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Otherworld #5
Haunted
The afterlife isn’t all it’s cracked up to be…
Former supernatural superpower Eve Levine has broken all the rules. But she’s never broken a promise—not even during the three years she’s spent in the afterworld. So when the Fates call in a debt she gave her word she’d pay, she has no choice but to comply.
For centuries one of the ghost world’s wickedest creatures has been loosed on humanity, thwarting every attempt to retrieve her. Now it has fallen to Eve to capture this demi-demon known as the Nix, who inhabits the bodies of would-be killers, compelling them to complete their deadly acts. It’s a mission that becomes all too personal when the Nix targets those Eve loves most—including Savannah, the daughter she left on earth. But can a renegade witch succeed where a host of angels have failed?
Former supernatural superpower Eve Levine has broken all the rules. But she’s never broken a promise—not even during the three years she’s spent in the afterworld. So when the Fates call in a debt she gave her word she’d pay, she has no choice but to comply.
For centuries one of the ghost world’s wickedest creatures has been loosed on humanity, thwarting every attempt to retrieve her. Now it has fallen to Eve to capture this demi-demon known as the Nix, who inhabits the bodies of would-be killers, compelling them to complete their deadly acts. It’s a mission that becomes all too personal when the Nix targets those Eve loves most—including Savannah, the daughter she left on earth. But can a renegade witch succeed where a host of angels have failed?
510 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 31, 2005
309 people are currently reading
10.8k people want to read
About the author
Kelley Armstrong
290 books32.6k 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 924 reviews
November 28, 2010
I had some problems with this installment as it has been happening to me with the last books I have read in this series, specifically the very same thing that happened to me with book 4. First half of the book boring and very VERY slow. Many times I just wanted to stop with the book and read something else, but then the second half of the book was so amazing that it only took me 4 hours to read it,lol.
But first I think the most important thing is to answer this question: Is it necessary to read the books in order? Do I have to read book 5 or can I skip it? Well, the answer to this questions are: Yes, the first 4 books should be read in order but you can DEFINITELY skip book 5 because (seriously) NOTHING important happens in this book. NOTHING. You could totally go straight to book 6 and you would not loose any important information, any, just what happened to Eve. But that's all, so if you feel like not reading this book just send me a private message asking me what happens with Eve and in a couple of lines I'll let you know and you can go on with the series and come back later when you feel like reading Eve's book. This book is only about Eve, the other characters of the series almost don't appear at all and nothing related to what has been happening in the rest of the series appears again.
Now talking about the book, I just want to say that it definitely was better that what I expected it to be. Sure, the beginning was way too slow and annoying most of the time, but then the second half of the book was so good that I almost forgot how bored I was and believed this could actually become an amazing read. The ending was great too. I don't regret reading this book, it was really nice to know what happens with Eve, but right now I just can't wait to get back to the series. This just felt like a huge pause.
But first I think the most important thing is to answer this question: Is it necessary to read the books in order? Do I have to read book 5 or can I skip it? Well, the answer to this questions are: Yes, the first 4 books should be read in order but you can DEFINITELY skip book 5 because (seriously) NOTHING important happens in this book. NOTHING. You could totally go straight to book 6 and you would not loose any important information, any, just what happened to Eve. But that's all, so if you feel like not reading this book just send me a private message asking me what happens with Eve and in a couple of lines I'll let you know and you can go on with the series and come back later when you feel like reading Eve's book. This book is only about Eve, the other characters of the series almost don't appear at all and nothing related to what has been happening in the rest of the series appears again.
Now talking about the book, I just want to say that it definitely was better that what I expected it to be. Sure, the beginning was way too slow and annoying most of the time, but then the second half of the book was so good that I almost forgot how bored I was and believed this could actually become an amazing read. The ending was great too. I don't regret reading this book, it was really nice to know what happens with Eve, but right now I just can't wait to get back to the series. This just felt like a huge pause.
February 19, 2018
*** 4 ***
I am not at all a fan of ghost stories - they give me the creeps somehow and I usually just don't put myself through that. I had no idea this was going to be one of those and had my reservations once I figured it out, but I was very pleasantly surprised. The main point of view is of Eve, the dead mother of our Savannah, who has been spending her life as a supernatural ghost mostly loitering around Savannah's house and wishing she could find a way to communicate with her. For the fans of the series, we all know Eve was not an exemplary human being, a half-demon half-witch who dabbled in dark magic and had a kid with a sorcerer. The one thing she feels she did right is her little girl and she misses her more than anything. Eve has been looking for ways to be able to have an impact on the real world, so The Faiths, who are the bosses of the Beyond World, decide to give her a job. A very evil Nix is out of Hell and is jumping from human to human, making them commit horrible murders and atrocities. Eve, under the supervision and with the help of an Angel, are tasked with the job to find a capture her. This proves one very difficult assignment.
"... “Sometimes humans hit on a moment of profundity more complete than their dim minds could comprehend, and they took that nugget of truth and dumped it in the refuse for the bards and the poets to find, and mangle into yodeling paeans of love.”..."
Kelley Armstrong is a good storyteller. The first couple of books in the series had good story and not as good of way to tell it, since she was getting bogged down in unnecessary details and way too much descriptions and info-dumps, but still, the stories were very interesting. I have been pleased to see that she has gotten away from the more tedious parts and has even gained a sense of humor, which was seriously missing from the first and second volumes. I am so happy she can now feel comfortable enough to tackle difficult themes and not dry them up with excessive gloom and doom, but let her hair down and have some laughed along with the darker content.
"... “You'll wrest a burning sword from an angel, but you're afraid of bats?"
"I'm not afraid of them. I just don't like them. They're...furry. Flying things shouldn't be furry. It's not right. And if I ever meet the Creator, I'm taking that one up with him."
"That I'd like to see. Your one and possible only chance to get the answer to every question in the universe, and you ask, 'Why are bats furry?'"
"I will. You just wait.”..."
This book was very pleasant to read, funny and full of nail-biting moments. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend to all the fans of the series and the genre.
"... “A G-Rated story? About taking some deformed baby and locking him up? And if it was true, and this poor guy had been locked up in there for decades, and someone threw in a perfectly good woman, what the hell do you think he'd do with her? Play Parcheesi?” ..."
Now I wish you all Happy Reading and many more wonderful books to come!!!
I am not at all a fan of ghost stories - they give me the creeps somehow and I usually just don't put myself through that. I had no idea this was going to be one of those and had my reservations once I figured it out, but I was very pleasantly surprised. The main point of view is of Eve, the dead mother of our Savannah, who has been spending her life as a supernatural ghost mostly loitering around Savannah's house and wishing she could find a way to communicate with her. For the fans of the series, we all know Eve was not an exemplary human being, a half-demon half-witch who dabbled in dark magic and had a kid with a sorcerer. The one thing she feels she did right is her little girl and she misses her more than anything. Eve has been looking for ways to be able to have an impact on the real world, so The Faiths, who are the bosses of the Beyond World, decide to give her a job. A very evil Nix is out of Hell and is jumping from human to human, making them commit horrible murders and atrocities. Eve, under the supervision and with the help of an Angel, are tasked with the job to find a capture her. This proves one very difficult assignment.
"... “Sometimes humans hit on a moment of profundity more complete than their dim minds could comprehend, and they took that nugget of truth and dumped it in the refuse for the bards and the poets to find, and mangle into yodeling paeans of love.”..."
Kelley Armstrong is a good storyteller. The first couple of books in the series had good story and not as good of way to tell it, since she was getting bogged down in unnecessary details and way too much descriptions and info-dumps, but still, the stories were very interesting. I have been pleased to see that she has gotten away from the more tedious parts and has even gained a sense of humor, which was seriously missing from the first and second volumes. I am so happy she can now feel comfortable enough to tackle difficult themes and not dry them up with excessive gloom and doom, but let her hair down and have some laughed along with the darker content.
"... “You'll wrest a burning sword from an angel, but you're afraid of bats?"
"I'm not afraid of them. I just don't like them. They're...furry. Flying things shouldn't be furry. It's not right. And if I ever meet the Creator, I'm taking that one up with him."
"That I'd like to see. Your one and possible only chance to get the answer to every question in the universe, and you ask, 'Why are bats furry?'"
"I will. You just wait.”..."
This book was very pleasant to read, funny and full of nail-biting moments. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend to all the fans of the series and the genre.
"... “A G-Rated story? About taking some deformed baby and locking him up? And if it was true, and this poor guy had been locked up in there for decades, and someone threw in a perfectly good woman, what the hell do you think he'd do with her? Play Parcheesi?” ..."
Now I wish you all Happy Reading and many more wonderful books to come!!!
November 30, 2023
“Your one and possibly only chance to get the answer to every question in the universe, and you’ll ask, ‘Why are bats furry?”
A good book but my least favorite so far. I'm just not feeling Eve as much as I did the other heroines. She's definitely a tough cookie but she doesn't have the softer, blended layers Elena and Paige did. Her attitude is rather one-dimensional. Her relationship with Kris is sweet but I again don't feel the draw to the couple I have with the others.
The Fates are interesting and the ghost world complex, but I'm not as crazy about the angel stuff. The ending felt a little cheesy but overall the story worked because the pacing was well done with action sequences, a lot went on to keep the story strong, and we get Jaime who I want to read more of. The Jeremy phone call was hilarious. Fans of the series will be happy to revisit Paige, Lucas and Savannah for a period as well.
The villains in this one were truly vile - lots of child abuse/death for their past crimes, as well as a really disturbing cat flashback. Armstrong definitely dares to bring in some disgusting crimes for her novels.
Even if it's not as good as the first four, I read the books in order and recommend others do as well. You get a good introduction to Jamie further and root on her side. Other than that you're not missing much on the other main characters, so this one could be skipped if you really want to.
A good book but my least favorite so far. I'm just not feeling Eve as much as I did the other heroines. She's definitely a tough cookie but she doesn't have the softer, blended layers Elena and Paige did. Her attitude is rather one-dimensional. Her relationship with Kris is sweet but I again don't feel the draw to the couple I have with the others.
