Ooof… chapter two “her affinity for Edgar Allen Poe”

If you want your main character to have an “affinity” for someone, maybe check the spelling of the name. I’m sorry, for some reason that gave me an ick that I can’t get past.

A Curse of Blood and Wolves is the kind of spicy paranormal romance that I really enjoy! It was a darker romance with the forbidden aspect that I love to read. Ruby has a fiery spirit that is the perfect compliment to Rafe’s broody loner vibes, and both of them are mysteriously drawn to each other despite knowing that they shouldn’t be.

It has the delicious back and forth, will they or won’t they sexual tension that I love but that might not be everyone’s cup of tea, especially since it goes on for pretty much the entire book. This is definitely the start of a series leaving questions at the end of the book that lead up to a second that will undoubtedly revolves around different secondary characters that we’ve been introduced to.

If you love a good werewolf romance with elements of darkness, this could be the book you’ve been looking for. It was a page turner for me, and I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series!

Thank you to One adore Chapter for providing me with an ARC of this book.

I haven’t read a good werewolf book in a bit. This book had me from the first chapter. This had a Red Riding Hood vibe and I’m here for it.

**A Curse of Blood and Wolves** by Melissa McTernan is a dark and steamy romance novel that re-imagines the classic fairy tale of Little Red Riding Hood. The story follows Ruby, a young woman who feels a mysterious attraction to a stranger who watches her from the woods every night. She doesn't know who he is or why he follows her, but she can't help but feel drawn to him. When he finally reveals himself, she discovers that he is a wolf shifter and that they are fated mates. But their love is not without danger, as they have to face the wrath of his kind and unknown lineage of what her family is.

The book is a fast-paced and engaging read, with plenty of action, suspense, and steamy scenes. The author does a great job of creating a vivid and immersive world, where magic, myths, and legends coexist with modern society. The characters are well-developed and complex, with realistic flaws and emotions. Ruby is a strong and independent heroine, who doesn't shy away from danger or passion. She is also compassionate and loyal, willing to fight for what she believes in. Rafe is a brooding and mysterious hero, who has a dark past and a fierce protective streak. He is also tender and devoted, willing to do anything for his mate.

The book is not without its flaws, however. Some readers might find the plot too predictable or clichéd, as it follows many of the tropes and conventions of the paranormal romance genre. Some might also find the insta-love between the main characters too unrealistic or rushed, as they barely know each other before they declare their eternal bond. The book also ends on a cliffhanger, which might frustrate some readers who want a satisfying conclusion.

Overall, I would recommend this book to fans of paranormal romance, especially those who enjoy fairy tale retellings and wolf shifter stories. It is a captivating and sensual read that will keep you hooked until the end. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

2.5/5. Releases 10/1/2023.

Vibes: light werewolves, paranormal with a new adult sensibility, very very very faint Little Red Riding Hood
I really love Little Red Riding Hood, which is why I requested this book. While there is obviously a LRRH inspo, it's super cursory. At the end of the day, this book reminded of one of my YA obsessions of yesteryear, Maggie Stiefvater's Wolves of Mercy Falls series. Of course, it's much more explicit, and the writing style definitely leads more New Adult. This isn't YA, to be super clear.

Unfortunately, I don't think it quite worked as a mature romance. While I was entertained at points, my attention wasn't held, and I think there were some easily avoided mistakes made.

Quick Takes:
--One issue I had with this book was Rafe's general self-loathing. Now, I like a self-loathing hero; but there's that, and there's mopey. Often, Rafe seemed dejected and sorrowful, and just plain dull.

This contrasted to Ruby, a heroine who was introduced in a very Jughead-ian "I'm weirdo. I'm a weirdo" manner, but brightened in a way I found... if not super unique, nice. I wasn't enamored with Ruby, but I honestly didn't really get what she saw in Rafe, aside from him being generally hot and good at sex.

--And about that connection... or lack there of. This is a mating bond book, and I'm not against that. In fact, I think all the werewolf books I've loved have been fated mates books. It's part of the werewolf appeal. But when I think about my favorite mating bond books... When I think about, for example, Kresley Cole's Lykae novels which handle it so well... The issue is that while the hero immediately wants to protect, have sex with, conquer his heroine--he doesn't actually love her. He adores her, maybe, because of his instinct. But he does notknow or love her. Additionally, this is met by friction from the heroine, and in the end he must realize that she cannot be conquered because he's fallen in love with her as a fully realized person.

Here, once Ruby finds out about the werewolfitude, she takes it in remarkable stride (like, I don't need ten chapters of agonizing, but girl goes from "there is nothing paranormal" to "there is a naked werewolf and we're vibin'" so easily). That tension? Is gone. They just like each other, and he's so devoted, and that's all nice. But it's not very interesting, at least not to me.

