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Black Wolves of Boston #1
Black Wolves of Boston
From the Romantic Times Sapphire award winning author of the Internationally best-selling Elfhome series.
REBUILD A LIFE, SAVE A CITY
A vampire struggling to find his purpose. A Virtue, pledged to hunt evil but unable to live alone in a city of strangers who know nothing about monsters. A sixteen-year-old ward of the Wolf King. A college-bound high school senior whose life is shattered when he wakes up in a field, covered in blood. These four must come together to unravel a plot by Wickers, witches who gain power from human sacrifices and have the power to turn any human into their puppet. Four people who have lost everything must struggle to save Boston by saving each other.
About Wen Spencer's Elfhome
“Spencer's intertwining of current Earth technology and otherworldly elven magic is quite ingenious.” — Booklist
"The melange of science fiction and fantasy tropes, starships rubbing shoulders with proud elf warriors, is uncommon but tasty. Established fans will enjoy this installment, and those unfamiliar with the series or Spencer may find it an intriguing introduction to her work."— Publishers Weekly
About Wen
“Wit and intelligence inform this off-beat, tongue-in-cheek fantasy. . . . Furious action . . . good characterization, playful eroticism and well-developed folklore. . . . lift this well above the fantasy average. . . . Buffy fans should find a lot to like in the book's resourceful heroine.”— Publishers Weekly on series debut Tinker
REBUILD A LIFE, SAVE A CITY
A vampire struggling to find his purpose. A Virtue, pledged to hunt evil but unable to live alone in a city of strangers who know nothing about monsters. A sixteen-year-old ward of the Wolf King. A college-bound high school senior whose life is shattered when he wakes up in a field, covered in blood. These four must come together to unravel a plot by Wickers, witches who gain power from human sacrifices and have the power to turn any human into their puppet. Four people who have lost everything must struggle to save Boston by saving each other.
About Wen Spencer's Elfhome
“Spencer's intertwining of current Earth technology and otherworldly elven magic is quite ingenious.” — Booklist
"The melange of science fiction and fantasy tropes, starships rubbing shoulders with proud elf warriors, is uncommon but tasty. Established fans will enjoy this installment, and those unfamiliar with the series or Spencer may find it an intriguing introduction to her work."— Publishers Weekly
About Wen
“Wit and intelligence inform this off-beat, tongue-in-cheek fantasy. . . . Furious action . . . good characterization, playful eroticism and well-developed folklore. . . . lift this well above the fantasy average. . . . Buffy fans should find a lot to like in the book's resourceful heroine.”— Publishers Weekly on series debut Tinker
656 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 7, 2017
78 people are currently reading
1268 people want to read
About the author
Wen Spencer
41 books893 followersJohn W. Campbell Award Winner Wen Spencer resides in paradise in Hilo, Hawaii with two volcanoes overlooking her home. Spencer says that she often wakes up and exclaims "Oh my god, I live on an island in the middle of the Pacific!" This, says Spencer, is a far cry from her twenty years of living in land-locked Pittsburgh.
The Elfhome series opener, Tinker, won the 2003 Sapphire Award for Best Science Fiction Romance and was a finalist for the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award for Fantasy Novel. Wolf Who Rules, the sequel to Tinker, was chosen as a Top Pick by Romantic Times and given their top rating of four and a half stars. Other Baen books include space opera thriller Endless Blue and Eight Million Gods.
The Elfhome series opener, Tinker, won the 2003 Sapphire Award for Best Science Fiction Romance and was a finalist for the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award for Fantasy Novel. Wolf Who Rules, the sequel to Tinker, was chosen as a Top Pick by Romantic Times and given their top rating of four and a half stars. Other Baen books include space opera thriller Endless Blue and Eight Million Gods.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 208 reviews
September 11, 2017
This was an interesting book. It definitely kept me listening. At first I thought the audio was a bit flat, but it grew on me.
I've never read anything from this author, so didn't know quite what to expect. I feel like we're being setup for a series here. There is a lot of time spent world building and introducing us to the main cast of characters. We flip back and forth between 4 different points of view and sometimes it is a bit repetitive, but I enjoyed it. The story was imaginative and the characters likable.
Not sure if this is considered YA. At least a few main characters were teens. There wasn't any sex, although there was a budding romance plot between at least one m/f couple and maybe another romance... I'll get to that.
In this magical version of the modern day USA we have evil witches, werewolves, vampires, angel/human hybrids (Virtues), and various monsters that come in through breeches in reality. The evil witches have hatched a plot to wreak havoc and our main characters have to unravel their plot. The story is also largely about the family you make.
I will have to say that one situation was a bit disconcerting at times. Two of the main characters *may* be headed for a m/m relationship. I don't normally seek out slash fiction, but both characters were immensely likable and it won't keep me from reading another book from the series. What I found disconcerting was the obvious painful confusion one character has to deal with. Here's the deal as I see it:
Decker is a 300 yr old vampire. Do to his magical nature before being changed, he does not have to take blood. He can siphon off magic from other magical creatures to survive. He mostly helps kill the nasty things and hides out in his giant mansion where he is a hoarder and a recluse.
Joshua is a 17-year-old recently turned werewolf. He has run away from home due to the turning and ends up living with Decker.
Decker needs to feed one day and he's pretty desperate about it. He neglects to tell Josh that this exchange is done mouth to mouth in what sounds like a quite sexual type of kiss. Freaks the hell out of Joshua who identifies as heterosexual, mostly because his 'wolf' is into this.
Yes, I realize this is fantasy and is by definition 'weird', but this is where it gets really weird IMHO. Decker's POV clearly shows he sees Joshua as a dear friend, but also as a pet. He refers to him as 'his puppy' and when Joshua turns into a wolf there is lots of doggie like snuggling. Also, Decker is always happy with how Joshua unconsciously does other doggie things, like simulating wagging his tale while in human form. So..... when you add in the possibly sexual aspect of Decker's feeding and the huge age difference.... it's confusing for Joshua and for me.
It sort of sounds like his wolf really likes to snuggle with Decker while Joshua himself sees Decker as a friend. My dog likes to snuggle with me. She often sticks her tongue in my ear. I kiss her on top of her head. I, like Decker, rhapsodize over her general puppy adorableness. She can't talk, but I'm pretty sure she's not sexually into me. I hope not. Because that would be awkward in so many ways.
Maybe this is some form of mild m/m pet fetish kinda thing? I dunno. YKINMK may apply here. Then again, I'm not sure. So confused. Like I said, I'll gladly read a sequel, but I may have to step away if this relationship slips too far past my comfort zone.
I love shifter romance (Mercy Thompson, IAD). However, the werewolves in those books aren't so pet like. It's mostly just the badass 'grrrrr' and the heightened senses going on, but sexually they are just men who happen to be gorgeous and have large penises. Bottom line: I don't want to have to worry about my dog leaving me for a 300 yr old vampire. I'd be devastated. I also think she's too young to have to worry about her sexual identity. She's not even 2 yet and she's been spayed. It seems like it would be very confusing for us both, to say the least.
Still confused.
I've never read anything from this author, so didn't know quite what to expect. I feel like we're being setup for a series here. There is a lot of time spent world building and introducing us to the main cast of characters. We flip back and forth between 4 different points of view and sometimes it is a bit repetitive, but I enjoyed it. The story was imaginative and the characters likable.
Not sure if this is considered YA. At least a few main characters were teens. There wasn't any sex, although there was a budding romance plot between at least one m/f couple and maybe another romance... I'll get to that.
In this magical version of the modern day USA we have evil witches, werewolves, vampires, angel/human hybrids (Virtues), and various monsters that come in through breeches in reality. The evil witches have hatched a plot to wreak havoc and our main characters have to unravel their plot. The story is also largely about the family you make.
