readclever's reviews
337 reviews

I had high hopes for the book. I really enjoyed Helena's intelligence and that Lucas appreciated her clever independence. She's a woman who clearly knows herself and doesn't flee from it. Something younger sister Amelia seems to somewhat admire--very begrudgingly so, however. The mystery/suspense was solid, especially when finding out more on the villains. I was pretty impressed with the overall story and the fact Helena didn't back down from Lucas nor did she let him simmer in the brooding personality many men in Regency books suffer from.

Then I hit the last 20 pages or so and I grew tired of the sudden overwrought reactions. Had those been reworked into more of the clearly defined characteristics, I would have given the book 5 stars instead of 4.

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.

As with most of Savannah Reid books, there's a lot of heart and soul. Not just in the mystery, but in the connection. When a Gordon Ramsay wannabe gets kaputed, it's up to Van's crew to solve the latest crime. But honestly, that plot felt secondary to the character growth. Watching her come to conclusions, hard ones about herself, and how to keep her family bound afterwards was amazing. The mystery plot, the ending, broke my heart into a thousand pieces as a woman. Definitely a solid 4.5 reading, honestly. I only deducted a few points for the lack of resolutions on some characters. But other than that, a really good read.

I loved the fact women still centered on this book. Savannah, Eve, Jaime, Elena...even Cassandra and Hope have very important value. The women of Otherworld faced hard, brutal consequences in the series finale. Hard decisions from each. Savannah's the binder, the one who collects them all into a family because she matters. It's not just her superpowers, either. The supernatural community loves her for the raw force of her personality. She's grown into a woman and in the final book, she steps into pretty big shoes.

While I wanted to give the book 5 stars, some of the storyline felt rushed. Or, rather, more like a placeholder. Armstrong's biggest talent in storytelling is her ability to see the whole picture. Unfortunately, it's also her weakness. While the buildup scenes were great, it was rushed at certain points and the ending didn't quite feel done. It wasn't how the ending happened so much as the lack of emotional register scaling. Readers have spent 13 books learning to love these characters. Placeholders don't work at that point.

I think writing in third person felt a bit of a cheat, too. I know it was probably easier as a writer but each character's distinctive voice is what makes the series. No one is alike. More like fractals of the world they live in: human and supernatural. So it felt a bit of a cheat to not hear their final voices in their last chapters. The point-of-view has always been great at establishing the differences.

As a finale, it wasn't bad. It wasn't the best, though, either. Needed more oomph. A solid 4 outta 5.

If you're looking for a book that discusses the exiled Romanovs and how they survived after the Russian Revolution, I recommend this book. Xenia's desire to stay keyed into the family, especially after the war, offers a surprising look at humility and grace after tragedy. The author does a good job of using primary sources, often her own words, and notes the different ways the Grand Duchess helped stranded and destitute Russian emigres.

The hardest part was reading about Anastasia and the death of Tsar Nicholas II from the family's perspective. Desperate for happier news, the family seemed to be at odds. When 'Anastasia' showed up, the family divided. One of the final great tears in a family known for close relationships (not just marriage to first cousins, either). When one of the older generation fell, everyone seemed to mourn for Xenia, showing a deep appreciation for her empathy.

Learning about George V's actions in the war and the possibility of saving the Imperial family but choosing not to really helped fill in gaps that history often ignores. We learn about WWI in America, in a rather rushed fashion, while not studying how the revolution created a hard downfall for the royals across the continent. A group of us became us versus them during the greatest challenges of the 20th century. And how guilt can cause one to overcompensate in some ways.

I will say if you're not up on the European royal family lineage, you might find a lot of problems. I frequently had to move back and forth between the charts and reading. Mostly because everyone kept using the same name for generations at a time. However, it's clear the amount of resources each chapter referenced and the clear look into her life.

Definitely worth a read as a continuation into the life of European royalty. Queen Victoria's reaches extended everywhere.

Death by Chocolate is a book with unexpected heartstrings and tugs. McKevett's Reid sisters, Savannah and Cordele, make a lot of groundbreaking observations on how life used to be. And it's set against a hard pill of a case where justice is served in pretty sad design.

Of the Reid books, this is a favorite. The case and family dynamic on all sides really points to the right spots for people with some childhood drama and trauma. But what's better is seeing Van open up, and explain life, with even more compassion.

