I was intrigued when I read the summary of A Pack of Blood and Lies by Olivia Wildenstein. I do enjoy the paranormal genre but just haven’t come across a lot lately that I have been interested in so when the summary caught my eye, I wanted to check it out.

When the book kicks off, we are introduced to Ness, our main character. She is living in LA and has been there ever since she and her mother left Boulder to get away from the pack. As the reader, we know something happened, but we don’t learn about it until much later. After her mother dies, Ness’ aunt, uncle, and cousin unexpectedly show up to bring her back to Boulder and that is really where the story begins.

I have mixed feelings about Ness. I loved that she was willing to push the pack to accept her and initially I loved her whole “crush the patriarchy” attitude but her reasoning behind attempting to become Alpha was an issue for me. She wasn’t doing it to make things better or challenge the status quo, she was doing it so that she could try to take something away from Liam. I appreciate that her feelings changed eventually but I had an issue with her reasoning. Ultimately, I did feel bad for Ness. She didn’t really have a place with the pack and there were so many people who were just using her along the way, I was actually rooting for her.

Liam is the son of the prior Alpha and it was always believed that he would take over when needed so he is definitely unhappy when Ness comes along and ruins his plans. I have mixed feelings about Liam too. His actions toward Ness were so mixed that he would do something nice and then turn around and be a jerk, but he would justify it by saying it was because he was jealous…or something else. All in all, he was just ok for me as a love interest.

I did find some of the other side characters interesting. You have Everest, Ness’ cousin, and August, a close friend. Both accept her and try to help her find her place, but I wish we would have had more of them and a better understanding of where their heads were at.

As for the story, the fight for the role of Alpha is core to this book but there is also a mystery around what happened to Liam’s father, Heath (former Alpha) as he was not a well-liked guy and since he turned up dead, people have been wondering what happened. It just so happens, that Ness might know something about Heath, and it ends up putting her in an interesting position.

Overall, I found this book to be interesting and I will most likely pick up the next book in the series to find out what happens next. There is a bit of a twist at the end and I would like to know more. If you are interested in a new paranormal, check this one out.

I liked this story. There is a lot of cruelty and treachery but there are also heartwarming relationships. I liked that the brutal parts of the story were only mentioned and not described in full. I did think there were some missing parts of the story. Maybe some were edited out. The period between when Ness was brought back to the pack and when Heath died is hazy and unclear. The story about Becca is unclear. The reason Everett does what he does is unclear. The reason Ness’s aunt and uncle bring her back to Boulder in the first place is unclear. August’s behavior is strange and not well explained. If these parts are expanded a little I think the story would improve. Overall I liked the story. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

**3.5 stars**
I had a lot of expectations about this story and mostly enjoyed the reading.
Ness is forced to come back to a pack of werewolves that not only have rejected her in the past, but also are not used to have a female wolf among them (she is the first female born in a 100 years). At her 17, she is however brave, bold and fierce towards the people she loves, which helps her to manage in the new environment.
The journey through these new circumstances includes a competition to choose the leaders of the pack, falling in love with what looks like the wrong guy and a few ups and downs that keep the story active.
Overall, this book felt entertaining, lightly written and full of drama. I read it in a short time and will probably go for the second book… my curiosity about it is not dead…

*I voluntary read an early copy of this book through Netgalley

<i> I received this ARC from NetGalley and Twig Publishing. </i>

A Pack of Blood and Lies was an alright read for me. This had the potential to be a really good story but it just...wasn't. I had some pretty big problems with this book. But I'll start with what I did like, which isn't very much, sadly.

1. The concept of the story as a whole was good.
2. I liked the wolf aspect of it. Although it was pretty typical for a shifter book it was still good.
3. I enjoyed the talking ability between wolves and their alpha as well.
4. There were a few moments I found a bit humorous.
5. August.

If it seems like there wasn't very much to like about this book, well...that's because for me there wasn't. It wasn't bad enough to make me dislike it, I think it was an alright read, but it also wasn't as good as I was hoping it to be.

Now, the only girl born of the pack trying to fight her way into being accepted. This sounded interesting enough to me but unfortunately, I kind of hated how it was presented. Ness challenges Liam, Lucas, and Matt in the alpha trials for the sole reason of keeping Liam from being alpha and pissing him off.

This one simple factor was a major play in the downfall of this story. I much would have rather read about the only girl fighting for a place in her pack because she <i> actually </i> wanted to prove something to them. That girls were just as worthy as males and that women have something to offer as well or maybe even because she actually <i> wanted </i> to be the alpha in the first place. But none of this was the case. Nope. She only entered the trials to piss off Liam and keep him from getting the title. Yes, Ness really is that annoying.