I will have to say that one situation was a bit disconcerting at times. Two of the main characters *may* be headed for a m/m relationship. I don't normally seek out slash fiction, but both characters were immensely likable and it won't keep me from reading another book from the series. What I found disconcerting was the obvious painful confusion one character has to deal with. Here's the deal as I see it:
Decker is a 300 yr old vampire. Do to his magical nature before being changed, he does not have to take blood. He can siphon off magic from other magical creatures to survive. He mostly helps kill the nasty things and hides out in his giant mansion where he is a hoarder and a recluse.
Joshua is a 17-year-old recently turned werewolf. He has run away from home due to the turning and ends up living with Decker.
Decker needs to feed one day and he's pretty desperate about it. He neglects to tell Josh that this exchange is done mouth to mouth in what sounds like a quite sexual type of kiss. Freaks the hell out of Joshua who identifies as heterosexual, mostly because his 'wolf' is into this.
Yes, I realize this is fantasy and is by definition 'weird', but this is where it gets really weird IMHO. Decker's POV clearly shows he sees Joshua as a dear friend, but also as a pet. He refers to him as 'his puppy' and when Joshua turns into a wolf there is lots of doggie like snuggling. Also, Decker is always happy with how Joshua unconsciously does other doggie things, like simulating wagging his tale while in human form. So..... when you add in the possibly sexual aspect of Decker's feeding and the huge age difference.... it's confusing for Joshua and for me.
It sort of sounds like his wolf really likes to snuggle with Decker while Joshua himself sees Decker as a friend. My dog likes to snuggle with me. She often sticks her tongue in my ear. I kiss her on top of her head. I, like Decker, rhapsodize over her general puppy adorableness. She can't talk, but I'm pretty sure she's not sexually into me. I hope not. Because that would be awkward in so many ways.
Maybe this is some form of mild m/m pet fetish kinda thing? I dunno. YKINMK may apply here. Then again, I'm not sure. So confused. Like I said, I'll gladly read a sequel, but I may have to step away if this relationship slips too far past my comfort zone.
I love shifter romance (Mercy Thompson, IAD). However, the werewolves in those books aren't so pet like. It's mostly just the badass 'grrrrr' and the heightened senses going on, but sexually they are just men who happen to be gorgeous and have large penises. Bottom line: I don't want to have to worry about my dog leaving me for a 300 yr old vampire. I'd be devastated. I also think she's too young to have to worry about her sexual identity. She's not even 2 yet and she's been spayed. It seems like it would be very confusing for us both, to say the least.
Still confused.
May 24, 2017
I like everything written by Spencer, but this book is not my favorite. In fact, I liked it least of all her novels.
This one starts with Joshua, a regular eighteen-year-old high school senior, suddenly becoming a werewolf. Afraid to hurt his family and bewildered by what’s happening to him, Joshua runs away from home and ends up in Boston. While Joshua tries to get his act together and adjust to being a werewolf, he meets a variety of characters: Decker, the vampire, Winnie, the medium, Elise, the angelic warrior who fights evil, and finally, other werewolves, the ones responsible for his transformation.
One of the werewolves, probably the most important to this story, is Seth, a sixteen-year-old werewolf and a Prince of Boston. To keep all of Boston from contamination by evil is his reason for existing, and he’ll do anything to keep Joshua safe. Unfortunately, Seth has troubles of his own, one of them being a minor – he is only sixteen.
All of the above are the good guys. Mostly. There are bad guys too, the Wickers, the villainous cabal of witches and warlocks, and Joshua is central to their plan for world-domination. Joshua himself doesn’t realize it, and nobody but the Wickers know what they plan to do with him, except that it would surely be something horrendous. Most of the story is a mad scramble by the other characters to keep Joshua safe, discover the Wickers’ heinous ploy, and stop it before Boston is plunged into darkness.
Bad stuff
• Too many POVs. There are 4 POV characters – Joshua, Seth, Decker, and Elise - and the chapters for them alternate, which makes for a jumpy ride for the reader. Joshua and Seth are paramount to this story. Their POVs are needed. The other two just dilute the reader’s attention and distract from the protagonists’ struggles. Even worse: less page space for each of the two heroes result in sketchy characterization for everyone. We don’t have time to bond with any of the characters; they are all too distant. I wasn’t emotionally involved with any of them, and that’s a huge flaw in fiction.
• Proofreading. Or rather the lack of it. There are too many extra words or missed words or words out of place. I read a hardcover, but it felt like a bad Kindle file.
Good stuff
• Beautiful, full-page B&W illustrations. Almost every chapter has one, and they enhance the reading experience tremendously. In the past, artists routinely illustrated adult literature, but the practice has fallen off the wagon in the past couple hundred years. Modern publishing mostly relegated illustrations to picture books for children, but I hope the tradition will make a comeback soon, and we’ll see the artistic interpretations of our favorite characters on the pages again, not just in the movies.
• Humor. Oh, yeah! There are many places in the book where I laughed, and chuckled, and giggled, and shook my head at the absurdity of the familiar, as seen through the sharp eyes of the author.
• World building. It’s a strong aspect of Spencer’s writing in general. Every stand-alone book and every series of hers introduces a world that is unique and interesting. In this one, there are werewolves and vampires, like in many other paranormal fantasy books, but the writer sees them in a different way. Her werewolves are magical creatures who guard the Earth from evil monsters and prevent breaches in reality that spawn the aforementioned monsters. Her vampire is an original. He doesn’t drink blood. To sustain himself, he drinks life-essence through a kiss. Besides, he is depressed and lonely, and his depression manifests as hoarding.
• Story. Yes, the story is fascinating, and the tension builds the way it should. Despite my general disappointment with the characters, I still want to know what will happen to them next. If there is a second book in the series, I’ll definitely read it.
This one starts with Joshua, a regular eighteen-year-old high school senior, suddenly becoming a werewolf. Afraid to hurt his family and bewildered by what’s happening to him, Joshua runs away from home and ends up in Boston. While Joshua tries to get his act together and adjust to being a werewolf, he meets a variety of characters: Decker, the vampire, Winnie, the medium, Elise, the angelic warrior who fights evil, and finally, other werewolves, the ones responsible for his transformation.
One of the werewolves, probably the most important to this story, is Seth, a sixteen-year-old werewolf and a Prince of Boston. To keep all of Boston from contamination by evil is his reason for existing, and he’ll do anything to keep Joshua safe. Unfortunately, Seth has troubles of his own, one of them being a minor – he is only sixteen.
All of the above are the good guys. Mostly. There are bad guys too, the Wickers, the villainous cabal of witches and warlocks, and Joshua is central to their plan for world-domination. Joshua himself doesn’t realize it, and nobody but the Wickers know what they plan to do with him, except that it would surely be something horrendous. Most of the story is a mad scramble by the other characters to keep Joshua safe, discover the Wickers’ heinous ploy, and stop it before Boston is plunged into darkness.
Bad stuff
• Too many POVs. There are 4 POV characters – Joshua, Seth, Decker, and Elise - and the chapters for them alternate, which makes for a jumpy ride for the reader. Joshua and Seth are paramount to this story. Their POVs are needed. The other two just dilute the reader’s attention and distract from the protagonists’ struggles. Even worse: less page space for each of the two heroes result in sketchy characterization for everyone. We don’t have time to bond with any of the characters; they are all too distant. I wasn’t emotionally involved with any of them, and that’s a huge flaw in fiction.
• Proofreading. Or rather the lack of it. There are too many extra words or missed words or words out of place. I read a hardcover, but it felt like a bad Kindle file.
Good stuff
• Beautiful, full-page B&W illustrations. Almost every chapter has one, and they enhance the reading experience tremendously. In the past, artists routinely illustrated adult literature, but the practice has fallen off the wagon in the past couple hundred years. Modern publishing mostly relegated illustrations to picture books for children, but I hope the tradition will make a comeback soon, and we’ll see the artistic interpretations of our favorite characters on the pages again, not just in the movies.
