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 <spoiler> 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 </spoiler>. Sorry, no amount of <spoiler> taking a bullet for someone </spoiler> 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 c**t 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

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.

E-arc provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

It started a bit slow and I was a bit meh throughout the first part of the book. But man, I'm glad I finished it!
It was such a good read. I did love the characters and it was definitely something different from what I've read lately which is a good thing since I get bored quite often now.
I will definitely buy a physical copy of this and cherish it on my shelf!
I hope a book box will include this book to make a gorg edition *wink wink

I was pleasantly surprised with this story because I did not realize how much I would end up liking it since I requested it on a whim from Netgalley. Shame, I know. Anyways, I read the entire story in just two days.

A Pack of Blood an Lies tells the story of Ness as she navigates being the only female in the Boulder pack as she tries to be accepted in this extremely patriarchal society. The only werewolf story I have ever read was about Jacob in the Twilight series which was a long time ago, so I was not expecting to be as enamored with this story which I totally am. It was fast pace story of twists and surprises. The romance was a little iffy and predictable, but it did not hinder the plotline. The characters is the main attraction of the story, at least for me. The portrayal of Ness was my favorite. Where I believe many might found Ness to be annoying, I found her to be relatable. She was just a typical female werewolf girl armed with stubbornness and a big heart fighting for her place among a pack who did not want her. She is the most perfect imperfect character, and I love that. I also liked the lesson of a child is not their parents represented in Liam. I wait with an anticipating heart for book 2!

I am so in love with this book. I have a tangible need for books 2 and 3.

Ness is stubborn and fearless. Liam has a quiet and determined confidence. Its possible this book had me at shifter romance, but honestly the story is such a page turner. I was fond of the plot, but I think its the incredible spark of the characters that had me getting upset over the adulting I had to do in between reading.

I've read one other book by Olivia Wildenstein, Harshville, which I thought was wonderful. After reading this I'm planning to systematically devour everything she writes.

It took me a little bit to get invested as I find myself just having a fundamental issue with the misogynistic nature of werewolves in most books (including this one). But once I did, I couldn't put A Pack of Blood and Lies down. Ness drove me crazy with her utter stubbornness at times but she did grow on my. I am also a sucker for enemies to lovers tropes so I was all for the ship in this one. Though after reading the description for the next book, I am a bit nervous for them. Overall I found it to be a fast paced paranormal adventure with all the tension and angst plus a touch of romance. I believe if you are a fan for werewolf books, you will enjoy this one. I am definitely looking forward to the rest of the series and checking out the authors other series!

Full review will be live on www.readandwander.com the week of release.

Not being a big fan of werewolves, I had hoped that A Pack of Blood and Lies would help change my mind about them. However, the book just didn't resonate with me. Ms. Wildenstein's characters didn't pull me in and the story just felt flat as I continued to read. Maybe it's because I knew going into it that it's about werewolves, maybe it's a reading slump that mean I can't dwelve deep into the stories that I'm reading. Whatever the reason, A Pack of Blood and Lies just didn't work for me. Maybe the story will for someone else.

Sassy protagonist. Werewolves who occasional sniff vaginas in a jealous rage while butt naked. Murder plots. Yes, this had it all.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to review this book ahead of its release date.

Ness finds herself dragged off to her old home in Boulder Colorado after the death of her mother. Back with the all-male wolf pack which once shunned her, she now finds herself invested in bitterness against one of the pack members, a boy named Liam, who happens to be the son of a man who raped Ness's mother. To spite him, she puts her name in to become Alpha and eventually puts herself through tasks against some of the pack's ruthless men. Liam's icy yet heated demeanor toward her tries to knock her off balance. Que the secrets that affect not only Ness but Liam and the entire pack.

What I liked:

WOLVES WOLVES WOLVES I love wolves. I cannot get enough of them. I love them so much I wrote my own shifter book which is why I think enjoyed this so much. There is a lack of shifter books out there in the YA world that set themselves apart. Ness was a great character in that she acted like your average teenager, but when faced with the real stuff she didn't run. She met it head-on. I was with her every step of the way.

