Thirteen (Otherworld)

Reading this after having read the preceding books (Bitten, Stolen and Dime Store Magic) means that this time around I have a much stronger feel for the character interactions and how they play off each other (the last time I read this, I hadn't read the first two books). Although it is possible to have read this book after only reading "Dime Store Magic," IMHO it is better to have read all preceding books first.

In "Industrial Magic," children of Cabal employees are being attacked and (in most cases) killed. The few that have survived have not been able to see their attacker, or have seen their attacker only vaguely - they report that it happens so fast they were taken completely by surprise, and these are generally supernatural children. Benicio Cortez, Lucas Cortez's father, contacts Paige (she and Lucas have moved to Portland, OR since the events of the preceding book) while Lucas is in Chicago for a court case to tell her about this and ask that she let Lucas know about this and request his assistance in this matter. Benicio tells her that since it is happening in several Cabals, he is concerns that inter-Cabal politics will cause delays in finding the culprit and he would like to hire Lucas to investigate this, and Paige as well if she would like to help.

Initially reluctant to assist the Cabal, Lucas nonetheless decides it is high time to fill out the "official" paperwork to grant Paige and Savannah Cortez Cabal protection and therefore takes Paige to Miami for this purpose, and to talk about the case with his father. While there, another attack occurs, this one on the son of one of Benicio's body-guards. This is too much for Paige, and she agrees to help with the investigation.

Thus begins a lot of inter-Cabal bickering, problems with getting information and so forth. Lucas and Paige also realize Savannah's danger and send her off to safety with the Pack. They call in assistance in the form of a most unlikely necromancer as well as ending up with the vampire Cassandra (not seen since the first book, if I recall correctly) helping as well.

This book is fairly heart-stopping in several places. Lots of danger and excitement as well as some romance. Paige and Lucas have their wires crossed - each so busy reassuring each other that they want to be together but don't want to infringe on the other's life if that will be a problem that neither of them realizes the depth of their feelings. I wanted to smack each of them repeatedly.

This book - this entire series so far (including the next book, which I am in the process of re-reading) is a definite recommend from me!

Over the last twelve installments the Women of the Otherworld have been telling their tales of danger keeping readers enthralled. But everything prior to this point has been leading to one final showdown that will bring all of the beloved characters characters back together one last time. The stakes have never been higher as the lives of every supernatural are hanging in the balance. Told from Savannah's perspective, the reader will be enthralled as they watch her scramble with her other allies to stop the war from destroying them all. But it won't be easy as the fight isn't only on earth, but heaven and hell have joined the fray. No matter the outcome, in the end nothing will ever be the same.

There are so many elements in Thirteen that I would love to talk about, but in all honesty the entire book is one big spoiler and I completely understand why the publisher opted to put such a strict release date and no early review copies. This is a book that truly deserves to be savored not spoiled, and for that reason, I won't be going into many details or specifics in this review. I apologize in advance if things seem overly vague or I end up sounding like a squealing fan girl as a result. It just wouldn't do this fantastic book any justice to give anything away in advance.

From the very start, Thirteen took off with a bang. It was so jammed pack with action that the even when the characters would score a small victory, both they and myself barely had a chance to breathe before it was off to the next crisis. Seriously, I don't think my heart rate lowered once while reading Thirteen as the stakes were that high. However, even though that action was incredibly exciting, what really kept me enthralled were the emotional aspects of the book. Again, keeping from spoiling things I won't go into specifics, but suffice it to say the emotion took the book from really good to absolutely stellar. I especially loved the added in chapters from the different characters' perspectives periodically throughout the book. Don't get me wrong, Savannah's perspective was great, but it was nice to see into the heads of some of my favorite characters from the rest of the series.

I am always torn by my emotions whenever the final book in a series comes out. On one hand I am very excited for the anticipation and wait to finally be over, so I can dive into the story and see how everything plays out in the end. However, on the other hand, finding out that resolution also means saying goodbye to characters that I have grown to love. In Thirteen's case this inner conflict was even worse due to the long build up over so many books. With each installment, my anticipation of the final showdown and resolution only grew, but so did my love for the characters, making saying goodbye even harder. Even though I knew the blow would be softened somewhat by the short story collections set to be released in the future, I still was still rather nervous as I started this book. However, after finishing it, I am happy to say that Thirteen not only delivered on but exceeded my expectations. Granted the ending wasn't exactly what I was expecting, with nothing tied up in pretty bows, but in not doing so, it served these characters so much better. Their personalities and circumstance wouldn't allow for anything less and I'm very happy Kelley stayed true to them. She really is a fantastic writer, and will always be one of my favorite authors. Thirteen is an absolute must read for fans of the series!

Kelley Armstrong has become one of my not-to-miss authors and the Women of the Otherworld books are several of my favorites out there. Having read Bitten, Stolen and Dime Store Magic, I couldn't wait to read Industrial Magic. Former Coven Witch leader Paige Winterbourne is back to take on an even bigger task than protecting teen witch Savannah and starting her own coven. Being the girlfriend of the heir of the most powerful and influential Cabal in the world isn't easy, especially when the Cabal leader tries to be close to his wayward son. Benicio Cortez approaches Paige and Lucas to discuss a serious matter. There is a supernatural murderer on the loose, prowling on the teenage children of Cabal employees. No matter how much Benicio disapproves of his sorcerer son dating a witch, he has to nonetheless stay on his good side. Reluctant, Paige and Lucas decide to help, and with the assistance of a celebrity necromancer, a seemingly aloof vampire, and fierce werewolves, Paige discovers that the serial killer's intentions are far more sinister than she had originally thought. It'll take more than the most powerful spells to put the killer down. There are a lot of twists throughout the novel.

Paige is even better in this installment than in Dime Store Magic. Though she remains somewhat stubborn, she has grown up quite a bit and deals with the problems around her with more aplomb. I also like Lucas a lot better in this novel. His geeky, somewhat dry personality makes him surprisingly appealing. He is not as intense as Clay, yet he's still endearing. And I do like his wordiness -- makes me laugh all the time. His father, however, doesn't come across as the evil person Lucas had painted. Benicio is powerful, resourceful, controlling, and his Cabal operates not unlike an Italian Mafia, but he is not as bad as I thought he'd be. As for the story, I liked all the action and twists throughout the novel. It is the reason why I've enjoyed this series so much. I hope it remains as consistent as it has been thus far. I also loved that Ms. Armstrong brought back various characters from Stolen. I was glad to see that vampire Cassandra was further developed in this installment. I like her and Aaron a lot and I hope Ms. Armstrong writes a novel centered on those characters at some point in the series. As for the other characters, it goes without saying that I enjoyed the reappearances of Elena, Clay and Jeremy. (It was also nice to read that Elena's story is far from over.) And I laughed with all of the characters' banters and quips. The sharp humor in this series is priceless. I am intrigued with the introduction to the afterlife in the story. I so look forward to reading Haunted. In a nutshell, I loved this book. I couldn't put it down. As said earlier, Kelley Armstrong's work is on my must-read list. She is a talented Canadian author and I've enjoyed the e-serials about Elena and Clay on her website. Anyway, I cannot recommend Industrial Magic enough. However, I strongly urge readers to start from the very beginning of the series. With the exception of Bitten, these books don't make very good stand-alones.

Kelley Armstrong has an effective formula in her series on women of the Otherworld. Rather than dwell on one particular heroine, she gradually builds a range of 'spirited' ladies who have different skills and styles. The result is that and similarity in plot structure is quickly overcome by a wealth of character development. That, coupled with a very original take on the workings of the occult and spirit works guarantees that the books will always hold the readers interest. And that's really what we all want, isn't it?

This is the second in the series to tell the story of Paige Winterbourne, a not so basic American witch with a real talent for irritating her elders in her efforts to bring witchcraft into the 21st Century. In the previous volume Paige is forced out of her coven leadership. And now, with her ward, Savannah makes her way West. Her companion is Lucas Cortez, who is the scion of one of the most powerful sorcerer cabals. Cabal sorcerers and witches are normally the worst of enemies and Lucas is one of the reasons that Paige is trying to start up a new coven.

The real story for this novel is Paige's investigation into a series of ugly murders. All of the victims are the children of Cabal employees. While not very fond of adult sorcerers, Paige has no tolerance for someone whho would murder children for any reason. Paige gathers her friends -- a necromancer, a vampire, a werewolf, and Lucas and starts digging into a series of crimes that touches all the major Cabals, none of which work well together. The machinations of sorcerous crime bosses are even worse than vampire politics. By the time Paige figures out who is doing the killing and who is the real target it's almost too late.

Industrial Magic is something of a riot act. One long chase, full of just about every kind of supernatural creature. Armstrong isn't at her best when she's trying for nail-biting suspense. But the things she is good at - characters, plot, and action, more than make up for this. At besides, this time there are enough vampires

After Paige Winterbourne is ousted as leader of the American Coven of Witches, all she wants to do is hide under her duvet for a few months. Let the supernatural world manage without her, see if she cares… But fate, of course, has other plans. A murderer is on the loose - someone with superhuman skills. When Paige learns that the killer is targeting children, she realises she has to get involved in the covert investigation. And so Paige - desperate to protect those she loves - is thrown into a world of arrogant Cabal leaders, drunken necromancers, sulky druid gods and pretentious leather-clad vampires. Luckily, she has a female werewolf and a certain renegade sorcerer on her side…

I enjoyed this book in the Otherworld series, most particularly because I felt as if Paige really becomes herself in these pages. She is no longer just reacting to situations forced on her by her life. Instead, she is the investigator, standing up for those who have no one to stand up for them. It's always nice to have Armstrong's other well-known characters re-enter the stage so in some ways this book feels like a nice catch up over coffee with old friends, with some grissly attacks on children thrown in. The complex world of the Cabals was interesting to see as well, having already been introduced to the idea in Dime Store Magic. I liked it and would read it again.

Although once again, it's not my favourite of the series.

I have not read all of the books in the Otherworld Series but I've read enough to know everyone mentioned in the finale. I would not read this book unless you have some strong background knowledge of the characters because there are a lot of flashbacks to previous books that a reader would be lost without the prior knowledge.
Thirteen starts off where Spellbound ended. Our heroes are still trying to destroy the liberation movement and battling lord demons who are interfering. Most of the book is told from Savannah's viewpoint. The author sprinkled in one scene from Elena Michaels' POV and Eve, but otherwise Savannah was the star. I think that is where i found a weakness. The previous two books of the series starred Savannah and I guess I was just tired of her.
I'm not sure how to explain this but there is genuine fire between Elena and Clay. You feel the love/hate relationship. I found some of the other romances in the books entertaining, although Jamie and Jeremy are boring to me. Pairing up Savannah and Adam made sense but the couple lacked much spark or time in the end of the world story to help the reader develop an attachment.
I've always found Kelley Armstrong books to be simple stories with interesting twists and great characters. For whatever reason, this is one of the weaker books in the series. Maybe it's because it's the end and she wanted to have all the loose ends tied up. I found the story to be predictable with too many people in danger for me to care about. She tried to introduce some conspiracy storyline that I felt fell flat. There was lots of action but it's like one of those books where you go from chase to chase to chase. It runs out of steam and lacks those contemplative, feeling moments.

