Destiny Binds (Timber Wolves Trilogy, #1)

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Destiny Binds (Timber Wolves Trilogy #1)

by Tammy Blackwell (Goodreads Author)

4.13 of 5 stars 4.13 · rating details · 4,206 ratings · 429 reviews

Scout Donovan is a girl who believes in rules, logic, and her lifelong love of Charlie Hagan. Alex Cole believes in destiny, magic, and Scout. When Alex introduces Scout to the world of Shifters, men who change into wolves or coyotes during the full moon and Seers, women who can see your most private thoughts and emotions with a mere touch, the knowledge changes everything...more

Paperback, 232 pages

Published March 3rd 2011 by Tammy Blackwell

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Mar 16, 2012 Joy (joyous reads) rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: indie, dropped-series

Wonderful start.

Disappointing end.

Love triangle hell.

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I was truthfully enjoying this book right up to the last few pages. Despite all the editing mishaps, it had me giggling at a smarty-pants heroine who can talk and walk smack with the rest of them. And at one point, I thought, wow another Indie gold! I can't believe I waited so long to read this book. Then everything fell apart. The sad thing is, it happened toward the end.

This book is your typical werewolf s...more

7 likes · like · see review

Jan 01, 2012 Samantha Young rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebooks-i-own, indie, favourites

OMG. This self-published novel has completely taken me by surprise. Not only is it well-written, entertaining and somewhat addictive, but it's driven at the helm by a dry-voiced narrator called Scout, who you can't help but love. The characters in Destiny Binds are amazingly well-rounded, the shifter mythology incredibly believable, and the romance one of the best I've read in YA indie. OK, so admittedly there isn't as much action in this novel as other YA paranormal but the dialogue and the cha...more

32 likes · like · see review

Mar 15, 2012 Sanette rated it 2 of 5 stars

What the F*ck! So this book was disappointing.

I went into thinking that the MC (Scout) was going to find out she had some Seer abilities but the whole book was about her love triangle. Such a let down. I am hoping that the second book will actually address why she was so important to everyone and hopefully make her a worthy strong character. I was also a little disappointed that Blackwell did not give much explanation about the whole supernatural world. I wanted more information on the Shifters...more What the F*ck! So this book was disappointing.

I went into thinking that the MC (Scout) was going to find out she had some Seer abilities but the whole book was about her love triangle. Such a let down. I am hoping that the second book will actually address why she was so important to everyone and hopefully make her a worthy strong character. I was also a little disappointed that Blackwell did not give much explanation about the whole supernatural world. I wanted more information on the Shifters and Seers and the people in Romania. It would have been nice to see Scout more interested than she was. We had a few paragraphs where she talked about all the book research she did but I felt it was all breezed over. For someone as intelligent as Scout is supposed to be you would think she would be out there gathering information like a mad woman. I was also surprised that she never once confronted her brother or Charlie. She is supposed to be so tough and scary to everyone at school, why didn't she just walk into Jase's room, tell him she knew and to keep his paws off Alex or it would end badly. I just wanted to reach through the book and bitch slap her I was so frustrated. It was a contrast to how her character came across in everything else she did in this book.

I am really shocked by the ending, I read reviews for the second book hoping to get a hint that it was a mistake or some kind of crazy cliff hanger that is somehow going to get reversed. I could care less about Charlie and did not feel his character was strong enough to make me feel like there was a true love triangle going on so I have no desire to see them together. I'm hoping since Blackwell hinted to the fact that the coffin was empty and that Scout saw a wolf in the woods means that there is hope. But if not, I am really going to be disappointed with this series as I don't see how she can drag this story out to three books(view spoiler)

While I liked the story, it was riddled with grammatical errors. Now I am not a grammatical Natzi as I make a ton of mistakes myself, so I normally don't notice a few but this book seemed to have a lot more than I expected and I was very surprised. For me to comment on something like that really says something.

I will be reading the second book but I am not as excited about this series as I was going into the first book. If I don't see some turn around in the second book and some indication as to why this chick is so important and that (view spoiler) I don't think I will be able to waste my time on the third. I need more supernatural scenes, action and explanations. (view spoiler). I read the synopsis to the second book and I'm happy to hear that it appears we will learn Scouts power so that will be good. But it also seems that the book is going to have a lot of Charlie and Talley. I will not be happy if Scout just jumps into a relationship with Charlie, or even forgives him for that matter. It will really make me not like this MC and that is a shame as she is funny and tough and I found myself chuckling at quite a few scenes. I also have no feelings for Talley. I can't figure out why, but I felt nothing for her the whole book. I knew right away what she was and how she was connected to the story and I still was not very interested in her character. So when the ending came and she did the things she did I really disliked her character. I'm a little disappointed to hear she will be a focal point in the second book but maybe my opinion of her will change.

