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Daughter of Wolves
Not yet published
Expected 4 Feb 27A dark romantic fantasy by Sunday Times bestselling author Nicki Pau Preto.
Lua is a seventh-born daughter, cursed and claimed by the dark forest. The Wood takes what it is owed, and her human parents encroached on forbidden land to build their fine house. Raised among its ancient trees and dangerous denizens, Lua runs with wolves, barefoot and wild, and spends her nights watching the family that abandoned her at birth.
When Lua's childhood crush, Cristiano, offers her his hand in marriage-and a place within her own family-Lua cannot refuse. Their love and acceptance are everything she's ever wanted, but it comes at a abandoning her duty to the Wood. Thrust into civilized life, Lua spends her days trying to fit in among the humans while her fiancé parades her around. At night, she sneaks from her bedroom to make reports to the mysterious Thorne, a loyal servant of the Wood who mocks Lua's obsession with the humans and pushes her to embrace what she truly is-a shapeshifter unwilling to take on her wolf form.
But everything is not as it seems. Soon, alliances shift, lovers become enemies, and Lua must choose between the human realm, and the gruff woodsman, who might be more than just a servant of the Wood . . .
Lua is a seventh-born daughter, cursed and claimed by the dark forest. The Wood takes what it is owed, and her human parents encroached on forbidden land to build their fine house. Raised among its ancient trees and dangerous denizens, Lua runs with wolves, barefoot and wild, and spends her nights watching the family that abandoned her at birth.
When Lua's childhood crush, Cristiano, offers her his hand in marriage-and a place within her own family-Lua cannot refuse. Their love and acceptance are everything she's ever wanted, but it comes at a abandoning her duty to the Wood. Thrust into civilized life, Lua spends her days trying to fit in among the humans while her fiancé parades her around. At night, she sneaks from her bedroom to make reports to the mysterious Thorne, a loyal servant of the Wood who mocks Lua's obsession with the humans and pushes her to embrace what she truly is-a shapeshifter unwilling to take on her wolf form.
But everything is not as it seems. Soon, alliances shift, lovers become enemies, and Lua must choose between the human realm, and the gruff woodsman, who might be more than just a servant of the Wood . . .
Kindle Edition
Expected publication February 4, 2027
About the author
Nicki Pau Preto
9 books1,763 followersNicki Pau Preto is a fantasy author living just outside of Toronto—though her dislike of hockey, snow, and geese makes her the worst Canadian in the country. She studied art and art history in university and worked as a graphic designer before becoming a writer full-time.
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August 22, 2026I will start by saying I didn’t realize this was a dark romance. That’s my bad 😬
For that reason, I struggled with the plot. Soooo many unfortunate decisions ya’ll.
But I’ll also say, I was disappointed in the writing. Its first person POV, which I would have thought would make the story more intimate and feel more connected to the main character.
Instead, the descriptions are dry, the feelings described emotionless. It’s hard to explain, but I felt like the story wasn’t actually affecting the MC, just happening to her. Which made me not really care about what was happening.
I powered through but I should have just DNF’d
For that reason, I struggled with the plot. Soooo many unfortunate decisions ya’ll.
But I’ll also say, I was disappointed in the writing. Its first person POV, which I would have thought would make the story more intimate and feel more connected to the main character.
Instead, the descriptions are dry, the feelings described emotionless. It’s hard to explain, but I felt like the story wasn’t actually affecting the MC, just happening to her. Which made me not really care about what was happening.
I powered through but I should have just DNF’d
August 2, 2026
4.5 stars- Loved the forest atmosphere. Loved the fairytale vibes in the beginning. I liked where we were dropped into the story, I felt like the FMC already had these fully developed relationships with other characters. I found the plot to be pretty predictable but it made sense that the reader was able to put together things that the FMC wasn’t since she was pretty naive to the world she was living in. Also the book was super fast paced and I finished it in about a day.
Did the MMCs lines in the sex scene make me laugh out loud? Yes. Was the plot a bit predictable? Yes. But did I have a good time? Heck yeah!
Did the MMCs lines in the sex scene make me laugh out loud? Yes. Was the plot a bit predictable? Yes. But did I have a good time? Heck yeah!
August 16, 2026
I received and eARC from St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley and this is my honest review.
- ☝️ single POV
- 🐺 wolves, woodsmen, humans
- ✔️curse
- 🤬friends to lovers to enemies
- ❤️ friends to anger to lovers
- ❤️🩹he takes care of her
- ☠️murder mystery
4.5 stars
Reading the synopsis of this story and then actually reading it, especially with the connection to the land, I was heavily reminded of Where the Crawdads Sing. This book is very different, but had some of those dynamics that triggered me to think of Crawdads.
This book had a great blend of character development, romance, plot progression, and mystery. All of these pieces came together to create an intriguing story. The pacing was steady throughout, with things picking up toward the end.
The book started by dropping us directly into the MFC’s already established life. She was the seventh daughter, left to be raised in the woods by the wolves because the seventh son or daughter is cursed and given up to be raised in the woods. We were immediately shown how the MFC was struggling to find herself. She was raised outdoors as a wolf (literally shifted into a wolf), with the wolves, but was born human. She could shift between wolf and human form, but at some point, she could no longer shift back into a wolf. Therefore, she didn’t fully fit into her wolf pack, nor did she fit into her human family’s home. She just wanted to be accepted.
Because of her desperate need to be accepted, she tried to change who she was to fit the wants and needs of other people so they would want her. For example, in comes Cristiano, a wealthy, attractive man who looks for excitement. He was childhood friends with the MFC because she was different and a fun risk for him. He got a thrill out of her. As he grew into a man, he became more refined and clean; therefore, she did her best to match him so he would want her. When he wanted soft, she would shove down her more aggressive wolf tendencies to be soft for him. She never really got to be herself because she was so desperate to be accepted, and she feared Cristiano wouldn’t accept her for who she truly was.
Then, in comes Thorne, the less refined, rougher, edgier man, the Woodsman. Because of the MFC’s relationship with Cristiano and Thorne watching her sacrifice herself for Cristiano, it created a huge rift in Thorne’s friendship with her. Thorne knew who the MFC really was, and she never had to hide herself with him.
All of that was shown in the first chapter… I was immediately drawn in. I loved that we didn’t start the story reading about her being abandoned in the woods by her parents and raised by wolves. Instead, we were dropped right into her life as an adult and shown her need to belong. Excellent start!
As the book progressed, we were either shown or told about her past and what it was like for her. I will say, the author did an excellent job showing us the things that needed more nuanced detail, while lightly touching on things that weren’t as critical and required the reader to become more immersed in the story.
For example, I had questions about why the MFC would be interested in Cristiano despite everything she had been taught about humans. I was also very interested in learning why Thorne wasn’t close with the MFC anymore. I wanted to know their history. Well, to give us that information, there was a flashback chapter showing what happened between the MFC and Thorne, leading to her meeting and becoming interested in Cristiano. I really loved that. It happened early in the book, so I didn’t have to wait long to get those answers.
During other moments when we were given information without an entire flashback chapter, we were still given enough detail to understand how the MFC was thinking, feeling, and behaving. We weren’t simply told, “it was lonely,” while also not getting an entire flashback chapter.
Really, the author did an excellent job moving the current plot and timeline forward while flashing back in more or less detail to make sense of the current events. The author didn’t have to do that, we could have just been told what happened, but that would have taken away from the emotional impact of the story and the MFC’s experiences. I needed to understand the reasons why the MFC was thinking, feeling, and behaving the way she was beyond simply being told she was lonely and desperate to fit in. Taking the time to provide the backstory and details was important, and the way it was done felt thoughtful and just right.
Although the MFC was fawning over male attention, she was no pushover. For example, the MFC’s father was someone I just wanted to slap. He was constantly playing the victim, but I appreciated that the MFC had enough insight not to blame herself for her parents disowning her. She pushed back with witty and sassy comments. The same went for the MFC’s sister, Eva. She was such a judgmental and discriminatory person, and the MFC bit back with her sassy words. It was great!
The MFC’s character growth was substantial, and I really enjoyed watching it unfold. I appreciated that she had to learn through natural consequences and find herself along the way. I don’t think she could have grown the way she did if she hadn’t taken the journey she did.
Thorne and Cristiano were great MMCs in this book. They both added grit to the story. We were given more depth to Thorne, which left me wanting more information about Cristiano and why he was the way he was. Thorne had amazing character growth throughout the book, while Cristiano did not. The author did a great job sneaking in Easter eggs about Cristiano and who he truly was, as well as who he was working with. She did it so well that I saw everything coming, which was fine with me!
More about Thorne: he was the dark and brooding MMC. He had so much mystery that was slowly revealed over the book. We really got to know him and understood his motives for his behavior. Now, they didn’t justify his behavior, but we got to understand how we was coping and the decisions he made based on his trauma. No matter, he was always the stable foundation, secretly there to support the MFC no matter what.
More about Cristiano: I always knew that he actually did care for the MFC, but not in an empathetic and loving way, more controlling and obsessive way. He was a true sociopath that only cared about his own motives and end goals. The MFC was something (not someone) exciting that he obsessed over, and once he manipulated and maneuvered everyone to get what he wanted (her), followed by actually getting a taste of her, he was ready to move on, not caring what happened to her. He was a great antagonist that was slowly built up overtime and then revealed at the end.
I also really enjoyed the uniqueness of not having fated mates, but instead having a bond connected between a Woodsman and the seventh daughter or son.
The murder mystery was a fun addition to the story, and I loved that the MFC retained her heightened hearing and sense of smell in her human form. Those abilities were intertwined well into the story and helped her find answers.
Overall, this was a predictable yet very intriguing book. I enjoyed every step of the way, and I’m looking forward to book two!
Critique: the ending where the MFC found out a big secret and was angry at Thorne for a “lie by omission” and she thought how she hasn’t lied to him since they were kids. First, I was a little frustrated with her. The entitlement and drama of this was astounding to me. Not everything has to be shared all the time. It’s not always a lie and doesn’t need to be a “betrayal.” For real, they haven’t been close in ten years, he was working through some things internally, and she was ENGAGED to someone else. He didn’t owe her all information about his life at every moment. I just don’t get why characters written in books see information not given to them as a betrayal… Instead, when information is shown to them, they could take a deep breath, realize not everything is about them, and ask for more information to learn why they were not told earlier.
Second, the MFC was lying to herself that she never lied. If we want to talk about “lie by omission” (her words), well then she lied the whole book. She knew she loved Thorne but never told him because he left her under the net and then became a jerk. She later learned why he did that and she still didn’t tell him her feelings. Let’s be clear, she did not have to tell him, my point is the hypocrisy. She judged him for having information about himself he didn’t share with her, yet, which made her mad, all while she did the same thing, but lied to herself saying she had not done the same thing.
Anyway, this last part of the book was annoying. Thankfully, this wasn’t stewed on long and the book/MCs moved on quickly! No matter though, I appreciated that these characters were messy, had realistic arguments, making them relatable., and challenged themselves and each other to grow.
