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Otherworld Stories #5.2
Chaotic
Kelley Armstrong returns to the Otherworld with "Chaotic," where a half-demon tabloid journalist's boring date is saved...by a supernatural explosion? She's off to save the day—if only her less-than-stellar date wouldn't tag along! Luckily, the intriguing, infuriating, and just plain sexy werewolf/jewel thief Karl Marsten also appears.
109 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 31, 2012
67 people are currently reading
2300 people want to read
About the author
Kelley Armstrong
302 books33.5k followersKelley Armstrong has been telling stories since before she could write. Her earliest written efforts were disastrous. If asked for a story about girls and dolls, hers would invariably feature undead girls and evil dolls, much to her teachers' dismay. All efforts to make her produce "normal" stories failed.
Today, she continues to spin tales of ghosts and demons and werewolves, while safely locked away in her basement writing dungeon. She's the author of the NYT-bestselling "Women of the Otherworld" paranormal suspense series and "Darkest Powers" young adult urban fantasy trilogy, as well as the Nadia Stafford crime series. Armstrong lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, kids and far too many pets.
Today, she continues to spin tales of ghosts and demons and werewolves, while safely locked away in her basement writing dungeon. She's the author of the NYT-bestselling "Women of the Otherworld" paranormal suspense series and "Darkest Powers" young adult urban fantasy trilogy, as well as the Nadia Stafford crime series. Armstrong lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, kids and far too many pets.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
April 9, 2022
This is how Karl and Hope meet.
ALSO--Karl is almost as hot as Clay.
ALSO--Karl is almost as hot as Clay.
June 20, 2020
Read in the Dates from Hell anthology
November 16, 2017
I’m trying to read the Otherworld Stories as they occur in the Women of the Otherworld timeline. Whether or not I’m achieving my goal is hard to say – I’m succeeding and not at the same time. Nevertheless, I am trying. Thus, Chaotic was picked up before I jumped into the sixth book of the series. Although it is book five-point-two, I’m unsure as to how vital reading it before the sixth book is. I know it will be relevant later, though, and that’s enough for me.
I’m going to be honest by saying I wasn’t overly excited by this one. The idea of Karl being the male lead… I simply wasn’t excited by it. My prejudice against his character left me with the belief I would not enjoy this one. Fortunately, I was mistaken. I finished this story with a sudden love for Karl. In fact, I’m super excited for his return later in the series – I need more Karl in my life, a statement I never expected to say.
In Chaotic we’re introduced to Hope, another character we will be meeting later in the Women of the Otherworld series. At first I wasn’t quite sure what I thought of her, but before long I found myself rather enjoying Hope. We get to know a lot about her, yet there is still plenty left open that will come into play in book eight of the series, when we get another look at Hope’s story. In fact, I have high hopes for Hope’s book following this one.
Another wonderful read in the Otherworld series, one I’d recommend for fans of the series who enjoy the extras Kelley Armstrong provides.
I’m going to be honest by saying I wasn’t overly excited by this one. The idea of Karl being the male lead… I simply wasn’t excited by it. My prejudice against his character left me with the belief I would not enjoy this one. Fortunately, I was mistaken. I finished this story with a sudden love for Karl. In fact, I’m super excited for his return later in the series – I need more Karl in my life, a statement I never expected to say.
In Chaotic we’re introduced to Hope, another character we will be meeting later in the Women of the Otherworld series. At first I wasn’t quite sure what I thought of her, but before long I found myself rather enjoying Hope. We get to know a lot about her, yet there is still plenty left open that will come into play in book eight of the series, when we get another look at Hope’s story. In fact, I have high hopes for Hope’s book following this one.
Another wonderful read in the Otherworld series, one I’d recommend for fans of the series who enjoy the extras Kelley Armstrong provides.
November 23, 2017
2.5 Stars
March 10, 2014
This novella set in Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld series fills in a lot of gaps in the full length book featuring Hope, half chaos demon, and Karl Marsden, werewolf thief. When I first read the book, I felt like I was missing something - probably because I was. How they met had been covered in a novella published prior in some anthology and was only alluded to in their full length story. Even without re-reading the book, I enjoy it so much more just having now read this story. I don't think this would work as a stand alone as the Council, the Cabals, and a few secondary characters from other books are mentioned without really getting into who/what they are. Highly recommend reading before reading book 6 and after of the series.
