Publisher: Self-Published
Read in: English
Review copy format: epub
To save the one he loves, he must face the beast within.
Blurb
Alex isn’t a traditional alpha—he’s gentle, awkward, and caring. He also has no desire to assume leadership of the Black Moon Pack once his father steps down.
Talen is an omega stray, taken in by Alex’s parents and raised as his brother. He’s also straight, emotionally damaged, and the love of Alex’s life.
Now of age, Talen is forced into the role of an omega—those treated little better than slaves. Worse yet, the monster inside of Alex has awoken and set its sights on Talen. The beast will stop at nothing to get what it wants, even if it takes the whole world down to do it.
Alex must face his worst nightmares if he ever has a chance at protecting Talen. Is he strong enough to bring them together, or will he lose Talen along with the pack?
This three-book series tells a continuous story with a resolution at the end of book three.
"Feral Hearts" is the first volume in the trilogy of the same name by Melissa E. Costa and my first encounter with works of this author. What drew me to this novel was the sneak peek that clearly stated it's a story of a strong omega werewolf and a weak alpha. Indeed, this is what we see in "Feral Hearts". It should be added, however, that the theme I've just mentioned is just the tip of the iceberg, as this story has so much more to offer. At this point, I must admit that in terms of the way in which the theme of alpha and omega was developed, "Feral Hearts" reminds me of another novel that I read not so long ago, because we see here not only strong, but also unique omega and a weak alpha, which has a powerful, bloodthirsty wolf. However, at this point the similarities end. What is also worth mentioning is the fact that "Feral Hearts" is a unique story that, to some extent, has the hallmarks of the young adults genre, which, combined with the theme of strong and weak characters, creates a wonderful whole. So I admit that Melissa E. Costa gave me exactly what I expected from this novel and I quickly fell in love with "Feral Hearts".
What's more, the characters of this story should also be mentioned in terms of their creation. Both the main and background characters are truly unique, expressive, and well-shaped. In many cases, they do not give us any opportunity to form an opinion about them, because they arouse many contradictory emotions, which makes us all the more involved in reading this novel. As for the leading characters, Alex and Talen, we see that these two are perfectly built. As I've mentioned, "Feral Hearts" is based on, inter alia, the strong omega theme. The thing is that the said omega is really strong, especially when it comes to character, and "Feral Hearts" is full of evidence to back this opinion about him up. As for the weak alpha, we are once again dealing with a hero who often proves his weakness. It's hard to believe that he can have such a beast inside him, and be such a wimp. And that's the thing that is so beautiful about this novel. The characters are unique, a bit different than the rest, and have a lot to show not only to themselves and other fictional characters, but also to the readers themselves.
Another brilliant advantage of "Feral Hearts" is a theme of a she-wolf in a man, which is a reference to the sexuality not of the characters themselves, but of the wolves that share their mind and body. We don't usually see this kind of problem in novels of this type. Honestly, I do not remember if I've read a book with similar motif. I admit that I immediately fell in love with this theme, as it is really interesting and has been presented in the novel in a way that fascinates the reader, because Talen's wolf wants her sex to remain a secret, she hides it. So we know from the beginning that Talen and his she-wolf are special. But how special are they? We will not find out immediately, which additionally arouses the reader's interest. As for me, I am delighted with what the author presented on this topic and I look forward to what we will discover in the next volumes. Talen's wolf is undoubtedly the best surprise any novel has had for me in a very long time.
Finally, I would like to mention the construction of the "Feral Hearts" universe. I am really happy with what the author created in this volume. Not only did she show us the wolves' attachment to the hierarchy, but also painted in a very clear way the packs that are key to the series, their mutual relations, problems as well as cooperation, arrangements, and marriage ties. What's more, the world of "Feral Hearts" still has many secrets, which the author may reveal in the next volumes of her trilogy. In short, I am delighted because the world of this series consists of the internal and external structures of the pack, its internal and external problems, elements that are changeable and unchangeable. Oh well, as you can see, I really like the construction of the "Feral Hearts" universe.
To sum up, "Feral Hearts" is a really great novel that delights us with its expressive characters, many surprises bound up with them, interesting story, its twists, emotions, feelings and psyche of the main two characters. This is a truly remarkable novel that enchants the reader. I am in love with this book.
Here's some more about:
Book Title: Feral Hearts: Book 1
Author: Melissa E Costa
Publisher: Self-Published
Cover Artist: Vanesa Gorkova
Release Date: August 19, 2021
Genres: Paranormal/Urban Fantasy M/M Romance.
Tropes: Friends to Lovers. Childhood friends. Gay for you. Omegaverse. Hurt/Comfort. Fated Mates.
Themes: Soul Mates, classism
Heat Rating: 2 flames
Length: 68 683 words/176 pages
This is book one in the Feral Hearts series.
The book does not a cliffhanger, per se, but the story’s conclusion won’t be reached until the end of book 3.
Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited
Excerpt
Alex couldn’t believe they were going to flog Talen. Eben stood to the side of the pillar with his back to Alex. He had been able to get Alex out of doing the whipping.