The Fates are interesting and the ghost world complex, but I'm not as crazy about the angel stuff. The ending felt a little cheesy but overall the story worked because the pacing was well done with action sequences, a lot went on to keep the story strong, and we get Jaime who I want to read more of. The Jeremy phone call was hilarious. Fans of the series will be happy to revisit Paige, Lucas and Savannah for a period as well.
The villains in this one were truly vile - lots of child abuse/death for their past crimes, as well as a really disturbing cat flashback. Armstrong definitely dares to bring in some disgusting crimes for her novels.
Even if it's not as good as the first four, I read the books in order and recommend others do as well. You get a good introduction to Jamie further and root on her side. Other than that you're not missing much on the other main characters, so this one could be skipped if you really want to.
April 9, 2022
The notorious Eve Levine gets recruited to be an angel. Who'da thunk it?
Not me, that's for dang sure.
The wonderful thing about dealing with the subject of the afterlife it that the sky is the limit. Nothing is too far-fetched or fantastical.
If dead supes want to play at being pirates, who is going to stop them?
If you want to erase the memories of evil (serial killer-type) men before banishing them to hell-worlds, with no one but other evil men (to prevent further serial killing), who is going to say you can't?
No one, that's who.
Plus it makes me happy that Eve and Kristof get to be together. All kinds of goodness in this book.
Not me, that's for dang sure.
The wonderful thing about dealing with the subject of the afterlife it that the sky is the limit. Nothing is too far-fetched or fantastical.
If dead supes want to play at being pirates, who is going to stop them?
If you want to erase the memories of evil (serial killer-type) men before banishing them to hell-worlds, with no one but other evil men (to prevent further serial killing), who is going to say you can't?
No one, that's who.
Plus it makes me happy that Eve and Kristof get to be together. All kinds of goodness in this book.
April 26, 2018
[2.5/5 stars] Haunted is my least favorite WotO book to date. I liked the main character and how she tied into the series as a whole, but I can't say that I enjoyed the story that much. First off, it was a bit too erratic, bouncing around from weird place to weirder place so often that I never really felt grounded in the story. Granted, it takes place primarily in the afterlife where the "rules" of what's possible are a lot more flexible, but it was actually the main murder mystery plotline that I wish had been more straightforward (although I do give kudos for the incorporation of actual murders from our world for total story immersion - very creative).
Another issue I had is 100% what I would call a "personal problem" and not something I really hold the book at fault for. I just have a hard time reading about bad things happening to children. It wasn't graphic or anything, but it's one of my vulnerable "nope" subjects in books. Almost anything else I can compartmentalize as "it's just a book," but not that. The other thing that got me was a mass-shooting scene. With all the horrible shit that's happening in the world right now, I need books to escape, not to be reminded. Objectively, I can look at all of these as story elements that fit the plot and characters, but emotionally and mentally I have to admit that I just did not enjoy reading about them.
Despite my lower rating and opinion of this book, I recognize it as an important component to getting the full experience out of this series, now that I have an idea how the afterlife and its beings function. I also appreciate how with each book the scope of characters we care about broadens. I'm still earnestly looking forward to the next book.
Recommendations: overall, the series is still a success for me, but I'm finally forced to admit agreement to the quality decline. Because of that, I'd probably start my recommendations with a few other urban fantasies that are more consistent. However, this series is by no means down and out - I'm very hopeful I'll enjoy the rest of it. We shall see. :)
Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.NikiHawkes.com
Other books you might like:
Another issue I had is 100% what I would call a "personal problem" and not something I really hold the book at fault for. I just have a hard time reading about bad things happening to children. It wasn't graphic or anything, but it's one of my vulnerable "nope" subjects in books. Almost anything else I can compartmentalize as "it's just a book," but not that. The other thing that got me was a mass-shooting scene. With all the horrible shit that's happening in the world right now, I need books to escape, not to be reminded. Objectively, I can look at all of these as story elements that fit the plot and characters, but emotionally and mentally I have to admit that I just did not enjoy reading about them.
Despite my lower rating and opinion of this book, I recognize it as an important component to getting the full experience out of this series, now that I have an idea how the afterlife and its beings function. I also appreciate how with each book the scope of characters we care about broadens. I'm still earnestly looking forward to the next book.
Recommendations: overall, the series is still a success for me, but I'm finally forced to admit agreement to the quality decline. Because of that, I'd probably start my recommendations with a few other urban fantasies that are more consistent. However, this series is by no means down and out - I'm very hopeful I'll enjoy the rest of it. We shall see. :)
Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.NikiHawkes.com
Other books you might like:
April 18, 2021
I love Eve. I don't relate to her as much as I do Paige, but I do in the sense that I don't always see the "nice" or "good" way to do something as the most logical solution.
Eve is dead.
As you would know if you have read the previous books. If you haven't then STOP READING THIS AND MOVE ON TO THE FIRST BOOK AND WORK YOUR WAY BACK. There is a reason why it is the FIFTH BOOK IN THE SERIES.
Anyway,
Eve is OBSESSED with trying to protect her daughter Savannah. Which is normal for a mother. The only problem is that Savannah is living.. and doesn't see/hear/feel/smell her mother at all and doesn't even know that she may have someone watching her at the most inappropriate times.
The Fates are calling in their favor from the last book, and Eve may or may not like this favor. THE NIX is an issue.
This "Nix" is practically a kind of demon that feeds off of chaos. She helps people go through with killing/raping/torturing who wouldn't usually go through with it and then leaves them to get caught, because more chaos.
For example, Lizzie Borden.
She is loose and it is Eve's job to stop her before she traps Eve in a hell dimension/finds out what would make Eve stop/finds her way into the real world to raise hell to earth/normal evil things.
I love Kelley Armstrong's writing and how each main character that she writes has a voice of their own. Eve is WONDERFUL and so is the story that she holds true. I like the afterlife that Armstrong created and I would love to explore that more. I know people are like "UGH SHE ISN'T ELENA I HATE THIS BOOK" but seriously if all 13 of these books were Elena, there would be some really stupid stories. I LOVE ELENA and PAIGE and EVE for who they stand alone as. And I also love that they are connect.
But I am also excited that Elena is back in the next book.
Eve is dead.
As you would know if you have read the previous books. If you haven't then STOP READING THIS AND MOVE ON TO THE FIRST BOOK AND WORK YOUR WAY BACK. There is a reason why it is the FIFTH BOOK IN THE SERIES.
Anyway,
Eve is OBSESSED with trying to protect her daughter Savannah. Which is normal for a mother. The only problem is that Savannah is living.. and doesn't see/hear/feel/smell her mother at all and doesn't even know that she may have someone watching her at the most inappropriate times.
The Fates are calling in their favor from the last book, and Eve may or may not like this favor. THE NIX is an issue.
This "Nix" is practically a kind of demon that feeds off of chaos. She helps people go through with killing/raping/torturing who wouldn't usually go through with it and then leaves them to get caught, because more chaos.
For example, Lizzie Borden.
She is loose and it is Eve's job to stop her before she traps Eve in a hell dimension/finds out what would make Eve stop/finds her way into the real world to raise hell to earth/normal evil things.
I love Kelley Armstrong's writing and how each main character that she writes has a voice of their own. Eve is WONDERFUL and so is the story that she holds true. I like the afterlife that Armstrong created and I would love to explore that more. I know people are like "UGH SHE ISN'T ELENA I HATE THIS BOOK" but seriously if all 13 of these books were Elena, there would be some really stupid stories. I LOVE ELENA and PAIGE and EVE for who they stand alone as. And I also love that they are connect.
But I am also excited that Elena is back in the next book.
March 15, 2010
"Haunted" is the 5th Women of the World novel and this time narrated by Eve Levine. You might remember Eve as Savannah's half-demon/witch mother who died before the events of the 2nd book in the series "Stolen." In this story Eve is called upon by Fates to pay back their favor by hunting down the Nix - a demon who invades human bodies, compels them to commit atrocities and feeds on the chaos that follows.
Considering that Eve is a ghost and roams the afterlife world, you can understand why I was extremely reluctant to read this book. How can you possibly relate to a ghost? However, Armstrong manages to pull it off and "Haunted" is actually quite an entertaining, fast-paced adventure story, full of action and interesting characters. There is even some hot romance between Eve and her long-time sorcerer flame and Savannah's father Kristof (who is also incidentally dead). The mythology is completely new and encompasses angels, demons, various hell dimensions, necromancers, etc. I can't say this is my favorite Kelley world (I much prefer her werewolf and vampire mythologies), mostly because the rules and boundaries of it are hazy. But I appreciate Armstrong's imagination and some of her afterlife ideas are quite neat.
In conclusion, an advice: if you only like Kelley's werewolf stories (they are my favorite too), this installment can be easily omitted, because nothing affecting Clay and Elena happens here. But if you are a "completist" and read your series in full, don't be afraid, this book is not as bad as it at first seems. In fact, "Haunted" is IMO better than Armstrong's witches' stories.
Considering that Eve is a ghost and roams the afterlife world, you can understand why I was extremely reluctant to read this book. How can you possibly relate to a ghost? However, Armstrong manages to pull it off and "Haunted" is actually quite an entertaining, fast-paced adventure story, full of action and interesting characters. There is even some hot romance between Eve and her long-time sorcerer flame and Savannah's father Kristof (who is also incidentally dead). The mythology is completely new and encompasses angels, demons, various hell dimensions, necromancers, etc. I can't say this is my favorite Kelley world (I much prefer her werewolf and vampire mythologies), mostly because the rules and boundaries of it are hazy. But I appreciate Armstrong's imagination and some of her afterlife ideas are quite neat.
In conclusion, an advice: if you only like Kelley's werewolf stories (they are my favorite too), this installment can be easily omitted, because nothing affecting Clay and Elena happens here. But if you are a "completist" and read your series in full, don't be afraid, this book is not as bad as it at first seems. In fact, "Haunted" is IMO better than Armstrong's witches' stories.
