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The Better to Kiss You With #2
Huntsmen
Months after saving Jamie and Deanna from crywolf, Kiara and her brother Cole have moved into the city. While clubbing one night, Kiara is stunned to see her ex, Taryn, onstage. But before she can react, Jamie notices a distinctive tattoo in the crowd: an axe rumored to be the mark of the Huntsmen, a group of werewolf-tracking humans. The girls need to leave immediately—and since Taryn is also a werewolf, they need to take her with them.
The Huntsmen are more than a myth, and they’re scouring the city for lone wolves just like Taryn. Until the General North American Assembly of Werewolves lends a plan of action, Kiara’s small pack is on lockdown in a friend’s apartment, where she and Taryn must face the differences that drove them apart. Furthermore, the longer the group waits, the more it seems the Huntsmen haven’t been acting entirely on their own.
The Huntsmen are more than a myth, and they’re scouring the city for lone wolves just like Taryn. Until the General North American Assembly of Werewolves lends a plan of action, Kiara’s small pack is on lockdown in a friend’s apartment, where she and Taryn must face the differences that drove them apart. Furthermore, the longer the group waits, the more it seems the Huntsmen haven’t been acting entirely on their own.
218 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 13, 2017
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April 27, 2017
3.5 stars, rounded down.
My favorite part about this book was the chosen family, and how it worked. Watching them together, seeing how they supported each other, it warmed my heart, and felt very much like home. For me, that is the most compelling reason to read this book. It is so very rare for queer romances to center queer community and chosen family, and this one really does. The queer community settings felt real, resonated with my own experience. The MCs have a bunch of queers in their lives, and I loved that, and need that kind of story so badly.
I liked the geekiness of it quite a bit. This is also present in the first book in the series and I have hopes that it will be in the third as well. Osgood does geekiness very well I think, it’s woven into so many of the interactions in a really casual way that just gave me happy pings. I also liked spending time with the characters from the first book again, that part was a real joy.
I felt for Kiara quite a bit; she is struggling and angsty and trying to figure out what to do, and feels very apart from the others even as they try to draw her in, and generally a turmoil of feelings. I wish she was able to lean on her community more, trust others more, I wanted that for her, wished she trusted them and herself more than she did. And it felt real to me that this was a struggle, that it was one showing in flashbacks to her youth too. I wanted to see her grow a bit more in this area, but she does grow some and that felt good to see.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get on board for the central romance. It didn’t feel earned. The core conflicts that were there when they were together before were still present, and didn’t feel fully resolved by the resolution of the external conflict. I kept thinking that while they had a great deal of heat, they didn’t have much else that could hold them together. The prior incarnation of them as a couple was this thing where they melded together into oneness and intensity and heat, and ignored the rest of their lives. I just don’t find that kind of relationship particularly swoony. (It actually feels fairly fraught to me.) I think I was supposed to be swoony over the flashbacks and root for them as a couple based on that history, but I honestly had the impression that they were fairly bad for each other first time around. I had trouble getting on board for them in the present because there wasn’t enough there there, in the present, to convince me.
I want to talk about the genderqueer representation. Taryn, Kiara’s love interest, is clearly named as genderqueer on the page. There are references to dysphoria, and the ways that impacts sex in particular, that come up in sexual negotiation between them. When Ryn is first introduced to the rest of the group, someone offers their own pronouns and Ryn says either she or they. Ryn’s genderqueerness is incidental, not a part of the plot in any significant way, not presented ever as a problem, and not particularly notable to the POV character for the most part. Unfortunately, there were a few things about the genderqueer rep that made me uneasy, and it was done with such a very light touch that I was left with nothing to balance those.
The first thing that made me uneasy was that despite the fact that Ryn said clearly that they used she & they pronouns, nobody in the book ever used they. Kiara thinks of them as she, uses she to refer to Ryn, and everyone else does the same. That’s within range of potentially ok, as she is a pronoun that Ryn did say she uses, but it felt kind of relentless and off to me as a genderqueer reader, that nobody ever used they. And particularly that Ryn’s love interest thought of them as she all throughout the entire book, and refers to Ryn as her first girlfriend. It didn’t sit right, for this cis queer woman to do that, felt too familiar, reminded me of the ways my genderqueerness has been erased by cis queer women, including lovers.
The second thing regarding genderqueer rep went further than making me uneasy. It hurt. There is a flashback, early in the book, in Kiara’s POV, to when she first meets Ryn. At this point in the book (about 25%) the reader knows that Ryn is genderqueer and had told Kiara in the past that she is not a woman or a man, and knows Ryn uses she & they pronouns. In the flashback, Ryn is referred to as a “girl”. This moment of misgendering felt like a slap in the face to me as a genderqueer reader. While being potentially realistic, as Kiara perhaps is not aware that Ryn is genderqueer in that moment, it was also not needed . The sentence could easily have been restructured, or another word could have been used, that would not misgender Ryn (e.g. person, barber, hairdresser, werewolf, genderqueer). I want to acknowledge that some genderqueer folks might be perfectly fine being thought of as “girl”. But, many would experience it as misgendering. In the absence of more information or context, and particularly as Ryn is never characterized that way again by anyone at any other time in the book, I am inclined to think that Ryn would experience it as misgendering.
Ryn’s genderqueerness was fairly different from my own. Their characterization might work for other genderqueer readers. But these two things, particularly in the absence of deeper characterization around Ryns gender, left me feeling uncomfortable. They also led me to doubt whether Kiara respected or got Ryn’s gender, which made the rest of the book harder for me.
Particularly the sex scenes. Osgood is really good at writing hot sex, I can attest to that from reading The Better to Kiss You With. And if you assume that Kiara is a reliable narrator regarding Ryn’s gender, the sex in this book is very hot. But I doubted Kiara. So I doubted the language she used to think about Ryn’s body, particularly body parts that are often perceived as deeply gendered (i.e. ). The language used is exactly the same as language Osgood uses to describe the bodies of her women characters. Had I trusted Kiara, I’d believe that Ryn thought of their body using that language—some genderqueer people do, and Ryn very well might. And Kiara remembers Ryn’s dysphoria from when they were together before, confirms consent and boundaries that Ryn has set around that dysphoria, so you do get the sense she is trying to be careful and respectful. But that misgendering moment, in combination with Kiara never using they pronouns and calling Ryn her girlfriend threw that all into question for me. Many genderqueer people do not use highly gendered language for their bodies, especially language that matches the language used to describe the bodies of the gender they were assigned at birth. I just didn’t trust Kiara, and that made it hard for me to read that language, because I was worried Ryn would cringe if they knew Kiara was thinking about their body that way. As a genderqueer reader, this made the sex scenes hard to read.
There were so many ways that Ryn is written with language that feels like it doesn’t acknowledge their gender. That added up to a general sense that my own discomfort with the rep wasn’t about her genderqueerness being different from mine (which is a personal thing, but not an actual problem in the story), but that Ryn’s genderqueerness was too thinly characterized. It is my feeling that the genderqueer rep needed some fleshing out and deeper consideration, ideally with feedback from a genderqueer targeted beta reader.
I went into this book wanting to love it. I adored the first book in the series, eagerly anticipated the next books, was excited about this one, particularly the lone wolf/pack aspects. I got even more excited when I realized that one of the MCs was genderqueer because genderqueer rep is so rare. I ended up having mixed feelings about this one. I still want to read book 3 in the series, and am hoping it will be the joy that the first was for me.
I would like to thank Michelle Osgood and Interlude Press for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Trigger Warnings:
My favorite part about this book was the chosen family, and how it worked. Watching them together, seeing how they supported each other, it warmed my heart, and felt very much like home. For me, that is the most compelling reason to read this book. It is so very rare for queer romances to center queer community and chosen family, and this one really does. The queer community settings felt real, resonated with my own experience. The MCs have a bunch of queers in their lives, and I loved that, and need that kind of story so badly.
