Sangue e bugie

The Boulder Wolves #1

by Olivia Wildenstein, Paolo Costa (Translator)

La prima regola per vincere?

Mai innamorarsi dell'avversario.

A tre mesi dal suo diciottesimo compleanno, Ness si ritrova costretta a tornare in Colorado. Nonostante siano passati sei anni e i lupi del suo branco di soli uomini non si ricordino chi è, lei non li ha mai dimenticati.
È impossibile dimenticare chi discrimina gli altri solo in base al loro sesso.
Soprattutto Liam Kolane, il figlio di Heath, il capobranco più duro e crudele che abbia mai comandato il branco di Boulder. Liam è tanto bello quanto fastidioso, tanto gentile quanto distaccato, ed è il motivo per cui il cuore di Ness non smette di palpitare… e la cosa non dovrebbe succedere. Dopotutto, Liam è un Kolane.
Tale padre, tale figlio. No?
Quando Heath muore, Liam decide di farsi avanti per ottenere il ruolo di Alfa e nessuno osa sfidarlo.
Tranne Ness.
Ha così inizio un gioco pericoloso. Le regole? Il vincitore prende tutto… inclusa la vita dell'avversario.

Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Werewolves, Shapeshifters, Young Adult, Paranormal Romance

389 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 18, 2019

About the author

Olivia is a USA Today best-selling author of romantasy. When she’s not swooning over her characters’ steamy escapades, or plotting their demise, you can find her sipping wine and crafting her next twisted, romantic masterpiece, all while trying to convince her children and leading man that she loves them more than her laptop.

Ready to fall in love? Sign up to her Newsletter to claim your FREEBIE: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/hmniv0406r

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Reviews

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I was going to give this 2 stars or dnf, but I kept going and I'm glad. I think it was my mood and not feeling the story at first, because I'm a HUGE werewolf fan. I mean I have always wanted to be one so........

Anyhoo, this is a story about Ness who/whom was shunned when she was a little girl and forced out of town with her mother. Things happen and when Ness is a teen the pack drags her back home to Colorado. <-- Not literally



I love Ness as a character; she's loving and kind but a bad ass when she has to be and she certainly has to be in this book.

The old evil Alpha is gone and Ness decides to go up against Liam because she thinks he's evil like his father. Turns out there are different evil peeps in the book you wouldn't have seen coming.

But Ness is strong and she fights for what she believes in and doesn't back down when it comes to the ones she loves.

Some of the characters I loved to hate but some of my favorite are Liam, Ness and Evelyn. The book even brought a bit of a tear to my eye with some happiness that ensues. Get over it, I cry when I'm happy and sad =)

I'm very happy with the ending of this book and look forward to the next book!

*Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for a digital copy of this book.*

Mel

MY BLOG

[Aisling Zena · Rating 4 out of 5]

18/4/19

Release Day ! Out now and Free on Kindle Unlimited!

4.5 stars

Review posted 1/2/19

I just love shifter books. Werewolf ones in particular. And this definitely satisfied my need for one. I tend to be a mood reader. I follow that mood where it leads, though sometimes it can be a pain and indecisive as heck. Reading this one however was a pleasure. I don't usually go for YA books, the blurb has to peak an interest in me and this one certainly did that.



Ness Clark is a few months away from being eighteen when her uncle forces her to go back to Colorado, following her mum's death. Returning to her deceased father's pack is not a happy occasion. Ness is still hurt by their rejection of her when she needed them, just because she's female.

Liam Kolane is the son of the Alpha and when his father dies, he is ready to take up the mantle. He already behaves and orders everyone like he is the Alpha anyway. His hot and cold behaviour confuses Ness and she just can't make up her mind about him. Did the apple fall far from the tree or is he just as cruel and mean as his father? Does he even deserve being Alpha?Or will someone finally have the guts to oppose the Kolanes?Could she?



Ness begins a deadly game with the pack that rejected her. One that could possibly lead to her own death. She makes the pack elders accept her in the trials for becoming Alpha. She's angry and hurt but also she wants to change the misogynistic views and beliefs of this all-male pack.

"Sometimes the filth is not visible to the naked eye, but it doesn't mean it's not there."

Personally, I never understood why men think they are better just by virtue of an appendage hanging from between their legs. This toxic patriarchal behaviour infuriates me in real life and reading about it in fiction makes me just as mad apparently. I wanted Ness to confront them and shame them. I wanted her to tell them they aren't men or wolves. Because even wolves in the wild protect their females. She didn't but she sure showed them.