June 22, 2010
I put off reading this book, and therefore continuing with the series, because I wasn't convinced that I would find Eve an appealing enough character to want to read an entire book centered around her - I'm happy to have discovered those concerns were unfounded. Eve made an endearing mother to Savannah and an amusing and caring partner for Kristof (who I was also unconvinced about going in).
Although it wasn't a short book, the story felt fast paced and never dragged. The Nix was an interesting and formidable foe, and the lengths Eve had to go to in order to best her were down right creepy at times (in a good way). I enjoyed Trisiel's supporting character, and hope it isn't the last we see of the angel.
Simply put, a wonderful book and a fantastic entry in the Otherworld series - a series that has yet to disappoint!
Although it wasn't a short book, the story felt fast paced and never dragged. The Nix was an interesting and formidable foe, and the lengths Eve had to go to in order to best her were down right creepy at times (in a good way). I enjoyed Trisiel's supporting character, and hope it isn't the last we see of the angel.
Simply put, a wonderful book and a fantastic entry in the Otherworld series - a series that has yet to disappoint!
February 5, 2009
In the fifth installment of the best selling “Women of the Otherworld” series, we are treated to a new narrator. Armstrong, who never does the same thing twice, gave us a Werewolf as the narrator for the first two books in the series: “Bitten” and ”Stolen.“ Then she switched focus to a Witch in “Dime Store Magic” and “Industrial Magic.“ Now, the focus changes once more and in ”Haunted,“ we are introduced to Eve Levine: former witch and supernatural super power, now a ghost.
Eve Levine first appeared in “Industrial Magic,“ but now we get to know Eve better, up close and personalAs a dead witch, Eve still holds a lot of power. Part demon, part human, there isn’t a lot that can phase Eve; except of course the inability to speak with her daughter, Savannah. Not being able to be with her daughter on the mortal plane, to hold her and comfort her, is a constant reminder of the life she leads.
Still, she is able to look in on her from time to time. Eve’s world is turned upside down when she is summoned by the Fates. They want to call in a favour she owes them; previously, the Fates helped save Paige and Lucas, Savannah’s guardians, from death. Now they want Eve to repay the favour.
The Fates need Eve’s help with catching the Nix, a demi-demon who inhabits the bodies of people on the verge of killing. The Nix gives those people that added push in order to help them carry out murder. Where there is murder, there is chaos, the stuff that the Nix thrives on. The Nix escaped her afterlife hell after centuries of confinement. She is out in the world again and will kill soon.
Eve agrees, never one to let a promise slide. But things are going to be more difficult than she could have imagined. She is given some help on her quest to find the Nix, however, in the form of an angel. Together, they must find the Nix before she kills again. Eve’s world will never be the same.
For the Nix knows that someone is on her trail and will strike at all and everyone that Eve holds dear!Each book in the series can be read as a stand alone novel, but the connections are there in each novel to connect the series.
While you may think that the change of narrator from book to book may be difficult to keep up with, it’s far from jarring. In fact, that’s what keeps the series so fresh and new. We’re introduced to different characters in each of the books, only to have them pop up with their own story.
Paige Winterbourne, for example, first made an appearance in “Stolen” only to later appear in “Dime Store Magic.“ The change in narrator gives us a chance to delve into other characters’ minds and gives us a better impression of how far and wide the Otherworld stretches. Each novel gives us a different perspective on the Otherworld, seeing it through different eyes.
“Haunted” is, by far, the best of the series so far. My plot summary barely scratched the surface on the fantastic and amazing things that go on within the pages. It is a supernatural thrill ride, a ghost love story and a white knuckled thriller that keeps you in suspense until the last page.
An amazing addition to the “Women of the Otherworld” series, “Haunted” shows us a world that we cannot begin to imagine and which we will never want to leave.
Eve Levine first appeared in “Industrial Magic,“ but now we get to know Eve better, up close and personalAs a dead witch, Eve still holds a lot of power. Part demon, part human, there isn’t a lot that can phase Eve; except of course the inability to speak with her daughter, Savannah. Not being able to be with her daughter on the mortal plane, to hold her and comfort her, is a constant reminder of the life she leads.
Still, she is able to look in on her from time to time. Eve’s world is turned upside down when she is summoned by the Fates. They want to call in a favour she owes them; previously, the Fates helped save Paige and Lucas, Savannah’s guardians, from death. Now they want Eve to repay the favour.
The Fates need Eve’s help with catching the Nix, a demi-demon who inhabits the bodies of people on the verge of killing. The Nix gives those people that added push in order to help them carry out murder. Where there is murder, there is chaos, the stuff that the Nix thrives on. The Nix escaped her afterlife hell after centuries of confinement. She is out in the world again and will kill soon.
Eve agrees, never one to let a promise slide. But things are going to be more difficult than she could have imagined. She is given some help on her quest to find the Nix, however, in the form of an angel. Together, they must find the Nix before she kills again. Eve’s world will never be the same.
For the Nix knows that someone is on her trail and will strike at all and everyone that Eve holds dear!Each book in the series can be read as a stand alone novel, but the connections are there in each novel to connect the series.
While you may think that the change of narrator from book to book may be difficult to keep up with, it’s far from jarring. In fact, that’s what keeps the series so fresh and new. We’re introduced to different characters in each of the books, only to have them pop up with their own story.
Paige Winterbourne, for example, first made an appearance in “Stolen” only to later appear in “Dime Store Magic.“ The change in narrator gives us a chance to delve into other characters’ minds and gives us a better impression of how far and wide the Otherworld stretches. Each novel gives us a different perspective on the Otherworld, seeing it through different eyes.
“Haunted” is, by far, the best of the series so far. My plot summary barely scratched the surface on the fantastic and amazing things that go on within the pages. It is a supernatural thrill ride, a ghost love story and a white knuckled thriller that keeps you in suspense until the last page.
An amazing addition to the “Women of the Otherworld” series, “Haunted” shows us a world that we cannot begin to imagine and which we will never want to leave.
January 13, 2012
How is it that by my fifth book in Kelly Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld series I am in love with her world building, but still not totally connected to her characters? The amazing thing about Armstrong is that she creates such in depth and believable paranormal worlds (in this case an afterlife.)
Haunted follows the story of Eve Levine, by now everyone reading this series knows she is a half-demon black witch, who also happens to have been dead for the past three years. But while reading this novel, I never did get a great feel for her. Yes, she is impulsive, kicks ass and doesn't let fear hold her back. But neither does Paige, Savannah, Elena...After spending two long books with goody-two-shoes Paige, I thought Eve would be a breath of fresh air. In a way she was. However, she really didn't come across as someone even close to deserving the bad rep she had when alive. Kristof Nast (remember him? Savannah's father) also makes quite a few ghostly appearances in this novel. And while I liked him quite a bit, like Eve he isn't really a bad guy. Just a good guy at heart who was caught up in the bad Cabals? Hmmm....
Bad characters who aren't really bad aside, the thing that kept me from enjoying this book was that it was just too many stories tied up into one. Eve is on an afterlife bounty hunter quest to find a murderous Nix. Her task takes her so many places and settings. To name only a few she visits Colonial America (to meet Lizze Borden, no less!) an afterlife pirate island, an afterlife island swarming with a poltergeist and his nymphs, a hell dimension, a mental institution, a prison, a haunted (or not?) castle in Scottland, a couple of visits to Paige and Lucas (oh joy...) and so on and so on. In addition, the reader is privy to multiple flashbacks to some of the Nix's most famous murders. Don't get me wrong, I love Armstrong's writing style. However the constant changing of scenery and story and players left me feeling overwhelmed. In addition it was hard to feel a sense of dread or urgency because I was pretty sure everything was going to be okay in the end.
Bottom line... it was okay. Eve is a million times more likable than Paige and as always the world building was fantastic. I just wish this book was edited down a little. At nearly 500 pages there was too much jumping around without ever evoking a real emotional response from me. But who am I to complain? I already have the next in this series checked out from the library ;)
Haunted follows the story of Eve Levine, by now everyone reading this series knows she is a half-demon black witch, who also happens to have been dead for the past three years. But while reading this novel, I never did get a great feel for her. Yes, she is impulsive, kicks ass and doesn't let fear hold her back. But neither does Paige, Savannah, Elena...After spending two long books with goody-two-shoes Paige, I thought Eve would be a breath of fresh air. In a way she was. However, she really didn't come across as someone even close to deserving the bad rep she had when alive. Kristof Nast (remember him? Savannah's father) also makes quite a few ghostly appearances in this novel. And while I liked him quite a bit, like Eve he isn't really a bad guy. Just a good guy at heart who was caught up in the bad Cabals? Hmmm....
Bad characters who aren't really bad aside, the thing that kept me from enjoying this book was that it was just too many stories tied up into one. Eve is on an afterlife bounty hunter quest to find a murderous Nix. Her task takes her so many places and settings. To name only a few she visits Colonial America (to meet Lizze Borden, no less!) an afterlife pirate island, an afterlife island swarming with a poltergeist and his nymphs, a hell dimension, a mental institution, a prison, a haunted (or not?) castle in Scottland, a couple of visits to Paige and Lucas (oh joy...) and so on and so on. In addition, the reader is privy to multiple flashbacks to some of the Nix's most famous murders. Don't get me wrong, I love Armstrong's writing style. However the constant changing of scenery and story and players left me feeling overwhelmed. In addition it was hard to feel a sense of dread or urgency because I was pretty sure everything was going to be okay in the end.
Bottom line... it was okay. Eve is a million times more likable than Paige and as always the world building was fantastic. I just wish this book was edited down a little. At nearly 500 pages there was too much jumping around without ever evoking a real emotional response from me. But who am I to complain? I already have the next in this series checked out from the library ;)
September 23, 2011
Basic Plot: What happened to Eve Levine after she was murdered (offstage, so to speak) in the novel Stolen? Well, she turned into a ghost. After irritating the Fates, they assign her to a job catching a demon who escaped from hell.
