This is a story about a frozen wasteland & genetically modified wolves that race across it.

I really enjoyed this book! It felt like Jack Landon meets Mad Max & I thought it was the perfect blend. I felt connected to the protagonist, and loved the dystopian version of the Iditarod. This functions fine as a standalone, but I’m hoping for a sequel!

Thank you so much Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press & Wednesday books for the eArc & this copy!

Frozen planet, evil corporations, extreme survival, found family, a chaotic race across perilous landscape…I was immediately intrigued by this story, it sucked me in right from the start and I could hardly put it down. The detailed, atmospheric world building made it easy to imagine and get lost in the stark, icy wasteland of Tundar and the world that the author weaves around it. Loved the bond that grows between Sena and Iska, as well as the three girls - found family always gets me right in the feels. Absolutely loved this story…and one thousand percent need a book of Remy’s backstory, and also future adventures of Sena, Iska, and Remy!

Thank you to St Martin’s Press/Wednesday books for providing me with an eArc of this book!

Unfortunately I did not enjoy this book. This is a sad case of not the book for me. I couldn't get into it and felt distracted and not very well connected to the characters or plot.

I hope to read another book by the author cause maybe it just wasn't the right story for me?

So first of all, I somehow missed that this was set on another planet. I thought it was in Russia or maybe Alaska, but nope this is sci-fi. That does not take away from this for me, but it made for some. My advice is to pretend that it’s in Russia or Alaska and read it anyways. I feel so lucky that the second book of the year was also a five star read. Admittedly it did start a little slow, but once the story got rolling it really went. I loved it, I loved the characters of Sena and Iska, and all the side characters too. I really hope this becomes a series!
This is full of strong character development along with a strong action packed storyline. I’m not gonna lie I ugly cried at the end. Twice in a row.

*I received this book as an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) through NetGalley. I received this copy free in exchange for my honest review.*

It was okay?

To be fair, I am not the intended audience for this book. I am not a young adult, I do not enjoy fantasy, sci-fi, or world building, and I am not a huge fan of predictable villains.

That said, there were some things about this book I enjoyed. For how much I don't typically enjoy world building, it was done fairly well here. Most concepts were explained well, and while some things were repetitive (wait, didn't I just read this like a chapter ago?) the book flowed well and the story was easy to get through. I enjoyed the queer representation of the MC's two mothers, and I especially enjoyed the lack of romantic storylines in this book (Aromantic and Asexual readers, take note- you may enjoy this one!).

For me, I was not all that convinced by the Magical mystic bond between the wolf and the main character, and fight scenes felt more boring than edge-0f-my-seat. Still, fantasy YA readers looking for a standalone will likely enjoy this one.

4.75/5 stars

This was such a good way to start the new year!! This book has winter vibes with an air of survival, loyalty, and science fiction!! I loveeed this adventure!

Goodreads synopsis:
After angering a local gangster, seventeen-year-old Sena Korhosen must flee with her prize fighting wolf, Iska, in tow. A team of scientists offer to pay her way off her frozen planet on one condition: she gets them to the finish line of the planet’s infamous sled race. Though Sena always swore she’d never race after it claimed both her mothers’ lives, it’s now her only option.

But the tundra is a treacherous place, and as the race unfolds and their lives are threatened at every turn, Sena starts to question her own abilities. She must discover whether she's strong enough to survive the wild – whether she and Iska together are strong enough to get them all out alive.

I’m going to be entirely honest, I was hesitant about this book. I expected a Call of the Wild type thing - you know, a survival story with a wolf - and I wasn’t sure that would be something I could like. But y’all this book was incredible, and so much more than what I was anticipating! It has just enough science fiction and a focus on characters to balance the survival story aspect and make it a truly engaging story!

