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Snowfang #1
The SnowFang Bride
Centuries of political games killed most of the female werewolves. Now only a few survive, and the Elders work to change the old ways of thinking.
Winter, the only daughter of the SilverPaw Alpha, finally meets the soul Gaia has chosen for her: Sterling, the cold, demanding, and entirely-too-human Alpha of the tiny SnowFang pack.
Thrust into a world of human wealth for which she was never prepared, Winter must become Sterling's flawless wife and Luna from the moment she arrives. The city is full of threats, both werewolf and human, and Sterling's past is full of secrets best left undisturbed.
When they are betrayed by those closest to them, Winter and Sterling embark on a dangerous game of brinkmanship that will change their lives, and the future of the werewolves, forever.
Winter, the only daughter of the SilverPaw Alpha, finally meets the soul Gaia has chosen for her: Sterling, the cold, demanding, and entirely-too-human Alpha of the tiny SnowFang pack.
Thrust into a world of human wealth for which she was never prepared, Winter must become Sterling's flawless wife and Luna from the moment she arrives. The city is full of threats, both werewolf and human, and Sterling's past is full of secrets best left undisturbed.
When they are betrayed by those closest to them, Winter and Sterling embark on a dangerous game of brinkmanship that will change their lives, and the future of the werewolves, forever.
ebook
First published September 6, 2016
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About the author
Merry Ravenell
23 books344 followersMerry is a dark sci-fi and fantasy author that currently lives in rural Alabama. She enjoys tormenting her main characters and doing excessive research to make sure unrealistic things are as realistic as possible.
When she's not writing, she enjoys coffee, vodka, painfully bad movies of all varieties, documentaries, coloring books, and knitting.
When she's not writing, she enjoys coffee, vodka, painfully bad movies of all varieties, documentaries, coloring books, and knitting.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
April 12, 2022
Man, this novel was on the cusp of everything. A lesson in almosts.
The writing was almost smart enough, the scheming was almost interesting, the characters almost fleshed out. It was so close to being good, but Ravenell couldn't pull it off. For such a promising beginning, it was like someone greased the landing mat.
I had high hopes when I saw the cover. It's rare that you have to double check the summary to be sure you're reading a supernatural romance. Usually there's an oiled eight pack to clue you in. I was lost without my familiar visuals. There are days when I feel like trashy covers are ironic and actually valuable statements about female sexuality, but on most days I cringe. This cover felt like heading home after getting a we need to talk text and being asked if you'd like pepperoni or sausage. A pleasant surprise.
The beginning of the story tries to bring a little dignity and sensibility to the werewolf scene. None of it felt overblown. There's a sense that they're an old and mystic race, but they're still human enough to make human mistakes. We're told that there's a serious population crisis -- not because of disease or extermination, but because wolves have been too proud of their bloodlines. Refusing to align with certain "houses" has resulted in a modern shitstorm, and now it's imperative that everyone finds their mate. Especially the women. Mates are soul mates chosen by Gaia (their goddess), and it's a bit cheesy, but it's not a guarantee that you'll be happy. Whoever you're meant to be with might have already died, might have experienced trauma that's turned them bitter or damaged, etc. Reading that felt like a nice counterweight to the typical our eyes met and the world was over, our problems are solved as long as we sex it up in the next ten minutes naivety. It felt smart.
The heroine, Winter, also felt smart at first, even if her name made me cringe. Her father's an Alpha and he helps her find her mate, Sterling (cringe x100), but the whole thing is shady. There are traditions that are ignored, and the rest of the novel's plot revolves around the consequences. As she navigates them, Winter isn't overly dramatic, she isn't demanding, and seems to have common sense.
That could be interesting, but it isn't. There's too much gray and not enough answers. There's too much random narrative that connects to nothing at all. For example, Winter has visions, but they are never explained. They randomly pop up, they're never relevant. And then so much of the story hinges on breaking werewolf tradition, but since we are unaware of the do's and do not's until a plot device reveals the next piece, all the rules feel arbitrary. It drains the emotional punch.
The writing hovers on the edge of good, like I said, but it's...not. It's not blasphemous against all that is good and holy in the English language, but it bunts when you want a home run. Every time. The author lacked the skill to express anything in a way that wasn't simplistic. It's not dumb simplistic, I should specify, not by any means. It has ten times more dignity to it than most of the pnr novels I've picked up recently, but there were too many times when I said, "...that's it?" to an empty room.
Some people are creaming themselves over this book, and while I'm totally willing to put this author on my watch list (there are more novels planned, apparently), I can't say this particular novel was worth my time.
--
If you've reached the end of this review, I think I should say (as a person from 2022 instead of the 2017 when I first wrote this) that Merry Ravenell is now on my auto-buy list. I suspect that this book was one of her first forays into non-Wattpad publishing; since then, she's written much more, gained experience, and honed her intent. She remains one of the most consistently clever and original PNR authors I've found on Amazon, and I always eagerly await her next book--no matter the series.
The visions do carry over into the second book in this series, which has (as of right now) been published. There's set to be a book three, and I'm absolutely pumped to read it. As a standalone, The SnowFang Bride struggles to find its place; it works much better as a companion to book two.
The writing was almost smart enough, the scheming was almost interesting, the characters almost fleshed out. It was so close to being good, but Ravenell couldn't pull it off. For such a promising beginning, it was like someone greased the landing mat.
I had high hopes when I saw the cover. It's rare that you have to double check the summary to be sure you're reading a supernatural romance. Usually there's an oiled eight pack to clue you in. I was lost without my familiar visuals. There are days when I feel like trashy covers are ironic and actually valuable statements about female sexuality, but on most days I cringe. This cover felt like heading home after getting a we need to talk text and being asked if you'd like pepperoni or sausage. A pleasant surprise.
The beginning of the story tries to bring a little dignity and sensibility to the werewolf scene. None of it felt overblown. There's a sense that they're an old and mystic race, but they're still human enough to make human mistakes. We're told that there's a serious population crisis -- not because of disease or extermination, but because wolves have been too proud of their bloodlines. Refusing to align with certain "houses" has resulted in a modern shitstorm, and now it's imperative that everyone finds their mate. Especially the women. Mates are soul mates chosen by Gaia (their goddess), and it's a bit cheesy, but it's not a guarantee that you'll be happy. Whoever you're meant to be with might have already died, might have experienced trauma that's turned them bitter or damaged, etc. Reading that felt like a nice counterweight to the typical our eyes met and the world was over, our problems are solved as long as we sex it up in the next ten minutes naivety. It felt smart.
