When Ember Duvain’s ship explodes, her escape capsule locks her in stasis and crashes deep in Cresca’s mountains. She awakens in the arms of a brooding alien wolf shifter who trusts no one.
Rykan doesn’t trust easily. Betrayal drove him from his pack, and he has no patience for fragile princesses who need protecting.
But mountain life strips away illusion.
As Rykan trains Ember to survive, he realizes the sheltered heiress is far stronger than she appears. And when she uncovers proof her own family tried to steal her empire, he is determined to remain by her side.
They thought she was weak. They were wrong.
A spicy scifi fairytale retelling featuring a betrayed heiress, a brooding alien wolf shifter, forced proximity, survival training, and a public claim that changes everything.
• Alien wolf shifter with control issues • A fated mate bond with irreversible consequences • Survival in the mountains • A man on the verge of making terrible life decisions
And then… he didn’t.
Now I’m sitting here with mixed feelings I can’t ignore.
What Worked For Me (aka: I was leaning forward like “go on…”)
The tension in the first half? Elite.
This book understands build-up. The near-bonding, the restraint, the constant “one wrong move and it’s permanent” energy??? Delicious. Every interaction felt loaded. Every kiss felt like it could spiral into something irreversible. I was locked IN.
The consent + control dynamic was actually so good.
He doesn’t just give in to instinct - he actively fights it so she can choose. The whole “I want you but I won’t take your choice away” energy??? Say less. That’s where the romance really shines.
Ember is that girl.
Emotionally intelligent. Calls him out. Doesn’t spiral unnecessarily. Doesn’t run away crying every time things get hard. She thinks, she processes, she communicates. A rational queen in a genre that sometimes forgets those exist.
The emotional core (when it hits, it hits).
His backstory? Painful. Valid. Explains everything. And the way she reframes how he sees himself?? Some of the strongest writing in the book. You can SEE why they fall for each other.
What Didn’t Work For Me (aka: where the feral energy clocked out early)
The story peaks too soon.
The emotional and romantic high point happens well before the ending. Once they confess and choose each other, the main tension is basically… gone. Everything after that feels like resolution instead of escalation.
Not feral enough (I said what I said).
This had all the ingredients for chaos: fated mates, primal instincts, dangerous bonding. But it never fully tips over. It stays controlled, careful, and emotionally regulated. I wanted just a bit more unhinged, “this will ruin me” energy.
The external plot didn’t hit the same.
The corporate/political storyline? I understand its purpose… I just didn’t care about it nearly as much as I cared about his inner wolf fighting for his life. The shift from internal tension to external conflict felt like a downgrade in stakes.
Late-stage drama felt… inserted.
Some of the final conflicts (looking at you, strategic suitor moment) felt more like “we need something to happen” rather than a natural extension of the story. By that point, I was already emotionally checked out of anything that wasn’t them.
The ending was a little too tidy.
Everything resolves cleanly, logically, and safely. Which is nice! But after all that tension? I wanted to feel slightly unwell. Instead, I felt… content.
Final Thoughts
This book has great tension, strong character work, and an emotional core that genuinely works.
But if you’re like me and live for: • a little chaos • a little obsession • a man losing his entire sense of self
…this might feel just a touch too controlled by the end.
Final Verdict
I really enjoyed the journey - especially the first half - but I wanted the ending to match the intensity of the build-up.
I came for feral. I got emotionally responsible.
3.25 stars
He fought his instincts, respected her choices, communicated his feelings… and I’m still here like: sir can you spiral just a little more.
Tropes and Vibes:
• Alien wolf shifter MMC • Fated mates (with consequences) • “Mate. Ours.” energy • Forced proximity (snowed-in survival edition) • Training montage / competence glow-up • Protective but restrained hero • Emotionally intelligent FMC (rare, we love her) • Touch her and die (controlled version) • Mutual pining but make it logical • “I won’t take your choice away” • Public claiming moment • Trauma → healing arc
We're back on Cresca with a stoic Vultor who has convinced himself he's fine on his own. He mostly is. Then an escape pod crashed in his mountains and suddenly all those suppressed protective instincts of his are roaring to the surface. To be fair, those instincts rose up mostly because the woman in the escape pod was his special someone. His fated honey-bunny. His mate.
