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

This book is exactly what is advertised. Atmospheric, moody and complicated, it’s exactly what my emo little heart longed for. Red is fierce and strong, and Eammon is quite literally the piece to the puzzle that Red needs. The sister dynamic was so great—twins but opposites, with the same mission (save each other, essentially). It was beautiful. The writing was so descriptive, so perfectly formulated. I mean, it couldn’t have been better. The story is gripping and exciting. There’s lots of angsty moments, the tension between Red and Eammon is spot on.

1000% recommend. Read this book now!
I’ll be counting down the days until the sequel is released.

I was excited about the description of Hannah Whitten's For the Wolf: magic, a sentient forest, a corrupt religious system, a self-sacrificing heroine, some darkness, and a nod to Red Riding Hood. For the Wolf isn't just a retelling of the Little Red Riding Hood story, although it takes some aspects from that story. It also takes aspects of other fairy tales, such as Beauty and the Beast, in a cut and paste manner.

And while I might appreciate the library, the story just seemed to drag. The characters weren't particularly likeable. Certain aspects were repetitive, and I couldn't get excited about the book. While normally I would have devoured the book in no time, I found myself looking for other things to do instead of read this book (a rarity for me).

DNF at 45%

The premise and set up of this story is honestly great. The idea is there and I really thought this was going to be the new favorite YA fantasy.

I have been sitting on this one for a bit and can’t get myself to read any further. The writing is really hard for me to get used to and keeps throwing me out of the story. This one is also incredibly confusing. I feel like I still don’t understand what is going on and there is too much explanation in some places and then not enough in others.

I see serious potential in this story but I did not enjoy the execution.

I made the mistake of requesting this arc without checking the release date and was approved less than a week before it came out. For the Wolf fits into a niche of books that I love, but had the unfortunate burden of coming to me at a time when I was pretty burnt out on that niche. Therefore, I can’t name anything specifically that didn’t work for me about this book, but my overall experience was not great. Which is pretty much entirely my fault for requesting a week before its release. I did listen to the chapter by chapter playlist I found on the author’s twitter which definitely added atmosphere to the experience, and I found some great songs so that was fun. I would highly recommend this to fans of Emily Tesh’s Silver in the Wood and its sequel, The Drowned Country, as the atmosphere and magic of the books, as well as the roles the characters in both books play as a sort of keeper of the wood, was very reminiscent of that duology to me. I will say, insofar as things I can specifically critique, the romance did fall a bit on the insta-love side of things for me, which only tends to bother me if the character’s love for a person they’ve just met becomes their entire motivation as a character, which unfortunately I felt was the case here a bit. I think one of the best ways to judge someone’s enjoyment of a book is whether they’ll read the sequel, and with this book I don’t know if I will, but I can honestly say that I hope that I do. I hope that by the time For the Throne rolls around I’ll be back in the mood for this type of book and feeling nostalgic for this world. Only time will tell.
Thank you to Orbit Books and Netgalley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

”In all her darkest imaginings about what might happen when she entered the Wilderwood, she never expected…this.”

For the Wolf has a captivating premise - a dark, female-driven fantasy with a mashup of fairytale-retelling elements from Beauty & the Beast and Red Riding Hood, paired with unexpected twists!

”She was going to the Wilderwood to save everyone she loved from herself.”

And, when it comes to creativity, world-building, and an atmosphere that comes to life, Hannah F. Whitten delivers in a big way! The settings of Valleyda and the Wilderwood were so richly described that it felt like I could see the movie-version of this book playing behind my eyes.

”The Five Kings bargained with the forest to bind away the monstrous gods—to create the Shadowlands as their prison...”

At times, I struggled to stay focused on the plot, and often found myself losing track of what was happening in the story. The magic system within Whitten’s fantasy world seemed unnecessarily complex, almost convoluted at times, and it made it hard for me to figure out where to direct my attention. Often, I’d have to re-read pages or entire chapters to regain my bearings.

”The Wilderwood will fall, the Kings will be freed.”