The heroine, Winter, also felt smart at first, even if her name made me cringe. Her father's an Alpha and he helps her find her mate, Sterling (cringe x100), but the whole thing is shady. There are traditions that are ignored, and the rest of the novel's plot revolves around the consequences. As she navigates them, Winter isn't overly dramatic, she isn't demanding, and seems to have common sense.
That could be interesting, but it isn't. There's too much gray and not enough answers. There's too much random narrative that connects to nothing at all. For example, Winter has visions, but they are never explained. They randomly pop up, they're never relevant. And then so much of the story hinges on breaking werewolf tradition, but since we are unaware of the do's and do not's until a plot device reveals the next piece, all the rules feel arbitrary. It drains the emotional punch.
The writing hovers on the edge of good, like I said, but it's...not. It's not blasphemous against all that is good and holy in the English language, but it bunts when you want a home run. Every time. The author lacked the skill to express anything in a way that wasn't simplistic. It's not dumb simplistic, I should specify, not by any means. It has ten times more dignity to it than most of the pnr novels I've picked up recently, but there were too many times when I said, "...that's it?" to an empty room.
Some people are creaming themselves over this book, and while I'm totally willing to put this author on my watch list (there are more novels planned, apparently), I can't say this particular novel was worth my time.
--
If you've reached the end of this review, I think I should say (as a person from 2022 instead of the 2017 when I first wrote this) that Merry Ravenell is now on my auto-buy list. I suspect that this book was one of her first forays into non-Wattpad publishing; since then, she's written much more, gained experience, and honed her intent. She remains one of the most consistently clever and original PNR authors I've found on Amazon, and I always eagerly await her next book--no matter the series.
The visions do carry over into the second book in this series, which has (as of right now) been published. There's set to be a book three, and I'm absolutely pumped to read it. As a standalone, The SnowFang Bride struggles to find its place; it works much better as a companion to book two.
April 16, 2022
3.5 stars. This book introduces the enigmatic Alpha of the Snowfang wolf shifters pack, Sterling Mortcombe, and his bride Winter. I liked that the plot of the book wasn't predictable, but built gradually to the climax at the end of the book. It took a while for Sterling and Winter to get to know each other and deepen their relationship. The Manhattan setting was a change from the usual shifter read as well.
This book is a different take on wolf shifters, and overall was an enjoyable read. Clearly the story is not over yet, although it's not exactly a cliffhanger. But I will go on and read the next book.
This book is a different take on wolf shifters, and overall was an enjoyable read. Clearly the story is not over yet, although it's not exactly a cliffhanger. But I will go on and read the next book.
March 11, 2019
Originally posted at:
I have a history with this book, which is surprising considering how much I enjoyed it this time around. I ended up DNFing it in April of 2018 because things were moving too slowly for my taste.
The audio book helped immensely with that problem. I'm an impatient person so if I'm physically reading a book that's slow moving I tend to skim ahead and barely get a sense of the story. The audio book obligated me to slow down and just listen. I'm happy to say the ending even got my heart racing!
In the werewolf society that was set up, the outward image people have of you, your actions and other peoples actions towards you or a situation you're involved in matters a great deal. It's all about honor, prestige, and whatnot.
Winter's father put her through a lot in order to find her mate. I liked how she took it in stride and after that ordeal became who she truly was with Sterling. That is, a bad*ss with a backbone who will do whatever is in her power to protect the people that in return protect and defend her.
Sterling was a great guy that sometimes had a temper. I figured there was nothing special about him until the last chapter of the novel. Now I'm intrigued and I definitely want to know more. I would also love to know how this can/will(?) eventually come into play in future novels.
The world the author started fleshing out in this first book in a future series has proven to be fascinating! I don't know if this series is going to have a couple per book or continue on with Winter and Sterling. What ever direction she chooses to go is fine by me! I just really just want to know what happens next at this point. I hope that things move at a faster pace in future novels though.
The Audio Book:
I love Nicole Poole's narration! She has an amazing and realistic range of accents and voices (both male and female). She does any book she reads justice!
DNFed in April 2018
Finished Reading in March 2019.
I have a history with this book, which is surprising considering how much I enjoyed it this time around. I ended up DNFing it in April of 2018 because things were moving too slowly for my taste.
The audio book helped immensely with that problem. I'm an impatient person so if I'm physically reading a book that's slow moving I tend to skim ahead and barely get a sense of the story. The audio book obligated me to slow down and just listen. I'm happy to say the ending even got my heart racing!
In the werewolf society that was set up, the outward image people have of you, your actions and other peoples actions towards you or a situation you're involved in matters a great deal. It's all about honor, prestige, and whatnot.
Winter's father put her through a lot in order to find her mate. I liked how she took it in stride and after that ordeal became who she truly was with Sterling. That is, a bad*ss with a backbone who will do whatever is in her power to protect the people that in return protect and defend her.
Sterling was a great guy that sometimes had a temper. I figured there was nothing special about him until the last chapter of the novel. Now I'm intrigued and I definitely want to know more. I would also love to know how this can/will(?) eventually come into play in future novels.
The world the author started fleshing out in this first book in a future series has proven to be fascinating! I don't know if this series is going to have a couple per book or continue on with Winter and Sterling. What ever direction she chooses to go is fine by me! I just really just want to know what happens next at this point. I hope that things move at a faster pace in future novels though.
The Audio Book:
I love Nicole Poole's narration! She has an amazing and realistic range of accents and voices (both male and female). She does any book she reads justice!
DNFed in April 2018
Finished Reading in March 2019.
November 30, 2016
You know, I really thought I was over my werewolf phase. I have read SO MANY of these kinds of books and I was certain that I had gotten it out of my system. That's why I didn't buy this book even though it came through my feed multiple times.
And then I figured, okay why not. Let's give it a try? I'M SO HAPPY THAT I DID.
