| Title | : | Half Wolf (Alpha Underground, #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 227 |
| Publication | : | Published March 7, 2016 |
Fen Young is a half-shifter whose inner beast is more mouse than wolf. Home is her castle, the only place she's ever felt safe.
Enter Hunter Green, an uber-alpha strong enough to stop traffic with a single look. He's handsome and enticing and seems like just the ticket to broaden Fen's horizons...until the uber-alpha brushes off his admirer and summarily rejects her from her home pack.
Now treading water in the no-man's land of outpack territory, Fen must confront a missing pack mate, a tantalizing stranger, and a serial killer targeting half-werewolves. Will she be able to shore up her waning power in time to save her friend...and half-breeds everywhere...before it's too late?
USA Today bestselling author Aimee Easterling's new urban fantasy novel is chock full of adventure, romance, and danger and is bound to leave readers craving more.
Half Wolf (Alpha Underground, #1) Reviews
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DNF omg such a DNF I can't DNF this quick enough. look. I'll forgive then instalust just add mate angle. I'll forgive he was an alpha hole "for her own good" malarkey.
But to have the one chick be like "you're straight despite all the visual evidence to the contrary" discussion with the MC just no. She's young, but not THAT young and she didn't say it to be cruel. She was genuinely flabbergasted that Fen was straight despite apparently looking like the most lesbian chick ever.
Which brings me to a different point - Fen spends an inordinate amount of time (silently) praising Ginger's assets and being confused when every male outside their pack is not salivating over her (well namely Hunter). I thought, based on Fen's reactions to Ginger's nudity and general sense of casual sexuality, that Fen was at least POSSIBLY confused by her feelings towards Ginger. But her denial and tentative "Why would my actions make you think that?" was as rude as Ginger assuming Fen was lesbian based on her appearance. COMMUNICATION.
Gonna put my further thoughts under spoiler tag, cause...yeah. Spoilers if you care. -
“The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits.” - Albert Einstein
“Whining is not only graceless, but can be dangerous. It can alert a brute that a victim is in the neighborhood.” ― Maya Angelou, Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now
Having not read any of Ms. Easterling’s books before, when I got the chance to pick this up on Kindle Unlimited, I did so based on other people’s comments on her work.
Now? I truly, deeply wish I hadn’t. It left a severely bad taste in my mouth. Some of this will be “spoilerish” so keep that in mind, but there are so many things wrong with it, I just can’t help but go there. The protagonist is, in a word, weak. Weak of mind, and weak of soul. As a ‘halfie’ her wolf is put forward as being weak as well, but I get a strong feeling that she is only weak because her human half makes her weak. She has no trust in either her human self or her wolf self, constantly whines about being ineffective while never seeming to reach for something better within herself, makes incredibly poor decisions, and is so insecure, putting not only herself but her tiny pack in danger, I wanted to grab her around the throat and choke her to death for being such a lily-livered idiot. The ‘good guy’ vs the ‘bad guy’ setup was screamingly obvious, which was irritating as all get-out, and if I read “uber-alpha” or “trouble twin” one more time . . . so uncreative I wanted to then slap the author silly as well. Does she really think this dishrag of a protagonist is worthwhile?
Then, there is the whole “mate” thing. I mean, come ON! The guy got you kicked out of your pack, where you were safe, and thrust not only you, but two very young girls and two young males out into the world where you are starving, running from pillar to post in an effort to stay alive, living out of the back of a beat-up station wagon and sleeping in a tent with your thrown-together pack – straight into a world where you are being hunted so that a bunch of sociopaths can capture you and rip your heart out and eat it – and, of course, he tells you that it is for “your own good” and that you will be “better off on your own” outside the warmth of an alpha couple who care for you and a pack that might not all accept you – but most do. Sooooo . . . Hey – here’s a secret for you, protagonist. Are you ready? Listening? OK, here goes – “The Guy NEVER Had YOUR Best Interests At Heart!” And yet, it is all forgiveness and wallowing all over him and getting all “matey matey” when he threw you out in the wilds to die. Uh, Hello?!?!?
