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The Shifter Rejected #1
Wolf of Ash
Talia thought her father’s execution was the worst thing that could happen… until her mate rejects her and banishes her from the pack.
Talia’s father goes rogue on a mission, leading dozens of pack members to a brutal death. Now the pack’s out for blood. But even his execution isn’t enough to soothe the Alpha’s anger. Which is why Maddox, who Talia has been fated to since birth, rejects his mating bond with her and banishes her. She has three days to leave town…or the pack will hunt her down.
Within hours of her departure, her own pack’s deathly decree takes a back seat to a more pressing threat: Galen, the next Alpha of the Long Claw pack that her father tried to kill, captures her. He doesn’t know that Talia and Maddox are no longer mates, and she intends to keep it that way.
Galen plans to use her as a bargaining chip, which is the only thing keeping her alive. But how long can she keep up the ruse? Because she’s still in town, and her pack is going to sense that. The clock is ticking until the hunt for her begins, then she’ll have two pack Alphas who want her dead.
The one who rejected her… and the one who kidnapped her…
Talia’s father goes rogue on a mission, leading dozens of pack members to a brutal death. Now the pack’s out for blood. But even his execution isn’t enough to soothe the Alpha’s anger. Which is why Maddox, who Talia has been fated to since birth, rejects his mating bond with her and banishes her. She has three days to leave town…or the pack will hunt her down.
Within hours of her departure, her own pack’s deathly decree takes a back seat to a more pressing threat: Galen, the next Alpha of the Long Claw pack that her father tried to kill, captures her. He doesn’t know that Talia and Maddox are no longer mates, and she intends to keep it that way.
Galen plans to use her as a bargaining chip, which is the only thing keeping her alive. But how long can she keep up the ruse? Because she’s still in town, and her pack is going to sense that. The clock is ticking until the hunt for her begins, then she’ll have two pack Alphas who want her dead.
The one who rejected her… and the one who kidnapped her…
165 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 30, 2021
About the author
Amelia Shaw
424 books272 followersAmelia Shaw looks like a good girl... but she's not.
She loves men... and sex... and all things fantastical.
Read her stories for paranormal romance with perfect men and imperfect women.
Fast paced, action packed and character driven stories with guaranteed happily ever afters...
Amelia writes more erotic stories under the pen name, Tamsin Baker , and historical romances under the pen name, Fiona Miers.
She loves men... and sex... and all things fantastical.
Read her stories for paranormal romance with perfect men and imperfect women.
Fast paced, action packed and character driven stories with guaranteed happily ever afters...
Amelia writes more erotic stories under the pen name, Tamsin Baker , and historical romances under the pen name, Fiona Miers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews
October 14, 2023
I’ve ran out of patience with this book series. This book series has been milked out for WAY too long. I was a senior in high school, and now I’m halfway through my college years, and it’s already finished.
First off, these books are SO SHORT. Each book is like less than 200 or exactly 200 pages, and the time in between that it takes to be released isn’t worth it. By then, I would have just moved on to another book series.
I calculated that all the books in this series, could make a whole trilogy. I really wanted to buy all the books in this series, but there is no way I’m gonna pay almost $90 for it all. That’s like already four different trilogies I could buy with a book series set in the same world.
I’ve known urban fantasy indie authors who released a whole book series within less than three months, and even those were so much better than this whole series. And it’s taken this series a whole YEAR AND A HALF to get six books out that are so short they could pass for novellas.
The only reason I am adding another star is that the book covers for this series make up for it, they are very pretty to look at, and I am a sucker for good book covers. Also, because this is a series about wolf shifters and I love reading urban fantasy romance series with wolf shifters. And maybe also for Talia, the female main protagonist of this book to, because I have a soft spot for her as well.
The world building, packs, and magic system throughout the series makes for an amazing backdrop. We learn some more and seem some supernatural conflict, but that’s the only thing and asides from the few things I listed above, that I will give credit to this book for. I won’t be reading the rest of the book series.
I will give the book series a consideration because of only one exception: there are few urban fantasy wolf shifter series that look interesting to me, but this one seems like it could appeal to me. Maybe I will get the rest purely because it’s one of the few wolf shifter series that actually has good covers and somewhat decent writing, but that’s only a possibility.
First off, these books are SO SHORT. Each book is like less than 200 or exactly 200 pages, and the time in between that it takes to be released isn’t worth it. By then, I would have just moved on to another book series.
I calculated that all the books in this series, could make a whole trilogy. I really wanted to buy all the books in this series, but there is no way I’m gonna pay almost $90 for it all. That’s like already four different trilogies I could buy with a book series set in the same world.
I’ve known urban fantasy indie authors who released a whole book series within less than three months, and even those were so much better than this whole series. And it’s taken this series a whole YEAR AND A HALF to get six books out that are so short they could pass for novellas.
The only reason I am adding another star is that the book covers for this series make up for it, they are very pretty to look at, and I am a sucker for good book covers. Also, because this is a series about wolf shifters and I love reading urban fantasy romance series with wolf shifters. And maybe also for Talia, the female main protagonist of this book to, because I have a soft spot for her as well.
The world building, packs, and magic system throughout the series makes for an amazing backdrop. We learn some more and seem some supernatural conflict, but that’s the only thing and asides from the few things I listed above, that I will give credit to this book for. I won’t be reading the rest of the book series.
I will give the book series a consideration because of only one exception: there are few urban fantasy wolf shifter series that look interesting to me, but this one seems like it could appeal to me. Maybe I will get the rest purely because it’s one of the few wolf shifter series that actually has good covers and somewhat decent writing, but that’s only a possibility.
March 4, 2026
2.5⭐ Yeah so that was kinda bad.
It started out interesting but then it was just slow and boring. could've been better.
I feel that this book could've been better if it was longer. idk or maybe I feel that bc I genuinely feel that 165 pages are not enough. I mean there is a nice 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 and a fun way to be introduced to the characters but it just feels like the author didn't put much effort in the slightest details that actually makes a different.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘁 was dragging, and idk if that's a thing to expect from a short book? idk I just didn't like it.
