I truly have a deep affection for these books! The characters of Elena and Clay are simply remarkable! They have captured my heart and imagination like no others. Their story is so engaging and full of excitement that I find myself completely immersed in it. Every time I pick up these books, I am transported to a world filled with adventure, mystery, and romance.

I can't wait to continue following their journey and discover what lies ahead for them. Will they face new challenges? Will their relationship grow stronger? These are the questions that keep me on the edge of my seat, eagerly turning the pages. I am confident that the author will not disappoint and will continue to deliver a captivating story that will leave me longing for more.

In conclusion, these books are a must-read for anyone who loves a good story. The combination of well-developed characters, a thrilling plot, and beautiful writing makes them an absolute delight. I highly recommend them to all book lovers out there.

After re-reading this book in 2019, I decided to change its rating to 3 stars.

“We sacrificed a mosquito. I bet that's what did it. It was probably a virgin too.” This line added a touch of humor. I was glad to return to Elena's point of view after several books away from her voice. However, this installment turned out to be the weakest among the first three starring Elena's POV. Still, it's worth checking out.

We have plenty of Elena, Clay, Jeremy, Jaime, and the setting of Toronto with an unusual historical mystery involving magic. The Jack-The-Ripper lore was unique, though not my favorite side-plot of the series. I missed Stonehaven a bit, but the dirty, gritty feel of Toronto worked well.

The book mainly focuses on Elaine's pregnancy. Jeremy and Clay are overly protective, and Elena has personal fears about changing and endangering the child. Some parts got a little tiresome, but overall, I liked the overprotective wolves and thought it was cute. Elena's fears were justified, and I'm glad she overcame some of them. I can understand her worry about shifting causing a miscarriage. On my second read, I didn't find it as overwhelming.

Jaime's addition was great. She's one of my top favorites, and I love her crush on Jeremy. She gets all awkward and trips over everything when the alpha shows up. I definitely wouldn't keep crushing on someone like that without some reciprocity by now.

Zoe is a new and fun character. I'm not as crazy about the vampires in this series, but she's humorous and quirky. Tee, with her creepy, insane energy, fascinated me. The villains worked well - I saw the hidden twist, but guessing in advance didn't take away from the story-line.

The zombie angle was different, and the story-line was a bit cheesy, but it was also over the top creative and well structured. Based on my re-read, I bumped the rating up to 4 stars from 3.

A solid 3.5 stars, which are automatically rounded up, for this adventure with the Pack.

Here, a very pregnant Elena (narrating), along with Clay and Jeremy, embark on a seemingly simple mission to Toronto that quickly turns extremely complicated and decidedly strange. They ultimately bring in the other Pack members and a candidate, and most importantly, as it turns out, Jaime Vegas the necromancer whom we met in book #4, Industrial Magic.

It was truly a joy to be back with these characters. I read most of the Otherworld series a few years ago, skipping one or two when they weren't available at the library, and it was great fun to fill in this particular gap. Elena, who started the series off in Bitten, is not only the only known female werewolf but now she's venturing further into the unknown with her pregnancy, which gets a detailed treatment in this installment. It appears that the werewolf gestation period is only five months!

Pregnancy and action-packed adventure are intertwined, and Elena terrifies her companions with her ability and eagerness to get physical with the bad guys. Throughout much of the story, she's on the hunt through the streets of Toronto. Even in her human form, she's excellent at following scents, though far more so when she "Changes." The last quarter of the book builds to a splendid, albeit disturbing, climax - and you can probably guess what happens in the denouement!

Why only 3.5 stars? Well, aside from that disturbing bit and a side character Zoe whose plot line didn't make sense to me, the book is just too long at 444 pages in my edition. If I were editing it, I'd trim at least 100 pages' worth. The pace slows down repeatedly with everyday trivial activities that don't advance the story. Also, the relationship drama among Elena, Clay, and Jeremy includes some rather repetitive scenes. One or two encounters are sufficient to establish where they stand with each other; then just keep the dramatic scenes that impact the relationships.

Since the story line twists and turns, there isn't much I can say without spoilers, beyond the information in the blurb: they "retrieve a stolen letter allegedly written by Jack the Ripper," it contains a magical portal, Elena (and Clay!) inadvertently trigger the portal, and three individuals pop through from Victorian London to modern Toronto. The rest of the blurb is a bit misleading, but two of the Victorians are indeed zombies, and who's better to deal with a zombie than Jamie the necromancer!

