Friday, 2 February 2018

REVIEW - SOMETHING TO HOWL ABOUT - ALPHAVILLE SERIES BY CHRISTINE WARREN

Title: Something To Howl About
Series: Alphaville
Author: Christine Warren
Genre: Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance, Shape-Shifter
Publisher: Swerve, St. Martins Press
Release Date: 2nd January 2018

BLURB from Goodreads
Dr. Annie Cryer has been called many things: Genius. Child prodigy. Scientific wonder.
Wolf Shifter.

Banished from her pack years ago, Annie’s lone wolf wandering has brought her to Alpha, Washington, home to all shifters who don't quite fit in in the "normal" shifter word. Now Annie has the chance to go back home...if only she can make good on a favor her alpha owes the mayor of “Alphaville.” But it's not much of a favor when you're helping the hottest shifter in town...

Grizzly shifter Jonas Browning has a clan in trouble. They haven't had a child born in over a hundred years...and their clan faces going completely extinct. Genetic scientist Anne Cryer has been sent to help save them. But what Jonas doesn't count on is being irresistibly drawn to the small wolf shifter, and his bear isn't about to let her go...



PURCHASE LINK

REVIEW
As I was asked if I was interested in being part of the blog tour for this series I decided to read this novella to get an idea of whether I would like to read more of the Alphaville series which is a spin off from her The Others Series. I love a good shifter book with some romance, maybe a little steam as long just long as it isn't just pure erotica with no plot I'm glad I decided to read this novella as it has a little steam but well within the context of the plot.

The cover features the eyes and head of a bear at the very top of the cover, and there's lots of green which suggests outdoors and forest and trees. There is also the figure of a woman walking down a path. Upon reading the blurb I assume the female figure is Dr Annie Cryer. The title of the book is in quite a bold font and positioned across the mid section of the book. Then in a smaller font the series title of Alphaville is featured. There is also the small S for the St Martins publisher imprint called Swerve in the top right corner. I find the cover attractive and the fact there is a bear on the cover kind of hints towards a bear shifter story. Though I usually read werewolf shifter books I am looking forward to reading this one.

The genres I have found listed for this book are Sci-Fi, Fantasy & Paranormal Romance and shape-shifters which I the book fits all those genres well.

This novella gives the reader a quick, preview look at Alphaville, or "Alpha" for short, which is the setting for this novella and I guess will be a main location or backdrop for this potentially brilliant series. "Alpha" is a place that is well known to all shifters as a place where the damaged go. Some think of it as an open air asylum for shifters who cannot shift, those who have trouble controlling their shift process as well as those with anger issues or shifters recovering from trauma or grave bodily injuries. The others that flock to Alpha are those without a pack, those who are outcasts for some reason or another such as being shunned by their packs for something they have done that their pack considers a crime.

Dr Annie Cryer has been cast out and banished from her own pack by it's Alpha Graham Winters, for something she did. Annie has been travelling around ever since she had to leave her own pack. Annie knew of Alpha but it seems it had never crossed her mind to try settling there herself. Annie's intention had been to keep wandering from place to place, which as she has a good reputations within her medical field has meant she has never really been stuck for work. Though we
 don't find out what it is in this novella, it's just hinted at being something that was dangerous for not only herself but also for her best friend Sam too. So when Graham telephones Annie and asks her for a favour that she cannot refuse, because if she accepts there is a chance she may be allowed to come home to her Silver-back Clan in Manhattan. The favour Graham asks Annie for is to go see an old friend of his John Jaeger and help with a medical problem he is trying to help with. 

The character I loved was Vonnie Milner. I found the way Vonnie Milner, the receptionist in the town hall greets to Annie is really funny. Vonnie is quite open about Alphaville cheerily welcoming Annie to the home of freeks, losers and the emotionally challenged! With a greeting like that it's no wonder Annie feels a little nervous about meeting the Mayor. Vonnie directs Annie up to the Mayor's office. I hope we see more of Vonnie in the rest of the series.

The Mayor, John Jaeger is a mountain lion, and with him in the room is his friend Jonas, who desperately needs to both find out why his clan are not reproducing, and come up with some way of improving the fertility of his clan. Annie isn't the only one nervous about the meeting as Jonas is reluctant to trust a relative outsider with the knowledge his clan may quite well be in danger of dying out if they cannot solve the mystery of lack of reproduction. John Jaeger, the Mayor tries to put his mind at rest saying that he has done research and checked out Annie, that she is well respected within her medical profession. When Annie enters the room she immediately senses someone else in the room other than the Mayor. Then when she sets eyes on Jonas she feels strongly attracted to him, but after a misunderstanding when they are alone in the lab/office space John has arranged for Annie. She is determined to keep Jonas and interaction with him to a minimum and strictly on a professional only level. However, there's more misunderstandings to happen, and both Jonas and Annie are quite stubborn. . . a match made in heaven? 

I am looking forward to reading more in this series, I want to find out what awful thing Annie did to be banished, I want to know more about her best friend Sam and her family
I'm glad I decided to read this novella as it has a little steamy action but it was all well within the context of the plot. I'd say this novella serves well as both a teaser and a taster of what is to come within the series. I should probably add I haven't read The Others Series by Christine Warren, in fact this novella is the first time I have read anything written by this author.

My immediate thoughts upon finishing reading this novella were that this novella was a great introduction to a possibly brilliant series. I'm looking forward to reading more, probably starting with Baby I'm Howling For You which is the first novel in the Alphaville series.






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