I really enjoed this enemies to lovers, spicy slow burn Red Riding Hood retelling. The banter between Wolf and Emi was funny. The world building, the curse, the magic & characters were well written. I’m curious, as this is a standalone that is also part of the Enemies Ever After series written by multiple authors, if the characters coincide with other novels? All in all it was a great Adult fairytale. Added bonus the special edition books on the website are absolutely gorgeous.

Not that long ago I promised myself to request less review copies and to focus on reading the books I bought and the books that are rotting away on the shelves for years already. But every time I browse Netgalley after submitting a review I discover more books I either already pre-ordered or just sound too awesome to ignore. This was one of the latter ones. I love retellings of Little Red Riding Hood and luckily the author granted me a review copy via Netgalley.

In a way this is a very atypical retelling and in a way it's also not. The author amazingly blends elements of the familiar fairytale with new and original story elements. And despite the fact that it's quite clear from the start how this story is gonna end, it's amazing to watch these characters fall from each other, to see them exploring their own powers, to see them finding answers and eventually saving a little part of the world.

The author also really made me curious about the future books in this series. In a very natural way we're introduced to heroines and heroes of future installments and although this story doesn't give much away concerning their stories, there are enough small little hints to give us an idea of what might be waiting for us. I'm especially looking forward to the future Romeo and Juliet retelling! The premise of that story presented in this tale sounds awesome!

And I hope the romance will be just as good as this one. I like how these characters dare to challenge each other from the start. Just like they see each other truly, especially the parts the other can't or refuses to see. I also really loved that the main conflict in this relationship wasn't some big fight or big lie that came between them. It was believing that the other could never fall in love with someone like them. Even though we all knew they were perfect for each other.

DNF. This book was very hard to read. I’m not saying the author should give up writing but I’m hoping with more experience the writing will improve. I’m no writer so I can’t put my finger on why this was so bad. The swears were super cringy and the name “Wolf” was hard to deal with. The premise was there but I felt like I was reading a book that maybe an advanced senior in high school wrote. I am all about YA but I don’t want it actually written like a teenager. I hate to give bad reviews, but I just could not stand to read another page. Best of luck in the future. I’m sure there are great things to come. I’m giving it a 2 because the idea is compelling and I so wanted to like it.

I was lucky enough to be accepted to read this arc and I really enjoyed this retelling of red riding hood I would imagine that this book will be directed at a younger audience YA. And I loved how the author made the witch red riding hood and a man a wolf a werewolf and I will definitely recommend this story to YA audiences and to older ones if they don’t mind reading YA. The characters are well written and believable in this fantasy genre. And I would be more than happy to publish a review on my good reads. StoryGraph and TikTok accounts

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This was a good book! When I read that it was a red riding hood story retelling, I expected the main character to be red riding hood, but she isn't. She is the grand-daughter of red riding hood. it is an interesting twist where all of the women in the family are named after gemstones and then called the gemstone witches.

I enjoyed the twists in this book. I think that Wolf was a very cheeky character that I enjoyed immediately. I do think that his name is a little unoriginal.. but I like that it was reasoned into the fact that he was cursed.

I enjoyed the adventure. But I do think that there should be an explanation of the other witches such as Amber, who is a gemstone witch, but not related to Emi.. or is she? Or are all witches named after gemstones?

I do wish that after the curse is broken that Wolf and all of his friends got their memories back. On a side note for Emi's sister Jade, I think that the ingredient that she had placed in the cupcakes that she ate, should have been mentioned in the list of plants that Wolf listed out earlier on in the book. Just a little note to remember for later.. helps pull everything together.

I love Fairytale retellings, my favorite being those of red riding hood. I thought this was a very fun creative and spicy retelling. There was character growth and there was also the found family trope.
What I loved about this book is wolf is supposed to hate Emi, she's a witch its ingrained in him to hate her yet he cant stop the pull he feels for her. It was a slow burn romance but its an enemies to lovers slow burn so it was perfect. My heart went out to both Emi and Wolf as the story progressed, they share a story of growing and learning forgiveness. This book was the perfect pace with enough twists to keep you engaged and wanting more.

