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Otherworld #4
Industrial Magic
Meet the smart, sexy — supernatural — women of the otherworld. This is not your mother’s coven...
Kelley Armstrong returns with the eagerly awaited follow-up to Dime Store Magic. Paige Winterbourne, a headstrong young woman haunted by a dark legacy, is now put to the ultimate test as she fights to save innocents from the most insidious evil of all.. . .
In the aftermath of her mother’s murder, Paige broke with the elite, ultraconservative American Coven of Witches. Now her goal is to start a new Coven for a new generation. But while Paige pitches her vision to uptight thirty-something witches in business suits, a more urgent matter commands her attention.
Someone is murdering the teenage offspring of the underworld’s most influential Cabals — a circle of families that makes the mob look like amateurs. And none is more powerful than the Cortez Cabal, a faction Paige is intimately acquainted with. Lucas Cortez, the rebel son and unwilling heir, is none other than her boyfriend. But love isn’t blind, and Paige has her eyes wide open as she is drawn into a hunt for an unnatural-born killer. Pitted against shamans, demons, and goons, it’s a battle chilling enough to make a wild young woman grow up in a hurry. If she gets the chance.
From the Paperback edition.
Kelley Armstrong returns with the eagerly awaited follow-up to Dime Store Magic. Paige Winterbourne, a headstrong young woman haunted by a dark legacy, is now put to the ultimate test as she fights to save innocents from the most insidious evil of all.. . .
In the aftermath of her mother’s murder, Paige broke with the elite, ultraconservative American Coven of Witches. Now her goal is to start a new Coven for a new generation. But while Paige pitches her vision to uptight thirty-something witches in business suits, a more urgent matter commands her attention.
Someone is murdering the teenage offspring of the underworld’s most influential Cabals — a circle of families that makes the mob look like amateurs. And none is more powerful than the Cortez Cabal, a faction Paige is intimately acquainted with. Lucas Cortez, the rebel son and unwilling heir, is none other than her boyfriend. But love isn’t blind, and Paige has her eyes wide open as she is drawn into a hunt for an unnatural-born killer. Pitted against shamans, demons, and goons, it’s a battle chilling enough to make a wild young woman grow up in a hurry. If she gets the chance.
From the Paperback edition.
560 pages, ebook
First published September 2, 2004
388 people are currently reading
12004 people want to read
About the author
Kelley Armstrong
290 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 1,009 reviews
March 27, 2018
Dual Review: Dime Store Magic & Industrial Magic
It took me a loooooong time to get around to continuing this series with Dime Store Magic. I loved Bitten and Stolen, but found myself a little bitter that the series would start following different characters from there. I think my overall sentiment was “well, if continuing is going to feel like starting a new series, it doesn’t matter when I read them (salty reader, party of one).” For the most part, that was true. The story in books 3&4 focuses on Paige and her involvement in the witch and sorcerer communities (Elena’s story is a footnote, and werewolves take a backseat to other supernatural beings). It does tie back to Stolen, but more in a spin-off kind of way.
I’m not going to lie – I didn’t hate it.
I think I can see what Armstrong is trying to do with the series, and think nowadays I’m more in the mood to appreciate a series that takes a little longer to get to the payoff. What it has going for it are interesting and sassy female characters (I think Paige is one of the most relatable uf leads I’ve come across even if she is a little typical), good mysteries, romance, and writing that you can really lose yourself in. The story components weren’t earth-shattering, but I absolutely love where I think it’s going and look forward to seeing through some potential plot points.
Dime Store Magic offered a good Kate Daniels/Julie* relationship between Paige and Savannah and had a lot of excellent witchy moments (by witchy I mean supernatural spell casting and other creepy shit). It also had a decently organic romance, which I always appreciate. I finished this book feeling genuinely excited to see where the story went next. I even picked up Industrial Magic within a couple weeks (a turnaround that’s pretty unheard of with me). *Side note: I realize this was probably written before the KD series, but as I’m a super fan of that one now, everything must be compared. ;P
Industrial Magic was less about Paige’s relationships and more about the politics and dynamics within the witch and sorcerer communities (with a dash of necromancer and vampire). It expanded the plot sufficiently for me even though the story went in a different direction than I was expecting. It was much more inclusive of other supernatural groups, which made the whole world feel more robust and well-developed. The further I read, the more I appreciate how Armstrong is writing this series.
Overall, comparing books 3&4 to 1&2 is like apples to oranges. They’re still fruit sitting together in the same basket, but the sampling experience is vastly different. Elena’s story was more carnal and sensory, whereas I would call Paige’s more thoughtful and conceptual. Armstrong did a great job adapting her storytelling to both of these unique POVs, but I can see how such a drastic change caused a lot of readers to complain of a quality decline. They say the apples aren’t as good; I say that’s because you bit into an orange when you were expecting an apple.
Recommendations: I personally think there’s more than one type of urban fantasy, and books 3&4 strike a very different note than books 1&2 (as discussed above). As someone who likes most types, I’d recommend both as long as you’re prepared for the change. These haven’t landed at the top of my uf list yet, but they’re making a very compelling (and entertaining) case. :)
Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.NikiHawkes.com
Other books you might like:
It took me a loooooong time to get around to continuing this series with Dime Store Magic. I loved Bitten and Stolen, but found myself a little bitter that the series would start following different characters from there. I think my overall sentiment was “well, if continuing is going to feel like starting a new series, it doesn’t matter when I read them (salty reader, party of one).” For the most part, that was true. The story in books 3&4 focuses on Paige and her involvement in the witch and sorcerer communities (Elena’s story is a footnote, and werewolves take a backseat to other supernatural beings). It does tie back to Stolen, but more in a spin-off kind of way.
I’m not going to lie – I didn’t hate it.
I think I can see what Armstrong is trying to do with the series, and think nowadays I’m more in the mood to appreciate a series that takes a little longer to get to the payoff. What it has going for it are interesting and sassy female characters (I think Paige is one of the most relatable uf leads I’ve come across even if she is a little typical), good mysteries, romance, and writing that you can really lose yourself in. The story components weren’t earth-shattering, but I absolutely love where I think it’s going and look forward to seeing through some potential plot points.
Dime Store Magic offered a good Kate Daniels/Julie* relationship between Paige and Savannah and had a lot of excellent witchy moments (by witchy I mean supernatural spell casting and other creepy shit). It also had a decently organic romance, which I always appreciate. I finished this book feeling genuinely excited to see where the story went next. I even picked up Industrial Magic within a couple weeks (a turnaround that’s pretty unheard of with me). *Side note: I realize this was probably written before the KD series, but as I’m a super fan of that one now, everything must be compared. ;P
Industrial Magic was less about Paige’s relationships and more about the politics and dynamics within the witch and sorcerer communities (with a dash of necromancer and vampire). It expanded the plot sufficiently for me even though the story went in a different direction than I was expecting. It was much more inclusive of other supernatural groups, which made the whole world feel more robust and well-developed. The further I read, the more I appreciate how Armstrong is writing this series.
Overall, comparing books 3&4 to 1&2 is like apples to oranges. They’re still fruit sitting together in the same basket, but the sampling experience is vastly different. Elena’s story was more carnal and sensory, whereas I would call Paige’s more thoughtful and conceptual. Armstrong did a great job adapting her storytelling to both of these unique POVs, but I can see how such a drastic change caused a lot of readers to complain of a quality decline. They say the apples aren’t as good; I say that’s because you bit into an orange when you were expecting an apple.
Recommendations: I personally think there’s more than one type of urban fantasy, and books 3&4 strike a very different note than books 1&2 (as discussed above). As someone who likes most types, I’d recommend both as long as you’re prepared for the change. These haven’t landed at the top of my uf list yet, but they’re making a very compelling (and entertaining) case. :)
Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.NikiHawkes.com
Other books you might like:
January 13, 2018
*** 3.65 ***
A buddy read with my friend, Vanessa *the Pixie Princess*! Because we relate to Good Witches:)
This was better than I expected, which is always a good thing:) As in the previous book, Page is our narrator and I have grown to like her. I feel it is a good move to make her the main POV, since Elena and Clay, the love obsessed werewolf mates, feel much better in the niche of secondary, bringing on the muscle kind of sidekicks! Page is a Good Witch who has been asked to leave her coven because hr adopted daughter is the product of a Black witch and a Sorcerer, "baaaadddd blood, you know", and is currently dating the son of one of the most powerful Sorcerer's Cabal, the princeling and impoverished lawyer Lucas - obviously, the "poor" thing needs some explanation, but I would advice read the previous book if you want to know more:) Page and Lucas are perfect together. Both of them are idealists, thinking about making the world a better place and still believing in the better nature of men despite all the examples of the contrary they come in contact every day of their lives, being part of the supernatural community and all... I know many readers feel that they are too snow-flaky, but I think that Page actually has to work very hard at trying to stay good and be just, since her temper often sends her in the other direction, particularly when she is faced with one of the bad guys and wants to smite him on the spot, at which moments Lucas and his calm resolve for order and justice come very helpful and he manages to keep her in the space she can still like herself...
