondary characters to be explored – like suave Nick Sorrentino and Australian wolf, Reese.

All in all, I was really disappointed with this book. It felt like Armstrong was so laser-focused on the big, grand, sweeping finale plot that all those characters we’ve come to know and love fell by the wayside. Clay and Elena, as always, were the most interesting aspect of the book – and their short story at the end was perhaps the major highlight of the whole thing. The romances of Lucas and Paige, Karl and Hope, heck, even Cassandra and Aaron all really highlighted what was missing from the ‘we’re testing the waters’ fledgling romance with Savannah and Adam – and made me realize that if you’re going to write about the end of the world, maybe don’t focus on a first-date couple, rather go for the epic love story of soul mates? Just a suggestion.

I certainly hope Armstrong continues to write ‘Otherworld’ short stories, and revisit a few characters, because ‘13’ was not how I envisioned this thing ending. Not at all.

2.5/5

'The Calling' Darkness Rising #2 by Kelley Armstrong

 Receive from the Publisher

From the BLURB:

Maya Delaney's paw-print birthmark is the sign of what she truly is a skin-walker. She can run faster, climb higher and see better than nearly anyone else. Experiencing intense connections with the animals that roam the woods outside her home, Maya knows it's only a matter of time before she's able to Shift and become one of them. And she believes there may be others in her small town with surprising talents including local bad boy Rafe, with whom she shares a dangerous, powerful secret.

Now, Maya and her friends have been forced to flee from their homes during a forest fire they suspect was deliberately set. After a terrifying helicopter crash, they find themselves stranded in the Vancouver Island wilderness with nothing but their extraordinary abilities to help them get back home.

But can Maya really trust her friends? And can she learn how to control the frightening new gift she has discovered before it controls her?

 This review contains minor SPOILERS from first book 'The Gathering', with spoiler-hints about Armstrong's 'Darkest Powers' trilogy and 'Women of the Otherworld' series.

In just a few weeks, Maya Delaney’s entire world was turned on its head. The arrival of temptingly dangerous new boy, Rafe Martinez sent Maya’s world spiraling. Her small, idyllic town of Salmon Creek was already starting to show a few cracks – after the mysterious drowning death of her best friend, Serena, Maya was already questioning a few things about Salmon Creek, and it’s ties to the St. Clouds drug company that own and populate the town with researchers. Then an out-of-town snooping reporter went missing, and was later found dead.

At the same time, Maya had a run-in with an old witch, and drew closer to Rafe and his funny little sister Annie… eventually gaining their trust, and learning the truth about their appearance in town.

Salmon Creek is not a town of scientists and researchers – it is a town in which the children are the experiment.

Rafe revealed to Maya that they are both shifters – wildcat skin-walkers with healing abilities. The entire town is populated with supernatural kids – born and bred with special powers, for reasons unknown. The town’s youth are in fact a mixture of shifters, demons, witches and God knows what else.

Now the St. Cloud Company are bringing their experiment to an end. Having just set a forest fire surrounding Salmon Creek, their goal now is to flush out Maya and her friends that managed to escape.

Maya and her friends have just leaped out of the fire and into the frying pan, literally.

‘The Calling’ is Kelley Armstrong’s second book in the ‘Darkness Rising’ paranormal YA series, a spin-off of her original ‘Darkest Powers’ trilogy, which in turn is set in her ‘Women of the Otherworld’ universe.

Kelley Armstrong hits the ground running in her second ‘Darkness Rising’ installment. We left Maya and her friends in a helicopter, being airlifted from the middle of a forest fire where they were ambushed by mysterious St. Clouds’ armored men – and after Maya came face-to-face with her biological father.

When ‘Calling’ begins we are back in the helicopter; on-board is Maya’s best friend, Daniel, her loyal dog Kenji, unconscious Rafe and Maya’s old friends and classmates; Sam, Corey, Nicole and Hayley. The mayor of Salmon Creek is also being taken to safety … but it doesn’t take long before it all goes horribly wrong. Maya and Daniel’s suspicions about the danger they experienced on the ground are reignited mid-air, when the pilot starts veering off-course and a tussle ensues. Now Maya and Daniel are convinced that the St. Clouds drug company is out for their blood – and they can trust no one from Salmon Creek. Not even their parents?

The first two chapters of ‘Calling’ concern a helicopter crash with devastating consequences and body-count. It’s an impressive, heart-thumping opener that is sure to leave fans reeling and second-guessing everything they thought about the trajectory of this series. In true Armstrong fashion, she comes out swinging and throws her young protagonists between a rock and a hard place.

After the explosive, helicopter-crashing first chapter though, things take a turn for the slightly more sedate… After surviving the crash, Maya and her remaining friends find themselves in yet another forest, and they are not alone. St. Cloud employees are hunting them – and as their trek to safety unfolds, they discover another group of players – the Nasts are also hot on their trail.