Yep. This was my first Easterling – and my last as well. Too many books, too little time to waste on such inane Pablum. Extremely disappointing. -
Originally posted at:
My Rating: two and a half stars
* I received a free copy of the audio book for this novel from Free Audiobook Promo Codes. All opinions in the following review are my own.
What was I thinking when I decided I wanted to read this book? I'll tell you what, I wasn't thinking. Had I bothered to skim its Goodreads page we wouldn't be here now. This book wasn't for me, that's for sure!
Fen was whiny and annoying. She let herself be convinced way too easily by her so-called pack. She also "accepted" people into her inner circle way too easily for someone on the run. If I were her I would never have wanted to see Hunter's face again. Also, in what world is she considered an "alpha"? She bearly has control of her pack as it is.
Hunter was stoic and uninteresting. I didn't understand his appeal. Though don't worry, we all know he's an uber-alpha because it was repeated 800+ times during the 7+ hours of this audio book. I also don't understand why Hunter did what he did to Fen in the first place. What did he gain from setting her on her own? She was defenseless, to a degree, but she still welcomed him in.
Her "pack" was one big blur. None of them were memorable enough for me to remember their names. They were all kids (for the most part) and helped Fen make decisions that would involve the whole pack. The only one that separated herself from the others a little bit, at first, for being extremely annoying and later turned into a whole other situation was the "trouble twin" (it's how she was referred to by Fen multiple times throughout the novel).
What happened at the end of this novel would have come so much more easily and sooner had everyone stopped and had an actual conversation with one another. The pack loved to throw accusations but they ended up picking the wrong bad guy. It's a wonder how my eyes are still attached to my head considering how much I rolled them during the 7+ hours of this audio book.
The Audio Book:
The narration was magical compared to what this story put me through. Though be advised that this narrator doesn't have a nice range of male and females voices. Most of the characters sounded alike (especially when 3+ characters were having a conversation) and it did get confusing. -
I was given a copy of Half Wolf for free in exchange for an honest review.
Fen has been cast out of her old pack and become the alpha of her own small pack. She has a hard time embracing her new role. She is a half wolf, a "halfie", and prefers to use her human wits (and a katana) rather than her wolf abilities.
Danger seems to be following Fen and her pack. There is a group called the Shifter Sanitation Society that is abducting and sacrificing halfies. When the other halfie in the pack goes missing, they set out to rescue her. Of course things don't always go according to plan. They have a traitor in their midst!
I wont spoil the book, but even I was surprised to find out who the traitor was. Fen really stepped up and became the alpha her pack needed.
This was a great book! I couldn't put it down. From the very beginning there is action, danger, and suspense. There is even a little romance!
I was again impressed by Aimee Easterling's writing. Her characters are intriguing and her werewolf world is captivating. Can't wait to read the next one! -
Crap, Goodreads just ate my review of this. Think I left the review window open too long...
Anyway, I picked this up on a whim because it was free and I wanted something to read on my lunch breaks at work. And I do love my werewolves.
I liked the concept of this one. Fen, the main character, is a half-werewolf, which means that her werewolfy powers are much weaker than average. For Fen, her wolf is so weak that she sleeps a lot of the time, which allows Fen to sometimes sidestep pack dynamics by the simple expedient of not having a wolf awake that can be controlled. I liked that spin on things. The story was also fast-paced and easy to read, which I appreciate.
However, I felt like the supporting characters were wooden. Although this is kind of a romance, there's not really any emotional depth to the relationship, such as it is. I don't mind instalust based on a bond, such as a mate bond, but you've got to incorporate the emotions at some point for it to be satisfying, and I wasn't really happy with how that didn't happen here. The same was true of the pack. Although each character was interesting at first glance, I didn't feel like we ever got past the first glance to anything real.
The writing itself was serviceable, but not as polished as I would like. There were some amateurish tics that made it feel like a first-time author, even though that does not seem to be the case. For me, the most annoying was the avoidance of character names in favor of quirky appellations like the trouble twins.
I'll admit, I also was disappointed because I figured out the bad guy really early. I'm not usually very good at that kind of thing, but I was right on the money this time, which makes me think things were too telegraphed.
