Waking the Witch: Women of the Otherworld

By Kelley Armstrong

The new novel in Kelley Armstrong's bestselling Women of the Otherworld series showcases the fascinating Savannah Levine, a powerful young witch with a rebellious past and a troublesome heritage.

The orphaned daughter of a sorcerer and a half-demon, Savannah is a terrifyingly powerful young witch who has never been able to resist the chance to throw her magical weight around. But at twenty-one she knows she needs to grow up and prove to her guardians, Paige and Lucas, that she can be a responsible member of their supernatural detective agency. So she jumps at the chance to fly solo, investigating the mysterious deaths of three young women in a nearby factory town, as a favour to one of the agency's associates. At first glance, the murders look garden-variety human, but on closer inspection signs point to otherworldly stakes.

Soon Savannah is in over her head. She's run off the road and nearly killed, haunted by a mystery stalker and freaked out when the brother of one of the dead women is murdered when he tries to investigate the crime. To complicate things, something weird is happening to her powers. Pitted against shamans, demons, a voodoo-inflected cult and garden-variety goons, Savannah has to fight to ensure her first case isn't her last. And she also has to ask for help, perhaps the hardest lesson she's ever had to learn.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: Aug 3, 2010
• ISBN: 9780307359025

Kelley Armstrong

Kelley Armstrong is the author of over fifty novels, including the Rip Through Time mysteries and the horror novel, Hemlock Island. She lives with her family in Canada.

Reviews for Waking the Witch

[phoenixterran · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

When it comes to paranormal suspense fiction, Kelley Armstrong is a name I frequently hear mentioned. Armstrong is probably best known for her series Women of the Otherworld (often shortened to Otherworld), beginning with her debut novel Bitten, written in 2001. I have been meaning to read some of Armstrong's work for quite some time now but it wasn't until I was offered a review copy of Waking the Witch that I finally got around to it. Technically, Waking the Witch is the eleventh book in the Otherworld series, but it is the first to feature Savannah Levine as the main protagonist. Generally, I like to start a series at the beginning, but Armstrong has tried to write Otherworld in such a way that the books can largely stand on their own, and for the most part she succeeds in this. The series is written chronologically with the narrators changing from book to book. Until now, Savannah has been an important secondary character, but Waking the Witch allows her to take the spotlight.The orphaned daughter of an infamous witch and a disreputable sorcerer, Savannah Levine is now twenty-one and ready to prove herself to her adoptive parents. Paige and Lucas are taking a much needed and well-deserved vacation, leaving Savannah to tend to their detective agency while they're gone. When a series of murders, possibly involving occult rituals, strikes the small town of Columbus, Washington, Savannah sees it as an opportunity to finally work on an investigation on her own. She's not the only one interested in these murders--a Dallas detective, brother to one of the victims, is also in town and the local police are being less than helpful despite some obvious suspects. Not surprisingly, things get complicated fast and it truly seems as though there is something supernatural going on. Soon, Savannah finds herself in more danger than she anticipated, but she is still anxious to take care of things without having to depend on others.I liked the character of Savannah quite a bit and, aside from her supernatural abilities, found her to be realistic in addition to being sympathetic--she's smart and sexy, but not without a few flaws and personality quirks. She can be pushy at times, and doesn't hesitate to bend and stretch the rules, but ultimately she's got her heart in the right place. One thing I never really got a good handle on was the magic system. Obviously, rituals can be involved to some extent, but frequently Savannah just stated that she was using a spell without explicitly establishing how. Personally, I like my magic systems to be a little more thoroughly explained. There also were some minor inconsistencies, although maybe I'm just not knowledgeable enough about the Otherworld world. Particularly, I was surprised that Savannah wasn't able to tell when she was in the presence of another witch, especially after stating that sorcerers and witches could recognize each other on sight.Overall, I enjoyed Waking the Witch--it was a quick read and the mystery was interesting and engaging. For the most part, I didn't feel that I was at much of a disadvantage even though this was my first Otherworld novel; references were made to previous books and events, and while these will certainly mean more to established readers of the series I was never confused by them. However, some of the major twists toward the end of the story will make much more sense to someone who is already familiar with Otherworld and its characters. Still, even without that knowledge, I enjoyed the plot twists and was able to follow what was going on. All in all, Waking the Witch wasn't a bad place to start the series. Of course, while the book is a complete story within itself, Armstrong does leave things off with a bit of cliffhanger, so I expect we'll be hearing more from Savannah again sooner rather than later.Experiments in Reading