- ☝️ single POV
- 🐺 wolves, woodsmen, humans
- ✔️curse
- 🤬friends to lovers to enemies
- ❤️ friends to anger to lovers
- ❤️🩹he takes care of her
- ☠️murder mystery
4.5 stars
Reading the synopsis of this story and then actually reading it, especially with the connection to the land, I was heavily reminded of Where the Crawdads Sing. This book is very different, but had some of those dynamics that triggered me to think of Crawdads.
This book had a great blend of character development, romance, plot progression, and mystery. All of these pieces came together to create an intriguing story. The pacing was steady throughout, with things picking up toward the end.
The book started by dropping us directly into the MFC’s already established life. She was the seventh daughter, left to be raised in the woods by the wolves because the seventh son or daughter is cursed and given up to be raised in the woods. We were immediately shown how the MFC was struggling to find herself. She was raised outdoors as a wolf (literally shifted into a wolf), with the wolves, but was born human. She could shift between wolf and human form, but at some point, she could no longer shift back into a wolf. Therefore, she didn’t fully fit into her wolf pack, nor did she fit into her human family’s home. She just wanted to be accepted.
Because of her desperate need to be accepted, she tried to change who she was to fit the wants and needs of other people so they would want her. For example, in comes Cristiano, a wealthy, attractive man who looks for excitement. He was childhood friends with the MFC because she was different and a fun risk for him. He got a thrill out of her. As he grew into a man, he became more refined and clean; therefore, she did her best to match him so he would want her. When he wanted soft, she would shove down her more aggressive wolf tendencies to be soft for him. She never really got to be herself because she was so desperate to be accepted, and she feared Cristiano wouldn’t accept her for who she truly was.
Then, in comes Thorne, the less refined, rougher, edgier man, the Woodsman. Because of the MFC’s relationship with Cristiano and Thorne watching her sacrifice herself for Cristiano, it created a huge rift in Thorne’s friendship with her. Thorne knew who the MFC really was, and she never had to hide herself with him.
All of that was shown in the first chapter… I was immediately drawn in. I loved that we didn’t start the story reading about her being abandoned in the woods by her parents and raised by wolves. Instead, we were dropped right into her life as an adult and shown her need to belong. Excellent start!
As the book progressed, we were either shown or told about her past and what it was like for her. I will say, the author did an excellent job showing us the things that needed more nuanced detail, while lightly touching on things that weren’t as critical and required the reader to become more immersed in the story.
For example, I had questions about why the MFC would be interested in Cristiano despite everything she had been taught about humans. I was also very interested in learning why Thorne wasn’t close with the MFC anymore. I wanted to know their history. Well, to give us that information, there was a flashback chapter showing what happened between the MFC and Thorne, leading to her meeting and becoming interested in Cristiano. I really loved that. It happened early in the book, so I didn’t have to wait long to get those answers.
During other moments when we were given information without an entire flashback chapter, we were still given enough detail to understand how the MFC was thinking, feeling, and behaving. We weren’t simply told, “it was lonely,” while also not getting an entire flashback chapter.
Really, the author did an excellent job moving the current plot and timeline forward while flashing back in more or less detail to make sense of the current events. The author didn’t have to do that, we could have just been told what happened, but that would have taken away from the emotional impact of the story and the MFC’s experiences. I needed to understand the reasons why the MFC was thinking, feeling, and behaving the way she was beyond simply being told she was lonely and desperate to fit in. Taking the time to provide the backstory and details was important, and the way it was done felt thoughtful and just right.
Although the MFC was fawning over male attention, she was no pushover. For example, the MFC’s father was someone I just wanted to slap. He was constantly playing the victim, but I appreciated that the MFC had enough insight not to blame herself for her parents disowning her. She pushed back with witty and sassy comments. The same went for the MFC’s sister, Eva. She was such a judgmental and discriminatory person, and the MFC bit back with her sassy words. It was great!
The MFC’s character growth was substantial, and I really enjoyed watching it unfold. I appreciated that she had to learn through natural consequences and find herself along the way. I don’t think she could have grown the way she did if she hadn’t taken the journey she did.
Thorne and Cristiano were great MMCs in this book. They both added grit to the story. We were given more depth to Thorne, which left me wanting more information about Cristiano and why he was the way he was. Thorne had amazing character growth throughout the book, while Cristiano did not. The author did a great job sneaking in Easter eggs about Cristiano and who he truly was, as well as who he was working with. She did it so well that I saw everything coming, which was fine with me!
More about Thorne: he was the dark and brooding MMC. He had so much mystery that was slowly revealed over the book. We really got to know him and understood his motives for his behavior. Now, they didn’t justify his behavior, but we got to understand how we was coping and the decisions he made based on his trauma. No matter, he was always the stable foundation, secretly there to support the MFC no matter what.
More about Cristiano: I always knew that he actually did care for the MFC, but not in an empathetic and loving way, more controlling and obsessive way. He was a true sociopath that only cared about his own motives and end goals. The MFC was something (not someone) exciting that he obsessed over, and once he manipulated and maneuvered everyone to get what he wanted (her), followed by actually getting a taste of her, he was ready to move on, not caring what happened to her. He was a great antagonist that was slowly built up overtime and then revealed at the end.
I also really enjoyed the uniqueness of not having fated mates, but instead having a bond connected between a Woodsman and the seventh daughter or son.
The murder mystery was a fun addition to the story, and I loved that the MFC retained her heightened hearing and sense of smell in her human form. Those abilities were intertwined well into the story and helped her find answers.
Overall, this was a predictable yet very intriguing book. I enjoyed every step of the way, and I’m looking forward to book two!
Critique: the ending where the MFC found out a big secret and was angry at Thorne for a “lie by omission” and she thought how she hasn’t lied to him since they were kids. First, I was a little frustrated with her. The entitlement and drama of this was astounding to me. Not everything has to be shared all the time. It’s not always a lie and doesn’t need to be a “betrayal.” For real, they haven’t been close in ten years, he was working through some things internally, and she was ENGAGED to someone else. He didn’t owe her all information about his life at every moment. I just don’t get why characters written in books see information not given to them as a betrayal… Instead, when information is shown to them, they could take a deep breath, realize not everything is about them, and ask for more information to learn why they were not told earlier.
Second, the MFC was lying to herself that she never lied. If we want to talk about “lie by omission” (her words), well then she lied the whole book. She knew she loved Thorne but never told him because he left her under the net and then became a jerk. She later learned why he did that and she still didn’t tell him her feelings. Let’s be clear, she did not have to tell him, my point is the hypocrisy. She judged him for having information about himself he didn’t share with her, yet, which made her mad, all while she did the same thing, but lied to herself saying she had not done the same thing.
Anyway, this last part of the book was annoying. Thankfully, this wasn’t stewed on long and the book/MCs moved on quickly! No matter though, I appreciated that these characters were messy, had realistic arguments, making them relatable., and challenged themselves and each other to grow.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 4, 2026
ARC review:
Let me just say, I’m not normally the one for these kinds of books with the wolf’s, but this was not like I was expecting it to be, it was so good!
The idea of the book and its plot was so new and refreshing—I was honestly expecting it to be like all those “copy and paste” books, but it actually kept me intrigued and interested in what happens next.
It took me a while to figure out what was going on and how the “magic system” worked and all that, but in the end it was worth it!
I wish I knew more about the ending, the ending was so good!
It kinda reminded me of Anna’s relationships with Hans and kristoff in frozen, I loved!
I definitely recommend this book to people who want a refresh from “copy and paste” plots, and also those who want a book that never gets boring!
Let me just say, I’m not normally the one for these kinds of books with the wolf’s, but this was not like I was expecting it to be, it was so good!
The idea of the book and its plot was so new and refreshing—I was honestly expecting it to be like all those “copy and paste” books, but it actually kept me intrigued and interested in what happens next.
It took me a while to figure out what was going on and how the “magic system” worked and all that, but in the end it was worth it!
I wish I knew more about the ending, the ending was so good!
It kinda reminded me of Anna’s relationships with Hans and kristoff in frozen, I loved!
I definitely recommend this book to people who want a refresh from “copy and paste” plots, and also those who want a book that never gets boring!
September 16, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
2/5 stars
Unfortunately this book wasn’t for me. The premise was interesting about 7th son or daughter being given to the wood. The execution was poor in my opinion.
Lua had no redeeming qualities. She did not pay attention for someone who was supposed to be looking into murders. On top of that she was really naïve. Which I understand living in the wood she would be slightly naïve but after having someone point out specific things she still ignored it.
Overall I was not a fan. I didn’t connect to the characters and the love triangle felt unnecessary.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5★/5
Thank you to the author and Hodderscape & Stoughton publishing for the e-arc copy of this book!
Conocí a Nicki Pau Preto con Bonesmith. Una historia que me encantó y atrapó hasta la última página, y que recomiendo infinitamente. Los mundos que crea siempre son increíbles y muy bien desarrollados, haciendo que no quieras soltar el libro hasta saberlo todo.
Estaba muy emocionada, entonces, por su siguiente libro, 𝐃𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐖𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬 y, aunque lo he disfrutado bastante, no fue del todo lo que estaba esperando.
𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ ⋆𓇗⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָ
𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐛
𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑾𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒅.
Lua is a seventh-born daughter, cursed and claimed by the dark forest, where she runs barefoot and wild with the wolves who raised her. But by night, she watches the family that abandoned her at birth.
She also watches Cristiano. Though Thorne ― the surly, handsome protector of the Wood ― warns her of the risk Cristiano poses, she can't help but be drawn to his charm. But Thorne knows something Cristiano doesn't: Lua is a shapeshifter unable to take on her wolf form.
As Cristiano's affections bring her into the human world, dead bodies appear near the border of the Wood, with villagers casting blame on the denizens of the forest. Now Lua must spy on the humans, uncovering the truth behind the deaths ― or risk losing the only home she's known, the family she's always dreamt of finding, and the man who loves her for who she truly is.
𓇗
𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬
★Cosas que me gustaron:
La ambientación?! Nicki siempre me ha fascinado muy fácilmente con sus elecciones para desarrollar sus historias. Sus descripciones están tan llenas de matices que es imposible no imaginarse cada uno de ellos, sintiendo que ya no estás sentada leyendo, sino en un mundo completamente nuevo.
En este caso, ADORÉ las vibras a Princess Mononoke que sentí mientras iba página tras página. El conflicto entre humanos y seres mágicos, un bosque en peligro por la codicia del hombre, lobos (por supuesto) y una protagonista dividida entre dos identidades.
También posee aspectos más oscuros que, a decir verdad, incluso me recordaron un poco a Teen Wolf, con esto de las personas que desaparecían constantemente y demás criaturas oscuras.
Todo este misticismo me hizo no querer parar de leer casi en ningún momento, la imagen mental y la sensación de estar en el bosque era simplemente preciosa.
Además, abrió mi curiosidad a un aspecto en particular que no había investigado mucho antes: el folklore portugués. Me encanta cuando un libro me deja con ganas de seguir aprendiendo de algún hecho histórico o mitológico que antes no conocía, y 𝐃𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐖𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬 ha hecho justo eso.
