What do you think?
Shadowmist Pack #1
Feral Fates
The only thing more dangerous than their bond, is the war it will ignite.
Every unmated female must run.
The males give chase.
Whoever catches you becomes your mate.
No exceptions. No escape.
Kitara Silverbrook was born with the gift of sight, but cursed without the ability to shift. In a world where a wolf’s strength defines their worth, she’s endured whispers, isolation, and the cruel hands of a pack that sees her as nothing but a vessel for power.
When the brutal Claiming ceremony begins, Kitara’s only hope is to run fast enough to avoid being caught by the pack’s enforcer—the male who’s already marked her for torment.
Torn between prophecy and survival, Kitara must decide if she’ll risk her heart on the savage alpha who promises to protect her at any cost.
Even if that cost is war.
Perfect for fans of Suzanne Wright, Jaymin Eve, Roxie Ray, and steamy, blood-and-bond shifter romances where the the mating is primal, the Alphas are feral, and the only rule is survive together or die alone.
Every unmated female must run.
The males give chase.
Whoever catches you becomes your mate.
No exceptions. No escape.
Kitara Silverbrook was born with the gift of sight, but cursed without the ability to shift. In a world where a wolf’s strength defines their worth, she’s endured whispers, isolation, and the cruel hands of a pack that sees her as nothing but a vessel for power.
When the brutal Claiming ceremony begins, Kitara’s only hope is to run fast enough to avoid being caught by the pack’s enforcer—the male who’s already marked her for torment.
Torn between prophecy and survival, Kitara must decide if she’ll risk her heart on the savage alpha who promises to protect her at any cost.
Even if that cost is war.
Perfect for fans of Suzanne Wright, Jaymin Eve, Roxie Ray, and steamy, blood-and-bond shifter romances where the the mating is primal, the Alphas are feral, and the only rule is survive together or die alone.
362 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 15, 2025
About the author
Evie Mitchell
60 books1,586 followersUSA Today bestselling romance author. Evie Mitchell, delivers steamy, inclusive, body-positive romance filled with heat, heart, and happily ever afters.
Evie lives with her husband, their sausage dog, and an ever-growing collection of book-related mugs. When she's not writing, Evie loves curling up in the sun with an excellent book and a cup of tea.
You can find her at @EvieMitchellAuthor on all socials or EvieMitchell.com
Evie lives with her husband, their sausage dog, and an ever-growing collection of book-related mugs. When she's not writing, Evie loves curling up in the sun with an excellent book and a cup of tea.
You can find her at @EvieMitchellAuthor on all socials or EvieMitchell.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 222 reviews
November 4, 2025
This was SO SO SO SO good! I went into this book with moderate expectations because this is a new-to-me author. Color me surprised that this book had me in a chokehold after just one chapter. I lost precious hours of sleep because I stayed up so late to finish this book.
The characters were fleshed out and interesting. The world-building was so good. I loved how much nuance there was to it. The big bads were big and bad, but the MMC was bigger and badder. There aren't enough words in the english language for me to put on paper to explain how much I LOVED Ryker. He's protective and kind to those he loves. He's smart and he's not a hothead. Deep down, he's a sweetheart who has had to become this larger-than-life "evil" being of lore to protect his pack. I loved his interactions with the FMC. She doesn't know what to expect from him at the beginning and it just makes him that much better when he actively takes steps to make her feel safe and comfortable before asking anything of her. The FMC's life was so unfortunate. Her original pack were a bunch of *ssholes. They willfully put her in unsafe and compromising position after compromising position because they felt entitled to her, like she was an object/tool to use. I loved watching her become more herself and grow into her confidence with Ryker alongside her and always supporting her.
The betrayal was rough to read about. There was a tiny and uncertain part of me that pondered the idea of who it was, but I never thought I was going to be right about it. Turns out I need to trust my intuition and my reading comprehension skills more because this is the second time this has happened in the past 2 weeks.
I'm glad things worked out in the end! I'm very curious about Lithia and hoping that the next book is about her and her man/men(?). I'm also very invested in how the overarching plot is going to play out. Here's hoping the next book provides even more answers!
The characters were fleshed out and interesting. The world-building was so good. I loved how much nuance there was to it. The big bads were big and bad, but the MMC was bigger and badder. There aren't enough words in the english language for me to put on paper to explain how much I LOVED Ryker. He's protective and kind to those he loves. He's smart and he's not a hothead. Deep down, he's a sweetheart who has had to become this larger-than-life "evil" being of lore to protect his pack. I loved his interactions with the FMC. She doesn't know what to expect from him at the beginning and it just makes him that much better when he actively takes steps to make her feel safe and comfortable before asking anything of her. The FMC's life was so unfortunate. Her original pack were a bunch of *ssholes. They willfully put her in unsafe and compromising position after compromising position because they felt entitled to her, like she was an object/tool to use. I loved watching her become more herself and grow into her confidence with Ryker alongside her and always supporting her.
The betrayal was rough to read about. There was a tiny and uncertain part of me that pondered the idea of who it was, but I never thought I was going to be right about it. Turns out I need to trust my intuition and my reading comprehension skills more because this is the second time this has happened in the past 2 weeks.
I'm glad things worked out in the end! I'm very curious about Lithia and hoping that the next book is about her and her man/men(?). I'm also very invested in how the overarching plot is going to play out. Here's hoping the next book provides even more answers!
September 11, 2026
A brutal Claiming where every unmated female must run and whoever catches her becomes her mate? Yeah…there was no way I wasn’t reading this.
Kitara was easy to root for, and the Claiming delivered danger, tension, spice, and plenty of possessive alpha energy.
I listened to the audiobook, and I’m always a fan of duet-style narration. Jack Calihan and Hannah Chiclana brought the intensity and chemistry between the characters to life.
I wanted a little more from the worldbuilding and emotional connections, as some parts moved too quickly to hit as hard as they could have. Still, this was a fun, feral start to the series!
3.5 stars rounded up!
Kitara was easy to root for, and the Claiming delivered danger, tension, spice, and plenty of possessive alpha energy.
I listened to the audiobook, and I’m always a fan of duet-style narration. Jack Calihan and Hannah Chiclana brought the intensity and chemistry between the characters to life.
I wanted a little more from the worldbuilding and emotional connections, as some parts moved too quickly to hit as hard as they could have. Still, this was a fun, feral start to the series!
3.5 stars rounded up!
September 19, 2026
I enjoyed this one, but I wouldn’t say it was amazing. There were definitely some cringe moments, kind of in a fun way, and overall it was an entertaining read. The plot wasn’t really that strong and not a whole lot happened, as it pretty much only exists for the smut.
The characters and the whole claiming/mating setup were interesting enough to keep me reading. It’s definitely one of those books where you have to just go with the ridiculousness of the world, but sometimes that worked for me and sometimes it was a little too much. Still, I enjoyed it for what it was, even if I didn’t love it. The writing is fine, though I must say at least some parts of this book don't feel humanly written.
🎧 The audiobook was okay. This was my first time listening to a duet narration and I liked both narrators individually, but it took me a while to get used to it. While I was fine with the MC's narration in FMC's POV, it didn't work for me the other way around. It sounded unnatural and it just didn't flow. It was still perfectly listenable, but I think I would have enjoyed the book a bit more with a different audio performance.
✧ Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing the ARC!
The characters and the whole claiming/mating setup were interesting enough to keep me reading. It’s definitely one of those books where you have to just go with the ridiculousness of the world, but sometimes that worked for me and sometimes it was a little too much. Still, I enjoyed it for what it was, even if I didn’t love it. The writing is fine, though I must say at least some parts of this book don't feel humanly written.
🎧 The audiobook was okay. This was my first time listening to a duet narration and I liked both narrators individually, but it took me a while to get used to it. While I was fine with the MC's narration in FMC's POV, it didn't work for me the other way around. It sounded unnatural and it just didn't flow. It was still perfectly listenable, but I think I would have enjoyed the book a bit more with a different audio performance.
✧ Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing the ARC!
January 9, 2026
ALC: RELEASING 15 SEPTEMBER in DUET AUDIO!
Both narrators did an INSANE job! I highly recommend either audio or immersive read.
...
Kitara thinks she's broken when she can't shift at age 7. Her pack suckssssss (just read the book ok) and treats her like a tool to serve the pack. We fairly quickly see her participation in the claiming where male shifters show their strength and capture their mates.
