Unfortunately this was not for me.

I don't think the characters motivations were consistent and I couldn't get past it.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

If the fmc was older and this was adult then it would have been 4/4.5. The spice in it, with the fmc being 17 and the mics being older just made me a little uncomfortable and not what I expected from a ya. (Marketed to 14+ years)

After our fmcs best friend is killed and she is bitten, she learns she is now a werewolf and has to leave her old life behind to join the Wolf Queens Court and train and learn how to be a werewolf. Our fmc, Vanessa Hart, swears to have revenge on Celeste’s killer, but as she spends more time at the Court - and with cousins Sin and Calic - all does not appear to be what it seems.

The plot was fun and I enjoyed the werewolf storyline, but I found the steamy scenes ruined it a bit for me because I couldn’t get over the fact Vanessa is 17 and just a teenager. If she was older and this book was marketed as an adult romantasy or new adult then this would have solved this problem for me and I would have rated it higher. Some people might not be bothered by this though - it’s all personal preference!

This was a really fun read! I have to admit I didn't take it too seriously, as the writing felt kind of young, and it wasn't exactly anything groundbreaking, but who cares? I had a jolly good time nonetheless. :D I will say that that book is definitely more New Adult than YA due to slightly descriptive spice, but other than that, I can imagine a lot of werewolf fans loving this story!

If you're a fan of werewolves and a twisty, suspenseful urban fantasy with an angsty heroine and love triangles, then you're in for a treat! Girls who love the brooding type of guy will definitely prefer Calix 👀 I have no idea what the outcome of the love triangle will be (maybe Sin is a smoke screen) and I am very, very intrigued!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I enjoy YA fantasy, especially paranormal werewolf reads, but sadly I struggled with this.

First I really think the FMC should have been older. With her age and with this aimed at a YA audience I wasn't really keen to see this had smut in. Don't get me wrong, Im all for smut in NA or adult books, but not for kids (14 is still a kid) please.

I also found the FMC rather annoying and she went from totally being a shy wall flower to full on sex kitten rage. And the hinted at triangle didn't really take off as there wasn't enough of her and Calix in the book.

The rest of the Wolves just blindly followed what they were told to do or were just mean. Not one of them (except her maid) had a separate personality other than that.

Overall there was just too much that I didn't see a reason for or that annoyed me in this to rate higher.

A really fun return to werewolves; 'Bitten' by Jordan Stephanie Gray pulls your attention from the start. Set in a bitterly dark world full of rivalry and drama; Bitten is a novel to be devoured with sharp teeth.

The combination of werewolves and enemies to lovers with magic and gothic atmosphere sounded so alluring that it got me intrigued immediately. Alas, I don't think it had too many things that prevented me from truly loving this story. Let me start first with the thing that I enjoyed in this book. The strong emotions of grief, anger, and her feeling out of place in her new surroundings were conveyed to the reader so perfectly that you're riding all the emotions with Vanessa gripping you by the troat. Unfortunately, the magic system felt like it was bending and changing conveniently to fit the plot without any solid rules or reason. I was left wondering—we learned that Vanessa's special gift is feeling when something is telling the truth or a lie. We didn't hear a single word. What are the gifts of the surrounding characters? Why didn't they use them in missions or in the last fight, for that matter? And when we are on that topic, I couldn't figure out why Calix was involved in the last fight when he was loyal to a fault to the queen. Furthermore, Calix told Vanessa he was investigating for a long time all the strange incidents happening on the beach, and we didn't hear a single word of that either. Why was the queen present in the beach attack when we learned that her sister was behind everything? There are so many questions that left me confused. As to the romance line....unfortunately, I didn't feel any chemistry at all between Sin and Vanessa. All the time, it felt somehow awkward and wrong. Combined, they fueled the worst traits in both of them, leaving them emotional messes with strange decisions. Calix, on the other hand, was the sole reason I continued with the book. The chemistry between him and Vanessa was through the roof, and instead of fueling her erratic and sometimes childish behavior, he grounded her. I was really disappointed that he didn't get screen time at all and was used more as a tool to move the plot than a love triangle. I believe, though, that in the next book, we'll see them teaming up together, and I definitely want to see that, so I'm willing to give the next book a chance.

I’ll be honest: werewolves aren’t usually my thing. But Bitten caught my eye with its gothic vibes, court intrigue, and promises of enemies-to-lovers drama, and I was curious enough to give it a try.

