*Review* : Raised By Wolves - Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Review of Raised By Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Released : September 2nd 2010 (UK)

Finished : 19th March 2011

Source :  Library
Plot : 4.5/5
Cover : 4/5
Page Turner : 4.5/5

Characters : 4.5/5
Ending : 4.5/5

Overall Rating :

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?

l work hard to make my reviews non spoiler reviews. Please email/comment me if you feel a review has a spoiler in it and you haven't been warned.
I am unsure about this book, not in a bad way, l just don’t know how to rate it. Right at the beginning l got really into this book, l absolutely loved the plot in this book and how unique it is. Towards the end of the book, which was when the books pace got very fast, l found l wasn’t as ‘into’ the book. I don’t know if it was myself, maybe l felt a bit distracted, but l just felt a bit 'distant' from the characters which l had grown a 'bond' with!

Either way, this book is amazing.

Everything l read in this book was so unique, l haven’t come across a book like this before which l always really love in a book. One thing l found unique about this book is how much depth Jennifer goes into with how the werewolves think and feel, it’s quite amazing but also strange in the way it is probably quite real.

The characters in Raised By Wolves are all very strong ones, even the ones which don’t play a huge role were very well developed. The main character, Bryn, is a very strong person who doesn’t mind testing the limits and boundaries set for her. This is a great characteristic for a main character as it makes their actions unpredictable and therefore the book is never predictable. The people around Bryn all stand out for their own reasons, so much so that they could also be main characters because of the amount you know about them.

I never predicted any part of this book (apart from what the blurb 'hints' towards) and in no way did l see what was going to happen towards the end, for some reason, like l mentioned, l wasn’t totally gripped for the first bit but then by the last 30 pages l was engrossed. The action was never ending!

I think probably the only thing l didn’t connect with in this book is the sudden connection between Bryn and the ‘male’ (depending on if you read the blurb or not, l don’t want to ruin anything for you). I understand there is kind of an explanation behind the sudden feelings but in another way l also found it hard to connect with any interactions between the two characters. It all felt a bit, fake, in some ways. It just happened too quickly!

Saying that, this book isn’t just about romance between two people in any way, this book focuses strongly on a ‘pack bond’ between the wolves. This may seem strange as humans can never totally understand the pack bond between animals but when l was reading this book l found it easy to believe what Jennifer wrote because it felt very real and like she had seen into an animal’s mind. This book surprised me in some parts and l felt Jennifer included things which other authors may miss out as it's a YA book but l am glad she did include these parts. In particular there is one scene which shocked me but also showed how strong the pack bond and rules are. I liked this because Jennifer, right from the start, makes the reader see how important it all is and then she shows this by following through with it by the wolves actions.

Overall this is a great, intriguing read which you will not regret picking up! Jennifer has created a new world within this book which lets you see inside the minds of. 

P.S Sorry this review is quite bad! I struggled to write this and not give away spoilers.

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2011 Books Challenges 

Read 15 books with 350+ pages

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