‘The Calling’ is set entirely in the forest, and follows Maya & Co. as they make the long, dangerous trek back to Salmon Creek, with bad guys on their tail. Readers learn a lot about the St. Cloud drug company in this book – and we are privy to recent wheelings and dealings in the ‘Otherworld’ universe. Cluey readers who have made the journey from the first ‘Darkest Powers’ trilogy, by way of ‘Women of the Otherworld’ will know that the Nasts are a cabal of male-witches, who hold a lot of sway in the supernatural world. When we discover that they now have a hand in the Edison Group/Salmon Creek experiments, savvy readers will predict that Ms. Armstrong has a few curveballs up her sleeve … and she might just be setting up for a longer haul in her ‘Women’ universe and young-adult spin off series.

For those readers though, who are coming into ‘Darkness Rising’ completely cold, I do wonder how much of ‘The Calling’ went unknowing overhead. Readers unfamiliar with ‘Women of the Otherworld’ who did read the ‘Darkest Powers’ trilogy will be slightly more clued-in, particularly towards the end… but I still think this is a book where the uninitiated will find themselves lacking. Particularly because this is a book of little character/relationship development; it is almost solely concerned with pushing the larger arcing conspiracy story forward, sometimes at the plot’s expense.

In ‘The Gathering’ Rafe and Maya’s romance was set-up – beginning with loathing and mild flirtation, and progressing to animal magnetism (literally). But the explosive beginning of ‘Calling’ means that Maya and Rafe’s relationship is put on hold. Armstrong tentatively sets up a maybe-kinda-sorta romance between Maya and her best friend, Daniel, but at this point it’s still in the walking-on-eggshells, looks of longing stage and not particularly riveting. And even though Maya is surrounded by a supporting cast of friends, none of them get the same interesting character development that Maya does in this book…

In ‘Calling’ Maya feels her skin changing. She is hearing the call of the wild and succumbing to her shifting instincts. She has also just met her biological father (who happens to be apart of the team hunting her down), not to mention she suffers a great loss early on. ‘The Calling’ really is Maya’s time in the spotlight – but she does tend to hog.

Trekking through the forest with Maya is Daniel, her loyal bestie who is starting to throw her looks of longing. Her frenemy Hayley is quick with the snipes, and party-boy Corey is limping along with a bad knee. Cousins Sam and Nicole are the wildcards – one of them blows hot and cold, while the other seems to know more about the St. Cloud company than she initially let on. This is quite a big bunch of secondary players (especially when you think that ‘Darkest Powers’ concentrated on the main foursome; Chloe, Tori, Simon and Derek). I feel like Armstrong gave us too many minor players, so that by the end of ‘Calling’ I really didn’t feel like I’d gotten to know any of them (save Maya) any better. And, as a result, I wasn’t particularly caught up in their plights or side stories. Sure, the kids are quick and good for a laugh, but Armstrong writes them in such broad brush strokes that I feel we missed out on the minor details that are meant to endear them to us;

"You're cute," Hayley said. "Well, cute enough."
"Fun to be around," I offered.
"So I'm ... a clown?"
"At least you're a cute clown," Hayley said. "Not a scary one."
"You're a good fighter," Daniel said.
"And you're a good drinker," Hayley added. "You can hold your liquor better than anyone I know."
"Uh-huh," Corey said. "So Maya will grow up to be an amazing healer who can change into a killer cat. Daniel and Sam will roam the country hunting criminals and demons. Hayley and Nicole will divide their time between recording platinum albums and winning gold medals in swimming. And me? I'll be the cute, funny guy sitting at the bar, hoping for a good brawl to break out."
"In other words, exactly where you were already headed," Hayley said.

‘The Calling’ really didn’t feel like a book about the characters, it felt far more focused on the BIG story;

"We have the upper hand here," Daniel said. "If you're going to give us some crap about turning ourselves in because we're a danger to society? Don't bother."
"Danger to society?" Moreno pursed his lips as if considering it. "Not really. A danger to yourselves? Absolutely. You're going through a lot right now, but it's nothing compared to what's coming. You need help." He looked at me.

It wasn’t until about page-250 (of this 288-page book) that I felt my heart begin to race and knew my interest had been piqued. Towards the end of the book, sleights-of-hand are revealed and Armstrong beautifully sets up her ‘long game’. The ending is exactly what I, and many fans, have been hoping for since ‘Darkest Powers’ ended. I just wish that ‘The Calling’ had started from that point – when the action and drama coalesce, and the entwining of two stories hints at great things to come.

Even if I wasn’t overly impressed with the majority of ‘The Calling’, Armstrong’s stellar ending has ensured I’ll be anticipating the third book in this series (and crossing my fingers that it’s not the finale!).

