**4.5 Stars**
So, I did not realize that this was a science fiction novel when I started reading, I just had a vague sense of the synopsis being about snow and wolves and sledding so color me surprised when I began the book to find out that it is set on a far off frozen planet in outer space where people come to mine for a crazy valuable resource. This is best described as science fiction had a baby with Call of the Wild but with a female teen protagonist. All of that being said, I really enjoyed this story. The story was gritty and dangerous and exciting, it was very easy to forget that this was supposed to be another planet because my brain kept putting the story into like Alaska here on earth no problem. To be fair though, I am a complete sucker for books with or about animals, especially when the animal is such a huge part of the story- which, spoiler, this one is! I spent a majority of the book holding my breath hoping that my new favorite alien wolf was going to survive the book, not even caring about the side human characters. Yes, I have my priorities.

Maybe this is petty of me but I dropped my stars from 5 to 4.5 due to how much repetition there was about the death of the main character's moms. Sure, it was sad she became an orphan (which took place years before the book began) and their deaths caused her to stay away from basically everything the book is about (racing, caring for the wolves, making connections with other humans, life in general for the most part) but at least the first half the book the main character thought about their deaths (in almost the same wording/manner) and used the deaths to avoid something at least once a chapter and by the end of the book I didn't want to hear about either of her mother's anymore. Call me insensitive, but I picked up on her grief within the first two times of it being brought up and did not need to continuously discuss it. That aside, I loved the action and overall plot of the book as well as her relationship with my new favorite wolf.

The story has a solid ending that I am completely happy with- but the author also left open a tiny crack in the door in case there might be a sequel, which I will be completely down for! There was zero romance in the book but still it had 2 of the best relationships that I have read recently and I love the story even more for not having a romance- not everything has to be romantic to be love or support and this was a great example of girls having each other's backs.

I don’t see that this is the start of a series… but it totally should be!!! Sena is such a strong character!! Don’t get me wrong, I spent a good portion of this book thinking, “you’re an idiot, please stop being stupid…” but then eventually she did and then the book took off from there!!

But who really stole the show?!?! Of course Iska did!!!! I absolutely love her and would now read any book that she makes an appearance in. I mean, who wouldn’t live a fierce, loyal, and protective wolf?! I know I do!!!

The plot is a little slow at first, but as mentioned previously, once Sena stops making ridiculous choices, the story just speeds up and becomes really good!! Fast pace and highly enjoyable. I love a tale of growth and becoming a better version of yourself. And I like the world building as well. I could really picture the world they live on and it was pretty vivid.

There’s only one little complaint I have… What in the hell happened to Temur and Kirima?!?! It’s like they were a huge part of the first portion of the book, but then nothing. Spoiler alert!!!…. You never find out what happens to them. They just fade away into the ether and are never heard from again. Why?!?! I’m curious to know what in the heck happened to them. Did Kalba kill them?? Did they get off world??? Did they fade away into nothing?!?! Seems like it!!! But that’s why I took off a star. I don’t like loose ends like that.

Otherwise, this is a seriously solid read!! I recommend this to YA adventure lovers who like sci-fi reads and animals. Wolves or vonen wolves to be precise. Very cool book.

Thanks so much to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Meg Long for the opportunity to read this for my honest and unbiased opinion!!

A non-stop action novel with high stakes of life or death. A perfect survival story for students of any age. Perfect animal lover adventure where you learn family is not always blood and may come from the most unexpected places. Sena has avoided following in her mothers footsteps but sometimes you must push through to get to the other side. I highly recommend this for fans of survival stories and that are not looking for romance in there read. A refreshing new Young Adult novel.

This was a pretty cool book, literally since it takes place on a fairly miserably cold planet that is not made any nicer by the Corporations and their quest for everything under their control, including exocarbon. The race itself was exciting with never a dull moment and I sped through that part but the first part with Sena against doing racing and making poor choices and so many bad things happening to her, that part was very depressing.

The characters I liked best were Remy and of course Iska. I really want to meet vonenwolves, especially one like Iska!

