Late Night Reading: "The Cabin on Wolf Mountain" by Alice May Ball

Whew, it's been a long week - and it's only Monday!

As the holidays draw near, I find myself seeking escape more often. It's just so hectic with a five-year-old., especially when I have to run so many plans through her father to ensure nobody's toes are stepped on, custodially-speaking. Shared custody always seems so much more of a chore when multiple family gatherings are involved.

Which is why it's so nice to have a release - like delving into Alice May Ball's The Cabin on Wolf Mountain.

First of all - werewolves. Werewolves are honestly my most favorite paranormal entity. There's just something about the carnal nature of a man coming to the surface that gets me all tingly in all the right places, sort of like when my boyfriend sniffs at my hair or growls against my shoulder... mm.

See what other highly-inappropriate memories Alice May Ball jogs for me as we break it down after the jump!


Overall: ★★★★

I love paranormal plot lines, and werewolves are one of my favorite "monsters" to explore, especially in erotica and erotic romance. Alice gives her her take on how shifters work, and it's a great one.

Originality: ★★★★

This isn't exactly new territory here, but that's okay. Alice gives us a unique spin on an old concept, and that's what makes it worth reading.

Cover Art: ★★★★

I'm not a big fan of blending two pictures together in such a horizontal stripe fashion, but it's relevant to the story and blended pretty well. I would have made "The Cabin on" text either larger or a color that was more easily seen.

Character Development: ★★★★

This is a short story, so we don't have an overabundance of pages to get to know our hero and heroine. Still, Alice does a pretty good job of letting us get to know Briony, our curvaceous protagonist. Briony is smart and down-to-earth, but harbors some of the same issues that many full-figured women possess. It was nice to see that she wasn't afraid to take a hike or enjoy some exercise - not all plus-sized women are couch potatoes, and I'm glad that Alice explored that.

Unfortunately, I didn't feel as though Xavier, who is really the only other major character in the book, was fleshed out as much as he could have been. While this kept him deliciously mysterious, I really did want to know more about the silver-haired lone wolf so that I could feel the sparks fly as he and Briony become closer.

Editing: ★★★★★

Very professionally done - clean and error-free! The paragraphs can get a bit long, but you can rest assured it's still a very easy read.

Story Satisfaction: ★★★★

I appreciated the sudden ending. Although it was jarring at first, after I thought about it for a moment, I was really taken with how much Alice was able to sum up in just a single sentence. It left me with questions - in a good way - about Briony's fate. Very smartly done, although as I said before, I wish there was a bit more between the characters to really make me feel fulfilled.

The Sex: ★★★★

As I mentioned previously, I didn't feel like there was enough going on between Briony and Xavier to really make me feel the heat. The love scene is written wonderfully, but I wanted more tension beforehand! It was still very sexy and enjoyable, set in an idyllic location that's just offbeat enough to seem a little dirty, yet pretty and picturesque enough to be romantic. It's a great balance that Alice achieves here.

Alice May Ball's The Cabin on Wolf Mountain can be purchased from Amazon here. You can also click on the cover art above to be taken straight to its page.

Stay tuned for a new release announcement!