I don't know why I do this, but I always want to step out of my comfort genre and read something new. And I really tried with this book. I tend to like YA fantasy books when it's good. But this book just left me confused on so many levels. I really didn't understand what was happening most of the times. I just think the whole situation is confusing at best.

Honestly, wasn't a fan of this story. It was difficult to follow and I didn't connect with the emotional arc of any one character.

Generally a good book, kept my attention. The story was great, characters well thought out, and the pacing was good. Overall, I enjoyed the book and would read more by this author!! Thank you so much for the ARC!

This one took a few chapters to really take off and differentiate itself from the pack, but it's one giant adrenaline surge once all the pieces are set in place.
Sena starts out as the stereotypical kind girl acting tough to survive and earn her way out of the man-eat-man world she was born into. She's a thief with no remorse about stealing from the wealthy off-worlders who arrive en masse to witness the legendary (deadly and dangerous) race that killed her mothers. She has no intention of having anything to do with the race or the wolves that pull the sleds that participate in it until the most vicious crime lord in her world makes her an offer she's not allowed to refuse and she meets a beautiful fighting wolf named after her mother. Then it's a roller coaster ride of emotions, action, and life and death decisions.
The characters Long slowly introduces leap from the page and feel as alive as the deadly nature of the world that seems to be trying to kill every living thing in it. And the conflicts between people, animals, and nature - made worse by the greed of off-world corporations - ring with a note of sad reality that adds an extra layer of emotion to the events of the book.
This is one that takes a bit to warm up to, but I promise it will be worth it.

Happy thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Wednesday Books for the very exciting read!

Sena made a mistake and has to get out of dodge with her wolf friend, Iska. It's a cold planet, so it's definitely possible to become scarce, but to get where she really wants to go, Sena will have to do something she promised herself she'd never do: sled racing. Sena lost family members to the sport, but she's out of options, and the only good one lies at the other side of the finish line. Sena and Iska set out in the frigid cold with the hope of a new beginning, but when the frost sets in, Sena is forced to reckon with her own abilities, the fate of her family, and what it really takes to survive. You can't outrun the inevitable.

Imagine, if you will, that the Iditarod was fueled by corporate greed, to reach a region where no machine could penetrate. Sena lives in a world where that is real, and wolf creatures are bio-engineered to withstand the harsh conditions and demands of the race, at the end of which is found a rare substance in high demand. I found the world-building and ethical challenges of this story captivating, and I feel like this setting has a lot more to offer. The race doesn't begin in earnest until halfway through, but that also allows time to build up this interesting, flawed world, to get to know Sena and Iska, and to understand the plight of the people caught between survival and the crosshairs of capitalism.

In the latter part of the story, as the cold seeps in, that's when the bond between Sena and Iska really shines, and the ice hits the fan. Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves is an entertaining, thought-provoking transposition of Alaska's ubiquitous race, turned into something far more sinister, and I devoured it like a very blue snow cone (You know the one). Recommended for readers interested in unusual settings, strong world-building, a girl and her dog trying to survive, and perilous ethical questions piercing the barrier of cold corporatism.

"Nothing taken, nothing given."

Part of me kept thinking of Call of the Wild as I read through this beauty. The other part of me appreciated the fact this was far different from that book and watched helplessly as my heart fell head over heels for Sena and Iska.

I have a soft spot for books that bring to life the intrinsic and beautiful connection between beast and man. Set against an unforgiving and frozen tundra, Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves, takes the danger of sled dog racing and swirls it together with science, beasts, politics, survival, social constructs and heartfelt depth.

I did not expect the amount of feeling that Long penned in these pages. Sena lives a scavver life of solitude. Picking pockets to live and one day get a ride off of Tundar. She is the type of fierce survivor I want in a heroine. Her desolate existence paired with the devastation of her losses in the past, equally mold her character into the brash lead MC she is.

There is a slow lead-up to the action but for me it fit the plot and construction of the world building. It also gives the reader time to piece together the jigsaw that makes up Sena. Each character, each climax and every loss add to the captivating narrative of this book. Speaking of side characters, Pana and Remy are some of my absolute favorites!

A debut perfectly fit for found family, survival and strength. I recommend this novel for any reader who enjoys the wild ride a novel like this can deliver! Thank you Wednesday Books for the stunning gifted copy for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

This is a title I've been sitting on for awhile but when it came time to read it, I am no longer interested in it. I'm sad when this happens, but I can't bring myself to read something that I'm no longer interested in, unfortunately.

