Cry Wolf (Alpha and Omega, #1)

by Patricia Briggs

#1 New York Times bestselling author Patricia Briggs presents the first Alpha and Omega novel—the start of an extraordinary series set in Mercy Thompson’s world, but with rules of its own...

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 is about to recognize her value as a pack member—and as his mate.

• ISBN10: 1436233690
• ISBN13: 9781436233699
• Publish Date: 29 July 2008
• Publish Status: Active
• Publisher: Penguin Putnam Inc
• Imprint: Ace Books
• Format: eBook
• Pages: 320
• Language: English

Reviews

[booksandcats]

I am quite torn about this book and I think the reason is, that I didn't read the novella "alpha&omega", so the beginning of this book felt rather abrupt and made it hard to instantly conenct with the characters.

I loved Charles, his kind of brokenness that he hides so well, his protectivness of Anna and his silent determination and I love most how he relaxes because of Anna and how she is able to see his soft and fun side, without him actually having to change himself. I love seing the relationship between him and Samuel and him and Bran, I loooooved seing so much more of Bran and getting insights into him and I love that Patricia Briggs made him a kind of ambivalent good character. We know he is a good guy and he means good, but he is also ruthless in a way a truly good guy wouldn't be. He has to decide some things and act in ways that are kind of morally grey, like his relationship with Lea, but he has very good reasons for it and you feel for him, even as you wish that he would find another solution. It's really interesting getting to know him more.

I didn't like Anna too muc hin this book, but that is mostly becaus she is so passive and insecure and honestly, I don't think she could have been written differently, seeing her past, her trauma and her abuse. It makes sense, it just didn't make me like her, but she did came out of her shell from time to time and that made me confident that I will like her in the future. I'm a sucker for the silent strong woman in books and she seems to be exactly that. Strong and badass but in a different way than the kickass fighters (don't get me wrong, I love them too, but this is just a bit rarer, so I love reading about it).

I didn't really read the Mercy Thompson world books in order unfortunately, I started with the Mercy Thompson series and didn't realize this series exists in the same universe and time, so I have to catch up a bit before I can go back to Mercy, and I would highly encourage people to read all the books in this world in the correct order, even the novellas.

[Berls]

I seriously love the mercyverse - and the Alpha and Omega books are the best. This time I had read the short "Silver" before reading and it gave the issue with the witch a whole new depth. Even better my second (or is it 3rd?) read. My first time on audio, also fantastic.

[jesstheaudiobookworm]

4.25★ Audiobook⎮My discovery and subsequent love of Patricia Briggs through her Mercy Thompson series, led me to Cry Wolf. Although it didn’t pack the same type of punch, Cry Wolf was a nice accompaniment to the Mercy Thompson series.

To be honest, Cry Wolf didn’t resonate with me as much as its prequel novella Alpha and Omega. At the center of Cry Wolf is a love story. There’s all sorts of action surrounding it, but it’s still about Charles and Anna at the end of the day. I would categorize the Mercy Thompson series as firmly Paranormal, but the Alpha and Omega series is definitely Paranormal Romance (PNR).

My taste tends to lean more towards Paranormal than PNR, but Patricia Briggs’ excellent writing and world building persuaded me to make an exception. Both series exist within the same universe. Sam Cornick is a prominent character in the Mercy Thompson series and his brother Charles is a main character in the Alpha and Omega series.

Charles’ mate, Anna, is an Omega wolf. Omegas are rare and have special calming powers over all wolves. They are often confused for submissive wolves. That’s about as far as my current understanding of Omega wolves goes. Briggs did a wonderful job of balancing this new information with the action and romance of the story. I was given enough information to understand the basic importance of Omegas, but not so much that I felt overwhelmed.

We got to see something in Cry Wolf that I’ve been itching for a recent Mercy Thompson books: Witches. Several species of paranormal creatures are featured in Mercy Thompson’s series, but witches are mostly left in the shadows. Cry Wolf brings them to center stage.