This book takes place on the planet Tundar, a cold, storm-ridden planet where crime gangs rule the streets and the greedy corporations who control the surrounding planets put on a deadly dog-sled race every year to mine the precious metal exocarbon. On that world lives Sena, who spends her days picking pockets, trying to save enough money to buy a ticket off the planet and to a better life. The world is wonderfully built; it has the right amount of world-building it needs to make it feel like a science-fiction but keeps it to the scale the story requires. Sena is a very complicated main character, which makes her a great one. She makes A LOT of terrible mistakes (to the point where it’s almost annoying), but they end up having thematic significance because she learns that she can’t live her life alone, even though she feels like it protects her. While I wish her character arc was slightly more pronounced, it is still really great, and it is incredible to compare her frigidity at the beginning of the novel to her loyalty at the end.

Which has a lot to do with the other amazing characters present in the novel. My favorite was (of course) the wolf, Iska. When Sena ends up on the bad side of one of the crime bosses, he tasks her with healing one of his prized fighting wolves: Iska. Inevitably, the girl and the wolf form an undeniable connection as two souls yearning for freedom and fierce enough to fight for it. Their relationship is PERFECT and I LOVED IT. They become each other’s reason to live in a way, and it’s sooooo beautiful. The other characters are well-written as well, especially the team that recruits Sena to race with them. You can’t help but root for them, and again, it’s so heart-warming to see Sena begin to trust others to protect and help her, simply because they want to.

Apart from these elements, the story itself is an intense and well-written survival story, combining science fiction with the expected hardships of a tundra sled-dog race to create an engaging and truly heart-pounding journey. I got so invested in Sena and Iska’s story, and the icy environment made it a perfect read for the winter season. I highly recommend this one if you’re looking for winter-y reads with science fiction and high stakes, or a harrowing yet heart-warming story of a girl and a wolf fighting for their freedom.

*This book releases on January 11th, 2022 so mark your calendars! I received a free e-arc from Wednesday Books; thank you so much! All opinions are my own.*

After finishing Once There Were Wolves I absolutely needed to read more about wolves! The wolves in this one, or I should say wolf, was probably my favorite character. If you need an endearing wolf to root for, this is the one for you. The concepts and ideas behind this one were also incredibly intriguing. This probably would have been a read I would have loved if it was not for the pace of this one.

There is a lot going for this book. It takes place on a frozen planet, there is a kind of Iditarod race that keeps the stakes high, and it has a main character who, honestly makes some terrible decisions over and over again, but is overall a strong character. I liked it. I just did not love it and that is because about 30% of the way into this one it hit a narrative wall. There is a lot of extraneous story here in the middle of this book that does not need to be there. It started to feel like my own race or challenge to get through it. Once I got over the halfway hump, things really picked up again.

If I did not have to work so hard at this story, I would have loved it. It is a read with some patience required. If you are willing to put in the bit of work though, I think is deserving. Let's say this, I don't think you will regret reading this one. In fact, you may end up intrigued and looking into what this author may write next. I know I will be keeping my eye out.

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves is a YA fantasy debut by Meg Long . Filled with dangerous terrain, storms, monsters, betrayal, unexpected kindness, death, survival, and friendship.

Sena lives in a frozen land where she doesn't belong as the daughter as a corporate racer mother and a scavver mother. Corporate racers are the wealthy of the planet who are greedy with the natural resources while the scavver's live in the wilds respecting nature and taking only what is necessary to survive. Since her mothers perished competing in one last race in order to take them off planet for a better life, Sena was determined to never work with the racers or their wolves ever again. Bad decisions land her not only in the race but also fighting for her life, her newly acquired wolf and people who are turning into friends.

This one had me hooked from the beginning and that's all thanks to our lead heroine Sena. She was fantastic and had my attention from the first pocket she picked. Usually I need romance in my YA fantasies, but this has zero, and I didn't miss it at all. Sena with her wolf by her side was a strong enough character to carry the story. She starts off as a lone wolf herself and learns the meaning of friendship. There's also a whole cast of solid side characters too along her journey.

In the end, Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves was a highly entertaining why a fantasy novel. I'll definitely be looking out from more by author Meg Long in the future.


