I Am Alpha

Rise of the Beast Queen #1

by Katherine Bogle

They took me from my home, made me a slave—and when I wouldn’t bend, they chose to break me.

But a chance encounter with a demon spells disaster for the slave trade. Released from my bonds, and set free upon the world that scorned me, I will do anything to find my brother and get my revenge.

Only, four wolves, one from each clan, seem intent on pursuing me—all for their own desires.

To one, I am the Goddess reborn. To another, the woman of his dreams. To the others, I am a danger, an unknown, and everything they’ve ever wanted.

They say I must return with them to the Wilds and claim my wolf so I can see them as mine. But these men will soon learn I’m much more than a feral mate.

I am Alpha, and these wolves will bow to their queen.

I am Alpha kicks off a brand new epic fantasy romance trilogy where the heroine won't have to choose between her wolves. If you love your adventure with a dash of romance and a whole lot of revenge, then start Cinna's story today!

Genres: Shapeshifters, Paranormal, Fantasy, Why Choose, Romance, Harem, Paranormal Romance

345 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 9, 2021

About the author

Katherine Bogle is the USA Today bestselling author of Queen of Thieves, Her Wolf, I am Alpha and the international bestselling Dominion Rising series.

She first found success with her debut novel, Haven, which came second in the World’s Best Story contest 2015. Since then, she has gone on to release 20+ books with one core theme: kick-butt heroines. Though her series may span genres—from fantasy to steampunk to science fiction—she will always write about strong women overcoming the odds.

Join her newsletter for info on upcoming releases, free stuff and more:
https://katherine-bogle.kit.com/8b426...

Her website:
https://linktr.ee/katherinebogle

NOW AVAILABLE:

Haven (Chronicles of Warshard #1)
Savages (Chronicles of Warshard #2)
Ashen (Chronicles of Warshard #3)
Fyre: A Chronicles of Warshard short story collection
The Blood Amulet: A Chronicles of Warshard Short Story

The Aldar Dominion (Dominion Rising #1)
The Zahkx Alliance (Dominion Rising #2)
The Darri Commission (Dominion Rising #3)
The Stowaway Experiment: A Dominion Rising Short Story
The Smugglers Legion: A Dominion Rising Short Story

Queen of Thieves (Clockwork Thief #1)
Daughter of Chaos (Clockwork Thief #2)
King of Empires (Clockwork Thief #3)
Empress of Annihilation (Clockwork Thief #4)
Harbinger of War (Clockwork Thief #5)
Goddess of Death (Clockwork Thief #6)

Her Wolf (Silver Shifter #1)
Her Dragon (Silver Shifter #2)
Her Bear (Silver Shifter #3)
Her Panther (Silver Shifter #4)

Demon's Game (A Soul Collectors Prequel)
Reaper's Fire (Soul Collectors #1)
Reaper's Fate (Soul Collectors #2)

Cruel Monsters (Standalone)

I am Alpha (Rise of the Beast Queen #1)
They Call me Beast (Rise of the Beast Queen #2)

Shifter's Promise (Standalone)

COMING SOON:

Bow to your Queen (Rise of the Beast Queen #3)

Reviews

[Sweet and Salty Reviews by DD · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story had potential to be great. The issue IMO was the point of views from the mates. For me, it disrupted the flow.

Cinna had this amazing backstory. Her story got lost in all the point of views from her mates. This is just a case where an RH hindered the storyline. If this had just been Cinna and one or two mates I think it would’ve been a much better.

Happy reading,
DD🥂

[Holly Nichols · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great start to a new series!

I really enjoyed this book. This book did not just smooth over recovering from years of abuse as most do which is one of my biggest issues with a lot of similar books. I cannot wait to see how the next book in the series process in the series proceeds

[Readsby-K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cinna is badass on steroids. I can’t wait for the next book!

[Irene Kiew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure how I'd feel about a female alpha, because I myself am decidedly NOT alpha and I'm very much more into the protective, strong male + submissive female dynamic. But Ms Bogle made it work for me because Cilla isn't too much of an alpha, by which I mean she isn't aggressive or brash or domineering. I don't like male alphas who are like that either, so in the end maybe my problem isn't with designations but with how some authors portray their alpha characters, be it male or female.

I think part of the reason I was okay with Cilla's alpha-ness was that she was focused on her mission, so it made sense for her to take the lead. Especially since she is the one with the information and personal experience. It does feel like the four men are very much secondary and they tend to follow her around like lost puppies, but as their relationship evolves, we see the men becoming more like partners.

