The title A Pack of Blood and Lies fits this story well. It was the title and the cover that grabbed my attention.

The story is about a 17 year old girl named Ness who is forced to move back to Boulder and her old pack after her mother's death. There she meets up with childhood pack mates and is thrown back into pack drama.

Olivia Wildenstein spins a tale full of mystery and lies. I was captivated as the pages flew by. There were several surprises along the way.

Looking at future titles and covers of this series has me intrigued. Especially the blurb of the next book. I can't wait to carry on with this series.

I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book, so I could give an honest review.

Book 1 of The Boulder Wolves, ‘A Pack of Blood and Lies’ is an action-filled, intense YA paranormal story that had its own moments of glory and disappointment. I am not a huge ‘werewolves’ fan and I was putting my faith in the writing and the characters and well, I have to say that this proved to be a good read.
Ness was thrown out of her own community as a child, along with her mother. But when she is forced to come back to the town and face Liam for the whole Alpha thing, she realized that he might not be as evil as his late father.
Ness, as an individual is quite remarkable. She is strong, independent and fierce. Liam, on the other hand, is bossy and cold.
As Ness plays a game to get back into her dead father’s pack, it quickly turns dangerous and risky.
A greater part of the book talks about egoistic males, who think that they should be the one to lead, while the women must take a few steps back.
The sexual tension was negligible, and that was a relief as the story focussed more on the adventure and vengeance part.
The ending was quite satisfying and I would love to see what the next book in the series has in store for the readers.

It's a great feeling when you find a new author that writes good shifter PNR reminiscent of Bitten and Moon Called. The main character is very relatable with how she thinks and reacts, not being perfect, making mistakes, and I liked how she grew as a person throughout the story. I loved the dynamics of the characters and the world in which she's thrown back into. It's very small town in the wilderness and perfect setting for a werewolf society. Overall, this was a great read and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel soon!

I’m not really sure why I decided to pick this up, but I guess the blurb sounded interesting enough. I am generally not the biggest fan of werewolf books, though I don’t have anything against them really. I just haven’t read one that I really enjoyed. This one isn’t going to start the list. It wasn’t bad, just not for me. The book was good, the plot was interesting, and I was engaged reading it from start to finish. But in my opinion, the characters were not fleshed out enough, everything was ridiculously cheesy, and most of the details were just handed straight to the reader. It was a very quick and easy read, and if you’re in to this kind of book, I would definitely recommend it. I honestly would have rated it higher had we seen more of the relationship between Ness and Liam. It developed kind of later in the book, which I can appreciate, but I still wanted to see more from them. Definitely pick this book up if it sounds interesting and you are looking for an easy read.

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I gave it 3.5 stars

A PACK OF BLOOD AND LIES was one of those books that I really enjoyed reading, but don't have a whole lot to say about it.

The characters: Ness was likable. I enjoyed her fight. I felt for her and what she was going through and rooted for her during her journey. I can't say I always agreed with her, but I understood where her actions were coming from. Liam was also likable. He was hot and cold for the most part, but the more you get to know him, the more he grows on you. The secondary characters were easy to like or dislike. Most of the characters that I started out disliking changed for the better throughout the story.

The romance: There are a few different possibilities. I would find myself rooting for one then switching to the other. Hopefully we will get a bit more romance in future books, but A PACK OF BLOOD AND LIES didn't really focus strongly on romance and that was OK.

The story: The story resolves around how Ness is trying to join an all-male wolf pack as a female and I enjoyed it. The navigation of pack politics was well done and watching her challenge the men in the pack for a spot was entertaining. There were parts of the story that I didn't totally get behind (her signing on to be an escort and the events that took place around that), but again, in the end I enjoyed it.

As I said in the opening of this review. I really enjoyed A PACK OF BLOOD AND LIES and look forward to seeing where Wildenstein takes the story next.

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

After her Mother's death Ness returns to Colorado to the family and pack who, from her perspective, abandanoed her and her Mother. Ness runs into Liam, the son of the former Alpha whom Ness detested. Ness lets her opinion of the Alpha color her opinion of Liam.