I liked the geekiness of it quite a bit. This is also present in the first book in the series and I have hopes that it will be in the third as well. Osgood does geekiness very well I think, it’s woven into so many of the interactions in a really casual way that just gave me happy pings. I also liked spending time with the characters from the first book again, that part was a real joy.
I felt for Kiara quite a bit; she is struggling and angsty and trying to figure out what to do, and feels very apart from the others even as they try to draw her in, and generally a turmoil of feelings. I wish she was able to lean on her community more, trust others more, I wanted that for her, wished she trusted them and herself more than she did. And it felt real to me that this was a struggle, that it was one showing in flashbacks to her youth too. I wanted to see her grow a bit more in this area, but she does grow some and that felt good to see.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get on board for the central romance. It didn’t feel earned. The core conflicts that were there when they were together before were still present, and didn’t feel fully resolved by the resolution of the external conflict. I kept thinking that while they had a great deal of heat, they didn’t have much else that could hold them together. The prior incarnation of them as a couple was this thing where they melded together into oneness and intensity and heat, and ignored the rest of their lives. I just don’t find that kind of relationship particularly swoony. (It actually feels fairly fraught to me.) I think I was supposed to be swoony over the flashbacks and root for them as a couple based on that history, but I honestly had the impression that they were fairly bad for each other first time around. I had trouble getting on board for them in the present because there wasn’t enough there there, in the present, to convince me.
I want to talk about the genderqueer representation. Taryn, Kiara’s love interest, is clearly named as genderqueer on the page. There are references to dysphoria, and the ways that impacts sex in particular, that come up in sexual negotiation between them. When Ryn is first introduced to the rest of the group, someone offers their own pronouns and Ryn says either she or they. Ryn’s genderqueerness is incidental, not a part of the plot in any significant way, not presented ever as a problem, and not particularly notable to the POV character for the most part. Unfortunately, there were a few things about the genderqueer rep that made me uneasy, and it was done with such a very light touch that I was left with nothing to balance those.
The first thing that made me uneasy was that despite the fact that Ryn said clearly that they used she & they pronouns, nobody in the book ever used they. Kiara thinks of them as she, uses she to refer to Ryn, and everyone else does the same. That’s within range of potentially ok, as she is a pronoun that Ryn did say she uses, but it felt kind of relentless and off to me as a genderqueer reader, that nobody ever used they. And particularly that Ryn’s love interest thought of them as she all throughout the entire book, and refers to Ryn as her first girlfriend. It didn’t sit right, for this cis queer woman to do that, felt too familiar, reminded me of the ways my genderqueerness has been erased by cis queer women, including lovers.
The second thing regarding genderqueer rep went further than making me uneasy. It hurt. There is a flashback, early in the book, in Kiara’s POV, to when she first meets Ryn. At this point in the book (about 25%) the reader knows that Ryn is genderqueer and had told Kiara in the past that she is not a woman or a man, and knows Ryn uses she & they pronouns. In the flashback, Ryn is referred to as a “girl”. This moment of misgendering felt like a slap in the face to me as a genderqueer reader. While being potentially realistic, as Kiara perhaps is not aware that Ryn is genderqueer in that moment, it was also not needed . The sentence could easily have been restructured, or another word could have been used, that would not misgender Ryn (e.g. person, barber, hairdresser, werewolf, genderqueer). I want to acknowledge that some genderqueer folks might be perfectly fine being thought of as “girl”. But, many would experience it as misgendering. In the absence of more information or context, and particularly as Ryn is never characterized that way again by anyone at any other time in the book, I am inclined to think that Ryn would experience it as misgendering.
Ryn’s genderqueerness was fairly different from my own. Their characterization might work for other genderqueer readers. But these two things, particularly in the absence of deeper characterization around Ryns gender, left me feeling uncomfortable. They also led me to doubt whether Kiara respected or got Ryn’s gender, which made the rest of the book harder for me.
Particularly the sex scenes. Osgood is really good at writing hot sex, I can attest to that from reading The Better to Kiss You With. And if you assume that Kiara is a reliable narrator regarding Ryn’s gender, the sex in this book is very hot. But I doubted Kiara. So I doubted the language she used to think about Ryn’s body, particularly body parts that are often perceived as deeply gendered (i.e. ). The language used is exactly the same as language Osgood uses to describe the bodies of her women characters. Had I trusted Kiara, I’d believe that Ryn thought of their body using that language—some genderqueer people do, and Ryn very well might. And Kiara remembers Ryn’s dysphoria from when they were together before, confirms consent and boundaries that Ryn has set around that dysphoria, so you do get the sense she is trying to be careful and respectful. But that misgendering moment, in combination with Kiara never using they pronouns and calling Ryn her girlfriend threw that all into question for me. Many genderqueer people do not use highly gendered language for their bodies, especially language that matches the language used to describe the bodies of the gender they were assigned at birth. I just didn’t trust Kiara, and that made it hard for me to read that language, because I was worried Ryn would cringe if they knew Kiara was thinking about their body that way. As a genderqueer reader, this made the sex scenes hard to read.
There were so many ways that Ryn is written with language that feels like it doesn’t acknowledge their gender. That added up to a general sense that my own discomfort with the rep wasn’t about her genderqueerness being different from mine (which is a personal thing, but not an actual problem in the story), but that Ryn’s genderqueerness was too thinly characterized. It is my feeling that the genderqueer rep needed some fleshing out and deeper consideration, ideally with feedback from a genderqueer targeted beta reader.
I went into this book wanting to love it. I adored the first book in the series, eagerly anticipated the next books, was excited about this one, particularly the lone wolf/pack aspects. I got even more excited when I realized that one of the MCs was genderqueer because genderqueer rep is so rare. I ended up having mixed feelings about this one. I still want to read book 3 in the series, and am hoping it will be the joy that the first was for me.
I would like to thank Michelle Osgood and Interlude Press for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Trigger Warnings:
April 27, 2017
I would like to thank Michelle Osgood and Interlude Press for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
See more of my reviews on my blog the Book Deviant
Charming atmosphere and characters
One thing that immediately grabs your attention is the atmosphere. Without putting much detail into it, Osgood easily crafts an atmosphere she obviously has experience with. I felt comfortable with her style of writing, and fell into the groove of it extremely easily. The writing style was simple and to the point, but was still entertaining and added the right emotions into the right scenes.
I also enjoyed all of the characters, especially the romances going on. I found myself cheering on the other characters in their romantic endeavors, and was completely invested in their development and journey. They were all diverse as well, despite that being quite subtle. Maybe it was mentioned in Osgood's other novel, but it wasn't mentioned that Kiara was Korean (half Korean?) until the further half of the book. All of the couples were queer in some way, which I frankly didn't notice until I started writing this review when I actually had to consider it. It was that natural, and flawlessly done.
An unexpected favorite with . . . quite a few flaws
Now, this is coming as a nonbinary person, and I know that not everyone's experience is the same, but I thought that Ryn's ID came off as a little . . . one-sided. Like that you were told one thing or another, but it was never translated over into their actual self. Ryn, who's pronouns are she/they, almost always goes by she. Ryn is also repeatedly described as a women, even going as far as describing her as a girl. Yes, I know that nonbinary/genderqueer people can go by whatever pronouns they want, but it just seemed a little weird to me to promote someone as genderqueer, but then not have it clearly shown on page. Kiara does double check boundaries with Ryn during the sex scenes, as it mentions dysphoria. However, nothing is ever shown or described
Another thing was the pacing. A large chunk of the book happened in a character's apartment, and over 100 pages were spent just the characters waiting for something to happen. Yes, while they were waiting, the romance that I found so enjoyable was being developed, but it took so long. Then, most of the action that I was hoping for ended in the last 30-ish pages, and was frankly anti-climatic.
three and a half stars - Overall?