The result? Surprisingly fun, occasionally frustrating, and definitely addictive.

The story kicks off with a brutal wolf attack that sets the tone: dark, dramatic, and deeply personal. Vanessa, our heroine, is bitten and promptly handed over to the vicious Wolf Queen’s court, where she must choose between swearing loyalty or dying as a lone wolf. She starts the book soft and grieving, but post-bite, her transformation is immediate and intense. One moment she’s the quiet girl in the woods, the next she’s wearing corsets and baring her teeth, literally. The glow-up was fun, but I did wish for a bit more nuance in her arc. It felt like character development got fast-tracked in favor of aesthetic and angst.

The worldbuilding is... let’s say “vibes-forward.” There are rules, but they’re frequently bent, ignored, or contradicted. Political hierarchies exist, but they operate mostly on fear and instinct. At times, it felt like I was piecing together lore with duct tape and hope. That said, the overall atmosphere. dark court, dangerous wolves, whispered secrets, was compelling enough to carry me through.

And yes, this book is pitched as YA, but it walks the line with some soft spice and heavy themes. Honestly, it would’ve made more sense to age Vanessa up and call it NA. Seventeen felt too young for the things she endures and the choices she makes.

As for the romance… I wouldn’t call it a true love triangle. One love interest (Sinclair) gets most of the screen time, while the other (Calix) hovers more in the shadows. I actually preferred Calix but the book clearly leans in one direction. The chemistry wasn’t quite there for me across the board, but I appreciated the tension.

The ending, though? A chaotic, blood-soaked ride I didn’t expect, and honestly, it made me want to see what happens next. It leaned into the wild energy the story had been flirting with all along.

Bitten isn’t perfect: it’s messy, dramatic, and leans heavily on tropes. But if you’re in the mood for dark fantasy with teeth, court politics soaked in blood, and a heroine out for revenge, there’s definitely fun to be had. Even for a reluctant werewolf reader like me.

I don’t usually reach for werewolf books.. I’m typically too busy obsessing over the next best fae romantasy, but I was SO glad to be approved for this ARC (thank you NetGalley and @hodderstoughton). When I started it, I was a little hesitant (not sure why tbh), but I ended up loving it.

It’s got everything I like: it gives YA vibes but still includes delicious tension, a slow burn of the highest order, some mild spice, and even hints at a possible why choose? 👀 Add in dark scenes filled with blood, gore, betrayal, and a wolfy academic setting?! SOLD

The action kicks off straight away and somehow still manages to give you a strong grasp of the world around our FMC. Vanessa was such an easy character to root for and the frustration I felt on her behalf was unreal😤

There’s court politics, jealous and brooding werewolves (plural 👀), murder mystery elements, and the ever-present question of who to trust. It was intense and the pacing never let up.

The ending is CRIMINAL. I was looking forward to the big reveal, the conclusion - but then suddenly I have whiplash and I’m staring at the wall in utter shock!Solid 4⭐️ from me, and I’m counting down the days until I can read the next one😭

✨Tropes✨
🩸 Slow burn
🩸 Brooding werewolf MMC
🩸 Court politics
🩸 Jealousy
🩸 Murder mystery
🩸 Revenge
🩸 Betrayal
🩸 Hints of why choose

⭐️ 3.5/5
🗣️ chaotic, messy, mildly feral… just like the werewolves it features 🐺

HALLELUJAH, werewolves are back!!! 🙌 I didn’t read Twilight (because ✨taste✨), but I did watch the movies while roasting everyone on screen—and still ended up Team Jacob. So when I say I’m here for the wolves? I mean it.

This book started off rough—like “fanfic I wrote when I was 14 and thought eyeliner was a personality” rough. But I kept reading… and weirdly? I had fun?? Not good fun, but "this is a mess and I’m entertained anyway" kind of fun.

The plot twists? I saw them coming from space. I guessed the big reveal after the prologue like I was psychic. But the ending went full Hunger Games x Teen Wolf bloodbath and I respect that level of unhinged.

Vanessa got bit and immediately started dressing like she runs a haunted Victorian Pinterest board and biting people back. Queen energy, but also ??? Character development who?? She went from shy girl to full-blown werewolf baddie with zero warning.

