Stolen is the second book in the Women of the Otherworld series by Kelley Armstrong. Armstrong writes good stories and this was no exception.

The plot was in thriller form and it kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the book. I liked getting to know the other races in the supernatural community and I loved seeing Elena and Clay together; their relationship was beautifully portrayed. Those two really complete each other and it was great to see their mutual respect and love for one another.

That all being said: I didn’t like this book as much as the first one.

Stolen started out quite slow, which was not a bad thing necessarily, especially since Armstrong knows how to keep the suspense high. The story was intense, dark and packed with gruesome happenings of death, terror, sadism and torture. Elena goes through a lot but she tries to stay calm through the whole ordeal, keeping her wits about her. This makes the dark story bearable –rational thinking, cynicism and emotional numbness serve their purpose in coping strategies- but I must say sometimes I did miss a bit emotion in Elena.
I know Elena is a strong woman who rather is practical than emotional. I know shutting oneself down completely can be a useful defence mechanism. I know being evasive or indulging in sex with a loved one can help ease the pain of trauma. But I really would have like to have a bit more emotion at some point.

What also bugged me was that coincidence and sheer luck played a big part in some occurrences in the plot and how fast the ending was wrapped up. I would have liked to see a bit more for closure (I guess I needed it).

Still (even despite lack of Karl Marsten's hotness) a good read: 3,5 stars.