Actually, I have been a long-time fan of this series, and having enjoyed all the books in the series, some more than others, I decided it was high time I put down my thoughts of each book.

In "Industrial Magic", Paige Winterbourne returns, finding herself a pariah of sorts after having been abandoned by her coven. Her attempts to set up a new coven are not going well, due primarily to her romantic affiliation with Lucas Cortez, a sorcerer, and also being the guardian of fledgling teen witch Savannah.

Lucas is the illegitimate beloved son of the leader of the powerful Cortez cabal, and when his dad enlists Lucas' and Paige's help to solve the mysterious disappearances and deaths of children of powerful Cabals, the pair find themselves enmeshed in a complex and dangerous world inhabited by all sorts of supernatural beings. Some familiar characters from earlier novels in the series make their appearance here, but there are also new characters to keep the story fresh and intriguing. The Women of the Otherworld series of books is one of my favorite supernatural series [alongside the Sookie Stackhouse mysteries and The St Germain series] and Ms Armstrong's tautly-plotted stories and well-developed characterizations keep readers engaged and coming back for more. Highly recommended for fans of the genre.

I'm always thrilled when I find a new writer who a) I think is amazing; b) who is writing a series, which I love; c) there are several books to the series before I find them; and d) whose writing gets better with each book. That describes Kelley Armstrong perfectly.

The Women of the Otherworld series is slightly different in that the narrator of each book changes. Some narrators have more than one book, but there are several. Armstrong does a good job of introducing the narrator at least a book in advance and then also characters from the other books show up. For example, Elena is the narrator in the first two books, Paige shows up in book 2, Paige is the narrator of books 3 and 4 but Elena is in both of those, though not as the focus of the story.

Industrial Magic is the second book narrated by Paige Winterborne, a witch. In this book, she and her boyfriend, sorcerer Lucas, are asked by Lucas' father (a powerful Sorcerer leader) to investigate why supernatural teens are being killed. That's all I can really tell you without spoiling the story for you.

What I CAN tell you is that the story is suspenseful yet is character-driven, there a couple of new characters that you'll enjoy and one thing that is highly implausible - but then isn't the entire concept?

Overall, I'd say this is the best of The Women of the Otherworld and I can't wait to read the next!

"Industrial magic" is the fourth book in Kelley Armstrong's "Women of the Otherworld" series, and you are highly likely to enjoy it a lot, especially if you read the others before. "Bitten", "Stolen" and "Dime store magic"

I really enjoyed this book. I wasn't sure I would, as Paige was not my favorite character, but she really grew on me in "Dime Store Magic", and continued to grow on me in this one, and i love how the werewolves get involved in this book as well.
It was fast paced and action packed. A great addition to the "Women of the Otherworld" series. If you like the paranormal, and action, with some romance, then this series is for you, including this book.
I enjoyed the relationship with Paige and Lucas, its very touching, and believable. He is very sweet and considerate, a perfect match for Paige.
See my profile page for link to my blog, and I also take req for reviews of books I like as well.

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi

industrial-magic-women-of-the-otherworld-kelley-armstrongPaige Winterbourne has been kicked out of her coven, and is now in the process of trying to start one of her own. But recruitment proves difficult when she is caring for the daughter of a black magic user and is in a relationship with the son of a Cabal CEO. But all of that gets put on the back burner, when Lucas takes Paige to be formerly introduced to his family, and they stumble upon something they can’t turn their backs on!

Children from Cabal families are being murdered, putting a target on all Cabal kids’ backs. None are safe, and being the favored son of the head of the Cortez Cabal, Lucas might be the perfect target for a deranged killer. Now Lucas and Paige enlist the help of their friends to find a murderer, before another family has to mourn the death of a child. It will take all the resources they have and cause them to lean on people they never would have expected to turn to for help to solve this case. But they are committed and will stop at nothing to end this once and for all.

I went into this book with low expectations. I didn’t care for the previous Paige book, Dime Store Magic, and I was hoping that this one would be better, but not really expecting it to be. I’m sad to say that I wasn’t surprised with this book. I wanted to like it, but just didn’t. Ultimately I’m just biding my time to get back to the werewolves!

I think one of my biggest problems with Paige is her romance. I like Lucas, but the two of them together are uninspired and just plain boring. She is always playing the damsel in distress and he’s always trying to nurse her. She got injured and the rest of the book he’s telling her to sleep, eat, and take her pain pills and is constantly asking if she’s okay. There is just no chemistry, no spark that leaps off the page.

I found most of the happenings of this book to be pretty dull; with parts of it being convoluted and confusing, like when she followed Lucas through the portal. I found myself scratching my head asking what just happened and going back to reread it only to be just as confused as the first time I read it. That could partly be due to my complete boredom with this book, and my mind not being as sharp as a result, but I don’t think so.

The next book in the series, Haunted, is about Eve, and I’m hoping it will be better than the Paige books, but I really don’t know what to expect and I’m just not that hopeful.

This review and more at openbooksociety dot com

If you look for it, you'll find that of Kelley Armstrong's books in the Women of the Otherworld series are divided up into species. I don't mean this by who is narrating them-that's pretty obvious, the first two are Elena, the female werewolf, the second two are Paige, a witch, the fifth is Eve a ghost witch half demon, and the sixth is Elena again. No, what I mean is that each book is dedicated into bringing a species more to the reader's attention, and giving them more information about them. So by this rule the books go, werewolf, general supernatural, witches/sorcerers, vampires/sorcerers, ghosts/demons and then werewolf/zombies. This book, "Industrial Magic" (which is a fantastic title by the way) is the vampire/sorcerer book.

Now Paige may be the former leader of the American coven, and a formidable witch with some fairly lethal spells up her sleeve, but this does not take away her overwhelming anxiety about meeting her boyfriend's, Lucas Cortez's father. This is understandable considering who the father Benico Cortez is. He's the head of the most powerful sorcerer Cabal there is, and is under the impression that someday Lucas (his favorite and born out of wedlock son) will outgrow his white knight/saving the supernatural world from the evil cabal phase and be his heir. Or it could be because Paige is a witch, the natural enemy of all sorcerers. Either way he's intimidating. Take your pick.

But Benico pops up, uninvited, unwelcome with an invitation to solve a supernatural murder mystery. Someone is snatching Cabal employee children and killing them-but not before they can call the Cabal 911. Naturally Paige and Lucas see this as the obvious attempt to manipulate Lucas into loving dear old dad again and refuse-until Paige hears one of the victims was a 15 year witch.

So it's off to Miami and the Cortez Cabal headquarters. Here things go the way of all the Women of the Otherworld novels, some murder, some mayhem, some sex (well, more than some) a necromancer who happens to do her thing on TV and still be the real deal, a quest for immortality and a ghost who likes to bite. Also in this book we see a lot of Cassandra, our favorite emotionally challenged vampire, who has a surprisingly tender (if you consider constant critique as a very picky mother in law would do) relationship with Paige.

Personally I found this to be the scariest of the novels thus far, probably just because I had never heard of Elizabeth Bathory before-and the version in this book just gave me the chills. But then aside from this series I don't read horror novels.

Oh and the ghost world part just makes the whole book.

It does seem a little odd to just keep handing out five star ratings, but hey, the author is that good. So, five stars.

And for the story of Paige and Lucas's wedding, along with many other odds and ends, including how Elena and Clay first met (which is just priceless) check out the author's website at kelleyarmstrong.com

THIRTEEN (Women of the Otherworld #13) by Kelley Armstrong

THIRTEEN is the final instalment in Kelley Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld series. Although the number of storylines, technically cross, into the 20s (with the many anthologies and short stories available), THIRTEEN is the last of the full-length novels. There remain many stories to be told (Morgan's and Reese's for example) but sadly, I understand why Kelley felt the need to close the door on the Women of the Otherworld series. I am also pleased she has announced that she has, at the minimum, three more anthologies set for release starting in 2014. Let us hope that Morgan and the others will get their stories written-nothing like introducing several new characters and never revealing the exact nature of their connection to the series.

THIRTEEN is the culmination of 10 plus years of story telling all starting with Kelley's introductory WOTO novel BITTEN, where we were first introduced to Elena Michaels -the first and only female werewolf- and her mate and `sire' Clayton Danvers. But the road to THIRTEEN began in the pages of the second story STOLEN with the introduction of Savannah Levine- a young 12year old witch left orphaned when her half-demon/half- witch mother, Eve Levine, was murdered trying to escape Ty Winsloe's compound of imprisoned supernatural beings. Now 10 years later, Savannah is a young woman, hopelessly in love with the man who helped rescue her from Winsloe's hold, and a major player trying to stop a 13th century child killer from successfully finding a cure for mortality and revealing the existence of the supernatural race.

Many of the WOTO characters reunite in this final chapter including the revelation that someone who was long thought dead, is very much alive-and for that reason alone-a few more storylines must be written. Kelley has exposed us to many different demons, half-demons, angels and Cabals, but THIRTEEN gathers some of the Otherworld's nastiest demons and fallen angels in a struggle between `the good, the bad and the lowest of the low'. Yet the one whom you would have thought wanted to destroy the world, remains an angel behind the façade of one of most hated beings in the world of religious beliefs. And with the birth of child, comes a reunion between father and daughter, and a new Pack member who reluctantly admits that family is more important than pride.

Savannah and Adam will, at last, admit they have been dancing around each other for many years. Savannah's proclamation that she has been in love with Adam since he `burned' her initials into a heart, and Adam maintains that their age difference held him back from taking the initial steps towards a relationship will quell the angst of unrequited love. Their relationship has been frustrating throughout the series, knowing that they belonged together, but it will be Adam's admission that he has felt the same way for a very long time.

Our favorite PACK will reunite in a short story at the end of the book-FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE. The previous Alpha will be vanquished from position in a head to head battle, a new Pack Alpha will be declared and their numbers will increase with the addition of a new member and his young family.

THIRTEEN is a fast paced, wild ride that will bring back many memories from the previous storylines. Cassandra and Aaron will sacrifice themselves to save a once-beloved Cabal member, while Jasper Haig is released to ensure Hope survives the end of the world. Many of the demon fathers make an appearance as the wall between the worlds slowly disintegrates, but the open portal will allow a beast so frightening, that even the powers of the supernatural are useless against its' attack. THIRTEEN is a wonderful end to a fantastic series that will be missed by so many readers and friends. I would like to thank the talented Kelley Armstrong for allowing me to ride along on the amazing adventures of Elena, Clay and the Pack. They will truly be missed.

It's been a long time since I had a book that I literally stayed up all night to read. "Industrial Magic" the fourth in Kelley Armstrong's 'Women of the Otherworld' series and completely merited the time spent.

