Visions (A Cainsville Novel Book 2)

The book carries on right where Omens leaves off. And it takes the reader further into the lives and mysteries playing out for Armstrong's characters. I thoroughly enjoyed it and only have to say "I want more"!

This is different, though the same, as The Women of the Underworld series in respect to the alternative world that the author has created. I am really starting to like it better in that there is one focus - Cainsville - rather than a large number of characters. Can't wait to see where this is going, but I do hope she doesn't drag it out to 13 or more novels. Boredom will have set in by then.

I'm a great fan of Kelley, having read pretty much all of her books. I enjoyed the book, and I enjoy Kelley's writing style nonetheless I think the book was more useful for the story behind Gabriel. This is only a fraction of the entire story. I'm excited about the future stories where we get to learn more about Olivia's biological parents, and where we can get into the promised supernatural depth of the series.

Omen's the first in this series/trilogy was a particularly brilliant work -- a great balance between supernatural and natural intrigue, an absorbing main character and an interesting quirk where readers were suggested to look up the 'fairy-language' to find out more about the magic (but it was still totally fun if you didn't)

I had a bad feeling about the second installment. I don't know if it was it came out so quickly after the first, or that another Armstrong series 'Sea of Legends' started off poorly and I wondered if Armstrong has been erring on the side of prolific rather than profund.

So what went haywire with this piece?

The supernatural stuff I felt wasn't as well balanced. The mystery was more seeped in magic and the story was clumsy and tough to follow as one had to digest the mythology as well as the scheme. The intro of Celtic(?) words in Visions was a bit clunky and had a few typos (potentially just the Kindle version) and unlike Omen's token, but not vital approach to the inclusion of language, I felt like I had to keep up with the words to keep up with the story, tripping the pace up constantly.

The first half the book is predominantly relationship focused and even if that is your cup of tea, I suspect the climatic sex scene which reeks of a certain music video by Kayne and Kim will make all but the most hardened (so to speak) romance buffs cringe with the ridiculousness of it all. The crime mystery had good moments and then equally ridiculous beats - in one part an investigation gets stalled because someone spells a victims name with a K instead of a C (doesn't Google suggest such corrections nowadays?)

Some of the scenes in Vision's were well crafted, and I liked the chapters from other's perspective which were marked with titles (rather than just numbers) and Gabriel's character development really carried the story. In total though this book was much worse than its predecessor. Guess I'll hang out for the next...

What a difference a few weeks make…Omens may have introduced Olivia Taylor-Jones and Gabriel Walsh to the world, but Visions shows them in an entirely new light. Gone are the innocent socialite in the midst of discovering a crazy new world pulled from her own nightmares, and the cold-hearted, unfeeling thug of a lawyer who has attached himself to her side, intent on taking her for a ride. In their place we find a confident young woman who is more than ready to take the world by the balls and an “onion” of a man who gets even more complex as Olivia persistently begins to peel his layers back.

While working on her parents’ case in an effort to prove them innocent of a series of grizzly murders, Olivia begins to discover more about her past, her birth parents, and the people and community that she has become to think of as ‘home’. She discovers that she has a talent for investigation and the tenacity to unravel spider webs of lies, half-truths, and misdirection. In the process of focusing on others, she inadvertently discovers herself and realizes that she likes what she finds.

For his part, as Gabriel re-enters his quest to prove his client innocent, he does so with the single-mindedness of a thoroughbred race horse – head down, blinders on, eye on the prize. The funny thing about blinders however is the inability to see what is coming at your side. Working with Olivia on the case starts as a means-to-an-end for the defence lawyer with the dubious reputation. He never even considers the impact that one spoiled socialite could possibly have on his life until the new working arrangement becomes both a blessing and a curse for someone with so many dark secrets of his own.

The partnership gets off to a false start or two, but eventually they come to develop a tentative trust and respect for one another. Their relationship is a fragile thing that can either be irrevocably destroyed by mishandling or strengthened and grown over time to blossom into a beautiful new organism. Only time will tell if Gabriel will continue to be his own worst enemy.

While both characters work on their own issues other secondary characters begin to become fleshed out as well, adding depth and further complications to the mix. Every answer leads to a new question (or ten) as this first-class mystery series continues to grow and that is the true beauty of Cainsville. The suspense/mystery is the main storyline here, opening author Kelley Armstrong to an entirely new audience, while the paranormal elements are strong enough to keep current fans happily engaged at the same time.

As a series, Cainsville reminds me of the early Sookie Stackhouse books written by best selling author Charlaine Harris, but I believe that it may be even better. The ‘whodunit’ mystery of the serial killings is realistic enough to be a real-life case, while the paranormal elements add complexity without piling on the camp. The balance of mystery/paranormal/romance elements is just right – so right in fact that I can easily see Cainsville becoming Armstrong’s second series to be converted for the screen. While I wait for that to happen however I’ll happily keep reading.

Olivia and Gabriel have successfully solved a murder case together. They're a good team and Olivia slowly starts to trust Gabriel, but he isn't off the hook yet. Gabriel makes mistakes and they aren't always easy to forgive. Olivia needs to decide if she can handle the way his past formed his character. If she wants to keep working with Gabriel they have to find a way to deal with his issues. They don't have much time to form an agreement though, as Olivia finds a dead woman in her car, someone who recently disappeared. There's no initial connection between Olivia and the woman, why was the body left for her to find?

Olivia isn't safe, even not in Cainsville. There's something going on in the town she doesn't know the details of. She needs the information to discover the truth before it's too late. Someone is after her and again she doesn't get her questions answered. Will she and Gabriel be able to find out enough before it's too late? Will Olivia's romantic life be a benefit or a burden in this case, how can she keep herself away from harm when she doesn't know her enemy?

Visions is a great gripping story filled with action, omens and mystery. I loved reading about Olivia's adventures again. She and Gabriel are slowly forming a friendship, but their bond isn't an uncomplicated one. Gabriel doesn't always consult Olivia when he makes decisions that concern her and that isn't a good plan. She can stand her ground and their communication, or lack thereof, kept fascinating me and it made such good reading that I couldn't put their story down. Kelley Armstrong kept me on the edge of my seat once more and I was impressed by the skillful way she makes her main characters interact with one another.

Cainsville is a fantastic creepy series filled with surprising twists and turns and plenty of dark and evil plotting. I love Kelley Armstrong's descriptions of Cainsville and its strange inhabitants and I enjoyed finding out more about them. Her stories are a true experience, there's so much to see, feel and suspect. The Cainsville books are true gems, they are captivating, entertaining, spellbinding and thrilling. I'm addicted to this series and can't praise it enough.

In Omens, Olivia Taylor-Jones finds out she is adopted and discovers that her birth parents were famous serial killers. Visions starts off immediately where Omens ends. Olivia went home to her mother’s to grab some clothing and while she was there someone leaves a dead body in her car, dressed in her clothes and made up to look like her. Then the body disappears and she investigates who the dead girl is and starts to find out some rather unsettling things about her new home -the town of Cainsville.

This was such a fantastic book, even better than the first which I thought would be hard to beat. Olivia’s relationship to MC club member Ricky steams up the pages, but her friendship with Gabriel intensifies in a different way. Both of these men become important to Olivia, but their relationship with Olivia becomes important to the elderly residents of Cainsville. The relationship triangle of Ricky, Olivia and Gabriel was really interesting and even though Ricky was hot and nice I still found myself wishing for a friends to lovers arc to start up between Olivia and Gabriel. Additionally, we find out some insights into the goings on in Cainsville, which at first seemed to be harmless, but as the investigation becomes more dangerous those elderly folks remind us again that appearances can be deceiving.

The paranormal gets amped up in this book and I was held captive as more and more was revealed.

The Good: I absolutely love the dynamic between Olivia and Gabriel. Their friendship is a hard won thing on it's own, not to mention Gabriel's obvious avoidance of any type of intimacy clearly at odds with his growing attraction to Olivia. The fae aspect of the series comes in loud and clear in this installment. While still mystery at heart, the supernatural overtones are bigger, brighter and proving to be a huge part of the overall story line - a part that wasn't quite clear in the first book, Omens.

