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Feral #1
Feral Nights
Fans of the Tantalize quartet will thrill to see werepossum Clyde and other favorite secondary characters — plus all-new ones — take to the fore in book one of this series.
When sexy, free-spirited werecat Yoshi tracks his sister, Ruby, to Austin, he discovers that she is not only MIA, but also the key suspect in a murder investigation. Meanwhile, werepossum Clyde and human Aimee have set out to do a little detective work of their own, sworn to avenge the brutal killing of werearmadillo pal Travis. When all three seekers are snared in an underground kidnapping ring, they end up on a remote island inhabited by an unusual (even by shifter standards) species and its cult of worshippers. Their hosts harbor a grim secret: staging high-profile safaris for wealthy patrons with evil pedigrees, which means that at least one newcomer to the island is about to be hunted. As both wereprey and werepredator fight to stay alive, it’s up to mild-mannered Clyde — a perennial sidekick — to summon the hero within. Can he surprise even himself?
When sexy, free-spirited werecat Yoshi tracks his sister, Ruby, to Austin, he discovers that she is not only MIA, but also the key suspect in a murder investigation. Meanwhile, werepossum Clyde and human Aimee have set out to do a little detective work of their own, sworn to avenge the brutal killing of werearmadillo pal Travis. When all three seekers are snared in an underground kidnapping ring, they end up on a remote island inhabited by an unusual (even by shifter standards) species and its cult of worshippers. Their hosts harbor a grim secret: staging high-profile safaris for wealthy patrons with evil pedigrees, which means that at least one newcomer to the island is about to be hunted. As both wereprey and werepredator fight to stay alive, it’s up to mild-mannered Clyde — a perennial sidekick — to summon the hero within. Can he surprise even himself?
290 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2013
25 people are currently reading
1294 people want to read
About the author
Cynthia Leitich Smith
39 books1,293 followersCynthia Leitich Smith is the New York Times bestselling, award-winning author and anthologist of more than 20 books for young readers. She was named a 2025 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award Candidate, the NSK Neustadt Laureate, Texas Literary Hall of Fame inductee, and winner of the Southern Miss Medallion for Outstanding Contributions in Children’s Literature. Cynthia has also been named to deliver the 2026 ALSC Children’s Literature Lecture. She is the author-curator of Heartdrum, a Native-focused imprint at HarperCollins Children’s Books, and served as the Katherine Paterson Inaugural Chair for the children’s-YA writing MFA program at Vermont College of Fine Arts. Cynthia is a citizen of the Muscogee Nation and lives in Texas.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
November 28, 2017
If a reader goes into this book, not expecting a serious book, but more of a fluffy read to fill the time, then I think they will enjoy this one.
One interesting aspect of this book is how there are so many different shifter types. This is not a common place trope, so I was excited to start reading this one. In fact, I think this is the first book I have read with a werepossum. There is also mention of vampires, demons, witches and wizards, and more. I thoroughly enjoyed all of the supernatural creatures in one book, but did wish that the world-building had not been so weak. This is the first book in a series, even if it is a spin-off, so the reader needs more background information about what is going on. We are told that humans know about shifters, but what else is going on? What is the human reaction? Where is the human aspect? Do Aimee's parents not care or do they not know she hangs out with shifters? These are some questions I would have wanted answered.
There are also multiple perspectives we read through: Aimee, Clyde, and Yoshi. This helps the reader learn about the characters and potentially connect with them more. These three were definitely distinct. The side characters are the ones I kept getting confused, especially when they ended up on the island. Even before that, though, I was mixing up the name of the sheriff with other people.
The plot is pretty thin. There is a story line and the mystery is there, but it felt really passive since things happened so easily for the main characters.
One interesting aspect of this book is how there are so many different shifter types. This is not a common place trope, so I was excited to start reading this one. In fact, I think this is the first book I have read with a werepossum. There is also mention of vampires, demons, witches and wizards, and more. I thoroughly enjoyed all of the supernatural creatures in one book, but did wish that the world-building had not been so weak. This is the first book in a series, even if it is a spin-off, so the reader needs more background information about what is going on. We are told that humans know about shifters, but what else is going on? What is the human reaction? Where is the human aspect? Do Aimee's parents not care or do they not know she hangs out with shifters? These are some questions I would have wanted answered.
There are also multiple perspectives we read through: Aimee, Clyde, and Yoshi. This helps the reader learn about the characters and potentially connect with them more. These three were definitely distinct. The side characters are the ones I kept getting confused, especially when they ended up on the island. Even before that, though, I was mixing up the name of the sheriff with other people.
The plot is pretty thin. There is a story line and the mystery is there, but it felt really passive since things happened so easily for the main characters.
