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Age of Alphas #1
Winter's Dawn
Sometimes it's good to be king. . .
Long ago four alpha pairs held dominance over the seasons. They led an ancient people only heard of in legend who were both wolves and humans. The alphas were chosen by the gods to wield great powers and bring peace and balance to their people.
Everything changed when members of their race later known as the rogues were driven mad by the taste of human flesh. They sought to kill the great alphas.
They succeeded.
Without them, the remaining wolves became weak and could no longer reproduce. Their race was slowly threatening to descend into nothing but a distant memory.
Over a century has passed before hope shines on the horizon for this ancient people. A new winter alpha pair is born and with them the promise of rebirth for the monarchy. Maxwell Wellington was crowned Head King on the Winter Solstice when he watched his aunt die giving birth to his mate, Queen Susan.
He was just three years old.
Max and Susie are born into a world where they are the youngest, but already the most powerful, yet they long for normalcy. With no other young werewolves around, they turn to human schooling hoping for playmates.
But the human culture forces them to question everything their people have raised them to believe. Cousins as well as mates, Max starts resisting his connection to Susie despite knowing they share a soul and were born to rule together. When the call to roam overtakes him at eighteen, Max finds himself fighting his nature as a deadly and powerful alpha wolf who will stop at nothing to claim Susie. Now he has just three years to build up a defense against her before time runs out and she goes into heat.
As winter dawns, Max and Susie come of age in a new era for werewolves. Their story is the first step in a long journey that explores the triumphs and tragedies of one powerful, royal family and those who serve them. The battles they wage against nature, each other and the forces that rise against them will change the dynamic of not just their world...but ours as well.
Long ago four alpha pairs held dominance over the seasons. They led an ancient people only heard of in legend who were both wolves and humans. The alphas were chosen by the gods to wield great powers and bring peace and balance to their people.
Everything changed when members of their race later known as the rogues were driven mad by the taste of human flesh. They sought to kill the great alphas.
They succeeded.
Without them, the remaining wolves became weak and could no longer reproduce. Their race was slowly threatening to descend into nothing but a distant memory.
Over a century has passed before hope shines on the horizon for this ancient people. A new winter alpha pair is born and with them the promise of rebirth for the monarchy. Maxwell Wellington was crowned Head King on the Winter Solstice when he watched his aunt die giving birth to his mate, Queen Susan.
He was just three years old.
Max and Susie are born into a world where they are the youngest, but already the most powerful, yet they long for normalcy. With no other young werewolves around, they turn to human schooling hoping for playmates.
But the human culture forces them to question everything their people have raised them to believe. Cousins as well as mates, Max starts resisting his connection to Susie despite knowing they share a soul and were born to rule together. When the call to roam overtakes him at eighteen, Max finds himself fighting his nature as a deadly and powerful alpha wolf who will stop at nothing to claim Susie. Now he has just three years to build up a defense against her before time runs out and she goes into heat.
As winter dawns, Max and Susie come of age in a new era for werewolves. Their story is the first step in a long journey that explores the triumphs and tragedies of one powerful, royal family and those who serve them. The battles they wage against nature, each other and the forces that rise against them will change the dynamic of not just their world...but ours as well.
339 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 21, 2013
3 people are currently reading
357 people want to read
About the author
Kele Moon
25 books2,615 followersA freckle-faced redhead born and raised in Hawaii, Kele Moon has always been a bit of a sore thumb and has come to enjoy the novelty of it. She thrives on pushing the envelope and finding ways to make the impossible work in her story telling. With a mad passion for romance, she adores the art of falling in love. The only rules she believes in is that, in love, there are no rules and true love knows no bounds.
So obsessed is she with the beauty of romance and the novelty of creating it, she’s lost in her own wonder world most of the time. Thankfully she married her own dark, handsome, brooding hero who has infinite patience for her airy ways and attempts to keep her grounded. When she leaves her keys in the refrigerator or her cell phone in the oven, he’s usually there to save her from herself. The two of them now reside in Florida with their three beautiful children, who make their lives both fun and challenging in equal parts—they wouldn’t have it any other way.
So obsessed is she with the beauty of romance and the novelty of creating it, she’s lost in her own wonder world most of the time. Thankfully she married her own dark, handsome, brooding hero who has infinite patience for her airy ways and attempts to keep her grounded. When she leaves her keys in the refrigerator or her cell phone in the oven, he’s usually there to save her from herself. The two of them now reside in Florida with their three beautiful children, who make their lives both fun and challenging in equal parts—they wouldn’t have it any other way.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
November 8, 2013
I cannot stand Emotional cheating. Max is not only physically cheating (even if he has the heroine's permission) but worse is emotionally attached to another female wolf (Serena). Between that and Susie practically bringing other females for Max to have sex with I have doubts that Max and Susie even really love each other. LOVE LOVE not just affection for someone you grow up with or just magical passion/hormones that force a couple to mate. Max misses his concubine's company (at the very least emotionally) even after he mates with Susie. Also the queen thinks it's a GOOD idea to live in separate houses? It seems like that decision will seal the deal. Serena will move in for the kill. Mated or not Max and Serena will in fact be more like mates than Susie and Max. I can't get past it and it ruined the book for me.
October 19, 2013
I am a huge fan of Kele Moon, so when I saw this book, I had to read it. I had no idea what I was getting into. This is not your typical Kele Moon book. She usually writes steamy erotic romance. This has its steamy and intense moments but it is not an erotic romance. Fantasy is the primary element.
Winter's Dawn is set in a world of werewolves who live among the humans without their knowledge. The werewolf race has declined. Long ago, the four seasons were ruled by Kings and Queens. They held the magic that enabled their people to survive and thrive. Rogues killed some of them and others died shortly thereafter. Leaving only the Winter family to carry on the magic until the time was right for them to bear the future Kings and Queens of the seasons.
Susan was born on the Winter Solstice. She was born the Winter Queen. Her magic was so powerful that her mother was unable to bear the weight of birthing her. She died that night, while a three year old Maxwell watched on. Maxwell was drawn to Susie while she was still in the womb. They are two halves to one soul. Their magic, when combined, brings harmony.
Maxwell's mother also died in childbirth. Their mother's were unable to withstand the immense power being born to their children. Max witnessed Susie's birth and the horror of loosing his Aunt. The images haunt him throughout his childhood. He and Susie are raised as a pair. They do everything together.
Every year on the last day of fall, Susie collects the last leaf for Max. This marks the beginning of their season, Winter. Until Max is an adult, he will not be able to shift and he will not feel the call of the moon. He and Susie set out to have as normal a life as possible. They want to live among their human friends. They feel bound by their destiny and fight against it. Max dreads the day Susie matures and they must mate. He loves her so much and he is afraid that she will die bearing his children.
He fights nature to the very end and causes himself unthinkable torture in the process.
Max grows to maturity before Susie. He has to wait for her. In the meantime, his sexual appetite is insatiable. Susie must endure years of her King taking consorts to sate his wolf every full moon.
Max wants nothing more for Susie than for her to finish college and live a somewhat normal life for as long as she can. He tries to delay her sexual maturity. Max takes over the responsibilities of both King and Queen. He wears himself to the ground. He must fight the rogues and repair their empire.
Max and Susie struggle to maintain their tight knit relationship. They are playing with nature and fate and the results could be disastrous.
"If Kings could make wishes, they would spend every day in the snow with winter queens who make snowy dreams," he told her as he reached out and caressed her cheek, wiping the tears away.
"I love you."
"I love you too, Susie Bee." He pulled back to smile down at her. "So much it makes my heart hurt."
This first book, in what promises to be an enthralling series, had me captivated. I was sucked in and held hostage. I adored the writing style and while it was not a typical Kele Moon genre, it was typical Kele Moon writing...amazing. I would caution those of you who go into this thinking it is simply a romance or even an erotic romance. This is a fantasy with paranormal romance elements.
I am giving this book a solid 4.5 stars, rounding up to 5. I loved it. The world building, which can be cumbersome, was elegant. I adored this couple who are born to their destinies and who wanted to fight against them. There were times I got angry with them as they made mistakes, but I still felt connected. The story is told from both perspectives. We are left with a mild cliffhanger that will lead us into book two.
Their journey has only just begun....
Great read for fans of Fantasy and Paranormal Romance.
***A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.***
www.readinghaven.me
November 4, 2013
Ok so this is my first paranormal read from Kele Moon. I have read and loved the Battered Hearts books, so I thought I would give Winters Dawn a try seeing as it was available on Netgalley.
I am not a massive PNR reader, but when I love an author I generally devour everything they write. Case in point with book one in the Age of Alphas Series.
This book is slightly different to what I am normally used to with Kele wherein, although sexy, I wouldn’t go as far as to say it was out an out erotica book. There is a lot of story going on here, with quite a few characters in the mix, all with their own stories to tell. Being a series I am guessing some stories will develop more as the books progress.
I have to admit I was pulled completely into this book, at one point I totally lost track of time and it was nearly 3am, before I put it down and dragged myself off to bed. Looking forward to book 2, hopefully Kele can go writing ninja, and release it sooner rather than later!
I am not a massive PNR reader, but when I love an author I generally devour everything they write. Case in point with book one in the Age of Alphas Series.
This book is slightly different to what I am normally used to with Kele wherein, although sexy, I wouldn’t go as far as to say it was out an out erotica book. There is a lot of story going on here, with quite a few characters in the mix, all with their own stories to tell. Being a series I am guessing some stories will develop more as the books progress.
I have to admit I was pulled completely into this book, at one point I totally lost track of time and it was nearly 3am, before I put it down and dragged myself off to bed. Looking forward to book 2, hopefully Kele can go writing ninja, and release it sooner rather than later!
December 24, 2013
Rating: 2.5 out of 5
Upon finishing Kele Moon's Battered Heart's series, I was quick and eager to request Winter's Dawn. Especially since paranormal romance is another genre that I like.
