Rating 3.5 stars.

This story takes a bit of a departure from the first book in the series, Bitten. It's not solely about werewolves anymore. In this installment, we are introduced to a whole new world of supernatural beings such as vampires, shamans, witches, and half-demons. Apparently, all of these beings exist, and it's the first time the werewolves become aware of their existence. The reason for this newfound knowledge is that something is hunting supernatural creatures.

Elana is kidnapped about one-fifth of the way through the book, and the story mainly centers around her and her interactions with her kidnappers and other prisoners. It's fairly interesting, and the who, what, when, and where aspects of the story are quite good. However, just like in the first book, the biggest problem lies in the why. If there was a more compelling reason for the kidnapping and everything that occurs, the story would be significantly better. It's kind of like in the movie Forest Gump when he runs across the country multiple times, and it's an amazing story that makes everyone think there's some great purpose behind it. Then he says, "I just felt like running."

I could never quite understand the reason why the rich guy behind the kidnapping was doing it. There were a couple of possible hints, but no real explanation.

Other than that, I still like the character of Elena and her relationship with Clay. Even though the more interesting relationship is perhaps between Elena and Jeremy.

"Stolen" is the captivating sequel to "Bitten" and the second installment in Armstrong's "Women of the Otherworld" series.

As Armstrong herself has stated, "Bitten" was originally intended as a standalone book, while "Stolen" was deliberately crafted as part of the series. The contrast between the two books is quite evident.

Similar to "Bitten," "Stolen" is narrated from Elena's perspective. However, we are swiftly transported beyond Elena's familiar werewolf realm as she is abruptly thrust into a completely alien and novel supernatural world - one populated by witches, vampires, shamans, half-demons, sorcerers, and more. She also discovers that someone is abducting supernatural species for experimentation. At one point, Elena herself is kidnapped, and she must find a way to rescue not only herself but also the other supernatural captives while concealing their existence from the public.

In this book, Armstrong introduces an entire cast of new supernatural characters, who, as I understand, she employs in her subsequent books. The new world, in my opinion, is more chaotic than the werewolf world she created in "Bitten." Perhaps I simply require more time to acclimate to the concept. While I am accepting of werewolves, vampires, and maybe even witches, the idea of half-demons is a bit of a stretch for me. Nevertheless, do not lose hope. The elements we adored in "Bitten" are present here - Elena and Clay's passionate relationship (albeit with significantly less drama), a deeper exploration of the werewolf world (we witness firsthand what a newly bitten werewolf endures physically and emotionally), and, finally, a tightly woven and action-packed plot.

I will most definitely continue with the series, and I am eagerly anticipating seeing what Armstrong does with the characters she has introduced in this book.

"Stolen" is also written from Elena's point of view, just like "Bitten". It's not a traditional sequel either. After being captured while trying to figure out who is killing werewolves, Elena is suddenly thrust into a completely foreign and new world of supernaturals, including witches, vampires, shamans, half-demons, sorcerers, and more. Personally, I had some issues with this storyline. If there are werewolves, one would think that Jeremy would have all this information readily available.

Unlike the first book, there isn't a lot of romance in this one. Elena is caught and imprisoned to participate in a hunt. She finds herself learning what it means to be a werewolf. Our villain is Ty Winsloe, a billionaire who is collecting supernaturals so that he can experiment on them and then hunt them down when he's done. He really should have been killed by Elena much earlier in the story, but that's beside the point.

Overall, I give this book a 3.5-star rating. It had its interesting moments, but also some flaws that prevented it from being a full 4-star read. However, it still managed to keep me engaged and entertained throughout.

I am truly captivated by Kelley Armstrong’s Women of the Otherworld Series. Her Otherworld universe grows increasingly fascinating with each new character introduction.

Stolen, the second book in this series, continues with Elena Michaels, the sole female werewolf from the first book, as the main protagonist.

The Pack is alerted by Ruth, a witch, and Paige, her apprentice, that they and all supernatural species are in severe danger. A secret group has been targeting and abducting supernaturals for study and experimentation.

As the Pack commences their investigation, Elena and Ruth are captured and taken to a secret laboratory. There, other supernaturals are being tortured and dissected by an evil cabal led by Ty Winsloe, a psychotic billionaire, along with some truly strange humans like Dr Matasumi, the idiotic and crazy scientist, Colonel Tucker, the extremely heavy and beyond psychotic security guy with his killer dogs, Sondra Bauer, the “friendly and welcoming” admin person (another weirdo and psycho-mad human), and a poor little rich girl who often sounds bipolar. Sadly, things don't end well for her. It turns out she's not too bright in the head. Did she really believe she could be taken seriously if she became someone else? And then there's the only “sane” and somewhat kind Dr Carmichael, who meets a very bad and gory end.

