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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
This cover is so gorgeous, I just had to read it. Though I have some mixed feelings about this read it was an interesting read.
The book had a real slow start for me. It has a creative world. I had to hang in there though cause I did feel that the book ended better then expected. As a debut book the author is off to a good start. Im a huge fantasy reader but I have never been a huge fan of Sci-fi read. This book has some Sci-fi feels but it was done in a way that made it more enjoyable. However I do wish that I got more out of it as there were parts where I felt disconnected from the character but I found myself entranced by the world and the wolves. The authors way of writing is a little jagged but for a debut I feel that the next book has a lot of promise.
A frozen planet with wolves this YA fantasy can check a lot of boxes for readers. In the darkness we push for the light. This story is fighting to live. Some scenes can be a little more graphic than others but overall it is still YA.
In short:
Did I like it? It wasn't to bad.
Would I recommend it? Possibly.
Would I read more by this author? I'll keep a look out.
The book had a real slow start for me. It has a creative world. I had to hang in there though cause I did feel that the book ended better then expected. As a debut book the author is off to a good start. Im a huge fantasy reader but I have never been a huge fan of Sci-fi read. This book has some Sci-fi feels but it was done in a way that made it more enjoyable. However I do wish that I got more out of it as there were parts where I felt disconnected from the character but I found myself entranced by the world and the wolves. The authors way of writing is a little jagged but for a debut I feel that the next book has a lot of promise.
A frozen planet with wolves this YA fantasy can check a lot of boxes for readers. In the darkness we push for the light. This story is fighting to live. Some scenes can be a little more graphic than others but overall it is still YA.
In short:
Did I like it? It wasn't to bad.
Would I recommend it? Possibly.
Would I read more by this author? I'll keep a look out.
4.5 stars
I didn’t realize that this book didn’t have any romance until I was a good ways into it. I really didn’t miss it because there was a great found family element. This was a fast paced, action packed story with a unique setting.
A frozen tundra is a hard place to survive especially when you have crossed paths with the local gangster. Sena finds herself in a difficult position, needing a quick escape and some companions to help with that escape.
Any book featuring a wolf as one of the main characters automatically gets extra points from me. Iska, the wolf, didn’t let me down. I was cheering Iska and Sena on throughout the entire story.
I was engaged from beginning to end and would love to see more of this story.
This book contains scattered strong profanity and no romance.
I didn’t realize that this book didn’t have any romance until I was a good ways into it. I really didn’t miss it because there was a great found family element. This was a fast paced, action packed story with a unique setting.
A frozen tundra is a hard place to survive especially when you have crossed paths with the local gangster. Sena finds herself in a difficult position, needing a quick escape and some companions to help with that escape.
Any book featuring a wolf as one of the main characters automatically gets extra points from me. Iska, the wolf, didn’t let me down. I was cheering Iska and Sena on throughout the entire story.
I was engaged from beginning to end and would love to see more of this story.
This book contains scattered strong profanity and no romance.
Thank you SO much Netgally and Wednesday Books for the ARC of this phenomenal book.
This may be the first book I’ve read this year, but I already know without a doubt that it will be in my top 3 for 2022, and absolutely is a favorite of all time. I laughed. I cried—and when I say cried, I mean SOBBED for at least the last 10%. That *never* happens. This is a DEBUT?! I can’t wait to read every single thing this author writes forever more.
The character development was so great that I officially feel like I’m friends with all of them, and I’m so proud of their arcs. Even the wolf has such a touching journey both related to and separate from the main character, Sena. Most importantly, I would absolutely die for Iska. No question.
The plot and world building was so intriguing. I was sold at “ice planet”, but it’s so much more than a simple ice planet! I felt genuinely cold the entire time I read this. As if I were fully immersed on this other planet. The mix of sci fi and futuristic items and science that we could only dream about in present times, yet being set on a world that also felt so “behind” made for such a page turning experience to learn more about this system of worlds for the first part of the book. From about 50% on, it’s all action and all emotions and ALL I COULD EVER WANT IN A NOVEL.
