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kathydavie's review
3.0
A free short story, 5.3 in the Women of the Otherworld urban fantasy series, revolving around a diverse group of strong, smart, and skillful supernatural women and their equally talented mates. The focus is on Xavier, a very detached half-demon.
If you're interested, there is a chronological listing of the Otherworld books on my website.
My Take
"Bargain" is the set-up for Broken, 6.
It was that third person protagonist point-of-view from Xavier's perspective that lets us in on his very different back story. Now I want to meet his family and find out if they know what his "career" is all about.
There's no real action, not as we would think of it. Meetings at Starbucks, strolling through a downtown scene of scurrying worker bees. There's a bit of speaking, and most of it is character-driven. Xavier's grifter character as he works through the parameters and assessments he considers as he plots to gain Elena's help. Y'know . . . criminal business versus regular business.
And now you'll have to read Broken to find out what Xavier really wants . . .
The Story
Xavier needs help, and he needs to work it so that Elena Michaels will want to ally with him.
This is gonna take a lot of thought . . .
The Characters
Xavier, despite his scar, is a born grifter, but a lousy thug (Stolen, 2). He has three, successful, older siblings. Feathers is Xavier's business partner.
Tommy, a thief and fellow Evanidus half-demon, is a friend of Xavier's (with the perfect job). Roy is a whipped-cream-slurping toady who owes Xavier a favor.
Elena Michaels is the only female werewolf and part of the Danvers Pack at Stonehaven. She's married to Clay Danvers.
Lucas Cortez rebelled from his father and the Cortez Cabal and dating a council delegate, Paige Winterbourne, a witch. Savannah is the little girl (and witch) Paige took in, whom we first met in Stolen.
Robert Vasic, a Tempestras half-demon professor of demonology is the go-to guy on research issues, and no longer the council’s half-demon delegate — having passed the job on to his stepson, Adam Vasic, a fire half-demon who's friends with Paige, Lucas, and Savannah.
David Hargrave is a man-killing mutt. The Cabals are like a mafia family only composed of sorcerers. A Ferratus demon can harden their body.
The Cover and Title
The cover has a black background with red words from the Hell Letter and a white silhouette of Jack the Ripper centered at the bottom. At the top is the author's name and the title in white.
The title is what Xavier is seeking, a "Bargain".
If you're interested, there is a chronological listing of the Otherworld books on my website.
My Take
"Bargain" is the set-up for Broken, 6.
It was that third person protagonist point-of-view from Xavier's perspective that lets us in on his very different back story. Now I want to meet his family and find out if they know what his "career" is all about.
There's no real action, not as we would think of it. Meetings at Starbucks, strolling through a downtown scene of scurrying worker bees. There's a bit of speaking, and most of it is character-driven. Xavier's grifter character as he works through the parameters and assessments he considers as he plots to gain Elena's help. Y'know . . . criminal business versus regular business.
And now you'll have to read Broken to find out what Xavier really wants . . .
The Story
Xavier needs help, and he needs to work it so that Elena Michaels will want to ally with him.
This is gonna take a lot of thought . . .
The Characters
Xavier, despite his scar, is a born grifter, but a lousy thug (Stolen, 2). He has three, successful, older siblings. Feathers is Xavier's business partner.
Tommy, a thief and fellow Evanidus half-demon, is a friend of Xavier's (with the perfect job). Roy is a whipped-cream-slurping toady who owes Xavier a favor.
Elena Michaels is the only female werewolf and part of the Danvers Pack at Stonehaven. She's married to Clay Danvers.
Lucas Cortez rebelled from his father and the Cortez Cabal and dating a council delegate, Paige Winterbourne, a witch. Savannah is the little girl (and witch) Paige took in, whom we first met in Stolen.
Robert Vasic, a Tempestras half-demon professor of demonology is the go-to guy on research issues, and no longer the council’s half-demon delegate — having passed the job on to his stepson, Adam Vasic, a fire half-demon who's friends with Paige, Lucas, and Savannah.
