I heard about this book months (and months) ago, and it immediately shot to the top of my TBR. It became one of my most anticipated reads of 2025—and that’s saying a lot, because this is a ridiculously strong year for books.

It more than delivered.

Bitten is seriously impressive, especially for a debut. (Though honestly, it feels unfair to call it just a “great debut”—this book stands tall beside seasoned authors. Talent is talent, full stop.)

Jordan Stephanie Gray is a force. They manage to breathe fresh, wildly addictive life into a trope that’s often been run into the ground—werewolves.

The characters? Unforgettable. In a landscape where main characters often blur together or come off insufferable, Vanessa stood out with her kindness, loyalty, and entirely justified feminine rage. I adored her.
Sin and Calix? Equally enthralling. Nuanced, layered, and—let’s be real—sexy.

It goes without saying that I loved this book. The plot was fast-paced, the mystery had me fully hooked (I had to know what happened next), and the romance? The romance was romancing like nobody’s business.
So. Much. Yearning.
👏🏻 Fellow writers, take notes: this is how you build and execute a subtle love triangle. 👏🏻

And the ending? I’m still recovering. It wrecked me in the best possible way—and left me absolutely desperate for book two.
Feral doesn’t even begin to cover it.

No notes. Just pure, unfiltered praise. Completely obsessed—and already dying for more.

I honestly devoured this book, and I'm still reeling from the experience. This YA read is an awesome blend of action, treachery, romance, and supernatural intrigue, set in a super-detailed world of werewolves and their complex courts. At the story's heart is Vanessa, who was strong and relatable and who finds herself thrust into a world of magic and monsters after losing her best friend and being bitten by a werewolf. As she deals with this new reality, Vanessa has to confront treachery, secrets, and her destiny. Something that stood out to me in Bitten is its intricate plot, which was full of twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the end.
Jordan's writing kept me engaged, which made it impossible to put the book down (literally finished in a few hours). The romance was a big highlight, with Vanessa being torn between two love interests: Sinclair and his cousin Calix. I loved them both, but honestly, I'm thoroughly Team Calix – his brooding intensity and wit had me hooked from the start. Overall, this was a fantastic debut from Jordan, and I'm eagerly anticipating the next installment in the series. If you're a fan of supernatural YA fiction, complex world-building, and slow-burn romance, do yourself a favor and sink your teeth into Bitten ASAP. Thank you to Hatchette Audio for this ALC (I received it previously outside of NetGalley first). The narration was on point and really helped add another layer of intricacy to the story and bring the characters to life.