This was an interesting take on the genre - it's not often that you read a new UPF author and find that they've refreshed the way the subject matter is covered. That said, it's probably between Ilona Andrews and Anne Bishop on the werewolf realism spectrum - right in the middle, I'd say. If you like either of those authors, I'd say take a chance on this and see how you like it.

Silver is on the cusp of becoming a slave when a wounded stranger stumbles into her pack’s territory. She decides to help him and as time goes on they become closer. Ti (short for Tiberius) is half Pack and half Shifter. Pack and Shifters don’t mix but Silver is optimistic about Ti. She tries to help him but he’s a really horrible wolf – not really even knowing how to walk in wolf form. When outsiders try to hurt the pack some truths come out about Ti and Silver’s not sure she can stay with Ti.

There were many things I liked about this book. I liked the pack characters for the most part – especially the head Alpha, John (there were other Alpha’s as well). I liked how the author set up the pack with different levels or echelons. The sense of family in the book was good and I liked reading about that as well.

The romance in this story, as well as the “suspense” portion of the book is what didn’t do it for me. Because the story is told in first person POV I think that the lack of Ti’s side of things and his insight into the relationship really impacted the overall story for me. There just felt like there was something missing. The suspense or intrigue part of the story where the outsiders were trying to get in to the pack didn’t do anything for me either. I ended the book wondering if the reason they were attacked was all about greed or was there a bigger issue.

Despite my issues with the book I am interested to see where the series goes next. I’m not giving up on it yet. :)

Rating: 3 out of 5

This will post as a guest review on Book Binge.
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The Last Wolf (The Legend of All Wolves) written by Maria Vale and published under the Sourcebooks Casablanca brand (February 6, 2018), was written in a 1st person narrative and have you see what it is like not to be an Alpha or a Beta in a wolf pack. But what it is like to live the life as a shifter as the lowest member of a pack.

We see this world in the eyes of Silver, who struggles and survives with the assistance of a human shifter, who is not like her and her pack. They are at the mercy of the moon, whereas this stranger can take the form of the wolf at any time.

When I first started this, I had to put it down and didn’t make it past the first chapter. Then I started it again just recently. This time I began when I was well rested, and from the beginning. Even though it felt like I was reading a fantasy instead of a romance, it ended up being a pretty good story. The plot was well developed, the character at times confused me, one in particular...Tiberius. Who I can understand was a human, but he was a were-shifter too, who acted like he felt uncomfortable taking his alternate form.

Though it took me a while to complete this novel, being frustrated with the characters. Nevertheless, The Last Wolf turned out to be a somewhat fresh new look on were-shifters and the life in a wolf pack.

I will recommend this title to any paranormal romance fan, who doesn’t mind a new take on were-shifter and to followers of urban fantasy who want to take the walk on the wild side of paranormal romance but was afraid to try one.

In Maria Vale’s debut novel, The Last Wolf, readers are given another take on the werewolf shifter storyline. The story starts out a bit slow but the momentum starts building up after the first few chapters. Silver is a female protagonist that seems weak physically and emotionally at first but her tenacity for survival was strong. But she also displays that hope of being more and not just being labeled as the pack runt, undeserving of being mates even by the lowest ranked wolf in the pack. I did love that the core myth of werewolf shifter was very different from most paranormal romances. In this worldbuilding, a shifter is quite different from what Silver’s definition of wolf is. The shifter is more human who can shift into a wolf anytime while those of Silver’s kind is a wolf trying to blend into the human world. They are sworn enemies. When Silver aligns herself with a shifter-wolfpack hybrid she basically chose to trust a complete stranger, an enemy just to be able to live and not just exist. The Last Wolf does have a romance in it but its basically about survival, love and trust and msot of all family. Definitely a worthwhile read

Quicksilver Nilsdottir is the runt of the Great North Pack. With her last chance at achieving at least a decent rank in the Pack gone, and with her future looking bleak at the beck and call of her echelon's Alpha, Silver grabs the opportunity to bond her Fate to that of the mortally wounded man that has stumbled onto her Pack's territory. He might be a Shifter, an abomination to her kind, but all is better than being a lone wolf.

Little does she know Tiberius harbors a dark secret, a secret that may tear apart their fragile new bond, and the entire Pack...Forever.


Sometimes taking on an unknown author, especially in the paranormal genre, is quite a gamble. In this case, my gamble has paid off.

This is a timeless story of stereotypes—how you look like and where you come from—and our judgment of them and the primordial struggle between right and wrong, duty and devotion, roots and upbringing, all neatly packaged in an intense, edgy paranormal with a definite twist on the werewolf/shape-shifter genre.

It started off rather slowly, but there was no feeling of boredom or dullness, just the ever increasing flickers of excitement and anticipation, and speculation of what would happen next.
The world-building was superb, the narration, especially in the descriptions of the wild, evocative, and the pacing spot-on, deceptively slow, yet building momentum and anticipation.

