Ok so first things first. There are a lot of really wonderful reviews out there for this book and while this wasn't a five star listen for me...seriously that's on me. I wanted to give this one a try because...well, I really like this author and I've danced around this story for a while because...werewolves are just not a favorite of mine but...Cari Z...me likey!!!

 

There was a lot about this story that worked for me and while it wasn't quite enough to make me totally love this story, it was certainly enough to keep me interested and I enjoyed listening to the audio book.

 

I loved the world that was created in this story once again it was that little bit different than the typical. So often with paranormal or shifter stories everyone knows about them and they're accepted by some, feared by others or they're this secret that only a few people who have stumbled across them and managed to survive know about and yes both of these scenarios can and do vary in the fine details from author to author but I'm just keeping it simple here or I'd be writing a book of my own and that's not a life goal for me...ssssooooo...not happening...

 

And back to my original thought which was that I enjoyed the world that was created for this story to occur in. The world knows about werewolves but their strictly monitored and controlled they live in designated areas and are used by the government because of their unique abilities...can we say reservations? concentration camps? Yeah, that's right like it or not this totally plays on things that have happened in the real world and while I don't want to encounter these kinds of reminders in ever book I read sometimes being reminded of what can happen to a group of people when the world at large perceives them as being different isn't a bad thing and in this case it was well done because this story also serves as a reminder that just because something's different doesn't mean we need to fear it or that we have the right to cage it or in this case them.  I know if some one were to try and lock me up just because I didn't meet their concept of normal I'd do my damnedest to be free...it's human nature. Anways, I have soft spot for this kind of story so this was definitely the part of the story that I really enjoyed.

 

Unfortunately there's another important part of this story and that's the part where Ward Johannsen goes looking for his daughter who has been taken from him because she has the werewolf gene and is going to shift...seriously? You take my kid from me and I'm going after her or in my case him as well and god help you if you try and stand in my way...so, I was totally on board with Ward and definitely cheering for him to find Ava. #teamWard

 

And then we have Henry...he's the alpha of the werewolf pack that Ava was given to and honestly I felt sorry for him. This guy did not get an easy deal and he's got a lot of internal anger and frustration... justifiably in my mind. But for some reason I just didn't feel the connection between Henry and Ward. I liked that they were both committed to Ava and wanted only what was best for her and I can't say that I didn't like that because I really did. I think I would have felt the connection between Henry and Ward a bit more if there had been more interaction between them...honestly, I'm not sure what wasn't working for me. It's not that I think they shouldn't have been together more like I just didn't quite see the connection as strongly as I would have liked...well, I hope that makes sense because it's my best shot at explaining this, sorry...words sometimes they fail me.

 

Overall there was a lot of strong potential in this one and as always the author really has crafted an excellent story, it just didn't appeal to me as much as I would have liked but if you're a lover of shifter books I strongly suggest checking this one out. I enjoyed it and I was once again impressed by a new to me narrator, Jack Wesley. I'm going to go guess that Mr. Wesley is new to the world of audio book narrating since when I searched for other books by him this title is the only one that I found so I'll definitely be watching for more by this narrator and Cari Z is still firmly on my list of authors I want to read because truthfully 3.5 stars from me for a werewolf book really isn't too shabby. 

 

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An audio book of 'Off the Beaten Path' was graciously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Ever since I read my first shifter book, I've been hooked. For some reason, Off The Beaten Path escaped my notice at first, but when it kept popping up in friend reviews on Goodreads, I requested a review copy from the publisher.

I was not disappointed.

This is not some fluffy wolf shifter meets human and they live happily ever after shifter book. No, as the title indicates, this shifter universe is off the beaten path, set in an alternate reality where shifters exists, after a government experiment gone terribly wrong, but are controlled by the human government, living in remote areas away from human cities, within confined compounds, with the pack Alphas required to serve as ultimate soldiers whenever the military requires them to utilize their extra strength and abilities to carry out the military's dirty work. 

Additionally, some children are born as shifters to human parents, and when their true nature is revealed, they are removed from their human parents, severing the relationship, and relocated to a shifter compound, where they either can shift back to human or, if they can't, are destroyed. 

Thus, we meet Ward Johannsen whose young daughter Ava shifted into a wolf during a stressful situation and was immediately taken by the feds to the nearest shifter camp. Unwilling to give up his daughter, Ward does everything he can to obtain her location, which just happens to be in the Colorado mountains. And it's winter. 

Ward is rescued, nearly frozen to death, at the perimeter of the pack compound. Once inside, he's faced with the pack's Alpah, Henry Dormer, who only recently returned from his last mission and hopes to have a bit of time to recuperate before he's sent out again.

Both men are really strong-willed and not inclined to give up. Ward is unwilling to let go of Ava, even if the law says he has to, and he does everything in his power to get back to her, even if that means willingly walking into a werewolf compound and standing his ground. Henry too fights every day to ensure the security and well-being of his pack, even if that means that he himself suffers abuse and faces possible death.

See, the government doesn't really care about the werewolves it created, considering them dangerous and thus in need of being kept separated and hidden, but is perfectly willing to use the wolves' Alphas for its Black Ops missions. Henry's CO especially is a sack of shit, vengeful and vile, but Henry knows he has to follow the rules so his pack can get what it needs to survive. 

Relationships between wolves and humans are strongly discouraged, though not forbidden. 