I gotta give props to this author. Also, Ms. Ravenell, more books and sooner please. I was instantly thrown back into my love of werewolves and tried with two other books to get myself back into this groove unsuccessfully. Apparently, this was the only book that would make me like werewolves again.
This is like Blood and Chocolate with all the best aspects of a billionaire romance. WOW. I just cannot say enough how much I adored this book. The setting was amazing. The building of the werewolf world, while not entirely original, was captivating and so much fun to read. I fell right in love with the characters, and was totally wrapped up in the story.
Not to mention Sterling.
STERLING.
I'm pretty sure that this might not be what the author thought of when they wrote Sterling, but man this was who I was picture. Statuesque. Got his shit together. Rich because he works for it and is damn smart about it. What's not to love about this guy? And thank goodness it wasn't just a book where the "Alpha" is always right.
Can we all just agree to not do that anymore? Ever? The Alpha personality is fine. The justification of an Alpha being a dink is not.
Sterling is everything that you want from an Alpha. He's down to earth, he realizes his own flaws and adjusts, and did I mention that's an actual believable human being? Yeah, that's probably the part.
And Winter.
Winter is just.... She's everything I wanted her to be. I hated her sometimes. I cheered her on sometimes. I adored her when she was at her highs and didn't like her when she was at her lows.
If I could say anything about this author, it's that she manages to make these characters realistic people who really remind me of the world I know. Somehow she managed to take mythical creatures, put them in our world, and make that believable.
This is a highly entertaining read, and worth every second of every page.
And then I figured, okay why not. Let's give it a try? I'M SO HAPPY THAT I DID.
I gotta give props to this author. Also, Ms. Ravenell, more books and sooner please. I was instantly thrown back into my love of werewolves and tried with two other books to get myself back into this groove unsuccessfully. Apparently, this was the only book that would make me like werewolves again.
This is like Blood and Chocolate with all the best aspects of a billionaire romance. WOW. I just cannot say enough how much I adored this book. The setting was amazing. The building of the werewolf world, while not entirely original, was captivating and so much fun to read. I fell right in love with the characters, and was totally wrapped up in the story.
Not to mention Sterling.
STERLING.
I'm pretty sure that this might not be what the author thought of when they wrote Sterling, but man this was who I was picture. Statuesque. Got his shit together. Rich because he works for it and is damn smart about it. What's not to love about this guy? And thank goodness it wasn't just a book where the "Alpha" is always right.
Can we all just agree to not do that anymore? Ever? The Alpha personality is fine. The justification of an Alpha being a dink is not.
Sterling is everything that you want from an Alpha. He's down to earth, he realizes his own flaws and adjusts, and did I mention that's an actual believable human being? Yeah, that's probably the part.
And Winter.
Winter is just.... She's everything I wanted her to be. I hated her sometimes. I cheered her on sometimes. I adored her when she was at her highs and didn't like her when she was at her lows.
If I could say anything about this author, it's that she manages to make these characters realistic people who really remind me of the world I know. Somehow she managed to take mythical creatures, put them in our world, and make that believable.
This is a highly entertaining read, and worth every second of every page.
December 14, 2016
Winter hasn’t found her mate it’s taken her far longer than most female werewolves so it’s been hinted at that she might be unwanted. Her father is determined to find her mate dragging her along with his work claiming she was an apprentice so that she could encounter more men. Taking a risk he sends out her picture to a wolf that may just be the one for Winter. Only to find out he was right her mate is the alpha of a little pack in New York.
After a whirlwind encounter with Sterling who is clearly Winters destined mate. Her father sends her off the next day without even setting the bride price which is unheard of. Forced into a new world one that Winter knows nothing about she finds herself settling in with the SnowFang pack. However, New York isn’t the safest city she has to worry about the wanderers who have her scent and want to claim her for their own. As if she doesn’t have enough to worry about with social gatherings her father has decided that it’s time to claim the bride price which is an unheard of request.
I love Winter she’s a country girl tossed into the high society world but she handles it will even making the newspaper. I found her character intriguing intelligent strong and smart perfect to be a Luna. I like Sterling he’s not the wolf her father would have picked but he complements her perfectly. I love the chemistry between the two it works so well they just have this mate’s thing figured out right from the start. I also really like the supporting character the remaining members of the pack it was interesting seeing your not typical werewolves.
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked up The ShadowFang Bride other than it is a shifter story which is one of my favorite genres. The concept while it is werewolves the story is unique captivating and sparked my imagination. The characters are easy to connect with it’s hard to not fall in love with Winter and Sterling as well as their little pack. The characters don’t fit your typical alpha werewolves which is what I enjoyed so much. The story is beautifully written the author has created an exciting new world for us to fall in love with. This is my first novel by the author but it won’t be my last as I loved her storytelling. I loved every moment of The SnowFang Bride and can’t wait to get my hands on the next one.
After a whirlwind encounter with Sterling who is clearly Winters destined mate. Her father sends her off the next day without even setting the bride price which is unheard of. Forced into a new world one that Winter knows nothing about she finds herself settling in with the SnowFang pack. However, New York isn’t the safest city she has to worry about the wanderers who have her scent and want to claim her for their own. As if she doesn’t have enough to worry about with social gatherings her father has decided that it’s time to claim the bride price which is an unheard of request.
I love Winter she’s a country girl tossed into the high society world but she handles it will even making the newspaper. I found her character intriguing intelligent strong and smart perfect to be a Luna. I like Sterling he’s not the wolf her father would have picked but he complements her perfectly. I love the chemistry between the two it works so well they just have this mate’s thing figured out right from the start. I also really like the supporting character the remaining members of the pack it was interesting seeing your not typical werewolves.
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked up The ShadowFang Bride other than it is a shifter story which is one of my favorite genres. The concept while it is werewolves the story is unique captivating and sparked my imagination. The characters are easy to connect with it’s hard to not fall in love with Winter and Sterling as well as their little pack. The characters don’t fit your typical alpha werewolves which is what I enjoyed so much. The story is beautifully written the author has created an exciting new world for us to fall in love with. This is my first novel by the author but it won’t be my last as I loved her storytelling. I loved every moment of The SnowFang Bride and can’t wait to get my hands on the next one.