Even though I was super excited to have a witch villain in this story, something about it left me underwhelmed. I suspect that Cry Wolf may have introduced too much new content, without the cushion of familiarity. There was only the slimmest of connections to Mercy Thompson and the characters I’ve come to love. I appreciate that this is a new and fresh series, so I suppose I’ll have to be patient until I develop more organic feelings for the characters of Charles and Anna.

I could easily love Charles (more than Sam!), but I’m still warming to Anna. I cannot understand why she has been mistaken as a submissive wealth, since she is coming off as a submissive character. However, having read the prequel to this installment, and I also understand why she is behaving that way. I’m truly hoping that she will begin to come into her own as the series progresses. There is so much room for character growth with her.

This is a series that I’m interested in eventually continuing on with, but I’m not yet hooked. There’s certainly the potential for it though! I can imagine that PNR fans could fall even more deeply in love with this series than I did with Mercy.

Narration review: Holter Graham gave a respectable performance in Cry Wolf. He was definitely the right call to narrate this series. I get such a clear mental image of Charles Cornick whenever Graham voices him. His vocalizations of the female characters do not seem strained or out of his range and he has a great grasp on the emotions in the story. ♣︎

[EBookObsessed]

Charles Cornick and Anna Latham are such opposites that they are the perfect couple. Charles brings a stability and a sense of safety to the abused woman, and Anna brings out a humanity that no one usually sees in Charles. I am loving this couple and am enjoying them as much as the Mercy Thompson series.

In the Mercy Thompson series, we don't get to know Charles Cornick very well since Mercy was much closer to his brother, Samuel. Mercy was never close to Charles but she has relied on his help in the past stories. Generally, Charles keeps to himself since, as his father's Enforcer, he might be forced to kill anyone so it's best not to get too close.

Cry Wolf takes up after the Alpha & Omega short story which can be found either in the newly released Shifting Shadows anthology or in the prior released, On the Prowl. In this short story, we first meet Anna Latham when she contacts the Marok about problems in the Chicago pack. The Marok sends his son, Charles, to assess what is happening. Upon meeting Anna, Charles knows two things: First, that Anna is a very rare omega werewolf; and second, that his wolf wants her for his mate. Anna was abused at her pack. Not only was she beaten and tormented into being submissive, which is not natural for an omega, but as part of her torture, she was passed around as a reward to keep the males happy. An omega wolf has a calming effect on other wolves, and they are outside of the hierarchy of the wolves, like a Native American medicine man.

As we begin Cry Wolf, Charles and Anna are returning to Montana. Charles was shot with silver bullets while he was taking care of the problems with the Chicago pack. Charles, who is a born werewolf, reacts badly to silver and is taking longer the heal than normal.

Charles and Anna have barely known each other a week, and Anna is very nervous about her place in Charles's life, in his pack and what is expected of her.   She has been a werewolf for three years but Anna's alpha had kept her in the dark about all things werewolf and Anna has no idea about even basic werewolf gifts like using her senses.  And it is not just Anna flailing around unsure of herself.   Charles, not used to sharing his feelings or even his home, has been caught unaware by this mating and what to do, but he knows he has to act gently for Anna's sake.

Although Charles has declared his desire to be Anna's mate and she has agreed to move from Chicago to be with Charles, they haven't sealed with mate bond and that is making them both nervous and wary. Anna is still so instilled with fear and Charles both fears she cannot accept the dangerous killer he is, and fears she will walk away from him. But more, he fears the other unmated males who would gladly take Anna from him.

Trying to figure out their new life is complicated enough. When a rogue werewolf starts killing up in the mountains, Bran needs to send Charles to investigate even though Charles isn't 100 percent.  Bran needs to send a wolf as dominate as Charles to subdue the rogue and kill him if necessary. A lesser wolf might be convinced to join in the fun of the hunt. Charles and Anna set out into the winter mountains to locate the rogue wolf.

There are more hiding in the mountains than just a lone wolf and the danger from friend might just be more than from foe.

Anna and Charles will face danger together as well as try to find a way to be comfortable with their new future together.