3/5

'Spell Bound' Women of the Otherworld #12 by Kelley Armstrong

Received from the Publisher

From the BLURB:

Savannah Levine is in danger. That's not usually a problem. But, caught in the grip of a disturbing and violent murder case, Savannah swore to give up her unique gifts if it would save an innocent young girl. Little did she know that someone - or something - was listening... Now she has no idea how to restore her powers, just when she needs them the most.

In this compelling, fast-paced new thriller, Savannah has to face a host of deadly enemies bent on destroying not only her, but the very fabric of the supernatural world. As dark forces gather, Savannah isn't just fighting for her life, but for everything and everyone she loves...

Savannah Levine has always defined herself by her genetic reputation (Cabal father, dark witch mother) and her lethal magical ability. That’s who she is – it’s why she was kidnapped as a child, and why she had to be raised by the witch, Paige Winterbourne and her Cabal-connected husband, Lucas Cortez. It’s why Savannah is such an intricate part to their supernatural PI business, and how she found a place for herself in the larger paranormal community.

So what happens when the very thing that defines Savannah is taken away?

‘Spell Bound’ is the twelfth book in Kelley Armstrong’s superb supernatural saga, ‘Women of the Otherworld’.

When we left Savannah in her narrative debut, ‘Waking the Witch’, she was feeling forlorn and guilt-ridden in the little town of Columbus. Having just helped to convict a grandmother and ensure her granddaughter would run the foster care merry-go-round, Savannah made an impulsive and remorseful wish – that she would sacrifice her magical powers to help this family.

The wish came true, and now Savannah is a witch without powers.

And just as Savannah has wished herself defenceless and rudderless, the supernatural world is beginning to stir, with murmurs of discontent threatening the peace and privacy of the paranormal community.

A group called ‘The Supernatural Liberation Movement’ is an underground network of revolting supernatural’s with one disastrous motive – to reveal themselves to the human world. They want to rise up and claim their rightful, Darwinian-appointed place at the top of the food chain. Sick and tired of lurking in the shadows, they are calling on all witches, vampires, werewolves, necromancers and any other paranormal being to come forth and step into the light.

Curious though, that right when Savannah loses all her powers, these paranormal crusaders want to come forth and wave their freak flag?

In ‘Spell Bound’ Kelley Armstrong flips the entire ‘Otherworld’ story on its head and offers up a very interesting plot. The powers of the ‘Otherworld’ characters have, in the past, been a burden, blessing, and desire. . . but always they have been a given. Apart from some poisonous side-effects or dampening spells, readers have always been calm in the knowledge that Clay can defeat the bad guys with his werewolf strength and Paige can call on a spell to get out of a bind. So, for Armstrong to strip Savannah of her powers is both unheard of and a wonderfully complex game-changer.

Simply by making Savannah ‘normal’, Armstrong changes her entire persona. Savannah has always walked a fine line between apathetic and certifiable. She doesn’t bat an eyelash at gruesome decapitations, and she only feels protective and sympathetic to those people she knows and cares about. Otherwise, Savannah is a fairly dry-eyed character; having lived a tough childhood full of death, captivity and guilt. As a result she has a tough outer shell and little remorse or compassion to spare for strangers.

When her powers are taken away Savannah becomes emotional. She queries her self-worth and loses her hardened edge; she becomes a completely different person with the loss, and is far more interesting for it;

I took a step away.

“Don’t, Savannah,” he said softly. “Please don’t run.”

“What am I going to do?” I whispered. “Without my powers, I’m –”

“Exactly the same person you are with them. Just a whole lot less dangerous.”

He was trying to make me smile. Instead, fresh tears filled my eyes.

I was Savannah Levine, ultrapowerful spellcaster. Daughter of a Cabal sorcerer and a dark witch. Without my powers, I'd be a human PI working for an agency specializing in supernatural cases. As useful as an ashtray on a motorcycle.

Savannah has always been one of those prickly characters who readers will either love, or hate. She’s cocky and beautiful, certain of her powers and impeccable magical breeding. She has, in the past, come across as bratty and self-important. So to read such a complete character flip is both disarming and refreshing.

Savannah’s change in personality also seems to bring her private feelings to the fore . . . regarding her adopted parents, Lucas and Paige, but particularly where her best friend, Adam Vasic, is concerned. Savannah has been in love with Adam since she was 12 and he helped rescue her from a supernatural detainment facility. Regardless of their age-difference (he is 33 to her 21); Savannah has loved Adam with a private but unwavering devotion for most of her life. Adam, of course, is none-the-wiser and seemingly content in his big brother/best friend role. But when Savannah starts questioning her life as a mere human, she also starts thinking on her own mortality (so much more precious now that she can’t defend herself with magic) and what it would mean to never tell Adam how she feels about him.