Huntsmen was an extremely enjoyable read, and I often found myself reading it in favor of other books. Despite my complaints, I did ultimately love it enough to buy my own copy, and I do not regret accepting the ARC, despite my already booked schedule.
I will say that the genderqueer representation did bother me. It didn't hurt me in the way that I don't want to read Osgood's other books, but enough so that it is worth mentioning to possible genderqueer readers.
Would I Recommend?
If you're looking for some nice queer, Canadian werewolves, hop aboard my bandwagon. It's the perfect amount of sexy, queer, intense, and hilarious. I also greatly enjoyed all of the allusions to other shows, such as the Star Wars reference and the Game of Thrones board game. However, if you do identify as genderqueer, I would read Xan West's review here, as their's goes more in-depth than mine.
See more of my reviews on my blog the Book Deviant
Charming atmosphere and characters
One thing that immediately grabs your attention is the atmosphere. Without putting much detail into it, Osgood easily crafts an atmosphere she obviously has experience with. I felt comfortable with her style of writing, and fell into the groove of it extremely easily. The writing style was simple and to the point, but was still entertaining and added the right emotions into the right scenes.
I also enjoyed all of the characters, especially the romances going on. I found myself cheering on the other characters in their romantic endeavors, and was completely invested in their development and journey. They were all diverse as well, despite that being quite subtle. Maybe it was mentioned in Osgood's other novel, but it wasn't mentioned that Kiara was Korean (half Korean?) until the further half of the book. All of the couples were queer in some way, which I frankly didn't notice until I started writing this review when I actually had to consider it. It was that natural, and flawlessly done.
An unexpected favorite with . . . quite a few flaws
Now, this is coming as a nonbinary person, and I know that not everyone's experience is the same, but I thought that Ryn's ID came off as a little . . . one-sided. Like that you were told one thing or another, but it was never translated over into their actual self. Ryn, who's pronouns are she/they, almost always goes by she. Ryn is also repeatedly described as a women, even going as far as describing her as a girl. Yes, I know that nonbinary/genderqueer people can go by whatever pronouns they want, but it just seemed a little weird to me to promote someone as genderqueer, but then not have it clearly shown on page. Kiara does double check boundaries with Ryn during the sex scenes, as it mentions dysphoria. However, nothing is ever shown or described
Another thing was the pacing. A large chunk of the book happened in a character's apartment, and over 100 pages were spent just the characters waiting for something to happen. Yes, while they were waiting, the romance that I found so enjoyable was being developed, but it took so long. Then, most of the action that I was hoping for ended in the last 30-ish pages, and was frankly anti-climatic.
three and a half stars - Overall?
Huntsmen was an extremely enjoyable read, and I often found myself reading it in favor of other books. Despite my complaints, I did ultimately love it enough to buy my own copy, and I do not regret accepting the ARC, despite my already booked schedule.
I will say that the genderqueer representation did bother me. It didn't hurt me in the way that I don't want to read Osgood's other books, but enough so that it is worth mentioning to possible genderqueer readers.
Would I Recommend?
If you're looking for some nice queer, Canadian werewolves, hop aboard my bandwagon. It's the perfect amount of sexy, queer, intense, and hilarious. I also greatly enjoyed all of the allusions to other shows, such as the Star Wars reference and the Game of Thrones board game. However, if you do identify as genderqueer, I would read Xan West's review here, as their's goes more in-depth than mine.
April 20, 2017
Huntsmen is a vivid novel, with strong and winning characters who stick with you and am entertaining werewolf-pack-politics plot. It’s worth reading for those aspects alone, but becomes dazzling when combined with a love for and lived understanding of queer community.
From the first, I was caught up in the characters’ world. The local queer community read true to this queer girl, reflected my own experience and interplayed wonderfully with the pack aspects of werewolf fiction. The intimate detail of bars and housewares and haircuts as well as those of werewolf shifts and skills were fun and revealing and kept me right there with them.
Osgood’s characters are wonderful. I loved tiny alpha Kiara like fire – her self-control and simmering anger, her loyalty and confidence were vital to the story. I was there with her as she snapped at those around her, needing to control the people she loved so ferociously, and as she kept herself in check, knowing her own strength. Ryn’s loner wariness and easy kindness were a fascinating foil to Kiara’s focus on the pack.
The surrounding family was full of real depth and love. I particularly enjoyed every instance of Deanna (the adorable main character of the first book in the series) along with Kiara’s relationship with her unwavering brother, Cole.
This book is a sequel to The Better to Kiss You With, which is a delightful werewolf romp with these truly amusing and charming characters. Though I don’t think reading the first book is essential to an understanding of this novel, I don’t know why you wouldn’t... Huntsmen has a more fiercely political plot than book one, with the added intrigue and fun of that.
The story is current and combines with a convincing characterisation of wolves and humans and the author’s own knowledge and experience of community to make an oddly realistic and grounded urban fantasy.
I highly, highly recommend Huntsmen. Open it for the queer feminist werewolf fun and keep reading for divine grouch, Kiara, and the array of wonderful interconnected characters.
From the first, I was caught up in the characters’ world. The local queer community read true to this queer girl, reflected my own experience and interplayed wonderfully with the pack aspects of werewolf fiction. The intimate detail of bars and housewares and haircuts as well as those of werewolf shifts and skills were fun and revealing and kept me right there with them.
Osgood’s characters are wonderful. I loved tiny alpha Kiara like fire – her self-control and simmering anger, her loyalty and confidence were vital to the story. I was there with her as she snapped at those around her, needing to control the people she loved so ferociously, and as she kept herself in check, knowing her own strength. Ryn’s loner wariness and easy kindness were a fascinating foil to Kiara’s focus on the pack.
The surrounding family was full of real depth and love. I particularly enjoyed every instance of Deanna (the adorable main character of the first book in the series) along with Kiara’s relationship with her unwavering brother, Cole.
This book is a sequel to The Better to Kiss You With, which is a delightful werewolf romp with these truly amusing and charming characters. Though I don’t think reading the first book is essential to an understanding of this novel, I don’t know why you wouldn’t... Huntsmen has a more fiercely political plot than book one, with the added intrigue and fun of that.
The story is current and combines with a convincing characterisation of wolves and humans and the author’s own knowledge and experience of community to make an oddly realistic and grounded urban fantasy.
I highly, highly recommend Huntsmen. Open it for the queer feminist werewolf fun and keep reading for divine grouch, Kiara, and the array of wonderful interconnected characters.
April 19, 2017
After having read The Better to Kiss You With this was a must read for me. I loved the first book of this sequel and I guess what I loved about that one I also love about this one.
We learn more about Jamie's family/pack. This story is not so much about Jamie and Deanna although to my great delight they are still there and still beautiful as a couple, but about Kiara, Jamie's sister and designated alpha.
This story has more world-building in it, as we learn more about werewolf politics and has more action. However, the love story is much more entwined with this action and is also more angsty. I also find the lone wolf Taryn to be more difficult to like than Jamie. I just couldn't see what made her tick so much. Part of it was probably that I saw her only through the very coloured lens of Kiara. So maybe her ambiguity just translated to me.
The cover art deserves another 5 stars, beautiful. I'm a fan.
All in all, if Michelle Osgood puts out more sequels I'll definitely read them. I'm hooked.
We learn more about Jamie's family/pack. This story is not so much about Jamie and Deanna although to my great delight they are still there and still beautiful as a couple, but about Kiara, Jamie's sister and designated alpha.
This story has more world-building in it, as we learn more about werewolf politics and has more action. However, the love story is much more entwined with this action and is also more angsty. I also find the lone wolf Taryn to be more difficult to like than Jamie. I just couldn't see what made her tick so much. Part of it was probably that I saw her only through the very coloured lens of Kiara. So maybe her ambiguity just translated to me.
The cover art deserves another 5 stars, beautiful. I'm a fan.
All in all, if Michelle Osgood puts out more sequels I'll definitely read them. I'm hooked.
