Bitten

Bitten is the first in The Women of the Otherworld series, a group of books that follows strong women narrators as they deal with all the problems involved in being part of a hidden paranormal subculture in a contemporary society. This book is narrated by Elena, the only female werewolf, as she tries to blend her humanity with the wilder nature of the wolf. Elena had been a part of the Pack until about a year before Bitten begins, at which point she decided that she wanted to be just a normal human again, and live a life as close to the one she had planned before she’d been turned into a werewolf. The story follows Elena’s attempts at maintaining a “normal” life with her human boyfriend as she is reunited with her Pack and show more sometime lover during the Pack’s search for some troublesome mutts. The search turns into a hunt, complete with murder, kidnapping, and romps in the forest.

Bitten is very fast-paced, and yet leaves room for character development. The characters are very believable, with even the adversaries fleshed out in detail. Armstrong’s strong narrative voice, combined with a fresh take on an old legend, make this book a must-read. I would suggest this book for mature audiences, due to sexual content and some violence, though I didn’t find the violence to be exceedingly graphic. show less

After reading Armstrong's (not so good) Exit Strategy, I didn't have very high hopes for this book. I was pleasantly surprised. The story is very engaging, right from the start. The characters are adult/mature, the situations "all grown up ones", and the actions/reactions perfectly reasonable given the circumstances.

I like that that female main character is strong and independent and competent AND that the male characters don't even bat an eye at this strength - accepting it as par for the course. Very very nice change from others in this genre where women are only as strong as the men who ultimately "save" them, or where they are only strong because they were victims who are fighting back.

I'm picking up the next in the series immediately.

Bitten is one of the most enthralling werewolf books I have ever read. Seeing werewolf life through the eyes of Elena, a reluctant werewolf brings a whole new level of understanding to what life may be like for werewolves and other supernatural creatures "changed" against their will.

Elena is the only female werewolf in the world. Werewolves are only born male and female humans who become infected never survive the transformation. Elena is the exception to the rule. A year ago, she fled the pack to live a normal human life. But when the pack needs her, she goes back and faces her true nature and the man who made her what she is today.

Elena is very real. She's messed up because of what she's become. She loved Clayton, but then he infected show more her. Hurt, angry and full of self-hate, she still manages to come running when duty calls. Her relationship with Clayton, as well as her relationship with pack alpha Jeremy, is so full of emotion that you feel fully involved in the story.

Bitten is dark but written in a way makes it difficult to pull yourself away from the story. This is one of those books you just can't help but read in one sitting. show less

This is my first book by Kelley Armstrong and I'm hooked on her writing style. She's clever, witty, and keeps the plot moving along at a great pace. Bitten is the story of Elena Michaels, human turned werewolf. She's left her Pack in the country and moved to the city of Toronto to try and live a normal life. Well, if you consider normal having to sneak out at night to go to a far off place and Change as normal. She lives with her boyfriend Philip and is a well respected writer for a newspaper. Elena is struggling with her identity and is also having some problems with her love life. Although she lives with her loving and patient boyfriend, she has a thing for someone she loved before she became a werewolf, a Pack member by the name of show more Clayton. In my humble opinion, I would take a dive into the sheets with Clay any day. To heck with patient and humble, give me down and dirty. Ahem.All is going fairly well in the faux life she has created for herself until one day she receives an urgent call from the Pack Alpha, Jeremy. Jeremy needs her to return to the pack to assist with some problems they have encountered. And from there all hell breaks loose.Bitten is a fast paced novel filled with intrigue and suspense with a bit of a sweet love story thrown in. I'd recommend it and look forward to reading the second installment in The Women of the Otherworld series, Stolen. show less

***MAYBE SPOILERS BECAUSE OF A LOT OF RAMBLING ABOUT THE MAIN CHARACTER***

I could never write an objective review for this story. I love the whole series but this first one has so many memories attached to it.

It was published 18 years ago. But I think I was a bit older at the time. Maybe I was 18? 19?

First I read them by myself. Over and over again. Then I found out it had an audio version. I then shared it with my little brother who has dyslexia and who was too old to be read to. The discussions we then had were wonderful. Even though he hated reading because it took so much of his focus, he could listen to this while doing his chores. And the narrator was wonderful.

The thing is we grew up in foster care and we heavily identified show more with Elena and Clay. And if you haven't grew up in the system the reasoning behind Elena's actions can seem... dumb to be frank. But to be full of rage, feeling like the family you're growing up in isn't your 'real' family and never will be, always having to try to fit in with 'normal' people, it messes with your ...

Urgh can't find the words.

But I think I can use the word core. That thing that makes you you.Your personality with all the good but also all the bad things. All your facets. Being loving one moment to children and lashing out to adults. Liking to help people out but being cold when somebody falls before you on the ground, because... not your problem.
Your core can change over time. If you want it. But nothing barring something impactful and/or traumatic can change it so much that you are no longer you. It can dent, it can have hairfractures, it can have scars. But you are still you.

Children in foster care have extreme reactions to situations that would seem ordinary to 'normal' people. Only love freely given and tools for how to react in those situations can help, sometimes. But sometimes even then it's not always enough. Their core has changed. Something else except them changed it forcefully. And the proces to relearn who they are can be even more traumatizing.

Elena isn't perfect. Hell even at the end she still couldn't see herself as 'normal' (although as a reader I though she already had her white picket fence dream). But that's what made this story so realistic to me. Her core was still hers at the end. Even if she tried to deny it. It was dented and heavily scarred but hers. And I adore the author for writing a story like this.