Ness is a quintessential teenager. She thinks she's invincible and knows everything. But where I would usually find that behaviour annoying, I didn't here. It fit her character and what she went through as well as her age. Olivia Wildenstein's writing really pulled me in her world and at some point I noticed my heart was pounding just as Ness's was. I was rooting for her with my heart in my mouth. Will she make it?Wont she?Will Liam turn out like his father? Read it and find out!

The book is all from Ness's POV, has several twists and it does not end in a cliffhanger though some loose ends set up the next one quite nicely. Also no actual sexy times here but for once I didn't mind that at all. I'd recommend this to anyone that loves shifter books.

And thank you once again to Olivia Wildenstein for the ARC, I thoroughly enjoyed it.





Prior to reading
26/11/18



** ARC kindly provided by the author, Olivia Wildenstein , in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!

[Sam · Rating 1 out of 5]

Firstly, thank you to the publisher, author and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest opinion. This is definitely an honest opinion.

TW: Rape (mentioned), Suicide (attempt), Abusive Relationship disguised as Protectiveness, Misogyny, Bad Language

Bechdel Test: Passes

2019 is the year that I’m saying no to toxic and unhealthy romances (in fiction and real life).

Ness is a werewolf who was chased out of her home, Boulder, and her pack, The Boulder Wolves, at age 11. Though they’re not technically her pack, as The Boulder Wolves have been nothing but males. To go against the pack or ask something from the pack, as a woman, often results in either abuse, rape, death, or all three. There is little to no respect shown to any women in this book from any of the men, and I have little time for that.

“Women don’t lead packs of men; it’s emasculating.”

I get that werewolves are often portrayed as masculine pack creatures, but can we please move on from the assumption that to be masculine you have to be a misogynist? Not all the wolves are bad though, I quite like August and would have preferred to see a lot more of him.

Liam Kolane can literally be replaced by any other fictional protective bastard that always seems to get their way because they’re good looking. I don’t really know of too many positive attributes that I could give to him and I don’t particularly care to. The line was drawn for me when he knelt down, while naked (because the wolves had to be naked most of the time when human??), and sniffed Ness’ nether regions to see if she had slept with someone she went on a ‘date’ with . Sorry, no amount of taking a bullet for someone could help me move past that.

I’m also not a prude, I don’t mind bad language. However, I don’t particularly feel that cunt should be used in a book that is marketed towards 14+ year olds. That’s just not something that I would do and I personally don’t like that word - so it may just be a bug bear of mine, but shrug

While August does intrigue me, it’s gonna be a no from me dogwolf.

[Olivia Wildenstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enemies to lovers anyone? 🐺♥️

>> https://readerlinks.com/l/567042

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Pack of Blood and Lies by Olivia Wildenstein is the first book of the new The Boulder Wolves series. This is the beginning of a young adult romantic paranormal fantasy series of which is probably obvious by the title and series names features Werewolves.

Right before her eighteenth birthday Ness has to return to Colorado and her pack which she had run from years before. The Boulder Wolves were an all-male pack with the exception of Ness. Being the only female born to the pack in years Ness was not exactly welcomed and really still wants nothing to do with those she left.

However, now that The Boulder Wolves need a new Alpha Ness sees this as her chance for a bit of revenge by challenging Liam Kolane for the title. Liam’s father had been the pack’s alpha for years and was as mean as they come so to keep the pack out from under another Kolane would be all he incentive Ness needs to win the challenges.

I have somewhat of a love/hate relationship with werewolf books but having read other series by Olivia Wildenstein and enjoying them I had to give this one a try. Thankfully I was right and this was a much better wolf story than the adult versions of “your my mate let’s hop into bed”. A Pack of Blood and Lies centers around pack politics and the mysteries of previous deaths in the pack along with the secrets and lies being uncovered within the pack. While I wouldn’t say it’s overly original in content it was a fun read and I’d be interested in seeing what the next book brings.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/

[Sophie "Beware Of The Reader" · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 "I missed shifter stories" stars

Years ago I read Rose Petal Graves and was really taken by that story. It mixed legends, thriller, small town and fantasy. The author really created a gothic atmosphere. Her characters were mysterious and in all shades of grey.

When Olivia Wildenstein messaged me to ask if I would be interested in getting a copy of A Pack of Blood and Lies I read the blurb and I was on board immediately!

She has been very patient with me as it took me months before I had an opening in my reading schedule! But when I began the story...I couldn’t stop reading.

