Mini review: Cry Wolf (Alpha and Omega series 01) by Patricia Briggs

Book info:

Form: e-book pdf format

Genre: Urban Fantasy with some romance in it

Target audience: adults

Synopsis:

Anna was turned into a werewolf against her will and her life has become nightmarish ever since. She had to stop her beloved music studies. Her new pack’s Alpha made of her a sex slave - available to anybody at  his every whim. Small wonder Anna tried to commit suicide. Still it is hard to kill yourself when you are one strong werewolf. Her status in the pack has never been fully explained to her – she is an Omega, so allegedly on the bottom of the pole, but she is hardly submissive. Other werewolves are drawn to her but they’ve never cared enough to protect her from the brutish Alpha or her sadistic boyfriend.


 Finally, when some young weres start to disappear Anna has had enough. She is the only pack member who decides to contact Bran, an uber-wolf, whose status of Marrok and supreme powers allow to supervise all American packs around. Marrok sends his younger son, Charles Cornick, to deal with the situation and kill who needs killing. Charles is a very powerful, old werewolf, his father’s executioner and second in command. He insists that not only is Anna his mate, but she is also a rare and valued creature every Alpha would kill to have in their pack. Anna's newfound inner strength and calming presence will prove invaluable as she and Charles go on the hunt in search of a rogue werewolf- a creature bound in magic so dark that it could threaten all of the pack.

What I liked:

Now I see why this series (and the related Mercy Thompson one) sticks out from other UF books in a positive way. The author is simply not afraid to take difficult decisions and risks. How many other UF novels feature a main heroine who’s been repeatedly raped by the members of her own pack? How many other male leads border insanity because they’ve been forced to kill other werewolves against their nature by their not-so-evil father? I am properly awed and I do appreciate such original moves. Please do not stop!

The second great point: the happy couple must work on their relationship. It seems so simple and so natural but in fiction is anything but; in too many books he and she just court (shortly) and they go to bed and their efforts to make sparkles fly are limited to that  act. How very unrealistic.

Finally the secondary characters. They are flawed, they are great, they are funny and a real joy to get acquainted with. Bran Cornick, find yourself another mate asap!

What I didn’t like:

My carping as usual is stemming from the fact that both Anna and Charles are so divinely beautiful/handsome. Honestly why people don’t queue and beg to be turned into werewolves if it means almost eternal youth and health? Why don’t they pay astronomical sums of money for the privilege? Why oh why? Just use your imagination, dear vampires and werewolves, capitalize on your potential...;p and don’t tell me it is a secret, such secrets always resurface, look at the elves…

Oh and the cover. I am not impressed. Is it a wolf or a fox? And this girl's face...pouting and somehow funny!

Final verdict:

I liked this Ms. Brigg’s book well enough to continue reading her novels. Mercy Thompson, you are next.