Magiford

Review of The Order of Blood and Ruin by K. M. Shea

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Synopsis:
They used to be enemies. Now they’re partners.

I never imagined Considine Maledictus—one of the most powerful vampires alive—would go from ruling the streets at night to joining the supernatural task force just to become my partner, but here we are.

Considine claims he “fancies” me. He also used to hide his identity and pose as my charming next-door neighbor, so forgive me if I don’t believe him.

As bad as that is, my work life is worse.

My slayer identity—kept a secret since a lone slayer is an easy target—has been leaked by a suspect from a previous case. This brings a new level of danger to my job, especially since the suspect is obviously holding a grudge against me.

But I’m more worried about my city. Bad things are going down, and whatever is stirring in the shadows is more than I can handle alone. Can I trust Considine to watch my back when he used to be the biggest threat to my life?

And why is it that despite everything that has happened, a part of me wonders if it’s possible for a slayer and vampire to be together…

The Order of Blood and Ruin is the final book in the Magic on Main Street urban fantasy trilogy, and is part of the Magiford Supernatural City world. This series is packed with humor, magical fights, and a sweet, slow burn romance between a slayer who battles social anxiety and a vampire who is sick of his immortality.

Review:
Seeing Jade learn what it’s like to have a partner, team, and friends who care about her was so gratifying after how much time she spent feeling self deprecating. Jade clearly didn’t realize how much her mindset of always striving to improve and working together as a team really impacted the rest of her work colleagues, but as Considine says, “There is a difference between seeking improvement and demanding perfection.” (Chapter 17) This books leaves one with the glorious idea that a perfect partner is patient with your faults and always has your back. Another important Jade point is that she has no problem standing up to vampires (perhaps because she knows she could kill them) and that she believes that communication is always key.

It was touching to see how much time Considine spent trying to make sure he would do everything in his power to remember Jade. Considine had to work to get Jade to open up to him when she knew exactly who he was. She knew he could be a good work partner, but how could a slayer and vampire be anything more? Considine continued in his devil may care attitude, and while he doesn’t like rules, did attempt to learn and follow them for Jade’s sake. I quite enjoyed his take on why he attacked/beat supernaturals. “I beg your pardon, I didn’t senselessly beat supernaturals just because I disliked their appearance,” Considine said. “It was also because they annoyed me.” (Chapter 3)

The absolute end tie in of Blood and Ruin was perfection, though I will say that I knew from book 1 who the missing female was, as well as what and where she was going to be.

I am so going to miss the Magiford series, and it is with a heavy heart that I finish this last review of K. M. Shea for a while. I wish the author nothing but the best, and hope that someday in the future she continues to write and bring us along for another adventure (Justice for Angelique!- my first taste of K. M. Shea’s books was in The Fairy Tale Enchantress series).

*This book was read in June and reviewed in July.

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯

Review of The Lies of Vampires and Slayers by K. M. Shea

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Synopsis:
By night, they fight in a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse. By day, they are friendly next-door neighbors. Neither of them know that their alter egos are archenemies.

I’ve spent my life training in the family business of slaying vampires, but I’m tired of all the death. I want to prove we slayers can help society, not just break it.

I start my new life by joining the Magiford supernatural task force, which exists to protect humans and supernaturals from harmful magic.

There’s just one problem.

All of my teammates who work the night shift with me are scared of me since slayers are the assassins of the supernatural world. Worse yet, even though I’m doing my best at pretending to be a human during the day—a necessity as a lone slayer can quickly become a dead slayer—I’ve utterly failed to win over any of the humans in my apartment complex since I have the charisma of an overdue investigation report.

That changes when a handsome vampire moves in next door. Connor may not be willing to try any of my failed attempts at baking, but he’s charming and not afraid of me. Plus, he’s the first friend I’ve made who has the time to hang out with me after work.

Things are looking up, or they would be, except a mysterious and extremely powerful vampire has declared downtown his nightly hunting ground. I’m the only one on my team who can match him in a fight, something he finds endlessly entertaining. That isn’t a good sign for my general life expectancy.

My greatest goal might be to win over my squad, but if this vampire doesn’t back off I might not live long enough to achieve it.

The Lies of Vampires and Slayers is the first book in the Magic on Main Street urban fantasy trilogy, and is part of the Magiford Supernatural City world. This series is packed with humor, magical fights, and a sweet, slow burn romance between a slayer who battles social anxiety and a vampire who is sick of his immortality.