This novel was not what I was expecting. The norms and culture of the wolves were a bit hard to swallow, but knowing that it was meant to be a completely different dimension to the one which we live in, I could appreciate that Kele Moon tried to make her wolves different from all other werewolf story.
Nevertheless, the writing and setting of the novel was good. I'd recommend this book to people who are not of the faint heart and want to read about a werewolf society unlike others written before.
ARC Courtesy of NetGalley and DreamFactory Press.
Upon finishing Kele Moon's Battered Heart's series, I was quick and eager to request Winter's Dawn. Especially since paranormal romance is another genre that I like.
This novel was not what I was expecting. The norms and culture of the wolves were a bit hard to swallow, but knowing that it was meant to be a completely different dimension to the one which we live in, I could appreciate that Kele Moon tried to make her wolves different from all other werewolf story.
Nevertheless, the writing and setting of the novel was good. I'd recommend this book to people who are not of the faint heart and want to read about a werewolf society unlike others written before.
ARC Courtesy of NetGalley and DreamFactory Press.
September 25, 2013
A new exciting werewolf mythology is born! Ms. Moon brings a new world of alpha, beta, omega and rogue werewolves. This is the beginning with the first set of alpha couple coming of age. Max is the Winter king with his soul mate, Susan, is his Winter queen.
The world building is riveting. The way the werewolf world functions, comes across as an alpha male dominant patriarchy yet it's twist with service to the queen. Learning about the pressures placed upon Max is pretty intense. As a reader, I started to feel overburdened and stressed out by the weight on his shoulders. The brutal conditioning these werewolves instill into the males for their females is fascinatingly horrifying. The emotional blackmail at times made me sick to my stomach. I felt badly for Max.
Now, for those who don't like incest, this story may be a bit difficult. There is a lot of inbreeding in here but it's the way the mythology works. I found it to be just fine. It wasn't anything disgusting or depraved. It's actually done quite beautifully. Ms. Moon did an excellent job with turning something taboo into something sweet.
The characters are really what made this story great for me. The reader sees everything from Max's point of view and it's very good. Even the secondary characters: Serena and Kat are fleshed out and admirable. Ms. Moon is one of the better character building authors. The reader can feel the frustrations of Max as well as his pain. While this story is about a pair of alpha rulers, it's really Max's story. Susan is the moon he revolves around. The tale covers from when Max is three years old until he's twenty-six. It's a lot of years compacted into a tightly written timeline. There is not a single scene than can be cut from this book. Everything is there for a reason. Sometimes the reason is to ignite the reader's arousal.
In this short snippet, Ms. Moon shows just how sexy Max can be.
He tilted his head, arching an eyebrow at her, "Alpha wolves can do this for a very long time, Serena," he warned her. "They can toy with sweet beta wolves and have them moaning and sweating for hours."
"I'm not sweet," she whispered, her voice raspy in frustration.
"Yes, I know." He was still smiling and watching the way her breathing fell shallow. "That's what makes this such fun."
My breathing increased as well as my heartbeat when I read this little section. I'm sure my pupils dilated too. This entire book is filled with tidbits of sexy erotic teasings. Yet it's only a hint of sex. Ms. Moon cruelly fades to black so that the reader isn't in the front row avidly watching a rough dominant sex scene. Perhaps the next book in the series which should be featuring the Autumn alpha mates will include more graphic sex. Based on how the werewolves need to procreate, it appears Summer will be the last set and perhaps that one will be a blazing firestorm. One can only hope for more explicit sex since Ms. Moon writes some of the most exquisite kinky erotica.
The only drawback to this story is the ending. For a book dedicated to the love of a soul mate and where Max sacrifices so much for Susan, the decision on how to raise their children completely blindsided me. I felt ill and my heart broke for Max. Her solution on how to give her future sons a childhood sacrifices Max in a way that deeply sickens me. Her cavalier attitude as to how to explain Max's relationship to their future sons destroyed me. It makes me hesitant to read the next book because I'm afraid it will be an emotional train wreck. Susan didn't impress me from the beginning. In the end of the book, she revolts me. It makes me wonder if this is what having children is about - the death of lovers. Can the strong bond of soul mates survive the arrival of children? From this book and anecdotal evidence, the answer would be no. The bonds of a mother to child will annihilate all other bonds. This paranormal romance is recommended for those who enjoy books that illicit strong emotions. It is a tale for those who enjoy reading about self-sacrifice by the hero for the one he loves.
*I received this book as a review copy in return for an honest review
The world building is riveting. The way the werewolf world functions, comes across as an alpha male dominant patriarchy yet it's twist with service to the queen. Learning about the pressures placed upon Max is pretty intense. As a reader, I started to feel overburdened and stressed out by the weight on his shoulders. The brutal conditioning these werewolves instill into the males for their females is fascinatingly horrifying. The emotional blackmail at times made me sick to my stomach. I felt badly for Max.
Now, for those who don't like incest, this story may be a bit difficult. There is a lot of inbreeding in here but it's the way the mythology works. I found it to be just fine. It wasn't anything disgusting or depraved. It's actually done quite beautifully. Ms. Moon did an excellent job with turning something taboo into something sweet.
The characters are really what made this story great for me. The reader sees everything from Max's point of view and it's very good. Even the secondary characters: Serena and Kat are fleshed out and admirable. Ms. Moon is one of the better character building authors. The reader can feel the frustrations of Max as well as his pain. While this story is about a pair of alpha rulers, it's really Max's story. Susan is the moon he revolves around. The tale covers from when Max is three years old until he's twenty-six. It's a lot of years compacted into a tightly written timeline. There is not a single scene than can be cut from this book. Everything is there for a reason. Sometimes the reason is to ignite the reader's arousal.
In this short snippet, Ms. Moon shows just how sexy Max can be.
He tilted his head, arching an eyebrow at her, "Alpha wolves can do this for a very long time, Serena," he warned her. "They can toy with sweet beta wolves and have them moaning and sweating for hours."
"I'm not sweet," she whispered, her voice raspy in frustration.
"Yes, I know." He was still smiling and watching the way her breathing fell shallow. "That's what makes this such fun."
My breathing increased as well as my heartbeat when I read this little section. I'm sure my pupils dilated too. This entire book is filled with tidbits of sexy erotic teasings. Yet it's only a hint of sex. Ms. Moon cruelly fades to black so that the reader isn't in the front row avidly watching a rough dominant sex scene. Perhaps the next book in the series which should be featuring the Autumn alpha mates will include more graphic sex. Based on how the werewolves need to procreate, it appears Summer will be the last set and perhaps that one will be a blazing firestorm. One can only hope for more explicit sex since Ms. Moon writes some of the most exquisite kinky erotica.
The only drawback to this story is the ending. For a book dedicated to the love of a soul mate and where Max sacrifices so much for Susan, the decision on how to raise their children completely blindsided me. I felt ill and my heart broke for Max. Her solution on how to give her future sons a childhood sacrifices Max in a way that deeply sickens me. Her cavalier attitude as to how to explain Max's relationship to their future sons destroyed me. It makes me hesitant to read the next book because I'm afraid it will be an emotional train wreck. Susan didn't impress me from the beginning. In the end of the book, she revolts me. It makes me wonder if this is what having children is about - the death of lovers. Can the strong bond of soul mates survive the arrival of children? From this book and anecdotal evidence, the answer would be no. The bonds of a mother to child will annihilate all other bonds. This paranormal romance is recommended for those who enjoy books that illicit strong emotions. It is a tale for those who enjoy reading about self-sacrifice by the hero for the one he loves.
*I received this book as a review copy in return for an honest review
October 21, 2013
New Adult Paranormal Shifter Series.
Winter's Dawn starts a new paranormal shifter world like no other. The universe it is set in it totally unique and the mythical laws are different and intriguing. It starts when the main characters Max is 3 years old and his Mate Susan is born, we step into the story right before the birth happens. I find it a bit icky at first when I found out they are all related to each other but I get into it after a while when I get into the mythical laws in this world.
I love the first half of the book when you watch them grow up, I absolutely love the hair care routine. I wish that was something my mate could do for me every day, would be so nice. A little grooming like the apes does.
While we watch them grow it was a very sweet way to really get to know the characters. Completely and totally know them since you followed them for such a long period of time. You also get eased into the mystical laws and rules in this society in a very nice and different way.
You follow the story in Max head. This was a bit different for me since I usually read book from a woman’s POV. I really like Max and I grew to care a lot for him in this book, he is a very well written character and I felt his pain in my bones. And this is also the problem for me. When you write a main character I start to love like this and he goes from one misery to another and then leaves him unhappy and alone, I just can’t do it. I would have bought this story hole heartedly if I got a fairly decent ending, but I didn’t get that.
There was a shift in the book halfway through that just rubbed me the wrong way, I would say this is like PNR without the romance. Max is destined to be with his mate Susan and they share the same soul. Then you just can’t make him fall in love with another woman and then force him into a life he doesn’t want. I felt his pain on every page and I wanted to scream in agony with him. It gets worse and worse the more I read and ends with forcing him into his worst nightmare. I am not a fan of forcing people into life’s and things they don’t want and I especially don’t like forcing them to live the rest of their lives in misery. Since in this scenario they can live for hundreds of years without aging it is a long time to be real unhappy too.
Overall the book was very well written, I have read Kele Moon before and loved it. This book was there for a bit disappointing. I don’t like the story line here, I don’t ask much in a book but I do not like when a cherished character is forced into thing he doesn’t want and then left unhappy in the next couple hundred years to come. I did like the world the author made up here, it is interesting and unique.
I give this book 3 stars.
Book provided by DreamFactory Press trough NetGalley for an honest review
Winter's Dawn starts a new paranormal shifter world like no other. The universe it is set in it totally unique and the mythical laws are different and intriguing. It starts when the main characters Max is 3 years old and his Mate Susan is born, we step into the story right before the birth happens. I find it a bit icky at first when I found out they are all related to each other but I get into it after a while when I get into the mythical laws in this world.
