Shifter Awakened

by M.L. White

Shanely Thomas has struggled her whole life to fit in and find a real home. When a lawyer reaches out to her explaining that her grandmother, whom she has never met before, has passed away leaving her a cabin deep in the mountains of Washington, she jumps at the chance to run away and start a new life. She flees her abusive ex-boyfriend vowing to never return to the life she knew before and drives nonstop to her brand-new life. She anxiously wants to learn about the family she never knew, but as soon as she arrives things start getting interesting. Shanely’s attacked on her way home one night by a large wolf, but before it can take her life, she is saved by another that turns into a human in front of her. Shanely soon discovers the world isn’t what she always thought and there is an entirely different and secret race of people called shifters that have an animal dwelling within their person. Things get more complicated when she finds out she's not human like she always thought, but she's a shifter too.
Bastian Fenrir is an elite shifter enforcer sent by his father to train under the Alpha of the largest pack in the world. He’s meant to return home, but that’s the last thing on his mind when a small curly haired girl walks in with the Alpha Female. Her beauty is breathtaking as he has never seen someone quite like her and while her scent is different, it's also intoxicating. This deep primal need to protect her surfaces as Bastian struggles to help her navigate the shifter community. His heart is sure that she is his mate, and he will protect her at all costs even if it means keeping her a secret from everyone else. Now all he must do is not scare her away until she can realize it too. He and his brother’s lives have been completely turned upside down, but he finally feels like he is right where he is meant to be.

360 pages, Hardcover

Published January 31, 2024

About the author

M. L. White is a Fantasy and Shifter writer primarily as she is obsessed with wolves and all things fantasy or dragon related. She loves to read, and actively seeks out books that suck her in and make her feel like that world is better than reality, so she is determined to spread that same joy to others with her writing. Her books are like a movie in your head with characters you can't help but fall in love with.

When M. L. White is not writing, she's chasing after her three children and taking care of her wonderful husband. They're her whole world so she's pretty busy spending as much time with them as possible. You can find her walking the trails with her two dogs or gaming with her husband and son in her free time as well!

Reviews

[BookWorm · Rating 3 out of 5]

I mean well when I say this is a glorified wattpad read. I know the werewolf/shifter genre is a big thing there and this would have don’t well. This book actually has some amazing parts that made me push to finish it! Despite a lot of flaws this genuinely was a a good read. Although I had a good time and it was a vibe most of the time, there was also so much wrong. The writing isn’t the best. There was so much damn repetition! It drove me insane. Shanely would repeat her thoughts and say the same thing back to back but reworded slightly. There was a major over use of Shanely and Bastion’s names. Most of the dialogue was extremely cringey. All the baby girl, babe, my love, etc was overkill and none of it seemed naturally between the characters. Also, things start happening very fast. There isn’t any time to catch your breath with this plot but just as much as that vexed me it kept me happy as well and made it an easy read. I was so overstimulated reading this! The multiple were necessarily presented well and the main one just disappeared towards the end with Patrick. I’m assumed this will be the mains plot for book 2. Crazy that we never internet with Patrick’s dad because he was referenced so much. I adored all the characters enough to read through their ridiculous dialogues. The books could easily be a 5 star if someone would have told the author no to all the cheesy jokes and interactions between Shanely and the brothers. Still as much as I rolled my eyes it was all still well cute. This was my first shifter read I usually do werewolves and didn’t think I would love the bears as much as I did! I’m for sure reading book 2 bc there are so many side plots to follow. Will Peter ever find Shanely? How will they stop Patrick? Is Liam going to be an issue? I know I’m complaining a lot but there were so many entertaining scenes as well! The fight with Caleb and the triplets. Shanely finding out she was pregnant which I was NOT expecting and loved the pregnancy trope! The actually writing still wasn’t my favorite of the punctuation. There was so much of ?! It drove me insane.
The world building is good there is so much more White could go into detail with in the next book. The mating system, the fenrir family background, Shanely’s bear clan, is her mom dead? I have so many questions! I could keep going back and forth on why this booked stressed me out but was still a fun read so I’m just going to say this: it certainly isn’t perfect but the characters are solid and the overall storyline is good! Be patient.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic read! These types of books aren’t normally my cup of tea but this story captivated me and I’m glad I took a chance on it. Here’s a brief teaser.
Shanely lives a tragic and miserable life thanks to an abusive boyfriend when she discovers she has been left an inheritance by a relative she never knew existed. Afraid for her wellbeing, she takes a last minute opportunity to skip town and disappear from her miserable life to the peaceful and secluded property that was left to her in mountains of Washington. While she is relieved to have finally escaped her ex boyfriend, new dangers await her as she tries to settle into her new life. After being attacked in the woods near her cabin, Shanely is rescued by a stranger who, much to her disbelief and shock, can shift his physical form from human to massive wolf. Her world will never be the same again as she is pulled deeper into the world of Shifters, and each chapter will keep you begging for more. It is left wide open for a sequel too. Definitely must read!!!! You won’t regret it.

[Pauline Lovett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shifter Awakened is a clever twist on the classic werewolf theme.
The story telling was immersive drawing you into a world you didn’t know existed. I’ve really enjoyed reading this as the story line was also so different to your usual werewolf story. I’ll not explain why here as I don’t want to ruin things for other readers.

[Jama Weaver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book there was so much action, and you get so many other things happening in this book that if i say anything else it will spoil the entire book for you so just read it.

