Bite Risk

Bite Risk #1

by S.J. Wills

The Last Kids on Earth gets a lupine twist by way of Margaret Peterson Haddix in this eerie middle grade adventure set in a small town where all the adults are werewolves but the kids begin to suspect something else sinister is putting them at even greater risk.

When everyone’s a werewolf, it’s hard to spot the monster…

Thirteen-year-old Sel lives in the remote, isolated town of Tremorglade, where nothing interesting ever seems to happen. Well, unless you count the one night a month when the full moon rises and kids like him must lock up their parents while they transform into werewolves (though Tremorgladers prefer to call them Rippers). But that’s the whole world’s new normal since the Disruption changed everything well before Sel was born.

But when strange things begin happening in Tremorglade, like drones emitting sickening sounds and people behaving oddly, Sel and his friends begin asking questions about what’s really going on in their small town. And suspiciously soon after they do, Rippers begin escaping on confinement nights, people start disappearing, and the kids suspect they’re being followed.

Maybe there’s a reason no one ever seems to leave Tremorglade…and it’s up to Sel and his friends to figure out the truth someone doesn’t want them to know before another full moon puts them all at a bite risk.

Genres: Horror, Fantasy, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Mystery, Science Fiction, Paranormal

320 pages, Hardcover

Published August 29, 2023

Reviews

[Nicola Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ah. Words to try and do this book the justice it deserves! It’s sometimes hard to write a review for a book that was just so damn good and enjoyable, that writing ‘it was great, I really enjoyed it!’ doesn’t quite cut it! Although it really was great and I enjoyed it from start to finish.

It was such a greatly crafted middle grade/ children’s book (but also a book a fully grown adult *ahem* me could enjoy). It had all the twists and turns, an ending I didn’t expect (I loved the turn of events this took!) and a promise for further books in the series which I think will make for spectacular reads.

I’m so intrigued into the direction these will take and can easily say I’ll be eagerly awaiting and on the lookout for follow ups. I can’t wait to join Sel, Elena and Ingrid again as they were such great characters navigating a really great landscape and the plot was epic. Enough said!

Thank you to the author and publisher for this book on NetGalley in return for my honest thoughts and review.

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Bite Risk is the first book in a middle grade werewolf series, and I can't wait to continue the series.
This had such a great plot, and each twist left me reading faster.
Sel is a thirteen-year-old who's not turned yet and is one of the many children who has to lock up their parents on the full moon each month to stop them from killing anyone in a frenzy. The town he lives in is small and completely isolated after an outbreak changed the world forever and created different beings such as werewolves. When strange things start happening and Sel and his friends start picking up on them, even worse things begin to occur. When thevwerewolves start escaping and people start to disappear, Sel finds himself in a tight spot, not knowing who to trust or what to do next.
This was such a ride of a book for middle-grade with some seriously great twists and turns to keep you on your toes!

[Horror Sickness · Rating 3 out of 5]

A werewolf story like you have never read before full of surprises and a found family.

We live in a world in which everyone, when they reach adulthood, turn into a werewolf. So it is the younger generations and children’s job to lock their parents and elderly for the night when the full moon is shining.

However accidents happen and some nights, they are ot safe. But there is a lot more to the story and mysteries that our main characters will try to discover.

We follow a group of teens as they deal with their reality and struggle to be just teens in this world.

I truly loved the concept of the book and how unique the take on werewolves is. There are some common aspects with your classic stories but the author gives it an interesting spin.

I also enjoyed seeing the teenagers sticking up for each other like a found family and having each other’s backs.

But I did miss a bit more of character depth that would have allowed me to care more for the characters.

The plot was very intriguing and it is a book that offers some interesting twists.

I would say however, that this is more of a mystery thriller/sci-fi than a horror and was also lacking for me in the horror department.

