Review: Omens by Kelley Armstrong

“Kelly Armstrong does it again.  OMENS is definitely an engaging read, full of mystery and unexpected twists.” ~Under the Covers

If you’re picking this up hoping that it will have any semblance with Kelley Armstrong’s Women of the Otherworld series, then keep on walking.  Other than the fact that the writing is superb, you won’t find much else that will put these two in the same category.  For starters, even though OMENS is supposed to have a paranormal element to it, it’s very small so far and lightly woven in with the story.  To me, this reads more like a mystery with a hint of paranormal.  Mostly because of where the heroine was in her discovery.

The most important thing about writing a book like this is to make your heroine likeable and relatable, and OMENS hit that in the head.  I love Olivia.  From the very beginning, when she had a life of luxury and everything in her favor, she was an independent chick who didn’t want to be confined to other people’s ideas of what she should be.  Then quickly her life got turned upside down.

Olivia finds out she was adopted by her rich parents, and that her real parents are a famous convicted couple who allegedly committed a series of murders.  Violent and cult like killings.  And as the daughter of such monsters, she’s shunned by her peers, harassed by the media and forced into living a different life.  One in which maybe she would be open to proving that her parents didn’t really commit those crimes.

The town of Cainsville was very interesting to discover and the slow progression of how Olivia integrated herself with the people and started figuring out the OMENS was interesting and nicely done.  No info dump here.  We learn about things as Olivia does.  And see everything through her rational eyes.  Omens, premonitions and even old folk tales.  It all added to the charm of the town and the story.

Of course then there’s Gabriel.  Bad boy turned lawyer who will scam anyone if it serves his purpose.  He’s the perfect counterpart for Olivia.  She’s lived her life in the complete opposite to him and what he represents that it was wonderful to see him stretching her limits and helping her see who she really is, while being instrumental in her accomplishing her goals.

Kelly Armstrong does it again.  OMENS is definitely an engaging read, full of mystery and unexpected twists.  What I liked best?  That this was so far off from what I was expecting!  And now I am anxiously awaiting the next installment.

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[about-author author=”Kelley Armstrong”]