Readers of ‘Waking the Witch’ will be familiar with Armstrong’s meandering pace where Adam and Savannah are concerned . . . well, expect much of the same (with some heated promises) in ‘Spell Bound’. Again, Savannah and Adam cannot be rushed. Their friendship has been meticulously built over the previous eleven books, so to bring it all crashing down with a big romantic reveal would feel cheap and convenient. I’m glad Armstrong is easing readers into this romance, and I look forward to more slow-burning chemistry.

‘Spell Bound’ is an all-stars ‘Otherworld’ instalment. Everyone comes out for the wind-up to book thirteen’s grand finale. Jeremy, Jamie, Hope, Paige, Lucas, Elena, Clay, Karl, Cassandra, Aaron. . . you name them, and they’re in here. The whole cast come out for the ‘Spell Bound’ book because the central mystery is B-I-G. It affects the entire, fragile Otherworld universe and has its roots reaching back to the beginning of the series. To give anything away about this central, mystery plot would be an absolute crime because Armstrong has plotted it beautifully and intricately.

Kelley Armstong is not contracted beyond book thirteen (again, to be narrated by Savannah, and slated for a 2012 release). Whether she continues the series beyond #13 is unknown. . . but what readers do know is that the Otherworld is rumbling. Armstrong is winding up for an epic ending that pulls all of our beloved characters together and throws them into a free-for-all finale. I can’t wait!

5/5

'Waking the Witch' Women of the Otherworld #11 by Kelley ARMSTRONG

Received from the Publisher

From the BLURB:

Columbus is a small, fading town, untouched by the twenty-first century. But when three young women are found dead - victims of what appear to be ritual murders - things start to get very dark, and very dangerous . . . Private investigator Savannah Levine can handle 'dark and dangerous'. As the daughter of a black witch, she has a lot of power running through her veins, and she's not afraid to use it. But her arrival in Columbus has not gone unnoticed. Savannah may think she's tracking down a murderer, but could she be the killer's next target?Of course she could always ask her old friend (and half-demon) Adam Vasic for back up. But Savannah has her own - very personal - reasons for keeping Adam well away from Columbus. And in any case, she can rely on her own powers. Can't she . . . ?

‘Waking the Witch’ is the eleventh book in Kelley Armstrong’s ridiculously popular paranormal series, ‘Women of the Otherworld’. It is also the first book to be narrated by long-running, fan-favourite character Savannah Levine.

Savannah’s guardians, Paige Winterbourne and Lucas Cortez, are on a much-needed Hawaiian vacation. . . and while away Savannah is in charge of their Private Investigation business. So it happens that when telekinetic-demon and fellow PI, Jesse Aanes, walks through the door with a burning-hot case and too much on his plate it’s Savannah who he hand-balls it to.

A triple homicide in a sleepy town called Columbus has the townsfolk somewhat spooked and pointing fingers at the local Loathario and a cookie-cult complete with a charismatic-pervy male ‘leader’. Savannah is on her first solo case, and befriends a little girl whose mother was one of the three female victims. Savannah also cosies up to an out-of-state detective called Michael Kennedy, who happens to be the brother of one of the murdered women.

But as Savannah digs and delves she discovers that the murders may be a case of Columbus not suffering a witch to live. . .

I am a huge fan of Kelley Armstrong’s ‘Women of the Otherworld’ series. I love the immersive paranormal universe she has created, and the cast of strong female characters that she has introduced readers to. Armstrong’s series is one of the most popular and long-running urban fantasies out there, and for good reason. Ms. Armstrong effortlessly intertwines fantasy and mystery, with healthy doses or paranormal romance.

But it’s safe to say that devout ‘Otherworld’ fans were at once sceptical and curious for Savannah’s first narrated story. Savannah first appeared in the second novel, ‘Stolen’, and has had both main and minor roles in many books since. She is the one character of the ‘Otherworld’ series who readers have read an almost full character-arc of. We were there when her mother died, when she discovered her true paternity and lashed out at the truth, when she was a bratty handful for Paige and in her calmer years when she finally accepted Paige and Lucas’s devotion.

Savannah has always been a character of extremes – capable of great compassion for those she trusts and loves, and willing to inflict bouts of rage tempered with severe magic upon her enemies. Being the product of a witch mother, sorcerer father and with a sprinkling of demon blood thrown in Savannah is perhaps the most powerful of all the supernatural ‘Otherworld’ characters;

“I know who you are.” Her lips twisted as she got to her feet. “Daughter of Eve Levine and Kristof Nast. Foster daughter of Paige Winterbourne and Lucas Cortez. The golden girl of the supernatural world. Under the protections of two Cabals and the interracial council.”
“Actually, one Cabal. Thomas Nast refuses to recognize me. That’ll change when my brother takes over, but in the meantime, I've got the werewolf Pack. For protection, I’ll take them over the Nasts any day.”
“I suppose you think that makes you special.”
“Uh, yeah. . .”