Only, you know, he refuses to admit it at first. Because he's FINE on his own. And because he knows Ember belongs to the civilized human world, not his wild mountains.
As it turns out, that's not entirely correct. Ember thrives in the mountains. She breaks out of the shell she's been wrapped in and learns how strong she is. BUT...she has responsibilities back home. Given that the person who sabotaged her ship and attempted to take her out of the picture permanently also has the ability to destroy her father's legacy, she can't justify staying hidden away. Too many people rely on the Duvain empire for her to walk away entirely.
Rykan and Ember have to figure out how to navigate a new relationship while guarding their backs against those trying to twist the Duvain empire into something her father never intended. Ember needs to show everyone she's not weak and Rykan works on finding his place in Ember's world.
We got a few familiar faces, some set-up for the future, and two people who are willing to meet one another halfway to make things work. *thumbs up*
Rykan is in the mountains for his own peace of mind. He gave up his birthrights to his stepbrother and stepmother. Plus he got played by a female he wanted and thought was his mate. Ember is betrayed by someone in her world. Family just isn’t enough to keep her safe. She went from being a special soft girl to a strong mate for Rykan in only a month time. They are fighting attraction till they just give in. They are just what each other needs. But what he gave up isn’t what she is willing to give up too. But she is very determined not to give him up.
⭐⭐⭐⭐💫 This is another great sci-fi shifter romance in the Alien Wolf Tales series of interconnected fairytale-retelling standalones.
Human heiress FMC Ember has just come of age and is about to take control of her father’s empire when her ship is sabotaged, forcing her to enter stasis in an escape pod. She is found asleep in the cold wilderness by MMC Rylan, an alien Vultor shifter who has lived in solitude in the mountains. He saves her from the cold and offers her shelter while the storms pass. Determined not to be a burden, Ember asks for his help training and learning survival skills.
I really enjoyed this Sleeping Beauty retelling. It felt like there were two very different parts, the wilderness and the city, which worked well for me. The wilderness aspects felt more like the early books in the series, while the second half set up more worldbuilding that has only been slightly explored so far. Both characters had a lot of issues to work through, and of course they helped each other along the way. They were sweet together, and I appreciated that the FMC was naïve but not dumb, she was obviously very capable.
Another great installment in the series! This book also sets up the next one in the series and includes a bit of a teaser. I can’t wait to read Alien Tower, a Rapunzel retelling scheduled to release in April 2026.
Spice: 4/5 Plot: 4.5/5 Writing: 4.5/5 My Enjoyment: 4.5/5
***I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving my honest review.
When Embers ship is sabotaged she escapes in an escape pod but when she accidentally cuts her finger, she activates the stasis protocol putting her to sleep not knowing where she’ll end up.
Rykan has been alone in his world for 6 years after being betrayed by the people he loved, he left his pack finding peace in isolation. So when he finds Ember and rescues her, she awakens something in him he thought was lost an urge to protect her, claim her and make her his.
Ember wants to be more than to be seen as delicate, she refuses to be helpless in situation she finds herself in. Throughout the story we see how Rykan trains her to survive but the more she is near him, the more his wonders how long he is going to be able to restrain himself from claiming her.
But when Ember decides to go back to her world the thought of leaving Ryank breaks her heart, he means so much to her, but he has made a decision that where she goes he will go for he doesn’t want to leave her. He will stand by her.
