PNR Review: Thirteen (Women of the Otherworld) [Hardcover]

I've finished "Thirteen" the last book in her Women of the Otherworld series by Kelley Armstrong.

Product Description

The #1 New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong delivers the novel her fans have been clamoring for: Thirteen, the epic finale of the Otherworld series.

It’s been more than ten years, a dozen installments, and hundreds of thousands of copies since Kelley Armstrong introduced readers to the all-too-real denizens of the Otherworld: witches, werewolves, necromancers, vampires, and half-demons, among others. And it’s all been leading to Thirteen, the final installment, the novel that brings all of these stories to a stunning conclusion.

A war is brewing — the first battle has been waged and Savannah Levine is left standing, albeit battered and bruised. She has rescued her half brother from supernatural medical testing, but he’s fighting to stay alive. The Supernatural Liberation Movement took him hostage, and they have a maniacal plan to expose the supernatural world to the unknowing.

Savannah has called upon her inner energy to summon spells with frightening strength, a strength she never knew she had, as she fights to keep her world from shattering. But it’s more than a matter of supernaturals against one another — both heaven and hell have entered the war; hellhounds, genetically modified werewolves, and all forces of good and evil have joined the fray.

Uniting Savannah with Adam, Paige, Lucas, Jaime, Hope, and other lost - but-notforgotten characters in one epic battle, Thirteen is a grand, crowd-pleasing closer for Armstrong’s legions of fans.


About the Author

KELLEY ARMSTRONG is the author of the New York Times bestselling Otherworld series, as well as the #1 New York Times bestselling young adult trilogy Darkest Powers and other titles. She lives in rural Ontario with her family.

Product Details
Hardcover: 464 pages
Publisher: Dutton Adult; First Edition edition (July 24, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0525952837
ISBN-13: 978-0525952831

My Review:

This is the final installment in the Woman of the Otherworld series and I'm sad this is the last book.  Glad to hear she has a few anthologies coming out starting next year.

In this book Savannah Levine is desperately trying to stop a 13th century child killer from finding a mortality cure and revealing the existence of the supernatural world and she is in love with the man who helped her escape the clutches of Ty Winslow.

Savannah and Adam finally share a kiss and they admit they have been dancing around their feelings for years.  Adam has held back from starting a relationship with Savannah because of age difference between them and Savannah has been in love with Adam since he burned her name in a heart.

This book was very fast paced with non-stop action but a lot was going on.  It was great to see everyone again that is important to the Otherworld series help Savannah fight to save the world.  It was sad that Cassandra and Aaron sacrifice themselves to save a former beloved Cabal member and it was interesting that Jasper Haig is released to make sure that Hope survives.

3.5/5

YA Review: The Calling (Darkness Rising) [Hardcover]

I've finished "The Calling" the 2nd book in her Darkness Rising series by Kelley Armstrong.

Product Description

Maya Delaney's paw-print birthmark is the mark of what she truly is — a skin-walker. She can run faster, climb higher, and see better than nearly everyone 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.

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

In The Calling, the sizzling second book in the Darkness Rising trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong pumps up the romance, danger, and suspense that left readers of The Gathering clamoring for more.

About the Author

Kelley Armstrong is the bestselling author of the Other-world series; the first book in the Darkness Rising trilogy, The Gathering; and the New York Times bestselling Darkest Powers trilogy, which includes The Summoning, The Awakening, And The Reckoning.

Kelley's earliest written efforts were disastrous. If asked for a story about girls and dolls, hers would invariably feature undead girls and evil dolls, much to her teachers' dismay. Today, she continues to spin tales of ghosts and demons and werewolves while safely locked away in her basement writing-dungeon. 

Product Details
Reading level: Ages 13 and up
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins (April 10, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0061797057
ISBN-13: 978-0061797057

My Review:

Maya, Daniel, Rafe and the rest of their friends just barely escaped a suspicious forest fire that is threatening to destroy their island.  They find themselves in more danger when their plane crashes and they are left to survive and get away from their pursers in the wilderness.

 

This book deals with Maya and her friends surviving in the wilderness trying to find their way back home.  They can't trust anyone and Maya is trying to keep a secret that she is a skin-walker. 

 

In The Calling we finally find out what really happened to Maya's best friend and why.  We also learn some secrets of the other kids and Maya finally meets her father and why he wants her.

 

3/5

PNR Review: Spell Bound (Otherworld, Book 12) [Hardcover]

I've finished "Spell Bound" the 12th book in her Otherworld series by Kelley Armstrong.