It’s an interesting book, but it requires a significant amount of focus and mental energy to push through it and I didn’t expect that. I wanted something that would keep me turning pages late into the night, but this one often felt like more “work” than “play” to read. Fortunately, the plot picked back up near the end, and the story itself turned so beautiful that I can’t help but give it 4 stars, despite the challenges I had with it!

”You deserve to be loved, Red. You always did.”

——

Thank you to Hannah F. Whitten, Orbit, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

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So glad I read this! Admittedly, the cover intrigued me first, & then I couldn’t resist after I read the synopsis. I don’t tend to read fantasy fiction, but I couldn’t put this one down. Whitten wrote a beautiful story with plenty of drama, action, & turmoil. I absolutely loved this story & can’t wait for the next addition to The Wilderwood Series!

This one has Serpent & Dove series by Shelby Mahurin vibes. A bit interesting. I'm curious to see what happens next.
I love this cover and I highly recommend the audiobook.

I received this book at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

This was just ok. The premise and initial reveal were predictable, and the Tortured Chosen One trope plays out well. But the characters didn't really grab me, and I found myself getting bored reading it. Maybe it's because there have been so very many riffs on Red Riding Hood, but even among these, this book didn't stand out.

The First Daughter is for the Throne.
The Second Daughter is for the Wolf.
This dark fantasy is about a young woman who must be sacrificed to the Wolf of the Wood, in order to save her kingdom. But not all legends are true and the Wolf isn't the only danger lurking in the woods.

This was a last-minute grab for me and I'm so glad I found it. From the beginning to the end this book was pretty great. This world was dark and complex but I don't want to give anything away. If the blurb is enticing enough, go in blind and enjoy this book.

Neve and her sister Red are twins. Neve is set to be Queen and Red is destined for the Wolf. Neve is trying to convince Red to stay but Red is ready to fulfill her obligations. When she enters the woods, she feels this pull leading her to the Wolf. Only he's not a wolf, he's a man. And that pull is magic she just needs to figure out how to control it/use it.

This was by all standards a strong debut, I just personally had problems connecting to the characters.

The writing is nice, the plot pacing feels nice and steady, and all the motivations feel complete. It was just me being unable to connect?

This book follows two sisters attempting to save one another, a magical forest, and one Wolf. By all means this book should have been right up my alley and I’m kind of sad it hasn’t been however I will continue with this series once the next book comes out. I think the ending plot points were extremely well done and creates a bridge between the two books very well.

I have a feeling this author will only get better at their craft and I hope I get to witness it

I think I went into this with my expectations a little too high, as this was one of my most anticipated releases for 2021, because I'm sorry to say that I was disappointed. Instead of the dark fairytale retelling of Red Riding Hood that I was expecting, I got another rehashing of Beauty and the Beast—which might work for some people but I am honestly SO tired of it. I also think that the comps are off base. The emotional complexity or writing chops could not be compared to Novik nor the worldbuilding to Arden, it was pretty much at the level of Ahdieh, Maas, and Bardugo. If you are looking for an Adult Fantasy that reads like Young Adult Fantasy, then this is your book—which, I am not.

On to the meat of the book. This novel is revolves around a few main players, but the core characters are Redarys (Red) and Eammon (the Wolf), as well as Red's older twin, Neve. Several centuries ago, a bargain was struck with the Wolf in order to protect the kingdom—their Second Daughters in exchange for keeping the monsters in the Wilderwood at bay. Now it is Red's turn to go, and she feels she must, even when her sister tries to get her to run. But of course, as these things go, she finds out that the stories she has heard aren't the whole truth—the Wolf is not a monster but a man, and she has to untangle the history of the bargain that was struck and her own place in the story in order to stop the cycle of death haunting them all.

Sounds interesting and cool and dark., but unfortunately the execution left a lot to be desired. None of the stakes really felt like they made sense or were dire enough. Especially emotionally. Eammon, despite being CENTURIES old, still acted like...a broody teenager? Very "woe is me" type of guilt that was not very convincing considering he played very little actual part in the horrors that were happening. Neve did the thing I hate most where she trusts a practical stranger's word over a beloved sister's despite everything pointing to her sister's sanity... The politics were handwavey at best...

