The Big Bad Wolf by Jus Accardo
Release Date: March 5, 2018
Publisher: Entangled Crave
Genre: YA Paranormal
Source: ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
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Review:
I've been on a mission to read more werewolf books this year so when I heard about Jus Accardo's The Big Bad Wolf I needed it and pronto. I mean, elite werewolf lineage, a fake relationship, and a broody, hot next door neighbor? It sounded like things were about to get interesting and dramatic.
The result? The Big Bad Wolf is suspenseful, charming, and romantic. If you love a good enemies-to-lovers romance as much as I do, you're sure to enjoy it!
The Big Bad Wolf introduces Kensey and Slade, former best friends turned enemies. While Kensey comes from an elite family, she's never left their prim and proper ways stop her from speaking her mind. Kensey is gutsy, fierce, and true to her word, but she also possess a tiny bit of vulnerability, especially when it comes to teens her own age. She's never had a close group of friends. The vulnerability made her more relatable, in my opinion, and I enjoyed seeing her let loose over time, fully embracing Slade and his friends. Slade, on the other hand, is best described as a bad boy. He has a big reputation, but at the end of the day, all he wants is a simple life, specifically one far away from his father. I loved Slade's cockiness. He was full of himself for sure and he knew exactly how to push Kensey's buttons. It was just so much fun to read about it. The banter between these two always had me laughing and smiling.
Now for the plot. Jus has a lot going on here. There's Kensey and Slade's enemies-to-lovers romance/fake relationship, tension between the packs, and family drama. I found the romance to be satisfying. There was plenty of chemistry and swoon. The tension between the packs also made things the perfect amount of dramatic, but I wish there had been more development/background given. We received a very small glimpse into their world, and I didn't always follow how everything worked. I wanted more about the different packs...How was the power divided? What powers did each pack posses? What was the rest of the werwolf community like? Why didn't anyone address the unhappiness of the women in the community? I had a lot of question, but little answers unfortunately. I also would've liked more background on the families. For instance, I liked Slade's sister a lot but she was barely around, and Kensey's siblings were almost nonexistent.
If you can overlook the lack of development and focus on the main characters instead, I think you'll find The Big Bad Wolf an enjoyable read.
Release Date: March 5, 2018
Publisher: Entangled Crave
Genre: YA Paranormal
Source: ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Add to Goodreads!
Buy a Copy!
Kensey Deaton comes from an elite werewolf lineage, but just because her family is royalty, doesn't mean she'll fall in line like some perfect little princess. She has plans and they don't include an arranged marriage!
Slade McAlister has his own family drama. His Alpha father happens to be the most reviled wolf on the eastern seaboard, and it's a stigma he can't escape. So when his neighbor Kensey--the girl of his dreams and his nightmares--proposes a solution to solve *both* of their problems, he sees an opportunity he can’t ignore.
Kensey and Slade aren't only from opposite sides of the tracks, they're from opposite sides of the war. But if they can sell their 'relationship', they might just make it out of this with their freedom.
You know, as long as all that fake PDA doesn't turn into more...
Review:
I've been on a mission to read more werewolf books this year so when I heard about Jus Accardo's The Big Bad Wolf I needed it and pronto. I mean, elite werewolf lineage, a fake relationship, and a broody, hot next door neighbor? It sounded like things were about to get interesting and dramatic.
The result? The Big Bad Wolf is suspenseful, charming, and romantic. If you love a good enemies-to-lovers romance as much as I do, you're sure to enjoy it!
The Big Bad Wolf introduces Kensey and Slade, former best friends turned enemies. While Kensey comes from an elite family, she's never left their prim and proper ways stop her from speaking her mind. Kensey is gutsy, fierce, and true to her word, but she also possess a tiny bit of vulnerability, especially when it comes to teens her own age. She's never had a close group of friends. The vulnerability made her more relatable, in my opinion, and I enjoyed seeing her let loose over time, fully embracing Slade and his friends. Slade, on the other hand, is best described as a bad boy. He has a big reputation, but at the end of the day, all he wants is a simple life, specifically one far away from his father. I loved Slade's cockiness. He was full of himself for sure and he knew exactly how to push Kensey's buttons. It was just so much fun to read about it. The banter between these two always had me laughing and smiling.
