Lily has loved Nate for a long time, and they make a great team. Particularly when they’re in the Wild West.
I love reading a paranormal fantasy story and spending it trying to guess what “being” the lead characters are. In the case of this story, I spent my whole time trying to figure out what Nate and Lily’s paranormal species was. I didn’t get it. And now, knowing what I know… I feel like it should have been WAY obvious… but oh well.
The word “bamboozle” has got to be one of my favourites. There is just something… fun about it. So reading a story that features this word as the title was immediately going to draw me in (let alone the fact that it is by a well-loved author and series). But it was the activity of “bamboozling” people throughout this that really had me smiling. And I’m now just going to sit in my little book lair and keep saying the word. Because, seriously, who wouldn’t? It’s a pretty awesome word…
What was I saying?
Oh yeah. This is an awesome short story. You should read it.
She’s a half demon who keeps striking out in love. But when she goes to a vampire bar and runs across a far stronger mystery, and maybe even a way to get out of her paranormal romance blues.
One of the things that has always disappointed me about the Women of the Otherworld series is the fact that there isn’t a novel dedicated entirely to Aaron and Cassandra. I like this version of vampires and I think that it would be much fun. But, a short story in which they make an appearance leaves me quite happy.
There has never been one inkling in my desires to go to a
vampire bar. Although I love paranormal fantasy tales, I find the very idea of such
a themed bar to be kind of tawdry. Which the lead in this also seems to feel
the same. She not only makes fun of the hired actors for the boring simplicity
of their act. It’s the kind of smart-ass response I would personally have if
someone dragged me to such a place. Although, it ends up working out quite well…
I enjoyed the twist in this story. The man that was thought
to be the “bad guy” wasn’t, and the one who seemed kind of innocent, was kind
of, well, evil. The juxtaposition between perceptions and reality was great,
and I loved how there was a sense of hope and wonder when the last page was
turned.
In this thrilling and hugely entertaining collection of novellas and short stories, Kelley Armstrong returns one last time to her bestselling Otherworld series.
Among other tales, the werewolf pack is on the hunt for an old and very dangerous enemy; two very different vampires attempt to settle an old feud; a supernatural date turns hot enough to burn down a building and – in a brand-new novella – Paige and Lucas have a huge decision to make about their future.
Featuring much-loved characters, this final collection completes several important storylines, making it a must-have for Kelley Armstrong’s many fans.
What a way to end a fantastic series. Although some of these stories take place throughout the greater range of the storyline, the final two short stories (and one of the novellas) in this collection bring you back to the events after 13 in some of the characters’ lives. It was incredibly sad to finish the last story (Baby Boom), but on the same token, really satisfying. After all, it’s taken me almost two years of spasmodic reading to actually complete the entire series, beginning to end.
Actually, I cried a little turning the last page – this entire series was an experience and a joy, and something that I probably won’t forget. Yet, the way in which Armstrong has finished it off is so open ended that you can imagine the characters continuing to live their lives and have their adventures.
Is it time to have a child? Paige and Lucas are faced with this question as Benecio tries to encourage their procreation to ensure the succession of his Cabalic throne.
As the name suggests, this short story is all about babies. It starts with a pregnant Savannah shopping with Paige for prams. But, as quickly becomes apparent, both Paige and Lucas aren’t interested in having children. While there are many moments that feature Savannah’s pregnancy, this story is really about Paige and Lucas, and the fact that sometimes people genuinely make the decision not to have children. Something that both Paige and Lucas agree wholeheartedly on.
However, Benecio wants a grandchild. Not just for his own enjoyment, but to ensure the succession of his Cabal. After all, it’s a family run business, and if Lucas is to pass on the business to the next generation, well, there needs to be a next generation. But, inheriting isn’t enough of a reason to bring a child into the world, that is, until Paige and Lucas find out that their birth control has been sabotaged…
Title: Driven Author: Kelley Armstrong Series: Women of the Otherworld #13.8 Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again) My Bookshelves:Dark fantasy, Paranormal fantasy, Strong women Pace: Fast Format: Novella Publisher: Subterranean Press Year: 2016 5th sentence, 74th page: We came in the side door, and he didn’t spot us until we were a few feet from his table.
