Review - Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs

Cry Wolf (Alpha & Omega #1) by Patricia Briggs
Librarything / Goodreads

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Rating: 5 stars
Publisher: Orbit
Pages: 320

Summary: 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.

Thoughts: In case you haven't heard, Patricia Briggs is a brilliant author. I tend to forget her whenever I list my favourite authors, but I really really shouldn't. Every one of her books is a joy to read, and Cry Wolf is no exception. If you've never read her work... get to it!

So, Cry Wolf. First off, you should know that Anna and Charles' story begins with another tale: Alpha and Omega. It's a novella published in the On the Prowl anthology (I gave it a glowing review here), and it is well worth reading before you start Cry Wolf. That said, you can jump straight into the novel without reading the prequel - that's actually what I started off doing before I remembered Alpha and Omega. But I found that reading about Anna's back story and how she met Charles really did enhance Cry Wolf, so... it's up to you.

US Cover

There was a beautiful romantic tension between Anna and Charles - who are busy coming to terms with their new-but-intense relationship. It's a rather unique relationship; their wolves are in love, but their human counterparts are struggling to accept the bond. Instant-bonds are one of my favourite tropes, but they can very quickly turn ridiculous. Cry Wolf manages to deal with the theme seriously - it's brilliant.

There was a lot of sadness in Cry Wolf. Maybe I am a sucker for sad stories, but my heart leapt for so many of the characters in this book: Bran and Sam, in particular. Bran - the alpha of alphas - was one of my favourite characters in the Mercy Series. Getting to see things from his POV was a real thrill. And finding out his origin story? The most beautifully depressing thing I have ever read. And Sam... oh, Sam. I loved seeing him through the eyes of all new characters - he's still as charismatic as ever, but boy is that boy ever filled with angst.

Writing this review has made me want to reread Cry Wolf. Seriously, there is a reason everyone and their mother loves Patricia Briggs. Go forth and read!

Bottom line? Cry Wolf is a stunning novel. It has atmosphere, heartbreak, monsters, and a lovely romance. In short, it has everything I could possibly want from a novel.