I had not realized how I missed good shifter stories with pack’s complicate business and a female character needing to prove her worth to a bunch of misogynistic big wolves!

This is one of these fast, effortless reads backed by a good cast of characters and plot filled with secrets and surprises.

Ness has just lost her mom when her late father's family blackmail her in going back to Colorado, home of the Pine Pack.
She is not happy at all as the pack kicked her out years ago, never accepting that the sole female wolf could join them and train like men.

The pack's former Alpha was not the alpha you often read about protecting all pack members. No Heath did not hesitate to rape females.
Now that he died (there is a secret to unearth there) a new Alpha must be selected.

When Ness learns that the only one running for the title is Liam, Heath's son she asks to enter the competition because like father like son right?

Ness is strong but not perfect! She is not the undefeated stereotypical badass. But she is cunning, courageous and proud.
I loved seeing her taunting "the boys". She gave them a run for their money!

Add to this:
- heavy tension between her and Liam where you did not know if it was antagonism or attraction;
-an older friend obviously feeling more than brotherly towards Ness ( my bet is on unfinished business there in the next instalment);
- secrets plural about her father's death, Heath's death, the lack of female werewolves, the designs of the rival pack's Alpha suddenly very chummy with Ness;
-competitions to win
And you have a fast paced, action filled and very engaging shifter story!

Do you love shifter stories? Have you read Olivia's stories before?
Thanks for reading!
Sophie

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[Alaina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A Pack of Blood and Lies was such a good book. It did, however, take a bit to get into. I'd like to blame the characters because they just kept making me flip flop throughout the book. I did have a ship though, Ness and Liam. It took forever for them to actually become that thought. Mostly because Liam was a little man whore.. and Ness was just adorable and feisty.

This book definitely delivered a bunch of good twists and turns. I had no idea who was betraying who the entire time. Which is probably why I loved reading this book so much. Now I did mention that characters were annoying me in this book. I wouldn't say it was the MC's the entire time. Nope, it was this fucking pack that did it for me. The way they treated Ness throughout the book just pissed me off to no end. I didn't care if and when Liam would stand up for her.. because it didn't outweigh everything else that was happening.

That doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it either, because again - I shipped these two. It just took forever for that to actually happen. I saw the chemistry and the sexual frustration between the two after they first met. However, the secrets between these two just needed to be aired out ASAP. Once that happened, it definitely brought these two much closer than they were before. It eventually started to win the entire pack over.

Overall, I loved Ness and Liam. I loved the twists and turns and I'm still shook to the core over who betrayed them all. I'm trying to wrap my mind around it still and it's hard. I need the next book of this series stat!

[Ruthsic · Rating 1 out of 5]

Warnings: mention of rape, mention of suicide, self-harm (blood used for ritual), domestic abuse, physical violence, gun violence, animal death, mention of female foeticide, derogatory language towards sex workers

Right before I started the book, I thought to myself - hey, I haven't read a werewolf book in a long time, and while this does mention alpha males, let's see how it goes. And reader, barely a quarter into the book and I remembered WHY I haven't picked up werewolf books recently. It has every thing I hate about the genre - the misogyny, the asshats who disguise their intrusion as protectiveness, unnecessary sexual tension, and more. I'll just come out and say it - I don't like reading books with alpha males because that is just a synonym for assholes. A decade ago, I ~may~ have found Liam hot, but seeing this in a book marketed to teens and young adults just makes me sick. Buckle up, because they aren't going to be spoiler warnings - I am not recommending this book anyway so you might as well satisfy your curiosity!

So, where do I start? The writing is haphazard and the scenes are choppy. Information is dropped randomly as if we were expected to know it. Out of nowhere it is mentioned that Heath, the previous alpha was a serial rapist. Out of nowhere it is mentioned that Ness was working as an escort. The story was supposed to be about her fight to be recognized as a member and devolves into a BS pseudo-romance plot with hate-to-love vibes. If anything could save this trashfire of a plot, it could have been Ness but nope! She is dragged back to her family's pack after her mother's death, and while she doesn't intend to stick around, she challenges Liam, the son of the previous Alpha, for the position. Then midway through, she is like nah, I won't do this and instead just concede and lick my wounds (both literally and metaphorically). She goes half-baked with only courage and then gives up because he forking smells so good. *eyeroll* Then there's all the women-hating in the start which was attempted to be balanced by giving her a girl friend in the second half, and mentioning like ONE sapphic couple she goes clubbing with; it doesn't help that her being a she-wolf is constantly used against her by other women (even though she is not exactly a special snowflake, with another rival pack having plenty of them) or all of them making remarks over her side hustle.