Product Description

At last, in the novel every Kelley Armstrong fan will need to own, all the major heroines and heroes of Otherworld are united.

It's been ten years since Bitten, the first novel in Kelley Armstrong's New York Times bestselling Otherworld series. In that time hundreds of thousands of fans have ravenously devoured the adventures of Armstrong's witches, demons, and werewolves. Now, in Spell Bound, she brings them all together for her most sweeping tale yet.

Savannah Levine is in terrible danger, and for once she's powerless to help herself. At the heartbreaking conclusion of Waking the Witch, Savannah swore that she would give up her powers if it would prevent further pain for a young orphan. Little did she know that someone would take her up on that promise.

And now, witch-hunting assassins, necromancers, half-demons, and rogue witches all seem to be after her. The threat is not just for Savannah; every member of the Otherworld might be at risk. While most of her fellow supernaturals are circling the wagons at a gathering of the council in Miami, Savannah is caught on the road, isolated from those who can protect her and unable to use her vast spell-casting talent, the thing she counts on most. In a story that will change the shape of the Otherworld forever, Armstrong gathers Elena, Clay, Paige, Lucas, Jamie, Hope, and other beloved characters, who soon learn that the greatest threat to supernaturals just may come from within.

About the Author

Kelley Armstrong lives in rural southwestern Canada with her husband and three children.

Product Details
Reading level: Ages 18 and up
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Dutton (July 26, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0525952209
ISBN-13: 978-0525952206


My Review:

At the end of Waking the Witch Savannah lost her powers and she is trying to cope with this but not really.  She has always relied on her powers in dangerous situations and there is definitely places where they would come in handy.  Savannah and Adam are in the forefront of all the supernatural happenings and trying to figure out what is going on.

We see major characters from previous books make appearances and help Savannah and Adam in their search for the truth and rescue them from dangerous situations.

We finally get a kiss between Savannah and Adam at the end of the book which makes me believe they are finally going to confess their feelings to each other.


3.5/5

The Gathering (Darkness Rising, Book 1) [Hardcover]

I've finished "The Gathering" the 1st book in her Darkness Rising series by Kelley Armstrong.

Product Description

The setting for the Gathering is a small medical-research town called Salmon Creek on the island of Vancouver Island. Salmon Creek was built by St. Cloud Corporation, the owners of the town and surrounding park. It was built for their employees. Maya, the main character, is the adopted daughter of the park ranger. The events actually start a year before with death of Maya's friend, Serena. She, Maya, and Serena's boyfriend, Daniel, were swimming in a lake. Serena, captain of Salmon Creek High swim team, drowned in the lake, and Maya is guilt ridden for not being able to save her friend.

A year later, Maya is getting ready to celebrate her sweet 16. She wants to tattoo her birthmark -- a paw-print shape on her hip. She doesn't want it altered in any way, though; she just wants to make it more noticable. However, she doesn't get it because the tattoo artist's aunt insults her by calling her a witch in Navajo. Later, she invites Rafe, a new bad-boy at school, to her birthday party at Daniel's house. At the party, the teens have a competition on Maya's new rock wall: if she can beat all the guys, they have to add more footholds, but if she loses to even one guy, she has to kiss him.

After she defeats all the contestants, Rafe shows up. He challenges Maya individually, and beats her. He doesn't kiss her, though, promising to claim his prize without prying eyes. Maya and Rafe start going out. One day, when Maya was going over to his house for dinner with him and his childish older sister, Annie, she is attacked by someone looking for Rafe. She sees Annie transform from a cougar into herself.
Rafe tells her about skinwalkers and how their mothers were in an experiment to bring them back through their children, but Maya's biological mother seemly learned the truth about it and abandoned her when she was baby and Maya learns she may have a twin brother out in the world somewhere. Rafe explains more about the calling and how Annie fell a victim to it and describes the warning signs which Maya realized she being going though and is scared to do so after hearing what Annie went through. She dumps Rafe after feeling used and not feeling he's trustworthy anymore. The forest is set on fire by people who wanted break into ST.Clouds labs and the book then with the group escaping expect Annie who's out there somewhere.

Product Details
Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 368 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins (April 12, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0061797022
ISBN-13: 978-0061797026

My Review:

I highly recommend reading this series if you like a snarky heroine and well written characters with different personalities and a great storyline.

Maya is a great heroine and I loved the snarky comments that she says for example:

Maya: "Have you met the tattoo artist?  Is he hot?"
Mom: "He's a she."
Maya: "Is she hot?  Cause I'm still young, you know.  My sexual identity isn't fully formed."