Etched into the pillar were symbols from the old language. A loop made of rope was attached to a minor ledge higher up in the stone. Its purpose was for this very thing. The shaman placed a large wooden block at Talen’s feet and had him step up onto it. Even elevated, he still wasn’t tall enough to fit his wrists through the loop, so they told him to hang onto it instead.
Talen wasn’t wearing a shirt. His arms above his head stretched his torso and made visible the taunt muscles of his abdomen and chest. Tiny beads of sweat gathered on his collarbone before they rolled down his back. Whether caused by anticipation or the blistering heat, Alex didn’t know. Talen’s left arm was no longer hidden by his sleeve, making the slight bow in his wrist apparent for anyone who knew where to look. A nearly unnoticeable tremble shook his shoulders. He looked so small then, fragile, even though Talen was anything but.
One of the shamans began making a speech. Her loud voice carried on the wind. “To speak out against your betters is the greatest disrespect you can show to your pack.” She was lecturing Talen, but she also looked around as if talking to the crowd, making an example out of him. A wave of nausea washed over Alex as his anger rose. “When you disrespect your pack, you’re disrespecting yourself.”
“Stupid bitch,” Alex grumbled. “Get off your high horse.” Even though he hadn’t wanted to watch the whipping, his feet moved on their own until he was close enough to see Talen’s face clearly.
“Talen, for your disobedience, you will be punished by thirty slashes to your back to be carried out by the pack leader.”
Eben held a medium-sized bullwhip.
“Do you have anything to say for yourself?” the shaman continued. “To say to Roman, who you have disrespected by your behavior?”
For one moment, Talen looked like he would say something, and it wouldn’t be nice. That fire burned behind his dark-hazel eyes.
Alex remembered his father’s words at dinner. If Talen doesn’t go through with this, he might have to find himself another pack.
As cowardly as it seemed, Alex prayed that Talen would keep his mouth shut. Please, don’t say anything. Please, Talen. Please don’t say anything.
Talen closed his eyes, and the tension left his body.
“Only to apologize for my insolence.” His words carried on the mild breeze that made standing outside on this humid hot day bearable. But Alex couldn’t care less about the wind or how good it felt against his skin. Instead, his attention focused only on Talen. Even though Talen bowed his head, and his words sounded a bit hollow, there was a fire to them—Talen’s voice, his spark. His energy. His will to fight. Talen amazed him. His ability to stay himself, to not give into fear, regardless of the hell he had been through. Alex envied him. Talen might have been an omega, whereas he was an alpha, but there was no doubt that Talen was the stronger of the two of them.
His father got in position and raised the whip. With a loud crack, it singed between Talen’s shoulder blades, leaving an ugly red gash. Talen’s breath hitched. He clenched the rope, baring his teeth. Every taunt muscle on his body writhed with each slash that marred his back. He wasn’t crying out, though. Talen was a proud one.
Another crack.
Alex tightened his fists.
Each crack grew louder and louder. Alex’s claws dug into his fists until tiny droplets of blood trailed down his palms.
Ten slashes into the punishment, Talen’s visible ribs heaved with each breath. His lithe frame trembled. Then his wolf surged, forming a white aura. It didn’t stretch out into a shadow—mostly that was an alpha thing—rather, it surrounded him like a sphere as it had done before with Roman—a white wolf seemingly chasing its tail in an endless figure eight. Its hazy white color made Talen appear blurry. It wasn’t large enough to affect Eben, only a whip length away.
It reeked of agony, hurt, anger, but mostly pain—Talen’s.
Alex turned away. His stomach clenched in knots. Something dark grew inside of him. Blacker, thicker. As he looked back at Talen, all Alex felt was rage.
Talen let out a scream before he bit his lip and a trail of blood spilled down his chin. Finally, he lost the battle, and he started crying out with each lash.
Alex’s fangs elongated. He wanted to kill them. All of them. His dad included. How fucking dare they lay one hand on Talen? On his Talen.
About the Author
Melissa writes character-driven fiction, and any genre is fair game. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading, anime, manga, and gaming. Living by the motto of trying all things twice, Melissa has jumped out of a perfectly good plane, swum with manatees, dived headfirst into Alice’s rabbit hole, and seduced classy ladies in 6-inch heels. A free-spirited bohemian, she currently lives in artsy St. Petersburg, Florida, with her soulmate and their two adorably needy cats.
with Melissa E Costa
Tell us a little about yourself.
I’ve been writing short stories as part of anthologies since late 2016, and since then, I published my first novel in 2020. To date, I’ve written five short stories (one under my pen), one novella, and three novels (two under a pen). So far, I’ve written contemporary, sci-fi, post-apocalyptic and shifter/urban fantasy. And of course, erotica, under my pen.
What would people be most surprised to know about you?
You might be surprised when you learn that I’m also Rosary Deville, a taboo/dark erotica writer.
How long have you been writing and what made you fall in love with writing?
I’ve been writing since middle school, but I’ve orally told stories since childhood. One of my first memories was doing that at around four years old. But I’ve always liked the world building, story-telling aspect of writing. My stories were my first friends, and that hasn’t ever changed.