• Humor. Oh, yeah! There are many places in the book where I laughed, and chuckled, and giggled, and shook my head at the absurdity of the familiar, as seen through the sharp eyes of the author.
• World building. It’s a strong aspect of Spencer’s writing in general. Every stand-alone book and every series of hers introduces a world that is unique and interesting. In this one, there are werewolves and vampires, like in many other paranormal fantasy books, but the writer sees them in a different way. Her werewolves are magical creatures who guard the Earth from evil monsters and prevent breaches in reality that spawn the aforementioned monsters. Her vampire is an original. He doesn’t drink blood. To sustain himself, he drinks life-essence through a kiss. Besides, he is depressed and lonely, and his depression manifests as hoarding.
• Story. Yes, the story is fascinating, and the tension builds the way it should. Despite my general disappointment with the characters, I still want to know what will happen to them next. If there is a second book in the series, I’ll definitely read it.
February 6, 2017
Very good, Wen always creates interesting universes, with compelling characters.
April 16, 2023
2/7/17 Goodreads and Amazon for Hardback and Kindle ebook:
Since the eARC release in November, I have read this story almost as many times as the Elfhome stories. The world and these characters are so compelling, I just keep coming back to them. Comfort read, distraction read, it's high on my go to list.
This would be a great introduction to Wen Spencer's writing if she's a new to you author. Another engrossing tale if you're used to getting sucked into Wen's Worlds. The characters will eventually have another story as their adventures continue.
If you enjoy the story, check out Wen's free short story set in the same world at
www dot baen dot com backslash bearwoods "Does a Bear Shoot in the Woods?"
11/21/16: Goodreads for eARC:
Fantastic story.
Bought the eARC as soon as Baen had it for sale. Started reading immediately. Just finished. Hate leaving this world.
Enjoyed seeing how the author used the various snippets posted on facebook. Even better was reading the parts that hadn't been posted and the now complete story.
Love that the characters were not one dimensional. Joshua, Decker, Elise and Seth were all complex and interesting. Even the secondary characters had distinct personalities.
Hope that Decker and company have another adventure someday. What do the "penguins" want?
Until then, I'm going read the story again. A Wen Spencer story is detailed and multi-leveled so one read is never enough.
Since the eARC release in November, I have read this story almost as many times as the Elfhome stories. The world and these characters are so compelling, I just keep coming back to them. Comfort read, distraction read, it's high on my go to list.
This would be a great introduction to Wen Spencer's writing if she's a new to you author. Another engrossing tale if you're used to getting sucked into Wen's Worlds. The characters will eventually have another story as their adventures continue.
If you enjoy the story, check out Wen's free short story set in the same world at
www dot baen dot com backslash bearwoods "Does a Bear Shoot in the Woods?"
11/21/16: Goodreads for eARC:
Fantastic story.
Bought the eARC as soon as Baen had it for sale. Started reading immediately. Just finished. Hate leaving this world.
Enjoyed seeing how the author used the various snippets posted on facebook. Even better was reading the parts that hadn't been posted and the now complete story.
Love that the characters were not one dimensional. Joshua, Decker, Elise and Seth were all complex and interesting. Even the secondary characters had distinct personalities.
Hope that Decker and company have another adventure someday. What do the "penguins" want?
Until then, I'm going read the story again. A Wen Spencer story is detailed and multi-leveled so one read is never enough.
December 17, 2020
I'm at p. 18 (or so) & having a great time. The old saying, "the most fun you can have with your clothes on" comes to mind. I've already laughed out loud a half-dozen times or more...
Decker's massive red sword (p.16) "WTH is that??" "You don't want to know."
In Joshua's experience, when people said that, he most definitely *did* want to know....
Let's hope Wen Spencer can keep it up!
Update 5/14/20, at about 1/3 in. Well, she couldn't. This is turning into a book I *should* like more then I can. Probably because I'm pretty much allergic to werewolf stuff. The Grigori guardian angels are interesting.... Here's a not-very-coherent account: http://www.supernaturalwiki.com/Grigori
The one Grigori here is a bit of a Mary Sue for the author -- she has the hots for the young werewolf -- but pretty well done.
I'll likely finish this, but it's looking in the 3-star (or less) range.
The related (?) Wen Spencer you MUST read is "Does a bear shoot in the woods?," a delightful rural romp into what some other reader thought was part of the Black Wolves of Boston-verse. MILES ahead, so far. And FREE: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Don't miss!
=========
11/19/20. Well, here it is, 6 months later, and the book sits in a corner of the bookcase, gathering dust. Occasionally I think about picking it up again. So far, I haven't. But I haven't quite given up!
OK, I just looked at the 1,2, and 3-star reviews -- which you should too, if you're considering this one. Um. Could be a DNF here....
12/16/20 Closing out as DNF, I gave up, and donated my copy to the library booksale. It was a nearly new hb first-edition, so it might please someone else. For what I read: 2.5 stars, courtesy roundup -- but I did give up, and would only recommend the book to werewolf-story fans, and diehard Wen Spencer fanboys& girls.
Decker's massive red sword (p.16) "WTH is that??" "You don't want to know."
In Joshua's experience, when people said that, he most definitely *did* want to know....
Let's hope Wen Spencer can keep it up!
Update 5/14/20, at about 1/3 in. Well, she couldn't. This is turning into a book I *should* like more then I can. Probably because I'm pretty much allergic to werewolf stuff. The Grigori guardian angels are interesting.... Here's a not-very-coherent account: http://www.supernaturalwiki.com/Grigori
The one Grigori here is a bit of a Mary Sue for the author -- she has the hots for the young werewolf -- but pretty well done.
I'll likely finish this, but it's looking in the 3-star (or less) range.
The related (?) Wen Spencer you MUST read is "Does a bear shoot in the woods?," a delightful rural romp into what some other reader thought was part of the Black Wolves of Boston-verse. MILES ahead, so far. And FREE: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Don't miss!
=========
11/19/20. Well, here it is, 6 months later, and the book sits in a corner of the bookcase, gathering dust. Occasionally I think about picking it up again. So far, I haven't. But I haven't quite given up!
OK, I just looked at the 1,2, and 3-star reviews -- which you should too, if you're considering this one. Um. Could be a DNF here....
12/16/20 Closing out as DNF, I gave up, and donated my copy to the library booksale. It was a nearly new hb first-edition, so it might please someone else. For what I read: 2.5 stars, courtesy roundup -- but I did give up, and would only recommend the book to werewolf-story fans, and diehard Wen Spencer fanboys& girls.
January 2, 2018
It's probably no fairer to say the urban fantasy genre is played out than epic fantasy or space opera or other sub-genres where it's very unlikely you'll see anything truly unique, and you're just looking for a satisfying yet more or less familiar story. I tend to read urban fantasies less often because so many of them are really romances with a thin veneer of vampire-slaying. But The Black Wolves of Boston looked mildly intriguing, with its mention of Grigori (the lost, fallen tribe of angels that sinned by procreating with men), so I decided to give this a listen.
It was pretty good, although it turns out the author is in fact a romance author and it shows. Here, it's not the vampires who are sparkly and sexy (there's even a "vampires don't sparkle" joke in the book) - it's the werewolves who are all Dominant and Alpha except when they are in cuddly puppy mode, which is how the author sets up Romance #1, between a Grigori-descended professional witch-hunter who decides she needs a life outside of sticking magical knives into supernatural monsters and decides she'd like a supernatural monster to do the sticking... and Romance #2, between the runaway teenage werewolf Josh, and a broody, depressive vampire named Decker whom Josh quickly realizes is maybe just a little bit gay. And who keeps calling Josh "his puppy." And Josh eventually decides he's okay with that. It's all very homoerotic and yet humorously chaste.