🏷️ “Keep running from the past, or start building a future”
I absolutely loved this story, the way Ryank saw how strong Ember was, she never complained about the situation she found herself in. It bought her strength to go back to her world and claim what is rightfully hers. Even though they both were betrayed by people close to them, the bond between Ryank and Ember is not easily broken, they are each others half’s 💕💕
I love this spin on Sleeping Beauty. The basics of the tale are their but Money Phillips does a remarkable job of making it her own. Ember is the heiress to a huge company. He father has recently passed away and she will come into her inheritance the minute she turns 21. There are those in her life that would love to make sure she never reaches that mile stone. When her shuttle is Sabotaged she's found in stasis by Rykan. Ryklan is an alpha who was denied his birthright Who pain and betrayal. He left his pack and carved a lonely life out the mountains. Until Ember crashed literally into his life..Rykan saves her, teaches her and ends up loving her. Ember heals all the wounded places in his heart . but she's important and needs to go back to the city confront the danger and intrigue that surrounds her and the circumstances of her almost fatal crash. Together they forge their own path , follow their own rules and find a love worth fighting for! Excellent as always this series is a favorite highly recommend you'll love it💖🌟🔥💖🌟💖🔥🌟🔥💖🌟🔥💖🌟💖🔥🌟🌟💖🔥
Only Ms. Phillips can spin Sleeping Beauty in a heartfelt telling. I loved her version of the fairy tale. Ember being the princess was perfect. Her being an heiress. And Rykan being the broken prince was true in many ways. I loved the reasons Rykan thought he couldn't have Ember . And how she showed him the other side of the coin from his past. How she proved she was worthy. I loved that he taught her that strength isn't about never being hurt. It's about getting back up when you are. Loved the way she dealt with her aunt. At least she gave her choices, unlike her aunt to her. Tessa and Korrin make an appearance along with two of the adyani pups. They were featured in Alien Huntsman. Both giving sage advice to them. I enjoyed their "kidnappings" :) Suspense, intrigue and steam to the eventual romance. Secrets revealed. The worldbuilding was excellent. This can be read as a standalone story. Can't wait to see what happens with Baylin.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Stranded on an alien world with a broody wolf shifter who might be a vicious beast… or your mate 👀 So… are you fighting him or falling for him?
Ember and Rykan’s story is the kind that is completely addictive… the tension, the slow-burn connection, and that constant push-and-pull had me desperate to see if they’d actually make a relationship work.
Rykan’s struggle between instinct and restraint adds such a powerful emotional depth, while Ember shines as a strong, thoughtful heroine who refuses to be anything less than equal. Their chemistry is intense but meaningful, built on trust, choice, and healing. Will Rykan be able to survive in Ember’s world, and will Ember be able to survive navigating the treacherous waters of her own world?
Honey Phillips's Alien Awakening is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty featuring wealthy heiress Ember whose evil aunt tries to kill her while the 21 year old is on a flight. Because Ember is clever, she is able to escape in a pod and finds herself Aawakening to the sight of Voltor Rykan. While snowed in on the mountain, Ryan trains the heiress, building her strength and stamina for the future trip down the mountain once the pass can be navigated. Their love also develops, but he's not sure she'll want him once she returns home. She worries he won't ever want to go with her. I love how the two work together to bring down the evil aunt and how the next story is hinted at with Ember discovering that her dad has been sending supplies to a tower in the jungle near the sea!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Ember is one of the strongest characters EVER! Physically she is slight and, at least in the beginning, weak but her mind and Spirit are strong. I loved her from the first glimpse of her. Rykan is, I don't know how to describe him. He's strong and smart and sweet and lonely. He has such a noble heart! And he is a bit broken..which I love. This is Honey Phillips take (loosely) on Sleeping Beauty, my favorite, with her wonderful twists and turns. I loved every single thing about this book! I adore the Wolf Tales series. The Vultors are so fun to read about. The storylines, based very loosely on our favorite fairytales are so well written with wonderful characters and immaculate world building. Honey takes us by the hand and leads us down a trail of "what if". She grabs my attention from the first word and keeps it to the very end! *chefs kiss"
I absolutely love this new addition to the Alien Wolf Tales series. Ember has been raised to believe she was weak and unable to do what others could. But surviving the crash of her escape pod from her ship is showing her differently. Rykan is a Vultor who witnesses the crash and follows the path to find Ember. Now she is stranded on a mountain with Rykan, and the chemistry between them is so strong. Rykan's wolf knows she is their mate, but he fights it because of past betrayal. The plot of this book is fantastic and will keep you engrossed till the end. I love how Rykan helps Ember become so strong. There is so much I could say about this book, but I encourage you to read it for yourself! Excellent book with the very best happily-ever-after!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This wasn't the novella I was expecting but it's a page turner like no other. This is the seventh book in the Alien Wolf Tales and I think with each one it gets better and better.
