This is a decent book that contains a few truly wonderful lines and moments. However, it didn't manage to completely WOW me into oblivion. The author's voice didn't quite feel right. It seemed to be the same as Elena's throughout the entire book, just with different ideas. But this isn't meant to be overly harsh. After all, it takes an extremely great writer to be able to change their whole tone and voice to such an extent when writing in the first person for a different character. I also wonder how long she had been writing before this book was published. The character was indeed different from Elena, but it was mainly shown through what she was afraid of and how she reacted, rather than the tone of her thoughts. Her sometimes conflicted thoughts confused me (perhaps my choice of wording wasn't the best here). She would react in ways that simply left me puzzled. I guess they made sense to some extent, but at the same time, I was thinking to myself, 'okay....' Still, it's a decent book overall!

Oh, and this book isn't on my list of read-at-home books because there is only one sex scene that I can remember. And while it's true that they had sex, all the author told us was the foreplay, and it wasn't that bad. Again, I liked the lack of detailed sex scenes this time because I don't think it would have suited the characters.

Dime Store Magic is a captivating installment in the series that earns a solid 4 stars. New coven leader Paige Winterbourne has her hands full dealing with her powerful and troubled young ward, Savannah, against the objections of her fellow witches. Matters only deteriorate when a dark faction in the supernatural world tries to get hold of Savannah, forcing Paige into an unlikely alliance with a sorcerer.

Armstrong's world building is enhanced with more details about the dynamics among the various supernatural races. This book focuses on witches and sorcerers rather than wolves, and the history and conflicts between the cabals and the covens make for fascinating reading. Additionally, the concept that magic is neither inherently good nor evil but depends on the wielder's intentions and actions is highly compelling.

The point of view in this book is that of Paige, the young witch introduced in Stolen. There is little to no mention of Elena and the pack. While Paige may not be as physically strong as Elena, she is intelligent, courageous, and extremely loyal. Although she initially allows her prejudices to cloud her judgment, she eventually sets them aside and accepts Lucas's help.

Lucas is a welcome addition to the story. It's refreshing to read about a hero who uses his words instead of his fists to convey his message, which makes him a stark contrast to the more aggressive and less controlled Clay from Bitten and Stolen.

The romance between Paige and Lucas develops more slowly than that of Elena and Clay, perhaps due to their lack of a shared backstory. However, their banter is excellent, leading to many laugh-out-loud moments, and their chemistry is palpable.

Savannah is one of the more complex characters in the series so far. On one hand, she is a typical angsty teenager, but there is also a darker side to her personality. It's clear that she needs discipline and lessons in humanity and humility.

The plot is fast-paced, with Paige facing one obstacle after another, from a murderous foe who frames her for Satan worship and murder to vigilante extremists and religious fanatics determined to "burn the witch."

In terms of the audiobook narration, Laural Merlington takes some time to get used to. She sounds older than Paige's 25 years, and all of her male voices sound similar. However, her voice for Savannah is perfect, capturing both her childishness and teenage rebellion. Moreover, she does an excellent job with the verbal sparring between Paige and Savannah and Paige and Lucas.

Overall, Dime Store Magic is an entertaining addition to the series, and it will be exciting to see where Armstrong takes her characters in the future.

Dime Store Magic is the third installment in Kelley Armstrong's Women of the Underworld series. Sadly, it falls short compared to its predecessors. After the strong start with Bitten, this one feels like a letdown. The romance in the story seems rather forced and obligatory, lacking the authenticity and passion that one would expect. The intricate details of the different levels of demons and witch magic are overwhelming, making me long for the simplicity of the werewolf pack dynamics in the earlier books. Lucas Cortez's dialogue comes across as extremely stiff and formal, which affects the overall flow of the story. Moreover, the various conflicts in the book feel artificial and forced, as the characters' motivations are not clearly defined or logical. However, I did appreciate the continuation of Savannah's and Leah's stories from Stolen. Nevertheless, I would really love to see the focus shift back to books about Elena.

Despite its flaws, I still gave this book three stars because it was an entertaining read overall. I hope that Kelley Armstrong can rebound from this and deliver a stronger book in the future.

Dime Store Magic is the third book in the Women of the Otherworld series by Kelley Armstrong. It features Paige Winterbourne as the guardian of Savannah, picking up after the significant drama in Stolen. Paige's Coven has refused to assist her, leaving her without real allies to help establish proper custody of Savannah.

Leah, an ambitious Volo half-demon and former prisoner of the Stolen compound, arranges a legal custody meeting at the Cary Law Offices. During this meeting, Paige discovers that Kristof Nast, the head of the Nast Sorcerer Cabal, is claiming to be Savannah's father.

Paige is supposed to be the head of the local Coven, but other elders are afraid of being exposed and endangered by a legal battle. They give her notice that she will be ejected as head. Leah starts a campaign to expose Paige as a witch with satanic alters and symbols.