Review:
I read this book around a month ago and avoided putting up any reviews for quite some time. The author of this series is going on a hiatus and while I am 100% behind doing what you need to for your health, etc, it is still sad to know that there are no forthcoming books for a while. That being said, I tried to really savour these books as I knew there wouldn’t be anything new in the Magiford world (or any Shea world) for a bit.

This, like the rest of K. M. Shea’s books, was hard to put down. For me, personally, while I do like Jade, she was the hardest to really resonate with as we are very dissimilar. I quite loved the shifting perspective of Jade and Connor, as he remembers that humans are different than vampires and require different care. It was also good to see Drake and Hazel again. I quite liked how Connor didn’t realize how well the Drake family had come to know him- his distaste for everything and everyone, and thoughts on how annoying, overbearing, and stupid most vampire families are. I loved the quip from Jade’s thoughts, “Thank you, Irish heritage that made me pale enough to pass for a ghost.” I also quite enjoyed how Jade was extremely good at her job and it was hard to push her to do anything but be professional when she was in that setting. Another quote I loved was about how the Night Court fae are weirdos for thinking coffee is as good as tea! In the end, the beginning of a lesson was learned that life is beautiful and worth living by letting yourself feel things with people. There are hints of romance in this book, but the majority of it is about finding one’s self in a new situation and trying to fit in; something everyone can relate to. The slow burn potential romance is very much a side plot. While there is quite a bit of a cliffhanger where you want to know more, the second book was already out when I read the first, so it wasn’t that bad.

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯

Happy New Year! 2023 Recap/Book Recommendations

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In 2023 I read 93 books, which is 20 more books than last year! Oh my! I went through to break down my reading on a month to month basis which looked like this:
Jan 11
Feb 6
Mar 4
Apr 8
May 8
Jun 9
Jul 7
Aug 10
Sep 4
Oct 7
Nov 12
Dec 7

Most of these books were rather lengthy, but as always, we end the year/begin the new year with the stand outs that I would highly recommend.

Books:


The House Witch by Delemhach
This book is an amazing find about an ornery magic user who doesn’t want people thinking he is more than a humble cook. The world building is amazing, and from the first page I found myself completely immersed in the world, invested in what happened next. This book is cozy and wholesome; a story where people realize they are more than just what they appear to be on the outside and that everyone has the potential to greatness. This is the start of a trilogy, with a spin off stand alone book, and another trilogy after that.

Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson
It’s no surprise that I love Vespertine since I’ve loved Rogerson’s other books, An Enchantment of Ravens and Sorcery of Thorns. This book happened to be the right book at the right time for me and really helped me when dealing with the loss of a close family member. While perhaps a book about dealing with the dead and keeping them from rising again might not be useful to others in such a time, it transported me to another world and allowed me to deeply care for the flawed characters within that had a lot of trauma and issues to work through on their own. This is another book that leaves you with the thought that not everything is black and white, and that there are often mixing shades of grey interwoven in life.

Spellbreaker (Spellmaker) by Charlie N. Holmberg
This book duology was unique in its magic system as well as the connection between the two main characters. Elsie is easy to care for and to want to see thrive, especially given that she is an unlicensed magic user fighting against the injustice of the aristocracy. When Braccus Kelsey discovers her using her forbidden magic, she strikes a deal to help him remove curses around his estate but as a rogue spellcaster, Elsie has to keep a low profile or find a way to make her presence not be suspicious.

Within These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood
I was never a real Jane Eyre fan, but this book takes that original story, adds magic, true connections, and interesting dilemmas faced by the debtera (exorcist) Andromeda as she tries to help Magnus face his horrors and be able to move on to a new age, even if that means letting go of what he once had. While perhaps inspired by Jane Eyre, if that wasn’t revealed the book does entirely stand on its own in shining gothic glory.

Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater
This story was immersive from beginning to end, starting with Dora losing/being separated from half of her soul and becoming a very intriguing child that doesn’t quite know/think through all she does. The banter between her and the quite well known to be of bad temper Lord Sorcier is amusing and leaves one to wonder if there is more to both than meets the eye. It’s a true fairy tale in the sense that the fae make bargains, take what they want, and do not consider humanity. I personally in my own review have compared this to have a similar feel to Alice in Wonderland and The Little Princess, others have said it is a mixture of Bridgerton and Howl’s Moving Castle, even some mentioning Pride and Prejudice. That being said, it’s an amazing story that stands on its own and very much is about accepting yourself as you are, harnessing your strengths and working through/on your weaknesses, and never giving up on those who need your help.