And I fear thers is 𝗻𝗼 𝗣𝗹𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝘄𝗶𝘀𝘁.
Is the plot twist supposed to be that Maddox isn't Talia's real mate?? bc that's way too obvious, it was obvious from Galen's first chapter. Also was 𝗣𝗼𝗼𝗿𝗹𝘆-𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻 or the way some things were described was REALLY bad.
And there's somethings that doesn't make sense, Like why do Talia's old pack now suddenly want her dead tho they were okay with everything her dad has done for a very long time but then just 𝘴𝘶𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘭𝘺 felt that they've had enough? And how like ALL the pack now are starvingfor blood shed? weirdos.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗻 is fine, I wouldn't say bad nor can I say good. it was in between. And, I love when it's Fated mates • Werewolfs and the wolfs inside them are desperate for each other and they just can't help it so there's always tension and longing I just hope the next books would be better. And I'd say it again, I think this should've been longer, rather than six books less than 200 pages with very slow plot and most currently nothing very interesting happening, Would've been better if the author made every two books a one.
Will I be continuing the series? Yeah sure I actually love the mmc. But do I also understand why some ppl HATED it? Yeah, it was kinda boring.
“I wouldn’t let you leave my side, if you were mine.”
“as I’ve got breath in my body, I’ll fight for you.”
“The human part of me knew that she wasn’t mine to protect. But the wolf part wanted her claimed, and whilst I couldn’t do that, I would do the next best thing. I would protect her as if she was mine.”
It started out interesting but then it was just slow and boring. could've been better.
I feel that this book could've been better if it was longer. idk or maybe I feel that bc I genuinely feel that 165 pages are not enough. I mean there is a nice 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 and a fun way to be introduced to the characters but it just feels like the author didn't put much effort in the slightest details that actually makes a different.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘁 was dragging, and idk if that's a thing to expect from a short book? idk I just didn't like it.
And I fear thers is 𝗻𝗼 𝗣𝗹𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝘄𝗶𝘀𝘁.
Is the plot twist supposed to be that Maddox isn't Talia's real mate?? bc that's way too obvious, it was obvious from Galen's first chapter. Also was 𝗣𝗼𝗼𝗿𝗹𝘆-𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻 or the way some things were described was REALLY bad.
And there's somethings that doesn't make sense, Like why do Talia's old pack now suddenly want her dead tho they were okay with everything her dad has done for a very long time but then just 𝘴𝘶𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘭𝘺 felt that they've had enough? And how like ALL the pack now are starvingfor blood shed? weirdos.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗻 is fine, I wouldn't say bad nor can I say good. it was in between. And, I love when it's Fated mates • Werewolfs and the wolfs inside them are desperate for each other and they just can't help it so there's always tension and longing I just hope the next books would be better. And I'd say it again, I think this should've been longer, rather than six books less than 200 pages with very slow plot and most currently nothing very interesting happening, Would've been better if the author made every two books a one.
Will I be continuing the series? Yeah sure I actually love the mmc. But do I also understand why some ppl HATED it? Yeah, it was kinda boring.
“I wouldn’t let you leave my side, if you were mine.”
“as I’ve got breath in my body, I’ll fight for you.”
“The human part of me knew that she wasn’t mine to protect. But the wolf part wanted her claimed, and whilst I couldn’t do that, I would do the next best thing. I would protect her as if she was mine.”
January 4, 2022
Meh
It was okay, I struggled to finish as I didn't really enjoy any of the characters (especially Talia and Galen) it seemed very surface level and lacked world building or maturity. I don't think I'll read the next book in this series.
It was okay, I struggled to finish as I didn't really enjoy any of the characters (especially Talia and Galen) it seemed very surface level and lacked world building or maturity. I don't think I'll read the next book in this series.
January 9, 2022
2 stars
There couldn't be a more whiney, immature, wimp of a heroine ever. I guess I like my women to be badass. The author never said why her fated mate wouldn't have sex with her, even though it was made a big deal the whole book. Not buying the next one.
There couldn't be a more whiney, immature, wimp of a heroine ever. I guess I like my women to be badass. The author never said why her fated mate wouldn't have sex with her, even though it was made a big deal the whole book. Not buying the next one.
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April 14, 2024🎁 FREE on Amazon today (9/3/2022)! 🎁
October 2, 2023
2.5✨
Nothing happened.
I get it’s a slow burn but basically nothing happened. I apparently have to read book two for something to happen as it ended on a cliffhanger but I won’t be doing that.
Nothing happened.
I get it’s a slow burn but basically nothing happened. I apparently have to read book two for something to happen as it ended on a cliffhanger but I won’t be doing that.
February 9, 2025
Cliffhanger (and a few typos) aside, this was surprisingly good and had me pretty much hooked from the beginning.
With five more books to go though, I’m on the fence about continuing, especially if they all end in cliffhangers in an effort to string the reader along.
With five more books to go though, I’m on the fence about continuing, especially if they all end in cliffhangers in an effort to string the reader along.
July 20, 2025
"He crossed his arms over his big meaty chest"
Need I say more?
Need I say more?
March 16, 2025
Confusing editing
First of all I think too many story lines were crammed into too little text for book one. Both the female MC and male MC have had the same or very similar horrific things happen to them over their lives but they don’t seem too fussed about it until it’s brought up in a weird heart to heart every other chapter.
There are also some inconsistencies that irked me - first the female MC is blonde, then she’s a redhead, then her hair is described as red and gold - what does she look like? Who knows.
The second inconsistency is (spoilers ahead) during the original fight the male MC states that two of his men were killed. Then three. Then back to two again, never mentioning any kind of miracle resurrection of the third man.
My third biggest gripe is that in this story about wolf shifters a witch pops up for a bit, mentions how demons have been spotted in the area and for the male MC to be on guard - which he is understandably concerned about; for about two seconds.