September 28, 2016
I had seen this novel when I was browsing around trying to find free books to read. I found an app called watt pad and brought up my normal fun and interesting subject matter to read. When I saw this summary I started in reading. Merry was not all the way through writing, and has since done some modifications to the story line, but her writing draws you in so fast and hard you have nothing to do but fall with her into the world of werewolves and packs. I paced around every day waiting for the next chapter to appear and gobbled it up as fast as I could read. You will not be disappointed reading one of Merry's novels, so I suggest you read this and then read every single thing she publishes, because you will not be able to put it down, and then you will walk around like someone killed your puppy until the next novel comes out.
January 10, 2018
Overall, this book surpassed my expectations and I found it quite enjoyable. Future books have the groundwork that they could become quite dark (hints) - a path I'm hoping the author doesn't take.
BEWARE this book is categorized as Romance but RWA states Romance genre should always have a happy ending. Don't know yet with this series, but the other one by this author leads me to believe that she finds happy endings too bourgeois, so although I enjoyed this one I found the ending to her other series to be so off the charts bad that I won't pick up more from this author" (she is another that rates herself as a "panster - write quickly by the seat of your pants, don't plan).
It does start off slow and a bit difficult (think Cinderella in a sexist male household, yuck). But, then it takes off and moves well. For Romance readers it does have an explicit sex scene, but other than notes on their wolf attraction, it doesn't overwhelm the book (more story than sex which I strongly prefer but might not be enough for some).
BEWARE this book is categorized as Romance but RWA states Romance genre should always have a happy ending. Don't know yet with this series, but the other one by this author leads me to believe that she finds happy endings too bourgeois, so although I enjoyed this one I found the ending to her other series to be so off the charts bad that I won't pick up more from this author" (she is another that rates herself as a "panster - write quickly by the seat of your pants, don't plan).
It does start off slow and a bit difficult (think Cinderella in a sexist male household, yuck). But, then it takes off and moves well. For Romance readers it does have an explicit sex scene, but other than notes on their wolf attraction, it doesn't overwhelm the book (more story than sex which I strongly prefer but might not be enough for some).
January 21, 2023
I apparently read this in 2018 and totally didn’t remember it. When I saw the second and third was in KU I decided to reread it because I love the alphas oracle series and couldn’t figure out why I couldn’t remember this one. I may have skimmed the end because it was slow.
On reread I really liked the FMC a lot. Though the MCs lack apology for being shitty at the end still rankles.
On reread I really liked the FMC a lot. Though the MCs lack apology for being shitty at the end still rankles.
February 15, 2017
Was I expecting a lot out of this book? Not really. Was I still disappointed because a small part of me thought the book would surprise me? Yes.
I'm a sucker for fantasy and love stories. While I'm more into the ye olde era-like dimensions, I decided to give this setting a shot. However, I felt like the book struggled to cohesively combine the modern setting with a more fantastical/historical feel. For example, one aspect that bothered me was the interchanging of "Dad" and "Father". I don't care which Ravenell wants to use, but pick ONE. Either would've worked in this book, as "Father" gives it that mystical, old-time feel, while “Dad” fits the modern age. However, no one would use both; no one calls their parent "Dad" in one second and "Father" the next. Maybe it would make sense if they used one in a formal setting and one in a casual setting, but these were interchanged with no rhyme or reason. It seems small, but I feel that dialogue like this can set the mood of the story and characters.
In general, it was tough to fully understand all of the relationships between the characters. Instead of combining modern friendships or family ties with bestial, perverse feelings of nature, they moved as Ravenell needed them to in that moment. Sometimes their mannerisms were like dogs/wolves and sometimes not…I get that they’re werewolves, but behavior sort of seemed to change on a whim just to fit that specific situation or to stir some sort of conflict.
From the title of the book, I know that there are supposed to be additional books, the author would then understandably want to build up context for future conflicts, but man, there was a lot of random information that didn’t make sense. A lot of conflict and visions occurred without rhyme or reason and no explanation in the first book. It’s reasonable to set up bigger villains or strife for later books, but it makes the ending feel completely unfulfilling.
Speaking of the ending, I won’t give any spoilers other than it ended very suddenly and my response was, “oh…” It was over and everyone acted like everything was fine except they didn’t really accomplish much and there were a lot of unanswered questions. These questions unfortunately aren’t ones that make me anticipate the next book; more like wonder what just happened. I was also hoping for a lot more action, particularly at the end. I mean, they’re a bunch of crazy werewolves and only one or two fights actually happen from the reader’s perspective and they’re both rather pathetic (her words, not mine).
I also had a very big problem with the side characters overall. I’m all for diversity in books—bring it on—as it’s not done enough in literature. However, the members of Sterling’s pack are diverse in the wrong way and placed into little boxes of personalities that I was completely turned off by.
“One was Chinese…the other was a lanky, dusky-skinned man with jet-black hair, possibly of some Slavic extraction.”
Really? Instead of describing their facial features in a normal way, she magically knows that he’s Chinese and gives that as his only description because we should just draw on stereotypical features to picture him? While the next guy is then given a bit more of a description, yet still based off of a stereotype? Nope nope nope. Give me DETAILS about how they look. Depending on stereotypical, racist assumptions is not the way to go about adding diversity. Their personalities were also extremely exaggerated—1) super buff, strong guy, 2) emo, moody guy, and 3) uppity, chef guy. There was a brief description of how they all met, but it’s still tough to imagine all of these personalities living in sync in one apartment.
I wasn’t completely drawn toward Sterling and Winter’s relationship overall. I’m glad the characters didn’t immediately jump into bed together, but it sort of felt like Twilight except we skipped all of the build-up and went straight to their instincts. Again, I was expecting a quick connection based off of the description, but it still felt very rushed and that the characters didn’t spend enough time together to build better attraction and tension.
My last point is probably the most important and is something I feel like I have a problem with in every book I wasn’t a huge fan of: SHOW vs. tell. There was an incredibly large amount of inner monologue that either tried to put me to sleep or again seemed all too convenient that I wanted to roll my eyes. There is so much of this society and species that I don’t understand, as well as fights, interactions, etc. that either were never explained or given a quick run-through in Winter’s mind.