This book was about twice as long as it needed to be. There were endless sections of the book dealing with red herrings that dragged the plot into a swampy morass of endless NOTHING. The book took me almost a month to read. Ridiculous. The plot did pick up at the end, but not enough for me to forgive the first 2/3-3/4 of the book. There were also some bizarre questions of ghostly physics that really irritated me. Why does a ghost need a house? Where is this ghost living, exactly? Precisely HOW does a ghost feel its pulse quicken? How can ghosts have sex? WHY IN THE NAME OF ALL THAT'S HOLY TO ANY RELIGION WOULD THEY???
ARGH.
As I said, a few irritating elements. As the book only loosely ties in with the other books ion the series, I'd say it's one to skip. Not that the others are tightly connected, but this one was not Armstrong's best writing. Her pacing is not improving over the course of her writing, and I'm giving her one more shot before I either quit the series entirely or take an extended hiatus. Maybe it's just irritating me because I've read so many of them in a row and I need a break from the author.
And another thing: I hate authors that throw angels into the mix. Maybe it's just that I'm not a Christian, but they seriously annoy me. ESPECIALLY in urban fantasy books. It's like the author is just trying to justify all the supernatural stuff into a Christian paradigm that simply isn't necessary. Armstrong actually starting mixing Christian and pagan together: Fates AND angels? Seriously? Pick a frikking mythology or explain why there's more than one in a way that makes sense.
Ok, rant over. I'm going to go find something worth reading.
This book was about twice as long as it needed to be. There were endless sections of the book dealing with red herrings that dragged the plot into a swampy morass of endless NOTHING. The book took me almost a month to read. Ridiculous. The plot did pick up at the end, but not enough for me to forgive the first 2/3-3/4 of the book. There were also some bizarre questions of ghostly physics that really irritated me. Why does a ghost need a house? Where is this ghost living, exactly? Precisely HOW does a ghost feel its pulse quicken? How can ghosts have sex? WHY IN THE NAME OF ALL THAT'S HOLY TO ANY RELIGION WOULD THEY???
ARGH.
As I said, a few irritating elements. As the book only loosely ties in with the other books ion the series, I'd say it's one to skip. Not that the others are tightly connected, but this one was not Armstrong's best writing. Her pacing is not improving over the course of her writing, and I'm giving her one more shot before I either quit the series entirely or take an extended hiatus. Maybe it's just irritating me because I've read so many of them in a row and I need a break from the author.
And another thing: I hate authors that throw angels into the mix. Maybe it's just that I'm not a Christian, but they seriously annoy me. ESPECIALLY in urban fantasy books. It's like the author is just trying to justify all the supernatural stuff into a Christian paradigm that simply isn't necessary. Armstrong actually starting mixing Christian and pagan together: Fates AND angels? Seriously? Pick a frikking mythology or explain why there's more than one in a way that makes sense.
Ok, rant over. I'm going to go find something worth reading.
June 13, 2016
This one was tough for me, and I'm not sure why. I don't dislike Eve. I don't dislike Kristof. I really liked the concept and execution of the Nix... but this book just felt all over the place, and honestly, it was hard to believe that the "bad Kristof" and the "dark witch Eve" were so completely good guys in the afterlife.
Not sure what to say. Since I kinda liked it, I'll give it three stars. It was average at best, especially compared to the first four in the series. Excited to read another Elena book coming up as the next in the series!
Not sure what to say. Since I kinda liked it, I'll give it three stars. It was average at best, especially compared to the first four in the series. Excited to read another Elena book coming up as the next in the series!
September 22, 2018
Haunted – Kelley Armstrong
Oh Wow. I love this series, it’s got the right amount of mystery and action and I love the way the series moves on with different characters. In this book, which is the fifth, it is written in the first person as are the others only this time we experience the life of the notorious half demon/ half witch Eve Levine.
Since learning of Eve I have always thought what a bad ass woman she is and I am so happy that we get to hear things from her point of view. Eve is now my favourite character in this series, she does not give a flying fig but when it comes to it she will do anything for those she loves. Obviously she is dead, which shouldn’t be a spoiler because if you read the first four in the series you should know this. If not shame on you, do your research and start from the beginning as this ongoing series is one not to miss. Interesting fact, Eve is left-handed.
This novel is masterfully written as I could not begin to try and create a novel about a ghost in the afterlife, but Kelley does it from the off, the introduction into the story leaves you wanting more immediately with just the right amount of mystery in this fantasy mystical world that is Eve Levine. The plot is explained easy on and is done in a very comprehensive way that is easy to understand. Sometimes with fantasy I can get lost easily, my mind concentrates on trying to place the characters and remember the ways of the world rather than the plot. Kelley explains everything, the chapters are easily paced and the suspense grows through out, nothing is given away too quickly.
You are lured into the storyline, which is dark, very sinister and a has lot of bloodshed. Stories about ghosts I seem to hesitate towards, call me stupid but I don’t want nightmares, to which I am prone as I get so sucked into storylines, this however is packed with smart humour and wit that deviates the storyline from one that of a horror. Kelley also entwines a famous real life murder into the story which is genius and fits wonderfully like the last puzzle piece in the jigsaw. As always there are brilliant fight scenes, they play beautifully in my mind like something out of an episode of Buffy.
Overall I am giving this book 4 stars. I liked it a lot, but I did not love it enough for 5 stars. But then this is coming from someone who has just finished Outlander.
Oh Wow. I love this series, it’s got the right amount of mystery and action and I love the way the series moves on with different characters. In this book, which is the fifth, it is written in the first person as are the others only this time we experience the life of the notorious half demon/ half witch Eve Levine.
Since learning of Eve I have always thought what a bad ass woman she is and I am so happy that we get to hear things from her point of view. Eve is now my favourite character in this series, she does not give a flying fig but when it comes to it she will do anything for those she loves. Obviously she is dead, which shouldn’t be a spoiler because if you read the first four in the series you should know this. If not shame on you, do your research and start from the beginning as this ongoing series is one not to miss. Interesting fact, Eve is left-handed.
This novel is masterfully written as I could not begin to try and create a novel about a ghost in the afterlife, but Kelley does it from the off, the introduction into the story leaves you wanting more immediately with just the right amount of mystery in this fantasy mystical world that is Eve Levine. The plot is explained easy on and is done in a very comprehensive way that is easy to understand. Sometimes with fantasy I can get lost easily, my mind concentrates on trying to place the characters and remember the ways of the world rather than the plot. Kelley explains everything, the chapters are easily paced and the suspense grows through out, nothing is given away too quickly.
You are lured into the storyline, which is dark, very sinister and a has lot of bloodshed. Stories about ghosts I seem to hesitate towards, call me stupid but I don’t want nightmares, to which I am prone as I get so sucked into storylines, this however is packed with smart humour and wit that deviates the storyline from one that of a horror. Kelley also entwines a famous real life murder into the story which is genius and fits wonderfully like the last puzzle piece in the jigsaw. As always there are brilliant fight scenes, they play beautifully in my mind like something out of an episode of Buffy.
Overall I am giving this book 4 stars. I liked it a lot, but I did not love it enough for 5 stars. But then this is coming from someone who has just finished Outlander.
January 10, 2019
Well let’s see, I liked the book but didn’t love it.
I don’t know if the whole ghost thing has me scratching my head. Or if it is the portals the dimensions I don’t know. I just know that this isn’t my favorite of the series so far.
Eve isn’t really a character I wanted to know more about, that could have also been why I didn’t really connect with her. I did think the narrator was a great Eve. I see her as a lot older than Paige and as I said before I didn’t think she sounded like Paige’s age.
I also really think this book could have been A LOT shorter. This Nix thing escaping so often, sooo much dialogue that just didn’t need to be there.
I didn’t hate it but I didn’t love it.
The ending was sweet I will say the balance was needed and I enjoyed that.
I don’t know if the whole ghost thing has me scratching my head. Or if it is the portals the dimensions I don’t know. I just know that this isn’t my favorite of the series so far.
Eve isn’t really a character I wanted to know more about, that could have also been why I didn’t really connect with her. I did think the narrator was a great Eve. I see her as a lot older than Paige and as I said before I didn’t think she sounded like Paige’s age.
I also really think this book could have been A LOT shorter. This Nix thing escaping so often, sooo much dialogue that just didn’t need to be there.
I didn’t hate it but I didn’t love it.
The ending was sweet I will say the balance was needed and I enjoyed that.
August 15, 2017
Haunted is the fifth book in Kelley Armstrong’s wonderful Women of the Otherworld series. If I’m being completely honest, however, it’s my least favourite book in the series thus far. It was more of a three-point-five star read, with my bias towards the overall series being the reason I rounded up.
The first two books in the series followed a werewolf, the third and fourth books in the series followed the witching world, and this fifth book takes us even deeper into the afterlife we were introduced to in book four. I feel as though this book does a lot to introduce elements that will come into play in the later books in the series, yet as an individual read it is not to the same level as the prior books.
For me, I found this one to be a much slower read. It took a while before anything really happened. There was a lot of information being given but there wasn’t really much happening. Yes, the storyline was interesting; however, it didn’t feel as though it was moving all that much.
Moreover, I found the characters in this one a lot harder to connect with than I did those in the prior books. Towards the end of the book I came to enjoy them more, but it was nowhere near the same degree that I have enjoyed those in the prior books. They weren’t quite as interesting, the romance didn’t do much for me, and as a whole they were merely a way to tell the story rather than being characters I would find myself invested in.
I’m super interested to see what the next book brings – as I said, this one feels like it has given us a number of things that will be important in the future – but I would not label this a favourite in the series.
The first two books in the series followed a werewolf, the third and fourth books in the series followed the witching world, and this fifth book takes us even deeper into the afterlife we were introduced to in book four. I feel as though this book does a lot to introduce elements that will come into play in the later books in the series, yet as an individual read it is not to the same level as the prior books.
For me, I found this one to be a much slower read. It took a while before anything really happened. There was a lot of information being given but there wasn’t really much happening. Yes, the storyline was interesting; however, it didn’t feel as though it was moving all that much.