So, in summary, it was a good book, especially the last half. I think the first part could be better but all in all I enjoyed it.

I truly and whole heartedly enjoyed this book. Although our main character was a little whiny at the start, my favourite part was watching her character growth. This book married deadly science fiction and Jack London style survival stories with a dash of wolf dogs. The character development and twists and turns was everything I needed and I enjoyed that romance was not a focal point of the story!

Enjoy is not a word strong enough to describe what I felt while reading this book. You get immersed into a harsh, frozen and unforgivable world where survival is a day to day affair. Sena’s only wish is to leave this wasteland by any means necessary and through bad and forced decisions, finds herself on a scientific mission where her knowledge will be essential to its success. She builds relationships reluctantly as she mistrust everyone but the most important one will be with a female wolf. Both their lives will be irremediably changed.

This is a fast paced story where you can feel the cold, speed of the race with all its dangers and a wide range of emotions though the interesting characters.

I strongly recommend this book.

{3.5 stars}

Just because you can do something alone doesn’t mean you should. Sena is hard and disassociated from most human relationships after losing her mothers. She is surviving as a pick pocket hoping to save up enough to get off the planet and onto a new life. Her life is turned upside down when she attracts the attention of the local baddie who wants her to heal his fighting wolf. Instead she steals it and goes on the run and hides amongst a group of scientists in the planet's epic race. If she can get them to the finish line, they will pay her enough to get off the planet.

If you like action, then this is the book for you. This planet has factions of people pitted against one another based on political philosophy and resources. The planet is riddled with intense ion storms, all manner of strange and dangerous beasties and people with no moral compass.

Sena starts off quite challenging and focused only on her own ends and needs. Through the story we see her grow and mature through adversity and experiencing the kindness of others.

If you are looking for a YA read with a fast paced plot focused on adventure, revenge and finding your place in the world then Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves is perfect for you. It's got an intense action movie packed within these pages.

Thanks to Netgalley for access to an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Overall, this book was pretty good. The story was well written, the characters were enjoyable, but for some reason it didn't really GRAB me. I'd like to try re-reading it after my life with "adulting" stuff calms down.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book at its core is a story of the bond between Sena and her wolf, Iska. I loved the development of their relationship and how they come to rely on one another when they’ve found it so difficult to trust. It reminded me of a lot of classic children’s stories that focus on the bonds between people and animals. Portions reminded me particularly of the children’s story Stone Fox. However, this book felt refreshing and interesting.

The setting of the frozen planet with deadly gangsters and a treacherous dogsled race kept me wanting to read more. It took me a bit of time to really grasp the world fully but once I did, I was swept up in Sena’s journey. The dogsled race itself kept me guessing and that portion of the book was diffucult to put down. Sena was a character who had walls up and was quite jaded but as she opened up, I loved her character development and the friends she made along the way. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

This book was a highly anticipated one for me and it certainly lived up to that anticipation and all the hype. I want more of this world and these characters now. This was a bit different than other stories I've read in this vein of things but different in a good way.
It started with a bang and was fast-paced, intense, and heavily emotional throughout the whole book. I loved seeing how Sena was learning how to survive and thrive in this cold place on her own and how she was learning to deal with her emotions over everything that happened in her life. Her connection with Iska, the wolf was very special, strong, and moving and drove the story a lot of the time. The other characters that come into play are very well written and I loved the characters with Remy and Pana and the Professor too. I was very engaged up until the very end and had a hard time putting this one down. This story got me all in the feels and made me pretty emotional in parts. I did find myself wondering about a few things at/after the end like about her friend that helped her in the beginning, the possible love interest. The found family was one of the best things in this story that I loved.
I would highly recommend picking this one up and checking it out if you haven't already. Don't miss out on this one. Thanks so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for letting me read and review this awesome story. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This would be a great read for younger YA fans or even those who prefer no romantic subplots. If you hold any love for Barto, Snow Dogs, the Iditarod, or even Call of the Wild—this would be up your alley. But even more than that, this book has a sci-fi setting and touches upon societal issues such as corporatism and socioeconomic struggles. It features strong animal companionship, as well as a found family.