I'm a sucker for fantasy and love stories. While I'm more into the ye olde era-like dimensions, I decided to give this setting a shot. However, I felt like the book struggled to cohesively combine the modern setting with a more fantastical/historical feel. For example, one aspect that bothered me was the interchanging of "Dad" and "Father". I don't care which Ravenell wants to use, but pick ONE. Either would've worked in this book, as "Father" gives it that mystical, old-time feel, while “Dad” fits the modern age. However, no one would use both; no one calls their parent "Dad" in one second and "Father" the next. Maybe it would make sense if they used one in a formal setting and one in a casual setting, but these were interchanged with no rhyme or reason. It seems small, but I feel that dialogue like this can set the mood of the story and characters.
In general, it was tough to fully understand all of the relationships between the characters. Instead of combining modern friendships or family ties with bestial, perverse feelings of nature, they moved as Ravenell needed them to in that moment. Sometimes their mannerisms were like dogs/wolves and sometimes not…I get that they’re werewolves, but behavior sort of seemed to change on a whim just to fit that specific situation or to stir some sort of conflict.
From the title of the book, I know that there are supposed to be additional books, the author would then understandably want to build up context for future conflicts, but man, there was a lot of random information that didn’t make sense. A lot of conflict and visions occurred without rhyme or reason and no explanation in the first book. It’s reasonable to set up bigger villains or strife for later books, but it makes the ending feel completely unfulfilling.
Speaking of the ending, I won’t give any spoilers other than it ended very suddenly and my response was, “oh…” It was over and everyone acted like everything was fine except they didn’t really accomplish much and there were a lot of unanswered questions. These questions unfortunately aren’t ones that make me anticipate the next book; more like wonder what just happened. I was also hoping for a lot more action, particularly at the end. I mean, they’re a bunch of crazy werewolves and only one or two fights actually happen from the reader’s perspective and they’re both rather pathetic (her words, not mine).
I also had a very big problem with the side characters overall. I’m all for diversity in books—bring it on—as it’s not done enough in literature. However, the members of Sterling’s pack are diverse in the wrong way and placed into little boxes of personalities that I was completely turned off by.
“One was Chinese…the other was a lanky, dusky-skinned man with jet-black hair, possibly of some Slavic extraction.”
Really? Instead of describing their facial features in a normal way, she magically knows that he’s Chinese and gives that as his only description because we should just draw on stereotypical features to picture him? While the next guy is then given a bit more of a description, yet still based off of a stereotype? Nope nope nope. Give me DETAILS about how they look. Depending on stereotypical, racist assumptions is not the way to go about adding diversity. Their personalities were also extremely exaggerated—1) super buff, strong guy, 2) emo, moody guy, and 3) uppity, chef guy. There was a brief description of how they all met, but it’s still tough to imagine all of these personalities living in sync in one apartment.
I wasn’t completely drawn toward Sterling and Winter’s relationship overall. I’m glad the characters didn’t immediately jump into bed together, but it sort of felt like Twilight except we skipped all of the build-up and went straight to their instincts. Again, I was expecting a quick connection based off of the description, but it still felt very rushed and that the characters didn’t spend enough time together to build better attraction and tension.
My last point is probably the most important and is something I feel like I have a problem with in every book I wasn’t a huge fan of: SHOW vs. tell. There was an incredibly large amount of inner monologue that either tried to put me to sleep or again seemed all too convenient that I wanted to roll my eyes. There is so much of this society and species that I don’t understand, as well as fights, interactions, etc. that either were never explained or given a quick run-through in Winter’s mind.
February 2, 2025
Audiobook narrated by
Nicole Poole
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I have to admit that I picked this book because it is narrated by Nicole Poole.
If I had read it myself, this would most likely end up as a dnf.
Nicole Poole
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I have to admit that I picked this book because it is narrated by Nicole Poole.
If I had read it myself, this would most likely end up as a dnf.
November 7, 2016
Just...no
Too much inner dialogue and not enough interactions with the main chacters. I literally mean too much inner dialogue, like 98.9% of the book is inner dialogue. The whole book is supposed to take place in 3 weeks. 100+ pages dedicated to 3 weeks of a terrible story. The secondary characters that belonged to Sterlings pack do not sound or behave as badass werewolves. This story was just not interesting. It sounds interesting but it is not. Nothing made sense! Winter's dream about the puppy Sterling is holding OR the visions she has with three wolf pups are NEVER explained. I was so confused throughout the whole book. Even the ending with the final scenes with Winter and her brother Jerron and how she has a vision of a chess board didn't make sense to me. I just didn't get it. Even her brothers last words to her are so stupid! She basically called her mother a whore. Spare you time and skip this book.
Too much inner dialogue and not enough interactions with the main chacters. I literally mean too much inner dialogue, like 98.9% of the book is inner dialogue. The whole book is supposed to take place in 3 weeks. 100+ pages dedicated to 3 weeks of a terrible story. The secondary characters that belonged to Sterlings pack do not sound or behave as badass werewolves. This story was just not interesting. It sounds interesting but it is not. Nothing made sense! Winter's dream about the puppy Sterling is holding OR the visions she has with three wolf pups are NEVER explained. I was so confused throughout the whole book. Even the ending with the final scenes with Winter and her brother Jerron and how she has a vision of a chess board didn't make sense to me. I just didn't get it. Even her brothers last words to her are so stupid! She basically called her mother a whore. Spare you time and skip this book.
November 3, 2016
This is the first book I've read by this author, and I loved it! The author's take on werewolves is unique, and her world is so well built. The story's twists and turns kept me reading all the way through and hoping for a quick second book! The romance is great too -- Winter and her mate are the kind of characters you want to root for. I highly recommend the book to anyone who enjoys werewolves, action and romance all rolled into one story. Waiting for the next one!
June 18, 2017
I listen to this book through Audible.
This is the story of a female werewolf that has been used as a political pawn by her father. She meets her mate and before she has even been given time to get to know him she is shuttled off to live with him clear across the country. Not only must she deal with a mate she doesn't know but she is moved from the country into New York City and doesn't know how to exist in a word of glass, concrete and luxury.
Sterling, her mate is trying to learn about Winter in the middle of the an explosive pack situation. His small pack has to learn to adjust to having a Luna now and he has to learn to trust her experience with pack politics as theirs is a very new pack without much standing. In the middle of the of all this they must fight together against rogues and power of her old pack.
This was a great beginning to what I hope turns into a continuing series.
