Basic Plot: In the novel Stolen, Eve Levine meets a tragic end (offstage, as it were) when she is murdered. But that's not the end of her story. She transforms into a ghost. After getting on the nerves of the Fates, they assign her a task - to catch a demon who has escaped from hell.

This book seemed to be about twice as long as it should have been. There were countless sections filled with red herrings that dragged the plot into a muddled and swampy mess of nothingness. It took me nearly a month to plow through this book, which is just ridiculous. The plot did manage to pick up a bit towards the end, but not nearly enough to make up for the first two-thirds to three-fourths of the book that felt like a slog.

There were also some really strange questions about ghostly physics that really bugged me. Why would a ghost need a house? Where exactly is this ghost supposed to be living? How on earth does a ghost feel its pulse quicken? And how in the world can ghosts have sex? Why in the name of all that's holy in any religion would they even consider such a thing?

ARGH!

As I mentioned earlier, there were a few irritating elements in this book. Since it only has a loose connection to the other books in the series, I would say it's one that you can skip. It's not that the other books are tightly connected either, but this one definitely wasn't Armstrong's best work. Her pacing doesn't seem to be improving as she continues to write, and I'm willing to give her one more chance before I either give up on the series entirely or take a long break from it. Maybe I'm just irritated because I've read so many of her books in a row and I need a break from the author.

And another pet peeve of mine: I really hate it when authors throw angels into the mix. Maybe it's because I'm not a Christian, but they just really annoy me, especially in urban fantasy books. It's like the author is trying to shoehorn all the supernatural elements into a Christian paradigm that just doesn't make sense. Armstrong actually started mixing Christian and pagan elements together: Fates AND angels? Seriously? She should either pick one mythology or come up with a better explanation for why there are multiple mythologies coexisting in a way that makes sense.

Ok, my rant is over. I'm going to go find something else to read that's actually worth my time.

I am not a fan of ghost stories at all. They give me the creeps for some reason, and I usually avoid them. I had no idea this was going to be one, and when I figured it out, I had my doubts. However, I was very pleasantly surprised. The story is told from the perspective of Eve, the dead mother of Savannah. Eve has spent her afterlife as a supernatural ghost, mostly hanging around Savannah's house and longing to communicate with her. For fans of the series, we know that Eve was not a model human. She was a half-demon, half-witch who dabbled in dark magic and had a child with a sorcerer. The one thing she feels she did right is having her little girl, and she misses her more than anything. Eve has been looking for ways to have an impact on the real world, so The Faiths, who are the bosses of the Beyond World, give her a job. An evil Nix has escaped from 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, is tasked with finding and capturing her. This proves to be a very difficult assignment.

*** 4 ***

Kelley Armstrong is a talented storyteller. The first few books in the series had good plots but were sometimes bogged down by unnecessary details and excessive descriptions. However, I'm happy to see that she has improved. She has gotten rid of the more tedious parts and has even added a sense of humor, which was lacking in the first and second volumes. I'm glad she can now handle difficult themes without making them too gloomy. Instead, she can let her hair down and have some fun while still dealing with darker content.

\\n  \\"... “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.”...\\"\\n

This book was a pleasure to read. It was funny and full of exciting moments that kept me on the edge of my seat. I highly recommend it to all fans of the series and the genre.

\\n  \\"... “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.”...”\\n

Now I wish you all Happy Reading and many more great books to come!!!

This installment of the series was a bit of an odd one.

I did find it enjoyable, yet it felt very random. This was mainly because it focused on the supernatural afterlife.

The ending also gave me a few issues.

I had been hoping that Eve, as a character, would be a bit darker. Given her history, I expected her to be more of a twisted badass. However, she seemed no better or worse than the other female leads in the series.

Despite these drawbacks, I still gobbled this book up very quickly and overall enjoyed it.

Now, I'm eagerly waiting for the next book to come out.

I'm curious to see where the story will lead and if Eve's character will develop in the way I'm hoping.

Will the next installment be as random as this one, or will it have a more cohesive plot? Only time will tell.

But one thing's for sure, I'll be among the first to pick up the next book in this series.

This book is my favourite in the series so far. However, I do wish there was less emphasis on romance. To be honest, it's starting to get a little tiresome. I had hoped that this book would offer a break from the constant focus on finding a man to rely on, but alas, that wasn't the case. Even with a plot as wild and exciting as this one, the search for a male figure to depend on remains a central theme.

Another aspect that I've noticed is that the narrator has remained unchanged in terms of tone, attitude, personality, and everything else. At times, the tongue-in-cheek style can be a bit overdone and even cringey. But with Eve, I'm able to forgive this to a certain extent because I have such a deep affection for her character.