And then, there are the SUPERNATURALS! Forget the werewolves. I'm much more into these fabulous, enthralling, interesting, and captivating vampires, witches, shamans, half-demons, necromancers, ghosts. Oh, I love them! Savannah, the young witch being secretly trained by Ruth, Xavier the double-crossing vampire, Leah, who is a half-demon and double-crosser (what else can we expect from demons?),

Most of this book focuses on Elena’s captivity and the goings-on in the facility, including some gory and scary things like Ty Winsloe’s human hunting safaris in the surrounding forest. This guy is so extreme. The scene just before he gets his just desserts is completely unbelievable. I wondered if there are really such humans out there.

What amazed me was the way the plots and characters are written, making it so real and believable as you turn page after page, completely engrossed in this fantasy world.

I'm a bit undecided about Elena. I like her at times and then don't like her at others. It's the same with Clay. I haven't fully connected with the werewolves yet. Don't get me wrong. There are moments, and I hope we learn more about Jeremy, what's in his head, what he's feeling and thinking.

The writing and character development are good, and my interest never wavered, keeping me reading and reading.

And oh, I can't wait for Paige and Savannah’s story next.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series. Although I didn't have an intense love for it, I definitely didn't regret reading it. However, when it came to Stolen, it was a completely different story. I almost didn't manage to finish it. In fact, I pretty much hated it from the very beginning all the way to the end. Armstrong seemed to have lowered herself by using some truly TSTL (Too Stupid To Live) stunts just to put Elena in danger and move the plot forward. In the first book, Elena was a strong and stubborn character. But in this one, she talked a big talk yet just acquiesced over and over again. Even her escape wasn't really due to her own efforts. I do have the third book in the series, but to be honest, I don't think I'll bother reading it.

I'm really disappointed with how this series has turned out. It started off with such promise in the first book, but Stolen was a major letdown. I had high hopes for Elena's character development, but instead, she seemed to regress. I'm not sure if I'm willing to give the third book a chance, considering how much I disliked the second one.

Maybe I'll just wait and see if there are any positive reviews for the third book before making a decision. For now, I think I'll just move on to reading something else.

Second in the Women of the Otherworld urban fantasy series, this book revolves around Elena Michaels, a reluctant werewolf and journalist.

My Take: The writing is excellent, but the premise is rather bad. The antagonists' delusions are hard to believe. They call their prisoners "guests" as if that makes it okay. These bad guys are bored, self-obsessed, and lack compassion. The theme of reversed compassion, with supernaturals as the true humanitarians and humans as the real evil, is one I've seen before. Thankfully, there is some humor in the book, like Clay's attempts to change. The backstories are well integrated, avoiding the dreaded info dump. The ending is great, if you can handle violence.

The Story: Cocky Elena investigates an Internet posting about werewolves and gets kidnapped by a group with mixed interests. They are interested in paranormals and want to torture, control, and play with them in a perverse reality video game. But Elena is not one to sit back and do nothing.

The Characters: Elena is the only female werewolf. Jeremy is the Alpha of her pack, and Clayton is his adopted son, bodyguard, and Elena's lover. The rest of the pack includes Antonio and Nick. There are also various other supernaturals, like witches, vampires, and shamans. The "research center" is run by perverse people, including a billionaire and a renowned researcher. The prisoners include a twelve-year-old girl and a variety of supernaturals with different powers.

The Cover and Title: The cover is spooky, with a black and purple color scheme and an orange eye of a black wolf. The title, "Stolen", focuses on all those who have been taken from their lives.

Not quite as good as the first book, but still worth reading.

I think forming a series out of it somewhat lessens the impact of the story. One of my favorite things about the first book was that it said there were only a handful of werewolves in the world. There are so many supernatural stories that imply there are hundreds or thousands of Vampires or werewolves or whatever, so much that they have their own complex societies. But to propose that there were only a few werewolves denounces all that, and I found it very refreshing.

However, the second book confounds that by introducing vampires, witches, demons, and sorcerers, with a complex society of supernatural creatures. Ug! But, setting aside all that, the book is quite good. It maintains the same level of intensity and the characters are just as well developed. The plot was a little cliché, but it was all right. It kept my interest and left me waiting for the next book. Which is all that can be expected from a sequel.

Overall, while the second book may not have had the same unique charm as the first, it still managed to hold its own and keep readers engaged. The addition of more supernatural elements, although perhaps a departure from the original concept, added depth and complexity to the story. The well-developed characters and intense plot made it a worthwhile read, and I look forward to seeing what the next book in the series has in store.

I absolutely LOVE Kelley Armstrong's writing.

At first, I didn't think I would like this book as much as the first one, Bitten. However, to my surprise, I found that I enjoyed it even more.

The storyline might not have been the most imaginative in the entire world, but that didn't really matter all that much.

This is because the characters, both the old and the new ones, are simply so good.

They are well-developed, complex, and truly engaging.

Moreover, the writing itself is brilliant.

Kelley Armstrong has a way with words that draws you in and keeps you hooked from start to finish.