Now Ryker, the dominant, primal alpha (daddy) of the Shadowmist Pack has the shifter world fearing him and his pack for their savage ways. They don't play with the society of misogynists and are seen as outcasts. GUESS WHOSE A SCENT MATCH
Add to your TBR if you like:
- Shifter Romance
- OTT alpha x Seer FMC
- PNR world at war
- He Falls First
- Touch Her and D!e
- She Saves Herself (He enables her healing)
- Consent King (Ryker)
Both narrators did an INSANE job! I highly recommend either audio or immersive read.
...
Kitara thinks she's broken when she can't shift at age 7. Her pack suckssssss (just read the book ok) and treats her like a tool to serve the pack. We fairly quickly see her participation in the claiming where male shifters show their strength and capture their mates.
Now Ryker, the dominant, primal alpha (daddy) of the Shadowmist Pack has the shifter world fearing him and his pack for their savage ways. They don't play with the society of misogynists and are seen as outcasts. GUESS WHOSE A SCENT MATCH
Add to your TBR if you like:
- Shifter Romance
- OTT alpha x Seer FMC
- PNR world at war
- He Falls First
- Touch Her and D!e
- She Saves Herself (He enables her healing)
- Consent King (Ryker)
January 7, 2026
Ah another year another werewolf romance! This book was okay. I’ve read better and I’ve read worse! I will probably read the next book though because I just love a werewolf book haha!
2.5/5⭐️
2.5/5⭐️
September 24, 2026
This was my first book by Evie Mitchell, and I can confidently say it will not be my last! Feral Fates pulled me in with the shifter romance, fated mates, pack politics, danger, and that perfectly possessive alpha energy, but what really stood out to me was the strong female presence throughout the story. I LOVE a book filled with women who are strong, fierce, and completely capable of standing their ground, and this one definitely delivered on the kick-ass women!
Kitara was such an easy FMC to root for. Watching her find her strength, learn what she deserves, and refuse to let everything she has been through define her was one of my favorite parts of the story. There was a great balance of romance, action, tension, spice, and pack drama that kept me invested, and I am already curious to see where this series goes next.
I also have to talk about the audiobook because DUET NARRATION will forever have my heart. Hannah Chiclana and Jack Calihan did such a great job bringing Kitara and Ryker to life, and I absolutely loved hearing the characters voiced consistently throughout each POV. It makes the conversations and chemistry feel so much more natural and immersive, and duet audiobooks are quickly becoming one of my favorite ways to listen.
Overall, this was a strong 4-star listen for me and such a fun introduction to Evie Mitchell's writing. I will definitely be checking out more from this author and continuing with the Shadowmist Pack series!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tantor Media for the ALC in exchange for my honest review!
Kitara was such an easy FMC to root for. Watching her find her strength, learn what she deserves, and refuse to let everything she has been through define her was one of my favorite parts of the story. There was a great balance of romance, action, tension, spice, and pack drama that kept me invested, and I am already curious to see where this series goes next.
I also have to talk about the audiobook because DUET NARRATION will forever have my heart. Hannah Chiclana and Jack Calihan did such a great job bringing Kitara and Ryker to life, and I absolutely loved hearing the characters voiced consistently throughout each POV. It makes the conversations and chemistry feel so much more natural and immersive, and duet audiobooks are quickly becoming one of my favorite ways to listen.
Overall, this was a strong 4-star listen for me and such a fun introduction to Evie Mitchell's writing. I will definitely be checking out more from this author and continuing with the Shadowmist Pack series!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tantor Media for the ALC in exchange for my honest review!
dnf-2026
March 4, 2026DNF 49% how many times can he be surprisingly tender before it ceases to be surprising?!?!?!
September 10, 2026
Feral, Fated, and—Most Importantly—She Still Gets a Choice
Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Media for providing an advance listening copy.
⭐️ Overall: 4.5/5 — 4/5 on NetGalley
🎧 Audio: 4/5 — DUET
🌶️ Spice: 3/5
First things first: THIS IS DUET NARRATION. Jack Calihan and Hannah Chiclana perform the characters throughout each other’s POV chapters rather than simply alternating narrators, and that made a significant difference to my experience. This audiobook would have rated considerably lower for me without it.
Feral Fates also promises feral wolf-shifter romance and actually delivers it.
Kitara has spent her life in a pack that sees her inability to shift as a deficiency while simultaneously exploiting her gift of sight. Then she meets Ryker, an extremely possessive alpha whose instincts are basically screaming MINE from the beginning.
That setup could have gone very wrong for me.
Instead, one of my favorite things about this book was the distinction between Ryker’s instincts and his choices. He is possessive. He’s primal. He’s absolutely not secretly a mild-mannered cinnamon roll wearing an alpha costume. But when it comes to Kitara, he repeatedly chooses restraint.
He wants her—but he also wants her to choose him.
That becomes especially meaningful because Kitara comes from a culture built around coercion. Ryker doesn’t simply remove her from one controlling environment so he can control her more nicely. He recognizes that even her prophetic gift has been taken from her and used without her consent, then helps her learn how to access and control something that was hers all along.
I loved that.
The worldbuilding also became much bigger than I initially expected. What begins with the Claiming and mate bond expands into pack politics, prophecy, shadow blood, family history, and a larger conflict that gives the story plenty to do once the romantic relationship is established.
And once this book hit, IT HIT.
The second half flew by. The action picked up substantially, the larger pieces started connecting, and I became increasingly invested as the story progressed. It also managed something I really appreciate from a first-in-series book: the ending was satisfying while still leaving plenty of believable story for the Shadowmist Pack series to continue exploring.
The narration was a solid four stars for me. Some of the individual voices occasionally sounded a little odd to my ear, which is entirely subjective, but the DUET production itself was absolutely the right choice. It made the dialogue, chemistry, and mate-bond interactions much more immersive.
And yes, once the spice arrives… it arrives. 🌶️😂 For a seasoned romance reader, I’d put this around three peppers.
Who Should Listen?
Shifter-romance readers, absolutely. If you like fated mates, possessive alphas, pack politics, prophecy, primal mating dynamics, an FMC finding power after being treated as lesser, and plenty of “mine” energy without “mine” automatically meaning entitlement, this is worth checking out.
And if you’re an audiobook reader, I’d specifically recommend this edition. The DUET narration materially improves the experience.
Team Jacob, your meal has been served. 🐺
Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Media for providing an advance listening copy.
⭐️ Overall: 4.5/5 — 4/5 on NetGalley
🎧 Audio: 4/5 — DUET
🌶️ Spice: 3/5
First things first: THIS IS DUET NARRATION. Jack Calihan and Hannah Chiclana perform the characters throughout each other’s POV chapters rather than simply alternating narrators, and that made a significant difference to my experience. This audiobook would have rated considerably lower for me without it.
Feral Fates also promises feral wolf-shifter romance and actually delivers it.
Kitara has spent her life in a pack that sees her inability to shift as a deficiency while simultaneously exploiting her gift of sight. Then she meets Ryker, an extremely possessive alpha whose instincts are basically screaming MINE from the beginning.
That setup could have gone very wrong for me.
Instead, one of my favorite things about this book was the distinction between Ryker’s instincts and his choices. He is possessive. He’s primal. He’s absolutely not secretly a mild-mannered cinnamon roll wearing an alpha costume. But when it comes to Kitara, he repeatedly chooses restraint.
He wants her—but he also wants her to choose him.
That becomes especially meaningful because Kitara comes from a culture built around coercion. Ryker doesn’t simply remove her from one controlling environment so he can control her more nicely. He recognizes that even her prophetic gift has been taken from her and used without her consent, then helps her learn how to access and control something that was hers all along.
I loved that.
The worldbuilding also became much bigger than I initially expected. What begins with the Claiming and mate bond expands into pack politics, prophecy, shadow blood, family history, and a larger conflict that gives the story plenty to do once the romantic relationship is established.
And once this book hit, IT HIT.
The second half flew by. The action picked up substantially, the larger pieces started connecting, and I became increasingly invested as the story progressed. It also managed something I really appreciate from a first-in-series book: the ending was satisfying while still leaving plenty of believable story for the Shadowmist Pack series to continue exploring.