Moreover, I found the characters in this one a lot harder to connect with than I did those in the prior books. Towards the end of the book I came to enjoy them more, but it was nowhere near the same degree that I have enjoyed those in the prior books. They weren’t quite as interesting, the romance didn’t do much for me, and as a whole they were merely a way to tell the story rather than being characters I would find myself invested in.
I’m super interested to see what the next book brings – as I said, this one feels like it has given us a number of things that will be important in the future – but I would not label this a favourite in the series.
October 18, 2017
This 5th installment in the series takes place in Eve's perspective, who is a ghost living in the ghost world. At first, she is trying adamantly to watch over her daughter and wants so badly to be a part of that world. Then, the Fates call her in and give her a mission; she must stop the Nix, a demi-demon who has been entering bodies and convincing them to carry out sins they are too nervous to commit without her help. She has a couple partners for this mission: the angel Trsiel, as well as Kristof Nast, Savannah's father, and her ghost-world lover. The Nix will put anyone at risk to get what she wants, and often targets the ones closest to Eve, so she must stop her before it's too late.
I enjoyed Haunted. I liked meeting the Fates, and seeing what it was like in the ghost world. I enjoyed the various small details throughout the story that ended up foreshadowing to something later in the story, because there was quite a bit of that. We meet some new characters in this, and for a few seconds, That was hands-down my favorite part.
I suggest starting the first book in the series before getting to this one, but this series is one I highly recommend for lovers of supernatural fiction.
I enjoyed Haunted. I liked meeting the Fates, and seeing what it was like in the ghost world. I enjoyed the various small details throughout the story that ended up foreshadowing to something later in the story, because there was quite a bit of that. We meet some new characters in this, and for a few seconds, That was hands-down my favorite part.
I suggest starting the first book in the series before getting to this one, but this series is one I highly recommend for lovers of supernatural fiction.
February 27, 2009
This is the 6th book in the Women of the Otherworld series and it was the weakest one in the series I thought. I expected this book to center around Jamie the necromancer and instead it was focused on Eve - Savanah's mother who died a few books back.
The entire story was basically a story of Eve's redemption. She was a "bad witch" in the previous stories and when she was killed she went to some supernatural death realm where she obsessed over her daughter Savanah. The Fate's decided to give her a quest - to capture the evil Nix who escaped from Hell and was killing people on Earth.
I enjoyed the story well enough but honestly I felt it could have been a little tighter. I liked that so many other characters had spots in the story but I really felt this was just not as good a story as the others I had read.
The entire story was basically a story of Eve's redemption. She was a "bad witch" in the previous stories and when she was killed she went to some supernatural death realm where she obsessed over her daughter Savanah. The Fate's decided to give her a quest - to capture the evil Nix who escaped from Hell and was killing people on Earth.
I enjoyed the story well enough but honestly I felt it could have been a little tighter. I liked that so many other characters had spots in the story but I really felt this was just not as good a story as the others I had read.
Read
April 9, 2014 It's not that there was any one specific thing wrong with this book. I just couldn't connect with Eve. I'm pretty sure it's my own biases...I love Elena....can't bring myself to like someone else in this series.
It took everything I had to read Paige's books...and I actually LIKED her. I can't say the same for Eve. I only made it about 85 pgs before I gave up.
I'm going to pick this one up again at a later date and give it another chance. Ms. Armstrong is a great writer and this is no exception....It's me..not her.
It took everything I had to read Paige's books...and I actually LIKED her. I can't say the same for Eve. I only made it about 85 pgs before I gave up.
I'm going to pick this one up again at a later date and give it another chance. Ms. Armstrong is a great writer and this is no exception....It's me..not her.
February 21, 2022
Favourite in the series so far but I wish there was less romance. It's getting a little tiresome to be honest. I thought this book would be a break but noooooooooooooo even with a plot as wild as this one, finding a man to rely on is still a focus.
And the narrator has stayed the same in tone, attitude, personality, EVERYTHING. They're all tongue-in-cheek and cringey af sometimes but Eve, I could forgive that a little more because I love her so much.
And the narrator has stayed the same in tone, attitude, personality, EVERYTHING. They're all tongue-in-cheek and cringey af sometimes but Eve, I could forgive that a little more because I love her so much.
May 16, 2022
Fifth in the Women of the Otherworld urban fantasy series and revolving around the women in this world. The focus in Haunted is on Eve Levine, Savannah's mum.
My Take
Eve and Kristof (Savannah's parents), who just happen to be ghosts, are the main characters in this story where Eve learns quite a bit about her failings just as we learn about the inner Eve.Then there's that angle on demons with a dip into the activities of demi-demons, a different take on the hierarchy and origin of angels, and the role played by the Fates.
We do get a firsthand tour of the afterlife, well, for supernatural ghosties, anyway, through the firsthand first-person protagonist point-of-view from Eve's perspective. And she's quite the dominant woman with a very realistic view about life. Armstrong's having offed her provides quite a unique perspective on strong women *grin* who have no issues with getting down and dirty, lol. In fact, Eve has quite a few interesting angles in Haunted *more laughter* Wait'll you read up on her partnership with Jaime!
Armstrong has been dropping clues to Savannah's, or rather to her mother's past, and now Armstrong finally clues us in as to why Eve got better acquainted with Kristof. She also includes a twist with that "home" reversal that shows up Eve's sentimental side…and quite the believable proof that Kristof wasn't all in on the powerful "cabal" crap. Dang, I do wish they'd lived, annnddd it is fun to peek into their afterlife. It is odd that however nasty those Nasts are, Kristof does seem like a really nice guy. For a cabal sorcerer.
The evil characters in this…hoo, boy. They are somethin' else. Well, they are serial killers and demons with the truly nasty one the kind who loves the chaos, preferably with lots of evil attached, promising the world to their then "partner", if only to get even more of a fix. Hey, I'm not saying the partner(s) don't deserve what they get. They do, every bit of it. But I do think they should be tormented by their memories in a you-can-never-have-it-again way. I don't care what reasoning the Fates provide as punishment for the dead supernaturals. I especially want those "villagers" the Fates send Eve to, where Eve learns just how cocky she's been, to be bombarded daily with torment.
As for Trsiel, I am SO not impressed with him. I'm wondering if he's partnered up with the Nix.
It's a journey on two levels. The obvious one is Eve's bounty hunter mission to find the escaped prisoner. The other is growth for Eve, as she discovers what she really needs in her life.
The Story
Eve Levine needs to find a way to communicate with her daughter, Savannah, and she’ll be happy. Really. But fate — or more exactly, the Fates — have other plans. Eve owes them a favor, and they’ve just called it in.
Evil has escaped from hell, feeding on chaos and death, and is very good at persuading people to kill for her. The Fates want Eve to hunt her down before she does any more damage, but the Nix is a dangerous enemy — previous hunters have been driven insane in the process.
As if that’s not problem enough, the only way to stop her is with an angel’s sword. And Eve is no angel…
The Characters
Jaime, Paige, Lucas, and Savannah make guest appearances with a brief mention of Jeremy and Elena.
Eve Levine is dead, but only in the earthly sense. Once one of the most powerful women in the supernatural world, this Aspicio half-demon and black arts witch lingers in the afterlife. Lord Demon Balam, Master of Sight, is her father. She and Kristof Nast, a sorcerer who is also dead, are Savannah's parents. Kristof has embraced what he loves in this new "existence", including playing hockey.
The Fates are…
…the guardians of the supernatural layers in the ghost world and handle the major disciplinary issues. Hence the need for law courts where Kristof works. The Searchers are the Fates' law enforcement arm who corral the ghosts and retrieve whomever the Fates want to…talk to… The lower realms hold the really nasty ghosts. Wraiths function very well as clerks and have never been alive.
Savannah Levine is Eve's daughter, currently living in Portland, Oregon, with Paige Winterbourne, a witch shorn of her coven and chased from her home. Lucas Cortez has left his family, and as a lawyer, helps the less fortunate. Adam Vasic is an Exustio half-demon and best friends with Paige, Lucas, and Savannah who has a crush on him.
There are four levels of angels, the earthly messengers of the Fates who enforce certain codes on an individual level: the first wave was the full-bloods, a second wave, a third wave of angels with some human blood (so they can better keep up with the world of humans), and a fourth wave of ascended angels, ghosts who perform a difficult quest and are elevated. Shekinah and Balthial are two of the first wave of angels. Zadkiel is an angel who normally handles the inaugural quests, i.e., the first mission that promotes a ghost to angelhood. Trsiel is supposed to be Eve's guardian angel.
Jaime Vegas is a necromancer who makes her living "connecting" audience members with a deceased loved one. There are a few ghosts in whom she has no interest, the drunken accountant without a head, for one. Robin McKenzie was shopped by his wife, Cheri, who'd been inspired by a murderess from the 1960s.
The Nast Cabal is...
...one of four sorcerous organizations. Based in L.A., the CEO is Thomas Nast, Kristof's father. Kristof's sons: Sean is finishing up his MBA, and Bryce switched his major from music to law when his father died. Austin is a cousin.
The Danvers Pack of…
…werewolves is led by their Alpha, Jeremy Danvers, an artist. Savannah spends quite a bit of time with them.
Nixen are…
…actually demi-demons who provide resolve to people already tempted to do evil deeds. The Nix in this story has evolved due to a deal she made in 1666, and she escaped her prison hell dimension 100 years ago.
Three were sent after her: Janah was an ascended angel; Katsuo; and, Andrei Dachev, a supernatural serial killer who had seen the light.
Events at Dalewood Psychiatric Hospital may…
…well explain a lot of the problems for the insane. Ted, a headless accountant, acts as bouncer. The patients include (or included) Barton and Bruce. Franco is one of the therapists, and Chang is an orderly. Peterman also works there.
