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Otherworld Stories #3
Otherworld Nights
This short story collection includes one brand-new tale, one story previously available only at Kelley Armstrong's website, and re-prints some hard-to-find stories from various anthologies as well as the entire novella Hidden.
"Demonology" - Adam's mother discovers what he is
"Twilight" - a Cassandra & Aaron story from Many Bloody Returns
"Stalked" - Clay & Elena's honeymoon story from My Big Fat Supernatural Honeymoon
"Chivalrous" - Reese's backstory from SubPress's long sold-out Tales of Dark Fantasy 2
"Lucifer's Daughter" - Hope & Karl story from Blood Lite II: Overbite
Hidden -- reprinted from SubPress chapbook
"From Russia with Love" - The Pack bonus story included with hardcover of Thirteen
"Vanishing Act" - brand-new Savannah & Adam novella set after Thirteen
For every fan of the women of the Otherworld who is longing for more, a suspenseful and sexy new collection of stories and novellas by Kelley Armstrong.
In Otherworld Nights, Armstrong brings together some of her favourite love matches, taking us on honeymoon with her werewolves, Elena and Clay; showing us how her vampires, Cassandra and Aaron, express their unique bond; revealing how Karl proposed to Hope; and illustrating how the young Australian werewolf, Reese, learned the dangers of infatuation, among other stories. By popular demand, shes also included her fan-favourite novella, Hidden.
As an exciting conclusion, Armstrong has written a brand-new novella that takes us beyond the end of 13 to show us what happens after Savannah and Adam save the Otherworld--and realize they do love each other. The trouble is whether they know what love really means--coupled with the little wrinkle of having to figure that out while they battle demons. The kind from hell.
"Demonology" - Adam's mother discovers what he is
"Twilight" - a Cassandra & Aaron story from Many Bloody Returns
"Stalked" - Clay & Elena's honeymoon story from My Big Fat Supernatural Honeymoon
"Chivalrous" - Reese's backstory from SubPress's long sold-out Tales of Dark Fantasy 2
"Lucifer's Daughter" - Hope & Karl story from Blood Lite II: Overbite
Hidden -- reprinted from SubPress chapbook
"From Russia with Love" - The Pack bonus story included with hardcover of Thirteen
"Vanishing Act" - brand-new Savannah & Adam novella set after Thirteen
For every fan of the women of the Otherworld who is longing for more, a suspenseful and sexy new collection of stories and novellas by Kelley Armstrong.
In Otherworld Nights, Armstrong brings together some of her favourite love matches, taking us on honeymoon with her werewolves, Elena and Clay; showing us how her vampires, Cassandra and Aaron, express their unique bond; revealing how Karl proposed to Hope; and illustrating how the young Australian werewolf, Reese, learned the dangers of infatuation, among other stories. By popular demand, shes also included her fan-favourite novella, Hidden.
As an exciting conclusion, Armstrong has written a brand-new novella that takes us beyond the end of 13 to show us what happens after Savannah and Adam save the Otherworld--and realize they do love each other. The trouble is whether they know what love really means--coupled with the little wrinkle of having to figure that out while they battle demons. The kind from hell.
351 pages, Paperback
First published May 21, 2011
About the author
Kelley Armstrong
277 books32.2k followersKelley Armstrong 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. She's the author of the NYT-bestselling "Women of the Otherworld" paranormal suspense series and "Darkest Powers" young adult urban fantasy trilogy, as well as the Nadia Stafford crime series. Armstrong lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, kids and far too many pets.
Today, she continues to spin tales of ghosts and demons and werewolves, while safely locked away in her basement writing dungeon. She's the author of the NYT-bestselling "Women of the Otherworld" paranormal suspense series and "Darkest Powers" young adult urban fantasy trilogy, as well as the Nadia Stafford crime series. Armstrong lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, kids and far too many pets.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 321 reviews
November 22, 2014
I have a dirty little secret.
I...
*cough*
I've never read past the 1st book in the Women of the Otherworld series.
I know! I know! How is this even possible?
I don't know. I liked Clay and Elena's story in Bitten, but I never went back for more.
Anyway, I thought this anthology might whet my appetite. Maybe get me off my duff, and excited to read the rest of these wildly popular books?
Amazing plan, Anne!
*pats self on back*
So, did it work? Am I currently reading this series?
Well, nooooo.
But I will! I promise!
Since the blurb does a good job explaining what/who each story is about, I'm not going to go through and review each one individually.
They're all pretty good, to be honest. In fact, if you've been keeping up with these books, then this might just be a 5 star anthology for you. Every story was well-written, and I was interested in what was happening to each of the characters in them.
The thing is, I think this book would have been soooo much more enjoyable if I had read more of the books. I mean, I had no idea who Adam, Reese, Hope, Karl, or Savannah was.
Or that Clay and Elena had twins!
Awwwww. Congrats, guys!
So there were a few times I felt lost, but that's not a problem I could dump onto the lap of the author. These are novellas for fans of her series, and it's not her fault I hadn't read enough of them to fully understand everything.
I guess my only 'real' complaint would be that I got a little annoyed with Elena's parenting style.
And, yes, I fully understand that I sound like a crazy person for even mentioning that.
But she worked my nerves, with her I'mSoWorriedThatWeAren'tDoingEverythingPerfectly that I just had to mention it.
I wanted to slap her, and then ground her sassy little brats.
Sorry, I know I'm weird...
Anyway, it's a great book.
I love it when authors do the right things by their fans, and Armstrong is definitely giving her fans their money's worth.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital arc, in exchange for an honest review.
Also reviewed for...
I...
*cough*
I've never read past the 1st book in the Women of the Otherworld series.
I know! I know! How is this even possible?
I don't know. I liked Clay and Elena's story in Bitten, but I never went back for more.
Anyway, I thought this anthology might whet my appetite. Maybe get me off my duff, and excited to read the rest of these wildly popular books?
Amazing plan, Anne!
*pats self on back*
So, did it work? Am I currently reading this series?
Well, nooooo.
But I will! I promise!
Since the blurb does a good job explaining what/who each story is about, I'm not going to go through and review each one individually.
They're all pretty good, to be honest. In fact, if you've been keeping up with these books, then this might just be a 5 star anthology for you. Every story was well-written, and I was interested in what was happening to each of the characters in them.
The thing is, I think this book would have been soooo much more enjoyable if I had read more of the books. I mean, I had no idea who Adam, Reese, Hope, Karl, or Savannah was.
Or that Clay and Elena had twins!
Awwwww. Congrats, guys!
So there were a few times I felt lost, but that's not a problem I could dump onto the lap of the author. These are novellas for fans of her series, and it's not her fault I hadn't read enough of them to fully understand everything.
I guess my only 'real' complaint would be that I got a little annoyed with Elena's parenting style.
And, yes, I fully understand that I sound like a crazy person for even mentioning that.
But she worked my nerves, with her I'mSoWorriedThatWeAren'tDoingEverythingPerfectly that I just had to mention it.
I wanted to slap her, and then ground her sassy little brats.
Sorry, I know I'm weird...
Anyway, it's a great book.
I love it when authors do the right things by their fans, and Armstrong is definitely giving her fans their money's worth.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital arc, in exchange for an honest review.
Also reviewed for...
October 27, 2014
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads ~ 4.5 Stars.
DEMONOLOGY – 4/5
In the WOMEN OF THE OTHERWORLD universe, mothers (witches are the exception) don’t play a large role in their children’s lives once their abilities start developing because in most cases they are human, and as a result can’t be let in on the secret. Robert Vasic has been a part of Adam’s world since he was eight years old, but this short shed some light on his mom who was no pushover. When confronted with a possible pyromaniac kid, instead of resorting to institutionalization or medication, Talia did everything in her power to help her son without labeling him, and eventually found what she was looking for in the most unlikely of places, a demonology professor. My favourite part of this tale was when Vasic insisted on keeping Adam’s mother in the dark, and she flat out refused by stating that her love is in fact unconditional, Exustio half-demon notwithstanding.
TWILIGHT – 4/5
After the werewolves, Cassandra is #2 on my top WOTO characters list. I’ve always loved her blasé attitude, and her advanced age makes her one of the most Other of them all. This was a quick read, but I really enjoyed witnessing DuCharme’s struggle to fulfill her annual kill requirement. Out of this series’ entire cast, she’s the one who never seemed to have any qualms about taking a life, however in TWILIGHT we get a glimpse of her inner conflict, and learn why she and Aaron had a falling out so many years ago. Cass does eventually do the deed, but she has to choke down the blood which made me wonder, would she have turned human had she delayed any longer?
STALKED – 5/5
I read THE HUNTER AND THE HUNTED pretty recently, and this short appeared in that eSpecial, but I can never resist revisiting Clay & Elena when an opportunity presents itself. After eighteen years, my fav werewolf couple finally gets a honeymoon, no wedding bells for them though, so a trip to St. Louis is as good as it’s ever going to get. They both have their hearts set on making the other happy to the point that neither will admit to being bored out of their skulls, or to the fact that there’s a mutt on their tail. This leads to classic Clay & Elena miscommunication, a hunt, followed by their trademark romp in the woods after a kill. I love these two!
CHIVALROUS – 5/5
Reese was a latecomer to the WOTO series, and little is known about his past other than that it was traumatic. CHIVALROUS was essentially his back story in a nutshell, and in my opinion, the saddest short in this anthology. His first love was not a pleasant experience, and came at a high price. Readers learn why he fled his original pack in Australia, and the reasons behind his refusal to date no matter how many girls Nick throws at him. Werewolves traditionally don’t have pleasant childhoods, and Williams’ is a prime example of that. This tale also tied in nicely with HIDDEN, and I sincerely hope that one day Armstrong will grant Reese his revenge.
LUCIFER’S DAUGHTER – 4.5/5
This was a fun novella about Karl being Karl, and Hope trying to rein him in. Adams’ family has no clue of her true nature which made her gran’s museum exhibit dedication rather ironic. And, of course you can’t bring Marsten into a place with priceless jewels on display without expecting him to try to steal ‘em. LUCIFER’S DAUGHTER did a great job of showcasing Hope’s chaotic nature, and her werewolf mate’s sticky fingers while also managing to add a romantic spin to the ordeal. These two are seriously perfect for each other, and I loved that the author gave them their own slice of HEA in this compilation because it’s been a long time coming.
HIDDEN – 5/5
The best and longest story out of the bunch! Armstrong is a Canadian author, but her werewolves’ home base is in New York, so I was pleased that the crew made a trip up North to Algonquin Park for Christmas. The twins played only minor roles in the later installments, and it was nice to see the whole family together for a change. I enjoyed witnessing the challenges of furry parenthood, and I liked how Elena started bringing Noah into the fold by introducing him to the ways of mutt hunting. The Big Bad in this tale not only made Michaels question her decision to keep Kate & Logan in the dark about their heritage, but also caused her unfortunate past to rear its ugly head. The author managed to throw a decent number of twists at readers while delivering a satisfying ending as well. I’ll probably re-read this one again in the near future because it was just so well-written.
FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE – 4.5/5
I bought a print copy of THIRTEEN, so this novella was a repeat, but it’s the story of how Elena challenged Jeremy for alpha which means that it was definitely worth a second read. Fans of this series know that there’s nothing traditional about Danvers’ Pack leadership methods, thus why would the passing of the torch be any different, right? I can’t really say more than that without giving anything away, however it was a cute spin on the classic fight to the death. Xavier also makes a brief appearance which was a fun bonus because we haven’t seen him since book 6, and he’s been known to pull one over on Elena in the past, so I got a kick out of watching her return the favour.
VANISHING ACT – 5/5
Savannah & Adam finally get their HEA! I’ve been waiting for this ever since I finished the final installment two years ago. Levine’s immaturity gets her into trouble AGAIN, but she actually learns from it this time, and undergoes a surprising amount of character growth for a short in both her personal and professional life. The young witch has been keeping secrets from Vasic, the Cabals are up to no good, and a young supe is in need of the kind of help only Cortez and Winterbourne Investigations can provide. VANISHING ACT was a great way to wrap-up this anthology because it introduced some new mythology to the WOTO universe, and ended on a high note with the conclusion to Savannah & Adam’s love story.
DEMONOLOGY – 4/5
In the WOMEN OF THE OTHERWORLD universe, mothers (witches are the exception) don’t play a large role in their children’s lives once their abilities start developing because in most cases they are human, and as a result can’t be let in on the secret. Robert Vasic has been a part of Adam’s world since he was eight years old, but this short shed some light on his mom who was no pushover. When confronted with a possible pyromaniac kid, instead of resorting to institutionalization or medication, Talia did everything in her power to help her son without labeling him, and eventually found what she was looking for in the most unlikely of places, a demonology professor. My favourite part of this tale was when Vasic insisted on keeping Adam’s mother in the dark, and she flat out refused by stating that her love is in fact unconditional, Exustio half-demon notwithstanding.
TWILIGHT – 4/5
After the werewolves, Cassandra is #2 on my top WOTO characters list. I’ve always loved her blasé attitude, and her advanced age makes her one of the most Other of them all. This was a quick read, but I really enjoyed witnessing DuCharme’s struggle to fulfill her annual kill requirement. Out of this series’ entire cast, she’s the one who never seemed to have any qualms about taking a life, however in TWILIGHT we get a glimpse of her inner conflict, and learn why she and Aaron had a falling out so many years ago. Cass does eventually do the deed, but she has to choke down the blood which made me wonder, would she have turned human had she delayed any longer?
STALKED – 5/5
I read THE HUNTER AND THE HUNTED pretty recently, and this short appeared in that eSpecial, but I can never resist revisiting Clay & Elena when an opportunity presents itself. After eighteen years, my fav werewolf couple finally gets a honeymoon, no wedding bells for them though, so a trip to St. Louis is as good as it’s ever going to get. They both have their hearts set on making the other happy to the point that neither will admit to being bored out of their skulls, or to the fact that there’s a mutt on their tail. This leads to classic Clay & Elena miscommunication, a hunt, followed by their trademark romp in the woods after a kill. I love these two!
CHIVALROUS – 5/5
Reese was a latecomer to the WOTO series, and little is known about his past other than that it was traumatic. CHIVALROUS was essentially his back story in a nutshell, and in my opinion, the saddest short in this anthology. His first love was not a pleasant experience, and came at a high price. Readers learn why he fled his original pack in Australia, and the reasons behind his refusal to date no matter how many girls Nick throws at him. Werewolves traditionally don’t have pleasant childhoods, and Williams’ is a prime example of that. This tale also tied in nicely with HIDDEN, and I sincerely hope that one day Armstrong will grant Reese his revenge.
LUCIFER’S DAUGHTER – 4.5/5
This was a fun novella about Karl being Karl, and Hope trying to rein him in. Adams’ family has no clue of her true nature which made her gran’s museum exhibit dedication rather ironic. And, of course you can’t bring Marsten into a place with priceless jewels on display without expecting him to try to steal ‘em. LUCIFER’S DAUGHTER did a great job of showcasing Hope’s chaotic nature, and her werewolf mate’s sticky fingers while also managing to add a romantic spin to the ordeal. These two are seriously perfect for each other, and I loved that the author gave them their own slice of HEA in this compilation because it’s been a long time coming.
HIDDEN – 5/5
The best and longest story out of the bunch! Armstrong is a Canadian author, but her werewolves’ home base is in New York, so I was pleased that the crew made a trip up North to Algonquin Park for Christmas. The twins played only minor roles in the later installments, and it was nice to see the whole family together for a change. I enjoyed witnessing the challenges of furry parenthood, and I liked how Elena started bringing Noah into the fold by introducing him to the ways of mutt hunting. The Big Bad in this tale not only made Michaels question her decision to keep Kate & Logan in the dark about their heritage, but also caused her unfortunate past to rear its ugly head. The author managed to throw a decent number of twists at readers while delivering a satisfying ending as well. I’ll probably re-read this one again in the near future because it was just so well-written.
FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE – 4.5/5
I bought a print copy of THIRTEEN, so this novella was a repeat, but it’s the story of how Elena challenged Jeremy for alpha which means that it was definitely worth a second read. Fans of this series know that there’s nothing traditional about Danvers’ Pack leadership methods, thus why would the passing of the torch be any different, right? I can’t really say more than that without giving anything away, however it was a cute spin on the classic fight to the death. Xavier also makes a brief appearance which was a fun bonus because we haven’t seen him since book 6, and he’s been known to pull one over on Elena in the past, so I got a kick out of watching her return the favour.