The Bad: The sex scenes were sort of weird. Like, how does that even work without dying? And it didn't help that Olivia was having sex with the wrong person, in my opinion at least. The love triangle (that every character involved is trying to deny even exists) is aggravating and seems like overkill in addition to the ex-fiance also chasing after Olivia. What is so special about her? Why are all these men drawn to this woman? It feels eerily similar to Sookie Stackhouse syndrome, especially with the whole faerie angle mixed in.

While I thought the first book of this series, Omens, was a pretty awesome book, Visions surpassed my expectations. In Visions, many of the questions we had in Omens are answered, yet even if I'm really satisfied where that leads the series, I'm going crazy because I really want to know more about these characters and where they come from.

When you undress the book of it's protective sleeve, on the actual hardcover of the Canadian edition, there appears to be a howling wolf. (And then after finishing the book, I realized there was also a shadow of a four legged beast for the cover art.) At first, I thought, 'What is Kelley Armstrong thinking!? Werewolves shouldn't make an appearance in this series! Crossovers are not welcomed! Keep it original!' Okay, so there may not have been that many exclamation points in my head, but I honestly didn't want this series to go that route even if I absolutely adore Kelley Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld series. This Cainsville series is all about mysteries, and uncovering the truth little by little, if you have the guts to ask the right questions. Supernatural elements are definitely there, but they're not as obvious as werewolves. The story is about omens, visions and portents, not shapechanging or ritualistic magic. I was definitely relieved when I realized that the story was in fact not about werewolves, but featured hounds. I'm not going to say more on that subject because I think I'm already saying too much by revealing the presence of hounds. Readers are not going to be disappointed with the direction of this story.

Olivia and Gabriel, the two main characters, are surrounded by mystery, and death follows Olivia whether she likes it or not. Someone is sending her death threats through body parts and suffice to say, she's not happy about it. As she delves into the murder of the owner of these body parts, she unravels new mysteries surrounding her origin and her birth parent's murder charges. Not even a month has gone by when she learnt that she was adopted, and her birth parents were incarcerated for the ritualistic murders of four couples. Gabriel is in the process of appealing two of the murder charges because he and Olivia proved that someone else was the murderer of one of the couples. Appealing is proving difficult because of set backs in the system, like Olivia being unable to visit her birth father because of "lost paperwork" and bureaucracy.

"All roads lead to Cainsville" (p. 331) since the murder they are investigating has unexpected ties to Cainsville. Cainsville is turning out to be even more mysterious and supernatural than I expected. I love how Kelley Armstrong reveals so much by telling us very little. A lot is revealed through omens and visions and we have to deduce the truth, or accept that there might not be an immediate explanation. I could say a lot more about what we learn of Cainsville in this book, but then that would be too spoiler-ish.

I'm pleased that the author decided to add romance to this series. While Olivia and Gabriel definitely have a curious relationship, I can't really see it going toward romance. Ricky, Olivia's love interest, is everything her ex-fiancé James isn't and could never be. James is a future Senator candidate, while Ricky is the future leader of a biker gang. James is all about appearances and fancy parties, while Ricky is more about earning his spot in the gang, and proving himself a worthy member, and possible leader. While not overly descriptive, there are some steamy scenes featuring Olivia and Ricky. And sometimes Ricky's motorcycle. While they don't come from the same background, the two of them just seem to fit, and their relationship effortless. I don't know if it's jealousy or envy, but when Gabriel finds out Olivia and Ricky are seeing each other, he's not too pleased. He says it's because of conflict of interest, since both are his clients, but we get the feeling that there's something else there.

I'm very pleased where this series is going. As far as sequels go, this is the best one I've read in a long time. I'm not disappointed, that's for sure. It did not fall into the sequel death trap. The only thing I regret is waiting so long to actually read it. If you read Omens and was disappointed, do not make the mistake of letting go of this series. This sequel surpasses its predecessor, and if definitely worth checking out.

Well it had to happen sooner or later; I've read a Kelley Armstrong book that I feel is below her usual standards.

_

On one hand it was still an fast paced read with a mystery that kept me guessing 'til the end, but on the other hand I disliked how both the mystery and the ongoing plot arc took a back seat to Liv's love life - I had to skim parts because it both bored and wound me up. I also think this subplot will be a huge part of the next book, so that has also dampened my excitement for the final part of the trilogy too.

I also felt irritated with some characters because of their disagreements that could have been solved in five minutes if the supposedly adult characters had simply sat down and talked, and other characters because they continue to talk in riddles for what seems like the sheer hell of it.

I'll probably still check out the final book in the trilogy at some point to get closure, but I don't regard it as a must read...

Reviewed by Francesca and posted at Under The Covers Book Blog

I have no idea why I had forgotten about this series! I really enjoyed the first book, Omens (see review here), because it had a good mystery element in it even if the paranormal was just a hint. This was bound to delve deeper into that, right?

VISIONS starts off with a bang! From the very beginning I’m drawn right back into the world of Cainsville, with it’s strange occurrences and strong female protagonist. And just that easy everything I liked about book one rushes me. I had no trouble picking up the tidbits of information and tying things to what happened in that book, even though it’s been a while since I read it.

Olivia Taylor-Jones is dealing with the aftermath of her true identity being revealed to the media. An identity she didn’t know about. Turned out she’s the daughter of notorious serial killers and she’s been working with lawyer Gabriel Walsh to try and help exonerate them of at least some of the deaths they were allegedly found guilty of.

In this book, Olivia keeps finding a dead woman dressed to look like her. A woman that everyone in town is looking for. And a death that may follow her parents MO. But just as quickly as she finds her, her body keeps disappearing. She will have to do her best to uncover the real murderer and find the explanation for her visions. Which slowly, as the book progresses, open up and finally explain the paranormal hidden in Cainsville.

We continue to explore the folklore and omens, and that is one aspect I loved that is heavily woven in the story! But Ms. Armstrong expands on that by bringing in some hell hounds and unveiling what sort of creatures lurk in Cainsville and how they’ve been meddling with the town. And maybe, just maybe, how those are tied to Olivia as well. Let’s just say that solving the mystery woman’s death is about more than finding a killer. It will give Olivia a better understanding of her past. But although VISIONS has a larger paranormal element than OMENS did, this is still not the main focus of this book. It reads more like a mystery still, but I do expect that to change after the revelations in this book and the new player in town.

As you can imagine, I’m already invested in a Olivia/Gabriel relationship, but we get a sexy bad boy biker addition to the mix in this book. Normally, I’m not a fan of several love interests, but I know in UF they sometimes are a needed evil. I can at least say for now that Ricky is FREAKING HOT! And Ms. Armstrong doesn’t hold back on bringing the sexual chemistry between Olivia and him. Harley scene, just saying. As much as I want Gabriel, yeah I was totally A-O-kay with the new developments in this book on that front.

My absolute favorite thing is Olivia! She’s just funny, smart and down to earth, and she can kick ass too. Definitely one of my favorite heroines in a while and I think she carries this story forward very well.

VISIONS is a fast-paced edge of your seat read. Once I started, I couldn’t put it down. If you love a good mystery, then this is IT for you. Kelley Armstrong’s writing is flawless, the plots are interwoven effortlessly, and the characters have so many layers that you want to slowly peel away. I loved every word and can’t wait for more! I’m sort of happy I let it go for a while because now I already have book 3 ready to go without having to wait for it to release. But I expect this will now be a series I gobble up right away as soon as I get my hands on it.

I love Visions, it’s the perfect sequel to Omens and even though I read Omens a while ago I easily got back into this world. There are plot lines from the first book which continue onwards, some progress very little, others more. There is also a new murder mystery and plot that get’s resolved in this book. While I had expected this book to focus on another murder by Olivia her parents that they would prove they hadn’t done, that isn’t the case. This one actually focussed on a random character that got murdered and it seems almost irrelevant, but slowly pieces fall on it’s place. This book delves deeper into the paranormal aspect, we learn more, get some answers and even more questions. It is well written, with short chapters or page breaks, which made it almost impossible for me to put this down. Every time I was thinking just a few pages more or just one more chapters and I ended up reading much more. This book led me till reading very late in the night on some days, but I didn’t mind at all.