This is the story of a female werewolf that has been used as a political pawn by her father. She meets her mate and before she has even been given time to get to know him she is shuttled off to live with him clear across the country. Not only must she deal with a mate she doesn't know but she is moved from the country into New York City and doesn't know how to exist in a word of glass, concrete and luxury.
Sterling, her mate is trying to learn about Winter in the middle of the an explosive pack situation. His small pack has to learn to adjust to having a Luna now and he has to learn to trust her experience with pack politics as theirs is a very new pack without much standing. In the middle of the of all this they must fight together against rogues and power of her old pack.
This was a great beginning to what I hope turns into a continuing series.
February 6, 2017
Bizarrely good.
i did not expect this book to be as interesting or as good as it was.
This is not your typical werewolf story. And the Romance is far from sweet.
if you want a tweeny-teeny story of moon changes and cutesy romance and storyline. this is nott he book for you.
if you want betrayal, and stress, drama, mystery, and something that will have you thinking WTF! or 'NOWAY!' or 'Dude that is so messed up'
well them. the snow fang bride is just for you.
This is not a story filled with badasses. This about a girl who thought she wasn't worth much, a guy who isn't thought much of, and a small group trying to make it , not necessarily big, but acknowledged as worthy. this is a smart, intelligent sort of read with some physical confrontations thrown in. and it's worth it.
Definitely Recommend.
i did not expect this book to be as interesting or as good as it was.
This is not your typical werewolf story. And the Romance is far from sweet.
if you want a tweeny-teeny story of moon changes and cutesy romance and storyline. this is nott he book for you.
if you want betrayal, and stress, drama, mystery, and something that will have you thinking WTF! or 'NOWAY!' or 'Dude that is so messed up'
well them. the snow fang bride is just for you.
This is not a story filled with badasses. This about a girl who thought she wasn't worth much, a guy who isn't thought much of, and a small group trying to make it , not necessarily big, but acknowledged as worthy. this is a smart, intelligent sort of read with some physical confrontations thrown in. and it's worth it.
Definitely Recommend.
July 14, 2021
3.5 Stars
I am stumped on how to write my thoughts on this book but I will give it my best shot. It is a sweet shifter romance (very low on steam) with a very interesting plot and fascinating shifter politics at play. It feels like it is right on the cusp of being an excellent book, but it lacks something I can't quite put my finger on. I liked everything I read (due to the aforementioned plot and world) but it lacks excitement and romance/chemistry and that oomph that keeps a reader turning pages. I do want to read the next book, and desperately want SnowFang Pack to win, especially their Alpha and Luna, but I think I will take a break before diving into book two, especially since book three is not planned until 2022.
I am stumped on how to write my thoughts on this book but I will give it my best shot. It is a sweet shifter romance (very low on steam) with a very interesting plot and fascinating shifter politics at play. It feels like it is right on the cusp of being an excellent book, but it lacks something I can't quite put my finger on. I liked everything I read (due to the aforementioned plot and world) but it lacks excitement and romance/chemistry and that oomph that keeps a reader turning pages. I do want to read the next book, and desperately want SnowFang Pack to win, especially their Alpha and Luna, but I think I will take a break before diving into book two, especially since book three is not planned until 2022.
November 23, 2018
The SnowFang Bride begins when Winter meets her mate. She thinks her father will follow proper protocol when it comes to it, but that's not what happens. Things start to go a little crazy for her when she steps into the human world with her mate, and things aren't so good for her.
This book was very interesting. I enjoyed how Winter handled things with her mate, and being in a new world. But, I felt the book was lacking something, just not sure what it was.
I liked it overall, but it wasn't great or bad, it was something interesting to pass the time with though.
This book was very interesting. I enjoyed how Winter handled things with her mate, and being in a new world. But, I felt the book was lacking something, just not sure what it was.
I liked it overall, but it wasn't great or bad, it was something interesting to pass the time with though.
February 14, 2017
There were some things I really liked about this book and I enjoyed the beginning. Ultimately I came to dislike the main character. It seemed like she cried all the time. I also didn't like the other members of her new pack. Their personalities just seemed really extreme and stereotypical. And even though it was different from most werewolf stories which was nice there was too much time explaining all the rules and somethings just made absolutely no sense at all.
December 6, 2016
Although werewolves seem to become a widely used cliché, they are still a good bet when writing a book about paranormals. This book is a proof.
Not very unique, but nevertheless spellbinding and attractive world of werewolves that is able to entertain the reader from the first page. The story was fast-paced, with many twists and accelerated plot development, although I would reduce the amount of Winter´s inner dialogue – there was a bit too much for me. Yet Merry is a great storyteller and compensated for this little flaw with the situations and harsh circumstances our protagonists were forced to handle.
A big positive of this book is the ease with which you can connect to the main characters; they are both lovable. Sterling has some typical Alpha treats with his strength and dominance, but he is very human and intelligent being. He is not perfect and he is aware of this fact, which makes him much more likeable, and sometimes it is hard to find this kind of perfect man realistic. Winter, his mate, is a very believable and realistic character, though. She is emotional and struggles to find a proper place in the world, but she is strong and untamed. Although I would like more development in the characters, they develop enough under the circumstances for their actions being seen as likely to happen.
The whole political machinations in the were world are so detailed I can feel the world turning alive around me. But sometimes it was a bit too complex and I had to pause and concentrate on the story more to catch up. There also remain some open questions but I think that would be fixed in the next installment.
Not very unique, but nevertheless spellbinding and attractive world of werewolves that is able to entertain the reader from the first page. The story was fast-paced, with many twists and accelerated plot development, although I would reduce the amount of Winter´s inner dialogue – there was a bit too much for me. Yet Merry is a great storyteller and compensated for this little flaw with the situations and harsh circumstances our protagonists were forced to handle.
A big positive of this book is the ease with which you can connect to the main characters; they are both lovable. Sterling has some typical Alpha treats with his strength and dominance, but he is very human and intelligent being. He is not perfect and he is aware of this fact, which makes him much more likeable, and sometimes it is hard to find this kind of perfect man realistic. Winter, his mate, is a very believable and realistic character, though. She is emotional and struggles to find a proper place in the world, but she is strong and untamed. Although I would like more development in the characters, they develop enough under the circumstances for their actions being seen as likely to happen.