I’m buying this book right this second, and featuring it in a special place on my shelf in honor.
This may be the first book I’ve read this year, but I already know without a doubt that it will be in my top 3 for 2022, and absolutely is a favorite of all time. I laughed. I cried—and when I say cried, I mean SOBBED for at least the last 10%. That *never* happens. This is a DEBUT?! I can’t wait to read every single thing this author writes forever more.
The character development was so great that I officially feel like I’m friends with all of them, and I’m so proud of their arcs. Even the wolf has such a touching journey both related to and separate from the main character, Sena. Most importantly, I would absolutely die for Iska. No question.
The plot and world building was so intriguing. I was sold at “ice planet”, but it’s so much more than a simple ice planet! I felt genuinely cold the entire time I read this. As if I were fully immersed on this other planet. The mix of sci fi and futuristic items and science that we could only dream about in present times, yet being set on a world that also felt so “behind” made for such a page turning experience to learn more about this system of worlds for the first part of the book. From about 50% on, it’s all action and all emotions and ALL I COULD EVER WANT IN A NOVEL.
I’m buying this book right this second, and featuring it in a special place on my shelf in honor.
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
3.5 stars
—
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves follows Sena, a girl that’s just trying to earn enough money to escape the ice covered planet she grew up on. I don’t know that I can say I liked or disliked Sena. I think I liked her by the of the story but she did so many self destructive and just plain dumb things. Her story was compelling for sure though. So, even when I was rolling my eyes at her actions, I was interested to see what she would try next. I liked the supporting characters as well but I felt like we didn’t really get to know them very well.
The world was fascinating. Sena lives on a frozen planet where mining and the yearly races attract the wealthy and other corporations. The draw of the planets natural resources and the money to be made from them was a really interesting one. I think the negative light the corps were painted in was very much a comparison to modern society and I liked that. Aside from these, the setting was stunning with the frozen rivers and lakes and the woods full of deadly predators. But most of all, I was interested in the culture of Sena’s ama. One of Sena’s mothers left her home of the native population to be with Sena’s mom. But she still taught Sena about the culture she was raised in and I liked learning about that culture the most.
Overall, this was a pretty nicely paced story. Long did a great job of showing things instead of telling them to the reader (though there were things told, mostly bits of backstory here and there). I think I will probably read more by this author.
—
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves follows Sena, a girl that’s just trying to earn enough money to escape the ice covered planet she grew up on. I don’t know that I can say I liked or disliked Sena. I think I liked her by the of the story but she did so many self destructive and just plain dumb things. Her story was compelling for sure though. So, even when I was rolling my eyes at her actions, I was interested to see what she would try next. I liked the supporting characters as well but I felt like we didn’t really get to know them very well.
The world was fascinating. Sena lives on a frozen planet where mining and the yearly races attract the wealthy and other corporations. The draw of the planets natural resources and the money to be made from them was a really interesting one. I think the negative light the corps were painted in was very much a comparison to modern society and I liked that. Aside from these, the setting was stunning with the frozen rivers and lakes and the woods full of deadly predators. But most of all, I was interested in the culture of Sena’s ama. One of Sena’s mothers left her home of the native population to be with Sena’s mom. But she still taught Sena about the culture she was raised in and I liked learning about that culture the most.
Overall, this was a pretty nicely paced story. Long did a great job of showing things instead of telling them to the reader (though there were things told, mostly bits of backstory here and there). I think I will probably read more by this author.
Perfect to listen to as an audiobook while hiking through the forest with alone your dog.
I loved Wild Fang and Balto and all of those dog + adventure books as a kid, so I really liked coming back to this sort of book, but the modern characters & sci-fi take made it feel nice and fresh at the same time.
It did feel a little slow at times and I personally thought some of the main character’s repeat themes and thoughts were over emphasized, but it felt like it was on purpose, so that might not bother other readers.
I loved Wild Fang and Balto and all of those dog + adventure books as a kid, so I really liked coming back to this sort of book, but the modern characters & sci-fi take made it feel nice and fresh at the same time.
It did feel a little slow at times and I personally thought some of the main character’s repeat themes and thoughts were over emphasized, but it felt like it was on purpose, so that might not bother other readers.
GREAT adventure of a story. It starts right off in the thick of it. Each chapter was quick and left you wanting to push through the next one making it a very fast read. Although Sena starts off a bit frustrating - as she makes mistakes and some really poor decisions - you get to read about her making some really great friendships and really develop through the story. The plot was interesting - weaving together a few threads as you are lead along the trail to find out what happened. The ending left it a bit open for a sequel, once I'll definitely be looking for!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves is honestly such a sick book title that I was very scared the book wouldn’t live up to it. The book very much did live up to it. This felt like a cross between Call of the Wild and The Hunger Games, if those were set on a different planet with goblins hunting everyone.
Some things I liked!! This book was fast. This book was very, very fast. As fast as the wolves in the title. There was no gap in the action, which really worked well with the setting and the characters. I was really impressed with how well the world building and character development was woven in since the story was so fast paced it would’ve been easy to lose both of those. The world building was in that happy range where it was enough to make me want more books in this universe without making me overwhelmed.
A huge point in Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves’ favor was there was ABSOLUTELY NO ROMANCE THANK YOU SO MUCH MEG LONG. THANK YOU. okay I’ll stop shouting. But seriously, do you have any idea how rare it is to find an incredible YA sci-fi without any romance??? There were friendships of all sorts, but nothing romantic. Honestly 5 stars for that alone. Sena’s relationship with Iska, the wolf, was so well done, and the found family with the sled team was incredible. I loved the dynamic between Sena and the professor. There were plenty of relationships in this book, and they were all so well done that it didn’t need to fall back on romance to keep it’s head up.
My only complaint is that there isn’t more. I loved how fast paced it was, but I wish there had been more time spent on everything, because I want to know more about absolutely everything in this world. I really hope there are more books in this setting because I’m obsessed and I want a full series.
Overall I’m obsessed and pls read immediately.
TRIGGER WARNINGS death of parents, racism against indigenous peoples
Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves is honestly such a sick book title that I was very scared the book wouldn’t live up to it. The book very much did live up to it. This felt like a cross between Call of the Wild and The Hunger Games, if those were set on a different planet with goblins hunting everyone.
Some things I liked!! This book was fast. This book was very, very fast. As fast as the wolves in the title. There was no gap in the action, which really worked well with the setting and the characters. I was really impressed with how well the world building and character development was woven in since the story was so fast paced it would’ve been easy to lose both of those. The world building was in that happy range where it was enough to make me want more books in this universe without making me overwhelmed.
A huge point in Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves’ favor was there was ABSOLUTELY NO ROMANCE THANK YOU SO MUCH MEG LONG. THANK YOU. okay I’ll stop shouting. But seriously, do you have any idea how rare it is to find an incredible YA sci-fi without any romance??? There were friendships of all sorts, but nothing romantic. Honestly 5 stars for that alone. Sena’s relationship with Iska, the wolf, was so well done, and the found family with the sled team was incredible. I loved the dynamic between Sena and the professor. There were plenty of relationships in this book, and they were all so well done that it didn’t need to fall back on romance to keep it’s head up.
My only complaint is that there isn’t more. I loved how fast paced it was, but I wish there had been more time spent on everything, because I want to know more about absolutely everything in this world. I really hope there are more books in this setting because I’m obsessed and I want a full series.
Overall I’m obsessed and pls read immediately.
TRIGGER WARNINGS death of parents, racism against indigenous peoples
Thank you so much to NetGalley for my ARC of this book!
Sena is a girl with a lot of problems - in trouble with a local crime boss, she agrees to help a scientific expedition participate in a local race. And not just any race, but a terrifying, deadly race on an inhospitable ice planet. Her bond with a fighting wolf puts her at the center of a survival tale that teaches her about the importance of trust, compassion, and connections with others.
This book was a lot of fun, reminding me of such “person tames wild animal” adventures like White Fang and The Black Stallion. The environment was completely unique - I don’t think I’ve read a YA book that takes place on an ice planet! - and I really loved the worldbuilding that took place. I was really rooting for Sena and her wolf by the time the race began.
The only issue? That race took place around the 55% mark. While the worldbuilding was great, the plot up until that point was so repetitive: Sena got in trouble with the same crime boss like three times! I really feel like some of that could have been compressed to give her fellow racers more attention. There was simply too much going on, and characterization ultimately suffered.
That said, I did enjoy my time with this book. It makes the perfect winter read!
Sena is a girl with a lot of problems - in trouble with a local crime boss, she agrees to help a scientific expedition participate in a local race. And not just any race, but a terrifying, deadly race on an inhospitable ice planet. Her bond with a fighting wolf puts her at the center of a survival tale that teaches her about the importance of trust, compassion, and connections with others.
This book was a lot of fun, reminding me of such “person tames wild animal” adventures like White Fang and The Black Stallion. The environment was completely unique - I don’t think I’ve read a YA book that takes place on an ice planet! - and I really loved the worldbuilding that took place. I was really rooting for Sena and her wolf by the time the race began.
The only issue? That race took place around the 55% mark. While the worldbuilding was great, the plot up until that point was so repetitive: Sena got in trouble with the same crime boss like three times! I really feel like some of that could have been compressed to give her fellow racers more attention. There was simply too much going on, and characterization ultimately suffered.
That said, I did enjoy my time with this book. It makes the perfect winter read!
Apparently everything in this frozen world wants to straight up eat you or kill you, and I'm okay with that.
Thank you so much to Raincoast Books for the early copy!
In the Ket, the only thing that matters is money and corporate greed. Every year, teams of racers set off across the dangerous tundra to reach the valuable mineral deposits that will help build ships and the like. After both her mothers died in the same race five years before, Sena has sworn she'll have nothing to do with it. She's too busy stealing and cheating to make enough money to get off this damn frozen planet. After getting one over on a powerful gangster and accidentally stealing his prized fighting wolf, suddenly joining the race with several scientists is the only way Sena may find safety for her and Iska. Which is ironic, since everything that lives out on the snow will kill them in two seconds flat too.
Let's get my negative thoughts out of the way quickly. One, I did not care for the first 80 pages or so. It was rather slow and felt like a poor introduction to both this frozen world and Sena. Two, the writing style took a long time to get used to because simply put, there is zero flash. I would have loved to see some more embellishment to better paint so many of the scenes we get. Three, the ending isn't what I hoped for, even if it was satisfactory.
Okay, onto the good stuff! This was truly an incredible and highly unique book with high stakes and the very definition of high-octane action. Once things kick off, they almost never slow down, so you better be ready for an intense read in this snowy and ruthless world. The Ket is a bleak place, divided into those who work for the Corporate Assembly, and those who live under their thumb, or the crime syndicates' thumbs. Because of the intense storms that ravage the world, most technology doesn't work. There are entire graveyards of ships that crashed across the planet because their systems shutdown. This is what makes the race so crucial to access the huge deposits of valuable exocarbon hundreds of miles away. Teams train all year with their sleds and wolves to cross the frozen tundra, and hopefully survive the trip.
As I mentioned, Sena was a bit of a hard pill to swallow in the beginning. Her attitude rubbed me in an unpleasant way, and it wasn't until she was teamed up with Iska, the stolen fighting wolf, that I started to better understand her. And after reading the book and seeing that single-minded attitude translate into an incredible sense of resourcefulness, determination and loyalty, I have mad respect for her. Her goals are highly important to her, and she's so used to being alone and keeping everyone at arms length that watching her change was quite heartwarming.
I really loved that wolves are a central focus for this book. Dog sledding with engineered wolves is something I've never seen in the YA market, and I'm so glad I got the chance to read it. It's impossible for the reader not to fall in love with Iska immediately, and she held her own as a character so well. I'm actually quite surprised by how much agency the wolf was given, and how perfectly she fit into the story and Sena's development. The monsters in the splinter wood were a little hokey, but I enjoyed them all the same. A trigger warning if you have issues with animal death, there are several that happen on and off page, and it is quite upsetting, especially if you're not prepared for it.
Finally, I happily announce that there is no romance! Not so much that the character is opposed to it, as she herself states that it's better for her to keep people at at a distance so it will be easier for her to leave this planet when she has the money. No, there's no romance because "oh my god there is no time for it whatever you think and I'm just trying to stay alive here damn it!" Honestly, if there had been a romance, it would have ruined the book. The stakes of this story are impossibly high, the action so intense and fast-paced, that to shoehorn a relationship in would be an insult to this incredible tale of survival.
I can tell Wednesday Books is gearing up for this to be one of their big titles for the season, and I for one am looking forward to seeing how well this book will be received. Also will be keeping an eye out for whatever else Meg Long publishes in future!
Thank you so much to Raincoast Books for the early copy!
In the Ket, the only thing that matters is money and corporate greed. Every year, teams of racers set off across the dangerous tundra to reach the valuable mineral deposits that will help build ships and the like. After both her mothers died in the same race five years before, Sena has sworn she'll have nothing to do with it. She's too busy stealing and cheating to make enough money to get off this damn frozen planet. After getting one over on a powerful gangster and accidentally stealing his prized fighting wolf, suddenly joining the race with several scientists is the only way Sena may find safety for her and Iska. Which is ironic, since everything that lives out on the snow will kill them in two seconds flat too.
Let's get my negative thoughts out of the way quickly. One, I did not care for the first 80 pages or so. It was rather slow and felt like a poor introduction to both this frozen world and Sena. Two, the writing style took a long time to get used to because simply put, there is zero flash. I would have loved to see some more embellishment to better paint so many of the scenes we get. Three, the ending isn't what I hoped for, even if it was satisfactory.
Okay, onto the good stuff! This was truly an incredible and highly unique book with high stakes and the very definition of high-octane action. Once things kick off, they almost never slow down, so you better be ready for an intense read in this snowy and ruthless world. The Ket is a bleak place, divided into those who work for the Corporate Assembly, and those who live under their thumb, or the crime syndicates' thumbs. Because of the intense storms that ravage the world, most technology doesn't work. There are entire graveyards of ships that crashed across the planet because their systems shutdown. This is what makes the race so crucial to access the huge deposits of valuable exocarbon hundreds of miles away. Teams train all year with their sleds and wolves to cross the frozen tundra, and hopefully survive the trip.
As I mentioned, Sena was a bit of a hard pill to swallow in the beginning. Her attitude rubbed me in an unpleasant way, and it wasn't until she was teamed up with Iska, the stolen fighting wolf, that I started to better understand her. And after reading the book and seeing that single-minded attitude translate into an incredible sense of resourcefulness, determination and loyalty, I have mad respect for her. Her goals are highly important to her, and she's so used to being alone and keeping everyone at arms length that watching her change was quite heartwarming.
I really loved that wolves are a central focus for this book. Dog sledding with engineered wolves is something I've never seen in the YA market, and I'm so glad I got the chance to read it. It's impossible for the reader not to fall in love with Iska immediately, and she held her own as a character so well. I'm actually quite surprised by how much agency the wolf was given, and how perfectly she fit into the story and Sena's development. The monsters in the splinter wood were a little hokey, but I enjoyed them all the same. A trigger warning if you have issues with animal death, there are several that happen on and off page, and it is quite upsetting, especially if you're not prepared for it.
Finally, I happily announce that there is no romance! Not so much that the character is opposed to it, as she herself states that it's better for her to keep people at at a distance so it will be easier for her to leave this planet when she has the money. No, there's no romance because "oh my god there is no time for it whatever you think and I'm just trying to stay alive here damn it!" Honestly, if there had been a romance, it would have ruined the book. The stakes of this story are impossibly high, the action so intense and fast-paced, that to shoehorn a relationship in would be an insult to this incredible tale of survival.
I can tell Wednesday Books is gearing up for this to be one of their big titles for the season, and I for one am looking forward to seeing how well this book will be received. Also will be keeping an eye out for whatever else Meg Long publishes in future!