Not sure if I'll continue with this series. I'm leaning toward not, but if I find the second book as a free promotion or something, I might consider it. -
It's no secret that I love werewolves. A lot. Possibly more than I should. But that's another story for another time. Right now, I'm going to say that Fen and her mass of issues completely hit the spot. Completely.
Not only is the poor woman a half-shifter trying her best to keep her small pack together (a pack she's unqualified to lead if we're looking strictly at how powerful one's wolf is), she also has a strong alpha dogging her footsteps and a group of killers out looking specifically for someone like her. It's not a great position to be in, but Fen manages.
Mostly.
As a person who loves werewolves, it was tough watching her smack her weak wolf down time and time again because it was better (and easier) to deal with things without the animal's strength mucking it up. I get why she did it, but it was hard to watch. The fact she has an extremely strong alpha sniffing after her when her wolf is so weak intrigues me. So much.
I'm eyeballing the rest of the series now and trying to figure out when I can fit it into my reading schedule. Because werewolves.
-Kelly @
Reading the Paranormal -
I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review, and readers who are tempted rest assured that this Underground Series is a MUST READ! Fen Young is a half shifter where her wolf is more mouse like and sleeps most of the time. She was kicked out of her pack when Hunter, had her kicked out in order for her Alpha to let a young pup stay with him. Now, she was head of her own pack of two troubled twins, their sixteen year old cousin, and her Beta who gave up his pack to go with them. Just barely legal age, she stormed to a wolf bar she knew the pack princess was stirring up trouble and it didn't surprise her that the teen was belting out a song as she swayed atop a table with her big boobs tantalizing a room full of male were shifters!
Hunter Green is a uber-alpa strong, handsome, and can stopped wolves in their tracks with just a look and he'd tracked his little "lost wolf" to a bar where he'd known there would be trouble. -
The cover was the first thing that drew my eye and who doesn't love an underdog shifter book with what looks like a kick butt lead. The only problem was it wasn't. I had a hard time liking Fen, the main character. Not sure why but I just couldn't connect with her. The other characters were just okay for me as was the story.
I was expecting lots of action and fun drama but it was predictable making me dislike the main character for her choices and it was just kind of blah nothing really exciting happened. I was waiting for it to get better, for something to happen but it never did.
I received this copy in exchange for an honest review. -
It seems sometimes shifter novels just keep with the same boring storylines, but not anything by Easterling! Having loved every other book by her, I jumped at the chance to review Half Wolf. Fen is an amazing leading lady, and everyone one in her rag tag clan is so different. This story was great, I cannot wait for the next installment.
*I received this book free for an honest review* -
Fen reached Maturity
Fen started of her exile from clan Wilder and From Wolfe and Terra . Though the Uber Alpha whom insisted on her exile has a soft spot in his heart for Fen. When her pack and his Investigation into wolf killings of female half bread werewolves draw them together. An Intriguing read folllows. -
If you are in need of humor and shifting and fighting and a little romance and mystery, ok I will quit! You have to look no further. This book has it all. I hope there is going to be another one so I can follow the pack. Good job.
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One of her best!
Love this new series in Amy Easterling's shifter universe! I has all the intrigue of her previous books, with a little extra sexual chemistry thrown in. Perks of just finding this now being that the second installment is out and waiting for me to read! -
meh. didn't really feel the story.
there was no real chemistry between Hunter and fen.
it was pretty obvious who was going to be the wrong un in the group....
it had a good idea but fell a little shirt in the reading enjoyment factor. sorry to the author - I know you would have worked hard on this!! -
I found the first installment in the Alpha Underground series to be entertaining, however, I found myself wanting something more. Although the characters were interesting, I wanted more depth to them and to their interactions. I believe they all had the potential to be complex characters, but instead fell flat to me. I wanted to know more about Fen's pack mates and why they would want to leave the safety of an established pack to follow Fen into outpack territory.
Additionally, I was seriously rooting for Fen. I believed that she would come into her own and find her strength as a leader. Instead I was disappointed in her development. I know that she is young and cannot possibly know everything about leading a pack, but I at least expected more from her. I did not really feel like she ever took the time to get to know her pack members and form connections with them. She had zero idea that Ginger even had a crush on her. Not only did she not form connections with her pack mates, but she never formed a connection with her actual legitimate mate, Hunter.
