Living with the Dead(Women of the Otherworld #9)
by Kelley Armstrong
Publisher: Spectra (Oct. 2008)
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Format: Paperback (372 pages)
Source: Purchased
Purchase: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Book Depository
Rating: ★★☆☆☆ (2 stars)
Summary
Robyn Peltier moved to Los Angeles after her young husband’s sudden death, trying to put some distance between herself and her memories. Though she’s still grieving, the challenges of her new life as the PR consultant to Portia Kane—the world’s most famous celebutante wannabe—can sometimes be amusing, even distracting. But when her client is gunned down in the back room of a nightclub, Robyn is suddenly on the run as the prime suspect in the murder. And as more bodies pile up around her, it seems like only Hope Adams, Robyn’s best friend, and Hope’s somewhat spooky boyfriend Karl are on Robyn’s side.
Hope Adams follows the kinds of stories whose headlines scream from supermarket checkout lines. But the difference is that Hope’s stories are even weirder—and they’re all true. Though determined to help Robyn, Hope knows it’s only a matter of time before her friend is caught. But it’s not the police Hope is worried about. For Robyn has gotten herself in the middle of a turf war between two powerful Otherworld cabals who’ll spill any amount of blood—human and inhuman—to protect what they consider theirs for all eternity. And the only way Hope can keep her friend alive is by letting her enter a world she’s safer knowing nothing about. ~Add on Goodreads
Robyn Peltier moved to Los Angeles after her young husband’s sudden death, trying to put some distance between herself and her memories. Though she’s still grieving, the challenges of her new life as the PR consultant to Portia Kane—the world’s most famous celebutante wannabe—can sometimes be amusing, even distracting. But when her client is gunned down in the back room of a nightclub, Robyn is suddenly on the run as the prime suspect in the murder. And as more bodies pile up around her, it seems like only Hope Adams, Robyn’s best friend, and Hope’s somewhat spooky boyfriend Karl are on Robyn’s side.
Hope Adams follows the kinds of stories whose headlines scream from supermarket checkout lines. But the difference is that Hope’s stories are even weirder—and they’re all true. Though determined to help Robyn, Hope knows it’s only a matter of time before her friend is caught. But it’s not the police Hope is worried about. For Robyn has gotten herself in the middle of a turf war between two powerful Otherworld cabals who’ll spill any amount of blood—human and inhuman—to protect what they consider theirs for all eternity. And the only way Hope can keep her friend alive is by letting her enter a world she’s safer knowing nothing about. ~Add on Goodreads
~Short Review~
At A GlanceLet's put it this way, I read this book a couple years ago and I completely forgot everything about it. I reread it for this review, and I've already forgotten half of it again.
The Good
Though Hope and Karl aren't my favorite couple of the series, I was excited to see them again in this book. Hope is still struggling to control her chaos demon all while trying to accept and embrace her feelings for Karl, our hot werewolf. I enjoyed them in this book. They don't have a perfect relationship but it's getting there.
I will say one thing about Living with the Dead, Armstrong really went all out on her bad guy...or girl. Adele was batshit crazy. She is a hardcore sociopath and killer. But before she kills people, she likes to toy with them first. The lengths she will go has no bounds. I have read some pretty dark characters in my day but Adele tops the cake.
The Bad
As you can see, there is not much good in this book. It got two stars only because I did enjoy Hope and Karl for the most part. But the rest of the book was so...stupid.
We meet Robyn, a human, who has never been in the series before. I don't know why Armstrong decided to introduce us to her. She is so insignificant to the series it's not even funny. And her being a human just took out the sparkle of reading about interesting supernaturals. At least Finn, a cop, can speak to the dead. But even he wasn't really interesting.
Living with the Dead did nothing to build onto the overall plotline of this series. It was a filler book that didn't keep my attention. This was the last book I bought from the series because of how boring it was. This is my least favorite book of the series.
I think the weirdest thing is that a whole bunch happens but I still yawned through three-forths of it. Then the ending was just blah. I was like, "What was the point of all this?"
Oh, and the last thing. The other books in the series were first person POVs and this one was third person. It really changed the dynamic, in a bad way.
The Snuggly
Not much snuggly going on. Just a little with Karl and Hope. The romance was thin overall.
Final Thoughts
I think I just forgot about another one-forth of the book just now. I have a really great memory and for me not to remember a book is weird. I would not recommend this book. I think series readers might want to read it just because.
Quote
“What am I? Let's just say I won't fetch a stick for you. I won't beg for treats. And, no matter how nicely you ask, I will not roll over and play dead.”
Book #1:
Bitten“What am I? Let's just say I won't fetch a stick for you. I won't beg for treats. And, no matter how nicely you ask, I will not roll over and play dead.”
Book #2: Stolen
Book #3: Dime Store Magic
Book #4: Industrial Magic
Book #5: Haunted
Book #6: Broken
Book #7: No Humans Involved
Book #8: Personal Demon
Book #9: Living with the Dead
Book #10: Frostbitten
Book #11: Waking the Witch
Book #12: Spell Bound
Book #13: Thirteen
Ugh. Sorry it wasn't what you wanted, but at least Hope and Karl were a positive.
ReplyDeleteHappy reading,
Brandi from Blkosiner’s Book Blog
Thats true. Have to focus on the positive.
DeleteGreat review - I think I enjoyed this book, because I simply LOVE the series as a whole, but I have to agree and think it was by far one of the weekest. Though honestly, now that I think about it, I really can't remember much about it. Haha - I might have to reread the whole series in a couple of years. I still have the last two to read though.
ReplyDeleteSee, the whole forgeting is contagious. I still have a couple to read in the series.
DeleteHope and Karl make it for me! I always include it in the re-read cause it doesn't feel right not too but it's my least favourite in the series too! I think most fans feel the same way! I have to say I liked Finn well enough, it was interesting that he knew he wasn't just human and his whole family knew and warned their kids about their powers, he also instinctively knew to hide his powers as much as possible but the whole family managed to stay isolated from the supernatural community? I wonder how they managed it cause they aren't insular like the pack was so I would have thought they'd have been exposed to the supernatural community before this?
ReplyDeleteVery true. Finn was okay but nothing spectaculer for me. I think the whole book just made it hard for me to like the little things.
DeleteThis would have to be my least favorite in the series as well. Perhaps i'm just bias because I love anything having to do with elena and clay lol! Great post.
ReplyDelete***psstttt you won Month nine challenge!!! email me at moonlightgleam@gmail.com with your book selection from book depository (1 book up to $15) with your mailing adddy!!!!!
http://www.moonlightgleam.com/2012/12/women-of-otherworld-series-challenge.html ***
I feel the same way. Any book without Elean and Clay as the main characters just isn't the same.
DeleteWooHoo. I won. Thank you so much.