Each month beginning March 1st, 2012, challenge members will read or re-read the title for that month. In addition, challenge members will either post a review, their reading experience, character castings or anything else related to that title. You have freedom to have fun with your monthly post so be creative! Seeing as this series is 13 novels long, this challenge will last 13 months.

This is the post that brings me up to date with the challenge. Yay!

Spell Bound by Kelley Armstrong (UK cover)

Spell Bound (Women of the Otherworld #12)
by Kelley Armstrong

Published: 4th August 2011

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 young 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 . . .

You can read my 4 out of 5 star review of Spell Bound here.

It’s kind of scary to think that Spell Bound is the penultimate book in the Women of the Otherworld series. In fact, I think it’s scary that a series that has been so much part of my life as a reader for a number of years is now over. Whilst on the one hand I’m glad Kelley Armstrong chose not to continue the series indefinitely, I’m sad that I have had to say goodbye to some of the characters that really cemented my love of both the urban fantasy and the paranormal romance genres. As I’ve already got up a review on this blog for Spell Bound this challenge entry is going to be a little different. Instead of talking about Spell Bound or the Women of the Otherworld series I am going to talk about the two young adult spin-off series that Armstrong has written: Darkest Powers and Darkness Rising.

None of the main characters from the Women of the Otherworld series make an appearance (to date) in either trilogy, but it is very obviously set in the same world. The Darkest Powers trilogy focuses on Chloe Sanders, a girl who can see ghosts. Chloe finds herself sent to Lyle House, a place full of secrets. I really enjoyed reading the Darkest Powers trilogy, and looking into a world that was both familiar and not. I thought Chloe was an interesting character, in part due to the fact that she has no idea what she is. I also thought the friends she makes at Lyle House were really interesting, and that Armstrong handled the mystery element of the trilogy in a really interesting way. The Darkness Rising trilogy (only two books have been published to date) tells the story of Maya Delaney, a sixteen year-old of Native American decent who lives in a tiny medical research community. I thought Maya was a really interesting character and I enjoyed watching her journey. Watching the plot unfold through the first two books in the trilogy has been really interesting, and I am looking forward to reading the third and final (?) book.

So, although I am sad to say goodbye to the Women of the Otherworld and the wonderful characters in the series. I am enjoying exploring the world through different eyes in her two spin-off series aimed at a young adult audience.