<i>Shimmering sunbeams</i> and <i>sunny skies</i> I’m just not 100% sold on this one <i>for cloud’s sake.</i> (Yes those are some real examples of swear words used in this book).

It didn’t quite hit home for me or blow me away in any way. For the right fairytale-loving person though, I would recommend this. It was a cute, loose re-telling of Little Red Riding Hood that brought in more magical elements and had a witchy twist to it.

The world building has a darkish, spooky feel with mystical creatures and a deadly mist that strung me along for the first bit.

The magic system was really unique with all the witches labelled by gemstones and each of them had their own varying types of powers.

<b>Now to get into a few nit-picky details of what I felt went wrong: </b>

It just felt a bit lacking in emotions and super lacking in maturity. I would have loved a <b>MUCH darker</b> vibe, but instead it felt very YA and childish.

The way they acted didn’t feel realistic. Half the book is Emi’s pathetic attempts to kill Wolf. It just wasn’t intense or emotionally charged enough for me to be believable. She acted like a child throwing a temper tantrum.

And the banter they had was so immature. <b>It read more like the movie Elf</b> when he calls someone a <i>Cotton Headed Ninny Muggens./</i> Not the darkish vibes I was expecting.

Our FMC says things like:

<I>"Sour-faced moldworp"

"Liar. Killer. Swine."

"You cream-brained loon." </I>

And then she proceeds to just burn his food because trying to kill him isn't working. Legit full toddler-meltdown mode.

It was all just a bit cringe to me. I’m sure others would find that kind of talk endearing but it definitely was not my jam.

I’m also all for cute pet names but the pet name he uses for her - <b>“kitten”</b> - gave me the ick and at one point he even calls her HONEY BUNNY <b>ahhhh no no nooooo </b> This is not the <i>alpha-male, big, bad wolf energy I came here for. </i>

Again it’s just super immature for a darkish romance. I need something hotter than “kitten” and “honey bunny” pleeeeeease!

Okay so saying alllllllll of that we now get some open-door smut thrown in. I’m all for smut - but given this was reading like a super YA novel, the spicy scenes felt like they came out of left field and were very shocking. For this book, I feel like they definitely needed to be kept closed door or fade to black to keep the book feeling consistent.

Those are just some of my rambling thoughts. Of course don’t let this deter you from checking it out for yourself. I didn’t hate it but I just didn’t love it either ya know?

If you love fairytales and Little Red Riding Hood spinoffs... check this one out for sure!

Thanks so much NetGalley and the author for the copy of this one in exchange for my honest review

Hunted by Wolves and Shadow is a Red Riding Hood romantacy retelling. The story we all know was flipped on its head, steering away from the original interpretation and into something darker, deeper and more compelling. I loved how the dialogue was written with their own versions of cuss words relating to their world, I thought these were a very charming touch to the book! And cloudy skies don’t get me started on the banter! I find something many books lack is real and genuinely funny banter but mother of sunshine did I get it in this book! I often caught myself chuckling away until I was caught back into Wolfs spell every time he called her ‘kitten’! The characters were lovable and relatable as they battled both their inner demons and the curses that controlled their lives. Hunted by Wolves and Shadow is an enemies to lovers, slow burn romantacy with forced proximity and sizzling spice. If you are looking for something with all your favourite tropes but is just a bit different, then this is your next read! I felt as though some of the characters were being set up for their own books so I will be very interested to see how they piece together in this very enjoyable fantasy world!
#bookreview #netgalley #huntedbywolvesandshadow #joholloway #romantacy #enemiestolovers #redridinghood #retelling

Firstly, thank you to NetGalley for this ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.

I really wanted to love this, and I did like it, but it didn’t grip me like I was hoping.

It was a really unique take on Little Red Riding Hood, completely reimagined and I liked the little cameo of other well-known story names like Jacks and Juliet. The voices in the dual POVs were well written too.

The pacing was very slow, and there was an awful lot of time spent in the cottage with Emi just trying to kill Wolf non-stop and in constant denial, which I ended up skimming much of. I was a little disappointed with how they broke the curse too, just needing her magic to release it.

The characters were likeable, I wish there was more focus on the other enclave people – I would have liked the found family trope and more camaraderie in there.

This all being said, I would recommend for casual readers and fans of unique fairytale retellings!

I was so nervous and excited about reading “Hunted by Wolves and Shadows”, and I gotta say, the book DID NOT disappoint. I wasn’t familiar with Jo Holloway or her writing style, but whichever witch got me and Jo’s paths crossing, I’m eternally grateful.