And even if Ness didn't want to be an Alpha and it was all about her wanting to get their respect and acceptance, the plot doesn't do that either. The 'feminist' vibes are an illusion - she offers token complaint whenever the men are shitty towards her (and I could accumulate a short story sized book just from the quotes where they are shitty towards her, because there were THAT many occurences). I'll concentrate on Liam to keep this review at a reasonable length. Liam is somehow a good choice for alpha because WHAT? He saves her life once or twice (which I felt was totally engineered just to excuse his other shitty behaviour)? He's not like his serial rapist father? (Very low bar, btw) He constantly lurks behind her, and inexplicably is always behind her or somewhere in the periphery. . He acts like a jealous master when she is (supposedly) a free agent, even going so far as to accuse her of being a whore because she is an escort. She, in turn, is also ashamed because she did it for money (way to throw sex workers under the bus, o ye paragon of feminism), not because she is minor. At one occasion, he offers her sex so she would accept his money, and (when she refuses and says she never does that) proceeds to sniff her to confirm she hasn't just had sex. Like ew! Am I supposed to find their romance hot when he pounds on her balcony door to accuse her of spying, and then they somehow end up making out? Every time his name appeared in the text, I may have gagged a little.

He is a misogynistic controlling stalker ashhole from start to finish, and him getting the position completely flies in the face of what she was fighting for, especially because until the end, the members of the pack refuse to accept the possibility that she can be their Alpha - just because she is female, not because she wouldn't be a good fit. And then she proceeds to join the pack because she thinks they were concerned about her all this time, not because they just saw her as another object of their pack and something to be territorial about. And the attempts to humanize him when he tells about his father, or the attempts to humanize the human-shaped duckwad that is Lucas by telling how he is a sad orphan? Give me a break!

I have only got through this book because I love my Kindle too much to chuck it across the room, and because I was constantly watching the timer on it telling myself 'only ~x~ more hours of this forking nonsense, you can do it!' The only saving grace? None of that mate business (but there was that weird thing with August so who knows?) but that a very small amount of grace to do anything about this whole mess that is basically a terrible adult paranormal fantasy stuffed into a YA label.

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Twig Publishing, via Netgalley.

[Ashley Daviau · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book came out of left field and totally surprised me. I absolutely loved this story and couldn’t get enough of it. As soon as I started I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough, all I wanted to do was devour this book! I really loved the whole concept and the way the werewolves were presented, it was really interesting and had me hooked. I really enjoyed the characters as well, the ones I loved and the ones I loved to hate.

[Danielle's · Rating 5 out of 5]

A pack of Blood and lies was soooo good! When I first started reading this story we got off to a bit of a rocky start but a couple of pages in and I was totally hooked! I can’t wait for more! This is a full length story with no cliffhanger but the author has promised more.

Ness is a pack out law. Her mother was forced to leave with her and start a new life in LA. They were getting by but life was great. At seventeen, Ness’s mums dies and her now guardians turn up to take her back to the life she thought was behind her. While in LA Ness had found her own family and doesn’t want to go back but she has no choice. The old pack leader was an evil wolf and luckily has passed away. Now the pack are wanting a new leader. The son of the old alpha is at the top of the list but Ness doesn’t want the pack to fall into the same routine.

Liam is the old alpha’s son. He’s gorgeous but Ness can’t forget what his father did. People keep telling her he’s different but she struggles to believe. Ness wants the pack to change for the better and finds herself volunteering as a candidate for alpha. No one is impressed but Ness is strong willed.

The trials for alpha are not for the weak. A leader will be elected at the end. New friendships will be made, mysteries will unfold and Ness may just get her change. Everything isn’t as it seems and this story has a slow burn romance. I absolutely loved every minute.

5+ stars out of 5. I want more more more! *I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book did not disappoint.

*This book is available via Netgalley however I was sent this book via YA bound blog tours.

[Luce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the book for me.

It felt very young and juvenile. The FMC is 17, just turning 18, which might be the reason but the writing itself is very immature.

The plot was basic and a lot of what happens is convenient for the FMC, but it doesn’t really make sense half the time. Olivia Wildenstein usually has an enjoyable writing style but this book seems to be missing that.

This book feels like a starter book into the paranormal/ werewolf genre. It’s definitely not a book I’d recommend for seasoned paranormal romance readers unless you’re looking for a palate cleanser.