Read
February 16, 2020I'm DNFing this one. I don't think I'll rate it because I don't have any specific complaints except that I'm not interested. I got this one out of a free box at the library, and I really like urban fantasy and shape-shifter stuff, so I thought I'd try it. I got about 50 pages in and was just not into it, so I'm gonna move on.
November 15, 2015
Interesting read. The premise was pretty silly, but if you can accept that, it's fun. A rip-roaring adventure. Clyde the werepossum discovers his other side, and Yoshi the Cat, Ruby's brother, is introduced, but this is obviously the middle of a series of other books. Still, I was able to follow everything. Each chapter was written in the first person POV of the person whose name titled the chapter. It was fairly easy to follow, but I thought the three different characters sounded an awful lot alike. I couldn't tell them apart without having to look back at the chapter title. I did enjoy it, though. It was lively fun.
February 11, 2019
First of all, I didn't realise that this was a sequel series to one that had already come out so me feeling like I was missing half the story had a reasonable explanation for it. I just got recced this book as an urban fantasy and then didn't look it up on Goodreads past the fact that it was the first in the series. This is not a book I would recommend reading before the first series.
In this book, Clyde, a werepossum (oh yes) is trying to hunt down a werecat named Ruby, who killed his best friend, Travis, who is haunting him as a ghost. Aimee, Travis' sort-of girlfriend when he was alive, and Yoshi, Ruby's brother, come along for the ride. And then things take a really weird turn.
I liked many things about this book. The different kind of werespecies, the fact that the paranormal is very much known in the human world even if not always acknowledged, the mystery going on around Ruby and where she had disappeared to were all things I was really into. And I was really liking the romances right up until the end . The book spent all the time building up the chemistry between certain people and then just turned it down flat to go with a trope I was a little bored of, to be honest.
And the plot. It was very fast-paced but the resolution to the Ruby-Travis mystery seemed to come out of nowhere or at least, the island did. It felt like we were having a lot of great, fast-paced build up, only to have everything turn 180 and I was left wondering what on earth was going on. I mean, I was enjoying it but I was boggling at how things had turned near the end of the book.
I probably wouldn't continue the series because the characters and the relationships just didn't stick me with enough to continue the series. I did really enjoy the world and how shifters and magic were known in this urban fantasy world.
3 stars!
In this book, Clyde, a werepossum (oh yes) is trying to hunt down a werecat named Ruby, who killed his best friend, Travis, who is haunting him as a ghost. Aimee, Travis' sort-of girlfriend when he was alive, and Yoshi, Ruby's brother, come along for the ride. And then things take a really weird turn.
I liked many things about this book. The different kind of werespecies, the fact that the paranormal is very much known in the human world even if not always acknowledged, the mystery going on around Ruby and where she had disappeared to were all things I was really into. And I was really liking the romances right up until the end . The book spent all the time building up the chemistry between certain people and then just turned it down flat to go with a trope I was a little bored of, to be honest.
And the plot. It was very fast-paced but the resolution to the Ruby-Travis mystery seemed to come out of nowhere or at least, the island did. It felt like we were having a lot of great, fast-paced build up, only to have everything turn 180 and I was left wondering what on earth was going on. I mean, I was enjoying it but I was boggling at how things had turned near the end of the book.
I probably wouldn't continue the series because the characters and the relationships just didn't stick me with enough to continue the series. I did really enjoy the world and how shifters and magic were known in this urban fantasy world.
3 stars!
June 8, 2023
More of a YA read than I thought but a good read nonetheless. Kept me reading and kept the secret til almost the very end. Great writing
August 21, 2015
The characters were great, the writing was solid...
I'm only detracting stars because I could definitely tell that there were previous books I should have read first XD
It's my own darn fault for not researching more thoroughly.
Full review soon.
I'm only detracting stars because I could definitely tell that there were previous books I should have read first XD
It's my own darn fault for not researching more thoroughly.
Full review soon.
October 12, 2016
this book was awesome can't wait to start the second amd pick up her other novelss
July 10, 2019
Stilted, overly compact, and just plain chaotic at times. Still enjoyed some of the imagery. Found some of the characters shallow and vapid.
August 30, 2017
So on a whim, I read Feral Nights, because I wanted to read something but had very little mental energy and all my other current books are nonfiction. And... I'm kind of disappointed? Like, I went in with low expectations, but the werecreature society idea could have been really really good! It's exactly the kind of idea I'd read 100 trashy stories about and be delighted by each and every time. There were wereopossums and werearmadillos and a werebear/wererabbit cop duo that I was fully prepared to stan... but then all that got kicked to the curb in favour of Sexy Male Werecats Fighting Over Girls.