Did you always want to be a writer?
Yes. Always. But I haven’t always taken myself and my writing seriously. And it wasn’t until then that I finished a novel. I started plenty of books, but never finished them.
What are your ambitions for your writing career?
Right now, it’s write more books! I’ll be splitting my writing time between both my pens, and I might add a pen name for my hetero romance so as to keep it a separate brand, but time will tell on that.
What’s your favorite part of writing?
I love the flow! I love it when I’m writing a story and it is like I can see it unfolding right in front of me. Where I’m purely giving myself over to the moment, and there’s no filter or stopping on my part. I could very well be hearing the story being told around me and just jotting it down. It’s such a rush!
Tell us about your writing style.
I write a lot of drafts and will continuously resave a document. I could go into the teens in draft numbers, like draft 15, and it will still be the first draft, just with more content added. Writing like this makes me take more risks because I know that I will always have the story the way it was before if I decide that I don’t like something and want to revert a change.
What does your writing process look like?
First comes an idea. Like a question, or a trope, or a general, top-level concept. Then I’ll outline a bit, or I’ll jump right in depending on how I’m feeling. Most times, I’ll meet the characters first, and then the plot will sketch itself out. When I start writing, I’ll go until I feel like I like what I’ve written so far, and then I’ll resave the document as another name, so I don’t lose what I have, and then I’ll keep going.
Once it’s done, then comes editing. I’ll add details—like character and world descriptions at the very end. I’ll also tweak dialog. Then I’ll either send directly to my editor or send to beta readers and then to the editor. Then it’s take the editor changes or ignore them. But most times, it’s making corrections or revisions suggested to me by my editor, Sharon Stogner, who’s great by the way! Finally, I’ll either resend the document to the editor, or send it out to my proofreader, which is a separate person. I’ll Read-Aloud the document in Word, so I can hear my story being read back to me. That way I can detect typos that might go unnoticed. Then after all of the editing, it’s time for ARCs to go out. And finally, time to publish. Most times, I’ll do preorder, which will have a due date separate than the release date. Normally a week before.
When/where is your favorite time/place to write?
I write on my couch. I need times when I’m not disturbed so that would be during the daytime when my partner works, or late at night when everyone’s asleep.
Why did you choose to write GLBTQ romance/fiction?
It’s what I read, so naturally it became what I write about.
Do you write any other genre?
Yes. I like to say that all genres are fair game for me! But the ones I’ve written thus far are contemporary, sci-fi, post-apocalyptic, shifter and urban fantasy. And of course, erotica with my pen.
Describe a scene in your writing that has made you laugh or cry?
It took me a while to nail down the plot for Feral Hearts. And some of those tangent plot lines have brought me to tears. Talen’s character is rooted in the trauma he experienced as a child, and some of those scenes really tugged on the heart strings,
Give the readers a brief summary of your latest book or WIP. What genre does it fall in?
I’ve been focusing on books two and three of Feral Hearts because I want to release them back-to-back. The series is basically Alex and Talen’s get-together books. As I’ve been writing them, I’ve been getting more ideas for a follow-up series with them, so stay tuned for that!
Give us a little insight into your main characters. Who are they?
First, there’s Alex. He’s a very untraditional alpha, to put it mildly. He’s emotional, speaks from his heart and doesn’t subscribe to a hierarchy. He’s also not the strongest of alphas. In this universe, werewolves are made up of two parts: human and wolf aspects. After they’re born, their wolf aspect is sealed. Then later during puberty it reawakens. Alex was born with a very powerful wolf aspect, which caused all sorts of problems for him growing up and is in stark contrast to Alex’s gentle nature. So Alex is having a hard time reconciling that his wolf aspect is off the charts powerful.
Talen is an omega stray that Alex’s family rescued. Since his parents abandoned him, Talen keeps people at a distance, because he’s afraid of getting hurt.
Will we be seeing these characters again? Is this book part of a series?
Definitely. They will be back for two more books in the Feral Hearts series. And I’m getting inspired for a follow-up sequel series as well.
Which actor would you like to see playing the lead character from your most recent book?
I think Adam Lambert would be a great Alex. He’s very expressive and genuine, which is a shoo-in for Alex!
What genre/s do you enjoy reading in your free time?
I like a lot of fantasy. Most stories that I find interesting will have some sort of fantastical element. But I like a lot of different genres, including sci-fi, whodunit murder mysteries and romance.
What was the last book you read? What did you like about it? I’ve been reading a lot of non-fiction. Mostly books on writing craft. The last one I read was Romancing the Beat: How to Write Kissing Books by Gwen Hayes. I liked that it clarified the theme of all romance books: true love conquers all!
Have you held any interesting jobs while you worked on your books? In another lifetime I was a software developer. I’ll leave that up to you to decide if that’s interesting or not.
How do you relax? I’ll either exercise, meditate or play games on my phone.
What hobbies do you have outside of writing?
I play a lot of video games, mostly adventure point-n-clicks, but also RPGs and MMRPGs. My partner and I have been playing WOW for longer than we’ve been married.
THANK YOU
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