Paige Winterbourne is a 23 year old witch who's lost her coven because she's involved with rebel sorcerer and attorney, Lucas Cortez. When Lucas' father, Benecio Cortez, the head of Cortez Cabal (think of him as the Don of a Sorcerial Mafia) comes to Lucas with a case involving the attack and murder of supernatural teenagers whose parents work for the cabals, the pair initially refuses.

But, as the deaths mount, their conscience compels them to accept. Paige and Lucas are fighting against time to find the murderer because the girl they foster is an eventual target.

The story takes us through a series of twists and turns that are both unexpected and well-thought-out. I enjoyed the characterization, the plot, and the writing style. It doesn't often get much better than this. I'm definitely looking forward to "Haunted" the next in the series, which comes out this coming summer.

Armstrong has taken a character that pretty much annoyed the heck out of me in Stolen and has drawn her into a woman, someone who is learning from her mistakes and becoming stronger from her past weakness. Lucas is another character who has solidified from Dime Store Magic, where he at times seemed almost two dimensional.

There's a serial killer attacking Cabal children and Lucas and Paige get drawn in and Lucas must face his estranged family and Paige has to deal with who Lucas comes with. The characters from the other three books make an appearance (although certainly I could always stand to see more Clay) and the new ones are interesting.

I really enjoyed Industrial Magic. I am glad that Paige is no longer a petulant doormat and I'm going to be very interested to see how her relationships with Lucas and Savannah develop over time as well as her plans to create her E-Coven.

I want to hear more about the Cabals, I want to hear more about Savannah and I want more wolves (let's hear Jeremy's story please please please!). I'm eagerly awaiting Haunted.

As far as Paige Winterbourne books go, I prefer Dime Store Magic. This one was pretty good but there were a one thing that got a little old. Paige kept on having to tell Lucas how much she cared for him. Ew. I also missed Savanna. She wasn't in this one near enough. Still worth a read.

The Good: Perfect, perfect, perfect. I didn't want this series to end. Honestly, I never considered it could end until the last book, Spellbound. Thirteen is the perfect culmination of a long running series. Everything that happened before led up to this book and I don't think it could have possibly been done better. Savannah, as well as every other major and minor character in the series, grew into the roles they play in Thirteen. The tagline "epic finale" is not an overstatement, by any means. I'm in awe of what Kelley Armstrong has done here - taking a decade of work and 12 previous books and turning them into a tightly wrapped canon of supernatural awesome. The best way the series ever could have ended.

The Bad: Not a single complaint.

Have Kelley Armstrong's books always been like... this? So superficial, so packed with mindless action? I know I didn't particularly like her YA novels or her last two adult novels, but were her earlier works this bad too, and I was just too inexperienced and liked them in spite of their flaws? I will have to investigate this and read her earlier books one of these days and for now just assume that they used to be better, and I had a legitimate reason to become a fan of both Women of the Otherworld and Kelley Armstrong.

Thirteen is just meh. I feel like gone from this series are hot romances, spunky heroines and interesting mythologies. What's left are: family reunions and running around.

I have the vaguest memories of the two previous books in the series - Waking the Witch and Spell Bound. It's hard for me to remember anything except the feelings of disappointment in Savannah, her romance with Adam and the hectic, cliff-hangery plots. This disappointment carried over into Thirteen.

There is nothing "stunning" about this conclusion, IMO. The gist of this story is that this group of supernaturals (The Supernatural Liberation Movement) is creating havoc, trying to force the rest of supes to come out and take over the world. And, of course, only Savannah and hew crew can save humanity. The thing is, the balance of power from the get-go is so much in our friends' favor, I don't know why anyone would worry about the outcome. For goodness sake, they have an angel (Eve) and Lucifer on their side! With no suspense, no mystery and no real danger, the novel reads like a mix of numerous kidnappings (I am pretty certain that any book shouldn't have any more than one kidnapping; this one has at least three!), escapes, betrayals, main characters doing and saying what they've done and said in every book already (they are, in a way, their own cliches) and the stupidest villains ever who reveal their plans to anyone who asks.

The only thing Thirteen accomplishes successfully is a HEA FOR ALL, with love proclamations and babies. Armstrong even manages to give each and every woman of the Otherworld the last word by letting Elena, Jaime, Hope, Eve and Paige narrate one needless chapter each. Otherwise Thirteen is a poor hide-and-seek extravaganza with people getting kidnapped and released/rescued every ten pages and not a moment of contemplation, a piece of cool world-building, or even some decent sexy times to shake things up. (I don't think one measly, passionless "slide in" is worth mentioning.)

A sad conclusion to the series, to be sure. I am tired of repeating this, but I wish authors would cut off their series while they are ahead instead of producing low-quality junk and losing their credibility. My adieus to this series, which is going to migrate from my series-still-like to series-abandoned-lost-steam shelf, and to another author who I once respected but am not sure now I would care to support any more.

This final installment in the Otherworld series picks right up where Spell Bound left off. The supernatural world is dividing, there are those who want to keep who and what they are secret and there are others who want to come out to the world. The battle between these two groups is getting so intense, it's leading to bombings, supernaturals being captured and used for testing, and there's a virus introduced that mixes elements of multiple supernatural traits (think a mix of vampire, zombie and werewolf) and key humans are being targeted for this virus all as a part of the big coming out this movement wants to have happen.

The action is non-stop and it all surrounds Savannah, Elena, Eve and Company stopping this movement before humans find out, creating mass hysteria. I'm not going into huge detail about the plot. The build-up and suspense is so layered from the first page, it continues to draw in more and more people from the Otherworld and that is what I want to focus on. It's what made this series unique to me, the way the world and the different characters were all woven together from book 2 , when it became so much bigger than just Elena and her world, which was the jumping off point for everything.

Savannah is a character that grew on me and she went from being a child to a young woman to a fierce fighter in this final book. She couldn't rely on her magic, which was still very weak, but she made a huge impact in the story and her connection with Adam finally, finally, happened. The romance between them was subtle, with much of it (the good stuff!) happening off page. I was so happy to finally have these two actually take their relationship from friends to lovers. Would I have liked to have had more of their romance on page? Absolutely and it's my one, very small, issue in an otherwise captivating story. But it's been a long time coming for Savannah and Adam and it was nice to know they were done dancing around each other.

From the start, there is no holding back. People die. A lot of people die in this story (I wondered at one point if I should have kept a body count), more so than any other Otherworld book. It's intense and it really drove home the need to have so many characters brought back. The fight they're up against is huge and it gave Clay, Jeremy, Jamie, Karl, Hope all reason to be there. That's what made everything click for me. All the characters showed up for specific reasons and had a major impact on the story. I'll have more thoughts on Clay and Elena later, but I couldn't get enough of Karl and Hope. To see where their relationship is now, how Karl has changed (and not changed) because of it, and I enjoyed seeing them again. My favorite surprise of the book was Eve. The scenes that we get between Eve and Savannah and later Kristof and Sean tugged at my heart and it's a huge moment for these characters that's been building for many books.

Thirteen is a satisfying conclusion in that, it doesn't really end. Yes, we get some happy endings, but the world continues to go on. Savannah and Adam will still be going off on investigative adventures and there is no clear cut ending. Thank God. Kelley left enough loose ends (especially related to Clay and Elena) to have some major things to bring back up in the future should she revisit the series. There is a short story at the very end for Elena. I feel like had this short story not been included, it would have felt like a little something was missing. It's the perfect full circle moment for the series and I teared up during it. Seeing Jeremy play for the first time, ever, there is something so emotional about that one single moment for him, it was truly the perfect scene to end on.

This world is one that I'll revisit many times. This series captured me from page 1 of Bitten and Thirteen had me hooked through the final page.

Blog rating: 4.5/5

This is such a bitter sweet moment for me. I have been in love with this series for years. I read Bitten way before I started blogging, and I can't believe its over. (yes I know she may write more at some point but for now its over so I am sad) But did she end it where I felt satisfied, well yes she did, even if I just really want more.

Thirteen was just amazing! We get to see so many of the characters we have to come to love and get a lot of closure with everyone. While Kelley certainly doesn't end it all nice and neat were we are guaranteed a happily ever after, she ends it with lots of possible adventures to come.

I don't want to give too much away, but I do need to say that Savannah finally got her man. Although I was a little sad when the two finally did get together and the lack of info we got, I was just happy they where together. But I could have used some details. lol

I can't believe its over. The Otherworld series is one of my all time favorite Urban Fantasy series. It'll be hard not looking forward to new adventures every year. I remember how scared I was when she switched narrators, and even though there have been a few I wasn't crazy in love with, I ended up loving some of the narrators that I never thought I would. But I must say Clay and Elena will always be my number 1.

If you can't tell from my review, Thirteen was awesome. This whole series is great and if you haven't read them yet, then you really need to!

*UPDATE: Its been almost a week since I read this and I am having a hard time moving on. Its been one of my slowest reading weeks this year. I am in mourning over losing this series.*

Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Pack Alpha - Michelle L. Olson:
*Copy received from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review

I loved, loved, LOVED this book! As an Otherworld fan and groupie, it is my personal opinion that Kelley could not have ended the series any better...

All the leading characters that we've fallen in love with throughout the series were there, the action was insane, the revelations incredible, the 'closure' on some issues exactly what I would have wished for, and yet she left little tendrils to give us a few extra stories that she stated in the 'Note From the Author' would come in a few anthologies staring in 2014.

In short, it was a fabulous conclusion novel and I would highly recommend it and the entire WOMEN OF THE OTHERWORLD/OTHERWORLD STORIES series. If you're looking for a high-octane thrill-ride, then Thirteen is for you. And if you like your Urban Fantasy with lots of diversity, then most definitely check out THE WOMEN OF THE OTHERWORLD and the OTHERWORLD STORIES!

I am desperately going to miss this series, but am definitely looking forward to Kelley's tie up novellas next year!

I loved it! Out of the last three books, this one is the best. It took me a while to enjoy Savannah's narrating, but I eventually warmed up to her. It was great seeing the characters of Women of the Otherworld series back for one last story.

Thirteen is everything I've come to love about WOTO. Fast paced action, danger with a good helping of romance. There is one character appearance that will definitely shock readers. I didn't see it coming at all. It's sad to see this series come to and end, it's one of my favorites. But I'm satisfied how it concluded and I think fans of the series will feel the same way. For those readers hoping for more of Savannah and Adam, Ms. Armstrong doesn't disappoint.

In my opinion, this novel is one of the most jam-packed installments of this series. There's a staggering amount of action and nearly every single character in the Women of the Otherworld universe makes an appearance. Regardless of whether you prefer witches, werewolves, vampires or necromancers, Dime Store Magic is sure to please all paranormal fans. The murder investigation that's at the forefront of this book's plot not only crosses preternatural lines but metaphysical planes as well. Plus, Paige really starts to come into her own as a narrator and as a character.

