Great mix of fantasy and romance. The world-building of a good fantasy, it felt very rich. I will miss it now that I’m done with the book. The characters have a lot of depth, there are real feelings happening. The supporting characters are fully fleshed out too. I think that added to the story, since all fantasy has side characters to track. I would describe it as a fantasy road trip revenge tale. I was surprised at how involved I became with the characters and their story. I’m excited to see what Halle s in the next book.

I did receive an advanced copy in exchange for a review.

I don't feel comfortable leaving a star rating as I could not finish the book and this could very much be someone else's favorite read!

The pacing was too slow for me personally and I didn't feel connected to the MCs. I didn't feel like their mission was a big enough storyline to keep me flipping pages.

I did enjoy the world that Capes built and would absolutely give a future book a shot. I have favorite authors where there's a couple of their books I just can't get into. So I'm not writing this author off.

I need the next book asap! The book took a while to get going due to setting the scene but when it got going, I was hooked! A brilliant romantasy!

I loved this so much, I love the term Romantasy and this definitely fits the bill, it’s Romantastic ! The characters, the chemistry, the world building, everything was just spot on for me, I’m so looking forward to more in the future

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

It was a great read, the story, the characters, the setting, everything worked so good for it.
It's a book that had everything and the story worked so well, my only issue with the book wasn't really with the book, it was with how unpractical was to keep up with the glossary of words, other than that it was a solid 5 stars for me.

Love, love , love this book. I felt the story to be a bit slow for the first few chapters but boy does it pick up! A fantasy book with just a bit of *spice* thrown in. Can’t wait for the second book.

I really tried to get into this book ‘cause you know a paranormal romance with alpha males. Who can say no to that? Well apparently I’m on a roll ‘cause I couldn’t get into this one either.

I didn’t really like the writing style. Like you can write an adult book without using curse words all the time.
Also I don’t know if is only me but I was extremely annoyed by how often the words Antigone and Ninigone were mentioned. IMO the author could of have replace them and we still would of known what she was referring to.

I’m not sure if I will pick up the next installment once is out


2.5 stars

This book was slow on the uptake for me. The biggest issue I had was referring to a glossary to understand terms/words used in the book. Samson was the character I enjoyed most, his backstory had a lot to offer. I wish the world building would’ve gotten a little less depth attention. I wanted this book to have me hanging on it’s every word & while it did get comical at points it wasn’t enough to keep me coming back for more. The romance lacked quite a bit, to the point where I wouldn’t call it an ACOTAR meets the Witcher, that statement is misleading.

Even though this book didn’t do it for me, I still would like to thank Capes & NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to weigh in on this book.

It was a very interesting read. The world building was complex and built on so many layers it was a little hard to get into, plus a lot of characters, but once I got the hang of it, it was enjoyable. Samson and Helisent reminds me of little red riding hood and her big bad wolf lol but make it romantic (love the witch x wolf pairing too!), The romance is slowburn and actually very cute. Looking forward the next book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Capes for granting me an ARC for my review.

This was a really interesting read, a new world with new beings and creatures. Full of magic, adventure and mystery too.

Dual point of view, and the bather between FMC and MMC was entertaining and deep with secrets. The characters are enchanting and complex. There are many layers to the story happening present and past.

Overall after the story finished I'm still thinking about it.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In the first of what is to be a series, we are introduced to our main characters. Helisant is funny and doesn’t take shit from anyone. Samson is a stern and very focused wolf, who is looking for his mother who has mysteriously disappeared. They bond over a shared interest in finding the same witch, and so they start their journey together.

We’ve got the following:
•Strong World Building.
•Forbidden love
•Cliffhanger
•Sort of Secret Identity

Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Capes for the ARC of this book!

I came across this book on NetGalley and was immediately captured by the promise of "Think: Sex and the City meets The Witcher." The Witcher is one of my favorite fantasy worlds, and Sex and the City makes me think of female friendships and how they each navigate the world. Unfortunately I don't feel like this book fits either comparison. The backstories of the main characters were interesting and there seemed to be a lot of potential for the world building, but it just fell a bit flat for me. I would compare it more to True Blood or the Mercy Thompson series. I wish the story and main characters had grabbed me more, but this book just wasn't for me.

