4.5


Unlike "Bitten" by Kelley Armstrong, this particular book took me a considerable amount of time to become fully engaged with. It began at a rather slow pace, and based on the way Paige behaved in "Stolen" also by Kelley Armstrong, I didn't have a great deal of affection for her initially.

However, as I delved deeper into the story, this book truly transformed my perspective and led me to develop an appreciation for Paige. She is an incredibly tough character, and throughout the course of this book, she did everything that was necessary to save Savannah and ensure that she received proper care. This was no easy feat, as there were numerous obstacles and challenges that she had to overcome.

The introduction of Lucas Cortez into the story made this book even more rewarding. The added romance between Paige and Lucas, which was somewhat unpredictable, managed to keep my interest piqued throughout. Overall, it was a great read, and I am eagerly anticipating the opportunity to explore further into this series.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 4.3/5

I thoroughly enjoyed this entire experience.

I'm relieved to have moved past most of the introductory elements for this world/series. This makes it significantly easier to simply immerse oneself in the story without being bombarded with an excessive amount of world-building information. In this installment, there was a minimal amount of such info-dumping.

I truly liked following Paige as a character. While I have a great deal of affection for Elena, it was refreshing to get someone else's perspective and story.

From the very first page, I was captivated by the story. It seemed to pass by in a flash. Even when it didn't initially feel like a lot was happening, there was actually a great deal going on beneath the surface.

Savannah is undoubtedly a teenage girl, and she behaved as such throughout the narrative. For the most part, I was pleased with Paige, but there were a few instances when she was panicking and flailing about, which didn't strike me as particularly intelligent. I also have a fondness for Lucas. It's rather refreshing that he isn't described as being devastatingly handsome; instead, his appearance is somewhat forgettable.

We received mentions of Adam, Elena, and the other werewolves, but we didn't actually see any of them. I found myself missing some of these familiar characters.

I'm definitely eager to see what will happen next. Fortunately, I have the next book on its way.

Trigger warning for dead animals and death.

I’m starting to think this series is just not for me ☹️

It seems that no matter how hard I try, I just can't seem to get into it. The storylines don't grab my attention, and the characters don't feel relatable. Maybe it's because I have different expectations or interests.

I've given it a fair chance, but so far, it's just not clicking. I keep hoping that something will change and I'll suddenly have an "ah-ha" moment, but that hasn't happened yet.

I guess it's okay to admit that not every series is going to be a hit for me. There are so many other great shows and books out there waiting to be discovered. Maybe it's time for me to move on and find something that truly speaks to me.

Who knows, maybe I'll come back to this series later and have a completely different experience. But for now, I think it's best if I just let it go and explore other options.

Paige really annoyed me in the previous book. That's why I wasn't overly excited to read this one as she was the main character.

However, once I began reading, it dawned on me that the last book was seen from Elena's point of view. And since Elena is 30, she might have had more unflattering descriptions of 23-year-old Paige. Maybe those descriptions wouldn't be so bad if Paige had the chance to speak for herself. After all, 23 and 30 are like two different worlds.

Despite the mistakes Paige has made because of her youth and lack of experience, it all felt very realistic and in line with her age. I can recall (embarrassingly) some of the things I did at 23. I know for sure that I at 30 would have dealt with the situation differently than I did at 23. But the reason I would handle things differently now is because I've already been through 23 and learned from that experience. I think Paige is going through the same process. I suspect that as she gets more comfortable and grows into her position, she could actually turn into a very likable character.

I truly enjoy this author's writing style. I'm definitely going to continue following her work.

I have an absolute passion for this particular book within the series. I'm a die-hard fan of Paige and Lucas, and they rank among my all-time favorite couples. This is Paige's first opportunity to take center stage in the narration, and it marks the first time in the series that Elena doesn't hold that role, having done so in the first two books. What I truly appreciate is that Elena isn't shoved aside by Paige. She still makes a cameo appearance. When she hears about what's happening in the news, she calls Paige to offer comfort and assistance. Paige also briefly reaches out to Elena to obtain some quick information.

However, this is Paige's story through and through. Apart from those two brief cameos and a couple of mentions, Elena doesn't feature prominently in this narrative.