Overall I liked the book up until the ending, which is why I am going to give the second book a shot. Scout was funny and sarcastic and I loved her voice but the ending really really sucked and if it's not fixed this series will be a bust for me.
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Aug 13, 2011 Sophie Riggsby rated it 4 of 5 stars

Review posted on Mundie Moms on 8/13/2011*

3.5 stars out of 5

Tammy Blackwell story is one that even non-Wolf Girls like me can enjoy. Her writing has a sense of fun and she throws in plenty of pop culture references – Buffy, Kim Possible and (hey there) Orlando Bloom. Those made me smile and I have to admit that I looked forward to them. The main character, Scout, has a chatty voice and tells her thoughts and provides back-stories as you meet the characters in her lives. Here’s my favorite exa...more Review posted on Mundie Moms on 8/13/2011*

3.5 stars out of 5

Tammy Blackwell story is one that even non-Wolf Girls like me can enjoy. Her writing has a sense of fun and she throws in plenty of pop culture references – Buffy, Kim Possible and (hey there) Orlando Bloom. Those made me smile and I have to admit that I looked forward to them. The main character, Scout, has a chatty voice and tells her thoughts and provides back-stories as you meet the characters in her lives. Here’s my favorite example from page 59 and you know me, Mundie Moms, it has to be a romantic scene, right?

Alex Cole was not the first boy I ever held hands with that honor went to my third grade boyfriend, Jeremy Rande, who bought me a chocolate rose for Valentine’s Day and then moved to Illinois the next week. Over the years there had been others – including Dalton Riley, the asshat Ashley had done the nasty with – but none of those times had felt like this. With the other boys it had merely been skin on skin. I remembered how they always squeezed my hand too tightly or too loosely, how their palms had always been too dry or too sweaty.

Alex’s hand was perfect. His skin was soft and warm. He held onto me gently, but with confidence. My own hand felt small and delicate wrapped around his.

I was, at that moment, in possession of the world’s happiest hand.

I loved how Tammy wrote the romance in Destiny Binds. It felt real and genuine. Scout’s discovery of the mysterious boy, Alex, and Scout’s relationship with her step-brother, Jase, provide the main plot line which twisted into a unique take on wolf mythology. There are a lot of side references to Scout’s and Jase’s childhood so you feel like you know the siblings rather well. Sometimes, I found these distracted me from the main plot because as a reader I mentally bookmark details I think will become significant in the story. But at the same time, they made me feel like I knew the characters personally and this is a planned series so I’m sure the details will become important as the stories progress.

A favorite moment of mine is how Scout handles finding out about werewolf existence. Her logic is refreshing and yes, humor-filled. Let’s face it, Scout has the same questions I would have in her situation including questioning if vampires, too, exist.

Destiny Binds is a story filled with a sweetness and yet a fierceness in its sense of family and doing what is right. If you enjoy a werewolf story with a different twist, pick up Destiny Binds. Tammy’s mythology and her ending are, wow, unexpected and good.
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Jan 04, 2012 Daphne rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone

Shelves: favorite-books, were

This book was FANTASTIC, AMAZING, just like a lala song.

Tammy Blackwell did a super job putting together a story of shapeshifters, seers, love triangle, sassy attitudes and heartbreak.

Lets begin with Scout she is a senior in High School, clever, witty, and definitely speaks her mind. She has a wonderful family and best friend, everything is chipper until her fateful meet with Alex.