"...“Isn't it possible that I'm not feigning interest? That I really do want to know more about you?"
"You've never been interested in me before."
"You've never been interesting before."..."
Lucas and Page find themselves in Miami after children of Cabal employees are being killed and Lucas's dad, Benicio, the head of one of those Cabals calls them for help. Benicio has a second, more selfish reason for that - he loves his son Lucas and wants him close, especially since he has named him as his hair. This angers Lucas, who has been working against the Cabals ever since becoming an adult, but also because doing so makes him the ultimate hated person by the rest of the family, his brothers most of all. Things in the Family are tense, mildly put.
"...“While his three eldest sons spent their adult lives toiling to improve the family fortunes, who had Benicio named as his heir? The illegitimate youngest son who had devoted his adult life to destroying the family business, or at least buggering it up real good. Does this make sense to anyone besides Benicio? Of course not. Either the man is a mastermind of family manipulation or just plain fucked in the head. I don't use that word much, but in some cases, nothing else fits. "..."
Page and Lucas start on the case, but first they call on some old friends to have Savanna kept safe. SHe is happy to spend the time with the ultra-violent Elena, Clay and the more mature Jeremy Denvers. As the case progressed they enlisted the help of a television celebrity necromancer Jaime Vegas, some information from our friendly half-demon Adam, and even the less friendly vampires, Cassandra and Aaron, for the more bloody situations:). The interpersonal relationships were very entertaining and lightened up the mood of otherwise grim case.
"...“I can just imagine what the humidity has done to my hair. I'm going to meet your family looking like a poodle with a live wire shoved up its butt." - Paige Winterbourne”..."
This is another good addition to the Otherworld Series and even the long-winded and wordy stile of the author can be overlooked, since the story has its merits. It is engaging, entertaining and gives another glimpse in the lives of the traditionally supernatural creatures of this Urban Fantasy. I would recommend it to all the fans of the genre and those who like a good mystery. Yes, it could have been 150 pages shorter, but I will take what I get:)
"...“Nuh-uh. No deals with the devil. I’ve learned my lesson on that one. ~Jaime Vegas”..."
Now I wish you all Happy Reading and many more wonderful books to come!!!
A buddy read with my friend, Vanessa *the Pixie Princess*! Because we relate to Good Witches:)
This was better than I expected, which is always a good thing:) As in the previous book, Page is our narrator and I have grown to like her. I feel it is a good move to make her the main POV, since Elena and Clay, the love obsessed werewolf mates, feel much better in the niche of secondary, bringing on the muscle kind of sidekicks! Page is a Good Witch who has been asked to leave her coven because hr adopted daughter is the product of a Black witch and a Sorcerer, "baaaadddd blood, you know", and is currently dating the son of one of the most powerful Sorcerer's Cabal, the princeling and impoverished lawyer Lucas - obviously, the "poor" thing needs some explanation, but I would advice read the previous book if you want to know more:) Page and Lucas are perfect together. Both of them are idealists, thinking about making the world a better place and still believing in the better nature of men despite all the examples of the contrary they come in contact every day of their lives, being part of the supernatural community and all... I know many readers feel that they are too snow-flaky, but I think that Page actually has to work very hard at trying to stay good and be just, since her temper often sends her in the other direction, particularly when she is faced with one of the bad guys and wants to smite him on the spot, at which moments Lucas and his calm resolve for order and justice come very helpful and he manages to keep her in the space she can still like herself...
"...“Isn't it possible that I'm not feigning interest? That I really do want to know more about you?"
"You've never been interested in me before."
"You've never been interesting before."..."
Lucas and Page find themselves in Miami after children of Cabal employees are being killed and Lucas's dad, Benicio, the head of one of those Cabals calls them for help. Benicio has a second, more selfish reason for that - he loves his son Lucas and wants him close, especially since he has named him as his hair. This angers Lucas, who has been working against the Cabals ever since becoming an adult, but also because doing so makes him the ultimate hated person by the rest of the family, his brothers most of all. Things in the Family are tense, mildly put.
"...“While his three eldest sons spent their adult lives toiling to improve the family fortunes, who had Benicio named as his heir? The illegitimate youngest son who had devoted his adult life to destroying the family business, or at least buggering it up real good. Does this make sense to anyone besides Benicio? Of course not. Either the man is a mastermind of family manipulation or just plain fucked in the head. I don't use that word much, but in some cases, nothing else fits. "..."
Page and Lucas start on the case, but first they call on some old friends to have Savanna kept safe. SHe is happy to spend the time with the ultra-violent Elena, Clay and the more mature Jeremy Denvers. As the case progressed they enlisted the help of a television celebrity necromancer Jaime Vegas, some information from our friendly half-demon Adam, and even the less friendly vampires, Cassandra and Aaron, for the more bloody situations:). The interpersonal relationships were very entertaining and lightened up the mood of otherwise grim case.
"...“I can just imagine what the humidity has done to my hair. I'm going to meet your family looking like a poodle with a live wire shoved up its butt." - Paige Winterbourne”..."
This is another good addition to the Otherworld Series and even the long-winded and wordy stile of the author can be overlooked, since the story has its merits. It is engaging, entertaining and gives another glimpse in the lives of the traditionally supernatural creatures of this Urban Fantasy. I would recommend it to all the fans of the genre and those who like a good mystery. Yes, it could have been 150 pages shorter, but I will take what I get:)
"...“Nuh-uh. No deals with the devil. I’ve learned my lesson on that one. ~Jaime Vegas”..."
Now I wish you all Happy Reading and many more wonderful books to come!!!
February 1, 2021
This book is more of a mystery type book plus the supernatural and the awkward meeting of the boyfriend's family. There is someone killing Cabal kids (Cortez's father's empire of really rich sorcerers). First it starts out as half-demon employees and other supernaturals that aren't sorcerers being killed; which means that they aren't particularly worried about it. But when a sorcerer son dies...
Someone REALLY has it out for the Cabal empire.
Paige and Luke are at it again with special appearances by some werewolves, vampires, necromancers, clairvoyants and shamans. Just settling in with Luke and Savannah at an apartment, Benicio, Luke's father, surprises Paige and peaks her interested in the case explained above.
There is a bunch of everything in this book. They meet some vampires that embrace "their true nature," aka they sleep in coffins and don't come out during the day, a clairvoyant who only uses her powers against her employer, and the extension of Luke's family (which is VERY messed up).
Gore, Weirdness, Ghost...
oh and you meet the narrator for the next book!
Kelley Armstrong's writing is something I can't get over. She makes you view the story from one pair of eyes, manipulates how you feel about a certain scene while also making you laugh at every page. I would love to learn from her how to make things come alive on the pages as she does.
Still my favorite series to date. I can't wait to read the next one!
Someone REALLY has it out for the Cabal empire.
Paige and Luke are at it again with special appearances by some werewolves, vampires, necromancers, clairvoyants and shamans. Just settling in with Luke and Savannah at an apartment, Benicio, Luke's father, surprises Paige and peaks her interested in the case explained above.
There is a bunch of everything in this book. They meet some vampires that embrace "their true nature," aka they sleep in coffins and don't come out during the day, a clairvoyant who only uses her powers against her employer, and the extension of Luke's family (which is VERY messed up).
Gore, Weirdness, Ghost...
oh and you meet the narrator for the next book!
Kelley Armstrong's writing is something I can't get over. She makes you view the story from one pair of eyes, manipulates how you feel about a certain scene while also making you laugh at every page. I would love to learn from her how to make things come alive on the pages as she does.
Still my favorite series to date. I can't wait to read the next one!
January 4, 2016
★★½
Industrial Magic is the fourth installment in Kelley Armstrong's urban fantasy series titled Women of the Underworld. The focal point of this story is once again the witches, which very much disappointed me. On the plus side, Elena, Clay, and Jeremy re-enter the storyline after a bit THANK GOD! ...but it just wasn't enough for me. To be clear, it's not a bad story/book/series, but it's certainly not the engaging shifter world I thought I was entering when I started. I have to say I'm out. I love the urban fantasy genre but storylines that center on witches rarely spark my interest for some reason. I really, really tried to find some kind of investment with these non-shifter characters but it's just not working.
Peace out -
Industrial Magic is the fourth installment in Kelley Armstrong's urban fantasy series titled Women of the Underworld. The focal point of this story is once again the witches, which very much disappointed me. On the plus side, Elena, Clay, and Jeremy re-enter the storyline after a bit THANK GOD! ...but it just wasn't enough for me. To be clear, it's not a bad story/book/series, but it's certainly not the engaging shifter world I thought I was entering when I started. I have to say I'm out. I love the urban fantasy genre but storylines that center on witches rarely spark my interest for some reason. I really, really tried to find some kind of investment with these non-shifter characters but it's just not working.