March 19, 2018
I loved this soo much! ❤️
Ive fallen so hard for this series! Its fun, thrilling, sexy and so beautifully diverse!
The representation in this series makes me so freaking happy, and its also very clear how much hard work and love the author put into making every representation in every single character beautiful and real. We get characters that are bisexual, gay, polyamorous, genderqueer, biracial and more. We also get beautiful representation of diversity in body-types, which honestly made me very emotional. It means the world to me to read about a main character that is a queer woman and described as ”chubby and radiant”. Where she gets to be just that, chubby and freaking beautiful! And she really is. Im so in love with Deanna its ridiculous 😏😍
The last thing I want to add on the ”the reasons you need to read this series”-list is how amazingly sex-positive it is! Its so refreshing to read about women who talk about and think about sex in such a natural way, without any sort of shame or
embarrassment. Its just natural, like it should be. A big plus for also mentioning masturbation! We definitely need more of that in books, because masturbating is great and I hate that its often treated as something wrong or shameful. And yes, its okay to not like sex or to masturbate too, of course, but Im just talking about my feelings now, and for me this was refreshing ✨
Ive fallen so hard for this series! Its fun, thrilling, sexy and so beautifully diverse!
The representation in this series makes me so freaking happy, and its also very clear how much hard work and love the author put into making every representation in every single character beautiful and real. We get characters that are bisexual, gay, polyamorous, genderqueer, biracial and more. We also get beautiful representation of diversity in body-types, which honestly made me very emotional. It means the world to me to read about a main character that is a queer woman and described as ”chubby and radiant”. Where she gets to be just that, chubby and freaking beautiful! And she really is. Im so in love with Deanna its ridiculous 😏😍
The last thing I want to add on the ”the reasons you need to read this series”-list is how amazingly sex-positive it is! Its so refreshing to read about women who talk about and think about sex in such a natural way, without any sort of shame or
embarrassment. Its just natural, like it should be. A big plus for also mentioning masturbation! We definitely need more of that in books, because masturbating is great and I hate that its often treated as something wrong or shameful. And yes, its okay to not like sex or to masturbate too, of course, but Im just talking about my feelings now, and for me this was refreshing ✨
April 12, 2017
First of all, a disclaimer: I received a free eARC in exchange for an honest, unbiased review and feedback for the author.
And my honest, unbiased review is that I loved it. Enough that I've pre-ordered the final version.
It's sexy (is it ever), thrilling, engrossing, and, despite being a sequel to last year's The Better to Kiss You With , doesn't require you to have read it (though I'd recommend you do so anyway).
Let me put it this way: if "bisexual alpha werewolf and her genderqueer lover who is also a werewolf on the run from werewolf hunters" sounds remotely interesting to you, then this book will please you.
And my honest, unbiased review is that I loved it. Enough that I've pre-ordered the final version.
It's sexy (is it ever), thrilling, engrossing, and, despite being a sequel to last year's The Better to Kiss You With , doesn't require you to have read it (though I'd recommend you do so anyway).
Let me put it this way: if "bisexual alpha werewolf and her genderqueer lover who is also a werewolf on the run from werewolf hunters" sounds remotely interesting to you, then this book will please you.
April 12, 2017
Reviewed for Just Love
ARC received by publisher for fair and honest review.
Having read the first book in this series, I was sold on Huntsmen as soon as I learned that petite, adorable Kiara would feature as a female alpha. Shifter romance is not usually my thing but I have to admit I’m enjoying the series so far. Having said that, I think for the most part you can enjoy this book as a standalone without the benefit of book one, The Better To Kiss You With.
Huntsmen starts off with a bang in a packed club where Kiara locks eyes with Taryn or Ryn, her genderqueer ex-girlfriend from college as she gives a sultry performance during drag king night. Things heat up even more when the Huntsmen enter the scene and a violent clash outside the club sends Kiara and her friends – with Ryn in tow – into hiding. I made it a point to include a warning for the club scene because some might find parts of it triggering after the tragedy at Pulse nightclub attack in Orlando. Minor Spoiler Alert: The sense of danger was palpable but no harm came to any of the innocent clubgoers.
The book was mostly fast-paced, however the few days that the group were sequestered felt like forever. It was great for filling in Kiara and Ryn’s backstory as well as getting the reader acquainted (or reacquainted) with Deanna, Jamie, Nathan and Cole, but I thought there was a lot of time spent in Kiara’s head. I liked the glimpse into her strong, stubborn and often arrogant personality which I thought suited the alpha-designate part of her. However, the days spent waiting around also highlighted her lack of decisiveness and showed that she still had a lot to learn before she was ready to take on the title of alpha full on.
There was a lot of confusion and infighting within the group but there was also some great moments of camaraderie amongst the makeshift pack. I really enjoyed their banter and thought the author did a great job letting each personality shine through. And I said it after book one and I’ll say it again: I need more Cole and Nathan in my life. But let’s not forget the delicious, simmering tension between Kiara and Ryn. This book did not disappoint in the heat factor. That’s a massive understatement, just FYI – it was blazing hot. And bonus points for rooftop sex (Vancouver, you lucky city, you). I also thought the author did a great job balancing the ghost of their past and their clashing philosophies of lone wolf versus pack with the challenges and sacrifices of the present-day conflict.
I thought the worldbuilding was minimal but in a good way. The author offered glimpses into their world through the occasional tidbit as the plot developed, rather than an info dump at the beginning or at every available turn. Overall, I was pretty satisfied with the way things worked out with the pack and especially between our two MCs and the way their relationship came full circle. There were some definite loose ends which I’m fairly confident will be resolved as the series progresses. I wouldn’t say the book ended in a cliffhanger, but it definitely concluded with the next book in mind.
ARC received by publisher for fair and honest review.
Having read the first book in this series, I was sold on Huntsmen as soon as I learned that petite, adorable Kiara would feature as a female alpha. Shifter romance is not usually my thing but I have to admit I’m enjoying the series so far. Having said that, I think for the most part you can enjoy this book as a standalone without the benefit of book one, The Better To Kiss You With.
Huntsmen starts off with a bang in a packed club where Kiara locks eyes with Taryn or Ryn, her genderqueer ex-girlfriend from college as she gives a sultry performance during drag king night. Things heat up even more when the Huntsmen enter the scene and a violent clash outside the club sends Kiara and her friends – with Ryn in tow – into hiding. I made it a point to include a warning for the club scene because some might find parts of it triggering after the tragedy at Pulse nightclub attack in Orlando. Minor Spoiler Alert: The sense of danger was palpable but no harm came to any of the innocent clubgoers.
The book was mostly fast-paced, however the few days that the group were sequestered felt like forever. It was great for filling in Kiara and Ryn’s backstory as well as getting the reader acquainted (or reacquainted) with Deanna, Jamie, Nathan and Cole, but I thought there was a lot of time spent in Kiara’s head. I liked the glimpse into her strong, stubborn and often arrogant personality which I thought suited the alpha-designate part of her. However, the days spent waiting around also highlighted her lack of decisiveness and showed that she still had a lot to learn before she was ready to take on the title of alpha full on.
There was a lot of confusion and infighting within the group but there was also some great moments of camaraderie amongst the makeshift pack. I really enjoyed their banter and thought the author did a great job letting each personality shine through. And I said it after book one and I’ll say it again: I need more Cole and Nathan in my life. But let’s not forget the delicious, simmering tension between Kiara and Ryn. This book did not disappoint in the heat factor. That’s a massive understatement, just FYI – it was blazing hot. And bonus points for rooftop sex (Vancouver, you lucky city, you). I also thought the author did a great job balancing the ghost of their past and their clashing philosophies of lone wolf versus pack with the challenges and sacrifices of the present-day conflict.
