Spell Bound

In the 12th and penultimate entry in Armstrong's bestselling Otherworld series (after 2010's Waking the Witch), someone has cut off the powers of headstrong young witch Savannah Levine and there's a witch-hunter out to kill her. Savannah, who just tackled her first murder case as a private investigator, now has to rely on mundane skills and her half-demon best friend, Adam, to turn the tables on her would-be killer and recover her magic. In the course of the investigation, she uncovers a group of Supernaturals who plan to wield their powers openly among humans; soon a confusingly large cast of werewolves, vampires, and demons enter the picture. Armstrong keeps the focus on hip, impulsive, and likable Savannah, building suspense with plenty of plot reversals and betrayals. Fans of the series won't want to miss what is clearly the first battle in an Otherworld war. (Aug.)