I really enjoyed this book. A bit uncommon with some shifter novels, Ness and Liam did not have an insta-love kind of connection. Attraction, yes, insta-love, no. Ness agrees to join the challenge to become Alpha, largely to annoy Liam. You see Ness struggle with her past and how to fit in with the pack. Her relationship with Liam and the other males was interesting to see how the characters developed. Throw in some intrigue around past events and you've got a great nove.

Robust characters and a great story line. I will definitely continue reading the series.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I don’t think this book is for me. I need more from the MC than “I’m doing it cause I’m a girl and you say I can’t.” I need more than an attitude. I need a backbone and a drive.

I first read Olivia Wildenstein's series about fae and while I loved that wholeheartedly, A Pack of Blood and Lies was something else entirely. This book was absolutely fantastic and nothing like I would expect from a werewolf genre.

I love an alpha female proving her worth and standing in an all mans world, it makes me feel like I can empower myself.

A Pack of Blood and Lies by Olivia Wildenstein is a spectacular werewolf story! I enjoyed it tremendously and could not put it down. Ness is spirited, reckless, and bold. The Boulder pack is complex and has a bit of a dark history under their previous alpha. I loved watching Ness and Liam try to avoid the attraction between them. The story is full of twists and unexpected reveals. This is my first time reading a book by Olivia Wildenstein and I am now a fan! I can not wait to see where the story goes in A Pack of Vows and Tears!

Check out an extended review on my blog: https://readbyrheagan.wordpress.com

Thank you Netgalley and Twig Publishing for allowing me the chance to review this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW TO BE LIVE AT ATTACHED LINK ON 4/9/19 AT 12PM EST

This novel is a werewolf novel, where a previously outcasted female, the ONLY female of her pack, comes back to town and she decides to challenge the others in her pack to become the Alpha. Along the way she has to constantly try and prove to the pack, her friends, and family that she is capable of being in the pack, all while unraveling the mystery of her father and the previous Alpha's deaths. 

I'm going to include that this book definitely should have trigger/content warnings for rape/sexual assault, self harm, and attempted suicide. Each of these are mentioned in passing, not described in detail, however there was a part where the characters are swearing blood oaths that may be triggering.

I'm going to start off with the things I did not like about this book, so that I can end the review on a slightly lighter note. I was not pleased with the romance in this novel. The main love interest, Liam, shows very aggressive behavior towards Ness. He's overprotective, always showing up wherever she goes out (stalking!) and interrupting her conversations, trying to be all male dominant. He constantly slut shames her, and one point sniffs her vagina to see if she had been with another male. He assaults her physically, once even while NAKED, against her will. Him saving her life and apologizing is not enough for me to be okay with this, especially when he continues to slut shame/be aggressive after apologizing. It's not at all a healthy romance and I really really would love romances like this in novels NOT to be romanticized because it's NOT OKAY. In the synopsis of the sequel it also seems like she "mates" with another character who happens to be ten years older than her. The MC is 17 (No. Thank. You)

I also won't lie I don't like narratives anymore where a woman constantly has to PROVE to men, to males, that she is equal to them but only if she shows strength, etc. Like. I really am tired of this trope in novels, in television, etc. Women should not have to constantly prove ourselves to men just because of our gender, we should be equally respected.

All of the above was what made me knock down the rating to three stars. The only reason I didn't give it one or two, was because despite all the issues above, I actually was intrigued enough to finish the book. The mysteries behind her father's death, the Alpha's death, the political intrigue within and between other packs - all of it was relatively interesting. And I WANTED to see if Ness would beat the odds and become Alpha. It was also enough to make me actually WANT to read the sequel. I don't know why, honestly, but I'm curious. I would love to see if any of the dynamics changes (i.e. less male aggression and more RESPECT). And because there are certain characters fates that are left open ended that I still want answers to. 

Overall I wouldn't necessarily recommend this book just because I'm sure us women are sick and tired of seeing abusive characters and relationships. 

But I hate to admit I'm still curious to see where this story goes.

