3 stars.
First of all, thank you to the author for allowing me to read an e ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
‘Ware Spoilers.
For the type of book this is, it’s solid. Is it the type of book I would have wanted to read if given the chance? No, I wouldn’t. But by the time I figured that out, I was already committed and it was over halfway through. It’s a short read. I’m not a fan of erotica but how fair is it of me to blame the book for that? Not really. I probably shouldn’t have gotten caught up on the idea of the plot. I liked that about it, I was looking forward to that. But I digress. I was hoping for a fun shifter book that was less focused on pointless sex and romance than it was on a shifter story- I don’t read enough of those, and I’m always looking to read more. But what I got was a book with the emphasis on the former, so rather than harping on that, I’d rather focus on the plot and the characters themselves. This book reads like… it’s the second in the series. It tells over shows, and tells in a way where it’s like ‘come on guys, keep up with me, this is what’s happening you’ve read this before.’ Luckily all that information is spelled out so you’re not really fighting to keep up with anything, culture wise or character wise or plot wise. You’re just along for the ride.
The book falls flat on that part, then again with the characters- they’re constantly talking about themselves, telling us what they’re supposed to be like, then going ahead and not showing us this at all. Or at least, not a lot. Sometimes the main girl actually manages it, sometimes not. As does the rest. The culture is explained out and touched on, but you don’t get a lot about it, just a gloss over. This is Alaska with Alaskan indigenous peoples. You could have really played with it if you wanted to. The book could have easily been twice as long, but at the same time I recognize this is written in a pulp style so it’s meant to be short and sweet.
The plot itself moved fast and struggled with transitions. There were multiple points where things happened too conveniently or back-to-back. Even when it was meant to happen that way, it still felt like it was moving too quickly and too conveniently for the moment, especially in a ‘speak of the devil and they appear’ sort of way. There were points too when the characters took on their Wolf or Bear or whatever forms, and it got confusing as to when that happened, especially when they’re fighting monsters or each other or whatever. The romance was weak and rather irritating, just a lust with ‘no I can’t have her even though I want her/him’ trope and I won’t focus on it. But because that romance was the majority of the plot, it left the rest of it really lacking.
But what was there, it was a fine read. Not the best I’ve read, but certainly not the worst. If you’re into this genre type, by all means read this book, I’m sure you’ll love it. If you’re looking for something more substantial, I’d still suggest giving it a try anyway- it’s such a short read, who knows you might like it anyway. It’s not a bad plot by any means, just a bit lacking from what I’ve come to accept as my reading standard. I enjoy the way the hair was addressed on that cover. Really nice.
Feather Tones 