VANISHING ACT – 5/5
Savannah & Adam finally get their HEA! I’ve been waiting for this ever since I finished the final installment two years ago. Levine’s immaturity gets her into trouble AGAIN, but she actually learns from it this time, and undergoes a surprising amount of character growth for a short in both her personal and professional life. The young witch has been keeping secrets from Vasic, the Cabals are up to no good, and a young supe is in need of the kind of help only Cortez and Winterbourne Investigations can provide. VANISHING ACT was a great way to wrap-up this anthology because it introduced some new mythology to the WOTO universe, and ended on a high note with the conclusion to Savannah & Adam’s love story.
April 9, 2021
3.5 ☆
Otherworld Nights is anthology #3 which offers eight short stories with a variety of characters from Armstrong's Otherworld series. I initially picked up this anthology for Elena and Clayton but I finished the entire anthology. Surprisingly, the biggest emotional highs (and lows) came from the stories with the other characters. Yes, there are minor spoilers if you haven't read up through Thirteen, but they weren't sufficient to prevent me from enjoying this collection.
"Demonology" - Adam Vasic was introduced in Stolen #2. This story centers around young single mother Talia, trying to discover whether anything is wrong with her 8 year old son Adam just because he displays a burning fascination with fire. Armstrong ended this story prematurely as she didn't include Talia's reaction to the knowledge; I wanted to see her reaction.
"Twilight" - Introduced in Stolen, Cassandra and Aaron reveal more of Armstrong's vampire lore, as immortality requires an annual price. This story dragged for me, probably reflecting Cassandra's ennui as this is her story.
"Stalked" - Clayton and Elena's honeymoon story, which takes place between Broken #6 and Frostbitten #10. Middle age angst catches up with Clay as a mutt stalks Elena.
"Chivalrous" - Introduced in Frostbitten, werewolf Reese's backstory is tragic amidst the brutal the male-dominated werewolf culture of Australia. This delivered the biggest emotional punch.
"Lucifer's Daughter" - Werewolf Karl appeared in Bitten #1. He's been an ambivalent character - is he friend or foe to Jeremy's Pack? Karl reveals his softer side as he accompanies girlfriend and half-demon Hope Adams to a special museum exhibition and has a special surprise for the occasion. This was the most light-hearted story in the anthology.
"Hidden" is one of two included novellas and it's set shortly after Frostbitten. Clayton and Elena's twins are four years old. Elena is struggling with when to tell the twins what their parents are whereas Clay has no hesitation. Circumstances force their hands as a mutt intrudes on their family's Christmas holiday.
My only quibble is how articulate the 4 year old twins sound; their speech could pass for much older kids. Remember how Clay sounded during his first year with Jeremy in Men of the Otherworld? Clay was seven or eight but he spoke like a 4 year old with his fragmented speech and nonexistent sentences.
"From Russia with Love" is set immediately after Thirteen #13. This covers how Elena becomes the new Alpha of the North American Pack. I haven't read Thirteen so this is slightly spoiler-y, but was there any doubt that Armstrong would ensure the survival of her main protagonists?
"Vanishing Act" is the other novella that takes place after Thirteen. Witch Savannah Levine, age 22, believes it's time for her to make some big decisions about her future. Will long-term crush Adam Vasic play any role in her choices? I haven't read any of the novels which have been written in her POV but I feel that I've gotten a strong sense of a magically powerful but slightly immature twenty-something so maybe.
#1 Bitten 3.5 ☆
#2 Stolen 3.5 ☆
#6 Broken 3.5 ☆
#7 No Humans Involved 3.5 ☆
#10 Frostbitten 4 ☆
Men of the Otherworld #1 3.5 ☆ rounded up
Tales of the Otherworld #2 3.5 ☆
Otherworld Nights is anthology #3 which offers eight short stories with a variety of characters from Armstrong's Otherworld series. I initially picked up this anthology for Elena and Clayton but I finished the entire anthology. Surprisingly, the biggest emotional highs (and lows) came from the stories with the other characters. Yes, there are minor spoilers if you haven't read up through Thirteen, but they weren't sufficient to prevent me from enjoying this collection.
"Demonology" - Adam Vasic was introduced in Stolen #2. This story centers around young single mother Talia, trying to discover whether anything is wrong with her 8 year old son Adam just because he displays a burning fascination with fire. Armstrong ended this story prematurely as she didn't include Talia's reaction to the knowledge; I wanted to see her reaction.
"Twilight" - Introduced in Stolen, Cassandra and Aaron reveal more of Armstrong's vampire lore, as immortality requires an annual price. This story dragged for me, probably reflecting Cassandra's ennui as this is her story.
"Stalked" - Clayton and Elena's honeymoon story, which takes place between Broken #6 and Frostbitten #10. Middle age angst catches up with Clay as a mutt stalks Elena.
"Chivalrous" - Introduced in Frostbitten, werewolf Reese's backstory is tragic amidst the brutal the male-dominated werewolf culture of Australia. This delivered the biggest emotional punch.
"Lucifer's Daughter" - Werewolf Karl appeared in Bitten #1. He's been an ambivalent character - is he friend or foe to Jeremy's Pack? Karl reveals his softer side as he accompanies girlfriend and half-demon Hope Adams to a special museum exhibition and has a special surprise for the occasion. This was the most light-hearted story in the anthology.
"Hidden" is one of two included novellas and it's set shortly after Frostbitten. Clayton and Elena's twins are four years old. Elena is struggling with when to tell the twins what their parents are whereas Clay has no hesitation. Circumstances force their hands as a mutt intrudes on their family's Christmas holiday.
My only quibble is how articulate the 4 year old twins sound; their speech could pass for much older kids. Remember how Clay sounded during his first year with Jeremy in Men of the Otherworld? Clay was seven or eight but he spoke like a 4 year old with his fragmented speech and nonexistent sentences.
"From Russia with Love" is set immediately after Thirteen #13. This covers how Elena becomes the new Alpha of the North American Pack. I haven't read Thirteen so this is slightly spoiler-y, but was there any doubt that Armstrong would ensure the survival of her main protagonists?
"Vanishing Act" is the other novella that takes place after Thirteen. Witch Savannah Levine, age 22, believes it's time for her to make some big decisions about her future. Will long-term crush Adam Vasic play any role in her choices? I haven't read any of the novels which have been written in her POV but I feel that I've gotten a strong sense of a magically powerful but slightly immature twenty-something so maybe.
#1 Bitten 3.5 ☆
#2 Stolen 3.5 ☆
#6 Broken 3.5 ☆
#7 No Humans Involved 3.5 ☆
#10 Frostbitten 4 ☆
Men of the Otherworld #1 3.5 ☆ rounded up
Tales of the Otherworld #2 3.5 ☆
July 30, 2023
I just love the Otherworld Universe that Kelley Armstrong has woven.
I love that there is always a new story to read or an old one to revisit.
Otherworld Nights is her third compilation of novellas/short stories about various characters around the series.
To my surprise, I actually had never read the majority of the ones included in this book. It's always great to learn more about the twins and I would have liked to have had more time with Adam's mother.
5 Stars.
I love that there is always a new story to read or an old one to revisit.
Otherworld Nights is her third compilation of novellas/short stories about various characters around the series.
To my surprise, I actually had never read the majority of the ones included in this book. It's always great to learn more about the twins and I would have liked to have had more time with Adam's mother.
5 Stars.
December 21, 2014
I really enjoyed this collection of short stories. As someone who has only read a handful of the books that these characters are based on, I can say that this can definitely be read as a standalone if you have not read any other works by this author. Of course you will get more out of this collection if you have read the Women of the Otherworld series, but it is definitely not a prerequisite.
My favourite stories have to be the Clay and Elena ones, I felt that the author was the most connected/invested to this couple, and that seemed to come across in her writing. However I did enjoy all of the stories. I think that short stories can sometimes be a hard sell, and for this author to succeed so splendidly in this endeavor ,really makes me hopeful for the future demand of short stories.
Buy, Borrow or Bin Verdict: Buy
Note: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
May 1, 2022
Demonology - 3.5 stars
If you've ever thought it odd that Adam's mother was seduced by a Lord Demon and then went on to marry a half demon . . . this is the story of how, while searching for help for her son (who liked to set things on fire), she met Robert Vasic.
Stalked - 3.5 stars
Elena and Clay story about a run-in with mutts on their honeymoon. Short, but very sweet, and gives us even more evidence that these two are perfect for each other.
Hidden - 4.5 stars
At 193 pages (Kindle version), this novella is just short of being a full-blown novel. AND it's got pretty pictures.
It takes place the Christmas after Frostbitten, and Clay and Elena have taken the kids to a secluded chalet in Canada for a family holiday (before the rest of the pack shows up on Boxing Day). The four of them are planning on making Christmas cookies, drinking hot chocolate, playing in the snow, etc., but all of that gets interrupted when a mutt shows up their first night there. A mutt that is acting rather shifty<---see what I did there.
Pack members are enlisted to come up early, and detecting ensues. I liked it. That is all.
Twilight - 2 stars
Cassandra POV about her annual kill. No me gusta. And I typically do like Cassandra . . . this was just a bit too morbid for me.
Chivalrous - 4.5 stars
This was actually brand new to me, which was a surprise, b/c I'd thought I'd read all of the most recent additions to this series. It's a Reese POV, and as one of the newer members of the pack, I've been very interested in his backstory that had only been hinted at in the main books.
All that skittishness in regards to Pack wolves? Well . . . turns out he had good reason. VERY good reason. I'm looking forward to him eventually getting the revenge he deserves (wink, wink, nudge, nudge, Kelley Armstrong).
Lucifer's Daughter - 4 stars
In which Karl's sticky fingers unleash the soul of a demon to wreck havoc on unsuspecting museum guests. *snickers*
If you love Hope and Karl like I love Hope and Karl, this is definitely not one to miss.
From Russia with Love - 4 stars
I purchased the hardback of Thirteen, but somehow managed to not read this. No idea how that happened. SO this was another new one for me. Relatively short, there was just enough time for Elena to have a freak-out about the safety of her children, a run-in with a certain skulldugerous teleporting half-demon, aaaannndddd . . . a game of chess. *wink*
Vanishing Act - 4 stars
This was hands-down my most anticipated addition to this collection (and not just b/c I'd been sure I'd already read everything else).
By the end of Thirteen, we knew that Adam and Savannah were finally getting their HEA, but it was the end of the series, and that was somewhat . . . unsatisfying.
Should have known not to worry.
Not only did we get more Adam and Savannah time, but we also got to see Adam in the rare position of being the insecure party in the relationship. Given the YEARS that Savannah crushed on him, that was highly gratifying. There was also an interesting tie-in to another of Armstrong's series, so that was fun too.
Overall, despite having already read nearly all of these stories, Otherworld Nights was definitely worth the revisit. The new-to-me stories lived up to the high standards I've come to expect from Armstrong, and it's ever so convenient to have the rereads bound together in such a pretty package. Highly recommended to all fans of the Women of the Otherworld series.
If you've ever thought it odd that Adam's mother was seduced by a Lord Demon and then went on to marry a half demon . . . this is the story of how, while searching for help for her son (who liked to set things on fire), she met Robert Vasic.
Stalked - 3.5 stars
Elena and Clay story about a run-in with mutts on their honeymoon. Short, but very sweet, and gives us even more evidence that these two are perfect for each other.
Hidden - 4.5 stars
At 193 pages (Kindle version), this novella is just short of being a full-blown novel. AND it's got pretty pictures.
It takes place the Christmas after Frostbitten, and Clay and Elena have taken the kids to a secluded chalet in Canada for a family holiday (before the rest of the pack shows up on Boxing Day). The four of them are planning on making Christmas cookies, drinking hot chocolate, playing in the snow, etc., but all of that gets interrupted when a mutt shows up their first night there. A mutt that is acting rather shifty<---see what I did there.
Pack members are enlisted to come up early, and detecting ensues. I liked it. That is all.
Twilight - 2 stars
Cassandra POV about her annual kill. No me gusta. And I typically do like Cassandra . . . this was just a bit too morbid for me.
Chivalrous - 4.5 stars
This was actually brand new to me, which was a surprise, b/c I'd thought I'd read all of the most recent additions to this series. It's a Reese POV, and as one of the newer members of the pack, I've been very interested in his backstory that had only been hinted at in the main books.
All that skittishness in regards to Pack wolves? Well . . . turns out he had good reason. VERY good reason. I'm looking forward to him eventually getting the revenge he deserves (wink, wink, nudge, nudge, Kelley Armstrong).
Lucifer's Daughter - 4 stars
In which Karl's sticky fingers unleash the soul of a demon to wreck havoc on unsuspecting museum guests. *snickers*
If you love Hope and Karl like I love Hope and Karl, this is definitely not one to miss.
From Russia with Love - 4 stars
I purchased the hardback of Thirteen, but somehow managed to not read this. No idea how that happened. SO this was another new one for me. Relatively short, there was just enough time for Elena to have a freak-out about the safety of her children, a run-in with a certain skulldugerous teleporting half-demon, aaaannndddd . . . a game of chess. *wink*
Vanishing Act - 4 stars
This was hands-down my most anticipated addition to this collection (and not just b/c I'd been sure I'd already read everything else).
By the end of Thirteen, we knew that Adam and Savannah were finally getting their HEA, but it was the end of the series, and that was somewhat . . . unsatisfying.
Should have known not to worry.
Not only did we get more Adam and Savannah time, but we also got to see Adam in the rare position of being the insecure party in the relationship. Given the YEARS that Savannah crushed on him, that was highly gratifying. There was also an interesting tie-in to another of Armstrong's series, so that was fun too.
Overall, despite having already read nearly all of these stories, Otherworld Nights was definitely worth the revisit. The new-to-me stories lived up to the high standards I've come to expect from Armstrong, and it's ever so convenient to have the rereads bound together in such a pretty package. Highly recommended to all fans of the Women of the Otherworld series.
November 9, 2014
3.5 stars - Spoilers
Loved some of the stories, wasn't a fan of others. I didn't realise I'd already read most of them though which was disappointing, would have liked a few more newer stories.
-STALKED. This was pretty entertaining even though I'd already read it before. It was cute how Clay was desperately trying to get rid of Elena's werewolf stalker without her knowing just so she could have a perfect honeymoon. Clay and Elena were kind of daft though with both of them thinking the other hadn't noticed the pervy werewolf following them. It was great how Clay/Elena still had chemistry despite their relationship being settled and comfortable.
-DEMONOLOGY. Talia/Adam story (another re-read). This was decent enough, it was a little too short though, it cut off just when things started to get interesting. I wanted to read Talia's reaction to finding out exactly what Adam was, instead of her merely suspecting him not being fully human. Also, would have a liked a look into how Talia/Robert fell for each other and how they and Adam became a family.
-LUCIFER'S DAUGHTER. Hope/Karl short story (re-read). It was kind of boring, I wasn't a fan of Hope's character or her powers, she was rather dull. Her and Karl trying to fight that demon wasn't very entertaining. I did enjoy the marriage proposal at the end though.
-HIDDEN. Enjoyable, but mostly skimmed through as already read recently.
-CHIVALROUS. Wasn't too bothered about Reece's story, he was too much of a minor character in the main series for me too be interested in his past/background. Did really like Daniella though, even though she turned out to be evil I still wanted her to become a good guy and somehow end up with Reece.
-TWILIGHT. This was another re-read, I'd forgotten how depressing it was. I felt so sorry for Cassandra, her feeling down and listless because she was coming to the end of her life was sad. I felt sorry for Aaron too, he didn't understand what Cassandra was going through, but I loved how he was still there for her as a friend and was desperately trying to fight for her. Aaron/Cassandra's friendship was bittersweet, their past relationship was only ruined because Cassandra was trying to protect Aaron. She should have been honest with him so they could be together again and have some happiness, instead of her dying and both of them having regrets. I really want them to get a HEA of sorts.
-FROM RUSSIA, WITH LOVE. Really liked this one, it was fun reading a new story about the pack again and getting to see Elena finally/officially take on the role as Alpha. The only thing I disliked was the whole Xavier thing, it didn't fit into the story and felt a little out of place.
-VANISHING ACT. New Savannah/Adam story. Didn't much like the Adam/Savannah relationship angst, they both overreacted to Savannah applying to college and neither communicated with the other. I still enjoyed it though despite Savannah/Adam's relationship drama, I loved getting to see Savannah/Adam/Paige/Lucas in action and interacting with each other again, it made me feel all nostalgic.
-Really would have liked a short story about how all of Sean's super powered teens were getting on and how they would fit in with the rest of the Otherworld main characters and world.
I'm hoping Kelley Armstrong writes more short stories about the Otherworld characters, it's such an easy and fun world to immerse into.
