a review by Lenise Prater
Hot Blooded is the second instalment in the Wolf Springs Chronicles, a series about a teenage girl who has recently been turned into a werewolf.
Kat is not like most other wolves in many ways – usually humans are turned into werewolves when a pack decides to bring the human in, and the human consents to it with full knowledge of the consequences.
Kat was turned by a mysterious wolf at the start of the series, so her transformation at the next full moon came as a surprise. In this second book Kat tries to come to terms with her transformation, and to discover the identity of the wolf that turned her. To add to the mystery – this wolf must have special powers as Kat is immune to silver and can change into a wolf at will, usually a skill developed by much older wolves.
In classic YA romance literature style, Kat has to deal with a love triangle in addition to becoming a werewolf; she is interested in a human boy and a slightly older werewolf. There is plenty of tension as Kat poses a real danger to her human partner, Trick, she might accidentally bite him and turn him. This is a situation made more likely by her lack of self-control as a new werewolf, something she struggles with throughout the book. Meanwhile, Justin, the werewolf Kat is interested in, has been promised to another woman. There is still plenty of forbidden sexual tension between them as he begins training her to control her new powers.
Unfortunately, the development of the mystery is unconvincing, as many of Kat’s discoveries or realisations are sparked by events or information that seem only tangentially related. The writing too is a strange mix of styles from romance literature for adults and YA romance fiction, styles that are certainly related but the particular combination in this book doesn’t quite work, at least not for me. The Wolf Springs Chronicles is good for a light read, but doesn’t capitalise on the many interesting ideas still left to explore when it comes to werewolves in YA romance fiction.