Also demons. And yetis. And vampires. And again, I'd love to read a book about any of the above genres (with the exception of Sexy Male Werecats Fighting Over Girls), but all of them smushed together needed a lot more coherence than Smith gave it.
Finally, while billed itself as the first book in a trilogy, it quickly became clear it was actually a sequel to another novel Smith wrote, which explained why I felt like I'd been dropped into the middle of the action, rather than the beginning, but did nothing to make up for it.
Also demons. And yetis. And vampires. And again, I'd love to read a book about any of the above genres (with the exception of Sexy Male Werecats Fighting Over Girls), but all of them smushed together needed a lot more coherence than Smith gave it.
Finally, while billed itself as the first book in a trilogy, it quickly became clear it was actually a sequel to another novel Smith wrote, which explained why I felt like I'd been dropped into the middle of the action, rather than the beginning, but did nothing to make up for it.
May 13, 2022
For my independent reading book this month I read "Feral Nights" by Cynthia Leitich Smith. The genre of this book would be fantasy. I will not be including any major spoilers of this book. This book is about a werecat, basically a werewolf, called Yoshi. Yoshi sets off to find his sister Ruby who had gone missing, he finds out that she is a suspect in a murder investigation. This causes him to join up with a human named Aimee and a wereopossum named Clyde. These three are eventually kidnapped and taken to an island, an island filled with dangerous vampires. These three must work together to find Ruby and make it off the island alive.
I thought the book was okay, I didn't dislike it but I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend this book to anyone. I like fantasy books but this one was not my favorite. I found it a little hard to keep track between the characters since each chapter changed the point of view. So each chapter would be narrated by a different character and I did not like this format as much as a normal book with one point of view. However if you are a fan of fantasy books and fairy tales this book would be for you. If you like fictional characters like vampires and werewolves you would enjoy this book.
I thought the book was okay, I didn't dislike it but I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend this book to anyone. I like fantasy books but this one was not my favorite. I found it a little hard to keep track between the characters since each chapter changed the point of view. So each chapter would be narrated by a different character and I did not like this format as much as a normal book with one point of view. However if you are a fan of fantasy books and fairy tales this book would be for you. If you like fictional characters like vampires and werewolves you would enjoy this book.
July 5, 2017
Imagine a community where regular people mix together with a variety of were-creatures. We are talking opossums, armadillos, etc. Throw in some vampires and an island to hunt the were-creatures for sport. Add in a murder mystery and missing persons/creatures and you have Feral Nights. It has a sort of middle schoolish feel with sexual content thrown in to make it more young adult. If you are looking for a book that is a little bit fun and a little bit goofy, this might be it. Not my genre.
November 27, 2017
Feral Nights was a good book, but I'm not sure I liked the writing style. It wasn't bad, just different. I will admit, it helped keep the story moving at a fast pace, though it was a little confusing at times too. I haven't read the Tantalize series, but this book was easy enough to follow regardless. All in all, a pretty good read.
August 4, 2019
Not being familiar with the previous books introducing the characters in this one, I really felt much of the action was happening offstage. Talking about sidekicks can only be amusing for so long. The energy in other books was winding down here. Rounded up to 2 stars because, surprisingly, this series does get better.
August 9, 2020
I really liked this. I've always been a fan of shape shifters, and it's really great to read something that isn't a romance. Not that I don't love romances, and some of them have great action plots too, but it's nice to have something that focuses more on the world and action plot, not that the characters weren't great either. I'm rambling, but it was great.
May 3, 2022
I personally did not like this book. I would give it less stars but I feel bad giving books less than 3 stars. But, my reasons for not enjoying this book is because i felt like there was too much back and forth between chapters and characters. It was hard to follow and the story line was bland. It reminded me of the most dangerous game but not as enticing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 31, 2023
I read this, a library book. I cannot put it down and finished it within 3 days. I immediately fell in love with the characters and the plot and the relationships. The mystery, which I did not expect a whole bunch of but was actually surprised. I immediately picked up the second book but I have not read it yet fingers crossed it's as good as this one!!!!
Ps. I am definitely buying this series
Ps. I am definitely buying this series
May 25, 2017
I am totally digging this series as of book 1! The only issue I had was the timeframe for all that was going on...it seemed like a few days, but it could have been the entire summer...unsure of that as it was never really discussed. Otherwise, fast paced and action packed! On to book #2!
July 3, 2023
It was good. Started out kinda slow, but got better. Full of surprises. I really liked that it wasn’t predictable. As soon as you thought you figured it all out, you would be thrown for another turn. Overall a very fun read!
