I needed to figure out a way to start reading series where I am not current or the series is finished but haven’t read them yet. So it’s a way to commit myself to read my backlist, particularly series.
I’m working on reading Kelley Armstrong‘s backlist and I’ve always wanted to read the Cainsville series. The audiobooks are a mix with some available only on Audible and some at the library.
Betrayals by Kelley Armstrong Narrator: Carine Montbertrand, Julie McKay
Series: Cainsville #4
Published by Audible on October 10, 2017
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Length: 13 hours, 16 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Purchased
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible, Barnes & Noble, Apple
When Olivia's life exploded--after she found out she was not the adopted child of a privileged Chicago family but of a notorious pair of convicted serial killers--she found a refuge in the secluded but oddly welcoming town of Cainsville, Illinois. Working with Gabriel Walsh, a fiendishly successful criminal lawyer with links to the town, she discovered the truth about her parents' crimes in an investigation that also revealed the darker forces at work in the place that had offered her a haven. As if that wasn't enough, she also found out that she, Gabriel and her biker boyfriend Ricky were not caught in an ordinary sort of love triangle, but were hereditary actors in an ancient drama in which the elders of Cainsville and the mysterious Huntsmen who opposed them had a huge stake.
Now someone is killing street kids in the city, and the police have tied Ricky to the crimes. Setting out with Gabriel's help to clear Ricky's name, Olivia once again finds her own life at risk. Soon the three are tangled in a web of betrayals that threatens their uneasy equilibrium and is pushing them toward a hard choice: either they fulfill their destinies by trusting each other and staying true to their real bonds, or they succumb to the extraordinary forces trying to win an eternal war by tearing them apart.
I took a short break after the first three books and now I’m back to finish the series. I looked up all the short stories but since many are not available except in ebook form at the library I probably won’t read many of them. These books need to be read in order for the character development and the world building arcs.
Olivia, Gabriel and Ricky have learned quite a bit so far about their ancestry. Olivia and Ricky have been pursuing a relationship and have been happy. But Olivia is obviously drawn to Gabriel and he is trying to draw her to him.
Betrayals has a lot of woo-woo with more visions and opening up the three main characters eyes to both how bargains may work, and to the various pitfalls in relationships as both men want Olivia. The parables of a sort help them see how things might be and determine how they are different.
The team also tries to help those caught up and harmed by the bargains. It is much like the bargain Olivia’s parents made, kill others to heal Olivia. But the reward for this bargain is not actually possible so it’s all just tragic.
Urban Enemies by Kelley Armstrong Narrator: Tanya Eby
Series: Cainsville #4.5
Published by Penguin Audio on August 1, 2017
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Length: 22 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Library
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible, Libro.fm
In this can’t-miss anthology edited by Joseph Nassise (The Templar Chronicles), you get to plot world domination with the best of the evildoers we love to hate! This outstanding collection brings you stories told from the villains’ point of view, imparting a fresh and unique take on the evil masterminds, wicked witches, and infernal personalities that skulk in the pages of today’s most popular series.
The full anthology features stories by Jim Butcher (the Dresden Files), Kelley Armstrong (the Cainsville and Otherworld series), Seanan McGuire (October Daye), Kevin Hearne (The Iron Druid Chronicles), Jonathan Maberry (Joe Ledger), Lilith Saintcrow (Jill Kismet), Carrie Vaughn (Kitty Norville), Joseph Nassise (Templar Chronicles), C.E. Murphy (Walker Papers), Steven Savile (Glasstown), Caitlin Kittredge (the Hellhound Chronicles and the Black London series), Jeffrey Somers (The Ustari Cycle), Sam Witt (Pitchfork County), Craig Schaefer (Daniel Faust), Jon F. Merz (Lawson Vampire), Faith Hunter (Jane Yellowrock), and Diana Pharaoh Francis (Horngate Witches).
“Hounded” copyright © 2017 by Kelley Armstrong
I read Urban Enemies back when it released in 2017. This anthology with stories by several favorite authors. Now I listened to just the Hounded story. The ebook version is now in KindleUnlimited.
This novella tells the story of how the rogue gets a new hound now that Olivia with Ricky has his previous hound. He finds a woman who has thought about killing in the past but did not. Now she is having thoughts about her boss. The rogue encourages and riles her up to kill him. She has a dog and that way he can take her soul and create a new hound.
Rituals by Kelley Armstrong Narrator: Carine Montbertrand, Julie McKay
Series: Cainsville #5
Published by Audible on October 17, 2017
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Length: 15 hours, 27 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Purchased
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible, Barnes & Noble, Apple
Olivia Jones must make a choice. Caught between two rival supernatural forces, Liv was granted a brief period in which to make her decision. Now that time has run out. Whichever side she chooses, someone she loves will pay. Her lover, Ricky. Gabriel Walsh, the man she knows she cannot, must not love. Her parents, already trapped in prison. And now there is a new, terrifying power rising - one that doesn't distinguish between good and evil intentions. It feeds on chaos and destroys without mercy. Unless Liv acts fast, no one will survive.
The factions of the fae continue to try to coerce Olivia to their side. It isn’t clear to her what that would mean. There are a swirl of interviews with the different groups with lies and visions. Gabriel and Olivia also continue to find evidence to help Pam and Todd. They learn more about how that bargain was made and who actually did the killings.
Olivia jumps quickly into a relationship with Gabriel which while expected, was sort of embarrassing. They are right for each other but the long time with Ricky just made it awkward. It hurt Ricky but he handles himself well. The three of them continue to support and protect each other, working to find out truths. The romance felt better because it was obviously going somewhere.