David Hargrave is a man-killing mutt. The Cabals are like a mafia family only composed of sorcerers. A Ferratus demon can harden their body.
The Cover and Title
The cover has a black background with red words from the Hell Letter and a white silhouette of Jack the Ripper centered at the bottom. At the top is the author's name and the title in white.
The title is what Xavier is seeking, a "Bargain".
vikingwolf's review
2.0
Xavier wants to make Elena a professional contact of his and plans to help run a man eating mutt out of town. He also decides to try to find a job that he can hire her for and is intrigued to hear about the Jack the Ripper documents.
I failed to really see the point to this story. It is meant to be the lead up to Elena's investigation in 'Broken' but it doesn't really add anything to the story and can easily be skipped. It is just Xavier sitting thinking for the most part.
I failed to really see the point to this story. It is meant to be the lead up to Elena's investigation in 'Broken' but it doesn't really add anything to the story and can easily be skipped. It is just Xavier sitting thinking for the most part.
hemloc's review
4.0
Two reasons to read Bargain:
1) It fills in a few blanks and makes Xavier's motivations a lot clearer. Seeing him show up in Broken was a tad odd – you wouldn't contact someone who may want you dead for such a small favour – but this story explains exactly what he had in mind.
2) Xavier isn't the most memorable character in the series, but he is morally corrupt, which makes him interesting. He's also disarmingly upbeat and excited. It's a fun combination.
One drawback to Bargain:
1) The story focuses on explaining Xavier's motivations and doesn't do much else beyond that. There's no mystery, no threat. Nothing really happens.
1) It fills in a few blanks and makes Xavier's motivations a lot clearer. Seeing him show up in Broken was a tad odd – you wouldn't contact someone who may want you dead for such a small favour – but this story explains exactly what he had in mind.
2) Xavier isn't the most memorable character in the series, but he is morally corrupt, which makes him interesting. He's also disarmingly upbeat and excited. It's a fun combination.
One drawback to Bargain:
1) The story focuses on explaining Xavier's motivations and doesn't do much else beyond that. There's no mystery, no threat. Nothing really happens.
readingrenbo's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
bookfessional's review
2.0
First time Xavier's shown up since Stolen. I'd forgotten about him (the teleporting half demon if you forgot about him too).
Short POV that walks you through Xavier's conniving to get Elena's help in Broken. MEH.
Short POV that walks you through Xavier's conniving to get Elena's help in Broken. MEH.
a_h_haga's review
2.0
So I never liked Xavier, and this short only cemented that. Xavier is just what Karl was hinted at being in Bitten - but proved to not be: a manipulative man-child that prefer to use everyone around him.
This story tells us how/why he approaced Elena with the From Hell Letter-deal in Broken. Didn't do much else for me, but well written and ok story.
This story tells us how/why he approaced Elena with the From Hell Letter-deal in Broken. Didn't do much else for me, but well written and ok story.
lpcoolgirl's review
5.0
Set before book 6, and how Xavier wanted to build up a working relationship with Elena, and yeah, he actually has a family, 3 older siblings, and yeah, he thought that was it was going to be good. Loved it!
si0bhan's review
2.0
Bargain is another of the quick little stories designed to fill in blanks and add more details to the Otherworld story. Bargain sits nicely between books five and six, giving us information that leads nicely into book six.
Whilst there isn’t much happen within Bargain, I know enough about what to expect with book six to realise this works as a nice little prequel. Reading this one is not a necessity, but it has worked nicely to build up more excitement for book six – in fact, I’m even more excited to give it a read now that I have an insight into what is to come.
A short few pages that do not add much, but worth it for fans of the series.
Whilst there isn’t much happen within Bargain, I know enough about what to expect with book six to realise this works as a nice little prequel. Reading this one is not a necessity, but it has worked nicely to build up more excitement for book six – in fact, I’m even more excited to give it a read now that I have an insight into what is to come.
A short few pages that do not add much, but worth it for fans of the series.
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