--Ruby really doesn't ever seem concerned enough about anything with respect to its importance. Rafe angsts about everything, and with Ruby it's like... Girl, wake up. There's some seriously intense shit going on, maybe be a little more active?

--I actually didn't mind the fact that a lot of the werewolf stuff was more mood and vibes, versus much unique societal structuring. I don't think that's inherently a bad thing, and like I said, it reminded me of the sort of vaguely magical "small town YA romance with monsters" thing I used to gobble up. But here, it just didn't feel very real. I think the writing style just didn't linger enough. It told the story in the plainest way possible, and the characters and dialogue weren't compelling enough to make up for that.

The Sex:
The sex scenes are solid. I liked them--and I especially liked the whole "we cannot have sexual intercourse because werewolf stuff but we CAN do everything else" thing. I liked that Ruby saw that as sex, and I liked that they did get creative with it. Interestingly, this is like, at least the third werewolf book I've read where he couldn't put it in Because Reasons. The focus on pleasure versus anatomy was good.

While I didn't hate this book by any means, I really didn't get into it either. There was potential, but I think this was just the most straightforward route possible. That said, I can see New Adult lovers getting into it.

Thanks to One More Chapter and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

‘A Curse of Blood and Wolves’ by Melissa McTernan follows a fated mates love story between human and wolf. Ruby is being stalked by a stranger on her way home from work, but she doesn’t let fear get to her. She wants to get to know this man...wolf.
Ruby’s sister is also having episodes only saying the words ‘they’re coming’, with no recollection of these episodes happening. With a sudden wolf attack on Ruby, the stalker...Rafe, steps in to protect her, and now that is all his body tells him to do, protect Ruby. Together, Ruby and Rafe must figure out who is behind this attack on Ruby, why her sister is having ‘visions’ and most of all, their feelings for each other.

This book had me intrigued from the start, although I found some plot lines were not strong enough for me. Fated mates, a world of fantasy mixed with the human world, Melissa McTernan’s writing was well paced, however the connection between Ruby and Rafe didn’t have me begging for them to be together. The book does leave the read on a cliff hanger, giving us an intrigue and incentive to read the next book in the series.

Overall I rated this book 3 stars.

Thank you NetGalley, the Author and Harper Collins UK/ One More Chapter for an advanced reader copy of this book.

Thank you netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!


Long story short:
Rafe is obsessed with Ruby. He ends up saving her from another wolf and becomes super protective. You find out a lot of backstory behind both characters and of course Rafe is a damaged man going through some trauma. They never really figured out why she was attacked, but there were assumptions.

I love a good werewolf story, but there wasn’t anything FANTASTIC about this book. I’d like to know what happens since the book does end on a slight cliffhanger, but I won’t lose sleep.


If you like:
Werewolves
Fated mates
Forced proximity
SLOW BURN

This book may be for you!

"Why had he followed her? And why the hell had she wanted him to?"

A Little Red Riding Hood retelling where Little Red quite likes when the wolf catches her. Throw in some fated mates, werewolves, and fake dating and you've got a great retelling! Ruby and Rafe were a sweet couple and I enjoyed getting to know them throughout the story. While the plot was pretty predictable it didn't take away from my enjoyment although the story itself felt very slow and repetitive at times. This was my first werewolf shifter book and I really enjoyed it! I'm curious to see where the author takes this story from here but I'm not sure I will continue the series.

"Oh Rafe, you must know by now that I don’t want things that are good for me."

I was totally on board for a Red Riding Hood retelling, and of course still chasing the Twilight werewolf high. But I didn't seem to catch on to this one.
Rafe is so incredibly whiney, self conscious, and self deprecating. He is hundreds of years old and yet he still can't seem to understand his feelings. So incredibly annoyed how many times he ran away, even after knowing she was his freaking mate!! I love his wolf side and his history though. I want to learn more of his pack and who they are. He described them as family and how visiting the pack felt like home, so I hope we get into that more in the next book. His Ma and Knox were so interesting and I want to learn all about what happened with the final duel between Rafe and his brothers. There was so much hinted at or barely touched on and then nothing was described more. Theo seems awesome and the chapter at the end makes me want so much more Theo and Phoebe.
Ruby was likeable enough. I liked her humor and how she stood up for herself and what she believes. I like her little friendships with the bar owner and the witch that is starting to form. I liked how she was smart and didn't keep her feelings to herself about Rafe. So many times women are written to keep feelings hidden and bottled up and it was refreshing to have Ruby be the opposite of that. Her sister is interesting and I am excited to see her become a bigger character as the series progresses. And I hope that Ruby has the same powers as her.
Overall it took a bit to get into and I didn't love it in the end. It was a fun werewolf story with an ok romance to it. The spicy scenes were spot on, but a bit too much pinning and whining for me.

