Industrial Magic : Women of the Otherworld

Rating:
Summary: I really like Paige..........
Review: When this book finally arrived I really took my time reading it,and boy am I glad I did. Paige and Lucas and finally Savannah are really interesting people,but also have a lot a lot of difficult situations to get thru. I will not go into a lot of detail because other reviewers have,but I will say that this book is a great lead in to Haunted the fifth book of the series. Lots of action and some romance and humor fill this book. I really enjoyed it and highly recommend it. Can't wait for Eve's coming story in Haunted. Will there be a book about Cassandra and Aaron they were so interesting together and I would love to read how they got together. Read and enjoy this book.

Rating:
Summary: I want to read the next books in the series NOW !!!
Review: "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, specially if you read the others before. "Bitten", "Stolen" and "Dime store magic" introduce you to a world where magic and the supernatural are just part of everyday life. "Industrial magic" just takes you further into it...

As you know, in "Dime store magic" Paige, a witch, had to fight for the custody of a young girl named Savannah. In order to do that she had to face a powerful Cabal, which is a mafia-like organization of sorcerers. Should I tell that witches and sorcerers aren't exactly on good terms?. And that Paige got to meet her new boyfriend Lucas, a sorcerer/lawyer, in the process of gaining Savannah's custody?.

In this book we get to see Paige and Lucas living together, and trying to keep Lucas's father, powerful Cabal leader Benicio Cortez, at a distance. The problem is that Benicio wants Lucas to assume the place of heir to the Cortez Cabal, despite being his youngest son, illegitimate, and the proud owner of quixotic tendencies that take him to endorse causes against the Cabal. Benicio loves his son, so he decides that asking for Lucas and Paige's help in an investigation involving the assault on a young witch (daughter of a Cortez Cabal employee) is a good way to approach him.

Clearly, both are very tempted to say no to Benicio's offer, but soon enough they realise that the assault is related to quite a few assassinations of other teenagers that belong to Cabal's families, and possibly to a supernatural killer. After that, can Paige and Lucas really say no?.

In "Industrial magic" we get to meet again our favourite werewolves (Elena, Clay and Jeremy), some of the vampires we already met (Cassandra and Aaron) and a few others, more half- demons and shamans, and even a necromancer. Also, we learn a lot more about the different Cabals and their inner struggles, about Lucas' dysfunctional family and Paige's attempts to come to terms with it. Of course, that isn't easy for her: how would you feel if your prospective brother-in-law had tried to kill you?.

So far, the first two books in the "Women of the Otherworld" series were centered on the werewolf Pack (through Clay and Elena's story), and the other two were centered on witches and sorcerers (through Lucas and Paige's story). I'm eager to read more from all of them, so Kelley Armstrong please write the other books in the series quickly :)

If you want to know more about the books I already mentioned, future release dates, or prequels to the novels in the series (available for free in Armstrong's website), visit www.kelleyarmstrong.com and you won't be disappointed.

On the whole, I believe this book is really great, and quite original. I heartily recommend it to you, if you like to mix the supernatural/ horror theme with a little bit of romance and a whodunnit.

Belen Alcat


Rating:
Summary: Armstrong keeps getting better and better
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: Sadly lacking
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: I couldn't put it down
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: Deffinitely a Worthwhile Read
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: Supernatural Thriller
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: Best in the series
Review: 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!

Rating:
Summary: A fun glimpse into another world
Review: 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.


Rating:
Summary: Even better than Dime Store magic!
Review: While Dime Store Magic focused on small town coven politics, this book gives us great insight into the world of the cabals, where savvy business, organized crime, and supernatural politics blend together in an interesting and believable way. The main plot revolves around Paige and Lucas's hunt for whoever is killing off the cabal's supernatural children, yet the real strength of this book is the outstanding interplay between the characters. Armstrong's characterization is simply outstanding! The dialog is exquisite and the pacing is phenomenal. It makes her alternate America really come to life in a believable way.

Here's the main cast of characters: Benicio is a sorcerer, manipulative dad, and charismatic underworld boss. Lucas is his rebellious, good-hearted son, who wants nothing to do with the cabal yet has become the heir apparent anyway. He is also Paige's boyfriend. As a witch and our heroine, she caught in the middle. Lucas and Paige must simultaneously face off against the killer and the cabals. And, of course, witches and sorcerers get along somewhat less well than cats and dogs. Even the bit characters like Troy the half-demon bodyguard are interesting and convincingly written. Cassandra the self-absorbed, 300-year-old vampire is quirky and interesting too.

Once again Armstrong has produced an outstanding book. It's great fun and well worth the read!