Speaking of Ness, I was not a fan of her, if you couldn't tell already. She was very judgmental and temperamental for starters. You'd think Ness would have been someone who was supportive of females seeing as how she was turned away for being one. But yet we have moments like when she decided to hate a girl because of how pretty she was. *eye roll*

I didn't really care for the characters much in this book at all to be fair. I believe my favorite person was August and he wasn't in a lot of the book although I believe he is supposed to show up more in the next one. Next to August it would be Liam who was my favorite.

I had some <b> major </b> issues with the writing style for this novel. Throughout the entire read, there were strange details that should have just been taken out completely. They felt really unnecessary and made the writing more juvenile. (Ex. Talking about her bra color, talking about if someone will notice her nipples from not wearing a bra, repeating things, cursing up a storm and then saying "fucking crap", etc.) Just wow.

Another issue I had with the writing style was the language. Now, I was hesitant to put this part of the review in. But oh my gosh, it hurt me so much I couldn't exclude it. I haven't seen anyone else talk about this and I can't for the life of me figure out why. Surely I can't be the only one who read all the sentences that just <i> did not </i> make sense! I found myself stopping to think about certain words put into sentences that just made no sense at all! One of the instances that stand out the most that I can remember is the use of the word "Croup." Now, I didn't know what this was so I looked it up. Apparently, it's an inflammatory infection. WHY was this used in a sentence stating "Whipping my croup, I sprang into action." ??? If I'm missing something PLEASE feel free to tell me because I'm so confused about this.

Another thing about the story I really disliked was the Ness+August link. It's not explained toward the end of the book when Liam mentions it smelled like they had mated. No kind of explanation is given about this area of the situation. I know this is a big topic of the next novel but I severely did not like how it was thrown in this book the way that it was. I'm guessing it was supposed to make the reader intrigued to know more and while I am intrigued to know how that link works, I'm more irritated than anything.

Also, oh boy. The 'romance' in this book is actually trash. I'm so sorry. But....yikes. Ness does not have feelings for anybody in this book, no. All she has is hormone rages. She likes the way someone LOOKS and that's all it is. She judges Liam for most of the book but comments on how attractive he is while wanting to hate him otherwise. She barely gets to know him, enough to know he isn't terrible like she judged him to be, and then ends up lip locking with him and I guess they are a thing now. She likes this boy for nothing more than his good looks, to be honest. Never did we get an inside thought about how she realizes he's actually nice and is trying to be a decent person. And we don't get this slow fall for him, no. It's all super fast in one moment and that's it. Terrible.

While there was a lot of bad to this book, it still got three stars because although it wasn't the best, it wasn't complete trash. I did like the book well enough. I wish it would have been written better but there is always room to improve with the later installments. I haven't decided if I'll try to pick those up yet so we shall see how I feel when that comes around.

“ The primal rule of winning: don’t fall in love with the contender.”

Olivia Wildenstein’s “ A Pack of Blood and Lies” was a slow burn to start but once it got started, oh boy did it get started. I won’t go too much into the actual story because I like to let people find everything out for themselves but what I will say is that I usually don’t read shifter/ wolf books ( I was Team Jacob back in the day but I don’t think that counts here 😊 ) but I absolutely loved this book and am so glad that there will be more books in the series. Overall, the world building was good although I was left curious about a few things. I loved the characters. I cannot wait to read more from this author.

* I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Overall rating: 3 Stars

Premise:
Ness Clark (view spoiler)

The Good:
Overall, it was a well-written book with lots of layers and mystery. Wildenstein (is that a real name??) did a great job of hooking me as a reader and I pretty much read it in one sitting. Ness was an intriguing character I could relate to and the storyline did keep me on my toes, which I appreciate as a reader who usually is ten steps ahead of any plot twist or surprise.

The Bad:
Ugh - that ending! [This pack is straight up full of hypocrisy. They will allow Lucas to just concede to Liam, but what about Ness? According to their rules, she got just as far as him, yet he just gets to be Alpha without really earning it? And, even more frustrating, was that Ness just accepts it? For a book that is supposed to be all about feminism and strong females, Ness felt out of character towards the end, and honestly not a smart or likable character. I would put this ending more in line with with a Harlequin romance with some simpering girl who can’t function with her big, strong man by her side. (hide spoiler)]