Now the world-building… deep sigh. It’s giving "vibes over logic." Stuff is introduced like it has rules, but then the rules get ignored five minutes later. Some things work this way—until they suddenly don’t. Questions are answered with ✨vibes✨ or “don’t worry about it.” I am worrying about it. The lore is just vibes in a trench coat. Potential? Yes. Execution? Not yet.

Also, I don’t know who labeled this YA, but… no. There’s soft spice, darker themes, and overall Big NA Energy. Vanessa being 17 makes zero sense when she’s doing everything but filing taxes. Just make her 18 and we’re good.

And don’t even start with the “love triangle.” One guy is clearly the main love interest. The other one exists. Barely. I liked the side guy more (because trust issues), but Vanessa said “no thanks, I like red flags.” Also—never trust a blond man unless he’s Aaron Warner. I don’t make the rules.

Anyway. This book was kinda bad. Kinda fun. Calix carried the entire thing on his beta(or is he?) wolf back and honestly deserves a raise. I will be reading the sequel because I have no self-control.

3.5⭐️
0.25🫑

First of all—HALLELUJAH, the werewolves are back, baby!! 🙌 I didn’t realize how much I missed growly, broody, territorial wolf boys until I picked this up. Even back during my Twilight-eye-roll phase (full disclosure: I never read the books, I just watched the movies while making sarcastic comments), I was still firmly Team Jacob. I didn’t care about sparkles or eternal love—I was there for the wolves. So naturally, any book that throws me into a werewolf-filled drama has my attention.

This book is a whole journey, and I’m not sure what bus I got on, but I definitely got motion sickness during the first half. The writing was… let’s just say, raw. Like, it gave “this is my first fanfic, please be nice” energy. But I soldiered through, and you know what? It did get better. Not “wow this is a masterpiece” better, but more like “okay, I’m not rage-scrolling anymore” better.

The plot twists? I saw them coming like they were wearing neon signs. Some I literally predicted after the prologue. I was like, “Haha watch this be the Big Reveal at the end” and guess what? It was. That said, I did get caught off guard by the final battle twist, so yay, one surprise! The ending was honestly kind of a blast—chaotic, bloody, and brutal in a way that made me go, “Oh okay, we’re doing this now??” Iconic. I didn’t expect a certain character to be alive—but hey, I liked the chaos. Definitely the highlight of the book.

Vanessa though… whew. She starts out shy and sweet and then suddenly post-bite she’s all “I wear corset dresses now and bite people back.” I love a confident glow-up, but this was less character growth and more like she got possessed by her cooler alter ego. I wanted to root for her, but most of the time she was just kind of there. Like background furniture. Pretty furniture, but furniture.

And the world-building?? Insert loud sigh. There were rules, but also… no rules? Like the floor assignments. Second floor: royalty. Third: alphas. Fourth: betas. Sounds simple, right? Except Evie and her brother—actual royalty—are chilling on the alpha floor, and Calix, a beta (!!!), is there too, despite betas supposedly being on the fourth floor. WHY. WHERE IS THE FLOOR PLAN. WHO IS IN CHARGE. Nothing made sense and the author’s go-to explanation seemed to be: “Just don’t ask.” I asked. I got nothing.

Also, this is not a YA book. I don’t care what the label says. There’s some soft spice, and overall mature vibes that made me question why Vanessa is 17. Like… make her 18 and we could all sleep better. The spicy scenes aren’t graphic, but for YA? They tiptoe dangerously close to the line. This book wants to be New Adult so bad, and honestly, it should just commit.

The love triangle? False advertising. One guy is clearly the favorite from the start—Vanessa spends all her time with him and prefers him in every way—while the other guy kind of floats around as a background character. So it didn’t really feel like a love triangle. Ironically, I preferred the “other guy” more—he seemed more trustworthy, but clearly, Vanessa didn’t. Also, personal rule: never trust a blond love interest unless his name is Aaron Warner. Call it instinct. Call it trauma. I stand by it.

And can we talk about how I solved the entire mystery of who bit who on that fateful, blurry night like I was the main character in a crime drama? I guessed the whole thing word for word. I felt like Sherlock Holmes. If Sherlock Holmes had watched a lot of CW shows.

Bitten is messy, predictable, and kind of nonsensical—but also weirdly entertaining. I rolled my eyes a lot, but I also turned the pages. Calix alone has me curious enough to pick up the sequel. If the author can clean up the lore and give the characters more depth, this series could seriously level up.

