Women Of The Otherworld Month 7

This is month 7 of The Women Of The Otherworld Series reading challenge, which is No Humans Involved. It's narrated by Jaime with Jeremy getting a love interest role and being allowed to step out from behind Clay and Elena's protection. These two are one of my favourite couples in the series alomgside Clay & Elena and Paige & Lucas.

Blurb

No Humans Involved

Jaime, who knows a thing or two about showbiz, is on a television shoot in Los Angeles when weird things start to happen. As a woman whose special talent is raising the dead, her threshold for weirdness is pretty high: she’s used to not only seeing dead people but hearing them speak to her in very emphatic terms. But for the first time in her life–as invisible hands brush her skin, unintelligible fragments of words are whispered into her ears, and beings move just at the corner of her eye–she knows what humans mean when they talk about being haunted.
She is determined to get to the bottom of these manifestations, but as she sets out to solve the mystery she has no idea how scary her investigation will get. As she digs into the dark underside of Los Angeles, she’ll need as much Otherworld help as she can get in order to survive, calling on her personal angel, Eve, and Hope, the well-meaning chaos demon. Jeremy, the alpha werewolf, is also by her side offering protection. And, Jaime hopes, maybe a little more than that.
Originally published Spring 2008

My review

This is one of my favourites of the series and the first book in the series with Jaime (a necromancer) as narrator. It's also the first book where Jeremy isn't forced to stay on the sidelines out of the main action because of his status as Alpha. I also love this book cause it's the one that Jaime and Jeremy get together as a couple in as well as the fact that through Jaime we get glimpses of Jeremy that we don't get with Clay and Elena, mostly because he can let his guard down a little with Jaime rather then having to present a strong decisive front like he does with the pack, cause with Jaime he's just Jeremy not the Alpha.
It was nice to get to see Jaime leading an investigation as well, mostly because it involved ghosts which is her speaciality and human magic which is unheard of and considered a myth in supernatural circles. That's where the dark side of the story comes in, the magic being cast is accomplished by killing children to use the ashes of their organs in order to cast spells that are really not worth the murder of innocent children to accomplish.
The book is also a turning point for Jaime in another sense, aside from the investigation and her new relationship with Jeremy. She comes to terms with a lot of personal issues regarding her power and her career, like figuring out she wants to be able to do more then she currently does to help ghosts and she doesn't want to move into television. Her attempt to break into television was a throwback to when her mother was dominating her career and influencing what she did. The change of heart on ghosts was her realising that prehaps her nan was completely right when she told Jaime to ignore ghosts and the requests they made. She's decided that while she can't help them all, she can listen more and talk, maybe pass on a message when it's viable.
These two are one of my favourite couples and I love how Jaime knows Jeremy well enough to realise he has to make the decision for them to be a couple and she's patient waiting on him though she does tease him now and then and makes sure he knows she's ready when he is. I love how she makes him lose control near the end as well. It's great seeing the other side to Jeremy.
I know a lot of people assumed him to either be gay or celebate but I just assumed he was too much of a gentleman to kiss and tell, plus he wouldn't have girlfriends before because of his responsibility to the pack, not to mention that previous narrators have included Elena, Paige and Eve. Elena see's Jeremy as a father figure so she's hardly gonna be discussing his sex life and Paige and Eve don't know Jeremy well enough to comment on his love life.
I do think he's lucky with Jaime as she's really does understand his duties to the pack and is willing to put up with a long distance sporadic relationship just to be with him and she's lucky as with his responsibilites he'll be able to accept and understand her work committments and constant touring. Added to the fact they can both relate to having a bad parent who made their childhoods hell and they really are a good match despite all their differences. Definetly a favourite read right after Bitten and Industrial Magic!

Women Of The Otherworld Mini-challenge # 7

 

This is mini-challenge number seven in a series of mini-challenges for participants of the Women Of The Otherworld Series reading Challenge! The task for this challenge is the same as the last three ;- go to the last page you read and create phrases with the last word of each line. We can use punctuations that follow the words but we have to use all the words and keep them in order. The stipulation being that we can't use the same page as last time! We also have to include the page number as well as book cover and synopsis!