[Annie Jay-Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, I attached myself to Shanely's character in the beginning. The trauma with Peter, her abusive ex, the struggle to escape, the feelings of uncertainty and paranoia followed by her growth into a strong woman. I wish she still showed more of her fears & trauma though, because something like that really sticks with a person for years to come. Once in a while, it'd come out, like her original horror with her discovered pregnancy, but it felt like everything was gotten over fairly quick. This book has a ton of potential though and the book had me hooked from the start. There were definitely a lot of thrilling and YES! moments where I cheered Shanely and Bastian on.

Second, these are just my personal preferences and should be taken with a SUPER small grain of salt. These do not mean anything negative for the book at all, just my peeve tropes. I love reading wolf shifter books, but I'm not huge on alphas or fated mates (I know, I'm super weird!), but I'm also not one for the pregnancy trope. Again, that's just me so this book should not be judged in such a way. It's super hard for me to get into those, so that does take away a lot for me as I'm not one for babies/pregnancy and I seek a lot of attraction/love chemistry to enjoy romance. BUT if you love these tropes, they're here!

Shifter Awakened was an edge-of-the-seat read, though with a lot going on, a lot of action, a lot of drama, and it set up for a series. Looking forward for what comes next!

[Moona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shifter Awakened" by M.L. White follows Shanely Thomas, who has always felt out of place and yearned for a true home. When she inherits a cabin from a grandmother she never knew, Shanely seizes the opportunity to escape her abusive ex-boyfriend and start fresh in the mountains of Washington. Her new life takes a startling turn when she's attacked by a wolf and saved by another that transforms into a human. Shanely discovers she belongs to a secret race of shifters and learns she, too, is a shifter. Bastian Fenrir, an elite shifter enforcer, is drawn to Shanely and feels a primal need to protect her, believing she is his destined mate. As Bastian helps Shanely navigate her new world, he must ensure she feels safe and accepted while concealing her true nature from others. Their journey unfolds with challenges and a deepening bond that reshapes their destinies.

[Tabi Vance · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted SO badly to like this book. The themes are right up my alley. Werewolf romance? Where do I sign?

This book reads like very young adult, but with adult themes like rape. She eventually gets pregnant by her rapist. But thank god it’s an accelerated pregnancy because she’s a SECRET DOUBLE SHIFTER. LE GASP. Hearing about the pregnancy and the way it’s announced was trash. The mate stepping up and being adoring to her and over protective just like every other bad romance.

The plot had such potential. I really feel bad rating it so low, but I just couldn’t continue on. It was a train wreck that I couldn’t keep looking at.

[Adam Laws · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to firstly congratulate the author for telling a story which is of another level - this story is fantastically written, having your mind take on a whole vivid journey. It was such an engaging read - the excitement/anticipation/thrill is all there! I haven't read much of this particular genre before now, but it's the kind of story you'd want to read over again for the thrilling journey which keeps you on your toes, and not just on the edge of your seat. It really delivers overall. Well done! Coming from a fellow writer here, I wish to applaud and express much respect to M. L. White.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved SHIFTER AWAKENED, a paranormal shifter romance with wolves and bears and so much cool pack world building! Shanely moves from Indiana to Washington state after the death of her grandmother when she learns she has inherited a cabin and a small amount of land in a remote area. But she soon learns the area is pack territory and she may have some shifter blood in her veins too. I loved all the twists and turns in this book. I am not going to talk specifics because the fun in this one is being surprised, but the pacing is great and I loved all the cool twists along the way. Bears and wolves have been at war for a long time. Could Shanely’s arrival help bring peace or will fighting break out? Shanley finds allies and family and I loved Cassia especially, along with Cade and Elijiah and of course Bastian, her fated mate. There’s a suspense plotline as well, which is also good. There’s great set up for future books and I would love to see the brothers find their mates! 5/5 stars.

[Simon Steele · Rating 5 out of 5]

I admittedly am not a fan of first person narration, however this book was a delightful surprise.
Full of great characters like Shanely and Bastian, this is a great read if you are looking for a take on the werewolf mythos that leans towards fantasy rather than horror.

I highly recommend this book to all readers.

[Sadies · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book!

[Hannah Perez · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZING!!!!! Couldn't put it down. Made me love the characters and can't wait for more. Read this you won't be disappointed!!!!!!

[Raeann Wolfley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to come!

[D.P. Bowkett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I restrict 5-star ratings for books which I look forward to getting some free time to carry on reading, in other words, they've captured me, and I have to know what happens next. This is one of those books.

It is one of the best original retellings of a classic trope I have read. M L White manages to twist and turn the story throughout the book. The emotions rollercoaster around, and the reveals through the story are superb. I won't do any spoilers but suffice to say Shanely's escape from an abusive relationship uncovers a life she could never have expected and a world beyond her imagination.

If you like fantasy that builds, and reveals layer after layer of intrigue, this is for you. My taste for fantasy/horror ranges from Lord of the Rings, Bram Stoker’s Dracula through to Interview with a Vampire. This sits closer to LOTR but it stands well amongst these.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hated to be parted from the story, that's how much it grabbed me and kept me interested. M.L.White should be very proud of herself for such an exceptional first book. I imagine that her writing room must be absolutely covered in 'post it' notes.
To remember all the clans and who was in which shifter pack let alone all of Shanely's new relatives from both packs, must have been a nightmare.
I was losing the plot at times wondering whether I was reading about one of her new relatives or Bastions.
It certainly hasn't deterred me from getting stuck into the second book in the series Shifter Prophecy.
Keep the good work up, and perhaps one day I will be buying a series of your dragon stories.