This is the first time that Paige and Lucas work together on an official investigation and it provides a nice glimpse of things to come in future books. Their relationship grows by leaps and bounds in this novel and they finally realize that their feelings for each other are more than just a passing phase. Of course, like most preternatural couples, they have to learn the truth of the matter the hard way. It's not until bullets start to fly and the Fates step in that they really realize what they mean to each other. Luckily for them, nothing is ever final in their universe, not even death. Armstrong also explores the reasons behind Cortez's strained relationship with Benicio, his father. It's easy to understand why the rift happened but a little more challenging to grasp Lucas' refusal to have any type of bond with his estranged dad. It's obvious that Benicio cares a great deal for his son and there are a few really moving moments where I just wanted to shake Lucas for his stubbornness.

For the most part, vampires don't play a very significant role in the Women of the Otherworld but when Cassandra offers her assistance you can't help but take note. She comes off as very cold and cryptic most of the time and oddly enough, I just love her to bits. This investigation reveals the intricacies of vampire society and helps to further cement the preternatural community's distaste for the undead. Their animosity used to be based on speculation but after having seen the horrors with their own eyes, it's now based on fact. Cassandra's pretty tame compared to the rest of them!

In spite of this book's blisteringly fast pace and intricate details, Kelley still finds room to throw a little bit of humour into the mix. I really enjoyed the dialogue between Jaime and Cassandra; especially their never-ending argument over whether vamps are dead or not. Vegas is such a bouncy, enthusiastic character that it's darn near impossible not to like her. She always looks on the bright side of a situation even when she's getting her butt kicked by a ghost who refuses to leave her alone. Last but not least, Clay & Elena also throw their gloves into the ring for a couple of rounds.

Industrial Magic is an all out supernatural free-for-all that'll leave you jonesing for another fix of the Women of the Otherworld.

This was a serendipitous choice for me. I was running to catch a plane, and grabbed this book on a whim, having barely skimmed the back cover. As I curled up to read it on the plane, I quickly discovered I had lucked into a great book.

The characters are delightful, the story has a quick pace to it, and you won't feel like you know how the book will end within the first few chapters.

I wouldn't normally have chosen a book set within a supernatural context, but the world Armstong has created is compelling and strangely credible.

I suspect I might have enjoyed this more, if I had read some of her previous books and had a little more of the background story. However, this didn't stop me from enjoying Industrial Magic, and by the time I was halfway through this book, I already knew I'd be ordering Armstrong's other books from this series to take with me on my next trip.

Well done.

I have to say that this book came as a nice surprise for me. I actually bought #3 and 4 of Women of the Underworld together and I was not very impressed with Dime Store Magic. So when I finally started to read Industrial Magic I was surprised (and happy!!) at how fast the pace of the book picked up and how quickly I became engrossed.
I was taken by the story almost at the very beginning, and if during the course of the entire story many characters came and went, they all had a specific purpose which made their appearance believable. I did find the book to drag a bit, but that's just because I was impatient to see how it all unfolded.
This was definitely a great read, and I'll be reading more WOTU, including the previous books (Bitten & Stolen) because I really liked Elena's characters even tough her role was a supporting one!

As always Armstrong keeps me interested right up to the last page. Chapters are nice and short so it's easy to have a stopping place when you don't have time to sit for hours.... being a mom of two little ones. Just the right amount of supernatural, paranormal and romance. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND! Now on to Book 5!

This book gave me exactly what I wanted – more Lucas and Paige. I am absolutely in love with them as a couple and even though this book was filled with your typical relationship drama and misunderstandings (and awkward family moments); it still gave me some quality time with the two of them. The last book was a mostly Savannah-centric story while this one has her absent for most of the time. Instead, this reads as a sort of “road trip” book, where a lot of faces from the past pop up to help with this complicated investigation.

The big mystery of this book begins with the race to find the Cabal kid killer. Lucas’s father uses his weaknesses against him to drag him into the investigation, but he probably would have accepted the case either way. We get some insider looks into the family drama that is the Cortez family. Paige manages to handle the twisty-turny way they deal with one another rather well, proving that she is the ultimate partner for Lucas. I think even Lucas’s father would agree with me by the end of the book. Most of the book is spent hopping from place to place, balancing trying to protect the next possible victim and finding the murderer. Along with learning more about Lucas’s family, we get a nice refresher on what other paranormals are out there. We’ve got vampires, werewolves, clairvoyants, snarky famous necromancers, and ghosts. We even get to sneak a peek at the possible afterlife.

Among the notable cameos and new character introductions is (of course) Jaime. She made a little appearance in the last book but was a very prominent character (that helps?) in this book. A few of my friends have said she is their favorite, but I’m not quite there yet. She’s quirky and undoubtedly has her own motivation for teaming up with Lucas and Paige, but I’m not quite sure how I feel about her yet. One thing that this book did that made me a little uncomfortable is that it started selling Eve to me as something other than a “bad guy.” I should’ve seen this coming, having been a big part of the Savannah storyline, but it still caught me a little off guard. Eve is supposed to be the bad guy and I had a difficult time accepting her as anything else. If this book has a theme, I guess that would be it: not everyone is as they appear to be. I’m also a little scared about the next book, seeing that Lucas and Paige might not be the central characters. I will miss spending my time with them, but I hear the series gets better and better.

Thirteen was a great ending to a great series. I've been a huge fan of the Otherworld since I first read Bitten, and while the werewolf tales continue to be my favorites, there's no denying all Kelley's works are amazing.

The build-up in Thirteen starts in book 12 and I'm so glad I waited a year until Thirteen was out before buying Spell Bound. I wouldn't have been able to stand the wait. Thirteen is a non-stop, action-packed adventure that leaves barely any breathing room for any of the characters. This also happens to be my one complaint as I'm a huge Savannah/Adam fan and didn't think there was enough down time for them, but that's probably the romantic in me talking.

I had no idea how Kelley was going to end this series, but the epic battle that appears in this book was definitely the way to go. I don't want to reveal anything for those who haven't read it, but I believe if you're a fan, than you'll love it. And the cute short story at the end about Elena and the pack was just perfect! I'm so sad it's all over!

Industrial Magic is Canadian author Kelley Armstrong's fourth installment in the Otherworld series. The Otherworld series is a world not much different from our own, but includes demons, deities, vampires, werewolves, witches, sorcerers, shaman, druids, necromancers, clairvoyants, and much more. The supernatural world lies just under the surface of the known world and definitely has nasty teeth. With Industrial Magic, we are once again treated to a delightful adventure that will suck you in and not let go until the end.

At the conclusion of Dime Store Magic, Paige and Lucas have become guardians of Savannah. Since Paige's house was destroyed, they spent the summer driving around the country ending up in Portland, Oregon. Industrial Magic opens with Paige being approached by Lucas' father, Benicio Cortez. Benicio is a sorcerer and the CEO of the Cortez Cabal, a large company that employees supernaturals and has shady moral dealings. Since Lucas is estranged from his father, Paige was never supposed to be approached by Benicio.

Benicio is not to be denied his meeting with Paige. It would seem he has a case he wants Lucas to take. Someone is killing Cabal children. The latest victim is Dana, a homeless teenage witch.

Paige and Lucas want nothing to do with the Cabals; especially after Savannah's father of the Nast Cabal tried to take custody of her in Dime Store Magic. Kristoff Nast paid with his life for this, but Paige lost everything she held dear; her house, her reputation, and most of all, her coven. A trip to Miami is taken to politely refuse Benicio and set clear boundaries with the Cabal regarding Paige.

The adventure begins to unfold in Miami as Lucas and Paige struggle to keep clear of Benicio's manipulations and still help the supernatural children being targeted. Nothing is ever as it seems in the world of Cabals. This case pits Lucas and Paige against the killer and the Cabals. We quickly realize why Lucas wants nothing to do with Benicio and the other Cabals.

Many of our favorite characters from previous novels appear in Industrial Magic - Elena, Clay, Jeremy, and Cassandra. We meet a new character, Jamie - a TV personality who talks to the dead and just happens to be a necromancer. Jamie really livens things up for Paige and Lucas.

Industrial Magic is a book not to be missed. The action is fantastic and the drama is very intense. Kelley Armstrong creates such fun characters that really jump off the pages. The book is fast paced with lots of unexpected turns. Like the other books in the Otherworld series, I wanted more after finishing Industrial Magic.

Kelley Armstrong is the Canadian author of four books in the Otherworld series; Bitten, Stolen, Dime Store Magic, and Industrial Magic. The fifth book in the series, Haunted is to be published in the Spring of 2005. Available on her website, [...] , are three online novellas that further the werewolves' storyline.

Kelly Armstrong is my guilty pleasure! While I feel like I should be reading something a little more substantial I just can't get away from this series! The characters are awesome and the plots are interesting too. I read this in two days and can't wait to start on haunted. I have noticed that she shifts the focus to another supernatural heroine every couple of books, but I would love to hear more about Elaine and Paige, and I am sure Savannah will be an interesting character in the future! If you are looking for a fun fantasy spin check this out. Its not Tolkien but that is part of the fun part. I do have one complaint - Kelley Armstrong resides in Ontario and yet feels the need to bash on American politics every now and then in her books! Leave out the politics, I just want to read a story!!!

I have been a huge fan of this series. I couldnt wait from book to book to find out what happens next. I love all the characters and nearly cried when Kelley announced this was the "last" book of the series. I have watched Savannah grow up from a child to a cocky teen to a mature young woman. I have seen Elena accept her calling and finally accept her destiny. This has long been a favorite series of mine and this final chapter did not disappoint. Loose ends where tied up neatly and after an almost heartbreaking event, things came together nicely. I will miss Savannah & Adam, Paige and Lucas, Eleana and Clay, Jamie and Jeremy, Hope and Karl....

Again, I was very impressed with this novel by the same author who brought us Bitten, Stolen and Dime Store Magic.
The premise of the books is that it's the story of real life Supernaturals, werewolves, vampires, witches, demons, etc... as they live among us today. Bitten was about a werewolf, Stolen introduced witches and other supernaturals and Dime Store Magic & Industrial Magic are about witches but also has a bunch of others.
I'm surprised this book is not more widely read. The story is interesting, the writing is excellent, the plots are great and I certainly got attached to the characters enough that I want to follow their lives some more.
I think if you enjoyed such TV shows as Buffy and Angel, you'll love these books.
Pick it up, you won't regret it.

I love Kelley Armstrong's writing. From the moment I picked up "Bitten" on a whim (not being much of a werewolf fan), I've been hooked. Her writing is consistently engaging, and, in my opinion, her plotting has grown stronger. While I found Elena a powerful heroine, I did find Paige a little too passive in the precursor to this novel--more likely to react to situations rather than take a proactive role. That's remedied in spades here, where Paige proves assertive and self-motivated. The central mystery is interesting, the secondary characters sympathetic.

Often new readers may find a series hard to enter without backtracking to the start, but I don't believe that would be the case here. While it would be great to know the backgrounds of the characters involved, I think Armstrong does a good enough job of reestablishing backplot without harping on it that a neophyte could follow along--and still enjoy the journey. If you like mysteries and character-driven supernatural thrillers, this is the place to go. Compared to her last work, it's erotica-light, which suits me, but its emotionally very fulfilling.

