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trudyd's review against another edition
4.0
I love reading all of the short stories and novellas that Kelley has written to complement The Otherworld series. This was one of the first major paranormal series that I read. Driven was like going home again. I got to learn a little more about the family and got a little added excitement. Driven centers around the Cain family (the not quite smart enough to survive werewolf clan). The are popping up dead, violently killed. Davis, the best of the bunch, calls the pack for help. This leads to many discoveries, adventures and cooperation. Malcolm is back with the pack which seemed kind of strange until his reason was exposed.
calturner's review against another edition
4.0
Thanks to NetGalley and Subterranean Press who gave me an ARC of this novella in exchange for an honest review.
As a huge fan of Kelley Armstrong's 'Women of the Otherworld' series I was thrilled to be given the opportunity to read this novella. Elena and Clay are exactly as we remember them and it felt wonderful to be back in their world again. I didn't realise just how much I'd missed them until I started reading this story, and found myself being drawn back into their world right from the very first page.
Being familiar with the other books (and novellas) in the series is a must, as 'Driven' goes right into the meat of the story without giving much backstory, which is exactly what you would expect for a book of this type.
A fantastic treat for fans, I would highly recommend this story for anyone who (like me) has missed the supernatural world inhabited by the many varied characters of the 'Otherworld'. A fabulous 4 stars.
As a huge fan of Kelley Armstrong's 'Women of the Otherworld' series I was thrilled to be given the opportunity to read this novella. Elena and Clay are exactly as we remember them and it felt wonderful to be back in their world again. I didn't realise just how much I'd missed them until I started reading this story, and found myself being drawn back into their world right from the very first page.
Being familiar with the other books (and novellas) in the series is a must, as 'Driven' goes right into the meat of the story without giving much backstory, which is exactly what you would expect for a book of this type.
A fantastic treat for fans, I would highly recommend this story for anyone who (like me) has missed the supernatural world inhabited by the many varied characters of the 'Otherworld'. A fabulous 4 stars.
michalice's review against another edition
5.0
I am a big fan of the Otherworld Series, so when I saw Driven on NetGalley I had to put in a request, and I really didn't have much hope of being accepted so when I was I may have done a little happy dance, which my b/f chose not to question ;). Driven picks up after the events of Forsaken, and after the cliffhanger we are left with I could not wait to dive into this one and find out what happened, not only with Elena's pack, but also with Malcolm.
The story begins with a meeting that Malcolm arranged, and with a few pack members that Elena takes with her. Malcolm existence has been the bane for the pack,, and this meeting is the final chance for him to become a member again, but Elena isn't going into this meeting blindly, and not only is she ready for anything, she also takes a pretty mean attitude with her.....and I love it.
She kicks ass in every single way, she may be a rare female wolf, and being the pack Alpha is ridiculed in the werewolf world, but she takes no prisoners.
Driven was an unputdownable read, I loved getting to visit this world again and catch up with old friends. The twins have grown so much, and I love how they see life. Being werewolves means you can't really keep things a secret from them, and they will openly admit this, if it's to their advantage. I love thier attitudes towards Malcolm and how they shut him down. Elena and Clayton have gone through so much since this series began, and I like how strong they are, and how much they have developed as characters. Elena has done the most changing, she is now pack Alpha and her decisions will have consequences on all. She still doubts herself, and we can see how this affects her when she sees it in her son. Driven sees Elena making a lot of decisions, and these involve saving and taking lives. Should she trust the mutt, Davis, when he says his family dead and missing. Is it in the best interest of the pack to actively seek the missing family members out?
Driven was a book that sucked me in, and didn't let go to the very end. I loved every page of this book. The journey taken to get to the end wasn't easy, and Malcolm definitely makes things complicated when it comes to splitting the pack up into several groups. But the question isn't can he be trusted, the question is what is his ulterior motive.
Final Verdict
Driven is a MUST READ for fans of this series. It answers a lot of questions from the previous book, and we finally learn of Malcolm's fate. I think a re-read is in order soon.
The story begins with a meeting that Malcolm arranged, and with a few pack members that Elena takes with her. Malcolm existence has been the bane for the pack,, and this meeting is the final chance for him to become a member again, but Elena isn't going into this meeting blindly, and not only is she ready for anything, she also takes a pretty mean attitude with her.....and I love it.
If you insist on me standing, then I will, but understand that it's only to humor you. And the fact you've had to ask multiple times proves you aren't really Alpha material."
"No," I said. "It proves you aren't really Pack material.
She kicks ass in every single way, she may be a rare female wolf, and being the pack Alpha is ridiculed in the werewolf world, but she takes no prisoners.