There is mystery, the search for answers, paranormal aspects. Clues and hints which we don’t fully understand and some we do. Things are revealed and there are hints to even more and other things. Olivia her visions seems to mean something, but I can’t fully figure out what. I love the mystery aspect and the wanting to know more. It’s all so well done, getting enough hints to keep reading, while also keeping so many things mysterious as well. It’s an interesting combination between thriller, mystery, paranormal, romance and urban fantasy.

Kelley Armstrong is one of my favourite authors and every time I pick up one of her books I just get sucked into it. The story is slightly slow paced, but I love the pace and how it fits the story. While there are multiple plot lines going on it’s never confusing, there is enough progressing in all of them and while some plot lines basically stand on pause in this book there are still enough hints and mentions that you understand why. I loved the story in this one and how it focusses more on Cainsville and Olivia. We learn more about Olivia and her past and connection with Cainsville and also about Gabriel. Beside the plot there is also a lot of focus on the characters and the interpersonal relationships.

Olivia is a great main character, sensible and down to earth, while still trying to solve things on her own sometimes She doesn’t take unnecessary risks, but she does land in some risky situations. There is a lot going on with her in this book, she has visions which she struggles to understand, then she finds a dead girl who looks a bit like her and there are things going on romantically. It isn’t really a love triangle, as it’s way too well written for that and there isn’t really a conflict of who to chose. But there are multiple men who are interested in Olivia. I am still routing for Gabriel and Olivia as I love them together. I didn’t like James at all, he seems reasonable, but he shows more of his true self in this book and he is a bit of a creep. Then there is Ricky, I liked Ricky and he can offer Olivia things the other cannot. He is what she needed at this time, but I believe it’s temporary. And I still like Gabriel more, he has a hard live and there are hints he is still damaged. And he’s such a complex character, who carefully hides his emotions, but Olivia still understand him pretty well. We get a few chapters from his point of view and I loved that. There are a few chapters form other point of views that shed light on different things and I loved those little chapters. It is also very cleverly done with how the normal chapters have a chapter number, but the chapters from other people their point of view have a name in a different font. It’s really obvious you are in someone else their point of view.

The romance is slow building, at least the romance between Olivia and Gabriel and yes I still like to believe that’s were they’re going. Tiny steps, so slowly, but so delicious. I love seeing them get a bit close, then a step back and the something else happens and they are closer again. They thread very carefully, but I love what they already have together. They are so close, yet still not close enough. they trust each other, but still don’t fully open up about some things. Gabriel hides his past, Olivia hides her feelings even from herself at times. And there is this scene at the end where Olivia confronts Patrick about something and I loved it and it shows how much she cared. Then the conclusion scene again hints at there being more between Gabriel and Olivia. All those little gestures and signs seem to mean so much.

Beside that romance, there is also something going on with James and Ricky. I liked Ricky. I didn’t like James. Olivia genuinely seems happy with Rick and I know there is something going on with Ricky as well, he is involved on this. And while she does share his bed, she doesn’t share all the details about her seeing omens and the supernatural. And I have a feeling Ricky has his own secrets as well and is connected to it all.

The world building was amazing. I knew something was up with Cainsville and while it’s subtle in the first book, in this book there is more. More paranormal or supernatural or preternatural how you want to call it, it’s hard to label it. More mythology and legends and the past and how it all plays a role. The Wild Hunt and more. Every piece that we learn only has me ask more questions, but I loved learning more and having things make sense and how expertly we get more answers and questions and things fall on it’s place and more pieces are missing. I can’t say anything more for fear of spoiling it, but I can say I love the world building. It’s so well done and so original and woven into everything and mysterious.

To conclude: I love this book, I have the feeling my review is a bit all over the place as it’s hard to adequately describe what this book did to me, the range of emotions I felt and how invested I feel with this story. I love every aspect of this book, from the story to the character, the romance and the world building. I am happy I waited till now to read it, because it makes the wait for the next book shorter and on the other hand I wish I had waited a month or two longer so I could read the next book right after it. The story was very well done, furthering some plots and a plot of a murder mystery that gets resolved in this book. It’s a long book, but it didn’t feel long as I loved every page of the story. I also like the characters, Olivia is a great main character and I keep routing for her and Gabriel. Loving how they grow closer and still not close enough. Gah I love this type of romance. Then there are James and Rocky who both play a bigger role in this book. I did like Rick,y although I like Gabriel more. I don’t like James. We learn so much about the world and Cainsville and I loved every piece of info we got, even though there are even more questions now. I can’t to read the next book! I am sure the wait will be worth it.

I'll admit I put this off a few days cause I was a little anxious about reading it as I love Gabriel and have a strong feeling that he and Olivia are meant to be together and this book as actually increased that feeling although not because of what the elders say and push for but because you can see the positive effect she has on him and even Olivia tends to miss him and I think she's ignoring that she has deeper feelings for him cause she's convinced he's incapable of feeling the same for her but I think he is, as does Rose!

One aspect of the story, regarding Gabriel's parentage I'd suspected before it was revealed but I was really intrigued by his short chapter where he's standing in his apartment thinking about what he risks revealing about himself should Olivia come to his apartment, what stocks he has hidden throughout it as a consequence of his childhood.

I'm really disliking James, part of me is thinking I'm unfair in that feeling because he's being manipulated but after hearing what Gabriel had to say about his dual persona I think it's more a case of showing some of his true colours and that that side of him is being appealed to by Tristan.

I'll be interested to learn more about Tristan and about the two fae sides in the story, some information has been reluctantly revealed but I'd love to learn more about them and what exactly is going on that seems to have both Olivia and Gabriel at it's heart, more so then any of the other Cainsville descendants with Fae blood.

I'll be looking forward to Deceptions to see what happens next and I'm hoping that Olivia will start leaning more towards Gabriel as I don't believe there is a future for her with Ricky. He's a good fling and I like him but I think Olivia needs the challenge that Gabriel gives her. I have a feeling that choosing Ricky for good would be a mistake on Olivia's part as the vision she had strongly suggests. Not to mention the dream Ricky had where he woke knowing he had to tell Olivia something but not wanting to tell her as he'd lose her if he did. I wonder if there's a direct connection between her and Matilda and between Gabriel and Gwynn? Perhaps that will be revealed next book!

It didn't take me long to pick this up after finishing Omens. I was completely hooked, intrigued, and on the edge of my seat not only with the mystery that is Cainsville, but with all the characters as well. This truly is a stand out series that ended up being so much more addictive than I had planned for.

And while so much was finally answered and revealed in this installment, so much more was questioned and brought to light as well and even though I am still on the edge of my seat and can't stop thinking about it all, I freaking love it!

I love books that worm their way into my thoughts and have me still thinking about them, days, weeks, later.

Not only did I love all the omens and the dangerous situations, but the romance was just amazing. And even though I see a very plausible love triangle on the horizon, I don't even care because the writing and the storyline is just that good and the two men, even more so.

I don't even know what else to say about this series without giving anything away other than if you are on the fence about starting it, don't be. Take the plunge and jump right in. It has so much to offer and truly is one that I think will stay with me long after I have finished it.

From the very first chapter I knew I was going to love this story. It had an intriguing, suspenseful mystery along with interesting new character additions and more clues about the supernatural elements that were hinted at in the debut. Surprisingly, it even had a bit of sex and romance. There were also implications that a deeper connection exists between Olivia and Gabriel and I can't wait to see how things develop between them in the third installment.

In Visions Olivia is coming to the realization that she is a pawn in a game where she doesn't know the rules and knows little of who the other players are or what they want from her. She also discovers that the elders of Cainsville are withholding all of the answers she needs and that they aren't going to part with them willingly.

Luckily, Olivia is a clever girl and she slowly begins to unravel Cainsville's mysteries. While there are still many, many questions that remain and we're still only given a vague idea as to what exactly is going on, we certainly know much more than we did at the conclusion of Omens.

