Raised by Wolves

Time for a re-read. And it STILL gets 5 stars.

This was a fantastic book and the best book that I've read in awhile-one of those that you don't put down until finished and where you've got this excited feeling in the middle of your chest.
Written in the first person by a 15-yr old, it has a maturity that is not common in today's youth, but nevertheless believable.
While I consider it to be a self-contained story, by the end of the book, there are indications that it could be the 1st in a series. I really, really, hope so because Bryn's voice and story have the potential to become an awesome UF series.
Many female protagonists in today's UF series really irritate me. Despite her age, Bryn displays a maturity, clear and intelligent thought show more process and subtle, but very clear bad-assedness that a lot of other UF protagonists lack. She is sarcastic, knows her own mind, and her actions remain true to her character throughout the book.
In a glut of UF books that are starting to seem cookie-cutter, this book is a welcome (and VERY good) breath of fresh air. show less

Oh. My. God. This BOOK!
It started out kind of slowly, but it picked up speed fast. And when I say it picked up sped, I mean in PICKED UP SPEED.
By nine last night, I was just over halfway through it and screaming something along the lines of, “I HAVE TO KNOW!”
By ten, I’m pretty sure I looked like a mad person, not even daring to blink lest I miss anything.
By ten thirty, when my dad said “lights out!” I only had about five chapters left, tops. I turned off my light reluctantly, and then, I did something I haven't done for almost two year.
I took out my flashlight
Yeah. That’s how serious this book was. I risked the wrath of my father and the safety of my precious flashlight because I just had to read this book that f-ing show more much.
Yeah.
(in case Dad is reading this) I put my flashlight away about ten minutes later when I got to a chapter break, but, god, I so did not WANT to.
Then I woke up this morning and finished it.
And, oh, it is a good thing I have book two sitting ready on my bed for reading.
After a mostly vampire-and-werewolf-free summer, this is the perfect way to end it before going back to school later this month.
A good vampire series conspiracy, and then a good werewolf series OHMIGOD, CONSPIRACIES.
If there is one thing that I love more than vampires and/or werewolves, its conspiracies.
Yeah. Just—wow. THIS BOOK.

Bryn is the kind of heroine I love. Resilient. Literally. She wears her sarcasm like a shield, which I also enjoy.
Oh, and has anyone else noticed that people like the name ‘Bryn’ for werewolves? Okay, Bryn in this series isn’t technically a werewolf, but she’s the mmain character in a werewolf series, which counts, if you ask me. And then there’s Bryn from Nightshade (and I don’t care how much you say you’re Guardians, you can change shapes between being a human and a wolf. That is the definition of a werewolf.) And, also, if you watched season 2 of Being Human, the North American series (sorry, British people, but I I’ve tired to watch your version and wasn’t quite as enraptured with it) there’s a werewolf name Brynn there too.

Yeah. So. THIS BOOK.
My suggestion: Don’t start reading it in the evening. Not if you’re anything like me. show less

A really interesting book about werewolves. The story of a human girl raised by werewolves, questioning everything and finding her place in the world. The dynamics between the different characters are strong, and the plot has some good twists and turns to it. It also shows great promise for the sequels.

So why only a three? The main character's only 15, which gives a bit too much license for immaturity, which can prove a little annoying at times. Though she does learn from her mistakes and grow throughout the books, so not so bad. The writing itself is a little raw and unsophisticated, though still pleasant and readable. It does fall into some bad habits, like the word "mine" being used about a thousand times, and similar overuse of show more one-word-grunting.

Overall, a good read, but also a light one, where there are some minor annoyances to be overcome. I do have hopes that the writing will grow a little with the character in the sequels. show less

I've let my YA reading become far & few between of late because I they were all beginning to read the same. In much the same way, I've spaced my reading of vampire, were & witch stories. So, since I treated myself to a vampire story recently, I decided it would be okay to give the werewolf a turn.

As YA stories go, this was pretty well done. The angst was sometimes a bit much but Bryn, the main character didn't have me wishing for her to just shut up already, so that's a great thing. Also, I found that I really enjoyed the adults in the story. Ali & Callum especially & Mitch & Keely to a lesser extent, were more than just tertiary existences to Bryn & the story. Ali & Callum were real & had deep influence on her daily life. I found it show more so refreshing that Bryn had to deal with them & the author hadn't simply made adults these people who exist but have no import in the lives of the characters. Perhaps this was easier to do, as much of the story revolves around Pack life & hierarchy. Bryn & other age-mates don't have autonomy to just do what they want & when and sometimes it's claustrophobic.