Loved some of the stories, wasn't a fan of others. I didn't realise I'd already read most of them though which was disappointing, would have liked a few more newer stories.
-STALKED. This was pretty entertaining even though I'd already read it before. It was cute how Clay was desperately trying to get rid of Elena's werewolf stalker without her knowing just so she could have a perfect honeymoon. Clay and Elena were kind of daft though with both of them thinking the other hadn't noticed the pervy werewolf following them. It was great how Clay/Elena still had chemistry despite their relationship being settled and comfortable.
-DEMONOLOGY. Talia/Adam story (another re-read). This was decent enough, it was a little too short though, it cut off just when things started to get interesting. I wanted to read Talia's reaction to finding out exactly what Adam was, instead of her merely suspecting him not being fully human. Also, would have a liked a look into how Talia/Robert fell for each other and how they and Adam became a family.
-LUCIFER'S DAUGHTER. Hope/Karl short story (re-read). It was kind of boring, I wasn't a fan of Hope's character or her powers, she was rather dull. Her and Karl trying to fight that demon wasn't very entertaining. I did enjoy the marriage proposal at the end though.
-HIDDEN. Enjoyable, but mostly skimmed through as already read recently.
-CHIVALROUS. Wasn't too bothered about Reece's story, he was too much of a minor character in the main series for me too be interested in his past/background. Did really like Daniella though, even though she turned out to be evil I still wanted her to become a good guy and somehow end up with Reece.
-TWILIGHT. This was another re-read, I'd forgotten how depressing it was. I felt so sorry for Cassandra, her feeling down and listless because she was coming to the end of her life was sad. I felt sorry for Aaron too, he didn't understand what Cassandra was going through, but I loved how he was still there for her as a friend and was desperately trying to fight for her. Aaron/Cassandra's friendship was bittersweet, their past relationship was only ruined because Cassandra was trying to protect Aaron. She should have been honest with him so they could be together again and have some happiness, instead of her dying and both of them having regrets. I really want them to get a HEA of sorts.
-FROM RUSSIA, WITH LOVE. Really liked this one, it was fun reading a new story about the pack again and getting to see Elena finally/officially take on the role as Alpha. The only thing I disliked was the whole Xavier thing, it didn't fit into the story and felt a little out of place.
-VANISHING ACT. New Savannah/Adam story. Didn't much like the Adam/Savannah relationship angst, they both overreacted to Savannah applying to college and neither communicated with the other. I still enjoyed it though despite Savannah/Adam's relationship drama, I loved getting to see Savannah/Adam/Paige/Lucas in action and interacting with each other again, it made me feel all nostalgic.
-Really would have liked a short story about how all of Sean's super powered teens were getting on and how they would fit in with the rest of the Otherworld main characters and world.
I'm hoping Kelley Armstrong writes more short stories about the Otherworld characters, it's such an easy and fun world to immerse into.
November 14, 2014
Anyone who regularly reads my blog is probably aware of my undying love for Kelley Armstrong, and it all began with her Women of the Otherworld series, so imagine my happiness at learning that Armstrong was writing another collection of Otherworld stories. Yay! So bear in mind that I love Armstrong, love the Otherworld universe, and I’m a big fan of short fiction, because I thought this was one of the better anthologies I’ve read in the last few years.
Also, please note that this review contains minor spoilers for the Women of the Otherworld series (mostly pertaining to romantic relationships).
Demonology 4/5
This story is a prequel to the Women of the Otherworld series from the perspective of Talia, Adam’s mother, and recounts the events leading up to her discovery of Adam’s half-demon powers. Concerned about her son’s behavioural issues and his seeming pyromaniacal tendencies, Talia gladly accepts an appointment with Dr. Robert Vasic when he contacts her. But what she didn’t realize is that Robert studies demonolgy…and it all goes downhill from there. This is the first story that Armstrong has published narrated by Talia, and I thought her perspective was fresh and compelling. It was the best kind of fan service to read about the first meeting between Talia and Robert, since fans of the series will recall that Robert is Adam’s stepfather in the novels.
Twilight 3.5/5
Cassandra is a controversial character in the WotO universe: some people love the vampire and others hate her. I don’t really fall in either camp, although I must say that I’m not a big fan, and Twilight didn’t change my perspective. Cassandra is experiencing a growing depression and lethargy indicative of her impending death. Armstrong’s vampire lore states that the creatures are only immortal to a certain extent – eventually their will to live diminishes, they cease desiring blood, and their body’s break down. I did enjoy the insight into her tumultuous relationship with Aaron, who’s been a major fixture in all of Cassandra’s story lines, but ultimately this story was too slow-moving for my tastes.
Stalked 4/5
Confession time: I’ve actually read Stalked before, when it was published in another anthology. Stalked is narrated by Clay, a high-ranking werewolf in the Pack who’s got a reputation for kicking some serious ass. Clay and his mate/wife Elena are on honeymoon in St. Louis when Clay realizes that they’re being stalked by a mutt. What does the mutt want? Well, Elena of course! The American Pack seriously needs to track down some other female werewolves because being the only known one is a major pain for Elena, since all the mutt wolves want a mate. It was wonderful reading about Clay and Elena working as a team to bring down their stalker – it wouldn’t be a holiday for them without some mutt maiming.
Chivalrous 5/5
My favourite story in the collection! Chivalrous recounts Reese’s backstory, a recent addition to the American Pack who hails from Australia. And good lord is it ever a backstory! Reese has always been a fairly mysterious character: the only thing we really knew about him prior to this story was that his parents were murdered by the Australian Pack and he needed to escape the country. Believe me when I say that the reason they were killed explains A LOT about Reese’s personality. The poor guy has lost so many people and been horribly betrayed; I was very impressed by Armstrong’s ability to break my heart in such a short number of pages, and I highly anticipate further stories about Reese in the future.
Lucifer’s Daughter 4/5
Hope and Karl, one of my favourite WotO couples, star in this fun story of a museum opening gone wrong. Karl is a member of the American Pack and a jewel thief, so he’s naturally a bit of a risk-taker. His girlfriend Hope is an Expisco half-demon, a supernatural species that feeds on chaos and chaotic emotions. So of course it’s a bit of a cluster eff when Karl gets curious and opens a box displayed at the museum…and releases a demon. The couple has to wrestle their impulses – and the demon – in order to get everything back in order without anyone else attending the opening realizing anything’s amiss.
Hidden 5/5
Hidden is the longest story in the collection – actually, I’d say that it’s probably a novella. Elena, Clay, and their twins Logan and Kate are on their Christmas holidays at a cabin in Algonquin Park when weird things start happening. Clay and Elena unearth evidence that suggests a local mutt may be a man-eater, a blatant violation of Pack law. Their investigation into the matter is complicated by the fact that they’re with their four year-old kids, who are completely unaware of the existence of werewolves – and that they themselves may be werewolves as well. Logan and Kate are wonderfully realized characters, by turns mischievous, playful, and petulant. Seeing their personalities and relationships with the other Pack members develop was so much fun! Despite how great they were, I’d have to say that the strongest element of Hidden was the atmosphere of the national park. Armstrong’s writing is evocative, describing the snowscape of the forest beautifully. It also made me quite nostalgic, as I myself have spent quite a few holidays in Algonquin Park with my family. I always love it when Armstrong uses a Canadian setting!
From Russia With Love 3/5
In From Russia With Love the American Pack goes to Russia (go figure) for a werewolf summit discussing the debacle with Gilles de Rais, one of the big bad villains of WotO. The story is narrated by Elena, who (of course) goes into fighting mode when (of course) the twins are targeted by other supernaturals. My least favourite of the collection, I didn’t really understand why Armstrong and her editors chose to include this story. There are already two Elena and Clay stories in Otherworld Nights, and the entire collection is only seven stories! I definitely would have preferred another couple to have been spotlighted, particularly since I was hoping for a story about Paige and Lucas.
Vanishing Act 4/5
Vanishing Act is set after the Thirteen, the final novel in the WotO series. Narrated by Savannah, a young private investigator at Cortez Winterbourne Investigations, Vanishing Act is about a young man whose half-demon powers are…unusual. In fact, Savannah and her partner Adam suspect that the boy’s powers have been genetically modified. Together with Savannah’s guardians Lucas Cortez and Paige Winterbourne-Cortez, Savannah and Adam must try to save the boy and protect him from the Cabals, supernatural corporate mafias who want to use him for his powers. A secondary plot-line in the story is the relationship between Savannah and Adam, a new romance still finding its feet. I’m so pleased that Savannah and Adam got their HEA in Vanishing Act - I confess that I felt like they got a bit shafted by Armstrong in the final WotO books. I should’ve known that she wouldn’t leave us hanging like that!
Overall I thought that Otherworld Nights was a wonderful short story collection, and I loved revisiting the Otherworld universe. I’ve been a long-time fan and despite having read more than 15 books in the Otherworld universe, I still look forward to new Otherworld content from Armstrong.
Also, please note that this review contains minor spoilers for the Women of the Otherworld series (mostly pertaining to romantic relationships).
Demonology 4/5
This story is a prequel to the Women of the Otherworld series from the perspective of Talia, Adam’s mother, and recounts the events leading up to her discovery of Adam’s half-demon powers. Concerned about her son’s behavioural issues and his seeming pyromaniacal tendencies, Talia gladly accepts an appointment with Dr. Robert Vasic when he contacts her. But what she didn’t realize is that Robert studies demonolgy…and it all goes downhill from there. This is the first story that Armstrong has published narrated by Talia, and I thought her perspective was fresh and compelling. It was the best kind of fan service to read about the first meeting between Talia and Robert, since fans of the series will recall that Robert is Adam’s stepfather in the novels.
Twilight 3.5/5
Cassandra is a controversial character in the WotO universe: some people love the vampire and others hate her. I don’t really fall in either camp, although I must say that I’m not a big fan, and Twilight didn’t change my perspective. Cassandra is experiencing a growing depression and lethargy indicative of her impending death. Armstrong’s vampire lore states that the creatures are only immortal to a certain extent – eventually their will to live diminishes, they cease desiring blood, and their body’s break down. I did enjoy the insight into her tumultuous relationship with Aaron, who’s been a major fixture in all of Cassandra’s story lines, but ultimately this story was too slow-moving for my tastes.
Stalked 4/5
Confession time: I’ve actually read Stalked before, when it was published in another anthology. Stalked is narrated by Clay, a high-ranking werewolf in the Pack who’s got a reputation for kicking some serious ass. Clay and his mate/wife Elena are on honeymoon in St. Louis when Clay realizes that they’re being stalked by a mutt. What does the mutt want? Well, Elena of course! The American Pack seriously needs to track down some other female werewolves because being the only known one is a major pain for Elena, since all the mutt wolves want a mate. It was wonderful reading about Clay and Elena working as a team to bring down their stalker – it wouldn’t be a holiday for them without some mutt maiming.
Chivalrous 5/5
My favourite story in the collection! Chivalrous recounts Reese’s backstory, a recent addition to the American Pack who hails from Australia. And good lord is it ever a backstory! Reese has always been a fairly mysterious character: the only thing we really knew about him prior to this story was that his parents were murdered by the Australian Pack and he needed to escape the country. Believe me when I say that the reason they were killed explains A LOT about Reese’s personality. The poor guy has lost so many people and been horribly betrayed; I was very impressed by Armstrong’s ability to break my heart in such a short number of pages, and I highly anticipate further stories about Reese in the future.
Lucifer’s Daughter 4/5
Hope and Karl, one of my favourite WotO couples, star in this fun story of a museum opening gone wrong. Karl is a member of the American Pack and a jewel thief, so he’s naturally a bit of a risk-taker. His girlfriend Hope is an Expisco half-demon, a supernatural species that feeds on chaos and chaotic emotions. So of course it’s a bit of a cluster eff when Karl gets curious and opens a box displayed at the museum…and releases a demon. The couple has to wrestle their impulses – and the demon – in order to get everything back in order without anyone else attending the opening realizing anything’s amiss.
Hidden 5/5
Hidden is the longest story in the collection – actually, I’d say that it’s probably a novella. Elena, Clay, and their twins Logan and Kate are on their Christmas holidays at a cabin in Algonquin Park when weird things start happening. Clay and Elena unearth evidence that suggests a local mutt may be a man-eater, a blatant violation of Pack law. Their investigation into the matter is complicated by the fact that they’re with their four year-old kids, who are completely unaware of the existence of werewolves – and that they themselves may be werewolves as well. Logan and Kate are wonderfully realized characters, by turns mischievous, playful, and petulant. Seeing their personalities and relationships with the other Pack members develop was so much fun! Despite how great they were, I’d have to say that the strongest element of Hidden was the atmosphere of the national park. Armstrong’s writing is evocative, describing the snowscape of the forest beautifully. It also made me quite nostalgic, as I myself have spent quite a few holidays in Algonquin Park with my family. I always love it when Armstrong uses a Canadian setting!
From Russia With Love 3/5
In From Russia With Love the American Pack goes to Russia (go figure) for a werewolf summit discussing the debacle with Gilles de Rais, one of the big bad villains of WotO. The story is narrated by Elena, who (of course) goes into fighting mode when (of course) the twins are targeted by other supernaturals. My least favourite of the collection, I didn’t really understand why Armstrong and her editors chose to include this story. There are already two Elena and Clay stories in Otherworld Nights, and the entire collection is only seven stories! I definitely would have preferred another couple to have been spotlighted, particularly since I was hoping for a story about Paige and Lucas.
Vanishing Act 4/5
Vanishing Act is set after the Thirteen, the final novel in the WotO series. Narrated by Savannah, a young private investigator at Cortez Winterbourne Investigations, Vanishing Act is about a young man whose half-demon powers are…unusual. In fact, Savannah and her partner Adam suspect that the boy’s powers have been genetically modified. Together with Savannah’s guardians Lucas Cortez and Paige Winterbourne-Cortez, Savannah and Adam must try to save the boy and protect him from the Cabals, supernatural corporate mafias who want to use him for his powers. A secondary plot-line in the story is the relationship between Savannah and Adam, a new romance still finding its feet. I’m so pleased that Savannah and Adam got their HEA in Vanishing Act - I confess that I felt like they got a bit shafted by Armstrong in the final WotO books. I should’ve known that she wouldn’t leave us hanging like that!
Overall I thought that Otherworld Nights was a wonderful short story collection, and I loved revisiting the Otherworld universe. I’ve been a long-time fan and despite having read more than 15 books in the Otherworld universe, I still look forward to new Otherworld content from Armstrong.
December 14, 2015
3.5 stars
Arc provided by Plume- Penguin Group through Netgalley
Release Date: September 28
A satisfying collection of shorts and novellas for those of us who miss The Women Of The Otherworld series, and its characters.
Demonology (3 Stars)
I really have a problem with the short stories I like... I always find them too short!
This one is about Talia and her son Adam. In this novel, Adam is eight years old, and his powers are just starting to arise. Of course neither him or his mother know about this, so the kid is facing some hard times. At least until Robert Vasic appears..
This ended up being a re-read, since I had already read it online.
Twilight(4 Stars)
This is a story about Cassandra, the vampire. *yes, the shock! ;)*
I loved this one. Which is curious, because when she first appeared on the series _ remember what she pulled with Clay? _ I pretty much hated her on "sight"!
With this short we finally see through Cassandra's eyes what she is going through, and why she is acting the way she is, in her old age.
And no I am not being sarcastic here, Cassandra is really in the twilight of her life...
Also, I appreciated finally learning why she did what she did to Nathan all those years ago.
Makes me hope for a full length book of these two.
"Another life taken. Another year to live."
Also, how the author refers to this title:
"Next is “Twilight,” my unfortunately titled Cassandra story from Many Bloody Returns."
LOL!!
Stalked(3 stars)
An interesting story that takes place during Clay's and Elena's honeymoon.
And by interesting what I really meant to say, is that those two psychos couldn't be more perfect for one another!!
“It was special. I was stalked, chased, attacked . . . and I got to beat the crap out of a mutt twice my size.” She bent further, lips brushing mine. “A truly unique honeymoon from a truly unique husband.”
Chivalrous(4 Stars)
I have read all the novels in the "women of the otherworld" series, but I confess that I had forgotten completely about Reese. This is the story of what happened to him and to his parents, and why he's on the run.
I am suspicious of my own shadow, so I can't say that what happens in the end surprised me all that much, but it was very well done.
"Run until he was ready to go back. Until he was ready to take revenge. One day, he would be. No matter what it took, one day, he’d be ready."
Lucifer's Daughter(4 Stars)
Yes, well, with a title such as this, it could only refer to Hope's story.