The narration was a solid four stars for me. Some of the individual voices occasionally sounded a little odd to my ear, which is entirely subjective, but the DUET production itself was absolutely the right choice. It made the dialogue, chemistry, and mate-bond interactions much more immersive.
And yes, once the spice arrives… it arrives. 🌶️😂 For a seasoned romance reader, I’d put this around three peppers.
Who Should Listen?
Shifter-romance readers, absolutely. If you like fated mates, possessive alphas, pack politics, prophecy, primal mating dynamics, an FMC finding power after being treated as lesser, and plenty of “mine” energy without “mine” automatically meaning entitlement, this is worth checking out.
And if you’re an audiobook reader, I’d specifically recommend this edition. The DUET narration materially improves the experience.
Team Jacob, your meal has been served. 🐺
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5-3.75 stars
I listened to this on audio; Jack Calihan and Hannah Chiclana read in duet style. They did an excellent job narrating and bringing the story to life. 5 stars for narration.
The story abruptly starts with the mate run. I wish there was more context or world building before this critical event and throughout the story. Some background is discovered as the story continues but I wish there was more. It also didn't make sense why the shadow pack ran in this event for the first time in five years, the same time as our FMC was forced to run. I also wish there was more character development with the pack and the FMC.
The relationship between the FMC and MMC is pretty much instalove as a lot of fated mates are. However, the relationship between Kitara and Ryker was top tier. Ryker was the first to care about her comfort and treated her as someone worthy of respect, comfort, and love. Unlike her old Alpha, he put her on a pedestal. He didn't take from her but waited for her to give and waited weeks until she was ready and gave consent to fulfill their mate bond. There is a lot of tension and spice between them.
Tropes included
*Fated mates/Shifter Romance
* Consent King
* Touch her and die
* He falls first
If you are looking for a shifter romance with a strong and devoted MMC, who will stop at nothing to get his mate back, and an FMC who learns to stand up for herself, I would recommend this book.
Thank you NetGalley, Evie Mitchell, and Tantor Media for an advance copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.
I listened to this on audio; Jack Calihan and Hannah Chiclana read in duet style. They did an excellent job narrating and bringing the story to life. 5 stars for narration.
The story abruptly starts with the mate run. I wish there was more context or world building before this critical event and throughout the story. Some background is discovered as the story continues but I wish there was more. It also didn't make sense why the shadow pack ran in this event for the first time in five years, the same time as our FMC was forced to run. I also wish there was more character development with the pack and the FMC.
The relationship between the FMC and MMC is pretty much instalove as a lot of fated mates are. However, the relationship between Kitara and Ryker was top tier. Ryker was the first to care about her comfort and treated her as someone worthy of respect, comfort, and love. Unlike her old Alpha, he put her on a pedestal. He didn't take from her but waited for her to give and waited weeks until she was ready and gave consent to fulfill their mate bond. There is a lot of tension and spice between them.
Tropes included
*Fated mates/Shifter Romance
* Consent King
* Touch her and die
* He falls first
If you are looking for a shifter romance with a strong and devoted MMC, who will stop at nothing to get his mate back, and an FMC who learns to stand up for herself, I would recommend this book.
Thank you NetGalley, Evie Mitchell, and Tantor Media for an advance copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.
October 31, 2025
I have no words for the amount of high reviews this has. I STRUGGLED to not dnf this book. The concept as always is good, it's a paranormal romance the bones are there. The writing however needs a lot of work.
September 11, 2026
What starts out as Kitara being in an unknown situation on new lands, she has to deal with the pack's treatment of their leader picking a female who isn't able to shift... she is used to being seen as weaker though, and not everyone is against their match, even if she can't help by shifting she can still be useful with her gift of seeing the future.
Ryker even though he is known to be brutal he is quite the surprise to Kitara when she sees nothing but kindness from him, allowing her freedom to move around their home as she wishes and he gives her something no one else ever has... freedom to make her own choices, he never forces her to use her abilities against her will and even offers opportunities where she can finally learn how to control her power which she didn't know was possible in her original pack.
Ryker also cares for his pack but makes it known where he stands if anyone questions his choice in his new mate.
Kitara once nervous about being with the brutal Ryker is now finding it hard to imagine her life without him, but with secrets revealed, betrayals uncovered and danger lurking from other packs it's hard to believe that there will ever be peace.
The Narrators Jack Calihan and Hannah Chiclana were great, I was able to stick with the story when I might not have finished it without them.
There was not much world building, what was there was repetitive
The plot was thin and at points in the story the spice began to over power any plot that was there.
This is good for if you just want a lighter fluffy read that doesn't make you think too much.
For me this book was ok it was predictable at times and as I said earlier fairly repetitive but I will probably check out the rest of the series at some point to find out what happens next.
Book Blog: https://elbyslibrary.blogspot.com/202...
*Netgalley ALC *Shifter Romance (Wolf) *FMC with gift of sight *FMC not able to shift
*Claiming ceremony *Spice *Insta lust/love *Fated mates *Paranormal romance *Fantasy
*Pack Politics *secrets revealed *family drama *touch her and 💀 *protective MMC
*Possessive MMC
Ryker even though he is known to be brutal he is quite the surprise to Kitara when she sees nothing but kindness from him, allowing her freedom to move around their home as she wishes and he gives her something no one else ever has... freedom to make her own choices, he never forces her to use her abilities against her will and even offers opportunities where she can finally learn how to control her power which she didn't know was possible in her original pack.
Ryker also cares for his pack but makes it known where he stands if anyone questions his choice in his new mate.
Kitara once nervous about being with the brutal Ryker is now finding it hard to imagine her life without him, but with secrets revealed, betrayals uncovered and danger lurking from other packs it's hard to believe that there will ever be peace.
The Narrators Jack Calihan and Hannah Chiclana were great, I was able to stick with the story when I might not have finished it without them.
There was not much world building, what was there was repetitive
The plot was thin and at points in the story the spice began to over power any plot that was there.
This is good for if you just want a lighter fluffy read that doesn't make you think too much.
For me this book was ok it was predictable at times and as I said earlier fairly repetitive but I will probably check out the rest of the series at some point to find out what happens next.
Book Blog: https://elbyslibrary.blogspot.com/202...
*Netgalley ALC *Shifter Romance (Wolf) *FMC with gift of sight *FMC not able to shift
*Claiming ceremony *Spice *Insta lust/love *Fated mates *Paranormal romance *Fantasy
*Pack Politics *secrets revealed *family drama *touch her and 💀 *protective MMC
*Possessive MMC
September 9, 2026
Bring back more Paranormal Romance, baybee!
Kitara is a wolf that can’t shift, but instead, she has sightseeing abilities. Her own pack would have her used for those abilities and to just churn out seer pups.
She, along with all the other unmated females from the packs must run during a ceremony, and the male that catches her will be her mate. Forever. Luckily, she’s caught the eye of another alpha and he’s ready for a chase.
This starts off like many PNRs regarding wolves have. But, I really enjoyed the romance, and that the alpha was patient and wanted to form a real bond with her, more than just the claiming bond. He was a great guy, actually! Definite book boyfriend material.
Was this similar to many PNRs? Sure. But that didn’t lessen my enjoyment, and this was done better than some I have read.
A big thank you to NetGalley, RBmedia, and Evie Mitchell for this ALC.
Kitara is a wolf that can’t shift, but instead, she has sightseeing abilities. Her own pack would have her used for those abilities and to just churn out seer pups.
She, along with all the other unmated females from the packs must run during a ceremony, and the male that catches her will be her mate. Forever. Luckily, she’s caught the eye of another alpha and he’s ready for a chase.
This starts off like many PNRs regarding wolves have. But, I really enjoyed the romance, and that the alpha was patient and wanted to form a real bond with her, more than just the claiming bond. He was a great guy, actually! Definite book boyfriend material.
Was this similar to many PNRs? Sure. But that didn’t lessen my enjoyment, and this was done better than some I have read.
A big thank you to NetGalley, RBmedia, and Evie Mitchell for this ALC.
September 4, 2026
4⭐️ This was my first book from this author and I had a really good reading experience. The love and strength the MMC provided the FMC was one of my favourite things. This was TRUE Omegaverse and I loved every bit of it. The smut was great and just that touch unhinged you expect when u think about the fact that they are technically animals lol. I do feel like the ending conflict was resolved maybe a bit too quickly so I can’t give this a higher rating but I still thoroughly enjoyed my time and I’ll definitely be watching out for when the audiobook for book 2 comes out.
𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙂𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝘼𝙇𝘾. 𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙗𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬 𝙧𝙚𝙛𝙡𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙨 𝙢𝙮 𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙪𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙫𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙡𝙮.
𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙂𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝘼𝙇𝘾. 𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙗𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬 𝙧𝙚𝙛𝙡𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙨 𝙢𝙮 𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙪𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙫𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙡𝙮.
September 6, 2026
This book was okay, but not really for me.
The story was pretty simple and easy to guess. Some parts also felt rushed or not explained enough. I wanted more detail in a few places.
I also couldn't connect with the characters much. That made it harder for me to get into the story.
There's also instalove in this book, which is not my favorite trope. It can work sometimes, but not here.
The only reason I finished this book is because the narration and production were really good. If I had read it instead of listening to it, I probably would have DNF'ed.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
The story was pretty simple and easy to guess. Some parts also felt rushed or not explained enough. I wanted more detail in a few places.
I also couldn't connect with the characters much. That made it harder for me to get into the story.
There's also instalove in this book, which is not my favorite trope. It can work sometimes, but not here.
The only reason I finished this book is because the narration and production were really good. If I had read it instead of listening to it, I probably would have DNF'ed.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
September 15, 2026
Story 2.5/5
Spice 2.5/5
Audiobook Narration 3.5/5
Tropes: Fated Mates, Rival Packs, Possessive Alpha, Wolf Shifters, Forced Proximity, FMC has Sight but Can't Shift, First Book in a Series
This book was a bit of a let down for me, I just wanted more from it. This was my first time reading anything from this author, and to be fair I have been in a bit of a romantasy slump lately.
I wanted more from the beginning of the book, I wanted to get to know more of the main characters as individuals before they got together. The events that brough them together (the claiming) happened very quickly and it felt really anti climactic.
The rest of the plot just felt predictable, I didn't really care for any of the main characters and the spice was pretty boring. There were many points where I felt like the book could have ended and I would have been fine... but it just kept going. The last half our I felt was especially hard to get through, it was like sitting in a social studies class.
The audiobook is narrated in duet style, which was pretty meh. I am glad it was duet narration though, if it had been dual it would have been much harder to get through. I didn't feel like there was anything really memorable about the narrators performance.
Spice 2.5/5
Audiobook Narration 3.5/5
Tropes: Fated Mates, Rival Packs, Possessive Alpha, Wolf Shifters, Forced Proximity, FMC has Sight but Can't Shift, First Book in a Series
This book was a bit of a let down for me, I just wanted more from it. This was my first time reading anything from this author, and to be fair I have been in a bit of a romantasy slump lately.
I wanted more from the beginning of the book, I wanted to get to know more of the main characters as individuals before they got together. The events that brough them together (the claiming) happened very quickly and it felt really anti climactic.
The rest of the plot just felt predictable, I didn't really care for any of the main characters and the spice was pretty boring. There were many points where I felt like the book could have ended and I would have been fine... but it just kept going. The last half our I felt was especially hard to get through, it was like sitting in a social studies class.
The audiobook is narrated in duet style, which was pretty meh. I am glad it was duet narration though, if it had been dual it would have been much harder to get through. I didn't feel like there was anything really memorable about the narrators performance.
June 5, 2026
3.75☆
This was exactly what I was hoping it would be. Addictive, fun, fast-paced, and although I don't really like insta-love stories, this was kind of done well, I guess. (Begrudgingly admitting I liked a book with instalove trope.)
The writing style really grated on me at first, and I'm disappointed with the worldbuilding. It's either underdeveloped or just now shown, and the story just revolves around the main couple/packs, and I wish it had been more explored.
Overall, though, it was a really fun book, and I ate it up in one sitting!
This was exactly what I was hoping it would be. Addictive, fun, fast-paced, and although I don't really like insta-love stories, this was kind of done well, I guess. (Begrudgingly admitting I liked a book with instalove trope.)
The writing style really grated on me at first, and I'm disappointed with the worldbuilding. It's either underdeveloped or just now shown, and the story just revolves around the main couple/packs, and I wish it had been more explored.
Overall, though, it was a really fun book, and I ate it up in one sitting!
August 14, 2026
This one just wasn't for me. I couldn't really connect with the characters, and I felt the world-building and overall depth were lacking. The story had potential, but I never became fully invested in it.
March 10, 2026
2.5 Stars. DNF @ 74% It was just okay, predictable…absolutely! Dirty talk was cringe. 😬 The premise was interesting but not enough to keep me invested.
Read
May 16, 2026DROPPED.
Insta-lovey, no challenge there.
Insta-lovey, no challenge there.
April 30, 2026
Such a good read! 📚
May 31, 2026
3🌶
I really enjoyed this. I loved the characters. Few bits that gave me the ick, but I still had a good time.
I really enjoyed this. I loved the characters. Few bits that gave me the ick, but I still had a good time.
September 1, 2026
Not sure why i'm doing this to myself at this point... I wanted to read book 2 as I liked the pitch more, but thought it couldn't hurt to start with book 1... I mean it's fine, sort of? As long as you sort of go along with the concept of fated mates as a great thing? Because otherwise this is the story of a young, vulnerable disabled woman who has been a victim of emotional and physical abuse for years, then falls under the influence of a homicidal cult leader who sets himself as the one who is doing the right thing by following the 'proper' way to be a wolf, going against the rest of society... When a reasonable scientist tries to tell her the bond may not be healthy and that she can be independent, she instead doubles down with her blind loyalty to a man she has known for I think 3 weeks and who has a really disturbing enjoyment of killing and maiming people ?
Anyway, these books are not meant to be thought about too much, but even the spice wasn't all that great. I still read book 2 obviously...
Anyway, these books are not meant to be thought about too much, but even the spice wasn't all that great. I still read book 2 obviously...
February 12, 2026
3.5 stars
This had a lot of potential and I loved the first 50%.
My overall enjoyment was dampened when I realised the book was kind of like that Big Bang Theory joke about Raiders of the Lost Arc; you could take the female MC out and the exact same events would happen. She was so unnecessary to the plot. Her whole arc about being needed and providing help felt forced because she was right, she didnt provide anything.
And then even worse, the epilogue basically undermined her even further, as if that had even been possible.
But I did love the first 50%, their development of the relationship was cute, the bonds forming in the pack. The spice was fun! The general premise and concept I loved too. I will definitely read from Evie Mitchell again, just sadly this fell short for me.
This had a lot of potential and I loved the first 50%.
My overall enjoyment was dampened when I realised the book was kind of like that Big Bang Theory joke about Raiders of the Lost Arc; you could take the female MC out and the exact same events would happen. She was so unnecessary to the plot. Her whole arc about being needed and providing help felt forced because she was right, she didnt provide anything.
And then even worse, the epilogue basically undermined her even further, as if that had even been possible.
But I did love the first 50%, their development of the relationship was cute, the bonds forming in the pack. The spice was fun! The general premise and concept I loved too. I will definitely read from Evie Mitchell again, just sadly this fell short for me.
September 19, 2026
⭐ Plot/Pacing: 3/5
⭐ Characters/Relationships: 3/5
⭐ Writing/Dialogue: 4/5
⭐ Worldbuilding/Consistency: 4/5
⭐ Enjoyment/Emotional Impact: 4/5
⭐ Audiobook: 5/5
🌶️ Spice Level 3/5
Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Media for providing me with an ALC in exchange for an honest review.
This book immediately sucked me in, but then somewhere around the halfway point, I feel like I blacked out. There were a couple of holy smokes moments, especially because I thought I had predicted some of the plot twists. I did not. I did not at all.
I really think this book needed more room to breathe. It could have benefited from being longer, or honestly, from being an entire series. There is A LOT happening with the mate dynamic, pack politics, worldbuilding, and everything else, and I think all of it suffered from being crammed into one book. The writing is probably the biggest reason this book felt a little like a nothing burger. It wasn’t a nothing burger, but it was adjacent to one. Like, it had the patty, maybe one tomato, and a whole lot of ketchup. And the ketchup was filler.
Kitara describes things approximately 87 different ways. There were SO many moments where I was thinking, okay, we get it. I can read between the lines. Or, yep, I got it with the first analogy, now we're beating a dead horse. I think cutting back on some of the descriptions would have made the pacing feel much tighter.
