Stolen

I kind of feel a little bad for those of you who read quite a few of my reviews because when I read anything by Kelley Armstrong it’s just a huge mess. I can’t help it. I’m in love. Every single thing this women writes in on my all time favorites list. She just really knows how to play with my emotions and write the perfect book.

I love that we get to read about Elena again. She’s the best heroine I have ever come across. She’s basically perfect. She’s strong, independent and actually thinks for herself. If I could be any character from any book I’d be her. I love that even though she’s the main character, she’s not perfect. She struggles being a werewolf and is still unsure of herself but the way she hand;es everything show more is really incredible. She’s a really inspiring character. It’s not only Elena I love, I love all the characters. Clay is fantastic because if he were any other person you’d hate him but because he’s Clay you love him.

I LOVED the plot in this book. I was expecting some romance between Elena and Clay but it didn’t really happen because Elena is stuck in a prison for most of the book. I wasn’t even upset about it because the plot was incredible. I loved everything about it. I love how Kelley introduces new characters in this book. Every person mentioned plays a really important part in the story. I love how everything comes together in the end but at the same time the ending starts off the other books. This was a perfect second book and I couldn’t ask for anything better. show less

“A guitar twanged from the far-off radio. Country music. Damn. They'd resorted to torture already.”

Even better than the original because it puts characters I'm already into in a complicated and intense situation.

The psychology and horrors that went on behind the doors was fascinating. You'd imagine horrors if kidnapped by these men, especially with the troubling prologue, but as Elena and the readers find, it's way more layered than just being kept in a cage and experimented on. Not only does she go through the fear of that, she sees the different personalities and powers that be imprisoned, has to figure out to trust. She sees the struggles between the staff and that they're all there for different gains. She goes from fearing show more one horror and struggling to survive one situation, then the game changes completely on her where she has to start all over again.

The lead up with the supes meeting was interesting - no longer is the book about a lone werewolf pack, but we get unique witches, Adam (loved him, he's fascinating), and other critters. In the short time they're on page I saw a leveled and unique inner society for each supe group, especially the internal dynamic of the witches. I realize the author was laying this out for future books which would concentrate on Paige's perspective.

As before, Clay and Elena's bond works well. Their relationship is just adorable sweet and naturally there, it slides on as perfect fit like a well worn glove. Jeremy is always around when needed, popping out of bushes and random areas to where it's nearly comical. Unlike most supe societies that irritate me, the bonding of this pack works so well it feels like a true family and genuine affection.

It wins with pacing, anticipation, the horror of being caught, the fascinating time spent inside the prison, the saving wrap-up, a finale battle that suited Elena's personality and rang true - top this off with great characterization, and I think this could easily become a favorite series. Add in some working humor and it gets even better. Just a shame it's told through multiple POV's depending on which book, but I still may bite and try the others out for taste. show less

Kelley Armstrong is one of my favourite authors, and not just because she's Canadian! Her Women of the Otherworld series has always and will always knock my socks off!

This novel follows Elena yet again, but as the title suggests - this time she is "Stolen". This book amps up the action, making it equal (if not better) to the original "Bitten" novel. I found this book so strong as a sequel, that it was really hard not picking up the third book immediately after this one! Elena and her pack, as well as the rest of the ladies that eventually lead this series, are a force to be reckoned with! Kelley knows how to write her characters strong and passionate!

This series is definitely for adults (although, there is a YA series if you're show more interested...), due to some of the brutality the story can get into. It's not an R rated novel, but the themes are better suited for adults (some mature YA audiences could easily read it, I know I originally read these as a teenager).

I also really enjoy Elena and Clay together. Their relationship isn't the smoothest, and it has it's rocky moments, but they work really well together. Knowing that their relationship builds well over multiple books, I can look back and be impressed with how Kelley built them over time. The other characters and their relationships are also very strong, but these two really shine in the Elena books.

Kelley will pull you in and have you hooked almost instantly. If you haven't read anything by her, get on it! I love this author, and she always meets my expectations and surpasses them!

If there was one series I'd highly recommend, it's this series! It has drama, action, adventure, romance and comedy all packaged into a fantastic Canadian series! It's well worth the read, and worth every penny I've spent on this series (even when I accidentally bought doubles and triples of the books, because I forgot the order...whoops!). If I did have one recommendation, try not to read this series far apart from each other. I find it's a great binge read, because the story is so full of lore and excitement!

And if you couldn't get enough of this series, there's a television show based off of the book (it's pretty close for first season, but second and third are loosely based - but it's still incredble!).