Hope and Karl are probably my favourite couple of this series. This means that I almost had a heart attack while reading Thirteen :/
In this one, Karl and Hope go out for a night at a Museum, but things end up being a lot more complicated that simply watching ancient artefacts and making boring chit-chat.
A lesson to all wanna be thieves: Do NOT touch ANYTHING!!
“Um, you saw what you’d be getting yourself into, right?”
“Let’s see . . . High-society in-laws on one side. The Prince of Darkness on the other. A demon princess for a wife. A lifetime of chaos and general anarchy. Is that what I want?” He met my gaze.
“Absolutely.”
Hidden(4 stars)
This novella features Clay, Elena and the twins. Other members of the pack also make an appearance.
So the family is getting ready to celebrate Christmas when they find out that there could be a man-eater on the lose. Clay and Elena will now have to conciliate parenthood with tracking a killer..the thing is that their kids (their four year old precocious kids) have started having some ideas, and they wont give up _Kate especially _ until they have some answers.
"I’d done the right thing. Maybe I should have done it sooner. I don’t know. Didn’t matter. But it was done now and everything was fine."
From Russia With Love(3.5 Stars)
This is a short that first appeared in the end of the book "Thirteen".
This time the pack comes together in search of new beginnings.
“That’s not why she wants us gone,” Kate said. “She doesn’t want us watching if she needs to hit you.” She lowered her voice.
“It’s okay, Mom. He deserves it.”
“Definitely Clayton’s progeny.”
Vanishing Act (4 Stars)
This novella features Adam, Savannah, Paige and Lucas.
A supernatural teen is being hunted by the cabals, and Savannah's brother may have the solution for the case...
I confess that I liked to "hear" Sean talk about his "project": Readers who have read the author's previous ya series should still remember what happened to all those characters, and how a solution was arranged.
I must confess that I wasn't happy with it at the time. I would have preferred a different scenario. One that didn't feel so...constrained.
However reading this, allowed me to realize that maybe I wasn't considering other factors:
Like spending a whole life on the run..
We also get a little bit of romantic drama _just a tiny little bit ;) _ between Savannah and Adam, because after all the time they've known each other, apparently they still don't know how to talk to one another!
Deus!*this means God!*
"Nothing’s holding me back. This is just what I want. What I’m happy with.”
“That’s all anyone cares about, Savannah.”
Arc provided by Plume- Penguin Group through Netgalley
Release Date: September 28
A satisfying collection of shorts and novellas for those of us who miss The Women Of The Otherworld series, and its characters.
Demonology (3 Stars)
I really have a problem with the short stories I like... I always find them too short!
This one is about Talia and her son Adam. In this novel, Adam is eight years old, and his powers are just starting to arise. Of course neither him or his mother know about this, so the kid is facing some hard times. At least until Robert Vasic appears..
This ended up being a re-read, since I had already read it online.
Twilight(4 Stars)
This is a story about Cassandra, the vampire. *yes, the shock! ;)*
I loved this one. Which is curious, because when she first appeared on the series _ remember what she pulled with Clay? _ I pretty much hated her on "sight"!
With this short we finally see through Cassandra's eyes what she is going through, and why she is acting the way she is, in her old age.
And no I am not being sarcastic here, Cassandra is really in the twilight of her life...
Also, I appreciated finally learning why she did what she did to Nathan all those years ago.
Makes me hope for a full length book of these two.
"Another life taken. Another year to live."
Also, how the author refers to this title:
"Next is “Twilight,” my unfortunately titled Cassandra story from Many Bloody Returns."
LOL!!
Stalked(3 stars)
An interesting story that takes place during Clay's and Elena's honeymoon.
And by interesting what I really meant to say, is that those two psychos couldn't be more perfect for one another!!
“It was special. I was stalked, chased, attacked . . . and I got to beat the crap out of a mutt twice my size.” She bent further, lips brushing mine. “A truly unique honeymoon from a truly unique husband.”
Chivalrous(4 Stars)
I have read all the novels in the "women of the otherworld" series, but I confess that I had forgotten completely about Reese. This is the story of what happened to him and to his parents, and why he's on the run.
I am suspicious of my own shadow, so I can't say that what happens in the end surprised me all that much, but it was very well done.
"Run until he was ready to go back. Until he was ready to take revenge. One day, he would be. No matter what it took, one day, he’d be ready."
Lucifer's Daughter(4 Stars)
Yes, well, with a title such as this, it could only refer to Hope's story.
Hope and Karl are probably my favourite couple of this series. This means that I almost had a heart attack while reading Thirteen :/
In this one, Karl and Hope go out for a night at a Museum, but things end up being a lot more complicated that simply watching ancient artefacts and making boring chit-chat.
A lesson to all wanna be thieves: Do NOT touch ANYTHING!!
“Um, you saw what you’d be getting yourself into, right?”
“Let’s see . . . High-society in-laws on one side. The Prince of Darkness on the other. A demon princess for a wife. A lifetime of chaos and general anarchy. Is that what I want?” He met my gaze.
“Absolutely.”
Hidden(4 stars)
This novella features Clay, Elena and the twins. Other members of the pack also make an appearance.
So the family is getting ready to celebrate Christmas when they find out that there could be a man-eater on the lose. Clay and Elena will now have to conciliate parenthood with tracking a killer..the thing is that their kids (their four year old precocious kids) have started having some ideas, and they wont give up _Kate especially _ until they have some answers.
"I’d done the right thing. Maybe I should have done it sooner. I don’t know. Didn’t matter. But it was done now and everything was fine."
From Russia With Love(3.5 Stars)
This is a short that first appeared in the end of the book "Thirteen".
This time the pack comes together in search of new beginnings.
“That’s not why she wants us gone,” Kate said. “She doesn’t want us watching if she needs to hit you.” She lowered her voice.
“It’s okay, Mom. He deserves it.”
“Definitely Clayton’s progeny.”
Vanishing Act (4 Stars)
This novella features Adam, Savannah, Paige and Lucas.
A supernatural teen is being hunted by the cabals, and Savannah's brother may have the solution for the case...
I confess that I liked to "hear" Sean talk about his "project": Readers who have read the author's previous ya series should still remember what happened to all those characters, and how a solution was arranged.
I must confess that I wasn't happy with it at the time. I would have preferred a different scenario. One that didn't feel so...constrained.
However reading this, allowed me to realize that maybe I wasn't considering other factors:
Like spending a whole life on the run..
We also get a little bit of romantic drama _just a tiny little bit ;) _ between Savannah and Adam, because after all the time they've known each other, apparently they still don't know how to talk to one another!
Deus!*this means God!*
"Nothing’s holding me back. This is just what I want. What I’m happy with.”
“That’s all anyone cares about, Savannah.”
December 3, 2021
📚 Hello Book Friends! I just finished OTHERWORLD NIGHTS by Kelley Armstrong. This is the third book in the Otherworld Stories Series. I love these Otherworld novellas and how they allow me to enjoy my favourite characters once more. In this one, I particularly enjoyed Elena and Clay’s Christmas holiday with the twins. It was nice to know how they finally revealed their secret to their children. If you like supernatural novels, this is a fantastic one. I recommend you read the WOMEN OF THE OTHERWORLD series by Kelley Armstrong first and then start this one just to get a feel of all the amazing characters and their stories.
#bookstadog #poodles #poodlestagram #poodlesofinstagram #furbabies #dogsofinstagram #bookstagram #dogsandbooks #bookishlife #bookishlove #bookstagrammer #books #booklover #bookish #bookaholic #reading #readersofinstagram #instaread #ilovebooks #bookishcanadians #canadianbookstagram #bookreviewer #bookcommunity #bibliophile #otherworldnights #kelleyarmstrong #penguincanada #vintagecanada #bookreview
October 12, 2014
This and my other reviews can be found at Amethyst Bookwyrm
Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Group Plume for giving me this book to review.
Demonology
Talia’s son Adam has always had a fascination with fire, and after his hands have started to heat up when he gets upset, she feels that she needs to know what is happening to him. She makes an appointment with Professor Vasic as the last place she can turn to in order to get answers, but will he be able to tell her what is happening with Adam?
Twilight
Cassandra is getting old, and tired of life, losing all interest in feeding, and having even less interest in making her yearly kill in order to survive the next year. Aaron returns to find her maintaining her existence, but will he be able to convince her to kill to last another year?
Stalked
Clay and Elena have never married, but he has decided that the least he could do is give her an uneventful honeymoon. However, the local mutt population are not cooperating. Will Clay be able to deal with the mutt without Elena learning of it?
Hidden
Elena and Clay and the twins head up early for the Pack’s Christmas gathering in Canada, and get caught up in the investigation of the potential murder by mutt of local kid Dillon Mitchell. Will they be able to find out who did it, and more importantly, be able to do it without the twins finding out their secret?
Otherworld Nights is an entertaining anthology of 8 stories set within Kelley Armstrong’s Otherworld series. Several of these stories have been published on her website previously, whilst several are new. I would recommend this book to anyone who has read the Otherworld series, and is interested in learning more about the characters which we see there.
Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Group Plume for giving me this book to review.
Demonology
Talia’s son Adam has always had a fascination with fire, and after his hands have started to heat up when he gets upset, she feels that she needs to know what is happening to him. She makes an appointment with Professor Vasic as the last place she can turn to in order to get answers, but will he be able to tell her what is happening with Adam?
Twilight
Cassandra is getting old, and tired of life, losing all interest in feeding, and having even less interest in making her yearly kill in order to survive the next year. Aaron returns to find her maintaining her existence, but will he be able to convince her to kill to last another year?
Stalked
Clay and Elena have never married, but he has decided that the least he could do is give her an uneventful honeymoon. However, the local mutt population are not cooperating. Will Clay be able to deal with the mutt without Elena learning of it?
Hidden
Elena and Clay and the twins head up early for the Pack’s Christmas gathering in Canada, and get caught up in the investigation of the potential murder by mutt of local kid Dillon Mitchell. Will they be able to find out who did it, and more importantly, be able to do it without the twins finding out their secret?
Otherworld Nights is an entertaining anthology of 8 stories set within Kelley Armstrong’s Otherworld series. Several of these stories have been published on her website previously, whilst several are new. I would recommend this book to anyone who has read the Otherworld series, and is interested in learning more about the characters which we see there.
April 4, 2015
It was so nice to re-read these stories. I've missed them since they were taken down from Kelley's site. Well, not all were the site but several were. There was one story I hadn't read yet and there were two I'd read only once and of course, there was one new story. I liked them all.
While some focused on main characters others focused on secondary characters and that was a joy for me as they happened to be characters I like. The nice thing about short stories is that authors can shine a light on secondary characters, give them more page time without detracting from the main story. We learn more about them and get to spend time with them. My only real gripe about any of the stories had to do with the setting for "From Russia with Love"; I just don't see why it had to occur in Russia. It could have been set anywhere, the setting was irrelevant. But, I liked how Jeremy handled a certain matter (I can't say more without spoiling it for those of you who haven't read it yet); it was classic Jeremy. In all, a wonderful collection of stories set in the Otherworld over a wide range of time featuring a range of characters.
Full review at http://beasbooknook.blogspot.com/2015...
While some focused on main characters others focused on secondary characters and that was a joy for me as they happened to be characters I like. The nice thing about short stories is that authors can shine a light on secondary characters, give them more page time without detracting from the main story. We learn more about them and get to spend time with them. My only real gripe about any of the stories had to do with the setting for "From Russia with Love"; I just don't see why it had to occur in Russia. It could have been set anywhere, the setting was irrelevant. But, I liked how Jeremy handled a certain matter (I can't say more without spoiling it for those of you who haven't read it yet); it was classic Jeremy. In all, a wonderful collection of stories set in the Otherworld over a wide range of time featuring a range of characters.
Full review at http://beasbooknook.blogspot.com/2015...
May 29, 2016
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: A very entertaining and solid collection of stories from the Otherworld. Fans of the series won’t want to miss it!
Opening Sentence: Talia stared at the painting.
The Review:
If you’ve read any of my other reviews of anthologies before, you know I’m not always the biggest fan of short stories, mainly because it often feels like the story is too rushed and isn’t meaty enough. To this point, the only author whose short stories I regularly enjoy was Stephen King. Now, I can add Kelley Armstrong to the list as well. While some stories did fall a little flat, none of them failed to be entertaining or felt too rushed. I think the stories really benefited from existing in a world that’s already been explained by Armstrong elsewhere, thus no world-building needed to be done in the stories. All in all, this was a highly satisfying collection, and I’ll certainly be checking out more of Armstrong’s short stories.
Demonology – 3.5 stars
I can’t remember if we ever got to meet Adam’s mom in the Otherworld series, but it was very interesting to get a story from her point of view as she struggles to figure out what’s wrong with an eight-year-old Adam. Talia felt like a very fleshed out character even though the story is very short. In the same vein, the story was well-paced and included a flashback to Talia meeting Adam’s father. My one complaint would be that I wish the story had lasted a little longer rather than ending in the way it did. Still, I really liked it.
Twilight – 5 stars
Cassandra has never been my favorite Otherworld character, so I wasn’t thrilled to have a story from her point of view. However, it hooked me from the very beginning, and I just could not put the book down until I had finished this particular story. The strongest part of this story lies in the imagery that Armstrong uses towards the end of the story, as Cassandra realizes why it is that old vampires end up dying. The reader is placed firmly in Cassandra’s shoes and can’t help but feel what she feels. This is tied for my favorite story in the collection.
Stalked – 3 stars
Elena and Clay have never been my favorite characters in the series, and this story really didn’t change my opinion. I wasn’t fond of Clay as a narrator, and I felt very frustrated with his determination to keep Elena in the dark about the mutt stalking her. She has proven time and again that she can protect herself, so there’s really no need for him to feel that she can’t handle herself. Now, I know that part of his reasoning is that he doesn’t want to ruin their honeymoon, but it still frustrated me. This one was probably my least favorite entry.
Chivalrous – 5 stars
This would be the other story that’s tied for my favorite entry. Wow. That’s really all I can say. Since I read this series over such a spread out period of time, I can’t remember if we ever got Reese’s back story or not. I have a feeling we did, and I just forgot. Either way, seeing it play out for myself was heartbreaking. I can’t really think of anything else to say. It’s just an awesome story.
Lucifer’s Daughter – 3 stars
This one follows Hope and Karl as they attend an event that Hope’s grandmother has put together. Chaos ensues of course, and Hope and Karl find themselves at the center of it, trying to stop a demon from wreaking havoc. Despite the seriousness of what’s going on, I never truly felt like matters were urgent. I knew Hope would be able to take care of things, so that took a little enjoyment out of the story for me. Still, it was entertaining.
Hidden – 4 stars
This one is a full novella rather than just a short story. Elena and Clay have taken their kids away for their first Christmas alone. While trying to enjoy their family time, evidence begins to pile up that there could be a maneater in the area, so Elena and Clay have to investigate while trying to keep their kids from being exposed to the dangers of the werewolf world. This one was very well written and kept me guessing as to what was going on. I also really enjoyed the side story involving Elena trying to figure out when to tell her children about werewolves. Despite the subject matter, it felt really true to life. When do you sit your kids down and talk to them about serious matters? Watching Elena struggle with this made me feel more connected to her than I ever have before. Very solid story.
From Russia with Love – 4 stars
This one was really short, but good. I don’t want to say much about it to avoid giving away spoilers. It’s another Elena story and takes place after the events of Thirteen.
Vanishing Act – 4 stars
How Savannah ended up being my favorite narrator, I have no idea, but I really do love it when she takes the lead. This is another story that takes place after Thirteen and follows Savannah and Adam as they try to protect a boy who’s being chased by one of the cabals. It’s nice to see how Savannah has grown up and matured throughout the series, and we get to see the culmination of that here. This was a solid story and left me feeling fully satisfied.
Notable Scene:
“I’ve always said I like a woman who can take care of herself. You could before, too, but you were a little wobbly on the self-confidence when I met you in Winslow’s playroom. You remember that? When we were prisoners together, watching each other’s back?”
“I was his prisoner. You were his employee.”
“But I still helped you, didn’t I?”
“For a chit, which I repaid. Do you remember that? You made me steal the From Hell letter while I was six months pregnant.”
“But it all worked out. You have two beautiful, smiling . . .” He looked at the twins. Both were staring at him stone-faced, Logan coldly appraising the situation, Kate tensed to pounce.
“It all worked out,” he insisted, his voice a little less certain.
“Did it? Have you forgotten that letter released zombies? One of them gave Clay a really nasty scratch.”
“But he’s fine now, right?”
“After a very long, very grueling rehabilitation. You should ask him about it sometime.”
Xavier looked like he’d rather swallow thumbtacks.
