BOOK REVIEW: Alpha Male by Mark Allen

I did a book spotlight, and now I have READ THE BOOK! ALPHA MALE is one of the most enjoyable horror thrillers I have read in a long time.

ALPHA MALE (a Caleb Jacobsen novel)

Published: April 15, 2025

Genre: Horror/Suspense/ Thriller

Pages:434

Synopsis

Since defeating the evil Global Alpha saving mankind from annihilation, Caleb and Marla have gone back to their quiet lives.

Sadly, “quiet” never lasts.

A werewolf delegation explains to Caleb that by killing the last Alpha and then not assuming the position himself, the werewolf world has fallen into chaos, fractured packs, and bitter infighting. Born followers, the werewolves NEED a strong leader to restore balance and order.

Realizing his responsibility for this situation, Caleb must step up and be the leader they need, even though it is the last thing he wants to do.

But there are those who do not recognize him as legitimate. Rejecting his policy of détente with humankind, they still want a Werewolf Apocalypse and a Human Holocaust. And they are willing to kill anyone who gets in their way.

War is brewing, and no one can remain neutral. Everyone must choose sides. It all comes down to one cataclysmic fight to the death between Caleb and the rebel leader, Logan Olivier. The survivor will guide the combined destinies of both werewolves and humans for the next thousand years.

 There’s only one ALPHA MALE. 

REVIEW

The cover hooks you before you open the pages, and once you do, author Mark Allen doesn’t disappoint. Alpha Male is the second book in Allen’s Caleb Jacobsen werewolf series, with Blood Moon being the lead in. Even though I didn’t read the first book, Allen welcomes you. I was not lost one bit, and I instantly felt invested in these characters.

We pick up with Caleb and Marla again, three months after Caleb killed the Global Alpha, refusing to take the throne as his replacement. When a group comes a calling, saying the werewolf community is in disarray.  Caleb finally rises up, considering he is to blame for the chaos in their community. We also meet Logan Oliver, a German Alpha of the German pack, who decides to claim the empty Global Alpha spot and pick us up where the former left off, which was revealing their kind to humanity and showing them who the true A-PEX predator is. When he learns Caleb is finally claiming the Global Alpha role and opting for peace, Logan sets out a challenge. Caleb accepts, but when Logan brutally attacks his own kind for not following him, then tries to go after his mate, Caleb is coming after Logan. Still, it is a fight to the death as both Logan and Caleb come with surprises.

I truly enjoyed Alpha Male so much. Allen is also a screenwriter, and if you are familiar with screenwriting, you can tell. Allen’s visceral description and detail are superb. I love it when a book plays like a film in your head, and Alpha Male does that. Allen’s writing is gifted in this genre. The final battle between Caleb and Logan is written brutally, yet it’s not overkill or overly gruesome. I mean, I did wince a bit at every punch and crunch. It was supported, though, so it worked. There is a third book coming out, so I am excited to see where Caleb and Marla go next.

My rating 5 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

ALPHA MALE IS AVAILABLE NOW ON AMAZON

Spooktacular Book Spotlight Thursday: UNNAMEABLE by Andrew Schrader

Halloween is just around the corner, so when I saw this book I had to spotlight it. UNNAMEABLE by Andrew Schrader. “Unnamable” is a gripping work of horror fiction. If you like supernatural thriller books, horror and suspense, and brooding terror, you will love Andrew Schrader’s page-turner that seethes with raw power. Let’s dive in!

Unnameable

Publication Date: October 25, 2024

Genre: Horror

A captain with a haunted past...
One last daring rescue mission...
A stalking evil even he can't outrun...

Nathaniel Carter is ashamed of his dark secret.
For eighteen years he's fled from his past, desperate to escape his dreaded memories forever.

In search of gold and a fresh start, he leads his men on a rescue mission deep into the mountains. But as they venture on, he begins to suspect something other than war-crazed Confederates is stalking his men...

As the team nears their destination, Nathaniel fears that the entities abducting his crew are linked to his buried sins — and the malformed brother who seeks his revenge.

Can he confront his inner demons to save his troops, or will he doom them all to a fate worse than death?

COMING OCTOBER 25th ON AMAZON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Andrew Schrader is a Los Angeles-based author and filmmaker. In addition to directing feature films and music videos, he wrote several episodes of the animated show Tig n’ Seek for Cartoon Network. He was also a script consultant on “Afterlife,” the horror series from Crypt TV.

His three-book series, What Goes On In The Walls at Night, was featured on the Reddit No Sleep podcast and twice won the Red City Review Book of the Year for fantasy and horror.

Yes, of course he loves cats.