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves

Author: Meg Long

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 5/5

Diversity: f/f romance mentioned

Recommended For...: young adult readers, sci-fi, dystopian, survival

Publication Date: January 11, 2022

Genre: Young Adult Dystopian

Age Relevance: 16+ (animal gore, animal fighting, animal death, language, violence, gore, death)

Explanation of Above: There is a lot of animal gore in the book and mentions of animal fighting. There are also a few animal deaths. There is cursing throughout the book. There is also violence, including gun violence, gore with blood and other injuries, and death mentioned and one gruesome death shown.

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Pages: 368

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.

Review: Overall, this book was really good. The book is full of action and adventure. The story is compelling and I really loved Sena as a character. The book has an Iditarod race feel to it and I really liked that. The character development was well done, as was the world building, and overall it’s a good story.

However, I did really hate all of the animal violence scenes and I was confused at some points during the book, especially with a lot of the back and forth.

Verdict: It was good!

The world of this book is unlike anything I’ve ever read before. Probably because I don’t read a ton of sci-fi. It’s set on a icy planet where there are monsters that can kill you, intense weather that can kill you, and crime lords that can kill you. It’s an exciting place to read about but definitely not one I’d like to visit. My favorite aspect of the story was the relationship between main character Sena and the wolf she befriends, Iska. I loved that the main relationship was between a girl and her animal friend rather than a romantic relationship. Having no romance in a YA book is always a bold choice that I appreciate. This book isn’t perfect but it has a ton of fun characters and non stop action, especially in the second half during the Iditarod-like race.

This was a fun story! Once we got past the initial 25% or so, the story really gripped me. I love a good survivalist story, and following Sena as she tried to keep herself alive while also opening herself up to care about others really spoke to me. The author didn't pull any punches - there are consequences that last, and I really appreciate this. I'll read from the author again in the future!

Running from someone she stole from, Sena ends up accidentally hiding inside a feral wolf’s cage. She’s caught by the den boss, Kalba, so he makes a deal with her that she’ll pay her debt by healing the wolf. The wolf’s name is Iska. Kalba named his prized fighting wolf after Sena’s mom. This irritates her horribly. She agrees to help heal Iska but she gets sidetracked more than once with trying to steal enough to pay her way off the ice planet. After a few misadventures, Sena ends up with a racing team that’s planning scientific studies of the exocarbon that the planet is known for. Sena is angry with herself because she vowed that she would never race. She learns how much she can truly handle and how teamwork helps tremendously with problem solving. I enjoyed this read, even through Sena’s pessimism and stubbornness. A wonderful mix of dystopian, science fiction and adventure awaits readers who want to plunge into another world, 5 stars!

Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves is a terrifying adventure through a deadly, frozen tundra all for the chance to mine a rare and precious metal for the wealth it promises. But only if you survive.

Sena, a young pickpocket struggling to survive on a cut-throat planet, can't seem to catch a break. The first two-fifths of the novel felt a bit slow as I watched Sena fail to get what she wants again and again. I'm a sucker for a flawed character who learns from her misjudgement and failings and I could tell that Sena would have an incredible journey.

So many others have talked about the worldbuilding in this novel, and I can't help but rave about it. This small, ice-covered planet carries a unique and complex ecosystem of flora and fauna, each one designed to kill and destroy. It's the perfect place to set a sled-dog race that feels so much like a fictional Iditarod (a sled-dog race that takes place in Alaska every year. It's gruelling and a test of every bit of their strength, though they don't face quite as many extra dangers like cat-beasts and giant bears).

Overall, I loved this novel and I've found myself thinking back to it more than once since finishing it. I know that it's a perfect standalone novel if that's the plan, but I desperately want to see more stories that take place on this frozen world. I hope everyone gives Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves a chance!

Fast paced and engaging! This book is the perfect combination of science fiction and survival. I've already shared it during book talks with students and they're so excited to read it.

I thought the first half was slow to get into but the second half was a fast read. So much happened in the second half. I really enjoyed learning who the characters were and the harsh world they lived in. The race didn’t happen until about 50% in but when it did it made me think of Baltio. That is one of my favorite animated movies and reading this made me want to rewatch that movie. I did enjoy this book but not as much as I wanted to. I really thought this was just ok. The end made me feel like there could be a sequel and if there is I might pick it up.