I love the first half of the book when you watch them grow up, I absolutely love the hair care routine. I wish that was something my mate could do for me every day, would be so nice. A little grooming like the apes does.
While we watch them grow it was a very sweet way to really get to know the characters. Completely and totally know them since you followed them for such a long period of time. You also get eased into the mystical laws and rules in this society in a very nice and different way.
You follow the story in Max head. This was a bit different for me since I usually read book from a woman’s POV. I really like Max and I grew to care a lot for him in this book, he is a very well written character and I felt his pain in my bones. And this is also the problem for me. When you write a main character I start to love like this and he goes from one misery to another and then leaves him unhappy and alone, I just can’t do it. I would have bought this story hole heartedly if I got a fairly decent ending, but I didn’t get that.
There was a shift in the book halfway through that just rubbed me the wrong way, I would say this is like PNR without the romance. Max is destined to be with his mate Susan and they share the same soul. Then you just can’t make him fall in love with another woman and then force him into a life he doesn’t want. I felt his pain on every page and I wanted to scream in agony with him. It gets worse and worse the more I read and ends with forcing him into his worst nightmare. I am not a fan of forcing people into life’s and things they don’t want and I especially don’t like forcing them to live the rest of their lives in misery. Since in this scenario they can live for hundreds of years without aging it is a long time to be real unhappy too.
Overall the book was very well written, I have read Kele Moon before and loved it. This book was there for a bit disappointing. I don’t like the story line here, I don’t ask much in a book but I do not like when a cherished character is forced into thing he doesn’t want and then left unhappy in the next couple hundred years to come. I did like the world the author made up here, it is interesting and unique.
I give this book 3 stars.
Book provided by DreamFactory Press trough NetGalley for an honest review
September 23, 2013
After seeing something on FB about this book I went to AMAZON and looked it up. The synopsis caught my attention but didn't quite pull me in. I am not a huge fan of shifter books since they all seem kind of predictable but something pushed me to dig a little deeper. Maybe it was the intreaguing cover. So I read the sample. Still not 100% sure I bought it and boy am I glad I did. The whole excution of this book floored me. I stayed up until 4am reading until I literally couldn't keep my eyes open anymore. The whole concept is unique and I cannot wait until the other books are released.
Max's struggle was real and you felt every emotion. HIs love for Susie during her puppyhood was so pure you never wanted it to end but at the same time even though he struggled with her growing,you wanted him to be complete. I loved their interaction as children, his dedication to her was beautiful as hers was to him. And their relationship grew at a realistic pace. It wasn't all True Love and HEA in the first ten pages.
This book made me laugh and cry and grumble with frustration. I am not sure I loved Susies decision towards the end of the book, even though I can understand it but I am going to have faith in Mrs. Moon to see this through with a bang.
Max's struggle was real and you felt every emotion. HIs love for Susie during her puppyhood was so pure you never wanted it to end but at the same time even though he struggled with her growing,you wanted him to be complete. I loved their interaction as children, his dedication to her was beautiful as hers was to him. And their relationship grew at a realistic pace. It wasn't all True Love and HEA in the first ten pages.
This book made me laugh and cry and grumble with frustration. I am not sure I loved Susies decision towards the end of the book, even though I can understand it but I am going to have faith in Mrs. Moon to see this through with a bang.
June 26, 2014
This was 100 pages longer than it needed to be. Let me elaborate via this scene:
Imagine that you're an English Composition college professor who had to read all of your students' final term papers and grade them by tomorrow. You tell them to only write 5 pages. Now, imagine you are sitting there, grading these papers, when you come across one student's work. To your horror, you realize that s/he has followed the (misguided) thought process that "more is better" - this student has written 20 pages when you've only asked for 5! Now, you have to tread through all of his/her pages in order to find out what their main idea/thesis for their paper is. NOBODY'S GOT TIME FOR THAT.
In regards to this book:
1) incest relationship between the protagonists
2) arranged marriage/life mates
3) cheating (emotional + physical)
I got over the 300 page mark and wanted to stop reading, but forced myself to finish. The plot doesn't go anywhere and the story read like a Shakespeare tragedy - just without all the action. The protagonists are so depressing, it just brought down the whole mood of the book. They are basically forced to be together. The Hero spend majority of the time dreading the moment the heroine goes into heat, but while waiting, his "wolf" is so "Alpha" that the Hero sleeps around with multiple women (with permission from the heroine of course!). Furthermore, you don't see any conflicts or resolutions - this entire book made me like I was reading it from the Hero was narrating it as a 3rd person (but the Hero was raised to be King, ergo he is spoiled rotten and has white privilege written all over him - same with the heroine). Completely bland and superfluous - with hints of sociopathic/psychopathic tendencies from the Hero. I would NOT recommend this to anyone who wants a light and fun paranormal romance book to read...
Imagine that you're an English Composition college professor who had to read all of your students' final term papers and grade them by tomorrow. You tell them to only write 5 pages. Now, imagine you are sitting there, grading these papers, when you come across one student's work. To your horror, you realize that s/he has followed the (misguided) thought process that "more is better" - this student has written 20 pages when you've only asked for 5! Now, you have to tread through all of his/her pages in order to find out what their main idea/thesis for their paper is. NOBODY'S GOT TIME FOR THAT.
In regards to this book:
1) incest relationship between the protagonists
2) arranged marriage/life mates
3) cheating (emotional + physical)
I got over the 300 page mark and wanted to stop reading, but forced myself to finish. The plot doesn't go anywhere and the story read like a Shakespeare tragedy - just without all the action. The protagonists are so depressing, it just brought down the whole mood of the book. They are basically forced to be together. The Hero spend majority of the time dreading the moment the heroine goes into heat, but while waiting, his "wolf" is so "Alpha" that the Hero sleeps around with multiple women (with permission from the heroine of course!). Furthermore, you don't see any conflicts or resolutions - this entire book made me like I was reading it from the Hero was narrating it as a 3rd person (but the Hero was raised to be King, ergo he is spoiled rotten and has white privilege written all over him - same with the heroine). Completely bland and superfluous - with hints of sociopathic/psychopathic tendencies from the Hero. I would NOT recommend this to anyone who wants a light and fun paranormal romance book to read...
September 5, 2015
Being high on the previous books I wanted more of Kele Moon world. But this book just put me of.
Wile I can appreciate the new input in the paranormal I just can look at mated pair as inconveniences.
Max and Susan grew up together knowing they are mates and they will end up mated. However somewhere along the way the both took a turn for something else.
Max fell for another she wolf and Susan just let him be. She even encouraged him and she went on her road.
In the end they still had to be mated and not happy about it.
I had my issues with the story:
- for me mated are sacred and eternal. What Max and Susie shared was not that and it felt so wrong on so many levels.
- why get Max with so many females and eventually fall in love when he was mated....
I am so sorry that I didn't get to read the whole book because it was very well written but it just grated on my nerves every-time Max was with his mistress.
I wish authors would stop using the soul mates, eternal boding terms to make it something else. If it's predestined why make it ugly instead of rejoicing in the beauty of love?
Just force them to be mated because of political season and I buy the whole story.
I will not be reading the following books in this series and I hate that because I lobe Kele Moon's writing style.
Wile I can appreciate the new input in the paranormal I just can look at mated pair as inconveniences.
Max and Susan grew up together knowing they are mates and they will end up mated. However somewhere along the way the both took a turn for something else.
Max fell for another she wolf and Susan just let him be. She even encouraged him and she went on her road.
In the end they still had to be mated and not happy about it.
I had my issues with the story:
- for me mated are sacred and eternal. What Max and Susie shared was not that and it felt so wrong on so many levels.
- why get Max with so many females and eventually fall in love when he was mated....
I am so sorry that I didn't get to read the whole book because it was very well written but it just grated on my nerves every-time Max was with his mistress.
I wish authors would stop using the soul mates, eternal boding terms to make it something else. If it's predestined why make it ugly instead of rejoicing in the beauty of love?
Just force them to be mated because of political season and I buy the whole story.
I will not be reading the following books in this series and I hate that because I lobe Kele Moon's writing style.
December 24, 2013
Review featured on www.books-n-kisses.com
1.5 Hearts I have to say I was very disappointed with this book. I enjoyed the erotica from Kele Moon but this is a bit different. Set in a different world but it is a world that is hard to get involved in. I didn’t enjoy Max. He is a cheater and Susan is an enabler. I do not enjoy books where the romance has a cheater. And I really do not enjoy the woman bringing her man other woman. Something is just wrong with that.
I won’t say much because honestly there was not enough of the book that I enjoyed enough to talk about.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
1.5 Hearts I have to say I was very disappointed with this book. I enjoyed the erotica from Kele Moon but this is a bit different. Set in a different world but it is a world that is hard to get involved in. I didn’t enjoy Max. He is a cheater and Susan is an enabler. I do not enjoy books where the romance has a cheater. And I really do not enjoy the woman bringing her man other woman. Something is just wrong with that.
I won’t say much because honestly there was not enough of the book that I enjoyed enough to talk about.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
December 30, 2013
i was coming off a high from a previous book the author wrote and thought i'd try this. The story started off intriguing, fated mates, baby, drama. Good right? ugh that didn't last long.
the plot got warped somewhere along the lines. didn't like the "sleeping in the same bed/bathing together" growing up kinda vibes.yuck.
the sleeping with other people was a deal breaker. there are books i finish reading just because i don't like to stop midway through the story. but i did not enjoy this one. won't be reading the others in this series
the plot got warped somewhere along the lines. didn't like the "sleeping in the same bed/bathing together" growing up kinda vibes.yuck.
the sleeping with other people was a deal breaker. there are books i finish reading just because i don't like to stop midway through the story. but i did not enjoy this one. won't be reading the others in this series
July 14, 2014
I'm a big fan of books involving werewolves and I even admire the attempt this author made to set this series apart from others. I'm not a fan of cheaters. Maxwell and Susie were bound from her birth, yet not only does he become involved with two other werewolf females 'until Susie comes of age', he's emotionally bound to one as well. But I'm really, really not a fan of incest. These two are cousins, but the three alpha pair to follow them to set the world right will be siblings. And for me that takes away from what was a compelling storyline.