Another thing I enjoyed about this story was Gabriel's character development. We're given glimpses into who he really is and what he's all about. Don't get me wrong, there is still an air of mystery surrounding Mr. Tall-Dark-and-Secretive, but it was nice to see him open up just a little.

If you're an Armstrong fan or just a paranormal junkie looking for something different to read, then you'll want to pick up this series.

Second in the Cainsville urban fantasy series set between Chicago and a small town outside it and revolving around Olivia Taylor-Jones, alias Eden Larsen, and Gabriel Walsh.

It’s been three weeks since Olivia fled her home in Omens , 1, and only yesterday that Edgar Chandler was arrested.

My Take
I do love the sound of this town, a perfect Currier and Ives cozy village, where everyone is interested in everyone else. Until you begin to see under that rug, the questions that rise up. I also love the story, even if Armstrong makes me crazy with all the questions I have, the information I want, and she keeps on tugging at my heartstrings, my curiosity…I gotta know!

It's a dance through Visions. Some of the story is told from Liv's perspective using the first person and some is from Gabriel's but using the third person. It's one of changing relationships, growing knowledge, forays of manipulation… Olivia and Gabriel each need to grow, to understand themselves and the people and family around them better. God knows we learn a ton more about Gabriel's childhood, who his father is. The opposition who steps momentarily out of the shadows along with the visions that begin to break down Liv and Gabriel's resistance. Truths rising up.

Olivia is developing a backbone when it comes to family. And as much as Cainsville comes to mean to her at the end, it's also giving her a truer life. Gabriel. Oh, you'll cry for this Gabriel. He only knows survival and at such a cost.

LOL, Rose has dating advice…and it involves banana bread. It is not, however, advice that will help Liv, caught as she is between three men. A man she feels duty-bound to love even as she realizes the truth about her attraction to him, the contrast forcing her to see the other two as too real, too alive to be ignored.

Ya really gotta feel for Gabriel. He's so careful, so held back, so bound around by his own childhood issues that when Olivia comes into his life, he has no idea how to handle it. Even if the elders are all rooting for him. And I can see Olivia's point about Gabriel's promises. Dang it. I want to say she's wrong, to go for it, but Armstrong has made that impossible! And then there's Rose. Lol, she does not pull her punches when it comes to assessing her grand-nephew.

There's Ricky, mmmm-mmm, a man who is too persistent for words. It's impossible to say no for so many reasons, lol. Gorgeous, fair, and honest. He's so honest…! He's also romantic and so amazingly vulnerable that he is sweet.

Then there's James. The man who "can see beyond her background" and can't bear to lose.

It's a messy story with all the balls Armstrong has tossed into the air. Balls that may seem unrelated but that are all pushing at Olivia and Gabriel to change how they see their worlds. Balls that change how we see the characters in the series.
Note to Self: Don't pack weapons in a purse or backpack unless they're spares.

The Story
There are omens and portents everywhere Olivia looks, a "gift" her birth mother refuses to explain. Only there’s one "portent" that Olivia doesn’t need explained when James confronts Gabriel about their deal. And Olivia is furious at learning the truth about why Gabriel hired her.

But there’s still the appeal for her birth mother. There’s still the omens and now the visions arising…

The Characters
Olivia Taylor-Jones, a.k.a., Eden Larsen, is the adopted daughter of Lena Taylor and the now-deceased Arthur Jones and heiress to a department store fortune. Lena is not a demonstrative mother; it was her adopted father with whom Olivia had such a warm and loving relationship. Howard is her adopted mother's lawyer. Pamela Larsen is her birth mother and imprisoned for life for multiple murders. Her birth father, Todd, is in another prison. TC is the cat she doesn't want. The same one that goes missing and Olivia goes nuts.

Gabriel Walsh looks like a thug in an expensive suit. In reality, he's a wealthy defense lawyer who knows what his clients face. He's hired Olivia as an investigative assistant to aid him in preparing her mother's appeal. His mother was Seanna Walsh, a drug addicted prostitute who cared more about her fix than her son whom she abandoned at 15. His Great-aunt Rose is a psychic in Cainsville who wished she could have done more for him as a child. Lydia is Gabriel's secretary.

Ricky Gallagher is Don's son pursuing an MBA. Don Gallagher heads Satan's Saints, a motorcycle gang, and he's one of Gabriel's clients. Wallace is Don's sergeant-at-arms. Chad "Sully" Sullivan is an errant member of the gang.

James Morgan is Olivia's ex-fiancé. He's the CEO of a rising tech firm, the son of a former Illinois senator, and on the city's most eligible bachelor lists. Karen is James' administrative assistant. She used to like Olivia. James is getting an ultimatum from Neil, his father's former campaign manager. Maura is his escalating mother.

Detective Fuentes insists on interviewing Olivia about Ciara. Kendrick Walker works at a funeral home.

Cainsville is a sweet, sleepy village with some deep secrets. Susie is a fellow waitress at the diner, which is owned by Larry, an ex-con and a dream boss. Grace is Olivia's landlady. The elders of the village include Ida and Walter Clark, Veronica and Roger who volunteer at the police station, and Minnie. Patrick is the diner's resident novelist and one of the few who dares to talk back to the elders. Chief Eddie Burton is married with two teens. Doc Webster is the town doctor.

The drug-addicted Ciara Conway is one of their own. And the woman Olivia saw in her car. Macy Shaw is the trapped woman at the State Hospital, and she's a gamechanger. Her brother, Tommy, has had numerous run-ins with the law.

The Carew house is owned by Cainsville and has been abandoned since its last owner died. Daere Carew Bowen is Pamela's mother and Liv's maternal grandmother, a.k.a., Grandma Jean, who married John Bowen. They moved to Chicago where John was a factory foreman.

Edgar Chandler was arrested for two of the murders for which her parents had been sentenced: Jan Gunderson and Peter Evans. Seems that Will Evans, Peter's father, was the one who killed his son and his girlfriend. Michael Anderson was Chandler's bodyguard, the one who's now missing half his foot.

The Black Shuck, a.k.a., the black dog, a Cŵn, means danger to everyone in Cainsville. It's a Cŵn Annwn who confronts Olivia at the fund raiser, gives her the boar's tusk amulet, tells her she has no reason to fear the black hounds. The nice one who wants Olivia to come over to their side. The Wild Hunt, a.k.a., Gabriel's Hounds. I get the impression that Arawn is a leader or something of the Cŵn Annwn when Minnie wonders if Ricky is this Arawn.

Tristan Crouch is with The Belarus Group and very persuasive.

Tylweth Teg are Fae; do not say fairies! Matilda is Mallt-y-nos, the Night Hag, and seduced into one last ride. A choice that will doom her. And lose her Gwynn of the Tylweth Teg to Arawn's delight.

The Cover
The cover is the dark grey of the rounded roof of an old Queen Anne porch for a house going to wrack and ruin, ravens flitting about in the green-toned stormy sky.

But are the Visions in this title truly dreams, hallucinations, or reality?

REVIEWED BY EMILY (originally posted on Kindles & Wine Book Blog)

I have to first talk up the fact that I got an actual hardcover book to review this time around, and it did change up my normal book-reading experience. I forgot what it was like to have to use BOTH hands to read (sometimes), how delicious an actual book smells, and that I'd need a bedside lamp to read at night (no backlighting, duh!). I got pretty into reading this book and found myself laying on my bedroom floor, reading VISIONS from the small crack of light coming out the closet door. Bad back in the morning, but totally worth it. I loved it!

VISIONS picks up where Omens: A Cainsville Novel, the first book in the Cainsville series, leaves off. I had not read OMENS, but I was able to quickly pick up the necessary parts of the story line. I don't think you have to read them in order, but I did buy OMENS right after finishing VISIONS and read that in another late-night reading marathon (but on my Kindle, so I could at least be in my bed :) ).

I don't want to repeat too much of the book's official summary, but I do want to call out that it didn't really ring true to how this book actually read for me. The blurb sounds suspenseful and dramatic, and it is all that, but it is also thoughtful and subtle and provoking. It is not all action and gore. There are romantic parts too. More than one relationship develops between Olivia and the men in her life, some more overt and sexy, others more strained and confusing, though all were full of chemistry and bode well for future books in this series. I found myself rooting for one guy and then chastising myself because I really wanted another one in the picture all along. GAH! Love it!!

