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3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
I did not enjoy this book. I kept going, hoping something would get better, but it did not. The premise was really interesting, but the execution of it was tedious. I didn't enjoy the love interest much. The romance felt rushed. The book had POV changes every few chapters which took me out of the main story... It did add more context, but I would have enjoyed a book of Red's POV and a book of Neve's POV separately. The magic system was really interesting, but it fell flat in the end. I'm saddened it all ended on a cliffhanger. I really pushed myself through to finish this book. I felt the final five chapters it felt more interesting because of the conflicts, but it didn't resolve satisfyingly. I truly wish I DNF'd it, as it wasn't enjoyable to me. I do not think I will read the second book. I hoped more from this.
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I have to be honest—I had to force myself through the first part of this book, which is never a good sign. While I understand the appeal of in medias res storytelling, there’s a fine line between immersive and confusing, and For the Wolf falls into the latter. A strong prologue—perhaps establishing the Wilderwood’s origins, the first sacrifice, the factions at play, or the kingdom’s traditions—would have helped smooth out the world-building. Instead, the early exposition feels clunky and difficult to grasp.
Once the world-building settled (around 20% in), the pacing improved, and the storytelling flowed more naturally. However, the plot still lacked momentum, and the setting remained shaky. Frequent interruptions from events outside the Wilderwood only added unnecessary layers of confusion. Suffice it to say, I struggled to stay invested.
In this kingdom, every second-born daughter is sacrificed to the Wolf, and Redaris (Red) is the latest offering. Her red cloak suggests a Little Red Riding Hood retelling, but that’s misleading—the story instead blends elements from LRRH, Beauty and the Beast, and other fairy tales in a way that feels more like a mash-up than a fresh take.
One of the book’s few strengths is that Red’s magic doesn’t fall into the frustrating “unearned” category. Unlike many fantasy protagonists who are simply given power, hers has a clear origin, and her learning process feels organic. Unfortunately, this is undermined by the MMC (Eammon), who constantly insists she not use it.
The relationships, however, lacked any real development. The trees literally tell Red and Eammon to get married (I wish I were joking), and so they handfast. That’s it.
The only relationships that felt genuine were the sisterly bond between Red and Neverah and the distant, strained dynamic between Red and her mother. The supposed romantic pairings for both sisters felt tepid at best and completely forced at worst.
Between the clunky start, predictable storyline, and underwhelming execution, For the Wolf failed to hold my attention. I wanted to love it, but instead, I found myself pushing through until I finally gave up at 34%.
Once the world-building settled (around 20% in), the pacing improved, and the storytelling flowed more naturally. However, the plot still lacked momentum, and the setting remained shaky. Frequent interruptions from events outside the Wilderwood only added unnecessary layers of confusion. Suffice it to say, I struggled to stay invested.
In this kingdom, every second-born daughter is sacrificed to the Wolf, and Redaris (Red) is the latest offering. Her red cloak suggests a Little Red Riding Hood retelling, but that’s misleading—the story instead blends elements from LRRH, Beauty and the Beast, and other fairy tales in a way that feels more like a mash-up than a fresh take.
One of the book’s few strengths is that Red’s magic doesn’t fall into the frustrating “unearned” category. Unlike many fantasy protagonists who are simply given power, hers has a clear origin, and her learning process feels organic. Unfortunately, this is undermined by the MMC (Eammon), who constantly insists she not use it.
The relationships, however, lacked any real development. The trees literally tell Red and Eammon to get married (I wish I were joking), and so they handfast. That’s it.
The only relationships that felt genuine were the sisterly bond between Red and Neverah and the distant, strained dynamic between Red and her mother. The supposed romantic pairings for both sisters felt tepid at best and completely forced at worst.
Between the clunky start, predictable storyline, and underwhelming execution, For the Wolf failed to hold my attention. I wanted to love it, but instead, I found myself pushing through until I finally gave up at 34%.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I was not jiving with the tone of the book and the brashness of the female lead. Plus, the subtle body horror type stuff (the vines trying to crawl under her skin via her nail beds) just...nope.
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book was fine. Some of the ideas were great but not executed well. The world building and magic system were both confusing and inconsistent. I liked the relationship but the characters were nothing interesting except Neve. There was a looooot of repetition….in the language, phrases, scenes, everything. I started getting soooo tired of hearing about blood smearing or about eammons damn scarred hands lol. Also it felt like the author didn’t put much thought into some things….like what do you mean they’re slicing their hands to the bone everyday??? The first half was slow, and there were multiple moments that I thought of dnfing. Also, this is not a dark fantasy, it is definitely fantasy with some romance elements. Unfortunately, I don’t plan on continuing the series even though the ending leaves some interesting plot lines for the next book.
adventurous
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Fantasy. Reminded me of Caryn’s book. Drawn out. Author was obsessed with brows - “brows drawn down”. Wrapped up too quickly. Hard to imagine the world she created. Won’t read the sequel.