Apart from the undeniable fact that only Jericho Barrons could have salvaged Bitten from a quagmire of mind-numbing dullness, Armstrong's portrayal of werewolves simply failed to meet my expectations. raw animalism, carnality, pack troubles, alpha fights, angst, werewolvish sex - whatever that may be..*

I actually found myself yearning for the werewolves in Blood & Chocolate, despite their trailer trashy and imperfect nature. It wouldn't shock me if the pack in Bitten took up growing organic tomatoes for a living too.

I'm probably just being bitter, though. Everyone else on Goodreads seems to have been bitten and smitten. However, for me, the werewolves in Bitten lacked the essential elements that make a werewolf story truly engaging. They seemed too tame, too domesticated. I was hoping for more of the wild, untamed essence that is typically associated with werewolves. Instead, I got a rather平淡的 depiction that left me feeling disappointed.

Rating 2.5 stars

After carefully reading the reviews for this book, I can't help but think that there might be something amiss with me. The reason being, I simply didn't fall in love with this book as everyone else seems to have. In my humble opinion, it was just average.

The most significant issue for me was that it failed to hold my attention firmly. I did like the characters, especially Clay. The actual plot was not terrible, but it appeared to have an excessive amount of detail for my personal taste or perhaps due to my current mood. As a result, my mind would often wander elsewhere. If the book had, let's say, 150 pages less, I probably would have enjoyed it more. Additionally, I don't think it was a wise decision to read this book straight after Blood Bound (which I adored). I found myself constantly comparing the two.

Overall, I didn't have a profound love for this book. I merely found it okay. However, maybe one day in the future, I might give the second book in the series a try.

So I've seen the show and I'm truly impressed by how closely it adhered to the book.

Although there are indeed some alterations, they are mainly focused on one supporting character.

I thoroughly enjoyed it, especially Elena's arduous struggle to determine what she desires in life, along with all the intense action that unfolds.

Even though Clay's past deeds were truly abhorrent - he repeatedly demonstrated that he wasn't as human as the others.

I'm glad that Elena was starting to forgive him - and chose not to remain in Toronto. Her human boyfriend was extremely dull!

The show managed to capture the essence of the story and bring the characters to life in a vivid and engaging manner.

The relationship between Elena and Clay, despite its troubled past, added an interesting layer of complexity to the plot.

Overall, it was a great adaptation that left me eagerly anticipating the next installment.

So, I came into Bitten having read nearly all of the other books in the Women of the Otherworld series. In fact, the books with Elena narrating are the only ones I haven't read. It was very interesting to read this one, knowing it was the first in the series and already knowing in broader strokes who major players like Elena, Clayton, Jeremy, and Karl, are.

The narration in this book is much darker than in her more recent works. Here, the women seem less vibrant and less infused with personality. It took me a few chapters to get comfortable. Once I got used to Elena's voice, however, I found that I quite liked that it was not so light in tone. Elena's story is darker. For one thing, she struggles with a difficult childhood and a terrible betrayal as an adult. Additionally, she has a dual life as a werewolf. So, the darker tone is appropriate, I think. I remember not liking Paige as much right away (Dimestore Magic was the first Armstrong I read). I think I actually came to like Elena more quickly, or maybe I just found her easier to relate to than sheltered girly girl Paige.

Elena's first story, which focuses on her return to the Pack when it is threatened by a group of outsiders, is really about her coming to grips with herself. Not only as a werewolf, but also who she is as a person. She has to learn to accept certain things about her nature and reconcile her past with her life now. She also has to resolve her feelings for Clay, the wolf who she fell in love with and who betrayed her in the worst way possible by making her a werewolf without her consent. I found her personal journey just as compelling as the more action-oriented parts of the plot.

There were a few elements in the book that I struggled with. One was the infidelity. Elena has constructed a human life for herself, living with a human man and holding down a regular job. When she returns to the Pack, her feelings for Clay resurface. While she struggles with the emotional side, she easily gives in to the physical. I think having suffered infidelity in a serious relationship in my own life, I find it very difficult to sympathize with those who commit it. The other issue I had was learning to like Clay. I see his biting Elena without her consent as a form of rape, worse than anything her foster fathers did because she trusted him and loved him. And rather than offering her a choice she might well have taken, he made the decision for her. Elena eventually decides that being a werewolf is a good thing for her, but she was still made one without the opportunity to say yes or no. In the long run, I just had to buy into Elena's way of thinking and roll with her decisions.

Overall, though, I thought Bitten was excellent. The plot revolving around the Pack was full of action, but Elena's emotional journey was the meat of the story for me. I'm very glad I finally picked this book up.

First person narrative is not my favorite genre to read.

I have a penchant for third person and I especially prefer multiple viewpoints.

Since I lack psychic abilities and cannot read minds, I enjoy reading stories with diverse narratives.

I have a curiosity to know what is happening in the minds of other characters.

That being said, this story arc was fairly decent.

I was intrigued by the werewolf history and the engaging action between the bad guys and the good guys.

In fact, I liked most of the characters.

However, my opinion of Elena was quite different.