Josh is on the run after rampaging werewolves killed a lot of his senior class. Decker the vampire finds him running around in a park and brings him home, which gets him introduced to Eloise, the humorless Virtue consecrated to kill evil things in the name of God, and eventually they attract the attention of the local werewolf prince, who is a teenager just figuring out how to be a prince.
The worldbuilding is serviceable - here, it's the werewolves who mostly sit at the top of the magical hierarchy, with a Werewolf King who rules all the packs in the world, and every city having a Prince who is in charge of that region. Werewolves are more or less good guys, as they fight to keep "breaches" from opening up and spilling infernal horrors into our world, but because accidentally created "feral" werewolves also have an unfortunate habit of going on berserk killing sprees, they were not very popular with the Grigori and their kin. Now there is a shaky alliance, which in Boston includes Decker the vampire. And when the young Prince of Boston comes down to see where this new werewolf came from, it unravels a bunch of werewolf politics and a scheme by the real baddies, a tribe of witches called Wickers who are very good at infiltrating themselves into human society and making people do horrible things while they plot to open breaches.
Okay, got all that? So, The Werewolves of Boston will appeal to anyone who likes urban fantasy in general, and there are a lot of pop culture references (I was surprised that Buffy didn't seem to merit a mention). The first book ends with the imminent threat dealt with, but clearly a to-be-continued-for-as-long-as-this-series-sells for the main characters. I liked it pretty well (better than Harry Dresden, for instance), but it's much softer and mushier than, say, Larry Coreia's Monster Hunter series.
It was pretty good, although it turns out the author is in fact a romance author and it shows. Here, it's not the vampires who are sparkly and sexy (there's even a "vampires don't sparkle" joke in the book) - it's the werewolves who are all Dominant and Alpha except when they are in cuddly puppy mode, which is how the author sets up Romance #1, between a Grigori-descended professional witch-hunter who decides she needs a life outside of sticking magical knives into supernatural monsters and decides she'd like a supernatural monster to do the sticking... and Romance #2, between the runaway teenage werewolf Josh, and a broody, depressive vampire named Decker whom Josh quickly realizes is maybe just a little bit gay. And who keeps calling Josh "his puppy." And Josh eventually decides he's okay with that. It's all very homoerotic and yet humorously chaste.
Josh is on the run after rampaging werewolves killed a lot of his senior class. Decker the vampire finds him running around in a park and brings him home, which gets him introduced to Eloise, the humorless Virtue consecrated to kill evil things in the name of God, and eventually they attract the attention of the local werewolf prince, who is a teenager just figuring out how to be a prince.
The worldbuilding is serviceable - here, it's the werewolves who mostly sit at the top of the magical hierarchy, with a Werewolf King who rules all the packs in the world, and every city having a Prince who is in charge of that region. Werewolves are more or less good guys, as they fight to keep "breaches" from opening up and spilling infernal horrors into our world, but because accidentally created "feral" werewolves also have an unfortunate habit of going on berserk killing sprees, they were not very popular with the Grigori and their kin. Now there is a shaky alliance, which in Boston includes Decker the vampire. And when the young Prince of Boston comes down to see where this new werewolf came from, it unravels a bunch of werewolf politics and a scheme by the real baddies, a tribe of witches called Wickers who are very good at infiltrating themselves into human society and making people do horrible things while they plot to open breaches.
Okay, got all that? So, The Werewolves of Boston will appeal to anyone who likes urban fantasy in general, and there are a lot of pop culture references (I was surprised that Buffy didn't seem to merit a mention). The first book ends with the imminent threat dealt with, but clearly a to-be-continued-for-as-long-as-this-series-sells for the main characters. I liked it pretty well (better than Harry Dresden, for instance), but it's much softer and mushier than, say, Larry Coreia's Monster Hunter series.
July 30, 2017
review to come when im not exhausted on the train
October 3, 2017
You know, I thought the whole uf had reached its limits for me, but clearly there are authors around that can still write a book with werewolves and vampires in a way that work.
This book, with the great storyline, the incredible set of characters, the wonderful dialgues, the beautiful action scenes... it's a beautiful story and I was really surprised by how good it actually is.
all the characters are so different and easily recognizable. Each one of them has their own storyline, and their own goal, which might be different from the other. Each of them has their own morality and their own speech patterns. It's really amazing.
This book, with the great storyline, the incredible set of characters, the wonderful dialgues, the beautiful action scenes... it's a beautiful story and I was really surprised by how good it actually is.
all the characters are so different and easily recognizable. Each one of them has their own storyline, and their own goal, which might be different from the other. Each of them has their own morality and their own speech patterns. It's really amazing.
December 9, 2025
the Baaston accents are cracking me up
January 26, 2019
what a nice surprise! i bought this at an audible sale a while back and kept looking over it. i finally listened to this one and it was good! i wasn't familiar with Wen Spencer so i thought she was a new author lol!
It took a minute to get into the narrator's voice, the one in the beginning. i liked all the others. (Sylvanas was that you?!) The story is well written and kept my attention. the characters are great! i hope there will be more in this series.
It took a minute to get into the narrator's voice, the one in the beginning. i liked all the others. (Sylvanas was that you?!) The story is well written and kept my attention. the characters are great! i hope there will be more in this series.
January 21, 2020
Great listen. I have no idea if it would have worked for me if I‘d read it in text format. The audio I enjoyed. After finishing I realized that I could start nitpicking about some stuff. I often have problems with books that have mythology in a very American setting. Some of my core believes just do not agree. But that was only afterwards, and I decided to just let it be. It was fun. Why ask more of it?
September 25, 2025
This was a great story about love, friendship and accepting yourself for yourself. Of course, it was also urban fantasy so we had evil Wickers who wanted to take over the werewolf Prince of Boston and make him their puppet.
The story starts with brand new werewolf Joshua being rescued by Decker who is a depressed vampire who is hundreds of years old. Decker has been getting more and more isolated and has been hoarding things to combat his loneliness. He takes Joshua home and they two form a firm friendship.
The story is told from Decker's viewpoint and Joshua's. It is also told from the viewpoint of Seth who is the 16-year-old Prince of Boston who has been in the care of the Wolf King in New York City since his whole family was massacred when a Breach let evil into the world when Seth was thirten. He wants very much to return to Boston along with his older cousin Jack who is one of the Wolf King's Thanes.
Elise is also a viewpoint character. She is a Virtue whose purpose in life is to live among humans and seek out evil and destroy it. Elise has known Decker all of her life but is so focused on being a Virtue that she only uses him as a tool. Elise, too, is alone and lonely.
The four characters come together to find and defeat the Wickers before they can succeed at their evil plan. Along the way there are a lot of funny moments in this story. Joshua has a tendency to turn into a small wolf pup when he's frightened or when he sneezes. It also has some touching moments as we learn that Seth has been longing for more family and really wants Joshua to be the older brother he thought was lost forever.
This is a wonderful story filled with characters real enough to step off the page. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
The story starts with brand new werewolf Joshua being rescued by Decker who is a depressed vampire who is hundreds of years old. Decker has been getting more and more isolated and has been hoarding things to combat his loneliness. He takes Joshua home and they two form a firm friendship.
The story is told from Decker's viewpoint and Joshua's. It is also told from the viewpoint of Seth who is the 16-year-old Prince of Boston who has been in the care of the Wolf King in New York City since his whole family was massacred when a Breach let evil into the world when Seth was thirten. He wants very much to return to Boston along with his older cousin Jack who is one of the Wolf King's Thanes.
Elise is also a viewpoint character. She is a Virtue whose purpose in life is to live among humans and seek out evil and destroy it. Elise has known Decker all of her life but is so focused on being a Virtue that she only uses him as a tool. Elise, too, is alone and lonely.
