Peter “Penis” Caldwell (nickname bestowed courtesy of popular jock, Jackson Davis) didn’t necessarily have a lot of things going for him.1. See “Penis”.2. He attended high school in a small town that was as bigoted as it was boring. (Having the audacity to stand out was considered a major character flaw.)3. He was maybe, sort of, a little bit (a lot) gay. Not that anyone knew that last one.None …
Not that anyone knew that last one.
None of that meant, however, that Peter was prepared for the consequences when he is bitten by a giant wolf during a reckless night of teenage adventure.
Consequences that smack him right in the face when he is simultaneously saved and snatched by a (hugely-muscled, obscenely handsome)… mentally-imbalanced man who’s convinced that he’s a long-distance relation of Jacob Black. That’s right: werewolf.
Mr. Big and Bad claims Peter is one, too, now that he’s bitten him.
The only thing worse than being kidnapped by a crazy person? A crazy person who’s right.
Forced to adjust to pack life in a hidden society, Peter’s not sure what he longs to do more: throttle the man who’s bitten him and ruined his life so conclusively, or throw himself on Mr. Big and Bad’s ridiculously firm… lap.
Yeah, lap.
Please note the trigger warnings in the front matter.
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What a story this was!
I practically devoured it, it was so engaging.
It was a (borderline) neglecting-my-family kind of read where I, when I had to put my Kindle down, was still thinking of the story and counting the hours until I would be able to continue reading.
What’s surprising, however, is that Little Red is actually a Young Adult book – and I still liked it! Generally I try to avoid YA reads (like the plague) because they tend to leave me feeling quite unsatisfied. I mean, they can contain all kinds of gore and violence, but even the smallest bit of shenanigans is a total no-no (hypocrisy much?). But not even the complete lack of naughty diminished my enjoyment of this story. And that’s saying something!
So, Peter’s a 17-year old, secretly gay boy, living in a small town and minding his own business. Up until one night when he’s bitten by a large wolf. After that, his world is turned upside down, ending with him being kidnapped by a group of strangers led by the impossibly gorgeous Damon. Who also claims to be a werewolf.
This is most definitely a slow-burn romance (which is yet another thing I usually avoid). But it’s totally understandable. Peter’s 17 after all and Damon is somewhere in his twenties. So even if they’re all very young, it would have been too icky for them to get it on before Peter legally became an adult. Even if their werewolf society have their own set of rules.
I’ve read a few reviews complaining about how immature Peter is. And yes, he does acts immature sometimes. But hello! He’s seventeen. That makes him immature by default. And on top of that, he was changed into a werewolf against his will, lost his family, were chased by murderers, assaulted and then kidnapped by strangers – all in a few days time. I’d say it’s strange he didn’t act out more than he actually did. In fact, if he’d acted out to the extent that would have been expected after such trauma, it would have affected the book and detracted from the plot. So in my opinion, Peter’s actions and reactions were perfectly balanced in relation to the storyline.
This book is quite event driven. There’s never a dull moment. But not at the cost of the characters. It’s a single POV story where everything is viewed from Peter’s perspective. But there are several interesting, well-rounded supporting characters too. I would have wished to get a bit more insight into Damon’s thought processes, however. He was often distant and a bit of a mystery. Although that’s probably intentional since it makes Peter’s confusion and roller-coaster emotions that much more credible.
I loved this story. Not because it’s expertly written. There were a few strange word-swaps here and there, where it was obvious the author meant one thing but had written a similar looking word that meant something completely different. But it wasn’t so many as to detract from the story. Oh, and also, that one of the bad guys was named Knave … I mean, really? That’s a bit over the top. Sure, it’s archaic, but I’m assuming Wise is well aware of the meaning.
So obviously it’s not perfect writing. But this story just sucked me in and I fell so hard for the characters. And if that isn’t the definition of a great read, I don’t know what is.
I can’t recommend this story enough. 5 stars.
https://reflectionsofaswedishgirl.blog.se/little-red-big-bad-wolves-1-by-queenie-wise/
Peter was nothing like I expected him to be in this story and that was a wonderful surprise. Despite all the trauma that occurs after being bitten by a werewolf and having to learn how to live an entirely new life, Peter never loses his strength or his snark. He stands up for himself against a very, very strong alpha character in Damon and earns the respect of both Damon and this reader. I very much look forward to seeing where the author takes the characters and this world.
The chemistry between Damon and Peter was certainly explosive and full of sarcasm and struggles, im glad Peter fought Damon every step of the way and didn’t just lay down and take whatever was happening to him. Damon is very arrogant and very alpha in his behaviour and will regret something he did later down the line, just watch out for the fireworks. I loved the plot and the strife that everyone struggled with.
This was a cute YA story. Peter is an immature, snarky, gay teenage living in a small town just trying to get thru life. Peter is bitten by Damon a werewolf. Damon takes him to live in his werewolf community. There is chemistry, and it’s a slow burn. The story line had great world building and there is a great secondary cast of characters. I loved snarky Peter was! I definitely liked the story and cannot wait to see what the author has in store for us next. I am voluntarily leaving a review from an advanced copy that I received. My reviews are solely based on my thoughts and opinions.
Wow! This first book in Big bad wolves series featured an interesting twist in werewolves stories. After being bitten, Peter started a new life dealing with difficult loses and changes and with becoming part of a pack while learning to be a wolf. He and Damon start knowing each other and I love how the writer managed their interactions and dialogues making pretty clear the feelings that each one of them have for each other. Amazing characters, interesting plot with the exact dosis of action, danger and intrigue in between an incipient sweet romance. I can’t wait to read book Two.
I received this book as an ARC and this is my honest opinion.
This is my first book by Queenie Wise but definitely not my last, really enjoyed this fast reading slow burning supernatural romance. Peter’s world just got a lttle more interesting when he got talked into checking out the old haunted house at the end of Abbey Road and getting bitten by a wolf with red eyes, next thing I know my whole life is falling apart. Strange dreams of red eyes trying to tell me something, a handsome stranger, stronger, faster, and feeling off, and now my home has been invaded, my parents murdered, and I’m on the run from them. Resued and the next thing I know I’m in a car traveling to Canada with a bunch of strangers claiming to be werewolves, but the only one I’m interested in is Damon.
Little Red is the first book in the Big Bad Wolves series by Queenie Wise. This is a non-mpreg, shifter m/m Young Adult tale. The story is very interesting and kept me entertained.
There is humor and sarcasm. There is action, drama, secrets, lies, and angst – I mean what do we expect when teenagers, a pack of werewolves and hunters are involved. Peter and Damon are interesting characters who I personally liked together. I am actually looking forward to more books in the series.
I received an advanced reader’s copy of the book and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review and recommendation.