THOUGHTS:
I just love these two as a couple. We really didn't know much of Charles through the Mercy Thompson series. We knew he was powerful and dangerous and that his mother had magic but Mercy wasn't close to Charles so we really didn't see much of him. I loved seeing the stoic Charles and how Anna effected him. First, we see his nervousness since he feels very strongly about her, but he is afraid that he could lose her because he see himself only as a killer and she seems a little fearful of him; and then as one of his pack mates points out, they are not yet mated, so Anna is still free to select anyone else as a mate. Charles doesn't want to lose her but knows he can't force her to stay if she doesn't want to. It would break her if he tried.

Anna has been taught to fear dominant wolves and although she instinctively doesn't fear Charles, she is unsure of her place and also unsure of her own feelings toward him. After being passed around as a whore to the pack in Chicago, she is unused to the feelings that Charles arouse in her and it scares her.

Although the plot was as enjoyable as all the Mercy Thompson stories, I am more caught up in the relationship between Charles and Anna. I would have liked to see more of that, but as I can see since I have already started Book 2, this is still going to be something the two of them will be working on for some time.

I like this story as much as Patricia Briggs' other series and am looking forward to the next books.

I am listening to the audiobook which is narrated by Holter Graham, who did some the narrating in Shifting Shadows. He brings a different feel than Lorelei King, but he still does a fabulous job bringing the characters to life. By the time I get to Dead Heat which comes out in March, and which I have a review copy that I will have to actually read myself, I have no doubt I will be hearing it all in my head in Holter Graham's voices.

[Angie]

After not enjoying the first two Mercedes Thompson novels, I was hesitant to start this companion series. However, I really enjoyed Cry Wolf! Anna has only been a werewolf for three years, and much of that was spent abused by her pack. Thankfully, she was rescued by Charles and taken back to Montana to join his pack. It's not exactly a warm welcome, and not just because of the snow. There's a rogue wolf killing people, and it's up to Charles to hunt it down and take it out. Easier said than done, since something more powerful is controlling the wolf.

The edition of Cry Wolf I read contained the prequel Alpha & Omega, so I'll start with that. It was a great introductory short! Not only did it introduce us to Anna, Charles, and werewolf society in general, it also had its own engaging plot. Anna's pack in Chicago is awful, and something strange is going on within it. They were forcibly changing young men into wolves, many who then had to be killed for not making the transition well. Charles was sent to investigate and what he found was really interesting. I was never bored with this novella. It explained the world much better than I expected from my previous experience with this author. I was very pleasantly surprised and was eager to continue on.

Cry Wolf also held my attention from beginning to end. It starts immediately where Alpha & Omega ended, but you could easily skip the prequel and still know what was going on. There are a few additional POVs to Anna and Charles, but it doesn't get confusing, and each character does add to the overall story. There's Walter, the Vietnam veteran who lives in the forest. Asil who might be one of the oldest wolves on the planet. Bran, who is the ruler of all of the North American wolves, and is Charles' father. Then there's Mariposa, a witch who's causing trouble for the wolves. They all work together really well and kept me flipping pages.

I just really enjoyed Cry Wolf. I loved how the witches mixed into the werewolf mythology and world. I also really liked Anna and Charles as a couple. I'm looking forward to seeing their relationship grow and what this dangerous world has in store for them and the pack.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.

For some reason, my review and ratings are gone, so my review won't be as detailed as before.

This is a great start to a brand new series that is in the same world as the Mercy Thompson series. I do enjoy reading this book and the other in the series because it shows the werewolf side and how it is run. I love reading anything about Bran, since he first appeared in the Mercy books.

I'm not much for romance, but I do like Charles and Anna and seeing their relationship evolve. It's wonderful to see how both their strength and weaknesses play off of each other.

This is a fantastic story and it gets better as the series goes on.

I would recommend this series to anybody.

[Rowena]

Full review to come but yep, this was another great story. I'm really digging the dynamic between Charles and Anna. The whole Alpha and Omega thing, the dominant and submissive stuff. Interesting werewolves business. I'm looking forward to more.