The four characters come together to find and defeat the Wickers before they can succeed at their evil plan. Along the way there are a lot of funny moments in this story. Joshua has a tendency to turn into a small wolf pup when he's frightened or when he sneezes. It also has some touching moments as we learn that Seth has been longing for more family and really wants Joshua to be the older brother he thought was lost forever.
This is a wonderful story filled with characters real enough to step off the page. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
May 23, 2017
4 stars
You ever come across a book that you've heard zero hype about and none of your friends have read, but the blurb sounds interesting so you decide to give it a shot and it turns out to be really entertaining and a very pleasant surprise?
This is that book. The one that's probably better because you went into it with no preconceptions and very few expectations. Granted, I'm a sucker for vampires and shifters, so the premise already had me hooked but the story still had to be good and thankfully, this didn't disappoint.
Newbie werewolf Joshua and lonely vampire Decker are the heart of this story. Their unlikely friendship made me laugh more than once, and I simply adored both of them. Decker is especially sweet, opening up his home and his heart to Joshua when he has no one else to turn to, only to find that he needs Joshua almost as much as Joshua needs him.
Both hardworking Eloise and young Prince Seth get their turn in this book too and their stories, while not as funny, are still interesting and engaging. I did rather enjoy Eloise's awkward attempts at trying to 'seduce' Seth's pack mate Cabot, and I hope to see more of both of them in future books.
If shifters, vampires and rogue witches are your thing, I recommend picking up this book. There is really no romance per se (although the bromance is alive and well between Joshua and Decker) but given everything else that happens, you likely won't miss it.
You ever come across a book that you've heard zero hype about and none of your friends have read, but the blurb sounds interesting so you decide to give it a shot and it turns out to be really entertaining and a very pleasant surprise?
This is that book. The one that's probably better because you went into it with no preconceptions and very few expectations. Granted, I'm a sucker for vampires and shifters, so the premise already had me hooked but the story still had to be good and thankfully, this didn't disappoint.
Newbie werewolf Joshua and lonely vampire Decker are the heart of this story. Their unlikely friendship made me laugh more than once, and I simply adored both of them. Decker is especially sweet, opening up his home and his heart to Joshua when he has no one else to turn to, only to find that he needs Joshua almost as much as Joshua needs him.
Both hardworking Eloise and young Prince Seth get their turn in this book too and their stories, while not as funny, are still interesting and engaging. I did rather enjoy Eloise's awkward attempts at trying to 'seduce' Seth's pack mate Cabot, and I hope to see more of both of them in future books.
If shifters, vampires and rogue witches are your thing, I recommend picking up this book. There is really no romance per se (although the bromance is alive and well between Joshua and Decker) but given everything else that happens, you likely won't miss it.
February 12, 2017
Wen Spencer is one of my favorite authors and she does not disappoint with The Black Wolves of Boston. It is an exciting read from beginning to end. The book can be read as a stand alone but there is room for ongoing adventure. Hopefully there will be more books in this world.
October 6, 2017
It's mostly action or romance, which is OK but the magic is so over the top that I can't believe it's a secret. I prefer these uber-magic fantasies when they are better integrated into a consistent world. I also found the romance between the 17 year old runaway werewolf and the 300 year old vampire a tad creepy, it felt like manipulation. An OK read but not one I burned thru.
April 4, 2017
Spencer's plot has a wry, satirical edge, Similar to the movie: "American
Werewolf in London."
Decker the vampire reminded me a little of the character: "Doctor Who."
This is for anyone who enjoys dark humor blended with horror.
Werewolf in London."
Decker the vampire reminded me a little of the character: "Doctor Who."
This is for anyone who enjoys dark humor blended with horror.
October 18, 2017
I'll update this review as I make my way through the book. So far so good. I'm listening to the audiobook, however it seems like if you are going to cast a book about Werewolves, the minimum requirement would be the ability to say the words "Wolf" and "Wolves" correctly. As it is, the first narrator says "Wuf" and "Wufs" which is a bit annoying.
Actual rating so far: 3.5 stars
I will say however that thus far the story is entertaining. This is arguably the most important requirement for pleasure reading. It's a fun lighthearted werewolf story, if you can avoid thinking too hard about it. For example, the stuff with not having a social security number isn't very accurate - you can enroll in schools, even universities, without one. If you're gonna stress it, research it. It falls short however on exposition and unnatural dialogue. I'm at the part where the wolf prince dude breaks into a teenage girl's bedroom. She attacks him, and then for whatever reason decides to unleash her life's story growing up with her adoptive brother. This feels unnatural. That said, it's not bad enough for me to stop reading/listening. The positives (namely that its entertaining) outweigh the negatives. I'm still listening. We're nowhere close to DNF territory.
Update:
The sections with the female narrator are sooo much richer than the others. It's almost like a totally different person wrote them. Unlike the other PoVs, this protagonist seems to think through her behavior, and we see a lot more of what's going on in her head concerning her new werewolf... boyfriend? AT this point it's not clear what they are. I could have done with a bit less blushing and embarrassment surrounding condoms initially, because it seems out of character. The rest of the time it seems like she has her shit together and wouldn't be embarrassed by a simple thing like biology and intercourse. It's odd to see her bounce between naive school girl and straight down to business investigator.
The other character we see fairly deeply into the head of is vampire dude with his boy/puppy pet. The feeling is really different. It's good on one hand because it shows the versatility of the writer, but it's also problematic because it's so jolly... even comical which sets these sections apart from the other PoV shifts. As a result it muddies the tone of the overall narrative. As stand alone pieces both are engaging, but combining them together feels like I'm switching back and fourth between completely different books.
Will continue update as I progress through the novel.
Update:
Rating downgraded to 3 stars for the following reasons:
- Nearly every descriptive action is a cliche
- The descriptions/explanations of supernatural stuff don't make much sense. For the most part things just sort of happen without explanation, but when the author does try to explain them it's always in a way that leaves me more confused than if he hadn't tried.
- Trying too hard to be funny at the expense of the story... For example... One of the characters gets news that the protagonist has been kidnapped and is in mortal peril.... and they pick that time to marvel at how pens have evolved into ballpoints over the century.
- Unnatural dialogue... Example: One of the protagonists in his late teens is taken to a werewolf doctor and she coos at him like an infant or puppy (a real one, not the slang term in the book for a newly changed werewolf)
- There are a few instances of "I don't think that word means what you think it means"
- Several times the author contradicts himself within the same sentence. I don't care enough to re-listen to the book to pick out exact examples, but the pattern was something like this "It was had to see in all the murk, but their vision wasn't obscured." I noticed this several times.
- I don't like stories that suggest that sexual orientation is a choice, or a person can be won over by a sexy enough person. Usually I see this with straight people seducing gay women or men, but in this case it's a gay man "converting" a straight guy. Either way it's not cool for me. It'd be one thing if the character had been questioning his sexuality before meeting Mr. Dark, rich, and benevolent, but as it is it's like "I'm not gay." to "Okay I can be bisexual in this case, I think I'll kiss him on the mouth."
- Way too much passive language.
- Weird moments of exposition in the middle of action scenes near the end.
Overall, I probably wouldn't buy another book by this author. This book needed a better editor (or perhaps there wasn't one at all?) , to tighten the language up all around and make notes about where cracking jokes ruined the mood or stakes in the scene.
Actual rating so far: 3.5 stars
I will say however that thus far the story is entertaining. This is arguably the most important requirement for pleasure reading. It's a fun lighthearted werewolf story, if you can avoid thinking too hard about it. For example, the stuff with not having a social security number isn't very accurate - you can enroll in schools, even universities, without one. If you're gonna stress it, research it. It falls short however on exposition and unnatural dialogue. I'm at the part where the wolf prince dude breaks into a teenage girl's bedroom. She attacks him, and then for whatever reason decides to unleash her life's story growing up with her adoptive brother. This feels unnatural. That said, it's not bad enough for me to stop reading/listening. The positives (namely that its entertaining) outweigh the negatives. I'm still listening. We're nowhere close to DNF territory.