September 23, 2013
I liked certain aspects of the book but not all. I didn't have as much issue with the family ties as I did with him bonding with Serena in such an intense way. That is definitely going to cause problems in the future if they do indeed raise their children apart. I'm not excited about that direction and if the second book was available today with that story line I can't say for sure that I would get it. It's six months from now so maybe I'll change my mind by then.
September 27, 2013
I just loved this book, the characters were touching they grabbed me from the first page and held on until the end. They hit all my emotions and now I can't wait until next year to read books 2 & 3.. This is a must read by the lovely Ms.Kele Moon!!!
December 22, 2013
I picked this one with really little idea of what I was getting into. I like shifter romances and I've read a book by this author ergo I'll try this book was my thinking. Thank goodness the author posted a letter before the story started or I would have gotten a rather nasty surprise. Even with the warning in the letter of the author's dark state of mind when she wrote this, I was not prepared for how hard this book pushed me. I was pretty much uncomfortable from page one and that never let up and in fact, got worse by the end. When I say uncomfortable, I mean that sick feeling that this is not right. For that, I would not give a less than favorable review b/c I can't blame the book b/c the content wasn't my thing. My discomfort aside, there were plenty of other niggles. I wanted to stop reading many times, but yet I just had to know how it would play out.
I don't normally do a review with spoilers, but I really feel the need is justified in the case of this book. I can't say what I feel I need to put out there without giving some stuff away so consider this your spoiler alert. I take the approach that what bothered me may or may not bother you, but at least you'll know its there.
The book's mythology is that the world has a race of werewolves who are very different from the humans they live alongside. These wolves are ruled by four alpha pairs who share the rule. Each pair rules a different season of the year when their power is greatest. Something happened long ago and the alpha pairs all ended up dead so the werewolves were forced to have regents and things fell into disarray. The story opens when the Winter Alpha pair are born (3 yrs apart). They are cousins and are mates. This is actually unusual in that the alpha pairs and other ranking werewolf pairings are usually a closer relationship in that their twins or at least closely birthed siblings. Max is three years older than Susie, but he knows she is his queen and it is his job to protect her and though powerful in his own right, it is the queen he represents with the most power (like a beehive).
The early part of the book tells of their growing up years when they insist on being allowed to go to school amongst the humans because they don't want to live so isolated since they are the only children born in decades (the werewolves are barren until the alpha pairs return). It is Max and Susie's destiny to mate and produce the other alpha pairs. But before this, they just want to do normal things like have friends and play. Susie makes friends with humans as does Max. Unfortunately, they are the target of rogue wolves who don't want the return of the alphas and this causes dangerous moments.
Things get intense when Max hits adulthood and experiences the call to mate, but Susie is not old enough. He is forced to have other arctic wolves service his stronger than normal needs to keep him sane and together. It nearly breaks him, but nobody realizes the pain this is causing him nor do they realize his fear that childbirth will kill Suzie like it killed both their mothers. He wants her to have a chance at a normal carefree life before she must assume the role of queen and baby producer. Not even Susie really understands all that he is feeling and is one of the ones who pushes him to take the other females when he just wants Suzie even if he fights it.
Max rules alone just waiting on the ticking time bomb that is Susie's coming of age. He tries to buy some time by sending her away to college and visiting her long distance. He agrees for her to have a human boyfriend so she can deal with the edginess she feels with just wanting him in the normal way. There is another frightening bout with the rogues who are still trying to destroy the alpha pair. Eventually, he is defeated by nature and he mates with Suzie much to everyone's happiness except Max because he knows what will befall her now even if she seems to want it. There are tense times in their relationship, but the story ends when a new King is born and Susie has a plan to change how alphas are parented.
So...where to begin with my thoughts. Quickly, I will say that worldbuilding while not to my taste was indeed incredible. I've never seen a more unique shifter universe. The plot had some strong engaging points that kept me reading when certain details had me wanting to close the book and choose another. The pace- well that had good moments where it cruised right along and moments where it just bogged way down with details and matters and smaller plot points that were nearly tedious. I was just eager to move it along to things that I knew were coming. Characters? Now there were several characters in this story- its a longer book. Max and Susie are obviously front and foremost, but there are several others too who were developed well even if they only had a small part to play. The author's writing was definitely a strength. I loved her work before and that hadn't changed when I was through with this book.
Now for the taboo-like stuff that got me bothered. I was smacked in the face with incest from page one. There were the younger Max and Susie living together like a regular couple minus the sex. Then later Max is expected during the monthly moon runs to take multiple sexual partners due to his raging hormonal wolf nature even though he is mated with a not quite old enough Susie. In the worldbuilding this is all acceptable for that race, my issues stem from the fact that one member who is party to all this- namely Max- has no choice and he doesn't find any of this acceptable and yet because he is ruled by his nature is forced to participate and accept. When I say unacceptable, he contemplates suicide and the only thing holding him back is that Susie's life and death is tied to his own plus to a lesser extent his duty to his race. Max, personally, is miserable. He feels a brother's love and a mate's love for Susie and the conflict inside nearly kills him. All the werewolves including Susie (not always) are so busy being excited that they have an alpha pair, proper rulers, guarantee for the return of the rest of the alphas, return to their own fertility that there is no thought to the rightness of all that is happening to make this stuff happen. Max is like this sacrifice to the needs of everyone else.
That brings me to talking about Max. Max is probably the best thing in this book outside the human, Maggie and the human John. He is the hero who protects and does his duty. His personal happiness or wellbeing is never a consideration it seems unless it affects the survival of the alpha pair. He loves and adores Susie with all his being, but he has to wait for her. He is caring of those who serve him, for those who are less powerful, for the downtrodden, and for the humans (well except the time he was jealous of John). His Kingship is strong, fair and the werewolves as a race start to prosper again under his rule. He is forced to take two females to his bed to take care of the mating heat until Susie is old enough, but they are his lovers and friends. It bothers him that he has to use them even if they are willing participants. He has feelings for them and they have stronger feelings for him, but he must chuck it all when Susie comes of age. Part of my issue is that I felt that Serena one of his two sexual partners is a much better match for Max than Susie can ever be. Serena was a strong, noble, loyal beta wolf who worked hard for the betterment of her people and she loved and took care of her family. She was Max's quiet pillar of strength, his loyal adviser and friend. They shared many interests and had the same motivations and strong character. The only thing Susie really had going for her was that she was the alpha queen and thus Max's fated mate.
Now Susie...
I didn't care for Susie. I saw nothing of the heroine in her and part of it isn't her fault in that she's just a kid and hard to take seriously as a love interest for Max who is not only older, but very mature for his age. She was spoiled, oblivious and not a convincing love interest even when she came of age. She was the arranged marriage. I could see her and Max as siblings with no trouble whatsoever in the way he cared for her and she looked up to him. Yes, she wanted him, but it felt like a possessive 'my toy' sort of want. She was more interested in designer clothes shopping trips than the weightier things going on around her. It reminded me of some of those matches that went on in the Middle Ages when some guy got a child bride out of the deal for what she brought to the marriage as an inheritance though in Max's case he gets nothing, but a bossy mate. Susie was well aware that she is the queen bee. She reminds Max that he is there to run her kingdom and serve her. She pushes him constantly and uses her power to order him. That thing at the end where she tells him that after her baby is born that she's taking her son to raise. Max will get to raise any girls who come along just had me shaking my head. She has no thought to check if that is what Max wanted. So, yeah, not impressed with her for Max. This last bit is something that may change in the next book. I don't know.
In the end, my reaction to this one is so mixed. I both hated it and yet I found it compelling and want to read more. If the bulk of the story involved adult main characters instead of the young ones that came of age, that might have made a big difference too. There is just some really dark stuff in this one and it has a dubcon feel to it because of the way Max is forced to assuage his powerful mating need. It is not a happy ever after ending even though the main thread through the story is worked out.
This is definitely not for everyone. If you can handle some of the more taboo things, then you'll probably be more inclined to love this story. Lovers of dark paranormal romance should give this one a try.
My thanks to Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review thoughts.
I don't normally do a review with spoilers, but I really feel the need is justified in the case of this book. I can't say what I feel I need to put out there without giving some stuff away so consider this your spoiler alert. I take the approach that what bothered me may or may not bother you, but at least you'll know its there.
The book's mythology is that the world has a race of werewolves who are very different from the humans they live alongside. These wolves are ruled by four alpha pairs who share the rule. Each pair rules a different season of the year when their power is greatest. Something happened long ago and the alpha pairs all ended up dead so the werewolves were forced to have regents and things fell into disarray. The story opens when the Winter Alpha pair are born (3 yrs apart). They are cousins and are mates. This is actually unusual in that the alpha pairs and other ranking werewolf pairings are usually a closer relationship in that their twins or at least closely birthed siblings. Max is three years older than Susie, but he knows she is his queen and it is his job to protect her and though powerful in his own right, it is the queen he represents with the most power (like a beehive).
The early part of the book tells of their growing up years when they insist on being allowed to go to school amongst the humans because they don't want to live so isolated since they are the only children born in decades (the werewolves are barren until the alpha pairs return). It is Max and Susie's destiny to mate and produce the other alpha pairs. But before this, they just want to do normal things like have friends and play. Susie makes friends with humans as does Max. Unfortunately, they are the target of rogue wolves who don't want the return of the alphas and this causes dangerous moments.