[Mr.Rainbow.Pages · Rating 5 out of 5]

ヽ(•‿•)ノ
Hello everyone, I'm Mr. C Reviewer, and tonight we're discussing S.J. Walls's book, Bite Risk. This book is the first in the Bite Risk Series. Being my first experience with wall's work, and after reading this story, I'm eager to explore more of her books in the future. I'd like to extend a huge thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy of Bite Risk in exchange for an honest review. I had the pleasure of reading this captivating book in May 2023, spending almost an entire day engrossed in its pages. Recommended for readers aged 11 and above, Bite Risk is set to be published on June 8th 2023. The narrative, told from Sel's first-person perspective, spans 34 chapters and 305 pages which also included a epilogue at the end.



Summary
Sel Archer resides in an ordinary town with regular inhabitants, but once a month, everything changes. During the full moon, Where adults transform into werewolves, it's up to the youth to safeguard themselves against peril. This book follows Sel's journey as he and the rest of the children protect themselves from danger. As Sel and his friends' peaceful existence is disrupted by the escape of the Turned, they must race against time to identify the mysterious entity monitoring their every move. Will they be able to uncover the truth before it's too late?



Review
-In my opinion, this book was written with some good skill and precision. I feel that the author did a remarkable job at creating vivid characterizations and immersive world-building that was easy to follow and understand. The author also succeeded in developing the characters in such a way that I felt emotionally invested in their journey. Upon reading the book, I was thoroughly impressed by the innovative technology incorporated within its pages and how the book's plot slowly unravels, revealing fascinating details about how characters first became wolves, adding a layer of depth to the story. In this book, one of the things I really enjoyed was how the author allowed readers to see the contents of certain letters that the characters received. Unlike some other books that skip over these details, this author made sure to include them, which I found very engaging.

The fast-paced plot and unique take on the werewolf genre made for an exhilarating read. The inclusion of action sequences kept me on the edge of my seat, making it difficult to put the book down. Although a thriller, it strikes a perfect balance between excitement and fear, making it a thrilling yet approachable read. However, there were certain parts of the book that I felt could have been shortened to improve the overall pacing.

-I did appreciated the clever pun on Sergeant 'Derek Hale' from the show Teen Wolf that was included in the book. In the opening chapters of the book, I was immediately struck by a sense of familiarity that brought to mind one of my all-time favourite television shows, Wolfblood. The book's unexpected and thrilling plot twists had me captivated from beginning to end. Despite being the first of a trilogy, the novel concluded with a wholly satisfying ending that left no questions unanswered. The author's masterful storytelling has left me eagerly howling for its next instalment. I cant wait to buy a physical copy of this book upon its release and simultaneously experiencing it through Audible has me eagerly counting down the days.


For each story that I read, I rate it out of 10 so for this am going to give it a 9.0. Remember this was what I thought about the book personally and I suggest that you give it a go for yourself.

[Kirsty Carson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic read! And such a refreshing new take on the age old ‘whatwolf’ sorry I mean ‘werewolf’ story! Filled with intriguing characters, suspense and heart this was a brilliant read from start to finish. I just hope that Wills has another book in the works because now that I’ve got to know the gang, I’m not ready to say goodbye to Tremorglade just yet.

[Carly Rushforth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks so much to the publisher for reaching out to me to send me a copy of this book and some goodies!. I’m eternally grateful.

Every full moon in a town called Tremorglade the adults turn into Werewolves!. The young teens of the town including Sel and his friends have to protect themselves at all costs.

This was such an easy read, even though I’m not the target audience (11+/Young Teen) I felt myself being immersed in the story and the world of Tremorglade and it was just fantastic and felt like it was already an established series.

I could easily see this being made into a great tv show that children will adore, maybe animated so it looks like the cover ?.

[Payal · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rather scarily believable MG novel about werewolves. Except the rushed, almost anti-climactic, climax, I enjoyed the book overall. The build-up of something being wrong, and the slow reveal of what was going on in the mysterious, isolated town of Tremorglade was just right, and I applaud the author for not dragging the story out over multiple books. As an adult reader, I found some of the plot predictable, but I’m sure youngsters will love it. Will look out for more of SJ Wills’ work.