Update:
The sections with the female narrator are sooo much richer than the others. It's almost like a totally different person wrote them. Unlike the other PoVs, this protagonist seems to think through her behavior, and we see a lot more of what's going on in her head concerning her new werewolf... boyfriend? AT this point it's not clear what they are. I could have done with a bit less blushing and embarrassment surrounding condoms initially, because it seems out of character. The rest of the time it seems like she has her shit together and wouldn't be embarrassed by a simple thing like biology and intercourse. It's odd to see her bounce between naive school girl and straight down to business investigator.
The other character we see fairly deeply into the head of is vampire dude with his boy/puppy pet. The feeling is really different. It's good on one hand because it shows the versatility of the writer, but it's also problematic because it's so jolly... even comical which sets these sections apart from the other PoV shifts. As a result it muddies the tone of the overall narrative. As stand alone pieces both are engaging, but combining them together feels like I'm switching back and fourth between completely different books.
Will continue update as I progress through the novel.
Update:
Rating downgraded to 3 stars for the following reasons:
- Nearly every descriptive action is a cliche
- The descriptions/explanations of supernatural stuff don't make much sense. For the most part things just sort of happen without explanation, but when the author does try to explain them it's always in a way that leaves me more confused than if he hadn't tried.
- Trying too hard to be funny at the expense of the story... For example... One of the characters gets news that the protagonist has been kidnapped and is in mortal peril.... and they pick that time to marvel at how pens have evolved into ballpoints over the century.
- Unnatural dialogue... Example: One of the protagonists in his late teens is taken to a werewolf doctor and she coos at him like an infant or puppy (a real one, not the slang term in the book for a newly changed werewolf)
- There are a few instances of "I don't think that word means what you think it means"
- Several times the author contradicts himself within the same sentence. I don't care enough to re-listen to the book to pick out exact examples, but the pattern was something like this "It was had to see in all the murk, but their vision wasn't obscured." I noticed this several times.
- I don't like stories that suggest that sexual orientation is a choice, or a person can be won over by a sexy enough person. Usually I see this with straight people seducing gay women or men, but in this case it's a gay man "converting" a straight guy. Either way it's not cool for me. It'd be one thing if the character had been questioning his sexuality before meeting Mr. Dark, rich, and benevolent, but as it is it's like "I'm not gay." to "Okay I can be bisexual in this case, I think I'll kiss him on the mouth."
- Way too much passive language.
- Weird moments of exposition in the middle of action scenes near the end.
Overall, I probably wouldn't buy another book by this author. This book needed a better editor (or perhaps there wasn't one at all?) , to tighten the language up all around and make notes about where cracking jokes ruined the mood or stakes in the scene.
January 1, 2018
Reread: Still a great book, still need the sequel RIGHT NOW.
Funniest thing ever: Joshua is a newly turned werewolf at night in the big park. Rabbits smell delicious. Rabbits also can run and dodge like anything. ;) Werewolf keeps running into trees. Poor hungry teen wolf. He can't go home for fear of harming people.
Meanwhile, the witchers (evil people, as distinct from witches who just want to get on with their supernatural lives) have killed some of Joshua's classmates while hunting Josh. What makes him so special? Joshua can't go home until they have stopped hunting him.
Decker the lonely vampire isn't a hoarder with 200 years of junk... he just isn't used to not having 'people' to deal with his stuff. Can a newly turned werewolf looking for a home help him deal with loneliness? And what about a vamp's hunger - this isn't the bloodier sort of feeding, but it's really awkward for a 17 year old boy who's new wolfiness makes him prone to cuddling 'pack' - people who make him feel safe.
This hilarious part of the plot is a good balance for the politics and mayhem between wolves, witches, and angels on the other plotline. The werewolf King is a new twist I haven't seen before. The wolf princes and thanes also make this into Not Just Another Wolf story. Family, gotta love the jealousy....
There are 4 people who tell the story: 2 teens, 2 adults. 3 starting new relationships, 1 is growing into his responsibility.
I want the sequel RIGHT NOW, but Wen Spencer is writing several serieses (is that a word) and I want those other sequels right now ALSO. Spencer needs to clone herself to write faster.
Funniest thing ever: Joshua is a newly turned werewolf at night in the big park. Rabbits smell delicious. Rabbits also can run and dodge like anything. ;) Werewolf keeps running into trees. Poor hungry teen wolf. He can't go home for fear of harming people.
Meanwhile, the witchers (evil people, as distinct from witches who just want to get on with their supernatural lives) have killed some of Joshua's classmates while hunting Josh. What makes him so special? Joshua can't go home until they have stopped hunting him.
Decker the lonely vampire isn't a hoarder with 200 years of junk... he just isn't used to not having 'people' to deal with his stuff. Can a newly turned werewolf looking for a home help him deal with loneliness? And what about a vamp's hunger - this isn't the bloodier sort of feeding, but it's really awkward for a 17 year old boy who's new wolfiness makes him prone to cuddling 'pack' - people who make him feel safe.
This hilarious part of the plot is a good balance for the politics and mayhem between wolves, witches, and angels on the other plotline. The werewolf King is a new twist I haven't seen before. The wolf princes and thanes also make this into Not Just Another Wolf story. Family, gotta love the jealousy....
There are 4 people who tell the story: 2 teens, 2 adults. 3 starting new relationships, 1 is growing into his responsibility.
I want the sequel RIGHT NOW, but Wen Spencer is writing several serieses (is that a word) and I want those other sequels right now ALSO. Spencer needs to clone herself to write faster.
July 21, 2022
First, the warning I wish I had had before picking up this book: There is a vampire in this. Only one, and he's a pretty decent guy, so it didn't give me nightmares after all. Despite the vampire, and the plethora of werewolves, this is a fantasy novel, not horror. But some pretty nasty things do happen.
An unusual take on werewolves, this focuses on Joshua, a dorky teen who has just been bitten and had his life turned upside down; Seth, the werewolf Prince of Boston; Elise, a semi-angelic warrior whose people have an uneasy truce with wolf-kind; and Decker, an ancient and very lonely vampire. With the Wolf King in Belgrade dealing with a bad breach--spawning monsters into this reality--and a local change of command, the youngsters are on their own dealing with evil magic-workers who want to capture and use Joshua for their nefarious schemes. Meanwhile, Joshua is trying to find stability in a world suddenly gone very strange.
Well-rounded characters, an interesting magic system, and an appropriately twisty plot add up to a very enjoyable read.
An unusual take on werewolves, this focuses on Joshua, a dorky teen who has just been bitten and had his life turned upside down; Seth, the werewolf Prince of Boston; Elise, a semi-angelic warrior whose people have an uneasy truce with wolf-kind; and Decker, an ancient and very lonely vampire. With the Wolf King in Belgrade dealing with a bad breach--spawning monsters into this reality--and a local change of command, the youngsters are on their own dealing with evil magic-workers who want to capture and use Joshua for their nefarious schemes. Meanwhile, Joshua is trying to find stability in a world suddenly gone very strange.
Well-rounded characters, an interesting magic system, and an appropriately twisty plot add up to a very enjoyable read.
January 21, 2018
Mini-Review:
Overall, solid UF story. I kind of hope that the author will write a follow up because I've grown to like the characters a lot. The writing style is simplistic in a way that makes me think it's easier to digest as a kid rather than teen+. There are a few scenes with adult themes or complicated emotions that could push the book into YA territory.
There's a lot of over explaining happening for more than half the book. That drove me a little batty. Yet, even with all of that explaining, only a hint of the the society & cultures for the different unnatural groups are given. There's a fair deal of promise to the the world and characters. I would be happy to read another book to see where it goes.
