Raised by Wolves

Barnes, Jennifer Lynn. Raised by Wolves. Egmont USA: 2010. ISBN: 9781606840597.

Summary:
Bryn is a typical teen, of sorts. She strains hard against the boundaries placed around her and she delights in rebelling against authority. The difference for Bryn is that she is a human that is being raised among Weres (Werewolves). Only one of two humans in the pack and only one of three females, Bryn doesn't feel the connection to the pack. Callum, the alpha saved Bryn when she was four years old from a Rapid Were. This wolf killed her parents and was poised to kill her until Callum and his pack showed up. Life has never been typical for Bryn, but now the pack is taking extra measures to protect her. Convinced that everyone knows a secret but her, Bryn embarks on a path that changes her life and that of the people she loves most.

Evaluation:
Finally a paranormal book that is not heavy with romance. Bryn is a strong character in her own right without a boy to pine over or fill up her thoughts. The convention of first person makes the story much stronger and powerful. It seems that typical Weres can not read others thoughts, but they can send out emotions to each other. Bryn is constantly reliving bits of memory from her parents murder. We see, hear and experience everything she does. This allows a strong connection with her character and makes the reader really care about Bryn. This book is a 'smart persons' paranormal book. The author gives much detail about how the Were society works and Were lore. The reader must pay attention and connect the dots, they are not handed to you on a silver platter. The only negative is the cover, the image is bland and boring.

Reader's Annotation:
Monsters exist in every species and universe.

Bibliotherapeutic Uses:
Bryn is a good example of a character who refuses to remain a victim and let it define her. Raised by Wolves shows that the journey to wholeness is difficult and painful, but worth the effort.

Genre:
Paranormal

Why I Included This Book:
I had to read from the required author list and I just couldn't bring myself to read a zombie book. Also, I liked Nightshade and wanted to give werewolves another try.