(Review copy from NetGalley)

[Jaimes_Mystical_Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic middle grade read! I thoroughly enjoyed this story and the world the author created. This book was very well written and I loved the characters in this book. This was such a unique twist on a werewolf story and had me invested the entire time! I can’t say much about this one without spoiling it, but I definitely recommend picking this one up.

Thank you Simon Kids for sending me a copy of this book.

[Dani (piggindani_reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing. I really enjoyed this. Such a unique concept.

I actually cheered out loud at one point. 🥰

Definitely getting Bite Risk: Caught Dead asap

[Hannah4lol · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5/5
mit 12 hätte ich es verschlungen!

[Sharron Joy Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sel lives in a small town just being a teenager but once a month, when the moon is full, she takes her Mother to the basement and locks her into her cage.

In a world where a virus has made almost every adult a werewolf, the children lock up their parents and older siblings to protect themselves every month for the Confinement. But then the Turned start to escape and someone is watching, can Sel and her friends find out who before things really go to hell.

This was a really great read, it’s YA so although there is gore it is mild and this is really a character study on the teenagers. Their lives are so controlled, they cope the best they can knowing any day they could Turn. They enjoy their freedom when the moon is full but they are isolated, cut off, their location easily separated from the wider world. It seems like they have everything under control until they don’t!

Fast paced and a fun take on the werewolf genre, it is exciting and not too scary, a thriller that teens will love.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ebook to read and review.

[Maeve Robinson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I won an advanced reader copy of this from San Diego Comic Con, so otherwise I would not have picked this book up, but it was just ok. I’ll give it some leeway considering I’m much older than the intended audience, but it took me incredibly long to get into this story, the characters were rather flat, and I’m not really inclined to believe a group of young teens can take down a capitalistic scientific empire in 2 chapters. I truly thought this was going to have a sequel given how close it was to the end with so much not being wrapped up. Having already seen a “it was an experiment the whole time” twist when I read Allegiant a decade ago, none of the plot twists were very fun either. The “worldbuilding” (if you can call it that) was really the only interesting thing about the story; otherwise, it was just your standard PG story about the supernatural.

[Annarella · Rating 4 out of 5]

I my mind this was a humorous horror. I was wrong it's an excellent horror, well plotted and gripping.
Can't wait to read the next one.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[WildesKopfkino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mondlicht, Blutgeruch, eine Stadt voller Käfige – und mittendrin wir zwei: meine Tochter und ich, bewaffnet mit Knabberzeug und viel zu viel Fantasie. Dieses Buch hat uns komplett eingesogen wie ein Ripper, der gerade den Vollmond feiert. Die Grundidee allein ist schon schräg genial: Erwachsene, die sich regelmäßig in Monster verwandeln, während die Kids den Laden schmeißen müssen. Da kommt Stimmung auf, sage ich dir!

Beim Buddyread war es richtig witzig. Wir haben uns teilweise gegenseitig vorgelesen und dabei dramatische Werwolf-Geräusche gemacht (die Nachbarn sind vermutlich kurz zusammengezuckt). Schon das Setting – ein kleines Städtchen, voller Sicherheitsprotokolle und Käfige – ist so bizarr, dass man sofort wissen will, was hinter all den seltsamen Vorkommnissen steckt. Und dann diese Tauben! Ich meine, hallo? Verrückte Vögel und abstürzende Drohnen – da guckten wir beide gleichzeitig so: „Ähm, was bitte geht hier ab?!“

Die Figuren fühlen sich echt an, vor allem Sel mit seiner Mischung aus Mut und Panik. Meine Tochter hat dauernd gegrinst und kommentiert, wie sie in bestimmten Situationen garantiert schneller abgehauen wäre als er. Ich dagegen habe mich mehr auf die cleveren Details gestürzt: kleine Hinweise, unterschwellige Andeutungen – alles, was den Nervenkitzel verstärkt.