Personally I'm not so keen on revenge plots because I just feel that when you take revenge, you become almost as bad as the villain in the first place. And sometimes I felt that with Cilla, because she took so much pleasure in torturing and killing the bad guys. It's like... two wrongs don't make a right? And being cruel to another, even if they deserve it, still taints your own soul? But Cilla's main goal wasn't just to gain revenge, she had a larger overall goal to end evil and save people. So I felt that she wasn't driven by bitterness or hatred, and that saved the book for me, too.

The third thing I liked is how Ms Bogle handled the aftermath of Cilla's enslavement and torture. These four men come along and claim that they are her mates, but Cilla doesn't want to believe it. She just got free after five years as a slave, she doesn't want to tie herself to four men! Plus, she's wary of touch because every touch she has endured for the last five years has been for the express purpose of causing her pain. So the men have to keep their distance and build trust with her. This was very different from the usual fated mates shifter books because normally, there's this huge pull towards each other, both parties recognise that they are fated mates, and then, boom! -- they have sex and are giving each other mate marks. But here, although the men do recgonise Cilla as their mate immediately, they also see that she's not ready to claim a mate, let alone four mates, and they give her that space to come to terms with it. The mate bond doesn't magically heal all of Cilla's trauma and pain.

So let's talk about her four men:

Oberyn, the apprentice mage of Windstorm tower, from the Wind Clan. He's an omega, but as far as I can tell, in this book, omegas aren't like those in the Omegaverse, or at least, it doesn't seem so. He has the power to heal physical injuries. He's always joking and playful, not taking most things very seriously. He's also a bit pushy or needy, tends to push the boundaries with Cilla because he wants to get close to her. In human terms, he behaves like a 16-year-old. His personality is not one which I find attractive, because he's too immature.

Nor the Alpha of the Water Clan. As far as I can understand it, there are different kinds of wolves, and each kind has a clan (Cilla is from the Ice Clan). Under the clan umbrella, there could be several different packs. Therefore, since Nor leads the entire Water Clan, you'd think he'd be authoritative and mature, but he and Oberyn are always bickering and compete to impress Cilla. We're not told how old any of the guys are, but Nor sounded very young, like another 16-year-old. I was not impressed by him.

Kade, son of the Fire Clan Alpha. Kade is a beta, and struggles with his self-worth due to that, because he's not strong enough to be his father's heir (and also we get the feeling that his father is a bit of a douchebag). Despite Kade's internal struggles and self-doubts, he can't deny that his wolf recognises Cilla as his mate, so he reluctantly joins the group. I'm intrigued by him and want to know more of his history and background.

Ronan, son of the Earth Clan Alpha. Ronan is the most serious and mature of the group. I can absolutely imagine him being the alpha of a clan. He's the "strong silent type", stoic and doesn't say much, but he's also the kind that you can always lean on and trust to show up for you. I liked him, even though he's a bit of an enigma. I'd like to know more of his story, too.

The men don't know each other at the start of the story, so they have to learn to get along. There's development of the relationship between them and Cilla, and growth on Cilla's part as she starts to heal from her terrible past. I'm hoping that Oberyn and Nor will grow on me, because right now they're just kinda... annoying? ...Although both of them have their moments. Pre-ordered book 2 and can't wait to see what happens next -- Cilla has just demonstrated how very alpha and badass she is, and she has more bad guys to take down!

[TipseyBookReviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cinna has been held captive by slavers for 5 years since her pack was raided and her parents were killed. After the latest round of torture she is saved and healed by a demon. As she is escaping, her four mates arrive to free them. Four mates is unheard of and the guys are intrigued. Nor, Oberyn, Ronan, and Kade are all sons of Alphas of the various packs. Kade’s got some insecurities, Oberyn is sweet and all in, Ronan has a secret of his own, and Nor is alpha. While Cinna has strong magic and is fierce in fighting, she also has some ptsd from her time in captivity. I love that the guys respect her and let the relationships develop at their own pace, even if they are a little jealous. I am really intrigued by this series and can’t wait to see what happens next :)

[AHCuteArt · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF (did not finish). What made the book unfinishable in your opinion?
I really wanted to like this book since epic fantasies or one of my favorite genres. Add in reverse Harem and romance and I figure that it's a winning combination. Unfortunately, the reality was the story became repetitive and boring. The main character was a slave who was saved by a demon. Then she goes on a revenge spree against her slavers. Add in powerful elemental wolf shifters for her love interests who instantly fall in love with her when they see her. And that's the summary of the story. I didn't finish it at 70%.