I won’t pick up the rest of the series.

[Athena (OneReadingNurse) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Twig Publishing for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

The world and story:
The world is modern day Colorado and Wildenstein did a good job describing pack history throughout the book. This is my first werewolf/changeling book and I still had some questions about their motivations, but I was satisfied with the amount of background for now. I read the whole thing in about two sittings, the story definitely kept me going. The little murder mystery aspect was as interesting as the competition, but I also had no problem staying involved when she was describing the friend outings or building relationships.

The writing:
Solid writing! The book flows well in first person and is well edited. Even when writing text messages from phones, it flows smoothly enough and I can always tell who is talking. There are a lot of flowery examples at first but I like the point of view when I feel like I am there.

The characters:
I really liked Ness. Main characters that are passive drive me nuts. She doesn't let the boys intimidate her, doesn't back down from the competition despite being taunted, waylaid, and eventually blackmailed. A true strong female lead! Liam is everything an alpha should be, and has a soft spot for Ness. He doesn't let her preconceived notions of him stop him from being a decent guy, and he saves her life at least twice. These two have a slightly cringe worthy hate - to - ?love? relationship, but for half of the book I was saying "just get together already!" Typical young adult angsty miscommunication nonsense!

The other main characters are Liam's friends in the pack, a generally decent group of guys even though they come across as pigs sometimes. I liked the "bromance" element. Sarah was a wildcard, as were some of the other characters mentioned, but most of them ended up being pretty generally good people. A few of them seemed to act out of character at times, like Matt towards the end, it all worked out though.

Overall:
It was overally appropriate for young adult. I would probably let 15+ read it, as the warning states. It really was hard to put down, kept me interested, and makes me want to read more books by Olivia Wildenstein, because this is my first by her and I like her style! Recommended for fans of YA, werewolves, with a romance bit. 4/5 stars and looking forward to the next release!

[Bookphenomena (Micky) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was really excited about this book, having seen a few friends read it and love it. I've come out of it on the fence about how I feel about the plot, writing and characters. It's been a while since I've read a shifter-type book and this didn't really feel like anything new but there was also something about it that kept me reading.

The protagonist, Ness is a female wolf, not belonging to any pack and exiled from her home and what should have been her pack. The Boulder Wolves were steeped in misogyny and honestly, that aspect got on my nerves all the way through alongside alpha-ish behaviour (yes, alpha and yes I know this is a wolf-shifter book). Added to this, pretty much every male slut-shamed her relentlessly. That stuff went unchecked in my opinion and I struggled with that. There were some convenient plot points with some good plot points.

On the upside, the story was very readable and I can see myself completing the series. However, if those elements persist, I may be over and out.

If you are triggered by certain themes, I would actually suggest checking out the trigger warnings on lots of the reviews because there are many (it's my choice not to do TW).

[ʙᴇʟᴀ.: ☾**:.☆*.:｡. · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review (Thank you!).

In A Pack of Blood and Lies, we follow Ness, a wolf-shifter girl that was banished from her pack in her childhood and now, at almost eighteen she is forced to come back to her old town by her family.
I thought the concept was good. Ness is the only female shifter born in the pack and I enjoyed that she tried to fight her way into being part of the group. I had no problems as how it started although it was an immature view of things: she only wanted to provoke Liam Kolane, the son of her worst enemy: she had no experience or knowledge whatsoever about the pack or about her own strength. However, I also enjoyed watching her slowly change her perspectives about what it really means to be the leader of a pack and I really liked the fact that she was never intimidated by them. Also, I would like to see a proper explanation about why Ness' pack Elders were misogynists (Was it because of Heath? Was it only just because Females were physically weaker?).

