Synopsis for Cry Wolf (from Goodreads):
Peter is a kitsune. Chaos follows him wherever he goes. Good intentions, bad intentions—it doesn’t matter. Even mimicking the howl of a friend he hasn’t seen in over a decade turns out to have disastrous consequences.
The wolf doesn’t have a name. For now, he goes by Luca. He has no past, and as an escaped slave, if he can’t stay hidden in the shadows, he’ll have no future. When someone steals his howl, he’s drawn to investigate, and ends up saddled with a mouthy fox who insists they used to be friends once upon a time.
Petty problems and a dubious reunion are pushed aside the longer they’re stranded together. The Underwood is a dangerous place.
They have two choices: work together or die.
Join Greta Stone in a dark paranormal MM romance retelling of Aesop’s fable, The Boy Who Cried Wolf, and David P. Mannix’s classic novel, The Fox and the Hound.
Other books in the series:
Series: Underwood District
Author: Greta Stone
# of Books: 2
Mating Season is classified as #1.5
Book Order: Chronological
Complete?: Yes
Genre: Adult, Paranormal, Romance (MM), Retelling, Urban Fantasy
Heat Rating: really warm
Point of View: Third Person, Alternating
Publication Date: March 1, 2017
Source & Format: Xpresso Book Tours–eARC
Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:
I was drawn to Cry Wolf for 3 reasons:
- Adult Paranormal Story
- Retellings of well known stories that aren’t always retold
- MM Romance
I’ve realized I’ve outgrown YA paranormal stories but I do so love the idea of them. That’s why I thought this would be a great one to get me back into the genre with its retelling and romance.
What I Liked:
–The World is Well Thought Out–
I really enjoyed the depth this world had to it. You can tell Greta Stone has invested a significant portion of her time crafting this detailed world because it has so many different layers to it. The weaving of various fairy tales and nursery rhymes is very well done and will have readers going “hey, I recognize that story!”–in a good way of course.
–Slow Burn Romance–
One reason I typically avoid any werewolf story is the insta-love that often accompanies the romance. You know the type where “instincts” call the two together to mate for no reason other than some unspoken tie. So colour me happy when that wasn’t the case here. This is classic slow burning romance that has an enemies to lovers flare to it that makes the romance all that much sweeter.
–Rebuilding the Past–
It was cool trying to uncover the past these two leads shared together. I think it helped to foster that budding relationship between them because they have this shared connection from the past–meaning there is more substance to the relationship than physical attraction.
What I Didn’t Like:
–Almost too Much is Happening at Once–
Truthfully, I had a very hard time getting into this because so much is happening at the start. A rare statement from me who usually dings books for not having enough action in their plotlines. The writing is a little overly descriptive at times and because it is told from a third person POV, I got a little lost in all the pronouns. For a while I couldn’t keep straight who Peter was and who Luca was in terms of their character back stories. **(Though, to be fair, I was also working the night shift and was very over tired while reading this so that could totally be a me thing)** This does get better as you read and start to get accustomed to the flow of the writing but it was a slow start for me. I’m sure those who are more acquainted with the paranormal/urban fantasy world will have no issue.
My Expectations for the Rest of the Series:
I don’t know what is next for this series but I’m curious to see what story will be crafted next.
My Rating: 3/5
Cry Wolf 3/5 | [Mating Season] N/A
Those who are readily familiar with the adult paranormal and urban fantasy genres will gobble this up with no issue. You have lots of action, a slow burn romance and a suspenseful rebuilding the past story that will no doubt seize your attention.
Read if You Like: urban fantasy, paranormal retellings
Avoid if You: dislike third person POV, want more erotica based romance
- Bitten by Kelley Armstrong (Women of the Otherworld Series #1)
Greta StoneGreta is the unruly offspring of a tiger and a dragon. She spends most of her time reading, stalking her favorite musicians, and harassing other authors with pranks.
Underwood District Series (MM Romance/UF)
Cry Wolf – Book 1
Cry Wolf: Mating Season – Book 1.5Take a Tour of New Gotham: www.brimstonepub.com
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When I saw the cover the first author who came to mind was Kelley Armstrong. I was OBSESSED with her for a time. I do love paranormal too. Her Darkest Powers series is one of the only paranormal YAs I still LOVE as an adult. Chloe and Derek still have my heart.
Lydia Tewkesbury recently posted…Should Characters be Likeable?
I love Kelley Armstrong–I will read anything by her anytime. The Darkest Powers is a fave of mine and one of my golden standards for a strong YA paranormal series.
Great review! this sounds like a fun read overall! Thanks for hosting today! 🙂
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Anytime!