Bitten

​"A deliciously dark and viciously sexy romance. You will want to devour Jordan Gray's stunning paranormal debut. But beware, this book bites back." –Stephanie Garber, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Once Upon a Broken Heart

Crescent City meets Fourth Wing in this fast-paced and romantic debut, in which a teenage girl must survive ruthless werewolves, a glittering court, and deadly politics to exact revenge on the monsters who destroyed her.

After a vicious werewolf attack on the night of her seventeenth birthday party, Vanessa Hart loses everything she loves in a split second. Her best friend, her father, and even her home.

Bitten and imprisoned without explanation, Vanessa endures an agonizing transformation into the very beast that maimed her, and her captors make it clear she cannot escape: she will either swear her life to the Wolf Queen’s Court, or she will die.

With no other choice, Vanessa joins their enchanted Castle Severi—where flowering vines grow through the walls, gifts are bestowed by the stars, and a claw can break through skin as easily as silk—but she hasn’t forgotten what they stole from her.

Vanessa still seeks vengeance, scheming in the shadows even as she finds herself mesmerized by the golden prince Sinclair Severi, who threatens to steal her heart though he is promised to her nemesis. And by his brooding, disgraced cousin, Calix, whose smoldering gaze hides even darker secrets. Immersed in the magic of their whimsical yet cruel society, Vanessa soon learns not all is as it seems.

The Court is at war, and she may simply be a pawn in its lethal game.

For Fans of:
Forbidden Romance
Enemies to Lovers
Werewolves
Paranormal Romance

Amazing

Bitten is a fast, addictive read that hooks you from the very first chapter. Jordan Stephanie Gray delivers the perfect mix of tension, chemistry, and dark intrigue—made even better by the fact that it all takes place in my favorite city, St. Augustine, FL. The setting adds so much atmosphere and charm that it makes the story feel 100 times richer. The characters feel real, the emotions hit hard, and the twists keep the pages turning. If you love intense, atmospheric reads that you can’t put down, this one is a must.

What the cliffhanger

I love the suspense, plot twists, character builds, action, and spice in this book. Callix being cold and brooding. Sin being so charming and flirty. Vanessa being so sweet but rage filled. But what the cliff hanger! I need to know what happens because I was NOT expecting that.

I do love the story

But I just wish the main fmc was a little smarter. I had my smarts at 17 and I do believe she turned 18. I was very smart and took in my surrounded at the age of 13 . She just so immature. This is not the first book they put FMC in very dangerous situations where she has no repercussions or the danger is so much more powerful than a female with nothing not even a weapon in her hand and she’s standing like she’s some kind of wonder woman I don’t get why they do this, but a lot of people didn’t finish this book where they complained about that so I’m hoping I am going to definitely do book too. I’m just hoping that she is a little smarter. As I’m seeing a little of reviews lasts 6months of people complaining about whining FMC she’s one definitely but the story is well worth it I skip through a lot of it towards the end.

Calix… Calix… 🔥

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Overall
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Plot
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Characters
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Audiobook

Bitten is a dark, atmospheric romantasy that blends forbidden romance, hidden magic, and emotional tension into an engaging and immersive story. While it can be read as a starting point, this is not a standalone and ends on a cliffhanger… though not the kind that will emotionally devastate you.

Overall thoughts (spoiler-free)
I went into this book expecting a standalone, and while it isn’t one, that didn’t take away from my enjoyment. The story held my attention, the romance kept me invested, and the world felt intriguing and layered. The ending clearly sets up more to come, but it doesn’t feel cruel or unfinished: more like an open door rather than a slammed one.

🎧 Audiobook thoughts
I absolutely loved the audiobook; all narrators did an incredible job. Chase Brown’s narration was a standout for me; his voice fit the tone of the story perfectly and added depth, emotion, and atmosphere. The performance made the listening experience incredibly engaging and elevated the overall story.

⚠️ Spoilers below ⚠️

The following thoughts are purely personal, and while I mention some critiques, I wholeheartedly still recommend reading this book.

I enjoyed the story overall, but there were moments where the plot became a bit confusing; particularly, surrounding the hidden magic of Sin’s dream weaving. At times, Vanessa’s “condition” felt less like magic and more like a depiction of a mental disorder, which is something I personally struggle to enjoy in fiction. That aspect occasionally pulled me out of the story.

That said, I really enjoyed the romance. Sin is an intriguing character, and while I liked him, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was deeply off about him from the start. The forbidden nature of the relationship was compelling, but it also felt almost too easy, and let’s be honest, romantasy rarely rewards easy paths. Because of that, I constantly felt a sense of impending consequence, which kept me on edge in a good way.

Interestingly, I found myself relating more strongly to the relationship between Vanessa and Calix. Their dynamic felt more grounded and emotionally real to me. That said, I do have a soft spot for darker, broody, morally gray MMCs, so my conflicted feelings only made the story more intriguing.

Bitten is an engaging, moody romantasy with a strong audiobook performance, compelling romantic tension, and a plot that invites curiosity and speculation. While certain elements didn’t fully work for me personally, they didn’t diminish my overall enjoyment. This book left me intrigued, invested, and eager to see where the story goes next, and I absolutely recommend giving it a chance, especially in audio format.

AMAZING read, hopefully the first of many!!!

This story had me on the edge of my seat for all 17 hours! I thought it may have some twists in store but I was not prepared for that SHOCKING ending; I am still picking my jaw up off the floor! I can’t wait for the second book in the series!