FTC Advisory: Penguin/Plume provided me with a copy of Otherworld Nights. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: A very entertaining and solid collection of stories from the Otherworld. Fans of the series won’t want to miss it!
Opening Sentence: Talia stared at the painting.
The Review:
If you’ve read any of my other reviews of anthologies before, you know I’m not always the biggest fan of short stories, mainly because it often feels like the story is too rushed and isn’t meaty enough. To this point, the only author whose short stories I regularly enjoy was Stephen King. Now, I can add Kelley Armstrong to the list as well. While some stories did fall a little flat, none of them failed to be entertaining or felt too rushed. I think the stories really benefited from existing in a world that’s already been explained by Armstrong elsewhere, thus no world-building needed to be done in the stories. All in all, this was a highly satisfying collection, and I’ll certainly be checking out more of Armstrong’s short stories.
Demonology – 3.5 stars
I can’t remember if we ever got to meet Adam’s mom in the Otherworld series, but it was very interesting to get a story from her point of view as she struggles to figure out what’s wrong with an eight-year-old Adam. Talia felt like a very fleshed out character even though the story is very short. In the same vein, the story was well-paced and included a flashback to Talia meeting Adam’s father. My one complaint would be that I wish the story had lasted a little longer rather than ending in the way it did. Still, I really liked it.
Twilight – 5 stars
Cassandra has never been my favorite Otherworld character, so I wasn’t thrilled to have a story from her point of view. However, it hooked me from the very beginning, and I just could not put the book down until I had finished this particular story. The strongest part of this story lies in the imagery that Armstrong uses towards the end of the story, as Cassandra realizes why it is that old vampires end up dying. The reader is placed firmly in Cassandra’s shoes and can’t help but feel what she feels. This is tied for my favorite story in the collection.
Stalked – 3 stars
Elena and Clay have never been my favorite characters in the series, and this story really didn’t change my opinion. I wasn’t fond of Clay as a narrator, and I felt very frustrated with his determination to keep Elena in the dark about the mutt stalking her. She has proven time and again that she can protect herself, so there’s really no need for him to feel that she can’t handle herself. Now, I know that part of his reasoning is that he doesn’t want to ruin their honeymoon, but it still frustrated me. This one was probably my least favorite entry.
Chivalrous – 5 stars
This would be the other story that’s tied for my favorite entry. Wow. That’s really all I can say. Since I read this series over such a spread out period of time, I can’t remember if we ever got Reese’s back story or not. I have a feeling we did, and I just forgot. Either way, seeing it play out for myself was heartbreaking. I can’t really think of anything else to say. It’s just an awesome story.
Lucifer’s Daughter – 3 stars
This one follows Hope and Karl as they attend an event that Hope’s grandmother has put together. Chaos ensues of course, and Hope and Karl find themselves at the center of it, trying to stop a demon from wreaking havoc. Despite the seriousness of what’s going on, I never truly felt like matters were urgent. I knew Hope would be able to take care of things, so that took a little enjoyment out of the story for me. Still, it was entertaining.
Hidden – 4 stars
This one is a full novella rather than just a short story. Elena and Clay have taken their kids away for their first Christmas alone. While trying to enjoy their family time, evidence begins to pile up that there could be a maneater in the area, so Elena and Clay have to investigate while trying to keep their kids from being exposed to the dangers of the werewolf world. This one was very well written and kept me guessing as to what was going on. I also really enjoyed the side story involving Elena trying to figure out when to tell her children about werewolves. Despite the subject matter, it felt really true to life. When do you sit your kids down and talk to them about serious matters? Watching Elena struggle with this made me feel more connected to her than I ever have before. Very solid story.
From Russia with Love – 4 stars
This one was really short, but good. I don’t want to say much about it to avoid giving away spoilers. It’s another Elena story and takes place after the events of Thirteen.
Vanishing Act – 4 stars
How Savannah ended up being my favorite narrator, I have no idea, but I really do love it when she takes the lead. This is another story that takes place after Thirteen and follows Savannah and Adam as they try to protect a boy who’s being chased by one of the cabals. It’s nice to see how Savannah has grown up and matured throughout the series, and we get to see the culmination of that here. This was a solid story and left me feeling fully satisfied.
Notable Scene:
“I’ve always said I like a woman who can take care of herself. You could before, too, but you were a little wobbly on the self-confidence when I met you in Winslow’s playroom. You remember that? When we were prisoners together, watching each other’s back?”
“I was his prisoner. You were his employee.”
“But I still helped you, didn’t I?”
“For a chit, which I repaid. Do you remember that? You made me steal the From Hell letter while I was six months pregnant.”
“But it all worked out. You have two beautiful, smiling . . .” He looked at the twins. Both were staring at him stone-faced, Logan coldly appraising the situation, Kate tensed to pounce.
“It all worked out,” he insisted, his voice a little less certain.
“Did it? Have you forgotten that letter released zombies? One of them gave Clay a really nasty scratch.”
“But he’s fine now, right?”
“After a very long, very grueling rehabilitation. You should ask him about it sometime.”
Xavier looked like he’d rather swallow thumbtacks.
FTC Advisory: Penguin/Plume provided me with a copy of Otherworld Nights. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
February 3, 2017
During a museum gala opening in her honor, a woman with demonic heritage has to deal with an annoying imp on the loose. Can she figure out how to re-prison him before he insists on doing her honor with human sacrifices? Light and humorous piece; quite fun.
Merged review:
Fratboy and sorority-girl type werewolves engage in Pack politics, and generally act like douchebags (even the 'good guy'). Pretty much everyone in this story deserved to die miserably - except the ones who did.
Merged review:
Two werewolves on an unexpectedly boring honeymoon find their trip enlivened by being stalked by a rogue 'lone wolf.' There's some action, but the focus is more on relationship dynamics (which were a bit stereotypical.)
Fairly typical urban paranormal fantasy with a leaning toward romance.
Merged review:
I've heard a lot about Kelley Armstrong over the last few years, and thought I'd take this opportunity to introduce myself to her writing and her world...
(Material in quotations from Armstrong's contents listing)
"Demonology - Adam's mother discovers what he is"
And... here I begin to doubt whether this book will be a best introduction. This is not really a separate story, but more of an 'origin' piece for a clearly already-established character and his mentor. A young boy's mother has to deal with the fact that her young son is developing pyrokinesis...
"Twilight - my unfortunately-titled Cass story from "Many Bloody Returns""
A vampire needs to kill at least once every year in order to live. But this one year, Cassandra duCharme (really?) cannot bring herself to do it.
This story would've been greatly improved by at least some hint of the reasons behind the main character's troubles - as it stands it's just an inconclusive, random-feeling episode.
"Stalked - Clay/Elena honeymoon story from "My Big Fat Supernatural Honeymoon""
Two werewolves on an unexpectedly boring honeymoon find their trip enlivened by being stalked by a rogue 'lone wolf.' There's some action, but the focus is more on relationship dynamics (which were a bit stereotypical.)
"Chivalrous - Reese's backstory from SubPress's long sold-out "Tales of Dark Fantasy 2" (my Dec SubPress graphic novella picks up this storyline, so it's perfect timing)"
Fratboy and sorority-girl type werewolves engage in Pack politics, and generally act like douchebags. Pretty much everyone in this story deserved to die miserably - except the ones who did.
"Lucifer's Daughter - Hope/Karl story from "Blood Lite 2""
During a museum gala opening in her honor, a woman with demonic heritage has to deal with an annoying imp on the loose. Can she figure out how to re-prison him before he insists on doing her honor with human sacrifices? Light and humorous piece; quite fun.
"Hidden - SubPress 2012 Elena/Clay novella (see my site for details)"
A longer, fully-developed story with a mystery format. Elena and Clay are two werewolves on a Christmas vacation getaway with their two children. While they're in town, a 'lone wolf' approaches them - and his overly-friendly attitude raises alarm bells. Does this guy know that Elena's her wolf pack's designated investigator? Has he been up to something (like, say, murdering humans) that's against pack rules?
I had two categories of problems with this story. First, on a personal level: You cannot get two pages through this story without the main characters trying to have sex and being interrupted by their children. OK, I am sure that this does happen in families, but it is overdone and unappealing (although the author seems to think it is 'cute.')
I also was not won over by the Big Drama of whether to tell the kids that they're in a werewolf family, or not. Maybe it is just that the target audience for this story is mothers - and I am not, nor do I have any interest in being one.
Second category, on a technical level: The mystery is solved with a very unsurprising 'twist' and a trite 'boogeyman.' The big finale also doesn't make sense in the context. The story also contains that worst feature of poorly-executed mysteries: an overly-long expository bit at the end explaining everything that just happened.
"From Russia with Love - Elena bonus story included with hardcover of "Thirteen""
Not very memorable. It felt more like an extra chapter of a longer book - one that an editor discarded. It takes place in Russia, but the actual setting is a cabin out in the woods, so there's no 'Russian' flavor to the story at all. There's a confrontation, of which both the beginning and the resolution are missing. However, this is where the werewolf Elena gets named Alpha of her pack, so I'm guessing fans would be interested in it just for that.
"Vanishing Act - brand-new Savannah/Adam novella set after "Thirteen""
A supernatural detective agency is called in to investigate a demon summoning - and ends up getting mixed up in the affairs of a paranormally talented youth who's being chased down by at least three cabals - not all of which - if any - have his best interests at heart. Fun, good action. It reminded me quite a bit of Mercedes Lackey's Diana Tregarde books, which I liked when they came out. Unfortunately, it has way too much of the two paranormal detectives' boring relationship problems tacked onto the end.
Overall, I'm going to have to say that this book let me know that Kelley Armstrong's writing is not for me. (And never again will I, even for a second, confuse her with Kelly Link.) Many thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to discover this. As always, my opinions are solely my own.
Merged review:
Fratboy and sorority-girl type werewolves engage in Pack politics, and generally act like douchebags (even the 'good guy'). Pretty much everyone in this story deserved to die miserably - except the ones who did.
Merged review:
Two werewolves on an unexpectedly boring honeymoon find their trip enlivened by being stalked by a rogue 'lone wolf.' There's some action, but the focus is more on relationship dynamics (which were a bit stereotypical.)
Fairly typical urban paranormal fantasy with a leaning toward romance.
Merged review:
I've heard a lot about Kelley Armstrong over the last few years, and thought I'd take this opportunity to introduce myself to her writing and her world...
(Material in quotations from Armstrong's contents listing)
"Demonology - Adam's mother discovers what he is"
And... here I begin to doubt whether this book will be a best introduction. This is not really a separate story, but more of an 'origin' piece for a clearly already-established character and his mentor. A young boy's mother has to deal with the fact that her young son is developing pyrokinesis...
"Twilight - my unfortunately-titled Cass story from "Many Bloody Returns""
A vampire needs to kill at least once every year in order to live. But this one year, Cassandra duCharme (really?) cannot bring herself to do it.
This story would've been greatly improved by at least some hint of the reasons behind the main character's troubles - as it stands it's just an inconclusive, random-feeling episode.
"Stalked - Clay/Elena honeymoon story from "My Big Fat Supernatural Honeymoon""
Two werewolves on an unexpectedly boring honeymoon find their trip enlivened by being stalked by a rogue 'lone wolf.' There's some action, but the focus is more on relationship dynamics (which were a bit stereotypical.)
"Chivalrous - Reese's backstory from SubPress's long sold-out "Tales of Dark Fantasy 2" (my Dec SubPress graphic novella picks up this storyline, so it's perfect timing)"
Fratboy and sorority-girl type werewolves engage in Pack politics, and generally act like douchebags. Pretty much everyone in this story deserved to die miserably - except the ones who did.
"Lucifer's Daughter - Hope/Karl story from "Blood Lite 2""
During a museum gala opening in her honor, a woman with demonic heritage has to deal with an annoying imp on the loose. Can she figure out how to re-prison him before he insists on doing her honor with human sacrifices? Light and humorous piece; quite fun.
"Hidden - SubPress 2012 Elena/Clay novella (see my site for details)"
A longer, fully-developed story with a mystery format. Elena and Clay are two werewolves on a Christmas vacation getaway with their two children. While they're in town, a 'lone wolf' approaches them - and his overly-friendly attitude raises alarm bells. Does this guy know that Elena's her wolf pack's designated investigator? Has he been up to something (like, say, murdering humans) that's against pack rules?
I had two categories of problems with this story. First, on a personal level: You cannot get two pages through this story without the main characters trying to have sex and being interrupted by their children. OK, I am sure that this does happen in families, but it is overdone and unappealing (although the author seems to think it is 'cute.')
I also was not won over by the Big Drama of whether to tell the kids that they're in a werewolf family, or not. Maybe it is just that the target audience for this story is mothers - and I am not, nor do I have any interest in being one.
Second category, on a technical level: The mystery is solved with a very unsurprising 'twist' and a trite 'boogeyman.' The big finale also doesn't make sense in the context. The story also contains that worst feature of poorly-executed mysteries: an overly-long expository bit at the end explaining everything that just happened.
"From Russia with Love - Elena bonus story included with hardcover of "Thirteen""
Not very memorable. It felt more like an extra chapter of a longer book - one that an editor discarded. It takes place in Russia, but the actual setting is a cabin out in the woods, so there's no 'Russian' flavor to the story at all. There's a confrontation, of which both the beginning and the resolution are missing. However, this is where the werewolf Elena gets named Alpha of her pack, so I'm guessing fans would be interested in it just for that.
"Vanishing Act - brand-new Savannah/Adam novella set after "Thirteen""
A supernatural detective agency is called in to investigate a demon summoning - and ends up getting mixed up in the affairs of a paranormally talented youth who's being chased down by at least three cabals - not all of which - if any - have his best interests at heart. Fun, good action. It reminded me quite a bit of Mercedes Lackey's Diana Tregarde books, which I liked when they came out. Unfortunately, it has way too much of the two paranormal detectives' boring relationship problems tacked onto the end.
Overall, I'm going to have to say that this book let me know that Kelley Armstrong's writing is not for me. (And never again will I, even for a second, confuse her with Kelly Link.) Many thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to discover this. As always, my opinions are solely my own.
November 16, 2014
Fans of the Otherworld Series will appreciate and enjoy this collection. For those who don't enjoy searching through anthologies to find an author's work, Ms. Armstrong makes it easy with three collections. In this collection, there are eight short stories featuring the different characters in the Otherworld. For those who have never read this series, this is a great place to start.
In Demonology, Ms. Armstrong teases a reader with an ending unfinished. It kicks off with Adam's mother trying to figure out what is wrong with her son. Why does Adam run so hot? Why are teachers accusing him of burning things? This is a lovely start with a devoted mother who loves her son, no matter what he is.
In Stalked, it's a funny glimpse into Clay and Elena's relationship now that they are together. Clay's funny side comes out as well as Elena's ruthlessness. It just shows how far they have come when they can be this way with each other and be fine in their skin. A fan of Clay, this story is a romantic one. Clay is a lover, not a fighter.
The rest of the stories are great snapshots in time of the much beloved characters. The vampire one breaks my heart a little. When a person fears losing love, sometimes they commit the most irrational acts. Cass's tossing away her lover and only to find his undying love for her moved me.
Ms. Armstrong is one of my favourite authors when it comes to paranormal. Her characters are flawed and human despite their paranormal designation. They struggle against those who would take advantage of the innocent. It a world where might equals right, her characters do their best to not abuse their power. They also do their best to prevent others in power from abusing and violating others. This is best shown in Vanishing Act. This story is a great ending to this collection. It leaves a reader wanting more. Recommended for paranormal lovers who enjoy reading about the underdog making a difference.
*provided by NetGalley
In Demonology, Ms. Armstrong teases a reader with an ending unfinished. It kicks off with Adam's mother trying to figure out what is wrong with her son. Why does Adam run so hot? Why are teachers accusing him of burning things? This is a lovely start with a devoted mother who loves her son, no matter what he is.
In Stalked, it's a funny glimpse into Clay and Elena's relationship now that they are together. Clay's funny side comes out as well as Elena's ruthlessness. It just shows how far they have come when they can be this way with each other and be fine in their skin. A fan of Clay, this story is a romantic one. Clay is a lover, not a fighter.
The rest of the stories are great snapshots in time of the much beloved characters. The vampire one breaks my heart a little. When a person fears losing love, sometimes they commit the most irrational acts. Cass's tossing away her lover and only to find his undying love for her moved me.
Ms. Armstrong is one of my favourite authors when it comes to paranormal. Her characters are flawed and human despite their paranormal designation. They struggle against those who would take advantage of the innocent. It a world where might equals right, her characters do their best to not abuse their power. They also do their best to prevent others in power from abusing and violating others. This is best shown in Vanishing Act. This story is a great ending to this collection. It leaves a reader wanting more. Recommended for paranormal lovers who enjoy reading about the underdog making a difference.
