Raised by Wolves - Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Synopsis:

Adopted by the Alpha of a werewolf pack after a rogue wolf brutally killed her parents right before her eyes, fifteen-year-old Bryn knows only pack life, and the rigid social hierarchy that controls it. That doesn’t mean that she’s averse to breaking a rule or two.

But when her curiosity gets the better of her and she discovers Chase, a new teen locked in a cage in her guardian’s basement, and witnesses him turn into a wolf before her eyes, the horrific memories of her parents’ murders return. Bryn becomes obsessed with getting her questions answered, and Chase is the only one who can provide the information she needs.

But in her drive to find the truth, will Bryn push too far beyond the constraints of the pack, forcing her to leave behind her friends, her family, and the identity that she’s shaped?

Review:

There are a lot of books out right now dealing with werewolves and other fantastical elements that have somehow swept over everyone’s imaginations. Some of them hit the mark and others fail. Badly. I am happy to say that this one, for me at least, hit the mark. It has all the ingredients necessary for an engaging and entertaining read. Bryn is only human in a pack of wolves but what she lacks in size and strength, she makes up for in personality and individuality. The dynamic exchanges between the adults in her life and herself are very well written and emotions are expressed without resorting to melodrama. I think the biggest strength of the novel is its characters. Even though all characters orbit around Bryn, they are not pallid expressions of her own character. In fact, Ms. Barnes has given them all distinct personalities that are expressed in their dialogues and actions, making them real and almost tangible. What I found really interesting was how Bryn, growing up in a testosterone drenched environment, adopts the more aggressive role in her relationship with Chase. This is not to imply that she is in any dominant over him but more like, she’s more assertive which is usually a trait given to the male protagonist. Anyway, I enjoyed this book and am really glad that it is the first one in a series. I will be looking forward to the next one to see how things develop.

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