This is book 6 in the Alpha Pack novels and even though I hadn't read the precious 5, I thought I’d give this a try. Wolf’s Fall will be one of my read-everything-now-what-do-I-read? books. It has a story line that, even with some twists, I have experienced already with other books. Calla and Nick finding each other and becoming their destined mates to live out their lives in happiness and light, there was nothing extra about the book that drew me in. Again, this could be due largely in part to me not being that invested in the characters as others who have been with this series from the begging. Shifters tend to always run in packs and always have a life ruining dramatic event that causes them to renounce themselves and ruin either the peace of mind or the life outlook of their mates.The story was great, just nothing I haven’t read before, I thought the writing was great and this could have easily been a great series that I could have fallen in love with if I had started with the first a few years ago before others. The Alpha Pack series is fully of strong, hard-hitting action, but also heroes who pay a hard price to do their duty and police the paranormal world that lives along side the humans. This latest installment is no exception. Nick, as the leader of the Alpha Pack, has been a recurring character all the way through the series. He has been the strong, remote, cool under fire leader, but something happened at the end of the last book that left him in a very bad place. This was his story with his second chance at romance with a new mate, his road to recovery from the torture and personal assault he under went, and a battle with an unknown vengeful enemy. I was emotionally engaged with Nick's storyline from the beginning and loved the heroine that he was paired with. Calla is no warrior vampire princess, but she is strong in the ways that matter when it comes to dealing with her broken wolf mate that needs her patience and understanding as well as her love to finish healing him. The series has a continuity and flow to it that makes better sense when it is read in order and that is what I would recommend even though I personally started in the middle and worked my way forward while going back and picking up the first few stories as I've had time.The story picks up with Nick in a very bad place and it is only the intervention of a close friend and the vampire who is his fated mate that keeps him from ending it all. He is tired from all that lie has thrown at him and his world was turned upside down so that he doesn't know if he can pull himself back together. He has responsibilities that way him down, family issues that still need healing and a future mate if he can get past who and what she is. He wants to do the right thing, but can't seem to find his way.Calla sensed that the Alpha Pack Commander is her mate even though they shared only one short moment before he ran from her because she is a vampire. Calla knows enough about Nick's torturous time with one of her own race that she knows not to take his desertion personally, but she is lonely and for the first time in decades she is ready to move past the loss of her former mate. Her brother seeks to do some matchmaking, but Calla has plans to do a bit of matchmaking of her own with a certain handsome white wolf. Slowly Calla coaxes Nick back, helping him heal from his suffering and moving away from the trauma that keeps him from completing their mate bond.Meanwhile, a third party plots out a fiendish revenge against those who destroyed his happiness. He will make the vampire coven and the Alpha Pack pay dearly for ruining his life. The enemy puts his human hunters, rogue vampires and mysterious powerful Jinn forward to make them all pay. And as they never see him coming? He will win.This latest installment was super good with its development of Nick and Calla's passionate romance. I loved that the author didn't make Nick's recovery a quick or easy thing. He really struggled and in the process it was hard on Calla too as he pulled away or freaked out on her. The pacing was good on that. As to the pairing of Nick and Calla. She is a gentle soul that has developed a lot of personal strength and wisdom in her long life. She was so sweet and passionate with her rough wolf warrior. They were very good together and for each other. I look forward to more glimpses of them as the series moves on.I also liked that this book teased out a bit more about Nick's inter-personal relationships with his daughter, Selene, and his bestfriend, Hammer, and even the brother he has conflicted feelings about. There was so much else going on, but I liked that this side of Nick's story was not neglected.The new shadowy enemy with his powerful ally, Jinn, and stooges was a worthy villain too. I enjoyed the twists and turns his plotting took and that who he was and why he was so vengeful stays hidden until late in the story so there was a nice build up of tension. Oh and Jinn, he's an ambivalent, mysterious powerful being and I look forward to more encounters with him.The battles with all the Alpha Pack and the vampires against their enemies kept things moving along. I've always like that though the good guys are strong, gifted and skilled fighters, they don't have it easy. Their battles are brutal on them and there are no guarantees. A few times my heart was in my throat wondering how the author was going to make things good. That surprising eleventh hour help from a surprising powerful source was awesome.As usual, one of my favorite parts is the camaraderie amongst the Alpha Pack brothers and their allies. There are some nice little side stories continuing or starting to develop and I can't wait to see where they go.All in all, this was all that I wanted it to be- passionate and exciting. It was chalked full of the action, romance, strong characters, and intrigue that I've come to love about this series. Paranormal Romance lovers should definitely find their way to this series particularly those who enjoy spicy romance and their paranormal worlds full of a variety of paranormals.My thanks to Penguin Group and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.
What do You think about Wolf's Fall (2014)?
Better then all the others. Looking forward to book #7. Hate the new bad guy Jinn!
—ann
Expected publication: December 2nd 2014
—Jeklandwho
