Book Thoughts on Thursday: 1302 The Alpha, Christine Rains

Book Thoughts on Thursday is somewhere for me to share with you some of the books I've been reading and really enjoyed.

This week:

1302: The Alpha, Christine Rains

A friendly warning: Although not intentional, I may give away some aspects of the story that you may not want revealed. I know I hate it when spoilers ruin my experience of a story, so feel free to halt your reading here until you've read it for yourself.
Then you can come back to see if you share my thoughts! 

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One run in the woods wouldn't matter, or so thinks werewolf Stefanie Porter. Being cooped up in her apartment for months must have messed up her instincts, because her former pack almost catches her until a mysterious lone wolf jumps in to help Stefanie escape.

The cruel Alpha Wyatt not only stole her pack but refuses to give Stefanie her freedom. She can't hide in her apartment any longer or it will drive her crazy. She puts her trust in the lone wolf who can teach her some of his unusual urban survival tricks. James Roberts might be a bit geeky, but he's smart and looks hot when the argyle sweater comes off. His ridiculous ambition to become a superhero might be admirable if Wyatt couldn't rip him limb from limb.

With the pack scouring the city for her, Stefanie must convince James to teach her and control her own Alpha nature, or fight not only for her life, but his as well.

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I loved The Alpha, right from the beginning. A classic escape scenario leaving you to wonder what exactly she's running away from and why. Of course the only way to find that out is to read on, and it certainly didn't disappoint.

I love the strength of character in Stefanie, and it's great to have a female leading the action. Her strength comes across as physical from her wolfiness, but also mental with her instinct to take charge of both the situation and the people in it.

The introduction of James poses a wonderful dilemma. She's obviously attracted to him, and is troubled by similar feelings to Marc in The Marquis, wanting to get closer to someone but not wanting to put them in danger at the same time. 

I enjoyed the electricity between them, and I was incredibly impressed with her restraint once she found out about his Beta status. This scene was brilliantly written and I felt almost as much disappointment as poor James did when she stopped at the critical moment.

The final battle between Stefanie and Wyatt was set up well, and I loved the transition of power from one Alpha to the other, allowing Stefanie to finally take control and defeat her enemy.

Again, it was a satisfying ending for both characters and I hope their future together is prosperous.

The Alpha is the second in The 13th Floor series of novellas, and the author Christine Rains will be on tour in October to celebrate the release of the series as a collection. Make sure you check it out!

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