I was most interested in the pack politics & the mystery surrounding The Rabid. The introduction of Chase as the newly bitten changed were was fine. I mostly couldn't tell whether their bond was romantic or sibling (because they had both suffered & survived The Rabid) & that ultimately made me care less. His cryptic mention of having liked her before he was bitten though they had never met was never addressed so I wondered if he was a long lost sibling from when Bryn's family was slaughtered when she was four. That Bryn sort of extrapolates this bond thing into a kind of love thing hinted at romantic but I was never sure. By the time the kiss happens at the end, I don't think it mattered much as it wasn't really pivotal or relevant to anything going on. Chase is one of the least fleshed out characters in the story & often reverts to the monosyllabic (sometimes he gets two), so there's only so involved with his character one could get. He was ultimately needed to be the go to to get information for Bryn's mission & he serves his purpose to the plot well enough. Devon & Lake were much better characters but strangely stereotypical at times. They exist in different parts of the story as resident BFF to Bryn & near the end as part of her big plan.

The epic beat down on Bryn by Sora at the order of Callum was likely the boldest move of the story. The aftermath of Bryn internalizing that it was okay because it was a pack-thing was also a bold way to go. Ali is the saving grace to this part of the story because she does what most people would hope the adult would do should this happen to a 15 year-old girl. I wanted to know what Devon's perspective was for what happened & found it strange that even though Bryn had a laptop, he never sent her an email when she left town. I mean, really? He never once checked on how she was after she regained consciousness. Honestly, it felt like the author just dropped the Devon thread here & replaced him with Lake out at The Wayfarer.

The culmination of the story with Bryn, Chase, Devon, Lake the pack Senate & the Rabid was a bit pat for me. First, that Chase was even allowed to get away from his, up until then, severe lockdown by Callum & the Pack for his unpredictability being so new at being a were, to go & meet up with Bryn & Lake, made no sense & was never explained. I also didn't buy Callum sort of being granted absolution for all that he'd done (the beating) & allowed to happen by chalking it up to basically having done all that he had for Bryn's own good. It sort of tainted the whole father-daughter relationship coming full circle, for me.

I liked this well enough to want to read the rest of the series. I'm most interested in the pack politics and how Bryn's new pack will come into its own (though it's populated by children, so I don't expect they'll be going all warlike with the other packs in the subsequent books). Still, I am interested in seeing how Bryn comes into her own as a leader & how she finds her way. show less

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, show more 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. show less

I have done it! I have finally found a werewolf book that trumps all others (at least thus far). There have been numerous series that I have enjoyed, such as The Wolves of Mercy Falls by Maggie Stiefvater or Nightshade by Andrea Cremer, but this book stands alone. The storyline and plot is complex, engaging, and addicting, and the writing is both simple and lush. This is a wonderful story that you should not miss out on!

The thing that I liked the most about this book and really set it apart from others of its kind was how well the ‘personality’ of the wolf came to life. Barnes meshes the human and wolf personalities flawlessly, leaving no dichotomy between them. When I think of werewolves, I always imagined them as one entity, both show more human and wolf living symbiotically in one body, and Barnes portrays them exactly this way. She truly captured the essence of the wolf, at times bringing it to the forefront of the story. The main character, Bryn, is a human that has been raised by wolves, and while she cannot actually change into a wolf, she thinks and feels like one. During intense emotional moments or memories, her wolf’s voice would come forward. Pack, pack, pack. Blood, blood, blood. Alpha, protect, mine, survive. I know this way of thinking/writing irked many people, but I did not equate these simple, repetitive sentences with Bryn, but rather with her wolf. Wolves process things using emotions and smell: the smell of blood brings about thoughts of survival and protection, the smell of dominance brings about thoughts of alpha and pack. By using these simple thoughts and sentences, Barnes brought the wolf personality of the werewolf forward. Very few books do that, so it was an inventive, refreshing take on werewolf stories that I really appreciated.

I loved the characters, as well. Bryn is strong, and even though she is one of only two humans living amongst werewolves, she stands up to the alpha and just lives for pushing people’s werewolves’ buttons. She is smart beyond her years, and with the discovery of her ‘ability’ (which I will not reveal), she definitely proves to be an interesting character. Devon is the perfect best friend, protective and loyal, and his metrosexual-self provided many humorous moments. And Ali is an awesome mother! She is a new age Sarah Conner (with werewolf relations), and I loved how she stood against everyone, even her alpha and husband, to do what she thought was right. Callum also proved to be intriguing. I did not like him much at first, and I thought some of his judgment calls left a lot to be desired, but I ended up really liking him after everything was explained. Chase, the newly turned werewolf, creates some turbulence with his presence and knowledge of a Rabid werewolf. The reader does not learn that much about him, so I am hoping more will be revealed about him and the rest of the characters in the next book!