Lucas Cortez, a lawyer and a disaffected sorcerer from a different Cabal, offers his help to Paige. However, Paige initially refuses as witches don't trust sorcerers. But his persistence and attentiveness allow him to provide support for her and Savannah.

Paige's house is bombed, and she and Savannah are kidnapped by the Nast Cabal. The story becomes even more intense as Savannah is drawn to the benefits offered by Nast. But at her first menses witch ceremony, which is controlled by Nast's employee witches, a human sacrifice is involved. Savannah goes wild, and explosive spells begin to fly. It's a chaotic situation that must be read to be believed.

This book is another highly entertaining read, full of action and suspense. I'm loving this series and the characters, and I'm off to get Industrial Magic.

2023
Still hold up.

New review-

Look, let's face it, this isn't a flawless book. However, what Armstrong accomplished in this series (and it's still remarkable today) is that she actually has the women interacting with one another. The antagonists consist of both men and women, and so do the protagonists. The evil women collaborate, and the good women do the same. The women are not pitted against each other but are actually friends. Even in the present day, this is somewhat uncommon in the urban fantasy genre, and it's truly refreshing to witness.

Additionally, in this book, Armstrong demonstrates that being a good person with a stable life doesn't necessarily mean being dull. I appreciate that aspect.

As most of the other reviews have indicated, there are indeed issues with the book, and there are some overused clichés in the novel. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed all the little inside jokes about Paige being the good girl. The best character appears to be Lopez because he is so humorous. This was the first book I read by Armstrong, and it compelled me to purchase and read the rest of the series, at least in paperback.

Thirteen-year-old Savannah was born as a result of a forbidden liaison between her mother, a witch, and a sorcerer. Tragically, when her mother is murdered, Savannah finds herself in the care of Paige, a powerful witch whose own mother also met a violent end.

Now, Savannah's father, the leader of a powerful sorcerer family, has demanded custody of his daughter. He is willing to go to great lengths to get her, and there isn't much he won't do. With the help of a sorcerer lawyer, Lucas, they will do everything in their power to protect Savannah. However, they face numerous challenges. The residents of their quiet town are being stirred up into an anti-witch fervour, and even Savannah's own coven has abandoned them. It seems that everyone is against them.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is the third book in the series, but the first one I have read. Despite not having all the back-story, it still worked well for me. I would describe it as quite dark, much more serious than the light-hearted witches and werewolves stories I am accustomed to. Nevertheless, it is a very good read.

Paige, a witch, has become the head of the coven following her mother's untimely death.

She is resolute in her determination to take care of teenage Savannah. However, Paige is currently facing numerous challenges. On one hand, Savannah's biological father has suddenly appeared and is laying claim to guardianship. On the other hand, the coven would rather be rid of Savannah.

The book back cover describes Savannah as some "dark" teen who is dabbling with the "evil" side of her powers. But in reality, I found her to be more of a normal teen with supernatural powers. She has the willingness to use these powers without the complications of overly strict morals. It's not that she would use them for anything I considered "bad." In fact, sometimes we both agreed that a little "evil" spell could be more expedient and mostly harmless.

I was really intrigued by the magical division between witches and sorcerers. I can't help but wonder what would occur if they were to interbreed. Would the offspring possess both powers or only the power respective to their gender? This question has been lingering in my mind and adds an extra layer of mystery to the story.

Reviewed by: Rabid Reads

I was pleasantly surprised by Dime Store Magic during my second reading. My initial encounter was a bit underwhelming as witches replaced werewolves as the main characters, and in my opinion, it wasn't a fair trade. However, having now read nearly the entire series, I was able to better appreciate Kelley's third Women of the Otherworld novel. Going back in time to meet Savannah again and witness the beginnings of Paige and Lucas' relationship was truly enjoyable. I had forgotten a significant portion of the history of witches/sorcerers, so it served as a great refresher.

This is Paige's first opportunity to shine as a narrator in the series, and I thoroughly enjoyed her point of view. Miss Winterbourne has had a tough time lately. She lost her mom in the previous installment and gained a teenage ward. It's definitely not an easy situation, but that's life. I was shocked to discover how much more I liked Paige the second time around. Originally, I thought her character was too weak and naive, but that's not the case. Elena is a hard act to follow, and although Winterbourne doesn't have the strength of a werewolf, her power lies in her relationships. Paige is willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for Savannah, giving up her known life and everything she holds dear to ensure her ward has a good life. In my eyes, there's nothing more noble than sacrificing oneself for another, especially a child.

Lucas and Paige didn't have the best start when they first met. I had forgotten how much they clashed in the beginning. The couple I know now has a solid relationship and is a real power team, but that wasn't the case in Dime Store Magic. As natural enemies (sorcerer/witch), their confrontations were explosive, and when a teenage witch coming into her powers is added to the mix, it creates a real mess. I think I enjoyed the back-and-forth between the characters more than the main conflict of the plot. Lucas and Paige are adorable together, even when they're at odds. I also liked the trade-spell-for-spell deal they initiated in this installment. When they finally do get together, it's quite magical. Literally!

