Rating: 
Summary: A Novel That Is Pure Magic!
Review: Kelley Armstrong's "Dime Store Magic" is the third novel in the "Women of the Otherworld" series. Like the preceding books, this one stands on its own and it is not necessary to read the other two to understand or to become involved in this one. I am/was so enamored of the original werewolf novels, and their heroine Elena Michaels, that I had my doubts about whether or not I would enjoy this new book starring, not lycanthropes, but witches. However, I quickly became absorbed in the story, and Ms. Armstrong's narrative is, as always, excellent and filled with her dark humor. Therefore I am able to recommend "Dime Store Magic" without hesitation.
Twenty-three year-old Paige Winterbourne, recently orphaned, has inherited her mother's role as Leader of the elite American Coven of Witches. Paige, is not anywhere near as experienced in witchcraft and lore as her deceased mother, or as some of the elderly and very conservative witches in her Coven. She does, however, have a vision for the future - something sorely lacking now and very necessary. Paige has long been known for her rebellious antics and doesn't have much credibility with her fellow witches. In fact, many of them feel that the younger woman is not fit to lead. However, Paige's goal is an important one - to better her people and bring them into the 21st century - not to hide from the world, as the paranoid Coven Elders, little old ladies with blue rinses on their hair and polyester pants, wish to do. She strives to find hidden grimoires filled with ancient, stronger spells to help witches worldwide regain their rightful power in the supernatural world. Over the years, witches practicing "white magic," for the betterment of the human and supernatural races, have lost power and status to Sorcerer Cabals - kind of like the Mafia, peopled by males, (sorcerers), who make black magic for profit. Paige wants to regain that power for the purpose of doing good.
Nine months earlier, Paige's mother was murdered along with another witch who had an adolescent daughter, Savannah Levine. This precocious young women was left in Paige's care to train and to raise to adulthood. Savannah has supernatural powers far exceeding her age, and her potential for making magic is beyond what most witches can ever expect to achieve. Part of Paige's responsibility is to make sure Savannah's power is used appropriately. The powerful sorcerer Kristof Nash, heir to the Nash Cabal, is Savannah's father and wants custody of his daughter whom he has totally ignored heretofore. Obviously Nash recognizes the potential for evil in his daughter's powers and wants to use her for his own dark purposes. Paige is well aware that Kristoff dabbles in the black arts and would do anything in order to capture Savannah and control her, including murder. Lucas Cortez, a young and handsome sorcerer, heir to the most powerful Cortex Cabal and an attorney also, comes to Paige's rescue. This is completely unheard of, as witches and sorcerers have always been enemies. Yet, the two, witch and sorcerer, make miraculous magic together.
Once again Kelley Armstrong succeeds in dazzling her readers with her outstanding, well-crafted plot and numerous new characters - as well as bringing back some old friends, (and foes), from former novels. Her portrayal of the sometimes troubled relationship between Paige, herself a young woman without too much life experience, and adolescent Suzannah, is extremely realistic and often moving. Paige's frustration with the narrow-minded Coven Elders, and their refusal to leave their old and ineffectual ways behind and move forward for the betterment of all, is described with maturity and sensitivity. The novel is chock full of excitement, adventure and romance. I can't wait to read the next book in the series!
JANA
Rating: 
Summary: Kelley strikes again!
Review: Not being a lover of witches (or of Paige, from what I'd seen in Stolen), I was not excited about this book. I thought it would be weak, a swift departure from the beauty of Bitten.
I was wrong.
Kelley writes Paige from first person, and if I hadn't read Bitten and Stolen under the first-person perspective of Elena, I wouldn't realize how remarkable the difference was between them. Even her writing style is different when writing Paige, little phrases she uses. I've never seen an author do this as flawlessly as Kelley does.
The story itself is good enough to make me want to continue reading, despite my aforementioned aversion to witches. She fluidly opens us up to a world we were barely introduced to in Stolen, and makes it interesting enough that when DSM was over, I was eager to read the sequel, Industrial Magic (due out in late October).
As earlier reviews have mentioned, I wasn't as impressed with Kelley's later works as I was with Bitten, but DSM is a definate second! My only real complaint was the lack of perceived chemistry between Paige and Lucas (in my opinion). I didn't feel it there with them like I do with Clay and Elena.
A definate must-read for magic lovers, or anyone interested in Kelley's works. She's a definate keeper.
Rating:
Summary: Magic, sides and means....