[littleread1]

I legitimately listened to this audio in practically one sitting. Started it about 12 hours ago. It was the perfect listen for a lazy day. And I am pretty sure this is the start of a beautiful relationship. Both with the characters in this book, and me with this series.

[kimbacaffeinate]

The World: If you have read the Mercy Thompson series, you will see characters you have met previously in Cry Wolf, and hear references to Mercy and Sam. I absolutely loved this crossover. Charles Cornick takes Anna back to his pack where his father- Bran, aka. the Marrok is Alpha. We learn Asil the Moor’s background and the reasons he wants the Marrok to put down. Spending time with the Moor was fascinating.

The Characters: Anna has been a wolf for three years, but her background was abusive and she does not understand who she or how a pack works. At first, you think she is weak, but Briggs’ allows us to see her grow and her strength emerges. Charles Cornick is the packs assassin. He seems standoffish, and does not necessarily have a way with words. Charles and his wolf, whom he refers to as Brother Wolf have chosen Anna as their mate. He is strong, noble and protective without being overly aggressive, which I found incredibly sexy. Asil has always been a character I found interesting and the banter between him and Charles had me giggling. Men and their posturing oh I loved it!  We see many sides of Bran, including his darker hidden aspects. Interaction with the pack showed us many different personalities and I look forward to reading more.

The Plot: Briggs knows how to deliver action and she had me listening non-stop. There is a lone wolf killing in the mountainous woods not far from the pack. Bran believes it may be another pack concerned about his threats of going public. He sends Charles to handle it and Anna accompanies him. The ground is covered in snow and they meet far more than a lone wolf. Soon Asil and Bran are involved. We see power struggles and the battles are intense. Many things are faced on the side of the mountain some good, bad and others heartbreaking.

“Of course, if Charles found out his father was out here, too, the damn fool would probably head right back into the maw of danger; he was that kind of heroic idiot.”

Romance: The romance is sweet, and not without complications but we see growth and bonding. I so enjoyed this aspect and it endeared me to the main character. The bonding or mating is different between them and Briggs made me feel their connection.

“If she know how strongly he felt, she'd have run out the door. He wasn't used to the possessive, or the savage joy she brought to his heart. It ate at his control, so he turned his attention to the music. He understood music.”

“She understood his passion because she felt the same way: as if nothing was more important than the touch of her skin to his, as if she'd die if he left her.”

Narration: I was at first surprised by the male narration choice, but Holter Graham soon proved he was perfect for this series. I loved the voice and tone he used particularly for Anna and Charles. His accent lent to the story and I quickly feel in love with his soothing tone. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer

[nitzan_schwarz]

March 15 re-read

Thoughts for my re-read review:

* This is probably more of a four star, 'cause it ain't a perfect read, but I still love this world and characters so much I don't give a damn lol

*I maintain my original opinion that someone who hasn't read the short story "Alpha and Omega" (that is featured in this edition) would be SOOO lost when they start this novel, because it literally starts a few hours later. It's not impossible to read without, but it does feel like *something* is missing.

*Charles is adorable. It makes me sad so very few people get to see that. Also, he is *clearly* the better brother. Samual who??

* Anna is so strong and fierce and she deserves all the happiness in the world. To survive what she has and still have so much heart left to give to others is astounding.

* Bran is low key one of my favs. Although, seriously dude, such a bad foundation for a relationship, and so unfair to Leah. Yeah, she's all those things you think, but she has a heart and that heart is in love with you and you are hurting her time and time again. Since we know what healthy mates look like (Anna & Charles, Mercy & I won't spoil) it really grates.

* I feel like some parts of the story are not set up so well, especially the Berserker part. The butterfly bit we got alluded to in the story before, but the Berserker came out of nowhere. Certainly a compelling part of the story, but I felt like it would have been nice if we had some seemingly unimportant comment on the matter long before and then BAM it became relevant. Cause I love when books do that.