BR with my MacHalo buddy, Choko!

If you happened to read the first book in this series, Bitten, and just like me, you simply couldn't tolerate Elena and had no desire to carry on, I would highly recommend giving this second book a shot. This book is an absolute improvement compared to the first one. Elena's character has undergone significant growth. She is no longer as bitter and fixated on the past as she was in the initial book. Additionally, all the relationship problems that plagued book one have been resolved, so there isn't that overwhelming sense of angst anymore.

I'm truly glad that I decided to give book 2 a chance. In fact, I'm now eagerly looking forward to continuing this series. I'm excited to see how the story will unfold further and what new adventures and developments await the characters. It just goes to show that sometimes, it's worth persevering and giving a series a second chance, as you might be pleasantly surprised by the transformation and improvement.

Not what I expected, which is good as I initially thought I would not have much interest in this book. However, to my pleasant surprise, I did like it more than the first installment in this series. Still, there is a sense that something is lacking. The series as a whole is really good and definitely worth reading.

In "Stolen", we once again get to follow the story of Elena, the heroine from the first book. Elena is a werewolf, and the only female werewolf to have ever existed. In the first book, we witnessed her struggle to understand and accept her wolf side. It took her some time, but she eventually did. She also came to terms with Clay, the werewolf she fell in love with and who turned her into a werewolf without her permission. While in the first book their constant fighting and Elena's attempts to avoid Clay were a bit tiresome, in this installment, we see them deeply in love and completely comfortable with each other. This was a very positive change. Clay is extremely hot. I just adore him. He is this super strong and powerful werewolf who is more wolf than human. He is also overly protective, jealous, and narrow-minded - qualities that I usually despise, but Clay manages to make me love them. I truly love this couple. It's as if when analyzed separately, they could be quite annoying, but when together, they bring out the best in each other for us to see.

However, this is not a romance novel at all. In fact, there is almost no romance in it as Elena spends 70% of the book in a prison. I know it sounds bad, but it's not. It took me a long time to get around to reading this book because many people had told me this and I thought it would be completely lame, but it wasn't. I actually loved the plot. We see Elena imprisoned by a crazy multimillionaire who wants to study and torture supernatural beings. It may sound like a stereotype, but it's not because throughout the story, you receive new information that helps you understand the situation better and you get to know the characters on a deeper level and sympathize with them even more.

Now, I'm not giving this book 5 stars because I was hoping for a much more shocking and powerful ending, one that was on par with the rest of the book. But unfortunately, that's not what we got. It's as if the author simply ran out of pages and decided to end the book with a rather平淡的 closing phrase. This is not good. I need more. I will be reading more books in the series, although I am extremely disappointed to learn that they are not about Elena and Clay, but about Paige, a character I didn't really care about at all.

Elena is truly remarkable. In this story, we have a captivating cast of characters. There's a vampress who is a seductress and self-involved, a couple of witches, half demons, an evil rich guy who loves to 'hunt' special beings, and a group of scientists eager to study them first. Elena gets captured but manages to escape 9 days later. Then they return to take out the camp. There's an interesting substory where one of the scientists injects herself with Elena's saliva, becomes a werewolf (desiring more power), kills another scientist, doesn't like being a werewolf, and dies while trying to escape with Elena. A 12-year-old captured witch also adds to the intrigue, and we're relieved when she's rescued.

The story doesn't focus as much on pack life, but Elena solidifies her relationship with Clay. We get a better understanding of how their mating for life works, and I found myself liking Clay a bit more. The setting includes a hotel in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a meeting hall in Massachusetts (not Salem), a compound in Maine, and a hotel in New Brunswick, Canada. The themes explored are captivity, inhumane mindset, courage vs fear vs common sense, persistence, right, and love.
The characters are well-developed. Elena Michaels is the central character, and we experience the story from her perspective. Clay Danvers, Jeremy Danvers, Adam Vasic, Paige Witherbourne, Ruth Witherbourne, Cassandra DuCharme, Savannah Levine, Sondra Bauer, Dr. Carmichael, Leah O’Donnell, Patrick Lake / Armen Haig, Tyrone Winsloe, Lawrence Matasumi, Xavier Reese aka Houdini, Colonel Tucker, and Isaac Katzen all play important roles. Each character has their own unique traits and motives, which add depth and complexity to the story.
Some of the memorable scenes include Elena confronting her fear of Clay not loving the whole of her when she's in Paige's body, and Clay's touching admission that he would choose Elena over the pack/Jeremy. These scenes展现了 the characters' inner struggles and emotions, making the story even more engaging. Overall, this is a thrilling and captivating story that keeps you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end.