This was a fast paced read that pulls you right it, no struggling to get hooked here! You are left wondering what will happen to Ness next from the get go as her Werewolf family comes to force her back to Colorado after the passing of her mother. Ness has all the makings of the fierce female lead set out to avenge her family and teach the backwards pack a lesson, but her reckless streak lands her in more trouble than she started out with…. Thankfully the steamy Liam always seems to be there to save the day. Yes, it’s a little cliché but has all the juicy tidbits that keep you coming back for more along with a few twists and turns you don’t see coming. I do wish more detailed physical descriptions of characters was provided up front. Its left to the imagination in the beginning so my mind formed its own descriptions to find out later in the story that person appeared differently. This story wraps up just enough to leave you satisfied but ready to dive into the next installment. I would have started reading to sequel right away!

Thank you to NetGalley and Twig Publishing for the opportunity to review this ARC for my honest opinion.

3.5 stars. This was my first werewolf book. I loved the cover and synopsis. I think it is a really great start for the series. It was fast paced book and i really enjoyed reading it. I had a minor issues some of the characters but i liked Ness. She has strong character but some parts she acted too shy. I wanted to read more action. Overall i liked it and i can't read the second book.

Firstly, thank you to the publisher, author and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest opinion. This is definitely an honest opinion.

TW: Rape (mentioned), Suicide (attempt), Abusive Relationship disguised as Protectiveness, Misogyny, Bad Language

Bechdel Test: Passes

2019 is the year that I’m saying no to toxic and unhealthy romances (in fiction and real life).

Ness is a werewolf who was chased out of her home, Boulder, and her pack, The Boulder Wolves, at age 11. Though they’re not technically her pack, as The Boulder Wolves have been nothing but males. To go against the pack or ask something from the pack, as a woman, often results in either abuse, rape, death, or all three. There is little to no respect shown to any women in this book from any of the men, and I have little time for that.

“Women don’t lead packs of men; it’s emasculating.”

I get that werewolves are often portrayed as masculine pack creatures, but can we please move on from the assumption that to be masculine you have to be a misogynist? Not all the wolves are bad though, I quite like August and would have preferred to see a lot more of him.

Liam Kolane can literally be replaced by any other fictional protective bastard that always seems to get their way because they’re good looking. I don’t really know of too many positive attributes that I could give to him and I don’t particularly care to. The line was drawn for me when he <spoiler> knelt down, while naked (because the wolves had to be naked most of the time when human??), and sniffed Ness’ nether regions to see if she had slept with someone she went on a ‘date’ with </spoiler>. Sorry, no amount of <spoiler> taking a bullet for someone </spoiler> could help me move past that.

I’m also not a prude, I don’t mind bad language. However, I don’t particularly feel that c**t should be used in a book that is marketed towards 14+ year olds. That’s just not something that I would do and I personally don’t like that word - so it may just be a bug bear of mine, but shrug

ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review (Thank you!).

In A Pack of Blood and Lies, we follow Ness, a wolf-shifter girl that was banished from her pack in her childhood and now, at almost eighteen she is forced to come back to her old town by her family.
I thought the concept was good. Ness is the only female shifter born in the pack and I enjoyed that she tried to fight her way into being part of the group. I had no problems as how it started although it was an immature view of things: she only wanted to provoke Liam Kolane, the son of her worst enemy: she had no experience or knowledge whatsoever about the pack or about her own strength. However, I also enjoyed watching her slowly change her perspectives about what it really means to be the leader of a pack and I really liked the fact that she was never intimidated by them. Also, I would like to see a proper explanation about why Ness' pack Elders were misogynists (Was it because of Heath? Was it only just because Females were physically weaker?).

