Customer Reviews

Stolen

5 star:		(63)
4 star:		(30)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Having read and loved Kelley Armstrong's Bitten, I couldn't wait to read Stolen, the second installment of the Women of the Otherworld series. Elena Michaels, the only female werewolf in the world, is back to take on a far bigger challenge than chasing killer mutts. Elena and the pack members don't believe in supernatural creatures and think that werewolves are the only phenomenon on this planet (go figure!) -- that is until she meets witches Ruth and Paige Winterbourne. Elena learns that in addition to werewolves and witches there are also demons, shamans, sorcerers, vampires, and other creatures living among humans. To make matters worse, a top secret scientific lab wants to research every supernatural creature they can encounter. And when Elena is held captive by said lab researchers, she discovers the real motive behind the captivations and witnesses the torturous methods used by lab investor and sadistic millionaire Tyrone Winsloe whenever he gives a prisoner the illusion of escape only to hunt them down and kill them in a bizarre live version of a video game. Elena hopes that her pack will come to her rescue, but will it be possible to get past the tight security of the compound? There are many twists throughout the novel.

Stolen, like Bitten, has lots of action, suspense and interesting twists. But the difference between this installment and the previous one is that, as said earlier, this novel does not center solely on werewolves. There is also quite a big subplot surrounding witchcraft and other preternatural powers. And there are far more gruesome scenes in this offering, especially during Elena's captivation. The gory scene with lab scientists Bauer and Carmichael is one of the most graphic parts. The novel is great, but I have a couple of complaints. One is that the reader doesn't get a lot of interaction between the werewolves -- especially between Elena and Clay -- and some of the supernaturals aren't developed enough. My other complaint is that the whole captivity thing becomes tiresome after a while. By page 300 I just wanted Elena to either escape or be rescued or something. Other than that, Stolen is riveting from beginning to end. I love the scenes with Elena and Clay. I love how they bond while in wolf form. Those parts are very well written and believable. I wish there had been more scenes like that. The characters are great. Paige and Adam are great, and Xavier is hilarious! He is quite interesting, albeit vague. And I love Jeremy and his role as alpha-slash-mediator. I wish Ms. Armstrong had written more scenes with him in them. And Clay! There aren't enough words to describe Clay. He sounds so scrumptious! Kelley Armstrong is a great storyteller. I cannot wait to read Dime Store Magic, the third part of the Women of the Otherworld series with Paige Winterbourne as the narrator. Anyway, I cannot recommend this novel enough, but I urge potential readers to start with Bitten, for you will get a better look into Elena's life as a werewolf and how she became one, her relationship with Clay, and how she comes to terms with her past and present.

"Stolen" by Kelley Armstrong is the second instalment in the "Women of the Otherworld" series that started with the utterly exceptional "Bitten". If you have not yet read "Bitten", do so! It is a novel that will appeal to fans of any genre and has become one of my favourite novels of all time. Because of this, I knew that "Stolen" would have a very tough act to follow. Well, I am thrilled to report that Kelley Armstrong has succeeded in creating yet another riveting and unputdownable tale, proving what a talented novelist she truly is and that she is here to stay. "Stolen" is an enchanting and hugely suspenseful tale that continues the captivating story of werewolf Elena Michaels. It is guaranteed to grab and hold your attention from start to finish, and leave you applauding the amazing Ms. Armstrong!

"Stolen" begins where "Bitten" left off. Elena Michaels has finally come to terms with what she is and has found a happy and fulfilling life living with her ultra sexy, intense, and often infuriating lover, soul mate, and fellow werewolf Clayton Danvers. Elena and Clayton (who by the way compose perhaps my favourite couple of all time, and trust me, you'll love them too) live in New York State at Stonehaven, the estate of their pack alpha Jeremy.

One of Elena's roles in the pack is to police all werewolf information circulating throughout the country, and to deal with anyone who comes too close to discovering the truth of their existence. So when Elena finds an article on the internet with information that is disturbingly close to the truth, and with more for sale, she immediately heads out to investigate. But she is shocked to discover that the two diminutive women who are selling this information posses powers that rival Elena's supergirl strength, powers she doesn't begin to understand. Especially when they explain that they are witches, which Elena knows don't exist. But the fact is that Ruth Winterbourne and her niece Paige really are witches, who save Elena from the nasty hunters on her tail and then introduce Elena and her pack to a clandestine world of half-demons, vampires, sorcerers, and shamans.