Also werewolves.

Seriously my love for them knows no bounds.
I was team Jacob based on only that fact and never even read the Twilight books. My little sister who did read the books would argue with me time and time again but I could not be swayed.

The only thing is about the physical book is that it already looks beat up! How? When? show less

Bitten is probably the first urban fantasy novel I ever read. My friend Amy introduced me to the book around 2004 and I was instantly hooked. I frequently re-read Bitten because I think it’s beautifully written and tells a compelling story. This time around, I’m re-visiting the novel as part of Moonlight Gleam’s Women of the Otherworld Series Challenge, which I joined last month. The challenge actually started in March so I’m already behind but Lucy has been incredibly flexible with the rules so I’m going to do my best to get caught up. ^^

Because I’ve read this book so often, I thought I’d spend my time talking about why I think it’s such a wonderful book and what it means to me, rather than a more traditional review show more post. I hope you don’t mind the change of pace!

As I mentioned, Bitten was probably the first urban fantasy book I ever read. I’ve always enjoyed stories with preter-/supernatural elements, no matter the medium, but I used to spend most of my time reading mysteries, romance, and suspense. And then I read Bitten. No, I devoured Bitten. From the first chapter, where we experience Elena’s Change with her, I was hooked and there was no way I was going to stop reading until I had learnt all of Elena’s story. I connected with Elena instantly because she was so well written — damaged, strong, vulnerable, angry, and so much more. Excellent characters are something of a Kelley Armstrong trademark to my mind and each and every one is unique, regardless of the number of pages they get.

I was also completely intrigued by the werewolf lore: only 35 werewolves in the world, either hereditary (father was a werewolf so they were taken and raised with the knowledge that they would Change) or bitten, either Pack or mutt, with Elena as the only female werewolf in existence. It sounds so simple when I write it out like this but the world building is rich and wonderful and it just sucked me right in.

And then there’s Philip. Elena and Clay’s love story is central to the Otherworld series and I’d completely forgotten about Philip, the man Elena was involved with in Bitten. He’s so sweet and normal and kind. And completely overshadowed by Clay. Some of my favourite scenes in the book are when Philip and Clay interact.

There are also some amazing scenes in Bitten — scenes where I sat back and thought, “Did she really just do that?” There’s a particular moment in the climax that seems so anti-climactic but also perfectly right and I just knew, when I read those lines, that this author was going to keep me on my toes. If you’ve read Bitten, you probably know exactly what I’m talking about it. If you don’t, I won’t say anymore to avoid ruining the moment for you.

Bitten is also the book that introduces us to Karl Marsden, debonaire thief and mutt who wants territory. I think it’s safe for me to mention that he appears in other books down the line and that I’m so happy about that because I find him charming. He’s like James Bond with an even greyer moral compass and I adore him.

Those are just some of the reasons I love to read Bitten. Things get even more interesting in Stolen and I’m excited to get into that book soon.

Thanks to Lucy of Moonlight Gleam for hosting this challenge and getting me to articulate precisely why I’m such a fan of this book! show less

If you, like my husband, are appalled that I am reading a werewolf series and would never consider doing so yourself, I want to stress that you are thus depriving yourself of an excellent metaphorical plot device to explore the varied ways in which people reconcile themselves to their own animalistic tendencies, and to gain insights from a comparative behavioral study that illuminates human interactions.

Elena Michaels is a 32-year-old living with her boyfriend Philip in Toronto, and is the only female werewolf in existence.

She left her werewolf pack fourteen months earlier because she wanted a “normal” existence, but it’s more difficult than she imagined; at least once a week, she needs to sneak out in order to “change” and show more go run. When Elena was twenty she was bitten by her former boyfriend, Clay, and resents him for it. It was Clay who first her brought her to the Pack which is led by Jeremy, Clay’s stepfather. Although Elena stayed with the pack for nine years, she longed to be part of the human world:

"I didn’t choose this life and I damn well wasn’t about to give into it, surrendering every dream of my future, ordinary, mediocre dreams of a home, a family, a career, and above all, stability. None of that was possible living as a werewolf.”

But when Jeremy calls her back for an emergency threat from non-Pack werewolves (known as “mutts”), Elena has to obey. She travels to the Pack's estate at Stonehaven in remote upstate New York, where Clay - still in love with her - tries to renew their relationship. In the course of helping Jeremy fight the growing threat from without and fending off her attraction to Clay, Elena is forced to come to terms with her own nature, and make the choice between the two radically different societies that appeal to each part of her.

Discussion: First, why did I start this series? I loved the (human) mystery series by this author about Nadia Stafford, the resort owner who works as a hit woman on the side to earn extra money. This is an author who is innovative, who incorporates strong women into her plots without sacrificing softness and sex, and who is an entertaining writer. I wanted to see more of her work.

Further, this is not just another paranormal werewolf series. Armstrong is interested in interactions among wolves, but she also employs this theme to examine the question of what it means to be human. She uses the idea of the Pack to interrogate the nature of families, and compares the love and loyalty of the Pack to the abusive families that some of the wolves experienced as humans. Because the humans spend time as animals, they are also able to learn and appreciate the full use of the senses when in both forms, and of social hierarchies and how to respect them. The fact that Elena is a strong female is analyzed in all of its aspects, from the way it turns some men on and enrages others, to the way she gets consistently underestimated, to the sense of empowerment that it gives Elena, who spent so much of her early years being victimized. This really is an intelligent book, and as for hot sex? Armstrong could have written the book on it. Wait! She did! show less