The interactions between Fen and Hunter were few and far between, yet she would drool over him and throw herself at him as soon as he would decide to come into the picture. I needed a lot more to that little relationship. It just seemed extremely rushed and a bit lacking to me. Overall, Fenn's decisions always seemed somewhat rushed to me, and I greatly questioned her decision making skills. She trusted the first person that seemed to help her, and allowed him into the pack despite Lia having apprehensions about him. This was just shady to me. I know you need help, but you don't want to compromise any of your pack mates feelings of safety. Even knowing how Lia felt about him, she wouldn't limit their interactions together. This was very odd to me.
Although I did have quite a few hangups with certain parts of the story and the characters, I did find the book to be entertaining. I believe that the book did have a lot of potential, and I only hope that as the series continues, more growth and depth is instilled in the characters. -
Not good
Fast -paced and entertaining, but predictable more often than it wasn't. I'm mildly curious as to what happens next, but not sure I'll continue reading the series.
Spoilers Below...
Several days after I finished the book and wrote the above blurb, I was annoyed with how long this book was staying with me. I kept thinking about it, finding more and more that annoyed me. How the main character was mistaken for a lesbian by her pack mate because of some stereotypical idea of what a lesbian looks like. The fact that a werewolf didn't figure out what sexual orientation another werewolf was, despite being able to smell things like arousal. How unobservant, immature and foolish the entirety of the pack was, except for Hunter, who was probably the most interesting of the characters while having hardly any human personality. The fact that I KNEW who the bad guy was the second he appeared in the book. And, above all, how idiotically trusting many of the werewolves were for no apparent reason. No, probably not above all....the lesbian stereotype part of the book was definitely the most annoying.
I need to read a good book to cleanse my palette. -
Wow - I hate to be a bitch but this was one poorly written novel. It was all over the place. The heroine was so incredibly weak. Not to mention her inner monologue drove me insane! The most irrelevant thoughts that crossed her mind were disclosed. The plot was lame and the secondary characters felt like total cardboard characters. Very generic throughout. I also tired of the constant references to the "trouble twin" and the mutterings of the word heck. I basically skimmed the last 30% of this book because I really had no interest if the entire wolf pack perished. Needless to say I wont be continuing this series. The only good thing I can note about this was that it was offered as a kindleunlimited.
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Well, this was okay.
If you are just looking for a quick read with werewolves this will probably scratch that itch.
But if you are looking for something with twists and turns....this won't be it? I mean I grabbed it cause it was on kindle unlimited and I knew I was going to be without internet for a time and wanted something to pass the time. And it did do that.
But while some of the action scenes were gripping I just think there is better wolf fiction out there than this. I found many aspects predictable and the lead always going on about how weak she was got old fast. Anyhow, just my two cents. -
Not realizing that this was a spinoff book from a different series from the author I am rather pleased to say that I wasn't completely lost with the storyline as I have been in other books. The author does a wonderful job of letting the reader know a little from the previous series, without spoilers that would ruin that series, so we are not completely lost. I can't wait to read all of the books now
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Most were books have a plot that can be summed up in one word: "mate."
This one had that as just one of many issues. It had a lot of excitement and adventure. It was about gaining self confidence. It was about relying on friends. -
This is a great book. I have never read of halfie-wolves...so this was interesting to find a wolf that didn't have the connection that every pack needs...but to find her mate in an unexpected situation. Cannot wait to read the next book.
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Loved It! Pulls You in and Keeps You!
Easterling has done it again! She is a master of brining twists and turns, fun, havoc, life and love into her writings! Please read the series and Please leave reviews!!!! -
Mediocre 2.5/3 stars
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review coming. 4.5 rating.
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Keeps You Guessing
I truly enjoyed this book, and the way that it constantly kept me guessing. I can not wait to read the rest of the series. -
So tedious and boring...
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This is not the first book set in this universe and I can’t help but wonder if I’d have enjoyed it more if I’d read the other books first.
Still enjoyable, but some holes in the world-building.