Peace out -
April 7, 2022
So. Much. In. This. Book.
This is another Paige and Lucas book, however, almost everyone else we've met so far is also present in a substantial capacity. AND we meet Jamie. I heart Jamie.
Basically, in this book Paige and Lucas get roped into a Cabal investigation b/c someone is killing Cabal pre-teens and adolescents. It's creepily fantastic and includes everyone from Adam to Eve (heh) to Cassandra and Aaron. I like it.
This is another Paige and Lucas book, however, almost everyone else we've met so far is also present in a substantial capacity. AND we meet Jamie. I heart Jamie.
Basically, in this book Paige and Lucas get roped into a Cabal investigation b/c someone is killing Cabal pre-teens and adolescents. It's creepily fantastic and includes everyone from Adam to Eve (heh) to Cassandra and Aaron. I like it.
November 30, 2011
Industrial Magic is without a doubt the weakest in the series so far. The writing, story telling and world building are excellent. What is not excellent however is Paige Winterbourne. While she wasn't the smartest (despite what she thought) or the most likeable in Dime Store Magic, there was a lot going on to distract the reader from her. Plus Savannah was a welcome break, as was getting to know Lucas Cortez. Unfortunately Savannah is largely absent from this novel. And as for Lucas... I've learned all I need to know about him.
Paige, despite complaining about the Coven witches, is more like them than she knows. Old fashioned, judgmental, and convinced of her own superiority Paige spent much of this novel on her soapbox. Her character would be slightly more likeable if she ever failed, or was seen as an unlikable person through the eyes of another character. But unfortunately, Paige met and succeeded at every challenge. Despite being a mere twenty three years old, she had the knowledge and the wisdom to hunt down a serial killer. Ugh. If this entire series featured Paige or Lucas I would drop it in a hot minute. Since it does not, I am happily going on to the next book and will simply have to bear it when they appear in the future. But any more books with either of them as a main character and I will likely skip them altogether.
Paige, despite complaining about the Coven witches, is more like them than she knows. Old fashioned, judgmental, and convinced of her own superiority Paige spent much of this novel on her soapbox. Her character would be slightly more likeable if she ever failed, or was seen as an unlikable person through the eyes of another character. But unfortunately, Paige met and succeeded at every challenge. Despite being a mere twenty three years old, she had the knowledge and the wisdom to hunt down a serial killer. Ugh. If this entire series featured Paige or Lucas I would drop it in a hot minute. Since it does not, I am happily going on to the next book and will simply have to bear it when they appear in the future. But any more books with either of them as a main character and I will likely skip them altogether.
July 22, 2017
Industrial Magic is the fourth book in Kelley Armstrong’s Women of the Otherworld series, and it’s easily my favourite thus far. All the books have been enjoyable, each book seems to reach a new high, and I can only imagine what I will feel as I continue to work my way through this series. In all honesty, I’m annoyed it’s taking me so long to work my way through them. I’m so close to buying all the other books in the series and binge reading them across a week, such is my level of love for the world Kelley Armstrong has created.
I was a bit unsure about Paige and Lucas in Dime Store Magic, but I came to really love them by the end of the book. Thus, I was super excited to jump into Industrial Magic. I was somewhat nervous, as I’ve read a number of reviews where people have labelled this the weakest book in the series, but I adored it. It opened up so many new elements of the world and there were so many scenes that pulled at my heartstrings. It was a quite different read to the prior books, but that only made me enjoy it more.
In all honesty, I’m now heartbroken that we’ll be moving on from Paige and Lucas in the next book. I was disappointed when book three changed our characters to the duo, but now I want to stay with them for longer. I want to see what more happens in their world. I never anticipated falling so in love with the characters, but the events that took place throughout this story earned them a spot right up there alongside my other favourite characters. I’m positive I’ll love the future point of views, but books three and four will certainly hold a high spot for me throughout the rest of the series.
What I really loved about this one is how it has opened up so many possibilities for the world going forward. The characters we are introduce to and the events that unfold promise many great things in the future books. Not to mention, they were a lot of fun throughout this book. The new characters make for extremely interesting reads, giving us plenty of drama throughout the story. The events, whilst slow at times, leave us on the edge of our seats regarding how everything comes together. I’m a big fan of Kelley Armstrong, and throughout this story demonstrated why I’m such a big fan.
Overall, it was a wonderful read. I cannot wait to read the next book in the Women of the Otherworld series and find out where everything goes from here.
I was a bit unsure about Paige and Lucas in Dime Store Magic, but I came to really love them by the end of the book. Thus, I was super excited to jump into Industrial Magic. I was somewhat nervous, as I’ve read a number of reviews where people have labelled this the weakest book in the series, but I adored it. It opened up so many new elements of the world and there were so many scenes that pulled at my heartstrings. It was a quite different read to the prior books, but that only made me enjoy it more.
In all honesty, I’m now heartbroken that we’ll be moving on from Paige and Lucas in the next book. I was disappointed when book three changed our characters to the duo, but now I want to stay with them for longer. I want to see what more happens in their world. I never anticipated falling so in love with the characters, but the events that took place throughout this story earned them a spot right up there alongside my other favourite characters. I’m positive I’ll love the future point of views, but books three and four will certainly hold a high spot for me throughout the rest of the series.
What I really loved about this one is how it has opened up so many possibilities for the world going forward. The characters we are introduce to and the events that unfold promise many great things in the future books. Not to mention, they were a lot of fun throughout this book. The new characters make for extremely interesting reads, giving us plenty of drama throughout the story. The events, whilst slow at times, leave us on the edge of our seats regarding how everything comes together. I’m a big fan of Kelley Armstrong, and throughout this story demonstrated why I’m such a big fan.
Overall, it was a wonderful read. I cannot wait to read the next book in the Women of the Otherworld series and find out where everything goes from here.
November 28, 2023
“I can just imagine what the humidity has done to my hair. I'm going to meet your family looking like a poodle with a live wire shoved up its butt."
I'm still in love. Paige's books are as good as Elena's to me. I really wish they had more full length novels.
While the other book focused more on the weak and ineffective coven, this one goes into the world of the Sorcerer's world with the business run Cabal. Fascinating inner politics that were both irritating and intriguing. I loved the father/son anti-bond and its development too, I can't help it, I'm drawn to family drama. Paige and Lucas make a strong front when they stand up to prejudice, family hatred, and trying to fight for what is right while not always able to do it. There's some mental tricks aplay that keep them on their feet.
I was delighted to see so much of Elena, Clay, and Jeremy. Elena hints at future storylines with her private girl chat with Paige, and the gang comes up to lend their assistance later on. There's a small amount of Adam, and oodles of Cassandra. I'm not as crazy about the vamps in the series but her and Aaron work with the scenes they're given.
Savannah has a scene that's probably the best ending fight of the series - seriously, it was twisted and perfect. I loved it.
I like how Armstrong solved the crime of the villain. First they have no idea for about half the book, then they're wrong, then they know what species type but not who, then they know who but have to try and trap and evade at the same time. Tense and well played.
I'm still in love. Paige's books are as good as Elena's to me. I really wish they had more full length novels.
While the other book focused more on the weak and ineffective coven, this one goes into the world of the Sorcerer's world with the business run Cabal. Fascinating inner politics that were both irritating and intriguing. I loved the father/son anti-bond and its development too, I can't help it, I'm drawn to family drama. Paige and Lucas make a strong front when they stand up to prejudice, family hatred, and trying to fight for what is right while not always able to do it. There's some mental tricks aplay that keep them on their feet.
I was delighted to see so much of Elena, Clay, and Jeremy. Elena hints at future storylines with her private girl chat with Paige, and the gang comes up to lend their assistance later on. There's a small amount of Adam, and oodles of Cassandra. I'm not as crazy about the vamps in the series but her and Aaron work with the scenes they're given.
Savannah has a scene that's probably the best ending fight of the series - seriously, it was twisted and perfect. I loved it.
I like how Armstrong solved the crime of the villain. First they have no idea for about half the book, then they're wrong, then they know what species type but not who, then they know who but have to try and trap and evade at the same time. Tense and well played.
November 27, 2010
3.5 Stars
So far this is the book I have enjoyed the least. But it is not an easy book to review. The reason for this is that I enjoyed some parts way too much while others got me so bored. Making it short, the first half of the book was boring as hell while the 2nd half was amazing.
In the first half we have Paige helping Lucas to resolve some assassinations happening to the teenage offspring of the underworld's most influential Cabals workers. While this was interesting at the beginning, it got extremely boring later as the assassinations kept happening for all the first half of the book. One kid after another got killed and not any informations was found. It just felt like one killing was just as the other and the author was trying to fill pages because seriously NOTHING else happens. NOTHING. 300 pages of kids being killed and no one getting close to find any solutions for it.
