Jess continues to impress with this wonderful story. I was hooked from the opening pages, and loved the empowering story of Muirne. The chemistry between her and Riagan was fantastic. I flew through this one!

This book was amazing! It was action packed and fast paced with great world building. And I really loved the romance in this book.

I really want to like the story. But I just couldn’t get into it. To me the story was a little lackluster and I just really didn’t care about the characters. The writing was good though. Sorry just not for me. DNF at 40%

Great story, odd execution.
This is the first installment of a new series featuring a character named Muirne. I had high hopes for this book, but there were a few pretty large issues I had with the execution.
To start with, I almost didn’t continue because at the beginning of the story Muirne is the most immature, self-centered, fly-off-the-handle 25 year old EVER. She does level out quite a bit around the 50% mark of the book though.
Next, it’s constantly being mentioned how the MMC looks at Muirne, yet she claims to be completely oblivious. It’s a constant flip flop of emotions she has for him from “he’s so hot and kind” one moment to “he’s the enemy and I hate him” the next.
Last, that ending!! Ok, it was good, but I totally wanted more.
I did like this story, and if you can persevere to the middle of the book, it’s worth it to finish.
I do feel like this is a decent novel from a new author, and I’m excited to see what she does next and how her writing and characters develop!

Recommend - I’m howling for more (that’s the only pun, I promise). The indie book you want people new to indie books to read.

Historical fantasyish. FM slow slow slow burn

Propulsive:
The pacing on this story was non-stop. Rarely slow, but well-balanced so you didn’t feel exhausted. A difficult balance to maintain, but one that was on full display. I felt tense the whole way through, and really just wanted to keep reading.

Full of Surprises:
The basic premise of this seemed pretty standard at the outset. No spoilers. Muirne is the heir-apparent to her father and their lands. Then things start to go awry. Pretty straightforward, yes?

Yet somehow, I was constantly surprised. Although there’s an argument that the turns should have been expected, I consistently couldn’t see them coming! Which, for a fantasy reader of more than 30 years (Redwall definitely counts as fantasy, I will die on this hill), feels like really saying something.

Kickass MC, Flaws Non-optional:
Muirne doesn’t back down. She is so regularly and consistently strong, determined, and badass that I just loved the hell out of it. But the downsides that accompany that mindset, which are often downplayed with FMCs, were fully embraced here. Because speaking from experience, being regularly strong and determined can absolutely bite you from time to time, and you have to be ready for that.

Muirne isn’t, always, but she learns and grows as a human as a direct result of that, and THAT is also badass.

All the Action:
I don’t like action scenes. I don’t have the imagination for it; I usually struggle to visualise or comprehend them.

So when I say this is chock-full of action, and I could understand and actually picture it. Wow. ‘Nuff said.

Burn:
I’ve only ever seen a slower-burning romance in A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab. And that had considerably less denial than we see here. This is just about my pace for romance when it’s sub-plot, if I’m being honest. 10/10, would have as sub-plot again.

In summary, this was an awesome read and a perfect reminder that a fresh take on old concepts is just as good as a holiday. It’s not epic fantasy but it felt epic anyway.

First off thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC! I’m so very honored to have been chosen.

I wish I could’ve given this one more stars as my last ARC was 5 but this story felt a bit lacking. This is labeled as a Sci-Fi/Fantasy and besides some elements it read more like a historical fiction.

This story is set in medieval Ireland (Eryn) and is told by Muirne’s POV, she is the daughter of Arasgain, ruler/chieftain of Inbuir. She is a fierce and independent swordsman that wears the skin of a wolf she killed in cold-blood upon her head. Her tight-knit community consists of her Dad, brother, uncle and advisors. Her life changes instantly following a tragedy which lands her as the leader of her territory only before intruders make her fight for her life. She is taken behind enemy territory where’s she’s imprisoned and injured. She has to figure a way to fight alone or find help only to fall into the hands of the man who took it all away, Riagan.

The enemies to lovers romance in this was a bit over dramatic for my taste. It was “I’m going to stab you!” to “hold me please don’t let go.” Too often. Then at one point everyone in the book is yelling at Muirne that Riagan is in love with her CONSTANTLY. It’s like ok she has eyes too mind ya business. Then the scene with Eoghan annoyed me, him saying to Muirne “hey girl you should totally kiss him I know you want to.” Then the VERY NEXT scene he walks in on them finally holding hands and doesn’t even notice when before all it took was a “look”. Didn’t quite track for me.