★𝙲𝚘𝚜𝚊𝚜 𝚚𝚞𝚎 𝚗𝚘 𝚖𝚎 𝚐𝚞𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚘:
En general, disfruto mucho del conflicto interno con el que algunos personajes hacen batalla durante gran parte de la historia. En este caso, como séptima hija, Lua fue abandonada por su familia humana cuando no era más que un bebé y entregada al bosque para respetar la tregua entre ellos y los espíritus que lo habitan.
Tras un incidente que la deja sin poder cambiar a su forma, Lua ya no se siente lo suficientemente loba para estar con su familia en el bosque, pero tampoco es lo suficientemente humana para regresar a su hogar de origen.
Para mí, es significativo y entendible que un personaje en esa situación pase por un proceso para encontrar su verdadera naturaleza. Muchas veces ese no es un camino en línea recta, más bien una empinada montaña de cien metros de alto.
Con Lua, diría que gran parte del libro fue así, hasta que, incluso después de saber quiénes realmente estaban en su contra y lo que iba a pasar, seguía tomando decisiones que no tenían mucho sentido. Incluso se sentía extraño que tuviera tanto desconocimiento de un entorno y de personas que habían estado cerca de ella durante taaaaaaanto tiempo. Como espacios vacíos en su relación con los demás personajes.
En algún punto, esto hizo que los "plot twists" y revelaciones finales se sintieran ligeramente predecibles.
⊹ ࣪
En general, 𝐃𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐖𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬 fue un libro entretenido, lleno de magia y elementos interesantes. Me encantó volver a leer a Nicki Pau Preto, y tengo curiosidad por los acontecimientos que le esperan a estos personajes en el segundo tomo.
Thank you to the author and Hodderscape & Stoughton publishing for the e-arc copy of this book!
Conocí a Nicki Pau Preto con Bonesmith. Una historia que me encantó y atrapó hasta la última página, y que recomiendo infinitamente. Los mundos que crea siempre son increíbles y muy bien desarrollados, haciendo que no quieras soltar el libro hasta saberlo todo.
Estaba muy emocionada, entonces, por su siguiente libro, 𝐃𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐖𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬 y, aunque lo he disfrutado bastante, no fue del todo lo que estaba esperando.
𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ ⋆𓇗⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָ
𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐛
𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑾𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒅.
Lua is a seventh-born daughter, cursed and claimed by the dark forest, where she runs barefoot and wild with the wolves who raised her. But by night, she watches the family that abandoned her at birth.
She also watches Cristiano. Though Thorne ― the surly, handsome protector of the Wood ― warns her of the risk Cristiano poses, she can't help but be drawn to his charm. But Thorne knows something Cristiano doesn't: Lua is a shapeshifter unable to take on her wolf form.
As Cristiano's affections bring her into the human world, dead bodies appear near the border of the Wood, with villagers casting blame on the denizens of the forest. Now Lua must spy on the humans, uncovering the truth behind the deaths ― or risk losing the only home she's known, the family she's always dreamt of finding, and the man who loves her for who she truly is.
𓇗
𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬
★Cosas que me gustaron:
La ambientación?! Nicki siempre me ha fascinado muy fácilmente con sus elecciones para desarrollar sus historias. Sus descripciones están tan llenas de matices que es imposible no imaginarse cada uno de ellos, sintiendo que ya no estás sentada leyendo, sino en un mundo completamente nuevo.
En este caso, ADORÉ las vibras a Princess Mononoke que sentí mientras iba página tras página. El conflicto entre humanos y seres mágicos, un bosque en peligro por la codicia del hombre, lobos (por supuesto) y una protagonista dividida entre dos identidades.
También posee aspectos más oscuros que, a decir verdad, incluso me recordaron un poco a Teen Wolf, con esto de las personas que desaparecían constantemente y demás criaturas oscuras.
Todo este misticismo me hizo no querer parar de leer casi en ningún momento, la imagen mental y la sensación de estar en el bosque era simplemente preciosa.
Además, abrió mi curiosidad a un aspecto en particular que no había investigado mucho antes: el folklore portugués. Me encanta cuando un libro me deja con ganas de seguir aprendiendo de algún hecho histórico o mitológico que antes no conocía, y 𝐃𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐖𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬 ha hecho justo eso.
★𝙲𝚘𝚜𝚊𝚜 𝚚𝚞𝚎 𝚗𝚘 𝚖𝚎 𝚐𝚞𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚘:
En general, disfruto mucho del conflicto interno con el que algunos personajes hacen batalla durante gran parte de la historia. En este caso, como séptima hija, Lua fue abandonada por su familia humana cuando no era más que un bebé y entregada al bosque para respetar la tregua entre ellos y los espíritus que lo habitan.
Tras un incidente que la deja sin poder cambiar a su forma, Lua ya no se siente lo suficientemente loba para estar con su familia en el bosque, pero tampoco es lo suficientemente humana para regresar a su hogar de origen.
Para mí, es significativo y entendible que un personaje en esa situación pase por un proceso para encontrar su verdadera naturaleza. Muchas veces ese no es un camino en línea recta, más bien una empinada montaña de cien metros de alto.
Con Lua, diría que gran parte del libro fue así, hasta que, incluso después de saber quiénes realmente estaban en su contra y lo que iba a pasar, seguía tomando decisiones que no tenían mucho sentido. Incluso se sentía extraño que tuviera tanto desconocimiento de un entorno y de personas que habían estado cerca de ella durante taaaaaaanto tiempo. Como espacios vacíos en su relación con los demás personajes.
En algún punto, esto hizo que los "plot twists" y revelaciones finales se sintieran ligeramente predecibles.
⊹ ࣪
En general, 𝐃𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐖𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬 fue un libro entretenido, lleno de magia y elementos interesantes. Me encantó volver a leer a Nicki Pau Preto, y tengo curiosidad por los acontecimientos que le esperan a estos personajes en el segundo tomo.
Want to Read
September 17, 2026 Thank you Netgalley and St Martin Press Publishing for a chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I flew through this one! It was fast paced and I like the dark fairytale vibes. There’s shapeshifters, familiars, an enchanted forest, curses and secrets, hidden identity, a murder mystery, plus a love triangle. I really enjoyed this and can’t wait to see where this story goes. I absolutely love Thorne!
Thank you to St. Martin Press, Saturday Books, and Netgalley for the early copy!
Thank you to St. Martin Press, Saturday Books, and Netgalley for the early copy!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
🐺 Daughter of Wolves - Nicki Pau Preto
⭐ 4/5
Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton | Hodderscape for providing me with an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
From the beginning, I was completely taken by the atmosphere of Daughter of Wolves. The wild, shadowy forest and folklore-inspired magic give the story an almost timeless fairytale feel. I also loved entering Lua's life when so much of it was already in motion - her connections with the people around her have history and familiarity, making it feel like we're stepping into an established world rather than watching one being built around us.
I was also pleasantly surprised by the direction the book takes with its wolves. This isn't the paranormal, romance-heavy shifter story I might usually expect. Instead, the wolves are woven into a much broader fantasy rooted in folklore, old magic and darker fairytale elements. That combination gave the story its own identity and made Lua's world feel wonderfully mysterious and a little bit sinister.
And Lua herself is a fascinating protagonist. Did she frustrate me? Frequently 😂 She's stubborn, impulsive and painfully naive at times, and there were definitely moments when I was several steps ahead of her and desperately waiting for her to catch up. But I could also understand why she makes the choices she does.
Lua has spent her life caught between two worlds without ever truly belonging to either, so her desire to somehow claim both felt completely believable to me. There's a desperation beneath some of her more questionable decisions that made her much more multifaceted than I initially expected. I didn't always agree with her, but I understood her.
The story itself moves FAST. Lua is constantly navigating these two sides of her existence while trying to unravel the mysteries surrounding her, and there was rarely a moment when something wasn't happening. Because she already has established relationships with both MMCs when the story begins, the romantic elements can also get moving fairly quickly without requiring lengthy introductions.
My biggest issue was that the mystery was quite predictable. I worked out both where certain parts of the story were heading and who I shouldn't trust relatively early on. However, I do think some of that comes from experiencing everything through Lua's perspective. The reader has enough distance to recognise things that Lua - with her limited understanding of the world around her and her desire to believe certain people - simply isn't ready to see.
Where I struggled more was with the emotional depth.
Despite being engaged throughout, I sometimes felt slightly removed from Lua's experiences. There are some huge emotions, relationships and revelations within this story, but I didn't always feel them as strongly as I wanted to. At times it felt as though Lua was telling me what she was experiencing rather than the writing allowing me to fully experience those emotions alongside her. That kept a story I really enjoyed from becoming one I completely lost myself in.
Still, this was such an entertaining start to the series. It's dark, atmospheric and incredibly fast-paced, with a flawed and complicated FMC, intriguing mythology and a take on wolf shifters that feels refreshingly different from the paranormal romances I usually associate with them.
⭐ 4/5 - an atmospheric blend of dark fairytale, folklore and wolf-shifter fantasy with a wonderfully complicated heroine at its centre. Predictable in places and not quite as emotionally immersive as I wanted, but ridiculously easy to keep turning the pages.
⭐ 4/5
Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton | Hodderscape for providing me with an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
From the beginning, I was completely taken by the atmosphere of Daughter of Wolves. The wild, shadowy forest and folklore-inspired magic give the story an almost timeless fairytale feel. I also loved entering Lua's life when so much of it was already in motion - her connections with the people around her have history and familiarity, making it feel like we're stepping into an established world rather than watching one being built around us.
I was also pleasantly surprised by the direction the book takes with its wolves. This isn't the paranormal, romance-heavy shifter story I might usually expect. Instead, the wolves are woven into a much broader fantasy rooted in folklore, old magic and darker fairytale elements. That combination gave the story its own identity and made Lua's world feel wonderfully mysterious and a little bit sinister.
And Lua herself is a fascinating protagonist. Did she frustrate me? Frequently 😂 She's stubborn, impulsive and painfully naive at times, and there were definitely moments when I was several steps ahead of her and desperately waiting for her to catch up. But I could also understand why she makes the choices she does.
Lua has spent her life caught between two worlds without ever truly belonging to either, so her desire to somehow claim both felt completely believable to me. There's a desperation beneath some of her more questionable decisions that made her much more multifaceted than I initially expected. I didn't always agree with her, but I understood her.
The story itself moves FAST. Lua is constantly navigating these two sides of her existence while trying to unravel the mysteries surrounding her, and there was rarely a moment when something wasn't happening. Because she already has established relationships with both MMCs when the story begins, the romantic elements can also get moving fairly quickly without requiring lengthy introductions.
My biggest issue was that the mystery was quite predictable. I worked out both where certain parts of the story were heading and who I shouldn't trust relatively early on. However, I do think some of that comes from experiencing everything through Lua's perspective. The reader has enough distance to recognise things that Lua - with her limited understanding of the world around her and her desire to believe certain people - simply isn't ready to see.
Where I struggled more was with the emotional depth.
Despite being engaged throughout, I sometimes felt slightly removed from Lua's experiences. There are some huge emotions, relationships and revelations within this story, but I didn't always feel them as strongly as I wanted to. At times it felt as though Lua was telling me what she was experiencing rather than the writing allowing me to fully experience those emotions alongside her. That kept a story I really enjoyed from becoming one I completely lost myself in.