Thirteen By Kelley Armstrong

Reading the finale to Kelley Armstrong's Otherworld series is bittersweet. I fell in love with her work after I read Bitten, (book 1). I was looking for a grown-up book centered around shifters/wolves, and I have to say, it's still one of my favorites. Elena and Clay have this chemistry that can't be denied. (-Yes, I admit a special place in my heart belongs to Clayton Danvers) In most urban fantasy series, the stories are written in first person point of view, and star a central narrator throughout. Initially this is what I expected of the Otherworld series; Elena to lead us through the series. When reading Dime Store Magic (book 3), featuring Paige Winterbourne, a coven witch as the narrator who we'd met in the previous book, I was a bit apprehensive about the departure from the norm. But after a few chapters I fell in love with Paige, and eventually Lucas and realized that Kelley was on to something. Witnessing the Otherworld from the eyes of different players gave the whole `world' more depth. I stumbled on to the series several years into it, I got the joy of reading the first 8 books back to back. (That's my favorite way to dive into a series, all gluttonous!) :)The prologue and epilogue in Thirteen go a long way in helping the reader understand the vision that Kelley had from the series early on, and I applaud the evil genius at work! This waiting a whole year between releases is HARD!!

I would say each of the books could be read as a stand alone, except these last two. That said, you would enjoy them more if you are familiar with all the books. I felt like the cliffhanger at the end of Spellbound (book 12) straight through to the conclusion of Thirteen, really seemed like one long book. So much so, I was glad I re-read Spellbound just before I started Thirteen.

The last three books feature Savannah Levine as the narrator. We met Savannah early in the series (Stolen, book 2) and we've watched her grow up in the `family' of our Otherworld leading ladies since the death of her mother at the young age of 12. She's an anomaly born to a powerful witch/half demon (Eve Levine) and a high level sorcerer father (Kristof Nast). She's now a full grown, beautiful, athletic leading heroine, blessed with long raven hair, unbelievably long legs and piercing Nast blue eyes.

Savannah's magic has always been strong and as much a part of her as breathing, she's gifted with magic from both parents giving her more power than most and all the dark connections to make it fun. She's lost her spells in Spellbound and it rocks her to the core. She learns to look at life in totally new way without the gifts she's always taken for granted. Savannah's cocky and unfiltered the way teenagers and young adults sometimes are, but losing her power is a dent in her signature bravado. She still hasn't gotten her full power back, and it's weakness she never planned on having to cope with.

Her longtime crush and now co-worker at Cortez-Winterborne Investigations, Adam Vasic,(he's an adorable, sexy demon half-breed with the ability to induce flames right from his fingertips!) has evolved from pre-teen fascination to an adult attraction. Adam has always been fun and sweet and behaved appropriately given the large age gap between them. But in the back of my mind I was always hoping they'd be an item eventually. I think Savannah thought she'd turn 18 and he'd suddenly admit his love for her was more than just the close friendship they've shared, and it'd all be cake. She's had his attention for so long she sort of takes it for granted. She's been disappointed it didn't escalate like she planned. I think it's for the better- Savannah had to really grow up before he took her seriously and I loved watching their relationship evolve amidst all the chaos swirling around the last two installments. Adam too, has grown so much from his initial appearance in the series, and in many ways they have matured together, making them a perfect match with a deep bond built over years of funny banter and harmless flirting.

Thirteen picks up immediately where Spellbound ended. The state of the Otherworld as we know it crumbling and all the metaphysical laws we've come to believe are being broken. Lord Demons are orchestrating minions on the surface, celestial beings are crossing over, and chaos ensues at every corner. Savannah is right in the thick of it as usual! The paranormal mystery unfolds little by little and never disappoints.

Kelley's gift for romantic tension and witty dialog are apparent throughout Thirteen. Her characters are so strong you can feel their personality in every scene. I'd be hard pressed to pick a favorite. I will say there were several places that had me in knots and in tears. Every major player we've seen in every previous book is here! I am amazed she was able to tie all the stories together so neatly.

Thirteen is an action packed roller coaster and the twists and turns are so enthralling you'll want to read it cover to cover in one sitting. Of course, getting to the heat between Savannah and Adam, is a big motivator as well, the sexual tension has only been building forever!

I am sad to see the Otherworld close, but I'm hoping for a future series from Kelley Armstrong. She's a major player in Urban Fantasy and I have no doubt she'll be back.

Review copy provided for an honest review.

After sticking through with this series I would say the end was spectacular. It left a few loose ends, but that was okay with me because she can still continue to write if she chooses to. Since I am around Savannah's age I can totally relate with her, and the other characters as well. They are all just trying to live and in some cases cope with their differences. They all played a part in the big show down, and I thought that was really cool. Some advice for people about to read this one though. I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND you read men of the otherworld and tales of the otherworld first. I will give you a better understanding of why Elena and Clay are so deeply hurt and angry with Malcolm and why Savannah wants nothing to do with him. The depth of his evilness will be realized if you read those books first(it's in one of them, I don't remember which, BUT the store should tell you.) These other books also give you a better understanding of other characters like Jeremy and the history of the pack. Some of the end still lingers in my mind because I read these books first, and therefore some of the things that happened stay with me more. Other than that it's a really great book. I would also you recommend you read "Hidden", "Hunter and the Hunted," and "Forbidden" if you are interested in how Morgan joined the pack, how Hope and Karl met, how Clay and Elena's children found out that they are wolves and about how they legalized and celebrated their marriage.

I really enjoyed Industrial Magic, because it is a continuation in the series. Although the first two novels centered around the werewolves, this one expands into the area of ghost, necromancers, and vampires. There is a reintroduction to old characters and an introduction to new ones. I can't wait to see where the series goes now.

In this the 4th novel, we see Paige and Lucus coming to grips with there love and the supernatural worlds feelings about their growing relationship and love. Meanwhile, there is a killer out there who is "killing" the offspring of the Cabal family. There is a lot of excitement, passion and magic. Can't wait for the next installment. I would recommend that you read it. I finished it in two days and could not put it down.

Industrial Magic is the continuing adventures of Paige Winterbourne and her blacksheep boyfriend Lucas Cortez. When Lucas's father Benicio contacts Paige for help investigating the murder of a young witch, Paige initially refuses, but eventually becomes sucked in when more teens are attacked. Can Paige and Lucas uncover the murderer before its too late, or are they destined to become the next victims?

Okay, I admit, I'm a big fan of Armstrongs. I LOVED the first three books. But what I liked about her books was the believable way she portrayed her paranormal races. I found Industrial Magic to be quite over the top. Not only are there witches, vampires, werewolves, dead gods, druids and necromancers and demons. They are all way too colorful and exaggerated to be believed.. Also there were WAY too many characters making cameos, and doing nothing. What I liked best about her first two books were that the characters were down to earth, not overpowered. I think she treads on dangerous ground with all the spellcasting, death visitations and mystic mumbo jumbo. A little is cool. A lot is silly.

There were scads of things not to like about this book. Paige, the leader made some really dumb mistakes. For instance... When tracking the serial killer, why oh why did she not contact Elena and list the aid of the pack from the get go? Duh. The pack ARE hunters. And are we really supposed to believe an amateur like Paige is suddenly expected to become a detective with ZERO experience? Also.. Jaime. Oh.. What a total waste of book space. I hate the character hated her ditzyness oh and her crush on Jer was sickening thing to behold.

I guess I just didn't care for all the UBER spellcasting and necromancy etc. It Just seemed very unrealistic. I think I prefer her stories where her characters rely more on their wits than on occult mumbo jumbo and the addition of huge sorcerous conglamorates seemed overkill. Also cannot stand Jaime. Yeesh.

I found Industrial magic to be an average read, but nothing to shout about.

I won't say too much. I thought it was a good conclusion to the series (for now).

Someday the series will be picked up again (I hope), but in the meantime we'll see the characters in short stories. So I'm satisfied with it.

I do agree that parts of the book worked out too well, but that doesn't happen much with this series, so I let it slide. There is some fan service (as was mentioned in some other reviews), but I knew that was going happen before the book came out (as Armstrong said something about that), and it was nice to see all the characters for a bit just because it was the conclusion of the series.

The series as a whole is one of my top favorites. I love how she didn't stick to one character for the whole series and experimented with adding more point of views in the later books. I also love how she writes short stories for the series so even the side characters get their own voices. She did an excellent job with the series.

I really, really enjoyed this book. I had read Bitten and Stolen, and found them boring and long-winded with few interesting characters and litle substance. So I skipped Dime Store Magic. Then I gave in and read Industrial Magic, and boy am I glad I did. The writing is finally sharp, riveting, and there's lots of action and mystery. Paige the witch and Lucas the sorceror are very well-grounded (not-annoying) people who jet set all over the United States trying to solve complex mysteries involving the Cabal, the super-rich sorceror mafia families. I was half-way through and overjoyed that there was so much more to go. The characters are very well flushed out (compared to her first two books), and the plot is very good, with lots of little turns and the benevolent godfather/Mr. Cortez Cabal figure in it. Totally recommended.

Story quality on the decline. This has been a really good sereis, but stories have started to decline with at times what seems like no direction. Kelly Armstrong seems to have lost interest in this series and maybe it is time for it to end. If you have read the other books in the series, then you should probably read to just continue the story. However, if you are looking to read this as a first book in the series, I would not recomment.

This is an absolute must read.

You get such a great indepth look at Lucas' family and his relationship with his father. And you yet again get to see Elena and Clayton. Though they are only briefly in this book, Clayton manages to steal the show yet again.

For someone who doesn't like Paige at all he sure is protective over ALL the people in his life. This story was amazing to read and gave great info on all the characters and a lot of details on the Cabals which was really cool to actually learn how they work and how Benicios is so different.

Buy this, you will not regret having it in your collection to read it again.

Clayton I love you

I have followed this series from the beginning and have enjoyed all of the books. This was a good (not great) end to the series. The story changes POVs throughout but is primarily from Savannah's POV. I really like Savannah so this was not a problem for me. My only real disappointment was that I kept expecting Savannah to come into her power and be extraordinary, but it just didn't happen. She struggled throughout the book and never wowed me with anything. Her biggest accomplishment came at the end and it really wasn't that impressive.

Overall I really enjoyed the story and would recommend it to anyone who has followed the series.

It was sad but awesome to read this book, It tied all of the characters together but it left it open for additional books to come in. It was the best Christmas present from my lil' sister law because it was the final book in a mutually appreciated book series. I can't wait for the book Otherworld Nights that is to be released on 10/28. Again I'm just catching up on my book reviews that is why you are seeing so many on the same day.

In the fourth book of The Women of the Otherworld series, "Industrial Magic," Paige Winterbourne and Lucas Cortez are back. This time they are tracking a killer who is targeting supernatural teens. The story takes them to Miami, and the Cabal, Sorcerer mega-corporation, run by Lucas's father.