And Armstrong describes this remarkable supernatural world and its inhabitants with incredible originality and verve. She gleefully thumbs her nose at all the conventions associated with vampires and other paranormals, creating a fresh and intriguing new set of rules where almost everything we thought we knew about the supernatural is no longer true.

But then Elena is kidnapped by a sociopathic business magnate and a team of scientists who have amassed an entire collection of supernaturals, determined to harness their powers even if it means killing them. And now Elena is in their hands, helpless and imprisoned deep within the earth. Completely cut off from her pack, Elena must rely on her own wits to see her out of this situation alive. Unsure of who she can trust, it's essential that Elena choose her allies carefully, for one wrong move will mean the difference between life and death.

Armstrong has crafted a truly thrilling story that had me tearing through the pages all night long. The suspense builds as the book progresses until your adrenaline is pumping furiously. The plot is taut and wonderfully innovative and the story flows smoothly from beginning to end. And amidst all the danger, intrigue, and nail-biting suspense is the continuing story of Elena and Clayton's romance. The love these two share is truly beautiful, and their scenes together are always passionate, highly arousing, and really manage to touch my heart.

Kelley Armstrong has penned a winning tale in "Stolen" that I wholeheartedly recommend to anyone and everyone, along with its predecessor, "Bitten". Whether you're a man or woman, romance, mystery, or science fiction fan, it does not matter, this book is just plain great. "Stolen" is a fabulous novel that is guaranteed to entertain and satisfy. And I believe that the characters of Elena, Clayton, and Jeremy are the real magic of Armstrong's books. They are vivid, complex, flawed, and fascinating, and they have completely captured my heart. I fell in love with these three extraordinary individuals from the first, and they have become unbelievably real to me. So do yourself a huge favor and buy Kelley Armstrong's "Stolen" today!

In this second installment of Kelley Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld series, events focus once again on our heroine, Elena Michaels. Elena is a highly perceptive, intelligent and attractive Canadian journalist who also happens to be a werewolf and a member of the exclusive werewolf group known as the Pack.

Elena's responsibilities include investigating rumors and information about werewolves that seem to come close to the truth. One of these investigations turns out to be a lure set for her by a couple of witches. They are seeking to enlist the aid of the werewolves in helping them thwart a threat caused by a wealthy technogeek who has been kidnapping supernaturals. After a preternatural summit meeting, Elena herself is kidnapped and held in a seemingly inpenetrable secret prison where she becomes the subject of both scientific study and the twisted desires of the technocrat ubervillain.

Armstrong skillfully introduces us to new characters whose varying talents complement the physical skills of Elena and her highly-focused werewolf lover/partner/mate Clayton Danvers. The author wantonly reinvents witches, shamans, vampires, demons, and other supernaturals in her story; all of which work remarkably well. As in the author's debut novel 'Bitten', pack werewolves are neither repulsive or evil but change into completely natural and beautiful animals.

Elena's eventual escape and the subsequent assault on the prison by the supernaturals provide a satisfying build-up to the climax. When the werewolves begin to take care of business, they go through bad guys like a chainsaw through wood.

Humor and subtle nuance spice the novel like a beautifully prepared gourmet meal. The repartee between young witch Paige Winterbourne and the delightfully energetic half-demon Adam Vasic can't help but make the reader smile. The sprinklings of nuance throughout the novel give the reader the feeling of plausibility to the characters. We feel that Elena really is Canadian, the villain really is a computer mogul, and each of the characters really are who they are supposed to be. Most of all, the intense bond and romance between Elena and Clayton is really something special.

Although 'Stolen' is an excellent and skillfully written novel on it's own, readers will enjoy it much more if they read 'Bitten' first. The development of the main characters is so much more satisfying having first been introduced to them in Armstrong's outstanding first novel.

It is not possible for me to rate this novel highly enough. Readers will revel not only in the story but also in the artful way in which it is presented. Of course, I'm a complete sucker for a happy ending which the author serves up to us like dessert and coffee. Top ratings are well-deserved.