Our female heroine ( Ember) is strong, determined and resourceful. The action and suspense leaves you in disbelief. With the help of a lone Vultor ( Rykan) they both learn their true potential. This is an awakening for both of them.
I love that Korrin keeps popping up. His ability to push buttons is hilarious, thankfully Tessa keeps him grounded.
An amazing read as always Honey. I am looking forward to reading # 8 💜.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was a fab Sleeping Beauty retelling and the author knocked it out of the park. Ember is an heiress with an evil aunt and she manages to escape the plot to end her by using an escape pod. Whew! When she crashes, she ends up meeting Vultor shifter, Rykan. She was not strong physically but she was smart and determined. He was strong, caring and rather lonely. He taught her what she'd need to survive and she showed him that he was worthy, while they helped each other deal with their respective baggage. They were so sweet together and I loved seeing them get their HEA. With fab world building, wonderful characters, drama, intrigue, suspense, twists and steam, I was hooked, first page to last. We also got a teaser peek at what's to come in the next book and I can't wait :D
Chapter one is an example of a perfect opening to a story. The set up and tension is beautifully conveyed, and Ember’s emotions are portrayed in such a way that you mourn the death of ship’s crew along with her. Rykan has isolated himself since his purported mate betrayed him and got him ostracised from his pack. When Ember’s escape pod crash lands on his territory, he desperately tries to pull away from the fact that she is his mate. Ember gains his respect when she proves herself stronger than she looks and though they have both been devasted by betrayal to those closest to them, find a way to get their happy ending. I did worry though that Ember was too forgiving and hope it doesn’t backfire in a future book. 4+ stars
Alien Awakening – Honey Phillips 1st Read I really enjoyed this Sleeping Beauty–esque tale. Ember was a great FMC. She’s steady, practical, and determined not to be an imposition despite the situation she finds herself in. I liked how she works hard to build up her resilience and strength rather than relying on others to save her. I loved the early backdrop of the cabin and the feeling of being trapped together, which created a really nice forced-proximity dynamic. Later on, the political and business dealings had me completely gripped and added an extra layer to the story. Vykan’s backstory was heartbreaking, and it was so satisfying to see him finally get his HEA. I also found the Vultor as a species fascinating and I’m really looking forward to reading more books in the series.
When Ember awakens after her ship explodes and she is escapes in a pod that puts her in stasis it is with the knowledge that she someone wants her dead. Rykan finds her and keeps her safe, teaching her how to survive in the harsh wilderness. During this time, they find love together but danger still exists and they both have issues in their past.
I enjoyed watching the relationship develop between the two and loved how they needed to learn to trust and take risks in order to truly be successful as a couple. True communication is difficult but oh so necessary. It was a treat to see these characters grow!!
I received this book as an ARC copy and am leaving this review voluntarily.
I always enjoy Honey Phillips’ books. She keeps them interesting, makes you love the characters and gives a satisfying HEA. This story is no different. I loved Ember’s character. She learned & grew into who she was truly meant to be because of Rylan’s love & support. Rylan has lots of baggage from being hurt in the past, but learns to trust that Ember will not hurt him. There was lots of angst & spice. I liked that there was a chapter at the end that gives a glimpse of the next story.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
-A creative sci-fi retelling of Sleeping Beauty featuring Ember, a betrayed heiress, and Rykan, a brooding alien wolf shifter. I was lucky to receive a free copy and am thrilled to share my honest thoughts voluntarily.