This book takes a closer look at Lucas's family and helps explain how and why he chose to rebel against the family business. Despite his evil deeds, I found myself actually liking his father. Armstrong is one of my favorite authors, but as with her other books, if you're very squeamish, the violence can be a bit much.

I enjoyed this book very much, both as a stand alone book and as an installment in Armstrong's ongoing series. The protagonist is extremely likable, powerful without being unrealistically 'super' on all fronts. The writing is very good, though not extremely tightly paced. The mystery story meanders a bit, with red herrings and side-trips gallore. It's like an unevenly knit scarf--it's bunchy in some places and thin in others, with threads dropped and added sometimes a little randomly. On the other hand (to stretch the analogy), it's quirkily cute and it keeps your neck warm, so you wear it anyway.

The story gets sidetracked by a wealth of interpersonal stuff. Some of this was important to this story, but a lot was not. Many extraneous characters are introduced, reintroduced, or brought back from the dead. We had to learn their back story/personality/sub-plot/baggage, and they each had to make their contribution to the plot to justify their appearance. All of this would be fine if we were talking about one or two characters. But by the end of the book, the hero squad is up to ten or eleven characters, I was struggling to keep them straight, and Armstrong was struggling to give them all something to do.

I toyed with bumping my rating down to a '3', except that I really like the series, and though I thought the book was somewhat cumbersome, it was weighted down with stuff that would have been good in moderation. Overall, it was quite enjoyable, even if you are a newcomer to the series.

I was nervous about this one because I read some not so great reviews beforehand, but I honestly have to say I have no idea why anyone could complain. Great story. Great characters. There were a lot of new characters introduced but it was never confusing or convoluted as often is the case when dealing with so many personalities. Armstrong gives you all you need and want to keep the story moving. No rambling on and on with insignificant or inappropriate details.She's easily becoming one of my favorite authors.

So far, I've really enjoyed Kelley Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld series. However, by this, the fourth book, there are some things that are starting to annoy me more than I'd like (hence the 3 star rating, rather than my usual 4/5 for the series).

One - the narrator for the 3rd and 4th book has some issues that I really wish she'd clear up: laughing ... she really must STOP doing the little chuckle or laugh sounds. I mean seriously, a narrator does NOT always have to literally laugh just because the author says a character has laughed. One has to be pretty gifted to pull off a fake laugh and this woman is not. I literally roll my eyes every time she does it. Another thing about her ... sometimes when she vocalizes Paige's voice, the character comes off as smarmy, or Pollyanna or something. I can't describe it, but it's really grating on me to the point that I'm beginning to dislike Paige herself. Also, the way she vocalizes when Paige says "Uh huh" is another annoyance. It's okay a time or two, but every single darn time, she uses the same snarky expression and it's like fingers down a chalkboard. With the other voices, however, she does a pretty good job (not counting the stupid chuckle sounds she makes whenever their character laughs).

Two - the insertion of a political jab by the author at one point towards the end wasn't necessary, and ultimately added even more irritation to a growing aggravation towards Paige.

Three - I'm picking up on some repetitive patterns of dialogue among different characters, so it almost makes them sound like the same person. This isn't anything major, but I definitely noticed it this time around.

Anyway, I know there are a few more quibbles I've got about the book; granted most of my complaints here are regarding the narrator - and unfortunately, if a narrator goofs up badly, it does have an effect on the overall enjoyment of the book they're reading. I hope they changed narrators after this, but I doubt it. Guess I'll find out whenever I get to the next book.

Let me start by saying, I love this series and have been eagerly awaiting 13. The book started out from Elana's perspective and the first scene of this book was in another book, the first, I believe. I immediately thought I had the wrong book and I had inadvertently purchased a book I already had which prompted me to stop reading and try and figure out what was wrong. I think that started me off on an irritated foot. I expected to be able to sink into this book instead I started off confused. Throughout the series we have switched through different characters perspectives which was a great way to really get to know everyone and their roles. This book did the same as the rest of the series and sometimes it felt a bit schizophrenic.

I did like the whole premise of the book and the epic battle. I thought it was an interesting story and I enjoyed adding the different element of the virus and the potential spreading of it. That is something I have not yet seen with other urban fantasy stories. Kelley Armstrong is an amazing author and has a unique way of sucking the reader into her world. That alone warrants the book a better review. Few authors are as gifted as Ms. Armstrong.

Overall, I didn't have a thought as to how the series would end I just thought it would end. This to me didn't feel like an ending. It seemed there was more story left and Thirteen should be another one in the line... That, along with what I listed above, is why I gave this book 4 stars rather than 5.

Supernatural novels may be a dime a dozen nowadays, but Kelley Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld series stands out as being a lot more worthy than that. Very contemporary, it combines humour and thrills with the otherworld, where danger is abundant, and powers are required in order to survive.

What also makes this series a winner is its rotation of main characters. "Bitten" and "Stolen" were told through the eyes of Elena Michaels, our werewolf narrator. But Paige Winterbourne, a witch and former coven leader, hosts "Dime Store Magic" and "Industrial Magic".

However, Paige's partner is Lucas Cortez, a sorcerer and sometimes-unwanted member of the Cortez Cabal. Witches and sorcerers normally don't get along, but Paige joins the investigation into a series of kills - the victims all being children of Cabal members.

To get to the bottom of it, though, Paige needs help. With werewolf Elena Michaels to watch over her thirteen-year-old witch ward, Savannah, Paige then enlists the help of necromancer Jaime Vegas, a TV star with a penchant for drinks and lads.

Disconnecting vampire Cassandra DuCharme also steps in, as do Elena and fellow werewolves Clayton and Jeremy Danvers. And then there's Savannah and her binding spells, not to mention a male vampire who thrives on stereotypes.

The kills are gory, the vampire stereotypes are made fun of, and there's less sex than you'd expect from this genre. The writing is witty, and the characters are believable. Sure, our heroines Elena, Paige and the upcoming Eve Levine have similar personalities, but Cassandra and Jaime seem more distinctive. The lovey-dovey stuff is a bit cloying, but there are no explicit sex scenes. Explanations are long, but unfortunately it's still easy to get confused about supernatural murder motives and the spirit world.

But if you're looking for a supernatural series with more bite and more clothing than other books, then you've come to the right place.

Kelley Armstrong has a good thing going here. I love that the Women of the Otherworld series encompasses more than just one race of supernatural being. It started out with my personal favorite, werewolves. Then it branched off into witches as the focus moved to one of the supporting characters in the second werewolf installment. With the series full of different types of supernaturals (vampires, half demons, Celtic deities, shamans, etc.), it could go on almost indefinitely and I hope it does! The writing is smooth, the dialogue rings true, the plots are well worked, and I'm always satisfied when its over. I recommend this series and all of the first four books I've read so far to anyone who likes a lot of plot, a little romance, and a whole bunch of fun all wrapped into one entertaining read.

Book number thirteen of a thirteen book series with several novellas published and probably a few more to come along. The novel series are finishing on a high note but I am sadly disappointed that there will be no more.

The first book in this series, _Bitten_, is one of my top ten books and has been reread several times. All of the books in the series are four stars or above.

Better than Dime Store Magic but far less than I expect from the author of Bitten and Stolen. Here are a few lines that illustrate what I mean:

p. 281: "A young man might be dead and you didn't see the need to rush!" Pot calling the kettle black, big time. These so-called investigators never question a witness unless he's dead, and they forget to question most of the dead ones, too. It's a serial killer of children, and they're more concerned about giving someone the impression that Lucas might be part of the Cabal someday. For half the book, just about ANYTHING else is more important than the investigation.

p. 329: "That fake phone call had tested the limits of my deceptive abilities." You said it, sister!

"Was I casting without knowing it? ... Could I do it again? But no, I couldn't rely on magic. Not now." And that's the problem. Except for one or two set-pieces per book, magic is purely a parlour trick, a distraction from more important things -- like running. It's certainly not something you'd rely on.

p. 481: "Your father invited us to the masquerade. Maybe we should go." This is the king of stupid ideas. The Cabal has thousands of tough guys, and you're going out in public to protect the CEO, when YOU'RE a more likely target? I don't think so.

Even worse is the Cabal killing its only suspect without asking him any questions. He's a computer nerd, three thousand miles from most of the killings, and all they know is that he had NAMES on his hard drive. Do they ask who his accomplices are? No. Uh uh! Not in this universe!

But what's the worst thing of all? The Fates. Sitting in a room spinning thread, cutting it, spinning, cutting... Well. At that point, it's clear none of this is the least bit serious.

This fourth novel in the Women of the Otherworld series holds a lot more excitement than its immediate predecessor, Dime Store Magic. There are more new characters introduced - the vampires are particularly fun - adding to the general excitement and pacing. It's an enjoyable read, though I still miss Elena. The first two books remain the strongest in the series so far, but these more "witchy" books are fun and fast reads.

Kelley Armstrong's books keep getting better and better!!! In Industrial Magic, the plot is simple and straight forward. Someone is killling off Cabal children and it's up to Paige to stop them. Of course, she doesn't do it alone. She has help from Lucas and Savannah. She also has some help from Elena and the wolfpack, the nercomancer Jaime Vegas and Savannah's mom Eve. This a great book to read. You'll love it.

I really enjoyed book 3, so I was sure that I would enjoy book 4...I was right. I love Paige and Lucas' dynamic and Savannah adds just the right amount of sass. Like the other books, this one has a lot of twists and turns and keeps you on the edge of your seat. We also get to see a little bit of Elena and Clayton, so I was extremely happy about that (they are my favorites.) Highly recommended.

This novel just did not do it for me. At all. For one thing, there's just way too much going on, and I mean way way waaaaaay too much. It felt like Ms. Armstrong threw everything and the kitchen sink in this one to try and tie things up nicely, it didn't really happen (hell, even Malcolm makes a cameo in some contrived manner). The second thing that threw me off was that Savannah was the narrator, and while I love Savannah, she was most definitely NOT the one to use on what was to be the final book. Because of her age and the lessons she's currently learning, this winds up reading a lot like YA and like Savannah's coming of age story with the others thrown in there somewhere. If she had wanted Savannah's gaining maturity to be a part of the overall story then it should all have been written in third person POV, instead we have Savannah as the main POV and get tppov with Jaime, Paige and Elena interspersed randomly and haphazardly which then throws off the whole feel of the narrative.

It just didn't work, not for me anyway, for me to believe that this was some epic battle, there needed to be a much more mature voice narrating, and less contrived, cliched circumstances. This was the first time ever I've ever found myself checking my Kindle to see make sure I only had a little left to read with a Kelley Armstrong book,and I'll admit that as soon as I was done I returned it because it really was NOT worth the $13.90 that I paid for it. This will be the only Kelley Armstrong book of the Otherworld series that i don't own, and I'm not even upset about it.

What a fantastic roller coaster ride this was. There was never a dull moment. I feel that Kelley has wrapped up all of my beloved characters very well. I am sad to see this series end, however, I can go back and read them over and over again.

