Audiobook Review: Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs

7:00 am 21 November 2014

Cry Wolf
Series: Alpha & Omega #1
Author: Patricia Briggs
Narrated by: Holter Graham
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Published on: January 15, 2009
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Werewolves
Format: 10 hrs & 6 mins, Audiobook
Provided by: Freebie

Amazon | Book Depo | Kobo | B&N | GoodReads

Anna never knew werewolves existed until the night she survived a violent attack...and became one herself. After three years at the bottom of the pack, she'd learned to keep her head down and never, ever trust dominant males. But Anna is that rarest kind of werewolf: an Omega. And one of the most powerful werewolves in the country will recognize her value as a pack member - and as his mate.

Before you say anything, I KNOW. Any werewolf nut worth their salt should be up to date on all things Patricia Briggs. Well, this is me fixing it, ok? The delay actually worked out in my favour because I tackled the SHIFTING SHADOWS anthology prior to this audiobook, and it contained this series’ prequel which really helped to put this story into context, and as a result I avoided the whole lost feeling that many readers experienced. That point aside, I’m still kicking myself for having postponed CRY WOLF for so long because as much as I adore MERCY THOMPSON, she can’t hold a candle to Charles & Anna! I loved the characters, learning more about what it means to be omega, and the author’s switch to the third person POV writing style. It was howling good!

I’ve always been drawn to Bran, Charles & Asil, so no arm twisting was necessary in order to convince me to spend more time with these alpha males. I enjoyed digging deeper into Cornick’s Native American half, and getting a closer look at the aspects that make him so unique among his kind including his ability to spawn clothing, and his Brother Wolf. Up until this point I hadn’t interacted much with The Moor, but I really liked him in the ROSES IN WINTER short, and was ecstatic when I discovered that this novel’s main plot line revolved around him. The reasons behind Asil wanting Bran to kill him are now crystal clear, and I loved that Anna was able to bring him some much needed peace. And, hanging with the Marrok is always a pleasure, even when he goes Beowulf.

Mercy went through some tough times in Briggs’ other series, however she’s got nothing on Anna—the poor girl! Who would have thought that she’d find solace in the arms of a hitman among a pack of psychotic werewolves, but that’s true love for ya. Exploring what makes her character tick was a real delight, and I enjoyed learning about her omega traits. She’s also a rarity among weres, and when combined with Charles’ oddities, the two satisfied my fur craving to the nth degree. I liked how the author took her time in developing their relationship, and transformed Anna’s unfortunate past into a healing balm for the Marrok’s misfits. Her confrontation with Leah was extremely gratifying, and this book’s ending made a big puddle of goo out of my heart.

I had some concerns about the male narrator because I’ve had problems with their female voices in the past; however Holter Graham quickly proved his worth as Anna and Charles. The former was soft without being breathy, and I adored his Native / Welsh lilt, it was very well-done. The third person POV certainly helped on both accounts, and he definitely added an extra layer of enjoyment to my listening experience. I always use the first installment to gauge a narrator’s performance, and Graham’s suitability for this series is uncanny. When I reached the midway point, I was already downloading HUNTING GROUND to my iPhone because I just couldn’t get enough of Briggs’ characters or his voice.

CRY WOLF left its mark on this audiobook buff! *muah*