I never would have thought that I would like the book as much as I did. I read the synopsis and liked it but lately they haven’t been delivering until now. At first, when I realized she was a teenager I thought that this was going to turn out way different. I thought naive girl and an angsty love triangle.

Yes she, Ness, was a little naive, but in a way that actually adds to the character. She learns real quick from her mistakes and the people around her. She thought she knew the world she left and when she’s forced back she sees things have changed. She is angry at everyone and everything about her circumstances so her attitude stinks most times. But then Liam comes around and I think he likes poking the bear.

Liam Kolane, son of ex alpha Heath (dead), is one of Ness’s main areas of distress. She sees him and sees Heath’s son. Not Liam himself and that irritates the crap out of him. He shows her time and time again that he is NOT his father but he does have his own faults. He isn’t perfect afterall.

He wants to be Alpha and after they way Ness had been treated she decides to go head to head with him for it. She doesn’t want it but she doesn’t want him to have it either. She goes through the unfair trials and comes out stronger for it. She butts head with the other pack members but ends up fitting in all the same.

The relationship between Liam and Ness grows gradually and doesn’t feel forced. While there is another love interest for her (one sided but there) this isn’t a love triangle story (which I HATE!). This book was very enjoyable for me, i stayed up til 2 in the morning just to finish it!

I should have read the description better I suppose. This is a story of wolves and all that. I really don't like this kind of story. I skimmed through. It's not for me. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

It has been a while since I've read a paranormal story. I liked the story and the characters but my werewolf romance cravings (LOL) has not been quite satisfied. Still, this is a great book for paranormal fiction beginners.

I was happy to receive an ARC of A Pack of Blood and Lies in exchange for an honest review!

Real rating 2.5/5

Werewolves, like most fantasy or supernatural creatures are a fave when it comes to reading material. More so, I love a good "woman finding her way in a male dominated pack." It's a trope, but a good one we see often enough in werewolf books. Alas, this book just didn't do it for me the way I wanted it to. I may have gone in with too high of expectations, but APOBAL fell short in so many areas, I'm surprised I finished it.

The bones of the story are thus: Ness, just shy of her 18th birthday, is forced to return to a town and a pack that had originally chased her and her widowed mother out several years ago. The horrible alpha is dead, and his son is set to be the new alpha. But when Ness returns, she decides to run against him for the title.

Now, let's begin with Ness. I had mixed feelings towards the beginning, her inner thoughts and reasoning and overall thought process is kind of bland and boring. I think she's boring, but I also thought there was plenty of room to grow. I don't believe Ness grew at all throughout this book. Her attraction to Liam (the guy who wants to be alpha) is kinda just THERE, not really written in a way where it blooms and unfolds. She makes several very questionable, bordering on reckless, decisions that had me so irritated with her I had to put the book down and question if I wanted to continue. Liam is two dimensional, and though I was promised a "kind but punishing" alpha male, I got none of that. There is legitimately no reason why she should like this guy. I was a bit distraught halfway through the book when I realized I didn't care for a single character. Like, at all. Every character is boring, flat, and so cliche it physically hurt my eyes.

There are severe trigger warnings that should be better advertised instead of the, "contains alpha males" warning in the synopsis. There is rape, so bad the girl is in a comma. Lots of rape and sexual violence. So be warned. Also, be warned that the sexual assault in this book is written for one purpose: SHOCK VALUE, and that irks me greatly. There were a cluster of political and social issues the author tried to weave throughout her story but it simply ended up a giant mess and came off as trying so very hard to make me see OH LOOK DIVERSITY OH LOOK FEMINISM OH LOOK SEXUAL REPRESENTATION. I prefer books to have these elements as a natural inclination, instead of being forced onto me in a far too obvious and pushed way. If anything some of it took away from the story and characters because it didn't feel natural at all.

There is misogyny. Lots of it. It's one of the key motivators for Ness, to prove the men wrong and show that she is strong and can be a part of the pack. Most of the characters were so out of character the whole time, things they would do or say one chapter would be erased or confused by the next chapter. The guys don't want a girl in the pack, then they are saying she's so great and strong...its tiresome the lack of character consistency. And Ness? The main girl who vows sexism is wrong? She would turn right around and hate on a girl just for what she was wearing but complain that girls weren't sticking together. Hypocritical to the max.

The main plot, her and Liam fighting it out with a series of tasks to achieve the title of alpha, was kind of a backburner plot even though it should have been front and center. Not to mention the tasks were ultimately pretty boring and simple. But there are about three other subplots that weave throughout and it all seems so halfhearted that I ultimately wasn't too invested in seeing how any of it played out. The stakes of this book are at a flatline the entire time, never once did I worry or truly care who would win or what would happen.