[starknits_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I like seeing Savannah older I didn't like the cliffhanger ending though

[nx74defiant · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It seemed like she just kept throwing more things in. Santari, Druids, witch hunters. The ending was a little unsatisfying. I assume the next book will build on that.

[carol420 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

When Paige and Lucas take a long overdue vacation, 21 year-old Savannah Levine is quite excited for the opportunity to tackle her first solo case in their absence. The job takes her out of town with an acquaintance of Lucas' as they track down a serial killer who appears to be using occult rituals. While they're on the case the murders continue, leaving a trail of bodies leading right to Savannah. As she tries to uncover the killer, her life is threatened and only by drawing on a reserve of power she'd been afraid to access, along with a little help from an unexpected source does she manage to get out alive.

This is Book 11 in the "Women of the Otherworld Series". "Waking the Witch" leaves the story without real resolution. In fact Kelley Armstrong gives Savannah's world a good hard shakeup at the end because as it turns out this is just the first of three books starring Savannah, and we readers are left with a 'to be continued' when all is said and done.

[gmtapublishing · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Kelley Armstrong is a progeny when it comes to supernatural writing. Her books leave you breathless with their racy romances, the constant struggles, and the exciting stories. She does all of this effortlessly and you have no choice but to plummet without stumbling straight into her world. She has created such a strong presence in all of her characters that everything about them makes them seem real! You get so caught up in their stories that you feel you are a part of them. I cannot say enough good things about Kelley!

[estellechauvelin · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Armstrong kicks off the final trilogy before her Otherworld series goes on hiatus with another strong entry. Savannah is tough and confident in many ways, but still young and eager to establish herself. She quickly gained a place as one of my favorite narrators in the series. The mystery was full of twists and turns and kept me guessing until the end. Add a cliffhanger ending and I am eagerly awaiting Savannah's next appearance.

[emblue-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Couldn't wait to finish it (stayed up WAY too late reading it the last 3 nights) and then didn't want it to end. And now how long do I have to wait for the next one?! Whatever the timeframe, it'll be too long!! Kelley Armstrong is one amazing writer!

[claire.warner · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Waking the Witch is the first book to feature Savannah Levine, the precocious daughter of black witch Eve Levine and adopted daughter of Paige Winterbourne. After turning up on a limited basis in earlier volumes, Savannah finally gets her own book and its an interesting one.

At the age of 21, Savannah is working for Paige and Lucas. The book starts as she receives some crime scene photos that have a supernatural element. Packing her things she runs off to the small town of Columbus in order to investigate.

I loved the character of Savannah, she's confident, bolshie and very much like her mother. She doesn't suffer from much in the way of self doubt and unlike Elena, doesn't wallow in her 'tragic backstory tm'. I enjoyed the mystery and was hooked on finding the answers. I even enjoyed the obligatory relationship.

However, having said that... the last quarter of the book wasn't particularly inspiring. My issues stemmed from the arrival of Adam (the obvious future love interest) and the ultimate unveiling of the mystery. The cliffhanger at the end of the book annoyed me as part of the reason I love Kelley Armstrong is her lack of cliffhangers. You don't have to read the next book in the series if you don't want to. The cliffhanger was unnecessary and purely designed to sell the next book.

The identity of the culprit came out of the left field and it bugged me. I can't say too much because I don't want to spoil the plot, but I would have loved 'any' other conclusion.

Will read the next book, but unfortunately it drops 2 stars.

[mags_standi · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The first book featuring Savannah was better than I expected. She really has grown up and matured from when we first met her in Stolen. Overall, another great work by Kelley Armstrong.

