Author: Shelley Wilson- Published: June 2017 by BHC Press/H2O
- Category: Young Adult, Fantasy, Werewolf, Book Review, Books, Reading
Will she follow the pack…
Or will she destroy them?
A dead mother.
A violent father.
A missing brother.
When Mia’s father is murdered, it’s her estranged uncle that comes to the rescue, but what he offers her in return for his help could be worse than the life she is leaving behind.
A compelling opening scene finds sixteen year old Mia witness to the violent death of her abusive father at the hands, or should I say fangs, of a werewolf. With no immediate family to look after her, she is taken in by her uncle, Sebastian Roberts, who runs Hood Academy, a boarding school for gifted girls. Girls who are being taught to hunt werewolves.
Mia’s main intention is to find her brother, Zak, who she believes went to Scotland when he left home. A strange encounter with a boy called Terry leads her to believe Zak is nearer than she thinks. It’s not long before Mia realises all is not as it seems at Hood Academy, or with her uncle. With the help of her new best friend, Lizzie, a sympathetic teacher, and despite the efforts of the school bully and her cohorts, secrets are uncovered, some of which are shocking for Mia, and put her and her friends in terrible danger.
I stood up and paced the floor.
Sebastian had dropped his bombshell, dumped me in my new room and left. He had nothing more to say to me. Did he know what I’d seen? Was he fully aware that a werewolf had killed his brother.
My head was spinning as I tried to comprehend everything that had happened. In twelve short hours, I’d watched a mythical creature murder my dad, been whisked away by an estranged uncle werewolf hunter and had an odd conversation about my brother with a complete stranger.
Shelley Wilson hits all the right notes with this book, and I love the cover. It has all the necessary elements for the perfect YA story. The take on the boarding school approach is unconventional and imaginative and there’s danger and mystery involved, with suspect behaviour from certain characters. An irresistibly attractive stranger adds a hint of romance and spine chilling noises from the locked basement ramp up the suspense. Not to mention the not altogether as he seems guardian. All these factors, plus another surprise revelation, send Mia into whirl and make her revise her opinions of werewolves.
Written and paced well, with defined characterisations, there are twists, action and enough tension to keep the reader engaged. I love the way Mia evolves from her initial vulnerability and wish to disappear into the background, discovering her capabilities as the story progresses. Great read!
Book links ~ Amazon UK | Amazon US
About Shelley Wilson
Shelley is an author, blogger, and a coach. Her writing life is a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde story as she writes for two genres that are at opposite ends of the spectrum.
Her sensible and professional side writes non-fiction books for the self-help, and personal development genre. Whereas her cheeky and playful side loves to write young adult fantasy fiction.
Alongside her personal development blog (motivatemenow.co.uk) Shelley also writes a book blog (shelleywilsonauthor.com) where she shares reviews, author interviews, and anything to do with writing, reading, and book related events.
Shelley is a single mum to three teenagers, a very old goldfish, and a crazy black cat called Luna. Her favourite things (apart from her children) are vampires, fantasy and sci-fi, Tudor history, The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, and Netflix marathons. She loves visiting historical sites and can be quite excitable around a castle ruin.
Shelley is tall (5ft 11inches) which seems to surprise people when she meets them! She often hears, “you’re much taller than your profile picture!”
She tries to find the silver lining in every situation and this mind set has got her through some very tough moments.
Author links ~ Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | G+
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