For someone who loves a good fairytale retelling this one provided enough of the original tale but with a delightful twist.

The introduction of Emi, the grand daughter of Red Riding Hood was a nice way to tell a different story than the one we all know - the wolf wasn’t the villain.

Read this in a matter of days. Loved found family aspect and the interaction between our enemies to lovers. Emi definitely has a journey of discovery and learns her self worth in this book. While Wolf finds that he is worth love and isn’t the monster he has convinced himself he is.

This is the second book I have read from the Enemies Ever After book looking forward to reading more of them.

Rating: 4/5
I received an eARC for my honest opinion.

I enjoyed this retelling of Little Red Riding Hood by Holloway, and with this being the first book I have read by her I think she did a great job. You can still see the original tale, but the author has added her unique twists and turns in it that really made it pop and shine.

In this book you will meet Emi, who is on her way to see the only person that understands her and doesn’t treat her differently, her grandmother. She lives in a cottage that is in the woods, but these woods are full of mist that is so thick you can’t see in front of yourself, and if that isn’t scary enough there are beasts that live in the mist and only want one thing, to kill. When she gets close to her grandmother’s cottage the mist is hiding a very large beast and she must run for her life to get inside, but when she does, she finds out it's not her grandmother who is opening the door but a very handsome man. With her grandmother not in sight and for a few days she finds out the truth slowly, what exactly happened to her, and she finds herself not able to trust Wolf, the very handsome man. Wolf isn’t just your normal human, but he is a people that has been overtaken by the mist and is now cursed to live a shapeshifter, unless he can find the one that cursed them and kill her, but when her death doesn’t cure anything, he now must find a new way. He just hopes he finds that way before he turns into a beast right in front of Emi and kills her because even though he shouldn’t he starts to develop feelings towards her.

I really liked the fast pace of this book, I felt that the author did it just right. You still got a lot of information that you needed but there was always something next happening on the next page. I felt as though the questions that I had throughout the book were answered, but I still have more questions. lol I want another book about the other witch gems lol. I loved all the hints and gems that we could potentially get more books from, and I am so ready for them. I really enjoyed the magic system in this book, and the way that the witches come into their powers. I mean I would have been a toddler when I became a witch if this magic system was around right now lol. The book was easy to read and with some great characters in it. I really enjoyed getting to know more about Emi and Wolf. Emi is a sweet, kind, and caring character who just wants to find a place that she can fit into. She is strong, I mean you would have to put up with the village buttholes that call her names and treat her like she is dirt. With Wolf you will see a charming, handsome, and very flirty man. He just wants to help his found family of the shapeshifters by breaking the curse and give them back their lives, no matter what. I liked that both characters had growth in this book, and they were both different ways that they grew into, and I can’t wait to see what will happen with the next characters.

You will find tropes like found family, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, witches and shifters.

I want to thank NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable read. Very nicely written, easy to follow and engaging. The descriptions are vivid and the dialogues are genuine. The main character is likable and relatable. The plot was intriguing and I was entertained by the idea of the Mist and how it affected people. However, I was hoping to read more about the world the story was set in; the story of Ruby and why she placed the curse, what was her wish and what was her beef with the folk in the wood so that she decided to punish them. Throughout the book we read about how horrible Emi's family was to her but I wish to have read a scene or two more where we actually see them do it. Also, why did Emi's mother leave and what was her magic? We don't learn about Wolf and his backstory at all which kinda made it difficult to relate to his character other than as a romantic interest. The Julia - Locke storyline is also something I wish I could read more about. Other than that, a very fun, easy, comfortable read for anyone who enjoys cozy romance between likable characters, with adult scenes which aren't explicit but are nonetheless hot and steamy.

While this book didn't quite blow me away, it had some intriguing elements. I appreciated the unique take on the Red Riding Hood story and the well-crafted magic system, especially the concept of gemstone witches and their powers tied to wishes. However, I felt the story lacked depth in world-building and foreshadowing, leaving it somewhat unfinished. Despite this, the plot and pacing were solid, with engaging twists. I particularly enjoyed the dynamics between Emi and Wolf, although I found the intimate scenes unnecessary. Overall, while enjoyable, I believe this book had the potential to be improved with more descriptive detail and a tighter focus on its central themes.