Review: Paige is 23 years old, and has recently lost her mother. As a result, not only did she gain a 13- year-old ward, but also the title of Coven leader. Oh, excuse me, did I mention that Paige is a witch?. And a witch in a difficult situation, I might add. She has to deal with a Coven that doesn't entirely respect her as a leader, a rebellious teenager and a custody suit for the already mentioned unruly teenager, Savannah :)
Savannah's mother, Eve, dabbled in black magic, and to Paige's dismay Savannah inherited not only her powers but also her unorthodox tendencies. Notwithstanding that, Paige will do everything she can to keep her ward from the influence of Kristof Nast, a powerful sorcerer who happens to be heir to the Nast Cabal and Savannah's father. I suppose I should point out that a relationship between a witch and a sorcerer was extremely strange, because there is a hereditary animosity between them. All the same, something obviously happened between Eve and Kristof, and now Kristof is back for his daughter. Nast's sidekicks include the half-demon Leah (responsible for the death of Paige's mother), many sorcerers and an entire team that has only one objective: to get hold of Savannah, never minding the means.
On Paige's side there is far less people, unfortunately. To tell the truth, she doesn't even have the support of her Coven, who is supremely afraid of exposure to the media. She is also shunned by the locals, after Nast's strategies left her as a suspect of satanism and murder. And on top of it all, she is reduced to accept of Lucas Cortez, a cheap lawyer, yes, but also a sorcerer who has a nerdy attraction all of his own. In Paige's words, "It was a sad world when a witch had to rely on a work-starved sorcerer for help".
On the whole, I can say I really like this book. It has a little bit of everything, from magic to suspense, including action and some romance, and it also can make you laugh. "Dime store magic" is the 3rd book in Kelley Armstrong's "Women of the Otherworld" series, and the first to center on witches. The previous two were mainly about werewolves, although we got to meet other members of the supernatural community in the 2nd book in the series, "Stolen". It is in "Stolen" that we met Paige and Savannah, but you don't need to read that book in order to enjoy this one.
If you haven't read any of Armstrong's books, and would like to know more about the books I already mentioned instead of just reading this one (that is a great option, too!!), visit the author's website. At www.kelleyarmstrong.com you will not only learn about the series, but also have precise information regarding release dates, and the possibility of reading the free prequels to the novels in the series. It really doesn't matter much which option you choose: if you like magic/suspense/action/terror/romance books and you buy one of Armstrong's books, you have already won :)
Belen Alcat
Rating: 
Summary: Enjoyable but weak at some parts...
Review: Paige Winterbourne is a 23-year old witch and is the leader of the American Coven of Witches, a very conservative group of witches whose main concern is keeping their existence a secret from the rest of the world. In the process, they have let their powers diminish and have become a rather ineffective part of the supernatural society. Ironically, Paige is not the perfect person for the job as this covens' leader: she is very conservative, she won't let the Elders tell her what to do, and, more importantly, she wants to explore her full potential in magic. This was a hereditary position that she received when her mother died. Also, at her mother's dying request, Paige also acquired the care of a very rambunctious and rebellious 13-year old orphan, Savannah, who reminds Paige of a lot of herself when she was younger. Savannah's mother had also been a witch, but followed a much darker path of magic; the predisposition to practice such magic was found in her daughter as well. Paige wondered why her mother had put Savannah into her care, especially since Savannah had the potential of being a very powerful witch. It was this potential, however, that also attracted very powerful evil to claim her and manipulate her power. Included in this group is her supposed long-lost father, a very powerful and very evil sorcerer, who now wants custody of his daughter to use for his own deeds.The author had been recommended to me since I was a fan of Laurell K. Hamilton. I did enjoyed how Armstrong was able to tie in this world of magic, hidden in our world. I also enjoyed the cast of characters and the little twists through the book. However, I wouldn't put this book in the same category as Hamilton. The characters are not nearly as well written and the plot was not nearly as gripping. Even still, I would recommend this book for an easy summer reading list.
Rating:
Summary: Could be better...
Review: The problem with this novel didn't really hit me 'til I was about halfway through with it. It was then that I realized that I just didn't care what happened to any of these characters. I know earlier reviewers have said that this book stands alone - well, I haven't read any of Kelley Armstrong's previous novels so maybe that's why I felt no real connection with the characters. Maybe it's also because the characters never really seemed to be in any real danger. I mean, the whole story revolves around a custody battle. The only real conflict, most of the time, is between Paige and the curious onlookers that camp out on her front lawn. I got through the book due to Armstrong's easy-to-read writing. She's a very good author but I would prefer a little more danger and excitement. Unfortunately, during the last half of the book, I was just to the point where I really didn't care what the outcome was.
Rating:
Summary: Decent But Not Enough
Review: The story line wasn't so bad, but the way it's written could be 10x better. It's a well thought out plot, and a few suprises but the writer doesn't completely draw you into the story. If you're looking for a decent book this would probably do for you, but for those that want a a good story line AND a well written book don't buy this item.
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