The writing was fun, and I enjoyed Ness's introspection on the patriarchal society she found herself in. The writing was what kept me going after the first chapter which was a tad too fast for my taste. But as I continued, I found that I liked how fast-paced it was. It didn't beat around the wolf. It took on the plot with teeth bared and ready.

Overall, I enjoyed this book — a lot. And I am waiting with bated breath until I get my grubby hands on the next book.

Add this if you liked:

Books like Paper Princess, or maybe even Shiver or Moon-Called.
hate to love romance
lots and lots of secrets
did I mention wolves?
also hot wolf-men?

Note: I received this book from NetGalley and I voluntarily give this review, it is my honest opinion.

A Pack of Blood and Lies was unbelievable good and I loved every minute of it. This is the first book by Olivia Wildenstein that I have read and she has done an amazing job. I don't really know if I can give a proper review without giving to much away but I will try.

Ness is a werewolf without a pack, she was born into a pack of nothing but males and being the only female made her an outcast. When her father is killed she asks to officially join the pack, the cruel alpha and the rest of the pack did not let her join so her and her mother fled Boulder to go and make a life in Los Angels. There Ness was a lone-wolf and grew up without shifting until certain events forced her go back to Boulder, back to the back that did not want her. There she faces the same prejudices and something bigger is going on and Ness is gonna have to be tough enough to stand up for herself and to fight for what she wants.

I am a sucker for a werewolf story and I wish I have more ya werewolf stories in my library. So when I found A Pack of Blood and Lies, I will admit I totally geeked out. The story was a little different from I thought it was going to be. The thinking of males of the Boulder pack are stuck in the past and have not evolved to the current times. They believe that females are weaker and shouldn't be werewolves, they are proud of their all male pack and treats Ness as she is inferior.

However Ness is a tough cookie, she is smart, a hard worker, sassy, courageous and a smart-ass, so of course I love her. Even after everything she has been through in her life she still finds things to be grateful for, things to care about. I love that she refuses to let the guys boss her around and has a comment for everything they through at her. Ness has a plan and she sticks to it, even when things get hard. She is such an open person to people who really care about her and after everything she has been through and the things the pack puts her through she doesn't let that turn her into a bad person.

The plot of this book was wild and I loved it. There are so many mysteries, why is Ness the only female Boulder werewolf, what really happened to the pack's Alpha, what really happened in the past and so much more. Things were so connected, things from the past connected to the present, people connected to each other and there were a couple of plot twists that I did not see coming. The story flowed so nicely, I didn't feel the lull that can sometimes happen and the verbal sparing between Ness and certain members of the pack was really good.

A Pack of Blood and Lies has everything mystery, romance, a competition, revelations, betrayal, and so much more. So many of my questions were answered but there was a scene at the end that made me think that a certain situation is going to happen and I am so ready for it. I have questions and I need the answers. If you love werewolf books, a kick-ass heroine, a few mysteries and excellent plot then I suggest you grab this book as soon as you can.

I was intrigued when I read the summary of A Pack of Blood and Lies by Olivia Wildenstein. I do enjoy the paranormal genre but just haven’t come across a lot lately that I have been interested in so when the summary caught my eye, I wanted to check it out.

When the book kicks off, we are introduced to Ness, our main character. She is living in LA and has been there ever since she and her mother left Boulder to get away from the pack. As the reader, we know something happened, but we don’t learn about it until much later. After her mother dies, Ness’ aunt, uncle, and cousin unexpectedly show up to bring her back to Boulder and that is really where the story begins.

I have mixed feelings about Ness. I loved that she was willing to push the pack to accept her and initially I loved her whole “crush the patriarchy” attitude but her reasoning behind attempting to become Alpha was an issue for me. She wasn’t doing it to make things better or challenge the status quo, she was doing it so that she could try to take something away from Liam. I appreciate that her feelings changed eventually but I had an issue with her reasoning. Ultimately, I did feel bad for Ness. She didn’t really have a place with the pack and there were so many people who were just using her along the way, I was actually rooting for her.