But then the 2nd half came, and EVERYTHING changed! And boy did it change. It got so much better I could not even believed I was reading the same book. Seriously, so far the best thing I have read in the series (The 2nd half of the book I mean). In it we see a lot about all the different species, also we see all the main character trying to resolve the case together and Benicio getting closer to Lucas & Paige. I love Benicio and all the characters. It has been so long since I read a series that totally drowns me in it. I can't stop thinking about this series. I love the plot and I love the characters and even though there's almost no romance in it I still can't put it down! There's so much more I need to know. I'll start next book right away! I'm so hooked.
It's funny because at the beginning of the book I was thinking I was sick of Paige and I didn't need to read anything more about her and now I just can't stop thinking I need so much more. I love all this characters!
So far this is the book I have enjoyed the least. But it is not an easy book to review. The reason for this is that I enjoyed some parts way too much while others got me so bored. Making it short, the first half of the book was boring as hell while the 2nd half was amazing.
In the first half we have Paige helping Lucas to resolve some assassinations happening to the teenage offspring of the underworld's most influential Cabals workers. While this was interesting at the beginning, it got extremely boring later as the assassinations kept happening for all the first half of the book. One kid after another got killed and not any informations was found. It just felt like one killing was just as the other and the author was trying to fill pages because seriously NOTHING else happens. NOTHING. 300 pages of kids being killed and no one getting close to find any solutions for it.
But then the 2nd half came, and EVERYTHING changed! And boy did it change. It got so much better I could not even believed I was reading the same book. Seriously, so far the best thing I have read in the series (The 2nd half of the book I mean). In it we see a lot about all the different species, also we see all the main character trying to resolve the case together and Benicio getting closer to Lucas & Paige. I love Benicio and all the characters. It has been so long since I read a series that totally drowns me in it. I can't stop thinking about this series. I love the plot and I love the characters and even though there's almost no romance in it I still can't put it down! There's so much more I need to know. I'll start next book right away! I'm so hooked.
It's funny because at the beginning of the book I was thinking I was sick of Paige and I didn't need to read anything more about her and now I just can't stop thinking I need so much more. I love all this characters!
September 28, 2008
I'm going back and forth about whether to give this 2 or 3 stars. The writing is just so clunky. The paperback clocked in at over 500 pages, and I felt like if only it had been edited more, it could have taken up much less room. There is just so much unneeded exposition on mundane details. I still don't buy Paige and Lucas's romance (one of my complaints about Dime Store Magic) - unlike with Elena and Clay in Bitten, Kelley Armstrong just tells us over and over that Paige and Lucas love each other without ever really showing it. The relationship between Lucas and his father suffers from the same problems; we're told one thing about it but nothing that the characters actually do reflect what we're told.
Paige doesn't narrate any of the remaining books in the series, so I think I'll keep reading in hopes that the switch to Eve or the return to Elena improves things. We'll see.
Paige doesn't narrate any of the remaining books in the series, so I think I'll keep reading in hopes that the switch to Eve or the return to Elena improves things. We'll see.
December 1, 2023
I'm seriously considering abandoning this series. Every time I put one of these down I don't look forward to picking it back up.
So far the series has been focused on pairs. The first two were about werewolves, Elena and Clay, which is why I picked it up. I love werewolves! These last two were about Paige and Lucas, a witch and a sorcerer respectively, with Elena and Clay among the supporting cast. The next one is supposed to focus on Eve, a deceased witch and Savannah's biological mother. The back cover blurb sounds good, so I'll try it and hope this series finally grabs hold.
Life is too short for books that suck, much less serieses that suck.
I think it has a lot to do with the voice narrator, Laural Merlington. She sounds like a 3-pack-a-day smoker and narrates in monotone. Who thought a voice that deep would be good for female characters who are all twentysomethings? Every time Armstrong writes that a character laughs, Merlington does a throaty, fake little "ha ha ha ha" *shudder*
*Sigh*... I'll give it one more try, then I'm out. Onward to Haunted.
So far the series has been focused on pairs. The first two were about werewolves, Elena and Clay, which is why I picked it up. I love werewolves! These last two were about Paige and Lucas, a witch and a sorcerer respectively, with Elena and Clay among the supporting cast. The next one is supposed to focus on Eve, a deceased witch and Savannah's biological mother. The back cover blurb sounds good, so I'll try it and hope this series finally grabs hold.
Life is too short for books that suck, much less serieses that suck.
I think it has a lot to do with the voice narrator, Laural Merlington. She sounds like a 3-pack-a-day smoker and narrates in monotone. Who thought a voice that deep would be good for female characters who are all twentysomethings? Every time Armstrong writes that a character laughs, Merlington does a throaty, fake little "ha ha ha ha" *shudder*
*Sigh*... I'll give it one more try, then I'm out. Onward to Haunted.
December 19, 2012
I am now totally immersed in Kelley Armstrong’s Women of the Otherworld Series – don’t you just love the book titles!!! – the title, Industrial Magic, which is the 5th book in this fantasy world, really got to me…wait, wait….in a nice way….I mean …where does industrial fit in with magic I wondered….but I soon found out that it does fit in rather well!!!
This is such a fabulicious and “magical” world with lovable and some not so lovable characters and here we finally get to join Paige Winterbourne, that witch that Clay, the werewolf gives a hard time to…but here and now she stands her ground and no wilting visible at any time!!!!!! She has settled into her new life and living with Lucas Cortez, the youngest son of Benicio Cortez, the mighty and powerful head of the Cortez Cabal and Savannah, her adopted teenage witch daughter.
Oh before continuing, I have to tell you that this story does not have as much action or gore as the previous books……..it’s more of a Cabal story. Yes, the very secretive and “paranoid” Half-Demon Mafia and how Paige and Lucas work in solving the case of a serial killer who is targeting the Cabal leader’s children.
I loved how the plot developed and we get to see the true relationship between Lucas and his father and how much love they have for each other despite their differences when it comes to Cabal business. I could so understand why Benicio made Lucas his heir instead of his half-brothers – now there are some psychos for sure.
The one side of Paige that I really enjoyed was the way she handled the whole situation of Lucas and his father.
I found Paige an incredible heroine – she’s strong minded, understanding, caring, loyal and not afraid to make her point known. I loved the moments between her and Lucas, who at first felt he was a bit of a “wimp” but by the end I was totally endeared by a sweet, gentle and kind guy – his interaction with Savannah is really amazing and admirable.
And Jaime Vegas – you just have to love this woman!!!!!!! A sexy, redheaded necromancer who loves fashion and contacting ghosts in the afterlife and who can still act like a little girl – breathless when she meets Jeremy, the werewolf …remember him????? And her shows!!!!!!! So Las Vegas!!!!!!!!
And the vampire Cassandra – what a fashionista!!!! Love her too. She’s so anal but oh she just grows on you.
Oh yes, Eve Levine…remember her??? The black magic witch and mother of Savannah, who unfortunately crossed over to the afterlife realm makes a small appearance here…..though the next book is all about her…..Hooray!!!! I am so looking forward to that one!!!!!!!!!!!!
Don’t you just love all these character names – they just somehow fit in with this “underground” cosmos don’t you think????
And yes, the werewolves play a very low-key part in the story…….but guess they will be BACK……….
The Otherworld is growing and expanding and I can’t wait to spending more time there…….where will Lucas go I wonder….join the Cabal or not???? Just have to wait and see….I actually would love him to do it….the Cabals are just so fascinating…all the in-fighting between the 4 families and all those mad and crazy family members.
August 28, 2016
Read August 2014
Re-read for a challenge and also to continue the series
I really enjoyed how strong Paige is and her relationship Luke. Can't wait to see what happens in the next book and the rest of the series and the return of the wolves.
Re-read for a challenge and also to continue the series
I really enjoyed how strong Paige is and her relationship Luke. Can't wait to see what happens in the next book and the rest of the series and the return of the wolves.
October 16, 2019
This book is SO GOOD. Definitely my favourite in the series so far (and the only reason I hesitate to call it my favourite of the series overall is because there's a lot I'm sure I've forgotten about the middle books, so I'm tentatively reserving judgment).
First of all, I want to say that this book has the best executed example of a misunderstanding between a couple that I've probably ever seen. Neither character is willfully ignorant, or misleads the other. It's a simple communication breakdown that is then rectified and it's beautiful. Don't get me wrong, I love me a good angst fest of HE DOESN'T LOVE ME, but more often then not these problems can be resolved by simply TALKING to each other and too much of the plot resolves around the characters just not doing that for the sole purpose of creating more angst.
That's not the case here. I think there is a part of Paige that is waiting for the other shoe to drop when it comes to her relationship with Lucas. The way that she continually talks about being there "as long as he wants her around" (to poor Lucas' eternal frustration), I think comes partly from the fact that he's a sorcerer, and partly from her own insecurities. As a witch she's been taught not only to distrust but to outright fear sorcerers. On top of that, she previously believed that sorcerers hate witches, and when you pair that with just general woman fear of being too clingy, of course she's going to be the one saying to Lucas she'll be around only as much as he wants her to.