Cains are known for being big, brutish and not-too-bright. The mutt clan embodies all the supernatural world’s worst stereotypes about werewolves. But not even the Cains deserve to be hunted down and skinned like animals.
When young Davis Cain comes to the Pack for help, Alpha Elena Michaels can’t refuse him. It isn’t about morality or justice. It’s about not letting anyone think they can do this to werewolves and get away with it.
But Elena is also dealing with the Pack’s homegrown monster – Malcolm Danvers, onetime enforcer, full-time psycho. Malcolm is now under Elena’s control, as part of the most difficult decision she’s had to make as leader. But if she has to let Malcolm in, she’s going to make full use of him… and the best person to catch monsters is one who knows exactly how they think.
Malcolm’s potential return to the werewolf Pack is left lingering at the end of Forsaken. Although it seems kind of a logical move, the ways in which Elena and Clay are able to go about this reintegration into the Pack are complex and overwhelming. Controlling a psychopath may be a good reason to welcome one into the fold, but is it really the best way to stop him from damaging others? After all, almost every member has been damaged by the Alpha-wannabe at some point in their histories.
I love that there is progression in the ways that the Pack is run throughout the entire series (after all, it spans over ten years). The progress of technology and the globalisation of the world, has meant that we are more interconnected than ever. In turn, for the world of supernaturals, Elena has more risks and globalisation to contend with when organising and protecting her family. Although Malcolm is incredibly old school and doesn’t see eye to eye with the Alpha, he is eventually forced (albeit unwillingly) to the new order of things and, in his own way, contributes to the downfall of those who are hunting werewolves.
The brutish Cains might be a pain, but they are slowly hunted down and killed in a way that no one deserves to suffer. Malcolm might think that a dead mutt is a good mutt, but Elena is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery. And it takes a turn that I certainly wasn’t expecting. There may also be a potential new recruit to the Pack in amongst their ranks…
It’s Christmas time and the Danvers twins have both come up with the perfect gift for one another… if only they can get their parents to agree.
This is such a beautiful and sweet Christmas story – Logan and Kate Danvers try to find each other the perfect Christmas present.
Mostly this short story centres around Logan, and his indecision about what to do with the new puppy he rescued. Although it would be the perfect present for his twin, there is the complication of his parents. They’re not sure that they want the children to have a dog. Not just because it’s a little awkward with them being werewolves, but the Pack’s serial killer is back in town.
Although every kid wants a puppy, and Logan is no different in this, his approach to his parents is very different. He is so not a normal nine-year-old. Although, it gives a really sweet spin on the giving traditions of Christmas.
A collection of novellas and stories, both original and specially chosen by the author, featuring much-loved Otherworld characters in heart-stopping, pulse-racing action.
Kelley Armstrong captivated readers with her Sunday Times bestselling Women of the Otherworld series of supernatural thrillers. Now her characters return in this gripping anthology.
The collection begins with a brand-new novella featuring werewolf Karl Marsden and half-demon Hope, in what might be Karl’s last heist. Meanwhile Elena and Clay are trapped in a wintry small town with a killer on the loose, in the fast-paced and atmospheric novella ‘Forbidden’.
In ‘Angelic’, former black witch and part-tiome angel Eve is sent on a dangerous mission by the Fates, while necromancer Jaime tackles a ghost with a seriously bad attitude in ‘The Ungrateful Dead’. Zoe Takano is forced to defend her territory in the hugely entertaining ‘Zen and the Art of Vampirism’. And in the final novella, ‘Counterfeit Magic’, Paige Winterbourne and Lucas Cortez take on a troubling case that will change the couple for ever.
This was yet another brilliant collection of Women of the Otherworld stories. Although I have finished the main body of novels, it has been really enjoyable to revisit much loved characters again and again and again. It’s a great way to get another fix without rereading the entire series (which I will definitely be doing at some point in the future).
Heists, journeys and secrets take the centre point in Otherworld Secrets and it is not in the least disappointing. Going on a journey with the werewolves, Hope, Jaimie… it’s an adventure that I’m sad is over, and one that I look forward to taking again and again and again.
Karl has sworn to retire from the world of thieving and start life as a family man… werewolf. But, he doesn’t take into account the manipulations of the supernatural community. It turns out that Karl has one last heist to perform if it means saving his reputation and protecting his family.