[Sarah Anne]

DNF @ 48%

I wasn't connecting with the plot or characters. I felt there was also a distinct lack of chemistry between the Heroine and the Heroes.

[Andréa · Rating 4 out of 5]

She really is Alpha

Wow ! That’s how you start a series !

A strong heroine who reluctantly finds out she has mates at what could be the worst time ? Sign me right up cause I’m here for it.

I liked the world building, the setup, how we slowly learn about the characters under their layers and how good the action is.

A great mix to start a series and keep the reader interested. I loved it !

[beth m · Rating 4 out of 5]

book 1

This book has these themes: a badass fmc, all of the men who want involvement with the fmc have to work for it, a tragic traumatic past, VERY slow burn (no smexy times), pnr, RH. This book was fantastically written with a real plot. Honestly this is a clean book with no smut- a perfect book for someone who’s just starting to dip their toes in the RH world.

As a seasoned voracious RH reader this book was too tame for me- this is my honest opinion. I loved everything about it but the lack of pace for the fmc and her guys. I understand why and I appreciate that the author really is going slow especially because of the trauma the fmc has gone through, I totally respect that. I think that in order to get to a point where she gets more acclimated to touch I feel like there should’ve been a lot more interaction with her and the guys. More get to know and less “shroud it in mystery I’ll get to it later”. More background and history on the guys.

My other hang up was not feeling like I understood the world. The whole “beastkin” theme. I’m confused about the focus of shifters. They’re referred to as wolves but then the fmc frees feline (insert designation status) shifters? Where are they from? We only hear about the wolf clans and their magics but I’m confused about the others? During the meeting the one guy’s father calls her out that, her only caring about ice wolves… but she released all wolves/felines affected. I feel like that was an argument that could’ve easily been fact-checked, that argument was supposed to be what caused a majority not to side with her and it was a really weak argument especially given witnesses that were from other clans present. I felt like the whole designation wasn’t clearly defined: alpha, beta, omega. There was no information on what it means to be one. - the problem with using words like alpha, beta, and omega is that anyone who reads paranormal or omegaverse has a tainted view of what it means , by not covering any of what it means or gives the reader a little bit of a confused view of how designations matter or had mattered in the past.

Again this was a great book but maybe just for a younger crowd.

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buy this book, you won't regret it (Warning: spoilers)

I almost have no words to describe how phenomenal this book is. I literally cannot wait for the next installment. Cinna is an ice wolf who was stolen from her family and pack, forced to suffer as a slave being sold, then resold time and time again. But, never allowing the slaver's to break her. She nearly dies until the day a stranger gifts her a chance at escape and revenge. She's tasked with the goal of breaking the slaver trade that has been plaguing all of beastkin for years. She even meets her mates at the time of her escape, even though they were about to rescue her and all who'd been held at the specific slavers house/dungeon. During her delightful task, one in which she takes great pleasure in, especially in doling out punishment to those who abused her and many others, Cinna saves a dozen or more children that, as she comes to find out, have come from a property where ice wolves are being bred then abused. Join Cinna on her journey to tear apart the slave trade, save those held captive, exact revenge upon those most evil, find and save her little brother Cassius, free those being used as broodmares and figure out who the Golden Lion is... The most evil of evil slavers, but one who has always worn a mask and no one knows his identity. The book ends on a cliffhanger just as Cinna realizes her Alpha of Alpha's status, using said powerful status to bring all other alpha's to their knee's (literally.... Which was enjoyable to picture, especially when directed at one of her mates father's who's a total a**hole as well as the Fire Wolf Clan Alpha... And alpha who nearly killed his son because he's not an alpha ~ same beta son who was found worthy enough by their goddess to be mated to Cinna, the most powerful Alpha aside from the goddess Aether, also known as Alpha of Alpha's). I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!!