In addition to the subtle romance I mentioned, there are totally fantastic paranormal aspects in this book. And the best part? You don't really know what is going on, even after finishing the book! Gah! Deliciously frustrating, but super fun to have the book end well and still make you want more.

There are some things you think you understand - Olivia can see omens and her neighbor Rose can read Tarot cards. That makes sense, right? Or at least it kind of makes sense. But the small town of Cainsville seems to be hiding something more...much more. There are men who don't age, stone gargoyles decorating the town that come and go as they please, and a group of elders who seem to informally run the town and know everything that goes on in it. The town is deliberately secluded from the large neighboring city, and the people who live in Cainsville want to remain aloof and apart from the larger surrounding population. Oh, and then there is much talk about the "wild hunt," which I have read in other Fae-based paranormal books, so I started guessing (hoping) that we would soon see the Fae folks in Cainsville too. Personally, I kept imagining all sorts of different scenarios and possibilities as to what made the town tick as the book went on, and the wondering itself was AWESOME! I loved having unanswered questions, especially because I trust that there will be an amazing conclusion. But hopefully that is many, many books down the road. I mean, Thirteen: A Novel (An Otherworld Novel Book 13) was the thirteenth book in Armstrong's last series. This girl is rooting for at least as many in the Cainsville one!

BOTTOM LINE
I loved VISIONS! Loved the writing, loved the characters, and loved the story! Within 30 minutes of completing it, I had "one-clicked" OMENS (Book 1) and devoured it in a 24-hour period. I'm looking forward to many more books in Kelley Armstrong's Cainsville series.

RATING: A

Note: I received a review copy of this title courtesy of the publisher.

4 stars--VISIONS is the second storyline in Kelley Armstrong’s contemporary adult, paranormal Cainsville mystery/suspense series. Told from alternating first person (Olivia) POV and close third person, VISIONS is the continuing story of Olivia Taylor-Jones aka Eden Larsen-a twenty four year old woman whose biological parents-Todd and Pamela Larsen- were accused of multiple murders and they sit in prison awaiting the truth. Discovering she was adopted and not knowing the truth behind her early years, Olivia finds refuge in the small town of Cainsville where mysterious omens, visions and portents of doom focus their power and intensity at Olivia Taylor-Jones. The people of Cainsville are just as perplexing with their secrets, double speak and touch of magic-everyone in Cainsville is connected and everything happens for a reason.

In the first instalment OMENS, Olivia sets out to prove her biological parents are innocent of the charges but VISIONS takes an abrupt turn and the spotlight no longer focuses on proving the Larsen’s innocence but on Olivia’s visions and their connection to the town and people of Cainsville. Using specific animals, speech patterns and language referencing the mythological HUNT, Kelley weaves a tale from long ago and adds contemporary settings and suspense filled action.

Kelley Armstrong pulls from Celtic lore, the myths and tales of fabled legends and supernatural magic. In Cainsville, the town is not that far removed from the old ways, and our heroine will learn she has a deeper connection to Cainsville than just a place to escape.

The secondary characters all play a role in Olivia’s life. From the café regulars we learn a little more about the people of Cainsville-their history and their connections to one another. When one of their own goes missing, the population of Cainsville appears to be more concerned with Olivia’s research and reaction than with the whereabouts of a young woman whose history is questionable and not without some interesting facts.

There is the potential for a love triangle developing as Kelley brings back biker dude/business student Ricky who captures Olivia’s heart but there is also the underlying sexual tension between Olivia and Gabriel-her mother’s former lawyer and the person in whom Olivia will come to depend upon for direction and comfort. Gabriel’s character development was colorful, revealing and not without some heartbreaking realizations. Olivia’s relationship with Ricky brings to question, his connection to Cainsville when the elders push Olivia towards someone else. Because Kelley Armstrong is not known for her sexual or romantic storylines, the sexual imagery is light; mostly implied but the tension is high.

Kelley Armstrong forte is the paranormal storyline. With colorful and interesting characters, she cleverly weaves an intense and wondrous series where the past meets the present; where fables become real; where Celtic magic is at the heart of a town where everyone knows your name.

Visions is an excellent follow-up to Omens. The world that Armstrong created keeps expanding, and I love that the novel is set in Chicago. Olivia continues to evolve, as do the secondary characters, and the plot is complex. I really enjoyed this book, for the most part. I did not enjoy the new romance, though, and that's why I rated this one a B instead of an A. I have extremely high standards for Kelley Armstrong novels because she's my favorite author, so I rate her a bit tougher than most. I know that's not fair, but I can't help it.

Olivia is a fantastic leading lady. She's very different than the leading ladies from Armstrong's Otherworld series, and I really like that. She stands on her own, but she also is very intelligent and very rarely makes rash decisions. She's quite selfless, but not completely so. She's flawed, but at her core, she's good. I really enjoy reading from her perspective. I also like seeing her discover who she really is outside of the upper class society she grew up in. She's really coming into her own, and it's fascinating to watch. The secondary characters are also well-developed, and I absolutely adore Gabriel. He's so scarred, but he's not angsty. He never feels sorry for himself, but he does go to great lengths to protect himself. I really love his relationship with Olivia, and I hope that it grows into what it has the potential to be. Ricky is probably the least complex character. Sure, he has some depth, but I just really don't like him all that much. There's something there that I really don't trust. He seems too good to be true, almost, and that's never right. I also don't like his romantic relationship with Olivia. It's completely lust-driven, and while that is clearly what Olivia needs right now (or so she keeps claiming), it just doesn't seem "right." I don't think it's supposed to, though. It's the most underdeveloped relationship I've ever read from Armstrong, so I'm pretty sure she's up to something with it. I'm looking forward to seeing what, exactly, that is. The elders are intriguing, as is Patrick. I'd like to learn more about them in the following installments.

The world-building for this novel is unique and top-notch. I feel that I understand things as well as Olivia does at this point. Also, the setting is described well. Armstrong has either spent a lot of time in Chicago or done her research (or both) because she has everything from the terminology (State's Attorney instead of District Attorney, for example) to the feel of the city down perfectly. The plot keeps thickening and getting more and more complex, and I love it. The pacing is perfect, nothing is too fast or too slow, and the ending isn't a cliffhanger. The murder mystery for this book was wrapped up nicely, but there are still tons of things to find out about the world and Olivia and the other characters. I can't wait for the sequel.

Overall. I'd recommend this book and series to anyone who is looking for something new and different in the paranormal department. From the characters to the world, everything is fresh. You won't be disappointed with this series.

One of my favourite things to read is Supernatural novels, but once you read a lot of them you find it hard to find just one that will keep you intrigued and wanting to read more. Out of those authors, a favourite of mine is Kelley Armstrong and she does not fail with Visions. At the end of Book #1 we discovered that Olivia Taylor is in fact Eden Larsen and that her parents were in prison serving life sentences for eight murders. Olivia with the help of Gabriel discovered that two of those murders weren't committed by her parents and in Book #2 she and Gabriel continue to help set her parents free. Olivia has managed to visit her mum, but she is finding it difficult to see her dad - why can she not get an audience with Todd Larsen ? Is someone blocking her every move ? Olivia has always been able to read Omens ever since she was a little girl and it seems that her family on her mother's side dabbled in this when they lived in Cainsville . Olivia keeps seeing Omens and Visions of Death around, is someone trying to scare her with images of Death or is there actually someone out there killing women who look like Olivia and will they get the ultimate prize of Olivia ?
Another awesome novel and now with the cliffhanger involving her Dad - Todd Larsen , I am now hanging on to read Book #3 in this series when released.
If you love Supernatural novels and signs of Occult etc , then check out Visions by Kelley Armstrong.

Wowsers Smowsers!! Again, I am so impressed with Armstrong. So far, I have not picked up a book by her that disappointed me.