I found her to be an irritating and self-pitying individual.

Carrying a grudge for a decade seemed excessive to me.

Blaming others for her own shortcomings was selfish.

Lying to herself and others was truly pathetic.

Lying to Philip about her true identity after they moved in together was despicable.

Her constant whining about her life really got on my nerves.

If she remains the same in the next book, I will have to give up on any future installments told from her point of view as I simply cannot tolerate her.

Furthermore, I could do without the chapter titles.

I fail to see the significance of a one-word title or any title for that matter.

Just providing a chapter number would suffice for me.

Re-read December 2009

Bitten is the first installment of the highly popular Women of the Otherworld series penned by Kelley Armstrong. This series has gained its popularity for valid reasons. Armstrong crafts excellent, well-structured stories, and I consider her books to be urban fantasy classics.

The series showcases a diverse range of female (and later, male) narrators with different supernatural backgrounds. In this particular book, we are introduced to her werewolves through the eyes of Elena Michaels. Elena is the sole female werewolf in the world, striving to lead a normal life outside the Pack. However, she is called back to the Pack's estate by the Pack leader when mutts start running amok and causing trouble. What begins as an attempt at damage control soon escalates as the Pack realizes they have underestimated the problem, and the situation deteriorates rapidly.

Armstrong has a remarkable talent for making her characters come alive. Elena is a captivating narrator, and it's impossible not to empathize with her. Her conflicting thoughts and emotions regarding her place in the world, her relationship with the Pack, and her former lover Clay pose a significant obstacle for her to overcome, in addition to the actual battle unfolding around her. Elena is a smart, strong-willed woman, and reading about her is a pleasure. Equally engaging are Clayton and Jeremy. Jeremy, the ever-calm Pack leader, reveals his loneliness and insecurities at various moments. Clayton, Jeremy's adopted son, the Pack's enforcer, and the youngest bitten werewolf, has a more wolfish nature. His views on the (social) world are fascinating. Despite his sociopathic tendencies, a reputation for "dealing with" mutts, and a fiery temper, Clay is brutally honest and passionately dedicated to Elena.

But regardless of how appealing Clay may be, my heart belongs to one man and one man only, and that is Karl Marsten. This man manages to make single-minded, sly, and devious behavior seem undeniably sexy. Bitten is an outstanding start to a wonderful series. People, do give it a read!

Oh Goodreads, what on earth are you doing to me?

First, there were zombies, and now, there are werewolves? It's truly难以置信. Never in a million years would I have thought that I would read a book like this and actually enjoy it. However, aside from a few minor issues (such as several typos in the edition I had), I really, really loved it.

I guess the fact that Elena is such a kick-ass heroine in an all-male environment played a huge role in my enjoyment. She's strong, independent, and not afraid to take on the challenges that come her way. It's refreshing to see a female character like that in a paranormal romance novel.

Overall, I'm really glad that I took a chance on this book. I will definitely be reading more of this series in the future. I can't wait to see what else the author has in store for us.

Werewolves in Toronto! I Absolutely Loved It!

Elena Michaels had no intention of becoming a werewolf. She was completely ignorant of this strange world. However, due to a sudden impulse from her werewolf boyfriend, she found herself as the only known female werewolf.

After several years, tired of this supernatural existence, she decided to leave the Pack and return to living as a normal human in the big city. She managed to secure a nice job and even had a new boyfriend.

Regrettably for her, the Pack needed her back. Clay, her former boyfriend, was determined to have her return. After all, she still belonged to him.

What I adored about this book was numerous. Firstly, it was set in Canada, which added a unique charm. Secondly, the writing style was refreshing and engaging. Thirdly, there were some truly unique and novel ideas. For instance, the fact that werewolves endured pain during transformation and that there were only male werewolves, and Elena's creation was an anomaly. Fourthly, Clay. He was utterly obsessed with Elena, a completely red-blooded, psycho male. I am eager to read more books from this series as he has all the potential to become my favorite werewolf.

“You forget, darling. I am the local psychopath”

Elena Michaels resides in Toronto with her architect boyfriend, Philip. She works as a writer for a magazine, and on the surface, she appears to be a typical modern woman. However, there is a secret she keeps from Philip - she is a werewolf. Elena was bitten by someone she trusted, which forever changed her world, yet she endeavors to maintain a sense of normalcy.

Circumstances force Elena to return to the home of the Pack where she was cared for after being bitten. She still harbors resentment towards Clay, a member of the Pack with whom she had a past relationship. But she has come back at the request of Jeremy, the Pack leader. The Pack is under attack, and her skills are needed to help defeat the unidentified antagonists.

The world constructed in this story is captivating, with notable differences from other paranormal wolf stories I've read before. The characters are clearly defined, and there is a great deal of excitement as the Pack, led by Jeremy, attempts to defend themselves and overcome their attackers. The mystery underlying the plot will also keep you engaged in this story.