Liam is the son of the prior Alpha and it was always believed that he would take over when needed so he is definitely unhappy when Ness comes along and ruins his plans. I have mixed feelings about Liam too. His actions toward Ness were so mixed that he would do something nice and then turn around and be a jerk, but he would justify it by saying it was because he was jealous…or something else. All in all, he was just ok for me as a love interest.

I did find some of the other side characters interesting. You have Everest, Ness’ cousin, and August, a close friend. Both accept her and try to help her find her place, but I wish we would have had more of them and a better understanding of where their heads were at.

As for the story, the fight for the role of Alpha is core to this book but there is also a mystery around what happened to Liam’s father, Heath (former Alpha) as he was not a well-liked guy and since he turned up dead, people have been wondering what happened. It just so happens, that Ness might know something about Heath, and it ends up putting her in an interesting position.

Overall, I found this book to be interesting and I will most likely pick up the next book in the series to find out what happens next. There is a bit of a twist at the end and I would like to know more. If you are interested in a new paranormal, check this one out.

I liked this story. There is a lot of cruelty and treachery but there are also heartwarming relationships. I liked that the brutal parts of the story were only mentioned and not described in full. I did think there were some missing parts of the story. Maybe some were edited out. The period between when Ness was brought back to the pack and when Heath died is hazy and unclear. The story about Becca is unclear. The reason Everett does what he does is unclear. The reason Ness’s aunt and uncle bring her back to Boulder in the first place is unclear. August’s behavior is strange and not well explained. If these parts are expanded a little I think the story would improve. Overall I liked the story. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

**3.5 stars**
I had a lot of expectations about this story and mostly enjoyed the reading.
Ness is forced to come back to a pack of werewolves that not only have rejected her in the past, but also are not used to have a female wolf among them (she is the first female born in a 100 years). At her 17, she is however brave, bold and fierce towards the people she loves, which helps her to manage in the new environment.
The journey through these new circumstances includes a competition to choose the leaders of the pack, falling in love with what looks like the wrong guy and a few ups and downs that keep the story active.
Overall, this book felt entertaining, lightly written and full of drama. I read it in a short time and will probably go for the second book… my curiosity about it is not dead…

*I voluntary read an early copy of this book through Netgalley

<i> I received this ARC from NetGalley and Twig Publishing. </i>

A Pack of Blood and Lies was an alright read for me. This had the potential to be a really good story but it just...wasn't. I had some pretty big problems with this book. But I'll start with what I did like, which isn't very much, sadly.

1. The concept of the story as a whole was good.
2. I liked the wolf aspect of it. Although it was pretty typical for a shifter book it was still good.
3. I enjoyed the talking ability between wolves and their alpha as well.
4. There were a few moments I found a bit humorous.
5. August.

If it seems like there wasn't very much to like about this book, well...that's because for me there wasn't. It wasn't bad enough to make me dislike it, I think it was an alright read, but it also wasn't as good as I was hoping it to be.

Now, the only girl born of the pack trying to fight her way into being accepted. This sounded interesting enough to me but unfortunately, I kind of hated how it was presented. Ness challenges Liam, Lucas, and Matt in the alpha trials for the sole reason of keeping Liam from being alpha and pissing him off.

This one simple factor was a major play in the downfall of this story. I much would have rather read about the only girl fighting for a place in her pack because she <i> actually </i> wanted to prove something to them. That girls were just as worthy as males and that women have something to offer as well or maybe even because she actually <i> wanted </i> to be the alpha in the first place. But none of this was the case. Nope. She only entered the trials to piss off Liam and keep him from getting the title. Yes, Ness really is that annoying.

Speaking of Ness, I was not a fan of her, if you couldn't tell already. She was very judgmental and temperamental for starters. You'd think Ness would have been someone who was supportive of females seeing as how she was turned away for being one. But yet we have moments like when she decided to hate a girl because of how pretty she was. *eye roll*

I didn't really care for the characters much in this book at all to be fair. I believe my favorite person was August and he wasn't in a lot of the book although I believe he is supposed to show up more in the next one. Next to August it would be Liam who was my favorite.

