A slice of life into Otherworld. Armstrong offers a lot of glimpses into established characters while opening up opportunities for side stories and novellas. Otherworld stories are my favorite, I must admit. I'm a tried and true fan. One thing that really made me appreciate the anthology of novellas is the fact they all center on family. Granted, that's typical Armstrong style, but this felt like more. Family was the binder. Threats to family, to breaking up a unit, seemed to create a lot of tension.

Back stories include Elena and Clayton's first meeting at the University of Toronto as well as Eve and Kristoff's cross country love affair. What I appreciated more was the look into Logan's life. I was intrigued by the character in Bitten and I wanted to know more. Armstrong provides a lot of back story. Not just with his short, but Elena's tale as well. It's all about offering family ties.

The Cortez and Nast Cabals in "The Case of El Chupacabra" show a different side of the equation, especially around Savannah. Sean's clear love for his little sister is echoed in Benicio's affection, even letting her call him Grandpa. Thomas and Josef Nast's clear dislike of a Kristoff reminder are an even harder reminder of how cold sorcerers can be. But ultimately, it's up to the individual person. Cassandra's appearance creates a sharp, efficient contrast to the Nasts.

I highly recommend the book for fans of the series as well as for new readers. You may not understand every character but the ties that bind are very clearly outlined. Anne Bishop called Witch "Dreams Made Flesh." I would say that Otherworld turns supernatural beings into connected jewels on a tangled web.