Liam Kolane - seriously the worst love interest I’ve read in a really long time. [Let’s talk about his absolute lack of respect for Ness - starting from six years ago to now. His sniffing of her, treating her like scum because she’s supposedly sleeping around (I mean really, after a loud conversation about sexual acts with someone he’s not even dating in public?? Can he be more hypocricical??), and lastly smearing his freaking pre-cum on her to mark her?! He’s disgusting and while he may not be a rapist like his father, the apple clearly doesn’t fall far from the tree in terms of his views on women. Wildenstein attempted to make him a likable character, but imo she failed completely. The only good this about his is that based on Ness’s interactions with August at the end of the book I’m certain they’ll end up together. (hide spoiler)]

Lastly, I felt like there wasn’t enough world building - I still have lots of questions. Why can’t werewolves join other packs? What’s the mechanism that prevents that? How come paternity matters in terms of being “in the pack”? How many packs are there? Why does the Boulder pack hate the Pine pack? Why is the Boulder pack the Boulder pack when the Pine pack also lives in Boulder? Are there other non-humans in this world? Magic is mentioned in the book, but it feels like more of a throwaway to explain something than a well-thought out and intentional part of this world.

I would read the next book, but only in the hopes that Ness kicks Liam’s ass. Or someone does.

This is a strong female fantasy that a tough heroine. This novel reminds me of Twilight because it features werewolves. Thus, it kept me interested in this novel. The writing is filled with vivid imagery. The only thing is that the novel is a little slow-moving. Still, it is a character-driven novel and worth the time. I recommend this for fans of paranormal fantasy.

I really enjoyed this book. I love me some Werewolves stories. Ness is our heroine. She is very young and the only female born werewolf from her pack. She doesn't actually belong to the pack because the old alpha refused to accept her. Her aunt and uncle decide to bring her back home and that is when the ship hits the sand. Ness is sucked back into the pack' drama and politics. Ness does seem immature at times but its understandable for someone who is 17 years old. What I did notice was her growth from the beginning of the book until the end of the book. Ness was able to mature enough to make the right decisions. Now Liam is not what he seems. His character grows as well and you can see it in this actions, but he does have his moments when you want to slap him. Overall this is a great book and recommend it to any one who like werewolf stories with more than one strong woman in the mix.

I was so surprised by this book and also by my own reading-speed. I finished the book in 5 days and it's not a small book. That's also a compliment to the author, because the book is easy and pleasant to read.
I can't wait to read more from this series! Will definitely follow this author.

Pros
Characters: There are a lot of characters in this book, that's quite understandable with a pack full of wolves. The characters in this book have such a great amount of personality that it wasn't hard for me to remember them, at all. One thing that's always a bit tricky for an author is to make sure that a reader remembers all the characters and there have been a lot of books where I wasn't able to remember them all. The fact that I did remember the characters in this book, is a +1 for the author.
Plot: Loved it! I couldn't tell where this was going at all. Ness is sometimes a bit naive and also impulsive which makes the plot have some very unexpected turns as well. I also didn't trust many people in this book and I was so wrong about some of them. The plot turned out great and I was not able to predict this outcome.
Pacing: This book is quick and easy to read, like I said before; I was surprised that it only took me 5 days. The pacing is nice and it's also pleasant that there is only information in this book that is necessary for the story.
More: I can't wait for the other books to come out and I love the titles from this series already. I am a sucker for a good title and a nice cover, so I was very happy to see that the next book, A Pack of Vows and Tears is coming in 2019!

Cons
Nop.

Overall
I'm pretty sure that any Fantasy/YA lover will like this book. It's such a great start for a series where you have no idea what is going to happen next. It's one of those series that just drags you along and all you're thinking is: "I NEED MORE!"

A Pack Of Blood and Lies is the first book in a fresh new paranormal fantasy series that was a lot of fun to read.

Without a doubt, what made this book such a delightfully entertaining read was its main character. Ness is always quick on her feet with a wisecrack retort, but she does it in such an easy and charming way that it’s hard not to like her immediately, especially when most of the victims of her sharp tongue deserve it. I can’t remember the last time I’ve cheered so hard for a protagonist.

The romance should be discussed here too, since it is so integral to the plot. That Ness and Liam will eventually fall in love is sort of a foregone conclusion, because otherwise, where would be the conflict? Still, I liked that their romantic arc was developed steadily and carefully, with both of them getting to know each other before falling in love. To my surprise, this was one of the best YA romances I’ve read in a while, though there were plenty of other relationships at play here that also deserve a mention

I had a great time with this book. A Pack of Blood and Lies had everything I could ever want from a YA novel—superb world-building, a fantastically well-written story, and a phenomenal protagonist I could emphatically root for. I originally set out to read this story about Werewolves, never once expecting it to steal my heart so quickly and completely too. But now I am irrevocably hooked, and I want more.