Things get intense when Max hits adulthood and experiences the call to mate, but Susie is not old enough. He is forced to have other arctic wolves service his stronger than normal needs to keep him sane and together. It nearly breaks him, but nobody realizes the pain this is causing him nor do they realize his fear that childbirth will kill Suzie like it killed both their mothers. He wants her to have a chance at a normal carefree life before she must assume the role of queen and baby producer. Not even Susie really understands all that he is feeling and is one of the ones who pushes him to take the other females when he just wants Suzie even if he fights it.
Max rules alone just waiting on the ticking time bomb that is Susie's coming of age. He tries to buy some time by sending her away to college and visiting her long distance. He agrees for her to have a human boyfriend so she can deal with the edginess she feels with just wanting him in the normal way. There is another frightening bout with the rogues who are still trying to destroy the alpha pair. Eventually, he is defeated by nature and he mates with Suzie much to everyone's happiness except Max because he knows what will befall her now even if she seems to want it. There are tense times in their relationship, but the story ends when a new King is born and Susie has a plan to change how alphas are parented.
So...where to begin with my thoughts. Quickly, I will say that worldbuilding while not to my taste was indeed incredible. I've never seen a more unique shifter universe. The plot had some strong engaging points that kept me reading when certain details had me wanting to close the book and choose another. The pace- well that had good moments where it cruised right along and moments where it just bogged way down with details and matters and smaller plot points that were nearly tedious. I was just eager to move it along to things that I knew were coming. Characters? Now there were several characters in this story- its a longer book. Max and Susie are obviously front and foremost, but there are several others too who were developed well even if they only had a small part to play. The author's writing was definitely a strength. I loved her work before and that hadn't changed when I was through with this book.
Now for the taboo-like stuff that got me bothered. I was smacked in the face with incest from page one. There were the younger Max and Susie living together like a regular couple minus the sex. Then later Max is expected during the monthly moon runs to take multiple sexual partners due to his raging hormonal wolf nature even though he is mated with a not quite old enough Susie. In the worldbuilding this is all acceptable for that race, my issues stem from the fact that one member who is party to all this- namely Max- has no choice and he doesn't find any of this acceptable and yet because he is ruled by his nature is forced to participate and accept. When I say unacceptable, he contemplates suicide and the only thing holding him back is that Susie's life and death is tied to his own plus to a lesser extent his duty to his race. Max, personally, is miserable. He feels a brother's love and a mate's love for Susie and the conflict inside nearly kills him. All the werewolves including Susie (not always) are so busy being excited that they have an alpha pair, proper rulers, guarantee for the return of the rest of the alphas, return to their own fertility that there is no thought to the rightness of all that is happening to make this stuff happen. Max is like this sacrifice to the needs of everyone else.
That brings me to talking about Max. Max is probably the best thing in this book outside the human, Maggie and the human John. He is the hero who protects and does his duty. His personal happiness or wellbeing is never a consideration it seems unless it affects the survival of the alpha pair. He loves and adores Susie with all his being, but he has to wait for her. He is caring of those who serve him, for those who are less powerful, for the downtrodden, and for the humans (well except the time he was jealous of John). His Kingship is strong, fair and the werewolves as a race start to prosper again under his rule. He is forced to take two females to his bed to take care of the mating heat until Susie is old enough, but they are his lovers and friends. It bothers him that he has to use them even if they are willing participants. He has feelings for them and they have stronger feelings for him, but he must chuck it all when Susie comes of age. Part of my issue is that I felt that Serena one of his two sexual partners is a much better match for Max than Susie can ever be. Serena was a strong, noble, loyal beta wolf who worked hard for the betterment of her people and she loved and took care of her family. She was Max's quiet pillar of strength, his loyal adviser and friend. They shared many interests and had the same motivations and strong character. The only thing Susie really had going for her was that she was the alpha queen and thus Max's fated mate.
Now Susie...
I didn't care for Susie. I saw nothing of the heroine in her and part of it isn't her fault in that she's just a kid and hard to take seriously as a love interest for Max who is not only older, but very mature for his age. She was spoiled, oblivious and not a convincing love interest even when she came of age. She was the arranged marriage. I could see her and Max as siblings with no trouble whatsoever in the way he cared for her and she looked up to him. Yes, she wanted him, but it felt like a possessive 'my toy' sort of want. She was more interested in designer clothes shopping trips than the weightier things going on around her. It reminded me of some of those matches that went on in the Middle Ages when some guy got a child bride out of the deal for what she brought to the marriage as an inheritance though in Max's case he gets nothing, but a bossy mate. Susie was well aware that she is the queen bee. She reminds Max that he is there to run her kingdom and serve her. She pushes him constantly and uses her power to order him. That thing at the end where she tells him that after her baby is born that she's taking her son to raise. Max will get to raise any girls who come along just had me shaking my head. She has no thought to check if that is what Max wanted. So, yeah, not impressed with her for Max. This last bit is something that may change in the next book. I don't know.
In the end, my reaction to this one is so mixed. I both hated it and yet I found it compelling and want to read more. If the bulk of the story involved adult main characters instead of the young ones that came of age, that might have made a big difference too. There is just some really dark stuff in this one and it has a dubcon feel to it because of the way Max is forced to assuage his powerful mating need. It is not a happy ever after ending even though the main thread through the story is worked out.
This is definitely not for everyone. If you can handle some of the more taboo things, then you'll probably be more inclined to love this story. Lovers of dark paranormal romance should give this one a try.
My thanks to Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review thoughts.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 9, 2021
Winter's Dawn is one of those stories I had a like/hate relationship with. The plot had a lot of potential: Four alpha pairs that hold dominance over the seasons. The alphas were chosen by the gods to wield great powers and bring peace and balance to their people. Over a century since an alpha pair existed and now a new winter pair is born heralding a coming of a new age. It really sounded great, right up my alley of what I look forward to in a PNR. Yet I struggled to keep reading.
The story follows the winter alpha, Max and Susan. From birth. Literally. Following a couple from birth offers the chance of world-building. Lots of world-building here. Quite a bit was brought up repeatedly. And while I do like world-building but this time around, it was just too much. Which in turn caused the story to drag frequently for me and it was hard to keep invested.
Besides the dragging the other thing, and probably the primary thing that made this book unappealing, were the couples themselves. Not the individual who they were but what they were. Mates of brother and sisters and cousins. It was just a bit to incestuous for my taste. Normally, I have no issue with pack mates becoming couples. It’s when those pack mates are direct blood related and hook up or form into couples that when it’s a hard no for me.
To sum it up: Winter’s Dawn was just okay, a little boring for me and a hard pass on the couple dynamics. While other may enjoy this book, I found it was just not my cuppa. I will not be continuing with the series.
Stars: 2
I received this book from Netgalley. I was not compensated for the book other than the entertainment it provided. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The story follows the winter alpha, Max and Susan. From birth. Literally. Following a couple from birth offers the chance of world-building. Lots of world-building here. Quite a bit was brought up repeatedly. And while I do like world-building but this time around, it was just too much. Which in turn caused the story to drag frequently for me and it was hard to keep invested.
Besides the dragging the other thing, and probably the primary thing that made this book unappealing, were the couples themselves. Not the individual who they were but what they were. Mates of brother and sisters and cousins. It was just a bit to incestuous for my taste. Normally, I have no issue with pack mates becoming couples. It’s when those pack mates are direct blood related and hook up or form into couples that when it’s a hard no for me.
To sum it up: Winter’s Dawn was just okay, a little boring for me and a hard pass on the couple dynamics. While other may enjoy this book, I found it was just not my cuppa. I will not be continuing with the series.
Stars: 2
I received this book from Netgalley. I was not compensated for the book other than the entertainment it provided. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
January 28, 2018
2.5. rating. Downhill towards the middle of the book. The first half is 4 Stars though.
October 26, 2013
You will fall in love with Max. He's the central male character in this very unusual book from Kele Moon. If you are a fan of her shifter romance tales then this is definitely well worth a read but I'm not sure if all will love it. It's not the usual chest banging fated mate scenario that so many authors give us. This is a slowly developing story of love and duty and really tugs at the heart strings.
Maxwell (Max) and Susan are born three years apart on the winter equinox and are destined to become mates with the power to save the werewolf race from extinction. They are first cousins and will grows to be the Winter King and Queen to a race that can no longer produce offspring. Only when Susan produces children wil the other females be able to have the next generation. In this carefully crafted world incest is the norm and it's believed that the young couple share a soul.
Most of this book details the early years of Max and Susan and the gloriously connected relationship they have. At times it almost felt as if Max was born to serve Susan as her wishes are paramount to him. He suffers through a childhood hating his father and never seeing what the reader can see. His father understands love and duty. All Max wants is Susan to be happy and the way the two children live seems quite bizarre at times as they even sleep together in an effort to solidify their close relationship.
As they grow it's more and more clear to Max that he cannot live without Sussn as she's more than just his Queen she is his whole reason to breathe. Unfortunately as he's older than her he reachs sexual maturity first but has to find release elsewhere and it tears him apart that his more base animal side cannot be denied. All he wants is to be with Susan but knowing she's not ready for a physical relationship pushes him into the arms of other women from his pack. Both Max's and Susan's mothers died in childbirth and he is haunted by the fear that this will happen to the girl he loves. In an effort to have almost normal lives Max encourages Susan to try to have a relationship with a human who they both like but what's normal for a human is definitely not meant for a pair of alpha wolves and heartache is never far away.
This was an amazing read and definitely not a run of the mill paranormal romance and well done Ms Moon for having the courage to write something so unique. Max is such a conflicted character that it's impossible not to feel empathy for him and his dedication towards Susan dominated the entire storyline. He loves her so completely it is almost frightening in its intensity. At times it felt so painful to read and then the author gave us glimpses of humour to help carry the reader through the journey. An intense read with more to follow. If you have an open mind and really enjoy a book that's going to challenge your perception of werewolf romance then this is a must read.