Quick read!

The first few chapters of this story were truly super interesting. They had me completely hooked from the very beginning. The characters were well-developed, and the plot was engaging.

However, things took a super weird turn with the kidnapping and everything that followed. It seemed a bit out of nowhere and threw me off. I wasn't really a fan of this sudden change in direction.

Maybe if the build-up to the kidnapping had been more gradual, or if there had been some earlier hints or foreshadowing, I would have been more accepting of it. But as it was, it just felt too abrupt and didn't quite fit with the rest of the story.

Overall, while the beginning was great, the weird turn in the middle made me less enthusiastic about the book. I'm still curious to see how it all ends, but I hope the remaining chapters can somehow bring the story back on track and make up for this strange detour.

Stolen is precisely the kind of first sequel that a truly excellent Urban Fantasy novel ought to have.

If you have the inclination to introduce a plethora of supernatural races into your fictional world, even when the first book only featured werewolves, then simply go ahead and do it! And in Stolen, Kelley Armstrong accomplishes exactly that.

Here, we are treated to the introduction of at least five new kinds of supernatural beings.

It is simply impossible for me to do justice to this book with a mere review. Therefore, I will simply state that I have a deep affection for it and fully intend to continue reading this series without hesitation.

The rich and diverse world-building, along with the engaging characters and thrilling plot, make Stolen a must-read for any fan of Urban Fantasy.

I can't wait to see what else Kelley Armstrong has in store for us in the subsequent installments of this captivating series.

3.5 stars
This book presented a slight improvement over the previous one in this series.

Jeremy, in my opinion, remains the most worthless Alpha I have ever come across in my reading. Once again, throughout the entire book, he failed to contribute even a single good idea. Fortunately, he is just a minor character, and Elena managed to steal the show in this installment.

The book, however, wasn't as gripping as I had hoped it would be. Nevertheless, it was still good overall.

However, I don't think I will continue with this series. The reason being that the next book focuses on Paige, a secondary character from this book whom I simply don't care about at all.

I'm not sure if the story will be able to capture my interest with Paige as the main focus. Maybe I'll give it a try later, but for now, I'm going to move on to other books.

Elena is back, and she's joined by Clayton, my all-time favorite werewolf.

The world of the Stonehaven wolfs has just expanded significantly. There are other supernatural beings out there, and not everything is as it should be in this world.

Tragically, Elena is kidnapped. Seriously, she's a werewolf! This really shouldn't have happened.

I absolutely love this book. It's an incredibly exciting read and truly amazing.

The story takes you on a thrilling journey filled with mystery, danger, and supernatural elements.

You can't help but be drawn into the lives of the characters and root for them as they face various challenges.

If you're a fan of supernatural fiction, this book is definitely worth checking out.

You can find more reviews and information about this book at http://books-in-a-storm.tumblr.com/po...

I really enjoyed this supernatural novel that showcases strong women handling various situations with great skill and determination. The scenarios presented in the story are truly nail-biting, keeping me on the edge of my seat throughout.

So far, I have been finding this series to be an absolute delight to read. The characters are well-developed, and their strength and courage are truly inspiring. The supernatural elements add an extra layer of excitement and mystery to the story, making it even more engaging.

I can't wait to see what other adventures and challenges the strong women in this series will face. I highly recommend this novel to anyone who loves supernatural stories and strong female characters. It's a fun and thrilling read that will keep you entertained from start to finish.

I can clearly tell that this is a series that continuously improves as you progress further into it.

When I initially read Bitten, I wasn't completely convinced. To be honest, I'm not an extremely huge fan of werewolves. However, to my great surprise, I ended up being a huge fan of this book.

By this point, Elena has really grown on me. I was incredibly excited to be introduced to more ladies of the Otherworld. I simply cannot wait for the next book.

There is an enormous amount of potential in terms of where this series will lead. (And yes, I'm well aware that it's already over and I'm late to the party.)

I have full trust in Kelley Armstrong to provide some truly enjoyable paranormal experiences within this series. If she can create a book that largely takes place in a supernatural prison and make it this good, then she is truly capable of achieving anything!

I'm looking forward to seeing what else this series has in store.

This book, in my opinion, is one of the most crucial installments in this series. With the introduction of various preternatural characters that will form the Women of the Otherworld universe, Kelley Armstrong's world expands tenfold. Most of these werewolves, witches, demons, and sorcerers either get their own books or at least make appearances throughout the series. Elena, my favorite female werewolf, once again takes center stage as the narrator of this tale, and the villain is the kind of guy you love to hate.