And again, rehashing of Beauty and the Beast. Practically beat for beat at points. Come. On.

Plus, where's the sacrifice. The pathos? The suffering??????? Those are more personal points for me that I was expecting and was just sad about not getting.

Some people will (and clearly do) love this book—and I definitely understand why on some level. I wanted to love it too. Unfortunately, it just didn't hit for me in that way.

Thanks to NetGalley and Orbit for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A solid debut fantasy that pulled me through the end of a massive reading slump, huzzah!

The good:

- Large swaths of the book, including Red's relationship with Wolf and the magic system, are rooted in and dependent on explicit, enthusiastic consent. It thrills this romance reader's heart, and I hope purely fantasy readers see and appreciate it, too.

- Eammon is too rough around the edges to be a proper cinnamon roll, but he leans in that direction and I love it.

- There's no stigma about sex or not being a virgin, yay! The romance itself has a touch of heat but is closed door (no sex on page).

- There are some interesting conversations to be had about the made-up religion in this book, and religion in general - how much is based on truth? How much has morphed into myth, does that matter? We see the dangers of relying on tithes and the impact a single person can have on the entire system.

The not-so-good:

- Several characters make a habit of downing bottle of wine when things get tough. I don't mind that sort of thing once or twice to make a point, but this was a little much for me.

- I had that 'noooo, go back!' feeling when the point of view shifted.

- Stay away if your are squeemish around blood - one of the characters cuts their palm to bleed on a thing at least daily.

- It feels like a debut in that the worldbuilding and plot have a couple of wobbles but it's minor, considering.

All in all For the Wolf is an engrossing, fun read and an easy recommend for people who are looking for a bit of romance with their fantasy.

CW (full list on author's website): blood magic, drinking excessively to forget or escape, familial death, gore

One Sentence Summary: As the Second Daughter, Red is for the Wolf of the darkly magical Wilderwood, but she quickly learns the stories are not quite accurate, and her older sister is desperate to do anything to get her back.

Overall

The best way I can describe For the Wolf is "Little Red Riding Hood" wanders into Disney's Beauty and the Beast, but Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs doesn't want to be eclipsed and "The Snow Queen" is desperate to dig her claws in. For anyone looking for an easy fantasy read that scrambles fairy tales together, this is a magical read. Otherwise, for those looking for a "Little Red Riding Hood" retelling, this isn't it. I loved how easy it was to fly through the story. As fantasy, it's probably one of the least complicated plots with just a couple of major ones running through it. It's really more of a love story, which was sweet, and about the bond between twin sisters, which was powerful. In reality, as the first in a trilogy, For the Wolf is almost entirely set up, so it felt like only the first major plot point in the overall story was hit.

Extended Thoughts

Valleyda is the only country that borders the Wilderwood, where the Five Kings have been imprisoned for centuries. It's cold and frozen, but holds power over the rest of the world as it's sacrifice to the Wolf may one day bring back the Five Kings. The sacrifice? Any second daughter born to the queen. There have only been three, and Red is about to be the fourth.

Neve, as the older twin, is for the throne. Red, the younger twin, is for the Wolf, to be sent to the Wilderwood on her twentieth birthday if the Mark doesn't appear on her arm beforehand and pulls her to the Wilderwood. Four years before, Neve and Red tried to destroy the woods, but Red instead ended up with a splinter of magic she's had to work hard to suppress since. It doesn't stop Neve and her intended Arick, who loves Red more, from trying to keep Red from the Wilderwood. But Red is ready to go, ready to protect her loved ones from the strange magic she now possesses.

In the Wilderwood, the Wolf only wants to send Red away, to release her from the duties his parents doomed him to, even if it means bleeding himself dry. He holds her at a distance, but Red is determined to stay, just as, back in the capital, Neve is determined to somehow free her sister, quickly becoming tangled in a priestess's scramble for power. The Wilderwood, though, wants something, needs something.