[christineellei · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This next installment in the Otherworld series features Savannah Levine, daughter of Eve. Since losing her mother Savannah has lived and worked with Paige and Lucas. A seemingly simple case falls into her lap and Savannah strikes out on her own as a PI in this book. Seemingly simple turns into complicated and dangerous, not only testing Savannah’s powers as a witch but as an adult as well.

I have read and enjoyed Ms. Armstrong’s book since Bitten. Waking the Witch does keep us up to date on some of the characters from previous books, but it has a slightly different tone. Although older now than when we met her previously, at 21 Savannah is still younger than characters in previous books in the series. Having read Ms. Armstrong’s YA series, this book seems like a transition between the two. A cliffhanger ending means another book in the series.

According to Ms. Armstrong’s website, this series will be ending with the Savannah books. She does promise a self-standing book every once in a while to revisit the characters. I have enjoyed this series and will be sorry to see it end, but look forward to what new books she has planned.

[akmargie · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I would have given it another star if there had been more/any sexy times. As it was a solid PI mystery with some supernatural twists and turns. We'll see how the next book goes.

[soireb · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Love it, can't wait to know what happens next

[jeremypreacher · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The most striking aspect of this novel was the young, inexperienced heroine who a) didn't have a tremendous chip on her shoulder and b) wasn't portrayed as primarily a sex object. There's definitely some post-high-school rebellion going on, and also some romantic explorations, but they all felt very true, rather than this genre's typical hardened killer and sex goddess, where I keep bouncing back and forth between an image of a worldly 40-year-old and a brash 20 year-old.

Other than that, standard fare, but certainly palatable, and the ending sets up what I hope will be a really outstanding follow-up.

[theyodamom · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

CLIFFHANGER ENDING !!!!!!!!!!!! ARGUH NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO ! it was so intense, it was just almost there and then it hit the fan and .......the end.
Crispy Hell, I want to know what happens and I don't have the next book yet.
Savannah has grown up to be a big girl with big girl problems and a dark past that haunts her to this day. She gets her first case to solve on her own well kind of on her own men keep popping up. Her lust for Adam is still not going anywhere but her lust for another boy/man is a Detective from Dallas is heating up the look out. Then there is her new semi partner on this case and he's not so bad himself. Savannah does her best, she follows the leads and in this town it's not easy, small town police don't care for her much nor do several of the town folk. Things go from hassled to disastrous quickly, lives end and others are changed forever.
What a charged read this was I was totally cheering for Savannah. On the edge of my seat. i was not expecting to like this book at all, I've not liked her as a character before. I was wrong, she's good. Now if she'd just do what want her to do......

[annakay21 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

WOW! There were some slow parts to this book but that cliffhanger left my jaw dropped and my hands waiting for the sequel! Kelley Armstrong hardly ever disappoints.

[ditzeedancr · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My favorite of the Women of the Otherworld series (and that's saying something). Kelley Armstrong once again comes out with an amazing story. Though the fact that this one is left on a cliff-hanger is very frustrating. I can't wait for Spell Bound to be released!

[allureofbooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In my opinion, this is one of the most (if not THE most) highly anticipated novels of the series. Faithful Women of the Underworld readers have known Savannah for around ten books now, and I have been very anxious to finally get her story!I am happy to say I was not at all let down. The way things end make it clear there will be another book featuring Savannah (and Adam! *swoon*)...and I can't wait for it either. Don't worry, it is not an annoying cliffhanger that will either make you mad or make you want to break in to Kelley Armstrong's house for an unfinished manuscript...it just leaves you wanting more.The book moves quickly, and the mystery is fascinating. I definitely didn't get it all figured out before the end. It is a nice mixture of the supernatural and good old fashioned suspense: the combination makes the book a very fast read because you won't want to put it down.If you haven't read the series, I would definitely recommend starting from the beginning (with Bitten) and reading them all...but you can pick this book up and read it as a stand-alone without a problem. Reading the rest of the series just gives you a bigger frame of reference for the world the characters live in and makes you more invested in what is happening with Savannah.The world Kelley Armstrong has created for this series (and the young adult Darkest Powers trilogy) is fascinating. The magical characters and witchcraft all work together and make the world so complex and thrilling. I love all these books! This particular book features witchcraft mainly, but other characters featured in the books include werewolves, ghosts, physics and vampires.