This book sounded so interesting to me but fell a little flat. A retelling of little red riding hood with a sexy wolf stalking Ruby through the forest. The start was good and I enjoyed the chemistry and his reluctance to get involved however it came a bit repetitive him pushing her away. I feel the plot could have been a bit more thought out. The end was left very open and there was little information about Ruby's bloodline. I'm sure in the next book things will become more apparent but I think the focus will be on Theo and Fee. Overall I liked the book but it left me with more questions than answers.
Thank you to Netgalley, Melissa McTernan and Harper Collins UK or a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

~ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ~

ARC Review (Thanks NetGalley!) 📚

I was pleasantly surprised by this book! I wasn't too sure about the 'Red Riding Hood re-imagining' blurb, but I was glad to see it wasn't the story line, just little words to tie it all in. I found myself sneaking away from my WFH desk to continue reading, and staying up way too late after my 8 month old had gone to bed to sneak more pages in, as I was hooked! And to me, that is a sign of a good book!
I am now eagerly awaiting the date of Book 2, as I need to know what happens with our beloved Ruby, Wolf-Man and all of our friends (as they have now become to us readers!)

“Fate doesn’t make mistakes”
This was so good! Has a very good Little Red Riding Hood vibe to it. Some fake dating, paranormal, drama, and spice. I loved the dynamics between the characters and the world Melissa created. She made a highly enjoyable world that was easy to follow and I cannot wait for the next book to find out what happens!

Thank you to NetGalley for a free advance review copy, I am leaving this review voluntarily.

When I saw that this was a Little Red Riding Hood re-telling, I just KNEW I had to read it. I haven’t come across a re-telling of this story yet, and this one did not disappoint.

Just had two small gripes with this one:

1. There were some parts that I feel could have been explored more, such as how Ruby did not seem surprised at all that her ‘human’ world had been turned upside down with the new knowledge that werewolves were real. Maybe she wasn’t that surprised because she may have her own magical powers? We are yet to see if this is the case but I otherwise would have expected a bit more shock or disbelief.
2. There were a few grammar/editing mistakes that weren’t picked up on but these did not interrupt the flow of the story so aren’t a major issue for me, thankfully.

There was a good detail of background given for Rafe’s life, which I really enjoyed and you can definitely see why he became a lone wolf. There seems to be hope that he is reconnecting with his pack though, which is wonderful - maybe this will be expanded on in the future books in the series?!

His and Ruby’s connection is beautifully written and developed - I loved that we had a happy ending for their relationship. There is a lot of sexual tension build-up but the spice is totally worth it once you get there.

The plot is also great and I feel like this first book creates a good basis for what, I hope, explodes into a heart-wrenching wider plot in the later stories. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for the release of the second book in the series! Need me some more werewolves…

So thankful to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book early in exchange for my honest review. Let me start off by saying i LOVE werewolf books. They are a comfort read for me. Which is why I was so excited to read this one. Overall, I think the book was good! Was it the best I have ever read? No. I think it had really good potential but was just lacking in some parts of the story. I think throughout that more could have happened during the story. I also feel like there were some points in this book that might have been an attempt for 'easter eggs' for book 2...or maybe they were just randomly mentioned with no indication that we will know if it actually meant anything to the storyline or not. I do think with how the book ended (cliffhanger) that book 2 has the potential to start kicking up with a more exciting plot. I would definitely continue the series and read book 2 for that purpose to see what happens next! Thank you again for the opportunity to read this book.

First, I would like to thank the author & NetGalley for the eARC opportunity. Like always, this review is voluntary & honest


The book was most definitely a page turner. The plot was extremely entertaining.
I absolutely loved Ruby and Rafe's love story!

Werewolfs, Witches, seers, and nymphs all add their own twist to the story and bring the fantasy element to life.

There are lots of little red riding hood elements with their own twists, which was great.

I'm excited to see where the story goes in book 2

Forbidden Romance
Fated Mates
Touch her and die
Werewolfs
Witches
Nymphs
Seers

Lots of little red riding hood elements. I was very drawn in with the opening of the book. A young woman who prefers to read in the cemetery, near her parents. A town that has decided she is weird and shuns her, kind of. Until, the book reveals that she is 24. Umm.
Her sister has visions. They aren’t good. She wakes up saying “They’re coming.”
Young woman works in a local bar and chooses to go through the woods to home because it’s shorter. (That’s never the answer).