I'm not a fan of first-person narration, finding it rather limiting both for the narrator as for the reader, but in this case it worked beautifully as we got to explore the Pack's territory, the woods, the animals, the secret places, and the Pack's relationships and hierarchy through Quicksilver's eyes. We got to experience everything as she did; the difficulties she faced due to her disability and status, the joy she felt in the wilderness, the budding emotions for Tiberius, and her devotion to both the man and her Pack causing the deep conflict inside her.

The first-person POV also served in heightening the suspense that blinked to life from the moment the stranger appeared on the Pack territory. With a third-person omniscient narrator it would not have worked as well, since everything would've been revealed early on; with looking merely through Silver's eyes, the reader learns the truth slowly, and it packs quite a punch.

This was truly an amazing story with a wonderful heroine that more than proved the old adage of never judging the book by its cover, a wonderful hero, especially in protective mode, evocative narration, amazing world-building, spot-on tempo, and loads of lessons to be learned.

An interesting take on how werewolves reached the New World, "The Last Wolf" dealt on traditions and laws of these mythical creatures. There was a long build up of what is supposed to be the crux of the story, but the action came too late and too far into the story. The climax and the denouement came too late and too fast, I almost missed it.

So, what did I like about it?
As a début author, I was very impressed with Ms Vale’s writing style; it felt graceful, full bodied and very easy to read. I thought that the story itself was intelligent and felt well researched and I enjoyed her prose; the way she weaves known wolf behaviours, Norse mythology and archaic languages into her tale is inspiring. The Last Wolf is an unexpected find.

I liked the way that Ms Vale used a prologue to give us a glimpse of the history of her werewolves, the world that they came from and the fundamental difference between werewolves and shapeshifters, before taking us to modern day America where The Great North pack lives.

The Last Wolf is unlike any book I've read before; it is told from first person point of view by our main female lead, Quicksilver Nilsdottir, who is a werewolf but because she was born a runt and has a crippled leg, she is destined to be a nidling - a bond servant to the Alpha pair. Those of you who have read my reviews before will know that I enjoy a story more if the lead female character is intelligent, resilient and independent, i.e. able to stand on her own two feet, I wasn’t disappointed here; Silver (Sil) was all of these and more, despite her social position in her pack, she’s got gumption; a cool wit, loyalty, a big heart and has spirit.

I enjoyed the way that this werewolf story is told; beings that are born wolf cubs and have to learn how to wear a human “skin” and fit in with the human world rather than humans who have an animal beast within themselves, or animal spirit, a voice/presence in their head and a second being that they morph into that they resist and/or fight.

I was so involved in the story, that emotions came easily while reading it; I was on the edge of my seat during the fight scenes, full of horrified indignation at the blatant injustices, shed a few tears at the sad scenes, had a smile on my face with the subtle humour and a lump in my throat at the more romantic scenes. There are explicit sex scenes in this story but the way Ms Vale writes them, lending us the insights into the principles of wolf pack behaviour, Silver’s heart and the growth of Tiberius and Silver’s trust and feelings for each other, made it all the more heart-warming to read.

I enjoyed the twists and turns that Ms Vale sprinkled throughout her tale and liked the fact I wasn’t ever really sure how, or if, she would resolve things. I couldn’t help turning the page to find out to find out what would happen next. As a first in series, I was bracing myself for the inevitable cliffhanger, but I am happy to confirm that there is no life or death situation type cliffhanger at the end of this book. Woop!Woop! (‘cause you all know how I feel a about cliffhangers) and I’m looking forward to finding out where Ms Vale takes us in book 2.

...So, ummm, was there anything I disliked about it?
No. I wouldn’t change a thing; even the more unpalatable, harsh aspects of this story that are harder to read, played an important role to the overall appreciation.

...So, basically what I’m saying is...
I really loved this book. The Last Wolf has everything that I look for in a 5 star book; adventure, a bit of mystery, some action, great characters, a little humour and even a sprinkling of romance.

Due to the sexual content and violence, I’d rate this story 18+, which means I’d recommend this book to adults who are fans of paranormal fantasy stories featuring relationship drama – both family and romantic – with some darker themes.

I had a hard time getting into this book. Silver is a part of a pack. There is a long wolf history and she loves her pack. Tiberius shows up, hurt and unwanted. Silver has a choice to make, but in doing that, she ties her fate to Tiberius.

The book was a story that is easy to follow and no real surprises. I liked Silver and how dedicated she was to her pack. They were her life and she was determined to make Tiberius a part of it. He has issues and a past of his own. Falling in love wasn't a part of his plan at all. It took a lot for Silver to tie her fate to Tiberius because of what he is and the mistrust for his kind. Overall, it was a fairly predictable story.