Today
Glamis Castle, Scotland, is where the White Lady, Janet Douglas, a widow and the sister of Archibald Douglas, walks. Sounds like being Lord Glamis' widow was a good thing. The monster of Glamis was imprisoned by Lord Baal. In the ghostly Deerhurst, Alaska, Charles has been out in the bush too long. Marcello is a werewolf. Lily is a cleaning lady at a community center in Portland who feels invisible. Brett is the guy she loves. Amanda Sulllivan is a modern-day Medea. George is a young ghost at the prison who died of smallpox when he was five.
Ghostly Honduras
La Ceiba is a town full of ghosts playing pirate. Pierre, a half-demon with wandering hands, owns the Trinity Bull.
Luther Ross, a Gelo, is based in Roatan, Honduras, and teaches other ghosts how to be poltergiests…he's just in it for the sex. Most of his students are nymphs, including Annette.
1962, Edinburgh
Suzanne Simmons was fascinated by young children. Eric had been Suzanne's partner.
1938, Cleaveland
Agnes Miller, a surgeon, has this crazy idea for drawing attention to the hopelessness of the unemployed. Eliot Ness hadn't a clue about the Mad Butcher of Kingsbury Run.
1927, San Francisco
The frivolous Jolyn finally has that invisible friend she's always wanted and names her Victoria. She also has a good excuse to exercise her desires. Bradley is her wealthy lover. Nellie and Dot are the friends who are getting so boring. Samuel is a baggage checker.
1892, Massachusetts
Lizzie Borden is angry for her sake and her sister's, Emma. Andrew Borden is her controlling and cheap father. Abby is Lizzie's stepmother. Uncle John is discussing that new will. Bridget is the maid. Mr O'Neil is a farmer.
1666, France
Marie-Madeline d'Aubrey, the Marquise de Brinvilliers, has a father, d'Aubrey. Françoise is her hapless maid. Gaudin Sainte-Croix is the marquise's lover. Nicolette is a spectator of more than one event at the beheading.
Demons
Not so surprising, it seems that angels and demons are the same, if you go back far enough. Aspicio have supercharged visual abilities, poltergeists are really telekinetic half-demons, and Geos are ice demons. Aratron is a high-ranking eudemon, a "nicer" demon. Dantalian is the Master of Transmigration and the Duke of Baal.
Ghosts
There are two categories of "earth-spooks", one of which refers to those sentenced to limbo for a period until the lesson is learned.
Serial-killer Hell
Bird-man, club-man, a werewolf, knife-man, and a redhead.
Mrs Appleton had been Eve's sixth grade teacher with the ability to make her squirm. Nymphs had lost their special abilities years ago and only re-discover them when they die. The Dantalian amulet allows a demon-blooded wearer to inhabit a human's body. Sorcerers and magicians are related, but magicians are a sub-standard form of spell-casters with witches outranking at least the magicians. Liza is one of the women working with Paige on the Elliott Memorial Walk-and-Run. Trevor is Savannah's current boyfriend.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a range of oranges to yellow with the deepest orange in the body of the nude woman, her long dark hair curling down her back, who stands with her back to us, her arms crossed, a pentagram pendant dangling from one hand. In the background, the yellow eye of a cat stares back at us, demons cavorting in the flames beneath its eye. The title is at the top in a black-shaded white with a simplified gothic font; the author's name uses the same but at the very bottom. A white info blurb is below this in white. Spanning the body and above the author's name is an invitation in peach.
The title certainly suits as so many of the characters are possessed, for this story is filled with the Haunted.
My Take
Eve and Kristof (Savannah's parents), who just happen to be ghosts, are the main characters in this story where Eve learns quite a bit about her failings just as we learn about the inner Eve.Then there's that angle on demons with a dip into the activities of demi-demons, a different take on the hierarchy and origin of angels, and the role played by the Fates.
We do get a firsthand tour of the afterlife, well, for supernatural ghosties, anyway, through the firsthand first-person protagonist point-of-view from Eve's perspective. And she's quite the dominant woman with a very realistic view about life. Armstrong's having offed her provides quite a unique perspective on strong women *grin* who have no issues with getting down and dirty, lol. In fact, Eve has quite a few interesting angles in Haunted *more laughter* Wait'll you read up on her partnership with Jaime!
Armstrong has been dropping clues to Savannah's, or rather to her mother's past, and now Armstrong finally clues us in as to why Eve got better acquainted with Kristof. She also includes a twist with that "home" reversal that shows up Eve's sentimental side…and quite the believable proof that Kristof wasn't all in on the powerful "cabal" crap. Dang, I do wish they'd lived, annnddd it is fun to peek into their afterlife. It is odd that however nasty those Nasts are, Kristof does seem like a really nice guy. For a cabal sorcerer.
Didja know you can even play hockey in the afterlife?It is an interesting collection of conflicts. Eve has her personal ones, wanting to contact her daughter, to help her, wanting to be with Kristof, and deciding what to do about that mission. If it succeeds, what then? She's finally realized what she truly wants, and this could jeopardize the rest of her death. That poor Kristof. He knows what he wants, but only on the right terms, and he worries for his sons. One following a path he hates, but that he believes his father would want for him. The other? Well, the other is not what the Cabals would want or expect. Talk about setting us up on so many possibilities for future stories!?!
The evil characters in this…hoo, boy. They are somethin' else. Well, they are serial killers and demons with the truly nasty one the kind who loves the chaos, preferably with lots of evil attached, promising the world to their then "partner", if only to get even more of a fix. Hey, I'm not saying the partner(s) don't deserve what they get. They do, every bit of it. But I do think they should be tormented by their memories in a you-can-never-have-it-again way. I don't care what reasoning the Fates provide as punishment for the dead supernaturals. I especially want those "villagers" the Fates send Eve to, where Eve learns just how cocky she's been, to be bombarded daily with torment.
As for Trsiel, I am SO not impressed with him. I'm wondering if he's partnered up with the Nix.
It's a journey on two levels. The obvious one is Eve's bounty hunter mission to find the escaped prisoner. The other is growth for Eve, as she discovers what she really needs in her life.
The Story
Eve Levine needs to find a way to communicate with her daughter, Savannah, and she’ll be happy. Really. But fate — or more exactly, the Fates — have other plans. Eve owes them a favor, and they’ve just called it in.
Evil has escaped from hell, feeding on chaos and death, and is very good at persuading people to kill for her. The Fates want Eve to hunt her down before she does any more damage, but the Nix is a dangerous enemy — previous hunters have been driven insane in the process.
As if that’s not problem enough, the only way to stop her is with an angel’s sword. And Eve is no angel…
The Characters
Jaime, Paige, Lucas, and Savannah make guest appearances with a brief mention of Jeremy and Elena.
Eve Levine is dead, but only in the earthly sense. Once one of the most powerful women in the supernatural world, this Aspicio half-demon and black arts witch lingers in the afterlife. Lord Demon Balam, Master of Sight, is her father. She and Kristof Nast, a sorcerer who is also dead, are Savannah's parents. Kristof has embraced what he loves in this new "existence", including playing hockey.
The Fates are…
…the guardians of the supernatural layers in the ghost world and handle the major disciplinary issues. Hence the need for law courts where Kristof works. The Searchers are the Fates' law enforcement arm who corral the ghosts and retrieve whomever the Fates want to…talk to… The lower realms hold the really nasty ghosts. Wraiths function very well as clerks and have never been alive.
Savannah Levine is Eve's daughter, currently living in Portland, Oregon, with Paige Winterbourne, a witch shorn of her coven and chased from her home. Lucas Cortez has left his family, and as a lawyer, helps the less fortunate. Adam Vasic is an Exustio half-demon and best friends with Paige, Lucas, and Savannah who has a crush on him.
There are four levels of angels, the earthly messengers of the Fates who enforce certain codes on an individual level: the first wave was the full-bloods, a second wave, a third wave of angels with some human blood (so they can better keep up with the world of humans), and a fourth wave of ascended angels, ghosts who perform a difficult quest and are elevated. Shekinah and Balthial are two of the first wave of angels. Zadkiel is an angel who normally handles the inaugural quests, i.e., the first mission that promotes a ghost to angelhood. Trsiel is supposed to be Eve's guardian angel.
Jaime Vegas is a necromancer who makes her living "connecting" audience members with a deceased loved one. There are a few ghosts in whom she has no interest, the drunken accountant without a head, for one. Robin McKenzie was shopped by his wife, Cheri, who'd been inspired by a murderess from the 1960s.
The Nast Cabal is...
...one of four sorcerous organizations. Based in L.A., the CEO is Thomas Nast, Kristof's father. Kristof's sons: Sean is finishing up his MBA, and Bryce switched his major from music to law when his father died. Austin is a cousin.
The Danvers Pack of…
…werewolves is led by their Alpha, Jeremy Danvers, an artist. Savannah spends quite a bit of time with them.
Nixen are…
…actually demi-demons who provide resolve to people already tempted to do evil deeds. The Nix in this story has evolved due to a deal she made in 1666, and she escaped her prison hell dimension 100 years ago.
Three were sent after her: Janah was an ascended angel; Katsuo; and, Andrei Dachev, a supernatural serial killer who had seen the light.
Events at Dalewood Psychiatric Hospital may…
…well explain a lot of the problems for the insane. Ted, a headless accountant, acts as bouncer. The patients include (or included) Barton and Bruce. Franco is one of the therapists, and Chang is an orderly. Peterman also works there.
Today
Glamis Castle, Scotland, is where the White Lady, Janet Douglas, a widow and the sister of Archibald Douglas, walks. Sounds like being Lord Glamis' widow was a good thing. The monster of Glamis was imprisoned by Lord Baal. In the ghostly Deerhurst, Alaska, Charles has been out in the bush too long. Marcello is a werewolf. Lily is a cleaning lady at a community center in Portland who feels invisible. Brett is the guy she loves. Amanda Sulllivan is a modern-day Medea. George is a young ghost at the prison who died of smallpox when he was five.
Ghostly Honduras
La Ceiba is a town full of ghosts playing pirate. Pierre, a half-demon with wandering hands, owns the Trinity Bull.
Luther Ross, a Gelo, is based in Roatan, Honduras, and teaches other ghosts how to be poltergiests…he's just in it for the sex. Most of his students are nymphs, including Annette.