Overall, while there are some aspects that I would like to see改进, I still enjoy this series and look forward to seeing what comes next.

[2.5/5 stars]

Haunted is my least favorite WotO book to date. I liked the main character and how she fit into the series as a whole. However, I can't say I enjoyed the story that much. First, it was a bit too erratic, jumping from one strange place to an even weirder place so often that I never really felt connected to the story. Granted, it mainly takes place in the afterlife where the rules are more flexible. But it was actually the main murder mystery plot that I wished had been more straightforward. (I do give credit for the incorporation of real murders from our world for total story immersion - very creative).

Another issue I had is 100% a "personal problem" and not something I blame the book for. I just have a hard time reading about bad things happening to children. It wasn't graphic, but it's one of my vulnerable "nope" subjects in books. Almost anything else I can separate as "it's just a book," but not that. The other thing that bothered me was a mass-shooting scene. With all the terrible things happening in the world right now, I need books to escape, not to be reminded.

Despite my lower rating and opinion of this book, I recognize it as an important part of getting the full experience of this series. Now that I know how the afterlife and its beings work, I also appreciate how each book expands the range of characters we care about. I'm still eagerly looking forward to the next book.

Recommendations: Overall, the series is still a success for me, but I finally have to admit that the quality has declined. 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 over - I'm very hopeful I'll enjoy the rest of it. We'll see. :)

Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.NikiHawkes.com

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Whether you're a die-hard fan of the Women of the Otherworld series or not, one thing is abundantly clear: each book in this collection has its own unique charm.

One of the most captivating elements of this particular installment was the introduction of our new narrator, Eve Levine. What makes Eve truly special is the fact that she's been deceased for quite some time. She's a ghost, existing in the supernatural plane. While she can visit the world of the living, she's powerless to actually change anything there. She's forcefully pulled away from her fixation on her 15-year-old daughter, who's still alive, by some divine influence and assigned a rather unholy mission - to track down a rampaging demonic serial killer.

What I found most appealing about this book was how it enriched the overall series. Reading about a world beyond this life was both novel and fascinating. Although there are numerous angel and half-angel stories out there, few of them truly explore what occurs after someone passes away. The author presented a plethora of imaginative solutions to ensure the smooth running of the supernatural system, and I thoroughly enjoyed delving into the intricacies of this afterlife's structure.

As expected, this book is a non-stop, action-packed adventure to catch the bad guy. This maintains a high pace throughout, but at times, the constant奔波 can become a bit tiresome. There was some room for character development, but I often wished for more, to add a bit more diversity to the story.

This leads me to the main issue I had with this book. Despite my fondness for Eve and her voice and overall character, I just couldn't quite connect with her as a narrator. This book felt a bit like a detour from the main plotline. While some of the regular cast made appearances, by the end of the book, looking back, I didn't feel that it had really changed much.

Nevertheless, it's an exciting read that never fails to engage. There were several moments that had me chuckling, which is always a plus. It does contain some rather gruesome serial killing fantasies, but nothing overly extreme. Perhaps it's not the strongest entry in this series, but I would still highly recommend the Women of the Otherworld books.

This one was really tough for me, and I'm not entirely sure why.

I don't have any dislike for Eve. Nor do I dislike Kristof. In fact, I really liked the concept and the execution of the Nix.

However, this book just seemed to be all over the place. To be honest, it was quite hard to believe that the "bad Kristof" and the "dark witch Eve" could be so completely good guys in the afterlife.

I'm not sure exactly what to say. Since I sort of liked it, I'll give it three stars. It was at best average, especially when compared to the first four books in the series.

I'm really excited to read another Elena book that is coming up as the next in the series. I'm looking forward to seeing what new adventures and developments it will bring.

Hopefully, it will be able to recapture the magic and excitement that the earlier books had.

I had some issues with this installment, similar to what I've experienced with the previous books in this series, particularly the same problem I had with book 4. The first half of the book was dreadfully boring and excruciatingly slow. Many times, I was on the verge of giving up and picking up something else to read. However, the second half of the book was truly amazing, and I managed to finish it in just 4 hours, lol.

But first, I think the most crucial thing is to address this question: Is it necessary to read the books in sequence? Do I have to read book 5, or can I skip it? Well, the answers to these questions are as follows: Yes, the first 4 books should be read in order. However, you can DEFINITELY skip book 5 because (seriously) NOTHING significant occurs in this book. NOTHING. You could directly proceed to book 6 without losing any essential information, except for what happened to Eve. But that's it. So, if you don't feel like reading this book, simply send me a private message asking about Eve's story, and I'll let you know in a few lines. Then you can continue with the series and come back to read Eve's book later when you're in the mood. This book focuses solely on Eve, and the other characters from the series hardly make an appearance at all, nor does anything related to what has been happening in the rest of the series resurface.