The demons aren’t brought up again until the last couple of pages where one appears, doesn’t seem to do much, makes no attempt to injure any characters and then just sprints off.
I understand building a cliffhanger for book two but the ending just left me very confused, fed up with the two lead characters and with no great desire to find out what happens in book two.
First of all I think too many story lines were crammed into too little text for book one. Both the female MC and male MC have had the same or very similar horrific things happen to them over their lives but they don’t seem too fussed about it until it’s brought up in a weird heart to heart every other chapter.
There are also some inconsistencies that irked me - first the female MC is blonde, then she’s a redhead, then her hair is described as red and gold - what does she look like? Who knows.
The second inconsistency is (spoilers ahead) during the original fight the male MC states that two of his men were killed. Then three. Then back to two again, never mentioning any kind of miracle resurrection of the third man.
My third biggest gripe is that in this story about wolf shifters a witch pops up for a bit, mentions how demons have been spotted in the area and for the male MC to be on guard - which he is understandably concerned about; for about two seconds.
The demons aren’t brought up again until the last couple of pages where one appears, doesn’t seem to do much, makes no attempt to injure any characters and then just sprints off.
I understand building a cliffhanger for book two but the ending just left me very confused, fed up with the two lead characters and with no great desire to find out what happens in book two.
November 30, 2021
Having a Really Bad Day !! . . .
Because of her father’s actions on a mission that ends up killing a large number of pack members, Talia ends up being rejected by her mate, banished from the pack, and then kidnapped by another pack because Galen doesn’t know she is no longer bound to Maddox. They figure on using her as a bargaining chip. But if she stays in the territory, her old pack will hunt her down and kill her in three days. Talia seems to have more than her share of dismal luck!
Galen is the next Alpha of the Long Claw pack that her father tried to kill. But what happens when her old pack comes after her? And if Galen finds she is useless to him now, will he want to kill her too?
Because of her father’s actions on a mission that ends up killing a large number of pack members, Talia ends up being rejected by her mate, banished from the pack, and then kidnapped by another pack because Galen doesn’t know she is no longer bound to Maddox. They figure on using her as a bargaining chip. But if she stays in the territory, her old pack will hunt her down and kill her in three days. Talia seems to have more than her share of dismal luck!
Galen is the next Alpha of the Long Claw pack that her father tried to kill. But what happens when her old pack comes after her? And if Galen finds she is useless to him now, will he want to kill her too?
November 5, 2021
This was an interesting story. Talia & Galen have so much in common and I’m excited to hopefully get more of them together. Something is going on and I can’t wait too find out.
I voluntarily reviewed this Advanced Reader Copy of this book.
I voluntarily reviewed this Advanced Reader Copy of this book.
November 25, 2021
We have a story of Talia who is to be mated to the Alpha's son. When her pack goes to attack the rival pack, what happens next turns Talia's world upside down. What will happen to her? Can she learn to protect herself? Will she lose everything? Follow Talia's story as she learns the way of the world.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 27, 2023
so good.
i read this purely for pleasure and my rating reflects that. honestly, i loved it. aside from some spelling and grammatical errors, the book was a quick and easy read, and i really enjoyed it. i’m eager to keep going and see where this series goes!
i read this purely for pleasure and my rating reflects that. honestly, i loved it. aside from some spelling and grammatical errors, the book was a quick and easy read, and i really enjoyed it. i’m eager to keep going and see where this series goes!
December 28, 2023
Hmm het was een heel kort boek waar alles heel snel in gaat. Het einde komt ook heel abrupt. Als de schrijver het verhaal langer had gemaakt en daardoor meer de tijd had kunnen nemen dan was het beter geweest.
Dus het boek heeft potentie maar de uitvoering vond ik minder.
Dus het boek heeft potentie maar de uitvoering vond ik minder.
November 14, 2024
I wanted something like the stuff I would have read as a teen. This is definitely it although the stuff I read as a child had no form of spice. This has very mild spice.
There is still Much to uncover. The end irritated me not because it was bad but because it's a cliffhanger.
There is still Much to uncover. The end irritated me not because it was bad but because it's a cliffhanger.
December 2, 2022
Decent paranormal romance
May 12, 2023
great story, plenty of action.
October 1, 2023
Definitely recommend. Would be a great October read if your not into horror or Spooky things as they just change from human to wolf.
May 6, 2025
Nothing more annoying than a unneeded cliffhanger. I won't be continuing. 2 stars
April 20, 2026
entertaning enough ~ It was nice to also pick up audiobooks again :0
November 14, 2021
Amelia Shaw's newest series is The Shifter Rejected and the first book, Wolf of Ash was such a good read. This is a dual perspective rejected mate romance that centers on Talia as her life is totally upended by a rejection of her mate and banishment of her pack.
Talia is different from most of the characters that I read about. She isn't strong, determined, angry, or stubborn. Talia seems quite average and a little naive. Everything has been done for Talia and therefore she really doesn't know how to do things or how to figure things out, she can't rescue herself. However, Talia is a sweet person. She's kind, caring, and thoughtful and I have a feeling she will grow stronger.
Galen is the other perspective, he is the rival pack's alpha heir. He's a good guy with a lot on his shoulders currently trying to protect his pack and worrying about his dad's health. He does make a bad decision at first when it comes to Talia but things change and everyone is allowed to make mistakes. Plus there seems to be something going on with Talia and Galen, I have a theory about.
The story was interesting first, what is the history between Talia's old pack and Galen's? Not to mention the actions of her old pack make them seem like the bad guys and was Maddox, Talia's "fated" mate is a coward who has no business being an alpha heir. The man didn't do what was right, all he did was follow his father's (/alpha's) orders how is he supposed to lead a pack?
Wolf of Ash was a good start and had an entertaining story. There are a few interesting things that caught my interest, the witch, the mysterious guy, and especially that ending. Something is up and I'm interested in finding out what that is in the next book, Wolf of Blood.