1962, Edinburgh
Suzanne Simmons was fascinated by young children. Eric had been Suzanne's partner.
1938, Cleaveland
Agnes Miller, a surgeon, has this crazy idea for drawing attention to the hopelessness of the unemployed. Eliot Ness hadn't a clue about the Mad Butcher of Kingsbury Run.
1927, San Francisco
The frivolous Jolyn finally has that invisible friend she's always wanted and names her Victoria. She also has a good excuse to exercise her desires. Bradley is her wealthy lover. Nellie and Dot are the friends who are getting so boring. Samuel is a baggage checker.
1892, Massachusetts
Lizzie Borden is angry for her sake and her sister's, Emma. Andrew Borden is her controlling and cheap father. Abby is Lizzie's stepmother. Uncle John is discussing that new will. Bridget is the maid. Mr O'Neil is a farmer.
1666, France
Marie-Madeline d'Aubrey, the Marquise de Brinvilliers, has a father, d'Aubrey. Françoise is her hapless maid. Gaudin Sainte-Croix is the marquise's lover. Nicolette is a spectator of more than one event at the beheading.
Demons
Not so surprising, it seems that angels and demons are the same, if you go back far enough. Aspicio have supercharged visual abilities, poltergeists are really telekinetic half-demons, and Geos are ice demons. Aratron is a high-ranking eudemon, a "nicer" demon. Dantalian is the Master of Transmigration and the Duke of Baal.
Ghosts
There are two categories of "earth-spooks", one of which refers to those sentenced to limbo for a period until the lesson is learned.
Serial-killer Hell
Bird-man, club-man, a werewolf, knife-man, and a redhead.
Mrs Appleton had been Eve's sixth grade teacher with the ability to make her squirm. Nymphs had lost their special abilities years ago and only re-discover them when they die. The Dantalian amulet allows a demon-blooded wearer to inhabit a human's body. Sorcerers and magicians are related, but magicians are a sub-standard form of spell-casters with witches outranking at least the magicians. Liza is one of the women working with Paige on the Elliott Memorial Walk-and-Run. Trevor is Savannah's current boyfriend.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a range of oranges to yellow with the deepest orange in the body of the nude woman, her long dark hair curling down her back, who stands with her back to us, her arms crossed, a pentagram pendant dangling from one hand. In the background, the yellow eye of a cat stares back at us, demons cavorting in the flames beneath its eye. The title is at the top in a black-shaded white with a simplified gothic font; the author's name uses the same but at the very bottom. A white info blurb is below this in white. Spanning the body and above the author's name is an invitation in peach.
The title certainly suits as so many of the characters are possessed, for this story is filled with the Haunted.
April 25, 2016
We have come to book five in the Women of the Otherworld series and Armstrong has now shifted her focus to Eve Levine, the half demon black witch who seems to scare the hell out of everyone...even after she has died. Of course, the afterlife isn't exactly what Eve expected, but it isn't so bad, especially as she can watch over her daughter Savannah, even if she can't do anything. But, the Fates have a task for her, capture the demi demon Nix that is wreaking havoc on the human world, but angels have already tried and failed at capturing the Nix, but then angels never play dirty...
I admit, I wasn't too excited to be starting this book, mainly because I wasn't that excited about Eve. She is mentioned in passing and she is important in that her existence has affected the way Savannah is treated, but she is dead right? How exciting could her story be? Well, I should have known not to doubt Kelley Armstrong because I loved this book; it was an exciting and interesting read that once again added a new dimension to the world that Armstrong is building.
I didn't know what to expect from Eve, she has a scary reputation as a black witch and so I was worried that I wouldn't like her, that wasn't the case however. She was just more edgey and ruthless with a willingness to get her hands dirty to get the job done, definitely a different kind of character and witch to Paige, but I ended the book really liking Eve. We also get to meet Kristof Nast, Eve's former lover and Savannah's dad. The name should sound familiar as he is the guy who died at the end of Dime Store Magic. Eve and Kristof are now reunited through their deaths, which added some romance to this story. It also allowed you to see a different side to Kristof, Cabal sorcerer he may be, but like Eve, he isn't all bad.
I also enjoyed their hunt for the Nix, the nasty demi demon that is causing so much mayhem, it made an exciting and action packed story as Eve tracks her down and tries to find a way to stop her. Armstrong is really great and crafting an interesting plot that manages to reel you in, I was glued to the page as I couldn't wait to see what would happen next.
This was a great book, both the main characters had all the traits of an evil villain, but it was turned on its head and they ended up the heroes of the piece. It was a fantastic idea. Once again I am left eager to start the next book in the series and so I can see what Armstrong has in store for me next.
March 19, 2011
Whether you like the Women of the Otherworld series or not, one thing is certain; the books all have something that makes them unique. The most intriguing aspect of this book was our new narrator: Eve Levine.
What makes Eve so special is that she's dead, and has been dead quite a while now. She's a ghost, living in the supernatural plane. She can visit the world of the living, but she is unable to actually influence anything there. She is ripped from her obsessing over her 15-year-old still living daughter by divine influence, and sent on a not so divine mission to catch a rampaging demonic serial killer.
What I liked about this book is how it adds to the series. I found it very interesting to read about a world after this life. It was new and something I had never read before. Even though there are a lot of angel and half-angel stories out there, none of them really show what happens after someone dies. There were a lot of imaginative solutions to keep the supernatural system running smoothly and I loved reading about the structure of this worlds afterlife.
As we are used to, this book is one action-packed hunt to capture the bad guy. This keeps the pacing high, but at some point the constant running around gets a bit tiresome. There was some space for character development but at times I wished there was some more, to get a bit diversity in the story.
Which brings me to the major problem I had with this book. As much as I like Eve, and as much as I like her voice and overall character, I just don't feel for her. For some reason I don't see her as a narrator. This book seemed a bit like a sidestep from the running plotline. There was some of the usual cast present but at the end of the book I and I looked back, I didn't see it really change anything.
Still, an exiting read that doesn't bore at all. There were quite a lot moments that had me giggling which is always good. Does contain some pretty gruesome serial killing fantasies, but nothing extreme. Maybe not the strongest part of this series, but I would still certainly recommend the Women of the Otherworld books.
What makes Eve so special is that she's dead, and has been dead quite a while now. She's a ghost, living in the supernatural plane. She can visit the world of the living, but she is unable to actually influence anything there. She is ripped from her obsessing over her 15-year-old still living daughter by divine influence, and sent on a not so divine mission to catch a rampaging demonic serial killer.
What I liked about this book is how it adds to the series. I found it very interesting to read about a world after this life. It was new and something I had never read before. Even though there are a lot of angel and half-angel stories out there, none of them really show what happens after someone dies. There were a lot of imaginative solutions to keep the supernatural system running smoothly and I loved reading about the structure of this worlds afterlife.
As we are used to, this book is one action-packed hunt to capture the bad guy. This keeps the pacing high, but at some point the constant running around gets a bit tiresome. There was some space for character development but at times I wished there was some more, to get a bit diversity in the story.
Which brings me to the major problem I had with this book. As much as I like Eve, and as much as I like her voice and overall character, I just don't feel for her. For some reason I don't see her as a narrator. This book seemed a bit like a sidestep from the running plotline. There was some of the usual cast present but at the end of the book I and I looked back, I didn't see it really change anything.
Still, an exiting read that doesn't bore at all. There were quite a lot moments that had me giggling which is always good. Does contain some pretty gruesome serial killing fantasies, but nothing extreme. Maybe not the strongest part of this series, but I would still certainly recommend the Women of the Otherworld books.
May 22, 2017
Eve has always been an interesting character to me, and was made even more so from the last book, where we meet her in the ghost world and she helps Paige. So, I was happy when I found out that the next book in the series followed her as a main character. She’s the sort of badass heroine who takes an incredibly pragmatic approach to situations; she sets her own moral standards and lives by her own rules. If a person is a bad person, kill them. Killing isn’t morally justified? Says who? That’s sort of Eve’s stance on a lot of situations.
This story is more of a thriller than anything else — an evil possession demon is on the loose; one who gives her host courage and power to do horrible things like go on a serial murder spree or shoot up a YMCA. She’s been running rampant for centuries, possessing such famous killers as Lizzie Borden, among others. In exchange for them helping page, the Fates have called on Eve to return the favor by helping them out and catching this demon. Along with the chase and investigation, we get lots of Eve and Kristoff moments; he still loves her and wants to make an afterlife together with her — one they never got while living, but she’s still hesitant. One of the best parts of this book is Eve’s slow acceptance/realization of just how much she loves this man.
It’s a fun read that had some nice plot twists while also staying within the realm of possibilities (though it’s a really, really big realm for this series). Eve has taken the place of one of my favorite characters ever. I’m not as invested in her relationship with Kristoff as I am with Paige and Lucas, but I like her overall way more than I enjoy any of the other characters. She’s just awesome and smart and complicated and really, really fun to have as a main character. As always, familiar characters make their appearances throughout the course of this story, and it’s always fun to see them from another character’s perspective. With the thriller aspect and the amazing characters Armstrong has created, you really can’t go wrong with this series, and this book is no exception.
Also posted on Purple People Readers.
This story is more of a thriller than anything else — an evil possession demon is on the loose; one who gives her host courage and power to do horrible things like go on a serial murder spree or shoot up a YMCA. She’s been running rampant for centuries, possessing such famous killers as Lizzie Borden, among others. In exchange for them helping page, the Fates have called on Eve to return the favor by helping them out and catching this demon. Along with the chase and investigation, we get lots of Eve and Kristoff moments; he still loves her and wants to make an afterlife together with her — one they never got while living, but she’s still hesitant. One of the best parts of this book is Eve’s slow acceptance/realization of just how much she loves this man.