Will update with vlog link soon. It was a quick and easy read. Love the paranormal and drama. Will look for other books by author.

At first I was going to give this 2 stars or dnf, but I kept going and I'm glad. I think it was my mood and not feeling the story at first, because I'm a HUGE werewolf fan. I mean I have always wanted to be one so........

Anyhoo, this is a story about Ness who/whom was shunned when she was a little girl and forced out of town with her mother. Things happen and when Ness is a teen the pack drags her back home to Colorado. <-- Not literally



I love Ness as a character; she's loving and kind but a bad ass when she has to be and she certainly has to be in this book.

The old evil Alpha is gone and Ness decides to go up against Liam because she thinks he's evil like his father. Turns out there are different evil peeps in the book you wouldn't have seen coming.

But Ness is strong and she fights for what she believes in and doesn't back down when it comes to the ones she loves.

Some of the characters I loved to hate but some of my favorite are Liam, Ness and Evelyn. The book even brought a bit of a tear to my eye with some happiness that ensues. Get over it, I cry when I'm happy and sad =)

I'm very happy with the ending of this book and look forward to the next book!

*Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for a digital copy of this book.*

Mel

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for the early copy!

I went into this new series without knowing what it was about and was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Ness is an interesting and well-developed character that I grew to love throughout the novel. It was an interesting look at werewolves and it also explored sexism as well. I will be checking out the second novel in this series when it comes out later this year.

Thank you Netgalley and Twilight Press for the opportunity to review this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first Olivia Wildstein book and also my first werewolf book and it did not disappoint!

When 17-year-old Ness Clark loses her mother to cancer, she is forced to return to the place she used to call home, but returning means confronting old demons. Ness is the only female in the pack and it is made clear from the beginning that she is not welcomed. Feeling betrayed and hurt,
Ness challenges Liam Kolane – son of the former Alpha – to be come the new Alpha of the Boulder pack.

The books starts out strong and remains strong. The first half is a mystery that keeps you in suspense but it is a bit confusing at first. I must regretfully admit that I was so lost the first few chapters that I put the book down for a minute, but when I picked it up again I totally regretted my decision! I APOLOGIZE!

As the story unfolds the truth starts coming out and it is quite the ride! The plot twists are completely unexpected. All the characters are very well developed and flawed making them very real. Some of the guys are very immature and douchy (I know we all knew someone like that in high school!) and I especially enjoyed Ness’ intensity and fiery personality. She never once loses focus on her goal and she is extremely direct which is very refreshing.

At first I felt like some of side stories were randomly thrown into the mix but I clearly see now that they are setting something up for the sequel, which I need to get like yesterday! The book kept me angsty the whole time and it was definitely a page turner.

And let me tell you, I’m a true sucker for love triangles but give me a good enemies to lovers story and I AM SOLD.

A Pack of Blood and Lies
by Olivia Wildenstein


This was an amazing read. The first in a trilogy. Wildenstein will hook you with just the prologue giving you a sense of the harsh lifestyle in lower class level in L.A..

Ness, who lost her father 6 years earlier and her mother only a mere few moths ago, comes face to face with her past who chased them away.

Forced to go back to the place she was raised, Ness comes face to face with the former Alphas son, Liam. Being the only female born to a male pack, Ness views almost everyone as a hostile. While she was always shunned for being female, she decided to show the males that now on the verge of adulthood, she would put her name in for Alpha.

Join Ness and Liam, as they struggle with not just the trials of the competition, but also with who they are becoming as adults and their place in the world.

I throughly enjoyed this book and can’t wait for the second of this trilogy.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#Netgalley

I had never read anything by this author before, but the premise of the book drew me in. I love a good Werewolf story! I wasn't at all disappointed either. Ness comes from a long line of predominantly male werewolves. She and her mother were forced away after some trauma forced them away. Ness gets forced back to the life she left behind, with an unknowing friend tagging along and really ends up throwing all the guys in the pack for a loop. Being the only girl makes the guys think they can stomp all over her but she doesnt go for that. I really enjoyed how Ness is kick butt herself and doesn't stand for the guys trying to pull rank on her. Especially when it came to Liam. I will for sure look into more work by Ms. Wildstein!

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A Pack of Blood and Lies was such a good book. It did, however, take a bit to get into. I'd like to blame the characters because they just kept making me flip flop throughout the book. I did have a ship though, Ness and Liam. It took forever for them to actually become that thought. Mostly because Liam was a little man whore.. and Ness was just adorable and feisty.