She has balls and she tells you like it is and doesn't pussyfoot around and she really cares for her family and friends.  She's attracted to Rafe but she doesn't quite trust him and besides he has a reputation of being a ladies man.  He enjoys the chase but once he has them he loses interest.  I really enjoy reading how she loves animals and they seem to be attracted to her too (they don't want to hurt her but protect her).  She has a German Shepard Kenjii as a companion.

I felt really sorry for Daniel after reading about his childhood and that his dad blames him for his mom leaving when he was 13 yrs. old.  He used to beat Daniel up until he was bigger and stronger and could take care of himself.  I really like how he's very protective of Maya his best friend and even more since Serena's drowning last year.  He's very popular because he's a sensible and fair leader and people like to be around him.  He's starting to get feelings about things and it's not the good kind.  Maya is learning to trust his instincts.

Rafe is the American Teen Rebel because of the way he dresses and he acts so cool.  He pretends to smoke cigarettes and he's something of a ladies man.  I didn't really like learning he only dated Maya briefly to see if she's a Skinwalker like him.  But everyone can sense he really does like Maya including me.

4.5/5

Thanks Authors on the Web and HarperCollins for sending me this book to review, greatly appreciated!

Waking the Witch (Women of the Otherworld, Book 11) [Hardcover]

I've finished "Waking the Witch" the 11th book in her Women of the Otherworld series by Kelley Armstrong.

Product Description

One of the most popular writers of paranormal fiction and the #1 New York Times bestselling author returns with a rollicking new novel in her Otherworld series.

At twenty-one, Savannah Levine-orphaned daughter of a notorious dark witch and an equally notorious cutthroat sorcerer-considers herself a full-fledged member of the otherworld. The once rebellious teen has grown into a six-foot-tall, motorcycle-riding jaw-dropper, with an impressive knowledge of and ability to perform spells. The only problem is, she's having a hard time convincing her adoptive parents, Paige and Lucas, to take her seriously as an adult. She's working as the research assistant at the detective agency they founded, and when they take off on a romantic vacation alone, leaving her in charge, Savannah finds herself itching for a case to call her own. (She's also itching for Adam, her longtime friend and colleague, to see her as more than just a little girl, but that's another matter.)

Suddenly, Savannah gets the chance she's been waiting for: Recruited by another supernatural detective, she travels to Columbus, Washington, a small, dying town. Two troubled young women have been found in an abandoned warehouse, murdered. Now a third woman's dead, and on closer inspection small details point to darker forces at play. Savannah feels certain she can handle the case, but with signs of supernatural activity appearing at every turn, things quickly become more serious- and far more dangerous-than she realizes.

About the Author

Kelley Armstrong is the author of the New York Times bestselling Otherworld series as well as the young adult trilogy Darkest Powers and other titles. She lives in rural Ontario.
 
Product DetailsH
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Dutton Adult; First Edition edition (July 27, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0525951784
ISBN-13: 978-0525951780

My Review:

This was a very fast and enjoyable read!

This is Savannah's first solo outing since Paige and Lucas are on vacation!  At first it seems like a simple case of finding out who killed three women victims but it becomes more complicated as she learns more of the town's secrets.

I kind of forgot who Adam and Jesse are and was wondering if someone could give me a brief history for both of them (like which book they first appeared in, etc.!), thanks!

3.5/5

The Reckoning (Darkest Powers, Book 3) [Hardcover]

I've finished "The Reckoning" the 3rd book in her Darkest Powers series by Kelley Armstrong.

Product Description

My name is Chloe Saunders. I'm fifteen, and I would love to be normal.

But normal is one thing I'm not.

For one thing, I'm having these feelings for a certain antisocial werewolf and his sweet-tempered brother —who just happens to be a sorcerer — but, between you and me, I'm leaning toward the werewolf.

Not normal.

My friends and I are also on the run from an evil corporation that wants to get rid of us — permanently.

Definitely not normal.

And finally, I'm a genetically altered necro-mancer who can raise the dead, rotting corpses and all, without even trying.

As far away from normal as it gets.

Product Details

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins; 1 edition (April 6, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0061662836
ISBN-13: 978-0061662836

My Review:

This series is one of my favorite YA series (I don't read that many YA series)!

Chloe is becoming more powerful necromancer and able to control her powers (she's even more powerful then her teacher).  She's attracted to Derek the werewolf who seems to be protecting her all the time (he also has the habit of yelling at her)!  His brother Simon the sorceror happens to like Chloe which makes it one big love triangle!

The character development and story were well written!

I was wondering does anyone know if this is the last book in this series, thanks?