It was a 2/5 for me. It wasn't a bad story, just not my cup of tea.



Thank you to the publisher/author for the review copy of this book. I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

I really enjoyed reading The Last Wolf, and this book was a great mix of Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy. Neither overpowered the other and the author did great job in balancing those two genres. Lately, I don't read a lot of PNR/UF books and it is really difficult for me to find a story that will keep me interested in this genre, so I was really happy that this story exceeded my expectations. The blurb gives a great short overview of what this story is about: "Silver is at the bottom of her Pack’s social order, with little chance for a decent mate and a better life. Until the day a stranger stumbles into their territory, wounded and beaten, and Silver decides to risk everything on Tiberius Leveraux." These two characters are complete opposites of each other. Silver was born crippled and a runt, and Ti is half shifter and half pack. Ti sees himself as human and hates his pack side, while Silver doesn't know anything else. These two would under normal circumstances never come across each other, or associate with one another.

Werewolves are my favorite paranormal creatures and I love learning about pack law and their traditions/customs. I have read a lot of paranormal romance, and especially with the werewolf/shifter type of stories the author usually doesn't focus that much on the ins and outs of a pack. I loved that they didn't try to live in the human world, they have their own home and they are happy with their lives. I loved how Silver and Ti met and how their relationship developed. The author didn't rush and she also focused on their individual growth. This is the first book in The Legend of All Wolves series and I am wondering if the next book will focus on the same couple or other pack members. I personally love Silver and Ti, and I would love to see how their story will continue.

This is my first book by this author and what a fantastical imagination she has. This was so different from other PNR books that I have read and that was definitely refreshing. Not your typical PNR at all, in fact this was more a survival story than romance. Although more dark than I usually like at times, the story line kept me riveted an there was so much to absorb.
I will be looking for the next in this series for sure.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Silver is the runt of her wolf pack. Always looked upon as less than. Circumstances tie her fate to Tiberous. Ti is a shifter. Shifters are hated by many of Silver’s kind.

The Last Wolf was nothing like I expected. Ms. Hale goes into great depth regarding the legend of the wolf and politics between Silver’s and Ti’s kind.

The prologue was fast paced and intriguing. However, the first few chapters lag a bit. I had trouble getting attached to Silver and Ti as individual characters or feel chemistry between them. They are truly victims of circumstance at the beginning. It’s easy to feel Sil’s desperation to keep her place within her pack. The Last Wolf begins to heat up around 40%. An attraction blooms between Silver and Ti and we begin to learn more.

The story is completely from Sil’s point of view and at times that made it hard to decipher Ti. Ti is a very complex character with enhanced abilities we never really learn much about. Many times, I would’ve liked to get into his head. Especially as we learn more about his background.

The Last Wolf is truly a story about the wolf. Silver’s intense need to be wild overpowered most of the story and made forming an emotional connection difficult. Did I like The Last Wolf…yes, I liked parts of it, but I wanted to love it.

**Will Publish on Jan 2. 2018

Unfortunately, I was just not able to wrap my head around the world the author built. It was extremely complicated, and I found myself having trouble figuring out the characters and seeing the hero and heroine as that - the chemistry wasn't apparent to me at all. I feel this is a book that could work with a lot of people, but for the type of books I typically read, this isn't the right fit for me.

This is an odd duck to categorize. It’s got all the hallmarks of a romance novel (HEA ending, traditional romance plot arc, etc) but it’s also quite dark and raw. I think if you go into this expecting a regular paranormal romance, you'll be disappointed. But, oh man, this book surprised me in such a good way. This is the gritty paranormal romance I never knew I wanted!

In most of the paranormal/urban fantasies I’ve read, the shifters consider themselves both animal and human and generally try to fit in with human society, mostly out of necessity. In this book, the wolves, like Sil, consider themselves wolves first and are “in skin” (human form) only when necessary. Many live separate from human society, though those that do need to interact with humans on a daily basis (like their lawyers, accountants, etc) return home for the three days of the Iron Moon, when the wolves are forced to be in wolf form and are unable to change back to human. Those who are able to change back and forth at will, regardless of the moon phase, are called Shifters, and they chose to emphasize their humanity. Though they’re the closest to the usual shifter portrayal in romance, they’re actually the bad guys in this book.

The world building was superb. Their society is strikingly different from human society, and I thought Ms. Vale did a wonderful job of slowly explaining bits of it as it came up. Everything in their society revolves around the safety of the pack, so things that seem unspeakably horrible to a human (without being too spoiler-y, how Sil’s disability is dealt with) are accepted as a practicality. Ms. Vale does a great job of showing why the wolves are the way they are, and I really felt like I understood Sil’s love for her pack and the wild, despite the hardships she’s faced. I loved Sil. I loved her strength and her strong moral compass, and while I didn’t agree with all the choices she made, I understood why she made them. I started out the book identifying more with Ti and his confusion, but as the pages went by and more about the wolves’ way of life and reasoning became clear, it was Sil I sympathized with, especially her frustration with Ti’s inability to conform to the wolves’ way of life.

