I’ve read this twice, and I feel like I was a bit nitpicky the first time, but this time, I just enjoyed the book more! So even though I feel overall similarly, I’ve decided to rewrite my review.

I can’t help but think of this portrayal of wolf society as sort of like a cult—but wait, hear me out. The pack and society are very insular and seemingly have little friendship or unnecessary contact with humans, they’re quite heteronormative and conservative in some ways, and they’re also weirdly pushy about their teenagers going on campouts to find their mates so they can propagate the species. (To be clear, they weren’t having sex on the campout, but the point of it was still to find their mates.) But it’s also obvious that’s not the message of the book. The main characters are gay, polyamorous, dating humans, etc. They’re breaking the mold and want things to change.

I enjoyed the romance. Or rather, it’s the first book in a series, so this was just the start of a romance and an angsty build-up. Max wants to be with Jasper, but Jasper is pushing him away for reasons. But I happen to like some tension in my romances, and I like it when the characters don’t get together too quickly and easily.

I enjoyed the story/plot too. Slightly weird pacing, maybe. The first half or so at the campout is a bit slower, with the second half picking up more. A bit of an “out of nowhere” ending. But enjoyable. There was feelings and friendship and attempted romance but also some drama and action and danger. This series also does a good job of incorporating side characters and their stories, just enough that it feels like the world around the main characters is evolving too, not static.

The friendship between Max and Katie was sometimes sweet, but also had its fair share of issues. Ultimately though, Max and Katie’s seems to be heading toward them overcoming those issues and working to maintain a friendship they don’t want to lose. Issues seem to come up a lot though, and even after reading three books, I’m not entirely sure. It’s not something I like or dislike, just an observation.

Some of the characters were likeable. Some were less so. Most of the main characters were flawed but doing their best and still growing. Max was kind of reckless but kind and determined. Jasper was broody but had his reasons. And they all felt like teens. Sometimes they made rash decisions or bad decisions or hurt people or had dramatic emotions, but, you know, so do real people.

My biggest complaint was probably the writing. The best way I can explain it is that it felt sorta like it was written for young teens, but it was about older teens finding their mates, so that threw me off. But then, when I was a young teen in middle school, I was reading older teen romances *shrug* So I guess it’s not that weird. And I noticed that the writing improved and felt more natural in the next two books that I’ve already read.

Overall, this was an enjoyable wolf shifter book with flawed but mostly likeable characters and the start of a series that sort of uses shifting and the shifter community as an allegory to tell a story about teens figuring themselves out, finding community, making friends, falling in love, and making changes in the world!

*Rating: 3.5 Stars // 1st Read Date: 2022 // Format: Ebook via TTS*
*Rating: 3.5 or 4 Stars // 2nd Read Date: 2025 // Format: Ebook via TTS*