Living with the Dead by Kelley Armstrong

rating
(Women of the Otherworld, #9)
  URBAN FANTASY


Smart, sexy, and supernatural—the men and women of the Otherworld live unseen among us. For the most part, mere mortals never suspect their existence—and that’s the way they want it. But now a reckless killer has torn down the wall between our worlds, trapping one very vulnerable, and very mortal, woman in the supernatural cross fire.

Robyn Peltier moved to Los Angeles shortly after her young husband’s sudden and unexpected death. Her hope was that her hectic new life as the PR consultant to a spoiled celebutante would provide a distraction from her grief. But when her client is murdered, Robyn finds herself on the run as the prime suspect. And as more bodies pile up around her, it seems only her friend, tabloid journalist Hope Adams, is on her side.

But Hope and her somewhat spooky boyfriend Karl know it’s just a matter of time before Robyn is caught. For she’s gotten herself in the middle of a turf war between two Otherworld races who’ll spill any amount of blood—human and inhuman—to protect what they consider theirs for eternity. And the only way Hope can save her friend is by letting her enter a world she’s safer knowing nothing about.




Definitely my least enjoyed of the series - it was actually kind of hard to keep reading.

Armstrong changed writing styles to third person and shifted points of view a lot. Every chapter changed, and short chapters they were. Not only that, but almost all the points of views were from new characters of the series that don't have impact beyond this book. Her technique made her writing style suffer. When she switched from an intimate point of view to a distant one, the writing technique simplified and became a little awkward. It was pretty noticeable.

While previous books would introduce new characters before they came into their own books, not so here. There were several brand new characters taking a major role and I didn't know nor care about them. Robyn is simple and rather boring. I didn't care about the new necromancer. Their developed relationship seemed force and just there because a new relationship was supposed to be, not because the chemistry makes sense.

Hope and Karl were the best POV but again I'm not crazy about either of them. There's just something off-putting about Hope getting off on people getting hurt and Karl randomly robbing people of their valuables.

The story is semi-clever and inventive enough but the way it's told and the characterization? Ugh. There are no series regulars besides mild mention. The Kumpania were intriguing and demented, but this plot is lightweight in comparison to others.

Reading this one doesn't advance the story unless you care about Hope and Karl's development into not caring about the council at the end of the book. Can be skipped.


 

Free Online Fiction from the Author's Website (Including of this series) 
Demonology 101 from author's website 

   Book Quotes:

“What am I? Let's just say I won't fetch a stick for you. I won't beg for treats. And, no matter how nicely you ask, I will not roll over and play dead.”

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