For the Wolf is a satisfying read to fairy tale lovers. It's an interesting blend of multiple tales that end up working well together. The world is detailed, especially the Wilderwood, and the characters have motivations that run deep. However, it's all completely world building and set up. The main story in this first book almost felt like an afterthought, but was certainly twisted in a darkly fun kind of way.

I flew through this book, constantly surprised with just how easy it was to read. I usually expect fantasy to be more on the cumbersome and complex side, but this one is, pleasantly, not. It's almost quick and easy and the story flows really well. But, by the time I was nearing the end, I realized most of the book was set up and world building. The world and its history is neatly laid out and makes thorough sense and the Wilderwood is describe in aching detail. Since most of the story is set in the Wilderwood, it pays close attention to detail and works hard to bring it to life. It's dark and creepy and full of monsters lurking just below the surface. I would definitely not want to go into it. Other than one sister trying to free the other and the other trying to get the Wolf to let her stay, there wasn't actually a ton going on.

Most of For the Wolf is wrapped up in the love story between Red and the Wolf. It's expected, predictable, but they take a long time to get there. Red is determined to do her duty, to aid the Wolf in his, while the Wolf is desperate to get Red out of there, to protect her at all costs until he has no choice because she's that stubborn. I loved Red and the Wolf. Their hurts and pains run deep, rivaled only by their stubbornness. It was fun to read about the Wolf trying to sidestep her all the time, but I wish to have gotten some of the story from his perspective, to make the romance just a little stronger because reading his feelings was really hard. He's scarred and hurting and is desperate to protect.

The rest of the story was that of sisters. As twins, Neve and Red are close. Neve is willing to do anything to get her sister back, while Red seems to choose the Wolf over her sister, though she'll be there for Neve as much as she can. Neve has no idea just how wrong the stories can be, so is easily lured into a priestess's trap. Kiri wants power and is willing to manipulate everyone around her, using their desires to twist them into doing what she wants. It's a dark, delicious plot and I really want more of Kiri and her deviousness.

For the Wolf is a bloodthirsty book. It's stark and works hard to make the Wilderwood a forbidding place. It's strength is in the world building, though I couldn't really say how exactly the magic works, and the deep characterizations. Every character wants something, and those somethings often clash as some have the real stories and others have what the world wants to believe, and they're all willing to bleed. There was so much bleeding I was almost nauseous. Initially, everything seemed quite black and white: save the Five Kings and the world will be set right. Except the stories twisted the truth.

For the Wolf delivers as a book of fairy tales. It's dark and romantic with a detailed world and incredible characters. I do wish it had pulled back on the "Little Red Riding Hood" a bit as it felt a little confining and like it was trying too hard to tie into the title, but, overall, I liked that it's a relatively uncomplicated fantasy and focuses on romantic and sisterly love.

Thank you to Angela Man at Orbit for a review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

Title: For the Wolf
Author: Hannah F. Whitten
Pub. Date: June 1, 2021
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This will be a spoiler free review. Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review. I fucking loved this.

I’ll be honest, I was the tinniest bit wary going in, because I was seeing a lot of hype surround this book. And if you’ve been around this blog for a while, you know how I feel about hype.

My apprehension was completely unfounded because this book was fucking excellent.

I’m still reeling from it, so I apologize if this review is short and sweet.

For the Wolf is atmospheric, lush, dark and gritty. It completely enraptures you and keeps you turning the page. I binged half of it instead of sleeping. Work is going to suck in the morning. I’m going to need a massive dose of caffeine to get me through my day.

But it was so worth it.

I fucking loved this book.

The characters.

The world.

The plot.

The stakes.

It left me in near tears towards the end.

I’m so damn excited for the next one.

Hannah makes you fall for her characters so quickly. I was enamored with Eammon after Red’s first encounter with him. And I loved Red. She’s brave, fiercely loyal, and when she loves you, she loves with everything she has. She’s also stubborn as hell. The two of them together just bring out all the emotions. They have such fiery explosive moments, but also these incredibly touching ones. Eammon has been alone for so long, but so has Red – the two of them finding their way towards each other is such a good journey.

This book had me wanting to walk into a dark magical forest and find my own Wolf. Jfc, why can’t that actually happen? Reality sucks.