Still, this was such an entertaining start to the series. It's dark, atmospheric and incredibly fast-paced, with a flawed and complicated FMC, intriguing mythology and a take on wolf shifters that feels refreshingly different from the paranormal romances I usually associate with them.
⭐ 4/5 - an atmospheric blend of dark fairytale, folklore and wolf-shifter fantasy with a wonderfully complicated heroine at its centre. Predictable in places and not quite as emotionally immersive as I wanted, but ridiculously easy to keep turning the pages.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4 stars 𓃦☽⋆⁺₊✧
Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton | Hodderscape for providing me with an advanced reader copy through Netgalley.
⋆🐾 Pulled from Portuguese folklore, Daughter of Wolves is a richly imagined dark romantic fantasy story about Lua, seventh daughter from a rich family who gave her away to be raised alongside pack of wolves. Lua soon was betrothed to her childhood sweetheart, the charming Cristiano due to family arrangements. But at night, she belonged to the forest, and swore her oath to the woodsman, the brooding Thorne, whom she had complicated history with. I read this in less than six hours; this story was so addictive and un-put-downable.
I want to start by saying that this book needs to be marketed to the right audience; I could see Daughter of Wolves being received in mixed reviews amongst the audience for a few reasons. It worked for me. I don't know if this is Nicki Pau Petro's usual writing style, but her framing of the first point of view (the writing reflecting the personality of the character) to be clever. At first, you're expecting lyrical, whimsy prose, but then you recognize that you're reading from a perspective of a girl who was raised amongst wolves, secluded from society and what society viewed as the norm. One example that I could think of was how Shatter Me was written; mixed opinions on the writing/prose, but we're literally in Juliette Ferrars's mind (the girl who was put into asylum for years). I find that I am comfortable to adjust according to the writing; they make much more compelling and standout main characters.
Despite finding Lua frustrating at times because of her stubborn and naive streaks, I understand her motivation and her arc perfectly well. Seeing how she never fits in both worlds, it wasn't surprising that Lua would eventually get greedy to have both. I find her character to be so multifaceted. Lua is bitter that she can't shapeshift into her wolf form for years, and she yearns to be close with her human family too. Because she was lonely, Lua accepted the first hand extended to her. Lua isn't naive because that's her assigned personality; she's naive because of the environment that she grew in, and I'm sure that she'll be sharper as she matures. I predicted the plot twist very early on, but I was still pleasant with how the story takes shape.
I had such a great time with the book. The story was fast-paced and could be read in one sitting. There was never a dull moment following Lua as she navigates her way into both worlds and working to unravel the mystery. Given that Lua was already acquainted with both of the MMCs from the start, the romance was quick in motion. One particular scene involving socks quite literally had me flushing because of the tension. If I had to recommend, I would recommend this to readers who want a quick, fast paced dark romantasy read, especially perfect for summerween or halloween. Overall, I 100% recommend Daughter of Wolves and will be seated for book 2.
Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton | Hodderscape for providing me with an advanced reader copy through Netgalley.
⋆🐾 Pulled from Portuguese folklore, Daughter of Wolves is a richly imagined dark romantic fantasy story about Lua, seventh daughter from a rich family who gave her away to be raised alongside pack of wolves. Lua soon was betrothed to her childhood sweetheart, the charming Cristiano due to family arrangements. But at night, she belonged to the forest, and swore her oath to the woodsman, the brooding Thorne, whom she had complicated history with. I read this in less than six hours; this story was so addictive and un-put-downable.
I want to start by saying that this book needs to be marketed to the right audience; I could see Daughter of Wolves being received in mixed reviews amongst the audience for a few reasons. It worked for me. I don't know if this is Nicki Pau Petro's usual writing style, but her framing of the first point of view (the writing reflecting the personality of the character) to be clever. At first, you're expecting lyrical, whimsy prose, but then you recognize that you're reading from a perspective of a girl who was raised amongst wolves, secluded from society and what society viewed as the norm. One example that I could think of was how Shatter Me was written; mixed opinions on the writing/prose, but we're literally in Juliette Ferrars's mind (the girl who was put into asylum for years). I find that I am comfortable to adjust according to the writing; they make much more compelling and standout main characters.
Despite finding Lua frustrating at times because of her stubborn and naive streaks, I understand her motivation and her arc perfectly well. Seeing how she never fits in both worlds, it wasn't surprising that Lua would eventually get greedy to have both. I find her character to be so multifaceted. Lua is bitter that she can't shapeshift into her wolf form for years, and she yearns to be close with her human family too. Because she was lonely, Lua accepted the first hand extended to her. Lua isn't naive because that's her assigned personality; she's naive because of the environment that she grew in, and I'm sure that she'll be sharper as she matures. I predicted the plot twist very early on, but I was still pleasant with how the story takes shape.
I had such a great time with the book. The story was fast-paced and could be read in one sitting. There was never a dull moment following Lua as she navigates her way into both worlds and working to unravel the mystery. Given that Lua was already acquainted with both of the MMCs from the start, the romance was quick in motion. One particular scene involving socks quite literally had me flushing because of the tension. If I had to recommend, I would recommend this to readers who want a quick, fast paced dark romantasy read, especially perfect for summerween or halloween. Overall, I 100% recommend Daughter of Wolves and will be seated for book 2.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I honestly had such a good time with Daughter of Wolves. The atmosphere grabbed me right away. The forest felt creepy, magical, and almost alive, and I loved the fairytale feeling the book had from the beginning. There was something about Lua running through the Wood with the wolves that made the whole story feel so different. I also really liked the Portuguese folklore influence. It gave the world its own personality and made it feel like more than just another fantasy with wolves and magic.
Lua was probably my favorite part of the whole book. I felt so bad for her because she really does not know where she belongs. She was born human, but the wolves are the ones who raised her and became her family. At the same time, she has always wondered about the family who gave her up and what her life could have been like with them. I really felt her loneliness throughout the book. She just wants to be loved and have a place where she fits, and I wanted to give her a hug so many times. She is also pretty naive when it comes to the human world, but I actually liked that because it made sense for the way she grew up.
I was definitely invested in the whole Lua, Thorne, and Cristiano situation. There is so much history between them, and I liked that their relationships felt complicated instead of easy. Cristiano is everything Lua has imagined wanting from her human life, while Thorne understands the part of her that belongs to the Wood. I definitely found myself getting frustrated with some of their choices, but that also made the relationships more interesting to me. And yes, I was absolutely rooting for Thorne. Their relationship has so much tension and takes its time, which made the moments between them feel even better.
The murder mystery was a nice addition too. I did figure out a few things before Lua did, but I didn't really mind because it made sense with how sheltered she was. I actually liked being able to notice little things and then wait for Lua to catch up. The story was also SO easy to get through. I kept saying I would read one more chapter and then ended up reading way more than I planned. There was always something happening, whether it was the mystery, the relationships, the wolves, or another secret about the Wood.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. It felt like a dark fairytale mixed with romantasy, and I loved how much the forest and wolves were woven into Lua's story. It wasn't just a typical shifter romance, which I really appreciated. There was a lot more going on with the folklore, the magic, and Lua trying to figure out who she is. I also really liked how much she grew throughout the book. And that ending definitely has me wanting more because I am not ready to leave this world or these characters yet. I will absolutely be picking up the next book!
Lua was probably my favorite part of the whole book. I felt so bad for her because she really does not know where she belongs. She was born human, but the wolves are the ones who raised her and became her family. At the same time, she has always wondered about the family who gave her up and what her life could have been like with them. I really felt her loneliness throughout the book. She just wants to be loved and have a place where she fits, and I wanted to give her a hug so many times. She is also pretty naive when it comes to the human world, but I actually liked that because it made sense for the way she grew up.
I was definitely invested in the whole Lua, Thorne, and Cristiano situation. There is so much history between them, and I liked that their relationships felt complicated instead of easy. Cristiano is everything Lua has imagined wanting from her human life, while Thorne understands the part of her that belongs to the Wood. I definitely found myself getting frustrated with some of their choices, but that also made the relationships more interesting to me. And yes, I was absolutely rooting for Thorne. Their relationship has so much tension and takes its time, which made the moments between them feel even better.
The murder mystery was a nice addition too. I did figure out a few things before Lua did, but I didn't really mind because it made sense with how sheltered she was. I actually liked being able to notice little things and then wait for Lua to catch up. The story was also SO easy to get through. I kept saying I would read one more chapter and then ended up reading way more than I planned. There was always something happening, whether it was the mystery, the relationships, the wolves, or another secret about the Wood.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. It felt like a dark fairytale mixed with romantasy, and I loved how much the forest and wolves were woven into Lua's story. It wasn't just a typical shifter romance, which I really appreciated. There was a lot more going on with the folklore, the magic, and Lua trying to figure out who she is. I also really liked how much she grew throughout the book. And that ending definitely has me wanting more because I am not ready to leave this world or these characters yet. I will absolutely be picking up the next book!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press / Saturday Books for providing me with an advance copy of Daughter of Wolves.
Daughter of Wolves is exactly the kind of dark, atmospheric romantasy that feels like stepping directly into a dangerous fairy tale.
Lua is a seventh-born daughter, cursed and claimed by the Wood after being abandoned by her family. Raised among wolves and shaped by the forest, she grows up caught between two worlds—belonging to neither the humans who gave her up nor entirely to the wolves and magic that raised her. Her longing for acceptance makes her journey into the human world all the more compelling, especially when Cristiano, her childhood connection, offers her the possibility of finally having the family and belonging she has always wanted.
But then there is Thorne—the surly protector of the Wood who knows Lua better than the humans ever could. The contrast between Cristiano and Thorne creates such an intriguing emotional conflict, especially as Lua begins to question where she truly belongs and what she is willing to sacrifice for love.
I especially loved the Portuguese folklore-inspired foundation of the story. The Wood feels like more than simply a setting; it is mysterious, dangerous, and almost alive, giving the story a wonderfully haunting atmosphere. The combination of wolf magic, shapeshifting, ancient secrets, human–forest tensions, and a murder mystery makes this feel refreshingly different from the usual romantasy formula.
Lua also sounds like such a fascinating heroine to follow. Her struggle between her human and wolf identities gives the story a deeper emotional thread beneath the romance, while the mystery surrounding the deaths near the Wood adds another layer of tension.
Dark, romantic, atmospheric, and beautifully folkloric, Daughter of Wolves sounds like a fantastic adult debut. It has enchanted forests, complicated loyalties, dangerous magic, a slow-burning romance, and a heroine desperately searching for where she belongs—everything I want from a romantasy.
Nicki Pau Preto has created a premise that feels both familiar and wonderfully fresh, and I’m already very curious to see where Lua’s story goes next.
Daughter of Wolves is exactly the kind of dark, atmospheric romantasy that feels like stepping directly into a dangerous fairy tale.
Lua is a seventh-born daughter, cursed and claimed by the Wood after being abandoned by her family. Raised among wolves and shaped by the forest, she grows up caught between two worlds—belonging to neither the humans who gave her up nor entirely to the wolves and magic that raised her. Her longing for acceptance makes her journey into the human world all the more compelling, especially when Cristiano, her childhood connection, offers her the possibility of finally having the family and belonging she has always wanted.