There's a lot of lessons on self-confidence, too. When Dirk makes a sexist remark, she lets loose. "It's a matter of having the sense to understand that everybody doesn't come in one size or shape. Women's bodies are beautiful, and that goes for the big ones as well as the smaller ones. It's believing that any human body that's walking around--seeing, hearing, speaking, feeling, functioning--is a miracle of nature and worthy of respect. And so is the person who inhabits that body" (71). What makes this even more powerful is the fact the book was written in 2003. These are lessons we're still learning, 13 years later. But she doesn't snark or make a comment about size. Defective and harmful characteristics are far more worthy of attack.

The focuses on a lot of different elements, but hitting into the depression of life, the sheer weight really combines all kinds of story strings. It's worth reading and really thinking about the harm people do to each other. In a lighter, less grimy scene.

Armstrong is a favorite. I love the variety of personalities and complex connections to each other. Of the stories, I think "Art and the Zen of Vampirism" is probably my pick of the novellas included. Focusing on Zoe, it deals more with the less aggressive supernaturals than the rest. Zoe's got her own kind of badass, separate from say Cassandra or Eve. Probably a decent mentor for Savannah in learning to keep powers in check.

I didn't particularly like "Counterfeit Magic," though. Featuring the Cortez-Winterbourne crew, there wasn't as much...well, magic, in the writing. Felt more requiredt. Especially hard since "Zen" was right before it. And the reason why the book didn't get 5 stars. Savannah's also found in "The Ungrateful Dead" featuring Jaime. Another lackluster attempt. I normally like the necromancer but this one felt flat until the last 4-5 pages of the story. Rushed and focused on the celebrity aspect to Jaime. She needs a bit more work.

I wanted to like "Angelic," as an Eve Dallas fan, but again. It didn't gel in this anthology. I think if it had been placed after "Life After Theft," it may have played better. "Theft" features Karl and Hope, life after the end of Thirteen. Eve and Karl share enough characteristics that the stories would have balanced just right. While he's working on his reputation, she's working on hers. The betrayal for Eve was huge...but it didn't feel like it. Something, that spark, was missing. Hope, on the other hand, had a much better progression. I think "Angelic" and "Dead" were probably tied together, given the stories, but it just felt wrongly placed anyway.

I'm torn on "Forbidden." I love the story, the idea of a 'Mutt' looking for more, but the storyline was really, really hard to follow at the end. Not the writing, so much as the suspension of disbelief. Watching Clayton transition from growling bodyguard to a sightly lesser version was nice. And Elena's worry of kids, of all stripes, is pretty revealing. Even as she feels like she's losing something to become Alpha. The standouts were Morgan Walsh, a werewolf that ran between the Alaska killers, and Westwood police Jessica Dales. Both were good foils for Elena and Clayton. It worked in it's own way. More of the investigation stories wouldn't be remiss.

I think it's time to work in characters, like Jessica, and integrate characters like Zoe into the stories. Build up the world, showcase why the original women were in charge to start with.

If you're unaware of Boston's history and legacy of helping to seed the American Revolution, the book is great. A lot of background on the players, ranging from Cotton Mathers to the Franklins to Elisha Cook's pursuit of an independent colony. All of this political intrigue across a small pox epidemic that would change how the world viewed the illness. While Dr. Boylston performs inoculations, legally and illegally, the press and government wage war in a messy triangle that's nearly impossible to untangle at certain parts.

Coss offers not just many, many primary source information but the connections in a small town of only 13,000. He spends a lot of time making sure readers understand every level of interplay without preaching. For a first book, this is a pretty high standard to beat on his next. What is more interesting is that fact his research offers so much history that schools never teach, like the smallpox epidemics outside the Native American community, and how it could shut or revive a contested government in the blink of an eye.

The most surprising information, for me, was two-fold: learning Mathers' legacy and need for acceptance long after the Salem Witch Trials and how James Franklin's defiance set the stage for press freedom and anti-inoculation rhetoric at the same time. Even as a more middle of the road businessman, Franklin used the paper to not only lampoon authority, including Mathers, but also to create a more sensationalistic view of the news. Meanwhile Mathers battled and lost to demons of old while also winning some prestige, even while not taking it.

In December 1724, a meeting with Ben Franklin offered a smart piece of advice: "Stoop as you go through it [life/world], and you will miss many thumps" (281). The message was clear and offered a lot of profound observation at the end of Mathers' life. The egotistical and vain minister had learned a few lessons in this latest battle for legacy.

Dense and full of ends, the book overs a lot of information I found fascinating as non-American history buff. Definitely worth a read on how American's flagrant ignorance of government ploys helped to create the road to vaccinations and a more critical press.