*provided by NetGalley
November 23, 2014
5*s
Review posted here...
http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.co...
Otherworld Nights is a collection of short stories from Kelley Armstong’s Otherwold series. I’m a huge fan of this series anyway so there was no doubt I would love this book. It was great to be back with the characters from the series again, they feel like old friends and I have missed the series since it ended. I had read all but two of these stories as freebies on the authors website over the years and appreciated them the second time around too. The two new ones that I hadn’t read were Chivalrous – where we get one of the packs newer recruits – Reese’s – background story and it gave a great insight into his character & totally explains why he is so skittish about the pack and why he was unwilling to trust any of them. The other one is Vanishing Act which was written for this book and featuring Savannah & Adam. It was great to be back with these two characters and see a little more of them in action, the story was great with a lot of action and characters crammed into the short space of the story and you can actually feel the maturity of Savannah now in how she deals with everything from her life, her love, her attitude towards the investigation and also her future with Adam. I was pleased we got a little more of their relationship because this one only started in the end book and it didn’t have much time to mature as say …Elena & Clay or Paige & Lucas etc. it was still new and I feel we didn’t get enough of them. In this however they speak of long term plans, Adams worry about the age gap and holding her back and Savannah’s worries about where her life should be going and where she wants it to go – so a nice balance of plot drama and relationship drama. This is a must read for fans of the series, it was great to be back with them – I only wish we had more books to look forward to because this really does whet the appetite for more.
Review posted here...
http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.co...
Otherworld Nights is a collection of short stories from Kelley Armstong’s Otherwold series. I’m a huge fan of this series anyway so there was no doubt I would love this book. It was great to be back with the characters from the series again, they feel like old friends and I have missed the series since it ended. I had read all but two of these stories as freebies on the authors website over the years and appreciated them the second time around too. The two new ones that I hadn’t read were Chivalrous – where we get one of the packs newer recruits – Reese’s – background story and it gave a great insight into his character & totally explains why he is so skittish about the pack and why he was unwilling to trust any of them. The other one is Vanishing Act which was written for this book and featuring Savannah & Adam. It was great to be back with these two characters and see a little more of them in action, the story was great with a lot of action and characters crammed into the short space of the story and you can actually feel the maturity of Savannah now in how she deals with everything from her life, her love, her attitude towards the investigation and also her future with Adam. I was pleased we got a little more of their relationship because this one only started in the end book and it didn’t have much time to mature as say …Elena & Clay or Paige & Lucas etc. it was still new and I feel we didn’t get enough of them. In this however they speak of long term plans, Adams worry about the age gap and holding her back and Savannah’s worries about where her life should be going and where she wants it to go – so a nice balance of plot drama and relationship drama. This is a must read for fans of the series, it was great to be back with them – I only wish we had more books to look forward to because this really does whet the appetite for more.
October 22, 2015
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy.
OTHERWORLD NIGHTS was a nice compilation of short stories of Women of the Otherworld, that were featured in various anthologies over the years with a new Savannah story at the end. Going back and re-reading these stories felt very comforting and familiar since I've been reading Kelley Armstrong's stories for so long. All of these characters feel so real to me and I loved seeing them again. Since the stories are set at different times chronologically there really is no 'right' place to start reading.
There are a few back stories of some characters and some stories that happened in between books chronologically. I liked DEMONOLOGY and seeing Adam and his mom Talia figuring out what he is exactly. Talia is one determined lady though I wanted the story to be longer. LUCIFER'S DAUGHTER, which is half-demon Hope and werewolf Karl's short story was my one of my favorite. Bring Karl Marsten, a renowned jewel thief and a chaos demon to a museum and things are bound to get a bit tricky. I love these two together and so glad they had a happy ending. I wasn't a huge fan of the Savannah story as it didn't draw me in that much and I've never been a huge fan of her so that factored a bit into my feelings on the story. I did like catching up with some of the other characters to see how they are doing post Thirteen.
OTHERWORLD NIGHTS is a great way to revisit some much beloved characters. It is a must read for fans of Women of the Otherworld and I can't wait to get more short stories from this series.
Sexual content: References to sex
OTHERWORLD NIGHTS was a nice compilation of short stories of Women of the Otherworld, that were featured in various anthologies over the years with a new Savannah story at the end. Going back and re-reading these stories felt very comforting and familiar since I've been reading Kelley Armstrong's stories for so long. All of these characters feel so real to me and I loved seeing them again. Since the stories are set at different times chronologically there really is no 'right' place to start reading.
There are a few back stories of some characters and some stories that happened in between books chronologically. I liked DEMONOLOGY and seeing Adam and his mom Talia figuring out what he is exactly. Talia is one determined lady though I wanted the story to be longer. LUCIFER'S DAUGHTER, which is half-demon Hope and werewolf Karl's short story was my one of my favorite. Bring Karl Marsten, a renowned jewel thief and a chaos demon to a museum and things are bound to get a bit tricky. I love these two together and so glad they had a happy ending. I wasn't a huge fan of the Savannah story as it didn't draw me in that much and I've never been a huge fan of her so that factored a bit into my feelings on the story. I did like catching up with some of the other characters to see how they are doing post Thirteen.
OTHERWORLD NIGHTS is a great way to revisit some much beloved characters. It is a must read for fans of Women of the Otherworld and I can't wait to get more short stories from this series.
Sexual content: References to sex
Currently reading
April 18, 2024Reading the short stories as I make my way through the series.
Ratings thus far:
Demonology: Three stars.
Twilight:
Stalked:
Chivalrous:
Lucifer's Daughter:
Hidden:
From Russia with Love:
Vanishing Act:
Ratings thus far:
Demonology: Three stars.
Twilight:
Stalked:
Chivalrous:
Lucifer's Daughter:
Hidden:
From Russia with Love:
Vanishing Act:
January 25, 2019
Demonology – We get to learn a little more of Adam and how he came to be. I love that his momma was so protective of him. She wouldn’t be suede to not know what was going on no matter the risk.
Twilight – This was interesting Cass “forgets” to do her yearly kill, and then is late and has a hard time drinking. Wonder what that means she would revert to human? Interesting. Loved that Aaron was by her side.
Stalked – It was a nice story of love and duty because even though they may be on vacation/honeymoon doesn’t mean mutts won’t “try” and take advantage. Bahaha
Chivalrous – Reese, as we learn, hasn’t had the easiest of time and he really became an interesting wolf for me and I hope we get his HEA.
Lucifer’s Daughter – Meh this wasn’t my favorite, it was ok and Hope has to get something but when they go off course something went wrong and chaos happens. But the sweet engagement was worth it.
Hidden – This is a Christmas story and it was awesome. It was sad that a mutt tipped their hand on telling the kids what they are but the way it happened. Oh, I just loved.
From Russia with Love – This is where Elena challenged Jeremy for Pack master, it was neat and so this series. I just enjoyed it.
Vanishing Act – I rooted for Adam for so so long, I loved this. He and Savannah have some communication breakdowns but in the end, they are stronger and better than ever.
I loved and hated the narration for the most part all the narrators did a good job, except one… He couldn’t for the life of him say ELENA! He kept saying ELLEN-A it was beyond annoying.
Twilight – This was interesting Cass “forgets” to do her yearly kill, and then is late and has a hard time drinking. Wonder what that means she would revert to human? Interesting. Loved that Aaron was by her side.
Stalked – It was a nice story of love and duty because even though they may be on vacation/honeymoon doesn’t mean mutts won’t “try” and take advantage. Bahaha
Chivalrous – Reese, as we learn, hasn’t had the easiest of time and he really became an interesting wolf for me and I hope we get his HEA.
Lucifer’s Daughter – Meh this wasn’t my favorite, it was ok and Hope has to get something but when they go off course something went wrong and chaos happens. But the sweet engagement was worth it.
Hidden – This is a Christmas story and it was awesome. It was sad that a mutt tipped their hand on telling the kids what they are but the way it happened. Oh, I just loved.
From Russia with Love – This is where Elena challenged Jeremy for Pack master, it was neat and so this series. I just enjoyed it.
Vanishing Act – I rooted for Adam for so so long, I loved this. He and Savannah have some communication breakdowns but in the end, they are stronger and better than ever.
I loved and hated the narration for the most part all the narrators did a good job, except one… He couldn’t for the life of him say ELENA! He kept saying ELLEN-A it was beyond annoying.
October 21, 2014
I received this ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, I was in no way compensated for this review.
I am always ecstatic to return to Kelley Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld series! I can never get tired of it! Otherworld Nights combines a handful of Kelley's short stories and novellas for some of our beloved characters! I admit, I haven't read all of these prior to this book--really just two, numbers 4 and 7 on this list above--and having them in this nifty anthology was awesome! I loved these characters to pieces and sometimes it's hard trying to buy every anthology or SubPress graphic novel--which are pretty picey--ever just to get them all. So I am very happy with these anthologies! And a bonus? A BRAND NEW story set after Thirteen with Adam and Savannah! It doesn't get much better than this!
Demonlogy was the first story and was a rather short one and would be my least favorite of the anthology. Perhaps because it was so short, and there's not a whole lot going on. That and it's been a few years and many, many books since I was last reading this series, I couldn't exactly recall one of the key characters. Here, Adam's mom seeks the help of a doctor to find out what's going on with her young son, Adam. His fascination with fire isn't really the sort that can be labeled pyromaniac. And Dr. Robert Vasic supposedly has the answers she needs. Again, I couldn't quite remember this particular character, so perhaps that's why the story was just meh. But young Adam was so cute!
Rating 2.5/5 stars
Stalked was probably one of my favorites. Not only was it Clay and Elena taking their much needed and kind of delayed honeymoon, it took place in St. Louis! Naturally I was laughing at the jokes saying there wasn't much to do there. And why did we choose this city again? Because really, after the Arch, what else is there? I honestly couldn't tell you! Anyway, the honeymoon gets a interrupted when Clay--our narrator--notices a mutt following them with his eyes set on Elena. And naturally, this doesn't make Clay a happy camper! Violence ensues!
Rating 5/5 stars
Chivalrous was another good story and another new to me one. I admit, I couldn't quite remember Reese so well, but later in another story he becomes a little more familiar to me. This is the story of how he fell in love with a girl from school. It was a sweet budding romance kind of thing but soon they both learn that the other carries heavy secrets and that creates a problem or two. This one was very exciting and because of my lack of memory skills (or really just reading too much of everything!) the end came as quite a shocker! I wasn't expecting it and it was definitely one of the more heart racing stories!
Rating 5/5 stars
Lucifer's Daughter brings us back to Hope and Karl, another couple I can't help but love! While attending a museum party in Hope's honor, they stumble upon a demon that's on the loose and must get him back in his prison before he kills everyone at the party in Hope's honor. I love the dynamics between Hope and Karl! They can be pretty funny at times. Especially when Karl can't always seem to let his thieving ways go, yet the love they have for one another never wavers and it's definitely a tale with sweet moments, with an even sweeter ending!
Rating 4/5 stars
Hidden was yet another favorite for me, because you guessed it, it's an Elena and Clay story! This time Elena is back at the helm! And I think I even have this one in my TBR Mountain of Doom in its own little book format! So one less book in the mountain now! Yay! Anyway, this one brings us to Elena, Clay and their children Kate and Logan getting away for the holidays to celebrate Christmas their own way. But their location presents a dire problem. A mutt is paying too close attention to them. And what's worse is that there have been a few disappearances going around, but the people always turn up. Except in one case where it was a dead body that showed up which puts Elena and Clay on the case and some babysitters to the rescue to watch the kids.
It was a great story too, because I just love Elena and Clay so! And their kids are adorable and funny too! Elena's pressing issue in this one also deals with whether she and Clay should tell the twins about werewolves and that they (Elena and Clay) are ones and that maybe someday they would be too. It was a perfect read since we're getting close to the holidays. And the mystery element was fantastic! It really took me by surprise too, as I had assumed it was going one way before it went in the other direction entirely!
Rating 5/5 stars
Vanishing Act is the newest novella to the mix and tells us a story about Adam and Savannah post Thirteen. Basically life is moving forward for them and of course, so is work. But after taking care of a demon possession case, there is more to solve than just the cleanup. There's a teenage boy with special abilities who has become a hot commodity for all the Cabals. Adam and Savannah do their best to help, but the problem is larger than they thought. To add trouble to the mix, there are some relationship woes between them that makes you wonder if they were ever meant to be together or not! Definitely yet another heart pounding read from the mind of Kelley Armstrong and one I absolutely loved as well!
Rating 5/5 stars
So pretty much this anthology was awesome! The Otherworld series has always been a favorite and I'm glad that despite the books being over, the stories aren't quite finished yet. Short stories or novellas, it's still a peek inside what has been on my all time favorite Urban Fantasy series and I so can't wait for the next installment!
Overall Rating 4.5/5 stars
Otherworld Nights releases (in the US) October 28, 2014
I am always ecstatic to return to Kelley Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld series! I can never get tired of it! Otherworld Nights combines a handful of Kelley's short stories and novellas for some of our beloved characters! I admit, I haven't read all of these prior to this book--really just two, numbers 4 and 7 on this list above--and having them in this nifty anthology was awesome! I loved these characters to pieces and sometimes it's hard trying to buy every anthology or SubPress graphic novel--which are pretty picey--ever just to get them all. So I am very happy with these anthologies! And a bonus? A BRAND NEW story set after Thirteen with Adam and Savannah! It doesn't get much better than this!
Demonlogy was the first story and was a rather short one and would be my least favorite of the anthology. Perhaps because it was so short, and there's not a whole lot going on. That and it's been a few years and many, many books since I was last reading this series, I couldn't exactly recall one of the key characters. Here, Adam's mom seeks the help of a doctor to find out what's going on with her young son, Adam. His fascination with fire isn't really the sort that can be labeled pyromaniac. And Dr. Robert Vasic supposedly has the answers she needs. Again, I couldn't quite remember this particular character, so perhaps that's why the story was just meh. But young Adam was so cute!
Rating 2.5/5 stars
Stalked was probably one of my favorites. Not only was it Clay and Elena taking their much needed and kind of delayed honeymoon, it took place in St. Louis! Naturally I was laughing at the jokes saying there wasn't much to do there. And why did we choose this city again? Because really, after the Arch, what else is there? I honestly couldn't tell you! Anyway, the honeymoon gets a interrupted when Clay--our narrator--notices a mutt following them with his eyes set on Elena. And naturally, this doesn't make Clay a happy camper! Violence ensues!
Rating 5/5 stars
Chivalrous was another good story and another new to me one. I admit, I couldn't quite remember Reese so well, but later in another story he becomes a little more familiar to me. This is the story of how he fell in love with a girl from school. It was a sweet budding romance kind of thing but soon they both learn that the other carries heavy secrets and that creates a problem or two. This one was very exciting and because of my lack of memory skills (or really just reading too much of everything!) the end came as quite a shocker! I wasn't expecting it and it was definitely one of the more heart racing stories!
Rating 5/5 stars
Lucifer's Daughter brings us back to Hope and Karl, another couple I can't help but love! While attending a museum party in Hope's honor, they stumble upon a demon that's on the loose and must get him back in his prison before he kills everyone at the party in Hope's honor. I love the dynamics between Hope and Karl! They can be pretty funny at times. Especially when Karl can't always seem to let his thieving ways go, yet the love they have for one another never wavers and it's definitely a tale with sweet moments, with an even sweeter ending!
Rating 4/5 stars
Hidden was yet another favorite for me, because you guessed it, it's an Elena and Clay story! This time Elena is back at the helm! And I think I even have this one in my TBR Mountain of Doom in its own little book format! So one less book in the mountain now! Yay! Anyway, this one brings us to Elena, Clay and their children Kate and Logan getting away for the holidays to celebrate Christmas their own way. But their location presents a dire problem. A mutt is paying too close attention to them. And what's worse is that there have been a few disappearances going around, but the people always turn up. Except in one case where it was a dead body that showed up which puts Elena and Clay on the case and some babysitters to the rescue to watch the kids.
It was a great story too, because I just love Elena and Clay so! And their kids are adorable and funny too! Elena's pressing issue in this one also deals with whether she and Clay should tell the twins about werewolves and that they (Elena and Clay) are ones and that maybe someday they would be too. It was a perfect read since we're getting close to the holidays. And the mystery element was fantastic! It really took me by surprise too, as I had assumed it was going one way before it went in the other direction entirely!