A 4 and a half from me
Maxwell (Max) and Susan are born three years apart on the winter equinox and are destined to become mates with the power to save the werewolf race from extinction. They are first cousins and will grows to be the Winter King and Queen to a race that can no longer produce offspring. Only when Susan produces children wil the other females be able to have the next generation. In this carefully crafted world incest is the norm and it's believed that the young couple share a soul.
Most of this book details the early years of Max and Susan and the gloriously connected relationship they have. At times it almost felt as if Max was born to serve Susan as her wishes are paramount to him. He suffers through a childhood hating his father and never seeing what the reader can see. His father understands love and duty. All Max wants is Susan to be happy and the way the two children live seems quite bizarre at times as they even sleep together in an effort to solidify their close relationship.
As they grow it's more and more clear to Max that he cannot live without Sussn as she's more than just his Queen she is his whole reason to breathe. Unfortunately as he's older than her he reachs sexual maturity first but has to find release elsewhere and it tears him apart that his more base animal side cannot be denied. All he wants is to be with Susan but knowing she's not ready for a physical relationship pushes him into the arms of other women from his pack. Both Max's and Susan's mothers died in childbirth and he is haunted by the fear that this will happen to the girl he loves. In an effort to have almost normal lives Max encourages Susan to try to have a relationship with a human who they both like but what's normal for a human is definitely not meant for a pair of alpha wolves and heartache is never far away.
This was an amazing read and definitely not a run of the mill paranormal romance and well done Ms Moon for having the courage to write something so unique. Max is such a conflicted character that it's impossible not to feel empathy for him and his dedication towards Susan dominated the entire storyline. He loves her so completely it is almost frightening in its intensity. At times it felt so painful to read and then the author gave us glimpses of humour to help carry the reader through the journey. An intense read with more to follow. If you have an open mind and really enjoy a book that's going to challenge your perception of werewolf romance then this is a must read.
A 4 and a half from me
May 15, 2014
*free copy provided by the publisher via netgalley*
I really wanted to like this book. But in the end, I couldn’t.
I think that the only thing I did like about the book was the fact that the paranormal seemed to blend in pretty well with the “normal”. Oh, and I also liked the hair braiding tradition they had going on. I found it really original, like nothing I’ve ever read before (and I have read quite a lot of books on/with werewolves). I think it was a really nice touch.
But the things I didn’t like far outweigh the things I liked.
I like the idea of the book, the the execution fell short.
Even though I liked the idea of them growing up together, and growing up loving each other, I think I would’ve loved it more if I would have had a deeper, more insightful feel into their lives over a shorter period of time, instead of fleeting glimpses over the years.
I’ve read other books written by the author, and I liked them (gave them 3-4 stars on goodreads), but this one…I don’t know. I don’t see myself reading the sequel any time soon, as it hasn’t made me curious in any way.
I really wanted to like this book. But in the end, I couldn’t.
I think that the only thing I did like about the book was the fact that the paranormal seemed to blend in pretty well with the “normal”. Oh, and I also liked the hair braiding tradition they had going on. I found it really original, like nothing I’ve ever read before (and I have read quite a lot of books on/with werewolves). I think it was a really nice touch.
But the things I didn’t like far outweigh the things I liked.
I like the idea of the book, the the execution fell short.
Even though I liked the idea of them growing up together, and growing up loving each other, I think I would’ve loved it more if I would have had a deeper, more insightful feel into their lives over a shorter period of time, instead of fleeting glimpses over the years.
I’ve read other books written by the author, and I liked them (gave them 3-4 stars on goodreads), but this one…I don’t know. I don’t see myself reading the sequel any time soon, as it hasn’t made me curious in any way.
June 6, 2014
This is one of the most original stories regarding werewolves I have read in a while. Ms. Moon creates a world were the dominate part of the werewolf is the wolf itself. It is different, engaging, emotional, and full of self-sacrifice. I found it interesting that the four pairs of alpha kings and queens coincide with the four seasons. In the beginning, I was not sure the premise of the pairs would work but Ms. Moon conveniences me in the end.
The story opens with the birth of a new alpha queen for the youngest king, Maxwell. Only 3 years of age, Max knew his mate, Susie, belong to him. Together, Max and Susie are Winter wolves destined to bring balance and peace to their people. Yet as they grow up the need for normalcy takes root in the pair. During their puppyhood (adolescence), Max and Susie attend human schools, have human friends, and try to assimilate among the humans. They enjoy the freedom until Max reaches maturity at age 18. Turmoil and inner struggles to keep his nature at bay begin to eat away at the bond with Susie. Max’s need to run during the full moon along with raging hormones puts him at odds with his soul mate. Max loves Susie, knows she will always be the one, but she is not ready for the “dominate” wolf he is becoming. He needs to run but he constantly struggles against his nature.Turning to alcohol and pills to relieve the stress, Max becomes everything he is against which affects his rule as king. When the day comes for Susie to force him to run, Max truly realizes for the first time what it means to be king.
After reading Winter’s Dawn, I found myself emotionally drained. The constant inner struggles of both protagonists were written so well, I felt every emotion Max and Susie felt. I wager many would not agree with Susie’s decision to have Max have sex with other females, however, it is part of pack mentality among wolves. Susie’s body is not mature enough to handle the demands of an adult alpha therefore watching Max suffer is not an option to her. I’ll admit there were times when I wanted to shake both of them for their selfishness and temper tantrums, but realized it was due to their maturity level. Two young people force into roles at such a young age are bound to rebel at some point.
Ms. Moon’s Winter’s Dawn will not be for everyone. It is completely different from her previous novel and some fans may be disappointed. With that being said, I found it an excellent start for a new series. It is original in concept, it is an emotional read, and it is tells the struggles of true relationships. I see hope for the young king and queen as well as hope for their peoples future.
The story opens with the birth of a new alpha queen for the youngest king, Maxwell. Only 3 years of age, Max knew his mate, Susie, belong to him. Together, Max and Susie are Winter wolves destined to bring balance and peace to their people. Yet as they grow up the need for normalcy takes root in the pair. During their puppyhood (adolescence), Max and Susie attend human schools, have human friends, and try to assimilate among the humans. They enjoy the freedom until Max reaches maturity at age 18. Turmoil and inner struggles to keep his nature at bay begin to eat away at the bond with Susie. Max’s need to run during the full moon along with raging hormones puts him at odds with his soul mate. Max loves Susie, knows she will always be the one, but she is not ready for the “dominate” wolf he is becoming. He needs to run but he constantly struggles against his nature.Turning to alcohol and pills to relieve the stress, Max becomes everything he is against which affects his rule as king. When the day comes for Susie to force him to run, Max truly realizes for the first time what it means to be king.
After reading Winter’s Dawn, I found myself emotionally drained. The constant inner struggles of both protagonists were written so well, I felt every emotion Max and Susie felt. I wager many would not agree with Susie’s decision to have Max have sex with other females, however, it is part of pack mentality among wolves. Susie’s body is not mature enough to handle the demands of an adult alpha therefore watching Max suffer is not an option to her. I’ll admit there were times when I wanted to shake both of them for their selfishness and temper tantrums, but realized it was due to their maturity level. Two young people force into roles at such a young age are bound to rebel at some point.
Ms. Moon’s Winter’s Dawn will not be for everyone. It is completely different from her previous novel and some fans may be disappointed. With that being said, I found it an excellent start for a new series. It is original in concept, it is an emotional read, and it is tells the struggles of true relationships. I see hope for the young king and queen as well as hope for their peoples future.
May 23, 2014
Kele Moon's writing is polished. Her back story is well thought out, her descriptions interesting and her dialogue enjoyable. I enjoyed the characters, both werewolf and human, from the tormented Max to sweet Susie, amusing Adam and magnanimous John. The powers of the alpha werewolves over the seasons had the potential to be interesting, as did the worldwide presidencies under the kingship, but I anticipate these aspects will be developed in future novels in this series.
Moon does warn that some of the subject matter of this novel might not be to the taste of all readers and I have to confess that it wasn't to mine. It wasn't the incest of werewolf society that I found problematic (although I did wonder how they had managed to survive or develop as a species if their bloodlines were so inbred), but the premise that werewolves must endure 'the running' - an intense breeding period every full moon which gives them an insatiable physical and sexual hunger. This kind of superhuman supernatural desire is fairly typical of paranormal romances, but in this case it means that Max, who comes into heat several years before his mate, Susie, is forced to have sex with multiple women when he doesn't want to. Furthermore, the development of his 'dominant wolf' with the female wolves of his choice edges into S&M. I also disliked the typical contemporary fetishism of lesbianism for the pleasure of males while male homosexuality is posed as unnatural and abhorrent.
In general, females are represented as fairly helpless in werewolf society despite being ostensibly more powerful. We only see one female in a position of power and she is unable to find a mate. When Susie becomes queen it's posited that she is only doing work to help Max because they don't have all the alpha kings born yet, which suggests that she shouldn't have to worry her pretty little head about it. Puppies/children are wanted only to keep the females happy or fulfil prophecy and little girls aren't wanted by their mothers because they are seen as future rivals. On that note, I found some of the actions taken by characters towards the end of the novel foolish. I also had a problem with Max's constant worrying and interpretation of autumn as the season of death when winter is far more linked to death in culture than autumn ever has been.
A book can only be critiqued like this when it has depth, and Kele Moon's novel has this. Despite my personal peeves outlined above, there was much to recommend this novel and I'm sure it will appeal to many readers.