Scout felt the stares from Alex especially his brother Liam and once she mentioned it to her brother there was an a...more

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Sep 08, 2012 Madeline rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-2011

I downloaded this ebook after reading such great reviews from readers, and I gotta say Im SO glad I did! I could not stop reading (though, of course I had to, to do my job at work). It was not slow moving like I'd read it was at first. I mean by the time I took notice of what chapter I was in, it was chapter 8! I totally loved it. From the beginning when Scout notices the mystery guy across the field staring at her, I was kinda hooked, obviously wanting to know more about the guy and his piercin...more

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Mar 31, 2012 Renée rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

I was really fortunate to get a signed paperback copy of this book that I am just finally getting around to reading. To be fair, I must say that werewolves and other shapeshifters are not my favourite of the typical paranormal creature/being set, but I liked the way the mythology was incorporated into Destiny Binds. The dynamics had some interesting elements that I hadn't seen included in many shifter books previously, which kept things fresh. The highlight of the novel, though, is the protagoni...more

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Nov 12, 2012 ♥ Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: pnr, ya-na

3/5 STARS

Despite the editing/format issues, I have to admit, I really enjoyed the back and forth bantering between the characters, and the book really started out great. Unfortunately, the ending and plot development fell a little flat for me. I thought Scout was going to be a Seer? But nope. Nothing happened. It didn't make sense that she was under Pack protection if she wasn't of importance within the shifting community though. Was it just because she was considered Jases' sister? But then why...more

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Sep 30, 2012 Yoon-Ji rated it 5 of 5 stars

http://theinkgobbler.blogspot.com/

Scout Donovan will never be the picture definition of 'normal'. Born with white-blond hair, pale-as-ghost skin, and ice blue eyes, Scout isn't a social butterfly at high school, and her smart-alecky attitude doesn't help with that either. Scout Donovan is a girl who believes in logic, rules and her childhood love for Charlie Hagan. Alex Cole is a boy who believes in magic, destiny and Scout. When he introduces her to the world of Shifters and Seers, Scout discov...more http://theinkgobbler.blogspot.com/

Scout Donovan will never be the picture definition of 'normal'. Born with white-blond hair, pale-as-ghost skin, and ice blue eyes, Scout isn't a social butterfly at high school, and her smart-alecky attitude doesn't help with that either. Scout Donovan is a girl who believes in logic, rules and her childhood love for Charlie Hagan. Alex Cole is a boy who believes in magic, destiny and Scout. When he introduces her to the world of Shifters and Seers, Scout discovers that every single thing in her life--her family, her friends and herself--is about to change.

Now before you think, "Oh geez, not another werewolf book," stop. It really isn't. It doesn't have a sappy love story you secretly want to live in but detest at the same time. What really sets "Destiny Binds" apart from the other paranormal werewolf novels is the protagonist herself. One of the most important things for me in any novel, and especially in young adult novels, is the narrative voice. Scout isn't one of those annoying, whiny, my-life-is-about-to-change-and-this-guy-has-soul-sucking-eyes heroines. Instead, she's a witty, kick-ass girl who you wish you were friends with. Her references to pop culture made everything more relatable, and her humour, which worked wonderfully in her interactions with Alex, had me giggling and snorting throughout the book.

As a matter of fact, I loved pretty much all the characters. The relationship between Jase and Scout was incredibly believable, and made me wish I had a brother myself! Talley is just such a sweet girl, and Angel--oh, Angel--is just a mischievous bundle of evil that reminded me of my own sister. The one thing that was a little iffy for me was the relationship between Charlie and Scout. Maybe it's because I'm a die-hard Alex fan, but it seemed a little awkward to me. Having read the rest of the books in the trilogy, however, I do see a more believable development in their relationship, so I have no qualms there.

Plot-wise, the story was a little predictable at times, but unavoidable in that respect. In fact, isn't that what paranormal romances are kind of about? Again, though, he trilogy as a whole is definitely not predictable at all, and even the ending--the ending!!-- of "Destiny Binds" had me gasping and crying the whole way through.

There were a few punctuation and grammar mistakes (sorry, this is the editor in me speaking!)--I'm pretty sure the past tense of "drag" is "dragged" and not "drug"--but it wasn't enough to interfere with the well-written storyline.

All in all, "Destiny Binds" is an incredibly fun, great read with a fast-paced plot that kept me flipping through the pages with unbelievable speed. The characters are awesome, and I guarantee that Scout's wit and personality will coax out more than a laugh or two. I strongly, strongly recommend the entire trilogy. Trust me, it will suck you in and keep you there.

Rating: 5/5(less)

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Sep 10, 2012 Kaben rated it 4 of 5 stars

(This review was originally posted to the (mostly) sci-fi and fantasy book blog On Starships & Dragonwings. Please drop by for a visit!)

