Challenge Review: Stolen by Kelley Armstrong

CHALLENGE: MONTH TWO

STOLEN BY KELLEY ARMSTRONG

Title: Stolen
Series: Women of the Otherworld #2
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Genre: Supernatural Fictions, Urban Fantasy Fiction
Elements: Werewolves, Witches, Demons, Vampires, Shamans, Sorcerers, Voodoo Priests
Publisher: Plume Books, Penguin Group
Format: Paperback, 399 Pages
ISBN: 978-0-452-29607-7
Release Date: September 28, 2004
Source: Borrowed from Wentworth Library
Rating: 4/5

Tagline(s): ~NONE~

Summary: Elena Michaels is back--and she has company. Leading a mission of vampires, demons, shamans, and witches, Elena is lured into the net of ruthless Internet billionaire Tyrone Winsloe, who is well on his way to amassing a private collection of supernaturals. He plans to harness their powers for himself--even if it means killing them.

For Elena, kidnapped and imprisoned deep underground, unable to tell her friends from her enemies, choosing the right allies is a matter of life and death.

Review:

Being the only female werewolf makes Elena a hot commodity. But in Stolen, she's not the only one being hunted. Witches, vampires, shamans, sorcerers, half-demons, and voodoo priests, are among the other supernaturals being captured and imprisoned by Tyrone Winsloe and his cohorts. Elena will need the help of her Pack and a group of supernaturals to bring down the lab and free the other captives.

In this second installment in the Women of the Otherworld series, Elena is introduced to the reality that there are other supernatural beings in the world besides werewolves. In the group Elena meets intent on eliminating the threat Ty Winsloe and his lab presents; there's Paige and Ruth the witches, Adam the half-demon, Cassandra the vampire, and Kenneth the shaman.

Just as Elena meets these people for the first time, we as readers are introduced to them as they will make future appearances throughout the series. Others in this group will take over as narrator and show things from their places in the world of the Women of the Otherworld. So we're meeting the full cast for the first time! It was kind of exciting. And what's great is that no matter who the narrator this, every character will eventually make a guest appearance, so we don't have to say goodbye to anyone!

But back to talking about Stolen. I have to say that I really enjoyed the downfall of Ty Winsloe and the lab he funded. Elena and the other captives were supposedly "guests," but they were kidnapped and locked up. The scientists thought they were all that and knew what they were talking about in regard to the different species, but in reality they knew nothing and didn't take Elena's warnings seriously. I mean, who's going to know more? The person who's actually a werewolf (or what have you) or a scientist who's just learning about them? And then there's Ty Winsloe himself. He totally disgusted me, but he was like the perfect villain. I just found it very satisfying when it all blew up in his face. Very satisfying, indeed.

I liked that Elena was more open and accepting of her feelings for Clay in this book. She doesn't lie to herself anymore about loving him. Their devotion to each other is something to be admired. Every time Clay would say "darling" I could imagine his Southern accent and it made me want to swoon every single time he said it. I don't know how Elena could push someone like Clay away. I'm really looking forward to seeing what the future has in store for them, as well as everyone else we met in this book.

About this Author: 

Kelley Armstrong has been telling
stories since before she could write. Her earliest written efforts
were disastrous. If asked for a story about girls and dolls, hers would
invariably feature undead girls and evil dolls, much to her teachers'
dismay. All efforts to make her produce "normal" stories failed.

Today, she continues to spin tales of ghosts and demons and
werewolves, while safely locked away in her basement writing dungeon.
She's the author of the NYT-bestselling "Women of the Otherworld"
paranormal suspense series and "Darkest Powers" young adult urban
fantasy trilogy, as well as the Nadia Stafford crime series. Armstrong
lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, kids and far too many
pets.