We're back in Cainesville with Olivia, Gabriel, Rose, Patrick, the elders and another dead body. Yes, there's a body within the confines of Cainesville. Something that apparently doesn't normally happen. More players get involved and more of the mystery of Cainesville and Olivia's past are unraveled. But not enough (at least not for me). Also, while the events may in some way be connected to Olivia's parents' case, the connection is not made in this book.

Olivia begins to figure out what's going on in Cainesville. But there are still so many questions. There are two sides that are vying for Olivia and her abilities. But, they're both cloaked in shadows and lies, so it's unclear if either side is good. Right now it's not even clear if OIivia will choose a side. But there is more-so much more- to Cainesville, to her parents' case, to Olivia, to Gabriel and Ricky.

I liked the insight that's given about Gabriel. In Omens I was unsure of his motives. Now, while he may do things that are extremely questionable when it comes to Olivia, is intentions are honorable. I am definitely looking forward to the next book and can't wait for it to come out.

I have been anxiously awaiting this 2nd book in the Cainsville series. I was not disappointed. This book delves deeper into the characters and their backstories and much less on working on the murder convictions of Olivia's birth parents. I was totally on board with that, despite other reviewers' dismay that nothing really happens in this installment. I thought a lot happened!! We find out much more about Cainsville; have some answers about familial relationships; discover more about the opposing "teams" in Olivia's world; and are given nibbles of what may be in store for Olivia and Gabriel. Speaking of which...

I was pleased to see a deeper and more concrete relationship building between Gabriel and Olivia. Armstrong has done a fabulous job with Gabriel's character and gives you *just* enough of him to stay on the hook. I root for him, I shake my head at him in frustration, and then I want to give him a big bear hug. Well done, Ms. Armstrong!

I thought about this book and its characters long after I finished the book. I was mad at myself for reading so fast (and so late into the wee hours of the morning). Now I have to wait perhaps another year (booooooo!!!) for the next installment. Yet wait I will, because I am a big fan of this series and of Armstrong!

Visions is the second book in the Cainsville trilogy and it is amazing. Carrying on from Omens, you are brought further down the rabbit hole of intrigue and murder, where nothing is as it seams and danger paces with you at every step. Visions is beyond brilliant.
Olivia is having a very bad day. Finding out that Gabriel has betrayed her trust is bad enough but then finding a corpse in her car, that is dressed like her, just makes things so much worse. Especially as the only person she can phone is Gabriel!
As they work on solving this latest event they begin to realise that all roads lead back to Cainsville. A place that is welcoming and friendly. A place where everyone knows everyone. A place filled with secrets. A place that holds the answers to so many questions, but won't reveal those answers. Soon it becomes obvious that digging too deep has very dark and dangerous consequences.

In Short: Olivia is still recovering from resolving 2 murders. Clearing her parents' names, though, only partly. There is still a slew more. Then a local Cainsville girl disappears. Olivia stumbles upon her body, more than once, as it was dressed up and placed specifically for her to run into. Gabriel is stifling her new fling with Ricky to keep her safe. Olivia needs to find out what's going on as she tries to hang onto Ricky.

"Visions" is the second title in this series and I enjoyed it just as much as the first. Maybe even a little more so. Olivia is making headway, navigating her abilities and the towns people. She is more confident and capable. Gabriel's history is starting to surface too. A couple of the chapters are delivered from his point of view. I like that you get some insight and I'm equally happy the whole book isn't written this way. Of course, I am DYING to see where the relationship between this duo leads to.

I am anxiously awaiting the next in this saga. The plot was awesome. It kept me thinking and engaged. I didn't want to put it down, but I didn't want it to be over either!

Listened for Review (Penguin)
Overall Rating: 4.00
Story Rating: 4.25
Character Rating: 3.75

Audio Rating: 4.00 (not part of the overall rating)

Read It File It (short review): Visions by Kelley Armstrong is the 2nd in the Cainsville series and I really dig this world. This series combines my favorite genres: Mystery and Urban Fantasy. Overall, I am still enjoying the mystery more than the characters but they are growing on me as the story moves forward. They mystery in Visions was fantastic: twisty, forked, and something that made me put on my Sherlock hat. I love when mysteries pull me in like that because I feel like I am part of the story. I am really curious about the next book in the series and will be counting down!

Audio Thoughts:

Narrated By Carine Montbertrand, Mozhan Marno / Length: 15 hrs and 2 mins

I thought Carine and Mozhan did a fantastic job with the narration. They had great pacing and their voices worked well together. I will continue this series on audio!

Sorry, this is posted later than intended.

This is book two in The Cainsville Series. It needs to be read in order. The first book is Omens.

To be honest, the first book in the series felt like it could have been a non-supernatural thriller. I'm glad that the second installment, has turned the direction I had hoped. Armstrong pulls her series back to where it should be. A perfect balance of a real world with supernatural inhabitants.
Throughout this story, some secrets are revealed, some truths discovered, and yet, more secrets remain hidden. More players in the Fae game are revealed. And another whopper ending.
Definitely, glad I gave this series a second chance.

As a long time Kelley Armstrong fan, I hate to say this but I didn’t like OMENS. I just couldn’t connect with the characters, it was more psychological thriller than urban fantasy, and readers were left with an exorbitant amount of unanswered questions. I honestly expected the worst when I started reading VISIONS, instead… I absolutely freaking LOVED IT! I instantly clicked with Olivia, Gabriel & Ricky, the plot was more closely tied to the main story arc & the town of Cainsville, and we get answers—not many, but enough to make me feel like we’re making some progress. My do-I-really-want-to-read-this dilemma was transformed overnight into an unrelenting craving for book 3. VISIONS is 500 pages of 5-star epicsauce!

I was immediately sucked in by the quality of Armstrong’s storytelling and writing; between the influx of lore surrounding the Wild Hunt, and the murder mystery—this novel was near impossible to put down. It’s apparent that the victims, town, and mythology are somehow linked, but what it all means is still anyone’s guess. There’s a game afoot, and Ricky, Gabriel & Olivia are the pawns however, it still remains to be seen who the actual players are. I liked how I was never quite sure whether the clues were real or just another one of Taylor-Jones’ omens; it made the puzzle even more intriguing because it was near impossible to tell fact from fiction. I won’t go into the lore seeing how none of it is mentioned in the blurb, but I will go so far as to say that I’m no longer doubting this book’s urban fantasy status.

I found myself loving Gabriel more and more with every new page I read. In OMENS, he was stiff and prickly, and although he is still both of those things, he’s also cocky, brave and intelligent. His actions say one thing, but his body language says another, and I really liked how Armstrong was able to capture the minute changes in his posture and facial expression. I don’t believe that I have ever met a character quite like Gabriel which makes him a real joy to read about because he’s just so unpredictable. Olivia grew on me quite a bit in this installment as well; she still makes a couple of stupid mistakes—like following her cat into a creepy, abandoned house—but otherwise seemed to have wised-up.

There was even a bit of romance in this novel which surprised me while also being a welcomed addition. It’s a love triangle, but not. There’s definitely something going on between Liv and Gabriel; I’m just not exactly sure what it is yet. It’s still early in the series, so it’s hard to say for sure what the author has planned. The off-scene sex helped bring some much needed heat to an otherwise dark narrative, and Armstrong’s foreplay is better than most writers’ on page romp sessions anyway. I really liked Olivia and Ricky’s relationship; he’s exactly what she needs at this point in her life, plus he’s damned fine. There’s a Harley scene that’ll have you calling up your friends with bikes just to give it a try. I suspect that this thing with Gallagher is only a fling, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t enjoy the ride while it lasts!

Double-entendres, twists, lore, secrets, and hunktastic men—VISIONS was everything I wanted book 1 to be, and more!

Why you should read it: This is the second book in the Omens series and is just as fast-paced and mysterious as the first. Olivia is dealing with the fallout of finding out she's adopted (her bio parents are serial killers), and of course the death omens she sees. I like her as a heroine, she's different, a little darker, strong and so adaptable. And Gabriel? Steamy! I don't know if I trust him fully, but I want to kiss him. Meanwhile, Olivia has to contend with Ricky (also yum, but not as much as Gabriel) and her ex. Now back to my book boyfriend: He's almost like a child the way he wants to monopolize all of her time and energy but won't just "throw" her down. It's definitely more of a slow burn, one that I hope combusts in the near future.

