I will start by saying that I enjoyed much of this story and I did finish it. Despite my next comments, I’d recommend it, especially the audio version as Kirt Graves brings the novel to life. He is talented and has not only a good range of voices but great pacing, depending on what’s happening.
There were things I loved about the novel and things I really didn’t. I won’t give spoilers.
The good:
This is a very original take on shifters. There are elements from multiple genres woven seamlessly together into something I wouldn’t have considered. It’s refreshing to listen to/read something that isn’t just trope. The characters were fleshed out and I sympathized with many of them. It resolves satisfactorily, which for me is always a worry. I feel like reality is full of doom and gloom; I need my happy ending!
The bad:
While this book was long (something like 15 hours or so), I felt like it could have been cut down without losing anything. I am totally fine with gay sex, why would I be in this section otherwise, but it was like a free-for-all with it. There were many scenes with Koda and the gang, and then Nox and Luka basically were like rabbits throughout the book. It became absurd. I know Ms. Wilder tried to tie all the fornicating (that’s really what much of it was) into their need to “connect” with their alpha, but seriously.
The other major issue for me was that there were times where the story got bogged down in technical details that completely lost me and threw me out of the flow. I do appreciate that the author wanted to justify her theory on this new breed, but it was way too scientific for an audiobook. I even rewound through some parts, but nope. Had no idea what was going on in places. Don’t know if it’s different in written format but I suspect it’s still too dense.
I would actually love to have a sequel. The book ends wrapping up several storylines, yet drops kind of a bomb on us at the end. Hopefully Kirt Graves can narrate again. Give this a try, you can always return it. I’ll probably let it sit for a few months and then listen to it again.