Guards by Faye Knighly

 

Published on September 4th, 2026

424 pages

I read the e-book

Back Cover

An interconnected standalone set in the post apocalyptic Breeders universe, Guards takes you deeper into the twisted dynamics of Pack Singer.

The Packless

They call me packless, but I’ve always had a family. Or I did, until a group of scavengers caught us unawares and killed everyone I’ve ever loved. I’ve come to Pack Singer injured, weak, but when a soft-hearted guard nurses me back to health, I see my chance. I beg him to help me join Pack Singer’s prestigious breeding program. If I’m pregnant with one of their own, there’s no way they’ll refuse me. I need to keep it cool, fake my way in, and conceive before I’m discovered.

All I want is to have a home, and I refuse to settle for anything less than one of the Big 10.

Jace

Demoted and dejected, I settle into the role of grunt when I used to lead. All, for what, refusing to acknowledge what my brother was planning to do?

Truly alone for the first time in my life, I find one of the packless bleeding and unconscious in the woods. She needs me, and the more I stare into her brilliant green eyes, the more I think I need her. When she comes up with a plan to find sanctuary at Pack Singer by becoming a pack mother, I go along with it.

But she won’t go alone.

The Hawk mask I once wore with pride feels constrictive, but I’ll wear it for her. She doesn’t know I’m one of her Breeders, but it’s the only way to keep her close. One day, I’ll take off the mask and show her my real face.

My review

 I would like to mention that it’s the first book I read from this author, but it’s the third novel of her series Breeders. The good thing is I wasn’t lost when I read it because it’s almost about Kaiya and Jace. You also encounter characters that probably were in the other books, so I would recommend starting with book 1.

I don’t read many novels about werewolves, but since I met the author, I wanted to give a chance at her universe. I admit that the fact that females are mostly used to breeding and raising kids, it wasn’t easy for me to read that part. Fortunately. The connection between the protagonists gets deeper in time, and it might not be what is waiting for Kaiya. At the beginning, she is a newbie. She wasn’t supposed to be part of that pack, but some circumstances put Jace and her together.

Jace is still mysterious in most of the book, but I guess it was that brought some interest to the plot. I found this character more fascinating than Kaiya even though I could relate more to the MFC. He was cold with her first, but many events brought them closer.

The world building is really well represented, but fantasy and dystopic are not my cup of tea. In some chapters, I had trouble concentrating, but I wonder if it’s related to my busy life lately because it’s not the first book that I forgot some parts.

My interview with the author