The writing style was very Young-Adult but ultimately this is a New Adult book with some potential triggers that are most likely found in Adult Paranormal Fiction (aka mention of rape and sexual assault).
However, there were some things that disappointed me:
I would have no problems with Ness "part-time" job as an Escort, had she been an adult. However, she was not yet an adult and regardless of her "revenge", she had an awesome adoptive mother, Evelyn to whom she could have asked for help and advice. Her relationship with Evelyn was one of the best and healthier relationships in the book.
Another issue for me was Liam. I understand that he was different from his father and I loved that he was not made into a villain too. I greatly appreciated that he wanted to do good and be a fair ruler. However, his stalker and possessive tendencies over Ness were a bit overwhelming. Whenever Liam came into action, she became a Damsel in distress.
While I appreciated she did not fall for him instantly, Liam did have insta-lust for her and it wasn't really explained how the "rules of attraction" worked. It wasn't explained if it was because of the Ness' constant rejections or if it was because of she was the only female shifter or any other reason to explain why they fell in love so quickly.
I did not understand why Ness was so into August at first and then discarded him so easily.
August was one of the best characters, he was loyal, respectful, and considerate to Ness. My major issue was that he was missing in the majority of the book.
My favorite character was Matt, hands down. He was the sweetest ray of sunshine and I wouldn't mind reading a spin-off of him because he's that great. He is was even better than August because he really was considerate to ALL female characters, not just the one he was interested in.
I also really liked Everest. I feel there's an underlying complexity in him that is yet to be explored and I crave for that complexity.
The other characters did not have much of an impact on me.
I hated Lucas, and Sarah came in too late for me to have proper opinions about her character, but Lucas and Sarah's bickering was one of the best things in the end.
So, in conclusion, it was an easy, enjoyable read, with a flowing writing style. There were some tropes I did not like, like "I hate her because she is a pretty girl" but I really liked the new female friendships Ness developed.
I will probably pick the next book because I see a potential for more interesting relationships and perhaps, more diversity.
If you enjoy Paranormal Romance you'll probably enjoy this.

E-arc provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

It started a bit slow and I was a bit meh throughout the first part of the book. But man, I'm glad I finished it!
It was such a good read. I did love the characters and it was definitely something different from what I've read lately which is a good thing since I get bored quite often now.
I will definitely buy a physical copy of this and cherish it on my shelf!
I hope a book box will include this book to make a gorg edition *wink wink

I was pleasantly surprised with this story because I did not realize how much I would end up liking it since I requested it on a whim from Netgalley. Shame, I know. Anyways, I read the entire story in just two days.

A Pack of Blood an Lies tells the story of Ness as she navigates being the only female in the Boulder pack as she tries to be accepted in this extremely patriarchal society. The only werewolf story I have ever read was about Jacob in the Twilight series which was a long time ago, so I was not expecting to be as enamored with this story which I totally am. It was fast pace story of twists and surprises. The romance was a little iffy and predictable, but it did not hinder the plotline. The characters is the main attraction of the story, at least for me. The portrayal of Ness was my favorite. Where I believe many might found Ness to be annoying, I found her to be relatable. She was just a typical female werewolf girl armed with stubbornness and a big heart fighting for her place among a pack who did not want her. She is the most perfect imperfect character, and I love that. I also liked the lesson of a child is not their parents represented in Liam. I wait with an anticipating heart for book 2!

It took me a little bit to get invested as I find myself just having a fundamental issue with the misogynistic nature of werewolves in most books (including this one). But once I did, I couldn't put A Pack of Blood and Lies down. Ness drove me crazy with her utter stubbornness at times but she did grow on my. I am also a sucker for enemies to lovers tropes so I was all for the ship in this one. Though after reading the description for the next book, I am a bit nervous for them. Overall I found it to be a fast paced paranormal adventure with all the tension and angst plus a touch of romance. I believe if you are a fan for werewolf books, you will enjoy this one. I am definitely looking forward to the rest of the series and checking out the authors other series!

Full review will be live on www.readandwander.com the week of release.

Not being a big fan of werewolves, I had hoped that A Pack of Blood and Lies would help change my mind about them. However, the book just didn't resonate with me. Ms. Wildenstein's characters didn't pull me in and the story just felt flat as I continued to read. Maybe it's because I knew going into it that it's about werewolves, maybe it's a reading slump that mean I can't dwelve deep into the stories that I'm reading. Whatever the reason, A Pack of Blood and Lies just didn't work for me. Maybe the story will for someone else.