November 13, 2023
Fun , teen, shape-shifters, underworld, supernatural. Everyone has an attitude.
Very different and imaginative with likable characters. Don’t look for great literature in every book, just enjoy! I did.
Very different and imaginative with likable characters. Don’t look for great literature in every book, just enjoy! I did.
November 18, 2018
A fun fantasy from an excellent writer.
December 29, 2018
Listened to the audiobook while following along and having Todd Haberkorn reading Yoshi's chapter made this book all the better!
August 8, 2019
It was good, but not "hot off the press" good. I do want to keep reading the series just to find out other things though.
October 15, 2019
Not sure about the abominable snowmen idea.
Read
April 12, 2023Very light YA fiction (Lots of fun to read for brain breaks during dissertation writing)
May 3, 2023
Feral Night, a book about A Werecat named Yoshi who leaves the country side because his grandmother kicked him out of the barn. He goes down to Austin to find his sister but when he gets there he realizes that his sister is not only MIA but also the main suspect of a murder investigation. Meanwhile, a werepossum Clyde and his human friend Aimee are determined to seek revenge on the wereperson that brutally killed their friend. While all three are doing some investigating, they end up being trafficked into a tropical island. The werepeople now have a common enemy and have to work together if they are to find a way back home.
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The only thing I didn't like about this story was the writing style. I didn't like how it kept changing into different characters' perspectives because there wasn't a good transition into each character. It was a little hard to follow along as too where we were in the story. Other than that I think the book was a nice read and 10/10 recommend for those into mystery.
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The only thing I didn't like about this story was the writing style. I didn't like how it kept changing into different characters' perspectives because there wasn't a good transition into each character. It was a little hard to follow along as too where we were in the story. Other than that I think the book was a nice read and 10/10 recommend for those into mystery.
March 8, 2017
Had a different approach to the background of the story being nothing but people who are part human, and then the part that makes them who they are. Animal. The mystery was great, had a lot of puzzling questions that got answered later. The adventure part showed who each of the characters really were.
Loved this book and I can't wait to read the next one.
Loved this book and I can't wait to read the next one.
April 6, 2020
I don’t think I’ll continue the series, but I would say the book is fast paced and enjoyable, but you shouldn’t expect a lot from it. There’s stuff that came out of nowhere. And I would actually like to praise the author because she tricked me lol. After all I didn’t get attached to any of the characters and it was just a book to distract myself, a fluffy read (2.5)
January 24, 2013
Here are Five Things I have to Say About FERAL NIGHTS:
1) The wit and humor that Cynthia manages to pull off each and every time she writes a book amazes me. I find myself laughing out loud in the most unexpected places as a perfectly placed bit of humor slips into her story. What makes it so perfect is the fact that it is never overdone. Just the right amount at just the right time!
2) Character banter.* I've mentioned it before, but this is something I absolutely adore. The right character banter from the right characters to create the perfect tension, be it among friends or potential romantic interests, is something I would love to be able to pull off this well. Cynthia does it will a skill that is enviable.
3) FERAL NIGHTS starts off on one course, and as I was reading, I was sure that was exactly where we were going to stay. But then, right in the middle of everything, right when I think I know what is going to happen, everything changes. We're whisked away to a whole new place to confront entirely new problems. I think the way this switch shows how different the problems are (and which are of the higher concern) is brilliant. It's like revenge switched to basic survival. What's a character to do?
4) So Cynthia manages to pull together all the mythical creatures of her past novels and then some. You're wondering what, aren't you? Like what is there besides were-creatures and vampires and the like?
Seeing as how that would be a complete spoiler, I'm not going to tell you. Suffice it to say, that my initial impression was, "OMG no way," and as I read on and on, I found it completely works. Well done!
5) Overall, FERAL NIGHTS was a highly enjoyable read! Have no worries if you've never read any of Cynthia's books before. This book can be picked up and read at any time, no reading order required. It will appeal to fans of Cynthia's other books, and I also think those paranormal fans looking for a bit of a lighter read will enjoy it, too (due to the fun humor). It's engaging, well-crafted, and a pleasure! Highly recommended!
*Some of my all-time favorite character banter being from THE SCORPION KING 2. Yes, groan all you want to, the the banter in this movie made it great entertainment.
Source of book: From publisher by request
1) The wit and humor that Cynthia manages to pull off each and every time she writes a book amazes me. I find myself laughing out loud in the most unexpected places as a perfectly placed bit of humor slips into her story. What makes it so perfect is the fact that it is never overdone. Just the right amount at just the right time!