 

Synopsis

 

No Humans Involved

Jaime, who knows a thing or two about showbiz, is on a television shoot in Los Angeles when weird things start to happen. As a woman whose special talent is raising the dead, her threshold for weirdness is pretty high: she’s used to not only seeing dead people but hearing them speak to her in very emphatic terms. But for the first time in her life–as invisible hands brush her skin, unintelligible fragments of words are whispered into her ears, and beings move just at the corner of her eye–she knows what humans mean when they talk about being haunted.
She is determined to get to the bottom of these manifestations, but as she sets out to solve the mystery she has no idea how scary her investigation will get. As she digs into the dark underside of Los Angeles, she’ll need as much Otherworld help as she can get in order to survive, calling on her personal angel, Eve, and Hope, the well-meaning chaos demon. Jeremy, the alpha werewolf, is also by her side offering protection. And, Jaime hopes, maybe a little more than that.

 

The Challenge!

So the last Kelley book I read was the UK Kindle Edition of No Humans Involved! This is from  pg 342.

"Grinned. In answered. Did there? Left smiled. Fine. Bed hollywood. Chocolates out me. Chuckle too? Did easier good. Hope? Pause crowd. Shoulders jumps.  Inhale. Late her? About miles laughed then. Fine. Better myself. Indeed."

 

 

 

Women Of The Otherworld Mini-Challenge # 6

This is challenge number six in a series of mini-challenges for participants of the Women Of The Otherworld Series reading Challenge! The task for this challenge is the same as the last two, to go to the last page you read and create phrases with the last word of each line. We can use punctuations that follow the words but we have to use all the words and keep them in order. The stipulation being that we can't use the same page as last time! We also have to include the page number as well as book cover and synopsis!

Synopsis

No Humans Involved

Jaime, who knows a thing or two about showbiz, is on a television shoot in Los Angeles when weird things start to happen. As a woman whose special talent is raising the dead, her threshold for weirdness is pretty high: she’s used to not only seeing dead people but hearing them speak to her in very emphatic terms. But for the first time in her life–as invisible hands brush her skin, unintelligible fragments of words are whispered into her ears, and beings move just at the corner of her eye–she knows what humans mean when they talk about being haunted.
She is determined to get to the bottom of these manifestations, but as she sets out to solve the mystery she has no idea how scary her investigation will get. As she digs into the dark underside of Los Angeles, she’ll need as much Otherworld help as she can get in order to survive, calling on her personal angel, Eve, and Hope, the well-meaning chaos demon. Jeremy, the alpha werewolf, is also by her side offering protection. And, Jaime hopes, maybe a little more than that.

The Challenge



I'm reading the Kindle edition of No Humans Involved, pg 46.

"Spoke sweatshirt attire. Skirt teased else was Kristof. Mouth language ones power.Accident hug."

Woman Of The Otherworld Mini-challenge # 5

This is the fifth in a series of mini-challenges for participants of the Women Of The Otherworld Series reading Challenge! The task for this challenge is the same as the last,  to go to the last page you read and create phrases with the last word of each line. We can use punctuations that follow the words but we have to use all the words and keep them in order. The stipulation being that we can't use the same page as last time! We also have to include the page number as well as book cover and synopsis!

Again, the last Kelley book I read was the UK hardcover edition of 13.

Synopsis

Thirteen

A war is brewing—the first battle has been waged and Savannah Levine is left standing, albeit battered and bruised. She has rescued her half brother from supernatural medical testing, but he’s fighting to stay alive. The Supernatural Liberation Movement took him hostage, and they have a plan to expose the supernatural world to the unknowing.
Savannah has called upon her inner energy to summon spells with frightening strength, a strength she never knew she had, as she fights to keep her world from shattering. But it’s more than a matter of supernaturals against one another—both heaven and hell have entered the war; hellhounds, genetically modified werewolves, and all forces of good and evil have joined the fray.
Uniting Savannah with Adam, Paige, Lucas, Jaime, Hope, and other lost-but-notforgotten characters in one epic battle, for a grand series finale.
Note: all hardcover editions are “collector editions,” which will include features such as author notes on the series and the post-13 Elena story “From Russia, with Love.”