4/5

The Awakening (Darkest Powers, Book 2) (Hardcover)

I've just finished reading "The Awakening" the 2nd book in her Darkest Powers series by Kelley Armstrong.

Product Description

If you had met me a few weeks ago, you probably would have described me as an average teenage girl—someone normal. Now my life has changed forever and I'm as far away from normal as it gets. A living science experiment—not only can I see ghosts, but I was genetically altered by a sinister organization called the Edison Group. What does that mean? For starters, I'm a teenage necromancer whose powers are out of control; I raise the dead without even trying. Trust me, that is not a power you want to have. Ever.

Now I'm running for my life with three of my supernatural friends—a charming sorcerer, a cynical werewolf, and a disgruntled witch—and we have to find someone who can help us before the Edison Group finds us first. Or die trying.

About the Author

Kelley Armstrong is the New York Times bestselling author of the Women of the Otherworld series and the first book in the Darkest Powers series, The Summoning, about which Kirkus Reviews said in a starred review: "Terrifying ghosts, smatterings of gore, and diverse teen voices will prompt young adults to pick up the next in this series."

Kelley has been telling stories since before she could write. Her earliest written efforts were disastrous. If asked for a story about girls and dolls, hers would invariably feature undead girls and evil dolls, much to her teachers' dismay. All efforts to make her produce "normal" stories failed. Today, she continues to spin tales of ghosts and demons and werewolves, while safely locked away in her basement writing-dungeon.

My review:

I enjoyed reading this book.

I didn't like the character Tori because I thought she was a brat and a wimp!

3/5

Men of the Otherworld (Hardcover)

I've currently finished reading "Men of the Otherworld" by Kelley Armstrong.

Product Description

New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong has captivated readers with her spellbinding Women of the Otherworld series. Now, for the first time, in this collection of four tales she gives center stage to the men who love these sexy, supernatural women — the men who live on the other side of humanity…the wild side.

As a curious six-year-old, Clayton didn’t resist the bite—he asked for it. But surviving as a lone child-werewolf was more than he could manage—until Jeremy came along and taught him how to straddle the human-werewolf worlds, gave him a home…and introduced him to the Pack. So begins this tantalizing volume, featuring three of the most intriguing members of the American Pack—a hierarchical founding family where bloodlines mean everything and each day presents a new, thrilling, and often deadly challenge. For as Clayton grows from a wild child to a clever teen who tests his beloved mentor at every turn, he must learn not only to control his animal instincts but to navigate Pack politics—including showing his brutal archnemesis, Malcolm, who the real Alpha is....

From the nature of fear, weakness, and courage, to the triumph of belonging and the complications of love and loyalty, these mesmerizing tales reveal the trials of a werewolf coming-of-age, and lay bare the hearts and minds of the men strong enough for the women of the Otherworld—and adept enough to take on two worlds.

About the Author

Kelley Armstrong is the author of nine books of the Otherworld. She lives in Ontario, Canada, with her family.

Living with the Dead (Women of the Otherworld, Book 9) (Hardcover)

I've read "Living with the Dead" the 8th book in her Otherworld series by Kelley Armstrong.

Product Description

They’re smart, sexy, and supernatural. They’re the men and women of the Otherworld—a realm of witches, ghosts, and werewolves who live unseen among us. Only now a reckless killer has torn down the wall, trapping one very human woman in the supernatural cross fire.

Robyn Peltier moved to Los Angeles after her young husband’s sudden death, trying to put some distance between herself and her memories. Though she’s still grieving, the challenges of her new life as the PR consultant to Portia Kane—the world’s most famous celebutante wannabe—can sometimes be amusing, even distracting. But when her client is gunned down in the back room of a nightclub, Robyn is suddenly on the run as the prime suspect in the murder. And as more bodies pile up around her, it seems like only Hope Adams, Robyn’s best friend, and Hope’s somewhat spooky boyfriend Karl are on Robyn’s side. Hope Adams follows the kinds of stories whose headlines scream from supermarket checkout lines. But the difference is that Hope’s stories are even weirder—and they’re all true. Though determined to help Robyn, Hope knows it’s only a matter of time before her friend is caught. But it’s not the police Hope is worried about. For Robyn has gotten herself in the middle of a turf war between two powerful Otherworld cabals who’ll spill any amount of blood—human and inhuman—to protect what they consider theirs for all eternity. And the only way Hope can keep her friend alive is by letting her enter a world she’s safer knowing nothing about.

About the Author

Kelley Armstrong is the author of eight books in the Women of the Otherworld series. She lives in Ontario with her family.