Elena is kidnapped and separated from her pack, forcing her to rely on her wits and cunning. This bare-bones environment allows her personality to truly shine through. It's refreshing to see a female character grow stronger as a result of being separated from her mate. Clay is awesome in his own right, but Stolen proves that Elena is equally impressive, if not more so. Michaels plays mind games with her captors and fellow prisoners to identify friend from foe. I really enjoyed watching her mind work as she considered her best course of action. This werewolf is tested on all fronts in this novel. Her decisions sometimes go against her morals, but when freedom is at stake, sacrifices must be made.

Kelley Armstrong couldn't have chosen a better way to introduce her cast of supernaturals. The various breeds are literally on display in glass "showcases." The resident scientists are studying these abnormalities, and as the story progresses, we learn their findings. I found this to be a clever way of listing each preternatural's traits; instead of a dull information dump, it's entertaining and helps move the story forward. We meet two important characters in this installment: Paige Winterbourne and Savannah Levine. Book three, Dime Store Magic, features the first witch, while the latter makes appearances throughout the series but doesn't get her own story until book eleven, Waking The Witch. Re-reading these novels allows me to pick up extra details I missed the first time around. I'm falling in love with the Women of the Otherworld all over again!

Tyrone Winsloe is a rich, powerful tycoon with an ego to match, but all of these traits also make him an excellent villain. He's completely warped, which makes his character even more fun to read. Just when you think you've seen it all, Tye pulls something completely unexpected and heinous out of his bag of tricks. I was glad he got what was coming to him in the end, but I still enjoyed the ride. Clay plays a much smaller role in this book, but I couldn't write my review without mentioning him in some way. Danvers is caught between a rock and a hard place; on one side, he must obey his alpha, but on the other, he'll do anything to get Elena back. Tough call. On a good day, Clay isn't exactly the most stable person, so it was interesting to watch him try to stay cool under pressure and use his brain instead of his muscles. Even when Elena was at her lowest point, she knew, without a doubt, that he would come for her. This is just one of the many reasons why I love this power duo.

Bitten and Stolen are two of my all-time favorite werewolf books. You won't find an author more capable of capturing the true essence of what it means to be a wolf in human clothing than Kelley Armstrong.

Reviewed by: Rabid Reads

I did not recall Elena being this daft in the initial book! For the majority of this volume, she is essentially of no use.

In one particular instance, she is informed to anticipate telepathic contact from Paige that will likely give her a headache, and she is to regard this as a sign to relax and attempt to communicate with Paige. As events unfold, when she actually gets a headache, she commences bemoaning her lot - "oh why do I have to have a headache on top of every other ache" and so on. You're confined in a cell, your supposed objective is to figure out a means of escape, and part of the planning for this escape involves contact with those outside. And when the sign that you are being contacted arrives, you forget that you were supposed to expect it??? What the hell?!

I won't even touch on her insecurity issues with Clay, especially.

It's not just her, either. What on earth can I say about Sandra..?

You desire change, lady? You get a new haircut! You relocate! You do NOT inject yourself with something that will alter you irrevocably (if it doesn't kill you) and about which you know absolutely nothing just because it appears cool and you think it will bestow power upon you.

Completing this book was a painful experience. There was an abundance of nothing occurring for extended periods, and some things transpired without any rhyme or reason (and not in a good 'this is life, bad things happen' sort of way). The main "villain" was like a half-witted, hormonal, spoiled teenager who was purportedly intelligent but exhibited no evidence of this anywhere in the narrative, and whose sadistic proclivities were outdone only by those of his employees.

The only redeeming character is Jeremy, who was the voice of reason amidst the chaos, and perhaps Adam, who displayed a modicum of humor. Xavier might have been an interesting character, but we don't get to see all that much of him. Also, the sorcerer's identity was a surprise, which is a positive aspect considering that I'd completely forgotten about him and his "importance" until his appearance.

All things considered, I did not relish this book, and I'm probably not going to read the subsequent installment in the series.

Elena & Clay ikilisini daha çok birlikte görmek isterdim.

I really wish I could see Elena and Clay together more often. They have such a special connection that always keeps me intrigued.

Their story, as told in the blog post at https://oldgirlsontheblog.blogspot.co..., is full of mystery, romance, and adventure.

Every time I read about them, I am drawn into their world and can't wait to see what happens next.

It would be amazing if there were more opportunities to witness their interactions and the development of their relationship.

Maybe in future installments of their story, we'll get to see them facing new challenges and growing even closer together.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for more Elena and Clay!