There's lots of interesting magic and sorcery in this one, and our friends have to learn about it very quickly because Elena does become a target, as the blurb promises. Recommended, even with the slow parts.

4.5 stars

I have been eagerly anticipating my return to the world of the werewolves for an incredibly long time. And let me tell you, I was not in the least bit disappointed!

It was an absolute delight to witness Clay's protective daddy side. His fierce determination to safeguard those he cares about was truly heartwarming.

As I delved back into this story, I was once again captivated by the unique dynamics and the thrilling adventures that unfold. The author has done an excellent job of creating a vivid and engaging world that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat.

Clay's character is so well-developed, and his evolution throughout the story is both fascinating and touching. I can't wait to see what other surprises and developments await in the next installment.

This series continues to be a favorite of mine, and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good paranormal romance with a touch of adventure.

Quasiment un 5/5.

Certes, l'intrigue est peut-être quelque peu moins \\"prenante\\" que dans d'autres tomes. Cependant, le travail sur les personnages est vraiment superbe.

J'ai particulièrement aimé le rôle de Jaime et l'apparition de Zoé la vampire. Leur présence apporte une touche de mystère et de charme à l'histoire.

Quel plaisir, également, de retrouver notre meute de loup, et une Elena quelque peu \\"gênée\\" par son tout nouveau corps !!! Elle doit apprendre à s'adapter à ses nouvelles capacités et à son nouvel environnement.

Bref : ça se lit, ça se dévore, et ça donne envie de lire la suite. C'est un livre qui vous retient en haleine et vous fait attendre avec impatience la suite de l'aventure.

Mme Armstrong est définitivement une des auteures phare d'ubran fantasy !!! Son style d'écriture est fluide et captivant, et elle sait créer des mondes et des personnages qui vous font rêver.

I found it truly interesting that this particular book centered around a pregnant woman.

To be honest, I can't recall reading any other urban fantasy stories where a pregnant woman takes on the role of investigator and kicks butt.

This book was indeed entertaining, yet it didn't quite make it to the top of my favorites list. However, that might simply be due to my personal lack of love for books about werewolves.

After devouring several books in this series in a relatively short period, which in reality is more of a collection of books set in the same world but with different, yet related protagonists, I must say that I'm highly impressed.

Kelley Armstrong has managed to craft interesting and engaging books that focus on women in various stages of their lives and relationships, making them relatable to a wide range of readers.

Her ability to bring these characters to life and create captivating storylines is truly remarkable.

This was equivalent to returning full circle to the main characters from the first book.

It was as if a circular path had been completed, bringing the story back to its original starting point. The main characters, who had embarked on a journey in the first book, now found themselves back in a familiar position.

This return added a sense of closure and continuity to the narrative. It allowed the readers to see how the characters had developed and changed throughout their adventures.

It also provided an opportunity to revisit the themes and ideas that were introduced in the first book.

Overall, this full circle return was a significant moment in the story, tying together the different elements and creating a more cohesive and satisfying reading experience.

Elena and Clay are back, and this time, Elena is pregnant. In this installment of the Women of the Otherworld series, Kelley Armstrong takes us on a thrilling adventure. Elena, stir crazy with overprotective werewolves watching over her, seizes the opportunity for a "safe" adventure. However, nothing is ever that simple. Her adventure leads to the return of Jack the Ripper, complete with zombie sidekicks.

I have always been intrigued by Jack the Ripper, and his presence in this story adds an extra layer of excitement, mystery, and gore. After reading the blurb, I couldn't wait to start this book. The combination of a pregnant Elena and the Ripper had me hooked from the start. I devoured Broken and didn't put it down until I finished. This book is truly a highlight of the series.

Elena's pregnancy was a pleasant surprise. It shows that she and Clay have overcome their past and are looking forward to a long and happy future together. The dynamics of the werewolf pack are also well-demonstrated, and I enjoyed catching up with the other pack members. The relationships in this world are complex and varied, adding depth and richness to the story.