Lastly, The character names were also a bit tough for me to get over and often I forgot who was who and pronounced everyone’s name wrong. I felt it took away from the writing overall unfortunately. To be a fantasy novel it doesn’t mean they all have to have ridiculous names.
My faves Temair:”tor” or Aodh:”ay” 😅
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7340548480

Woman of Wolves seemed to be a historical fiction and not a fantasy book, although it was marketed in the Sci-Fi / fantasy section. I think the book has a good overall plot but needs some work. I really did not like the main character. The way she thought and acted was off putting, for example how she thought she was so much better than Aodh. I think the description of the book should be edited to take away some of the details of what happens because it gives away too much making the story less exciting when reading it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for allowing me a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and Ravens Ink Press for the arc.

Muirne was a hard protagonist to root for. In general, she lacked a humbleness to her actions and carried a sense of air about her that made her rash, unable to take council from others, and elitist, at times. She literally acts like a bratty child and is called this constantly in certain situations and with speaking with certain people throughout the book. When she meets the man for the first time they found in the woods, she calls him adept at dodging her questions but he…literally just refuses to give a straight answer? (Pg 46). Now, I’m not a spy or trained in the art of espionage or covert missions but I wouldn’t necessarily call that adept at dodging questions.

This lack of humility or desire to heed any council given is what ultimately - and not unexpectedly - assists Muirne in not only the downfall of her people but also herself. Which, to be fair, feels rightfully warranted at this point in the story.

One key point of this I need to bring up is the constant use of wolf woman or Faelhen is absolutely maddening. She references it almost every available space she can. Whether it is reminiscing on how she became by the name, having herself or her men call her that or her enemies. A truly maddening piece of this for me is the amount of times the author reminds us that Faelhen means wolf woman, as if the reader is forgetful. One of the things I detest the most is someone who seems to think their readers are forgetful or are unable to recall what it stands for. Then she uses wolf analogies or description and it just…it becomes truly tiring.

Temair ends up being one of my favorite characters. A side character that exudes a depth and insight that Muirne seems to lack. I’m reminded on this when multiple times the MC talked about her womanhood or her men looking down on her because they wanted to protect her, which, isn’t she the Chieftan? She makes being a female seem to be a terrible drawback to being a swordswoman, a chieftan, and Temair answers this simply with, “You ask why I am kind and that is my answer. I am appreciative of how glorious we are.” (Pg 112).

Raigan is also a solid favorite. He understands and sees things the world as it is. Something that Muirne doesn’t seem to grasp even after she runs into him as leader of the mercenary band she comes to hire to help win back her keep. She is very black and white on her view of the world while Raigan seems to realize life isn’t always that simple, especially with the situation they are both in.

The battles within the novel are a saving grace for me. They are written well and display Muirne’s skills as a swordswoman. The battles within scenes also show a detailed account of fights that take place using swords and the way they were wielded by their handlers.

Near the end we do get a glimpse of growth for Muirne and it was one of the many saving graces for me when it came to this story. I loved Raigan and Temair because of their outlook on life and how this situation Muirne was put in forced her to grow up.

Woman of Wolves has a lot of potential!
From a fledgling author, it's a great novel - intriguing, strong warrior woman on a vengeance driven journey rarely misses and Muirne delivered on that for me with independence and agency I'd expect from a character in her shoes.

The bones of the story are strong but the world building and pacing at times could have benefitted from slowing down a little to smell the roses and flesh out the overall story/immersion of the world.
The slow burn romance was well developed throughout, I cared about Muirne and her journey. Overall this was a great early novel from an upcoming writer with a lot of potential for an enjoyable series but nothing too ground breaking for the genre.