The writing style was very Young-Adult but ultimately this is a New Adult book with some potential triggers that are most likely found in Adult Paranormal Fiction (aka mention of rape and sexual assault).
However, there were some things that disappointed me:
I would have no problems with Ness "part-time" job as an Escort, had she been an adult. However, she was not yet an adult and regardless of her "revenge", she had an awesome adoptive mother, Evelyn to whom she could have asked for help and advice. Her relationship with Evelyn was one of the best and healthier relationships in the book.
Another issue for me was Liam. I understand that he was different from his father and I loved that he was not made into a villain too. I greatly appreciated that he wanted to do good and be a fair ruler. However, his stalker and possessive tendencies over Ness were a bit overwhelming. Whenever Liam came into action, she became a Damsel in distress.
While I appreciated she did not fall for him instantly, Liam did have insta-lust for her and it wasn't really explained how the "rules of attraction" worked. It wasn't explained if it was because of the Ness' constant rejections or if it was because of she was the only female shifter or any other reason to explain why they fell in love so quickly.
I did not understand why Ness was so into August at first and then discarded him so easily.
August was one of the best characters, he was loyal, respectful, and considerate to Ness. My major issue was that he was missing in the majority of the book.
My favorite character was Matt, hands down. He was the sweetest ray of sunshine and I wouldn't mind reading a spin-off of him because he's that great. He is was even better than August because he really was considerate to ALL female characters, not just the one he was interested in.
I also really liked Everest. I feel there's an underlying complexity in him that is yet to be explored and I crave for that complexity.
The other characters did not have much of an impact on me.
I hated Lucas, and Sarah came in too late for me to have proper opinions about her character, but Lucas and Sarah's bickering was one of the best things in the end.
So, in conclusion, it was an easy, enjoyable read, with a flowing writing style. There were some tropes I did not like, like "I hate her because she is a pretty girl" but I really liked the new female friendships Ness developed.
I will probably pick the next book because I see a potential for more interesting relationships and perhaps, more diversity.
If you enjoy Paranormal Romance you'll probably enjoy this.

[Melissasfandomworld · Rating 3 out of 5]

I find it hard to explain in detail Why I haven't given it a higher rating than 3 stars, because this book was such a fast paced read from beginning till end! I really like the authors writing style in general, but I don't know...

At the same time I was just 'missing something', mostly regarding the in depth development of the characters in general I think? It just remains a bit too superficial for my taste, in combination with quite some standard elements being present.

The book/this story has a lot of potential but it just hasn't come to fruitition the way I'd wanted to. It was still a fun read in a new to me author and series and at some point I'll be picking up book 2 to see how it'll all continue, but atm it's not a book that I just Have to get my hands on asap, you know? We'll see!

I was gifted an e-arc of this book in exchange for me leaving an honest review. My opinions are entirely my own.

[Esther · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was so surprised by this book and also by my own reading-speed. I finished the book in 5 days and it's not a small book. That's also a compliment to the author, because the book is easy and pleasant to read.
I can't wait to read more from this series! Will definitely follow this author.

A longer review can be found at Bite Into Books

I'm pretty sure that any Fantasy/YA lover will like this book. It's such a great start for a series where you have no idea what is going to happen next. It's one of those series that just drags you along and all you're thinking is: "I NEED MORE!"

[♛ Garima ♛ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating:
3 stars

Trigger:
Rape (Vaguely mentioned but multiple times)
douche alert

Short review:

I saw this on netgalley but never requested. But PNR with werewolves are my favorite genre to read, so once I found that this is on kindle-unlimited, I decided to give it a go.
I haven't read much female werewolves, maybe just one in Night Create series and she became my absolute favorite. No one can top Elise as she-wolf. But I had to adjust my expectation because while Elise is full grown adult, Ness is some 17 year old teenager.

For teenager wolf, Ness is not bad. She is smart, sweet and equal cunning. There are times when I consider her actions bit reckless but knowing how much she suffered, who can blame her?
I see lot of potential in the series but only time will tell.

Review in image/gif:



Recommended:
Yes

Aftermath: (possible spoilers)

Before starting, I debated a lot 'cause at one hand I like PNR but on other hand I am extremely allergic to male-alpha douche and the blurb suggested, there would be more than one. And yes, we got some major alpha douches (notice plural) in here, it is easy to digest because of expectation setting.

#2 suggests some love triangle and I'm not fan of that either so I might need to adjust my expectations again *Sigh. Seems like too much work, but we will see how that goes :D

[Milly · Rating 1 out of 5]

Whoever said this was clean Young Adult was lying😭

Okay so there’s basically no spice in this at all but there were a ton of close calls, underage drinking, an escort service, mentions of rape, language (including c*nt), and a club; overall, (even if it had none of that), the writing and tone of the book was very much adult. 🚨Not to mention there was a particular scene where the mc’s love interest got way too up close and personal when it clearly wasn’t wanted, he apologizes later but it still was not okay.🚨

It was just a boring, classic blond hair blue-eyed girl, who didn’t know how to do things, and a boring man that had no personality. The MC is 17 but doesn’t act like it at all, no 17 year old talks like that…

And for the love of everything Olivia Wildenstein just say the BACK OF THEIR HAIR STOOD UP! Wolves do that so you can put it in there instead of saying, “wolves don’t have goosebumps but if they did” like why??? 😭

[8stitches 9lives · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Pack of Blood & Lies is a surprisingly compelling young adult/teen fantasy novel about fierce, unrelenting she-wolf Ness who challenges the alpha males in a pack she was once part of, vying for the top spot despite this traditionally always being a male role. This makes it a timely and topical tale and one that, I must admit, had me taken back in that it was more profound than I had imagined books such as this to be in the sense that it challenged gender stereotypes and even toxic masculinity to a certain extent.