In this book, we're introduced to some fascinating new elements. We learn more about the Coven from Paige's perspective (I must admit, I'm not a fan of the Coven due to how they've treated Paige and Savannah). We also discover more about the Cabals, which are sorcerer institutions, almost like a supernatural mafia.

In the story, we see Savannah's father emerging from the shadows and determined to take Savannah away from Paige by any means necessary. The animosity between witches and sorcerers is explored to some extent, and we witness it in how the Nast sorcerers treat Paige and talk about the Coven. Lucas Cortez, on the other hand, is an exception. He supports Paige's desire to rediscover true witch magic and even the playing field between witches and sorcerers. He actually respects witches, which makes him even more of an oddball and an embarrassment in the eyes of his fellow sorcerers, especially since he's rejecting his position as the named heir to the Cortez Cabal.

I adore how Lucas and Paige's relationship evolves. He refuses to take no for an answer and stubbornly keeps coming back to handle Paige's case, no matter how many times she slams the door in his face and rejects him! I loved how he persisted in introducing himself as Paige's lawyer, much to her annoyance! But he did eventually win her and Savannah over.

I really wanted to give the Coven a good slap in this book. They truly let Paige and Savannah down. They failed to provide the help they should have. They were只顾自己 and avoided confrontation when they should have been standing up for and supporting Paige and Savannah. At least Paige had Lucas in her corner. Despite only knowing him for a short period of time, he was the one she could rely on and who rushed to her aid when she needed him. The Coven simply abandoned her when she needed them the most.

This book was masterfully written and had me laughing out loud at times (I'm thinking of the wiccans in Paige's backyard, you'll understand when you read the scene, as well as Savannah getting her period and many of her comments to Paige and Lucas). I love Kelley's sense of humor in her writing and how she brings her characters to life. Paige has really matured since her introduction in "Stolen" and continues to grow. She's learning that things she thought were black and white aren't as clear-cut as she once believed, such as sorcerer magic.

Some of her long-held views are being challenged, some in a positive way and some, like her view of the Coven, in a negative way. The next book in the series will also be narrated by Paige, further continuing her story and, through her, the stories of Savannah and Lucas. By the end of this book, those three have become a family due to all that has happened and how it has brought them closer together.

I also loved the audio version of this book!

In book 1, we are introduced to Paige, a witch who becomes the coven leader when her mother passes away. Alongside this, she also takes in a young witch named Savannah, whose mother has also died.

Paige views Savannah as a gift, but the 13-year-old Savannah gives her a great deal of trouble. The elders are not pleased with Paige's new leadership position, and as events unfold, Paige finds herself facing numerous challenges, including murder charges. This is where Lucas Cortez enters the picture.

Lucas and Paige have a back-and-forth dynamic that is filled with sexual tension, keeping the reader on their toes. Interestingly, Savannah seems to listen to Lucas to some extent.

While magic isn't typically my favorite subject, the way it is presented in this book makes it interesting. It's not just about the magic itself, but rather about the characters and how they utilize it.

One of the things I liked about this book was its fast pace. Everything unfolds quickly, and the reader doesn't have to wait long for either a conclusion or for the story to progress.

I really love the relationship between Paige and Lucas, although I did find it a bit frustrating how long it took for them to get together. You could clearly see the attraction between them from a mile away.

Savannah, as much as I like her, can be quite bratty with her teen attitude, but then again, she is acting like a typical teenager.

I'm not a huge fan of the narration. I don't hate it, but I do think the narrator sounds a little too old for a 23-year-old character.

A ridiculously fast re-read was completed, mainly to keep my mind off a building headache. It was done well enough. I discovered that the story was interesting. I just continued to be amazed that Paige could be so naive. She made mistake after mistake, and the classic romantic "throw your rescuer out on his heels" mistake. However, perhaps small town living and thinking can help explain some of that.

In a small town, people's perspectives and ways of thinking might be more limited. Paige, growing up in such an environment, could have been sheltered and less exposed to the complex ways of the world. This could have contributed to her naivete.

Despite her mistakes, there was still something endearing about Paige. Maybe it was her innocence or her determination. The story had its flaws, but it also had its charm. Overall, it was an okay read that managed to keep my attention, even if it was just for a short while.

