This adult fantasy was literally everything I could ever want in a book and here are the reasons why it is so good.
Okay but like seriously the first thing that sold me was the basic summary which was "a young woman who must be sacrificed to the legendary Wolf of the Wood to save her kingdom" like first off this is super intriguing and I just could not wait for it and then little old me just pressed request and got approved I think this is the biggest life accomplishment ever. This book balances characters and plot so well it was like I was never missing out on something. Their were secrets everywhere and it just kept you wanting to read more and more. If you know anything about me its that I love a great atmosphere and this book gave me that and the writing was just so good and flowed with the story so well. The character work was absolutely phenomenal; Red is just so brave but also sometimes gives you those WHY ARE YOU DOING THAT moment. This story kept me hooked till the very end and I just could not get enough of it. The pacing was also done very well for this story but that is just my opinion. Their was also some romance and I just could not get enough of it. It was blended with the legends and lore so well I was just like let me immediately get to the second book now because that cliffhanger at the end omg this book isnt even out yet and I am so excited for it. In conclusion this book has everything from amazing romance to mythology to an amazing atmosphere and I highly recommend it .
This book comes out June 1st and thank you so much to Orbit Books and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review because this book was so amazing and I think I might have found one of my favorite books of all time so thank you Hannah for writing such an amazing book and I literally cannot wait for release day so I can annotate every single page!

I really enjoyed this one! I liked how it was a bit of Red Riding Hood/ Beauty & the Beast reimagined. I really liked Red and Neve and their relationship and I liked how we got to see both of their sides of the story. I found this to be really intriguing how there is plant magic mixed in. The imagery is intense but amazing. It's hard to put into words how it made me feel. Visually it might be too much for some people, because the plants embody the humans in a way, but I thought it was twisty and different and added another element to the story. I liked how Red and Eammon's relationship developed too. I was hooked from the very beginning of this one! I think it is so different from other retellings that many will really like it.

Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

I was so looking forward to Hannah Whitten's debut--the aesthetics alone sold me--so I might have gone into For the Wolf with high expectations.

Red is a Second Daughter, and therefore has been marked for the wolf--a sacrifice sent to a magical Wilderwood intending to bring back five kings who legend says are trapped inside, held hostage by the forest's wolf, who is actually a hot dude--centuries-old Eammon. Red is eager to go, wanting to hide herself and her unusual power in a place where she can no longer hurt anyone (the old my-unusual-power-hurts-people-and-I-must-master/destroy-it trope). Once she's in the woods she finds that all the legends are wrong, and the only way to save herself might be accepting the magic in her. Meanwhile, her sister, Neve, will stop at nothing to get Red back, even if that means destroying the Wilderwood and opening the gates to the dangerous Shadowlands so the kings can finally walk free.

A lot is going on in this book. Red and Eammon do a slow-burn dance around each other and how best to protect the Wilderwood, while Red learns what happened to the previous Second Daughters and how she can avoid their fate. Meanwhile, Neve is drowning in political intrigue in interlude chapters that shove the plot past Red's muddled magic. The end result is a bit lurching until the two plotlines finally meet. I felt like Red was a rather typical MC given her motivations--self-sacrificing, stubborn, the whole bit. Her story in the Wilderwood felt a bit slow as she pushed Eammon to give her the truth. Neve's story, alternatively, moves and shakes the book far more, but is given less screen time, which is why it felt hard to settle in. Ultimately, the story is more invested in being a slow-burn romantic fantasy than it is a political intrigue, so fair enough.

Speaking of slow-burn romantic fantasy, yes, Eammon is a wonderful romantic lead. Top-notch. 10/10 would recommend.

In the end, For the Wolf didn't quite live up to the hype I'd built around it, but it's an inventive take on the Red Riding Hood fairytale, and I'll pick up For the Throne.

For the Wolf was a very aesthetic story. The descriptions and world-building were unique and beautiful. I could really picture the horrors and magic that were described by Whitten.

The writing style did not hold your hand, and felt that I was learning the magic system with the main character. However, I did find times that the magic system felt vague or just too out of my grasp. As I continued reading the world and system started to make more sense.

This book puts a twist on some beloved fairytales. The main character, Red, is strong and curious. I really enjoyed her character and her growth throughout the book and the romance was perfect. I really look forward to the next book to see where this story goes.

A more detailed review will be posted closer to the publication date on Goodreads and other book retail websites. I will update the review here.

2021 must be my year because woodsy, fantasy, wolfy books are coming at me left and right. I loved For the Wolf! Hannah Whitten filled all the weird, monster boyfriend shaped holes in my heart and I can't wait to see what else she has in store (hopefully more monster boyfriends). Captivating, haunting, bloody, and oh so lovely, this one is going on my favorites shelf.