As for Lucas' POV, all I can say is he has the patience of a saint. Poor boy dropping hints left right and centre about how he's crazy over the moon for her and every single one of them goes right over her head. What's great about their interactions in this book, though, is as a reader, after reading Dime Store Magic we understand why he's so hesitant to push for a firmer commitment from Paige. He's afraid of scaring her off after he had to work so hard just to get her to call him by his damn first name.
I love their fight because you understand both points of view, we understand why Paige is so upset that Lucas doesn't know how she feels about him, but we equally understand why he doesn't know how she feels (the scene with him and the champagne and her telling him he's a few days early, oh god my heart. Poor boy). But what's really great about them, for me, is just how sturdy they are as a couple. Their "fight" is the biggest non-fight ever, and despite the fact that reason they're in that position to misunderstand each other in the first place is due to a lack of communication, they communicate so much about everything else, and you just know that after this they're going to communicate about everything. Forever. Ad nauseam.
I love that about them. Not only are they in love and super attracted to each other (ARE YOU KIDDING ME WITH THAT BLOW JOB IN THE CLOSET, SHE IS INJURED BUT SHE DON'T CARE THAT'S HOW MUCH SHE WANTS THE D!!!!! [more about this later]), but the trust is UNREAL. Ugh, people who trust each other is EVERYTHING to me. I love that Benicio tries to play them against each other at times and every single time he is shut the fuck down. THEY'RE A TEAM. EVERYTHING ABOUT THEM IS A TEAM!!!! Some of Lucas' fears surrounding their relationship is that Paige isn't going to be able to handle his family ~dramz, and he even goes so far as to say that she never signed up for it, but I think he's wrong there. He never (except for the very beginning) mislead Paige when it came to his family, and she went into the relationship with her eyes open. I love that about them, and I know I've said that like six times now and how much I love that they trust each other but I just love it so much and it's so rare to see couples who are a real team who are equals and it's so great (seriously, it's like the Taylors and that's it).
I think the comparison to Eric and Tammy Taylor is apt because ugh old marrieds, I love it, and these two far from being dependable and falling into old habits or whatever just bang all over the place. ALL OVER THE PLACE. It's great. I was saying before like poor Savannah probably interrupts them so many times, or she has friends over and they catch Lucas and Paige in various states of undress. I bet there's an ongoing joke on the Interracial Council about who gets caught more, Lucas and Paige, or Clay and Elena. When Benicio almost catches them, hahahahahaha. He's so awkward, meanwhile Lucas and Paige are just like COME AT ME, BRO, WHAT DID YOU EXPECT??
And speaking of Benicio, I am continually fascinated by his relationship with Lucas. What really stood out to me this time is how much Benicio really does love Lucas. I think Benicio's point about how he doesn't interfere in Lucas' life is really true from Benicio's point of view. He doesn't prevent Lucas from doing what he wants to do, and to be honest, he probably really could. I'm not saying that I think Benicio is a good person, or that the Cabals aren't as bad as they appear. I think he is very morally corrupt, but more so, I think he and Lucas just plain don't understand each other, hence most of their discord prior to this novel. I think it's just really sad because they're never going to be able to see eye to eye, but the love is there on both sides but it's just never going to end happily.
The Cabals are so interesting, and we just never get to see a fuller, unbiased picture of how they work, which I think is a shame. THERE'S SO MUCH THERE, I WANT TO KNOW EVERYTHING, TELL ME EVERYTHING!!!!!!
I really enjoyed Cassandra and Aaron this time around. I don't have a lot to say about them at this stage in the game, but I think Cassandra is a really interesting and complex character, and I love how unapologetic she is about everything, but especially who and what she is. I'm really excited to keep watching her again on reread and see how she tries her best to re-engage with the world. And AARON. Jess put the idea of Chris Hemsworth in my head for him and now IT'S ALL I CAN THINK ABOUT. I think I want Scarlet Johansson for Cassandra.
Lastly, CAN SOMEONE PLEASE TALK TO BE ABOUT LUCAS AND CLAY AS BROS? Because I loved that so much on reread, and I don't think I ever cared about anything to do with Clay as much as I want him and Lucas to be BFFs and quietly drink beers together. THEY STILL DON'T TALK SOMETIMES!!!! Everyone likes to talk about how smart Clay is, and like, OBVIOUSLY he is, you don't get a PhD because you're pretty, but I feel like Armstrong fell too heavily at times of telling rather than showing he was smart, which I suppose is fine because that part of him isn't really ever in the forefront, but STILL. I just really like the idea of them getting along and being bros.
ANYWAY, if people want to talk to me about fancasting this series, that's something I'm OBSESSED with since yesterday. What do people think of Elizabeth Olsen for Elena?
Reread October 2019
Whyyy did we never get more with the Cabals? I want so much more, they are SO INTERESTING.
Paige and Lucas are the best, the end.
First of all, I want to say that this book has the best executed example of a misunderstanding between a couple that I've probably ever seen. Neither character is willfully ignorant, or misleads the other. It's a simple communication breakdown that is then rectified and it's beautiful. Don't get me wrong, I love me a good angst fest of HE DOESN'T LOVE ME, but more often then not these problems can be resolved by simply TALKING to each other and too much of the plot resolves around the characters just not doing that for the sole purpose of creating more angst.
That's not the case here. I think there is a part of Paige that is waiting for the other shoe to drop when it comes to her relationship with Lucas. The way that she continually talks about being there "as long as he wants her around" (to poor Lucas' eternal frustration), I think comes partly from the fact that he's a sorcerer, and partly from her own insecurities. As a witch she's been taught not only to distrust but to outright fear sorcerers. On top of that, she previously believed that sorcerers hate witches, and when you pair that with just general woman fear of being too clingy, of course she's going to be the one saying to Lucas she'll be around only as much as he wants her to.
As for Lucas' POV, all I can say is he has the patience of a saint. Poor boy dropping hints left right and centre about how he's crazy over the moon for her and every single one of them goes right over her head. What's great about their interactions in this book, though, is as a reader, after reading Dime Store Magic we understand why he's so hesitant to push for a firmer commitment from Paige. He's afraid of scaring her off after he had to work so hard just to get her to call him by his damn first name.
I love their fight because you understand both points of view, we understand why Paige is so upset that Lucas doesn't know how she feels about him, but we equally understand why he doesn't know how she feels (the scene with him and the champagne and her telling him he's a few days early, oh god my heart. Poor boy). But what's really great about them, for me, is just how sturdy they are as a couple. Their "fight" is the biggest non-fight ever, and despite the fact that reason they're in that position to misunderstand each other in the first place is due to a lack of communication, they communicate so much about everything else, and you just know that after this they're going to communicate about everything. Forever. Ad nauseam.
I love that about them. Not only are they in love and super attracted to each other (ARE YOU KIDDING ME WITH THAT BLOW JOB IN THE CLOSET, SHE IS INJURED BUT SHE DON'T CARE THAT'S HOW MUCH SHE WANTS THE D!!!!! [more about this later]), but the trust is UNREAL. Ugh, people who trust each other is EVERYTHING to me. I love that Benicio tries to play them against each other at times and every single time he is shut the fuck down. THEY'RE A TEAM. EVERYTHING ABOUT THEM IS A TEAM!!!! Some of Lucas' fears surrounding their relationship is that Paige isn't going to be able to handle his family ~dramz, and he even goes so far as to say that she never signed up for it, but I think he's wrong there. He never (except for the very beginning) mislead Paige when it came to his family, and she went into the relationship with her eyes open. I love that about them, and I know I've said that like six times now and how much I love that they trust each other but I just love it so much and it's so rare to see couples who are a real team who are equals and it's so great (seriously, it's like the Taylors and that's it).
I think the comparison to Eric and Tammy Taylor is apt because ugh old marrieds, I love it, and these two far from being dependable and falling into old habits or whatever just bang all over the place. ALL OVER THE PLACE. It's great. I was saying before like poor Savannah probably interrupts them so many times, or she has friends over and they catch Lucas and Paige in various states of undress. I bet there's an ongoing joke on the Interracial Council about who gets caught more, Lucas and Paige, or Clay and Elena. When Benicio almost catches them, hahahahahaha. He's so awkward, meanwhile Lucas and Paige are just like COME AT ME, BRO, WHAT DID YOU EXPECT??
And speaking of Benicio, I am continually fascinated by his relationship with Lucas. What really stood out to me this time is how much Benicio really does love Lucas. I think Benicio's point about how he doesn't interfere in Lucas' life is really true from Benicio's point of view. He doesn't prevent Lucas from doing what he wants to do, and to be honest, he probably really could. I'm not saying that I think Benicio is a good person, or that the Cabals aren't as bad as they appear. I think he is very morally corrupt, but more so, I think he and Lucas just plain don't understand each other, hence most of their discord prior to this novel. I think it's just really sad because they're never going to be able to see eye to eye, but the love is there on both sides but it's just never going to end happily.