Sassy protagonist. Werewolves who occasional sniff vaginas in a jealous rage while butt naked. Murder plots. Yes, this had it all.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to review this book ahead of its release date.

Ness finds herself dragged off to her old home in Boulder Colorado after the death of her mother. Back with the all-male wolf pack which once shunned her, she now finds herself invested in bitterness against one of the pack members, a boy named Liam, who happens to be the son of a man who raped Ness's mother. To spite him, she puts her name in to become Alpha and eventually puts herself through tasks against some of the pack's ruthless men. Liam's icy yet heated demeanor toward her tries to knock her off balance. Que the secrets that affect not only Ness but Liam and the entire pack.

What I liked:

WOLVES WOLVES WOLVES I love wolves. I cannot get enough of them. I love them so much I wrote my own shifter book which is why I think enjoyed this so much. There is a lack of shifter books out there in the YA world that set themselves apart. Ness was a great character in that she acted like your average teenager, but when faced with the real stuff she didn't run. She met it head-on. I was with her every step of the way.

The writing was fun, and I enjoyed Ness's introspection on the patriarchal society she found herself in. The writing was what kept me going after the first chapter which was a tad too fast for my taste. But as I continued, I found that I liked how fast-paced it was. It didn't beat around the wolf. It took on the plot with teeth bared and ready.

Overall, I enjoyed this book — a lot. And I am waiting with bated breath until I get my grubby hands on the next book.

Add this if you liked:

Books like Paper Princess, or maybe even Shiver or Moon-Called.
hate to love romance
lots and lots of secrets
did I mention wolves?
also hot wolf-men?

Note: I received this book from NetGalley and I voluntarily give this review, it is my honest opinion.

A Pack of Blood and Lies was unbelievable good and I loved every minute of it. This is the first book by Olivia Wildenstein that I have read and she has done an amazing job. I don't really know if I can give a proper review without giving to much away but I will try.

Ness is a werewolf without a pack, she was born into a pack of nothing but males and being the only female made her an outcast. When her father is killed she asks to officially join the pack, the cruel alpha and the rest of the pack did not let her join so her and her mother fled Boulder to go and make a life in Los Angels. There Ness was a lone-wolf and grew up without shifting until certain events forced her go back to Boulder, back to the back that did not want her. There she faces the same prejudices and something bigger is going on and Ness is gonna have to be tough enough to stand up for herself and to fight for what she wants.

I am a sucker for a werewolf story and I wish I have more ya werewolf stories in my library. So when I found A Pack of Blood and Lies, I will admit I totally geeked out. The story was a little different from I thought it was going to be. The thinking of males of the Boulder pack are stuck in the past and have not evolved to the current times. They believe that females are weaker and shouldn't be werewolves, they are proud of their all male pack and treats Ness as she is inferior.

However Ness is a tough cookie, she is smart, a hard worker, sassy, courageous and a smart-ass, so of course I love her. Even after everything she has been through in her life she still finds things to be grateful for, things to care about. I love that she refuses to let the guys boss her around and has a comment for everything they through at her. Ness has a plan and she sticks to it, even when things get hard. She is such an open person to people who really care about her and after everything she has been through and the things the pack puts her through she doesn't let that turn her into a bad person.

The plot of this book was wild and I loved it. There are so many mysteries, why is Ness the only female Boulder werewolf, what really happened to the pack's Alpha, what really happened in the past and so much more. Things were so connected, things from the past connected to the present, people connected to each other and there were a couple of plot twists that I did not see coming. The story flowed so nicely, I didn't feel the lull that can sometimes happen and the verbal sparing between Ness and certain members of the pack was really good.

A Pack of Blood and Lies has everything mystery, romance, a competition, revelations, betrayal, and so much more. So many of my questions were answered but there was a scene at the end that made me think that a certain situation is going to happen and I am so ready for it. I have questions and I need the answers. If you love werewolf books, a kick-ass heroine, a few mysteries and excellent plot then I suggest you grab this book as soon as you can.