Der Humor, die Spannung, die leicht morbide Atmosphäre: Es passt alles perfekt zusammen. Wir haben uns dabei erwischt, wie wir mitten in der Nacht noch ein Kapitel weitergeschmuggelt haben, obwohl eigentlich längst Schlafenszeit war. Tja, selbst schuld – Schlaf ist überbewertet, wenn man eine Story hat, die so packt.

Fazit: „Bite Risk“ ist kein gewöhnlicher Werwolf-Thriller, sondern ein wilder Mix aus Action, Mystery und schaurig-schönem Wahnsinn. Und für uns war’s eine ziemlich perfekte Buddyread-Erfahrung.

[K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trigger warnings: blood, death, violence, confinement

This took me a little while to get into, but I really loved the idea of an isolated town where all the adults/teens over 15 are werewolves (sorry, Rippers) and the kids are responsible for keeping them locked up every full moon. There was definitely a sinister vibe to the town and the whole situation that worked really well, and while there perhaps wasn't as much character development as I would have liked, what we did get was pretty fun.

I also loved that this is clearly written for a 12-14 year old readership - it's a bit too dark for younger middle grade readers and reads a bit young to truly be young adult. There are all too few books written with that age group in mind, and I love that the past few years have brought an increasing number of them. I'm not convinced it needs a sequel, but I shall remain cautiously optimistic.

[ZeilenZauber · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘*‘ Meine Meinung ‘*‘
In Tremorglade sperren Kinder und Teenager ihre Eltern und Verwandten zu Vollmond in Käfige; denn diese verwandeln sich in Werwölfe. Was zunächst grausam klingt, ist in Tremorglade Alltag: alles ist bestens organisiert und jeder weiß, was zu tun ist. Doch plötzlich erleben Sel und seine Freunde seltsame Ereignisse, also noch seltsamer als Werwölfe, die Ripper genannt werden.
Das Buch nimmt sich am Anfang Zeit für das Worldbuilding, was ich aber stimmig fand, da es der Zielgruppe „ab 12 Jahre“ zugutekommt. Dabei lernte ich Sel, seine Freunde und sein Leben kennen. Besonders interessant fand ich, wie verantwortungsvoll die Kinder und Jugendlichen ihre Aufgaben in den Vollmondnächten übernehmen. Als dann ersten geschickt platzierten Twists und Überraschungen auftauchten, nahm die Handlung richtig Fahrt auf und auch die Charaktere entwickelten sich spannend weiter. Mehr kann ich nicht verraten, denn Spoiler sind ein No-Go.
Die Spannung steigerte sich sukzessive und kontinuierlich und zog mich magisch in ihren Bann. Der Schreibstil der Autorin ist locker-flockig und keineswegs so simpel, wie ich es bei der Zielgruppe erwartet habe, sondern mitreißend und lebendig.
Ja, manchmal geht es blutig zu, aber bei einer Werwolfstory ist das nicht anders zu erwarten. Im Vergleich zu klassischen Märchen ist aber alles noch im Rahmen, im grünen Bereich.
Arash Marandi liest hervorragend, verleiht den Figuren eine eigene Stimme, belebt sie und die Handlung. Er ließ mich Emotionen und Zwischentöne hören und ich nahm ihm seine Interpretation der Handlung absolut ab.
Mir hat die frische, andere Sichtweise auf Werwölfe sehr gut gefallen. Für ein Jugendbuch bietet es nicht nur Spannung, sondern neben einem überraschenden Ende auch Figuren, von denen die jungen Lesenden lernen können. Deshalb vergebe ich gern 5 Werwolf-Sterne.
‘*‘ Klappentext ‘*‘
Sicherheitsvorkehrungen im Vorgarten, check. Käfig im Keller gesichert, check. Betäubungsgewehr geladen und das blutige Abendessen bereitgelegt, check und check. Seit vor 25 Jahren das Virus Corpus pilori das abgelegene Städtchen Tremorglade heimgesucht hat, ist dies die Liste, die jedes Kind durchgeht, wenn wieder Vollmond ist. Denn dann mutieren alle Erwachsenen zu aggressiven Werwölfen, den sogenannten Rippern. Doch seit einigen Monaten ist dies nicht mehr das einzige seltsame Vorkommnis in Tremorglade. Seit kurzem spielen die Tauben verrückt und seltsame Drohnen fallen vom Himmel. Höchste Zeit für Sel und seine Freunde herauszufinden, was hier wirklich los ist ...

