Industrial Magic (Women of the Otherworld, Book 4) (original 2004; edition 2004)

ereader ebook

Transferred from my spreadsheet to Goodreads

Good mystery, good action, less teenager--good! ( )

Reviewed by: Rabid Reads

In my opinion, this novel is one of the most jam-packed installments of this series. There's a staggering amount of action and nearly every single character in the Women of the Otherworld universe makes an appearance. Regardless of whether you prefer witches, werewolves, vampires or necromancers, Dime Store Magic is sure to please all paranormal fans. The murder investigation that's at the forefront of this book's plot not only crosses preternatural lines but metaphysical planes as well. Plus, Paige really starts to come into her own as a narrator and as a character.

This is the first time that Paige and Lucas work together on an official investigation and it provides a nice glimpse of things to come in future books. Their relationship grows by leaps and bounds in this novel and they finally realize that their feelings for each other are more than just a passing phase. Of course, like most preternatural couples, they have to learn the truth of the matter the hard way. It's not until bullets start to fly and the Fates step in that they really realize what they mean to each other. Luckily for them, nothing is ever final in their universe, not even death. Armstrong also explores the reasons behind Cortez's strained relationship with Benicio, his father. It's easy to understand why the rift happened but a little more challenging to grasp Lucas' refusal to have any type of bond with his estranged dad. It's obvious that Benicio cares a great deal for his son and there are a few really moving moments where I just wanted to shake Lucas for his stubbornness.

For the most part, vampires don't play a very significant role in the Women of the Otherworld but when Cassandra offers her assistance you can't help but take note. She comes off as very cold and cryptic most of the time and oddly enough, I just love her to bits. This investigation reveals the intricacies of vampire society and helps to further cement the preternatural community's distaste for the undead. Their animosity used to be based on speculation but after having seen the horrors with their own eyes, it's now based on fact. Cassandra's pretty tame compared to the rest of them!

In spite of this book's blisteringly fast pace and intricate details, Kelley still finds room to throw a little bit of humour into the mix. I really enjoyed the dialogue between Jaime and Cassandra; especially their never-ending argument over whether vamps are dead or not. Vegas is such a bouncy, enthusiastic character that it's darn near impossible not to like her. She always looks on the bright side of a situation even when she's getting her butt kicked by a ghost who refuses to leave her alone. Last but not least, Clay & Elena also throw their gloves into the ring for a couple of rounds.

Industrial Magic is an all out supernatural free-for-all that'll leave you jonesing for another fix of the Women of the Otherworld. ( )

"Industrial magic" is the fourth book in Kelley Armstrong's "Women of the Otherworld" series, and you are highly likely to enjoy it a lot, specially if you read the others before. "Bitten", "Stolen" and "Dime store magic" Which introduce you to a world where magic and the supernatural are just part of everyday life. "Industrial magic" just takes you further into it...this series has demons, deities, vampires, werewolves, witches, sorcerers, shaman, druids, necromancers, clairvoyants, and much more. The supernatural world lies just under the surface of the known world and definitely has a nasty bite. With "Industrial Magic", we are once again treated to a delightful adventure that will suck you in and not let go until the end.

I really enjoyed this book. I wasn't sure I would, as Paige was not my favorite character, but she really grew on me in "Dime Store Magic", and continued to grow on me in this one, and i love how the werewolves get involved in this book as well.
It was fast paced and action packed. A great addition to the "Women of the Otherworld" series. If you like the paranormal, and action, with some romance, then this series is for you, including this book.
I enjoyed the relationship with Paige and Lucas, its very touching, and believable. He is very sweet and considerate, a perfect match for Paige.

Check out more reviews and other book related stuff at my blog at http://concisebookreviewsbymichelle.blogspot.com/ ( )