"Wolf Girl" by Leia Stone is an absolute whirlwind of shifter magic, romance, and heart-pounding adventure! From the very start, Demi's journey had me hooked. Growing up as an outcast, hiding her true nature among witches and vampires, Demi’s life takes a thrilling turn when the Alpha’s son, Sawyer Hudson, sweeps her into the high-stakes world of Wolf City. The combination of mystery, magic, and sizzling chemistry between Demi and Sawyer kept me turning the pages late into the night. It’s like "Werewolf Bachelor" meets epic self-discovery, and I couldn’t get enough!

What makes this book so special is not just the intense romance and action-packed plot, but Demi’s fierce determination and strength as she uncovers the truth about her powers. Her journey from being banished to uncovering the mystery of what she really is—something far more dangerous than a regular werewolf—is filled with jaw-dropping twists and unforgettable moments. If you love shifter romances with strong female leads, a swoon-worthy Alpha, and plenty of magic, "Wolf Girl" will not disappoint. I’m already counting down the days to the next book!

4.25 stars

Thank you Bloom Books and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book follows our Main Character Demi and her love interest Sawyer Hudson aka the alpha. I will admit I loved this book. It doesn't take too long to get you into the world and everything. Demi and Sawyer have genuine chemistry. Also the whole Werewolf Bachelor joke was amazing! I think the only downside to this book is that, we didn't get in my opinion. The characters too fleshed out. It felt very fast and quick paced. However I feel like there is so much more to our MCs that I hope is explored more in the later books.

Fantastic introduction to characters and story in a new series called Wolf Girl.
Demi never fit in, and when she meets Sawyer the future alpha of the biggest wolf pack. They have their ups and downs but Sawyer always, always stands by her side. Demi learns a lot about herself, her nature, her upbringing and their hea is right around the corner when everything changes and leaves the reader witha major cliffhanger that wants me to read the next installment now. I recommend the book and the series, 5 stars.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Wolf Girl by Leia Stone is a first person-POV paranormal romance novella with a Werewolf Bachelor setup and discussions of trauma from SA. When Demi, an exiled young were, meets Sawyer, the son of the alpha, she’s not really expecting much to come of it. But Sawyer has her exile lifted so she can compete with all the other eligible young weres in Werewolf City to become his mate.

The most interesting thing I found was how this took the fated mate trope and somewhat turned it on its head. The aspect of knowing when someone is The One right away is still present, but there’s more room for werewolves to have had previous partners, to fall in love over time instead of Instalove, and for there to be the potential for a connection that isn’t mutual. A lot of werewolf romances that I have read tend to focus on the fated mate trope in a specific way so it was nice to see it subverted but also played a little bit straight at the same time.

Trauma from SA is very much on the page though we only get small details of what happened. There aren’t any flashbacks, but there is repeated use of the word ‘rape’ and there is a discussion regarding labelling someone a ‘rapist’ when there was consent when we get Demi’s mother’s backstory which is juxtaposed to the people who hurt Demi. Nothing felt like it was there for shock value or to be edgy; it all felt handled quite well and respectfully while also exploring how some people misuse certain terms for their own gain. Trauma is shown via a physical allegory by Demi’s wolf being split from her, which is something I’ve never seen before and I appreciated how it connected to the themes.

Demi and Sawyer’s romance doesn’t reach the possessive stage immediately and we see more glimpses of it over time compared to some werewolf romances where it happens pretty quickly. Demi is given the space to come around to her feelings for Sawyer and to have negative emotions around being part of this Bachelor-esque set up and focuses mostly on how Sawyer is behaving rather than the young women she’s technically competing with for his attention.

Content warning for mentions of SA

I would recommend this to fans of paranormal romance, readers looking for a werewolf romance in a world that includes vampires, fey, and witches, and those looking for a shorter paranormal romance first in a series.

4.25 Stars ⭐️

I just read a couple of heavy books and wanted something a bit lighter and this looked fun. It was. This is a pretty fast and easy read/listen with a little bit of a different perspective on the Shifter world.

We are introduced to Demi who is a wolf shifter whose family was banished from "Wolf City" before she was born. Because of this, they live in a kind of offshoot of the city, where the magical rejects are forced to live. But the important thing is that she has been "cuffed" with these magical cuffs which take away her ability to shift. She has never shifted and does not have access to her wolf.

Things begin when she accidentally meets another wolf shifter - Sawyer - who immediately realizes her situation and since he happens to be the Alpha's son, he is able to get her out of there and into the Wolf City University (they are college aged). Demi then discovers that they way he did that was to invite her to participate in an event that happens every 25 years. The alpha's son is entering his "mating year" and has to find a mate. Demi calls it the Wolf Bachelor, or something similar, and I found that funny.

To top things off, it seems that Demi is not a normal wolf. Wouldn't you know it, there are secrets galore. Her past, her family history, all of these new things are being discovered and she finds herself in danger.

But other than competing with 50 other girls/wolf shifters to make the top 20 (seriously...remember, Wolf Bachelor?), her life becomes very complicated.

This was just what I needed. Totally not too complicated, a fast easy read - well, listen, since I listened to it on audio - and it doesn't take itself too seriously.

Unfortunately, it does have a cliffhanger, which seems to be the norm lately with most books in this genre. Ugh. That was the only thing that kind of irritated me. But, I am invested now, so I will be continuing on....

Thank you to NetGalley and to SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. This book is out for publication on October 8, 2024.