TW: violence, death, animal abuse + violence

This was a book that had been on my radar for a while, so when I got my hands on an early copy, I immediately dived right in! Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves had an atmosphere unlike any other YA book I have ever read. The cover and the synopsis made it sound like a fantasy novel, but actually reading it, it felt more sci-fi than anything. The coldness and brutality of the ice-planet was palpable throughout the entire book, and I think it was the strongest aspect of the book.

As for the characters, I liked them all well enough, and I though the main character, Sena, was super strong in voice. Her iron will and stubbornness was the forefront of her personality, and while it occasionally was a little annoying, I think her voice was very strong and consistent. She never made any unexpected or out-of-character decisions, which I liked a lot. I also really enjoyed the character of Sena's wolf, Iska! She felt so human-like and I could really feel their bond and the development it took to have such a strong relationship.

My main complaint was the pace of this book. It started super strong, but the middle dragged a lot. The main event of the book (the race) doesn't even start until after halfway through this book, so I felt pretty bored until then. Even when the race did start, it was monotonous in descriptions of endless ice and the brutal course. There weren't many stakes until the climax.

Overall, i enjoyed my time reading this book, and I appreciate that it's a standalone. I just wish that the pacing was more consistent, and that there was a hint of a romance or something to break up the constant misery the characters experience.

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

I don't know what is up with 2022 book releases, but these covers are so beautiful! This novel follows Sena, an orphan who refuses to take part in the planet-wide obsession of racing after she loses both her mothers during the annual race across the planet's frozen tundra. But, when Sena angers the biggest gangster in town; racing might be her only escape.

Charged with the rehabilitation of the gangster's prized fighting wolf, Sena finds herself slowly building an unlikely bond with the creature and further digging herself a bigger hole when she attempts to double-cross her boss.

Sena is a strong, female who is stuck in the mindset that she only has herself to rely on. Especially, when it comes to dangerous situations because someone always seems to get caught in her crosshairs. Sena's character is knowledgeable about racing tactics, the dangers of the almost inhospitable planet, and of course the genetically engineered "vonenwolves" that pull the racing sleds hundreds of miles across the frozen landscape so that greedy corpos can mine exo-carbon; a mineral that is utilized across the galaxy for all sorts of environmentally unfriendly exploits. Not only does this keep to the general young adult themes of friendship, hope, and learning to trust others; but the novel also heavily focuses on destruction of the environment, global warming, and corporate greed. There is no romance; something I have come to appreciate in young adult fiction. Not that I don't enjoy it; because I do—but it is refreshing to see that romance is not necessarily part of everyone's story.

My one issue with this novel was the backstory behind Sena's existence. I felt like there was something missing in her story. She refers to her mom, Iska, as the racer — and her ama, as the scavver who gave up her life to be with her mom. I'm on board with having two moms, but I am curious as to how genetics work in this story that allow Sena to be half scavver.... I really wish that we would have gotten some more backstory on that, because I was having difficulty understanding how she could be 50/50.

Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves is a female-driven cast for the most part. I really enjoyed watching the dynamics between the characters -- each holding a different role of brain, brawn, and bravery. I also love the hook that was left at the end; so I hope Meg Long continues Sena's story. Overall, recommended read for anyone obsessed with wolves, who love their dogs, and are fascinated by the dangers of an ice-planet filled with vicious predators.

Very enjoyable read. Fast paced, interesting world-building, tight action and really great descriptive prose.
You can easily imagine/see/feel the world of Tundar.

As I was reading I kept thinking about Blair Braverman and her adventures dog-sledding and then in the author's notes in the very first paragraph she says she was inspired by Blair Braverman's stories about being on the trail! Yes!!!

I really enjoyed meeting Sera, her world and the hardships that have shaped her. Here's hoping there are more adventures being written in this interesting universe!