Those of us who collect eclectic, pithy first sentences will just love this one: “John Davis smells like Play-Doh”. Ya gotta love it. It’s nice to laugh out load at the first sentence of a new book. This first sentence promises an interesting and engaging writing style, and with her first novel, new author Tammy Blackwell makes good on the promise. This must...more (This review was originally posted to the (mostly) sci-fi and fantasy book blog On Starships & Dragonwings. Please drop by for a visit!)

Those of us who collect eclectic, pithy first sentences will just love this one: “John Davis smells like Play-Doh”. Ya gotta love it. It’s nice to laugh out load at the first sentence of a new book. This first sentence promises an interesting and engaging writing style, and with her first novel, new author Tammy Blackwell makes good on the promise. This must be why I so enjoyed the first third of the book, as I am neither a nascent young female adult, nor filled with angst over hot guys. I enjoyed the rest of the book, too, but for very different reasons.

Setting: Rural high-school and adjacent small towns and woods. The protagonist is wholly unaware of the supernatural nature of her universe.

Premise: Scout Donovan is high-school girl in her senior year — granted, an interesting girl, but relegated to the losers’ table at lunch — with a popular but overprotective brother (Jase), a precocious little sister (Angel), and a beautiful but overweight best friend (Tally). Alex Cole is the hot new guy, deemed off-limits to Scout by her brother and his best friend and cousin (Charlie). As Scout tries desperately to convince herself that she is in love with neither Alex nor Charlie, we have the makings of a lovers’ triangle, and the first third of the Destiny Binds reads much like a high-school girl’s diary, which I understand is pretty typical for the genre. For the first third of the book, there is no hint of the supernatural stuff implicit in the book’s title. All the while, author Blackwell is setting-up dominoes in a spectacular pattern. She does this in a subtle way, concealing aspects of her protagonist: she is, in fact, sharper and more dynamic than your average teenager, as is her little sister. In fact, none of the characters are who they at first seem to be. Moreover, readers will discover certain schemes only after they reach fruition, and sometimes well afterward. The first domino falls almost exactly a third of the way into the book, when the story begins to gradually transform from a diary to a love story and a gripping urban fantasy.

Strengths:
* Tammy Blackwell writes in an engaging and dryly amusing style. This may be her first novel, but Blackwell must be a seasoned writer.
* The character development is fantastic. Each of Jase, Charles, Tally, and Alex are shown, by slow turns, to be in no way at all whom they at first appeared to be. Even the annoying little sister isn’t who you think she is. Neither is Scout, and for her part, she is forced to adapt to each startling revelation.
* Your brain will be sharply tweaked by the wholly-unexpected climax and conclusion of Destiny Binds.

Weaknesses:
* For the first third of the book, characters appear to react more than they act, with the result that the book feels more like a diary than a story. This is more a weakness of the genre, to which authors of young-adult fiction must apparently adhere in order to sell their books to young adults. So it must be forgiven -especially in light of later revelations of hidden motives, actions, and dynamics of which Blackwell initially, and carefully, no more than hints.
* Destiny Binds’ angsty teenage lovers’ triangle, with two hot guys and a young, confused female protagonist, is a templated theme that’s felt hackneyed ever since Twilight — although, to my enduring horror, I love it. So do many angsty high school girls, I’m sure, which must explain why the template continues to be successful.

Summary:
I keep finding myself defending authors of what are essentially young-adult romances. Or rather, urban fantasy with young-adult-romance themes. In undertaking such a book, Blackwell must write to her target audience. As a new author, it is especially important for Blackwell to demonstrate that she knows how to write within the constraints of her genre. Blackwell clearly understands how to do this. With Destiny Binds, she has written a solid love story and fantasy, and wrapped it in trappings that will appeal to young adults. And to people like me, who are a little embarrassed to like such stories.
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Jun 02, 2012 K. Bird rated it 5 of 5 stars

4.5 stars, really.
I picked up Destiny Binds on the strength of a 5 star review from Wadingthrougheink.com. And boy was it worth the 99 cents- a bargain, really. I went into the book expecting a regular, old, YA paranormal romance with all the common tropes: girl likes mysterious new boy in town, girl realizes supernatural beings exist. Love triangle occurs.

