(May be spoilers for Raised by Wolves!)-
Bryn faces the dangers and joys of love and loyalty in this thrilling sequel to Raised by Wolves.
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Bryn is now alpha of the Cedar Ridge Pack - although it's not simple when you're a human leading a band of werewolves. Then she finds a teenage boy bleeding on her front porch. Before collapsing, he tells her his name is Lucas, he'd a Were, and Bryn;s protection is his only hope.
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But Lucas is part of another alpha's pack and Bryn has no right to claim him. As danger closes in, Bryn will have to accept that to be alpha, she will have to give into her animal instincts and become less human. And she's going to have to do it alone.
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Trial By Fire has officially made this my favourite werewolf series, it was just as good as Raised By Wolves. It was enjoyable, fast-paced and highly exciting.
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Bryn is now a human alpha of a werewolf pack. To make these dynamics work she has to be mentally strong and intelligent for them all and she does this with a perseverance that is admirable. She is always thinking of what is best for her pack and she handles this pressure with bravery and loyalty. What I loved most was how even though she is the leader she never applies any sort of dominance over them because she respects every single one of them because they are all her friends and family. She has really grown and developed since Raised By Wolves. She now has this huge responsibility and this has meant that she now acts before she thinks and is no longer as rash as she used to be and thinks through every possibility of her actions.
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I loved learning more about werewolf politics and how each pack works in their own groups, especially Shay's pack (Devon's brother). He is really devious and a lot smarter than he lets on. However, unlike Bryn he uses his intelligence to try and increase his power and numbers instead of taking care of the ones he already leads. The tension between the packs is palpable. One particular scene where Shay and Lake are competing in a pool game for extremely high stakes kept me on the edge of my seat.
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There was also a fantastic new element to this book with the introduction of a group of formidable humans with supernatural abilities called Psychics. There was particular girl that had the ability to hunt and never miss her target and at times she was fearsome to behold. There was also lots of twists that keep you guessing right up until the end which made for an exciting read. Just when you think you've finally got the measure of everyone the story takes an unexpected turn and people are not who they seem to be.
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Many of the characters were developed on. We get to learn a lot more about Ali and her background. Bryn's relationship with Chase is still sweet and endearing but not as dramatic as in Raised By Wolves. Here, their romance isn't a big part of the story but they are always there for each other when either of them need some support and they are entirely comfortable with each other. As always, I really loved Devon and Lake and really liked getting to learn more about Shirley, one of the newest members of the pack.
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The ending was amazing and Bryn gets to prove why she is such a great leader despite her vulnerabilities. Whilst it ended satisfyingly there is still room for many questions to be answered. I would like to learn more about Bryn's 'scrapiness' and how far it stretches and I also feel there is more to know about Callum and the psychics. This book was full of action, suspense and brilliant characters. I can't wait to read the next installment!
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Random Passage: I dreamed of wet grass and fallen leaves that crunched under my bare feet as I walked. I couldn't see my body, couldn't make out the outline of a single rock or tree, but I shrugged off the blindness as a mild inconvenience. My body knew what it was doing better than I did, and the scents I took in with each step were rich and familiar: damp soil and dew, cedar and cinnamon.
A sound. To my left.
My nose twitched and I whirled, my hair fanning out around me, my knees bent, ready to pounce.
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