Fury Frayed by Melissa Haag is the first book in the Of Fates and Furies series. After Megan gets into another fight, she knows this means another move. This time her mom drags her off to a run-down house in Maine where she's expected to attend the prestigious Girderon Academy. Her mom disappearing in the night is the last thing Megan expects, but she's not surprised. Who wants to stay with a daughter that constantly fights? Her life gets even weirder when she meets a few of the locals. A charming boy takes an interest in her, despite the disapproval from his pack of followers. A mysterious stranger lands in her yard and soon takes upon the role of her protector. Soon she discovers she can't leave the town until she graduates, and her new school is filled with strange beings. She knows they made a mistake, because she doesn't belong here. Life starts looking up when she makes a new friend, that is until she finds a dead body in her yard and the local sheriff decides she's the killer. To prove her innocence, she'll have to discover her true origins and learn how to control her anger.

Megan has a strong voice, and though she has anger issues, she's also thoughtful and protective. Her friendship with Eliana is my favorite aspect of the story. It's sweet and genuine, as Megan has found someone that's a true grounding factor for her. They find a commonality in how they're each struggling with their identities and abilities, but they end up balancing each other out and empower each other. Eliana is a bit socially awkward and shy with a wallflower personality, which contrasts with her succubus origins. As Megan constantly struggles with her anger, Eliana struggles with certain aspects of being a succubus that she isn't okay with. Eliana chooses for herself who she wants to be, and this really resonates with the message of the story. Megan's journey is a personal one as she learns that she doesn't have to be defined by her anger; instead she can embrace it and choose who she wants to be. Melissa Haag explores growing up, taking these supernatural beings and showing them as teenagers struggling with identity, choices, bullying, and acceptance.

Romance is a light subplot throughout, blossoming from two very different friendships Megan forms. The reserved Oanen who is serious and protective has an otherworldly quality about him that makes him charming and easily likable. The flirty Fenris has a playful personality and quieter moments where it's easy to sympathize and connect with him. Both characters add a fun spark to the story as they integrate Megan into this new world, while also bringing out different sides to her personality. Fury Frayed blends a coming of age story with romance, supernatural beings, a hero's quest, and a murder mystery.

In Fury Frayed: Of Fates and Furies Book 1 by Melissa Haag, Megan doesn’t have a hot temper; it’s more like an unstable volcano of rage. When she gets into yet another fight at school, her mom decides it’s time for them to move again. It is only Tuesday, after all. Megan reluctantly packs up her possessions and travels to Maine with her mom. The new town doesn’t even have a horse and Megan’s new home is one hearty sneeze away from becoming rubble, but at least she can study from home through Girderon, an exclusive school for beings like her. Megan isn’t human, something her mother has neglected to tell her, but what Megan is exactly is something she’ll have to discover on her own.

Megan is outspoken, caustic, and prone to violence. These personality traits could’ve made her annoying, but instead she is a thoroughly entertaining character. The romance that develops between Megan and one of the shifter boys hits just the right spot between sexy and sweet. Thankfully, Melissa Haag eschews the overbearing, abusive behaviour too many authors try to pass off as romance where shifters are concerned. I loved the idea of a town entirely for supernatural beings, as well as there being a school where they learn to blend in with humans. The students of the Girderon school are a feast for the imagination. Megan’s abilities and her true nature are both well-conceived and original. Fury Frayed is a light, entertaining read and I’m eager to see how the story develops in the next book of this series.