This was a really interesting read!
The writing style was my favourite aspect, it felt very game of thrones like.
I enjoyed the different POVs and found it entertaining to not be stuck in one characters head the entire time.
It was also interesting to learn each characters flaws and pasts/history to learn more about them.

A Bird Among Wolves took me a while to get into because I think there was several POV’s and you are also thrown into this world and have to piece it together. I really enjoyed our female MC, Wren. I was invested into her story from the first page and really enjoyed being able to get into her plot line as the story progressed. Her story starts with a lot of action from the first page as she is thrown into a jail and set to be executed. She is half eleven and being hunted by the kingdom. I definitely recommend reading the reference and glossary because there’s so many creatures and people. Wren eventually is part of the brotherhood and I really liked the characters that she met which included Wilk, Gayl, Randon, Ze’v Faelan , and Ulfred (the leader) I think while she was in there will them the story had a slow pace with her training and the introductions but then I really started to be engrossed through the last 50% of the book. I definitely enjoyed the book to carry on with the series

First off, thank you Tracy Leonard Nakatani and Netgalley for giving me the chance to read this book early!

2.5🌟 rounded up, because there is still time to make improvements.

This book had potential, but it didn’t quite work for me. The writing style felt a bit uneven and hard to get into, and the fast pace made it difficult to fully connect with the characters or the world. The frequent POV switches were overwhelming at times, which made it even harder to feel attached to anyone in particular. I also struggled with the world-building—it felt vague and rushed, and I often couldn’t picture where scenes were happening.


That said being said, I did enjoy the relationships between the characters. The found family theme was nice, and some of the dialogue felt fun and natural. Once I got used to the speed of the story, it became more enjoyable, but I still think it needed more time to develop both the plot and the world. It felt like a setup for something bigger, so I’ll probably check out the sequel in hopes it dives deeper.

Hmm. Okay I liked this book. I thought it had an immersive world with interesting characters, and an intriguing plot. There were some moments that felt a little repetitive or redundant but those didn’t really detract from the flow of the book much. I wouldn’t say the storyline was wholly unique, but it also wasn’t exhaustingly predictable. So overall? A good read, and a good reading experience.

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book through NetGalley and I am so glad I did!!

I completely devoured this and I couldn't put it down!!! And you mean to tell me I have to wait until MARCH 2026 before my friends can read it and I can Scream?????? Please have mercy! I need the sequel right NEOW!!!!!

I absolutely adore the multi-POV of this book, and the way the characters all weave together and are interconnected was so fun!! It was a little tricky at first, but once I got to know the characters it was super juicy getting info about other characters from another POV!! I really loved fitting everything together like a puzzle, waiting for the picture to emerge.

The concept of the Wolven was such a refreshing take on werewolves and I really hope we get more lore in the sequel(s)!! The worldbuilding is insane and I love the way it was revealed slowly throughout the book and not dumped on you all at once as exposition in the first few chapters. This is such a rich world and I can't wait to unravel its mysteries in the rest of the series!!

The premise of this book is fantastic - hidden elves, forest demons, and a heroine tied to an ancient power she doesn’t understand. Wren’s story is engaging, and the world feels rich with potential, but I did struggle a little with the pacing and the multiple POVs at first. It throws you into the action quickly, and while that keeps things exciting, it also left me a bit disoriented in the beginning. Once I found my footing though, I really enjoyed the political tensions, the slow-burn romance, and the morally grey characters. The ending especially hooked me with some jaw-dropping reveals and set up the next book perfectly. Fans of atmospheric fantasy will find a lot to love here. 3.75

I was fortunate and got an ARC from NetGalley. I have put this review as having spoilers because even though vaguely written some details may be considered spoilers. Over all I had a good time reading this book and look forward to the next.

Ancient magic, forest-dwelling monsters, and a main female character caught between survival and destiny. Wren (the main female character), trained to vanish and fight by her father and is suddenly thrust into the unknown after his death. The book was compelling, and the world feels rich with lore and world building.

Things that worked for me:
- Wren is a likeable main female character with a quiet strength and emotional depth.
- The forest demons (dragon like monsters) and magical elements offer a fresh twist on familiar fantasy settings.
- The morally grey characters that become found family add to the story.
- The final chapters are fast-paced and set up intriguing quests for the future.

Things that could have been done better:
- Multiple POVs were slightly confusing as we did not have enough back story at the start to understand where some of the characters were coming from.
- I would have preferred the glossary at the start of the book. I missed that it was there and could have used it in the beginning.

Overall, A Bird Among Wolves is a promising start and one I plan to continue with. It has a unique magical ecosystem and a main female character worth rooting for.

A Bird Among Wolves is the start of a new fantasy series by Tracy Leonard Nakatani, and I have a few mixed feelings about it. It's 3.5 - 3.75 stars for me.

The story follows Wren, hidden and trained by her elven father. When he’s murdered, she goes on the run and becomes tangled in the return of ancient forest demons she can mysteriously sense and destroy. As her powers grow, she’s swept into secrets and rivalries and forced to confront a truth linking her to the rising forest itself.