The Jack the Ripper aspect was both interesting and creepy. There were several edge-of-the-seat moments that kept me on the edge of my seat. I found myself muttering at the book a few times, wondering what a heavily pregnant woman was doing fighting zombies. However, this added an element of frustrated excitement to the story.

Overall, Broken is another great book in the Women of the Otherworld series. I can't believe I waited so long to read them. If you haven't started this series yet, you need to pick up the first book. You won't be disappointed!

I truly, truly desired to be capable of awarding this a full five stars.

The concept, to be honest, is simply fantastic. We have a pregnant werewolf confronting what could potentially be Jack the Ripper, who has emerged through a dimensional portal from his Victorian England abode.

Kelley Armstrong is an exceptionally brilliant author, and typically her works are近乎 flawless. Regrettably, this particular one dragged on, a great deal. In the previous novel of this series, Haunted, there were a couple of chapters that gave the impression of being filler, causing the characters to go around in circles and failing to advance the plot in any significant manner. In Broken, that section extended to over 75 pages long. I suspect that the success of the series might have led the publisher to push for a page count that she couldn't quite achieve without resorting to filler.

To summarize, the story is very good. The characters are amazing. The concepts and imagery are great. However, the execution of the plot earns a 'meh' from me. What could have been a five-star novel receives approximately a 3.75 from me.

I still have a deep affection for the series. I am determined to continue reading all the way to the end (I hope). This one simply feels like a speed-bump that the next installment will hopefully make up for.

Elena and Clay are presented with a proposition by Xavier. In exchange for the location of a murderous rogue, they must obtain a letter written by Jack the Ripper. However, this letter contains a dimensional rift that refuses to close.

These events are filled with so much action that it feels as if it takes an eternity to read. Nevertheless, I have a particular fondness for the parts involving Elena and the wolves, so I'm glad it does. The method for closing the rift turns out to be more intricate than I had anticipated. And although I had an inkling that Clay's situation would be resolved favorably, I wasn't entirely certain and was on the verge of exclaiming 'Oh no!'.

I'm aware that Elena is pregnant throughout this entire ordeal, and they were understandably concerned about her. However, I think this aspect was mentioned a bit too frequently, which detracted from the actual progression of the story.

Favorite scenes include the jumbled movie story, the encounter with the policemen, the museum mother's trap, and the birth.

Oh my gosh,

my heart is so, so full right now. I truly loved this book. It's centered around Elena and Clay, and Ohhh, I'm just dying to shout out all the details but I don't want to spoil the story for anyone.

I have this intense love for this couple. Could it be because I've read the first book three times? Who really knows. All I'm certain of is that I'm always cheering them on. And when Jeremy shows up in the story, I really want him to have a happily ever after. He seems like he's been alone for far too long.

This was an incredibly interesting story that involved zombies from another era. We also got to meet more vampires, which was exciting. Oh, and Jamie makes a return for more adventures. I'm really curious as to why, and I guess I'll just have to keep plowing through the series to find out.

The whole "T" thing was quite intriguing. It makes me wonder why all these supernatural beings have such a strong aversion to dying. Why do they feel like hundreds of years isn't a long enough time?

I did like the narration overall, but for Clay, I don't know. I always seem to associate the voice of the first narrator with him.

[3.5/5 stars] Mini Review: Broken was a rather decent bounce-back from Haunted. What made it even better was having Elena once again as the point of view character. Before delving into this book, I had heard that it was another Elena-centered one. I must admit that I set some expectations, thinking it would be another "werewolf" book, filled with all the same intense emotions as the first two. However, that wasn't exactly the case. In fact, I would call this a "zombie" book. It had a hybrid of Elena's great point of view and the plot structure similar to that of the Paige books. This combination wasn't bad at all, as it made for a fun mystery read. But I have to admit that I missed a little of that carnal component that was so strong in the first book. It wasn't just about the sex, but the overall intensity between every character. Even so, at this point in the series, the storylines and characters are starting to cross, and I'm loving this convergence. It's enough to keep my enthusiasm high for what's yet to come. Just like in Haunted, Armstrong incorporated a mystery based on a real-world infamous criminal, in this case, Jack the Ripper. I really appreciate how creatively these real-world elements are being integrated into this supernatural world. I truly hope that this book marks the upward swing of the series. :)

Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.NikiHawkes.com