[Jackie · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF - quit at 55%
Other readers may like this book, it just wasn't for me. The story moved so slowly, I just found myself doing other things, cause I wasn't into the story & bored. I don't know, something about the FMC just didn't work for me. I was ok with her being Alpha, that wasn't the issue. But I found it hard to relate to her or even want to for that matter. I realize the 5 years as an abused slave would make her have all sorts of PTSD, but it was just hard reading about her & the 4 males in her RH, and not seeing the connections even if just emotionally -within the group -other than them all saying "mate" stuff. I think the plot had potential, but by 55% and not seeing an actual connection of ANY kind with any of the guys, & Cinna was disheartening. If there had been something with at least one of them to show that the story was going to progress, than maybe it would have kept my interest. But her PTSD & anti-touch with anyone in a human body (not that I blamed her for that), just left me thinking it might be several books into the series before we see any connections other than the "mate" bond. I think the story is relying too heavily on that "mate-bond" thing to carry the relationships forward. It does not work for most readers, at least not for me, since I can't relate to that being real life.

At my age (60), life is way too short & my time is too important to force myself to read a book I'm not enjoying, especially when there are so many other books out there waiting to be read.

[Miranda May · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cinna is an ice wolf, though she doesn’t have access to her wolf seeing as she’s been a slave for five years. Five long years. But now she’s free and she wants to make them all pay. What she didn’t expect was for her four fated mates, Oberon, Nor, Ronan, and Kade, to find her. She doesn’t have time for fated mates, but they won’t leave her, so she allows them to tag along as she returns home to find her brother. She has no qualms telling them that she has no need for a mate, let alone four. But they want to help her on her quest to take down the slavers, so can she really turn them down?

I adore the book. The world-building is amazing. The characters are amazing. The story is amazing. Everything is just amazing. Cinna is everything. She’s a strong female character who didn’t let the slavers break her, and now she’s going to make them pay. She’s an alpha female which isn’t something that we get a whole lot of. Out of her mates, she has two alphas, a beta & an omega wolf. And I love all of them. I also love that while this is a fated mates story, its not instalove… not that I don’t love instalove, but it’s interesting to have a story that’s not rejected mates or instalove. There’s just something about watching characters fall for one another that I adore. Falling for one another while trying to save the world? Even better. I can’t wait to devour the next book.

[Annelie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed

I really enjoyed this book and now I want more!
Cinna is a winter wolf and has being held in a dungeon and tortured for 5 years. One day, as she was dying in her cell, a demon came, healed her, and gave her power. Then, she was able to escape, kill her captors, and save the other shifters. She met her mates just after escaping but she wasn't interested in mating (at first😉...). Cinna wanted revenge and abolish shifters slavery.
I liked the world building and the map at the beginning of the book helped a lot to situate the different areas.
I like as well that there wasn't an assh*ole guy in the harem. Kade had issues but he wasn't mean or rejected Cinna.
Cinna is a clever FMC and had her agenda. Of course she suffered from PTSD and couldn't bear being touched but the guys made her enough comfortable that she was able to begin to trust them.
I really look forward reading the next volume!

[Jada · Rating 2 out of 5]

Liked it well enough, I guess

So, this definitely falls into the usual trap of "I had all this trauma happen to me and now I'm defiant heroine who doesn't take shit from anyone and since I've got magic/fated mates who I can recognize that I'm attracted to even with all the trauma I've had and now I'm clearly going to heal from this in record time because how else would we bone" thing that seems to dominate this reverse harem subgenre . . . Its a pretty quick read that's sorta scratching a particular itch. I guess I'll read the others in the series to help round out my Goodreads challenge and see if the world building bones I'm seeing flesh out into something I can really sink my teeth into . . . okay, imma jump off this metaphor train now, bye!

[Laura Beltran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful

This is my first book by this author and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I found it very compelling and didn't want to put it down. I love the unique take on the wolf shifters and how they had different types of elemental magic. Cinna is a strong FMC even though she is recovering for the trauma of what happened to her before the story begins. I love that the author didn't instantly heal her from the trauma and how her men have to work to gain her trust and let them be close. The guys are all unique with different personalities which I love. Can't wait to read more of this series.

[Kayla W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Shifter Read

I really liked this book. Cinna, the FMC Alpha, has been through A LOT. She ends up meeting 4 men who claim they are her mates but she’s not so sure she’s ready for all of that. She has big plans to focus on, full of revenge!

I liked that there were different elemental wolf packs with unique abilities and each of the guys coming from a different one. Also, the fact that although they might be mates, it wasn’t instalove, after what happened to Cinna. The ending was great, definitely makes you want to know more about what’s going to happen next! I recommend to anyone who loves shifter reads but make sure to read the TW.

[Kelsi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the energy of this first book!