Kelley presents the history of sorcerers and witches in this installment, which is a captivating read in itself. Paige explains things from the Coven's perspective, Lucas from the Cabals', and Savannah also chimes in. Together, they offer a well-rounded view of their magical past. Winterbourne also uncovers an interesting secret about their grimoires that I found fascinating. I appreciate that Armstrong delved so deeply into the witch universe. These details may not be crucial to the overall plot, but they add an extra layer of depth that I, as a reader, truly value. It makes the Women of the Otherworld series even more real in my eyes.

Other than a few brief phone calls to Elena, this book has very little connection to its predecessors. As a result, it's not necessary to have read the previous novels to fully understand this one. However, that doesn't mean you shouldn't! Clay and Elena will always be my favorite fictional couple, but Lucas and Paige are definitely up there. Dime Store Magic is a fun book filled with challenges, magic, and budding relationships. I enjoyed the story much more this second time around, and I can't wait to revisit Industrial Magic next month!

I have to say that it is extremely difficult, if not downright impossible, to enjoy this book.

It's not because the writing is subpar or the story lacks interest. Instead, it's because at a certain point, it becomes hard to stomach what occurs to Paige within these pages.

This isn't the kind of rage that makes you cheer for Elena in "Stolen." Rather, it's a slow-burning disgust towards Paige for being such a pushover.

The people in her life are far from good. From Savannah to her Coven sisters, they're all awful individuals. Savannah is like no child I've ever encountered.

I have several younger siblings, volunteer with younger kids, and have nieces and nephews, so I know and love young people of all ages. But Savannah is a child that no one could ever love. That might sound harsh, but until I read this book, I never once wanted to spank a child.

It gets to the point where I wanted Paige to just stop, hand the kid over, and wash her hands clean. Savannah is the worst portrayal of a teen/tween I've ever come across.

There's only so much sympathy you can feel for someone who has no respect, concern, or sympathy for the person who loves her and is doing their best to create a good life for her.

Cortez is a very weak love interest. He isn't even described well. I have no mental image of what he looks like, and quite frankly, I don't care.

While he's sweet enough and you want Paige to find some form of happiness, and he's good enough, he's boring and never really proves to be useful in the supernatural world.

Also, Paige's prejudice towards Cortez in the beginning of the book is annoying. I understand it, but it's written like petty prejudice. What a horrible follow-up to "Stolen."

Gah! Paige! Why are you SO DAMNED STUBBORN?! Your damned ego just keeps getting in your way. This was my initial thought for the entire first half of this book. I was really frustrated with Paige's stubbornness. But then, in the other half, it was all "Yay! It's Paige and Lucas! I lurve Paige and Lucas!" I just couldn't help but love these two characters. And there were also a few moments of "oh em gee Savannah, stop being such a brat!" But I can understand because I was thirteen once too.

Armstrong writes her characters so damn realistically. I love it! This was the first book I ever read by Kelley Armstrong. I didn't realize it wasn't the first book in the series. I have no idea how that happened. Apparently, I neglected to look inside the book jacket to see the series book order. But she weaves the story in such a great way that even if you missed the first two books, it's okay. There's enough backstory to fill in the necessary details, and for the most part, it's a brand new story that can stand on its own.

That's what makes this series so awesome. It never gets old or boring because the characters are all like old friends, but the series isn't one endless story arc. Now, I'm off to read the next one! (I wish... I'll have to wait til next month.)

I really relished the book that preceded this one. So, I must admit that this particular installment came as a bit of a letdown for me as I didn't enjoy it to the same extent. I firmly believe that the reason behind this is the shift in the main character from Elena to Faith. To be honest, I just couldn't find Faith as captivating and interesting as Elena.

In this book, Faith is burdened with the responsibility of safeguarding the teenage Savannah, who is a half-demon/half-witch, from those who are attempting to gain custody of her.

Nevertheless, I did have my moments of enjoyment while reading this book. I quite liked the budding romance between Faith and the sorcerer. However, I still maintain that Faith should be with Adam! Despite these elements that I liked, I have to say that I didn't find the action sequences in this book as thrilling and exciting as those in the previous books.

Nonetheless, my curiosity remains piqued, and I would still eagerly pick up and read the next book in this series.

This book had the potential to be a bit more concise. There were specific instances where the story seemed to be stretched out unnecessarily.

However, I truly hope that this isn't the final book told from Paige's point of view. Because I still have a strong desire to see her exact revenge against Victoria.

Paige's character has so much depth and potential for further development. Her journey and the conflicts she faces are truly engaging.

I'm eager to witness how she will plot and carry out her revenge, and what new challenges and obstacles she will encounter along the way.

The relationship between Paige and Victoria is complex and充满了张力. It has the potential to be explored even further in future installments.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the author will continue to tell Paige's story and give us the satisfaction of seeing her get the justice she deserves.