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

A compelling YA scifi that also hit me hard in all my "wolf girl" feels (kinda like being a horse girl, except obsessed with having a wolf as a pet). The worldbuilding and atmosphere are exceptional, the stakes are intense, and I'm really excited to hopefully see where Meg takes Sena and Iska's story next.

This book was completely un-expected, in a good way! I was not expecting how fast paced this book and I really enjoyed it. It was well written and I loved the characters.

Brilliant! What an adventurous tale and an intriguing exploration of a beautiful friendship between a girl and a wolf. If you are looking for a unique story, you better pick this one up!

An interesting concept, good characters, and well done world building make this tale of 17 year old Sena and Iska the wolf a fast paced and entertaining read. Sena has been living by stealing on her dying planet of Tundar. Now she has a chance to get off it if she can train Iska and win the race to pull exo-carbons. This race killed her mothers so she's got more incentive than most. Much of this is the race through the miserable frozen world but the best part is the relationship between Sena and Iska. It's more thoughtful than I expected. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read for fans of the dystopia looking for something different.

Thank you SO much Netgally and Wednesday Books for the ARC of this phenomenal book.

This may be the first book I’ve read this year, but I already know without a doubt that it will be in my top 3 for 2022, and absolutely is a favorite of all time. I laughed. I cried—and when I say cried, I mean SOBBED for at least the last 10%. That *never* happens. This is a DEBUT?! I can’t wait to read every single thing this author writes forever more.

The character development was so great that I officially feel like I’m friends with all of them, and I’m so proud of their arcs. Even the wolf has such a touching journey both related to and separate from the main character, Sena. Most importantly, I would absolutely die for Iska. No question.

The plot and world building was so intriguing. I was sold at “ice planet”, but it’s so much more than a simple ice planet! I felt genuinely cold the entire time I read this. As if I were fully immersed on this other planet. The mix of sci fi and futuristic items and science that we could only dream about in present times, yet being set on a world that also felt so “behind” made for such a page turning experience to learn more about this system of worlds for the first part of the book. From about 50% on, it’s all action and all emotions and ALL I COULD EVER WANT IN A NOVEL.

I’m buying this book right this second, and featuring it in a special place on my shelf in honor.

I wasn’t grabbed by this at all. The premise intrigued me, especially the aspects about found family and survival, but I didn’t care enough for the world and the characters.

I absolutely loved Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves! This is a fantastic debut from author Meg Long. Sena is a wonderful main character, full of flaws and grief and a need to belong that she unearths along the way. The story perfectly balances the person vs. person conflict with the person vs. nature conflict, and interweaves Sena's personal journey with each. I loved seeing her progression throughout the story, and especially how her relationship with the wolf Iska developed. This is a wonderful story full of found family themes, and it was refreshing to read such a masterfully crafted story that focuses on a different type of love that isn't romantic. The setting was gritty and richly developed, and it provided the perfect backdrop for Sena and her crew. This is a standalone with a satisfying conclusion, but I could easily see the author writing another story in this world she's created. Fans of Winter, White and Wicked by Shannon Dittemore will love Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves, and I'm excited to see what Meg Long writes next!

Buy, Borrow, or Bypass: I will definitely be adding a finished copy of Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves to my shelves! I do tend to buy and reread series more than I do standalones, but this is one that I know I will want to reread because I enjoyed it so much. Plus, the cover is gorgeous, and I've seen that it will have an equally beautiful case stamp on the naked book. It will be a wonderful addition to my book collection!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an ARC!

This is one of the rare books that turns out exactly how you expected it to.

The plot of this book was very compelling - not my style, but still really cool. Sena lives on Tundar, an icy and hostile planet where literally everything is deadly. The societal system, the people, the animals and plants, and the weather. She just wants to get off the planet and live somewhere a bit more hospitable. But when she encounters a wounded she-wolf and a team of scientists, she’s enlisted to join the race.

The race is, essentially, a death trap. A journey across the worst parts of the planet to the exocarbon mine in the tundra, the most valuable and rare substance in their galaxy.

