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patchworkbunny's review
4.0
Elena and Clay want their very own family Christmas. They’ve rented a cabin in Canada and taken the twins. As soon as they arrive a mutt turns up at their door. Is he after the children or is he just being polite. She shouldn’t really spend their holiday working, but Elena can’t rest without knowing his story and whether or not he’s a threat to her family.
I’m finally getting round to reading the Women of the Otherworld novellas. Elena and The Pack are my favourite characters in the series, and these novellas are my last chance to read “new” stories about them now the series is officially complete. Hidden does fill in some gaps about the twins’ upbringing and isn’t just a filler story.
There’s not a whole lot of wolfiness in this one. It’s more about Elena’s indecision to tell the kids about what they are. Can they keep a secret? Is it harming them more to be ignorant of the dangers they face? Will they be disappointed if they never become werewolves themselves? Kate is already starting to ask questions.
I wasn’t fussed about the illustrations (I have the Subterranean edition hardback – I don’t know if they’re included in the ebooks). The kids look a bit like creepy doll children. In my head they are much more outdoorsy types. Just like their mum and dad.
I’m finally getting round to reading the Women of the Otherworld novellas. Elena and The Pack are my favourite characters in the series, and these novellas are my last chance to read “new” stories about them now the series is officially complete. Hidden does fill in some gaps about the twins’ upbringing and isn’t just a filler story.
There’s not a whole lot of wolfiness in this one. It’s more about Elena’s indecision to tell the kids about what they are. Can they keep a secret? Is it harming them more to be ignorant of the dangers they face? Will they be disappointed if they never become werewolves themselves? Kate is already starting to ask questions.
I wasn’t fussed about the illustrations (I have the Subterranean edition hardback – I don’t know if they’re included in the ebooks). The kids look a bit like creepy doll children. In my head they are much more outdoorsy types. Just like their mum and dad.
vikingwolf's review
5.0
Clay and Elena want some alone time with the kids before the Pack arrive for Christmas at the cabin. The kids are four now and their parents are wondering whether or not to tell them the truth about their heritage as nobody knows if they will be werewolves themselves.
However, a lone wolf approaches them soon after they arrive, introducing himself and promising that he will not give them any trouble but Clay and Elena are instantly suspicious of him. The fact that a brutal murder blamed on animals has taken place in the local area get them even edgier and they interrupt their holiday to start to investigate. Nick, Noah and Reese arrive to look after the kids and provide backup. Yea! I love Nick! Well, I love ALL of the wolf pack but I've always had a soft spot for Nick. It doesn't matter if he isn't in it too much, I always like him to be there. My one niggle is that Kate is a little madam and annoys the hell out of me!
As the investigation continues, there is evidence of a second mutt in the area, and the one that came to the cabin seems to be lurking around too much. Elena is getting edgy and when it looks as if one of the mutts might have set his sights on Kate, it brings back many bad memories of the abuse that Elena once suffered. She is determined to save her daughter from that fate.
What I liked about this plot is that we are seeing Elena and Clay as the parents, worrying about hiding their werewolf side from the kids, worring about whether or not they will develop as werewolves or what happens if one does and the other does not. There is the fear that parents have of something happening to their kids or not being there to protect them. It is quite an emotional story and there is a lot of tension as we wonder who is sneaking around and what is going to happen.
I also liked finding out a bit more about the newer additions to the Pack. Noah is starting to come out of his shell and is bonding with Nick, and he and Reese prove capable of helping with Pack business.
The wolves are my favourite characters in the series and are the reason I started the series to begin with. I was really disappointed with the way the series was taken over by Savannah and her tantrums so it was great to get more of the Pack and I will never get bored with more novellas about them! I read this story in the anthology Otherworld Nights, but I loved the cover of this so much that I had to get the hardback novella to join the others on my book shelf!
However, a lone wolf approaches them soon after they arrive, introducing himself and promising that he will not give them any trouble but Clay and Elena are instantly suspicious of him. The fact that a brutal murder blamed on animals has taken place in the local area get them even edgier and they interrupt their holiday to start to investigate. Nick, Noah and Reese arrive to look after the kids and provide backup. Yea! I love Nick! Well, I love ALL of the wolf pack but I've always had a soft spot for Nick. It doesn't matter if he isn't in it too much, I always like him to be there. My one niggle is that Kate is a little madam and annoys the hell out of me!
As the investigation continues, there is evidence of a second mutt in the area, and the one that came to the cabin seems to be lurking around too much. Elena is getting edgy and when it looks as if one of the mutts might have set his sights on Kate, it brings back many bad memories of the abuse that Elena once suffered. She is determined to save her daughter from that fate.
What I liked about this plot is that we are seeing Elena and Clay as the parents, worrying about hiding their werewolf side from the kids, worring about whether or not they will develop as werewolves or what happens if one does and the other does not. There is the fear that parents have of something happening to their kids or not being there to protect them. It is quite an emotional story and there is a lot of tension as we wonder who is sneaking around and what is going to happen.
I also liked finding out a bit more about the newer additions to the Pack. Noah is starting to come out of his shell and is bonding with Nick, and he and Reese prove capable of helping with Pack business.
