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Omens (Cainsville, #1)

Kelley Armstrong

Start date: October 1, 2013

Finish date: October 31, 2013

Discussion: Book of the Month

Why we're reading this: Voted as our "Most Popular Books Published in August 2013" October BOM [TIE]…more
[close] Voted as our "Most Popular Books Published in August 2013" October BOM [TIE]

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What Members Thought

Sep 09, 2013 Francesca the Fierce (Under the Covers Book Blog) rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-audio-books, books-read-2013

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. ...more

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Feb 11, 2023 Rachel-RN rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2023

This had such an interesting start; Olivia finds out at 24 she is adopted AND her parents are convicted serial killers (they ritually murdered 4 couples). After the reveal, I felt people in her life made it seem like she was at fault (yeah right). So Olivia decided to leave and let her mother (her father died a few years prior) come to terms with the serial killer news (she didn't know who the parents were at the time of adoption).
Olivia was pretty kick ass and came to realize certain things pr ...more

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Sep 21, 2016 Brandi ;) rated it liked it

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May 18, 2018 Rebecca rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This book was a little slow to start but I enjoyed it. The author does a good job with character development. I also really like that I can’t figure it out. Most books Ivan see what’s going to happen a mile away but this one is a mystery to me. It’s a nice change of pace. Plus the book is different than what I normally read. I’ll definitely be reading the next one.

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Feb 24, 2018 Stacey rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: library

This was almost a 4 star read for me, as I loved the world building, enjoyed the h and think the H is fascinating. It lost a star in the middle because it just sloooowed down too much and it was a struggle to get through until the action picked up again at the end.

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