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3.48 AVERAGE
3.48 AVERAGE
Despite there being shapeshifters and magic in the world, this book took place in an all-too-recognizable America after the 2016 election (aka, Darkest Day*). The political and social justice aspects were seamlessly woven throughout. I also loved each snarky self-reference (I always love it when my books with absurd timelines or premises admit that they have absurd timelines or premises!).
This was my first book by Snyder; I will definitely read more!
*!!!! Can I just say, YES, I was walking around in tears and while I didn't have a bug out bag, I definitely made some changes myself, and I'm pretty sure I used that same phrase in my journal...!
This was my first book by Snyder; I will definitely read more!
*!!!! Can I just say, YES, I was walking around in tears and while I didn't have a bug out bag, I definitely made some changes myself, and I'm pretty sure I used that same phrase in my journal...!
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really liked reading this book. There were many great things that happened in it that were. Rey interesting to me. The relationship between Neha and Joe was very passionate and kind of alluring. There is definitely a plot hole in the cause after she runs away with Joe from her job her job isn’t mentioned anymore afterwards. Did she join it again? Was she wanting to leave anyway?
One thing that kind of bothered me was how sexual it was. Other than that, it was a great book.
One thing that kind of bothered me was how sexual it was. Other than that, it was a great book.
Suleikha Snyder takes readers to NYC where it has become a sanctuary city for supernaturals:
Joe Peluso has blood on his hands, not only from his overseas missions with the army, but now he has killed the Russian Mobsters murdered his foster brother. Neha Ahluwalia is a psychologist and lawyer and she has been tasked with getting under Joe's skin enough to help them formulate a defense for his up coming trail. However, the Mob would like nothing better that for Joe not to make it to trial at all. When a hit goes wrong Joe and Neha are forced to flee together. Now they are on the run from the Mob, but something has brought them together, a need to be with each other, they just don't know if they have enough time to fully explore what is between them.
Now this book is a DNF for me, I made it to about 40% and could not continue reading this book. However, I do not completely fault Snyder writing/story for me not finishing this book. I know that may weird but the book is actually really well written, has some interesting ideas within it it, but it was just not what I thought it was going to be. I was expecting something more a line with Ilona Andrews books instead I got pure paranormal romance/erotica. I actually blame Netgalley more than anything for not putting the correct categories associated with this book.
This book is liked on Netgalley as Sci-fi and Fantasy, no secondary categories. I mean even some of the books I have read by Ilona Andrews have the romance category next to them as well. Did I guess by the cover that there was going to be some romance involved in the book and reading the premise you know that is going to happen, but I did not expect there to be the enormous of sex and thinking about sex that occurred in this book.
The sex is honestly the theme of the entire book. Hey I'm in prison and a hot lawyer walks in, all I'm going to think about is sex and her body (probably justifiable in that situation), said lawyer also thinks this about inmate. Hey bad guys are chasing us, lets just get a quick one on in the alley. Hey bad guys are still chasing us, all I can think about is sex and not about how to deal with the situation at hand. Hey more bad guys are chasing us, lets have more sex. Honestly that is what feels like occurs within 40% of the book, with just a smattering of the actual plot, which I'm not entirely sure I understand.
I flip back and fourth whether there are too many POV in this book or not. On one had I wish the POV were just Joe and Neha and their story but from them all we really get is sex and get more of the substance of the book from Danny and Yulia's POV as they more in touch with what is occurring with the Russian mob and well frankly not having sex at this time. So from them I know about a specialized force that is there to help shifters and the the Russian Mob is trying to take out Joe.
I have read other reviews that have slammed the book for having a depressive feel to is and continually talking about racism, both normal and paranormal ones. Well if you're not a White person, welcome to the world as other people see it. Additionally, Snyder is not white, why would she write a world for how white people see it? That just does not make sense to me at all. She should and did write about her own experiences surrounding her culture and growing as a non-white woman.
I just wish it was more story and plot than sex. Maybe the next 60% it got better, but I wasn't willing to find out. However, those who like paranormal romance/erotica would most likely enjoy this book. I read a review that gave it A+ for sex scenes, so if that is what you like to read, check this book out. It was just not for me.
Cheers!!!
Joe Peluso has blood on his hands, not only from his overseas missions with the army, but now he has killed the Russian Mobsters murdered his foster brother. Neha Ahluwalia is a psychologist and lawyer and she has been tasked with getting under Joe's skin enough to help them formulate a defense for his up coming trail. However, the Mob would like nothing better that for Joe not to make it to trial at all. When a hit goes wrong Joe and Neha are forced to flee together. Now they are on the run from the Mob, but something has brought them together, a need to be with each other, they just don't know if they have enough time to fully explore what is between them.
