Review: Visions (Cainsville #2) by Kelley Armstrong

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.

Goodreads

Source: Copy provided by publisher for my honest review

Review:
I enjoyed, yet didn’t love, Omens, the first book in The Cainsnville series. I wanted to give it another try though, since I’ve loved so many of Armstrong’s previous series. 

Looking back at my review of Omens, I see that I basically feel the same way about Visions. It was ok but I’m still really frustrated by the pacing and lack of plot development.

I really like almost every character in this series but they’re all very one dimensional. They’re nice but flawed which should lend lot of messy complications but it doesn’t. Everyone keeps their feelings to themselves and just goes about their business no matter what. No feathers are ruffled. Well, except one - the ex fiancé but that feels forced.

The paranormal elements and the more prevalent Fae world are as always, fascinating but I wish we could see more, learn more of that.

I feel like anytime something starts gaining momentum, Armstrong just changes course and moves on. Find a head in your bed? A corpse in your car? See a wolf that looks at your BF too closely? Olivia is upset for a few minutes, takes a picture, makes a phone call, then moves on. There’s so much investigating and very little action.

There are quite a few (BIG) new reveals but again, they just add to the mystery.

I know I seem like I’m knocking this book a lot, and I guess I am, but the conclusion I’ve come to, is that it’s not so much this book, it’s that I don’t like mysteries, or investigations. That all bores me to tears. I thought the paranormal elements could overcome that for me but it isn’t enough. This series just isn’t the right fit for me.

Several of my friends, who didn’t love Omens all that much, really enjoyed this one so I would still recommend it. Especially if you did liked Omens.

I think I’m done with the Cainsville series unless I hear that the next book is the last one because at least then there would be answers.