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A review by readsbykirby
Wolf King's Keeper by Elle Lacerta
3.0
The Wolf King's Keeper is a captivating werewolf fantasy romance that sets a new standard for compelling prologues. The opening scene expertly establishes the story's theme, tone, and elements, it drew me in from the very first page. The prologue was probably one of the best I have read in a while.
Elle Lacerta pulled me into a world where familial betrayal and the intricate dynamics of love collide against a backdrop of werewolf lore. Adding a twist on traditional shifter romance.
The story follows Coda, a werewolf cursed to remain in his wolf form except during full moons, and his mate Mia, on the day of Coda's coronation as King. The tale takes a dark turn when Coda's brother Daniel betrays him out of jealousy, kidnapping Mia in the process.
Lacerta's writing was very vivid for me in descriptions that perfectly capture the atmosphere, theme, and emotions of each scene. This allowed for me to have clear mental images in my head for the duration of this book.
The twist of Coda's shifting curse added a fresh spin to the typical shifter romance I very much enjoyed.
Daniel makes for a well-crafted villain, inspiring all of the reactions I expect to have when faced with a villain!!!
The supporting cast is equally well-developed, having their own POV in the story. I found that it was well laid out and there was no confusion on who or what I was reading about or whom was thinking or speaking. Characters like Jake and Becca offered plenty of potential for intriguing subplots or their own story.
The conflicts and resolutions we do get in this installment are satisfying, though a few feel slightly rushed or glossed over for me.
One of the novel's greatest strengths for me was the ability to evoke powerful emotions. The betrayal of some, the heart-wrenching twist involving Jake and Becca will left me reeling. I NEED MORE FROM JAKE AND BECCA ASAP!!!!! The revelation Becca makes in her head was a twist I did NOT foreshadow but defiantly loved.
However, the book is not without its flaws. I found that the timeline varies wildly between characters, sometimes disrupting the sense of pacing and realism. After Daniel's mishap we have so much being revealed and happening for chapters only to return to Daniel's POV taking place as if the mishap only just occurred…. this made me feel completely at odds with the initial severity of his injuries, pulling me out of the story.
Coda's revelation to Kate feels immature compared to how the book in categorized.
The much-anticipated "spice" scenes, while not poorly written, lack the primal intensity hinted at earlier in the story. I wanted more primal, animalistic elements that follow the lore of werewolves. In a "dark fantasy" I want the taboo and crude to accompany character development so that when on-page spice takes place it fuels the reaction while reading.
Despite my personal issues, The Wolf King's Keeper was a read with a compelling world, interesting characters, and plenty of potential for future books. With some tightening of the timeline or clearly laying it out with more reference to the time of events taking place, adding more "darkness" or "adult-ish" language to characters to help spice up the on-page romance scenes, this series could truly shine. As is, it's still a great read for fans of werewolf fantasy romances looking for a story with fresh elements and twist on the genre. I will be reading the next installment if and when the author publishes it.
I could tell the author put in a lot of time and love writing this story and I appreciated that so much.
I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Elle Lacerta pulled me into a world where familial betrayal and the intricate dynamics of love collide against a backdrop of werewolf lore. Adding a twist on traditional shifter romance.
The story follows Coda, a werewolf cursed to remain in his wolf form except during full moons, and his mate Mia, on the day of Coda's coronation as King. The tale takes a dark turn when Coda's brother Daniel betrays him out of jealousy, kidnapping Mia in the process.
Lacerta's writing was very vivid for me in descriptions that perfectly capture the atmosphere, theme, and emotions of each scene. This allowed for me to have clear mental images in my head for the duration of this book.
The twist of Coda's shifting curse added a fresh spin to the typical shifter romance I very much enjoyed.
Daniel makes for a well-crafted villain, inspiring all of the reactions I expect to have when faced with a villain!!!
The supporting cast is equally well-developed, having their own POV in the story. I found that it was well laid out and there was no confusion on who or what I was reading about or whom was thinking or speaking. Characters like Jake and Becca offered plenty of potential for intriguing subplots or their own story.
The conflicts and resolutions we do get in this installment are satisfying, though a few feel slightly rushed or glossed over for me.
One of the novel's greatest strengths for me was the ability to evoke powerful emotions. The betrayal of some, the heart-wrenching twist involving Jake and Becca will left me reeling. I NEED MORE FROM JAKE AND BECCA ASAP!!!!! The revelation Becca makes in her head was a twist I did NOT foreshadow but defiantly loved.
However, the book is not without its flaws. I found that the timeline varies wildly between characters, sometimes disrupting the sense of pacing and realism. After Daniel's mishap we have so much being revealed and happening for chapters only to return to Daniel's POV taking place as if the mishap only just occurred…. this made me feel completely at odds with the initial severity of his injuries, pulling me out of the story.
Coda's revelation to Kate feels immature compared to how the book in categorized.
The much-anticipated "spice" scenes, while not poorly written, lack the primal intensity hinted at earlier in the story. I wanted more primal, animalistic elements that follow the lore of werewolves. In a "dark fantasy" I want the taboo and crude to accompany character development so that when on-page spice takes place it fuels the reaction while reading.
Despite my personal issues, The Wolf King's Keeper was a read with a compelling world, interesting characters, and plenty of potential for future books. With some tightening of the timeline or clearly laying it out with more reference to the time of events taking place, adding more "darkness" or "adult-ish" language to characters to help spice up the on-page romance scenes, this series could truly shine. As is, it's still a great read for fans of werewolf fantasy romances looking for a story with fresh elements and twist on the genre. I will be reading the next installment if and when the author publishes it.
I could tell the author put in a lot of time and love writing this story and I appreciated that so much.
I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.