Savannah’s long-standing appearance in the ‘Otherworld’ series is both a help and a hindrance to her narrating her own book. On the one hand, fans have seen Savannah at her brattiest worst – from the time she was 12 right through to her stint as an angry teenager. . . and now at the tender age of 21 and only just tapping into her powers and flexing her independence.
On the other hand, because Savannah has been a constant throughout the series it is high-time that fans read her 360-degree turn-around.

‘Waking the Witch’ has had mixed reviews, and I think I know why. . . but for me this book was a wonderful introduction to Savannah as a grown woman. She is coming into her powers, getting to know herself and Kelley Armstrong is laying groundwork for fans to read the last-stretch of Savannah’s story.

‘Waking the Witch’ is primarily a whodunit murder-mystery. And really, it’s one of Kelley Armstrong’s finest pieces of intricate writing. The book is drenched in noir and heavy with magical foreboding; complete with red herrings, curveballs and a twist ending that will leave you gasping. It is brilliant! Particularly because Armstrong combines a small-town mystery within the big supernatural universe to make for one layered and knotted plot. . . But I can understand that the heavy mystery element may put-off some fans. For one thing, the ‘mystery’ is very dependent on fans knowing (or remembering) the plots of past ‘Otherworld’ books. This may be a problem in a series in which the narrators change, and fans have been known to only read the books narrated by their favourite characters. ‘Waking the Witch’, unlike most all ‘Otherworld’ books, can’t be read as a stand-alone without the rest of the series as reference. An understandable grumbling-point for those fans who were left in the dark to those delicate past-book references. . . but for someone who has stuck with the ‘Otherworld’ series for 10 books, it all came to a head in ‘Waking the Witch’ and I savoured every intricacy.

Another possible annoyance for ‘Otherworld’ fans may be the lack of romance in ‘Waking the Witch’. . . this is a double-edged sword, me thinks. Yes, all other ‘Otherworld’ books have been written with heavy doses of paranormal romance. But you have to remember that Kelley Armstrong has planned to have Savannah narrate books 12 and 13 (bringing her to the possible end of her publishing contract) and I think she is setting up an over-arching, slow-burning romance for Savannah.

Savannah’s long-term crush is Adam Vasic. Adam is 33 to Savannah’s 21 – but he was a part of the rescue team who saved her in ‘Stolen’ and has been a staple of her romantic fantasies ever since. Savannah is convinced that Adam is her soul-mate, but he has never shown her anything but friendship. In ‘Waking the Witch’, Adam comes on board to help Savannah in her investigation and he seems to be accepting her sudden transformation from 12-year-old to kick-ass 21-year-old PI in his mind’s eye. I think Adam and Savannah are each other’s HEA. . . but it will take a while to get there, for various reasons (least of which is Adam getting used to the idea of Savannah as a woman and not a little girl).

I think the romance is there in ‘Waking the Witch’, but only as groundwork for more heated encounters in book 12 ‘Spell Bound’ and TBA book #13. Still, fans who have gotten used to heated and instantaneous couplings between Clayton Danvers and Elena Michaels, and Paige and Lucas, will no doubt feel a twinge of disappointment that Savannah’s romance is more slow-burning. But I think it will be worth it when she and Adam finally ‘ignite’.

I hear fans complaints about ‘Waking the Witch’, which has had very mixed-reviews. But I think this is one of the best ‘Otherworld’ instalments yet. The mystery is superbly noir, and Savannah Levine as our heroine is a delicious conundrum. On the one hand she is disturbingly powerful for one so young, and constantly straddling the line between white and black magic. But as she proves in ‘Waking’, Savannah is a formidable foe when you hurt those she loves. . . I, for one, am completely fascinated by her as a character – mostly because it feels like she can tip the scales either way. Savannah is at the fork in the road where she has to decide whether to be ‘good’ or ‘evil’ and fans are along for the ride. . .

4.5/5

'Tales of the Otherworld' by Kelley ARMSTRONG

‘Tales of the Otherworld’ is a collection of short stories and novellas set in Armstrong’s ‘Women of the Otherworld’ universe. All of these short stories were initially e-serials, available for free on Armstrong’s website as a sort of ‘gift’ to her fans.

Fans aren’t disgruntled by the fact that these previously free stories are no longer available online – because (as Armstrong says in her author’s introduction) after she published her e-serials the number 1. fan question was ‘when will they be available in book form?’. Well, that time has finally arrived. And Armstrong’s even gone so far as to donate the proceeds of ‘Tales’ to the World Literacy of Canada – a nonprofit volunteer organization. Wow. As if fans needed another reason to heap praise on this legendary paranormal author…

‘Tales of the Otherworld’ is a collection of 8 short stories featuring some beloved characters, and a few secondary ones. Only 1 short story is original, and never before been available for download.

‘Rebirth’ is the story of Aaron, and his transition from human to vampire.

‘Bewitched’ is the new story in the collection, and is all about Eve Levine (Savannah’s mother). The story is a ‘prologue’ of sorts, recounting how Eve met and became lover to Kristof Nast.