As the second daughter of the royal family, Red has always known that she is destined to be sacrificed to the Wilderwood and the Wolf who lives within - and her own dark secret leads her to go willingly. But what she finds in the Wilderwood is nothing like what she was raised to expect.

This story is not so much a Red Riding Hood retelling as a dark fantasy inspired by that fairy tale and others (most notably Beauty and the Beast). And as you might expect from a hybrid Red Riding Hood/Beauty and the Beast tale, there is a romance between Red and the Wolf at the core of the story. The characters are compelling, and both the plot and the relationships between characters work to keep the reader invested in finding out what happens next. I also found the dual narratives (between Red and her sister Neve, back in their home kingdom) interesting.

There’s something about the magic system that I can’t quite wrap my brain around, and to be honest I’m not sure if that’s the book’s fault or mine. I mostly felt like I got it by the end, but something about it just doesn’t totally click together for me, and I feel like if it had been a little more cohesive, I would have found the book and the worldbuilding a lot more immersive.

If you’re into the dark fairy tale subgenre at all, definitely give this one a read.

This was good! Gothic and brooding for sure. The slow burn romance was exquisite. Red was extremely well written. My only complaint was that it felt a bit repetitive at times.

A dark and magical wood, a red cape, a sacrifice, a Wolf in a castle: let Hannah Whitten weave a fairytale that is more sinister than you expect. Recommended for fans of Melissa Albert's "The Hazel Wood."

“She was going to the Wilderwood to save everyone she loved from herself.” High-fantasy is not something I read often and this was a refreshing reminder of how much I love it! The world-building is brilliant, giving you enough to know the basic lore and traditions, without overbearing you on every minor detail. At its core, this dark fantasy is a love story. A love story between sisters, first and foremost.

An angsty, dark fairytale-inspired fantasy with epic romance with a brilliant ensemble of characters. You instantly root for all the characters in this book, the mysterious Wolf, and the determined Red whose fate is tried to old superstitions. Myth and legend become woven into the story twisting over time until the truth is hidden. It was a refreshing but familiar read with unexpected twists that made it impossible to put down.

“If she became something horrific and beautiful, could she take it back?” Every chapter is thrilling and an unraveling of choice and determination, women saving themselves. A beautiful, atmospheric dark fantasy with subtle retellings, full of magic and monsters and unexpected love. If this is not an anticipated 2021 read for you, it should be.

'The first daughter is for the Throne. The second daughter is for the Wolf.'

This was an enjoyable read and will appeal to fans of Katherine Arden and Naomi Novik. The writing felt a little bit on the basic side, but as a debut novel holds up. The plot and world building were interesting but don’t bring a lot of newness to the Fantasy genre.

Though this personally wasn't my cup of tea, I can see how this Red Riding Hood retelling can appeal to our YA readers. One can see the efforts of the author at the world building, but I found most of writing repetitive and in need of editing. There's clearly a lot going on in the story, and some parts almost feel like a slog to get through. However, the relationship between Red and the Wolf is interesting enough and readers will want to know what's in store for them in the sequel.

This was so good! I loved the way this book used both Beauty and the Beast and Red Riding Hood to make this super eerie, magical fantasy!

I loved the characters, especially Red and Eammon. Red was such a great character, and I found myself highlighting a lot of sections where she surprised me. I thought for sure she would be angry about her situation and would lash out and try to escape, but time and time again she showed great understanding and compassion. Even though she’s a little scared of her new life, she takes everything in stride and adapts. She had come to terms with how her life would play out, and wasn’t trying to fight it but rather carve out a new space for herself.

“Well, damn the myths. She was just as much a part of those stories as he was, and if her destruction was imminent, she’d rather be the architect than a bystander.”

Eammon was so mysterious at first, but as we learned more about him I ended up really liking him! He was so selfless, to the point where he would not accept help from anyone. I enjoyed how his character developed. I also liked the relationship that Red and Eammon had, although at times it did feel a little lackluster. That being said, there is a huge emphasis on consent in this book, not just between Red and Eammon. I also need more of the whole monster boyfriend trope thing, because this was fantastic. The romance was really slow burn, and it also included the “there’s only one bed” trope which I always enjoy.

The writing was beautiful, and I think I’ve made more highlights in my ARC than I’ve made in the last few books I’ve read combined! It was beautiful without being overly flowery, and was able to really bring out the atmosphere and emotions. What makes this even more impressive to me is that this is a debut. If this is what Hannah Whitten writes for her first book, I can’t WAIT to see what she does next!

“He surged over her, a tide that swept them both away. The roots of the Wilderwood pulsed, growing deeper, twining together like the Wolves on the floor.”

Speaking of atmosphere, it was so good! I loved the eerie forest and the way that it was a sentient being. There is a ton of what I would consider body horror in this. Lots of plants doing violent things, or growing within someone. That isn’t something that will be for everyone, but I enjoyed it! At times the body horror element reminded me of Wilder Girls, if only because of the nature aspect of the body horror.