Karl and Hope are an incredibly chaotic and entertaining couple. The fact that their daughter, who is now three-years-old, is just as incredibly chaotic and energetic as her parents, is kind of a fun bonus. It is this very chaotic toddler who was the cause of Karl’s retirement. But as with the world of Women of the Otherworld, nothing ever goes as planned. Now, Karl is faced with people ruining his reputation, double crossing and questioning his future plans.
Hope and Karl might be planning on the arrival of their next baby, and the amount of children they want in their little family, but they are also forced into an international trip. The sticky predicament that they find themselves in. luckily, Hope’s abilities and their teamwork work as they always do – to get the pair out of trouble.
Three years after being named Alpha of the North American pack, Elena Michaels is in Londong battling for respect from the British pack. When it becomes apparent she won’t get it, she heads home, expecting a much-needed rest on her family vacation, only to discover a battle brewing of a very different kind.
One of her eight-year-old twins has disappeared, and all evidence points to Malcolm Danvers. It seems as if the psychotic former Pack member they’ve been tracking for the past year has brought the fight to them, setting the bait he knows Elena can’t afford to ignore.
Number one New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong returns to her much-loved Otherworld with this powerful novella detailing the latest trials and travails of a fan-favorite character, a working mother who happens to lead the werewolves of North America.
Elena’s position as Alpha is tenuous and difficult. Although her Pack may understand and appreciate that she is fully capable, the male-dominated world of werewolves doesn’t see it in the same way. Sound familiar anyone? So, an entire novella about how she handles her new role and the derogatory ways in which her Alpha-ness is approached was really beautiful. Plus, visiting a more stable, well-balanced version of Elena was incredibly enjoyable.
Honestly, I got frustrated just reading some of the scenes in this book – being called hysterical because she was getting pissy at the stupid men. Honestly, its’s one of the most irritating comments that I’ve heard from people. It’s also a great highlight of how badly we all experience double standards. After all, if a man gets annoyed, he’s just annoyed, but whenever us women feel the same, we’re hysterical, annoyed or probably PMSing… the fact that Parker (the British Alpha) then uses Elena’s motherhood and care for her family against her… I almost had steam coming out my ears just reading it. Which I think is kind of the purpose… throughout the entire series, we’ve watched Elena grow and change, and then everything is disregarded because of her genitals. It also leads to the complications that arise throughout the story, but, as always, Elena manages to triumph over the morons who challenge her.
Forsakendoesn’t just show how Elena has evolved, but how the entire Danvers clan has changed. The twins have also grown and altered as they’ve turned from screaming toddlers to kind of terrifying nine-year-olds. Alright, they’re definitely not normal, and the whole family is a little off-kilter. But the characterisation works beautifully. It also matches the incredibly off-kilter parents, and makes the entire journey so much more enjoyable. It also makes me wonder what kind of children I’ll possibly produce in the future…
After the Australian Pack murdered Reese William’s parents, the young werewolf fled and took refuge with the American Pack. Three years later, the Australians have tracked him down and dispatched a bounty hunter to bring him back. That bounty hunter, though, isn’t the lone wolf who owes them a debt, but his twenty-one-year-old daughter, Madison. Maddie is determined to bring in the rogue Reese for her ailing father. Now Reese has to show her the truth behind her client’s lies…and avoid being the cause of an all-out war for Elena and the rest of the American Pack.
I love a good graphic novel – one that works in with a series that I love. But also that has a beautiful storyline, great imagery and, in this case, the same great sass that I’m used to in the Women of the Otherworld series. The fact that this brings us back to Reese’s predicament with the Australian pack, just makes it a much more enrapturing visual story.
Reese’s past is shown beautifully in Chivalrous, and it’s kind of a sad tale, but, ultimately it takes Reese to Elena. So, when bounty hunters come to the USA to take him back down under and kill him, the story has an almost more tragic turn. Luckily, Reese is wary enough after his experiences to be wary of the beautiful new girl in his life. And his trust in Elena lets her help him to overcome the hunt and another shard of his past can be healed.
Although the majority of this series is based in the USA, there is a sense of the global supernatural community throughout the series. Bounty Hunt just drives the constantly changing world of globalisation and how it impacts us all.
Earth and Skye 