Driven was an unputdownable read, I loved getting to visit this world again and catch up with old friends. The twins have grown so much, and I love how they see life. Being werewolves means you can't really keep things a secret from them, and they will openly admit this, if it's to their advantage. I love thier attitudes towards Malcolm and how they shut him down. Elena and Clayton have gone through so much since this series began, and I like how strong they are, and how much they have developed as characters. Elena has done the most changing, she is now pack Alpha and her decisions will have consequences on all. She still doubts herself, and we can see how this affects her when she sees it in her son. Driven sees Elena making a lot of decisions, and these involve saving and taking lives. Should she trust the mutt, Davis, when he says his family dead and missing. Is it in the best interest of the pack to actively seek the missing family members out?
Driven was a book that sucked me in, and didn't let go to the very end. I loved every page of this book. The journey taken to get to the end wasn't easy, and Malcolm definitely makes things complicated when it comes to splitting the pack up into several groups. But the question isn't can he be trusted, the question is what is his ulterior motive.
Final Verdict
Driven is a MUST READ for fans of this series. It answers a lot of questions from the previous book, and we finally learn of Malcolm's fate. I think a re-read is in order soon.
amym84's review against another edition
4.0
In Driven Elena has to deal with letting Malcolm Danvers back into the Pack knowing what a sociopath he is. Elena knows that Malcolm's actions have effected everyone within the pack in a most negative way and she hates that this decision is even put before her and the Pack. But after much discussion with Jeremy and Clay, Elena concedes.
Elena is determined to use Malcolm to the fullest of his capabilities. He may be an older wolf, but he knows how to fight and he's ruthless. That's why when Davis Cain comes to the Pack for help, Elena makes sure Malcolm will accompany them as they search for the person or persons who killed at least two Cain wolves in a most cruel and horrible way.
I love that Kelley Armstrong has continued on with The Otherworld series in various novellas even after the main series ended.
Elena and the Pack have always been my favorite in Armstrong's series. Every time I get to go back and read more about Elena, Clay, Jeremy, Nick, the twins, etc. it feels like reading about old friends. Each time I read a new story in this world, I love the depth that Armstrong is still able to add to these characters after about fifteen years.
I haven't been able to read all of the novellas released, but Armstrong's writing is so strong that it really doesn't matter. I think having a good general understanding of the characters in this series goes a long way to being able to enjoy any story put out in this world, but it is in no way required. There was a lot of information in Driven that I immediately recognized as events that have taken place in a previous novel or novella some of which I hadn't read, but I was still able to follow along with no problem. I think it's because the core characters and feelings are all that matters and Armstrong's understanding of her characters and their actions is great enough that even people who haven't read any of the books would find enjoyment in this novella.
I think if you are already a fan of this series you won't be disappointed with Driven, and if you're new to the series hopefully picking up this novella will inspire you to go back and be properly introduced to Elena and Company.
*Arc provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Elena is determined to use Malcolm to the fullest of his capabilities. He may be an older wolf, but he knows how to fight and he's ruthless. That's why when Davis Cain comes to the Pack for help, Elena makes sure Malcolm will accompany them as they search for the person or persons who killed at least two Cain wolves in a most cruel and horrible way.
I love that Kelley Armstrong has continued on with The Otherworld series in various novellas even after the main series ended.
Elena and the Pack have always been my favorite in Armstrong's series. Every time I get to go back and read more about Elena, Clay, Jeremy, Nick, the twins, etc. it feels like reading about old friends. Each time I read a new story in this world, I love the depth that Armstrong is still able to add to these characters after about fifteen years.
I haven't been able to read all of the novellas released, but Armstrong's writing is so strong that it really doesn't matter. I think having a good general understanding of the characters in this series goes a long way to being able to enjoy any story put out in this world, but it is in no way required. There was a lot of information in Driven that I immediately recognized as events that have taken place in a previous novel or novella some of which I hadn't read, but I was still able to follow along with no problem. I think it's because the core characters and feelings are all that matters and Armstrong's understanding of her characters and their actions is great enough that even people who haven't read any of the books would find enjoyment in this novella.
I think if you are already a fan of this series you won't be disappointed with Driven, and if you're new to the series hopefully picking up this novella will inspire you to go back and be properly introduced to Elena and Company.
*Arc provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
vikingwolf's review against another edition
3.0
The first piece of advice I'd give in reading these novellas is to pay attention to the number in the series. A few of the novellas appear during the timeline of the novels while others appear after the novels were wrapped up. If you get the reading order wrong you might end up with plot spoilers annoying you!
Ever since Elena discovered that Malcolm was actually alive, she has wondered what to do about him. With Malcolm indicating that he wants to return to be a full Pack member, she knows his skills might be useful but he will be likely to cause discord. Is it worth it? The other thing on her mind is that long term enemies The Cains are now needing help after their family were attacked and skinned by ruthless hunters. Elena may not care for the Cains but she will not tolerate open season on werewolves, and gathers their allies to stop the killers.
It is Davis Cain who finds two of his family missing and asks for Pack help to find them. Elena is horrified to find the men murdered and skinned nearby, and is worried that this could be another bounty hunt. The rest of the Cains are not responding to their phones so Davis and the Pack go to look for them and find more dead and injued. The Cains don't want to be babysat by the Pack and are proving to be as difficult to deal with as Malcolm. Breaking the rules set out for their safety could be a very bad decision when someone is hunting them. Later we find out the reason why, and it throws a new light on the situation.
I always like seeing the Pack and I was curious as to how they would react to having Malcolm back. He gets a rough reception from Logan and Kate which leaves him somewhat bemused and as usual he tries to stir things up. Having this kind of issue during an important mission is the last thing Elena wants to deal with. I could have done with less of him stirring things up in the first half of the book. I felt it wasn't really needed and it was a bit annoying. I wanted more about why he was back and the Cain story, which were much more interesting.
I'm quite sad that this is the last Pack novella and that's why it took me so long to read it. I love the wolves and reading this final adventure means admitting the series really is over now. I liked the overall plot and the action through the story. I liked the resolution of the Malcolm story which was quite satisfying but I feel he was underused in the book. I wanted to see more of him being the hero instead of the pantomime villan again. I think the author missed a trick there.
I have enjoyed the Pack adventures and I'm sad there will be no more!
Ever since Elena discovered that Malcolm was actually alive, she has wondered what to do about him. With Malcolm indicating that he wants to return to be a full Pack member, she knows his skills might be useful but he will be likely to cause discord. Is it worth it? The other thing on her mind is that long term enemies The Cains are now needing help after their family were attacked and skinned by ruthless hunters. Elena may not care for the Cains but she will not tolerate open season on werewolves, and gathers their allies to stop the killers.
It is Davis Cain who finds two of his family missing and asks for Pack help to find them. Elena is horrified to find the men murdered and skinned nearby, and is worried that this could be another bounty hunt. The rest of the Cains are not responding to their phones so Davis and the Pack go to look for them and find more dead and injued. The Cains don't want to be babysat by the Pack and are proving to be as difficult to deal with as Malcolm. Breaking the rules set out for their safety could be a very bad decision when someone is hunting them. Later we find out the reason why, and it throws a new light on the situation.
I always like seeing the Pack and I was curious as to how they would react to having Malcolm back. He gets a rough reception from Logan and Kate which leaves him somewhat bemused and as usual he tries to stir things up. Having this kind of issue during an important mission is the last thing Elena wants to deal with. I could have done with less of him stirring things up in the first half of the book. I felt it wasn't really needed and it was a bit annoying. I wanted more about why he was back and the Cain story, which were much more interesting.
I'm quite sad that this is the last Pack novella and that's why it took me so long to read it. I love the wolves and reading this final adventure means admitting the series really is over now. I liked the overall plot and the action through the story. I liked the resolution of the Malcolm story which was quite satisfying but I feel he was underused in the book. I wanted to see more of him being the hero instead of the pantomime villan again. I think the author missed a trick there.
I have enjoyed the Pack adventures and I'm sad there will be no more!
readingrenbo's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
lolasreviews's review
4.0
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review
It's always a joy to be back in the Otherworld series. I love this series and getting to see how the characters are doing even though the series sort of has ended is awesome. I was really happy to get my hands on a copy of Driven as it follows two of my favourite characters Elena and Clay. This story deals with a mystery of someone who is killing the Cains and Elena and the pack go to investigate. Then there is the issue concerning Malcom, which get's solved in a satisfactory way in this story.
The story moves along nicely and kept my attention. The story with the who was killing the Cains and how they dealt with Malcom both were interesting and this book nicely dealt with both storylines and it worked well together. I would even say that the story line of the Cains helped them deal with Malcom as well. We see some changes of the pack and this book made me realize how far they have come since the start of this series. And ofcourse it was awesome to see Elena and Clay in action again and see their twins, which are awesome characters. I wish we got more scenes from the twins as they are a joy to read about.
I did notice I missed a few short stories that took place before this one, as they referred to some events which happened before and I get the feeling there is a short story about that as well, but even though I haven't read all the short stories before this I never felt lost. There was enough recap, that even if you missed some of the other novella's you could still enjoy this one. I would recommend to finish the novel length books of the series before you start the novella's as there is chronological order and reading the novella's before finishing the series can lead to a few spoilers. I did feel that this novella ties into a few other plot lines of previous novella's and wraps those plot lines up, it was nicely done.
We mostly read about character we already know, there's a chance and we see how the pack reacts to that. And we get a glimpse of their lives now, which is always awesome. I can't get enough of this world and characters so every time I have a chance to return to this world I grab it with both hands. In this book we meet a few new characters, most noteworthy David. I actually liked Davis and I thought he dealt with the situation well. We also meet a few other Cains, which were much less likeable. And there's a mention of Derek, which is a fun reference to Kelley Armstrong her other series.
To summarize: I really enjoyed this novella and was happy to be back in this world again even if for a little while. I read this story quickly and I really enjoyed it. There are sort of two storyline,s but it all meshes together nicely. We meet a new character, but this is mostly a chance to catch up with characters fans of the series already know and care about. It can be read out of order from the other novella's, but I would recommend to finish the 13 novels first. All in all is this another great novella in this series and it's an awesome read for fans of the series.
It's always a joy to be back in the Otherworld series. I love this series and getting to see how the characters are doing even though the series sort of has ended is awesome. I was really happy to get my hands on a copy of Driven as it follows two of my favourite characters Elena and Clay. This story deals with a mystery of someone who is killing the Cains and Elena and the pack go to investigate. Then there is the issue concerning Malcom, which get's solved in a satisfactory way in this story.
The story moves along nicely and kept my attention. The story with the who was killing the Cains and how they dealt with Malcom both were interesting and this book nicely dealt with both storylines and it worked well together. I would even say that the story line of the Cains helped them deal with Malcom as well. We see some changes of the pack and this book made me realize how far they have come since the start of this series. And ofcourse it was awesome to see Elena and Clay in action again and see their twins, which are awesome characters. I wish we got more scenes from the twins as they are a joy to read about.
I did notice I missed a few short stories that took place before this one, as they referred to some events which happened before and I get the feeling there is a short story about that as well, but even though I haven't read all the short stories before this I never felt lost. There was enough recap, that even if you missed some of the other novella's you could still enjoy this one. I would recommend to finish the novel length books of the series before you start the novella's as there is chronological order and reading the novella's before finishing the series can lead to a few spoilers. I did feel that this novella ties into a few other plot lines of previous novella's and wraps those plot lines up, it was nicely done.
We mostly read about character we already know, there's a chance and we see how the pack reacts to that. And we get a glimpse of their lives now, which is always awesome. I can't get enough of this world and characters so every time I have a chance to return to this world I grab it with both hands. In this book we meet a few new characters, most noteworthy David. I actually liked Davis and I thought he dealt with the situation well. We also meet a few other Cains, which were much less likeable. And there's a mention of Derek, which is a fun reference to Kelley Armstrong her other series.
To summarize: I really enjoyed this novella and was happy to be back in this world again even if for a little while. I read this story quickly and I really enjoyed it. There are sort of two storyline,s but it all meshes together nicely. We meet a new character, but this is mostly a chance to catch up with characters fans of the series already know and care about. It can be read out of order from the other novella's, but I would recommend to finish the 13 novels first. All in all is this another great novella in this series and it's an awesome read for fans of the series.
hemloc's review
5.0
Five reasons to read Driven:
1) The story's beginning surprised me. Malcolm rejoining the Pack isn't something I ever would have expected, so if the prologue hadn't already hooked me to the story, this certainly did.
2) I love Davis and will riot if I find out he doesn't eventually join the Pack.
3) Nick gets to give a big speech that proves, once and for all, how much he's grown throughout this series (and Davis's reaction to it is so cute).
4) There is a teeny tiny crossover with Kelley Armstrong's Darkest Powers series. I had to put the book down when Derek's name came up and take a moment to calm down. I was disappointed there wasn't more, but I'm ever hopeful it will happen one day.
5) The final scene with everyone together getting ready to sit down for a meal was really nice.
One drawback to Driven:
1) Although I enjoyed the scene between Malcolm and the twins, I had the same problem I've had previously in that the twins don't sound or act like children. In a series filled with nothing but adults having the kids act older than they are feels like a missed opportunity for something new.
1) The story's beginning surprised me. Malcolm rejoining the Pack isn't something I ever would have expected, so if the prologue hadn't already hooked me to the story, this certainly did.
2) I love Davis and will riot if I find out he doesn't eventually join the Pack.
3) Nick gets to give a big speech that proves, once and for all, how much he's grown throughout this series (and Davis's reaction to it is so cute).
4) There is a teeny tiny crossover with Kelley Armstrong's Darkest Powers series. I had to put the book down when Derek's name came up and take a moment to calm down. I was disappointed there wasn't more, but I'm ever hopeful it will happen one day.
5) The final scene with everyone together getting ready to sit down for a meal was really nice.
One drawback to Driven:
1) Although I enjoyed the scene between Malcolm and the twins, I had the same problem I've had previously in that the twins don't sound or act like children. In a series filled with nothing but adults having the kids act older than they are feels like a missed opportunity for something new.