Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs

 

The Back of the Book:

Anna never knew werewolves existed until the night she survived a violent attack…and became one herself. After three years at the bottom of the pack, she’d learned to keep her head down and never, ever trust dominant males. But Anna is that rarest kind of werewolf: an Omega. And one of the most powerful werewolves in the country will recognize her value as a pack member—and as his mate.

My Review:

Charles and Anna were originally introduced in a short story anthology, and this is their first stand-alone novel in the Alpha and Omega series.  Readers can jump right into Cry Wolf, though, as Patricia Briggs has done a great job of explaining how they met without the reader feeling like she’s being “caught up”.

Cry Wolf is a fast-paced blend of paranormal mystery and suspense with a bit of romance all mixed together.  As with Briggs’ previous novels, the worlds she creates are rich, and multi-layered, with believable characters who don’t always make the wisest decisions, just as in real life.  

Charles and Anna are trying to figure out the nuances and capabilities of their mate bond while adjusting to life as a couple.  Anna is particularly compelling, as she is dealing with the effects of being abused by her pack while simultaneously trying to trust her instincts about believing in Charles.  When their lives are threatened, her true inner strength is revealed, and we understand how she was able to survive her past.  Charles is a very sexy character, mysterious, quiet and lethal, with magical shamanistic abilities he inherited from his Native American mother.  Although we meet Anna at a low point in her life, there is more to her than meets the eye. When Charles is in danger, she embraces her werewolf strength and learns to kick some butt of her own.  The plot twists and suspense kept me reading late into the night, as Charles and Anna figure out who their enemies are.  The Montana wilderness is a powerful and  image-evoking backdrop as Charles and Anna try to survive both it and powerful supernatural enemies.  This book was well worth reading and highly recommended.