At heart, the story is all about family and a different take on werewolves and vampires. I think the bigger ideas were pushed into minimal existence because the author tried too hard to throw in a bunch of stuff without the meat to really give them all life.
This is not a short audiobook. =D
Cut out all the over-explaining, and add concrete action and story elements.
Overall, solid UF story. I kind of hope that the author will write a follow up because I've grown to like the characters a lot. The writing style is simplistic in a way that makes me think it's easier to digest as a kid rather than teen+. There are a few scenes with adult themes or complicated emotions that could push the book into YA territory.
There's a lot of over explaining happening for more than half the book. That drove me a little batty. Yet, even with all of that explaining, only a hint of the the society & cultures for the different unnatural groups are given. There's a fair deal of promise to the the world and characters. I would be happy to read another book to see where it goes.
At heart, the story is all about family and a different take on werewolves and vampires. I think the bigger ideas were pushed into minimal existence because the author tried too hard to throw in a bunch of stuff without the meat to really give them all life.
This is not a short audiobook. =D
Cut out all the over-explaining, and add concrete action and story elements.
November 22, 2016
This is one of Wen Spencer's best. It's a wonderful adventure of a boy growing into his magical self and the beautifully diverse cast of people who will do anything to protect him. The story is filled with madcap action and laugh out loud humor.
January 28, 2018
So, so, so, so fun. Not a perfect novel (especially given the typos), but long and sprawling and funny. I hope there will be more books featuring Seth, Joshua, Decker, Elise, and Jack.
And Dr. Huff. I'm gonna need lots more Dr. Huff.
And Dr. Huff. I'm gonna need lots more Dr. Huff.
October 14, 2018
Originally posted on Tales to Tide You Over
It’s been a while since I’ve read Wen Spencer, but when I discovered she had a new series out, I wanted to give it a try. I’m so glad I did. The Black Wolves of Boston is just what I needed.
This novel is urban fantasy with a family focus and humor despite serious stakes while some very horrible things happen. Sure, the werewolves are nearly unkillable, but that leaves all too much wiggle room for the Wickers (blood magic users) to exploit. The concept of werewolves has neat twists, making the weres more mystical than beast, both an advantage and a disadvantage at times.
The characters are distinct and interesting in their own right whether the primaries or many of the secondary characters. Joshua is adorable and a bit young for a graduating senior, but understandably so between his over-protective parents and bullying at school. His older sister rejected him from the start and so their relationship is a bit antagonistic, but under the teasing and jibes, she has come to love him and will move mountains, or virtues as the case may be, to find out where he is and help him.
Seth has his own issues between the massacre of his family, being trained to be a werewolf prince, and the foiled aspirations of the Wolf King’s son being taken out on him. He’s a good person, maybe too good, who carries the weight of the world…or at least of Boston…on his back. While Joshua is young for his age, Seth is much older than his sixteen years and champing at the bit to be allowed back in the land he’s magically bound to.
Which brings me to Elise and Decker, the other main characters. She’s a virtue charged with destroying evil in all its forms. She’s descended from angels and can call down the Grace of God to protect her. He’s a God-touched diviner turned vampire, making him not as evil as his coffin-bed would imply. He works with Elise to protect Boston until Seth returns, a relationship much more complex than either realize.
Then there’s a host of secondary characters, both good and bad, with Jack, Seth’s cousin a little of both. Elise can contest to that, their attraction complicating an already complex situation.
I spent so much time on the characters because that’s the heart of the story for me. They’re a family of blood and choice, working out all sorts of issues while the world literally hangs in the balance. I enjoyed the time spent in their company and hope to see more of their laughable moments, growing bonds, and heroic sense of responsibility.
This isn’t an idyllic view of the world but rather a peace carved out in the midst of horror, small moments that make the characters strong enough to face the next challenge ahead of them. It seemed a good balance to me. The only sour parts were two underlying messages of money solving everything, and age and power offering uncontested authority in the novel’s world. At the same time, the characters are taught strength comes with control and responsibility while ties to others drives the narrative far more than the characters are corrupted by the convenience of wealth…at least for the good guys.
Ultimately, this isn’t a particularly deep novel. It glosses over many big issues instead of addressing them and replicates the toxic US school environment a couple of times, but it doesn’t claim to be solving the world’s ills. It’s a fun read that’s uplifting in spirit, and a good example of the value in working together and making friends. I look forward to seeing how this team balances the demands of the Wolf King who sees the big picture to the exclusion of the individual and the need to protect those they love.
It’s been a while since I’ve read Wen Spencer, but when I discovered she had a new series out, I wanted to give it a try. I’m so glad I did. The Black Wolves of Boston is just what I needed.
This novel is urban fantasy with a family focus and humor despite serious stakes while some very horrible things happen. Sure, the werewolves are nearly unkillable, but that leaves all too much wiggle room for the Wickers (blood magic users) to exploit. The concept of werewolves has neat twists, making the weres more mystical than beast, both an advantage and a disadvantage at times.
The characters are distinct and interesting in their own right whether the primaries or many of the secondary characters. Joshua is adorable and a bit young for a graduating senior, but understandably so between his over-protective parents and bullying at school. His older sister rejected him from the start and so their relationship is a bit antagonistic, but under the teasing and jibes, she has come to love him and will move mountains, or virtues as the case may be, to find out where he is and help him.
Seth has his own issues between the massacre of his family, being trained to be a werewolf prince, and the foiled aspirations of the Wolf King’s son being taken out on him. He’s a good person, maybe too good, who carries the weight of the world…or at least of Boston…on his back. While Joshua is young for his age, Seth is much older than his sixteen years and champing at the bit to be allowed back in the land he’s magically bound to.
Which brings me to Elise and Decker, the other main characters. She’s a virtue charged with destroying evil in all its forms. She’s descended from angels and can call down the Grace of God to protect her. He’s a God-touched diviner turned vampire, making him not as evil as his coffin-bed would imply. He works with Elise to protect Boston until Seth returns, a relationship much more complex than either realize.
Then there’s a host of secondary characters, both good and bad, with Jack, Seth’s cousin a little of both. Elise can contest to that, their attraction complicating an already complex situation.
I spent so much time on the characters because that’s the heart of the story for me. They’re a family of blood and choice, working out all sorts of issues while the world literally hangs in the balance. I enjoyed the time spent in their company and hope to see more of their laughable moments, growing bonds, and heroic sense of responsibility.
This isn’t an idyllic view of the world but rather a peace carved out in the midst of horror, small moments that make the characters strong enough to face the next challenge ahead of them. It seemed a good balance to me. The only sour parts were two underlying messages of money solving everything, and age and power offering uncontested authority in the novel’s world. At the same time, the characters are taught strength comes with control and responsibility while ties to others drives the narrative far more than the characters are corrupted by the convenience of wealth…at least for the good guys.
Ultimately, this isn’t a particularly deep novel. It glosses over many big issues instead of addressing them and replicates the toxic US school environment a couple of times, but it doesn’t claim to be solving the world’s ills. It’s a fun read that’s uplifting in spirit, and a good example of the value in working together and making friends. I look forward to seeing how this team balances the demands of the Wolf King who sees the big picture to the exclusion of the individual and the need to protect those they love.
March 6, 2020
Wen Spencer is one of those writers whose work I either love or...well, hate seems too strong a word. Let's go with dislike. Sometimes pretty intensely.
This book, as you can probably guess, is one I loved. I'm not sure how Spencer does it, but she managed to write something that was funny, touching, and gruesome, all at the same time. And I find that the problem with posting quotes to show what I mean can be problematic. Quotes out of context are often not very effective. Not that that's going to stop me, of course.
In this universe, Joshua is something of an anomaly. Healthy werewolves only happen when the person bitten is from a werewolf family, and is old enough to maintain control. Anyone else turns into a feral werewolf - a mindless blood-thirsty monster. Instantaneously. Joshua appears to be an orphan.