The London Séance Society by Sarah Penner
This book was interesting on multiple levels, from the story itself of a scientist looking to find the occult and be able to speak to one who has passed on to solve a murder, to the relationships of those who passed and those left living (both hidden and in the open), as well as the mention both in book and additional at the end of what secret societies, religion and mourning styles were like. Though I personally was not a fan of some parts of the romantic side of this novel, overall I loved the twists and turns of illusion versus truth, and what people are willing to do both for those they love and what they have worked for.

Salt and Broom by Sharon Lynn Fisher
Shockingly another Jane Eyre retelling made it on the list, and another involving magic (which is likely less shocking). This book was gripping from the very beginning, where we wonder if our Jane is about to get in deep trouble. There is quite a lot of Lizzy/Darcy of Pride and Prejudice tension between our Jane and Mr. Rochester, with Jane’s tenacity and fiery spirit drawing us in and making us root for her more. There were always stakes, and one was always left wondering what, exactly, Jane and Mr. Rochester were up against. I absolutely loved the witchy aspects of this novel, and both highly recommend this book and have already gifted a copy to a friend.

The Book of G by Lily Archer
The only book on this list that is smut/romance, a Beauty and the Beast retelling about our favourite villain. Before reading this book I never would have considered ever finding Gaston redeemable in any way ever, but throughout the novel G grows and learns and fights and is left both wondering who he is, and what he’s worth. The banter through this book is absolute perfection. This book features morally grey, enemies to lovers, Beauty and the Beast retellings and a whole lot of spice- five whole peppers worth.


Authors:


Delemhach
Amazon Page
While known predominantly for The House Witch series, this author writes in a way that is gripping, funny, immersive and hard to put down. If you love infuriating characters and fantasy, The House Witch and other series of Delemhach are for you. In the words of Fin, “What can I say; being infuriating is part of my charm.”

Tessonja Odette
Amazon Page
Excellent worldbuilding, from The Fair Isle Trilogy to the Entangled with Fae series, to Prophecy of the Forgotten Fae, I’ve yet to find a book/series by her that I truly haven’t enjoyed and devoured. None of her stories are exactly the same as ones you think you already know, and there are always some interesting twists and turns worked throughout.

K. M. Shea
Amazon Page
What can I say; another author that I absolutely cannot get enough of. Her books are immersive, amusing, and highly entertaining. There has yet to be a book out of hers that I haven’t loved, and she seamlessly switches between writing fantasy and modern fantasy. My only problem is with so many amazing modern fantasy connected books in Magiford, being able to pick my favourite of the trilogies has become completely impossible.

T. A. Lawrence
Amazon Page
Lawrence is the author of a series called The Severed Realms, a series of fairy tale retellings that are never quite what you expect them to be. I have quite loved all of the series I’ve read so far, and highly recommend this series to any who love fairy tale retellings and fantasy.

Greer Rivers
Amazon Page
The only fully romance/smut series on here; The Tattered Curtain series may be a bit unhinged at times, but is absolutely amazing. Though there are bits of some of the books that didn’t resonate with me, usually those bits fly by so quickly that you forget they exist. Sometimes the characters can be slightly caricature, but they are dark gothic romances and I very much enjoyed them.

Stephanie Garber
Amazon Page
I had Caraval on my list for so long, and once I finally fell into it I couldn’t imagine setting it down. The world is immersive, interactive, and never quite what it seemed. While I thought that was going to be one of my favourites for a while and impossible to compare to, I feel so much stronger for the spin off series Once Upon a Broken Heart. I cannot recommend Garber enough for people who love fairy tales, fantasy, and magic never quite working out how it was meant/originally intended to.

Review of The King’s Queen by K. M. Shea

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Synopsis:
When the elven king of death released me even though my existence is a threat to his kingdom, I took the opportunity to run. There is just one problem… I also fell in love with him.

Nothing like a little doomed love to add a dash of intrigue to life, right? Unfortunately, that’s not even the worst of it.