It has been four years since I last read a book.

Even though I don't recall the specific details, I do remember the sentiment I had after finishing "Bitten and Stolen (Books 1 & 2)". Underwhelmed is the word that comes to mind.

For reasons I can't quite put into words, I wasn't as invested in Elena and Clay's story as most fans of the series seemed to be. I appreciated the writing, the world-building, and the action, but the characters didn't resonate with me. I didn't have strong feelings either way, I just couldn't bring myself to care about their fates.

So, it was with a heavy heart that I picked up this book, given that most readers considered it a lesser installment in the series after the werewolf stories. And what do you know? I loved it.

Yep, I'm the odd one out again, forever alone, but I adored "Dime Store Magic". The funny thing is that the main character, Paige, was also in the previous book, and I don't even remember her. But in this one, I loved her. She's tough, smart, funny, stubborn, lost, and the girl next door that most readers can relate to.

Savannah, well... She's 13 and a major pain in the butt. A total brat, not in the endearing sense of the word. Reading about the two of them trying to understand each other, or even communicate, was both frustrating and completely understandable. Given Savannah's upbringing and the events of the previous book, it wouldn't have been realistic any other way.

Lucas... *sigh* I'm alone in this, but I have a crush on him. His looks are average (Paige says you wouldn't remember him 5 minutes after meeting him), he's a total nerd, he talks like Sheldon from "The Big Bang Theory", he can't throw a punch to save his life, but he's so ADORABLE. He wants to make the world a better place and offers his services to those in need (like a cloaked crusader in a permanent Clark Kent disguise, according to Paige).

Remember, this is an urban fantasy, not a paranormal romance, so don't expect much in the way of romance. Paige and Lucas do fall for each other, but that's a very minor part of the story and doesn't happen until well past the first half of the book.

What you can expect is a well-written story, with much more information about the creatures of the Otherworld, lots of action, some funny moments, and a little romance thrown in to add some spice.

I have an immense love for Kelley Armstrong's writing style, and the Women of the Otherworld series has always held a special place in my heart. However, for some reason, I never got around to reading Paige's books. I began the series with Haunted (#5), only to later discover that I should have started with Bitten. I fell in love with Bitten, and then read Broken and Stolen in the wrong order. After that, I moved on to Jaime's, Hope's, and Robin's books.

At first, it was a matter of not having easy access to the books. Then, I was constantly dissuaded by all the Paige-hating that I came across.

Finally, a few weeks ago during a holiday, I convinced myself to start reading the first page of Paige's book. And now, all I can say is: why on earth did I wait so long?

I absolutely adored this book. It was filled with fun, engaging, and at times, dark moments. There was a hint of romance and a lot of the Difficult Adolescent Girl aspect (which reminds me: I just love Savannah!). I appreciated that there was no fluff or magical solutions. When things went wrong, they really went wrong, and some events had irreversible consequences.

I found Lucas to be extremely endearing, and I loved his developing relationship with Paige. Although, I do think that the actual 'connecting' between them should have occurred a bit later in the book to give it more of a solid foundation.

As for Paige, I really don't understand the hate she receives. Personally, I admired her strong beliefs and determination. Sure, she could be stubborn at times and have tunnel vision, but isn't that quite natural? When everything you love, your life, and everything around you crumbles, you hold on to what you know. You try to reaffirm your usual life views. But if all else fails and there's no turning back, you adjust. And that's exactly what Paige did, which is why I truly liked her and this book.

My only gripes were the ending, which felt a bit rushed, and the fact that we don't get a follow-up on Savannah's feelings regarding killing Kristof.

Still, this was a greatly entertaining book, and I would rate it 4 stars.

Well, what can I truly say? I'm absolutely and undeniably hooked! Even more so than I care to admit. Maybe it's because I was so certain that I wouldn't like this series at all. But of course, there are no complaints from me as this series has turned out to be a truly wonderful surprise that I definitely wasn't expecting.

Even though in this installment we get to see things from Paige's point of view, which I initially thought would be extremely boring since I didn't like her in the previous book, we still get to read about this same captivating world that is drawing me in little by little. I really like that in a paranormal series, we start book by book and get to know a bit more about that new world with each new installment. And I definitely love it when we get to read about a whole lot of different paranormal species in the same series.

