Frostbitten

Oct 142010

After a series of gruesome murders take place in Alaska, Elena Michaels agrees to investigate as they could be the work of a rogue werewolf.  Joined by her husband and pack enforcer Clay Danvers, they arrive to find all is not as it seems, and that there are things stranger than werewolves hiding in the icy wilderness.  Elena is already on edge due to a letter regarding her childhood and the mutts they have to deal with threaten to push her over the edge and render her incapable of action.  Her beast is something she worked hard to tame but unleashing it could be the difference between life and death, and they have to survive.

As I’ve noted before, Elena is probably my favourite heroine of Kelley Armstrong’s Otherworld series.  She’s just one of those characters that strikes a chord with me; her strength, compassion and love shine through in spite of the ordeals she has been through in life.  It was great to have another novel based on the werewolves and the Danvers pack.  They are always entertaining and while the book may not feature many of them other than Clay and Elena until later in the story, they don’t disappoint when they arrive.

I love how the relationship has evolved between Clay and Elena, especially now they are parents to twins.  Elena’s past rears its head in a sense and causes a lot of internal struggle for her.  It affects how she reacts to events going on and causes her to doubt herself and could cost her her life as well.  I admire the way Armstrong handled it to be honest, it was tactful but realistic and the way she resolved it led to a much greater understanding for Elena, to gain strength from it rather than let it diminish her.

The plot was actually very simple in this book, easy to understand but it suited the style, anything more complex and it would have detracted from the characters and what they have to do.  It was also brutal at times, but never gratuitously so.  There are a couple of  twists towards the end which were quite sad and as I was totally gripped by the story by this point, I felt the outrage along with Clay and Elena.  The odd spurts of humour and banter between the two even at the most dire of times were great and spoke volumes about how they feel about each other.  They are quite possibly one of Urban Fantasy’s most Kick-Ass couples.

All in all, this is a book I enjoyed a lot, and a great addition to the Otherworld series and the Danvers Pack ‘section’ of it.

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

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Living With the Dead

Feb 052010

Being accused of murdering your new boss isn’t the best way to get ahead in business.  Innocent but unable to prove it, Robyn Peltier has no idea what to do.  When it seems the murderer thinks she knows something and is after her too, she calls on best friend Hope Adams for help.  Along with Hope comes her boyfriend Karl, who Robyn finds a little creepy.  When it starts looking like the murder was supernatural in origin, Hope tries to help but keep Robyn unaware of the other side of her life.   Unfortunately, with Hope’s demon side revelling in all the chaos, a detective that can talk to ghosts, and Karl being a werewolf, Robyn quickly finds herself embroiled in a world she never knew existed.  She can fall apart or come out fighting and with the murderer on her heels everywhere she goes, falling apart is not an option.

I find Hope Adams an intriguing character.  Being a half-demon of chaos, she lives with her two natures, trying to keep both halves satisfied and controlled, but struggles to find a balance.  I’ve seen her grow through two previous books from a scared young woman afraid of her demon half to a bold, confident reporter and it’s been a good journey.  I liked that the mundane and supernatural world meet with the characters of Robyn and Finn, who I liked a great deal and both were great additions to the cast.

The book itself was a good, smooth read with enough tension and twists to keep you turning the pages.  This is something I’ve come to expect from Kelley Armstrong and her easy to read style of writing.  Happily, she delivers once again.   I also love the cameo appearances of characters from different Otherworld books, something that happens across the series and I hope that continues!

I found Living with the Dead quite poignant, the relationship between Hope and Karl was bittersweet and while I found the end quite sad, I also realise the necessity.  I look forward to Hope’s next book to see how she matures even further.

A great addition to the Otherworld series and a treat to read.

Rating: ★★★½☆ 

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