Spell Bound by Kelley Armstrong, UK edition cover.

Title: Spell Bound (Women of the Otherworld 13)
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy
Publication Date: 4th August 2011

Blurb:

Savannah Levine is in danger. That’s not  usually a problem. But, caught in the grip of a disturbing and violent murder case, Savannah swore to give up her unique gifts if it would save an innocent girl. Little did she know that someone – or something – was listening … Now she has no idea how to restore her powers, just when she needs them the most.

In this compelling, fast-paced new thriller, Savannah has to face a host of deadly enemies bent on destroying not only her, but the very fabric of the supernatural world.

As dark forces gather, Savannah isn’t just fighting for her life, but for everything and everyone she loves …

Rating: **** (4 stars)
Review:

This is the twelfth book in Kelley Armstrong’s epic Women of the Otherworld. This book continues the storyline started in Waking the Witch (Women of the Otherworld 11) showing the consequences of Savannah’s words/wish at the end of the book. It is a fast-paced story; once started I could not put it down.

Like the rest of the books in Women of the Otherworld the story opens with an unknown point of view, this time recounting their version of the end of Waking the Witch but also talking about something which up to this point has remained unknown by both the reader and the main characters of Women of the Otherworld. The speaker talks about omens and signs that have until this point remained invisible to the reader – this book has the very definite sense that it is the beginning of the end; that Armstrong is being to wrap up the threads of the series.

The rest of the story is told from Savannah’s point of view, and we witness her deal with the very real fact that her powers are gone. It’s something which she struggles with, but then as shown in earlier books of the series they are very much part of her identity. The situation isn’t easy for her, particularly with other events that are occurring in the book.

It is through Savannah that we learn the full implications of the hints given to us in the books opening. The story is a very eventful one for her – she gets kidnapped, again. There is also the return of some secondary characters, one of whom we believe is dead, and Savannah has the opportunity to get to know one of her brothers. There is of course a mystery to solve, but the outcome is something of a cliffhanger. We also witness the growing and changing relationship between Savannah and Adam. Although the book is very much Savannah’s story, Adam is definitely an important character.

This book also shows how far Savannah has come since her first appearance in Stolen, when she was also kidnapped (I’m sensing a pattern here :P) with her Mum. This book allows her to see what she could have been, if she hadn’t had the influences of Paige and Lucas in her life.

I found this book very enjoyable to read. The story contains many omens and portents of things to come in later books, but there is also very much the sense (for me at least) that things are being drawn to a close in the Women of the Otherworld universe. Is this a bad thing? No. The book has a sense of growing tension that makes me want to read the next book – I’m dying to know what happens, how things will end. Unfortunately the next book isn’t out until 2012 sometime according to the photo-teaser on the amazon.co.uk website – guess I’m in for a reasonably long wait, ah well…