The whole political machinations in the were world are so detailed I can feel the world turning alive around me. But sometimes it was a bit too complex and I had to pause and concentrate on the story more to catch up. There also remain some open questions but I think that would be fixed in the next installment.
July 26, 2022
At its core, it's just a paranormal shifter romance starring the handsome millionaire.
But the execution turned out far less cheesy than I expected especially the last part.
There was real believable conflict between real and flawed partners. It wasn't only the bit of token conflict you find in most pnr with a token bad-guy that is evil just for the sake of it.
An actual world with different packs and alliances surrounds this story which leads to conflicting interests and drama. Characters have relatable reasons for their actions and things make logical sense.
I am honestly very disappointed by how badly received this book seems to be compared to all the same old happy family clichéed cookie cutter romances that easily rate above 4 on average just by virtue of not having complete shit writing (and even for that there are exceptions).
I guess the audience looking for pnr just isn't interested in flawed characters and actual worldbuilding.
Within the genre, it very much deserves a shout-out for the proper worldbuilding and character discovery work that went into it.
To be fair, this book is not entirely free of plot convenience and especially selectively applied werewolf society rules. There apparently exists some immaterial currency called prestige among werewolves which can be traded if you do something that leads to you coming out on top. But this is very vague and only really comes into play if the author couldn't come up with another reason for a character to act in some way or another.
But the execution turned out far less cheesy than I expected especially the last part.
There was real believable conflict between real and flawed partners. It wasn't only the bit of token conflict you find in most pnr with a token bad-guy that is evil just for the sake of it.
An actual world with different packs and alliances surrounds this story which leads to conflicting interests and drama. Characters have relatable reasons for their actions and things make logical sense.
I am honestly very disappointed by how badly received this book seems to be compared to all the same old happy family clichéed cookie cutter romances that easily rate above 4 on average just by virtue of not having complete shit writing (and even for that there are exceptions).
I guess the audience looking for pnr just isn't interested in flawed characters and actual worldbuilding.
Within the genre, it very much deserves a shout-out for the proper worldbuilding and character discovery work that went into it.
To be fair, this book is not entirely free of plot convenience and especially selectively applied werewolf society rules. There apparently exists some immaterial currency called prestige among werewolves which can be traded if you do something that leads to you coming out on top. But this is very vague and only really comes into play if the author couldn't come up with another reason for a character to act in some way or another.
March 12, 2017
Sometimes, I read a book that inspires neither intense love nor intense hatred. Sometimes, I read a book that causes me to sit on it for a little bit before deciding if I even enjoyed reading it. "The Snowfang Bride," is one such book.
There are plenty of positive aspects of Ravenell's "The Snowfang Bride." For instance, Ravenell's writing style is reminiscent of Stephanie Meyer's - which I am particularly fond of. Good descriptions, witty dialogue, characters with complicated backstories, etc. As far as setting a scene, Ravenell does it well, despite the many grammar mistakes.
However, this novel practically screams NOVICE WRITER. The plot falls flat, the pacing is terrible, and this world that Ravenell has created, although functional, is poorly explained. Throughout the entire book, I kept.... waiting for more. You know, for that big BANG. Unfortunately, the author did not provide it and I'm left with the feeling that I was given a mere vanilla bean scone from an impressive looking feast.
I think had Ravenell spent much more time on editing and really worked on her storyline, this novel could have been amazing. But alas, good book ideas does not always equate to good writing, but perhaps she will surprise me in the sequel.
There are plenty of positive aspects of Ravenell's "The Snowfang Bride." For instance, Ravenell's writing style is reminiscent of Stephanie Meyer's - which I am particularly fond of. Good descriptions, witty dialogue, characters with complicated backstories, etc. As far as setting a scene, Ravenell does it well, despite the many grammar mistakes.
However, this novel practically screams NOVICE WRITER. The plot falls flat, the pacing is terrible, and this world that Ravenell has created, although functional, is poorly explained. Throughout the entire book, I kept.... waiting for more. You know, for that big BANG. Unfortunately, the author did not provide it and I'm left with the feeling that I was given a mere vanilla bean scone from an impressive looking feast.
I think had Ravenell spent much more time on editing and really worked on her storyline, this novel could have been amazing. But alas, good book ideas does not always equate to good writing, but perhaps she will surprise me in the sequel.
July 20, 2023
I love Merry's stories so I will say I'm biased but this was a satisfying read. I won't say it was jaw dropping insanity, but Merry has a way of infusing a great intelligence within her characters that make them more real.
Here we are met with a young woman scorned by her family and pack. A wild wolf who knows life through duty and rules and nothing else. She lives her life through the lens of a person who's has been denied all acceptance expect for the acceptance of her knowledge on wold politics.
She struggles to understand herself in another sense and is met with a mate that is as city as they come where money matter more than fur and protocol. She finds herself trying to navigate New York with a new mate and a small pack that know nothing about being real wolves while she knows nothing about being a city dweller.
Many revelations and game plays come to play that immerse this interesting group in the games of the alphas that lead them to be the main players in a viscous world.
Very well written with enough intrigue left to keep the reader guessing. There isn't as much warmth between the couple in this book but I think will all "arranged" relationships it develops more realistically.
Overall good read.
Here we are met with a young woman scorned by her family and pack. A wild wolf who knows life through duty and rules and nothing else. She lives her life through the lens of a person who's has been denied all acceptance expect for the acceptance of her knowledge on wold politics.
She struggles to understand herself in another sense and is met with a mate that is as city as they come where money matter more than fur and protocol. She finds herself trying to navigate New York with a new mate and a small pack that know nothing about being real wolves while she knows nothing about being a city dweller.
Many revelations and game plays come to play that immerse this interesting group in the games of the alphas that lead them to be the main players in a viscous world.
Very well written with enough intrigue left to keep the reader guessing. There isn't as much warmth between the couple in this book but I think will all "arranged" relationships it develops more realistically.
Overall good read.