January 28, 2019
Chaotic – How Hope and Karl meet, it’s interesting but not my favorite. This made me like Karl more though.
July 1, 2012
Review first posted at Urban Fangtasy
This review for Chaotic will be spoiler free, but it may contain spoilers for both previous novels and novellas in the Women of the Otherworld Series.
I adore the Women of the Otherworld series. With the upcoming release of Thirteen and this weeks release of The Hunter and The Hunted, I thought this would be a great time to go back and read all the novellas that I’ve missed.
Chaotic (first published in the Dates from Hell Anthology) is a short story featuring half demon Hope Adams stumbling across werewolf Karl Marsten in the middle of a museum heist. We met Karl way back in the first book Bitten but I believe (correct me if I’m wrong) this is Hope’s first appearance. Hope goes on to have her own full length novel in the series (Person Demon, Women of the Otherworld #8) and this acts as a prequel to that.
This novella was everything that I’ve come to expect from Armstrong: slick, action packed, funny, with relatable heroines and wickedly sexy heroes. You get a lot for your money with Chaotic (I purchased it as a stand alone kindle novella from amazon) as its around a hundred pages, it felt easily as well rounded as any full length novel. Armstrong is fantastic at pacing and before I knew it the page-turning plot had me finishing this on one sitting.
Karl is the charming suave bad boy that has turned… well not good but slightly less bad since his antics in Bitten. I loved Hope, she comes across as resilient and and down to earth. She may be half demon but she knows her limitations. Highly trained, kickass supernatural assassin she isn’t but working as a rookie bounty hunter she’s eager to do the right thing, whilst being able to get her chaos fix to feed her demon half. Together they are just brilliant. Their chemistry is palpable and there are some very funny conversation between the two.
The world building isn’t hugely extensive as this is obviously a short story released into an already very well known series. This didn’t both me in the slightest as I’m very familiar with the Women of the Otherworld universe.
All in all, Chaotic is a short story that packs a punch. I enjoyed it so much it has me reaching for my copy of Personal Demon for a much needed reread!
Sexual Content: Kissing, sexual acts
This review for Chaotic will be spoiler free, but it may contain spoilers for both previous novels and novellas in the Women of the Otherworld Series.
I adore the Women of the Otherworld series. With the upcoming release of Thirteen and this weeks release of The Hunter and The Hunted, I thought this would be a great time to go back and read all the novellas that I’ve missed.
Chaotic (first published in the Dates from Hell Anthology) is a short story featuring half demon Hope Adams stumbling across werewolf Karl Marsten in the middle of a museum heist. We met Karl way back in the first book Bitten but I believe (correct me if I’m wrong) this is Hope’s first appearance. Hope goes on to have her own full length novel in the series (Person Demon, Women of the Otherworld #8) and this acts as a prequel to that.
This novella was everything that I’ve come to expect from Armstrong: slick, action packed, funny, with relatable heroines and wickedly sexy heroes. You get a lot for your money with Chaotic (I purchased it as a stand alone kindle novella from amazon) as its around a hundred pages, it felt easily as well rounded as any full length novel. Armstrong is fantastic at pacing and before I knew it the page-turning plot had me finishing this on one sitting.
Karl is the charming suave bad boy that has turned… well not good but slightly less bad since his antics in Bitten. I loved Hope, she comes across as resilient and and down to earth. She may be half demon but she knows her limitations. Highly trained, kickass supernatural assassin she isn’t but working as a rookie bounty hunter she’s eager to do the right thing, whilst being able to get her chaos fix to feed her demon half. Together they are just brilliant. Their chemistry is palpable and there are some very funny conversation between the two.
The world building isn’t hugely extensive as this is obviously a short story released into an already very well known series. This didn’t both me in the slightest as I’m very familiar with the Women of the Otherworld universe.
All in all, Chaotic is a short story that packs a punch. I enjoyed it so much it has me reaching for my copy of Personal Demon for a much needed reread!