This is refreshing and inspiring to see in a novel marketed towards the younger sector of the market. Much more than merely a lighthearted yarn about the supernatural there is a maturity to it which was unexpected. Hence, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with wonderful Ness. I hope this as the series opener is a sign of things to come. Many thanks to Kelpies for an ARC.

[Al *the semi serial series skipper* · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was Ok until it went sideways at the end. I don't understand how she's in a relationship with Liam now, they had zero chemistry. Zilch. August on the other hand I could see. I read the blurb for the other books and I can already see it's going to be a triangle of epic proportions so the rest of the series is a hard pass for me.

[Audrey Grey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was hooked from page one! With a sizzling slow burn romance, fully fleshed out secondary characters you'll adore, and a fiercely strong but human heroine, I dare you to read this book and not fall head-over-heels in love. It's impossible!

[Booktastically Amazing · Rating 4 out of 5]

Guilty pleasure city, choo choooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[Christa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ness is 17, living on her own after she and her mother fled from the pack and her mother died of cancer. When her uncle comes to take her back to Colorado, she doesn’t want to go. The former Alpha who raped her mother is dead, but his son is going to be the next Alpha. She is determined to hate him, and challenges him for the position as Alpha.

I really wanted to like Ness, but I just didn’t like her as a main character. She really gets in her own way. I’m all for a woman challenging the patriarchy, but Ness has no desire to be an Alpha except to spite Liam. It’s a job she doesn’t want and isn’t prepared for. She isn’t planning on sticking around either. She hasn’t been around these people in a long time. I get wanting to prove yourself but it made it hard to root for her when she came across like a brat.

Also she’s gets a job as a paid escort, then gets really judgmental when people call her out on it. She’s 17 on a date with a guy in his sixties. When Liam and his friends warn her because the dude is a creep she gets offended. If there’s a bad decision, Ness makes it. I’m not sure if she’s intentionally written as an antiheroine but it made the book more tolerable reading that way.

Liam wasn’t too bad. In fact, I think this story would have been really good from his POV. His dad was murdered, he has been groomed to be the alpha since he was a kid, and now some girl who ran off is back and challenging him for it just to spite him because his dad was horrible.

The romance between Ness and Liam was ok, but I really liked the chemistry between Ness and her old friend August. I’m looking forward to that in book two since I went ahead and read the description on Goodreads.

The world building wasn’t great, but it was pretty standard for a ya shifter fantasy. In Ness’s pack, only the men are werewolves, except for Ness. This becomes a plot point later in the story and is explained.

I am not sure if this is a shaky start to a new series and it will improve later, but I liked Liam and August enough to give book two a try. The ending is far better than the beginning, but if this hadn’t been an ARC, I’m not sure I would have stuck with it.

I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review and the opinions are my own.

[Karen ⚜Mess⚜ · Rating 4 out of 5]

🐺 Free on Amazon today 4/29/2021 🐺

The title A Pack of Blood and Lies fits this story well. It was the title and the cover that grabbed my attention.

The story is about a 17 year old girl named Ness who is forced to move back to Boulder and her old pack after her mother's death. There she meets up with childhood pack mates and is thrown back into pack drama.

Olivia Wildenstein spins a tale full of mystery and lies. I was captivated as the pages flew by. There were several surprises along the way.

Looking at future titles and covers of this series has me intrigued. Especially the blurb of the next book. I can't wait to carry on with this series.

I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book, so I could give an honest review.

[MonaQ · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was good. The story didn't have as much of an impact as I expected it to. That may be because I recently read Bitten by Kelly Armstrong and liked it a lot. So I was kind of comparing both the books for a while.

As for the characters, I loved all of them. They seemed complete and it was clear what each character stands for.

***I got my copy via NetGalley.

[†Reviews of a FearStreetZombie† · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to rate this more than 5 stars.

