Daring Fate by Megan Erickson

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Title: Daring Fate
Author: Megan Erickson
Series: Silver Tip Pack #1
Published by: Indie
Release Date: November 14th 2016
Format: Kindle Book
Pages: 313
Genres: Paranormal Romance, Paranormal, LGBT, Dystopian
Reading Challenges: Lenoreo's 2018 #LetsReadIndie Challenge, Lenoreo's 2018 AtoZ Reading Challenge, Lenoreo's 2018 Beat the Backlist Challenge, Lenoreo's 2018 Reading Assignment Challenge, Lenoreo's COYER Winter Switch 2017/18, Lenoreo's Science Fiction vs Fantasy Bingo 2018
Find it: Goodreads ✩ Amazon
My rating:

Blurb:

We all have tragic backstories in today's world.

I wake up chained to the wall of a dark cell aware of two things: I failed my sister, and I smell my enemy.

When I’m taken to meet Dare, the alpha of the Silver Tip pack, I’m sure I’m about to lose my throat. The last thing I expect is for the Alpha to recognize me as his fated mate. No way is he going to let me go now, and I still have to find a way to rescue my sister.

As I plot my escape to save her, I find that if I leave, Dare could be killed by power-hungry members of his pack. And now he’s more to me than my fated mate—my heart is involved. With time ticking by on my sister’s life, I have to make a choice I never thought I’d face—my sister’s life or my mate’s? That’s if I can survive the undead shifters intent on killing me first...

My Review:

4.5 stars — I don’t tend to stretch my wings outside contemporary romance often, but often when I do I wonder why I don’t explore more!  This would be a prime example of that.  I loved the odd dystopian world that Ms. Erickson created, with Weres and Werewolves and humans wiped into extinction!  And make it an M/M to boot?  Oh yeah, I’m in.  One of the things I loved about this book in particular is that while it was an M/M, the fact that there were gay relationships was NEVER discussed.  It was just normal, no one even blinked.  I hadn’t been expecting that, and that was kind of fun.  It kind of made me wish for a world like that…you know, minus zombie Weres and human extinction.  😛

I was sucked in pretty much from the beginning, and I enjoyed both Dare and Reese almost right away.  I think it took me a bit longer to fall in love with them, but I probably fell in love with them as they fell in love with each other.  I liked that while this was a “fated mates” story, where it was an instantaneous attraction that had a supernatural element, it didn’t mean they loved each other right away.  I actually enjoy insta-love more in paranormal stories, where an excuse can be given for it.  But I did appreciate that the author still had them fall in love despite the whole soul mates thing.

Reese’s backstory was truly tragic.  He went through SO FREAKING much in such a young life, and I LOVED how dedicated he was to his siblings, and you could feel their love for each other.  I enjoyed reading the conflict in him, between the obvious undeniable connection he had with Dare, and what he was being to feel for him, and wanting to go back and save his sister.  I mean, he made a terrible choice, but I did understand his flawed logic and how he came to that conclusion…he just needed a smack.  I totally called how that whole conflict was going to play out (or at least the precipitating action), but it still hit me right in the feels.  I will admit that occasionally Reese was just a bit too oblivious? naive? for my tastes.  First it was him making the choices *for* Dare, and then it was not understanding what Dare was doing.  It was a bit aggravating, but there was enough else going on that I didn’t dwell on it.

Dare was so completely different, but it didn’t mean my heart didn’t tug for him as well.  I couldn’t even imagine the weight of responsibility he felt, and I LOVED how seriously he took his role as alpha and pack leader.  It wasn’t something he abused or took for granted…he learned from the past, and really tried to meld together the pack’s need for safety and sustainability with trying to figure out the Nowere situation.  He was not without his own flaws, also making decisions FOR Reese instead of talking to him, but again, there was enough else going on that it didn’t bother me as much as it could have.

Besides Dare and Reese, this book excelled in an excellent secondary cast of characters.  Not just characters that I’m sure will get their own story, but even ones that probably won’t.  I LOVED Reese’s brother Jude…he was young, but you could see him maturing even in just those few weeks.  We only met a few other werewolves for a brief period, but I enjoyed Reese’s sister Selene too.  I LOVED Dare’s guard, from his incorrigible brother Bay, to the hilarious Vaughan, to the down to earth Rua, and the gentle giant G.  They all played little roles that really rounded out the story.  And then there was Kati and Mav!  I didn’t expect to enjoy Mav as much as I did, but I loved how he helped to show the progression of Dare and Reese’s relationship, as well as the growing comfort of Reese in the Silver Tip pack.

Honestly, one of my only major complaints is that I know we won’t get Jude and G’s story.  I want it.  Even if it’s just a novella.  I understand that we saw it all happen in the background, but I want to hear it from their POV.  I WANT IT!!!!  *ahem*

I’m definitely going to be one-clicking the next book, I can’t wait to read about Bay and see more of what’s going to happen in this world.