Talia is different from most of the characters that I read about. She isn't strong, determined, angry, or stubborn. Talia seems quite average and a little naive. Everything has been done for Talia and therefore she really doesn't know how to do things or how to figure things out, she can't rescue herself. However, Talia is a sweet person. She's kind, caring, and thoughtful and I have a feeling she will grow stronger.
Galen is the other perspective, he is the rival pack's alpha heir. He's a good guy with a lot on his shoulders currently trying to protect his pack and worrying about his dad's health. He does make a bad decision at first when it comes to Talia but things change and everyone is allowed to make mistakes. Plus there seems to be something going on with Talia and Galen, I have a theory about.
The story was interesting first, what is the history between Talia's old pack and Galen's? Not to mention the actions of her old pack make them seem like the bad guys and was Maddox, Talia's "fated" mate is a coward who has no business being an alpha heir. The man didn't do what was right, all he did was follow his father's (/alpha's) orders how is he supposed to lead a pack?
Wolf of Ash was a good start and had an entertaining story. There are a few interesting things that caught my interest, the witch, the mysterious guy, and especially that ending. Something is up and I'm interested in finding out what that is in the next book, Wolf of Blood.
January 13, 2023
This book wasn’t a complete slog, but there are a lot of issues. One is descriptions. In order for me to really get into a story, I need to know what the setting looks like, what the characters look like, etc. while we do get a few nuggets of physical features, most are just eye it hair colors. I also found that the our main character’s hair color seems to change. She’s described as blonde at first, then red-haired, and then later it’s clarified that she’s blonde with red streaks.
The characters in general are hard to get attached to as well. I felt that I didn’t hate many characters, but I was also bored of them. I don’t know a ton about these characters after this book and it didn’t leave me wanting to learn more about them.
Our main lady character was confusing for me. So after going through a horrible, traumatic event, she ends up at her fiancée’s house and as he’s trying to break up with her, she starts staring at his ass… like… it really took me out of what’s supposed to be a heartbreaking moment.
Man lead isn’t really much better. He’s basically a lukewarm character. I find it odd how fast he warms up to our main character and trusts her. He also thinks this to himself that it’s been like 2 days and he’s wholly trusting this woman, but being self aware doesn’t make it not odd. This is also true for his pack. No one seems to be the least bit suspicious of their new girl from a rival pack. I was expecting at least some of them to reject her or at least be cautious, but none of them are. Our main guy also just blindly trusts another new pack member who was a loner for no real reason. He knows absolutely nothing about this man, but trusted him to help run the bar and protect the main girl. His over-trusting nature could be seen as a good character flaw, but it’s never addressed in this book and it doesn’t really have any consequences.
One more thing that confuses me is the way they’re sometimes weird about nudity. I would think that since this is a society of shifters who have to be naked every time they shift (which is often) they would not really care if other shifters saw them nude or not. And sometimes they seem fine with it if it’s someone of the same sex. Like our main girl doesn’t seem to care if her friends see her nude and only covers up because of the cold. Same for the male lead, but then they get weird if it’s seeing each other nude. The main lead also gets a bit heated thinking about if another man sees her nude. Which reminds me of a strange part where she tells our main guy that no one has really seen her nude before, but that’s 100% not true because earlier in the book she had shifted with her friends. So at least 2 others had seen her nude.
In conclusion, it wasn’t terrible, but there are a lot of issues. Most of these issues are the characters themselves. I feel like if more focus was placed on character development then it would be a bit better. Some parts like our main girl’s various errands and friend visiting could have either been summarized or cut out all together. The romance has fallen flat for me. I know this is like a dated romance like most shifter/wear wolf stories are, but it just wasn’t compelling for me.
The characters in general are hard to get attached to as well. I felt that I didn’t hate many characters, but I was also bored of them. I don’t know a ton about these characters after this book and it didn’t leave me wanting to learn more about them.
Our main lady character was confusing for me. So after going through a horrible, traumatic event, she ends up at her fiancée’s house and as he’s trying to break up with her, she starts staring at his ass… like… it really took me out of what’s supposed to be a heartbreaking moment.
Man lead isn’t really much better. He’s basically a lukewarm character. I find it odd how fast he warms up to our main character and trusts her. He also thinks this to himself that it’s been like 2 days and he’s wholly trusting this woman, but being self aware doesn’t make it not odd. This is also true for his pack. No one seems to be the least bit suspicious of their new girl from a rival pack. I was expecting at least some of them to reject her or at least be cautious, but none of them are. Our main guy also just blindly trusts another new pack member who was a loner for no real reason. He knows absolutely nothing about this man, but trusted him to help run the bar and protect the main girl. His over-trusting nature could be seen as a good character flaw, but it’s never addressed in this book and it doesn’t really have any consequences.
One more thing that confuses me is the way they’re sometimes weird about nudity. I would think that since this is a society of shifters who have to be naked every time they shift (which is often) they would not really care if other shifters saw them nude or not. And sometimes they seem fine with it if it’s someone of the same sex. Like our main girl doesn’t seem to care if her friends see her nude and only covers up because of the cold. Same for the male lead, but then they get weird if it’s seeing each other nude. The main lead also gets a bit heated thinking about if another man sees her nude. Which reminds me of a strange part where she tells our main guy that no one has really seen her nude before, but that’s 100% not true because earlier in the book she had shifted with her friends. So at least 2 others had seen her nude.
In conclusion, it wasn’t terrible, but there are a lot of issues. Most of these issues are the characters themselves. I feel like if more focus was placed on character development then it would be a bit better. Some parts like our main girl’s various errands and friend visiting could have either been summarized or cut out all together. The romance has fallen flat for me. I know this is like a dated romance like most shifter/wear wolf stories are, but it just wasn’t compelling for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 30, 2021
Decent story, but the writing is amateur and prevents it from being great. The story moves along rapidly with little to no description of the characters, setting, etc. It makes it tough to visualize the world and doesn't give enough reason of why we should care about what happens to the characters. This feels like a very rough outline that can be improved upon. Take your time telling the story.