If you’ve read grimdark fantasy before, you’ll be familiar with a certain kind of humor that usually serves as a counterpoint to all the grittiness. That’s also present here, and some of it was masterfully done. I’m thinking in particular of the teacher who seems to be applying lipstick every time she appears.

As for cons, this is a first book, and I think it shows in some of the pacing and plotting. I never really felt like I understood why the Shifters felt they way they did about the wolves. Also, there are some threads that aren’t wrapped up, but as this is the first in a planned series, that’s expected.

Overall, while this wasn’t at all what I was expecting, I enjoyed this book very much and simply could not put it down, to the point where I stayed up way too late during a family vacation reading and didn’t regret it at all the next day! Recommended for fans of paranormal romance looking for something fresh and new, and for fans of urban fantasy who don’t mind a little romance in their grimdark.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher in return for an honest review.

This was a did not finish for me - and I hate saying and doing that. This tried for some unique takes on paranormal, but it went a bit too far.

Vale brings a paranormal were wolf tale that takes some unique paths. It is the battle between wolves and shifters. Political power struggles in the pack are explored. Silver is the niece of the alpha but because of her crippled leg she is forced to be a servant. When a wounded shifter Ti arrives the two mate and become a formidable team. Found some of the vocabulary used confusing but the story picked up and carried through to merit an enjoyable read. Dark action. "A copy of this book was provided by Sourcebooks Casablanca via Netgalley with no requirement for a review. Comments here are my honest opinion."

3 LONE WOLF STARS

The Last Wolf begins with a young girl named Silver. She is crippled, as well as a wolf. Most of her life she has been a servant to her pack alpha, leaving her without a mate.

Tiberius is a shifter, one with a huge secret. He begs the alpha for a place in the pack. But must prove his worth to stay or be cut loose and marked as a lone wolf.

The romance in this story was not the main focus of The Last Wolf. It's about survival, protecting the pack, making friends and enemies. Ms. Vale has built a world full of mythical creatures, that is raw and consuming. But, I will admit that I was confused quite a few times. There are a lot of characters, different creatures of the lore. It would have been a tad bit helpful if The Last Wolf had an index. That being said, I really enjoyed The Last Wolf. It's different from all the other stories out there. I look forward to reading future books from Ms. Vale.

This was a very interesting take on the werewolf genre. Silver is a wolf, she is the lowest rank in her pack because she has a crippled leg and so cannot run properly. She is a member of a pack who have a couple of thousand acres so they can live and run free whenever they like. The pack consider themselves Wolves and hate to be "in skin" and avoid it as much as possible.

Tiberius arrives at the compound, wounded and in need of assistance, but Ti is a shifter who stays human and does not like to change to Wolf which causes problems in the pack especially with the Aplhas mate Evie.

Silver is tasked with healing Tiberius and they then have to fight to become full members of the pack. They develop feelings for each other but Tiberius is keeping a secret that will break the pack apart forever.

I really loved it and thought it was clever take on a popular subject. Not sure if there will be a follow up but i would happily read it.

Have to say this will never make a list of books I'd recommend people read. The writing style was fine and flowed, but my lack of engagement with the characters left me feeling a bit blah about the book itself.

I liked this book. I thought the plot was solid and refreshing.

Ms. Vale starts off by introducing two sets of shifters. Wolves and shifters. Neither get along and Shifters tend to be Shifty. This plays into plot. Silver is a crippled wolf who is about to spend her life as a servant to her alpha pair because she doesn't have a male counterpart. Ty is a shifter with a secret who comes begging for a place in the pack. It turns out Ty is also part wolf and he requests sanctuary to escape the leader of the Shifters. However Ty and Silver need to prove their worth in the coming months or be banished as lone wolves.

I thought this was a good start to the world Ms. Vale created. It was under romance and while it had elements of a romance, to me it read more as Sci-Fi. I didn't connect to the characters as much I usually do, and honestly the Romance was I thought second to the world building. While the world building rocked, the character and the ability to relate with them was distant. I got confused at times and had to go back and reread. I think a prologue where some of the rules were laid out would have been helpful. simply because this is such a different take on shape shifters. That being said I love that is didn't follow the norm and really thought this has potential to be a completely different set of books.

I will definitely be looking for more from Ms. Vale.

I received a copy of this via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I hate to do this, but this book was just terrible, typos gibberish that wasn't explained. I could not connect at all with the characters I kept trying and I can see where the plot could be amazing but executition was just so lacking. I haven't honestly not finished a book in a long time but I just couldn't pull through this one. I love werewolves and I loved the idea but the story itself, sorry no just no for me.