[Evie 🌙 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is definitely aimed at early teens but I needed something very chilled and not demanding to get me back in to the swing of reading after a few days off with reaaaaally bad anxiety and this was perfect for that.

The story was enjoyable and the twists were also good, predictable and somewhat far-fetched but no complaints for a teen thriller.

[Daniel Myatt · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the premise but this book just seemed to have one of those plots that was just a little too convenient and also it didn't develop the characters.

Werewolves, a town with strict full moon rules and things that just don't seem right sums up Sel's life in his small American town.

It was a great mash-up of horror and sci-fi and a perfectly good 3 full stars just lacked a bit to become a 4 star.

[Evie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a banger. Teenage me would have LOVED this.

[Rhianah · Rating 2 out of 5]

No

[Charleigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 star

[Tammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/3.5…. I liked the story. I liked the mystery. It was a clever book. I would have liked a little more horror and a few more werewolf scenes, but I still enjoyed it.

[Josefin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5

Den här boken var inte alls vad jag trodde, men den var bra, karaktärerna va lite tråkiga bara🤷🏼‍♀️

Skulle nästan säga att den gränsar till dystopi?? Typ lite mazerunner-vibes

[Louise Forshaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved, loved, loved it! I absolutely love stories about the supernatural (werewolves, vampires etc). So I was really excited to dive into this one,
This one turned out to be an entirely different and fresh take on the subject. I zoomed through it, pretty much reading it in a day so that tells you everything,
Sel is such an endearing and likeable main character too. I'll definitely be picking up any sequels.

Merged review:

Loved, loved, loved it! I absolutely love stories about the supernatural (werewolves, vampires etc). So I was really excited to dive into this one,
This one turned out to be an entirely different and fresh take on the subject. I zoomed through it, pretty much reading it in a day so that tells you everything,
Sel is such an endearing and likeable main character too. I'll definitely be picking up any sequels.

[Amey Alejo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bite risk, damn what a fun read this was
I'm not really one for werewolf stories as most of them are marked as adult and are just aren't for me.
Bite risk however was fun, funny with just that hint of horror and gore that puts it in the children/teen category but can be enjoyed by all people.
Reading from Sels' perspective works really well and he's beautifully written along with most of the side characters, my only issue is that I wish there could have been chapters from Elenas and Pedros' perspectives aswell.
I think that would have really rounded out some of the story near the end if it had Pedro's perspective on some events in there

But overall I absolutely loved this novel and hope that in the future we get more stories from this world and characters

[Priscilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bite Risk is truly a thrilling and immersive teen read - I absolutely loved it. The author has created a stunning world that is complex, intelligent and intricate yet easy to understand and very believable. I adored the main character Sel and the other characters, who were all very realistic & nuanced characters. I can’t wait to see how the rest of story unfolds over the next two books in this series.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect fantasy adventure with a bit of mystery for middle school aged and up. If you are into a bit of conspiracy and monsters this book is for you? Excitement and tension build from the beginning to the end. The question is who is actually the monster? Thank you to Simon and Schuster UK Children’s and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

[✯Angharad · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF 150 pages in

[Dylan Reynolds · Rating 0.25 out of 5]