I’m a worrier on my best days, but with a psycho tracking my every move because he’s obsessed with killing me, I’ve graduated to the level of paranoid lunatic.

Even if I could forget about the tracker—not happening since he’s figured out the fastest way to get to me is to attack my adopted family—my regular life is also anxiety-inducing as the city of Magiford is brewing with trouble.

Someone is setting off increasingly powerful magical spells downtown, upsetting all the humans. The supernatural community is desperate to find the perpetrator, and the top leaders are convinced the psychotic tracker chasing me is in on it. Their solution? Use me to capture the tracker for questioning.

What none of us counted on was Noctus—the elven king of death—interfering. Turns out I might not be the only one to regret our parting. But is there any way he could help me, and still keep his kingdom a safe secret?

At least one thing is for sure: I’m in way over my head with this, and my gut is warning me that I’m about to test if cats really do have nine lives.

King’s Queen is the last book in the Gate of Myth and Power urban fantasy trilogy, and is part of the Magiford Supernatural City world. It is an adventure-filled and hilarious take on the Hades and Persephone myth, with a twist of mystery. It’s packed with humor, battles, and a sweet, slow burn romance between an outcast magic user and the deadly king of the elves.

Review:
Finally, the book we’d been waiting for! I absolutely loved this book and this series. It is one of my favourite series by K. M. Shea, but I also feel like I say that with EVERYTHING I read that Shea puts out! I love how tortured Chloe and Noctus were in trying to do the right thing for others, and realizing that they had to find a way to meld everything. I was so happy to see more of French Fry, and to finally meet Truck!

I love how even as they grow, Noctus and Chloe meld together but don’t actually change into completely knew/different people- just like how people are IRL when they meet and fall in love. I definitely see the Persephone/Hades connection with how torturous being apart is, and how it can be difficult to do your job when you feel like you may be missing a part of yourself. I also love how Noctus only ever really opened up to Ker (aka Cerberus, his dog)- a very true moment; we all feel more comfortable and comforted by pets at some points. I adore how Chloe, despite being timid and still losing fur at times, fights against what she feels is her nature to become better and be there for others. Seeing the growth of all the characters was brilliant, very much so in the case of Pat, Joy, and Charon.

I absolutely loved seeing Leila, Rigel, Linus and the Paragon. Aphrodite is, as always, the star. I was a little sad that we didn’t get to see Killian! While I am still (impatiently) waiting for the next Fairy Tale Enchantress story, I love the Magiford overarching series so much that I cannot wait to see whose life we get to learn more of next; Shiloh, Ms. Booker? Who knows!

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯

Review of The King’s Shadow: Magiford Supernatural City by K. M. Shea

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Synopsis:
I just spent the last month pretending to be the pet cat of an elf king. Today, I discovered we’re enemies.

In a supernatural society filled with vampires, werewolves, and wizards, I’ve always been an outcast with my ability to turn into a housecat. No one knew what I was.

Turns out, I’m a shadow—a race of supernaturals that were wiped out by the elves centuries ago.

Who explains this to me? Noctus, the elf king I’ve been staying with while pretending to be his pet “cat,” not knowing I’m the archenemy of his people. Talk about the most awkward ancestry results ever.

Now I’m stuck staying with Noctus because he can’t let me go thanks to all of his secrets I unwillingly learned as a cat. At least he hasn’t killed me. Yet.

If that isn’t bad enough, I’m being tracked by a creep obsessed with killing me because I’m a shadow, and he doesn’t mind doling out collateral damage during the hunt.

So I’ve got a mysterious elf king holding me captive in his hidden home, a slew of new powers to learn with my revealed ancestry, and a psychopath on my tail. Wow, things are looking up.

It’s time to find out if cats really do always land on their paws.

King’s Shadow is the second book in the Gate of Myth and Power urban fantasy trilogy, and is part of the Magiford Supernatural City world. It is an adventure-filled and hilarious take on the Hades and Persephone myth, with a twist of mystery. It’s packed with humor, battles, and a sweet, slow burn romance between an outcast magic user and the deadly king of the elves.

Review:
This book was amazing. We see Chloe work through her insecurities, thinking of how she was only liked because she was a cat. I absolutely loved the Beauty and the Beast feeling of this series, and I loved that Noctus wanted Chloe to feel secure in herself and her own abilities, and not just because she was with him. I definitely see the Hades and Persephone connection, and it makes me so sad that I must wait until March to see how this ends! Oh, K. M. Shea, how you pull my heartstrings so effortlessly, time and time again!!!