The wolves are my favourite characters in the series and are the reason I started the series to begin with. I was really disappointed with the way the series was taken over by Savannah and her tantrums so it was great to get more of the Pack and I will never get bored with more novellas about them! I read this story in the anthology Otherworld Nights, but I loved the cover of this so much that I had to get the hardback novella to join the others on my book shelf!
penandpencil's review
3.0
Nice to see Elena and Clay happy. She certainly deserves it, great love story.
nickystrickland's review
4.0
Knowing that that the Otherworld books are coming to a close, this novella was a wonderful read to see how Clay and Elena are moving through their lives (Elena was the first we met). It was great to see their new roles as parents and Elena developing into her new role-to-come. All the characters brought to life, with a story that balanced well a plot/mystery to solve and the relationships of the Otherworld characters.
The novella length worked very well. Was wonderful to read something that was complete yet also be left with that would love another story feeling.
The novella length worked very well. Was wonderful to read something that was complete yet also be left with that would love another story feeling.
lolasreviews's review
5.0
I really love the Otherworld series and Elena and Clay are my favourite characters so when I heard there was going to be a short story about them I knew I had to have it. This short story is about how Elena and Clay celebrate Christmas in a cottage with their kids. Ofcourse once they are there they find out there are two Muts (rogue werewolves) in the same area and they go investigate.
This story is mainly a very nice and sweet story about Elena and Clay and how they interact with their children. I absolutely loved it, it was very sweet and their kids where so cute! Another issue that's important in this story is whether Elena and Clay want to tell their kids that they are werewolves. I really liked the story. It wasn't a full book, but with 193 pages it was still larger than some of the books I've read. I enjoyed every page of it and it was worth every euro I paid for it. The pages that contained drwan pictures in colour where also a very nice touch.
To conclude a very nice story and a must read for fans of the Otherworld series. I really enjoyed this story and now I only want more stories about Elena, Clay and their children. There are still so many question left open, like will the children also change in werewolves whenn they grow up. I would like to see more of the children when growing up, I like reading about them. But I am not sure we are going to get more story about them. Still I keep hoping.
This story is mainly a very nice and sweet story about Elena and Clay and how they interact with their children. I absolutely loved it, it was very sweet and their kids where so cute! Another issue that's important in this story is whether Elena and Clay want to tell their kids that they are werewolves. I really liked the story. It wasn't a full book, but with 193 pages it was still larger than some of the books I've read. I enjoyed every page of it and it was worth every euro I paid for it. The pages that contained drwan pictures in colour where also a very nice touch.
To conclude a very nice story and a must read for fans of the Otherworld series. I really enjoyed this story and now I only want more stories about Elena, Clay and their children. There are still so many question left open, like will the children also change in werewolves whenn they grow up. I would like to see more of the children when growing up, I like reading about them. But I am not sure we are going to get more story about them. Still I keep hoping.
hemloc's review
4.0
Five reasons to read Hidden:
1) This is the first story where we really get to see Clay, Elena, and their kids together, and it's cute. My favourite moment is when they start playing Spoons and their only rule is that the game ends at first blood.
2) It can be easy when an author has written so many stories for the same series for them to fall into the same old plot patterns. Kelley Armstrong doesn't have that problem. Every story is different.
3) The artwork is a nice little extra.
4) I love that Noah participates in the investigation. He deserves good things, and Clay and Elena's interactions with him are wonderful.
5) The prologue worked really well. I'm not generally a fan of prologues – I've seen them done badly one too many times. But Kelley Armstrong's are alway very good.
Two drawbacks to Hidden:
1) The plot felt a little uncertain at times, like it was waffling because if it didn't the whole thing would be resolved too quickly, so there were steps that didn't lead anywhere.
2) The logistics of not telling the twins about werewolves and the Pack didn't work for me. Elena and Jeremy think the twins should be kept in the dark until they're about 8, but that isn't how the Pack did things previously. Children grew up knowing what they and their extended family are. That makes sense. There's no way an eight-year-old wouldn't already have figured it out and felt betrayed by the secrecy.
1) This is the first story where we really get to see Clay, Elena, and their kids together, and it's cute. My favourite moment is when they start playing Spoons and their only rule is that the game ends at first blood.
2) It can be easy when an author has written so many stories for the same series for them to fall into the same old plot patterns. Kelley Armstrong doesn't have that problem. Every story is different.
3) The artwork is a nice little extra.
4) I love that Noah participates in the investigation. He deserves good things, and Clay and Elena's interactions with him are wonderful.
5) The prologue worked really well. I'm not generally a fan of prologues – I've seen them done badly one too many times. But Kelley Armstrong's are alway very good.
Two drawbacks to Hidden:
1) The plot felt a little uncertain at times, like it was waffling because if it didn't the whole thing would be resolved too quickly, so there were steps that didn't lead anywhere.
2) The logistics of not telling the twins about werewolves and the Pack didn't work for me. Elena and Jeremy think the twins should be kept in the dark until they're about 8, but that isn't how the Pack did things previously. Children grew up knowing what they and their extended family are. That makes sense. There's no way an eight-year-old wouldn't already have figured it out and felt betrayed by the secrecy.
ciaralo's review
5.0
I just love anything with Elena and Clay in it. A great little addition to the series.