I have just finished reading the latest of Kelley Armstrong's novels, "Frostbitten," and already I'm having withdrawal symptoms. So I have decided to raid my book stash and read the whole series of "Women of the Otherworld" books from the beginning...again.
Most of Kelley Armstrong's books are written from the viewpoint of the main character, and tell the story of the daily lives of some of our favourite supernatural creatures. But far from the "vampires, demons and werewolves are evil" cliche, the characters lead very human lives, that just so happen to intertwine with the paranormal. They have regular jobs, they face relationship crises, and they live by the rules of their races. They just happen to do all this while maintaining a private life full of myth and magic. And the occasional battle with the bad guys, of course.
When you read the books, you can't help but fall for the characters, especially the dangerous, but so loveable "Clayton," the self-proclaimed psychopathic Beta of the American werewolf pack. His overly romantic, almost stalker-like, gestures to try to please his on-off lover, Elena, would leave most women envious of his obvious dedication to her. And he's one of the good guys! Throw in "Karl", the dapper werewolf jewel thief, who never settles for anything less than the best, and some interesting situations arrive.
Without including any spoilers, I will give you a quick synopsis of the novels including who and what the narrators are.
Bitten, the first of the series, features the American werewolf pack, and is narrated by Elena Michaels. When bodies start showing up on Pack territory, Elena is called in to help hunt down those responsible. But can she overcome her feelings towards her ex-boyfriend, Clayton, Beta of the pack?
Stolen, also narrated by Elena, see's a group of "Scientists" kidnapping members of the different supernatural races. Elena soon finds herself planning an escape from the inside, with the help of various supernaturals, including young witch, Savannah.
Dime Store Magic follows twenty-three year old witch, Paige Winterbourne, as she battles a team of supernaturals for custody of the pre-teen daughter of a black witch. But things get messy when a powerful sorcerer steps in, claiming to be the young girl's father.
Industrial Magic, again narrated by Paige, see's her and partner Lucas Cortez hunting the attacker of a young witch, under the askance of Lucas's estranged father, Benicio, CEO of the Cortez Cabel, multinational corporation and supernatural equivalent of the mafia, that Lucas spends his life trying to destroy. The chase takes them all across the country, and they soon discover that there are more victims. With help from a motley crew of supernaturals, will they be able to find justice for these youngsters?
Haunted follows Eve Levine as she chases down the soul of an escaped demi-demon, a necessary annoyance bestowed upon her in return for a deal she made with the Fates.
Broken, takes us back to the American werewolf pack, with Elena being called in as a favour to half-demon, Xavier, who asks her to find Jack the Ripper's "From Hell" letter, stolen from the evidence box by a Toronto collector. Everything seems straightforward, until Elena accidentally opens a portal to Victorian London, releasing zombies, the plague, and possibly the Ripper himself.
No Humans Involved is narrated by Jaime Vegas, Hollywood psychic and necromancer extraordinaire, as she faces an onslaught of ghostly happenings. With the help of a half-demon, an angel and the werewolf pack, she attempts to get to the bottom of these manifestations.
Personal Demon is the first of the books that offers two narrators. Hope Adams, a half-demon who thrives on chaos, finds the perfect solution to her needs when Benicio Cortez offers her a job infiltrating a gang of supernatural youths. Lucas Cortez, estranged son of Benicio, also narrates in the book, the first of the male characters to do so in the novels.
Living with the Dead has multiple narrators, and follows half-demon tabloid reporter Hope Adams, along with necromantic homicide detective John Findlay, trying to clear the name of Robyn Peltier, a human PR rep who has been framed for murder.
Frostbitten is again narrated by werewolf Elena Michaels. Anchorage, Alaska, is plagued by a string of deaths, apparently caused by wild wolves. But news of these deaths soon reaches the pack, and Elena and Clay are sent to investigate. They soon realise that everything isn't as it seems, and Elena's childhood comes back to haunt her as they face bitter, savage Alaskan wilderness.
As well as the "Women of the Otherworld" series, Kelley Armstrong also has a number of other books and stories available.
"Men of the Otherworld" is a collection of short stories narrated by the males we become familiar with in the "Women...." series.
The "Darkest Powers" trilogy is a set of young adult urban fantasy novels that follow 15-year-old Chloe Saunders as she discovers the dangerous secrets behind "Lyle House," a special home for troubled teens. (http://www.chloesaunders.com/)
The "Nadia Stafford" books, "Exit Strategy" and "Made to be Broken", are about an ex-policewoman-turned-hitwoman. They are written very much like the Otherworld series, but are strictly Thrillers, with none of the supernatural elements in them.
Kelley has also contributed many short stories to various anthologies. A list of these can be found on her website, http://www.kelleyarmstrong.com
Here, you will also find numerous short stories, an e-serial, and a graphic novella all based around the characters in the Otherworld books available to read online or download free of charge. This is such a fantastic idea, as it allows people to read her style of writing for themselves, instead of just going on someone else's recommendation, and judging for themselves if they think they will enjoy her work. Or to give those of us who already enjoy the books a chance to explore the stories of some of the more memorable characters that don't have a chance to tell their own history within the Otherworld series.
All of the "Women of the Otherworld" books are easy to follow, wonderful to read, and never fail to entertain. You get introduced to a variety of colourful characters, and often come across them in each of the books, even if they are not part of the main storyline.
They are full of sex, violence and humour, but never cross that line into being sleazy or over the top.
They are a wonderful read for adults (and older teenagers), and I would recommend them to anybody. With these books, Kelley Armstrong has firmly cemented herself as my favourite author, and I will be clearing a space on my very full bookcase ready for the next instalment.
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