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯

Review of The King’s Captive: Magiford Supernatural City by K. M. Shea

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Synopsis:
I can turn into a housecat.

It’s a fun magic, except in a world filled with vampires and werewolves, it doesn’t exactly make me a powerhouse. Instead, the supernatural community has classified me as an outcast, which means one thing: picking on me is open season all day, every day.

The local fae are the worst of all, and it’s during one of their regular “capture the cat-girl” sessions that I shift into my cat form and meet HIM for the first time.

Noctus is so powerful his magic radiates off him like a sun, and my fae captors can barely look in his general direction. And then my life gets even more terrifying when Noctus decides to take me with him. As a pet.

Why did he pick today to “adopt don’t shop” a cat?

It gets worse when I realize he’s an elf, a ruling race of supernaturals that was supposedly killed off centuries ago.

But he’s not just any elf, no. He’s an elven king, with heaps of secrets to protect. Secrets that I am quickly learning since he includes his new pet in everything from breaking into buildings to inspect classified paperwork to tracking down sketchy supernaturals.

All this means if he gets even a hint that I’m not a real cat, I’m going to find out firsthand how elves treat their prisoners.

So, escaping Noctus is priority #1. How hard can it be? (Answer: very.)

King’s Captive is the first book in the Gate of Myth and Power urban fantasy trilogy, and is part of the Magiford Supernatural City world. It features elves, fae, werewolves, and vampires, and contains an adventure-filled and hilarious take on the Hades and Persephone myth. It’s packed with humor, battles, and a sweet, slow burn romance between an outcast magic user and the deadly king of the elves.

Review:
I wasn’t expecting I would love this book as much as I’ve loved all of K. M. Shea’s Magiford books, but this one drew me in like all of her other works, and I was hooked. I absolutely love how Chloe’s desires, fears, and misgivings stay constant throughout the novel. I love the budding tension between a pet cat and those around her. I was worried with Chloe being a free agent that it wouldn’t feel like we were in the same Magiford as the other series, but despite all of her own misgivings and anxiety, she is more than strong enough to keep the reader always wondering what happens next. I absolutely loved seeing the various sides of all of the characters, especially when they did unexpected things. I quite enjoyed seeing into Chloe’s mindset, and the obvious comical bits, and I especially love both when she has to try to communicate things while staying a cat and her “pet” French Fry! As per usual lately, I’m already most of the way through book two, so obviously I highly recommend this series, and K. M. Shea novels/series in general!

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯

Review of Fated by K. M. Shea

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Synopsis:
I thought I hated not fitting in. Turns out I hate having a target on my back even more.

Someone wants me taken out. To accomplish that, they leaked the secret of my magic to all the Packs in the Midwest. Now, almost every Alpha in the region has traveled to my hometown in hopes of convincing me to join their Pack.

And some of them don’t seem to think I should have a choice.

Greyson won’t stand for that—something he makes deadly clear to the other Alphas. What they don’t know is that I’m his long missing mate. But wolves and hunters are enemies, and my hunter magic blocks me from accepting the bond…even though I’m starting to wish I could.

Our incomplete mate bond is a constant drain on Greyson. Its existence puts him in danger—something he stubbornly ignores.

But as risky as our bond is, I have to stay focused on the biggest threat at the moment.

Whoever shared the secret of my powers wants to destroy our Pack. And we’re about to find out how far they’ll go to make that happen.

Fated is the final book in the Pack of Dawn and Destiny urban fantasy trilogy and is part of the Magiford Supernatural City world. It features werewolves, hunters, and fae, and is filled with humor, adventure, and a sweet romance that will have you laughing outloud.

Review:
I waited so long for this, it felt like forever, but like all of K. M. Shea’s books it felt just like walking back home as I rejoined the world of Magiford. I was so ecstatic to see how much Pip grew in this book emotionally. There was so much she had to really think about before she could do much, and getting to see that internal struggle that we all face when we aren’t sure where we fit, or if we should fight for what we care about and believe in, was great. I loved getting to see more of Leila from the Court of Midnight and Deceptions books, which I loved and got me truly hooked on this series (and are likely still my favourite of the three trilogies set in Magiford, though I have loved them all)! It was great seeing Greyson as a person beyond his faults, and accepting of faults he may have. I loved the ending, loved the series, and this was definitely worth waiting for! I do hope we continue to see the other two hunters in future Magiford book series.