And basically that's what happens in the small town of Timber, Kentucky to Scout (Her real name is Harper Lee). She and her stepbrother, Jase...more 4.5 stars, really.
I picked up Destiny Binds on the strength of a 5 star review from Wadingthrougheink.com. And boy was it worth the 99 cents- a bargain, really. I went into the book expecting a regular, old, YA paranormal romance with all the common tropes: girl likes mysterious new boy in town, girl realizes supernatural beings exist. Love triangle occurs.

And basically that's what happens in the small town of Timber, Kentucky to Scout (Her real name is Harper Lee). She and her stepbrother, Jase, (who acts like a twin) are enjoying their senior year of high school. Jase is popular and athletic. Scout is a fringe dweller. But a new boy comes to their school who can't stop staring at Scout. Jase gets all weird and aggressive, basically forbidding Scout any contact with the boy. But when a teacher assigns them to write articles together; Scout begins to enjoy the new boy's company against her will.

I dithered over my rating for this book. I can't, in good conscience, give this book only 4 stars. The writing is tight, there was no place in the action where I was waiting for something to happen or tempted to skip over scenes. Scout is deliciously snarky and vulnerable at the same time. Her conversations with Jase and best friend Talley are a hoot and half. Pop references (Kim Possible! Buffy! Laurell K Hamilton!) and modern slang pepper their banter in a realistic, not-trying-too-hard way. (Author turns out to be a YA Librarian, and her command of high school culture clearly shows) .

I stayed up all night reading to find out how Scout would reconcile her relationship with Alex (new boy) and her stepbrother's aggression with her own deep-seated crush on Jase's cousin. I was tempted to 5 star this book just on the basis of Scout's slow, self-realized, non-dithering relationship growth with Alex. She doesn't leave two boys dangling like so many other YA heroines. She makes a choice.

But there was one, little issue that keeps this from being a full-hearted 5. One, I give 5's usually to books that immerse me so fully in the story that I am in love with the world and characters. This one comes close, but there are a few places where the story resorts to summarizing, instead of showing, Scout's actions or the growth of Scout/Alex's feelings, and those few times I remember looking up, blinking, feel cheated out of delicious YA romance.

The ending cliffhanger was okay with me. I have no problem with the courageous and irrevocable (I hope irrevocable) choice the author makes with Alex's character. I can't wait to see how all the ramifications play out over the next book (which I have already bought.)

Really, this is a great book (safe to be accidentally read by my fourth grader) and a total steal at 99 cents.

This Book's Snack Rating: Like a whole bag of Sour cream and onion kettle chips for the terrific, edgy flavor of the banter and the addictive crunch of Scout's POV
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Jun 02, 2012 Rachel rated it 5 of 5 stars

I could probably fan-girl rave about this for quite a while...this book was AMAZING! Imagine me, looking for some cheap books to keep me entertained for a while and suddenly I find this beauty!
First of all, I love, love, love, LOVE that there is not insta-love. I mean yes, they fall in love pretty fast but in comparison to the other books I've read recently it was a stunningly long time. It was also great the the boy wasn't dark and intense, girls actually like happy guys too, ya know?? The fac...more

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May 30, 2012 Cami Hensley rated it 4 of 5 stars

http://myaddictionisreading.blogspot....

This is another one of those diamond in the ruff kind of books. I love finding self-published books on Goodreads and giving them a chance.

To start with, I loved the sibling dynamic between Scout and Jase. The Donovan "Twins" had such a great relationship. Jase is totally that overprotective big brother who Scout loves with everything she has.

Jase's best friend, Charlie, has been the center of Scout's universe for as long as she can remember, even though n...more

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Feb 01, 2012 Elise rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really liked this book except for the Alex part at the end. Are you kidding me? She just tried to kill off Alex. He doesnt really show up in the second book but he better in the third or I will be royally pissed. I hate the whole love triangle, especially Charlie. She doesn't love like Alex so take a hint! I hate Charlie. I found no pleasure in his character whatsoever. I hope Scout will stay true to Alex and believe he is not dead which I hope, and better be true, he is not dead. When sees hi...more

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Jan 31, 2012 Marsha rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Young Adults

(3.5 out of 5 stars)
"Destiny Binds" is an interesting story about a girl, Scout Donovan who lives her senior high school year on the verge of learning that shifters exist. Two new boys enter her town of Timber. One, Liam frightens her to death and the other, his younger brother, Alex is a new student at her school.