Several years ago, Kelley Armstrong appeared on the scene with "Bitten," an excellent werewolf novel. I loved it. My mother loved it and she doesn't care for horror novels. The thing that made Bitten so special was the strong relationships between Elena, the only female werewolf, and her werewolf family. Bitten was clearly meant to be a stand alone novel. At about the same time, female written first-person horror/romance novels were really taking off in their popularity. Especially if they contained many races of supernatural critters. I can only guess that this is the climate under which "Stolen" was conceived, as it reads like an unnessecary sequel and a novel that practically screams "ME TOO!" A perfect way to kill an author's unique voice and vision just to follow publishing trends.

In the world of Bitten, there is only one small pack of werewolves and a handful of rogues that occasionally cause trouble. A series would get really old, really fast if every book some new werewolf came to challenge the pack; at the beginning of Stolen, Elena discovers that there are vampires, witches, demons, and every other kind of supernatural critter one can shove down a kitchen sink and they have just invited the wolf pack to join their supernatural justice league. Normally, this organization polices its own so they all can keep a low profile, but at the moment they are in a tizzy after several powerful supernaturals are kidnapped. Her meeting with the witch in charge of the group leads to Elena getting abducted and held in the kidnapper's high security lab. The supernaturals unfortunate enough to end up here are studied, toyed with, and then hunted for sport. Elena and her cell-mates have to cook up an escape plan fast because at any minute they too could wind up dead.

The reoccurring characters from Bitten seem like shallow images of themselves, not that Elena's follow werewolves play any big role in the novel. Elena herself seems to have fallen prey to the trend that all urban fantasy heroines must be smart-mouthed to the point of stupidity. All through the novel, she swaggers and snarls threats to her captors even she has no viable plan to escape or fight them. It's disappointing because Bitten was heavily character driven. It's like Armstrong had no idea what to do with her creation this time around, and rather than adding new layers to Elena, she stripped old ones away.

Even worse than the characters is the plot. This is nothing more than a supernatural rehash of the famous short story "The Most Dangerous Game." Armstrong's version is competently written and contains enough suspense to be worth reading, but I think the author could better. Even more irritating to me is that she expanded the mythos to include all these other supernatural races. Her werewolf people in her debut novel were fully realized with their own culture and mindset. All these new interlopers are not even close to being as meticulously detailed. It seems like they were added in because everyone else writing this kind of fiction was doing it.

Elena Michaels is a werewolf, in fact, the only female of her kind. She is part of the Pack, and is responsible for sniffing out troublesome mortals who threaten to expose their race - like Tyrone Winsloe. He's a mad billionaire with an obsession of performing scientific experiments on the "supernatural" races: witches, vampires, werewolves, demons, etc. He's a threat, and a big one. Big enough that the Pack of werewolves team up with those witches, vampires, and demons to stop him. Yet while trying to stop him he gets his hands on Elena.

This was generally a good book. A small disappointment after reading Bitten, Kelley Armstrong's first book in this series, but a good book nonetheless. It's extremely detailed and it seems as if you are actually inside the story. Elena Michaels is strong and has no hesitation in "biting back." She's a heroine for all women in the real world. This is an action packed book and was humourous as well as exciting. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed Bitten and even books by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes.

Stolen continues where Armstrong's previous novel Bitten, left off. Elena Michaels, following a lead about a potential werewolf killing is contacted by a secret group of paranormal creatures intent on enlisting the pack's assistance in tracking down a scientific group who is capturing people for an occult menagerie. Initially skeptical, Elena becomes a true believer when she herself is stalked and ultimately captured. Can Elena escape or will she become just another trophy for one man's twisted obsession?

Okay, what can I say, I am a big fan of Armstrong's writing. She writes great characters, and I particularly love how she writes Elena and Jer. I loved the scene where Jer and Elena are alone at the cabin at the lake, and I love how supportive the pack is of each other. I found Paige to be a rather irritating character. I disliked how she tried to boss Jer, and I was disappointed at how much Paige dominated most of the scenes when the pack was together. A little Paige goes a LONG way. I also liked how the characters interacted in the 'compound' and I enjoyed the scenes where the characters were enjoying some down time.

One of the things I like about Armstrong's books is how she includes little vignettes of day to day life for her characters. Scenes that reflect the mundane things, such as Elena and Clay challenging eachother to the race, Clay's hatred about Jer's SUV, the things the characters like to eat etc. This brings the characters to life in ways 'big fight' scenes do not.

Ultimately, Stolen was the best book I've read all year. 5+ stars. Excellent. I only wish they'd produce an AUDIO edition.