And thank you Mayor Pearl!

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯

Review of United: Magiford Supernatural City by K. M. Shea

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United: Magiford Supernatural City (Pack of Dawn and Destiny Book 2) by [K. M. Shea]

Synopsis:
A wolf is attacking the humans of Timber Ridge and changing them into werewolves—against their will.

The change process is extremely dangerous and involves bloodshed. It isn’t something that happens by accident, which can only mean one thing.

Someone is doing this on purpose.

I’m going to find the rampaging sicko responsible for this outbreak, even if it means I have to master my new magic to stop them.

Thankfully, Greyson—the Pack Alpha and the most powerful wolf in the Midwest—is always down for a hunt. The only problem is that I’m starting to find him attractive—which is the worst thing I could do. He’s got an incomplete mate bond, and since I’m a hunter, I could never be a wolf’s mate.

That’s okay. I’m used to being alone. I’m a werewolf hunter, not part of the Pack. But that’s an awfully dangerous place to be when there is a rogue wolf on the loose.

United is the second book in the Pack of Dawn and Destiny urban fantasy trilogy, and is part of the Magiford Supernatural City world. It features werewolves, hunters, and fae, and is filled with humor, adventure, and a sweet romance that will have you laughing out loud.

Review:
I absolutely loved this book. Pip’s werewolf connections grew even stronger, and she tries to learn to harness her stronger wolf’s kiss powers all while trying to figure out who is turning the wolves against their will and trying to keep some semblance of personal comfort. From the beginning I had been so sure I knew what the cause of all of this was, and I was so wrong. There were lots of little twists and turns and plenty guests from other books/places in the same world. I was so glad when the elephant in the room was finally addressed at the very end of the book, just for it to end on such an amusing argument cliffhanger! I cannot wait to read the third book in the series and I’m so glad I only have to wait another month!

P. S. The Bedevilments grow on you, methinks.

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯

Review of Hunts: Magiford Supernatural City by K. M. Shea

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Hunted: Magiford Supernatural City (Pack of Dawn and Destiny Book 1) by [K. M. Shea]

Synopsis:
Ever feel like you don’t belong?

Try being a hunter living with werewolves. I’m the definition of “doesn’t fit in”. I’m not Pack, but I’m not the enemy, either.

I struggle to survive among werewolves who are stronger and faster than me, and are competitive enough to break a bone or two for the sake of “fun.”

Greyson, their alpha, is the worst of them all.

Blatantly relentless and twice as deadly, Greyson rules the Pack and expands its territory even though it’s already the largest in the region. I just wish he’d stop interfering with my life. He’s got enough trouble of his own with his incomplete mate bond, but he’s made it his hobby to tease and test me at every opportunity.

Doesn’t my life sound fun?

When wolves from surrounding packs start mindlessly attacking the innocent humans in our city, Timber Ridge, everything changes.

Werewolves don’t turn feral without reason. Which means someone is making this happen, and they’re targeting our Pack.

I don’t like where this is going, but how am I supposed to stop a feral wolf outbreak when I’m just one hunter? Can Greyson and I set aside our differences to see the Pack through this?

Hunted is the first book in the Pack of Dawn and Destiny urban fantasy trilogy and is part of the Magiford Supernatural City world. It features werewolves, hunters, and fae, and is filled with humor, adventure, and a sweet romance that will have you laughing in delight.

Review:
I adore K. M. Shea so much as an author. This series, like every other book I’ve read of hers, really draws you in from the beginning. She has a great way of showing you how things are instead of telling you, so you can experience what the character is going through and how they got there without an info dump about their past.

She expertly weaves in how Pip is connected to the pack but still a bit other, even if they love their “Pomeranian power ups”. I had my suspicions about Greyson that turned out to be true, but I had also thought that I knew where the threat started and that doesn’t appear to be correct. I loved the connections in this book, especially showing Pip’s relationship with others and how her role as outsider plays into her psyche, as well as how different and unique she is from having trained with the wolves.

Part of me wishes I had waited to start this series until next month when all three books are out, however, I loved it and will be quite happy to step back into Timber Ridge in 7 more days for book 2!

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