And this little factoid is the one thing that rubbed me wrong. The transformation into feral werewolf is much too quick. In fact, it's instantaneous. And everyone the feral bites is also immediately transformed. It strikes me that this domino effect should quickly become uncontainable. But it doesn't.
I'm hoping for a good explanation for why it doesn't, in a future book. I'm really, really hoping there will be future books!
This book, as you can probably guess, is one I loved. I'm not sure how Spencer does it, but she managed to write something that was funny, touching, and gruesome, all at the same time. And I find that the problem with posting quotes to show what I mean can be problematic. Quotes out of context are often not very effective. Not that that's going to stop me, of course.
If Decker had known what adorable noises werewolf puppies made when distressed, he would have gotten one years ago. Joshua huddled by the front door, trying to look all directions at once, making cute little whimpers.Decker is the lonely, depressed vampire. He's also a hoarder, because,
Once he realized how clutter could soften the hollowness of his existence, he abandoned all pretense of cleaning. He left things where they were laid; there was plenty of space. Finding what he needed in the clutter was never a problem; all he needed to do was focus his gift on what he wanted.He finds Joshua, a mid-teen boy, but a brand new werewolf, (who knows nothing about the world he suddenly finds himself in, and who needs a safe place) semi-accidentally.
Every now and then he’d move a pile that had grown too large, shifting it to one of the upstairs rooms by the armful. It wasn’t until the last year or so that he’d noticed that he was running out of space. It was only in the last month that he realized that the clutter was a symptom of an illness. He was sick of the loneliness.
He’d gone out looking for a cure. His gift had taken him clear across the city to find a wolf puppy running into trees. He could not remember the last time he’d laughed so much. Pure luck had dropped Joshua into his lap. Decker would have to be careful not to scare his puppy. And at all costs, he mustn’t let it escape.
In this universe, Joshua is something of an anomaly. Healthy werewolves only happen when the person bitten is from a werewolf family, and is old enough to maintain control. Anyone else turns into a feral werewolf - a mindless blood-thirsty monster. Instantaneously. Joshua appears to be an orphan.
And this little factoid is the one thing that rubbed me wrong. The transformation into feral werewolf is much too quick. In fact, it's instantaneous. And everyone the feral bites is also immediately transformed. It strikes me that this domino effect should quickly become uncontainable. But it doesn't.
I'm hoping for a good explanation for why it doesn't, in a future book. I'm really, really hoping there will be future books!
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September 12, 2017Wen Spencer is one of my favorite writers. I love the Elfhome series and the Dog Warrior books. She has a great sense of humor, a wonderful imagination, and interesting characters.
I was pretty excited to read the start of a new series.
I liked that Spencer's trademark humor is here. The set-up is interesting, although there was a lot of extra dialogue basically just explaining background to the reader.
I loved the surprise of seeing illustrations!
But there was big flaw that almost made me throw the book at the wall, and because of it I can't properly rate the book. I'm torn between 1 star and four stars.
Basically the flaw is that one character is presented as a good guy but isn't, and I don't think the writer realizes it. Let me explain
So I don't know if I want to read any of the sequels. It might just get worse. :(
I was pretty excited to read the start of a new series.
I liked that Spencer's trademark humor is here. The set-up is interesting, although there was a lot of extra dialogue basically just explaining background to the reader.
I loved the surprise of seeing illustrations!
But there was big flaw that almost made me throw the book at the wall, and because of it I can't properly rate the book. I'm torn between 1 star and four stars.
Basically the flaw is that one character is presented as a good guy but isn't, and I don't think the writer realizes it. Let me explain
So I don't know if I want to read any of the sequels. It might just get worse. :(
October 13, 2019
Very interesting. I assume there will be future books in this particular series but as of now...
The style is...not my thing normally. Then again, most authors who do this also write it in first person so you’re really head hopping. This works much better. Also like that the jumping from character to character doesn’t overlap much.
Technically, I suppose this could be considered young/new adult as 2 of the MCs are teenagers, and two of the others are early 20s, but then you have a centuries old vampire so... And fortunately, no triangles, no angst...well, none that make you want to bitch-slap anyone that is. The “newborn” (just bitten) is neurotic. Now how much of that is due to having his whole world tilted on its axis vs his natural behavior, I don’t know. He is amusing in a “this pup needs a dog crate and a thunder shirt” sort of way.
The style is...not my thing normally. Then again, most authors who do this also write it in first person so you’re really head hopping. This works much better. Also like that the jumping from character to character doesn’t overlap much.
Technically, I suppose this could be considered young/new adult as 2 of the MCs are teenagers, and two of the others are early 20s, but then you have a centuries old vampire so... And fortunately, no triangles, no angst...well, none that make you want to bitch-slap anyone that is. The “newborn” (just bitten) is neurotic. Now how much of that is due to having his whole world tilted on its axis vs his natural behavior, I don’t know. He is amusing in a “this pup needs a dog crate and a thunder shirt” sort of way.
February 20, 2019
I’m soooo sad this is over!!!
But it was really fun!
I had a hard time getting into this, I actually started the first chapter and then didn’t read beyond that until a few months later.
What got me hooked was Decker’s perspective. The first time we get him as a narrator is chapter four:
“If Decker had known what adorable noises werewolf puppies made when distressed, he would have gotten one years ago.”
My heart just melted at that! Decker continues to say stuff like this that makes Joshua seem really way more cute than you could ever expect him to be, but it works really well.
I think besides Decker and Joshua, Elise was one of my favorites. She’s an angelic warrior woman. I’ve never seen angel warrior done quite like in this book, I really liked them. The way her magic works and the mythology behind the Grigori.
I would recommend this if you like paranormal or fantasy at all, there is a bit of romance as well but only a bit of it. This was a very unique take on paranormal creatures.
**I listened to the audiobook of this; I really liked the voices. For the bit of reading I did instead of listening I was totally reading it in the Elise voice from the audio.
But it was really fun!
I had a hard time getting into this, I actually started the first chapter and then didn’t read beyond that until a few months later.
What got me hooked was Decker’s perspective. The first time we get him as a narrator is chapter four:
“If Decker had known what adorable noises werewolf puppies made when distressed, he would have gotten one years ago.”
My heart just melted at that! Decker continues to say stuff like this that makes Joshua seem really way more cute than you could ever expect him to be, but it works really well.
I think besides Decker and Joshua, Elise was one of my favorites. She’s an angelic warrior woman. I’ve never seen angel warrior done quite like in this book, I really liked them. The way her magic works and the mythology behind the Grigori.
I would recommend this if you like paranormal or fantasy at all, there is a bit of romance as well but only a bit of it. This was a very unique take on paranormal creatures.
**I listened to the audiobook of this; I really liked the voices. For the bit of reading I did instead of listening I was totally reading it in the Elise voice from the audio.
December 8, 2022
i love wen spencer’s writing style and i lived in the boston area for quite a while, so there was a lot working in this book’s favor for me. i get why a lot of reviews mention that this is their least favorite book of spencer’s (this is only the second one i’ve read by her so i don’t really have any idea how it rates for me yet), but i enjoyed it a lot. i got really attached to the characters, and that’s kind of all it really takes for me usually? and i did really like how grounded the worldbuilding was. it’s not the most plotty book or anything if that’s what you’re looking for, but it was a pretty chill read.
February 5, 2022
Wonderful fantasy with great characters. I was enthralled and finished the book in a day. The two main Hs are teenagers. Vast differences in their lives, so one is super confident in himself and his place in the world. The other knows how cruel the world is when you are different. Loved this sweet, sad and brutal story, especially the relationship between the young man and his vampire.
August 1, 2021
I enjoyed this. Some of it is a bit over the top. The book is a bit overcrowded, I think. Too many relations and backstories. For me, a bit too many chaotic action scenes. I loved the cozy bits. I wanted more of that.
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