Werewolves of Chernobyl (Natalie’s Review)

Title: Werewolves of Chernobyl
Author: K.A. Merikan and L.A. Witt
Publisher: Wing and Fang Press
Release Date: May 5, 2016
Genre(s): Paranormal, Fantasy, Menage Romance
Page Count: 214 pages
Reviewed by: Natalie
Heat Level: 4 flames out of 5
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
Blurb:

— Being kidnapped by two werewolves is an adventure after all, right? Right?! —

Quinn

If Quinn wants to get the best photos for his travel blog, no gate is too tall, and no ‘do not enter’ sign actually means he won’t go in. What he finds in a hidden exclusion zone by Chernobyl blows his mind. Mutants? Monsters? He doesn’t know, but he is bound to find out when not one but two of them break into his hotel.
Too bad the rules and attitudes they have toward sex don’t match Quinn’s at all.

Dima

Born with a disabled hand, smaller than the other werewolves, Dima is the lowest of the low in his pack, but when he meets the loveliest human he’s ever seen, he knows his luck has changed.
The last thing he expects though is his beloved friend Nazar turning on him once Dima’s affection for Quinn deepens, and he refuses to be mounted by Nazar anymore.

Nazar

Nazar is a high ranking soldier in his pack, but in his powerful body hides a gentle soul, and all he wants is to escape the pack with Dima. But once Dima claims Quinn as his, secrets Nazar has so far kept hidden rear their ugly head.
The werewolf language doesn’t have words to describe what they crave, so Quinn might be the only one to help them solve the puzzle of the desires that go against the rules of their pack.

POSSIBLE SPOILERS:
Themes: shifter, werewolf, menage, knotting, urban exploration, cultural differences, disability, hierarchy, USSR, isolated from the world, society of men, PTSD, military, secret organization
Genre: M/M/M romance, suspense, paranormal, urban fantasy
Length: ~75,000 words
WARNING: This book contains steamy content, graphic violence, and elements that might be considered taboo.

Okay, here it goes. The authors forewarn the readers that there is taboo subject matter. I’m like oh, that’s just because it’s an M/M/M aspect, right? No. No no nooo. This book contains bestiality.

Bestiality folks. As in sex between a person and an animal. I wasn’t ready for that, at all.

I’ve read my fair share of shifter books. Usually, the guy/gal is in human form when they engage in sexual relations. Not here peeps. Not here. After I got over vomiting in my mouth a little, I forged ahead.

Listen, this is a big ole limit for me. Shit I said I’d never read, I read. Why? Because KA Merikan and LA Witt drew me in.

Our story starts off with Quinn, a blogger, who is touring with a group in Pripyat not too far from the site of the whole Chernobyl blowup. Despite repeated warnings of not going into the “exclusion zone,” Quinn decides to do his own thing and wander off from the rest of the group because 1) he’s a nosy shit, 2) an adventure seeker, 3) has some kind of death wish. He crosses the river and notices things are a bit eerie. Before he knows it, he’s being chased by a hulking wolf.

He twists his ankle in the process of being captured by the wolf but instead of a deadly creature; he gets a curious yet ferocious wolf in Dima. Dima is “crippled” considering he only fully has the use of one arm. His pack has deemed him lesser because of this, and they treat him like crap. Dima stumbling upon a human that he can claim is like hitting the lottery. He will no longer be viewed as bottom of the rung if he has a “bitch.” And we have the setup for our story…. well almost

You knew there was threeway action, right? Nazar and Dima have been friends since they were pups. They’re also bed buddies if you get me.

Nazar is, of course, jealous by the intimacy that’s developing between Quinn and Dima. He wants a piece of the action too and Quinn is happy to oblige.

My critique? Despite the OMG WTF factor with the shifting into a werewolf in the middle of sex or having sex with a half man-half wolf beast thingee, this was an engaging read. I liked the dynamics between all three men. Quinn provided much needed comic relief when I felt traumatized. Dima was sweet, and I understood his desire to be seen as one who could hold his own.

What was missing for me? More Nazar backstory. We know he was a soldier, but that aspect wasn’t well fleshed out. He was sent on military missions but to do what specifically? What did the government ask of him other than to kill and maim and why? What was the actual purpose?

What happened to the pack after a resolution was reached between Dima, Nazar, and Quinn? Lev dropped a pretty big bomb on Dima and I felt like that part of the story was completely rushed. Again, I wanted a little more.

Overall, this was a good story. I’d recommend it. The epilogue was satisfying but holy mother was I traumatized. Knotting? LOL, I still can’t get over that entire thing. I’m gonna keep my review very PG-13 rated but umm… yeah…

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