I thought the worldbuilding was minimal but in a good way. The author offered glimpses into their world through the occasional tidbit as the plot developed, rather than an info dump at the beginning or at every available turn. Overall, I was pretty satisfied with the way things worked out with the pack and especially between our two MCs and the way their relationship came full circle. There were some definite loose ends which I’m fairly confident will be resolved as the series progresses. I wouldn’t say the book ended in a cliffhanger, but it definitely concluded with the next book in mind.
October 10, 2017
3.5 stars
Michelle Osgood is back with our dear werewolves. This follows up on Deanna and Jamie's story, but this isn't their story, it's Kiara's. After everything that has happened with crywolf and Dianna, the Huntsmen seem to be real and they're after Kiara's ex-girlfriend Ryn.
Why?
Because she's a lone wolf. She isn't part of a pack, so she's seen as dangerous. Kiara, her brother Cole, Deanna, Jamie and Ryn all hide out at Nathan's apartment with Deanna's dog Arthur and they wait. Surely, the GNAAW can help them.
Unfortunately for them, it turns out that the GNAAW is more acquainted with the Huntsmen than that they originally thought.
It was a great story. Even though I liked that the solution was simple, I did expect more action. But that being said, it was nice to dive back in this universe (even though I confused Deanna and Jamie for the first 30 pages of the book, since I'm bad with names, which led to some confusion every now and there). The new characters were thrilling and they brought something new to the story.
There's only one reason why I gave this book 3.5 stars, instead of 4. I think that for 90% of the book, I really did not like Kiara and Ryn together, which is unfortunate since it's their love story. Don't get me wrong, in the end I didn't mind anymore, but most of the time I just wondered why these two women were once in a relationship in the first place. They're so different from each other. And I know, I know, opposites attract, and everyone dating someone like themselves would be dreadfully boring, if not creepy, but in my eyes, these two were not a great fit.
They disagreed on basically everything. Their lifestyles were too different and instead of trying to find a way for both of them to live together without having to abandon those lifestyles, they kept nagging at each other, trying to change each other. Kiara is well-ordered, cares about rules, wants to excel in school, etc., but Ryn makes fun of her being a goodie-two-shoes, because she's all FUCK THE WORLD!!!!! On the other side, Kiara doesn't even want to consider Ryn's view on the world and she snaps at her all the time.
Yes, in the end, they did meet each other halfway, which is why I ended up liking them as a pair, but it took a while.
Aside from that, I really liked it and it's a great addition to the series.
Michelle Osgood is back with our dear werewolves. This follows up on Deanna and Jamie's story, but this isn't their story, it's Kiara's. After everything that has happened with crywolf and Dianna, the Huntsmen seem to be real and they're after Kiara's ex-girlfriend Ryn.
Why?
Because she's a lone wolf. She isn't part of a pack, so she's seen as dangerous. Kiara, her brother Cole, Deanna, Jamie and Ryn all hide out at Nathan's apartment with Deanna's dog Arthur and they wait. Surely, the GNAAW can help them.
Unfortunately for them, it turns out that the GNAAW is more acquainted with the Huntsmen than that they originally thought.
It was a great story. Even though I liked that the solution was simple, I did expect more action. But that being said, it was nice to dive back in this universe (even though I confused Deanna and Jamie for the first 30 pages of the book, since I'm bad with names, which led to some confusion every now and there). The new characters were thrilling and they brought something new to the story.
There's only one reason why I gave this book 3.5 stars, instead of 4. I think that for 90% of the book, I really did not like Kiara and Ryn together, which is unfortunate since it's their love story. Don't get me wrong, in the end I didn't mind anymore, but most of the time I just wondered why these two women were once in a relationship in the first place. They're so different from each other. And I know, I know, opposites attract, and everyone dating someone like themselves would be dreadfully boring, if not creepy, but in my eyes, these two were not a great fit.
They disagreed on basically everything. Their lifestyles were too different and instead of trying to find a way for both of them to live together without having to abandon those lifestyles, they kept nagging at each other, trying to change each other. Kiara is well-ordered, cares about rules, wants to excel in school, etc., but Ryn makes fun of her being a goodie-two-shoes, because she's all FUCK THE WORLD!!!!! On the other side, Kiara doesn't even want to consider Ryn's view on the world and she snaps at her all the time.
Yes, in the end, they did meet each other halfway, which is why I ended up liking them as a pair, but it took a while.
Aside from that, I really liked it and it's a great addition to the series.
March 14, 2018
Huntsmen is the second book in the The Better to Kiss You With series and is about Kiara, alpha-designate to her father's pack, who on a night out in a club not only runs into her ex Taryn, but also into Huntsmen - a mythical human group of werewolf hunters.
The plot is pretty straightfoward about the group of werewolves and associates figuring out why the Huntsmen are after them, and the romance between Kiara and Taryn, who is mostly called Ryn. Ryn is biracial and genderqueer and uses she/her and they/them pronouns.
I was not sold on the romance in this one. Kiara and Ryn have sexual chemistry, but that is about all. Ten years prior to the book, their relationship broke for valid reasons and those were not resolved at all, actually kind of ignored. I wasn't a fan of how they treat each other, and how before any sort of talk about relationships even happens (and there is not a lot of talk about it) they have sex, and sex again. What I did like though was how explicitly they negotiated sexual situations and acts.
I also generally wasn't a big fan of Kiara's character. I didn't connect with her at all mostly didn't understand her way of thinking or why she was doing as she did, and I had similar problems with other characters.
A lot of things didn't seem to make sense, and while some of it is resolved in the end it all felt a bit... too easy?
I felt like too many things were not questioned or brought up in enough detail - like the unquestionable complicity of Kiara's father to the GNAAW , the clear issues Kiara and Ryn had in their relationship, why packs even play a role in werewolf psychology and behaviour when they seem to be mostly formal anyways, just to name a few.
Like in book one, there were seveal references of various media, and a lot of funny moments that made me laugh out loud, but overall I didn't quite like Huntsmen as much as the previous book in the series.
The plot is pretty straightfoward about the group of werewolves and associates figuring out why the Huntsmen are after them, and the romance between Kiara and Taryn, who is mostly called Ryn. Ryn is biracial and genderqueer and uses she/her and they/them pronouns.
I was not sold on the romance in this one. Kiara and Ryn have sexual chemistry, but that is about all. Ten years prior to the book, their relationship broke for valid reasons and those were not resolved at all, actually kind of ignored. I wasn't a fan of how they treat each other, and how before any sort of talk about relationships even happens (and there is not a lot of talk about it) they have sex, and sex again. What I did like though was how explicitly they negotiated sexual situations and acts.
I also generally wasn't a big fan of Kiara's character. I didn't connect with her at all mostly didn't understand her way of thinking or why she was doing as she did, and I had similar problems with other characters.
A lot of things didn't seem to make sense, and while some of it is resolved in the end it all felt a bit... too easy?
I felt like too many things were not questioned or brought up in enough detail - like the unquestionable complicity of Kiara's father to the GNAAW , the clear issues Kiara and Ryn had in their relationship, why packs even play a role in werewolf psychology and behaviour when they seem to be mostly formal anyways, just to name a few.
Like in book one, there were seveal references of various media, and a lot of funny moments that made me laugh out loud, but overall I didn't quite like Huntsmen as much as the previous book in the series.
April 13, 2017
HUNTSMEN the sequel to THE BETTER TO KISS YOU WITH is a fast-paced, fun werewolf romp through the soggy streets of Vancouver. When Michelle approached me to be an advanced reader, I jumped at the chance, and although I hadn't read the first book - HUNTSMEN could easily be read as a stand-alone.
Kiara, our MC, is a valiant, young werewolf with a big personality. Her motivations are easy to find, and her voice leaps off the page, deeming her a rebellious but relatable protagonist. I found myself arguing with her constantly, questioning her actions on one page and feeling for her on another. Emotional and aggressive, Kiara drives the story through a whirlwind of danger, romance and fun.