2) Character banter.* I've mentioned it before, but this is something I absolutely adore. The right character banter from the right characters to create the perfect tension, be it among friends or potential romantic interests, is something I would love to be able to pull off this well. Cynthia does it will a skill that is enviable.
3) FERAL NIGHTS starts off on one course, and as I was reading, I was sure that was exactly where we were going to stay. But then, right in the middle of everything, right when I think I know what is going to happen, everything changes. We're whisked away to a whole new place to confront entirely new problems. I think the way this switch shows how different the problems are (and which are of the higher concern) is brilliant. It's like revenge switched to basic survival. What's a character to do?
4) So Cynthia manages to pull together all the mythical creatures of her past novels and then some. You're wondering what, aren't you? Like what is there besides were-creatures and vampires and the like?
Seeing as how that would be a complete spoiler, I'm not going to tell you. Suffice it to say, that my initial impression was, "OMG no way," and as I read on and on, I found it completely works. Well done!
5) Overall, FERAL NIGHTS was a highly enjoyable read! Have no worries if you've never read any of Cynthia's books before. This book can be picked up and read at any time, no reading order required. It will appeal to fans of Cynthia's other books, and I also think those paranormal fans looking for a bit of a lighter read will enjoy it, too (due to the fun humor). It's engaging, well-crafted, and a pleasure! Highly recommended!
*Some of my all-time favorite character banter being from THE SCORPION KING 2. Yes, groan all you want to, the the banter in this movie made it great entertainment.
Source of book: From publisher by request
January 16, 2016
The first in a spin-off series of one of my favorite vampire/shape-shifter/angel and demons series. It doesn’t feel like a brand new series because it takes place during the event of the final Tantalize book, Diabolical. I just read Diabolical before this and I’m glad I did. Clyde was one of my favorite side characters, and Aimee I forgot about, but I’m glad she was in this book. And Ruby brother Yoshi is an awesome new edition to this set of characters.
I loved Clyde and Aimee’s geekiness about super heroes and comic books. I liked getting to know Yoshi and finding out he wasn’t just a player, but a decent guy. I really hope he’s in the next book too. It may have felt like it took forever for them to end up on the island, but the familiar setting of Austin and Sanguini’s was awesome.
When the got to the island, I felt like the story became a dystopian/survival story. Kind of like The Hunger Games, The Hunt (Andrew Fukada) or Forsaken (Lisa M. Stasse). Or even Lord of the Flies, but with shifters being hunted, not kids. It was a really interesting setting, and made it very different from the previous books. The shifters worked together to fend off hunters. And Aimee was stuck as a maid/kitchen help because she’s human. I liked that we got to find out about different shape-shifters. There were new creatures too.
This book was humorous, full of action and some romance. There was this awesome twist that relates to Clyde. I never saw it coming. There were tons of funny quotes and fun dialog. I enjoyed it so much. This is exactly the kind of paranormal book I love. Fun, creative, and made of awesomeness. It’s really hard for me to review it without spoiling too much. I can’t wait to see what the next spin-off book will have.
Cover Art Review: Doesn’t seem very unique or YA looking. I like the island landscape below, and panther relates to the book, but it’s just all glossy. If it was metallic I’d like it better.
~Haley G
My blog:
http://breathlessbookreviews.blogspot...
I loved Clyde and Aimee’s geekiness about super heroes and comic books. I liked getting to know Yoshi and finding out he wasn’t just a player, but a decent guy. I really hope he’s in the next book too. It may have felt like it took forever for them to end up on the island, but the familiar setting of Austin and Sanguini’s was awesome.
When the got to the island, I felt like the story became a dystopian/survival story. Kind of like The Hunger Games, The Hunt (Andrew Fukada) or Forsaken (Lisa M. Stasse). Or even Lord of the Flies, but with shifters being hunted, not kids. It was a really interesting setting, and made it very different from the previous books. The shifters worked together to fend off hunters. And Aimee was stuck as a maid/kitchen help because she’s human. I liked that we got to find out about different shape-shifters. There were new creatures too.
This book was humorous, full of action and some romance. There was this awesome twist that relates to Clyde. I never saw it coming. There were tons of funny quotes and fun dialog. I enjoyed it so much. This is exactly the kind of paranormal book I love. Fun, creative, and made of awesomeness. It’s really hard for me to review it without spoiling too much. I can’t wait to see what the next spin-off book will have.
Cover Art Review: Doesn’t seem very unique or YA looking. I like the island landscape below, and panther relates to the book, but it’s just all glossy. If it was metallic I’d like it better.
~Haley G
My blog:
http://breathlessbookreviews.blogspot...
February 18, 2017
This was a book that's catches you and holds on. Simple read but great story..
Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews