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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
DNF @ 30%
I tried, I really did but the pacing is slow and I felt nothing while reading this novel.
I tried, I really did but the pacing is slow and I felt nothing while reading this novel.
Thank you St. Martin's and Goodreads giveaways for the ARC! The world building is so atmospheric, I'd recommend it on that aspect alone. Mix in the survival, found family (including a kick ass she wolf) - it's near impossible to put down. I look forward to rereading this one!
This debut sci-fi novel takes place on a frozen planet where everything is deadly, including the environment itself. Each year Tundar holds a sled race to mine the planet’s only resource, exo-carbon. The sled teams are ruthless and will do anything to mine the most exo-carbon, making it not only a race but a fight for survival. Sena, the main character, has refused to race since she lost her mothers to this same danger years ago. When she gets in a “bit” of trouble with a local gangster, she has no choice but to accept a scientists offer to help prepare them for the race with the skills her mothers taught her.
Wow this book was a WILD ride! There were so many instances where I felt like I couldn’t read fast enough because I had to know what was going to happen next. It was also really heart wrenching, and I shed a lot of tears while reading. Sena and her wolf, Iska, had an amazing journey throughout this book, and I was really impressed with their growth by the end of the book. Overall, I had a great time reading this book, and I recommend it if you’re looking for a unique, thrilling, and wintery sci-fi read.
⚠️WARNING: there is a lot of animal mistreatment and death in this book, including dog fighting. There were a lot of parts that were very difficult for me to read, so I just want you all to be aware of that going in.
Thank you so much Wednesday Books for sending me an ARC to read and review.
Wow this book was a WILD ride! There were so many instances where I felt like I couldn’t read fast enough because I had to know what was going to happen next. It was also really heart wrenching, and I shed a lot of tears while reading. Sena and her wolf, Iska, had an amazing journey throughout this book, and I was really impressed with their growth by the end of the book. Overall, I had a great time reading this book, and I recommend it if you’re looking for a unique, thrilling, and wintery sci-fi read.
⚠️WARNING: there is a lot of animal mistreatment and death in this book, including dog fighting. There were a lot of parts that were very difficult for me to read, so I just want you all to be aware of that going in.
Thank you so much Wednesday Books for sending me an ARC to read and review.
3.5
The highlights of the book for me were Sena and Iska’s relationship and the dangerous race. The beginning of the book was a bit sloggy but by the 75ish mark I was more invested and interested to see what Sena would do in her dangerous and tense situation. After spending so much time isolating herself, to watch the found family develop for Sena was deeply interesting.
The highlights of the book for me were Sena and Iska’s relationship and the dangerous race. The beginning of the book was a bit sloggy but by the 75ish mark I was more invested and interested to see what Sena would do in her dangerous and tense situation. After spending so much time isolating herself, to watch the found family develop for Sena was deeply interesting.
I honestly cannot tell you why it took me so long to finish this book beginning to end. It is well written, intriguing and just plain different than what I normally read.
The premise of this book made me think yeah, sure, I can read this but when I started I was wondering exactly what it was even about.
Survival. Plain and simple.
In a world where racing across a frozen tundra, led by wolves, rules the lives of the citizens you have one odd girl out. She doesn’t “fit in” because nobody wants her to. Her mothers came from very different backgrounds where each side is very against the other. Sena is the product of those 2 worlds so for the most part, neither want her.
She is a huge trouble maker and she has jo choice but to run.
My main problem with Sena is her feeling like she is the problem. She thinks for everything gone wrong it is her fault. She may have a slight hand in it but there are outside forces that help it play out.
The world is very simple, an ice land, and the characters could use more building but overall this wasn’t a bad read. I actually quite enjoyed it and can’t wait to see what happens next.
The premise of this book made me think yeah, sure, I can read this but when I started I was wondering exactly what it was even about.
Survival. Plain and simple.
In a world where racing across a frozen tundra, led by wolves, rules the lives of the citizens you have one odd girl out. She doesn’t “fit in” because nobody wants her to. Her mothers came from very different backgrounds where each side is very against the other. Sena is the product of those 2 worlds so for the most part, neither want her.
She is a huge trouble maker and she has jo choice but to run.
My main problem with Sena is her feeling like she is the problem. She thinks for everything gone wrong it is her fault. She may have a slight hand in it but there are outside forces that help it play out.
The world is very simple, an ice land, and the characters could use more building but overall this wasn’t a bad read. I actually quite enjoyed it and can’t wait to see what happens next.
Even though I went in with some bias (I’m predisposed to like “girl bonds with dog” stories), I was still surprised by how much I liked this! There’s definitely elements of it that read like a debut novel (a lot of unnecessary over explanations, for one) and I’m not the biggest fan of present-tense, but there was enough to engage me.
Especially in regards to the protagonist, Sena, and her bond with the wolf, Iska. That was the true heart and soul of this survival story and it absolutely shows in the writing. And despite the uneven pacing of the book (very slow start while the latter half goes at an almost breakneck pace), the development of their relationship didn’t feel rushed or unrealistic. Hell, I even started tearing up near the end because of how strong and emotional their bond was.
I appreciated that even though Sena could have been an unrepentant YA badass, she was written like a young woman affected by the trauma of losing her mothers and surviving on her own. She made hasty decisions, shut people out, acted selfishly, but did eventually learn to open up and love again. And without falling into a romance, which was refreshing! As was her aching love and painful memories of her mothers which gave me a window into a lovely relationship between two interesting women; I would actually be interested in a prequel about them ngl.
There were interesting aspects to the worldbuilding (nice to see a story that had an anti-corporate stance but also didn’t let isolationists off the hook either), some excellent action/survival scenes (I was genuinely impressed by how clearly portrayed and intense the fight sequences were) and enough of an open ending that I would definitely be back for a sequel. But as it is, this is an engaging and emotional first book that, despite its flaws, has plenty to recommend it.
Especially in regards to the protagonist, Sena, and her bond with the wolf, Iska. That was the true heart and soul of this survival story and it absolutely shows in the writing. And despite the uneven pacing of the book (very slow start while the latter half goes at an almost breakneck pace), the development of their relationship didn’t feel rushed or unrealistic. Hell, I even started tearing up near the end because of how strong and emotional their bond was.
I appreciated that even though Sena could have been an unrepentant YA badass, she was written like a young woman affected by the trauma of losing her mothers and surviving on her own. She made hasty decisions, shut people out, acted selfishly, but did eventually learn to open up and love again. And without falling into a romance, which was refreshing! As was her aching love and painful memories of her mothers which gave me a window into a lovely relationship between two interesting women; I would actually be interested in a prequel about them ngl.
There were interesting aspects to the worldbuilding (nice to see a story that had an anti-corporate stance but also didn’t let isolationists off the hook either), some excellent action/survival scenes (I was genuinely impressed by how clearly portrayed and intense the fight sequences were) and enough of an open ending that I would definitely be back for a sequel. But as it is, this is an engaging and emotional first book that, despite its flaws, has plenty to recommend it.
I was warned about the animal cruelty and I definitely skimmed much of the beginning because I couldn’t handle the mistreatment or the wolves… the wolf fighting or the injured, neglected she-wolf. Nope, not for my animal loving heart.
But the race was riveting and I really liked Remy and I basically only read this so I could get to the 2nd installment which focuses on Remy.
But the race was riveting and I really liked Remy and I basically only read this so I could get to the 2nd installment which focuses on Remy.
You know I’m a sucker for novels with characters who battle the elements … especially when the elements are snow and ice and cold. I loved Sena and Iska and rooted for this unlikely pair the whole way through.
Great story. Long really knows how to tell a story that keeps a reader invested and feeling like they truly apart of the whole experience.
Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves is a book after my own heart. I'm calling this one "White Fang meets Hunger Games."
It's the story of Sena, an orphan girl on a brutal ice planet who is trying to scrape her way to enough money to leave. She gets into a terrible situation, makes friends with a killer wolf intended for a fighting ring, and finds herself destined to join the race -- an deadly Iditarod-style dogsledding race across a frozen world where she must face goblins, bears, mountains, and sabotage from other racers.
I'm a big dog person so for me, the best part of the book was Sena's bond with the wolf Iska. There's also a wonderful found family storyline and some fantastic action and survival scenes. At first, I found it hard to get into the book: Sena is a very jaded, angry heroine, and rightly so. Once the race started, I was all in. The second half of the book was nerve-wracking and emotional. I loved it.
It's the story of Sena, an orphan girl on a brutal ice planet who is trying to scrape her way to enough money to leave. She gets into a terrible situation, makes friends with a killer wolf intended for a fighting ring, and finds herself destined to join the race -- an deadly Iditarod-style dogsledding race across a frozen world where she must face goblins, bears, mountains, and sabotage from other racers.
I'm a big dog person so for me, the best part of the book was Sena's bond with the wolf Iska. There's also a wonderful found family storyline and some fantastic action and survival scenes. At first, I found it hard to get into the book: Sena is a very jaded, angry heroine, and rightly so. Once the race started, I was all in. The second half of the book was nerve-wracking and emotional. I loved it.