Scout is warned by her stepbrother, Jase and his cousin, Charlie to stay away from Alex. Although she tries to do so, soon she succumbs to his wit, kindness and charm. They fall in lov...more

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Dec 20, 2011 Becky rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: missing-parent-syndrome, dreaded-love-triangle, will-not-read-again

If I could sum up my feelings on this book in one word, it would probably be "disappointment". Not that this book is bad, precisely, but because it had potential to be so much more than it was, only to take a turn for the Twilight about halfway through.

Mechanically, this book is excellent. The protagonist's voice is funny without being flippant, and there aren't any grammatical errors to be found. (Considering I picked this book up for $.99 off Amazon, I thought this should be mentioned.)

I actua...more

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Dec 18, 2011 Christine Butler rated it 4 of 5 stars

Destiny Binds was a fantastic YA Paranormal read. I have been made aware that it is to be the first in a trilogy, which is good because I was left with a lot of questions in the end.

While I was left with questions, it should be known that this book could still be a stand alone. It has a definitive end to it. I absolutely loved the story and the reality of it (I know paranormal and reality don't go hand in hand - bear with me)as it's rare to find an author willing to stray from the happily ever...more

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Nov 22, 2011 Jane Stewart rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult-paranormal-romance, 4-plus-star-other

4 ½ stars. She made me laugh – a lot. I rounded down to 4 stars because I disliked the cliffhanger ending.

STORY BRIEF:
This is told in first person by Scout, a high school senior, valedictorian. She considers herself odd looking. Alex and his older brother move to town. Alex is a senior and gorgeous. He stares at Scout. Scout’s stepbrother Jase hates Alex for some unknown reason and tells Scout to avoid him. She tries to avoid him, but it’s hard because they have classes and school activities tog...more

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Nov 13, 2011 Sans rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 1st-in-series, rocked-my-socks, weres-shifters, young-adult, made-me-cry-dammit

Woah. Seriously. Dude, where did this book come from, and please tell me there are more on the way. This was one of the best YA paranormal books I've ever read. The fact that it's self-published just blows my mind.

I've been sitting here, trying to come up with a coherent review of why I loved this book so much, but I keep getting sucked back into the story. I'll just have to post some highlights:

- I loved all the characters, especially Scout. I sympathized with her, I loved her voice, found mys...more Woah. Seriously. Dude, where did this book come from, and please tell me there are more on the way. This was one of the best YA paranormal books I've ever read. The fact that it's self-published just blows my mind.

I've been sitting here, trying to come up with a coherent review of why I loved this book so much, but I keep getting sucked back into the story. I'll just have to post some highlights:

- I loved all the characters, especially Scout. I sympathized with her, I loved her voice, found myself laughing at her turns of phrase (and recognizing some of my own several times).

- Alex wasn't broody, dangerous, ridiculously rich, bipolar or constantly trying to warn Scout away from him. In fact, he was friendly, open, funny, sweet and caring. His financial situation was pretty rough. And he had no qualms about telling Scout he loved her but wasn't willing to take any of her choices away from her.

- The romance was sweet and heartbreaking and I was so invested in it, I nearly cried at the end.

- The love triangle totally worked in this book. Scout doesn't spend ages angsting over her childhood crush and the new boy in town. When the time comes to make a decision, she makes it, sticks with it, and is happy with it. Thank you, baby Jesus!

- Shapeshifters. I adore shapeshifters. But the paranormal stuff didn't completely overpower the story and it isn't the sole focus of the plot.

- The writing was fantastic, especially for a self-published (and presumably self-edited) book.

Scout could be accused of being a Mary Sue by some, but I didn't see it. Her common sense got away from her a time or two, but I found it easy to forgive, considering she's a teenager and in her first relationship.

I didn't appreciate that the best friend was once again the chubby girl in school, but it wasn't mentioned endlessly. Once or twice and that was it. Talley actually had a personality beyond her weight and had a vital role in the plot beyond making our heroine look good or give her someone to confide in.

I really do hope the author will write more about these characters. I can't wait to visit them again and see where that last plot twist goes. This is definitely one of my favourite reads of 2011.