Rating 5/5 stars
Vanishing Act is the newest novella to the mix and tells us a story about Adam and Savannah post Thirteen. Basically life is moving forward for them and of course, so is work. But after taking care of a demon possession case, there is more to solve than just the cleanup. There's a teenage boy with special abilities who has become a hot commodity for all the Cabals. Adam and Savannah do their best to help, but the problem is larger than they thought. To add trouble to the mix, there are some relationship woes between them that makes you wonder if they were ever meant to be together or not! Definitely yet another heart pounding read from the mind of Kelley Armstrong and one I absolutely loved as well!
Rating 5/5 stars
So pretty much this anthology was awesome! The Otherworld series has always been a favorite and I'm glad that despite the books being over, the stories aren't quite finished yet. Short stories or novellas, it's still a peek inside what has been on my all time favorite Urban Fantasy series and I so can't wait for the next installment!
Overall Rating 4.5/5 stars
Otherworld Nights releases (in the US) October 28, 2014
October 23, 2014
One of the long going series I’ve always been a fan of was the Otherworld Series by Kelley Armstrong and was pretty sad when the series seemed to come to a close and not just in the same way I am when any series I like ends – because I felt there was a lot of stories left in this world and a lot of characters I’d like to see develop more – so this anthology of short stories seemed to be ideal
In particular I loved Demonology and Twilight because they expanded the stories of two very intriguing characters that have always intrigued me. Demonology takes the story of Talia, the human mother of Adam the half-demon who actively sought out help for her fire-starting son and eventually found Dr. Vasic, another half demon. Throughout the series she hasn’t really been a character but we’ve often heard of her strength and determination in not accepting the simple answers for Adam’s condition. It was great to finally see that story, to meet this woman and see the steel we’ve often heard referred to.
Twilight took on Cassandra, the ancient vampire representative of the Council who we see as harsh, acerbic and generally unpleasant through much of the series. This story is the lead up to her final death, for even vampires are not immortal, and seeing through her eyes we understand a lot more about her. She’s not pleasant, not at all – she’s harsh, judgemental, completely undiplomatic and unable to be even slightly kind or soft or mushy at all – but she applies that internally as well. She has harsh, exacting standards and a brutal outlook on life, on what she wants and on weakness and general sillness. Seeing her being equally unimpressed with her own behaviour (even with that underlying fear and complete inability to admit her affection for Aaron) did a really good job of casting a new lens on her.
I also liked Chivalrous because it helped fill out some of the information about the Pack. In the last few books in the series the Pack expanded by three new members and it felt a little like they just popped out of nowhere – three new werewolves! Behold! This stopped one of them, Reese, just being a random name at the back of the crowd and gave him some excellent backstory and development about his experiences in Australia, how other Packs outside the North American Pack work – and how they can also be terrible. This was especially important because he does feature with some prominence in later stories in the book and they wouldn’t have worked without him getting some growth and background behind him.
I think my favourites were Hidden and From Russia With Love because they tackled the story I missed the most when the series ended – the expanding pack and Elena and Clay’s kids. We saw many new members of the pack in Frostbitten and Logan and Kate promised to raise all kinds of questions – and then the story veered towards Savannah and we didn’t get to see any more. Hidden was great at showing Elena continuing to step into the role of Alpha and the excellent family dynamics with her and Clay and the kids – I loved them parenting; a combination of reasonable parental panic throwing in some werewolf issues but, at the same time, maintaining their general confidence and capacity of parents. They worried, but they didn’t panic. I also really like the evolution of the Alpha role – both from Jeremy to Elena (with Elena expecting a less dictatorial role – or wanting one even while everyone expects her to be a dictator) and also looking back at how the Pack has operated for generations – and how broken that was, how it made working with the Mutts so much harder and, finally, overtly blaming the past Alphas for the conflict in Bitten. It’s a great feel of what Elena will be like as Alpha
Similarly, From Russia With Love is great without any huge plot, just to see the Pack in their down time. I think it’s something that has been missing from the series for a long time – the Pack together without some crisis or distraction or Elena and Clay’s problems – we needed to see it as a support network. Also Logan and Kate are evil and awesome children – if Kelley Armstrong decides to restart this series with these as the protagonists when they’re older that should be truly excellent to read. Again, it also let us see the three new wolves of the pack find their place and be part of the pack rather than just names.
I was disappointed that we got to Vanishing Act with a story that hit on the Nast cabal a lot – especially since a huge amount has been happening in that cabal that we don’t know about – and that story, especially Sean’s story, has been washed over. Sean is one of only two LGBT characters in the entire series and he’s vanishingly minor – only ever showing up when his sister Savannah wants something – which is an annoying trope for any minority (especially one who is supposed to hold such an important position) which is exactly what he does here. I had hoped for more about him. Instead we had Savannah and Adam hashing over the age gap in their relationship and Savannah agonising about what she wants to do in her life – issues which have already been chewed over in the last two books of the series
Read More
In particular I loved Demonology and Twilight because they expanded the stories of two very intriguing characters that have always intrigued me. Demonology takes the story of Talia, the human mother of Adam the half-demon who actively sought out help for her fire-starting son and eventually found Dr. Vasic, another half demon. Throughout the series she hasn’t really been a character but we’ve often heard of her strength and determination in not accepting the simple answers for Adam’s condition. It was great to finally see that story, to meet this woman and see the steel we’ve often heard referred to.
Twilight took on Cassandra, the ancient vampire representative of the Council who we see as harsh, acerbic and generally unpleasant through much of the series. This story is the lead up to her final death, for even vampires are not immortal, and seeing through her eyes we understand a lot more about her. She’s not pleasant, not at all – she’s harsh, judgemental, completely undiplomatic and unable to be even slightly kind or soft or mushy at all – but she applies that internally as well. She has harsh, exacting standards and a brutal outlook on life, on what she wants and on weakness and general sillness. Seeing her being equally unimpressed with her own behaviour (even with that underlying fear and complete inability to admit her affection for Aaron) did a really good job of casting a new lens on her.
I also liked Chivalrous because it helped fill out some of the information about the Pack. In the last few books in the series the Pack expanded by three new members and it felt a little like they just popped out of nowhere – three new werewolves! Behold! This stopped one of them, Reese, just being a random name at the back of the crowd and gave him some excellent backstory and development about his experiences in Australia, how other Packs outside the North American Pack work – and how they can also be terrible. This was especially important because he does feature with some prominence in later stories in the book and they wouldn’t have worked without him getting some growth and background behind him.
I think my favourites were Hidden and From Russia With Love because they tackled the story I missed the most when the series ended – the expanding pack and Elena and Clay’s kids. We saw many new members of the pack in Frostbitten and Logan and Kate promised to raise all kinds of questions – and then the story veered towards Savannah and we didn’t get to see any more. Hidden was great at showing Elena continuing to step into the role of Alpha and the excellent family dynamics with her and Clay and the kids – I loved them parenting; a combination of reasonable parental panic throwing in some werewolf issues but, at the same time, maintaining their general confidence and capacity of parents. They worried, but they didn’t panic. I also really like the evolution of the Alpha role – both from Jeremy to Elena (with Elena expecting a less dictatorial role – or wanting one even while everyone expects her to be a dictator) and also looking back at how the Pack has operated for generations – and how broken that was, how it made working with the Mutts so much harder and, finally, overtly blaming the past Alphas for the conflict in Bitten. It’s a great feel of what Elena will be like as Alpha
Similarly, From Russia With Love is great without any huge plot, just to see the Pack in their down time. I think it’s something that has been missing from the series for a long time – the Pack together without some crisis or distraction or Elena and Clay’s problems – we needed to see it as a support network. Also Logan and Kate are evil and awesome children – if Kelley Armstrong decides to restart this series with these as the protagonists when they’re older that should be truly excellent to read. Again, it also let us see the three new wolves of the pack find their place and be part of the pack rather than just names.
I was disappointed that we got to Vanishing Act with a story that hit on the Nast cabal a lot – especially since a huge amount has been happening in that cabal that we don’t know about – and that story, especially Sean’s story, has been washed over. Sean is one of only two LGBT characters in the entire series and he’s vanishingly minor – only ever showing up when his sister Savannah wants something – which is an annoying trope for any minority (especially one who is supposed to hold such an important position) which is exactly what he does here. I had hoped for more about him. Instead we had Savannah and Adam hashing over the age gap in their relationship and Savannah agonising about what she wants to do in her life – issues which have already been chewed over in the last two books of the series
Read More
April 14, 2015
If you love the wolves, you are going to love this anthology! There are four excellent wolfie adventures to enjoy here-Clay and Elena's honeymoon spoiled by a mutt, Reese is on the run from the Australian Pack, A christmas Pack break is interrupted by a child killer, and Elena goes to Russia to form an alliance as the new Pack Leader. PLUS we get stories about Adam, Cassandra, Hope and Cabals behaving badly...what more could you possibly want?!!!
DEMONOLOGY: (#0.05)
Adam's mother Talia is at a loss to explain her son's medical condition and she is advised to see a demonologist called Robert Vasic.
This is how Adam's mother meets Robert, and she finally finds out what her ex-lover was and what Adam is. Interesting short story.
TWILIGHT: (#7.2)
The time approaches for Cassandra to make her annual kill but she is overcome with lethargy and an aversion to the taste of blood.
This gives good back story to the Cassandra that we see at the end of the series and it explains the choice that she makes then. I like her and Aaron-shame we never saw more of them.
STALKED: (#7.3)
Clay and Elena are on honeymoon when a mutt's scent is detected. Clay is determined that nothing is going to spoil the trip for Elena even if he needs to kill the intruder.
I loved this story! Clay and Elena are quite amusing in this story as they try to convince the other that they are having a great time when both are bored rigid! Both know a mutt is following them and it is funny to watch them try to hide it from each other! Amusing and tense, it is a great story.
CHIVALROUS: (#8.1)
Reese's mother was raped and made pregnant by a Pack wolf in Australia and the leader tries to have her killed but the wolf Wes instead protects her and they go into hiding to raise her son. Now the Pack have found Reese and they want the three of them dead.
I really liked this story. It is no surprise that Reese has issues with trusting people after what happens to him. There were twists and turns in the plot which I'm not going to spoil!
LUCIFER'S DAUGHTER: (#10.3)
A museum exhibit opens in Hope's honour and her biggest worry is how to stop Karl from stealing the artifacts. And of course, Karl's mistake releases a demon who wants to serve Hope.
This was an amusing story showing that you just can't stop Karl from breaking the law! The more I read of Karl, the more I love him!
HIDDEN: (#10.7)
Clay and Elena want some alone time with the kids before the Pack arrive for Christmas at the cabin, but that is spoiled by a nosey mutt and a partially eaten body.
This was a good, sinister story where Elena's fears for her children take that tough edge from her. I liked the plot twists and lots of Pack members coming to stay. Great story!
FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE: (#13.1)
The first story set after the end of the series has Elena as Pack Leader on a visit to Russia but of course, trouble follows.
Another good story. I was disappointed that the final book of the series was Savannah based instead of having the wolves as the heroes as it was the Pack that drew me into this series. The novellas that have come out since then have made up for that!
VANISHING ACT: (#
A half demon is being pursued to 'join' a host of Cabals and some aren't taking no for an answer so Paige and Lucas step in to protect him.
This was one of those stories that only half worked. I liked the demon story and it was full of tension as the gang tried to hide from the killer Cabals. However it was spoiled by the brat that is Savannah getting into childish fights and it seems she has infected Adam with her stupidity because he was acting like a 5 year old. This couple will never work and it ruined the story with all their immaturity.
I liked this anthology because of the quality of the wolf stories and there was some fun in there with Karl's antics. Something for fans of most characters.
DEMONOLOGY: (#0.05)
Adam's mother Talia is at a loss to explain her son's medical condition and she is advised to see a demonologist called Robert Vasic.
This is how Adam's mother meets Robert, and she finally finds out what her ex-lover was and what Adam is. Interesting short story.
TWILIGHT: (#7.2)
The time approaches for Cassandra to make her annual kill but she is overcome with lethargy and an aversion to the taste of blood.
This gives good back story to the Cassandra that we see at the end of the series and it explains the choice that she makes then. I like her and Aaron-shame we never saw more of them.
STALKED: (#7.3)
Clay and Elena are on honeymoon when a mutt's scent is detected. Clay is determined that nothing is going to spoil the trip for Elena even if he needs to kill the intruder.
I loved this story! Clay and Elena are quite amusing in this story as they try to convince the other that they are having a great time when both are bored rigid! Both know a mutt is following them and it is funny to watch them try to hide it from each other! Amusing and tense, it is a great story.
CHIVALROUS: (#8.1)
Reese's mother was raped and made pregnant by a Pack wolf in Australia and the leader tries to have her killed but the wolf Wes instead protects her and they go into hiding to raise her son. Now the Pack have found Reese and they want the three of them dead.
I really liked this story. It is no surprise that Reese has issues with trusting people after what happens to him. There were twists and turns in the plot which I'm not going to spoil!
LUCIFER'S DAUGHTER: (#10.3)
A museum exhibit opens in Hope's honour and her biggest worry is how to stop Karl from stealing the artifacts. And of course, Karl's mistake releases a demon who wants to serve Hope.
This was an amusing story showing that you just can't stop Karl from breaking the law! The more I read of Karl, the more I love him!
HIDDEN: (#10.7)
Clay and Elena want some alone time with the kids before the Pack arrive for Christmas at the cabin, but that is spoiled by a nosey mutt and a partially eaten body.
This was a good, sinister story where Elena's fears for her children take that tough edge from her. I liked the plot twists and lots of Pack members coming to stay. Great story!
FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE: (#13.1)
The first story set after the end of the series has Elena as Pack Leader on a visit to Russia but of course, trouble follows.
Another good story. I was disappointed that the final book of the series was Savannah based instead of having the wolves as the heroes as it was the Pack that drew me into this series. The novellas that have come out since then have made up for that!
VANISHING ACT: (#
A half demon is being pursued to 'join' a host of Cabals and some aren't taking no for an answer so Paige and Lucas step in to protect him.
This was one of those stories that only half worked. I liked the demon story and it was full of tension as the gang tried to hide from the killer Cabals. However it was spoiled by the brat that is Savannah getting into childish fights and it seems she has infected Adam with her stupidity because he was acting like a 5 year old. This couple will never work and it ruined the story with all their immaturity.
I liked this anthology because of the quality of the wolf stories and there was some fun in there with Karl's antics. Something for fans of most characters.
November 14, 2014
See this review and others like it at Badass Book Reviews!
Otherworld Nights is a compilation of several different stories that Kelley Armstrong has written set in her Women of the Otherworld universe. Some of these stories have been previously published in other anthologies, but there is one new short and a new novella. I have read a few of these stories before, but I always enjoy a return trip to the Otherworld, especially if the werewolves are involved. The stories are all very different, but I found the volume to be satisfying as a whole.
Demonology gives us a brief glimpse into Adam's childhood and Talia's, his mother, dedication to understanding her son. We also get an introduction to Robert Vasic. This story was a re-read for me, and very short, but I enjoyed the focus on Talia and her love for her son. 3/5
Another re-read for me, Twilight tells the story of Cassandra on the day she has to take a life. In the Otherworld, vampires only remain immortal as long as they take one human life a year. This year, Cass is finding it hard to complete her task and she has Aaron very worried. I loved the interactions between the two of them and admired Cassandra's thought-processes and will to live. 4/5
Stalked is a fun, little story about Elena and Clay's honeymoon and also my last re-read from this collection. They both know they are being followed by a mutt, but neither wants to tell the other for fear of spoiling their vacation. This is a typical Clay and Elena misunderstanding and it is played for some great laughs. I really love these two together. 4/5
Chivalrous is new werewolf recruit Reese's story and it definitely the saddest one of the whole bunch. The entire time I was reading it I saw the ending coming, but hoped that it wouldn't actually happen. Knowing what happened to Reese just breaks my heart. 5/5
Lucifer's Daughter is about Hope and Karl Marsten. Hope has never been my favorite character, but this was a funny little story and I did like that Kelley Armstrong gave Hope and Karl a very fitting romantic moment. 3/5
Hidden is the longest story in this collection and also my favorite. Clay and Elena take their twins away for a Christmas in a mountain cabin when they run into a local werwolf. He seems nervous and scared, leading Elena and Clay to think he could be a man-eater or possibly harboring one. The truth turns out to be even worse. There was a great family dynamic between Elena, Clay, and the kids and the cameos by Nick, Reese, and Noah were also welcome. 5/5
Taking place after Thirteen and Hidden, From Russia, With Love tells the story of Elena and Jeremy's "battle" for Pack Alpha. While I felt like the beginning felt a bit disjointed and unnecessary, the actual conflict of this story was perfect. The showdown between Jeremy and Elena for Pack leadership was just what you would expect from these two. 3.5/5
Vanishing Act was a new Adam and Savannah novella taking place after Thirteen. While Savannah could frustrate me to no end within the series, I thought she handled herself rather maturely here and learned from her mistakes. I did not read Kelley Armstrong's YA series, but I may have to now to learn more about Sean's plans for the genetically modified supernaturals we encounter in this story. 4/5
Thank you to Plume and Netgalley for providing an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Otherworld Nights is a compilation of several different stories that Kelley Armstrong has written set in her Women of the Otherworld universe. Some of these stories have been previously published in other anthologies, but there is one new short and a new novella. I have read a few of these stories before, but I always enjoy a return trip to the Otherworld, especially if the werewolves are involved. The stories are all very different, but I found the volume to be satisfying as a whole.
