Cover Image: Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves

Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves

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I really loved the setting of this book, which reminded me of many sci-fi properties that I enjoy. Admittedly, I prefer to read books with a dash of romance in them, but I still enjoyed this one!

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Meg Long's "Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves" is an immersive journey beyond traditional survival fiction. Through expert storytelling, vivid landscapes, and multifaceted characters, Long weaves a captivating tale of resilience, despair, and the unbreakable human spirit.

From the very beginning, Long's writing sets the tone for the unforgiving terrains that play a crucial role in the narrative. The atmosphere becomes almost like a character itself, shaping and guiding the individuals who must navigate its relentless embrace.

The characters in "Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves" embody both the fragility of humanity and its ability to withstand nature's harshest elements. Long skillfully delves into their minds and emotions, painting a complex portrait of their inner struggles as they face primal forces both external and internal.

The pace of this gripping tale mirrors that of a fierce winter storm, constantly propelling the story forward with each chapter. Moments of tranquility are interwoven with heart-pounding action, creating a sense of unpredictability that mirrors the very essence of nature itself.

At its core, "Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves" is a profound exploration of resilience. Amidst all odds, the characters demonstrate incredible strength and determination to survive. Long delves deep into their psyche, revealing moments of vulnerability and quiet triumphs that add depth to their journey.
Wolves serve as both a metaphor for external threats and internal demons throughout the novel. This creates a thought-provoking reflection on the relationship between humanity and nature, blurring the lines between predator and prey in both realms.

Long's attention to detail not only paints a vivid picture of the harsh environment but also serves as a canvas for deeper meaning. The imagery in this novel immerses readers into the characters' struggle on a sensory level while also reflecting their inner turmoil.

Despite the bleakness of their situation, moments of hope and camaraderie shine through, highlighting the resilience of the human spirit. Long does not shy away from the grim realities of survival, but also shows that even in the darkest times, there is still light to be found.

The psychological toll of survival is a key aspect of this novel. As the characters face constant danger and uncertainty, they must also confront their own fears and insecurities. This adds another layer of complexity to the story, making it a thought-provoking psychological study.

Through the characters' journey, the novel raises existential questions about the unpredictable nature of life and the choices we make in the face of adversity. Long's masterful storytelling encourages readers to contemplate the intricacies of the human experience.

"Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves" is a literary masterpiece that goes beyond conventional survival fiction. With its intricate prose, rich atmosphere, and complex themes, it stands as a testament to the unbreakable human spirit in even the most challenging circumstances.

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I received an ARC of this from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’m a little late to the party since I’ve had this novel on my Goodreads reading list since 2022 but I finally decided to sit down and read it. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I’m happy to see that my waiting paid off. There’s now a sequel!

It was the perfect blend of sci fi, fantasy, nature, murder, mayhem and a race on an unforgiving, freezing planet that claims the lives of so many participants. I loved the world building, the characters, the plot, the anticipation of what was going to happen with the race, and the bond between human and wolf.

I have the next book in hand and I can’t wait to start on it. Great read.

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Set in a frozen world, Sena struggles to make a life for herself, trapped by her choices until she embraces a volenwolf and a possible shot to leave her old life behind.

Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves surprised me. I knew from the synopsis that it was a survival story, but that didn't prepare me for what I read. Meg Long mixed a dystopian futuristic world with a nature survival story. It was such an intruiging mix. I didn't know if it would be successful, but the author pulls it off very well. I was drawn into Sena's world, rooting both for her and the wolf she becomes bound to, Iska.

Thanks to Netgalley and the St. Martin's Press for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

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This gave me all the vibes of Julie of the Wolves from my childhood and I can't tell you how much I loved getting that feeling all over again. Except this had beasts that pose a challenge to the MC. I've always loved stories set in the wild and Alaska like locations so it's no wonder I enjoyed this novel too.

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From the moment I picked it up, I was hooked and stayed up all night to read it. I appreciated how much thought was given to details of this whole new world. As a YA book, it is refreshing to have a main character not rely on a man or relationship for some kind of unrealistic strength. She relies on herself and builds strong bonds with others, especially her beautiful wolf.
Badass fight scenes too!