Rituals gives us a lot more answers to ongoing questions in the series, so it was much easier to read with those progressions. Olivia faces the fact that while she may not like things her parents have done, they did love her and she loves them. All three of them have been abused by the fae for their own purposes.
The story could conclude here but there are some novellas following Rituals.
Forever and a Day by Kelley Armstrong Series: Cainsville
on March 7, 2023
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 20
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased
Goodreads
Amazon, Apple
Danger. Evil. Death. Heroes can face it all, but they cannot do it alone.
Throughout history, creatures both big and small have stood alongside heroes and helped them through trying times, whether on the battlefield or in their laps. In these brand-new stories, sixteen bestselling authors regale us with adventures of animal companions and how they often are the ones rescuing the rescuer.The Gold Standard by A.J. Hartley, short story from The Hawthorne Saga
Howl-O-Ween by Alex Erickson, from the world of Furever Pets
Dog by D.J. Butler featuring John Abbott from Abbott in Darkness
Safe Place by Eliza Eveland from the series Talons and Tethers
George and KitKit Save the Witches by Faith Hunter, short story set within the Jane Yellowrock universe
Keeting it Real by Hailey Edwards, short story set within the The Beginner's Guide to Necromancy series
Helpful by Jennifer Blackstream, a story in the universe of Blood Trails
Fugitive by Jim Butcher, story in the world of The Dresden Files
The Unlikeliest Places by John G. Hartness, Quincy Harker short story
Forever and A Day by Kelley Armstrong, short story from the Cainsville series
The Unexpected Dachshund by L.E. Modesitt, Jr., short story within the Archform: Beauty universe
The Kitcoon by L.J. Hachmeister, prequel in the Triorion universe
A Cry in the Night by Lucienne Diver (from The Latter-Day Olympians)
The Kindness of Cats by R.R. Virdi, from the series Tales of Tremaine
Junkyard Rex by Sam Knight, upcoming series The Abandoned Lands
Nine by Seanan McGuire, standalone short story
A Memory of Witches by Patricia Briggs, scene takes place during Storm Cursed from the Mercy Thompson universe.
I love this Instinct anthology which has many great short stories from many of my favorite authors. I reread this one as it is only about 20 pages, but also because it is at the tail end of the Cainsville series.
It gives us a picture of Gabriel and Olivia with TC (The Cat) and a new adventure with the fae. I won’t spoil this very short vignette but it is a nice insight into their lives. It gives a satisfying conclusion to the series.
Narration:
These narrators are now comfortable with the voices and it let me stay in the story. I enjoyed the performance with its distinct character voices. I have been able to listen at 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
About Tanya Eby
Tanya is a starving artist without the starving part. Maybe, then, she’s a snacking artist. She lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan with her two kids and tiki-obssessed husband and writes quirky fiction.
After writing a gripping, dark, gothic novel IN THE GARDEN ROOM, Tanya decided to switch it up. She’s hard at work on a romcom, which doesn’t feel like work at all.
She likes to keep things interesting.
She is also an award-winning narrator and audiobook publisher. She has been lucky to narrate some of the best books around…600 and counting! Many of the books she narrates are NY Times bestsellers.
She loves the challenge of narrating and truly adores words. Reading other writers’ work encourages her to keep working on her own.
About Kelley Armstrong
Kelley Armstrong has been telling stories since before she could
write. Her earliest written efforts were disastrous. If asked for a
story about girls and dolls, hers would invariably feature undead girls
and evil dolls, much to her teachers’ dismay. Today, she continues to
spin tales of ghosts and demons and werewolves, while safely locked
away in her basement writing dungeon. She lives in southwestern
Ontario with her husband, kids and far too many pets.
I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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- Sunday Post –4 October 2026 @caffeinatedreviewer.com @readingreality.bsky.social @kimbacaffeinate @readingreality - October 4, 2026
- Dive Bar at the End of the Road by Kelley Armstrong @kelleyarmstrong.bsky.social @KelleyArmstrong #SpeccyFicChal - October 3, 2026
- 🎧 The Vanished Sister by Sherry Thomas @[email protected] @penguinaudio.bsky.social @berkleypub.bsky.social @sherrythomas @BerkleyPub @KateReadingVO @PRHAudio #LoveAudiobooks - October 1, 2026
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 25-Audio
- 25-COYER
Glad you’re enjoying the series, Anne💜 I love exploring a new favorite author’s backlist.
Thanks Jonetta. I like some of her newer series more but this was pretty good.
I didn’t read the novellas for this series, but enjoyed reading the series. Great reviews
Thank you Kimberley. If I had started sooner, years sooner, maybe I could have got more of them at the library, the novellas. At least I got a few.
This is a series I need to finish, too. I got through book two and need to keep going. I think there is a collection that pulls together most of her shorter pieces, but I don’t know if its available at the library or not.
There are a lot of shorts, some are even collected together. I couldn’t get everything at the library and most were ebooks. The last 2 main books are Audible only. I ended up not reading all the novellas.
This series is also on my TBR. I’ve really enjoyed what I’ve read from Kelley Armstrong and really need to read more.
I hope you enjoy it. I think they could have covered the same ground in 3 books maybe.
Urban Enemies! So many awesome authors!
yes I really enjoyed it with lots of great authors.
I started the first book a while back but put it on hold when I realized it would be a love triangle. Not a fan of those and it looks like it plays out for 5 books! Yikes! I do love Kelley Armstrong, though.
yes I thought the love triangle could have been resolved more quickly as well as the whole thing maybe in 3 books instead of 5. I wasn’t so much a fan of all the fae shenanigans.
Yep, I do need to read more of Armstrong’s adult titles. Glad you’re getting your series books read!
If you are not a fan of fae mythology, I would recommend her mysteries, romances or historical mysteries as being more my favorites than this series.