Review: Raised by Wolves

Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Published by Egmont USA

Genre: YA

$9.99 (US paperback)

418 pages

What it's about:

Adopted by the Alpha of a werewolf pack after a rogue wolf brutally killed her parents right before her eyes, fifteen-year-old Bryn knows only pack life, and the rigid social hierarchy that controls it. That doesn't mean that she's averse to breaking a rule or two.

But when her curiosity gets the better of her and she discovers Chase, a new teen locked in a cage in her guardian's basement, and witnesses him turn into a wolf before her eyes, the horrific memories of her parents' murders return. Bryn becomes obsessed with getting her questions answered, and Chase is the only one who can provide the information she needs.

But in her drive to find the truth, will Bryn push too far beyond the constraints of the pack, forcing her to leave behind her friends, her family, and the identity that she's shaped?

My thoughts:
I put off reading this book for so long and I really don't know why I did. It was fantastic!

A trend that is popular right now is strong leading ladies and Bryn definitely falls into this trend. She has grown up with werewolves but is human herself so she has to know how to take care of herself. She is smaller and physically weaker than her werewolf family, but she is strong willed and never backs down. I love that about her. She is so caring and unique that I couldn't help but love her.

The werewolves in this book are a little of the same old same old, and a little bit of the new. They have a pack bond like the wolves of New Moon, mixed with the beauty of the Shiver wolfs, and the fierceness of actual wolves. The way Barnes describes the feelings and the pack bond is repetitive but also very...real? She describes it so well it is easy to feel like you are a part of the bond. It's a little intense.

The plot was very well thought out and laid down. While the beginning seemed to go on for a little too long and the end came pretty fast, it was still really good. It gave you enough time to fully understand all the characters and their motives.

Raised by Wolves is a fresh story about werewolves, friendship, family, and love. I loved every minute of it and after finishing, I ran straight to my bookcase and started reading the next book in this series. Jennifer Lynn Barnes has earned a place on my favorite authors list and I hope to be able to read lots of her books.

My rating: 9/10