Head over to the HEA Blog to see what Kelley has to say about Visions and an epic one liner from her book!

I must admit, I almost didn't read this book after seeing some really negative initially reviews. I ordered the book, put off reading for a few days and reluctantly got started. I couldn't put the book down!!
If you are expecting a fast paced story, then this is not the book for you. The beauty of this book is in its gradual storytelling, and giving us an understanding of the various characters in the book. The main focus are of course Olivia and Gabriel. Ricky and Olivia get closely acquainted here and we can expect to see more of him in the future novels :-)
I love the way Gabriel's character is unfolding, and really like the way Olivia manages him, without him realising it. This is going to make some fun reading in the novels to come :-)
The mysteries of Cainsville continue to remain a mystery for most part, with some light shed on a few topics. I guess the author wants to keep us guessing and is paving the way for more novels to come. We didn't learn much at all about Olivia parents murders here too. From my comments, you might start wondering what does this book is about and is it really worth it.This book is about a side story to the main storyline and I have to say, definitely worth reading since you get a very good understanding of both Olivia and Gabriel and it's very nice to see them evolve.
My only complaint, the Welsh words are driving me crazy!! The author says that we can look them up to get a heads up on the story but I haven't been able to get anywhere with googling them.They are starting to very annoying and distracting.

I was completely ensnared by the first book in this series, so I was really excited for this installment. It had a slow build, and sure the lack of answers was a bit frustrating, but as I said, I was ensnared, particularly by the characters. I could deal with little to no answers as I loved the characters so much. So, that being said, despite that fierce love of the characters, namely Oliva and Gabriel, I was hoping for a bit more in the answers department this time around. Unfortunately that just didn't seem to pan out the way I would have hoped as while there were answers they only led to more questions and everything was presented in a vague and foreshadowing sense. Even when Oliva figured things out, she would still hide those thoughts from the reader, only adding to my frustration. I realize this could just be a stylistic issue as this is a bit outside of my genre preference, but it still made for a slower read for me. Typically I devour Kelley's books in one single setting, but with VISIONS, I found myself continually distracted by other things. Don't get me wrong, it's a very good book, and the characters and everything is written very well, I'm just not one for being left in the dark so much.

Despite my frustrations with all of the unanswered questions, I found it very easy to slip right into the characters lives. Oliva is so strong and yet more than a little stubborn, which I love her for. It's very clear she's through with letting others control her and all I can say is good for her. Gabriel on the other hand, boy is he a tough nut! He's so damaged and closed off, but in this installment we started to see that shell cracked. I'm still holding out hope for a romantic interest there, but I have a feeling that's still going to take some time as Oliva has to handle him with "kid gloves" in order to accomplish anything personal at all. And of course there's the matter of her current love interest standing in the way, but I have a feeling he's just a companion for now. Nothing against him as he seems to be exactly what she needs right now, but I don't see him lasting with her long term, but again that's just me.

I really hate rating and reviewing VISIONS as only a 3 star after my resounding enjoyment of the first installment, but it had a hard time keeping me hooked. Again this may be a stylistic preference, but readers who prefer more answers rather than portents and hints leaving them largely in the dark may find the same frustrations that I did. I will still be continuing on with this series as I want to see where the characters end of next, but it's probably not going to top my most anticipated list.

The Cainsville series continues. We learn so much more about the lawyer. We finally understand his feelings and the motives behind what he does and why. Excellent character development. We also receive a totally different view of the village. Olivia’s knowledge about herself and her sightings are growing. She is becoming and forming into a different being. There is a lot of angst involved. She is being protected, however, and some may not like the decisions she will make. There in lies the crux of her safety.
I like where this is going so far. I am left hanging though. . . looking forward to the next book with anticipation. Hopefully she is a fast writer.

There are so many creepy things in this series, like headless bodies showing up all over, but for some reason Kelley writes it in such a way that I don't feel grossed out and put the book down. She is quite talented that way. I want to know the answers to the mystery so much I am willing to read about all the scary stuff and not be scared away. I was kind of say when Olivia hooked up with ?(not telling), when I really think she belongs with the other guy. Even though this one is really hunky and gorgeous and stuff, I just have a feeling. So now I will have to wait until the next book to find out who she ends up with and how this mystery will end up.

I typically love any book by Kelley Armstrong, ever since I purchased Bitten in London shortly after it was first released, but this book was not up to her normally great writing standards. I felt it spent way too much time (maybe 25-30% of the book) reviewing the story, the characters' motivations, and the events from the first Cainesville novel and not enough time developing the story. I really didn't feel that the storyline was moving much until almost halfway throught the book. Also, I am a little confused by the ending -- is this the end of a 2-book series? Or is it continuing? The ending left little hanging regarding Cainesville (however, it could be picked up again in a subsequent book) although there were a number dangling plot lines with regard to the two main characters.

Dammit! I don't want to like Gabriel!! Team Ricky! And I swear I'm not biased because my husband's name is Rick and has a motorcycle... ;) No biker gang though. It was interesting to learn more of Olivia's past but I would've really liked to have seen more of Olivia's parents and the road to proving them innocent or not. I like the easy supernaturalness of this series. It's not blatant vampires or werewolves but more visions, omens, and Welsh-inspired creatures. The changeling thing threw me for a loop. Olivia needs to crack Cainsville open wide!

In Visions, I wouldn’t blame Liv if she started thinking she was going a bit batshit kookoo. Because not only is she seeing omens but she’s seeing the dead body (and body bits) of a young girl dressed to look like her. Luckily she really isn’t going crazy and the mystery of this dead girl is the one that Liv is out to solve in this plotline. It’s a bit of a deviation of where I thought this next book was going to go. I had assumed since the first book, Omens, centered around Liv researching the murders that her birth parents were convicted of, that subsequent books would continue on with her investigating more of those murdered couples. I’m sure that will be the case in forthcoming books but in Visions a local girl to Cainsville has disappeared and also happens to be the girl Liv keeps seeing dead. So her and Gabriel team up once again to solve a murder – in a very round about way.
The push-me, pull-you (5 points if you recognize the movie reference)

Liv and Gabriel have quite the interesting friendship. I shy away from using the word relationship because then folks might immediately think romance between them, when that isn’t the case (at least not yet or anytime soon I’m thinking). Especially considering Liv gets very hot and heavy with another character in this novel that isn’t Gabriel. Anyways back to them – what they have is most definitely a newly budding friendship and Gabriel is not used to having any kind of friendship or relationship with anyone because he’s a very closed off individual due to his upbringing and traumatizing experiences in his childhood and teen years. I’m happy to say we learn much more about Gabriel in this novel and why he is the way he is. So Gabriel has a tendency to run cold and then sometimes lukewarm, very rarely ever hot. He has a vice grip on his emotions and behavior like you wouldn’t believe. Unfortunately, because he likes to keep everyone at a distance he partly does this by treating everyone like a mark he can use to his advatange. Previously in Omens he did that once with Liv and promised to never do it again. So you can imagine what happens when it comes out that he’s done it in Visions.
Spicing things up one more notch

As I mentioned already Liv gets a bit hot and heavy with someone in this book and I don’t just mean once, I mean that you meet a new guy and all the two of you do during that buddy relationship period is bow chicka wow wow. Even I was surprised by the number, frequency and detail to which we see these encounters. So be prepared for some bumping and grinding, fair warning.
The Round a bout

So I mentioned that Liv investigates a murder but that it’s done in a rather round about way. While I do think that is the central part of the storyline in Visions, I didn’t feel like there was a very strong focal point this time around. It was more like “days in the life of Liv Taylor-Jones, and the murder mystery solving just sort of happens along the way, in conjunction with more mysteries revealed about the townm, its elders, Gabriel, a certain biker gang, etc cetera. It winds up being that the story flits from subject to subject like daily life. This style didn’t bother me at all but I could see how a lack of a tight central focus might not appeal to some readers. Overall I think Visions was a great addition to the Cainsville series and I eagerly look forward to more.