I can't freaking breathe! Oh my gah!!! This book was so good! Usually, I'm not a fan of wolf/werewolf books (other than Quinn Loftis books) but I shouldn't be shocked that I loved this book just as much!

Olivia never fails to capture a readers attention! Of all the books of hers I have read, none have ever let me down! My only regret was that I waited so long to read this book!! I'm ashamed of myself for that. Lol

Oh man this book was so full of tension! Through it, I couldn't help thinking it was like a rubber band being pulled as taunt as possible but closer to the end of the book, I was sure a rubber band would have done broke. This was passed rubber band stage. This was full on exploding cork tension! Lol My nerves are still fried. In a good way though. Lol

I freaking SWEAR I thought I had this book figured out. I thought as soon as something happened, I knew the outcome. I. Was. WROOOONG!!! Omg!!! All the characters. This was the first time I have read a book that had a ton of characters (important ones at that) and I was able to keep up with everyone from the get-go. Usually overload of characters turn me away from the book, but Olivia managed to keep my attention and made me wanting more.... She didn't disappoint! Even through half way, more characters were still coming in and it was no problem at all! I even managed to remember everyone's name! Lol Which... Honestly, I never can do with books with a lot of characters. So this is a first with me.

Not to mention, all the characters were so strong! Usually you have your solid characters and you have your "eh" characters. Noooope! Not here. They are all freaking solid and it kept me asking how in the hell was Ness ever going to deal with all of them, she didn't disappoint but I was happy that even though she was a very strong character, she wasn't over-done. She wasn't one of those nails-on-a-chalkboard types. She was strong but also sensitive. Like the PERFECT main character for me. So so so well written. It was like she was standing right in front of you, that well written.

I admit, from the start, I had people shipped. I had people I hated. I had people I loved. Can I just say all that has changed? I'm sitting here FREAKING OUT because I don't know anymore! It's freaking mind blowing! I can't say more than that for fear of giving to much of this book away and I don't want to do that. I want everyone to read it and be as mind blown as the rest of us.

Olivia pulled out all the stops with this one. I'm scared for book two. I know it'll be just as good. I worry for my nerves! Hahaha I can't wait for it!!!

[Emmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this, but too bad it sounds like the rest of the series is some love triangle crap.

But anyway, this one. I loved Ness, who tried to come off as this strong, sarcastic wolf, but was really this insecure teenager that just wants to be accepted.

The book wasn't perfect in some of the execution (some details weren't clear to me), but I loved the evolution of Ness and Liam's story and relationship.

[Siobhan Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast-paced and chockful of action, adventure, and swoony romance. I devoured this series in record time and can highly recommend it to fans of well-written, fated-mates paranormal romance.

[BookSteff · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Pack of Blood and Lies is an amazing story following Ness, a werewolf shifter, who is forced back to her old home in Colorado. Unfortunately for Ness things aren't a seamless transition as she finds herself shunned by her old pack, and discounted for being born a girl.

I don't want to spoil too much so I won't, but the only thing that absolutely needs to be said about this book is how great it was! To say I loved it would be a complete understatement. I engulfed it in one sitting, and wish I had the next one to continue the journey with Ness. I loved the dynamics between her and the pack, and I loved her determination. I loved how it tackled sexism in the pack dynamics, and how Ness was not about to stand for that at all. This was everything I wanted in a werewolf shifter book, and more. I adored it.

I cannot wait until the next book is available...I need it in my life.

[Brianna Belbin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great start to The Boulder Wolves series! Ness and her mother were shunned from their pack because she was a female. She’s forced to return, but no one recognizes her anymore. The alpha of the pack has died, so his son, Liam, is unopposed to become the new one until Ness decides to challenge him. She believes he’s just as evil and vile as his father, but there’s more evil in people you’d least suspect. The trials that she had to go through to compete for the pack leader position were extremely rough, but she kept pushing forward even when death threats started coming her way. I loved Ness’ fierce and determined personality to fight for what she believed in and Liam’s hot and cold personality that left you wondering where he truly stood and if you should root for him or not. The characters Olivia has created are all mysterious, intriguing, and well developed; the world/ politics of this book are descriptive and vivid. Along with the main plot, there were multiple subplots that kept you on your toes guessing what would happen next. This book was filled with death, mystery, suspense, romance, and a misogynistic society. There are trigger warnings for rape, suicide, abusive relationship, and foeticide.
Sara did a fantastic job with this narration! Her voice was easy to listen to and her male voices were done well. Her performance heightened the experience and brought every character and emotion to life!
*I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.