Demonology gives us a brief glimpse into Adam's childhood and Talia's, his mother, dedication to understanding her son. We also get an introduction to Robert Vasic. This story was a re-read for me, and very short, but I enjoyed the focus on Talia and her love for her son. 3/5
Another re-read for me, Twilight tells the story of Cassandra on the day she has to take a life. In the Otherworld, vampires only remain immortal as long as they take one human life a year. This year, Cass is finding it hard to complete her task and she has Aaron very worried. I loved the interactions between the two of them and admired Cassandra's thought-processes and will to live. 4/5
Stalked is a fun, little story about Elena and Clay's honeymoon and also my last re-read from this collection. They both know they are being followed by a mutt, but neither wants to tell the other for fear of spoiling their vacation. This is a typical Clay and Elena misunderstanding and it is played for some great laughs. I really love these two together. 4/5
Chivalrous is new werewolf recruit Reese's story and it definitely the saddest one of the whole bunch. The entire time I was reading it I saw the ending coming, but hoped that it wouldn't actually happen. Knowing what happened to Reese just breaks my heart. 5/5
Lucifer's Daughter is about Hope and Karl Marsten. Hope has never been my favorite character, but this was a funny little story and I did like that Kelley Armstrong gave Hope and Karl a very fitting romantic moment. 3/5
Hidden is the longest story in this collection and also my favorite. Clay and Elena take their twins away for a Christmas in a mountain cabin when they run into a local werwolf. He seems nervous and scared, leading Elena and Clay to think he could be a man-eater or possibly harboring one. The truth turns out to be even worse. There was a great family dynamic between Elena, Clay, and the kids and the cameos by Nick, Reese, and Noah were also welcome. 5/5
Taking place after Thirteen and Hidden, From Russia, With Love tells the story of Elena and Jeremy's "battle" for Pack Alpha. While I felt like the beginning felt a bit disjointed and unnecessary, the actual conflict of this story was perfect. The showdown between Jeremy and Elena for Pack leadership was just what you would expect from these two. 3.5/5
Vanishing Act was a new Adam and Savannah novella taking place after Thirteen. While Savannah could frustrate me to no end within the series, I thought she handled herself rather maturely here and learned from her mistakes. I did not read Kelley Armstrong's YA series, but I may have to now to learn more about Sean's plans for the genetically modified supernaturals we encounter in this story. 4/5
Thank you to Plume and Netgalley for providing an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 29, 2014
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
OTHERWORLD NIGHTS was a nice compilation of short stories of Women of the Otherworld, that were featured in various anthologies over the years with a new Savannah story at the end. Going back and re-reading these stories felt very comforting and familiar since I've been reading Kelley Armstrong's stories for so long. All of these characters feel so real to me and I loved seeing them again. Since the stories are set at different times chronologically there really is no 'right' place to start reading.
There are a few back stories of some characters and some stories that happened in between books chronologically. I liked DEMONOLOGY and seeing Adam and his mom Talia figuring out what he is exactly. Talia is one determined lady though I wanted the story to be longer. LUCIFER'S DAUGHTER, which is half-demon Hope and werewolf Karl's short story was my one of my favorite. Bring Karl Marsten, a renowned jewel thief and a chaos demon to a museum and things are bound to get a bit tricky. I love these two together and so glad they had a happy ending. I wasn't a huge fan of the Savannah story as it didn't draw me in that much and I've never been a huge fan of her so that factored a bit into my feelings on the story. I did like catching up with some of the other characters to see how they are doing post Thirteen.
OTHERWORLD NIGHTS is a great way to revisit some much beloved characters. It is a must read for fans of Women of the Otherworld and I can't wait to get more short stories from this series.
OTHERWORLD NIGHTS was a nice compilation of short stories of Women of the Otherworld, that were featured in various anthologies over the years with a new Savannah story at the end. Going back and re-reading these stories felt very comforting and familiar since I've been reading Kelley Armstrong's stories for so long. All of these characters feel so real to me and I loved seeing them again. Since the stories are set at different times chronologically there really is no 'right' place to start reading.
There are a few back stories of some characters and some stories that happened in between books chronologically. I liked DEMONOLOGY and seeing Adam and his mom Talia figuring out what he is exactly. Talia is one determined lady though I wanted the story to be longer. LUCIFER'S DAUGHTER, which is half-demon Hope and werewolf Karl's short story was my one of my favorite. Bring Karl Marsten, a renowned jewel thief and a chaos demon to a museum and things are bound to get a bit tricky. I love these two together and so glad they had a happy ending. I wasn't a huge fan of the Savannah story as it didn't draw me in that much and I've never been a huge fan of her so that factored a bit into my feelings on the story. I did like catching up with some of the other characters to see how they are doing post Thirteen.
OTHERWORLD NIGHTS is a great way to revisit some much beloved characters. It is a must read for fans of Women of the Otherworld and I can't wait to get more short stories from this series.
October 11, 2014
This is the first of three anthologies of rare and never-before published short stories and novellas. The focus of this anthology is love. The stories included are "Demonology," "Twilight," "Stalked," "Chivalrous," "Lucifer's Daughter," "Hidden," "From Russia, with Love," and "Vanishing Act."
All of the stories were entertaining. I liked learning about Reese's background in "Chivalrous" which was a story that I had never read before. Nor had I read "Twilight" which was a Cassandra story. Being a new story, "Vanishing Act" which was an Adam and Savannah story that takes place after Thirteen extended the scope of the world. I had been curious about what would happen for Savannah and am satisfied with the way this story went.
It is nice to be able to get these various stories assembled into a more easily obtainable format. The only thing that I would have found more useful would have been a timeline. A chronology of the stories and the novels would have helped me fit them into the whole world better.
Fans of the Women of the Otherworld series will definitely want to own this collection whether or not they had previously managed to locate and read these stories.
All of the stories were entertaining. I liked learning about Reese's background in "Chivalrous" which was a story that I had never read before. Nor had I read "Twilight" which was a Cassandra story. Being a new story, "Vanishing Act" which was an Adam and Savannah story that takes place after Thirteen extended the scope of the world. I had been curious about what would happen for Savannah and am satisfied with the way this story went.
It is nice to be able to get these various stories assembled into a more easily obtainable format. The only thing that I would have found more useful would have been a timeline. A chronology of the stories and the novels would have helped me fit them into the whole world better.
Fans of the Women of the Otherworld series will definitely want to own this collection whether or not they had previously managed to locate and read these stories.
December 27, 2019
I read "Demonology" (2/16/2013) and (5/10/2014) 1/29/2018
I'd never before read "Twilight" (10/5/2014)
"Stalked" I read when My Big Fat Supernatural Honeymoon first came out (10/6/2014)
I'd never before read "Chivalrous" (10/8/2014)
I now have 3 formats that include Hidden ☺ (9/8/2012) & (10/9/2014)
My copy of Thirteen didn't HAVE "From Russia With Love" (10/10/2014)
"Vanishing Act" was NEW (10/14/2014)
I'd never before read "Twilight" (10/5/2014)
"Stalked" I read when My Big Fat Supernatural Honeymoon first came out (10/6/2014)
I'd never before read "Chivalrous" (10/8/2014)
I now have 3 formats that include Hidden ☺ (9/8/2012) & (10/9/2014)
My copy of Thirteen didn't HAVE "From Russia With Love" (10/10/2014)
"Vanishing Act" was NEW (10/14/2014)
September 12, 2017
I cannot convey just how much I love this series as a whole! This book was fun and I enjoyed the bonus stories that went along with the women of the underworld series. The last story about Elena and her family was my favorite. I WISH this series didn't end because it's so good. However I'm thrilled they made a television show based on Bitten (book one)
November 4, 2017
This was a fun book. If you like Kelley Armstrong's books involving Clay and Elena, Paige, etc. I can't imagine you wouldn't like this book. More insight into these characters lives, another peek. Interesting stories, additional background. And if you're into the characters because of the other books, you'll probably want to add this book to your collection.
February 17, 2015
Love how the kids are growing! Missed Clay, Elena and the gang.
November 3, 2014
This review is also available on my blog, Bows & Bullets Reviews
This is an anthology of stories set in the world of the Women Of The Otherworld. Let me say first that I have not read any of the novels in this series, despite the fact that a good friend of mine is always singing their praise (or the fact that I'm interested in watching the Bitten show that is based off them). Now, I want to read them even more, especially the one about Hope. These short stories are intriguing and intense, even if all of them don't end happily.
This one is short and sweet and to the point. It's the journey of Talia to find out more about her sons abilities and how to help him control them. It's pretty easy to follow and clear cut. I wanted to know more about this boy. I think it plays out pretty well from my perspective of a newbie. People who have read the series already know about Adam and what he is, but I think it's readable for either set of people.
I wasn't a huge fan of this story. It's about Cassandra trying to make her yearly kill to remain "alive" for another year. It's an interesting concept, having to kill someone yearly to remain a vampire. For whatever reason, is finding this task more difficult than normal this year. The short was well written, it just bored me a little bit. Typically, when I'm reading an anthology, I try to finish the short in a single sitting, but this one took two to finish because it just didn't hold my interest.
This was my very first look at Elena, who I know is the start of the fist few books in this series. From this story alone, I wasn't in love with her. Clay, her mate, is fascinating. I may have liked him more because it was told via his perspective. It's a story about them taking a honeymoon and being stalked by a stray werewolf. It's clear from this little tale that these two are completely in love. The hints about their past make me extremely interested in getting my hands on their novel. I image their journey back to each other is far from easy, but hopefully it'll be worth it.
This story is heartbreaking and therefore my least favorite of the set. It's about Reese falling in love with a girl and the consequences of that mistake. I can't really say much without giving it away. I will say that when I started it, I expected it to be my favorite and it turns out that I hate it. I like happy endings. This was the very opposite of that. I realize it's just Reese's back story and whatever adventures he takes in the future would not have been possible without this tragic thing, but that doesn't mean I want to read it and have my heart stomped on.
Ah. This is my favorite. Hope's story is so interesting that I couldn't tear myself away. This is possibly the most humorous of the tales, cause me to snort and giggle on more than one occasion. I love the banter between her and Karl. If I didn't have a need to read stories in order, I'd find a copy of her particular book in the series and devour it quickly. This is the story of a demon being released and the ensuing chaos. It was extremely entertaining.
This story is what made me fall in love with Elena. She's so strong and tough, but soft and vulnerable. Her love and fierce determination to protect her children is something I think we can all relate to, even if we haven't had children yet. The way she agonizes over how and when to tell her children that she and Dad are werewolves is endearing. She wants to make the right choice when it's obvious that there is no right answer. Speaking of her kids, Kate and Logan are amazing. I want a spinoff of their story. Do we ever find out if they turn on their own or not in the normal series? I need to know! Anyway, this is the story of Elena and Clay finding the bad guy and saving their children all before a perfect Christmas morning. This is the longest story in this anthology.
This is another Elena story. It's just a little tale of the lengths Clay and Elena will go to protect their children, even if the threat isn't as serious as they originally perceived it to be.
Savannah's story is a bit different than the rest. It's about her protecting a kid with teleportation abilities, but it's also about her fixing her relationship with her boyfriend. Things seem perfect and are, in a lot of aspects, but there are problems they are avoiding and the events of this novella make them impossible to set aside any longer. I really enjoyed their story as well as the others and I'm very interested in reading their novel.
Well, there you have it! Those are my thoughts on all the stories. Anthologies aren't normally a favorite thing of mine. There aren't many authors who can give me a fully satisfying story in so short a time. They are either rushed or they leave me with unanswered questions or I just feel like they need more. That wasn't the case with these. Even though I know there are novels written completely about some of these characters, Armstrong manages to tie everything in neatly and give me exactly what I need to follow the stories. I think it's a great tool to grab someone's interest and make them want to read the series as a whole!
****Thank you to Piatkus for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review****
This is an anthology of stories set in the world of the Women Of The Otherworld. Let me say first that I have not read any of the novels in this series, despite the fact that a good friend of mine is always singing their praise (or the fact that I'm interested in watching the Bitten show that is based off them). Now, I want to read them even more, especially the one about Hope. These short stories are intriguing and intense, even if all of them don't end happily.
Demonology
This one is short and sweet and to the point. It's the journey of Talia to find out more about her sons abilities and how to help him control them. It's pretty easy to follow and clear cut. I wanted to know more about this boy. I think it plays out pretty well from my perspective of a newbie. People who have read the series already know about Adam and what he is, but I think it's readable for either set of people.
Twilight
I wasn't a huge fan of this story. It's about Cassandra trying to make her yearly kill to remain "alive" for another year. It's an interesting concept, having to kill someone yearly to remain a vampire. For whatever reason, is finding this task more difficult than normal this year. The short was well written, it just bored me a little bit. Typically, when I'm reading an anthology, I try to finish the short in a single sitting, but this one took two to finish because it just didn't hold my interest.
Stalked
This was my very first look at Elena, who I know is the start of the fist few books in this series. From this story alone, I wasn't in love with her. Clay, her mate, is fascinating. I may have liked him more because it was told via his perspective. It's a story about them taking a honeymoon and being stalked by a stray werewolf. It's clear from this little tale that these two are completely in love. The hints about their past make me extremely interested in getting my hands on their novel. I image their journey back to each other is far from easy, but hopefully it'll be worth it.
Chivalrous
This story is heartbreaking and therefore my least favorite of the set. It's about Reese falling in love with a girl and the consequences of that mistake. I can't really say much without giving it away. I will say that when I started it, I expected it to be my favorite and it turns out that I hate it. I like happy endings. This was the very opposite of that. I realize it's just Reese's back story and whatever adventures he takes in the future would not have been possible without this tragic thing, but that doesn't mean I want to read it and have my heart stomped on.
Lucifer's Daughter
Ah. This is my favorite. Hope's story is so interesting that I couldn't tear myself away. This is possibly the most humorous of the tales, cause me to snort and giggle on more than one occasion. I love the banter between her and Karl. If I didn't have a need to read stories in order, I'd find a copy of her particular book in the series and devour it quickly. This is the story of a demon being released and the ensuing chaos. It was extremely entertaining.
Hidden
This story is what made me fall in love with Elena. She's so strong and tough, but soft and vulnerable. Her love and fierce determination to protect her children is something I think we can all relate to, even if we haven't had children yet. The way she agonizes over how and when to tell her children that she and Dad are werewolves is endearing. She wants to make the right choice when it's obvious that there is no right answer. Speaking of her kids, Kate and Logan are amazing. I want a spinoff of their story. Do we ever find out if they turn on their own or not in the normal series? I need to know! Anyway, this is the story of Elena and Clay finding the bad guy and saving their children all before a perfect Christmas morning. This is the longest story in this anthology.
From Russia, With Love
This is another Elena story. It's just a little tale of the lengths Clay and Elena will go to protect their children, even if the threat isn't as serious as they originally perceived it to be.
Vanishing Act
Savannah's story is a bit different than the rest. It's about her protecting a kid with teleportation abilities, but it's also about her fixing her relationship with her boyfriend. Things seem perfect and are, in a lot of aspects, but there are problems they are avoiding and the events of this novella make them impossible to set aside any longer. I really enjoyed their story as well as the others and I'm very interested in reading their novel.
Well, there you have it! Those are my thoughts on all the stories. Anthologies aren't normally a favorite thing of mine. There aren't many authors who can give me a fully satisfying story in so short a time. They are either rushed or they leave me with unanswered questions or I just feel like they need more. That wasn't the case with these. Even though I know there are novels written completely about some of these characters, Armstrong manages to tie everything in neatly and give me exactly what I need to follow the stories. I think it's a great tool to grab someone's interest and make them want to read the series as a whole!
****Thank you to Piatkus for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review****
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