Now this book is a DNF for me, I made it to about 40% and could not continue reading this book. However, I do not completely fault Snyder writing/story for me not finishing this book. I know that may weird but the book is actually really well written, has some interesting ideas within it it, but it was just not what I thought it was going to be. I was expecting something more a line with Ilona Andrews books instead I got pure paranormal romance/erotica. I actually blame Netgalley more than anything for not putting the correct categories associated with this book.
This book is liked on Netgalley as Sci-fi and Fantasy, no secondary categories. I mean even some of the books I have read by Ilona Andrews have the romance category next to them as well. Did I guess by the cover that there was going to be some romance involved in the book and reading the premise you know that is going to happen, but I did not expect there to be the enormous of sex and thinking about sex that occurred in this book.
The sex is honestly the theme of the entire book. Hey I'm in prison and a hot lawyer walks in, all I'm going to think about is sex and her body (probably justifiable in that situation), said lawyer also thinks this about inmate. Hey bad guys are chasing us, lets just get a quick one on in the alley. Hey bad guys are still chasing us, all I can think about is sex and not about how to deal with the situation at hand. Hey more bad guys are chasing us, lets have more sex. Honestly that is what feels like occurs within 40% of the book, with just a smattering of the actual plot, which I'm not entirely sure I understand.
I flip back and fourth whether there are too many POV in this book or not. On one had I wish the POV were just Joe and Neha and their story but from them all we really get is sex and get more of the substance of the book from Danny and Yulia's POV as they more in touch with what is occurring with the Russian mob and well frankly not having sex at this time. So from them I know about a specialized force that is there to help shifters and the the Russian Mob is trying to take out Joe.
I have read other reviews that have slammed the book for having a depressive feel to is and continually talking about racism, both normal and paranormal ones. Well if you're not a White person, welcome to the world as other people see it. Additionally, Snyder is not white, why would she write a world for how white people see it? That just does not make sense to me at all. She should and did write about her own experiences surrounding her culture and growing as a non-white woman.
I just wish it was more story and plot than sex. Maybe the next 60% it got better, but I wasn't willing to find out. However, those who like paranormal romance/erotica would most likely enjoy this book. I read a review that gave it A+ for sex scenes, so if that is what you like to read, check this book out. It was just not for me.
Cheers!!!
At the beginning of this year, I reviewed Suleikha Snyder’s short story anthology, Prem Numbers, and said Snyder wrote “radical hope and face sitting.” I’m a fan of her work. She is not a low angst author. Her lovers are passionate. Her stories have all the angst and agony of love in a world that will punish people for looking the wrong way and loving the wrong way. She carves out pockets of safe space for her characters to love in and it feels like a respite from the world. In Big Bad Wolf, she takes all that and then dials it up to 11.
Imagine if the administration elected into power in November of 2016 had been more competent in their authoritarianism. In Big Bad Wolf, The United States has moved into an authoritarian, surveillance state dystopia, with a few veneers of democracy still remaining. On top of that, the public has only recently learned about supernaturals. The armed forces, of course, have been experimenting with turning soldiers into shifters for a while.
I’ve written, deleted, and rewritten this review so many times because I keep falling into the trap of retelling the plot as if I’m a toddler telling anyone who will listen about their favorite episode of Paw Patrol. The plot is a wild ride and Suleikha Snyder does a much better job of telling her story than I do. The basics: Joe was turned into a wolf shifter while he was a soldier. He thinks being a killer is all he has to offer and has turned vigilante. Neha is a psychologist turned lawyer, part of the team hired to defend Joe. They strike sparks immediately with verbal sparring, eye fucking and some serious pining. When an attack on Joe’s life sends them on the run, it’s all exploding lust and feelings. Outside of Joe and Neha, there is a whole underground world of shifters and magical beings waiting to come to light.
Snyder brings her love of soap operas to her world building in Big Bad Wolf. This is the first book in a series, so she is building a world and introducing characters and hinting at their future stories. The folks at Third Shift Security start to populate the novel and become intriguing characters on their own right without stealing focus from Neha and Joe*. There are a couple of significant fight scenes, which is not something I’ve read from Snyder before, and she writes it so well. The fight scenes solidified my 5 star rating, because she clearly communicates the violence and chaos while keeping in character growth and emotional epiphanies. When I finished I almost cried at how long I have to wait for the next book. I am anxious for more of this world and just from this book I can see so many stories I want to read. I feel like the direction this is going is the team working to put a world that has gone wrong to rights and creating a safer place for them to live and love.