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This was a quick and fun themed read, but I was so annoyed with the main character, Sena. She never really did anything, failed at all her tasks, suffered with self loathing, and honestly didn’t have any enduring qualities. Remy was so much more intriguing and had main character energy I was missing. I know the next book will focus on her, but idk that I’m interested enough to continue the series. I also felt like plot elements such as the race itself were barely fleshed out and thought that was irritating seeing that the whole book was centered on this race. A lot of things just didn’t make sense to me and I was left wanting.

LGBTQ+ rep: mention of F/F parents of main character

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A story that is a little different fron the usual - and keeps you wanting more! This is a survival story that explores an unlikely friendship between a girl and a wolf born and trained to be a killer. The MC overcomes many obstacles, finds some answers to her questions, and discovers friendships. An excellent debut novel.

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Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

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An exciting and action-packed survival story, a sci-fi Call of the Wild. I was fully immersed in Meg Long's world-building and I loved the relationship that developed between Sena and Iska. I'll be handing this one to my adventure loving teens who prefer no romance subplots in their books.

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This YA sci-fi fantasy followed the usual plot recipe and included all the usual ingredients and tropes typical of the genre.

Our MC Sena is a 17-year old girl, orphaned of course, trying to steal enough money to get "off-world", but that's as far as her planning goes. Enter the villian, a crime boss who forces her to heal his fighting wolf. Of course the wild killer wolf becomes her friend and adventure ensues.

Sena then flees and joins up with a group of found family and is their only hope for completing a sled race that Sena swore she would never be a part of. Death is narrowly escaped many times, there is much self-doubting angst, there are many struggles which are overcome, and the bad guy is dealt with at the end.

The action moved along at a good clip, but it all felt very predictable to me. Overall, it was a solid entertaining read, but it didn't knock my socks off. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4

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On a cold, icy planet, Sena is a survivor. She'll do anything she must to survive after losing her parents to the annual sled race years ago - anything but attempt the race, that is. When she runs afoul of a local underground boss, though, her desperation leads her to steal a valuable fighting wolf and help a team of scientists finish the race. Once the team get to the end of the race, they've promised to help Sena escape the planet she hates. Filled with fantastic world building and a well-crafted sense of almost-electric danger, this is a great choice for adventure and fantasy readers.

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This book went on too long. The plot took forever to get to the point and then the ending was resolved poorly and made me loose interest in the characters.

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This is an atmospheric story about survival and nature. The barren and cold land was so well described and the setting and world building were well done. I wouldn't say this was fast paced like some of the other reivews, but it was definitely tense and kept me reading. If you are a fan of Jack London, this might be a comparable read for that, particularly for someone not interested in classics but wants a similar feel to that.

This is also an emotionally engaging story between a girl and the wolf, well, genetically modified wolf, and loyalty. I don't think I was emotionally prepared for those feelings.

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DNF at 20%

I should have known that a book about a ice planet would have pacing that was positively glacial.

It is a shame because I was really loving the worldbuilding and the characters, but the pacing just made the entire book feel dead in the water.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review!

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This was a fun book! A bit slow to start, but once it gets going, there is an interesting story A scientific expedition with a fight for survival. A unique story for sure!

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I saw this was pitched as Balto meets jack london and i loved it. This book is a unique and enjoyable diversion from my normal diet of ya fantasy. Although the premise might not seem like much, the setting is captivating and it's got a plot based on character development, rather than romance like your traditional ya book these days. This book feels like a well researched, well loved project, and the writing definitely proves that.

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This was fast paced and quite intense journey through the forest. I’m a sucker for a good survival story and this one didn’t disappoint.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

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This story was a great read and wonderful world building of a girl living and surviving on an ice planet. It took me a minute to get into but, I enjoyed it until the end.

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Thank you to the publisher for the chance to read this book, and I'm sorry my review is so late!!

This was a cool and unique YA sci-fi: I love the resurgence of YA scifi. Unfortunately, the pacing missed the mark for me a little bit and I felt we were really told the main character's motivations rather than shown them, so they didn't feel believable.

On the positive side, the world building was quite interesting and the atmosphere was VERY well written - you really felt the cold atmoshpere.

I would try something else from this author!

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