Avoiding Alpha by Aileen Erin

                First I want to thank everyone who participated in my giveaway.  I have my very first winner and will be sending out her prize ASAP!  

                Avoiding Alpha by Aileen Erin is the 2nd book, or technically novella, in The Alpha Girls series.  I reviewed the first story in the series Becoming Alpha, here, some months back and I fell in love with it and couldn’t wait for this one to come out.  I have had it on my Amazon wish list ready to purchase on Tuesday May 13th when it comes out since it was posted on the site.  Then I was doing my daily check on NetGalley for new books to request and there it was!  I clicked request so fast.  Then later in the day while I was at work, on lunch when I was finally able to read my e-mails, I saw I had been approved for this book, 1 week early.  My lunch comrades maybe had some concerns about my mental health that day given my squeal of excitement, happy dance in my chair, and my high pitched and speedy explanation to which they were still clueless but just moved right along. 

                I admit though there was a larger reason for my excitement, not only had I been approved for Avoiding Alpha but the other book set to release the same day which I also was super excited for sent me a pre-approved to read notice.  Score 2 books I was dying to read a week early.  Then my biggest problem was figuring out which to read first, and that I had to wait until I got home as there was no wi-fi at work, and let's be honest I wouldn’t have been too focused on work if I had started during lunch.  So thank you to NetGalley and Ink Monster for letting me read and review this ARC.  Spoilers ahead for book 1, just in case that wasn't clear.

                We left Tessa at St. Ailbe's Academy where she has been through a lot but is adapting to her new life as a werewolf, if she is holding off on the whole going wolf part.  She is still learning and slowly adapting to things.  She went from being a girl who couldn’t touch things or people without seeing their life in her mind to being able to control that, having a powerful alpha mate, who sort of made her a were wolf, which broke a lot of rules.  Yep, just a normal day.  While Tessa and her sexy wolfy mate Dastien prepare for the Tribunal, yeah biting someone to make them a wolf is a big no no.  Made worse by the fact that she is part witch and the coven isn't very happy they took one of theirs, even if she had never met them.  That issue is set aside when Tessa's best friend Meredith starts to get sick, she had been cursed by the coven years ago but now her wolf is awake and its making her sick.  She doesn't have long.  Tessa is determined to find a way to help her best friend, even willing to deal with things she doesn't quite understand and make a deal with the devil. 

                This book had all the things that made me fall in love with the first book.  The connection between Tessa and Dastien is steamy, yowza.  I like all the different characters and the way the pack interacts, it's not based on age or experience but on power which is an interesting dynamic.  Being there as Tessa struggles with the possibility of losing her first real friend was heart breaking.  I read this book start to finish in a couple of hours.  It was shorter than the first book, and now that I type the review I see it listed as a novella on Goodreads, so that probably explains it.  Either way this is a great addition to the series and you won't be able to put it down.  I easily give this book 5 Stars!  Don't forget to check out both books, Avoiding Alpha comes out tomorrow Tuesday May 13th.  Also heads up book 3 Alpha Divided is already available for pre-order on Amazon and comes out October 14th, which as far as most books go that is a short wait period. 

                Now I mentioned above I had 2 books approved to be released the same day.  The other is Scala book 2 in the Angelbound series by Christina Bauer.  That review is coming up tomorrow to check back soon.  In the comments please share your thoughts.  What do you think about this series, or about werewolves in general?