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A review by riniya
Bitten by Jordan Stephanie Gray
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Thank you to Little Brown Books and Netgalley for a copy of this ARC.
FIRSTLY -- This book is a weird blend of YA and NA, I'm not sure it knows what demographic its trying to target. I would say that you should be about 17+ to really enjoy this book. I wouldn't consider it smut because for the most part its fade to black, but it does occasionally get a bit descriptive before it finally fades out. Which is where the majority of my confusion about its "rating" is coming into play. I feel like this falls on the publisher to clarify as much as the author. This book should NOT be read by anyone under the age of 15 in my opinion as an almost 30 year old.
As far as the story goes, I love the murder mystery, fish out of water that we get in this book. Our FMC, Vanessa, is enjoying life as a burgeoning 17 year old, just trying to make it day by day. Her best friend, or "soul sister" is murdered in front of her by a werewolf and she is subsequently bitten and whisked away from her life to live with the "Born" Wolves. What follows is a topsy-turvey story that has you second guessing even your own understanding as it keeps you on the edge of your toes.
Vanessa struggles to accept her place in the world, knowing that someone in the castle is responsible for her being bitten and the death of her best friend. She overcomes her emotions, her plans and dreams for her life and eventually accepts her place in this new world. The death of her friend drives her to try to uncover the secret that is looming behind the walls of the castle.
I'm not quite sure how I feel about the love triangle? If you can even call it that. The book tries to shove you back and forth between Sin, the Wolf Prince and his broody guardian cousin, Calix. I'm not sure if this is a love triangle because aside from some heated glances and the occasional touch, Calix very much doesn't like Vanessa and wants nothing to do with her. Sin on the other hand, makes his feelings very well known and actively tries to court Vanessa. Regardless, the ending of the book blows everything out of the water as you have to reorganize all of your thoughts.
FIRSTLY -- This book is a weird blend of YA and NA, I'm not sure it knows what demographic its trying to target. I would say that you should be about 17+ to really enjoy this book. I wouldn't consider it smut because for the most part its fade to black, but it does occasionally get a bit descriptive before it finally fades out. Which is where the majority of my confusion about its "rating" is coming into play. I feel like this falls on the publisher to clarify as much as the author. This book should NOT be read by anyone under the age of 15 in my opinion as an almost 30 year old.
As far as the story goes, I love the murder mystery, fish out of water that we get in this book. Our FMC, Vanessa, is enjoying life as a burgeoning 17 year old, just trying to make it day by day. Her best friend, or "soul sister" is murdered in front of her by a werewolf and she is subsequently bitten and whisked away from her life to live with the "Born" Wolves. What follows is a topsy-turvey story that has you second guessing even your own understanding as it keeps you on the edge of your toes.
Vanessa struggles to accept her place in the world, knowing that someone in the castle is responsible for her being bitten and the death of her best friend. She overcomes her emotions, her plans and dreams for her life and eventually accepts her place in this new world. The death of her friend drives her to try to uncover the secret that is looming behind the walls of the castle.
I'm not quite sure how I feel about the love triangle? If you can even call it that. The book tries to shove you back and forth between Sin, the Wolf Prince and his broody guardian cousin, Calix. I'm not sure if this is a love triangle because aside from some heated glances and the occasional touch, Calix very much doesn't like Vanessa and wants nothing to do with her. Sin on the other hand, makes his feelings very well known and actively tries to court Vanessa. Regardless, the ending of the book blows everything out of the water as you have to reorganize all of your thoughts.