My biggest caveat is that the pacing of this overall was fairly slow—and I felt as though the story was still struggling to find its footing until about halfway in, when the race finally started. After that, everything seemed rushed, and it was difficult to keep up with what was going on and who was who. I think if this had more consistent pacing throughout, it wouldn’t have felt like such a bumpy ride at times.

Other than that—I really wanted to learn more about the world and the powers beyond the planet. I had so many questions and interest, but much of it felt unanswered.

Overall, if you are looking for a fast-paced adventure set within a unique world, then Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves is for you! I loved the relationship between Sena and our fighter wolf plus the found family elements of this story. I really hope that we get more in this world someday and look forward to what Meg Long writes next!

I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley #netgalley

I couldn't finish this one sorry

Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves was a really fun read! It made me realize how few books I read that have a very wintery setting but that setting was one of the things that stood out here. In my head I kept picturing Hoth from Star Wars. Like Star Wars, I really enjoyed to pairing of this harsh planet and sometimes primitive elements with the advanced technology that very clearly grounded the story in the future or another universe. It it both familiar and fantastical.

Our MC is a force to be reckoned with and I really enjoyed her journey, even when I wanted to share the heck out of her for her stubbornness.

If you like cold settings, high stakes, orphan thieves, dogs, and just a great adventure - pick this one up!

Thank you Wednesday Books for an early copy of this beautiful book.

Full Review now life at www.readandwander.com

Sena is alone; her parents are dead, and she has no one, except a sort-of relative whom she calls aunt, but who isn't really. A child of two worlds - one technological, one natural - Sena struggles to survive in either. Sena's mothers were racers, participating in a dog-sled race similar to the Iditarod, but updated for life on another planet. Racers compete to be the first to retrieve and deliver a rare ore needed throughout the galaxy; Sena's mothers died in such a race, which is why Sena refuses to participate, instead living on the fringes of society and doing whatever she must to survive.

Sena is a fascinating, intricate character, with some resemblance to other orphans such as Oliver Twist, but still her own unique person. Throughout the novel, Sena fights to retain her own integrity as a person, while holding everyone she can at a distance, trying to avoid being hurt in the present the way the loss of her mothers hurt her in the past. Join her as she learns, grows, and tries to fit into her world - you'll be glad you did! I do hope that the author, Meg Long, writes another book - I'd like to know what happens to Sena next.

I am providing this review in return for being given a preview copy of the novel by NetGalley.

COLD THE NIGHT, FAST THE WOLVES was a thrilling ride, a tale of survival that had Balto, Hunger Games, and Mad Max vibes at times. One thing I loved about this book was that there wasn't really a romance. Instead, the true love story of the novel was between outcast Sena and fighter wolf, Iska, who find themselves forced to take to the icy tundra of Tundar in an infamous race as they run from a crime boss intent on revenge. I ADORED ISKA. ADORED HER. She was the best part about the book. She was cute and sweet and made my heart go awwww. And to see her bond with Sena, who you can't help but like? Priceless. That was the big thing that kept me reading, but if that isn't enough, there's more. Long's worldbuilding transcends genre and combines elements of sci-fi with fantasy creatures and was so well-imagined. The stakes are so high as Sena, Iska and their ragtag little crew must fight for survival in an unforgiving wilderness. Sena's character development is phenomenal and I loved seeing her grow in this story. I also adored Remy and Pana and the relationship these women forged with Sena and each other. While the beginning of this book is a little slow, once it gets going, it just doesn't stop. It was a real page turner for me. COLD THE NIGHT, FAST THE WOLVES is about unexpected relationships being the one thing we didn't know we need to survive, and I highly recommend this fun debut novel!

4.5 stars.

A Jack London feel with a strong female protagonist on a harsh and fairly violent planet. There was a bit of a slow start to this adventurous dystopian sci-fi, but once the ball got rolling, I was wholly engrossed. A tense narrative centered on an icy planet where an annual, deadly sled race takes place. Sena is basically alone to survive in an area that sees her as someone who doesn't belong. The skills taught to her by her mothers prior to their disappearance during a past race wind up serving her well, but she also has a knack for getting into serious trouble.