There were also quite a few things that felt like they were being set up for something bigger, but then never really paid off. Kitara being unable to shift is probably the biggest example. I kept waiting for this to be some huge, eye-popping bombshell. I was convinced there was going to be some kind of explanation for it, and at one point I was even thinking maybe she was half fae. Apparently that is not the case.
Regarding the characters; I understand the criticism that the relationship develops too quickly, but I don't think that's exactly how I'd describe it. To me, their relationship just didn't really develop WITH the reader. There is a lot of time jumping, and a lot of their relationship development happens off page. So suddenly they're at a completely different point in their relationship and I'm sitting here like, wait, when did we get here? I think that made it difficult for me to feel connected to the characters. I enjoyed them, but I never really got to the point where I felt deeply invested in any of them.
And despite all of that, I really did enjoy this book. E.V. Mitchell clearly has some serious talent, and I don't think I've ever read anything quite like this. Trying to fit an entire pack war, mate dynamics, politics, and all of that worldbuilding into one book is no small task. There is a really good story here. I just wanted more time with it.
And the spice? Definitely spicy enough that I had to make sure my headphones weren't too loud. It wasn't overly detailed, but the MMC has a FILTHY mouth, and I was very much here for it. 🌶️🌶️🌶️
The audiobook was easily one of my favorite parts. I loved both narrators, but Hannah Chiclana might be a new favorite for me. I need a redo of Cruel Shifterverse with Hannah as Sadie. I can hear it. I KNOW you can too. 😂
Also, duet narration will always be superior. I will not be taking questions at this time.
My only real narration nitpick is that there were a few moments where Hannah sounded like she was reading from a script. I KNOW she was reading from a script, obviously 😂, but I mean that there were spots where the emotion didn't quite come through. It wasn't enough to make me scoff or pull me out of the story, though.
Oh, and both narrators pronounce Lyra differently, but again; that's not enough for me to write home about. If I wasn't reviewing an ALC, I probably wouldn't even bring it up.
Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot more than this review probably makes it sound. I just think it needed either more room to develop the characters, relationships, and pack politics, or significantly less filler. But for a debut-ish? This was a really ambitious story, and I think EV Mitchell absolutely has something here.
⭐ Characters/Relationships: 3/5
⭐ Writing/Dialogue: 4/5
⭐ Worldbuilding/Consistency: 4/5
⭐ Enjoyment/Emotional Impact: 4/5
⭐ Audiobook: 5/5
🌶️ Spice Level 3/5
Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Media for providing me with an ALC in exchange for an honest review.
This book immediately sucked me in, but then somewhere around the halfway point, I feel like I blacked out. There were a couple of holy smokes moments, especially because I thought I had predicted some of the plot twists. I did not. I did not at all.
I really think this book needed more room to breathe. It could have benefited from being longer, or honestly, from being an entire series. There is A LOT happening with the mate dynamic, pack politics, worldbuilding, and everything else, and I think all of it suffered from being crammed into one book. The writing is probably the biggest reason this book felt a little like a nothing burger. It wasn’t a nothing burger, but it was adjacent to one. Like, it had the patty, maybe one tomato, and a whole lot of ketchup. And the ketchup was filler.
Kitara describes things approximately 87 different ways. There were SO many moments where I was thinking, okay, we get it. I can read between the lines. Or, yep, I got it with the first analogy, now we're beating a dead horse. I think cutting back on some of the descriptions would have made the pacing feel much tighter.
There were also quite a few things that felt like they were being set up for something bigger, but then never really paid off. Kitara being unable to shift is probably the biggest example. I kept waiting for this to be some huge, eye-popping bombshell. I was convinced there was going to be some kind of explanation for it, and at one point I was even thinking maybe she was half fae. Apparently that is not the case.
Regarding the characters; I understand the criticism that the relationship develops too quickly, but I don't think that's exactly how I'd describe it. To me, their relationship just didn't really develop WITH the reader. There is a lot of time jumping, and a lot of their relationship development happens off page. So suddenly they're at a completely different point in their relationship and I'm sitting here like, wait, when did we get here? I think that made it difficult for me to feel connected to the characters. I enjoyed them, but I never really got to the point where I felt deeply invested in any of them.
And despite all of that, I really did enjoy this book. E.V. Mitchell clearly has some serious talent, and I don't think I've ever read anything quite like this. Trying to fit an entire pack war, mate dynamics, politics, and all of that worldbuilding into one book is no small task. There is a really good story here. I just wanted more time with it.
And the spice? Definitely spicy enough that I had to make sure my headphones weren't too loud. It wasn't overly detailed, but the MMC has a FILTHY mouth, and I was very much here for it. 🌶️🌶️🌶️
The audiobook was easily one of my favorite parts. I loved both narrators, but Hannah Chiclana might be a new favorite for me. I need a redo of Cruel Shifterverse with Hannah as Sadie. I can hear it. I KNOW you can too. 😂
Also, duet narration will always be superior. I will not be taking questions at this time.
My only real narration nitpick is that there were a few moments where Hannah sounded like she was reading from a script. I KNOW she was reading from a script, obviously 😂, but I mean that there were spots where the emotion didn't quite come through. It wasn't enough to make me scoff or pull me out of the story, though.
Oh, and both narrators pronounce Lyra differently, but again; that's not enough for me to write home about. If I wasn't reviewing an ALC, I probably wouldn't even bring it up.
Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot more than this review probably makes it sound. I just think it needed either more room to develop the characters, relationships, and pack politics, or significantly less filler. But for a debut-ish? This was a really ambitious story, and I think EV Mitchell absolutely has something here.
January 16, 2026
Well. I will say that I liked the book in the beginning. The story felt compelling and intriguing. I wanted to learn more about this seer and the world.
And then I realised just how…simple the plot was.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing. It was just straightforward, no flare or deviation in the plot to mix things up. It hit all the usual niches, plot devices, and story beats. It almost seemed too good to be true, if I’m being honest.
Very quickly, I found the writing to be…too clean, if that makes sense? Like everything was written and lined exactly as many, many other books I’ve read. Maybe it’s because I read so much, maybe it’s the story being too linear for me. I’m not sure, but it almost made me want to stop because it got me thinking, and I worried that I finally found a book that felt so off to me that I worried about the implications of it. I don’t want to accuse or say anything since I would be devastated if accusations got out and it turned out not be true. But that is my opinion, and I’m not going to push much further than that about it.
Anyways, just as I mentioned, the story felt too linear for me, and because of this, everything was predictable. I’m sure this book is fun for those who don’t read as much as I do and to those who don't overanalyse (I know, I’m the problem), but for me, I was expecting more.
For instance, Kitara (which threw me off because all I could picture was Kitara from Avatar), having grown up with so much trauma and abuse from her former pack, suddenly forgets all that she endured because some guy was nice to her and showed her a bit of kindness, all within a couple of days. Actually, during their first full conversation, they kiss. I just really wanted to shake her because who gets over everything they’ve endured in their lifetime nearly instantly? It was very unrealistic. Trauma creates lasting pain and suffering on someone, it makes them not trust, not to believe and afraid. There was none of that to be had in this story. Other than her repetition of what they did to her in the past. The connection between Kitara and Ryker was near immediate that I almost stopped reading because of it.
Where is the tension? Where is the suspense? Where is the resistance?
There was none.
And because of the linear story, the bad guys were very easy to predict. Why continue announcing changes and adjustments to plans with everyone while knowing you had a traitor in your midst? There was no proper questioning or sleuthing to figure out who was betraying them, and all I wanted to do was scream, "It's Zella!"
And then there is Kitara being given a knife, a special knife (ohhhhh). And guess what? She never uses it! What is the point of this knife that she never touches? She knows she is to be captured and yet does nothing to save herself. Self preservation of a golden retriever.
And then the last 20% I skimmed. It ended up being very cliché and rushed. And parts of the book were repeated, sometimes word-for-word, in different chapters that I just ended up not caring and skipped over much of the story. Why are paragraphs very nearly repeated? Why are actions also repeated? For instance, it is known that Ryker was right outside the compound, waiting to rescue Kitara, so they had her moved. And then, two chapters later, it’s nearly the same instance as before. Nearly the same dialogue, someone rushing in to announce Ryker was there to rescue her, and then they move her again. And then the beginning chapter of Kitara nearly dying (what the heck was that chapter about??), just the same as the beginning chapter when Ryker was recovering after, also, nearly dying.
