This reads like a furry fan fiction. In fact, that might be an insult to fan fiction. No thanks. Not for me. ( )

A novella and not much to write home about. A ditch, some stranger sex, huge satisfying cock and then forever love. Hope the second one actually has a plot. ( )

Not Rated

I stopped at page 40. While I enjoy an occasional guilty pleasure, Wolf Tales was too much guilt not enough pleasure. In other words, not enough character development or plot before the first sexual encounter (one that would've scared the bejeezus outta me) and I could see where the story was going right away. Plus the encounters between Xandi and Stefan were dang near bestiality. So I guess just a little too weird, even for me, and I've read and watched some bizarre stuff in my day.

Quite a bit more storyline and emotional connection between characters than I had expected from reading numerous reviews. There are actually, now and then, several pages in a row that contain no sex. There are serious issues the chars deal with such as rape, murder, PTSD, and angst over relationships. None of them are very deep, however. I agree that somehow, also, the sex is rather dull despite being graphic, adventurous, and vigorous. Yes, these are non-human characters and this is a paranormal-fantasy-romance, so we can't expect too much reality as far as maturity, self-control, and rationality, but even so I found many of the situations were so ridiculous that I was distracted from the story by having to roll my eyes. The characters are sensually intense and very open in their expression of sexuality so they indulge in various ways ... male+
female, male+male, female+female, male+male+female, wolf-form+human-form, alone, via a psychic connection, from the front, the back, both ends, etc.

What is most disturbing is that sexual assault/rape is also part of that expression and even though it's presented as a normal struggle for dominance amongst the type of being these characters are (as it sometimes truly is in the real world of animals and birds), it's assault/rape that turns into a positive emotional connection and a sexually satisfying experience between the rapist and victim. This positivity occurs during the rape and despite the fact that the victim is struggling, in agonizing pain and, presumably, bleeding due to tissues tearing. Another character viewing this assault is sexually aroused by it and later states that the rape is just a cowardly way to say "I love you".

A different character, who was brutally raped by 3 men only a month ago, is quickly cured of her horrible experience not by working with the professional and compassionate therapist she has been seeing but by, you guessed it, having unbridled sex with the same characters who are the rapists/victims/voyeurs mentioned above. Adding insult to injury is the fact that she, the one African-American character in the book, is also freed from the terrible burden of "kinky" (read: "nappy") hair once she accepts her true nature - her hair becomes long, soft, wavy, manageable and beautiful. I was surprised that her skin didn't become lighter too. ( )

Bad writing and bad dialogue between main characters. Sex wasn't romantic or erotic. So disappointed. Story was stupid.

I've read this author in the past and like her. Maybe it's just me. ( )