[nikk1s · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I've been looking forward to Savanah's transition from child to woman. She has incredible potential as a main character and I look forward to her interactions with the all the Women of the Underworld. She has been influenced by all the women in the series and she is funny, flawed, impulsive, loyal, and exciting. I am a little upset that this was classified as a YA novel as it changes the course and audience the books have been written for. I feel that it opens the doorway for the characters to be more shallow and less developed. I'm looking forward to reading book #12, in the hopes that my worries will be put to rest.

[sithereandread · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

WAKING THE WITCH, by Kelley Armstrong, is the eleventh book in the Women of the Otherworld series. I really love this series. I have only read a few books (and some out of order) but that is the beauty of this series. You can read the books out of order ( I usually choose the book by character ) and not be totally confused.We first met Savannah in Stolen (WoO#2) as a young girl. In this book, she is twenty-one and ready to start her own cases as a Private Investigator at Paige and Lucas's firm. She is sassy, clever, and full of life and I absolutely love her. Savannah was asked to help with a murder case while Paige and Lucas were on vacation. Soon enough she is whisked away to a town in the middle of nowhere and mysterious events occur all around her. With her powers on the fritz she is challenged but manages to push through.This book was fast-paced and kept me going back and forth on who I thought was the villain. Surprises popped up in every dark corner and I was left dizzy with awe. Armstrong has really done it again in this book and I am excited that Savannah's story will continue for the next two books.Audiobook-wise, Parker did an excellent job narrating this book. She is extremely talented and she really made Savannah come alive. I hope to hear more from her in the future.Overall, great book, fans of the series will definitely love it!

[ravenswoodpublishi-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Kelley Armstrong is a progeny when it comes to supernatural writing. Her books leave you breathless with their racy romances, the constant struggles, and the exciting stories. She does all of this effortlessly and you have no choice but to plummet without stumbling straight into her world. She has created such a strong presence in all of her characters that everything about them makes them seem real! You get so caught up in their stories that you feel you are a part of them. I cannot say enough good things about Kelley!

[unreachableshelf · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Armstrong kicks off the final trilogy before her Otherworld series goes on hiatus with another strong entry. Savannah is tough and confident in many ways, but still young and eager to establish herself. She quickly gained a place as one of my favorite narrators in the series. The mystery was full of twists and turns and kept me guessing until the end. Add a cliffhanger ending and I am eagerly awaiting Savannah's next appearance.

[angelicacraig · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

21 year-old Savannah is a kick ass supernatural investigator who is working her first case while her bosses are on vacation. As she struggles to find the answers on her own, she’s met by obstacles around every corner. She encounters a possible cult, what looks to be satanic ritualistic killings and a cute detective from Dallas who she gets a little too close to.I was a little disappointed that I didn’t realize this was a series right away. It didn’t take anything away from the story. I’m just weird though. I hate to read a series out of order, even if it doesn’t matter to the plot. I’m sure that I’ll go back and start with the first book. If she’s written 11, they must be worth reading!Savannah was such a fun character that I really wanted to BE her. She was just the right mixture of confidence and hesitation. She’s 6 foot tall and still wears heels. How fun is that? Not to mention that she rides a motorcycle and has spells to light the room and unlock doors. You can’t get better than that. I also really loved the chemistry between her and the male characters. I won’t say more, because I don’t want to spoil it for you.Do you like Supernatural stories with strong female leads? You’ll like this!