This book definitely delivered a bunch of good twists and turns. I had no idea who was betraying who the entire time. Which is probably why I loved reading this book so much. Now I did mention that characters were annoying me in this book. I wouldn't say it was the MC's the entire time. Nope, it was this fucking pack that did it for me. The way they treated Ness throughout the book just pissed me off to no end. I didn't care if and when Liam would stand up for her.. because it didn't outweigh everything else that was happening.

That doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it either, because again - I shipped these two. It just took forever for that to actually happen. I saw the chemistry and the sexual frustration between the two after they first met. However, the secrets between these two just needed to be aired out ASAP. Once that happened, it definitely brought these two much closer than they were before. It eventually started to win the entire pack over.

Overall, I loved Ness and Liam. I loved the twists and turns and I'm still shook to the core over who betrayed them all. I'm trying to wrap my mind around it still and it's hard. I need the next book of this series stat!

Ness is 17, living on her own after she and her mother fled from the pack and her mother died of cancer. When her uncle comes to take her back to Colorado, she doesn’t want to go. The former Alpha who raped her mother is dead, but his son is going to be the next Alpha. She is determined to hate him, and challenges him for the position as Alpha.

I really wanted to like Ness, but I just didn’t like her as a main character. She really gets in her own way. I’m all for a woman challenging the patriarchy, but Ness has no desire to be an Alpha except to spite Liam. It’s a job she doesn’t want and isn’t prepared for. She isn’t planning on sticking around either. She hasn’t been around these people in a long time. I get wanting to prove yourself but it made it hard to root for her when she came across like a brat.

Also she’s gets a job as a paid escort, then gets really judgmental when people call her out on it. She’s 17 on a date with a guy in his sixties. When Liam and his friends warn her off because the dude is a creep she gets offended.If there’s a bad decision, Ness makes it. I’m not sure if she’s intentionally written as an antiheroine but it made the book more tolerable reading that way.

Liam wasn’t too bad. In fact, I think this story would have been really good from his POV. His dad was murdered, he has been groomed to be the alpha since he was a kid, and now some girl who ran off is back and challenging him for it just to spite him because his dad was horrible.

The romance between Ness and Liam was ok, but I really liked the chemistry between Ness and her old friend August. I’m looking forward to that in book two since I went ahead and read the description on Goodreads.

The world building wasn’t great, but it was pretty standard for a ya shifter fantasy. In Ness’s pack, only the men are werewolves, except for Ness. This becomes a plot point later in the story and is explained.

I am not sure if this is a shaky start to a new series and it will improve later, but I liked Liam and August enough to give book two a try. The ending is far better than the beginning, but if this hadn’t been an ARC, I’m not sure I would have stuck with it.

I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review and the opinions are my own.

Heart-pumping and intriguing A Pack of Blood and Lies is brilliantly written and entertaining. This is the first time I’ve read a book by this author but I’m now a devoted fan!

This is one of the best paranormal reads ever!

I’m obsessed. This book is addicting and page-turning. I loved every second of it; From the push and pull of the main characters to the mystery.

I loved all the characters and hope they each get their story told.

This book has a kickass heroine and a bunch of badass werewolves. Oh my!

This book was amazing and gripped me from the very first page. There was absolutely nothing I did not like.

This author made her mark on me. Make no mistake, I will be continuing this series while keeping an eye out for this author’s future works.

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A pack of blood and lies by Olivia Wildenstein is a YA paranormal fantasy about a girl, Ness who is not afraid of anything that comes her way and tackles an All-male pack all by herself.
When Ness's father was killed, she appealed to the Alpha, Heath Kolane to accept her into the pack but was denied because of her gender. Boulder pack, being an all-male pack didn't like Ness as she was the only girl in the pack and with her father dead, didn't waste time kicking her out.
Now, after six years her paternal uncle comes to take her back against her will. When Ness finds the next Alpha-in-line is Liam Kolane, Heath Kolane's son, she's determined to do everything she can to stop him from being the Alpha, even if it ends with her being killed. With Ness still holding grudge against the pack, going against Liam and having secrets she doesn't want anyone to know, when her feelings for Liam start to grow, it becomes all jumbled up.
Okay, I LOVED THE BOOK! I have a really soft spot for paranormal books but this was so different from most of such books. Liam was nothing like what Alphas are supposed to be yet so perfect as one. Every character was perfect and this made the whole book perfect. Each character was distinguishable from the other and I loved each of them (with the exception of the villains). Ness wasn't the perfect heroine who knows everything and that made her normal and more likable. The story line was amazing. The competition was good but I like how it wasn't the main focus of the book. Highly anticipating the next book!