The plot moves great once it gets going, with a lot of tense activity and an atmospheric feel to the gripping action. Great worldbuilding along with a stellar character arc for Sena. There is a lot of social commentary and climate discussion built into the plot that relates well to the modern world. It's a creative approach to current events built into a story that captured my attention quite well. And holy crap the atmosphere. I live in Minnesota, so the cold winter is something I'm very familiar with. This captured it fantastically as I sat in my house, bundled in blankets with temperatures well below zero outside.

There is some loss of logic in pieces of the plot in a way that makes the story feel a bit on the magical realism/fantastical side, but overall things make sense and follow in a way that keeps the tale moving well. There were points where I felt like every extreme was being taken, but I have to say...it worked. I'm a fan and I'm impressed by this debut.

* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *

This is such a unique reading experience and i loved that, because it's scifi, it left off on a place where there could be further exploration of this universe the author created.

I would explain this book to someone as Han Solo meets Balto. Our main character is very much a Han Solo- a cheeky, down on her luck racer who has a furry companion and has to pull off a mission. Han Solo is obviously much more scifi than this, but this IS light scifi which really added something special to this book and what the author created I felt was really unique. Fans of Skyward by Brandon Sanderson will likely enjoy this.

However, if you are into survivalist stories then this will also appeal to you. The cross appeal here is great.

This is also quite possibly the MOST perfect winter read. This book will make you feel borderline frostbitten in it's descriptions of cold. And the creepy forest factor is ON POINT.

I think the exploration of grief here was fantastic, and although her mothers are both deceased by the start of the book i appreciate that it had casually queer lesbian parents and their queerness wasn't made a huge deal.

I also appreciate that there was no romance here. It wouldve felt superfluous and the author was able to focus time on other things and develop them, and I really appreciate it.

If Han Solo teaming up with Balto (complete with angry bear and all) sounds good to you, read this immediately.

Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves was a pleasant surprise for me. The description sounded interesting and like it had a lot of potential, and it didn’t disappoint. This YA story tackles gritty and real topics in a science-fiction world. For me, the world-building was one of the stars of the story. The reader is pulled into a cold, frozen planet where the money can be made by participating in a race each year to harvest exo-carbon from a remote location.

Sena lost her mothers to the race when she was young, and she’s been on her own to figure out how to survive. That involves thieving and stealing from tourists who come to the planet, but when she lands herself into trouble with one of the undercity bosses on the planet, she’s left caring for an injured fighting wolf while navigating a complicated relationship with a scientific team that wants to race just to study the exo-carbon.

I don’t want to go into the plot, since I don’t want to spoil anything, but I have to say that the found family aspects of this story were another favorite, second only to the world-building. I did knock off one star for pacing. There were parts of the book that felt like they were longer than necessary, and I didn’t feel the urge to continue reading as strongly as I wanted to. But this was an enjoyable read and I’m so glad that I read it.

Warning: This book discusses some sensitive topics that may be triggering for some readers including death of a loved one (past), physical trauma, torture, and injuries/blood.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This book frustrated me. It had some much potential that just did not come to pass. The world building was interesting but had parts that just made no logical sense and were inconsistent. I am trying to avoid spoilers but some of the information that comes about on her family doesn’t fit. Also, while everyone grieves differently, the MC just makes really poor choices for most of the first half of the book. It is just frustrating to read, and it doesn’t make any sense but Sena’s choices continue to not work and yet she keeps doing it. Also, not the author’s fault but the blurb covers the first 55% of the books so there are no surprises for most of the book and even the ending isn’t very surprising. The most interesting back story is told very shot for Remy and it is sad that the character with the most depth/nuance does not get more screen time. I would read her story. By the end I was just happy for it to be over, which is usually a 2 stars for me but I gave it three for a first book and the description of the scenery, the lack of a love triangle, and Iska the wolf.