What detracted from the story for me was the love triangle involving Elena, Clay, and Philip. I'm not fond of such storylines, and throughout the book, I was bothered by Elena's duplicity with Philip, now compounded by a love conflict involving another man. If this isn't a concern for you, then you'll likely love this story. If it is, you'll probably reach the same conclusion as I did in evaluating the story. Despite this aspect, the book is well-written, and I ended up with a positive impression. I do intend to continue the series, at least for one more book.

*** 3.44 ***

I had a buddy read with the MacHalos, as we were in a wolfish mood. :)

This book has its pros and cons. There isn't really anything fundamentally wrong with it, but it is written in a rather heavy info-dump style. It's told from the perspective of Elena Michaels, a "bitten" werewolf who attempts to live like a normal human. The circumstances under which she was turned made her feel betrayed, and she wants nothing to do with the pack. However, the pack, especially Clay who considers her his, wants her back. The main character often jumps from the present to reminiscing about the past. Most of the narrative is just telling us things rather than really making us experience them. If we could have lived through all those formative events with the character, I think the book wouldn't have felt like such a chore at times. Because in the moments of current action and discovery, the narrative really shone, and the reader could get truly engaged. Her moments of anger, passion, and fear were extremely powerful and poignant, and I constantly sought them out, but they were few and far between.

I recall reading this book when it was first released, and I loved it. I remember thinking the writing style was a bit cumbersome and flat-footed, yet I still enjoyed it. At that time, it seemed new and exciting as the UF genre was just entering its Golden Age. However, since then, the field has become saturated, and readers have been presented with many wonderful were-related series. I'm not sure if this book has aged as well as I initially thought it might. Nevertheless, if you like a story that takes its time to develop and has plenty of intermediate action, this is a good choice. I would also recommend it to those who are just getting introduced to this genre, as it does have some very well-established werewolf lore. It's a great springboard for jumping into the pool of furry monsters. :)

On this reread, there were things that bothered me more, such as the betraying of trust, the casualness of cheating, and the fact that Elena was a bit of a pain in the ass. I'm not sure why these bothered me more the second time around, but that's just how it is.

Now I wish you all Happy Reading and many more wonderful books to come!!!

How can I write this review without sounding like I'm about to start stalking Kelley Armstrong?

I truly adored this book. Every single character within its pages was a delight. It was masterfully written, filled with engaging and interesting personalities. The plot was not only fast-paced but also incredibly captivating. I never once felt the slightest bit of boredom. There was no sense of it dragging on. Instead, the story was an absolute pleasure to devour.

This is precisely what reading should be all about! Turning page after page, completely and utterly emotionally invested in the characters. It's as if you're right there with them, experiencing everything through their eyes, their fingers, and even their brains.

To me, this book is on par with The Hunger Games, and that is extremely high praise indeed. In fact, I might even enjoy it more than the Fever Series, although I'm cautious about saying anything I might later regret!

Now, I'm off to read the subsequent books, hoping against all odds that this one wasn't a fluke and that they are just as well-written and incredible as this one was. If they're not, I'm afraid my heart might just break!

3.5 Stars


I am an enormous enthusiast of those captivating anti-hero type male leads who make your heart flutter. My all-time favorite is Jericho Barrons from the Karen Marie Moning’s Fever series. He is also known as Jericho Fucking Barrrons, depending on whether you love him or loathe him. Clay, in this story, has a similar sort of hazy morality. He is entirely at ease with the animal within him and does just enough to manage in the real world. He doesn't apologize for who he is. He will kill, maim, torture, or do whatever it takes to safeguard what belongs to him, and he will never express remorse or feel guilty for the extreme lengths he goes to.


Clay's behavior couldn't be measured by human standards of normalcy... or by any standards of normalcy at all.


For those of you who are on the hate side of Jericho Barrons, you might have a bit more liking for Clay. He has a vulnerable side that surfaces when he is with Elena and Jeremy, his surrogate father, which makes him even more endearing. We all know that Jericho Barrons has no such vulnerable side. For me, Clay made this book truly worth reading. He was strong and had a clear understanding of himself, which was great considering the main character, Elena, was struggling so much with her identity and the choices she was making.


The main part of the story revolves around Elena, the only female werewolf in existence. She has endured a great deal and left the pack over a year ago to attempt to lead a normal life, severing all ties with the people who had treated her like family. She has a whole new life with a boyfriend and a normal job. Everything is going quite well, so the last thing she desires is to be pulled back into pack politics. But when Jeremy calls and says he needs her help, she reluctantly agrees to assist him this one last time. Famous last words, right?


I really enjoyed this story. There was not only the conflict with the lone wolves trying to bring down the pack and cause chaos but also the complex backstory between Elena and Clay. I found myself feeling very sympathetic towards them, and I truly hoped that Elena would figure out what she really wanted from life sooner rather than later. There was a perfect combination of danger, action, and romance. I knew immediately which world Elena belonged in, but I also understood why she would struggle with her decisions.


I really liked the introduction to this world and the characters. I will definitely continue reading, mainly because of Clay, whose character piqued my interest the most.


Sorry about all the Jericho Barrons love in this review. But I totally love that character, and Clay made me want to go back and re-read the entire Fever series again, and it just spilled out.