I don’t know what happened, but I didn’t like it.
I really wanted to love this book, but I guess it just wasn’t for me.
And then I realised just how…simple the plot was.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing. It was just straightforward, no flare or deviation in the plot to mix things up. It hit all the usual niches, plot devices, and story beats. It almost seemed too good to be true, if I’m being honest.
Very quickly, I found the writing to be…too clean, if that makes sense? Like everything was written and lined exactly as many, many other books I’ve read. Maybe it’s because I read so much, maybe it’s the story being too linear for me. I’m not sure, but it almost made me want to stop because it got me thinking, and I worried that I finally found a book that felt so off to me that I worried about the implications of it. I don’t want to accuse or say anything since I would be devastated if accusations got out and it turned out not be true. But that is my opinion, and I’m not going to push much further than that about it.
Anyways, just as I mentioned, the story felt too linear for me, and because of this, everything was predictable. I’m sure this book is fun for those who don’t read as much as I do and to those who don't overanalyse (I know, I’m the problem), but for me, I was expecting more.
For instance, Kitara (which threw me off because all I could picture was Kitara from Avatar), having grown up with so much trauma and abuse from her former pack, suddenly forgets all that she endured because some guy was nice to her and showed her a bit of kindness, all within a couple of days. Actually, during their first full conversation, they kiss. I just really wanted to shake her because who gets over everything they’ve endured in their lifetime nearly instantly? It was very unrealistic. Trauma creates lasting pain and suffering on someone, it makes them not trust, not to believe and afraid. There was none of that to be had in this story. Other than her repetition of what they did to her in the past. The connection between Kitara and Ryker was near immediate that I almost stopped reading because of it.
Where is the tension? Where is the suspense? Where is the resistance?
There was none.
And because of the linear story, the bad guys were very easy to predict. Why continue announcing changes and adjustments to plans with everyone while knowing you had a traitor in your midst? There was no proper questioning or sleuthing to figure out who was betraying them, and all I wanted to do was scream, "It's Zella!"
And then there is Kitara being given a knife, a special knife (ohhhhh). And guess what? She never uses it! What is the point of this knife that she never touches? She knows she is to be captured and yet does nothing to save herself. Self preservation of a golden retriever.
And then the last 20% I skimmed. It ended up being very cliché and rushed. And parts of the book were repeated, sometimes word-for-word, in different chapters that I just ended up not caring and skipped over much of the story. Why are paragraphs very nearly repeated? Why are actions also repeated? For instance, it is known that Ryker was right outside the compound, waiting to rescue Kitara, so they had her moved. And then, two chapters later, it’s nearly the same instance as before. Nearly the same dialogue, someone rushing in to announce Ryker was there to rescue her, and then they move her again. And then the beginning chapter of Kitara nearly dying (what the heck was that chapter about??), just the same as the beginning chapter when Ryker was recovering after, also, nearly dying.
I don’t know what happened, but I didn’t like it.
I really wanted to love this book, but I guess it just wasn’t for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 12, 2026
2.5 Stars
I believe this is my first read but his author and while I can say it's not likely to be my last, I can't say I loved this book.
I was absolutely intrigued by the premise and a book ad on social media reeled me in initially. Even the content warning at the beginning of the book had me anticipating all sorts of dark themes and conflict between the MCs.
Alas, I got none of that. 🤷🏻♀️
Maybe because I'm such an avid reader, maybe because I've read a ridiculous amount of paranormal/shifter stories... Who knows. All I know is it didn't live up to whatever expectations I had just from knowing what the book was about and the content warning. And that was disappointing for me.
Not that I minded it wasn't as dark as the content warnings suggested it would be (it wasn't btw) but it felt lacking in some deep important way. It's hard to pinpoint really, and believe me I tried to understand what it was the entire time I was reading this.
I think my biggest issue was the lack of feeling. I felt emotionally disconnected from the entire story and the characters. I didn't feel anything for them or their difficulties. And I should have, considering all the drama taking place. But it just wasn't there for me. The writing was decent and aside from a few continuity issues regarding the MMCs mother (claims she died ("after my mother died") then 2 pages later says she found when true mate and is living with her mate and the MMCs half brother in another pack) it wasn't too problematic.
I think the issue was that it didn't create that emotional connection I expected. I didn't feel attached or invested at all to these characters. Hell, even the Grand Alpha plot felt one dimensional and boring for me. I didn't care tbh and considering how the book opened so strongly that was very disappointing.
Maybe because most of the book after the FMC is mated nothing happens. Like, she's learning her way around the MMCs pack and such but aside from adjusting to not being basically a slave anymore nothing of importance really occurs or moves the story much. Especially the MCs romance. For mates I expected more tbh and we get told a bunch of things that occur off page (such as the MMC sleeping beside her every night in the first week she's there but we never see this take place, it was mentioned after the fact weeks later from the MMC).
And while I loved seeing the MMC build the FMC up and help her understand her gift of sight and essentially help her find herself...I found everything between them a little too easy. Like, I expected some sort of tension or struggle but they didn't really have that. The MMC was really wonderful actually and while yes I did love that I also kind of didn't? 😆 It made everything seem so nice and easy for the FMC and it felt weird considering the theme of the book and their current position in all the outside drama.
I don't know.🤷🏻♀️ Like I said, it's hard to really explain why I didn't enjoy this one more and ended up skimming most of it. But I may give the next book a shot and see how it goes.
I believe this is my first read but his author and while I can say it's not likely to be my last, I can't say I loved this book.
I was absolutely intrigued by the premise and a book ad on social media reeled me in initially. Even the content warning at the beginning of the book had me anticipating all sorts of dark themes and conflict between the MCs.
Alas, I got none of that. 🤷🏻♀️
Maybe because I'm such an avid reader, maybe because I've read a ridiculous amount of paranormal/shifter stories... Who knows. All I know is it didn't live up to whatever expectations I had just from knowing what the book was about and the content warning. And that was disappointing for me.
Not that I minded it wasn't as dark as the content warnings suggested it would be (it wasn't btw) but it felt lacking in some deep important way. It's hard to pinpoint really, and believe me I tried to understand what it was the entire time I was reading this.
I think my biggest issue was the lack of feeling. I felt emotionally disconnected from the entire story and the characters. I didn't feel anything for them or their difficulties. And I should have, considering all the drama taking place. But it just wasn't there for me. The writing was decent and aside from a few continuity issues regarding the MMCs mother (claims she died ("after my mother died") then 2 pages later says she found when true mate and is living with her mate and the MMCs half brother in another pack) it wasn't too problematic.
I think the issue was that it didn't create that emotional connection I expected. I didn't feel attached or invested at all to these characters. Hell, even the Grand Alpha plot felt one dimensional and boring for me. I didn't care tbh and considering how the book opened so strongly that was very disappointing.
Maybe because most of the book after the FMC is mated nothing happens. Like, she's learning her way around the MMCs pack and such but aside from adjusting to not being basically a slave anymore nothing of importance really occurs or moves the story much. Especially the MCs romance. For mates I expected more tbh and we get told a bunch of things that occur off page (such as the MMC sleeping beside her every night in the first week she's there but we never see this take place, it was mentioned after the fact weeks later from the MMC).
And while I loved seeing the MMC build the FMC up and help her understand her gift of sight and essentially help her find herself...I found everything between them a little too easy. Like, I expected some sort of tension or struggle but they didn't really have that. The MMC was really wonderful actually and while yes I did love that I also kind of didn't? 😆 It made everything seem so nice and easy for the FMC and it felt weird considering the theme of the book and their current position in all the outside drama.
I don't know.🤷🏻♀️ Like I said, it's hard to really explain why I didn't enjoy this one more and ended up skimming most of it. But I may give the next book a shot and see how it goes.
December 29, 2025
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating System (as of 8/14/2025):
⭐: It was a struggle to read. I almost DNF
⭐⭐: This could have been so much better.
⭐⭐⭐: Good/Average
⭐⭐⭐⭐: Great book. I will probably reread it.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: I absolutely loved this book.
***********************************************************************
Triggers:
🚩Kidnapping
🚩Violence
🚩Mentions of Plans for Sexual Assault
🚩Physical Abuse
🚩Mental Abuse
Tropes:
💕Shifter Romance
💕Paranormal Romance
💕He Falls First
💕Touch Her and Die
💕Alpha Female
💕Suspense
💕MF Romance
💕Part of Series
Spice Level: 🔥🔥🔥
Spice Level Rating System (as of 9/4/25)
🔥: Clean. Handholding. Kissing.