March 30, 2021
Over the Hill
I couldn’t connect with any aspect of this book. The opening chapters extol regressive ideas about the treatment of women and girls. Apparently the only value girls have in this AU is relative to the man they attract. They don’t need educations, or jobs, or friends, and should cook and clean as caretakers for their male relatives. I, of course, use the word “girls” deliberately because they should also be as young as possible. The fmc, Winter, is 20 and the author goes on an on that she is extraordinarily, outlandishly old and completely decrepit to find a life-partner and that to find someone so late in life is terribly unusual. It’s considered bizarre that she didn’t meet someone and paired off before she turned 18. Upon traveling to New York City, she undergoes the full penthouse/shopping spree/makeover montage from every romcom. It was painfully immature.
I couldn’t connect with any aspect of this book. The opening chapters extol regressive ideas about the treatment of women and girls. Apparently the only value girls have in this AU is relative to the man they attract. They don’t need educations, or jobs, or friends, and should cook and clean as caretakers for their male relatives. I, of course, use the word “girls” deliberately because they should also be as young as possible. The fmc, Winter, is 20 and the author goes on an on that she is extraordinarily, outlandishly old and completely decrepit to find a life-partner and that to find someone so late in life is terribly unusual. It’s considered bizarre that she didn’t meet someone and paired off before she turned 18. Upon traveling to New York City, she undergoes the full penthouse/shopping spree/makeover montage from every romcom. It was painfully immature.
December 29, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed this paranormal romance, with the developing relationship between fated mates Winter and Sterling. I don't usually go for the billionaire trope, but I found this one delightful. I appreciated the well thought-out worldbuilding in the form of the intricate werewolf pack politics, especially the title given to the mates of Alpha males (Lunas). I also enjoyed watching the slow burn but simmering relationship between Winter and Sterling. Sterling is rough and commanding but can also be gentle and understanding, and he stays out of jerk territory. Winter is smart and sassy enough but isn't an aggressive girlboss or Too Stupid To Live. There's plenty of intrigue to keep the reader guessing as to how Winter's bride-price will work out, and what the various secrets of the many packs are.
January 23, 2025
I get that the author was trying to do the world building in a natural organic way and not through info dumps. The problem is that the reader doesn’t know what the rules, the consequences, or anything about the world. Which means that I was confused about most of the things in the book.
The problem would just spontaneously be presented like he made her leave with him right away. Why is that a problem? Who the fuck knows. Later we find out something about bride prices. What are bride prices? I guess you buy the women. That’s about it. No depth, fine print or nuisance about anything. Any of the info is presented as if the reader should already know the details about it.
At the end there is some huge revelation about Sterlings parentage. I can’t even remotely give out a spoiler about this because it makes no fucking sense. I have no idea what the hell any of that was about.
The problem would just spontaneously be presented like he made her leave with him right away. Why is that a problem? Who the fuck knows. Later we find out something about bride prices. What are bride prices? I guess you buy the women. That’s about it. No depth, fine print or nuisance about anything. Any of the info is presented as if the reader should already know the details about it.
At the end there is some huge revelation about Sterlings parentage. I can’t even remotely give out a spoiler about this because it makes no fucking sense. I have no idea what the hell any of that was about.
November 14, 2018
I started out, with low expectations, considering that this book is of the werewolf genre, but oh my, did it surprise me. Some of the descriptions in this book by the author invoked some serious jealousy in me. I've highlighted way too many paragraphs. They are a reflection of the author's close observation, deep insight, and some extraordinary editing. Why can't I write like this? So polished, so poised, intelligent yet not unemotional? The reason for rating it one star less is because it took me way too long to finish it. But that's more of my problem, I guess. (Because the five-stars are reserved for the ones which are both fantastically written and I couldn't stop reading it!) This book is amazing, and if you're a werewolf genre fan, what are you doing, go read it!
May 20, 2023
This was very interesting and different but it’s not exactly a romance. There isn’t love between them yet but they’re mated. Sometimes there isn’t even respect between them. There is chemistry though. But the lack of sweetness puts this book more in urban fantasy for me and less in romance. Maybe the love will come in later books? I’m not quite sure how though? They are in a dire political situation and are just trying to survive. They didn’t choose each other but were thrown together like in an arranged marriage. Even an arranged marriage will have the partners know more about each other than they did. So I can’t quite picture how any actual romance or love will come out of this. I only see more problems ahead and possibly more blame being thrown about.
December 24, 2025
I'm only about halfway through this book, and I DO enjoy it quite a lot. Except for one thing- I wish the author hadn't used so many weird canine references. They come off as really cheesy and off putting. The storyline for this is actually really good and I love the political tones and hierarchy between the packs and their social structures. But the constant phrases like 'he looked like he was about to have a little of kittens', the references to flea baths etc was so off putting that it tempts me to give up on the book. It comes across as really juvenile and doesn't add anything clever to the story. It just comes off as goofy and cringe. If it wasn't for this, it would be a solid 4 stars.
November 14, 2016
I received The Snowfang Bride as a review copy from the author/publisher (via InstaFreebie). The gifting did not determine the review/rating, which reflects my honest opinion. The character development wasn't as tight as I prefer, but the relationships between the likable primary characters was very well done, I even liked the dysfunctional pack relationships. An excellent plot and unique world building elevated this to a 5-star read for me. This is a rare paranormal read with complex politics in the supernatural world, the reader took a tightrope walk with the protagonists as they negotiated a tough situation. I'll definitely be looking for book two.
February 13, 2019
I loved this story. I hate that there is not a book 2 yet, because I just finished my third re-read, but my impatience is not worth docking stars.
Slow Burn Romance
Betrayal
And how is this pack going to survive with a master chef, a drama wolf, and someone who is quite possibly going to challenge the Alpha (it will be a dumb move, but one I think is probable)!
I am on edge waiting to see what happens and hoping and dreading all at the same time that there will pups in the future for our Alpha and Luna (because that freaky ass dream has me spooked!).
Just finished my re-read and saw the next book is due out this year....cheers to that because I have been DYING for the next.
Slow Burn Romance
Betrayal
And how is this pack going to survive with a master chef, a drama wolf, and someone who is quite possibly going to challenge the Alpha (it will be a dumb move, but one I think is probable)!
I am on edge waiting to see what happens and hoping and dreading all at the same time that there will pups in the future for our Alpha and Luna (because that freaky ass dream has me spooked!).
Just finished my re-read and saw the next book is due out this year....cheers to that because I have been DYING for the next.
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