ARC Review of Hunted by Wolves and Shadows by Jo Holloway
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As someone who loves to read retelling of different stories, I will have to say I really enjoyed this one. This one I found was not spicy enough for me as I am a big dark romance and spice fan. I think having it written as YA and New Adult threw me for a loop. I did love the banter between the main characters, as they had me laughing throughout the book. The Easter eggs of the other fairytale stories was a present surprise. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a great retelling of a often over looked story. #HuntedbyWolvesandShadow #NetGalley

ARC Review of Hunted by Wolves and Shadows by Jo Holloway
* * * * *
Another twist to fairytales that has me excited for what more can happen to these characters. The story of Red Riding Hood comes with more monsters, more magic, and more drama!

Emi has little love in her life.
The one person in her life that seems to actually care about her is teased to be a witch and just happens to live in a seculded area in the dark forest.
A forest that has just become more dangerous.
When running for her life to her grandmother's house, she runs right into the arms of a man instead.
A wolf.
A curse has taken over him, his people, and his land, and the witch is behind it.
Maybe there is another way to save his family...and it comes with the spitfire red head that occupies his every thought who is meant to be his enemy.

A spicy enemies to lovers situation where knives are drawn and claws are out.
Emi's family situation is rather interesting with all the secrets and manipulations, and being the town outcast does not help. Falling in love with the man who has done something so wicked in her eyes while conflicted by the information she is told is a see-saw of choosing who to trust. When her own strength comes out, she decides her path on who she wants to be and what she wants to do.
We are also hinted with another possible fairytale situation that has me very excited and intruiged at what is to happen next.

To be totally honest with you I went in with really low expectations as I wasn’t sure you can do much with Red Riding-hood retelling, but I was pleasantly surprised. Loved the chemistry between the main characters and banter was bantering! A couple of turns in the book completely caught me off guard and I am definitely was hooked till the end! It not a five star read for me but definitely was an entertaining read x

Unfortunately this wasn’t for me however I did enjoy the book to an extent - I will not my post my reviews elsewhere as they are due to personal preference as opposed to the author and I feel it would be unfair.

This was written in a YA style and would be more appropriate as a YA book with no spice. I think the mixture of the two is what I didn’t enjoy - both apart were great!

I enjoyed the storyline and it was definitely a cosy fantasy but unfortunately not for me

This story was such an adventure and it was so hard to put down, I felt like I was in it with them. I loved every second of this book, it kept me on my toes and it kept my interest flowing. My fingers still felt tingly 30 minutes after I finished. If that’s not the sign of a book that really has an impact, I don’t know what is. While I shed no tears for this one, I still felt it deeply. There was so much that happened and I have so many questions and I don’t want to leave the world yet. I can’t wait for more, I’m so excited to see how this series ends!

I love a good retelling.

Hunted by Wolves and Shadow is a short (<300 pages) and sweet take on Red Riding Hood where the people we think of as good guys are bad, the bad guys are good, and our FMC Emi has to figure out what's right, wrong, and where she wants to fall.

Emi is feisty and loyal and a little naive, but she gets so much growth by the end. Wolf hides a lot beneath his charming smile and monster moniker. There's no lack of tension, but however much they might be prejudiced against each other, they want the same things and learn from each other.

There are hints of other fairytales woven through the story (likely belonging to the other books in this series of retellings) that are fun little Easter eggs.

This is my first romantacy, and it did not disappoint. This enemies to lovers is a classic retelling of little red riding hood with a twist. If you like slow burns, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, and fairy tales, then you are sure to enjoy the works of Jo Holloway. On her way to grandma's cottage, Emi encounters wolf. They are trapped in the cottage due to a curse of mist that takes people and changes them. It is up to wolf and Emi to break the curse that plagues the forest and surrounding towns. I truly was on the edge of my seat at times, waiting to find out what would happen next.

4 ⭐️ out of 5
1.5 🌶️ out of 5

✨Tropes:
🐺 forced proximity
🐺 enemies to lovers
🐺 found family
🐺 dual pov
🐺 prophecy

✨Summary:

A fun, and kind of cozy (with some spice), retelling of little red riding hood.

