Rating: 4 out of 5.

This is a great stand-alone dark fantasy involving a witch, a courageous girl, a cursed lord, and a dangerous adventure. Althena lives in a small, idyllic town until winter comes and never leaves. The town blames the nearby magical woods, especially when a stranger arrives and children start to go missing. Blaming herself, Althena enters the woods to rescue the children and save the town. Lord Winter lives in the wood and has been cursed to turn into a wolf every full moon. Believing he can break the curse by capturing 12 innocents and performing a ritual, he didn’t count on Althena.

This book started off slowly, but I’m glad I stuck with it because once the action picked up, I really enjoyed it. Threaded throughout the story are messages of guilt, shame, and believing oneself worthy of forgiveness and a second chance. Althena is a total badass, with a strong moral compass and a willingness to sacrifice herself for the benefit of others.

Lord Winter shares these qualities. While he personally benefits if the curse is broken, more importantly, he will be able to protect his people. I really liked Althena’s relationship with Lord Winter’s sister. It gave a glimpse of the young, carefree girl she should have been, had she not been burdened with these responsibilities. The attraction between Althena and Lord Winter was subtle, but slowly grew throughout the story. Overall, this was a fun, satisfying read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Verse Ventures Tours and the author. All opinions are my own.