As #1 New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong’s new Cainsville series continues, Olivia’s power to read omens leads to the discovery of a gruesome crime with troubling connections to her new hometown.
Omens, the first installment in Kelley Armstrong’s exciting new series, introduced Olivia Taylor-Jones, daughter of notorious serial killers, and Gabriel Walsh, the self-serving, morally ambiguous lawyer who became her unlikely ally. Together, they chased down a devious killer and partially cleared her parents of their horrifying crimes.
Their success, however, is short-lived. While Olivia takes refuge in the old, secluded town of Cainsville, Gabriel’s past mistakes have come to light, creating a rift between the pair just when she needs his help the most.
Olivia finds a dead woman in her car, dressed to look like her, but the body vanishes before anyone else sees it. Olivia’s convinced it’s another omen, a sign of impending danger. But then she learns that a troubled young woman went missing just days ago—the same woman Olivia found dead in her car. Someone has gone to great lengths to kill and leave this young woman as a warning. But why? And what role has her new home played in this disturbing murder?
Olivia’s effort to uncover the truth places her in the crosshairs of old and powerful forces, forces that have their own agenda, and closely guarded secrets they don’t want revealed.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, I was in no way compensated for this review.
Kelley Armstrong's Visions puts us a few weeks after the events of Omens, so really, not much time has passed for Olivia, which means her life is still running strong in the complicated department! And it only seems to get more complicated! The Cainsville Novels are definitely different from the Otherworld series, mostly for the fact that we really don't know what's going on in this world! We had ideas of it in the Otherworld because we immediately knew there's more than just humans in the world, here though, the answer isn't so clear, but we're getting there!
The story starts off with a bang! I mean literally! By page 3, Olivia has found a dead body in her car, made to look like her. If that wasn't creepy or anything, when she calls Gabriel for help--since this is definitely a matter where she needs it, the body is gone! And the pictures she took on her phone, gone! Yeah, we're talking super creepy! And I was loving it from the get-go!
Soon the mystery begins with this moving body. It disappears, pops up later, only to disappear again. Clearly someone is out to toy with Olivia, but who? Cainsville doesn't seem to provide many answers, if anything, it and its citizens continue to provide only more questions and mysteries. And I think this is where some people struggle with the series.
I'll admit, there are moments when I am so baffled with Cainsville and its elders and other citizens. There's sooo much mystery to them, we get hints at otherworldliness, but what do we really learn? I think we're too early into the series for those answers just yet, but we are given clues throughout the story and ties to the fae still remain to be the most clear. We just aren't entirely sure what it all means exactly.
Olivia and Gabriel get into some tense friction early on in the story, which kind of puts a damper on things. But that's not to say nothing romantic happens, it does and with someone we already know! Olivia is definitely not lacking in the romance area either as it seems James wants to reconcile.
Like with last time as well, we get the occasional chapter from a secondary character, be they a Cainsville resident or James or even Gabriel. These chapters are always interesting because I feel like they can be the most revealing to the odd secrets of the town. We get just a taste of answers that makes this read--and series--highly addicting!
All the not knowing of what's going on, really puts us at Olivia's level. That's a different spin for me, but I like it! I like learning about the strange and odd going-ons with her. Because it make the reveals just as shocking to us as they are for her.
Visions turned out to be an extraordinarily good mystery! The pacing was tense and wonderful, coupled with enough downtime moments that are definitely swoonworthy. Some even lead us to more puzzles and mysteries, but it only racks up the tension and excitement that is Cainsville! I am definitely looking forward to venturing back next year with the next release!
For fans of Kelley Armstrong new or old, or even fans of paranormal mystery reads, Visions is a read not to be missed! But be sure to read Omens first as this series is the chronological sort and plus Omens was itself a fascinating read and should be given its due by being read first anyway! Otherwise, you might feel a bit lost in Visions.
Overall Rating 4.5/5 stars
Visions releases August 19, 2014
Heard of Kelley Armstrong but I have never read any of her books. Good that this one lived up to the reputation of the first book and didn't suffer the middle book syndrome. And thank you for the heads up about Omens.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this with us, Jessica!