Kelley Armstrong

After reading Dates from Hell, I decided to pick up Kelley Armstrong's Bitten, which had been languishing on my TBR for several months. If I remember correctly, I bought it at Media Play . . . back when Media Play was still open.

Bitten completely blew me away. I've already reviewed it, so I won't repeat myself, but it was very, very good. I quickly bought and read the rest of the books in the series. Here's how I rate them.

• Bitten: 5 out of 5
• Stolen: 5 out of 5
• Dime Store Magic: 4.5 out of 5
• Industrial Magic: 4.5 out of 5
• Haunted: 4 out of 5
• Broken: 4.5 out of 5

Armstrong excels at world-building and story telling. The Otherworld is unique, vivid, and memorable. But it's the storytelling that makes me a fan. Bitten is particularly masterful. Another writer might have clogged up the beginning of the story with backstory, but that's not what Armstrong does. She gives just enough to tell the story, providing backstory through flashbacks or narrative as it's needed.

Case in point: Elena refers to being bitten or "the person who bit me" at least three times before we find out who that person was. (Don't worry--I won't spoil it in this post.) There are several places where Armstrong could have shared this information earlier in the story, but she doesn't. The choice is a good one because it adds to the emotional punch. It wouldn't have had the same impact if it had been revealed sooner.

Something that impresses me as a reader and a writer is how distinctive her characters are. Her men don't only look differently and act differently. They talk differently. Here are some examples.

Clayton, from Bitten
During a scene with Elena and Jeremy: "I'm staying. . . . If Elena thinks she can show up, then walk right back out, after I've been waiting for over a year--"

"You'll do what?" I said, stepping toward him. "Kidnap me and lock me in a hotel room again?"

"That was six years ago. And I was only trying to convince you to talk to me before you left."

"Convince? Hah. I'd probably still be there if I hadn't convinced you to set me free by hanging you off the balcony by your ankles. If I'd had any sense, I'd have let go while I had the chance."

"Wouldn't have done any good, darling. I bounce. You can't get rid of me that easily."

Clay rarely has long speeches--he's more of a doer than a talker. This exchange reveals his sense of humor, his casual speech, and his complicated relationship with Elena.

Jeremy, from Bitten
During a scene where he's telling Elena not to make any hasty decisions about leaving the Pack: "Adjusting to this has been more difficult for you than anyone else. You didn't grow up knowing you'd become a werewolf. Being bitten would have been bad enough, but the way it happened, the circumstances under which it happened, make it ten times harder. It's in your nature to fight something you didn't choose. When you make your choice, I want it to be because you've spent enough time out there to know that it's what you want, not because you're stubborn and want to assert your right to self-determination here and now."

This speech is classic Jeremy. Elena's father figure is patient and logical, both of which qualities are evident here.

Lucas, from Industrial Magic
During a scene where he's explaining to Paige how he'll handle an upcoming discussion with his father: "My intention is simply not to refuse as vehemently as I normally do, or he'll blame you, however illogical the reasoning. I will hear him out, and I will endeavor to be more receptive to his paternal attentions than is my wont."

"Uh huh."

Lucas smiled. "In other words, I'll make nice."

Lucas is a lawyer as well as a sorcerer, and his language tends to be more sophisticated. He's also aware of this tendency and is able to see the humor of it, as the last sentence shows.

Another thing I like in Armstrong's book is her use of humor. Instead of including moments of slapstick, her humor tends to be wry and understated, a type of humor I really enjoy. In Dime Store Magic, we learn that witches and sorcerers have a longterm animosity toward each other. I loved this moment when sorcerer Lucas bursts into a Coven meeting.

"Are there any questions?" Cortez said after his presentation.

Silence.

Eleven-year-old Megan, the youngest neophyte, raised her hand. "Are you a bad sorcerer?"

"I lack some proficiency in the higher-order spells but, at the risk of sounding overconfident, I must say there are worse sorcerers."

:)

Armstrong has a terrific site for readers. It has all the usual things on author sites, pages about the books, FAQ, and contests. It also offers free online reads, some of which chronicle Clay's past. One of them, Savage, is being released as an audiobook. This, too, will be available free on her website. There's also a fairly active message board.

She has two books out in the next year--one in October, not set in the Otherworld, and one next spring with Jaime, a celebrity necromancer. Next year's book will be out in hardcover. This will disappoint some readers, I'm sure, but I say good for her. By the time I read Industrial Magic, I found myself wondering why the series wasn't in hardcover already. Yes, the installments will be more expensive, but Armstrong has earned it. And that makes it even more likely to be released in audio versions, a definite plus for me.

Kelley Armstrong has joined my list of favorite writers. I'll be looking for a book signing opportunity so I can get autographed copies of all her books.