I think that Chase and Bryn’s relationship was also well crafted. It does suffer from ‘instalove,’ but I think this instant connection between them was brought on by their wolves, not their human counterparts. Wolves connect to their mates rather quickly, with things such as smell and physical contact being triggers. Callum warns Bryn not to touch Chase, but the moment she does, their wolves claim one another. With similar pasts, the same ‘ability,’ and the emotional pull between them, their wolves recognize each other as mates. The human side of Bryn remains unsure of how she feels about Chase throughout the book, but her wolf side has already claimed him as hers. Mine, mine. My Chase. I know that this ‘instalove’ and relationship between Chase and Bryn bothered many (especially one of my friends), but I did not mind it at all. This is just another way in which the wolf makes its presence known.

While this book did start off a little slow, it quickly builds up. It drew me in and kept me captivated. The ending was nice, too. It ties almost everything up really well, while leaving a few things open for the sequel. Overall, this is definitely one of the better paranormal YA reads out there. The story is not tainted by a love triangle, a cliffhanger, or any (teenage) drama that does not pertain to the story/plot. The story is original and creative, and I enjoyed every page. I cannot wait to how things develop in the sequel, Trail by Fire. I will definitely be reading it! show less

A human in a werewolf’s world, Bryn is a very unlikely heroine. However, that is exactly why she is so amazing! While she has been taught how to fight by the Alpha, Callum, she doesn’t need a set of canine teeth and claws to win her battles. Bryn is one witty, sarcastic and intelligent young lady and she uses her brains to bring home the win! Throughout the story, Bryn discovers just how unique she is and the reader begins to realize that Bryn is fantastic just the way she is. Bryn is sarcastic, independent and doesn’t like to be told what to do, even by Callum. And if you know anything about pack life, disobeying the Alpha leads to a severe can of whoop ass…

The supporting characters, Bryn’s friends, allies and superiors, were show more all fantastic! I love them all. Bryn’s BFF, Devon was quirky, humorous, gorgeous and completely loyal to Bryn. His penchant for talking in Shakespeare-like speak had me in stitches. Who ever heard of a werewolf drama geek? Love this guy! Lake, one of only 2 female purebred weres in Bryn’s pack, is also Bryn’s close companion. She is fierce, loyal, passionate and funny as hell. She also has an affinity for guns and delivers one of my favorite lines in the book (see below). Callum - Alpha, Bryn’s savior and resident bad-ass - was also very likeable. He is very strict with Bryn but you can just feel the compassion and love he has for her. When the shit hits the fan about halfway through the story, Bryn discovers things about him that tears her world apart. However, I personally never lost faith in Callum. :) Ali, the other human female in the pack, is Bryn’s adoptive mother and has been raising her since she came to the pack at age 4. Ali is very protective of Bryn and makes a drastic move to protect her when the the storyline explodes into chaos. The fights between these 2 are very realistic, and the love they feel for each other is something to be cherished. Oh, and I can’t forget the twins! I don’t think I’ve ever read anything as cute as baby Katie in wolf form!

And then there’s Chase. The connection between Bryn and Chase was, literally, electric. I felt like I was transported into their intense, emotional bond and I almost felt embarrassed for prying on what was a very personal union. The scenes where Jennifer describes these two becoming one, feeling each other’s emotions, reading each other’s thoughts, entering each other’s dreams and seeing through each other’s eyes, was nothing short of brilliance, in my opinion. Their relationship transcends this world, seriously.

I’ve read two of Jennifer’s previous books, Tattoo and Fate, which are cute, fun YA books about 4 girls who get temporary tattoos and are suddenly part of this magical, mythological world. However, Raised by Wolves is light years apart from those books, in terms of maturity and writing skill. Jennifer has really grown as a writer and it really shows in this novel. It is eloquent, fierce, humorous and touching as hell.

This book, in essence, is excellent. You have an unlikely heroine with a seemingly impossible goal who takes dramatic action to obtain it. She is faced with dreadful opposition yet she still emerges from the fight an improbable winner. It definitely surprised me with the storyline, and I was hooked when certain events began to unravel. show less