Sexual Content: Kissing, sexual acts
April 24, 2016
It is more accurate to say that I reread this in 2016. It was part of an anthology that I read in 2008 that I didn't particularly enjoy but this story was a standout at the time and still now. Hope is a half-demon who gets her power from chaos. Karl Marsden is a werewolf, sort of pack, sort of loner, excellent thief. Hope works for a National Enquirer-type paper ferreting out the real supernatural from the fiction. She thinks she's doing for the Council. She's actually working for a Cabal. She's on assignment when she discovers the error of her ways. Although Karl is much older than Hope, together they are can keep each other on the right path. This was their initial spark-inducing introduction and it will definitely whet your appetite for more.
September 26, 2019
Omg 😍 How have I waited so long to read this!!! The story of Hope and Karl’s first meeting went beyond my expectations!!! So freaking cute! I’m gonna need like 10 more novellas just about them please!
September 30, 2015
In "Dates From Hell" anthology, best of the bunch!
July 9, 2016
A short story, too short, from Kelley Armstrong. She is a wonderful writer, so descriptive, humorous, and exciting!
In this novella we learn about the beginning of Hope and Marsten's relationship.
In this novella we learn about the beginning of Hope and Marsten's relationship.
January 24, 2024
2.5 stars ✨
July 22, 2022
Four reasons to read Chaotic:
1) I like Hope more in this story than I do in her POV books because she's an awful lot more relatable. Here, we get to see her as an amateur investigator and agent. She makes mistakes, catches herself, and keeps things entertaining while she does it.
2) There is something very appealing about Karl when he isn't being overbearing.
3) Hope and Karl work well together. They bring out a spark in each other that often generates fun back-and-forths and heated interactions.
4) It's a caper story. A bit more violent than its peers, but still a caper story and those are always fun.
Two drawbacks to Chaotic:
1) The story is action-packed yet somehow still manages to feel slow. This is a recurring problem with Hope's POV. She spends too much time thinking, and the story has to stall every time she has a vision. The pacing did pick up about halfway through, though.
2) Even though Hope is more relatable in this story, she's still a little bit annoying. She's so polite at times that she turns into a doormat.
1) I like Hope more in this story than I do in her POV books because she's an awful lot more relatable. Here, we get to see her as an amateur investigator and agent. She makes mistakes, catches herself, and keeps things entertaining while she does it.
2) There is something very appealing about Karl when he isn't being overbearing.
3) Hope and Karl work well together. They bring out a spark in each other that often generates fun back-and-forths and heated interactions.
4) It's a caper story. A bit more violent than its peers, but still a caper story and those are always fun.
Two drawbacks to Chaotic:
1) The story is action-packed yet somehow still manages to feel slow. This is a recurring problem with Hope's POV. She spends too much time thinking, and the story has to stall every time she has a vision. The pacing did pick up about halfway through, though.
2) Even though Hope is more relatable in this story, she's still a little bit annoying. She's so polite at times that she turns into a doormat.
May 20, 2018
Hope was funny with her self deprecation, especially about the dress.
I knew Karl was a well-dressing good-looking man, but in the past stories I got the sense he was dashing rather than sexy--but, this story showed us his sex appeal. He was quite charming, even though she was't having it.
***
He put his hand under my chin and lifted the wet cloth again. Then he paused again.
“What now?” I said.
A low chuckle. “I was just thinking I’ve never seen a woman who looked so beautiful in dirt and cobwebs. Trouble suits you.”
“You have no idea,” I muttered.
“I’m sure I don’t, but I certainly hope I get the chance to find out.” He brushed his finger over my cheek.
“Fleeing for our lives, remember? Let’s save the flattery and soulful gazing until after we escape.”
― Kelley Armstrong, Chaotic
I knew Karl was a well-dressing good-looking man, but in the past stories I got the sense he was dashing rather than sexy--but, this story showed us his sex appeal. He was quite charming, even though she was't having it.
***
He put his hand under my chin and lifted the wet cloth again. Then he paused again.
“What now?” I said.
A low chuckle. “I was just thinking I’ve never seen a woman who looked so beautiful in dirt and cobwebs. Trouble suits you.”
“You have no idea,” I muttered.
“I’m sure I don’t, but I certainly hope I get the chance to find out.” He brushed his finger over my cheek.
“Fleeing for our lives, remember? Let’s save the flattery and soulful gazing until after we escape.”
― Kelley Armstrong, Chaotic
March 21, 2018
Chaotic is not a novel. I don't know the lengths of shorter works, so I cannot say if it's a short story, a novelette, or a novella. It originally appeared in an anthology called "Dates from Hell." It is the backstory of two characters in the Otherworld series. It is now available in a Kindle standalone version.