I was really excited to read this book as the synopsis of the book had me hooked. It was an easy book to get through with an appropriate amount of memorable side characters, and I felt the pacing of the story was great. I appreciated the slow burn and how this book still left more of the relationship to be developed in future books. The FMC (Fáelben/Muirne) also showed some character development towards the end of the book making her a slightly likable character. The themes of feminism and respect towards females in society was also appreciated.
While I enjoyed the premise of the book and think the series will have a lot to offer, there were several areas in the book which dampened my enjoyment of the book and ultimately led to the 2 star rating. While I love a good feral FMC, Muirne was pretty unlikeable throughout the book, and although she was a great fighter, I do not think her talents portrayed in the book should have garnered her the amount of respect and fear that they did. I was hoping with her older age (relative to the rest of fantasy FMCs' ages) would lend her to being more mature and stable, but she truly did act like a brat for most of the book. Her backstory was actually really interesting, and I wish it could have been further supported by her actually having been an accomplished warrior in the field rather than just the daughter of the chieftain who has just beaten everyone in sparring practice. She did not prove herself by being clever or a good leader- she just managed to stay alive and kill a lot of people.
Looking at the MMC (Riagan), I liked the idea of him being a mercenary and Muirne's and his relationship being forced proximity/enemies to lovers. However, the number of times (131) he is called a brute and the times his size is described in the book took away from the story. I hope in future books his background is further explored, and his relationship with Muirne continues to grow.
Along the lines of romance, the hint of a relationship with Aodh also felt random. I feel like it was to allow the reader to connect with him before he was un-alived, but it didn't make sense to me as a crucial part of the story.
Overall, while I am glad I gave this book a try, I likely will not be reading the rest of the series. However, I will continue to follow books released by Jess McFarlane as I do think she shows a lot of promise as a fantasy author.

I heard of this book and needed to read it. This story follows a FMC that is known for her abilities to be niche like a wolf and no mercy. After a big life event that puts her in a dark place she is forced to get vengeance and save her people. In this process you get to meet some really good characters and a plot that keep you wondering where things will lead. If he only thing I didn’t like is how it ended… where a missed opportunity leaves you saying what? That’s where they are leaving it? It’s no a huge cliffhanger but leave the book feeling complete. I scored this based on flow, details, vibes and emotions. 3.5/4 star

More like 2.5, rounding up for readability. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

I’m sort of in between on this one. It was a very readable book — fast paced and mostly clean writing. There’s never a point where nothing is happening. I loved Riagan, who was the most interesting character through most of the book, which made up for the inconsistency of Muirne’s character.

I think what I really wanted was for the author to let the story cook more in places. Certain plot points really needed to linger more to give them a bigger impact. I didn’t feel much for the first fifty or so pages because we moved SO quickly through what should have been a highly charged series of events. Muirne faces two bad guys in battle in the last sixty or so pages, the first of which we meet for the first time in that very battle, the second of which was defeated way too quickly for the build up he had. This leaves everything resolved at the end… which would be okay if this were a standalone book, but it’s the start to a series. I cannot even begin to guess what the next book will be about because no conflict has been set up.

This book also should definitely not be classified as fantasy; there are no fantasy elements within it beyond the fact that the characters believe in gods. I don’t mind the lack of fantasy, but it was a big let down since that’s how it was marketed.

I’m interested in the next book, but I wish I were sitting on the edge of my seat for it.

That said, it was a fast read, and I did find myself reading large chunks at a time because the action kept things flowing.

Thank you to netgalley and Victory Editing Negalley co-op & Ravens Ink press for this arc!

This book follows the only daughter left behind to defend her home in the midst of a rebelling/overtaking from the enemy. She finds herself being her people's last hope for freedom and will do whatever it takes to get her status back and people to safety. Even if that means teaming up with the ruthless man who was the reason for her clan being overrun.

This was a very good read, however it had a rough start. I found myself being very frustrated with the cockiness of the fmc and her own power seemed difficult to believe (not that she can't be a ruler bc yasssss queen, but more so her ability to fight very well when she was so injured). I can appreciate that her character was meant to be written that way, and it built up the character development for her to be a bit more humble (just a tiny bit). The writing itself made it a bit hard to feel immersed in the story. There were a lot of paragraphs used to describe the scenery, which got boring very quickly and I ended up skimming those pages.

As the story progresses, it got really strong. The plot really started to pick up & it flowed much more easily, I'm glad that I didn't dnf like I was contemplating. The writing style was much better and quick to the point. And the character development was written very well between the fmc & mmc, you could really pinpoint the shift of their emotions and I loved their interactions. The conclusion was definitely satisfying and I am eager to read the second book!

Marketed as a historical fiction/romance/sci-fi &fantasy novel, Woman of Wolves follows Muirne Arasgain, who finds herself cheiftain of her clan following a terrible tragedy when war breaks out between her village and neighboring communities. Muirne must come to terms with her grief and learn how to rule in a very short time. When tragedy strikes yet again, she loses everything and finds herself at the mercy of rival chieftains, mercenaries and more.

