I have an intense love for Kelley Armstrong's Women of the Underworld series.

She infuses her novels with a unique twist when it comes to the supernatural beings that inhabit her fictional world. There are witches, sorcerers, werewolves, vampires, and half-demons, each with their own distinct characteristics and backstories.

In this particular novel, we are reunited with Paige Winterborne, a young witch who has been carefully prepared to assume the role of the next leader of her Coven. However, when her mother passes away unexpectedly, the other members are reluctant to accept the inexperienced Paige as their leader. They also have reservations about her ward, Savannah, the teenage daughter of a dark witch who met a tragic end due to her extraordinary powers.

Paige is facing the challenge of teaching Savannah to use her powers solely for good, but the girl's stubborn and headstrong nature makes it a difficult task. Matters only deteriorate when a half-demon from their past emerges as a broker in a custody suit between Paige and Savannah's estranged father, a sorcerer from a powerful Cabal family. The situation quickly spirals out of control, and Paige finds herself on the verge of losing her Coven, her home, and perhaps even her young ward.

As is always the case with Armstrong, the pace of the story is breakneck, with each chapter leaving the reader hungry for more. I was completely engrossed in the book and only put it down when exhaustion or eye strain compelled me to take a break. For those who have a passion for the paranormal or are seeking something a little different to add variety to their to-be-read pile, this novel is an excellent choice.

I truly have a great fondness for the fact that Paige was a young girl who found herself thrust into a position of power and actually desired to hold that power. This is in contrast to many other stories where the characters never have such a longing. It's just extremely unfortunate that all this crazy stuff occurs before she can utilize her power to bring about a change in the coven. If I were in her shoes, I would have told the elders exactly where to go. I mean, seriously! They were either completely clueless or just plain mean.

I adored the main male lead in this story. He had a wonderful chemistry with both Savannah (also known as Lilo) and Paige (also known as Nami). Naturally, the scene that took place in the basement was simply amazing. However, I'm still left confused as to how they managed to obtain the video tape from down there. It's a mystery that keeps lingering in my mind and makes me eager to know more about the subsequent developments in the story.

I firmly believe that the most captivating aspect is the background lore. The detailed explanations of witches, sorcerors, and demons are truly fascinating. Armstrong's world of supernaturals seems to be an extremely interesting place, and I am eagerly looking forward to reading the other two books in the series.

Paige and Savannah's relationship is rather intriguing. I will never understand how Paige managed to refrain from choking the life out of Savannah. It's truly remarkable. Wow. I sincerely hope that Savannah's hormones fall into line... for Paige's sake. :P Their relationship is somewhat similar to that of Obi-Wan and Anakin, where the reckless student is more powerful than the beleaguered mentor. Consequently, when Savannah causes trouble, the audience is left uncertain about the extent to which Paige will be able to resolve it, and this creates an interesting source of tension.

On the other hand, the romantic element was quite predictable and, as a result, rather uninteresting. In fact, the story could have done without it entirely, and it might even be argued that it would have been more engaging without this aspect, as the motivations of the love interest would have been further clouded.