Terrible, don't read.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 5 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Sel is glad that he lives in the remote village of Tremorglade, because the world has been in an awful mess ever since a virus was released that turns people into werewolves (called Rippers). There's also a lot of problems with storms and climate change since the Disruption, but Sel's town has a system that has worked ever since his mother was his age. The virus was widespread, and causes everyone over the age of about 14 to turn into werewolves on a monthly basis. Since it's been so long, however, each adult has a Caretaker, and every home is equipped with fairly sophisticated cages, as well as outside tripwires and stun pops in case a werewolf does accidentally get out. Children are taught in school how to use tranquilizer guns and tend to patrol the town when all of the responsible adults are locked away, slavering and eating raw meat. There is one man who is immutable, Harold, and Sel and his best friend Elena often hang out with him at the Shady Oaks Retirement Community on the nights of Confinement, playing cards and having snacks. Sel does experience "doldrums" around the time of the Confinement; headaches, nausea, and other symptoms similar to Seasonal Affective Disorder. Other than that, life goes on. There are school projects, cheesy videos about when the children will be "Turned", interpersonal problems with people like Ingrid, and family problems, like Elena's father's unsuccessful job search. One night, however, things get weird, and Ingrid is dive bombed by lots of pigeons. Not long after, Sel's mother gets out of her cage and has to be subdued before someone kills her. Sel finds a downed drone (the community gets most of its good delivered by drones), and this one is marked with the company behind much of the testing of the Rippers. Elena's brother knows a bit about technology, so they take the drone to him. Pedro has some ideas, but odd things start to happen. The internet, much used by the children for Seekle (a search engine), as well as social media sites, goes down, and before long Pedro's involvement turns tragic. Elena and Sel had been involved in some experiments with Pedro, and Sel had shared some of these online. This starts a horrible chain reaction that leads to questionable loyalties, devastating secrets, and grave danger. Will Sel and Elena be able to figure out how to save themselves and their town.

There are SO MANY twists and turns in this one that I do not want to ruin, so I can't talk about half of the book! The world building is absolutely exquisite. The best part is the basic premise; a virus causes people to turn into werewolves (think Westerfeld's 2005 vampire classic, Peeps), but it started so long ago that there's a system in place, and the young don't really think about it. Sel's mother, because she is older, doesn't want anyone to see her as a werewolf, and that sort of detail really makes this make the idea of living in a dystopia that people have learned to survive believable.

The evil corporation is downplayed a bit; Sel certainly suspects Sequest, but we don't get a lot of information about them. Then, we are absolutely slapped in the face by a serious of revelations about what Sequest has been doing. Again, I don't want to describe them, but lets just say that Sel and Elena should have definitely had more internet savvy and suspected, as I did, that everything on their internet (games, security questions, internet pen pals) was not what it seemed.

Several reviews mentioned that there wasn't as much character development as they would have liked, but this is a solidly upper middle grade book. Middle grade is largely plot driven, so that things HAPPEN. Boy, do they ever happen. If Sel and Elena are busy fighting off Rippers, dealing with conspiracies, and facing tumult in their personal lives, that more than makes up for character development. Sel ends up being much less naive about the world, and that's plenty.

The ending was a bit neat, but again, I thought that was rather perfect. It felt a little like Philbrick's The Big Dark in that respect, and my students really like that book. I personally am a big fan of characters living through horrible experiences and then being rewarded by having things work out in the end. I guess that's a spoiler of sorts, but you will not guess HOW everything is solved neatly.

I've read so many books lately that just make me roll my eyes; tired middle grade tropes, plots that are sort of boring and anxious, stories that don't GO anywhere, and fantasy books that involve quests to save worlds where magic has gone wrong. So many magical worlds. This deftly combines several elements that my students love-- dystopia, monsters, horror, and an adventure that twists and turns while dripping in blood. This gets five stars because I felt a need to describe the book in great detail to a friend AND audibly reacted to several of the surprises. I strongly suspect that this will be my nomination for the Cybils' Middle Grade Speculative Fiction award.