Someone has been in the woods and she still goes through. He is a werewolf.
This book is very first, this, then that and then this and then that.

Thank you to HarperCollins for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

A Curse of Blood and Wolves by Melissa McTernan is a fairy tale retelling that combines fantasy with romance. The story revolves around Ruby, who is walking through the dark woods one day when she meets a stranger in the woods. She knows that she shouldn't be in the woods, but she can't resist the allure of meeting the person who is following her. Is he friend or foe? Why is he following her in the woods? What does he want?

Here is an engrossing excerpt from Chapter 1:

"Ruby kept her pace steady even as the hairs rose on the nape of her neck, a familiar breathlessness squeezing her lungs. She felt the stranger's gaze tracking her as she traipsed through the woods. Dry leaves crunched under her feet on the overgrown trail, the smell of dirt and pine drifting up to her nose.
Beneath the terror of knowing she was being watched, a deep sense of relief settled into her. He was still here, still waiting.
Any sensible woman wouldn't be traveling through these woods after dark. She shouldn't be here. But she was not a sensible woman."

Overall, A Curse of Blood and Wolves is an adult contemporary romantasy that will appeal to fans of Blood and Ash or Twilight. One thing to note is that this is contemporary fantasy, not high fantasy like it appears from the cover. One highlight of this book is that it is a fairy tale retelling with werewolves. I love fairy tale retellings, so I knew that I would love this book.

Another highlight of this book are the trope the author employs: touch her and I'll kill you, in addition to fated mates. If I had to complain about 1 thing, I would say that I am not a fan of the dual third-person narration, but that may be just a personal thing to me. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of romantasy in general, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in October!

All the makings for a good book are within the pages of A CURSE OF BLOOD AND WOLVES, including the Little Red Riding Hood retelling concept. The issue I had from the start was being unable to root myself in a time period and setting. Modern references helped with the time period, but it wasn't until page 85 that we found out the book was set in Maine. To top it off, because Ruby and Lena live next to the woods on the outskirts of town, I couldn't visualize what the town looked like.

Engaging in the story further was challenging by the fact that the pacing is either too slow (in the beginning) and then gets too fast. I would've loved to see their relationship develop on a deeper level at a slower place.

With all the above said, my biggest issue is that Rafe was stalking Ruby and somehow it's okay. It's not. The fact that the topic of stalking is written so flippantly and more as a tool for foreplay I found disturbing.

I will say it's a great cast of characters, but I wish the book didn't feel so periphery, discombobulated, and at times repetitive in action and interiority.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

First of all I would like to thank the Author and NetGalley for letting me read this book before publication in return for an honest review.

The concept of this one is great. I wouldn't say it was particularly well done though. The sisters were intriguing and I was excited to find out what the sisters turned out to be and how Ruby and Rafe's relationship would develop. However I wasn't a huge fan of the writing and the simplicity of it.

As I said above, the concept is actually very good - a little red riding hood retelling in a very unique way, that far enough removed from the original that makes it interesting. The story-telling was very easy going and for the majority of the book I read it quite quickly - it's one of the one that you just keep turning the page regardless of if you are enjoying the book or not.

Unfortunately, this one just wasn't for me and therefore I would rate it a 2.5/5
If you like fairytale re-tellings, forbidden love, fated mates and the 'touch her and die' tropes then give this ago.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in return for an honest review 💛

I toyed between giving this book a two or a three star throughout reading it, so you may consider it a two and a half.

The strongest parts of this story for me were the premise and the easy-going storytelling. I think the writing style suited the story and the characters well and helped make it an enjoyable experience to get through.

Unfortunately, I struggled with understanding the way the plot was paced. Since I read the majority of the story in one sitting, I felt that the flaws in the pacing were more obvious to me and I mostly fault this over the fact that this books tries to follow a pattern more commonly seen in contemporary romances, where each book follows a different couple. Unfortunately- whilst admitting that I cannot completely consider myself as disinterested in the other couples in this world- this meant that everything had to happen quickly (in two weeks, to be precise) in order for it to be wrapped up for that couple. This being said, some other paranormal romance books I've read in the past have managed to successfully write beautiful books using this structure, so I encourage the author to experiment further with it to help find that happy balance.

Further, where one would expect world building and an atmosphere of anticipation, this book simply breezed through and used a sense of "normalcy" amongst characters as an excuse. Even more noticeably, most reveals in the plot were anticlimactic and fell flat.

Despite this, I will still be keeping an eye out for the rest of the series as I do believe it has the potential to get better. Thank you once again to Net Galley for the opportunity.