Ugh, I can’t believe this book has been out for 11 months already. I remember how excited I was when this came out. I devoured it and just never got around to review it. Well at least, it’s not too late… since the paperback version just came out about 2 weeks ago. Maybe this review will convince others to pick it up… :P
No Humans Involved by Kelley Armstrong
published by Random House in April 2007 (HC) and March 2008 (paperback)
No Humans Involved by Kelley Armstrong
published by Random House in April 2007 (HC) and March 2008 (paperback)
Jaime, who knows a thing or two about showbiz, is on a television shoot in Los Angeles when weird things start to happen. As a woman whose special talent is raising the dead, her threshold for weirdness is pretty high: she’s used to not only seeing dead people but hearing them speak to her in very emphatic terms. But for the first time in her life – as invisible hands brush her skin, unintelligible fragments of words are whispered into her ears, and beings move just at the corner of her eye – she knows what humans mean when they talk about being haunted.
She is determined to get to the bottom of these manifestations, but as she sets out to solve the mystery she has no idea how scary her investigation will get. As she digs into the dark underside of Los Angeles, she’ll need as much Otherworld help as she can get in order to survive, calling on her personal angel, Eve, and Hope, the well-meaning chaos demon. Jeremy, the alpha werewolf, is also by her side offering protection. And, Jaime hopes, maybe a little more than that.
Genre: fantasy/paranormal, horror
Series: Women of the Otherworld, book #7
The Story: I was going to write a synopsis, but then I’m re-reading the back blurb and it’s quite good, so I won’t bother :P
My Opinion: I’ve been waiting for this book forever. Ever since Jaime was introduced and seeing her crush on Jeremy being re-informed in the subsequent installment, I wanted this book. I wanted to know how Ms Armstrong was going to resolve Jaime and Jeremy’s relationship :P and oh my, I wasn’t disappointed.
First, Jaime. I like her :D She’s always been an entertaining character in my opinion… and although I rarely enjoy heroine of 40+ y.o. Jaime is different. She’s very confident as a woman, but not so as a necromancer. Mainly because she’s afraid of her powers… and seriously, I don’t blame her. She has little control over it and it’s not as if she can stop ghosts from talking to her and asking her help… and knowing that most necromancers become mad with old age… I don’t see many advantages for her. It’s been really interesting to see her struggling with her abilities and helping others, as she tries so hard. In the end of No Humans Involved, you see her fully accepting her necromantic abilities and that has been a very long journey for Jaime… What helped her out are her friends. She now have friends that will back her up, support her… and she now has Jeremy too.
I love Jeremy, he’s such an awesome character. I like his quiet side, his sense of responsibility and his kindness. He’s very different than most males in the series… maybe because he’s so wise. After this book, I love him even more! We get to see a totally different side of Jeremy. Not the leader, not the alpha, but the man. The balcony scenes? OMG, so awesome! We also get to see the backstage of being an alpha and that was really interesting.
I wanted to read how Jaime and Jeremy would get together, but at the same time, I was kind of dreading it. In the end, I think that Ms Armstrong came up with the right solution and right balance for Jaime and Jeremy’s relationship. I was really satisfied with it.
As for the plot, I enjoyed it a lot. It was interesting, intriguing and gripping. I like how it was resolved and the amount of work and energy they had to put in it. The whole book was well-balanced in my opinion between the case and the relationship. My only complaint, and this is surprising, is that the whole part where Jaime went to Portland to see Paige and cie and ask them for information was superfluous. Although I enjoy seeing past characters, Eve, Kristof, Hope, Karl and Jeremy were enough. Also, why go all the way when a simple phone call would have given the same result?
My Grade: A-. Simply a great addition to the series, a fantabulous read.
Series: Women of the Otherworld, book #7
The Story: I was going to write a synopsis, but then I’m re-reading the back blurb and it’s quite good, so I won’t bother :P
My Opinion: I’ve been waiting for this book forever. Ever since Jaime was introduced and seeing her crush on Jeremy being re-informed in the subsequent installment, I wanted this book. I wanted to know how Ms Armstrong was going to resolve Jaime and Jeremy’s relationship :P and oh my, I wasn’t disappointed.
First, Jaime. I like her :D She’s always been an entertaining character in my opinion… and although I rarely enjoy heroine of 40+ y.o. Jaime is different. She’s very confident as a woman, but not so as a necromancer. Mainly because she’s afraid of her powers… and seriously, I don’t blame her. She has little control over it and it’s not as if she can stop ghosts from talking to her and asking her help… and knowing that most necromancers become mad with old age… I don’t see many advantages for her. It’s been really interesting to see her struggling with her abilities and helping others, as she tries so hard. In the end of No Humans Involved, you see her fully accepting her necromantic abilities and that has been a very long journey for Jaime… What helped her out are her friends. She now have friends that will back her up, support her… and she now has Jeremy too.
I love Jeremy, he’s such an awesome character. I like his quiet side, his sense of responsibility and his kindness. He’s very different than most males in the series… maybe because he’s so wise. After this book, I love him even more! We get to see a totally different side of Jeremy. Not the leader, not the alpha, but the man. The balcony scenes? OMG, so awesome! We also get to see the backstage of being an alpha and that was really interesting.
I wanted to read how Jaime and Jeremy would get together, but at the same time, I was kind of dreading it. In the end, I think that Ms Armstrong came up with the right solution and right balance for Jaime and Jeremy’s relationship. I was really satisfied with it.
As for the plot, I enjoyed it a lot. It was interesting, intriguing and gripping. I like how it was resolved and the amount of work and energy they had to put in it. The whole book was well-balanced in my opinion between the case and the relationship. My only complaint, and this is surprising, is that the whole part where Jaime went to Portland to see Paige and cie and ask them for information was superfluous. Although I enjoy seeing past characters, Eve, Kristof, Hope, Karl and Jeremy were enough. Also, why go all the way when a simple phone call would have given the same result?
My Grade: A-. Simply a great addition to the series, a fantabulous read.
Ps - I have buddy reviewed Personal Demon, the next installment in the Women of the Otherworld series, over at Breezing Through with Li from Book Daze. Check it out here. Plus, polls concerning this series are up :D