The pacing was a little uneven. It starts off very fast, dropping us right into the action, then slows down in the middle before picking up again near the end. Surprisingly, I kind of enjoyed that. Just when it felt like it might be going too quickly, it gave me time to breathe, learn about the characters, and explore the world’s lore without getting bored. And whenever it seemed like things were slowing down too much, the plot would ramp up again. Still, I wish there had been more detail about the world itself, especially the creatures and the gods. Some parts felt a little unfinished.

I was sometimes confused by the creatures and the magic, especially the forest walkers and the guardian. Their history and roles felt scattered across different sections rather than explained clearly in one place, so it took me a while to piece it together. I can see why this book has been compared to The Witcher, since both worlds are full of roaming monsters, hunters, and complex political tensions between kingdoms. It’s also quite dark and a bit gory, with a brewing rebellion!

The multiple POVs worked better than I expected! I’m usually not a fan of multiple perspectives, but the different viewpoints felt important to understanding the world, and the chapters from other characters were short enough that I stayed engaged. I especially loved Wren’s journey from wanting to be alone to finding her found family and learning to trust again!

The writing felt a bit choppy in places, which made it a little harder to read. But it definitely improved as the story went on, and the plot kept me engaged despite the rough patches. The romance is only a side plot, and at first I was honestly confused about who the love interest was. I kept thinking it was someone else and was expecting a hate-to-love dynamic, but it became clear later on. Once it clicked, I thought the romance was cute and a nice breath of fresh air amid all the darkness Wren was facing. I really liked the love interest, he was honestly the cutest!

Overall, A Bird Among Wolves was an engaging start with lots of potential, and I’m excited to see where Wren’s story goes next!

Actual rating: 4.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

This book we follow Wren who was raised by a father in hiding. But when he died she is faced with making her own decisions, finding out who (if anyone) to trust, what to fight for. It doesn't help that huge forest creatures which are the stuff of legends start showing up and she seems to be the only one who can communicate with them. When she meets Randon, who is part of a Guild, she learns to fight for herself, experiences friendship and loyalty. And she also seems to slowly but surely fall for that man.

This book communicates forest vibes in a way I have never experienced. I could smell the wet, leafy ground, her the branches move in the wind and hear the birds chirp. World building (which isn't even close to being done I assume) was done so well, I could really experience Wrens world.

The characters were enjoyably complicated. I don't think there was a single person who was simy good or bad. Everyone was nuanced, came with a lot of history end baggage, had their own motives that drove them.
We learned a lot about said motives through the different POVs. Although the major part of the book is from Wrens POV, we also get to see things through Randons, his brothers and even a different peoples leaders eyes. It got a bit confusing at times, but by trusting the process things fell into place in the end.
(I only realized after that the author kindly included an overview of the main characters and places at the end of the book. Had I known it would have probably made it less confusing in between 🫢)

The romance is very slow, leaving me excited for where things might go in book 2.

There are a few major reveals and plot twists in the last ~50 pages which made this book wrap up with quite a bang.

To sum things up:
I really enjoyed this book!
If you enjoy forest centered mythology, this is for you!
I will definitely read book 2 once it comes out 😊

Reviews posted on Goodreads and StoryGraph
Revierw on my Instagram will be uploaded in the next few days. I will add the link as soon as it is uploaded

A Bird Among Wolves is a story about a girl named Wren, who finds herself on the run and in many bad situations.

The issue for me started with the lack of world building and inconsistent pacing. This made the first 30-40% hard for me to get into. Once that passed, and I got my bearings, it definitely became more enjoyable for me. I’m a sucker for found family and character dynamics and I thoroughly enjoyed this aspect of the story. I felt bad for Wren so many times as the situations she found herself in were often the fault of others.

The ending left me with many questions and I need to know what’s going to happen to Wren and what type of character development she will have.

Thank you to Tracy Leonard Nakatani, NetGalley, and Three Amigas Press for the eArc.

this was just what i was looking for!! i really enjoyed the world building and the setting of this story!

Bird Among Wolves starts very "hard" and instantly captured me with its action packed opening - Nakatani clearly understands the assignment of In Media Res. Wren is a great main character, head-strong but not foolish, vulnerable and wily - I never got annoyed at her choices, but she was not so predictable as to be boring.

I liked the balance of this book between supernatural and the dangers that came from the machinations of people. I heard some comparisons with Game of Thrones, however I'd say Bird Among Wolves is a little more accessible and straightforward (in a good way).

Only a couple of gripes about this one.

1. Its very much a "first in a series" book. I knew by about 3/4 of the way through this book that it wasn't going to have much resolution and an abundance of cliffhangers, and while I like series I do prefer my books to be strong as stand-alone stories

2. I couldn't really get behind any POV characters other than our MC Wren, it mostly felt like we had other p.o.v. chapters simply for practical purposes of making the story sensical rather than for good story telling - the other characters (mostly villains) felt a little flat and much less interesting than Wren.

All in all very much looking forward to future books in this series!