[lizard_698959 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was another great book from Kelley Armstrong. This book is from the point of view of Savannah. Savannah is left alone to take care of Paige and Lucas’s PI business while they are on vacation. It is her turn to prove that she able to take care of herself in there dangerous supernatural world. However things are not what they seem to be when Savannah goes to work three related murders that have a supernatural angle. She needs to prove to herself that she can go solo from Paige and Lucas. Will Savannah be able to prove to everyone that she can be trusted to work on her own or will it all blow up in her face in a deadly way. Savannah’s character is another great strong supernatural female lead. Savannah is smart, funny, and extremely motivated to make her life work. I can’t wait to hear more from savannah and she if she will untimely end up with Adam or some other supernatural hunk. ETA: After reading other reviews: I love the fact that Savannah is portrayed a little more timid than she has been in other books. She is just coming into her own and is not sure what her next move is. Her life so far has not been an easy one and she still has many things that she needs to work through. With everything that she has been through in her other books one would not expect to find a fully happy well rounded functioning adult. You would expect to find exactly what the author writes. Savannah is working though her phobias and her fears through this book while trying to get a better handle on whom she is exactly. Armstrong always writes great female characters most of the time though her characters are greatly damaged individuals. It is her forte and she will cling to it which is great that she continued this with Savannah. I would not have enjoyed this book as much had savannah been the happy bubbly self assured individual everyone else seemed to what to see

[pither_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I've got to admit, Savannah isn't my favourite Woman of the Otherworld, but I really enjoyed discovering what she's gotten up to. It's great seeing her mature into her powers a little more, rather than running around wreaking havoc (though she does get up to some of that too in this book). I can't wait for "Spell Bound" to find out what happens to her! A quick yet enjoyable read.

[ca8bookwyrm · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the 11th book in Kelley’s (Women of) The Otherworld series. It is not meant as a place to start into the series. While I suppose it is possible to read this one before the others, I wouldn’t recommend it. There are too many things that would spoil the prior books, and other things that aren’t properly explained in this book because they’re in other books. (Nothing that would prevent a new reader from understanding the book, but the full comprehension does require more than a passing knowledge of the world.)Also, there is a very minor cliffhanger at the end. Well, others have called it a cliffhanger. I would call it a hook. I mean… this is an ongoing series. Not all loose ends will be tied up at the end of the book. The only difference that I see is that this book leaves it a lot more clear who the narrator of the book that follows it will be than prior books have. (Book #12, Spellbound, will be another Savannah-narrated book.) I personally had no problem at all with the ending of this book. There were things about it that I rather liked, actually.Now… on to the rest of the review.I love Paige and Lucas. So a Savannah book without them made me a little nervous even as I knew it was the only way to let Savannah get her feet wet. My worries, however, were unfounded. I now love Savannah, too. Not quite as much, but nearly. She’s a great character, and it’s easy to see (even when we’re not specifically told) which parts of her are her mom and which parts are Paige and Lucas’ influence.Also, I was nervous about the romance angle. A lot of people on Kelley’s forums want Savannah and Adam (her girlhood crush) to get together in her book(s). I’m not sure. If it works well, then great. If it doesn’t, I don’t want it to feel forced. But I really like the way the romance plays out in this book. If you read the first three chapters on Kelley’s site, you’ll see that there are other guys who could end up being Savannah’s love interest. It’s not clear-cut that it will be Adam. And I’m not telling. (I will say that this book, unlike the rest of the series, does not get very steamy. This is appropriate, as Savannah is just now 21 and we first met her as a child. She needs to grow up in our heads a bit before the readers will be fully comfortable with her having sex scenes, I think.)Last thing I’ll say (and forgive the lack of detail, but I’m determined to not give spoilers): I like the conflict Savannah is up against here. The external conflict is well done, and I guessed part of it but by no means all of it by the time it was revealed. However, it is the internal conflict that I like best. (This ties into the hook at the end of the book, too. Savannah resolves the main external conflict in this novel, but not her internal one.)All told, I really like this book. It’s not my favorite in the series — that honor remains with Industrial Magic — but it is up there among my favorites.