The Challenge!


13, pg 170

"That contact goal. Connections same. Passed rest. Panic. See do. Bars through. Talked. Threats. Questions guy. Impression. Prisoners respond. Gone. Dumb are suspect. Grate bars it. Spell said."

Women of the Otherworld Mini-Challenge #4

This is the fourth in a series of mini-challenges for those participating in the Women Of The Otherworld Series reading Challenge! The task for this challenge is to go to the last page you read and create phrases with the last word of each line. We can use punctuations that follow the words but we have to use all the words and keep them in order so this should be interesting! :-) We also have to include the page number as well as book cover and synopsis!

The last WOTO book I read was 13, the UK edition with the extra bonus story at the end.

Synopsis - taken from Kelley's website


A war is brewing—the first battle has been waged and Savannah Levine is left standing, albeit battered and bruised. She has rescued her half brother from supernatural medical testing, but he’s fighting to stay alive. The Supernatural Liberation Movement took him hostage, and they have a plan to expose the supernatural world to the unknowing.
Savannah has called upon her inner energy to summon spells with frightening strength, a strength she never knew she had, as she fights to keep her world from shattering. But it’s more than a matter of supernaturals against one another—both heaven and hell have entered the war; hellhounds, genetically modified werewolves, and all forces of good and evil have joined the fray.
Uniting Savannah with Adam, Paige, Lucas, Jaime, Hope, and other lost-but-notforgotten characters in one epic battle, for a grand series finale.
Note: all hardcover editions are “collector editions,” which will include features such as author notes on the series and the post-13 Elena story “From Russia, with Love.”

Challenge

Taken from pg 442 of Orbit UK edition.

"Someday is echoed. Ready. Be ready neck. Elena yours yelled up did. Out called shouted team! Her lose. Not too called minutes. Grinned. Ten. Complain again me? Smiling. Few. Good. Bed."

Women Of The Otherworld Challenge - Month 6

Month 6 of the Women of the Otherworld Challenge is Broken. Broken brings back Elena as narrator again and revolves around the 'From Hell' letter!

Blurb

Broken

When half-demon Xavier calls in the favour Elena owes him, it seems easy enough, steal Jack the Ripper’s ‘From Hell’ letter away from a Toronto collector who had himself stolen it from the Ripper evidence boxes. But nothing in the supernatural world is ever as simple as it seems. Elena accidentally triggers a spell placed on the letter, and opens a dimensional portal into Victorian London, releasing zombies, disease, and maybe the notorious serial killer himself.

My Review

I love this book, one of my favourites of the series as I love how it incorporates the 'Jack The Ripper' legend giving it supernatural twists! I loved Elena being pregnant and the issues she had being a werewolf! I'm sure most women would be jealous that she gets to shave 3 months of her pregnancy term.
I loved Jaime coming into it as well and being brought face to face with her biggest fear - what she can expect in later life if she isn't careful using her abilities - namely the madness of Tee. All necromancers and Clairvoyants face going insane as they get older if they overuse their powers and their barriers breakdown.
I think Clay may have started to accept, respect and maybe even like Jaime in this book, she proved she wasn't just a flighty superficial airhead I think, plus she managed not to get captured or possessed! I think this book probably sees her and Jaime's relationship hint at more then friendship given that Elena think's she see's something more then concern in Jeremy's eyes while looking at Jaime at one point!
I liked the introduction of Zoe, while she never gets her own book. she does get a couple of short stories and a mention as one of Elena's friends in future books. She's a character I always liked and wished could have featured more in the series.
I got a little emotional when they discussed baby names as Logan's name came up. I also felt Nick was having a difficult time adjusting to Clay and Elena starting a family, not because he didn't want them to, but because it made him think about his fathers wish for a grandchild and made him consider whether fatherhood would ever suit him. He wasn't so much broody as he was feeling guilty for not giving his dad a grandchild. It made me feel a little bad for him seeing him re-evaluating his life because of Elena's pregnancy.
I'm definetly glad to have re-read this one and I'm looking forward to re-reading the next novel too! Part of the story was hinted at in this book!