Bitten was an interesting read, it's fast paced, with great characters and a developed plot, it also has a touch of spice. We start our journey with the main character being bitten and thrust into the world of werewolves and having to make an impossible choice. The story unfolds with supernatural laws, tangled loyalties, and a dose of romance.

Whilst it is advertised as YA I personally would not recommend this to anybody below 16 (maybe even 18), there are parts that do not feel appropriate for below that. Whilst the writing style is appropriate for YA the intimate parts are more adult in nature.

Although I liked it, I didn't love it. I was expecting that wholesome YA yearning, but it didn't really hit like that. I do expect this will be popular though. I would have loved more history to understand the world a bit more, a prologue explaining the set up better could have been so beneficial here. It also doesn't feel like it brings anything new to the genre.

Este libro es la definición de: me ha gustado, me ha enganchado, pero me ha sorprendido por cómo se lleva la trama. No diría que es rompedor, pero sí que tiene algo que te hace pasar páginas sin parar.

Para empezar, los personajes. No os voy a mentir, Nessa me ha gustado bastante, aunque sigue muchos de los estereotipos que están de moda últimamente. En teoría intenta ser badass, pero no termina de dar las vibes. El libro pide a gritos una protagonista fuerte e independiente, pero con la situación que se plantea... pues en fin. Se queda corta. Lo intenta, y se nota, pero le falta esa presencia que hace que una prota se te quede grabada.

Los protas masculinos me han gustado, aunque siendo honesta, no creo que hayan aportado mucho más allá de su papel romántico en la historia. Es un triángulo amoroso, y esta vez los dos chicos (Calix y Sin) son primos. Lo cual ya es… curioso. Pero Sin se lleva claramente la atención en esta primera entrega.
Y no os voy a mentir: Sin no me ha gustado. Para nada. Ya me daba mala espina desde el principio, y su evolución solo confirmó mis sospechas. Su personaje me ha recordado un poco a Red Queen de Victoria Aveyard… en la peor/mejor manera posible???

En cuanto a la trama y los plot twists… me vi venir casi todo. Así que si buscáis giros inesperados y mind-blowing moments, este no va por ahí. Eso sí, se disfruta igual si entras con las expectativas adecuadas.

Espero que el segundo libro venga con más fuerza, más drama, y sobre todo, una Nessa más enfadada, más cabreada con el mundo y más dispuesta a tomar el control de su historia. Porque a veces el odio sí que es un motor potente. Y yo quiero una prota con fuego en las venas.

Lo recomiendo si…
💔 eres (o fuiste) Team Jacob en Crepúsculo
💛 te gustan los triángulos amorosos con drama de familia incluida
💇‍♂️ caes por protas rubios que ocultan más de lo que muestran
📚 y no puedes resistirte a un setting académico con secretos

Bitten is a magnetic, pulse-pounding debut that merges razor-sharp world-building with fierce romance and white-hot vengeance. Vanessa Hart’s journey—from a devastating wolf attack to her harrowing transformation at the Wolf Queen’s Court—is full of emotional depth and relentless momentum

I absolutely loved Bitten by Jordan Stephanie Gray! From the first page, I was drawn in by the fast-paced story, the gripping tension, and the incredible characters. The mix of romance, danger, and mystery kept me hooked—I just couldn’t put it down!
Vanessa is such a strong and compelling character, and I loved following her journey
The world-building was so immersive, and I felt every moment of excitement, suspense, and emotion. The twists kept me on my toes, and the chemistry between the characters was so well done. I was completely lost in the story and already can't wait for the next book!

If you love books that pull you in and don’t let go, a must-read. Highly recommend!

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

Bitten is a YA fantasy/paranormal debut by Jordan Stephanie Gray. The title immediately reminded me of one of my favourite TV Shows by the same name so I was very excited to dive in. It has been such a long time since I have read a werewolf book so I found this book to be extremely refreshing.

For the most part, I really enjoyed Bitten and am very eager to see where the series goes. The plot was fast paced and kept me hooked and I liked the elements of romance. I really liked Vanessa and thought she was such a loveable FMC. At times, the writing did feel a little bit on the younger side of YA, which was confusing given the explicit content featured in this book, which made me question what age group this book is written for.

Overall, Bitten was an enjoyable read reminiscent of some of my favourite 2010s werewolf books. It is a solid debut novel and I am looking forward to reading more from this author.