Five out of five stars! Can I make that six out of five? No? Darn. I guess it'll stick to five! show less

If the first book if this series, Bitten, was about werewolves only, we get to meet some very cool creatures in Stolen. Vampires (swoon), witches, shamans, sorcerers, demons, half-demons, and some creatures I haven't heard of before. I liked that part. While I loved Elena and her Pack mates, I was sure there had to be more creatures out there in this world. Glad I wasn't mistaken :)p

I felt that the story was a little slow, slower than in the previous book, but not enough to bother me. Or maybe I was expecting a little more... let's say drama? Before you start throwing things at me, let me explain. While the idea of human scientists targeting and kidnapping supernatural creatures in order to understand what makes them tick is fantastic, show more I was expecting a lot more gruesome details. I was ready for the torture, in other words. The fact that they just observed them without much harm, only a complete physical check up, was a little baffling. Not a bad thing though, since I would've hated to see Elena or any of the others tortured, but still... (I'm not making any sense, am I? Sorry for that)

If Clay and Jeremy managed to attract my attention in the first book, in this one Adam, the half-demon, made a very good impression. I'm actually hoping he'll be the HEA of a certain very young witch. In the future books, not now o.O Like, when she'll be twenty-ish. I also think he needs his own song. Something like I Love Playing with Fire (The Runaways
All in all, I really am enjoying this series. So if you haven't started reading it yet, don't wait any longer. READ IT!! show less

Atteso, sospirato e particolarmente agognato da moltissime lettrici italiane, ecco finalmente nelle nostre librerie “Stolen”, secondo romanzo della serie “Women of the Otherworld” (Kelley Armstrong) di cui Bitten era stato l’avvincente prologo. È infatti con Stolen che la serie vera e propria prende il via allontanandosi dalla tematica centrale che era stato affrontato in Bitten, ossia la storia d’amore tormentata fra Elena e Clay.

In Stolen le cose prendono chiaramente una piega più intensa e complessa fin dalle prime pagine. Non sono più Elena ed il suo passato complesso, Clay con il suo lato animalesco e le dinamiche del Branco a fare da epicentro alle vicende del romanzo. Pur essendo i licantropi della Armostrong i show more protagonisti indiscussi del romanzo, avremo modo di allargare le nostre conoscenze del mondo fantastico in cui essi si muovono e potremo conoscere altre “Women of the Otherworld”.

Elena ha finalmente accettato il suo ruolo all’interno del branco e si occupa di controllare la rete informatica e gli avvistamenti di potenziali licantropi in America. Sarà proprio per questo motivo che verrà attirata ad un incontro un po’ particolare con delle Streghe. Ebbene sì, Elena scoprirà che i licantropi non sono gli unici esseri sovrannaturali nel mondo ed il Branco, benché mal volentieri, si ritroverà a dover collaborare con altri esseri di cui hanno sempre ignorato l’esistenza per il raggiungimento di un fine comune: salvare le loro esistenze e il loro anonimato.

Appare chiaro che gli uomini, anche se non tutti, hanno scoperto dell’esistenza dei licantropi, vampiri, streghe ed altri esseri sovrannaturali e sono del tutto intenzionati a studiarli per poter creare una nuova razza umana.

Ed ecco che appare immediatamente percepibile che Stolen è un romanzo di tutt'altra levatura rispetto a Bitten (che ricordiamo, è comunque uno dei migliori urban fantasy in circolazione). Le tematiche sono complesse, lo spessore stesso di tutta la trama ha radici e sviluppi ben più articolati e carichi di suspense. I risvolti introspettivi portano il lettore ad affrontare la lettura di questo romanzo sotto tutto un nuovo punto di vista, spingendolo a riflettere. Chi è il vero mostro? Il vampiro che beve il sangue o l’umano che catturano, torturano, sequestrano e uccidono a loro discrezione? Quali sono i veri “cattivi”? Il licantropo che uccide senza rimorsi per proteggersi o l’essere umano che in nome di chissà quale ideale si appresta a sacrificare vite indiscriminatamente?

E così i nostri “mostri” diventano più umani degli esseri umani veri e propri e la scrittura graffiante e seducente di Kelley Armostrong ci trascina in un nuovo mondo, il mondo alternativo degli esseri Sovrannaturali.