With book 2 I couldn't wait to dive back into the story of Gabriel and Olivia. However I was actually a bit disappointed in aspects of this book, not the overall story just certain things that I felt took away from the overall story plot.

The paranormal parts pick up as Olivia starts to see visions and "hallucinations" along with omens, then backstories, and old tales come to life, and mysteries about Cainsville itself revealed. The mystery really picks up with the disappearance of a girl from Cainsville and the body appears in the most creepy way that had me falling asleep with the light on. The again the body would disappear again. Dark and creepy things happen and appear that had my skin crawling with goosebumps. The relationship between Gabriel and Olivia had such ups and downs that had me gripping the book wondering what would happen.

The reader gets to know Gabriel more as his past unfolds and his current actions understood. We get to see questions answered and twists and turns in the story happen in regards to Gabriel and his life. It was awesome and unexpected.

Olivia was still a great character to follow along with. I hated reading about the intense sexual relations between her and another character you meet. It was gross and annoying. I don't want to see
my neighbors have sex so I don't want to read about my characters having sex. GAH! THAT is what I felt took away from the story. The sex that happened often and in, sometimes, the WEIRDEST places and circumstances. I am grateful it wasn't too graphic but it was enough that I was like, "eww!"

Overall the mystery and paranomalcy of the book was great, the twists and turns that Armstrong took in the book was awesome. The disappointment for me was the sexual relations between Olivia and her boyfriend, it was often enough that I felt it took away from the subtle romance that I so enjoyed in Armstongs books.

Sexual Content: heavy
Language: heavy (more F words)
Drugs/Alcohol: mild (social drinking)
Violence: moderate (descriptions of decaying bodies, heads rolling around, bodies found-not too graphic)

I loved the Otherworld series that's why I gave this a try. After reading the first one in the series it left me wanting to know the answers to the questions. This one answered a lot of those questions about who or what the characters might be. As those questions were some what answered the still central mystery of if or if not her parents were the killers voluntarily or not is still unanswered. Giving you answers while adding to the mystery and making me want more.

Visions is a thrilling, fast-paced read filled with characters I love! Little by little, Armstrong works in details of this world, letting us discover it along with Olivia. It reads like a mystery, horror and romance all in one, making for a can't-put-it-down read. As if that weren't enough, the sexual tension between Olivia and Gabriel is so hot. I love his character, his dark, tortured self that we get a deeper insight into in this book. I feel like where I've always loved him, I have a better understanding of what makes him tick from this book. Can't wait for the next one!

Liv finds a body in her car, dressed to look like her. This time, it’s not a vision.

This book delves more into the mystery of Cainsville and what’s actually going on there, and how Liv ended up with the Taylor-Joneses. A solid continuation of the series, and only just begins answering some fundamental questions about what’s really going on with Gabriel and Olivia, and with the mysterious Cainsville. Entertaining and engaging.

Visions is the second book in the Cainsville story by Kelley Armstrong and starts immediately where Omens ended. Visions is a stand alone story but the reader would be so disappointed that they hadn't read Omens first because it is that good! I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series.

This is definately geared more toward young adults. While the plot is good and interesting, the immaturity and shallowness of the heroine is getting boring. The fact that there is nothing more than sex between her and her boyfriend adds nothing to the storyline and is just a sad point of fact with the casual attitude that age group has towards this issue. There is no real depth to either character. I keep reading in hopes that she dumps the boyfriend and chooses instead her lawyer who has become her best friend. If you like folklore regarding the Fae (fairies) you should enjoy this series. This is the third and I still find the plot engaging.

Cainsville may be my new favorite Armstrong series.

I originally thought that this was only going to be a trilogy, so I was a little concerned that the third book would end up being rushed. Turns out I was wrong, which is great because I feel like the pacing was great in this book. Components of the mystery were a little weird, and honestly didn't captivate me as quickly as I might have liked. This is made up for, I think, by the great fleshing out of characters as well as Cainsville itself.

Absolutely amazing. I am loving Kelley Armstrong's new series. In addition to the mystery that keeps me on the edge of my seat, I keep looking up the Gaelic online hoping for more insights on the politics of Cainsville and coming up with SQUAT! Damn you, Kelley and your ironic world-building! I'll just have to wait ANOTHER year for my questions to be answered. Anyone who loved Karen Marie Moning's Fever series will know what I mean. (AAAAAaaaaaggggghhhhh, Barrons! Barrons! What aaaaaaare youuuuu????)

***SPOILER ALERT***
--Not that I'm complaining, but she really loves taciturn/loner (and somewhere on the [anti-social <--> sociopathic] spectrum) men who love their lady-loves so much they talk themselves into why lady-love is soooo much better than them that they aren't even a teeensy bit jealous when they start dating/sleeping with other men, but they really love her so much they're TOTALLY ok with being "just friends" as long as they get to see her happy. And occasionally bury a body together. (Gabriel, Clay, Jack; even Derek had a little, too, but it was a YA series and even Gabriel (the more anti-social one) would be pretty intense for a teenage boyfriend.

Read through the second of the Olivia Taylor-Jones series like a Daemon. Or maybe a Hobgoblin. Or maybe a Hunter. Anyway, not important. It was engrossing and enthralling and added a multitude of facets to the story started with Omens. I'm seeing a satisfying pattern emerge such as was seen in the Nadia Stafford series so I'm really looking forward to the third book. Thanatochemistry. Learning so many interesting new words, too.

One of the best reads I've found in a while. I thoroughly enjoyed the character development in this 2nd book of the series, and find that Ms. Armstrong has grown considerable chops as a writer over the years. I can't wait for the next book, as I'm afraid I so often do with my favorite things books and chocolate, I greedily gobbled this one up in 2 days! And I meant to make it last! LOL!!

Started reading on the morning of a Northeastern blizzard. Finished it that eve. Still snowing. Glad it was a snow day as I wouldn't have gotten anything done if it wasn't. Couldn't put it down. Great read. Looking forward to the next one but I'll have to wait for another day off

Overall this was a good book although I did not enjoy it quite as much as the first. The best way to describe this series is cozy mysteries with a touch of paranormal. These are not fast paced, action packed books, and that is fine; I enjoy the pacing. To be honest, I had to force myself to keep reading through some parts in the middle. The overarching storylines weren’t advanced much in this book. A few of Cainesville’s mysteries were exposed, but so many things were still unanswered. Next to nothing happened with Olivia’s parents. There is lots more to explore there too.

The focal point was the characters and their relationships. Gabriel was the character who had the most revealed about him. He’s fascinating, complex, mysterious, devious, and yet somehow incredibly appealing. I think there is still more than meets the eye with him. Many people are warning Olivia that Gabriel will betray her somehow. Knowing him, he might although it’s unlikely he’d do anything to intentionally hurt her. I think some people are afraid of something happening if the two of them are together, so the warnings are probably based on lies.

Unfortunately this story has delved into the realm of paranormal romance with a love triangle to boot. Ugh! Apparently the driving force behind Olivia’s love interests is paranormal forces, and I hate that. It is very clear who it is that Olivia loves although she is not aware of it. This became a love triangle when Ricky took a bigger role in the story. He is a bit of an enigma. He’s got this weird good guy/bad boy thing going on. He’s the intelligent gentlemanly college student, but he’s also the motorcycle club leader’s son with an active role. He has such an odd blend of characteristics. Yet through it all, he is rather dull without much personality.

******SPOILERS******
Part of me feels bad for Ricky because unintentionally Olivia is using him. Something is off with their relationship. Both of them act as if they have feelings for each other although they barely know each other. I’d prefer their relationship if they treated it for what it is: sex with no strings attached.
******END OF SPOILERS******

Olivia is a strong character in many ways. She is loyal, determined, and stands up for herself. She is presented as being independent, which is true in some ways. Her one downfall is her emotional dependence. Being alone doesn’t appear to be one of her strong points. That’s okay, but it makes her appear wishy washy. Once one man upsets her, she runs to another whether for friendship or sex. Hopefully some of these issues won’t be dragged out for several books.

I am hesitant to compliment this book to much as it has to be read very carefully to follow the story. I gave it 5 Stars because I read it slowly and finally understood the story which was quite good.