This installment is specifically about witches and sorcerers, but we still get glimpses of the other species as well. I thought it wouldn't be interesting to read about them, but it ended up being original and refreshing. The author did a terrific job with the world building and the description of these two species. It was so elaborately done that I just got completely sucked into the story. I read the whole book in a day and simply couldn't put it down.

I'm just not giving it 5 stars yet because the endings in this series are always incomplete. They're not exactly cliffhangers, but rather just those torturing little details that you really want to know about but you never do. As we know there are still many more books to come, so I'm not overly worried about it. But I'm a very curious person and I need to have all the information explained at the end to be completely satisfied with a book. I can understand cliffhangers because they're about situations and actions, but in this case, we just know that certain things will come in the future and we have to wait for the other books to see them.

I just want to clarify that from now on, I am a huge fan! Just bring on more books because I won't be able to stop reading this series for a while.

This book was just okay.

It serves as a follow-up in the series for a character who was introduced in book 2. The interesting aspect is that the author has made this book completely distinct from the first two.

However, that doesn't mean it adheres to the same captivating story line. Paige's story is rather different and somewhat lackluster.

The romantic relationship doesn't truly develop; it simply occurs. It feels quite awkward and strange, and I didn't think it meshed well with the story at all.

It was as if the author inserted an obligatory sex scene and romance into the narrative to please the readers.

Paige requires more depth of character, and the antagonists were really feeble.

Nonetheless, I'll continue reading because the books feature new narrators.

I can't wait for Broken to return to Elena.

I understand the moral underlying each of these women's stories.

It is to accept a life that cannot be chosen or controlled.

To accept what is given to you and ultimately find happiness in that less than perfectly "normal" life.

It's a good moral to abide by, and I enjoy reading about the women of the otherworld learning how to embrace it.

This is the third book in Kelley Armstrong's "Women of the Otherworld" series. I must say, this is my least favorite book (as of yet) in the series.

The book is narrated by Paige, the "know it all" witch we meet in "Stolen". When I first encountered Paige in "Stolen", I did think she was a rather annoying character. However, I now realize that in the first two books, I was biased against the other female characters because I adored "Bitten" and "Stolen's" main character, Elena Michaels, so much more than the others.

Going into "Dime Store Magic", I attempted to set aside my preconceived notions of Paige, and I believe I was successful... To an extent. Personally, I found Paige to be far too much of a "happy housewife" for my taste. I prefer a girl who isn't afraid to take action and kick butt. Paige is very much a homebody. She has the cookies and milk ready for when the kids come home, she is constantly baking, and she only wears skirts as jeans are beneath her. Although I think more people can relate to Paige than Elena, I much prefer Elena.

Since I love Elena so much, I also love her partner Clay just as much (most likely more, considering his Greek god-like appearance). Introduced in "Dime Store Magic" is the male counterpart of Paige, Cortez. In summary, Cortez is as interesting as a sack of potatoes. At first, I thought Cortez had potential when he knocked on Paige's door to offer her his assistance, standing there shuffling his papers about, afraid to meet her eyes. I thought he was going to be some loveable dork, but unfortunately, that was not the case. What bothered me the most about Cortez is his language. Yes, I understand that he is a lawyer and a professional, and thus he has to maintain a certain persona. But really? He doesn't let go of the act at all. You would think he would relax a little when he was no longer in a professional setting (like the conversation between Paige and Cortez where Paige is trying to figure out what university Cortez went to. A completely unnecessary scene, and in the end, we don't even find out where he went!).

What I like even more about Kelley's books is the passion between the male and female leads. And I must admit, that there is absolutely no passion between Cortez and Paige. They have no chemistry, and although there is a "sexy scene", it seems entirely forced and more than a little awkward. There is really nothing in the book that shows that either of them is experiencing feelings for the other, except for a scene where Savannah tells Paige that Cortez kept asking Savannah if Paige was interested in her best friend Adam. I kind of wish there was something between Adam and Paige, just because he is so much more interesting than Cortez.

I am looking forward to reaching the sixth book in this series (where a. Paige will not be a lead and b. where Elena will be).