[donnerlibrary · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Savannah and her guardian, Paige, have been two of my favorite of Armstrong's characters since they were introduced to the series. Usually Paige and Lucas are the stars of the show so I was really excited to find out Savannah was going to be the main character for the next few books. I was glad to see that Savannah hasn't lost her attitude even as she has matured. Waking the Witch really shows Savannah coming into her own as she takes on more than her share of the responsibility while eventually learning to admit when she needs some back up.Savannah is really put through a lot in this book while trying to put the pieces of the murder together. While following up with the usual suspects, she also has the insight to dig deeper into the story and go at things from another angle. In the end though, the killer was someone I never saw coming and Savannah didn't see it until it was almost too late. I think I need to re-read some of the earlier books as I'd clearly forgotten some of the back story that would have helped me understand the big reveal a little more. I still wouldn't have put things together any faster but at least I might have remembered the events Armstrong was building from.The ending really left me wanting more and I can't wait until Spell Bound comes out in 2011 to continue with Savannah's story.

[london_stj · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Armstrong had me until page 278. The novel that had the potential to be the most satisfying in a summer of genre-flops suffers from a rather unfortunate series of concluding twists. Prior to a rather jarring shift in the narrative, Waking the Witch is an entertaining look at Savannah Levine, all grown up and "on her own" as she tackles a case without supervision. The twists are numerous, and the mystery involved is enthralling ... right up to the Great Revelation. Still, fans of the series are likely to enjoy it, and I'm looking forward to the next one, which is apparently due out this November.

[flemmily · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Kelley Armstrong departs from her formula a bit on this one. Usually her books are individually complete, but Waking the Witch has a "tune in next time for more adventures" ending. It is also short on the romance angle, and has no "adult content."I enjoyed this book. At the start of the Women of the Otherworld series, I wasn't a huge fan of Armstrong's writing. It felt a little generic/airport book in style. But now I always enjoy her characters. She creates people you really feel like you know, and it makes for great escapist books.

[lisamaria_c · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I'm a fan of Kelley Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld series, page-turning paranormal mysteries with romantic elements told from the first person point of view of a female supernatural: a werewolf, witch, angel, necromancer, half-demon... In this case it was Savannah Levine, daughter and ward of two previous protagonists. She's a witch and a private investigator. For quite a while I was happily being pulled along by the mystery. Armstrong has a deft style and strong world-building that sucks you in, good plotting and pacing, and above all, an ability to make you care about her characters. It's what made her a favorite author of mine--one of those few that I go read as soon as a new book by her is on the shelves. All that is true of this book, and I like Savannah and her character arc in the book.But this is the first time I've been disappointed by Armstrong--by the last line on the last page... Cliffhanger. Not something Armstrong has done at the end of the previous Otherworld books, and I went back and checked. Yes, it's a series, but previously they'd worked well as stand alones, and when I reached the end of this one, I wanted to throw the book against the wall. Mind you, I'll be reading that next book in the series as soon as it comes out...

[generalkala · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This just isn't as good as Kelley Armstrong's usual works.Firstly, the story barely revolves around the supernatural. It's added almost as an after thought. It read just like any normal murder mystery and even contact with other supernaturals is very limited. It's boring and I've never said that about a Kelley Armstrong book before.To be fair, I've never clicked with Savannah. She's selfish, stubborn and whiny. The case is solved by her incredible leaps of faith - she makes assumptions and guesses based on almost nothing at all. The 'twist' at the end is ridiculously predictable, but afterwards Savannah just shrugs and claims that she knew it along. If she did, then she's an idiot for going along with it.A strange criticism, but the author seems to have no concept of age. Kayla is eight, but talks like she's fifteen. Savannah is 21, but talks like she's 33. She constantly refers to when she was 'young' and talks about how she's ashamed of living at home when she's so old. A small thing, but it really bugged me.Normally, the romance in Kelley Armstrong's book is subtle and slowly developed - it's part of the reason why her books are so good. But in Waking the Witch, it's just shoved in there. We don't know if/why Savannah/Michael like each other, we're just told that they do. There's no build up, just suddenly they're making out against a tree.I think the author should focus on the supernatural more, and try avoid bog-standard murder mysteries.