The cast Michelle created brought a sense of urgency to the story, a palpable, cohesive bond shared between a group of friends that most of us in our early-adult years can relate to. Backlit romances left me hungry for the next story, and mentions of the last adventure has me itching to read THE BETTER TO KISS YOU WITH.
Though centrally a Paranormal Romance, there's obvious hits on bigotry and prejudice littered throughout the novel. Kiara's gang of werewolves and their human companions handle the paranormal-twist of these issues seamlessly, highlighting the necessity for change and beauty of progression.
Overall, this is a stunning f/nb paranormal romance. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a steamy, emotional adventure between two headstrong young women as they try to ignite an old flame, and their group of fun, lively friends. I look forward to reading more from Michelle, and hope to see this pack back again soon.
Kiara, our MC, is a valiant, young werewolf with a big personality. Her motivations are easy to find, and her voice leaps off the page, deeming her a rebellious but relatable protagonist. I found myself arguing with her constantly, questioning her actions on one page and feeling for her on another. Emotional and aggressive, Kiara drives the story through a whirlwind of danger, romance and fun.
The cast Michelle created brought a sense of urgency to the story, a palpable, cohesive bond shared between a group of friends that most of us in our early-adult years can relate to. Backlit romances left me hungry for the next story, and mentions of the last adventure has me itching to read THE BETTER TO KISS YOU WITH.
Though centrally a Paranormal Romance, there's obvious hits on bigotry and prejudice littered throughout the novel. Kiara's gang of werewolves and their human companions handle the paranormal-twist of these issues seamlessly, highlighting the necessity for change and beauty of progression.
Overall, this is a stunning f/nb paranormal romance. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a steamy, emotional adventure between two headstrong young women as they try to ignite an old flame, and their group of fun, lively friends. I look forward to reading more from Michelle, and hope to see this pack back again soon.
March 2, 2018
Really enjoyed this one and I am SO ready for Moon Illusion!
April 4, 2017
Huntsmen is the sequel to Osgood's debut novel "The Better to Kiss you With". Instead of a direct sequel about Deanna and Jamie (although they are still here and still excellent together) the focus in this book is on Jamie's cousin Kiara, who we were introduced to at the end of the last book. This means that while the world is familiar and there are plenty of references to the events of the first book, it is still accessible to new readers.
Kiara is a young woman struggling with the pressures of family expectations and the increasing conflict between them and her personal goals. It's a theme that many new adults can relate to, and one of the reasons that I found this book even more personally engaging than the first, as Kiara's struggles seemed so familiar (minus the werewolves and anti-werewolf hate groups).
This book builds on all the strengths that were present in the first. One of my favourite things about this series is the commentary they offer on modern society. Osgood doesn't use the paranormal as a cheap thrill or simple escapism, but rather a way of exploring and highlighting any number of modern anxieties around social media, online harassment, corporate bureaucracy, and social conflict. I personally read the werewolf narratives as a metaphor for the queer community, as the first book includes an excellent werewolf coming out scene, and this book offers perspectives on different ways people relate to community as well as respond to marginalization and prejudice. However the strong writing means that most readers, regardless of their background, will be able to see their own experiences reflected in the struggles of these characters.
The focus is the conflict between the very community focused Kiara, next-in-line to be alpha wolf of her pack, and the literal lone wolf Ryn, who is both non-binary and mixed race and has spent their life on their own after struggling to find a community in which they belonged.
Beyond the politics and allegory, the true stars of these books are the characters. Osgood has a talent for writing flawed complex characters, some of whom are too stubborn and some with a habit of self-sabatoge, but who remain likeable not in spite of their flaws, but because of them.
The characters are so well humanized (even though some of them aren't human) that it is difficult not to be drawn into their struggles and become invested in their relationships. This is true of the main characters as well as the strong supporting cast (I can't help but fall for Nate over and over again. He's just the best!).
If you read and enjoyed Osgood's first book, than I guarantee you will like the sequel. And if you haven't, then I highly recommend picking them both up.
Kiara is a young woman struggling with the pressures of family expectations and the increasing conflict between them and her personal goals. It's a theme that many new adults can relate to, and one of the reasons that I found this book even more personally engaging than the first, as Kiara's struggles seemed so familiar (minus the werewolves and anti-werewolf hate groups).
This book builds on all the strengths that were present in the first. One of my favourite things about this series is the commentary they offer on modern society. Osgood doesn't use the paranormal as a cheap thrill or simple escapism, but rather a way of exploring and highlighting any number of modern anxieties around social media, online harassment, corporate bureaucracy, and social conflict. I personally read the werewolf narratives as a metaphor for the queer community, as the first book includes an excellent werewolf coming out scene, and this book offers perspectives on different ways people relate to community as well as respond to marginalization and prejudice. However the strong writing means that most readers, regardless of their background, will be able to see their own experiences reflected in the struggles of these characters.
The focus is the conflict between the very community focused Kiara, next-in-line to be alpha wolf of her pack, and the literal lone wolf Ryn, who is both non-binary and mixed race and has spent their life on their own after struggling to find a community in which they belonged.
Beyond the politics and allegory, the true stars of these books are the characters. Osgood has a talent for writing flawed complex characters, some of whom are too stubborn and some with a habit of self-sabatoge, but who remain likeable not in spite of their flaws, but because of them.
The characters are so well humanized (even though some of them aren't human) that it is difficult not to be drawn into their struggles and become invested in their relationships. This is true of the main characters as well as the strong supporting cast (I can't help but fall for Nate over and over again. He's just the best!).
If you read and enjoyed Osgood's first book, than I guarantee you will like the sequel. And if you haven't, then I highly recommend picking them both up.
October 28, 2018
“Her chest ached as the love she’d never stopped feeling for Ryn slowly escaped the vault she’d locked it in.”
* * *
GUH I am so weak for the whole series and this is no exception. I suspected going in that I’d love it, and was totally unsurprised to find I totally loved it. At its core, HUNTSMEN is about community and coming together for safety, acceptance, and love, both in its larger themes and its MCs, two damaged and hard-shelled girls reconnecting and letting themselves be vulnerable and finding out they’re so much stronger together than alone (true pack feels!).
Also, the sexy bits are super hot, just saying. ALSO also, I really loved getting into Ryn’s gender thoughts—nonbinary characters are still sadly rare, but even rarer are those who actually use she/her or he/him pronouns, and they’re absolutely valid and important too. I’ve never actually seen this before in another book, and it was really refreshing.
The first 2 in this series have been completely awesome, and I can’t wait to read Nathan’s book!
* * *
GUH I am so weak for the whole series and this is no exception. I suspected going in that I’d love it, and was totally unsurprised to find I totally loved it. At its core, HUNTSMEN is about community and coming together for safety, acceptance, and love, both in its larger themes and its MCs, two damaged and hard-shelled girls reconnecting and letting themselves be vulnerable and finding out they’re so much stronger together than alone (true pack feels!).
Also, the sexy bits are super hot, just saying. ALSO also, I really loved getting into Ryn’s gender thoughts—nonbinary characters are still sadly rare, but even rarer are those who actually use she/her or he/him pronouns, and they’re absolutely valid and important too. I’ve never actually seen this before in another book, and it was really refreshing.
The first 2 in this series have been completely awesome, and I can’t wait to read Nathan’s book!
June 29, 2017
Original review on Molly Lolly
Three and a half stars!
I wanted to like this book more than I did. I truly tried to like it more than I could. There was something missing in this story that kept me from enjoying it as much as the first one. Kiara and Ryn weren’t as engaging and the suspense plot wasn’t as exciting. There were some great scenes and funny lines. But overall this story didn’t live up to the expectations set by the first book.