If you have a love for fantasy, especially if it involves werewolves and witches, and you don't mind a few gorey scenes here and there, then I highly recommend giving this series a read.

You won't be disappointed!

I am very happy to have found Elena and her pack again.

The volume is not short of action. Personally, the hunting scenes are never my favorites, and there are still several in this volume.

We have a solid villain who really made me angry!

I was quite surprised by Elena's empathy in some situations. I had the impression that she was more egocentric. It must be said that it would surely have served her too.

The second installment in the Women of the Underworld Series truly marks an upgrade from its predecessor. Indeed, the werewolves make a return (and if you peruse my review of the first book, you'll discover that I wasn't overly enthusiastic about them), but this time around, they are joined by other supernatural species.

Elena receives a contact from a family of witches, inviting her to a summit of supernaturals. She initially scoffs at the idea, yet soon finds herself being hunted by men in military gear. She and the witches manage to elude their pursuers, and Elena, along with her pack Alpha and Clay, agree to attend the meeting to uncover what's transpiring. They encounter a half-demon, a vampire, and a shaman. The wolves decide not to get entangled with the group and depart, but Elena is abducted before they can reach home.

A warped billionaire is amassing supernaturals, ostensibly to explore their powers. Regrettably, he also relishes in hunting them for his own perverse pleasure. Elena becomes his favorite new plaything and must devise a means to escape from his secure, underground compound before she becomes the next victim.

The diverse races are splendidly represented, with each character being fascinating in their own right. The story unfolds rapidly, and the plot progresses at a frenzied pace as Elena must rely on her wits as much as her werewolf abilities to make her escape. It was extremely difficult to put the book down, as each chapter concluded with a cliffhanger, compelling me to keep reading.

I wholeheartedly recommend this read to anyone with an interest in the paranormal.

The second installment in the Women of the Otherworld series follows the story of Elena and Clayton. In this book, Kelley brings in a plethora of new characters, effectively laying the foundation for the subsequent book in the series.

This particular volume has a distinct flavor. It places a greater emphasis on the action aspect, with a reduced focus on romance. However, those intermittent chapters dedicated to Clay and Elena are truly the gems that make reading the entire novel worthwhile. One thing is certain: this series is not for the faint of heart. There is an abundance of killing and violence.

Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is uncommon for an action-packed book to grip my attention as firmly as this one did. While I generally have a penchant for more romance, this book had me hooked from the very first page. I'm not entirely convinced that all romance enthusiasts will appreciate this offering, but the plot is masterfully executed and the writing is nearly impeccable.

Kelley has even managed to rectify the absence of humor in her previous book. Although it may not have me rolling on the floor laughing, it does elicit a few smirks at the characters' antics.

I sincerely hope that you derive as much pleasure from reading this as I did!

Kelley Armstrong is truly one of my all-time favourite authors, and it's not merely because she hails from Canada. Her Women of the Otherworld series has always had a profound impact on me and will continue to do so.

This particular novel once again centres around Elena, but as the title indicates, this time she is "Stolen". The level of action in this book is ramped up significantly, making it on par (if not superior) to the original "Bitten" novel. I was so enthralled by this sequel that it was extremely difficult for me not to immediately pick up the third book. Elena and her pack, along with the other remarkable ladies who eventually drive this series, are an indomitable force. Kelley has an uncanny ability to craft her characters with strength and passion.

This series is undoubtedly targeted at adults, mainly due to the brutal nature that the story can sometimes delve into. It's not an R-rated novel per se, but the themes are more appropriately suited for mature audiences. However, some mature YA readers could easily handle it. I know for a fact that I originally read these books as a teenager.

I also have a great appreciation for the relationship between Elena and Clay. Their connection isn't always smooth sailing; it has its fair share of rocky moments. Nevertheless, they complement each other extremely well. Given that their relationship develops beautifully over multiple books, I can look back and be truly impressed by how Kelley has constructed their bond over time. The other characters and their relationships are equally strong, but these two truly stand out in the Elena books.

Kelley has a way of pulling you in and captivating you almost instantaneously. If you haven't yet delved into anything written by her, I highly recommend that you do so. I absolutely adore this author, and she consistently meets and exceeds my expectations.

If there were only one series that I could highly recommend, it would be this one. It encompasses drama, action, adventure, romance, and comedy, all neatly packaged into a remarkable Canadian series. It is well worth the read and every penny that I've invested in it (even when I accidentally purchased duplicates and triples of the books because I forgot the order - oops!). If I had one piece of advice, it would be to try not to space out your reading of this series too much. I find that it makes for an excellent binge-read as the story is so rich in lore and excitement.

And if you simply can't get enough of this series, there is a television show based on the books. The first season is quite faithful to the source material, while the second and third seasons are more loosely based, but it's still an incredible adaptation.

I wholeheartedly give this series five out of five stars. Can I somehow rate it six out of five? Alas, no. I suppose five will have to suffice!