Dime Store Magic: Women of the Otherworld, Book 3

After reading 2 books about Elaina and her pack I wondered if I wanted to switch gears and hear about another part of this story. But, surprisingly I liked it very much. I especially like the strength of Paige's character in this book. I would recommend it.

I don't know? I've liked a couple of her books, but this book was such a huge disapointment that I don't know if I want to waste more time and energy on a bad book.

She made the book boring.

You need a better narrator for your books.

Narrators voice like fingernails on the chalkboard to me. I couldn't listen to it.

I write this negative review with regret because I very much enjoyed the first two books in this series. Elena, the main character in the earlier books, was smart, self confident, and tough, with just enough femininity to make her accessible and appealing. You admired Elena for competently using her wits and her talents in the face of various adversities.

In contrast, Paige Winterbourne is nothing more than an illogical, ditzy victim throughout this third book. For over half of the novel, Paige is subjected to an agonizing series of misunderstandings, set ups, and outright attacks of ever increasing severity. Over and over again, she reacts at best with poor judgement and/or disbelief that this stuff could be happening to her, and at worst by making the worst possible choices and decisions. How could a Harvard-educated computer whiz who is also the leader of the American Coven of Witches act so consistently stupidly at every possible opportunity? This dichotomy renders Paige's character unbelievable and just plain frustrating.

Adding to the agony is the character of Savannah, Paige's ward. Savannah must be the most self-centered, ridiculous 13 year-old witch who ever lived. As if Paige's actions weren't bad enough, Savannah is always there to make things worse. Unwilling to appreciate the obvious danger they are all in, Savannah never fails to take actions, blurt out secrets or cast spells that back fire and wreck havoc during the most tense moments of the story. Each time, she responds with defensiveness or denial, refusing to acknowledge the obviously devastating results of her own actions.

After the endless, repetitive litany of "bad things happening to Paige and Savannah" the ultimate conflict basically resolves itself, despite, not because of, the efforts of Paige and Savannah.

At least the narration was good, even if the story was frustrating. The first two books were good enough that I may give this series one more chance with the 4th book, but this one did not live up to the good start made in the earlier books.

IN DIME STORE MAGIC YOU GET TO KNOW PAIGE WINTERBOURNE A LITTTLE BETTER. IN THIS BOOK SHE HAS TAKEN SAVANNAH LEVINE AS HER WARD AND ENDS UP FIGHTING SAVANNAH'S DAD, KRISTOPH NASH, FOR CUSTODY. YOU ALSO MEET LUCAS CORTEZ, HEIR TO THE CORTEZ CABAL THRONE.
AS I HAVE SAID IN MY OTHER REVIEW THIS IS A GREAT SERIES FOR ADULTS WHO LOVE THE SUPERNATURAL. THE CHARACTERS ARE BELIEVABLE AND LIKABLE. THE CONTENT IS FOR MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY.

I like this series. If you read the books on your own, they are great. But the person they chose as narrator is HORRIBLE! It's a shame, because the sample reading wasn't working so I just went ahead and bought three of Ms. Armstrong's books. And I would have bought the entire series eventually, but after listening to the first few chapters of this book I had to stop! I'm just writing off the others as a complete waste of money!

This book was so abominable I cannot fathom how Armstrong ever got another book deal. Here's how it goes:

1. Bad guys engineer set-up.
2. Heroine acts like a stupid twit.
3. Hijinx ensue.
4. Repeat steps 1-3 ad nauseam.

I really hated the heroine. I mean full-out hated her, to the point I was rooting for the bad guys to win. I intensely disliked the heroine's teenage ward, to the extent I was arguing with the lead characters to hand the stupid twerp over to the bad guys and good riddance to bad rubbish. The hero was not stupid or annoying, but merely wooden.

If I could give it negative stars, I would.

Over dramatic with a stupid heroine - half the time you want to stop listening because she is so stupid, the other half you want to slap her. Good thing she's fictional. If you have nothing better to do and want to spend a few hours being exasperated - buy it.