Happy Release Day to @capes.author 🎉📚🥰

Today, West of Jaws by Capes is now out! Special thanks to @netgalley for allowing me to access the eARC of this novel. 💖

《Review & Rating》
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

"West of Jaws is an adult romantasy from indie author Capes. Think: Sex and the City meets The Witcher"

This book introduced a fantasy world w/ unique world building that included a different spin on witches, werewolves, nymphs, & demigods. (There's a glossary in the back of this novel for the many world specific words & terms used)

I loved how the beginning of the book jumped right into it, without long boring descriptions of the setting. I enjoyed not understanding how this world completely worked until I learned more background about the characters as well as the plot unraveling.

This is a Dual POV between Heslient West of Jaws, a red witch, and Samson 714 Afador, the next Alpha male wolf. They are two imperfect creatures that come together in alliance to hunt down Oko, both for different reasons, and reasons kept from each other for the majority of the novel due to lack of trust.

There was adventure, action, ghosts, hilarious banter, and some spice. Ends in a twisty cliffhanger and definitely will be keeping my eye out for a sequel!

《Synopsis》

"The only thing dumber than convincing the imminent Male Alpha of Velm to help me find Oko would be falling in love with him along the way."

Helisent West of Jaws, a witch, and Samson 714 Afador, a wolf, don't have much in common.

He's in line to become the Male Alpha of Velm, she's a red witch with a questionable relationship to brandy. But that doesn't matter. They don't need to get along when they strike up a partnership to hunt down Oko, a mutual enemy.

All they need to do is survive a trip to Skull, the City of Ghosts… and then a run-in with a filthy bloodsucker, a prophecy-wielding selkie, a pack of wolves, and an irate phoenix.
As each hurdle brings Helisent and Samson closer to finding Oko, their discoveries begin to point to a single conclusion—one that will destroy the trust they've placed in each other and change their world forever..

I'm a sucker for a good morally grey character. This story has two that take center stage. Both Samson and Helisent have deep backstories and they have a mix of positive and negative characteristics that give 'mysterious antihero vibes'. Some of it was cliche and cheesy (alcohol and cigarettes are vices, but not clever ones) but parts were funny and meaningful as well. The romance was expected but felt a bit forced. Character building has to <i>go</i> somewhere, and the way they learn to trust each other and change some of their habits is satisfying. <spoiler> That is, until the end. I hope that whatever amnesia issues didn't wipe out all that character-building, it's always disappointing when amnesia is used as a plot device but authors forget about the importance of their character arcs. </spoiler> This book is more similar to Crescent City than the Witcher, and is perfect if you are looking for a cliche alpha werewolf book with a twist.

Thank you to NetGalley and Capes for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW
A Netgalley ARC, thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley
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When I started this book, I was kinda confused, I didn't understand anything, luckily there was a glossary at the back ,but even the glossary didn't have everything.
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I also didn't like Helisent because of her drinking habits ,but as I read on, I began to understand the world building and why Helisent drank so much(it was to dull the pain)
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Samson was okay I really liked, he was gentle and very serious, too serious sometimes, but he was okay
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What I loved most was how the characters acted their ages. Most times when I've tried to read an Adult Fantasy, I ended up disliking it because the characters might be in their late 20s or early 30s, they acted as if they were teens, it was not like this here, the characters were in their late 20s and early 30s and they acted their age
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I also loved that their Romance didn't overshadow the story. When I read Fantasy, I love the romance, but I also want the Fantasy to stand on its own. I got that here.
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This book was beautifully written, the world building was very good. It was also thrilling, I kept turning the pages just so I can understand the forces behind both MCs.
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I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait for the second in the series, this book ended on a cliffhanger. You should definitely add this book to your tbr.