April 12, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Wolf of Ash by Amelia Shaw completely pulled me in from the very first page and did not let go. This book is everything I love in a paranormal romance—emotional, intense, and packed with drama that keeps you turning pages late into the night.
Talia is such a compelling main character. Watching her go from broken and rejected to slowly finding her strength was incredibly satisfying. You can feel her pain, her anger, and her determination, which makes her journey hit even harder. The rejection trope is done so well here—it’s heartbreaking, but it also sets up such powerful character growth.
And then there’s the tension… WOW. The dynamic between Talia, Maddox, and Galen is absolutely addictive. The push and pull, the secrets, the shifting loyalties—it kept me constantly guessing and fully invested. Galen especially adds such an edge to the story, and I couldn’t get enough of his scenes.
The world-building is strong without being overwhelming, and the pacing is perfect—fast enough to keep you hooked, but with enough depth to really connect with the characters. Every chapter left me wanting more.
That ending?? Completely wrecked me in the best way. I immediately needed the next book.
If you love rejected mates, enemies-to-lovers tension, and strong heroines rising from the ashes, this is a MUST READ.
——————
Spoiler
Wolf of Ash by Amelia Shaw absolutely destroyed me—in the best possible way. This book isn’t just a rejected mate story… it’s an emotional rollercoaster full of betrayal, power shifts, and a heroine who rises from absolute devastation.
Let’s talk about that rejection—because WOW. Maddox doesn’t just reject Talia, he humiliates her after her father is executed, and the emotional damage from that moment carries through the entire book. You can feel how deeply it breaks her, and it makes her growth even more satisfying later on.
And then Galen enters… and everything changes. What I loved most is how he starts off using her, seeing her only as leverage because he believes she’s still tied to Maddox. But slowly, his attitude shifts. The tension between them? INSANE. The way he begins to respect her strength and sees her as more than just a pawn had me completely hooked.
Talia being stuck between two powerful Alphas—one who rejected her and one who initially used her—is such a perfect setup. And honestly? Maddox’s regret starts creeping in just enough to make things messy in the best way. You KNOW he’s going to want her back, and I am here for the drama that’s about to unfold.
But the real standout is Talia herself. She doesn’t just stay broken—she adapts, survives, and starts stepping into her own power. Watching her go from discarded to someone who might actually shift the balance between packs is EVERYTHING.
And that ending??? The cliffhanger was brutal. Just when things start to shift and you feel Talia gaining ground, you’re left needing answers immediately. I was equal parts screaming and running to grab the next book.
If you love:
• brutal rejected mate angst
• enemies-to-lovers with REAL tension
• morally gray alpha males
• and a heroine who claws her way back to power
this book will absolutely consume you.
I am OBSESSED and emotionally unwell—in the best
Wolf of Ash by Amelia Shaw completely pulled me in from the very first page and did not let go. This book is everything I love in a paranormal romance—emotional, intense, and packed with drama that keeps you turning pages late into the night.
Talia is such a compelling main character. Watching her go from broken and rejected to slowly finding her strength was incredibly satisfying. You can feel her pain, her anger, and her determination, which makes her journey hit even harder. The rejection trope is done so well here—it’s heartbreaking, but it also sets up such powerful character growth.
And then there’s the tension… WOW. The dynamic between Talia, Maddox, and Galen is absolutely addictive. The push and pull, the secrets, the shifting loyalties—it kept me constantly guessing and fully invested. Galen especially adds such an edge to the story, and I couldn’t get enough of his scenes.
The world-building is strong without being overwhelming, and the pacing is perfect—fast enough to keep you hooked, but with enough depth to really connect with the characters. Every chapter left me wanting more.
That ending?? Completely wrecked me in the best way. I immediately needed the next book.
If you love rejected mates, enemies-to-lovers tension, and strong heroines rising from the ashes, this is a MUST READ.
——————
Spoiler
Wolf of Ash by Amelia Shaw absolutely destroyed me—in the best possible way. This book isn’t just a rejected mate story… it’s an emotional rollercoaster full of betrayal, power shifts, and a heroine who rises from absolute devastation.
Let’s talk about that rejection—because WOW. Maddox doesn’t just reject Talia, he humiliates her after her father is executed, and the emotional damage from that moment carries through the entire book. You can feel how deeply it breaks her, and it makes her growth even more satisfying later on.
And then Galen enters… and everything changes. What I loved most is how he starts off using her, seeing her only as leverage because he believes she’s still tied to Maddox. But slowly, his attitude shifts. The tension between them? INSANE. The way he begins to respect her strength and sees her as more than just a pawn had me completely hooked.
Talia being stuck between two powerful Alphas—one who rejected her and one who initially used her—is such a perfect setup. And honestly? Maddox’s regret starts creeping in just enough to make things messy in the best way. You KNOW he’s going to want her back, and I am here for the drama that’s about to unfold.
But the real standout is Talia herself. She doesn’t just stay broken—she adapts, survives, and starts stepping into her own power. Watching her go from discarded to someone who might actually shift the balance between packs is EVERYTHING.
And that ending??? The cliffhanger was brutal. Just when things start to shift and you feel Talia gaining ground, you’re left needing answers immediately. I was equal parts screaming and running to grab the next book.
If you love:
• brutal rejected mate angst
• enemies-to-lovers with REAL tension
• morally gray alpha males
• and a heroine who claws her way back to power
this book will absolutely consume you.
I am OBSESSED and emotionally unwell—in the best
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 1, 2021
This is book one of The Shifter Rejected series and the main character is Talia, a female wolf shifter who is recovering from her bachelorette party night out, when she hears world that her father is in trouble. The attack the males of the Northwood Pack went on the previous night, ending up in a large number of deaths for their pack and few for the Long Claw Pack. Mainly due to her father’s actions in going back to fight the Alpha’s son, when everyone else had already started to retreat. Her father is executed right in front of her by their pack’s Alpha, with his son Maddox, her fiancé and the man she was to marry in less than a week, doing nothing to save him. She has now been banished from the pack and has seventy two hours to cross state lines, or they will kill her as well! She is shell shocked with her father’s death, never mind her fated mate Maddox, breaking their mating bond as if it was nothing. They had never been intimate as he wanted to wait until after their wedding and mating ceremony, but how could he do that with so little emotion? Her two best friends help her to pack up and get going the next day, but she stops in town to sort out her and her father’s bank account and other issues, when she is spotted by some members of the opposing clan.