But then there is Thorne—the surly protector of the Wood who knows Lua better than the humans ever could. The contrast between Cristiano and Thorne creates such an intriguing emotional conflict, especially as Lua begins to question where she truly belongs and what she is willing to sacrifice for love.
I especially loved the Portuguese folklore-inspired foundation of the story. The Wood feels like more than simply a setting; it is mysterious, dangerous, and almost alive, giving the story a wonderfully haunting atmosphere. The combination of wolf magic, shapeshifting, ancient secrets, human–forest tensions, and a murder mystery makes this feel refreshingly different from the usual romantasy formula.
Lua also sounds like such a fascinating heroine to follow. Her struggle between her human and wolf identities gives the story a deeper emotional thread beneath the romance, while the mystery surrounding the deaths near the Wood adds another layer of tension.
Dark, romantic, atmospheric, and beautifully folkloric, Daughter of Wolves sounds like a fantastic adult debut. It has enchanted forests, complicated loyalties, dangerous magic, a slow-burning romance, and a heroine desperately searching for where she belongs—everything I want from a romantasy.
Nicki Pau Preto has created a premise that feels both familiar and wonderfully fresh, and I’m already very curious to see where Lua’s story goes next.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4 stars!! Goodness this book was fast paced and full of so much yearning!! The author created SUCH dark & vivid imagery throughout the entire book. And oh did I mention a murder mystery "who did it?"!! The plot truly had me hooked from the beginning. The fact it was based on Portuguese folklore was such a new and refreshing take in the genre that I DEEPLY enjoyed. After I finished the book I did some research and I think maybe it's the author's beautifully done twist on The Peeira? Anyone who enjoyed this book I think you would enjoy looking into that a lot because I did! You know a book is good when it inspires independent sleuthing lol.
It was fascinating to see the FMC Lua have to figure out this mystery while battling the duality of the two worlds she knows (and not really feeling that sense of belonging to either). My heart pinched for her at certain times because of having to see her navigate the lack recognition of some social cues. Because of this she becomes a bit easily manipulated and subject to abuse (make sure you double check TWs).
That being said though, one issue was that I felt sort of removed from Lua emotionally. I'm not sure if it is because we are in the one POV the entire time? Or the author's usual writing style (this is the first book I have read of hers)? Her thoughts / dialogue often seemed despondent and sort of stilted / segmented. Now is that due to her upbringing? I'm not sure because it wasn't all the time. But still because of that I didn't feel any emotions when developments occur later in the book. I think the strongest one evoked may have been sympathy for her from the reasons I stated above, and I'm just a hopelessly empathetic person lol.
All in all I really enjoyed the book and I will definitely read book 2. Perhaps there is intended character growth for Lua to be more in tune with her emotions, and thus the reader will feel that change through her. Just a great book 1 where the plot had me on the edge of my seat.
Thank you so much Nicki Pao Preto, St.Martin's Press/Saturday Books, and NetGalley for this ARC!
It was fascinating to see the FMC Lua have to figure out this mystery while battling the duality of the two worlds she knows (and not really feeling that sense of belonging to either). My heart pinched for her at certain times because of having to see her navigate the lack recognition of some social cues. Because of this she becomes a bit easily manipulated and subject to abuse (make sure you double check TWs).
That being said though, one issue was that I felt sort of removed from Lua emotionally. I'm not sure if it is because we are in the one POV the entire time? Or the author's usual writing style (this is the first book I have read of hers)? Her thoughts / dialogue often seemed despondent and sort of stilted / segmented. Now is that due to her upbringing? I'm not sure because it wasn't all the time. But still because of that I didn't feel any emotions when developments occur later in the book. I think the strongest one evoked may have been sympathy for her from the reasons I stated above, and I'm just a hopelessly empathetic person lol.
All in all I really enjoyed the book and I will definitely read book 2. Perhaps there is intended character growth for Lua to be more in tune with her emotions, and thus the reader will feel that change through her. Just a great book 1 where the plot had me on the edge of my seat.
Thank you so much Nicki Pao Preto, St.Martin's Press/Saturday Books, and NetGalley for this ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Daughter of Wolves” is the first book I’ve finished in a single sitting in probably years. I genuinely could not keep my eyes off my Kindle, I was sucked in from the very first chapter.
Lua, our FMC, was so interesting. A woman, a wolf, the daughter of humans, but a citizen of the woods. Two love interests warring for the two sides of her heart. A family of blood or a family of soul. This felt like being 10 years old again and reading werewolf fanfiction on Wattpad, except now I’m 27 and what I’m reading is actually well written.
As for the MMCs, I won’t say too much to avoid spoilers, but safe to say I felt pretty comfortable with where I thought the story was heading—and I was right with my prediction. But that didn’t take away from my enjoyment at all. Sometimes it’s nice for a story to go the way you think it will, with the main question simply being how the author is going to get you there.
I also really enjoyed the side characters. Lua’s wolf siblings and mother, Indira, and the entire human ensemble she uses for her charade. It all came together really nicely and made the world feel full without taking too much attention away from Lua’s story.
My only real complaint is that I want more! I’m incredibly hopeful for, at minimum, a second book, and I honestly think this story could have easily been another 100 pages.
I did somewhat struggle with Lua’s understanding of the humans and, specifically, how her communication with her wolf siblings worked. If their communication is so limited(and she presumably speaks a human language) how was she able to communicate with the pups before they acquired her language? I think I would have liked a little more backstory or explanation of what her childhood actually looked like, rather than just hearing that she spent it with the witch and her wolf mother.
Overall, though, this was such an addictive read. I flew through it, loved the characters, and was completely invested in Lua and the two worlds pulling at her. Now I just need more!
Lua, our FMC, was so interesting. A woman, a wolf, the daughter of humans, but a citizen of the woods. Two love interests warring for the two sides of her heart. A family of blood or a family of soul. This felt like being 10 years old again and reading werewolf fanfiction on Wattpad, except now I’m 27 and what I’m reading is actually well written.
As for the MMCs, I won’t say too much to avoid spoilers, but safe to say I felt pretty comfortable with where I thought the story was heading—and I was right with my prediction. But that didn’t take away from my enjoyment at all. Sometimes it’s nice for a story to go the way you think it will, with the main question simply being how the author is going to get you there.
I also really enjoyed the side characters. Lua’s wolf siblings and mother, Indira, and the entire human ensemble she uses for her charade. It all came together really nicely and made the world feel full without taking too much attention away from Lua’s story.
My only real complaint is that I want more! I’m incredibly hopeful for, at minimum, a second book, and I honestly think this story could have easily been another 100 pages.
I did somewhat struggle with Lua’s understanding of the humans and, specifically, how her communication with her wolf siblings worked. If their communication is so limited(and she presumably speaks a human language) how was she able to communicate with the pups before they acquired her language? I think I would have liked a little more backstory or explanation of what her childhood actually looked like, rather than just hearing that she spent it with the witch and her wolf mother.
Overall, though, this was such an addictive read. I flew through it, loved the characters, and was completely invested in Lua and the two worlds pulling at her. Now I just need more!
September 15, 2026
3.5 ⭐️
I really enjoyed the premise of Daughters of Wolves. It felt different from anything I’ve read before, and I loved that the story throws you straight into the plot rather than spending the first several chapters explaining the world and its history. The pacing was quick and kept me intrigued throughout. While it wasn’t quite a “couldn’t put it down” book for me, I consistently found myself wanting to keep reading and see what would happen next.
The atmosphere was one of my favorite parts. The dark woods created such an eerie, unsettling setting that really fit the story. At times though, the book almost felt more like a murder mystery with fantasy elements, rather than strictly a fantasy.
That said, I sometimes struggled to feel emotionally connected to the main character, particularly during the first third of the book. I didn’t always feel as concerned about what was happening to her or around her as I wanted to, and I actually felt like Thorne experienced more noticeable character development throughout the story. She also made some choices that had me thinking, “girl, WHY?” 😂 While those decisions definitely frustrated me at times, I also think they were important to driving the plot forward and ultimately made the ending more impactful.
I also found the blend of the mystery and fantasy elements a little uneven at times. The story would become very heavily focused on the murder mystery, and then suddenly I’d be reminded that I was reading a fantasy about shifters. Because of the direction her ability to shift takes, I sometimes almost forgot that aspect of the story entirely. I think the two elements could have felt a little more cohesive.
Overall, though, I really liked the originality of the premise, the dark atmosphere, and the fast-paced plot. There were definitely parts that kept me guessing, and I appreciated that the story felt different from the usual fantasy I’ve been reading. It wasn’t a five-star read for me, but it was an engaging and unique story that kept me interested until the end!
I really enjoyed the premise of Daughters of Wolves. It felt different from anything I’ve read before, and I loved that the story throws you straight into the plot rather than spending the first several chapters explaining the world and its history. The pacing was quick and kept me intrigued throughout. While it wasn’t quite a “couldn’t put it down” book for me, I consistently found myself wanting to keep reading and see what would happen next.
The atmosphere was one of my favorite parts. The dark woods created such an eerie, unsettling setting that really fit the story. At times though, the book almost felt more like a murder mystery with fantasy elements, rather than strictly a fantasy.
That said, I sometimes struggled to feel emotionally connected to the main character, particularly during the first third of the book. I didn’t always feel as concerned about what was happening to her or around her as I wanted to, and I actually felt like Thorne experienced more noticeable character development throughout the story. She also made some choices that had me thinking, “girl, WHY?” 😂 While those decisions definitely frustrated me at times, I also think they were important to driving the plot forward and ultimately made the ending more impactful.
I also found the blend of the mystery and fantasy elements a little uneven at times. The story would become very heavily focused on the murder mystery, and then suddenly I’d be reminded that I was reading a fantasy about shifters. Because of the direction her ability to shift takes, I sometimes almost forgot that aspect of the story entirely. I think the two elements could have felt a little more cohesive.
Overall, though, I really liked the originality of the premise, the dark atmosphere, and the fast-paced plot. There were definitely parts that kept me guessing, and I appreciated that the story felt different from the usual fantasy I’ve been reading. It wasn’t a five-star read for me, but it was an engaging and unique story that kept me interested until the end!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Daughter of Wolves is one of those books that's easy to fall into, with a world that feels mysterious and magical.
Lua was such an interesting main character. As the cursed seventh daughter, she's abandoned to the Black Wood, where she's raised by wolves and becomes a wolf shifter. She's torn between the world she came from and the one that raised her. I loved watching her discover who she really is and where she belongs. Her journey is full of heartbreak, courage, and impossible choices, and I found myself rooting for her every step of the way.
The relationships were another highlight for me. Between Lua, Thorne, and Cristiano, there's so much tension and emotion. There are two romance arcs, but it never feels like a love triangle. Lua and Cristiano's relationship goes from friends to lovers to enemies, and it's far from healthy. Lua and Thorne's relationship evolves from friends to hurt and resentment, then to reluctant allies, and eventually into something more. Their connection feels genuine, heartfelt, and wonderfully slow burn. I'm very curious to see where their story goes in the next book.