The Cabals are so interesting, and we just never get to see a fuller, unbiased picture of how they work, which I think is a shame. THERE'S SO MUCH THERE, I WANT TO KNOW EVERYTHING, TELL ME EVERYTHING!!!!!!
I really enjoyed Cassandra and Aaron this time around. I don't have a lot to say about them at this stage in the game, but I think Cassandra is a really interesting and complex character, and I love how unapologetic she is about everything, but especially who and what she is. I'm really excited to keep watching her again on reread and see how she tries her best to re-engage with the world. And AARON. Jess put the idea of Chris Hemsworth in my head for him and now IT'S ALL I CAN THINK ABOUT. I think I want Scarlet Johansson for Cassandra.
Lastly, CAN SOMEONE PLEASE TALK TO BE ABOUT LUCAS AND CLAY AS BROS? Because I loved that so much on reread, and I don't think I ever cared about anything to do with Clay as much as I want him and Lucas to be BFFs and quietly drink beers together. THEY STILL DON'T TALK SOMETIMES!!!! Everyone likes to talk about how smart Clay is, and like, OBVIOUSLY he is, you don't get a PhD because you're pretty, but I feel like Armstrong fell too heavily at times of telling rather than showing he was smart, which I suppose is fine because that part of him isn't really ever in the forefront, but STILL. I just really like the idea of them getting along and being bros.
ANYWAY, if people want to talk to me about fancasting this series, that's something I'm OBSESSED with since yesterday. What do people think of Elizabeth Olsen for Elena?
Reread October 2019
Whyyy did we never get more with the Cabals? I want so much more, they are SO INTERESTING.
Paige and Lucas are the best, the end.
June 15, 2011
Kelley Armstrong knocks another one out of the park with this fourth installment in her Otherworld series. Paige the witch is back as the narrator, but joining her this latest adventure is the rest of the amazing cast of characters we met in the earlier books.
About four months have passed since the events of Dime Store Magic. Paige, Lucas, and Savannah are making a life for themselves in Portland, when Lucas' father Benicio shows up. He wants Lucas and Paige to investigate the attacks on two teenagers in the Cabal. The crimes strike a particular chord with Paige, since the latest victim is a young witch, abandoned by her mother.
In the course of their investigation, our couple finds out that there were more victims than Benicio knew. They are children of all four Cabals. Our killer has got a major grudge and he's not done seeking his revenge. Joining Paige and Lucas, is a new character, Jamie the necromancer. I really enjoy her. It's not too often I get to read about a smart, sexy 40 year-old woman, with something to contribute. (Not only did I develop a soft spot for her, I quickly became a fan of her giant crush on Jeremy.)
Cassandra the vampire is back, reluctantly joining the team. We get to finally meet Savannah's mother, Eve (albeit in ghostly form.) And fan favorites Clay and Elena return, first to take care of Savannah, and later to help reel in the bad guy.
The action here is great. I love the murder plot and all the layers it entails. But just as much, I love watching Paige and Lucas take their relationship to the next level. He is such an adorable dork. And she is as utterly in love with him as he is with her. They really make a great couple. We also get a chance to see the dynamic between Lucas and his father. I know the Cabals are bad, but Benicio's love for his son is undeniable... and sweet.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book. A great series. 5 stars
About four months have passed since the events of Dime Store Magic. Paige, Lucas, and Savannah are making a life for themselves in Portland, when Lucas' father Benicio shows up. He wants Lucas and Paige to investigate the attacks on two teenagers in the Cabal. The crimes strike a particular chord with Paige, since the latest victim is a young witch, abandoned by her mother.
In the course of their investigation, our couple finds out that there were more victims than Benicio knew. They are children of all four Cabals. Our killer has got a major grudge and he's not done seeking his revenge. Joining Paige and Lucas, is a new character, Jamie the necromancer. I really enjoy her. It's not too often I get to read about a smart, sexy 40 year-old woman, with something to contribute. (Not only did I develop a soft spot for her, I quickly became a fan of her giant crush on Jeremy.)
Cassandra the vampire is back, reluctantly joining the team. We get to finally meet Savannah's mother, Eve (albeit in ghostly form.) And fan favorites Clay and Elena return, first to take care of Savannah, and later to help reel in the bad guy.
The action here is great. I love the murder plot and all the layers it entails. But just as much, I love watching Paige and Lucas take their relationship to the next level. He is such an adorable dork. And she is as utterly in love with him as he is with her. They really make a great couple. We also get a chance to see the dynamic between Lucas and his father. I know the Cabals are bad, but Benicio's love for his son is undeniable... and sweet.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book. A great series. 5 stars
July 31, 2022
Industrial Magic
4 Stars
Paige and Lucas travel to Miami when children of Cabal employees are targeted for death. As the investigation progresses and the killer’s motives emerge, it becomes apparent that the real target may just be someone closer to home...
Interesting character development and a solid mystery although the pacing is a little off with the first half moving slowly as the case builds while the second is exciting and action packed as the culprit is identified and the chase is on.
Once again, the events unfold from Paige’s POV as she learns more about the Cabals in general and Lucus’s family in particular. Several new characters are introduced including Lucus’s meddling father, Benecio, and his obnoxious brothers who need a serious reality check - my favorite scene is when . Another addition is Jaime Vegas, the necromancer, who develops a cute crush on Jeremy Danvers. Speaking of the wolves’ alpha, Clay and Elena as well as Adam, Cassandra and Aaron all put in an appearance and it is fantastic seeing all of the supernaturals working together.
The mystery with its multiple layers unravels slowly and the identity of the killer is unexpected yet not surprising given the nature of the Cabals. Lucas and Paige are adorable together and their romance takes the next inevitable step.
Laural Merlington is never going to be my favorite narrator. She doesn't have that ability to really pull me into the story that some of my favorites do. The next book has a different heroine and narrator. It will be interesting to see how Kelley manages what’s coming.
4 Stars
Paige and Lucas travel to Miami when children of Cabal employees are targeted for death. As the investigation progresses and the killer’s motives emerge, it becomes apparent that the real target may just be someone closer to home...
Interesting character development and a solid mystery although the pacing is a little off with the first half moving slowly as the case builds while the second is exciting and action packed as the culprit is identified and the chase is on.
Once again, the events unfold from Paige’s POV as she learns more about the Cabals in general and Lucus’s family in particular. Several new characters are introduced including Lucus’s meddling father, Benecio, and his obnoxious brothers who need a serious reality check - my favorite scene is when . Another addition is Jaime Vegas, the necromancer, who develops a cute crush on Jeremy Danvers. Speaking of the wolves’ alpha, Clay and Elena as well as Adam, Cassandra and Aaron all put in an appearance and it is fantastic seeing all of the supernaturals working together.
The mystery with its multiple layers unravels slowly and the identity of the killer is unexpected yet not surprising given the nature of the Cabals. Lucas and Paige are adorable together and their romance takes the next inevitable step.
Laural Merlington is never going to be my favorite narrator. She doesn't have that ability to really pull me into the story that some of my favorites do. The next book has a different heroine and narrator. It will be interesting to see how Kelley manages what’s coming.
November 1, 2019
Paige and Lucas are my favourite characters in this series, and this instalment did not disappoint! Twisted and full of devious characters, I enjoyed this immensely!
September 26, 2021
And the plot thickens; this book is about Paige and Lucas again. Which I am not mad about I liked them in Dime Store Magic.
This book focuses on the two of them and Savannah moving on, only the paranormal world isn’t done with them and when Cabal teenagers are being killed Lucas and Paige can’t help themselves but want to help because Savannah could be next, because of Lucas ties to the Cabals.
This is a pretty fast passed book with new characters and old characters come back.
Not sure I am a fan of the vampires in this series, I guess time will tell.
Jeremy is back in this book for a little while but I want MORE of his story like yesterday.
The narration was ok again not my favorite but not terrible. On to the next!
This book focuses on the two of them and Savannah moving on, only the paranormal world isn’t done with them and when Cabal teenagers are being killed Lucas and Paige can’t help themselves but want to help because Savannah could be next, because of Lucas ties to the Cabals.
This is a pretty fast passed book with new characters and old characters come back.
Not sure I am a fan of the vampires in this series, I guess time will tell.
Jeremy is back in this book for a little while but I want MORE of his story like yesterday.
The narration was ok again not my favorite but not terrible. On to the next!
September 23, 2017
I think this book would get about 3.5, maybe 4 stars.
Kelley Armstrong pays immaculate attention to detail, and has done so in all previous books, but it seemed like this one was lacking and there were parts that made little to no sense in the grand scheme of things. There were also quite a bit of editing/spelling errors. It was still an easy read, with an interesting plot, and again, it piqued my interest in Paige (I didn't quite like her in the second novel.)