Galen is the Alpha’s son, of the Long Claw Pack, and has the worry of his father who is still the Alpha, being seriously ill with some strange illness, something very uncommon for a shifter. This is probably why the other pack tried to attack them at this time. He will soon have to take over the pack as Alpha, but first he needs to get revenge for the deaths of his fellow wolf shifters in the attack. Galen sees her in town and shifts to follow her, capturing her shortly after she stops for gas in their area of pack lands. He thinks he can use her relationship with the Alpha’s son, to broker a peace deal with the other pack and stop a war beginning. Her usefulness, in Galen’s eyes, has her not revealing why she was leaving town with everything she owned. Since she is trapped in a warded cabin, she has gone past the deadline her Alpha gave and her pack can still sense she is in the area and are hunting for her! His father ends up in the human hospital, after deteriorating, leaving him wondering where to be half the time. He needs to keep an eye on his prisoner, but also on his dying father who he may not have much time left with. He is also getting far too many feelings for Talia, when she already belongs to another, not that they have even claimed her, which he finds very strange. Add in a new solitary wolf wanting to join his pack and trouble is just around the corner! An interesting start to a series and so much more to become between Talia and Galen, as well as between the two packs. I received an ARC copy of this book form BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
Galen is the Alpha’s son, of the Long Claw Pack, and has the worry of his father who is still the Alpha, being seriously ill with some strange illness, something very uncommon for a shifter. This is probably why the other pack tried to attack them at this time. He will soon have to take over the pack as Alpha, but first he needs to get revenge for the deaths of his fellow wolf shifters in the attack. Galen sees her in town and shifts to follow her, capturing her shortly after she stops for gas in their area of pack lands. He thinks he can use her relationship with the Alpha’s son, to broker a peace deal with the other pack and stop a war beginning. Her usefulness, in Galen’s eyes, has her not revealing why she was leaving town with everything she owned. Since she is trapped in a warded cabin, she has gone past the deadline her Alpha gave and her pack can still sense she is in the area and are hunting for her! His father ends up in the human hospital, after deteriorating, leaving him wondering where to be half the time. He needs to keep an eye on his prisoner, but also on his dying father who he may not have much time left with. He is also getting far too many feelings for Talia, when she already belongs to another, not that they have even claimed her, which he finds very strange. Add in a new solitary wolf wanting to join his pack and trouble is just around the corner! An interesting start to a series and so much more to become between Talia and Galen, as well as between the two packs. I received an ARC copy of this book form BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
January 10, 2023
This felt more like Part 1 than Book 1. The book was a really quick read - only a few hours. I was left with a lot of questions. Talia, as the fated-mate of the son of her pack’s alpha, seems very naive and unaware of pack politics. I’m not convinced that she even was actually Maddox’s fated mate. Not much was explained about how that relationship works in this book’s world, but one would think it wouldn’t be so easy for him to reject her. Even her father’s crime, the one that resulted in his execution and her exile, was more of a mistake in judgment that led to deadly consequences than a traitorous action. There is just so much about how a pack works that the reader does not know. The chapters that are from Talia’s POV should give us more insight. It seems that in this shifter world, packs are more patriarchal, and female members are not involved in governing or politics, but tasked with keeping the home and children, but that’s all we really get. Considering that Talia has grown to adulthood in the pack and about to marry the alpha’s son, we should have been afforded some more information about how things worked.
Galen, the son of the neighboring pack’s alpha, seems like a much better person than Maddox, and acts around Talia more like one would expect of a fated mate. He’s clearly drawn to her, as we can see from the chapters from his POV, and becomes very protective. Talia is still put in what I would think would be a few dangerous situations in so-called “neutral” territory. While Galen has many qualities that would make a good Alpha, some of his behavior, like being quick to trust a newcomer, or letting Talia out of his sight, had me shaking my head.
The biggest drawback of this book is the lack of world-building. These 2 packs are in close proximity and on the verge of war - why? How do things in the packs work? Maddox’s alpha father banished Talia across state lines, but there are apparently a couple other packs (not just Galen’s) within the same state. How could the pack hunt her down for not crossing state lines if she found protection with another pack? Where are all the women? The book opens with Talia and her two best friends, and then later they help her pack to leave when she’s exiled, but other than that, the story is filled with male shifters - the alphas, their sons, and their betas. Then the book ends. There are so many loose ends that will need to be addressed in the next book.
Galen, the son of the neighboring pack’s alpha, seems like a much better person than Maddox, and acts around Talia more like one would expect of a fated mate. He’s clearly drawn to her, as we can see from the chapters from his POV, and becomes very protective. Talia is still put in what I would think would be a few dangerous situations in so-called “neutral” territory. While Galen has many qualities that would make a good Alpha, some of his behavior, like being quick to trust a newcomer, or letting Talia out of his sight, had me shaking my head.
The biggest drawback of this book is the lack of world-building. These 2 packs are in close proximity and on the verge of war - why? How do things in the packs work? Maddox’s alpha father banished Talia across state lines, but there are apparently a couple other packs (not just Galen’s) within the same state. How could the pack hunt her down for not crossing state lines if she found protection with another pack? Where are all the women? The book opens with Talia and her two best friends, and then later they help her pack to leave when she’s exiled, but other than that, the story is filled with male shifters - the alphas, their sons, and their betas. Then the book ends. There are so many loose ends that will need to be addressed in the next book.