"Stolen" is Kelley Armstrong's second novel in the "Women of the Otherworld" series. "Stolen" stands on its own and while it is not necessary to read Book 1, "Bitten," to enjoy this one, I highly recommend reading the prequel. It is absolutely terrific! In "Bitten" the author describes how Elena Michaels, a human woman, was bitten by her lover and turned into a werewolf - the only female werewolf in existence, as a matter of fact. It is in this first episode that the reader learns about Elena's Pack, and is introduced to the concept of werewolves and how they live among ordinary humans in today's world. Many of the same characters from "Bitten" appear in "Stolen," but enough background information is available so that the plot and subplots flow and make perfect sense. Elena is the clever and exotic protagonist in both novels, which revolve around her struggles and adventures. She is also her Pack's primary investigator when sightings of unknown werewolves, non-Pack "mutts," are reported. It is essential for werewolf survival that the existence of all werewolves be kept a secret, remain a myth, else humans try to destroy them.

Elena comes across a Website that sells and auctions information on the paranormal; a supernatural eBay, so to speak. Pieces of spaceship wrecks, and material relating to "Zombies, Werewolves and Other Miscellaneous Demonic Phenomena" are sold for profit and apparently the site is doing a markup business. Elena, after her initial horror at being classified as "demonic," reads on to find that particularly accurate information about werewolves was being offered for a price. Concerned, Elena contacts the source to investigate the claims and discovers that the "source" is a real-life witch - or to be more precise, witches. They know about werewolves, Elena's Pack in particular, and want to invite them to a meeting of supernatural races. The ad was a lure to hopefully elicit the response it did.

Jeremy, the Pack Alpha, accompanies Elena to the meeting, a conference attended by vampires, witches, werewolves, demons, etc., in which, ironically, the primary topic of discussion is the recent kidnappings and purported murders, of their fellow supernaturals by humans. Computer billionaire Tyrone Winsloe is the alleged culprit, along with his scientist toadies, and a cast of characters so abominable that the "supernaturals" look like kitty-cats in comparison. Now Winsloe, who is funding a sadistic paranormal study, has learned of Elena's existence and is hunting her down. She is about to run straight into a trap.

As I wrote before, in spite of a new and fascinating cast of characters, and the return of old familiar ones, Elena remains the strongest and most compelling of them all. She is Ms. Armstrong's prize invention. There are multiple subplots, one more interesting than the next and an abundance of conflicts. However, best of all, the author has introduced here a variety of supernatural species which will surely expand her possibilities for future novels. Armstrong's ability to juggle storylines, and change voices and points of view with her characters, strengthens her writing significantly.

While "Stolen" is every bit as well written and developed as "Bitten," I did prefer the latter novel. I really like the werewolf characters and especially the dynamic between Elena, her lover, Clayton, and Pack leader, Jeremy. Jeremy and Clay do not appear as much in this book. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series, "Dime Store Magic."
JANA

"Stolen" by Kelley Armstrong is the second instalment in the "Women of the Otherworld" series that started with the utterly exceptional "Bitten". If you have not yet read "Bitten", do so! It is a novel that will appeal to fans of any genre and has become one of my favourite novels of all time. Because of this, I knew that "Stolen" would have a very tough act to follow. Well, I am thrilled to report that Kelley Armstrong has succeeded in creating yet another riveting and unputdownable tale, proving what a talented novelist she truly is and that she is here to stay. "Stolen" is an enchanting and hugely suspenseful tale that continues the captivating story of werewolf Elena Michaels. It is guaranteed to grab and hold your attention from start to finish, and leave you applauding the amazing Ms. Armstrong!

"Stolen" begins where "Bitten" left off. Elena Michaels has finally come to terms with what she is and has found a happy and fulfilling life living with her ultra sexy, intense, and often infuriating lover, soul mate, and fellow werewolf Clayton Danvers. Elena and Clayton (who by the way compose perhaps my favourite couple of all time, and trust me, you'll love them too) live in New York State at Stonehaven, the estate of their pack alpha Jeremy.