I simply loved the retelling, going in to the book, I had some preconceived idea what could the retelling be like, but it still did surprise me. There were a few “mysteries” that were left mysteries, like the whereabouts of Emi’s mom, or why grandma Ruby did , what she did (spoiler alert, wink wink) but by the end of the book, that didn’t really matter as such and it didn’t take away from the story telling.

Now the characters, I liked Emi but at times she got on my nerves, and in hindsight, I realised that I saw a lot of myself in her; being naive to the world around her, thinking all was well and never questioning everything that went about in life. BUT she finally broke through, and not just from her naivety but also from the clutches of societal pressure and the toxic relations, and I simply loved her for that. And it also showed that how, even in a fantastical backdrop, a character can hold such resemblance to real life (as I said, I saw myself in her). As for Wolf, well I adored him from the start, he became my “Pookie”, he could do no wrong! He too had realisations along the way, and developed more as a person, which I was all for. The side characters also had my heart. The banters and the intimacy, everything felt organic.

I’d like to thank Jo and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC for the book, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and hope to read more and more and more from Jo in future ❤️.

[**Click here to watch my reading vlog that includes Hunted by Wolves and Shadow.*](https://youtu.be/L_GgbgBjZBY)

I have never read any books by Jo before so I went into this pretty blind. At first I thought it was reading like a novella due to it jumping right into the story with minimal world building. However, on reflection that makes sense since it is a retelling of a fairy tale and we have a basic understanding of the premise.

The plot kept surprising me! I thought I knew what would happen but the way she wove new characters into the story was really cool and allowed for the pacing of the book to stay consistent. She also allowed the romance to build between Wolf and Emi slowly (not too slowly) but also naturally. Yes, it is fantasy, but the emotions she went through felt consistent with how a real human might act.

I was also surprised by the spice level being much lower than anticipated. I just assumed that because it was a retelling it might have a higher amount of scenes, but it didn’t! I was pleasantly surprised that spice was used sparingly and in context to the story. Really well done!

The only thing that was odd for me was the use of very whimsical words in place of cuss words. At first I didn’t like it but by the end it felt natural to the story and it fit well in the “fairy tale” world.

Oh and can we talk about the art work at the end? OMG! Gorgeous. It really brought the characters to life.

★ 4/5

Thank you to Jo Holloway and NetGalley for giving me my first ARC!

Jo Holloway is a master of crafting authentic characters. This Red Riding Hood retelling has creative and nuanced characters who cope with guilt, leadership, and the realization that their world isn’t what it seems. This was an incredible fast-paced, action-packed, enemies-to-lovers story, with a stabby heroine and snarky Wolf. The banter! The flirting!

The story begins with Emi, our FMC, entering the mist-covered forest to visit her grandmother. She arrives at her grandma’s cottage and finds a handsome man there instead. Wolf is on a mission to end the curse of the mist and becomes trapped with Emi at her grandmother’s cottage. They have to trust each other enough to figure out how to escape the mist and the dangers of the forest.

What I loved most about this book is how complex the characters are. They all grew and evolved, facing their fears and the unknown, to help those around them. I always enjoy Holloway’s main characters—they aren’t special snowflakes where power comes naturally to them. Emi, for example, is a very realistic, young woman, who deals with insecurities about herself. She has to work hard to become strong, let go of her insecurities, and learn to trust others. In the process, she grows to love herself.

This beautiful book will speak to those who deal with insecurities and want to grow into the person they dream of becoming. It is also a fantastic romantasy, fairy-tale retelling! Thank you to NetGalley and Jo Holloway Books for the ARC! I hope to see more of Emi and Wolf!

I really enjoed this enemies to lovers, spicy slow burn Red Riding Hood retelling. The banter between Wolf and Emi was funny. The world building, the curse, the magic & characters were well written. I’m curious, as this is a standalone that is also part of the Enemies Ever After series written by multiple authors, if the characters coincide with other novels? All in all it was a great Adult fairytale. Added bonus the special edition books on the website are absolutely gorgeous.

Not that long ago I promised myself to request less review copies and to focus on reading the books I bought and the books that are rotting away on the shelves for years already. But every time I browse Netgalley after submitting a review I discover more books I either already pre-ordered or just sound too awesome to ignore. This was one of the latter ones. I love retellings of Little Red Riding Hood and luckily the author granted me a review copy via Netgalley.

In a way this is a very atypical retelling and in a way it's also not. The author amazingly blends elements of the familiar fairytale with new and original story elements. And despite the fact that it's quite clear from the start how this story is gonna end, it's amazing to watch these characters fall from each other, to see them exploring their own powers, to see them finding answers and eventually saving a little part of the world.

The author also really made me curious about the future books in this series. In a very natural way we're introduced to heroines and heroes of future installments and although this story doesn't give much away concerning their stories, there are enough small little hints to give us an idea of what might be waiting for us. I'm especially looking forward to the future Romeo and Juliet retelling! The premise of that story presented in this tale sounds awesome!