November 16, 2021
Amelia Shaw’s Rejected Mate:
Dual POV
The second chapter says it all: Talia’s pack has no sense of strategy or warfare. They opt to attack another pack through brute force, and their planning is lacking. I would expect a cavalry force, so to speak, or a flanking force, or a spear-headed assault. They just blindly sledgehammer into the territory. I just laughed. Talia deserves better.
Since the attack resulted in a number of deaths, Talia’s father takes the blame and is sentenced to death for his attempt to take out the leader. I suppose the mistake was bucking the Alpha’s orders to retreat? Because the goal was to take out the other pack’s alpha…
Her friends Celia and Nyssa are supportive after Talia gets banished. Normally in a shifter novel the packmates also shun the MC, so this is a welcome change. They help her pack up and leave town, but unfortunately, in her grief, she lingers too long and gets captured by the son of the very alpha who was attacked. This poses a problem, since her pack will kill her if she stays within the state.
Talia is sweet and thankfully, normal in capabilities. Sometimes she is clueless. Galen is also sweet. Since I prefer a single POV, I had to think about what Galen's perspective brings to the story. From his perspective, we discover his father is desperately ill, which is abnormal for shifters. The drama actually comes from the plot. At first I thought this story was the typical copycat rejected mate theme, you know, been there read that; however, I think this is more of a preview of what lies ahead.
There are a couple of hints that make me more interested in the second book than the first. [careful: possible spoilers]: First, how can his father be ill? If not cancer, could it be poisoning or a spell? Second, the introduction of demons and witches. Could the new guy in Galen's pack be one of those scouts? Why bother with Talia, and why did the witch think she is odd?
If you like sweet romances with action, dual POV, then this is right up your alley.
Dual POV
The second chapter says it all: Talia’s pack has no sense of strategy or warfare. They opt to attack another pack through brute force, and their planning is lacking. I would expect a cavalry force, so to speak, or a flanking force, or a spear-headed assault. They just blindly sledgehammer into the territory. I just laughed. Talia deserves better.
Since the attack resulted in a number of deaths, Talia’s father takes the blame and is sentenced to death for his attempt to take out the leader. I suppose the mistake was bucking the Alpha’s orders to retreat? Because the goal was to take out the other pack’s alpha…
Her friends Celia and Nyssa are supportive after Talia gets banished. Normally in a shifter novel the packmates also shun the MC, so this is a welcome change. They help her pack up and leave town, but unfortunately, in her grief, she lingers too long and gets captured by the son of the very alpha who was attacked. This poses a problem, since her pack will kill her if she stays within the state.
Talia is sweet and thankfully, normal in capabilities. Sometimes she is clueless. Galen is also sweet. Since I prefer a single POV, I had to think about what Galen's perspective brings to the story. From his perspective, we discover his father is desperately ill, which is abnormal for shifters. The drama actually comes from the plot. At first I thought this story was the typical copycat rejected mate theme, you know, been there read that; however, I think this is more of a preview of what lies ahead.
There are a couple of hints that make me more interested in the second book than the first. [careful: possible spoilers]: First, how can his father be ill? If not cancer, could it be poisoning or a spell? Second, the introduction of demons and witches. Could the new guy in Galen's pack be one of those scouts? Why bother with Talia, and why did the witch think she is odd?
If you like sweet romances with action, dual POV, then this is right up your alley.
February 17, 2024
It’s Good, Fun, and Straightforward
It’s hard to put to words why this isn’t more than a 3 for me, particularly because I did finish it and I did mostly like it. The writing is pretty well done, so that was a huge bonus for reading it- it’s tough when I have to mentally correct stuff in my head. Takes me straight out of a story. This didn’t so that, so that’s a huge plus.
Some spoilers, but I’m trying to put to words my feelings.
I think what bugs me is that Talia seems oddly passive, particularly toward the end. She just sort of starts existing and starts being a liability, which frustrated me. It feels… contrived, maybe? The things happening to her? She has basically no sense of self preservation toward the end of book one, and while this is technically a slow burn, I feel like these two crossed the whole “our packs are violently opposed and despise each other and your pack killed three of my people and i killed people you personally know” bridge REAL fast. Also Talia just… being on board with helping Galen avenge his pack immediately. This would mean potentially hurting or facing off against her supposed bestest friends in the world, but she’s just… good to go. Just nods when he suggests it for the first time in a meeting in the bar.
I think if she’d been angry, it would have made more sense. A reason to turn on them exists right there- they betrayed her. If she was enraged, I’d believe it better. If she wanted vengeance herself.
But she just feels so passive toward the end.
I still finished it, which is another huge point because I DNF the second I feel an urge to typically. The length is really good, the background plot is intriguing, and I want to know what happens with certain plot points. I’m up and down lol. I really liked Talia in the beginning, and I really like Galen for the most part. I liked all of the supportive women in Talia’s life. There’s some very good aspects to this story.
It’s hard to put to words why this isn’t more than a 3 for me, particularly because I did finish it and I did mostly like it. The writing is pretty well done, so that was a huge bonus for reading it- it’s tough when I have to mentally correct stuff in my head. Takes me straight out of a story. This didn’t so that, so that’s a huge plus.
Some spoilers, but I’m trying to put to words my feelings.
I think what bugs me is that Talia seems oddly passive, particularly toward the end. She just sort of starts existing and starts being a liability, which frustrated me. It feels… contrived, maybe? The things happening to her? She has basically no sense of self preservation toward the end of book one, and while this is technically a slow burn, I feel like these two crossed the whole “our packs are violently opposed and despise each other and your pack killed three of my people and i killed people you personally know” bridge REAL fast. Also Talia just… being on board with helping Galen avenge his pack immediately. This would mean potentially hurting or facing off against her supposed bestest friends in the world, but she’s just… good to go. Just nods when he suggests it for the first time in a meeting in the bar.
I think if she’d been angry, it would have made more sense. A reason to turn on them exists right there- they betrayed her. If she was enraged, I’d believe it better. If she wanted vengeance herself.
But she just feels so passive toward the end.