‘Birthright’ is the back-story to a deceased werewolf pack member. It explains how Logan discovered his werewolf heritage and journeyed to Stonehaven to come face-to-face with his father for the first time.

‘Expectations’ follows Lucas Cortez in an early investigation of his.

‘Ghosts’ is another time-filler, set during the timeline of ‘Bitten’ when Jeremy is left alone at Stonehaven.

‘Wedding Bell Hell’ is a story that fills in the timeline gaps between books, by telling the tale of Lucas Cortez and Paige Winterbourne’s wedding

‘The Case of The El Chupacabra’ is a Lucas and Paige murder-mystery investigation.

All of the stories are wonderful. Of course they are when written by the masterful Kelley Armstrong and set in her colourful ‘Otherworld’ universe. A lot of them are filling in the gaps and fleshing out stories that were previously referenced in the ‘Otherworld’ novels, but only in passing.

It’s one of the wonderful things about the ‘Otherworld’ series; the narrators and characters change in each book, but when a narrator picks up the thread of their story they don’t get bogged down in recounting the missing months or years. It means that the series always moves at a swift, energetic pace, because Armstrong isn’t concerned with giving every minute detail of her character’s goings on… but it also means there are some gaps that fans want filled. Some stories that we miss out on and actually want to be told. Well, ‘Tales’ scratches that itch – well and truly.

My favourite short story was ‘Beginnings’ – it’s the prequel to Elena and Clay’s romance… the story of how they met.

Elena is my favourite narrator, and Elena/Clay are one of my all-time favourite Urban Fantasy couplings. I absolutely loved getting the back-story to their story.

Clay is teaching anthropology at the University of Toronto where Elena is studying journalism. From their first ‘encounter’, it becomes clear that Clay and his wolf are intrigued by Elena… she’s not like other flirty, vapid co-eds. She’s smart, tenacious and not afraid to stare Clay down. For him, Elena is the first female he’s ever had an interest in. Hell, she’s the first human he’s ever had an interest in.

Clay is a rare werewolf who thrives on his wolf-nature and instinct. He understands his beast better than his humanity, and as such he’s never been one for slaking carnal lust or one-night-stands. In Elena he sees a true mate.

From Elena, readers are offered a perspective on her first real healthy adult relationship. Elena’s character history is quite dark and sad; she was passed around from foster home to foster home, where she was repeatedly sexually abused. It’s a history that Armstrong recently addressed in ‘Frostbitten’, but is even further developed in ‘Beginnings’, adding more layers to Elena’s character.

Ultimately though, ‘Beginnings’ is completely romantic. Elena and Clay are one H-O-T couple who steam up the page in their ‘Otherworld’ novels. Armstrong definitely communicates that lust in ‘Beginnings’, but it’s a slow burn from first meeting, to tentative friendship, blooming relationship and then full-blown romance. And there’s a real element of forbidden love to them too – since werewolf pack law forbids any werewolf from entering into a long-term relationship.

He laughed and tugged me down in a kiss. Then, lips still close enough to feel them tickle mine, he said, “You know this is it for me, right? You’re it. First and last.”

I looked up and met his gaze. “Same for me. First and last.”

‘Beginnings’ is a very fleshed out, microcosm of a story. Elena and Clay both narrate, which is wonderful. Fans get rare insight into Clay’s thinking – particularly his decision (calculated or otherwise) to bite Elena and turn her into a werewolf… another issue that has recently been discussed between them in ‘Frostbitten’, but now holds more weight because of Clay’s point of view in ‘Beginnings’.

I loved this collection of short stories. It doesn’t feel like a mishmashed, haphazard collection, hastily thrown together… rather, all of the stories in ‘Tales’ offer new perspectives and insights into characters and side-stories. It is a very cohesive, layered collection that sheds new light on the ‘Otherworld’ universe.

If you are a ‘Women of the Otherworld’ fan, you MUST give this collection a read.

5/5

'The Reckoning' Darkest Powers #3 by Kelley ARMSTRONG

From the BLURB:

Chloe Saunders is fifteen and would love to be normal. Unfortunately, that's not going to happen. First of all, she happens to be a genetically engineered necromancer who can raise the dead without even trying. She and her equally gifted (or should that be 'cursed'?) friends are on the run from the evil corporation who created them. To top it all, Chloe is struggling with her feelings for Simon, a sweet-tempered sorcerer, and his brother Derek, a not so sweet-tempered werewolf. And she has a horrible feeling she's leaning towards the werewolf. Definitely not normal...

This is the third and final book in Kelley Armstrong’s YA series ‘The Darkest Powers’. I was sad to read this one, knowing it was the final installment… but my melancholy didn’t last for long because this book is a DOOZY. A rollicking, fast-paced rollercoaster of a read, and I loved every page of it.