Forced proximity, survival training, and hidden wounds lead them to challenge their fears and discover unexpected love. Emotional, suspenseful, and romantic, this thrilling story blends fairy-tale charm with exciting sci-fi adventure.
I loved Rykan and Ember! Both have been betrayed by people they trusted. I love how he helped her build herself up so she is able to take care of herself and how she grew more comfortable and self assured. I loved how she helped him see his worth and to look at his past differently. I honestly don't know how she does it but the stories get better and better all the time. A fabulous low angst, spicy romance! I can't wait for Baylin’s story. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Her escape pod crashed in the mountains and she was rescued by a reclusive wolf shifter. Having to stay in his cabin until the pass opened up, their feelings for each other grew. In the meantime and with her urging, he taught her how to survive. I enjoyed this book as with the others in this series. Also in all the books in nineteen other series she has written. Each book presents an alien/human mating dealing with danger, excitement, drama with humor, possessiveness and of course romance as the characters find their HEA.
I love seeing a strong female characters in the books I read and Ember is strong, stronger than she ever thought. Rykan, after finding her in a crashed pod, teaches her how to become even stronger physically as she was already strong intellectually. When they went back to her empire together, Ember realizes she is going to have deal with her aunt and others like her aunt. With her mate Rykan, Ember knows she will be able to get rid of the evil that took over the empire after attempting to murder her. Their love is strong. This is a amazing story with a happy ending.
An intriguing couple! I love Ember’s determination, her desire to learn. Rykan is an excellent trainer. I am a little impatient with these two as they overthink everything, often coming to wrong conclusions, but they end up with a very strong relationship. Ember is amazing to see in action when they return to Port Cantor; Rykan working right at her side. They are an awesome couple. I think you’ll love how their story turns out - I sure do!
A wonderful addition to the Alien Wolf Tales series. Ember is an heiress who escaped a spaceship that was disintegrating. Rylan finds and saves her. The background story of the characters comes out throughout the story and is supplemented with the development of their relationship. Great character development which shows their growth and commitment to each other.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I love this series! These books are all loosely based on fairytales….if the fairytale took place on an alien planet, involved lots of scenes NOT made for children (steamy sex), and the prince is a type of alien werewolf. These books have a HPE and each one can be read independently but they are more fun to read in order to see how this works develops and the stories intertwine!
Rykan proves himself so much more than he realized with Ember's help while Ember realizes her strength is so much more than anyone realized. I love their partnership and how it adjusts to the situation and challenges. This is such an original and engrossing version of an alien Sleeping Beauty! It's wonderful to see the world evolve and meet other characters!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Ember is a survivor. Her journey from sheltered heiress to commanding leader was so satisfying. I loved Rykan's transformation from untrusting exile to Ember's fierce protector, willing to do anything to keep her safe and to stay with his mate. The story is action-packed and heartfelt. It is a refreshing sci-fi twist on the classic Sleeping Beauty tale, with a little peek of what is coming in the next installment!
I love all the books in this series, but I was a little disappointed in the way the consequences of the death of Ember's crew was not addressed. There should have been a harsher judgment. I felt that too much emphasis was on "you tried to have me killed..." and not enough "you need to pay for killing my crew"(3 people who Ember has known all of her life!) Otherwise it was a good read. looking forward to the next one in the series!
Another amazing fairy tale retelling by Honey Phillips! I have yet to read a book by her that I have not loved.
The FMC's growth into her strength was chef's kiss. The MMC's failure to resist the mate bond was entertaining. I'd say more, but I don't like giving or receiving spoilers.
Side Note: I spent waaaay too long thinking this was a Snow White retelling because of the coffin on the cover. It is not a Snow White retelling; it is a Sleeping Beauty retelling. Knowing that will lead to far less confusion when certain fairy tale elements don't happen. (Yes, laugh at this, as I am laughing at it every time I think it.)