Meg Long wrote a very special book. The story of a girl who has given up on connection and the wolf who shows her the way back—through the tundra—to a future she could not have imagined. The teen protagonist in this story has a lot of loss and danger to handle as the story develops. Perfect for readers who enjoy found family, fast pacing, high stakes action, and animals who choose their people. It’s so good!

4/5

Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves is Meg Long’s debut novel. It features dog/wolf sledding, sci-fi, action, adventure, survival and you guessed it, snow. And lots of it.

The story follows 17 year old Sena. A girl tired of being alone and fighting for every scrap she can get just to leave the ice-cold planet Tundar she calls home. With every scheme Sena gets closer to saving enough money to leave, but when she’s caught by the planet’s mob boss, she must use all her wits to survive all by herself… though maybe she doesn’t have to do it alone.

Look. I liked the premise. I read the synopsis and I was like “yes! Balto plus angry teen girl? I’m in!” I’m just sad it took about 1/3 of the book for the synopsis to even be relevant in the story.

So it started slow, oh well, that’s fine, most books do. This book also has a LOT of exposition at the beginning. Though it does take some time, Long does explain a lot of how the universe works and Sena’s background and everything.

What I did love about this book - and why I’m giving it a higher rating than what I was planning - is that once the action part got going, it went and Did. Not. Stop. Meg Long went HARD during the last 1/3 of the book. Also, the women???? Strong, bad-ass queens. I would die for them all. Even the animal ones.

Here’s where I’m torn though. The ending was so open that I was shocked. Threads were not just left open, they were straight up dropped and left to drift in space for eternity. So, if there is a sequel or companion book, then I will gladly keep my rating at a 4 and GLADLY read any book from this (hopefully) series But if this ends up being a stand-alone then I’ll have to lower my rating because just too many threads were tossed away.

I really, REALLY hope there is a sequel though! I’m fully invested in this world Long has created and I am willing to go on a journey with her.

While this debut has an interesting premise--like Call of the Wild meets Firefly--I lost interest in the narrative. The main character made reckless choices and the plot felt incredibly repetitive in the first 20% of the novel (main character steals, gets caught, is chased, sulks, repeat). Then when the main character isn't busy being painfully bad at thieving, the book packs in so much exposition the pacing suffered. Ultimately, I wasn't interested in continuing.

Oh my, this is one wild ride. It starts out moving fast and never looks back. Tundar is a cold, hard planet with few choices and Sena wants off it. But there aren't many ways to earn the money for a ticket, so she supplements her earnings with some pocket pickings, which can get a girl in trouble, and does she get in trouble. Big time. This is the classic story of One Thing Leading Into Another and somehow loner Sena has appropriated what appear to be scientist friends, a fighting wolf carrying her dead mother's name and they all are joined on a deadly race she swore she would never participate in. How'd that happen?
This is a rip-roaring good adventure with well-drawn, believable characters and world-building. The planet is harsh, and its native inhabitants even nastier than the human baddies. This race makes the Iditarod look like kid's stuff. And there's always the opposing team willing to kill you if the locals don't.... The race itself is only a small part of the story, the grand climax as it were. There's lots of Sena getting in and out of trouble, getting to know the scientists, and more importantly, she and the reader getting to know Iska, the wolf, a really splendid character unto herself. The whole story, the people and the setting are more complex than the blurb lets on, and makes for a very rewarding reading experience. Highly recommended.

And for those of you who don't care how many humans are killed as long as the dog/wolf/animal lives:
SPOILER ALERT

YES, Iska is still there at the end of the book. This book is safe to read. Whew!

This was a great sci-fi/fantasy novel, it was right up my alley! I loved the author’s writing style and our main character Sena! An amazing read and I highly recommend it!

This cover is so gorgeous, I just had to read it. Though I have some mixed feelings about this read it was an interesting read.

The book had a real slow start for me. It has a creative world. I had to hang in there though cause I did feel that the book ended better then expected. As a debut book the author is off to a good start. Im a huge fantasy reader but I have never been a huge fan of Sci-fi read. This book has some Sci-fi feels but it was done in a way that made it more enjoyable. However I do wish that I got more out of it as there were parts where I felt disconnected from the character but I found myself entranced by the world and the wolves. The authors way of writing is a little jagged but for a debut I feel that the next book has a lot of promise.

A frozen planet with wolves this YA fantasy can check a lot of boxes for readers. In the darkness we push for the light. This story is fighting to live. Some scenes can be a little more graphic than others but overall it is still YA.

In short:
Did I like it? It wasn't to bad.
Would I recommend it? Possibly.
Would I read more by this author? I'll keep a look out.