The saving grace of the story was the werewolf factor, I love the beasts and it's the only reason I kept reading. Overall I give it such a low rating because I feel like the world building and character development was very weak. But I also plan on continuing the series because I hope to actually see the characters finally grow and come together.

Thank you to Twig Publishing and NetGalley providing me with an e-ARC to read and review.

I really, really enjoyed reading A Pack of Blood and Lies by Olivia Wildenstein. The title is certainly an understatement. There is blood, lies, magic, romance, alpha males, and then some. I had a hard time putting this book down, so eager I was to know what would happen next.

Ness is a fantastic, dynamic main character for all her stubborn recklessness. She aims to find her place in the world, prove herself to the pack the denied her, avenge her deceased parents' for the wrongs dealt to them, and avoid the strangely growing feelings for the former Alpha's son, Liam. So much to worry about, leaving in its wake tension, mystery, and countless questions.

This book gets real dark at times. It's a shame what Ness has to do/go through to find her place in the sun. The secrets unfolded are horrendous. I hate the misogynistic assumptions the Boulder pack men have about Ness without really knowing her or getting to know her after her long return. I think this is the cause for most of the problems that happen in the story.

This is a great start to a new series that I can't wait to keep reading.

I loved this book.

Ness is 17 years old and living in Los Angeles with her guardian Evelyn as her mother had died a few months before. She is working as a cleaner when her aunt, uncle and cousin turn up and tell her that they are taking her home to boulder colorado where her family are.

Ness has no choice but to go. Ness however is a werewolf and her father was murdered and her pack do not allow girls, and Ness challenges the elders to not only become part of the pack, but to become Alpha.

Along the way she falls in love and her life changes forever.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and signed up to get the next one.

Solid 5 stars. Thank you for letting me read it!

I received this ARC from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

It has been awhile since I devoured a book in less than 24hrs. I absolutely loved the snarky, cockiness of Ness. She was born into a pack of all male werewolves and she was cast out bc of her gender. She was told she couldn't be a part of the pack bc she was a girl! Well she wasn't going to take that, when she found herself facing said pack 6yrs after she was forced to leave with her mother. She then gives these boys a run for their money! Yes, she can be a little full of herself sometimes, but it's all a facade. She is actually a normal young woman with fears and doubts just like any other person, she is just able to put on a show when needed. She wasn't going to let that pack see her as weak or as less than their equal all bc of her sex! There is action, snarkiness, and romance. All my favorite things. The author doesn't leave us in a cliff-hanger per say, but there is the hint of more to come. Ness and Liams story isn't over and I cant wait to find out what happens!!

Thank you for the ARC

Outstanding story that was impossible to put down. I was so immersed in the story that I didn’t realize the time. Don’t miss out once it’s released.

I feel like I read something completely different than everyone else because of all of the 5 star reviews... but the plot did not hold my attention and I couldn't connect to any of the characters. Especially the main character, I found her really annoying. The themes of the book seemed mature to me but the dialogue and plot felt very juvenile. Just not my thing...

Ce que j’ai aimé dans ce roman, c’est la fibre féministe qui le baigne. Ness est unique car elle ne connaît pas d’autres louves-garous et ayant grandi avec les Humains, elle est une outsider à l’égard du clan. Pourtant, ce n’est pas cela qui la motive. Ce qui la fait avancer, c’est sa volonté de prouver aux mâles qu’elle ne vaut pas moins qu’eux à cause de son sexe. Elle se bat pour montrer qu’elle est aussi forte qu’eux et qu’elle a autant sa place parmi les siens. Alors que dans les romans de fantasy, les clichés des demoiselles en détresse sont légion, c’est un point rafraichissant qui me plaît beaucoup.

L’autre point que j’ai aimé, c’est l’espèce de quête dans laquelle elle se lance pour démêler les fils de son histoire et de son héritage familial. Elle se reconnecte avec ses instincts primaires. On ressent littéralement le plaisir qu’elle prend à se retransformer. On sent que cela fait partie d’elle. C’était la première fois que je ressentais l’action comme si c’était moi qui la vivais.

Plusieurs rebondissements viennent pimenter l’intrigue. D’un côté, il y a le combat pour la place de leader qui donne lieu à de belles scènes d’entraide et d’empathie. C’est la première fois que j’adore me retrouver dans la tête des héros alors qu’ils sont dans la peau de bêtes à quatre pattes. J’ai eu l’impression de voir littéralement les personnages et ça m’a rappelé Croc-Blanc.

Puis, il y a le mystère lié à Aidan Michaels qui possède plusieurs ramifications et qui, à mon avis, se prolongera peut-être dans les tomes suivants.

Enfin, l’entrée en scène d’un clan adverse ajoute du peps à l’histoire car dans celui-ci, il y a d’autres louves-garous et c’est intéressant de voir Ness interagir et se lier d’amitié avec Sarah.