Thank you Kelley for introducing us to the Otherworld! It has been a treat.

This picks up right where the third left off. I thought Armstrong would never do as well as the first in the series, but this one surpassed it. I loved the action and the relationship part of the book. I was surprised to find Benecio (spelling?) was really a loving father, not nearly so mean and scary as Paige assumed him to be. (Or at least not so much as his other sons).

This one is a real winner and I'm looking forward to what Armstrong has up her sleeve next!

Loved the character development of Paige, her maturity level grew vastly from the previous novel.

Can't wait to find out more about Eve! I also truly appreciated the world building that Mrs. Armstrong did in this Otherworld novel.

Kelley Armstrong writes gripping fast paced books and this, as the final-ish book in the WOW series had a lot to live up to. It was good. Not great, gripping, fast paced or enthralling; just good.
Still a very well written book, just not up to the standard of the other books in the series.

Out of Armstrong's novels I still favor Bitten -- but that doesn't mean that this isn't a damn good read as well. If you're avoiding this book, afraid that it won't measure up, you're making a big mistake. As for casting thoughts, this book contains many previous characters but, here goes: I've decided Paige is a young (but still blonde) Sarah Jessica Parker, Savannah is a prepubescent Christina Ricci, I've made up my mind that Elena is deffinitely Kate Bosworth, Clay is a young Matthew McConaughey, Eve is Angelina Jolie, Jaime Vegas is Amy Yasbeck, Adam is Joshua Jackson, and I have yet to decide who I would cast as Lucas Cortez and his father Benicio.

Better than Dime Store Magic but far less than I expect from the author of Bitten and Stolen. Here are a few lines that illustrate what I mean:

p. 281: "A young man might be dead and you didn't see the need to rush!" Pot calling the kettle black, big time. These so-called investigators never question a witness unless he's dead, and they forget to question most of the dead ones, too. It's a serial killer of children, and they're more concerned about giving someone the impression that Lucas might be part of the Cabal someday. For half the book, just about ANYTHING else is more important than the investigation.

p. 329: "That fake phone call had tested the limits of my deceptive abilities." You said it, sister!

"Was I casting without knowing it? ... Could I do it again? But no, I couldn't rely on magic. Not now." And that's the problem. Except for one or two set-pieces per book, magic is purely a parlour trick, a distraction from more important things -- like running. It's certainly not something you'd rely on.

p. 481: "Your father invited us to the masquerade. Maybe we should go." This is the king of stupid ideas. The Cabal has thousands of tough guys, and you're going out in public to protect the CEO, when YOU'RE a more likely target? I don't think so.

Even worse is the Cabal killing its only suspect without asking him any questions. He's a computer nerd, three thousand miles from most of the killings, and all they know is that he had NAMES on his hard drive. Do they ask who his accomplices are? No. Uh uh! Not in this universe!

But what's the worst thing of all? The Fates. Sitting in a room spinning thread, cutting it, spinning, cutting... Well. At that point, it's clear none of this is the least bit serious.

This fourth novel in the Women of the Otherworld series holds a lot more excitement than its immediate predecessor, Dime Store Magic. There are more new characters introduced - the vampires are particularly fun - adding to the general excitement and pacing. It's an enjoyable read, though I still miss Elena. The first two books remain the strongest in the series so far, but these more "witchy" books are fun and fast reads.

Kelley Armstrong's books keep getting better and better!!! In Industrial Magic, the plot is simple and straight forward. Someone is killling off Cabal children and it's up to Paige to stop them. Of course, she doesn't do it alone. She has help from Lucas and Savannah. She also has some help from Elena and the wolfpack, the nercomancer Jaime Vegas and Savannah's mom Eve. This a great book to read. You'll love it.

I really enjoyed book 3, so I was sure that I would enjoy book 4...I was right. I love Paige and Lucas' dynamic and Savannah adds just the right amount of sass. Like the other books, this one has a lot of twists and turns and keeps you on the edge of your seat. We also get to see a little bit of Elena and Clayton, so I was extremely happy about that (they are my favorites.) Highly recommended.

This novel just did not do it for me. At all. For one thing, there's just way too much going on, and I mean way way waaaaaay too much. It felt like Ms. Armstrong threw everything and the kitchen sink in this one to try and tie things up nicely, it didn't really happen (hell, even Malcolm makes a cameo in some contrived manner). The second thing that threw me off was that Savannah was the narrator, and while I love Savannah, she was most definitely NOT the one to use on what was to be the final book. Because of her age and the lessons she's currently learning, this winds up reading a lot like YA and like Savannah's coming of age story with the others thrown in there somewhere. If she had wanted Savannah's gaining maturity to be a part of the overall story then it should all have been written in third person POV, instead we have Savannah as the main POV and get tppov with Jaime, Paige and Elena interspersed randomly and haphazardly which then throws off the whole feel of the narrative.

It just didn't work, not for me anyway, for me to believe that this was some epic battle, there needed to be a much more mature voice narrating, and less contrived, cliched circumstances. This was the first time ever I've ever found myself checking my Kindle to see make sure I only had a little left to read with a Kelley Armstrong book,and I'll admit that as soon as I was done I returned it because it really was NOT worth the $13.90 that I paid for it. This will be the only Kelley Armstrong book of the Otherworld series that i don't own, and I'm not even upset about it.

What a fantastic roller coaster ride this was. There was never a dull moment. I feel that Kelley has wrapped up all of my beloved characters very well. I am sad to see this series end, however, I can go back and read them over and over again.

Thank you Kelley for introducing us to the Otherworld! It has been a treat.

This picks up right where the third left off. I thought Armstrong would never do as well as the first in the series, but this one surpassed it. I loved the action and the relationship part of the book. I was surprised to find Benecio (spelling?) was really a loving father, not nearly so mean and scary as Paige assumed him to be. (Or at least not so much as his other sons).

This one is a real winner and I'm looking forward to what Armstrong has up her sleeve next!

Loved the character development of Paige, her maturity level grew vastly from the previous novel.

Can't wait to find out more about Eve! I also truly appreciated the world building that Mrs. Armstrong did in this Otherworld novel.

Kelley Armstrong writes gripping fast paced books and this, as the final-ish book in the WOW series had a lot to live up to. It was good. Not great, gripping, fast paced or enthralling; just good.
Still a very well written book, just not up to the standard of the other books in the series.

Out of Armstrong's novels I still favor Bitten -- but that doesn't mean that this isn't a damn good read as well. If you're avoiding this book, afraid that it won't measure up, you're making a big mistake. As for casting thoughts, this book contains many previous characters but, here goes: I've decided Paige is a young (but still blonde) Sarah Jessica Parker, Savannah is a prepubescent Christina Ricci, I've made up my mind that Elena is deffinitely Kate Bosworth, Clay is a young Matthew McConaughey, Eve is Angelina Jolie, Jaime Vegas is Amy Yasbeck, Adam is Joshua Jackson, and I have yet to decide who I would cast as Lucas Cortez and his father Benicio.

Fast, like those automative Mazda commericals, where they attempt to enthrall the audience with a promising sale of the all new line up and end it in 3 very distinctive, corny lines, "zoom, zoom, zoom" fast!

Kelley Armstrong's writing is phenomenal! She is a talented and welcome addition to the supernatural/fantasy genre. I actually read the books out of order, but it didn't really matter. Armstrong crafts her stories so that just enough detail is given to the reader in the event that they didn't read the previous books, but not enough to ruin those previous books should you decide to go back and read them. If you like Laurell K. Hamilton or L.A. Banks, you will definitely want to read Kelley Armstrong.

Paige returns in this novel, where she and Lucas do Luca's father a favor by hunting down a vicous vamp that is killing Cabal kids. Which means Savannah is a target, so she is sent away to Elena for protection while Paige and Lucas work together to find this vamp. But the job actually requires more help than they expected, so they call in Jamie, a necromancer and the help of the Elena, Clay, Jermey, and Savannah as well. Great Read!

I am new to this author and this series. However, I have blown through five books in about a month (which is AMAZING as I have a 1-year-old at home) which means I gave valuable SLEEP TIME up to read them. The book was a great easy read with characters that you can't help but root for and villians you can't wait to see fail. Although I have a few more to read, I am already missing all the characters when I am done...

A good story about people who seem real and the supernatural part is not overdone. The author has a very compelling way of describing her characters that makes the book interesting. I enjoyed the story.

Paige wasn't one of my favorite characters in previous Armstrong novels but I found her development in Magic to be well thought out and provoking. I love the interaction between her and Savannah and Cortez. The story filters in enough romance, mystery, magic and mayhem to keep a reader on the edge of the seat.

Even the second time through, I couldn't out this book down. I loved this story told mostly through Savannah's eyes. And rightly so as it's not only a story about saving the world, it's Savannah's coming of age as well. Great ending to the series, but I hope there are many more stories, short or otherwise, from this world as I want to continue living with and loving these characters.

This is going to be a tough review for me to write. I have been reading this series since the first book, Bitten, was published in 2001. I was immediately drawn in by Kelley Armstrong's strong writing and unique voice, specifically how it related to shifters and the whole shifting process. I have always been very fond of strong female writers in the horror industry, and specifically it they are Canadian. Kelley Armstrong not only fit this bill, but she also lived in Toronto, which was almost like being my neighbor at that time (I lived in Hamilton). I felt an immediate kindred with her before even reading her books, but her writing hooked me from the first page.

My skin stretches. The sensation deepens and I try to block the pain. Pain. What a trivial word - agony is better. One doesn't call the sensation of being flayed alive "painful".

...and that's just a taste of her descriptive and engaging writing style.

The physical appeal of this new release is amazing! The cover is a stunning black and red artistic offering with a vellum type dust jacket overlay that I couldn't keep myself from stoking continuously once it was finally in my eager hands.

I have to be honest, when I first started reading 13 I was highly disappointed...it was clear very early on (from comments direct from the author) that 13 would not be told from Elena's point of view. I was really hoping the story would return to Elena, obviously so were many others. I thought for sure I was going to hate this final book and that the whole series was going to be ruined for me. I am one of "those fans" who was annoyed early on by the swapping of character viewpoints in books 3 and 4 and so on. It took me a long time to get to know these new characters and enjoy their stories, but eventually I got used to the way it was going and I think in the future a re-read of the series will help me enjoy everything in a more fulfilling way.

But I digress...

Upon seeing Savannah was going to be the star narrator I almost didn't read the book. Of all the characters I have had a hard time getting to know Savannah. To be fair...I haven't read the last 2 books in the series because they were Savannah books. I am going to have to rectify that soon.

13 is a FABULOUS ending to this wonderful series that has been such a big part of my life for just over a decade. Even though Savannah was the main narrator in the book, almost every important character (in my opinion) made some kind of appearance, and it was more than enough to keep me happy. And I actually enjoyed reading from Savannah's perspective. It is abundantly clear that she has grown and matured and takes things much more seriously than she did when she first appeared on the scene. And in usual Kelley Armstrong fashion, this book is a complete treat to read as her writing style is just as descriptive (maybe too descriptive) and witty as ever.

