Wolf Hunger by Ella Phoenix – a Review

Wolf Hunger
Dragon Heat – Book #3
by Ella Phoenix
Release Date: March 11, 2014

Link to order Wolf Hunger: Amazon

Description:
When the last box of deadly bullets is stolen, the hunt is on and the Vampire King’s band of fighters is set for the challenge of recovering it. But Yara, the shifter-witch, has other problems to face. She must help her leader to overcome the strange illness that has befallen her before it’s too late. For that, she must go back to the only place she swore never to return – her homeland.

Rafe is a typical lone wolf who spends his nights earning his bucks in the fighting ring. When he was offered a pardon for his debts in exchange for the Vampire King’s head, he didn’t even blink, thinking it would be a hard mission but not impossible. He just wasn’t expecting the saucy shifter-witch to cross his path and ruin his plans. Now, he can’t get her out of his mind and the clock is ticking for him to make good on his word.

This is the third novel of the Dragon Heat series – a paranormal lover’s delight with vampires, shifters, dragons, witches and much more.

***Warning: this novel contains hot, steamy, descriptive sexual scenes. Enjoy.***

Review:

I think it is very safe to say that thanks to The Reading Café and coming across new authors, I’ve become a huge fan of Ella J. Phoenix and her Dragon Heat series. I absolutely love this series, her writing style, world building, flare for the imagination, her characters and plot lines keep me riveted and entertained. I’ve had the pleasure of reading and reviewing all three novels in the series so far, and let me just say, she hasn’t disappointed me yet.  I absolutely loved this latest addition to the series, Wolf Hunger and Yara and Rafe had me salivating throughout the story.  They brought their story to life and kept me on the edge of my seat with every turn of the page. 

I was very happy to finally, finally learn about Yara and how she came to be a panther shifter, on top of being a witch.  Ms. Phoenix introduces us to Yara’s family/coven of Water Witches when she has to return home to find herbs and insects that can help her friend Zoricah .  We learn of the type of magic the water witches possess, and where they live in the Amazon was very intriguing and interesting.  Meeting Yara’s fellow sister witches, the Mothers of the water witches and why Yara hasn’t been back there for years added another layer of interest and intrigue to the story and provides us with one of the subplots when Yara’s sister witch Naiah winds up being teleported back to Tardieh and Zoricah’s mansion with Yara and Dayam. 

As I said in my past reviews of Ms. Phoenix’s books, she has a knack for writing a sub plot that seamlessly weaves it’s way throughout the main story and she does it once again in Wolf Hunger.   This time we have two secondary plots working in the story; Zoriacah’s ‘illness’ and Dayam and Naiah’s friendship/relationship.  Both subplots are important to the main story and future storyline’s to come in this series and they only had me wanting more by the end of the book.  If I had one pet peeve in this story, it has to do with Dayam and Naiah, but not being one to reveal many spoilers in my reviews, you will have to read the book to find out.  The only thing I will say is, I hope the next book in this series is Dayam’s because he has really intrigued me from the beginning of the series, but more so now after reading Wolf Hunger. 

Now, onto one of my favourite characters in this series, Rafe, our wolf shifter, who we first meet in Vampire Thirst.  Rafe didn’t want the job of being the Alpha when his father died, so he allowed his uncle to become Alpha.  One problem, his uncle isn’t Alpha material, and is running the pack into all sorts of money troubles.  To help his pack, Rafe winds up getting in deep with some bad Draco’s who aren’t happy with the mating of the Vampire King, to the Draco Demi-goddess  Zoricah.  It’s through his association with the Draco’s Balaur and Phillip that he crosses paths with Yara.  From the first moment they met in Vampire Thirst, I knew to keep an eye on them cause I had a feeling they’d be meeting again and boy was I right.  Rafe is your typical Alpha wolf and he shows it every chance he can. He had me fanning myself quite often as I read this one, boy can that wolf heat up the pages of a book.  He and Yara to put it mildly are combustible whenever they are together in a scene.  Both feel a pull towards the other and don’t know why since both are from different species, Rafe being a wolf, and Yara being a panther.  Cats and dogs don’t usually get along, but in this case, the chemistry between Yara and Rafe is off the charts.  Rafe isn’t one to believe in the whole soul mate thing, but once he meets Yara and the two of them get together, there’s no denying she’s his and he will stop at nothing to keep her, even if it means, possibly loosing her by coming clean about everything regarding the deadly bullets and his deal with the Dracos Balaur and Phillip. Rafe may be the resident ‘bad boy’, but he’s got a heart of gold and we see it shine through in his treatment of Yara and how he will do anything to keep her safe and protect her.  I really grew to love Rafe and hope we get to see more of him and Yara in future books.

As I said earlier I love this series and Wolf Hunger is a wonderful addition to the series.  Rafe and Yara really turn up the heat in this one and bring the reader along a dangerous, yet adventurous journey.  Ms. Phoenix had me sitting on the edge of my seat, and I found I just couldn’t put the book down once I started it.  Ms. Phoenix has a knack for writing her stories to a point I just get lost in them and before I know it I’m done the book and am left with wanting more. If you are a fan of stories that combine vampires, witches, dragons, magic, off the charts chemistry between the hero and heroine, well written characters and overall creative storytelling then this series is for you.

Until next time, Happy Reading!!

Reviewed by Marcie

Copy provided by Author