En conclusion, j’ai adoré ce premier volume! A pack of blood and lies signe mon premier coup de coeur de l’année: j’ai été captivée de bout en bout, la romance est amenée à un rythme auquel j’adhère, je suis tombée sous le charme des héros et j’ai tout le temps été surprise. C’était génial!

A Pack of Blood and Lies is a fun take on the story of werewolves. I thoroughly enjoyed the banter between characters and the growth that all of the characters went through in accepting the fact that a girl is fighting to be in their pack.

Ness is a strong female character that I think everyone will enjoy getting to know and the classic bad boy to possible romantic interest Liam Kolane is not too bad himself.

The only thing I wish was that there was more of a background on Ness's story. Other than that I recommend to fans of Twilight, and other werewolf books.

I really enjoyed the story and liked the twist and turns of the deceit within the boulder pack. It made every pack members actions and interactions questionable and also kept the story propelled further in mystery. I of course liked the tidbit about August and am excited how that will play out in the next book. But I still question some of Lucas's behavior that got quickly covered up with fascination. There are a lot of things still at play and how things will turn out. Overall, the boulder community is nicely built and complex with all the interactions and history, it was rich in details but clouded with mystery and dished out enough tidbits that kept you entranced with finishing the book.

Although I was interested in this book, it did take me longer than most to get through.
The book is well written and the storyline gripping. I loved the writing style and the depth created with her characters!

Thank you to NetGalley and Twig Publishing for the eARC in exchange for an honest review! This book isn't coming out until the end of April but if it is up your alley, check it out and consider pre-ordering!

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 "world-building" 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, 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 16+ read it if it were my kid, but the warning states 14+. 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!


This review appears in full on my blog.. I will make sure to advertise the post closer to the release date as well! https://onenursereader.wixsite.com/onereadingnurse-1/home/a-pack-of-blood-and-lies-by-olivia-wildenstein

Yup. I loved it. I mean who doesn't love a pack of male werewolf and a kick-but female protagonist!

I absolutely loved the slow build up between Ness and Liam! gimme more gimme more!

I need more pronto! I cannot wait to see what the author had planned next!

Let me ask you this, do you love, hate to love tropes? A strong female lead? Werewolves? And angst, oh the angst. Then this book is for you.
Man, I was hooked from page one in this book, it has all of the right elements you want in a YA.
The book has an amazing cast of side characters and the authors writing is just so engrossing it made the book really hard to put down.
Nessa is officially my homegirl and I can't wait for the sequel.

This was a fun and engaging read about werewolves. I have not read any of Olivia Wildensteins books before but I will definitely be looking for her now. I like that the characters all had flaws and baggage to overcome.

A PACK OF BLOOD AND LIES by Olivia Wildenstein is a first book in a new YA paranormal romance trilogy. And what a GREAT start it is!

I must say that I LOVED everything about this book. The PLOT was ENTERTAINING. The CHARACTERS were FLAWED, hence, PERFECT and real, well developed, some of them were very lovable, especially, LIAM. The WORLD was INTRIGUING. The ROMANCE was BEAUTIFUL.

The thing you must remember is that they are not humans but werewolves, therefore, their believes, culture and way of life will not be the same as ours, however, MC Ness does fight the sexism and is not quietly accepting of the way of these wolfs. Even though her pack is flawed and at times quite horrible to her, at the same time they are also protective, loyal and easy to fall for. I enjoyed the dynamics between her and the pack.

I liked Ness a lot but I LOVED LIAM. Liam is everything that you want a werewolf alpha to be. I enjoyed the chemistry between Liam and Ness. I enjoyed this thrilling story with all the ups and downs. There was tension, romance, bromance, action, danger and excitement filled pages. I ENJOYED IT ALL.

This book was everything a werewolf book should be and more. I CAN’T WAIT TO READ MORE. I want more of Liam and Ness, of their and Boulder wolves pack’s story. I’m so very glad that I got this ARC from NetGalley because otherwise I could have lost an opportunity to read one of my new favourite books. This book put Olivia Wildenstein on my radar, as I will be checking out her other books now.

5 STARS TO THE BEST WEREWOLF BOOK EVER.A Pack of Blood and Lies by Olivia Wildenstein is on my list of TOP10 books read in 2018. And this new trilogy is number 5 on my most anticipated books of 2019.

(Review on my blog coming soon)

A great read. The plot is complicated yet easy to follow and absolutely gripping from the beginning. The characters are interesting and engaging and have enough background information to make them easy to understand. The writing style was beautifully descriptive and flowed throughout. Easy reading but no lightweight. I'm definitely looking forward to more. I recommend this one for anyone who enjoys rhe supernatural

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.