Book 20 - Stolen

Still riding the adrenaline rush of finding a new author to adore, I dove into Stolen, eager to get to know werewolf Elena and her boyfriend Clayton better...especially Clayton. Did I mention he's pretty darn fine?

But I admit, I didn't whip through Stolen with the enthusiasm I tackled Bitten. Not that there was anything wrong with the writing - Kelley Armstrong has phenomenal talent. She's one of those writers that could probably make the phone book compelling.

But there was far less Clayton in this book, eliminating much of the raw sexual tension I loved in Bitten. And...oddly, the introduction of other supernatural beings, like demons and vampires, took away from my new-found admiration of werewolves.

Elena spends most of the story in captivity, a secret compound where some truly bizarre people are researching the...talents...of each inhuman race. Accompanying Elena are a couple of witches, a half-demon, a vampire, a "mutt" and an all powerful sorcerer - and with few exceptions, I couldn't really latch on to them as potential recurring characters.

The facility is funded by a millionaire who enjoys hunting the supernaturals when they've stayed their welcome - a well-done antagonist. His interest in Elena allows the reader to get a stronger sense of her backstory, and of course, fall more in like with her. I do like her, very much - so I'm a bit reluctant to start book three, which I understand is more about Paige, an apprentice witch rather than Elena, and, uh, Clayton.

Though the pacing is slower, Stolen is still a great read and Kelley is fast becoming one of my favourite authors.