Now for the plot. Jus has a lot going on here. There's Kensey and Slade's enemies-to-lovers romance/fake relationship, tension between the packs, and family drama. I found the romance to be satisfying. There was plenty of chemistry and swoon. The tension between the packs also made things the perfect amount of dramatic, but I wish there had been more development/background given. We received a very small glimpse into their world, and I didn't always follow how everything worked. I wanted more about the different packs...How was the power divided? What powers did each pack posses? What was the rest of the werwolf community like? Why didn't anyone address the unhappiness of the women in the community? I had a lot of question, but little answers unfortunately. I also would've liked more background on the families. For instance, I liked Slade's sister a lot but she was barely around, and Kensey's siblings were almost nonexistent.
If you can overlook the lack of development and focus on the main characters instead, I think you'll find The Big Bad Wolf an enjoyable read.
3 stars!!
About the Author:
JUS ACCARDO spent her childhood reading and learning to cook. Determined to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps as a chef, she applied and was accepted to the Culinary Institute of America. At the last minute, she realized her true path lay with fiction, not food. A native New Yorker, she lives in the middle of nowhere with her husband, three dogs, and twelve angry chickens.
Giveaway:
Excerpt:
He took a sip of water and nodded. He eyed the new plate as the girl set it down in front of him. “Raw fish? You’re buying me a burger as soon as we’re done here.”
“It’s Japanese,” I whispered. “Odori don. When you pour—”
“It’s Japanese,” I whispered. “Odori don. When you pour—”
The maid leaned across him and poured soy sauce over his plate. The squid in the center twitched once, then started to squirm with spastic enthusiasm.
“What the—” Slade flinched and jumped back, falling out of his chair and taking the maid—and the soy sauce—with him. She let out a squeak as the gravy bowl flew from her hands and hit the wall behind us. The ceramic shattered, splintering into a thousand tiny pieces as salty brown liquid splattered in all directions.
I managed to extract myself from my chair as Slade was helping the maid to her feet. Once she was up, she scurried into the kitchen, mumbling something about towels, and he turned back to the table. “My apologies,” he said with a bow toward our out of town guests. “I wasn’t expecting my dinner to dance.”
My father stood, the look on his face anything but forgiving, but I didn’t stick around. I grabbed Slade by the wrist and led him up the stairs to my bathroom to clean up.
“Haven’t been in here in years,” he said as we passed through my room. “Your décor hasn’t gotten any better.”
I rolled my eyes and shoved him through the bathroom door. Once inside, I clasped his shoulder and pushed him on to the edge of the tub. “Neither have your manners.”
“How was I supposed to know the damn thing was still alive?”
“It wasn’t.” I ran a towel under the water, then rang it out. “It was dead.”
“Beg to differ. It moved. It fucking started moshing on my plate.”
I knelt in front of him then paused. This wasn’t going to work while he was still wearing the shirt. “It was the salt in the soy sauce. The muscles in the squid were reacting to it. Take your shirt off.”
He waggled his brows. “Finally.”
I sighed and grabbed the back of his collar then gave a hard yank. The material caught on his chin for a second before coming over his head. “Says the guy who insisted I was a horrible kisser.”
He snorted. “That was years ago.Like I said, you’ve gotten a little bit better.”
He leaned back and I didn’t miss the way he flexed, the hard planes of his chest moving in an almost mesmerizing way. I also didn’t—couldn’t—miss the scattered assortment of marks and scars.
“They’re not pretty, are they?” His voice was low calm, but the look in his eyes was anything but.
“Gavin?” The scars were a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors, and left very little skin unmarred.
“For the most part.” He shifted, almost like he was uncomfortable with my scrutiny.
I cleared my throat and turned away. “Ya know, scars are a sign of honor in the wolf community.”
“Yeah?” There was a twinge of amusement in his voice and I was glad. “Then pick one. I’ll let you honor it with a kiss.”
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