One of Elena's roles in the pack is to police all werewolf information circulating throughout the country, and to deal with anyone who comes too close to discovering the truth of their existence. So when Elena finds an article on the internet with information that is disturbingly close to the truth, and with more for sale, she immediately heads out to investigate. But she is shocked to discover that the two diminutive women who are selling this information posses powers that rival Elena's supergirl strength, powers she doesn't begin to understand. Especially when they explain that they are witches, which Elena knows don't exist. But the fact is that Ruth Winterbourne and her niece Paige really are witches, who save Elena from the nasty hunters on her tail and then introduce Elena and her pack to a clandestine world of half-demons, vampires, sorcerers, and shamans.

And Armstrong describes this remarkable supernatural world and its inhabitants with incredible originality and verve. She gleefully thumbs her nose at all the conventions associated with vampires and other paranormals, creating a fresh and intriguing new set of rules where almost everything we thought we knew about the supernatural is no longer true.

But then Elena is kidnapped by a sociopathic business magnate and a team of scientists who have amassed an entire collection of supernaturals, determined to harness their powers even if it means killing them. And now Elena is in their hands, helpless and imprisoned deep within the earth. Completely cut off from her pack, Elena must rely on her own wits to see her out of this situation alive. Unsure of who she can trust, it's essential that Elena choose her allies carefully, for one wrong move will mean the difference between life and death.

Armstrong has crafted a truly thrilling story that had me tearing through the pages all night long. The suspense builds as the book progresses until your adrenaline is pumping furiously. The plot is taut and wonderfully innovative and the story flows smoothly from beginning to end. And amidst all the danger, intrigue, and nail-biting suspense is the continuing story of Elena and Clayton's romance. The love these two share is truly beautiful, and their scenes together are always passionate, highly arousing, and really manage to touch my heart.

Kelley Armstrong has penned a winning tale in "Stolen" that I wholeheartedly recommend to anyone and everyone, along with its predecessor, "Bitten". Whether you're a man or woman, romance, mystery, or science fiction fan, it does not matter, this book is just plain great. "Stolen" is a fabulous novel that is guaranteed to entertain and satisfy. And I believe that the characters of Elena, Clayton, and Jeremy are the real magic of Armstrong's books. They are vivid, complex, flawed, and fascinating, and they have completely captured my heart. I fell in love with these three extraordinary individuals from the first, and they have become unbelievably real to me. So do yourself a huge favor and buy Kelley Armstrong's "Stolen" today!

"Stolen" takes place in a mystic variant of current day. Werewolves, shaman, witches, and half-demons (among other creatures) lead secret lives, hiding their abilities from humans. A secret group of scientists, funded by a rich & rather twisted ecentric, are capturing and studying mystic creatures -- a process that is often fatal. Now they want to study a werewolf ...

This is the first book I've read by Kelley Armstrong, and it can easily be read independently from "Bitten". Kelley's writing style is nicely done, the plot was interesting, but I just wasn't engrosed by this story. Perhaps it just wasn't my cup of tea.

The only flaw I can readily identify is this. Many characters did not behave consistently, and these small inconsistencies bothered me. When free, the main character acts aggressively & protects her independence from her husband to a degree that both doesn't make sense (given her race) and doesn't speak well for her marriage (from a human point of view). But as soon as she is captured, she just ... folds. As another example, there were no rape scenes (good for you Kelley, I abhor rape scenes), but given the personalities of several villians, this just didn't make sense. Too often, the author compromised characters' personalities to obtain the plot outcome she wanted.

Overall, I predict that the average reader would give "Stolen" 4-stars.

Stolen is a credible and fitting follow-up to the debut novel from Kelley Armstrong, Bitten. Like the other reviewers here, I would highly recommend one reads Bitten before picking up Stolen, though it isn't absolutely necessary.

The strong and complex female werewolf, Elena Michaels is back front and center. And her voice comes across stronger then it did in the first book. Also back from the first book are Clayton Danvers, Elena's human hating, overly intense lover/mate. And Jeremy Danvers, pack Alpha, parental figure and voice of reason. Unfortunately Tonio and Nick, other pack members, aren't back for this book. And if you ask me, there isn't enough Jeremy. But thats understandable given the story.

The best thing about this book are the other creatures of legend and lore that we get introduced to. Witches, Shamans, Half-Demons and the ever popular vampires. Armstrong plants the seeds for her proposed "Women of the Underworld" series. I'll be anxious to see where her books will go. I'm not sure she can duplicate the personality of the pack members, but I wish her the best in her effort.

I took away a star for a reunion that seemed too rushed, a love scene that seemed extremely unwise, and a lack of Jeremy.