You really do not need to know anything about the Otherworld series to read it. Everything is explained to the extent you need to know it in the work itself.
I had actually read it before, which I didn't realize when I got it. That's the only reason I was able to put it down. Great read.
You really do not need to know anything about the Otherworld series to read it. Everything is explained to the extent you need to know it in the work itself.
I had actually read it before, which I didn't realize when I got it. That's the only reason I was able to put it down. Great read.
February 10, 2018
The story of how Hope and Karl’s first meeting. After being hired by a man named Tristan to work with him as an agent for the Council, Hope goes to a museum Gala with a date that was arranged by her mother. While there she runs into Karl and ends up getting involved in a jewel heist and a murder.
I found the story interesting, but for someone who’s worked alone for so long and had to worry about other supernaturals, Karl is a little too trusting with Hope. Hope is perfectly naïve.
Fave scenes: the closet trap and the ventilation duct.
I found the story interesting, but for someone who’s worked alone for so long and had to worry about other supernaturals, Karl is a little too trusting with Hope. Hope is perfectly naïve.
Fave scenes: the closet trap and the ventilation duct.
November 8, 2021
Kelley Armstrong returns to the Otherworld with "Chaotic," where a half-demon tabloid journalist's boring date is saved...by a supernatural explosion? She's off to save the day—if only her less-than-stellar date wouldn't tag along! Luckily, the intriguing, infuriating, and just plain sexy werewolf/jewel thief Karl Marsten also appears.
Heather's Notes
This is the story of how Hope and Karl meet. I liked reading it after their story. I am not sure I would have liked it as much if I didn't know the ending.
Heather's Notes
This is the story of how Hope and Karl meet. I liked reading it after their story. I am not sure I would have liked it as much if I didn't know the ending.
July 16, 2020
Hope me ha gustado mucho y Karl me ha sorprendido. Se nota que este es el medio inicio de un libro centrado en Hope, y no puedo esperar a leerlo! Hope tiene mucho potencial, en 80 páginas me ha gustado más que Paige (y sus dos libros), tiene chispa y un poder un tanto extraño que me provoca mucha curiosidad. Verla en acción con los demás, todos juntos, tiene que ser genial. A ver por dónde sale todo este trato con Benicio...
December 29, 2023
Hope
This is all about how hope meets karl. Its sweet meet cute story that fits hope and Karl's dynamic. There were hints of their life together in other stories. We learn the reason for hopes owed favor for Cortez which is the premise for personal demon. I love these novellas that put those hinted at stories into actual plots that give the characters back story life.
This is all about how hope meets karl. Its sweet meet cute story that fits hope and Karl's dynamic. There were hints of their life together in other stories. We learn the reason for hopes owed favor for Cortez which is the premise for personal demon. I love these novellas that put those hinted at stories into actual plots that give the characters back story life.
October 18, 2020
Fun, suspense filled & quick read
I needed a good escape today & this was a perfect choice! I like the authors story telling cadence - a bit flirty, suspense filled and held my attention throughout.
I needed a good escape today & this was a perfect choice! I like the authors story telling cadence - a bit flirty, suspense filled and held my attention throughout.
June 20, 2023
Great novella about Hope meeting Karl for the first time. Lots of action and excitement, a tease of sexy times, and just a wonderful introduction to this couple. I’m very much looking forward to their full length novel!
May 19, 2017
Enticing, sexy, and definitely ends with you wanting more!
July 28, 2017
Charming
The Otherworld series has never disappointed me yet, this novella is another example of wonderful fun and great characters. Very entertaining.
The Otherworld series has never disappointed me yet, this novella is another example of wonderful fun and great characters. Very entertaining.
January 27, 2018
Karl is a werewolf and Hope is a half Chaos Demon. Hope works to catch and stop supernaturals doing bad things and catches Karl but discovers a whole lot more. Nice teaser.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 2, 2018
Chaotic logic to deal with chaos.
March 6, 2023
A great, quick, easy read, just hinting at more adventures for the two characters. I finished it in less than a day
May 19, 2023
Great meet-cute for Hope and Karl.
May 24, 2023
An otherworldly story.
June 9, 2023
Sexy!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews