Taken

By: Natasha Knight

Narrated by: Michael Pauley, MacKenzie Cartwright

Length: 6 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's summary

I'm one of four Willow daughters. He's the first-born son of the Scafoni family. And we have history.

For generations, the Scafoni family have demanded a sacrifice of us. A virgin daughter to atone for sins so old that we don't even remember what they are anymore.

But when you have as much money as they do, you don't play by the rules. You make them.

And Sebastian Scafoni makes all the rules.

The moment I saw him, I knew he would choose me. Even though the mark on my sheath declared me unclean. Even though my beautiful sisters stood beside me, offered to him, he still chose me.

He made me his. And then he set out to break me.

"Intensely dark, twisted, and perversely hot! If you loved Pepper Winters's Indebted, you will love Taken." (Anna Zaires, The New York Times best-selling author)

©2018 Natasha Knight (P)2019 Natasha Knight

Critic reviews

"Intensely dark, twisted, and perversely hot! If you loved Pepper Winters's Indebted, you will love Taken." (Anna Zaires, The New York Times best-selling author)

Oh So Good!!!

I loved this dark book!! Sebastian is easy to fall for. Heck I just listened to it and I am falling for him. Helena was the chosen one. Though her sisters are pure and she is not. I love her tenacity although she is in a bad place. She is a fighter.

Michael Pauley and MacKenzie Cartwright did a great job with narration!

I cannot wait to start listening to Torn!!

Family Drama

When the first born Scafoni son is forced to select and take a Willow family daughter for 3 years, the custom is to break the girl mentally and physically, but she cannot be killed and / or returned home for 3 years.

In the beginning I enjoyed the defiant Helena Willow and her calculating, rule breaking methods. Then she turns a bit whiny, but I guess I would too in her position. Helena finds her solid fierce determination again and that's when things get interesting!

Sebastian Scafoni selects Helena Willow. He loves her inquisitive nature, strong iron will, the love she has for her family, and yet he doesn't want to want her, but he does want to protect her.

Before leaving home, Helena receives a gift from her aunt, the last Willow daughter. Now trying to survive in Venice, Italy with no support system, she tries to find out about the curse and how her family history brought her to this place.

I really enjoyed "Taken". Narrated by Michael Pauley and MacKenzie Cartwright who do an amazing job at announcing the fury, madness, and depravity written in this story. Even though this story is written in today's era, and makes reference to more barbaric days gone by, you can almost put the current days back in the past (like a highlander environment) due to some of the "traditions."

Oh wow, wow, wow!

I don't usually write a review for the first book in a series, but I figured if I'm going to listen to it again I might as well. I'm not the type to listen/read a book twice, but I love this book that much. When I recommend books to people, this books makes it on my top 5 romance novels. Yes, it a little, lol, a lot dark but so delicious. When I give a book five stars, that means it held my attention from beginning to end. This book won't disappoint.

Voice actors

Males voice sounds robotic and monotone through the entire book like it’s being read by a computer.

Dark and Dangerous

This is a dark book with many layers. There's more to the characters than you would initially think and the story develops well. It's a twisted concept but those sometimes have a way of working out.
Now, onto Torn!!

Intense Dark Romance!

Wow! This was an intense, suspenseful, thriller dark romance! With a major cliffhanger! The narrators did an intense job capturing their character. This isn’t for the faint!

🎧@AudiobookObsession

Cliff Hanger but so worth it!!

I’ll start by saying this has good narration, you cannot go wrong with Michael Pauley!! Sebastian and Helena are brought together by a centuries old “deal” between families. It is an intense, dark romance that has several twist and turns. It is classic Natasha, she keeps you wanting more. Several questions remain unanswered so it does not have a sweet ending wrapped up in a pretty little bow, but it leaves you ready to dive into book 2!!! This is an unbiased review provided through audiobook obsession review group.

THAT ENDING, GAAAAAH!

Okay, this story was so freaking good!
The male narrator was perfection, I enjoyed listening to his voice, felt the excitement and mystery of the story through his narration. The female narrator did not impress me at first but she to one me over. The author wrote one heck of a story and that plot twist, bam! Need book 2 like yesterday.

Heroine not relatable and cliffhanger...

How was the narrator?


Micheal Pauley sounds like he has a stuffy nose. He really didn't do anything for me. He neither has a Italian nor North Eastern accent. (His character is an Italian, *born in Italy*, who went to a boarding school in Massachusetts) His parts at times were hard to listen to.

Mackenzie Cartwright very much sounds like a mid western 21 year old young woman and pulls you in. Her performance compelled me to stick with the story even when I wanted to hit end.


What do I think of the story line?


So without giving out spoilers, this book contains examples of Stockholm syndrome, rape, sexual assault, child abuse, assault, and psychological abuse. STOP RIGHT NOW IF ANY OF THOSE THINGS ARE A TRIGGER. THEY ARE THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE TEXT AND YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ENJOY THE BOOK.

*** I was entertained by this book because I didn't analyze it.*** Up front if you are strong willed, independent, resourceful... you will not relate to the heroine's actions through this and the next book.

A LOT OF HER CHOICES IF ANALYZED SEEM OUT OF CHARACTER, BECAUSE SHE IS SUPPOSED TO BE A STUBBORN, INDEPENDENT, AND SMART MOUTH AMERICAN. However in the book she seems willing and ready to give her "kidnappers/ captors" the benefit of the doubt everytime. Ready to forgive and forget at every turn. Ready to love them with real explanation as to why she is trying to befriend/love the enemies of her family.

Taken away

Good start to the two parts series. Taken is definitely a dark romance and not for the faint of heart so be warned. The female narrator did a fantastic job and the male narrator seemed a little nasally and a bit too much at times. It does have a cliffhanger and I’m tempted to use a credit to get it...eventually I will. The story is pretty heavy so I’m gonna need to take some time and come back to it.