It was a little overwhelming in spots, so much going on, so many characters, I sometimes felt a little lost...but i guess that is to be expected when you are trying to tie all things together.

It's been a while since I read some of Kelley's adult fiction, so I forgot how brutal and gory her scenes came sometimes be. It was shocking at first, but then I started to remember how it often goes, and as is common in final installments, blood has to be spilled, and people need to die. It's just how it goes.

If you haven't read Kelley's Women of the Otherworld books yet your are truly missing out. I suggest you dig in now, and if you do, let me know. I would love a re-reading buddy!

I've got all of the previous Otherworld novels and enjoyed them all, so I was a bit sorry to hear that this it the final one of the series. The problem is I'm just annoyed enough so that I may not end up buying a copy of "Thirteen". What I have bought into is the idea of eBooks over hardback or paperback unless it's something special. One thing that is clear, it's a lot cheaper for both publishers and readers to dispense with all that paper and physical storage and distribution. Then why is the kindle price of this novel 45% MORE than the paperback price? Hell, it's 85% to 100% of the hardback price depending on where you get it! I'm smelling an attempt to gouge those of us who have faithfully followed this series to it's conclusion.

I hate to downgrade a book for this reason since it's all about the price and nothing about the quality of the writing, but looking at the experience as whole, my two stars are looking a bit generous.

Lucas and Paige are my favorite characters and here they get to come into their own, working and being together. We also get some fun with Elena and Clay, Jeremy, and Jaimie. I wish Ms Armstrong would do more with this fantastic couple.

I loved the first two books but was disappointed with

Dime Store Magic. This was so much better. Elena and Clay even had larger parts. The best part of the book was that you could see that the Cabal weren't totally evil.

I am going to miss reading this series. I like the final book but you know how you have to get everything you want in and wrapped up? This book did that, it lost some of the involvement you usually get with her characters. I look forward to others by her.

I absolutly LOVE Kelley Armstrong, she has become one of my favorite authors. I was skeptical to read about the witches (Elena, Clay and the werewolves are my favorite characters), but this book didn't let me down at all. The plot is great, characters have personality, and as soon as I put it down, I picked up "Haunted", the next book in the series. A must read for fans!!

For those who enjoy the Otherworld series, this is an excellent installment. Regrettable it is the last according to the author. All of our favorite characters play a role in this last episode. I couldn't put it down.

Kelley Armstrong has done it again with this next installment in her Women of the Otherworld series. Paige and Savannah continue along on their journey of personal discovery encountering their biggest obstacles yet. This fast paced story makes me wish Haunted was out now! It's not to miss!

This was an AMAZING conclusion to a series that I never wanted to end! Most loose ends were tied up nicely. Though some were left open ended just enough to keep your mind spinning. I didn't know Kelley Armstrong could get any better, but she has. A definite MUST read. (Just make sure you read the rest of the series first)

As the grand finale in the series, which has since been added to in the form of short stories that didn't interest me much, it pretty much ended smoothly and brought the whole series to a conclusion I can respect. I enjoyed it, I reread it to enjoy it again and it worked. I miss the series, but she writes so much else that I don't miss it too much.

Fast, like those automative Mazda commericals, where they attempt to enthrall the audience with a promising sale of the all new line up and end it in 3 very distinctive, corny lines, "zoom, zoom, zoom" fast!

Fourth in the Women of the Otherworld urban fantasy series that flips back and forth between Elena, Clay, and the werewolves under Jeremy and Paige Winterbourne and Lucas Cortez. This story revolves around Paige and Lucas. It takes place in October 2001.

My Take
It's about decency, communication, and caring about others, and one heckuva lot of fun what with all the action pulling in our favorite good-guys like Paige and Lucas; Savannah; Elena, Clayton, and Jeremy; Jaime Vegas (becomes a new favorite); and, Aaron and Cassandra reappear. The action is all over the place as our duo travels all over the U.S., tracking down clues, taking down bad guys, dying...

Of course, family dynamics are always all over the place, and more interesting when they involve greedy, oh-so-superior sorcerers who keep too many secrets and ghosts who worry about their children. Seems there's more to ghosts than we thought when Paige and Lucas get a firsthand look at what's on the other side.

Using first-person protagonist point-of-view, we view the story from Paige's perspective. It's a practical choice, as Lucas might be too emotional about the murders and his family issues. Fortunately, Paige is pretty much everywhere in the story, so we observe quite a bit.

It's a useful story as well, as Armstrong combines Paige's transition into her new coven-less life with a teenaged "daughter" and her unexpected involvement in the terrifying Cabals, even as Jaime joins our merry band of do-gooders...and meets Jeremy.

There are plenty of series arcs, what with Paige's growing realization about her life's ambition to be coven leader, Lucas' family dynamics and estrangement from his father, and that life-style-switching reality of a teenager in the house with empowerment issues.

We also learn more about Lucas' estrangement, the reality of vampire disconnects, Jaime's problems with that ghost who can't communicate, what to do about truly murderous vampires, and on a positive note, Paige and Lucas inspiring Adam into doing more with his life.

We do learn more about why Benicio chose Lucas as his heir rather than his legitimate sons. But Benicio certainly does screw up in his multiple attempts to mend fences with his son. What an idiot.

One sweet example is Lucas' involvement in the searches that is endearing him to all sorts of unexpected people.

The Story
It's a chance for Benicio to see his son, to meet his woman, and hopefully discover who is murdering teenagers of Cabal employees.

It's too bad neither Benicio nor the other Cabals can see past their own interests, while Paige and Lucas go up against shamans, demons, and goons on a hunt for an unnatural-born killer.

The Characters
Paige Winterbourne is a witch who was supposed to be the leader of a coven back East until they threw her out. Now she's trying to put together a new coven in Portland, Oregon. Her day job is as a web designer. Paige is in love with Lucas Cortez, Benicio's bastard son and heir, who is a lawyer who works for lost causes. Maria Cortez is his mother. Morris is the temporary Cortez bodyguard assigned to Paige.

Savannah Levine is Paige's thirteen-year-old charge after events in Dime Store Magic , 3, who still has a crush on Adam. Eve Levine, a notorious dark witch, and Kristoff Nast, a sorcerer, had been Savannah's parents. Now they're ghosts working for the Fates.

Adam Vasic is an Exustio demon and best friends with Paige. Robert Vasic, a Tempestras demon and professor whose specialty is demonology, is the stepfather who married Talia, Adam's human mother.

The Danvers Pack
Elena Michaels is the only female werewolf in existence, which makes her quite "attractive" to every werewolf out there. The fearsome Clayton Danvers is her partner, her lover, and the wolf who turned her, and he has quite the reputation. Their Alpha is the quiet, reserved Jeremy Danvers.

The Interracial Council consists...
...of one to two representatives from each supernatural race, except the Cabals. Arthur is the current necromancer and absolutely useless. Cassandra is the vampire rep. I think Lawrence is another. The Danvers Pack just joined last year.

Aaron, a bricklayer and vampire who wants to be on the council, from Stolen , 2, knows this guy in New Orleans, John, a.k.a., Hans, who has a burr in his side about Cabals and owns a bar, the Rampart, along with Brigid and Ronald. Edward and Natasha are immortality questers with a very nasty hobby. Guess they don't think being a vampire means they're immortal. Josie is, supposedly, the stupidest vampire in the world.

Jaime Vegas is a necromancer who puts on highly popular shows that communicate with the audience's dead. She does have some good stories. Molly O'Casey had been a top-notch necro, and she had been Jaime's paternal grandmother. Jaime's mother is still alive, unfortunately. J.D. is Jaime's production manager. Kat and Tara are part of Jaime's crew.

The Cabals are...
...like the Mafia. Once you're in, you're unlikely to get out. They see themselves as the magical elite, sorcerers, who look down on all others.

The Cortez Cabal is...
...based in Miami, and Benicio Cortez is the CEO and Lucas' father. Troy Morgan, a Tempestras demon, and Griffin, a Ferratus who is class C, are his primary bodyguards. Jacob is Griffin's oldest son. Hector is Lucas's oldest half-brother, followed by William and Carlos, who is the youngest and most vicious; they all hate Lucas. Delores is Benicio's hated wife.
There's a no-shared-events rule regarding Delores and Lucas: "If Lucas attends an event, Delores doesn't. Not after "Delores tried to poison Lucas at his high school graduation dinner".

Dennis Malone, former FBI, is the head of the Cortez investigative unit. Gloria, a half-demon, and Erin are shift partners who work with Simon, a shaman, in Cortez Emergency Services. Kyle is a driver. Jared is one of the sorcerers. Reuben Aldrich is head of the actuarial department. Dorinda is a Cortez receptionist. Annette is a stewardess aboard a Cortez plane.

Randy MacArthur, an Exaudio half-demon in sales, is a class C employee; his daughter, Dana, is part demon and part witch thanks to her mother Lyndsay. Gillian is her younger sister. Everett Weber is a druid and computer programmer who had worked a short contract for the Cortezes.

Faye Ashton is a clairvoyant with major issues who used to work for the Cortezes, but now lives in a private-nursing home. Oscar Gale and his wife, Jeanne, are shamans who are the caretakers at the nursing home.

The Saint Cloud Cabal is...
...the second smallest and stingy, with Lionel St Cloud as its head. Stephen is his only son. Matthew Tucker is his personal assistant. Rick is the driver.

The Boyd Cabal is...
...led by Guy Boyd. Tyler is his youngest son. Frank Boyd has several nephews.

The Nast Cabal
Savannah is a Nast through her father. The nasty Thomas Nast is CEO and Savannah's grandfather. Sean and Bryce are Kristoff's sons, Savannah's half-brothers. Joey Nast is another grandson. Their New York headquarters had been in the World Trade Center, until September 11.

Holden Wyngaard is the fourteen-year-old son of a shaman who was dropped to level E. Colby Washington, Sarah Dermack (Nast Cabal), Jacob Sorenson, Matthew Tucker, and Michael Shane are more victims.

Wendy Aiken and her sister Julie are witches, and they aren't interested. Dr Schwab is Savannah's orthodontist. Raoul, a shaman, puts out an anti-Cabal newsletter and is a source for Lucas. Elizabeth Báthory is a convenient historical figure for writers. Esus claimed to be a druid deity.

Demons can be...
...split into two categories: eudemon, who can be summoned but won't interfere on earth, and cacodemons, who can procreate and love to create havoc. Tempestras are storm demons who control the weather; Ferratus can make their skin as hard as iron; and, Exustio are powerful fire demons.

The Cover and Title
The cover is a range of browns with that toasty background and beige-yellow smoke swirling up from the metal urn atop a brown marble table top. The character with her naked body facing into the background wears a metal armband. The title is at the very top in a modified gothic font while the same color and style are used for the author's name at the very bottom, just above an informational blurb. A testimonial appears in navy blue in the smoke.

The title is all about the Industrial Magic of the Cabals with their business-like approach to their supernatural lives.