🔥🔥: Non-Descriptive/Implied on Page Sex
🔥🔥🔥: Hot-Descriptive on Page Sex
🔥🔥🔥🔥: So Hot—Do Not Read in Public
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥: Oh My-BDSM. Blood Play. Smut.
************************************************************************
Quote:
"What comes next depends not just on us but on all wolves willing to imagine a different future than they've known."
Summary:
FMC is a seer. She has amazing power and is wanted by many alphas. However, she is seen as broken because she cannot shift. She has a wolf but cannot shift. It is her time to be a part of the mate race. Females run and the male that catches them become their mate.
MMC is the alpha of a powerful pack. He has come to the mating races to find a mate. He scents the FMC and knows she is his fated mate. He catches her. However, she is not use to people wanting her for herself but for her gift.
This is a story of what happens when the FMC discovers love for herself and not her gift. When she begins to walk in the fullness of her power. There is also the aspect of war because many other alphas want her. HEA
Review:
This is my first book by this author and I loved it. I found myself engaged and I didn't skip any pages. I loved that the FMC grew into her power and was never able to shift. Although, I must admit I kept waiting for her to have that ability. I loved how the pack was not accepting of her at first but grew to love her.
I loved how the MMC knew he loved her from the start and set out to help her heal from the abuse of the past. I loved the timing and progress of their love story. I was shocked by who was the traitor. I mean really shocked.
All in all I loved the book and am happy that there is another book in the series. I look forward to reading it.
*****************************************************************************
FOLLOW ME ON:
INSTAGRAM📢
https://www.instagram.com/bibliodarling/
SUBSTACK📢 https://open.substack.com/pub/mterron...
TIKTOK📢
https://www.tiktok.com/@bibliodarling...
JOIN MY VIRTUAL BOOKCLUB: BOUNDLESS WOMEN BOUNDLESS BOOKS (GOODREADS GROUP)
Rating System (as of 8/14/2025):
⭐: It was a struggle to read. I almost DNF
⭐⭐: This could have been so much better.
⭐⭐⭐: Good/Average
⭐⭐⭐⭐: Great book. I will probably reread it.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: I absolutely loved this book.
***********************************************************************
Triggers:
🚩Kidnapping
🚩Violence
🚩Mentions of Plans for Sexual Assault
🚩Physical Abuse
🚩Mental Abuse
Tropes:
💕Shifter Romance
💕Paranormal Romance
💕He Falls First
💕Touch Her and Die
💕Alpha Female
💕Suspense
💕MF Romance
💕Part of Series
Spice Level: 🔥🔥🔥
Spice Level Rating System (as of 9/4/25)
🔥: Clean. Handholding. Kissing.
🔥🔥: Non-Descriptive/Implied on Page Sex
🔥🔥🔥: Hot-Descriptive on Page Sex
🔥🔥🔥🔥: So Hot—Do Not Read in Public
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥: Oh My-BDSM. Blood Play. Smut.
************************************************************************
Quote:
"What comes next depends not just on us but on all wolves willing to imagine a different future than they've known."
Summary:
FMC is a seer. She has amazing power and is wanted by many alphas. However, she is seen as broken because she cannot shift. She has a wolf but cannot shift. It is her time to be a part of the mate race. Females run and the male that catches them become their mate.
MMC is the alpha of a powerful pack. He has come to the mating races to find a mate. He scents the FMC and knows she is his fated mate. He catches her. However, she is not use to people wanting her for herself but for her gift.
This is a story of what happens when the FMC discovers love for herself and not her gift. When she begins to walk in the fullness of her power. There is also the aspect of war because many other alphas want her. HEA
Review:
This is my first book by this author and I loved it. I found myself engaged and I didn't skip any pages. I loved that the FMC grew into her power and was never able to shift. Although, I must admit I kept waiting for her to have that ability. I loved how the pack was not accepting of her at first but grew to love her.
I loved how the MMC knew he loved her from the start and set out to help her heal from the abuse of the past. I loved the timing and progress of their love story. I was shocked by who was the traitor. I mean really shocked.
All in all I loved the book and am happy that there is another book in the series. I look forward to reading it.
*****************************************************************************
FOLLOW ME ON:
INSTAGRAM📢
https://www.instagram.com/bibliodarling/
SUBSTACK📢 https://open.substack.com/pub/mterron...
TIKTOK📢
https://www.tiktok.com/@bibliodarling...
JOIN MY VIRTUAL BOOKCLUB: BOUNDLESS WOMEN BOUNDLESS BOOKS (GOODREADS GROUP)
September 21, 2026
🎧 DNF at 45% (4 h 15 m into the audiobook)
Steamy omegaverse compared to Jaymin Eve in DUET narration? Say no more. This book should have been right up my alley.
The narration was honestly the only good thing about this book. I really liked the production. Everything is better in DUET, and honestly, if it wasn't for the audiobook, I would have DNF'd much sooner. Jack Calihan is my new discovery, and I will definitely look for more books narrated by him. His voice is nice and low and smooth, and what more could a simple girl like me want? The female narrator was also a good choice. I feel like she fit the FMC well, even though I did not like the character.
The writing style itself leaves a lot to be desired. It would be fine for a first draft, maybe, but severe editing would be needed to chisel the story into something actually good. There is a lot of repetition, not-so-subtle foreshadowing, insta-love, and other things that would be okay on Wattpad but not in a published book.
The character development is extremely rushed. The FMC learns how to use her oracle powers in combat after one training session. The same thing happens later when the scrying pool is introduced. Of course, the MMC knows exactly how to guide her for maximum efficiency. It's very convenient. The tension between MMC and FMC left the chat when he immediately acts tender toward her and she is constantly surprised by it, only for him to follow up with something like, "I'll wait, but I'll also fuck you hard later when you get used to me." Okay...
There is a plot twist that made me actually laugh out loud because of how ridiculous it was. The story in general feels like throwing a bunch of tropes at the wall and waiting to see what sticks.
The FMC is a powerful seer, but everyone treats her like dirt while simultaneously wanting her for her power. It did not make sense to me. The pack she gets into is supposed to be made up of outcasts, but she is too much of an outcast even for them, so they instantly hate her too before her one training session starts slowly changing their minds.
There are many books doing what Feral Fates promises but better. I can't honestly understand why I should care about this one.
For your amusement, my breaking point was when they go to an official pack function. The MMC is described as wearing formal attire consisting of pants, a sleeveless shirt, and a cloak with a moon crest. I was waiting for the top hat and white bunny to complete the magician cosplay. I could not take this seriously.
ARC received from NetGalley.
I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Steamy omegaverse compared to Jaymin Eve in DUET narration? Say no more. This book should have been right up my alley.
The narration was honestly the only good thing about this book. I really liked the production. Everything is better in DUET, and honestly, if it wasn't for the audiobook, I would have DNF'd much sooner. Jack Calihan is my new discovery, and I will definitely look for more books narrated by him. His voice is nice and low and smooth, and what more could a simple girl like me want? The female narrator was also a good choice. I feel like she fit the FMC well, even though I did not like the character.
The writing style itself leaves a lot to be desired. It would be fine for a first draft, maybe, but severe editing would be needed to chisel the story into something actually good. There is a lot of repetition, not-so-subtle foreshadowing, insta-love, and other things that would be okay on Wattpad but not in a published book.
The character development is extremely rushed. The FMC learns how to use her oracle powers in combat after one training session. The same thing happens later when the scrying pool is introduced. Of course, the MMC knows exactly how to guide her for maximum efficiency. It's very convenient. The tension between MMC and FMC left the chat when he immediately acts tender toward her and she is constantly surprised by it, only for him to follow up with something like, "I'll wait, but I'll also fuck you hard later when you get used to me." Okay...
There is a plot twist that made me actually laugh out loud because of how ridiculous it was. The story in general feels like throwing a bunch of tropes at the wall and waiting to see what sticks.
The FMC is a powerful seer, but everyone treats her like dirt while simultaneously wanting her for her power. It did not make sense to me. The pack she gets into is supposed to be made up of outcasts, but she is too much of an outcast even for them, so they instantly hate her too before her one training session starts slowly changing their minds.