The series is set in Kelley Armstrongs’ ‘Women of the Otherworld’ universe – characters from that world are alluded to, but never make an appearance. ‘The Darkest Powers’ trilogy instead follows four uniquely gifted children as they learn the truth about their childhoods and ‘abilities’ - Chloe; the necromancer, Tori the witch, Simon; the sorcerer and Derek; the werewolf. All are children of the ‘Edison Program’ – a scientific study that genetically modified supernatural’s to increase and sharpen their abilities. The only thing is that the program worked a little too well – each of the children was born with a unique gift, amplified. The study tweaked their abilities to manifest at a younger age, and much more potently. The scientists behind ‘Edison’ now believe these kids are a threat to society, and cannot be allowed to roam around with their increased powers. That means, termination…

The action in ‘The Reckoning’ picks up where second book, ‘The Awakening’, left off. Chloe, Simon, Tori and Derek are free from the Edison group and on the run with their dad’s friend, Andrew. They’re hiding out in an abandoned house in the middle of nowhere, and desperate for answers.

There’s a lot happening in this final book – a lot of answers and explanations are given and there’s emotional closure.

Kelley Armstrong is a master of action writing. Her scenes are filled with adrenaline and read vividly. The action is ten-fold in ‘The Reckoning’ – the emotional stakes are high, the clock is ticking and I spent 391 pages on the edge-of-my-seat. And I loved it. Armstrong really is a master of action writing, and she definitely shows her prowess in this book.

Royce spun like a shot-putter, whipping something at us. I dove out of the way. Derek caught it - a bowling ball - then snarled at Simon, "Upstairs!".

"Oooh, good reflexes, superhuman strength, and a very convincing snarl. I think we have ourselves a werewolf." He got right in Derek's face. "How about a little one-on-one, wolf-boy? Battle of the superpowers?"

Since book 1 there has been romantic tension between Simon, Derek and Chloe. Fans will be relieved (/thrilled) to know that their love triangle comes to a head… with a very satisfying conclusion. The romance is tame, very PG13 (since Chloe is only 15). But it’s still very sweet and tender, and there were plenty of times throughout when I was saying “awwww”. Armstrong navigated this romance beautifully. Fans will know that she is talented at writing ‘hot n’ steamy’ romances, Clay/Elena and Lucas/Paige are prime examples from her ‘Otherworld’ series. But Armstrong has proven in this series that she can write such romance at a different pace for a younger readership. Like I said, very tame, but still satisfying and tingly-inducing.

This may be the final book in the ‘Darkest Powers’ trilogy, but my reader’s intuition tells me it may not be the last we see of Chloe Sanders… A character is introduced toward the end who hints at a possible reappearance. I for one would be thrilled if that was the case. Yes, Armstrong answers lots of pertinent questions in this final book. BUT there’s still plenty of room for future plots and revisiting of characters. I think it would be great if these teens could be introduced to the ‘Otherworld’ world and pick up their continuing stories that way…

But even as I say this is the ‘final’ book, it’s a bit of a fib. At the back of ‘The Reckoning’ is a small (tiny, miniscule) excerpt from new book ‘The Gathering’. This new book is set in the same ‘Darkest Powers’ universe, but will follow a new group of supernatural teens as they navigate their way through the Edison Experiment. So while Chloe’s story comes to a close in ‘The Reckoning’, the series lives on for another trilogy (release date pending).

But like I said, I strongly believe that Chloe, Derek, Tori and Simon would make wonderful *adult* characters in Armstrong’s ‘Otherworld’ universe. I don’t know if her YA readership would follow their story over to an adult series (that is, admittedly, already 10 books deep) but I think Armstrong’s adult fan base would really appreciate the new additions to a beloved series. Just my 2 cents.

I love, love, loved this book. This was another ‘most anticipated’ 2010 release for me, and as usual Ms. Armstrong did not disappoint. ‘The Reckoning’ reiterates her status as one of the head-honchos of the Urban Fantasy genre, while also highlighting her versatility in genre swapping from adult to YA. If you haven’t already, I strongly suggest you read her ‘Darkest Powers’ trilogy – it’s a doozy!

5/5

'Frostbitten' by Kelley ARMSTRONG

From the BLURB:

The Alaskan wilderness is a harsh landscape in the best of conditions, but with a pack of rogue werewolves on the loose, it's downright deadly.

Elena Michaels, the Pack's chief enforcer, knows all too well the havoc 'mutts' can wreak. When they hear of a series of gruesome maulings and murders outside Anchorage, she and her husband, Clay, journey to Alaska in the dead of winter in order to hunt down the dangerous werewolves. Trapped in this savage, untamed winter realm, she and Clay learn more about their own werewolf heritage than they bargained for, tapping a little more into the wild nature of the beast within.