There has been someone with a vengeance, killing teenagers that are related to the Cabal members. Paige and Lucas spend the second half of this book trying to figure out who is doing so, and why. Fun read, and I was actually pretty surprised at who the killer was. It wasn't who I had guessed. Like the previous two, this book contains many different types of supernatural folk, and they all come together to solve this case. We even get to meet our beloved Clay and Elena again. I really enjoyed reading this.
Kelley Armstrong pays immaculate attention to detail, and has done so in all previous books, but it seemed like this one was lacking and there were parts that made little to no sense in the grand scheme of things. There were also quite a bit of editing/spelling errors. It was still an easy read, with an interesting plot, and again, it piqued my interest in Paige (I didn't quite like her in the second novel.)
There has been someone with a vengeance, killing teenagers that are related to the Cabal members. Paige and Lucas spend the second half of this book trying to figure out who is doing so, and why. Fun read, and I was actually pretty surprised at who the killer was. It wasn't who I had guessed. Like the previous two, this book contains many different types of supernatural folk, and they all come together to solve this case. We even get to meet our beloved Clay and Elena again. I really enjoyed reading this.
September 11, 2015
I loved re-reading this book! So much happens and so many characters are introduced and re-introduced! We have the return of the pack (or at least 3 members) briefly, a brief cameo from Kristoff, get to meet Eve (though she is dead as we know from Stolen), we get to meet Lucas' brothers (who I can't stand!), his father (who I do like for all his faults) and Benecio's (Lucas' father) bodyguards who will cameo in later books considering the fact that Troy and Griffin are never far from Benecio. We also got reintroduced to Cassandra, a better introduction to Aaron and we got introduced to Jaime Vegas, celebrity necromancer!
We learnt more about the world of the Cabals that Lucas grew up in and now tries to avoid. I loved getting the deeper look into Cabal life and how the cabals interact. I also loved seeing Paige and Lucas' relationship growing though a couple of times I did wonder if Paige needed an eyetest as she was missing so much of how Lucas felt about her! When he would try and broach subjects about maybe making their relationship more permanent and working together, she would misread it and put him off what he was going to say, kinda making him think that maybe he was reading more into their relationship then she was! He did finally get her to see that he wanted a future with her though (no he did not propose! Little too soon for that!).
We really got to see how much these two loved each other and how perfectly suited they were for each other. We also got an insight into Lucas' family relationships and you really do feel for Lucas when you see how horrible his brothers are towards him and how complicated his relationship with his father is!
I loved the banter between Jaime and Cassandra as well, mostly along the lines of 'you are dead' 'I'm not dead!' lol, Jaime took great delight in arguing Cassandra's 'life' with her! Through them we also learned a little more about other supernaturals through the discussions with Cassandra and Jaime, in particular them talking about or displaying their capabilities and professional ethics/points of view.
On another note we also learned of Savannah's half-brothers and have had the possiblities of them playing a bigger part in Savannah's life open up. At least on Sean's part as he did display a genuine interest in learning more about Savannah and making contact with her as in his own words it wasn't right that she was being ignored by the family. Sean seems to me to be a lot like Lucas in some ways as he sees the flaws in the Cabal's and doesn't agree with how they conduct themselves as he did have a mini-rant at one stage about how he was disgusted at how the cabals were in-fighting instead of doing anything really useful to help each other and stop the murders! We only got a very brief interaction with him but it felt like there was more under the surface and prehaps he had discussed it with Lucas before as Lucas tried to calm him and tell him not to make any hasty decisions while upset and not thinking clearly.
That's one of the things I love about Kelley's writing, if you read between the lines there is always something more there that is not being said outright but may resurface in a future book and be expanded on!
We also learnt a little bit more about the afterlife in the book as it was debated in terms of whether Vampires have an afterlife or not. I really enjoyed this book in the series with all that happened in it and all that was introduced! I really do love Paige and Lucas, next to Elena and Clay they are my favourite couple in the Otherworld series and it's great to see how much Paige has grown since we first seen her Stolen.
We learnt more about the world of the Cabals that Lucas grew up in and now tries to avoid. I loved getting the deeper look into Cabal life and how the cabals interact. I also loved seeing Paige and Lucas' relationship growing though a couple of times I did wonder if Paige needed an eyetest as she was missing so much of how Lucas felt about her! When he would try and broach subjects about maybe making their relationship more permanent and working together, she would misread it and put him off what he was going to say, kinda making him think that maybe he was reading more into their relationship then she was! He did finally get her to see that he wanted a future with her though (no he did not propose! Little too soon for that!).
We really got to see how much these two loved each other and how perfectly suited they were for each other. We also got an insight into Lucas' family relationships and you really do feel for Lucas when you see how horrible his brothers are towards him and how complicated his relationship with his father is!
I loved the banter between Jaime and Cassandra as well, mostly along the lines of 'you are dead' 'I'm not dead!' lol, Jaime took great delight in arguing Cassandra's 'life' with her! Through them we also learned a little more about other supernaturals through the discussions with Cassandra and Jaime, in particular them talking about or displaying their capabilities and professional ethics/points of view.
On another note we also learned of Savannah's half-brothers and have had the possiblities of them playing a bigger part in Savannah's life open up. At least on Sean's part as he did display a genuine interest in learning more about Savannah and making contact with her as in his own words it wasn't right that she was being ignored by the family. Sean seems to me to be a lot like Lucas in some ways as he sees the flaws in the Cabal's and doesn't agree with how they conduct themselves as he did have a mini-rant at one stage about how he was disgusted at how the cabals were in-fighting instead of doing anything really useful to help each other and stop the murders! We only got a very brief interaction with him but it felt like there was more under the surface and prehaps he had discussed it with Lucas before as Lucas tried to calm him and tell him not to make any hasty decisions while upset and not thinking clearly.
That's one of the things I love about Kelley's writing, if you read between the lines there is always something more there that is not being said outright but may resurface in a future book and be expanded on!
We also learnt a little bit more about the afterlife in the book as it was debated in terms of whether Vampires have an afterlife or not. I really enjoyed this book in the series with all that happened in it and all that was introduced! I really do love Paige and Lucas, next to Elena and Clay they are my favourite couple in the Otherworld series and it's great to see how much Paige has grown since we first seen her Stolen.
October 19, 2009
This is the second "Women of the Otherworld" book narrated by Paige Winterbourne. I am still not wild about Paige, as a narrator she is pretty boring - know-it-all and self-righteous. The romance between her and Lucas Cortez is also just meh. Lucas is honest, loyal, dedicated, always fights for a good cause, basically your average nice guy which would make him a great real life partner, but as a fictional paranormal lover he just doesn't cut it IMO. Nevertheless, this book is great, thanks to the plot and a cast of great secondary characters.
The story here is as follows: the Cabal teenage kids are being murdered by a mysterious killer and Paige and Lucas are called on by Lucas's father to help out with the investigation. What follows is an exciting hunt for the perpetrator. During the chase we revisit our old faves from previous books: Adam, Cassandra, Aaron, Jeremy, Elena, and (thank god!) Clayton. We are also introduced to some very colorful new characters: Jaime Vegas - a necromancer, a clairvoyant, Eve's ghost, and even an obnoxious Celtic deity. Sounds crazy? Yes, it kind of is, but somehow it works in this book. The new mythology Armstrong introduces is exciting and entertaining too.
On the negative side, to keep track of so many characters requires a lot of logistics explanations on the author's part, and at times it's just a bit too much work to follow who went where, when, and how. But pretty soon you learn to tune these things out completely. If I am being objective, some cameo appearances turn out to be just that - appearances, without significantly advancing the plot, but because you like these characters, you overlook that as well.
Overall, "Industrial Magic" is a great fast-paced story which re-awakened my interest in the series.
Reading challenge: #1 - I
The story here is as follows: the Cabal teenage kids are being murdered by a mysterious killer and Paige and Lucas are called on by Lucas's father to help out with the investigation. What follows is an exciting hunt for the perpetrator. During the chase we revisit our old faves from previous books: Adam, Cassandra, Aaron, Jeremy, Elena, and (thank god!) Clayton. We are also introduced to some very colorful new characters: Jaime Vegas - a necromancer, a clairvoyant, Eve's ghost, and even an obnoxious Celtic deity. Sounds crazy? Yes, it kind of is, but somehow it works in this book. The new mythology Armstrong introduces is exciting and entertaining too.
On the negative side, to keep track of so many characters requires a lot of logistics explanations on the author's part, and at times it's just a bit too much work to follow who went where, when, and how. But pretty soon you learn to tune these things out completely. If I am being objective, some cameo appearances turn out to be just that - appearances, without significantly advancing the plot, but because you like these characters, you overlook that as well.