Obviously, Ward's presence in the camp, and his having found the compound, breaks all kinds of security rules, and Henry has to take the blame. Still, Henry realizes that Ward's presence will likely help Ava shift back to human, so he is willing to give it a try. 

The attraction they both feel to each other is neither expected nor necessarily wanted, but Ward's persistence and courage seems to calm Henry in the face of the multiple pressures he's facing not only from his CO but also his pack. 

This isn't some fluffy shifter tale. It's gritty, it's dark, and there are oh so many obstacles Henry and Ward face before they can find even a modicum of happiness. Though, I think the point here is that the happiness you have to fight for so hard is worth more in the end - simply because you have to fight for it. 

At the end of this book, there's hope. Not only for Ward and Henry to have a happy ending, but for the shifters in the compound, and all shifters under the thumb of the feds. In fact, there are forces at work to better the lives of the werewolves and give them a chance to actually live. 

I do hope that the author has more books planned, and that this will turn into a full-blown series. Because Tennyson and David surely need their own book.

This book is full of tension, passion, and courage in the face of nearly insurmountable odds. A true "edge-of-your-seat" read, this comes highly recommended. 



** I received a free copy of this book from its publisher in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. **

Originally reviewed at Sinfully.

Cari Z builds an interesting world for these wolf shifters with their origin story seemingly a nod to Captain America. The wolves are known to the public, but kept in check by the US government. Kept isolated on remote reservations, only in part for their own protection, the government controls everything including the media they are exposed to, the supplies they are given and who can come and go from the property. The alphas are forced into military black ops and not everyone in the government departments dealing with the wolves cares about their well-being.

Henry is one such alpha, who has just returned from another harrowing mission and has been away from his pack for too long. His newly married human sister Sam has been in charge while he was away, but as the Alpha he needs to be there to settle the pack’s newer arrivals and care for the young child shifter, Ava, who has failed to return to her human state. He returns to find the girl’s father has found them and although he is conflicted about the man’s presence, he has to agree that it may be the best chance to save the child. There are also some grumblings among some pack members that perhaps Henry doesn’t have what it really takes to be the Alpha. Henry is under a lot of stress between the military requirements and the unrest and changes in his pack and it’s starting to show in his behavior.

Ward’s young daughter Ava left for her first day of pre-school and he never saw her again. Shifting in class she was immediately taken by the government and placed with a werewolf pack. Months later he has found her and he will die before he will allow himself to be separated from her again. He has made his way into the compound surprisingly easy, but that’s before the Alpha arrives. Ward may be small, but he is feisty and not going to let his daughter get away without a fight, even if it’s with an Alpha werewolf that will surely mean his death.

As Henry and Ward work together to encourage Ava to shift and Ward begins to make himself useful to the pack, their initial physical notice of the other grows into more of a relationship of mutual respect. That, more than anything is what leads to their eventual coming together. They find a sense of peace together and become a solid team. While there is plenty of shifting and werewolf feels, the romance is more traditional. An interesting dynamic that I haven’t really seen in other shifter books, this is really a slow burn. That’s not to say there isn’t the eventual feelings of possessiveness and need to claim and protect, it’s just not an immediate reaction to the situation.

Aside from the main characters, the secondary characters were all well-formed and played an active role in the story. Henry’s sister (who is a wonderful, strong female character) bringing home her new husband has changed their family dynamic, their pack’s guardian seems more aggressive and angry, some of the younger pack members are taking risks that they might not understand the repercussions of and pack politics are rearing their ugly head. This all added an extra layer of tension to the story and I really liked being immersed in this community with the differing ideas and outlooks.

Not sure if there is a series planned, but I would like to see more stories in this world, perhaps Dr. Tennyson and Davis? If you’re looking for a bit of a different take on a shifter story I’d recommend giving Off the Beaten Path a try.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

This second installment is even better than the first. This time the recovered body is that of a friend and co-worker at Camp Ponderosa and Gracie can’t help but get involved. When she does she finds all the clues lead right back to the camp and even when she becomes a target she just can’t give up.

Just like Zero-Degree Murder the suspense starts from page 1 and Gracie has no idea who she can trust. Gracie is a strong sleuth and her SAR skills help her in so many ways. Her confidence has grown since the first book and she seems physically stronger too. She does get into some dangerous situations and even gets hurt and she just keeps plugging until the last clue falls into place. At times it was like watching a scary movie and I wanted to yell, “don’t go there!” but of course she does and we suffer together through those white knuckle moments.

I recommend reading the books in order. You can read my review of Zero-Degree Murder here. The author’s Search and Rescue experience shines in both books. She also describes the settings so well. On and off the paths seem to be absolutely beautiful.

The mysteries are fantastic and the hints of romance continue to build. I am anxious to see how things play out after all that has happened in Murder Off the Beaten Path. It should be very interesting!

I been beaten

But I will not speak.

Watch people scream for their lives,
But I will not speak,

bullied, scream at, mentally hurt,

But I will not speak.

Mother died alone,

But I will not speak,

push away,

But I will not speak.

Left alone,

But I will not speak.

Who do I turn when there in no one there.

Walking around as if they don't care.

Am telling you that my pain, tears, or sorrow.

Are nothing but air...

I all need is me...

I been a room,

Where I feel there is no walls,

No VOICES at all.

How I live with my pain, and guilt.

I can let it go, AND SAID!!!!

No More,....

I am me, 

And I will change.

I will speak and I can say it again.

You can't hurt me anymore.

I keep the bruise you gave.

It will be symbol.

That I won today.