Omens

By: Kelley Armstrong

Narrated by: Carine Montbertrand, Mozhan Marnò

Length: 14 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

Number-one New York Times best-selling author Kelley Armstrong begins her new series with Omens, featuring a compelling new heroine thrust into a decades-old murder case and the dark mysteries surrounding her strange new home.

Twenty-four-year-old Olivia Taylor Jones has the perfect life. The only daughter of a wealthy, prominent Chicago family, she has an Ivy League education, pursues volunteerism and philanthropy, and is engaged to a handsome young tech firm CEO with political ambitions.

But Olivia’s world is shattered when she learns that she’s adopted. Her real parents? Todd and Pamela Larsen, notorious serial killers serving a life sentence. When the news brings a maelstrom of unwanted publicity to her adopted family and fiancé, Olivia decides to find out the truth about the Larsens.

Olivia ends up in the small town of Cainsville, Illinois, an old and cloistered community that takes a particular interest in both Olivia and her efforts to uncover her birth parents’ past.

Aided by her mother’s former lawyer, Gabriel Walsh, Olivia focuses on the Larsens’ last crime, the one her birth mother swears will prove their innocence. But as she and Gabriel start investigating the case, Olivia finds herself drawing on abilities that have remained hidden since her childhood, gifts that make her both a valuable addition to Cainsville and deeply vulnerable to unknown enemies. Because there are darker secrets behind her new home and powers lurking in the shadows that have their own plans for her.

©2013 Kelley Armstrong (P)2013 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“One of the best new series debuts this year! With its compelling characters and completely original set up, Omens delivers a powerful combination of suspenseful thrills and supernatural chills. I can't wait to read more!” (New York Times best-selling author Lisa Gardner)

“Like the creepy, spooky town of Cainsville, Kelley Armstrong's Omens lured me in. I was too busy, way too busy for this book, which, through a series of surprises and sleights of hand, had me conspiring for ways to get back to the gripping story, the colorfully bizarre cast of characters, and the clever, strong, smart heroine at its center. Don't pick this book up if you have anything else to do. It will grab you by the collar and won't let you up for air until it's good and ready. And once you’re done, you won't soon forget it.” (New York Times best-selling author Lisa Unger)

“Cainsville might be a nice place to visit, but I'm too creeped out to live there. Luckily, Armstrong isn't, and her dispatches from this village filled with sinister secrets are going to be keeping her readers up well into the night.” (Number-one international best-selling author Linwood Barclay)

Good story - weird choice for narrator

The overall book was really good - as is usual for a Kelley Armstrong book. But the narrator for this particular book was a truly strange choice. She is clearly older and smacks her lips and audibly swallows a lot. For a book with a character narrator that is in her early/mid 20s... this is just odd. And annoying. Disappointing. But a good story.

Wonderful

I loved Kelley Armstrong's adult Otherworld but not as much her YA work. This is definitely in line with the Adult Otherworld. Great story, very engaging. easy to follow. My only issue is I see no reason to have the two female readers. I found that distracting. Still, even with that, well worth the credit and I can't wait for the next book. It does leave quite a lot of threads untied.

Off to a good start

I was hesitant to pick up another series by Kelley Armstrong because the last was a series of hits and misses. It's a nice mix of real world mystery with the otherworldly. It has a variety of characters and sub-plots that make it fun, sexy, and hateful, in other words, I'm reading book 2.

It's like a really long prolog

I expected a better story from K.R, it didnt have the usual supernatural storyline that left me wanting more. i was waiting for the plot to start getting interesting then next thing i know the book ended. I'm not interested in continuing the series. Also one narrorator have a nasally voice which erked me everytime she began a chapter.

Really good

I purchased this on a sale from Audible. I have never listen to this author before & am pleased to say it was definitely worth the money and I would pay the full price knowing how good it is. Though I normally don't listen to books with spiritual powers I made an exception on this series because of reviews and the sale.

HMMMMM....NOT SURE!!!!.

This is a first by Kelley Armstrong. I had a hard time keeping up with the characters in this first one. But I got through it and will move on to the next in the series. I can't say that I like the narrators either especially the one for Olivia's character. Hopefully they will improve in the next book of the series or maybe I'll just grow accustom to the voices.

Give It A Try

The supernatural aspects of this book aren't heavily emphasized, but they are present. The story is strong enough to stand on its own, which is a nice change. So many authors rely on paranormal elements as a crutch to less than exacting story or character development, but Armstrong delivers a solid story with likeable main characters here.

There isn't a ton of romance in this book, but the door is wide open for a really satisfying story here. Anticipation is the best part!

Really Enjoyed

I'm a really big fan of Kelley Armstrong so when this came out I had to read it. Sadly I haven't gotten to it until now but it didn't disappoint!

Trust your favorite authors

I adore Kelley Armstrong's work. I've read all of the Women of the Otherworld series two or three times, and I have all of the YA books too, very enjoyable. So of course I jumped on this first in a new series as soon as I saw it.

Intriguing story. The performance is fine, but not outstanding. I'm giving this a 4 star overall because I just haven't warmed up to the heroine. I'd be willing to be that I'll be hooked soon enough. All of the groundwork for a great series is laid, and I'll snag the next as soon as it comes out. Sometimes it takes me a couple of books to get to know the characters, I guess.

Where do great authors get their ideas? Kelley Armstrong's got a doozy of an imagination, and I'm looking forward to finding out where this goes.

A nice change

I wasn't sure what to expect from this new series but I really enjoy her writing and decided to give it a shot. Overall it was a nice change from her typical supernatural novels that I'd become accustomed to. My issue is more with the audible narrator than with the story itself because it likely changed my opinions on the characters due to her voice which was either high and nasally or .. well, sounding like everyone was in their mid to late 70s. I already have the other two books so I'll have to suck it up, the writing was still on par with her other work with some nice twists and character development. I just would've imagined different voices / inflections which probably would've given this 5 stars. I do wish I would have waited before buying 3 of the audio books before listening because I would've gotten the paper novels for the rest. Live and learn!