Women Of The Otherworld Challenge - Month 5

This is month five of the Women Of The Otherworld Series Challenge hosted by Moonlight Gleam and this month's book is Haunted!

Blurb

Haunted

Eve Levine made a bargain with Fate, and now she’s come to collect, sending Eve off on a quest to retrieve the soul of an escaped demi-demon. Playing ghost world bounty hunter isn’t exactly what Eve had in mind for an afterlife career, but a deal is a deal. Eve never breaks a promise…even when the cost of repaying that debt turns out to be more than this ghost can afford.

My Review

While I do love this book (it is Kelley writing!) it isn't my favourite of the series, I prefer the werewolves books, Paige's books and Jaime's! However having said that I do love Eve! Her sarcastic attitude reminds me of Elena but Eve has less of a moral code! She is as stubborn as Elena and Paige as well but she comes through in the end. My favourite thing about this book though is seeing the world of the afterlife explored, seeing more of the fates and how things operate on the otherside.
I also loved seeing a different side to Kris as well. In Dime Store Magic Kris is painted in a very bad light and while he has done some questionable things being the son and heir of a Cabal CEO in life, he's not a bad guy. We see his better side in this book, the real Kris not the Nast heir and he really loves Eve. He's very patient, waiting for her to be ready to accept their relationship, to accept him as a permanent part of her life. He's also mischeivious and makes me laugh a lot in the book, like when he put's Eve in a nurses uniform (she really should have known better then to allow him to change her clothes!). I like how her relationship with Jaime develops in this book as well. It gets off to a rocky start cause she has no idea about ghost-necromancer protocol so she gets on Jaime's bad side at the beginning but I think Jaime learns to trust her a little towards the end and they actually get along.
We also meet our first angels, the primary one being Trsiel. A couple of the angels we briefly meet are quite stuck-up but I liked Trsiel although he is a bit overly goody-goody (understandable considering he's a full-blooded rather then ascended angel) even more so then Paige! We also meet a couple of demon's one of which I liked the other I loved! Dantalion I liked for his humour but I loved Aratron and he is someone we meet again. If there is such a thing as a good demon Aratron would be one. He doesn't mess in mortal affairs or thrive on Chaos like Dantalion does.
The Nix is an interesting character to meet, the baddie of the book but how she became what she was interesting. A demi-demon ghost confined to influencing and sharing the bodies of female hosts only. A far cry from what she was before circumstance caused her to become limited in what she could do.
I also like the idea of Eve being tested for angelhood, with all she did when alive (namely being a teacher of black magic), not to mention being the daughter of a lord demon and yet the fates choose her to be tested for the ranks of angels! Every bit as amusing as the fact that Robert Vasic, (Adam's step dad) is a half-demon who used to be a priest and now teaches demonology! I also loved how surprised she was that Lucas didn't embrace her taking over Paige's body immediately. Lol, in her mind she built up a rapport with Paige and Lucas from watching over them from the ghost world but she realises that the relationship is one-sided as of course they have no idea that she's been keeping an eye on them as well as Savannah so they don't trust her. She does recognise that Lucas' distrust is understandable seeing as they only have her reputation and the fact that she broke his arm the first and last time she met him to go by!
Still everything works out well in the end and I enjoyed learning about the afterlife and what happens after death in Kelley's world, we even had a cameo from the first major otherworld villian Daniel (or as he's called in this to his chargrin Dannyboy!). Interesting to see how he's currently spending his afterlife! So glad I picked this up again to read as I loved seeing the other side to Eve and Kris that we didn't get to see in the first four books.