Now, regarding the book itself, I must say that it was definitely better than I had anticipated. Granted, the beginning was far too slow and often irritating, but the second half was so good that I almost forgot how bored I was initially and began to believe that this could actually turn into an amazing read. The ending was also great. I don't regret reading this book; it was really nice to learn what happens to Eve. But right now, I can't wait to return to the main series. This just felt like a huge interruption.

I had initially put off reading this book and thus continuing with the series. The reason was that I wasn't entirely convinced that I would find Eve to be an appealing enough character to engage with an entire book centered around her. However, I'm extremely glad to have discovered that those concerns were completely unfounded. Eve proved to be an endearing mother to Savannah and an amusing as well as caring partner for Kristof (whom I was also skeptical about going in).

Although this book wasn't a short one, the story had a fast-paced feel to it and never seemed to drag. The Nix was an interesting and formidable adversary. The lengths that Eve had to go to in order to overcome her were downright creepy at times, but in a good way. I really enjoyed Trisiel's supporting character and sincerely hope that it isn't the last we see of the angel.

Simply put, this is a wonderful book and a fantastic addition to the Otherworld series. This series has yet to disappoint, and this installment is no exception. It keeps the readers engaged from start to finish with its captivating story and well-developed characters.

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 is 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. It's truly a fascinating concept to think about the possibilities in the afterlife. Eve's transformation from a notorious figure to an angel candidate adds an interesting layer to the story. The idea of being able to manipulate memories and create different worlds for the deceased is both imaginative and thought-provoking. It makes you wonder what other strange and wonderful things could exist beyond our mortal realm. And the fact that Eve and Kristof can be reunited gives a sense of hope and happiness in the midst of all the supernatural chaos. Overall, this book seems to offer a unique and engaging exploration of the afterlife and the characters that inhabit it.

Well, let's see. I had a somewhat mixed opinion about the book. I liked it to a certain extent, but it didn't quite reach the level of love for me.

There were several aspects that left me a bit confused. The whole concept of the ghost and the portals to different dimensions had me scratching my head. I wasn't entirely sure how it all fit together or what the author was trying to convey. Maybe it was just a bit too complex for my taste.

Eve, as a character, didn't really capture my interest. I didn't feel a strong desire to know more about her. This could have been one of the reasons why I didn't really connect with her on a deeper level. However, I have to give credit to the narrator. She did a great job of bringing Eve to life, but I still couldn't help but think that Eve seemed a lot older than Paige. As I mentioned before, her voice didn't quite match what I想象 Paige's age to be.

Another issue I had with the book was its length. I really think it could have been a lot shorter. The constant escapes of the Nix and the excessive amount of dialogue that didn't seem to add much to the story made it feel a bit dragged out.

Overall, I didn't hate the book, but I also didn't love it. The ending was sweet, and I appreciated the balance that was achieved. It was a nice conclusion to the story, but it wasn't enough to make it my favorite in the series so far.

Fifth in the Women of the Otherworld urban fantasy series, "Haunted" delves into the lives of the women in this captivating world. The spotlight here is on Eve Levine, Savannah's mother.

Eve and Kristof, Savannah's ghostly parents, take center stage. Eve discovers much about her flaws, and we get an intimate look at the inner Eve. The story also explores demons, demi-demons, the hierarchy and origin of angels, and the role of the Fates.

We experience the afterlife through Eve's first-person perspective. She's a dominant woman with a realistic view of life. Armstrong's decision to make her a ghost provides a unique perspective on strong women. Eve has many interesting aspects in "Haunted," especially her partnership with Jaime.

Armstrong has been hinting at Savannah's, or rather Eve's, past. Now, she reveals why Eve got closer to Kristof and includes a twist with a "home" reversal that shows Eve's sentimental side. It's also a believable proof that Kristof wasn't fully committed to the powerful "cabal" nonsense.

The conflicts in this story are diverse. Eve has personal issues, such as wanting to contact Savannah, be with Kristof, and decide what to do about her mission. The evil characters are truly something else, including serial killers and demons. The Fates play a significant role in punishing the dead supernaturals.

The story follows Eve's bounty hunter mission to find an escaped prisoner while also showing her growth as she discovers what she truly needs in life. The characters, including Jaime, Paige, Lucas, and Savannah, add depth to the story.

The cover, with its range of oranges and yellow, features a nude woman with a pentagram pendant. The title, "Haunted," suits the story perfectly as it's filled with possessed characters. Overall, "Haunted" is a thrilling addition to the Women of the Otherworld series.