DNF at 28%

Unfortunately this just wasn’t working for me. From what I did read, the story seemed unique and fast paced although the writing style felt better suited to a younger YA audience. It gave me a similar feeling to Crave by Tracy Wolff which also wasn’t for me, but if you enjoyed that then this might work for you.

Unfortunately I felt I could not continue with this book after reading the first 15%. With the FMC being the age she is, I think this story might be YA which is not an issue for me when the prose is high quality and the dialogue clever. However, with Bitten, the the modern iterations, curse words and slang just screamed 'too young' for me - and I am only in my early 30s. I rarely refuse to finish a book but something about this one had me deciding life is too short to read poorly written books when so many other, better written narratives await me. Perhaps this one might appeal to much younger reader? I'm not sure and frankly, I don't want to spend any longer ruminating on this one.

What a fun book! Stephanie has truly written such an exciting debut with Bitten which is full of female rage and vengeance.

Bitten follows a teenage girl who is propelled into a mysterious world of werewolves, following the murder of her best friend, and having to deal with the reality of becoming the very thing that killed her. All Vanessa wants to do is avenge her best friend's death, but is caught in a web of court politics, forbidden love and enemies at every corner.

Normally werewolves aren't my cup of tea when it comes to fantasy books, but I must say, Stephanie has written them so well that I had to keep reading! It's very much a nostalgic feeling book, and any lovers of Teen Wolf and The Vampire Diaries would eat this up!!

If you love tension (especially that one scene between Vanessa, Calix and Sin... iykyk), werewolf court and royals, paranormal elements, love triangles and murder mystery, you'll absolutely love Bitten🐺 I need the second book asap because what was that cliffhanger ending Stephanie?!?!

I really enjoyed this book — once I started, I couldn’t put it down. Bitten is a well-written story packed with court politics, betrayals, mysteries, twists, vivid world-building, and a touch of romance. I especially loved the murder mystery elements. Vanessa is exactly the kind of protagonist I’m drawn to: fuelled by rage and grief, yet fiercely determined to avenge her best friend.

There are two main reasons I have given this book 3 stars: I don't like reading about teenagers having sex, which this book surprisingly (as it is marketed as YA) contained and that the love triangle felt like a YA checklist item rather than an actual part of the plot. Vanessa spends all her time with and prefers one from the start, the other one is kind of there sometimes but not as anything but a friend so I didn't really see this as a love triangle. Although these didn't stop me from reading, finishing and enjoying this book I thought that the marketing was misleading because of them and I wish that the characters had been aged up.

Summary: After a werewolf attack kills her friend, Vanessa is taken to their court—where vengeance, danger, and desire await at every turn.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book, all thoughts are my won.

Thank you Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the eArc and a chance to read Bitten early.

Firstly, I want to say a big hallelujah for the return of werewolves!🙌 As teen in the 2000s I grew up loving paranormal romance authors like Kelly Armstrong. And was even team Jacob when everyone else was team Edward.

Vampires and witches have been dominating the fantasy genre lately so I was excited to read a werewolf story. Unfortunately, Bitten didn't live up to my expectations.

The writing was good and definitely has potential. The beginning immediately drew me in and the ending took me on a wild rollercoaster ride.

However, the in-between I just didn't connect to the story at all. The world building was lacking and the author heavily relied on the "it's just the way it is" to explain away any questions. For a YA book, the content could get a little too graphic and the sex-scenes were too explicit for the genre. I was very surprised this wasn't marked as NA as Vanessa easily could have been 18+. Also, it felt like Vanessa had a complete personality transplant after she was bitten. She started off as a shy good girl and then all of a sudden became a confident girl with attitude. There wasn't much character growth for her.

On the plus side, her rage was absolutely palpable and I constantly wanted to punch people on her behalf. However, there really wasn't much relief from that. Everyone was just so MEAN, seemingly for no reason other than they're scared of the queen and that's just the way things are. No one has a mind of their own or are way too scared to change things. This is usually fine if in the end there's a coup or something but the court felt more like a cult than a "kingdom".

And don't get me started on the love triangle. What love triangle?! Both Calix and Sinclair treat Vanessa like garbage. Sin is a complete coward and we didn't have enough moments between Calix and Vanessa to justify their connection.

Bitten will hit with a certain reader group and I'm here for the 2000s paranormal romance vibes but sadly this book must wasn't for me.