Moon does warn that some of the subject matter of this novel might not be to the taste of all readers and I have to confess that it wasn't to mine. It wasn't the incest of werewolf society that I found problematic (although I did wonder how they had managed to survive or develop as a species if their bloodlines were so inbred), but the premise that werewolves must endure 'the running' - an intense breeding period every full moon which gives them an insatiable physical and sexual hunger. This kind of superhuman supernatural desire is fairly typical of paranormal romances, but in this case it means that Max, who comes into heat several years before his mate, Susie, is forced to have sex with multiple women when he doesn't want to. Furthermore, the development of his 'dominant wolf' with the female wolves of his choice edges into S&M. I also disliked the typical contemporary fetishism of lesbianism for the pleasure of males while male homosexuality is posed as unnatural and abhorrent.
In general, females are represented as fairly helpless in werewolf society despite being ostensibly more powerful. We only see one female in a position of power and she is unable to find a mate. When Susie becomes queen it's posited that she is only doing work to help Max because they don't have all the alpha kings born yet, which suggests that she shouldn't have to worry her pretty little head about it. Puppies/children are wanted only to keep the females happy or fulfil prophecy and little girls aren't wanted by their mothers because they are seen as future rivals. On that note, I found some of the actions taken by characters towards the end of the novel foolish. I also had a problem with Max's constant worrying and interpretation of autumn as the season of death when winter is far more linked to death in culture than autumn ever has been.
A book can only be critiqued like this when it has depth, and Kele Moon's novel has this. Despite my personal peeves outlined above, there was much to recommend this novel and I'm sure it will appeal to many readers.
October 7, 2013
4.5 Stars!
Paranormal books are some of my favorite books out there. I think it’s because they are so easy to get wrapped up in. They can take you to a completely different world and that is what makes them so much fun. With that being said, I think that paranormal books are also very hard to be able to pull off completely because there has to be that certain element that the author has to be able to bring into it to make the story successful.
This is the first paranormal book that I have read from Kele. And I have to say that its completely amazing. She was able to bring aspects into this story that made it stand out completely from other paranormal books that I have read recently. Especially when you take wolf shifters, you have to have that “thing” that makes your story different from everyone else’s.
I will give you guys a disclaimer; there are incest relationships in this book between cousins. I just know some people that won’t read these, but it does happen in the story. Also, on that token as well, the sex parts of this story are not graphic in any way. They are there but not completely overboard in details.
The story line was amazing. But it also felt a little dragged on for a bit. There were parts of the story I felt could have been taken out, but in the long scope of things I do understand what was going on. It felt like their childhood part of their story was given in more detail than when they were adults. Because when they became adults, it seemed like certain parts of their lives were just skipped over. As opposed to when they were children, we were given a lot of information about what they were doing.
I do have to say that while it could be considered a cliffhanger ending, this part of the story does end. And I have to say that I can’t wait for the next part of the series to come out. And I think Kele should take pity on me and send it to me now so I don’t have to wait.
With that being said, this book is completely worth a read if you like paranormal.
Paranormal books are some of my favorite books out there. I think it’s because they are so easy to get wrapped up in. They can take you to a completely different world and that is what makes them so much fun. With that being said, I think that paranormal books are also very hard to be able to pull off completely because there has to be that certain element that the author has to be able to bring into it to make the story successful.
This is the first paranormal book that I have read from Kele. And I have to say that its completely amazing. She was able to bring aspects into this story that made it stand out completely from other paranormal books that I have read recently. Especially when you take wolf shifters, you have to have that “thing” that makes your story different from everyone else’s.
I will give you guys a disclaimer; there are incest relationships in this book between cousins. I just know some people that won’t read these, but it does happen in the story. Also, on that token as well, the sex parts of this story are not graphic in any way. They are there but not completely overboard in details.
The story line was amazing. But it also felt a little dragged on for a bit. There were parts of the story I felt could have been taken out, but in the long scope of things I do understand what was going on. It felt like their childhood part of their story was given in more detail than when they were adults. Because when they became adults, it seemed like certain parts of their lives were just skipped over. As opposed to when they were children, we were given a lot of information about what they were doing.
I do have to say that while it could be considered a cliffhanger ending, this part of the story does end. And I have to say that I can’t wait for the next part of the series to come out. And I think Kele should take pity on me and send it to me now so I don’t have to wait.
With that being said, this book is completely worth a read if you like paranormal.
October 2, 2013
Ich bin seit Jahren ein großer Fan von Kele Moon, daher hatte ich hohe Erwartungen an dieses Buch - und wahrscheinlich habe ich deswegen nur 4 von 5 Sternen vergeben.
Winters Dawn handelt von den Werwölfen dieser Welt. Sie werden angeführt von 4 Alpha-Paaren, die jeweils über eine Jahreszeit herrschen. Allerdings leben die Wölfe schon seit Jahrzehnten ohne ihre Alphas und die Betas versuchen die Ordnung zu erhalten. Als ein Nebeneffekt der fehlenden Alphas werden den Wölfen keine Babys geboren. Nur wenn sie sich mit Menschen paaren, können Sie Babys empfangen.
Durch einiges taktisches Planen, wird dann doch ein Paar Alphas geboren: das Winterpaar.
Wie das in einem Wolfsrudel so üblich ist, sind die zwei eng verwandt - wie auch die meisten Paare in dem Buch. Das und der lockere Umgang mit Sex darf einen nicht stören, wenn man an dem Buch Spaß haben möchte. Allerdings wird hier nie ins Detail gegangen.
Was mir an dem Buch gefallen hat:
Kele schafft es wie kaum eine andere die Liebe/Freundschaft zwischen allen beteiligten durch Kleinigekeiten und wenig große Worte strahlen zu lassen.
Die Szenen mit Adam sind unglaublich lustig und doch auch druchdrungen von dieser tiefen Freundschaft.
Was mir an dem Buch nicht so gefallen hat:
Ich habe von ihr schon viel intensivere Geschichten gelesen - sowohl was den Erzählstrang angeht, als auch die Beziehungen zwischen den Charakteren. Daher war ich hier etwas enttäuscht.
Sie hat das ganze Buch recht 'jugendfrei' gehalten - und ich benutze den Begriff recht locker. Was dazu führt, dass es schrecklich viele anskizzierte Sexszenen gibt, die alles in allem sinnlos im Kontext erscheinen. Da bin ich dann eher der Meinung: ganz beschreiben oder wirklich andeuten. Aber das ist meine Meinung.
Winters Dawn handelt von den Werwölfen dieser Welt. Sie werden angeführt von 4 Alpha-Paaren, die jeweils über eine Jahreszeit herrschen. Allerdings leben die Wölfe schon seit Jahrzehnten ohne ihre Alphas und die Betas versuchen die Ordnung zu erhalten. Als ein Nebeneffekt der fehlenden Alphas werden den Wölfen keine Babys geboren. Nur wenn sie sich mit Menschen paaren, können Sie Babys empfangen.
Durch einiges taktisches Planen, wird dann doch ein Paar Alphas geboren: das Winterpaar.
Wie das in einem Wolfsrudel so üblich ist, sind die zwei eng verwandt - wie auch die meisten Paare in dem Buch. Das und der lockere Umgang mit Sex darf einen nicht stören, wenn man an dem Buch Spaß haben möchte. Allerdings wird hier nie ins Detail gegangen.
Was mir an dem Buch gefallen hat:
Kele schafft es wie kaum eine andere die Liebe/Freundschaft zwischen allen beteiligten durch Kleinigekeiten und wenig große Worte strahlen zu lassen.
Die Szenen mit Adam sind unglaublich lustig und doch auch druchdrungen von dieser tiefen Freundschaft.
Was mir an dem Buch nicht so gefallen hat:
Ich habe von ihr schon viel intensivere Geschichten gelesen - sowohl was den Erzählstrang angeht, als auch die Beziehungen zwischen den Charakteren. Daher war ich hier etwas enttäuscht.
Sie hat das ganze Buch recht 'jugendfrei' gehalten - und ich benutze den Begriff recht locker. Was dazu führt, dass es schrecklich viele anskizzierte Sexszenen gibt, die alles in allem sinnlos im Kontext erscheinen. Da bin ich dann eher der Meinung: ganz beschreiben oder wirklich andeuten. Aber das ist meine Meinung.
April 24, 2014
3.5 stars
An incestous royal werewolf book that somehow avoids the creepiness of that topic...
Susie and Max are born and bred alpha wolves, whose mothers died while giving birth, arctic winter wolves, cousins and share a soul from the beginning.
Seeing as its werewolves, they live for a long time and they share souls and all that, I figured I could suspend belief and deal with the whole idea of them mating to their own siblings and cousins. Luckily the main couple are cousins, not siblings, which somehow makes it a tiny bit easier to grasp I guess.
Max and Susie are as close as can be but Max goes into heat earlier and has to take on lovers, which puts a bit of a kink in the whole romance aspect of the story. I agree with some of the other reviewers and say this is more of a fantasy than romance novel. There is a whole world built around the wolves, their politics, habits and religious beliefs. It sucks you in and doesnt let go.
Max deals with a lot of guilt throughout the story, understandably, due to him seeing his aunt die giving birth. Sometimes it seemed a little over blown but I guess that element of drama was needed.
I actually enjoyed hearing the whole story from his point of view, even though thats not something Im usually into. But it was kind of enlightening and makes me wonder how she will take the story from here. It definitely ends in a way where you know there could be a lot more to the story. Some we might not necessarily like actually.
Overall I enjoyed the book, read it overnight and would read any follow ups.
An incestous royal werewolf book that somehow avoids the creepiness of that topic...
Susie and Max are born and bred alpha wolves, whose mothers died while giving birth, arctic winter wolves, cousins and share a soul from the beginning.
Seeing as its werewolves, they live for a long time and they share souls and all that, I figured I could suspend belief and deal with the whole idea of them mating to their own siblings and cousins. Luckily the main couple are cousins, not siblings, which somehow makes it a tiny bit easier to grasp I guess.
Max and Susie are as close as can be but Max goes into heat earlier and has to take on lovers, which puts a bit of a kink in the whole romance aspect of the story. I agree with some of the other reviewers and say this is more of a fantasy than romance novel. There is a whole world built around the wolves, their politics, habits and religious beliefs. It sucks you in and doesnt let go.