I love Kelley Armstrong. She is one of my all-time favourite Urban Fantasy authors and her ‘Women of the Otherworld’ series is one of the very best in the genre. ‘Frostbitten’ is the 10^th novel in the series and is narrated by fan-favourite, Elena Michaels. I admit, as much as I love the other series characters and their respective narratives, Elena’s story remains my personal favourite – and I think ‘Frostbitten’ has become my favourite book in the series.

Armstrong has seamlessly intertwined past, present and future in ‘Frostbitten’.

Fans will appreciate Armstrong’s reflection on past events in Elena’s life, especially fans that read the free PDF short-story ‘Beginnings’. There was a more in-depth explanation of Elena’s childhood than what was explained in the first series novel ‘Bitten’. In ‘Beginnings’ it was explained that Elena was abandoned at the age of 5 and put through foster care – and for as many hopeful mothers who saw Elena’s blonde hair and big blue eyes and had hopes of the perfect child, there were just as many ‘fathers’ who had a more predatory reason for wanting to welcome a little girl into their home. In ‘Frostbitten’ Elena receives a letter from one of those foster men from her past, a man who is in rehabilitation and begging forgiveness from his victims. This puts Elena in a strange frame of mind as she sets out to track down rapist mutts. As much as the letter unearths ghosts from Elena’s past, it’s also an opportunity for Elena to expunge those demons… and in ‘Frostbitten’ Armstrong articulates an incredibly powerful message to survivors of sexual abuse that is entirely heart wrenching and awe-inspiring.

Fans will also appreciate Elena and Clay’s reflections on a subject matter that has been a pink elephant between them in previous books – the fact that Clay bit Elena, infecting her with lycanthropy. There isn’t a long drawn-out discussion (neither character is the type to naval-gaze and talk out such feelings) but there is a sense of foreclosure on a subject fans have been curious to read about for quite some time.

Fans may be dismayed to find that ‘Frostbitten’ is set in Alaska, with Clay & Elena away from Stonehaven and their twins Logan & Kate. Fans who were hoping to read snatches of werewolf domesticity have no need to panic, Armstrong has artfully bypassed this disappointment by including a few phone-calls home that provide a wonderful glimpse into Elena & Clay’s family life. Armstrong, clever writer she is, has managed to imbue Logan & Kate with vivacious and distinct personalities, and fans will no doubt be looking forward to their appearance in future books. Through these glimpses of life back home, Armstrong has also managed to reveal what changes parenthood has had on our favourite werewolf pairing;

Clay was an amazing parent. The guy who couldn’t spare a few minutes to hear a mutt’s side of the story could listen to his kids talk all day. The guy who couldn’t sit still through a brief council meeting could spend hours building Lego castles with his kids. The guy who solved problems with his fists never even raised his voice with his kids.

And finally, Kelley Armstrong has done an incredible job of whetting our appetites for Elena’s next narrated book, by offering teasing future plots. In ‘Frostbitten’ Jeremy has recently revealed to Elena & Clay that he intends for Elena to take over his role as Alpha. Clay is perfectly happy with the promotion, admitting that he’s better as muscle than as a leader. It’s Elena who is hesitating over accepting the position – concerned by how her Alpha status will affect her and Clay’s relationship, and what problems it will cause trying to convince mutts that ‘female’ isn’t synonymous with ‘weak’. This is a truly fascinating element to Frostbitten’s plot, and a wonderful starting point for the next Elena book.

Armstrong also introduces three new intriguing characters in ‘Frostbitten’, all of whom I hope to see in future books, possibly in lead roles? With these three new characters the possibilities are endless, as they are each intriguing in their own way, with mysterious back-stories. Armstrong has definitely pricked my interest with these plot changes and character additions – and I cannot wait to see how they impact the entire ‘Women of the Otherworld’ series.

And finally, series fans will appreciate the many Clay & Elena interactions ‘Frostbitten’ has to offer. They are one of my favourite urban fantasy couples, and ‘Frostbitten’ reminds me why. Clay & Elena are the ultimate team – they trust one another implicitly, and have come a long way in their relationship since we first met them in ‘Bitten’. This book offers of a wonderful glimpse into the evolution of their mating, and excites the possibilities of where their relationship is heading.

I loved this book. I love this series, and I love Kelley Armstrong. All her series are amazing, ‘Women of the Otherworld’, its spin-off YA ‘Darkest Powers’ and the less popular but equally amazing ‘Nadia Stafford’ are all favourite's of mine. If you haven’t yet read anything by Armstrong, then you are seriously depriving yourself!

5/5

*** For those of you who didn’t get a chance to download Kelley Armstrong’s free short stories, she has unfortunately taken them down from her website… but for good reason. She is releasing another Women of the Otherworld anthology, in the same vain as her ‘Men of the Otherworld’ book, called ‘Tales of the Otherworld’ – to be released in April 13, 2010. Proceeds from book sales will be going toward charity!