EDIT: Just checked Tammy Blackwell's blog and there are two more books planned in this series. Yule just came early for Sans. (less)

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Oct 13, 2011 Brittney rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What can I say about this novel... other than it's abso-FREAKIN-lutely amazing. I could literally could not put this book down, I devoured it in a day, even resorting to eat my dinner while holding my kindle, and carrying it through the house. Tammy Blackwell builds these characters so beautifully, you will fall in love with each and every one of them. I cannot wait for the next one, so badly that I have been turned into a stalker for the writing, searching out a release date for the 2nd book,...more

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Mar 07, 2011 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya

So my friend and co-worker wrote this, so my giving four stars to it reeks of sucking-up-ism, or just-being-nice-ism, or I-had-to-do-it-or-else-it's-gonna-be-super-uncomfortable-around-the-watercooler-ism. But the book is actually really good! No, seriously. The best part to me is the depiction of the setting. Perhaps I am biased since it is where I live, but you don't find all that many books that even attempt to depict a modern day rural Southern town, much less do it in a way that isn't eithe...more

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Mar 07, 2012 Raafia rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: vampires-wolves-and-angels, crappy-books, stupid-bellaish-selfish-heroines, insta-love

I really, really wanted to like this book. The cover was cool and so was the title. "Timber Wolves Trilogy 1" sounded pretty appealing to me. Reading Destiny Binds however reminded me a lot of Eclipse and Fallen(I really hate Eclipse and Fallen).
Scout is a freak/geek. It's her senior year and a new boy Alex has just moved to town. Her stepbrother Jase warns Scout to stay away from him but she eventually falls in love with Alex. Then she finds out that he's a werewolf and that her brother is a...more

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Dec 09, 2012 Komal Kant rated it 5 of 5 stars

First of all, the main character, Scout, is witty and has great commentary on everything. She's the kind of MC you want in a book. She sounds and acts like a teenager, she has common sense and she asks the right questions. The supporting characters are all great too! There are two love interests, Alex and Charlie, but they're both written so amazingly well that I had a hard time deciding who I loved better. I also loved that Scout actually had two decent choices regarding her love life and that...more

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Nov 02, 2012 Libby rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: waste-of-time

So I started off enjoying this book, I liked it but I didn't love it. I didn't feel a really strong connection with any of the characters though. I liked the main character Scout at first but when the love triangle stuff started I just got annoyed. It also bothered me that everyone in Scouts life, all of her closest friends and family, were hiding huge secrets from her. I know they were probably just trying to protect her but I don't know how she went her whole life without realizing something w...more

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Mar 18, 2011 Meg Hawkins rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Taking a much-loved genre and reworking it--in a way that is both innovative and amusing--is both very difficult, and highly in demand (especially in young adult literature). You've seen it in fairy-tale retellings (ever since Robin McKinley kicked things off); now, get ready to see it in Supernatural Romance.

Supernatural Romance has its structure (normal teen meets mysterious teen, discovers magic, enter third party--for the purposes of a love-triangle), just as Fairytale does (prince/princess,...more

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Sep 20, 2012 Nikki rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: all-time-favorites, read-in-2012-favorites

4.5 stars, and going on my "Favorites" shelf for sure.

I went into this book with high expectations based on the many stellar reviews, and I wasn't disappointed.

1. Scout as the narrator. Honestly, I thought this was the strongest point of the book. She has to be one of the best narrating voices I've read this year - fun, funny, strong, and likeable from the get-go. The first chapter or so had me thinking that her narration voice would wane over time (it just started out way too good), and when...more 4.5 stars, and going on my "Favorites" shelf for sure.

I went into this book with high expectations based on the many stellar reviews, and I wasn't disappointed.

1. Scout as the narrator. Honestly, I thought this was the strongest point of the book. She has to be one of the best narrating voices I've read this year - fun, funny, strong, and likeable from the get-go. The first chapter or so had me thinking that her narration voice would wane over time (it just started out way too good), and when it didn't, I was very pleasantly surprised.

2. The plot. Incredibly tight and well-developed. I see where other reviewers are coming from when they say it starts out a little slow but picks up as you near the end... but I thought the entire book was very well paced overall. The first third of the book doesn't drag even though not a lot happens - mostly thanks to Scout's narration and commentary, which is always quick and interesting. The book was obviously building up to something, and I thought the initial "slowness" was actually well-balanced by events later in the book, rather than being just a slow start.