And I hope the romance will be just as good as this one. I like how these characters dare to challenge each other from the start. Just like they see each other truly, especially the parts the other can't or refuses to see. I also really loved that the main conflict in this relationship wasn't some big fight or big lie that came between them. It was believing that the other could never fall in love with someone like them. Even though we all knew they were perfect for each other.

DNF. This book was very hard to read. I’m not saying the author should give up writing but I’m hoping with more experience the writing will improve. I’m no writer so I can’t put my finger on why this was so bad. The swears were super cringy and the name “Wolf” was hard to deal with. The premise was there but I felt like I was reading a book that maybe an advanced senior in high school wrote. I am all about YA but I don’t want it actually written like a teenager. I hate to give bad reviews, but I just could not stand to read another page. Best of luck in the future. I’m sure there are great things to come. I’m giving it a 2 because the idea is compelling and I so wanted to like it.

I was lucky enough to be accepted to read this arc and I really enjoyed this retelling of red riding hood I would imagine that this book will be directed at a younger audience YA. And I loved how the author made the witch red riding hood and a man a wolf a werewolf and I will definitely recommend this story to YA audiences and to older ones if they don’t mind reading YA. The characters are well written and believable in this fantasy genre. And I would be more than happy to publish a review on my good reads. StoryGraph and TikTok accounts

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This was a good book! When I read that it was a red riding hood story retelling, I expected the main character to be red riding hood, but she isn't. She is the grand-daughter of red riding hood. it is an interesting twist where all of the women in the family are named after gemstones and then called the gemstone witches.

I enjoyed the twists in this book. I think that Wolf was a very cheeky character that I enjoyed immediately. I do think that his name is a little unoriginal.. but I like that it was reasoned into the fact that he was cursed.

I enjoyed the adventure. But I do think that there should be an explanation of the other witches such as Amber, who is a gemstone witch, but not related to Emi.. or is she? Or are all witches named after gemstones?

I do wish that after the curse is broken that Wolf and all of his friends got their memories back. On a side note for Emi's sister Jade, I think that the ingredient that she had placed in the cupcakes that she ate, should have been mentioned in the list of plants that Wolf listed out earlier on in the book. Just a little note to remember for later.. helps pull everything together.

I love Fairytale retellings, my favorite being those of red riding hood. I thought this was a very fun creative and spicy retelling. There was character growth and there was also the found family trope.
What I loved about this book is wolf is supposed to hate Emi, she's a witch its ingrained in him to hate her yet he cant stop the pull he feels for her. It was a slow burn romance but its an enemies to lovers slow burn so it was perfect. My heart went out to both Emi and Wolf as the story progressed, they share a story of growing and learning forgiveness. This book was the perfect pace with enough twists to keep you engaged and wanting more.

For someone who loves a good fairytale retelling this one provided enough of the original tale but with a delightful twist.

The introduction of Emi, the grand daughter of Red Riding Hood was a nice way to tell a different story than the one we all know - the wolf wasn’t the villain.

Read this in a matter of days. Loved found family aspect and the interaction between our enemies to lovers. Emi definitely has a journey of discovery and learns her self worth in this book. While Wolf finds that he is worth love and isn’t the monster he has convinced himself he is.

This is the second book I have read from the Enemies Ever After book looking forward to reading more of them.

Rating: 4/5
I received an eARC for my honest opinion.

I enjoyed this retelling of Little Red Riding Hood by Holloway, and with this being the first book I have read by her I think she did a great job. You can still see the original tale, but the author has added her unique twists and turns in it that really made it pop and shine.

In this book you will meet Emi, who is on her way to see the only person that understands her and doesn’t treat her differently, her grandmother. She lives in a cottage that is in the woods, but these woods are full of mist that is so thick you can’t see in front of yourself, and if that isn’t scary enough there are beasts that live in the mist and only want one thing, to kill. When she gets close to her grandmother’s cottage the mist is hiding a very large beast and she must run for her life to get inside, but when she does, she finds out it's not her grandmother who is opening the door but a very handsome man. With her grandmother not in sight and for a few days she finds out the truth slowly, what exactly happened to her, and she finds herself not able to trust Wolf, the very handsome man. Wolf isn’t just your normal human, but he is a people that has been overtaken by the mist and is now cursed to live a shapeshifter, unless he can find the one that cursed them and kill her, but when her death doesn’t cure anything, he now must find a new way. He just hopes he finds that way before he turns into a beast right in front of Emi and kills her because even though he shouldn’t he starts to develop feelings towards her.