I also loved how there were so many myths and legends woven into the story, and how those myths and legends can get twisted over time until the truth is hidden. It will be interesting seeing where these aspects go in the second book, which I am very much looking forward to!

Overall, I very much enjoyed this book and will be getting a physical copy so that I can reread this! I’m really looking forward to the second book in the series, and I’ll be reading anything else that this author writes!

Review will go live on my blog on April 7th.

I loved this! I was drawn to it because I love everything by Naomi Novak and also Katherine Arden. This did not disappoint in terms of recommendations. I loved the way the author crafted the atmosphere, the history and the myths of this new realm. I do really wish there had been a map and glossary though! Overall, I would recommend this book to patrons I knew who loved richly done fantasy, and I can’t wait for the sequel!

I loved For the Wolf, it had all my favorite tropes, the one bed trope & a marriage of convenience one. I was really excited to find that though it was a retelling of Red Ridding Hood it still was a unique story with many turns. The magic system in this book is super interesting and it will have you wondering about how exactly the Wilderwood works. There's so many strong relationships in this book - sisters who'd do anything for each other, friends who won't let them give everything, and loves that will share power. I can't wait for this to come out so I can have a physical copy and I'm even more excited for the next book!

I loved the magic and romance throughout this book! It reminded me vaguely of Beauty and the Beast... But did such a great job avoiding tropes and overused plotlines. I'm already thinking about the sequel! Not sure how I'm going to handle the wait.

This was such a fun read; although the premise sounds similar to Uprooted, I enjoyed For The Wolf much more (for one thing, it didn’t have the toxic romance I felt Uprooted had). I also liked the importance placed on non-romantic relationships, and the nods to several fairy tales.

*Spoiler free*

It's a forest and wolf book. About the first daughter being for the throne, and the second daughter being for the Wolf. But the Wolf is not the monster that the legends have made him out to be. I mean, that sounds right up my alley and I was desperate to to read this. It was a forest and a wolf book. It has magic. Yes, I wanted to read this very badly. Trigger warnings

This book was interesting.

It was not what I expected in a lot of ways, but I can say that did end up loving it a whole lot.

First off, it is beautifully, achingly, written. I am in awe of Whitten's talent, because the way she weaves words together is just sublime. It was like she was made in the forest and sprouted up to tell a story set in the trees around her. The writing of this book gave it an incredible feel, tainted a bit dangerous, with scenery that took my breath away and magic that was wind swept, and haunted eyes in tortured souls. This was one of my favorite things about this book, this feeling that it had about it, that made it so amazing.

The story was one of the things that surprised me. I thought it was going to focus fully on Red, and her journey in the Wilderwood, but there are, what felt big to me, chunks of Neve back at the castle. These interludes were not bad, at all! I really enjoyed them, and I think they made the story all the stronger, but I felt like they overshadowed Red's story. Her chapters felt fast and like not much happened in them compared to the interludes. Though, I can say that both facets of the story had their very own, very distinct feel to them. One is very political and maneuvering, while the other is magic and running from danger. I just wish I had connected with Red's part of the story a bit more.

Speaking of Red, I really hate saying this, I found her character to be a bit bland. I know, I know! I guess I just wanted a bit more from her and her story. I think it's just that I didn't fully connect with her and her story, but that doesn't mean that I didn't appreciate it! I loved watching her go through the Wilderwood and everything that she finds there. I guess the slow burn of her character didn't quite work for me. Though, I did think it was wonderful how she managed to go through two cloaks and a jacket. She keeps ruining clothes that keep her warm. It's hilarious haha.

Though, for all the other characters, I loved them a whole heck of a lot. Eammon, oh the tortured soul he is. He has shaggy hair and a library and is dead set on being a marytr. So yes, I completely fell in love with him. Fife and Lyra were wonderful. They are in a relationship and Lyra is aromantic and I just thought it was so great and I love them both a whole lot. Raffe and Neve, wow. I love Neve. She is desperate to bring her sister back. Her journey is painful, and the angst was wonderful. And Raffe, how noble, how sweet, how amazing a character.

Also, the romantic longing in this book is just top notch. Between both of the romantic relationships, I wanted to sequel whenever they came on the page. Just, so much longing.

The magic in this book was also top notch. It's, something hard to describe without giving too much away. It does what it needs to do. It just is, and that, for me, is what made it so amazing. Because it contrasts with the consequences others have to face, and the choices they have to make. But in the end, it just is.

Overall, I think I was expecting to fall head over heels for this book, and I didn't. But, I did fall in love with it! It's incredibly written, and there is so much forest and so much wolf. There's longing and magic and gorgeous cloaks and so much more. It truly is a very good book.