3. The ending. EVERYONE is mentioning the ending, and if you've read many reviews you probably kind of know what happens. I didn't read any specific spoilers before I read the book, but from people's reactions, I knew what was coming; so even when it did end up happening, I wasn't surprised or overly-emotional, because I had braced myself for it. That being said, I did find myself actually crying -- not at the event, but at the characters' reactions to it (one very young character's reaction in particular...). GAH. I think it's a mark of good character development and storytelling where, even when you know what's coming and think you're prepared, the author is still able to grab your heart and shatter it into a million pieces.

The ONE thing I thought was a little bit odd, and slightly pulled me out of what was otherwise a very engaging story, was the fact that Scout so quickly accepted that suddenly her world was filled with supernatural creatures. Maybe it was supposed to be a testament to her ability to roll with it, see things for what they were and not try to deny what was happening (which is definitely a big part of her character); but come on. Suddenly you discover the existence of a mythical creature, and you're not even going to try and rationalize or deny it? Not even for a minute? *shrug* It's a small complaint, and definitely not something that stopped me from loving the book, but still something I think could've been dealt with a little bit better.

Destiny Binds is a GREAT start to a series that I'm really looking forward to finishing. Thank God that the, and I'd recommend it to anyone who's a fan of YA paranormal romance. This is definitely one of the good ones. (less)

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Apr 03, 2012 Rachel Marks rated it 5 of 5 stars

I found this book on a whim while searching through the Amazon recommended for you sections (are you noticing a trend?). After reading all the amazing reviews and seeing the kindle price of 99 cents I figured I would give the book a shot. After starting to read I became so hooked that I could not put the book down and I finished it in two days!

Blackwell's story creates a twist of the modern werewolf and shape shifters tale. I was super excited because you really don't see too many YA paranormal...more

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Mar 07, 2013 Niala rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I cant understand how amazing authors gave it 5 stars. If half stars were allowed the real rating would have been 2.5 stars.

So this Book was painfully boring for the first half. I remember thinking can it get worse?

After that it went to being OK. For the last 10%, it was actually good, with parts like:
"The animal that was my brother yipped at me. It was a sound that seemed to be colored with something closer to surprise or annoyance than a threat. He whipped his head to the side with a whine an...more

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Dec 29, 2012 Scott-robert Shenkman rated it 1 of 5 stars

All I can say is the ending of this book was such a monumental FUCKING LET DOWN that I will never read anything this author writes in the future. I bought this book and the second one at the same time (last time I ever do something like that), because it sounded so promising. As soon as I finished this book, I deleted it AND the unread second book from my Kindle. After the way this one concludes, there is no way the second one will not SUCK. Usually, the second book in a trilogy is where everyth...more

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Feb 15, 2012 Jean rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Confession time: I probably have close to 40-50 free/cheap books on my Kindle. I get them because of good reviews and then promptly forget about them. Fortunately, this time I started reading a cheap read (only 99 cents!), because of a very favorable review and Ms. Tammy Blackwell, the author of Destiny Binds, likes many of the same authors as I do.

It takes a bit before there is even a hint of paranormal, about 30% to 40% into the book, although there are certainly quite a few mysterious convers...more

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topics	posts	views	last activity
Oh My Shelves: April Destiny Binds Buddy Read	32	21	Apr 29, 2013 01:27pm
Bookaholic Anonymous: Destiny Binds (Timber Wolves #1) by Tammy Blackwell	40	13	Mar 11, 2013 04:27pm

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Young Adult

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Fantasy > Paranormal

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Shapeshifters > Werewolves

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Romance

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Fantasy

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Romance > Paranormal Romance

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Paranormal > Shapeshifters

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Animals > Wolves

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Fantasy > Urban Fantasy

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Fantasy > Supernatural

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About Tammy Blackwell

YA librarian by day; Caped Crusader by night. (Oh, and I write the Timber Wolves books, too.)

More about Tammy Blackwell...

Books by Tammy Blackwell

Fate Succumbs (Timber Wolves Trilogy, #3)

All We See & Seem (Timber Wolves companion)

Fragile Brilliance (Shifters & Seers, #1)

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Quotes from Destiny Binds

“The whole thing made me a little wrist-slitty.” — 37 people liked it

“School sucks. I'm dropping out and becoming a truck stop waitress. I think i'll change my name to Flo and get a really bad perm. Flo the truck stop waitress with a bad perm doesn't need high school. She lives off the knowledge of life.” — 25 people liked it

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Destiny Binds (Timber Wolves Trilogy #1)

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