I really wanted to enjoy this book based on the description, but I found myself struggling to finish and will not be continuing the series. I had a hard time understanding if the target audience for this book was adults or young adults. The writing was juvenile at times and Muirne was a little pedantic. She was so into the idea of being a strong woman as it applied to herself that she fell flat in interactions with other women. I understand that this is a first book in a series but there was too much repetition in conversations between the FMC and MMC that basically amounted to “I hate you more” when we all know they’re going to wind up together. The “romantic” aspect of the book was a miss for me.

I’m failing to see any sci-fi or fantasy aspects written into Woman of Wolves. The book read like historical fiction to me. While there’s a lot of content in the book, there’s not much happening in the first leg of the journey. I think a lot of fat could be trimmed but I would have also liked to see more world building.

Overall, I think this book needs to find itself. Is it YA or adult? Is it fantasy or historical fiction? Will Muirne grow up and become more rounded as the story progresses? Will the writing be repetitive or will the story be more flushed out? I wish the author all the best as the tale continues.

Thank you to Victory Editing, Ravens Ink Press and NetGalley for the free ARC of Woman of Wolves in exchange for my honest review.

This was a fairly quick read, and easy to get into, but unfortunately I didn’t love it as much as I’d expected. Something about the writing style just threw me off.

However, I would still recommend trying this book out! It had a well fleshed out world with interesting characters.

This was a book that it took me too long to become invested in. It features a female protagonist that claims she is strong and independent, to the point of hubris, and has to be beaten over the head with the idea that it's okay to have allies for 70% of the book before she finally allows others to aid her. While I think this is a great point of character growth, I wish it hadn't taken so long for her to stop playing directly into the characterization of childishness she was receiving to get there.

I also felt that dialogue and combat, in particular, could have used a bit of polish. As the book went on, both of these got better, but it was difficult not to be ejected from the story during some of the earlier character interactions. Some of the notes I wrote myself early on while reading focused on the interrogations the main character attempts to conduct. She is absolutely dumbfounded by the other character being "so exceptionally good at being interrogated" yet her idea of interrogation is threatening him, asking a question, and then not following through on her threats. Of course you'll get nothing.

For all the flaws that jumped out to me while reading, I did grow to care about the fate of our characters. There were quite a few secondary characters that I enjoyed and want to learn more of in future books. While this was by no means one of my favorite reads, I will likely continue the series in the future.

Yes! This was amazing! Definitely a must read for anyone that loves great characters and a fantastic world building.

🐺 Woman Of Wolves 🐺
⭐️⭐️⭐️.💫

Woman of Wolves is the first book in the Arasgain Rule series, a historical fantasy romance that is planned to have four books. The story follows Muirne, a strong, resilient woman who is left to defend her home when her brother and father leave to try and stop the tyranny of MacMaol, who has declared himself ruler of Eryn. When tragedy strikes, Muirne is forced to become the chieftain of her family's territory and things only become more complicated when a stranger named Riagan arrives, suspected of being a spy.

So this is such a delicious slow burn from enemies, to reluctant allies to maybe more than friends??? I loved the setting, Gaelic mythology and lore roots and world building of this it was giving Outlander meets Disney’s Brave and I was feral for it and would have loved even more details on the clans and their lives and customs. This definitely leans more young adult at this point and I wished the pacing was faster in places but also appreciate it is due to be a longer series and can’t be all action always so I’m sure there will be pay off in later books which I’ll definitely go on to read.

Thank you, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and Ravens Ink Press, for providing me with a free ARC of "Woman of Wolves".

The main character, Muirne, who they called “Fáelben” or a “wolf woman”, is a daughter of Arasgain chieftain. I admired the healthy family dynamics, how her father cared for her and believed she’s strong enough to overcome any difficulties. After father’s death, she had to step in and lead their people and defend their land. I admired her persistence and strong will.

After reading the synopsis and grasp the general idea of the plot, her family’s death didn’t affect me as much I thought it would. I believe the author tried to show us the character who was put in the circumstances where she had to put aside her emotions and act tough, but it felt as if we were missing a vital piece of storytelling and character development.

She never offered any comfort to Brennus, her uncle, who also suffered the loss. Oftentimes, her bad temper was getting in a way, she was rude and harsh towards people who cared for her. In captivity, heroine had enough time to reflect on her life and I give her that, she admits she was unfair to her uncle. Yet, she claims being above Riagan, her enemy turned ally. She says he has no right to look at her or speak to her, because she’s a lady, a chieftain and a warrior. Who, by the way, has seen only ONE real battle by now. Muirne is often described as “strong”, “fierce” and “feared”. And we will be hearing this SO many times that it would feel like the author's trying to charm us into believing it. If you’re up for a drinking challenge, take a shot every time someone praises Muirne, let’s see how fast you get drunk.

