Title: The Hunter & The Hunter
Series: Otherworld #7.3 & #12.5
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Publisher: Dutton Adult
Publication date: June 12th 2012
Source: review copy received from publisher via NetGalley
From Goodreads:
In Off-Duty Angel , dark witch and half-demon Eve Levine is desperate for a little entertainment while her lover, Kristof Nast, is detained in afterlife court—enough to volunteer an extra week’s worth of angel corps duty just to pass the time. Luckily something even better comes up: a real celestial bounty-hunter mission to trail a shaman, someone who might prove to be a useful lead in Kristof’s court case. Following the target goes smoothly, until he leads Eve to the British Museum, where she inadvertently steps into a secret dimensional passage and stumbles upon a far more enticing puzzle . . . and a much greater danger.
This collection also includes Stalked (Otherworld #7.3), previously printed in My Big Fat Supernatural Honeymoon.
It’s not a good sign when Elena Michaels and Clayton Danvers resort to everyday activities on their long-awaited honeymoon in St. Louis. But their encroaching boredom is about to take a backseat to an unexpected threat that catches Clay’s attention. A non-pack werewolf is clearly stalking them—out to claim Elena for himself—and Clay has no intention of letting the upstart mutt spoil their romantic getaway, even if that means deceiving Elena as he pursues the rival werewolf on his own.
My Review
Stalked is a fun little tale starring the awesome Clay and Elena. I didn’t realise when I requested this for review that it was previously featured in an anthology (that’ll teach me not to read blurbs), which meant I had read it before. However, I didn’t really mind reading it again—especially not with Clay as MC, because (let’s face it: who doesn’t love them a piece of Clay?). The only thing that bugged me a little was that I thought the opportunity of re-publishing could have been used to expand on the story a little. I mean, I understood that Kelley probably had a word count limit for the antho, but I’m wondering if she could have made it a little larger and shown us more interaction between Clay & Elena, seeing as it’s their combined dynamics that make them so special as a couple. Unfortunately, those dynamics are lost a little in this because they are so minutely displayed.
And then we have the second story: Off-Duty Angel. I have to say, I was a little disappointed. From the off, I found myself struggling to become immersed in the story, and within pages found that the story just wasn’t holding my interest like Kelley’s work has done so with ease in the past. I don’t think I made it about halfway when I realised I was forcing myself to read on, and so closed the ‘book’. Sorry, but this one just wasn’t for me.
But I’m still going to rate it 3 stars, even with the second story not being my cup of tea—because Clay & Elena worked enough of their magic to earn it.
Have you read this title? What’d you think?