The world-building was really clever and interesting. I think (???) it was meant to be based on Inuit culture, but do not take my word on that because that’s just a guess based on the way it was written and not at all confirmed.

Anyway, I thought the science fiction aspects were so well-included and made the story so much richer. Everything from climate and animals to technology was incorporated. The corpos (rich, high-class people who belonged to greedy companies) vs the syndicates (street gangs) and the class system was intricate and very core to the story. The society and structure of the world was so well-developed.

The characters were all pretty developed but didn’t have a lot to them. I could tell them apart and I knew their basic traits, but I feel like there could have been more.

Sena was smart, but I also thought she was an absolute idiot. I mean that in the sense that she was incredibly resourceful and skilled, but literally all of her problems in the book were caused by her own stupid decisions.

In her narrative, she acknowledged that she was doing something dumb, and then did it anyway??? I firmly recall the words “this is the worst idea I’ve ever had,” right before the scene where she poorly executed said stupid idea. Ma’am where is the logic -

If you know it’s going to cause problems then why would you go ahead and do it??? You’re telling me that after years of fending for your own survival you still can’t control your stupid impulses???

Kalba was pretty shit. Obviously. He was an asshole and basically the definition of a brutish mob boss.

Kaassen was interesting but I didn’t really care about him much. He felt unrealistic in the world. Sena herself pointed out that he was a little too kind and understanding for it not to be suspicious.

Remy was my favorite and she was absolutely the best. She was stubborn and opinionated and strong, and I think she was brought out in a really nice way.

Pana was unique and I liked that about her, but she didn’t stand out to me that much.

Tulok and Askaa were plain assholes, and I was a little bit disappointed that they didn’t get any characterization aside from “prejudiced brutish idiots who go out of their way to be shits.”

Iska was very interesting and she’s probably the first animal I’ve listed as a character in my reviews. She was stubborn and loyal and had a sense of wit, from what Sena perceived. She was definitely the only reason Sena survived.

The bond between Iska and Sena lowkey reminded me of Stone Fox (please tell me someone remembers reading that book in like second grade.) Little Willy and Searchlight are literally just the male child versions of Iska and Sena.

I personally think the bond between them was a little stereotypical, with the way Sena “sensed” Iska’s opinions and how they just naturally formed this strange bond. It just felt like something I’d seen before.

This book went into found family a little bit with the groups and people and relationships, but I didn’t really see that as much of an important aspect, especially when it could have been. Sena’s perspective was set up really well for that trope and it fell a little flat in my opinion.

The best thing about this book was the racism that it addressed, alongside the worldbuilding. Sena was half-scavver, which caused her to be picked on and prejudiced against by almost everyone in the book (scavvers are a group of people who choose to live outside the society of Tundar).

The prejudices and stereotypes of a society were really well-demonstrated and I loved the insight this book gave into those mindsets.

However, I do think this was a little bit too heavy-handed with the insults and race reminders. I could probably count on one hand the number of interactions Sena had without someone bringing up her heritage and her scavver mother. I could swear half the dialogue was just insults thrown at Sena for her culture (which was lowkey nonexistent considering that she was an orphan) and appearance.

Yes, racism exists and it should be addressed, and it was important to the plot of the book, but still. If the racism and insults in this book were to be believed, I wouldn’t be able to walk into my school building without five people trying to beat me up for being Asian. And I do live in America, so it's not like that’s unheard of.

Overall, I was really drawn into the premise of the book and I thought the execution of the concept was pretty good, but I think the characters and the story fell short of my expectations. The setup of this book could have been something much more dramatic and intense, and it just wasn’t that for me.

“Sometimes you don’t get to pick your family. Sometimes, they show up and pick you and you have to embrace it. And that wolf picked you.”

Cold The Night, Fast The Wolves has beautifully descriptive prose. It manages to combine magical realism with suspenseful thrills. I could hardly put it down!