I’m still not over this book – granted it’s only been about an hour, but the wait for book 2 is going to kill me. Hannah seriously knocked it out of the park with this one. It’s brilliant, captivating and will leave you desperate for more. Red and Eammon stole my heart. I’m sunk. I’m trash. I need book 2 – I need For the Throne. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

I’m telling you to go buy this book. It’s fucking great and definitely not one to miss. It’s out today, so make sure you pick it up!

For the Wolf is an enchanting tale of dark woods, old kings and untamed magic.

—

“𝘗𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘷𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦.”


A dark fantasy novel about a young woman who must be sacrificed to the legendary Wolf of the Wood to save her Kingdom.

As the second daughter, Redarys embraces her roll in being sent to the Wildwood while her sister Neve is unwilling to give up her sister.

While she’s there she learns some legends to be untrue, how her wield her magic safely and what she must do to save those she cares for.

—

“𝘙𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘶𝘻𝘻𝘭𝘦 𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘤𝘦, 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘶𝘣𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘧𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘦’𝘥 𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘵.”

This was a refreshing debut, full of atmosphere, original content and intriguing characters. If I had to describe it I would call it a cross between a dark fantasy and fairytale mixed in with some folklore. The family dynamic and slow burn romance kept the story at a nice pace and I liked that the love interest was not some dreamy, over confident, perfectly chiseled guy but more of a pale, skinny broody type, lol. The dark haunting woodsy scene is right up my alley and just sets the whole tone of the book. I really enjoyed the last 10% of the story and I really can’t wait to see where Hannah takes us next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

The first daughter is for the throne. The second daughter is for the Wolf. Red grew up a living sacrifice; by the time she was given to the forest, she’d accepted her fate. Those she loved, however, had not. But the Wolf was not the thing she was taught to fear, and Red must decide how to spend the life she never expected to have: will she save the forest she is bound to, or will she leave it to rot?

Before I’d even hit the halfway point of this book, I knew I had to buy it. It wasn’t enough just to have read, I needed to own it too. Now that I’ve reached the end and made my purchase, I’m absolutely certain that was the correct choice. This was one of my most anticipated books of the summer—I dropped everything, immediately when I got the ARC—and it completely blew away all my expectations. I haven’t shut up about For the Wolf since I opened it, and surely won’t stop talking about it any time soon.

A beautiful work of dark fantasy, For the Wolf throws so much of what I love in a story into one book. Blood magic, forest magic, a defiant heroine and a villain who may not be the villain at all—there are so many elements that I adore individually, and I adore them all together even more. And the tropes! Without spoiling anything, this had some of my favorite tropes. I don’t care how predictable some of them were, I absolutely ate it up. The world building could be a bit confusing, but in a way that narratively made sense—Red didn’t always understand her world, so neither did the reader—and there was little, if any, overwhelming info dumping.

I’m often a bit wary of fairytale retelling, if for no reason other than they can feel a bit predictable and repetitive. Being both a red riding hood retelling AND a beauty and the beast retelling really helped craft this into a completely unique story. The structure of this book was perfect, too; you follow Red’s journey, but there’s interludes into Neve, her twin’s, life too, until their paths cross again. The juxtaposition between the two hit incredibly hard, as you watch Red find herself as her sister deteriorates.

And the romance! Of course, you know Eammon is the love interest as soon as he’s introduced, but still their love story is drawn out. A slow burn romance done well will keep a reader invested in their every interaction, and god did Red and Eammon have me invested. It felt well paced and natural, and in the end I love how much emphasis was placed on this being Red’s choice, one she made for herself.

Somehow, I feel like I have no words for this book and yet I could probably write a whole thesis on everything I loved about this book. I laughed, I cried, I spiraled very deeply. I cannot stress enough how excited I am for book two, For the Throne, next July,

Let's talk about this book in two parts, like the two sisters and (more notably) the two very distinct halves of the book.

