Tuesday, January 9, 2018

Stolen by the Alpha Wolf Bundle (The Chosen #2) by Charlene Hartnady


Stolen by the Alpha Wolf (The Chosen Series Book 2)



Some Spoilers! Definitely colorful language abound! Trigger warning, sexual assault discussed below! 


I recently found myself lost and longing for memories of my past self, so I dove deep into the mother of all angsty-teenage-nonsense, otherwise known as the Twilight Saga. It left me with a softer understanding of who I once was, and who I had grown to become. It was an interesting retrospection in growth, but I was done, and was in desperate need of a palate cleanser. I find that smut plays an integral roll in a balanced book diet. When used appropriately it will sweep away all unpleasant or otherwise useless emotional memories of the previous read, lower ones standards and bring everything back to a comfortable neutral. It is a highly effective tool of divine distraction.


That being said, y'all I fucking hated this book. This wasn't my first tango with Hartnady, I enjoy her ahem, panache. I thoroughly enjoyed Chosen by the Vampire Kings, and stepped into this with the full expectation of a good time. **This is where I venture into some spoilery territory. If that isn't your thing, its time to part ways.** 

TWO GOT-DAMN-PERCENT into the book I'm flooded with rage, and then panic.


"Her shoulders sagged in humiliation. At least they weren't going to rape her. That was something... Her blouse was shoved roughly to the side. "Not bad, I'm semi hard." If she wasn't wearing a gag, she'd puke for sure. Her stomach churned."

Excuse me, the fuck is this?  She's a vampire, she is bound and gagged, at the mercy of her werewolf abductor. He touched her leg, grabbed her ass, removed her shirt and bra, he assaulted her and alluded to what else he'd like to do.

I nearly quit right then and there. My hands shook, I had to get up and take a lap and walk off my anxiety. THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE DIVINE DISTRACTION. NOT A TRIGGER FOR MY #METOO ANXIETY. FUCK. YOU.

The author used this scene to prop up the alpha, Ward, as the 'good guy', as he barged in, beat the shit out of the lower wolf and assured her that she was safe and would be returned home. Ward insisted she couldn't be left alone, they had to remain together at all times. He made it clear the other wolves would murder her if she tried to escape. Mmmkay.




19%: He insisted she come with him to his outdoor shower, he was, of course, aroused, and needed to cool off. LOL. But then he just started jerking off, in front of her, without permission.

WE LEAVING THIS SHIT IN 2017 WITH LOUIS CK'S CAREER, OKAY? 

20%: "I don't think I've ever wanted to be inside someone so badly." He growled nipping at her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Stephany, I don't think that I could stop now, even if you wanted me to."



First of all, that's not how consent works, ever. Consent is all the time, or it's never. There is no "point of no return", either you have permission or do you do not. FUCK YOU.

It was about here that I realized I hated Ward. I hated his wolves. I hated Stephany. I hated them together.

It pretty much devolved like this until it was finally over. Sooooo, why didn't I quit? Excellent question! I don't really know, tbh. I think, once I isolated it was the characters I disliked, it was easy for me to compartmentalize and select the plot from everything else. There is a phenomenally interesting development that occurred in this installment. There is the sex, sure, but there is also a complicated relationship between vampires, humans and others. The dynamics based on a rudimentary and biased religion will crumble, things are in motion I am eager to the see through till the end. I cautiously started the third installment last night and it looks as though this particular theme  was isolated to these characters. Heres to hope?





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