Kiara was a strong character. She protected her family and pack. She was a quick thinker and wanted the best for everyone around her. However she was constantly second guessing her actions and didn’t act like a leader as often as I expected an heir-apparent to. In the flash backs she seemed to lose herself and her core values too easily to Ryn. She didn’t fight for what she believed in and what mattered to her. It was hard to see Kiara’s feelings for Ryn. Both in the flash backs and present day. They never really talked or reconnected in any real way beyond the physical. They were put in a tense situation where they couldn’t leave each other’s side for a few days. But I didn’t feel those emotions from them.
I didn’t like Ryn through most of the story. She constantly harped on Kiara to change and sacrifice but wasn’t willing to give anything in return. She never respected Kiara’s wishes and decisions for herself and berated Kiara when she stood up for herself. It was made clear Ryn didn’t like packs, or any rules for the safety of herself and werewolves as a whole. But we never learn why. She gives a few flippant responses. But she comes off whiney, self centered and reckless.
There were some wonderful scenes throughout the story. Plus I adored seeing Deanna and Jamie again. Cole and Nathan are so much fun in this story and their tension grows. I loved seeing how that’s progressing. My favorite live in the story was “You only like him because he looks like a lesbian”. It was a throw away line that if I hadn’t paused there in my reading for real life, I would have missed the hilarity of that line. It was such an appropriate response and quick humor, you couldn’t help but laugh. There were other little snippets of levity throughout and I thoroughly enjoyed those. I still desperately want Cole and Nathan to get together and get their own story.
Kiara and Ryn don’t build much of a relationship through most of the story. Despite their physical relationship, they don’t connect much in the story. It isn’t until towards they end they talk about dating and actually wanting to be together for real. They are very clearly going to try and make a relationship work this time around. But they still have so much more to deal with personally as a couple before I would consider them together, let alone in love.
Three and a half stars!
I wanted to like this book more than I did. I truly tried to like it more than I could. There was something missing in this story that kept me from enjoying it as much as the first one. Kiara and Ryn weren’t as engaging and the suspense plot wasn’t as exciting. There were some great scenes and funny lines. But overall this story didn’t live up to the expectations set by the first book.
Kiara was a strong character. She protected her family and pack. She was a quick thinker and wanted the best for everyone around her. However she was constantly second guessing her actions and didn’t act like a leader as often as I expected an heir-apparent to. In the flash backs she seemed to lose herself and her core values too easily to Ryn. She didn’t fight for what she believed in and what mattered to her. It was hard to see Kiara’s feelings for Ryn. Both in the flash backs and present day. They never really talked or reconnected in any real way beyond the physical. They were put in a tense situation where they couldn’t leave each other’s side for a few days. But I didn’t feel those emotions from them.
I didn’t like Ryn through most of the story. She constantly harped on Kiara to change and sacrifice but wasn’t willing to give anything in return. She never respected Kiara’s wishes and decisions for herself and berated Kiara when she stood up for herself. It was made clear Ryn didn’t like packs, or any rules for the safety of herself and werewolves as a whole. But we never learn why. She gives a few flippant responses. But she comes off whiney, self centered and reckless.
There were some wonderful scenes throughout the story. Plus I adored seeing Deanna and Jamie again. Cole and Nathan are so much fun in this story and their tension grows. I loved seeing how that’s progressing. My favorite live in the story was “You only like him because he looks like a lesbian”. It was a throw away line that if I hadn’t paused there in my reading for real life, I would have missed the hilarity of that line. It was such an appropriate response and quick humor, you couldn’t help but laugh. There were other little snippets of levity throughout and I thoroughly enjoyed those. I still desperately want Cole and Nathan to get together and get their own story.
Kiara and Ryn don’t build much of a relationship through most of the story. Despite their physical relationship, they don’t connect much in the story. It isn’t until towards they end they talk about dating and actually wanting to be together for real. They are very clearly going to try and make a relationship work this time around. But they still have so much more to deal with personally as a couple before I would consider them together, let alone in love.
June 12, 2017
HUNTSMEN is the sequel to Osgood’s 2016 novel THE BETTER TO KISS YOU WITH. Still here are Deanna and Jaime (the stars of the first novel) and all the orbital characters that came with them, but focus has shifted to tell the story of Kiara, who must find a way to come into her own power as pack leader, keep everyone safe and figure out how to be around her former love, Ryn. You might say it’s a novel about figuring out how(l) to fix a problem.
(I guess you’d only say that if you were a pun-loving doofus like me.)
So, in case you’ve not read the first book in the series, let me catch you up right quick: there are werewolves among us, and they even have their own governing organization (GNAAW, which makes me chuckle every time). Most people don’t even know, and werewolves themselves tend to lie low so word doesn’t get out; however, there are some people—they call themselves the Huntsmen—who think werewolves are a threat to non-werewolf people, especially those werewolves without a pack and thus without allegiance to GNAAW, and so feel no compunction about hunting those werewolves down and taking them out.
Kiara is a werewolf, as are some—but not all—of her friends. She lives on the DL usually, but her father’s the leader of the large, successful pack to which she belongs, and she’s been tapped to be next. All she has to do is lie low, tow the line (I know some people say “toe,” but that makes no sense to me), and she’ll eventually be promoted to lead the big pack. But when she chances to see her former love Ryn starring in a local drag show (yes, drag isn’t limited to men impersonating women, despite what RUPAUL'S DRAG RACE would have most of America believe… and here is where my long years as a professor force me to recommend the 2002 documentary VENUS BOYZ) and finds out Ryn’s the target of the Huntsmen because she’s a “lone wolf,” that plan goes to pot. Kiara steps up to protect her friends (and herself) and upsets the intended order.
Like the first book in the series, HUNTSMEN is a fun thriller with interesting characters and smart pacing. Also like the first book in the series, HUNTSMEN features an intelligent, powerful woman at its center. (It’s so rare, as a woman reader/viewer, to get main characters one would like to emulate, at least ones who aren’t punished at the end of the book/movie.) And this thriller delivers: so often, books and films are able to mount the tension, but aren’t able to resolve it in a believable and satisfying way. Not so here—there’s family drama, identity drama, love angst, and the general fear of being stalked, and the novel winds all this tighter and tighter, but, in the end, gives one a really good ending. You might say there’s as much bite as bark.
You know, if you were a pun-loving doofus like me.
(I guess you’d only say that if you were a pun-loving doofus like me.)
So, in case you’ve not read the first book in the series, let me catch you up right quick: there are werewolves among us, and they even have their own governing organization (GNAAW, which makes me chuckle every time). Most people don’t even know, and werewolves themselves tend to lie low so word doesn’t get out; however, there are some people—they call themselves the Huntsmen—who think werewolves are a threat to non-werewolf people, especially those werewolves without a pack and thus without allegiance to GNAAW, and so feel no compunction about hunting those werewolves down and taking them out.
Kiara is a werewolf, as are some—but not all—of her friends. She lives on the DL usually, but her father’s the leader of the large, successful pack to which she belongs, and she’s been tapped to be next. All she has to do is lie low, tow the line (I know some people say “toe,” but that makes no sense to me), and she’ll eventually be promoted to lead the big pack. But when she chances to see her former love Ryn starring in a local drag show (yes, drag isn’t limited to men impersonating women, despite what RUPAUL'S DRAG RACE would have most of America believe… and here is where my long years as a professor force me to recommend the 2002 documentary VENUS BOYZ) and finds out Ryn’s the target of the Huntsmen because she’s a “lone wolf,” that plan goes to pot. Kiara steps up to protect her friends (and herself) and upsets the intended order.
Like the first book in the series, HUNTSMEN is a fun thriller with interesting characters and smart pacing. Also like the first book in the series, HUNTSMEN features an intelligent, powerful woman at its center. (It’s so rare, as a woman reader/viewer, to get main characters one would like to emulate, at least ones who aren’t punished at the end of the book/movie.) And this thriller delivers: so often, books and films are able to mount the tension, but aren’t able to resolve it in a believable and satisfying way. Not so here—there’s family drama, identity drama, love angst, and the general fear of being stalked, and the novel winds all this tighter and tighter, but, in the end, gives one a really good ending. You might say there’s as much bite as bark.