Avremo modo di seguire i fatti dal punto di vista di Elena, la nostra eroina licantropa, che animata dalla penna della Armstrong si mostra ai nostri occhi come una protagonista pragmatica, coraggiosa, forte, seducente e testarda al limite dell’avventato. Il suo rapporto con suo “marito”, Clay, benché complesso, è finalmente diventato un porto sicuro per entrambi che sono riusciti a scendere a compromessi con le loro rispettive nature e quindi a consolidarsi. Non è quel che si potrebbe definire una rapporto pacato ma, a modo loro, con tutte le loro burrascose emozioni è l’unica cosa certa della loro vita: si amano e non si separeranno.

Stolen non ha nulla di sdolcinato o fresco, ma bensì è un romanzo crudo, avvincente, brutale, realistico ed intenso i cui colpi di scena – spesso cruenti – si susseguono ad un ritmo forsennato. Un romanzo per adulti, in poche parole e, oseremmo aggiungere, per fortuna.

Come già detto l’aspetto soprannaturale assume una maggior importanza e si concretizza in vampiri, semidemoni, stregoni vudù, streghe… Le maggiori razze soprannaturali condensate in 400 pagine cariche di adrenalina che spalanca le porte del mondo creato dall’autrice e ci presenta, piano piano, i personaggi che l’abiteranno e ci faranno compagnia anche nei prossimi romanzi. Non a caso il prossimo romanzo verrà narrato dal punto di vista di Paige, la giovare strega Capo della Congrega, dal caratterino tutt’altro che facile…

Tutti i personaggi vengono descritti e caratterizzati, perfino quelli appena accennati, con sapienti pennellate in grado di imprimerli nella mente del lettore a fuoco. Le basi per molteplici possibili sviluppi sono stati gettati stuzzicando così l’immaginario del lettore, senza però gravarlo con fastidiosi cliffhanger.

In definitiva una romanzo da leggere, con calma, e da assaporare in ogni suo aspetto: assolutamente consigliato. Unico appunto? Avrebbero anche potuto mantenere il prezzo di lancio di Bitten, noi non ci saremmo certo lamentati! show less

“A guitar twanged from the far-off radio. Country music. Damn. They'd resorted to torture already.”

Even better than the original because it puts characters I'm already into in a complicated and intense situation.

The psychology and horrors that went on behind the doors was fascinating. You'd imagine horrors if kidnapped by these men, especially with the troubling prologue, but as Elena and the readers find, it's way more layered than just being kept in a cage and experimented on. Not only does she go through the fear of that, she sees the different personalities and powers that be imprisoned, has to figure out to trust. She sees the struggles between the staff and that they're all there for different gains. She goes from fearing show more one horror and struggling to survive one situation, then the game changes completely on her where she has to start all over again.

The lead up with the supes meeting was interesting - no longer is the book about a lone werewolf pack, but we get unique witches, Adam (loved him, he's fascinating), and other critters. In the short time they're on page I saw a leveled and unique inner society for each supe group, especially the internal dynamic of the witches. I realize the author was laying this out for future books which would concentrate on Paige's perspective.

As before, Clay and Elena's bond works well. Their relationship is just adorable sweet and naturally there, it slides on as perfect fit like a well worn glove. Jeremy is always around when needed, popping out of bushes and random areas to where it's nearly comical. Unlike most supe societies that irritate me, the bonding of this pack works so well it feels like a true family and genuine affection.

It wins with pacing, anticipation, the horror of being caught, the fascinating time spent inside the prison, the saving wrap-up, a finale battle that suited Elena's personality and rang true - top this off with great characterization, and I think this could easily become a favorite series. Add in some working humor and it gets even better. Just a shame it's told through multiple POV's depending on which book, but I still may bite and try the others out for taste. show less

Stolen is the second book in Kelley Armstrong’s’ Women of the Otherworld series. The main character here is Elena, a female werewolf. In this outing, Elena is kidnapped by a group of scientists backed by an eccentric millionaire. They are studying supernaturals and Elena soon finds herself being held prisoner with witches, demons and vampires. Of course, her captors have underestimated her and we all know that it is just a matter of time before her mate, Clay, tracks her down. Clay does not take kindly to anyone getting between him and the love of his life.

This was quite a different book from the first in the series. That one dealt more with Elena adjusting to being a werewolf, living in a pack and the love story between her and show more Clay. This book has more action, and introduces plenty of new supernaturals, but I had to almost force myself to finish it as it seemed to just get sillier and sillier.

Stolen was a book chosen for sheer escape reading, but I was a little disappointed that this book was less about the romance between Elena and Clay and more about Elena on her own. This is quite an extensive series, but I think perhaps I have outgrown these books and won’t be continuing on. show less