Emi sets out, just like any other day, to visit her grandmother, Grandma Ruby, far from the village in a secluded cottage in the misty, foggy woods. While she journeys into the woods, she notices the misty fog seems a bit thicker than usual. And unlike the many times she’s made this trip, she finds herself running for her life from a huge, bloodthirsty wolf. She manages to run and fling herself into her grandmother’s cottage just in time to escape the wolf, only to find a strange, yet handsome, man occupying the cottage. Emi assumes the stranger is her grandmother’s gardener, but she soon finds out Wolf is more than meets the eye. And Emi is on a trajectory to find out that her life is more than she ever realized.

📚A Deeper Read:

There are some excellent recurring themes. There’s a theme of self realization to complacency and willful ignorance to the “outside” world’s (others’) suffering. Emi at one point laments that she has been so self absorbed in her own worries and anxieties that she has completely ignored the pain and suffering of others. This is such an important theme and lesson for people today with what’s happening in various parts of the world.

There’s also a main theme of self discovery and self acceptance. Emi makes a choice to no longer let her past influence her future. She accepts a new part of herself (her magic) and she chooses to no longer let fear hold her back.

Selfishness versus selflessness is a consistent theme throughout the story. It ties into both Emi’s story and Wolf’s story. Wolf openly struggles with his own anxiety about being “enough” to tie his found family together and help them to not only survive, but also thrive during the harsh conditions of the fog.

🐺Critiques:
The initial dialogue between Emi and Wolf is a bit juvenile for how old the characters are supposed to be. The general writing is very good, but the characters’ “banter” dialogue comes off just a bit too young for their age. The dialogue does improve greatly about a third of the way into the book.

Emi doesn’t seem nearly as worried as she should be when she first doesn’t see her grandmother anywhere. It seems strange, and a bit out of character compared to how she is in the rest of the story, that she was so accepting when she first meets Wolf, who is a complete stranger at the time.

I didn’t love the non-cursing, cursing. Example: a person in their twenties calling someone a “wart-head.” Not the worst, but not the best. I’ve seen it done in other books effectively. The way it was done here came off childish for how old the main character is supposed to be. I think the reason it was done was to perhaps highlight the fact that Emi was so isolated from her peers and mainly interacted with her seemingly elderly, sweet, and kind grandmother. However, the language seemed out of place and took me out of the story at times. Thankfully, it’s not done too often to be too greatly annoying.

🪄Standout magic features:
There is a particularly cool, and fairly unique, magical element featured in this novel. It is the concept that a witch’s magical power is solely determined by the first thing she wholeheartedly wishes for in life. For example: if a witch’s first true, wholehearted wish is to kill someone, that witch will end up with the power of death magic. I have not personally come across this particular type of “coming into one’s powers” yet, so I found it fun and refreshing.

I’ve seen cursed fog before, but the people who turn into animals with the potential to turn into rabid forms of those animals is new to me. Loved that twist.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for providing the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing the ARC.

I really wanted to like this book. I am a sucker for fairy tale retelling and Once Upon a Time was one of my favorite shows. But this book was incredibly flat.

I didn't connect with any of the characters. Emi came off as annoyingly naive and Wolf had an instant love connection that felt clumsy and awkward. Characters that were not fleshed out were immediately important with no lead up to their importance. Conversations were stilted and unfulfilled. I just thought that this book needed a level of editing that just wasn't present.

I wanted more than what it was and I was left with nothing but a stagnant mash of charchacters and plots.

This was not what I expected to say the least… Something was lacking in this book and I’m not quite sure what it was.

I liked the retelling of the little red riding hood but felt like the enemies to lovers was missing that spark, that chemistry, that angst. It felt like the switch from enemies to lover was very sudden. I found myself skimming the all the spicy scenes ( which is very unlike me).

I did really like the writing, I found it quite enjoyable to read even if the plot wasn’t my favourite.

Overall, I wouldn’t say it was the best fantasy retelling I’ve read but definitely a fun read.