A Bird Among Wolves is a tale that feels both intimate and epic. It’s a rare blend of delicate emotional threads woven through a brutal, war-torn world of magic, prejudice, and political intrigue.
The FMC, Wren, is not your typical fantasy heroine. She doesn’t charge into battle with a sword or spout witty one-liners. Instead, she survives through empathy, observation, and resilience. Her quiet strength makes her a breath of fresh air in a genre often dominated by brash protagonists. I really enjoyed the uniqueness of this story and would recommend it to any reader looking for a fresh story.

No words...just pure happiness because I got to read this fantasy. World building was my favourite part even though I I had the newsletters to help with most images, I still loved how wild my imagination actually run.
4,5⭐️ read for me

I first want to thank the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, I ended up DNFing this book. I truly think this will be a great story for the right reader—the premise is very interesting, and I can see its potential. However, I personally struggled to get into it. The story throws you right into the action, which I normally enjoy, but with so many characters and different creatures introduced right away, I found it difficult to ground myself in the world. I had a hard time following what was happening and connecting with the characters. I think I would’ve needed a bit more world-building and introduction to ease into the story.

this is definitely a book for people looking for more of a plot/characters driven fantasy rather than a “romantasy”. please do not pick this up if you’re looking for romance with slight emphasis on the plot.
while it started off a bit slow, my interest in the characters are what kept me pushing through until things started to pick up pace. the storyline and mythology itself is actually really interesting and the character interactions really had me looking forward to each chapter.
i’m super excited for book 2 to flesh out these characters even more and to learn all the backstories and secrets everyone’s been keeping.
solid read, 3.5 ⭐️

Thank you to Three Amigas Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
I have to say, I was a bit worried when starting this book, as I had seen so many people DNF it. However, I was pleasantly surprised! This is not a romantasy by any means—the romantic subplot is faint and, in my opinion, quite unimportant. The book is mostly fantasy, focusing on the kingdoms and the many creatures behind the walls.
Wren is a very interesting character. She often finds herself in situations beyond her control and frequently bears the consequences of others’ actions. To be honest, even after finishing the book, I’m still unsure of her true intentions and desires. That said, I loved the Brotherhood and enjoyed the multiple POVs, which I have to say added a lot to the story.
Overall, I would recommend this book! It was an enjoyable read and a solid fantasy—high stakes, with characters that felt real.
Goodreads rating: 3.75

Thank you so much to Netgalley & Victory Editing for the advanced copy!

In a Bird Among Wolves, we follow our main character, Wren, as she’s thrown into the completely unfamiliar world beyond the isolated life she lived with her father. After his grisly, untimely death, Wren must do as he instructed and run as far as she can.

I found Wren to be a really great FMC, She’s young but she’s not a petite little waif with glass bones (praise the lord). Our girl is tall, strong and well able to handle herself in a fight which is so refreshing and made for some fun fight scenes.

The ensuing Witcher-like adventure includes; found family, a deliciously slow burning romance, plenty of adrenaline and an intricate political nexus between the cities & races dotted throughout the kingdom.

The author succeeds in building a complex world, including magical creatures beyond your standard fare, with ease. I was hooked within the first two chapters and I really enjoyed that the story was woven together at a steady pace, without flooding the reader with too much information at once. I can’t wait for this book to be released in March 2026 as I know it’ll make a great book club/group read pick or gift for the fantasy readers in my life.

Thank you to NetGalley and Three Amigas Press for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

A Bird Among Wolves by Tracy Leonard Nakatani is a captivating fantasy that had me hooked from the first page. Despite some minor issues, I found myself unable to put this book down.

The story follows Wren, a character whose journey from fearful and distrusting to finding her true strength forms the heart of this tale. While I appreciated the realistic portrayal of someone dealing with trauma and fear, I would have loved to see more of Wren's inner strength emerge before her major transformation. Her growth felt a bit too dependent on external changes rather than internal development.

The supporting characters shine, particularly Randon, whose development throughout the story was expertly handled. However, Faelen remained frustratingly one-note—so consistently broody and angry that it was difficult to see him as anything beyond an antagonist, even when the story seemed to want us to view him differently.

Nakatani's pacing is excellent, keeping the plot moving at just the right speed. However, the multiple POVs can be overwhelming, especially early on. The worldbuilding is complex and immersive, but I'd strongly recommend reading the glossary first—it would have saved me considerable confusion about the various factions and relationships. The shifting perspectives reminded me of When the Moon Hatched in terms of complexity, and it took quite a while to sort out who was aligned with whom.
The writing is generally strong, though some of Wren's internal monologue felt a bit juvenile, particularly her self-talk after major events.

Despite these minor critiques, this is an engaging fantasy that fans of complex worldbuilding and character-driven plots will enjoy. Recommended for readers who don't mind juggling multiple POVs and appreciate stories where characters earn their strength through adversity!

The cover and the description really brought me in. The magic system, i feel like i have read something like it before. For the first book the balance of keeping it exciting and world building for the rest of the series fell a bit short for me. I did enjoy the plot concept and the character interaction so i will stay invested in the series in hope that it will get more intense later. And that maybe there will be more battle scenes.