I still finished it, which is another huge point because I DNF the second I feel an urge to typically. The length is really good, the background plot is intriguing, and I want to know what happens with certain plot points. I’m up and down lol. I really liked Talia in the beginning, and I really like Galen for the most part. I liked all of the supportive women in Talia’s life. There’s some very good aspects to this story.
June 25, 2023
Book: Wolf of Ash
Read By: Ebook
Author: Amelia Shaw
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Main Characters: Talia
Recommend: Yes
Spice: 🌶️️
Age recommendation: 16-30+ Years
My feelings:
Great short read.
I have read a couple of this authors books now, and I have enjoyed them all. Fast paced, and short enough to read on your lunch break at work:)
“Promise me.” My father growled. The hairs on the back on my neck stood on end as I offered up the only words my father wanted to hear. “I promise, Dad. I’ll avenge our fallen men. They won’t take this pack from me. No one will.” Then I closed my eyes and hung my head, the weight of the world on my shoulders.”
I loved Talia, loyal and caring, and super sweet. She made a few bad choices but nothing to make her come across and brainless. I felt sorry for her the whole time. Being cast out cause of her dad, not exactly far, but I suppose that’s how shifter packs work. I had always thought that if your mated you cannot just reject them, but hers did.
“Dad lay back against his pillows, exhausted. “You will be a great Alpha, Galen. You love our people. You’re strong and loyal. And you have a good moral compass.”
The rival pack that grabs her when she is on the run, think they can use her against her old pack, but they don’t know she was rejected.
“What should I do when I see one?” I asked her, not having any idea what the answer would be. Were they deadly to us? Should I be concerned for my pack? Could I even kill one if I wanted to? “Do not be afraid of it,” she said. “They are here only as scouts; messengers for their evil masters. They won’t hurt one such as you.”
Super enjoyed this! Keen for more!
“You’re safe here. I promise. As long as I’ve got breath in my body, I’ll fight for you.”
Read By: Ebook
Author: Amelia Shaw
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Main Characters: Talia
Recommend: Yes
Spice: 🌶️️
Age recommendation: 16-30+ Years
My feelings:
Great short read.
I have read a couple of this authors books now, and I have enjoyed them all. Fast paced, and short enough to read on your lunch break at work:)
“Promise me.” My father growled. The hairs on the back on my neck stood on end as I offered up the only words my father wanted to hear. “I promise, Dad. I’ll avenge our fallen men. They won’t take this pack from me. No one will.” Then I closed my eyes and hung my head, the weight of the world on my shoulders.”
I loved Talia, loyal and caring, and super sweet. She made a few bad choices but nothing to make her come across and brainless. I felt sorry for her the whole time. Being cast out cause of her dad, not exactly far, but I suppose that’s how shifter packs work. I had always thought that if your mated you cannot just reject them, but hers did.
“Dad lay back against his pillows, exhausted. “You will be a great Alpha, Galen. You love our people. You’re strong and loyal. And you have a good moral compass.”
The rival pack that grabs her when she is on the run, think they can use her against her old pack, but they don’t know she was rejected.
“What should I do when I see one?” I asked her, not having any idea what the answer would be. Were they deadly to us? Should I be concerned for my pack? Could I even kill one if I wanted to? “Do not be afraid of it,” she said. “They are here only as scouts; messengers for their evil masters. They won’t hurt one such as you.”
Super enjoyed this! Keen for more!
“You’re safe here. I promise. As long as I’ve got breath in my body, I’ll fight for you.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 4, 2026
no spice, lacks depth, but an easy read.
I’m not sure if I’ll manage to read the entire series, but after two DNF books in a row I’m happy to have easily added another book into my read pile. This book lacks depth, has minimal world building, and the FMC might honestly actually be an idiot. MMC isn’t too far off really, but he is much easier to read through than she is. I don’t understand or agree with most of the things she thinks/assumes is totally fine to do. Her life is constantly at threat, and yet you’d think she was some super confident bad ass able to hold her own with the stupid fucking choices she makes. Unfortunately for her she is entirely helpless, naive, and seems to only have her looks going for her. Aside from my disdain of the FMC I also hate that this “shifter” book doesn’t seem to hold anything to that theme other than brief shifts into animal form. Although I do believe the blurb may have said this book had omegaverse themes, so maybe that’s my bad for expecting it to be lightly omegaverse. The only difference from other omegaverse books and this one is that there is actual shifting. This book was short, but there really wasn’t any movement on the plot in any way. I’m glad this series is now on KU. I originally got this book for free online, and was bummed to realize I would have to buy the rest, but lucky me all these months later they are on KU. I would definitely not have paid for the second book. Like I said though I’m happy enough with the easy read and the finished book to add to my read pile. I’ll start book two, but I’m not currently feeling very committed to the series.
I’m not sure if I’ll manage to read the entire series, but after two DNF books in a row I’m happy to have easily added another book into my read pile. This book lacks depth, has minimal world building, and the FMC might honestly actually be an idiot. MMC isn’t too far off really, but he is much easier to read through than she is. I don’t understand or agree with most of the things she thinks/assumes is totally fine to do. Her life is constantly at threat, and yet you’d think she was some super confident bad ass able to hold her own with the stupid fucking choices she makes. Unfortunately for her she is entirely helpless, naive, and seems to only have her looks going for her. Aside from my disdain of the FMC I also hate that this “shifter” book doesn’t seem to hold anything to that theme other than brief shifts into animal form. Although I do believe the blurb may have said this book had omegaverse themes, so maybe that’s my bad for expecting it to be lightly omegaverse. The only difference from other omegaverse books and this one is that there is actual shifting. This book was short, but there really wasn’t any movement on the plot in any way. I’m glad this series is now on KU. I originally got this book for free online, and was bummed to realize I would have to buy the rest, but lucky me all these months later they are on KU. I would definitely not have paid for the second book. Like I said though I’m happy enough with the easy read and the finished book to add to my read pile. I’ll start book two, but I’m not currently feeling very committed to the series.
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