I really struggled to get into this book and it took me until around chapter 9/10 to be more than slightly interested. I definitely wouldn’t agree that it’s “sex and the city meets the Witcher”…
Some interesting plot points but there was so much going on in terms of who’s who and which category they belong in, it was really difficult to stay engaged. It also felt like there was a lot of travelling in this story but not a great deal of world building. Just not for me unfortunately.

A witch and a wolf travel together in a magical world full of mayhem.

To be completely honest, it took me awhile to get into the story, there's just so many new words, concepts and characters introduced in the beginning and I was highly confused on where the plotline was going but I am so glad I warmed up to it. It's worth sticking it out, I promise.

Two very powerful beings, Helisent the witch and Samson the soon to be Alpha of Velm join forces to track someone down, each for their own personal reasons, vengeance and information. From months of travel and adventures, lust turns into forbidden love and the MCs start to open up to each other and reveal their secrets. I enjoyed reading from both povs, learning the ins and outs of their cultures and laws. The worldbuilding makes for great storytelling of this new world and its inhabitants.

My only problem would be that the build up to the romance was a bit lackluster amongst all the action, I wish it was dived into more so that when the cliffhanger came I would have been a bit more gutted but I understand this is just the beginning and there's time for build up in the next book. I'll be over here not so patiently waiting, I need more Helisent and Samson.

Thank you NetGalley and Capes for the ARC.

From the moment I started reading West of Jaws by Capes, I was absolutely hooked by the plot. It follows a witch named Helisent West of Jaws and the future Alpha wolf, Samson 714 Afador, as they set out on a journey to find a mutual enemy. They are unlikely friends given their cultural differences and fears, but along the way as they discover more about each other they become friends and then lovers.

This book focuses first on plot and character development. The world building is organic, and at no point does it slow down the book. I loved all the quests and situations Helisent and Samson find themselves in, and their bickering and internal monologues are extremely entertaining. At no point does the plot drag, and I loved that even though there was a glossary you could still figure out the meaning of any words that were created for the story.

The only downside is that the story ends with a cliffhanger. The entire ending had me breathless and anxious for book two.

The characters in this book are spectacular. I think Helisent might be one of my favorite characters ever written. She’s snarky and independent, but throughout the story she begins to show her kind and vulnerable side. Samson begins as rigid in his beliefs, and driven by his fear of Helisent’s magic, but as he grows to trust her his walls also start to come down.

Together these two have some of the best banter. That leads quickly to a friendship and their romance is allowed to develop organically from there. This book is a slow burn with just a little spice, but so worth it for how it sets up the possibilities for their relationship for book two.

If you love fantasy romance and bantering couples (think ACOTAR or FBAA) this is a great option for you. I am confident in giving it a 5 star reading and a level 2 for spice. I can’t wait to see where this story goes in the sequel!

"The only thing dumber than convincing the imminent Male Alpha of Velm to help me find Oko would be falling in love with him along the way."

Helisent West of Jaw is one of the last, or possibly the last, red witch with a questionable relationship with brandy. Her power is unmatched and she's looking for Oko to avenger her sister.

Samson 714 Afador is a wolf, and not just any wolf, the next Male Alpha of Velm. Being seen with a witch causes others to question his authority. Samson would also like to find Oko so he can learn about his mother's disappearance.

Can the unlikely pair work together? Helisent doesn't trust and she's cunning, Samson is skeptical of magic and doesn't trust witches. Will one betray the other?

This is the type of fantasy I love. The world building is amazing. As with most fantasy books it can be difficult in the beginning, but once the world building is complete, the plot takes over and it's hard to put down.

There's some spice towards the end with descriptive on-page s3x.

I love reading as the pair learn about the other's cultures and adapt to try to work together. But will they continue to keep secrets from each other or will they share the secrets to reach a common goal?

I can't wait for book 2.

This wasn’t for me sadly. There was a lot going on that I felt didn’t necessarily need to be there, and I struggled a bit to feel the connection between characters. One thing that did get annoying was having to refer to the glossary constantly to understand a lot of the made up words. I think some will love this book, just not me personally I’m afraid