It’s a fun read that had some nice plot twists while also staying within the realm of possibilities (though it’s a really, really big realm for this series). Eve has taken the place of one of my favorite characters ever. I’m not as invested in her relationship with Kristoff as I am with Paige and Lucas, but I like her overall way more than I enjoy any of the other characters. She’s just awesome and smart and complicated and really, really fun to have as a main character. As always, familiar characters make their appearances throughout the course of this story, and it’s always fun to see them from another character’s perspective. With the thriller aspect and the amazing characters Armstrong has created, you really can’t go wrong with this series, and this book is no exception.
Also posted on Purple People Readers.
June 17, 2011
No one can accuse Kelley Armstrong of taking the easy road. Imagine a book where the heroine is dead. She's been dead, in fact, for three years. Her love interest is dead too. He died at 47 with a paunchy belly and thinning hair. Oh, and they both have a reputation for being evil. That's the short version of Eve Levine and Kristof Nash. But there is so much more to the story than what you see at first glance.
Both Eve and Kristof exist in one of many ghostly planes. Kris is eager to renew the love affair they had 15 years ago. But Eve is reluctant --and distracted. She can't let go of their daughter Savannah, who is still in the living world. Kris thinks she needs something more to focus on in her afterlife, so he's happy when the Fates ask Eve's help in tracking down a ghost-demon who is possessing bodies in the living world, and committing murder.
The storyline opens the door to a new supernatural branch: angels. We meet a couple and quickly learn Eve might be a candidate for ascension, herself. The action is pretty good here. And I was a little surprised. I mean, how much tension can there be if the heroine is already dead? It's not like the bad guy is going to kill her or anything. Yet Armstrong makes it work. There are worse things than dying and Eve takes real risks to complete her mission.
I was also surprised to find I wasn't really put out by the fact that Kristof was no Joe Mangianello. (If you don't know who that is, Google him immediately.) It was plain that he and Eve have been doing the sexual-tension dance for a while... which makes their relationship intriguing. My one beef is that when we finally get to the payoff, Armstrong fades to black. I felt kind of cheated.
It ended up a much better book than I expected... though not the strongest in the Otherworld series. I enjoyed catching up with Paige, Lucas & Savannah... and getting to know Eve and Kristof. Plus, the ending keeps the door open for their characters to show up again. 4 stars.
Both Eve and Kristof exist in one of many ghostly planes. Kris is eager to renew the love affair they had 15 years ago. But Eve is reluctant --and distracted. She can't let go of their daughter Savannah, who is still in the living world. Kris thinks she needs something more to focus on in her afterlife, so he's happy when the Fates ask Eve's help in tracking down a ghost-demon who is possessing bodies in the living world, and committing murder.
The storyline opens the door to a new supernatural branch: angels. We meet a couple and quickly learn Eve might be a candidate for ascension, herself. The action is pretty good here. And I was a little surprised. I mean, how much tension can there be if the heroine is already dead? It's not like the bad guy is going to kill her or anything. Yet Armstrong makes it work. There are worse things than dying and Eve takes real risks to complete her mission.
I was also surprised to find I wasn't really put out by the fact that Kristof was no Joe Mangianello. (If you don't know who that is, Google him immediately.) It was plain that he and Eve have been doing the sexual-tension dance for a while... which makes their relationship intriguing. My one beef is that when we finally get to the payoff, Armstrong fades to black. I felt kind of cheated.
It ended up a much better book than I expected... though not the strongest in the Otherworld series. I enjoyed catching up with Paige, Lucas & Savannah... and getting to know Eve and Kristof. Plus, the ending keeps the door open for their characters to show up again. 4 stars.
November 14, 2015
I loved Haunted more than I thought I would... And I loved Eve more than I thought I would...
I forgot how long ago, and I don't know why, but I took a break from this series after reading Industrial Magic. I don't remember what influenced me to return to the series now, of all times, but why the hell didn't I come back to it sooner?!
I didn't really know much about Eve, aside from the fact that she was Savannah's mother, that she was half-witch, half-demon, and that she was...well, dead. So it was interesting to read about her, especially since I had no idea what to expect.
And as it turned out, I didn't expect to love her so much.
She was so snarky, so strong, so selfless, especially when it comes to her daughter. Almost everything she thought, almost everything she said, was either amusing or hilarious. I couldn't help a chuckle and, in some cases, a laugh.
One thing I should've expected was how Jaime, the necromancer, though...that's not the point. The point is, I was glad to see her again. And for some reason, I had Elizabeth Banks, who played Effie Trinket in The Hunger Games movies, in mind for Jaime...
Moving on... Haunted had so many twists and turns, and it was so suspenseful, and it had its fair share of action-filled scenes... I didn't want to put it down, even when my eyes became tired, even when it got darker outside. The story, especially with Eve trying to find the Nix, was so captivating.
I feel like this review is lacklustre... I feel like I need to add more... But I will... At some point...
I forgot how long ago, and I don't know why, but I took a break from this series after reading Industrial Magic. I don't remember what influenced me to return to the series now, of all times, but why the hell didn't I come back to it sooner?!
I didn't really know much about Eve, aside from the fact that she was Savannah's mother, that she was half-witch, half-demon, and that she was...well, dead. So it was interesting to read about her, especially since I had no idea what to expect.
And as it turned out, I didn't expect to love her so much.
She was so snarky, so strong, so selfless, especially when it comes to her daughter. Almost everything she thought, almost everything she said, was either amusing or hilarious. I couldn't help a chuckle and, in some cases, a laugh.
One thing I should've expected was how Jaime, the necromancer, though...that's not the point. The point is, I was glad to see her again. And for some reason, I had Elizabeth Banks, who played Effie Trinket in The Hunger Games movies, in mind for Jaime...
Moving on... Haunted had so many twists and turns, and it was so suspenseful, and it had its fair share of action-filled scenes... I didn't want to put it down, even when my eyes became tired, even when it got darker outside. The story, especially with Eve trying to find the Nix, was so captivating.
I feel like this review is lacklustre... I feel like I need to add more... But I will... At some point...
February 26, 2016
Haunted
3 Stars
As a half-demon / half-witch, Eve Levine lived her life in the fast lane with little care for the consequences of her actions. Now that she is dead, not much has changed. When the Fates call in a favor, Eve agrees to hunt down and capture an evil spirit wrecking havoc on the living world, but things aren’t as easy as they seem and Eve will have to call on all her resources if she is to outwit the tricky Nix…
Good world building as always and an entertaining plot, but Eve is not a likable heroine and her romance with Kristoff is lukewarm.
The mystery in this installment is one of the more gripping in the series. The Nix is a formidable foe and the inclusion of details concerning historical crimes adds extra nuance to the story. Another positive element is the updates on secondary characters. Paige, Lucas & Savannah are becoming a family and Jaime’s painful crush on Jeremy is so cute.
The most significant problem with the book is the need for readers to suspend their disbelief and accept that Eve and Kristoff, who have been ethically challenged to say the least, are now a heroic duo fighting against evil. While Kristoff does manage to redeem himself to a certain extent after sacrificing himself to save his daughter, the same cannot be said of Eve and it is difficult to care one way or the other about what happens to her.
Laural Merlington’s narration is never going to rank amongst my favorites, but I’ve learned to live with it.
All in all, not my favorite book in the series but worth the read.
3 Stars
As a half-demon / half-witch, Eve Levine lived her life in the fast lane with little care for the consequences of her actions. Now that she is dead, not much has changed. When the Fates call in a favor, Eve agrees to hunt down and capture an evil spirit wrecking havoc on the living world, but things aren’t as easy as they seem and Eve will have to call on all her resources if she is to outwit the tricky Nix…
Good world building as always and an entertaining plot, but Eve is not a likable heroine and her romance with Kristoff is lukewarm.
The mystery in this installment is one of the more gripping in the series. The Nix is a formidable foe and the inclusion of details concerning historical crimes adds extra nuance to the story. Another positive element is the updates on secondary characters. Paige, Lucas & Savannah are becoming a family and Jaime’s painful crush on Jeremy is so cute.
The most significant problem with the book is the need for readers to suspend their disbelief and accept that Eve and Kristoff, who have been ethically challenged to say the least, are now a heroic duo fighting against evil. While Kristoff does manage to redeem himself to a certain extent after sacrificing himself to save his daughter, the same cannot be said of Eve and it is difficult to care one way or the other about what happens to her.
Laural Merlington’s narration is never going to rank amongst my favorites, but I’ve learned to live with it.
All in all, not my favorite book in the series but worth the read.
May 21, 2016
It's been long enough since the last book for me to remember very little about these characters. I could have done with some more background info, what happened before this. Why is Kristof not angry with Eve for what she pulled with their daughter? And I miss Elena, my main reason for reading this series. Still, good writing, believable characters and good plot, if you like ghosts, witches and demons... Good world building, too. But the story dragged a lot. This was way too long. Any suspense was killed by the glacially slow speed of the plot development. I had to really force myself to keep going through the second half of the book and even skimmed a little. Too much detail, to much internal monologue. A 100 or 150 pages less would have made this snappy. Really, really loooong. Slightly boring at times. Have I mentioned that it dragged? Still, better than a lot of other UF that has come my way.
May 12, 2017
Bit of an odd instalment to the series. I did enjoy it but it was very random (due to it focusing on the supernatural afterlife), and I had a few problems with the ending. I guess I was also hoping that Eve would be a bit... darker as a character? She wasn't as much of a twisted badass as I was hoping considering her history. She seemed no better or worse than the other female leads in the series.
Still gobbled this up very quickly and enjoyed it though. Bring on the next book!
Still gobbled this up very quickly and enjoyed it though. Bring on the next book!
November 1, 2019
Sadly, this is my least favourite in the series thus far. I was excited about the refreshing perspective of battling evil from Heaven, or an alternative dimension, but this one fell flat for me. I found Eve to be uninteresting and one dimensional. Don’t even get me started on how annoying and uninteresting the Nix was.
Hoping the next one is more to my liking!
Hoping the next one is more to my liking!
May 9, 2008
I really liked this one. Plenty of suspense and intrigue, and I like Eve's attitude. She makes for a strong woman, dead or alive. I thought the ending was perfect!
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