What really makes this book stand out is how different it feels from most wolf shifter stories. Instead of leaning heavily into paranormal romance, it blends folklore, fantasy, and ancient magic into something that feels fresh and unique. It has the atmosphere of a dark fairy tale with just the right amount of romance woven throughout.
If you're looking for a fantasy filled with magic, wolf shifters, emotional character growth, and a romance that takes its time, I definitely recommend picking this one up.
Tropes & Vibes
🖤 Wolf shifters, wolves, and humans
🖤 Cursed heroine
🖤 Found family
🖤 Hidden truths
🖤 Atmospheric magical forest
🖤 High stakes
Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Saturday Books, and NetGalley for the eARC. I'm so grateful this book introduced me to Nicki Pau Preto because this definitely won't be my last read from her.
4.5 stars!
Lua was such an interesting main character. As the cursed seventh daughter, she's abandoned to the Black Wood, where she's raised by wolves and becomes a wolf shifter. She's torn between the world she came from and the one that raised her. I loved watching her discover who she really is and where she belongs. Her journey is full of heartbreak, courage, and impossible choices, and I found myself rooting for her every step of the way.
The relationships were another highlight for me. Between Lua, Thorne, and Cristiano, there's so much tension and emotion. There are two romance arcs, but it never feels like a love triangle. Lua and Cristiano's relationship goes from friends to lovers to enemies, and it's far from healthy. Lua and Thorne's relationship evolves from friends to hurt and resentment, then to reluctant allies, and eventually into something more. Their connection feels genuine, heartfelt, and wonderfully slow burn. I'm very curious to see where their story goes in the next book.
What really makes this book stand out is how different it feels from most wolf shifter stories. Instead of leaning heavily into paranormal romance, it blends folklore, fantasy, and ancient magic into something that feels fresh and unique. It has the atmosphere of a dark fairy tale with just the right amount of romance woven throughout.
If you're looking for a fantasy filled with magic, wolf shifters, emotional character growth, and a romance that takes its time, I definitely recommend picking this one up.
Tropes & Vibes
🖤 Wolf shifters, wolves, and humans
🖤 Cursed heroine
🖤 Found family
🖤 Hidden truths
🖤 Atmospheric magical forest
🖤 High stakes
Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Saturday Books, and NetGalley for the eARC. I'm so grateful this book introduced me to Nicki Pau Preto because this definitely won't be my last read from her.
4.5 stars!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
“I was a human child under the glow of the sun, and a wolf pup under the light of the moon.”
A dark fairytale where a love triangle happens between a boy who abandoned her and one who is dangerous, but frees her.
It’s like we were seeing through Lua’s life in the magical forest with her wolf pack, understanding the two connections between the MMCs, and discovering situations through Lua’s eyes to be questionable and how naive she was and the dangers of the human world. The wolf pack are so much more to this story in Lua’s life that is both mysterious and a different kind of magic.
She is the Seventh daughter that comes from a curse. A shape shifter. Taken to the Black Wood and born under the full moon. She is pack. She is of the Wood. But she is also part of the human world. But also all so lonely that made me want to give her a big hug 🥹
You feel Lua fantasize a life where she can have both, but ends up dreaming of where it all went wrong, of why she cannot choose.
The murder mystery brings a nice touch to this story that kept the atmospheric setting more live and interesting where you can pretty much predict of what was going to happen.
Our MMCs, Thorne the Woodsmen who has a connection to the forest. More on edge and then you have Cristiano that never truly saw Lua for who she is. He was wealthy, dangerous, but thrives on excitement.
You will grow to love or be frustrated with them because one feels like home while the other makes your heartache!
It was also fun reading this story and enjoyed how fast paced it felt! You got a great blend between character development, plot focus, and romance.
Thank you so much again to both St. Martin’s Press and Hodder & Stoughton for the e-galley! This was a highly anticipated read and loved it right from the beginning that took me by surprise! 🐺🤍
A dark fairytale where a love triangle happens between a boy who abandoned her and one who is dangerous, but frees her.
It’s like we were seeing through Lua’s life in the magical forest with her wolf pack, understanding the two connections between the MMCs, and discovering situations through Lua’s eyes to be questionable and how naive she was and the dangers of the human world. The wolf pack are so much more to this story in Lua’s life that is both mysterious and a different kind of magic.
She is the Seventh daughter that comes from a curse. A shape shifter. Taken to the Black Wood and born under the full moon. She is pack. She is of the Wood. But she is also part of the human world. But also all so lonely that made me want to give her a big hug 🥹
You feel Lua fantasize a life where she can have both, but ends up dreaming of where it all went wrong, of why she cannot choose.
The murder mystery brings a nice touch to this story that kept the atmospheric setting more live and interesting where you can pretty much predict of what was going to happen.
Our MMCs, Thorne the Woodsmen who has a connection to the forest. More on edge and then you have Cristiano that never truly saw Lua for who she is. He was wealthy, dangerous, but thrives on excitement.
You will grow to love or be frustrated with them because one feels like home while the other makes your heartache!
It was also fun reading this story and enjoyed how fast paced it felt! You got a great blend between character development, plot focus, and romance.
Thank you so much again to both St. Martin’s Press and Hodder & Stoughton for the e-galley! This was a highly anticipated read and loved it right from the beginning that took me by surprise! 🐺🤍
September 23, 2026
This book was very easy to get into and I was intrigued right from the start. We have a dark romantic fantasy with a murder mystery, Victorian-era vibes, a magical forest and fairytale elements, and I really enjoyed the blend of all these different pieces. While there are two love interests for our FMC we don’t get a love triangle in the traditional sense. The end goal is pretty clear from the beginning.
Unfortunately, the murder mystery was very easy to figure out. From the beginning it was obvious to me who was behind it and why and there weren’t really any surprises along the way. Because of this, Lua came across as pretty naive and even a little frustratingly oblivious. Her decisions towards the end became particularly frustrating to me.
I also felt that the switch from one MMC to the other happened way too quickly. I never really felt a true developing romance, which was a shame because Thorne definitely had the potential to become a delicious book boyfriend if given the chance.
The ending felt quite rushed. So much suddenly happens in a short amount of time, and I wish the author had slowed things down and given some of those moments more room to breathe.
If the story had managed to surprise me once or twice, this could easily have been a 4, maybe even a 5-star read. I was genuinely hooked at the beginning and really enjoyed myself until around the halfway point. But as the story progressed, the predictability started to work against it and Lua’s choices became increasingly frustrating.
There are still some open questions, and there is definitely room for a sequel, but I appreciated that the book doesn’t end on a cliffhanger. Despite my criticisms, if there is another installment, I’ll definitely be picking it up. 😊
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
Unfortunately, the murder mystery was very easy to figure out. From the beginning it was obvious to me who was behind it and why and there weren’t really any surprises along the way. Because of this, Lua came across as pretty naive and even a little frustratingly oblivious. Her decisions towards the end became particularly frustrating to me.
I also felt that the switch from one MMC to the other happened way too quickly. I never really felt a true developing romance, which was a shame because Thorne definitely had the potential to become a delicious book boyfriend if given the chance.
The ending felt quite rushed. So much suddenly happens in a short amount of time, and I wish the author had slowed things down and given some of those moments more room to breathe.
If the story had managed to surprise me once or twice, this could easily have been a 4, maybe even a 5-star read. I was genuinely hooked at the beginning and really enjoyed myself until around the halfway point. But as the story progressed, the predictability started to work against it and Lua’s choices became increasingly frustrating.
There are still some open questions, and there is definitely room for a sequel, but I appreciated that the book doesn’t end on a cliffhanger. Despite my criticisms, if there is another installment, I’ll definitely be picking it up. 😊
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Did I preorder this weeks ago based off the cover? Yes. Did I then find a way to get an arc copy into my hands cause I was desperate for it? Yes. Did I read it in less than 12 hours? YES!! This was SO GOOD! It lived up to every expectation that I had. I obviously couldn’t put it down cause even with 2 small children I found a way to read the whole thing in a day.
If you are also struggling with reading after finishing Tallow and Bone by Rhiannon Hargadon I really encourage you to pick this up. This gives you that spooky dark forest magical vibes that I was craving. I actually kept picturing Steadfast as the woodsman in my head on accident and I’m not upset about it 🤣 I can’t wait to get more character art for Daughter of wolves.
‘I am not some savage, wild thing. I am not an animal.’
This story follows Lua, she is the seventh born daughter. The seventh born child is always cursed and claimed by the dark forest, she was left as an offering, claimed by the wolves. She now runs barefoot through the forest, free and wild with her wolf pack. By night along the edge of the woods she watches the family that abandoned her, curious about who they are.
Thorne, the handsome woodsman, her childhood crush/friend turned broody protector, warns her to be careful, warns her to stay away from Cristiano. But Cristiano accepts her, and shes drawn to his charm, he bring her into the human world with her family. Can Lua have everything she wants? Will she lose the only family she’s ever known?
I loved Lua as a main character, this book is written from her pov so I really felt like I got to know her and was able to connect with her. Lua really had so much character growth through out the book and I loved the way the author did the flash backs to give us as glimps into her childhood, I really felt like I got to see her grow into who she was at the end.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Daughter of Wolves follows Lua, a seventh-born daughter cursed and claimed by the dark forest. Raised as a shifter, she grew up running with wolves and spending her nights watching the family that discarded her at birth. When Cristiano, her childhood crush, proposes to her and offers her a place within her birth family, Lua is quick to accept. But the offer means abandoning her duty to the wolves, the Wood, and Thorne, the woodsman who broke her heart. Lua must choose who really has her heart: the humans or the Woods.
I am SO pleased one of my most anticipated 2027 reads ended up being a 5!! Nicki Pau Preto has definitely cemented herself as one of my favourites authors with this book! I absolutely adore her YA series and am now obsessed with her adult debut! While this does seem to stand on its own, I would absolutely LOVE a sequel. The world she created was so fascinating. I loved the fact that it’s Portuguese folklore inspired. The whole concept of the Wood being toxic to humans was super cool and the writing was so lovely and atmospheric.
I loved Lua!! She was such a great main character. I loved the depth of her struggle between her human side and wolf side. She definitely goes through a lot throughout the novel and becomes so strong and fierce. Her growth was so good for the book being only about 300 pages. I loved seeing her jump back and forth between her two families and who she chooses in the end is so perfect. Thorne was amazing. Incredible love interest. I am obsessed. I could read a million books with the two of them. It was a slow burn and it was drawn out so well.
I would highly recommend this if you love dark romantasy and folklore inspired stories!
Thank you to St Martin’s and Netgalley for the arc.
I am SO pleased one of my most anticipated 2027 reads ended up being a 5!! Nicki Pau Preto has definitely cemented herself as one of my favourites authors with this book! I absolutely adore her YA series and am now obsessed with her adult debut! While this does seem to stand on its own, I would absolutely LOVE a sequel. The world she created was so fascinating. I loved the fact that it’s Portuguese folklore inspired. The whole concept of the Wood being toxic to humans was super cool and the writing was so lovely and atmospheric.
