I’ve tried reading this three times. Fell asleep within a couple minutes the first two times and was bored the third. DNF

It just wasn't holding my attention. I might return to it another time, but it isn't working for me right now 

I must be tough to please with fairytale retelling these days. For the Wolf is pitched as Red Riding Hood meets Beauty and the Beast - both fairytales which I love. Definitely got way heavier Beauty and the Beast vibes, though.

What I loved -
The cover is so pretty! And the premise sounded so cool - first daughters destined for the throne, younger daughters destined to be given to the ‘Wolf’ in the a living forest called the Wilderwood, to release the 5 kings from their imprisonment.

I loved the atmosphere of a creepy, living forest that demands blood magic to survive (as someone who’s currently playing through the Dragon Age video games again, this was exciting!).

The beginning and end were well done and both hooked me.

And I liked the prose. I got a great sense of the setting and what I was “looking at” while reading. A bit purpley at times but overall lyrical.

What I didn’t love -
The pacing! The middle 60% was so slow and I felt it was way too dragged out at 400 pages. Now, I don’t mind a slow story if it’s told well and holds my interest and maintains tension. Unfortunately this story didn’t do that and I found myself skimming or re-reading parts of it and wondering when it was going to end (I know I could have DNFed it, but I’m stubborn sometimes). This book could have had 50-100 pages cut out and I don’t think we’d lose much.

The characters were okay, but not very memorable. I felt both Neve and Red had similar personalities and while they were both technically adults, they came off as stubborn bratty teenagers many times. I wish I had more sense of their closeness other than simply being told they were sisters, so therefore they should love and sacrifice for one another. Not every sibling relationship is good, so I would have liked more showing in this instance and really feel their bond. The supporting characters weren’t really fleshed out and I started getting confused who was who at times, and instead seemed like they were just there to move the plot forward.

The romance was also just alright. I didn’t feel much in chemistry between Red and Eammon. There also seemed to be a very large age gap between the two (Red is 20 and Eammon sounded like he was a few hundred or thousands of years old), which really isn’t for me. Again, I was told they loved and would do anything for each other, but I didn’t quite understand the love they had, except that they fell in love only because they were stuck together.

This was told mostly in third person from iRed’s perspective, with chapters mixed in from Neve’s.

Overall, 3 stars. Enjoyed it for what it was, but I wasn’t invested in the story and characters like I wish I was. Not sure I’ll pick up For the Throne (book #2), but from the sample chapter I read, it seems like it could be a more interesting read. ( )

For the Wolf was one of my most highly anticipated reads for the year and, boy, did it deliver! I loved this book from its first page right up to its last and it easily earned its rightful spot as one of my favourite reads this year so far.

Redarys is a Second Daughter and all her life she's known what that means: her only purpose is to be sacrificed to the Wolf in the Wilderwood so that he will return their old kings-turned-gods to her world.

The First Daughter is for the throne.
The Second Daughter is for the Wolf.
And the Wolves are for the Wilderwood.

But Red soon discovers that not things aren't always what they seem, and old myths and legends sometimes lie. The Wolf is in fact a man struggling to hold together the now crumbling Wood, the last remaining barrier between Red's world and an evil beyond imagination.

For the Wolf brings together familiar fairy tales and original mythology to create a complex and rich world. I could definitely see elements of Little Red Riding Hood and Beauty and the Beast, and even spotted a little Snow White in there! This book takes well-known tropes and elements and gives them an original twist, creating a highly entertaining and engaging read that had me gripped throughout.

I personally loved the characters and the way they changed throughout the book as more and more is revealed about the Wilderwood and its purpose, the kings, and the mysterious shadows slowly creeping into the world.

Red is definitely the centre of the book, whether we're following her POV or looking at her sister Neve's attempts to find a way to bring Red back. I really enjoyed seeing Red grow and accept her role in the wood... and at the Wolf's side. While at first she seems passively resigned to her fate, her full strength quickly comes through as she works hard to find her own place in the world. Red is headstrong, witty, independent and fiercely loyal to the people she loves: basically, everything I love in an MC. The romance is definitely a slow burn and Eammon, the Wolf, is the perfect tall, dark and brooding gentleman.

I also really liked Neve's interludes. I found her to be a very interesting character, and in some ways even more complex and intriguing than Red. I'm so curious to see what Neve'll get up to in the next book! The entire cast is fantastic, and I loved all the secondary characters. I wish we'd gotten to see a bit more of some of them, but maybe I'll get my wish in the second book.

The world building was also perfectly on point! The Wilderwood gave me definite [b:Uprooted|22544764|Uprooted|Naomi Novik|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1550135418l/22544764._SX50_.jpg|41876730] vibes, as did some of the writing. I'm in love with the author's writing style and the way she crafts gorgeous and deliciously creepy descriptions. The pace did slow a fair bit around the middle mark, which made it feel as though certain sections were dragging on with not much happening. It picked up again though and the ending was incredibly fast-paced and gave me ALL the feelings at once.

For the Wolf is one of those books that reminded me why I love fantasy so much. Magic, an eerie wood, legends and traditions, and an incredible cast of characters come together in this beautiful and unforgettable tale. Can't wait for the second book!

Find my reviews on Book for Thought.

I received an e-ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way. ( )

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Ugh, as much as I love series it's also really hard to read the first as an ARC because now I have to WAIT for the next ones!

It was a smidge slow in the beginning but not that bad and while most of the story focused on Red I did like that there were chapters that focused on her sister so we could see both sides of what was happening. I enjoyed the world and the magic and thought both were described well with a slow reveals throughout the book so while you didn't know everything all at once it made sense as you went along (and it made sense because the character was learning as well). Looking forward to the next one! ( )