I really liked the fast pace of this book, I felt that the author did it just right. You still got a lot of information that you needed but there was always something next happening on the next page. I felt as though the questions that I had throughout the book were answered, but I still have more questions. lol I want another book about the other witch gems lol. I loved all the hints and gems that we could potentially get more books from, and I am so ready for them. I really enjoyed the magic system in this book, and the way that the witches come into their powers. I mean I would have been a toddler when I became a witch if this magic system was around right now lol. The book was easy to read and with some great characters in it. I really enjoyed getting to know more about Emi and Wolf. Emi is a sweet, kind, and caring character who just wants to find a place that she can fit into. She is strong, I mean you would have to put up with the village buttholes that call her names and treat her like she is dirt. With Wolf you will see a charming, handsome, and very flirty man. He just wants to help his found family of the shapeshifters by breaking the curse and give them back their lives, no matter what. I liked that both characters had growth in this book, and they were both different ways that they grew into, and I can’t wait to see what will happen with the next characters.

You will find tropes like found family, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, witches and shifters.

I want to thank NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable read. Very nicely written, easy to follow and engaging. The descriptions are vivid and the dialogues are genuine. The main character is likable and relatable. The plot was intriguing and I was entertained by the idea of the Mist and how it affected people. However, I was hoping to read more about the world the story was set in; the story of Ruby and why she placed the curse, what was her wish and what was her beef with the folk in the wood so that she decided to punish them. Throughout the book we read about how horrible Emi's family was to her but I wish to have read a scene or two more where we actually see them do it. Also, why did Emi's mother leave and what was her magic? We don't learn about Wolf and his backstory at all which kinda made it difficult to relate to his character other than as a romantic interest. The Julia - Locke storyline is also something I wish I could read more about. Other than that, a very fun, easy, comfortable read for anyone who enjoys cozy romance between likable characters, with adult scenes which aren't explicit but are nonetheless hot and steamy.

While this book didn't quite blow me away, it had some intriguing elements. I appreciated the unique take on the Red Riding Hood story and the well-crafted magic system, especially the concept of gemstone witches and their powers tied to wishes. However, I felt the story lacked depth in world-building and foreshadowing, leaving it somewhat unfinished. Despite this, the plot and pacing were solid, with engaging twists. I particularly enjoyed the dynamics between Emi and Wolf, although I found the intimate scenes unnecessary. Overall, while enjoyable, I believe this book had the potential to be improved with more descriptive detail and a tighter focus on its central themes.

ARC Review of Hunted by Wolves and Shadows by Jo Holloway
*******
As someone who loves to read retelling of different stories, I will have to say I really enjoyed this one. This one I found was not spicy enough for me as I am a big dark romance and spice fan. I think having it written as YA and New Adult threw me for a loop. I did love the banter between the main characters, as they had me laughing throughout the book. The Easter eggs of the other fairytale stories was a present surprise. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a great retelling of a often over looked story. #HuntedbyWolvesandShadow #NetGalley

ARC Review of Hunted by Wolves and Shadows by Jo Holloway
* * * * *
Another twist to fairytales that has me excited for what more can happen to these characters. The story of Red Riding Hood comes with more monsters, more magic, and more drama!

Emi has little love in her life.
The one person in her life that seems to actually care about her is teased to be a witch and just happens to live in a seculded area in the dark forest.
A forest that has just become more dangerous.
When running for her life to her grandmother's house, she runs right into the arms of a man instead.
A wolf.
A curse has taken over him, his people, and his land, and the witch is behind it.
Maybe there is another way to save his family...and it comes with the spitfire red head that occupies his every thought who is meant to be his enemy.

A spicy enemies to lovers situation where knives are drawn and claws are out.
Emi's family situation is rather interesting with all the secrets and manipulations, and being the town outcast does not help. Falling in love with the man who has done something so wicked in her eyes while conflicted by the information she is told is a see-saw of choosing who to trust. When her own strength comes out, she decides her path on who she wants to be and what she wants to do.
We are also hinted with another possible fairytale situation that has me very excited and intruiged at what is to happen next.

To be totally honest with you I went in with really low expectations as I wasn’t sure you can do much with Red Riding-hood retelling, but I was pleasantly surprised. Loved the chemistry between the main characters and banter was bantering! A couple of turns in the book completely caught me off guard and I am definitely was hooked till the end! It not a five star read for me but definitely was an entertaining read x

Unfortunately this wasn’t for me however I did enjoy the book to an extent - I will not my post my reviews elsewhere as they are due to personal preference as opposed to the author and I feel it would be unfair.

This was written in a YA style and would be more appropriate as a YA book with no spice. I think the mixture of the two is what I didn’t enjoy - both apart were great!

I enjoyed the storyline and it was definitely a cosy fantasy but unfortunately not for me