Joe isn’t going to be everyone’s favorite kind of hero. He’s moody and keeps trying to do the right thing for Neha without listening to Neha’s opinions. Big Bad Wolf is very much a redemption story for him. I am bouncing in my seat waiting for Pretty Little Lion.
*Except for Finn. The vampire steals every scene he is in.
I received an advance reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Imagine if the administration elected into power in November of 2016 had been more competent in their authoritarianism. In Big Bad Wolf, The United States has moved into an authoritarian, surveillance state dystopia, with a few veneers of democracy still remaining. On top of that, the public has only recently learned about supernaturals. The armed forces, of course, have been experimenting with turning soldiers into shifters for a while.
I’ve written, deleted, and rewritten this review so many times because I keep falling into the trap of retelling the plot as if I’m a toddler telling anyone who will listen about their favorite episode of Paw Patrol. The plot is a wild ride and Suleikha Snyder does a much better job of telling her story than I do. The basics: Joe was turned into a wolf shifter while he was a soldier. He thinks being a killer is all he has to offer and has turned vigilante. Neha is a psychologist turned lawyer, part of the team hired to defend Joe. They strike sparks immediately with verbal sparring, eye fucking and some serious pining. When an attack on Joe’s life sends them on the run, it’s all exploding lust and feelings. Outside of Joe and Neha, there is a whole underground world of shifters and magical beings waiting to come to light.
Snyder brings her love of soap operas to her world building in Big Bad Wolf. This is the first book in a series, so she is building a world and introducing characters and hinting at their future stories. The folks at Third Shift Security start to populate the novel and become intriguing characters on their own right without stealing focus from Neha and Joe*. There are a couple of significant fight scenes, which is not something I’ve read from Snyder before, and she writes it so well. The fight scenes solidified my 5 star rating, because she clearly communicates the violence and chaos while keeping in character growth and emotional epiphanies. When I finished I almost cried at how long I have to wait for the next book. I am anxious for more of this world and just from this book I can see so many stories I want to read. I feel like the direction this is going is the team working to put a world that has gone wrong to rights and creating a safer place for them to live and love.
Joe isn’t going to be everyone’s favorite kind of hero. He’s moody and keeps trying to do the right thing for Neha without listening to Neha’s opinions. Big Bad Wolf is very much a redemption story for him. I am bouncing in my seat waiting for Pretty Little Lion.
*Except for Finn. The vampire steals every scene he is in.
I received an advance reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
***1.5 stars***
As many of the other reviews stated, this was disappointing. I wish it wasn't because I love urban fantasies and paranormal romances. But I disliked this from chapter one. It wasn't what I was hoping for.
I didn't love how the whole relationship was just "the world is terrible and so let's bone." The overtly sexual imagery from the very beginning was a bit much for me. I wanted a bit a more of a build up. The love story wasn't much of a romance. It was was just lust. And despite this, I found little to no chemistry between them. There wasn't enough emotional substance between them for me to buy Neha risking so much for him in the short amount of time she knew Joe. Joe's constant vacillating between "I'm the worst/you deserve better/I'm a killer, etc." and "I want you" were sooooooooo exhausting. Add that to the fact that Neha is just reduced to hormones over and over again despite the fact she's suppose to be so intelligent and logical, etc. They don't actually solve anything. It was repetitive and didn't really show any relationship growth.
The saving grace for this is the world building. I loved how the world was crafted. That being said, I found the political messages, which I understand and support, to be very heavy handed and very in your face. It wasn't an escapist read and I read to dive into stories that have nothing to do with my day to day life. I won't be continuing the series.
(Also the audiobook was annoying...I hated the narrator's different voices for the character's. And that she mispronounced "Ramirez" [she said it as "Ram-er-ez"] while talking about Richard Ramirez, the Night Stalker... One of the most famous serial killers in the United States. Not to mention the name Ramirez is fairly common...) Also, the accents she tried to do were all fairly horrible....
This book was recommended to me by TBR (Tailored Book Recommendations).
As many of the other reviews stated, this was disappointing. I wish it wasn't because I love urban fantasies and paranormal romances. But I disliked this from chapter one. It wasn't what I was hoping for.