I loved Lua!! She was such a great main character. I loved the depth of her struggle between her human side and wolf side. She definitely goes through a lot throughout the novel and becomes so strong and fierce. Her growth was so good for the book being only about 300 pages. I loved seeing her jump back and forth between her two families and who she chooses in the end is so perfect. Thorne was amazing. Incredible love interest. I am obsessed. I could read a million books with the two of them. It was a slow burn and it was drawn out so well.
I would highly recommend this if you love dark romantasy and folklore inspired stories!
Thank you to St Martin’s and Netgalley for the arc.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
5 ⭐️
I LOVED this! Give me a good love triangle with natural chemistry and yearning, and I am absolutely in. The dynamic between the three main characters felt smooth, enticing, and emotionally believable, and I could really feel the tension between them. I also really appreciated the FMC. Despite being young, she was intelligent, thoughtful, and never felt unnecessarily annoying or immature.
The world-building and pacing were fantastic—I literally read this in one sitting and never felt like there was a slow spot. The magic system involving the trees and wolves is so unique and completely my thing, and I’m already dying to learn more about it in the next book.
There was one aspect of the romance/betrayal that I saw coming, but honestly, it felt like an important part of the story that needed to happen, especially since I have been rooting for the better MMC from day one. 😂
What I especially loved is that this doesn’t feel like your typical wolf-shifter fantasy romance where everything revolves around an inner wolf desperately pining over a mate. There is so much more depth to the characters, relationships, and overall story, and the author takes the time to let you understand the characters as everything unfolds.
And that cliffhanger?! I need the next book ASAP. Thankfully, it wasn’t the kind of cliffhanger that makes you want to throw your e-reader across the room—it actually felt like a satisfying stopping point while still leaving me desperate for more.
Definitely recommend this to fantasy romance readers, especially if you enjoyed Hollow, One Dark Window, or The Wolf King.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I LOVED this! Give me a good love triangle with natural chemistry and yearning, and I am absolutely in. The dynamic between the three main characters felt smooth, enticing, and emotionally believable, and I could really feel the tension between them. I also really appreciated the FMC. Despite being young, she was intelligent, thoughtful, and never felt unnecessarily annoying or immature.
The world-building and pacing were fantastic—I literally read this in one sitting and never felt like there was a slow spot. The magic system involving the trees and wolves is so unique and completely my thing, and I’m already dying to learn more about it in the next book.
There was one aspect of the romance/betrayal that I saw coming, but honestly, it felt like an important part of the story that needed to happen, especially since I have been rooting for the better MMC from day one. 😂
What I especially loved is that this doesn’t feel like your typical wolf-shifter fantasy romance where everything revolves around an inner wolf desperately pining over a mate. There is so much more depth to the characters, relationships, and overall story, and the author takes the time to let you understand the characters as everything unfolds.
And that cliffhanger?! I need the next book ASAP. Thankfully, it wasn’t the kind of cliffhanger that makes you want to throw your e-reader across the room—it actually felt like a satisfying stopping point while still leaving me desperate for more.
Definitely recommend this to fantasy romance readers, especially if you enjoyed Hollow, One Dark Window, or The Wolf King.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, Saturday Books, and Nicki Pau Preto for the e-ARC. I received an advance copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily!
Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 round up to 4.
Tropes/Themes: wolf shifters; two love interests; creepy forest folklore; cursed heroine; found family
I really enjoyed the premise of the story and thought the folklore that shaped it was unique with the sacrifice of the 7th daughter/son to the forest. I loved the atmosphere of the story and the how the woods were framed. However, I found was a bit underwhelmed with the execution, and the style of prose was not particularly engaging to me. Lua's inner monologue didn't particularly have me rooting for me and I found her naivety, while understandable, a bit frustrating to read. I felt as thought there was a lot more telling instead of showing and that also added to my struggle to really being able to fall in love with the characters. As for the combination of the murder mystery and fantasy, I thought it was generally solid although at times the story struggled a bit with balancing it out cohesively.
The story is fairly predictable but I don't particularly view that as a pro or con since I do think this story does work with said predictability.
I do think this will be someone's cup of tea, but I'm unsure if I would continue the series just given how I feel about the prose. It's great for folks who like wolf shifter story lines and woodsy romantasy, and I do think it's worth a read as you might like the author's writing style. I was drawn to the ARC because it reminded me of books I'd enjoyed such as Hollow, and I think if you jive with the writing style, you'll really like this story.
Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 round up to 4.
Tropes/Themes: wolf shifters; two love interests; creepy forest folklore; cursed heroine; found family
I really enjoyed the premise of the story and thought the folklore that shaped it was unique with the sacrifice of the 7th daughter/son to the forest. I loved the atmosphere of the story and the how the woods were framed. However, I found was a bit underwhelmed with the execution, and the style of prose was not particularly engaging to me. Lua's inner monologue didn't particularly have me rooting for me and I found her naivety, while understandable, a bit frustrating to read. I felt as thought there was a lot more telling instead of showing and that also added to my struggle to really being able to fall in love with the characters. As for the combination of the murder mystery and fantasy, I thought it was generally solid although at times the story struggled a bit with balancing it out cohesively.
The story is fairly predictable but I don't particularly view that as a pro or con since I do think this story does work with said predictability.
I do think this will be someone's cup of tea, but I'm unsure if I would continue the series just given how I feel about the prose. It's great for folks who like wolf shifter story lines and woodsy romantasy, and I do think it's worth a read as you might like the author's writing style. I was drawn to the ARC because it reminded me of books I'd enjoyed such as Hollow, and I think if you jive with the writing style, you'll really like this story.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you to St. Martin's Press (and Amelia Beckerman), Nicki Pau Preto and NetGalley for the eARC of Daughter of Wolves!
When bodies start showing up in the Wood with no explanation, Lua is determined to find out what is going on.
We're dropped right into the story with Lua, who is a seventh-born daughter, cursed and claimed by the dark forest. In this role, she has inherited the responsibility of guarding the Dark Wood along with the wolves who have adopted her. She's been abandoned by her birth family and despite spending her whole life in the Wood, she can't help but be drawn to a young boy in the village. What started as a childhood infatuation has turned into a convenient courtship that has allowed her to leave the forest behind and embrace her human side.
One of the main themes that continues throughout the whole story is the struggle that Lua has as her heart is being torn in two directions. She's never felt truly at home because she's walked the line of human and wolf, but when she looses her wolf she can't help but pull away from her found family. In many of her choices, she struggles between the human and the wolf.
She tries her hardest to maneuver through fickle social etiquette and experiences tons of abuse, manipulation and betrayal. Despite this she's extremely determined to come to the root cause of these murders, even if it puts her in moral danger.
The last parts of the book had me on the edge of my seat waiting to see if Lua would be successful in endeavour. I'll be eagerly awaiting more after the ending of this book.
When bodies start showing up in the Wood with no explanation, Lua is determined to find out what is going on.
We're dropped right into the story with Lua, who is a seventh-born daughter, cursed and claimed by the dark forest. In this role, she has inherited the responsibility of guarding the Dark Wood along with the wolves who have adopted her. She's been abandoned by her birth family and despite spending her whole life in the Wood, she can't help but be drawn to a young boy in the village. What started as a childhood infatuation has turned into a convenient courtship that has allowed her to leave the forest behind and embrace her human side.
One of the main themes that continues throughout the whole story is the struggle that Lua has as her heart is being torn in two directions. She's never felt truly at home because she's walked the line of human and wolf, but when she looses her wolf she can't help but pull away from her found family. In many of her choices, she struggles between the human and the wolf.
She tries her hardest to maneuver through fickle social etiquette and experiences tons of abuse, manipulation and betrayal. Despite this she's extremely determined to come to the root cause of these murders, even if it puts her in moral danger.
The last parts of the book had me on the edge of my seat waiting to see if Lua would be successful in endeavour. I'll be eagerly awaiting more after the ending of this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I honestly didn't except to enjoy this book as much as I did! It was such a pleasant surprise and found myself flying through it. The beginning was a little confusing as I tired to understand the world and its magic system, but that quickly went away as I got more immersed in the story. It was fast-paced and kept me interested, with plenty of mystery, magic, and twists to keep me wanting to know what happened next.
I really enjoyed the dark fairytale atmosphere and the folklore-inspired magic. The world felt unique, and I appreciated that the wolves were part of a bigger fantasy story rather than the usual shifter romance I expected.
Lua was an interesting protagonist and I liked seeing her struggle to find where she belongs between two very different worlds. I didn't always understand or agree with some of her decisions, and she could be frustrating at times, but I could still understand where she was coming from. The relationships were also intriguing, I was especially invested in the tension between Lua, Thorne and Cristiano.
Although I figured out some parts of the mystery early on, it didn't take away from my enjoyment. I did wish for a little more emotional depth in certain moments, and the ending left me wanting more answers!
This was a really enjoyable read that surprised me in the best way. I loved the atmosphere, and how quickly the story pulled me in. Definitely looking forward to seeing what happens next!
Thank you Nicki Pau Preto, Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for providing me with a ARC!!
I really enjoyed the dark fairytale atmosphere and the folklore-inspired magic. The world felt unique, and I appreciated that the wolves were part of a bigger fantasy story rather than the usual shifter romance I expected.
Lua was an interesting protagonist and I liked seeing her struggle to find where she belongs between two very different worlds. I didn't always understand or agree with some of her decisions, and she could be frustrating at times, but I could still understand where she was coming from. The relationships were also intriguing, I was especially invested in the tension between Lua, Thorne and Cristiano.
Although I figured out some parts of the mystery early on, it didn't take away from my enjoyment. I did wish for a little more emotional depth in certain moments, and the ending left me wanting more answers!
This was a really enjoyable read that surprised me in the best way. I loved the atmosphere, and how quickly the story pulled me in. Definitely looking forward to seeing what happens next!
Thank you Nicki Pau Preto, Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for providing me with a ARC!!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Daughter of Wolves • Nicki Pau Preto
One phrase: feral forest girl meets dangerous woodsman 🌲🐺
Lua is a seventh born daughter, cursed and claimed by the dark forest after her family built on forbidden land.
Raised by the Wood, running with wolves, and watching the family who abandoned her, Lua wants nothing more than to belong. So when her childhood crush offers marriage and a place with her human family, she takes it.
But civilized life is not what she imagined.
By day, she tries to fit in. By night, she reports back to Thorne, the gruff servant of the Wood who keeps pushing her to stop pretending and embrace what she really is.
A shapeshifter.
I love the sound of this. Dark forest magic, wolf girl energy, shifting loyalties, lovers to enemies, forbidden duty, and a mysterious woodsman who is clearly more than he seems?
Say less.
✨ Tropes and vibes:
🐺 wolf shapeshifter FMC
🌲 dark forest magic
🖤 cursed daughter
💍 complicated betrothal
⚔️ lovers to enemies
🌑 mysterious woodsman
🔥 hidden identity vibes
🩸 duty vs desire
✨ feral FMC
📚 Read this if you like:
Dark romantic fantasy, enchanted forests, wolf shifters, feral heroines, dangerous bargains, complicated loyalties, and stories where the woods absolutely know more than they are saying.
This sounds wild, atmospheric, and deliciously dark.