The first half: gorgeous descriptions painting a series of contrasts from cold austerity on one hand with overgrown, crumbling, Gothic on the other. The descriptive passages made it feel like the Wilderwood was all around you, like you could hear it breathing and see the vines and branches moving out of the corner of your eye. It was alive in every sense as Whitten described it. Alas, there was no real plot here and the dialogue was really awkward. Other than the descriptions (which were amazing) nothing really stood out.

Interlude: there are 5 interludes where Neve's story cuts into Red's and it was just enough to be confusing and distracting from Red's growth without actually explaining anything. Between large gaps of time between them where many things happen off-screen without being addressed in more than passing phrases and a series of decisions being made that are increasingly desperate without the staked necessarily being raised, I would rather have gone all or nothing with Neve's portions. Either a full alternate POV or none of Neve at all.

The second half: here is where all the plot comes crashing in over your head at once. Stakes are higher, the characters finally figure out what you the reader realized very early on and the real fight begins. The problem? Events that overwrite each other are now happening back-to-back in rapid succession. The first half of the book takes place over months, and I'm pretty sure the second half is like two days. The pacing is super uneven; I actually switched to audio about halfway through because I had been struggling so much with the pacing in the first half (little did I know it was about to really pick up).

The other thing was that it read young. For an Orbit title (since Orbit only publishes adult), it read very much like YA - particularly in the roles the characters fill and how they interact with each other. They didn't feel deep enough for an adult book of this length. Even Eammon was pretty much an enigma until the last act.

I will still read the sequel, though. Because Whitten's prose is top-notch and I anticipate better pacing/structure in her sophomore novel.

As the first second daughter to be born in centuries, Red knows it is her duty to be sent to the Wilderwood to plead with the Wolf to release their long-awaited kings. However, when she arrives, she discovers that the Wolf is not quite the monster legend made him out to be, and together, they must try to save the woods along with her kingdom.

Hannah Whitten’s For the Wolf takes Little Red Riding Hood, Beauty and the Beast, and a splash of other fairy tales in order to spin a gothic romance. I was completely swept away by the lush atmosphere of the Wilderwood and the vivid imagery of Whitten’s writing. The author manages to make the woods truly terrifying again—complete with blood-drinking trees with serrated teeth.

However, although the although the prose itself was rich and lyrical, the worldbuilding and the characters rang hollow to me. For instance, the story alternates between the two twin sisters: Neve and Red, but we’re seldom shown their personal backstory or memories with each other, so I found it difficult to feel emotionally invested in their whole side storyline. Even the Wolf—the main love interest—felt dull and one-dimensional to me, so I’m hoping that within the sequel, both the characters and the world will be better fleshed out.

This is a dark fantasy novel that was highly entertaining and introduced a very intriguing world.
In this world the first daughter is for the throne and the second daughter is to be sacrificed to the wolf in the Wood. Neve is the older sister and is trying to keep Red her sister safe from her fate. Red accepts her fate and once in the Woods realizes the wolf is nothing like what she expected.
This was a very well written book that creates a world that draws in the reader. The setting and the characters are fascinating and complicated. There was a romance element that I enjoyed as well. I’m looking forward to more books by this author.

The moment I saw this book, I knew I was going to read it. I loved everything about it. The cover. The blurb. It quickly became my most anticipated read of the year.

For the Wolf is a combination of a Beauty and the Beast and Red Riding Hood in a dark, twisty retelling. Lovers of fairytale retellings that are made for adults should definitely give this book a go! It follows the story of two sisters, Red and Neve. Neve is to be queen one day while Red, the second daughter, is fated to be sacrificed to the wolf of the wilderwood. This is told by the POVs of the two sisters, though more so through Red. The story is filled with a sibling bond, sacrifice, magic, mystery and romance.

I loved how the sister's relationship was written in this one. The good and the bad of a strong sister bond. I truly enjoyed both the sisters and what they brought to the story. I also really enjoyed the side characters in this book as they all added something. The Wolf is the perfect brooding but tender hearted love interest. The romance in this one is definitely a slowburn but well worth it. I can't wait for the next book and see how the story continues. The tale of the two sisters and the wolf of the wilderwood has went from my most anticipated read to my best read of the year.