I didn't love how the whole relationship was just "the world is terrible and so let's bone." The overtly sexual imagery from the very beginning was a bit much for me. I wanted a bit a more of a build up. The love story wasn't much of a romance. It was was just lust. And despite this, I found little to no chemistry between them. There wasn't enough emotional substance between them for me to buy Neha risking so much for him in the short amount of time she knew Joe. Joe's constant vacillating between "I'm the worst/you deserve better/I'm a killer, etc." and "I want you" were sooooooooo exhausting. Add that to the fact that Neha is just reduced to hormones over and over again despite the fact she's suppose to be so intelligent and logical, etc. They don't actually solve anything. It was repetitive and didn't really show any relationship growth.
The saving grace for this is the world building. I loved how the world was crafted. That being said, I found the political messages, which I understand and support, to be very heavy handed and very in your face. It wasn't an escapist read and I read to dive into stories that have nothing to do with my day to day life. I won't be continuing the series.
(Also the audiobook was annoying...I hated the narrator's different voices for the character's. And that she mispronounced "Ramirez" [she said it as "Ram-er-ez"] while talking about Richard Ramirez, the Night Stalker... One of the most famous serial killers in the United States. Not to mention the name Ramirez is fairly common...) Also, the accents she tried to do were all fairly horrible....
This book was recommended to me by TBR (Tailored Book Recommendations).
I got burnt out on dystopian-like stuff years ago so I cautiously dipped my toes back in with Big Bad Wolf. It’s not full-on dystopian but the storyline is heavily influenced by the political climate post-2016 election. It’s bleak. Not only are controversial policies such as immigration brought up, but you also have a world in which shifters exist to complicate things further.
It’s apparent that politics, the news and social climate were heavy on Snyder’s mind and the anxiety of those 4 years is heavily reflected in BBW. I’ll be honest, I wouldn’t have been able to read this before now because of that. As a WOC, aspects of this book hit me hard and mirrored my own worries and anxiety from that period.
Snyder’s writing is superb. At times it feels almost conversational her words just flow so smoothly. While there’s a lot of politics and social justice issues, this is also a romance and a very hot one at that. So be prepared for some heavy and wild interactions. It’s an intricate and interesting world Snyder’s built with a network of humans, shifters, vampires, alphas and lord knows what else to come. If as a reader you’d prefer to not have politics infused into your story of choice, this might not be for you. I, on the other hand thought it was amazing and I’m ready for more.
It’s apparent that politics, the news and social climate were heavy on Snyder’s mind and the anxiety of those 4 years is heavily reflected in BBW. I’ll be honest, I wouldn’t have been able to read this before now because of that. As a WOC, aspects of this book hit me hard and mirrored my own worries and anxiety from that period.
Snyder’s writing is superb. At times it feels almost conversational her words just flow so smoothly. While there’s a lot of politics and social justice issues, this is also a romance and a very hot one at that. So be prepared for some heavy and wild interactions. It’s an intricate and interesting world Snyder’s built with a network of humans, shifters, vampires, alphas and lord knows what else to come. If as a reader you’d prefer to not have politics infused into your story of choice, this might not be for you. I, on the other hand thought it was amazing and I’m ready for more.
I had a love hate relationship with this book. First, I feel like this book was primarily a world building set up for the urban fantasy world that these characters live in. The relationship that the two 'main' characters had was secondary to that. Second, I didn't feel like Joe really loved himself. Most of the fantasy shifter romances/fantasy novels the 'alpha(s)' usually has some sort of angst to work through. However, even with that angst they usually OWN their shifter self. I felt like Neha owned the shifter part of Joe better than he did.
What did I like? I want to read book two. This book laid the ground work for what I think could be a kick ass series. There's multiple different shifter types, vampires, and espionage/crime fighting. I want to see where the writer takes this dystopian world she has begun with book one. I enjoyed the way the writer described the different cultures both human and shifter. I want to see what's next. But....if the next book continues with a lack of what I would call character development. I for one would not go down the road of reading more in the series. So the writer has me on the hook for book one...
What did I like? I want to read book two. This book laid the ground work for what I think could be a kick ass series. There's multiple different shifter types, vampires, and espionage/crime fighting. I want to see where the writer takes this dystopian world she has begun with book one. I enjoyed the way the writer described the different cultures both human and shifter. I want to see what's next. But....if the next book continues with a lack of what I would call character development. I for one would not go down the road of reading more in the series. So the writer has me on the hook for book one...
adventurous
dark
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I loved it!!! Dark, dystopian, shifters, vampires, hints of future romances. I can’t wait for more!