This book was definitely a building block for the future series. A lot of plot was set, with possible allies and villains alluded to and left in wait- possibly to emerge later. I was fully immersed. I felt the trauma response of our main character, it was real and had weight. It wasn’t an after thought or merely a book starting event to be forgotten, it affected the relationship building and it felt authentic. Can’t wait to see what our girl does in the next book!

[Sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

One word, epic. Now excuse me while I try to exact my vengeance, on anything, cause this book makes me want to sink my nails into something while screaming "I. AM. SPARTA!" Seriously, I feel like I can embody the mf and her vengeance is mine as well. Love how the story focuses on her and her journey after captivity, while the romance is present, is pretty much in the back seat since the book focuses mainly on her path into recovery. Very realistic, the guys are endearing but not overbearing, the plot is bloody and hopeful, overall extremely engaging character and plot. 25/10 would recommend

[Rebekah Hayes-champagne · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the things

This was my first time reading this author, and I stumbled upon this book. I am so glad I did. The storyline is fresh, exciting, and we'll written. I loved Donna and her guys. She's damaged but no pushover and still open with her feelings. I loved the differing personalities in the guys. Too often in this genre, the love interest feel interchangeable. But not here. Love the story and will be not so patiently be awaiting book 2!

[T. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am Alpha, the first book of the Rise of the Beast Queen series, is an ebook I borrowed through Kindle Unlimited (KU). Here's a book to avoid if you have abuse triggers, as the abuse and abused are a central focus of the story. This was a delightful read. Cilla, the fmc, was a balanced combination of inner-strength, vulnerability, and determination. A great plot and engaging characters. I'll be reading the next book for sure.

[Susan Toussaint · Rating 5 out of 5]

😭💜💙💛💚😭

OMMFG what a rollercoaster!! Cinna is amazing and so strong, I cannot wait to see her save all of the beastkins and kill all the baddies!! 👑💀😍😈🔥⚡🌪🌊🌨❄. Y'all thing's are going forward and 💩 is about to get nuclear. Loved her mate's and her interactions with the pups were 💚💛💙💜. Can't wait!! Really dislike Kades dad 😠😠💀💀

[Pershenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

All I can say is YES...

I was bored when I picked this book, and all I can say is that it had me completely enthralled before I even made it to the second page. I loved, absolutely loved this book and couldn't put it down. I can't wait until the second book cones out, but being that I have to. I will be impatiently waiting for the second book.

[Mimi.Reads.Smut · Rating 5 out of 5]

SO GOOD!

I loved this! The take on shifting and magic is so interesting and complex! Cinna’s need for vengeance while also battling her trauma is relatable. The mates are all unique, dynamic characters, and I love the way they respond to Cinna and her power. Can’t wait for the next one!

[Chantelle Washington · Rating 5 out of 5]

That last paragraph gave me chills…

Fantastic start to a new series with a compelling FMC who took her trauma and funneled it into a beautiful dark and still compassionate rage as she discovers how truly powerful she is. Cannot wait to see how she and her mates take this on. So excited for the next book!

[Jenni Gauntt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy alpha batman!

Gah. I absolutely LOVE this story. Cinna is a freaking badarse! I'm so dang proud of how strong she is and overcoming her trauma as she has.
I love her guys too. I think they all give her a little something to make the perfect partner for her. And they are so understanding!
Bring me book 2!

[Melissa Hickman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic!!!!

I so enjoyed this book!!! Cinna is an amazing FMC that can seriously kick some booty!!! She has overcome some truly horrible things. Her mates are so wonderful and she deserves all the good things!!! Fantastic world building, great character development, and amazing writing!!

[Devinney · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVE IT!

I absolutely LOVE this book i read it in one day i cant wait to finish book 2 by tomorrow! Hope we get a book 3 soon it would be awesome if she got a couple more mates i feel shes so powerful she deserves a couple more! I kinda hope she adopts more Evan and Ronans little boy can have a friend/brother!

[michelle rivera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really Enjoyed

I really enjoyed this book and our main female character. I can't wait to see her kick some serious butt in the next book! I would definitely recommend this interesting tale.

[Bonnieville Liddell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing

Such an amazing read! I can’t wait for book 2 and see what happens next. This book had me feeling all the feels and my heart broke for all the struggle and pain especially the children. Revenge! I’m right there with Her!

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing!

This book blew me away! I haven't read a shifter book this, in a long time. The characters are well thought out,and the story just flows. I couldn't stop reading, I can't wait to read the next book.