There are many books doing what Feral Fates promises but better. I can't honestly understand why I should care about this one.
For your amusement, my breaking point was when they go to an official pack function. The MMC is described as wearing formal attire consisting of pants, a sleeveless shirt, and a cloak with a moon crest. I was waiting for the top hat and white bunny to complete the magician cosplay. I could not take this seriously.
ARC received from NetGalley.
I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 13, 2026
Feral Fates was a VERY pleasant surprise. I love discovering a new-to-me author and finishing the book already looking for what I can read next, and let's just say this title is appropriate because I was a little feral over this one.
Kitara is an unmated female who can communicate with her wolf, but has never been able to shift. She's also a seer, a gift her pack doesn't honor. They exploit it. Because they consider her "defective," she's treated less like a person and more like property, with some truly horrifying plans being made for her future. Then comes the "Claiming". Unmated females run. Unmated males chase. If you're caught, you're claimed. Needless to say, I was STRESSED from Chapter One.
Kitara runs toward the one place the other wolves won't venture, and basically straight into Ryder, the scarred, mismatched-eyed Alpha of the feared Shadowmist Pack. Ryder proceeds to absolutely destroy the wolves trying to claim her. A sensible woman probably would've run. Kitara's wolf? Basically sat there purring like a house cat while watching this terrifying Alpha fight. Because apparently Mr. Biggest-B@ddest-Wolf-in-the-Region is her fated mate. (YES PLEASE. I would have sat and watched the fight, too. Just saying)
From the moment Ryder puts Kitara on his back, I was sold. He's protective and supportive with her while remaining absolutely lethal to anyone who threatens his mate or pack. Give me a terrifying Alpha who's secretly a teddy bear for exactly ONE woman, and I'm a happy reader. But Kitara becoming Kick@ss Kitara might have been my favorite part. She's spent her life believing something is wrong with her, only to discover just how thoroughly she's been suppressed; including her abilities. Watching this underestimated woman find her place, discover her power, and slowly win over even the toughest members of Ryder's pack simply by being herself was incredibly satisfying.
The fated-mate connection is immediate, there's plenty of spice, pack politics and danger keep the story moving, and the touch-her-and-die energy is DELICIOUS.
And the audiobook? YES. Jack Calihan has exactly the kind of deep, growly Alpha voice Ryder deserves, while Hannah Chiclana was fantastic as Kitara. The duet narration made their chemistry even better. The ending gives us a glimpse of the couple coming next, and apparently I'm invested in the Shadowmist Pack now because I'll be grabbing that audiobook as soon as I can.
Kitara is an unmated female who can communicate with her wolf, but has never been able to shift. She's also a seer, a gift her pack doesn't honor. They exploit it. Because they consider her "defective," she's treated less like a person and more like property, with some truly horrifying plans being made for her future. Then comes the "Claiming". Unmated females run. Unmated males chase. If you're caught, you're claimed. Needless to say, I was STRESSED from Chapter One.
Kitara runs toward the one place the other wolves won't venture, and basically straight into Ryder, the scarred, mismatched-eyed Alpha of the feared Shadowmist Pack. Ryder proceeds to absolutely destroy the wolves trying to claim her. A sensible woman probably would've run. Kitara's wolf? Basically sat there purring like a house cat while watching this terrifying Alpha fight. Because apparently Mr. Biggest-B@ddest-Wolf-in-the-Region is her fated mate. (YES PLEASE. I would have sat and watched the fight, too. Just saying)
From the moment Ryder puts Kitara on his back, I was sold. He's protective and supportive with her while remaining absolutely lethal to anyone who threatens his mate or pack. Give me a terrifying Alpha who's secretly a teddy bear for exactly ONE woman, and I'm a happy reader. But Kitara becoming Kick@ss Kitara might have been my favorite part. She's spent her life believing something is wrong with her, only to discover just how thoroughly she's been suppressed; including her abilities. Watching this underestimated woman find her place, discover her power, and slowly win over even the toughest members of Ryder's pack simply by being herself was incredibly satisfying.
The fated-mate connection is immediate, there's plenty of spice, pack politics and danger keep the story moving, and the touch-her-and-die energy is DELICIOUS.
And the audiobook? YES. Jack Calihan has exactly the kind of deep, growly Alpha voice Ryder deserves, while Hannah Chiclana was fantastic as Kitara. The duet narration made their chemistry even better. The ending gives us a glimpse of the couple coming next, and apparently I'm invested in the Shadowmist Pack now because I'll be grabbing that audiobook as soon as I can.
September 7, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and RBmedia for providing me with the audiobook ARC.
Did i just give it 5 stars? Yes, I did! I almost listened to in one day, I just couldn't stop.
This totally matched my mood and vibe for the moment.
I read few wolf shifter romances, but usually they are why-choose spice heavy and to be honest, kind of boring. Feral Fates is the polar opposite. And still, it has the usual tropes you would expect from this genre:
🐺 strong alpha
🐺 mates (just the MMC an the FMC)
🐺 heat
🐺 pack politics
🐺 spice (knot included)
What makes it exceptional is that there is a right amount of everything, so you are never bored and kept invested in the story.
The story apparently takes place in our time, but to be honest, I didn’t really notice until I heard words Europe and Jeep 😊. At the beginning, I imagined some other universe but it’s not important for the story.
Our FMC Kitara is considered defective. Although her being a seer is considered as valuable gift, she is not able to shift and that makes a kind of pariah of her pack. They do not treat her well. They only see her worth as a potential breeder for more wolfs with the seer gift. As an unmated wolf, Kitara must attend a claiming ceremony which basically means her running in a human form and the eligible wolfs chasing her. She is claimed by Ryker, the alpha of a deadly pack.
The best thing about the romance is that Ryker treats Kitara as his equal from the start. With this kind of romance, there is usually a period of time when the MMC acts like an idiot and when he finds out the MMC was treated badly before, he reforms. This is not the case. Ryker is man of principles; he cares for his pack. Kitara is slowly warming up to him, even though it is hard at first due to experiences with her old pack. But he never gives her a reason to doubt him.
The audiobook narration by Jack Calihan and Hannah Chiclana was perfect. I believe that this would be a 4 star read as a physical book but they played their parts so well, it hyped it up to 5 stars for me.
I will definitely check out other books in this series. Kitara and Ryker's story was kind of wrapped up (but I believe they will appear in the future books as well, since they are the leaders of the pack), but we were teased with another couple at the end.
Did i just give it 5 stars? Yes, I did! I almost listened to in one day, I just couldn't stop.
This totally matched my mood and vibe for the moment.
I read few wolf shifter romances, but usually they are why-choose spice heavy and to be honest, kind of boring. Feral Fates is the polar opposite. And still, it has the usual tropes you would expect from this genre:
🐺 strong alpha
🐺 mates (just the MMC an the FMC)
🐺 heat
🐺 pack politics
🐺 spice (knot included)
What makes it exceptional is that there is a right amount of everything, so you are never bored and kept invested in the story.
The story apparently takes place in our time, but to be honest, I didn’t really notice until I heard words Europe and Jeep 😊. At the beginning, I imagined some other universe but it’s not important for the story.
Our FMC Kitara is considered defective. Although her being a seer is considered as valuable gift, she is not able to shift and that makes a kind of pariah of her pack. They do not treat her well. They only see her worth as a potential breeder for more wolfs with the seer gift. As an unmated wolf, Kitara must attend a claiming ceremony which basically means her running in a human form and the eligible wolfs chasing her. She is claimed by Ryker, the alpha of a deadly pack.
The best thing about the romance is that Ryker treats Kitara as his equal from the start. With this kind of romance, there is usually a period of time when the MMC acts like an idiot and when he finds out the MMC was treated badly before, he reforms. This is not the case. Ryker is man of principles; he cares for his pack. Kitara is slowly warming up to him, even though it is hard at first due to experiences with her old pack. But he never gives her a reason to doubt him.
The audiobook narration by Jack Calihan and Hannah Chiclana was perfect. I believe that this would be a 4 star read as a physical book but they played their parts so well, it hyped it up to 5 stars for me.
I will definitely check out other books in this series. Kitara and Ryker's story was kind of wrapped up (but I believe they will appear in the future books as well, since they are the leaders of the pack), but we were teased with another couple at the end.
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