The two big disappointments were a map and a pronunciation guide, the latter I found useless, as it didn’t have a phonetic transcription. And the map was too simplistic for my liking. A great example of a fantasy cartography is "Mistborn: The Final Empire", "The Lord of the Rings: The Trilogy", "The Edge Chronicles Maps", even my most recent read "Winter's Fury". Yes, this comparison might sound silly, as not every author can draw or is represented by The Big 5 Publishers or has a budget for a good map. That being so, maybe this book would’ve been better off without a map.

For those who are not a fan of a heavy world building it won’t be an issue, but I wanted more descriptions/details of their daily life, of their clothes and customs, of their beliefs. That might be the reason why for the longest time I was under the impression that we’re in a Norse setting, but it’s actually Celtic. Although, the Norse and Celtic pagan worlds were different, in this book the line is blurred.

Muirne speaks of Gods, but who are they really? We don’t have any actual names of the Gods until we’re about 40% deep into the book. And the very first Goddess mentioned is Brigid, Goddess of Fire. The second goddess/a deity, is Morrigan, who’s a part of Tuatha Dé Danann, and she’s in love with Cú Chulainn. Which is a very useful information given the fact that we will never hear about them again. I would either focus on recreating a more accurate, immersive historical and cultural setting or abandon it all together in favour of creating my own, unique setting.

Another thing that drew my attention was tattooing. By the description, we can tell that the tattoo mentioned on pages had an intricate design, which I’m not sure people would have been able to do at that time due to the lack of the right tools and techniques. I did a little research, and it appears there's no solid evidence to determine if tattoos were a thing on those lands and what their tattooing culture would look like. The same with the “war paint”, it looks great on screen, and it's fun to read about it, but again, was it really a thing, was this type of make up ever worn by the Vikings?

Now that I’m done yapping, here’s what I think. Muirne got slightly better by the end of the book, and Riagan was a true voice of common sense and reason. With a good marketing strategy, I’m sure this book will find its audience. There’s a potential, it’s noticeably better edited than most of the popular romantasy novels. Yet, it didn't hit the mark for me, and I feel bad for not liking “Woman of Wolves” as much as I thought I would. That being said, everything is subjective, if the synopsis sounds like something you might enjoy, if you like detailed fighting scenes, light world-building and strong-willed characters, go for it!

P.S.
Where do the druids learn how to pick locks?

I'm actually not clear if this is an adult or YA novel. That information could sway the rating, but if it's adult, it's a solid 2 stars.

The idea behind this novel is solid. Youngest child of the chieftain loses her family, gets kidnapped, and has to fight back to restore her home. Along the way she meets up with a band of mercenaries and works together to take down the man behind the downfall of her clan. Pepper in some romance, and it makes a great story. I can get behind this. What absolutely killed this for me was the writing itself. I almost DNF at around chapter 3 or 4, but that's against my nature. I don't like to not finish.

From what I could tell McFarlane was trying to create a character similar in strength to Celaena from Throne of Glass, but the development was just not there. We start this novel with Muirne beating her older brother in sword fighting, then being told she can best everyone in her father's clan. Most of the information is told to us when it's needed to explain why she can do what she does when there has been no evidence to support the action. I almost wish McFarlane took the time and gave us hints at Muirne when she was growing up - whether in flashbacks or actually start the novel when she is younger. She falls very flat and it doesn't feel real that she becomes the leader at the end and gains everyone's respect.

The interrogation of Riagan was simple embarrassing. He is much harder to break than expected. Honey, you asked his name then punched him in the face like a child. No wonder he just looks at her and says You must be new at this. But no.

I did like Riagan as a character for a while, but the chemistry with them was odd. Sometimes it made sense, but again, this suffers from a lack of development. There needed to be more attention and less time of side characters telling Muirne that he's into her and she's into him. Seriously, this happened with 4-5 characters in like 3 pages. Stop wasting words on silly repetition and take time on your plot.

This is a first in a series and I would be interested in seeing how the story progresses with more care and dedication to the writing. At times it felt like a second draft, maybe even a thrown together fanfiction. This could have been amazing, but only if more time is put into the story.