I had some <b> major </b> issues with the writing style for this novel. Throughout the entire read, there were strange details that should have just been taken out completely. They felt really unnecessary and made the writing more juvenile. (Ex. Talking about her bra color, talking about if someone will notice her nipples from not wearing a bra, repeating things, cursing up a storm and then saying "fucking crap", etc.) Just wow.

Another issue I had with the writing style was the language. Now, I was hesitant to put this part of the review in. But oh my gosh, it hurt me so much I couldn't exclude it. I haven't seen anyone else talk about this and I can't for the life of me figure out why. Surely I can't be the only one who read all the sentences that just <i> did not </i> make sense! I found myself stopping to think about certain words put into sentences that just made no sense at all! One of the instances that stand out the most that I can remember is the use of the word "Croup." Now, I didn't know what this was so I looked it up. Apparently, it's an inflammatory infection. WHY was this used in a sentence stating "Whipping my croup, I sprang into action." ??? If I'm missing something PLEASE feel free to tell me because I'm so confused about this.

Another thing about the story I really disliked was the Ness+August link. It's not explained toward the end of the book when Liam mentions it smelled like they had mated. No kind of explanation is given about this area of the situation. I know this is a big topic of the next novel but I severely did not like how it was thrown in this book the way that it was. I'm guessing it was supposed to make the reader intrigued to know more and while I am intrigued to know how that link works, I'm more irritated than anything.

Also, oh boy. The 'romance' in this book is actually trash. I'm so sorry. But....yikes. Ness does not have feelings for anybody in this book, no. All she has is hormone rages. She likes the way someone LOOKS and that's all it is. She judges Liam for most of the book but comments on how attractive he is while wanting to hate him otherwise. She barely gets to know him, enough to know he isn't terrible like she judged him to be, and then ends up lip locking with him and I guess they are a thing now. She likes this boy for nothing more than his good looks, to be honest. Never did we get an inside thought about how she realizes he's actually nice and is trying to be a decent person. And we don't get this slow fall for him, no. It's all super fast in one moment and that's it. Terrible.

While there was a lot of bad to this book, it still got three stars because although it wasn't the best, it wasn't complete trash. I did like the book well enough. I wish it would have been written better but there is always room to improve with the later installments. I haven't decided if I'll try to pick those up yet so we shall see how I feel when that comes around.

“ The primal rule of winning: don’t fall in love with the contender.”

Olivia Wildenstein’s “ A Pack of Blood and Lies” was a slow burn to start but once it got started, oh boy did it get started. I won’t go too much into the actual story because I like to let people find everything out for themselves but what I will say is that I usually don’t read shifter/ wolf books ( I was Team Jacob back in the day but I don’t think that counts here 😊 ) but I absolutely loved this book and am so glad that there will be more books in the series. Overall, the world building was good although I was left curious about a few things. I loved the characters. I cannot wait to read more from this author.

* I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Overall rating: 3 Stars

Premise:
Ness Clark (view spoiler)

The Good:
Overall, it was a well-written book with lots of layers and mystery. Wildenstein (is that a real name??) did a great job of hooking me as a reader and I pretty much read it in one sitting. Ness was an intriguing character I could relate to and the storyline did keep me on my toes, which I appreciate as a reader who usually is ten steps ahead of any plot twist or surprise.

The Bad:
Ugh - that ending! [This pack is straight up full of hypocrisy. They will allow Lucas to just concede to Liam, but what about Ness? According to their rules, she got just as far as him, yet he just gets to be Alpha without really earning it? And, even more frustrating, was that Ness just accepts it? For a book that is supposed to be all about feminism and strong females, Ness felt out of character towards the end, and honestly not a smart or likable character. I would put this ending more in line with with a Harlequin romance with some simpering girl who can’t function with her big, strong man by her side. (hide spoiler)]

Liam Kolane - seriously the worst love interest I’ve read in a really long time. [Let’s talk about his absolute lack of respect for Ness - starting from six years ago to now. His sniffing of her, treating her like scum because she’s supposedly sleeping around (I mean really, after a loud conversation about sexual acts with someone he’s not even dating in public?? Can he be more hypocricical??), and lastly smearing his freaking pre-cum on her to mark her?! He’s disgusting and while he may not be a rapist like his father, the apple clearly doesn’t fall far from the tree in terms of his views on women. Wildenstein attempted to make him a likable character, but imo she failed completely. The only good this about his is that based on Ness’s interactions with August at the end of the book I’m certain they’ll end up together. (hide spoiler)]