#DaughterOfWolves #NickiPauPreto #RomantasyBooks #FantasyRomance #BookReview
One phrase: feral forest girl meets dangerous woodsman 🌲🐺
Lua is a seventh born daughter, cursed and claimed by the dark forest after her family built on forbidden land.
Raised by the Wood, running with wolves, and watching the family who abandoned her, Lua wants nothing more than to belong. So when her childhood crush offers marriage and a place with her human family, she takes it.
But civilized life is not what she imagined.
By day, she tries to fit in. By night, she reports back to Thorne, the gruff servant of the Wood who keeps pushing her to stop pretending and embrace what she really is.
A shapeshifter.
I love the sound of this. Dark forest magic, wolf girl energy, shifting loyalties, lovers to enemies, forbidden duty, and a mysterious woodsman who is clearly more than he seems?
Say less.
✨ Tropes and vibes:
🐺 wolf shapeshifter FMC
🌲 dark forest magic
🖤 cursed daughter
💍 complicated betrothal
⚔️ lovers to enemies
🌑 mysterious woodsman
🔥 hidden identity vibes
🩸 duty vs desire
✨ feral FMC
📚 Read this if you like:
Dark romantic fantasy, enchanted forests, wolf shifters, feral heroines, dangerous bargains, complicated loyalties, and stories where the woods absolutely know more than they are saying.
This sounds wild, atmospheric, and deliciously dark.
#DaughterOfWolves #NickiPauPreto #RomantasyBooks #FantasyRomance #BookReview
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4⭐️
✨️Shifter
✨️Mystery and intrigue
✨️Love Triangle
✨️Betrayal and revenge
✨️Yearning; so much yearning.
A young woman tries to blend in with the village people in attempt to uncover the true cause of death of the bodies left in her forest, all the while her heart pulls her in two directions. Should she follow her human side, or let the wolf chose her path?
Lua is the 7th daughter, which makes her cursed and claimed by the forest. With this role she has inherited the responsibility of guarding her section of the wood alongside the wolves who have adopted her. Despite belonging to the woods she is drawn to a young boy from the village and eventually her childhood infatuation turns into a convenient courtship, allowing her to leave the forest behind and embrace her human half.
Lua's identity is an ongoing struggle for her as she maneuvers through the village and fickle social etiquette while attempting to help discover the true cause of death of the bodies left in the wood. While on this path Lua experiences abuse, manipulation, and betrayal but refuses to be deterred from finding the truth. Her determination to stop these murders and protect her forest is honorable, and as this story reached it's climax I found myself very worried that the magic of the forest couldn't survive the greed of humanity.
I thoroughly enjoyed this very fast paced, dark story and will be stressfully waiting for more of Lua's journey.
✨️Shifter
✨️Mystery and intrigue
✨️Love Triangle
✨️Betrayal and revenge
✨️Yearning; so much yearning.
A young woman tries to blend in with the village people in attempt to uncover the true cause of death of the bodies left in her forest, all the while her heart pulls her in two directions. Should she follow her human side, or let the wolf chose her path?
Lua is the 7th daughter, which makes her cursed and claimed by the forest. With this role she has inherited the responsibility of guarding her section of the wood alongside the wolves who have adopted her. Despite belonging to the woods she is drawn to a young boy from the village and eventually her childhood infatuation turns into a convenient courtship, allowing her to leave the forest behind and embrace her human half.
Lua's identity is an ongoing struggle for her as she maneuvers through the village and fickle social etiquette while attempting to help discover the true cause of death of the bodies left in the wood. While on this path Lua experiences abuse, manipulation, and betrayal but refuses to be deterred from finding the truth. Her determination to stop these murders and protect her forest is honorable, and as this story reached it's climax I found myself very worried that the magic of the forest couldn't survive the greed of humanity.
I thoroughly enjoyed this very fast paced, dark story and will be stressfully waiting for more of Lua's journey.
September 11, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
5/5 🌟😩 I had high expectations for this book and it met every single one. It is dark, romantic, entrancing, mysterious, and so much more. I adored Nicki’s writing with the House of Dead duology but now with her adult debut she is truly shining!!
This centers around our FMC Lua who was given to the woods as a baby in offering. She is a human by day and shifts to a wolf by night until one day she loses her shifting abilities. Years later her human lover/childhood crush Cristiano offers her a chance to become part of her human family again through a betrothal. Meanwhile a broody woodsman warns her that the humans are not to be trusted and her place is there in the woods with her wolf family. Lua is torn between the wood that is her home where she was raised and all she truly knows, and the opportunity for a connection with the family who gave her up.
The setting was so atmospheric and really makes it feel like you are in the dark, luscious, woods. The plot is action packed and did not lull for even a second. The magic and paranormal aspect felt familiar but also had unique spins that made it refreshing. The mystery of the woods and the tension between Lua and the two men on either side of her reality made me unable to put this down. I am EAGERLY awaiting the continuation of this series and anything else Nicki writes!!
5/5 🌟😩 I had high expectations for this book and it met every single one. It is dark, romantic, entrancing, mysterious, and so much more. I adored Nicki’s writing with the House of Dead duology but now with her adult debut she is truly shining!!
This centers around our FMC Lua who was given to the woods as a baby in offering. She is a human by day and shifts to a wolf by night until one day she loses her shifting abilities. Years later her human lover/childhood crush Cristiano offers her a chance to become part of her human family again through a betrothal. Meanwhile a broody woodsman warns her that the humans are not to be trusted and her place is there in the woods with her wolf family. Lua is torn between the wood that is her home where she was raised and all she truly knows, and the opportunity for a connection with the family who gave her up.
The setting was so atmospheric and really makes it feel like you are in the dark, luscious, woods. The plot is action packed and did not lull for even a second. The magic and paranormal aspect felt familiar but also had unique spins that made it refreshing. The mystery of the woods and the tension between Lua and the two men on either side of her reality made me unable to put this down. I am EAGERLY awaiting the continuation of this series and anything else Nicki writes!!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was a new to me author, and between the cover and description I knew I had to give this book a go.
The actual plot was fascinating. Lua is a cursed seventh daughter so she is cursed and given to the Black Wood. If this wasn’t tragic enough, she is cursed further with the inability to find her place within her blood family and wolf pack because she loses her ability to inhabit her wolf form. There’s a lot going on simultaneously in addition to Lua’s displacement between the human and shifter worlds. We have new friends, enemies, potential love interests, and (rural) political nuances she needs to puzzle together to solidify her bridge between both worlds.
It had so much potential, but ultimately it fell short for me. I loved the story, but the writing itself felt very detached. I suppose it mirrors some of the despondency with the first person POV, but it creates a rift between me as a reader and what is happening in Lua’s life (particularly in the earlier chapters). Detailed descriptions are few and far between, giving everything a very staccato and superficial feel. I felt like I was told how she feels without mentally bringing me there and seeing it for myself. It was dark and atmospheric without a lot of in depth world building.
Thank you to Nicki Pau Preto and St. Martin’s Press (Saturday Books) for providing this eARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own. This book will be released on February 2, 2027!
The actual plot was fascinating. Lua is a cursed seventh daughter so she is cursed and given to the Black Wood. If this wasn’t tragic enough, she is cursed further with the inability to find her place within her blood family and wolf pack because she loses her ability to inhabit her wolf form. There’s a lot going on simultaneously in addition to Lua’s displacement between the human and shifter worlds. We have new friends, enemies, potential love interests, and (rural) political nuances she needs to puzzle together to solidify her bridge between both worlds.
It had so much potential, but ultimately it fell short for me. I loved the story, but the writing itself felt very detached. I suppose it mirrors some of the despondency with the first person POV, but it creates a rift between me as a reader and what is happening in Lua’s life (particularly in the earlier chapters). Detailed descriptions are few and far between, giving everything a very staccato and superficial feel. I felt like I was told how she feels without mentally bringing me there and seeing it for myself. It was dark and atmospheric without a lot of in depth world building.
Thank you to Nicki Pau Preto and St. Martin’s Press (Saturday Books) for providing this eARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own. This book will be released on February 2, 2027!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for this ARC! Lua is the seventh born daughter which means that she belongs to the woods. Her family gives her up to it and she becomes a wolf shapeshifter. Lua has never truly felt like she belongs to the woods but she is an outsider looking in on her human family. She is torn between the two worlds. When humans start turning up dead at the woods edge the humans become panicked and it's up to Lua to find out what is happening to them and keep the peace and truce between the humans and the woods. There are so good tropes in this one!
-Magical woods
-Single POV
-Wolf Shapeshifter
-Enemies to lovers
-Atmospheric
-Murder type mystery
I thought the vibes of this book were wonderful, very atmospheric and had a slight gothic feel to it. I loved seeing Lua come into her own as the story progressed and find her place in the two worlds, the one she was born in and the one she was given to. I think my main problem with this story was that there wasn't a whole lot of world building. I felt like we were just thrown into the story without a lot of background knowledge. I wanted more between Lua and the Woodsman as well, the emotions between them just didn't feel very real to me for some reason. I think some more character development would have been great. I did figure out the "mystery" part of the story fairly quickly. Overall the story was good and I was entertained, it just fell a little flat for me.
-Magical woods
-Single POV
-Wolf Shapeshifter
-Enemies to lovers
-Atmospheric
-Murder type mystery
I thought the vibes of this book were wonderful, very atmospheric and had a slight gothic feel to it. I loved seeing Lua come into her own as the story progressed and find her place in the two worlds, the one she was born in and the one she was given to. I think my main problem with this story was that there wasn't a whole lot of world building. I felt like we were just thrown into the story without a lot of background knowledge. I wanted more between Lua and the Woodsman as well, the emotions between them just didn't feel very real to me for some reason. I think some more character development would have been great. I did figure out the "mystery" part of the story fairly quickly. Overall the story was good and I was entertained, it just fell a little flat for me.
September 23, 2026
5 ⭐️ this was such a wonderfully dark fairytale 😭 the story follows Lua, a seventh daughter who was claimed by the forest as a baby, and who has lived amongst wolves ever since. Despite once being able to shift into a wolf herself, after a traumatic incident, Lua has lost her ability to shift and the connection that afforded her with her wolf family. But she still has Cristiano, the human she has dallied with since she was a teenager, and who never quite feared her like the others. When he asks her to marry him, Lua sees this as her chance to not only connect with the family who gave her up, but to have a chance to embrace her human side. But she will always be a denizen of the forest, as Thorne, the woodsmen of her territory, never lets her forget.
I loved this book, especially the dark fairytale elements. There was something so atmospheric and haunting about the story, and it reminded me a lot of Daughter of the Forest by Juliette Marillier. Not necessarily because of the plot, but because of the overall atmosphere and that feeling of being immersed in a beautiful yet deeply unsettling fairytale 🌲
My biggest complaint? I thought this was a standalone and now I have to wait for book two 😭
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Saturday Books for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!
I loved this book, especially the dark fairytale elements. There was something so atmospheric and haunting about the story, and it reminded me a lot of Daughter of the Forest by Juliette Marillier. Not necessarily because of the plot, but because of the overall atmosphere and that feeling of being immersed in a beautiful yet deeply unsettling fairytale 🌲
My biggest complaint? I thought this was a standalone and now I have to wait for book two 😭
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Saturday Books for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!
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