Overall, "Industrial Magic" is a great fast-paced story which re-awakened my interest in the series.
Reading challenge: #1 - I
April 11, 2008
I’m always thrilled when I find a new writer who a) I think is amazing; b) who is writing a series, which I love; c) there are several books to the series before I find them; and d) whose writing gets better with each book. That describes Kelley Armstrong perfectly.
The Women of the Otherworld series is slightly different in that the narrator of each book changes. Some narrators have more than one book, but there are several. Armstrong does a good job of introducing the narrator at least a book in advance and then also characters from the other books show up. For example, Elena is the narrator in the first two books, Paige shows up in book 2, Paige is the narrator of books 3 and 4 but Elena is in both of those, though not as the focus of the story.
Industrial Magic is the second book narrated by Paige Winterborne, a witch. In this book, she and her boyfriend, sorcerer Lucas, are asked by Lucas’ father (a powerful Sorcerer leader) to investigate why supernatural teens are being killed. That’s all I can really tell you without spoiling the story for you.
What I CAN tell you is that the story is suspenseful yet is character-driven, there a couple of new characters that you’ll enjoy and one thing that is highly implausible – but then isn’t the entire concept?
Overall, I’d say this is the best of The Women of the Otherworld and I can’t wait to read the next!
The Women of the Otherworld series is slightly different in that the narrator of each book changes. Some narrators have more than one book, but there are several. Armstrong does a good job of introducing the narrator at least a book in advance and then also characters from the other books show up. For example, Elena is the narrator in the first two books, Paige shows up in book 2, Paige is the narrator of books 3 and 4 but Elena is in both of those, though not as the focus of the story.
Industrial Magic is the second book narrated by Paige Winterborne, a witch. In this book, she and her boyfriend, sorcerer Lucas, are asked by Lucas’ father (a powerful Sorcerer leader) to investigate why supernatural teens are being killed. That’s all I can really tell you without spoiling the story for you.
What I CAN tell you is that the story is suspenseful yet is character-driven, there a couple of new characters that you’ll enjoy and one thing that is highly implausible – but then isn’t the entire concept?
Overall, I’d say this is the best of The Women of the Otherworld and I can’t wait to read the next!
May 9, 2022
I'm writing this review straight after finishing Industrial Magic so I might start rambling a bit!
If I had any previous misconceptions about Paige's character in Dime Store Magic I'm completely over them now!
In Dime Store Magic I thought Paige was a weak character compared to Elena, but she completely came into her own in Industrial Magic .
Paige was strong as a protagonist, loyal to her friends, selfless in her actions and just generally awesome.
I loved all of the characters in this book - both new and old - and how they interacted with each other.
Lucas is just as smart ever, Lucas's father is actually starting to grow on me, Savannah was as sassy as ever, Clay has started to ease off his obsessive side (just a little) and some of the new characters introduced were absolutely hilarious.
The plot of Industrial Magic was absolutely flawless in it's perfection.
It was so action-packed and exciting that I found myself finishing the book in no time at all.
The last third of the book had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. It was so well written and thought out that at times I was nearly gasping in shock.
I seriously can't get enough of this series and strongly recommend it to anyone!
A thoroughly enjoyable read!
If I had any previous misconceptions about Paige's character in Dime Store Magic I'm completely over them now!
In Dime Store Magic I thought Paige was a weak character compared to Elena, but she completely came into her own in Industrial Magic .
Paige was strong as a protagonist, loyal to her friends, selfless in her actions and just generally awesome.
I loved all of the characters in this book - both new and old - and how they interacted with each other.
Lucas is just as smart ever, Lucas's father is actually starting to grow on me, Savannah was as sassy as ever, Clay has started to ease off his obsessive side (just a little) and some of the new characters introduced were absolutely hilarious.
The plot of Industrial Magic was absolutely flawless in it's perfection.
It was so action-packed and exciting that I found myself finishing the book in no time at all.
The last third of the book had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. It was so well written and thought out that at times I was nearly gasping in shock.
I seriously can't get enough of this series and strongly recommend it to anyone!
A thoroughly enjoyable read!
May 10, 2009
Another great book in the Otherworld series. I've really come to like Paige and Lucas, they're really sweet together and I enjoy watching them on their crash course in parenting with Savannah. I also enjoyed getting a real glimpse into the Cabals and found myself quite liking Benicio. I loved that this one had such a wide cast of characters, bringing back Clay, Elena and Jeremy as well as Cassandra and Aaron and Adam. And I wasn't sure that I was going to like Jaime at first, but I definitely do and am loving her crushing on Jeremy. Oh, and bringing back Eve was an interesting twist. I look forward to seeing how she plays in future books. The story was a great mystery and had a great villain. A really enjoyable read that has got me ready to carry on with the next book in the series.
August 28, 2011
Basic Plot: Someone is offing Cabal kids, so Paige and Lucas get called in to investigate.
I should have liked this book a lot better than I did. It just didn't stick to me the way the first couple did. The plot was interesting, and seeing the dynamic of the sorcerer cabals in action was interesting, so it should have grabbed me, shouldn't it? But it didn't. I'm having trouble figuring out why, as the writing isn't really any different from the other books. The best I can come up with is that I just don't really like Paige all that much, and I felt that Lucas should have been a larger presence in this book, but wasn't. Yes, I know it's called "WOMEN of the Otherworld," but still.
I just feel vaguely dissatisfied, even though I did like it while reading it.
I should have liked this book a lot better than I did. It just didn't stick to me the way the first couple did. The plot was interesting, and seeing the dynamic of the sorcerer cabals in action was interesting, so it should have grabbed me, shouldn't it? But it didn't. I'm having trouble figuring out why, as the writing isn't really any different from the other books. The best I can come up with is that I just don't really like Paige all that much, and I felt that Lucas should have been a larger presence in this book, but wasn't. Yes, I know it's called "WOMEN of the Otherworld," but still.
I just feel vaguely dissatisfied, even though I did like it while reading it.
November 18, 2025
Being in this world is always so nostalgic for me.
📖 Industrial Magic is book 4 in the Otherworld. In this one, we are following Paige again.
Someone is murdering the teenage offspring of the underworld’s most influential Cabals. I don't feel like I can say more without giving spoilers.
✨ Review ✨
This series is a reread for me. For the most part, I think it still stands up. It's been such a fun time revisiting this series. I forgot how much I love some of these characters.
For me, I can't deny that Paige isn't my favourite POV to sit with. I do love her, but I think she makes for a much better side character. She's a fairly straightforward, good and uncomplicated character. It just makes her one of the least interesting to sit at times.
Now I adore the side characters around Paige and I think that is what keeps this book interesting. Although there was definitely some bumbling around in the middle that made the pacing feel a bit off, overall I had fun with this. Definitely looking forward to the next book though, where Paige is no longer our POV.
📖 Industrial Magic is book 4 in the Otherworld. In this one, we are following Paige again.
Someone is murdering the teenage offspring of the underworld’s most influential Cabals. I don't feel like I can say more without giving spoilers.
✨ Review ✨
This series is a reread for me. For the most part, I think it still stands up. It's been such a fun time revisiting this series. I forgot how much I love some of these characters.
For me, I can't deny that Paige isn't my favourite POV to sit with. I do love her, but I think she makes for a much better side character. She's a fairly straightforward, good and uncomplicated character. It just makes her one of the least interesting to sit at times.
Now I adore the side characters around Paige and I think that is what keeps this book interesting. Although there was definitely some bumbling around in the middle that made the pacing feel a bit off, overall I had fun with this. Definitely looking forward to the next book though, where Paige is no longer our POV.
March 16, 2018
I really am enjoying this series! This is the fourth book, the second about Paige Winterbourne.
In this book Paige and Lucas are drawn into an investigation of murders targeting cabal employee children. The mystery was really complex and I honestly did not guess until the perpetrator(s) were discovered.
Characters from the previous books make appearances and we meet some new characters. I loved seeing everyone working together. I also love how the previous couples work together with little drama (just enough to be real!).
In this book Paige and Lucas are drawn into an investigation of murders targeting cabal employee children. The mystery was really complex and I honestly did not guess until the perpetrator(s) were discovered.
Characters from the previous books make appearances and we meet some new characters. I loved seeing everyone working together. I also love how the previous couples work together with little drama (just enough to be real!).
January 17, 2020
This book was amazing. I love how Paige leaves the coven after her mother is killed. I love how she attempts to start her own coven. I love Lucas and Paige’s relationship and how they work together to find the murderer. I love how see also get to see Elena and Clay again. I love how we got to meet Cassandra and Aaron. I absolutely loved this book. 5 stars!!!
January 17, 2019
4.5 stars. Forgot how much I love this series. Been a while since I read the first 3 books but easily picked it up. Great read.
January 4, 2026
I love this one, when we get more of Savannah, she is one of my favorites, and we see a more likable side of Paige.
5 Stars
5 Stars
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