Lastly, I felt like there wasn’t enough world building - I still have lots of questions. Why can’t werewolves join other packs? What’s the mechanism that prevents that? How come paternity matters in terms of being “in the pack”? How many packs are there? Why does the Boulder pack hate the Pine pack? Why is the Boulder pack the Boulder pack when the Pine pack also lives in Boulder? Are there other non-humans in this world? Magic is mentioned in the book, but it feels like more of a throwaway to explain something than a well-thought out and intentional part of this world.

I would read the next book, but only in the hopes that Ness kicks Liam’s ass. Or someone does.

This is a strong female fantasy that a tough heroine. This novel reminds me of Twilight because it features werewolves. Thus, it kept me interested in this novel. The writing is filled with vivid imagery. The only thing is that the novel is a little slow-moving. Still, it is a character-driven novel and worth the time. I recommend this for fans of paranormal fantasy.

I really enjoyed this book. I love me some Werewolves stories. Ness is our heroine. She is very young and the only female born werewolf from her pack. She doesn't actually belong to the pack because the old alpha refused to accept her. Her aunt and uncle decide to bring her back home and that is when the ship hits the sand. Ness is sucked back into the pack' drama and politics. Ness does seem immature at times but its understandable for someone who is 17 years old. What I did notice was her growth from the beginning of the book until the end of the book. Ness was able to mature enough to make the right decisions. Now Liam is not what he seems. His character grows as well and you can see it in this actions, but he does have his moments when you want to slap him. Overall this is a great book and recommend it to any one who like werewolf stories with more than one strong woman in the mix.

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.

Pros
Characters: There are a lot of characters in this book, that's quite understandable with a pack full of wolves. The characters in this book have such a great amount of personality that it wasn't hard for me to remember them, at all. One thing that's always a bit tricky for an author is to make sure that a reader remembers all the characters and there have been a lot of books where I wasn't able to remember them all. The fact that I did remember the characters in this book, is a +1 for the author.
Plot: Loved it! I couldn't tell where this was going at all. Ness is sometimes a bit naive and also impulsive which makes the plot have some very unexpected turns as well. I also didn't trust many people in this book and I was so wrong about some of them. The plot turned out great and I was not able to predict this outcome.
Pacing: This book is quick and easy to read, like I said before; I was surprised that it only took me 5 days. The pacing is nice and it's also pleasant that there is only information in this book that is necessary for the story.
More: I can't wait for the other books to come out and I love the titles from this series already. I am a sucker for a good title and a nice cover, so I was very happy to see that the next book, A Pack of Vows and Tears is coming in 2019!

Cons
Nop.

Overall
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!"

A Pack Of Blood and Lies is the first book in a fresh new paranormal fantasy series that was a lot of fun to read.

Without a doubt, what made this book such a delightfully entertaining read was its main character. Ness is always quick on her feet with a wisecrack retort, but she does it in such an easy and charming way that it’s hard not to like her immediately, especially when most of the victims of her sharp tongue deserve it. I can’t remember the last time I’ve cheered so hard for a protagonist.

The romance should be discussed here too, since it is so integral to the plot. That Ness and Liam will eventually fall in love is sort of a foregone conclusion, because otherwise, where would be the conflict? Still, I liked that their romantic arc was developed steadily and carefully, with both of them getting to know each other before falling in love. To my surprise, this was one of the best YA romances I’ve read in a while, though there were plenty of other relationships at play here that also deserve a mention

I had a great time with this book. A Pack of Blood and Lies had everything I could ever want from a YA novel—superb world-building, a fantastically well-written story, and a phenomenal protagonist I could emphatically root for. I originally set out to read this story about Werewolves, never once expecting it to steal my heart so quickly and completely too. But now I am irrevocably hooked, and I want more.

Will update with vlog link soon. It was a quick and easy read. Love the paranormal and drama. Will look for other books by author.