You know, if you were a pun-loving doofus like me.
September 3, 2018
I could not finish this book. I desperately wanted to like it, as I loved the first in the series, finishing it in only two days while it was a week-long slog to get through the ~2/3 of this book that I read. To put it bluntly, Kiara and Ryn were in an incredibly unhealthy relationship. When they were together before, Kiara had been a model student, but she spent so much time with Ryn that she missed classes to the point of flunking out, with Ryn only encouraging her truancy, she became distant from her family because of Ryn's disapproval of them and their closeness, and nearly got herself and the whole concept of werewolves exposed because Ryn liked to take risks. Ryn showed no signs of having changed her ways, and yet this relationship is still endgame (unless somehow a new love interest comes in during the last ~1/3 of the book I didn't read, which would come off as rushed).
The sex scenes in the first book and most of this one are pretty good and realistic, which is why I'm still giving this two stars, but one scene diverges from their typical rather vanilla nature to suddenly add in fisting and unprotected analingus. The former is somewhat understandable, as it's described as if it's something they've done before, but the latter is literally out of nowhere and not just unusual, but a huge health risk.
As much as I liked Deanna and Jamie, I wouldn't have minded the focus shifting from them if it hadn't been to trying to repair a relationship that shouldn't be salvaged.
The sex scenes in the first book and most of this one are pretty good and realistic, which is why I'm still giving this two stars, but one scene diverges from their typical rather vanilla nature to suddenly add in fisting and unprotected analingus. The former is somewhat understandable, as it's described as if it's something they've done before, but the latter is literally out of nowhere and not just unusual, but a huge health risk.
As much as I liked Deanna and Jamie, I wouldn't have minded the focus shifting from them if it hadn't been to trying to repair a relationship that shouldn't be salvaged.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 8, 2018
This one was a Christmas present from a friend!
Although there's some action, definitely the focus is on "pack", what that means for a werewolf and what it means for anyone. I thought it was interesting how they showed the contrast between Ryn's dislike of "pack" and Kiara's attachment to her own pack and everything that came with it.
However, I can't say I connected that much with the other characters or the setting, partly because I never read the first book in the series and partly because there's a whole "queers in the city" vibe here that I can never get into: I'm not a city chick, and although I'm queer my experience of queer community has been more "secretly confessing our orientations to each other in private", so while I can see the appeal of what Kiara and her friends have, it doesn't speak to me in the way that it might to someone else. (Part of me always feels a little jealous when I read about this kind of community...but that's just my own pettiness.)
Still, I'm here for Ryn and Kiara's romance, still VERY here for the discussion of seeing attachment to a "pack" as following expectations/orders vs. seeing attachment to a "pack" as loyalty to friends and family and protecting those you love. I have to say I'd probably fall somewhere between the two, and I'm not so sure I'd be keen on officially attaching to a pack myself.
It was a good gift.
Although there's some action, definitely the focus is on "pack", what that means for a werewolf and what it means for anyone. I thought it was interesting how they showed the contrast between Ryn's dislike of "pack" and Kiara's attachment to her own pack and everything that came with it.
However, I can't say I connected that much with the other characters or the setting, partly because I never read the first book in the series and partly because there's a whole "queers in the city" vibe here that I can never get into: I'm not a city chick, and although I'm queer my experience of queer community has been more "secretly confessing our orientations to each other in private", so while I can see the appeal of what Kiara and her friends have, it doesn't speak to me in the way that it might to someone else. (Part of me always feels a little jealous when I read about this kind of community...but that's just my own pettiness.)
Still, I'm here for Ryn and Kiara's romance, still VERY here for the discussion of seeing attachment to a "pack" as following expectations/orders vs. seeing attachment to a "pack" as loyalty to friends and family and protecting those you love. I have to say I'd probably fall somewhere between the two, and I'm not so sure I'd be keen on officially attaching to a pack myself.
It was a good gift.
March 17, 2018
I absolutely adored this novel, beyond words. Equally as much as I loved the first installment.
It was so fantastic to experience the fierce dynamic between Kiara and Taryn; it's explosive and thick with emotion the jumps right off the page and sits in your throat. Additionally, getting to have the dynamic of the entire crew all holed up in an apartment together was so fantastic. The scenes and interactions between the characters really allowed their personalities to bloom and the relationships to real absolutely authentic.
I think my favourite thing about Michelle Osgood's writing is how genuine it feels. There is such a real expression in it, where I sink into the pages and the world comes to life.
This novel is sexy, it's exciting. It will frustrate you as you experience the complex world of family obligation and the yearning for freedom. It will set you alight and make you love found families even more than before.
I am so exceptionally thrilled with this book, there was nothing I didn't like and as always I'm looking forward to the next installment.
You will not be disappointed. :)
It was so fantastic to experience the fierce dynamic between Kiara and Taryn; it's explosive and thick with emotion the jumps right off the page and sits in your throat. Additionally, getting to have the dynamic of the entire crew all holed up in an apartment together was so fantastic. The scenes and interactions between the characters really allowed their personalities to bloom and the relationships to real absolutely authentic.
I think my favourite thing about Michelle Osgood's writing is how genuine it feels. There is such a real expression in it, where I sink into the pages and the world comes to life.
This novel is sexy, it's exciting. It will frustrate you as you experience the complex world of family obligation and the yearning for freedom. It will set you alight and make you love found families even more than before.
I am so exceptionally thrilled with this book, there was nothing I didn't like and as always I'm looking forward to the next installment.
You will not be disappointed. :)
April 23, 2018
Once again, the relationship is what kept me intrigued, not so much the plot. This series models consent beautifully and it’s steamy scenes are unrivaled. I love ‘em!
October 2, 2019
Cute, fluffy queer werewolf romance.
May 17, 2017
Content warnings: sex, lesbian relationships, gay relationships, bisexual relationships, genderfluid characters, violence
Review can be found here at Blow Pop's Book Reviews.
Review can be found here at Blow Pop's Book Reviews.
April 27, 2017
Fair starters: I love werewolves. Cliché, uncliché, lone wolf and running in packs, teenagers on TV and grown women in pages--werewolves are among my favorite legendary creatures.
Back when the first book of this series came out, I was instantly swept away by Michelle Osgood's way with words, painting vivid scenes and deep emotions.
This time around, the feelings are the same--lovable yet rlawed characters, a pace reminiscent of a well directed movie and Vancouver in the background-- but the tone is different, slightly darker but not overwhelmingly so. Think more of a Back to The Future 2 compared to the first one.
Kiara, who we just got a glance of in The Better To Kiss You With, takes the spotlight as this badass, grumpy, pocket sized Alpha whose stature is larger than life. I instantly loved her in spite (or maybe because) of her grumpiness and her layers and layers of armor. She is not your average female character, because she doesn't bend to conform, and maybe this is the kind of character we desperately need right now--a model that being ourselves, trusting our instincts and following our values, is probably the most heroic thing we can do
Back when the first book of this series came out, I was instantly swept away by Michelle Osgood's way with words, painting vivid scenes and deep emotions.
This time around, the feelings are the same--lovable yet rlawed characters, a pace reminiscent of a well directed movie and Vancouver in the background-- but the tone is different, slightly darker but not overwhelmingly so. Think more of a Back to The Future 2 compared to the first one.
Kiara, who we just got a glance of in The Better To Kiss You With, takes the spotlight as this badass, grumpy, pocket sized Alpha whose stature is larger than life. I instantly loved her in spite (or maybe because) of her grumpiness and her layers and layers of armor. She is not your average female character, because she doesn't bend to conform, and maybe this is the kind of character we desperately need right now--a model that being ourselves, trusting our instincts and following our values, is probably the most heroic thing we can do
tbr-maybe
September 29, 2017recommended here: https://www.autostraddle.com/urban-fa...
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