Max deals with a lot of guilt throughout the story, understandably, due to him seeing his aunt die giving birth. Sometimes it seemed a little over blown but I guess that element of drama was needed.
I actually enjoyed hearing the whole story from his point of view, even though thats not something Im usually into. But it was kind of enlightening and makes me wonder how she will take the story from here. It definitely ends in a way where you know there could be a lot more to the story. Some we might not necessarily like actually.
Overall I enjoyed the book, read it overnight and would read any follow ups.
November 5, 2013
E' un buon libro, con una buona trama e (soprattutto) un ottimo stile, che ho letto tutto d'un fiato in una notte. Molto dark e pieno di conflitti di tutti i generi, fa veramente immergere il lettore in una realtà diversa dalla nostra e ci fa ragionare su alcuni dei nostri tabù. Detto questo ci sono alcune cose che assolutamente non mi sono piaciute:
- perchè una coppia di mated werewolves prova attrazione sessuale l'uno verso l'altra solo una settimana o addirittura pochi giorni (si parla di tre) una sola volta al mese? Se sono anche metà umani non dovrebbero avere la possibilità di avere una healty relationship tutto il mese come facciamo noi?
- Non accetto assolutamente che Susie decida di andarsene dal suo mate, anche se lo ama, una volta nato il loro figlio... vedi punto sopra.
- E ho fatto veramente, veramente fatica ad accettare la relazione fra Max, Kat e Serena (soprattutto Serena!) nella stanza accanto a Susie... fedeltà portami via, eh... ok, posso capire il sesso (viene spiegato come un bisogno naturale e Susie è ancora una bambina) ma porca vacca sai che la devi sposare... ma fai le cose in maniera più discreta... e se dici di amare la tua futura consorte, cosa cavolo provi sentimenti a fare per un'altra donna... alla fine mi è sembrato che Max avesse un rapporto più "sano" con Serena che non con Susie, ammettiamolo.
Detto questo, lo rileggerei. Mistero della fede.
Si ringrazia NetGalley per la gentile preview.
Voto: 4 stelle
- perchè una coppia di mated werewolves prova attrazione sessuale l'uno verso l'altra solo una settimana o addirittura pochi giorni (si parla di tre) una sola volta al mese? Se sono anche metà umani non dovrebbero avere la possibilità di avere una healty relationship tutto il mese come facciamo noi?
- Non accetto assolutamente che Susie decida di andarsene dal suo mate, anche se lo ama, una volta nato il loro figlio... vedi punto sopra.
- E ho fatto veramente, veramente fatica ad accettare la relazione fra Max, Kat e Serena (soprattutto Serena!) nella stanza accanto a Susie... fedeltà portami via, eh... ok, posso capire il sesso (viene spiegato come un bisogno naturale e Susie è ancora una bambina) ma porca vacca sai che la devi sposare... ma fai le cose in maniera più discreta... e se dici di amare la tua futura consorte, cosa cavolo provi sentimenti a fare per un'altra donna... alla fine mi è sembrato che Max avesse un rapporto più "sano" con Serena che non con Susie, ammettiamolo.
Detto questo, lo rileggerei. Mistero della fede.
Si ringrazia NetGalley per la gentile preview.
Voto: 4 stelle
October 25, 2013
There is something magical about a good romance novel. When I come to the end I always feel so damn happy and I'm smiling like a school girl. I can't help it, I love the "...and they lived happily ever after moments." I know this book will not be for everyone, but I was truly impressed with Kele Moon's talent as a writer! She executed a well thought out novel in a complicated world. I say this book will not be for everyone because there are some taboo subjects in this book because of the vast difference in culture of this fictional world. I love that she took a very complicated family structure and weaved it into a tale that I came to adore.
The characters in this book are stellar! They are talented and complex. The struggle in relationships between the two main characters and their extended family is some of the best writing I've seen in this genre. Now don't get me wrong, I understand the Pulitzer is not going to be going to Paranormal Romance book, however, this book was head and heels over what I expected.
I give mad props to Ms. Moon for making me laugh so hard (tent camping) I cried, and for also gifting me with that wonderful, "Oh I feel so good after reading this book" feeling. There are graphic scenes, taboo subject matters, and excessive drug use which is why I would only recommend this book to adults.
The characters in this book are stellar! They are talented and complex. The struggle in relationships between the two main characters and their extended family is some of the best writing I've seen in this genre. Now don't get me wrong, I understand the Pulitzer is not going to be going to Paranormal Romance book, however, this book was head and heels over what I expected.
I give mad props to Ms. Moon for making me laugh so hard (tent camping) I cried, and for also gifting me with that wonderful, "Oh I feel so good after reading this book" feeling. There are graphic scenes, taboo subject matters, and excessive drug use which is why I would only recommend this book to adults.
May 4, 2016
This is one of the most convoluted and nauseating books I have ever read. Max the hero cheats on Susie, his so called mate openly and blatantly. He was sleeping with two sisters at the same time as well as other females. Even though this is a werewolves novel, I don't condone cheating in any form or shape. Even after Sue grew up, this jerk was still emotionally attached to one of the sisters, Serena. To top it off, even his father was sleeping and having kids with his own sister **horror**. So, when at the end, the two Alphas, and mate decided to live in separate cities, or house after the birth of their son, I was done with this mess. I need to go take a long shower to clean my myself. I fell dirty.
Merged review:
Too Convoluted....
The plot of this book was too messy and distasteful. Max slept around with other women in the guise of his wolffish nature for years before Susie matured enough to mate with. That was disrespectful. Then at the end of the day, he really could not break free of Serena, one of his consorts. At the end of the book, because of his boorishness, and not believing their children should grow up knowing their fate, Sue agreed to live apart from him. Incest is also endemic in this book. Brothers and sisters sleeping together, even having kids. **horror**
Merged review:
Too Convoluted....
The plot of this book was too messy and distasteful. Max slept around with other women in the guise of his wolffish nature for years before Susie matured enough to mate with. That was disrespectful. Then at the end of the day, he really could not break free of Serena, one of his consorts. At the end of the book, because of his boorishness, and not believing their children should grow up knowing their fate, Sue agreed to live apart from him. Incest is also endemic in this book. Brothers and sisters sleeping together, even having kids. **horror**
October 14, 2013
Max and Susie are the alpha dogs that have been foretold about. The pair that will save the werewolves from extinction. Once they mate all werewolves can then have puppies. Max is the most powerful of the winter wolves as well as Susie. The only problem is that Max must wait 3 years for her to come into heat but he is unable to not have sex during the full moon. He also has a problem with rogue wolves and must find out how to stop them.
This book was actually pretty good considering there was no real plot to speak of. The beginning of the book drew me in when Susie was being born and Max knew that she was his mate while her mother was in labor. The author did a fabulous job of writing in the characters and each temperament. I also liked how each wolf was from a certain season pack such as winter, fall, spring and summer.
I was however disappointed in the lack of a good plot. I just could not tell you that was in this book. The entire book was just waiting for Susie to go into heat and then get pregnant herself with the next king and queen of fall. There were a few scenes on rogue werewolves and then nothing.
This book was actually pretty good considering there was no real plot to speak of. The beginning of the book drew me in when Susie was being born and Max knew that she was his mate while her mother was in labor. The author did a fabulous job of writing in the characters and each temperament. I also liked how each wolf was from a certain season pack such as winter, fall, spring and summer.
I was however disappointed in the lack of a good plot. I just could not tell you that was in this book. The entire book was just waiting for Susie to go into heat and then get pregnant herself with the next king and queen of fall. There were a few scenes on rogue werewolves and then nothing.
October 9, 2013
What can I say beyond that this book was completely amazing? It pulled me in from the first word and literally stayed in my head all night so I had a hard time sleeping even knowing that I had a full day ahead of me that included my toddler, 8 hours of work and a college final exam. I fell in love with Max and Susie and their relationship and struggles, I wanted them to get their happily ever after. My heart broke for Susie while she had to be strong watching Max grow up before her and what he had to do in order to survive and my heart broke for Max in his love and extreme fear for Susie. My only complaint with this book is that I want the second book immediately as in yesterday immediately. But again I totally loved this book and am also very interested in buying the steamier version if it ever because available.
September 30, 2013
In this book you read about Max and Susan who are king and queen of the werewolves. They are soul mates and Max could feel the pull when Susan was born. As they grow they want to be more normal like the humans.
As you read on they grow and Max becomes full grown wolf and since Susan is not he has to wait to mate with her. He takes care of his needs with two sister wolves and he ends with having feelings for one. (Serena & Katrina) Yet he is true to his true mate and when Susan becomes of age they mate.
Many things happen in this book and don't want to give it all away. This book made have so emotions. I was extremely angry because how can a women share her man a mate at that. Sad when Max takes Susan puppyhood. Funny when John sees Max and Adam and makes an assumption. Happy when Susan finally gets what she has been waiting for. You will read this book and want more.
I would like to see happen is Serena is the one who sent the rogue wolves after Susan and Max has to see her for what she really is.
Can't wait for the next book!! :)
As you read on they grow and Max becomes full grown wolf and since Susan is not he has to wait to mate with her. He takes care of his needs with two sister wolves and he ends with having feelings for one. (Serena & Katrina) Yet he is true to his true mate and when Susan becomes of age they mate.
Many things happen in this book and don't want to give it all away. This book made have so emotions. I was extremely angry because how can a women share her man a mate at that. Sad when Max takes Susan puppyhood. Funny when John sees Max and Adam and makes an assumption. Happy when Susan finally gets what she has been waiting for. You will read this book and want more.
I would like to see happen is Serena is the one who sent the rogue wolves after Susan and Max has to see her for what she really is.
Can't wait for the next book!! :)
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